as you would know from reading this blog it’s not specifically about anything in particular.  i just really talk about me and my friends. as music is a big part of my life it comes through in a lot of what I talk about (I guess that’s why it’s called hip hop is my soul).  Anyways with Life being Music and Music being Life I got home from the bar last night and decided to do a free write which I haven’t done in sometime to some instrumentals.  What I mean by a free write is the verses are going nowhere in particular.  For quite sometime everything I have written is going towards an upcoming project of mine or a friends.  This has caused me to write less in between projects and I think a little of my sanity has suffered for it.  The notepad is the poor mans therapist after all (although sometimes on nights of writers block it can feel like that note pad is judging you).

Anyways, I’m not sure if I’ll frequently do this but I decided to share what I wrote last evening.  I don’t know if I’ll frequently do this because I don’t know if the words translate just by reading them on the page and without delivery it’s like a text message where the feeling can be misunderstood or seem cold   and without emotion.  However, per usual I’ll let you decide with your feedback if I should do this more often or not.  With that being said let the show begin.  I was listening to The Roots “LNJF Sandwiches” project when I wrote this.  If you don’t have it i definitely recommend you grab it from Okayplayer.com as it is up for free download.   The track off of it I wrote is to “Someone is Late for Dentist”.  I always say you can learn all about me by listening to my words.  I’ve written a lot of verses so each one only tells a fraction but either way here’s to us getting to know each other better in 2010.

where are you going?

Ah my sweet solitude

I think I’m in the mood

To explore my mind got a little spare time

To get to know me, I know the old me

But I’m feelin’ brand new over this cold beat

So let me bundle up with this melody

Wrap my my ear drums in headphones and zone

Philosophize life simplified to a poem

Sanitize my soul let go of ego

And we go explore new territories

new experiences bring new stories

And we ain’t doin the same old

Naw never that, politic with clever cats

On the stoop like 227 with my sisters and brethren

Just livin’ lovin’ existence and this is

A love song dedicated to who

Well if you listenin’ dedicated to you

Nothing else to do but put your name right here

So help me out, scream it loud say your name

Let em know what you about, let em know why you came

But the question still remain’s where r u going

With styles as deep as the ocean

You can go with the flow and the next day switch it up

It’s your life, but use caution often many lost within the tide

When it rise, to swim against it is suicide, do or die

Man was once shy, now come alive in the limelight

Did he really change or just wait until the time right

That we’ll never know, he’ll never know himself

Really no right or wrong, you’re right or go left

U can be part of the in crowd but that crowd is out now

Ask me too confusing to figure out

Cat’s got the fly shirt, jean, sneakers to the cook out

Then that drama come they burn rubber who woulda thought they shook now

Cats united minds blind

Opened there eyes lashes rise to find out they on different sides

Meet me in the middle my conglomerates moderate

To everyone that think they spit that wonder rhymer shit

You better think again, yo your click ain’t shit,

Ask who I’m with yo it’s only USM

We only the illest when it comes to beats and the blends

Cats only feel this cause the dj spins again and again

I’m only gifted when it comes to the pad and the pen

And when I spit it you get lifted cause it’s heavenly scent

The rest of the crew is no different, man we get’s it in

We ain’t fearin’ that competition may the best man win

I never cast that first stone cause I ain’t without sin

I say RIP Bob Marley, the song is redemption

And if ya listenin’ this goes out to you

And love kinda rhythm nothin’ left to do

But put your name right here

Scream it out let em know what you about

I’m me and proud say it loud

Yo we been up and down and we searchin for that common ground if you were wonderin’ that’s where we goin

Ah sweet community, it’s just u and me, me and u

None of this u n I verse that I been seein in this universe

Floyd mayweather fightin for that bigger purse

Fans fair-weather better know who’s friend or foe

Only show your hand once that man’s played his

Cat’s played out too many top 40 spins, so it begin’s

Here’s the backlash, indy 500 hopin’ I don’t crash

I cruise through days of thunder, brainstormin boy wonder

And here you are caught caught without an umbrella

Ella ella ella ay, rocafella ella ella jay

Rocafella fella fella dame, andre harella ella ella Motown uptown empires fella fella

Within a day but this fella fella fella is glad to say that I’m still down with the ones

that held me down from day one, my fathers son that guitar got strummed on every

album I’ve ever done , I’m not done I won’t stop yo I just begun, seriously I’m just starting to have fun, gotta walk for you run, now watch me speed up, hungry for hip hop each one feed one, ya see love and see that everyone gone need love, that free love, I’m tellin’ you that’s what we need love, love is love, see we give and receive love, it’s all love, from my head to my check stub, love is love from the beats on the album to cats on the net downloadin, to the models in the shoots steady posin’, to them cats that stay building you were chosen, even to them fake cats that stay posin’, you’ll stay anonymous cause we ain’t for exposin, we’d rather sit back spit raps with frozen tongues, 2k10 native tongues,  music’s the universal language, so it’s the universe that I sang with

Haven’t done a blog in the new year yet so figured I’d give you a quick shout.  No news is good news as it means I’m making moves to give you bigger news at a later date.  At the very least that’s what I’ll tell you guys to make it seem like I’m not a complete lazy ass throughout the majority of my days, but that’s neither here nor there.

What’s here is that a brotha will be partying it up at The Bosco (22930 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, MI, 48220 or the lighted boxes right next to The Magic Bag Theater) this week.  Actually, I’m just working there but doesn’t it sound much more luxurious and baller if I just say I’m partying.  Semantics I SAY!!!!

Tonight (which is a Wednesday for you people that think the Romans have the final word on time) we will be celebrating the birthday of Jared Sykes.

unfortunately he didn't beat out Tommy Lee for the role in Men In Black. They wanted to go older.

You might recognize this man from playing various pieces of percussion (and no “percussion” is not slang for “ladies”. lol. let the roasting begin).  He is also known for throwing killer parties and even more crazy after parties (if my girlfriend asks I’ve never been to these after parties and if the girls at the afterparties ask I’ve never had a girlfriend).  Anyways, the point of this there will be many people there, the ratio will be dope, and drinks will be strong.  If that’s not enough to convince you let me present exhibit B. My partner in crime Shaun.

trust me. Special K is to the left of this picture admiring our respective steezes and wishing him and Magic had that kind of chemistry.

The last time me and Shaun teamed up greatness occured in the form of this.  Now if you are reading this post on facebook you really want to move your browser over to www.hiphopismysoul.com because this video will not embed. (get on your shit facebook)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyClEGnHc6s

Nuff Said.

Now onto Friday where the homie Frankie Bank$ will be spinning as part of the rotation.

this is Franki stretching before the show

He spins good shit, and we got half priced bottles of wine and champagne from 8-11.  So if you’re with you’re lady this is the spot for that after dinner drink on some Johnny Kemp “friday night, just got paid” ish.

Alright kids.  Spread the word on this if you don’t want me to get evicted from my home and hopefully next time I write I’ll have some good music news to share.  oh, before I forget shout out to the homie Selfsays (@selfischarles on twitter) for getting some burn on the Gilles Peterson show.  I would compliment him more but I’m extremely jealous and going into a dark place. lol. When I was in a better place I wrote a blog on him so search the site and get familiar.  in a minute.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmVDr93UJQQ

To be perfectly honest I’m not even sure why I’m writing this blog.  Oh yeah, now I remember.  I have some free moments while I’m at the coffee shop, and have been meaning to update this blog so it will get more traffic, therefore amassing more people.  To amass these people I will talk about anything else other than my music, but believe you me at some point I will try some sly way to get you to listen or even BUY my music and the music of my friends.   Phew…that felt better.  Now I can safely say I’m KEEPING IT REAL.  At least for the moment anyways.

Keep in mind the KEEPING IT REAL is awful important in Hip Hop.  You must be credible to have any type of career.  Rick Ross came under some heat when reports surfaced showing him as a Corrections Officer last year.  Now everybody is all up in arms about Roxanne and her no education getting self.

Now the time has come for everyone to jump on the bandwagon and burn this woman at the stake.  Here’s my response:

SHE MADE A MISTAKE.  SO WHAT.

Personally, I think it’s time for a lot of these probable stake burners to take a look in the mirror for a second.  I mean really take a good look?  I assume you’ve never lied.  You’ve never done anything against this code that you hold everybody else up to.  And even if you do exceed this code of moral superiority.  SO WHAT.  The parade for you is starting at 9am on Saturday and trust I’ll be there with bells on.

Perhaps instead of judging her we should use a little empathy and try to see it through her eyes…or maybe not.  I’ve tried and I can’t really think of the reasons that she would do this.  Perhaps she misspoke in the interview or they misunderstood and she just let whoever run with it which can be easy to do.  Thinking about that really just makes my head hurt and wonder about UTFO more than anything else.

However, I’m sure cats are gonna come with these absolutes like, “either you’re real or you’re not” and “real recognize real” and all these other phrases that belong on the side of a milk carton (it’s somewhat tragically ironic to me that these phrases come off as so gimmicky to me as I’m typing them – i believe they’re supposed to represent the opposite. those phrases are sooo not keeping it real).  Then there will be her defenders that most likely personally know her and one day will be quick to burn somebody else that they don’t know for the same reasons they are defending now.  All I can say is this shit happens and to all of us at one point or another.

No matter how many of us want to think otherwise, we’ve all been in situations where we have been less than truthful and shady in some way shape or form.  I believe there is a definition for this. FAKE you say? Perhaps, but the word I was looking for is HUMAN.

I believe I’m writing on this because I feel a bit of this goes on in my city.  This finger pointing, and judgment, and pretentious exclusivity really just has the effect of tiring everybody out and making everything worse.  Nobody wants to be put under a microscope and it seems many of us are doing it while the sun is overhead.

I’m beginning to ramble so I’ll wrap it up with this.  I’m all for the hip hop community but let’s have one that not only respects our differences, but also respects our mistakes.  STOP BEING SO QUICK TO JUDGE AND CRUCIFY.

Valentine’s Night is a time for love and lust.
Check out “syrup” featuring dj don “love” valley.

Need more incentive…ok:
Bottles of Veuve Clicquot and Moet Rose will be 1/2 off from 8pm – midnight. Not too shabby…

Bring a date or meet one.
Syrup will set the mood.

CLICK ON FLYER TO VISIT THE BOSCO WEBSITE

I’ll be short about this one.  By now you should already have put the Shine On edition of Stoopid Fresh on your calender and if you haven’t then read below and support that.  For everyone that says there is no fun to be had in the city just 2 days later Detroitrap.com is putting on the monthly mixer.  I’ve had the pleasure of attending a couple of these and the vibe is great.  You will find the perennial who’s who and all that but really i could give a fuck less about that.  It’s good music and good people.  One of the reasons it’s so dope is this guy.

the is P Dog ladies and gentleman

He spins the illest shit and what blows my mind is that most of it is local material.  When every other DJ out there is complaining that Detroit artists aren’t making the music people wanna hear, it’s not radio ready and all that nonsense, P Dog is actually out in spots proving them wrong (use that as your market research check writers).  I’ve been a fan of his for awhile, and he is a pleasure to work with.  He loves music and that might not sound surprising that a DJ loves music, but i know a lot of frustrated DJ’s.  He doesn’t like the title of DJ though.  He is a Turntable Bully so respect that.  You can hit his Myspace HERE.

This night is also special because my man Dante is performing.  If you don’t know him, I just blogged about him too so search the archives.  Raw Collection is doing their thing as well so it is taken care of on the performance tip.

I know I said it would be short, but I wasn’t thinking about all the dope shit with this night at first.  There is also a beat battle and I’ve really seen these things gain in popularity over the last couple years.  Producers are starting to realize they don’t need MC’s to get their shine.  I’m in trouble yall if I don’t start learning how to use the MPC. lol.  The beats are banging so you’ll appreciate whether you’re an MC looking to network, or a fan just appreciating the rhythem.  They also keep it moving for all you ADD cats out there.  On top of that, the producers are very entertaining so you will even enjoy watching them as their beats play.

WHAT MORE DO I GOTTA SAY.  CHECK OUT WWW.DETROITRAP.COM TO FILL IN WHAT I MISSED.  UNTIL THEN….

you should already know and be rsvp'd

I’ll be short and sweet about this one.   This is one of those bandwagon’s that should be jumped on for more reasons than one.  No, I didn’t know him.  Yes, I listened to him before his passing but none of that should be relevant to your support.  All I know is I will be in attendance and I posted this early so you readers would have the whole weekend to think about how you can make it to this.  Beyond remembering his legacy being important, this is just a dope show.  Here are the particulars:

J.Dilla not only lives on through his music but his legacy is carried on proudly by the Yancey family. It’s time for the city to support our own through a time when support is vital.

Those performing at this special event are musicians who worked closely with Jay Dee during his time with us. No bandwagon rally here.

Houseshoes, DJ Dez, K-Fresh, Sicari, Black Milk, Guilty Simpson, Slum Village, Big Tone, Phat Kat, Finale, 5 Ela

21+
$5 Cover
$10 Donation strongly recommended.

Shine On is a special edition of the weekly StoopidFresh party every Tuesday @ TV Bar with DJ Dez & K-Fresh

Drink specials include $3 beers & $4 drinks.

For more information on both StoopidFresh & how to help the Yancey Family, please visit www.rensoul.com.

don't judge me for using this picture for the blog

I don’t have too much to say on this because words cannot describe what i just saw tonight.  My boy Dante (www.twitter.com/dantelasalle) hit me up and alerted me to the fact taht GMPD was in town.  I of course had no idea who they were but I’m always up for an adventure and Dante toured with them on warped tour and said that they were everybodies favorite band.

They were playing at the Pike Room in the Crofoot.  Upon entering, I knew this was on some other shit.  Hipsters were out and American Apparel was everywhere (not a diss – just the facts).  Anyways the band before GMPD were very entertaining but i can’t remember their name.  Anyways, when GMPD came out the vibe was ridiculous.  Let me paint the picture for you.  3 men walk on stage in spandex spiderman outfits.  They could’ve covered up with some cod pieces though. The songs have a very 80′s vibe but in a Back to the Future when Marty goes into the future kind of way (to clarify. it’s like what someone in the 80′s would think the future sounds like).  The stage presence is phenomenal and one member is a magnificent dancer, and the other dude is a ridiculous story teller (sorry…don’t remember names and don’t have energy to research).

The crazy thing to me was the crowd though.  Even though a lot of the music was ambient and spacy, the crowd was forming a mosh pit, crowd surfing, and throwing shit.  however, whenever someone would fall i noticed they would form a circle and make sure the person got up okay.  there were a lot of minors in the crowd so i stayed off to the side and decided to not get my R Kelly on.   to give you the maturity level when i was taking a piss two girls ran in and started screaming did a lap around the room and ran out.  i’m rambling so let me wrap this up.

I believe my boy Dante is housing them for the evening and he has been streaming the evening live on his Qik accountso you can check out footage of them HERE. Do yourself a favor and check their tour schedule and go be entertained.

On a final side note, I would love to work with these guys musically in some way in the future.  there is something very free about what they do.