My Ten Hip Hop Commendments

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

New Interview

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.

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'

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