Happy 420 (If your still into that sort of thing)

I never really fully understood the "stoner's holiday" of 4/20. Some people say 420 was a police code for possession, or growing. Some say it was the address of some guy in Humboldt County that moved major weight. Some people literally think that April 20th (and 4:20 PM) is the best time to get high because of the allignment of the planets or some bullshit. (Then there's the somewhat creepy fact that it's also Hitler's birthday.) So whatever the real story may be, I never could figure it out. But for many years I was happy (proud, even) to partake in the rituals of the holiday: getting fucked up as much as possible on weed (and whatever other drugs was available), to the point where I couldn't remember shit.

there's lots of different reasons people smoke. Some have legitimate pain and need it for their medicine. Some can balance their smoking with the rest of their life and just be laid back. Some only do it once in a while and don't have a problem craving it. But here's what I think. If your above the age of 25, have kids, have a job of reasonable responsibility or just can't get your shit together, then you should quit. You can keep smoking but you will look like an idiot. You will look like the person who's still at the party at 5:00am witha lampshade on their head, dancing to a skipping record while everyone else is either passed out or has gone home. You'll be like an old guy who shows up at the skatepark trying to make friends with the teenagers. Or an old lady who still wears shirts that say "Flirt" and "Slut". And you won't even realize it because you'll be so detached from reality.

Sorry to sound like a Partnership For A Drug Free America Ad, but I didn't party today for the first time in like a decade. And I didn't do much today, but I can remember everything I did and I know I didn't look like a fucking stoner while I was doing it. So, go me.

Overindulgence

So, today ive got 9 months sober. Continuously. Including weekends. And coincidentally, its almost exactly 1 month until my 29th birthday (which I now consider my 20th birthday, which may be confusing, but that's a whole 'nother blog post). So understandibly, ive been doing a lot of reflection and realized that this will be the first time (since I was like, 15) that I didn't celebrate by birthday by getting rediculously high or drunk. I also started thinking about what ive had for my birthday cake every year: Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, and Rocky Road ice cream. And just as the thought of eating that combination of confections crossed my mind, I thought: "Wow, that's FUCKING DISGUSTING!"

I guess I never realized how much of an addict I really was, right down to my yearly artery-clogging candle-holder. I now realize that I used to ingest cake the same way I used to imbebe pints of Stella or shoot Jagerbombs: find the most extreme variation (or at least a high alcohol content), and force your body to comply with your insanity. Every year I would go out on my birthday proclaiming that I wanted to get so fucked up that I couldn't remember anything the next day. I would usually STILL remember everything anyway, but mostly it would just be about how drunk and high I was before 11pm, and how I started talking shit and just being a trainwreck in general. So this year is finally going to be different. I want to celebrate for about 3 weeks, hit up some shows, some clubs, and whatever the hell else goes down in the meantime. I want to remember everything, and I want to enjoy it this time.

Oh and a carrot cake sounds good this year. Change it up for once. Maybe with some coconut ice cream? Who knows, ill jump off that bridge when I get to it.

Aceyalone and Planet Asia at the Blue Cafe LBC, March 29th 2009

Hip hop shows? Who goes to hip hop shows anymore? If you live in OC, virtually nobody. Luckily my associates Toney Clifton and Black Steffan from The Uncouth dragged me out last weekend to attend the Aceyalone / Planet Asia show at The Blue Cafe in the LBC. The last time I saw Aceyalone live was in 1997, at a rave in some wherehouse in LA, right after the release of "Book Of Human Language". I also had the good fortune to see Freestyle Fellowship a couple times durring their reunion shows, so of course I was stoked for this event.

Getting to the venue a lil early, we stopped at Hooters... for some wings. No wonder Chris Rock said "no one goes to Hooters for wings". Ive only eaten at Hooters twice in my life, and this time was the last. The wings were battered with the drumstick and wing attached (weird), they charged extra for ranch (wtf??), and very few of the waitresses lived up to the establishments name. Black Steffan was saying he wanted to open a restaurant where all the waitresses have fat asses, but he didn't know what to call it. When I suggested "Glute-ers", he called me a genius. Likewise, sir.

Anyway, we headed back to the show and caught the end of Mic Saberz performance, the dopest opening act of the night. After that, a whole slew of up and comers took the stage before Soul Elevation (MC Toquon and DJ Icey Ice of the Beat Junkies) finally blessed the crowd with some actual SKILLS (and just a lil bit too much seriousness, but it was ok). Then you had Aspect 1, (March's Producer Of The Month) laying down some serious beats with some wild samples (one of them sounded like Spanish matador music?!?!?) that had the crowd fiending for more. Next, Planet Asia and his crew (who ive gotta admit, I never checked for that much) came to the stage and straight RIPPED IT: crazy energy, clear vocals, dope beats, best performance of the night.

After a quick intermission (which we used to check out the smokin' reggae band upstairs... fiyah!) it was time for Aceyalone, who we had already spotted in the building before Planet Asia went on. Guess he spent Asia's performance at the bar, cuz Acey AND his DJ (producer Bionik) were both tore up by the time he took the stage. After performing a couple of his more recent tracks, I watched Ace shoot a double whiskey and drink half a Heineken on stage (Damn, fam!) before launching into "Arithimiticulus" from "All Balls Don't Bounce", one of his more difficult works. All I could think was, "What an ASSHOLE!! Not so much the getting drunk, but then performing one of his most underground songs right from the jump?!?!?"

Anyway, as Acey swayed and staggered through his albums of the past couple years (at least he's been busy, recording with RJD2, plus a reggae album and his new soul album with Bionik) I began to notice that DESPITE the alcohol, dude didn't miss a beat. Even when he performed "Guidelines" (My favorite Aceyalone song) and turned the pitch on the turntable up to plus 10, he still stayed perfectly on beat (like I said, ASSHOLE!!) In the end it was an okay show, but nothing like what I saw at that warehouse in 97'.

Glad that the homies got me out of the house for once, gonna have to do it again soon!!