J-Pros: Down With The Kings.

We were blessed with the opportunity to rock with Amsterdam, 2Soul and Urban Seeds last night at Neumos! It was J-Pros' first time at the Capitol Hill venue and we performed our longest set to date. Needless to say our set went really smoothly (all those rehearsals paid off) and we definitely had a blast. We truly appreciate those who came to the show and supported local music!

Here's a video for the beginning of our set:

Check out Reggie's (R'Senull) YouTube account for the rest of the set. I'll be uploading photos on my Flickr account later today.

"The Grudge" Music Video.

After a couple days of filming in Seattle, we recently released the video for "The Grudge" on YouTube and Vimeo!



We've received good feedback in general about the message of the song, but there have been some mixed signals about what we were trying to say. To clear the air: In the Filipino culture, lots of parents push their kids to pursue certain careers and disregard what they might really want to do. In our culture, it just happens to be medicine/nursing. And so to our friends and colleagues in the medical field, remember that this song isn't a personal message to you -- it's about the moral of the story. With that said, enjoy!

A huge thanks to Donny Rojo of Kinematic Frameworks for conceptualizing and directing this video! We hope to work with you again.

Lyrics: "One Time."

Originally found on the iFlow mixtape we released with King Alexander (aka Joe Black) and E-Drid, this is one of my favorite verses. I'm most at home rhyming over mid-tempo/slower beats as my style is fairly high-density. Just reminiscing the other day and thought of the song again. After four and a half years I'm still feeling it. haha.

[via]

'Cause one of my dreams is to bubble up if only for a moment
Just enough so I can turn around and show all my opponents
How to do it right from the start, my crew's behind me
As I turn this writing to art, strikin' the charts

With the heart of a lion, chargin' the line like a spark from the iron
Artists are whinin' like they grind but they hardly be tryin'
Although they comin' out loud, after an hour
They break up like cumulonimbus clouds after a shower

And transform to vapor, the best-known turn into memories
I light up a Dutch and that's how I'll be burnin' my enemies
Then back to the lab creatin' something new to show ya
And plan for the day me and my labelmates go supernova

It's only a matter of time and perseverance
Before we make our first national televised appearance
And so for now until it's the apocalypse
I'm everywhere like precipitation all over the metropolis

Respect Mine.

It won't be too long before I'm back in the studio. The need to create new songs is way too strong to ignore, so I'll appease that craving by filling up more pages in the rhyme book. Granted I'm a little rusty having been away from the game for quite a while, but I'm not too worried about the output. I just need to remember to keep producing quality bars that exceed my own expectations about the song-writing craft.

I was browsing photography blogs for inspiration and happened upon this one, which offered a relevant quote about quality and talent:

Talent is not when your friends tell you they love your work, but when people who don't like you have to admit it's good.

I love winning over non-believers, if not by them becoming actual fans of our music, the at least by their respect for what we do. But as we all know and have unfortunately experienced:

mm hmm

Here's to some productive sessions in the booth in the upcoming weeks.

BTW, J-Pros is now on Twitter. Click that Follow button, people!

Decent Exposure.

I admit, it feels nice to be interviewed about our music. Yesterday R'SENULL and I finished up an email interview with Vivian Nguyen, a writer for Northwest Asian Weekly. She was interested in writing an article about J-Pros in the wake of our second album, Pacific Central. It's the second interview I've done this summer so I was ready for more.

nahmean son

The questions themselves were basically the same: our respective backgrounds, the origin of J-Pros and how Asian-Americans fit into the hip-hop landscape. Like Mister Vee, Ms. Nguyen asked about the internal dynamics of the group -- how we worked together under long-distance conditions and about our song-writing process in general. Answering the questions got me excited about performing music and even writing again -- something I haven't focused on in several months. (There's just something about being on stage that keeps drawing me back somehow ...) I have some ideas brewing around in my head that might improve my pen game, but I'll go into those in more detail in a later post.

I'm not sure when the piece will be published in NWAW, but rest assured I'll post updates. Stay up!

Beats From The East.

Last Saturday I was a guest on CJLO's Beats From The East radio show, based out of Montreal and hosted by DJ Mister Vee. The 2-hour program highlights "the best urban music (Soul, RnB, Hip-Hop, Funk, Electro, Acid Jazz, Reggae...yes, Asian-Reggae exists!) from Far-East Asian communities worldwide." Mister Vee had gotten hold of our album Pacific Central and wanted a live interview with Reggie and me; unfortunately R'SENULL already had plans for that evening and so it was left to me to hold it down.

CJLO Beats From The East

Mister Vee also had a guest in the studio, an upcoming French artist named Océane who was part of a band that covered K-Pop songs. He interviewed her in between tracks, and towards the end of the first hour spun "Grown Past That" to segue into the interview. As the song played, he called me on the phone (off the air) and we talked for a couple of minutes. As the song ended, he gave a pretty nice introduction -- mentioning us alongside Blue Scholars no less. Haha, dope.

For the 20+ minutes I was on the air, I think I did a good job fielding questions. Topics ranged from Seattle sports, to the state of the music industry, to the origins of J-Pros. I did enjoy answering questions about our music-writing process, as it definitely had been an interesting challenge to collaborate and successfully complete an entire album while Reggie and I lived in different time zones. I capped the interview off with an exclusive freestyle that I'd written earlier in the day. (I believe I stumbled a little in the beginning but a few bars later I hit my stride. Cut me some slack -- I haven't performed in a long time haha)

You can listen to the entire podcast here, or go straight to my interview here.

Overall, I had a great time. Mister Vee was an excellent host, and J-Pros definitely appreciates the shine we got on the show! (Not to mention the numerous mentions on Facebook, Twitter and the CJLO website.) Beats From The East has earned itself a new listener, and maybe we can build and off this new friendship. Mike: Thanks again for hosting me! Let us know if you're ever in Seattle! One love.

Lyrics: "CJLO Freestyle."

Written and performed exclusively for my radio interview last Saturday on CJLO's Beats From The East with DJ Mister Vee. I'll have a proper post about the interview tomorrow.

CJLO

Somebody pass the bottle opener, let's get the cipher started
Pull a Black & Mild out, flick a lighter, spark it
Pull a pad of rhymes out, yeah I write retarded
'Cause I get stupid from Montreal to Pike Place Market

The 206 back in the building
Whether you knapsackin' it or rappin' for millions
I still got you bobbin' ya dome off of the poem
With ya hands up like you heard me cockin' the chrome

My flow, slicker than BP, I cover coastlines
Infiltrate your airwaves with the most lines
Pull ya girl and leave a freak beamin'
Haters try to do what I do, Inception homie, keep dreamin'

They even creep, schemin', pissed at me
Whenever I twist a tree with Mister Vee
Roll up, we about to make history
Nastradamus never predicted what this could be

Recognize, ladies love my voice raspy and deep
I guess that's why I'm always on smash when I creep
Now I'm on the radio, got ya crashin' ya jeep
I'm hittin' off ya main squeeze while ya ass be asleep

Hittin' off ya main squeeze and she makin' me breakfast
Connivin' ways to penetrate your defenses
Who battlin? I'll stay in the trenches, then turn
Your whole block upside down like I was playin' some Tetris

Oh you brave with a deathwish, I'll increase the heat in the streets
Have you fiendin' for the sweetest release
Plenty bars, Merc leave em deceased
I'm a southpaw swingin' son, you really catch a beat from the east

Lyrics: "Pressure" (Verse 03).

The song this verse is from, "Pressure," was a rare one for me to write at the time. It was a welcome spark of inspiration and positivity during a period when I was going through some significant internal changes, many for the worse. Listening to the song soon after recording it, I realized that I was writing it as much for myself as for the important people in my life -- a strange and illuminating epiphany.

sky high [via]

I'm here for you fam, especially when you're strugglin' to make it
When you're feelin' lower than a puddle in the pavement
When you're cussin' at the world, suffering and wasted
Look, we all hustlin' so face it

There's gonna be times when each one of us is sinkin'
Times when you're goin' out ya mind and you wanna chug a drink and
Feelin' like you're traveling but lost your way
Pissed off at the cards that you're forced to play

Believe me, I've been in similar straits
Situations so heavy that I almost couldn't deal with the weight
If it wasn't for those who kept me movin' on in this race of life
I would be dead last, still at the gate

That don't mean that I'm stress-free
Far from it but let's see, I'm still puttin' forward the best me
And damn right I'ma help you out the same, fam
That's the game plan: Sky-high until the plane lands

The Front Cover.

With the upcoming release of J-Pros' second album, Pacific Central, we've been finishing up some important details having to do with mixing, sequencing and mastering the music. Reggie and I have recruited a couple of friends to help design the cover/album artwork to accurately represent the mood of our new batch of songs. Here's the cover we're going with:

Pacific Central front cover

I really dig this. Designed by the always-creative Arnold Arandia, it's a clean, clever and quite literal representation of the album title -- which combines our cities of residence (Seattle and Kansas City) in their respective timezones during our work on the music. (Needless to say, recording songs wasn't the easiest thing to schedule, but we got it done.)

We're also working on an actual website for J-Pros, so stay tuned for that. Meanwhile, I hope the sneak peek at the cover whets your appetite! It won't be long now.

Lyrics: "Weather Advisory" (Verse 01).

This song will actually be on J-Pros' second album, Pacific Central. "Weather Advisory" touches on a handful of subjects personal to Reggie and me, including addressing various rumors circulating about my dealings in Seattle. It felt good to write.

People say I got issues, why'd I quit the scene
So soon in the game when our shit was mean
So close I could reach out, grip the dream
In my hands then transform it to cream

Hold up though, I was split between
Dealin' nicotine-laced lyrics to fiends
And handlin' a whole other pressure inside
No doubt, I was in for a hell of a ride

I can't stop the gossip, plug the rumors
Designed to hurt me like cuts or bruises
You wanna see Merc messed up? Guess what
You can all kick rocks, son, scuff ya Pumas

Say what you want, and direct all your weaponry
Against me -- you won't affect my trajectory
In fact, it'll just reflect that my destiny's
To keep keepin' on, so respect that and let it be

With that said, Happy Monday.

Takin' It Back To The Essence.

Time for a little break from my usual introspective/depressing posts. Last week in Seattle, I put in work with Reggie, Rey, Joel and some friends to film a couple of videos for J-Pros' upcoming second album, Pacific Central. Reggie is doing the bulk of the video editing and he recently sent me the nearly-finished clip for one of the songs ... and I love how it's looking so far. Here are some teaser stills from one of the shoots:

Basically I stood around for a while trying to look hard. jokes

We had a ton of fun filming the videos, and I'll post embeds/links when they've been finalized. We're planning on releasing the first video/single later this spring, so stay tuned!

Keep updated with J-Pros on Bandcamp, MySpace and Facebook.

Featured Artist?

So I'm considerably active on a couple of discussion boards on the Web, one of which has a poetry/spoken word sub-section. On a whim I posted this haiku series on it a month ago, and got some positive feedback on it (which is encouraging me to develop my form a bit more). Then out of the blue earlier this week, I received more feedback and a request. Would I be willing to record the haiku to serve as the acapella intro for an (rap?) album that one of the members is working on?

No need to ask me twice. Cool, I'm down for the cause.

I do have a neglected mic here at the house but need to buy an adapter for it so I can record some audio on my laptop. I don't have much info on the project quite yet; at this point I've only exchanged a handful of emails with the cat who's putting it together. I do know that it will be a compilation of vocalists on that board. I'll definitely update as I learn more though. This admittedly has me kinda geeked.

Lyrics: "Hop-Hypocrite" (Verse 02).

To clarify, I had the second verse on a song with three MCs on it. Yet another rant written a few years ago about the average rap listener being brainwashed by Clear Channel and Viacom. References are a bit dated, but yes I still feel some kinda way about it.

I was taught to write whatever my emotions dictated
Document my memories before that shit faded
From my mind, I needed to capture the essence
Master the lessons -- time passed, I became a bit jaded

Lookin' around man, I see half of these kids fake it
Claimin' they ball hard when ain't half of these kids make it
Out they mom's crib, you ain't stackin' no chips, face it
You'd rather go get wasted and basically lost it

Thinkin' hip-hop is thugs packin' gats on the telly
With tats on their belly, you actin' like you Machiavelli
More fruity than a packet of Jelly/Son you all talk
Like pigeons who do nothin' but yap on the celly

I'm tryin' to get through to ya brain, write you a chapter
And remain true to my name, write what I have to
With my third eye open, and you leavin' it shut
But I don't give a fuck if you're daydreamin' or what

So life out your fantasies of the chrome on ya gat shinin'
While we kick back in a mansion and match diamonds
But reality's me and these local cats grindin'
Tryin' to keep our careers from nosedivin' and flat-linin'

Blame it on bad timing or wack rhyming, whatever
'Cause however you see it, it seems to never get better
Never let up, 'cause if you ain't part of the solution
Watch your fuckin' back when we start the revolution

Throwback Week Part 03: Weightlifting With BB Mak.

In the interest of posting up old entries this week that have at least some connection to my current life, here's one I found from 21 February 2003. I'm starting my workout regimen back up this week and the topic definitely still resonates. I've upgraded to an iPod, though.

Listening to rap instrumentals at my desk. Marnie's down at our Tacoma office interviewing CSR candidates so I'm bumpin' the hip-hop tracks while I can (she barely knows who Eminem is, you see). This CD is actually the same one I use when at the gym. I find lyrics to be somewhat distracting as I tend to concentrate on those more than the actual lift -- a generally bad idea when one is laying underneath considerable poundage. So instrumentals are the way to go.

I used to go work out without the aid of a Discman and thus subjected myself to the whims of whoever was manning the front desk at 24 Hour Fitness. Usually the in-house piped-in music is decent (your basic Top 40 R&B/hip-hop, trance or alternative) but for some insane reason there will be periods where they'll play slow pop songs. What gives? Pipe that shit into the sauna or tanning rooms, not into the weight rooms. Nothing ruins the rhythm of pushing up presses like BB Mak crooning into your ears. I'd tried zoning the music out to no avail. I couldn't focus. (Picture me wearing a big frown and looking up at the ceiling in the middle of the weight room.) One night I'd had enough -- I bought a sturdy pair or headphones and some rechargeable batteries the next day and haven't looked back.

I know many people probably don't mind listening to ballads blaring overhead while they work out, and I bet a couple even bump Barbara Streisand on the elliptical trainer. But please -- don't share. Personally I don't want anyone singing sweet nothings while I push weight. It just doesn't vibe with why I'm at the gym in the first place.

Play some workout music, not make-out music.

Lyrics: "Cloud City" (Verse 01).

It's been a while since this was actually written ... probably about a year ago. Yes, I'm feeling a little emo at the moment (but I think I have a decent reason to be), and it reminded me of this verse.

[via]

My girl told me that she thought I was depressed and at times
I don't believe her but it's really all this stress on my mind
That got me actin' like I got a thundercloud in my head
It's rainin' now, so I'd rather lay around and play dead

I move through the fog slow like a sequence in a dream
The only difference is, I ain't sleepin -- it would seem
That I'd be able to reach in and read the secrets in between
The reasons why I'm feelin' like I'm sinkin' deep, what does it mean

Is it because my life used to be sane
Before I started wildin' out and now refuse to be tamed
Or is it my inability to handle drama
At times I need a thicker skin or switch to a better brand of armor

So she tells me to chill, relax and be calmer
Remindin' me there's a bigger picture, panorama
I'm listening but I ain't hearin' a word
Close my eyes 'cause my vision's disappearing and blurred

Lyrics: "The Abyss" (Verse 02).

Written during an introspective, slightly depressed period some months ago. Some things have changed since then; some things haven't.

The road I'm travelin' is not necessarily the ideal one
But to deviate from the path is kinda fearsome
For real, son, 'cause I need to be the last man standing
Battle demons trying to pull me in the damn Grand Canyon

At times I swear they got another plan/Whenever I
Make a small advance, they pullin' me back like a rubber band
I want my soul to grow, but on the other hand
I'm addicted to hookers and blow 'cause yo what's a couple grand?

I'm throwin' money at a problem like that's gon' fix it
Everyone says that my priorities are so twisted
'Cause even when I know my bank account is in the low digits
Guess what I go do, get mo' lifted

The higher I climb, the farther I fall
And never cease to wonder why I even bother at all
'Cause when I look in the mirror, it's so absurd what I see
My doppelganger, the inverted version of me

Lyrics: "Sharper Image" (Verse 01).

Written one cool evening this past spring. Recent events have lead me to re-read this, and maybe complete at least one more accompanying verse in the upcoming days.

Time flies when you're havin' fun, back in the days
Yo you couldn't tell me nothin' about actin' my age
Yeah I was a quiet cat but there was turbulence within
Emotions combine lethally like bourbon mixed with gin

Never a hothead, but lots of my decisions were rash
Enough to make my fam fear a collision or crash
They intervened on my behalf/Told me to face the
Demons in my path so I could rise like a phoenix from the ash

I only half-listened, too busy havin' a blast, missin'
The point about life, karma and ass-kickin'
We all take a number, mine had to be next
So I went and cashed the ultimate reality check

It took a seed for me to man up, put my hand up
And realize that without a plan, I couldn't stand up
To provide for another life dependent on my blessed own
Seein' her picture definitely sends the message home

To step it up a level 'cause it gotta be done
I know you'd feel the same if you had a daughter or son
There ain't no bigger eye opener, it set me straight
Down the path full-steam, didn't let me wait

For life to catch up, no second chances, no rehearsals
They countin' on you to do right, ain't no reversals
Ain't no commercials, this is live from the set of my soul
Listen I'm grown now, let it unfold

25 Things About Me (Music Edition).

Yeah so I'm almost a year behind on this meme, so I'll need a giant late pass.  I've decided to concentrate on giving you 25 near-useless facts about me having to do with music, though, for a little twist on the usual.

1. I haven't actively listened to mainstream radio in almost a decade.  Should've actually stopped sooner than that.
   
   
2. I don't think hip-hop is dead. But it is on life support.
   
   
3. J- and K-pop are getting more and more interesting to my ears.  Although I can't understand 97% of the lyrics, the melodies sound good and their accompanying videos are usually pretty striking.
   
   
4. But how come Japanese/Korean girl groups have so many freaking members in them?  It's not like y'all are busting out in church choir harmonies.  (And yes, I know it's about the visual appeal.)
   
   
5. Nearly all of the new music getting rotation in my speakers come from music blogs.
   
   
6. I get tired of rap music sometimes.
   
   
7. Back when I was 14-15, I always got super-nervous when I went up to the counter in Camelot/Musicland to buy a rap tape with the Parental Advisory sticker on it.
   
   
8. The absolute best show I've ever been to was at The Blue Note, opened by The Goodie Mob, followed by The Roots and headlined by The Fugees.  All for about $20.  I still have the ticket stub safely stored away in a box.
   
   
9. Bossa nova is one of my secret guilty pleasures.
   
   
10. So is progressive trance.
    
    
11. When my brother and I were little kids, we got into my dad's collection of classical music cassettes and proceeded to have a race as to who could pull out the most tape the fastest.  I've since forgotten who "won," but then my mom came into the room and caught us, and I'm pretty sure we got our asses kicked.
    
    
12. In junior high/high school, I used to make "pause tapes" to rap over, using snippets of instrumental breaks on certain songs.  My crowning achievement was a funky blend I made of Naughty By Nature's "Wickedest Man Alive" and Fu-Schnickens' "La Schmoove."  I can still remember how it sounded -- and it sounded damn good.
    
    
13. I also used to finish kids' math homework on the bus on the way to school in exchange for borrowing cassettes.  Then, at home, I'd high-speed dub the tape, then disassemble the plastic casings, switch the reels, and give them back the copy inside the original casing. Everyday I'm hustlin' ...
    
    
14. Tchaikovsky's "Serenade For Strings" is my favorite classical composition.
    
    
15. Although I've never actually had a Top 5 Dead Or Alive list, I do not believe The Notorious B.I.G. is the GOAT.  I just like who I like.
    
    
16. Downtempo, house or cool jazz is usually my soundtrack at home after the clock strikes midnight.
    
    
17. I love OPM, but I wish there was a good way to listen to a bigger variety of it online.
    
    
18. American songs that remind me of the Philippines include "You Got It All" by The Jets, "Always" by Atlantic Starr, "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" by Michael Jackson and "Lost In Emotion" by Lisa Lisa.
    
    
19. Losing touch with most popular music (via the Billboard Top 40 and mainstream TV music channels) doesn't bother me.  I know superior music is found and supported elsewhere.
    
    
20. The first music mix CD I ever burned was on a friend's computer, took more than 20 minutes, and it was for a girl I had a crush on.
    
    
21. The first CD I ever bought was the Above The Rim soundtrack.
    
    
22. In college, I applied to be a DJ at the most popular club in Columbia, but I didn't have any experience whatsoever and had no idea how to match beats, so unsurprisingly I didn't get the callback.
    
    
23. I did however spit some 16s on KCOU's Beats & Pieces radio show one night during freshman year.  I remember being crazy anxious right before I went on.
    
    
24. I wish I'd stuck with piano lessons.  Dammit Mom you were right!!
    
    
25. Lastly, I know that rap is "a young man's game," but I don't think I'll ever stop writing lyrics.  After all, we got cats over 40 doing it right now!

Heavy Rotation 001: Emily Wells | The Symphonies: Dreams Memories & Parties.

Emily Wells is ill. Check out her on-the-fly sampling skillz:



She doesn't have a Wikipedia page yet (although she deserves one), but here's an excerpt from a bio she wrote on her MySpace page:

I love rap music and Vivaldi. Nina Simone and Biggie Smalls make my world go round.

I do a lot of live sampling and looping in an attempt to bring the studio to the stage. All the live looping is like a sporting event, or keeping the first take of every recording. I could fall off the balance beam ... which makes it all so much more exciting.

[In 2008] I released my latest work, The Symphonies: Dreams Memories & Parties, which consists of 10 songs heavily influenced by classical music and hip hop production.

Critics have called her music "electronic folk" and "classically-based pop" which seem both appropriate and yet not quite accurate. Like much of the music that's being produced today, it's a creative hybrid of genres that defies any typical definition. (Her interview on NPR is a great listen, shedding more light on the development of her musical style.) Wells' melodies are brooding, melancholy and unmistakably catchy. The violin she plays throughout Symphonies complements and weaves around her unusual voice (sometimes she sounds like a funkier early Nelly Furtado, if that were even possible).

Hell, if Kanye hadn't come up with the title already, she could have called her latest album 808s & Heartbreak and it would've fit. The production on Symphonies is just as creative. Fortunately, there's neither self-pity nor Auto-Tune to be found anywhere on the album.

Short and sweet, The Symphonies: Dreams Memories & Parties clocks in at almost 37 minutes, but the brief detour into Emily Wells' world is absolutely worth it. This joint has been on heavy rotation in my apartment for the past couple of days and is still offering little surprises here and there that require a closer listen the next time around. If she ever comes to Kansas City, I'd definitely be in the audience.

So don't sleep on this.

Lyrics: "Veil" (Verse 01).

It's almost midnight, it just stopped raining (for now, anyway), and I feel like posting up some lyrics. I recently finished the first verse of a song I'm tentatively calling "Veil" which matches my current introspective-slash-contemplative mood. In an attempt to inject some creativity into my writing, I tried something different this time around, opting for an ABAB rhyme scheme for 20 bars instead of the typical AABB.

If you were brought up like I was, then you woulda believed
That the good guys won all the fights they had
Accomplish anything you set out to achieve
And every son dreamed they could be like their dad

It wasn't hard to separate all the heroes out from the villains
And a friend then was a friend for real
You forgave and forgot if you happened to catch feelings
And God willin' you still made amends and chilled

But now that I've been around a little longer
I've seen some people hold on to hate
I admit sometimes I wish that I'd have been stronger
I'm guilty of the same, we can all relate

'Cause people will cross you, no matter their motivation
Whether from jealousy, greed, or some other sin
Whether you're kind to the world or you're not, no relation
Just some cats wanna see you suffer and then

Humiliate you for bein' you, knockin' ya whole game
In attempts to cut down ya level to size
On the path we all travel they stay blockin' the slow lane
No pain, time to sever the ties

This will be a regular feature on PM; I'll be posting up my rhymes occasionally. Please feel free to leave feedback or criticism -- honesty is definitely appreciated.