Yinz! First of all, I hope you had a great week. Secondly, wait until you see this #MERCH I recently received. It’s super cool. Super unique. And for a super good cause.
Let me tell you about this organization before I jump into this #MERCH.
One of my longtime friends, like have known since elementary school long, is the co-founder of United Underdogs – a company that works with sports organizations and fans everywhere to protect our environment and improve lives globally. They partner with brands to not only inspire a global sports audience but more importantly to impact the world’s most pressing social and environmental issues. It’s a pretty dope concept.
And what makes this organization even more dope is the fact that they have #MERCH, or as I like to call it – #GLOBALMERCH.
You can purchase a piece of handmade #MERCH – in this case a unique artisan gift – to support. Upon purchase, Underdogs United will contribute one carbon credit – their funding mechanism – to their clean cookstoves project in East Africa to help those breathe cleaner air and save trees from deforestation.
It has been a busy last few days filled with concerts, and I am not mad about it for one second.
Last night I attended the third night of the concert series that make up the BET Experience. The lineup below –
Lil Yachty
Young Thug
Migos
Rae Sremmurd
Gucci Mane
ScHoolboy Q
A$AP Rocky
We missed Lil Yachty but got there just in time for Thugger. Staples Center wasn’t completely full yet so the crowd wasn’t as lit as I expected for Young Thug, but he played a handful of his old and new tracks, keeping the audience satisfied.
Time for Migos. I just saw them last Friday as one of the openers for Future, and once again they did not disappoint. I truly think they are the top hip-hop group in the country right now – from the success of their Culture album to being featured on numerous tracks and making appearances across the board – they’re everywhere. Talk about living your best life.
Can we also talk about how TakeOff needs to take off his pink windbreaker situation and give it to me? And I don’t even wear pink, but it’s everything. Photo cred: Staples Center Twitter
Next up was Rae Sremmurd. Now these two guys really had the crowd lit. From “No Flex Zone” to “Black Beatles” to “Swang” to “No Type” and more, Swae Lee and and Slim Jimmy elevated the energy inside the Staples Center.
Now I was pretty excited to see the next rapper – Gucci Mane. Last night was the second time I’ve seen him live – the first was at Rolling Loud in May. But to see him at Staples Center in a more controlled environment compared to a chaotic outdoor music festival was much more preferred. He performed “Both,” “Lemonade” (one of my favorites), and brought out Migos to perform “Slippery” in addition to a handful of other songs.
The last two acts were ScHoolboy Q and A$AP Rocky. Now I thought A$AP would be the headliner, but the two rappers actually started on stage together. I was all the way down for that.
TDE x A$AP… yes, please.
Wiz Khalifa and Snoop Dogg took this approach Thursday night. They alternated stage time and performed together. This kept the energy going and held your attention as a fan. V smart.
Anyways, ScHoolboy performed “Man of the Year,” “Collard Greens,” “THat Part,” and “Studio” to name a few. A$AP Rocky aka BAE$AP Rocky performed “Electric Body” (with ScHoolboy), “Shabba,” “Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2,” and more.
But nothing, and I mean nothing, could have prepared me or the rest of Staples Center for the final song. ScHoolboy came back out with truly only a few minutes to spare until their ending time of 11:30PM. He took to the mic saying this next song was to those from Compton, Carson, Gardena, etc (Los Angeles cities for those yinzers reading this), and “Humble” started playing.
Everyone knew what this meant…
K I N G K E N D R I CK
For the three minutes Kendrick was on stage, the energy was at PEAK levels. I almost told my friend who was there with me that we should leave a little early to get ahead of the crowd, but I’m so glad we stayed until the end. The entire A$AP Mob and TDE family rushed the stage and everyone was living their best life.
You can watch snippets from the concert below!
Okay, time to go get some sun and then get ready for the 2 Chainz concert tonight!
Last Friday, Big Sean stopped in Los Angeles for his I Decided Tour and his third stop on the West Coast. He performed at the Hollywood Palladium which is now a venue I’ve been to a handful of times. It’s intimate vibe is great, but I do wish the stage was a little more elevated. It’s hard for us short people to see! I digress.
There were four of us who went and before posting up in the GA section, we obviously had to buy some beverages and cop some merch. I held us down in the merch line while the others secured the drinks. Teamwork makes the dream work.
After successfully buying the exclusive I Decided California t-shirt (see below) and the official I Decided Tour sweatshirt, it was time to go find our place in the crowd.
We knew we’d be in the back when we first arrived at the Palladium. The line was wrapped (and I mean wrapped) down and around the block.
The night started with an opening set from Big Sean’s DJ, DJ Mo Beatz. He’s extremely talented and was spinning all the right songs to get us to the appropriate energy level. Next up…
Now while I don’t listen to MadeinTYO on the reg (I really should though – he’s underrated), he has quite a few bangers and performed them all – “I Want,” “Uber Everywhere,” and “Skateboard P” to name a few. He was the perfect opener for Big Sean, and he definitely kept the momentum going.
I’ve seen Big Sean perform multiple times now, and he has yet to disappoint. His energy, positive vibes, love for the crowd, and just overall passion he has for performing makes him an incredible artist to watch live. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s easy on the eye. Anyways.
His setlist included most of the tracks from I Decided and a handful of other fire emoji worthy songs like “Champions,” “I Don’t F*ck With You,” “Don’t Like,” “Paradise,” “Blessings,” and more. While I had hoped for a Migos or Jeremih surprise appearance, he did bring out his boo Jhene Aiko. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen her live before this, so it was great to not only add her to my concert resume (yes, I have one of those), but it was awesome seeing the two perform together and witnessing their chemistry IRL. MadeinTYO also came back out during Sean’s set so they could perform the “Skateboard P Remix.” YAS. Seriously one of my favorite songs out right now.
Okay, now this is sort of embarrassing, but I don’t even care. Towards the end of Big Sean’s set, he began to talk about positivity, surrounding yourself with a solid group of people, and that it’s never too late to make your dreams a reality. Well, I started crying. I sort of wish I was joking. This is the second time I’ve cried at a concert. The first was during the On The Run Tour (Beyonce and Jay Z). v. emotional. But yeah. I’ve always been a fan of Big Sean not only because of his music but also because of his positive nature and vibes he exudes.
Overall, this was one of the better Big Sean performances I’ve seen. If you’ve listened to I Decided, you can tell this project means A LOT to him and is full of inspiration which all came to life on that stage. He’s a real one.
Why did I cry though? I believe I’m at a really good place in my life right now. Weeding out the negativity, surrounding myself with great people and influences, and just doing epic shit. I’m really the only person who can control all of this for myself, so yeah… I’m pretty pumped.
The night ended with me going to In N Out, ordering a grilled cheese and fries via drive-thru, and sitting in my car to indulge before heading home. All in all, it was a solid night.
Next concert… Sampha at the El Rey Theatre. I’ve never seen Sampha perform nor have I been to that venue so I’m pretty amped!
On December 31, 2015, I was sitting on the beach in Hermosa reflecting on the past year and writing a list of goals for the following year. Today, December 31, 2016, I’m sitting at home in Pittsburgh, PA doing the same thing – sans the beach.
To kick-off 2016 and with inspiration from Karen Civil, I started a blessing jar. What is a blessing jar? It’s a jar, of any kind (feel free to decorate it!), where every time something positive happens to you throughout the year, you write that moment on a notecard, date it, and drop it into your jar. At the end of the year, dump out your jar and see all of the epic things you’ve accomplished and been a part of during the year. This is my first time doing a blessing jar, and I’ve actually kept up with it – see below!
So needless to say, 2016 has been a GREAT freaking year for me.
The biggest highlight in 2016? Getting a new job. Holy smokes, I can’t even begin to explain my excitement with this one. My #1 goal for 2016 was to get a new job. And even better, this new job doesn’t even feel like work. I would always get SO jealous of those who said that and wondered if that would ever happen to me. Well, I can say it now. I work with creative and talented people, have met so many epic movers and shakers, and am constantly surrounded by like-minded individuals. I can actually hold conversations with my coworkers about the new Migos or Drake track and they know what I’m talking about. It’s the little things. Very, very happy. Shout out @airmikey.
And three additional epic moments this year would have to be my 27th birthday, sitting in the 10th row at the last night of the Summer Sixteen tour in LA, and being invited to and attending the Live Civil Brunch.
27TH BIRTHDAY Reunited with friends (minus Mandy – she gets her own weekend during the 4th <3) (and not sure where Pelke is…typicalllll)
SUMMER SIXTEEN TOUR More life with friends
LIVE CIVIL BRUNCH Networked with new friends
But really. This year has been so so great and for those of you who say 2016 was the worst and needs to go away, how do you think 2017 will be any different? Yes there were a lot of shitty things that happened in the world, but TBH shitty things will happen every year. So all you can really do is focus on you and do things that make you happy. That will help to push and block out the negativity.
So for me personally in 2017, I will continue to do the following –
Do things that make me happy with people who make me happy
Be selfish – sounds terrible but I only have to take care of myself so this is the time to do as much as I can
Attend even more concerts and listening parties
And a few new things –
Be more thoughtful and proactive when it comes to those in my life
Refinance my school loans (v. important)
Step away from all negative energy. Ain’t no time from that.
What are you going to continue to work on? Try something new? Make a blessing jar? Do it!
Wishing all of yinz a safe, healthy, and happy start to 2017. Now to whip up a quick top album and concert post from 2016…
Now I know this week’s watch out WEDNESDAY isn’t a song or artist to watch out for, but it should still be on your radar. And yes, I’m also aware today is Thursday. I started writing the post yesterday but got caught up watching game 7… #SPORTS. So what to watch out for this week and weekend in particular is…
What is ComplexCon? I don’t know if there’s a real defined answer as to what this is but it’s been promoted as the ‘first of its kind pop culture convention.’ Well, you know I love anything pop culture related so I can’t miss out.
What will ComplexCon entail? Panels, performances, food, shopping… all the things. Again, you know I have to be there.
Definitely tune into my Snap (ergense) so you can get an inside look this weekend. I will be there both days and will be attending the Snoop Concert on Sunday night. It’s lit!
Oh, and tonight I’ll be going to the Penguins vs Kings game at Staples Center so check out that #californyinz action on my Snap as well.
People have been lying to me when they told me Disneyland was the happiest place on earth because last Thursday night the happiest place on earth happened to be in the 10th row on the floor at Drake’s final LA show for the Summer Sixteen Tour.
I’m going to try really hard to best describe what and how I felt Thursday night because it’s truly just a feeling that I can’t explain. People will laugh and roll their eyes, saying I’m ‘so obsessed’ with Drake and hip-hop in general, but to be honest I wish more people were ‘so obsessed’ with something or someone. It’s about finding and connecting with a passion and just doing you. You talk to me for 30 seconds, take a quick look at my IG or blog, and you’ll instantly know what my passions are, and I am proud of that. Create that energy.
Okay, major digressing. When I tell you Thursday was probably the best night of my life, I 100% mean that. I’ve done a lot of epic things and have been to NUMEROUS concerts and award shows, but the final stop in LA for the Summer Sixteen Tour was different.
Let me explain how the night went down. It all began with a call I received from my friend Justine (how we became friends is also worthy of a blog post). Now Justine and I have hung out once before this. Months ago. We text here and there, have tried to coordinate another get together, but with busy schedules, it’s hard. So you know I was a little shocked when I received a call from her around 7:20pm on Thursday, about an hour before the show was to start. Answering the call with a bit of question in my voice, she asked what I was doing and said she may have an extra ticket to Drake’s show and was looking for someone who lived close to the venue and who would appreciate the concert. Immediate excitement set in. She said she’d call me back with a yes or no once she got to the venue.
In the meantime as I waited to get the call, I decided to change just in case I was given the green light. I threw on my VIEWS t-shirt, a Drake merch dad hat, black ripped jeans and some Nikes. Duh. Twenty-five minutes later, Justine called and said, “Get to The Forum.” I never ordered an Uber so quickly.
I arrived at The Forum, met up with Justine, and she handed over two of the most epic things – a VIP pass and a ticket… for the FLOOR – 10th row, section C. THANK YOU TO JUSTINE & THE PLUG.
We entered the VIP lounge where we were greeted with photo opps, fully catered dinner and dessert, and a bar… obviously. I took as much of it in as I could. Not the food and alcohol but what was happening. This was amazing. One cocktail in and the lights flashed, so we knew it was time to get to our seats. We showed the usher our tickets, and he said we had to take the elevator down another level. Typically, I have to take the escalator all the way up *Fat Joe voice* to my seats. Woah. So we took the elevator down to the floor section, the doors opened, and who was standing there waiting to get on? DVSN. I actually didn’t even realize it was them until Justine was like, “uhhhh did you see who that was?”
As we made our way to our seats, I continued to become more and more mind blown and thankful. I was walking to the TENTH ROW. And not just any 10th row, but the center 10th row. As Justine said, it was like we were sitting on the 50-yard line at a football game. Incredible. One of my bucket list items was to sit in the front row of a Drake concert at some point in my lifetime. Now this wasn’t the front row, but the entire experience with these 10th row tickets and attending the show with someone who equally appreciates Drake as an artist seemed better than the first row.
– SHOW TIME –
Having already been to Drake’s very first night in LA for the Summer Sixteen Tour, I had an idea of how the flow of the show would go down. But this time was different. From the opening sounds and lights to him kicking off the show with “Summer Sixteen” to three hours of performing and finishing around midnight – magical. Not to mention Baron Davis was sitting next to us and living it up as well.
While I actually thought the crowd’s energy on the floor could have been a little more amped up – those people may be used to sitting in such epic seats compared to those of us typically stuck way up top – the combined energy of mine and Justine’s was lit. It’s like I went to the concert with myself. That’s how similar our appreciation of Drake is. And being so close to the stage, it was like you were feeding off of Drake’s energy. It was contagious. His passion for his music, performing, and his fans make him the ultimate artist and crowd pleaser. Watch my Snap Story below to try and get a better idea of what I’m explaining to yinz. Then we will continue with the rest of the night. 🙂
I mean. The video does not do it justice, but at least there are some visuals for yinz to try and see what I’m talking about. And do know that when he brought out Big Sean, Ice Cube, and then Dr. Dre… I actually have no words. Sorry.
Now in the short time that I’ve known Justine, I’ve learned that more times than not she happens to be in the right place at the right time. She was convinced our VIP tickets could get us elsewhere post-show. We’ve made it this far, so I was down with whatever. We made our way back into the initial VIP area that we came from and saw a group of dudes walk into another entrance which was guarded by security. That was our way in to whatever was behind that door. Standing around for a few minutes, trying to think of what to do, Justine saw a friend of hers.
Welp, that was our way in. He kindly told security we were with him. Off we went. Now I don’t want to give too much inside information, but let’s just say being in this true VIP lounge made me realize that I do know how to be ‘cool’ around celebrities even if I was decked out in Drake attire and everyone else was not. Whatever. I was pretty proud of myself. The vibe was extremely chill – snacks, open bar, people just hanging. Drake and Future did not come through, but that was truly alright. I was not expecting ANY of this to happen. Not the concert, 10th row, VIP, watching Drake drive away after we left. None of it. Keep in mind, I was sitting on my bed drinking a beer alone before Justine called me.
We exited The Forum with the whole crew around 2AM, contemplated going to another spot with everyone, but Justine and I were both quite content with what we had just experienced and witnessed. Again, I cannot thank Justine (or the plug) enough for 1) securing two tickets and 2) thinking of me to attend with her. What’s even crazier is my Tweet (used as the header image for this post)… Justine didn’t even see that prior to hitting me up. The universe was definitely on my side. Alright, this is probably my longest post thus far. Hope yinz enjoyed it and my experience.
Until the next concert, fam! Oh, and I didn’t forget about Future. He was lit as well and brought out Ty Dolla $ign and Young Thug. Can’t forget about the trap king!
Yes, I watched the debate last night. Yes, I rolled my eyes/laughed at Donald Trump’s statements. Yes, I was drinking wine. And yes, I was still thinking about Dolla Day at the Hollywood Palladium.
On Sunday, September 25, Ty Dolla $ign hosted his inaugural Dolla Day concert. He promoted the show as Ty Dolla $ign and friends. And boiiiiiii did he bring out friends. Before I get into that though, let’s briefly talk about the show.
With today being National Voter Registration Day and Ty’s new album being titled Campaign, the concert was somewhat tailored to voting. This is a very good example of celebrities, specifically artists, using their voice (literally) to encourage people to make a move. The title of his album alone, Campaign, already gets the thought into your head. The decor inside the Palladium even had election vibes to it – red and white balloons, banners lining the balcony, and at the very end the balloons fell from the ceiling, as did red and white confetti.
Ty even opened the show with about 30 men dressed in suits walking across the stage, followed by black and white visuals on the big screen with crowds of people in LA waving signs about voting as Ty was walking among them. All small yet powerful ways to encourage others, especially the younger crowds, to vote.
Alright now let’s talk about the ‘friends’ Mr. Dolla $ign brought with him.
In order of appearance:
24hrs
Madeintyo
Joe Moses
DJ Mustard
TC
Belly
G-Eazy
James Fauntelory
A$AP Rocky
Wiz Khalifa (yinzer love)
Kendrick Lamar
Okay, but seriously. Could those ‘friends’ be any more epic? I mean, look at those last three performers. What even?! Oh, and did I mention that a ticket for this concert was $5? Yes, five whole doll hairs… $9.25 with tax. So incredible, and I appreciate Ty for wanting to put on this one-of-a-kind concert for the city of LA at a price where ALL were able to enjoy.
If you haven’t seen Ty Dolla $ign live or if you don’t listen to him, you should! He can rap, sing, play the guitar, pump up the crowd, serenade the crowd, and overall spread positivity throughout. Amazing.
Enough rambling. Watch my Snap story below. Enjoy, yinz!
What started as a casual glass of wine for #NationalDrinkWineDay in Santa Monica turned into a nightclub adventure in West Hollywood – Hyde Sunset to be exact.
Rolled out with a new friend of mine who let’s just say has some connects. We get to Hyde a little after midnight. I’m introduced to two dudes outside the club and a little away from the entrance of the venue.
I for a brief second thought I heard the voice of Justin Bieber, but thought nahhhh, can’t be. It just all happened so fast, and the next thing I knew I looked up and what do you know the freaking Biebs was walking in my direction. And he looked a little lit, might I add.
We proceeded to walk to the entrance of Hyde, and Justin was walking in RIGHT behind me. It was a little bit of a tight squeeze to get in and then I FELT Justin Bieber’s hand on my butt guiding me into the clurb. Definitely fangirled to myself for a minute. We (minus Bieber) made our way to the DJ booth where we posted up for the rest of the night. Some bangers for sure. Even new Kanye. Lit.
I’m minding my own business, dancing to some beats and what do you know Justin Bieber is literally right next to me trying to get through to the DJ. Cue celebushock. I’m actually pretty proud of myself. I kept my cool and didn’t lose any of my motor skills. He chats with the DJ, makes his way back to the crowd, and I managed to snag a very short video clip before I once again got backhanded by his security guard. I say ‘again’ because Travi$ Scott did the same thing to me at Wiz’s listening party a few Mondays ago. YOLO.
See below for my full Snapchat Story. Well there’s not much to see, but listen to the music being played with a cameo from Bieber. And it does go into my morning leading up to present. So yes, I’d say my Thursday night was pretty good. A late night, got into my bed at 3:30am, but a good night for sure.
What I thought would have been a chill night of me standing in the background, listening to Wiz play some tracks from his new album at last night’s listening party, turned into a LIT SITUATION. I shuffled my way to the front, per usual, and was essentially at the main table with Wiz, Juicy J, Travi$ Scott, and Ty Dolla $ign. And was great seeing JCruz from Power 106, as well!
The party was at the Blind Dragon and hosted by the one and only Ms. Karen Civil. She gave updates on Wiz’s arrival time, introduced him, and then handed the mic over to Wiz. She also gave a shout out to Wiz’s mom and said, “Shout out to Wiz’s mom who is here. Whenever I’m in Pittsburgh, she always takes good care of me.” #californyinz
Wiz went over different meanings behind the tracks, rapped a little, and just had a great time. And DJ Bonics, Wiz’s official DJ was spinning. It was dope, and I’m really glad I was able to go! It was all truly a big #californyinz moment.
I even rocked a Pittsburgh shirt, which gained a little attention and served as a conversation starter. #netWORQUE
Peep the video to see just how close I was.
And even more #californyinz-ness… shout out to the Pittsburgh Penguins for unveiling their 50th anniversary logo for the upcoming season. Check it here.
Okay, so so many things to talk to yinz about! I’m going to (try and) make it quick though since I know most of our attention spans are quite small these days.
#6615 The graduation party of the year was a great success due to my mom’s very hard party planning work (starting over a year ago) and the help of her wonderful friends! From the fancy foods to the delicious donuts to my fun-loving family and friends, it was the perfect way to celebrate Anth’s accomplishments and wish him well on his next journey… college! #wishicouldgoback There was LOTS of dancing, shots of Limoncello, and laughter. It was also great seeing so many people who I haven’t seen in forever and probably won’t know the next time I’ll see them – lots of fun! Proud of ya, Anth!
#SMWLA (Social Media Week Los Angeles)
On June 4, I entered a Twitter contest (go figure) for the chance to win a free pass to attend SMWLA – you should really check it out to see if they’ll be stopping in your city if you’re passionate or want to learn more about social media trends and technologies. Passes normally range from $250-$350 for the whole week, allowing you to attend a multitude of panels featuring many different social media topics. After a simple retweet and positive vibes, I was notified by the PRSA-LA (Public Relations Society of America – LA Chapter) that I, among others, won – thank you, PRSA-LA! I want to say this was my first Twitter contest I won that wasn’t tickets for a rap/hip-hop concert. Being very fortunate in my current job position, I was allowed to attend as many panels as I wanted that would be of interest to me and also benefit my current role. I met some great people, learned a lot, and could envision myself being in a true social media work environment. Hope to attend next year!
MUSIC NEWS – Too many tours!
In honor of the fifth year anniversary of his Friday Night Lights mixtape, J.Cole announced his third annual ‘Dollar & A Dream Tour.’ The concert actually costs ONE DOLLAR to attend but is on a first-come, first-served basis. I can only imagine the line! He will perform the mixtape in its entirety, which is dope. Cole is only stopping in four cities, one being Los Angeles. Unfortunately, I cannot attend since I already have tickets to see Nicki Minaj perform at the BET Experience that evening – #concertgoerprobz.
Earlier this week, Miguelannounced his North American summer tour. THIS I plan on going to. Stopping at over 25 cities, he will be wrapping up the tour in LA on Friday, September 4 at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Yes, it is an actual cemetery. I saw The Weeknd perform at this venue in May 2011, and it was epic! Not to mention he brought out Drake as a surprise guest for ‘Crew Love,’ and I nearly fell over. Tickets are general admission, and you are free to pillows, blankets, and picnics. It’s a really cool venue, so I recommend you check it out if you ever get the chance! They also host movie nights there, I want to say in the fall around Halloween time. Get it…. spooky setting for spooky movies.
Holy heck, and how could I forget. The BET Awards! That is like the ultimate concert on steroids, next to the GRAMMYs, that is. On Sunday, June 28, I will be attending the award show in my usual spot – the mosh pit. Unfortunately, I cannot bring in my cell phone, so 1. I will make sure I’m getting some camera time and 2. You will just have to tune in to see if I made it on TV. Sorry mom and other family members that will be watching this – you’ll probably completely disapprove of the music I’m listening to on the reg.
I do have more music news to write about, but I will save that for the ‘Weekly Wrap-Up.’ Lots of things I love happening in the music world this week!
#SMWLA (Social Media Week Los Angeles)
Californyinz 