I'd venture to say that we are indeed late...
So, here's my story...
Indeed it has been a while. A multitude of stresses, events, occurrences, losses, gains...as long as I have the hands by which to type, these shall be told. It's way too often that I find myself caught up in the back and forth motion of days, sometimes forgetting to do something so simple as eat, or even sleep. Some people have seen me often, and others have seen me after absences of weeks, perhaps months. Rest assured...I am alive...in a sense. These energies that spring onto this "page" are a sign of life, as well as a sign on breathing, as writing in this manner gives me a chance to exhale for once, as opposed to sitting down to take everything in...
So, what's new? A haircut or two...some new kicks...and some good progress.
Business is something that I am accustomed to handling. Of course. Being collegiate in any sense, I believe, means that at some point you must st yourself down, and take stock of all you have to do, and all that you can accomplish. If you do not, you find yourself in one of two places: procrastinating or falling behind. Mind you, I have done, and still do, both...and quite well, actually. However, it isn't something regular. I've found my shares of criticism concerning my activities, and how I conduct my business. Some people have said I seem lazy...but I accomplish so that I have time to do so. The ground fact of things is that if you sit down, and take care of shit when it needs to be done, then the time you have, however small or expansive, becomes yours to use as you see fit.
So...what have I been doing all this time?
The album is done. Finally. Hoo-fucking-ray. For those of you that don't understand why I'm honestly taking this option to exhale after so long, I'll explain. I have a hangup about being a musician...when I take the time to listen these days, I find that a lot of musicians don't adhere themselves to their craft. Of course, technically...it's usually sound: mixing, tuning, vocals...the whole nine yards. But, my ears sting sometimes when I hear what sounds to me like minimal effort with maximum result. The idea of music is not only to create something people can enjoy, but to create something that you yourself, as the musician, are proud of. Ass tracks and crunk music has its place...granted...but, even it can be done astoundingly well. Being the underground head that I am, I still have to admit that someone like Paul Wall is one of the best Crunk musicians out here...he absorbs himself to tracks, and moves with the music.
As for myself...I try to do much the same. But, there's a slight hangup.
If the song doesn't feel right...I trash it. Plain and simple. I want the kind of music where you know in your heart whom you're making it for, as well as what you're looking to get across to them. You not only hold who listens, but you can pull in other listeners this way. This is the bane of my musical existence. I've honestly written 2 or 3 albums, only one of which has been kept...and even that album has been partially re-written multiple times, because it didn't feel right. I wrote this album 6 times...and each of the 5 previous were literally tossed in a fire before it was recorded. That's how important this is to me...especially with hip-hop. It is the honest truth that every MC is a microphone hero to someone...it means that you will have their undivided attention for the entirety of the track...beat, lyrics, punchlines, references...every iota of boom and bap that you cram into the song, they're riding with you.
I don't know if I hold that role for anyone..and if I do, then all this effort is for them. You can call it obsessive-compulsive...and I wouldn't argue with you. Even as this album was written, and recorded..there was the temptation inside of me to just scrap it..delete everything because it didn't feel quite right. I want the listener..not for praise, accolades, etc..I want the listener for the sole purpose of potentially changing what they think about hip-hop. Something that I love so much, and that got me more excited about things I already loved, and expanded my horizons farther than my parents did...
I want this to be perfect for anyone that listens. I want them to hear me speaking for anything but a sale. To get them to listen, to hold their ears, to make them smile, laugh, cry. I want to give people good music that I made.
And hopefully...this time, I've done it right.
Otherwise, business has been a flurry of assignment...school, of course...and new opportunity. Somehow or another, I landed myself a radio gig.
WPGU is the big station on campus, owned by the university, but maintained and show-hosted by students. Specialty shows have been a hit or miss on the station for a long time, but found their niche my freshman year...and they were genuinely good. Hosts knew shitloads about their music, and some very good rarities were played. Flash-forward to a new year, and a position is open. The College of Communications contacts me, and tells me that the grad student that helps run WPGU wants to see me, about hosting the underground hip-hop show on there...and host it with DJ Ikarus, a buddy of mine, who went to high school with me.
The opportunity itself was a surprise. The equipment was intimidating...given the fact that the shit breaks every other week...mind you, they're building a new, futuristic station as we speak. But, in the end...it's the same policy as my own music: give something to the listener. So, this gives me a chance to bring in every obscure factoid, historical element, and iota of knowledge that I know about sampled material, crews, artists, projects, and production to a professional testing ground...and it goes well. Calls flood in: requests, compliments, and debates...it really makes me wish that the university had specific majors for broadcast, especially radio...as opposed to the blanket journalism of print vs. TV that they possess.
Productivity comes with stress, of course...but as long as I have an outlet...I'll take the stress.
Shameless self-promotion: If you want to listen to the show...you can go to http://www.wpgu.com. My show is on Fridays, from 10-11 PM, and can be streamed over THE INTARWEB...also, if you're interested in the album, or the last of its progress (getting a copy in about 3 weeks, when things are done...etc.), you can go to http://www.agentmos.com. The site should be done in a week or two.
For now...I'm off for coffee...and paper planning. Peace.
Indeed it has been a while. A multitude of stresses, events, occurrences, losses, gains...as long as I have the hands by which to type, these shall be told. It's way too often that I find myself caught up in the back and forth motion of days, sometimes forgetting to do something so simple as eat, or even sleep. Some people have seen me often, and others have seen me after absences of weeks, perhaps months. Rest assured...I am alive...in a sense. These energies that spring onto this "page" are a sign of life, as well as a sign on breathing, as writing in this manner gives me a chance to exhale for once, as opposed to sitting down to take everything in...
So, what's new? A haircut or two...some new kicks...and some good progress.
Business is something that I am accustomed to handling. Of course. Being collegiate in any sense, I believe, means that at some point you must st yourself down, and take stock of all you have to do, and all that you can accomplish. If you do not, you find yourself in one of two places: procrastinating or falling behind. Mind you, I have done, and still do, both...and quite well, actually. However, it isn't something regular. I've found my shares of criticism concerning my activities, and how I conduct my business. Some people have said I seem lazy...but I accomplish so that I have time to do so. The ground fact of things is that if you sit down, and take care of shit when it needs to be done, then the time you have, however small or expansive, becomes yours to use as you see fit.
So...what have I been doing all this time?
The album is done. Finally. Hoo-fucking-ray. For those of you that don't understand why I'm honestly taking this option to exhale after so long, I'll explain. I have a hangup about being a musician...when I take the time to listen these days, I find that a lot of musicians don't adhere themselves to their craft. Of course, technically...it's usually sound: mixing, tuning, vocals...the whole nine yards. But, my ears sting sometimes when I hear what sounds to me like minimal effort with maximum result. The idea of music is not only to create something people can enjoy, but to create something that you yourself, as the musician, are proud of. Ass tracks and crunk music has its place...granted...but, even it can be done astoundingly well. Being the underground head that I am, I still have to admit that someone like Paul Wall is one of the best Crunk musicians out here...he absorbs himself to tracks, and moves with the music.
As for myself...I try to do much the same. But, there's a slight hangup.
If the song doesn't feel right...I trash it. Plain and simple. I want the kind of music where you know in your heart whom you're making it for, as well as what you're looking to get across to them. You not only hold who listens, but you can pull in other listeners this way. This is the bane of my musical existence. I've honestly written 2 or 3 albums, only one of which has been kept...and even that album has been partially re-written multiple times, because it didn't feel right. I wrote this album 6 times...and each of the 5 previous were literally tossed in a fire before it was recorded. That's how important this is to me...especially with hip-hop. It is the honest truth that every MC is a microphone hero to someone...it means that you will have their undivided attention for the entirety of the track...beat, lyrics, punchlines, references...every iota of boom and bap that you cram into the song, they're riding with you.
I don't know if I hold that role for anyone..and if I do, then all this effort is for them. You can call it obsessive-compulsive...and I wouldn't argue with you. Even as this album was written, and recorded..there was the temptation inside of me to just scrap it..delete everything because it didn't feel quite right. I want the listener..not for praise, accolades, etc..I want the listener for the sole purpose of potentially changing what they think about hip-hop. Something that I love so much, and that got me more excited about things I already loved, and expanded my horizons farther than my parents did...
I want this to be perfect for anyone that listens. I want them to hear me speaking for anything but a sale. To get them to listen, to hold their ears, to make them smile, laugh, cry. I want to give people good music that I made.
And hopefully...this time, I've done it right.
Otherwise, business has been a flurry of assignment...school, of course...and new opportunity. Somehow or another, I landed myself a radio gig.
WPGU is the big station on campus, owned by the university, but maintained and show-hosted by students. Specialty shows have been a hit or miss on the station for a long time, but found their niche my freshman year...and they were genuinely good. Hosts knew shitloads about their music, and some very good rarities were played. Flash-forward to a new year, and a position is open. The College of Communications contacts me, and tells me that the grad student that helps run WPGU wants to see me, about hosting the underground hip-hop show on there...and host it with DJ Ikarus, a buddy of mine, who went to high school with me.
The opportunity itself was a surprise. The equipment was intimidating...given the fact that the shit breaks every other week...mind you, they're building a new, futuristic station as we speak. But, in the end...it's the same policy as my own music: give something to the listener. So, this gives me a chance to bring in every obscure factoid, historical element, and iota of knowledge that I know about sampled material, crews, artists, projects, and production to a professional testing ground...and it goes well. Calls flood in: requests, compliments, and debates...it really makes me wish that the university had specific majors for broadcast, especially radio...as opposed to the blanket journalism of print vs. TV that they possess.
Productivity comes with stress, of course...but as long as I have an outlet...I'll take the stress.
Shameless self-promotion: If you want to listen to the show...you can go to http://www.wpgu.com. My show is on Fridays, from 10-11 PM, and can be streamed over THE INTARWEB...also, if you're interested in the album, or the last of its progress (getting a copy in about 3 weeks, when things are done...etc.), you can go to http://www.agentmos.com. The site should be done in a week or two.
For now...I'm off for coffee...and paper planning. Peace.