Sympathy for a thug...

The Canoe Analogy

"Each person in the canoe has a specific role, and each makes a valuable contribution to the collective efforts of the team to achieve its goal. If just one of the paddlers is out of sync, the entire team's efficiency is impacted."

Hameen in the studio...

I got the chance to work in a dope studio when we were finishing up the mixing of Freezing World. Thanks to Weiss for the hookup, Pete for the spot, and Mike for the opportunity to learn more ProTools tricks and mixing techniques. We had a fun couple of days locked in the hidden barn studio up in Athens. Here are a couple flicks of your boy running the Tools.

Quote of the day...

"Silently time passes.
The only life I have
submits to its power."

-- Hatsui Shizue

The Tao of Wu...

The new book by RZA. Here he is on Stephen Colbert last week for a plug-op...

BlakRoc coming soon...

So currently on Brother Ali's homepage he has a blog post about BlakRoc, which is a project developed by Dame Dash with rock group The Black Keys, featuring rappers such as Mos Def, Q-Tip, RZA, Raekwon, Pharoah Monche, Ludacris and more. This is definitely worth reposting, it comes out November 27th. Check out BlakRoc and peep the trailer for a taste. Shit is bangin! I can't wait to cop this.

Incredible concept, bridging the genres - you know I'm with it.

Here are the first couple "webisodes" - you can check out the rest on the video section of their website) Dopeness...

My kind of hip hop...

I feel sorry for the people who listen to the commercial rap stations and actually think that it represents the culture and spirit of hip hop. Thanks to Eli for turning me on to the new album, Us, by Brother Ali.

Smooth Vibes...

On of my favorites, Bobby Hutcherson, the song is Montara...



and the Madlib remix:



Here is a live performance, notice the intensity of the expressions they make while playing. Powerful stuff.

Quote of the day...

"Just to be alive is enough."

-- Shunryu Suzuki

Happy Birthday Mohandas...

Thank you for your wonderful life and your great soul...



As long as you derive inner help and comfort from anything, keep it.

Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.

Hate the sin, love the sinner.



I cannot teach you violence, as I do not myself believe in it. I can only teach you not to bow your heads before any one even at the cost of your life.

I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent.

I want freedom for the full expression of my personality.

In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness. Our life is a long and arduous quest after Truth.

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.



Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.

When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it--always.

You must be the change you want to see in the world.

You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.



What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?

Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat, for it is momentary.

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.