1st aka "The Pretty Girl" - Do You Remember feat. Purple Chrome & April Catherine

1st is back with a really smooth track that features dope vocals by Purple Chrome & April Catherine! This song was written and used as a wedding song and will be on 1st debut project under the Enteprize Entertainment label coming soon. The track is produced by NovaKhain Enterprises own Chuck Platinum. Check it out after the jump

DJ Self Talks Love & Hip Hop, Career on Power 105.1 and The Gwinin Team with Roc Runna

It's always good to see peers do big things! Shouts to my brother Vegg hitting the offices of Power 105.1 in NYC to interview "The Prince Of New York" DJ Self! This interview talks about Self's humble beginnings of his career and Love & Hip Hop! Check it out after the jump.

New York Rap Vs. New York Wack

I cram to understand how people can be mad at Trinidad James for speaking the truth. The bottom line is that New York hip hop is suffering from a case of garbageitis and its been like that for quite some time now. There are so many elements that play a part to this and I could easily go about this blog by blaming all the bum ass rappers that have lost their footing by sounding like these rappers down south. Now we got rappers on lean and molly, rocking over these trap beats; but wonder why you are not selling an abundance of records.

We don't have artists like we did years ago that prided themselves in being trendsetters. Everyone wants to sound like someone else instead of taking the time out to really create something different and not being afraid to stand out. Then when you do step out the box you do NOT get the support from the people that need to be supporting. It's so hard to go into a club and get "turnt up" I don't get "turnt up" I get LIVE we WILD OUT. We never had TRAP houses we had CRACK spots; now everyone is in the trap, but when will we get our identity back?

We will get our identity back when we can come together as a unit. New York rappers don't support each other. I guess Nas was ahead of his time when he said hip-hop is dead because it is. There is only a few people left carrying the torch. Thank GOD for Nas and Jay and there are several NY OG's I could name, but for the sake of relevance and being in the forefront I thank these two although Jay did make kind of a southern song with that fuckwithmeyouknowIgotit; but for the most part he tried to keep that NY sound flowing. Nas got praised last year because he made Life is Good. It was the last true depiction of what our sound is supposed to sound like right now, that's why his album was praised.

We can also thank these dick riding DJs that spin this on the radio and the club. The radio and the club go hand in hand because clear channel controls radio they are only going to play the most popular music and New York music is non existent on New York radio; which is the reason why I banned myself from NY radio because it sucks. If you look at any rotation on NY radio there is hardly any NY rap that is in regular rotation. Why? Because NY don't support their own region so why would the DJs support what people don't support; it's a bad bad cycle.

Hopefully we can get back to when rap music was real rap music. It doesn't have to be exactly like the 90s; I do recognize that the 90's was almost 24 years ago, but we have to put that soul back in music. I love J. Cole, but where are the NY rappers making heart felt songs like that? I'll wait. People will claim the King of NY because no one is standing up to take that crown. I am looking forward to getting back to the basics, but we have a lot of work to do before we get there and it will start when people stop making music for money and make it for the art again. We will see what happens in the future.

Chuck Platinum - Got Cake (Pound Cake Freestyle)

The Fall Reflection

Wow it's been all summer since I have put my thoughts down and I must say that it's been great this year. I did something this summer that I have not done in 18 years....I let go. I let go of all of my insecurities, let go all of my fears, let go all of the things that I didn't understand and I made a decision to become free.

It has not been easy. I really had to expose some things that I really didn't want to, but I had to make a decision if I wanted to go a certain route and after that it was okay. I refused to be chained to my past because I was more concerned about it affecting my future. I couldn't keep apologizing for the mistakes that I made in my 20s when I am about to turn 35 and then it hit me that.....I really am turning 35.

Did I become sad? Not at all. I am very happy to reach this age. It has come with so many lessons. It has made me more aware of my decisions and in tune with my thoughts. I am more selective about the company that I choose although some you cannot always read their character. Most importantly, I have been learning how to love myself. Loving me has been the best gift that I could have given myself. It has taught me about full acceptance and how people will look at you and judge you. You begin to realize that people don't really know you as well as they may think they do. I am learning that my legacy is deeper than the man who is in this body. I am learning how to become in tune with the world and balancing my interests and the relevance of mankind.

Loving myself has taught me all my wants, needs, and desires. It has taught me what is most pleasurable to me and I do whatever I can to reach that pleasure. Loving myself is making me feel good and not depending on others when they can't. I have watched several peers suffer from that "what happens what the (love) is gone" syndrome. That has become silly to me because when love is true? it is unconditional therefore it never dies! A loved person is not disposable and they are worth the fight because eventually you won't fight once you gain understanding of self and other people.

Entering into the fall and winter I can honestly say that I have grown immensely this year and I look forward to growing more. Life is looking way up and as long as I keep this attitude God will direct me right to my promise land. I will continue to give as long as I live whether it be time, my mind, money or other I want to continue to be used as God's vessel to serve people. My music will live forever even if I perish. I am confident of my legacy. Forever me.....forever free

I Am Coming Into My Own

I have always felt like I was different. My mother has always shown me things early in my life to make me self sufficient and she made sure that I was always able to do with myself. At some point in my life I got sidetracked by my love for women. My love for women has caused me some time and some lessons that at in my 20s I couldn't appreciate it and it lead me to a careless and promiscuous lifestyle. I am so grateful to God for protecting me enough for me to love myself again.

Because I did take a crack at love at an early age it left me open to become hurt and when I got hurt I became angry. I was angry because I didn't understand how something that felt so good, so strong, so real could be tainted by one persons actions. I felt deceived and as a result I didn't care anymore and along the way some very good women got hurt because of my actions.

It kept taking a trip downhill I had a child with someone that I don't believe wanted to have a child with me in the first place. I had another child with someone that I basically had a 2 night stand with and never had a relationship with and then had a 3rd child with someone that I met on a journey of trying to get over a failed marriage. I wish my instances where storybook fairytale stories of love and hope and white picket fences, but because of decisions that I have made that was not my life and I accepted that a long time ago.

When I turned 30 I had to make some decisions as to where the rest of my life would go. I had just separated from my wife. I had to drive all the way from California back to New York in shame because I felt like I had failed God by failing my marriage. I had to make the most difficult choice in my life because you never want to abandon your spouse, but what do you do when you for see the future? The truth of the matter is that you can not see the future so you have to make a choice for you that was the first difficult choice I had to make.

When I came home to New York I was basically homeless and thanks to my brother Deyvon and his mother they took me in and gave me food and shelter and I had nothing but my car and clothes. I had to rely on faith to get me through that and it was very tough as a man who once had everything that had to come back and start from nothing all over again. I never thought that it would be me, but it was and I was so ashamed of myself.

Throughout these instances though I made some great decisions and I am proud as to where my life has taken me and so grateful that I made the choices to lead me to success. It's not easy looking at your ugliness and pointing at yourself and saying hey no matter what these people did to me? I have to change my ways and see how I could be a better person. I have been on a journey of personal development and really getting to know myself and understanding myself. I understand the things that I want in life, what I don't want in life and what I will not settle for. I had to love myself to be able to do that. I had to separate from all my temptations and things that I would have normally done to try to keep company to make a firm decision to not get into another relationship. I had to sometimes pull my impulses back to save friendships with people that mattered to me. I had to restructure my life.

I am now coming into my own. I own my life. I own my decisions. I own my rights. I own my wrongs. I own who I am and what I put into the world. I own my soul. I own my pride. I own my dignity. I own my individuality. I own my time. I own my way of life. I own my interactions. I own my choices. I own everything that is me and I own up to being the best that I can be for me and my energy will continue to seep into others because I own the right to live a life of complete positivity beyond measure. I appreciate life these days much more and I am addicted to making myself better for the world. It's a beautiful thing. I am coming into my own.

The TakeOff

I have been waiting for this moment a long time. Building my belief as I kept checking and rechecking and over checking and then checking over and over again. I have flown small planes before, but I have never flown a plane this big. Am I ready for this? Am I ready for this feat? Am I
ready to fly these friendly skies that God has open the gates for me?

When it rained I said not today. When it snowed I said tomorrow. When it was sunny I smiled and said I have to get the landing gear right and figure this measurement out. When it was warm I would work. When it was cold I would work. One day I had to stop working and sit back and look at my plane and say wow you built this just sit back and admire what you have built.

I have tested out the plane a few times and have experienced some turbulence at times, then other times the flights would be successful. I have done several simulations and they have been successful too. It is now time to fly.

I am leaving all of my worries behind and my fears are no longer. I have completed the phase of testing and now it is time to experience so I can live out the testimony. It's time to enjoy what I built and go in with my belief and seize the moment.....Carpe Diem! I am now in the captains chair.....all systems are a go I am ready for take off.

The plane is my life....and I am now in control. Hello possibilities and dreams......I waited forever for this moment. I am ready!

TESTIMONY

We go through life with all kinds of tests. When we were children the first thing they are required to do is make the children take a test to see where they can be placed in school. They decide early what kind of learning curve you will have. Some people will be place in accelerated classes, some people will be placed in remedial classes etc.

There is no avoiding the tests in life. We must go through tests all the way through life to inspire, learn, go through struggle, and be able to make mistakes. I don't know how anyone perceived that life should or would be easy when we have to work. The problem is people will work on everything else, but themselves.

Become your own testimony. Write your own chapters and let people read your story because you never know who you will inspire in the process. Sometimes it can be a word or a phrase that you said or something that you might have put into the universe that someone receives from the weirdest places and your story will become their testimony.....their source of belief. You have two choices in life you can either accept the tests and embrace them as they come or you can buckle in your knees and let fear weaken your knees and become a slave to the test. In order to have a testimony there has to be some form of completion so complete a task and show people that things can be done regardless of anyone's prior belief. The only belief that matters is your own!

The All Seeing Eye

The all seeing eye is always watching. We call them "big brother". All of these social networks were designed to do one thing to watch us. We are giving the government all access to our lives that's how things are in the future. We believe everything we see on tv then we go and spread it word of mouth and I say WE because I do it too we are called pundits some more popular than others on how information is transcended. All of these networks are connected hence facebook purchasing instagram and twitter being connected. We are now able to expose gruesome deaths in public with no respects to the families. We are able to display content of all sorts before it is tried to completely be taken off and before it gets taken off it goes viral. We give permission for us to be located using our cell phones. These cell phones are designed to be distractions. Things that will keep our minds occupied while other things are going on in the world. We are enticed by the latest news, the newest video games, the latest technology and not aware of all the other things that affect us in this country.

We voluntarily post our information on the internet and put all of our business on the internet. Look at Chief Keef which is a perfect example. Here is a young man who is in the beginning of his music career hot single and all is now being detained in a detention center because he was firing guns and posted it on the internet. We have to wake up people!!! LIVE YOUR LIFE!!! Watch out who you trust! Be careful of the people you keep around you. Be careful of the things that you say and be responsible for your own knowledge and actions. We all need to turn off the tv and go back to helping people and doing things that will create some sort of legacy instead of feeding into all the scandal that is built around the all seeing eye. We have to stop fighting each other and publicizing and making everything public because this is what the government wants us to do. The government wants us to kill each other and burn each other out with hate. The government wants us to be poor minded so we don't become intelligent enough to expose their wicked ways. Yet we vote these politicians in office without knowing much about them continuing to watch their story and waiting for some sort of scandal to unveil.

Be wise. Know that you don't have to give all details of your life to everybody and everything. Practice becoming a part of the free world and the part of free thinkers because right now? Society as whole is brainwashed. We are washed out by the convenience of technology. Nothing is natural anymore. Nothing is organic there is a process for everything. No one does anything off of feeling anymore because everything is processed. Our news is processed the way its fed to us is processed what we eat is processed how we are supposed to eat is a processed thought how we work out how we are supposed to speak whats cool to wear whats good not to wear everything is a process and people have fallen so victim to status that we will never realize our individuality because we are influenced by worlds of things.

The all seeing eye is no joke. It is not something you can control or change. I wrote this blog because its time for us as individuals to become more aware of the things that we can not control, but learn how to live with this plague and live around the fakeness and the wool over our eyes to have a better life. Our world will continue to change and things will become worse before it gets better because now we have a new generation of children who will grow into this life and have no awareness that this is even a problem. Then what? I pray for us all and I pray for mental, emotional and physical awareness as there will be things in my own life that I must continue to change.

TL Cross - Audience (Official Video)

Check out the latest video from awesome talent TL Cross. Dope video dope concept. I believe this will be an international hit. I know the world will feel the same.

Darq - Back To Risk It All (Official Chuck Platinum Album Review)

I have a special invested interest in MC's (not rappers), but emcees from The BX. One of the most important reasons of course is because I myself am a Bronx native, but another because although The BX is where it all started unfortunately for many years we have been overshadowed in the industry because of politics and label hierarchy or whatever you want to put your favorite lame excuse here ( ) either way there are plenty of rappers that deserve to be heard which leads me to this current album review for the BX's own super talented artist Darq.

So let's take it back a couple of years ago. I first officially got to know Darq through mutual acquaintances and I didn't really get to hear his music. Anyone that knows me knows that for me to really check something out it has to be co signed by another talented artist because usually most artists run together. I had begun to see Darq at several shows and showcases and what really got me locked in was his performances. He was a very passionate artist and I really enjoyed his stage presence so I decided to check out his first project Risking It All Willingly which was a very very solid project and immediately I became a fan and made it my duty to build a relationship with this talented brother.

Fast forward it is now 2013 and Darq is now a multiple award winner and has been co-signed by many top industry heads in the underground market and what better way to capitalize off that momentum by releasing another stellar project which is titled Back To Risk It All. Overall the production on the album is great. The production is a big stand out from the production from the previous project. You can tell that Darq took his time and looked for the perfect back drops to satisfy his listeners with the emotion that was put forth into this project. What also stands out on this album is the near perfect sequencing. Sequencing is something that a lot of people in the game do not master, but song placement on an album is the most important part of making a record besides the mastering.

The album opens up with the track "Save Me" and the first voice you hear on the track is songstress signed to RAW Entertaiment Amy Davis who is also on the stellar title track of the last album R.A.W. It continues with Darq explains why he is back to risk it all. This track also has a strong feature by the homie G. Fisher (Murder G. Wrote) who delivered a dope 16 on this well produced track. If you know Darq you know that he is not an advocate for pop music, but the next track "Doin'It" feat. Naza & D Dave could be an easy single if he wanted to go in that direction. Of course favorites like "Get A Win" featuring Mr. Gat was HUGE as a promotional single and a dynamic collaboration with REAL on "Never Enough" was a brilliant move to release these two songs while still promoting his first project which kept the ears fresh with new Darq music as we patiently awaited this new release.

My favorite track hands down on this project is "Cross Them Off The List" this track is fire! Knowlege created a backdrop I could actually see Hov as a guest on this song and he is spitting one of the realest raps I have heard in a while. I am sure that this was inspired by some inside things going on that happens between friends that turn foe. What also makes this track so fire is the chess references. How can you lose when you have a whole 16 dedicated telling people how you are going to checkmate them from beginning to end in a metaphoric way that parallels a chess game with life. With lyrics like Life like a chessboard make the wise move /Don't let it be a dumb choice causing you to lose/ The queen protect king so king can claim rule /And scream out murda everytime he check you FIRE and the rest of the verse just flows like that all the way through! True lyricism!

Other favorite tracks on the album are Running Out Of Time, Welcome Aboard, and the dope track Hello which was produced by Music Mystro. I also was feeling the track Crazy Place which was also produced by Knowlege who produced 6 songs on this project which features Rsonist of the Heatmakerz & Sinsay.

As far as the rating is concerned I give this project a 4. The lyrics are there with great production and great features. I still think that as an artist Darq is still in his comfort zone and that he needs to reach in a little deeper so that he can break out into the national market. He has to find a balance between the mainstream and the underground because by the sounds of this project it sounds like production wise he was experimenting with more mainstream sounds which is a great balance, but I think the fans would love to hear Darq lighten up a little bit and put some more personal emotion in his project, but I guess with the room he has to grow we can expect that emotion to be put forth on his debut album.

Back To Risk It All will be available on iTunes in the 1st qtr 2013. You can look forward to Darq performing in several regions next year! In the meantime you can check out his first project R.A.W. available now!

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Watch the epic 2012 All Star Music Award Winning Video

Flow Water (Instrumental) Produced By Chuck Platinum

My latest work of art enjoy and comment. If you want to purchase exclusive beats please email chuckplatinumbeats@gmail.com serious inquiries only. Also mix and master services

Chuck Platinum's Message Of The Day (Video)

G. Fisher - Murder G Wrote (Chuck Platinum Review)

So originally when I was asked to review this album ( I can't even really call this a mixtape) I was going to give you the whole number to number run down of what I thought about the tracks individually, but I am not going to do that this time first of all I am going to give you what I love about the album and make it a little fun so I am going to break down my favorite songs and why and then I am going to give you a conclusion and a rating.

The overall production of the album is superb big shouts to Mike Spits over at EQ Studios which I have gotten a chance to visit recently. So I took an initial listen then I lit up a nice blunt and started to get into the mind of the man that is called G. Fisher who is the son of the original owner of the famed Apollo Theater Guy Fisher Sr. I had a pleasure of working with this brother last year on my own project and to see his professionalism in the booth I have heard different material from him before, but this time I was being blessed with a full body of work.


So let's start out with my absolute favorite track on the album "Mission Impossible" (prod. by Big Boy Trakz) this track from the intro it is very very smooth and the production is super big I love how this track comes in it took me back to the first time I heard Politics As Usual by Jay-Z and I was wondering who did that beat then I heard Fisher come in with some smooth lyrics that was reminiscent of "Can I live" when you hear this track it makes very much sense as to why this was the first choice to be picked in the beginning it's a track that is the full package.


There was a pattern of production going on that stood out to me on this project and I kind of figured out when I heard "Money Is King" (prod. by Big Boy Trakz) this track is some true street music. Almost every rapper has their gettin' money rap bravado, but what makes this track different is the fact that this track embodies what it means to have money and why it is so important in our society and what effect it takes on our communities. How the power of finance affects us on all levels from poverty stricken to the richest billionaires. The backdrop to this track makes so much sense as to why Money Is King this track is definitely another rewinder.


People have problem with New York rappers rapping over trap beats, but I have come to think that NY rappers actually sound very decent on trap beats when they are not trying to emulate what the south is doing on their track. On "Rap Game Needs" Fisher boasts I'm so cool in my blue suede shoes/ I made moves then my moves made moves/ My whole crew spray tools when that pressure ensues/ Better pray to Je-sus that I don't catch you in Suez these are the kind of bars that had me check Fisher out in the first place. With another heater by Big Boy Trakz this is what trap star music is about.


Other tracks like "Psycho", Bulletproof & Summer School featuring another talent BX artist coming up in the game Elus has the two rappers going back and forth schooling these emcees why they have to show respect to the new and up and coming talent coming out of NY. Bulletproof took that Z100 track and made it into a dope hip hop track courtesy once again of Big Boy Trakz gives Fisher the perfect easel to paint a vivid picture of real street activity and why he is still here today to make great music for you


Calling up some heavy hitter producers such as Dax, Music Mystro, & Unknown to round out the big production duties on Murder G wrote on tracks like "Runaway" "Hood Stories" & "Da Bizness" feat. Naza Da Great gives this mixtape the ground to stand up and compete with most of these mainstream mixtapes that are coming out right now. You can tell that G. Fisher took his time in making this music and he was careful with the production that he picked out for this project which brings me to the track I wanted to save for last which is "Gotta Feel This" I really respect D-Dave as an up and comer in the game and he really stole the show with this collaboration which is very difficult to do when Fisher is at the helm, but this track was able to do something that artists get maybe one or two good tracks in their career to do especially in the indie market and that's a track that can bring out the best in you and G. Fisher & D-Dave give a heartfelt rendition of lies, trying to find yourself, fake friends and success on this epic collaboration.


I would give this project a 4 out of 5 and the only thing that kept it from getting it a 5 is the fact that he gave this away for free. This is the kind of music that the public is waiting to hear and needs in rotation. If you are going to make street music then the music has to be believable to me. A lot of street music sounds too much, but with Murda G Wrote you are getting unapologetic real street music with a combination of dope beats, superior lyricism and a nice sequence for you to ride out to. I would definitely recommend this tape to all of my fans.

-Chuck Platinum



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So Free

I feel so so free. I don't think I have ever felt this free in my life. I am definitely blessed. I have wonderful careers, fantastic bright children, great health, and a wonderful family to match what more can a brother ask for. I am learning to become even more humble and more grateful for the things that are happening to me because it all has been met with some sort of struggle. This was an absolute beautiful summer nothing crazy happened, but everything crazy happened that probably doesn't make sense or maybe it does, but it has been a wonderful summer. I learned a lot about my patience and who I am as a person and what I would like to be to the world. I don't think people really think about that much. After you figure out what you want to be for yourself you have to figure out what would you like to be to the world and when you determine that you begin this process...a growth process that you can not turn back from once you go in this direction. A lot of people give up before they even begin the process because things do get a little hard. If you have some mess that you need to deal with and you have to clean up some things it's going to happen. Once you can face that with ease then everything else just becomes a stepping stone and a learning experience. The key word is discipline. Discipline can go a long way when you learn about how much self control you have. Self control adds value to your life because you begin to hold yourself accountable for your actions. You begin to learn that whatever is happening today is a result of the things that you decided on yesterday. It puts a new meaning to "You reap what you sow." I would say that I am reaping benefits of some great decisions, but it did come with some storms. I had to really humble myself in times where I could have been totally humiliated, but instead stayed head strong and faced things head on and it was hard. Sometimes I cried, or I would get angry and just had no choice, but to go through it. Once you get through it though? everything else becomes a breeze. The mistakes that we make are not permanent unless it is against the law and depending on how detrimental it is you can still do the right thing even when your past didn't permit it. A lot of times we don't succeed because we live in regret of who we once were or maybe we still are and wanting to be better. There is no reason to feel guilty for things that may have gone wrong in the past, but when you can forgive yourself and move forward in an honest direction? What will the things someone thinks of you matter? When will an opinion matter? When will growing and moving on be something that will become a part of your everyday? When I made that decision my life changed drastically. I am still learning and growing, but I am certainly proud of the man I am today and I will continue to keep my eyes, ears, mind and heart open to all the possibilities life has to offer. We only have one life and no one can dictate the direction of where your life is going. We choose to accept the things that come to us. Most of the time we can not control the circumstance anyway so we will just have to deal with it. Be free. Be YOU.

The Overcoming (Peace Of Mind)

Today May 26th, 2012 marks 4 years since I made a life changing decision to leave California and come back to NYC. I remember that day like it was yesterday. It was the worst memorial day weekend that I have ever experienced in my life. Back then I felt really lost, alone, confused I didn't know what to do. It felt like my world was just caving in on me. Everything that I had built in the last 2 years of my marriage was just going down the drain and although I wanted to stick it out I felt like I had given everything I had. I got on the road in my car and drove 3000 miles back home on faith and didn't look back. I remember feeling hurt and ashamed because I felt like I had failed God by abandoning my marriage, but I knew in my heart that it was the right thing to do. I was basically living out of my car and thanks to my brother Duce who literally begged his mom to give me a place to stay it was a while before I could even settle in and get myself together. Ever since being homeless I have had several occasions where I had to beat the odds and get myself back on track and it was not an easy step. I decided that I was going to get my CDL and make sure that whatever decision I made that I will always have job security and I had given up my car so that I could live below my means and work towards my dream. It wasn't easy giving up my baby because anybody that knows me knows that I didn't do public transportation I had always had a car since I was 16 years old, but I knew deep down inside that if being in music was what I really wanted and if I was going to be in it I would have to take it seriously and sacrifice certain things so that I can get to the big picture. After I made that decision I had worked several little jobs over the years and also got my driving experience up working at Greyhound while at night I worked to build my name back up in a city where new young cats were coming up and doing things in the underground circuit. I had to humble myself and say the prodigy you once were because you had left your city you would have to come back and prove yourself once again. So I stayed quiet. I put my hat on and got into something that I never thought that I would do and that was radio. Going into radio had to be one of the best decisions I made in my career because it allowed me to meet people and gain access to places that as a rapper I probably wouldn't have gotten in those doors as fast so it was a blessing. Now we are here 4 years later and so much has changed for me. I had worked at 2 great radio stations, interviewed so many legends in the game, helped numerous artist in their career get their music exposed, traveled, had a beautiful son, got blessed with an international coffee business and everything God lined up for me. Today I realize that I was meant to be here and all of these things were meant to happen to me ever since my accident back in 2005. God changed me a lot he put me in a place where I had to struggle so I can really appreciate the blessings that he has given me. The overcoming is the best part of the journey. Overcoming obstacles makes us stronger, it builds a backbone and rounds out our character. If we lived life with no struggle then there would be either no reason to celebrate or we would be celebrating in vain. It has humbled me so much and has given me a purpose in life to succeed. Before 2005 I was just doing things because I knew I could and I felt like I could be great at anything I do, but today lies a man that has a big purpose to be able to continue building a legacy for my children. When I die I want people to remember me as someone who was always willing to help and make sure that they were good because thats whats in my heart. I totally embrace overcoming my struggles and I have so far to go, but the journey and the lessons are unreal. I have become smarter and are making smarter, sharper decisions and I am not afraid anymore to speak my truth. It feels great to be comfortable in your own skin that whether a person likes you or not they have to respect you for who you are. Never be afraid of the new. Never be afraid of change and NEVER be ashamed of the struggle. Overcoming is a blessing from God to humble ourselves so that we can give and inspire others to be. What a beautiful journey. I am so blessed!

Dope art by director Linette Lucas

Dope art by a good friend and supporter director Linette Lucas. If you need that new edge hit her up on twitter @ll_creations or on facebook https://www.facebook.com/lucaslinette

Craze A 730 feat. Lady Lyric & Charlie Clips - We Run This (Video)

This is a new one from the homie 2011 UMA Best Male Rapper award winner @CrazeA730 from Lay Em Down Records. He is about to release a highly anticipated mixtape called "Winners Circle" with 2011 UMA DJ Of The Year @NOENYC aka DJ N.O.E. This first visual is directed by next to blow director @millsmiller and features a very talented songstress Lay Em Down's own Lady Lyric @IamLadyLyric and Battle Rap Champ @Charlieclips. Video is high energy as they take it back and forth Jada & Styles P esque. You know I will only share what the streets want to hear. Video features Blokworks own @FREDTHEGODSON. You can catch Craze on Crazy Mob Squad Radio April 25th on http://www.xtreme104fm.com

Warren G interview with Crazy Mob Squad Radio

Last night my comrades and I got to do an exclusive interview (shouts to the Fleet DJs for making that happen) with West Coast all star hip hop icon Warren G. We talked about everything from working with Dre & Snoop, the chronic, coachella and making the new hit record with Jeezy & Ne-yo check out this classic interview. Shouts to DJ Swurv, Music Mystro and the whole CMS & Xtreme fam!

Decisions Decisions

Sometimes I write slow sometimes I write quick! Life is good! It's great that my mind is opening up more and I am dreaming more. Becoming more humble and aware of my surroundings and environment. Of course there have been and still are challenges that I have had to conquer, but when you have the gift of life there is no other way to go, but up. A simple decision can make a big difference in my life and I can admit that in my younger days I didn't make the greatest decisions although I don't regret any of them. No matter what or how many times a person tells you things the bottom line is that the decisions you make are your own. Each and everyday I have to look in the mirror at myself and really get down deep into me and empty out all the trash that's inside lingering. The old thoughts, the feelings, the things that were holding me back and currently holding me back. The journey has been an interesting one and as you get older you realize how things can affect you. Unfortunately for the same reason some people become homeless or when someone is completely unhappy with their lives. I have learned how different cultures do not because they want to, but because they have to. People who have lived in so much poverty that if I give them an opportunity to change their life they won't think about it or not see because they are saying listen if you're saying this is going to help me then show me how to do it so I can be successful. It's truly amazing and I even thought about myself because I have always had a roof over my head, I was always involved in some kind of program or school working so when I think about my own life I realize by reaching back that I am very very blessed. Your decisions are the reasons for all of your situations. Be more conscious of all of your decisions you can slow down and walk and view the world. Recognize the beauty of the world and with people and get more involved in your energy and you will have everything you want