Wednesday, February 9. 2000
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 3
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Watts Prophets to perform at Lied
The Watts Prophets are considered to be the fathers of West Coast rap. They will bring their millennial message to the University of Kansas at 8 p.m. Friday at the Lied Center. Contributed Photo
By BriAnne Hess
by ATTNIE Hess
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The Watts Prophets have been credited for laying the foundation for West Coast rap. But the three men humbly shrug off the claim and point to the roots of African culture.
"We're the founding fathers of this form of rap," said Amde Hamilton. "It's all poetry to us — rap, hip-hop, jazz. But anyone who would say they're the founding fathers of rap is not very intelligent. What you're seeing is African culture as it has evolved today. It started with the first poet and the first storyteller and it comes from all cultures."
The Watts Prophets, comprised of Richard Dedeaux, Hamilton and Otis O'Solomon, will judge the poetry slam from 9 p.m. to midnight tonight at the Jazzhaus, 926-1/2 Massachusetts St. The show is open only for those 21 and older, and cover is $3. They also will deliver a two-hour performance accompanied by a jazz trio at 8 p.m. Friday at the Lied Center.
O'Solomon said he didn't really know what was going to happen at the slam, but he knew it was going to be good. He said the three always tried to be positive with their critiques.
"We just go with the flow and flow with the go." O'Solomon said.
Hamilton said it was hard to judge what was good and bad in poetry, but the artist could usually judge for himself after he read the poem aloud.
"The audience will let you know if they connected with the spirit of the poem." he said.
"That's what we like to do — connect with the spirit of the poem and the spirit of the souls that are listening to it."
O'Solomon said he liked to use laughter, drama and entertainment to get his message across.
"I'm an eternal optimist," O'Solomon said. "I like throwing darts with really sharp points and getting them to stick inside."
The Watts Prophets have been together since they met in 1967 at the Watts Writers Workshop in south-central Los
Angeles . They became the Watts Prophets when they won second place in a talent show.
"We come from a place where we like to speak the truth that needs to be told," O'Solomon said. "There is a lot of healing in poetry for the listener and the poet."
Hamilton said the Prophets had different messages for different venues, but this year they had a special millennium message for youth.
"They are our future and if things are
Hamilton said this was their first time to perform in Kansas City and Lawrence, but he'd always dreamed of performing in 'Charlie Parker land.'
going to change, they are going to change them," he said.
The trio will join University of Kansas students in English and American Studies classes on tomorrow. They are to present workshops for students at Central Junior High School, Lawrence High School and Free State High School and will perform for school-aged children at the Lied Center at 1 p.m. Thursday. On Saturday, they will meet with the Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence to conduct workshops on writing and self-esteem.
Tickets for the Friday performance at the Lied Center are $13.50 and $11 for KU and Haskell Indian Nations University students. They are available at box offices in the Kansas Union, SUA Office, Murphy Hall, the Lied Center, the University of Kansas Medical Center Bookstore and any Ticketmaster outlet.
Parking spots adjusted for upcoming year
Move of school may add to crowd
By Warisa Chulindra writer@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
The parking board hopes to avoid potential parking shortages that may occur when the School of Education relocates to Joseph R. Pearson Hall next year, bringing an influx of parking needs to that portion of campus.
Morris Faiman, chairman of the parking board, said that parking at Carruth O'Leary already was difficult and that 181 School of Education employees would exacerbate the situation even more.
The board made adjustments to help curb potential problems. It reallocated 210 spots for faculty and staff and 243 for students in the lots behind Carruth O'Leary Hall during its Jan. 25 meeting. The change means students will lose 22 current parking spaces.
The parking department hopes the gravel lot between Memorial Stadium and Carruth O'Leary will be paved this summer, which would provide about 60 spots for students and compensate for parking spot reduction in the Carruth O'Leary lot.
"We know we're going to have an influx of staff on that side of campus," Donna Hultine, assistant director of parking, said. "But anywhere on campus you have that problem."
Faiman said another factor to consider was that members of three sororities — Chi Omega, Sigma Kappa and Gamma Phi Beta — purchase permits each year.
"I'm not sure we should be in the business of supplying parking for fraternities and sororites," Faiman said. In other business.
In other board business:
Members tabled a motion regarding the allocation of 300 spots at the new parking garage, which will open in July.
Fainaim suggested that there be 175 faculty and staff spots and 125 student spots.
Kevin Yoder, student board member and Hutchinson first-year law student, said he wanted to hear more student input before voting on a motion.
"It seems like we have more student parkers," he said. "And they received the largest percentage increase a few years ago."
Board members said they would monitor the parking and make changes as needed.
City forced to accept new bids for bus system
By John Audleheim
Kansan staff writer
writer@kansan.com
Lack of federal support is forcing Lawrence to search for a new bus manufacturer.
The Federal Transit Administration agreed Monday with a protest of the city's decision to award the bus manufacturing contract to Blue Bird Corn. Mac Ga.
tract to Baird Bird Corp., Nassau, Ad-
Chance Coach, Inc., Wichita, did not receive the contract, and it protested the decision. City manager Mike Wildgen rejected the protest.
saying the city had followed proper procedures in selecting Blue Bird.
Chance then appealed to the FTA in January, and city hall received a letter from an FTA administrator agreeing with the protest.
"FTA will recommend to the city of Lawrence that it either resolicit for buses, or that it forego federal funding for the same," the letter said.
David Corliss, director of legal services for the city, said the city would have to start the funding program from scratch.
"In order to get federal funding, we have to follow federal rules," he said.
Wilden said the city would not be able to pay for the buses on its own and would probably miss its goal of starting the bus system in May or June, he said.
Fred Gilliam, executive vice president for Chance, was not available for comment.
Wildgen said the original bid process took 90 days, and he estimated this one would take 30 to 45 days.
"We hope to be on as short a timetable as possible," he said.
The letter said the city's request for proposals was ambiguous about buses' life cycle costs — figuring
Wildgen said he was meeting with FTA officials today to clarify what they meant by the assessment, and what the city could do to correct it.
how much it would cost to maintain and run a bus, and whether it was a good buy. Corliss said.
Wildgen assumed the same companies would bid again, but did not know for sure.
"We may have somebody protest it again," he said.
Corliss said he did not know if the city would pick Blue Bird again after the city revamped its selection method.
Students connect to presidential campaign 2000
By Doug Pacey
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Student Senate campaigns are only just beginning, but presidential hopefuls for 2000 have been campaigning for nearly a year.
And some KU students are joining up with candidates like Steve Forbes and Bill Bradley. Robert Choromanski, Lenexa senior, and Kevin Rapp, Cedar Crest, N.M., senior, both have ties to presidential campaigns.
Choromanski is the Kansas Campus Coordinator for Sen. Bill Bradley, D-N.J., while Rapp was an intern for Steve Forbes this summer in Alexandria, Vir.
Choromaniski got his position in early January when Micheline Burger, co-chairperson of the Kansas Bradley team, asked him if he wanted to work for Bradley.
Choromanski said he was honored by the offer.
"Being offered a position like mine doesn't occur all the time," he said. "But it's especially nice when you're invited by state leadership through national leadership."
The position is not without work, t h o u g h. Choromantski said
ne spent nearly 10 hours a week sending e-mail, calling people and organizing students at all Kansas colleges and universities.
He said his main focus was the April 4 Missouri Primary. He plans to recruit KU Young Democrats and other students to canvass the state in support of Bradley.
The Kansas Caucus and a debate on March 1 in Shawnee are other priorities.
they are other priorities.
romanski and Rapp agreed that their expo
nd Rapp agreed that their expo.
Choromanski and riences working on campaigns was something that they felt lucky to be a part of.
Rapp's internship with Forbes was part of the Fund for American Studies program. He spent his summer working for Forbes during the morning and early afternoon and taking classes in the late afternoon at Georgetown University.
Rapp, who is a political science major, said that anyone who wanted to work in politics or
"If you have any plans of getting into politics or working in Washington D.C., you need to do an internship there."
Former intern for presidential candidate Steve Forbes
Kevin Rapp
in Washington D.C. needed to participate in an internship in the capital.
"If you have any plans of getting into politics or working in Washington, D.C., you need to do an internship there," he said. "Especially if you're from Kansas. There are students from the East Coast who intern there every summer."
Rapp said he wanted to become a political consultant, lobbyist or run for an elected office.
With Forbes, Rapp said he worked in the policy and political departments.
In the policy department he researched the rules to get a candidate on the ballot in all of the states. He said he spent three weeks working by himself and wrote a report on his findings that was more than 1,000 pages.
While he worked in the political department he researched education and schools, specifically charter schools and school vouchers.
At the University, Rapp is also helping the Students First coalition's campaign. He said that his experience in Washington, D.C. had helped him understand campaigns a little better. Rapp said watching U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, gain ground on Texas Gov. George W. Bush showed him that candidates could gain support no matter how insurmountable a lead the front-runner may have.