Adisa Banjoko's Hip-Hop Chess Federation was founded with the idea of bringing various artforms together to promote the common goals of providing positive outlets for the youth. The vision of the HHCF has resulted in a number of events bringing martial artists, chess masters and hip-hop legends under the same roof. Perhaps the most improbable meeting that has ever taken place was that of RZA of the Wu Tang Clan and International Master Emory Tate. Both of these icons have a cult following in their respective genres: RZA in hip-hop and Tate in chess.  These two revolutionaries met on February 28th, 2009 at "Minds over Matter II" in San Francisco, California.

The Wu Tang Clan was known in the 90s as a groundbreaking group that used a fusion of martial art and chess themes to tell stories about social reality. RZA has been a fan of chess for a long time and has also met and played Grandmaster Maurice Ashley. The meeting of Tate is interesting because the famous chess tactician plays chess in the style of an acclaimed Shaolin Master...cutting and dicing his opponents in brutal fashion. RZA describes these same characters in his raps and gives ode to those martial artists who overcome challenges and seek enlightment at the highest levels. It was certainly destiny that these two historic figures meet. History was made! (Opinions?  Visit Drum Blog!)