Muzik News

To all Hip-Hop Heads world-wide.

My song "Four Walls," the last single off Tha Audio Bully album is now available on all digital platforms. The treatment for the video is already done and shooting will begin after the "Love Hip-Hop" video is released next month.

The video production for "Love Hip-Hop" was started last week. After scouting around Amsterdam to Haarlem for a few days we finally found the best spots to guerrilla shoot (shooting without a permit). The day after we began shooting it began to rain. 

Most of the video is shot outdoors. The weather has been rainy and inhospitable so outdoor shots were on hold for the last few days. Two of the locations feature graffiti from local artists in different styles. Some people do lettering,while others design whole scenes. One of my favorite locations features characters from the Guardians of Galaxy movie. 

The concept for the video is to show all the elements of Hip-Hop. MC'ing, Graffiti, DJ'ing, B-Boying, and Knowledge combined to give a visual to the song lyrics. I'll write another post once the video is done. Until then check out the new music and some pics from the video shoot below.

Earth Chronicles

There's been a lot of debate on whether the world is round, flat, or spiral like cheese doodles. Due to recent discoveries about our solar system I'm going to explore all the current hypotheses and share my opinion on which I believe.

In January 2016 researchers at Caltech discovered the existence of a 10th planet in our solar system.  The planet currently dubbed "Planet X" has only been confirmed through mathematical modeling and computer simulations. Researchers have posted a video requesting amateur astronomers to search the night skies for the missing planet. The reason that I call the new planet the 10th planet and not the 9th like mainstream media is reporting, is due to cosmology. When I was growing up Pluto was the ninth planet in the solar system. Therefore I still consider it a planet. 

Back in 1999 I read a book called the 12th Planet by Zecharia Sitchin. The book is the first in a series called The Earth Chronicles. In the book Zecharia explains the creation story of civilization and our solar system from ancient deciphered Sumerian tablets. On the cover of the book is a diagram of our solar system from the outside (beyond Pluto) heading in towards the sun. That's the only way interstellar travelers (without wormhole technology) could reach earth from a distant planet. The diagram shows the entire cosmology of our solar system which is nine planets, our moon, sun and "Planet X" which they called Nibiru. According to ancient cosmology the newly discovered planet is actually a rediscovery of the planet Nibiru that was known in antiquity.

Now with that juicy tidbit of information let's explore a few of the current theories about our earth. The two main theories being debated are whether or not the earth is round like a ball or flat like a carpet. I'm not a dismissive person, BUT the flat earth theory has zero credibility. Since every other planet, moon, and celestial body in the universe has a circular shape it is reasonable to believe earth has the same shape. Also, the description of the earth from pre-history has always been a sphere. If someone can show undeniable proof that the earth is flat, then I will change my opinion. Until then the earth is round.

The second theory is that the earth is round.  As I mentioned above, all celestial bodies excluding comets and asteroids are spheres. To me this isn't a theory it's a fact. The last and more scientifically plausible theory is that the earth is hollow. The "Hollow Earth" theory is as old as humanity and has been documented for thousands of years. Some Tibetan, African, South and North American ethnic groups claim their ancestors came from subterranean realms inside the earth. In 1692 Edmond Halley hypothesized the Earth consisted of a hollow shell about 800 km (500 miles) thick, two inner concentric shells and an inner core, about the diameters of the planets Venus, Mars, and Mercury. Internal atmospheres separate these shells, and each shell has its own magnetic poles. Although it sounds far-fetched, current science has given this antiquated hypothesis traction.

Back in 2007 seismologists from Washington University in St. Louis, discovered a huge water reservoir beneath the Earth's crust in Asia. The body of water was estimated to be larger than the Arctic ocean. More recent investigation has shown the amount of water inside the earth's mantle is larger than all the oceans combined. Aside from water there are entrances to the interior of the earth at both the north and south pole. These specific areas are restricted for commercial flight and heavily guarded by the military. One of the most famous cases for the "Hollow Earth," theory is the diary of Admiral Richard Byrd. Admiral Byrd was a highly decorated US Naval officer whose diary documented his 1947 expedition to the North Pole. During that exposition he discovered lush forests, wild-life and even a woolly mammoth. Entrances into the poles can be viewed by satellite photos of earth. 

I won't go into more detail because this subject has been thoroughly covered by many writers before me. I wrote this post providing an alternative perspective to the two hypothesis being promoted by the mainstream. Below are some videos that expand upon the subject. I don't claim to have the answers. I just like proposing questions. Like..."If there's nothing to hide at the poles, why are citizens restricted from investigating them?"

The one thing I know for certain is ..."The truth is sometimes stranger than fiction." 

Snowboarding Slovenia

I recently returned from a snowboarding trip to the mountains of Slovenia. If you're shredding powder on a budget... Vogel is the place to go. 

Vogel Ski Resort is located in the Bohinj Valley of the Julian Alps and is part of Triglav National Park. At the base of the resort is a long cable car, which is a five minute walk from Lake Bohinj. The cable car is probably the most dangerous ride in Vogel. It's elevated at a sharp 55 degree angle and comes uncomfortably close to the mountainside. Although it appears dangerous, it's actually fairly safe. Plus from broad windows inside the cabin you get an awesome view of Lake Bohinj below. The rapid change in altitude makes the inner ear feel pressure, like when planes are ascending during a flight.
 

Once on top of the mountain, the area is perfect for riding. There was fresh powder as far as the eyes can see. In the distance from the resort, there were lower mountains with hikers and cross-country trail skiers. I walked around for the first hour, checking which slopes had the best places to go free-riding.

I love to snowboard! The feeling of gliding down the mountainside at mach speed gives me an adrenaline rush like no other. Most of the slopes in Vogel are for beginners and intermediate riders. They have a snow park with a few kickers and rails, but it's usually crowded by midday. For advanced riders, there's a ton of places to go free-riding and drift through fresh powder. That's where I ran into trouble.

After snowboarding most of the beginner slopes, and doing one day of skiing with my woman, I decided to go off slope in the back country for some authentic free-riding through the Slovenian mountains. I began at a place known as the "Eagle's Nest." It's a ridiculously high mountain peak that can only be reached by drag lift. At the top is a platform where people with para-gliders launch to ride the air down currents to Lake Bohinj.

Once I started down the slope I know I had made a mistake. The snow was fresh and soft as cotton balls. After a few minutes of riding down the steep incline, I hit a ditch in the snow. It felt like there was a hole in the ground below and when I hit the hole it threw off my balance. Thankfully, I'm an experienced enough rider not to fall the first time. As I continued down the mountain, my speed increased, as did the rocks, trees and shrubbery not too far from the slope, controlled by the resort. Roughly ten minutes after my first almost fall, I hit another dip in the ground. I was already past the halfway marker, back on the main path when I sunk too deep into the snow and fell forward.

The speed of my descent, combined with the soft snow and wind milling arms, caused me to fall in what can only be described as painful Yoga positions. When I finally stopped rolling, one glove was off, one boot was loose from its binding and it felt like someone had hit my shoulder with a sledge hammer. Luckily nothing was broken, and I made it through the rest of the trip without any more injuries. The lesson learned was, don't go free-riding on unfamiliar terrain ... without a helmet and body armor.

Aside from skiing/snowboarding, Vogel offered a diverse assortment of outdoor and indoor activities for families and couples. There was sledding, hiking, ice skating, para-gliding, sauna, spa, and even cave exploration. The local cuisine consisted primarily of meat dishes (like most places in central Europe) like beef, pork, and lamb. There were enough alternatives like chicken, turkey and veggie (fried cheese) burgers to keep me well-fed.

Overall the trip was awesome and super affordable. Like I said in the beginning..."If you're snowboarding on a budget, Slovenia is a place to visit." Below I posted some pictures and videos of me snowboarding and skiing from the trip. Check 'em out. If you like what you see, post a comment and tell a frend to tell a friend. 

 

Animanga: One-Punch Man

It's been awhile since I've read a manga that has such a great blend of humor and action as One-Punch Man.

The original series began as a webcomic in 2009 by a man mysteriously known as One. The remake is illustrated by Yusuke Murata and written by the same One. That is the version I've been following.

One-Punch Man is an action packed manga, full of bizarre villains and heroes. The main protagonist is a man named Saitama, who is as unremarkable as they come. He has an average look, build and even a laid back disposition. What makes Saitama unique is his strength and love for mankind... especially his home town Z-City.

Ever since Saitama was a child he wanted to be a super hero. After numerous encounters with criminals he finally decided to take action and train his body to perfection. Through basic calisthenics (push-ups, sit-ups and running) for three consecutive months, Saitama was able achieve incredible power. He acquired enough raw strength to destroy almost every enemy he faced with one punch.

In his world the cities are given names from the alphabet (City A, B, C, ect....Z) and are often attacked by monsters. These monsters are called "Mysterious Beings," and range from normal humans to hybrid (beast) humans to intergalactic conquerors. Each attack against an alphabet city by one of these is given a threat level. Those levels range from "Wolf" which is a human level threat, to "God" which is an extinction level event. No one knows where the Mysterious Beings come from but they all seem to have an instinctive hatred for humans.

To handle threats against mankind a group of powerful individuals began the Heroes Association. This association employs citizens as heroes and provided them pay and services for protecting the alphabet cities. The hero classes range from "C" (ordinary human) to "S" (superhuman) and all officially recognized heroes are part of the Heroes Association.

Saitama joins the as the lowest ranked C-Class hero and works his way up through the ranking. Along the way he gains a disciple named Genos (The Demon Cyborg) who is impressed by his strength. Genos is on his own quest for vengeance and tries to learn the secret of Saitama' power. Ironically Genos is given the ranking of S-Class based off some of the monsters Saitama defeated. He is also one of the few individuals in the Heroes Association who knows how strong Saitama really is.

The manga was recently turned into a 12 episode anime that ended in December 2015. The anime was taken directly from canon material and featured superb artwork and battle scenes. The great thing about this series is that it's a parody of the whole super hero genre. In the video below Saitama shows up to stop a meteor from destroying all life on Earth. Check out the anime and check out the manga....if you like what you see. Don't forget to purchase official copies from the Mangaka, cuz those guys work long hours for little pay or appreciation.

Love Hip-Hop (Live)

Happy (belated) New Year!

I know it's a bit late, but as the old saying goes..."better late than never." The new year has been positive for the business and I appreciate all the new opportunities.

Over the last few weeks the song "Love Hip-Hop," has been played on a variety of radio stations in Europe and the U.S.. There's Fun X, Radio 010FM, 1-Xtra, and WTCR - Chicago just to name a few. In between the radio promotion I've been writing new songs and organizing tracks for the Underground Artist Major Threat album.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to perform at the Radio 010FM studios in Hoogvliet. I was invited to perform "Love Hip-Hop" and "Four Walls" live. This was the only radio station I've been in that was on the ground floor. All the rest were on the top floor of the building where I either had to take an elevator to reach the station, or walk up a lot of stairs. Inside the station they had interview rooms and a sound stage for musicians.

The performance was for "De Winkelwagenshow" hosted by Peter Kunnen. "De Winkelwagenshow" translates into "The Shopping Basket Show" in English. Similar to its title, the show is an eclectic mix of different styles of music.  Peter has been hosting the program for almost 25 years (he's a cool guy) and has played everything from rock, pop, hip-hop, to jazz, blues and country. While I was doing the sound check for my performance, two acoustic guitar players arrived. Later I found out they were folk music singers and were there to perform after me.

The show went smooth. I performed for a small intimate crowd of people who worked for the radio station, were waiting to perform, or were guests. Check out the video below... if you would like to see the show. Also, there's new music, artwork, and videos, coming in the next few months. So check back often for updates. 

R.I.P. Sean P.

Sean Price a.k.a. Sean P. a.k.a. Ruck (March 17, 1972 – August 8, 2015) was more than just a talented MC. He was a proud father, born entertainer, and really funny guy.

When he died, a lot of people who listen to his music but wouldn't work with him (cuz he would outshine them on their own record) started posting "we'll miss you" and "R.I.P blah, blah, blah" on social media. To me that's fake and the man I knew deserved more genuine respect than that. Real love is appreciating a person while they're living and can feel the love... not after they're gone.

I met Sean P. for the first time in 2005 at the "DROP" festival in the Melkweg. He and Buckshot had already rocked the crowd and were chilling backstage. Smif-N-Wesson were up next and I wanted to meet Buck and Ruck before their show started. At the time he was promoting Monkey Barz and I was promoting my first album International Hustler. I had been listening to the whole Boot Camp Clik (Black Moon, Smif-N-Wesson, Heltah Skeltah, and O.G.C.) since the 90's.

As a fan I wanted to know what they thought of my music. There was no CD player backstage to play the album, so I spit some of the songs acapella. They liked the tunes. Sean P. and I exchanged numbers and he said let's work together in the future. After that we stayed in contact. A few years later in 2009, I met up with him and Rock in Rotterdam for a quick interview. Heltah Skeltah were back together and the show was coconutz! Check out the video below.


By that time we had already did the "AhhYoo" remix "Who Dat Be" off the 2010 Grindin Muzik album.  The song was recorded in 2008 when I was going through personal problems and it was reflected in the music. After I sent him the song, before he recorded his verse he called me just to check in. We cracked jokes and talked about the differences between Amsterdam and Rotterdam. He seemed to genuinely care, even though we had only met a few times.


Every time we linked-up, Ruck was a cool cat who loved his family and loved spittin, heavy, barz. He was one of those rare talents who could spit a freestyle or written and you couldn't tell the difference. Below are a few of my favorite Sean P. and Heltah Skeltah videos. If you don't know Sean Price get to know him, cuz his music is what a lot of rappers wish they sounded like. Rest In Power!

Transforming Humans

Have you ever heard of a type of human that is born one sex then "transforms" at puberty to a different sex? That means you've never heard of "Guevedoces". Don't feel bad because until a few days ago... I hadn't either.

"Guevedoces" which literally translates to "penis at twelve" is a term given to little girls in the village of Las Salinas in the Dominican Republic who turn into boys at puberty. Do I know how crazy that last sentence sounds? YES! But it's true. The boys of Salinas have a rare genetic condition which blocks them from producing the hormone Dihydro-testosterone while their in the womb. Dihydro-testosterone, is the hormone which assigns male sex organs to a fetus.  Unfortunately for "Guevedoces" they don't get the required amount of Dihydro-testosterone until they hit puberty and get a second surge of growth hormones.

In my travels I've heard of the "Hijra" of south Asia, but this is different. Hijra is a term for transgender people also known as the third gender in southern Asia. Let's be clear..."Guevedoces" are not transsexual's. All transsexuals who transition from their assigned gender to the gender they identify with, need surgery to achieve their goal. Guevedoces, are real transforming humans whose transition occurs naturally (without surgery) due to their rare genetic disorder. When they're born Guevedoces appear to have a vagina and no testicles so most medical facilities classify the newborns as female. The exact cause of their appearance is a lack of 5-α-reductase enzyme which triggers the hormone surge that releases the Dihydro-testosterone.

All fetuses develop internal glands called "Gonads" and  a bulge between their legs called a "Tubercle". In normal child development the sex organs develop on a fetus around the eighth week. At that time male babies start producing Dihydro-testosterone in large amounts, which turns the tubercle into a penis. While female fetuses produce a different hormone which turns the tubercle into a clitoris. Unfortunately for Guevedoces this transformation occurs twelve years later. Usually after being forced to wear girls clothes and have a girls name for the majority of their youth.

For more information on "Guevedoces" and their unique genetic lineage watch the video below.

Love Hip-Hop Remix

The wait is over! A few posts back I mentioned working on a collaboration with east coast rhyme spitter Shabaam Sahdeeq and French cut master DJ Modesty. 

The project was a remix to "Love Hip-Hop" a song  off "Tha Audio Bully" album released back in February 2015. It was released as a single in July. The single made it on the Music Week, Urban Club Chart in September. In three weeks the track moved up the charts from position #23 to #15.

You can buy a copy of the Love Hip-Hop Remix by pressing the link. The remix is a whole different song. It features harder bars, more punch-lines and DJ Modesty scratches to tie it all together. This international collaboration brings together New York, France, and Amsterdam representing real boom bap Hip-Hop. Listen to the track below and if you love Hip-Hop music buy a copy.