Pizzie feat Armond & J Carter- Wait It Out
11:34 PM
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
how Kanye's Glow In The Dark tour changed my life..and my walk
Dream Interpretations Episode Five: Glow In The Dark
7:17 PM
More is never enough.
In 2010 I've been blessed with several opportunities to do what I love & have it reach thousands of people. I've traveled the world & rocked audiences of 7 & audiences of 2,000. When somebody asks "who or what is an Armond", I see there's so many directions to point them in. So what I've done is taken my accomplishments in this year alone & condensed them down into a neat little box for you to give to your friends. In the immortal words of Eddie Johnson from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation: "it's the gift that keeps on givin' Clark..."
Music
Dreaming Out Loud
Dreaming Out Loud was my album that was released on February 9th, 2010. The album itself took 3 years to write & complete. I recorded well over 100 tracks for it.
The Nina Mosley Experience (mixtape)
5 days after dropping my album, I released a mixtape "The Nina Mosley Experience" based off the classic movie "Love Jones". I'm a sap & I love the idea of love & what it represents. The mixtape ran side by side with the movie's view of an imperfect love; it's ups, it's downs, highs & lows.
Snooze Button II (Mixtape)
Snooze Button II was released Memorial Day weekend. I wanted to do a classic mixtape; raw beats, raw rhymes. Short, sweet & to the point. Not to mention the mixtape has circulated to countries such as Germany, Japan, Denmark, Sweden, & Iraq.
Interviews
"I Have A Dream"- the9elements.com
We talked about picky beats, the correlation between the church & hip-hop, & the ups & downs of the independent aspect of the music industry.
01 Armond- The Wiretap (Episode 1) by thedeaconsmusic
The inagural episode of The Wiretap. Very detailed & eye opening, we talked for nearly 2 hours. We spoke on witchcraft, the illuminati, divorce, the club, insecure rappers...really great listen. Enjoyed doing this interview.
"A Father's Story"- Pink Complexity In The City
For fathers day I interviewed different types of dads in our society. However, I allowed @BriteComplexity (who is one of my favorite bloggers) inside of my life as a father. We spoke on what makes a man, how I grade myself as a father, long distance parenting, bitter single mothers & the seemingly permanent black eye men have received from our culture.
Must Listen To
Airplanes (from Snooze Button II)
Beautiful Ashes feat J Carter (from Snooze Button II)
Rearview/Dashboard (from Dreaming Out Loud)
Scared Of Me (from Dreaming Out Loud)
There Goes My Baby (Remix) feat Usher
Media
Review of Dreaming Out Loud by DaSouth.com (Four out of Five stars)
Review of Snooze Button II by Pink Complexity In The City (shoutout Jai Jai aka Brite Complexity)
Pump It Or Dump It- "Rearview/Dashboard" by Writers Block Media (shoutout Randy Roper of O-Zone magazine)
"Come Back pt 2 (The Road Trip)" featured on the9elements.com compilation "Suggested Listening" shoutout Flex & L-Win
DaSouth.com features "Beautiful Ashes" feat J. Carter" (shoutout DJ Will from Jacksonville)
"Beautiful Ashes" featured on an episode of the Chill Vibe Experience. CVE has previously featured artists such as Amel Larrieux, The Roots, & Brand New Heavies
Interview with TUC Radio. I was there to promote Dreaming Out Loud & discuss the state of hip-hop & the church. The show went so well, I ended up becoming a permanent co-host. Since then, we've launched to a live webshow, broadcasting every Sunday @ 7pm EST. We tackle issues such as homosexuality in the church, masturbation, relationships, & healthy living.
Guest appearance on That's Right with Nikki Ransom. Myself & Unique Soul tackled the topic of "What Do Men Want In A Woman".
Rock The Dub features Armond (shoutout Khal)
the9elements features Armond (shoutout DJ Koast & I.G.O.D.)
Mostly Junk Food features Armond (shoutout Mostly Junk Food)
Accomplishments
In May, I was hired on as a freelance writer for Joy 106.3FM & Power 107.5FM, two of the biggest radio stations in Columbus, OH. Here are a few of the articles & interviews I've done.
B Moses
DeCarlos "Cos" Waller
Soul Sessions
Father's Week- For Father's Day I interviewed & shined the spotlight on different types of fathers in today's society; the young father, the single father, the single mother, & the stepfather.
In 2010 I've been blessed with several opportunities to do what I love & have it reach thousands of people. I've traveled the world & rocked audiences of 7 & audiences of 2,000. When somebody asks "who or what is an Armond", I see there's so many directions to point them in. So what I've done is taken my accomplishments in this year alone & condensed them down into a neat little box for you to give to your friends. In the immortal words of Eddie Johnson from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation: "it's the gift that keeps on givin' Clark..."
Dreaming Out Loud
Dreaming Out Loud was my album that was released on February 9th, 2010. The album itself took 3 years to write & complete. I recorded well over 100 tracks for it.
The Nina Mosley Experience (mixtape)
5 days after dropping my album, I released a mixtape "The Nina Mosley Experience" based off the classic movie "Love Jones". I'm a sap & I love the idea of love & what it represents. The mixtape ran side by side with the movie's view of an imperfect love; it's ups, it's downs, highs & lows.
Snooze Button II (Mixtape)
Snooze Button II was released Memorial Day weekend. I wanted to do a classic mixtape; raw beats, raw rhymes. Short, sweet & to the point. Not to mention the mixtape has circulated to countries such as Germany, Japan, Denmark, Sweden, & Iraq.
"I Have A Dream"- the9elements.com
We talked about picky beats, the correlation between the church & hip-hop, & the ups & downs of the independent aspect of the music industry.
01 Armond- The Wiretap (Episode 1) by thedeaconsmusic
The inagural episode of The Wiretap. Very detailed & eye opening, we talked for nearly 2 hours. We spoke on witchcraft, the illuminati, divorce, the club, insecure rappers...really great listen. Enjoyed doing this interview.
"A Father's Story"- Pink Complexity In The City
For fathers day I interviewed different types of dads in our society. However, I allowed @BriteComplexity (who is one of my favorite bloggers) inside of my life as a father. We spoke on what makes a man, how I grade myself as a father, long distance parenting, bitter single mothers & the seemingly permanent black eye men have received from our culture.
Airplanes (from Snooze Button II)
Beautiful Ashes feat J Carter (from Snooze Button II)
Rearview/Dashboard (from Dreaming Out Loud)
Scared Of Me (from Dreaming Out Loud)
There Goes My Baby (Remix) feat Usher
Review of Dreaming Out Loud by DaSouth.com (Four out of Five stars)
Review of Snooze Button II by Pink Complexity In The City (shoutout Jai Jai aka Brite Complexity)
Pump It Or Dump It- "Rearview/Dashboard" by Writers Block Media (shoutout Randy Roper of O-Zone magazine)
"Come Back pt 2 (The Road Trip)" featured on the9elements.com compilation "Suggested Listening" shoutout Flex & L-Win
DaSouth.com features "Beautiful Ashes" feat J. Carter" (shoutout DJ Will from Jacksonville)
"Beautiful Ashes" featured on an episode of the Chill Vibe Experience. CVE has previously featured artists such as Amel Larrieux, The Roots, & Brand New Heavies
Interview with TUC Radio. I was there to promote Dreaming Out Loud & discuss the state of hip-hop & the church. The show went so well, I ended up becoming a permanent co-host. Since then, we've launched to a live webshow, broadcasting every Sunday @ 7pm EST. We tackle issues such as homosexuality in the church, masturbation, relationships, & healthy living.
Guest appearance on That's Right with Nikki Ransom. Myself & Unique Soul tackled the topic of "What Do Men Want In A Woman".
Rock The Dub features Armond (shoutout Khal)
the9elements features Armond (shoutout DJ Koast & I.G.O.D.)
Mostly Junk Food features Armond (shoutout Mostly Junk Food)
In May, I was hired on as a freelance writer for Joy 106.3FM & Power 107.5FM, two of the biggest radio stations in Columbus, OH. Here are a few of the articles & interviews I've done.
B Moses
DeCarlos "Cos" Waller
Soul Sessions
Father's Week- For Father's Day I interviewed & shined the spotlight on different types of fathers in today's society; the young father, the single father, the single mother, & the stepfather.
Armond 101: Who Or What Is An Armond?
11:41 AM
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Day Three..."Close Your Eyes". Lost faith, lost in my car, missing verses.
Dream Interpretations Day Three: Close Your Eyes
11:21 PM
Day Two, the sound is better & gets better as the videos go on.
Dream Interpretations Day Two: Put In Work
7:32 AM
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Something light...you'll believe one day.
"Power" Freestyle feat L-Win
8:33 PM
Welcome to the first day of Dream Interpretations. I've resurrected the vlog series to take you deeper inside the psyche that is my album Dreaming Out Loud. Everyday from July 25th to August 8th, I'll be breaking down the album track by track. On August 9th (the 6 month anniversary of releasing the album), you'll be able to purchase Dreaming Out Loud for whatever price you like for ONE DAY ONLY!!!!!
Enjoy day one's episode: Dreaming Out Loud featuring Cos. Who knows, I may leak a record tonight too. Why not?
sorry for the wind & yes i did the Kevin Hart thug clap
BONUS: Cos laying down his vocals in the studio
Enjoy day one's episode: Dreaming Out Loud featuring Cos. Who knows, I may leak a record tonight too. Why not?
sorry for the wind & yes i did the Kevin Hart thug clap
BONUS: Cos laying down his vocals in the studio
Dream Interpretations Episode One: Dreaming Out Loud
11:50 AM
Friday, July 23, 2010
February 9th, 2010. I remember while writing for this album I had NO clue the impact (or whatever you wanna call it) this album would have. I had no clue what God was gonna do with it. All I know was after three long years, I felt a tug to finally finish the job & put it out (pause).
When I listen to the album, I'm taken back to that time. It was cold in Ohio, I had just started a new job, a new life essentially. I was living with family at the time in a cramped townhouse, so to get away I would drive around the city & just reflect. Doing that is honestly how I fell in love with Columbus. Seeing things I'd never seen before, getting lost & making three right turns & ending up 2 seconds from the house. And out of nowhere songs would hit me. Full blown songs.
I remember writing "Close Your Eyes" in a high school parking lot.
I remember almost crashing because I wrote "Rearview" on one of the busiest streets in the city.
I remember writing "Forgive Me" in 20 minutes because I was late for my last studio session to finish the album & I knew Dreaming Out Loud was missing one song. Yes, "Forgive Me" was a rushed record (which is funny because it's a favorite among a lot of you.
I remember writing "Blood Of God" & being more upset with God than I had ever been. Yet, the only thing out of my pen was worship.
I remember calling Pizzie & screaming in his ear when he first sent me the beat for "Dreaming pt 2". I didn't even wanna write to it because the beat was so incredible.
I remember the first time I let the label hear "Scared Of Me" while en route to hear Rebecca Brown speak & the whole car being totally silent after it ended. I remember getting chills as I wrote it. I remember crying twice while I wrote it. It was like birth pains, pains that had to pass through the body in order to get out.
I remember writing "The Highest" in a grocery store parking lot after I saw a beautiful woman walk out the store. After I had been grumbling to myself (and being bitter) & blaming every woman in the world for how things ended with my ex. And God checked me clear as day & said "how dare you".
As you can see there are a zillion stories I could tell for this album & that's what I'm about to do. Starting Sunday July 25th & culminating August 8th, I will re-launch my Dream Interpretations vlog on My YouTube Page & hear all the hilarity, bufoonery, boobery...and yes, testimonies that I went through while creating Dreaming Out Loud.
In addition to the vlogs, I have some songs that I'll also be releasing.
FINALLY...August 9th, I will switch Dreaming Out Loud to "name your price" for 24 hours. You can get the album for however much you want THAT DAY ONLY!!!! From 12am August 9th to 12am August 10th. August 10th is also the two year anniversary of my fufillment to the Air Force & Uncle Sam, so I'll definitely be poppin bottles (of sweet tea).
So yes, this is a thank you to everybody thats supported me. If you already have a copy, buy another & give it to a friend. If money's been tight & you haven't been able to grab a copy, you can do so that day. Thank me later...no Aubrey.
Dreaming Out Loud...6 Months Later
1:45 PM
Cool story bro: So in April I got in a really bad car accident. My insurance wouldn't cover the damages (estimated at $3,000). So I was driving around with my front end smashed in. Literally a few days before the accident my oil light came on & my front headlight went out. I ignored it & now I'm REALLY looking bad with a smashed in hood, one headlight & a raggedy running car cuz I hadn't had an oil change in so long.
I had a show last week at a church for an event (it was more like an audition for an even bigger show. do the smaller show & if they like you, they invite you to do the bigger show) & while en route, I'm sitting at a red light. This couple flags me down & gets my attention. "Hey homes, your front end is messed up (yes he was mexican, no he didn't say hey homes...let me tell the story. HA!) I can fix that for you right now for $200". I'm like huh?? The Scooby Doo "arrruuuu??" However it sounds. ANYWAY, we pull over & I'm apprehensive because I have absolutely no clue who this guy is. So I got that thang cocked on the side just in case (pause & I'm JOKING!!!) but I am a little weary. Come to find out dude is a mechanic & works independently for different shops across the city & decided to #1 make a quick buck & #2 be a upstanding citizen...while making a quick buck. He & his wife (who knew just as much, if not more about cars than he did) fixed my car in 15 minutes & I talked him down to $140.
I got a deal for 1/8 of what I would've paid for the car if I had went through a body shop. SMH. Praise God anyway...so to celebrate, here is Chevy Impala Music.
Chevy Impala Music
8:48 AM
Thursday, July 22, 2010
New freestyle I'm dropping sometime this week (whenever I get a day off), here's a preview bundled with random boobery
in the studio last night after waking up at 5:30am & working 13 hours straight. I came home, laid this down & wanted to preview it for you guys & catch up w/ you. It was late (11 is late on a weekday shut up lol) & I was sleepy, hence the reason I didn't go too hard on the lighting. Spare me your sambo jokes, lol.
in the studio last night after waking up at 5:30am & working 13 hours straight. I came home, laid this down & wanted to preview it for you guys & catch up w/ you. It was late (11 is late on a weekday shut up lol) & I was sleepy, hence the reason I didn't go too hard on the lighting. Spare me your sambo jokes, lol.
Chevy Impala Music (Preview)
7:47 AM
Thursday, July 15, 2010
As I'm typing, my house is totally silent. I often come home to a house void of sound & I love it. My (very small) apartment isn't much, but I've learned to appreciate it. It's my refuge, my cave, my hole in the ground where I can get away. Among several things (that I will talk about in this blog) I've learned to appreciate silent screams. This time last year told a much different tale. A tale up until now I've truhfully been embarassed to tell. But with all that's happened today, I FINALLY understand the reason for the journey. Let's start at the beginning.
I wasn't happy. I had mentally left the relationship months ago. My soul was gone; not with me, or her. It was just floating. And that night I had made the decision that I was gonna find it & bring it back home. Though she said I was physical with her, emotionally she put me in a full body cast. Spiritually?? Pfffffffffffft. Jesus who? And why would this so-called God allow me to get powerbombed through a flaming table repeatedly? Though I questioned & grumbled at God, I was too scared of His wrath to abandon the one thing I thought He would never forgive me for. But in one split second I decided to be selfish. I lost weight "for God", I lost my smile "for God", I fell behind on my bills "for God", I failed to provide for my children "for God". I looked at this woman that promised God that she would honor me, as she belittled & threatened me, I read my phone & saw the text threats from her mother & told God "time out. I'm not working for you right now."
I grabbed a duffle bag full of shoes (cuz I'm petty like that), a suitcase full of clothes & a PS3 & I walked out the house. I called my brother & best friend & let him know what happened & I promised myself I'd never look back.
I always say 2009 was my hardest year ever. But 2010 has it beat by a long shot. 2009 I could blame my issues on someone else. This year it was just me. Me, God & a clean slate. I moved into my one room shack with the same things I left my 3 bedroom townhome with. I slept on a twin mattress my pastor gave me. I went from watching 200 cable channels on a big screen to watching 6 channels on a television as big as my foot. I ate pre-cooked chicken & boil-in-a-bag rice, $1.25 Tostinos pizzas & drank $1 Tropicana juices. I wore every stitch of clothing I had at least 3 times before I could afford to go to the laundromat. And my kids. The only two people in this world that brought me sanity didn't need to be anywhere near me.
All I had was a Blackberry & an iPod full of beats.
You know the Dreaming Out Loud story, so I'll skip that. I remember in 2008 I asked God to strengthen my faith. Hardest question I've ever asked. How do I trust a Man I've never seen? I'd hear Him speak (through others, He & I hadn't talked before) so I at least knew He was hanging around to some degree. And I saw Him work in the lives of my friends & family. And I continued to be selfish & wanted to experience that for myself.
One year later.
That one room shack is fully furnished. Plus some. And I paid little to nothing for everything. I've been promoted twice in one year at my job. I also got offered a second job today. One of the largest independent record labels contacted me. To date I've released three projects that have collectively moved 8,000+ units. I'm not bitter, I'm happier than I've been in years. No, everything isn't in order. No everything isn't where it needs to be. This journey is NOT over. But I sit in silence & I can hear cheering & chanting. Everytime I failed the jeers came from my own section. And only one person sat in that part of the stadium...me.
I used to wonder if my split second decision was wrong. And I wondered if I had stuck it out where would I be. And now I know...dead. And to some extent, that night a part of me did die. And you just read his eulogy.
I wasn't happy. I had mentally left the relationship months ago. My soul was gone; not with me, or her. It was just floating. And that night I had made the decision that I was gonna find it & bring it back home. Though she said I was physical with her, emotionally she put me in a full body cast. Spiritually?? Pfffffffffffft. Jesus who? And why would this so-called God allow me to get powerbombed through a flaming table repeatedly? Though I questioned & grumbled at God, I was too scared of His wrath to abandon the one thing I thought He would never forgive me for. But in one split second I decided to be selfish. I lost weight "for God", I lost my smile "for God", I fell behind on my bills "for God", I failed to provide for my children "for God". I looked at this woman that promised God that she would honor me, as she belittled & threatened me, I read my phone & saw the text threats from her mother & told God "time out. I'm not working for you right now."
I grabbed a duffle bag full of shoes (cuz I'm petty like that), a suitcase full of clothes & a PS3 & I walked out the house. I called my brother & best friend & let him know what happened & I promised myself I'd never look back.
I always say 2009 was my hardest year ever. But 2010 has it beat by a long shot. 2009 I could blame my issues on someone else. This year it was just me. Me, God & a clean slate. I moved into my one room shack with the same things I left my 3 bedroom townhome with. I slept on a twin mattress my pastor gave me. I went from watching 200 cable channels on a big screen to watching 6 channels on a television as big as my foot. I ate pre-cooked chicken & boil-in-a-bag rice, $1.25 Tostinos pizzas & drank $1 Tropicana juices. I wore every stitch of clothing I had at least 3 times before I could afford to go to the laundromat. And my kids. The only two people in this world that brought me sanity didn't need to be anywhere near me.
All I had was a Blackberry & an iPod full of beats.
You know the Dreaming Out Loud story, so I'll skip that. I remember in 2008 I asked God to strengthen my faith. Hardest question I've ever asked. How do I trust a Man I've never seen? I'd hear Him speak (through others, He & I hadn't talked before) so I at least knew He was hanging around to some degree. And I saw Him work in the lives of my friends & family. And I continued to be selfish & wanted to experience that for myself.
One year later.
That one room shack is fully furnished. Plus some. And I paid little to nothing for everything. I've been promoted twice in one year at my job. I also got offered a second job today. One of the largest independent record labels contacted me. To date I've released three projects that have collectively moved 8,000+ units. I'm not bitter, I'm happier than I've been in years. No, everything isn't in order. No everything isn't where it needs to be. This journey is NOT over. But I sit in silence & I can hear cheering & chanting. Everytime I failed the jeers came from my own section. And only one person sat in that part of the stadium...me.
I used to wonder if my split second decision was wrong. And I wondered if I had stuck it out where would I be. And now I know...dead. And to some extent, that night a part of me did die. And you just read his eulogy.
Reflection Eternal (One Year Later)
11:42 PM
