A Gift

"Knowledge is the greatest of gifts. There is no way to "un-learn", only to REpress or SUPpress...ALL other things (or people for that matter) are perishable...to give the dollar, one may live "better", but give that same person knowledge and it lives forever.." -Me

I had to repost this...its one of my favorite entries. Entitled: 'The Time Machine'

There's been much discussion on whether time machines actually exist. Some believe that top secret branches of the government have these devices that can allow one to travel back into time. Well, if you need confirmation on whether time traveling machines are fact, then i'm here to tell you that they're very much real, and i know this because i...*looks left and right suspiciously* i have one. (mumbles in a very discreet voice)

Alrite alrite ALRITE, shit! So maybe i really don't have one...but music is about the closest thing we have to an actual time machine. I believe that music is capable of triggering the strongest feelings of nostalgia...nobody in my family understands the love i have for music. My brother always says 'Music don't mean shit to me, all it is, is sounds comin out the speakers!' I CRINGE AT THAT REMARK! How could somebody say that with a straight face? Music has the power to take you back into time...whenever i wanna travel back to the best years of my life, i have this 90's R&B playlist that i have on my iTunes that i dive into. It's something about 90's R&B songs that really hit home with me...however, this can work with any type of music. Music, for me, marks the time for certain eras. I can hear a song or a certain album, and i'll remember EXACTLY what i was doin, who i was with, and the frame of mind i was in at the time when i first heard it. I'm pretty sure these same feelings are triggered within YOU as well, whether you've taken the time to purposely travel back to those days, or maybe you heard a song on the radio that briefly took your soul down memory lane.

Nostalgic feelings are so strong, so clear, and so vivid, that a simple song can amazingly bring out the kid in you. Or an ex that you still love...or fun and exciting times of your life that you so dearly miss. So don't be afraid to try this exercise...find a quiet space, compile a list of tunes that you love from different eras throughout your life, grab a pair of headphones, close your eyes, and let your mind take you back into time as you let your heart fill with those memories of the past. Who said time machines don't exist? They lied to you. Call 'em out on that.

-The Time Machine

Bahahahahahahaha!

Music and the Mind

I'm always talking about the subconscious mind on here because i really want you to understand what it's all about and how you can use it to your advantage. Music holds so much power! It's almost like magic....as a matter of fact, it is magic. Music has the power to tap into that subconscious chamber in your mind and into your soul....here's how it works..

You ever hear a song and then that song gets stuck in your head? Whether the song is good or bad, it'll literally get STUCK in your head and then you catch yourself singing it whether you want to or not. This is the power of music in effect. You never say to yourself 'Damn, that movie sure is stuck in my head..' or 'Man that chapter in that book! I can't get it out of my head!' It doesn't happen with those things. This phenomenon occurs with music because of its repetition of a rhythmic tone which causes your brain to release certain chemicals, and ultimately, causes you to behave a certain way....whether you know this or not. As i've said before, whatever is locked into your subconscious mind begins to materialize in your life, one way or another. Have you ever been singing along to a song and at the end of the verse you say 'Damn, i had no idea i even knew all the words to that song!' SEE! I'M TELLING YOU! Music is so powerful..

As far as music having an effect on how we behave, just look back at the old music. The main theme of music in the past decades have revolved around LOVE. Happiness. For the most part at least. Nowadays the music that's given to us is so watered down it's sad. It's all about hustling, disrespecting the next man/woman, saying how much MORE you have than the next person, etc. As a result, this has cheapened our values in life. People aren't even as genuine as they once were. I had a long conversation with my mom about this the other day. She was telling me how there weren't as many disrespectful and clueless teens as there are today. Watered down music has watered down our people. We hear the music, learn it, believe it, and begin to live it. If the content of the music never were to change and love was still music's main theme, how different do you think society would be?

I'm TELLING you...there is a science to everything. The brain isn't just some organ inside of our skulls. Learn its functions and how it reacts to certain stimuli. If you've read this, PLEASE don't let think i'm talking a buncha scientific bullshit. Really think about it....WHY DO YOU THINK DOCTORS SAY THAT ITS HEALTHY FOR A MOTHER TO SING/PLAY PEACEFUL LOVING MUSIC TO HER BABY BEFORE THE BABY IS EVEN BORN?! BECAUSE OF ITS EFFECT ON THE BABY'S BRAIN! WHICH EFFECTS THE BABY'S OVERALL HEALTH!

If music can have that effect on a being that can't even perceive it clearly because of being housed in another body, can you imagine how it effects us the way WE hear it?

Another Old Flick

Nigro Please..

I can't get into all these new video games these days...THEY WAY TOO TECHNICAL! Fuck the bullshit, i stick to the simple stuff. This is one of those avatar games that has like 22 games in one. Just plug it into the TV and play. I feel like such a kid fuckin wit this thing LOL

If Seasons Were Women..

Autumn

Autumn is a quiet kinda chick...you can tell she's been hurt real bad in the past but she'll never express her pain in words. Looking into her beautiful hazel eyes, there lies a story. She'll only be as good to you as you are to her. She's a home body that prefers staying in to watch DVDs rather than going clubbing or to a party. Her trust is not an easy thing to gain, but once you have it, you're good for the long haul..

Winter

Winter is the kinda girl you don't wanna bring home to meet your mom. Appealing to the eye but her beauty may be the only thing she possesses. You'll never quite figure her out so your best bet is to not even try. Her looks may draw you in, but get too close and she'll show you just how cold her heart can be..

Spring

The spring woman is all about fun. She's not necessarily looking for love, but if she finds it, she wouldn't mind sharing her life with you. Full of laughs, energy and excitement...a date with her will never be boring as she will keep you laughing the whole time. Be careful with Spring though....her beauty and fun personality will make you fall fast, however, she may not feel the same way. She hardly wears her emotions on her sleeve so you can forget about trying to read her and what's going through her mind...Think fun, but be patient..

Summer

Summer is my kinda girl. Easy to talk to, fun, and a beautiful euphoric smile that can be mood altering. If she's comfortable enough with you and she sees that you are sincere, she'll stick right there by you. Summer is the epitome of the renaissance woman. The two of you can either go to an amusement park or cool out at home and flick through the movie channels on a Friday night. Her big brown eyes are windows to her warm and loving soul. Whenever she isn't right there by your side, you'll long for her touch and when the two of you reconnect, it'll feel as if she's never left..

Now that i've personified the seasons as women, what season are you? Or if you're a dude, what season do you prefer?

Just a cool lil thing to think about.

Clean

Courtesy of my barber Ray

Nas 'Illmatic' EPK

Terrence's Tip of the Day

I once read that holding a grudge towards a person is like holding a hot coal in your hand with the INTENTION of throwing it at them. In the meantime you'll burn no one but yourself. LET THOSE GRUDGES GO! Such a waste of time..

My mom got married this past weekend at the house...cool lil gathering. But i really took time to think as i bowed my head for a prayer....i realized that i'm the last single person in the family. Even my 19 year old sister got married a few weeks back. I mean, i have 'friends' and everything, but nothin really concrete. I was in one serious relationship before and i told myself that the next relationship i got into would be with the woman i marry. I mean shit...i'm 21 and i'm not gettin any younger. I've never been an advocate of gettin married in my late 20's. I'm not the kinda dude that likes to just date around either....to me, at this point in my life, its just a waste of time. I'd like to grow and develop with a woman...if you get em too late in life, they already got too much mileage LOL. But seriously though...not necessarily sexual mileage, but just in general. They're already set in stone which would leave less room for compromise and more room for conflict. Everyday i pray for that special someone but i'm not complaining about my status as of now. Besides, the search is pretty fun if i must say so myself..

That Good 'Ol Summer Fun

It's pictures like these that make me really appreciate the summertime..

Stevie Crooks 'Diamonds & Guns (LP)'

This is the shit i been talkin about for months...its finally here, although i'm a bit late posting it. Taking part in the production process of this album has been one hell of a thrill ride. Gotta thank the big homie once again for bringing me in and allowing me to add my creative touch to what was already bound to be a masterpiece anyway.

See what i wrote about one of the studio sessions here

Download HERE

Stevie Crooks 'Diamonds & Guns' Promo Video

Stevie Crooks -Album Promo from The Topshelf Company on Vimeo.

Shutter Island

I forgot to tell yall...i went out and saw Shutter Island last Friday and its one of the best movies i've ever seen in my life.

..i think my blog is the shit and i think you think that too.

Inflation....the good kind.

Why don't we tell each other we love one another more often? In fact, we wait til somebody dies before we express how we really feel about them. Lately i've been telling my friends and family that i love them and alot of em are taken aback by it. It's not something that we usually hear everyday. But why be ashamed? I think we don't give the proper praise to others because of our natural selfish tendencies. I mean, think about...if we DO give praise to somebody, we quickly stop ourselves and say something like 'Lemme stop cuz i don't wanna blow your head up..'. But it's not blowing somebody's head up. It's recognizing and appreciating. For example, people often say J.Dilla is the best producer of ALL TIME. But nobody said that while he was alive...they waited until he passed. Same with Tupac...same with Biggie. We fear giving confidence to a person because confidence is strength and we're so selfish that we don't wanna give an advantage to the person standing next to us. Because we'll 'blow they're head up'. AT THE SAME TOKEN, you'd want somebody to recognize YOU. Fuck that. I'm not ashamed to say that i have a 'big head' or that i'm 'cocky'. But it's not to the point where i think i'm above the next person. I want everybody to have a big head or be cocky, just as long as you pass on the love that's shown to you. Imagine if we lived in a world where we all recognized and respected our full potential as well as the potentials of others. What a world that would be to live in..

PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY COCKY AND BIG-HEADED STATEMENTS OUT OF CONTEXT. AS YOU SEE, I PUT QUOTATIONS AROUND THOSE TWO. I SHOULDN'T EVEN BE ADDING THIS, BUT SOME PEOPLE HAVE LOW COMPREHENSION SKILLS.

I've been wanting to add a visual to this song for a while now..i wanted to do something different and really simple..The simplicity is why i love it

QUOTES!

'I tried to stick it out wit her thru thick and thin, so whether she was thick or thin, I would still stick it in..' -Consequence, 'We Fight/We Love (remix)

YUP!

I don't know why simple shoes like these amaze me.

Always Remember

An old picture from high school..

I ENDED UP GOIN!

Captured some beautiful images today...i LOVE the sunsets at Mt. Rubidoux but nothing in this world beats dusk at the beach...NOTHING. Felt like summer out there...perfect weather.

THIS IS BEACH WEATHER!

I should probably make my way down to Huntington rite now...

Tell me what you think about THIS.

Heaven Ain't Hard To Find

This is the place i come to clear my mind and cleanse my soul. I try to come up here at least twice a week. I highly recommend that you sunset watch every so often. I feel as if it replenishes my being (i hope that doesn't sound too hippy lol). I guess that's the best way to put it. When i stare off into that scene in the distance, i perceive it as art. A painting of some sort. It really trips me out because when i'm out there i feel as though i'm inside of an artistic mastery. God is the greatest artist of them all, capable of creating a different scene every single day...and the sky is one hell of a canvas..

Nigga you already KNOW what's in my cup!

HORCHATA! (I just wanted to sound cool)

...my favorite drink

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day! You've held me down for such a long time and there really is no way i can thank you for it....frustrating. Even through all the good and bad that we've been through, i can firmly say that...I Love You. I know i tell you that almost everyday, but i know that you love to hear it. As weak as it sounds, you are my everything. You are my heart, my soul, my spirit. You are my Life. I love you Life. I'd never wish to have another..

Ok, this is FAR OUT but it DOES make sense..

I'm Kinda Random

I love starting a random conversation...at any given moment, i may just ask you 'Do you believe in ghosts? Like, have you ever seen one?' Or i'll say something like 'Alright, give me your top 5 favorite albums of all time..' Some people get a kick out of the spontaneity of my conversation, others look at me like 'That was.....random...'. Not only do i ask these questions for the sake of good conversation, but i also do it to pick that person apart. The only way you can catch a person's vibe is through a thorough conversation. I mean hey, it's better than asking a person something like 'Ay, you seen Bad Girl's Club this week?' LOL

The Art of Language

3:14am

At nite when you're unable to sleep, i believe its because God is trying to talk to you. Open your heart and listen..

We All We Got

I was NOT ok with taking part in this by the way..

This Is What Twitter Can Do To A Person

Fuckin shame..

Black Women Talking About How Hard It Is To Find A Good Black Man

Why So Curious?

"I had more beats than i had rhymes, now they say, 'You got more girls than you got time'.." -Yeezy

Show and Tell

Man....we stood in line for like 8 hours to wait for 'Ye to come and sign our cds. This was in the midst of the whole Kanye vs. 50 Cent album sales war, so to be there to meet him was pretty cool. I clearly remember being there at the Virgin Music store and standing in front of him while the song Flashing Lights played as there really was flashing lights EVERYWHERE. When i looked at him, he didn't look happy. I tried to look past all the glitz and glamour and see him as a person. The whole moment was surreal. Thats when i thought to myself 'Damn, it's like this everywhere he goes..' That's not a life that i'd ever wish to live. Sure, famous people can do all kinda cool shit that us 'normal' people will never get to do, but there's a million things WE can do that they can NEVER do. Like peacefully walk along the beach...or go to the movies and enjoy a good flick...or go to the grocery store! The simple things....i can only imagine how frustrating not being able to do those things can be..