Scraper bikes are potent symbols of Oakland’s indefatigable resourcefulness and style. Emblazoned with spray-paint and loudly colored foil, and touting sound systems like earlier scraper cars associated with hyphy, their visual impact isn’t lost on Los Rakas. Released today, the local hip-hop outfit’s new music video features a crew of scraper cyclists prominently. While a remix of Wiz Khalifa’s “We Dem Boyz,” retooled as “We Dem Rakaz (Hola),” bumps along, the video depicts Panamanian brothers and group founders Raka Rich and Raka Dun biking around Lake Merritt and West Oakland, accumulating more cyclists as they go. It also features rappers Roach Gigz and Zumbi of Zion I, and storied local DJ Chuy Gomez. The latter two appeared alongside Los Rakas at Hiero Day, which we praised as another instance of Oakland artists embracing and transcending scrappy limitations. Watch Los Rakas’ video and a short documentary about the original scraper bike crew founded by Tyrone Stevenson below.Â
