Posts: 37

1. The Final Recap - my life as a Roc Boy...

   28.Oct.08, 09:27 EDT
   
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   About 8 months ago I joined a very short list of DJ's who have backed up Jay-z as a member of the Roc Boy Band. Included in this group is myself, DJ Green Lantern,

   

   Producer extraordinaire Just Blaze, and now DJ AM, who just came back from recovering from a very tragic event. He held it down lovely, and and is one of the representives of a prestigious group of individuals who can say they rocked with the best. I've gotten to do things I never even dreamed of while backing up Jay around the world. When the time comes, I'm sure I'll look back on this time as some of the greatest experiences of my career and life. In the aftermath of the touring, the Neil Armstrong brand has been brought to that next level, and I've been blessed with even crazier opportunities. I got to be in beijing during the olympics to DJ for Adidas (where I met Alfonso ribero aka Carlton Banks), I got to return to Nigeria solo to do my thing for the heads, and filled my passport up with stamps of other countries to the brim. Can't Stop won't stop. Now, my task is pretty simple. Keep on building, get back to what got me to the point I'm at in the 1st place - Making fine gourmet mixtapes for your ears. Figure out how to make it so that I don't have to be djing a club when I'm 40 - unless I choose to be there. And although the career stuff has been mostly sunshine lollipops, some have wondered if all the change has been good - or rather, they wonder if I've changed - in a bad way. Well, I'll tell you a quick story. After rocking Madison Square, the band and crew were invited to go out to the 40/40 club to celebrate with Jay. They wanted us to jet right after changing and head to the spot. Before I did that though, I made sure to break bread with these guys .

   

   These are my crewmates - the 5th Platoon DJ's, who I started DJing in my mother's basement with for fun. You see, I'll never forget where I came from. And as far as changing goes - I'm going to have to take a quote from one of the songs we got to perform every night with Jay - PSA...

   No matter where you go, you are what you are player And you can try to change but that's just the top layer Man, you was who you was 'fore you got here

   And when Jay needs me to do my thing for him again, You know I'll be there with my records in hand. Now here below , is my TOP 5 list of experiences as A member of the Roc Boys... 5. Getting to Perform BIG Pimpin with Bun B in Houston. I had to make a special version of the song for them to rock over. And of course, getting to perform the Pimp C verse - R.I.P - with the crowd. Peep it here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhUZpnr9hmc 4. Performing with Kanye West. Right now the argument is wayne, West, or Jay. When we were in manchester Kanye came out just to let Jay hear the new beats . One of them became Jockin Jay-z about 3 weeks later when they performed it in madison Square Garden. I was one of the few privy to the first listening session. Peep the performance here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQuSdTGTaSk 3. Being on David Letterman, performing can't knock the Hustle. Yeah, I'ma get on this TV mama. - Peep it - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne_EtWQga2o 2. Performing at the GlastonBury Festival in England. Somewhere between 100,000 to 140,000 people were in attendance for Jay's performance. It's literally a sea of people as far as your eyes can see from the stage.I put this as number 2 on my list, but I think when I look back it will probably be the single most memorable performance of my life. This youtube video doesn't do it justice - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_T_tVtcxRM 1. Performing at Madison Square Garden. If you said I was living a dream, then you would be wrong. It wasn't my dream anyway. BUT, this one thing here, to be able to perform in my hometown at Madison Square - that was one of my dreams that I've often thought about throughout my life as a DJ. I just never figured out how it would happen. It did, and thats one of the things I can cross off my list. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T2wK3Hp3gc Jay has called the 2008 world tour the Greatest Run of his life. And I was fortunate enough to be part of that.

   

   Til the next time. In the meantime, get your ears ready...

2. 

   The last show of the world tour in Pemberton B.C. Canada

   16.Oct.08, 18:39 EDT
   
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   Ahhh, the last day of the tour... actually, we sort of have one more gig out in Washington DC with the same promoter that brought us out to Nigeria - but technically it doesn't count. We finished off a long hot summer out in the western hemisphere - in Pemberton BC Canada, about 3 hours from Vancouver. We stayed in a place called Whistler - you snowboarding enthusiasts may have been there before... .Its just as dope in the summer. We ended up renting some bikes, enjoying the scenery etc etc. Click here for some imagery. A great way to end what Jay-z called the greatest run of his life. We even got to play on the same stage as ColdPlay. Crazy. By the end of the night, we were chillin at the hotel bar with Chris Martin and the rest of the coldplay dudes and Jay-z. A VERY strange scene coming from a dude who is used to seeing those 2 worlds seperate. But this is a new day, Jay-z is part of the pop culture unconscious now, and I got to back him up for 6 months... By the way - Canadian girls are the craziest. One of them got naked when we played crazy in love. oh mylanta. Peep out the video for some real dope footage.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iY_7nIf-LCU

3. Hazing the roc Boys - july 30 entry...

   16.Oct.08, 09:46 EDT
   
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   So after a LOOOONG Summer of running around europe (and Africa!) on planes, boats, buses, horse and carriage - we finally arrived at ABERDEEN, United Kingdom to do our Last show of the European Leg of the 2008 Jay-z World TOur. Jay-'z made sure to come have a toast with us after the show was done to show his appreciation for what he calls The greatest run of his life , and definitely a tour where we broke boundries for a Hip Hop artist. Afterwards, the rest of the roc boys got together and the ORIGINAL Roc Boys initiated the newbees with a little bit of Hazing.... IT was a great run, definitely got to do things that I will be with me for the rest of my life, and it was cool to have been able to share it with Jay-z and the rest of the roc boys.... Peep the video to see how we do - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7W3uV-wcVw

4. 

   Backin up Memphis Bleek

   15.Oct.08, 21:44 EDT
   
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   So people sleep on my dude Memphis Bleek. He grinds like a mofo, believe me. On this run he picked up some solo joints out in cardiff , glasgow and aberdeen. He recruited yours truly to back him up. Peep the video to see how he do on the international level, from BK to the UK .... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LlTolCAmW8

5. 

   Mark Ronson Becomes a Roc Boy - july 28

   15.Oct.08, 12:45 EDT
   
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   So we have been Rocking alongside Mark Ronson For the last batch of UK gigs, and for the gig out in Manchester, he ended up Playing PSA with us. Mark is a standup dude, and here is the story of how it came to be, told by yours truly... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4My4i4hYN1Y ANd below , is footage from the actual performance...

6. 

   Losing weight on the beaches of ENGLAND??! - YES, ENGLAND - july 25...

   15.Oct.08, 12:30 EDT
   
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   In a time which seem ages ago, I used to be a runner. LIke a madman runner - and I used to run marathons - 26.2 miles, run 50 miles a week that sort of thing. And there is no better way to see the sites then to just run around the town you are in, especially if the place has a beach. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT, that the UK would have a really dope one. We were in the southern coastal town of bournmouth for the last leg of the tour. I got some good running in and got a bit of sun to cap off the crazy summer touring europe. I got injured a while ago, an unfortunate persistent injury in my peronial tendon. So compared to 5 years ago, I've chunked up a bit. But now, I'm coming back home with the body of a tight teenage schoolboy. YA DANG RIGHT. Peep the video to see what I got to see while I was getting my forest gump on... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he8Yv4EhRZc NOTE: I did lose a bit of weight - but have gained it all back from sitting around playing guitar hero all day...

7. 

   The smallness of the world - july 24th entry

   15.Oct.08, 12:08 EDT
   
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   The trip to Nigeria proved to be one of the more memorable events of the tour - riding in a private jet , being on stage solo with Jay and Memphis Bleek. But the craziest thing from that trip was meeting my homegirl Laura Checkoway in the lobby of our hotel ....

   

   Now Laura is a writer, a rather successful one, who among other things was a editor at vibe magazine... If you pick up the new fader mag she did an article in it about lucky torres.... I haven't seen Laura in years. At least 5 or 6. And in the midst of finishing up a meeting with Jay about what we were going to do without the band, she runs up on me. Suffice to say, I was thoroughly confused ;) As we chit chat, she realizes that I now am backing up Jay and she is of course there to cover the event. She also tells me that she remembers how years ago, maybe even like 10 years ago, I had helped her in a school project. She had interviewed me about DJing and turntablism and Hip Hop. And years later, we find ourselves in Abuja Nigeria, having successful careers from things that we had done before for fun or to just get a grade. Now that my friends, is how crazy hip hop is and what it means to me. It's been my life, and has guided me to the place I'm in now. I'm pretty sure laura feels the same way...

8. 

   PRIVATE PLANES, Trains & Automobiles to Nigeria... july 23 entry

   14.Oct.08, 15:36 EDT
   
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   After a nice 3 day break in paris after hitting 5 shows in a row, we headed on down to Abuja Nigeria for the "This Day Festival". TO get their we first had to head down to the south of France by train to Marseille, where we took a car to the airport to jump on a PRIVATE JET with Jay down to Nigeria. Yeah, some Entourage type s*t. Complete with beautiful stewardesses and the ability to use electronics WHILE taking off. IT was like THAT. Suffice to say, after showing you the clip, its going to be hard for me to convince you that what I do is hard work... But ya know, hard work has its perks is my only argument ;) When we finally hit Abuja for the show the next day, there were issues with the bands equipment. So in true hip hop fashion, the show went from a 9 piece band, to 2 MC's and a DJ. IT was bleek, Jay-z and your's truly on the 1's and 2's. Old School. Peep out the video here - watch it in high quality for the full effect - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9bZtYLQH5M Nigeria was DOPE.

9. 

   interviewing the www.rapnews.fr - july 22nd entry...

   11.Oct.08, 09:46 EDT
   
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   So the Fine folk at the website www.rapnews.fr came thru to the favela chic party to interview me, BUT being the slick person that I am, I flipped it around and put the camera on them. Here is a quick and unfortunately low lit glance at the people behind one of France's FINEST hip hop websites - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTkEWeErIVA AND of course - Peep out the interview , which is pretty extensive and uses a lot of existing footage right HERE. or skip the french text and go directly to the videotape below

10. 

    Favela Chic with Uncle T.... july 22 st entry

    10.Oct.08, 21:42 EDT
    
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    So during the day I linked up with my man uncle T, as shown in the previous blog. A really cool all around chap, he invited me to throw down for the FIRST TIME in PARIS at a party he does at a spot called Favela Chic. While we were there I linked up with some good peoples at a website called www.rapnews.fr. They proceeded to cover the event, and subsequently did an interview with me which I'll post up in the next blog. Peep the video blog for the favela chic party. Real Hip Hop exists still y'all. People still dance at parties y'all. Please stop standing around staring at each others sneakers y'all. Peep how the parisians get down over here at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daGuwWY5xxI for high quality goodness....

11. Vive le Paris! A well needed day of chillin...

    06.Oct.08, 11:35 EDT
    
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    In paris we had a well needed 3 days off after hitting 5 in a row. I've been to Paris numerous times before, especially in my days rocking with Russell Gunn and Ethnomusicology, so I wasn't too excited about running around at first. BUT, thru a mutual friend Lolo Cohen , a parisian to NY transplant, I ended up hanging out and chilin with some new folk, DJ Uncle T, and Arthur King. For those who don't know, the did a bunch of mixtapes, among them this one below - If you haven't heard it , click HERE, to download, go to www.turntablelab.com to support it if ya enjoy it!!! UNCLE T, was a real cool cat, and brought me around Paris, to do as the locals do... We did some site seeing, hit the record spots and the sneaker spots. Thats the one big thing that I'll appreciate about hip hop the most. We are complete strangers, different cultures, different languages... but thru THE MUSIC we find a common bond that makes us like longtime friends. Thats that sh*t right there... On top of everything, he asked me if I would like to through down at his party at this famous spot called Favela CHic ... and of course the chance to rock for Paris is something I wouldn't turn down... Stay tuned for that.... Peep the video here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=posheZArYqQ

12. 

    Turntablism lives on in Denmark - with DJ Noize and DJ Static

    18.Jul.08, 21:13 EDT
    
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    A Time long long ago, I used to spend my days chilin with my crew The 5th Platoon, practicing skills all day long - peep this video from back in the day - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqLaJkE24nM - yeah, thats me in a doo rag... It seems like a lifetime ago, as the landscape of DJing has changed and the hey days of the turntablist movement are long gone in the States. To my suprise I ran into some old friends of mine, who were opening up for non other than my boss JAY-Z. DJ Noize and Static are 2 of my turntablist brethren FROM DENMARK, who still are able to subsist rocking crowds turntablist style, something pretty much unheard of stateside. But just like a lot of music, Europeans just have a tendency to appreciate things of quality a lot more. The crazy thing is I haven't seen these fellows in quite some time. Static I haven't seen since 1997, and Noise I haven't seen in a good 8 years I would say. How time flies.... Peep the video as I do a little interview to introduce y'all who aren't up on them - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iokaxtiBQU Runnin into old friends is always a trip, and one of the things that are most memorable about trips such as this one - And getting to watch them perform reminded me of why I got into this whole DJ thing in the 1st place.... Peep out how they warm up the crowd for jay . BY THE WAY - DENMARK HAS BY FAR - the dopest Hip Hop fans out there - They know all the words, they move in time - and they braved the rain just to get their fix of hip hop... Peep Static and Noize rock it , on 4 turntables, 2 of DENMARK's FINEST! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR89WAQ1fP0

13. 

    Purple Rain in Denmark

    17.Jul.08, 20:55 EDT
    
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    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBsKVCa3gc8 - watch it in high quality clickin here... From poland, we took a flight over to Copenhagen Denmark and then drove out to a place called Roskilde to join the Roskilde Festival This was the LAST day of the 4 day festival which encompassed all types of music - Radiohead, Judas Priest, My bloody Valentine, Neil Young, THe Chemical Brothers,and SLAYER - to name a few. On this final day, Jay-z and the roc boys took center stage - and by this time, the crowd was pretty freakin crazy. Among other things I would end up seeing - A group of folk doing a drunken ring around the rosy - with the end result being one of the girls in the group droppin her pantalones in the middle of the circle and a guy holding her up, while she peeed on the floor. Oh you crazy europeans ;) One of the other things that happened was our 1st HIT OF RAIIIN. Now usually , these festivals are mudfests , and the jay's production warned us that it would be a wet affair. Luckily we were 2 weeks into it and didn't really get any stormy clouds. BUT for this gig we did, and as an homage to the rain, jay-z had the ROC BOYS perform PRINCE's PURPLE RAIN. An instrumental version of course. Tooo bad I couldn't find a Youtube clip!!! Peep the video for that denmark festival feel....

14. 

    Meeting Interpol

    16.Jul.08, 20:39 EDT
    
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    above - Daniel Kessler - guitarist for interpol above - Sam Fogarino - drummer for interpol In poland, we got to rock alongside the group interpol. I put their song "OBSTACLE" on my mixtape Extraordinary a while back. Last september I had a chance to go watch them rock MSG, but i didn't get to go. Low and behold, not only did I get to see them perform in Poland, I got to meet them. By far a cool bunch of dudes. Pictured above are dan kessler and Sam Fogarino. When we ran into each other in Vancouver on the last date of our world tour, they took they're time to come out to say whats up to me, not the usual behavior of the level of rock stardom these guys represent. If you guys aren't up on interpol yet, come on y'all get with the program... you guys can start with extraordinary ;) - click HERE to download it for free. Here is pieces of their performance from the open'ar festival - check out the dude who has a crowd surfing incident gone wrong ;) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX7RUiX1nqE - watch it in high quality!

15. 

    The Heineken Open'er Festival...

    15.Jul.08, 13:46 EDT
    
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    Hit Number 3 of 5 . After going for a run at the fly ass beach in poland, we went to work. This was an interesting festival - and we rocked alongside Interpol, and EriKa Badu. That was the cool thing about this tour. THe shear diversity of the music. Jay-z is one of the few HIP HOP artists that can do that. As big as little wayne is right now for example, I dont know if he would get the same love from a crowd that interpol or slayer could rock, he is the de facto hip hop artist and his fanbase is niche... But Jay proved it at glastonbury , that his reach is way beyond just hip hop now... Peep the video blog, as more festival Hijinx ensues.

16. 

    Drinks with umbrellas and sandy beaches in ..... POLANNNND???

    14.Jul.08, 21:45 EDT
    
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    You see this picture above. THat is poland. YES. Poland. Click on it for more views of fun in the sun.
    
    I think my education about this eastern block country has severly been skewed, thru systematic ignorant pollack jokes & the imprinted image of the women in this country all looking like this -
    
    
    
    As a matter of fact - they look like this -
    
    and they got cars like this -
    
    
    
    We stayed right by the beach, and after hittin the stage with Jay at the open air festival, and then I ran back to the beach, to rock a party at this spot right ON the beach. It's closer to miami out here. If y'all need a spot to vacation, this would definitely be it.
    
    Go get a late pass...

17. 

    BEHIND THE STAGE IN BELGIUM & THE ROCK WERCHTER FESTIVAL

    11.Jul.08, 21:26 EDT
    
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    Belgium was stop number 2 of 5 countries / shows in a row.
    
    We did a festival called the Rock Werchter, a four day festival, and while you guys were back home celebrating our independence, we were rocking alongside Large arena powerhouses like SLAYER .
    
    Thats right - Death metal, and hip hop coexisting like waffles and cocaine.
    
    In this video blog , I bring y'all backstage to see some of the cool perks we have while on tour, and I also bring you guys out to the festival grounds where we do some funny fan interaction and meet a lot of cool locals AND non locals...
    
    Peep and enjoy, on to the next town for myself.... POLAND, Here I COME!

18. 

    RIch MEDINA X Neil Armstrong in merry ole england...

    10.Jul.08, 21:40 EDT
    
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    By Sheer coincedence, the night I got into London , it turned out that Rich Medina was in town doing his thing for a party called deviation, run by DJ Benji B who has a radio show of the same name on BBC.
    
    Rich and I have crossed paths a couple of times, most notably for our peoples at undrcrwn when the tapped us for their Lookbook - http://www.highsnobiety.com/features/undr_crwn_holiday07/index.htm , along with DJ Green Lantern, King Britt, and Prince Paul. We were dubbed the starting 5...
    
    FUnny thing is, me and Rich , although east coast heads to the fullest, never EVER run into each other when we at home, its always some place where we least expect it.
    
    So I decided to suprise homey at the spot and we ended up having a little interview to see how things have changed for the both of us in the 08.
    
    As a funny side story - I had gotten to the party really late, and they werent going to let us in, BUT the girl at the door said - ..... HEY, I know you - Your VASHTIE's FRIEND, come right on IN!!. Yes, fellow blogger vashtie - looks like she's NOT just NY s IT girl, she's on some world wide shit!!!
    
    

19. 

    Roc BOYS invade Wimbledon ...

    09.Jul.08, 21:32 EDT
    
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    Now, I've been to london a decent number of times before, so it wasn't one of those destinations was super amped to get too - on that , " been there , done that" type of attitude. BUT, my fellow roc boy Matt Cappy was able to score some tickets to wimbledon, and THAT was something that I had never done before, so I thought I would tag along just for the experience.
    
    Now mind you, I am not a sports fanatic, I dont know jack about the sport, and for the most part, any game where projectiles get hurled at my grill piece don't appeal to me, I'm your standard "extreme sports - BMX, Skateboarding, Zip lining, Base jumpin" type of dude.
    
    Cappy on the other hand was a seasoned fan, so while he was beaming, I was hate hate hatin!
    
    One thing I did learn, which is really important to my personal life - I learned that A DEUCE, is NOT a woman who weighs 200 pounds when it is used for Tennis. I am now a gentleman, and a scholar.THink you better recognize.
    
    Peep the video blog below....
    
    

20. 

    5 SHOWS IN A ROW....

    08.Jul.08, 10:35 EDT
    
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    Peep the schedule:
    
    Thursday, July 03, 2008 London UK Wireless Festival (H)
    Friday, July 04, 2008 Werchter Belgium Rock Werchter
    Saturday, July 05, 2008 Gdynia Poland Heineken Open Air (H)
    Sunday, July 06, 2008 Roskilde Denmark Roskilde Festival (H)
    Monday, July 07, 2008 Paris France Zenith
    
    That's right - 5 days, 5 countries, 5 shows.
    
    PLUS - I will be doing an afterparty in Poland too.
    
    This is what seperates the men from the boys.