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1. |
Splashdown
02:34
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They were expecting me the day before but they were wrong.
I arrived with perfect timing,
September 18 1972
Landing on this planet feltā¦ different
Comforting but disruptive
Even seductive
So I got productive
And in doing so I stumbled upon space between stimulus and response
A whole āotherā way of being
Which led to this moment right about now
So, join me as I share the story of how.
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2. |
Lifelong Friends
04:15
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It was nineteen seventy something and things were rough
Growing up in my hood meant you had to be tough
South east London the killings were daily
Running from police and gangs was crazyā¦
Ok ok ok, let me come again. Let me be real.
It was nineteen seventy something and things were cool
My parents bought a house real close to my school
Opposite a park so I was good as gold
Going solo to the shops at 7 years old
That happened all the time kids had way more range
No helicopter parenting just ābring back my change
Donāt talk to strangers careful as you crossā
A few simple rules then Iām off
Off I went in the snow on my expedition
Mental list cola bottles sweet cigarettes
Cutting through the park always had tunnel vision
Up ahead I see a figure doing pirouettes
Oh thatās a kid about my age so whatās he doing yo
Jumping up and landing backwards in a pile of snow
Then he stood up and did it again
I didnāt know then - but weād end up being lifelong friends
Youāre lucky if you get more than 2
Used to see them all day every day
(Lifelong friends)
Youāre lucky if you end up with a few
And when you get to see each other you both know what to say
He called me over I thought heās gonna catch pneumonia
He said ācome on, have a go Paulā
I looked at him blank, prosopagnosia
Apparently he was the new kid at school
From that day we would play every day in his house,
In my house in the park after dark it was laughs all the
time white kid black kid we were tight back then
Heās family, more than just a school friend
Exploring hip hop - breakdancing locally
Graffiti tagging but that wasnāt really my thing
Writing lyrics - experimenting vocally
Getting good now my cousins started rhyming
I was the DJ but no turntables
Mouth scratching hey I was only 10
Reu and I were inseparable for many years
Now I donāt see him enough but weāre still life long friends
Youāre lucky if you get more than 2
Used to see them all day every day
(Lifelong friends)
Youāre lucky if you end up with a few
And when you get to see each other you both know what to say
(Lifelong friends)
Youāre lucky if you get more than 2
Used to see them all day every day
(Lifelong friends)
Youāre lucky if you end up with a few
And when you get to see each other you both know what to say
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3. |
Good Looking
03:08
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(Wooo)
So Fresh
(Wooo)
So Fresh
(Wooo)
So Fresh
Put on my OVER sized blazer badly tied neck tie
Not too short and fat I aināt that guy
Big school got a key to my front door
School bus the 194
Top deck start off at the front
Work my way back over a couple of months
Or couple of years really I just wanna disappear
Cos those girls at the back seem to have no fear
So Loud - didnāt know weād end up lifelong friends
Black and proud
A school for girls a school for boys
That time on the bus meant hold your poise
But I didnāt have a clue how to do that so screw that
Iād just memorize the lyrics to my new raps
Even then I was all about the boom bap
See back in the day when I was a teenager
Used to be a DJ not much of a raver
House parties in Beckenham was my flavor
(Wooo)
So Fresh
(Wooo)
So Fresh
(Wooo)
So Fresh
See that way I could focus on the music
All that partying shit was too confusing
That girl likes you
That guy wants to fight you
āYou donāt drink, smoke, dance, who invited you?ā
Yeahā¦ so I would spin those tunes
Scratching vibes all up in the room
Def G on the flyer for those that know
To come to the party where the bass would flow
Iām FRESH on the scene
Wanted hair like Michael JACKSON Billie Jean
But that cost money so itās MORE like Benny Green
Wrath of Kane had me join the high top team
It was clean yo but back to the scene
End of the night - slow jams playing
People partnering up Iām DJing
Iād totally be on the dance floor
Mmhmmā¦ yeah sure Iām just saying
(Wooo)
So Fresh
(Wooo)
So Fresh
(Wooo)
So Fresh
Lights UP music down YO itās time to leave
Who spilt beer on this record sleeve
Muthaā¦.these rich kids believe
And whereāre my friends at theyāre supposed to help me with these leads
On the sofa checking girls feeling fly
So I Burt Bacharach and Walk On By
This girl turned to her friend and looked me in the eye
āDonāt you think heās good looking for a black guy?ā
Good looking for a black guy
Good looking for a black guy
Waitā¦ what?
What did she say?
She thinks Iām good looking?
No no no, thatās not what she said.
This is not a compliment
Good looking for a what?!
Who asked you? You think I care what you say?
I aināt your mascot Iām just here to DJ
Looked at my friends they looked at me blank
Time to move on this friendship sank
In fact time to claim this world as mine
Thatās why James and I reflect on those times
As like being trained behind enemy lines
I need to get outta here
I need to escape
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4. |
Escape from Beckenham
06:34
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Itās time to escape
Itās time to escape
Got to escape
Itās time to escape
Gotta escape
Have to escape
Itās time to escape
Itās time to escape
Got to escape
Got to escape
Have to escape
Have to escape
Now Iām driving in more ways than one
Suzuki Alto so much fun
Little car filled with big house speakers
Mostly woofers who needs tweeters
Not me bumping Public Enemy A Tribe Called Quest
Loose Ends and Barrington Levy
Stopped by the police to Under Me Sensi
Oooh the irony I stopped counting at 30
Taking the piss asking
āWhatās a slag like you doing in a nice area like this?ā
Great question especially now I have a car
Beckenham had one club and one bar
If you wanna make moves you have to act
And on this one night l I felt a tap on my back
As I was LOCKING up my car in the dark kinda scary
Is this the time to try that mawashi geri
Turned round and faced this gold tooth grin
Do I know him? At least heās smiling
Turns out we used to get the same school bus
Different school but thereās not too many of āusā
āI hear youāre in a hip hop group is that a fact?
Something about kingsā¦ oh waitā¦ Lords of Rapā
I tried to be cool āyeah thatās me, Def G
Weāve even got something out on vinyl, wanna see?ā
He said āsure I - work at Jive recordsā
Just to be clear to ME thatās TRIBE records
He says āI also do some work at the Fridge
And if you want we can go down and Iāll get you on the guest listā
I swiftly abandon my Beckenham bar plans
And say to Leon just get in the car man
Itās time to escape
Itās time to escape
Got to escape
Itās time to escape
Gotta escape
Have to escape
Itās time to escape
Itās time to escape
Got to escape
Got to escape
Have to escape
Have to escape
So off we go from Beckenham to Brixton
He says āsounds like blown tweeters you should fix themā
We get to the club he knows EVERYONE
Fist bumping and bantering with EVERYONE
I stand back observing and learning
After 10 minutes finally we go in
Not quite as we make our way towards the sound
I get stopped bounces look me up and down
Leon says āheās cool heās on my teamā
āNot in there he aināt, he looks 15ā
So now what - I look at him
He says āman Iām sorry but I need to go inā¦
But listen - at least Iāve got your tune
We should definitely meet up soonā
Get back in my car - had to let it slide
I donāt think I just got taken for a ride
Backing out of Brixton itās been a long night
Back in Beckenham in time for the weekly street fight
You see drink this is a ground hog week
If I keep talking about escaping that talk is cheap
Without action Iāve got to escape
Iāve got to escape Iāve got to escape
Itās not too late I need to escape
I better drive home
Because Iām barely awake Iām barely awake
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5. |
Root Mean Square
04:38
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live that dream
The reality is life aināt free
Got a day job or so it seems
And a side hustle make the money
Up till now Iāve been producer DJ MC
Manager and all in between
Lords of Rap album done Flintstone album done
Nothing came out never saw the sun
Day job was selling mobile phones computers and printers
All whilst looking sleek (wore a suit you know)
Side hustle engineering more than 50 acts
Hanging out at Choice FM a couple times a week
Now that small townās a distant memory
Training side by side with my enemy
Was beneficial and the love was there
Not so sacrificial like when I cut off my hair
But for nowā¦
All roads lead to Clifton
All roads lead to Clifton
All roads lead to Clifton
RMS Crew STAND UP
All roads lead to Clifton
All roads lead to Clifton
All roads lead to Clifton
RMS Crew STAND UP
Returned to studying music more formally
So my day would start off in Bermondsey
After college Iād drive across town
To Croydon to work myself into the ground
but I had that Prince Akeem work ethic
Even though I got paid it wasnāt epic
Spent that money on vinyl and my car
at work I met a brother called Ifthika
He was so calm amongst the work insanity
And I was already questioning Christianity
Exploring Islam at lunch was our flex
And then my uncle got me a ticket for the press screening of Malcolm X
You can guess what - happened next
Convert to Islam which made my family vexed
Quite perplexed but that wasnāt my goal
Iām trying to work out who I am at 21 years old
But for nowā¦
All roads lead to Clifton
All roads lead to Clifton
All roads lead to Clifton
RMS Crew STAND UP
All roads lead to Clifton
All roads lead to Clifton
All roads lead to Clifton
RMS Crew STAND UP
After work itās off to RMS Studios
Engineered for so many some you even know
Grew my client base - and watched it multiply
A high point was the work I did with Ty
Ty & Shortee Blitz project was wild
James Yarde and I created WiseChild
To try and get this out to more than just our network
Studio filled with banter and hard work
Apricot Jam performance was legendary
Working out how to clear samples was necessary
We needed money to put this thing out (we had no money)
Ty got another label to put this out
More than 20 tracks in recording stopped
It just felt like another project flopped
It was the beginning of the end of RMS for me
Soliheen now formerly known as Def G
All roads out of Clifton
All roads out of Clifton
All roads out of Clifton
RMS Crew STAND UP
All roads out of Clifton
All roads out of Clifton
All roads out of Clifton
RMS Crew STAND UP
Chris Smoove
Kwestman
Marsha Ambrosius
Mpho
DJ Sticky
Harry Shotta
Chelle Shok
Ty
Shortee Blitz
Teddy Ted
Rob Davy
Blood Houndz
Funsta
YMAs
Flintstone
Prestige
Honey Brown
James Yarde
MC D
Apollo
Quincy Bones
Andy Le Vien
Alan Jones
Numberman
Lords of Rap
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6. |
Student Teacher
06:29
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Went from student to a teacher
(How you do that how you do that)
Not a bug itās a feature
(No way no way)
Saw a gap so I closed it
(mind the gap mind the gap)
All that DJing paid off now you know it
Music tech Song writing and Performance skills
For the first time music really pays my bills
Took a back seat from the hip hop movement
Big teacher but really Iām the student
In a relationship that started cool but turned bad
Responsibilities - cos Iām a step dad
Stepped up determined that weād all survive
Did all I could to see this little girl really thrive
Put myself at the bottom of every single list
James would question me - why do you put up with this?
Didnāt have a good answer I was head down
Work ethic from dad shining through now
Iām the student
I thought I was teaching but
Iām the student
I have to stay sharp
Iām always learning
They pay me to teach but
Iām the student
Teaching meant that I could stay connected to the youtā
They were jumping and I was the parachute
Created a safe space before that was a phrase
Battle of the beats was our purple haze
Nuff jokes and a bunch inspiration
One of these students hit new heights of elevation
Called himself Joker Starr Supercilious
How he flowed in my MC class was SERIOUS
So I guess Iām not done with producing
Gave him a beat and said āletās try a tingā
Made some magical music that was hypnotic
Flow state oh so symbiotic
Made about 40 tracks not being funny
Chose the best for his album Give me Your Money
Speaking of money we had none
So the album never got to see the sun
Iām the student
I thought I was teaching but
Iām the student
I have to stay sharp
Iām always learning
They pay me to teach but
Iām the student
Accidentally climbed the ranks of academia
Before I knew it I was very very senior
Built the studios spent thousands of hours
Rarely see it now this big job title comes with powers
That devours my time now itās hurting me
New side hustle teaching in a University
Whyās it hurt - I think it happened too soon
Miss making music and teaching in the classroom
I would keep this going for another 10 years
Loved the students and camaraderie with many peers
Got to build something special kinda family vibes
Proud to have been a small part of many lives
When the time came to leave it was a tough decision
Iām still learning - so how could I complete the mission
An intermission is simply a transition
Iāve got so much ambition time to use that tunnel vision
Time to go
Iām the student
I thought I was teaching but
Iām the student
I have to stay sharp
Yo whatās the lesson here?
They pay me to teach cos
Iām the student
Iām the student
I thought I was teaching but
Iām the student
I have to stay sharp
Yo whatās the lesson here?
Time to go
Time to go
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7. |
Go
05:11
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Hitting 30 thinking about the next 30
Putting myself first is like drinking when youāre thirsty
And boooooy was I in need of a drink
Time to act not just think so I
Started to plan and put things in place
Wanted to make sure little girl was emotionally safe
Before I liberated myself from my self
Lack of confidence stifled my higher self
Of course hind sight makes it sound like I knew what to do
5 out of 8 years unhappy - thatās all I knew
Carrying the weight of the world can weigh heavy
Either buckle under the weight or put it down and stand steady
Itās like I was sleeping all this time and now Iām waking up
If Iām gonna really live this life guess what weāre breaking up
Wooo I said it nowā¦ sent James a text
Bredrin Iām moving back to my parents - not sure whatās next
Pack your shit and go
The world has more in store for you, if you
Pack your shit and go
Coz if you stay youāll never know
Pack your shit and go
There so much more for you to do, if you
Pack your shit and go
Coz if you stay youāll never never grow
Lost Leon lost Noel lost Mark
Lost too many others it was dark
So James and I - would remind each other almost daily
That we were going to die
Sat with that for a minute - tried to comprehend
This call to action - live life like itās about to end
So we decided to occupy the same building
Now we can hang and plot like wise children
Also lived in each otherās studios for so much time
Critiquing music and exploring our shifted paradigm
From reading 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
James was working with Terri Walker on something lethal
That debut album was incredible - celebrate it
Got to play on Jools Holland Cassell couldnāt make it
Next the UK tour but I had a job soooo
Had to get my teaching covered so I could go
Pack your shit and go
The world has more in store for you, if you
Pack your shit and go
Coz if you stay youāll never know
Pack your shit and go
There so much more for you to do, if you
Pack your shit and go
Coz if you stay youāll never never grow
Working out now trying to get hench
6 meals a day still a lightweight on the bench
I really worked out my direction in the bat cave
Now itās time to go it alone got to be brave
Packing for the next move was so illuminating
Mum calls ācome and get your stuff weāre emigratingā
What? The safety net gone? No way
Well I guess I better make some good decisions from today
First place fell through that served as motivation
Second worked and now I walk to work a revelation
And a meditation - now my friend and drum teacher
Dominic taught me the ins and outs of bread making
This can take place because Iāve got my own space
Iām spending so much time on MySpace - to think
Iāve gone from Beckenham to Pecknarm with music as the constant
Iām told itās haram also questioning islam
Pack your shit and go
The world has more in store for you, if you
Pack your shit and go
Coz if you stay youāll never know
Pack your shit and go
There so much more for you to do, if you
Pack your shit and go
Coz if you stay youāll never never grow
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8. |
Priceless
04:07
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Time to go
āThanks for the addā
And just like that - we were friends
Well, according to MySpace etiquette
Our social Venn diagrams were already intersecting
And yet with my reclusive tendencies
the chance of us meeting in personā¦ slim
The banter was great
Connected through music
My blog
Waitā¦ She studied medicine!
Well ok then
Then one October evening it happened
As I ended a full day of teaching in South London
And was on my way to an evening of teaching in West London
(MIND THE GAP)
I didnāt recognize her face but that smile wasā¦. different
Comforting
Familiar
Seductive
Now Iām a selective hugger
And yet here we are - hugging hello in and
underground tunnel in Green Park station
And then it happened again the following week
Ok universeā¦ I see what youāre doing
And so we embarked on our priceless journey
She held up a sign
Come live in Woolwich baby
We explored the city which served as the backdrop to our movie
And it was easy
Meeting on the bridge
Magical
She was told we were diametrically opposed
The reality was free flowing spontaneity
Effortless action
Unconflicting harmony
Wu Wei
Time is motion
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9. |
Pressure
01:31
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Remember when we had that Snow day
Everything seemed to be ok
And then I tried to join that gym and I say try
Because apparently my blood pressure was way too high
I was confused I eat right
Practice Wing Chun and run 10Ks at night
I guess I had this big job responsibility
3 government inspections while I was the head of faculty
had to diffuse this time bomb ticking
Watcher of the clock reader as the plot thickens
Change nothing and reap whatās predicted
But I enjoy the stress - maybe Iām addicted
After all this time Iād never thought about it
Leave teaching and the studio - letās talk about it
So we weighed up the pros and cons of staying there
Pros and cons of leaving too - the answer became clear
Time is motion caught me by surprise
Didnāt know how it would turn out but willing to improvise
Time is motion - motivation
Inspiration - Time to move
What if I led a life with no stress
What if I made my blood pressure less
No more teaching in college
No more grading work
Remember - a whole NEW way of being
Found a new job - a whole new way of seeing
Now I can grow
Imagine what could happen once I find my flow
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10. |
Star Child
04:08
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I always imagined that Iād have a girl first
But then again I imagine a lot of things
Imagine what could happen
We were expecting him 12 days earlier
We were wrong
It was snowing
He crash landed on this planet as if from Krypton
From the stars
A star child
Seemingly disinterested in his surroundings
Eyes wide shut
Ears open
Running at night along the river living
5K 10k half unforgiving
Training for Cloverfield like it was survival
We were preparing the way for his arrival
Emergency c-section after hours of pain
5 minutes later I was holding him - insane
It was said to me as we started this chapter
You used to be the star now youāre best supporting actor
Heās our Star child
From the stars
Heās our Star child
From the stars
So I learn my lines even though thereās no script
No rehearsals no second chances shit
But itās cool weāve got this - plus memento mori
thought I was Kalel turns out Iām Jor-El in this story
Life changing oh so wonderfully life changing
So we change the shape of our lives around him
Wherever he is we need to get into position
Be the tour guide - thatās the mission
Heās our Star child
From the stars
Heās our Star child
From the stars
Next thing you know we were told āwe think heās autisticā
Didnāt see that coming - definitely missed it
Autistically awesome what can I say
We are the students -He teaches us every day
From sensory nuances - To turbulent transitions
Be the tour guide remember thatās the mission
Itās either black or white not a fan of the grey
So much to learn - the obstacle is the way
Heās our Star child
From the stars
Heās our Star child
From the stars
Now IāM the helicopter parent in Greenwich Park
No snow angels anywhere missing that spark
But I see it in him - just look at how he navigates
This planet is a playground - fun seems to gravitate
Like the barycenter of celestial bodies
Much older now gamingās more than a hobby
It reminds me of me and my love of music
In fact a lot of this reminds me of me maybe Iām autistic?
Heās our Star child
From the stars
Heās our Star child
From the stars
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11. |
Girl Dad
03:50
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We meticulously planned her arrival, down to the hour
Eyes wide open
She visible felt her untethering as if it were like an āONā switch
Her presence was confirmation I was ready
Very alert - an early talker
Loves to dance - confident walker
Early reader totally self directed
Autistic girls - go undetected
Iām shaping a black woman - by raising a black girl
Sheās got a head start - runs her world
Head strong - knows her mind
Keeps me in check - all the time
A girl dad - to show I care
I make it a point to do her hair
She doesnāt really like it - but Iām the one
Take my time - make it fun
Unschooling - makes this possible
Powerful hair - afrological
Her doctor mum - elevated
Left medicine - liberated
Trying to get this girl dad thing right
Trying to get this girl dad thing right
Planting seeds - make the future bright
Be the water - be the light
Sheās Motivated - Iām dedicated
Reshaped our lives - complicated
So simplify - donāt over bake it
Life is what - our thoughts make it
Watching her and her brother - intertwine
Humbles me - Iām grateful for this time
Now that sheās here this family is taking shape
Itās not just superboys that wear the cape
Stopped eating animals - Started to meditate
Said bye to religion - Started to celebrate
Time to focus - on having more impact
Eyes front - third act
Hard to believe that Iām the grown up now
We made a decision - to take a bow
Started the search - needed to breathe
Voted stay - but itās time to leave
Trying to get this girl dad thing right
Trying to get this girl dad thing right
Planting seeds - make the future bright
Be the water - be the light
Yeah London
Youāve been great
And now itās time to leave
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12. |
Be Water
05:06
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Jumped on a plane to the Bay
Scope out California the plan
Thatās how I met Mary Kay
Who introduced me to Dan
These two people had real good energy
So I decided to bring my whole family
So weāre doing this for real
Itās Kind of a big deal
Said goodbye to our parents then through security
Business class woo this is new to me
Children of immigrants emigrating
Our immigrant children are integrating
So our California plan
Has us living on Ohlone land
So much about this move was fly
Getting used to seeing blue coloured sky
Later that year my in-laws come to stay
And then my sister and parents come to stay
Showed them what our life looks like
Even took them on a long hike
On the whole I think they were happy
Maybe a little bit sad
I really hope they were glad
That was the last time I got to see my dad
Born in Beckenham
Grew up in South London
Now itās the Bay
A whole new way
Hold still transcend
Be water my friend
Locked down Opened UP
Love wearing a mask thatās whatās up
Aside from the health
I could be stealth
I turned down the dial
Retired my fake smile
50 years of masking is exhausting
Let go of forcing
Music producing meditating
Deep thinking Tea drinking
Mostly matcha and sencha
Fuels the family EDventures
Built a home studio
Got back into drumming
Working from home
Probably should get back to running
I do a lot of walking
The scenery is stunning
A warrior in the garden
Not a gardener in the war
Preparing for Act 3 now
Better than before
Building on the past
Opening the door
Born in Beckenham
Grew up in South London
Now itās the Bay
A whole new way
Hold still transcend
Be water my friend
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Soliheen California
Completing moves since 1972 by restructuring silence. š¹š¹šÆš²š¬š§šŗšø
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