Introduction of Rakaa- The Part Time Grappler style:
The man above is Hip Hop Master Rakaa, also known from the collaboration Dilated Peoples. He first caught my attention when I kept seeing him in pictures of Gran master Helio Gracie taken at the Gracie Academy in Torrence, California and from my converrsations with him I have come to be inspired by the man's resilience and eternal pursuit of his dreams. He was kind enough to give me some of his most valuable posession: His time. I hope you enjoy this interview (click here for part one of two)
The Part Time Grappler interviews Gracie Jiu Jitsu practitioner and Hip Hop Master Rakaa (Part 2):
Do you follow any special diet? Do you use any dietary supplements?
I tour, making will power even more important, but I try my best to follow the Gracie Diet. That is a system designed by Carlos Gracie many years ago, that focuses on properties of food, how the chemicals combine and react with the body, and how everything we eat should be accounted for.
How do you manage to fit your training around work, study and family time?
I just do. I have a passion for what I do for a living, for the advancement of my family, for what I’m learning in my Advertising studies, and definitely for Gracie Jiu Jitsu. That passion fuels me and keeps me focused.
Do you compete in your sport(s)? Have you won any competitions?
Not really, no. I have done some inner-Academy stuff, but no major competitions. That takes a lot of dedication to prepare, especially with there being so many gifted athletes that have decided to focus on Jiu Jitsu or MMA instead of more traditional Western sports (football, baseball, gymnastics, swimming, or even pure boxing or wrestling).
What is the greatest thrill you have gotten out of practicing your sport?
Being accepted into the Gracie family clan, being personally invited to multiple seminars by the late Grandmaster Helio Gracie, and overall just learning an incredible art and martial system.
Give us your top 5 tips for time-management (to fit exercise around life)
1. Create a plan (blueprint, to-do list, etc.)
2. Prep all materials in advance and keep them organized
3. Envision the goal
4. Break ground (starting is often the hardest part… Once you know the plan and see the field, you have to take a deep breath and get started)
5. Block out distractions (phone, email, twitter, etc.)
Now let’s balance that with what you consider the top 5 time-thieves.
1. Poor planning
2. Disorganization
3. Non-business related social networking (email, chat, Skype, facebook, twitter, etc.)
4. Television
5. General procrastination / laziness
Do you have any regrets?
Not many… There are a few people that are no longer here that I would have like to vibe with, and have had some tough lessons in the music business, but I know that I’m who I am because of the trials and tribulations… I try to live in a way that I minimize the number of regrets.
Finally, why do you train? What drives you?
I love Gracie Jiu Jitsu. I’ve trained in martial arts since I was a child, and this style fits my personality and innate self-defense reflexes the best. The family supports me at the same level that I support it, and they have shared their knowledge with me – heavy knowledge. That is my family, and I represent that respectfully no matter where I go. For that reason, I can navigate through and around the politics that go hand-in-hand with the scene. I can chill with any of the Gracie clans, I can make music and vibe out with Eddie Bravo and his 10th Planet team; and I can roll with Gumby, Adisa, and the crew from Heroes in San Jose – All while representing my Gracie Jiu Jitsu family (the creators of what is now widely known as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and the First Family of modern Mixed Martial Arts) to the fullest. I am building bridges while simultaneously getting in better shape and becoming more dangerous. Balance.
Contact:
www.twitter.com/therealrakaa
www.facebook.com/therealrakaa
I extend my thanks to the man himself Rakaa for taking time out of his ultra busy schedule to talk to me and many thanks to BIZ3 PUBLICITY for making this interview happen.
Check out Rakaa's tour schedule:
AUTO-REVERSE TOUR DATES (MORE DATES COMING SOON):
Wed 10/20 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up Tavern
Thu 10/21 West Hollywood, CA The Roxy Theatre
Fri 10/22 San Francisco, CA The Independent
Sat 10/23 Crystal Bay, NV Crown Room
Tue 10/26 Salt Lake City, UT The State Room
Wed 10/27 Boise, ID Reef
Thu 10/28 Ketchum, ID Whiskey Jacques
Fri 10/29 Victor ID, Knotty Pine
Sat 10/30 Bozeman, MT Emerson Cultural Center
Sun 10/31 Missoula, MT The Top Hat
Thu 11/04 Vancouver, BC The Biltmore Cabaret*
*Chali 2na not performing
FOR PRESS INQUIRIES CONTACT THOMAS FRICILONE
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