Friday, August 6, 2010

Just posted a clip on youtube from me and Sir Lazenby's performance at Asociacion Hogar Niños por un Nuevo Planeta, a home for sexually abused children in Bogota, Colombia. Most meaningful show I've ever done.... Ive always had a passion for children, so doing this for them was really like a dream come true for me. To these kids, I was a superstar, a rich celebrity, a rapper from the United States with expensive sunglasses, literally the sickest Nikes they had ever seen, and a blackberry phone hahaha. They didn't speak a lick of english, but they danced to every track and mimicked my hooks the best they could so they could sing along. After my set, Me and Lazenby signed autographs for the kids on torn up notebook paper with pencils and crayons. You could tell it just made their world. One of the kids asked me to show him what kind of phone I had, so I pulled out my berry 9700, and they all went "OOOHHHH!" It was surreal. Be thankful for the life you have. Anyway, check the clip out. We have professional video from it as well, but this was just a little clip my boy Marlowe recorded on my flip cam.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41c4YJMGcgI (i suggest HD)

Feel free to check out the organization's website for more info (pero es en español, no inglés jajaja....)
http://www.ninosporunnuevoplaneta.com/

Once again, HUGE thanks to Brandon Fokken, the Fokken family, and Dad Lazenby. Best summer ever

PEACE

Labels: Brandon Fokken, Colombia, Dad Lazenby, Sir Lazenby

12:30 PM 0 comments

Monday, August 2, 2010

Most of yall know Im finally back in America. I dont quite know yet how my 34 days in Colombia has changed/affected me or WILL change/affect me, but I do know it was definitely life altering. Im eager to see how the experience reflects in my new songs and even my outlook on life. Im still in Houston with Lazenby and Grady, and SO ready to get back in the studio in another day or so.


Heres my final thoughts on the trip:

1) I LOVE AMERICA. Ive never felt so patriotic. I finally understand the benefits of being an American, no matter where I travel to. I am so fortunate. I grew up in LUXURY compared to some of the places I visited in Colombia.

2) Everyone needs to visit another country. Its culture shock. Its just important to see. It helps to put things in perspective. America is ONE country in the world. Theres so much left to see and experience that is culturally, politically, and socially just DIFFERENT. And that difference has helped to expand the way I think about the world and my place in it. If you've traveled outside the country a bunch then this isnt for u. But i know tons of ppl who never have and hate to say some that probably never will.

3) I have to be huge WORLDWIDE. Every plane i get off, no matter the country, i need to be recognized. Lets just be real. I still remember back in 2006 when my goal was to take over Belmont University. Then 2008 it was Nashville. Then the South. Fast forward to 2010 and its the WORLD. Hearing Black Eyed Peas playing in a club in the middle of an INDIGENOUS VILLAGE was absolutely mind blowing. I bet Will.I.Am and the crew dont even know theyve reached such an obscure, unknown place. Hell, they probably do. But yall know what Im sayin. With all our differences, it was easiest to relate to many Colombians just from music. I love my calling as an artist, and I am without a doubt taking it as far as God allows.

4) I am too blessed. It still hasnt set it all that I've done in Colombia and I dont know when it will, but the opportunity was once in a lifetime. BIG thank you to Brandon Fokken and the family, Dad Lazenby, and Grady and Robb bein the perfect friends for me to share the experience with. Real talk, me and the crew grew some BALLS on this trip hahahaha thats the only way to say it! This wasnt LA, it wasnt Vegas, ATL, or NY... it was freakin COLOMBIA.....

In closing, all i have left to say is just get ready.

PEACE

Labels: Brandon Fokken, Colombia, Dad Lazenby, Grady Woodruff, Sir Lazenby

10:21 AM 0 comments

Friday, July 16, 2010

YO! Its been a minute, but im finally back in Bogota after a week in the Amazon fighting off mosquitos, screaming at tarantulas, and REFUSING to go sleep in the jungle with Robb, Grady, and the film crew (i am NOT kidding, i was not about to go with them lol). Anyway, check out my new photo album on facebook. Heres the link:

http://bit.ly/crn85W

And heres a few photos from the album







Next stop is the beach in Gorgona!!! Flight leaves tomorrow. We fly back to Houston in 11 or so days. Im so ready to come back to the US and i miss home!

PEACE

Labels: Amazon, Colombia, Gorgona, Grady Woodruff, Sir Lazenby

3:17 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

YO! Im back to blogging again finally. I been doin it BIG with Lazenby and Grady here in Colombia. So far we've been to Manizales, Ibague, Los Nevados National Park, and now we're back in Bogota, our home base basically. With the exception of Los Nevados (how many days can u REALLY stand to be in the mountains??) everything else has been CRAZY! I LOVE COLOMBIA! Everyone thats been here told me i would, and its just undeniable. The landscape is gorgeous. Ive seen everything from snow cap mountains in the Andes, to partyin at local clubs more poppin than ANY parties in the US! These people know how to paaaarrrtttaaayyy. Hell, yesterday was a holiday and they closed off the main streets for people to ride bikes, jog, and rollerskate... WHHAAATTT?? DOPENESS!! Just the cultural differences are enough to make me appreciate the heck out of this country.

Me and Lazenby balled out at the Adidas store here in Bogota yesterday cuz apparently Adidas is the STUFF here. So u already know we gotta stunt everywhere we go, South America being no exception at all haha. And after looking like CRAP in the mountains for four days without internet and ties to CIVILIZATION, it was time to get back on it. We copped some eexxxtrraa dope jackets that just adds to the list of reason why we turning heads here lol. FRRREEESSHHH

ANYWAY, for the friends, fans, and haters, Im writing more than ever, thinking more than ever, grinding harder than ever. Me and the whole fam. Lazenby and Grady too. This was exactly what we needed this summer. And i cant wait for everyone, including myself, to see how this experience is reflected in our next project and future endeavors.

More importantly is the connections we are all making in the country. Since Dad Lazenby and Brandon Fokken are so well connected here, we are definitely taking advantage of this to the fullest. Also Ive gained more of a WORLD mentality... meaning just thinking outside the box, outside just america. This bein my first time out the country, Im just now seeing first hand the differences and similarities in tastes in music, fashion, etc. Its interesting to listen to what from America is huge here, what artists ppl know, what brands and labels are the most popular. Like Adidas! I cant stand Adidas! but after being here and seeing the EXCLUSIVES that they prolly only sell outside of America for the most part, it really gave me a new found respect for it. The Nike store SUCKED lolol. Oh and the Black Eyed Peas (of course), Eminem, and 50 Cent are all big here. Alotta ppl i talked to didnt even know Kanye West lol. INTERESTING. Point? Forget JUST America, me Lazenby and Grady goin GLOBAL, baby. This was all i needed to see to get me to think even BIGGER

Being here is also making me grateful for my life. Ive seen alot of poverty. I keep forgetting its a third world country. Alot of times we are in nicer areas or downtown or secluded from areas of extreme poverty, but its hard to miss. From volunteering at a foster home with kids last week to seeing poor street vendors hustling is just crazy. Ive been so fortunate. My entire family has been.

I gotta get outta here tho, we goin to the Amazon in a few days so hopefully thats when Ill get some time to upload more pics and vids. I got a ton. Shout out to my nigga Flip HD!! LOL miss all my ppl back in the US. My family, my baby Henna, and all my people! Holla at yall later

PEACE

Labels: Colombia, Dad Lazenby, Grady Woodruff, Sir Lazenby

1:44 PM 0 comments

Monday, April 19, 2010

As Grady, Sir Lazenby, and I prepare to spend the bulk of the summer traveling around Colombia, I've been doin a lot of research on the country, some of the slang, and the culture. Last Friday we listened to a few Colombian artists we'd never heard of. None of us can even IMAGINE the type of music we are gonna make when we're there. The fact that im actually gonna be in Colombia hasnt actually hit me yet, and I dont think it will til I start packing... or maybe on the airplane... or maybe not even til im there! Lol who knows. However I DO know that this is gonna change our lives dramatically. Ive never been out of the country, not to mention I've never written original music for advertisements, documentaries, films or anything. And I'm doin all of that plus more. So please believe i am on a permanent high on level TEEEEENNNN. I been tryna polish up my Spanish and everything! Ya boi gon be COLD with my Spanish by the time i get back! hahaha

When we were listening to Colombian music on YouTube, we came across a fairly popular rap group from Colombia called ChocQuibTown that all of us really enjoy. They kinda remind me of a Colombian Fugees haha. Hopefully we'll get the chance to work with them. I love their song "Somos Pacifico" and the video is sick. Check it out



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reB4YLs-49U

PEACE

Labels: ChocQuibTown, Colombia

12:04 PM 0 comments