talkin' bout : Dose One

So I'm listening to Hemispheres (I hadn't in a while, I don't know why it was missing from my pc) and just like before, I find myself amazed and relaxed. Rap is sometimes considered a form of urban poetry, but for the most part I disagree. You can't help but see the full artistic and poetic potential of "hip-hop" when you're listening to Dose. Unadulterated and genuine uniqueness and inventiveness. And just like any true artist, he gets a lot of flack and criticism.

"His voice is weird"

And Picasso's paintings were done in a weird style, I'm not trying to compare Dose's craft to Picasso's but just because it's something you're not used to doesn't mean you should completely disregard it. His music is amazing, whether it's his good ol' solo songs, with Jel on Themselves, or even with his experimental rock-group Subtle. I can see why he hasn't reached a huge amount of listeners and won them over.

Not to sound pompous, but his music probably flies over most people's heads, which is a little disconcerting at times. Mainly because he puts in a lot of work, puts out fantastic and quality music but does not have many fruits from his labor to enjoy. This guy battled Eminem at a freestyle tournament for the championship round, a controversial event because Dose came out stronger and Eminem won with weaker written's (yes, 97% of Eminem's freestyle's were clever written's).

The future is looking good for Dose and his fans. He broke his rapping silence by battling a pair of emcee's on a college radio show and completely tearing them up early last year. Themselves recently rocked a show New Year's Eve at the Low-End Theory and they're gonna perform at Coachella this year. It's an exciting time. Picture me smiling while "That Ol' Pagan Shit" plays in the background :]

god-damn asians...

...with your awesome new years celebrations!

But anyway, this years celebrations came bittersweet for me. I have to say that 2008 might have been one of the craziest years for me, introspectively speaking. I came semi-circle with what I want from life, who I want from life, and why I want from life. Every day felt like I was opening another fortune cookie, and although I've found no solid ground or an answer to appease me, I hope to accomplish that this year (or the next year, or the next year, or the next year...)

My New-Year's Resolutions:

• Spend less-money
• Get better grades
• Finally finish my fucking demo
• Care less about things
• Work out more often

Gung Hey Fat Choy!

New P.O.S. Track

Off his upcoming album "Never Better." Check out the track here. The full album drops February 3rd and there will be a tour kicking off 2 days after! yeea boi!

Cal-Hi Senior Pics

So I dusted off my old year book and took a trip down memory lane. Where did all the years go?

Luis Carrillo

Xzibit Vs. Non-Prophets

I made a mash-up of Xzibit's "Paparazzi" with Non-Prophet's "Bounce." Check it out on my myspace here:

http://www.myspace.com/sictransitwhittier

Aretha Franklin - "Cry Like a Baby"

Maybe it's the fact that I've heard Atmosphere's "Tears For Sheep" so many times I consider it a classic, but damn can that girl sing. Amazing song, taking it back to the old school.

Stare Case

A lot of things led up to recording this song and the actual name of it, too. I remember discussing samples with my fellow peers back in high-school. We talked about how most people aren't aware of sampling because you can always get away with it as long as it's some obscure and rarely-known artists you're borrowing from. I mentioned how if any "rockers" (by rockers I mean the kids at school who had long hair, smelled like they didn't shower very often and just smoked weed while listening to Jimi Hendrix) found out of a Beatles sample, or Led Zeppelin sample they would have their asses on a platter. I was never a big fan of huge classic rock acts. Cream, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Black Sabbath, etc. never caught my attention. I was far too absorbed by the true alternative types of music. I was all about Television and Gray Matter while everyone else would wear their Metallica shirts.

One day, about a year-and-a-half ago I was bored and stumbled across a video for Led Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven." The intro guitar I envisioned would sound great with a bassline that was also descending in notes. I sliced the intro and looped it, added some drums and bass and I was finished. It sounded good but I thought I would never use it. Not because I wasn't satisfied with the outcome, but because I figured if I recorded myself rapping over it everyone would hate me. I saved it and basically tossed it away. Fast-forward to a couple of months later; I was rapidly becoming more and more depressed. It was around the time of my school finals and I had a lot on my plate as far as work and personal struggles go. I was fucking up in both. I was overwhelmed with work, stress, and a looming loneliness that only seemed to grow worse and worse. I was realizing that everything I had planned out; how I would get my degree in computer science and settle down with a nice girl who would also have a job so we can get a nice house, was in vain. First off; I couldn't even get my basic general education and second, I couldn't find a girl who could compel me enough to give me the inspiration to go through with. I was a mess and I knew it. I was losing myself. I had never felt like such a worthless and ignorant person.

I also knew that a huge distraction for me was my ex. We had been broken up for just about a year yet I still thought about her everyday. I wondered how she felt about me. I wondered how she was doing and if she changed her look at all. I would get sporadic and scarce text messages from her, they usually had no underlying meaning either. Just a simple "hey" followed by a "we're never gonna talk again." To me that showed how in control of the situation she was. While I was over here feeling like my world had come to an end she was completely unphased. It was like a fresh start for her, and never better. This did nothing to help me at all.

I had purchased a Samson condenser microphone from Sam Ash but my only real recording was "Love and Happiness." I had been listening to a lot of Sage Francis and Alias. Any of the early Anticon, really. Which is what I consider to be their golden age and peak. I decided it was time for me to put out some new material. I couldn't find a beat that I thought was ready, until I opened up the instrumental for stare case. I heard it in a new way that I hadn't before. The majestic plucking of the strings with the rough sounding drums and overpowering bass. Suddenly I didn't care that it was a Led Zeppelin sample, or what people might think and the backlash from it. I connected to it, finally. I got to writing the lyrics immediately. The overall feel I was giving off from the song was one of desperation and distress. I really did sleep naked sometimes, and I would always wake up incredibly tired from not being able to sleep the night before. The flutter of feelings was rushed onto my wordpad as I recorded line after line, verse after verse. I used a quote by one of my favorite philosophers of all time, Socrates. "The only thing I know is that I know nothing." I named it "Stare Case" because of the reoccurring theme of staring in it.

I'm sleeping naked again. The pillow is my best friend. I thought i didn't have to bare it all, but now off my bed I crawl. I want it all and by all I mean everything that I'll never have. I'll never find some piece of mind but I find my mind is left in pieces. It decreases the amount of time before I quit. Everyday is a so-called "chance to do your best" but my whole life has been a mess. As I'm staring at the mirror, I can't even see a reflection and as I go one way my heart's led off into a different direction. You admit it's not my fault, then point the finger at me. You don't have t justify why you leave me, I already know that I'm ugly inside and outside. The only thing that I hide is a fucked up smile. I'm glad to see that you're doing better so I guess it was worth the while because you learn from your mistakes, while all I do is repeat. And another piece of me dies inside, every new time that we meet. I'm starting over. Sometimes I wonder why I'm even sober, I'd rather forget that I'm so hopeless and just wait for it to be over. I'm tired of work, everyday is the same routine and yes there's a difference between being honest and being mean. I guess that I'm neither, I wish I could believe her and if I really knew that she hated me it would be easier to leave her or her to leave me. Marking scars on my body. Take a trip-down memory lane in my car and call shotty. The only time that I felt like a man was weird as hell, I can't understand most of the shit that I think so I guess there's a missing link. And all I know is that I know nothing. Walking away but still chasing after something. I can't look at myself cause I'm embarrassed by my face and I almost fell down the bottom of the staircase. Is it in me or in you? Or which one of us would continue? I'm seeing your face in places that I've never even been to. The nighttime is the best time to be honest with yourself. I'd love to talk to you, but it's too bad it's bad for my health. Midnight walks don't get me rattled, I'm staring at my shadow. Envisioning my future well is my biggest battle. But once I'm done with this I can move on. Hope to look past all of the bullshit but I know I'm not that strong. It's been too long since I had a goodnight's dream, I know sometimes it seems within my reach but I've never been one to preach. Or give advice or anything I would take with a grain of salt. This is personal, and who knew could pass it off as art? Do I sound smart? I fall apart at the sound of a single tear drop. But I play it off well and tell everyone to fear-not the end. I wish I would never lose any of my friends and I hope they get the message that this song is trying to send. It's clear to see, you can't change me 'cause I'm a failure for life.

Atmosphere Diss "Soul Sella" by Spawn

a.k.a. Rek The Heavyweight

LINK REMOVED

I don't wanna jump to conclusions, but I think it's kinda lame that he did this. The beat is tight, his flow is kinda tired. I'd love to know the reason behind this, besides the alleged missing royalties.

Update: I was contacted by Rek The Heavyweight's record label and told to remove the link. According to them, the track came out in 2001 and there is no more beef between him and Slug.

Oba-llin' Up

The 44th President of the United States

Barack Obama