Project Blowed vs. The Good Life...what are the differences, for better or worse?

[Abstract Rude]

This is an interesting question that I was often asked @ the Q&A sessions after the various film screenings I attended. So I thought I'd officially pose the question and start the discussion so we can figure out what the best and worst parts of our collective had then, and has now to offer. Trippy thing is, once I started jotting my points down, I realized that we're really not that far off from where we were, AND MOREOVER we have great potential to progress. Here's my take, please chime in:

The Good Life
1. Rules/Censorship
2. People were more entertained by what happened inside onstage than outside in the parking lot, even though there were a couple classic battles outside.
3. Distinctive groups like Unity Committee, ATU, FF, CVE, S.I.N. & Figures of Speech who worked with in house producers Cut Chemist, Fatjack, EQB, NgaFsh & Ridd, and Digiak to create classic songs that they'd perform; most of which became crowd favorites over time.
4. Started and closed on time 8-10p every week allowing only 15 minutes @ the end for open mic time, so you knew you had to be on time to be heard, and you had to have something to captivate people for your short time of 1 song onstage.
5. Very small stage and weak sound systems over the years.
6. Announcements by B. Hall referred to community events & political points of interest.
7. Good life related music projects put together by B. Hall.
8. Good Life related events away from Thursdays were supported by Goodlifers regularly ie; UCLA, Audubon Junior High, Slam It Or Jam It, Unity
9. Healthy food
10. Many of the artists/producers/djs came together to do a classic compilation

Project Blowed

1. NO censorship/few rules
2. The park/corner tends to be the kick it and battle spot, thus the hotter spot to experience the Blowed.
3. The emergence of Nocando, Thirsty Fish, Swim Team, Sistem, JNatural, DJ Tommy Blak & Dibiase among others as the new generation next.
4. Start & End times vary...the list is still in effect and people still come prepared to do songs, but freestyling is more championed throughout the night than just 15 minutes at the end.
5. Bigger stage, way better soundsystem thanks to Ben Caldwell & J-Smoov.
6. Mr. Caldwell takes various Blowedians on trips for cultural exchange with hip hop youth out of state and in international communities ie; Cuba, South Africa, various colleges.
7. Project Blowed related music projects executive produced by Aceyalone, CEO and Sole Proprietor of Project Blowed Recordings.
8. Monthly Blowed events away from Thursdays ie; Grasshopper - attended by majority of 21+ Blowedians. However, when someone from the Blowed has a show whether an OG or a young G, there's not always a unified Blowedian attendance - that could get better. We CAN buy tickets to each others shows - support each other more.
9. Record/clothing store inside features some soft drinks and snacks.
10. Project Blowed 12yr anniversary compilation featured many of the Project Blowed attendees; as did Kenny Segal's Ken Can Cook, and recently on Ab Rude's upcoming lp Dear Abbey which features 8 Blowedians: Acey, Myka Nyne, Sathyre, Alpha MC, Busdriver, Nocan, Open Mike Eagle & Dumbfoundead.

your thoughts?
agree?
disagree?

feel free...
peace
tha
Rudest

[directher]

Education goin' down up in here!

[NGAFSH/CVE]

GLAD I WAS/IS AROUND FOR BOTH!

[Azul/ITSCrew]

Wasup yo... We hit the goodlife in the last two years of its existance, We were the sound system in the last few months(LOL)... and remember the classic parking lot battles with them 2000 crows.... I member specifically MC's that were not as tight with their lyrical convictions... the Please Pass the Mic chants... off the stage you went..go home go practice...it was all good.. sometimes these same cats would come back and be dope... there was development... there were challenges...specifically with the no cussing...
OG Project Blowed, we, the only other Mexicans rolling to this spot was in charge of bringing the toilet paper and making sure them restrooms were clean...lol... Homies got up on stage, and did their shows... if they was weak or not, they did their thing to develop experience...everybody had a crack at it... and even though we were guilty of this too, the OG's from the life chilled and checked out them youngsters earn them stripes...Learn how to control that microphone...Once in a moon, OGS would blow the spot up...Fellowship would roll once in a bit, Unity committe and rebels of Rythm were now J5..., The Huda rolling up in Riot Gear... The blowed the spot to network and share ideas, Kaos network to be exact...
I guess what I don't understand is the homies that were Please Passed the Mic on every single time at the life, everytime, and now they lifers? Hu?
From the rooted foundation of the life, to its branches of the blowed, we reaching them stars, yo, I think homies from the life and the code knowers are world reknown....Revolution through the Kaotik convictions Inside The Soul in musical form

Azul, ITSCrew

[DUKE OF EARL/UNDERGROUND NATION]

DAMN /ABTRACT YOU PUT A LOT OF THOUGHTS IN TO THE BEAKDOWN/FIRST "GOODLIFE" WAS THE COMMUNITY ROOT . "WE" WENT THROUGH A TIME THAT WAS CONSIDERED THE GOLDREN AGE ! I COULD LIST SO MANY "LIFERS" THAT HAVE GONE ON 2 WESTCOAST HIPHOP IMMORTALITY ./YA'LL HELP ME ..TO MANY TO NAME -GREATEST SELLERS /I DON'T DONT KNOW -A "GOODLIFER' may /or maynot /BEEN THERE EACH WEEK -BUT ONCE YOU GOT ON THAT STAGE YOU WERE BAPTIST'D / YOU WHERE 1 OF US.-WHEN I GOT ON THE MIC I WOULD SAY WELCOME CHURCH /WAY B 4 /SNOOP /BISHOP ECT ./BECUZ WE HAD A SENSE OF MORALS AND COMMUNITY PRIDE NOT SAY'N SHIT /DID'NT GO DOWN ../FROM TIME 2 TIME/ -MOST STYLES ARE ROOTS OF WHAT YA'LL DID./ "GOD BLESS"../I THANK ACEY-BEN-C.V.E -DARK LEAF -J-5 -2MEX-FUNKY N TREND /WHO KNEW IT WAS A TIME FOR CHANGE . FROM THE GOOD LIFE - /THAT'Z CALLED NATURAL PROGRESSION. /I HATE TELL MY AGE BUT WHEN THE GOODLIFE START'D I WAS ALREADY CONSIDER'D A "ELDER -I'M 1 OF THE FIRST N'GAZ ROCK'N ON STAGES( SINCE 82")/MY ROOTS ARE WELL DOCUMENTED./SOME GROUPS WENT THIS WAY -SOME WENT THAT WAY /AND ONE OF THOSE GROUPS KEEP THE TORCH GOING AND "WE" THANK YOU!" YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE.../BUT B4 I DROP THE MIC LET ME ASK THIS../....(WITH NNNOOO DISREPECT TO KNOW BODY !) ..YA'LL REMEMBER WHEN BIZ MARKIE WAS THERE DAMN NEAR EVERY WEEK?WHEN ICECUBE NDA LENCH MOB WAS STEALING VOLUME 10 STYLE?/WHEN EAZY WOULD HAVE BONE IN THE HOUSE /COPYING -L.A COOL '(HIP HOP KLAN - C.V.E ./F.F.'Z ABTRACT GHETTO RAPID FLOWZ?WHEN 2-MEX N X.O /DID'NT SOUND MEXICAN./WHEN FATJOE (WHO DONE MADE MO' MONEY THEN MOST OF US PUT TOGETHER?WOULD BE DOWN RIGHT BOOED /QUIET STORMED WRECKED SHOP? /WHEN SMOOTH JAY OR N'GA PHSH WOULD KICK YOU OFF THE STAGE 4 CUSS'N /DAMN !,WESTCOAST DOES'NT TALK ABOUT RASS KASS AS MUCH AS THE REST OF THE WORLD? DON'T GET CHU CHU PISS'D ON THE MIC -WHEN FUNKY N TRENSETTA (FUNKY 1 ) HAD ALL THE GIRLS HAHA-/WHEN THE J-5 WAS 2 PROMISING GROUPS ALREADY HAD A FOLLOWING? -UNITY ..REBELS OF RYTHMN/.WHEN IMPERATOR/FAT JACK /JMD HAD A BEAT OR STUDIO 4 US .. /I COULD GO ON ..TELL U WHAT -"GOODLIFE MC'Z V.S. PROJECT BLOW MC'Z- /FIRST ROUND/FREESTYLE'N/SECOND ROUND -SONGZ /THIRD ROUND /BATTLE ACCAPELLAZ- NOW I ASK ANY OF YOU OLD ASS MC'Z STILL OR NOT RAPPING./COULD YOU BUST THAT ASS./(ABTRACT?)...HAHAHA I ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER.-( DO WE NEED 2 PUT A SHOW TOGETHER ? /NO EGOS..."WE R HIPHOP " ./....PROJECT BLOWED M.C.Z CARE TO RETORT? ALWAYZ LOVE N RESPECT- DUKE OF EARL ( P.S.) ANYBODY HEARD FROM VOODUU! AND D.J. BIRD -WHERES SMOOTH JAY?

[Tommy Blak]

I never got a chance to go to the Good Life. But being at Blowed has helped me as a DJ in ways most DJ's who never been will never understand.

[Lightsleepers]

You are blessed to have had GoodLife/Blowed

Being from Hawaii only a handful of us
got cassette tapes and VHS videos of Goodlife and later Blowed.

Before the internet, i used to read Rap Sheet, Rap Pages, even the source had a few bits.
but majority was lived vicariously thru the Tapes and VHS we traded.

i am definitely a student of GL/Blowed.

God Bless,

kavet the catalyst - Lightsleepers (Hawaii)

[Hannibal Tabu]

I came to the Good Life for the first time in 1992. I was a scruffy ass USC student with some crazy ideas in my head and a bad haircut. I once battled a dude on stage for the name Hannibal (and won). I was there the night Skee Lo did the *original* version of "I Wish" for the first time. I had friends and I had detractors and I was far from the best emcee I could have been. But I loved it.

When the Blowed kicked off, I started working the door -- first helping Eve and eventually taking over. I told Chuck D and Bushwick Bill they had to pay. I remember shaking hands and forming a professional friendship with Bigga B (anedge hirak Bill Operin). I remember Orah, Hines, Wreccless, Othawize and a gang of others when they were so young that I hate to even remember it now, with all these gray hairs in my beard. I remember talking about the finer points of eating chicken wings with Peace at the Shack off of Normandie. The night of the police raid, when they found the AK-47 in that case and Medusa caught a bad one, the cops had me hemmed up for two and a half hours, mostly in the back of a cruiser, but I talked my way out of there with no problems -- that's what I call working your words. I never asked to get paid -- I just wanted beats, I wanted to get down and collaborate with people, and for one reason or another (and some people have offered me theories, but it's all water under the bridge now) I never did.

In my opinion, the Life was better. I liked timeliness. I liked getting home in time to get a decent amount of sleep and go to work/school the next day. I *much* preferred the "no cussing" rule, which made a lot of people's game step way, way up (Remember Silk? Whatever happened to him? He was supposed to be what The Game became). I liked getting veggie burgers and raisin toast. I liked the way Big Al could become a part of any performance, the kind of "royal court" that held sway in the front rows. I liked the night of the 2000 Crowz battle where all kinds of cliques and what not got swept away as a unified front.

True, I like Ben, I *loved* the improvements in sound, I liked working with Smoov professionally (and still appreciate the experience), getting to hang at Fifth Street afterwards (remember JMD putting us through exercises? Eight bars, now sixteen, now twelve ...) and making sure that the scene was represented when I wrote for magazines like Rap Pages or Vibe or The Source -- all of which came from my experiences and this time. I liked being in the cold, back in the alley, shooting that one part of Acey's "Mic Check" video, shoulder to shoulder with lyrical giants (I still don't understand how that gas mask bong worked). I liked the Magic Mountain trip, where somebody suggested we rhyme to the beats of that big wooden roller coaster, and everybody eating lunch in the parking lot. I liked recording names on the cash box like it was an artifact -- and then having it shown to me years later when I swung through after the first screening.

But there was a ... I don't wanna say "darker" energy at the Blowed, because so many of us were people of color and that kind of adjective is dumb. The Life, however, summed up what Volume said in the movie -- like we were right there, ready to take over hip hop. I never felt that kind of optimism at the Blowed, even though so many things were technically better. The Life just *felt* good. To me, anyway.

As with all things, your mileage may vary.

[directher]

First off, Hannibal... your writing and your memory are both sick. Damn. You brought those old stories to light so vividly. Dope!

Yep, I'm a Lifer so The Life to me was the best. For so many reasons that I'm not articulate enough to state in person or even write down here. That's why I made the film. To express my love for the energy of that place, of that time. For all its imperfections, like Cut says in the film, "It was perfect."

I'm just sorry you and I never got to do a duet over a CV beat. LOL. Next lifetime.

1Luv...
Eve

Hannibal Tabu said:

I came to the Good Life for the first time in 1992. I was a scruffy ass USC student with some crazy ideas in my head and a bad haircut. I once battled a dude on stage for the name Hannibal (and won). I was there the night Skee Lo did the *original* version of "I Wish" for the first time. I had friends and I had detractors and I was far from the best emcee I could have been. But I loved it.

When the Blowed kicked off, I started working the door -- first helping Eve and eventually taking over. I told Chuck D and Bushwick Bill they had to pay. I remember shaking hands and forming a professional friendship with Bigga B (anedge hirak Bill Operin). I remember Orah, Hines, Wreccless, Othawize and a gang of others when they were so young that I hate to even remember it now, with all these gray hairs in my beard. I remember talking about the finer points of eating chicken wings with Peace at the Shack off of Normandie. The night of the police raid, when they found the AK-47 in that case and Medusa caught a bad one, the cops had me hemmed up for two and a half hours, mostly in the back of a cruiser, but I talked my way out of there with no problems -- that's what I call working your words. I never asked to get paid -- I just wanted beats, I wanted to get down and collaborate with people, and for one reason or another (and some people have offered me theories, but it's all water under the bridge now) I never did.

In my opinion, the Life was better. I liked timeliness. I liked getting home in time to get a decent amount of sleep and go to work/school the next day. I *much* preferred the "no cussing" rule, which made a lot of people's game step way, way up (Remember Silk? Whatever happened to him? He was supposed to be what The Game became). I liked getting veggie burgers and raisin toast. I liked the way Big Al could become a part of any performance, the kind of "royal court" that held sway in the front rows. I liked the night of the 2000 Crowz battle where all kinds of cliques and what not got swept away as a unified front.

True, I like Ben, I *loved* the improvements in sound, I liked working with Smoov professionally (and still appreciate the experience), getting to hang at Fifth Street afterwards (remember JMD putting us through exercises? Eight bars, now sixteen, now twelve ...) and making sure that the scene was represented when I wrote for magazines like Rap Pages or Vibe or The Source -- all of which came from my experiences and this time. I liked being in the cold, back in the alley, shooting that one part of Acey's "Mic Check" video, shoulder to shoulder with lyrical giants (I still don't understand how that gas mask bong worked). I liked the Magic Mountain trip, where somebody suggested we rhyme to the beats of that big wooden roller coaster, and everybody eating lunch in the parking lot. I liked recording names on the cash box like it was an artifact -- and then having it shown to me years later when I swung through after the first screening.

But there was a ... I don't wanna say "darker" energy at the Blowed, because so many of us were people of color and that kind of adjective is dumb. The Life, however, summed up what Volume said in the movie -- like we were right there, ready to take over hip hop. I never felt that kind of optimism at the Blowed, even though so many things were technically better. The Life just *felt* good. To me, anyway.

As with all things, your mileage may vary.

[Dumbfoundead]

this is dope ab! the young blowdians have mad respect for the good life and will make sure it will never be forgotten!

[kj]

Hetep, Alafia, and Salaam 'Alaykum,

To this day, 17 years later, we still speak high of the life. I came there in 1992 as an aspiring MC. My first night there I saw Ab, and Chali Tuna, before he became apart of Jurassic 5. All I can remember is that I thought Chali Tuna was the tightest MC I heard and became a fan instantly. Not to mention he was the coolest cat to talk to.

J-smoov was the first brotha to greet me and from that point forward, he urged me to get on the mic.
Upon meeting J-smoov, I got to meet a lot of the other lifers, including Ava. I attend the functions/parties, just by hanging with J-smoov and Furious. My MC name was Jahvae, my homeboys were Wes and Rick but it ended up to be just me and Wes. Our crew’s was originally called B.O.W -Brotha's of Wisdom, but then we changed it to Abandonment and ran with that. Our first night we rhymed, we did really good. We had to, I study the life for weeks on what worked and didn't and knew that you had to be tight.
J-Smoov was a huge help to me.

A little story and most won’t believe it but it is true, Ski-lo use to live in the Inland Empire- Moreno Valley, we knew him from there. I ran back into him at El Camino College. He was in the nation of Islam at the time. I told him that there was the spot where you can come down and rhyme and well... you all know the rest of his story from there. 

From the life, I got to intern at Rap Pages when Sheena Lester and Gabriel Alverez were there. They were real cool. That was also hooked up by J-smoov. By working at Rap Pages, it allowed me to interview old school rap icons like Toddy T. and interview up and coming acts life Abstract Rude and Tribe Unique, Which was my first interview.
Ab I will post the article in my pics as proof :-)

I saw the development of all the original lifers, funky trendz, big Al, Pigeon John and others. It is great to see there videos and CDs in stores.

I even saw Ganjah K, (KeShawn) who I went to Jr. High School and High School with. We always thought he was tight from way back then rhyming on the back of the school bus.

I saw the famous fights, I saw the battles in the parking lot, we all mashed to Roscoe’s or Larry Parkers afterwards.

I was there almost every Thursday, early, good or bad weather, packed or empty, to me it didn't matter. If I didn’t have money, I had tapes to donate.

I took people home who needed rides like, Cho and Culture (in the documentary segment "herbs and fruit”)

I was at the Westchester Party hosted by Figures of Speech.


I was there, when Big Joe fell through and got "Pass the Mic on" Mc Serch, and when Biz Markie Rocked the Life.

The GoodLife was a gateway to a world of Hip hop I always wanted to be a part of, as far back as 1984.

Some days I run into OG Lifers and we all say that the Good life was another home for all of us.

Unfortunately, when it ended, it was like graduating from school, we would all eventually go our separate ways. The energy wouldn’t feel the same.

I went to Blowed after that, and it was cool. I was glad to see that there were still folks from the life there.

There were some good times at Blowed, but the life was magic. I kind of agree with Hannibal, the life challenged your creativity. You had do it with some restriction
So it forced you to either rock the beat or pass the mic. The latter for me was not an option. The life was like a boot camp to me.

However, I am not taking anything away from Blowed, it presented more freedom and you had to get down just the same. Everything serves a purpose and to further.

It is years later and Blowed is still here. I am glad to see that.

For me, the Goodlife has helped me to shape my belief system on life. It will always be a part of my musical soul.

I can’t wait for the day to share my memories with my lil girl, show her the pics and videos/documentaries.

It has been years for me, but it seems like yesterday. I still miss it and everyone 17 years later, nearing the 40 yard line on the football field of life.

I am glad this site is here. The good life was the genesis to me. I look back at it like an edler sittin on his porch starin at the sunset, just memories of his time here...

Thanks Ava, Ab and others for this site.

Peace.

[DUKE OF EARL/UNDERGROUND NATION]

I GOT DUB'Z ON RIGHTZ AVA ,(HAHAHA) FIRST /SOME BODY GIVE ME J-SMOOTHZ CONTACT !/MAN THIS IS THE STORY -SUPERN'GAZ ADD TO THE DISCUSSION ./IF ANYBODY DONE SHITTED ON THE RUG YA HAVE .- WHAT'Z THE BACK STORY TO SOME OF THE MOST ORGINAL CLIPZ SEEN ?/EVERYBODY HAS MEMORIES /TELL YOUR STORY /I'M LOVING IT /IT AIN'T ABOUT 1000 +M.C.Z /LOST IN TIME ./IF IT WAS 1 BEAT ,1 RHMYE,1 NITE,1BATTLE, ../ YOU WERE BAPTISTED...REMEMBER WE CAN DISCUSS THIS /ARGUE /BATTLE OR REMINISE ../NO MATTER WE SHARED /WE LISTENED /WE LOVED /"WE " ...THAT WAS THE GOODLIFE WAS-THAT'Z WHAT PROJECT BLOW IZ ..WHO'Z NEXT? -REMEMBER WE 'LL BE LISTENING.. AND IF THE FUTURE COMES WACK!..YOU CAN COME BACK ANOTHER NITE / BUT FOR NOW.."PLEASE PASS THE MIC"!..DUKE OF EARL -WHO'Z NEXT..

[directher]

dope memories kj. thx for sharing. damn, i forgot we even ever threw a party in westchester - lol. much luv...