In this update we’ll review:
New music
New Apartment
Pre-Seed Funding
What 2021 might look like going forward
New Apartment / First Apartment
Quite honestly, this is the first time in my life that I am able to live alone, securely, and able to pay my bills for the foreseeable future; without any roommates or others, in my life.
That security, that comfort …
Early last week there was a disturbance, and I was able to reach out to my mother; should I ever need to bail on a living situation … for the first time in my life … I can always go home.
I can stay with my aunt until I find a place of my own, or whatever … and I have confidence in my ability — I have the support structure around me, to enable me … to do these things if necessary.
This is the first time in my life that my body has been able to feel such a sense of safety … for those unaware, I wrote a piece published in Latino Rebels that can shed some light.
For now though, I have my own place … with windows on three sides … a kitchen, bathroom, shower and TV even. As well, I have the financial security to be able to get my own internet line here !!!
Pre-Seed Funding
To be honest, I’m trying to expedite the process of buying land; and as a matter of fact, I’ve learned of some land that’s for sale. Price tag: $5,000 USD. And for that I’ve actually started a GoFundMe, if you’re interested in chipping in …$1,265 has been shared so far !
I realize that I’ve just found this apartment, though … it doesn’t seem entirely unreasonable from a larger perspective.
While even more recently, I think I’ve finally distilled the primary points for the projects, that should go in the slide decks.
But that’s just the start … a more complete idea is available through the Futures packet; of which there are 100 available.
There are two other packets available, the Starter, and the Expansion packets; and these will be maintained and updated with information for aspiring founders, builders and creators seeking raise funds for their efforts.
More specific plans are available through the Futures packet.
If you’d like to support my land-buying efforts, though aren’t interested in this stuff, here are a few other links through which you can support the effort:
Tee-Spring | Bandcamp | ArtVault | PayPal | Venmo
When Animals Attack Vol I on Spotify !!!
Y’all, I’m so excited!! Like book-ends I’ll be releasing the first volume of When Animals Attack on Spotify, iTunes, and Vol V within 2021Q1. Puppy Chow was made available on 29th of January. I recently purchased the beats from the producer, as well as updated the tracks (EQ & compression). Granted none of the samples used in the beats have been cleared, so we’ll see how it all goes :/
Nonetheless, the tracks are also updated on Bandcamp, and in the Culture Vault.
Side-story
It was interesting talking to someone who knew me during those days. The idea of my rhymes, or cadence, being wack was always interesting to me. Especially upon listening to these tracks now … I was merely talking about different topics than most others; albeit in a different manner as well.
Raised performing in musicals, with theater, and stories, I wanted to bring similar sentiments into my songs. Gabo meets Tupac talking to Aesop, all rockin’ a beat … something like that … and I’m happy to say that as I transition to the other end of my creative timeline the tradition continues.
I’m reviewing the tracks right now for the fifth installment of When Animals Attack entitled Return of the Wild … the link below is to collection of the songs I’ve written so far; some of them are still only in freestyle stage. And this is a throwback to how most all of my songs have been written
Usually I’ll listen to a beat to get a feel for it, then on the second go-round I’ll freestyle throughout the track. Not everything makes it to the final production, though to be sure seeds are planted! Let’s review some of what’s been created thus far …
When Animals Attack I: Puppy Chow
This was the first time I ever had access to tracks that over which I was explicitly allowed to write and record! I was living in a garden level apartment trying my third go-round at the University … honestly, it was a mess y’all!
And this is what sprouted from this mess. Granted some songs that wouldn’t be released until Teething Rings had already been written - this was my first opportunity to truly paint on a sonic canvas.
When Animals Attack II: Teething Rings
I gave up on school, and honestly, I can’t remember what I was up to around this time. I was livin’ off of Aldrich & 27th down in South Minneapolis at the time, and I found a few other beats to which I could write and record. As well, somewhere around this time, I recorded a few acoustic songs.
Oh yea, I was delivering pizzas! That was a trip ~ I sold them a website too while I was at it … http://www.mesapizzamn.com. By this time I’d gotten a few beats, from a few different people. Still attempting to paint semblances of story arcs, the mixtape begins with a live-recording taken from an actual event, and ends with a message of heartfelt gratitude.
When Animals Attack III: Obedience School
Here sit a few originals; way back in the day I got some beats from someone special. The beats were received at a pivotal time in my life and allowed me to directly address some issues for that present, now the past; hoping for a more healing future.
The mixtape is more minimal realization that the idea; though stands as a feat of which I am quite proud. Side A is composed of three beats with rhymes and hooks. Side B is contains two piano songs and an acoustic song.
The idea was to confront an oft-made allegation of bi-polarity; which while a real diagnosis, and applicable to many, I spent many years with psychologists and psychiatrists from a world renown university, and that was not their diagnosis.
I’ve done considerable work to process the trauma my body has experienced. Music has been dynamic outlet, enabling me to express the often convoluted and complex thoughts and feelings associated with such adverse experiences. The two-sides of this mixtape are an homage to this dynamism of being that we all embody and ought learn to embrace.
When Animals Attack IV: Children of the Stars
This mixtape is a bit of an awkward duck, the situated appropriately as volume 4.
These songs are all my own creations, wholly and completely; collected over the years, recorded wherever I was holed up at for the time being … Acoustic multi-tracks recorded via over-dubs, and the last remaining track from when I had Ableton :) Though all were also created after the previous songs in the When Animals Attack series were originally recorded.
Most are snippets, combining acoustic instruments, and represent a practice I hope to which I hope to soon return. I created what I called dumbells, whereby chorus would be introduced, altered for an extended verse, and then returned to at the end of the song.
This song also contains my first and only complete Albeton production, The First of Something.
When Animals Attack V: Return of the Wild
This is the first time I am working with dedicated producer; we’re discussing the tracks, and it’s really enabling me to create some sounds from outside of the box. While being able to continue with the theme of bringing a bit of the theater to the sonic stage.
Here’s the link.
2021 And Beyond …
The idea is to get the Rebel Coding classes up and running, which in addition to bringing income, will also expand brand awareness. Though the step before this is live-streaming, and the step before that is getting better internet installed. That’s on it’s way …
Next up is to get that little farm, and make is energy net-zero; and start planting and harvesting as much as possible. Then start making videos about using the produce to make other goods. And recording more music.
At the time that this is being written, I am supposed to record a verse on a song later this afternoon. Another studio has been found, as well as an engineer.
The preference is for me to build my own studio … though I need minimal tools; and am looking into using an Intel NUC, a mini-pc. One with an i5 processor would theoretically be adequate, 32 GB of RAM. The needs being as follows:
The capacity to live-stream with multiple cameras, using OBS
Virtualization capabilities for application development
Managing farm cameras and sensors
The question to answer was, how much power (wattage) is all of this going to cost; and this was the reason for going with the i5 NUC, as one is a available with an intake of 28W per hour. This make us more enable to build an off-grid energy system using two 12V batteries with 100W output; a smaller system, that will be entirely sufficient for all of our needs.
Culture Clap is an artists, educator and entrepreneur. If you’d like deeper imaginings and insights, there remains space available in the First 500.
And if you got this far … he’s a sneak-peek at was recorded earlier today …