Hello Again,
This has been a heavy, heavy week since last writing. I write this with a tear in my eye, as I head alone on to the next city, but I find solace in the fact that these experiences are mine and can’t be taken away from me. I just spent five plus days and four shows with three of the dopest rappers I’ve come face to face with, as well as ever heard but I’m getting ahead of myself. I spent a few days at Pierre’s having a great time with my French family. I helped Elise garden and mowed the grass one after noon. I started a few songs for the Rob Viktum album and recorded one. Pierre and I talked a lot about our sound and he is working on music for the week and a half I am gone. I had a ticket to go to St. Etienne at 10 am and after staying up way too late I was real slow getting to the train and it pulled away as I was confirming the reservations the promote had made for me. I had to wait for an hour or so but got on the next train which wasn’t direct like my reservation but the good thing was that I had an email from The Mole telling me his train schedule and I was pretty sure I could find him before the next train. I waited at the top of the stairs of the platform and sure enough an orange hated Mole almost walked right past me as he was expecting me. It was a good time to catch up with my old friend, we hadn’t seen each other since touring the west coast in 2005. I bought a new US to Europe power adapter and then traded it for a Mac attachment to the Mole, which was a good trade for me. We made it to the station and borrowed a girl’s phone and called Gaspard (the promoter). He picked us up with Pierre (who is an amazing photographer with a real nice camera). We went to the venue and set up, sound check was the hardest of the tour because we couldn’t get their di’s to work luckily I brought my own and we made it happen. The sound guy worked his ass off to fix it too so props to him. We were served a wonderful meal from Chad, I believe it was called Yassa. It was real good and very needed.  Pierre offered to do a photo shoot with a wide angle lens which came out real dope, I’ll be posting them when I get them. The Mole killed it in his crazy costume. I had a lot of fun and backed up one of his songs. I grabbed a chair (as per usual) and a dolly from the back and proceeded to be wild with both items. I took the chair and put one leg hanging off the stage, so there was only three legs on the ground and any weight forward would have sent me tumbling into the crowd. Some concerned audience members tried to warn me of the leg, which was my cue to start balancing and shaking the chair a few minutes into they figured out I knew about it and quit trying to warn me. Thanks, though. I met some people I talked to online before, made a bunch of new friends and met a bunch of people who came to my previous show with Calm.  The cops came for some reason and were trying to be intimidating by rolling like 10 deep. Liking to keep my passport in my pocket I opted to stay inside for most of it but they fussed about whatever then left. We went to Gaspard’s for the afterparty We woke up late and headed to Paris.

I’m getting better at navigating the subways, trains etc so it was a quick trip to Mathieu’s place again. I was exhausted and need to eat. I ran out with Mathieu to meet a friend and when I returned, my new bff Babel Fishh was there. Rap Sleepover! We went out and had beers which were fuckin expensive but at this point it was a night on the town with friends so whatever. We met up with James P Honey and James Reindeer at the place we were playing the next day. Mole made us a great dinner that night and leftovers after the bar. I officially eat eggs again. The next day was a holiday and so nothing was open. We made it to the venue and I found out it was an early show. I wasn’t thrilled to say the least but I didn’t really let it bother me. The guy who set up the show and his girlfriend who worked there were real cool. And so the At The Stake…On Fire tour begins. I opened the night and the crowd was good but as I mentioned before I’ve been spoiled and so opening is a bit rougher then headlining. The next was Babel Fishh who is serious business on the mic. I really crave health competition and this tour has been filled with it. Babel Fishh bodied it. James P Honey and James Reindeer were absolute murder too. The crowd was good and I met some real cool people that I hope to work with in the future. We made the trek back to Mathieu’s and turned on a movie for background sound as I internetted my self to sleep.  Got up slow and late said goodbye to Mole and Babel and I headed to the station to meet the James’ at the rental spot. We got an free upgrade luckily cause it would have been tight other wise. I started the drive to Bordeaux. The key to the car was a plastic car alarm bleeper thing that slid into a slot on the dash and there was a push button stop and start. The car was also a weird design with small windows and a big frame, it felt like we were sunk in the car. We stopped at a gas station and I had a the illest curry soup from a vending machine, I was raving about it so James P and Babel go one too and agreed. I also saw this semi with a southwest desert theme on it, it wrapped around the whole trailer. We got out and walked around waiting for internet so I could call Dorian. We got to the venue and started the beer intake. There was a great meal again in the back room for us. LL Cool Joe opened for us, the James’, Me, then Babel. A bunch of people came from the Calm tour and the 2007 tour, its such a good feeling and sign I’m doing something right. I can’t describe how in sync and well rehearsed the two James’ are with each other and how much sheer fire Babel Fishh spits and how it was seriously something that I personally needed. The crowd was really good as Bordeaux always is and apparently they don’t have sleep in Bordeaux cause I’ve never gotten any there. Wasted at 6 am again with no sight of the party ending I found a place to sleep and did but not before a bottle of white wine. Next day we had off, thank god, So we made our way to Toulouse but didn’t get there till like 12 and my good friend Roma waited up for us. I can’t tell you how many laughs, stupid stories and inside jokes, have been established by this point but these guys’ humor was fantastic. Roma’s spot is real nice and overlooking the river. We were hungry so we ventured out into the city. We found the most proper kebab in the world. They had everything it was a liquor store/kebab/pizzeria/anything else you could want at 2 am store. We got beer and food and watched rap battles. I showed them this one, QP vs Tiger Ty and it was an instant classic to them as well.

Then next day we got up late and walked into the city, James P Honey knew about a few thrift stores in the area so we went exploring. We found a bunch of real dope shit and everyone had a something in their hand but unsure if they should purchase anything on the road. I made an agreement with James P Honey that if he bought the army style vest he wanted I would buy the sunglasses I wanted and we could justify it to each other.
James Reindeer got a cool hat and Babel a Toby Keith, I Love This Bar t shirt.  We walked the city and met Roma back at his place. The show was at the same multimedia store/library I played two years before with Demune and Otem Rellik. This pace is really great, a community space that people have worked very hard to create and maintain. Babel Fishh, Me then the James. The crowd was fun and good sized. I climbed the pole and ripped down other flyers etc. There was one girl who was sitting down, watching but not participating like the rest of the people so I asked everyone to sit down for a song to make her feel a bit more comfortable since we were all being weird and standing. I was surprised but every single person sat down even people walking in the door did as I pointed at them to. A saw a bunch of people from previous years again and the show ended with more on point performances from the others. Roma is a good friend and so it was cool to spend time with him. The next day we headed for the long haul to Strasbourg. I drove the first 4 or 5 hours as Babel navigated, we did a pretty damn good job if I do say so myself, only a few minor turns missed but we ended in the right place, none the less. Another tradition has been to listen to Busy Body by Paul Wall. We stopped somewhere for food at a rest stop restaurant, it had a strange abandoned carnival vibe to it and not it the scooby doo sort of way either. We arrived in Strasbourg and figured our way towards the address, when we got a few blocks away I remember where it was. We were greeted with everything we were needing. We had a few beers and some food and our hosts left for the night. We had been discussing doing a song so around 5 am we started all just throwing out words and phrases from the tour and James Reindeer filtered it into a ridiculous poetic rant. It was daylight when I passed out and awoke to feel like a truck hit me. The energy was real low and weird for everyone the next day but we had a show to do. We went to the venue but stopped at this glorious cathedral to admire the work. We knew that this was our last show as a group and that we needed to record the track. So on my terrible smelling mic in the green room of the venue we each took turns recording parts of the rant we wrote hours before. It came out real good for being on a beta 58 with no mic stand.

The show was at a venue that I heard about last time in Strasbourg that was bigger, a lot bigger actually. There was two openers and then The James’ murderous set followed by Babel Fishh who was dangerous with the banter this eve especially as he kicked his shoes off and explained that no one could steal his shoes because they don’t understand the American sizes, “11 that’s like 30 sizes too small”, It was brilliant. The was thick and surprisingly energetic for a Wednesday night.  A lot of people came to the last show in Strasbourg as well. It was a real fun show and we always get taken care of there. It’s real dope to get more than your guarantee for the night. The next day was the sad goodbye to my Strasbourg friends (also my homie Abusrd and his girlfriend Mathilda, who came to the show on a whim) and Babel Fishh mainly because I will see the James’ again in Paris at the Motionless cd release party. Leo walked me to the station after we all had tea together. I can feel this trip coming to an end and its sad. I could do this for the rest of my life and will. I want to thank everyone who has helped me along the way and for everyone reading these and sending me love and feedback. The Glamorous Life Of Ancient Mith will continue do to your support.