Rapid Ric and DJ Raze in New York Tonight!

Man I wish I could go to this...

Pharoahe Monch Kilt Houston

Yeah so I suppose I'll put the Houston stuff on HoustonSoReal and the Austin stuff on AustinSurreal, and I'll decide how to distribute the outta town stuff properly, democraticaly, meaning - equally, properly, the way they should be distributed, cuz this is America. I don't know.

Not sure when I'll be outside America again, but I did get outside of Austin this week, back to Houston, to check on the house and to check out Pharoahe Monch, live in concert with Orgonne and DJ 11. Presented for free by Scion. Lordy they've given us some nights.

I rode into town Wednesday night, crossing 1960 round about 10:30 p.m. and I realized what it is that I miss about Houston most. I miss being able to drive 80 miles per hour in a 60, with virtual immunity. I mean, shit, Houston is a freakin' speedway. It's NASCAR in comparison to Austin. I love Austin, don't get me wrong, but coming from Houston and trying to drive properly in Austin could put a man such as myself right over the edge.

In this Traffic Police State, you can't blame the people for taking it easy and slowing their roll (except when passing the death trap that is the on ramps of inner city I-35. They like to fly past those like Ice Bats Outta Hell), but I'll be damned if I wasn't tickled fuckin' pink, as I spied the first "GOD IS WATCHING YOU HEATHEN BASTARDS" billboard just inside the city limits (there's a lot of these in Houston), and then I look down at my speedometer and realize that man, I was going 80. People were whizzing past me. It was raining. I was in Houston.

Here in Austin, you can't go 80. People go 60 in 65's , they come to an almost complete stop before turning into a parking lot off a feeder road, and they sit at greenlights as if that light is gonna do something besides turn right the fuck back to red.

But you can't blame them. 5-0 is everywhere in this town. It's a pretty mellow place so I guess they have a lot of extra time to pull people over. I don't know man, I drive like a Grandpa here too, cuz everywhere I go I see somebody outside their car, shivering in the red and blue lights.

But Austin is pretty alright otherwise.

It was great however to get back to my city.


To get back to my Kroger.


To get back to my barber, Leonard Morgan, you might have seen him up in the GQ book.

And as always, it was fantastic to get back to Warehouse Live (BUN B FEB. 8TH???)


Pharoahe Monch is literally one of my favorite rappers. He's at the very least top 5, and he's pretty much Top 3. Bun B (UGK), Scarface (Geto Boys) and Pharoahe Monch (Organized Konfusion). That's who I really like to listen to.


Crowd was thick.


And Monch was dope, but his set was extremely short. Like way too short. Like I can't front, dudes set was ridiculously short for such a situation. Dude had Orgonne backing him and two of his own singers with him, and what he did give, he killed. He's an amazing lyricist who can bring it on stage. But I mean, it was really short.


In fairness he did say that the bulk of the folks on his bus got some sort of bug and his throat was hurting him. Pretty much everyone I know right now has some kind of shit, so I don't doubt him. Hoping Austin show tomorrow includes a couple Organized Konfusion classics.


Bubba proposed to Kam during "Desire." They getting married, real talk.






This dude shoulda pushed Monch to do "Releasing Hypnotical Gasses." Also "Agent Orange." In this day and time, where the hell was "Agent Orange?"

"The Extinction Agenda." Actually, where the hell was Prince Po? I know, I already know. But I'm an Organized Konfusion super fan and that's a break up I've never truly ever been able to accept. I also can't accept the death of Pimp C. WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED PEOPLE? We know more about Heath Ledger in two days than we know about what happened to Pimp. What the fuck happened? Who's hiding what? What happened.

Sorry, I just still can't really accept it. Can't really accept most of the rapper deaths. Why can't WE ever get any answers?


Stacy, Kiara, Bubba and Heather B. Boy was already prowling ten minutes after he got engaged. Real talk.


S.I. Click!


MY PEOPLE!


After the show DJ 11 from The Rub held down the after party at THE FLAT. Dude killed it as well. I think, I was high out of my mind by that point.


But I'm pretty sure he did.


I think I was standing in front of the turntables raving it up when this was taken. I don't know. Don't fear the reaper.

But yeah man, I'm bi-city now. Rolling back and forth as usual. Nothings changed. For example, I’m sitting here, writing a blog, and thinking about how so much of the music business is just about faking people out. It's a hard realization to come to. I've ruined yet another night.

(P.S. Big ups to Nancy Byron. She brought me back the latest Sidewinder 7 CD + 1 DVD set from London. All this new Grime. I almost forgot about Grime. Then these 8 hours plus of dudes chatting over riddims from some of the top DJ's got me back listening. Also a long chat with Nick Cage (not the actor, the realest), about grime. It's still there, it didn't die. Dizzee Rascal, Newham Generals, Jammer all reppin' at SXSW in March, don't miss that shit. Also Akala and Killa Kela, for the deep um, heads who know things. Also Lars Vaular and Marcelo D2, and Tumi. Do your research (Googling), international hip-hop gonna be silly at SXSW this year. Also Mala Rodriguez. Bolz betta know! Also, is Pretty Todd remixing "Pussyole" and is it going to be on the domestic release of Math's & English via Def Jux? Did El-P remix "Where's the G's?" Can someone please tell me who's knockin', knockin' doors down?)

300 Skaters Bout to Look Real Throwed(P.S. HoustonSoReal Ain't Dead)

I remember round about last year sometime when Bun B called me to ask what I thought about the idea of a U.G.K. Skateboard. He told me he had been kicking around the idea with the folks over at Dirty Ghetto Kids and I remember thinking that there really couldn't be a more perfect marriage. Ten years ago, the concept of a UGK skateboard would have sounded "mad funny yo." Simply because closed minded people could never imagine a UGK fan on a skateboard.

But open your eyes America cuz "shit is mad real" and not necessarily the way you might hath thunk it. Peep the real...


I used to kind of sort of skate. Never seriously cuz I was always tall and lanky (with a beer gut since I was like 12), and honestly the ground just looked so far away everytime I'd get up on the board. Maybe if I had one of these I would have been inspired to keep on. Maybe not. I wiped out A LOT.


But I mean, this shit is just next level. My 5 year old, Eva asked for a skateboard this Christmas, and I lobbyed against it. Maybe I'll get one of these and hold it for her till she's able to handle it.


Act fast though, 300 ain't a lot.


And if this is the shirt, I think I'ma start liking street wear again.

See You In Houston This Week!FREE Pharoahe Monch Show!

CLICK HERE TO RSVP AND GET IN FREE!

Seriously click the link above right now and get yer RSVP on. You already know the Scion concerts have been the hottest jump offs Houston has seen in years! They've brought you so many classic artists and this week they are bringing you one of my favorite MC's of all time (and maybe even the greatest MC of all time, really, seriously, I feel this way).

PHAROAHE MONCH!





GET WITH IT! And if yer in Austin this Sunday come see me at Flamingo Cantina, I mean come to my party cuz it's goin' down!

FULLY LOADED URL READY TO GO HUNTIN'

I feel so real. I bought my URL before any other haters could jack me and here it is...

www.AUSTINSURREAL.com

Thats all you gotta plug up in!

THANKS TO MY WEBMASTER TOSIN!

Find Me Here

http://austinsurreal.blogspot.com

I bought the domain and it'll be pointing to the correct place as soon as the Cyber-Gods deem it proper.

Word to...

BRYAN MOCHIZUKI OF THE AUSTINIST

and

JOE GROSS OF THAT STATESMAN!

For the Kind Words!

FIRST AUSTIN EVENT AND NEXT HOUSTON EVENT!

Ring in MLK Day Peacefully and properly with Grimy Styles, PPT, Zeale 32 and Gerald G with Bavu Blakes as host and who knows what. All live at Flamingo Cantina, 515 E 6th St., Austin, TX 78701, 512-494-9336.

And H-Town GET THE FUCK UP! Pharoahe Monch live with Orgonne and DJ 11????





AustinSurreal begins tomorrow. In some capacity.

Finna Make That Transition

Welp I've been in Austin for a couple weeks solid now and I am about to unveil the new blog. Well I mean, not unveil, it's not going to be groundbreaking, it'll be as shitty and simple as this one, but on Friday AustinSurreal will be the new jump off.

All that being said, I want to announce my first event here...

Hey y'all,

I'ma "launch" my new blog AustinSurreal hopefully properly URL'd and all that shit on Friday. But check it, I wanted to announce the first event I'ma have a part of out here in this here town and such.

Sunday January 20th
at FLAMINGO CANTINA
AustinSurreal Presents:

GRIMY STYLES
PPT from Dallas
Zeale 32 and Phrancyze
Gerald G
Hosted by Bavu Blakes

Massive Freestyle at the end with all involved.

It's the Sunday before MLK Monday so hopefully everyone can attend.

I'll have posters tomorrow. Hope to see everyone out there. You need to see Grimy Styles and everyone else on this bill.

Gonna do some monthly shit at least to start. After SXSW I'ma go full on and do a lot more. But um yeah, this is a start. Hope to see all y'all thurr.

So yeah man. I was thinking that HoustonSoReal would disappear once AustinSurreal popped off, but I'm back and forth so much and still have the house in H-Town and will retain a room there anyway, so I think it's gonna be proper to do both.

Some people are bi-coastal, me, I'm bi-Texas. Or something. Country boy with a city mouth. I don't know mayne. All I know is IT'S GOIN' DOWN!

Nice piece on the passing of OG Style from the Houston Chronicle

CLICK HERE TO READ ANDREW DANSBY'S PIECE ON OG STYLE, WITH COMMENTARY FROM K-RINO, SMURK and DJ STYLES.

ALSO XXLMAG.COM FEATURED THE LEGEND ON THEIR HOMEPAGE AND OF COURSE IN A TRIBUTE BY NOZ WHICH HATH BEEN NOTED BELOW.

All of which was quite nice. Maybe a feature on the unhearalded legends of rap who somehow always kept a career is in order. K-Rino, C-Bo, Young Bleed, half the Bay, Point Blank, Bobo Luchiano, Psycho Drama, E.C. Illa, man there's just so many. SO MANY artists who have lived on beyond the hype. Artists who have paid mortgages for their entire adult lives without the help of the Source, XXL, Vibe or Clear Channel (or Clear Channels equally evil cousins). Maybe it's time to shine light on some of these other living artists outside of the blogs and Murder Dog.

Maybe it's time. I don't know how y'all feel, but seeing three certified Houston legends pass in only two months makes me think that I need to step my game up. I may have to pick up the pen again and deal with these editor drones and "fact checkers" and well, maybe not. I have a family to feed as well.

Anyway, I have no idea what to do. All I know is that when I was on Damage Control, the goal was to support artists who were trying to support themselves. Not suck the dicks of the fake motherfuckers only out for a pay day. There's so many artists out there walking these streets, alive, creating, and being over looked by so many. Then they die and people start to pay attention for a day or so. Such is life, this is nothing new, but fact is, in 2008 we have WAY more outlets than we did when I was coming up. More radio stations, a million more magazines, websites, TV shows and entire stations, etc. But it seems that even less is being covered. Much less is being played. The Top 40 is now a Top 4 and I blame it on complacency, laziness, selfishness and hatred for those who might want to do for self.

We don't all have to be cogs in the machine, but these corporate entities might make you think otherwise. I wish I could give a K-Rino CD to every kid in the ghetto wanting to rap. I wish I could open the eyes of those who diss and dismiss independance in favor of riding the corporate wave. I wish I could convince the editors of these magazines that music is more than a marketing budget. But alas and alak it may be pointless.

Sorry, I'm a little depressed right now.

It's True...RIP O.G. STYLE

It's true. It hath been confirmed. O.G. Style passed on to his next life yesterday night. I don't have a lot of details, but word is he was not feeling well Wednesday night and so his wife took him to the hospital where they discovered his blood pressure was quite high and his brain had begun to hemmorage. He flatlined a couple of times and went brain dead, but his wife kept him on life support until his family could come to the hospital and say their goodbyes.



O.G. Style may have only had one big hit, "Catch 'Em Slippin'," (though many would call it I KNOW HOW TO PLAY 'EM), but he continued to work and record and release music till the day he died. His was one of the first full length releases on Rap-A-Lot Records and while he may have never reached the levels of his contemporaries in the Geto Boys, he was none the less an influence and a pioneer on this here Houston scene.

He was also one of the artists in this community that I considered a friend. We didn't hang out and play ball and have dinners and shit, but when we talked I always felt like this was one of the better dudes that I had met throughout my journeys in this shit. He was always hustling his music and trying to change the game. He will be sorely missed.

He was preceeded in death by his early partner, Big Boss of the group 4 Deep. Big Boss can be seen pictured on the cover of his first album. Which led me, and many people to believe early on that O.G. Style was a group, not a groundbreaking solo MC.

Anyway y'all, dude was a legend. I know we are all still trippin' hard off the deaths of Pimp C and Big Moe, now we have this to ponder.

Everytime someone close to me passes it makes me sit back and think about myself. I have two beautiful daughters and a wife who need their daddy/husband. What can I do to ensure that I can keep my health in tact and stay alive to see my grandchildren? When I hear about dudes having heart attacks and high blood pressure, sure I think about the drugs and things, but O.G. Style never seemed to be that type of dude. To me, I have seen STRESS take a deeper toll on my friends and family than any drugs ever have. I've seen pork and red meat cause strokes and heart disease, and all these processed foods. I'm not saying these things about O.G. Style, I'm just saying in general, this is what I think about.

I've been driving back and forth to Austin a lot in the past couple months and in doing so I have stopped at my share of Whataburgers and taco joints and such. For a long time I pretty much didn't eat any fast food, but you know, when yer on the road, sometimes you gotta stop and get whatever is cheap and fast and can be eaten whilst driving. All I can think about now, besides just mourning the death of a good friend, is what a pig I have been over these past couple months and how I need to get my shit together and start paying attention.

Oh yeah, wait, I'm in Austin now, I guess that means I'm a vegan. AustinSurreal coming this week. And no, I'm not a vegan, I'm way too weak for that. All these friends and legends dying aren't making me any stronger.

REST IN PEACE O.G. STYLE! Listen to the Drum and Kick the Ballistics my brother.

PEACE TO NOZ FROM COCAINE BLUNTS. A real dude who is representing the real better than anyone out there in this here field. He's got some audio samples up on his XXL Blog. PEEP EM OUT!

----------------------------------

Now for the good news...

Pray for OG Style

Word has it that OG Style suffered a stroke yesterday and is currently in a coma on life support. I got this info from a couple sources but none completely close to OG Style. I tried to call a number I had for him but its cut off and can't get a hold of my man who I know would know. So honestly at the moment this is all hearsay, and I pray it is not true.

That being said, keep the homie in your prayers. Yet another Houston legend.

Also, a big smack in the face to me, because I realized that I never did anything for his early partner, Big Boss who also passed a little over a year ago.

Recognize this classic??

I know how to play 'em, I know how to catch 'em slippin'!

PRAY FOR THE LEGENDARY PIONEER!

For 2008

The neighbors were traipsing around like drunken daisy peddlers at a peace rally.
$1 for the daisy, $3 for the “special” daisy with the joint tucked inside the faux stem.
Like how they do on the side of the highway in Houston with the roses.
Only these people weren’t peddling daisies and they hated marijuana.
What they were really doing was trying to get a peek at the man who himself had been traipsing around the neighborhood the night before,
quite unlike a daisy,
more like a wild hog,
in a dress, and heels, with women’s underpants on his head and some silvery cop sunglasses.
It was New Years Eve and the world didn’t explode and the ball had been dropped and the hammer never came down.
The numbers changed, but the mindset didn’t. The days were still short and the nights were still cold and the war raged on around the world for all to see.
Leaders were assassinated in countries where they actually did such things and the peasant minions were sprayed with hoses and bullets and tear gas as they hurtled rocks at police hell bent on keeping the status quo,
no matter that the status quo had been shattered eons ago before the concepts of AD and BC were ever, even, thunk.

For there’s no such thing as time, and there’s no such thing as place, there’s only here and now, wherever it is we may be sitting.
For me it’s Houston, tomorrow it’s Austin, and in a few years it may be Auckland, but will probably be Austin,
for all a man wants is a chance to comfortably co-exist with the peasants, the servants, the leaders, the writers, the musicians, the sculptors, the artists, the babies and the women who bore them.

The food will remain on the table with or without the water to wash it down, and the children will quit screaming as soon as their most basic needs are satiated.
Meanwhile, millions of its brothers and sisters will starve,
sleep in the sand,
drink imaginary drops from dry wells,
never knowing the power of the pen, as they may or may not have ever even seen a pen. For many get by on much less, and right or wrong, whatever it is that you might have in your pockets,
will never be a match for what one might have in his or her mind.

As master of your own destiny, you should already know this.