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.

The games we play...

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.

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?!?!

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)

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.

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.