No Compromise.

Last night I was in the studio with several members of the crew, writing a couple of demos, kickin' it and working- It's all same!  I've been at this for a few years now, and through all of it, the ride has been interesting. 

All good. 

Even the Bad is good. 

I've been consumed with jobs/tasks/work, where the bad was BAD and the good was only okay... The name of the game is risk and return.

What you put in, you get out.

And in some cases, in exponential amounts...

I say all this this to say,  I FEEL GOOD about this part of my life. Not everything is ideal right now (when is it ever...), but THIS-  This, is what I put the most into. And I see the light at the end of the tunnel. I know its gonna take me a minute to reach that light, but I know It exists. That's all you need sometimes to KEEP GOING.

I have never felt as confident as I do now about doing what I do. Regardless of what is going on in the industry, the blogsphere, the club, the streets. I've  always been best at doing me. That's exactly what I'm going to keep doing. Unapologetically. You'll like me and THIS, better for it. 

Until the Again.

*Today's bit inspired by:

 J*Davey- "Dollar Or More" ( what up yall, I NEED the full version, like yesterday, shit is AMAZING...)

Space Age Pimpin'

8Ball and MJG- "Space Age Pimpin'"

Contrary to popular belief, hip-hop's fascination with space came way before Kanye's Glow in the Dark stage show. This isn't the first one by far, but it was a formative piece of work for yours truly. Yes, I have always loved the smooth ish (I was probably the only one at my high school slappin' Anita Baker and SADE EVERYDAY), instrumentals more fit for the Bay's "Quiet Storm", KBLX, than hip-hop giant KMEL.

I still own this maxi-single (..."What's that", the 90's baby said) on CD. In fact, Honor Rollers Mike Baker the Bike Maker, Moxmore, and I used to freestyle over this during our infamous freestyle sessions. Yup, battle raps over sex music... You know how we do! LOL.

*I hope you clicked the links in this one...

[Re]Introducing: Mike Baker the Bike Maker

The Honor Roll- "Supreme" Live @ the Fillmore

If you know me from being out in traffic, chances are you know Mike Baker the Bike Maker. If you've been to any Trackademicks or Honor Roll Shows you know Mike. Now get to know Mike on the mic with his new Sampler EP.

This is his first "official unofficial" offering, produced entirely by Honor Roll members 1 O.a.K. and me, Trackadeezy! Expect much more in the upcoming months...

Tracklist:
1. The Chase (prod. by 1 O.a.K.)
2. Lets Make It Happen feat. Trackademicks (prod. by Trackademicks)
3. Espionage (prod. by 1 O.a.K)
4. Supreme feat. the Honor Roll: Trackademicks, Moxmore, Josie Stingray & Spank Pops (prod. by Trackademicks)
5. Say Goodbye To Love (Trackademicks Remix)

Download: Mike Baker the Bike Maker Sampler EP

PPP "Abundance" LP in Stores Today!!!

If you've been following me or Western$lapademicks for a while, hopefully you aren't new to Platinum Pied Pipers (PPP)- If you are, prepare to be amazed. Last week I got a chance to peep the advance of the album and was THOROUGHLY impressed. 

For those for who forgot, I did the OFFICIAL REMIX to this album's first single "On A Cloud", peep the my post "Chillin on a Cloud with PPP"...

I knew they would come back with some real dope shit, but oooooh maaaaaaan... This new album is on some next level FutureSoulectricPsychedelicFunkateer Shit- for the people. 

I would love to give everyone the album for free, but this shit is MUST BE BOUGHT- hard copy at that.  Don't fret though... you can download the Abundance Mixtape courtesy of the homie Kenny Fresh over @ Freshselects. Get That.

Happy listening. 

The America Fades to Black.

MC Breed- "Ain't No Future in Yo Frontin'"

Today is the day yall.

Barack Hussein Obama is officially the first black President of the United States of America. It used to literally be just a joke:


Dave Chapelle, Killin' Them Softly


Eddie Murphy, Delirious

Its definitely not a joke anymore.

Yesterday it was Air Force 1.


Today it's Soul Plane.


Bad joke, courtesy of my brother.

uFck Yeah!

[Re]Up: The [Re]Mixtape Vol. 2

This is looooong Overdue. Apparently the zshare link for "The [Re]Mixtape Vol. 2 had been broken for some time due to some zshare issue. So now, power has been given to the people- Choose ya own damn download service! just make sure you download, ESPECIALLY if you haven't heard it before.

I am currently in the midst of working on another FREE offering in promotion of my upcoming Fool's Gold 12" for "Enjoy What You Do" b/w "Topsidin'" feat Moxmore, so be on the lookout... And one day, if I'm feeling generous, I MAY throw up The [Re]Mixtape Vol. 1... If you are lucky enough to have it... feel free to spread love across the land.

Have a FRESH weekend!

Real Talk: Love What You Do and Do What You Love

Sade- "Keep Looking" Live

I guess you can say that 2009 has gotten of to a promising start. Productivity is at an all time high. I've been in the studio with 1 O.A.K. knocking out a lot of material for his project and its sounding ridiculous. Lately. for some reason, whenever we finish a song, we seem to be getting IMs from folks telling us that there is "civil unrest" and "rioting" just outside of the studio. Its a tense time in Oakland. I attended the Rally today for BART police murder victim Oscar Grant. The rally was held right downtown and was very peaceful. I guess after the March something got out of hand, resulting in Wells Fargo's windows to be all busted. But like last time, I saw none of it, as I was Doin' My Job.

When it comes to this music, stayin' on task is so important. Just like anything worth doing, it takes hard work. I've been on this grind for a few years now and its safe to say that things are way different than before. Better. I was in a session with Mistah F.A.B. just the other day... we were catching up on music and life. Its funny, because you realize how much time flies when you don't see someone on a regular basis. For both of us, things have changed. From studio hopping all day and peddling CDs to anyone that would listen, to making music all day and trying to feed those listening.

I guess it hasn't changed THAT much.

Having my eye on the "prize" (whatever that may be) has given me a reason to keep getting up everyday and keep battling up hill to make a real social impact with this music. Its MORE that just dope beats and dope rap/vocals. Music is what gets people through the tough times. Times that Oakland and dozens of cities having at this very moment. Times when your heart hurts.

So I'm gonna continue to do what I gotta do to get where I wanna get... That means making what I wanna make, so folks can hear what they need to hear. Oh and Loving what I Do, Doing What I Love.

Bam.

Currently Slappin':
PPP (Platinum Pied Pipers)- Abundance
Foreign Exchange- Leave It All Behind

Me! (Trackademicks for yall habitual truants)

uFck. Yeah

The Sky is the Limit.

I had the chance to check out an advanced screening of Notorious last Thursday. I thought it was cool. It it Pretty much dramatized everything we saw in the 90's about his rise and fall. I thought the casting was funny at points... Anthony Mackie as Pac didn't really sit well with me. He was all charisma and no depth, no Thug Passion. They should have gotten Saadiq from PPP or that dude that used to always be on Jenny Jones instead...

Other than that, Naturi Naughton (of 3LW fame) was pretty entertaining.

Oh yeah, and the fake Puffy's dancing. I miss the the Puffy that used to dance like a muppet. Now he's too busy trying to save the world...

This isn't really intended to be a review at all...I'm not really trippin' if you do or don't see it, do or don't like it.

I really just wanted to post the "Sky is the Limit" video. I would have posted "Everyday Struggle", my favorite BIG song, but there was no official video. So Sad.

Freida Pinto in GQ and Complex

I just saw Slumdog Millionaire yesterday... Aside from EVERYONE telling me I needed to go see it, the main reason I was anticipating this movie was her...







Complex Magazine Photoshoot

The Most Beautiful at this very moment. uFck Yeah!!!

Smooth Sailing...

The Maltese Falcon

Smooth sailling doesn't seem to be the theme for the year yet...

As we speak, I'm in the studio with Mistah F.A.B., Balance, L-Deez, and Honor members 1 O.A.K. and Mike Baker. Aside from that I am also doing tracks with a rapper turnt sanga from NC and a simply complex songstress from the N.O. Throw in a gang of remixes, a couple projects, and promotion of my upcoming 12" on Fool's Gold with a mixtape and a gang of freebies...

R&R will have to wait...

Hopefully I can hitch a ride on this when it comes around!

TONIGHT!!! Honor Roll @ 330 Ritch!!!

It Goes Down in tha 'Town: The Oscar Grant Protest

Mistah F.A.B., Zion, Me

Today was an eventful day in the Oakland for real. I was able to make it out to the protest at the Fruitvale Bart Station for Police violence victim Oscar Grant. It was great to see so much of the community out in force. One of the best things about the Bay is the community mindedness that is bred here. Don't forget- Oakland is the home of huey P. Newton and the Black Panther Party. Activism is nothing new in the 'Town.

Much of the Bay's music and performing arts community showed up, Including Mistah F.A.B., Zion of Zion I, Kev Choice, Casual, The Attic, Ill-Literacy, DJ Sake One, League 510, Davey D, and many, many more. Mistah F.A.B. and Zion had some insightful things to say to the crowd. It was good to see so many folks. Too bad it wasn't under better circumstances.

The rally at the BART Station was a peaceful one. However, this was not completely the case in Downtown Oakland...



After the rally, I went to meet 1 O.A.K. for a studio session in Downtown. the story was different out there.

Full Riot Gear.
Police Helicopters.
Angry Protesters.

Apparently, we went into the studio right before the jump off. I kept getting hella texts from concerned folks, so I decided to check on my car... apparently, every car windshield was smashed in EXCEPT mine. It feels good to be blessed. As we left the spot, the streets looked like a scene straight out of 28 Days Later or some other post-apocalyptic movie. 

 


Its too bad that a few suckas decided to ruin this for everyone, once again diverting attention from the real issue of Oscar Grant, and refocusing them on how "it goes down in tha 'Town". Its crazy because there is far less footage of the peaceful rally than there is of the street violence. WTF?

Oh well.

As Downtown Oakland blew up, 1 O.A.K. and I recorded a Fresh new banger called "An Inconvenient Love Affair" for his upcoming project.

Heat.

-Track

Oscar Grant = Radio Raheem 2009: BART Police Edition. WTF?

I'm sure everyone has heard about the murder of 22 year old Oscar Grant at the Fruitvale Bart Station in Oakland. If you haven't, you've probably been on twitter too long trying to send replies to Q-Tip, Jay Electronica, Qoolquest, wondering why they just aren't hitting you back. Get a grip. It will be okay. SOMEONE will send you a reply.

Now I am usually not the type to protest in the streets- I'm most effective one on one and through the MUSIC... But some shit is just too much.

Maybe its because the Fruitvale BART Station is my home station.
Maybe its because initially thought the victim was a former student of mine at first glance.
Maybe its because this isn't the first time.

After seeing this version of the video, shot by an onlooker inside a stopped BART train, my emotions got much stronger. I couldn't believe it. It was like a train wreck waiting waiting to happen. There was an energy on that platform that almost foreshadowed the whole event.

This shit is like Radio Raheem 2009: BART Police Edition.

The video speaks for itself.

I don't have too much to say that hasn't already been said. My heart goes out to his family and everyone involved. For everyone going to protest today, be safe. If I can swing it, yall might see me out there.

-Track.

UPGRADE this Saturday @ 330 Ritch!!!

Going down this Saturday night, DJ Tap.10 and I will be in full effect at Upgrade, a dope ass monthly @ 330 Ritch in San Francisco. Some of my favorite people are bound to be present. This is my first official appearance of the year so come look at me. Or at least look at all the beautiful people. And listen to me. Or just listen to Tap.10. I'll fit myself in somewhere.

Holler!

Peace out "Get Straight '08": Its 2000Grind.

Trackademicks- "Happy Birfday To Me!!!" LIVE @ PST Capricorn B-Day Celebration 12/28/08

Okay, now I know I kicking a dead horse here... but when the horse is a stallion, you gotta say you did it right? If that doesn't make any sense don't trip- I'm extra delirious from pulling an all nighter. It would have been more eventful, but one of our Yay Area rap superstars flaked on the session, so I ended up making some menacing soundscapes instead.

However, I digress. The above clip is footage of the most epic Birfday I have had to date. And halfway through the clip it gets better... Just because you read that Hyphy was "dead" in some publication, doesn't mean the Bay forgot how to go DUMB.

Also, below are a few photos from NYE at Club 6. Thanks for everyone that came out. It was a blast.


GaRushBusters

Lambo and Capski of Laundromat United

Hosting with DJ Tap.10

The New World Twitter.

2000Grind is upon us. What to Expect:

More Videos.
More Commentary.
More Antics.
More Parties.
More Shows.
More Cities.
More Shenanigans.
More Fun.

AND... Most Important of all...

MUCH, MUCH MORE MUSIC!!!

-Trackadezzy