Mattias Boon aka Matt L’ariko (President)
Mattias Boon was born in a Belgian city, Leuven, where his love for Hip Hop culture started when he was twelve years old when he got his first Hip Hop albums. In 1997 together with his friends he created the first breakdance crew in their region ‘Rafaga De Viento’. The journey from this flash point saw Matt L’ariko become recognized internationally as a Hip Hop activist, bboy and event organizer.
It didn’t take long before Matt L’ariko was travelling throughout Belgium to facilitate, promote and showcase his skills and his love for Hip Hop culture. Matt L’ariko was sponsored by the Belgian government to found and coordinate different national and international Hip Hop projects and events. This included Hip Hop programs and Hip Hop exchange programs for youth in South America and Europe.
After more than ten years of breakdancing, facilitating and studying Hip Hop culture, Matt L’ariko and his crew founded the organisation Streetrich Belgium in 2009 to strengthen and build local support for Hip Hop.
With his bachelors in teaching and Social Work, Matt L’ariko has developed effective program models centered around youth empowerment and culture.
Matt L’ariko is here in Vancouver to launch the first North American chapter of Streetrich to support local youth to take their Hip Hop movement to the next level using strategies and tools he has developed over the last decade.
Kia Kadiri (Vice President)
Kia Kadiri is one of Vancouver’s most respected female vocalists in the Western Canadian Hip-Hop community for almost 20 years! Her energetic performances and unique style, keep her in demand with the best musicians in Vancouver, and in festivals across British Columbia. Kia’s passion for music, rap and poetry makes her extremely productive as a workshop leader. She works for a variety of non-profit organizations as an instructor and facilitator, working with and mentoring at risk youth. Her debut record “Feel This”, received acclaim across the country for thought provoking lyrics, excellent production, and blend of genres. From hip-hop to soul, jazz to drum and bass, Kia’s lightning speed raps, and articulate delivery when improvising lyrics, leave her in a class of her own!
Mulalo Lawrence Sadike (Treasurer)
Mulalo Lawrence Sadike grew up in the Soweto and Tembisa townships in apartheid South Africa, where Hip Hop is about survival, freedom, hope and the determination to right the wrongs of oppression and injustice. In those dark times Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power” and other songs like it shone a bright light on the universal truth that freedom is a struggle that everyone relates to. Inspired through this unity, Hip Hop would get him back on his feet, knowing that people all over the world could relate to his reality.
Fast forward to 2014, Mulalo has taken his years in apartheid and post-apartheid
South Africa studying, and building youth empowerment programs, global. He
developed programs for international
To Mulalo, Hip Hop is culture, art, poetry, stories, inspiration, and revolution. It never asked for permission to be seen or heard while inspiring the uninspired.
Claire Mortifee (Soul Singer/Artist)
What separates a singer from a soul singer? It’s a tough question, but Canadian songstress Claire Mortifee sheds light on the answer with an undeniable musical prowess, a socially conscious lifestyle, and a message of healing and self-love that emanates through her work.
In addition to her music, Claire has an active spiritual practice and
relationship with herself. Her numerous other passions range from teaching the
art of free-styling as a form of empowerment to harnessing the power of crystals
in the form of her own hand-made rings and chains.
“My goal as an artist is to be as authentic as possible, because all I can
really offer is my honesty, my story, and my perspective,” she says. “I am
constantly working to cultivate deeper self-love and groundedness, and that’s
something I encourage my audience to take part in in their own lives. To be more
compassionate with themselves, and to love themselves for everything they are in
this moment… In my mind, that is the key ingredient to a successful revolution:
whole-hearted, shameless self-love.”
Claire Mortifee is a soul singer.
Erick Monzon (Designer)
Erick Monzon is a talented freelance designer, and break-dancer, interested in all aspects of art. This passionate b-boy and entrepreneur has been dancing since 2004, and is the founder of his own clothing company, Art Goes Everywhere. AGE represents a collection of ideas and diverse cultures that expresses the essence of creativity, exceeding the boundaries of languages. AGE is also dedicated to promoting and supporting events within the Vancouver break-dancing community. Erick brings his many talents to Streetrich in an effort to help build the scene, for Hip Hop lovers of all generations. ROCK WHAT YOU WEAR AND NOT THE BRAND.
Support all your local designers!!
http://www.artgoeseverywhere.com/