BONFIRES & LOWRIDERS

Last night
A bonfire was held for a 5-years-old boy who passed away recently
The experience was something that I will hold on to forever
Sunset was red-orange
Full moon rose above from opposite end of the equator
Watched over us on beach
Drum Circle
Kids, Adults, Community
20-30 individuals
Tight-knit
I asked the deceased child's older brother who is 10-years-old,

"What do you think about the world?
He responded, "It's hurting..."
I said, "Really!? What makes you say that?"
"I don't know, I just feel it"
"Where do you get this feeling from?"
He paused and then looked over the beach, "From the waters."

I'm tellin' you...I met a prophet
My soul has shifted
After being evacuated by police
We went out for late night $1 fish tacos (You have no IDEA!)

TODAY
Rode bikes with J-Rizzie for 5-7 miles across beach and throughout town
Sun was beaming
......went to Yogurtland for the first time!!!
100% nonfat yogurt available in all kinds of flavors
Self-service
Unreal!!!
Never in my life have I had such craziness!
Beautiful---taste bud implosion
Recorded at Z's studio
Met up with Philosophy at Mai Tai Bar
Long day of extracted blessings
Manifesting dreams one inhale at a time

OPENING FOR TALIB KWELI!!!

NEW SHOW ADDED TO THE TOUR:

January 18 @ 9pm
Featuring Talib Kweli
245 Pine Street
Long Beach, CA 90802

It's only $20 to get in, come check it out!

TOUR UPDATES & ROCKING WITH KRS-ONE

After spending pre-tour time in Pasadena and Santa Cruz for the past week and a half, I have been blessed to receive new perspectives and light. The tour officially started on January 6 and is already almost halfway over! Thusfar, it has been utterly overwhelming:

Day 1
Soquel High School [Soquel, CA]
Showed up to wrong school!!! Ended up being 45 minutes late! Eghh!
Met up with Elliot Khun
Spoke on prospects for my future cross-country bike ride
Students were attentive and powerfully receptive
Overall, great way to open tour

Day 2
George Washington High School [San Francisco, CA]
Wooooahh! Indescribable experience!
I'm still trying to process this!
I workshopped and performed for 3 assemblies (auditorium & cafeteria) as well as two classrooms
Finally met Andy's cousin Don Garcia
Took me to his crib with a view over the entire beach area
Sunset was ill
Met his roommate Monique who passed me over some important contact information for shamans in Peru
Trying to set up ayahuasca ceremony rituals in the jungle for April being that I will be in Ecuador around that time
We had some CRAZY conversations on travel, spirituality, and uh....a whole lotta other out-of-this-world stuff
Damn...what a great day!!

Day 3
Brown Berets Liberation School [Watsonville, CA]
Tomas and Jenn were extremely accommodating
They brought me to the Bike Shack which is filled with bikes donated from the community
Also filled with dope local graffitti work (I will upload pictures on myspace soon)
Started workshop and performance on Main Street
Room was packed (standing room only) with so many conscious individuals seeking social change
Hosted open mic
Cats who signed up were ILL!!!
Afterwards, we had a cypher that...honestly cannot be transcribed on this blog
The energy had people jumping body to body and out of breath
I think God was in the room
Thank you Brown Berets!
Keep inspiring and spreading your illustrious insights
I am changed...

Day 4
Leadership Public School [San Jose, CA]
Woke up at 6am on two hours of sleep
Kicked it with Andy and his students
Workshops from 8am-3pm
Connections made
Student tears
Change---new understandings
Love and their goodbyes
Took a flight from San Jose to Long Beach (departed at 6:53pm)
Welcomed by J Ross-Parrelli and Yanski (arrived at 8:15pm)
Home-like intro
Bomb Sashimi and Dumplings (word!)
On stage cypher with KRS-One at "The Cellar" [Long Beach, CA]
Spitting with The Teacher right behind me was priceless
The only way I can describe how this experience felt was through the following quote:

"The test of a first rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function" -F Scott Fitzgerald

Having to channel my energy into freestyling while one of HIP HOP's MOST LEGENDARY and IMPORTANT figures EVER were directly watching over me was...phew...something else!
Deep talks afterwards
Key networking
Long awaited sleep
Goodnight

REMAINING SHOWS

*Tuesday, January 13: Da Poetry Lounge @ 8pm
544 N. Fairfax Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
*Friday, January 16: Blue Cafe @ 11pm
210 The Promenade N, Long Beach, CA 90802
*Saturday, January 17: Evocal MC Battle
814 W 19th Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92627

I may be performing at some additional spots! More updates to be made...stay tuned

New Year in Cali

2009 is finally here!
Celebrated at Old Town in Pasadena, California.
Hundreds of people were camped out on the streets to arrive early for the Rose Bowl Parade which should be taking place in a few hours. They were all blowing horns, shooting silly string, throwing creamed tortillas and marshmallows at cars!

One kid had 2 bottles of silly string and approached the car I was in on some Clint Eastwood status! He emptied his cans all over my side of the window. As he turned around to celebrate with his friends, I rolled down the window. The second he turned back around, I tossed a hand full of squashed tortillas at him which flew all across his face! (Priceless!!!)

His friends immediately jumped in and went ALL OUT on us! One went as far to even dish out mustard on the windshield! We zoomed out laughing hysterically!
GREAT night!
Preparing for tomorrow.
My tour starts in a week...