CATCHING UP...

I've been slackin' on my blog mackin'. Truth is that as much as I've intended to keep you posted on the artwork and expressions of mr.soul, I've been pulled in various directions to do a multitude of things. Definitely not what the average person should be taking on alone, but I welcome the challenges. They're what make you greater, stronger and more adapt to the ways of the world.

So for the past few weeks, a lot has been going on. I've been organizing an art show (that you should make it a point to attend if you're in Atlanta!), working on several projects, developing a few other projects all while trying to maintain my sanity. The good thing is that I have an inspirational circle of people around me who help to keep me grounded and focused, and who help me keep my eyes on the prize.

Sometimes all of this responsibility can appear to be overwhelming, but the key is mastering the art of controlling what you can, and not stressing about the things you can't.

So let's see, in the past few weeks, I've gone home to visit Cleveland in all of it's 6 degree glory! I've definitely been spoiled by the southern comfort. But the warmth of being with my family and childhood friends, who I hadn't seen in almost a year, make the Cleveland cold feel like a hot sunny day on South Beach. There's something special about re-visiting your roots and getting re-connected to the energy that gave birth to who you are. As pitiful as my hometown looks, I am still proud to be a native! Seeing how things have changed over the 12 years I've been in Atlanta does much to fuel my desire to make it, to succeed. I know a lot of people trapped working jobs they don't like because they don't pay shit, or because they're just shitty jobs. I know people who want to up and leave but can't. I hope to inspire these people to keep strugglin' and strivin'. There's a light at the end of the tunnel.



I look forward to going back home this summer though. I don't get to see everybody during the winter because no matter how long you've lived in Tha Land, you STILL don't care to deal with the harsh realities that a mid-western winter will remind you of! But in the summer, everybody's out enjoying the sun and the crazy Cleveland streets. I especially like and remember going down to the lake and watching the sun set. Me and my big homie Rashad used to make that a ritual after working all day and nite on our weeky hip-hop publication, Planet Black Magazine which was based out of Cleveland of course. We were a featured insert in the Call & Post, a Ohio Black newspaper which I believe is currently owned by Don King. It was different times and management back then. That was '95.



Me and my creative comrades at City Of Ink did a photoshoot last month for one of the biggest tattoo publications on the newsstand right now, INKED Magazine. This is a historic event seeing as how City Of Ink is the first Black tattoo shop to be featured in the publication. We have deemed ourselves "The Obamas" of the tattoo industry! The photoshoot was done b a very talented Michael Blackwell, who has been shooting a lot of Atlanta's urban scene for magazines like Vibe, XXL, The Source, etc. Stay tuned for the publication date, and make sure you pick a few of them thangs up!

Aight, now that I'm caught up a little bit, let me proceed to give you what you need!


"You know who it is, you know what it is...peace out."