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I love this video. Doug E. Fresh By Levi Maestro

Mixtape Junkie

If there's one thing anybody should know about me is that I L O V E mixtapes. They are seriously one of my most favorite things in the world; I can go on and on for hours about mixtapes.

In my opinion, mixtapes are better than a CD. They show the range of the artist, there's really no boundaries, you truly get to see your favorite rapper in true form, discover some new amazing people, and plus they're free. What's better than that?

I loved the idea of a mixtape, it was genius. When I was in the 8th grade, I thought "Why aren't singers doing the same thing?" About 6 months later, Amerie came out with her mixtape, being one of the 1st major signed singers to come out with one.

Mixtapes have been around for awhile, it was a way for new rappers to get their name around, get a buzz in the streets. The 1st mixtape I got was the 1st installment of "I Can't Feel My Face", a collaboration with Lil Wayne & Juelz Santana. I played that mixtape to death; after that I was hooked.

In about '07, I started to go a different direction in how I found my music(meaning I actually searched for my music) and I got hip to a lot of different, origional, talented artists such as The Cool Kids, Santigold, and Miguel Jontel.

Last year people called '09 "The Year of the Mixtapes", with the release with Drake's, "So Far Gone", J. Cole's "The Warm up", and even newcomer & one of my favorite Diggy's "The First Flight."

In my opinion 2010 is raising the bar on how mixtapes are percieved. You could really package and sell these projects as actual CDs. These artists put so much work in these mixtapes for them to be free, just for the fans. They genuinely love what they do. Even though 2010 is far from over, there's been so many good mixtapes released but I have my Fav 5.

1. There Is No Competion 2-Fabolous
Dude officially killed the game on this one. I really liked how he brought on some people that were as talented as him, but weren't really well known(Paul Cain, Red Cafe, Kobe, Freck Billionaire).

2. 100 Words and Running- Machine Gun Kelly(MGK)
OMG!!!! Words cannot express how I feel about this one. Reppin my hometown Cleveland heavy, MGK, being the 1st rapper to win Apollo; he's doing big things at only 20 years old! This guy can spit, he's hands down my favorite rapper right now. Look out for him. Remember the name! Or better yet download it before he blows up!

3. May 25th-B.o.b.
It's so refreshing to see somebody who's signed who actually has talent and something new to say. ♥ I'm sure you've heard of the radio friendly single, "Nothing On You" feat. Bruno Mars and "Airplanes" and "Airplanes pt. 2" feat. Hayley Williams & Eminem. On this mixtape, you really hear him without all that packaging & nonsense. He's outspoken about a lot of things, plus he sings and raps; that's why I love him.

4.In My Zone-Chris Brown


I was surprised at how much I loved this mixtape. In my eyes it was better than his CD that he came out with in December of last year. In My Zone all about sex, girls, and partying; while the CD was more emotional. I think his fans needed to see this side of him again.

5. Don't Mention It- Pac Div
Talented group that got that Cali Swag with a message. 'Nuff said.

There are many more mixtapes that I would've talked about but these are my current fav 5 that I can listen to over & over again.

Honorable Mentions: Yelawolf's "Trunk Muzik" & Chris Webby's "Optimus Rhyme."

Check out Datpiff.com for all the hottest mixtapes, that's my favorite website. They have everything.

*Tyga & Chris Brown's "Fan Of a Fan" mixtape drops at midnight! You know I will be one of the 1st to cop that! *

Pandora's Box

Yesterday I went over my friend's house and I watched Avatar for the first time. I was always kind of skeptical about this movie since it was a smash hit immediately in the theaters and I hate to love what everybody else does. I have to say I'm blown away by this movie. From the first couple of minutes, I was transported to the world which the people of Na'vi call Pandora, which is their homeland. I grew to love and appreciate it just like the natives, just like Jake Sully did.

Basically the condensed version of this movie is about Jake Sully, a injured war veteran who gets recruited to learn the ways of the Na'vi and communicate through an avatar, controlled by his conscience. As usual the U.S. wanted to infiltrate and take over. The more he learned about the ways of the Na'vi and had been accepted as one of The People, he no longer realized what his mission was or what side he was on. He was more attached to the world of Pandora than his own.

I could see why; the scenery, the people, the way they looked at life, at their planet was so awe inspiring. Pandora, spirituality and their god Eywa were at the center of their life. They were so connected to and respected their planet so much it made me mad. The U.S. didn't understand how important and vital the environment was to the people of Na'vi they were so quick to destroy it for their own gain. I wanted to cry.

It made me think about what the U.S. always do and these 2 words kept popping through my head: deploy and destroy. & then we leave with the destruction in our wake. That's what we do time after time, and it's crazy what we're doing.

I got so lost in the world of Pandora, I could care less about this one. But it also made me look at it differently and for that I'm grateful.

I look at it like this: I am of this world but I also inhabit the world of music, wishing I could be a permanent native. Living and experiencing things in that world helps me to see things in this world & hopefully help me to show a new way to look at things for others. I am reborn after this experience.

"I see you."

Future Plans

Saw this tweet a couple of days ago & it had me thinking. Where do I think I'll be in the next 18 months? I hate to even think about a couple months from now. My mind won't even let myself go that far into the future. To me it looks dark and bleak, because of the present.

It's crazy how I used to stay up every night till almost 2 in the morning, dreaming, planning, writing for my future. I didn't care what time I had to get up in the morning. I loved my sleep but I lived for my future. That's what kept me up night after night. Now, I usually go to sleep at 12; 1 if I'm really feeling daring. My current state of mind at that time was," I have to be responsible, I go to college." That was what I thought would get me out of my situation. I had to be focused. But I wasn't living, I really wasn't thinking at all. I slept soundly, while many other people, were grinding, chasing after and working towards what they live for.

I want to wake up every morning, tired as hell, knowing that I worked my ass off on something that's apart of and contributing to my future. I want to know that I'm one step closer to my dreams becoming an reality. I plan to devote my heart, my soul, my everything to make this happen.

So here's to returning to late night writing & planning sessions, giving my life to something that I live for: my future. ♥

"These Thoughts"

This poem is a personal work of my own. I wrote this today when I had time to actually think. Usually I write bits and pieces of lines, but today I just went with it and wrote.

Thoughts that creep
Thoughts that seep
Thoughts that feed off of negative energy

These thoughts they greed
These thoughts don't sleep
These thoughts they live and breathe
Just like you and me
It's my brain they're inhabiting
It's my soul they're attacking
Somewhere in my heart I feel my defense is slacking
Telling me that my talent is lacking
Damn I feel so weak
Why me?

The girl they know
isn't the girl they see
It's these thoughts
they have a hold on me
Even though they're in my mind
They will never know what feels like to be me

They crowd, surround, and try to drown me
Trying to spot the promised land
I won't sink
I refuse to believe
I refuse to think
That these thoughts know what's best for me
They just want the best of me
My talent, these words, my sanity
So I'ma go after what I want because I want it
Not because I'm scared you're gunnin for it