They loved HipHop

These days you see too often that peeps lean on images, hype and all kinds of extra goodies to get their show done and to sell their product. Lacking to prove quality based on skills. Tri Ad delivered with 'verbal ammunition'. Three charismatic MC's: Greedy Mellow Triggerzz, Masta Got (it all) and Tabasco. Backed up with DJ Mainn who, how strange it may sound, really did something and is part of the show. As Tri Ad they are only busy for one year. But on the fourth (Southeast) edition of School Of HardKnocks they left a good impression.

At the moment they don't have big plans for recording or signing with a big label but they are going to make a video clip. Some students from the film academy chose them for their exam project. Triggerzz: "We are going to make a dedication song for those guys that were killed with that car accident. (Car accident involving six youths, three where killed, in Amsterdam Southeast, ed.). It' not going to be a commercial Puffy thing but real HipHop. They loved HipHop."

ART…

Tri Ad, doing something different. Loyalty, honesty, persistence behavior. Triggerzz: "Then you have three angles. The one can't go without the other." A triangle, the strongest form in fysics. "Try to ad honesty, try to ad loyalty etc. to the game." It makes a strong team. They are on a mission and what they want to do is bringing the essence back in the music. No playalistic lyrics or anything else, but skills. Triggerzz: "Battles, dancing, that old school feeling. Keep all that violence out. That's why we say vocal ammunition." They are playing with words and music and quickly you recognize these kills are really busy with poetry, lyricism and music. They are busy with one of the most beautiful things in life: ART.

AQ: How do you look at ART, because that is what you’re basically doing?
Triggerzz: Fun, just basically a lot of fun.
Tabasco: Because it's something very old (ART, ed.) you also have to treasure it as something very worthfully. You need to respect it.

ART makes your culture, your culture is your identity so you is your ART. You notice when you talk with these youngsters that they do not only get inspiration from other HipHop music, but really are on a discovery journey. Speaking about books, titles as The Firm and Devils Advocate are mentioned. The youngest suddenly drops the name of Langston Huges' Harlem Renaissance. Tabasko: "Since I could write I was busy with reading and writing, poems etc."

Help yourself

They are in the phase of their journey that they outgrow the community centers. The band sits down and Triggerzz comes in complaining about youths that just hang around in these community centers.

Triggerzz: People who have nothing to do should not go to a community center. That's my personal opinion. People who don't want to do anything… if you don't want any help than stay out. Because if you come here (Ganzenhoef, ed.) and you don't have anything to do, than you start ruining it for others.
AQ: Ain't that a deadlock, community centers are there to keep people and youths from the streets?
Triggerzz: Well how long are they doing it and what they got out of it? Only quarrels. All the centers are closed and what do people? They go to the coffee shops because there is where people come who don't want to do anything. If you want to do something, of course you have to help yourself. Those who have nothing to do wait on the peeps here till they start doing something for them. That's what they expect. "You find out what I want to do." That is what I'm saying. You understand?
AQ: "Nobody is doing anything for us." Why should somebody do something for you?
Triggerzz: That's what I mean. If people don't want that, than please stay on the streets. You come in here and spoil it for the people who do want to do something. That's why I left Subway (another community center in Southeast, ed.), you come there, first of all you get dirty looks, then all of a sudden girls start to fight with each other. For most stupid reasons, they start fighting and where do they fight? At the center. As someone who wants to move on you’re in the middle over there. Illustrating: "Who do you belong to?", "I don't belong with anybody I'm just here on my own, get the fuck away from me." But they don't see that. And if you say something about it, "Take it outside." Then they start to jump on you: "What, what?".

Don't stick around…

AQ: So you can't find your thing in the centers anymore, you want to move on?
Triggerzz: I used the centers as a tool. Go work with them, look what you can get out of it and move on. Don't stick around at one spot. Things don't stay here for ever, they only stay here for so long. I visited so many community centers because I was just like them. Till I did come to the conclusion that what I ever had done till then, was bullshit. The people from the community centers are the only ones left who still want to help or work with you. Nobody else gives a shit about you.
AQ: You're on the move. Where are you coming from?
Triggerzz: Right now, I'm coming from the state of mind that I know what I wanted. Now in the mind state that I'm working to get there where I want to be. First I had the fase as "Fuck it!", then "Let's try it". Maybe I can be a doctor or something in the future. I re-found music. And now I'm working to get there. No more doubting "maybe I can do such and so". Now I know where we are going to.
AQ: And centers were your tool?
Triggerzz: You go to centers as a passing through station. Yo go there, get some luggage, motivation etc. And then you continue your journey. Centers are not meant to get stuck in. You can't stay here for ever.

On track

AQ: You are on the point to move on so the community centers proved to be justified.
Triggerzz: Yes, it was useful. If I look back, in the beginning I was just a youngster that didn't do jack and I went to ruin it for other people who did want to do something. It's said "If you go to the community center than you need to want to do something. You need to have a goal or idea. Because the people over there want to help you to get your train on track. If you want to be busy in the computer bizz, then take a course at the center and move on and do your thing. The people overhere can make phone calls, can hook you up with phone numbers etc. But don't go: "I don't want to do anything, come here doing nothing, smoke something and start annoying other people."

Where the journey stops

AQ: As I see it, you are very happy because you are developing yourself. But you are frustrated about the people who act very poor while you realize how rich they in fact are?
Triggerzz: Yes.
AQ: And can you state that while Southeast is called, by many, a ghetto? According to the average income it’s a poor neighborhood. But it's also a very rich neighborhood?
Triggerzz: You have a lot of talent wandering around here. Often you think about people: "Hey you easily could become such and so."
AQ: Why is it not happening?
Masta Got: Ain't got no idea.
Triggerzz: Can be different reasons. Look at the reactions when you say were you come from.
AQ: Where are you going to, at this moment?
Triggerzz: I see myself as somebody being on the road. This rap thing I'm taking it very seriously. I know which direction I want to go to, I will give all I got and we will see where the journey stops.
AQ: Your goal?
Triggerzz: Making a living with something you like doing.

Txt and photo's: AQ