13Five

Part 1: ‘Master Equality: The Mixtape’ was recorded in 2008 & released in 2009. Since then there have been many solo projects from Sun Tzu Cadre as well their group project “The B.I.G. album”. Moving more forward, 13Five has come out of retirement to work on & deliver ‘Master Equality 2: The Mixtape’. His D-Mecca associates ‘Sun Tzu Cadre’, along with additional vocalists back him up over a much more modern rap sound. With that said, the messages remain influenced by the righteousness of Allah’s 5%.

13Five is back. Different sound, but same message from the Master, shared in Equality. He & Sun Tzu Cadre are a movement & they want listeners to move with them.
(Rashad Unique) - Rashad Unique

By William E. Ketchum III | wketchum@mlive.com

FLINT, MI—After starting a rap career in Flint that that has led to performances around the country and collaborating with nationally-recognized acts, Demetrius "Power" Clayborne is coming back to give a jump start to someone else.

Clayborne is the organizer and co-host of Winter W.A.R.S. (Wisdom | Art | Rhymes | Style), a concert/showcase at the Flint Local 432 on Friday, Dec. 20 at 8 p.m. Admission to the show is $5. Flint Local 432 is located at 124 W. First Street, Flint.


Clayborne grew up in Lexington, Ky., and attended Kentucky State University, where he met Flint native fellow poet Natasha "Theory" Thomas-Jackson. Thomas-Jackson moved back to Flint after leaving Kentucky State, and when the two had a child, Clayborne moved to Flint as well.

He and Thomas-Jackson, along with other Flint poets and musicians like James Anthony, Gary Jones, and others, had a book club and met up every Sunday at University of Michigan-Flint. They eventually made music together and formed Neo Griot--a collective of like minds whose members shared their work and collaborated with each other.

The group released a group album in 2002, and Clayborne released a solo album under the name Main Event.

"We had poets, we did plays, we did youth mentorship. It gave birth what's there now--it made room to what's going on now in Flint," he said. "...Flint was the first real ground-breaking place I started to do what I do. I had a group when I was younger, but when I moved to Flint, I started learning what the music business was all about."


Now, Neo Griot's members are involved in different areas of area art, activism and education. Thomas-Jackson has since gotten married, and she founded Raise It Up Youth & Awareness, a Flint organization that uses poetry and arts to educate and spearhead community engagement. She also organizes Flint's nationally-competing Brave New Voices poetry team. Jones is a program coordinator for Boys and Girls Club of Greater Flint, the organizer of the new Flint Super Talent Show, and still performs.

Demetrius "Power" Clayborne, whose stage name is 13Five.
Demetrius "Power" Clayborne, whose stage name is 13Five.

Clayborne moved back down south in 2006. Though he had released another record, "Directors Cut," and nabbed a few gigs, he mostly dedicated his time to "soul-searching, and getting back on my feet." He moved to Detroit in 2009, changed his stage name to 13Five, and joined a rap collective there called Sun Tzu Cadre.


This year, Clayborne has released his solo album "A More Perfect Union," appeared on Sun Tzu Cadre's "Master Equality," and his own "13 Stripes: Wu Vs. Tzu," a mixtape he made to pay tribute to the Wu Tang Clan's impact on his career. He has also worked with Hell Razah, an affiliate of Wu Tang Clan.

He has been performing around the country, and he also conducts hip-hop and social awareness workshops for youth, centered around self-esteem, literacy, personal and social issues.

Clayborne organized Winter W.A.R.S. as a way to help other artists in Flint get a jump start the same way he did with Neo Griot.

"Flint is my second home for me as a man, but it's my first home when it comes to this music business," he said. "(The show is) more of a way, not really giving back, but the same opportunity given to me, I want to give to the next individual as well."


The event will have Michigan-based vendors selling their products, art by Michigan artists on the walls, and performances by area artists. Confirmed acts include Hackey OG, Michael Quintanilla, Adam Liske, Elajawon Scott, Glory, and Gameface, with the show's headliners being The Heard + 13Five and Nya LoveChild. 13Five will co-host the show with Brady Gozza, half of Flint's Artful Dodgers and host of Gozza Strip Radio on WKUF-LP 94.3 FM.

Proceeds from the show will go to Flint Local 432, and to NGE Youth Academy in Detroit.

Interested vendors, performers or - MLive.com