Thirty-eight weeks into 2010. This A.M. Soleil, Retrospectively project is only one blog a week, but putting down something meaningful each week in addition all the new stuff I’m working on definitely keeps me on my toes. The fall equinox already has me reflecting on 2010 like its December 31st.
SOULAJU will perform our last show of 2010 at the Boulder Theater on Oct. 1st. Bill includes us, The Reminders, and Les Nubians. People still needing tix can pick those up here: http://bouldertheater.com/event_detail.php?id=1319. We have a few video shoots coming up and some big youth advocacy events/projects in October, then SOULAJU goes on hiatus until February 2011.
During this hiatus, I’ll be getting back into my solo element. DJ Icewater will be putting out a 45’ single that features my vocals. I have some long-awaited collabs lined up with Denver and Albuquerque emcees and producers.
This necessary shift takes me back to the October 2008.
“Dee-Jay, say you give the people what they want / take head of the culture, give the people what they need / Indeed, we the children of the break beat sound / push back, let the truth rise from the underground”
“Dee-jay, say you give the people what they like / word sun then shine, give the people space to fly / Indeed, you da key, get the people on dey feet / let em shake loose, breathe, make sure they dance free”
This was the first track I recorded with DJ Icewater in October 2008. I was a few months into my Up Before the Sunrise tour. I decided to head to the Bay Area and do some volunteer work for Youth Speaks during their Living Word Festival.
I called my friend Jeff Chang and told him that I’d be in town. Could he hook me up with any producers?
This is the Aju version of Wrong Ways, released on Shine Flow EP w/ Dj Icewater (2009). The Molina version appears on the forthcoming album SOULAJU.
Mixed entangled confusion / infused by my name and tongue / constant duality, redefine sanity, birth burning heart internationality…
This is one of the oldest stories in human history, because people have always moved, for survival, for opportunity, sometimes for love. Sometimes we are pushed or pulled by the wind, not knowing where we may land.
This is the second version of The People. It is the second single off the forthcoming album SOULAJU, set for release March 23rd, 2010.
The first version of The People appeared on Shine Flow EP w/ DJ Icewater, released June 9th, 2009. I wrote the original in October 2008 in Portland, OR, where I was emceeing Graham St. Productions’ first major fundraiser for Papers the movie. I was two months into the Up Before the Sunrise tour. After the Papers benefit, I hopped on the plane and headed to the Bay Area to volunteer for Youth Speaks’ Living Word festival.
“I strut, I flow, my style I’m all mine / I shine my truth / I chop, mash up time / you work, you grind, you climb with no interlude / your push, your pull, you rise high, it’s all you…”
…the first words heard from my first collaboration with Aju and DJ Icewater. It was a big shift in style and presentation from the more gritty Up Before the Sunrise album.
