What happened at the Birthday show at Leftfield on MArch 4th!?!

Success is the first word that comes to mind thinking about the show last week. *Sidenote, after most shows I have I'm usually out of it, exhausted once the adrenaline has worn off. Then there is the rare case of when I'm so excited from a show that I just can't sit my ass down and I don't know what to do with myself. The latter is what happened to me after this show. Also my conditioning has gotten better over the years so I'm not out for the count when a show is done. I say all that to say this. After a show whether up or down I want to just be away from any computers or people and be in my own head space. But we here now. 

Back to the show! Man my energy wasn't just at a high level. The house was packed which made it that much more charged. I'm still feeling a high from the show. It left me in a place mentally full of euphoria and seeking the next, but wanting to relive the moment. I got my artwork blown up on engineer prints from staples as you will see in the photos below. My team, yes I have a team with me now! They helped set up all my artwork. Which added to the energy already built around the event. There is video footage being edited, so film of my set is on the way. I played with my live band and live beat maker during my set.

I covered Outkast's "ROSES", with a story about a childhood crush of mines who didn't quite reciprocate. I opened my set with a cover of Mos Def & Massive Attacks "I against I" from the Blade 2 soundtrack.  P.Cruz did his own mix of "I Against I" which was ill!

I did an acapella of  my song "Freak Of Nature", which the crowd really dug. I also did a verse from the title "Gone is the illusion".

The band and I did a rendition of my song "I workout" with some crowd participation and we was vibing. Had the whole crowd moving from side to side and chanting "I Workout!". It was great!

I really enjoyed the mix that P.Cruz did of "Knights in Shining Darkness" It sounded real eerie! he even did his own remix of it which is totally different from the live mix he did during the show. Check it out! It's available for streaming and free download! 

https://pcruz.bandcamp.com/track/knights-in-shining-darkness-p-cruz-remix

I think one of the big highlights for me was the live version of my song "Henny On Ice". Which I started with an acapella of the songs first verse which the crowd really enjoyed. The line in the beginning always get's em! You'd think my name was Charles....The way I lay the Dickens. Haha, people love that line so we thought it best that it be delivered with the rest of the verse with no beat playing. 

I previewed the artwork, especially the art that went with the songs during the set. I only had a 45 minute play time so I had to keep it tight.

The bookers of the show were happy with the results, meaning the turn out. They've invited me back to do more shows! i couldn't be happier man! Like I said success. 

Check the pictures below for some visuals of the evening. Great times!! Even More to come!!

My friend Epiphany B, who is a dope artist herself, standing next to a picture of the main character who is a grim reaper in my graphic novel. 

In this pic, my keyboardist Simone Acosta left, far right my bassist Tariq Tucker. In the middle my good friend Tasty Keish with her TK: AM shirt on, rep'n her radio show hard. Then me, shirtless, face paint on, serenading her during my song called "I workout".

Neon light ambiance while rocking LeftfieldBar. This was a damn good show, shit it felt good!

This is art from my illustration book. This piece is called "Groundhog's Day". It was inspired by Bill Murray's movie by the same name and the image in the upper left corner is twilight zone inspired. The endless cyclical cold melancholy day plays out in this song. Stir crazy delirium.

This photo was taken by Annie McCray. All is a blur, the world is spinning. I like this one a lot.

This is a great shot showing my audience from my show. My man P.Cruz from the Hip Hop duo Punskription doing live beatmaking on Ableton. Behind him is artwork from my illustration book, that one is titled "Knights in Shining Darkness". Which he just did a remix of. I'll be posting it shortly. Beside him is the grim reaper who is the main character from my upcoming graphic novel.

This has been a popular picture. Everyone always asks me for it to buy. It's the image for my song "Henny On Ice". Books and individual images on sale soon.

This is the first page from my Graphic novel titled "4". It shows our cast of characters on the verge of sieging enemy territory.

Here is another character from my graphic novel, he is a scarred individual with a tortured mysterious past involving vampires.

As I mentioned before, this is my piece for my song "Knights in Shining Darkness". 

Ahhhh! Squad up, ya know? People in this picture I go way back with. My man's Warren S Britt MC, documentarian. on my right, behind me is my dude Magnit Handz, dope beatmaker. Left my dude Varyius Ways, Educator, promoter, and entertainer. Boss Level. Down front is my homegirl from H.S. Lima who surprised me with a visit! That made my day. Then the fly DJ KK47! beside me. Then Keish next to KK and behind my friend Shavon. Love my peoples man!

My good homie, my road dog Roberto DeJesus. The brilliant mastermind behind Supreme Bars. A monthly MC competition which just branched out to philly. Check them out in NY at the Lantern!

My night out at Inspired Word in New York City at Parkside Lounge

Most of the Players involved in last nights show!

This picture right here was taken after the event, "inspired Word". Which was on Tuesday, January 3rd, 2017. It was at Parkside Lounge on Houston St in Lower Manhattan. Most of the performers, some of the crowd and even the host are in this photo. Bottom left is Scottt Raven the host, then LawlySe with the hat turned back, she is a dope beatmaker. Her and my friend behind me in this photo, Happy Accident a dope emcee in her own right, teamed up for there feature performance and killed it! More on that later! Jumping across to the far right, behind the first row with one person between us is my dude A.D. rep'n the Bronx. He closed out the open mic and killed it. Next to him is the homie Lex Rush! Ill Freestyle emcee and Hip Hop artist. She joined Happy Accident during her set with a guest verse. Next to her is my friend Shawn Randall, he does an event called "Symphonics Live". He has performers from a wide range of disciplines come out and perform. He is one of the most chill dudes I have ever met. Check him out. http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2729243

On my left is Gardenia.SB, talented Emcee from Far Rock. Next to her is Clyde Phalanx, that brother sick on the instruments. Guitars and piano is what I saw him rock during his set. In front of my comrades Lex and A.D. is another Emcee from the Boogie Down that killed it. I don't remember her stage name so I don't know if she would be cool with me sharing her Gov'ment an all, So I'll just keep it as is in the meantime. But she shared a few verses over some industry beats and the crowd ate it up. Same thing goes for sis in the front in the black tank top with the glasses. She is a poet. Right in front of me is homie named Leo, he was an audience member. Alll the way in the back ,peace sign up. is David Freeman, Singer Song writer who did a few covers earlier in the show and did his thing. He did a cover of TLC's "Scrubs". That song stay stuck in my head,lol. 

When I hit the stage later in the evening I did an acapella version of my song "Knights In Shining Darkness", and "The Return". Along with some crowd participation on both hooks and clapping on the beat. I never tried it with "Knights In Shining Darkness" but I have with "The Return". 

During the live set of Happy Accident and LawlySe they did this song called "Period Piece". Which is about...Yep..You guessed it,lol. Women on their period. I've seen lately a group of female Mc's approach their art form unapologetically in a way I've never seen before and to be honest it's really dope! During the performance women in the audience were throwing pads and tampons on the stage, I'm so serious! None of them were used though..That would've been very gross. But the energy was raw and I really appreciated it. 

What I love about Parkside Lounge is it reminds me of old New York. Gritty dive bar in the front. Then you walk to the back and see a lounge like environment. Somewhat posh and in front is the stage for the artists to perform. I love that combination. Well that does it for this blog entry.

Be sure to stay tuned, I am having a show on my Bday. March 4th 2017. At Leftfield Bar on 87 Ludlow. I'll be rocking out for 45min. Live Band and Beatmaking and my rhymes. Get ready!

*I forgot to add these photos from this event. They were taken by Mike Geffner and Marvin Mendlinger.