Friday Night Lights......

"Just let it go...." - The Inner Thought Process...



I pulled in to Coltrane pumping out the speaker in the parking lot. I checked my cell phone one last time and noticed that there were no messages for me. I took in a breath of air and walked around a bit. There was a cookout going on and me not knowing anyone, I asked the cook how much for a plate. After telling me it was free, I took the timeout to chow on some burgers and chips. I haven't had much of an appetite since last weekend, but as time progressed (and a giant step away from those cigarettes) I realized that I wasn't depressed anymore....I was determined.

The vibe was great, straight vegetarian as I felt no beef anywhere. I looked in the club and noticed a person tapping to the jazz playing. I sat on the couch and chilled a minute, observed the scene and then went outside. I couldn't sit still. I was nervous, yet I wanted to get whatever was on that paper out, I didn't expect to freestyle, but as that paper came my way and I heard the poets, I just had this rush that said..."just let it go". I went to the car and chilled.

I got in the car and sat back in my seat. I noticed all the cars around me with CT plates and recognized that my friend who put me on to this venue wasn't there yet. I noticed a poet that I performed with the week prior just pull up. She had three friends with her that were all poets as well. She asked me if I was going to read and I said yeah. "That's what's up, you did your thing at Organix Soul and I was hoping you would be here." As much as I smiled, the feeling inside me was nervousness. I was the only male rep from the 413 in the so called 'rival' city. I didn't know if what was in my back pocket folded up was going to hold up.

It was my turn to go (number 8 on a 20 poet roster), the DJ you will meet down below introduced me. I smiled and showed love to all those who made it easier to perform. I pulled out the paper and let it fly. All of my poems with a little story as to how they came about. "Sweet Observation" came from what I know is the most beautiful sight around 5 in the morning. "Thoughts From the Inside" speaks on what it feels like to climax with the one you love. "To You and Only You." spoke on a love that won't ever die. In that order, I took the crowd and silenced them. As Sweet Observation came out. I noticed that the female poets went to the bar and quieted everyone who was loud. Don't know what that was about, but as I spoke, I noticed that I had took the crowd with me somewhere, the brothas giving me hell yeah's and dayums came from the ladies as they asked me what it was I felt at 6 in the morning after the sun was already up. The ovation made it so much easier to come with 'Thoughts'. I was about to get off stage and I was asked to do something off the top. I spit about what it felt like be an underdog and when you hear someone yell "that's alright" then I knew I was. As I got off stage, Mind Evolution came up to me and whispered in my ear...."Lemme know when you want to be a feature" and handed me a flyer. I will be performing on Monday. The other poets were off the chain, as I met them I realized that I was missing out on alot. This crew adopted me into their fam, and I walked in the place a third cousin, but walked out of there a brother. Here's some of the fam:

When Concious pulled up, he showed me love right off the back, asked me about the striped enyce shirt I was rocking. He then noticed my constant glares to the sky and asked me if I was nervous. I said a bit and he introduced me to everyone. Told me that there is no commercialism shit here, just passion. Right up my alley, and I was full of it too.

Cool ass Dave who is a DJ in CT, there was a level of realness as soon as we talked. I mentioned to him I was a DJ myself and he knew that shit from 93.7. He invited me to come on the show and do things. That ain't no question. Took card and he texted me as I left wishing me blessings on the way home and gave me a number to reach him at the station whenever. Something more to add to the cypher in my life.

E da Storyteller was the host who made sure that not only was I on, but had one of the best introductions I ever had. Came with some heat about "Guntown" and "Down Goes Babylon" dude is freaking crazy, and his vibe was contagious.

Brenda's Child is the poet I spoke of above with her three friends. I have this strange feeling she and I are going to slam together, she mentioned that she loved my shit on myspace and that we needed to exchange numbers on the real. Looks like I need to be in the lab for awhile if I am gonna be on a team soon.

Mazie and Mind Evolution were the features, I met ME @ organix soul last week, and although she is a bitter ass poet, she is the warmest person I shared with. I had to give it to her, she bought me a 'b ez' drink. Remy and Coke. Don't think I forgot aight? They tore it down. "The Girdle" "Real brothas/sistas do real things" "The Corners that Cut" pure sickness.

Lockdown is everyones sister, mother, confidante, cousin, just everything. She found out I was a friend of my man who didn't make it and instantly asked me if I was ready to slam yet. I didn't know what to say but whenever you ready. She was too cool though, a reader with a heart for anything tangible. "I like" "Sex + Confusion don't = Love" and "Give ME Back" were some real words I wish I got a copy, but she didn't have any.

These were the main players and I got a chance to vibe with them all. I found myself writing down my myspace address to so many people. I came in myself and left the same way. As I drove home, I thought about how I got here, what it took to get this far...how far I'm going. I still have such a long way to go. Yet the path is clear and pretty much set. I will be back on the stage Monday, and writing just comes with breathing. For those who helped me along the way thank you. I'm eatin' now, and the vibe is cool.

Til then, back to writing and reciting.
The SoD