I know last post was serious, but yall who know me know I'm actually an honest funny cat. So in the interest of keepin it real, here are 30 facts about me, that you probably would never know.
enjoy:
1) The first time I ever went bombing with a spray can I was nervouse as hell and , without realising it, tagged a silver door with silver paint.
2) I learned how to drive, saw that I couldn't afford insurance, and forgot how to drive.
3)I havent left New York since I was 13
4)i like to say shit that makes no sense and then make it make sense.
5)I can't stop fuckin cursing.
6)I believe in aliens, energy fields, and the third eye.
7)When I was like 4 I put a button in my nose an it neva came out.
8)My nationality in Brooklynese ya heard.
9)my favorite food is sushi all types.
10) I aint afraid of hieghts but im afraid of rollercoasters.
11)Ive walked through most of Brookyln, Queens, and Manhattan.
12) The first thing I ever tagged was my initials on a telephone pole, at age 13.
13)I drew my first known drawing at age 3, it was a dinosour.
14)I only completely memorized 2 songs start to finish in my whole life, Slick Rick's childrens story, and Grand Master FLash's the message.
15)I used to draw pictures of chicks that my friends in middle school had crushes on an they would pay me so they could sign them and say they drew it.
16)Ive Pissed over traffic on the Williamsburg Bridge.
17)I excerise in case the revolution breaks out.
18)I believe in parallel universes.
19)I love godzilla movies.
20) My favorite movie is a 3 way tie between Kids, the Warriors, and the city of god.
21)I don't speak spanish for shit but I understand it perfectly.
22)When i was 12 I used to clean out the airconditioners, and weather proof the roof of my building for money.
23) I need to have backround noise to sleep, I grew up next to a factory that unloaded shit at 3 am.
24)I used to chill in the Mccaren pool when it was fenced off and considered illegal to enter, now that its open to the public I don't go there no more.
25)I take pride in my grimeyness.
26)Someone out there loves me.
27)I was raised on old soul and R&B latin music and classic rock.
28)I can't dance to spanish music, but I can dance to reggea.
29) My favorite rapper is Ghostface, and my favorite albums are Illmatic and Only built for Cuban Linx.
30)The closest thing I ever had to a male role model was my Grandfather, a Scrap Yard worker, raised in Crooklyn.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
The Movement
Whats good my people.
First off I want to apologize to anyone who been following my shit I been runnin all over, and honestly I haven't felt very inspired lately, especially in hip hop.
That said here I go,
You remember like in 2006 when nas dropped Hip Hop is Dead and everyone bugged, and how that southern party shit was huge at that time, even more so then now. Well I was tight at hip hop back then, but was very anxious at the same time. I knew that shit would fade out, it was too commercial to last, and I knew an evolution was coming, I was fiending for that shit so bad. The next level of what it could be.
Well recently I have realized what the next step is, this Hipster shit. Now if you been following my blog you'll see Im not a fan. It not the content, which aint great but it better then some southern shit, or the fashion, which in my opinion is type suspect, that bothers me.
All jokes aside wear your skinny jeans I dont give a fuck. This is bigger then that. This is about in authenticity. These people drape themselves in shit they know nothing about in a vain attempt to be original. They are making a trend out of my culture, and I can't take that shit lying down any more. These are the same people who took the keffiyah a symbol of solidarity with the struggle of our Palestinian brothers and sisters and turned it into " that terrorist scarf".
They are faking the funk, and they acting like we supposed to be cool with that.
I really avoided this topic for a long time as I have a personal beef with these people, as I was gentrified out of Brooklyn in 07 because of them. I never brought it up before cause i always felt I was too biased. But I have been talking to more and more heads, not just bruthas from my hood or other hoods with that problem, but almost all sons i talk to have this resentment.
Alot of Hip Hop aint for heads no more, it just aint. Its for white kids in the village, and "interpretive dancers in LES".
Now there are other cats I respect that get open, and I feel my blog help give them shine, but as far as main stream shit goes this is the direction. Jay Z himself, the financial genius he is, is already doing callabo's wit these people.
Im tired of real cats feeling like we have to choose between ignorance and empty trends, and I knew then that im not the only one. This aint about the new school, or an age thing, the muthafuckas pushing this shit are in my age bracket, as far as focus groups are concerned I should be in love.
No love though.
But I am not going to just sit here and bitch about it. That never solved shit, i have been on a mission to organize something, I'm not sure what yet, and it most likely will not be mine, but rather something I add to, but regardless, i feel its our responsibilities if we real muthafuckas want to not just choke down the shit they feed us, to learn to cook ourselves. Hip hop was born with a "fuck what you say I know whats Ill" attitude, and I don't see why so many people now are content in disappointment.
I repeat: Real cats should not have to choose between laughable ignorance and empty trends, not in Hip Hop.
This might come off as pissed, and it should cause thats how I'm feeling in the heart. i don't know all your tastes and i could care less, I know there alot of brothers out there thinking the shit im sayin right now.
I don't know how many of them this is reaching but its time to act, our culture is not a trend, period, end of fucking story.
We gotta move on em.
That being said, this is not about hating change, I was feinding change, and this is not a call for some kind of time machine to 94, I feel like if a big ass chunk of us are tight at what is, we should create what could be, and bring it back to the essence, originality.
So if you a head feeling that shit thats all you, but don't act like I gotta accept shit you say.
If you a hipster reading this an u feel mad, good, genuine emotions do a person good.
Lastly, if you agree get at me this movement is ours not mine an it needs feet to walk.
If you hated everything I wrote then still get at me, cause fuck it I love a good debate.
This aint a plea for comments either I'm serious and ill go wit or wit out you.
Once again
Peace to all my brothas and sistas in the struggle. Its always love, we are all we got.
First off I want to apologize to anyone who been following my shit I been runnin all over, and honestly I haven't felt very inspired lately, especially in hip hop.
That said here I go,
You remember like in 2006 when nas dropped Hip Hop is Dead and everyone bugged, and how that southern party shit was huge at that time, even more so then now. Well I was tight at hip hop back then, but was very anxious at the same time. I knew that shit would fade out, it was too commercial to last, and I knew an evolution was coming, I was fiending for that shit so bad. The next level of what it could be.
Well recently I have realized what the next step is, this Hipster shit. Now if you been following my blog you'll see Im not a fan. It not the content, which aint great but it better then some southern shit, or the fashion, which in my opinion is type suspect, that bothers me.
All jokes aside wear your skinny jeans I dont give a fuck. This is bigger then that. This is about in authenticity. These people drape themselves in shit they know nothing about in a vain attempt to be original. They are making a trend out of my culture, and I can't take that shit lying down any more. These are the same people who took the keffiyah a symbol of solidarity with the struggle of our Palestinian brothers and sisters and turned it into " that terrorist scarf".
They are faking the funk, and they acting like we supposed to be cool with that.
I really avoided this topic for a long time as I have a personal beef with these people, as I was gentrified out of Brooklyn in 07 because of them. I never brought it up before cause i always felt I was too biased. But I have been talking to more and more heads, not just bruthas from my hood or other hoods with that problem, but almost all sons i talk to have this resentment.
Alot of Hip Hop aint for heads no more, it just aint. Its for white kids in the village, and "interpretive dancers in LES".
Now there are other cats I respect that get open, and I feel my blog help give them shine, but as far as main stream shit goes this is the direction. Jay Z himself, the financial genius he is, is already doing callabo's wit these people.
Im tired of real cats feeling like we have to choose between ignorance and empty trends, and I knew then that im not the only one. This aint about the new school, or an age thing, the muthafuckas pushing this shit are in my age bracket, as far as focus groups are concerned I should be in love.
No love though.
But I am not going to just sit here and bitch about it. That never solved shit, i have been on a mission to organize something, I'm not sure what yet, and it most likely will not be mine, but rather something I add to, but regardless, i feel its our responsibilities if we real muthafuckas want to not just choke down the shit they feed us, to learn to cook ourselves. Hip hop was born with a "fuck what you say I know whats Ill" attitude, and I don't see why so many people now are content in disappointment.
I repeat: Real cats should not have to choose between laughable ignorance and empty trends, not in Hip Hop.
This might come off as pissed, and it should cause thats how I'm feeling in the heart. i don't know all your tastes and i could care less, I know there alot of brothers out there thinking the shit im sayin right now.
I don't know how many of them this is reaching but its time to act, our culture is not a trend, period, end of fucking story.
We gotta move on em.
That being said, this is not about hating change, I was feinding change, and this is not a call for some kind of time machine to 94, I feel like if a big ass chunk of us are tight at what is, we should create what could be, and bring it back to the essence, originality.
So if you a head feeling that shit thats all you, but don't act like I gotta accept shit you say.
If you a hipster reading this an u feel mad, good, genuine emotions do a person good.
Lastly, if you agree get at me this movement is ours not mine an it needs feet to walk.
If you hated everything I wrote then still get at me, cause fuck it I love a good debate.
This aint a plea for comments either I'm serious and ill go wit or wit out you.
Once again
Peace to all my brothas and sistas in the struggle. Its always love, we are all we got.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Chillin on the Stoop again Tues 25.
8:30 PM
On the stoop again man these stairs are hard as fuck. Aint got enough paint ta go bombin tonight so son im outtta luck. I shuda gone rackin with sick actions sneak outta home depot with a can of flat black in my ass crackin. But my dude, that shits not happening, shit at least not tonight. Plus its clubbin season so the birds have taken the flight. So now we got no bird watchin, and no bird callin, beside i aint trying to have you get me locked for sexual assaulting, cat callin whatever.
9:15
At least its nice weather, check out son across the street haha. A YO KID NICE PLEATHER! that shit aint pelle pelle thats helle smelle, yo whats good wit ya man jay and the fat Elle. What he stopped blazing????????? AMAZING. I thought he was a rasta i guess he went and changed then.
10:10
Son! don't look now here comes Lou. The only homeless cat i know who owns a mansion or two. Yea under his daughters name, but he aint wrong in the brain, just cause he live in his car don't make his crazy ass insane. He got the feds watchin what he spends his cream on. King pin; usta flood the streets with mad heron-- in the 80's-- now a days he traded to a silva honda no more Mercedes. No more Mackin now he gotta pay up if he wants the ladies:
and wrap it up if he don't want the VD's ya feel me?
Plus when he was up state he became born again christian , trying to convert me every time he sees me even though he know I don't listen.
Ay son? yo he gone? Good
11:20
I would get chinese food but yo the heath department shut them down again maybe this time for good. I know I'm hungry i don't care if that shit is mushu pigeon, Im more hungry that that fat brutha that Eric's sista stays dissin, That kid B. he lives on Bushwick ave. By building 16. He got McDonald's in the stash, and if you talk slick he gunna crush ya with his ass. Call that shit ass-phyxiation.
12:25
Yo ya heard that new shit, that shit was mad wack, I get already --weezy loves codeine and crack. O shit check out shorty, chill not now though she looks better from the back. wait for it wait for it, AHH messenger bag blockage. That's violation. Man I need to get back on my graff game no more procrastination.
12:42
Aint that john's shorty from Williamsburg houses? Or is that Karen from Borinquen Plaza, yea that's her, she fucks wit my man Cooper who lives in Cooper. He straight Casanova now; in 8th grade he used ta eat glue, word.
1:00
Times is changing though Brooklyn is rearranging . They even got modern art and shit by the Montrose station. Plus they call us indigenous now, aint that shit amazing and fazing. But whatever. nah I aint feeling lazy, I'm just mad bored but what else is there to do? My shorty is on vaction but I was too broke to go too.
1:23
Nah I aint gunna get drunk again with you, cuss then i end up passed out in ya house sleepin wit one eye open, so one of those Madagascar roaches you got in there don't leave my ass chokin. Yo is there really nothing to do tonight?
1:47
Boom -What the fuck was that shit? Oh shit a fight!?- SON! is he aight? Yo they jess sliced Don's man, I think them cats from Morgan, man his father owns the fruit store too, God damn.
Why dudes always getting reckless???? Why do I always have to expect this? Why don't the cops ever show up, damn unless they fucking some innocent kids up, man we need a crispy cream in this neighborhood. So the boys in blue might finally do something good.
2:15
Fuck it I'm goin in to sleep so I can wake up to eat breakfast.
Peace Kid try not to be too restless.
"It would be impossible to understand B.I.G.'s artistic statement without understanding the centrality of his indigenous lands in the Borough of Kings because, dig it or not, the Borough of Kings in the reason for the artistic statement" pg 112 - Jelani Cobb.
BROOKLYN^^^^^^^^^^
On the stoop again man these stairs are hard as fuck. Aint got enough paint ta go bombin tonight so son im outtta luck. I shuda gone rackin with sick actions sneak outta home depot with a can of flat black in my ass crackin. But my dude, that shits not happening, shit at least not tonight. Plus its clubbin season so the birds have taken the flight. So now we got no bird watchin, and no bird callin, beside i aint trying to have you get me locked for sexual assaulting, cat callin whatever.
9:15
At least its nice weather, check out son across the street haha. A YO KID NICE PLEATHER! that shit aint pelle pelle thats helle smelle, yo whats good wit ya man jay and the fat Elle. What he stopped blazing????????? AMAZING. I thought he was a rasta i guess he went and changed then.
10:10
Son! don't look now here comes Lou. The only homeless cat i know who owns a mansion or two. Yea under his daughters name, but he aint wrong in the brain, just cause he live in his car don't make his crazy ass insane. He got the feds watchin what he spends his cream on. King pin; usta flood the streets with mad heron-- in the 80's-- now a days he traded to a silva honda no more Mercedes. No more Mackin now he gotta pay up if he wants the ladies:
and wrap it up if he don't want the VD's ya feel me?
Plus when he was up state he became born again christian , trying to convert me every time he sees me even though he know I don't listen.
Ay son? yo he gone? Good
11:20
I would get chinese food but yo the heath department shut them down again maybe this time for good. I know I'm hungry i don't care if that shit is mushu pigeon, Im more hungry that that fat brutha that Eric's sista stays dissin, That kid B. he lives on Bushwick ave. By building 16. He got McDonald's in the stash, and if you talk slick he gunna crush ya with his ass. Call that shit ass-phyxiation.
12:25
Yo ya heard that new shit, that shit was mad wack, I get already --weezy loves codeine and crack. O shit check out shorty, chill not now though she looks better from the back. wait for it wait for it, AHH messenger bag blockage. That's violation. Man I need to get back on my graff game no more procrastination.
12:42
Aint that john's shorty from Williamsburg houses? Or is that Karen from Borinquen Plaza, yea that's her, she fucks wit my man Cooper who lives in Cooper. He straight Casanova now; in 8th grade he used ta eat glue, word.
1:00
Times is changing though Brooklyn is rearranging . They even got modern art and shit by the Montrose station. Plus they call us indigenous now, aint that shit amazing and fazing. But whatever. nah I aint feeling lazy, I'm just mad bored but what else is there to do? My shorty is on vaction but I was too broke to go too.
1:23
Nah I aint gunna get drunk again with you, cuss then i end up passed out in ya house sleepin wit one eye open, so one of those Madagascar roaches you got in there don't leave my ass chokin. Yo is there really nothing to do tonight?
1:47
Boom -What the fuck was that shit? Oh shit a fight!?- SON! is he aight? Yo they jess sliced Don's man, I think them cats from Morgan, man his father owns the fruit store too, God damn.
Why dudes always getting reckless???? Why do I always have to expect this? Why don't the cops ever show up, damn unless they fucking some innocent kids up, man we need a crispy cream in this neighborhood. So the boys in blue might finally do something good.
2:15
Fuck it I'm goin in to sleep so I can wake up to eat breakfast.
Peace Kid try not to be too restless.
"It would be impossible to understand B.I.G.'s artistic statement without understanding the centrality of his indigenous lands in the Borough of Kings because, dig it or not, the Borough of Kings in the reason for the artistic statement" pg 112 - Jelani Cobb.
BROOKLYN^^^^^^^^^^
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Supa Fly
Yo I gotta pay respects to a man I think is a musical god. Now you know I am a hip hiop head first and foremost. That don't mean though i don't listen ta other shit. Yo I don't klnow how mnay bruthas an sistas my age are up on Curtis Mayfield, but I been listening to him nonstop since like thurs, and have been a fan since like i was 12 when my moms used to play superfly in my house ( spanish people who grew up in Brooklyn in the 60's liked soul too FYI). Listyening to his work is crazy eye opening on how something that ain't hiphop can tell a crazy storya bout the way people are living better then some if not most "street" shit out there. Mayfield is THE soul brutha numero uno baby, and from one soul brutha (thats right, tell me I aint got more soul then you) to another his shit speaks ta me the same way Illmatic or Cuban Linx speaks to me. I mean I remember even at 12 when ai first heard superfly I was like, that shit sounds cool, and not cool like a that new kid in school wit the new gameboy was cool, but cool like, even a lil mutha fucka like me could recognise what the kids today call swag. This man had more swagger in his pinky then half the corny ass rappers out there now. As I got older and started reasearching the samples used in the golden age classics dear ta my heart i learned more of his work and was just amazed. Son was beyond ill, beyond fly, he was supa fly--waht more can I say. He left the earth too damn soon. Peace Curtis
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Childrens Story. Assignment for 11/18
AJuliani Cobb on Illmatic: "The LP was by a jaded project ennui, an old- to- soon kind of lyricizing that said as much about Nas as it did about the people he was describing." Pg 70
Once upon the time not to long ago, shit it gotta fourteen years back ta 94'. I was a little shorty, chillin on the stoop. Watch the rudeboys roll by in gold rim coups. Even then at the tender age of five I understood that shit always stood live. No Jive, i remember Carlito from the forth floor pissed of the Italian connect so they put holes in his car door. Shit was crazy ill grow up quick-- the kids always will-- form deadin candy bars to ta breaking into parked cars. That was the environment b, lying I got no need. They stood breaking inta cars with tha need for speed. They stood lifted puffing on the greenest weed-- even before I knew the smell that shit made me sneeze. Son please-- children gotta grow up fast, how you gunna enjoy shit if nothing lasts. Thats it --caskets-- and Im sorry for ya loss gift baskets. Son was 19 god knows its tragic. But no news story though; no front page, just a new apartment on the market and a carving on the grave. So ya ask how nas sounded so old, man age comes quick when the world so cold--damn. That means 19 is actually 45, because enough 19s aint reaching 20 alive. But we gotta strive for perfection, some times got to pack the Smif N Wesson-- so no man can be having us undressin. But that just the story of how it goes, turning young gods in thugs and mad queens into hoes. Its dramatic how the static can make ya mind straight panic, --or explode creative dropping jewels like Illmatic.
Once upon the time not to long ago, shit it gotta fourteen years back ta 94'. I was a little shorty, chillin on the stoop. Watch the rudeboys roll by in gold rim coups. Even then at the tender age of five I understood that shit always stood live. No Jive, i remember Carlito from the forth floor pissed of the Italian connect so they put holes in his car door. Shit was crazy ill grow up quick-- the kids always will-- form deadin candy bars to ta breaking into parked cars. That was the environment b, lying I got no need. They stood breaking inta cars with tha need for speed. They stood lifted puffing on the greenest weed-- even before I knew the smell that shit made me sneeze. Son please-- children gotta grow up fast, how you gunna enjoy shit if nothing lasts. Thats it --caskets-- and Im sorry for ya loss gift baskets. Son was 19 god knows its tragic. But no news story though; no front page, just a new apartment on the market and a carving on the grave. So ya ask how nas sounded so old, man age comes quick when the world so cold--damn. That means 19 is actually 45, because enough 19s aint reaching 20 alive. But we gotta strive for perfection, some times got to pack the Smif N Wesson-- so no man can be having us undressin. But that just the story of how it goes, turning young gods in thugs and mad queens into hoes. Its dramatic how the static can make ya mind straight panic, --or explode creative dropping jewels like Illmatic.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Justice
Yesterday was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my entire life. To see a black man in office is a dream not only for my Black brothers and sisters, but for me as a latino as well. Even though I was born in Brooklyn yesterday was the day I became an American. For my whole life I never once felt like anyone in this country gave a fuck about me or any of us. Not just blacks and latinos, but immigrants and everyone who wasn't the ruling class. I aint saying racism is over; its alive and well unfortunately and so is classism, but we can do it now. To my people told that they could never been anything besides criminals and failures, to all my people who came up in a public school system in that made it seem as though college wasn't an option, to my people who bust their ass to make a living with no help from anyone while the rich catch more and more breaks, to all of us who were told we weren't good enough; this is the opening of a new chapter. I have been told my whole life that I was no good by people who didn't even know me, and I know I am not the only one. Now I know that me in college isn't some freak accident, I am here because I can be a force to change the world, we all can in college or not. Nothing can stop us now. Nothing.
BUSHWICK BROOKLYN-
Peace to President Obama and his family. Thanks for giving someone raised on a history of broken promises something to believe in again.
BUSHWICK BROOKLYN-
Peace to President Obama and his family. Thanks for giving someone raised on a history of broken promises something to believe in again.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Bougie takeova
Yo my people something has been bothering me. Like really botherin me. When the fuck did bougie kids invade hip hop? This weekend I went to a Graff store in BK, my boy heard it just opened, and I heard there was a gallery in the back and that that book thing that my Professor was talkin about was there. Now so I was thinking finally I dun got to trek it to china town or corona queens to get the good paint. Ill right?
Not even. Me an my boy go there and not only were they mad expensive, (which graff specialty places tend to be) but i didn't feel welcome there. It was run by a white guy, which aint nothin cuss the scrap yard is run by a white guy an he cool, but this place had like a boutique feel to it they had a gallery, and sold like skater sneakers vans an shit. Not really my typa joint. Plus even tho they just opened the guy was mad shady wit me and my friend.
Now look this aint about me being pissed because the guy was being wierd ta us or nothin, it takes more then that ta get me tight. What gets me tight is this has alot to do with the crazy gentrification that happening in North Brooklyn ask anyone in WB, Bushwick or Bedstuy, and they can tell you, but the crazy shit is that these yuppies, or hipsters call them what you will, love street culture but are made super uncomfortable by street people. They culture jacking and this store is only an example of that shit.
Why is it that "real" hip hop now needs to completely disassociate to a certain extent from the street? Why is Asop Rock and Slug deep and meaningful and Joell Ortiz or Saigon "too street" even tho they drop mad knowledge? Shit Ortiz is from Greenpoint, the hood this graff store was in, and he wasn't allowed to perform at "Brooklyn Hip Hop" festival that was taking place there. It was a hipster festival for "real" hip hop and he wasn't "real" enough. I have a sneaking suspicion it has more to do with the fact that that event is a hipster thing and they don't want neighborhood kids comin out the P's and the tenements to go to their little party.
Why is it that hip hop that is marketed to the streets is so often devoid of anything worth listening to, and intelligent shit marketed to upper middle class college kids? I know its tempting to say "well people in the hood are stupid". Look I'm in college, but my brother from another mother and my long time crew member don't even have a GED but he deeper and smarter then alot of the kids i know in Baruch. I don't paint, or even associate myself with people i don't respect, if you know me you know i only fuck with street philosophers, if you don't know me now u know.
What the fuck happened to street knowledge. Its like now street rap is a fuckin stereotype of poor minorities, shit can be painful to watch. At the same time "real" shit is completely disassociated from the street. I mean Rakim Allah, The WU, Nas, and even like Mobb Deep back in the day were street but they were smart, almost mystic in thier approach to the world, and they were marketed to the street. Same could be said about the likes of Ortiz Pap and Sai. Now I'm not saying it all gotta be about the street either,Tribe is my shit but they really weren't hood like that. Problem is these Bougie elements in hip hop are pushing this notion that if its smart it cant be street and if its street it cant be smart. Thats cultural piracy, I don't got nothing against hip hop going world wide, but does that really mean that here in the heart of NY where it was born, the very children of the generation that created hip hop have in effect been gentrified out of our own culture?
Why is it that alot of the new acts that run the line of the true emcee or at least seem to, like lupe (Im not a fan but I recognize talent), or other artist like him marketed just to middle class kids and not to the streets? Why does hipster hop exist??? An MC is an MC why they gotta put a label on it that alienates the hood??
Truth is if Brooklyn babies swarmed that hip hop festival the people who claim to love our culture would have to love it in front of us. Hip hop is a way of life, my way of life but I see it becoming a hobby for these irony loving outta towners with no respect for the traditions of it in the NY context. Even in the graff world shit is split between kids raised on street bombing schooled in graff from older writers, and art school students that are completely ignorant of the culture. this blog talks more about it if people want to get the low down on the street art vs graff war this breaks it down nice. READ IT, its good you know i dun lie.
Street Art Vs Graffiti
Props to DYM for having mad balls.
So this is my beef with the hipster graff store, and the takeover of our culture in general; you wana be a part of Hip Hop thats fine. You wana earn your rep and respect from the hood, I got nothing but love for that; but if you wana trample our traditions, alienate us, and say your shit is the real shit we gunna have a problem.
I got my start writing in GP and have spent many a night up there working on my technique, and to be given funny looks by a graff store owner 10 blocks from where i first threw up my initials at age 13 is ridiculous.
That shit needs ta stop
I do wana shout out to All The Right in Corona Queens and Scrap Yard in China town for keep it its real for all the writters lookin for those crazy colors home depot just don't carry.
I wana as always shout out all my real bruthas and sistas in the 5 boroughs of death and Strong Island.
Be real my people, and hold dear ta whats yours and don't let no one take Hip Hop from us.
Peace to my Brother Mat, and the whole ASAP Crew
Peace
Not even. Me an my boy go there and not only were they mad expensive, (which graff specialty places tend to be) but i didn't feel welcome there. It was run by a white guy, which aint nothin cuss the scrap yard is run by a white guy an he cool, but this place had like a boutique feel to it they had a gallery, and sold like skater sneakers vans an shit. Not really my typa joint. Plus even tho they just opened the guy was mad shady wit me and my friend.
Now look this aint about me being pissed because the guy was being wierd ta us or nothin, it takes more then that ta get me tight. What gets me tight is this has alot to do with the crazy gentrification that happening in North Brooklyn ask anyone in WB, Bushwick or Bedstuy, and they can tell you, but the crazy shit is that these yuppies, or hipsters call them what you will, love street culture but are made super uncomfortable by street people. They culture jacking and this store is only an example of that shit.
Why is it that "real" hip hop now needs to completely disassociate to a certain extent from the street? Why is Asop Rock and Slug deep and meaningful and Joell Ortiz or Saigon "too street" even tho they drop mad knowledge? Shit Ortiz is from Greenpoint, the hood this graff store was in, and he wasn't allowed to perform at "Brooklyn Hip Hop" festival that was taking place there. It was a hipster festival for "real" hip hop and he wasn't "real" enough. I have a sneaking suspicion it has more to do with the fact that that event is a hipster thing and they don't want neighborhood kids comin out the P's and the tenements to go to their little party.
Why is it that hip hop that is marketed to the streets is so often devoid of anything worth listening to, and intelligent shit marketed to upper middle class college kids? I know its tempting to say "well people in the hood are stupid". Look I'm in college, but my brother from another mother and my long time crew member don't even have a GED but he deeper and smarter then alot of the kids i know in Baruch. I don't paint, or even associate myself with people i don't respect, if you know me you know i only fuck with street philosophers, if you don't know me now u know.
What the fuck happened to street knowledge. Its like now street rap is a fuckin stereotype of poor minorities, shit can be painful to watch. At the same time "real" shit is completely disassociated from the street. I mean Rakim Allah, The WU, Nas, and even like Mobb Deep back in the day were street but they were smart, almost mystic in thier approach to the world, and they were marketed to the street. Same could be said about the likes of Ortiz Pap and Sai. Now I'm not saying it all gotta be about the street either,Tribe is my shit but they really weren't hood like that. Problem is these Bougie elements in hip hop are pushing this notion that if its smart it cant be street and if its street it cant be smart. Thats cultural piracy, I don't got nothing against hip hop going world wide, but does that really mean that here in the heart of NY where it was born, the very children of the generation that created hip hop have in effect been gentrified out of our own culture?
Why is it that alot of the new acts that run the line of the true emcee or at least seem to, like lupe (Im not a fan but I recognize talent), or other artist like him marketed just to middle class kids and not to the streets? Why does hipster hop exist??? An MC is an MC why they gotta put a label on it that alienates the hood??
Truth is if Brooklyn babies swarmed that hip hop festival the people who claim to love our culture would have to love it in front of us. Hip hop is a way of life, my way of life but I see it becoming a hobby for these irony loving outta towners with no respect for the traditions of it in the NY context. Even in the graff world shit is split between kids raised on street bombing schooled in graff from older writers, and art school students that are completely ignorant of the culture.
Props to DYM for having mad balls.
So this is my beef with the hipster graff store, and the takeover of our culture in general; you wana be a part of Hip Hop thats fine. You wana earn your rep and respect from the hood, I got nothing but love for that; but if you wana trample our traditions, alienate us, and say your shit is the real shit we gunna have a problem.
I got my start writing in GP and have spent many a night up there working on my technique, and to be given funny looks by a graff store owner 10 blocks from where i first threw up my initials at age 13 is ridiculous.
That shit needs ta stop
I do wana shout out to All The Right in Corona Queens and Scrap Yard in China town for keep it its real for all the writters lookin for those crazy colors home depot just don't carry.
I wana as always shout out all my real bruthas and sistas in the 5 boroughs of death and Strong Island.
Be real my people, and hold dear ta whats yours and don't let no one take Hip Hop from us.
Peace to my Brother Mat, and the whole ASAP Crew
Peace
Blogging on Cobb 2 & 3
Chapter 2 of Till the Break of Dawn talks about the stylistic changes in Hip Hop over time. One thing really interested me, and that was the perpetual split in Hip Hop between political/Lyrical Hip Hop and party music Hip Hop. I always thought that they were distinct but in reality the book really helped me see how the best political, or lyrical Hip Hop needs to be good music, good to party too. They give the example of the message, the song white lines is another one that I think proves the point the book makes. It keeps going into music now, the best deep hip hop was deep hip hop backed by good musical production. What is Illmatic without Pete Rock or DJ Premier's production. Even if its not "dance music" Hip Hop lyricists depends on good production to not only allow for maximum impact of their words, but to make it appeal to people it has to be good musically. Also this joy in music allows for us to not only temporarily forget being poor or struggling, but also to take it on, on our own terms.
Chapter 3 was talking more about actual styles used in hip-hop and their origins. The passage I liked in this showed me something I didn't see before, the way that hip hop and R&B come from a similar origin and how in the early days hip-hop performers sang hooks, and at the same time later on R&B songs featured cameos from various MC's . I also see the links between the concept of flow in jazz and the concept of call and response in blues lyrics, and their presents in hip hop. This is something I haver seen but never really thought much about, but play a very important role in Hip Hop musically.
Chapter 3 was talking more about actual styles used in hip-hop and their origins. The passage I liked in this showed me something I didn't see before, the way that hip hop and R&B come from a similar origin and how in the early days hip-hop performers sang hooks, and at the same time later on R&B songs featured cameos from various MC's . I also see the links between the concept of flow in jazz and the concept of call and response in blues lyrics, and their presents in hip hop. This is something I haver seen but never really thought much about, but play a very important role in Hip Hop musically.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
The Greatest
Ok..so there was a debate in class about who the illest MC is. Vibe said it was Em. Somebody said Big, I don't know exactly what went down cuss i was tagging up the blackboard (for those who see this post and aren't in the class...don't you wish you were). Anyway I was gunna start my 10 important people/things post but i needed to get this off my chest cuss I wasnt able to on thurs. Im sry but no Em is not the greatest rapperin my opinion. He aint even the Illest white rapper in my opinion (I'ma go wit Ill Bill). Is he wack? Hell no Em is nasty, but he aint all that. The greatest rapper can only be one person. The God MC, Rakim. Im sorry but there is no rapper after Rakim worth even mentioning that don't owe their style to him. Rakim had the hardest flow and was still smooth, listen to Micrphone fiend or paid in full, it don't sound nearly as dated as alot of the stuff from that late 80's era, and in my humble opinion murks more then half the shit out there now. Now Rakim is not my favorite MC , that goes to Ghostface, nor did he make my favorite album, which Nas did with Illmatic, but you take away Rakim and there is no Nas, no Ghost, and NO EMINEM. That why it gotta be the 18th letter, the G-O-D; Rakim.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Market yourself
I haven't been keepin up on my personal section of the blog an shit, I gotta say I been busy, between school midterms and shit. I was thinkin what I can write about, so far i really jess been talkin about my musical taste an, graff. Thats me but you kno that aint all me, 2 things don't and can't describe one person. I was thinkin what i can do. Today in my Hip Hop Class they was on something about having to market yourself. Sometimes I don't know, I aint no fuckin commodity, but whatever. I guess marketing myself mean i make some kinda image of how I want people to think that I am and shit. Nah though, thats not me, and I don't be lieing about me and shit. I mean I did hear one interesting thing, or maby I only imagined hearing it. I don't know. I think Prof. sed somin about 20 people who matter to you, or affect you, something about that writing about that. I actly like that idea, its honest and I mean fuck it, I don't got shit to hide. 20 peoples alot of people, I spent alot of my life wanderin around alone and shit, I only got a couple of people who kno me like that like that. But I mean I think i can do 10. 10 People and things I think affected me big time. I gotta talk to them, because i feel its the only way i can get the meaning across. Fuck it though shit might get personal, but you know ... maby thats what people need ta hear, some shit I need to say.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Assignment for 10/21
- Sort the data by 2 different variables and tell what you discover in that comparison. For instance, what do you notice about comparing and contrasting the view counts vs. the comments; or the channel views / subscribers and the channel/user; or the date added and the category? Let your readers know which columns you chose to compare and contrast and why?
1) The video's on the database, at least most have, a positive relationship between the number of views and number of comments. This makes sense since the more people that see a video, the more people would comment. The most viewed video however does not have the most comments, Daft Bodies has the most comments but has only over 6 million views while the hip hop dance competition has 15 million views but far less comments. - Can you figure out the system I used to enter the data on the tags? You may have to visit a few of the videos to compare the entries in the database to the actual tags. This will assist you in thinking about context rather than content.
2) The tags used on the database seem to be more about how these videos relate to hip hop as a whole. The country, or the artist involved is prominent because it all has its own unique place in hip-hop as a whole. This varies from the tags that people give it that are more about the literal things in the video. - The History of YouTube : YouTube is a video sharing website where users can upload, view and share video clips. YouTube was created in February 2005 by three former PayPal employees. In January 2008 alone, nearly 79 million users had made over 3 billion video views and over 13 hours of video are uploaded every minute.
Given that YouTube only began in Feb 2005, what can you say about the earliest hip hop videos currently on our database? What does it say about the kind of hip-hop on YouTube in the early years and what categories of hip-hop were present? - The earliest videos on the database were videos that involve east coast hip hop \, either in original videos, or in custom music video's, this means that early in the history of youtube, hip hop music videos from the US were the primary hip hop related posts. Later on the hip hop came from other countries, from Europe and then Asia, mimicing hip hops spread world wide.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Assignment # 6
Joseph Carrano
10/15/08
BLS 3085
2nd Year
The second chapter was actually very interesting, as in was in one chapter a short history of the style evolution of hip-hop as an art form. I really enjoyed reading about the very early hip-hop that came out of the Bronx in the early stages of hip-hop as, while I always loved Bambataa's work- and I used to blast "Looking for the Perfect Beat" out of my radio regularly and "The Message" was the first song I ever memorized the lyrics to-I really don't know too much more about this era beside these classics. This chapter gave me a lot to look up. At the same time I like how they delved into sampling and how while people claim hip-hop is not actually music, Hip-Hop Heads were (or are if your listening to what I listen to) exposed to a nearly infinite library of music that we would otherwise never be exposed to. I was introduced to the Delfonics when I first heard "After the Smoke is Clear" off of Ghost first solo album "Ironman" and first heard "Message From a Black Man" after it was sampled on King Geedorah's "Anti-Matter". I also liked the section that talked about the visual clarity in Illmatic, as I did not know Nas wanted to make movies, and now that I know it makes perfect sense.
10/15/08
BLS 3085
2nd Year
The second chapter was actually very interesting, as in was in one chapter a short history of the style evolution of hip-hop as an art form. I really enjoyed reading about the very early hip-hop that came out of the Bronx in the early stages of hip-hop as, while I always loved Bambataa's work- and I used to blast "Looking for the Perfect Beat" out of my radio regularly and "The Message" was the first song I ever memorized the lyrics to-I really don't know too much more about this era beside these classics. This chapter gave me a lot to look up. At the same time I like how they delved into sampling and how while people claim hip-hop is not actually music, Hip-Hop Heads were (or are if your listening to what I listen to) exposed to a nearly infinite library of music that we would otherwise never be exposed to. I was introduced to the Delfonics when I first heard "After the Smoke is Clear" off of Ghost first solo album "Ironman" and first heard "Message From a Black Man" after it was sampled on King Geedorah's "Anti-Matter". I also liked the section that talked about the visual clarity in Illmatic, as I did not know Nas wanted to make movies, and now that I know it makes perfect sense.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Assignment # 5 for Oct. 7th Part 2
Joseph Carrano
10/6/08
BLS 3085
2nd Year
Comment on the introduction and first chapter of "Till the Break of Dawn"
I really enjoyed the way Cobb's book is written. In the introduction he gives his background in Hip-Hop so that the reader can get a sense of his perspective. He answers the question of how he first fell in in love with Hip-Hop, and gives a sense of the the atmosphere around the Hip-Hop scene in the late 80's. I enjoyed how he describes the history making events he saw, and how at the time they were not history making at all, they were just what was happening at the time. The first chapter of the book links Hip-Hop to the earlier Black linguistic arts, such as the art of the preacher and the Blues man. Each of these have traits passed down to Hip-Hop and I think the purpose of this book will be to trace the genealogy of the movement, and go further into its present incarnations, and constant evolution. This seems to be a stylistic history of Hip-Hop not so much a history of events.
I also think that Cobb's style of writing is very simple to understand. I think he makes good use of Hip-Hop terms, and does it in a way that doesn't seem like there is unnecessary slang present, but rather that the "slang" used flows with and becomes a integral part of the writing. I also like the comparisons between the lyrics in Hip-Hop verses and the Lyrics to blues songs or Black sermons,which really visualize the connection between the two mediums. Over all it is very easy to read, and its points are clear to the reader.
10/6/08
BLS 3085
2nd Year
Comment on the introduction and first chapter of "Till the Break of Dawn"
I really enjoyed the way Cobb's book is written. In the introduction he gives his background in Hip-Hop so that the reader can get a sense of his perspective. He answers the question of how he first fell in in love with Hip-Hop, and gives a sense of the the atmosphere around the Hip-Hop scene in the late 80's. I enjoyed how he describes the history making events he saw, and how at the time they were not history making at all, they were just what was happening at the time. The first chapter of the book links Hip-Hop to the earlier Black linguistic arts, such as the art of the preacher and the Blues man. Each of these have traits passed down to Hip-Hop and I think the purpose of this book will be to trace the genealogy of the movement, and go further into its present incarnations, and constant evolution. This seems to be a stylistic history of Hip-Hop not so much a history of events.
I also think that Cobb's style of writing is very simple to understand. I think he makes good use of Hip-Hop terms, and does it in a way that doesn't seem like there is unnecessary slang present, but rather that the "slang" used flows with and becomes a integral part of the writing. I also like the comparisons between the lyrics in Hip-Hop verses and the Lyrics to blues songs or Black sermons,which really visualize the connection between the two mediums. Over all it is very easy to read, and its points are clear to the reader.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
My Videos for 10/7
Joseph Carrano
10/5/08
BLS 3085/Gaunt
2nd Year
1) "Rebel Without a Pause" by Public Enemy (mentioned page19)
1)The Message is literally being sent by KangK who posted the video on Youtube. According to his description of the video it is there to show how the legendary public enemy ripped the stage in concert. The other people sending the message are Chuck D, Flava Flav, and the rest of public enemy. The message being sent by them is the message of rebellion against the system, and the oppression they feel it imposes on Black Americans. They however rebel through music.
2) The technologies used to attract viewers are the internet, and the tags that attract people to the video, such as Public Enemy, or Flava Flav. They are most likely trying to attract old school hip-hop heads and fans of Public Enemy.
3) Other people might take not understand the message of this video, at least not the same message as I do. Some may not see the political message, and some unfamiliar with P.E. may be fascinated seeing Flava Flav before his days on reality shows.
4) Beyond the political message of the music the message being sent is the ability of P.E. to rock the crowd in concert, and their amazing ability as stage performers, getting and keeping the audience hyped.
2) "The Bridge ia Over" by Boogie Down Productions (page 3)
1) The message is being sent by raraespecie from Santo Domingo, who is a hip-hop head according to his profiles videos, and most likely put the video on Youtube because of its musical content, and because it is a famous dis track from the golden era of hip-hop. The message in the song is sent by the Bronx's own Blast Master KRS-One who uses the track to attack the integrity of other MC from the borough of Queens, especially from Queens Bridge Houses.
2) The technology used is the digital version of the music video for the song, and the web page Youtube. The tags on the web page of BDP and KRS, attract fans of Boogie Down Productions, and other old school hip hop heads.
3) I see this track as a classic battle track, but some Queens natives might still have negative feeling toward this song, that famously dissed New York's largest borough. Others might be interested in this old school jam as many younger people and those new to hip-hop may not have been exposed to this track before.
4) The lifestyle being sent in the song is one of Borough pride for the Bronx, and a criticism to Queens rappers who claim to have created Hip-Hop. It is about the lifestyle of an ill MC, one that will battle a whole borough.
3) "Ego Tripping" by Ultra Magnetic MCs (Page 2)
1) This message is being sent by 19urban72 who is from South Central LA and Philadelphia. The message is one of exposing a lost old school classic by the Ultra Magnetic MC's. According to the profile 19urban72 is determined to share music that " gives us a good feeling inside". Meanwhile the song it self is the members of Ultra Magnetic MCs boasting of their skills on the mic, while dissing other MC's; actually the song is a dis against Run DMC. "Say what Peter Piper, to hell with childish rhymes" was in reference to Run DMC's song Peter Piper.
2) This song uses a the audio file of the song, along with a picture of Ultra Magnetic MCs, to create a video for the song even though no official one exists. The video is posted on Youtube with the Tags of the name of the song and artist. This will most likely attract old school hip hop fans wanting to hear the song.
3) Those not familiar with the history around the song, and the popular songs of the time, may not see this track as a dis against anyone in particular, and may just see it as a track going after unnamed childish MCs. Also many unfamiliar with the group may find it hard to understand their scientific and space related metaphors. Those who may not quiet get the meaning I do may be those unfamiliar with Ultra Magnetic, and people who are not exposed to old school Hip-Hop such as younger people and those new to the music.
4) The values of the message conveyed in the act of posting the video is the value of appreciating an old school classic, while the values and lifestyles in the song are the values of ill rhymes, and not being childish on the mic, and rather being intelligent and scientific.
10/5/08
BLS 3085/Gaunt
2nd Year
1) "Rebel Without a Pause" by Public Enemy (mentioned page19)
1)The Message is literally being sent by KangK who posted the video on Youtube. According to his description of the video it is there to show how the legendary public enemy ripped the stage in concert. The other people sending the message are Chuck D, Flava Flav, and the rest of public enemy. The message being sent by them is the message of rebellion against the system, and the oppression they feel it imposes on Black Americans. They however rebel through music.
2) The technologies used to attract viewers are the internet, and the tags that attract people to the video, such as Public Enemy, or Flava Flav. They are most likely trying to attract old school hip-hop heads and fans of Public Enemy.
3) Other people might take not understand the message of this video, at least not the same message as I do. Some may not see the political message, and some unfamiliar with P.E. may be fascinated seeing Flava Flav before his days on reality shows.
4) Beyond the political message of the music the message being sent is the ability of P.E. to rock the crowd in concert, and their amazing ability as stage performers, getting and keeping the audience hyped.
2) "The Bridge ia Over" by Boogie Down Productions (page 3)
1) The message is being sent by raraespecie from Santo Domingo, who is a hip-hop head according to his profiles videos, and most likely put the video on Youtube because of its musical content, and because it is a famous dis track from the golden era of hip-hop. The message in the song is sent by the Bronx's own Blast Master KRS-One who uses the track to attack the integrity of other MC from the borough of Queens, especially from Queens Bridge Houses.
2) The technology used is the digital version of the music video for the song, and the web page Youtube. The tags on the web page of BDP and KRS, attract fans of Boogie Down Productions, and other old school hip hop heads.
3) I see this track as a classic battle track, but some Queens natives might still have negative feeling toward this song, that famously dissed New York's largest borough. Others might be interested in this old school jam as many younger people and those new to hip-hop may not have been exposed to this track before.
4) The lifestyle being sent in the song is one of Borough pride for the Bronx, and a criticism to Queens rappers who claim to have created Hip-Hop. It is about the lifestyle of an ill MC, one that will battle a whole borough.
3) "Ego Tripping" by Ultra Magnetic MCs (Page 2)
1) This message is being sent by 19urban72 who is from South Central LA and Philadelphia. The message is one of exposing a lost old school classic by the Ultra Magnetic MC's. According to the profile 19urban72 is determined to share music that " gives us a good feeling inside". Meanwhile the song it self is the members of Ultra Magnetic MCs boasting of their skills on the mic, while dissing other MC's; actually the song is a dis against Run DMC. "Say what Peter Piper, to hell with childish rhymes" was in reference to Run DMC's song Peter Piper.
2) This song uses a the audio file of the song, along with a picture of Ultra Magnetic MCs, to create a video for the song even though no official one exists. The video is posted on Youtube with the Tags of the name of the song and artist. This will most likely attract old school hip hop fans wanting to hear the song.
3) Those not familiar with the history around the song, and the popular songs of the time, may not see this track as a dis against anyone in particular, and may just see it as a track going after unnamed childish MCs. Also many unfamiliar with the group may find it hard to understand their scientific and space related metaphors. Those who may not quiet get the meaning I do may be those unfamiliar with Ultra Magnetic, and people who are not exposed to old school Hip-Hop such as younger people and those new to the music.
4) The values of the message conveyed in the act of posting the video is the value of appreciating an old school classic, while the values and lifestyles in the song are the values of ill rhymes, and not being childish on the mic, and rather being intelligent and scientific.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
My Genisis
Hip -Hop, damn there is so much to say, and at the same time its so hard. So let me start at the beginning. Nah not the South Bx 1978; East Williamsburg Brooklyn 1994. The tender age of five, when I first met that fly girl that Common called H.E.R.. Did I hear her on the radio? In the streets? At home? Nah I saw her posted up on the walls. The 90's and the early 2000's my hood was a post industrial wasteland. We didn't have any good stores, or safe parks. We had a movie theater; The Commador on B'way, but even that closed later on. In the mist of all this nothingless in my little ghost town; the writers got loose. There was a rediculous amount of graffiti in that place, every factory, every stormgate, every stoop, was bombed 100 times over. My curiousity ran wild, it captivated me. I though aliens from space must have come at night and done that shit, how else are they going to mark the sides for the 5-6 story rent control tenements? It amazed me. Then one day I was going to the doctor in Manhattan, getting on the L train off of Grahm Ave., as I got on that train i saw something that would change my life. As the train pulled away I saw kids bombing the walls of the station. I asked my mother about it she said that they were probably gang memebers, but I didn't care-- I knew that I had to be part of it. Fast forward to 1998, I was 8 and I had been introduced to the Notorious One and the Punisher by kids playing it on thier stoops. My moms an her moms; the women that raised me, didn't like it , and I didt care. I was so young I might have not have even seen the connection between graff and rap, but when i practiced drawing, hour after hour, thats what would be bumpin on my little tape deck. Boom, its 2003 and Im 12, I don't clearly remeber how, but I got my hands on Illmatic and Reasonable Doubt. Illmatic opened my third eye, I started seeing the world different, and my art showed it. I moved from simple tags to bubble letters, bubble letters to crudeattempts at wildstyle. Lookin at it now my old shit was ill wack, and my Dragon Ball Z characters were weak. Then I heard the 36 chambers, I might have gotten it from one of the older graff ppl who was training me as a shorty, I don't remeber. That was it. I loved kung fu, my grandfather and me always watched Bruce Lee movies and that was my shit. I started putting ninjas and samurais in my work. The WU said thier rhymes were like sword techniques, my makers became my firts, and cans of Rusto were my sowrds. My stylo became my special technique, and I wanted to be Bruce Lee. At 13 i realised it was my time, and it was on..
Yo I know people love talkin about themselves, I know my life story isnt that huge a thing, but this is how I fell in love with H.E.R. My story. I love hearin stories As much as I love writing them, so get open an spit your peice.
Peace
Yo I know people love talkin about themselves, I know my life story isnt that huge a thing, but this is how I fell in love with H.E.R. My story. I love hearin stories As much as I love writing them, so get open an spit your peice.
Peace
Monday, September 22, 2008
Block Parties and Rum
Yo I had a crazy week my people,
Yo I love cultural diffusion with a passion, and that as you know is why I love NYC. Now I was born and raised in Williams burg Brooklyn, no --not that Williamsburg Brooklyn you trust fund babies; the mostly poor ,Puerto Rican, black, and European immigrant Williamsburg Brooklyn that the real estate developers keep secret, so white folks from Ohio will pay 1500 for a 1 bedroom apartment, that is infested with rats which have been genetically enhanced by the radioactive material in the Greenpoint Power plant. As my luck would have it, the free market system pushed me out of my homeland a year and a half ago, and since then I have been living in Little Guyana, AKA Ozone Park Queens. I gotta tell you-- I really love it down here. First off, it isn't like the rest of Queens, it 15 minute walk from East NY, and it cut off from the rest of Qz by Forest Park; so it has more of a Brooklyn feel to it. I also love my Caribbean people. I'm from the mountians of South America as far as genetics go, but I was raised around Caribbean-Latinos all my life. I gotta admit though, the Guyanese people party harder then my Latin brothas an sistas. Now my home girl is Black Guyanese, and one of my bruthas from anotha motha is Guyanese, so I kinda had an idea of how their parties went down, but damn nothing beats first hand experience. They was having a block party a block from my crib on Saturday, and my Guyanese brutha came through and we got good on some ill ass West Indian Rum, and hit it up. Let me tell you-- 23 big ass speakers piled on top of each other, damn near 2 stories of straight BOOM. Now I know that Hip Hop started with West Indian people (big ups to Kool Herc) who played reggae and dance Hall on big ass speakers, so I mean as far as my information hungry nature is concerned it was like a time machine to 1978 or something. They was playing mad classic reggae tunes and some Indian music too-- and my boy is of Hindu decent so this kid was all up on the dance floor. (for you who don't know Guyana had slaves shipped there from Africa and India) I was observing, I know some people would say I was just taking space, but I was really enjoyin myself watchin this crazy ass event. Yo and the thing I loved the most was, I must have only been the only Latino brutha there, and my area has a fair share of Latin people, so I felt I was getting a gift seein how these people party. Yo and the other shit I really loved was that toward then end of the party, they played some like Bruce Springstien-ish ode to the working man, and to me it was beautiful, that we could come together as a neighborhood in unity and love like that; whether we was Indian, black, or me lol, and recognize that for all the separation forced on us, we all trying to work hard and make it in this world. That's why I can feel like people from a completely different background; whether they West Indian, or they African American, or in the case of most of my crew back in Brooklyn--Puerto Rican, are my family; we all share in the struggle. That why it pains me to see Latinos and Blacks fighting, and that's why i feel that the tribute for the working man, and the Bob Marley joint "Crazy Bald Heads" was a great way to finish the block party off. I'm mean if we look past that Melanin shit, you'll see that all of us are the same; we all come from that tough, hard working background. Whether you suffered the trip to the US, or escaped racism in other parts of the country; we all in this together, and all of us coming together is the only thing that is going to stop the seemingly unstoppable push to get hard workin blue collar folks of all colors out of NYC. That's my piece for today.
Peace to all my people out there in Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, and all of NYC
Peace to my Brothers, the whole Brooklyn Pose- ASAP CREW, peace to Joe Cool my Guyanese Brutha, Peace to my sister in law G ,and of coarse to my Borinquena Queen who stays cookin that Latino-Caribbean food I love so much ;)
Peace
Yo I love cultural diffusion with a passion, and that as you know is why I love NYC. Now I was born and raised in Williams burg Brooklyn, no --not that Williamsburg Brooklyn you trust fund babies; the mostly poor ,Puerto Rican, black, and European immigrant Williamsburg Brooklyn that the real estate developers keep secret, so white folks from Ohio will pay 1500 for a 1 bedroom apartment, that is infested with rats which have been genetically enhanced by the radioactive material in the Greenpoint Power plant. As my luck would have it, the free market system pushed me out of my homeland a year and a half ago, and since then I have been living in Little Guyana, AKA Ozone Park Queens. I gotta tell you-- I really love it down here. First off, it isn't like the rest of Queens, it 15 minute walk from East NY, and it cut off from the rest of Qz by Forest Park; so it has more of a Brooklyn feel to it. I also love my Caribbean people. I'm from the mountians of South America as far as genetics go, but I was raised around Caribbean-Latinos all my life. I gotta admit though, the Guyanese people party harder then my Latin brothas an sistas. Now my home girl is Black Guyanese, and one of my bruthas from anotha motha is Guyanese, so I kinda had an idea of how their parties went down, but damn nothing beats first hand experience. They was having a block party a block from my crib on Saturday, and my Guyanese brutha came through and we got good on some ill ass West Indian Rum, and hit it up. Let me tell you-- 23 big ass speakers piled on top of each other, damn near 2 stories of straight BOOM. Now I know that Hip Hop started with West Indian people (big ups to Kool Herc) who played reggae and dance Hall on big ass speakers, so I mean as far as my information hungry nature is concerned it was like a time machine to 1978 or something. They was playing mad classic reggae tunes and some Indian music too-- and my boy is of Hindu decent so this kid was all up on the dance floor. (for you who don't know Guyana had slaves shipped there from Africa and India) I was observing, I know some people would say I was just taking space, but I was really enjoyin myself watchin this crazy ass event. Yo and the thing I loved the most was, I must have only been the only Latino brutha there, and my area has a fair share of Latin people, so I felt I was getting a gift seein how these people party. Yo and the other shit I really loved was that toward then end of the party, they played some like Bruce Springstien-ish ode to the working man, and to me it was beautiful, that we could come together as a neighborhood in unity and love like that; whether we was Indian, black, or me lol, and recognize that for all the separation forced on us, we all trying to work hard and make it in this world. That's why I can feel like people from a completely different background; whether they West Indian, or they African American, or in the case of most of my crew back in Brooklyn--Puerto Rican, are my family; we all share in the struggle. That why it pains me to see Latinos and Blacks fighting, and that's why i feel that the tribute for the working man, and the Bob Marley joint "Crazy Bald Heads" was a great way to finish the block party off. I'm mean if we look past that Melanin shit, you'll see that all of us are the same; we all come from that tough, hard working background. Whether you suffered the trip to the US, or escaped racism in other parts of the country; we all in this together, and all of us coming together is the only thing that is going to stop the seemingly unstoppable push to get hard workin blue collar folks of all colors out of NYC. That's my piece for today.
Peace to all my people out there in Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, and all of NYC
Peace to my Brothers, the whole Brooklyn Pose- ASAP CREW, peace to Joe Cool my Guyanese Brutha, Peace to my sister in law G ,and of coarse to my Borinquena Queen who stays cookin that Latino-Caribbean food I love so much ;)
Peace
Monday, September 15, 2008
Cell Phone Service
Yo... Whats good an ish?
I figured now was as good a time to post as any since my entire area has lost cell phone service. New York communication infrastructure my ass...
Anyway I just been running around working school is kicking up on the work, plus I'm trying to do some art projects for some people's walls an shit, Ill probably post flicks when they get done.
I been surfin the net, my hip hop class got me on the international quest for foreign hip hop. I don't know.. mad boy bands in the Philippines considered hip hop... I guess that's was good in the streets. I did find some shit- some dutch bruthas wit some flow, you know grimy how I like it. I'll probably post that shit up. In other boredom news I was watching Hip Hop Vs. America ....the whole thing. They had Nelly and TI representing Hip Hop... man that's like having Bon Jovie at a Heavy metal conference, the professor from Detroit had Iller flow then them. I know I'm late on seeing that shit by like a year...and I didn't miss much, but that shit just kinda make a kid like me shake my head. I mean I know not everyone is New Yorkcentric like me but like damn..Nas wasn't available? Fine. But what is Guru or Rae doing now that they can't have them on. I cant even understand that southern shit. An peopl from the south hate but I can drop some heavy NY Slang have them ill confused. Word life son..on the Rilla...its like bung bung..
Anyway change the topic
Politics! I fuckin love John McCain; he don't know how to use the internet...so technically I can talk as much shit about him as I want...since he can't read this. Plus that crazy woman he got VP'n...man not only is she dumb under qualified, but she was showing off her kid going to Iraq.
Now I don't care how for the damn war you are, if you a parent..ESPECIALLY a mother how you going to be all happy-- thumbs up and shit --when your seed goes to war. That isn't about politics that just about being human. Yo if I had a seed that was of age I'd underground railroad his ass to Canada.
I want to also make 1 more thing said...
My New York people, I don't care what race you are or what country you were born in , if you a real hard working New Yorker trying to make it in the city, busting your ass, you are my brutha and you my sista and I got crazy love and respect for you, and i say that in remembrance of the 9/11 thing, I feel for everyone still affected,I got family that got out, but they still traumatized by that shit though.
but we are the toughest people on earth us New Yorkers and that's our birthright that's our blessing.
And in the spirit of the international unity that NY represents here are some Dutch cats who know how to get down...
Peace
I figured now was as good a time to post as any since my entire area has lost cell phone service. New York communication infrastructure my ass...
Anyway I just been running around working school is kicking up on the work, plus I'm trying to do some art projects for some people's walls an shit, Ill probably post flicks when they get done.
I been surfin the net, my hip hop class got me on the international quest for foreign hip hop. I don't know.. mad boy bands in the Philippines considered hip hop... I guess that's was good in the streets. I did find some shit- some dutch bruthas wit some flow, you know grimy how I like it. I'll probably post that shit up. In other boredom news I was watching Hip Hop Vs. America ....the whole thing. They had Nelly and TI representing Hip Hop... man that's like having Bon Jovie at a Heavy metal conference, the professor from Detroit had Iller flow then them. I know I'm late on seeing that shit by like a year...and I didn't miss much, but that shit just kinda make a kid like me shake my head. I mean I know not everyone is New Yorkcentric like me but like damn..Nas wasn't available? Fine. But what is Guru or Rae doing now that they can't have them on. I cant even understand that southern shit. An peopl from the south hate but I can drop some heavy NY Slang have them ill confused. Word life son..on the Rilla...its like bung bung..
Anyway change the topic
Politics! I fuckin love John McCain; he don't know how to use the internet...so technically I can talk as much shit about him as I want...since he can't read this. Plus that crazy woman he got VP'n...man not only is she dumb under qualified, but she was showing off her kid going to Iraq.
Now I don't care how for the damn war you are, if you a parent..ESPECIALLY a mother how you going to be all happy-- thumbs up and shit --when your seed goes to war. That isn't about politics that just about being human. Yo if I had a seed that was of age I'd underground railroad his ass to Canada.
I want to also make 1 more thing said...
My New York people, I don't care what race you are or what country you were born in , if you a real hard working New Yorker trying to make it in the city, busting your ass, you are my brutha and you my sista and I got crazy love and respect for you, and i say that in remembrance of the 9/11 thing, I feel for everyone still affected,I got family that got out, but they still traumatized by that shit though.
but we are the toughest people on earth us New Yorkers and that's our birthright that's our blessing.
And in the spirit of the international unity that NY represents here are some Dutch cats who know how to get down...
Peace
Monday, September 8, 2008
I had ta post this
Yo party People whats new???
I was video surfin and shit cause I ain't got too much to read for school and all that, and I been bumpin this shit from a cat from my part of BK, Joell Ortiz and Im lovin that shit. I been on him for a minute now and it a real shame that no1 else seems to know who he is. Anyway i checked a video for this mad chill joint he got and I am fuckin buggin out cuss the guy that used to do my shapeup b4 a grew my hair and the handball court that I spent hours a day in when I was younger is in the video. He also got a charity thing helping the kids from my hood get some computers check his site at www.joellortiz.com to donate if anyone interested. Much Love to all my real people in Williamsburg, Bushwick, and GP and much respect to Joell Ortiz. Its nice ta see some1 beside these cooler then you trust fund yuppies reppin my hometown. Anyway I'm not gunna get started on the gentrification thing, lol, and im going to leave you people with the video. Peace
I was video surfin and shit cause I ain't got too much to read for school and all that, and I been bumpin this shit from a cat from my part of BK, Joell Ortiz and Im lovin that shit. I been on him for a minute now and it a real shame that no1 else seems to know who he is. Anyway i checked a video for this mad chill joint he got and I am fuckin buggin out cuss the guy that used to do my shapeup b4 a grew my hair and the handball court that I spent hours a day in when I was younger is in the video. He also got a charity thing helping the kids from my hood get some computers check his site at www.joellortiz.com to donate if anyone interested. Much Love to all my real people in Williamsburg, Bushwick, and GP and much respect to Joell Ortiz. Its nice ta see some1 beside these cooler then you trust fund yuppies reppin my hometown. Anyway I'm not gunna get started on the gentrification thing, lol, and im going to leave you people with the video. Peace
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Allow me ta introduce myself..
So this is my first time blogging, and is kinda for my class kinda for me, so ima start it off with a video, and peace to my peoples, and the Baruchians, and anyone who checks my shit.
Nas- Aint Hard ta tell
Nas- Aint Hard ta tell
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