Friday, August 29, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Tired of sleep........
I'm tired man, a little sick as well.
My whole life has been about moving in one motion. Forward. I really don't like to look back, like what is the purpose or reason in that. I understand that sometimes reflection is a good thing, I do that but....I don't like to focus on the things I reflect, just let them pass by in one fluid motion. I've been doing this music for so long, as long as I can remember. I've never slept, until recently. Last year, they thought I'd hit my peak, figured I was a one trick type of guy, ringtone's best seller type guy. No, I went to sleep and started dreaming of more. I write to much to settle for that, I think to much to settle for that, I'm too intelligent to settle for that. So now, as I begin to shake off the final sleep from my eyes I prepare to do what I have always done. Live my dreams as if they are my reality. I started out with the idea of No limits, no skycap, no glass ceiling as to hold in my thoughts, or ideas. I'm too creative to place myself into one box man. Fuck that box.
Let's break out together, I don't want to be alone on this journey....I will be if need be. But I don't want to be. I'm bored with the world as it is, I want to have some fun. I want my music, my art to reflect who I am. So, let's have some fun. Styrofoam Cups is just the start, its the house party with the discount beers and mixed drinks. Release is the dance club, the night club that doesn't close til 4. I've got more on the way but both of these songs represent me more trully than where I've been headed. I've got too much potential obi-wan! I feel like where I'm going offers more space than before. I've woken up to the idea of ideas.
I'm tired of facebook too, but I can't help but log on. How does that work?? lol.
I'm giving you 20 songs. Of me, part of the journey of figuring out where I'm going with this outlet. The problem I face isn't talent, or confidence, its direction. I think I've found it tho, so we straight. I'm giving you new music, I write so much that it just pours out onto notebooks and microphones. I'm giving you my art, however you take it. Whether you chose to take it or not. This world is to big for me not make a place for myself in it, and I've done too much dreaming to not make them all a reality. My life is my art ya dig. I ain't accepting anything less than living it.
I'm awake.
p.s, I need a female who can really sing, who may be available for shows because I got this new song, and I think a girl singing the chorus with me would sound kinda dope. Accepting apps(lol).
Another p.s Flow turned 21 2day so we're celebrating the majority of this week starting 2morro, and starting here:
The Lemur Project: Song #12
Peep projects beginning here.
Jay had like a million retirement songs, but this song doesn't even sound like one of them. Its sounds like a song of contentment, of acceptance, and pride at the world that you've built. I experience little beach chair moments when I'm performing a song that I've created but bits of my own life. Its a nirvana feeling I get from this song, one of those "look back at your life" moments. Alot of people hated Kingdom Come, it wasn't old hov. It was jay in his new mindstate rapping about a place that none of us have been before, the top. This record makes you think about your world and what you've done in it so far. It makes me think of the future and what I hope to find in this life, a sense of peace.....or something like it.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
The Lemur Project: Song #11
Lol, my first girlfriend loved Linkin Park. She made me listen to meteora for the longest time. Before her, I was stricly Hip Hop. I had other music that I listened to but at that time in my life I really just preferred beats and ryhmes banging in my cd player. But Linkin Park made me really pay attention to rock. I had heard of the strokes, they were like THE band for a long minute. But again, I wasn't really paying attention to anything outside of my comfort zone at the time. Linkin Park made me want to see what else was out there that I had been missing. I went back, I dug, listened to alot of great music, then Reptilia came out, and I turned the volume way way up. This is energy, this the foot on the gas, crank the radio, and fuck the world song. This song sort of pulled me from one genre into a vat of musical gumbo where I started getting a taste of everything. I don't know particularly what it was about this song that made me say everything goes, but that's just the energy you get from it. The bands drives and then Julian comes on and goes off. My favorite line "Please, don't slow me down if I'm going too fast" followed by that sick ass solo. I dunno man, I just really loved this song. Then they put it on guitar hero. lol.
Swag like Karl.....
Back to school....
Yea.......I think I'm getting these......Nike "Back to school" highs. I keep hearing the opening song to grease 2 when I look at these. Look it up. Lol
Sunday, August 24, 2008
The Lemur Project: Song #10
Frank Sinatra "In the wee small hours"
This is the rainy day, this is the last call, this is the break-up, this is the missing her. My grandmother loves Frank, she played him when I was growing up like crazy. Obviously, that means a couple of them Frank joints were my jams and this one was my favorite. Frank's voice is perfect over the gentle score. The atmosphere, the vibe, everything connected with that record and anyone who's ever been in love, around love, heard of love, can fall to this song. This song is still #1 on my most played list on Itunes, and I've been hearing it all of my life. I don't know how I haven't gotten tired of it but, I'm not. I can think to this song, I can just drift along, or I can follow the voice to my own thoughts and memories. I want to make music like that, where the whole feeling of the song sort of carries you with it, and if you really listen, you can find out why the song is so special.
Marker in motion.....
Green Light Special.......
John Legend ft Andre 3000 "Green Light" Vid!
I used to play the hell out of "Once again" I'd leave the crib with that record playing as the background music. I'm looking forward to what this record is going to sound like. and anything Andre 3000 does can't go wrong.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Damn....No one on the corner has swagger like us....
Friday, August 22, 2008
The Lemur Project: Song #9
Hello Hip Hop. I was 3 years old when I heard this song. It was actually the video so I got the whole presentation. My mother was an LL fan, she use to play the "Bad" cassette in the car after we saw the video. This is what introduced me to Hip Hop man, it was like one of those moments, the gold chain, the beat, the anger and confidence in the rhyme scheme. The whole demeanor of the song made me a fan. This is was back before I was writing stories and rhymes, so I was strictly in love with the music. I thought LL was the dude, I wanted to be that guy in the video, rapping those words. I don't want to say this song made me want to rap, but it did put me on to Hip Hop music which led me to where I'm at now. Between this and going back to cali, my whole original style is derived from those two records. I guess I have to thank my moms for running her tape into the ground.
Real quick question?
How many houses do YOU have?......
I think this is hilarious. I like how Fiest's "1,2,3,4" has become the standard song for counting now. More on point though is this question "If a man owns 10 houses and says the economy is strong when millions are losing their homes everyday, what makes him right for the job of running the country"
Better than spelling it out.......
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
The Lemur Project: Song #8
Probably my most personal song. This song is like a year old and it is still one of my favorites. The Gift knocked the beat out the park. It was the first song I worked with him on and we were testing waters as far as artist/producer chemistry goes. The beat instantly talked to me(maybe it was gwen stefani but...) The song turned into a parting of the ways story. Each verse was me reminiscing about the connection or lack of connection I've had some closest people in my life. The first verse is to my mother, how much she helped in raising me and making me who I am today, and how I've reached that point where my journey is just starting and home isn't really home to me because I have to find my own place in this world. The second verse is to my father, and how I feel about him leaving me in this to fend for myself and for my family. I wouldn't be half as strong as I am now if it wasn't for that, but at the same time it messed up my interactions with people because I don't trust anyone. The third is to my ex, its crazy because at the time I felt like we were drifting apart because of jealousy and bullshit. 2 Taurus's in a relationship don't mix. Since we're apart now the song sort of has a deeper meaning in that aspect then before. This record is really close to me because even though I express my life through my music I'm still really guarded where some parts are concerned. This was me really revealing some of the things I've come from and how I felt.
What if your break up went like this......
Wow. With "Who's gonna save my soul" as the backdrop. What if break-ups were this open and truthful instead of the half-hearted, trying to spare feeling things we all do.
An era way back when.......
Mase "Feels so good"
Notorious B.I.G ft Puff Daddy & Mase "Mo money, mo problems"
Puff Daddy "Can't nobody hold me down"
They wouldn't let me get "Hate me now" by Nas but look that one up
Jay-Z "Sunshine"
Lol.
My favorite VH1 product.....
Yes. MY President is black.
So they've been debating it for a minute.......
I was browsing the other day and saw an article that compared these two as the new school Jay-Z and Nas. Its an interesting thought, one that I find leading true for one of them than the other. I feel Lupe is def the new Nas, introducing an entirely new generation to the lyrical side of Hip Hop while Wayne is def Hov in terms of hype and adoration. Wayne however doesn't have enough "greatness" in his catolouge whereas like Nas Lupe's first 2 products have been classics. Read more about the debate here.
As Jay-Z and Nas were the biggest stars of the previous generation, the younger generation has searched and searched for their leaders of the new school, someone to look up to.
*****
Through the door walks Lil Wayne, fresh off of the first two installments of the Carter series and the critically acclaimed Dedication 1 & 2 with DJ Drama, proclaiming himself “the best rapper alive since the best rapper retired (Jay-Z, though it was short-lived), and soon, going as far to call himself “The Greatest Rapper Alive”.
In 2005, a little known emcee by the name of Lupe Fiasco made his debut on one of the biggest hip hop albums released, Late Registration by Kanye West. After co-signs and recognition by some of hip hop’s biggest names (Jay-Z, Rakim, Kanye West), he released his critically acclaimed debut album, Food & Liquor. Soon before and after his release, many hip hop heads deemed him the “savior” of hip hop.
Connected, these two emcees represent hip hop for the younger generation ala Jay-Z and Nas.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
The Lemur Project: Song #7
Lupe Fiasco "Steady Mobbin"
Nobody touches Lupe man. Really, lyrically, Lu is one of the greatest. I remember all the mixtapes, listening to switch and spazz out in my dorm room. Jay-Z had retired, Nas wasn't on it like that, Kanye was that dude but he isn't the best lyricily. Lupe came out of nowhere, well, he came from my city and blew up the spot. It took me 2 listens to know I was a fan, I thought I was the shit and Lupe showed every dude who thought he was a rapper how we were suppose to bring it. Lupe would come to Columbia and spit before he got signed, he'd perform this song and we all knew the words all ready. This song was one of those, face scrunching, head nodding, chill out and listen joints. Lupe made you listen to every word 5 times before you were hit in the face with a message that wasn't forced on you but presented to you so left from what was going on at the time. This song was my train trips, it's music made for headphones. Lupe perfectly describes the world we all came from and does it intelligently and without sounding cliche'. Just dope man, game changing. Trend setting. Gifted. Dope.
Yessir. Ptoda makes a request.....
Ptoda "Put me on the radio"Estelle still shines........
Estelle "Pretty Please" Vid!
I like this song. Its not my favorite on her project but I do like it. American Boy is really my joint though. I wish cee-lo could've made an appearence in the video too, he could've fit in the story somewhere. Peep.
Lol! Damn......niggas done brought sht to level orange!
Lol @ Diddy. One of the smartest men in the music industry.
"Niggas ain't got no weed, they lips ashy"
Monday, August 18, 2008
The Lemur Project: Song #6
If it was up to me, I would put the whole Blueprint on the list. That was MY SHIT. I cleaned the crib, hit the club, went to class, went to the party, ect... to that album. I fucked up my original copy from playing it to much. I thought Jay-Z was dope, but that album made me a believer, and this song was my favorite. Nobody could've done this better than Jay and the song had everything. The Flow, the lyrics, the Hip Hop standard sample that Kanye brought back. Let me bounce around real quick. Kanye made me want to start making beats, like really making beats. At the time nobody knew I could rap, and there weren't alot of guys in highschool who could make good tracks, so I bought acid & fruityloops, put this album next to my computer and got to work. This song is so classic, I remember so many sundays listening to it on repeat. Then you throw in the fact that at the time I was just starting to get in deep with girls and you have the player anthem for 2001-02. This record is one of those forever jams. I'm going to be 65 and the songs going to come on, and I'm going to get up and grab my old wife and we're going to 2 step until it ends. Lol. For real.
Lupe Fiasco @ Park West....
So I went to the Lupe concert the other day randomly. Shout out to my dude Anthony for hitting me with the ticket. 2G was up there already so luckily I didn't have to wait in the line that was stretched out to like around the the corner. Also lucky for ME was the fact that I got there just in time for the doors to open. The space was real casual and more personal than the last time I saw a Lupe performance (Glow in the dark.) But yea, Karina Paisan opened up for him (and shorty is a beast) she got that song, 16 @ War. It was funny because she made me think about the fact that alot of these kids are now 90's babys. They never saw a touch of the 80's and it makes me feel old even though I'm only circa 87'. Lupe came out with a full band backing him and Sarah and Gemini and KILLED it. He did all the hits putting all of his energy into every joint. Inspired my dude. But yea, then it was over, Lu reminded me of why I thought he was the second best thing since Hov to Hip Hop. Kicked it with Gemstones a little bit after the show and then that was it. I got a gyro, and went to the crib. Good show. Good sunday. Peace.
To be one of the crazy ones....
Pastelle potential.......
I grabbed these from Hypebeast. Pictures of Ye and Rhianna modeling some pieces from Kanye's upcoming line. I've been hearing talk about pastel for some time now and I was wondering if he was ever going to come out with it. I guess since its one more album left for him he's find the time to focus on it. It looks alrite, nothing really aw inspiring from these pics. I trust though, that he has some unique stuff on the drawing board.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
The Lemur Project: #5
Notorious B.I.G "Juicy"
Peep the project details here.
Sing it with me, "It was all a dream, I use to read word up magazine. Salt and Pepper and Heavy D up in the limosine. Hanging pictures on my wall, every saturday rap attack, mr. magic, marley marl...." I remember riding around with my friend and his older brother. He use to keep this on repeat, and I was in the back just vibing. When I got older my friends and I use to rap into one of those kereokee recorders and we did the wackest freestyles of all time to this song. It just felt good, its really a classic from rags to riches song in the Hip Hop world. He defined everys kids dream growing up. Biggie made me want to really rap because he was a beast. I wasn't really into Nas yet, I'd heard of him, but I was really about the music as a whole and the sample they used for the juicy record fit perfectly. My mother gave this record a chance just because of the sample. You wanted to hear biggie tell it about how he made it and he made you want to make it too. I swear, when I get the opportunity to truly live out my dreams I'm blasting this song non-stop. If you don't know, now you know.
The air up there........
Come chill with us on the 28th @ Devine. We're previewing some new music from Me, Flow Eazy, and D2G. So come listen to some new shit and have a good time. Yep.The T-Shirt says "Hip Hop broke my heart"......
Game ft Lil Wayne "My Life"
I think this is about to be my shit.
The n**** Hollywood.......
Put on that chicago overcoat........
Promo vid for the soundtrack to the upcoming film, Chicago Overcoat. The movie's preview looked sick as hell when I saw it and I immediatly said hell yes when they asked me to write a song for the soundtrack. Sick. I'm in good company, GLC, Rhymefest, Cool Kids, Naledge and more.
Friday, August 15, 2008
The Lemur Project: Song #4
Peep the project here.
You want some of the purest forms of inner expression, put in some Em. Everyone loved the Marshall Mathers LP or the 8 Mile soundtrack. I mean I did too, but my favorite album is The Eminem Show. This album made TO ME, was sickest, and this song was amazing. One, this song is so crazy because you feel like your right there with him. My father was a dead beat so the emotions he had for his mother I just transplanted over to my pops. This song made me want to dig as deep and use those emotions in my music rather than just holding them all in. Two, the way Eminem rapped over this track was so mean. I used his flow pattern for the next 2 years over every song because it was so incredible. The way he fit the words together to tell such a great story.....Eminem deserves to be called one of the best. This song is my "fuck em" song. Whenever I get into it with someone whereas the relationship is permanently damaged, I play this song. Its really more about the emotion than anything else. Eminem did it perfectly.
Ju-ju-jukin on you haters while she stylin.......
Flow Eazy "Stylin"myspace.com/flyycityflow
An unfinished dream......
| I had a dream you were here when I woke up. Staring back at me with eyes so beautifully yours. So sure, touch my skin no cares of where I've been. Your mine and mines alone. Forever we are, though I'm never home. as I lay there staring into what I mistake for the stars, your warm body touching the wounds and kissing the scars. You lift me, pass the same peaks I reach at my highest, and far from those bars I write at my flyest, pass intoxicated, we wave at my vices. Smile at the world and laugh at its gas prices, me and my icis. Pass the heels and the pimps, honor the will of the wind, to somewhere past my fears and where to feel is a sin, pass politics, tricks, and government pins, I hope the destination is one I don't have to hate my government in. Pass the wackness, member only jackets, to where my culture ain't considered a racket, stop at her smile, than find myself past it. Watching the worlds own use each other for practice. Past the broke hearts, sowing darts in a mattress, tossing the world off me, you relieive your young atlas. Say whatup to judge mathis, then we're back on our course, through the mix and mind tricks of what I thought was the force, u take me higher still, pass mountains and mundane, but no fear cause u feel like from where I came. Good. Past ism's through the door of being mis-understood, past city girls who love Carie and country girls who prefer ms. Underwood. I'm as lost as I've ever been, as we float across the cool we find hidden in the letter n, soaring through dark nights in search a better grin, lol. Its around here I begin to wonder, what is the destination, is there one or is your insight just an over estimation, do I put too much hope in ya visitation, or your manifestation....... Listening to Game "My Life"...... |
Is it just me.....
Or are comic book movies becoming some of the best Hollywood is putting out. Probably because everything else lacks imagination. lol. But for real, "The watchmen" is looking to be another one and I hope the finished product keeps up the trend. I don't doubt it will though. Becca brought up a point though, If this and "The Spirit" drop at the same time it's gonna be interesting competition.
Once again, my ears are on point.....
Pennies on the ground.........
The Cool Kids "Pennies"
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
The Lemur Project: Song #3
Lil Wayne "Pussy, Money, Weed"
Should of been on the carter 3. One, I would've made this song. It would've sounded different but eventually I would've made it. Two, I'm glad I didn't because then I wouldn't be able to hear this one. I use to hate wayne, I gave him "shine" and that was about it. Then came the carter 1, then the carter 2 and a million mixtape tracks and this one. I feel like lyrically this is one of wayne's best as he compares a female to the 3 things that many of us love the most. Or perhaps he's comparing music, or some other drug? I just like to vibe out on this song really, smoke a joint and turn this song up. The beat is so mellow and the song makes you want to just chill and listen. At the end of the day, what wins me over is not only the vibe but the fact that those 3 words are many times the center of my days in this world and that wayne lays it out so easily. If my next girl asks me what I love her like, I'll just turn around and play this. I'm real easy to understand. dig.
Art on the tracks......
The events called "Art on track"What: 8 CAR CTA train converted into a mobile gallery
Where: Circling the loop from 6pm-10pm, enter at ADAMS/WABASH EL Platforms. Handicap entrance at Washington/Wells.
When: Saturday, August 30th 2008 6pm-10pm Admission: $5 (CTA fare waived)
Art on Track is a innovative step towards advancing the arts in Chicago. The exhibition showcases 200 up-and-coming artists bringing their work right into the public eye. By recognizing the gap between the broader public body and artistic community. We invite you to join us in discovering these new ways of expression.
Featured Galleries:
Flat Iron Artist Group
Quennect 4
The Silver Room
Peter Jones Studio Gallery
Colibri Studio Gallery
I think this is a sick ass concept. We were thinking of doing something similar in the form of a concert that performed at every stop, but, that idea needs more work. This sounds like its going to be interesting though, might have to ride with....
The things you don't know.....
Rahel. I did not know this was your grandfather. The music is sick, sort of makes me wish I didn't put the trumpet down. I use to play in the band until High school when I started just making a different type of music instead. He's performing this week too, so I might have to catch that, but again, RAHEL thanks for letting people know where you get your talent from.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Frank Miller is the ish......
I own 300 & Sin City and I use to read the comic books before the movie was a hit. Frank Millers style of art in his books was always sick. The way he used minimal colors while still painting amazing pictures and stories that felt just a raw. His movies look as amazing as his books and something tells me I will be buying this once it comes out as well. Yessir.
Also, this movie has some very hot actresses in it. Lucky for whoever gets to play the spirit and Sam Jackson is in it. How can it be bad.
The best Kanye video yet.....
Kanye West "Champion" VID!!
Kanye has some of the dopest videos in Hip Hop and this one is no different. Huge Lol for the puppets.
Jay's back for the jockin.......
Monday, August 11, 2008
The Lemur Project: Song #2
She use to be mine..........
R.I.P for the legends........
The Worlds stage.......
This the opening sequence for the 2008 Olympics and Beijing. This is probably one of the greatest, most elaborate opening ceremonies.......like ever. Chicago is in the running to get it in 2016, and if we do, how the HELL do we follow up with this. Really, every other country just needs to focus on winning(which is the point. I know) because as far as theatrics go, Beijing shuts everything down. Just check it out, like for real.
Sidebar: Turn the volume down and listen to Flashing Lights with it. Sick.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Oh shit.......customize at your own risk.
So, I remember trying to use NikeID on their website before. It was hot but I really wasn't trying to purchase any of the joints. I just was creating for creatings sake. I stumble onto Highsnobiety today and I see they've extended this now to customizing your own dunk. As evidence by the two kicks in the pic, people are gonna be walking with some exclusive, never going to see anywhere else, joints pretty soon. Check it out here.
So, do you have any black inside you..............
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
The Lemur Project: Song #1.
Anyway, the project is pretty much picking a couple of his favorite artists and having them compile a list of 12 of their favorite songs (no select order) and talkig about why they are what they are...the favorites. I think it's a pretty sick idea so I say cool. I figured since I'm sharing I might as well share across the board so here is the first one I put on the list.
I was a fan of Kanye before he was rapping, I loved his beats. Him, and Just Blaze really helped bring the soulful, sample, vintage feel back to Hip Hop. When "through the wire" came out I was really more so enjoying the beat and the fact that someone new from the southside of my city was about to blow, he had the roc, jay's co-sign and his perspective was so different. This song is what really made me a fan though. Before Lupe, The Cool Kids, and whoever else you want to call different, Kanye was THAT guy. This song really revieled so much about how people saw themselves and really introduced a new perspective in a time that really felt open as far as music was concerned. I felt like Kanye really understood what we were all going through trying to be fly and unique at the same time. Now unique is fly but in the throwback era....not so much. If you look @ the video there's a scene where he's in the bathroom trying to clean his shirt and then he looks into the mirror and wipes his eyes, its like he's really seeing himself for who he is, and he's cool. I don't know if my music would be what it is if not for The College Dropout. Also, sidebar, I have Lauryn Hill's unplugged album so I thought the way he flipped the sample on that was great.
Reason number #?? I'm pissed I missed Lala......
How could this happen? I live in chicago.....I love music......and enjoy people that love it as well.....Anyway, its sad but, I've missed worse. Here's some footage from Lu's show though. Of course its sick. My girl Alecia got to sing back-up for him too, much luv there.
Rocksmith rules the world..........
Colorful Keys.......
I use to make my beats on fruityloops like everybody esle so...I don't want to say this helps out any but it does definitely make the experience more fun.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Breath.......
The world we inherit.....
This is crazy. Peep this video. The story it tells is insane. This is the world we inherited man. Our generation determines the if it gets worse or if it gets better. And Justice "genesis" is sorta perferct background music.
I use to rule the world........
Coldplay-Viva la vida::U2-Joshua Tree. I'm not saying the album is up there, but that's what I felt they were going for with this record. I like the new album, better than X, Y anyway. The video is Hype Williams.....yea.....Hype mfkn Williams. Sick.
