To Exist

 

    INTENT

  It's been quite a while since I've written here on this blog, but a topic worth writing came to mind. It regards observations that I feel are very profound in the world. The other day, when speaking to a neighbor, he stated to me and a friend that it's difficult to build reliance on many scriptural prophecies that can't be confirmed with secular evidence and documents. I expressed to him that I too struggled with that for some time in the past. But over time, what built up my faith in those accounts, was not only the events that can be confirmed in secular writings and historical findings today, and the fact that the writings of the scriptures themselves are cohesive, but also the observance in the world itself, and how the scriptures lay that out.

     There are many who are either lost in, or confused with the notion that good and evil are two equal and opposite forces. But there is actually enough evidence in the universe to disprove that. A theory that I like to propose to people confused about the counter approach to an argument, is to play it out, and project it over a vast period of time, and see where it lays. If you look at the stars and the celestial composition, there are countless cycles of breakdown and rebuilding that take place. Yet, with that considered, the cycle is based on creation. The inverse would be a process of annihilation. Don't confuse the two. It's just like the process of building muscle. You have a destructive process which results in the loss of and death of muscle ultimately, and you have the priming process which includes a preliminary breakdown, followed by an anabolic growth. 

  The forces of evil that stand in opposition to good, work on that inverse. If you projected the intent of that spectrum, you would ultimately have a universe that would have either never existed, or that would have long combusted upon itself. That's why the scriptures say to observe creation to perceived God's glory. The very designs you witness, fundamentally could not be conceived by a destructive mind, nor can they be overcome by one.

   When I transpose this theory to human relations, it's interesting to observe. I have a saying I developed over the years, "You will never find a proud demon." What that essentially means is that no matter how wicked the individual or even demons and evil forces, there is always a turning or justification that takes place at the tail end. It's interesting to see that ever present sense of justice. No matter how much there is an attempt to hide it, it's always there. There is another saying that people have used for many ages too, "No rest for the wicked." This is meant in a more general sense, that since we are all imperfect, and essentially wicked, our present state makes it impossible to have rest. While there is truth in that saying, it fundamentally goes even deeper than that.

 While everyone imperfect falls short and is "wicked", there are those who desire peace and those who desire war to put it in a grand sense. While there is a selfish nature within all humans and creatures that seeks advantage and comfort, there are those that conscienciously choose destruction in some form. And they try to convince themselves that the course has every bit the viable chance for success as does seeking peace. But even they will never completely believe that. This scales from the bully at a school to the tyrannical dictator. It is never enough. If you take a willing evildoer and a person devoid of that desire and placed them each in isolated environments, the evildoer would self destruct first in every instance. Now the term evildoer can be confusing because it would seem that it's subjectively associating a typecast with a label that is universal, but it's not being used here in its usual general sense. It doesn't mean a sinner or imperfect person. It means an individual who chooses to destroy as a path of life or approaches situations and others with malintent. And malintent can be open malice or simply the absence of good intent, where it becomes its most insidious. In cases of the latter, these individuals may honestly not see the path they're on. But the fundamental question has to be asked in all situations, "Why am I really doing this?" We tend not to ask ourselves this enough in life. 

  When one is an evil-doer in this sense, they won't have any peace, only a slow self-destruction. And it leaves them in a state where in a desperate attempt to find daily balance, a new victim must be consumed. There is the constant need to attempt to hurl the negative feelings of their path at an object or person, like hurling water out of a sinking boat- for survival. But the fight for survival is within. They are incapable of just existing within themselves. This mirrors the celestial example earlier. If the universe were founded on that principle, or if it was a principle that was even equal in power, all things would either not exist, or exist differently altogether. It's difficult to imagine.

 But then something magical happens that proves the whole theory. Something at the end of the process, which sums all of this up. That negative energy that is needed to sustain it all, has to be met with its equivalent to recharge and continue to thrive. It'll seek it out in increasing desperation. But when it can't find it, it begins to die off. If you can imagine an atomic reaction or relationship, it's as this:

  An unstable molecule seeks to maintain an unstable state. It finds other energy that is equivalent in a molecule. If the molecule is stable, it will destabilize it, to create the native environment where it can say to itself on a chemical level, "I have to be unstable, as my surrounding is unstable." If the molecule it attaches to won't destabilize, it has to find another that will, over time, or risk stabilizing itself.

   In social relationships it goes back to a proverb we all know well as kids. Our mothers and teachers would tell us if you ignore the bully, he'll go away. It's very simply stated, but essentially it covers this principle. Without the return of energy, the bully has nothing to bounce off of to justify the perpetual existence of being a bully. Over time, he is forced to stabilize, if he can't create conflict.  How bad they are determined to exist in instability is the difference between whether they allow themselves to stabilize or choose not to exist. The latter requires some kind of detachment from human nature. It happens at various stages. Goading and prodding for reaction, to blaming and incriminating the child, to even slandering them in hopes of fueling the need and justification to be the bully by enticing some return of energy. Notice that the serpent had to dress up the rebellion in Eden to look Just, before selling it to Eve. This is because wickedness is never naturally palatable, even to the wicked.

   Some people take pathetic and mundane disdain and politics, and hold them up like a chalice of eternal power, when in reality it is the most useless way you can possibly exist in the infinitesimal moment you possess. 

  But to get back to the initial subject, these are the things that actually build my faith and resolve. In school, I always had to see the practical application of a principle to appreciate it, and that's what the universe does. As I see prophecy outline and show complete accuracy, it builds on my confidence that the rest of it will play out in time. It also gives me perspective on how small the petty mundane world is in reality as well. All things today are just a blink in time.

End of a Long Road

 

    

           Yes, this is NOT the album cover. 😄But it is an alternate cover that almost made the project coming out on 5/18/22. I'll let you see the cover when it releases. This album is titled, "READ ABOVE." Seriously, this is probably literally the last project I will do, at least as a solo artist. And it is not due to the same reasons I always retire. This is a composite of several very big factors, including time, resources, and accomplishments.

  I thought I would complete my last project as its own venture, and while this is definitely its own animal as a record, it is the 4th and final part of "The People vs. J. Addae" album series. THE PEOPLE VS. J. ADDAE- NEW YORK TIMES. This one was a return home to New York, and I wanted to include everything I could in one project. I was originally taking a lazy approach to the record as far as I'm concerned now. I was going to do about 7 or 8 tracks, with some avante garde work and a couple of vamps and be done. It was more so piggy backing off of the third album in the series, "This Man is an Island." I was also in part, running out of ideas. Then I got a boost of help. Thanks, and shout out to Zach, my bassist, who came together on this one and offered some bass and flute work on the project. We both added some flute actually, and after it's released, I'll do a deeper dive into the creative process and themes behind each track.

  The record has more ballads than I've ever put on a single record- 4. Also, it has more piano performances than ever - 3 of them. There is some scatting on here as well, which I don't do often. I opened up some new drum kits to expand the sound palette, and did  more free drum loops, and full drum tracks, which was very difficult for me. There is one or 2 songs on here with Dave Brubeck-like, odd time signatures. I love doing those kind of tunes, and usually I did them more on some of my earler jazz records. Of the 3 Avante Garde pieces, 2 of them harken back to Standing Still Symphony X, and Native Son, and have a dark, powerful and compelling presence. I'm really proud of those pieces, because they are the hardest to make, but also the heart of this record. The last several albums of my career have been about showcasing the freedom and ultimate power of experimental music or the Avante Garde. I started with SSSX, and continued from there. This album wouldn't have happened without that drive, and you'll feel how the energy of those tracks takes the album back over when they play. It goes from the to easy-to-follow flow of more conventional tracks, to the fluctuating, yet methodical explosions that force you to give in. The album starts with the Western tune, and goes right into the first Avante Garde Piece. The second one follows right after, and the last one is after the mid-point. I was concerned about the continuity of the album, but in the end it reads like a soundtrack.

  Towards the end of the project, I really thought it appropriate to include tracks that were dedicated to my parents and my siblings, since it is a homecoming album, and I haven't really done any tracks like that before. The album closes with those records. And I wanted to do a Western track, which has eluded me, and I open the album with this one, which I think you'll like a lot. The record is full of a huge amount of compositions and soundtrack-like motifs. I was surprised how many songs are memorable to the point of singing and humming them throughout the day. In fact, I think this album is more like that than any other that I've done, and that was very unexpected. What I didn't quite get nailed down, was a Full Fledged Flamenco song. Flamenco is such a hard musical form for me right now. I understand how to maneuver in the chords, but I just have such a hard time capturing the rhythm and feel. That was the one disappointment on this album. The song that was to be a Flamenco, ended up being a slow, dreamy waltz, that doubles as a ballad. It is somewhat the star tune of the record, and Zach helped big time with my arrangement.

  What a shock it was to find that the album barely fits on a single disc. What was once going to be a borderline EP, is now a 70 minute album. I haven't done a physical release since "Laws Within" as it is a very expensive project. I like to have physical pieces of each of my records, but as of now there are 5 of my albums, including this one, that have no physical release. Releasing the album period is expensive. To physically press it is even more ridiculous. Perhaps if I get more royalty money, I will use it to press a Vinyl, which is what I did with "Love Fist." For that, I ask you please keep listening relentlessly to my collection on whatever platform you prefer.

  This has been a very rewarding process, and some of you have watched from a distance, but never really got an understanding of what goes into it. Sometimes you see documentaries of Nas or DMX, and how they go through the study process to make their records. What musicians like myself go through is even crazier, because we are composers, arrangers, performers, writers, and master/mixers. We wear many hats, and compose on a more intricate level as well. I've done what musicians do, with the added fact that I'm an orator, and produce poems, spoken word, and rhyme. It is a wild ride.

  When this is done, I will do a video walkthrough of the process. Hopefully, this project can get reviewed, but regardless, it has grown on me, and it will grow on you as well. Look out for it on 5/18/22.

Certificate of Nothing

 

  There appears to be a conundrum when it comes to skillsets and certification base in this country in particular. There are worldwide, so many licenses that are accredited nationally, technical certifications specific to disciplines, and overarching degrees, sitting at the top of the heap, which encompass a broad and high level didactic of a major branch of study. Time and sense have proven that having certifications in specific disciplines is the optimal environment for productivity. We've seen over the last few decades, countless employers in the medical field, and technology field, immensely regret not having certified and trained professionals in high pressure or even legal situations. Having a pig-skin holder filling a position, is one of the stupidest approaches. It's cost money and more.

  I started working in partnership with a major vendor/company that requires extensive and specific certification to service their equipment, which makes total sense. In total, I have to achieve about 3, each one having a full-blown curriculum. As I looked over the material, I recalled a discussion I had with someone in my IT department a while back. He told me that if I'm looking to pursue a position in the department, I should make sure I go back to school and achieve at least my associate degree in Computer Science. I let him know that I have several colleagues that had tenure in the field with no degree and had thriving careers. He continued to say that as things stand today, you will likely not even be considered unless they see evidence of some kind of pig-skin. and they don't care what it's in. They just need to see that you pledged to the country on some kind of university level before you are initiated.

  It really makes me wonder about what the certifications really mean, when you have the university clause acting as a gatekeeper to keep non-degree holders out. At this point, I have certifications in SQL, AWS, A+, and other minor courses. Even seasoned IT personnel who have degrees will tell you in honesty, that the certifications are harder and more telling of actually applicable knowledge. It is far easier to go to a university and sit through a base-level entry computer science course, and grab an Associate's Degree, than it is to learn, sit and pass a specified Certification exam in a work-based field, covering extensive and specific information. The only other difference is that the degree will take up time and money you don't have. When analyzing profit and risk, it makes no logical sense for an employer to take on an employee with no applicable knowledge,  who will demand more with their degree, unless they were told or mandated to do so, which is something I'm beginning to believe is happening. Many of  these employers would rather leave a position vacant than hire a certified person without a degree. And it makes sense to assume they are being threatened to do so, because principally it offers zero benefit and greater risk and cost to them.

  I remember in Radiology school, when medical facilities would actually look down on college based programs because they offered minimal practical training opposed to hospital based ones like the one I attended. Some courses and clinicals weren't even available. You pile on several prerequisites and fringe material from the actual course. What the heck is Psyche 101 going to do for operating medical imaging equipment or computers?

   I really wonder about certifications. And it isn't because I think they're inherently wrong. Quite the opposite. I feel they don't have nearly the weight they should. Perhaps if universities sponsored and supported them more, there could be more integration between the two. Every Cert I ever took was challenging and comprehensive. It would be good for that to mean something in the work field.

New Art Piece

 This is entitled, "Held From."

It symbolizes much of my world.

White Lust, and Black Fear

 

   Unfortunately, Virtually Everybody is Racist.

 HERE IS A PROJECT:

    Look at the above picture. Take a minute for real. Be honest with yourself. What do you see? What did you look at to determine that? Why?

    I've broached this topic on numerous occasions, and just like many  before it, it comes to roost over time, and I go from insane to making complete sense years later. Joe Rogan is the latest target in a social situation on "race". The issue is that the list ends when it shouldn't. Prior, we had Hulk Hogan, and Roseanne. Numerous celebrities have come under fire. What I want to discuss here is the fact that Teddy Atlas said something by accident that was deeper than anything I've heard from people in recent history. He said on his podcast, "Race has been a blight on humanity." He meant to say racism, but his mistake was actually far more correct.

  Remember a few years ago, there was a woman named Rachel Dolezal, who worked with the NAACP, and came under fire for posing/passing as "black". She was removed from her position or resigned, which I can't remember. The entire community was outraged, and she was basically labeled as either a racist, or race baitor, or at times racially insensitive. She made a comment to the effect of "Humans made race." Those weren't her exact words, but she drove home a similar point that Teddy did, and was further roasted for it afterward. The fact is that humans did create the concept of racial separations at some point in history, and washed away the truth of a single common ancestor.

   Today even in 2022, with how progressive everyone likes to think they are, virtually everyone does the same paper bag test that was done in the early 19th and 20th century. The deception is the fact that we assume only a few seedy people in society do it, when that is far from the truth. I was watching a drama series the other day, along with other programs, and when I paid attention, I noticed how in media, whenever a character falls to the black side of the paper bag spectrum, they assume the general hard label of a black- either male or female. When they fall anywhere over the other side of the spectrum, the label becomes regionally based on country or part of country. Also, at that point, many races begin to vacillate between a middle, and being absorbed into "white". I find it interesting, because it isn't just in cinema. It is in everyday life. When you see someone, if you are honest with yourself, you pass a silent algorithm over them that includes culture, visible skin color classification, and status in society, that makes you decide on their classification falling into one of two categories. If they are of low status, the paper back constraints tighten, and if they fall to far to the dark side of the spectrum, they are cast down with the "blacks." If they are of social status, the paper bag algorithm expands, and unless far to the "black" side, they are up for consideration of being classified more specifically according to region, and are granted access to the "white" side, with any caucasian affiliations accentuated. Not to say there isn't a very small minority- pardon the pun, that aren't prisoner to this mindset, as I have met some. It isn't common. I personally do not fall into this thinking because I've educated myself not only on race, but on humanity's genetic roots.

  One of the comments that Joe Rogan made was that it is physically inaccurate to call anyone "black" or "white" for that matter because it's scientifically inaccurate. That's true point, but it underscores the fact that this paper bag test that everybody does, doesn't give nearly the information you all tell yourselves it does. When it comes to racial education or genetics, most are scared to even dare dive into the subject, but it's actually very interesting. I've brought this out before, but one thing I notice is that there is a great deal of white lust and black fear. I never really noticed until recent times how much fear plays a part. Of course you have stereotypes in so many cases, but there is a heavy marginalization that takes place the minute the moniker of "black" is introduced. It's a sea of mystery, where every extreme nightmare is realized. And with that comes avoidance. When the moment of sympathy calls for it, so many cultures get in touch with their blackness and how oppressed they are. When the novelty has passed, a mad dash is made back to "whiteness."

  There was a study on some Indonesian cultures and other cultures from Pacific Islanders and even other regions of the earth, where they found out that those people shared African Ancestry with Africans as far back as they were able to go. They were puzzled because of their intrenched preconceptions. This fact was true before they discovered it. I could take 35 years to accept that the sky is above me. It doesn't become so at that point, even if I'm 9 billion people.

  The thing is that I'm not trying to argue everything coming from one race or another. The argument is that the concept is imaginary period. We all have this imagery of the progressive world moving about and making great strides in all fields, and that imagery is tied to "white." Outside of that, in a little crevice of the African Continent, what composes the "black" race, were merely percolating in place and having no real part in history. Then some who are more conscious of the truth, take it to an extreme of complete "blackness." In those times, there were no separations made, splitting a black and white line down the middle, and fighting to pull recruits over to a side. That is a new-world, idiotic, yet "progressive" concept. In truth, it is accurate to say that the assumption that the individuals that took part in activities in what is the mediterranean region today, which is where much of early history took place, were all or mostly of fair skin, is completely false and scientifically impossible due to the natural climate, region and the historical evidence which is still present today. But that's not make an argument to a particular side. The fact is that the entire concept of race has only served to be a weapon.

   Personally, I never knew how racially stupid people in general were until recently. Being racially ignorant is just as dangerous as being racist. And the point is you should be non-racial, bottom line. Even drawing from personal experience, I've gotten amusement out of watching the wild assumptions that people draw about me when they run their silent algorithm. It's to the point where I don't elaborate on myself, because it's clear that even in explaining, their understanding is so poor, it wouldn't move one bit. That's why it's a topic I don't even discuss with people. In the end, before finding the next Joe Rogan, find the current YOU, and change it.

The Escapism of Games

 

ESCAPISM

  A Youtuber that I follow recently did a video talking about his loss of a need to play RPG's at this point in life. He's in his mid 40's, and I understood a lot of what he said. He said that in his childhood, it was a form of escapism, which I can relate too. He also touched on things I also experienced, with even in adulthood, RPG's helping through extremely trying times in personal life. I do believe that there are several factors to the decline in the compulsion to play the genre. And the truth is that they all equally contribute. The era we are in, the time factor as we mature, the evolution of gaming, and the interrelation of escapism all play a role.

    When I was a teenager and even prior to that, I formed a love for RPG's as my favorite genre. I remember collecting the early Final Fantasy games as a child and while loving the story, I didn't use it for escape. Even as a teenager, I still didn't use them to fulfill that purpose, but more as a challenge. I enjoyed getting through Final Fantasy Mystic Quest and Super Mario RPG as well as many other great RPG's of the mid 90's. It was moreso in my early 20's that I found that new fulfillment for them. I had a few trying periods where more major issues developed in life, and RPG's of the mid 2000's and into the XBOX 360 era were very pivotal in getting me through extremely tough times. It's the days of games like Lost Odyssey, that I was grateful for very quality and immersive projects at that time that both required a great deal of attention, and had a great deal of detail as well. This made it easy to fall in.

  The Nintendo Switch was a completely needed console, in my opinion, for working adults who want to game. Before it came out, a cinematic experience with a deep and memorable game was pretty much extinct for me, as I am rarely in front of my office TV to sit for gaming sessions anymore. However, there are times when are in commute, or idling at a quiet location, even at work, and that's when the system shines. The PS Vita did a good job, but the Switch is receiving more support and high-end games. It isn't that we outgrow escapism. What happens is that most have to give up on it due to being overwhelmed by life. The thought of sitting down for an 80 hour RPG like Legend of Dragoon is daunting to me today, not because I've lost interest, but because if I have to be in a fixed location, I know that it isn't going to happen. Right now, I'm playing a very involved RPG on Switch, called Astral Chain. The fact that I can take it with me, and put on a headset while on a plane ride or sitting in an office at work, makes it very awesome.

   So I don't agree with his stance exactly. Escapism is still there as long as you don't develop a closed mind, which happens so easily today. There are plenty of kids I know who have no imagination or passion at all. It's become cool to be that way. But popularity doesn't decide value. It is also great that there are plenty of developers out there still making some games worthy of delving into. Thanks to the Switch, I can find time to play.

Industry of Crooks- Destroying Artist Revenue

 CROOKS:

THIS WAS PROPHECIED IN BOOK ONE OF MAGNUM OPUS: THOSE SILENT

  This is a topic that other artists have brought up, but I have to say, it is one that needs to have a huge issue raised. I'm going to include an image here that I want you to look at:

  This is a revenue statement for my total artist sales, streaming and purchase, over the last few months. Somehow, publishing companies have, with all the advertisement funds they collect, scaled down what they pay the artist to actual microscopic fractions of a penny for each digital and physical transaction. How this is legal is beyond me, but this is a very top-heavy structure. It is disgusting, because I believe they have lowered the pay-rate exponentially in the past year. When I first began being published by CD-Baby, I was able to see royalty revenue over the course of a year range between $50 to $350. As of the past year, I have yet to receive a royalty payment, and currently have accrued only $24 over the last year and a half. And it is because of the scale you see hear. Some transactions are literally $0.00001. That is criminal and should not even be allowed by law.

  Think of all the cost that goes into producing an album. From equipment, to mastering, publishing, advertising and showcasing. Much of these costs actually get absorbed into the pockets of these same publishing companies and distributors, who have their back door deals that they keep secret. Every time you pay a membership to a company such as Spotify or Amazon, you are one of millions creating a revenue stream that dwarfs its cost of maintenance. The executives at the top and employees that sit twiddling their thumbs are able to receive salaries that are substantial, while the companies' stocks grow. And as an artist, you are not even a slight shareholder of any of this. We pay flat fees in order to have a publisher release our albums to the distributors and they split the pot. It would take near a decade of consistent distribution for me to see a return on my end, while well within that time, everyone else eats off of advertisement and my net sales.

  What needs to happen is a class action lawsuit. I've heard big name artists complain about this arrangement, and now I truly understand why. It isn't that I'm not getting sufficient streams. It's quite the contrary. I came to find that I have been getting a healthy amount of overseas sales and American sales. What I've seen done in the land of algorithms is blatantly illegal. If you look at the profile pages on a typical spotify page, they are structured to display numbers only when you surpass 1000 hits on a record. I tracked my movement on my artist account, and I found that they have suppressed my count completely and none of my tracks give a count, even though they surpass that number. In fact, that data only shows when I look at the raw data in the books. They do this in order to surpress my exposure and views. It's the same way they tailor Youtube. If you look for an artist such as myself, who hasn't played the "game", you'll actually find it is impossible to access things traditionally on search engines. They make it so that only direct links will work so that you can't grow your own revenue, while you keep producing just enough for them to rape you. 

  When I'm able, I'm going to launch an all-out attack on the industry, and I aim to do some damage.