yayow,

Im on tumblr now…. www.realistan.tumblr.com

Im going to repost all these posts on my tumblr account, and bomr.ca will soon redirect you over….

{{:)

There is a serious lack of respect for producers in the music industry and by fans at large. How many times have us producers over heard a conversation by some Tween, twenty something, or thirty something that went like this…

“hey yah” by Andre 3000? I LOVE that song….

OMG, I love Jay Electronic, his beats are too real…

Yeah, M.I.A.’s music is effin revolutionary….

As a producer, I ALWAYS want to step in and say “um, do you know who produced that?…that was Diplo…give HIM the props…the arrangement was probably him as well”

Here’s where the problem is. Losers are confused, and being confused makes you lost….it sucks for people without direction, but on a journey to anywhere, you can draw your own map. Confused people think that when you say “producer” you’re talking about a Merv Griffin, or a Tommy Mottola, or someone with a budget funding the project in question. This is the traditional sense of the word.

Losers fail to realize that the liquid sex they love and call music is made by a real person…the producer. This person is often plagued by major desires to create, and hear’s music everywhere and in everything. This person is the backbone to the joint you’re loving.

Sure, people know timbaland “makes beats” and they love his music….etc. Im saying, he doesn’t make EVERY beat, so what are people really knowing about other songs….not a damn thing.

Give respect where respect is due.

Sure, you may love the black eyed peas, but it’s Will.I.Am who’s the monster. Many of the Arrangements, and music are done by him….he’s like me…he’s like us. Plagued to twiddle pot pans, and pad tap, and splice, and chop, and lace chords, and bust melodies more than a nut….obsessed with musical structure…..bored with the regular, but unpretentious enough to recognize when heat is straight heat….arrogant cause “no one understands” his ideas, but given the chance to make a beat, will merk your mom and dad on creation….

So, everyone needs to step their knowledge game and realize that Mike Jack was NOTHING without Quincy, G-Unit is nothing without Basement/Bedroom Producers across the world, Janet was nothing without Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Biggie wouldn’t have built initial momentum without Primo, Mobb Deep neither…also, the Mobb would be no where without Q-tip who would be no where without Dilla who would be nowhere without Pete Rock and Jazzy Jeff, and just as I need humble as an emcee, he needs me as a producer…..the industry would be no where without gully ass mother fuckers producing to no end, passing up sex and parties, and getting high, and failing, for that next bit of sweet sweet melody.

What are Beat Reels?

In the simplest, a cumulative body of what a producer has been working on during a period of time, or during an era, or for a project. For example, for my Gravediggaz project, I have 9 beats for the reel….sometimes beats blend into one another like a mixtape, and there are no rhymes….it’s like a silent auction for emcees/poets/singers

The Advantage? You can demonstrate your cumulative skills for an era as a producer all at once to a number of people. Artists can pick whatever they want and you can pick which ever artist works with a beat. No waiting, or begging for someone to listen to your shit…it’s all on the reel, up to them.

Now, James Yancey aka Jay Dilla was a Beat Reel Monster. This mans reel were sometimes blended, sometimes not…but they always were entertaining from beginning to end. He pioneered revealing the original sample right before the edited masterpiece he created from chopping it up. His Beat reels are legendary, and in my opinion revolutionized the way many producers shop their beats around….I mean there’s now a difference between a CD of “Beats” and a CD that’s a beat reel….with a beat reel, you presuppose that this is an era for the artist. This is the style that the artist is feeling….

Dilla’s beat reels inspire me to this day, and so, here’s my beat reel…I’ve put a few out before, but with this blog and networking on different fronts, i can put more out and feel confident im hitting people, or they can access it easy.

9o% of these beats were done since June (I think). Anyway, they were done with an MPC 2000 classic (with no flip screen), Logic Audio, an apogee duet, a handful of synths, and a drum kit + toys…..some have been taken by emcees, some not….it’s all in the air. Im sitting on a pile more. These are just ideas, not finished songs, obviously…

You can throw this reel on, and just listen, or write to it. There are elements meant for your car, so feel free to bump it in your ride to catch the bass nice nice.

Again, I love you all…I get tons of emails about music, and it makes me smile each and every time someone asks me questions, or wants my opinion….sorry if I take a while to hit you back, but I try to hit everyone…CLICK ON THE MYSTERY BOX BELOW FOR A FREE DL…i know the image doesnt show :(

Big up my family, veej, humble, and fellow arsonists the lighter’s international crew…

THE LIGHTER’S EP IS NEXT!!!!

So, the Internet was buzzing for a millisecond over homosexuality and it’s place within the frameworks of Sikhi…

Here’s how it started:
1) A friend of mine sent me a link to a perspective on Homosexuality in Sikhism. It was by a crew of fellas called Singhrow out in the UK. The video, in my opinion (IMO), was half exclusionary of gay folk around the world. I’ve always banked on Sikhi to be inclusive of ALL people…marginal, fat, ugly, beautiful, ignorant, straight, …and even gay..etc. The video is right in stating that in Sikhi, you’re supposed to be moving away from lust, and maaya…etc. I agree with that being a sentiment within the frameworks of the religion. However, IMO, the video went on to vilify gay people. I felt as though it was completely unnecessary to call gays unnatural, and “oogly-woogly” as they put it. All things being said, I felt very heated as a human being, hip-hop artist, gay individual, and someone who was instilled with principles to defend himself. I took it upon myself to do a track about Singhrow’s video…Ill post the lyrics:

“Mirror Daggers”

You aint no guru, interpreter and bilingual in English and Spiritual/
Telling me my love compass is effed up/
That im counter-human cause I mirror-dagger/
And it results in no seeds, heed the statistics/
A new orphan every 15 seconds/
I could save a life or two, wake up my brejin/
Adoption can be seva too, I don’t need a/
good Power Universal Self Savior/
Y?, you f**** try to vilify/
The cards that I was dealt in this life/
Genetic or developmental, no one knows/
So ima stay I wayne, I love to see my people/
Living in love, you cite God, but God ain’t visit/
No one since I made this is beat, it’s Sikh, beautiful in my blasphemy, you’re bold to speak but disabled comments on your page you p***y.

This bwoi cant effin speak two sentence without sayin, you feel me? You get me?

Yeah I got you, a couple counter arguments/
In defense of the most persecuted/
More dogged than black Hijabi immigrants/
I don’t need an indoctrinated puppet/
Telling me what’s really what in the accent/ of the colonizer/you’re grafting king james on eastern shit brah/and you see these shades of love between bed bugs, and drosophila/dolphins and lions/and your pops probably got down with a lickle Maasti B/how you gonna interpret life to exclude me?/ it’s heinous/ judge me on any other quality, just know this/ im live when I dive into sex like Greg Louganis/

Nah nah nah, this boys patwa came out, he was like wha gwan?

To the rest of the world, grab your etch-a-sketch a draw your own conclusions/I hope it has 2010 years of contusions/yall glamorize the bullet wounds/but how many LGBT have been DOA off a hangin in Iran/ a gunshot in Jamaica/complicit European conquest spreading hate across the globe/like a GaGa tour/kaa kaa pours all his energy, into dividin heads like Bhai Mati Das/what the bumbo raas?

My track came off hard and it was supposed to, it was done in the spirit of hip-hop. And that’s cool and all. But as time passed on, and people started to love me for stepping up as a gay individual, and people also started threatening me and my physical safety, I felt strange. The love is all good, I can eat potato chips ALL day. The hate was novelty at first, cool by the 2nd and 3rd messages regarding me dying in the UK, and by 4th and 5th…I didnt need the negativity in my inbox. So, I’VE TAKEN MY LINK OFFLINE. My point was made, I got enough hits to reach people, and I stood up for an oppressed people. Taking the link offline was a minor concession as my boy Vijay put it.

2)

BEFORE I took the link offline, I got a message from sarbat.net, and queer/sikh website advocating homosexuality in the religion. They wanted to do a short piece on me, my song, and I don’t know, all things gay under the sun. Now this is a message to my queer folk…YOU ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING FOR GAY PEOPLE IF YOU STICK TO GAY PEOPLE. Me, an openly gay artist, doing an interview on a gay website, on a gay issue…. what boundary is that pushing? Not a damn one.

So, I was trapped between having thrown a stone for the gay community at Singhrow, and being attacked with threats from people who might feel strongly about Singhrow. I asked for it. Although witty in some respects, my track DID diss the brothers father…I later came to know he hasn’t seen his father since he was 3 Years Old…. :S…my bad.

3)

Before I hollered at sarbat.net, I decided to reach out to Singhrow. I mean, who is sarbat.net in this case? Nobody to me, I need to reach out to the people I threw a stone at first (take a lesson Israel).

Fateh Brothers and Sisters,

I wanted to reach out personally, and let you know about a few things going on on my end. First, this website called sarbat.net has contacted me wrt “Mirror Daggers” and wanted to do an interview and article on me. Sarbat.net is a website that tries to reconcile Sikhi and homosexuality, a mountainous task at best.

Although, I commend them for taking up that challenge, I myself align with NO groups be it gay, straight… I thought you all should be privy to my response which I have not yet sent….

————–

Thank you for your comment and respect for my track ‘Mirror Dagger”. It’s great that you would like to do an interview, and short segment on me and my track counter Singhrow’s video.

However, as an individual, I make it a point to not align myself with any group. I feel that if I were to participate and put myself on your website, it would give the impression that sarbat.net and I have similar agendas.

I am however very touched that you all reached out.

Singhrow has a right to have his/her/their voice(s) heard as well. I will propose that you, as an organization reach out to them, independently of me, and ask them for an interview, youtube discussion, or three way recorded phone conversation. I can participate where we can come to consensus, at least between Singhrow and I on the status of my humanity as a gay individual. Hopefully, we can decide on something that will make Sikh youth more worldly, and all encompassing people?

My ultimate goal is the non-selective self-empowerment of all people, including gays. Being a gay artist, on a gay website, on a gay issue, is not pushing any boundaries, so im not down with that idea. However, if we could mutually come to an understanding, that would be the most uplifting thing we could do as a people.

sk

——–

If you all agree to an open discussion on this topic, I think it would be a massive step forward on the issue. I think you guys to amazing work, and are soldiers to the death which is what we need. You have to understand though, that there are marginal people out in the world, such as myself, that only want to lend a hand. To be excluded from your framework is a bigger system doing it’s worst to divide us.

I won’t apologize for my track, I feel it’s high time someone from the Gay community stepped up. I have much to loose. Why would a gay person reach out on a hip hop track?

As for my language in the track, I can explain myself, but it’s in the info. All I can say is I said a few personal remarks in the spirit of hip hop.

I would like to hear your thoughts on that? There has been an overwhelming amount of support for me and my stance on this. BUT, im not in the business of vilifying you all either. If I can do anything to raise awareness, and help you guys do positive work within the community, i am down 110%.

sk…

PS. I will even produce a positive Sikh Unit (your music project) joint as a gesture of mutual understanding
________________________________________

4)
Singhrow before they got this email from me, did a response video. It was pretty harsh, but word is it’s been taken down, or the link is still active or something…not sure. But, you know what? it was interesting. Singhrow have a desire and passion for educating young people. I respect that. The content of that education is definitely under scrutiny. The question is DOES THE END JUSTIFY THE MEANS? should we care, as gay people, what singhrows stance is on homosexuality, if they’re doing so much positive work in the end? …. look at Christian missionaries in Africa. We can gripe and complain all we want about Christians covertly converting beautiful Africans…but I don’t see any other aid group from a religious background making as much noise as Christian groups in Africa. They ARE bringing water to them, and food etc. The Education is under scrutiny, BUT the end is needed…..MAYBE.
To this I tip my dastar (figuratively) to Singhrow. In terms of their stance on homosexuality…. this is what Singhrow offered me….

“Mans have got nothing personal against gays – we feel sikhi rejects it that’s all (not rejection as kill or sumting that’s Islamic shit as in we cant be amritdharis and take drugs , it don’t mean u kill druggies etc). you got have replied in a better way in a more educational way, because we was not offensive and just said a view bro.”

I didnt feel right earlier on, because I DID call him a pussy. And I did so in the spirit of hip hop, but if I wanted to bring about change, I could have made a track, not insulting directly, and cutting out the pussy talk. I was angry as a gay person, and I feel no one in the gay community has ever done it THIS way. I hope singhrow can appreciate that.

They went on to say:
we get responses from gays on that video all the time thanking us etc as some gays feel we said right things, we do have gay punjabis helping us on various projects, we also have meat eaters etc, but we shouldnt have to change our stance. listen you can be gay, do ur ting, but it doesnt mean majority of the people will accept homosexuality in sikhi. …
it has cuased division, minor , its done. me personally think its all waste of time, but i can understand our sevadar reacting way he is, but minor from Singhrow this is end of it all. we aint gonna put nothing else out on the situation. theres much bigga things going on. but in singhrow there is 9 sevadars and we back it for eachother to max so we had to show him support on this. thats what brothers do. he is the hot headed one anyway lol but he gets good reaction from the druggies etc on the street cos he lived that life the longest etc so he will go on about it for a bit and dat, trust he aint homophobic etc none of us are we just think sikhi rejects that attitude. minors safe….

—————–

Singhrow has the right to their religious attitudes. Im in no position to criticize them in the way that I did, seeing how I dont align myself with their views.  I realize that now, BUT, I think people should know that I WILL defend myself and gays at large. We are a real people, and it is one of many communities I belong to.

There ARE much bigger things going on, but for me, I cant sleep on homosexuality. In terms of religion, I proposed it in my track and I will solidify here: There is no difference in the lust of Hetero’s and Homosexuals except in preference. If you’re goal is to rid yourself of lust, more power to you. Do NOT vilify the gay community OR people for having a sexuality. All arguments ive heard so far are pathetically wrong. People seem to think that gay people are sex/drug maniacs, and that being gay means having your drive on nitro’s and THUS is against Sikhi. This isn’t the case. It’s the lust, NOT the preference.

I couldn’t believe how many ignorant attitudes I saw on facebook status’s towards me being gay. I can still merk most of you as a musician, emcee, singer, and Speech-Language Pathologist…I dont need yall, fuck yall.

BUT, I did witness the most love I have ever got from people as well….shout out to my family, my fellow artists, Humble the Poet, Lighter’s crew, Veej, Deep, and EVERYONE WHO DEFENDED ME when I couldnt possibly have answered to EVERY post NOR articulated “me”.

__________________________________________

On a brighter note, I went to my first Native Pow Wow yesterday. It’s an event where native people from the Iroquois nation pay respects and thanks to all that’s around them. There’s traditional dancing and music….I wasn’t gawked at like I was in Boston….they infact have very smilar likes and attitudes as a collective as my background…..

The dopest thing is that they don’t believe in addresses, so “the man” can’t come eff them up further. They use PO boxes..lol. ….I thought that was rather clever.

We saw the token anthropological white women, getting into the music and clapping, when you’re not supposed to clap at all.

I ate a traditional native taco (?!) …uhh, yeah, a taco….

but, all in all, it was a beautiful experience to see these people who’s history includes one of THE worst genocides in human history, do their thang….

BIG UP MANDEEP SETHI (new sikh…..i didnt even know)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QESkgplKjvY

World,

It seems that the point of life was someone else’s dream sold to me….well, actually, it was barter: my entire belief in the dream, for the pursuit of the dream itself. That went bust a good number of times, but i keep going back. The most recent instance was a visit from my man Deep Hundal (who ISNT gay everyone, quit bugging him). I was just struck though, at how well spoken, and articulate he was. He wouldn’t hurt a fly. At the end of the day, if there ever was a compromise the universe could offer me, to make my aforementioned dream-barter worthwhile, I hope it could include a piece of ass like Deep, a new studio, and my student line of credit being nullified….But, most of this is in due time.

I on the other hand have been injected with SUMMER. So much comes with this…..the ability to walk outside dressed leisurely, and make dates, and hold hands with people you enjoy, and “hunt”……inspiration to make music comes from all angles, including the hunt.

I attended two events this last weekend…When Lions’ Roar part deux, and the G20 “Carnival” in DT Toronto…WLR II was dope. GNE, Mandeep Sethi, Fateh, Malton, Noyz, Magic, Selena…..I was happy and proud seein them do what they do. The G20 protest was more like a huge outdoor spectacle, where if you attended, you were just one thread part of the pointless tapestry of annoyance…still, the overall tapestry was probably a BIG middle finger to the complacency of world governments.

The dumb things: Burning cop cars is your money being burned, AND mine….Cops, who are supposed to abide by the law, left litter ALL over the place ( i have pictures) they also left Horse kaa kaa all over the place (Poop and Scoop…?) People who are level-1 protestors are often scared of police or overly concerned for the WRONG reasons….you NEED to worry about these sound canons (www.noacousticweapons.com)….

The dope things: Making noise is always a good thing (im speaking figuratively) Im glad that enough people came out. I was glad I got to participate and at least be another body on the scene………….illogically, it did feel good seeing that cop car burn.

So, ive picked up steam, there is a lot of work on my plate which is fantastic….head down, full Steam ahead, and dancing in the rain….

my lament on God and stuff
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4-WLbpn9rk

and a slew of new beats at www.youtube.com/kanwar1

I love you all, and thanks for paying attention…

…one day after work i went to go explore the city (Boston). It reminds me a lot of montreal…the architecture, the water…etc.

The people of course are different, and consequently the culture. But, I can see how I can really like it here. People are either mad ignorant, or fucking chill. Kids don’t like sitting near me on the train, yet, those in the “know” want to rape me….lol. Anyway, it’s ok i guess.

Enter the Latino: This fine ass creature has everything desirable in my quest for beauty (see Rollo May’s book ‘Quest for Beauty’). Darker features, a culture that shows mad solidarity when it needs to stick it to the majority (day without’em? …nah, all day with ‘em…uhn!)…..anyway, I’m constantly, as my boy shogun’s album is called, “caught lookin”.

Once Humble came to mount real and we went driving, and he was like “I got recognized yesterday!”…I was like “really?!?!”
Im not gonna lie, I thought that was cool as shit, since Mount Real isn’t his stomping grounds anyway…..but today, let me tell you, I was recognized not in my own hood, not in my own province, or even COUNTRY….downtown Boston……it was by my name not my face, but, the dude knew me still (Big up Basim)…he’s done a show with humble and has spoken with Balraj before, so that was dope ;) Turns out that Basim is part of this pakistani Punk band called the Kominas.

The Kominas are my Boston family…Imran (aka someone i’d make out with), Shahjehan (fucking stupid-regal ass name), and Basim (what up niggy?)…i love these guys. Basim was the first Komina I bumbped into…funny story:

There I am, walking around DT Boston (near park station), noting how many shoe stores there were within a few blocks, when my shoe broke. I turned back, and saw a very handsome sikh guy standing outside one, like he owned it…which I totally inferred he did, ’cause that’s how our people do. Anyway, we acknowledged each other, being the only two punjabi sikh’s in a kilometer radius..

His name was JJ and he was as handsom as he was generous. He consequently hooked me up with a pair of shoes that were $129, for $40. ….if that doesn’t warrant love, I dont know what does…..

The cool part was that his boy Basim (Komina #1) was standing in the back of the store where I was trying on shoes, and commented on my tatoo. He totally knew it was my MPC pads and we hit it off right away. He invited me to his birthday party that night that was taking place right around the corner in the basement of a posh-ass resto.

the conversation went as follows:

Basim: Hey, you should come to my birthday party tonight
Sikh: Im dowwwnnn
Basim: dope, im gonna play soca, bhangra, calypso, dancehall…
Sikh: (in his mind: iiirrrrkkkkkk) Dancehall? Im there…do you need help spinning, I have all my gear
Basim: Please man, feel free

Anyway, I spun that jam, we had a good time. I later found out that these muhfuckers have opened for Major Lazer….that’s when i spazzed and decided to be one of those little fish that gets around by sucking on the titi’s of a bigger fish…….the big fish titi’s being the Komina’s.

The Komina’s took it upon themselves to show me a good time, so I experienced my first Punk show ever. It was interesting…I took it as a cultural experience. The first band we checked was a metal band, and for some reason, this girl infront of me wore heals…..why? The moshing began and I took her 5 inch in my shin, while beer spilled all over my legs…

This doesn’t constitute any hate…I thought is was interesting. I would have been bent regardless if the beer was spilled on me at a Punk show or the Vatican…doesn’t make a difference. But what transpired as I went to take a break outside, really stung me…

Basim and I were outside the venue when Basim suggested we get my car and pull up in front and listen to tunes loud while we waited for the next set to come on stage….I was a little apprehensive, asking if reggae would be well received with such a crown.

Enter the Dope Punk:

To my surprise, I saw punk’s poppin and lockin to the Damian Marley blarin out my 99 cirrus…’twas serious. One started dry-grinding the hood and roof of my car. Basim and Seemi (what up gyal) were doing Bhangra outside the passenger door.

Enter the Covert Skin-Head:

We were having a good time right outside my ride when this guy, quite obviously under the influence, approached and said

“Hey, if you guys are looking for a dance party, I suggest you go somewhere else…”

I said

“Sorry Brother, we bought out tickets, we’re just waiting for the next set”

….he mozeed back angrily, grumbling something under his breath. He then returned, and said

“…it’s like you’re making fun of us with your music, get the fuck out of here….”

at this time, my new ace and partner in crime Arjun (mad love and respect), a buddy of Basim’s came out and got punched in the back of the head. Now, needless to say, but I’ll say it anyway, we were all coloured folks amongst a large body of other coloured folks…

I step out of the car and try to break the scene up, and get my people back in the car ….people are yelling at me “the cops are coming”…..that’s the last thing I need. I got to my door and as I was getting in, I heard people shouting at me, “go back to where you came from”…

Arjun got bust in his face, and I wanted to fire bomb the place. ..I still do. And I see that guys face in my head, it makes me want to tear the whole godamn world apart.

From the bloodclot glares on the train into town from Chelmsford, MA, to Boston, to the scuffle with these racist ass thugs….I love Boston. lol.

But, I came back to Mount Real and like hooking up with a previous lover, it was familiar while being guided by the pent up specific energy I can only express while being here…Montreal.

Bang Your Head –> http://youtube.com/watch?v=mxWPF8YPu94

I decided to combine technologies on todays post…

My blog was written in my moleskine ….check le ici in pdf form

http://www.divshare.com/direct/11322627-fa3.pdf

Toronto was as fleeting as a nap time….

After being lost in a car with B Magic and A to the motherfuckin T, which I thoroughly enjoyed cause they’re really good people who appreciate talks about talent and art and music and beats etc, I finally ended up at some video recording studio, where a bitch named Selena Dhillon pulled out for her people and showed us how it was really done (so much love at you SD). But I digress, we shot a ghetto vid or two, and then proceeded to Boston Pizza where I enjoyed Yam fries and being on the periphery of my mans Humble the Poets aura of fame. My man is famous, plain and simp’. Girls flock to him, recognize him at distances…etc. Regular Regular Regular lookin indian guys stare at a distance whisperin to their buddies etc. We were a pretty sick and pretty pretty entourage now that I think about it; Humble, Harman the Hater, AT, B Magic, that guy David. Now, I was already exhausted, and although the car ride with Magic and AT was fun, we were gettin frustrated with being lost. Harman the Hater, who’s coined such phrases as “stay in your lane” and “A to the muhfuckin T”, gave us opposite directions each step of the way.

As cute as Harman is, is as fun as he is to poke fun at. It’s just easy though cause he’s so soft spoken, it’s rather endearing. The majority of my trip was spent raggin on Harman for having the Utility of a leadless mechanical pencil, good for flippin over and using the other end, that’s it. In the end, my man got frustrated and STILL came to Humble+Sikh’s show. So, I have to send out massive public love to Harman the Brother. Remember what I said, if I hurt your feelings, it’s only cause I love you…..

While we waited for the show to start, Humble, Balraj, and I went to an all day breakfast place. This place was pan-everything. Chinese cuisine, hamburgers, pizza, desert, coffee, and yes, breakfast all day. It was run by, what I can only assume, is an east asian couple. there was a large mural of hamburger and fries on one of the walls, and while we ate, tree gyalis ‘a walk chru and said they wanted us. The menu was line upon line upon line of dishes. The only thing I could think was how they could make a pogo stick and Imperial rolls one after the other without thinkin twice about their own menu. I think that immigrants do so much to make it in the bloodclot west that the sycophantic “yes sir, and no sir” works it’s way into vocation, and suddenly you have driver’s Ed locations where you can rent movies, real estate offices that offer eyebrow threading, and my favorite, the indian grocer/fashion warehouse. The need to survive will certainly make one say “I’ll do anything you want me to do, just pay me”. Immigrant menus are an indication.

The show was good….we did the usual tracks with some Lighter’s International fire, and it was really well received. To my enjoyment, I got paid. But, Im certain we’ll have really really new material to bless the masses with some summer. Lal killed it as usual.

I love how my sister’s missed my set, and showed up 10 minutes after I got off.

To end this loving weekend off, I watched a Bronx tale with the nieces, and performed a clean sweep of my hardrive of an indication of my ex….and now it’s off to Boston, to start my horribly placed practical as a Speech-Language Pathologist….

New fire in my Logic, ready to be mixed down, comin your way…

see you soon Kitt!

Oh snap, OMG, ROTFLMAO, LOL, COTFLGOHAHA, LAGNAF, WYSIWYG, GFY!!!!! Did Sikh Post some shit?…

I am back after a long, hungry, broke, hiatus….I swear, higher education was not designed for the low budget, I don’t care what anyone says. As some of you know, I’m pursuing my masters in Speech-Language Pathology. Although the course load is heavy, I would say my 3 number 1 (?) obstacles have to be time and money (which are pretty much the same thing in my view), and culture. If I wasn’t burnt out after the marathon of getting to school on time, I was itching for a nap…..maybe I should check my thyroid. But, after this year, I can see how low money can be a perpetual cycle of bumboclot problems.

The thing with being poor is that it’s not a choice. And furthermore, not being poor isn’t just a matter of not spending money. Think about it. EVERYTHING costs duckets. Even when you cut corners to save a little now (like making a late payment, or contesting a parking ticket so it takes a few months to pay that shit) and pay later, shit often piles up and you end up stuck again. The only thing you hope for is that you get paid by the time a rebound comes….you marginal’s know EXACTLY what im talkin about.

Anyway, as miss (mrs.? I never know this one’s status) Badu said, the work keeps turnin’.

The adverse affect of bills and such is stress. Stress fucks with one’s health on multiple levels and I don’t think we appreciate that fully. I for one get sick with certainty when im placed under dire conditions.

Now, I am not poor, Im a student. But, it’s not a far stretch of the imagination to empathize just a little with the poor people of our city, and see how money and health are mutually reinforcing entities that our wack western system not only acknowledges, but fails to recognize….for example; The end of my first year of my master’s is supposed to conclude with a 1-month practicum. We were able to choose locations, pretty much anywhere in the world. Naturally, being a penny-pocket motherfucker, I only had choices afforded to me based on my limitations. So, I had Boston (my sister kitty lives there), Toronto (my two other sisters live there), Bay area (my boy Sethi lives there)….Toronto was out of the question, because U of T has dibs on placements for SLP students. Bay Area was an after thought, so I couldn’t go with it because it was “too late”. So, months ago, I gave my sister Kitty’s zip code, asking for a placement in her vicinity.

Now, I did everything I could to minimize costs for this stupid placement, obviously, staying with my sister, trying to get a placement close by. I only suggested Boston because I was informed that leaving montreal for the 1 month practicum was a good idea, since I probably would be working in Montreal in the end, anyway. Here’s what goes down…I get a bumbclot placement 1h15min to 2hrs form my sisters place….it would COST me 217 dollars for bumbocleet train pass to get to the site for the month….not to mention it’s at 720am. Now, I had to push for at least a later start time, which I got. But let’s analyze this situation. McGill, is a school with a privileged student body. Obviously, if someone around you can foot the bill for your apartment and pay your tuition, you’re in a higher tax bracket. Some of us suffer through the experience being stressed beyond limits, and not working to our full potential. In the end, even having a pleasurable practicum would cost me money…the one thing that I though I earned…..I can’t afford driving in to the raatid site, that’s 64 MILES each day, where would gas money come from.

I was told to take a wack ass emergency student loan. Why should I have to do that, when I planned for this months in advance, and the clinical coordinators slept on my case, and got me a bullshit placement so far, costing me MORE money?

What I just said might not sit well with some. People work hard, I don’t deny that. But, I think people attribute 100% of their success to themselves, and I take Elizabeth Gilbert’s point of view and say, it’s not you, it’s your daemon. Furthermore, I think that a fortunate few have won a genetic lottery to be afforded certain luxuries they will never see.

Suivant Next…My point of this rant, is that I can see how that low money is perpetual monster affecting everything from health, to performance….Are those my excuses? maybe. I think rising above a situation is often a myth, and you’re more often than not going to perform within the contraints you can handle….

BUT, school was a good experience, tough as a motherfucker for several reasons.

Culture was another reason. Things were always kind of tough for me through my entire education. For one, I never really felt like I belonged. Now, this can my intellectual, cultural….I think, in my case a combination of the two. Let’s talk culture: My low point during my master’s came when I discovered that I was the child that we study…Im the low budget, marginal, troubled home, socially and politcally disgruntled little rug rat that entertained various deficits along the way. I was saved though. I had three older sisters, much older than I was, bombarding me with adult like input, giving me thoughts beyond my age level, and a vocabulary that was exceedingly large (but I can always find a use for ‘bumboclot’). Anyway, somehow, someway, I’ve proved myself, and made it to where im at, all at my own pace. On the social side of things, Im a little left of “urban”…i talk with my hands when making a point, I get over confident, I prefer large ideas as opposed to minor details (they’ll work themselves out), I recognize solidarity among people, I value emotions to levels beyond those conducive to traditional anglo-saxon success….I would more sooner yell fuck the police, than, mind my own business. I rarely bump into heads like this in higher education. Im the son of immigrants who did their best. I work like a donkey, and I forego the outcome for some shit, to guarantee a purse, cause like I said above, money is time AND health….Anyway, for these reasons, I find it hard to coelesce with my “peers”.

I respect each and everyone of them. But, this has been my burden from the moment my mom uncrossed her legs. Inshallah, I use my other talents (making you move) to make a million this summer, so my next year can be experienced to the lovely middle class capacities that I might have been ordained with….

I can talk at nauseum (what up Gonnerman) about this sort of stuff, but ill move on with my post.

I HAVE A SHOW!!!! COME AND LOVE ME! yes, im back on my grind, with humble et al. If you’re in the T Dot, come show support, in protest of the G8/G20 summit.

the deets….
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=109334969084177

Start Time:
Saturday, May 1, 2010 at 7:30pm
End Time:
Sunday, May 2, 2010 at 2:00am
Location:
The Garrison
Street:
1197 Dundas Street West
City/Town:
Toronto, ON

NEW MUSIC –>

http://www.divshare.com/direct/11224139-f52.mp3

This summer, Im fueling a project who’s idea saved my intellect during this last exam period, and help me forge my new philosophy called “dancing in the rain”. First off “dancing in the rain” came from a facebook post I saw from my friend Tracy Mohammad. The post said something to the effect of “Life’s not about blah blah blah, it’s about learning to dance in the rain”. It was mad a propos, since the rain was coming down hard on me at the time….I just decided that shit is always going to be busy for me. There’s no sense in strategically waiting for one opportunity, to pursue another…..It’s all about a HORIZONTAL ATTACK STRATEGY…all things whenever possible. That’s me dancing in the rain. Ill mix a track on the train, come up with a meldoy during my cranio-facial seminar…all in pursuit of an end mission.

The new project as a result of all the dancin, is called LIGHTERS INTERNATIONAL. Musically, it’s Massive Attack meets Major Lazer meets Dead Prez, with oodles and oodles of Sikh Knowledge production stylings. The group members are myself, Humble the Poet, Shogun (pending he’s not angry with me because I was soooo slow with cruel summer), Ill Mestizo, and Chuckles….

That’s all im going to say on that for now, and Ill post a few teasers up soon. This project is very very very very serious. It’s gonna make people spontaneously combust…….im serious.

Next project we got is the GRAVEDIGGAZ II project. Now, those who know me, know that I was a gravediggaz fiend from the start. The first two albums changed my life and influenced all my compositions, and lyrics in a very deep way. Now, im sick and tired of waiting for Rza (who isnt). So, out of love, im saying FUCK RZA. Yeah, out of love. …….I decided to organize a group of gravey ass motherfuckers to make a hommage group. My ultimate goal is to stay true to the gravediggaz vibe, but make so much noise with the album that it grabs Rza’s attention, and he’ll be like “Hey sikh, do you wanna produce for me” and I’ll be like “mmmm, maybe motherfucker, where have you been?” all the while inside, im as giddy as a school girl. The new GD II team is Sikh Knowledge, my mans Amrit Tung, Mandeep Sethi ( I dont know if he knows yet), Povan (I dont know if he knows yet), and this cat that just inspired the hell out of me, namely, Xitanos Matematicos (i dont think he knows yet) lol.

Anyway, that’s all Ill say for now…

Im in T Dot in like 3 hours….Boston in 3 days………..gone in three seconds.

big sikh aka aloo gobi.

Many people have took notice and messaged me regarding my relationship status on facebook that has changed from nothing to ‘engaged’. I would be flattered, but since no one has ever reached out regarding that cool pic of me holding a REAL HUMAN BRAIN, or any of the other cool ass shit i post, like that cute pic of me and my sisters smiling and shit, Im saying you all can go to H-E- double hockey sticks.

The engagement is a falsehood, but nonetheless a good idea, and im all for good ideas. First, Sikh Knowledge engaged to the legendary shit disturbing Deep Hundal?…if that’s not a power couple, i don’t what is. Second, have you seen Deep Hundal?

But, I digress. Thanks for all the well wishing, it’s extremely satisfying to know that I can now be ignored by someone good looking as opposed to no one?

The Original Hott Head himself Busy Signal Himself is CPR’ing Dancehall one riddim at a time. Danehall is coming off a serious serious drought. Daseca house, a production outfit, has consistently been putting out wack ass riddims (obviously with exceptions….kinda, like Burning by sean paul, but that was years ago) for the last few years. It was this ugly blend of what they thought was a down south american style mixed with dance, and dancehall…with the same raatid chord structure, always resolving the same, with no variation. It was like walking through Hyderabad and looking at all the men who work in IT….

Anyway, my man Busy Signal is doing his thing on some serious percussive tracks…simple is more.

Busy Signal – Style Deh

This past weekend, my man Humble the Poet came into town to lend mic support for the after show of Le Forum contre la violence Policière and L’Impunité (http://forumcontrelaviolencepoliciere.wordpress.com/). We ripped it and Humble got a taste of one of the types of crowds ’round here tabernac estee….Balraj, Humble and I, played Plateau hippies and had a dessert at a café on the corner of Laurier and Parc, while we talked politics….Sikh was validated, and all felt fantastic as Humble schooled him on the finer points of police in the raatid GTA.

F the Police – Sikh and Humble

Finally, turn it up right quick….Scott C, a fellow DILLAgent follower of one of the greatest producers to ever live, is throwing a memorial jam for James Yancey, or Mr. Jay Dilla, on Friday February 12th, at Le Consulat 1442 Bleury….i am a dilla step child for life, and scott is honoring me witha  few moments to spin it down….i got some dilla goodies to whip out the bucket, so come and turn it up

Island and Beyond,

I had a wicked break form Speech-Pathologing and im not sure if you remember (read last post) I had a little event to raise some fund for the AWN…I raised about $130. Not bad for the first Mount Mehfil event EVER….

I appreciate everyone’s hard work..Sonia, Samangi, Veeju Papu, Preeti Dingy..etc…

Now, I’ll be sending this money along with the assurance of advocacyproject.org that it will make it to Afghanistan to help the AWN….

Im thinking of having a part 2. The way I see it, I might not have the time while studying to drop a whole album, but I sure can spin to raise dough for the cause…

Im not sure how kosher this is, but what the hay….Here is a link to a folder filled with some of the qawwali playlist I used that night….download and enjoy….

Click –> Mount Mehfil the Playlist

increase the love…