Suebeephly

Setting: Norfolk State University, Spartan Station

Assembling her Divine Tectonic comrades around her, Suebeephly, whose government name is Suzzette Rink, tries to salvage an open mic without the DJ. With the atmosphere in the room thick with pessimism over budget cuts and MIA DJ’s, Suebeephly refuses to cancel the Norfolk State University’s weekly open mic.

“Get the list out,” she commands, “the open mic starts at 7:00 and we still have two features coming." After driving over five hours from a late night Saturday performance at Ferrum College, Suebeephly handles the mini-crisis with a veteran’s ease. A 20-year old Creative Writing Major at Norfolk State University, Suebeephly takes her duties very seriously.

A Native of Brownsville, Brooklyn, Suebeephly (pronounced Sue-be-fly) joined street corner ciphers with her older brothers. “When people think of Brownsville, they automatically think of the violence,” she laments. “Not to say we did not have violence, but that was definitely not the only thing. Living in Brownsville, I was exposed to many things. I got the chance to learn about many cultures and different philosophies. I learned that many people are not exposed to at least some of these things. I attended The High School of Human Health and Services which is like the most culturally diverse school in the world (chuckle). I feel that it was because of this atmosphere that I became pretty open-minded.”

She was introduced to hip-hop culture by her father and older brothers. “Spoken word is a very powerful tool,” Suebeephly points out, “MCing can be used to reach the youth in so many ways.” With these thoughts in her head, our local heroine landed in Norfolk State University (NSU) in 1999. That same year she joined Divine Tectonics, a collective of MCs and poets based at NSU. They held campus wide-open mics and poetry workshops. Through Divine Tectonics, she was able to make many contacts in the Hampton Roads community. She joined the local chapter of the Universal Zulu Nation and dove right into community work. She became a commentator for PHaTLiP! 4.2, the now defunct hip-hop/jazz orientated youth radio talk show. She assisted the local chapter of the October 22nd Coalition in their annual protests against police brutality in the last two years. She was able to get them space on the NSU campus to teach Law Action workshops. In 2000, she sat on NSU’s first “No More Prisons” Conference Committee. She helped to form Cell 14, a small organization made up of community activists who work to educate people on the prison industrial complex.

Setting: Uhuru Cultural Enrichment Center (in the heart of Norfolk1s feared Park Place)

After performing at the internationally acclaimed open mic Urban Safari the night before and helping with the logistics of a CD release party the next morning, Suebeephly co-hosts yet another function sponsored by her Amazulu brethren in the same evening. Even though Suebeephly rocks mics seemingly every other night with her poetry, being asked to host a function still flatters her. As she walks onto the makeshift stage, heads can only nod and smile as they gave the queen her respect. She approaches the mic as if it was a close relative. She is very comfortable on stage. Despite her innocent girl looks, her presence commands a curious attention. After four hours of hip-hop and poetry acts, Suebeephly engages the crowd making contacts and collecting phone numbers. She gets asked to perform at other functions. People ask for help on a particular project. She is all ears and extends a helping hand where needed.

Upon meeting Suebeephly, most people learn that she is a 100% feminist without compromising the masculinity that most hard rocks cherish. She works with a local Women’s Rites of Passage program and is the co-founder of Womanifestation.

What is the concept behind Womanifestation?
“Womanifestation is the brainchild of DJ Lady Jes One. She felt that locally, women in hip-hop were not given the proper light. When people think of women in hip-hop, they conjure images of scantily clad females holding their crotches. She asked me to help out, and we came up with the name “womanifestation”, which represents the woman manifesting herself. It was very successful. I believe this is the only show in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia that was organized by women. Sisters were involved in every aspect of the planning and fundraising. From the designing of the chapbook to the flyer, everything was touched by a woman. Our second annual show is coming up.”

The concept of self-determination is a rule of thumb for Suebeephly. When she learned of the budget cuts that threatened to shut down the Divine Tectonics free open mic she now spearheads, Suebeephly got members to pay monthly dues and sell snacks. She feels that there should be a venue open to all for self-expression.

When asked about the misogyny in hip-hop culture, she shakes her head. “Can’t brothers find something more creative to rhyme about? Then again, what is it that brothers have to look at.”

Do you think women play a part in the misogyny found in hip-hop?
“I don’t think they play a big part, but they contribute. It bothers me that sisters like Bahamadia get ignored. I mean here is a sister who does not have to show skin or get nasty to grab attention. She has skills. Then again you have the Foxy Brown’s and Little Kim’s who make it bad for the rest of us. Yet they don’t represent the majority.”

Well, how can women in hip-hop culture who do not compromise their womanhood get more publicity?
“The first step is to work in your community. Many times we tend to overlook the things that are happening in our community. Those things touch us faster than something on a national level.”

Many will say that our young people are lost. Some even say that our young people are too spoiled and do not know the toils of struggle. Many of our elders cry that hip-hop is the music of the devil. In Suebeephly, we find a feminist who uses hip-hop culture to reach young people in her community and attempts to uplift her community by any means necessary. Here is a young woman who understands that her education was not by accident or mere luck, but it was earned by the work of others. Like those before her, Suebeephly works tirelessly to make sure that those that come after her have the same opportunity.