Either way, if I had a machine available, I would surely try it. The ingredients all sound so tempting I can almost image the taste of it. As they say, “everything ain’t for everybody”, so I’ll sit patiently and wait for a report back on how this turns out.

© 2012, TRJ. All rights reserved.

Add hempseeds to your diet, and you’ll get:

Protein. Highly digestible and absorbable protein including all essential amino acids – this makes hempseeds a “complete” protein.   What’s more, the structure of the proteins, which are globular proteins, are similar to ones manufactured in our blood making them readily digestible and usable by our bodies.   Eat 100 calories-worth of hempseeds and you’ll get 5.5 grams of protein – a great source of vegetarian protein at that!

Some people need more encouragement then others so if you are one of those types then why not try one of these three recipes. I’m particularly interested in the Hemp Seed Bars though the Hemp Pesto sounds great too and no worries, hemp isn’t going to get you high.

© 2012, TRJ. All rights reserved.

Click here for the full recipe and if you try it feel free to hit me up on Tumblr with the photo.

© 2012, TRJ. All rights reserved.

I can’t help but to love the snarf. That’s what the hell McDonald’s gets, when was the last time they actually served food? I see Ronald McDonald and I want to slap the shit outta him, I really thought he was a friend of mine. Not that I lived and died in McDonald’s but like everyone else…I loved the FRIES. And not only was a customer, I am also a former employee.

Memories of preparing McDonald’s food but being too poor to afford to eat it warm the cockle of my heart to this day.

But alas, all that is left to do is for these big, stank ass companies to either change their practices or go the way of the actual healthy meal…straight into a faded memory. Next time you need PR help, might I suggest you contact me, I know plenty of great people who would love to help.

© 2012, TRJ. All rights reserved.

I’m planning on meeting with several fabulous people while I’m out there to discuss new opportunities and direction. I can’t wait to get into the Cali spoken word scene, hear some music with my bros and them, I want to create some art with my family and, yeah, relax.

There is so much good energy going on around me right now that I need to take this trip to disperse it.  I need to speak with my kin, don’t ask why, I just know I need to and I’ve been wandering the way of David Carradine and this is what the force told me to do..for now.

I know you guys like to stay up to date with me and my crazy life so I like to keep things simple for you. You can easily keep track of me while I travel by following me on Twitter, FourSquare, Tumblr, and Facebook.

In the meantime, I got a poetry reading to attend tonight in order to finally meet my good friend and an insanely dope poet Element 615 in person. We’ve been online buddies for years now and I’m seeing that man before I skip town.

He’ll be appearing along with gang of other talented individuals tonight at 116 MacDougal Street as part of Mike Geffner’s Inspired Word poetry showcase. I’ll be there and might jump back on stage, practice makes perfect and words need to be spoken, you’re free to recite my words once I’m dead and buried.

Until then….

© 2012, TRJ. All rights reserved.

Unfortunately, these terms and the values in which they denote are set up in a twisted totum pole that puts the darkest shade of skin at the bottom of the social structure of nearly all peoples while elevating the status of the individual as they ascent up and away from blackness. This leave a coldrun of people left to deal with life as ‘less than’ based on physical attributes that mean nothing. The damage we do is evident. Join the Facebook group here and read stories written by women about the impact color has had on their lives.

Dark Girls: Preview from Bradinn French on Vimeo.

The movie is premiering in New York City on January 13th at the historic Apollo theater. Ticket prices are $38.50 and $78.50, the latter of which affords one a VIP ticket with a meet and greet, priority seating and a reception with the film’s directors. Since this falls on my birthday, I may just find my way to the viewing and treat myself to a VIP ticket. Either way, this movie definitely seems worth watching, the preview will have you almost in tears.

© 2012, TRJ. All rights reserved.

Heavy on acoustics, and with careful layering of multiple sounds, Gael Neus, takes samples from any genre and recreates it into an original piece. The underground blogs are screaming about what Neus brings to the music scene; a resurgence of the club crowds that came to dance and also those that get their pleasure from just getting lost in complicated, rich and textured compilations.

Click here to download Pussy, Weed, Money or listen here and decide for yourself….You’ll thank me later.

NEUS – Pussy Weed Money by NEUS

© 2012, TRJ. All rights reserved.

For pet owners it only seems like a natural progression to begin to serve their pets diets similar to their own. Pet foods consisting of organic materials and healthier ingredients can be found online, at specialty stores such as Whole Foods and by mail order.

There’s also the option of preparing your pet’s food from scratch. I’ve found a few great links to get you started.

• Home Made Dog Food: consisting of raisins, grains, organic meat and vegetables
• Home Made Cat Food: this site has a recipe and good advice; making cat food requires special care
• A list of the worst dog food to feed your pet
• A list of the best dog food to feed your pet

© 2012, TRJ. All rights reserved.

There are others who are only able to see what was coming, well after it has since arrived, they’re caught in the aftermath of the flood. They grasp at drift wood, and discarded pieces of what could have been ‘the best of times’ had they only been better prepared. And since they’re only left with regrets and a future of maneuvering life in ‘the struggle‘, I’ll call these people the ‘victims’ in our vast landscape of Hip Hop.

And then there are those that toil endlessly in silence; there are those among us who don’t need direction to find their own path forward. Luckily for us, there are still wordsmith’s out here who can take the magic of ‘now’, the memories of ‘before’ and the history of ‘back in the day’ of all shared urban culture and turn it into an example of music that’s light years ahead of what the status quo is doing.

Ian Wellz (@Ianwellz) and Trills Smith (@trillytrills) are these types of dudes.

I can’t even begin to explain the talent level each of them has as individuals, let alone how fly they are when they work together, so it’s without a doubt that I’ll be in the house tomorrow night at the UC Lounge (formerly Uncle Charlie’s) for their Light Years Ahead Hip Hop Showcase.

Here’s a little primer if you’re new to my inner circle, both of them and a few more of their crew hail from my adopted home town of Newark, NJ. With that being said, anybody whose in the know understands that artists from this historic cultural haven hit the ground running like the echoing patter of a pair of Jordan’s after a spray of bullets.

A story teller like Biggie, sprinkled with an irreverent tinge of resentment at the plightof inner city life, Ian Wellz is a highly anticipated underground (for now) lyricist, producer and musician. It would be an insult to call him a rapper; and an understatement to simply call him an musician.

His refreshingly raw, honest and unforgiving observance of subject matter is intimate, abrasive and moving. His lyrics touch you like the an abusive lover who says just the right things, in that familiar type of way, to cut deep like a knife.

His skill as a producer and engineer are not lost on the fact that his melodies bounce from one genre to another all while continuing to force a head nod from his audience. What would the industry do with another unapologetic black man whose musical ear creates offerings that exceed anything else you’ve been listening to, in both diversity and composition?

Professionally trained and locally respected, I would lie if I didn’t say that I bump his music in my Ipod next to Jigga, Kanye and B.I.G. When I want people to salivate over my hip hop offerings, I throw them the link to his collection of free downloads and give them the smug mug.

Whose this? Oh, shit, this doesn’t sound anything like a mix tape! Thanks, he’s dope. 

Yes, he’s so dope….and so is the man standing next to him.

Trills Smith is a lyricist, writer, and highly accomplished visual artist. Since we’re not talking about his paintings or the recent photo work he’s published on Amazon, I’ll attempt to only focus on his musical capabilities from here on out.

When I think of the best way to describe Trills, a soul clap comes to mind, he’s is the definition of the quiet, chill type of situation that doesn’t demand a standing ovation because he does not require your approval. Trills’ music is all army green jackets, sepia toned photos taken with your grandfather’s Brownie camera, and time spent kicking it with the people whose memories insist things were better, ‘back then’.

This music is for the soldiers that wash the hassles of everyday living away by pouring a double shot of coping skills. 

Listening to his latest efforts, Lush Life, reminds me of the type of lifestyle lived by people from back in the day, you know, the ‘old heads’ that gave birth to the current generation even if they didn’t stick around to raise you.

This is sipping music; laugh with your boys over some bullshit music; the “pour your broken heart into another shot” type accompaniment. This is the bartender will keep it coming and won’t ask you no questions type of music.

This is no surprise to me, as I personally know Mr. Smith is by far one of the coolest cats you ever wanna meet and you can do just that tomorrow night and see for yourself.

Hip hop is going through a change, I wouldn’t call it a re-birth, as we’ve been here before, but I will say that creativity, originality and substance are establishing standards in the music while the incoherent babbling of what used to be considered baby talk is being properly demoted to its proper place among entertaining fodder for the common folks ear.

I’ll be heading out to paint the town red with my consigliere Dee, of Dee Makes Jewelry, my other Dee, of  Little Bits of Paper and Things, and I’m hoping to catch up with Max, or any number of a crew of about twenty other people I run the NYC streets with and whom I would love to see. Foursquare me, find me Twitter, or just stop by and check them out because this is about people supporting people.

It’s the end of the year after all, and where else would I rather be than to be with cool, creative people whom I genuinely support? Fuck it, I’m officially done with 2011, the people and the bullshit, and maybe I’ll see you in the future…or not.

Until next time….

© 2011, TRJ. All rights reserved.

If you’ve had your head stuck in a melon or have been Occupying Wall Street rather than paying attention to the fashion industry this may be a new name to you. That doesn’t mean homeboy hasn’t been all over the world as he’s worked with so many top models and designers that if I named dropped on his behalf it would take away from his actual talent.

I don’t need to insist that he’s dope, you can just look at these flicks and see for yourself. Better yet, Google the brand name and enjoy the models, the custom made beats and all around good times that consist of BGold, Maximosis and their crew of a million people that morf into the largest urban marketing team you’ve ever seen.

We enjoyed food provided by the Vivid Cafe in Brooklyn and Popcorn Indiana. New Yorkers got a chance to sample the sounds of the Miles Davis “Trumpet” brand headphones from Monster. Monster is the same company that produces the “Beats By Dre” headphones you are so in love with, the company has now expanded into different genres for diverse ears. I love it because I love music. I chatted that girl up for a while.

There was a DJ, and a photo booth and H &M models walking around, there was flashing bottles of vodka, couches and awhole lot of good vibes. I’m sure the crowd was wondering who this slim built young man is, I bet they won’t be asking that question for much longer. His entire inventory SOLD OUT and by the end of the evening, thanks to the blizzard of promotion and the unique displays everyone wanted to know “Who are those people” but in a good way!!

Bartholemu Holder, is not your average artsy kid with a need to ‘be different’ thereby leading them to dabble in textiles and fashion design. That’s so passe, there are several conflicts going on in the design that make it a unique brand.

B Gold, as the rest of the world calls him, is not simply designing clothes that others find cool. What he creates is a luxury brand cultivated from the minds of the urban individual. Make no mistake, this isn’t ‘hip hop’ inspired clothing, it’s way more than that. Nearly every piece is a social and political statement.

 BGold’s pieces range from modern to eccentric cut cashmere but all at affordable prices. By making his clothing affordable he can reach customers of any class and background. The ‘involvement’ in fashion has always been apparent, but what one group creates, the other one takes and makes it inaccessible to the working Joe from where the design came. That’s a no-no, but no one ever cared to ask poor Joe.

These days, it’s not the color of our skin that causes a conflicts between race and class, it’s financial resources and the hovering feeling like something is amiss. And this is New Yorker!! People in NYC don’t care for things being amiss!!

So how did BGold Make Soho Yelp All Weekend long? The behind the scenes magic of event planner and brand engineer, Maximo Garcia of M. Garcia Consulting. Now that you know….I expect nothing less then the best IF I choose to make a trip to your little shin-ding!

© 2011, TRJ. All rights reserved.