SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE

One and Another

2012-02-25T19:44:00.001-08:00

I recorded this on the way back from Southwest MN State University yesterday, risking my life in the process...

This is my part of a song I do with Guante. He wrote the hook and two verses and asked me to do a guest verse on it. It's definitely one of my favorites. We don't often get to do it because it's so laid back and at so many of our shows we're usually tryin' to punch the crowd in the mouth with some high octane boom bap type stuff. It's a sweeping story of human connection on the road in the midst of art and philosophy. The official version isn't available anywhere as of yet, so I thought it'd be fun to share it here, since it's a little bit of a sleeper. There's an intro here with some humorous moments, so it's kind of fun all around. I hope you enjoy it.

Amani Media Interview pt. 2 (the interview)

2012-02-22T16:15:00.000-08:00

Amani Media Interview pt. 1 (Self Taught A Capella)

2012-02-18T11:54:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of sitting down with Caroline Iman from Amani Media for an interview about identity, culture and community. The Interview is in two parts. The first part is an a capella version of one of my favorite pieces and in a way, one of my most personal. That video is shown below. The second part is more of a meditation on who I am as an artist, where I'm coming from, and what's happening in the twin cities as well as upcoming projects to look out for. I'll post that sometime this week.

Self Taught, from my latest solo effort Architextual Design, is an intimate illustration of my spirituality and my growth as a person through different stages of my life. These are true stories (albeit mythicized---yes. mythicized. hah) of my own life from childhood to now. Aquil sets it up perfectly with his own story, an aside of spiritual and intellectual development that shares the power of dreams and self directed learning.

The poetry of this piece speaks to the nature of my approach to education and spirituality; How I've spent my life learning from the world around me more so than from any educator or institution. While I believe it's important to learn from everyone and everything, I hold to the idea that true learning must be driven from the inside out, otherwise it's just socialization stacked against all kinds of other "ations". "Ations" and isms of which churn ugly products into the world around us in all the facets of learning, religion, business, culture, art, family, romance and everything in between.

I hope you diggit. Caroline did a great job producing this. Enjoy.

New Video - Luv 'n' Dedication (Live)

2012-02-16T15:21:00.000-08:00

My brother Nye sent me this beat sometime ago and I immediately thought this was one of the illest beats I'd heard in a while. I've been so busy writing for other projects that I never got to write something proper to this...As I'm always looking for ways to spruce up a set or a song or whatever, I went digging for beats one day prepping for a show and tried spitting the "Luv 'n' Dedication" verses over this. Right away, it made the song feel brand new. The verses kind of skip over the beat like a rock on a pond, or maybe more accurately, concrete.

This song is actually a mash up of "LnD" and another older song called "The Lead"...It's basically two of my favorite verses to spit over a really funky beat. The drums just sink into this weird groove. It feels so boom bap, but it's deceptively in a weird time. I'd still like to write another song to this sometime, and I think that'll be a really special day...but I digress.

I hope you dig the performance here from the Artist Quarter for the 2012 Amplified Life Showcase with Toki Wright, Rodrigo Sanchez Chavarria and more. It was a good night. Enjoy!

I hope you dig the performance here from the Artist Quarter for the 2012 Amplified Life Showcase with Toki Wright, Rodrigo Sanchez Chavarria and more. It was a good night.

Funky Lil Earth Part One

2012-02-02T21:04:00.000-08:00

Here's a lil video I made with a toy and a beat from 'Breaks in The Clouds Volumes One and Two'. It's also on Heidi Barton Stink's album 'A Charming Gut', which I produced! Look out for that this spring!

It's fun. I hope you giggle.

Strange Perspective's 'Ultimate Weapon'

2012-01-31T08:48:00.000-08:00

Here's the newest from the FREE and new music series, 'SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE's Boombox Emporium' This one's a gift from me and my good friend and collaborator Dameun Strange. It's from the upcoming 'Diary of a Droid' which we plan on finishing this spring and releasing later this year!

<p>&amp;lt;a href="http://seemoremusic.bandcamp.com/track/ultimate-weapon"&amp;gt;Ultimate Weapon by Strange Perspective&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;</p>

The follow up to 'Strange Perspective and the Lost Soul's Boy's Choir in Jazz Funeral', is a sci-fi opus of boom bap electronica, rugged and thought provoking dance music, mango sweet melodies, and sharp, gritty philosophical lyricism. 'Ultimate Weapon' is the second song to emerge from the upcoming 'Diary of a Droid'. The first is 'Nobody Sleeps Tonight', also available for free download from The Boombox Emporium (in volume one).

This song emerged from a concept that Dameun pitched about how the most powerful weapon that could ever be would actually bring people together. It's a story of this droid's exploration of consciousness and decision to live for something greater than itself. This droid literally goes through the process day in and day out of creating the ultimate weapon out of itself. Working into it's own consciousness, it's own memory, circuits and spirituality to build the ultimate weapon from the inside out.

So Grateful (a capella)

2012-01-11T16:55:00.000-08:00

Having just booked the Amplified Life Showcase 3, I was asked if there was a video I'd like to use for promo. I paused. I did a google search and realized a lof of those vids are pretty old and what's more, that I'm sitting on some pretty ill video from a couple of different shows as well as a brand new joint for Frank Lloyd Wright which you can listen to here...I have lots of new music up and around, but the video, while there's plenty of vids to watch, is very behind.

So I did what any self respecting artist would do. I recorded a home video of an a capella to submit for promotion.

I hope you diggit.

You can find the official version this song here

My Ten Hip Hop Commendments

2012-01-08T17:31:00.000-08:00

I just found this...out of a notebook circa 2000...
it's kind of a dead mc scrolls kind of thing,
and it makes me very happy.
I'm proud to say I've followed these goals faithfully.
I hope they inspire you.

Affect everyone and anyone who comes into contact with me or my music in a positive way (whether they realize it or not).
Never be careless.
Always Be Honest.
Grow every time I create.
Learn from everything.
Create works of integrity independently.
Make music that's equal parts important and interesting both lyrically and musically.
Collaborate with as many like minded artists as possible.
Have fun, rock shows, blow minds.
Never Stop.

SEVEN WAYS TO STOP BEING AN ASSHOLE IN AMERICA (during the winter season)

2011-12-15T19:27:00.000-08:00

in no particular order:

don't assume that all americans celebrate christmas.

don't be offended when someone suggests that you might want to consider that not all americans celebrate christmas.

don't snort or sigh when you hear someone suggesting that not all americans celebrate christmas.

understand that there are many cultures and religions in america.

consider that it's not appropriate to flaunt christmas in public environments without any regard for others' holy days.

love christmas, celebrate how you see fit, but don't think that everyone has to celebrate with you.

don't confuse the term 'american' with the term 'christian' nor the term 'christmas' with the term 'american'.

New Music - Road Runner Physics featuring Guante and produced by G_Force/Calvin Valentine

2011-12-12T19:53:00.000-08:00

Road Runner Physics Featuring Guante by SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE

Guante had this beat for years. I mean yeeeears. The guy who made this was like 16 when he made this...10 years ago. Since then, that producer has changed his name and is now known by both. That's how long it's been.

The producer in question was a born beatmaker. G_Force aka Calvin Valentine was making beats in the cradle. Since contributing to a number of beats in Guante's critically acclaimed 'Haunted Studio Apartment', he's been busy working with some pretty big names in underground hip hop, not least of all Planet Asia. His beats have been featured in MTV and all kinds of crazy stuff.

Anyway, Guante shared this beat with me on the road like 3 years back and I connected to it right away. We talked about some ideas, but nothing really materialized. Not too long ago we were getting some work done in the studio and this beat popped up again. The verses just happened. He had his raps from a couple different pieces he was playing around with and I made a tapestry of a verse from these status update rhymes that I put up on facebook. It was a fun challenge to make it all connect. He recorded his part and I just filled the rest in; wrote an intro, a hook and this expansive verse that's just everywhere at once.

I like the song structure because it's deceptively funky and unique. It starts with an 8 bar intro from me, goes into Guante's two 16's and finishes with 24 bars from me. It came together really nicely. It's one of our b-side favorites. We should make a mix called b-side bangers. This is just boombap hip hop at it's finest. Smart ass lyrics and hard, clever production. Play loud. Have fun with it.

New Song - SO GRATEFUL.

2011-11-24T16:54:00.000-08:00

This was a live show classic for some time in Chicago a while back with my good friend Insight. We went by ESP (because that's what you get when you combine insight and seeing more perspective). It was expertly produced by his best friend King (who also produced What's Up from the First Impression ep). We had it floating around the city and net for a bit, but it's finally finding a good home with the Boombox Emporium. It's about the struggle and the things that make it worth while. It's about stepping back from the frustrations and appreciating what's really important. I hope you diggit.

SO GRATEFUL. by SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE featuring Insight and Produced by King

New Interview

2011-11-18T07:43:00.000-08:00

I just came across this and thought I'd share.

A while ago, I sat down, took a walk and talked and with my brother Daniel Rangel and our friend Javier F. Cedillo. They cut it together for a project in the works they call Interview Twin Cities. Enjoy!

Interview Twin Cities from Daniel Rangel on Vimeo.

Another Halloween, another ridiculous (ly awesome) Halloween show.

2011-11-01T16:51:00.000-07:00

The show went beautifully!

Patrick's staff was excellent, as always, and many thanks go out to Nate Rockswold for rockswoldin' the sound for the night, and to Arturo Miles and Sara Jo Lehrer for all the hats they wear to keep things on point. It was a great night folks, I hope you enjoyed yourselves as much as we did!

Our back drop of Halloween ambiance consisted of Professor Oscar and his Sideshow Oddities, The Rube on the wheels of steel and my brother Daniel Rangel at the video-mixing helm. The vibe was right throughout the evening with righteous beats and stunning (and eerie) visuals. Also in the house adding to the Halloween ambiance was Professor Oscar and his Sideshow Oddities; A Perfect addition to the drama of it all.

Poets Lewis Mundt, Lisa Brimmer and Guante all read excellent pieces to warm up the dark for the coming ghouls and ghosts...

Then it was time for Dameun and I to do our thing as 'Strange Perspective' featuring our guest drummer and excellent friend Kahlil Brewington. It felt so good to perform our album 'Strange Perspective and The Lost Souls Boys Choir in Jazz Funeral'. It had a great feel with live keys and drum machine...I think the most powerful was our rendition of 'Jack's Lament' from Tim Burton's 'Nightmare Before Christmas'.

And the dance!!! If there was such thing as a "game ball" for this type of event, I'd have to give it to Erin Sheppard who, with the help of some very talented friends, choreographed and performed dance pieces to everyone one of our songs. It was everything I had hope it would be when I initially asked her if she was interested in contributing to this year's Halloween show. In fact, it was even better than I had hoped. I'll look forward to more collaboration with Erin and her cohorts in the future!

Last but not least, our screening of Murnau's Silent Film Classic 'Nosferatu' with a new soundtrack by myself and Dameun Strange as 'Strange Perspective'. It was so exciting to see the lights drop as we all scurried into our seats for the opening of the film. I was glad to see how people took the film lightly and laughed at the cues we accentuated with music where we found humor in the scenes; and to feel the crowd following the sense of intensity as that picked up as well. It took so much work and many tireless hours to triumph over some what of a rugged path to get there, but we did it and it looks and sounds gorgeous. It was so fun to see it from a projector with big, great sound at Patrick's.

I'm considering posting the film soon, and we might even put it on DVD and make that available at shows. I'll definitely be posting video footage captured by my man Javier F. Cedillo who documented the evening, so look out for that!

A thousand thanks to all the folks who contributed and came out. It couldn't have happened without you.

Thanks for reading, listening and supporting original, thoughtful and painstakingly crafted art,

SEE

Strange Perspective presents 'Nosferatu Unsilenced Cinemaganza'

2011-10-06T17:10:00.000-07:00

In the tradition of 'Return to El Guante's Haunted Studio Apartment', 'Strange Perspective and the Lost Souls Boys Choir in Jazz Funeral' and 'Strange Perspective's Halloween Extravaganza, I bring you another funky, ghoulishly delightful Halloween jam.

Check it:

"After their first musical effort into the unknown, indie geek pop duo Strange Perspective has produced a textured, rolling score to the silent film classic 'Nosferatu' and is showing it at the ambiance-appropriate Patrick's Cabaret. Along with live, supernaturally charged music and dance, ghost stories, fort...une tellers, Professor Oscar's Side Show Oddities and more; the night will be a classy spiritualist soiree of rich, roiling shadows, living spirits and the walking dead. Setting the tone with last year's 'Lost Souls' Boys Choir in Jazz Funeral' (and subsequent event), the duo seek to out do themselves with help from drummer Khalil Brewington, dancer/choreographer Erin Sheppard, poets Guante, Lisa Brimmer, Lewis Mundt, story teller Amy Salloway and more. Come dressed as a turn of the century spiritualist, anything else your imagination offers up or simply come as your naturally freaky self."

Here's the facebook invite.

We're all putting a lot of work into this to make it extraordinary. I truly hope to see you there.

Thanks for keepin' up with me,

SEE

Light and Music.

2011-09-09T16:08:00.000-07:00

My gifted cinematographer friend Javier Cedillo was over last night, editing the footage with me for the music video we're working on for the song 'Frank Lloyd Wright', from my latest full length 'Architextual Design'. Between video and pizza slices, he mentioned some sweet footage he shot of blurring lights from the Ferris-wheel at this year's MN State Fair, and it sounded lovely...he mentioned that he wanted to find a random song to edit the video to for no other reason than the pure satisfaction of putting light to music. Obviously, I suggested he use my music! So he went home, found a song from 'Breaks in The Clouds' and proceeded to hook it up through the ensuing hours of night and morning.

Here's what he came up with:

So many talented friends...

2011-08-23T14:15:00.000-07:00

Just sharing the embarrassment of riches here from old friends from my Chicago days. Here's new work from a handful of the gold stacks. Enjoy.

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://idrisgoodwin.bandcamp.com/album/break-beat-bars-ep"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;BREAK BEAT BARS EP by Idris Goodwin&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp; - Produced by Diles&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

Bring It Home produced by ILL Legit by Jyroscope

The homies Animate Objects made it a little trickier to share quickly on the blog, so just follow the link to their website. From there it's easy to listen and/or download. It's worth the the two clicks.

Here's a great video from them too. Aquil's talkin' about the org we ran together in Chicago in the first verse.

Dream Sequence #3

2011-08-20T13:21:00.000-07:00

As you may have known or witnessed firsthand, I recently wrote and performed two brand new works of poetry for the MN Fringe festival. I was graciously invited to be a part of the Strange Liebhard New Music and Dance Ensemble's showing of works in progress "Railing Forward and other works". You can check out other blogs about that show a few entries back.

Asked the week before if I had some poetry to contribute while on my way out of town, I returned with just a few days to complete two new pieces. Although there's definitely room for editing/work-shopping, I'm really pleased with how these turned out. Here's the second one I wrote.

'Dream Sequence #3'

In this dream all is silent. A silence as certain and distant as peace.

there is a friend in my home who is not friend. This should be my old compadre Jorge who would often visit, stay the night, rap and make art with me on the sides of buildings and over passes and banks. Not ever on anything independently owned, nothing without a purpose or a genuine question and nothing without art. Jorge laughs like fireworks look and there’s always fun around the corner of his smirk.

A friend is here, but it’s not my friend.

He is disguised in a disgusting mask of flesh, swollen and puffy and it doesn’t fit his real face. He is a darkness peering from black eyes and I’m trying to keep it cool, taking in information of this rotten, bloated presence over my shoulder.

I cannot face him. When I look back I am terrified by what I feel and my words fall like molasses. I slowly return to the task at hand. He doesn’t move a fraction, a vision of malice, fossilized in amber.

I’m washing the dishes…eyes in my back like thorns, the most intense leer like the soft tap of spider’s legs that want in.

This day is weeks and months and these years just a sunny afternoon outside. I come and go, I’m busy and I’m only stopping in to leave. This unfriend living in my home, with my family, my mother, my younger sister…There is a tepid but constant squalor in the downstairs… is this what happens to a dream deferred?

I maneuver carefully through the bi-products of this spirit’s wretched intent with casual talismans…masks and drums and décor.

In this dream, I am cleaning and organizing.

Washing the dishes again. Behind me he is a grotesquerie of intent, a masterpiece of some sick artist who’s left his greatest work to stand and watch…me. I tell him he can’t stay. He’ll be needing to leave immediately. I continue working on the basement’s floors (you can’t stay), shelves (you can not stay), cracks (you must leave), closets, (you WILL leave), and walls…The walls are what stand out.

I’m talking with my mom and kissing her forehead and just then I’m under her bedroom in the downstairs, right underneath where she lays and I’m hanging a sacred mask. I know it is gone, there is a slow silence like the most beautiful new snow, There is light here and I awake.

The Definitive Telling of John Henry's Tale

2011-08-19T14:18:00.000-07:00

'The Definitive Telling of John Henry's Tale'

Her pregnancy was a tumultuous fault line

sticky with heavy air and a tall glass of lemonade.

Ice cubes on temples and cramps like tremors of a foreboding quake.

She was mother as rich as ripe soil of a damned river bed but opposite,

and golden from the inside.

Even her migraines must have felt like the tense whirling of a Singing bowl.

The sinew of her writhing frame disguised redwood, fighting to stay in character- Almost laughing at the absurdity with the other trees in the hot summer breeze.

Her smile, a horizon's thick blood orange sun,

undamaged by the dark ooze of coming night.

Bold enough to drench you with emotion but not to blind you,

because that would just be too self indulgent.

This mother earth of a woman gave birth like the pressure of volcanic rock creating new continents.

And thus a boy was born a mountain of a man.

This is where I have to point out something about how tall tales are told.

Like all legends, myths, religions, and poetry, they exaggerate a certain, innate truth. This mighty boy John turned great man John Henry was actually an average child of weight and size.

It was his in eyes, the center of a presence like the sun of our solar system.

All things a pattern around his gravity.

It is true that at as an infant he could not be held by cradle, playpen or fence, and that you could see specs in the air above his home from around the town of Talcott West Virginia; family pets juggled for fun.

True that at the age of five his footsteps broke the panels of his home and that as a teenager those specs in the air became local livestock and that he would empty whole lakes with the leaping shout of "cannonball!!!". True, indeed, but it wasn't his size that caused these things, it was his presence.

Imagine the weight of a sunrock living and breathing and playing and laughing in the atmosphere of our little blue earth. It wasn't his size imposing itself on his surroundings, it was the gravity of his will...all things bending to it, heavy as the sun itself.

In this sense, to look at this man and his story reveals a legend not of strength but of gentleness. His compassion for the family of workers that surrounded him was only surmounted by his efforts as an organizer; first in slavery, meeting in dreams with Harriet Tubman and conspiring with The Underground Railroad and the recruitment for John Brown’s raid. This force of nature remaining in slavery, throughout the war, only to see that others would be free – and later, once free himself, when big business swarmed to take the rightful stock of the proud workers he knew and loved; A good days work, respect and proper compensation and a humble place to call home.

Now, the rest you know. He fought to prove mans worth over machine, mining through Big Bend Tunnel and in doing so, died.

Or so it is told. You might say he lives on to this day.

There is another legend that speaks of his ashes, only becoming ashes after a slow burn of ten days and ten nights, were spread over the railroad tracks where he built his path to greatness; learning the depth of a days work when applied fully by ones mind body and soul. It's said that these ashes, indestructible and so fine as to be invisible to the naked eyes of science, are in all the winds of our globe and rush to the aid of any true statement or courageous act.

That said, walk like John Henry. Choose your hammer, choose your mountain and let’s get to work.

Summertime Hip Hop BBQ Jam for the World REMIX featuring Guante and Heidi Barton Stink

2011-08-12T12:53:00.000-07:00

The BOOMBOX EMPORIUM is back!

After it took a hiatus for a several months while I finalized my exit from Tru Ruts, I'm kicking off this excellent-free-music-series again (strong) with the remix of a classic. It's a remix of a joint I did in Chicago with the homies itchie fingers and Sully. Updated it with a new verse, some beat box and guest spots from Guante and Heidi Barton Stink. Diggit!

Summertime Hip Hop BBQ Jam for the World REMIX by SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE

Check out the original version of Summertime Hip Hop BBQ Jam for the World on my latest full length release Architextual Design (also available on iTunes).

As always, thanks for reading, listening and thinking.

SEE

In Response to the London Riots (expanded)

2011-08-11T14:35:00.000-07:00

When I heard about the London Riots, I can't say I was hugely surprised, but I was really struck by the news. I couldn't help but think a lot about the youth there, and all over really, all week. The track here is my emotional/musical response. I have to note that this isn't a song with lyrics, this isn't about me at all. It's about voices of the oppressed. Voices being ignored and interrupted by politics, media, academia and calculated poverty...

I hope you read on, but if you're a lil' too ADD for all that, here's the track now.

In Response to the London Riots by SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE

A couple of things that I find most disturbing:

How people talk about the rioters (rats, animals; ie, a tone of disgust, disdain,etc)

These people are not animals. They may not be protesting, but don't be confused; this is a socio-political, race and class issue. They're not protesting, they're EX/IMPLODING. However you think of yourself, if you refer to these people as animals, you're putting yourself on one side of a war of race and class.

What people are doing in London is wrong, HOWEVER, you need to be aware of the political and social pressures applied to people of the inner city. This is what happens when governments work for the rich and conscientiously let people fall (or force people down) through the cracks. There's no condoning violent, destructive behavior, but this is what happens when whole communities know what society neglects so well.

The clear line between inner city gang activity and violence and the attack on resources for youth programming and education.

Alexandera Topper wrote in the Guardian.co.uk in an article about the rise of crime in poor neighborhoods and the consistent budgets cuts in youth programming in poor neighborhoods, "...a perfect storm of unemployment, the withdrawal of the Education Maintenance Allowance and a squeeze on programmes to help disadvantaged youths could bring more than just a rise in crime figures and result in a "lost generation". Read that article here

There's this idea about death by a thousand cuts and how oppression, racism and classism work on subtle levels to break people down. Social Justice Educators talk about it in the conversation of "intent vs. impact", with people they're encouraging to consider the ramifications of using language that can be taken as offensive, whether they mean to offend anyone or not. Thinking along those lines, I think there's something to be said about explosion by a slow boil. If you look at the cuts in youth programming and education funds for under privileged youth in the UK, you'd find a major decline over the years and even find out about a lot of protests by students to try and counteract those cuts. You'd find students talking about how them and their friends are prone to find trouble in the streets when there's not a youth center near by, not because they're looking to get into something foul, but because more and more, that's what's available to them without resources in their community. We're not just talking about lack of jobs, we're talking about obvious resources being taken out of communities where these after school programs and the like are the last strong holds for youth who are hanging on by a thread.

How clueless the media at large plays at the cause of these events.

There's a great video of an older man speaking to a newscaster about the youth in the neighborhoods where the riots started, and he's making a point about how the youth are continually abused and harassed by police in poor neighborhoods, just to be cut off with the most ignorant conclusion that he is "condoning" the behavior of the rioters. In fact, every time he makes a strong point, he is cut off by the newscaster. He's pointing out that this whole thing started with a young man being shot in the head by police several yards from his own home. The woman from BBC news even goes so far as to blatantly try to DISCREDIT him by alluding to his involvement in riots in the past (which were actually peaceful protests). This is an educated man, a writer and broadcaster. Check out the video below.

It seems we're all so above what's happening in these neighborhoods in London and that we won't tolerate this type of behavior. I have to ask, what of the part we play in condoning the behavior of our political system? Our vast gaps in what's socially acceptable in well to do neighborhoods and those of the underprivelaged? Can you really believe that the people who end up rioting like this feel like they have real opportunity where they come from? Do you think they're on an even playing field? Do you think they feel like they have a choice in the paths of their lives? Do you think that if they did, there would still be a wave of riots across a good part of a country? I'd emphatically question the merit of any sociologist or psychologist who would tell you that the stress of living in poor communities doesn't weigh into this sort of event.

Needless to say, hearing about this was really unsettling for me. I think the US might be right around the corner of this type of activity. It's scary, and I know that it's directly connected to the way we treat youth in poor neighborhoods, and the poor in general, of course. From the schools, roads, businesses to...everything really. I initially put this song up right when it was done before I had the chance to write more about my reaction to the riots and to the people talking about it. I do feel like the song speaks for itself, but there was a lot in there I wanted to unpack for folks and really bring to the foreground.

I have to end with one more thought, to keep things in perspective.

Because of the conditions we face in these communities, we need more than ever to look for assets and inspire hope as a real tool to improve on our situation. I do not by any means wish to project an air of hopelessness at what's going on in London or the United States or anywhere there is a lack of traditional or Government supplied resources. We have, coursing beneath the surface, an infinite supply of ingenuity and heart that just needs to be tapped into. It has to start with hope. If we can't hope, we'll never know our potential. We'll never give our selves the chance, because what does it matter anyway? What can I ever really change? With hope comes a will to imagine what change we can really take part of.

I know this was a bit long and kind of tangential, but I really needed to put down how I feel about all this, to put another voice in the chorus of those sticking up for oppressed people all over the world. I hope you get something out of it.

With love to all in the struggle,

SEE

'Railing Forward' backstage sneak peek snippet

2011-08-07T11:15:00.000-07:00

I had the chance to stand in the wing and steal this footage from our performance before I went on to close out the show. This is a super cool, cross-disciplinary collaboration. I wrote two brand new spoken word pieces for this, rap and even beatbox and read Langston Hughes poems over a jazzed up classical style (art music) piece. There's dancers, a 13 piece orchestra and photography. This is unique, smart, and fun to soak in. check out the facebook event page for dates and times.

So, once you're fully intrigued by the video and my lavish description of the show, pick a date, a date ;) (great date night jump off), come out and write a review at www.fringefestival.org!

Railing Forward at the MN Fringe Festival

2011-08-04T11:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday began my stretch at this years MN Fringe Festival with Masterminds Dameun Strange and Erinn Liebhard for 'Railing Forward and other works', and it was spectacualur! They've put together a piece that jumps off of the story of John Henry and explores the growth of technology through rhythm, dance, a 13 piece orchestra and photography by Michele Spaise.

The production also features other works including 'Dream Variations', a song cycle inspired by Langston Hughes works. The ladder piece features another assortment of musicians including vocalist Sarah M Greer and myself, giving voice to Langston's words and some beatbox for good measure. I'm also performing some of my own work to open up and close the show. I've written two new pieces just for this event and I'm super excited to share them here, alongside such a high minded collaboration and presentation of music, photography and movement. Listen for 'Trains, Planes and Automobiles'(from my latest and greatest 'Architextual Design'), 'The Definitive Telling of John Henry's Tale' and 'Dream sequence #3'. Check out the facebook event page here for dates and times. Also check out the Strange Liebhard site for more info on their collab and this production.

It's been a while since I contributed to the Fringe, so this should be lots of crazy, artsy fun. Last time I took part in this staple Twin Cities arts event, it must've been in...2005 (living in Chicago and rolling with the Hermit Arts Crew to teh Cities), for Idris Goodwin's one act, 'Close to Victory' where I played a beat boxin', percussionizin', pot smokin' street artist by the name of "Special Ron". Although it wasn't my favorite performance of mine on stage, it had it's moments and was a lot of fun. I've had the pleasure of acting in a couple of my old buddy Idris' plays and it was always a blast. I wish there was footage of 'Pluto' and 'Sidewalk Etiquette'(much better work on my part, and definitely deeper, sharper pieces of Goodwin's) on youtube, but I'll have to settle for the video from the '05 Fringe show. On youtube, I think it's in 3 or 4 parts, it's been so long since I've seen it! So, if you're intrigued, follow side links and such for the other parts, they should turn up one way or another...

and here's another piece we did (in character) at The Ball's Cabaret Fringe Sampler that same year.

Welcome to The Boombox Emporium and a New Chapter...

2011-07-26T22:16:00.000-07:00

SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE's Boombox Emporium; Purveyor of top quality, free musical goods since...well, last year.

Last fall I started a new free music series to offer various musical perspectives on what I do for the 2 or 3 fans I have out there (namely my mom, my brother and that girl from that one show a while back). I thought it'd be fun to show people other sides of what I do, open up a glimpse of up coming projects and collaborations and to release tracks that have no home or are just itching to get out. It's all new and fresh off the press, but I might dig into some older work that was never released as well, from time to time, just for fun.

At any rate, I ended up taking a hiatus for a while, (and that's where the "new chapter" segment of this blog opens up). Not because I wasn't working on new stuff or didn't get around to posting new work, but because I've been in the process of finalizing my departure from local record label Tru Ruts. (?!) This is probably news to any of you who are familiar with me and TR, so let me speak to that for a sec, too. There was no major drama or anything, it's just that, as an independent artist and jack of all trades I felt like I needed to move on creatively and really get my own groove on. TR has offered me great learning opportunities and in some ways, really made some dreams come true for me. It's taken some time to finalize everything so I haven't talked much about it, but we've pretty much figured out the details and I'm goin' my own way, and not in that intense, anger-liberty/Fleetwood Mac sort of way. I'm just moving on and so are they. We're family and we'll continue to support one another and will always collaborate. You'll still be able to find all my releases with them on itunes and at www.truruts.bandcamp.com. Love.

So, that said, Here's a bunch of those tracks released through The Boom Box Emporium before working out the move from TR. I'll be continuing the monthly series soon, so watch out for more from the Boombox Emporium at www.seemoremusic.bandcamp.com soon!

"On the heels of his beat tape release, 'Breaks in the Clouds' (also at www.seemoremusic.bandcamp.com), producer See More Perspective returns this time as an emcee. Initiating a new free music download series, 'See More Perspective's Boombox Emporium', he collaborates with producer Julian Fairbanks, of Audio Perm, musical mastermind Dameun Strange, Guante and The Rube, and his brother Nye to bring you some far out, funky, fun and thoughtful music. A Twin Cities native with roots in Chicago, See More's music embodies the best of both cities. He has released a series of EPs, including 'First Impression' and 'Summertime Hip Hip BBQ Jam for the World', in addition to his beat tape concept album and his latest full length, the ambitious 'Architextual Design' (available now at www.truruts.bandcamp.com and iTUNES).

   Maintain Transcend (prod by Julian Fairbanks/Audio Perm) by SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE

   Jack's Lament by Strange Perspective by SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE

   Pyramids (Ganzobean Remix) by SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE

   Shotgun Soliloqy (ragga remix) by Wake The City, produced by The Rube by SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE

   Quiet Love by SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE

   Nobody sleeps tonight by Strange Perspective by SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE
and here's an extra joint. An a cappella for the hell of it.

   Frank Lloyd Wright (in the fan accapella) by SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE

Thanks for reading, listening and thinking.

Vermont/SIT trip and Video from the road

2011-07-12T21:50:00.001-07:00

As you may have read in my last post, I hit the road for 24 hours to Brattleboro,Vermont where I visited the School for International Training (SIT) for the Governor's Institute on Current Issues & Youth Activism. I set out with family, tons of music and snacks and a bucket full of chocolate covered espresso beans. The drive in was grueling but that early morning mist over the high roads and mountain tops were well worth driving the last shift. Nature really is the rawest form of inspiration.

Between hikes, mountain top meals, campfires, random antique import yard sailing, riverside bbqing, going to an excellent farmers market and swimming in an incredible dam surrounded by lush mountains, I facilitated a workshop on collaboration and art with meaning. I had a group of almost 50 students and there was just a whirlwind of ideas swirling through the space. In two hours every group conceived, wrote and performed a complete performance, to which every participant contributed. A lot of these folks haven't even written a line of poetry much less performed in front of a group of their peers. I hope this set some sparks for kids that they'll use to light torches they carry with them from here on out.

I also performed a set for the whole camp and their facilitators and masterminds of this top notch youth training experience. Let me just say that this crowd was absolutely incredible. This group was making up dances based on movements of my delivery and sang along with songs they didn't even know. This group was open to some mind blowing hip hop and I gotta say, I obliged. I'm not real into tooting my own horn as it were, but I am into being real about what I have to offer and the special thing here was a moment in time with a group of smart students from all over the east coast as well as Germany and Turkey. There was true magic between crowd and artist that night...before I go on and on about it, I'll just stop there.
I had hoped to get a bunch of video on this trip but since my backpack of supplies carrying my camera (as well a slew of other artist necessities) was left behind at our stop in Indiana, I wasn't able to document it in the way I had hoped. However, as I did recover my supplies on the way back, I did have my camera for the last leg of the trip from Indiana through Chicago back to the Twin Cities...so I recorded this video below. It felt appropriate. Enjoy.

Midwest Road Dogg Trail Mix

2011-06-29T19:13:00.000-07:00

Like Willy Nelson, I'm on the road again. I've got a big trip ahead of me. St. Paul to Indiana then Indiana to Vermont. Sumn like 24 hours total. I've had a lot of great road trips and have very fond memories of the people, places, mixtapes and landscapes along the way.

I've also enjoyed some great food and am a connoisseur of road snacks. Below is a very precise recipe for something known as a "Midwest road dogg trailmix". I actually just made that name up and I've only really done this once. Traveling does weird things to you.

1. Stop by a greasy spoon diner anywhere along the way.
2. Order what ever you but include some kind of sampler or share a bunch of deep fired food with your travel companions.
3. Take the leftovers in a doggie bag (an actual bag is best).
4. Shake, throw in the back seat for 1-3 hours.
5. Dig out doggie bag from mound if CDs, clothes items and promotional materials.
6. Enjoy in responsible moderation.

not religious

2011-06-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

New piece from April. I wrote it specifically to bring sumn new to the EQ show at the Loft on 10th and Washington. EQ is curated by Bao Phi and it's the best spoken word series I've ever experienced. I was humbled and honored to participate and perform with some truly great poets and genuinely good people.

I can probably workshop this piece a little, but I feel like I've waited long enough to post it. I hope you feel it. Thanks for reading.

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“I’m not religious, I’m spiritual.”

I respect that (and I would say I’ve said that but…I say that)

what does that mean though?

What does it mean that we feel good when we get high?

Empty when we breath slow?

What does it mean when we just get to feel good about whatever selfish habits and careless emotions we whim because we are just so into ourselves?

Does it mean that we are so in love with the idea that we exist that every fragile step of our narcissism is in exultation of our very own presence? (Cuz that’s kind of what some of these folks look like, right?)

what is that? What is spiritual And Why don’t we know?

Why can granola spirituality be just as hallow as regurgitated dogma?

Is it because we don’t know who we are? Is it because we are not encouraged to give a fuck? That our spiritual leaders are so into themselves that when we ask questions all they really hear is the echo of their own ego?

might it have anything to do with our own lack of imagination?

Maybe spirituality is imagination is inspiration is action is reality.

I am not religious…

I am eyes on a heart beat walking to the horizon (cuz if I can see it I can get there)

A compass with closed eyes (I am exactly where I’m supposed to be)

Blind darkness in a dream’s basement facing a gruesome ghost (because spirituality is not just feeling good for the sake of ignoring a gaping pain)

I am hope like the grip of a flare gun

A shamanic dreamscape where I met god in the sky and man on a stake

A white shroud covering my anxiety

A voice in the sky telling me to find my family…not matter what

to not get involved with the dying of a false prophet

a war against shadow

and flooding moment of light from the throat of a tortured soul aflame

released cool blue by someone who gave a fuck

I am…someone who gives a fuck

collecting and dropping seeds trying to keep some water and sunshine on hand…

just hoping they break earth…just hoping I break earth…

just hoping I can grow from, through, beyond myself,

splitting open from the inside and pushing against the weight of static earth

despite the ubiquitous pressure and feel some sun…

yawning, opening my eyes for the first time,

looking around and seeing some familiar faces.

"Papa", For Fathers Day

2011-06-19T16:59:00.000-07:00

<a href="http://truruts.bandcamp.com/track/papa-featuring-dameun-strange">Papa (featuring Dameun Strange) by Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records</a>
Here's a song for fathers day in honor of the crazy men who raise or at least contributed to our genetic make up. For better or for worse, they contribute to who we are, and without them we wouldn't be here. Existing at all is a great opportunity, no matter what challenges we face. So, thanks Papa. You've given me everything. Even if at times it's been more than I'd care for. No regrets, just gratefulness.

My dad's story isn't always pleasant or fun to talk about, but it's his story and it's part of mine. This is a piece dealing with a lot of the darker shades of my family's history, with moments of great light. While his struggle continues, as does that of my family, I always look to the light and urge us all to grow beyond our history, make our lives our own and to find peace.

My Papa is hilarious, adventurous and a consummate smart ass. These are traights I'm proud to have taken from him. I sing this song as a sort of catharsis but also as a prayer for his powerful light and for my family as a whole. I also sing this in honor of him and in thanks for my life. Gracias, Papa.

Here's to all our Father's this Fathers' Day, and to all the sons and daughters who have the ability to take who their parents, forefathers and ancestors are and were, to the next level.

Thanks for reading, listening and thinking.

"who built this house, Frank Lloyd WRONG?!"

2011-06-08T07:52:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Frank Lloyd Wright!

(June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959)

"the greatest American architect of all time", American Institute of Architects

A Midwestern man with a plan... a Floor plan. But really, I find a lot of poetry in the works of this great WI born, Midwest wandering, architect. So much so, that I liken a lot of my work as a hip hop artist, as a person and even as a visual artist in a way, to his approach to architectural design. The idea of building in light to your structure, building in concert with, not over nature and detailing a thematic structure from the inside out. Those are big ideas and fine principles, and I think they're applicable to all aspects of art and life.

I could go on and on, in fact, I did...I wrote a song by his name on my latest album, Architextual Design. Produced by my brother Nye, It's a sort of frenetic, shamanic dream where his principles in architecture become laws of nature to reveal my ideals on art, education, community and spirituality. You should listen and enjoy it a thousand times over, and LOUD. Bump it through the summer streets.

<a href="http://truruts.bandcamp.com/track/frank-lloyd-wright-prod-by-nye">Frank Lloyd Wright (prod by Nye) by Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records</a>

Top ten things to do when the world HASN'T ended

2011-06-05T09:37:00.000-07:00

in no particular order:

1. Stop being such an asshole.
2. Apologize to your boss and ask for your old job back.
3. Buy a new bike.
4. Go camping.
5. Make plans; lots of plans.
6. Travel at any cost.
7. (2 for 1) Keep recycling and contribute to a community organization.
8. Renew your membership to public radio.
9. Apologize to anyone you may have terrified with the news of our horrifying, imminent end.
10. Leave your crazy-ass church.

Number one thing to not do:
At all costs, DO NOT wait around a few more months for the world to end again.

Saturday's Forecast: DOOM

2011-05-18T19:57:00.000-07:00

SO, a lot of folks think the world is ending...again. They even have paid advertising for it this time. I saw it off the train in DC this past weekend ("you mean the nations capitol has adds for Armageddon?" yes, not quite billboards). People are quitting their jobs and selling their homes. Shit is a little bonkers. What I'm really interested in though, is how are these individuals truly preparing themselves for the apocalypse besides judging and damning the rest of us on the way to the E.N.D.?

THE WORLD IS SICK. I'm not talking figuratively, spiritually or morally. Which it is, but that's a whole other thing. Our Earth is physically sick in a way that I'm not sure we've seen before, not all at once anyway and not at such frequency. I understand the concern. Everything must end. It's naive to think otherwise. Do I think the world is ending this weekend? no, but who knows? Not me and not any "ebiblefellowship.com" (By the way, that's .COM not .ORG).

GET OVER IT, move forward. What are these dreamers of living nightmare preaching to the masses that could possibly help anyone through the end times? Now I'm talking spiritually. What spiritual value does preaching death and despair have for so called believers in eternal life? What compassion is there in painting signs of hopelessness?

WHETHER OR NOT THE WORLD IS ENDING THIS WEEKEND OR EVER, OR HOWEVER, WHETHER IT'S THE LAST BATTLE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL, GIANT METEORS OR A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, WE HAVE A LOT OF CRAZY SHIT TO DEAL WITH BEFORE WE LEAVE as a human race and as individuals. The question is how are we living in the spaces we interact with? And what spiritual, intellectual or emotional impact are we having on the people around us? If energy can never be destroyed, what electromagnetic imprint are we leaving in the wake of our life experience?

AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, where will you be when you go? Hugging your mom? Making your neighbor laugh? Masturbating on on the couch? playing video games? Regretting some bullshit argument? Smiling about how you've interacted with the world around you?

IN THE END, YOU MAY BE YOUR HARSHEST JUDGE. In what ways are you contributing to the world that you can be proud of when it all flashes before your eyes?

busy producer man/busy performer man: reflections of April

2011-04-13T06:41:00.000-07:00

As always, I've been keeping busy. Coming off of the production of Guante's "Concious Is Not Enough 2011" free mixtape and ongoing production of "Heidi Barton Stink's new album (lots of new work here! verses, beats, and more and more great songs from this invigorating collaboration), I hit April with a bunch of shows and speaking engagements.

the 7th: Heidi Barton Stink's Birthday Double Rainbow show at Cause with a slew of good people and performers. CHECK. It was pretty awesome. Felt really good about my set and had a lot of fun seein' Heidi roll out some of the new pieces we're working on for her latest and greatest album coming out later this year.

the 16th: Upward Bound/Trio SJ Conference at Normandale - CHECK. Keynote and workshop WENT SPECTACULARLY. Met some brilliant students who had a lot fun and really ran with the workshop material. It was beautiful to connect with a room of some 700 brown students and to have the chance to facilitate a more intimate workhop afterward.

ALSO the 16th: Equilibrium at The Loft; CHECK. Wow. Just a truly special event. Best spoken word event I've been to in a seriously long time, if not ever. CLASSIC, really. Packed house and just bursting with top notch people and poetry. I'm so honored to have been a part of it. I presented some new work (a poem) mashed up with rap and song. I was feelin' it to say the least. Bao Phi curates poetry events like the finest mixtapes.
EQ: Spoken Word at the Loft presents Tomás Riley and Sham-e-Ali Nayeem

the 21st-23rd: Patrick's Cabaret with Dameun Strange as our other worldly duo Strange Perspective at the The Somewhat Sci-Fi Variety Show - CHECK. We had a blast with these artists! SO many fun, clever, smart acts. Some weird stuff too, but we love it. The dance was phenomenal. Dameun and I got all theatrical and even enlisted the help of some of the dancers to help coordinate a ring of fire so to speak, timed with our performance. Many thanks to all the artists and most of all Arturo Miles who organized the whole thing.

the 30th: at Capitol Hill Magnet/Rondo Elementary. Lead the closing ceremony for this great day of service, social justice and open dialog with reflective questions and performance. Good, and kinda shy group of kids. Proud of the ones who stood up and spoke to their inspiration and the things that matter to them about their experience. A good handful represented well and I felt great about our interaction and the time I had to contribute to their learning and whole event. Big Ups to Larry Lucio and Youthrive.
PEACE JAM

nobody sleeps tonight

2011-03-15T18:52:00.000-07:00

New from the Boombox Emporium (a monthly free music series featuring brand new material and monster collaborations):

BIG UPS TO EVERYONE WHO SENT IN PICS FOR THE ARTWORK!

A lot of incredible and horrifying things happen every day all around the world. So much change, catastrophe, epiphany, joy...and despite the lull of the daily trudge, people do feel it. We dream of it, daydream about it or just stay up at night, wondering why we can't get to sleep. Maybe we get depressed and don't know why, maybe we misplace our frustrations...Something's wrong. Conversely, something electric is in the air. Excitement, wonder, nervous energy. There is opportunity; indeed, there is also despair. What will I focus on? how will I channel my feelings around it? How can I face tomorrow? How the hell am I going to get to sleep?

The latest from my collaboration with Dameun Strange, as Strange Perspective, doesn't necessarily answer these questions, but swims in them, as we often do when disaster strikes or we feel the rift of some unknown revelation uncoil beneath the surface. This is electronic, bass heavy, jungle style hip hop. It's hard and kinetic. It's also smooth, melodic and catchy. The concept lives in every snare, high hat, rhythm and cadence. It's frenetic and courses the listeners ears for answers, hope, a little peace and finds the people who give a damn.

ps- the artwork features photos from face book friends who sent in pictures of themselves not being able to sleep, and because of this, are immortalized. :)

pps- the art kinda looks like a curled up catepillar doesn't it?

Haiku series

2011-03-02T20:20:00.000-08:00

Little know fact: I Love Haiku. Reading and/or writing. Here's a few I dug up for you to chew on.

waking up:

we met and slept some.
woke up from our nap like, "whoah!"
new insomniacs...

Three about being genuine:

it's just so easy,

laugh in the face of a smile.

effortlessly share.

allow openess

and be rewarded with sky.

fall UP into chance.

without defenses,

sincere cuddles possible.

between them, a lasting bridge.

for sleepers:

she awoke at dusk

as day lamented away.

his smiles became moons.

Two called offering:

realized sum'n.

any spark between us could

set the world ablaze.

if moment would hold

I could step inside and give

you the greatest gift.

on pleasing others:

can't do the right thing,

can't do the wrong thing either.

It works or doesn't.

on letting go:

Epiphany woke

as sun whispered through curtains,

"you just don't owe them".

Back in the chi

2011-02-18T18:39:00.000-08:00

How many times have I traveled 94 between the Twin Cities and Chicago? Too many to count...the second city just happens to be my second home and I've always been fond of the green expanse of Wisconsin with my lifes soundtrack bumpin the way I please... Cutting through the blues, greys, pink-oranges and black, my thoughts meander on those hash marks like mantras to the horizon. It's meditative and refreshing. My imagination fills the sky with worry, hope, frustration and pride.

Every winter, Orion stands guard in the sky, brazen; reminding me of the permanence of greatness. In summer, the wind speaks to me and sings over the speakers. Lightning of some distant storm stirs wonder. I've written notebooks of songs and verses on this road. Stories and rhymes as varied as the faces, feelings and situations I've experienced along the way. On the bus full of disgruntled and joyous strangers, a solitary car or with many friends and Lovers past.

With my wife now, a reminder of so much that is different and good, I remember...

Well, it's my turn to drive, so I gotta put down the blog. Just know that I love you Chicago and I'm excited to see your skyline again, sparkling with friendships I hope to see up close for a night, as I rock a show at the music lounge(new to me) with Phillip Morris, itchie fingers and more. Tonight. Doors at 9:30. Free before 11.

SEX TAPE (but not)

2011-02-16T21:14:00.000-08:00

The latest from the BOOMBOX EMPORIUM!! A Happy Valentines Day…as only the Boombox Emporium could wish for you.

Our Latest installment of “the B.E.” is yet another preview of great things to come. After peppering his debut solo album with beats from his brother Nye, SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE is preparing to bring that partnership to the foreground with the funky, hilarious, and hard album ‘SEX TAPE’; a mash up of sexuality, humour, and badass Hip Hop. Producer Nye brings back Boombap with a vengeance through rugged, dynamic textures and bizarre vocal samples in the tradition of Handsome Boy Modeling School and Dr. Octogon. SEE MORE’s flow’s are as rhythmic, sharp and thoughtful as ever while juggling sexual overtones, romantic impulses, laugh out loud rhyme schemes and socio-political commentary.

What makes this work unique is that it celebrates sexuality and doesn’t use it for shock value. The humor of the weird 70’s porn samples is used to disarm the listener while interjecting potent points of view on love, sex, relationships and politics in the flow of fun, sexy rap.

‘Quiet Love’ is the first step forward of this new, ecstatic collaboration. This song paints the picture of a couple in such attraction and in so much love that they let go of all care that they are indeed expecting guests. Even while the party begins in the front of their home (guests letting themselves in, making drinks and striking up conversation), this couple cannot peel away from one another. The dirty, funny rhymes about getting it on belie the heart of this song, a sexual attraction so strong for the bond of two humans. Two humans opening up and letting it all go for the sake of their love, while trying to keep quiet just another minute longer…

Architextual Design is finally here!

2010-11-27T10:45:00.000-08:00

My good people. Two things.

1. This Tuesday, November 30th, my album 'Architextual Design' is coming out from Tru Ruts. This is my best foot forward as a solo artist. My first real, full length album. A concept album. An album about pyramids, family structure and the social, artistic and spritual foundations on which we stand. It's epic, it's funky, it's clever, it's bouncy, it's somber, it's introspective and it's party music. It's Architextual Design.

I produced and recorded the whole thing my self with help from friends and family. There's guest rappers, singers, beat makers and poets. I did the album design and I took the photos in Mexico.

Show love and download it. Share it with your friends and spread the word. This is the cultivation of my work as a human being to date.

2. Friday December 3rd, I'm celebrating it's release at Hell's Kitchen in Downtown Minneapolis. I have a killer line up, a bad ass dj, some video in the works and maybe I'll even have cd's for sale. Cross your fingers.

If you only come to one of my shows this year, this should be it.

$5. 18+. Parking ramp next door (cheap).

Mayda
Guante
Fresh Squeeze
Heidi Barton Stink
See More Perspective

Tables turned by The Rube.

It wont be the same without you.

2010-11-20T21:35:00.000-08:00

Hey folks, I wanted to share a few links with you and perhaps catch you up on some free music that I am immensely proud of. Take a listen and feel free to download this hard work (for free), and of course, share with anyone you think may dig it.

Here's the 3rd and latest track from my Boombox Emporium, a free monthly music series. Check out the two tracks from September and October, too. These are thoughtful, playful and carefully crafted tracks, not something thrown out to meet a quota of new material. Lot's more collabs and other goodies to come.

http://truruts.bandcamp.com/track/pyramids-ganzobean-remix-see-more-perspective

Next is my latest halloween music adventure. This is my first collaboration with Dameun strange as we unite to form "Strange Perspective". This is more Dia de los Muertos than Halloween and it jumps off of a Jazz Funeral concept. It's playful, smart and efficient.

http://truruts.bandcamp.com/album/strange-perspective-the-lost-souls-boys-choir-in-jazz-funeral

check out our city pages interview here: http://www.citypages.com/2010-10-27/music/strange-perspective-united-by-ghostly-tales/

In addition, and in closing, the 'Architextual Design' campaign is on and poppin'. My full length solo debut is revving at the gates for a 11.30.10 release and a wonderful show 12.03.10. featuring MAYDA, GUANTE, FRESH SQUEEZE, HEIDI BARTON STINK and THE RUBE. I can't tell you how great this will be, because it truly is something you'll need to experience yourself. I t just won't be the same without you.

Thanks and Love,

SEE

Pyramids remix!

2010-11-11T08:46:00.000-08:00

"November’s installment of ‘See More Perspective’s Boombox Emporium’, an eclectic, monthly free music series, presents a spectacular remix of a Chicago underground classic. ‘Pyramids’ interweaves loose cultural allegories of See More’s Mexican heritage and its relationship to African history while drawing parallels to ancient civilizations and modern day hip hop. The inspired, electro-funky remix, featuring an upgraded chorus and a new verse, delves deeper into these multicultural undertones and brings out the idea of how hip hop and its practitioners are building cultural monuments for the ages. Just the kind of casual, big picture yet party appropriate philosophy you can expect from SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE. Ganzobean has been busy producing tracks for local legend Musab, touring with the likes of Abstract Rude and just released a free EP dedicated to Jack White."

Strange Perspective and The Lost Souls Boys Choir in Jazz Funeral

2010-11-09T18:53:00.000-08:00

The album came out:

and it's still out. Get it here:
http://truruts.bandcamp.com/album/strange-perspective-the-lost-souls-boys-choir-in-jazz-funeral

it was reviewed and loved by City Pages:
http://www.citypages.com/2010-10-27/music/strange-perspective-united-by-ghostly-tales/

and we threw a hell of a halloween party with ridiculous, mind-bending performances and the best damned halloween atmosphere you could ever ask for complete with a psychic and sideshow oddities:

Introducing 'Strange Perspective'

2010-10-11T12:38:00.000-07:00

As you may have heard, I have a new group with the very talented Dameun Strange as 'Strange Perspective'. We're kicking off our new collaborative effort with a Halloween album in the tradition of 'Return to El Guante's Haunted Studio Apartment; remixed and re-imagined by SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE'. While this new work is not a remix album I think we've successfully remixed and re-imagined ourselves and our music in new and inventive ways for one hell of a Halloween album that is sure to satisfy long after this Halloween has passed. It's called 'Strange Perspective and the Lost Souls Boys Choir in Jazz Funeral'. The album title is almost longer than the album. It's under 20 minutes, but I like to think it goes a lot of different places in that time and begs further listening. The new album will be released for FREE on October 26th, this year.

We have a show scheduled at Hell's Kitchen for October 30th to celebrate the new release and give us a reason to put on a hell of a show with incredible acts and artistry of all kinds. Mark you're calendar, its going to be amazing.

This video was hooked up by Daniel Rangel and Javier Cedillo.

Like my new group with Dameun Strange here:
http://www.facebook.com/strangeperspective

and let us know if you're coming to the Jazz Funeral Halloween Extravaganza here:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=127669530617206

Dameun and I premiered our new collaboration at Ghastof's a couple of weeks ago for their annual 'Spoutstock' cover song contest with guest judges of high esteem including a member 'Babe's in Toyland'. We won! Hopefully a good omen for things to come...

The song we covered that night is available for FREE here:

<a href="http://truruts.bandcamp.com/track/jacks-lament-strange-perspective">Jack's Lament - Strange Perspective by Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records</a>

We also recently did an interview with Mike Walsh for the City Pages, which if all goes well, will come out October 27th.

Sorry to drop all that info into one blog, but it's been crazy busy and I had to take the chance to update on all the fun I'm having with 'Strange Perspective'.

All the best and thanks for reading,

SEE

Introducing BOOMBOX EMPORIUM; a new free download series

2010-09-22T12:27:00.000-07:00

ladies, gentlemen and everything in between,

I've been workin' haaard in the studio this year! As you may have seen in my cryptic facebook status updates, there's a lot coming that I'm not advertising quite yet, or that's just starting to leak out.

The first in this series of surprises is a free download series called 'SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE'S Boombox Emporium'. We're kicking off this series as a thank you for the folks who support at shows, buy cd's, download new projects, share my work with their friends or even just check out my different pages from time to time and read my status rhymes and what have you. The first in this new series is a very special collaboration with up and coming Minneapolis producer Julian Fairbanks.

You can listen, download and share here:
<a href="http://truruts.bandcamp.com/album/see-more-perspectives-boombox-emporium">See More Perspective's Boombox Emporium by Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records</a>

The Boombox Emporium will continue as a monthly series of free downloads. October's is gonna be a lot fun, leading into one of my annual Halloween-themed projects. This year, I've collaborated with musician Dameun Strange to create ‘Strange Perspective and The Lost Souls Boys Choir in JAZZ FUNERAL’, which will be released October 26th on Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records. The release party for ‘JAZZ FUNERAL’ will be on October 30th (10pm), at Hell’s Kitchen with Strange Perspective, plus Mayda, Guante and more!

Artwork for the new free music series:

Artwork for the first track in the series, 'Maintain/Transcend':

This song was inspired by and written for students all over the US, (and the world, really) who struggle with the pressures and trappings of economic, educational and community neglect. I've taught you. I've learned from you. I've been you. The first step is to maintain. Once we get that, we've gotta transcend our environments. Bless.

Thanks and Love,

SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE

trading remixes for liner notes

2010-08-10T15:27:00.000-07:00

About a month and a half ago, my old friend and gifted Breakbeat Poet, Playwright and Hip Hop head Idris Goodwin agreed to honor me by writing the liner notes for my upcoming solo full-length debut 'Architextual Design'. I in turn, agreed to remix a song of his from his latest album, 'Break Beat Poems'.

A touch later than we had planned, we've fulfilled our agreements and he has a new and (if I do say so) excellent remix and I have stellar and insightful liner notes.

Idris g is in the process of gathering instrumentals for a new ep of both remixes and new material, which promises to be full of bangers and surprises... stay tuned at idrisgoodwin.blogspot.com for news about this and other fine releases, shows and goings ons. Make sure you listen to his new album!

Meanwhile, I'm plotting the release of 'Architextual Design' with Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records for this fall. The music is finalized, the design is nearly complete and we're biding our time to make our move...

More about the building of 'Architextual Design' to come!

Introduction to 'Breaks in The Clouds'

2010-08-02T20:45:00.000-07:00

In any aspect of life, there seems to always be a blanket of something we struggle through. For the (so called) average person it may be the mundania of the day to day or political and socio-economic fences that depress and oppress. In art it may be a lack of inspiration or opportunity to be seen or heard.

The title of this album came to me on the verge of sleep, in those precious moments where you dream without quite encountering slumber and the conscious mind, meandering as it may, is still vigorously active. I jumped out of bed to write down the thought that came to me. After all, I’ve lost enough ideas under the weight of the ending day, waking only to the idea that I had a great idea…and didn’t write it down.

The story of how it came to me may be a microcosm of the whole idea itself. The break though. The moment of inspiration. Recognition. Fortification. Love. Light breaking through clouds at just the right time to speak to you, direct and anonymous as you wake, drive, work, cook, clean or even dream. A moment of clarity as it were...over a breakbeat.

This new collection of instrumentals I plan to release in volumes (starting here with my best two feet forward) is a series of moments that break through. Depending on the timing, these breaks can be both light and dark and you’ll find a mix of moody, dark pieces along with lighter and hopefully more inspiring pieces. The effect may be a sort of bi-polar track listing, but isn’t that just like life? The ebb and flow of our routine, struggle, progress and finally, breakthrough?

This is my so called beat tape. A concept album in volumes. A never ending story. So much for the simple one off to release something for the hell of it before my full length drops at the end of the summer.

So it goes.

Thanks for listening,
SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE

"Breaks in the Clouds", a Conceptual Beat Tape

2010-07-28T11:58:00.000-07:00

Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records presents BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS
MC and producer’s first beat tape is a psychedelic musical narrative

“Spitting classical flows with a quick angry tongue over crisp beats, it was hard to digest but I’d be ready to hear him again any day.” – City Pages

“Hip-hop and spooky graveyard fog find a surprisingly tight chemistry…” – A.V. Club Madison

“(See More Perspective) is a voice of this generation.” – Rich Albertoni (Madison’s Isthmus)

Like the other artists on the Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records roster (Sha Cage, e.g. bailey, Guante, Truthmaze, etc.) See More Perspective wears a lot of hats. A teacher, a rapper, a drummer, a beatboxer and even a cook, See More is ready to show the world his talent as a producer with his first full-length beat tape, BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS.

Winner of the “Best Producer” award at the 2009 Urban Griots Awards, See More has worked with some of the brightest talents from the Twin Cities, Chicago (his home for nearly a decade) and beyond. This beat compilation collects some of his favorite productions—some full-on instrumental arrangements, some rap songs stripped of their vocals, and some wild experiments thrown in for good measure.

The result is a psychedelic gumbo of styles and flavors. These aren’t sped-up soul samples, generic club bangers or DJ Premier knock-off beats. These are the products of a producer who has developed a real musical personality of his own and isn’t afraid to let it shine through.

“This new collection of instrumentals is a series of moments that break through,” See More says. “Depending on the timing, these breaks can be both light and dark and you’ll find a mix of moody, dark pieces along with lighter and hopefully more inspiring pieces. The effect may be a sort of bi-polar track listing, but isn’t that just like life? The ebb and flow of our routine, struggle, progress and finally, breakthrough?”

See More Perspective will be releasing his debut full-length as a rapper, “Architextual Design,” later this year. And if this beat tape is any indication, it’s going to be something pretty special—fearless, progressive and forward-thinking.

“The break though,” See More says. “The moment of inspiration. Recognition. Fortification. Love. Light breaking through clouds at just the right time to speak to you, direct and anonymous, as you wake, drive, work, cook, clean or even dream. A moment of clarity as it were, over a break beat.”

‘Breaks in the Clouds’ is available as a free download for a limited time at Tru Ruts’ Bandcamp.

<a href="http://truruts.bandcamp.com/album/breaks-in-the-clouds-volume-one-two-see-more-perspective">inspirational speakers by Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records</a>

"Big Cheese" - New Single from upcoming "Breaks in The Clouds"!!

2010-07-23T13:51:00.000-07:00

The artwork:

The write up:

Second single from the upcoming beat tape concept album, Breaks in the Clouds (Volumes One + Two), to be released July 27th.

Winner of the “Best Producer” award at the 2009 Urban Griots Awards, Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records artist, See More Perspective, has worked with some of the brightest talents from the Twin Cities, Chicago (his home for nearly a decade) and beyond. “Breaks in the Clouds” is a beat tape that collects some of his favorite productions—some full-on instrumental arrangements, some rap songs stripped of their vocals, and some wild experiments thrown in for good measure. The result is a psychedelic gumbo of styles and flavors. These aren’t sped-up soul samples, generic club bangers or DJ Premier knock-off beats. These are the products of a producer who has developed a real musical personality of his own and isn’t afraid to let it shine through.

The Track:

<a href="http://truruts.bandcamp.com/track/big-cheese-single-see-more-perspctive">big cheese (Single) - See More Perspctive by Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records</a>

"WHAT'S KRACKEN?" - New single from upcoming 'BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS'!

2010-06-30T21:37:00.000-07:00

The artwork:

First single from the upcoming beat tape concept album, Breaks in the Clouds (Volumes One + Two), to be released July 27th.

The track:

<a href="http://truruts.bandcamp.com/track/whats-kracken-single-see-more-perspective">what's kracken? (Single) - See More Perspective by Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records</a>

Thoughts on Teaching; A Personal Reflection of 2009

2010-05-28T15:25:00.000-07:00

In 2009, I learned a lot about teaching. This time last year I was teaching part time and every day of the week. I wasn’t just the cool artist coming in on a visit, but the actual “teacher” of a class and that, my friends, is much more difficult. I was using my tools of creativity to teach some basic computer skills and it was hard as hell! I learned that “buy in” is everything and that you truly need to achieve and re-achieve that everyday. Every. Day.

Every moment with my students was an obstacle course. Running this course of walls and traps set to protect a young mind from mis-education and disappointment was, to say the least, exhausting. It was also, for it’s challenges, enlightening. Being the teacher for a class of students every day during the school day made me a part of the establishment, whether I liked it or not. To many of the students, whatever I did and whoever I am, there was a cardboard cutout of all they have grown to despise about public education.

Personally, it was extraordinarily difficult to be seen as all that I have such disdain for in education. I needed to look deeply into myself to not only see beyond the grief this inspired, but to also see the parts of myself that do fit that mold of oppressor. Needless to say, this is scary, scary stuff…

Since then, I’ve practiced simultaneously having my guard up and being completely present. Learning to be a little tough with the class while showing my heart. Being forgiving while not “taking any shit” and to be as patient with myself as with the students.

'Breaks in the Clouds' cover art preview!

2010-05-18T19:33:00.000-07:00

Here's the cover art to my upcoming beat tape release. A 'beat tape' is generally just a collection of beats to showcase what a given producer has in his or her vaults. A bunch of beats with no theme or message, other than "I'm a really talented producer".

While I've stayed true to that idea of the beat tape by opening the doors of my catalog and proving how wonderfully talented of a producer I am (wink/smile/sparkle), I couldn't help but to make something more of this collection of instrumental music.

The title is an inspired play on words. Breaks as in break beats, clouds as in the heavens above and overall, the idea that this music comes through me from a greater self, consciousness or plan. View it as you see fit.

I've written a formal introduction for the album so I won't go further into detail, instead let you take a look at the design and (hopefully) wonder what gems the album will hold :)
designed by yours truly:

Danger of the Single Story.

2010-05-12T19:43:00.000-07:00

I'll start here. A video that resonated with me and the reasons for the name SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE. It's called 'Danger of the single Story' and it inspired the name of this blog.

The idea of the single story is this; If you have an experience, or even multiple experiences with someone of a certain culture or background, you develop a story for that person or culture. Believing this or these experiences to be the whole truth of a person or culture creates one, singular story for that person or culture. This sells them short, however true your experience may be, because there's always more to a person, situation or culture than is readily available to the eye.

Of course, in this video, Chimamanda Adichie explains this concept far more eloquently than I, so definitely watch it for yourself and hear her explain the idea through stories and experience. It's beautiful and sharp.

The single story can be dangerous in terms of culture and stereotyping but can also be dangerous in the way we view ourselves. If we limit the way we look at ourselves, the world, relationships, success, or progress for example, we limit the way we experience and digest those things. We limit learning opportunities in unlikely places. We limit ourselves and enriching experience.

With this, I urge you to SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE...and to swing by the blog from time to time. I hope you enjoy it, I hope you read something enriching or inspiring or are lead somewhere you didn't know about in thought or culture and share this message with those around you. I hope you come to my shows and buy my music :) Thanks for reading.

One Love; a lot of views on it,

SEE MORE PERSPECTIVE