Random Birthday Rants...
I wonder if my mother thought it could ever happen. After all, the common notion (especially back then) was that the chances of a woman bearing children at the age of 39 were slim. But Nicolasa was determined, I know she was. It was that same determination that got her to America with borrowed money and a dream. It took her a few years of getting settled in Los Angeles to finally tell herself that it was time to start a family.
Of course, it takes more than one person to do this, and this is where Emerito came in. He was handsome, confident, and... undocumented. They dug each other enough where Nicolasa found herself pregnant, and they eventually took a trip to Vegas one day and got hitched. Fast forward a few months later, to the early morning hours when I was finally born, at the old Queen of Angels Hospital in Echo Park Los Angeles.
2008. Well, I guess a lot has happened since then. I grew up never even knowing Emerito. My mom went from single mother to married (my stepdad was an asshole) back to single mother again. I went from b-boy to baseball player to skater to graf writer to gang banger to high school dropout to DJ to emcee. From L.A to the Bay. Somewhere along that journey, Kiwi emerged. Studio sessions, stages rocked, and good times in between. And the story continues.
Another year. They say that birthdays are times of reflection. I say I've been reflecting my whole life, and this latest birthday simply marked another rebirth. There's all kinds of transition happening for me, from possibly moving back to L.A to most likely taking the plunge and going back to school. Getting laid off from my job was a blessing; it challenged me to not simply accept the confines of the non-profit cubicle anymore. To look even beyond my music. And finally it looks like I'm moving forward.
You know what's been a blessing? Biking. It's like life, a journey. From one point to another, sometimes smooth, some falls, some hills. Never ending. It's not just some new obsession, but a gift that has allowed me to be healthy physically and mentally.
I am especially thankful for my friends, family, and kasamas. From my old L.A homies to the folks in the Bay. From Seattle, NYC, Canada, and the Philippines. And I'll even admit it: ALL the folks on Facebook who wished me a Happy Birthday. I can't say enough about how your support has kept me moving forward. And kept me alive.
The future is uncertain. Who knows if I'll make another album. Or another one after that. The formalities of hustling music are so routine that It's almost void of spirit. Put out a single, make a video, photo shoot, hot shot producers, big name cameos, record reviews, etc. This is why I believe in a system other than capitalism. Where things like music aren't consumed, but shared. Where an artist like myself-who creates art for the people-doesn't have to deal with the anxiety of having to succeed moneywise because, I don't have to worry about being homeless or jobless or without health care or education. Where corporations don't control politics and monopolize resources. Where the desperation of poverty wouldn't exist, so that the need to do crime would be less, and maybe, most certainly, my little homie G-One would still be alive.
I shall look at my next year with gratitude, determination, hope, and integrity. I shall greet each day with affirmation, be impeccable with whatever comes out of my mouth, and act with purpose. I shall carry the spirits of Bill Sorro, Arnold Moreno, Russelo Dimapilis, George Hurtado, and my lola Maria DeJesus everywhere the wind takes me. I shall be well-intended with my deeds, and trust that the universe will have my back because of them. I shall treat the earth with care, honor the ancestors, and serve the people.
Forward.
Of course, it takes more than one person to do this, and this is where Emerito came in. He was handsome, confident, and... undocumented. They dug each other enough where Nicolasa found herself pregnant, and they eventually took a trip to Vegas one day and got hitched. Fast forward a few months later, to the early morning hours when I was finally born, at the old Queen of Angels Hospital in Echo Park Los Angeles.
2008. Well, I guess a lot has happened since then. I grew up never even knowing Emerito. My mom went from single mother to married (my stepdad was an asshole) back to single mother again. I went from b-boy to baseball player to skater to graf writer to gang banger to high school dropout to DJ to emcee. From L.A to the Bay. Somewhere along that journey, Kiwi emerged. Studio sessions, stages rocked, and good times in between. And the story continues.
Another year. They say that birthdays are times of reflection. I say I've been reflecting my whole life, and this latest birthday simply marked another rebirth. There's all kinds of transition happening for me, from possibly moving back to L.A to most likely taking the plunge and going back to school. Getting laid off from my job was a blessing; it challenged me to not simply accept the confines of the non-profit cubicle anymore. To look even beyond my music. And finally it looks like I'm moving forward.
You know what's been a blessing? Biking. It's like life, a journey. From one point to another, sometimes smooth, some falls, some hills. Never ending. It's not just some new obsession, but a gift that has allowed me to be healthy physically and mentally.
I am especially thankful for my friends, family, and kasamas. From my old L.A homies to the folks in the Bay. From Seattle, NYC, Canada, and the Philippines. And I'll even admit it: ALL the folks on Facebook who wished me a Happy Birthday. I can't say enough about how your support has kept me moving forward. And kept me alive.
The future is uncertain. Who knows if I'll make another album. Or another one after that. The formalities of hustling music are so routine that It's almost void of spirit. Put out a single, make a video, photo shoot, hot shot producers, big name cameos, record reviews, etc. This is why I believe in a system other than capitalism. Where things like music aren't consumed, but shared. Where an artist like myself-who creates art for the people-doesn't have to deal with the anxiety of having to succeed moneywise because, I don't have to worry about being homeless or jobless or without health care or education. Where corporations don't control politics and monopolize resources. Where the desperation of poverty wouldn't exist, so that the need to do crime would be less, and maybe, most certainly, my little homie G-One would still be alive.
I shall look at my next year with gratitude, determination, hope, and integrity. I shall greet each day with affirmation, be impeccable with whatever comes out of my mouth, and act with purpose. I shall carry the spirits of Bill Sorro, Arnold Moreno, Russelo Dimapilis, George Hurtado, and my lola Maria DeJesus everywhere the wind takes me. I shall be well-intended with my deeds, and trust that the universe will have my back because of them. I shall treat the earth with care, honor the ancestors, and serve the people.
Forward.