Clutch Tips For Hip Hop Touring: The Flask

D. Allie's Flask Alcohol Seagrams 7 Jameson Jim Beam

The flask takes care of the task

Peace My People,

I have gotten some good responses for my earlier blog on clutch tips for hip hop touring so I figured I’d keep it going.  This one might be a little controversial if you’re not a drinker, and to that my response would simply be this:  loosen up!

For one the flask helps with tour expenses.  Being in and out of bars every night can require quite a tab.  I’m talking one of Norm on Cheers proportions.  However, if you just hit the liquor store before the show and buy a fifth of your poison you can pour it in a flask and easily sneak it into any venue you desire.  My personal favorite is Jameson (you guys should really be sponsoring my habit by now) but even that can start to run expensive.  By the end of the Field Trip Tour we were dipping into the Seagram 7 and Jim Beam range.  Apologies to the venues but you really shouldn’t be charging the entertainment for the evening and one drink ticket is not taking care of us.

On the promotional angle it can work wonders.  I’m a pretty social guy to begin with, but let’s face it.  Alcohol is a social lubricant.  It makes it a lot easier to go up to strangers and sell your CD, get them to sign up for the email list, etc.  Also it helps you deal with the ups and downs of the road and prepares you for a night of the unexpected.

If you can tell from my picture the flask I carry is personally monogrammed with my initials.  I have to thank my good friend Donna for the present.  I couldn’t be the person I am without all these enablers around me. lol.  See you in rehab.

I wasn’t gonna leave you hangin’ right there.  Of course, drink responsibly, don’t drink and drive, but do feel free to make some bad decisions here and there.  It’s called life.

June 20, 2011
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Back on my Regiment like Dead Prez at Retrofit Studios

retrofit studios roayl oak michigan bradley goodstein

trying to get it in

 

Peace my people,

I am out of shape and as summer approaches I couldn’t be more sick about it.  I mean I don’t need a 6 pack but you can’t holla at girls at the beach with a keg.  I blame tour.  Although I love hitting the road and had an amazing time on the Field Trip Tour there are few things you can do that are worse for your health.  If staying up late and drinking every night got you in shape I would be Arnold Schwarzenegger up in this.

For inspiration I need to look no further than hip hop.  The night before the last show of tour we heard Dead Prez were in town.  As we had an off night me and the homie A. Biggs went to the show because that’s what you do when Dead Prez in town.  As it really is bigger than hip hop Stic Man from Dead Prez kept talking about fitness throughout the set and how we as a community need to be of sound mind and body.  That really hit home with me for some reason.  He even started the Revolutionary But Gangsta Fit Club to help motivate cats.   I’m a long way from cleaning up my act completely, but I have decided to take a step in the right direction.

For the task I have enlisted my good friend and personal trainer Bradley Goodstein at Retrofit Studio in Royal Oak to assist me.  Not only has he kicked my ass in our first couple of sessions, but he has encouraged me to step my nutrition game up.  I will try to keep you updated on my progress and if you have any advice or questions lets build in the comments below.  Let’s get fit together.

As a soundtrack to the comeback I shall leave you with a song from Stic Man of Dead Prez about being back on our regiment.  We can get swoll like tookie with it.

June 15, 2011
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Beyond the Beats: Doc Illingsworth as a Videographer

You might recall Doc Illingsworth not only because he is one of the illest producers in Detroit right now, but also because he did a leg of the Field Trip Tour with me earlier this year.

Aside from doing a live PA set on many of the nights he also took a lot of video footage of performances and apparently of car rides as well. It’s possible that this video might only be funny to me, but if you knew me and A. Biggs you might be on the floor as well. Keep in mind that the music was not added in post. I like to listen to a lot of relaxing material in the ride between sets.

If you can’t find the humor in this one, I guarantee you’ll love all the other videos on Illingsworth’s Youtube Channel. I want to say he releases about one of these a week. And if you haven’t heard the music yet go to his bandcamp page already.

June 10, 2011
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Thoughts Going Into The Last Show

Greetings my people,

I write this from Pittsburgh where the last show of the tour is about to go down in a few hours.  I have some time and some random thoughts going through my head, so I figured I’d share them with you.

The last show of the tour is always a bittersweet end -  I’m always happy to return home, but I feel like we were just getting into the swing of things on tour with the live show and the hustle muscle was starting to get on swole.

Photo by Keo 101

I’m happy that my voice has held up through the entire tour.  As anyone will tell you I’m a pretty loud guy, and prolly even more so when I’m in the hands of a different sound guy I’m uncomfortable with.  For the most part, all the sound guys have been cool though, so that’s been a blessing.

As much as I sometimes feel alone in this world and on my journey doing something like a tour makes me see the interconnectedness of it all, so I gotta give some shouts.

Aaron Biggs, CEO of United States of Mind

For one, A. Biggs has been with me every step of the way, and we had some tough steps.  We crashed at a rest stop and it was like 5 degrees outside, but we eventually made it to destination even though we were frozen. lol.

All the artists that we have performed with on this tour have been dope (well for the most part, but I’m gonna focus on the positive. lol).  One of the benefits of being on the road is being exposed to how hip hop is doing in other areas.  We traded CD’s with many artists and it was their music that carried us from city to city.  I will try to do some more in depth posts on these artists in the upcoming months.

All the lonely bars and venues that were kind enough to have us out.  As we are still a relatively unknown act, a venue is taking a chance on us.  It is my hope that we did the work that was needed to build a market in your city.  You taking a risk on us was not in vain.

The people that put us up in each city.  In some places, we have people that have been holding us down since forever, but in other places it is somebody that is meeting us for the first time that is putting us up.  I write this from the comfort of a new friend’s place right now.  If these people only knew what shelter and a hot shower means to us when we’re on the road.

Nate Bentley, Director of Hip Hop Radio Promotion at Tinderbox Music

Nate over at Tinderbox Music.  He has been working our record and we found out that we just debuted at #13 on the CMJ charts for hip hop.  As we often feel like that tree in the unpopulated forest, it is like Nate has been meeting with some developers and they might start building a condo there or something.  We might fall, but at least someone will hear the sound. lol.

Of course, the biggest shout goes to the people.  Yeah that means you.  If you came out to a show, bought a cd or shirt, or let somebody know about us words can’t describe the appreciation.  Some of you crowds were harder to turn than others but I hope you know I gave it my all every night.  I hope we can continue to build in the future.  If you wanna contact me directly the email is hiphopismysoul (at) gmail so never hesitate.  In a minute my people.

April 23, 2011
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Field Trip Journal: Just Warming Up

Hello all,

D. Allie here. My apologies as it’s been along time…I shouldn’t of left you….without a strong blog to step to.  Meant to write you sooner but the days have been long and I haven’t been on the net long enough to write one.  I don’t have a lot of time now so I’ll give you guys the broad strokes.  If you want any specifics just hit the comments and I’ll chime in.

The tour has been a great experience so far.  There have been ups and downs as with anything but me and the homie A. Biggs have persevered and adapted to the change ups well.  It seems as if something has gone wrong on the technical side in every other city, but I’m starting to think it becomes a better show as we improvise around the bumps in the road.  For instance, in Chi on Sat the microphones went out, but the space had great acoustics so I gathered everyone in a circle and performed my set from the middle of the circle with no microphone.  My voice is still recovering but the energy was great.

For the first leg of the tour we had Doc Illingsworth along for the ride.  He was a great travel mate and was able to open up every show with a live PA set where he showcased his beats (which you need to hear if you haven’t).  This always provided a great base and got people in the mood to hear my music.  He stopped off in the Chi so he will be missed as we embark on the rest of the tour.  Here’s Doc doing his thing below.

Doc doing his thing at the Artist Central Exchange in Chi

 

The artists we have performed with in each city have been dope for the most part and I look forward to building with them in the future.  Last night in River Falls was a great time as all the artists on the bill were on different tours and each of us were going to different towns the next night.  Mad shouts go out to Duece Ellis and DJ Tiger.  The stage show put on by these dudes is phenomenal, and they are on their heavy grind.

Shouts go out to Phrym8.  Besides being dope in his own right he was the man who brought so many dope artists together last night.  Check for him on the battle circuit as well.  Believe he has a grindtime battle coming up in Denver soon.

Also rocked with Pseudo Slang.  I’ve always heard a lot about these two gentlemen and it was a pleasure seeing them grace the stage.  I get why I hear so much about them now.

Props to Ecid who I was thoroughly impressed by as well on the stage tip and after finding out he produces his own ish as well I was even more impressed.

I gotta get to the venue in Milwaukee and handle set up, sound check, etc.  I will try to keep you updated as we travel more.  I’m trying to stay up on my twitter game so feel free to follow in real time @dallie.  Until next time.

April 15, 2011
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