DAGO's Week In Review

Either I have been really busy or I'm just getting lazier at updating this. Think Run DMC "Hard Times" OK? Actually things have not been that bad. Ups and downs and corkscrews, Right? Let's get into it...

Numbs: Suite 8 is all but complete. I feel blessed with what we have accomplished as a group and where we are headed. If you would have told me when I was 13 that Chuck D would be playing our music or some of our tunes would be on video games, movies and NATIONAL television or the fact that I would have LIFELONG friends and crew ALL from this music I would have been like...FORGETABOUTIT! We still have a lot more GRINDIN' to do. I'm not sure if I have leaked the name of the new Numbs project yet? But "Nfinity" should be out by the end of the year. Will it be an EP or LP at this point? Who knows...either way it is coming SOON. We have three NUMBS gigs in October (so far) and the new show set is taking form. Form like Voltron. It's a BEST of show..."Metaphonic", The "Episode", "The Word" and "Nfinity". The show is about 45 minutes long. Man, it's a good thing that I have been trying to get into shape. Brisk reminded me last weekend that I'm not old. I need to remember this. We are working on getting NUMBS music on ITUNES for all of you that are digitally inclined. Also, we renewed the domain name for five more years. I hope the site gets updated at least THRICE in the next several years. My spidey sense is picking up on the sarcasm.

BIZness: I caught the Pigeon John show in the SLC this past Monday night. The openers were Akrobatik and Bus Driver. Bus Driver reminded me ofRooster. He had great energy and stage mannerisms, fun stuff. John Dust always puts on a TOP SHELF performance. He gave us copies of his new CD "The Summertime Pool Party" and I suggest you ALL run out and pick it up. I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5, solid! PROPS to Fisch since he was the hook up for all of this goodness. Pigeon and Fisch are pallies. I even caught the look of death that night...NICE! Also, I ran into Lam of Expression and he told me how much he dug the Rotten Musicians disc and gave me a copy of his Solo double CD. I have skimmed it and MAN...very personal stuff on there. It's refreshing that people can make honest music with feeling. I dig those Expression kids. I still have NO idea what is up with SLUG magazine and the PODcast pilot we turned into them. Their site is still not updated. I told Shanty if they are going to sit on it we are going for DOLO, DELF, etc. We are going to put it out on our own and RULE! I want to do so much with this avenue. I have LOTS of ideas...good and bad, original and trite, old and new. Shanty is the man! Arcade Noise will be HEARD! We now have the means to blow up the Moon.

I'm going to pick up the NBA 2K7 CD (I've heard good things) and since"LOST" starts next week (FINALLY!) expect a DHARMA related POST in the next day or so.

The one true way...sincere words are not fine; fine words are not sincere.

Peace-DAG!

PS. BLOG BONUS! Facts said I could post this (he emailed it to me). It is from a Kno-It-All's song called "Wake Up". The revolution will not be televised...

"Just take a look around our countries stricken with poverty
While we wage war tryin to force feed democracy
I got love for our troops abroad
Knowin at the end of the day yall are doin your job
I got no love for our government movin these pawns
And I'm anxious to see what we do with Iran
They won't go calm like we saw with saddam
They're spendin millions night and day fine tunin a bomb
Let's call it what it is its a war of the gods
Its like jesus holding a gun to the head of allah
Islam versus christian ran by politicians
The 2006 version of the inquisition
But this time we have oil involved
Money greed lust power makes the world revolve
We haven't evolved much since the days of rome
Instead of ceasar now they got a pope that sits in the throne"

CHEESE!

So yeah, I need to do a DAGO's week in review but I figure work will be a little LAX tomorrow (since I caught everything up this past Monday) so I will do it on Da Clock. Here is a picture I took a week ago. It's Elektra standing on Mr Numbs The Chalk Drawing. He washed away with a little bit of water. Tomorrow expect the goods! Peace-DAG! 

Tri-ILL-ogy

This should get more play than it does...it's a shame it doesn't.

DAGO's Week In Review

The days are moving faster than I can think. Even sound and light can only go so fast. Craigslist has been the “Pot O’ Gold”. I was able to pick up a MAC G4 with 19” LCD screen for the Numbs office. The whole shootin’ match cost $500. You see, Rick wanted his computer back (the one currently in Suite 8) so he could check email and whatever else he does with his internet connection. Maybe this will solve some of the problems, maybe not. As you can tell from the previous post (see below) I think the KFAN “Bring It” jingle is done. It needs to be mixed and have some sprinkles added but yeah…it’s hype! I hope they use it. September 18th was my bros Bday. I picked him up a gift card and I got him a copy of Howard Sterns' radio show on 9/11/2001. I knew he would appreciate it. Elektra had a dentist appointment last week and it turns out she has one cavity. Almost six years on Earth and one cavity creep…not too bad. Also, I picked up Lego Star Wars 2 and Lupe Fiasco’s “Food And Liquor”. Lupe’s LP is SUPERFRESH! I have been listening to it since I coped it. Really, it’s on right now. It is intelligent, refreshing, thoughtful, fascinating, introspective, fun and creative. I mean there is a song on this LP called “The Cool” about a gangsta zombie rising back from the grave to deliver a haunting message. When I hear projects like this I know that Hip Hop isn’t dead. We need more mainstream artists like this who constantly motivate and push this art form. Is Lupe here to rescue, resuscitate or resurrect hip hop? I don’t know but for me, this is beautiful music! Back to lyrics and imagination. This gets a 4.5 out of five. Lego Star Wars 2 stimulates my geek gland. Action and adventure and nostalgia of the ONE TRUE trilogy…yeah, I was gushing when I left Game Stop. The force is strong with this one.

I attended “Gothla” last weekend with K-Dawg. What an experience. Great dancing, food and peeps. These people don’t mess around they even perform when “costume malfunctions” happen…well, at least for a few seconds. I had a blast. Tribal fusion belly dance at it’s best.

Every breath is a choice. Every minute is a choice. Choose to keep breathing…

Peace-DAG!

The A Game

I think we pretty much finished the "A Game" jingle for KFAN 1320 AM. The vocals went surprisingly FAST but hey...the song is only like a minute and a half long. I'll have a DAGO week in review up tomorrow...peace! (pictured L to R- Myself, Roo and Ricky) 

Constructive Destruction

Life is so FRUSTRATING to me right now. Nothing is to be known and anything is to be expected. Nothing is static and everything is falling apart. Maybe losing all hope is freedom? What is the power of my spirit and do I have to destroy myself to find out what this power is? Why do I cause so much pain? Can’t I see how we are all manifestations of love? Am I really “Alive”? Is everything I can do wrong as long as I’m still alive? Why can't I conceive of a virtue in someone else that they can't conceive in myself? Instead of believing I’m stronger, isn't it so much easier to imagine I’m weaker? Am I addicted to self-abuse? Am I a liar? People are always ready to believe the opposite of what you tell them. Constructive destruction? Yeah, I can go for that.

I need some coffee- DAG!

DAGO's week in review

I haven’t written on here in a minute so I thought I would get on to do a weekly recap of what’s GONE DOWN in the last little bit. My baby girl started Kindergarten the day after Labor Day! I am SO proud of this kid. She brings so much magic and inspiration to my life. I would be lost without her. She means so much to me and I feel like the luckiest person on EARTH to watch her grow. I shed a few tears after I dropped her off for her first day. Ok, so the Dolphins lost their first game of the season and I have to admit I was WAY depressed. They held steady through the first three quarters and fell apart in the fourth. Fans will most likely blame Saban for not throwing the replay red flag out their more aggressively on a questionable TD catch for Pitt or blame the refs for the “hands to the face call”, etc. This is a team game. You win and lose as a team. The defense was worn out in the forth, period. The secondary made Charlie Batch look like Peyton Manning and Dante made a couple of bad decisions airing the ball out downfield. Mistakes cost them the game and they beat themselves (PENALTIES!). Some positives: WES WELKER!, Dante’s leadership under center and Ronnie Brown making things happen with NO offensive run blocking. Also, Mularky has to get better (and quick) with the play calling. If I were in that position and not working as a starving artist I’d run Dante out of the shotgun or some play action on certain situations and McMicheal has to be more involved in the offense. On a separate note, when are they going to let some of these kids that win the MADDENBOWL coach competitive football? Some of these players can read blitz packages better than Al Micheals. I really am waiting for that day. My bday was over the weekend and the Rotten Musicians rocked the Urban Lounge. My mom brought a cake to the gig that said “Happy Birthday Hee-Man” on it. Let me give you the back story…she called me up and told me over the phone that this was written on the cake and I was like “Why He-Man? I didn’t even really like that cartoon as a kid” and she replied with “Well, isn’t that your stage name?” and I was like…”No, It’s MADMAN”. Pretty funny…and to whoever made the cake…He-Man is spelled like that and not like “HEE-MAN“. Don’t you know anything about pop-culture? I took the day off of work on Sunday and had a very wonderful and chill “Floater Holiday” as CR England likes to call it. The K-Dawg and myself went to the “Original Pancake” house for some crack-cakes then on a mini-hike and then to see Outkasts movie “IDLEWILD”. I really liked the films brazen approach and it has many flashes of brilliance. I appreciate artists who try to push the envelope with projects that they get involved with and aim high. I would give it 3.5 out of 5, very inventive. Last night, K and I went to The Depot to check out J-5 and X-Clan. We got there around 9:30 and X-Clan was finishing their set? What’s up with shows starting RIGHT at 9pm, LAME! Jurassic rocked for over an hour and I have to say even with no Cut Chemist these guys can still put it down. When hip hop is done good …it’s REALLY good. A very positive FORCE for people. The place was packed. Most of the peeps there treated the gig as more of a social event and less like a musical massacre. I think this is my fifth time seeing J-5 and I am NEVER disappointed. The Numbs office is up and running and all we need now is a table for the peavey mixer. I’m going to be heading down there tomorrow to try and finish up the work for the radio station 1320 KFAN.

Stay positive out there, one love! DAG. 

MIAMI DOLPHINS 2006 PREVIEW

"Sure, luck means a lot in Football. Not having a good quarterback is badluck."
-Don Shula

Excited is not the word but it is one that comes to mind. What about inspired, stimulated and maybe even..."high". That is how I'm feeling. The Miami Dolphins kick off their 2006-07 season this Thursday night against the super bowl champions, Pittsburgh Steelers. I found out yesterday that "BigBen" Roethlisberger had an emergency appendectomy so he will be out for the opening contest and that means Charlie Ward will get the start. Hines Ward is "questionable" for the game as well. This sucks! I wanted the Phins to beat them at full strength so there are no excuses on who will be reppin' the AFC this year. But, before I get ahead of myself...I want to break down the team and give my predictions of where this team should be in January. Daunte Culpepper was the key acquisition this summer. I haven't been this AMPED over a Dolphins QB since Marino. I mean, we have had SCRUBS the past several years: Lucas, Feeley, Greise, Rosenfells, Ferrotte, Fiedler, etc...OK, with Fiedler it was a no-win situation being the successor of Marino and he did play hard in every game he was involved with. However, watching Daunte in his limited action this preseason was refreshing. Daunte brings leadership and confidence to this team despite his knee injury. He is competitive and driven. It seems to "Daunte" he has a lot to prove to "Daunte" and that could mean VERY good things. His desire for winning is through the roof and that also means everyone's expectations for what can bea ccomplished this season will mirror that. For the Dolphins to get deep into the playoffs he MUST stay healthy. I say this year #8 gets...25-30 TD's,10-15 picks and 3,800 to 4,000 yards. His QB rating will be in the range of a 90-95%. Other QB notes: Joey Harrington was consistent through the preseason and should be a decent "Plan B" if something was to happen with C-Pep (knock on wood!). Cleo Lemon played well against St Louis but it was against a bunch of Arena Football League hopefuls. Still you cannot overlook the depth at this position. The best it has been in YEARS. For the last few seasons I have been hyping my man, Chris Chambers to ANYONE with an ear. If this guy were on the Colts, Eagles or the Patriots he would have been in the top three (if not NUMBER ONE!) receivers in the entire NFL. He is that good. Now finally he gets the chance to shine. He eclipsed 1,000 yards for the first time in his career last season and Gus Ferrotte was at the helm (WTF?). A healthy Culpepper with Chambers could be an explosive thing to watch. I say this year #84 gets...12-15 TD's and 1,300-1,500 yards. He will also make the Pro-Bowl (2nd year in a row). Other Receiver Notes: Wes Welker has stepped his game up and should see more action this year. McMicheal is a SOLID tight end and he should see 5-10 TD's and 800-1,000 yards this season. He represents a major presence over the middle of the field. Booker has been underused since he arrived in Miami and Rookie Derek Hagan has impressed the naysayers by excelling in the preseason. Culpepper will make all of these players better and vice versa. Think "Stockton and Malone"...different sport but you get the idea.

Some people (even Phinactics) think picking Ronnie Brown over the "Cadillac" was a bad move. They should look at this game of football like a marathon versus a sprint. Ronnie almost had a thousand yard season with an offensive line that could not even open a can O' beans! Let's hope the O-Line gets to where it should be. The addition of Kendyl Jacox is a welcome one and Vernon Carey seems to be getting better year-by-year. I say #23 gets...8-10 TD's and rolls for 1,200 on the ground. Other Rushing Notes: It looks like Lee Suggs is now in the aqua and orange (if he passes the physical, cough cough). When this guy is healthy he is a workhorse. This should take the pressure off of Travis Minor since Sammie Morris is out for four games due to the infamous "Sudafed Incident"!

Defense has never been the problem. Actually, this side of the ball kept Miami in most of the games the last several years. The current roster of players seem to be picking up on Saban's 3-4 defensive schemes even though it has not been fully implemented. Thomas and Taylor are still dominant at their positions (getting better with age?). Crowder is evolving into a strong WLB and "Big Daddy" Wilkingson's first year here in Miami looks optimistic. Let's face it...the soft spot is the secondary. Poole and Howard...gone. Madison outty 5000 to the Giants. What's left? A bouillabaisse of "average" talent and receiver coverage. The first round pick Jason Allen does not seem ready for this next level as he got burned no less then a handful of times in the preseason. With that being said, Opening day lineup should look like this: Will Allen and Travis Daniels at the corners, Jason Allen at free safety and Tillman at strong safety. Will they be able to play consistent and get it done? I just hope these new starters play hard week in and week out.

Are the expectations for a Super Bowl with the Dolphins in Miami (where itis being played this year) too much, too soon? There is something to be said about Saban and the discipline he has instilled in this organization that suggests his team will play hard every week, and will win more than it loses for that reason. I say this team in January (with a healthy #8) will be...11-5 (loses from New England, Jacksonville, Kansas City, The Jets & Indianapolis). They will get to the AFC Title game and the dream stops there...baby steps, you know.

...FORGETABOUT it...MIAMI goes to the SUPERBOWL and WINS!!! I take a week off from work... head to Florida...bask in rum drinks and south beach and celebrate with my cousin, Rob and Marcus Vick (who will BE called up from the practice squad this year). Rob molded me since I was a wee boy into the FAN I am today.

That's a MUCH better ending, let's go with that.

PEACE-DAG!

I Miss...

You...KDAWG!