BAMBU, the Voice of a Los Angeles Native

Bambu is a Filipino rapper from the Watts district of Los Angeles. He is one half of the hip hop group Native Guns along with DJ Phatrick, who put it down from 2002-2007. Just like every other adolescent in the 1990's, Bambu was actively gang banging. You can peep some evidence of his past in all of his songs. His transition from being a Gangster to an aspiring rapper started when he was incarcerated for armed robbery. Upon release the Pinoy rapper agreed to join the Marine Corps as preferred by the judge appointed to his criminal case. After completing his military duties, he came back home to L.A. to find his gang affiliates taking steps to change their self-destructive lifestyles by finding jobs and changing their destinies for the better. I think his lifestyle eventually changed to fulfill his main purpose in life as a Father, leader/organizer, and musician.

Bambu works with an organization called, Kabataang Maka-Bayan USA, or KMB Pro People Youth. KMB is based in San Diego, CA, where large Filipino communities live mostly due to the military background within the Filipino families who reside in SD. The group's aim is to build & spread information, education, and to gather knowledge about the true roots of Filipinos from the homeland to the states. KMB's goals is to establish unity and promote organization especially among the youth in order to address and resolve issues that our people face from abroad to the block. Major props to the work & intentions KMB Pro People Youth and other organizations like them. From his words on the microphone to his actions as an activist, it seems his early life as "G" was just preparation for the things to come. I think there is a reason why the majority of adolescent youth minorities, including myself, went through a phase of bangin' and other criminal ventures. God probably wanted us to learn the negative effects created by one's ego and environment, so we can become stronger to peacefully exist in society and to face the responsibility that comes with raising a family and being a provider. Also to truly understand the power we are all born with, as well as the ability to create our own reality, and to become the very things we wish to experience in our lives.

If you don't know... now you know. Make sure to check out Bambu & his prior work in Native Guns. Peep out their mixtapes as well as youtube vids. Bambu's "Self Untitled" solo debut was released in April 2002. "I Scream Bars for the Children", his second solo album released on April 29^th, 2007 is a classic. He comes hard in this album and did not fail to express his solid political stance with his emphasis on unity and the truth. Bambu put out "Exact Change" in 2008 which includes hits like, "Crooks & Rooks", "Like Us, and "Quit". He also has an EP with Fatgums entitled, "Peaceful Riot". "Paper Cuts", His next highly anticipated album is coming out February 23, 2010, I'm sure fans won't be disappointed.