Coppa Stone

"When the East is in the house...DANGER"

2009-12-06T08:26:00.000-08:00

Put out the word Coppa Stone has emerged, surged, most prefered from the verbs and words I finesse...

Boston. The City of Neighborhoods. The Unofficial capital of New England. Home to the Kennedys, Paul Pierce & the Celtics, the Red Sox, Damon & Affleck, baked beans, and that guy Benzino. The city of Firsts, the first public school, the first subway system, but more importantly, my first appearance in the Boston area.

I was scheduled to perform at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, just outside of Boston, alongside the Jeff Robinson Trio for the weekly Poetry Jam on Sundays. With only one show scheduled, I had a lot of extra down time to explore. During that time, I was able to visit a couple different food spots: a Jamaican restaurant called Lorenz Island Cuisine in Dorchester, a Chinese spot in Quincy Market in Faneuil Marketplace, and a Haitian restaurant called El Rancho Cafe in Hyde Park. Big respect to my breddren Haitian Jonas and his fiance, Rochelle for the guided tours within the Caribbean side of Boston, and providing a place for us to lay our heads. I was also able to check out Harvard Square, and the surrounding Harvard University campus, the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States, establised in 1636; Barack Obama's alma mater.

So there I was, between Harvard and Porter Square, Good Will Hunting like Robin Williams, the little Jamaican bwoy made it to the Ivy League, we gone clear breddren. We arrived at the Lizard Lounge with nuff time to spare. The trio was in full swing...before the music portion, there was the poetry slam. There was one particular poet who had apparently spent a little too much time at the bar, I forget his name, but he provided endless entertainment for the evening, trust that. The funny thing is the MC for the night, Mr. Jeff Robinson himself, called him out in front of everybody, but he would soon switch places with him.

My slot was the last, so I would close out the night. The poetry was good for the most part, and the live jazz the trio provided as the backdrop was wicked still. By the time I got to the mic, everybody was extra twisted, blame it on the A-Ah-Ah-Ah-Alcohol...

By this time, I was worried about how my reggae stylings would mix with the jazz trio, because as always, this was live and direct, on the spot, no rehearsal, so you dun kno, we jus haffi do the work. A couple people had left because it was a long night, but there was a good crowd left still. Mr. Jeff Robinson gave me a brief intro, I added my own introduction, and started off acapella, so the trio could follow my lead, but when they started playing, they went in a whole different direction, so I had to flip it like Us3, Flip Fantasia...at first it was rough, but it got smoother as we got deeper in to the set...by the end, the trio was on some Pliers, "This man, never trouble no man, but if you trouble this man..." or maybe Chaka Demus and Pliers, "Murder she wrote..." the jazz remix...

Apparently, Mr.Jeff Robinson had spent a little too much time at the bar as well, because when he took the mic to close out the night, he broke out in to a long "Jah Rastafari" chant, repeating that several times, and then began licking shots and jumping up with his saxophone...and the trio just started getting mad...and then just like Dorothy's house in Kansas, BAM, "what a bam bam," the Jeff Robinson Trio came to a crashing end...and scene.

Respect due to the Jeff Robinso Trio, dem bredda deh can play...intoxicated or not, Mr. Robinson is bad pon the sax, so respect due indeed...is a done deal...PEACE to Boston...we out...

Who gets fired on their day off?

2009-12-06T08:23:00.000-08:00

There are seven days in a week, but yuh dun kno that the sexiest day is Friday, because whenever she shows her face, you know that her girlfriend Saturday is not too far behind her, and those two always make for a nice threesome. Don't get me wrong now, Sunday is cute, but my only problem with her is that she always brings that guy Monday with her, so me and her caan really par too hard.

Miami, FL, 12/4/09 – Friday and I had once again decided to meet for our weekly rendezvous. Before we went out, I went to her house, and we watched Friday, the movie, naturally, and right when Smokey asked Craig, "Who gets fired on their day off?" I yawned and tried to slip my hand around Friday's shoulder, but she wasn't having it, and shoved my arm away. Doesn't she know that resistance is futile?

After the movie, we headed out to SPEAK @ INNER LOOK for some diverse open mic action, with my breddren Rob Lee, who's been eyeballing my girl Friday, but it's all good though. For those who don't know, SPEAK @ INNER LOOK is one of those diamonds in the rough, a spot for the artistically inclined to share their guilty pleasures, so to speak, on any given Friday night. A good place off the beaten path, to hear some good spoken word and music. Tonight's feature, the main act for the night, is George Tandy Jr. Next week, I will be the "main feature," so I figured I would bring my girl Friday out, and tek in some vibes before my night.

As always, the vibe was nice. The poetry was inspiring and the music was invigorating, you like those words, don't you, go ahead, admit it, don't worry, I won't tell a soul.

Even Friday was getting into it, she was snapping her fingers and everything, like she was on the set of "Love Jones." Rob was his usual irreverent–host–type self. See, SPEAK is like a weird mix of Love Jones, Showtime at the Apollo, VH1 Storytellers, MTV Unplugged, Oprah, with a hint of Jerry Springer. I'm not even going to get in to details, you just have to go for yourself, to see what I mean (Rob, you can mail me the check later).

Needless to say, George Tandy's set was straight fire, wicked indeed, that bredda can play, and the female vocalist that accompanied him, (remember, I have a bad memory, so I forget her name) she was definitely on point. Tandy is like Alicia Keys' ex–boyfriend, or Nina Simone's son, or maybe he's like Ray Charles' brother, or John Legend's cousin, in other words, he does the whole vocal/piano thing well.

After the show, Friday and I left the premises, and met up with her homegirl Saturday, and that's when the night got interesting, but I'm a gentleman, so it's "FIN" for my people in Paris, and "THE END" for everybody else, the "whole a unu too fas'."

No Sleep Till Brooklyn...

2009-11-01T14:55:00.000-08:00

It was just another cold Friday night in Brooklyn...Bushwick was quiet, except for the occasional police or ambulance siren, accompanied by the sound of the subway train passing on the tracks above...It felt good to be back in Brooklyn, my home away from home. Is Brooklyn in the house, without a doubt...

On this particular night, I found myself at Good Bye Blue Monday, a somewhat off in the cut establishment, with a very non–traditional decor, apparently one man's garbage is another man's treasure, indeed. The place was decorated with a random collection(or maybe only random to the eye of the beholder) of vinyl, books, umbrellas, vintage bicycles, typewriters, I guess a better word would be an "eclectic" collection, I was diggin' the spot, but then again, I've always dug the obscure.

When I arrived inside, the very last act before me was on, and there was a moderately good size crowd in the place. One of the reasons why I booked the show was to try and expand my fan base in NYC, which, as of now, was a very moderate size, like the crowd inside. As soon as the last act ended, I keep calling them the "last act," because I have a really bad memory, and unfortunately, I forgot the name of the band that played right before me, but they were good peoples, they stayed around for my set, so I did appreciate that, just can't remember their names, damn, I guess blame it on age, among other things.

So, the last act ended their set, and I started preparing for mine, but slowly, one by one, I watched people get up and leave. That's when I kicked into infomercial mode, and started selling my show like a $19.99 Juicer that also doubles as a flashlight, and that's not all you get, if you stick around for my show, you'll get a second juicer absolutely free of charge, now imagine what your life was like before you had two juicers, empty, right? So, in other words, I tried to convince them to stay with that million dollar smile, but apparently it was only worth five dollars, because some of them still left, but a few stayed around. I did what I could, so I returned to preparing for my set and checking off my checklist.

My "Usual Suspects" Crew in NYC, P and Saran in place, CHECK.

Locate sound guy, CHECK.

Once I got everything where it should be, I began my set, and started it off with a spoken word piece.

One girl in the audience was married, so I dedicated it to her and all the committed people in the room.

The overall set was good, but the crowd was a little smaller than I expected, but yuh dun kno, I and I play anywhere music play, could be one person, or five thousand...I still jam zed way, yu zi mi, a so I stay, me nuh business, regardless of the situation, I will always play, COMMITMENT. Big respect to the Good Bye Blue Monday management, they made sure things were smooth, and allowed me to play on very short notice, so respect due.

As far as Brooklyn, I must bid you adieu, but like Arnold, "I'll be back..."
GOD BLESS and GOOD NIGHT...Next stop, Boston.

Great Expectations...Mos Def & Jay Electronica Live in Miami (Part 2)...

2009-09-05T14:30:00.000-07:00

So Jay finished his set, and was about to exit the stage, when he got the "whisper in the ear move." You know the move, the one that leaves the person on the receiving end of the whisper looking real nervous, and the whisperer walking off saying, "Damn, I'm glad I'm not the one letting them know." This usually takes place right before the flying bottles, sometimes after the booing, right before the "bearer of bad news" proclaims, "Don't kill the messenger, calm down," usually accompanied by something like, "the star isn't performing tonight, but we do have a special..." In come the bottles.

Lucky for Jay, he was told to stall, so he called up some local B-boys on stage to break for a few. But here's my thing, at a show of this caliber, should an artist really be stalling, using people from the crowd as fillers, just a question.

This all seemed to be pointless, because after everything was said and done, the B-boys came off the stage, Jay exited the stage, took his dj with him, and the crowd was once again left to the mercy of dead silence, no music, the Arts Center transformed from a concert to happy hour, because there was nothing else for entertainment. So here is my question: What was the point of stalling, if nothing happens on stage after the said stalling, once again, just a question, that's all.

While everybody was still talking about the week that just passed and catching up on old news, in walks a non-descriptive-type-dude onto the stage, and the unrecognizable figure sits down by the drums, while two non-descriptive-type djs set up shop.

All of sudden, the lights dim, and the non-descriptive-type-dude starts playing the drum set. At first there is a delayed reaction by the audience, before they realize it is the man thsy came to see, it was Mos Def, the Wizard of Oz had arrived.

He started off singing and spitting over the drums while he played, which was cool. Then he got in to his show set, and ran through the usuals, "Ms. Fat Booty," "Definition," which would of been dope if Talib came out, "Umi Says" and so on and so forth. He also performed his new joint, "Auditorium," minus Slick Rick, which once again, would have been dope if he showed up as well. Overall, his catologue set was good, it just felt rushed though, because he ran through them like Adrian Peterson. The last part of his show was basically the djs playing diffrent records, classics, a reggae set, and a Michael Jackson semi-tribute. When the reggae tunes were playing, the djs were the selectors, and he played the role of the "Mic Man" or MC, singing over some of the tunes, as if we were at a session...

Ofcourse, the highlight of the night was when he did the moonwalk to one of MJ's tracks, I forget which one it was...but overall, it was a good show, it just left a lot more to be desired from the cult-classic emcee/actor...especially in Miami, a city which often gets left out on most underground hip hop tours, i.e. Rock the Bells, but that's a whole other story...

Great Expectations...Mos Def & Jay Electronica Live in Miami...

2009-09-05T07:25:00.000-07:00

I had Great Expectations like Charles Dickens...but instead I got the refix, The Great Disapointment. Here's how the story goes. The time was August 15th, 2009. The setting was The Arsht Center in downtown Miami. The plot is an artist and his girl walking down the grey brick road, like Dorothy and the Scarecrow, or Michael Jackson and Diana Ross, on the way to see the Wonderful Wizard of OZ, otherwise known as The Mighty Mos Def in some circles...

We got there early, got our seats in the Arsht Center, which by the way is a dope venue, the acoustics in that place is ridiculous...nice spot. The place was packed and looked like it was close to sold out. On the stage, there was a drum kit, and two dj sets, four turntables on a raised platform...and that was it...Tickets were between $30-$60 a pop. So needless to say, well, I think it would be safe to say that in addition to myself, all the patrons had great expectations.

The show began with the opening act, whose name I can't remember right now, but when he came out, I thought he was the MC for the night. He asked how the crowd was doing, check, welcomed everybody to the show, check, but then started rhyming...I was like, alright, cool, maybe the MC for the night will come up after him...

After his set, he walked off the stage, and the lights came on and there was silence, no music was playing, no MC came to talk to the crowd, his dj walked off, and that was it...First Disappointment...

The time kept passing, and then another dj walked on the stage and went straight to his turn tables...he never said anything to anybody, he just started plugging up. (What ever happened to hyping up the crowd before the show like Fatman Scoop, or Jam Master Jay..RIP, or Stone Love, or Renaissance) Then Jay Electronica came on the stage...and he started talking to the crowd, check, did a couple of his tracks...some of them he did acappella, which was good, since his material was new to some people, and his lyrics were on point. He interacted with the crowd in between tracks.

Before he performed a J-Dilla...RIP...produced track, one of the patrons held up his J-Dilla t-shirt, and he asked him to bring it up so he could wear it on his shoulders while he performed the song. He made jokes with the crowd, check, and told everybody to remain positive and stay far from the negative people in life, check, overall, he had a good set...seemed a lot more comfortable on stage than his other shows which I read about in other online reviews...

Love is my religion....

2009-08-19T18:25:00.000-07:00

So there I was, sitting in front of the television, or "tell–lies vision" as some like to call it, watching these crazy people shouting at town hall meetings about health care, and socialism, and what the founding fathers wanted...And I say to myself, "Self, dem people really going mad over health care, like for real for real..."

I mean where were these people when money was cut from the education and housing budgets....Where were these people when the evidence came out that were no weapons of mass destruction...Where were these people when attorney generals were being fired for not falling in line...Where were these people when there were no bids being made for contracts...and if they are so angry about it, then what is their solution, because more and more people are loosing their health care coverage, and call it a hunch, but I have this funny feeling that none of these people are without health care coverage...

Which brings me to Obama and his first few months in office...The other day, I got in to an open discussion on Facebook about the new presidency and I wrote the following comment:

"I think people were under the common misconception that Obama as one man could reverse the momentum of this gigantic machine that has been continuously in motion...as Billy Joel said: "We didn't start the fire...It was always burning...Since the world's been turning..." It is a lot bigger than Obama, and one cannot imagine the tremendous pressure he is under, to make wine out of water...I wouldn't want his job...But I genuinely hope he succeeds, not just because of who he is, but because America & the world, is in dire need of solutions right now...

Too many times, we expect people to deliver "the change" to us in a "nicely wrapped package," but if you don't "git up, get out, and get something" like Outkast and Goodie Mob said, then the change just might pass you by...

But like Ziggy said, "Love is my religion..." and the world needs more of it..."

So to sum everything up, people, unu need to stop shouting for the sake of shouting, and if you not saying something, it's better to just say nothing...because memba me tell yuh...Love is always the solution...RIDDIM UP...

Ask Skip Gates if he Got Silk? (Part 2)

2009-07-26T08:29:00.000-07:00

So the Tribe launch was a big event, and the "Skip" Gates arrest was also a big event in the States, because it sparked a nationwide discussion on race relations. Now, granted, my experiences with law enforcement have not always been positive, and I can testify to unfair treatment, but in the same breath, I don't think that all police officers are racist, and it doesn't mean that this particular cop was racist, because that would be a broad generalization. I won't really get into it further, because I think history speaks for itself, when looking at race relations in America between African-Americans, or just black people in general, or any other minorities and Law Enforcement.

I also find it very funny, when some people say that "race isn't a factor," but the whole thing started with a white officer responding to a call that two black men were breaking into a home, which happened to be Skip Gates and his driver. After that, the first black female mayor of Cambridge apologized to Gates, but the white police officer refuses to apologize, because he felt he was following procedure. Then the first black president, Barack Obama, said in a press conference that the officers acted "stupidly" in arresting him. Then to counteract his comment, four white presidents of four separate police unions, hold their own press conference to support the white arresting officer, Sergeant James Crowley, and demand that the president apologize to all law enforcement officials for his comments.

I'm not going to say much more on the subject, but forgive me if I don't believe the four white union president's statement that racism and racial profiling doesn't exist in the Cambridge Police Department. What I will say, is that I'm glad it has people revisiting the whole issue of race relations, because believe it or not, some people in America really genuinely believe that racism no longer exists, and often use President-elect Barack Obama as an example, right...

There is always two sides to every story…
(just like the whole incident with Luciano and Freckles in Kingston, google it breddren, google it...)
…so I'm not going to act like I was there, but this is my version of what happened.

When the police officer asked Professor Gates for proof that he lived there, he felt like Allison Hinds in her song, Roll it gal, that moment:

When dem fly up in yuh face Gates
Mek dem know dem place
Numba 1 inna di race yah
Could neva replace...

When Professor Gates followed the police officer, James Crowley outside to the door, demanding his name and badge number, Crowley probably felt like Destra in her song I Dare You, at that moment:

Tonight I'm not in de mood, (so you can gwaan shout and behave rude)
So anyting yu want to do, I dare you, I dare you.

When really what they both need to do, is accept that "things will never be the same, that's just the way it is," like a Tupac remix...

...and so how are the two incidents related, I think the first is the remedy for the latter, or in other words Gates and Crowley should go down to Trinidad for Carnival 2010. Carnival will solve everything, because after Jouvert morning, jumping carnival, and waving dem flag for a week straight, the whole incident would seem less important.

We Jamaicans have reggae, but I have to give it to the Trinis, they definitely have Carnival. When it's carnival time, you forget about all your problems, all your worries, all your fears, and if you don't like somebody, you too busy jumping up and wining, to even remember why you don't like the person. Just enjoying life, even the most hardcore yaad man forgets that he's been listening to Soca 120 hours straight, and might even shout out "Pull-up" once or twice, and bang on the wall at a fete. How do I know all this, well let's just say that I left Piarco International Airport with a big "Quench-Aid" or "Kool-Aid" smile back in 2007, but that's a whole other story...

So my advice to Professor Gates and Sergeant Crowley is simply this, go to Carnival and feel like Machel Montano in his song with Beenie Man back in 1999, Outta Space (UFOs), and at that moment, both of you should just:

Jump around like yuh gone insane
Dis is PORT-OF-SPAIN

RIDDIM UP...

Ask Skip Gates if he Got Silk?

2009-07-26T07:06:00.000-07:00

Before I start, you say: "Hol on, yow Coppa, is wha kinda title dat?"
And I say: "Alright, cool no man, let me explain."

So for those who don't know, last night was the launch of Tribe's costume line for Trinidad Carnival 2010 (damn, it's 2010, we living in the future, like George Jetson, but no flying-saucer cars, robot-servants, imagine that...)

...but yeah, back to what I was saying, Tribe's costume line launch in Port of Spain, and I say "line," because the ting did set like a toppa-toppa fashion show in Paris, tu juice. So how did I know about the launch, you ask, well let's just say that someone very close to me (who's identity will remain concealed, because of her addiction) is a Carnival addict. One of hundreds, if not thousands, of addicts living overseas, who all stalk the various Trini websites, blogs, etc. together, to try and get the first look at all the costumes from the different bands, and keep up to date on all the events before Carnival. It's basically like a massive cyber-orgy, a virtual countdown to Trini Carnival, you can call it "6-month foreplay" before the big climax February in Port of Spain, when the whole city gets "mad," literally.

And for those of you who still don't know, on July 16, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., a renowned black Harvard University professor and scholar, was arrested by a white police officer in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for disorderly conduct, because they were responding to a call about a break-in. If you don't know about Trinidad Carnival or Professor Henry Louis "Skip" Gates, then google it, so you can be up to par, because it would take too long for an explanation of both here.

So now the big question, how are the two related. Well, first off, the Tribe launch was a big event last night, it was broadcast through a live web cast and viewers could comment live online as the event took place. Which by the way, not sure what the deal was with the light, but it kept going out on the stage, which I guess, was not a good look for Tribe, and the best part was all the models kept going, but nobody could see the costumes, maybe they were going for a candle-light effect, set the mood...

Nevertheless, as far as a complete marketing/publicity campaign, Tribe have the ting lock, the motto or catch phrase for this year is "Got Silk?" in reference to the title of the whole costume line, The Secret of Silk. This apparently, according to my source, was the first year it was broadcast live online. So it was a big ting, apparently, and I wasn't complaining, because who would complain about half-naked girls walking up and down the stage, yeah man, big up all my Trini women, I'm like Trick Daddy, except Trick love the kids, but "Coppa love the woman dem."

Memories, Don't Live Like People Do...

2009-07-20T14:11:00.000-07:00

Memories dont live like people do
They always 'member you
Whether things are good or bad
Its just the memories that you have...

Before Mos Def made it a hook on a DJ Honda track, I use to beat down the wall when this Beenie Man tune use to play back in the day, the dance use to get mad...man, that's when Merciless use to be the "Gal Dem Gizzada" and people use to do the Body Basics to "Go Go Wine, it would be like 8-10 people dancing, and everybody else in a circle ..." Dance use to nice dem time deh...so why are we taking this trip down memory lane, you ask? Well, I owe it all to my man Jay-Bee...

There I was, working diligently, sending some music-related e-mails out, because that's what I do, you know I'm a musician right, what's your name girl? Oh sorry deh, excuse me por favor, I was having a bad case of the tour flashbacks ...Where was I...So yeah, I was doing some work online, and I was listening to my man Jay-Bee's show, Supasounds, on WRGP 88.1 FM (FIU needs to send me a check)and I couldn't finish my e-mails, because he kept rinsing some dutty classic hip hop, the type of tracks that make "grown men cry," loose they mind, the type of tracks that mek you get mad, sick, head gone...and beat down the wall like back in the Beenie Man-Memories-Days...If you are a true connoisseur of all things hip-hop, or just music in general, and you have a genuine love for superb word play,beats, and rhymes, then you'll get where I'm coming from, here is a sample of his playlist...

Rakim - Microphone Fiend
Souls of Mischief - From 93 till Infinity

ODB - Brooklyn Zoo
Biggie - Biggie Smalls - It's Unbelievable

Nas - Represent
Group Home - I forget, I think it was Up Against the Wall
Raekwon - Incarcerated Scarfaces

Craig Mack - Flava in your Ear (Remix)
Talib Kweli - The Blast

Smif N' Wessun - Sound Bwoy Buriel
Fu-Schnickens - La Schmoove

Mad Lion - Shoot to Kill
Beatnuts - Watch out Now

Wu-Tang Clan- I think it was Protect Ya Neck, I don't know, I was too busy aligning my neck back in to position....By the time he played the Souls of Mischief, I was done, I rolled over, felt like smoking a cigarette like they do in the movies, taking the sheets off the bed, turning the fan on, kicking the socks off, it was a done deal...

So, yeah, big up to my man Jay-Bee, breddren, you killed it tonight, set well played...So in honor of the Supasounds Mixshow, here is some behind-the-scenes footage from my stint as a co-host on Suapasounds...PEACE to DJ Lady Bullet, respect for the filming, and Mr. Frank Nitts...They were both in the building...As far as I, don't mind me homie, I'm just trying to beat life, cause I can't cheat death, from 93 till Infinity...Word...

Right Now, I'm Not Where I'm Supposed to Be...

2009-07-07T20:33:00.000-07:00

Right now, I'm supposed to be at the Vagabond... taking in Stone Groove...but because of the events on June 25, 2009...instead, I am stuck at the yard...With the third replay of Michael Joseph Jackson's funeral playing on the television...stuck with all these thoughts, these reflections on life, and the lives we live, because inspiration can come in many forms, and for every end, there is another beginning...

Many people have many opinions of the man they called the "King of Pop," but the one thing you cannot take away from him, is his catalog of work, his dedication to his art, his work ethic, you can't tek dat from the man...Straight...As an artist, you realize that he started performing at age 5, and continued performing, 45 years strong, now that star, is what dem call true dedication...he performed, literally, till the day he died...and no one can deny his humanitarian accomplishments...it is just sad, that when the man was alive, they tore him down, every chance they could get, and I feel like he was never able to truly enjoy his success, because, it sometimes seemed as if it became his burden to carry, and, yo, I know, there were all the allegations, and if they are true, then more fire, but I don't claim to know the truth, but you can't tek whe di man legacy...."He without sin, come cast the first stone" so I'm not here to judge...

With that said, PEACE to the living, Jah bless the deceased, God bless the deceased, REST IN PEACE to all who have passed...not just the famous, but the everyday regular people, the same people that Arrested Development use to sing about...all the mothers, the fathers, the sons, the brothers, the sisters, the daughters, the cousins, the nephews, the nieces...Bless your soul...

Every artist, whether he or she wants to admit it, yearns for immortality, proof that all the pain they endured was not for nothing, that people can remember long after they are gone, the words they left behind, their works of art, their sculptures, their paintings, their children, their buildings, their civilizations, pieces of the soul for the ones closest to enjoy, and if you're lucky, for the entire world to enjoy, and maybe these words,these pieces, will ignite some form of change, perhaps a revolution, maybe the strength to endure the unbearable, the motivation to improve one's self, just make a change, some way, some how, all artists yearn for this, some secretly more than others, they all yearn for proof that they existed...proof that they were here, proof that it was real...

So if you're still reading this...Here is a piece I wrote a few years ago, it seems more than ever, relevant today...A little piece of my soul...Enjoy...

Note to self:

Every day, every night, I leave trails to my existence, so my words can unite, and forever spell R-E-S-I-S-T-A-N-C-E

So I write & ignite, so the people can remember, all my thoughts and my life, when I see my last December

It's my gift to the world, and I hope that she can hear it, on a tape, or CD, so the people, they can share it

Or in print, in a book, for my children's education, so they know how to act, in the face of their frustration

And it's true that my words, may never reach your radio station, but beware when my words inspire generations

Words never die, so do know this - this is just proof that I did exist...

The only thing I want in life is proof that I existed, so when you hear my name, breddren, don't get it twisted

I fight with my music, hit the track double-fisted, so when my life has passed, I hope I never say "I missed it...damn"

This is just a self-declaration of the existence of my generation, simply put, this is just how I feel, and sometimes I feel like life isn't real

Counterfeit, maybe just an illusion, so I had to clear up any kind of confusion

I'm writing, between the blue lines I'm fighting, to prove I was here, words fit for reciting

If I lose my life tonight, the proof I was here is the words that I write

Enlightening myself, the proof of my existence, so when they reminisce, my god...They'll reminisce on my resistance...

My life extends through the ink in my pen, to connect the words so my thoughts live again…In hopes that they all one day comprehend, that all I need to know is I exist in the end...

Whenever that time does arrive, this is just proof that I really was alive

My soul lives on in the words that survive; the soul never dies between the blue lines...memba dat

This is my story, I hope you caught the gist, that this is just proof that I did exist...

Sincerely yours,

Coppa Stone

"I got too much Soul, Rhythm and Blues...

2009-06-22T14:03:00.000-07:00

It was a cool and lonely breezy afternoon last Monday...
And on that particular night, I found myself at the WRGP 88.1 FM radio station at FIU with my man Jay-Bee for the SUPASOUNDS MIXSHOW SUMMER EXTRVAGANZA...and I was the last guest on the show...

So after we did the interview, Jay decided to go in...no long talking, strictly vibes & music...and he rinsed a dutty, not dirty, "DUTTY" set of classic hip-hop tunes...so it made me start thinking about how much that classic 90s hip-hop sound affected my development as an artist...it was during that time, that I first became fascinated with the power of words, and the use of word play....the style of delivery, and so on and so forth...so here is a few hand picked hip-hop quotables circa the 1990s, for your reading pleasure, hopefully take some people back...and educate those who don't know, enjoy...

Make emcees break fast like flapjacks and bacon…Exploding when the paper hits the ink…Big took a loss, how preposterous is that…

Biggie – Mister Cee (Mixtape freestyle)

Pure knowledge expands from my esophagus…I write in the night to bring truth to the light…my dialogue is my own, cause Smooth B will never bite…

Smooth – DWYCK – Gangstarr feat Nice & Smooth

Hit the earth like a comet, invasion, Nas is like the afro centric Asian, half man, half amazing…So analyze me, surprise me, you can’t magnetize me, scanning, while you planning ways to sabotage me, I leave em’ froze like heron in your nose…

Nas – It Ain’t Hard to Tell

I was a fiend, before I became a teen, I melted microphones instead of cones of icecream…music orientated, so when hip-hop was originated, fit it like pieces of puzzles, complicated…Cool, I don’t get upset, kick a hole in the speaker, pull the plug, then I jet…

Rakim – Microphone Fiend - Eric B. & Rakim

Consider me the entity within the industry, without a history of spitting the epitome of stupidity…Livin’ my life, expressing my liberty…

Talib Kweli – Definition – Blackstar

EIGHT million stories to tell, NINE faithful planets faithfully keep in orbit with a probable tenth…streets too loud to ever hear freedom ring…44 percent of Americans own a cell phone, so they could hear everything that you say, when you ain’t home…I guess Michael Jackson was right, you are not alone…

Mos Def – Mathematics

Just think, what if you could just, Just blink yourself away, just think, what if you could just, Just blink yourself away…

Black Thought – Proceed – The Roots

Scar on my face, but I’m not Al Pacino…It’s a shame how these emcees, wannabes, front on these, you get hung up like dungarees…PLEASE, Ease off selector…Live like wires, beast from the East, who is he? When I roar like a grizzly, they say damn, he gets busy…

Fab 5 - Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka

Terminator 3: Rise of the Emcee

2009-06-10T23:05:00.000-07:00

So yes massive and can't forget about the crew...as I said before, my first solo album entitled "Live from Miami, Jamaica," is officially done. I had the album release in February at Vagabond, so now I'm working on making it available online...this album was recorded over a period of about four years...so it's been simmering for what feels like forever, so it well ready and long overdue star. It feels good to finally be finished, because now I can close that chapter, and start working on some new music...In the meantime, for your viewing pleasure, check out the unofficial video for "Africa Why," the first single off the album, the soundtrack to my life, because "One thing I love about music, when it hits you feel no pain," Yes Bob, true dat...

"I Won't Entertain No More Disgrace..." (Part 2)

2009-05-31T09:10:00.000-07:00

So I gave Ric a call in the afternoon to confirm the night's lineup, and he basically told me "things were not going to go the way he planned;" and since there was the impending threat of rain, he might have to bring everything inside, so patience would be a neccessity tonight.

First step, connect with the promoter/organizer. Check. Step two, link my dj for the night, J-Kizzle, and let him know the low-down. Check. Step three, put together my playlist for the night, hope for the best and plan for the worst. Check. Good to go.

The doors opened at 8:30 p.m, so I got to PS14 around 10 p.m., which is early by C.P.T standards (Caribbean People Time). When I got there, I think Spred the Dub was playing at the time. Just like Ric said, they had all the bands play inside, since the back patio was outside in the back. It did rain for a little bit, but it eventually stopped, so I told Ric I would still play outside, since they were setting up another dj set out there. That turned out to be a serious mission, I couldn't find an extra mic nowhere...they were all being used inside...note to self, invest in my own personal mic. Check. Then my dj, J-Killa, had forgot his headphones, so that was another mission again. We found a pair, and he played a set on the patio, but I was still without a mic.

Luckily, my good breddren, Don Sha and his band, were playing that night, so I just sat in on their set. I did a cover of Ini Kamoze's "World A Reggae Music," and then transitioned into a combination with Don on my signature Damien Marley tune, "Welcome to Jamrock." It wasn't til after they finished their set, that I thought, damn, I should have just did two of my own tracks right after they were done...

Since they were breaking down everything, I didn't want to perform while the bands were breaking down and setting up, so I figured I would get in maybe before Artofficial. After Don Sha finished playing, I went straight to the back patio and joined J-Killa while he juggled couple tunes for the listening pleasure of the people. By the time we were done playing out, Artofficial had already set up...oh yeah, big up my man on the grill for the free hot dog...it hit the spot, mos def...so we just headed back inside.

Artofficial was onstage lighting the place up, so respect to my man Danny for inviting me to join them onstage, my freestyle was completely off though, my mind was somewhere else, like a Tribe Called Quest & Faith Video: "I really know how it feels to be stressed out..." I let the stress get the best of me, but that's how it be sometimes...WORD...

"I Won't Entertain No More Disgrace..." (Part 1)

2009-05-25T13:46:00.000-07:00

As an artist, you learn that there are two versions to everything you do, the first being your vision of how you want it to be, and the second being how it actually turns out, or how it really is...in other words,things don't always go the way you plan...

The date on the calendar read "Monday, April 20th, 2009," otherwise known as 4-20, and for those of you who don't know, that day happens to be a worldwide holiday for people who prefer meditation with a particular green plant.
(Numerous studies show, that an overwhelming majority of these same said people love Bob Marley and his music, movies with Dave Chapelle, Method Man, and/or Redman, and dream of trips to Jamaica and the Netherlands, imagine that)
So in honor of that day, the folks over at REVMIAMI.COM, decided to host a five-day music festival, it was a massive event, trus me...

Miami 420 Music Festival, for me, is more than just something that was put together that has a lot of bands playing. There are 80 bands involved in this event. 80! Did you even know there were 80 bands that play shows regularly in Miami? And if each band averages 4 people, then that is 320 creative, musical, and talented human beings coming together to share their art, music, and passions.

Ric, REVMIAMI.COM contributor
Miami 420 Music Festival Organizer

The event was intended to be a diverse representation of all the bands/artists/musicians in Miami, so yuh dun kno, I had to represent in the place...so big up Ric and the REVMIAMI crew for the booking...respect due.

So it was Monday, the most hated day of the week by far, and I felt like those people on that commercial who try to stop the sun from rising Monday morning. By the way, that commercial is: A. Mad B. Wicked C. Phat D. Ill
(Fill in the blank with the description you wanna use)

It sums up that Monday morning feeling "straight" like Assasin. It shows all these people panicking, running out of their bed, all trying to stop the sun from rising, but no matter how hard they try, the sun still rises, and they all walk back to their houses dragging their feet in disappointment. On this particular Monday morning, the sky had set up for rain, and according to the International Reggae Music Handbook, all live music should be played outdoors, it is a unwritten rule...so this is where "how it really is," begins. If you notice on the flyer, it says: "Reggae on the patio with Coppa Stone, Spred the Dub, Don Sha, etc." So combine these three elements, and you already have an idea how the night went down.

So the Tings Set...Another Year Under the Belt (Part 3)

2009-05-14T19:38:00.000-07:00

You can never plan for everything, so like I said, you jus haffi cut and go tru...or just learn to make due, watch the lyrics...so after Simone, my breddren FRANK NITTS, took the stage. Despite all the feedback, we continued trodding on, like "A Lion in Zion..."

Frank did a couple of his own tracks, then I joined him for the last song, and transitioned into my set. The crowd seemed receptive, so I took off my jacket, rolled up my sleeves, and got down deep into my first track "Muzik." I was supposed to do three more songs from my album, but there was some miscommunication between Bashment and I, because I forgot to explain to him that my first set of four songs were all combined into one track on the CD, they weren't separated individually, in other words, I need to step into the 21st century and upgrade from CDs to laptops or MP3s, but that's a whole other story.

Regardless, I played it off, as always, the crowd was none the wiser, and the show continued on. I did another piece, then brought up INNASENSE BAND, the wickedest reggae band this side of the equator, memba me tole yuh...respect due to man like Prince P, Jimmy Dred, Junior, Icardo, and the whole Innasense family, for blessing up the place. They did a lot of their own songs, and then I came back and did a few tunes with them. Usually at Mangos, because of the venue and the crowd, it's mostly covers that they play, so it was good to hear more of their own original material. By this time, the session like a Stephen Marley tune, did more than "calk and ram," and for my non-patois folks, that means the place was packed....

My breddren J-KILLA, and the Killa Squad crew were supposed to play next on the 1s and 2s, but time was running away, far, far, away. They were well tired from playing earlier that evening at another event & they had also went to the Bob Marley Festival downtown; so instead, I let A-TRAIN, the resident dj for the spot, play out the rest of the night...plus he was complaining about it being his regular night and what a view, so like Black Rhino, one more time, a so the tings set...

So overall, and furthermore, the ting sell off, and once again for my non-patios folks, that means, the night went well, it was a success...So we gonna do this like we reading the inside of an album cover:

Big up to my girl Saran, for all of her support, and convincing me to still follow through with the event, despite all the obstacles, it wouldn't have been possible without you, big up all the fans, family, and friends who came out and supported this thing that I do, too many to name, big up all the djs and artists that passed thru, big up Nikki for photographing the event, all the way from NYC, and Jannelle for the extra pics, big up the whole Vagabond staff for allowing us to do what we do, many thanks to all who bought an album, hopefully, we'll have it available online soon, big up Uncle Deeni & Irie Isle Jamaican Restaurants for the catering, yeah man, so you dun kno, it's all about giving thanks and counting your blessings, so thank you God for another year of life...Bless up every time...RIDDIM UP...

So the Tings Set...Another Year Under the Belt (Part 2)

2009-05-09T06:12:00.001-07:00

Even though things don't always go the way you planned, for the most part, the night was a success. It took a while to get everything started. INNASENSE had just finished playing at Mangos, so we had to pack all of their equipment up, and haul it over to Vagabond in a van. Then while they were setting back up again, BASHMENT from REBEL VYBZ, blessed up the turntables with his musical selections (Big up all the Southwest family). KHEV was scheduled to perform, but he had something come up at the last minute, so I had to make some readjustments to the lineup.

MAGYVA was the first to perform, family for life....he did a couple of his own material, then next was Ms. SIMONE GRANT outta Brooklyn, respect my girl, next time we get the music straight. She forgot her tracks in NYC, so at first, I was going to have Innasense back her, but they didn't want to play and then stop, because the other performances were off instrumentals, so logistically, it would mek more sense to have the band play last, so Simone did her thing acapella, and then FRANK NITTS was up. There was another event going on next door at PS14, so there was a conflict of sounds going on the first part of the night. It was spoiling up the vibes at first, but we just haffi cut and go thru...or just play louder, because "my sound a di champion sound," yuh si mi...but it was causing a whole lot a feedback in the mic...this was one of those moments when things weren't going the way I planned...

So the Tings Set...Another Year Under the Belt (Part 1)

2009-04-12T08:06:00.000-07:00

"See it deh," like Black Rhino, a so the tings set...I can't believe it's going on two months since I had my born-day celebration and album release at Vagabond in downtown Miami.

That weekend was crazy, because there was three events going on that weekend, a retirement party, baby shower, and my album release, so crazy isn't even the word. There was airport runs, people flying in from out of town, yard and abroad, ex-amount errands to run for each event, phone calls to make, confirmations to be made, plans to be executed, flyers & albums to be printed up, and the list goes on and on like a Erykah Badu tune.

By the time I got to my thing on Saturday, I was done. I was so exhausted, I was going on like three or four hours of sleep over four days...I was just trying to focus on getting through the night. As a result, I wasn't really able to mingle with everybody, and relax, because I was constantly running back and forth to make sure that musically, everything was on point. For example, make sure the band had everything they needed, wires, plugs, monitors, etc., then make sure the soundman dem (the djs), were hooked up, that all the artists who were performing were ready and available, get everyone in at the door on the guest list, and so on, and so forth...but in the end, it was all worth it.

Luckily, I had a lot of help with everything else, as far as setting up the food, the CD displays, album sales, and everything else. So big up Saran, Christine, Gwen, Renee, Reagan, Khemisha, and everybody else who I didn't name, it took a village to make this happen, and the help was greatly appreciated...

As far as the night itself, everything for the most part, went well. It wasn't until a week later, that I could really appreciate how good everything went. As an artist, you learn that there are two versions to everything you do, the first being your vision of how you want it to be, and the second being how it actually turns out, or how it really is...in other words,things don't always go the way you plan...

Coppa "Pebble" Stone to the World

2009-04-09T07:55:00.000-07:00

When I first started this blog ting through Real Vibez, with David Mullings backing it, I envisioned giving people a behind-the-scenes look at the day to day life of a underground artist, striving to make it in this here music business...over time, it has developed into a sort of travel blog filled with personal recollections & reflections...a little bit of social commentary, and I always vowed that I would never mix my personal life with my musical life in my blogging, (no so dem call it) because I'm a very private person by nature, which like Alanis Morissette, is ironic, don't you think, because I keep a public blog, but sedway...

I decided to break that tradition, for the first, (maybe not the last time) by crossing over into my personal life; and why you say, because something happened this year that changed me forever...drum roll please...I became a father for the first time, and I wanna thank my breddren J-Kizzle, Jerome from Killa Squad International for the nickname...

I am now the proud father of a baby girl: Coppa "Pebble" Stone to di world, she is officially in the building, three weeks and counting...

I know we've all heard the cliche, having kids changes you, your whole view on life, yadda yadda yadda (like George & Jerry on a Seinfeld Reunion Special)...but breddren & sistren, it is the truth, so what does that mean for you if you're reading this, (I'm sure that's what you're asking yourself)...Well here's what it means...now you can expect more entries, more music from me, more shows on the road, (okay, more shows on the road after her first three months or so, I got responsibilities homie) because I am officially back on the grind, harder than ever, because if I want to be able to tell my daughter: "Follow your dreams, there's no limit to what you can do," I need to lead by example. Oh yeah, there's also that whole "mouth to feed" thing, so the hustle just got serious king...

So right yah now, I feel like Vybz Kartel, but for different reasons: "Nah, nah, nah, Life sweet..." Nuttin sweeter than her, trus me breddren...

So it's official...nobody can't seh I neva tell dem...

Ready for Hoe-Nine...Is Brooklyn in the house?

2009-01-11T03:12:00.000-08:00

So yeah...it's been a minute since the last entry, but so it go sometimes, so Merry New Year and Happy Belated X-Mas to all massive and crew...2009 lick and we still deh yah...because "I'm so special," like the bredda from Cassava Piece..."My name is so excellent," and so on and so forth...Well, before I get into the whole New Year talk, and make more broken promises and set unreachable goals, I first need to sum up the end of the year.

In November, I was in the Big Apple, BK to be exact, for two shows. The first one was on a Saturday, the 7th, at Bushbaby and the second show was Sunday, the 8th, at Solomon's Porch. Brooklyn has always been my second home, I lived in Bedstuy for a couple of months during one summer, and worked on few projects there. Brooklyn is like that girl you fell in love with, but never really got over, so just like how you would check her facebook or myspace page every once in a while, I have to go back there at least once a year, just to see how she's doing, so yeah, PEACE out to Brooklyn.

I flew into LaGuardia, because that was the cheapest flight I could find. I jumped on the Q33 bus, and got off at 74th St/Broadway/Roosevelt Ave, and caught the 7 train into Manhattan. My friend Hima lived in Brooklyn, so I transferred and took the L train to Dekalb Ave, dropped off my bags at her place, and headed back into Manhattan to Union Square, one of my spots in the city. As usual, the park was packed, there were street performers doing their thing, the market peolpe were packing up their goods, the skaters were skateboarding, the teenagers were loitering like the old folks would say, and the city was alive. There I met up with P, producer extraordinaire, and we headed back into Brooklyn to Park Slope, so I could get a shave at the barber spot.

Afterwards, we stumbled across this grand opening of a store that sold some Japanese collectible type toys, not really sure, but they had a dj set up in an empty store next door with a cooler full of beer and liquor, so I wasn't really asking a lot of questions. After a couple more unplanned stops, by the end of a very long night, we ended up on the 3 Line, headed to the Crown Heights/Utica Ave stop in Brooklyn, final destination: P's crib off Eastern Parkway. Big up to P and his roommate Shaq for putting me up for the weekend...GIVE THANKS.

As far as the two shows, some things were good, and some things were bad, but overall, the vibe was nice, so big up brooklyn every time.

The first show was on Saturday, at Bushbaby on Fulton Street. Respect and many thanx to Lenice and crew for having me...The night started out with spoken word from DuEwa, she was pretty dope, afterwards I touched the mic and did my thing, and then last but not least, the closing speaker was Denrick Johnson, a local artist out of Brooklyn, who's work was being displayed that night, so it was definitely a cool vibe, and I'm looking forward to going back.

The second show was on Sunday, at Solomon's Cafe on Stuyvesant Avenue. That was a nice spot as well, the crowd turn out was small, but it was a Sunday night, and so the business go. It was cool still, I played it like Madison Square Garden, and called it a night....big up to the staff though, they kept me well fed through the night...definitely appreciated that...

Back in the M-I-A, I had one more show at the University of Miami, the Peace & Love Concert, one time for my man Kemy, bless for the booking, and then it was off to J-A to bring in the New Year. (JA- an acronym that stands for the island of Jamaica, otherwise fondly referred to as "Jamdown," or as Damien Marley would say, "Jamrock," and the ever popular "Yard," pronounced "Yaaad.") And that was Hoe-Eight (Eight with a "h," so all together now "Hoe-Hate"), so I'm ready for Hoe-Nine...Yeah Baby...

Just because we play what the people want....(Part 3)

2009-01-11T03:08:00.000-08:00

Brighton is a prior fishing village turned summer home spot, and the Fishbowl is right off the beach, it reminded me of Coney Island in Brooklyn. The history of Brighton is interesting, apparently it dates back as far as the 1500s, but the original village was burnt to the ground by French raiders in 1514. By the 1700s, the Prince Regent, who later became King George IV, took a liking to the town, and built a residence, the Royal Pavillion, which has Indian architecture and Oriental interior design, well plush out. According to Will, because of him, there are a network of underground tunnels, in case he had to escape, and to this day, many of them have yet to be discovered.

The next day after the show, I went into the centre of Brighton with Will and Asbest, and took in the shopping ares, Brighton Pier, the Royal Pavillion, and St. Nicholas Church on Dyke Road. I also had some fish and chips, since me deh ah Heng-gland...and yow, they just fry the fish, without no seasoning atall, no flavour, no spice, nuttin...a sin to my Jamaican palette. On the Pier, they have amusement rides and such, and there is a picture of Haile Sellasie at the spot on the Pier where he visited it. Respect due to Will and Asbest for the tour...Bless up. After leaving Brighton, I headed back to London, where I had to catch a flight the following afternoon to my next destination: Madrid, Spain. (The Gate of the Sun, or Puerta del Sol, as they say in Espana) My sister was living there, so I decided to go and check her while I was filming some footage there for one of my music video projects.

After that, it was back to Prague for the Mighty Sounds Festival (which is the biggest punk-ska reggae festival in Europe) in Olsi U Tabora, Czech Republic, for yet another “blair-witch” type flex, because it was out inna the bush, in the Czech countryside. The show sell off as always, the crowd was massive, and they received my set well, and even sang along to Africa Why, which is always a wicked feeling….Big up Babylon Rocker for the linx…I shared the stage with Missy M, MC Amdiez, again, and met a Dread who lived in Germany, straight from yaad, go figure…Riddim up…

Just because we play what the people want....(Part Deux)

2009-01-10T23:37:00.000-08:00

I spent the first night outside of London, by my father's breddren, Derek's house. Big up to him and his girlfriend for putting me up...Respect. The next morning I caught the train back into London, Victoria Station, and caught the express to Brighton. On my way, I sent a text to the Dj/producer who booked me for the show, Will SumSuch, to let him know that I was on my way. Let me show you the six degrees of separation, watch me. My breddren, Mr. Cisum, another Dj/producer over in Philly, he was the one who put me on to Will. I met Cisum while I was working on "Habibi, the Remix," a theatrical production, in smaller words, a play that incorporated Hip-Hop, Spoken Word, Break-dancing, and belly-dancing in Miami in 2004. I was a co-writer as well as the lead actor/emcee, alongside Hanan, the belly-dancer, Chillski, the breaker, Kimani, the poet, and Cisum, the Dj.

http://www.hanan4peace.com/HabibiPage.htm

Three years later, I'm on my way to Brighton to do a show at the Fishbowl...so life go.

So yeah, to make a long story short, when I got to Brighton, Will met me at the station, and we headed back to his flat, where he and his roommate, Asbest the Moor King, live. The show was that night, so I relaxed for a bit, and checked out some material from his label, Latenite Lounging. The group that was opening up for me arrived at the spot, these younger cats from I think South London...Peedi (PDL II, Ford, and another yout, it's been awhile) so after a session of deep meditation, we headed over to the Fishbowl.

The show went well, Will SumSuch was on the 1s and 2s, Daddy Marcus played as well, and Asbest the Moor King opened up the show before the three younger cats from London. I met a lot of colourful characters that night, DJ Sinner, Richie Phoe, and the crowd received my show well, they were very supportive, and the place wasn't that big, but it was ram out. The best part of the night for me was when I did a rendition of Bob's "No Woman No Cry," with Will backing me on the guitar live. At one point, I repeated a verse, singing it acapella, and the entire bar was singing along, the vibez was wicked. So yeah, big up Brighton.

Just because we play what the people want....

2008-09-05T21:28:00.000-07:00

"Dem a call us pirate, dem a call us illegal roun yah so, just because we play what the people want...One Station couldn't run England...." Cocoa Tea & Shabba

Instrumental CD, check, Promo copies, check, Draws, check, Flyers, check, Outfit for the Show, check, Toothbrush, check, Herbs and Vitamins, check, Honey, check, Passport, check, Number for the Promoter, check...such is the life of the independent artist on tour. The worst is when someone asks after the show if you have a CD, and all you have is your two empty hands or you run outta draws and either have to roll free with none or wear the same pair again, yeah man, the checklist is very essential. The next stop was Brighton, England, so the checklist was in full swing.

After about a week in Czech Republic, I soon found myself on an Easy Jet flight from Prague to London Gatwick. When I touched down in London, I headed straight to the underground for the Gatwick Express to Victoria Station; where I would meet up with my father's breddren, Derek and his son. After I bought my ticket, I waited about ten minutes for the next express, and I was on my way to Victoria. Yow, star, the exchange rate is no joke, the dollar is 2 to 1, if that's the US, you can just imagine the Jamaican, so yeah, dat definitely no mek it...so it was a good thing I was getting paid in pounds for the show.

While I was sitting in the booth, watching London pass by, a woman a couple seats down from me began arguing with the ticket attendant, at first she wouldn't wake up when the ticket attendant asked to see her ticket, then it was a big argument about why she should pay her ticket twice, and this woman seemed like she did coke out, like she was just confused and wasn't very coherent...Welcome to London. As we approached Victoria Station, I grabbed my bags, and waited for the train to stop. When the doors opened, I headed upstairs to wait for Derek. I was tempted to head to Brixton, it was one stop down on the Victoria line, if I remember correctly. Yeah, for those who don't know, Brixton is Little Jamaica, when you step out from the tube station, it sounds like Constant Spring Road in Kingston, you might as well be in Jamaica. Whenever I make it to London, I always make my pilgrimage there, hopefully I'll have time.

When I stepped out into the night air, I felt a familiar feeling, similar to Ceska Lipa, ladies and gentlemen, it was cold, sorry deh, cowwwl. Except, this time around, I was prepared, and I got the memo, I had my jacket, so everyting safe rudebwoy...

6 minutes, 6 minutes, Coppa Stone You're On....(Part 4)

2008-08-09T15:44:00.000-07:00

After exploring the festival grounds, we headed backstage and posted up til showtime. The day was slowly fading away, and I began to notice a direct relationship between the sun setting and the temperature dropping. Yo, it just kept getting colder and colder, by the time the moon came up, it was about 50 degrees farenheit, or 10 degrees celcius, and counting. Yow, it was July, the middle of summer, and it was cold, sorry deh, coowwwl, so needless to say, I had no jacket. It does get cold in the mountains during the summertime, but not this cold, according to the local folks, who by the way, all had jackets, so I guess I never got the memo. I ended up borrowing B-Rocka's jacket, which was a size too small, because when you start seeing your breath, the short-sleeve thing cannot work, trus me. By the time 2 AM came around, it was about 40 degress...

The lineup was Roccaflexx, a local Czech sound, and then Damalistik, representin' for Roots Survival Sound outta France, then Babylon Rocker. There was a mix-up with the time, because B-Rocka was supposed to play after my set, but he went on first instead. After his set, was Missy M and MC Amdiez, they did a combination set, and then I went on. Big up Missy and Amdiez for the wicked intro, when I took the stage in the freezing cold, it was about 2:30 AM. The set went better than I expected, despite the weather which affected my voice in the beginning. There was a misunderstanding with the DJ, and he played the wrong set first, but we worked it out, and I played it off, so the crowd never caught on. They recieved the music well, and stayed with me for the entire set. I started off with the usual Damian Marley cover, "Welcome to Jamrock," and then the Mims and Junior Reid, "This is Why I'm Hot," and followed it up with Cham's "Ghetto Story."

The wickedest part though, was when I started performing my originals, and during "Africa Why," they all sang the chorus before I started...nothing can describe that feeling...trus me when I seh dat, once again....big up the promoters, the fans and patrons, the sound man and engineer, man like Babylon Rocker...Reggae Ethnic Session Festival did sell off...Thank you Czech Republic, respect due....

6 Minutes, 6 Minutes, Coppa Stone You're On....(Part 3)

2008-07-30T04:23:00.000-07:00

Once we left the hotel in town, we headed straight to the festival, which was actually in Ziznikov. The road changed from a paved road, to a dirt road, up a hill and through some bush, as we were driving, I thought to myself: This is in the middle of nowhere, on a real "Blair witch" flex, I couldn't even begin to describe to someone where I was if I needed to be found.

As we were driving to the venue, we passed a police contingent, (Babylon bwoy dem full out) and Bob Marley began singing in my head, Jamaica isn't the only one with a "3 o'clock roadblock." Luckily, they never checked us, but they stopped a van behind us.

We pulled in the artist gate, parked the car, and checked in to get our backstage bands. When I saw my name on the artist list below Luciano and his entourage of fifty, well maybe not fifty, but my man rolls deep...I thought to myself again, who would a thought, the lickle bwoy from Jamaica would a touch down in Czech Republic...wicked...After we got the bands, we headed towards the stage, a local group was on stage, I think they were Prague Ska Conspiracy...

I was scheduled to perform around 2 in the morning, it was about 8 p.m., I keep forgetting, we deh a Europe breddren, no watch nuttin, so yeah, it was about 20:00,
so needless to say, I had a whole heap a time on my hands, so I gathered up my stylist/photographer/videographer/publicist, Saran, who by the way, is responsible for all the pictures and videos I post online, respect my girl, couldn't do it without your support, and we headed on to the festival grounds to tek in the vibez.

There were thousands of people at the festival, and all kinda stalls with food, beer for days, tea, coffee, herbs, jewelry, everything, and a lot of dogs, on a side note: Apparently every one in Czech Republic has a dog, yo, even in Prague, the dog goes on the metro, the tram, inside the supermarket, the restaurant, the job, everywhere, the dog is like another person.

We got some local food, a noodles thing and a chicken thing, not sure what the name was, it was good, but it was very salty, and we never finished it. Big up the bredda from RDK HI-FI Sound System, from outta Brixton, when we went to their section, he gave us some rice and cook-up fish, yardman tings. His sound specializes in Dub, and they drove down from England to play all three days at the festival. Their set up was some straight Studio One business, old-school style with the speaker box dem stack up to the sky...dem man deh serious, two vans, portable gas stove, tents, dem a the real deal...

6 Minutes, 6 Minutes, Coppa Stone You're On....(Part 2)

2008-07-27T22:11:00.000-07:00

After about a two hour drive which included one gas stop and a rest/smoke/chill/water-the-plants-stop, we finally reach Ceska Lipa, a small, but relatively big town of about 40,000, which has been around since the mid 1200s. The first stop was the hotel, Penzion Monika, or Hotel Monika on Jiráskova street, yo, I need to tell unu about this spot...

At first we passed the hotel, it was on a one-way street, so we had to drive all the way back around, and pull up on the side, so Mino could park his car. It is a typical European small town, with cobblestone roads, deserted old buildings, shops and restaurants on the first floor, and flats (apartments) and hotel rooms above, overlooking the narrow streets below. So Misho, Saran, and I walk through these two big ass black medieval iron doors, next to a death metal club, to enter the building where the hotel is upstairs.

We go up these steep winding steps and see a window with a sign that says ring the bell, but in Czech. Luckily, Misho was with us, because like Chris Rock said, instead of "no sex in the champagne room," there was absolutely no English-speaking in Ceska Lipa's room.

After ringing the bell about three times, we finally hear a voice down the hall. When we walk down and turn the corner, there is this old, barefoot, white man with glasses, dressed in an unbuttoned wrinkled collared shirt and pants, standing in front of a door. Homeboy basically looked like he just stepped out of his bed, I think we woke him up. He then motions for us to step inside the door, which is apparently his living room. He pulls out this notebook, which looks like its been around since the mid 1200s, and starts mumbling something, which according to Misho, is a mixture of German and a little Czech. He then starts to write down our names in this notebook, boom, we're checked in. After giving us change from the folder pocket in the back page of the notebook, i.e. the cash register or drawer if you prefer, he then gives us the keys, which by the way, were hanging over his chest-a-drawer, gotta love it.

The best part was when he said, in Misho's translation:

"There are three keys, one for the front door at night, (the big-ass black medieval iron doors which funny enough, had this small regular key hole)the door to the hall, and the door to your room. Make sure you lock the door to the hall, so that the homeless people don't come in and use the bathroom and showers..."

Overall, it wasn't a bad place, the room was clean. It had three small beds, with some tough mattress, a couch, a center table, and a cabinet. Across from the room were two separate showers/sinks and toilets. Oh yeah, apparently in Europe, it's common to have the toilet in a separate room by itself, from the shower and the sink...I actually like this idea, because if someone is sitting on the toilet, you can still brush your teeth or take a shower, yuh si mi...

I quickly changed my clothes and put on the "showtime" gear, and I was ready like Spragga and Frisco Kid on a Dave Kelly riddim. Misho and Mino were playing at 8 or 20:00, so we didn't have a lot of time...the festival was about a 6 min ride from the hotel.

6 Minutes, 6 Minutes, Coppa Stone You're On....

2008-07-27T10:18:00.002-07:00

6 minutes, 6 minutes, 6 minutes Coppa Stone you're on
Ah ah on, ah ah on, ah ah ah ah ah ah ah on....

I felt like Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick before the show...after touching down in Prague three days ago, I was on my way down to Ceska Lipa, something like 70 km outside of Prague for my first stop, the Reggae Ethnic Session (RES) Festival...the headliners were supposed to be Lutan Fyah and Jah Mason, but they ended up canceling at the last minute, I believe they got a better offer in Australia, so Luciano and Etana headlined instead...

Saran and I left her place around 6 pm, but since we in Europe, around 18:00, and walked three blocks down from the Flora Tram stop along Vinohradská Street to meet up with Mino and Misho, from Whaddup Sound. They're both originally from Slovakia, but have lived in Prague over 10 years now, and mainly play out of Prague, specializing in Dancehall...Big up Mino every time, respect breddren for the transport...while we were walking, we ran into Missy on her way to the show, she is also a local reggae artist, originally from Slovakia as well...we hailed her up, apparently Prague is not that big...

On the ride up, I just sat in the back seat thinking to myself, if someone told me five years ago, that muzik would take me to Eastern Europe, I would never have believed them...it was a surreal moment. As I looked at the Czech countryside, passing through these small towns, I couldn't believe that this little Jamaican bwoy was on his way to a show in Ceska Lipa, Czech Republic...life is funny like that some time, you just have to stop and count your blessings and give thanks, fi real...

It was interesting passing through the small towns, each with their own squares, run-down houses, closed businesses, I started to realize that country people are the same no matter where you are, whether Czech Republic or Jamaica or Florida, they all are struggling to survive outside the city, whether Prague, Miami, or Kingston, we're really not that different...we all want to live...

"Guess Who's Back...."

2008-07-10T01:00:00.000-07:00

After 24 plus hours of travel and no luggage, I was looking forward to seeing a familiar face. When I walked out the arrival doors, the only person I saw was an older Czech lady mopping the floor. I felt like Lisa Stanfield, "Been around the world and I, I, I can't find my lady..." I looked to the left, nobody, looked straight ahead, no one, I was like damn, I guess she left, so I started to walk out and then I turned to the right, and boom, there she was, I should of known better. It had been five months since I had seen Saran, she is one of my closest friends and my biggest supporter in this music thing, needless to say, it was good seeing her, trust me. "Guess who's back in the mother******g house..."

As we traveled back from the airport on the bus and the train, (yeah man, no van to pick me up, no representative to meet me at the airport, no hotel booking, yo, true struggling artist style, public transportation to the fullest) we encountered the usual stares from the locals. Saran was immune to it, but I was fresh off the plane, so I had forgotten how it was. Regardless, it felt good to be back. We took Bus # 119 to Dejvicka, the last stop on the green line, the A line, and took the metro to Flora, where Saran's flat is, (i.e. my accommodations in Prague) right by the mall.

There's a six-hour time difference, so my remedy for jet lag is to stay up all night and the whole day tomorrow, and hopefully fall into the new time zone. Tonight, I'll choose which covers I want to do for the show, maybe "Welcome to Jamrock" and "Ghetto Story." I'll rewrite some of the lyrics, memorize them, and finalize my set. I figured I'd give myself a day to recoup, and then the next order of business would be checking the promoter for my show this weekend, to mek sure everyting lock. Like Russell Simmons says, "Goodnight and God Bless."

"I don't wanna wait in vain..."

2008-07-05T12:53:00.000-07:00

The flight between London and Prague is about an hour and a half...it was a very uneventful flight, and was over before I could really settle in, but yo, jus have to big up British Airways, because even though it was such a short flight, I still got a sandwich and a cookie, unlike American, where you have to beg the stewardess for water, and I can't forget that wine and liquor was complimentary...so big respect to the English...

So, I was back in the Ceska Republika, I got through immigration relatively easy...I followed everyone downstairs to the baggage claim, and began scouting out a good spot to wait for my bags, you know, that prime location right by where the bags come out...so you can grab them before someone mistakes your bag for theirs, and because you can't wait to get out the airport...one by one, I mean literally, one by one, they slowly came out the luggage door, and one by one, people started leaving with their bags, with that look of relief and happiness on their face, that all their bags made it, smiling hard, taunting the rest of us as they walked by.

Ten minutes became twenty, and twenty became forty, and by the time it became an hour, it was only four of us left, the flight was no longer on the screen above the luggage belt, and there was tumbleweeds rolling through the airport...

In other words, my bags never came...after speaking with one of the representatives, I found out that my bags made it to Montreal, and after an extended layover, wouldn't be arriving till three hours later. This was after the lady from American, I think she was a manager, guaranteed me that she was going to personally go down to the luggage carts, and make sure that my luggage was rerouted straight to London. I think what she really did, was she went downstairs, smoked a cigarette, started talking to one of her co-workers about what she was going to do this weekend, and then she came back upstairs and gave me the new baggage claim slips with the new information...which apparently were never assigned to my bags, because they ended up in Montreal still, but yo, so it go sometimes..."Summer is here, I'm still waiting there..."

"Mind the Gap" In Between Flights

2008-07-05T12:21:00.000-07:00

Alright, so I finally reach London...half an hour later after my original time. I was asleep for the majority of the flight, but managed to fit in "Fools Gold" with Kate Hudson between the lasagna and the breakfast croissant...the girl who sat beside me never said a word except for "Excuse me" when she needed to go to the bathroom and "Why won't she shut up" when the older woman next to me was talking on her phone. When the plane finally landed in Heathrow, I was ready to get back on the ground.

I had a six-hour layover, so I linked up with my friend Dia, and we went into London to hold a food at this Middle Eastern restaurant...two hours later, I was back at Heathrow on my flight to Prague.

Are We There Yet...(Part 2)

2008-07-01T16:08:00.000-07:00

Now, originally, I was supposed to have a 6-hour layover in Montreal, which I didn't mind, because I'd never been there, so I figured it would be a good time to take a little excursion out to downtown Montreal, maybe spend a hour and a half there, eat a food, and head back to the airport to catch the connection to London, well yo, none a dat ever happen.

When we first come off the plane, the flight agent at the gate, who was very annoyed that we had to book a flight that got delayed, cause you know it's our fault that the plane had mechanical problems...and why should we be bothering her about our connections...anyways, when I spoke to her, and she checked my flight, she told me "Don't worry, you have a lot of time, you'll make your connection..." Four hours later and after a 10-dollar Airline Food Coupon fi we troubles: "Alright, I don't think you'll be making your connection, so, let me see...."

To make a long story short, 9 hours later, I'm still at the damn airport, yow, I never mek it to Montreal, because the plane I was on had "mechanical problems", and I got on a 8:35 pm flight direct to London...."Whe dem seh," "A London me a go my yout, man a world traveler, yuh dun kno..."

Are We There Yet...

2008-06-27T02:36:00.000-07:00

"Yes I-yah...Coppa Stone is in the house, without a doubt..."
Well, "once again you can scream and shout," that line is from an old school track by Candyman, for those who don't know, learn yuh lessons, do your homework, but yeah man, after 26+ hours traveling, I'm back in Europe...touch down in Prague two days ago. You know how they say it's not about the final destination, but it's more about your journey to get there, well, mine was one hell of a journey.

I arrived at Miami International with over an hour and a half to spare, which is very impressive...considering my trips to the airport is always packing the morning before I leave, weaving in and out of traffic on the 826 and 836, cutting off five cars to exit to LeJeune for the airport, flying around the curve to departures, and taking out my bags before the car even stops in front of the concourse, so I can run in and check in before they close, then ofcourse, I arrive one minute after they close check-in, so then I have to convince a manager to let me on the flight...so yeah, an hour and a half is very impressive.

So, I get there early with all this time to spare, go through security, find the gate, board the plane, everything is running smoothe...then they announce that the head pilot has not arrived yet, so we sit and wait for another 30 minutes. Finally, my bwoy arrives, strolling on to the plane like it's all good. Alright, cool, we can tek off, so we start to taxi on the runway. I start setting up for my well-deserved nap, because yuh dun kno, no sleep never run the night before, because I'm a procrastinator for life, so yeah, just as I'm getting comfortable, the stewardess announces that we're going back to the gate because of mechanical problems.

After sitting on the plane an hour, waiting for a mechanic, they then say we have to deplane, and everyone gets off, because they're not sure how long it will be. I was supposed to fly to Prague via Montreal and London, but after the flight got delayed three times, they announced that the plane we were on would not be flying today, so we had to wait till another flight came in from Santiago, Chile, and then transfer to that plane for the flight to Montreal. As my granny would say, "What a crosses pon mi, oh lawd..."

"I'm gonna take that morning flight..."

2008-04-30T16:52:00.000-07:00

It's okay, it's alright...champagne and candlelight...

Yes massive and crew...as stated before, it's okay, it's alright, I'm gonna take that morning flight back over to Europe for a third tour this summer, the dates are in the process of being confirmed, so I'll definitely let the I-dem know when it become official, yuh see me...

In the mean time, for those who love good times and sweet reggae muzik, you can check me out live alongside Don Sha & Crew @ Bouganvillia’s Old Florida Tavern in South Miami on May 13.

Also, for my people still living in JA, please check out the movie: "Ladies Night Out," coming to a big screen near you, featuring yours truly, Supa Twitch, Bambino, Delicia Cordon...check out www.myspace.com/lnomovie for more info...

As far as the muzik, I had a leave of absence, a sabbatical, where I stopped writing, stopped recording, and barely performed...I had to cleanse my system...but now I'm like Lil' Wayne and Chubb Rock..."back on the scene with a pocket full of green..." so yeah, new year, new style, new dance a lick...it's official...

"Good-Night and Thank-You Pragga" Part 2

2008-02-23T13:12:00.000-08:00

Now, if I was to tump down this old man, would I really be wrong, yo, I was about to go jail in Prague, straight up...

Then another man started arguing with the old man and his wife, cussing them out, I'm assuming telling him why he's acting like that, basically defending us in a sense, in the mean time, the blind man done sit down...another man tried to offer Saran a seat, but by then, it was over...we came off at the next stop...

Basically, it seems as if a lot of the older peolpe are stuck in their ways, ignorant, and probably hate the fact that all these foreigners are in their country, and wish they could go back to the days when Rudolf was the King of Bohemia...I don't know, but there is definitely a culture difference...

Then there was the other side of Prague, the younger peolpe were different, they would actually smile, try to help us out with directions, and all the people I dealt with on the music end were cool...so there's two sides to every story...big up to Babylon Rocker, DJ Suki, Missy M, MC Amdiez, Damalistik, and King Kalabash from France, Kakoa Jr., Misho from Whaddup Sound, Keri from Starbucks...which, by the way, yo, KFC and McDonalds run tings in Prague or Pragga, there is one on every other corner...trus me...

As far as shows went, I did an impromptu performance at Meli-Melo, an African club that has live reggae and African drumming, in the middle of Prague...alongside DJ Amato, my yout never speak a lick of English, but juggle reggae like there's no tomorrow...and then on to Le-Mirage for another show, an after-prom party. I had another appearance at Cross Club alongside Kakao Jr...it was like that apartment complex in "New Jack City," The Carter, people were just passing out on the floor, couldn't stand up, it was strange, because it's not the type of vibe that you usually associate with reggae...but the club was cool, it was like the inside of a machine or a computer, nothing like I'd seen before...

Then there was the grand finale, the show at Let It Roll @ Chirana, an old factory straight out of the movie "Underworld," or "Blade." Trus me, it was a big show, which was mostly drum n' bass and jungle, 4,000 plus peolpe, and the vibes was wicked, everyone was showing me love, the venue was crazy, very well organized...I met some other artists and djs like Lady Lite from Belgium...it was overall, a wicked experience, and I'm looking forward to performing over there again...yo big respect to Babylon Rocker for the linx.

"Good-Night and Thank-You Pragga"

2008-02-23T11:34:00.000-08:00

Yes massive, the "travellin man" is back in the building...fresh from the Czech Republic and the UK. I've been back a week, and the jet lag is still lingering, but such is life, as my granny would say. My European experience was bitter-sweet. I'd been to London before, but never to Eastern Europe. My experience there was, let's see, how do I put this, different.

First off, let's talk about the weather in Prague. During the day, it was -5 degrees Celsius which is about 23 degrees Fahrenheit, and then the temperature just kept dropping at night...yo, it wasn't cold, it was RHAWTID COWL...as my granny would say...yo, before Prague, I swore up and down, "Yow, bad man don't wear scarf, you mad!" Well, inna Prague, yo, me and my scarf was like batty and bench, one don't go without the other.

So, I'm not sure if the weather plays a part in people's attitudes, but yo, the people were just cold, rude, and miserable, not even Bounty coulda touch dem, "Cross, Angry, Mis-ah-rebel..." My sistren Saran is there studying for a semester, yeh man, big up mi stylist, photographer, videographer...so we would go to different places, and it was straight rudeness, I mean, everything from this old couple pulling us up by the arm to get up on the tram to windows being closed in the face to straight refusal of service at a restaruant...

There we were, on the tram, and this blind man with a dog gets on...he kept saying something in I believe Czech, and ofcourse we never understand a word. So, I'm there petting the dog, then out of the blue, this crazy, mad old man and his coke head wife start shouting and then proceed to put their hands on our arms and try to pull us out of the seats. Now, if I was to tump down this old man, would I really be wrong, yo, I was about to go jail in Prague, straight up...(to be continued)

2008: It's Official

2008-01-18T02:49:00.000-08:00

"NEW YEAR, NEW STYLE, NEW DANCE A LICK..."

Yes, i-yah, the next person to call up the station with the name, the year, and the title of this throw-back joint will win, mr. announcer, drum roll please (insert synthesized drum roll ending with a high hat here) 200 Jamaican dollars, or as they say in J-A, two bills..."Tings change, now unu see seh life hard..." Trus me.

So here it is, its a new year, so first and foremost, let's proceed with the belated greetings: "Happy Christmas and Merry New Year to all," yeah man, Warsop, Trelawny style, memba me tole yuh...yep.

I've been M-I-A for a good minute now, but with the new year comes new found energy and commitment. The album has been pushed back a couple times because of mixing issues, bad time management, my obsession with perfection, and various other obstacles. My pursuit of happiness has left me somewhere between Will Smith and Chris Gardener, in other words, 20 steps ahead of sleeping in the subway bathroom, but 50 steps behind moving to Bel-air...if that makes sense.

The struggle continues, and so, instead of stating numerous new years' resolutions which inevitably become left-over resolutions for the following year, I'll start off slow and state this simple one: I, Coppa Stone, will update my real vibes blog.

So here is the 4-1-1:
The album release date is tentatively set for sometime this year. In the meantime, I had a chance to create, direct, and edit a lo-budget, lo-fi, video for my track: "Africa Why?" It has been well received online so far, so if anyone is interested in checking it out, yo, you can find it on YouTube, Dailymotion, and MySpaceTV, so yeah, shameless self-promotion and plugs begin here:

http://www.dailymotion.com/coppastone
http://www.youtube.com/coppastone
http://www.myspace.com/copparock

etc. and so forth...

There is also an independent movie coming out in March called "Ladies Night Out," starring Supa Twitch, Bambino, and Delicio Cordon, and a guest appearance by yours truly(like Paul Campbell in First Sunday). My character's story changed at the last minute, and I wasn't completely happy with the direction it took, but you'll see what I mean if you catch the movie...yeah plus it was an all night shoot, lines changed at the last minute, yeah man, show business fi real...

http://www.myspace.com/lnomovie

Besides that, I have a straight-reggae album in the works and another possible European Tour, but that comes later...so yeah, remember caller, 2 bills for the name, title, and year of that throwback tune, riddim up...

Ralph Leon Hunter (Rude Bwoy Ralphy)

2007-10-27T22:24:00.000-07:00

I received the call on a Friday, on the other end; it was one of the girls who used to work at Mangos. She asked me if it was true, what she heard about Ralph, I told her I would call her back. I called Patrick right after, and he confirmed it, and the world stood still...

I had seen him a week before, the Friday before. It was yet another night at Mangos, it was the usual set, you know, I did the usual covers: Damien's "Welcome to Jamrock," Bounty's "It's Okay," Jonny's "Walk the Line" as always, the regular routine...when Prince P introduced the band, Ralph did his Slick Rick rendition of "La-Di-Da-Di" and thus ended another wicked set, and as usual, the crowd went crazy, the streamers fell from the ceiling, and it was just another night at Mangos...and as usual, after the last set, I excahnged greetings and words with everyone from the Innasense family, Jimmi, Icardo, Patrick, Anderson, and Ralphi...

That night, Ralph came up to me, and he asked if I knew "Traffic Jam," by Stephen Marley, at the very end of the set, he had began to beat box it, so I knew it was on his mind. I told him, I would learn it, so we could perform it some time soon...but some time never came, and nothing was as usual...

From the very first time I set foot on that stage at Mangos, Ralph always encouraged me...Jimmy, Icardo, Patrick, they always made me feel welcome, and for that, I am thankful...I'm glad I had the opportunity to perform alongside Rude Bwoy Ralphi, the wickedest drummer, straight...I feel very fortunate that our paths crossed, and his passing has left me buried in deep thought...

It was an honor to have met Ralph's sister for the first time at his memorial service & musical celebration at Mangos...I can't imagine what his family is going through, but I definitely will keep them in my prayers...then I saw his daughter, and it was then, that I realized that there is life after death...because music is life, and music was definitely his life, his daughter, his family, his friends were all an extension of that life, and it was amazing to see how many people were touched by his...whenever I perform at Mangos, I still feel his presence there...

As Mos Def said:
Tomorrow may never come

For you or me

Life is not promised

Tomorrow may never appear

You better hold this very moment close to you

So close to you - don't be afraid...

Coppa Stone: Live @ Mangos Cafe
Uploaded by coppastone

October 14, 2007

2007-10-14T05:36:00.000-07:00

Now that the European trip is over, it's time to move on to phase II, finish up the final touches on the album courtesy of Mr. Magik over in Miramar...plan a few release parties, and start some serious marketing, via the web, i.e. MySpace, Indie911, Soundclick, Real Vibez, etc. and basically get things going...there are some who would like to see me fail and fall flat on my back, but as Sizzla said: "They can't keep a good man down, always keep a smile when they want me to frown, they will never ever take my crown, who jah bless I say no man or woman curse, things getting better when they thought it would be worse"..."Solid as a Rock"...while I take care of some business, check out these words that I wrote:

They call me the hopeless romantic

travel overseas, Pacific and Atlantic, trying to get these, thoughts off my chest

yo line after line, in love with the beat, the rhythm, the rhyme...

Time after time yo I been told before, words don't pay so best just explore

other avenues, but yet I endure, so all mogglas get on the dancefloor

signal the plane like it's 2004, get Mad like Michelle in a dancehall session

celebrate life and your own self-expression, be original, no pirate sound

Yes Baby Luv, this is how I get down....

PEACEANDGUIDANCE

Coppa

Day 15: August 8, 2007

2007-09-27T17:35:00.000-07:00

Immigration agent # 1: "You don't have to go home, but you have to get the..."
Customs agent # 2: "watch your mouth"
Immigration agent # 1: "You need to leave, or lef from yah so, however you want to say it."

I left London yesterday and finally arrived at my last destination: Toronto. My flight got in around 2 in the afternoon, I had an overnight layover, and I leave today at 9:35 A.M. So you know what that means:
"Ladies and Gentleman, appearing for one night only, downtown Toronto, after the Blue Jays game, it is my pleasure to introduce to you tonight, a man who needs an introduction, because no one knows who he is yet, but you will remember his name after tonight, live from Miami, Jamaica, Mr. 'Yes Baby Luv, this is how we get down,' without further adieu, I bring to you, the bashment sound ambassador, Coppa Stone...(insert one and two claps here, because we no business, we play all venues and hole in the walls, how you mean, holla back breddren)

The sky was overcast when I got in, and by the time I took the subway downtown, it started to rain...I was starving, dead fi hungry, jet lagged, so I got a hot dog from one a dem man on the road, maybe I was just hungry, but it was the best hot dog H-ever with a capital H. There was a Blue Jays baseball game that just finished, so there were a lot of people, and I tried to do some promoting, but I was dead tired from the trip, and ended up defending some food at an Italian restaurant/bar close to the CN Tower, couple blocks down from Front St. and University Ave., by Union Station, somewhere around there...the pasta was wicked...too bad I can't remember the name of the place.
I originally planned to check out University of Toronto and maybe York University, but yo, I wasn't tired, I was ti-yad, bad, I was exhausted, so yeah, after taking a walk to the bottom of the CN Tower, talking to a few people, filming a few shots for my music video project, me and my hotel bed had an appointment that no one could break...
Like Harry Belafonte, I was sad to say, I'm on my way, won't be back for many a day, because like Biggie, I'm going, going, back, back, to Miami, mami...

FIN

Day 14: August 7, 2007 (Part 3)

2007-09-16T18:00:00.000-07:00

Similes and Metaphors:
Like Cutty Ranks, Saturday night cyaan dun...I had to post it in two parts, now part III:

Aside from the late night London brawling, I also got to experience the other side of the city as well...yesterday I went to the University of the Arts by the Bond Street tube station, and met two dreads, one was a lady who worked security there, and a yout, I never got their names, but I reasoned with them for a little bit, and they recommended some spots in Brixton to check out, but unfortunately, I was leaving the next day, but such is life....nevertheless, respect due to those two for the advice...I left them with two CDs, left some flyers in the main lobby and student area, and continued on.

I also checked out Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster, you know the usual, then took a walk along the River Thames, saw some local classical musicians, jazz as well, there were a lot of street performers; everything from xylophones, to mimes, to classical jazz ensembles, etc. I also came across a skating park, with walls upon walls to "post your complaints at." One time for all the graffiti artists out there, I actually ended up talking to this one guy from Poland who was posting his own complaints, he told me about his crew back home and their music, like Johnny Appleseed, I left him with a CD, and kept moving.

Afterwards, I ended up by the Tate Modern Museum, I felt like I was in the Woody Allen flick, Match Point, crossed the bridge to St. Paul’s Cathedral...the sky was completely clear, no clouds, like Ice Cube said, "today was a good day."

In addition to the Thames, I also went to Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Circus, Trafalgar Square, filmed some footage for a music video to one of the tracks from the album, in fact, in each city, Paris, Amsterdam, and London, I got some footage for that project, so yo, well excited about that, but London, it's about that time, like they say, whoever they may be, all good things must come to an end...live from London, Jamaica, next stop Toronto, my flight leaves today at 11.

Bless up.

Day 14: August 7, 2007 (Part 2)

2007-08-26T09:15:00.000-07:00

"Memories don't live like people do, they always remember you, whether things are good or bad, its just the memories...Baby don't forget me, I'm a travellin' man, movin through places, space and time, gotta lotta things i got to do, GOD willin' I'm comin back to you, my baby boo, I'm leavin..." in the words of Mos Def, but before I leave, here's part 2 as promised:

So after Arch Angel and the madness in front, I left Kensington with the same bouncer from the door, Kofee, one of his breddren, and my good sistren Saran, to head over to Brixton...once again, before I forget, big respect to Kofee for the ride star...and nuff respect due to my one and only, photographer, videographer, yes I-yah, my camera crew, Saran...on the way, we saw another fight in front of another pub, club, or whatever it may be, this time it was a patron fighting a bouncer,
(This actually made me not feel as bad about the first fight, apparently everyone; not just us, love to fight)
and the same two police from the first fight, a male and a female officer, tried to break it up...it was crazy, the woman officer was between these two men that were twice her size...pure madness, I never knew London stay so...apparently, the Brits have a rep for brawling throughout Europe, trus me, I see it, but it doesn't stop there...

We finally get over to Brixton, we hit up this one spot, I think it was called Porky's, or something of that nature, it was a pool hall, met some local soundman, the dance was kinda dead, so we head to another spot...when we get outside the club, two man start the back and forth thing, "So my yout, whe you really a seh star, how yuh really feel," then the other one: "yuh wan ramp wit b...clot me, come on, me seh, me shot people fi fun," like Ox in Belly...then outta nowhere, babylon swoop down in a van, two officers get out, and immediately, one of the man dem is arrested...this was a very different response from the police in Kensington, but then again, we in Brixton aka Little Jamaica, so the color scheme changes....

After that, we ended up at some session called "Mass," where the elusive David Rodigan was supposed to be playing, which was the strangest thing, it was a club in a building that looks like a church, I think it used to be a church, I don't know, but that was a little disturbing to me...outside you had the "crack-heads" doing what "crack-heads" do, the bouncer there told us Rodigan was playing a different night, so we asked one of the man dem outside where the next session was...after going to what seemed like every club in Brixton, we eventually called it a night, and I headed back.

Day 14: August 7, 2007 (Part 1)

2007-08-15T18:23:00.000-07:00

"I am leaving on a jet plane, I don't know when I'll be back again, kiss me and smile for me..." yes, in the words of Beenie and Doug E. Fresh, if you don't know the song, do the research...I'm actually leaving London today around 11 AM, but before I head out, lemme tell you about Saturday night:

Yo, I was in the process of making my way down to Oxford Circus to check out some night life, via the bus on High Street Kensington, when I decided to go over to a bar/restaurant called Arch Angel. I had previoulsly hailed up this bouncer that worked there, so I figured I would go over there and ask him about what was poppin for the night, maybe go inside for a little bit. So, as I'm talking to him, there is a group of about seven older guys (when I say older, I mean like mid to late 20s) walking out the club, who then try to catch a cab. The bouncer tells me that they probably won't get a cab in this area for the same reason we both couldn't eat at a diner in rural Mississippi during the 1950s. Then these three young girls and two younger guys (when I say younger, I mean A-levels younger, 16, 17, maybe 18) walk out, and one of the girls gets into some form a argument with one of the seven older guys waiting for the cab. Follow me so far, good.

So, then the girl goes back inside the club, in the meantime, the pot is boiling beause one of the younger guys is being draped up by one of the older seven. Then, out a nowhere, one of the older guys tump one of the younger yout in the face, by this time, amidst the back and forth ting, and the commotion, the girl come back out the club with two older guys to try and mek peace. They try to talk things out, but that just leads to more excitement, and in the blink of an eye, the older seven guys just rush the two new guys that came out, and jump them, kicking them in the head, the mouth, tumping one of the girls, shoving another one, girlfriend bawling, it was madness, for real...then, just like that, the seven either all jump into one car or two, I'm not sure (I really don't know where they all of a sudden came from) and drive off.

Then the police show up, which by the way, don't carry guns, that has always been interesting to me, apparently if you as a civilian, is caught with a gun, it's an instant five years or something like that...so after the pandemonium, an adult somehow associated with the younger group shows up in a limousine, she's in the middle of everything, then she leaves, ambulance shows up, some proper cussing going on, one of the younger youts is going crazy, bawling, going out of control, it was crazy, pure bullocks, trust me...and I couldn't help but think, damn, why do we always have to fight each other, why is it always one of us...

Day 13: August 6, 2007

2007-08-06T05:37:00.000-07:00

Yo, Saturday night in London was madness...I don't have enough time to get into it right now, but the night included two fights, a tour of Brixton and all the hole-in-the-wall clubs in between, a dance called mass at a church, which was supposed to be the ever elusive Rodigan dance, but I'll get into that later...

Coppa

Day 11: August 4, 2007

2007-08-04T08:14:00.000-07:00

Planes, Trains, and no Automobiles:
Yo, I left Amsterdam yesterday, and my flight was delayed 4 hours back to London...I found a cheap one way flight on British Airways, speaking of money, yo, the exchange rate is ridiculous, especially for certain bruk-pocket artists such as myself, the pound is 2.13 to 1 and the Euro is 1.5 to 1, so needless to say, the complimentary breakfast of toast, bread, and more toast was much appreciated...before I left Amsterdam, I came across this place called the Living Room, right down the street from the Anne Frank House, where apparently, squatters can occupy a building once it is vacant without paying the owner any rent, the only way the owner can evict them is to provide the city with definite plans for use of the property...so these people I met were essentially squatting there indefinitely, and had cleaned the place up, and set it up like a "coffee house style" open lounge where they played reggae and hip hop, and spread the word about squatting in Amsterdam, a type of socialist lifestyle where everyone pitched in to up keep the house...so yuh si, is not only Jamaica have squatters...so I dropped off a couple Cds, posted some flyers, thanked them for their hospitality, and headed off to Schipol to catch my flight...oh yeah, before I forget, big up to the staff at Nadia Hotel...right now back in London, once again trying to find a session or dance to go to, but as always, we'll see how that goes...

Coppa

Day 9: August 2, 2007

2007-08-02T12:03:00.000-07:00

Paris Gare Du Nord to Amsterdam Centraal: "All Aboard!!"
Well...touched down in Amsterdam via the train from Paris, the spot I stayed at was down the road from Dam Square, off a street called Raadhuis Straat. Met a few DJs, dropped off flyers and CDs in various "coffee" shops, bars, and clothing stores, got a few spins, made a few connex, I had a couple coffee shops play a couple tracks, yo, big respect to the staff at the Kadinsky coffee shop and the bar across the way, they were the first to play my musik, it was interesting to see people's reactions...for the most part, it was positive, and everyone speaks English, so communication wasn't an issue like Paris, I was actually glad to learn that Lauryn Hill had a show here last week, I think, I'm glad she's back in the game, her solo album was solid, straight through...there's also a Richie Spice show coming up the end of this month, TOK is coming as well, and a big reggae show not this weekend but next, with Sizzla, Buju and many other artists, I can't remember right now, so yo, reggae de yah...otherwise, I only have one question: why is it that I can't see the bottom of the canal, what is really goin on...?

Day 4: Saturday, July 28, 2007

2007-07-30T11:50:00.000-07:00

Greetings I bring from France:
I finally got my luggage today. I been travelling around the city, doing some promotions, networking, and researching different spots to go tonight...last night, I met a group of people who play in different bands, ranging from jazz to reggae to drum n' bass to hip hop...we ended up holding a jam session on the street below the Sacre-Coeur Basilica, in Montmartre by the hill, they had two guitars, a mic, and an amp, one a dem was a roots reggae singer, Robert Nesta style, and another started freestyling in French, then I joined the cypher, bouncing back and forth, harmonizing, another yout started beat-boxing, Rhazel style, the vibes was nice, trus me, big up Jass & Bazz, Igit, "up the hill and down the stairs," DaOmni, and the people of Montmartre, one love, anyways, they're supposed to get back at me with some info about a session tonight...we'll see how dat runs....

Day 3: Friday, July 27, 2007

2007-07-27T11:33:00.000-07:00

Crowd a people:
First off, the flight to Paris was delayed, and then when I finally got there, my baggage decided to extend its stay in London...so I'm without my checked baggage, but I packed an extra set of clothes in my carry on, so I'm kriss for the moment, I just need to get my tings soon...as my granny would seh, "what a crosses pon me," but yo, this is my first time in Paris, and the place is wicked, I can taste the history behind this city in every breath I inhale through my mouth, on every street or Rue, I'm learning as I go, and I'm supposed to link up with a breddren of mine who has a band over here, but I haven't been able to link him, so I'll just roll with it...the languauge barrier is somewhat discouraging, I need to brush up on my French, but I'm getting across that slowly as well...for now, I'm trying to locate some radio stations and reggae/hip-hop spots on my own...the place I'm staying at is close by the Gare du Nord, which is like Grand Central Station in New York, at the Anvers stop off the Metro 2 line...Merci

Day 2: Thurs, July 26, 2007

2007-07-27T11:16:00.000-07:00

Well people,
I had every intention of going out to Brixton last night, but hear me now, when dat jet lag kick in, yo, instead of Brixton, I reach the bed at the hostel instead. Yesterday, my camera crew flight was delayed seven hours, and even though I came in at 7:00 in the morning, I was at the airport till the afternoon, waiting on the flight...then by the time I got to the hostel, I went and got some food by the Bayswaters Tube Station and once I got back to the hostel, it was a rap...but I met a few people at the hostel, oh yeah...by the way, big up to the front desk staff @ Astor Hyde Park Hostel, yo, helpful is not the word, respect for the advice and assistance. So, as I was saying, I gave out a few CDs, researched some spots to go to, and left some flyers by the front desk...it is what it is...my flight to Paris leaves today at 4:15 p.m.

Day 1: Just touch down

2007-07-25T02:14:00.000-07:00

Yo, after the trip that seemed to tek forever, donkey years, and a day, I finally reach London Heathrow Airport at 7:00 AM (Terminal Three via Toronto) in the morning, early bird ting, you see me....so, now, since we deh pon de grind like Magyva, I already made some connex in the airport, as far as some record shops and pirate stations, and a David Rodigan dance tonight in Brixton, so I'll see how that info pans out...

Welcome

2007-07-24T08:18:00.001-07:00

This page represents a new feature of Realvibez.com, helping users to connect with artists, especially with upcoming ones. Coppa Stone is an up and coming artist who is heading off to the UK and Europe this week in an effort to promote himself and his music.

You will be able to follow his travels in his own words. This will no doubt be exciting.