These Birds Stay Thirsty

...And hungry, apparently.

Since August of 2015, I've witnessed birds poop on...
1. The ground in front of me, a few inches away from my foot. 
2. The trunk of my car right before I manually opened it.
3. The hood of my car, about 30 minutes after a car wash.

Gotta catch em all?

4. My Panama Jack hat while I was at the beach. Thankfully, I wasn't wearing it at the time.

It looks similar to this.

5. My shirt while I was relaxing poolside on my vacation.

I also had an incident where I was driving down a highway and a bird flew directly into my eye line before pulling up at my windshield and flew away. I'm pretty sure that was a sign from a person in my life who passed away recently. Other than that occasion, I don't know why I've been having these interactions with birds so often. Maybe the bird is my spirit animal (I always thought it'd be, like, a jaguar, or a puppy).

According to this article, the reason why it's a positive thing when bird feces land on you or your stuff is because good fortune should be coming your way afterwards. If this is true, I'd like to cash in on that. Because I could definitely use some. Preferably, before more excrement rains down from the skies while I'm wearing a tuxedo or something.

This kid feels my pain.

Highlights of CTR2, Part 7: The Sunspot Team

Check The Recipe 2 is my latest mixtape which features 18 musical talents from the 781 area and beyond. I'll be giving some background info on two of the people involved in CTR2 in this entry. Sit back and take in some insight on the Recipe. This is the final entry of the Highlights of CTR2 series.

This was the only way I was going to end this series. There wouldn't have been a Check The Recipe at all if it hadn't been for the time and experience I've had studying, learning, and observing how these guys work; how they approach writing a song, deciding how to deliver, which lyrics would be best used and when. As I explained in a previous post, after years of gladly producing and working behind the scenes for mixtapes and albums, I had the idea of putting something out there that I could call my own. After the success the first Check The Recipe, I was already set to work on the second chapter of the series

J-Dub was an integral part of the creation of the Elite Eight and helped to dictate the initial idea of Still Raw. Runna lent his vocal energy to the songs "Lost Thoughts" and "Go Get Her," which was, originally, one of the very first beats I wanted as part of Check The Recipe 2. Runna also contributed in the sultry "Thinking About You," a self-contained story of a couple attempting to rekindle the heat in their relationship.

Thright Hook, known at the time of the release as Right Hook, was a major element in the creation of CTR 2. Hook was instrumental in developing the feel and pacing of the project. He also made a footprint on the vocal side of things, as he collaborated with many different artists, as well as writing his own song with a dancehall/reggaeton flavor entitled "My Way, Your Way." During the making of the mixtape album, C.Luk was working on the promotion of his release, "The Dead C Scrolls: Manuscript One." The vocal stylings from Check the Recipe 2 and creativity of the sounds helped the Mic Controller make his decision to start a live band, along with The Chef, an easier one. Shortly after the release of CTR 2, the gears were already in motion for the creation of Sunspot's live band: Not Sure Community.

Highlights of CTR2, Part 6: Caleb & Chyna

Check The Recipe 2 is my latest mixtape which features 18 musical talents from the 781 area and beyond. I'll be giving some background info on some of the people involved in CTR2 in this entry. Sit back and take in some insight on the Recipe.

Chyna appeared on CTR 2 on Still Raw, holding her own as the only female emcee on the song. Chyna brings a style that's allows her to bring more of a hardcore style to her delivery, while still being able to use wordplay in a clever way. I've had the privilege of working with Chyna while she was still developing and discovering what her sound was, as she worked on mixtapes and other hip-hop projects.

Many of you know Caleb from the music group Fame or Juliet. The group has taken the underground hip-hop world and turned it upside down with the meaningful messages and eclectic rhythms in their music. Caleb made two appearances on CTR 2. He was featured on Still Raw as a part of the Elite Eight, along with Chyna. Caleb also released a track, a duet with Thright Hook, entitled Pot of Gold, which also saw a collaboration with Seth Chaos and I on the production side of things.

Both Chyna and Caleb have been featured on BET's 106 & Park; Chyna, as a participant of the Freestyle Friday rap battles, and Caleb, with Fame or Juliet, on the Wild Out Wednesday talent competition. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work alongside both acts, and hope to do so again in the future.

Highlights of CTR2, Part 5: The In$idaz, Shizz, A-Class

Check The Recipe 2 is my latest mixtape which features 18 musical talents from the 781 area and beyond. I'll be giving some background info on some of the people involved in CTR2 in this entry. Sit back and take in some insight on the Recipe.

The In$idaz are a rap duo from Lynn MA. They're making their name known in the hip-hop community with beats to make you dance and a back-and-forth rap style that makes any groove they ride THAT much more infectious. The In$idaz influence was felt in both installments of the CTR series. You can hear them together on the high-energy song "How We Party" on CTR2.

Shizz made his impact felt on CTR 2 with Still Raw, which features seven other emcees (collectively known on the track as the Elite Eight). This talented lyricist brings a smooth delivery to his approach, yet he still accentuates the energy of the beat. I thought that this quality made him unique and, therefore, a perfect candidate to blend with the Elite Eight.

A-Class is a classic example of the old adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Hailing from Salem, MA, Class first linked up with Sunspot Productions on the One Night Stand project, featuring on Right Hook's "Mamacita." The positive feedback from that song led to a second team up between the two performers, which is how "IDK" was created. Here's hoping for future collaborations between Right Hook and A-Class!

Highlights of CTR2, Part 4: Ebbony Davis & POES

Check The Recipe 2 is my latest mixtape which features 18 musical talents from the 781 area and beyond. I'll be giving some background info on two of the people involved in CTR2 in this entry. Sit back and take in some insight on the Recipe.

At just over 18 years old, Ebbony Davis, who sings Air to Breathe on CTR2, has proven that she is a youth with ambition. She first began recording songs under the tutelage of G. Jonz and Thright Hook about 7 years ago, but she's been singing since she could talk. Since then, Ebbony has been honing her craft with voice lessons and has become a more well-rounded entertainer by joining Runna's ITM Step Squad. As of this writing, she has already sung with one of Berklee College's Music Groups at Boston's former Mayor Menino's retirement party. Below is footage of Ebbony with others on the first of Berklee's "Corner Spot" video-bio series.

The man known as POES (People Only Envy Strength) has worked with Sunspot for years. He first made waves with the Sunspot team by performing on the first Check the Recipe project, blessing us with lyricism for "You Like It" and "Huntin For The Game". Later, he impressed the masses again with his production skills by composing 8 out of 13 songs on One Night Stand, Sunspot's first R&B/pop album. Since moving to New York, POES has not slowed down as he has linked up with Perfect Connect and other notable names in the music industry. While in New York, he was still able to help out G. Jonz by laying down lyrics to the CTR2 song, "Nobody Has To Know". He's a talent who won't let anything stop him from his goals. Below, POES takes a Moment to Speak in the heart of the city.