Old Skool Reunion fundraiser draws nearly 500 people to Little Tokyo

Proceeds from event to benefit DJ Hideo and Budokan of Los Angeles

On July 25th, Oiwake Restaurant in Little Tokyo hosted “OldSkool: Back in the Day”, a night of food and entertainment benefiting local disc jockey DJ Hideo and the Budokan of Los Angeles.  The event drew nearly 500 people to Oiwake Restaurant in Little Tokyo, and featured live bands and DJ sets throughout the night.  Proceeds from the fundraiser were estimated at $10,000 and will go towards helping DJ Hideo cover medical expenses as he battles colon cancer.  A percentage of the proceeds will also benefit the Budokan of Los Angeles (formerly the Little Tokyo Recreation Center), an upcoming sports and activities center to be located in Little Tokyo.
 

The Fountain at Japanese Village Plaza

“OldSkool: Back in the Day”, was organized with the aim of giving the Little Tokyo neighborhood “a big wake up call”.  “J-Town Los Angeles is only one of three historic Japantowns left in the United States,” said Brian Okuhara of SOS Productions, who helped organize the event,  “Growing up, Little Tokyo thrived in the Southland…but over the years that has diminished.  Somehow, we need to re-establish Little Tokyo’s identity and lay a cultural pathway for the next generation.”

The fundraiser highlighted two major causes in the Little Tokyo community, as proceeds from ticket sales benefited both DJ Hideo and the Budokan of Los Angeles. 

DJ Hideo Sugano has played a prominent role in the Los Angeles hip-hop scene for more than a decade.  He worked as Mixshow Director, Program and Production Assistant for KKBT 100.3 The Beat, one of Southern California’s major hip-hop radio stations.  He has performed with many major hip-hop artists and has DJ’d some of Los Angeles’ most popular hip-hop radio shows.  In February, Sugano was diagnosed with stage-4 colon cancer, requiring surgery and chemotherapy treatments. $5,000 will go to help Sugano pay for medications and bills.

DJ Hideo steps to the tables...

The event also raised $2,000 to benefit the The Budokan of Los Angeles (BoLA), which will be located on the west side of Los Angeles Street between 2nd and 3rd Streets.  The sports and activities center will host major basketball, volleyball and martial arts tournaments, and will serve as a local community center for ongoing activities.  “Since sports plays such an important part in the Japanese Community, we felt that a fundraising event for the BoLA project would be a perfect fit”, explained Okuhara.

OldSkool: Back in the Day attracted close to 500 people, generating about $10,000 in ticket sales.  The hundreds in attendance filled the restaurant and many gathered in the plaza outside to watch live bands and DJ’s performing through the night.  DJ Hideo, with the encouragement of hundreds in attendance, unveiled a set the end of the night, receiving a lengthy ovation from the crowd. 

“It’s exciting thinking about what the future could hold with these types of events”, said organizer Mike Huey, “both for those in the community and for the rebuilding of Little Tokyo.”

BoLA is a project of LTSC Community Development Corporation, a non-profit community-based organization, which has been providing services for over 29 years to the greater Los Angeles community. Programs include but are not limited to: assistance for victims of domestic violence, support groups, child abuse and neglect outreach, emergency food and shelter assistance, affordable housing, and community redevelopment.