It just about time for the Second Annual Chess Kings Invitational and Scholarship Exhibition Tournament brought to you by none other than the Bay Area’s own Hip Hop Chess Federation! That’s quite a mouthful, but say it again cuz it’s worth it. With help from friends like the Wu Tang Clan, HHCF has given out more than $10,000 in scholarships, and they only started last year. Irina met with HHCF founder Adisa Banjoko at O’Connell high school in San Francisco where kids are already practicing their skills on the chess boards, getting ready for the February event. Adisa reminisces about his days in the Bay Area’s hip hop scene when he hung out with legends like….wait for it….Tupak Shakur. The boss of online chess site Chess Park promises to teach Irina to play and two high school students talk about their chess strategies. See you on the 64!

Episode links: Chesspark, WuChess, 9queens, Hip Hop Chess Federation

We got wind of a big chess tournament happening with some of the big names in hip hop, so of course we had to see what this was all about. Turns out the Hip Hop Chess Federation was putting on the inaugural Chess Kings Invitational, an event with the brightest young minds of chess competing for scholarships and the big belt. Chess, hip hop music and martial arts are the elements that build life strategies according to founder Adisa Banjoko. Irina gets the scoop behind the 64 squares and meets legends PopMaster Fabel of the Rock Steady Crew and The RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan among others.

Episode links: Hip Hop Chess Federation, HHCF blog, Adisa Banjoko, Pop Master Fabel, Emma Bentley, The RZA, DLabrie, Davey D’s wrapup, Chesspark, [full interviews: Adisa Banjoko, PopMaster Fabel, Emma Bentley, DLabrie, The RZA of Wu-Tang Clan, Rugged Monk