SHOWS, SHOWS, SHOWS



Peep the pictures here

Monday, July 24th & Tuesday, July 25th: Jurassic 5 w/ the legendary X-Clan at the House Of Blues on Sunset
hob.com
I'll be at the Tuesday night show...COP THE NEW ALBUM FEEDBACK THAT DAY, TOO!!!
UPDATE: One word: DDDAAAAAAMMMNNN!!! I saw these dudes rock it at a $5 show a couple of years back and I thought that was one of the best shows I'd ever seen, but this topped it ten-fold. To say it was amazing would be an understatement...J5 really are performers in every sense of the word. They rock the crowd just about better than anyone I've EVER seen...and I've been to A LOT of shows. From Nu-Mark's AMAZING abilities with the wheels, to even rockin' with kid's toys, to the whole crew playin' drums from those old desks in high school (you had to see it...) to Tom Green rockin' the mic. Yeah, you read that right...TOM GREEN!!! It was an unbelievable set that clocked in at just under 2 hours, and I'm sorry to rub it in, but if you weren't there you missed a true experience. They'll be around the country, so I urge anyone to catch them live at least once. Even my boy, who is one of the hardest dudes to impress, told me as soon as we walked out "Man...that was an experience." Much props to J5 for comin' back and takin' out the doubters. Hip Hop missed y'all :)


Wednesday, July 26th: Sabac Red (of now broken-up Non Phixion) at the Knitting Factory. He's one of the coolest cats I've met tho, and he puts on a good show.
knittingfactory.com
UPDATE: I didn't make this show. My bad, 'Bac...but life got in the way. Maybe next time...

Friday, July 28th: I'll be at the Dodger game (yes, AGAIN! And I HATE the fuckin' Dodgers...) and then we're rollin' to peep my homie Art (yeah, yeah!!!) of Technicali, LD & Ariano, Declaime and the one and only LMNO
musicplustv.com
UPDATE: The Dodger game pretty much sucked (it was a route...and I HATE seein' those fags win...), so my homie and cousin had a fun time rubbin' it in the whole time to me and my bro. Oh well...the show was ill, at least. My boy Art set it off, LD & Ariano did their thang and LMNO fuckin' killed it, as always. Big ups to my main man KeyKool for chillin' with the homies...U DA MAN!!! And thanks to the ladies that kept the drinks comin'...open bars are the shit. See y'all at the next Friday Effect...

Saturday, July 29th: Roc C, Oh No, DJ Romes, Kankick, Literates and DILATED PEOPLES at the Majestic Ventura Theatre. Kind of a drive, but it'll be worth it :)
asrentertainment.com
UPDATE: OH MAN...WHAT CAN I SAY? It had been a minute since we'd seen Dilated actually headline a show, and in that time it became easy to forget just how ill their live shows are. We were all reminded just why they're one of the illest cats out right now. I wish the crowd would have been larger (the place SHOULD have sold out...), but the dudes up in the front that started the mosh pit were the shit. I was sore as fuck the next day, but it was worth that AND the hour and a half that we drove to get to Ventura. Dilated had a nice mix of old and new stuff. As long as they did "The Platform" and "Ear Drums Pop", I was in pure heaven. They're still one of the best acts to catch live. Anyone readin' this can catch them at Rock The Bells on Saturday. Their set won't be as long, but it'll still be ill...half short, twice strong. Keep makin' L.A. proud, fellas.

Monday, July 31st: The legendary Boot Camp Clik at the Knitting Factory
knittingfactory.com
UPDATE: Why can't a fuckin' Hip Hop show ever run on time? Well...maybe not ALWAYS, but still. Grime was ill, and some of the other acts were cool. But I was there to catch B.C.C. and they didn't get on 'til well after 12:30...A NIGGA'Z GOTTA BE AT WORK THE NEXT DAY!!! If their set had started at 12:00 like it was SUPPOSED to, I woulda had time to catch Black Moon. But an emergency sprung it's ugly head and I had to bounce early...I didn't even get to see Buckshot :( Tek & Steele set it off, tho. And they got so much classic material, it's ridiculous. It was still an aight show. Big ups to the peeps I met last night. It's always good to be among other Hip Hop junkies. Respect...

Saturday, August 5th: Do you really need to ask? If you ain't at ROCK THE BELLS, THEN YOU AIN'T SHIT!!! Don't sleep or you'll miss the train. Self Scientific, Visionaries, Supernatural, Dilated Peoples, De La Soul, Immortal Technique, Mos Def & Kweli, and mutha fuckin' Witty, Unpredictable, Talent And Natural Game!!!
rockthebells.net
UPDATE: Peep my previous blog post for my recap of an insane day...

Saturday, August 19th: Lord willing, I will be in Philly to peep the Around The Way Jam...Boot Camp Clik, Jedi Mind Tricks, RAKIM!!! and Wu-Tang...AGAIN!!!
ticketmaster.com
I don't have all the info yet. I know, I know...it's a long way to go for a show, but it's gonna be a birthday gift to myself :) I just hope I can make it...
UPDATE: Well...like I said from the beginning, "If time and money permit..." I would go to these shows. Money didn't permit this time, so unfortunately I never made it to Philly. I had so much other shit goin' on that I never really got to plan this trip out the way I would have liked. I really hated missin' out on this show, but I figured that all the acts on this bill I've either seen in the last couple of months or I will see pretty damn soon around So Cal. It's all good. Maybe next year :)


-Rm

ALONE AGAIN...I'M NOT SOBER...1 YEAR OLDER


Well, technically I am sober. Unfortunately, I do find myself alone though...but that's a line from Kev Brown and I thought I'd bite it since it fit my situation right about now. You just get to those points in life where you get all contemplative and shit. And the last couple of years, I've come to find, it seems to spring up on (or around) my birthday.

It's funny how the years just fly by. At this point in my life, they've all become a blur...one just seems to blend into the next. But it's all in how old you feel, and I honestly don't feel my age. Maybe that's a bad thing...

I still feel like I have so much accomplish and alot to look forward to. A few years ago I would have said that I knew pretty much the direction that my life was goin' in. But life has a cruel way of throwin' some curve balls at you. I've come to learn that the saying "Never say never" is VERY true. Sometimes you just don't know where life is gonna take you.

I feel sometimes like the people around me expect more out of me. And I don't blame them one bit. I look at the things I've done (or haven't done) and I'll admit that I should probably find myself in a different situation than the one I'm in. But I hate using the word "regret" and I honestly don't "regret" anything I've done up to this point in life. Could I have done certain things differently? OF COURSE. But although everybody don't like me, I think that I'm a good person at heart and I wouldn't be who I am if my road would have taken a different direction. Besides, some people just don't know how to appreciate me :)

Some people are just late bloomers, and I think I fit that category perfectly. I really don't care what certain people expect of me. I know in my heart what I'm capable of and I'm gonna do everything to make those hopes and dreams come to fruition. Like LMNO said, "I take my time...I don't let time take me."

I got so much on my plate right now...so many ideas that I want to make reality...so many projects that I put on hold for one reason or another. I really, sincerely feel rejuvenated right now. I have so much that I want to do and I feel like I have my whole life still in front of me, and it doesn't matter to me that I'm gettin' around to 'em this late in life. That's partly why I still feel so young. It's all about how old you feel on the inside.

I sincerely feel that it's never too late in life. I look up to my father more than just about anybody on this planet. If I could be half the man he is, I'll be alright. He's one of the funniest and most intelligent persons you could ever hope to meet. And he just recently took care of some issues that he had with himself...it made me so proud to see him pull himself up and handle his business. The only person that ever held him back was himself, but he stuck with it and he's doin' fine now.

So I asked myself, "Why can't I do the same?" I can...and I will.

I know I said to never say "never" earlier, but......

IT'S NEVER TOO LATE.


-Rm

Sun, Blunts & Hip Hop


*WARNING: PROCEED WITH CAUTION* (Don't say I didn't warn you...)

When last year's Rock The Bells ended, I told myself, "There is no way Guerilla Union is gonna sucker me into hangin' around for another 14 hour show." But seein' as how I turn into a little kid when I see the line-up every year, I caved in as soon as I saw that Wu-Tang and Black Star were gonna be this year's headliners. So, I found myself sleepin' in early on Friday in preparation for Saturday's (and part of Sunday's...) Hip Hop overdose.

I was gonna post this huge blog recounting my 24 hour day (like Jack Bauer) at Rock The Bells this year, but that seemed a little much so I decided to give you a rundown of what I saw and my thoughts on this year's show. If you're readin' this, I'm warning you now...it's not for the easily offended. Especially you Hip Hop heads out there who are certain fans of certain groups or artists I will mention (and talk shit about) in this blog. You've been warned...

We got to San Bernardino just before 11:00 A.M. thinkin' we would get there just in time, but, as it does every year...the show started late. And, as it does every year, it has to happen directly under the hottest weather possible. But anyway...we finally make it in and run directly to Up Above's booth and buy as much gear as possible. Whaddup to the Visionaries and the whole Up Above crew...y'all are the illest! Thanks for signin' my shirt!!!

Big up to also to my homie Eric (a.k.a. Bumps The GooseGot) and the Verbal Supplement crew for the CD. The Gas Company should be warned...5 bucks is a small price to pay for that much heat...

Anyway, so I missed the first couple of acts but we rushed to the stage just in time to catch Self Scientific...also known as the best duo you've never heard of. STOP SLEEPIN', PEOPLE!!! So they rocked a short set, and then I think I remember Murs comin' up shortly after that. I'm diggin' Murs...he's the only cat from Living Legends that I can actually tolerate. Plus, he did "L.A."...that shit is ill!

My boys, the Visionaries, rocked the spot as always, for about a half. Dope set from the fellas, but that's nothin' new. It would be a mistake if I didn't mention that they're one of the finest acts to see live. You don't see that much energy from most crews. New album October 3rd...don't sleep on that either.

So the next, we thought, would be Dilated Peoples...but instead Del came out. Honestly, I've seen the whole Hiero crew a bunch of times and I probably wouldn't care if I never saw them again. Don't get me wrong, "93 'Til Infinity" is ill and it was just about the only album I dug...but they got other ill joints. Personally, I think the music doesn't translate well into a live show. I don't know...maybe it's just me. I guess it must be, cuz they get mad love wherever I go. That train passed me by.

At this point in the show, I was hungrier than a hostage...plus, a brotha was dyin' of thirst. But we didn't wanna lose our spot close to the stage before Dilated came on, so we hung out thinkin' that they got bumped and would come out after Del. Del finally leaves the stage and we're gettin' hype thinkin' Dilated's just about ready to rock it, then we can go cop one of those shitty $5 burgers that were bein' sold. So Choc, the host, comes up and says "Get ready for the next act......B-REAL!"

WHAT THE FUCK?

I couldn't give two shits about seein' this cat do a set and I was just about ready to bounce...but that hope, the anticipation, of seein' Dilated again wouldn't let go. So we stayed there like three idiots...cuz they had to be comin' up after B-Real, right? WRONG. And I dig and respect Immortal Technique to the fullest, but at this point I had to eat and/or drink somethin' cuzI was gonna pass out and go down faster than Paris Hilton. I hated to leave the stage durin' Tech's set, but I got to chill in the shade, eat and watch him rock it from the back. He did his thing. "Dance With The Devil" is a fuckin' classic.

After Tech, the part of the show that is known as "Sleepy Time" came. Well, at least for my brother and my homie it was. I stayed awake, like a moron...and I only say that cuz it came back to haunt me later. Aesop came up next...and I ain't really a fan of his, so I'll move on. Then...THE LIVING LEGENDS!!!

Whoopty-fuckin'-doo

How these muthafuckas have such a huge following is beyond me. Maybe I didn't get the memo on why these dudes are so "ill", but I guess that train passed me by, too. The story on why I don't like 'em is a long one that I won't go into now, but I've seen 'em live before and I HONESTLY TRIED TO LIKE THEIR MUSIC. But their whole crew, except for Murs, is like a bad stock tip...I LOSE INTEREST.

None of 'em stand out as bein' exceptional emcees...their beats are weak...and the fact that they call themselves "Living Legends" is a fuckin' joke. Sorry guys, but the only Legends I saw came on after you. And whose cocks are they suckin' (besides their own) over at Guerilla Union to get top billing every fuckin' year at Rock The Bells? I saw those dudes sellin' T-shirts and CDs, but yet I didn't see any pillows and blankets. Just an idea for next time I wanna sleep at one of your shows, fellas...

Now, I know that everyone's got their own personal taste in music and Hip Hop heads are VERY opinionated. I'm by no means tryin' to start any kind of wars, but if Guerilla Union wants a dope group to rock it 45 minutes straight without all that talkin' and shit they need to book the Visionaries later on in the day instead of, like KeyKool told me, "after lunch". There are 1,000 other acts that could rock the crowd better. The only reason I mention the Visionaries is because I seen both of 'em on the same bill, and in my opinion they should have switched spots. So to quote Eddie Murphy's dad, "Kiss my ass if you don't like it!!!"

OK...let the flaming begin. I can feel all the LL fans seething with anger right now. Enough of that...let's move on.

Dilated Peoples finally jumped on the stage, and we damn near missed the start of their set cuz we were walkin' around the different booths. This is now around 6-6:30 P.M. in the day. Of course, they fuckin' killed it...but that's nothin' new.

Right after them is when De La Soul came up and...OH...MY! Honestly, I had seen De La before and there's no doubt they are legendary and, even after all these years, they can still blow up the spot. They really made me feel like a little kid again cuz their energy was so infectious. They really fuckin' surprised me with their set. Not to mention that as special guests they brought up Phife from A Tribe Called Quest and Dres from Black Sheep and did it Native Tongues reunion-style! Hearin' "Award Tour" was so ill, and rhymin' along to "The Choice Is Yours" were highlights durin' De La's set. Not to mention that they closed with "Rock Co.Kane Flow"...what more could I have wanted? At this point, I was ready to rock the rest of the night.

That brings us to Redman, who I admire as emcee...but not as a live act. Like I said before, there's just some artists that can't pull it off and I hate to say it but Reggie's been at 3 RTB's and he still has yet to impress me. He did his thing for awhile, but I honestly zoned out and my high from De La began to wear off. I hate when that happens...

My homie KeyKool from the Visionaries came up next to introduce the new freestyle champ to the world. Supernatural did one of the most amazing feats I've ever heard of...the man freestyled non-stop for over 9 HOURS. Much props to Supernat...that dude has never been really, truly appreciated for his skills. He's another cat you must see once in your lifetime do his thang live.

Not to worry though, cuz Black Star was the next act and they had the place jumpin'. Kweli started it off, then Mos came out and they rocked it on the tag team tip. Hearin' those cats do "Respiration" is mind-blowing. That beat is definitely one of the greatest pieces of music ever composed. No lie. Talib was dope, but man...Mos Def is fuckin' amazing. I don't know what it was, cuz I'd seen him before...but his set at RTB was really ill. I think it was the acapella to "Travellin' Man" that did it. And, of course...I was the only dude rhymin' along.

Which brings me to another point I wanted to make. There was A LOT of fake Hip Hoppers in the crowd. I hate to call y'all out like that, but I'm just bein' real. The DJ's were spinnin' the classic, ill, rockin' joints...and it seemed like my brother and I were the only dudes that knew 'em. And he's only 16! I don't pretend to know all the lyrics to every fuckin' classic song, but at least react to what the DJ is playin'...Gang Starr, Biggie, KRS, Slick Rick. Nobody even rhymed along to "Children's Story"!!! What kinda shit is that? I bet if they woulda spun a 50 Cent joint, everybody and their fuckin' dog woulda been singin' that shit at the top of their lungs. And it would piss me off when the acts on stage would say, "Who here loves that real Hip Hop?" and everybody would respond. Y'ALL NEED TO STOP FRONTIN'!!! Now, I ain't sayin' that I know everything when it comes to Hip Hop, but I know enough and I have a deep appreciation and respect for the culture. Most that were at that show didn't...plain and simple. OK, I don't mean to lump everyone in together...but at least from the crowd that was around me, that was the impression I got.

So Mos rocked it, did some new stuff off the new album and bounced. My high came back and I caught my second wind, cuz I ain't gonna lie...rhymin' along to all those songs at the top of my lungs fuckin' wore me out. Plus, the weed smoke gave a nigga a contact high like a muthafucka. It was the regular smoke that got to me too, though. I hate that shit. But the "surprise guest" took so long to come out after Mos that it brought the excitement down again. It was almost a fuckin' hour before they came out. At this point, I couldn't even bend my legs so a bunch of us just sat down right on the ground among hundreds of people standin' around us. But I didn't care...I was mad tired.

There was a drum kit up on stage, so I my first instinct was that The Roots might stop by...but I was wrong. The "surprise guest" turned out to be......Lauryn Hill. Now, when I saw her I thought..."Oh my God...THE FUGEES!!!" So I stood up with the quickness and got ready to bug the fuck out, but it was not to be. It was only Lauryn and I gotta say that I was really underwhelmed. I don't even think the crowd was feelin' it cuz there wasn't much of a reaction when she hit. To be honest, I don't even think half of 'em knew who it was at first. I stood for a little bit, but I quickly lost interest so I sat back down.

Ms. Hill bounced and to my surprise, Wu-Tang came on stage no more than maybe 5 minutes after she left. Once they came on, forget it...I completely forgot about my legs bein' sore. Cappa came out to "Slang Editorial" and I was goin' crazy already. Then the rest of the Clan jumped out and it was on. From "4th Chamber" to "Shadowboxin", "C.R.E.A.M."...you name it, and they did it. If you're down with Wu, then you already know what time it is.

I was so tired at this point that I damn near gave in and wanted to leave our spot and take a seat. But seein' my brother dig his first real concert so much was a great feeling and I didn't wanna ruin it for him cuz I could tell he didn't wanna leave. I hung in there for him and I'm glad I did.

The highlight, or lowlight (dependin' on how you look at it...), was when Steve-O from Jackass and Wildboyz made his way to the stage. They were in the middle of doin' a tribute to Dirty (R.I.P.) with his (Dirty's) mother present (and having just cried cuz the crowd was chanting her son's name) when Steve-O came on and told this whole story about bein' in the same jail cell at L.A. County with O.D.B. He then proceeded to pull down his pants, get buck-ass naked on the stage, do a backflip and swing his balls under his ass Buffalo Bill-style, turn around and show it to the whole crowd. My first thought was for Dirty's mother. They're tryin' to pay tribute to her son, and this dick (no pun intended) pulled some shit like that. They pulled him away, then the Clan went straight into "Brooklyn Zoo"...which brought the fuckin' house down. Right after the song, though, Raekwon brought Steve-O back on the stage was like, "Yo...I didn't appreciate what you just did." Rae made Steve apologize to the whole crowd, Dirty's mom, EVERYBODY...cuz if he didn't, Rae would "Knock your ass out in front of all these people...I don't give a fuck who you are." The fuckin' crowd went nuts right then. I mean, I think Steve-O is a funny guy but there's a time and a place for everything and he shoulda been a little more respectful considerin' that Dirty's family was up there.

Meth and Red went straight into "Da Rockwilder" which threw the crowd into another frenzy and they closed the show shortly after "Triumph" a little while later. All in all, it's an honor to see those cats in person. Hopefully I'll be out in Philly next weekend to catch 'em again...

I won't even go into the whole long story about how The Wu changed my life (cuz they really did...), but they were pretty damn amazing. Their catalog is so insane that they could rock it for 3 hours and not do all their classics. They may not be as dope collectively as they once were, but the legacy that they built made an impact on me (and, more importantly, on Hip Hop) like nothin' else. It's a shame that most young cats now don't understand just what they mean to the game. Before Wu, there was nothin' quite like that...and sadly, there probably never will be again. That's why I'm so thankful that I lived my teenage years during the Golden Age of Hip Hop. We will never experience anything like that ever again...

Here I thought that there was no way that we could top last year's marathon session...but I was wrong. We got back to the car at exactly 2:18 A.M...a little more than 15 hours after we got there. Man, I still don't know how we made it to the end. As soon as I got back home to bed, I thought that I might be gettin' too old for this sort of thing...and maybe I am. No matter what, though, Hip Hop will still always bring out that kid in me that fell in love with H.E.R. almost 20 years ago.

Or until I see the next Rock The Bells line-up in another 9 months or so.

GIMME, GIMME, GIMME


Y'all young ho's today think this shits's a game
See no matter who I meet, all I get's the same
"Buy me this...take me there", but I'm not you're father
I don't care if my dick's hard and I'm hot and bothered
So pay attention, please...it'd be nice if you listened
Cuz that young pussy ain't worth the price of admission
See, y'all chicks today be the first to say
"I want this...I need that in the worstest way"
Besides bitch, I need another curse to say
Cuz you won't get no brand new purse today
See, y'all young felines can't wait to pounce
And try to take amounts from my bank accounts
I ain't got nothin' on your nails and hair
And I can see how you look at other girls and stare
See you want that bag...them shoes...that Jag
You need a cat to pay that price on that tag...fat chance
You look real good in them black pants
I love your battin' stance, thats why I sat in a trance
But I know first-hand that y'all ho's are lethal
Your souls are transparent, and your clothes are see-through
Don't know me from a hole in the wall, and want to go to the mall
And shoppin' bags, I'm left holdin' 'em all?
I know you and your baby daddy is goin' through it
But like the Belt Parkway, bitch...I "con-du-it"

Y'all must got me confused with one of them young dudes
That can't wait to get their tongue in your cum tubes
A young boy will trick just to squeeze the titty
Cuz he loves your fat ass and he sees you're pretty
But I ain't fazed by no breasts, or no big asses
You got them boys sweatin' like aerobic classes
And NFL rookies with that cash to spend
Will do anything at all to get that ass to bend
And y'all know their stats when they walk in the room
He pushed up...but who's really talkin' to whom?
I know Jay-Z showed you how to do this, hun
Now you runnin' 'round the clubs like "Ooh...this fun"
And dude might not be the cutest one
But your girl's like "You might have to do this one..."
All for the Prada, Louis, Gucci, Chanel
For the right price, even got the coochie for sale
Wear them bras wit' the titties out, thong with the ass out
Give a nigga Hennessy straight, until he pass out
Last night, you did his little crotch solid
Now he woke up and can't find his watch and wallet
And this goes on in any place you go
So why chase a ho who erase your dough?
See, most dudes ain't got the cheddar to spare
It ain't cheaper to keep her, nigga......its better to stare

-Masta Ace

The Great Divide


I'm lookin' at a chance to change my stars today
Across the platform, but that sure seems far away
You're on the Brooklyn-bound side, lookin' down
I live in Queens, and in between a car just came
So I could, like...give you a sign with my mind, or give a cough
That's corny, but I don't want to find our signals crossed
Or leave it up to chance you just get aboard the next train and jet
And give me more "next-day" regret
So let's take a step to let this be the day we met
In case destiny and fate forget...I got a heavenly engagement set
And I've been tryin' to be an angel, but I've yet to meet my angelette
I'd make a bet with myself, tell 'em to seize the day
Maybe pressure would help...there's seldom an easy way
If ever I felt that I would need to pray
It's safe for me to say it'd be today
So now its like...

I just can't shake the feeling that there's somethin' about you
And I don't want to leave here without you in my life
It just doesn't seem right...
No matter how hopelessly I wish that you would notice me...you don't
Some guys make this look so easy
But that's just not me...
I would've loved to try to cross the tracks
If I had courage, and fortune would've brought me back

Now is there somethin' I'm supposed to do?
That would bring me close to you...and end my single loner blues?
Cause you could think my messy hair and vintage clothes are cute
Or when you stare back, you could think I'm homeless, too
I'm so confused about which road to choose
Take the stairway over to your side, I shout an ode to you
From afar I probably sound like any dude in a bar
And if I transfered I'd create a chance for you to depart
Is it usually hard to do what your heart's tellin' you?
I would've moved from the start if I knew what the smart fellas do
This ain't the brand of love Hallmark cards sell to you
Seldom true, whimsy for the not-so-well-to-do
So help me through all the the self-doubt and cowardice
Walkin' in lead-welded shoes...held down and powerless
To tell the truth, I don't know how I'll come out of this
But if I don't take myself to you, you're gone...and that's how it is

I just can't shake the feeling that there's somethin' about you
And I don't want to leave here without you in my life
It just doesn't seem right...
No matter how hopelessly I wish that you would notice me...you don't
Some guys make this look so easy
But that's just not me...
I would've loved to try to cross the tracks
If I had courage, and fortune would've brought me back

With all these gaps that seperate us, will we meet?
Or will this be another Beat Street, and I'm......
I can't let the anguish over a trek this dangerous
Or whether fate is with me tonight decide we're left as strangers
Who would accept the shameless coward who never tried?
Starin' at a better life on legs and just let it slide
Am I just petrified she won't say yes?
If I measured my reluctance, would my hope weigh less?
Whether I miss my shift, miss my train, or whether or not
It's the same, I still sit in vain...left at the dock
Whatever the cops do, if they catch me or not
I'll measure the cost in knowin' that I let her slip off
So it's ready or not...now or never...across the great divide
I leapt to the bottom and made for my ladies' side
Well, if this is to be the day I died
When judgment visits me, I can truly say I tried

Louis Logic "The Great Divide"

WHEN MY EYES UNFOLD


I'm damned if I do, but there's too much regret if I don't
So over breaks, I go for broke
Hopin' I don't choke on the hand that's dealt
Hopin' a light holds a flame as the candle melts
And before my time has come
'Til my flame transforms to smoke, my rhyme ain't done
Shit, these Nike soles ain't ever worn out
I'd rap in sign language if my tongue was torn out
And that can be either dedication...or stubborn
Who's goin' against the grain? Check the rugburn
Handlin' my fraction of this friction
Life can be peachy, even in pitiful conditions
Eyes can deceive...lies shape what you believe
So there's no tricks up my sleeves
I leave it to the eye of the beholder
Cuz my skull carries more power than a holster

When my eyes unfold
Keep the lies untold
Keep my soul unsold
Keep the glitter from the gold
Sledgehammer grammar gonna break that mold

They say the rain is gone
This ain't the same ol' song
Sometimes, the rain makes it too slippery to hold on
Whatever can go wrong, usually does
The floor, walls and ceiling can close in so brutally
Usually, that pressure can crack this shell
Unless the floor I stand on folds as well
Only time can tell if I can grow from these wounds
Assume fetal position, wishin' I never left the womb...
But I'm stronger than that...no confusion
Fallin' off your radar's far from my conclusion
My footwork is my groundwork
Diggin' in the dirt to keep my roots in a solid network
But I ain't shakin' hands for the sake of business
Most hands are dirty, ain't worthy of my good wishes
And if that means no juno, that's not my mission
I'm livin' my little dream, regardless of who listens

When my eyes unfold
Keep the lies untold
Keep my soul unsold
Keep the glitter from the gold
Sledgehammer grammar gonna break that mold

I'm a barnacle in a bottle
Hair without a follicle
Moss without a stone
My heart is my home
So excuse me if I speak from it
On many occasions blood, sweat and tears would leak from it
I follow the senses in my gut
Swallow consequences cuz the pros and cons don't always add up
I live and learn, respect I give and earn
Cuz a can couldn't contain the Krylon I spit and burn
You can speak for the thugs, hustlas and playas
And the lowest common denominators
But I'ma sacrafice now for my unborn kids
So he has a chance to sacrafice for his


-Anonymous Twist "When My Eyes Unfold"

Tears


Tears on the face of the clown
The clown symbolizes modern face of the Red, Black, Yellow and Brown
In the same situation, face down in the pavement, facin'...
A life sentence for tryin' to feed the babies, gettin'...
So close to the money, but so far from the home
So quick to defend somethin' we never owned
Fixin' packages, a product cooked over the stove
For some, it's the only life they know
Is it the fault of the system, or somethin' within us?
Conflicted cuz I know God, but I love bitches
I know wealth ain't everything, but I lust riches
To make the situation better for me and my niggaz
Much as I talk about it, there's gotta be somebody listenin'
In the areas where we ain't got a pot to piss in
There's Black, Latins and Asians in some bad conditions
We livin', the images on television imprison
Life influences children more than politicians and religion...


Tears on the face of the clown
The clown symbolizes modern face of the rapper in front of the crowd
Man, these labels really got it fucked up now
But there's more money than ever, so that's good somehow
CD's ain't holdin' us down
The record industry's fucked up, it's all about them downloads now
Fans figure, "Why pay if the music is free?
Never mind what it's doin' to me."

FUCK THAT...

I give money and time to this game of rap
I love the respect, but I can't get paid off that
I'm tryin' to cash in and get some of that back
Get rich and give some of that back
So the kids listenin' can stop pedalin' crack
'Til the cops stop committin' them heinous acts
Killin' all these people, and blamin' rap
We just can't let 'em get away with that...


-Self Scientific "Tears"

The Guys' Rules


We always hear "the rules" from the female side. Now, here are the rules from the male side. THESE ARE OUR RULES!!!

Please note that these are all numbered 1...ON PURPOSE.

1. Men are NOT mind readers.

1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down. You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.

1. Sunday sports...it's like the full moon or the changing of the tides. LET IT BE!!!

1. Shopping is NOT a sport. And, no, we are never going to think of it that way.

1. Crying is blackmail.

1. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one: Subtle hints DO NOT WORK. Strong hints DO NOT WORK. Obvious hints DO NOT WORK. JUST SAY IT.

1. "Yes" and "No" are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.

1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.

1. A headache that lasts for 17 months is a problem. See a doctor.

1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissable in an argument. In fact, all comments become null and void after 7 days.

1. If you won't dress like the Victoria's Secret girls, don't expect us to act like soap opera guys.

1. If you think you're fat...you probably are. Don't ask us.

1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one.

1. You can either ask us to do something, or tell us how you want it done...not both. If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.

1. Whenever possible, please say whatever you have to say during commercials.

1. Christopher Columbus DID NOT need directions...and neither do we.

1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like the Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit...NOT A COLOR. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what "mauve" is.

1. If it itches, it will be scratched. We do that.

1. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing", we will act like nothing's wrong. We know you're lying, but it's just not worth the hassle.

1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, expect an answer you don't want to hear.

1. We we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine...REALLY.

1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as baseball, basketball or football.

1. You have enough clothes.

1. You have too many shoes.

1. I AM in shape. Round IS a shape!

1. Thank you for reading this. Yes, I know I have to sleep on the couch tonight. But did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping...

47 things you can't live without knowing about me...


1. FIRST NAME?
*Ricardo

2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
*My Pops

3. DO YOU WISH ON STARS?
*Nope...never

4. WHICH FINGER IS YOUR FAVORITE?
*The middle one, cuz it's good for more than just flippin' people off ;)

5. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY?
*Damn...I don't remember...

6. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
*I guess

7. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
*Dunno...

8. ANY BAD HABITS?
*Yeah...but I won't share

9. WHAT IS YOUR MOST EMBARRASSING CD ON THE SHELF?
*Hmmm...I don't think I have any. All I carry is HEAT!

10. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
*Hell yeah. I'M THE SHIT!

11. HAVE YOU EVER TOLD A SECRET YOU SWORE NOT TO TELL?
*Yeah. But seriously...who hasn't?

12. DO LOOKS MATTER?
*As bad as it sounds...YES THEY DO. And no...I ain't shallow

13. HOW DO YOU RELEASE ANGER?
*HIP HOP!!! Yesterday I was in such a bad fuckin' mood...and my music was the only thing that managed to bring a smile to my face. Video games help, too. Oh yeah...and writin' about it to Imee :P Thanks, girl! You're my lifesaver!

14. WHERE IS YOUR SECOND HOME?
*Any Hip Hop show around L.A...which pretty much means the Knitting Factory (haha). And either Stacks or Amoeba. I can get lost in those places for HOURS on end...

15. DO YOU TRUST OTHERS EASILY?
*HELL......NO

16. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A CHILD?
*My Atari 2600 (which was later stolen outta our house), my Transformers or my Voltron lions (my parents only had enough to buy me two...the Green and the Yellow). Haha...my cousin used to bring the Black one (which is the torso...the one I ALWAYS wanted) over to my house and we used to combine 'em. So fuckin' Voltron would be standin' there with one arm and one leg. Haha. If he tried to swim, he'd do circles :)

17. WHAT CLASS IN SCHOOL DO YOU THINK IS TOTALLY USELESS?
*Lunch

18. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL?
*Used to...

19. DO YOU USE SARCASM?
*No......I ABUSE IT

20. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN A MOSH PIT?
*HELL YEAH...THEY'RE THE BEST!!! Best one was at the Jedi Mind Tricks show. At least 7 fuckin' fights broke out that night. It was stupid, dangerous and uncalled for...AND I LOVED EVERY SINGLE FUCKIN' SECOND OF IT!!!

21. WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A GUY/GIRL?
*Damn...TOO long a list to get into. That's my problem...I'M WAY TOO PICKY. But hey...that's me. Ask my homegirl Belinda. She knows what's up :)

22. WHAT ARE YOUR NICKNAMES?
*Laker...Lyrik...Primo...Punk Ass...Chulo (haha...thanks Imee!), Ricky. Anyone wanna give me a new one?

23. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
*Already done it. AND I WANNA DO IT AGAIN.

24. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
*Depends on which ones I got on

25. DO YOU THINK THAT YOU HAVE STRONG POINTS?
*Very much so. I have a lot to offer.

26. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?
*Soft Serve Vanilla or Rite Aid's Black Cherry Ice Cream. Mmm...

27. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE COLORS?
*Black (until they make somethin' darker) and Blue (any shade of it)

28. HOW MANY WISDOM TEETH DO YOU HAVE?
*Fuck...I dunno...

29. WHO DO YOU MISS MOST RIGHT NOW?
*I think I would have to say......Evelyn.

30. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS?
*That'd be nice...

31. LAST THING YOU ATE?
*Sandwich

32. LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
*Hmmm...I think it was Denell.

33. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE IN THE OPPOSITE SEX?
*Eyes, smile......ass ;)

34. DO YOU LOVE THE PERSON WHO POSTED THIS?
*Love is a strong word. But she's coo' peeps :)

35. HOW ARE YOU TODAY?
*Better than yesterday...

36. FAVORITE DRINK
*Water

37. Favorite sport?
*Football, Baseball, Basketball...don't make me pick just one

38. EYE COLOR?
*Brown

39. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
*No

40. SIBLINGS?
*1 younger brother

41. FAVORITE MONTH?
*August

42. FAVORITE FOOD?
*Pizza. Hot, cold...what have you! It's kinda like sex...sometimes it better than others, but it's never bad. Well, not with ME it isn't...

43. LAST SHOW YOU WATCHED?
*Attack Of The Show

44. ARE YOU TOO SHY TO ASK SOMEONE OUT?
*VERY much so. I hate that about myself. And I've gone out with some attractive women...enough to the point where I should feel better about doin' it. But I can't help it...I'm just too damn shy.

45. SUMMER OR WINTER?
*WINTER for the clothes I LOVE to wear, but SUMMER for the clothes WOMEN love to wear ;)

46. HUGS OR KISSES?
*BOTH

47. RELATIONSHIPS OR ONE NIGHT STANDS?
*Relationships. DEFINITELY. One Night Stands are never a good scenario...