Friday

2008 Election: Vote For David Ruffin

I was going through some music and stumbled open this David Ruffin joint. I Could Never Be President. It's from Feelin' Good released in 1969. I thought it was funny considering the 2008 presidential election that will be here before you know it. While Ghostface voted for Oprah Obama and Eric B. for president, stated on his latest LP Big Doe Rehab, I'd have to go with Jimmy Ruffin's younger brother Dave when headed to the poles in 08'.

This post is dedicated in memory of David Ruffin (Davis Eli Ruffin) (January 18, 1941 – June 1, 1991)

[Click here] to download I Could Never Be President - David Ruffin

Monday

before the sun rose...

before the sun rose on the eve of the holiday that i do not celebrate, i found myself outside, engaged by the moon's luminescence... 180 degrees, then turned to witness moments before, a new day on its way. silence. the the fading line of horizon, blending the now with yesterday... the north start sparkled, knowing its part in this godly production... an awesome display of subtle magnitude, quiet emotion, stillness and patience as if the earth were meditating... before opening its next chapter...

Thursday

Sometimes I Dream In Blak N white


Korean Karate
Originally uploaded by I Are 100% Pure Rokstar
Today's photo journal is all about black and white. These are a few items that caught my i...

Kansas City Love...

The great thing about the internet is that if you have something that someone likes chances are they will let others know. The other day I was taking a look at my Youtube submissions. I noticed there were some new links attached to a video I'd only had up for about 3-4 days. When I clicked on it to reveal what those links were I was lead to a blog about Kansas City(tonyskansascity.com). Kansas City? Upon visiting this blog, I scroll its front page looking for where my video had been posted. I was happy to not only find my video clip but also a very nice description and brief acknowledgment of who I was. There was also a link to my song Fly In My Soup from my forthcoming EP, George Caplin's: Kansas City Shuffle. Alright, it now makes sense why I'd been linked. How the writer of this blog discovered my video I'm not sure but what I am sure of is that this action was great and well appreciated. I made sure to leave a comment on the blog and also posted the full lyrics to the song that had been posted, saying thanks and his efforts were duly noted.

Photo by KC-Rod

Philaflava.com


Philaflava.com Special Message From Conscious from Conscious on Vimeo.

Wink, wink...


conscious-wink
Originally uploaded by I Are 100% Pure Rokstar
Remember, even when I'm not around I'm still watching. Behave yourselves...

Monday

Late Monday Music: Company Flow

It's Company Flow time people. Some love, some hate...
Funcrusherplus is a classic record to me... 10 Years Old!
one track , 'Blind' actually charted on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales list.

"Blind"
1 "Bad Touch Example"
2 "8 Steps to Perfection"
3 "Collude/Intrude"
4
5 "Silence"
6 "Legends"
7 "Help Wanted"
8 "Population Control"
9 "Lune TNS"
10 "Definitive"
11 "Lencorcism"
12 "89.9 Detrimental"
13 "Vital Nerve"
14 "Tragedy of War (In III Parts)"
15 "The Fire in Which You Burn"
16 "Krazy Kings"
17 "Last Good Sleep"
18 "Info Kill II"
19 "Funcrush Scratch"
* "Corners '94"

Saturday

Pulled off the train by NYPD late night.

34th street station. Train stops pauses for longer then it should. I see a cop looking in the window then he walks by. Seconds later he walks back to the door. Tells me to come off the train. Hmmmm. I'm not sitting forward in my seat like a good little clone. I forgot its a crime now to occupy more then one seat on train, whether it be with a leg or a bag. Its my fault though. I forgot. Anyway he instructs me to stand to the side while he goes back to get another kat from a few cars back. He asks us both for id. Like he's surprised I have one he glances at it. The other dude didn't have any real ID he had like a school ID. The train friggin leaves. He tells me to take a seat. I see they're gathering up random folks from that station and from the train I was on. They cuffed two kids. They didn't have ID.

Officer comes back over to me. 'Why is your ID expired?'I say, 'Because I didn't get a new one...'

Pause.

He says,'This is illegal. We can lock you up for this. You lucked out this time. I'mah let you go...'

I can imagine that while I was in conversation with this friggin cop, someone above or even below the surface transit was gettin their face bashed in, robbed or needed some help...

What a waste....

Wednesday

Dogs & Nooses; Decoys


They're called decoys... With all the things going on in the world right now. At a time where people seem to be waking up a little and thinking toward taking action and changing things. You get nooses...and mad dogs... We have soldiers still dying overseas. People aren't buying the terrorism bit as much. An election nearing. All the creations that the minority that controls us have put into place starting to tear at the seams... We'll continue to get decoys and all kinds of things that will cause us to lose focus and keep people from being united in any way that may further cripple these moron's system.

Rubik's Cube: Like Life's Puzzles?

In 1974 The Rubik's Cube was invented. It's creator originally called it 'Magic Cube'. In 1980 Ideal Toys decided that the name we're all now familiar with would be the way to go. A metaphor for life is this 3 dimensional cube of color that tells us that though it may seem impossible to complete, the puzzles of life are not unsurmountable. Challenges can be met . How long it takes depends on various factors. But in order to meet those challenges you must take them on. You may at times put them down. Then pick them back up from where you left them. The amount of time taken to complete each puzzle depends on you.

Monday

Monday Music: Sumkid

I have a short list of emcees that personally inspire me to wanna continue to write when I feel as though I've reached the point of no return.

Sum(kid) Majere
Andre 3000
Ghostface Killah

Today the the free downloading begins with Trans-Am produced by Belief. Its quality Sum lyricism over pretty dope production. These two guys are making awesome music together. New Millennium Gangstar.

Trans Am - mp3

And for my next trick...!

[Click Here] to download The Doors - People Are Strange

Music Monday Waaaaaaaaay Late: The Beatles



When favorite albums by the Beatles are discussed, often times Revolver is the record of choice of many die hard Beatles fans. It is quite an album.

[Click Here] to download The Beatles - Got To Get You Into My Life - mp3

Totally unrelated to the previous offering. I noticed I had the link to another song up on Zshare. It's a rough track I've been messing around with.

[Click Here] to download Conscious - Smilin On the Inside - mp3

Monday Music: Let's Get Funky!

I can't begin to break down the importance of Parliament's contribution to funk music. George Clinton's unwillingness to be ordinary and submit to what the radio deemed playable and his profound affect on future musicians. There's so much history and so much music that came from the likes of this legendary funk explosion. Let's not forget Boosty Collins significant role without it well you know wouldn't have this post...

Today I have to drop a song (Gettin' To Know You') that I just really love. This album though is tremendous and this in my opinion isn't the best song on it but for some reason I'm just attached to it.

[Click Here] to download Gettin' To Know You - mp3

[Click Here] to download DJ Jazzy Jeff- Shake It Off [Instr] - mp3

Music Monday: MF Doom, The Chambers Brothers, The Sex Pistols, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins

Monday is back. Didn't seem to have been gone for long at all. Today I'm posting a few instrumentals produced by MF Doom from the Special Herbs series.

MF Doom - Special Herbs Vol. 1&2

John Coltrane - Soultrane
Sonny Rollins - Saxaphone Colossus

As always I hope you enjoy the tunes. I'm sure you'll gain some sort of inspiration from at least one of this random selection. Please drop a comment and let me know what's going on, on your side. I'm sure everyone that's checking out this blog will appreciate your convo as well. I don't like doing all the talking.

Wednesday

60 Second Review: Kanye West - Graduation

I just tossed up a new review on 60 Second Review blog for Kanye's latest album.
60 Second Review: Kanye West - Graduation

Tuesday

Monday Music On Tuesday...

As promised, to make up for missing Monday's music post, here's double the tunes... and I'm going to start off with some words that to some of you may be a bit inflammatory.

The Sylvers were better than the Jackson 5.
Yeah I said and I ain't takin it back jack. Go ahead and get mad. Just make sure you get the downloads.

The Sylvers

[Click Here] to downloadWe Can Make It If We Try - mp3
[Click Here] to downloadCry Of A Dreamer - mp3

Blue Oyster Cult

[Click Here] to downloadLet Go - mp3
[Click Here] to downloadTake Me Away - mp3

Sum(kid) Majere

29 Flights - mp3
Naked Wit My Cape On - mp3

I wrote this a while ago...

Guess what? Yesterday morning my hardrive said, 'screw you I'm done!' Well there's no sense in crying over it. I'll make my way to reclaim the only seriously important thing on it, that being all of music I should have already completed and gotten mixed, mastered and published. Anyway, my old comp was sitting in the closet. I'm working from it now. Upon rebooting this dinosaur I first noticed a document on my desktop. I wrote this few years ago.

Independent thinking these days seems rare, but I insist that it does in fact exist.

From out of the corners of my thoughts scattered, attempting to make sense of low scoring basketball games, newly installed slum doors with working intercoms pried offah hinges and that button near some intersections that is supposed to make the light change for every guinea pig pedestrian that expels the necessary energy to press it; I find balance.

Unfortunately, finding the meaning of life isn’t as simple as brandishing a miniature Mag-lite and rummaging through cobwebbed storage bins in a dark attic. I didn’t grow up in a house. But my mother did. Even still she didn’t learn the meaning by that method either.

If you stop to watch the low flying aircraft in awe, or walk slower when the rain begins to pour. You may be close to or already know the answer to the age old question of ‘What does it all mean?’ When I say this I think of the chorus of the De La Soul song Three is a Magic Number, which ends with Prince Paul scratching in those same five words. The O’Jays sang that there was a message in the music. Kenneth Gamble wrote: In this day of confusion, we must find the root of the problem in order to solve it. The problem is a lack of truth and communication between man and woman. Therefore, the wrong interpretation of life and life’s purpose has been exposed…

I purchased a record player some time ago partially because I’m a producer that does, let’s say, ‘musical research’ and also because I realized that my little sisters never experienced what it is to hear the sounds of music lifted from vinyl by a needle then tossed into a receiver and right back out through speakers to ultimately, end up dancing in your ears. I figured, perhaps in doing this I’d help them add pieces to the puzzle of this life’s game. So, in the future when they’ve grown older and left the hands of parents and guardians, they won’t be caught trying to fit all those pieces they’ve collected over time in with a hammer.

Thursday

Hiphop Rukus - Conscious Music

Today on the Hiphop Ruckus Blog you can find 2 tracks of yours truly's available for free download. I really like this picture...


Conscious "Space Age" + Bonus Track! (Audio)

Monday

Monday Music: Ike & Tina, Dean Martin & Thelonius Monk

Alright we're gonna start this week off with something a little different.. Well for the blog that is. I need music. I need to listen to it. I need to create it. I need to share it. Today I'm going to share a few songs with you I randomly pulled from my cd collection. I used to do this more when I first began this blog. But as you know, I'm all over the place. I like to switch it up. Today I'll toss you some Ike & Turner, Thelonius Monk and Dean Martin. There's no real method to this madness... There's no theme that I can imagine at this point. Just simply some music to share with you all.

[Click Here] to downloadYou Are My Sunshine - mp3


[Click Here] to downloadHouston - mp3



Don't Blame Me - mp3

Tuesday

Monday

Lupe's Fiasco Revisited

I wrote a little review about Lupe's 1st album. Check it out.
60 Second Review: Lupe Fiasco - Food & Liquor

Saturday

Lupe Fiasco - Dumb It Down

So what's really good with Lupe Fiasco? From interviews, sounds like he's a tad bit jaded by the way things have turned out with his rap career. In this business I guess you can only go but so far when corporations at the end of the day hold whether or not you will be famous in the balance. (One day we'll realize that the music we hear on commercial radio and most every media outlet is programmed. Possibly, on the same day we realize that we actually have power to affect changes in this world we're all a part of). How successful can you be with the use of 'their' money? Well, Lupe won't be dumbing down any song lyrics as he proclaims on 'Dumb It Down'.

Tuesday

Friday

The question still remains...

After the last week or so of reading posts on message boards and comments in response to video clips online where folks suggest that Doom's been lip syncing and at times sending an impostor in to perform in his place, I'm actually starting wonder what's really going on. I haven't been to any of Doom's recent shows to see for myself. I won't indulge in the madness behind this new buzz talk on the net. There does exist this thing where human beings seem to go along and agree with just about anything without having an once of proof that said situation has happened.

It is an interesting situation. In ways, it's quite exciting. Here we have an artist who plays the part of a villain on record. In performance he where's a mask. In interview he where's a mask. Knowledge of his personal life aside from the character Doom virtually non existent post KMD fame. Now he's supposed to be MIA. In some ways it sets up great promo. It makes sense. Then there's the side of maybe the future is not so bright.

But I'd rather not think too much about it. Because I don't have any factual information to go by.

Thursday

Hezekiah - Wild And Wreckless (2007)



I had to save this video on my favorites list on Youtube. I haven't listened to much of Hezekiah. He honestly reminds me of a darker skinned Lupe with a little less wordplay. Don't send out a beef blast. I'm saying. I haven't listened to his body of work. Anyway the point of this post was to just show a rather dope, less is more type video. I think the glasses really bring it in with him rockin the hood and all. I like the end part of the verse too. I think it's a tight sounding track... yall don't send me hate mail or evil comments either...

http://youtube.com/profile?user=Conscious

Saturday

A Side, B Side © Eklektic Gardens 2004


Was cleaning my closet and I found this so I ripped it and uploaded it so you could listen...

1. Teething
2. Snow
3. Latchkey ---> watch [video] here
4. Everyday ft. Traficant
5. Session 4
6. Milo
7. Jungle ft. Quest
8. Driving Too Slow
9. [Bonus Tracks] Racer X / Sweet Tears

Download Zipped Album

Friday

Conscious Live (Matt's abandoning us for greener pastures.)


Still getting the rust off. A picture taken by the talented Mr. Tah, during the Fire Your Boss Show at The Bower Poetry Club.

Last night I rolled through late to the going away party for Matt Lydon. He's moving his family out to New Hampshire.

I wrote a little top ten list to read last night.

Top Ten List Of Reasons Why Matt (Lydon) May Be Moving To New Hampshire

10. Ghosts of his checkered past have come back to haunt him.
9. Everyone knows, the ‘real’ rap recording contracts start in New Hampshire.
8. It’s time to ‘witness’ relocate.
7. Pigeons, pigeons, pigeons!
6. Bob Holman, Bob Holman, Bob Holman.
5. The Red Coats are coming! The Red Coats are coming!
4. To toilet paper the childhood homes of both Adam Sandler and Sarah Silverman.
3. If music doesn’t hit. There’s always NASCAR.
2. To find out if The Hotel New Hampshire is even remotely similar to the Hotel California.
1. Gentrification has pushed him and his loving family out of their Greenpoint neighborhood.

Wednesday

Long time no write...

original bush baby maybe from haiti
maybe the river euphrates shaped me
like fountain of youth brew
daily climb mountains in projects
is what some of the youth do
troop knew it was inevitable for them to die
but they ain't even cry
gettin even with steven means
nothin because steven been bluffin
beat the stuffin outtah dude
but what did that prove
because at a distance we both looked like fools
looked like tools
used to dissasemble
short circuit
work it till you squeeze all the life juice out...
through the pipe the mouth
for major lip service
snapshot of she lookin nervous
bended knee, for phallic prayer ritual
her knew her purpose
he was awesome on stage
with consummate rage he spit his verses

Quick Self Portrait...

Getting used to your face. Getting used to your voice. Getting used to getting used to.

Friday

Thursday

It's only bad as you let it be.

I sat on a bench in Union Square last night. Tired. Upset. Filled with anxiety. Down wind of a homeless dude, I looked up to notice was staring at me and suddenly I didn’t feel so bad.

Each day needs to start with being grateful. That’s it. Soon after visualize the day ahead of you positively. Make your day.

Yeah I'm Feeling Myself...

Village Voice: Group Photo, in two page spread.
Foam: Quoted for 5 Top Music Cities. Talked about places to eat sleep and catch a show.
Elemental Magazine: Poetry In Prison's Article
Beyond Race Magazine: Album reviewed: Neo Retro Spectro Graphiks Vol.1
Washington Square News: 2 part article; Part 1 Thought on hiphop artist Chaz Kangas; Part 2 Info On the NYC Subway Series
The L Magazine: Classic photo of Kidlucky and I during the hiphop Subway Series.(Camera's are always flashing in NY).

Monday

Clean up time.

This week begins a new move to get the body to act accordingly. For the next 2 weeks, no meat of any kind for me. Since I already removed red meat and pork from my diet some years ago my selection won't be so hard to scale down further. Also I'm cutting down on my egg intake. No scrambled ones in the morning or afternoon egg and cheese on a role type business. I'm also gonna cut out the cheese. That's the hard one. I like cheess. I really like cheese.

I have two shows coming up thus far this month, part of the reason I'm paying close attention to my food intake is because of them. I'm considering a general detox/fast perhaps I'll begin that a week from today.

I'll keep you posted.

Friday

Marthalicia... The Enchanting Paintress


Technology is great sometimes. Snap a few pictures with your digital camera. Record a conversation with your mp3 player. Upload through usb 2.0 and presto, you're a new media wizard.

Martha Alicia is an outstanding painter and illustrator I wanted you guys to know about... Here's a conversation with her.

What happened to the semi-daily photo journal?

Here's an untitled, Marvin Gaye piece that's already been sold. Been holding it for a while for Kid Lucky's wife. It's about time I get it on their wall.

Bilingual

Check out my 60 Second Review of Dungen's, 'Tio Batir'. There's also a free download of, 'Ett Skäl Atl Trivas' available for evaluation.

Tuesday

Remix Hotel: I forgot about these photos...

Lady from Club Zone snagged me. I'm cleaning out my wallet and I came across this business card...


Looking just as suspect as I is a rather dope emcee by the name of L-Star, member of Bronx group The Black Horde...

Mark Ronson Annie Mac Minimix




Dopeness!
Short and sweet!

Thursday

Photo Journal 5-17-07

"Conversion"

"Dress code for here? Yeah right..."

"99 Cents Store No More"

The last picture in today's semi-daily photo journal was taken on Mt. Eden Avenue in the Bronx, where 2 of New York's Bravest lost their lives in a tragic fire that was more then likely set. Rest In Peace Michael C. Reilly and Lt. Howard J. Carpluk Jr.

Monday

Photo Journal 5-14-07




I Shot The Readers, But I Didn't Shoot The Spinner Zine

"I shot the sheriff. But I didn't shoot no deputy"

So I’m surfing and stumble upon Spinner's online reader pole for, ’20 Worst Song Lyrics Ever’. At number 20 Bob Marley’s ‘I Shot The Sheriff’ is listed for the lyrics, "I shot the sheriff But I didn't shoot no deputy". The site posted a comment I suppose, at random from the many there must have been to conclude that in fact Bob’s lyrics to ‘I Shot The Sheriff’ belonged on this list. Lisa from Long Island had this to say, ‘Who gives a crap, you're still going to jail!!!’. Now, here’s what I’m thinking. 3 possible reasons immediately came to mind as to why a person would make such a statement. The first, let’s blame it on sheer ignorance. A lack of understanding of what the song really meant. Next, there’s a possibility that like many songs that we hear or claim to know for years, this particular individual never actually listened to more of the lyrics, then those famous introductory words. Lastly, Lisa may just be a mean, hateful person who does indeed understand the lyrics but really doesn’t care about the situation in the song discussed. Who gives a crap? Plain and simple. What’s really disconcerting and disheartening to me is the fact that this was a pole meaning not only one, but a number of people voted in agreement. In closing, all I can say is, this is truly sad.


Bob Marley
»
I Shot The Sheriff


(I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot no deputy, oh no! Oh!
I shot the sheriff
But I didn't shoot no deputy, ooh, ooh, oo-ooh.)
Yeah! All around in my home town,
They're tryin' to track me down;
They say they want to bring me in guilty
For the killing of a deputy,
For the life of a deputy.
But I say:

Oh, now, now. Oh!
(I shot the sheriff.) - the sheriff.
(But I swear it was in selfdefence.)
Oh, no! (Ooh, ooh, oo-oh) Yeah!
I say: I shot the sheriff - Oh, Lord! -
(And they say it is a capital offence.)
Yeah! (Ooh, ooh, oo-oh) Yeah!

Sheriff John Brown always hated me,
For what, I don't know:
Every time I plant a seed,
He said kill it before it grow -
He said kill them before they grow.
And so:
[ Lyrics by: Rare-Lyrics.com ]

Read it in the news:
(I shot the sheriff.) Oh, Lord!
(But I swear it was in self-defence.)
Where was the deputy? (Oo-oo-oh)
I say: I shot the sheriff,
But I swear it was in selfdefence. (Oo-oh) Yeah!

Freedom came my way one day
And I started out of town, yeah!
All of a sudden I saw sheriff John Brown
Aiming to shoot me down,
So I shot - I shot - I shot him down and I say:
If I am guilty I will pay.

(I shot the sheriff,)
But I say (But I didn't shoot no deputy),
I didn't shoot no deputy (oh, no-oh), oh no!
(I shot the sheriff.) I did!
But I didn't shoot no deputy. Oh! (Oo-oo-ooh)

Reflexes had got the better of me
And what is to be must be:
Every day the bucket a-go a well,
One day the bottom a-go drop out,
One day the bottom a-go drop out.
I say:

I - I - I - I shot the sheriff.
Lord, I didn't shot the deputy. Yeah!
I - I (shot the sheriff) -
But I didn't shoot no deputy, yeah! No, yeah!

Sunday

Takin Flicks On Mudduh's Day

I had to run downtown for a bit to pick up a few things. I can't go into Manhattan without running into at least one person I know. So of course, the one individual I happened to run into while I was in the city was pulled into today's semi-daily photo journal post.

'Block Circles'


'The Proud Virgin'


'A Firm Believer'


The the figure in the last photo is 'Belief', a very talented producer. Earlier in the week, I did a post entitled, '5 Truely Talented Artists You've Probably Never Heard Of''. Sumkid Majere was on of the five. Belief and Sum have a project together you should check out. Together they are, 'The Lone Wolf'.

Friday

Photo Journal 5-11-07

'Purple City Dump' or 'Birdgang Storage' ?

'Industrial Cleavage'


'Fire Boobs'

You know, I'm enjoying this. I'm really interested in what you folks think. Hopefully the images spark something in you. Leave comments or send me an email. If you think what you see is interesting enough forward the posting to a friend or colleague.