Raise Up with Rain

“When you’re in those trenches, those low points, remember you have a mission… what your life mission is… you made that pact to yourself beyond anything else.” CR Capers is a writer, producer, radio personality, director and distributor of independent film, film festival coordinator, lover of hip hop culture and all around curator of talent and content. She has an extremely popular radio show and podcast, Why You Mad Son?, which deals with the social ills plaguing the human community) has a reach of over 3 million listeners worldwide and boasts a legion of loyal fans raised in the Hip Hop culture. She has also directed and produced three films two shorts through her film company MBS Films. Her first commercial for Why You Mad Son? – mentioned in this episode.  Hilarious. In 2016, CR and her team founded the Hip Hop Film Festival NYC with the help and blessings of “Uncle Ralph” McDaniels of VideoMusicBox.  The Hip Hop Film Festival NYC is where film meets the narrative of the Hip Hop generation. The festival seeks to give a platform to the under-served filmmakers of the culture, while providing a different narrative to the general public. The festival will launch the careers of next batch of independent writers, directors and actors who are fueled by Hip Hop. Episode 029 of Raise Up With Rain is brought to you by: Eboost  (RAISEUP promo code!) SYNC Studio  Beau Catering The Perfect Workout Show Raise Up: The World is Our Gym … and a big thanks to Sinopsis for the RUWR jingle! DOWNLOAD, SUBSCRIBE, AND REVIEW! The post Episode 029 – CR Capers appeared first on B. Rain Bennett.

“Jessica is not my rival, she’s like my best friend. We keep motivating each other. If one of us learns a new trick, we show each other.” Melanie Driessen is a member of the world famous Barstarzz, but her name would be recognizable even without that brand.  She’s the current WSWCF World Champion, has won Queen of the Bar in 2015 and places in almost every calisthenics competition in which she competes.  In her early 20s, Melanie made the transition from the regimented world of gymnastics to the freestyle world of calisthenics and several first place trophies later, she’s one of the most popular athletes in the sport – male or female. We talk about her passions, her goals, her vision for the federations, her friendship/rivalry with the Showoffz‘ Jessica “Russian Red” Bogdanov and much more. Episode 028 of Raise Up With Rain is brought to you by: Eboost  (RAISEUP promo code!) SYNC Studio  Beau Catering Raise Up: The World is Our Gym … and a big thanks to Sinopsis for the RUWR jingle! DOWNLOAD, SUBSCRIBE, AND REVIEW! The post Episode 028 – Melanie Driessen appeared first on B. Rain Bennett.

“My favorite movie has always been Scarface, and I think that might have been replaced this weekend.” Martin Dubovic is a calisthenics athlete, creator of Street Workout Magazine, co-founder of Barstruck Calisthenics, author of Coast Guard Boot Camp Survival Guide and much more.  He and I have a long conversation and take a behind-the-scenes look at some of the lesser known stories of the making of Raise Up: The World is Our Gym. Episode 027 of Raise Up With Rain is brought to you by: Eboost  (RAISEUP promo code!) SYNC Studio  The Perfect Workout Show Raise Up: The World is Our Gym … and a big thanks to Sinopsis for the RUWR jingle! DOWNLOAD, SUBSCRIBE, AND REVIEW! The post Episode 027 – Martin Dubovic appeared first on B. Rain Bennett.

“There have always been black leaders in the sports arena. But with my children, I tell them that the real superheroes are people like Charles Drew, John Henrik Clarke, Imhotep.” Dr. G is one of my closest friends and a co-producer on Raise Up.  He and I met in 2009 via Myspace when I reached out to him and the Bartendaz about the chance to collaborate on a PSA at Shaw University.  That video was the conception of the idea of this feature documentary that then took me around the world and is now coming out to the public.  In those six years, Dr. G and I have spent many nights talking about life over wine or bourbon.  This is one of those conversations. Episode 026 of Raise Up With Rain is brought to you by: Eboost SYNC Studio  The Perfect Workout Raise Up: The World is Our Gym … and a big thanks to Sinopsis for the RUWR jingle! DOWNLOAD, SUBSCRIBE, AND REVIEW! The post Episode 026 – Dr. G appeared first on B. Rain Bennett.

“I couldn’t even do one pull-up in the Presidential Fitness Test. So I go home to my mom crying and what does she do? She gives me a chocolate cheesecake. I decided that day I would never let that happen again.” Marc Missioreck is the VP of Sales and Sponsorships at LA-based TheFitExpo.  During his 33 year career in the fitness industry he has been instrumental in developing products, programs, events and facilities for some of the fitness industry’s most established and respected companies. From nutritional supplements and exercise equipment, to health club operations, publishing, event production and even creating fitness vacations, he’s had the opportunity to work within just about every facet of the industry.  For the last 14 years, he’s been applying his extensive knowledge, experience and relationships towards building some of the largest, most diverse fitness expos in the country. Marc and Jane Haber of TheFitExpo joined a screening of Raise Up in Chicago and he was immediately affected by the symbolism that he recognized from his own personal fitness transformation journey. Episode 025 of Raise Up With Rain is brought to you by: Eboost SYNC Studio  The Perfect Workout Raise Up: The World is Our Gym … and a big thanks to Sinopsis for the RUWR jingle! DOWNLOAD, SUBSCRIBE, AND REVIEW! The post Episode 025 – Marc Missioreck appeared first on B. Rain Bennett.

“We form these bonds that transcend so much. When my mom passed away, it proved that Zef was always my friend, because everything got pushed aside, whatever our differences were.” Before the Bar Brawl on August 14th (hosted by Team Wingate) I spoke to Wingate’s own DOC and Zef Zakaveli from the Bar-barians.  If you haven’t heard these names, then you haven’t done any research into this lifestyle. DOC and Zef are both know for putting in killer sets on the barz and it was a pleasure to talk to both of them at the same time – I’m sure it won’t be our last conversation. These two pioneers of the NYC calisthenics culture have been supportive of me and helped make the movie Raise Up what is was.  We talked about the historical event that was the Hip Hop Film Festival in August, the history and the future of competitive calisthenics, and what makes Brooklyn so damn tough. Episode 024 of Raise Up With Rain is brought to you by: Eboost SYNC Studio  The Perfect Workout Raise Up: The World is Our Gym … and a big thanks to Sinopsis for the RUWR jingle! DOWNLOAD, SUBSCRIBE, AND REVIEW! The post Episode 024 – Zef Zakaveli and DOC appeared first on B. Rain Bennett.

“It’s not a black or white thing; it’s not a Russian or American thing. It’s a people thing. When we can elevate above the burden of ego, miracles can happen.” On August 6th at the Hip Hop Film Festival, Dr. G and I moderated a “Health and Hip Hop” panel discussion featuring world-known calisthenics icons, I-born from Ruff Ryders ‘Thug Workout,’ Al Kavadlo, Quincy France, Ed Checo, and Beast AKA V12 Vital.   So many people were in the building it was CRAZY.  Legends, all of them. The hip hop community is facing a mid life crisis. Since its inception, hip hop has been the voice of disenfranchised youth heard around the globe. Now after 40 some odd years, hip hop culture is pop culture. As hip hop’s pockets have gotten fat, the byproduct of this excess has been premature death for many of its stars. The list of stars we’ve lost to degenerative lifestyle diseases is staggering – Heavy D, Phife Dawg, JDilla, Nate Dogg, Big Pun, etc. The only remedy for this extreme overindulgence is balance in the form of health and wellness. We used this panel as a chance to discuss the influence we can have on future hip hop generations. Episode 023 of Raise Up With Rain is brought to you by: Eboost SYNC Studio  The Perfect Workout Raise Up: The World is Our Gym … and a big thanks to Sinopsis for the RUWR jingle! DOWNLOAD, SUBSCRIBE, AND REVIEW! The post Episode 023 – Health and Hip Hop Panel Discussion appeared first on B. Rain Bennett.

“Calisthenics is the key to longevity and enlightenment. When you’re able to strengthen to your body, by taking the time to feel your body, and you’re connected to what you’re thinking, that’s when you take things to a new level.” Johnny Garcia is the champion of Battle of the Bars 14, recently held at TheFitExpo in the Chicago area – but his story goes much deeper than that.   Originally from Spain, he was raised in Cancun and then illegally immigrated into the US in the Bar Area of California.  He played all sports during high school and eventually went on to play college level (American) football as a kicker.  After finding a birth defect in his back that left him temporarily paralyzed, he now runs Baylife Athletics, teaching people the skills he learned to strengthen his back and about the importance of movement, not just “exercise.”   Episode 022 of Raise Up With Rain is brought to you by: Eboost SYNC Studio  Download the new APP! Raise Up: The World is Our Gym … and a big thanks to Sinopsis for the RUWR jingle! DOWNLOAD, SUBSCRIBE, AND REVIEW! The post Episode 022 – Johnny Garcia appeared first on B. Rain Bennett.

“I was watching calisthenics grow and thinking, “I could be a part of this. THIS is what I need to do.” Milton Nkunku was told to never play sports due to his epilepsy, but he still found a way to wrestle on a collegiate level, was the first in his high school to go to the state championships in decades, and is now a freestyle calisthenics athlete for Team FlyFree in Northern California.  He competes regularly with the WCO and is one of their most recognizable young stars. Milton’s positive energy is infectious and Dr. G and I both thought he was an excellent competitor and spokesperson for the future of this sport. Episode 021 of Raise Up With Rain is brought to you by: Eboost SYNC Studio  Download the new APP! Raise Up: The World is Our Gym … and a big thanks to Sinopsis for the RUWR jingle! DOWNLOAD, SUBSCRIBE, AND REVIEW! The post Episode 021 – Milton Nkunku appeared first on B. Rain Bennett.

“No matter how bad things were, I always had a smile on my face.” Ahmed Kerigo is the founder of Norway’s Team Physix, a calisthenics/street workout collective that competes in international competitions, hosts free Sunday workouts in Oslo, and was featured on the NRK documentary series, Puls. Ahmed is most known for his World Record “Flying Pushup” which has garnered him millions of views on Youtube, sent him to perform (and break) in China on live television, and will soon send him to Los Angeles to fulfill his dream of being on the Ellen show.   If you have not seen the Ellen clip of Ahmed and his mom being invited to the show – WATCH IT.  You won’t regret that 3 minutes, I promise. Episode 020 of Raise Up With Rain is brought to you by: Eboost SYNC Studio  Download the new APP! Raise Up: The World is Our Gym … and a big thanks to Sinopsis for the RUWR jingle! DOWNLOAD, SUBSCRIBE, AND REVIEW! The post Episode 20 – Ahmed Kerigo appeared first on B. Rain Bennett.

“You guys are superheroes in your communities; don’t take your capes off.” – Dr. G This is a special episode where I recorded a panel discussion between Kenneth Gallarzo, Chris Luera, Fred Beasley II, and myself at the TheFitExpo San Jose screening of Raise Up: The World is Our Gym.  We took questions from WCO athletes, local business owners, and general audience members to discuss the future of this sport and culture, what we think it is, and where we’d like to see it go.  I wanted to give my listeners a peek inside what we do at these screenings.  Ultimately, the movement, much like the movie itself, is about spreading the love and spreading the culture of calisthenics, health, and fitness and how the power of love conquers all. Episode 019 of Raise Up With Rain is brought to you by: SYNC Studio  Download the new APP! Eboost Rubberbanditz Raise Up: The World is Our Gym … and a big thanks to Sinopsis for the RUWR jingle! DOWNLOAD, SUBSCRIBE, AND REVIEW! The post Episode 019 – San Jose Raise Up Panel Discussion appeared first on B. Rain Bennett.