The Dao of Blaughe

Pixle Pudge

2010-03-22T18:21:00.005-04:00

What do you know, last time I was a day early, this time, a day late. I guess it all even's out in the wash. I have been pretty busy recently contributing to the video game Nova Fleet that I have been developing with a couple of buddies (http://devklick.blogspot.com/), and subsequently didn't do an amazing job of managing time, so now I'll have to double duty this week to make sure I get the next typeface done on time.

Anyway, I've dubbed this bad boy PIXEL PUDGE. It's a lot of fat heads and pixle-esque divisions. Tell me what you think...even if you think it sucks. I can take a crit! Thanks for following my adventures in Typography, and I'll be more timely come this week.

Globall

2010-03-13T16:29:00.003-05:00

Got this boy up a little early this week, but it looks like a busy weekend, so I'm trying to make good use of my time today. I came up with this font while messing around with some possible logo ideas for a potential client. Any way, it went really quickly, which was a relief after the outline nightmare that was Franken Furters. (Last weeks post.) As the title suggests, I'm calling it 'globall'. What are your thoughts?

Thanks to everyone who is following, and I certainly welcome comments and suggestions.

Franken Furters (Typeface 2)

2010-03-07T20:49:00.003-05:00

Hey Guys and Gals, what's the bit-ness? This is week two of my weekly typeface additions. I call this week's A-Z's 'Franken Furters' since it's round cylinderous shapes look like hot dogs to me. I have to tell you, making a font that has rounded edges and outlines like this was increadibly difficult to get near-perfect. I doubt I'll tackle another like it in the near-future. The 'N' was the first letter I finished and by far the most difficult to make in the series. I just couldn't wrap my head around how to make its outline. After sleeping on the problem and looking at it with a freash mind, I was able to slowly but surely make headway on it's creation. All the non bend-ie letters were a piece of cake outside of N. The Bend-ie letters were expectedly more difficult, but not nearly as much so as the N. Anyway, I hope you enjoy what you see, but either way, tell me what you think. Thanks for following and 2's!

Font 1: Snare Minimum

2010-02-28T17:09:00.004-05:00

So quick intro, I am making a new font every week until I feel I've made a healthy collection of new typefaces to work with. This weeks installment I refer to as 'Snare Minimum'. I welcome your comments and critiques.

久しぶり！

2009-08-25T09:28:00.002-04:00

It's been a while since I could go outside and just walk around lost in my thoughts, so today, that is exactly what I did. While I walked I thought of a great project to uptake for my last two and a half months in Ota. I am contemplating doing an interview series both filmed and in online zine form about some of the more interesting people I have met here in Japan. Don't know if it will amount to much but it's a good idea I think. On top of that I am gearing up to possibly record my long awaited mix-tape 'Oxygen Destroyer' produced by Double A. At the same time, I'm footing the bill to realease young Dubz A's first 'official' LP but I'll elude more to that after post production. Hope everyone's gravy.-2's

久しぶり！！

2009-04-22T05:36:00.002-04:00

Long time no type. It has been unusually busy recently as I am trying to deal with a fiasco involving my publisher and the unthinkably terrible sound quality (ie nothing like the master I sent them) that was present on the run I just received. Still kinda fretting that boy, but hoping for the best.

Anyway, updates if you haven't had a chance to check out the new site yet please do. It has some great photography by Mizuaki Wakahara who is the same photographer who photographed Exile's last concert book pics, as well as Hamasaki Ayumi's New Year's concert. It also has updates on shows and is currently featuring an interview with SEO know-it-all and famous blogger Eric Pender. Here's the link: www.sympull.org

It's been a slow go in Tokyo up until late but I am happey to announce the first show going down this saturday in Ota. (Check the events page on sympull.org for details) I'm also locking down tracks to begin work on a new LP, while also recording a mixtape. That should almost guarantee that summer becomes a work-a-holics wet dream! So far I've been working on 3 tracks with producer Martez and am still anxiously waiting to see what Double A (Gambear1er) and Complexx might be cooking up on the beat front. This will actually be the first time I used multiple producers on any project, so I'm nervous to see what it turns out. I always enjoy team ups , but worry about the ol' too many chefs cliche.

Just wanting to keep ya'll in the loop, and I'll see you next update.-2's

Eric Pender Interview

2009-04-07T12:14:00.002-04:00

On March 18 th , 2009, Eric Pender interviewed Sympull about his latest EP release, "Start from Scratch." In his previous work with Genesis Theory on "The Genoa Incident," Sympull's lyrical work had a reflective and dark quality, exhibiting inner conflict and questioning. Now on his second studio release, it is evident that Sympull was grown into a role as a more confident and complex songwriter. Along with musical mastermind Complexx, "Start from Scratch" takes a polished and deliberate leap in lyrical acuity. In the interview, Sympull talks about his progression as a songwriter, his influences, and why he's keeping it clean of words of the four-letter variety.

The title of the new album is "Start from Scratch." I've had the chance to listen to the album, but can you tell us in your own words how you have approached your music in this album, and how this latest album is different from "The Genoa Incident"?

The Genoa Incident was an exercise of maybes. Maybe I could be a lone front man, maybe someone might care about what I say, and maybe hip-hop can be made with a bunch of classically trained musicians. I honestly didn't know what I was doing. I didn't know what I wanted to do. So when I first started the band Genesis Theory with my buddies it was more about us just getting anything done more than making something epic. So what you end up with is a mixed blessing, because you have a lot of good ideas but no one with a clear concept of what the song should be when it's finished. There was actually a show only album that came out a year later called 'Relentless'. On that album I think we (GT) really found our stride and began at least having an inkling of what an album should look like. Unfortunately, as sometimes happens the band broke up before we ever had a chance to release that CD as an actual dubbed album.

Either way what I was aiming for was still a little bit beyond what was coming to fruition in that group. But I was able to learn a wealth of knowledge from the experience and was able (at the end of that chapter) to begin to realize what I think a good album would consist of.

So me and Complexx (Ex-Drummer from GT, producer of 'Scratch'), we knew exactly the kind of project we wanted to do. We knew the kind of time we wanted to put into it, and we knew the level of quality we wanted to breathe into this. The truth is we probably always knew what we were looking for but there were too many people throwing out personal visions in our old situation. Maybe the short answer to your question is that we learned to have less head chef's in the kitchen. It seems to really be working well thus far in the process of making music.

Late last year you packed everything up and moved to Japan. That's certainly a big change in your life. How has that manifested itself in the latest record?

Actually we wrapped up production on 'Start from Scratch' a week before I made said move. I can tell you that the next CD (Which will be a full LP) will be heavily influenced by it though. There's so many inspiring things I can take in here as well as I have had a lot of time to reflect on my life, loves, and personal relationships with people.

Was there something you wanted to work on specifically when you were working on this album? Was there something from the last album where you consciously said "I want to do this differently" or "I want to change this?"

Abso-freaking-lutely! I wanted to make a complete project. An album, big or small, that had a flow to it. Where nothing sounded like it didn't belong, but also where there was no filler and no songs that were 'the same'. There's so many CDs you pick up today and there are like two major songs and the next 15 tracks are like the same eh level song all the way through. They use similar structures, chords, lyrics. You can't tell when the track changed even. But I also didn't want to make something that had no thought or cohesion to it. So from the first day I heard Complexx's beat for the title track to the last day in the studio, I was designing the sound of 'Scratch' in my head.

What I wanted so much to do differently this go around was make something that I knew was pro level and would let people know I'm not kidding around with this ish. People will listen to this CD and say "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOh, you're serious about this junk!'. Y'know?

Who's currently influencing your music now?

There's a wide range of artists who influence my music personally. I'd say Double A (long time friend and fellow rhyme aficionado) is one of my biggest influences. He's sort of the Rival that keeps you in training because you don't want to let him get any ground on you. As far as outside-influences...I'm really big into the Midwest indie-scene. I love just about anything the Rhymesayers camp puts out. Atmosphere, Brother Ali, and MF Doom are some of my favorite rappers. But I also am a big fan of Royce da 5'9" and Aesop Rock as well. You might be very surprised at how many times other music forms inspire me to pick up my pen though. As funny as it sounds Tenacious D is an amazing group to me. They make funny songs, fair enough, but their arrangements and abilities are top-notch. I also listen a lot to Utada Hikaru and other J-pop artists. Because honestly there's days when you just are sitting listening to 'Brian Wilson' by Bare Naked Ladies and you understand that lyrics can really talk about anything that inspires you. It sort of gives you a reset button when you are too deep into the 'Expected' realm of rap.

The last album was driven by strong guitar riffs with a lot of hip-hop influence. This latest album still has the hip-hop influence, but is a little more musically diverse. How did that come to be? Was that something you did on purpose?

Complexx is the mastermind of a lot of the musical exploits on this CD. There were times I beat boxed a couple of notes bouncing around in my head and he worked his magic with it, but for the most part I think a lot of this diversity comes from Complexx growing as a producer and a musician. We were also blessed to have a recording engineer, Shane Burghem, who is also an amazing guitar player who, in postproduction, was able to add his stank to songs, like 'Ghost Recon', and really bring them to life.

The process is naturally occurring. There was certainly a rhyme or reason to our decision making process for 'Scratch, but I can't honestly say Complexx knew what notes he wanted to use in a song as much as when he hit the right notes we knew that they were right. If that makes sense.

I'm pretty sure you haven't dropped an f-bomb in the entire album. Do you have a reason for why to try to stay away from that kind of stuff?

There's no moral reason or anything like that. I definitely feel all the four letter zingers have there place in writing and in Hip-hop and in the world at large. But it is also a basis for a lot of critiques on my community and on my genre of music. I believe hip-hop is the most beautiful and honest music in existence. There aren't more talented songwriters on the planet! But I also would hate for someone to be turned away from this such amazing content by a couple of rough adjectives. On top of that I sound corny on record when I say F*** anything! It doesn't seem to fit me, and you can't play the part of something you're not, or you'll just end up losing what makes you stand out from the million other nameless faces out there.

Do you have favorite song on the album?

I like all of these songs for different reasons. But if I'm choosing one I'll go with 'Start from Scratch' only because it was the first song I wrote and really led into all the other songs falling into place.

In The Genoa Incident, there was clearly a reflective tone, a sense of searching in a way. This latest effort is much more confident. There is still that sense of trying to complete something. It has purpose, but acknowledges there is still more you are after. Can you talk a little about the confidence that you portray in the new album, and how maybe that's changed since your last album?

In "The Genoa Incident" and "Relentless" I was in a very low and lost point in my life. I had no idea what I wanted out of life and I had no love for myself. I had a numerous amount of failed half-assed relationships and was struggling with spiritual beliefs as well as my own significance in the world. I wasn't eating right, I wasn't sleeping right, and I was a complete wreck. So these two albums were very much like a scatterbrained diary trying to describe what I felt I was verses what I wished I would become. I also can say it was a lot of candid speech about the evils that women do to a man. So towards the End of Relentless and other unreleased songs at the end of my tenure in Genesis Theory you begin to see the change in my lyrical content as I started my quest to find self.

Start from Scratch is my light in the tunnel. You can feel the hope placed in it. Not to mention it gives you insight into what my life's quests, up till now, have turned up. I am confident in what I do. There's no question that I have the wares to be a musician. I write almost a song a week (Usually more like three now of days). I'm constantly free styling and rapping everywhere I go. If someone asks me what I do I always mention it. This is my life. I don't just listen to this ish, I live it. And it's crazy to look in the mirror and see this bald-headed, bearded, and pale white mug and know as soon as I walk out the door I'm gonna let people know how sexy I think I am. I have that love for myself and as cliché as it can be construed as, it gives me the ability to appreciate the other knuckleheads in the struggles with me.

In addition Scratch is a warning shot. People are going to know Sym got mean and that the Mastodon is hungry. I've got so many songs I can't wait to get down and so much I can't wait to write that people are going to be seeing me for a long minute.

Sympull's latest EP release "Start from Scratch," is currently available at www.sympull.org by clicking on the 'store' link. He'll probably even sign it for you if you want. This interview was conducted by Eric Pender , who lives in Chicago, and has known Sympull since waaaaay before he was living in Japan.

1st Blog from Japan

2009-01-26T07:53:00.003-05:00

As I'm writing this, I'm sitting at a Country Kitchen Buffet in Ota Japan. I'm so stuffed that I have abdominal pains, but I made a conscious decision to actually eat something this week, so I'm using the end of my budgeted money and gorging a little bit. But, seeing as it's going to be a minute before I can stand up, I decided to sip on some coffee and updated my long forgotten blog.

I've been here almost three months and I'm only now starting to settle in my two tatami room apartment. I'm going to come clean to those who are my main line of encouragement and the ones riding me hardest and tell you that getting back into music has been a slow go. Finding musicians and places to play have been a hurdle that I can't figure out how to clear, but my heart is still willing, and I've still been on a very strict writing regiment that I started in the states some years back. With perseverance there is always a chance that you can succeed.

The long awaited 'Start From Scratch' mini album is drawing ever closer to it release date. (Which I'm disappointed to say is still TBA.) But I promise that I wouldn't mention it if a date wasn't in sight. On the low, I've already picked a place to have the release party. (Which, even though it is kind of a six thing todo, I''m keeping as my secret.) I'm just working out the finishing touches on the album artwork and design. Please trust that everyday I grow more anxious contemplating how long this process is taking, knowing that I can honestly say to this day I have planned out maybe 5 full LP's and mix tapes for future release. And since I'm always writing it means that number can only grow. My only desire is to let some of the coal hit the fire so that I can keep the movement warm in this age of ice that hip-hop has fallen victim to.

Anyway, in loo of the release of said mini album, I'm also hard at work contemplating a working with web heads to give sympull.org a forever needed face lift. I'm also going to make a T-shirt so that the supporters of the Sym movement can rock some gear that represents their campaign. (Cursed if we ain't all learning a little something from Obama y'know?!) I may not be all that well known, and I certainly not the most experienced, and you better believe I have no idea how the music biz works, but, I do know what hard work is and I try and put all my heart and hope into whatever I decide to do until it gets done. So I also hope that you'll dig what I've been putting up and throw a couple of dollars at the CD when it finally drops so that we can keeping pushing forward on this mission. Much respect and love to all those taking five minutes out of their lives to read the random thoughts of wannabe independent rapper, singer, effit crazy song writer slash, T-shirt Designer. -2's (It's pronounced deuces by the way.)

New Polar Ice Caps

2008-04-29T11:13:00.005-04:00

Double A has been tossing some of his art work up on his blog the last couple of weeks. So I thought I'd do the same. Also, I couldn't think of anything to write.

The Forbidden Kingdom

2008-04-26T23:48:00.010-04:00

I had the opportunity to see the Film that has finally brought the two martial arts legends, Jackie Chan and Jet Li, under one roof, The Forbidden Kingdom today. I was skeptical to go and see it initially because it was an American movie directed by a westerner, and it was in English. In past years, it has been my opinion that American producers have failed to grasp the concept of, and thereby failed at turning out a Kung-fu movie that was worth seeing. There are exceptions to this that come in the form of movies like the Rush Hour series. But Movies like The One or The Tuxedo hardly capture the physical prowess the and capabilities of the leads featured in the marquee. To my surprise and relief, Forbidden Kingdom successfully creates intricate and believable fight scenes with just a touch of whimsical wire fighting.

But, though this movie has positive attributes, so does it have its flaws. The writers and producers had to fit fit a very unnecessary, and distracting white lead character that serves little more as a punching bag and enforces the argument that Hollywood doesn't think that western audiences can watch a movie that doesn't have westerners in it. Which is dumb when you think about the bank roll that motion picture masterpieces like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero pulled in. But worst than the fact that the cracker character had to be written in is that the way he enters the story is so played out and boring that it really needs to be addressed. Please Hollywood Writers, no more A Modern Day Yankee in King Aurthur's Court rip-offs, and quit making every white dude in a Kung-Fu movie be freaking Daniele son from Karate-Kid. (Besides Daniele-son was supposed to be Latino.) I mean really fella', I'm a cracker, and I hate those round-eyes that keep ruining my English speaking Kung-fu movies. I have no culture so why don't you let me enjoy someone else's for a couple of minutes and quit trying to white-wash that ish.

Luckily, the corny white boy was outweighed by the Gorgeous lead good and bad women in this movie. My Mothra list was instantly changed when I saw this feature. I mean how I've never seen either of these girls before in my life is awe-inspiring. Bing Bing Li and Yifei Lui can fight with me, or more preferably, over me any day. (The pictures I found hardly do either of these ladies justice. See the movie and you'll know what I'm saying.)

Bing Big Li

Yifei Lui

I loved that they fit in all the cool Buddhist spiritual undertones in the movie too. It adds a very positive and inspiring quality that lets it avoid coming off as just a mindless action movie.

All and all, I'm glad that the movie was good. And I'm glad it's number one in the Box office right now. Because I want to see another movie that features them. (Preferably Mainland Chinese. Just cause a Hero, or House of Flying Darts movie featuring them would be re-freaking-diculous. Or even a Kung-fu Hustle crazy powers type movie. Both would be great in my eyes.) And when Forbidden Kingdom comes out on DVD I'll be buying it. Peace to you and your kin. 2's

Saturday Morning Food Poisoning

2008-04-26T14:07:00.005-04:00

I broke one of my long time rules yesterday: Never eat Japanese dishes that are made with fish in America. I ordered Grilled Calamari in Ann Arbor and woke up mid-way through the night puking in the ivory potty mouth. Man that sucked! I haven't been sick in a year, I was liking it too.

While blowing chunks, I contemplated all of life's important questions. Like why would anyone who had a mouth, and therefore have a roof of their mouth, ever want to eat regular Captain Crunch or Crunchy Peanut Butter? They're like sugar and glass shards with milk or bread.

Anyway, The myspace is updated with new Sympull Demo 2008 tracks for your enjoyment. Happy Saturday. 2's www.myspace.com/sympull

The Chuck Norris Phenomenon

2008-04-24T13:03:00.006-04:00

What is Chuck Norris's Draw? (Oh, Wait, before I get any life-threatening hate mail over this one I will tell you I like Chuck Norris. And, the fact that hordes of people, that came a generation after he stopped making movies or television shows, are making jokes in his honor is incredibly humorous.) I just want to know why are people so engaged with Chuck Norris now?

The bigger question for me is really this, why are people making up 'Chuck Norris Facts' and not 'Bruce Lee Facts', or 'Jackie Chan Facts', or maybe most appropriately, 'Jet Li Facts'? I think we can all agree that even Young Chuck Norris was not the greatest in this group of action heroes. Heck Bruce Lee could've tanned his hide three times before lunch, when he was still breathing, for sure. (Once again, to reiterate, Chuck Norris doesn't in anyway suck. That would be very far from the truth.) I mean what would a Bruce Lee joke look like? Do the people writing Chuck Norris Jokes even know who he is, or have they ever seen his movies?

Either way, this 'Chuck Norris Phenomenon' has swept the nation. It has started showing up on T-shirts, Commercials, too many Youtube posts to mention, and even political campaigns. (And the fact that Hucklebee was unable to get out of the primaries with the republican nomination, even with the Colbert bump and the endorsement from Chuck, defies all logic.)

I've heard many great Chuck Norris Facts. These are some of my favorites:

Some people where Super-man pajamas to bed. Super-man wears Chuck Norris Pajamas.

Chuck Norris's tears cure cancer, but he never cries.

There's no such thing as evolution. Just a list of animals Chuck Norris lets live.

Jesus can walk on water, but, Chuck Norris can swim through land.

What are your favorites?

The Return To EL

2008-04-14T08:38:00.003-04:00

This weekend Pearson and I headed to the Cedar Fest Party in East Lansing. We knew it started last week, but a party of this projected magnitude was sure to last two, possibly two months. So coming a week into it was barely scraping the 'fashionably late' category. So as we rolled into what was anticipated to be the destructive gala of the year, we were greatly disappointed to learn that Lansing PD had already ended the bash before the entire city had be set ablaze. Did the police not understand that rioting and near apocalyptic rampage is part their City's esteemed history and is interwoven in it's residence bloodlines? Tsk, Tsk.

No for real, We went to see our buddies Cyn and Jung. It was cool to see the good ol' E-L and remember all of shows that we had done, while still in [gt], in the area the year before. And it was fairly awkward repairing a friendship that hadn't been practiced for an entire year. Growing up is a weird transition. Changing up from bitching about classes to bitching about work is an odd evolution because of how quickly the two switch positions.

But it was great to share the new tracks with Cyn and Jung and see that they're in good health and all that corny nonsense. And it was good to have Anco Bubble Tea and talk about Japanese horror films with Cyn.

Why do you care? I don't really know. But as I mentioned the new demo is done. Ill be tossing those new songs on the myspace this week, and tell you when they're posted. Alright, 2's.

3 CD's on a Sunday Afternoon

2008-04-07T08:57:00.004-04:00

Sunday was a pretty uneventfully day. Which is good, because honestly it was the first warm day of the ear and was a good day for reading outdoors or riding around in the car with the windows down. I figured I'd do both, but in opposite order. I had some gift certificates for best buy and cruised out there to pick me up some new music. I purchased three new albums; Gnarls Barkley: The Odd Couple, Del: The Eleventh Hour, and Sara Bareilles: Little Voices. (Kind of an Eclectic mix.)

So First off Gnarls Barkley. The Odd Couple is everything you would come to expect from this inventive Duo. It runs the gamut from hip-hop to neo-soul while speckling in a little motown. It's highly experimental, highly engaging, and of course, packs comical undertones that are sure to entertain. I recommend you pick it up. It'll be worth your time. 4 1/2 pachyderms.

Second is Del. Eleventh hour does not follow the lines of the Deltron deliveries in the least. If you liked Del when he was on the Gorrillas' tapes, you'll be maybe disappointed, and at least surprised by this album. It doesn't suck. It reminds me of I Wish My Brother George was Here. (His first release.) But, admittedly, I wasn't ready for a throwback. There are some pretty decent runs and cool phrasing, but Del isn't DEL if he's not boasting excitement and half singing his vocals. If you do get it, just be prepared for a change. 3 pachyderms.
Lastly, Sara Bareillis. Little Voices is such a Bad Title for an album with such incredible singing and musical prowess. It's simply Amazing. Cool storyteling and deep lyrics prove that she is worth the hype she's been receiving in the mass media. (Not that the mass media mean ish to Anthony.) Pick up this CD when you need some music to ride you to the coffee shop. 5 pachyderms.

Why Waste Time Combatting Sagging Pants?

2008-04-03T10:58:00.005-04:00

This week, my Ultra Right-Winged Conservative Step-father gladdly handed me an article that was entitled: Activist voices frustration with sagging pants trend with t-shirt. He knew it would get me fired up, and I think he thought that he could some how win an argument if the news paper called some you-never-heard-of-before poet an activist, and a collection of Government Officials heroes for trying to lead a movement to pass laws to outlaw sagging pants. What it really did was to lead us to answer a philosophical question. Should the government on any level waste their time trying to under-mind the dress of a culture just because the previous generations do not understand it's purpose? Especially if it is already protected by the 1st ammendment of the United States Constitution? The Answer is no. (But Delcambre, Louisiana said yes and passed a law that will fine you $500 and/or put you in jail for 6 months for sagging in public.) And I can tell you why.

I'll try and say this with as little stank as I can so that the Geriatrics who are leading these rallies, potentially wasting our tax dollars on these useless revolts, and wearing their pants so high as to make them waddle, can understand the content of the message. Sagging in its nature is perpetuated by its comfort. I don't want my pants covering my stomach. The 'buttox' and the hips are specifically designed to catch things that are falling off the waist. The abdominal regions are specially created to hold the food we've eaten and, when 'wash-board' like, make special lady friends desire to touch them. My pants should not leave a red mark at my 'waist'. That would be dumb. Tight pants are also very restrictive to the naughty no-no region. You're choking off and killing the saucy swimmers in your Berry-Boys. And that's just plain ungentlemanly.

I honestly wonder if there's a secret conspiracy in the world, by politicians, to make everyone wear three piece suits because they think they have to wear monkey suits to their jobs. I say that we should demand our government officials dress like real people. Require them to dress comfortably so that they're not always on end and aren't so quick to press the kill switch to go to war with every single minute issue that is whined to them by some senile senior in a nursing home.

I understand that kids can often over celebrate the point and rock jeans on their ankles. That's overboard, but you don't need to tell them that. After they trip up and fall on their faces a couple times, they'll buy a belt on their own. We don't need laws to tell us that we shouldn't cause ourselves to fall on our faces.

I need my government officials to spend their time figuring out how to lower my taxes, and how to stop racial injustice. You know, important issues. I personally can tell you, I don't pay your salary for you to bully some kids who are either just trying to fit in, or just trying to make sure they can procreate in the ladder years. We as a society need to quit letting people who waste time on our watch be championed! We need to punish this type of behavior from the government. Take a weeks pay from them. You wasted time banning skateboarding in a park last week, now you can give me a week for free. Do the work I pay you to do, go fix the pot-holes or mend the deficit. Quit making speeches about how pants are ruining our nations youth. It's over pretentious authority figures that disenfranchise the youth and alienate them from society. Indirectly this is what encourages the disobedience and the lack of effort to contribute to society. You can't stop people from being themselves. The article may tell you 'Clothes make the man', but I would argue that the 'Man makes the clothes'. Baggy jeans that dip down a bit don't make you a hoodlum rapscallion or a gang affiliate. It's beyond disappointing that these things make it past a local PTA circles. Let's just let the sagging thing go. There's plenty of worst things that we should make laws against...Like Capri's!! 2's.

Yes!!!! My First Negative Comment on the Blog!!!

2008-04-02T15:26:00.007-04:00

Super stoked!! The funniest ish just happened. Somebody was so pissed about the Kurt Cobain = Kanye West rant that they talked shit on my blog! They even tried to insult me personally and rip on the Sugoi-jin stuff, The Rap stuff, everything. Oh and the 'Balding' line was the perfect final touch. (By the way, I'm completely bald! I shave my head.) I mean someone just tried to talk ish to me like he wanted to go to blows. Freaking Awesome!!! I wonder if the dude actually knows me . I think this is so funny. Sorry, though, I didn't behave. I did spin words on him too. But for real, it's all in jest. It just shows you how defensive people get over the whole Kurt Cobain thing. But if we all just let it go, we'll all be happier. It's all peace though. Alright, read the post and enjoy. 2's.

Kurt Cobain is NOT Tupac

2008-04-02T09:07:00.005-04:00

This will piss off a lot of people, and I apologize for that in advance because great leaders like the Buddha taught us that we should not try and bring more stress and suffering to people than is already apparent in the world. But, this is something that has resignated with me as a songwriter and singer for a long time. Kurt Cobain was not a visionary. He was not a great song writer, or a great musician. He didn't have a particularly great voice either. In fact, Nirvana as a whole was mediocre at best as a band. David Grohl is ten times the lyricist and musician than Kurt Cobain could have ever hoped to amount to. Foo Fighters is a great band. Best of You takes a nice warm dump on Never Mind every time it comes on. This is a hard point for some kids who are still caught up in grung-land and are still in the habbit of wearing flannels and not washing their hair regularly, but it's time to let the myth die. Just because Kurt Cobain died tragically in a self induced drug overdose, it doesn't make him worthy of Rock God Status! If that were the case, then every fallen heroine attic riding the dragon in Ypsilanti is deserving of a statue and a star on the walk.

The real reason that I get a little twisted over the whole Kurt Cobain thing is the fact that the Rock and Goth kids have made him into a Tupac copy. When Tupac Died (2 years after Cobain) he had an epic conspiracy theory attatched. The 7 Day Theory gave hope to people who had seen Tupac rise to a position of power not ony in music but in the Urban community. Though troubled, Tupac was a beacon for social change and in the end was crossed by the people who he was in business with. (Or was breaking business ties with as later discoveries suggest.) But he had the 7 Day Theory. Years after both Tupac and Kurt died, someone came up with some dumb government / Courtney Love murder thing that was one of the dumbest stories I've ever heard. How could anyone not think Kurt Cobain committed suicide?! Every other song he sang implied that he really need a hug and that in fact he was seriously going to commit suicide. Honestly people, just except that you should have given him the hug he wanted, and maybe some cocoa, and that his death is more the fault of his fans-or more over drugs-than Courtney Love, and has no link to the government and nothing suspect about it. People just can't let Tupac be the only Tupac in town.

Next Pac's poetry book drops. Then comes Cobain's after death poetry book comes out. I mean STOP!!! Let it go. Johnny Cash is a rock G! Follow Him! Listen to I Ain't Mad at Cha and maybe you'll comprehend why people liked Tupac. Otherwise, if you're gonna compare Cobain to any rapper it should be Kanye West. They are pretty much the same. They're both Mediocre at everything they do but talk about themselves like they're epic and fighting for change, and intern people celebrate them like they're greats. Point being Kurt Cobain, and Kanye West, are both eh. Get a new idol. 2's.

Smash Bros. Brawl's Shortcommings

2008-04-01T11:45:00.000-04:00

Ok, let me start this entry out by saying that the new Smash Bros. is freaking amazing! The wifi battles with dudes across country and across seas feature, the story mode, the trophy stuff, the huge selection of characters...all of these things are great. However I'd be lying if I told you there weren't a couple of things that have really been bugging me throughout the last couple of Smash Bros. chapters.

First and foremost, the lack of Punch-Out representation just irks me something fierce. [And if you dare say Little Mac is an assist trophy in the comments, I swear I will reach through the broadband and slap you like a Loony Tune.] Punch-Out was one of the biggest classics in Nintendo's past. Both on NES and SNES installments were gems. The fact that they've skipped sequels on any of the systems that surpassed the SNES [well they had better graphics anyway...] is a tragedy. Heck the way they pimp Star Fox, Donkey Kong Country, and Kirby, I think that anything less than Little Mac, Bald Bull, and Super Macho Man as playable characters is too shy an entry. Look, my feeling is this, if you're going to base your universe around old school meets new school, and you're going to reach for obscure characters that most people haven't herd of before they were hidden characters on 'Smash', you sure better fit in the characters that people invested their childhood in. Find me one kid (from the 80's or 90's) that didn't Play Mike Tyson's or Super Punch-Out, then find me one kid who did play an F-Zero game. Point made.

The Second ramble is really more of me hoping for the future. In the next Smash Bros., I want to see more third party contenders. I want to see dudes like Pac-man and Cloud in the Mix. I know my Brother RockmanTJ wants Sora from Kingdom Hearts. But above all else I wanna see this medium bring back the big dogs from back in the day who just don't get to see the light too often anymore. I wanna see them do what they do for characters like Zelda/Shiek and make me a Bonk [PC原人]/Airzonk character. And while we're at it bring in the other Hudson Soft players from Bomberman to Adventure Island. And I know you all wanna see Knuckles and Dr.Robotnick [Egg-man] go at it. (Robotnick would have a killer Smash Ball

move, *Chuch*) I think the possibilities are endless and a voting system could help fans rally and keep the game's development in the forefront from announcement to commencement.

Sora Ltd. Did such a great job on the latest that I already can't wait till' the next go around. I wish for a day when we can see Nintendo play Obama and unite all the Video Game universes under one 'Brawl'.

Mixing At Shane's on Saturday

2008-03-30T16:14:00.000-04:00

So Pearson and I were at Shane's house this Saturday's Morning for the final mixing of the new Sympull Demo. Let me tell you, Shane is very good at what he does. No Sleep is sounding amazing, and start from scratch is also no joke. We spent a lot of our time trying to fit in Street Fighter sound effects for Tag My Name and just tweaking, because Shane had put in most of his hours this week on getting the main stuff done so that Pearson and I could be anal about the details later. So a couple of last minute recordings and FX later we're very close to completing a 3 song Promotional CD for the movement. Very stoked. So we'll hit you up on when the demo is available for purchase / interested record companies. Alright, I gotta write and call my Pops. 2's.

This is it!!

2008-03-28T11:52:00.000-04:00

Alright fella, for real though this better be the last freaking snow storm I see for like 6 months. What a uncalled for and over-extended Winter we've had. So much snow, sooooo cold, and even worst, sooooooooooooooooooo Grey and depressing! I need some sun and some scenery changes. I honestly don't think I could live in this state through another terrible winter like this. Like it truly makes you wonder why any human being would want to live in Michigan.

But eh....

Anyway, on the good news update, Pearson just finished a beat version of one of our old hits: 'Weapon of Choice'. It's gonna be ridiculous when we get that song recorded. And I just started laying out some ideas for a line of Vinyl Toys and some hoodies, so we're keeping busy.

I hit Shane (from Red Letter Anthem)'s Studio tommorrow for final mastering. I'll tell ya how it goes.

As Winter Withers

2008-03-27T11:46:00.000-04:00

As Winter viciously holds out till it's last breath and casts even more of it's icy chill, on an already frostbitten Midwest, I find myself looking back on where I was this time last year. Last year was similarly cold, lasting past easter and reminding me how insane it is that any creature would want to live in Michigan when the snow starts falling. I think after about twelve, the whole sledding and snowball fight thing wears off and you are forced to consider the fact that it really is freaking freezing out doors. (Good start, already on a tangent.)

But anyway, I was still making trips every other weekend to East Lansing doing shows with Genesis Theory, and prolly around this time chilling at an after party that led me to get crushed by a Korean girl I was hollering at, and intern had me drinking 22's of asahi a lot faster than I should have, and having a therapy session with my home girl Cyn on her balcony. The night gets a lot more messed up and dramatized as my band mates exercised their inner-demons as well, but that is another story for anyone who's buying me pancakes or Chinese food, after a gig, to ask me about. (Cause I shouldn't put in print ish about my friends who may not be as comfrtable having their laundry left on the line for the neighbors to see.)

It just got me thinking that though nothing seems like it has changed yet, really, there has been some major change in my life! The people I hung out with weekly, outside of Pearson, are no where around. Skeeto's back in Nagoya, Aaron's in Ohio, Loomer is back in Tokyo area, and I haven't been to EL on a party kick in forever! Not to mention the fact that since Code of tha Cutz shutdown there wouldn't be a place to freestyle even if I wanted to blow off steam in EL anyway. But on the positive tip, I did start dating. (Crazy, I know.) But, even with these changes, I still feel the same.

I still wake up every morning hoping it will be the last morning I wake up and have to go to a job I hate that hardens me for future resilience. I honestly have to believe that there is a cosmic reason I'm going through these experiences. In my case I think I'm going to get a record deal. Even if it's me owning the label. So after working my three jobs, I go home and write. Or, I go home and design, or go home and draw. Or read, or surf the net, and on a blue moon play a video game from the early 90's. But everything is motivation. I'm trying to keep that creativity flowing without pause.

And, I trying to stay focused. I finish mastering my new demo this week. It'll be the first three tracks I've released in five months. I'm starting to get nervous, because this means that other tracks will follow, and if money stays right and Skeeto & Pearson keep making beats, I'm gonna have an album finished. And Albums need tours to sell them. And tours have shows. It's been over five months since I've even seen a show in a bar, much less performed. I haven't seen anyone [gt] used to tour with since the summer time. But somehow, I know I'm ready again. It's like a nervous laugh. You know it's ok, you're just not sure how things are going to go. (Makes no sense.) Anyway, I'm just saying this: I've been ghosting for a while. You haven't seen me, and you haven't heard me for a long time. But, I'm coming back and I'll need your support. I hope that you'll help me make this music thing right. Because like Obama wants to change politics, I want to make big changes in hip-hop.

I'll hit everyone up when the Singles hit the myspace and the new website is finished. Also, I'll tell you tour dates when we get the set list memorized.

I bow to those who are enlightened and those who will be enlightened in the future. 2's.