"Inventos: Hip-Hop Cubano." A Q&A interview with Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi

Full Disclosure: I spent a summer living with Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi and his family in Berkeley. It was 1996, and I was interning at the Marin Independent Journal.

Eli and his brother, a livewire cat named Kahlil, were friends with my fiancee. They hooked me up with a room in their house, and showed me a lot of love. I vibed especially well with Eli, since we both loved hip-hop music and had a natural curiosity for all things funky.

Although he split his time between the house in Berkeley and his family's home in Sacramento that summer, we still hung out and made a tiny bit of noise, and we would run into one another through the years at various shows, political rallies, and what not.

Now, as grown up, professionals working in the media biz and still pursuing our interests and love of hip-hop, it's appropriate that we connect like this. Eli's doing big things as a documentary film maker, having achieved a national distribution deal for his underground banger "Inventos: Hip-Hop Cubano."

"Inventos" is a stunner - a raw, heartfelt glimpse into the lives of a group of young Cuban hip-hop artists trying to develop a scene on the island, with extremely limited resources. It takes the culture and the music to it's essence: folks doing it simply for the love, young people enamored with the energy and rage and beauty of hip-hop cultura.

The film, released in 2003, has made the film festival rounds, scored a few awards. It's also set him up to complete his next film, an introspective look at Ghanian hip-hop.

Last year, Eli screened the movie at the CSU-Monterey Bay campus, to rousing success. It can be purchased at local bookstores and music stores, or you can buy it online www.clenchedfistproductions.com. There will be a screening of the movie at 5 p.m., April 27, San Francisco State, HSS Building, room 135, in San Francisco

Eli took the time to talk to "The Beat" recently to politic a little something. That same love for hip-hop culture and his accute, natural curiosity were on display, only now he has the film festival awards to show for it.


What's up man. Thanks for talking to "The Beat."
For sure.

So, just give me the rundown in your words, how "Inventos" came about.
"Inventos" started in 1994 when my brother (Kahlil Fantauzzi) went down to Cuba and met up with a group called Aminaza (sic), which later became Orichas. Since that time he was telling me "Man, you gotta go down to Cuba." Because of what it represents in the world, I always wanted to go.
I was in the Caribbean, and (Khalil) said he was going again. That was in 2000, I met up with him. And we just did that. I took my camera with me, and started shooting what I saw, and it was really raw...

When I came back, I was showing people, and they got real excited about it, and I said "Damn, I want to make a documentary about it."

I always had a video camera with me at all the protests and the hip -hop shows, and I always wanted to do a documentary, so I figured this was the right time for it.


Did you have any formal training as a film maker when you began the project?
When I started filming, I had no formal training. When I was in high school, my mom had a high 8 camera and I just took it as my own. I would take it to all the protests and all the hip-hop shows, everyone that I saw. KRS-One, Nas, everyone that came to the Bay, I just filmed it.

I went to Cal (UC-Berkeley), and I took two video classes, and I was able to figure out the basic stuff from that. It wasn't until after the movie I went to NYU and got some formal training.

Did you get your masters in filmmaking?
Yeah, I got my masters at the school of the arts at NYU.

There was a fire at the old house while you were in post production?
Yeah, you heard about that?

Yeah.
That was actually during the editing phase. I was with some of my high school students at a retreat, and I got a call my brother, he said, "Yeah, the house burned down." My first question was "Are you alright," and he told me "Yeah, I had to go to the hospital for smoke inhalation."

So after I made sure that he was alright, you know what my second question was? It was like, "What's up with the film?" He said "It's done..."

They restored everything that was on the computer, so how I was editing was I had most of what was called A-roll, interviews and stuff. I didn't get to put in what they call the B-roll, the concert footage and stuff. So when you watch it, you're like, "I wish I could have seen more of the concert footage." Or at least that's what I tell myself when I watch it...

What was your goal with the DVD?
There were three main things. The first one was to show the rest of the world what was going on down there, or start the conversation between the international hip hop community about what Cuba had. I came back with some footage and people were really excited with it, so I figured that if I went back and did some more, I'd have something to work with...

A lot of us in the community, the hip-hop heads in the Bay, we were able to go to Cuba, that's how that conversation really started, and we just went from there.

The second reason was, the most I ever learned about myself was travelling outside of this country. A lot of folks in Cuba haven't had that chance, and watching yourself on a screen is a way of doing that.
A lot of the feedback I got was that "Man, it was great to see people doing it. It was great to see it right there on film." That was a major part of the success was because (the people in the film) loved everything, and they told me that themselves.

The third reason would be for myself, to prove to myself that I could do it. I knew at the time I was making Inventos that this is what I wanted to do. I wanted to make documentary films, and it's not easy, but I got it done. In the Inventos steelo, just making it happen with nothing.

Have you had a chance to go back since then?
We just came back from last summer's "Inventos Sankofa Tour" (sic). That's when we brought down the first CDJ's to give to a community center down there. It was cool. I just got to shake everyone's hand personally and got to give them a hug and say "Thank you for making this happen."

It took a long time to do that, because of the legalities of it. So to get the stuff to them, I had to get a crew of nine people to bring two bags of gifts each, because we can't send the stuff because of the embargo. So we handed a bunch of stuff out and it was great.

What have been the musical developments on the island since the film was released?
All of the people in my film became the leaders of the hip-hop movement out there. When people call on Cuba to be represented at hip-hop conferences in South America, it's usually folks from the film

They came back to NYC a second time and played at the Apollo Theatre with The Roots and Kanye West.

There's been so much development that have helped and hindered it . I say that because when people are hungry for what you have, they start preparing stuff for them, to please them. When people want something from you, you start doing that, rather than doing what comes naturally. Recently, with the investment of reggaeton, a lot of people have been doing the reggaeton thing. It's taken from the consciousness of the art as far as music that can form a social change.

What's the distribution deal you have in place?
You know how we did it at first, just pressing them up at the house. I had my boy Miguel Perez do the artwork. You know what the Bay taught me to do, sell them out the trunk.

Through that hustle, we got some interest, some deals were on the table. I felt a lot of them were exploitative, but then we got a deal with City Hall (Records). I liked it, and we got a national distribution, and it's been an amazing ride. I never thought it could have happened or would have happen, and it's happening.

What's your take on the international hip-hop consciousness? Are people in other countries drawn to the music or the sense of rebellion?
To me, hip-hop is just a reflection of society, and so it's not a coincidence that 50 Cent's 'Get Rich or Die Trying' is being pushed all over the world, because that's what America is pushing all over the world.

When we look at Cuba, what do they represent all over the world? They represent social consciousness. Everything from having a large literacy rate to universal health care to La Revolucion. And in that kind of environment, what is has produced is a revolutionary style of hip hop being represented all around the world.

Every place I've been, hip-hop represents itself differently, because the society and what they're going through. The reason it's hip hop doing that and not another genre is because hip hop has been the voice of the youth. And never before have I seen the youth have such a strong voice in society. Before hip-hop, where did we have a voice? This is the first time they're making the world listen. They're making society listen to them. Hip-hop has been that tool.

Industry question: How does one go about marketing their own DVD?
That's what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to bring the same hustle that Bay Area hip-hop did with CDs to DVDs. It's a lot of personal connections, being a part of the scene. I think if I wasn't a hip-hop head, I wouldn't have had this kind of exposure. If I wasn't an activist, I wouldn't have had this exposure.

I live in those two societies, that's how people know me. Just like you, you're a part of those scenes, and that's how we are able to link up for this interview for The Monterey Herald.

Your next project sounds pretty ambitious. Talk about that.
This is my baby right here. Man, I've been working on this one close to 8 years already. You're going to see these characters grow up not only into manhood, but their profession as hip-hop artists...

In Africa, they have what's called the hip-life movement, which derived from their form of music and culture called the hi-life movement and the hip-hop movement. What Africa is doing is amazing right now, because the rest of the world isn't paying attention to them. They're turning to themselves and they're becoming famous on their own continent.

Anything else you want to throw out there
Big up to the whole Clenched Fist Productions crew. Check out the all the new projects on www.clenchedfist production.com. And to all the revolutionaries out there, using your art or education to change the world, put your fist up and let's do it together.

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Immortal Technique in Watsonville

Watsonville is off the hook right about now.

Brown Berets have solidified their presence in the community, which is almos miraculous when you consider that the Brown Berets have been almost MIA over the past 15 years or so (maybe they've been in Watson this whole time and I didn't know). The Danza Azteca group White Hawk has been holding it down for some time now as well. There have also been punk rockeros in bunches, and recent protests against immigration reform and HR 4437 have brought hundreds of young activistas into action in the strawberry town.

I was bombarded with all of this energy when I arrived at the Watsonville Veterans Hall on Monday, to check out a workshop by hip-hop artist Immortal Technique. Now, I have to admit, I was really aware of only one Tech song going into the gig, the "Bin Laden" single with Mos Def that was produced by DJ Green Lantern. But I was very much aware of his hardcore political stance, as well as his status as one of the emerging Latino hip-hop artists from the East Coast. Knowing all that made his appearance in Watsonville, a farm town with a predominantly working class Mexicano community, all the more intriguing.

The Vets Hall was bustling with young energy on Monday afternoon, hip-hop electronica in full effect. Youngsters dressed in Shady Gear and skater shoes mingled with bald-headed cholos in Raiders jerseys. A cipher broke out on the front steps. I was impressed.

The event was organized by The Brown Berets, so I made sure I identified myself at the door because I know that most grass roots are skeptical of any media coverage. My suspicions were varified by a fair-skinned women wearing a skully and a shirt that said "liberation," with a picture of what looked like Angela Davis on the front.

"We're not allowing corporate media to cover the event," she informed me with a bubbly smile. She was really nice about hating on my profession. I was fine with it, so I put my notebook away. I didn't feel it was necessary to list my activista credentials or try to give the secret Chicano activista hand shake.

And though I don't have 94 percent memory retention like Truman Capote, I am still capable of 'membering stuff. Notes would have to be taken in the head.

Immortal Technique rolled up dressed like sort of futuristic Vato Loco swat team member,replete in black garb with a black utility vest. He seemed very appreciative of being there.

A week earlier, he had headlined a large show in Watts, which was billed as a building block for Brown and Black relations in the so-cal ghettos. By all accounts, the show was a success, and Tech mentioned it several times during his speech. His workshop, "Street Politics of the Rap Industry," was incredibly true to its name.

Tech laid it down straight up for the kiddies: the record industry is a joke. Record labels exist only to push what is hot at the moment. Any artist who doesn't recoup for the label ends up as a tax write-off. He warned that the record industry is designed to keep the artists starving, while the record execs eat all the honey.

"If you're going to be a puppet," he said bluntly," don't be surprised when someone shoves a hand up your ass."

His whole workshop was a fearless exercise in how to hustle right: if you want to be successful, you better be prepared "to sleep only 2-3 hours a day." You better be ready to roll up in a record store 15 deep and demand that they put your CD on the shelf. Ditto for Radio DJ's that are programmed to play the same 10 songs 48 times a day (twice an hour, every hour).

Tech stays indy for a reason: because he refuses to be one of those sore puppets.

The workshop wasn't without its lighter moments: when asking the group what "payola" was, a young graph writer responded "a hallucenogic drug you smoke." That was pretty funny (and that graph writer-dude looked like he may have taken peyote at least once in his life).
Tech also broached the subject of his prison term. At one point during his bid, he was supposed to get out on MLK's Birthday after serving a year (he didn't mention what for), but instead was locked in "the hole" for having contraband, which was an extra t-shirt and pair of pants. He also shared that his family had saved for him to go to school, and after a year away, the money they had saved for their son's education was used to fight for his freedom. Despite the obvious pain of that experience, he relayed that his term had helped him determine his life's direction.

It's sad that a systematic beat down has to be the catalyst for one man's revelation, but then again, how many freedom fighter's have been born from such injustice?

As the discussion wound down, he took questions from the crowd. One question, How can hip-hop lead to social change, was met with an interesting answer.

"Don't expect any rapper to be a leader," he deadpanned. "The rap industry is meant to make money... At the end of the day, a rapper is just an individual..."

And he's certainly right. One cannot look to hip-hop artists for social change given the genre's sometimes counter-revolutionary imagery (violence, materialism, excess, mysogany).

But it can help spark the dialogue that leads to revolutionary thought. Especially in an unassuming place like Watsonville, where small town pride and a conscious Chicano activista community have transformed into a hotbed for cultural awareness and empowerment.

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RIP: Proof of D-12

A sad day in hip-hop. Here's the AP news story on the death of rapper Proof, a member of Eminem's group D-12:

Rapper Proof killed in Detroit nightclub shooting

By TOM KRISHER
Associated Press Writer

DETROIT (AP) - Proof, a member of rap group D12 and a close friend of Eminem, was shot to death early Tuesday at a nightclub along Eight Mile, the road made famous by the 2002 film that starred Eminem and in which Proof had a bit part.
The death of Proof - real name Deshaun Holton - was confirmed by Dennis Dennehy, the publicist for D12's label, Interscope Records, as well as by Detroit police spokesman James Tate.
"Memorial service arrangements are still being made, and his friends and family would appreciate privacy during this difficult time," Dennehy said in a statement.
Eminem and Proof, 32, seldom were seen in public without each other. Proof was the best man at Eminem's wedding in January, and they have been close friends since before Eminem became a superstar.
The music video for the Eminem song "Like Toy Soldiers" shows Eminem pacing a hospital hallway as doctors try to revive Proof, who has been shot. Later, Eminem attends Proof's funeral as the song's lyrics lament the escalation in violence between rappers.
It was Proof's idea to form D12, a six-member Detroit-based rap group that counts Eminem among its members.
D12 has been around since the mid-1990s, when the members met at Detroit's Hip-Hop Shop, a clothing store by day/hip-hop club by night.
Proof's family members gathered at a home on Detroit's northwest side after hearing the news of his death. The residential street in front of the two-story home was lined with vehicles, and people hugged each other on the sidewalk.
Proof was shot inside a small bar in a strip of businesses along Eight Mile, which is the dividing line between Detroit and its northern suburbs. Tate said two people were shot in the head - one fatally. He said an argument at the C.C.C. nightclub escalated into gunshots.
The other victim - a 35-year-old man - was listed in critical condition, Tate said.
Wende Berry, a spokeswoman for St. John Health System, said Holton was dead on arrival at St. John Conner Creek, an outpatient treatment facility. Berry confirmed that he had a gunshot wound.
Police said shots were fired inside the bar around 4:30 a.m. By the time officers arrived, both of the injured men had been taken from the bar in private vehicles, Tate said.
Evidence technicians and detectives remained inside the bar Tuesday morning. A spot of blood was on the street in front of the tavern, and police marked shell casings in a parking lot across the street.
Patrol officers said the bar is a frequent source of problems on the city's east side. Tate said police have taken 18 incident reports there since 1996. The latest was a vice raid in December in which six tickets were issued, most involving minors possessing or drinking alcohol.
The bar, he said, was legal, but was operating outside of its licensed hours.
Another member of Eminem's inner circle - rapper Obie Trice - was shot while driving on a Detroit-area highway in December.

...

This is the second death to rock the Detroit hip-hop scene in less than two months. In February, underground producer James "Jay Dee/J-Dilla" succumbed to a bout with a rare blood disease. Now, the violent end to an MC who many in the "D" claim as an architect for the city's scene sucker punches the hip-hop nation.

And it's a shame that the mainstream media will view this as just another dead rapper, a tragic cliche in a musical genre full of tragic cliches. Any talk of senseless violence and glorification of an excessive lifestyle found within Proof's lyrics is sure to come up as evidence that he fostered this sort of fate. Bullshit. It ain't even like that.

I'mma keep this short because I just don't know if there is anything to add to this. Life is too short, folks. Don't ever take it for granted.

paz

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"ATL" Movie Review

"Down South you grow up quick, especially in the ATL."

And thus the premise for rapper T.I.'s movie "ATL" is laid out in the movies opening moments, along with a montage of southern living: country landscapes, worn houses, rib shacks, and the sound of Ray Charles cooing "Georgia" over a hip-hop beat.

The movie's release coincided with T.I.'s new album, "King," which was no coincidence. T.I. is primed to be a superstar, evidenced by his album's number one showing on the pop charts, and the movie's strong no. 3 ranking in box office sales. T.I. is now worthy of wearing the crown as "King of the South." And he makes it look easy.

The movie itself is a coming of age tale of two brothers, Rashad (played by TI) and Ant. The pair live with their uncle George (the parents were killed in a car accident) in Mechanicsville, an Atlanta community that is very working class. The presence of drugs, violence and despair loom in the background, but they don't dominate the movie. That' helps the flick avoid the whole "'hood movie syndrome."

This movie is more "American Graffiti" than "Menace II Society," and TI carries himself with the same angst and wide-eyed bewilderment that Richard Dreyfuss did more than 30 years ago in "Graffiti."

Rashad is a young man longing for some direction in his life. He dotes over his younger, scattershot brother Ant by helping him learn to be a man, but Rashad is hard pressed to figure that out for himself. He assumes the responsibility of role model that their uncle seems to duck, and helps run the cleaning business that he inherited when his parents passed away.

Rashad's crew is another revelation: no drug dealers, gangsters or hustlers among them, a welcome relief in an urban drama. Instead, we get a preppy braniac who keeps it real in the hood, an aloof miscreant/high school flunky who does gold "grills" on the side, and a doughy food worker from the east coast who can't find a job he likes.

And out of this ragtag bunch we get characters who don't appear headed for imminent doom (except Ant, who chooses to sell weed as a side vocation and gets into it with the local kingpin). And they all congregate at the most unlikely of spots: the roller rink, where Rashad and his crew battle it out on skates with rival crews. It's a joy to watch a movie with young people of color depicted simply as young people, period. Here are a few of my highlights:

- Thick country accents abound, which brought instant smiles. A school teacher saying "Thanks ya, Jee-zuss" and a girl complaining "My mouth is not that BEEG" were special treats.

- An east coast versus down south feud erupts when the homies debate regional slang. A NYC homie asks "Why you gotta end everything with shorty (pronounced "shaw-dee") while his southern brother asks "Why you end everything with son." They both make good points.

- I learned two great phrases: "(She got a) ass fatter than a swamp possum with mumps," and "You open like a can of pigs feet." The trick for me now is to use them in a regular conversation.

- The movie is a great entry point for southern culture, particularly the roller skate culture. I didn't see that bow wow movie "Roll Bounce," but that movie looked very lame. "ATL" made skating look cool.

- Rapper Big Boi of Outkast shows up as a germaphobe dope dealer (I forgot to write his character's name down). He shows up in an Escalade on some ridiculous 28-inch rims. And that is the reason you never hear about street dope dealers retiring to the Bahamas, they don't know how invest their money properly.

-Big Boi has two of the best lines in the movie: after beating his blood cousin who shorted him on some drug money, he looks him dead in the eye and says "You bet not tell my momma." Later, when a rival throws money in his face, he dead pans "You just hit me in my damn mouth with some money." Classic.

- T.I. is the truth. It's so hard for a non-actor to carry a movie, but he more than manages by not only going against type from his rap persona, but flipping the same scowling on the surface mannerism to convey Rashad's depth of character. 50 Cent could take some acting lessons from T.I.

- The number one rule in skating: Don't Fall. You just end up looking like an ass.

- Keith David, one of the scariest looking dudes in Hollywood, shows up as an uppity rich guy who turned his back on the ghetto. Even in that role, he looks like he would just kick my ass.

- Big Rube of the Dungeon Family shows up! Well, his voice does, at least, in the form of an overdub during a scene in the movie. Big Rube should be in a lot more movies.

- The trap house (dope house) in the movie looks like a cross between a crack house and a cult compound. It's pretty creepy looking.

- One thing I might do is rent the movie on DVD when it comes out, and play a drinking game based on rapper cameos. Every time a rapper makes a cameo (and there are a bunch, including Bone Crusher, Big Gipp, Jazze Pha) you gotta take a drink.

- Minnie Ripperton's "Let Me Know" is a great song. That's all I gotta say.

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Q & A Interview: Ms. Veronica

Me and Ms. Veronica go way back. We're tight like that.

Okay, so I'm lying. I only met the girl last fall, after her fabulous photo spread for Eye Candy in XXL magazine. The magazine's center-fold shoot is the hip-hop equivelant of the Playmate of the Month (minus the nekkidness).

Last year, the 2000 North Salinas High School grad made her splash as one of the video hotties in Kanye West's "Gold Digger" clip (she's the one in the black teddy under the banner "Vixen"). She's also been one of the Bay Area's most visible lobbyists, bigging up her Yay Area bretheren at every opportunity she gets.

The Herald did a huge feature story that I penned, and we got calls from folks both praising the piece ("It's about time some flavor was in your paper" read one e-mail) and bemoaning it (a couple of people threatened to cancel their subscription because they thought images of her from the video were demeaning to women).

But Ms. Veronica is the ultimate hustler, a true hard-worker who manages high-profile modeling gigs and a down-to-earth close-knit family background at once. "The Beat" managed to touch base with ya girl after she just flew in from a shoot in Miami, where she was steady on the grind, as always.

How are you doing?
I'm great. I'm still in bed. I have three days off, so that's good.

What's new and exciting with you?
I've been pretty much touring right now. I've been gone for a while, and I've been working on a TV show called Latin Fever. It's like Extra and Entertainment Tonight, with less gossip and a little more urban, with black and Latino celebrities.
So far, we've done interviews with (pro boxer) Bernard Hopkins, Mr. Cartoon, he's like the tattoo artist to the stars. We interviewed Terrance Howard, who was nominated for an Academy Award.
We do Snoop and Twista this weekend. We're interviewing fashion designers too. We have Karl Kani and Adam Hardy, whose clothes are very popular right now
The show starts at the end of April, so check your local listings. It'll be nationwide.

Are you doing the interviews yourself?
Yeah, I'm doing the interviews

What's that like for you?
It's fun. You get to meet a lot of people. I love the camera and I love my job.
I'm also working with a new company, NBK entertainmet/It Factor. It's run by Jeff Robinson's company. He's Alicia Keys manager... I just got back from Miami with them. We hosted a huge party. Usher came, Cristina Millian, lots of athletes, DJ Clue showed up. A lot of celebrities, it was really fun.
We had a photo shoot at Ty Law's mansion in Maimi. It was big. (Robinson) is such a nice guy. I have never worked with such a great company before.

For our readers, can you describe how you get paid? Do you get money from appearance fees? Do you get paid by the hour or per appearance?
Definitely appearance fees, and that helps. It's also fun, because during the (NBA) All-Star game, I hosted a few parties and I made a few thousand dollars just for partying! I got there and did some shopping and I got to come home with a few thousand dollars for it. And they paid for my planet ticket and my hotel and took care of me.
A year ago, I would have had to have paid for my own ticket. So this year, I got to spend some time shopping and had some fun.
Basically we're getting paid to be there. Appearance fees are big.
I haven't been working on videos, because I've been working on the show. But I did a magazine shoot for OYE, Open Your Eyes magazine. That was big.

Do you get paid per day when you do a magazine shoot?
Some of them are promotion, some of them you get an editorial fee. That's what it's called.

When we last talked, you said you were in a video with Rhymefest. Will that be released anytime soon?
That's released. It's me and Kanye West and Rhymefest. It's the funniest video I've done. It's also the quickest, because that was done in front of a green screen in one day.

I've made a big deal of the Hyphy movimiento in a lot of my recent pieces. What's your take on it right now, since you're repping The Bay so hard?
I love the Bay Area. I definitely make sure I support the Bay. I got 40's album, I got Balance's album... I push the Hyphy movement a lot. I make sure every magazine I'm in I push the Hyphy movement. Celebrities see me and they ask me "What's the Hyphy?"
I get messages from big celebrities like 'What's the Hyphy? What's a scraper? What are stunner shades?' I just laugh...
Everywhere I go, a lot of celebrities call me Ms. Hyphy. I know the Hyphy movement is going to blow up real soon. I get it out there with mainstream celebrities. That way, when I do go to a video shoot or an interview and someone is talking about Hyphy, they can be like "That's what Veronica is talking about."
Even in my interviews for the show. I always ask how do you feel about the Bay Area, and theyre' like,"Yeah, E-40 is cool,' but then they're like "What does that have to do with what we're talking about."

What's the most difficult thing you've encountered during your new gig as a show host?
What's hard is I might talk to someone in G-Unit one day and then someone in Black Wallstreet the next day and it's hard. They talk about each other and I'm like,'Wait a minute.' I don't want to make anyone mad or get in the middle of these rapper beefs.
What I'm worrried about is one day they'll talk about somebody that I actually know. That would suck.

Is it your impression that some of these guys are extra sensitive?
Yeah, I guess, I mean, I think it would be a lot stronger if everyone just stuck together... Some people just want attention and then some people have nothing else but to talk about somebody else. That's all they got.
Some people have nothing going for them, and so they decide to talk about somebody else, and then it doesn't work for them and what sucks is that it gets out of hand and people end up dying.
I know Busta Rhymes had a video shoot and his bodyguard got killed. I think it's nonsense, but the rumor was that it was somebody who was talking about somebody else. That's how the guy ended up getting killed.
I think it's even worse in the Bay Area. When Bay artists talk about other Bay artists but theyre' not even on a big level yet. It's like, you guys haven't even started yet, there's no reason for it.
At the same time, I think a lot of rappers are scared for The Bay to come up. It's something different from what they're doing, and it scares them. They know if it gets big, its so different that its going to wipe out what they got going.

What are you listening to/feeling right now?
E-40. That's what i've been listening to for the last few. The Federation's new album is crazy! Balance's new album is good, I actually got to listen to it before it came out. I got it a month ago. As far as the Salinas/Monterey area, people are going to love that album.
It's cool, when I get to listen to other peoples albums beforehand, because I know whether it's going to suck or not or whether it's going to be good.

Goldie from The Federation said something that I thought was funny. He said that you were cool because you would date "an average looking dude." Can you tell me what he meant by that?
Of course, being in the industry you get asked out by a lot of celebrities and athletes all the time. It's like a big college, but it's so small at the same time because you keep seeing them all over the place, so they ask you out a lot.
I would rather just date an average guy, where it's not going to be all crazy, where I'm in New York and you're in Texas. I would rather date an average guy who is going to be more laid back... But I can definitely say, right now I'm very single.

Well, I'm sure our male readers will be glad to hear that. Now, for a more serious question: Are you looking for any writers for your show?
Ummm, I'm not too sure (pause) I'm not too involved with the technical stuff.. I don't know. But if we are, I will definitely throw you in there.

I'm just playing... Anything else you want to throw out there?
I just feel really blessed, and I thank god every chance I get. I'll thank him three times a day. I'm just blessed and thankful for everything.

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Steel Pulse Live in Santa Cruz

Steel Pulse's Thursday night show in Santa Cruz was too short.

I'm not talking about the Oakland rapper. I'm talking about the fact that they were on for maybe an hour and a half, tops, and though they managed to make it a strong hour and a half, a legendary band such as theirs simply can't run through their extensive catalogue with that type of time constraint.

And I'm not complaining at all about their performance. These legends have the tools to take any reggae fan to school. And their following is so strong that everyone in the crowd seemed to sing along to every selection.

And for full disclosure, I did get to the show a bit late, and caught them right before they got into one of my all-time favorite songs, "Blues Dance Raid." So I missed them playing "Steppin' Out," (which, judging from past performances I've seen, is usually their opening number), "Your House," and the ultimate loss, "Worth His Weight in Gold."

Yes, I could kick myself, but for all I know, they might not have even played those songs.

Still, the chance to see Steel Pulse is always one worth taking. Hearing the familiar tune of a song as beautiful as "Ravers," with it's nonsensical lyrics (Whoops, upside ya head... Boogie to ze music..."), takes me back to when I first discovered reggae music as a wanna-be cholo at Alisal High School. Freshman year, when I fell in love with the irie rhythms that haunt me to this day oh so right.

And watching the band perform so effortlessly was just as inspiring. The lead singer had a dread so thick, it hung on his back like a sling of arrows. I swear, that thing was so lumbering that dude could have claimed it as a dependent on his taxes.

The aging keyboardist was just as cool, too. With streaks of grey in his shaggy beard, he still rocked a camouflage outfit and matching baseball cap, which covered a doo-rag. I asked my girl if I could be so cool as to pull off that look in my mid-50s. She said yes, but I think she was just being nice, because I know I'm not that cool.

And even though I may have missed some of my favorites (or maybe not) I still got to hear classics like "Chant a Psalm," which was performed semi-acoustic. The slower pace and timbale drums took the crowd to church, and I testified right along with them.

And the band got their politico on as well. Addressing the recent protests in response to harsh immigration reform across the nation, the lead singer challenged the government's definition of an "Illegal Immigrant."

"If that's the case, the entire damn population of America is illegal," he said. "Except the Native Americans..."

They ended the show with "Roller Skates," which was the song that introduced me to them as a youngster. And then they were gone before 11 p.m. And that one old reggae music promoter whose been at every single reggae concert I've ever been to in my life did everything but apologize to the crowd for the abrupt departure. Even the band looked somewhat confused about the short exit, but the rumor around the building was that the music had to be cut off at 11 p.m., per some sort of city ordinance.

Now, I know that performers always want to leave their audiences wanting more. But when the groove is that solid, it's almost a crime to cut it off so quickly. Life is too short to have to endure such disappointment.

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Interview: M-1 of dead prez

I grew up in the era of Public Enemy.

In high school, when most everyone else was listening to bass music or oldies or freestyle, I bumped "Fear of a Black Planet" religiously, and wore t-shirts with the famous silhouette of a b-boy, arms crossed, standing defiantly in the eye of a sniper target.

That was my punk rock. That was my rebellion with a cause.

And that was 15 years ago, which in hip-hop, is almost like the dark ages. Today, rap music (or what passes for mainstream, at least) is nothing like the boot stomping, foot-to-the-rear-end-of-the-man razor's edge that PE represented. It's as if political rap never existed.

Luckily, folks like dead prez have not forgotten those times. And one half of the rap group, M-1, has taken it upon himself to make sure that the general public knows that political rap still exists. Thank goodness for that.

M-1 took some time to talk to "The Beat" after his tour stop Saturday night in Santa Cruz. Currently on tour with Ghostface, M-1 has an album out, "Confidential," that is available at your local record store. Cop that joint: the revolution needs to be subsidized by the people.

What's up, thanks for taking to time to talk to "The Beat."
Naw, naw, naw, it's okay. That's what I do.

So what's up with the new album? Why did you decide to do a solo?
The opportunity, more than anything. I was just really wanting to see more revolutionary culture out here in the world, and it's not represented, in my opinion. Just observing the situation that dead prez is in, in the world, I felt like it was a change for people, from what they would normally expect from dp. But I felt it was also a way to express who I am. You might not even know the real me. You might know dp, but it's a chance for people to get to know me.


Can we expect a dead prez album anytime soon?
Oh yeah, of course. You can expect an album, definitely. The new dp album well be out June, July, August. I don't know, but you
can look out for it. Me and stic.man, we working on it right now.

I was personally confused by your group's origins. You claim Brooklyn, but are you originally from the south?
I live in Brooklyn. I started out in North Carolina, and my partner is from Tallahassee, Florida, and that's where we met. I was in college at that point. But i do have roots in NC.

Are you in Cali right now?
I'm in LA, as we speak.

Have you been paying any attention to the walkouts and protests in Cali and across the nation this past weekend?
You mean around the immigrant protests.

Yes.
I've heard about it, but I haven't been in it or witnessed it or been involved. I'm watching it as it happens.

Just to bring you up to speed, basically, a lot of Mexican and Latino activists have banded together to protest immigration reform that could include the felony criminalization of undocumented immigrants for simply being in this country.
Wow. That's real.

For us in Cali, it's kind of a repeat of Proposition 187, the anti-immigration law that passed in 1994 that made it illegal for undocumented immigrants to receive social services.
Word. I know about Prop. 187. We did a concert for prop. 187 in Oakland, right on the steps of city hall.

One of the things I like about you guys is your constant props to Black and Brown. Can you elaborate on the similarities in social struggle and consciousness between the two groups.
We are all that there is on the planet and we are the oppressed masses. Everywhere you look, you see us making things happen, and it's for a reason...
Without us, there would be almost no way to turn their natural resources into goods and services, without who we are, without the work that we do. The unity between black and brown is imperative to our civilization at the end of the day...
I'm not running around, yelling "Ya Basta," trying to romanticize something. I try to tell it as a revolutionary slogan. I don' t want people to think I'm romanticizing Mexico, or the image of that land and those people. I want people to know that this is something we need now
One of the most important meetings of our time, for black and brown, was between (Black Panther leader) Fred Hampton Sr. and Cha Cha Jimenez (sic)... After they met in prison, Cha Cha formed the Young Lords Party (a New York organization that was the Puerto Rican equivalent of the Black Panthers or the Brown Berets) and of course, Fred went on to do his thing.

You brought out Fred Hampton Jr. to give a speech during the "Dave Chappele's Block Party" film. How did that union come about?
Fred is everywhere right now. This is a political animal, this guy. When you talk about what he has to bring to the table, it's a lot, his history and everything.
I just did what history told me to do. My relationship with him was the work i did on the Campaign to Free Fred Hampton Jr. This was when he was apolitical prisoner from 1991 to 2001...
When he was free from behind enemy lines, we decided to work together. I see him as an ally. He's developed a organization called the Prisons of Consciousness Committee, which I claim to be a representative for because of him. He's a fantastic organizer and he's a leader.

I always ask an industry insider question when I do Q&A's, to give folks insight into the business aspect. Your question is: At this point in your career, do you make more money from CD sales, or from tickets and merch sales on tour?
I say, at this point in my career, as M-1 going around touring, I probably get more money from the record sales. As dead prez touring, I get much more money touring than as far as royalties from dead prez. But with the way my album deal was structured where I get more of a take of the profits, I'm trying to do it all and get more of a take.

Where do you think you and your group see yourselves in the pantheon of political rappers like Public Enemy or X-Clan. Are you coming along those lines, or are you trying to carve out a different identity for yourself, like a new coming of political rap?
I don't regard myself as a new revolutionary coming at all because it's in the process...The reason why revolutionary hip hop has not been the most important thing in the world is because hip hop is controlled by the industrial corporate interests. And they don't want to recognize the revolutionary work that some of it's most important artists contributed...
I look at Public Enemy, they had a lot of revolutionary work. Tupac had some very revolutionary work, which a lot of people don't' recognize. I just follow it down that line.

Have you seen the documentary "Inventos" by Eli Fauntauzzi?
Yeah, my brother Eli. Inventos.

What are your thoughts on the hip-hop movimiento going on in Cuba and South America in general?
Man, that was an experience that took me to another level in my career. I became more of an international African political animal. Just for me to watch the peoples process of growth, watch the development , that was totally enlightening to me. I can't say enough about Cuba.

It sounds like it was a pretty profound experience for you
I went three times, and I went once by myself. My partner stic didn't see the ramifications of how important it was at first. But when we went down there and saw the movement, we both realized how big it is...
I recently went to Venezuela, and Hugo Chavez, he's the truth. That's all I can say man. Hugo Chavez is the truth.

Is there anything else you want to throw out there or plug
I just want to say that the album "Confidential" represents M-1's new effort to embrace revolutionary culture. This is an RBG (Revolutionary But Gangsta) affiliated project, and I just want to let people know that we're not going nowhere. Even if we're not on the TV screen, not up in the videos, we're not going nowhere. We're right here, we're organizing and we're alright.

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Ghostface and M-1 Live in Santa Cruz

Militant rap is such a rarity in today's hip-hop universe. Whether it was the LA battle cries of NWA or the Strong Island political shotgun blasts from Public Enemy, hip-hop's streak of rebellion has been halted in the mainstream for close to 20 years now.
But like any great movement, the pulse has moved underground. And though M1 of Dead Prez and Ghostface Killa of Wu-Tang Clan offer contrasting styles, their militant leanings and anti-authoritarian messages make for a unique performance experience when coupled together.
Playing Saturday night at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz, M-1 opened up for Ghostface in what seemed like an inspired tour pairing. M-1 showed up rocking a rhinestone camouflage army jacket, looking like a rock star activist.
He opened up with the track "War," off of the dead prez "Turn off the Radio" mixtape series. Hearing him bellow "George Bush coming out his mouth, that's War!" over the Black Rob "Whoa" beat was a good way to kick things off, as folks got to bouncing and throwing bows from the jumpoff.
M-1's set was paced evenly with a quick-cut setlist. He never spent more than three minutes on a song, and often did just one or two minutes. But for a guy who belongs to a group with less than five years on the hip-hop radar, he came off poised like a veteran prize fighter. Songs like "We Need a Revolution," "Tell Me Are You Down," and the hard rocking "Hell Yeah" showed a depth of catalogue that I wasn't prepared for.
"Hell Yeah" was also an interesting selection because it argues (somewhat convincingly) in favor of credit card and welfare fraud as a revolutionary act of defiance. I know folks will get all sad that I just said that, but when M-1 spits it on stage, you kind of get swept up in the frenzy.
And though he didn't close his set with "Hip-Hop," dead prez' official street anthem, his rendition was chest-pounding force to be reckoned. He cut out the beat for the second verse's attack on mainstream hip-hop commercialism, and basically justified the existence of all of the street soldiers who were rocking military fatigues and caps that night (and there were a lot in the crowd).
He closed with "Walk Like a Warrior," which sounded molotov cocktail smooth with M-1's silky yet rapid-fire midwest flow. One thing I love about this revolutionary but gangsta steez, these guys know how to flip the tongue and the middle finger at the same time.
Ghostface, by contrast, was a ruckus showman, like a circus ringleader with thick platinum chains and a hulking frame. Entering the stage to the chants of "Wu-Tang! Wu-Tang!" the night suddenly went from freedom fighter to street fighter.
Thirteen years after the Wu-Tang Clan warned punk herbs to "Protect Ya Neck" on wax, Ghostface has emerged as the clan's top lyricist. With a back catalogue that boasts four classic albums (Enter the 36 Chambers, Wu-Tang Forever, Only Built for Cuban Linx and Supreme Clientele) and numerous near-classics, Ghostface pretty much had an arsenal of weaponry at his disposal.
That wealth of material allowed him to perform a hip-hop classic like "Ice Cream" three songs into his set, and make album tracks like "Fish" and "Biscuits" sound like hip-hop plutonium. Even with a crappy-sounding mic, he can make a surfers paradise like Santa Cruz seem like a throwback to the golden age of New York street rap.
"I was a part of 1970," he said matter of factly to the crowd, shouting out Al Green and Stevie Wonder while prepping the young crowd for a lesson in soul-music. "I'm an old school cat. I carry a lot of soul." And with that, Marvin Gaye's "Distant Lover bumped through the speakers. I watched more than one couple clutch each other tight.
As he ran into "Holla," his old school tribute that features Ghost spitting viciously over the Chicano oldies staple "La La Means I Love You," it made me realize that Ghost has maintained his relevance by simply staying put. He's always been, for lack of a better term, the most felt Wu-Tang-er. When he crouched on the middle monitor to do "All That I Got is You," I was reminded of the video for that song: Ghost sitting at a grand piano, looking like he wanted to be Billy Joel or Barry Manilow, just a New Yorker with so much soul.
And the more introspective moments made the hard-rock bangers all the more bangable. "He requested a moment of silence in memory of ODB before tearing into "Shimmy Shimmy Ya," which got everyone going stupid. And he spit his new label mate Nas' verse on "Verbal Intercourse," completely bypassing his own lyrics on the song.
Crappy sound and some sloppy sound cues sapped some of the energy from the show, and Ghost did that retarded practice of rappers bringing on all the females in the audience to dance (I really hate that s***). But even that moment was saved when two girls vied for his attention at once. Ghost sang to one of them while putting his arm around the other. Ya boy is a veteran mack from way back.
And at the end of the show, he invited a trio of poser-looking Wu-Tang fans on stage to say what's up, which was a classy move. He also told the crowd to call him and "I'll come running back for y'all," which he probably says to all of the crowds he rocks.
But it was enough to make even the most militant-minded street soldier crack a smile.

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Freak-a-Leak

Ahhh, wonderful internet. The grand equalizer. Proprietor of myspace web pages, hardcore porn, and my personal fave, the album leak.

Part of record industry marketing strategy in recent years has been the internet leak, which has replaced the bootleg leak as a gauge of consumer response in the wake of an album release.

In hip-hop, it is ever-present: when Jay-Z's "Black Album" leaked two weeks before it's release in 2003, Roots drummer ?uestlove, a friend and sometime musical advisor for Jigga, urged his minions on okayplayer.com to list their top three favorite songs in an effort to have some say in the release of Jay-Z's second single.

Adversely, when Talib Kweli's second solo album was leaked six months before its release on the same web site, it reflected horribly on the artist. The music was muddled and unmastered and, more pointedly, fans of the web site weren't feeling it. When Kweli posted a scathing response to the leak on the site a few days later, he alienated some folks, causing a back lash on the web site that is still felt to this day.

I am one of those who lurk the internet late at night in search of album leaks. It's fun, although sometimes time-consuming. I've had a tough make of it lately, since okayplayer.com no longer allows its users post entire albums, but here are a few album leaks and mixtapes preceding album releases that I have had the pleasure of listening to:

Gnarls Barkley - 8-track album leak: This 8-song sampler was leaked a couple of months back, and the cruddy sound means the music probably hadn't been engineered when it was released. But it's a banger.

Gnarls Barkley is a collaboration between producer DangerMouse and Goodie Mob veterano Cee-Lo. It's an odd couple, for sure, but the music is a great mix of soulful crooning with space-age beats.

The version I got had no track listing, although I have been able to verify one album track, the first single "Crazy." The song has a chunky bass line with Cee-Lo harmonizing "I remember when, I remember when I lost my mind." The song's angelic hook taps Lo's gospel-esque vocal leanings.

My other favorite song is track 4, which I have not been able to identify (the tracklisting is on the net, but I havent' had the time to match up songs with titles). The lyrics are an exercise in irony: "Basically I'm complicated/ I have a hard time taking the easy way."

I will cop this album when it drops.

Ghostface - Fishscale album sampler: This isn't a leak per-say. This five-song sampler is in anticipation of "Fishscale," which will drop sometime at the end of the month (i'm also too lazy to bother with release dates right now).

The best song on here is the Pete Rock produced "Be Easy," a jittery, head-nodding banger that features funky tuba stabs and Ghost boasting "I'm like the Boogie Man, I'll get ya." This song has been on mixtapes for a year now, but its still fresh to death.

Ghost has a funny song with Def Jam wonderboy Ne-Yo called "Back Like That." The song features Ghost's signature soul sampled beats, and Ne-Yo crooning a sad song about a girl who gets back at her man by showing up on the block with the dude who wanted to kill him. It could be a single, but what do I know about those type of things?

Rhymfest - Blue Collar 8-song leak: This one I'm not too sure about. Rhymefest is an Indianapolis MC who is down with Kanye West ('Fest co-wrote 'Jesus Walks'). His album, "Blue Collar," is scheduled for release in July, and these songs are supposedly from that album.

One track, "Build Me Up," features the late ODB singing the the hook from the song "Build Me Up, Buttercup." Singing is a bit of an overstatement; he's more like straining. I will refrain from completely dissing the song because, well, ODB is dead.

Kanye shows up on "Brand New," and "More," songs that more than anything reveal that Kanye has borrowed a lot of his steez from a scribe called 'Fest.

The best song on this leak is the Just Blaze-produced "Dynomite." It's signature Just, with echoing siren horns, hard drums, and a scratch chorus to boot. 'Fest rhymes like an animal, claiming he's "Hot like Mexican meals" and ending each stanza with "Open my palm, bitch, I got the world in my hand," like he really means it.

Dr. Dre - Look Out for Detox mixtape: This is not a leak, but a mixtape billed as songs scrapped from Dre's supposed final album, the seven-years-in-the-making "Detox."

It sounds more like songs that were scrapped from Dre's last album, 1999's "The Chronic 2001."

Lots has been written about Detox: It was supposed to be a hip-hop opera, with Denzel Washington narrating. It was supposed to be Dre's last album, and a collaborative effort with all of the artists he's developed, from IceCube to Snoop to Eminem to The Game.

Well, hearing the songs that definitely won't make the album makes the listener fiend even more for a fix from the good Doctor. A lot of the production sounds like slightly tweaked updates of the beats Dre has been giving to G-Unit and The Game the past three years. "Here We Go Again" has The Game getting some subliminals over Dre's signature two-bar piano key melodies.

"Hard Liquor," another track featuring Game, has Dre employing sinister bar room piano notes while in-house hook singer KoKaine does his best George Clinton impression.

The best song is the King Tee featured "The Chron." King Tee, an old school LA rapper predating even NWA, sounds like a seasoned vet riding Dre's computer bleep guitar skank. The hook, "I got the Chron, talkin' bout the bomb," is a West Coast masterpiece.

Will somebody please lock Dre up in a studio with a pound of that West Coast stick-icky and force him at gunpoint to release a new album. That way, annoying writers like myself won't have to comb the far reaches of the 'net to get their prescription illegally.

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"The Beat" Interview: Traxxamillion

"Traxx you a fool, boii!"

That's the opening utterance to "Grown Man On (remix)" the latest slap from Dem Hoodstars produced by Traxxamillion, San Jose's Hyphy representative and one of a stable of Bay Area producers who are quickly putting their stamp on the game.

Armed with an arsenel of keyboards, drums and vision, Traxx has seen his career take off since the release of "Super Hyphy," the banger he produced for Keak da Sneak. That song was a regional hit, and helped Traxx establish himself as a pivot-man for the Yay's top artists.

Catching up with your boy was a bit of a task. Steady grinding, he finally found a minute to talk to "The Beat" about beats, rhymes and life. Oh, and for a sneak peak of the funk, check his myspace page, http://www.myspace.com/traxxamillion.

Thanks for taking the time to talk to "The Beat."
It's all good baby

So, what's good with you? What are your current projects?
The new project right now, basically what I'm working on is "The Slap Addict" project, which is basically my baby. I guess it's a producer's album, at first I was going to call it a compilation, but I decided to call it a producer's album. Basically, its a reflection of me as far as my muisic goes.
I got all the elite Bay artists on there, everyone from Dem Hoodstars up to E-40. I got a couple of joints on there right now with me spitting a verse... It's more of a chance to display my creative side.
It's slated for a summer release. It's big and I'm happy about it, and I can't wait to unleash it on the world.

Will it be released independently?
I got a couple of majors looking at it right now. I got some people from Def Jam Records, some people from Atlantic Records and some people from Universal Records looking at me. Right now, everyone's been in a wait and see mode as far as the Bay is concerned, so we'll just wait and see.
I was going to put it out indendently, basically out of my own pocket, but now that everyone is on a wait and see, we're gonna have to make it happen that way.

Where does the name come from?
Traxxamillion came from a cat I used to mess with named Donnie Hackit (sic). He said "You should name yourself Traxxamillion". I started saying it over my raps, and it just stuck.

What's it been like since "Super Hyphy" jumped off?
It's been crazy. A roller coaster ride. I got an influx of calls and business coming my way. Before Super Hyphy, I couldn't get a call. I couldnt' get nobody to rap over my beats. Now, I'm the quote unquote "Go to Guy."
A dude from Universal Records said "It seems like you're the go to guy as far as hits go. You and Rick Rock." It's a boost. For those that don't know, a boost is a good thing. It's boosting my name and exposure out there.

What's it like being in the thick of the whole "Hyphy" scene?
It feels good. It's a postive experience. I'm juiced my damn self. It's good to get recognized on any level.
A lot of people say that I had a hand in making the bay area hot, so that feels good. To know that I helped make the area hot and bring some attention on a national scale.
The world needs to see what the Bay Area is doing right now. I believe this whole hyphy movement is a vehicle to bring the Bay to the forefront. I'm trying to be a pioneer in San Jose, I'm trying to be that guy. We've had a few pioneers, but I'm trying to be the one that brings exposure to this town.

What's up with your rap group, The High?
The High is still in motion, still in action. My man Iz-Thizz, my man Schmitty, those are the two members that comprise The High. I've taken a back seat to the microphone, just to get this production thing cracking. We're going to do some stuff to reinject ourselves in the game. Everyones' playing their role.

You started out as an underground artist. Are you still interested in that type of music?
I'm not against it. The whole reason I moved away from the underground is because it wasn't sounding appealing to me. I believe the production got dirtier, and people were more hooked on the lyrical side than the music side.
After a while, the underground wasn't sounding good to me, that wasn't cutting it for me. I just moved away from it. But i'm not against it. I like some underground shit too. I'm real selective, but I ain't hating on nothing.

What type of equipment do you work with?
I use a Triton studio. I was using the Motif (sic) at one time. I got Reasons, but usually I just use the Triton. I do everything with the Triton, everything I can think of I can do with the Triton.

Are you a trained musician or do you just play by ear?
I just play by ear.

For our readers, can you give an insight as to how you get paid? How do you collect royalties?
As far as royalties go, people get the misconception that "I made a song, let me get it published and get the copyright and do all this paperwork." It's good to do the paperwork and get the copyright, but if your s*** ain't getting played on the radio, you ain't getting paid.

So you get paid everytime the song is played on the radio?
Everytime it gets played on the radio, I get paid. It might be 3 cents, 4 cents and up to 7 cents a spin, but it adds up over time. Especially if you get national play.

Are you more interested in producing or rhyming at this point in your career?
Right now, I'm more interested in producing because that's what's hot and that's what people want

Any final thoughts?
Vote for Traxxamillion, producer of the year. I'm really trying to put it down. A lot of people think San Josehas a curse. I'm the dude trying to lift that curse, and trying to bring justice to our region, the South Bay.
Keep your eyese open for Traxx, and if cats want to buy a beat from me, hit me up on the http://www.myspace.com/traxxamillion Also, if any of them cats happen to be in the San Jose area, they can come up to the studio. They can hit up www.myspace.com/officialentertainment. They can make a hit with Traxxamillion.

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MC Lars Is Not Punk Rock - Psyche!

If MC Lars isn't careful, he could become a one-hit wonder. How crazy would that be?

"Some of you may have heard this song on Live 105," he exclaimed to a crowd of about 100 die-hard MC Lars fans Wednesday nightat "Bottom of the Hill" bar/nightclub in San Francisco.

The song, "Hot Topic is Not Punk Rock," has been getting some love from the Bay Area's biggest "alternative rock" station (do folks really say "alternative rock" anymore?).

It's a good song, full of crunching, hyper-speed guitar riffs courtesy of The Matches, a very legit punk outfit repping for the Yay Area. And the lyrics, " Hello Kitty iPod cases are not Punk Rock!...Led Zeppelin air fresheners are not punk rock!" are so gosh darn catchy, one can't help but sing along and share the sentiment.

So with the song blaring, the band going off, the crowd in a frenzy, it occurred to me: this guy could end up being a one-trick pony if he's not careful.

How can he possibly follow up such a time-appropriate anthem (it's about time somebody took aim at Hot Topic, and I'm not even into punk rock) with anything short of a top-40 pop tune? The only place left to go after getting punk rock street cred like this and a song on the radio is pop sensibility sell-out or become another case of when keeping it real goes wrong.

The rest of his show was almost a send-up a typical rap concert. He nodded his head with the beat, but looking like those "Night at the Roxbury" dudes. His hype-man was so amped up he reminded me of Carlton leading an aerobics class.

And when he wasn't doing tongue in cheek hip-hop parody, he was appealing to the geeks. Lars ended one song with the beat from the classic Game Boy title "Tetris," mimicking the game play for dramatic effect.

Later, he did an ode to Stanford's exit exam "Stat 60" which got all of the Cardinal alumni in a frenzy. Call it Ivy League rap if you must, but the nerds were really happy to see one of their own blowing up.

Watching the whole thing go down, you got the feeling that you were at a quirky dorm room talent show where the RA's were getting gully.

Lars isn't the most adept lyricist. Heck, my little sister would serve him in an MC battle (no joke). He raps with the kind of simplistic, sing-songy delivery one would expect of a child rapping the ABC's. His voice is pre-pubescent at its deepest, and Steve Erkel on uppers at its highest.

But he has a friendly, awe-shucks demeanor that is engaging and, to my surprise, endearing. It would be easy for me to spin dude as "another example of a whiteboy getting over," but I honestly am proud of the kid.

My first interview with him three years ago, I was skeptical. A Carmel Valley-reared, Stanford undergrad trying to school people on hip-hop music was a sure sign of the appocalypse at one point in my life. But Lars struck me as a genuinely good person with an honest agenda and love for the culture. How could I write him off when he was trying so hard?

And now, three years later, he's packing indy-venues in the Bay, and getting ready to play the side stage at the Vans Warped Tour in the summer. Rolling Stone wrote him up as an artist to watch. He even recorded a song with hip-hop original Ill Bill of Non-Fixion. He's legit.

And he could be a one-hit wonder, which would somehow be strangely appropriate. Although if I wrote songs for him, I might write something like "Stanford Grads That Wear Nintendo Jackets are not Hip-Hop!" But then I'd be wrong.

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Pretty F***** Awesome: Three 6 Mafia wins an Oscar

So, hip-hop won. It wasn't pretty, but the music won on Sunday.

Three 6 Mafia, a group of savage rappers from Memphis, Tennessee, some of the most original, stay-true artists in hip-hop, took home the oscar for best song on Sunday night for their jam "It's So Hard Out Here For a Pimp," and they did it with beguiling style and class.

Not that you'd expect some brothers who have been in the game for 13 years to act an a** on live television, but this is the Oscars we're talking about here. And this is Three 6 Mafia, authors of such bugged out, rowdy and mysoginistic fare as "Tear da Club Up" and "Late Night Tip," both songs off their 1997 album "When The Smoke Clears," which was a CD my neighbor homie Diego would bump non-stop.

I thought these guys were clowns at the time, but their music bumped, and folks were listening back then in my hood.

On Sunday, they stole the show for a quick second. It was fun to watch.

They thanked their mommas and George Clooney. The showed genuine pride and accomplishment without being cheesey or over the top. And everyone watching was genuinely proud of them for it.

And their performance (which u can view here), although cluttered at times, used the appropriate theatrics. A mini "Pimp Revue" strode across stage, with hoes and the men who pimp them dancing in slow motion, like the "screwed-up" style of slowed down beats that is popular in the south.

And who knew Taraji P. Henson could really blow. She gave "It's So Hard Out Here For a Pimp" so much soul, you wanted to slap your own a**. That girl can sang.

All in all, it's a cool accomplishment for some Tennessee boys who grinded non-stop and are now achieving unimagineable success. Like Stewart said, it's still 3-6 Mafia 1 oscar, Martin Scorcessee 0.

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Go See Dave Chappelle's Block Party... Right Now!

I'll be the fist to admit that I went into Chappelle's concert/documentary fully anticipating to love every minute of it. But could you blame me for my bias?

Seriously, this was like a dream lineup of all my favorite rappers and musicians: Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Kanye West, The Roots, Erykah Badu, Cody Chestnutt, Jill Scott, even Big Daddy Kane and Kool G. Rap show up (more on that later). Hosted by the funniest guy on the planet (sorry, Chris Rock, but it's true). How could it not be great?

So the trick in doing this review is to not review it at all. What passes as my review is this: The movie is fantastic, from the hilarious intro where Dave pokes in on two unassuming men trying to get their car started,to the closing that shows Dave saying "This is the single best day of my career."

The cameras follow him around on his week-long journey leading up to the concert, as he prepared to re-create Richard Pryor's "Wattstax" concert, another ambitious attempt by a comic to meld musicians and comedians into one urban affair (I'll do a blog on that sometime in the near future to explain Wattstax and it's influence on "Block Party").

In leiu of a review, I'll simply list the highlights, and remind you to go check out this movie (I'm already planning on seeing it again this weekend with my girl):

- In the opening scene, Chappelle walks through Dayton, Ohio, and hands out "golden tickets" ala Willie Wonka. Recipients recieve them and get travel and lodging to the concert in Brooklyn, NYC. At one point, two lucky ticket winners tell the story of how they didn't beat up a white guy who called one of them the N-word, because they didn't want to miss the concert. "We didn't whip nobody's ass for you, Dave," they shreik.

- The music scenes are particularly inspiring, although the bill's biggest star, Kanye West, is rarely seen. He does a furious number with Common and Kweli, "Get 'em High," and later, an intense rendition of "Jesus Walks" with the Central State University marching band. But he's gone within the first half-hour.

- Black Star doing "Re-Definition" live with The Roots backing them up. One word: Whoa!

- Although the movie has no real plot, there is some dramatic buildup when Dave invites the CSU band to the show. The band leader has to call the school president, who comes to the band rehearsal to meet with Chappelle. When the band leader announces that they will be making the trip, the ensuing celebration scene is pretty moving.

- Chappelle does this really cool bit explaining how much he loves Thelonious Monk because of his timing, and then draws a corrolation between a musician's timing and a comedian's timing. It's actually pretty informative.

- Favorite scene in the movie pt. I: After Chappelle does a Mexican Lil' Jon impersonation (Que? Siii!), Dead Prez come on and do the "Ya Basta" sign made famous by Zapatista leader Subcommandante Marcos. M-1 explains the meaning to Dave, and he uses it to say "Have you had enough potatoes? Ya Basta. I've had enough!"

- Chappelle visits Biggie's old neighborhood, since he's shooting in Bed-Stuy, where Notorious BIG was from. Lil Cease explains how his friendship with Biggie and the Junior Mafia was "bigger than hip-hop" which segues perfectly into the Dead Prez anthem "Hip-Hop."

- Erykah Badu's wig starts to fly off, so she just pulls it off completely to reveal some nappy roots underneath.

- Erykah and Common join one another for the song "Love of My Life," which they recorded when they were a couple. Neither looked particularly comfortable during the spot, and I got a flashback of when Cher reluctantly joined Sonny Bono on the David Letterman show to sing "I Got You Babe" like 20 years ago.

- Michel Gondry (the movie's director) asks Jill Scott if she's nervous about going on after Erykah. She laughs loud and asks "Have You seen ME perform?" No, Michel, she's not nervous.

- The Roots (my favorite rock band of all time) do the song "Boom" with Big Daddy Kane and Kool G. Rap. This is significant because: 1) the original version features rapper Black Thought doing an impressive impression of both rappers and 2) Kane gets greeted like a retired boxing champ coming home from glory, while barely a ripple happens when G. Rap grabs the mic.

- Chappelle does a funny bit about the power of a James Brown hit. "If you go into a meeting for a raise, you might get more money, like "I want more money, bitch! *dunt* You might get the raise."

- Favorite scene in the movie Pt. 2: Jill Scott and Erykah come together to sing "You Got Me" with The Roots. This song always makes me want to cry, and seeing both of these ladies sing together seriously got me all 'motional and stuff.

- Fred Hampton Jr. shows up to spit some knowledge. It's a nice sentiment, but it almost doesn't fit in with the flow of the show.

- The Fugees reunion was an added bonus. Although they were already billed in the movie, the way Dave introduces them, you get the feeling that you are there to see them perform live for the first time in years. L-Boogie kills "Killing Me Softly," but we don't get to see her do "Lost Ones," which was originally a diss aimed at Wyclef. Print reports of the performance say that was the knockout punch right there.

- The film ends with Dave yelling "We shook up the world!" This is hip-hop history, y'all, so your boy is right (now only if he'd get his act together and do a new season of Chappelle's Show, everything would be alright).

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Matisyahu live in Santa Cruz

If Matisyahu gets recognized only for his beat-boxing skills, then your boy is going to be a star.
Making his Santa Cruz debut on Thursday night to a sold out Civic Auditorium, the 26-year-old Hasidic Jewish reggae/rap wonderkind was clearly the main draw for the night.
Prior to the show, much was said about Santa Cruz homies Soul Majestic performing for the home team, and even the return of headliner Gregory Isaacs was also hyped up.
But for reals, this skinny Jewish kid from upstate NY, with his crow's nest for a beard, black yarmelkuh and stoic gaze, was about as anticipated as Barry Bonds taking a turn at a spring training batting practice.
That's not to say that the buzz surrounding "Matis" has been entirely positive. Most of the message board postings I've seen on okayplayer.com have regarded whether his music can be taken seriously in spite of his spiritual imagery. The Village Voice used his album cover as the main artwork for its 15 worst music moments of 2005.
But watching him perform live, I questioned whether the editors has even bothered to crack their copy of the CD open.
Dressed in a wide brim hat, long-sleeve button up shirt with straps hanging from the bottom, and practical black slacks, "Matis" was greeted by a large roar from the crowd. His band, a five-piece that played with an inspired tightness, got the grooves going from jumpstreet.
As the crowd swelled with life, Matis would shift during his songs from a long breakdown and start singing acapella. Deftly, he would flip back into his patented scat/rap, which owes a little debt to Damian Marley. "Don't you see," he waxed. "That's not the way to beee."
Giving shout outs to Jeruselum and inviting German-born R&B/raggamuffin Gentleman to share the stage, Matis carried a universal irie vibe that was infections.
As heartfelt as his music was, he talked in a funny, almost shy nasal tone between songs. It revealed a certain humanity, sincerity that made you think this guy really isn't trying to be some sort charicature. But he brought me back to reality when he announced that his album was dropping March 7. Fortunately, he didn't try to beat the crowd over the head with the release date.
And then, when the crowd was taking a second to catch its breath, he drove into another musical breakdown and started beatboxing. Slow at first, then driving the beat until it sounded like a spit-kicking windmill. Mixing tongue-twisting melodies with deep bass drops, you got the feeling that he might be talking in tongues to alien b-boys. It was that rad.
The rest of the night preceded and proceded almost mechanically. Gregory Isaacs followed up Matis' set with a worman-like set. Dressed in a shimmering burgundy silk suit, he was a good compliment to his openers eyebrow raising talents. Isaacs reminded everyone how sexy they could be, and how reggae should be.
All swaying hips and rudeboy coo', he exuded smoove, even if he looked like he could be a grade school principal if he dressed more conservatively. Watching Isaacs, you got an image of what reggae is, while Matis gave you a glimpse of what reggae is about to become.

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I Really Don't Hate The Game. Honest.

For some reason, folks on here have gotten the impression that I hate The Game (meaning the rapper, not the mythical reference rappers use to describe the music industry).
In all honesty, I have a tremendous amount of respect for Jeason Taylor, aka The Game, a Compton-born MC who was brought up by Dr. Dre and G-Unit before being kicked out of 50 Cent's posse and essentially black balled from the music industry.
The beef with 50 stemmed from several factors, most notably the impending release of 50's album "The Massacre" in early 2005. Game's CD had dropped about two months prior and, looking for a good marketing gimmic, 50 took aim at The Game after the west coast rapper refused to get involved in his boss' beef with rival MC's. Game was excommunicated from the group, 50's album went nearly five times platinum, and both rappers careers have gone in seeming opposite directions.
Which brings us to The Game's DVD release, "Stop Snitchin, Stop Lyin." Released almost a year to the date that his first LP, "The Documentary," this self-produced and distributed disc finds The Game hot on 50's trail, "From LA to Farmington, Conn." as Game mumbles in the intro.
The video is two-fold: provide true fans with a glimpse into The Game's personal life, including scenes filmed in his lush Beverly Hills sky-rise, footage of his trips to the East Coast, and even some on-the-scene shots of his arrest in North Carolina (which could possibly be used as evidence if he ever pursued a police brutality case against the arresting officers).
The other aim of the film is to discredit every member of 50's posse, which includes rappers Tony Yayo, Lloyd Banks, Young Buck, Ma$e, and R&B singer Olivia.
Game gets supposed ex-cons who did time with Yayo to mouth off on the rapper, claiming that he was a jailhouse recluse who was too scared to walk in general population. Lloyd Banks gets it in the form of a blurred image of a gay porn star who supposedly strikes an alarming resemblance to Banks (the porn star has since come forward to clear up the confusion).
Probably the funniest diss is aimed at Ma$e, a former r&b rapper turned preacher turned gangster rapper. At one point during his diatribe, Game wonders aloud about the seeming hypocracy of such extreme career turns before the screen states flatly "Ma$e is going to Hell," a sentiment plenty of hip-hop fans have shared over the past few years.
50 fares no better, as his name is tossed around in various court documents that suggest he was covorting with federal agents or police detectives. But Game uses lame re-enactments to illustrate those alleged documents, none of which come off as funny but more like they're reaching.
The film is a mess of quick cut documentary style footage mixed with interviews that reveal a somewhat reflective Game. But the true revelation comes in the form of "hip-hop police," which follow Game around during his travels.
Using superimposed arrows to point out his stalkers, Game runs into these police detectives, part of a New York precinct's undercover outfit that reportedly follows rap stars around to monitor their every move. Game machs these guys from the get, and at one point gets one of them to fess "Hey, I'm just doing my job." It's an eye opener that these guys not only exist, but are determined to shadow their prey.
As the film progresses, we get more and more shots of Game trying to find 50 Cent. He travels to his hometown of Queens, NY, as well as Harlem, and the images of hundreds of fans crowding him and one girl breaking down and crying at the sight of Game is pretty moving.
As his travels eventually lead to 50's gated mansion in Connecticut, the movie reminds me of a ghetto version of Roger and Me, Micheal Moore's documentary that followed his pursuit of Chrysler president Roger Smith. Where in that movie Moore is stopped short of a face to face with his prey at a public board meeting, Game shows up at 50's house and a hilarious encounter ensues.
Although the film is entertaining at times and revealing in others, it does reveal some of Game's weaknesses: at one point, his own CD image is blurred from the screen, proving that he does not have any control over his contractual situation at this point in his career (all images of Aftermath/G-Unit artists are blurred out due to copyright restrictions).
He also shares that he paid for his fourth video out of his own pocket, further proof that his record label is not supporting his commercial endeavors.
And although Game himself seems somewhat affable and open, he falls into the same rut as his predecessors, putting too much weight on image and profiling. The excessive shots of his fleet of cars, guns and money stacks are just too over the top to be taken seriously.
Nonetheless, for true fans, this is sure to be a good argument in his favor. Further proof that one should hate neither the player nor The Game.

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RIP: J-Dilla

Now that I've had a minute to catch my breath after a decidedly hectic week, I can focus some attention on a very sad moment in my life: the passing of hip-hop wonderkind Jay Dee, aka J-Dilla.
Jay Dee, born James Yancey in Detroit, was a quietly brilliant hip-hop producer/rapper who was almost completely ignored by mainstream hip-hop fans. His work was pretty groundbreaking, as far as hip-hop standards go, based on his production techniques and wicked ear for new and different sounds (once in an interview, he explained how he had stretched a rubberband across a turntable and used the sound of the record playing as a track sample).
He always stressed creativity and exploration in his music, and his body of work showcased that creative pursuit.
I originally learned of Dilla when he signed up to produce A Tribe Called Quest's last two records. He had teamed up with Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammed to form the production trio "The Ummah," which I think in swahali meant unity or brotherhood.
It was a significant union in the late 90s, because Tip and Ali were already established forces in hip-hop, and Dilla's inclusion signified a passing of the torch. Jay Dee was that dude.
Interestingly enough, his most famous commercial work book-ended most of his catalogue. He came on the scene as the main producer for The Pharcyde's second album, "Labcabincalifornia," orchestrating the singles "Drop" and "Runnin." Last year, he produced three tracks on Common's opus "Be," the songs "Love Is" and "It's Your World." He co-produced the single "Be," which was featured in a Team Jordan commercial featuring Carmelo Anthony and Terrell Owens.
But simply listing his career highlights and his creative approach isn't enough to encapsulate his work. Simply put, the brother changed the game. How so? Well, to me, the most obvious was in his ability to make true listeners of hip-hop music actually care about snare drums.
Yes, snare drums.
As his career began to define itself, Dilla began finding different ways to signify his production, but he did it in a subtle manner. One of those ways was in his use of snares, which, for a novice music listener, are the sharp drum tones that usually follow the deep bass kicks on most standard hip-hop songs (like boom-snare, boom-snare).
Dilla would make his snares sound so crisp, so sharp, that he became known for them. You could always tell a Dilla track by the clean sounding snare, which was similar to a whip-cracking. You had to listen closely, but the snare was in there on all of his tracks.
Other up and coming producers, from such big names as Pharrell Williams of The Neptunes to underground heroes like 9th Wonder of the group Little Brother, began to follow suit.
In fact, Williams once referred to Dilla as his favorite producer when asked on an episode of BET's teeny-bopper countdown show "106 & Park." Show hostess Free looked at him in bewilderment, asking "Is he someone new." Williams, a closet undergound hip-hop fan, just laughed and explained that Dilla was one of the best around.
But that moment pretty much summed up Dilla's legacy : beloved by his fellow hip-hop contemporaries, but pretty much unheard of to the general public. But that's okay, because true fans will remember Jay Dee as one of the GOATs, one of the Greatest of All Time.
And though this is overall a happy period in my life, I can't help but feel a sense of loss that such a brilliant musician has left the hip-hop universe too soon. RIP James Yancey. Hopefully, the rest of the world will come to know how dope you were.

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AT&T Tournament Coverage: Days 3 & 4

I was way, way, waayy too tired to try and blog something on Friday night (literally went to bed as soon as I got home). But a lot went down, so this entry comes in two parts, Friday and Saturday (it's long, so bear with me).

Friday, Feb. 10

The day started off pretty good. They were serving steak and potatoes in the media tent, so I loaded up. I was bummed because I had meant to bring some tupperware and ziplock bags for extras (hey, it's a gourmet spread, for crying out loud).
I got to Spyglass Hill and the fog was thick, the wind was cold. I was squatting on the first hole with a Herald sports writer and a local boxing promoter, waiting for George Lopez. My assignment was to follow him for the day (yes, I'm a professional stalker, get over it).
As I'm standing there waiting for Lopez, Bill Murray rolled through, wearing a hat that looked like a bonnet. As he walked through the gallery and we caught eyes. Then, in what will go down as one my coolest moments as a professional writer, he pointed at me and gave me a quick head nod, as if to say "Nice story, kid." I nodded back. It was awesome.
Lopez rolled up about 20 minutes later. He put on a neon-orange fleece that his caddy had bought on the spot at the pro-shop. He asked the crowd "Does this make me look gay?" More than one person nodded an affirmative.
Lopez was paired up with Andy Garcia, in what I'm assuming was the event organizers attempt to corral all of the Latino entertainers and spectators into one group (it was probably easier to keep an eye on all of us that way).
Despite being almost completely silent for the whole day, Garcia was pretty damn cool. He reminded me a little bit of Ricky Ricardo, minus the bongos and the black suits and the loud-mouthed red-head. But boy did he stink it up on the course.
On the sixth hole, Garcia knocked a shot that banked off a tree and lined straight at some girl's purse. Later on, he hit a tee shot about 100 feet, a look of disgust on his face that cut through the thick fog like a prison shank. Celebrities are no fun to watch when their game is sucky.
Lopez was having a tough time on the course too, but he still managed to have some fun. At one point, he hit the ball a good 200 yards, a real solid shot.
"I think some caca came out on that one," he joked.
Later, after shanking a drive on the 9th hole, he casually strolled down the course and signed an autograph for a fan.
"You know you're cool when you can hit a shot like that and still sign an autograph," he said to me, giving me a pat on the back.
I like Lopez, and had a fun time talking to him and watching him play. You can read all about the good stuff here.
Toward the end of the day, I went over to introduce myself to his wife. She was a beautiful Latina with auburn hair and light brown features. I told her I was a writer for The Herald and I was doing a story on her husband. This set off a red flag really quick.
"Who was the guy who did the story about my husband and Bill Murray having beef?" she asked me with a serious look on her face.
I bluffed and said that it was a sports writer whom I didn't have much contact with, even though I knew it was a good friend of mine. The story raised the question of why Murray and Lopez hadn't had more interaction with one another during the tournament. Was there funk between the two?
Lopez had explained to me prior that there was some static, but the two were "starting to talk." I played it off with Mrs. Lopez that everything was cool, but she insisted on making her point.
Finally, George told her to calm down. "There is no beef," he said.
"Yeah, but that's a bunch of bull****" she said, as I got a little more nervous.
"Well, everything in the paper is bull****" he said, and we all laughed (although mine was a tad bit nervous).
Still, the situation haunted me on the drive home. I told my editor about the exchange, and we both agreed it was best to leave it alone. I'm only blogging it now to have some personal record of the incident. I hope The Lopez family doesn't catch wind of this blog (then again, there's probably nothing they can do about at this point).

Day 4: Saturday, Feb. 11

My assignment is to talk to fans and find out who they are there to see, which means I'm not on stalker duty today. I am free to roam around Pebble Beach and be with the people.
This allows me to rock some tunes and catch some serious vibes. Here is my Pebble Beach Day 4 iPod playlist:

On the Ride up - Kanye West, "Diamonds From Sierra Leone": This song was appropriate for the ride up. Knocking hard through my whip's stock speakers, security guards and old ladies heads turn at the loud noise. A song about the blood diamond trade in Sierra Leone, Africa should put all of these richer than rich folks on alert that a righteous homeboy has arrived at their country club party, and he ain't playin' games!

On the first hole - Rage Against the Machine, "Down Rodeo": The original lyric goes "So now I'm rollin' down Rodeo with a Shotgun/These people ain't seen a brown skin man since their grandparents bought one." I switch it up to fit my needs: "So now I'm rollin down Pebble on a quote-look/these people ain't seen a brown skin kid with a press pass and a notebook."

On the Fourth hole - Dre Dre, "The Day the N****z took over": Now I'm starting to feel it. Nothing like some fight music to get me all riled up. I swear, if one of these rich folks looks at me funny, I'mma go off on them... I need to calm down though. If I'm not careful, I could end up as a classic case of "When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong."

On the Ninth Hole - Notorious B.I.G., "Mo Money, Mo Problems": Now, this is just perfect timing. No matter how good I think these rich folks have it, I remember that one line "It's like the more money we come up on/ The more problems we see." Big up to Bed Stuy.

On the 17th Hole - Al Green, "Tired of Being Alone": This one is more of a cool down song, as I head to the 18th and final hole. I think about my new fiance and how I wish she was here with me to see how nice Pebble Beach really is. She doesn't quite grasp my assignment or what the tourney is all about, so she trips out when I give her the rundown. This one's definitely for her.

In the Media Tent after the tourney - Talib Kweli, "Get By": As I sip on my coffee and eat my peanut butter cookie after a long day, Kweli helps me get my head straight. It's hard to get by when you're on assignment in a foreign territory. Good music, and peanut butter cookies, help put it all inperspective.

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On Location at the AT&T: Round 1

On location at the AT& T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Tournament this week. It's my special assignment, as I'm the color guy for our newsroom coverage (which basically means I'll be doing the light-hearted, "fun" pieces, as opposed to the hard-hitting "coverage" that sports is handling).

Basically, the tournament is a chance for celebrities to show just how much they suck at golf. I mean, I know Bill Murray sank a 90-foot eagle on a wedge today, and Carson Daly is a former amateur champ, but I'm pretty sure I can take Kenny G on the links - and I've never golfed a round in my life (Tiger Woods 2005 Challenge on PS2 doesn't count, right?).

But the tourney is a chance to do some celebrity gawking, and I'm not one to pass up a chance to mix it up with the likes of James Woods, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Wahlberg, Justin Timberlake and George Lopez. Here's the lowlights from my first day on assignment:

- Got to huddle up with George Lopez, who explained why he doesn't do shows in Salinas anymore. "There's too many girls popping gum," he said. "I went there last time and there were one hundred girls popping gum at once."

- Justin Timberlake revealed the subtext for his role in the film "Alpha Dog," which debuted at Sundance a short while ago. "It's kind of complicated... I play a gang member."
Yeah, I know. I laughed too.
But he's gotten some good reviews, and lord knows there's nothing tougher than a skinny whiteboy from The Mickey Mouse Club (do mouse ears count as gang paraphenelia?).

- Two foxy blondes kept walking back and forth on the links, drawing stares from guys and girls in the gallery. I later learned that one of them was Dennis Quaid's fiancee. Who knew "The Rookie" was a veteran mack!

- Standing on the greens near the second hole, Bill Murray kept staring at me out of the corner of his eye, but didn't utter one word. My barrio-senses started tingling, and I swore he was mad dogging me. I didn't flinch, giving him the standard East Salas "Whatupvato" head nod, just like I was taught. He looked away right-quick.

- George Lopez got into a pretty rough exchange with the announcer guy. At one point, announcer guy said "I studied Mexican in College, and I still don't understand you." Lopez retorted with "It's always the old white guys who talk the most s***." Lopez won.

- I was kicked off the green before I got a chance to hit up Mark Wahlberg. I am so pissed I didn't get to tell him "It's because of YOU that fools will call me Marky Mark for the The Rest of My Life! Do you know how much that sucks... But I love Entourage. Turtle is the s***" (and Four Brothers wasn't bad either).

- Another missed opportunity: I wanted to ask Sam Jackson to point at all of the rich, snooty folks and yell "Yes they deserve to die, and I hope they burn in hell!" I bet folks would have been scared out of their cardigan sweaters.

- Poor Kenny G. He went through the whole day almost unnoticed (even Huey Lewis was getting more love from the local press). And his Sideshow Bob hairstyle looked uncomfortably hot in the baking sun. He needs to get a fade.

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