Read In Your Language

Happy 50th Birthday, Graffiti!

In 1967, some dude in Philly wrote his name on a wall to get a girl's attention. My how this culture has grown up since then.

Taggin Ass City

A historical look at the origins of the 1st element of hip hop in this new documentary. Culture kicks the facts.


A LEGEND amongst legends has passed away in Philadelphia. You should probably know this name if you SAY you love hip hop culture...

The Art Scene: The Fun Gallery

Street Art? New???? Our Big Brother Samo, aka Basquiate and the crew was doin that back in the day in NY, sun. Take peep into the start of a movement.

Da Buze Bruvaz: Hard Liquor

Our favorite rap group is back making that unmistakable hip hop music. Nothin but fire. see if I'm wrong...

Monday, August 29, 2011

Survival Series: The Bag Revisited

Got that bag packed? Since Mother Nature is talking, I figured that I would refresh the memories of what to have on deck just in case...I have that same compass BTW. Eddie Bauer. You might want to know where you're going if you're lost and there's no stars in the sky. You do have a map of where you reside right?

Got this yet? Since last year there are other water filtration bottles out there. The best invention the last 10 years. Lake, sea, river, rain and nasty tap water all can be cleansed to drink.

Lighters get wet. Zippos dry out and have too many working components that need constant updating. A $4 box of matches shown.

Them Jordans ain't gonna work in a flood or torrential storms. Totes and various other shoe companies make these.

In case you don't want rubber overshoes and have boots...gaiters will cover the pant bottoms and keep water or snow from going inside the footwear.

A solar powered, crank-up for power radio with a flashlight. I know you don't expect to turn on a TV or update a Facebook page when ish goes down.

Do you expect that smartphone to work without the data network? Razr phones are highly recommended because they can use an analog or digital network (SIM card phones are the best emergency phones). The best GSM phone made.

You don't have to get this fancy, but a walking stick should be may need to break something or need extra length to grab something vital and not have any leverage. Also good for extra traction if it's slippery. These are @ REI and are retractable.

You can get rain gear anywhere, but I'm using LL Bean as an example. They have Gore-Tex rain wear that is also packable. You don't have to use up space in the bag. Something like a poncho may be good, but there's too much extra fabric to get tangled up on an obtrusion.

They actually have other canned food besides tuna & baked beans. You can try dry preserved food like the military does, but can food doesn't perish either. Some salmon, veggies, and fruit can get you through. Cheap too.

Need something to open the cans with. Multi-tool is the better piece to have, but make sure if you get screwdriver heads, they are consistent with normal screws used. Would hate for you to need to open a vent or window with a metric screw-fitting and it's American sized fittings on you're Leatherman.

And don't play yourself putting all of this in a VIM or Key Food plastic bag. Go get a good knapsack that can at least withstand the elements, and has some good stash space.

All of this stuff can be found in various price ranges so you can place a bag at each spot you visit for lengthy periods of time (the car too). I would also recommend a pair of Oakley-ish sunglasses. A good way to protect the eyes from UV rays & foreign objects/particles. Might wanna throw a hat in the bag too.

Preparation is key to survival.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

He's One of Us!

i may not be the biggest fan of his music, especially his major label shit. i mean, the mixtapes was WAY better. he got a couple of songs thats real forward and creative on them (i think it's the Airplanes joint), and hopefully he gets back to that, so he can show the world that he really got talent. but when i saw this, i knew right away, that the baw is no poser.

High At Most Fear

last night, i was coming from the studio when the hurricane started touchin Philly. i made sure i went thru the buildin makin sure wires n shit was off the floor, takin power lines out of the wall and cappin the electrical sockets. shit, i even took my computers off the floor. 2 Mac G5's? fuck that... i saw a piece of corn in the ash tray and wondered if i should torch that before i left...

Time is Tickin away! the folks at Coca-Cola wanna see your moves!

this is a promotional campaign thats being run by Coke Zero to find who has a real ill dance. they wanna see what people come up with. you can get more info on that from the video.

now this is my take on it....

You're running thru a meadow, when u realize...

its all weed! wouldnt that b some fly shit. look at this as far as the "i" can see, there's all weed plants! its crazy cause, i read in an article that government agensta re claiming that illegal growers are leaving toxic byprodu cts as a part of their harvesting methods. know how to fix that? MAKE IT LEGAL.

boy i bet the air around there smells great. iys probably the only place on the map where the residents are wishing for a brush fire! whole houses empty out, just to catch a breather. inhale. hold. exhale. this is such a nice neighborhood to live in....

this bud's for you...

Sunday, August 21, 2011

You're a hustler? Really?

i dont know if many of you will know who this is. i know you know the name. this is Bernie Madoff, and he made-off like a motha fucka, to the tune of around a billion dollars. I SAID A BILLION DOLLARS. look at him. do you think any lady on the street is gonna clutch her purse when he walks by? but he done took more money than all ur oldheads in every jail u can think of. no gun. he robbed people blind wearin a suit and tie.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Fresh Mix-DJane P. Galore

this is a mix from my homegirl all the way from Greece, DJane Pussy Galore. sis got crazy soul and this mix is crazy fly. she is sooo passionate about music and its infectious. if u listen, u can hear her in it. i can. get ur head noddin to this... shout out to all the mothers... what is life without you? shout out my mother, Pearl, cause i will always love you...

Bgirl Fresh: Door Knockers

  i mean, shit, all thru this little run thru time i been mentionin these, why not go there? big, hollow, overpriced, but still fly as shit was the door knockers, also known as bamboo earings. i heard door knockers more in NY and Bamboo more in Philly. it didnt matter where. the ladies always looked right in these. jeans or skirt didnt really make a difference. it was always fresh.

Bboy Salute: The Slow Drag

there used to be a time when you could go to a spot n hear some new music, cause the DJ used to break the records, not the program director at the radio station. the dj used to put on a show for you, cause he always had an emcee that he travelled with, who would rap. then he'd have a moment when he would just cut it up for you. in the world of music, this is called a solo, and i'd rather call it that cause djs were musicians of a different sort. the in the middle of all of this, THIS SONG WOULD COME ON.....

Bgirl Fresh: Laura Biagiatti

only the flyest chicks rocked these...

the other day i dropped the post about the EK's. my man RASAD saw it on Facebook and immediately shouted these out. and it didnt surprise me that he knew the deal. cause of u ever messed with fly girls, you saw they style. you know these things.

this used to be the route for the ladies without a shadow of a doubt. these wit the bob cut, the door knockers, the shearlings, turtleneck underneath with some stone wash Guess. to quote Edith Bunker, those were the days.

id also like to point out that these low rise jeans u black n Latino women are wearin is totally destroyin the ass factor. yall used to look better in those full rise denims. cause yall got the ass to fill em. not being crude. thats just real talk.

today i saw a female in some sweats with some oversized AF1s and the ugliest, brightest shirt in the world. n she was cute. in the face. i mean, females got ol heads too. go holla at 'em. ask them how they used to get fresh.

bgirl fresh.

bboy cult.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Bgirl Fresh: Emmanuel Khan (EK's)

peep the snakeskin around the top. u caant see it, but they were also wrapped around the  handles on the sides...
this was the ill eyewear for the ladies! i mean some dudes wore em, but i always thought they was fresh for the ladies. and boy did they rock 'em!

they came in a number of colors, but these was the ones that i always thought was fresh. and the black. and these chicks think they brand new wit the supa star shades. ha! these was BEFORE  Salt n Pepa...

these shits would b fresh today. but where is the chicks that really style tho? u barely see em in the street anymore. it seems like u only see them in a video or an industry party. and then they was styled by a professional. yall used to be so fly. just walkin down the street. some of yall still are. but i think yall need to get off the swag, and get back to the flavor. cause flavor is IN the meat... not on it...

keep yours fresh.

bgirl fresh.

bboy cult.

Bgirl Fresh: Aigner

i could not find a picture of the sneakers. the girls used to be so fly in these...

if u used to date a fly chick, then u probably heard of this by default. fly girls was wearin the bags, some clothing and especially the sneaks that this designer made. as i recall, they was a cream color and they was tuff. there was a girl in my brother's class who was gorgeous, and fly, and of course i fucked up on her. but she used to rock shit like this. she was a SouthWest Philly thorobred redbone. that used to be a special breed of woman all its own, and i've travelled enuff to make a fair assesment. and they dont exist no more.

the ladies used to be neat in their appearance and well taken care of. while i see that now adays, these lil chicks b loud and unruly, tryin to be gangster. girls back those times was tryin to be thoro. and they did the damn thing. shout out Overbrook High. 

ladies need to get back to that. it seems yall wanna dress like strippers and blame us for treatin u like it...

get fresh.

bgirl fresh.

bboy cult.

Monday, August 15, 2011

We Reminisce Over: Case 2,TFP, a REAL Hip Hop Legend...

 for those that might not know, this picture is of the immortal CASE 2 (left, with the Cortez Nikes i  blogged about earlier last month), another 70s legend and whole car master, BUTCH, and the skinny dude is DEZ, who yall probably best know as DJ Kay Slay, from Hot 97, NYC

for those of you who like rap music, may not understand what this post is about. this post is about a true pioneer in the culture of Hip Hop, a graffiti artist by the name of CASE (sometimes KASE) 2.

for me, growing up on a steady diet of graff from my older cousin CRASH from Philly, i was introduced to the whole style of it before i saw him in the movie. the movie i'm speakin about is "Style Wars" and it changed my life forever.

Bgirl Fresh: Reebok Freestyle (for the ladies)

why you dont buy me Reeboks no more?
these was those things! i mean, it should tell u how fly these joints was cause the chicks was willin to lay it out for you for a pair. i searched for a picture of red ones, which i think was the most popular color besides white, but i couldnt find one. they came in all them saucy colors, and females was fly in em wit the door knockers and the bob cuts. you know, back when girls LIKED lookin like girls.

Branding Like a Muh Fu¢_a...

white girl mob?
 its a different day and time, homeboy. i always be a lil caught off guard from where i see white people now a days. and sometimes im impressed at the heart it takes to b where i see em. other times im really doin the knowledge like, this aint the hood that it used to be either. a lot done changed since the crack game. even a lot of peoples addresses.

all this talk about V-Nasty got me thinkin, like, is it really ok to drop the dreaded N-Word out the mouths of the white folk? but then i couldnt help but notice all of the other shit we done sold em. obviously in the process, a disclaimer wasnt clearly printed on the label.

Friday, August 12, 2011


this is just a small video of an event i used to throw called "Secret Society". it was a real, underground, dirty, graff heads, bboy, bbgirls, breakers, thugs, whatever, that came to experience some real Beat Street shit. we took a warehouse and turned it into a bboys paradise, wit a live dj, performances, all that. we tryin to go bigger.

we got a few ideas in the works. the continuation of Secret Society, or a more prolific festival called "Survivor Series", where the whole primise of that is an ill outdoor excursion, fixed to live performances, set in a real rugged environment in Oregon, a smokers paradise. get ur mountain gear out for this one. expose ur Timbs for the boot they are NOT...

anyways, we need ur help.

DONATE!!! the button is in the right column at the top and will stay there as we try to move forward. donate a dollar or ten. it'll all go into a next event sometime next year. grow wit us. no pun intended...

Thursday, August 11, 2011

In The Crates: Who used this?

this for the homie DV. made me feel bad last time when i dropped the last selection, like i wasnt diggn. ok, homie, lets see how deep the hip hop knowledge run, since u seem to be a knowledgeable brotha. 2 right answers. ready and.....GO!

i bet they missin the drug game now

its raining fear! these mothafuckas is scared! the markets takes a dip, then gets back up, to slide a lil bit. they out there playin wit it. they out there bettin that this thing will recover. a lot of money is bettin on the fact that the thing will FAIL.

all i hear is all these people talkin bout how hard the economy is, but Wayne and Drake gettin it in the mills (thought i was goin somewhere else?) ... officer Ricky saw close to 6 million dollars this past year. Shoulder Boy (the nigga skinny, yo) buyn jets. (im sure its financed. but its still a JET.) its money out here somewhere. and as usual its all about where u pitch ur tent, and where you start diggin. back in the day i used to pitch my tent on the corners. we used to eat, mayne.

all of this made me think about how much of an impact we used to have on the economy. nobody stops to think that all this credit they give Reagan should go to Oliver North n them for droppin aww dat coke in the hood. i mean, we used to eat at the neighborhood spots (the good ones. shout out Freddy n Tony's), n shop at the local shops. shit, some of us used to buy clothes everyday, if not almost everyday, and then at least a couple times a week. the car lots loved us (we wasnt hip to credit. niggas BOUGHT cars them times), landlords loved us. we rented car garages, apartments, sometimes rented apartments for side jawn and everything. we bought houses and other real estate (hair salons for the wifey, and to help clean up the money, neighborhood bars- shout out Ed Lover, barber shops, etc.). we stayed with steaks n lobsters in the fridge (specially me cause i used to take food stamps all day. shiiiiiit...). we bought massive amounts of toys for our seeds for Xmas and birthdays, rented dancehalls and clubs for celebrations and birthdays, banquet halls for sweet 16s. dont even start on jewelry. we over-payed for that. and didnt give a fuck. we paid top dollar for car audio and the install guys. custom paint jobs, double rear axles (shout out to Gus, 6th n Eerie), cars with hydraulics and redone interiors. we bought furniture, dining sets, big tvs, VCRs (thats was hi tech then), cell phones, pagers, video games.
we bought all that shit from people WHO WERE NOT DRUG DEALERS. so it seems a lot of people besides us ate off of the drug game. but we the only ones that went to jail for it.

i know its a lot of vendors out there who remember. i watched a lot of em go out of business when we did. they never thanked us for makin them rich. all they did was talk about how drugs in the community needed to stop. but they never stopped takin our money.

im not advocating that dudes should sell drugs again. thats silly. its not a good business anymore. the risk doesnt meet the return. what im sayin is, in the midst of all this mess, all of this uncertainty....

i bet they miss us.

now air it out...

Super Congress??? No Cape?

well, as far back as i can remember, bboys was concious. Bambatta, an ex-gang leader of The Black Spades, was the 1st to implement awareness into his parties in Bronx River Projects that gave way to Melle Mel, a 5 Percenter, to write concious songs like "The Message" very early in hip hop's presentation to the masses.

if u are not concious in these days and times, then u are plugged in to the machine that feeds you, yet keeps you sleep. if any of you think that the dollar will not crash, and that we will be issued a new currency called the Amero (like the Euro) by the world bank, The Federal Reserve, (sometimes called the IMF) then u are about to get caught sleepwalkin. and u think they aint got they hand in shit around the planet? the Chinese Central Bank is located in Taipei, Taiwan, on ROOSEVELT Rd. ROOSEVELT RD.!?!?!? in Taiwan???? just like a lot of record labels are located in the ROCKEFELLER building. sheesh...

this super congress is nothing more than another Council Of 13, and one more step in takin away all your rights. and aybody was happy for its formation. its like Padmay says in the Clone Wars:"This is how democracy ends... to the sound of thunderous applause." she wasnt kiddin. cause these people will make the policies that govern your everyday living, regardless if you want em or not. make no mistake, this country is under the control OF A FOREIGN POWER, that is systematically takin away ur rights. YOU are the king (sovereign) of this nation, and all power lies with you. but all you do is lie down.

look at the pyramid above cause itll shed some light on the power structure. look at how much of that shit is already in place. after the dollar crash, the amero will be issued as the currency of the North American Union, which will END the Constitution, cause there will be no more America. no more right to bear arms, or freedom of speech. this super state (like the super congress, or uber congress, a term Hitler used), along with the others being formed (the European Union, the African Union, The Asian Union) which all has 1 president for all the nations in them. so you'll have 5 or 6 leader answering to 1 man, the Emperor of the World, reigning over his New World Order. think not?

unplug and look around you.

or do what you usually do, and be happy that we'll have a regular football season...

recommended reading:

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Bboy Salute: Led Zeppelin

you see the fallen angel? you think Jay n 'em was on this shit first?
if you aint hip, get hip. cause this is one of the greatest rock groups of all time. these dudes was takin down Beatles records for concert attendance and sales back when they were out at the same time. these dudes, along wit Ozzy n Blac Sabbath defined the hard rock/classic rock sound of the 70s.

but they get props over here cause a bunch of hteir records was early break beats. you hear the hard drums in this joint? it was the sound of rock music and funk and disco that went into the sound of early hip hop music. thats what made dudes like Bambatta and Flash so respected cause these dudes played music from all over the world. it was shit like this that made it easdy for white opeople to have a frame of reference to associate with hip hop on a personal klevel. cause while the residents of Bronx river Projects just heard a bangin beat, the white people heard Billy Squire, Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin. that helped the culture to grow.

but its unmistakable. the music is powerful. it deserves its place in history. and if u aint fully hip on these dudes, get to know em. n the next time u go pick up a white girl (a real one) riockin this shit, watch her eyes get wide and her jaw get loose for a man thats more than what he seems on the surface...

OG Stripes Ch.1 - Thirstin Howl

i know if yall bang wit me regular, yall hear me speak on LO-Lifes quite frequently, specially cause one of the founders, B-Bill, (RIP) was my homeboy. this dude, Thirstin Howl is better know to us as Vic-Lo, also one of the originators of the now worldwide crew. as Thirstin Howl, sun been grindin on the underground for quite a minute. i caught this joint and had to post it cause the breakdown on the history of shit is accurate AND flavorful. if u go back wit hip hop far enuff, this joint will touch u like it touched me.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Bboy Fresh: Benetton

this was that shit! when the hood was breakin out of converse sneaks, and Nike was startin to be the brand of choice, when casual took over the suit wearin players of yesteryear, this was one of the brands we turned to make sure it was known and understood that we were fly. Benetton was a favorite of guys and girls alike and we looked fly in it. the buckets were crazy. this was one of the brands that we helped to establish. they started doin some wack shit after a while, and when the Polo came in full force it was a wrap. 

this is for those that had flavor. i cant really dedicate to those wit swag. cause swag is on the surface. flavor is IN the meat! where u at wit urs?

bboy fresh.

bboy cult.


Watch The Throne Snippets... whachu think?

J.Cole-Any Given Sunday EP download v2

For the record, these are not mixtapes, not EP’s either. I wake up on Sunday’s and I decide what songs I want to let out or rerelease for yall. You’ve been so patient for 2 YEARS! I think you deserve some insight and unreleased music.

Tracklist and download link below.

1. Bring Em’ In- Made this in ATL during the “single hunt” phase. Even though it wasn’t a single and won’t make the album, I love this shit!

2. Roll Call- Just some real shit. Venting

3. Be Freestyle- “Put on for my city like my favorite jacket… “man, you gon’ where that every got damn night??”.. “know what I paid for this shit?? bitch, you got damn right!!”


get it here.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Imma Go Wit The Big Homie On This One...

im sure by now, most of yall know who Warren Buffet is. he's the owner of Berkshire/Hathaway, one of , if not the largest investment firm in the world. he is consistently ranked in the top 3 of the world's richest men, even tho he lives in an $80,000 house. you gotta love that. well, being as tho my man is worth somewhere around 45 BILLION dollars. thats what he's worth, not his company. old head got chips.

everywhere, you hear all this talk about the downgrading of the nation's credit rating. and a couple of my homies is all worried, like damn, the end cometh! i'm like be cool and let me kick some facts to you.

1st off, the firm Standard and Poor that issued the rating, is a PRIVATE company. that means that their opinion is based on independent data and that company is privy to all of the prejudices of it's owners, McGraw-Hill, the publlishing company. what most dont know is that they also own Jana Partners, which invests in US public equity markets and bonds. a downgrade of the credit rating makes it easier for the hedge fund to buy bonds should it want to, but most hedge funds bet that COMPANIES WILL ACTUALLY FAIL. make no mistake, hedge funds are a TRILLION dollar industry, and growing by 20% over last year. so the company that actually reported to the public that the company called the United States (you didnt know? why do think we have a president and not a king? the shit thatll ring ur bell is if u find out who he's working for) is on its way to failing, is actually takin bets in the backroom THAT IT WILL FAIL. dont hate the player... thats like being at the track knowing what horse will lose, publicly wishing that it wont, while takin bets that it will! this shit is legal, folks...

so in situations like this (shit, most for that matter) i cant fuck wit the news. imma ride wit OG Warren Loc. cause my man knows where the money is. and where it aint. and he knows that Standard and Poor is only one of 3 credit rating agencies for companies the size of the United States. and YOU know, that if u look bad on Equifax, you might look pretty good Experian or Trans Union. they dont even report the same shit all the time. same wit them. theres 2 other agencies that still need to weigh in on the nations credit standing. they can still get financing. Uncle Sam can still get that Cadillac.

whats wild is, the push is to qualify for a bank THAT IS NOT A PART OF THE UNITED STATES. the constitution gives Congress the right to print money for THIS country. after the Great Depression (which was caused by similar financial practices) the 'government' gave that power to a foreign entity, The Federal Reserve, which is as about as much a government agency as Federal Express. there was no such thing as a US citizen until then. because the government in Washington DC was made to be like a board of review, and each state is the issuing power on behalf of the SOVEREIGN (king) of America, THE PEOPLE. but their power was traded in order to recieve welfare during the Great Depression! Jacob got Esau again! after that, you have a United States citizen, and not the sovereign citizen of the state, who was reduced to a WARD of the state. this is why your children can get taken from you, YOU are responsible to pay back this debt, and 'your' car can be TAKEN from you if u fail to pay fines for driving on a road. none of it is YOURS! and all of us have signed those papers at the time of our children's birth which in effect made a contract to place our children in this position. we are the collateral that the United States Corporation uses to guarantee the payback of loans, which gives that corporation the excellent credit rating that so many are so concerned about it. aint that a bitch...

it aint planking. its banking. either way, its face down, ass up.

Recommended reading:

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Bboy Salute: The Millennium Falcon

who needs rims?

i dare one of yall to act like you wasnt wit it! Star Wars???? Whatt????? man, there wasnt a cooler movie for years, sun, like 20, that could fuck wit this. seriously. that movie was The Matrix. as an adult, i totally agree with the belief of the Jedi. there really IS a force that exists in center of atoms in smallest particles called quarks that cause these atoms to behave in a certain way, to attract to certain other atoms to make molecules to make substances that make our reality. the force, sun. we used to study it as a dimension of mind called magnetic. hold me $yk! im bout to go in on 'em!

there was also a portion of my adulthood that i believed in the religion of Han Solo as well. i wouldnt move if it wadnt for profit. now, i'll barter witchu. back then? if we had to make the run, i need a reliable pistol, a raw, down ass nigga who didnt cut his hair, usually a dread (what up $yk!), and a fly ass whip. i think all of that stemmed from this shit right here.

my mom couldnt afford one of these. so i made one out of cardboard,
popsicle sticks n plastic.  tru story.
you aint have one of these? i bet u wanted one. and i dont care what universe, what sector of the motherfuckin galaxy, there aint a spaceship flyer than the Falcon. even tho them joints Starbuck n Apollo used to whip was the ill shit (complete with the helmets that paid homage to the original man), they still cant compete. dont talk about no x wing fighter, no Micronauts, go to hell wit the Enterprise, the joint wit the wave motion gunn (altho that jawn WAS tuff!), Gam n his dad, Padmay's platinum space rider, NONE of that shit is fuckin with the fastest ship in the galaxy.

on some real shit, i be thinkin that the background to this site is really
me n $yk comin in from the Delta quadrant and i took a picture before we landed....
seriously... we MUST use hyperdrive... we light years ahead of these other bloggers...



Double Black

these joints are ill! i told yall that i fucks wit the dunks and this is why! i got a few marketing initiatives on deck, or i'd cop these shits right now! now imagine these joints with that black Marmot bubble i featured the other day. SICKNIN! then id murder you with an old school Carhart hat on top of that! sun i had crazy visions...

wheeeew weeee! these joints is mean. aint nobody in the hood floatin around like this! they might after this tho. n i hope Nike rewards me n my man wit this new influence in this market. you could rock these wit a pair of slacks. like them 'Lo twill joints that stay still when pressed. u could fancy or chill wit the top, like a business collar shirt, or a soft polo shirt from anybody, not just Ralphy. remember, Eddie Bauer make some nice polos too. good cotton. lays well. they actually got the ill accents, like the shirts you'd rock underneath shit; the thermals, the long sleeve tees, knit shirts, shit like that. these would LAY wit some shit like that.

 $yk, we might have to start stylin a coupla these niggas...seriously...

One way Ticket!

this some funny shit! and even tho i would never wish jail on nobody, i can, as a single dad with no help from my daugher's mother side (i dont need it. but thats the shit that women spend all day callin men triflin over. and they all women...), i dont feel no remorse for none of 'em. i was glad that they had the female on the list to show it wasnt a bias. cause when i was goin thru processes to get my daughter squared away, people was lookin at me funny cause i was a MAN takin the proper measures against a woman (maybe i should say female) that ran out on her daughter for a year, the FIRST year of her life. (my daughter is almost 3.) like i shoulda beat her ass or somethin instead of doin the right thing. well it was good to see them slap them cuffs on a chick. it seems like they always just down on the fellas.

anyways, this shit was funny...

and shout out to my sister, Mary, who is ALWAYS there for me and my daughter. she's every bit the woman that my mother was.

We Outta Here!!!

Mexican gangstas made THE WHOLE POLICE FORCE QUIT. now you tell me who really ridin.

it used to b a time when police was scared to come in the hood. now they RUN the place. and dudes run from em. thats gangsta?

THIS is gangsta....

Friday, August 5, 2011

Since we brought it up....

this is one of my joints from back in the day. DEN also DENSKE, WAB,ATP,TUK. i did this on the Amtrak train traks that lead into 30th St. Station here in Philly, in the dark. illegal shit. this piece actually made it into the graf movie 'Infamy", produced by QD3. i had a lil interview in there while they was interviewin my homeboy, NM, who was doin his thing at the time. i was maybe a year or two home from a 5 year bid when the interview took place. regardless, graff is my 1st love, and the 1st element of hip hop. and to all of you that probably dont know, graffiti actually started in Philly. shocked? didnt know that? i'll build on that another day...
look at this shit! this is North Philly baby! its a way of life out here!

Thurz-"Riot" feat: Black Thought

THURZ "RIOT" ft. BLACK THOUGHT (prod. DJ Khalil) by #92CREW
this is a joint i seen floatin on the web and had to post it. it's produced by DJ Khalil and it's NASTY. the baw Black Thought is NOT the dude you let go first. you have so many pieces to pick up afterward. dont think so? check it for yourself...

LETS HEAR IT FOR THE BOYS (repost, orig: Feb 26,2010)

pictured at left is the legendary Les Paul, the inventor of multi-tracking. he may be more known for his solid body electric guitar, but make no mistake, this is what makes him important to modern music for all of us. he is pictured here with his original eight track board built by Ampex in the 50's. there is no Hank Shocklee without Les Paul...

the other day i was watching a documentary on the copyright issues sorrounding sampling. it was a good documentary, covering a lot of ground that has to do with a lot of today's problems. they had one particular part about Clyde Stubblefield, "The Original Funky Drummer". he was the dude responsible for the drum beat we all know too well, "The Funky Drummer". he was a part of the James Brown band and responsible for the bangin beats behind "Cold Sweat", "I Can't Stand It", and the bonafide bboy classic and one of my favorite records of all time, "Give It Up Or Turn It Loose" (with the notable performance of Bootsy Collins on bass. a lot of greats have palyed with james Brown, even Jimi Hendrix). but as talented as a drummer as he is, and he is a virtual human metronome (i mean, listen to the man hold the tempo and pattern of a complicated drum pattern for FIVE, sometimes EIGHT MINUTES), he alone is not what makes these records the classics that they are. we got to give it to the engineers that sculpted and crafted the sound.

Clyde gave a demonstration of the pattern from "The Funky Drummer" on a set drums sitting in a room. needless to say, altho' i recognized the pattern, that was NOT the Funky Drummer i sampled with my first Gemini sampler. then, as an engineer myself, it dawned on me that he will never be able to perform that song, except in context with the band. maybe i should say, he can never perform that break. that break is equally the product of compression, reverb, eq and limiting and the particular inexactness of analog machinery that imparts a particular character to whats being run thru it. altho it's technically called "distortion", it is a distortion that happens in the harmonics of the music. as a result, it actually makes it more spacious. so it's a desired distortion, unlike the mathematical certitude of digital audio. that certainty is digital audio's strength. and it's weakness.

it's this same exactness that makes today's rock music so bland. John Bonham would not have been as revered a drummer with today's tools. cause today's tools would make his set just sound like drums, instead of the sonic experience that is the opening of "When The Levy Breaks" or the atmosphere created in songs like "Cashmir". without the extreme compression, Billy Squire's "Big Beat" would just be a drum loop and not the powerful 20 or 30 seconds of historical relevance that it is. The Incredible Bongo Band's "Apache" would not have even come close to being the classic that it is without the heavy tin pan reverb unit that made it so powerful. one of the reasons (aside from the complete lack of imagination) that characterizes the #FAIL of modern rock groups, is that they all sound like they are part of the same band. thats because the equipment nowadays is SO good. but make no mistake, the legendary rock bands, although they had bangin songs, are revered by music lovers, DJs and samplers alike for the sonic character of those songs. and that is ALL thanks to the engineer, the mixing and the mastering ones alike.

if you saw the movie "Ray", there's a part when the announcer is bringin on Ray's song and sayin, the record with "that sound". that sound was the bottom end, expertly moved to a more prominent position in the mix by the great Tommy Dowd. the low end was later refined and made to really carry by one Osbourne Ruddock, known as the genius and creator of dub reggae, King Tubby. it is his invention of 'version' (what we would now call a remix or instrumental) and his ability to mix in large amounts of bass (a very tricky, technical feat due to the nature of vinyl records) are both main principles in the sound and style of hip hop music. it becomes even more important when we realize that this is the childhood music of Clive Campbell, aka the godfather of hip hop, DJ Kool Herc, who brought with him that influence to America. it was his version of the sound set that characterized the parties at Sedgewick Ave. in the Bronx that became the jump start point of the culture. a powerful influence carried to America because of the work of an ENGINEER from Jamaica.

it's always those behind the scenes that never get their just due. but how can we say the engineer is behind the scenes when his work is center stage alongside the performer? in most cases, it is the engineer that MAKES said performer sound good. (think anyone you can think of that sound great on a record but sounds like shit on stage). and give him his credit. see, he is the reason no one likes your demos. thats cause he aint touched it yet....

Thursday, August 4, 2011

In The Crates: Who Used This?

classic shit. and dude is an all time legend. they just dont come like this no more. not soundin this much like a man. baw sang, "i swear by my blood, one day your heartache will stop". damn! thats some real man shit. tragic life. come to think of it, his life would make an ill biopic. $yk, we might have to start takin some script writin classes. shit, my oldheads in Cali now... (shout out CEE67)...

Strike A Pose®

i'm a graffiti writer. a real one. i went to the top of the game in Philly and am considered one of the all time best here. i didnt say that to prop myself. only to say that when i speak on alternative culture, i come from an informed place. a lot of the graff writers were also avid skaters and the worlds overlapped seamlessly. now in North Philly, you have to understand that a lot of the graff writers during a certain period were all street dudes. if u met a drug dealer on the street and asked him his name, he'd tell you the name he tagged on the walls. the corners and the drug crews were also well know graff writers. ATT, FAN 1, TUK(where i'm from), DSP, OKC, all that. i mean major shit. my man Chicago (bless the dead) was a part of an organization that grossed a million dollars a month, on 3rd n Diamond St. but he was an all city graff writer, subway tunnels and all. this North Philly life is special, mayn.

from fuckin wit the skaters, i know that they was all about skatin the streets, gettin chased by security and in some instances the cops and skatin and doin the illest tricks in the illest spots. they had they skate parks n what have you, but the best ones was the ones they made theyselves or one of they weed/shroom/acid sellin homeboys made. they fucked with real hip hop, punk, rock (none of that hair band shit) and funk. shit, it was a white dude who turned me on to Paliament. not Parliament/Funkadelic, cause thats different. i mean that Cosmic Slop shit. (shout out to Espo). and they absolutely despised wannabes of any type. specially those that tried to claim skater without no real experience in the streets, thrashin and grindin. they called them posers.

look at this dude....
this is the same dude who was wit Katie Couric claimin gangsta last year. "I'm a gangsta Ms. Katie!" its all about drugs n guns. this year, he's on skateboards and wearin skate clothes. where's the soo woo and all that? i remember this one dude who i was on federal hold in the county with from LA had told me what that LA is like. he was tellin me at that time ('94) that the gang shit wasnt like the old school shit, n that in some instances, tho it was rare then, that the colors blended. then when i saw 40 Glocc gettin at Wayne talkin bout 'look at this nigga stirrin up shit', n he went on to say how they worked hard out there to bring that bangin on colors shit to a minimum, (maybe my man Tony Grands can speak on it), i understand what he meant, cause i heard a real LA g speak on it years earlier. (shout out my man. cant remember his name. we used to call him LA. what else?) and when Wayne was confronted by a Crip, ready to bang, he stayed in the truck. i know yall saw the video on YouTube. POSER. they always fuckin up shit this way.

what im surprised by is that i dont (and admittedly didnt put much research in) hear many of the hardcore skaters speakin out on this shit. i mean, i saw Jadakiss wit a skateboard, and i laughed myself silly. i mean these dudes lookin to infiltrate markets. they will put them boards down when its not hot anymore. me n my graff crew, WAB 1, basically brought graffiti out of obscurity in Philly. we was gettin so busy when nobody else was, that we brought the whole scene back to the forefront. so i dont see why real skaters aint speakin on it. i mean on one hand it helps the skate culture grow. but does it need to grow like that? a SKATER cant help the skate culture grow? i have no doubt that Pharrell was really a skate dude. he looks like one without tryin. but these dudes nowadays are all tryin to dress like Travis Barker! i mean, they really geein his whole style! and it's cool? so they can do this to you?
sell you shit that YOU should be sellin to them?

as a person who put the time in in this street culture, as an active participant and one in the crowd, i could never disrespect the skate world, the punk rockers, the dub world or none of that tryin to be that just cause its popular. i like skaters, (i still rock SB dunks. nigga be drugged in the hood when i come thru) always did, but u wont catch my fat ass tryin to do no aerials or no lip tricks. i like punk shit. my friend Santigold started out doin strait punk. but i aint rockin spikes n Doc Martins. i LOVE dub. shit, im down wit everything associated wit that. id probably do my spin on all these things as a tribute to them. but i'd never try to pretend i was somethin im not. i'm no poser. its one 'l' away from 'loser'.

now air it out...

Bboy Fresh: Marmot

this joint is ill! down filled and guaranteed to keep you warm up to 8000m above sea level! feel that! thats mountain climbin shit!

Time to do it to yall again. let ur boy put u up on game. this is another one of those winter lines i was speakin on in this post. this is some real stay warm, dry, and dry from ur own body heat (these jackets are made of breathable fabrics and are cleverly ventilated). Spyder is more ski apparrel. this shit is for tackling mountains. what street corner can conquer this shit? AND they fly. peep game....
black bubble is mean. this that smooth fly shit. look at the zippers on the pockets. helpful for not losing your stuff on the way to the summit. that might also b helpful on the train...

now this is a backpack, sun! this shit will hold almost 80 pounds of gear. comfortably. u gotta hit this wit the ginsu to rip this.
don't sleep. this shell is rated to keep you warm between 38º- 32º with no problem. that Bear bubble could just fuck wit that. that Nautica bubble could do that. this lil joint can do what they could do easy. feel that. and the colors is sick. construction Timbs wit these? easy smoothie do. or any one of these, if ur fly guy is on full tilt...
or catch it in black if ur fly guy is NOT on full tilt...
i really gotta elaborate? San Francisco Giants hat? Baltimore Orioles? vintage St. Louis Browns fitted? (the old Mitchell n Ness joints used to b real ol skool lookin wool. absolutely ill in the winter)

do i? or maybe i should, cause i know a coupla u dudes sittin there thinkin bout those cheap lookin black Timbs wit this shit. n u know what? this shit will make them shits look fly. until they get scratched and look like plastic Barbie shoes. i mean damn fam, its hard to fuck this one up.

get hip to some next shit. get out of that routine, sun. get on some bboy shit.

bboy fresh.

bboy cult.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Twitter Delicious Facebook Digg Stumbleupon Favorites More