I was on my way to work this morning and caught the tail end of this rant from Sam Rubin (KTLA Morning News). This dude went in hard on Perez Hilton! I mean damn...I've never seen a news anchor lay into somebody like that before, which is why Sam Rubin is my new hero. I've always been a fan of the Channel 5 news crew, but I now pledge my undying loyalty to them. Perez is a hypocritical, obnoxious jackass who had it coming! Thanks to the wonders of the internet, I was able to find video of the whole thing, which is now presented for your viewing pleasure.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Serving the People...
I ride the metro all the time from Long Beach to LA or all the way up to the valley and every trip is full of interesting observations. There are the loud, obnoxious passengers. There's the parents hopping from train to train trying to sell candy, jewelry or cologne. There are the homeless people who, despite their situation, end up make the other passengers feel uncomfortable (ain't that some ass backwards shit?). And that's exactly what has inspired me to write my first blog using my phone.
There was a homeless person (not a "bum") who just got on the train, fucked up on some kind of drug and smelling like piss, yet he was still a source of inspiration. Much to his surprise, someone randomly gave him some change. All the good samaritan said was "Hey man, I've been there before. When you're at the bottom the only way you can go is up."
It was a long conversation that's hard to summarize typing away on my phone, but it reminded me of the importance of connecting with others and truly serving the people. Even right now someone hit me up for food money. After I gave him $3 someone else shook his head and told me I just got played for a sucker. Maybe I did, maybe I didn't...but it takes a lot to swallow your pride and ask for money from strangers. He was in a tougher situation than I was, so why not help out if it's in my capacity to do so?
I don't want to get all preachy and self righteous because no one's perfect, but sometimes we have to remind ourselves that it's not just about us. We need to help out any way we can, even if it's a complete stranger.
There was a homeless person (not a "bum") who just got on the train, fucked up on some kind of drug and smelling like piss, yet he was still a source of inspiration. Much to his surprise, someone randomly gave him some change. All the good samaritan said was "Hey man, I've been there before. When you're at the bottom the only way you can go is up."
It was a long conversation that's hard to summarize typing away on my phone, but it reminded me of the importance of connecting with others and truly serving the people. Even right now someone hit me up for food money. After I gave him $3 someone else shook his head and told me I just got played for a sucker. Maybe I did, maybe I didn't...but it takes a lot to swallow your pride and ask for money from strangers. He was in a tougher situation than I was, so why not help out if it's in my capacity to do so?
I don't want to get all preachy and self righteous because no one's perfect, but sometimes we have to remind ourselves that it's not just about us. We need to help out any way we can, even if it's a complete stranger.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Royalty...
I always stood strong in my belief that music is the universal language, but the last two weeks have taken that conviction to a completely different level. On June 25th, as I was preparing for a DJ set later that night, I received a text message from my brother that literally took the wind out of me -- "What?! Michael Jackson passed away!" After staring blankly at the message for a few seconds, I immediately went online to confirm the news, but at that point it was all speculation. Within that next hour, it was confirmed that Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, had passed away.
I'm not gonna front and act like I was the biggest MJ fan, but his death made me realize to what extent I liked his music. It's been well over 10 years since his songs made it into my regular listening rotation, but every time one would emanate through the speakers, I'd either sing it out loud or attempt one of his often-imitated, but never duplicated, dance moves.
I feel fortunate enough to have lived and experienced a time where he was known for being a music superstar and not the sideshow attraction/media magnet that he had become over the latter part of his life. Although I was slightly jealous of my brothers for having been able to witness the Thriller video when it was released, I find solace in the fact that I could still remember watching his video for Bad when I was five years old (which is one of the few music videos I remember from that part of my life). Even on my first day of kindergarten when I was balling my eyes out after my parents left, the one thing that cheered me up was this kid who came up and started dancing like Mike. That ended up being my first friend in class, all because we had one thing in common: Michael Jackson.
Another fond childhood memory I have is when the Dangerous album came out in '91. There was this big hype around the video for his new single Black or White, which I believe premiered after an episode of In Living Color(?). The opening scene with Macaulay Culkin had me goin' berserk (hey, I was just a kid and Home Alone was really popular at the time), so I knew the video would only get better. Always one to push boundaries and defy preconceived notions, he ended up causing a lot of controversy. After the video was done, I knew that I had to save up my money so I could buy the cassette tape at the local Wherehouse music store.
Fast forward to May '09. In preparation for my first DJ set ever, I knew that I had to close it out with a string of Michael Jackson songs. I wanted to be able to move the crowd and MJ's music did just that. It was such a great feeling to see the smiles on peoples faces as each new song came on, which is what I've been seeing over the last couple of weeks. People all over the world from different social classes and ethnicities are celebrating his life and music. I really can't think of another musician who can bring so many people together like this, and as someone who makes music myself, I can only dream of even coming remotely close to making the timeless, soulful, and heartfelt music that Michael made.
His memorial service today was very moving, but there were two moments in particular that stood out for me. First, Al Sharpton said what eventually led to a standing ovation: "I want his children to know there was nothing strange about your daddy, it was strange what your daddy had to deal with," which is the same sentiment shared by many. The second, and most emotional moment, occurred when his daughter courageously spoke to the crowd and broke down in tears: "Ever since I was born, daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine, and I just wanted to say I love him so much." I'm not ashamed to admit that it brought tears to my eyes, which really put it into perspective for me. All of us are mourning the loss of a musician who was there throughout different times of our lives, but we often forget that he was a father -- a father who will no longer be there for his children.
I don't want to go on about his lost childhood or the so called "tragic" life he lived because the media that's praising him today will be back at it again, doing their best to tarnish his legacy tomorrow and the weeks to come. I'll leave the ugliness to the vultures and instead keep this as a personal tribute to Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, a member of true music royalty. I hope he has the peace he rightfully deserves, and although he might be gone, I can never say goodbye because he'll live on through his music.
Michael Jackson: thank you for everything you've done.
I'm not gonna front and act like I was the biggest MJ fan, but his death made me realize to what extent I liked his music. It's been well over 10 years since his songs made it into my regular listening rotation, but every time one would emanate through the speakers, I'd either sing it out loud or attempt one of his often-imitated, but never duplicated, dance moves.
I feel fortunate enough to have lived and experienced a time where he was known for being a music superstar and not the sideshow attraction/media magnet that he had become over the latter part of his life. Although I was slightly jealous of my brothers for having been able to witness the Thriller video when it was released, I find solace in the fact that I could still remember watching his video for Bad when I was five years old (which is one of the few music videos I remember from that part of my life). Even on my first day of kindergarten when I was balling my eyes out after my parents left, the one thing that cheered me up was this kid who came up and started dancing like Mike. That ended up being my first friend in class, all because we had one thing in common: Michael Jackson.
Another fond childhood memory I have is when the Dangerous album came out in '91. There was this big hype around the video for his new single Black or White, which I believe premiered after an episode of In Living Color(?). The opening scene with Macaulay Culkin had me goin' berserk (hey, I was just a kid and Home Alone was really popular at the time), so I knew the video would only get better. Always one to push boundaries and defy preconceived notions, he ended up causing a lot of controversy. After the video was done, I knew that I had to save up my money so I could buy the cassette tape at the local Wherehouse music store.
Fast forward to May '09. In preparation for my first DJ set ever, I knew that I had to close it out with a string of Michael Jackson songs. I wanted to be able to move the crowd and MJ's music did just that. It was such a great feeling to see the smiles on peoples faces as each new song came on, which is what I've been seeing over the last couple of weeks. People all over the world from different social classes and ethnicities are celebrating his life and music. I really can't think of another musician who can bring so many people together like this, and as someone who makes music myself, I can only dream of even coming remotely close to making the timeless, soulful, and heartfelt music that Michael made.
His memorial service today was very moving, but there were two moments in particular that stood out for me. First, Al Sharpton said what eventually led to a standing ovation: "I want his children to know there was nothing strange about your daddy, it was strange what your daddy had to deal with," which is the same sentiment shared by many. The second, and most emotional moment, occurred when his daughter courageously spoke to the crowd and broke down in tears: "Ever since I was born, daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine, and I just wanted to say I love him so much." I'm not ashamed to admit that it brought tears to my eyes, which really put it into perspective for me. All of us are mourning the loss of a musician who was there throughout different times of our lives, but we often forget that he was a father -- a father who will no longer be there for his children.
I don't want to go on about his lost childhood or the so called "tragic" life he lived because the media that's praising him today will be back at it again, doing their best to tarnish his legacy tomorrow and the weeks to come. I'll leave the ugliness to the vultures and instead keep this as a personal tribute to Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, a member of true music royalty. I hope he has the peace he rightfully deserves, and although he might be gone, I can never say goodbye because he'll live on through his music.
Michael Jackson: thank you for everything you've done.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Economic relief...
We all know that times are tough right now. People are cutting back on a lot of things, just trying to stretch that dollar further than they've ever done before. Have no fear my friends -- corporate bailouts and stimulus packages aren't the only things providing economic relief. We can now thank Diner's Club International for their kindness and generosity.
This is some absolute bullshit right here! What. The. Fuuuck?!?!
This is some absolute bullshit right here! What. The. Fuuuck?!?!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Fifteen...
To commemorate the 15th NBA Championship for the L.A. Lakers, I decided to break you off with a little song. I know there's gonna be haters out there saying that if the Celtics were healthy they would've kicked the Lakers' ass, but injuries are a part of the game, so get over it! And I also don't want to hear any crap like "It would've been a better series if Lebron's team played the Lakers." The Magic whooped that ass, so I gotta give major props to Orlando. And one more thing, stop comparing Kobe to Lebron!! The dude is a great player, but I'm not even thinking about calling him "King James" until he wins some titles. In all fairness, I won't even compare Kobe to Jordan until he gets just as many titles under his belt.
All we can do now is bask in the glory of another title coming back home to the great city of Los Angeles (do I smell a World Series title for the Dodgers?).
Bootleg it, burn it, forward the link, do whatever you want...as long as it helps spread the word!! Share the love to all the other Lakers fans and haters...
(CLICK ON CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY TO DOWNLOAD)
All we can do now is bask in the glory of another title coming back home to the great city of Los Angeles (do I smell a World Series title for the Dodgers?).
Bootleg it, burn it, forward the link, do whatever you want...as long as it helps spread the word!! Share the love to all the other Lakers fans and haters...
(CLICK ON CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY TO DOWNLOAD)
Saturday, June 13, 2009
A whole new world...
After seeing that title, you're probably thinking of this song, but that's not what I'm referring to. Thanks to this contest (big ups to Bambu for his victory), I've become an instant fan of Zee Avi.
It's not often that I get this excited about a new artist (I think the last time was over a year ago when I first heard Blu & Exile), so this was definitely a blog-worthy topic. When I first heard her voice, it reminded me of Norah Jones in the sense that it's so unique in an era of formulaic, mass produced, dime a dozen pop stars. When I close my eyes I can even imagine myself sitting in a smoke filled jazz lounge from decades past, sipping on something "on the rocks" as she's performing on stage. So although she's a contemporary artist, her songs elicit that "old time" feeling with the way that she communicates her passion and soul through her art. Another reason why I like her music so much is that it reminds me of Jack Johnson, who is one of my favorite musicians. After doing some research, I found out that she's actually on his record label, which is fitting (I highly recommend you check out any of those artists). But don't get me wrong. While she reminds me of other people, her music still stands on its own!
I think what I like the most is the way that she's made a name for herself (primarily through YouTube). She built a following from home videos she put up and was eventually "discovered" that same way. It seems like it's relatively easy for your song to become popular through constant video and radio rotation, but to do so by word of mouth speaks volumes on the quality of the music.
It's 1:00 am and I can't wait for the store to open tomorrow/today so I can buy her album. Yeah, I already downloaded most of the songs from Limewire, but I still need to support this artist and throw down a few dollars, the same way that all of you should do with your favorite artists! Stop your bootlegging, cheapskate ways and spend a little money for the music you like! lol.
P.S. Okay, I'll admit it...I guess I have a little crush on her too. Don't worry Alicia Keys, I still got love for you! haha.
It's not often that I get this excited about a new artist (I think the last time was over a year ago when I first heard Blu & Exile), so this was definitely a blog-worthy topic. When I first heard her voice, it reminded me of Norah Jones in the sense that it's so unique in an era of formulaic, mass produced, dime a dozen pop stars. When I close my eyes I can even imagine myself sitting in a smoke filled jazz lounge from decades past, sipping on something "on the rocks" as she's performing on stage. So although she's a contemporary artist, her songs elicit that "old time" feeling with the way that she communicates her passion and soul through her art. Another reason why I like her music so much is that it reminds me of Jack Johnson, who is one of my favorite musicians. After doing some research, I found out that she's actually on his record label, which is fitting (I highly recommend you check out any of those artists). But don't get me wrong. While she reminds me of other people, her music still stands on its own!
I think what I like the most is the way that she's made a name for herself (primarily through YouTube). She built a following from home videos she put up and was eventually "discovered" that same way. It seems like it's relatively easy for your song to become popular through constant video and radio rotation, but to do so by word of mouth speaks volumes on the quality of the music.
It's 1:00 am and I can't wait for the store to open tomorrow/today so I can buy her album. Yeah, I already downloaded most of the songs from Limewire, but I still need to support this artist and throw down a few dollars, the same way that all of you should do with your favorite artists! Stop your bootlegging, cheapskate ways and spend a little money for the music you like! lol.
P.S. Okay, I'll admit it...I guess I have a little crush on her too. Don't worry Alicia Keys, I still got love for you! haha.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
You're T-Paining too much...
I've never really been a fan of AutoTune (the effect that T-Pain uses) and was starting to think that it was becoming a permanent fixture in rap music the way "reality" shows have become the norm in television programming. But after hearing this new song from Jay-Z, I'm filled with a sense of hope because, let's face it, the dude is a trend setter. When he called for a boycott on Cristal, everyone followed. It's like he's a Hip Hop Shepherd and everyone is his Hip Hop Sheep.
At first, I was just being an AutoTune hater. But as time passed, I didn't like it b/c it takes away from the real vocalists/singers. I'm cool with it if you make a satirical song just for shits and giggles, but I'm not really feelin' it past that context. And once again, Phonte from Little Brother tells it like it is. Major props for speaking his mind on the subject. But at the same time, I'll admit that I've always wanted to make one R&B love ballad joint, but since I can't sing for the life of me, the closest I'll ever come to it is using something like AutoTune.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Addicted to music...
It all started in the Summer of '06 when my friend let me borrow his turntables and some records while he was out of the country for a few months. I really had no idea what to do, but I figured it would be nice to have a cool new toy for the summer. Little did I know that this would be the start of an addiction not only to turntables, but to buying records. When all was said and done, I think I had $350 worth of records by the time I had to return the Technics at the end of August...and I couldn't even play them since I didn't even have my own record player. At least I have this live mix I did (which I'm still pretty proud of).
Flash forward almost three years later. I've had my own set of turntables for just under a month now and I couldn't be happier. I'm usually an impulsive buyer when it comes to music equipment, but I resisted the temptation to buy them for over 2.5 years until the time was finally right. Thanks to Craigs List, I found a deal that was just way too good to pass up and I have absolutely no regrets.
Now in less than 24 hours I'm going to be spinning at Mass Movement's Funk Fuzz event in Long Beach. I thought I would start spinning at little kickbacks and BBQ's, but I had no idea that my first public set would be at an actual bar/club. Although I'm far from calling myself an actual "DJ," I'm still excited that I have this opportunity. Like my brother said in an email earlier today, "Everyone has to start somewhere."
I guess I can check off one more item on my list of musical goals/accomplishments...
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Deep thoughts with Jack Handy...
This might've been a semi-decent Jack Handy moment:
"If you need an indicator on your beer can to tell you whether it's cold or not (Coors Light), should you really be drinking in the first place?"
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Gotta love my people...
Even the Wall Street Journal knows wassup. This was filmed at the homie's house...
Thursday, May 14, 2009
This is some crazy shit, yo. Not only are they voluntarily sleeping on the streets, but they're doing it for some expensive ass shoes too! I wonder what the homeless people in that area think of these kids?!
Waiting for Yeezys from kwest on Vimeo.
I'm a few years late, but I finally watched "Standing in the Shadows of Motown," which focuses on The Funk Brothers, the musicians who played with artists like Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and The Supremes just to name a few.
Considering my newfound love and appreciation for old Soul records, this was a really inspiring film. What I loved about it was just seeing all the band members reminiscing about the good ol' days and sharing all the stories that went on behind the music. And even though it's been years since they made music together, you can still see the strong sense of camaraderie and chemistry between them, which just can't be duplicated with today's fancy production and elaborate marketing plans.
One of the things that sticks out the most for me is when someone said something like "don't play it if you don't feel it." That's such a simple idea, but it's something that tends to get overlooked in today's musical climate. They were focused on making hits back then, just like many musicians are now, but there was just so much more feeling. And at the end of the day, people should make music that they feel instead of worrying about ringtone downloads and record sales.
Considering my newfound love and appreciation for old Soul records, this was a really inspiring film. What I loved about it was just seeing all the band members reminiscing about the good ol' days and sharing all the stories that went on behind the music. And even though it's been years since they made music together, you can still see the strong sense of camaraderie and chemistry between them, which just can't be duplicated with today's fancy production and elaborate marketing plans.
One of the things that sticks out the most for me is when someone said something like "don't play it if you don't feel it." That's such a simple idea, but it's something that tends to get overlooked in today's musical climate. They were focused on making hits back then, just like many musicians are now, but there was just so much more feeling. And at the end of the day, people should make music that they feel instead of worrying about ringtone downloads and record sales.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Feel Good Music...
Play this song at your BBQ's, Sunday lunches and all family gatherings. CLASSIC. (Although I don't necessarily agree with all of their views during the talking part at the end -- mainly the domestic role/perception of the mother).
Monday, May 4, 2009
Absolutely beautiful...
This is a couple days late, but the feeling is still beautiful. How can you not like this guy?!?
Thursday, April 30, 2009
A dope video from one of my favorite rappers. The dude's droppin' knowledge -- I hope he gets some good exposure with this video. But at the same time, I wouldn't be surprised if he came across the same situation that Little Brother had to encounter. Here's the video that caused the controversy.
Murs - The Science from 2dopeboyz.com on Vimeo.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Numbers...
I just had an interview today with a Financial Services company and right away I pretty much knew that I wanted to walk out when I saw a conference room full of other candidates. I'm not scared of group interviews by any means, but based off past experiences with similar situations, I knew this was going to be some b.s. Minus the vulgar language, it felt exactly like the first video clip that's posted below. Seriously.
If you read my other blogs, you'll see a recurring theme about my views on Corporate America. I'm not saying all of those people are evil and they should all go to hell, but there's a lot of them out there. I've been in that corporate environment before and after a while it literally felt like the soul was being sucked out of me -- or maybe I felt like I was actually selling my soul. Who knows? For those of you who haven't stepped foot in that world, there's one word that describes the mentality: "Numbers."
YOU are just a number to them. I'M just a number to them. WE are just a number to them. I had a couple jobs where I went into it because I wanted to be put in a position to genuinely help other people, but no matter how hard I tried to resist it, I eventually stopped seeing People and started seeing Dollar Signs (like they show in cartoons). Is that an environment that's good for me and my soul? Will the "unlimited earning potential" be worth sacrificing my values and my true essence?
Again, I have to give the disclaimer that I'm not against all Corporate people or think I'm any better than them. If I started thinking I'm more superior then I'd be just as guilty. I've got good friends who are in Corporate positions but they break the mold. Yeah, they're in it to make money (who doesn't want it?), but they're also not egotistical jackasses.
You might think that the clips below are an exaggeration, but this shit is real son! If you don't think like they do, then you're less of a person. Someone can be a complete asshole but it doesn't matter b/c they justify their behavior with money and material possessions.
"They try to put us in a box without room to move
Gotta play by their rules, not the ones we choose
Corporate America playin' us for a fool"
- ReVision, "Breakdown" from the Forward Progress Mixtape
BOILER ROOM:
GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS:
If you read my other blogs, you'll see a recurring theme about my views on Corporate America. I'm not saying all of those people are evil and they should all go to hell, but there's a lot of them out there. I've been in that corporate environment before and after a while it literally felt like the soul was being sucked out of me -- or maybe I felt like I was actually selling my soul. Who knows? For those of you who haven't stepped foot in that world, there's one word that describes the mentality: "Numbers."
YOU are just a number to them. I'M just a number to them. WE are just a number to them. I had a couple jobs where I went into it because I wanted to be put in a position to genuinely help other people, but no matter how hard I tried to resist it, I eventually stopped seeing People and started seeing Dollar Signs (like they show in cartoons). Is that an environment that's good for me and my soul? Will the "unlimited earning potential" be worth sacrificing my values and my true essence?
Again, I have to give the disclaimer that I'm not against all Corporate people or think I'm any better than them. If I started thinking I'm more superior then I'd be just as guilty. I've got good friends who are in Corporate positions but they break the mold. Yeah, they're in it to make money (who doesn't want it?), but they're also not egotistical jackasses.
You might think that the clips below are an exaggeration, but this shit is real son! If you don't think like they do, then you're less of a person. Someone can be a complete asshole but it doesn't matter b/c they justify their behavior with money and material possessions.
"They try to put us in a box without room to move
Gotta play by their rules, not the ones we choose
Corporate America playin' us for a fool"
- ReVision, "Breakdown" from the Forward Progress Mixtape
BOILER ROOM:
GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS:
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Sharing is caring...
Sharing music with people and being able to make a living while doing it? Now that's the good life.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Gotta get me a job...
Here's a little gem I first heard on a road trip I took last June. I was feelin' the pure funkiness of it back then, but now the lyrics hit a little closer to home.
I was enjoying the first few days without a job because it gave me a chance to catch up on a lot of things that I didn't have as much time to do before like: reorganizing my room and getting rid of unnecessary junk, reading, writing in my journal, riding my bike, etc.
The last couple days I finally came back to reality and told myself, "Shit. I don't have a job!" So I've been on the grind and trying to get my hustle on with finding a job, but it's pretty damn frustrating. All that really seems to be out there, based on my education and experience, are Sales jobs, which I'm not really feelin'. Some people love it and are good at it, so more power to them. But it's just not my kind of thing. I had the same sentiment when I first graduated from college, but now that I have actual experience I can say that it's truly not for me.
Monday, February 23, 2009
"Daaass my jaaaaam!!!"
{MySpace post from 10/21/08}
In my quest to take a walk down memory lane, I was checking out YouTube for some old school videos when I started coming across some 90's R&B joints, which got me thinking: Am I trippin' or is the R&B nowadays just not what it used to be?
I'm trying as much as possible not to be the older "Shake your fist / complain about 'kids these days' / back in my day the music had substance" kind of guy, but no matter how much I try to sugarcoat it, it's gonna come off wrong. All I'll say is this: I pretty much stopped listening to R&B around 2000 or 2001 (with the exception of a select few like Erykah Badu, Alicia Keys, India Arie, John Legend, Estelle, etc). I'm not knocking it b/c I'm sure there are still a lot of good singers out there that don't follow that simple Pop Music formula, but I'm just not exposed to it as much. I'm more into Hip Hop and 60's/70's Funk & Soul...and that's simply where I'm at in my musical journey.
But let's get back to the 90's R&B joints. Maaan, it just takes me back to my days growing up (these are mainly from middle school and high school, but the SWV joint was when I was in elementary). There might be some dudes reading this right now thinking "Man, this dude is WACK! I can't believe this fool is talking about some old ass R&B songs." Hey, fair enough. But before you became Mr. Masculine Machismo, you were probably bumpin' these songs like the rest of us. Check out this video of Little Brother at a show that I went to a month or two ago (peep the first 4.5 minutes). Yo, Phonte hit the nail on the head!!! He summed it up perfectly...
Now check out a few of the slow jams from that era. There's A LOT of them, but it's all good. This is barely scratching the surface. Now TELL ME this doesn't bring you back!!! (feel free to comment with your flashback joints...and put the video if possible)
And before you youngstas out there start clowning, there's a chance you might've even been conceived with these songs playing. haha.
In my quest to take a walk down memory lane, I was checking out YouTube for some old school videos when I started coming across some 90's R&B joints, which got me thinking: Am I trippin' or is the R&B nowadays just not what it used to be?
I'm trying as much as possible not to be the older "Shake your fist / complain about 'kids these days' / back in my day the music had substance" kind of guy, but no matter how much I try to sugarcoat it, it's gonna come off wrong. All I'll say is this: I pretty much stopped listening to R&B around 2000 or 2001 (with the exception of a select few like Erykah Badu, Alicia Keys, India Arie, John Legend, Estelle, etc). I'm not knocking it b/c I'm sure there are still a lot of good singers out there that don't follow that simple Pop Music formula, but I'm just not exposed to it as much. I'm more into Hip Hop and 60's/70's Funk & Soul...and that's simply where I'm at in my musical journey.
But let's get back to the 90's R&B joints. Maaan, it just takes me back to my days growing up (these are mainly from middle school and high school, but the SWV joint was when I was in elementary). There might be some dudes reading this right now thinking "Man, this dude is WACK! I can't believe this fool is talking about some old ass R&B songs." Hey, fair enough. But before you became Mr. Masculine Machismo, you were probably bumpin' these songs like the rest of us. Check out this video of Little Brother at a show that I went to a month or two ago (peep the first 4.5 minutes). Yo, Phonte hit the nail on the head!!! He summed it up perfectly...
Now check out a few of the slow jams from that era. There's A LOT of them, but it's all good. This is barely scratching the surface. Now TELL ME this doesn't bring you back!!! (feel free to comment with your flashback joints...and put the video if possible)
And before you youngstas out there start clowning, there's a chance you might've even been conceived with these songs playing. haha.
Chopping Block...
{MySpace Post from 2/18/09} --> Make sure to read the previous post first!!
[THIS IS WHAT I WROTE AT WORK THIS MORNING]:
To follow up on my last blog, the rumors and speculation have been confirmed. The company is doing lay offs.
As I'm typing this, there is definitely a somber feeling in the air. Everyone is trying to concentrate on the task at hand, but how can we honestly do that when any minute one of us can be called in to the interview room where we can potentially receive a devastating blow not only to our wallets, but to our overall morale and well being?
The office is usually filled with the sound of laughter, phones ringing, people talking on the phone, side conversations and a whole lot of other craziness – but not today. We're all pretty quiet, but there is still a lot being said. As I switch back and forth from my computer screen to the rest of the office, I make the occasional eye contact with another co-worker as we peer over our short little cubicle walls. Again, nothing is actually said, but a whole conversation takes place in those 1-2 seconds of eye contact: "Who's been let go so far? Do you think you'll be next? Will I be next? What are we going to do after this? What about our co-workers? What will I do for income?"
It's 9:30 am and the anticipation is unbearable. Our boss said she'll be interviewing people all day, even the ones who aren't being let go. Every time my phone rings, I ask myself if this is the call. "Is it my turn to go into the interview room?" I can only imagine how heavy each step will be as I inch closer and closer to the room. Just thinking about it has left me with a heavy heart and a twisting, churning feeling in my gut.
Shit. I just found out one of my closest friends here got the axe. I can't take this…I don't know what to do.
[HERE'S A REAL-TIME UPDATE]:
It's 11:40 am and I'm typing this from home. Nuff said...
[THIS IS WHAT I WROTE AT WORK THIS MORNING]:
To follow up on my last blog, the rumors and speculation have been confirmed. The company is doing lay offs.
As I'm typing this, there is definitely a somber feeling in the air. Everyone is trying to concentrate on the task at hand, but how can we honestly do that when any minute one of us can be called in to the interview room where we can potentially receive a devastating blow not only to our wallets, but to our overall morale and well being?
The office is usually filled with the sound of laughter, phones ringing, people talking on the phone, side conversations and a whole lot of other craziness – but not today. We're all pretty quiet, but there is still a lot being said. As I switch back and forth from my computer screen to the rest of the office, I make the occasional eye contact with another co-worker as we peer over our short little cubicle walls. Again, nothing is actually said, but a whole conversation takes place in those 1-2 seconds of eye contact: "Who's been let go so far? Do you think you'll be next? Will I be next? What are we going to do after this? What about our co-workers? What will I do for income?"
It's 9:30 am and the anticipation is unbearable. Our boss said she'll be interviewing people all day, even the ones who aren't being let go. Every time my phone rings, I ask myself if this is the call. "Is it my turn to go into the interview room?" I can only imagine how heavy each step will be as I inch closer and closer to the room. Just thinking about it has left me with a heavy heart and a twisting, churning feeling in my gut.
Shit. I just found out one of my closest friends here got the axe. I can't take this…I don't know what to do.
[HERE'S A REAL-TIME UPDATE]:
It's 11:40 am and I'm typing this from home. Nuff said...
Job "Security"...
{MySpace post from 2/17/09}
These are rough times that we're living in right now. The economy has gone to absolute shit and people are getting laid off left and right. To say that this is "crazy" is a huge understatement. As much as I would love to work on music full time, it doesn't pay the bills...so I need to have my day job.
It's definitely not my career, but I work as a recruiter (aka headhunter), where day in and day out I'm on the phones with people, trying to find them a job. Yeah, there's some people who get fired b/c they pull some stupid shit (like one guy who got caught sleeping in his car in the middle of his shift. Really?!? C'mon dogg...). But then there's people who've been with their company for 20+ years and are getting let go. As one guy told me last week, "I'm 55 years old. Who's really going to hire me now when they can get someone in their 20's at a lower salary?" These are people who show up to work on time every day, bust their ass, and truly EARN their paychecks. They would've never imagined that it could happen to them, but it is...and it's happening at an alarming rate.
What I've learned from this experience is that no one's job is safe right now. There's no such thing as "job security" these days. Despite all the constant reassurances by the head honcho at work ("don't worry about it guys. Even in this rough economy we're still a billion dollar company"), I can't help but feel real stressed out right now. She called a mandatory meeting at 7:45 tomorrow morning, and we were instructed to reschedule all interviews and client meetings...which I've never heard her request before. On top of that, it just so happens that ALL the other offices in the West region will be conducting the same meeting...at the exact same time.
There's been a lot of speculation going on amongst the co-workers -- and most of it revolves around some major lay offs that are about to take place. As much as I try to stay away from office gossip, this is an all too real possibility and I'm hella trippin' right now. I've been trying to convince myself that there's no point in worrying about it until it actually happens, but I haven't had any success with that.
I know what it's like to be unemployed. Will that happen again? Will I be jobless by the time I come home tomorrow night? Or what if I make the final cut? Do I celebrate in the presence of other people's misery? What if my friends/co-workers get the boot?
Whoever it is that's reading this, please don't take this as self-pity or anything like that. I'm not saying my struggle is any more or any less significant than yours, but it's a struggle nonetheless. This is real talk. This is Real Life.
But as my co-worker said at lunch today: "whether you live rich or you live poor, you're still living."
Word.
These are rough times that we're living in right now. The economy has gone to absolute shit and people are getting laid off left and right. To say that this is "crazy" is a huge understatement. As much as I would love to work on music full time, it doesn't pay the bills...so I need to have my day job.
It's definitely not my career, but I work as a recruiter (aka headhunter), where day in and day out I'm on the phones with people, trying to find them a job. Yeah, there's some people who get fired b/c they pull some stupid shit (like one guy who got caught sleeping in his car in the middle of his shift. Really?!? C'mon dogg...). But then there's people who've been with their company for 20+ years and are getting let go. As one guy told me last week, "I'm 55 years old. Who's really going to hire me now when they can get someone in their 20's at a lower salary?" These are people who show up to work on time every day, bust their ass, and truly EARN their paychecks. They would've never imagined that it could happen to them, but it is...and it's happening at an alarming rate.
What I've learned from this experience is that no one's job is safe right now. There's no such thing as "job security" these days. Despite all the constant reassurances by the head honcho at work ("don't worry about it guys. Even in this rough economy we're still a billion dollar company"), I can't help but feel real stressed out right now. She called a mandatory meeting at 7:45 tomorrow morning, and we were instructed to reschedule all interviews and client meetings...which I've never heard her request before. On top of that, it just so happens that ALL the other offices in the West region will be conducting the same meeting...at the exact same time.
There's been a lot of speculation going on amongst the co-workers -- and most of it revolves around some major lay offs that are about to take place. As much as I try to stay away from office gossip, this is an all too real possibility and I'm hella trippin' right now. I've been trying to convince myself that there's no point in worrying about it until it actually happens, but I haven't had any success with that.
I know what it's like to be unemployed. Will that happen again? Will I be jobless by the time I come home tomorrow night? Or what if I make the final cut? Do I celebrate in the presence of other people's misery? What if my friends/co-workers get the boot?
Whoever it is that's reading this, please don't take this as self-pity or anything like that. I'm not saying my struggle is any more or any less significant than yours, but it's a struggle nonetheless. This is real talk. This is Real Life.
But as my co-worker said at lunch today: "whether you live rich or you live poor, you're still living."
Word.
I'm baaaack...
Wow, it's been almost a year since I last did something with this blog. I realized that I was still getting more hits on the MySpace page so I reverted back to that format. And although this isn't a popularity contest, I still want people to read it, otherwise I'd just put it in my personal journal. So I decided to give this thing another shot after one of the homies encouraged me to do it. When I told him about my concern with the number of hits, he simply replied, "Just double post on this AND on MySpace." It was that easy.
I just spent a bunch of time formatting this page with fonts, colors, headings, etc. but I'm still not satisfied with it. Oh well...I'll mess with that stuff later and start writing now. But I'll also probably re-post some of my favorite myspace blogs as well.
I just spent a bunch of time formatting this page with fonts, colors, headings, etc. but I'm still not satisfied with it. Oh well...I'll mess with that stuff later and start writing now. But I'll also probably re-post some of my favorite myspace blogs as well.