3.31.2004
Jeez I’m tired. Y’all don’t understand.
POEM-CEES do more before 10am than most suckas do all damn day….
But I can’t sleep
And it aint getting no better y’all.
Check the time stamp at the bottom of this post – I musta been bitten by a vampire, cuz here I am, 7:50am & STILL TYPING – I NEVER WENT TO SLEEP!! everyone else is laid out around me like it’s the Roots video for “You Got Me”.
They say that staying awake for 24 hours straight can diminish your mental & physical performance to the point where your responses & reflexes are the same as having a blood alcohol level of .05 or something.
Words are morphing in front of me now, “still” just turned to “sliip” that's not even a WORD...
Dag - you know who else does this?
Nat Law. He NEVER sleeps.
I ‘m getting in the bed.
No you’re NOT! You’ve got shit to do!
There’s a riot goin on ( in my head, that is…)
Just remember folks, when they come to take us away - we’re doin’ this FOR U!
Anyway…
While Rhome-Slice prepares to head over to Greece & break plates over bammas heads, Naturalaw & I will be headed up to NY in support of a worthy cause.
On Friday April 2, 2004 -- NYC SIA Presents
Revolution Poetics: Voices Against AIDS
Hosted By: Celena Glenn (she's baaaaaad!)
Featuring Performances by:
Poem-Cees (Blacklustre Entertainment)
Maya Azucena (NumediaNY)
Clara Sala, Julian C. Curry, Carlos Gomez (boyeee),
Brent Shuttleworth and the Columbia
University Step Team.
at
The Bowery Poetry Club
308 Bowery (btw Houston and Bleecker)
across the street from CBGB's
club info 212.614.0505
$10 cover
Doors at 6:30, Show at 7:00
After Party @ 17 Home
17 Stanton Street (btw Bowery & Chrystie)
10:00PM to 4:00AM
$5 with Benefit admission
$10 otherwise.
Have a Big Fat Greek Trip,
Pic!
blackpicasso - 7:52 AM
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3.30.2004
Addendum:
Hotel info.... 5 stars!!!!
Transpo is locked down. Just waiting for equipment list and venue details.
Stylus - 1:39 PM
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3.29.2004
- passport: CHECK!
- flight case: CHECK!
- tickets & itinerary: CHECK!
- unfukwittable set mapped out in my dome, records compiled: CHECK!
- performance fee in the bank: CHECK!
- regional flight info: ?
- hotel info: ??
- ground transpo: ???
- equipment list: ????
- venue info: ?????
Despite a few gaps in the logistics, the count-down begins. Rhomie Slice takes on Greece.
Thurs - Fri: Dulles => London => Athens => Thessaloniki
Fri nite: DJ Stylus rocks out with his c*** out (naw, they're not ready for that yet) in Thessaloniki
Sat: Thessaloniki => Athens
Sat nite: DJ Stylus mashes up Athens
Sun: journey back home
Mon: back at my desk at WPNI
More info as available. Send well-wishes.
Stylus - 5:18 PM
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3.24.2004
ROCK!!!!
"So this girl was in the club, and she was sweating me for my Chester shirt, and I was like WHATEVA!!"
Crescent Fresh indeed. Hats off to you Liam.
Aight.
I'm playing at Andalu tomorrow. MN8 springtime affair. Giveaways to concerts and such. Be there. It'll be sexy.
1214 18th Street, NW
Doors @ 7PM
Free Until 9PM/$5 thereafter
21 & Up
Friday is the Mango's jont.
Holla.
Stylus - 3:16 PM
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3.11.2004
WMC - The Final Chapter
TUES
Spent the early part of the day visiting Risikat's family. Then it was time to catch Louie and Elements of Life doing an in-store at Specs. He had two 12's, four CDJ-1000's, that amazing new Allen & Heath joint that was in many clubs down there, and an outboard crossover for the EQ's. He was accompanied by Raul Midon on guitar and vox, his lovely wife Anané on vox (Louie is really reppin' hard for short brothas!), and Blaze's Josh Milan on keys and vox.
They turned that jont into church.
The album is an inspirational experience as is, but when Raul gets to stretch out and Josh starts getting busy and Anané is just... well, herself, it really takes off.
DON'T MISS THEM WHEN THEY COME TO FIVE ON MARCH 24TH!!
Many more heavy hitters were in the place to witness Louie's debut... Marques Wyatt, Joe Claussell, Dimitri from Paris. DC/B-more was in the house: Shadrach, Oji & Pope, Inner Corner Band. Couldn't have come up with a better way to cap off the week...
...except for when the crew (me, Risikat, Ayo, Jamil, Adrian, Mack, Rebecca) shared some boisterous fellowship and monster sized plates at a Brazilian spot to put this whole thing to bed.
Book, DP, Pic, BHE.... y'all are going next year if I have to pack you in my hold baggage.
Stylus - 7:32 PM
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3.9.2004
WMC '04 - THE MADNESS CONTINUES
MON
I thought I had pretty much blown my load the first 3 days. My throat was scratchy and hoarse, my legs were beat from about 6 hours a day of dancing, I was sunburned, and my head was so full of new music it was crowding out my thoughts. Today was chill day. Lie around and nap, watch movies, recharge batteries. Maybe we'll go hang out at a low-key party later, to just chop it up with all the folks we've met. Sip drinks on the patio.
No.
Low-key party turned into Supreme Summit of Esteemed Hip-Hop Pioneers and more dancing until 4am.
Super Agent Adrian Loving on the Batphone: "Yo, Doug E. Fresh is going to be hosting this jont. Invite only, but I can get you on the list."
Ultra snazzy Miami club right in South Beach, flush with mafia money, socialites and extreme high-rollers. Straight Miami Vice shit. Paris Hilton was having a party on the outdoor pavillion level of the club. Rhomie-Slice slides in on the list with scuffed Pumas, jean shorts and a polo shirt. Inside, stilletto and lycra-clad model chicks paint a stark contrast against young WMC attendee jawns with conference badges and cargo capris. There are 2 dj booths on stage. "Why is this so?" I think to myself. The jocks are lazily playing mainstream rap hits. Not digging that. But I'm drinking for free, observing pageantry and talking to good folks, not mad at that.
Then Doug E. takes the stage backed by 2 dj's. Flashbacks to Chill Will and Barry B. anyone?
This ageless wonder of a performer proceeds to run through a tightly choreographed party-rocking prototype of a show, complete with medleys, trick call and response choruses and chants, beat box segueways, and of course... all the hits. There's maybe 300 folks in there, but this man is dancing, spinning, rhyming, sweating, emoting and CRUSHING SHIT like it was Madison Square Garden. J-Live and I are damn near moshing each other.
I got a little teary eyed. I screamed away what little was left of my voice. I was 10 yrs old again.
Yes, he rocked the simultaneous beatbox/harmonica solo.
Yes, he did bring out Vicious (no longer L'il) and backed him on the beatbox for a speaker rending live version of "Freaks".
It wasn't over though. Because it was time for The Ruler Himself to join The World's Greatest Entertainer.
Slick Rick took the stage. They paused the show for a minute to shout out a few cats in the front row:
Fat Joe, GrandMixer DXT and Jazzy Jay (yes, Bamm's protegé).
And we do have a confirmed Timbaland siting to add to that, just as a side note.
Details are really unnecessary about Doug E. and Ricky D. on stage together. Yes, they did Ladi Dadi with the beatbox. Yes, Rick did Wop It Out until he could Wop No More. And he brought out the jawn with the platter full of gold chains and medallions so he could lay aside his platinum, don his gold, and take it from the new to the old.
Oh, and you know his gear was tizzight.
Then Biz Markie got up and did the Biz Markie quick-mix, novelty record thing. Folks are enchanted. The uber-cool heads are shedding their ice grills. The party started heating up. Jazzy Jeff drops in. Raheem and D. Chase in the place. In rolls the Legendary Roots crew. In rolls....
GRANDMASTER FLASH... Flash... flash.... !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
?uestlove gets on the wheels. Flash hops on stage to dap him up. I'm standing in the hallway trying to comprehend the magnitude of what I am experiencing. J-Live and I are forming our own impromptu support group to help each other sort it all out. Another drink helps. But then I see another hero of my youth approaching me.
E.S.T. THE ACKNICKULOUS ONE!!!! (Get them Beyoncé checks dawg!!!)
"Yo man, I would take out a home equity loan just to get Original Styling on vinyl. No Words! Greatest Man Alive! Peace Yaself! Da Fat Cat Clique!! (didn't think I knew about that one didja)"
E.S.T. is humble and mad personable. He has a beautiful au natural sista in tow (an even bigger contrast to all the silicone and micro-mini skirts) and they're very sweet together. He's very interested in coming to DC and genuinely moved by my appreciation of his work.
So after my acknickulous encounter, I head back out to the patio and have a conversation with Flash, Jazzy Jay and DXT. I was finally able to tell them all the stuff that choked up in my throat when I met Bamm.
I owe the essence of who I am to what you brothers created. And I'm just one of millions.
I shared this with Oso-Fresh and Dirty Handz. We had a DC dj moment together. RBI, D'Salaam, Eurok - wish you were here homies!!!!!!!
?uestlove was turning the party out. He goes into the classic breaks. JB's, Bob James. I jump into what may be my 10th dance circle/battle of this trip. Cats are busting head spins. ANOTHER uprock battle jumps off. Model chicks are screaming their heads off (aren't y'all too cool and hungry to expend that much energy?)
Several amply endowed jawns jump on stage to dance. A couple of them veer into girl-on-girl love territory. Cameras pop up like mushrooms after a rainstorm.
Risikat dragged me out of the club eventually.
Today - Louie Vega and Elements of Life free live in-store performance. And I'm missing Jazzy Jay & Rock Steady Crew AND Ron Trent to catch Louie. No one should have to be faced with such choices.
Vacation is my new favorite word.
Stylus - 3:44 PM
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3.8.2004
OFFICIAL HIT AND RUN wInTEr mUSic ConFeREnCe CHECK IN POST (aka DJ Stylus is waaaaay too overstimulated)
FRI
- downtown Ft. Lauderdale? Cool. 7pm - 83 degrees. Spring Break? Bananas. Girls Gone Wild? WHOA! "Mack (college chum & FL resident), why are we just walking down the street with liquor in each fist? Why can I buy 3 for 1 beers on the sidewalk"? mmmmm... Kalik. Dude, can't go hard like this on an empty stomach, grub please. Club 1, Club 2, Clubs 4, 5, 6... I lost a third club in the mix, KCUF it!! Sista girls surprised to see a black man in the club that can dance (approx. 3 to 100 black to non-black ratio). Joyfullness ensues. You're Guyanese? You are too? ALL of you are Guyanese? Oh, and you're an italian jawn from Queens, I see. What am I drinking? Macks says scotch & ginger. You don't have any clothes on. Dang, this spot is like the Casbah in Tunisia or some shit, but it's 1am and it's dead.... 2am, no room to move. We're inside, but we're outside. Time to salsa with ambi cubanas now. 3am - 80 degrees. Whassup Cliff, where have you been all my life?
SAT
- must... vanquish... hangovers.... ahh, breakfast. Ok now. 85 degrees. Sunroof. Blue Note Revisited on the deck. TIME TO HEAD TO SOUTH BEACH. Cruising... neck on swivel mode. Time for a WMC kick off party, pool side on Collins Ave. DC Massive in the place!! Adrian Loving, Ayo the throwback Nigerian Mack Daddy, Jamil, Brent "Vortex" Talley, Frost, Fred "007". 7 foot high speaker stacks poolside. Everyone has digicams, I need one. Hello jawns from LA, you all don't have any clothes on. My man Mack wants to take a picture. LET'S GO CATCH RICH MEDINA AT JUMPNFUNK! YAAAAY!! ... sweatbox.... ancestors are being summoned. Rich is punishing us all but we feel no pain. Wunmi is destroying the floor but feels compelled to crush the mic too. UPROCK BATTLE! WHUT!!?! I'm trading 5 counts with B-boys from Vancouver in a hotel lobby in Miami. "Oh no, I don't dance" But you're Brazilian though. "No, I don't dance, sorry... okay, just this once." I see you know how to meringue nicely. Yes, you are quite beautiful, but I'm not ready to get married yet. I am flattered though. Yes, I can call you later. Check into hotel, catch breath, wash asses. Get pizza. Time for BugzNtheAttic & Jazzanova! Mad broken beat biznizz!! Seiji, what's up? Yeah cuz, Daz and them crushed it at Five in D.C., when y'all coming back? New IG Culture?!? New Mark de Clive-Lowe? WORD?!? Listen to this Tamara Wellons cd, remixes cuz! DJ SPINNA IN THE HOUSE! Loose lips, sink ships, flip scripts gymnastics/Breathe & Stop... MEGATON BOMB. DANCEDANCEDANCE... CHALLENGE!! London's got this shit on lock. Seiji is KIRKING THE FUCK OUT IN THE DJ BOOTH. I'm get-ting so hot, a knucka had to take his clothes off. (baggy wifebeater, whut!?!) Oh hello supersize redbone jawn with Risikat-esque afro puff, you are the cutest thing in the room. 3 am - 83 degrees.
SUN
- 86 degrees. Beach time. I can see your boobies. I can see all of your boobies. You are wearing dental floss. Barefoot soccer on a sandbar in the ocean, whut!?! The water is blue & green, but I'm pale as shit! Mack + digicam = madness. Yo, Djinj Brown! You played with Osunlade on Friday? Hopefully I can catch him Monday. You've got a jont coming out on Yoruba? DOPE!! Check this cd, cuz! Refuel - fresh seafood. Time to catch the new Mario Van Peebles flick. History lesson! Mad uplifting! Eric Roberson in the house... Goapele... peace Tayyib! Sam the Man Burns dropping film knowledge! Aight, B-more/DC party next... nope.... naptime...zzzzzzz. FUTURE PARTY @ OPIUM GARDEN. J-Live on the wheels, Peanut Butter Wolf, Madlib, Ill Vibe Collective - WORD! DJ JAZZY MUTHAFUNKIN' JEFF KNUCKA YOU ARE THE KING. Don't... this... hit.... make... my people... wanna... JUMPJUMP! Hold up... Melo D? J-Rocc, Shortkut.... BEAT JUNKIES, WHUT?!? Let's take pictures with Jazzy Jeff! You wanna hear my cd? Sure! Field2Factory in the '04! Hello again Goapele, you are so petite. I don't want to step on your pretty toes. Yo, Skillz! You killed it on Okayplayer tour! Oh shit, KID CAPRI. It's like the League of Extraordinary DJ's up in here! Black Thought, Knuckles, Kamal on the Keys are all friends with Cliff too! I hear EPMD at 2:30am, must be ?uestlove. "Yo, Stylus! Are you dj'ing down here too?" Naw cuz, but thanks for assuming it was a possibility. Raheem Devaughn in the place doing tv interviews. Awwwww, DC!! Yeah Tennison! Kenny Dope! RICH MEDINA YOU DID IT AGAIN! I can't stop dancing knucka please release me from your clutches!! Why are you playing Bollywood sitar records and everyone is kirking out? Hello jawns from JumpNFunk, let's boogie! You're from LA? You're from NY? You're from the UK? Aight! Vikter Duplaix closing it out for the sexy grown folk. Philly is a beast. DC is next. Big up BBE 10 year anniversary!!
It's still 85 degrees.
Ouch, I've got a sunburn.
I'm only 2/3 through y'all. Wish you were here.
Stylus - 3:48 PM
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3.7.2004
