'Bay Area Cypher' voted best in state

BCC student, multi-media artist wins film festival for Hip-Hop documentary

By Reginald James
MANAGING EDITOR

My mother was the queen of multi-tasking. She could cook while talking on the phone, all the while keeping a watchful eye on me that said: don’t get your butt whooped.
As multi-talented as she is, she has some competition these days.
Berkeley City College multi-media student Idris Hassan is an amazing one-woman show. She writes, directs, films, edits, and does it all with the grace and poise of a professional.

‘Bay Area Cypher is a performance documentary that blends live freestyle presentations with short interviews to showcase the uniqueness of Hip Hop in the San Francisco Bay Area.’
Idris Hassan, producer, director, writer, media activist

Initially, Hassan started with black and white photographer. She later explored magazine writing and editing which eventually led to audio broadcasting.
Her most recent production, “Bay Area Cypher” was voted Best Documentary/Interview in the state at the 3rd Annual Student Film & Video Festival. The festival is held by 3C Media Solutions, the California Community Colleges’ educational media distribution network.
“Bay Area Cypher is a performance documentary that blends live freestyle presentations with short interviews to showcase the uniqueness of Hip Hop in the San Francisco Bay Area,” said Hassan. “I’ve always been amazed at how folks are able to manifest spiritual energy through the art of freestyle rhyme and dance.”
Hassan is both an artist and activist, who is inspired by artists from mediums as diverse as jazz music a and scullpting to poetry and photography.
“As an artist I want to touch and inspire people of the world,” said Hassan, both an artist and an activist. “It is crucial for people of color to create, own and distribute their own media” and “also have to say media creation is vital for women of color, and Black Women in particular.”
She also created a documentary for the 10th Annual Black Caucus Leadership Conference.
“I enjoyed connecting with the diversity of students from the Black Student Unions (BSUs) of the various campuses,” said Hassan, “and being able to incorporate their comments.”
Hassan added, “I want to use my media skills and creative expression to promote justice, positive social transformation, and to inspire love. •H•