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Jae.

Addiction vs Passion!

Decisions. Decisions.

Hmmm, Lets see.....The Nike Air Maxes drop next week....I could buy those.......and add ANOTHER shoe to the collection...

Orrrr, I could pay for studio time and invest in my dreams...

Hmmm....(clock ticks away...)

Now, Common Sense(not the rapper : D) would say pay for the studio time, heh! no kidding right...but for most, it's not that easy(if it was, there'd be no need for this article!).... If the answer is so blatantly obvious, how come we so often choose the opposite? Why do we prioritize our addictions over our passions, when it's so easy to fix? Lets find out... : D

Ahem, So, we find ourselves in the never ending struggle of..... Addiction versus Passion.....which is stronger in you??

Now, we all have different problems, so take a breather...and correlate this story to an area in life where YOU struggle....shoe collecting has been a particular vice of mine for the last few years....So to keep things simple, will stick with that!

1. My Addiction!

Over the years I gained respect as a shoehead. Digging through Mom and Pop shops, traveling the state of Cali for the rarest, authentic sneaks....and spending an arm and leg in the process. Sure, I had a few hookups, but money makes the world go round' (C.R.E.A.M! for the Wu heads!).... Often times I bought the same model in various colorways, in an effort to own every shoe that I loved....After amassing a large collection, I sat back...and pondered....what are all these shoes doing for my life?? Sure, I felt great after each purchase, and even better after rocking each pair for the first time(never been the type of cat to keep'em on ice, if your a collector, you know what that means : D) But I counted my feet (two!) and I couldn't rationalize a reason to own more than one hundred kicks...An addiction is often something you think you need, but doesn't bring true happiness.

Unsettling feeling....

Even worse, looking at my bank account after my shoe escapades....not cool. At times, I had no money to do any of the things I dreamed of doing in life. The shoes became nothing more than baggage, a burden tying me to a closet of fresh kicks....chained to them and unable to see the world.....Stuck in this trap.... And we wonder why our dreams are on standby?

2. Passion!

A passion for music. A goal I feverishly chase to this day. A calling in life. A dream etched in my heart through an unspoken language of the soul. It is, happiness...

But to get that feeling from my soul into the natural world....I need one thing.....Money! The Ruler of this world. Like it or not, you need it. It unlocks doors. And also....your money is where your heart is....think about it....you trade hours of your life to earn it..... If my heart is in my dream, than it should be natural to spend my cash there as well. It's no other option....Put up or Shut up!

3. The Shift!

Okay, I'm giving you game here...listen up. Start funneling your money into your dreams immediately. If you have a dream, throw away the thing that you don't need! Whatevers draining your money (I don't care if it's going out, buying alcohol, or collecting pogs, stop doing it!). The moment I shifted my money(my heart) to my dreams, doors began to open instantly. It's not just a shift in your cash, this is a change in character. You show the world, and God(I believe) where your heart is....and he honors that....Nas said it best, concerning God....

"You take one step towards him, he takes two towards you..."

Needless to say, my shoe buying days have dwindled....but the path to my goal is now illuminated! It's that easy. You write your own story.... And I'm not saying you have to go cold turkey on your addiction....because you may have a genuine love for it. Myself, I still buy shoes here and there, but balance is key. And it always comes after my dream....

(Oh right, the clocks still ticking...)

Sooooo.... I think I finally decided.....I'll probably pass on the Nike Air Maxes for now...I've got a dream to pay for... : D

You know.....You can't serve two Masters...so which will it be?

Addiction....or Passion?

The Lupus Race For Life!.....For Her.

For You! The Fight!

"The finish line seemed far at first....but when I think about what you endured....the suffering I could never take from your body....I found the strength....to go on." ~Your Son~

"Goodbye Lupus" was the code name I chose. After completing the 5k charity race, I was welcomed by a brief stint of euphoria. The sweet sensation of victory overwhelmed me in its unfamiliarity. I had arrived to a place I had always been denied entry. Attained the unattainable. The very goal which had always alluded my grasp was mines to savor.... All the days spent wallowing in futility.............vanished. Seeming so distant as to have been experienced in a past life....I did, what I felt....I could never do, for you....

I helped.

Lord knows how much I wished to remove the illness from your body, shoulder the burden, exchange places so you'd never have to suffer.... Never have to grin, and bear the pain, putting your best foot forward for the family's sake. Smiling in a way only you can.....masking the pain, in efforts to raise us well....concealing it, because your tough, tougher than anyone I know....the indescribable tough with a beauty and smoothness to its edges....you hid the pain, because...you know us, and, you know me, you did not want us to worry....The Sacrificial Tough....and deep down, I knew it.

3rd Grade.

I cried when I found out you had it...I don't even know if I knew what "it" was, or what "it" meant....but you had it, and it made you sad....it made....us sad.

Helpless.

I watched. I went to school. You fell ill. I waited........you felt better. Or, you feigned good health, as I grew older I could distinguish the two, discernment had arrived...Pops use to warn us "You boys need to stay outta trouble, it may not look it, but she's not feeling well, don't do anything to make it worse." It was hard, for me.....being powerless to fix it. I sat, bedside with you one day, despair and frustration sweltering inside of me. This was one of those, "weak moments." No hiding, no smiling, you didn't feel well. And I watched, nothing I could do, I prayed....it was out of my hands.....

Where's the justice?! Why you? How come some people are born, and seemingly destined to live threatened by illness? Some of us are even born with disease included...an inherited disadvantage? Reason, please? Whats the answer to these trick questions? Some incomprehensible pattern in life that man fails to rationalize? These thoughts plagued my impressionable mind growing up. And still, nothing I could do.

But yours...yours is a Champion Story!

Penciled in by a hand stroke from God. A miracle arrived. Almost dropped the Phone....Silence fell. Tears welled up. They can't, find what? They can't......find....the Lupus? Amazement. Coupled with Disbelief. Shock! Rejoicing! After so many years....countless prayers.....it had become.....dormant. The Lupus had entered a remission period.

*A remission period is a time in which an illness remains inactive. Sometimes permanent, sometimes temporal. If a remission period comes to an end, the illness returns*

An answered prayer.

When we live through moments of helplessness, the one rock we can cling to is faith. It begins as a small seed, nurtured by what we cannot see, but what we believe to be true.... A seed, planted by a 3rd grader....the very day he found out about Lupus....and against all odds wished for it to go away....or....a way to help fight it. To Fight.....That wish, would soon come true.

The Lupus Race.

In all it's glory, smashed the invisible barrier. Lupus is no longer an enigma, free to move and dance about, wreaking havoc in the lives of our loved ones. It could be touched. It could be fought. And it could possibly....be cured, by the the souls of many running in unison. I was...correction...I am, proud to have left my footprints in the battle against Lupus.

To help, was all I ever wanted to do....And I can't even say having ran, and contributed to the charity, brings any kind of peace of mind, or solace to either of our souls....Because I know very well the fight doesn't end there. But I do.....hope it's enough, to let you know, Im with you. In your corner.

You know, I could have written this story two different ways...I could have written it about how I trained for the race, where it takes place, and how spectacular the event was.....or...I could've written it, about you.... My heart made the decision.

Dueces! (cuz I know you love it!)

*I encourage everyone to raise their awareness on Lupus. Or, find what's close to home in your life. What's affecting you? Read about it, and fight it! Okay, I went really far in on this one, just how I feel at the moment.

* Pictured above- # 378 Goodbye Lupus(me)

# 984 Haile Fekadu

Victory!

The Nasty Terrible T-Kid 170!

"Don't get Vamped!!"

Tags. Throw-ups. Stick-up Kids(Look Out!). Lay-ups(no fingerolls : D).

Do any of these terms mean anything to you? Do any of these words transport you back to an era unlike that of the present? Allow me to bring clarity to the ambiguous phrases above : D Open your imagination...Lets roll.

People. Welcome.... to a world of graffiti, romance, and music.... Diced with a hint of crime, and a dash of drug addiction...Stir. And we've got a recipe for the biography of one of the illest graffiti artist(writers) of our generation. The Nasty....The Terrible...T-Kid 170...!!! (The applause sign is blinking, audience, stay on your toes!)

Julius Cavero aka T-Kid...considered one of the forefathers of graffiti, an urban legend, doing it since the 1970's...As a youth...a cold' hearted artist who, when he wasn't racking(stealing spray paint for his pieces), he was terrorizing the Vics in his neighborhood with the TVS Squad or TNB. Oh right...a Vic, you ask? Whats that? Mayyyybe.........you? Maybe you would have been?.... : D An innocent citizen targeted by Stick-up Kids...they were robbed and beaten(Vamped) for treading in the wrong territory. Alas, with the world as his canvas, T-Kid created masterpieces with the technique, composition skills, and an understanding of spatial distance that rivals any heralded artist of the past. I dig it.

Graffiti....a dangerous game... And with the game, comes certain rules, street codes. Codes often broken by rival crews. For example, a throw-up is a painting of an artists name, with large filled in letters and an outline. A tag, is also a painting of an artist name, usually done in one color, often in calligraphy style. Throw-ups override Tags. If someone did a throw-up over a tag you painted, it was accepted. However, this doesn't work vice-versa. If someone painted a Tag over your throw-up, it was a sign of disrespect. Rival crews often did this to incite graffiti wars.

Still, with all the drama, the culture flourished... With T-Kid as one of the spearheads of the movement.

A maturing T-Kid would go on to protest against acts and laws that sought to put a ban on graffiti art altogether. In the early 80's, Mayor Koch of New York City attempted to flounder the upswing of graffiti by creating the following add campaign..."Make Your Mark in Society. Not On Society!". Haha, Even being an advocate for graffiti, I must admit, pretty catchy, and effective! Scoreboard Please!

Mayor Koch 1, T-Kid 0.

However, by signing on with, and creating the term, "No More Trains" T-Kid helped push the perception of graffiti as an art form to the next threshold. Prior to this, the prime targets for graffiti artist were subway trains, parked in what artist labeled, the Graveyards! ...The "No More Trains" campaign employed T-Kid as an artist, creating murals and paintings on a commission basis, and avoided subway trains altogether....thus shifting the idea that graffiti was solely based around vandalism. Get'em T.

Mayor Koch 1, T-Kid 1.

1. Intermission!...On The Roots of Graffiti.

I've noticed that urban legends are shared, passed down, and magnified from one generation to the next. Even so, they have a tendency to lose the identity which originally earned its merit. The myth, or the fantasy, often overwhelm the truth. Facts are stripped, and diluted of their initial magnificence. A prime example, the roots of graffiti art...Although artistic graffiti is most commonly known as one of the four elements of hip hop(break dancing, Djing , Emceeing, and Graffiti... for you rooks!) it's prototype form was not confined to a single genre of music...

The following excerpt from T-Kid serves as proof:

"Honestly? I think Hip Hop is a separate thing from graffiti, because I was writing before Hip Hop was Hip Hop....In the beginning it wasn't like that...Graffiti has been out since the beginning of time...you had the white boys that were into Rock and you had the white boy writers. And us, we were into Disco and all that stuff. When we started graffiti it wasn't about Hip Hop as it is today, it was all kinds of stuff. I came up with my own style, which was Salsa and R&B and Motown inspired....When graffiti started it was on another level because you had other writers that weren't into the Hip Hop scene"

Whoa! thanks for that one T.

Got me thinking...while I am thankful for Hip Hop adopting graffiti as part of the culture....did graffiti digress? I would have loved to bear witness to different flavors of graffiti...Jazz style?...Motown?...R&B?....Rock?.....dare I say, Country? Who knows, interesting conversation piece though! : D

2. Last Note....Teachers! I'll show you how to do this Son!

Not your everyday run of the mill Professors...Back in the day it seems we took more pride in our culture, and actually strived to maintain, and pass on the quality of art and music to the next generation. A "Teacher" was an already celebrated graffiti artist, who took younger, new artist under his wing to carry on his legacy (Padawans? : D). Teachers divulged and taught their techniques and skills to a student of their choice...often referring to their students as Sons or Daughters! It was a tremendous honor to be the son or daughter of a respected artist. With it, came a heavy responsibility...to take their teachers art to the next level and carry on the legacy....Better come correct! School of Hard Knocks, anyone?

It's a shame...that we don't have teachers anymore, we could use that pressure...pressure to form a few diamonds. I could envision a much more creative generation, if we were given, and applying knowledge from the past while pushing the artistic envelope to the next level!....

In any case...

Graffiti has withstood the test of time! And as for T-Kid, he's still doing it! Painting in showcases around the world! And his technique (not to be sweated, : D) is studied by newcomers and veterans across the globe (not sure if he's taking on any Sons or Daughters). Respect! He has been featured in many books including Henry Chalfant's Subway Art. I highly recommend reading up on the life of Julius Cavero, aka T-Kid, as again, we're only scratching the surface here. And besides, don't take it from me, learn it yourself! Prepare to be inspired...By a legend....a legend indeed. And oh yeah....

Mayor Koch 1, T-Kid Infinity!!!!!!!

Signing Off.

Self-Deception......The Greatest Lie?

Stand up! I think we all deserve an Oscar....we've been playing the leading role in Deception for quite some time....The truth is....

We all lie.

To others...To ourselves...In bed...(haha, okay, omit that last one : D) This is serious.

The Dreamkiller, and most destructive of the aforementioned lies, is Self-deception. At some point in life we achieve, or adopt, a masters degree in the art of deceiving ourselves. Wow. You're one smooth operator. Not only do you tell the lies, but you're so good, even you believe'em!
Lets start it off with a Jay Electronica Quote:
"Dear God, Im a sick Muh-F***a.
I even fool myself.... Im a slick Muh-F***a!"

Heh. Okay. Im going in. Two sections of Self-Deception to cover....Ego Trippin...and Dreams!

Part 1. "Ego Trippin"

We all live in a protective shell...there's a grand canyon of a chasm that separates who we truly are, and who we think we are...? Confused? It's a defense mechanism. By only showing characteristics that we assume will be favorable to the world, we achieve a false sense of acceptance! And what a drug that is!!! Self-Deception! You can live off of it! And pretend to be happy! Possible depression may occur over time as a result of you ignoring the "check engine light" on your soul, but hey, you've got that superficial lifestyle to enjoy! No need to expose, and tackle those real life issues, right? Please note: Self-Deception high is only temporary, so you'll have to keep showing that fraudulent smile to achieve a lasting affect!

And oh, as long as you can maintain the image, you can be anything, or anyone you want! After all, if music videos have taught us anything, life is just a slow motion sequence of girls, swimming pools, and champagne....and you can have it all...just leave your "true self" at home, and audition for a part!

De La Soul calls this fake persona, Ego Trippin. Look it up!

Okay, so under all the many layers of deception, where does one's true personality escape too?

It's kept safe...hidden under a mask of anonymity...a buried treasure never to be seen by the world....but Hey! that's okay....you'll never have to worry about being judged for who you really are! You can just avoid it! Cool. And by doing so, you'll never grow!.........

Ahem. yeah, that's right, self-deception does have a few minor side-effects you'd probably like to ignore....Read the label! It says....You'll probably never be a dynamic individual, achieve your goals, or do anything groundbreaking,...but hey, you'll be complacent with your acceptable 9 to 5, never be judged or celebrated, live by the same mediocre standards as the rest of the world, annnd fit in! Who doesn't want that? I mean, you don't need anything else out of life, right? Let the smoke and mirrors resume!

(Okay, time to ditch the sarcastic tone, I think I've driven home the point : D) Besides, It gets much deeper...way beyond "ego trippin".

Part. 2 "Dreams"

So....if we have a true personality, why are we so scared to show What Lies Beneath? (Raising my hand) Fear and Failure. Yup, that's it! Fear that we will fail as an individual, and not receive the all-so-important approval of our peers. Fear of what life would be like if we bank on our dreams and they fail. It's much easier to lie to yourself, say it's impossible, and never try.....sigh.

In addition, we are forever pinned to the ground by the heavy(and imaginary) weight of the thought that we truly can't fly as high as we dream...Do you really believe that?? It seems we've deceived ourselves into believing this is true. It's self sabotage. With this attitude, you actually program your own failure.

Stop lying to yourself.

It's funny, we all start out as dreamers, but somewhere along the road our dreams get tucked into the pocket of unfulfilled destinies...never to see the light of day...All because we've convinced, no, deceived ourselves into believing our dreams are not possible. Beaten up by the trials and tribulations of life we tend to toss our dreams to the wayside. We walk around with our heads hung low, simply because we believe the very lie we told ourselves...that dreams aren't possible...And no excuses, the world didn't make us this way, it simply gave us a suggestion, and we ran with it. We hung the cloth over our own eyes, no wonder our dreams are no longer visible. We do it to ourselves... the greatest lie is told....by you, from you, and to you.

Self-Deception!

So when does the masquerade end and reality begin? How do we break the chain? See through the fog? Hmm.... Maybe when we fess up, accept who we truly are, and courageously show it, no matter what the world thinks.........Drop the facade! ..........

At least, that's my two cents.

I mean really, who are you kidding? Me...or you?

Keep it Authentic.

*The Dehumanization of Art*

Kandinsky.
&Malevich.

&Mondrian.

*The Dream Team.........of..........................Abstract Art.*

WAIT! Keep reading...it's good : D

1st up. Wassily Kandinsky!

The truth behind abstract art is quite amazing. Kandinsky is credited for discovering abstract art, BUT, it's the way he discovered it which is most amazing...

It's a late night, in 1908.

Kandinsky opens the door to his studio...through the dark he sees an image of "indescribable and incandescent loveliness"...he couldn't identify it as an object...it was an image composed of only bright colour patches...He walks closer.........voila! it turns out the image was his own painting sitting sideways (A la Paul Wall : D)! The image was distorted simply because of the angle in which he viewed it!

And so goes the discovery of Abstract Art! I know...astounding.

At the time "true art" consisted of the environment, self-portraits, etc.... Art HAD to be a representation of the world through man's eyes, and there had to be an identifiable object. So a new concept is born! Art without an object! ....

Okay!....Here come the Haters...they're always around aren't they?...many critics first viewed abstract art as a means to be lazy, drawing anything on canvas and labeling it as art. They also feared it would invite un-talented artists to display work next to talented artists...(lol, sounds like the hip hop of today, no way I'm labeling Soulja Boy as abstract hip hop tho : D !)....However, the philosophy behind it silenced most critics...

Abstract art came in the same era as a deeper understanding of physics and the philosophy of nature. "The division of an atom" was crucial. Kandinsky realized that the images we see in everyday life are not accurate, rather they are a harmony, or arrangement of much smaller images(atoms) combined together. To draw these smaller shapes, and images, he felt, is too create a true reality. Kandinsky's images were broken into smaller shapes, without form! Example, a drawing of a bike... the bike can't be seen, only the shapes and colours that would represent a bike.

The next batter up....

2. Kasimir Malevich! (personal fav.)

Malevich is ill...the good kind of ill. Instead of breaking down objects to create reality, Malevich believed the only possible representation of reality was a "cosmic reality"...the merging of every single existing object together! Not just atoms...but merging people together, cities, countries, planets, galaxies. Malevich created the "non-objective world", or the world without individual separate objects. He believed that simply drawing one image, like a chair, or a person, was only tearing apart a fragment of a whole image(the universe). Everything must be together to be accurate!

His belief is that...."a real human life is one in which activity does not mean flight from cosmic reality, or separation from it, but that ones life is just part of the pulse of the universe"(the only true object).

What does this leave him with??? The ultimate drawing....a black square on a white background! Yup, you guessed it, the ultimate image. Malevich's drawing is an image of the universe seen from so far away, that it appears in zero form, or put simply, a black square. The black square represents all of the images in the entire universe, merged together into one shape!

3. Piet Mondrian! (last but certainly not least)

Mondrian's art was unlike both Kandinsky and Malevich. Kandinsky's art removed the original object and became formless, Malevich believed in a single form, totality, and that all objects were in rhythm with, and combined to create one single image...Mondrian's belief was in essential form. The breaking down of an object to it's simplest form, neoplastic rectangles, while retaining remnants of the original image. Mondrian painted the DNA of objects, evolution through simplification was his goal. He used only primary colours for his work, the basic of the basic! By breaking an image down to it's simplest form, only then can we truly see it...bringing about a harmony between our spirit and reality.

I found this to be art, or reality, based off of contraries? The complex becomes simple...and consequently the simple becomes complex. Deep!

Last Section...Trees....lets stay focused...these are not the ones you light! : D

One of my personal favs. from Mondrian is his set of paintings based on nature, specifically trees. To Mondrian they represented the ultimate contrary, the Yin and Yang. The roots of the tree represent the world and reality...the branches of the tree, which grow and reach to the heavens, represent spirituality. The tree chronicles a man's life journey, from the Earth, to reach to the skies and attain something greater! Our souls are celestial beings reaching to become reunited with the heavens, but rooted, and stuck on Earth. The roots=reality...The Branches=Spirituality...and the Stem=the man himself!...........

Well...with that said I'm already starting my collection of abstract art(reproductions, all I can afford!). I've got a new found appreciation and my pad could use some art...and Hey....if anything...the girls will like it! : D (damn, I can be deep and shallow in the same article, what a contradiction, ey Mondrian?).

But seriously, I recommend reading up on all three artist, as I'm barely scratching the surface here...it may change your perception of reality...Also, I recommend reading about..."The Civilization of Pure Relations"

*Any phrases in quotations are from the Book Mondrian, by Victor Ieronim Stoichita*

Learn More. Let your tree grow to the Heavens!!!!

"Abstract art is an attempt to not only create a representation of reality, but to investigate its true status..."

Death. Fame.........and Sheep.

Death......Fame......and Sheep.

Why is it that one's life achievements are magnified upon an untimely death? Jay Dee, Baatin...While I'm glad that their work is being recognized, and glorified, why is it that we only appreciate their art upon their passing? Why couldn't they have been the recipient of fame while they were still with us?

"No one gets the roses while they can still smell'em..."

Honestly, look deep inside of yourself and ask this question...When did you discover J Dilla? His popularity is at an all-time high today, and I've never seen so many J Dilla t-shirts in my life! He was always magnificient, but I saw very few, if any t-shirts when he was alive. Who was a fan back when JD was part of The Ummah? The who? exactly...1st down? J-88? The Fantastic volumes?.... I remember bumping Get Dis Money off of vol. 2 every Friday when I got spare change for my allowance. Who shares these memories? Back in the day if you brought up Dilla's name a lot of people were like...hmmm? oh yeah JD? the guy from SoSoDef? Nope! Why is his afterlife success dwarfing the recognition he received when he walked amongst us. Wait, hear that coming?....it's the sheep. These are the mindless drones that bought up all his records, wikipedi-uhd his career : D, and celebrate him as the greatest producer ever, but never knew he existed before his death. The sheep move when society moves...you market to them, they buy it.

The sheep love trends.

Sometimes, I don't even know if they genuinely like Dilla, or, if it's just culturally cool to like him...? Or maybe, out of a sense of guilt, it's human nature to feel an obligation to research his work.... simply because we didn't appreciate, or celebrate it sufficiently while he was still here? Either way, Dilla is well-deserving of praise...I'm just saying, we coulda delivered the roses a little sooner...

Not even Michael Jackson could escape the allure Death and Fame provides the sheep. I was shopping in Amoeba the other day and two girls next to me came across an old Michael Jackson record..."We have got to buy this!" one of'em yelled....Why? Why have you got to buy this? This Michael Jackson record...Two months ago I doubt they would have looked at it twice! But ya know...so goes the story of death and fame. A week before his death, roughly 48,000 Michael Jackson songs were downloaded....One week after his death...an estimated 2.6 million Michael Jackson songs were downloaded....Damn, did I miss something? Did his music get THAT GOOD upon his passing into the eternal? No, it didn't. But now, the sheep seem to love him. I can't walk down the street without hearing someone bumping thriller now.... : D I can't help but laugh at the thought of it! As far as album sales, Michael Jackson had a reported increase of almost 3,500(wait I have to spell that out) Three Thousand, Five hundred percent! ....after his death. Shame on you, Sheep.

Ahem. Can we deliver the roses sooner please? There's so many other artists, humanitarians, musicians I could mention....but you get the point. Let's cherish the talents, individuality, that each person brings to this planet, both during, and after life...I agree, we should do things in remembrance of these people when they're gone, but lets celebrate them equally while they are here.............Well, that's a nice thought, but as for now...

I'll just kick back and wait for the numerous Baatin t-shirts every streetwear brand is gonna be producing out the ass pretty soon.

Wake up, People.

The Secondhand Sureshots!

dublab presents...SECONDHAND SURESHOTS (preview) from dublab on Vimeo.

Recycling at it's best! The Secondhand Sureshots!

Check it out...if you missed this event...I'm gonna get my CL Smooth on and reminisce for a moment!...All the while giving you a clue as to how you can own a slice of hip hop, no forget that, music history....Producers, step your game up! Pen and Pad, Take Notes! This is one of the most creative projects ever, featuring the creme de la creme of producing, a Pokemon-esque adventure for viewers, and a live performance I was honored to be in attendance of...Without further ado...The Secondhand Sureshots are..

Daedalus. J Rocc. DJ Nobody. & Ras G

FOUR of the most notable producers walking God's green Earth (whom I'm a fan of each one : D) received specific orders for this documentary. Objective One, infiltrate record thrift stores in Los Angeles(all four producers go to different stores). Objective Two, Dig! It's what vinyl heads do! Each producer must find, and buy FIVE obscure, forgotten by time, overlooked records...with a budget of only FIVE bucks! Okay, straight to the 1 dollar bin! After the records are randomly selected, the creative process begins...We get to watch the minds of Daedalus, J Rocc, DJ Nobody, and Ras G, flip into action as they each transform their five dusty records, into classic hip hop beats. Sampling at it's best! And the documentary captures it all on film for our viewing pleasure!

Now....The Hunt! After they finish creating their delightful masterpieces, each producer goes to an undisclosed record store, and hides the record!..Yeah, that's right, all four records are hidden in local thrift stores in LA for anyone to purchase! Each one features an unreleased beat from Daedulus...J Rocc...DJ Nobody...and Ras G! The catch...no one, besides the producers, has any clue where they're hidden! To my knowledge, none of the records have been discovered as of today! What's even cooler, is that each record features different cover art, if all four records are found, they come together (Voltron Style) to form a new picture! Citizens..I think it's time to dig...dig through each record store in LA...dig until we unearth these records and savor the musical goodness...And if y'all don't wanna look for'em, well...I guess I have a better chance of finding one!

The Silent Movie Theatre! The Last Part!

I was fortunate enough to attend one of the few showings of this documentary at the Silent Movie Theatre off of Fairfax and Melrose. Incredible! After watching the film, we got to witness Ras G and Dj Nobody make beats on the spot with records provided by the audience. Daedulus later gave a breathtaking performance that words fail to describe...Making beats in seemingly mere seconds with various, random samples, live, as we watched in amazement. Hit+Run also made custom shirts for attendees featuring the Secondhand Sureshots logo (mine is pictured above : D).

Peep the preview of this documentary Above.

And Oh yeah....

Secondhand Sureshots come First in my book!

Dreams pt 2 ...The World Moves Around You!

You're an artist... The World is your canvas... What will you paint today?

"I've never heard of a canvas that created an artist..."

The secret to life is that the world doesn't shape you, rather, you shape It. Every decision you make....wait, run it back. EVERY decision you make, changes your life, and the lives around you significantly....a ripple, the Butterfly Effect...watch this.

"The Big Mac Story"

Ring Ring! My homie Gabe hits me up... "Yo! the McDonalds on Parthenia's selling Big Macs today, 2 for a dollar! I'm here eating mine right now!" he said. Me..."Word! two for a buck? I'll be there in a sec!" (That good ol' college budget : D). Hanging up the phone I thought...since Gabe is already there, maybe I shoulda' just asked him to get me 2, and I'll pay him when he gets back...ahh well, eff it, I'm going!

Hop in the car, pushing down Balboa, slow down, ease into the turning lane...annnd...Bow! somebody rear ends me(no homo). My cars messed up, the trunk's jammed shut and won't open. Worst of all, my necks in pain. Damn.

Two months later, Christmas...still haven't gotten my trunk fixed. Driving on the freeway...whew! trunk flies open...70mph traffic! Zoom! weaving in and out of traffic, can't see anything behind me...errr, pull to the side, damn, roughed up the ol' Alero. Fix the trunk, check....but..............the car won't start! You serious? Christmas 06', spent on the side of the Freeway.

Few months later... my necks getting worse. Good thing I got connects! ....well, I know a few people... Anyways, I link up with a chiropractor. Long story short, he's a crook. I keep my distance......One year later, hes trying to sue me! Sweet. See everything that just happened? Ripple Effect...I went through it.....

All over two Big Macs! ... fin.

Okay, it's simple, I shaped issues in my life for over 2 years, based on one small decision. I could have had Gabe buy the Big Macs, paid him back, relaxed and had gourmet Mickie D's on the futon...and who knows how life woulda turned out? but nahh, I had to drive.

Look how much the world changed based on that one decision! One decision! (Hold onto that thought!)

We shape this world everyday! Apply it to your dreams...Even the small decisions you make today, dictate your future. Wake up! Stop letting the world conform you! There are no restraints! Only limitless opportunities. The world is yours...everything you do, the world reacts to it. Paint your canvas.

Create a ripple effect that concerns your career, your dreams, your life...You wanna be an MC? CEO? President? Than start making a move towards it, it's no secret that doors will open for you... that's just the world reacting to your decision. You ARE the difference, you just don't know it yet. Shape your life! You can have anything...and never say the words...I can't! No one owns you, or controls you, You Can!... just remember to drink a cup of responsibility here and there! Go and Get it! Every time you take a step, the world moves around you!

And don't just ripple....Make Waves.

DWB...

"Get out the Car! NOW!"

Ahh DWB, a friend of mine was pulled over for this violation last night...What is it you ask? It's a gateway violation...Police! (not speaking for all of them, many of them are truly guardians of PEACE, Good job fellas!) But ahem! back to my point...If you qualify for DWB :D (not a good thing).... there isn't a seat belt in the world that can save you! Still, although you can be pulled over for DWB, you can't be given a ticket for it. No, no, no DWB is just the intro!

Once pulled over, the real battle begins...yup. It's a gateway tactic...profiling, harassment...shall I go further? Okay. Lets talk about the Cop that pulls you over for DWB. He's often overweight, and amidst the donut crumbs adorning his uniform, he often has a chip on his shoulder (Do not look for chip, you can't actually see it : D). Okay, you fell into his trap, now what?

Be ready for some pressure tactics, this bad boy cop now has to justify this inconvenience, usually by running your plates in hopes that you've done something, anything in the past he can make you pay retribution for... Oh and don't be surprised if they wanna look around your car, word to the wise, politely decline this request.

If he doesn't succeed in finding a reason to administer you the golden ticket(not the good kind), you'll be offered a BS reason as to why he pulled you over, such as the following....(True Story)

Police Officer: "I was in a high speed chase, the guy was going like 95 mph, I was chasin'em and you got in the way... I couldn't go around you and you were driving so slow I couldn't catch"em. That's why I pulled you over" ???????? haha, yeah okay.... Right about now's the moment when your thinking about peeling off, pumping some old school N.W.A., track 2 on that sucker all the way home, trust me, I've been there!

I'm saying...You coulda been anywhere in the world...but instead, you got stuck with this product of discrimination......All over DWB.

Driving.While.Black!

Buckle Up Fam.

The following is a list of popular DWB phrases cops use to rile you up(some of which I've heard personally):

"Ever been to jail before?"

"If I search this car, am I gonna find anything?"

"Your getting excited!"

And last but not least "You look like you know the Miranda Rights!"