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DocumenTORAE

SpectaTOR

What up DX'ers thanks for checking in with the kid. Off top I'd like to thank each & every person that checked out my video for "Callin' Me". I had no idea it would get the response that it's gotten. It's been on over 10 websites & is actually headed to the small screen as well. 99% of the comments & feedback has been great. I'm really, really happy that its being so well received. Aside from that I've just been working feverishly trying to get the record in the stores by January 8th. I appreciate everyone who has been there with me since the 1st release
date & everyone who has gotten involved since then. I assure you Jan 8th is the day. For all those that pre-ordered it you're still straight, it'll be there as promised initially. Its a lot of hard work to put a record out when you're doing it on your own & you actually care what your product looks & sounds like. I'm big on perception so if its not going to be presented in a manner that I approve of then it's not going to be presented. Bottom line. Moving past that I'd like to shout out all the people that've been coming out to the shows. I've been in front of a lot of packed rooms as of late & I'm starting to get used to it. So please keep it up, I'm usually on the bill with some dope acts so come out & check it when you hear about a Torae show. Me & my man Vega Benetton leave it all on the stage when the night is done.

Speaking of shows I was actually able to spectate a few this past week & they were really dope. The 1st was the J.A.M. Awards at the Hammerstein in honor of Jam Master Jay & the other was the Stones Throw concert at the Highline Ballroom. Both shows had serious line ups & quite a few high profile attendees. I'm a hip-hop head, I grew up on it & loved it since birth so I was really excited to meet people like Hank Shocklee, Rev Run & LL Cool J at the Hammerstein and Erykah Badu and Andre Harrell at Highline. It's fly when people come out to support good events even once they've attained a certain amount of success. Seeing Pete Rock at the Stones Throw show was normal, seeing Andre Harrell was a little unexpected.

I'm a big fan of live hip hop. Its a totally different vibe from recorded music. And I think that's what a lot of artists don't get. Its dope to have a banging record out, but at the end of the day just because you spit bodies in the booth doesn't mean that's going to get you over rocking a live show. I pride myself on having a nice stage show to accompany dope songs. Because realistically people already have access to the music, but what's going to get them out to a show. You can't sell them the same product again. You have to sell them you all over again, but this time live. I remember seeing Busta & Splif Starr at the Sound Factory and from rocking with the Diplomats in early 2000. Even recently over the summer touring with EMC & doing shows with Little Brother. The energy on the stage was electric, sometimes even more so than the records, but that's the beauty of a live show.
Bringing the songs from vinyl, cd or mp3 to life. Too often dudes think a hot song is a dope show, I can name countless dudes with dope records that bore the hell out of me on stage. I can also name dudes I've never
heard of before that get on the stage and light that ish up. The point I'm trying to make is artists out there take pride in your craft. Study it, all aspects of it. Only having dope songs at a show is the equivalent of only working out your upper body if you're into weightlifting. Its not a complete package. Looks at dudes, like Common, like Masta Ace & even newer dudes like Kanye & Little Brother, those dudes wreck the stage when they're rocking. Granted they have dope music but the have so much more on the stage & you don't need an elaborate band or choir to make it pop. Pharoahe Monch kills it with the band LB kills it with DJ Flash & D Brock. I've also seen Pharoahe without the band killing it & LB with a band and the results are the same "dope!!!". Its about what you 'the artist' brings to the stage & the kind of energy you give the audience, because that's the kind of energy you'll get back. I know I'm going to continue to bring it each & every time I hit the stage as I will continue to go out & watch live hip-hop so I can pick up on new tricks of the trade. Until next time my peoples, peace. Here are some pics from The J.A.M. Awards & the Stones Throw show, my video incase you missed it and a shameless plug. Deuces…

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