the hum / By Bob Doran

The Coco Benefit

(April 26, 2007)  t was one of those phone calls. The caller ID on my phone said St. Joe’s. Not a good sign. It was my good buddy Gregg calling from a hospital room where he was visiting our mutual friend Coco Hogan, a longtime Humboldt resident, someone I’ve known since I started going to Reggae many years ago. Coco was a SoHummer back then, one of the guys who helped build the Mateel. He’s been living in Eureka for a few years, for reasons I needn’t go into here, but he’s always been a constant at Reggae, one of many hardworking volunteers who do what’s needed: haul garbage, recycling, whatever, always with a warm smile. I just talked with Coco for a little while - it was a difficult thing for him to do. He’s been diagnosed with throat cancer, a serious bummer and, no, he doesn’t have health insurance. What he wanted me to know was that he has a way to bring together the dueling forces down SoHum way: The Coco Benefit.

“I get along with everyone,” he told me, “and they’ll all be there.” Friends arranged the event, which takes place this Saturday, April 28, all day (1-11 p.m.) with free organic food, auctions, both silent and live, music by The Non-Prophets, Black Sand, Skunk Train, Something Different, Quantum, Corry Hanna, Anna Banana, Chris McCurdy and Peter Childs, Darryl Cherney, Andy Barnett, Andravy Mayes, Kim Sirean, and others, plus a dessert potluck and a healing circle. Admission is whatever you can afford - you know the drill. This is why you have a community center, a place to gather to help out a friend in need.

Coco Hogan

GALLERY >

While it may bring the community together for a day, the party won’t end the deep rift that’s developed in SoHum over Reggae. That’s a different healing circle. Coco’s benefit brought me to the Mateel website this morning, where I found a just-posted file containing a series of offers and counteroffers between lawyers from both sides laying out possible scenarios for financial resolution. It’s complicated business, and that’s really what it boils down to - a business deal that will likely result in Tom Dimmick buying or renting the Reggae on the River trademark and doing the show with People Productions. That said, there’s still way too much bad blood; you can read it between the lines. My opinion? It’s time to heal, make a deal and move forward, forget the past and get the party going.

The item in Punmaster’s MusicWire,an industry e-mail newsletter, noted that the Rev. Al Sharpton has decided to cancel plans to honor Def Jam chairman L.A. Reid because Al “didn’t want to look like a hypocrite” after his protests over ousted talk jock Don Imus’ use of the word “ho” (numerous Def Jam artists routinely use that word in their raps). Then on Monday, Associated Press reported that Def Jam founder Russell Simmons has declared via his Hip-Hop Summit Action Network that “ho,” along with the “n” word and “bitch,” should be considered “extreme curse words,” and thus should be omitted from so-called “clean” versions of rap songs aired on radio. (He stopped short of saying don’t use ‘em.)

What we’re talking about once again is so-called “culturally insensitive language,” which brings us to a hip hop party coming up Saturday, April 28, at Portuguese Hall in Arcata. Morninoonanight Productions presents Naughty and Nice: The 5th annual Pimp and Ho Ball. An explanation may be in order for the uninitiated. A “Pimp and Ho” party is one where attendees dress up: the guys in outrageous ‘70s retro duds and silly hats, the ladies in, well, sleazy prostitute attire. Does this play to the stereotypes decried by Imus’ critics, who have since shifted their focus to insensitive gangsta rappers? Maybe.

Ironically, Saturday’s show is headlined by a crew of underground hip hop artists who are not at all the sort you’d expect to rap about anything culturally insensitive. Haiku d’Etatis Aceyalone and Mikah 9 of the Freestyle Fellowship and Abstract Rude of Abstract Tribe Unique, and as indicated by the group name, they’re revolutionary sorts, poets whose intelligent wordplay is the opposite of gangta rap. Also on the bill: Acey and Ab’s Project Blowed cohort, DJ Drez, the “sound ambassador,” locals Subliminal Sabotage and DJ Boogie and JSun, and, “special guests,” among them former local Thanksgiving Brown,returning to Humboldt from Brooklyn.

As to the Pimp and Ho concept, Pete C. from Sub/Sab says he doesn’t have any problem with it. “What the fuck?” he opines, inadvertently referencing the allegedly insensitive Que La. “Last year I was a pimp, maybe this year I’ll dress as a ho. I think I’d make a pretty hot ho.” Now that’s scary.

Peter “Thanksgiving Brown” Agoston will be in town for a few days. When we talked about his West Coast visit, he mentioned that he’s spinning at the Pearl Friday night with DJ Danny, Zanapod, and Seedling Escape from Glitch Mob, a crew from south of here (visuals by VJ Ishan). Peter also noted a gig that did not ultimately happen, a co-bill with a rap group he described as “Chris Durant’s thing.”

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