they say you win some and you lose some I mean this song might have never been
done if that shorty from the old would have pulled that gun count my blessings
yo it could have been worse so I walked like a warrior deal with the hurt can't
cover it up so I heal with this verse digging up the dirt to reveal what I'm
worth put the wheels in reverse check the rear view my ancestors looking back
like we see you looking forward all I see is my people the ones who love some
who hate see there ain't enough words to appreciate all my folks who got me through
2008 I can't wait for the sun to rise for the rays on my face when I close my
eyes yeah
moving strong a lot of talented artists less to be a part of this whole
situation so
it's not really an easy path to be a quote-unquote conscious Filipino rapper
at that shout-out to fatgums for kind of like being able to you know make all
these people work together
come on man it's always good to come home be on the dock of the bay with my
people so it's a celebration
you guys okay
It's time to get drunk, this is your initiation, take your one-hour rollin' with the parametric
It's the soundtrack you've been, the grassroots you've been, a non-violent resistance with
a clique
Here at Beat Rock Music, you know, I was there when, at its inception, I was there when
Fat Gums was throwing the idea of around taking the name of the clothing company, which is
where it started, Beat Rock Long Beach, and turning it into a music label.
And since it hit the ground, man, it hit the ground running.
The albums for Beat Rock is, we put out the counterparts album, that was the first one,
then Paper Cuts came out, then Remittances came out right after, and then Soul Opinionated,
which was Otayo Dubb's mixtape, and so, you know, the next thing coming up is Otayo Dubb's
album.
R.I.P. to the family, but we gonna keep it movin', yeah, yeah, you gotta keep it movin',
motivate
I mean, for me, it's my way to express how I feel about what's going on in the world
through my eyes.
Speaking for, you know, my folks and family, that can't be, that can't speak for themselves.
They're talkin' about what's really going on in our lives, and it's, you know, I represent
some of that, it's blue collar hip-hop.
Living in the golden state, everybody got golden fame, golden fame, yeah, come on, motivate,
cause everything can't go your way, can't keep it all on your shoulder blades, cause when
I press your build up, it can pop like a loaded gauge, the golden state, the gold is some places,
keep it poker-faced, get your asses, go hard boy, no limitations, that's what keep a brother
soul innovative.
And, you know, for some people, it's like, man, I love it, you know, you do a track,
and someone's like, oh man, I love that track, that line when you said, da, da, da, da, da,
man, that's what I'm going through right now, that's what keeps me going.
Come on, motivate, yeah, come on, motivate, yeah, come on, motivate, yeah.
DJ Fawn, how's that a prayer, dude?
Yo, Claire.
Oh yeah, so, Nomi's birthday, happy birthday, you drunken pirate.
Let's get this going, cause it is my birthday, and I do kinda want to get with you.
I love Nomi, man, I have great conversation with him, and you know, happy birthday, brother.
I take my coat off after a long day, or working in search of dissatisfaction, in purpose of
most distraction, versing enthusiasm to get a chance to write a verse that challenges
the circumstances of everybody on this earth.
The music is a counterbalance to the struggles and stresses of front-line organizing.
When the people are out there fighting for their rights, and you're blessed with opportunity
to be able to make cultural work, make music, make art, on behalf of people that are struggling,
like that's a blessing to be able to like, like that's the rest in relaxation.
I'm just really happy to be a part of this team, part of this crew.
It's gonna be a dope year, adding on Rocky Rivera, adding on Kiwi.
Give it up one time for beat rock music.
You know, what keeps it going now is not doing as many shows as I did when you saw me last,
you know, doing shows every week, but more like pacing it out.
I'm getting a little older, so it's a lot harder on my body sometimes to keep up.
So I think that's where the energy comes from.
And my solution is to turn and run, and I really want to cry, but the tears won't come.
Feel so numb, no longer young, cigarette smoke doing stuff to my lungs.
Document my pain with a stain on my skin, yet another lonely night getting flaked on
again, so I pick up the pen.
Time to get it in.
But I think also just the spirit of the music.
I believe in what I talk about.
I value my music very much because, you know, I feel like an obligation to like really not
just write it and record it, but to actually put it out there like I mean it.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
I know I'm better than this, but it's gonna take more than just flipping that switch.
Looking at the mirror, it's hard to admit, still got a couple of issues I can't fix.
An angel and a devil, my soul is half-split.
Sometimes I wish those innocent days had lasted.
I still remember the dreams of that kid.
I want him back, that's why I can't quit.
They say the heart's the same size as a fist, so my mantra for the moment is love and justice.
And I'm walking that bridge.
I learned a lot from Kiwi, you know, so it's an honor for me to have him be on the label
with him.
I set it on stage, and it's the truth.
You know, I've taken a lot of things from even just an organizing street level to, you
know, my music and the way in which I process my music.
We're blessed to, like, have a lot of very prolific artists on the label that are already
hustling, already on their grind, so it's good to, like, kind of unify all that work together.
And, you know, we got Rocky Rivera, who's already just hardcore with her work as an artist.
Marry Tudor!
Marry Tudor!
Marry Tudor!
Marry Tudor!
Marry Tudor!
Marry Tudor!
Marry Tudor!
Whoo!
Hey, fellas, if your girl is married to the hustle, that's a good thing, okay?
Because that's less pressure off of you.
So as long as she's married to the hustle, you're going to be fine.
You'll be fine.
So don't be pressuring her or nothing.
So let's drop that.
The show is amazing.
This is a second show for the Beat Rock one-year anniversary.
The first one was in Long Beach.
The second one is in my hometown, San Francisco, California, so I'm very happy to be here.
It's really rare to have that kind of support when you know that your music is strictly for
the community.
I really wanted to big up fat gums, big up band, big up everybody for including me and
Kiwi, and saying that our music is good enough for them to stand behind and it's good enough
for the community to stand behind as well.
Rocky Rivera, if you would kindly come up.
You've got my chain.
We're some community artists, so we don't believe in blood diamonds, but we'll do the
good wood.
We'll do the good wood for sure.
They gave me the chain, son.
Jay Electronica got a nice little rock chain.
I got the Beat Rock wood right there.
Kiwi to Beat Rock music.
Yeah, we did the little crowning ceremony, I guess.
Fat Gums is really into that kind of ceremony or shit.
I think what's kept it going is definitely Fat Gums' drive.
He's a one man army right now, which hopefully will change in 2011.
Hopefully our team will get bigger, but the glue that sticks everything together, the
thing that unifies us at all is that we're all friends too.
We're all homies, we all kick it, and we're really all about music.
It really is an artist collective more so than it is a record label.
It's amazing to see just this amount of talent come together for one label, and I got to
give a special shout out to Fat Gums.
We have similar themes, we have similar goals, and so why not just do it together?
So tonight we're celebrating a year of good music.
Folks like Power Struggle, Nomi, Bamboo, Rocky Rivera, Oteo Dubb, Counterparts, Buon, Mr. Ray,
Fat Gums, a lot of good folks who are doing music for the people, you know what I'm saying?
First and foremost, and just trying to keep that good music going.
Beat Rock.
Just looking out for my album, M-O-B, Music Over Business.
It's going to be dropping summertime 2011, so keep on looking out, keep on looking out.
So the next upcoming projects are the mix tape, which is the pop killer mix tape and the EP,
the gangster love EP, and that I think both of them will be under Beat Rock, so make sure you check those out.
So you know, another, I'll pop another bubble, but me and Kiwi are working on a brand new EP
for Native Gun, so we'll see, we don't know exactly when that's going to come out, you know,
but we're going to work on it at the end of December.
