Vancouver

Big props to Van City!! I thank Ani Pinchot for putting me in touch with my gracious host Sara who not only directs (I think that's the right word..) a community center and awesome choir, but also beatboxes like a PRO... every MC in Vancouver should be getting her to back them up. Word. Peace to producer/emcee/musician Rup for inviting me into his home to enjoy this view:














Click to enlarge the pic, the mountains and enchanted village were blowing my mind. Vancouver also has an ill skyline which transforms from city to mountains:












Seeing the First Ladies Crew rock a show was mad inspiring, they're all Indigenous MCs/beatboxers holding it down up here:














You can find their music at Beat Nation or on Myspace.

Saying peace to one of my BIG childhood influences...

But did you know MJ was nasty on the beatbox?
Check this out:
GENIUS

Washington State

On my way from Oregon I stopped for a night in Olympia WA and checked out the nature on the campus of Evergreen College. Kind of a mystical mossy evergreen/fern forest...











Thanks to Marco, Lolita, and Rowan for hosting me there.

I then continued to Seattle where it got a bit more urban. Many thanks to Alex, Rita, Reyna, Maria, Ani, and VC for the hospitality. As I was wandering the city I saw this mural in action and introduced myself to the artist, who wrote Wierdo.













He had an insane photo-realistic style with spraycans, and he was cool enough to point me in the direction of the local "walk up" wall AKA permission spot. So I went and painted this:











[Click the pic to enlarge]

Oregon, Portland

Been having a great time chilling and playing music with Nicoluminous, a dope local beatboxer/musician/vocalist. One of the highlights was setting up in an abandoned lot and jamming together for a warm audience of 5-10 people... Check how he has his delay and loop pedal strapped to his belt wirelessly (to the amp)... Nice one Nico!

Cali up North

A couple days ago I headed still further North to Arcata. I set up my Starship in a public seating area near the center of town and had been painting about 5 mins when I met this guy Joe. Turns out he runs a couple of taco stands and is about to open a restaurant. He wants to see my work so he asks me to paint his sign as a freebee...














He likes the free sample and hires me to paint his truck the next morning. I finished my Arcata piece....














then saw UP (which was fresh) and caught reggae singer Bushman with opening act Soulflower on the late night.

After a couple hours sleep I met up with Joe and his wife at their soon to be restaurant, and I was touched by their success (family business, ya know?) and support of my skills.














Such a cool experience...

Camped in the Redwoods

After a long drive North from Oakland with endless sky and mountains...















I made it to a campground in the Redwoods State Park near Eureka CA.













These trees are ridiculously big, I don't think pictures do them justice, but they're still fun to take!

Here's another one wider across than my SUV-


















Making a fire always makes me feel connected to nature, which (in addition to making art and seeing friends) was a big inspiration for me in doing this trip. The plan has come together...

Another Day in the Bay

Here I'm pictured with the Hip Hop Dub Starship at The Wharf (famous street performance location in SF) I spent a couple hours out there working and had mad fun.











Earlier in the day I also added to one of Marlene White's pieces which came out super funky:

"FREE BIRD"

Wait 'til you see the video...

Had an amazing day so far with my Oakland based peer Marlene White... we did a collaborative painting on the Hip Hop Dub Starship board, which she's editing video for right now... will try to get that up later today or tomorrow.
Here's a sample:














To watch the finished video click here

I also have to shout out Youssoupha Sidibe again for hosting me in Santa Cruz (we've got the bulk of an instrumental Kora Dub album recorded) and at the Harmony Festival in Santa Rosa CA. He had a great guest spot with Matisyahu...









It was also a pleasant surprise to see Bad Brains destroy the stage while the punks destroyed the mosh pit, but the Bad Brains would cool everyone out with some HEAVY dub tracks. The perfect balance...

More art, music, and vibes soon!

Arrived in Santa Cruz

It was a smooth 6.5 hrs through arid mountains and seaside views on CA 101 from LA to Santa Cruz...


(The view from my car window)






...and soon after my arrival I got to work on some music in my brother in law Youssoupha Sidibe's home studio. He's a skilled Kora player from Senegal.



(Check out his music here)

Chilled at "The Do Over" in LA

An event with mad artist sightings including Medusa, Akil (of J5), Rhetmatic and Peanut Butter wolf where on the wheels and serato VJ setup respectively... really ILL...

















With Aloe Blacc... bigup Maya Jupiter who was there as well. Also chilled with Sumkid

Building The Starship Hip Hop Dub

First it was plywood, a sawhorse, and a Fender suitcase PA...






















Then I magically transformed it with a potion consisting of yellow paint followed by black and red aerosol... with a touch of technology...

Did a permission wall near downtown LA

Pics from Boombap at Califest

I love the blackness of the background in theater work... makes everything pop out in pics..














Here's one of the kids who got up to beatbox with us during the show. They sounded pro!














And Rickerby's Hip Hop Theatre class got involved doing some Playback Theater which Baba and I introduced them to in a workshop earlier that day...














Tonight's performance was also really tight. D'Lo out of LA did a supremely layered piece both in content and style... funny, deep, socio-political realness. Fun ciphers after the show with students (college and high school) as well!

More to come...

Califest came off!

Big thanks to Kirby for holding us down here at UC Riverside. Baba and I had a really inspiring workshop with his Hip Hop Theatre students who jumped up with us at the end of our show... Baba pulled out the Jedi theater lighting techniques tonight, putting together the lighting for the whole show in about 20 mins while the audience began trickling in... as I waited for the lost DI box which came in the nick of time... it was one of those days... but it all came together!!

Keep an eye out for pics... I'll post them ASAP (forgot my USB camera cable in NY so I gotta pickup a replacement)

at University of California Riverside

waiting to begin tech rehearsal for Boombap Medidations... should be cool!

Set in the West

I'm about an hour East of LA right now going to perform Boombap Meditations (Hip Hop Theater Piece) this Thurs at UC Riverside with Baba Israel.

On Sat I pick up my rental car and start heading North through this amazing mountainous countryside... I'll be performing and making art, linking with some artist friends and family along the way, but no plans are set in stone...

If you have any contacts or ideas, please let me know and I'll add them to the journey.