Putting the “Zea” on the Map
An Interview with Kenny May – Building Hip Hop Culture in San Jose
Interview by Kefing Aperto-Berry // Photo by Elizabeth Gonzalez

If you know anything about the hip hop scene in San Jose then you would attach the name Funk Lab to over half the events thrown in the past 10 years in the city. I got the chance to chop it up with Kenny May, one of the co-founders of Funk Lab and an old-school homie of mine, to get his take on the past, present and future of hip hop culture in San Jo.

BK: How is the hip hop scene different now compared to the Zea 10 years back when you first started throwing shows?

KM: Back then there were like the Hank Lopez community center. To me that was the scene, heads would come together, emcees would cipher, all the writers would hang out around the rappers because it was the energy. For a lot of us, Hank Lopez became the first place where we discovered community.

Later, there was the Cactus Club, which catered to the 16 and up. It was a good mixed crowd. You had your backpackers, skaters, your typical true school hip-hop heads and gangsters. There was more love, more energy. Writers, B-boys, emcees and dejays were all on the same set, one collective community. There was the Walls Of Fame by San Carlos Street, the tunnels by 11 th and Taylor. San Jose's rich with art and culture. Our   generation felt like we were actually creating community. It seems harder to bring people together today. The emcees and the b-boys can barley coexist because it seems like everybody's racing to brake the tape at the finish line but they're not trying to help the next person get there even if they had a better shot at winning. That's the biggest difference from now and back then, there was more love and today folks seem more selfish.

BK: What is it going to take to truly put San Jose on the map as a respected city full of art, music and culture?

KM: I feel there's a sense of self-hate in San Jose. There is beautiful artwork, music, but there is a lack of support from the local people. People don't support the hometown, but they will quickly jump on an LA crew that comes up here, go to their shows. For some reason people don't feel like local talent is at the standard of other cities like LA, Frisco or Oakland. San Jose is the biggest city in the Bay but folks here still don't look to themselves as being the biggest city in the Bay. People need to quit thinking that we can't do here what they're doing everywhere else in the world. Also, the elders here don't work with the youth as much and vice versa.

BK: What advise would you give to anyone out there looking to get involved in hip hop culture in San Jose?

KM: You have to feel hip hop in your heart first of all. Then you have to seek out and find where it's happening. Go to the shows, support local emcees and support local acts. Try to find out how you can play into their scene. If it means you intern with them or have them be your mentor, do it just so you can learn the ropes. Surround yourself with likeminded people; even people you're not feeling because you can learn from all things, good and bad. Be open-minded, that's the growth.