God Dwells Within Me, As Me

Realizing that I’m going through my Eat Pray Love: India Phase.

Finding yourself isn’t the answer. Knowing who and what you already are, is J

Culture Shock

From the City to the Snow. The life of a Traveling Chef.

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Currently Blasting: Kanye West - Robocop
♫ Spoiled Little LA Girl ♫

Lil Kim/Nicki Minaj beef

I'm not gonna get too much into this but I have GOT to state my position on this wack ass beef.

Music is music. If you're in the industry, people are gonna love you, hate you, respect you, diss you, be jealous of you, etc. Just do YOU! Don't be mad cause you think somone is trying to be like you. Don't get heated cause people are comparing you to someone that got in the game before you.

As someone who doesn't do this music biz professionally, I know what it's like to write a song or have an idea and then see someone else with a similar game plan get credit for it. I remember back in the day, one of my homies made a whole demo tape called "The Gray Album" (He's a Beatles fan, a play on their 'White Album') where he re-did a bunch of songs originally written by artist like Incubus & Coldplay; a Hip-Hop/Alternative mash-up if you will. Then here comes Jay-Z and his bitchass Linkin Park so called collabo.

Shit happens. My nigga didn't go on a 7 month rant about how he hated Jay-Z for his idea, Jigga just happened to be in the position he was in to make that shit poppin.

So, in conclusion, Miss Lil Kim, I love you. I adore you. But don't hate on Minaj for getting hers. If this were a real Hip-Hop beef circa 2Pac & Bigga, trust, Power 106 probably wouldn't be playing neither of you chick's hits non-stop on the anniversary of your murder 7 years after the fact. Harsh, but true.

On the flip side, I am not much of a Nicki fan. I didn't even think I knew how to spell her name before I googled it for this blog but I will say this, keep doin you, ma. And perhaps, keep doing you while also doing something worth listening to....?

Give Respect. Salutations....

A Touch of Gossip

I don't usually dabble too much in the world of gossip but I had to post this video. Earlier today TMZ got a hold of this video feature Miley Cyrus taking a bong load of Salvia and "trippin hard". Jahaha! Sooo funny.

For the record, Salvia is totally legal in the state of California and usually gives you a psychedelic trip as opposed to marijuana that just makes you funny, slow, dumb, and hungry. I've tried this ish before and know that it doesn't usually hit you for longer than 20min after you inhale it, if it hits you at all. I've never seen any trip like Miley is but it cracks me up to see how stupid and dumb she gets, just like everyone else does when they're under the influence. People are people and the bitch just turned 18. Someone needs to hook this girl up with a bleezy and spark it!

Video Update!

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Faith. Strength. Love. Joy.

MIXTAPE

I've been waiting for this Mixtape for quite some time now. Truthfully, I'm really diggin this one. Enjoy!

J. Cole - Friday Night Lights

Released: November 12, 2010

*Update*

Check this link provided by my beloved THREE SIX PHIVE.com

Random Video

My last night while on the North Rim. October 17th, 2010... Spanish music, Puerto Rican booze, and my favorite people. Thanks to my Kimmy, Maricruz, Lizeth, Diana, Joe, Ian, & Lamar for an AMAZING night. Love my GCNR fam!

Gratitude

Let me start off by saying that I truly love the experience that being a Chef has given me. There are times when I’m in a hot ass kitchen, bangin out food, bustin my balls and it sucks. Trust, this is not a glamorous profession by any means and when it’s a million degrees, you’ve got 10 tickets in your window, and some random person comes up to bother you in the middle of all that, you want nothing more than to punch them in the face and walk away. However, I do have to give credit where credit is due.

I remember this one time, I was in the kitchen doing some prep work when a server came in and told our breakfast cooks that a guest had sent their compliments on a delicious meal. My first response was, “Wow, that’s really cool” then one of the line chefs turns to me and says, “When we're busy, we don't have time to chat with servers. We get compliments all the time, it’s nothing special...”

Here’s my opinion, if anyone takes time out of their day to acknowledge you, it’s special. By no means should any kind gesture, a gracious word, or even just a simple greeting go ignored. It’s like walking down the street, I smile and usually say hello to every single person that I pass. I think it’s rude to act like no one is there. God put all of us on this planet for a reason. No, I may have no importance on your life whatsoever and chances are, you may not insanely effect mine either but that doesn’t mean we should succumb to that level of negativity towards each other.

As Miss America as it sounds, the world would be such a kinder, simpler, and overall better place if we thanked others for their graciousness, if we took time out to lock eyes with another passer-byer, if we all were the guest that compliments the Chef whos busting their ass and most importantly, if we were all that Chef that truly appreciated being praised.

No one has to take time out for you, appreciate it when they do.

Stay Hungry, you beautiful people!

Though I’m barely at the start of my coking tour, I must say… My greatest gift to other people is still music. I know that cooking isn’t my calling. I know that I’m currently living a life I chose through love rather than the life that was chosen for me through calling. Sometimes, I’ll be temping out the Buffet and not notice how hard I’m rocking out to the song in my head. A random person, whether it be a coworker or a guest, will ask me what I’m dancing to and I’ll tell them. That feeling is a lot greater than the salad bar I spent hours prepping and setting out for them to destroy.

I find greater joy in spreading music than food. Both are Universal so I still get this high when I can give either to the world. But I will forever remember the little girl with her shoes on the wrong feet, asking me which Jonas Bro song I was singing more so than the guy who asked me what French Toast was and how I made it.

Don’t get me wrong, people enjoying my food is one of the greatest feelings in the world. But there’s something about how I grew up & live my life that brings me back to the genuinity of music. The number 1 true Universal Language, the way most people bring themselves together.

As a Chef and a nurturer, I hope that the food I produce brings together many walks of life within harmony on one common goal: to enjoy what I provide. However, I hope that the soundtrack to that meal is one that they’ll never forget. Something that will change them; music that will bring them to life just as much as my amazing food will.

Keep music alive, be true to you, and Stay Hungry!