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Mike Swift - Itutok Mo (Produced by Mr. Rey)

NOVEMBER 22, 2009 Sunday, approximately 5:30am. PST—I received a voicemail from Mike Swift saying “tol, I’m at the JFK airport and I missed my flight, but I’ll see ya’ll soon!” Hours later, Mike arrived at the SFO airport and is back “Dito Sa Bay”. Knowing Mike as a person of many magic, surprises, and ingenious ideas, I knew once again that it was going to be an adventurous journey. Upon arriving Mike and I celebrated by eating “quesadilla’s” at El Farolito. Mike told me that he hasn’t slept in 3 to 4 nights, so after a short conversation we called it a night. After a much needed rest, Mike had asked me to flip thru some beats. Then conceptualized and recorded a song entitled “Itutok mo.” The song is self-explanatory if you know Mike’s passion for movies, music and life, then you’ll understand. With our plan to pump as much joints as we can while he’s out here in the bay. We gave birth to “72Bars” a track that hits you with facts, metaphors and crazy multi-syllable style of rhymes. Enjoy these ones!

When we’re not making songs, Mike would go with me to a 3 days a week after school program/workshop that I facilitate along with my boy Josh Landicho aka BWAN, at the Bayanihan Community Center on the corner of 6th St and Mission. The program/workshop is focused on recent youth immigrants from the Philippines, giving them a space to create, express, and raise awareness about their community through the arts and performance.

For further info about the program visit www.TeachThemBrothas.blogspot.com

On the morning of thanksgiving, we attended the sunrise ceremony at the Alcatraz—a 40 year old tradition carried by the Native Americans to remember the native genocide and survival (be on the look-out for amazing footage of this event). The last few days of Mike’s stay we recorded more banging tracks. One is a posse cut joint, along with two of the Bayanihan Krew members, BWAN, Flossafee and myself. After two weeks and some odd days of Mike’s stay here in the bay, he returned to Brooklyn already to take and make big moves towards the G-Unit Asia route, yeahhdigg?!?!

At sa muling pagbalik, patuloy ang mga hakbang mula sa una, Higante-Status pai!

Salamat

Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon sa inyong lahat!!

2010 handa ka na ba?

TTB allday!!!

MR REY

MERRY XMAS TO EVERYONE FROM ALL OF US HERE!!!

To my Soulfiesta readers and beyond,

Restless we had become, dream's evolving with urgency to live. With infinite ways you can describe the revolution of what we have done. The sky can only be our cage, because outside that is unwanted freedom if you need it. So this is dedicated to the high flyers who want to tamper with escaping out towards my area pass these shallow clouds up in planet Brooklyn. Deep beneath the milky way I will drown you. Understand my motherfucking gangster!!!!

This year, the year 2009, this is a bitter sweet year for me. Sweet because of all the seeds that sprouted are starting to be more evident, but rather more bitter because of how many people who are close to my heart had passed away without seeing how much I really care for them. My best friend Pocho's mom, Maria, who also was a mom to me passing away two weeks before I made it back to Brooklyn. I lived with them for almost a year during the time when I first left the Philippines back to Brooklyn. I spent many dinners with them stemming from junior high school childhood days. She was even kind enough to accept me even though I was selling marijuana from the room she made for me out of her good heart. I had to swallow my pride and walk with this guilt because during the time, that's what I thought were my best choice, my only choice. I use to promise her "Ma once I get these millions from this music game watch what I'm going to get you for christmas", of course she would just ride along while feeding me a plate of spanish food and occasionally say "yeah, yeah, shut up and eat your food before it gets cold". She use to put away all the mail sent for me in Brighton 10th path in Brooklyn while I was grinding in the PI. She's important to me. My young friend Marcus who I still have something that he let me hold months before he was stabbed to death in Brighton beach Brooklyn. Officer Omar Edwards, Uncle Rollie.

I would need a whole lifetime of pages if I have to write why I love Francis and why my bond with him was strong. How many times a week I would see him, we'd play basketball, eat Chowking, go to Greenhills for games, my random visits to him at Eat Bulaga. I could still hear him laughing clearly at jokes I would throw towards people he didn't like much. So yes the country lost a national hero, but I lost a friend who I treated and looked up to as a brother, a mentor, a measurement of how a great man should carry himself. I wanted him to hear a song titled "Inukit sa bato" that is in the "Legendary" album, which I no longer plan on releasing, and will never see the light of day. I needed him to be around. I wanted to reach my goal and show him how much gratitude I have for being instrumental in achieving them, which I will still scream at the heavens for him to hear the day that it comes.

I feel it's near. B-Roc knows its near. I feel like I never throw Bong enough credit for everything he has done for me as an artist, and as a friend. It took many conversations in between making music for B-Roc to understand me, he gave me a shot at honing my skills, and space to be creative in there. In these sessions is where we exchanged stories that helped mold the beginning concepts of "To The Billboard", and why it would be one of our ways to stand out and make history in the world of hiphop . Taking it back from the day I recorded that song (To The Billboard) on a wednesday, I remembered how fucked up I was from being drunk with the TUESDAY TROOPS the night before. I wrote the english version first, and we just steam rolled and commited with the genius concept. all the way to making a song titled Get Jay-z and Dre for me, which lead to the DVD documentary "GET JAY Z Before Christmas". Then this madness brought us to Spike Lee's office, and earned me enough money to put a down payment for our first movie that had us in our journey back in the Philippines baiting for investors.

50 Cent along with Jayz, Spike Lee, and Russell Simmons were always been the first four people I had targeted cause I feel they are the most open minded who I feel will understand that I will rep Brooklyn New York proud by making an energy from thin air into a good business, and wont be afraid to gamble on a concept that has grown to be a monstrous movement built to inspire.

Can you imagine all of the other so called hiphop purists thoughts on Bong screaming G UNIT? LOL!! My paranoia can hear them laughing so loud at us, assuming as if we were just a bunch of jokes. As if there is no chance at all at making it happen. But there he was helping me make quick artwork, or doing camera work for our Business Plan, understanding our plans that had transformed to a more long term. Similar to what HEEZ said in SOLD US A DREAM "It dont matter the plan don't stop, It just means we have more time to demand more Gwap AAAAAAACKH!".

B-Roc beleived in the magic of To The Billboard, thats what it has been for me a journey full of magical stories and lifetime friendships. B-Roc is definitely my friend forever along with Chrizo and most of the crew that I knew and met long enough. I might not have the money in the bank yet, but I no longer just have their sights from a short distance, my whole leg is in the door. I'm just letting Christmas fly by and I'm back to urgency. For those who consider not getting nominated to win an award, a hit song on radio, a record deal from a major company as a failure, and disregard the impact I have contributed as a pinoy artist. I want you to place yourselves in my shoes and imagine how I felt the times I was recording with Suge Knight, buying a NYC magazine in San Francisco with a one page article of yourself in it, acting while a whole auditorium full of people that includes Angela Basette watch you recite a biggie smalls song for the movie NOTORIOUS, and now a call from Dre Mckenzie head of A&R of G Unit the first week of December as proof that they are starting to acknowledge me and my persistence. Imagine yourselves in my shoes accomplishing such stories. Consistently adding color, music and powerful energy in Konektado DVD documentaries that keeps on growing all across the world. Do you think I need trophies, plaques for these kind of accomplishments that never get a crack of daylight in any media. Money can buy you that. I can get money over night, and I will. However, respect. Respect can only be earned by paying dues, and I became the master of paying dues. SO RESPECT, I'LL EARN IT! Yung mga tropa kong nagpatattoo, you are fucking Crazy! Kane and Anne! We dont have much choice naman eh, we bleed for the chance. Sly Kane helped me with the BUSINESS PLAN CD. Getting to hand the cd, banner, and dvd that to 50 Cent personally, documented on November 20th of 2009, feels like such a load off my shoulders. I can say that I handed 50 cent personally my Business Plan where we bled for the chance. Time will tell whats next. How can they stop people who don't want to be stopped. Shouts to my heroes Sunny Bandila, Heez Heffner, and Mike Watawat for inspiring me to love myself more than I already do.

Merry Christmas sa inyong lahat. Like every year, we say "This year is going to be our year" So carry on tradition. We will say it again. God bless. One love

P.S. check out Mr Rey's TTB Christmas present to soulfiesta I'm there too. We giving out free downloads. Enjoy :-). Jokbok Amuyin Amuyin!

MIKE SWIFT