My Journey Through Kent Money's "Becoming"

Within the first 2 minutes 34 seconds of  "Becoming"  Kent had me tears. He says my "mother sat me down, and said she's fight cancer."  I knew that I needed to grab a beer, and just sit and listen. I wanted to share my thoughts of this remarkable journey, that "Becoming" seems to be taking. 

I have listening to "Becoming" at least 5 times over. Kent decided to let people in on something, that I never thought he would, his life. He's humble, real, and very kept to himself. I listened to every track, with disbelief, because he surprised me with his choice of words. Some things sounded contradicting, and patronizing, but others direct with no confusion. I wanted to take you on my journey through the mind of Kent, so if you think you can handle real, then go ahead and read my journey. 

Kent started off with an intro titled "Truth". He told a story of death, and self driven ambition for success. He is putting his life on a platter for anyone to see without fear of judgement. Which leads straight into his next track "If I Ever" he says " Don't judge me please, I just want you people love see, if I ever I say I am sorry, that I am not, forgive me, it must be something I forgot"  He's running with a dream. He speaks of how fake people are, and how haters seem to smile in his face, but he's sticking to his dreams with his team behind him, at least that's how I am hearing it. Kent seems to be speaking his mind with elaborate  metaphors, and mind twisting lyrics. His next track is "Gangsta Story". This was released prior to "Becoming". Now it's a true story about him, and his fellow Surf Club members. Using real life descriptions of each member on the track. He then comes with the track "I wish would've known" This a self reflection track,wishing he could realize the cause and effect of his actions. "Momma tried to tell me, go school, get a job, but  a nigga up in the streets going hard." The next track is entitled "Steppin Out"  it's his him taking his steps to live life the way wants too.  That everything he raps about is real, and he is going to make it to top. He then came with the track "Nothing Like Me" ladies step your game up, don't be lames. This track seems like a twisted motivation for females to act like lady and think like a man. I feel though it was going a motivation route, it was quite disrespectful, because it seemed to be referring to females as hoes. The track reminded of Jay Z's  99 problems, not lyrical, but because Jay Z says he wasn't referring to a female directly, that the word bitch was towards bitch made people in general. Maybe Kent was going that way to, maybe not. Up next on "Becoming" with Kent Money is a track called "Rollin".  It's a feeling of letting it all go. Take sip, smoke a blunt, and just relax. Sometimes you need to let the top down, and roll with the punches. "Did you hear" is the next track up on the "Becoming" journey. It speaks of death being the only way out. How are we alive if we cant live?  He's changing the standards by making a name for himself. You can help, but admire such strong lyrical content. The  next track is "Gotta Be" It seems he is describing getting his shit together. Yet describes the way he lives now. That what he does must be right, but once again this is how I took in the lyrics, so don't hold me to it. I like the track, it's quite intuitive into parts of Kent's life. We now come to a track called "See What I Did." Take a look into him, come see what he did. Watch what he has become. It's something special, he is indeed something special.  We are almost at the end of the our "Becoming" journey. Next up "Decisions" sampling Erykah Badu's "Didn't Cha Know" was pure genius.  As soon as the song came on I thought my iTunes was playing out of order, but it wasn't. He took the beat, and hook, and made it his own. It speaks of the decisions in which others have made, when it comes to him. People expect him to remember them oh so vividly, but there only part time parts of his full time life. I feel he was making a point for people to see his decisions are his own.  Alright next track up is "Alright." It's about love. The spontaneous of act of falling in love. About the lost of a love, but not stressing it, because the new girl is way better. That even with you're gone, I am on, and doing "Alright." "It's amazing the feeling of feeling love, even when your not you're feeling your in love" he said it I am just quoting it. Off the love note he comes with the track called "Don't Worry Bout Me." Just what it says don't worry about him, he got this. He's not worried about you so therefore get off me, because he's going to be good. I can't believe I am almost at the end of my journey through "Becoming." We are now at a song titled "Hey." Now that he's making it to top they all say HEY. I think it refers to the concept of with success people always have there hands out, and up screaming HEY what about me.  The last song on "Becoming" is titled "Becoming." When I first heard this track it wasn't even named yet, we just were calling it Pray For Me. I was so blessed to be one of the first to hear it, I had to make all types of promises that I wouldn't leak it, and I didn't. Now listening to it reminds me of the journey Kent took making this project. Long nights, talking to him till 3 in the morning, and him saying "Shanti what do you think of this?" me replying "Kent it's amazing, and I promise."  So Kent if your reading this, I want you to know, that I know this song by heart, for the last month, it's been in my car  BLARING oh so loud, and people begged for the name of the artist, and for the track, and all I could say was no I promised. "Becoming" is more then just a track, its one of those things you can't help, but be proud to have been blessed to hear. Now that I am at the end of my "Becoming" journey, I want you to go download "Becoming" if you haven't yet, and take the voyage in which Kent money is.  To me he is an amazing artist who is on his way to the top, but mostly a person I am blessed to call a friend. Thanks for going my journey with me. Until Next Time. Love...Live...Life.....

To download "Becoming" Visit Surf Club

For live updates on Kent Money follow him on  Twitter

My Mind Through The Red Hot Chili Peppers

Dear Red Hot Chili Peppers this one is for you......

I don't ever want to feel like I did that day. 

Standing in line to see the man I miss, just to be skipped. 

"By The Way" I tried to say I'd be there. 

But you can find me "Under The Bridge".

I don't believe it's bad. I heard your voice through that one photograph. 

But once I am gone I can never go back. 

I guess I better take it on the "Otherside". 

"Scar Tissue" that I wish you saw. To much to try to explain.

So I drive the streets, because she's my companion.  

Lonely as I am together we fly.  At least I have her love, my city she loves me.

You and me could've have worked together with some reproduction.

Just to "Save The Population".

But I guess I better just keep dreaming of "Californication".

Maybe there's some hope my words might get some publication. 

Yep you did a good job "Breaking The Girl"

But the woman is still standing  strong. 

"My Friends" are keeping me going, 

letting me know there's more hope

without even knowing.

There words are taking me to "Higher Ground"

I hope that maybe in some "Parallel Universe"  this all 

will fade. 

But till then I will be "Universally Speaking" on the pain you gave me, 

and the way The Red Hot Chili Peppers released me.

Thank you...Anthony Kiedis Hillel Slovak, Michael "Flea" Balzary, and Jack Irons. You music motivated me. Got me through the hardest times. You amaze me with your talent, and revolutionary lyrics. I love you, with my whole heart. 

Untitled

The words I write, I write from my heart.
The pain I feel is over something that never was real.
The fake facade that he put up, to get me, now look it's me sitting here crying.
Trying to figure out what I did wrong, but yet all I can hear is the same old song..
You left me, but you provoked me. I promised you forever, and left you tomorrow.
Now I am the one drowning in sorrows.
Praying and wishing it will be better tomorrow.
Love wasn't suppose to be this hard.
I thought that was the easiest part, of this thing called life.
But despite the pain, and hardship I feel, I know that our love was real
Maybe it wasn't, but it at least it was to me.
You know what they say, it's better to have loved, and lost
then to not love at all.
Which has to false, because you cant miss something you never had.
Because I'll be over it tomorrow, but you you will always wonder what if.

My Mind On Love

For the last few weeks I have been running in to some strange things. 

The first came with a couple named Matt, and Cindy. 

Now Matt, and Cindy are now friends of mine, they have been together for almost 10 years. 

Recently Matt, and Cindy had a beautiful backyard wedding, and I have never seen any one so happy. 

So I told them, thanks, thanks for making me believe in love again because I honestly thought it didn't exist.  They both laughed and said thank you. Did you know these two are high school sweethearts, isn't that awesome. They didn't even like one another in the beginning, but now you couldn't separate them with a bull dozer. They honestly showed me love did still exist. 

Now my second experience came with a older couple in a bar. 

She was kicking in ass in pool, and he was just letting her. 

I said you guys are to awesome. How long have you to been together. 

She replied a few years, but i loved him all my life, and after death. 

I said after death, am i seeing dead people right now?

She then giggled, and said no have a seat, i will tell you all about it. Expecting to hear some crazy way of the wall type shit i just kind of braced myself for the story I was about to hear.

She said for 40 years I thought this man was dead. We were together, and i love him so much, until one day I just didn't hear from him anymore. So I asked his close friend and my ex husband where he was. He replied tearfully that he had died in a motorcycle accident the night before.

Naturally i believed it, and had to bare the heartbreak on my heart for a very long time. I then married his best friend. We'll one day while walking through the grocery store I bump into this supposedly dead guy, and flip out. See his friend had lied, he wasn't dead, but he was in jail, and he had been looking for me for 35 years.  Yeah the other guy wanted me, so he took out the factor he needed just to get me. Well i left that son of a bitch the same day. I have been with him ever since. Because true love never dies.

I cried that night. I cried because it was so beautiful.

My third experience came with my best friends mom, old high school best friend.

This couple goes by the name of leslie, and david. 

They had been high school sweethearts, who kind of just separated. Well david was looking  for leslie for years, and Sunny who is my best friends mom found her on Facebook. Yes Face book. Well she gave David a call, and told him. He then created a facebook and contacted leslie, and told her how much he loved her till this day, and that he was looking for her. Well leslie is married, and has kids. But she was so unhappy. David came to California, and packed Leslie up, took her from her husband. It was kind of a cinderella moment. 

So if they can do it anyone can. I now have faith in love one again. 3 very different sets of people. From different places, and different age groups. It shows that love can be found in the oddest of places. At the oddest of times. Love does exist. 

Until Next Time Love.Live.Life!

My Mind On Surf Club

I’ve been working on this blog for a very long time. The members of Surf Club, have been a special interest to me. I took time to learn about most of the members, and it’s been a long road for everyone. I interviewed Chase N Cashe, Kent Money, Hit Boy, Bcarr, and G Ry. Each of them with a story. But me being me a simple Q & A would not be allowed now would it. This is My Mind On The Surf Club.

What is Surf Club you ask? To me it's a group of individuals of undefined portions but if you ask member Kent Money he will say "It’s a family, we all look at for each other its rare you find a group of people that bond, we all push each other to be bettter, we are there from for one another through good, and bad." Surf Club consist of 9 members : Hit Boy, Chase N Cashe, Chili Chill, B.Carr (pronounced care), Kent Money, Young Ry (aka) G Ry, Stacy Barthe, Matt, and Jelani Fresh.

By the end of this blog you will see, they are so much more then just a name. When I asked them what Surf Club was, I got some amazing answers, but my favorite came from SC member Chase N Cashe or just Chase for short. He said “It’s a home of originality and creative expression, all different sounds, and styles combined to create something organic we want our brand to be where people can enjoy creativity no matter where it stems from culture based music for our generation.” Chase is a California resident, but not CA born nor raised. Originally from New Orleans, He has resided here in California since 2006. Surf Club has members from different places, different lifestyles, but it doesn’t make them any thing less then family when I asked G Ry what they meant to him he said “ They mean everything to me, and they’re the reason why I wanna be great in life It wouldn’t be the same to me without them if I was doing music.” Which is pretty awesome. G Ry also known as Young Ry, got the nickname G Ry from his fellow Surf Club member Chase. So what started this beyond amazing organization, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you so I’m going to let BCarr pronounced Care by the way tell you it went a little something like this “What it really started off as a dressing crew, the first night we went out as THE SURF CLUB we went to Ontario Mills we were all dressed in our SC jackets @ that time that was fitted up you know, an when we walked in we shut the mall down, like everybody stop doing what they were doing an just start following us around.. that’s when I knew it was gonna be something big.” They had the fame before the fame, and still have so much to accomplish. There influence flows from so many places Kent Money said “ My greatest influence is Jesus because i always find incredible that will die to make sure that everyone in the world can chose wrong or right anyone who will die for it is a great man, but Jay Z on the lyrical side, Jay Z has different ways of saying things one way, and it means something in more then one way.” They stray away from trends, and create there on like G Ry has no Tattoo’s, and as most of you know that isn’t very common in the music industry, or California in general he told me Tattoo’s naw not really I don't wanna say I look up to Drizzy but I do look at someone like him who is my peer and model myself like that” He the gave me a line from Pass The Dutch By Young Money produced by Hit Boy, and Chase N Cashe it went like this “No tatts but the ink on my money still wet” Surf Club is filled with so much ambition I asked Hit Boy to describe himself in 3 words he said “passionate, caring, persistent” I could sense all 3 of those traits in him, I ensured me that no mater what happened he would keep himself humble. Hit came at me with some beyond amazing responses to my questions like I asked him where got his inspiration from he told me “As far as other producers go, of course the legends of my era, Timbaland, Pharrell, just blaze, Kanye, not in any particular order i look up to all of them for their unique sound.. the homie Boi1da is really really dope as far as newer guys go as far really just catching a vibe and being inspired to make music, it can come from anywhere i like to just sit and listen to music for hours and hours i get lost in old rNb stuff rock pop whatever i like almost everything” So I had to ask him even country? He replied without hesitation “Yes, it maybe certain elements in country that I can take from...Great melodies.” Can you pull from your inspiration from something you have nothing to do with be real can pull from a genre of music in which you don’t deal with? Most likely not sorry to kill your dreams. I asked all the guys the same question what do you wish to accomplish in 2010 here’s how they each replied

G Ry Said “I wish to accomplish more growth and accomplishments that I have already accomplished for myself lol I.E. a record placement or just make a timeless record within the year”

Kent M$NEY said “I see myself making plenty of noise in 2010 because every day so far has been a surprise. I want to make the XXL 2011 Freshman list, Which means i have to put in a lot of work.”

BCarr says “far as this year stay out of trouble for 1... get this mixtape done, get more placements on more albums an artist, getting my name an beats out there more.”

Chase wants “make all our artists on our brand successful with a lifestyle and message that carries on past our time i want to help build and contribute to our culture hands on i mean in all aspects not just music artistically i want to be in direct contact and association with all positive change in music / art for our generation

Hit Boy said “i really just want to get Surf Club and all of our members established get our name out there and put out great music”

I let them all know I had faith that there goals will happen, because that’s all they can do is move up from here. I enjoyed talking them they were real, know bulshit just straight with there answers, and there passion showed without a doubt. From Kent spitting verses to Hit Boy letting me know that he likes to eat, make music, and ride Go Karts for fun. Yes Go Karts, when other guys his age are all in the club dancing drinking, and acting a fool he is riding Go Karts, and indulging in food.

Chase gave me 3 words to describe Surf Club “Ushers Of Change” I couldn’t have said it better myself. They are changing the industry. Plus I asked Chase what women equal he “ The real leaders of the world” which automatically kept him in my good graces until forever.

I can go on for days about the amazing Surf Club. They are self motivated people. But this is just some of the Surf Club members. A few very important members weren’t able to give me a interview, but that isn’t going to stop me from writing about the lyrically talented Chili Chil, and Stacey Barth. Chili Chili recently released his mixtape “The Cold World” with a instant success rate online. Hosted by DJ Don Cannon, Chili Chil came with fire instantly. Chili is an outstanding artist with outstanding talent. I know don’t know about him but I know his music is genius, and his brothers love him. Please stay posted on my blog to hear more on Chili Chil, I hope to get a interview with him in the near future.

Stacy Barthe is currently one of the hottest song writers on the scene. She has written songs for different artist such as The Black Eyed Peas, Britney Spears, Keri Hilson, Enrique Iglesias, New Kids on the Block, Ciara, Tiffany Evans, Cassie, and Diddy. If you google her, you will see the net naming her one of the hottest new song writers out with her ability to write to exquisite beats, and whimsical lyrical style, she is mos def one to look out for. She’s the only female apart The Surf Club movement, and she is for damn sure pulling her on weight. You never know that catchy song you cant seem to get of your head might be Stacey Barthe’s next hit.


Well my mind on The Surf Club has come to an end. Keep look out on my blog for more on The Surf Club. I have a feeling that this may be my first blog about this more then ordinary group of people, but far from my last.

For more on the Surf Club. Please visit www.Itsthesurfclub.com it’s filled with constant updates, you can also download music, videos, and much more.

Until next time....Love.Live.Life

My Mind On Barely Broke Intellects

CEO Rick Montano of Barely Broke Intellects has recently released a new Spring/Summer line on April !5th 2010. If you put your ear to the streets you mos def hear them buzzing with the hype of Barely Broke Intellects also known BBi Clothing. Rick came out with this seasons newest arrivals with a bang, also celebrating the release of Rapper Epic The Future's Mixtape A Long Story Short at the The Bank Lounge in Ontario,CA on April !5th 2010. To top it all off Rick also released his much anticipated BBi commercial early friday afternoon. It has been a journey for Mr. Montano, but this is just a big step in a even bigger industry. Barely Broke has the comings of a very succesful line. Rick once told me "The line is males for now, I want to get in to woman's clothing but I wanna focus on one thing then venture off later on." When is later on you ask ladies? Well Rick insured me that it's a lot sooner rather then later. Ladies we can be expecting our own piece of the Barely Broke Line Mid Summer early Fall, so keep your eyes open for that. Well that's all on BBi Clothing, peep the commercial before you exit this thing I call my mind.

Visit BBi Online
Follow BBi on Twitter Barely Broke Intellects
Follow Rick Montano on Twitter Rick Montano

Guns & Tattoo's

Most girls like shoes, and purses.

I like ink, and bullets.

The power the gun holds

The vibrations of the needles, against my skin

The words that are permanently engraved in to my side

Not Easily Broken

But with my 9 I promise I can break through your insides.

So you better love live life like the ink on my hips says 

Guns, and Tattoo's that's all I need to have, boom damn baby ya dead.
To get me through the pain I feel. 

Bam blowing through targets, like there's no tomorrow.

The needles stroking my skin, like a brush against a canvas.

Permanent artwork,  just like bullet wounds I give to

you with one stroke.

Dont underestimate the power of my weapon, Quick to pull 

the trigger, nope I wont choke. 

Tattoo's and guns, yeah that's my passion.

So dont try me, other wise the next ink you see,  will be on your 

head stone BITCH NIGGA REST IN PIECES!