x-x-x-x-x

Mike iLL

You know, I gotta fucking ask; who tha what tha why tha…?

Some people say you have to be a junkie and a drug addixk X i mean addict, alcoholic sex feind whatever to be a Monk, Coltrane, Bird, Jim Morrison, John Lennon, David Bowie, Pink Floyd, what was that singer of Sublimes name?

He had this great song about all these feminist, social and racial issues and the (it is such a cool recording - acoustic folk-style guitar and hip-hop turntable); the chorus goes: “but I know, and I know because of KRS-ONE.

KRS is such a hero. A mad egotist no doubt, but one of the most prolific, continually developing, roots-honoring, progressive artists of our time.

Back in the 1980’s he sang; “I am a teacher, while others are kings”. He understood that knowledge is the commodity of our day. Maybe it’s always been - you know, knowledge brings wealth? Well… maybe.

But this book I’ve been reading about the history of “mind-amplifying technology” (computers and shit) discusses how in the mit to late 1800’s most people worked in agriculture, then factory/industrial work - now in America most money made is by selling and manipulating information. The information age. So, KRS-ONE. Yea. He smokes herb, but he’s all about health and productivity and revolution. Continual change and life-long struggle. Not short term rebellion and selling out to the people. I was stone on kind bud last night - woman’s aslep and I’m thing till like 6:00 AM this and that.

Not Power to THE people. Power to PEOPLE. The people is the trick by which we trap and allow ourselves to be trapped.

This herierarchy of “whatever one can get 10 million people to agree on goes”. Ten million people by way of “representative” bla bla bla.

Power to PEOPLE. Power to the individual. MORE disparity of oppinion, MORE disagreements. MEOW.

Let’s all be unique. Don’t please visualize me burning in hell for eternity. Hey Christian, are you so together, dousing your fries with red sugar paste - that you get out of bed in the morning to save MY SOUL? Jews that don’t eat Kosher but don’t eat pork? Like, what the fuck are you thinking? “yea well I only partially believe in my religion. I go to service twice a year just in case you exist God.” Ha to the motherfucking Ha. They’re not supposed to turn things on and off on the Sabath holy day of rest and shit dedicated to the almighty creator of all life. So they leave the TV ON all day and don’t drive your kid to the hospital. “See God? I did what you said, eh? Gotcha there God. You said not to turn shit on and off and I didn’t. Now you have to let me in to heaven.

“Hey, what the fuck are all these goyum doing in here?” Escuse the little rant please. Excuse that is (not escuse). So I don’t have to do drugs to make great music, right KRS? Do I have to be an extremist?

Maybe just to be ones self in this society is to be an extremist. Saw an incredible band tonight - Speedball Baby. There was a band called the Cowboy Teasers opening up for them at the Knitting Factory (a long time avant-under-jazz-ground club in NY) who did all this iLL guitar layering, Tom Waitsey tri-tone stuff to a packed house.

Then Speedball baby - I don’t know how to discribe it. It was a vibe and a groove. There were maybe 30 of us in there - like One AyeM on a Thursday (friday?)- and this; hollow body guitar through Vox amp - super fly chick on bass - Andy Action drums - weird organ player - with a living intellecto-tragic singer… Jamec Chance the punk/funk godfather came out and played wih ‘em. Man that shit is iLL, deep, raw, passionate and inspiring. My homeboys were all up on coke, beer and (i think) pills. Mark kisses me on the lips. He’s never kissed a man before.

That’s cool. We all need to work on our homophobia and fears of love.

Peace and Love.

Thank you.

Love you.

Hope to serve you.

Thanks.

Health.

Peace

Hip Hop

KRS-ONE

NADER. mike iLL

3/11/2000