Story of my Life

i was but a spectator to all this madness. sometimes a participant
chiinky: Never 4get … Chinky x toasty @ santos lol faded

chiinky:

Never 4get … Chinky x toasty @ santos lol faded

nver4gt: JUNGLEPUSSY X NEVR4GET #MIAMISWEET 01.20.13

nver4gt:

JUNGLEPUSSY X NEVR4GET #MIAMISWEET 01.20.13

marzlovejoy: I had mentioned a story I wanted to share with you all… This Sunday (12/30/12) I joined my father, DJ of 31years, Chaz Millionaire on his show, JazzReflections on 89.9 KMOJ from 2-4pm.  It was nice being back at the radio station I’d grown up on. We played music, talked about what I’ve been working on, gave away tickets, and played my first single “DOLO” for the first time on the radio.  It was such a fulfilling experience, one, being on the radio and playing my track for the first time in my hometown, and two, being able to connect musically with someone I love but have had a rocky relationship with. (Music and fishing have been our saviors.)  After his show, the next few hours are pre-programmed and no one’s at the station.  We stayed about an hour after, burning the recorded show and burning CDs for my father’s dear friend who’s in the hospital.  Around 5pm we began packing up.  The phone board lit up.  I asked if I could answer it and did.  It was an older gentleman who had called earlier thanking KMOJ and the DJs because he “listened to KMOJ 24/7 and loves the station” I went on to thank him and before I hung up, noticed another call was lit up on the board.  Since I had answered the first call, I figured why not take the second.  As soon as I picked up the operator got on saying “This is a collect call from an inmate at Ramsey County, to accept press 5, to hear the charges for this call press 2” - I looked at my father and told him we had to take it.  I pressed 2, and it was $2 for the call. I proceeded and pressed 5.  As soon as I accepted a brother came on “Thank you SO much for accepting maaan, I can’t believe I got thru. I’ve been calling family all day and my OWN family hasn’t even accepted my calls.  This is crazy.  I never thought I’d have to call KMOJ to do what I’m about to ask…” My father responded, “What’s good man, we all family, how can we help you?” The brother replied, “Maan I can’t believe this. Man, my girl’s pregnant at the crib so, I went out last night to pick up some subway for her and on my way back I get stopped in my Cadillac on deuce deuces by the police.  They check my L’s and I was driving on a suspended license.  I had all the money, both our cell phones, the keys - everything with me in the car.  They handcuff me, tow my car and take me to jail without letting me get my keys or anything! I can’t even call my girl and let her know what’s going on. It’s been a day and she ain’t got shit at the crib cuz we just moved in. I’ve been tryna call my relatives to have them go over and tell my girl what’s goin on but no one’s answering. If you could call ma dukes and let her know, I’ll be forever indebted to you. I’ll hit your hand man, I owe you on everything I love.”  My father replies, “You don’t owe me, this what family does.  And I don’t asnswer the phones after 4, so really it’s my daughter. And yes, I can do that. But what you rollin round on damn near New Years with a suspended L’s for?! You know whiteys out here to get you! Get your shit together they out here bored and gonna get you for all you got.” We get the number, call his mom and try to explain who we are and why we’re calling.  We hold the phone up to the mic so he could tell her personally, but the operator detects the 3-way call and hangs up on site.  I’m not sure if the mother thought we were fucking around, she couldn’t hear or a mixture of the two but she hangs up. He calls back. We call her back and a man answers talking crazy and hangs up again.  We let the brother know and ask if there’s another number we could call.  “There’s not,” he says.  I ask him if there’s an address we can go to let his girl know.  There is.  He gives us the address and says, “Maan if y’all could swing by whenever you’ve got time and let her know I swear when I get out I gotchu. This is crazy.”  We assure him that we’ll get the message to his lady.  In all the years my pop’s been on the radio, he said he’s never gotten a call from jail.  My first time at the new station, we just happened to be at the station past 4, I answer the call – DIVINE INTERVENTION. My father and I go out to eat and have a long talk about our relationship and get a lot off our chests.  I grew up a Daddy’s girl, but somewhere along the way, that changed drastically.  The moon was shining beautifully, and for the first time in a long time I knew he was sincere in his speaking and forgave him for the past.  It was almost 2013 and I knew I had to be open to change and new beginnings.  We called the brother’s mom again and left her a voice message.  My phone died at dinner.  After dinner we were going to go our separate ways.  Me, back to my Ma’s crib and him, to the hospital to deliver the CDs we had burned to his good friend.  My phone then vibrated.  I was shocked because I’d seen my phone shutoff but answered it nonetheless.  It was my grandma.  I thought to myself, “She WOULD be the one who’d be able to get thru on a dead cell. LOL”  She suggested we stop by the brother’s woman’s crib since we were already in the neighborhood.  So I followed my dad to the address we’d gotten earlier.  He had told us it was the apartment on the top left, but there were two sides to the building so we weren’t sure which one.  We tapped a window that was lit up and asked if they could open the door for us.  A man came the door and let us in.  I looked at the mail box and saw the brother’s last name…apartment #7.  We knocked on the door.  A pretty face poked her head thru a crack in the door and asked who we were.  We told her we were there on behalf of her man and she replied with a kind smile, “Oh! Let me get some pants on so you can step in.”  LOL. She let us in and we told her the story.  She was shocked and very very thankful for us.  We asked if she had any food or money she replied, “No.”  I had my dad get our leftover Chinese food from the car and some homemade cookies we’d picked up before going to eat.  While he was outside I told the sister that I’m rarely in town and that all of these things that leaded up to answering the phone was NO coincidence.  And if she or he wants to repay us, just PAY IT FORWARD if she sees someone in need, help that person.  He returned with the food and gave her $20.  She was almost in tears.  It felt so good to have helped this beautiful couple under such weird circumstances with my father.  At that moment, I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be, with exactly who I was supposed to be there with.  The brother, his woman, being able to patch things up with my father, the beautiful moon, ending my 2012 year in such a way, all touched my heart.  I know we helped him out in a way he’ll forever be thankful for.  But he helped me as well.  Music is what brought this about.  Community is what brought this about.  We ARE our brother’s keepers.  I want to wish you ALL a wonderful 2013 and many years to come.  Be aware of your surroundings and be mindful of the little miracles that happen in your life.  Everything is perspective and things could ALWAYS be worse.  When you’re down, know that you are STILL lucky to be in the position you’re in because there’s always someone who has It worse.  STAY UP Y’ALL.    With Love, M.Lovejoy

marzlovejoy:

I had mentioned a story I wanted to share with you all…

This Sunday (12/30/12) I joined my father, DJ of 31years, Chaz Millionaire on his show, JazzReflections on 89.9 KMOJ from 2-4pm.  It was nice being back at the radio station I’d grown up on. We played music, talked about what I’ve been working on, gave away tickets, and played my first single “DOLO” for the first time on the radio.  It was such a fulfilling experience, one, being on the radio and playing my track for the first time in my hometown, and two, being able to connect musically with someone I love but have had a rocky relationship with. (Music and fishing have been our saviors.)  After his show, the next few hours are pre-programmed and no one’s at the station.  We stayed about an hour after, burning the recorded show and burning CDs for my father’s dear friend who’s in the hospital.  Around 5pm we began packing up.  The phone board lit up.  I asked if I could answer it and did.  It was an older gentleman who had called earlier thanking KMOJ and the DJs because he “listened to KMOJ 24/7 and loves the station” I went on to thank him and before I hung up, noticed another call was lit up on the board.  Since I had answered the first call, I figured why not take the second.  As soon as I picked up the operator got on saying “This is a collect call from an inmate at Ramsey County, to accept press 5, to hear the charges for this call press 2” - I looked at my father and told him we had to take it.  I pressed 2, and it was $2 for the call. I proceeded and pressed 5.  As soon as I accepted a brother came on “Thank you SO much for accepting maaan, I can’t believe I got thru. I’ve been calling family all day and my OWN family hasn’t even accepted my calls.  This is crazy.  I never thought I’d have to call KMOJ to do what I’m about to ask…” My father responded, “What’s good man, we all family, how can we help you?” The brother replied, “Maan I can’t believe this. Man, my girl’s pregnant at the crib so, I went out last night to pick up some subway for her and on my way back I get stopped in my Cadillac on deuce deuces by the police.  They check my L’s and I was driving on a suspended license.  I had all the money, both our cell phones, the keys - everything with me in the car.  They handcuff me, tow my car and take me to jail without letting me get my keys or anything! I can’t even call my girl and let her know what’s going on. It’s been a day and she ain’t got shit at the crib cuz we just moved in. I’ve been tryna call my relatives to have them go over and tell my girl what’s goin on but no one’s answering. If you could call ma dukes and let her know, I’ll be forever indebted to you. I’ll hit your hand man, I owe you on everything I love.”  My father replies, “You don’t owe me, this what family does.  And I don’t asnswer the phones after 4, so really it’s my daughter. And yes, I can do that. But what you rollin round on damn near New Years with a suspended L’s for?! You know whiteys out here to get you! Get your shit together they out here bored and gonna get you for all you got.” We get the number, call his mom and try to explain who we are and why we’re calling.  We hold the phone up to the mic so he could tell her personally, but the operator detects the 3-way call and hangs up on site.  I’m not sure if the mother thought we were fucking around, she couldn’t hear or a mixture of the two but she hangs up. He calls back. We call her back and a man answers talking crazy and hangs up again.  We let the brother know and ask if there’s another number we could call.  “There’s not,” he says.  I ask him if there’s an address we can go to let his girl know.  There is.  He gives us the address and says, “Maan if y’all could swing by whenever you’ve got time and let her know I swear when I get out I gotchu. This is crazy.”  We assure him that we’ll get the message to his lady.  In all the years my pop’s been on the radio, he said he’s never gotten a call from jail.  My first time at the new station, we just happened to be at the station past 4, I answer the call – DIVINE INTERVENTION. My father and I go out to eat and have a long talk about our relationship and get a lot off our chests.  I grew up a Daddy’s girl, but somewhere along the way, that changed drastically.  The moon was shining beautifully, and for the first time in a long time I knew he was sincere in his speaking and forgave him for the past.  It was almost 2013 and I knew I had to be open to change and new beginnings.  We called the brother’s mom again and left her a voice message.  My phone died at dinner.  After dinner we were going to go our separate ways.  Me, back to my Ma’s crib and him, to the hospital to deliver the CDs we had burned to his good friend.  My phone then vibrated.  I was shocked because I’d seen my phone shutoff but answered it nonetheless.  It was my grandma.  I thought to myself, “She WOULD be the one who’d be able to get thru on a dead cell. LOL”  She suggested we stop by the brother’s woman’s crib since we were already in the neighborhood.  So I followed my dad to the address we’d gotten earlier.  He had told us it was the apartment on the top left, but there were two sides to the building so we weren’t sure which one.  We tapped a window that was lit up and asked if they could open the door for us.  A man came the door and let us in.  I looked at the mail box and saw the brother’s last name…apartment #7.  We knocked on the door.  A pretty face poked her head thru a crack in the door and asked who we were.  We told her we were there on behalf of her man and she replied with a kind smile, “Oh! Let me get some pants on so you can step in.”  LOL. She let us in and we told her the story.  She was shocked and very very thankful for us.  We asked if she had any food or money she replied, “No.”  I had my dad get our leftover Chinese food from the car and some homemade cookies we’d picked up before going to eat.  While he was outside I told the sister that I’m rarely in town and that all of these things that leaded up to answering the phone was NO coincidence.  And if she or he wants to repay us, just PAY IT FORWARD if she sees someone in need, help that person.  He returned with the food and gave her $20.  She was almost in tears.  It felt so good to have helped this beautiful couple under such weird circumstances with my father.  At that moment, I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be, with exactly who I was supposed to be there with.  The brother, his woman, being able to patch things up with my father, the beautiful moon, ending my 2012 year in such a way, all touched my heart.  I know we helped him out in a way he’ll forever be thankful for.  But he helped me as well.  Music is what brought this about.  Community is what brought this about.  We ARE our brother’s keepers.  I want to wish you ALL a wonderful 2013 and many years to come.  Be aware of your surroundings and be mindful of the little miracles that happen in your life.  Everything is perspective and things could ALWAYS be worse.  When you’re down, know that you are STILL lucky to be in the position you’re in because there’s always someone who has It worse.  STAY UP Y’ALL. 

 

With Love, M.Lovejoy

wablesphoto: This nigga @ToastyRamirez poppin’ bottles repost for the re-release of the beanies tomorrow @TheUnico1990LTD

wablesphoto:

This nigga @ToastyRamirez poppin’ bottles

repost for the re-release of the beanies tomorrow @TheUnico1990LTD

theunico1990: Street-Wear or Street-Where ? A few days ago I got up with one of my homies & while playing a few tracks from @BodegaBamz Mixtape we decided to shoot a short visual about Street-Wear and how fake this shit is now days. The video was filmed at my house in Bridgeport CT. Everything I said while the camara was filming is exactly how I feel about the Street-Wear game and the people in it. Some people may feel disrespected by what I said but I’m just keeping it real. What the Fuck is this shit called ? Street-Wear, Right ? and this mother Fuckers are really making or building STREET-WHERE brands which suck and it’s so fucking fake to the Street Culture. I’ll will post the video this Friday at 6:00pm east time. Stay tuned Elvin Unico Twitter: Personal: @TheUnico1990 Brand: @TheUnico1990LTD

theunico1990:

Street-Wear or Street-Where ?

A few days ago I got up with one of my homies & while playing a few tracks from @BodegaBamz Mixtape we decided to shoot a short visual about Street-Wear and how fake this shit is now days. The video was filmed at my house in Bridgeport CT. Everything I said while the camara was filming is exactly how I feel about the Street-Wear game and the people in it. Some people may feel disrespected by what I said but I’m just keeping it real. What the Fuck is this shit called ? Street-Wear, Right ? and this mother Fuckers are really making or building STREET-WHERE brands which suck and it’s so fucking fake to the Street Culture. I’ll will post the video this Friday at 6:00pm east time.

Stay tuned

Elvin Unico

Twitter:

  • Personal: @TheUnico1990
  • Brand: @TheUnico1990LTD

drugsbydreads:

EPISODE 1 OF GITOO TV

GRABBED A CAMERA AND FAKE MIC

HIT THE STREETS MET SOME COOL PEOPLE WAITING ON LINE FOR THE MARGELIA MADNESS !

DONT MIND THE SOUND THE MIC IS FAKE !

i wonder if these people realize how hard we’re all laughing at them hahaha

@palomuh and @ActionBronson at house of vans last night

@palomuh and @ActionBronson at house of vans last night

isis-nicole: Interview By: Isis Nicole It’s crazy how I have set a goal of at least two interviews on my blog every month that always comes through. Without any official approach but in a momentous way, an artist and their craft somewhat dawns on me. Like DJ, video producer, and music journalist, Dreea Pavel. I was lurking on BUMP (kind of missing the party scene in London) when I saw they posted this video of a beautiful brown face adorned in a gold headpiece. I was like, ‘who dat?!” The Romani wonder who’s now a Berlin babe, took some time out to introduce herself to me via the Internet. She talks about her position with VICE x adidas Originals, the importance of building a brand, DJing for Zebra Katz, how her home is her sanctuary, and so so more after the jump! Name 
Dreea PavelHometown Berlin  Most Known For My writing and my skill to connect the right people.Unknown For My mean cooking.Currently on your playlist Burial, Shlohmo, and Death Grips amongst many other.Weirdest thing that’s ever happened to you
?So so many [for example] talking to a random dude in my friends kitchen in L.E.S. and remembering that he was the waiter that served me a slice of pizza and a glass of red wine on Brunswick Street in Melbourne, Australia in 2005.Least favorite trend(s)?The rainbow hair era was kind of corny to me. Other than that, I don’t really care as long as people look authentic. If you follow a trend just to look like any other girl on Tumblr, you really don’t get what expression is about. Whatever you do, make sure you are not a copycat and if you must be, remember to give credit.Claim To Fame(Laughs) I am not famous. I just do my work the best way I can. I work very hard on myself every day, and I came a long way.  I actually learned about you through BUMP. When did you discover your passion for both journalism and music? Well, shout out to BUMP and my man Mani! Every single person in my family is a musician. I spent my childhood between my parents’ tours and shows, running around backstage trying on their dancers’ clothes, sleeping and drooling on a dancer’s lap while my mom was still singing. I am of Romani descent and music just runs through our veins. We are an opressed people with a strong urge to express ourselves. I never really went to Kindergarden like that, but my dad was teaching me reading and writing by making me learn poems by heart. I discovered rap when I was like six or seven and became obsessed with it because of my love for poetry. Ask any of my friends, I know the lyrics to many, many rap songs! My parents never wanted me to be an artist because they knew the hardships of it but I also always really loved writing so I became a music journalist. It was satisfying my thirst for knowledge and it was still within music so I had all I needed around me. My first interview was with the late G.U.R.U. of Gangstarr when I was 15. I also have a degree in Translation and tried to work as an English teacher before but it was the most unnatural thing I have ever done. I felt like I was suffocating my passions so I quit and did my own thing. Now I am observing how success leads me towards my future. The first time I DJ’ed was when I opened up for Jesse Boykins III in Berlin, next thing you know I’m on stage as the DJ support for Zebra Katz. What do you do for adidas and Vice? I am a contributor for their blog News For Original Girls where I interview artists I find interesting and that fit within the adidas Originals marketing target. Me and my girls who are both called Michal, among many others, work on this blog and also run a website founded by my homegirls Mayra Fateh and Michal Tesler called Eve Without Adam which is a pretty big lifestyle platform based in Berlin. I also work as a copywriter for another adidas campaign called #represent. Vice won the pitch and executes these projects. How essential is something like creating a foundation and brand in a time where everything is diy, instant, and virtual? Honestly, I believe that once you start doing your own thing, you form a brand/foundation regardless. It is in the nature of every artistic thinking mind to create. It certainly is essential because people need to know what you stand for and where you’re trying to go with what you create. It is like a new company asking investors to fund their ideas - you MUST have a concept, just that in these days your portfolio grows publicly. In a blog, on your Facebook, [by] word of mouth and so on. Branding is almost everything. There’s tons of little celebrities out there that have no actual skills, but they know how to dress their a** off or they know how to be in the right place at the right time or they can be used well for other brands’ marketing. You have to have something going for you. Realize your craft and set it free. That is what my older brothers and sisters told me and what worked best for me so far. 40oz VAN once tweeted: If you’re not digitally hustling and taking advantage of all online social networks available, you shouldn’t be allowed Internet.” This was written in general, but do you think there’s some truth to this chirp for cyber obsessive youth? 40oz Van (Joel Fuller) definitely built his own empire, I witnessed it personally. That entire scene created a movement including many artists that are really big today. Joel created a buzz in the city and used online platforms to enhance his situation. He blew up partly because of the nude ladies on his blog. There certainly is a lot of truth behind this statement. Without the internet you would have maybe never found a way to interview me, you know? I just think that there should be balance. The internet is a tool that you should know how to use. It should never use you. It is virtual and this adjective “virtual” was created to distinguish it from everything that is real. It is not real and people need to understand that. The Cyber obsessive youth is the biggest miracle, ever. My generation was not raised with internet or cellphones. I come from a different era. We had to learn how to use the internet whereas the youth now just thinks that it is normal to have it and use it nonstop. I believe it lead people way too far away from the roots of being human and caused an unbridgeable gap between the generations. The internet fools the youth and makes them believe it is all about getting famous. It is an illusion. You will be very lost out there if you don’t have real intelligence as opposed to acquired knowledge. So to sum this up, I will say this: You can hustle digitally, be social online as much as you want to, but there better be fire behind all that smoke. I mean, a lot of people know my face for various reasons but I really feel kind of defeated when they ask me what I actually do. That’s wack. People should know me for my professional skills and nothing else. The internet is a giant promo-monster but unlike the beliefs of many, I DO think there is such thing as bad PR. Not all PR is good PR and that is where you have to be really careful with the internet.I checked out your collective Bone Sauvage mix SAUVAGΞ2DABONΞ and “Shot Caller” played! I still love that song. Are you a shot caller? And do you and Jazmin DJ together? Thanks for checking us out. Jazmin is my sistah for life. I learned so much from her. We shoot videos together, we started Djing together, we’re a real money team. She moved back home to the Bay though. Bone Sauvage went international. She is doing her thing in Cali and I hold it down over here but we still use the same name, of course. As far as being a shot caller…I don’t know. (Laughs!) I am who I am. I am Dreea and some people happen to find me inspiring which I really appreciate. Just like I appreciate all the people that inspire me every day.  How do you make the most out of living in Berlin? Life here is sweet now. I used to hate Berlin when I first moved out here in 2006. I thought everybody was cold and ugly. I constantly went back to New York but Berlin changed so much. I can get a good burrito here now! This city is really green and has beautiful, magical spots. It is filled with interesting people and is almost bulls***-free. I take a lot of trips to all the pretty lakes around the city or to the Peacock Island. I love my hood. 44 stand up! I ride my bike around here, shop at all the arabic stores, have dinner parties. Life here is laid back, man. Don’t get me wrong, we all hustle hard but when we do take some time off, we know how to live the good life.  Where is your favorite place to go for peace of mind? My house. Me and Jazmin shot the video to a song called “Kleinigkeiten” for my friends and German Pop Stars Chima & Lary in this room, Melo X  produced the “Love Triangle” in here. I produced Jesse Boykins III video to “Zoner” here and the list goes on. It is a place with a lot of history but it is super chill. In the summertime I hang out on my roof terrace. It is quiet and pretty out there with all the plants and the special person that is taking care of them. My house is my spiritual sanctuary.  What has been the most rewarding/challenging experience in your career? The most rewarding part of my career? Phew.. I am not at all where I want to be yet. The experiences I have had so far with all the people I met in the industry or in private are my rewards and my biggest challenges at the same time. Balancing out professional and private matters and the things I’ve learned doing, that was my biggest challenge. I have definitely learned to not mix these two. Even though I’ve always known that and also stuck to it, I slipped once and that was not a good look for me. It was one tough challenge. Still is. The industry is really disgusting in many ways. You will need thick skin. People will do the most to get you out the way, even when you are not even aiming for the pole position. My career made me grow and sent me all around the world which is a reward but the challenge was definitely all the snakes and fake phonies. And living with very little money at times.  Would you rather your hair be made of diamonds or your hands be made of gold? Neither. My hair is made of snakes (laughs!) It has a life of its own.   Who’s the last person/or people you made an impact on? I made an impact on myself! I changed a lot into a direction that I really enjoy and love. Also on all the artists I worked with, am or was friends with. I have definitely contributed to the way some people talk, walk and dress. I also seem to have some crazy effect on my ex-boyfriends. They all become really good, successful men. I want to leave a legacy though. Not an impact. What do you want to be remembered for this year and in the future? For this year, I want to be remembered as that one woman with the movement on her shoulders. For the future, I just want people to remember me as a unique mind. People can talk all the s*** they want about me, really, they don’t have to understand me they can judge me, it’s whatever really but I want the world to acknowledge me for my inimitability. Dreea Pavelhttp://dreea.tumblr.com/ http://jazminxgarcia.tumblr.com/ http://evewithoutadam.net/ http://vimeo.com/45789827 http://www.mixcloud.com/dreeapavel/  a lot of these statements resonate exactly with my sentiments in regards to today’s internet generation 

isis-nicole:

Interview By: Isis Nicole

It’s crazy how I have set a goal of at least two interviews on my blog every month that always comes through. Without any official approach but in a momentous way, an artist and their craft somewhat dawns on me. Like DJ, video producer, and music journalist, Dreea Pavel. I was lurking on BUMP (kind of missing the party scene in London) when I saw they posted this video of a beautiful brown face adorned in a gold headpiece. I was like, ‘who dat?!” The Romani wonder who’s now a Berlin babe, took some time out to introduce herself to me via the Internet. She talks about her position with VICE x adidas Originals, the importance of building a brand, DJing for Zebra Katz, how her home is her sanctuary, and so so more after the jump!

Name 

Dreea Pavel

Hometown 
Berlin
 

Most Known For 
My writing and my skill to connect the right people.

Unknown For
My mean cooking.

Currently on your playlist
Burial, Shlohmo, and Death Grips amongst many other.


Weirdest thing that’s ever happened to you
?
So so many [for example] talking to a random dude in my friends kitchen in L.E.S. and remembering that he was the waiter that served me a slice of pizza and a glass of red wine on Brunswick Street in Melbourne, Australia in 2005.

Least favorite trend(s)?
The rainbow hair era was kind of corny to me. Other than that, I don’t really care as long as people look authentic. If you follow a trend just to look like any other girl on Tumblr, you really don’t get what expression is about. Whatever you do, make sure you are not a copycat and if you must be, remember to give credit.

Claim To Fame
(Laughs) I am not famous. I just do my work the best way I can. I work very hard on myself every day, and I came a long way. 

I actually learned about you through BUMP. When did you discover your passion for both journalism and music?


Well, shout out to BUMP and my man Mani! Every single person in my family is a musician. I spent my childhood between my parents’ tours and shows, running around backstage trying on their dancers’ clothes, sleeping and drooling on a dancer’s lap while my mom was still singing.

I am of Romani descent and music just runs through our veins. We are an opressed people with a strong urge to express ourselves. I never really went to Kindergarden like that, but my dad was teaching me reading and writing by making me learn poems by heart. I discovered rap when I was like six or seven and became obsessed with it because of my love for poetry. Ask any of my friends, I know the lyrics to many, many rap songs!

My parents never wanted me to be an artist because they knew the hardships of it but I also always really loved writing so I became a music journalist. It was satisfying my thirst for knowledge and it was still within music so I had all I needed around me. My first interview was with the late G.U.R.U. of Gangstarr when I was 15. I also have a degree in Translation and tried to work as an English teacher before but it was the most unnatural thing I have ever done. I felt like I was suffocating my passions so I quit and did my own thing. Now I am observing how success leads me towards my future. The first time I DJ’ed was when I opened up for Jesse Boykins III in Berlin, next thing you know I’m on stage as the DJ support for Zebra Katz.


What do you do for adidas and Vice?


I am a contributor for their blog News For Original Girls where I interview artists I find interesting and that fit within the adidas Originals marketing target. Me and my girls who are both called Michal, among many others, work on this blog and also run a website founded by my homegirls Mayra Fateh and Michal Tesler called Eve Without Adam which is a pretty big lifestyle platform based in Berlin. I also work as a copywriter for another adidas campaign called #represent. Vice won the pitch and executes these projects.


How essential is something like creating a foundation and brand in a time where everything is diy, instant, and virtual?


Honestly, I believe that once you start doing your own thing, you form a brand/foundation regardless. It is in the nature of every artistic thinking mind to create. It certainly is essential because people need to know what you stand for and where you’re trying to go with what you create. It is like a new company asking investors to fund their ideas - you MUST have a concept, just that in these days your portfolio grows publicly. In a blog, on your Facebook, [by] word of mouth and so on. Branding is almost everything.

There’s tons of little celebrities out there that have no actual skills, but they know how to dress their a** off or they know how to be in the right place at the right time or they can be used well for other brands’ marketing. You have to have something going for you. Realize your craft and set it free. That is what my older brothers and sisters told me and what worked best for me so far.


40oz VAN once tweeted: If you’re not digitally hustling and taking advantage of all online social networks available, you shouldn’t be allowed Internet.” This was written in general, but do you think there’s some truth to this chirp for cyber obsessive youth?


40oz Van (Joel Fuller) definitely built his own empire, I witnessed it personally. That entire scene created a movement including many artists that are really big today. Joel created a buzz in the city and used online platforms to enhance his situation. He blew up partly because of the nude ladies on his blog.

There certainly is a lot of truth behind this statement. Without the internet you would have maybe never found a way to interview me, you know? I just think that there should be balance. The internet is a tool that you should know how to use. It should never use you. It is virtual and this adjective “virtual” was created to distinguish it from everything that is real. It is not real and people need to understand that. The Cyber obsessive youth is the biggest miracle, ever. My generation was not raised with internet or cellphones. I come from a different era. We had to learn how to use the internet whereas the youth now just thinks that it is normal to have it and use it nonstop. I believe it lead people way too far away from the roots of being human and caused an unbridgeable gap between the generations.

The internet fools the youth and makes them believe it is all about getting famous. It is an illusion. You will be very lost out there if you don’t have real intelligence as opposed to acquired knowledge. So to sum this up, I will say this: You can hustle digitally, be social online as much as you want to, but there better be fire behind all that smoke. I mean, a lot of people know my face for various reasons but I really feel kind of defeated when they ask me what I actually do. That’s wack. People should know me for my professional skills and nothing else. The internet is a giant promo-monster but unlike the beliefs of many, I DO think there is such thing as bad PR. Not all PR is good PR and that is where you have to be really careful with the internet.


I checked out your collective Bone Sauvage mix SAUVAGΞ2DABONΞ and “Shot Caller” played! I still love that song. Are you a shot caller? And do you and Jazmin DJ together?


Thanks for checking us out. Jazmin is my sistah for life. I learned so much from her. We shoot videos together, we started Djing together, we’re a real money team. She moved back home to the Bay though. Bone Sauvage went international. She is doing her thing in Cali and I hold it down over here but we still use the same name, of course. As far as being a shot caller…I don’t know. (Laughs!) I am who I am. I am Dreea and some people happen to find me inspiring which I really appreciate. Just like I appreciate all the people that inspire me every day. 


How do you make the most out of living in Berlin?


Life here is sweet now. I used to hate Berlin when I first moved out here in 2006. I thought everybody was cold and ugly. I constantly went back to New York but Berlin changed so much. I can get a good burrito here now! This city is really green and has beautiful, magical spots. It is filled with interesting people and is almost bulls***-free. I take a lot of trips to all the pretty lakes around the city or to the Peacock Island. I love my hood. 44 stand up! I ride my bike around here, shop at all the arabic stores, have dinner parties. Life here is laid back, man. Don’t get me wrong, we all hustle hard but when we do take some time off, we know how to live the good life. 


Where is your favorite place to go for peace of mind?


My house. Me and Jazmin shot the video to a song called “Kleinigkeiten” for my friends and German Pop Stars Chima & Lary in this room, Melo X  produced the “Love Triangle” in here. I produced Jesse Boykins III video to “Zoner” here and the list goes on. It is a place with a lot of history but it is super chill. In the summertime I hang out on my roof terrace. It is quiet and pretty out there with all the plants and the special person that is taking care of them. My house is my spiritual sanctuary. 


What has been the most rewarding/challenging experience in your career?


The most rewarding part of my career? Phew.. I am not at all where I want to be yet. The experiences I have had so far with all the people I met in the industry or in private are my rewards and my biggest challenges at the same time. Balancing out professional and private matters and the things I’ve learned doing, that was my biggest challenge. I have definitely learned to not mix these two. Even though I’ve always known that and also stuck to it, I slipped once and that was not a good look for me. It was one tough challenge. Still is.

The industry is really disgusting in many ways. You will need thick skin. People will do the most to get you out the way, even when you are not even aiming for the pole position. My career made me grow and sent me all around the world which is a reward but the challenge was definitely all the snakes and fake phonies. And living with very little money at times. 


Would you rather your hair be made of diamonds or your hands be made of gold?


Neither. My hair is made of snakes (laughs!) It has a life of its own.  


Who’s the last person/or people you made an impact on?


I made an impact on myself! I changed a lot into a direction that I really enjoy and love. Also on all the artists I worked with, am or was friends with. I have definitely contributed to the way some people talk, walk and dress. I also seem to have some crazy effect on my ex-boyfriends. They all become really good, successful men. I want to leave a legacy though. Not an impact.


What do you want to be remembered for this year and in the future?


For this year, I want to be remembered as that one woman with the movement on her shoulders. For the future, I just want people to remember me as a unique mind. People can talk all the s*** they want about me, really, they don’t have to understand me they can judge me, it’s whatever really but I want the world to acknowledge me for my inimitability.

a lot of these statements resonate exactly with my sentiments in regards to today’s internet generation 

(via dreea)

lovelala: @toastyramirez No home training

lovelala:

@toastyramirez

No home training