The Book Of Life
So,
This post might be a little long and i might drop alot of names and ramble on a bit but, i had such a great time and feel so blessed to have experienced it all that it's definitely in order.
4 hours into my train ride i met a very sweet girl from Switzerland named Florence.We got to talking about her and me and our lives and before i knew it we were at Union station.It's beautiful how life works and how people will come into it and change it forever.Me and Flo were both headed to LA and both got on at Jack London, her hostel was in Inglewood and the tinytoones event was in inglewood as well.We swapped numbers and spent the following morning and afternoon wandering around downtown Los Angeles enjoying the sun, the people and each others company.Flo was basically backpacking through the US and i was just in town for two days so , when my time came to go to the event i had to say goodbye and we went our separate ways. I told her about wanting to leave the country and how i felt like i had a purpose abroad and she agreed.I think she might have been in my book of life for a reason. I would love to re-connect with her one day again on another train years from now and tell her all about how she inspired me along with all my stories and adventures. Flo if these words ever grace your eyes sight i just want to thank you again sincerely for being my buddy for a night and a day and i am forever thankful for meeting you!
Just like so many others she didn't like her picture being taken but, you know me !
i snuck one good one in while she was looking for her bus map :)
Two buses later and a walk down Crenshaw i arrived at Chuco's justice center where TinyToones were performing the last show of their US tour. I can't explain how much love i took in that night , it was incredible to say the least. I am so blessed to have met June at the time that i did and even know i have never met him i have alot of love for the founder of tinytoones KK. Please if you can check the website and help out with any donations it would mean a great deal to myself and to all the children. I arrived back in Oakland Monday night and Tuesday afternoon i received a call from my new friend Leng who told me that the tinytoones kids had a layover and were stuck at SFO until Wednesday morning!
So, me and Leng both went to pick them up and bring them back to my house so they could get some much needed sleep until their flight the following day. It was a little overwhelming having so many people in my tiny place at one time but, i was so glad that i could help them out with a place to stay. I also had the great opportunity of meeting tinytoones admin director Lisa Ho and finding out that she and the very talented photographer Jen May were good friends. I have been a fan of Jen's for quite some time now and wish i had introduced myself at the Inglewood event. Jen did an incredible job of covering it and even did a dope little video that you can check out on her blog. I wish i had done half as good of a job with my photos as she did that night and after seeing hers i am almost embarrassed to post mine but, without saying anymore here they are..... oh and i posted a short video of the kids gettin busy here
Afterwards i met up with Tik (thank you kelly!) and hung out with her and her friend grace as she was kind enough to drive all the way across town to Inglewood to pick me up and take me out for drinks, laughs and much needed Mexican food!
I know i say it all the time but, i just feel more blessed than i have ever felt in my life recently and i can't help but say it constantly!
so,
Thank you to everyone again and again and i love that you are in my book of life and you are in mine as well.
-j
12 1/2 hours
This weekend was pretty much the most incredible time i have had in forever.I got to relax down the pacific coast on the train and make some finishing touches on the book's text and grab some incredible visuals while crusing along meeting some of the other incredible people that decide to travel by amtrak.I have alot more to say about my weekend but right now i have the tinytoones at my crib!
so i'm gonna go back to trying to be a good host and leave you with these photos from my train ride.
I'll fill everyone in on more details in a day or two!
stay tuned
i feel so lucky to be....
-j
MC to the MPC
This week i got the chance to link up with two very talented cats. Wordup is a young talented East Oakland Mc who is taking his talent to the next level and who asked me to shoot it up for the new albulm he's droppin right around the corner.
And my man Woodstock needs no introduction. This guys a bay area legend who produces some of the illest beats to come out the MPC!
His work with the Crown City Rockers and Raashan Ahmad is timeless and i am super honored to have met him.
I would right a little bit more in depth about the two but, i gotta get set to jet to the city for some good music and incredible photography.
Hope to see you there
-j
Change it up
I just couldn't resist posting this photo!
This is from the "official photostream of the white house"
taken by the President's official photographer Pete Souza
Barack Obama rocks the best!
CANON EOS
-j
Sac - Town
What can i say?
I couldn't be more blessed to have such an inspitaional photographer in the pages...
Dig her blog as well !
Thank you,
-j
My Oak
About 2 weeks after i moved to the Oakland hills , i would see this lone tree in the distance and always wonder "how come it's all by itself ?"
So i went up and enjoyed the view of east oakland/san leandro ever since but, just about a week ago i noticed it wasn't there while driving up keller ave.I went up and saw that it had been chopped down.
I was kinda upset cause that was my spot and someone took my tree!
here's a shot from when i went the first time.
RIP my oakland tree
haha
could be a sign..no?
-j
Heat wave
This past weekend was spectacular from the people to the weather and it completely wore me out.
Marc Bamuthi Joseph who i met up on Saturday is a phenomenal artist who i can not truly describe how amazing of a person he is without you seeing for yourself. Get your google on and search him out on youtube as well...you'll be amazed!
I also had the privilege of meeting up with Dj Shredone an amazing San Francisco based LA native doing big things in the bay. She gets her blog on here and some tracks on imeem here . You can also check her man Teeko from 4onefunk and the rest of them crazy talented bay area turntabilists.
And on top of all that i got some click time on with my fellow photog Watani Fennell.He's got a great eye and it was good to finally hit the streets with him and grab some shots to remember.
Also, big shouts to Melina Jones for the invite to Club 6...i had a great time and i hope your feelin better!
It's by the grace of god that things are going the way they are for me these days and i kinda hope it never stops.
peace
-j
Newark
Thru this project i have been blessed enough to meet up with so many great people and my man right here is the perfect example.
Eric Boss aka "E Da Boss" is a San Francisco based DJ who's talent and commitment to his craft has made him an incredible influence to me and so many others.I won't go into his incredible biography but, you can peep om records bio here
Plain and simple he's a very down to earth motavated cat who i feel very fortunate to know.
you can check the postcast and site www.grownkidsradio.com along with diversify,cyclyst,spinnerty and brown majic.
get your grown kids radio on!
-j
Picket Fences
Last weekend was perfect,
The weather was spectacular and i finally had the opportunity to link with sucka free's finest miss Melina Jones.
This Woman is the truth! ...the total package and i'm so blessed to have her down for the book. We posted up in front of the same house that her father Ernest grew up in and we locked down some pretty stellar shots.Young, beautiful, hella motivated & extremely talented, Melina shine's so bright as one bad ass mc with incredible soul.
you can purchase her music on itunes or here as well.
These are some non-book related shots i took of her that i ran a LR2 holga process over on the fly.
And For those that live in the bay area
Melina, Richie Cunning and Ren the vinly archaeologist are opening for Trevor Traynor
Trevor is a dope ass photog who i dig and you should mos def check his work!
here's the flyer for the show so you know where to be and i'll see ya there
much love
-j
Fresh Paint
Some shots of the gg bridge and my iro that i took last wednesday with june,molly and anna.
thanks girls,
Spring is here and these past couple of days (week) have been nothin less than perfect.
ah, Oakland 09'
peace
-j
The Bay to LA
This past week i was blessed with a visit from LA's own Jumakae, a beautifully talented singer/songwriter/femcee b-girl who's doing incredible things in her hometown of long beach and overseas in Cambodia as well.She works to empower the youth thru knowledge and thru hip hop culture, the organization she works with is called tinytoones and i hope that my readers can take the time to check out the site and give any support you can.I had a great time kickin' it with her and her friends and also meeting some new incredible folks along the way (we'll link soon leng!)
Here's her myspace as well so you can grab a listen to her amazing talent,
thank you June!
hope to check ya in may
I couldn't be more greatful to my newphew for inspiring me to do this book!
love you ryan!
-j
grace
I hope that people start realizing how serious i am about my work.
I couldn't imagine someone contacting me telling me how inspirational i was to them to the point where they wanted me to be in their next book.I suppose some of the people who dismiss my messages, fail to ever get back to me after weeks or just flaking on me while i wait for hrs in the pouring rain just weren't meant for this at all.
I've been closer to finishing my timelapse video than the book and im only taking stills for the timelapse every other weekend!
and if your wondering, the video consists of 60,000 + High rez imges taken from all over Oakland.
here's a favorite ghetto bird image of mine taken around this time last year.
-j
MLS
I took some photos of foreclosed homes for a good buddy of mine today and it was suprisingly creepy.
some memories left behind or maybe staged by a realtor ?
and for my dear, post ..jacob and kelly thank you very much for your words!
and for not telling me about possibly getting a beatin' with the dick for taking some shots
thank you,
-j