October 30, 2010

PATIENCE AND A 35MM

A lot of things have been happening in my life that have really been testing my patience. Some situations I can control, and some I can't. It's how you deal with these situations that build you up and help you become a stronger person. I could have just sat back and complained about everything going wrong, but I got up and did something about it instead. Keeping a positive outlook on life is not always easy, but the fact that you are sitting here right now reading this is a blessing. I'm not trying to preach or get religious, but we are very fortunate to have the things we have. Our sight, hearing, and all these opportunities before us are overlooked far too often. Every once in a while we have to step back and reflect on life. Not only to be thankful and to stay grounded, but to stop taking things for granted. I've been getting better at this over the past year, but I'm still learning.

How does a 35mm camera tie into this? I bought this Minolta from a thrift shop in Pomona earlier this week. I've been used to shooting digital and all other forms of technology that give us instant gratification. It's not like that with an analog camera. You have to wait and be patient until your film is processed to see the results of your work. Funny, it wasn't until after I purchased the camera that I realized how it connected with everything going on.

Be patient and enjoy life.

October 24, 2010

MAESTRO KNOWS SWEATSHIRT PRE-RELEASE


Yesterday afternoon, Maestro announced via Twitter that he would be pre-releasing his new sweatshirts near Shayan Afshar's shop in Downtown Los Angeles. When I got there, the shop was empty and no one else was waiting, but me, so I thought I missed it. One by one, more people showed up, and within minutes, we went from strangers to friends. It wasn't much longer before we saw Maestro running up the sidewalk.

It's so amazing how something like Maestro Knows can bring together different people, who might not have met otherwise, all for the love, respect, and support of this online-based show.


There was a cool breeze in Downtown, so those sweatshirts came in handy! They're limited to 80 pieces (40 crewnecks and 40 hoodies). It feels good to say that we got the first ones! Plus, you can never go wrong with a nice crewneck or hoodie. The design was hand drawn by YuƩ Wu. Look though his site. You might recognize some of his other work.


According to Maestro, he will be releasing the sweatshirts this week through his site. Stay posted for more information by following Maestro on Twitter(@MAESTROKNOWS).


This is my new friend, Jackie. Isn't she adorable? It was her first time meeting Maestro. She said his show has a pretty big following in Guam, which is where she lived before moving to Los Angeles.


I'm about 6 foot-something, but I still feel pretty short standing next to Maestro. Can't mess with this B-Boy stance though!


October 15, 2010

EMPIRE MINDSTATE AT INKSLAM 2010

Inspiration is everywhere. I'm proud to say that my friends inspire me and continue to inspire me everyday. If you have been following my blog for a while, you might remember this post from April, which featured my friends, Shane Romero and SuperB. And yeah, that's MC Prototype in the second video. You didn't know he got down like that too? Now you know!


Shane, SuperB, Proto, and the whole Empire Mindstate slam team competed in the annual Ink Slam about a month prior to competing in Nationals this summer. Enjoy these two videos and be inspired.

October 8, 2010

DAILY DUELS 7

So, I'm sitting here at The Bakery with MC Prototype and DJ Nickyboi, and I figured I should post a blog about Daily Duels tomorrow. If you remember from a few months back, ETRNLST made its debut at Daily Duels 6, where I was also battling. I won't be battling at DD7 though. Instead, I'll be performing a short set of some songs I've been writing.

I'm not big on calling everyone I know to get them to come to my shows, so let's pretend this is the invitation. I hope I see some familiar faces tomorrow night, and some strange, new ones too! Bring your friends, significant other, or grandparents for the love of Hip-Hop.

Lastly, ETRNLST will have a booth set up all night! Bring some cash to get a great deal on some of our Summer '10 threads. What does that mean? Am I talking about a special one-night-only sale? Who knows...

October 3, 2010

JULIAN CASABLANCAS | 11TH DIMENSION


This is the greatest music video I have seen in a really long time, and quite possibly my new favorite (not that I ever had a favorite music video). I've been a fan of The Strokes since they released their first album when I was still in middle school, and Julian Casablancas' solo debut is up there with some of the best Strokes' recordings.




Actually, when I first got to high school, one of my closest friends and I would go to thrift shops and dollar stores to buy cheap shirts and jackets to "try" and look like The Strokes. We never really succeeded, but I did get a couple cool jackets out of it, which, surprisingly, I still have!

Back to the video... not only is it visually appealing, but there's a purpose for everything and everyone represented in the video. Each time period, climbing different levels of the pagoda, and even the mannequins play important roles in this music video. Watch it a few times, if you have to, to take it all in (pause). I say you watch it a few times either way, since it's such a great video! Buy his album too. It's amazing!