Singer songwriter Jeff Turner rapped about diversity, adversity, self-acceptance and empowerment during his performance at this academic year’s last First Thursday Open Mic, hosted by 4 Elements of Hip-Hop.

A diverse crowd of De Anza College students gathered at the Sunken Garden on Thursday, June 4, from 6 to 7 p.m. to listen to the guest musician’s first performance at De Anza College.

About 50 people watched his performance from seats under tents and benches, clapping their hands after each piece.

“I liked Jeff Turner’s lyrics,” said Alanna Zhang, 19, English major. “I thought some of them were very relevant and relatable.”

Turner said he enjoyed interacting with the demographically and culturally diverse audience and that De Anza’s campus is progressive and people look “ambitious and creative.”

During the open mic, 21 students shared artforms such as hip-hop, rap, song, guitar, electric music and poetry.

“[Open mic] means an opportunity to share my work, a sort of sounding board to see how others respond to it, and a nice low-key opportunity to practice performing and putting myself out there,” said Zhang, who performed her slam poetry. “I felt good about having the guts to go up there and I enjoyed being able to perform.”

But Zhang said she did not fit in the crowd because she “felt like it was more of a rap scene.”

Guest performers like Turner may limit the type of participants, Zhang said.

“The guest performer is, say, a rapper there’ll be more rappers in the crowd and if it’s a poet [then] mostly people who are into poetry will show up,” she said.

Co-president of 4 Elements of Hip-Hop Kombeze Ataie, 21, political science major, said the event has had more diverse performers, such as comedians and dancers, in the past.

“There were good times,” he said. “We had 70 to 75 people before.”

Ataie said while he will continue to invite guest performers, and he hopes more people “who enjoy and appreciate what’s going on” will participate in the event in the future.

“A lot of respect to people who come out,” Ataie said.

The Black Student Union used to host the monthly open mic event, but 4 Elements of Hip-Hop succeeded the tradition after the BSU disbanded about three years ago, said Ataie.

The event usually takes place at De Anza’s Euphrat Museum of Art from 5 to 7 p.m., but the last First Thursday of each quarter takes place in at the Sunken Garden.

People are encouraged to put out any messages through artistic expressions, not only sharing music and poetry, Ataie said.
Turner said he would like to preform at De Anza again.

People who did not come by would have enjoyed his performance.