…: (

Sorry. I might be away for a bit. My stupid HP keeps crashing. I sent it for repairs. It’ll be back in another 4-8 days.  I need a Mac…

I also need some money!

…and facial hair…lol

See you guys soon.

I spent last Sunday with the P&P (Pleasure and Pain) family at the Tattoo Convention at the Hilton.

Ive learned that there are 3 things that will always get the attention of women…a guy carrying baby, dogs and tattoos. lol. I dont have the first two, so i definitely ride on the last. lol Its the best icebreaker in the world. lol. The ink certainly distracts them away from my beer belly. lol

Shit…I thought I was tatted but man…I aint had shit on anyone at the convention. I actually felt like I wanted to put on a sweater. lol. Even some of these girls have more tatts than I do…even in places that I avoid cuz Im afraid it hurts. lol.

And there were a lotta fahachums (hot girls) too. I wasnt expecting that many women. But man, nothing gets me more than hot tatted girls with a set of mean hips and a pinch waist! No perv, but I seen so much that made me start crying!

If you thought getting tattoos at shops were expensive, you would die if you heard how much tattoo’s cost at a convention.

Minimum price for a tattoo at any shop is 80 bucks, regardless of size, detail and time. Hourly rates are usually $100-150 an hour. An average half sleeve will cost anyone between $500-1500 depending on how elaborate your work is …so you can imagine how much people spend to get their bodies done (Im referring to good artwork not random bullshit on your body).

We asked someone how much it would cost for a tattoo of a koi the size of our hand (which would take around 2-3hrs) and she quoted us at $1500!!! Can you believe that shit?! lol

I dont even know if I could deal with the anxiety of getting a tattoo at a convention. Tattoo’s hurt man, especially if you have to get big pieces. To be in pain, laying there in front of hundreds of people that are watching you or walking by, the loud music, the hundreds of conversations, the constant buzz of the tattoo gun, the bright lights, and to rethinnk and assess if you spending $1500 on a tattoo was a good idea or not is enough to put me into a cardiac arrest. lol.

I wanted to bring something up that Ive been dying to bring up.

Why do people always assume that people with tattoos are bad people? Or are cheap or cant afford to pay their bills at restaurants, seat you in the corner or something. I feel like sometimes when Im at certain places people treat me differently and all the guys I was with said the same thing. Im not saying Im rich (some people who know me know my tattoo deal), but do they not realize that people who are tatted, spend a lot of money. Tattoos are by no means cheap but they treat some of us like thieves and criminals. People get scared at bus stops and worried at convenience stores and security guards follow you around the store. Im not going to steal your $50 shirt if I can afford to sit under a needle that makes me hurt for $150 an hour. Im not being cocky, but I find it kind of ignorant sometimes is all. I feel like Im walking around in an orange monkey suit or something (by monkey suit I mean the full body, one piece jail suits…I know a lotta ppl get lost whenever I say that).

Do people still associate tattoo’s with badass behaviour? Or crime? Or gangs?

What about art and expression?

But I do understand that there is a consequence for going against the mainstream and non conformism…whatever that even means anymore. What is normal though? Can anyone even define that to me?

Does anyone have opinions about tattoos that they would like to share?

Whether positive or negative? I wont be offended, Im just always interested to gain new perspectives and insights. I guess because Ive always liked tattoos my opinions maybe a bit different, but I am certainly open to hear anything anyone has to say.

I had no idea who this girl was, but she had the meanest hips ever! lol…This picture looks super creeper too cuz it looks like I was hiding when this picture was taken! lolI could have never sat naked in front of everyone getting tatted. lolVince and I were like in love with this girl…who ever she was. lol. We never said hi or anything…cuz we felt that we were under tatted. lol I dont think this is a great picture of her, but trust me, she was gorgeous. Kinda like that hot rocker, skater, emo, smoking, bad ass tattoo chick that prolly drives a blue SS. Id have to ride a bike to talk to her…sigh…lolSee?! This is G! I never worry about getting old and being tatted and looking weird. You just gotta be a G about it. Sometimes you just gotta do what you want to and stop worrying about what other people think and what they’ll say to bring you down…just worry about what you do and if you’ll be happy. At the end of the day, its just you.This is Jesse of Red9ine Tattoos. He did my second tatt a few years back. I aint got shit on her…This tattoo is not just amazing because it looks amazing, but its amazing because its from a piece from one of my favorite comic book artists, Alex Ross. Good job to the lady who chose to get that image tatted. I aint got shit on her either…lolI like these skate decks…now…if only I could skate…lolDo you see the Che/Jesus piece on her forearm? This dude came all the way from Taiwan. Apparently he holds the award for the greatest color tattoo piece. Adam.One of my favorite families.Part of the P&P fam.

It sure wasnt a Monday…

But Drake and the ATF were back in town and were down to run…

1 Love T.O. and ATF on one court…quite the intense game, believe me.

The same reason he sat during his performance at the BET Awards is the same reason why he isnt in any of these pictures.

Below: RJ and T-RexxxBrock and GucciFootsCJNikoNicholasStylesShakesT-RexXxThe Cousins - Nicholas Carino (Niko) and Nicholas CruzGucci, Styles and T-RexXxOliver and NikoI have footage of Nicholas and Niko facing off which Ill post at another point in time. My computers messed and freezes whenever I transfer large files…so you guys are going to have to wait for a bit until I have the videos up and ready to go.

But anyways, Niko was like…”This is your LostintheWillderness star?” …and then dropped four 3-pointers. lolObviously…these were’nt the threes I was referring to. lol

This is a pic of Drake, Niko and I from last summer.

I wasnt home yesterday to catch the BET awards but I got mad texts from everyone and their pet donkeys telling me that everyone at the awards was bigging up Drizzy, that he sat in the front with Wayne, that he performed last and that he sat down during the performance! In case you were curious why he was sitting down, blame Hershey (no chocolate) last Wednesday. You can also blame Foots for his knee. lol. We tryna create the Rucker’s out here. Nah, Im playing. lol

If you’re not from Toronto, then you may not understand the excitement in the city right now. Our dude just closed off the BET awards!!! Our dude from Toronto! The same city we all love to hate! The Screwface Capital! This is kinda insane when you think about the fact that he doesnt even have a record deal or an album yet…

Maybe we can have some love for our city now…just maybe.

Toronto is on the move, and Im humbled, blessed and honored to be affiliated, associated and maybe even assist almost every heavy movement thats active right now in the city. People say that Toronto has suddenly become a very small place. I think its more that we as individuals, have finally decided to unite and create a collective.  I have a lot of projects and collaborations that are coming up and Im excited to do what I can to get us on the map…even if its just through a photograph. I take great pride in being from Toronto (no pun intended based on this weekends celebrations in the city).

This is history right now, and we’re all a part of it.

What Ive always wanted to do is become a text book of sorts…10 years from now when we think about how Toronto came up…I want you guys to be able to refer to the blog and be like…this was that fuckin’ day. lol

Well, this IS OUR fuckin’ day.

To my dude, Drizzy. A lot has changed since last summer and you’ve gone a long way. Im glad you’re still the same dude now that I met a few years ago and I look forward to saying the same thing years from now.  On behalf of the city, goodluck with whats to come, thank you for you’ve done, and sincerely, congratulations. * cue track

I still have to edit the 600 pictures I took yesterday so Im not gonna post everything yet…

but man…Shannae’s “What Women Want” party was amazing. It was like me, the guys in the pictures above and like 300-400 women. Thats a ratio of probably 50 girls per guy! lol I know it dont look like 400 women from these photos, but the actual event was happening inside. these are the pictures from when the sun came back out and ppl came outside to chill. It was fantastic though, in every respect. lol

Ive never been to any of Shannae’s WWW parties but dang, I felt like someone special yesterday. Although it rained, so many people still came out and once the sun came through it was like something else. Maybe I am boosting…but maybe its because ‘this world’ and ‘this lifestyle’ is still relatively new and different to me, (regardless of how long Ive been around) but yesterday, I felt proud of myself; Proud of myself for being able to earn a place among yesterday’s company and festivities. Its a beautiful feeling. : )

I was surrounded by beautiful, well dress, sophisticated and established women, wine and champagne, and some of the coolest dudes I know in the industry. Everyone was having fun. No one was sour. How could you be sour? lol

Once again, thank you Shannae for allowing me to be a part of yesterday. : )

Thank you again to everyone who was in attendence. It wouldnt have been the same without you.

*Will tips his hat

If you guys dont remember Skam, then let me reintroduce you guys to one of the godfather’s of Toronto’s Urban/Hip Hop scene. Been in the graff game for 18 years, and the fashion game for 12.

Im not boosting about him, but I think we should all at least acknowledge his contributions to our culture and our history. But thats what this blog is all about, my city, my world and its characters. Skam is one of the important ones.

Skam hit me up on Tuesday night saying he’s gonna be painting in the alley on Wednesday and to come by. Sueme, another graff artist from Van City (Vancouver) was in town and wanted to paint as well.

So they did their pieces behind American Apparel in the infamous Graffiti Alley behind Queen St.

While we were there K-OS passed by and so did Jay from Brass Munk. But I didnt take no pictures of them. Im not too big a fan of being papparrazzi. lol

Shout outs to P BODY for reminding me that its Skam painting the RAP CITY piece in the MUCH MUSIC RAP CITY intro that airs every night.

Montana…the best paint you get.Shout outs to Vitamin Water and Livestock.This is a piece that Skam did a few weeks ago that was further down the alley.NBA XL came by to get some footage of Skam at work. The detail is nutso.So after he finishes his piece, he’s like, “Ill do one for you right here on this wall.” And Im  like…”Sure!” lol Why not right? I know you’re about to see a lot of pictures that look the same, but I wanted you guys to see how it works. Step by step. Layer by layer. Pretty insane right?

Thanks Skam. Its an absolute honor to have had you do this for me. I mean, how many people have a piece done by Skam for them? Trust me, I am truly grateful. lolThis was Sueme’s piece that was right beside Skam’s.They decided to do some ‘throwies’ on the wall opposite to the their pieces. Thanks again, brother.

Sincerely.

Shout outs to Crystal

I was in the car on my way to Remix listening to FLOW…when Devo cuts the traffic mixshow and tells me MJ just had a cardiac arrest….

I said…”well at least he’s not dead. But imagine if he died.”

I didnt think much of it and continued my scenic drive.

I met up with a friend for a talk while my car was pulled over on the street. After our talk, I come back into the car and I get like 20 msgs on my BB saying “OMG! MJ’s dead!”

and then a few more coming back saying “My bad, he’s in a coma.”

Then “CNN just confirmed it.”

At first I had no idea how to feel about it. I said, watch everyone cry like my gramps did when Princess Diana died. I dont know why people cry when they dont even know them.

I continued getting msgs…and it slowly started to kick in.

Im really gonna miss this guy. I got a bit nostalgic as I rememered all the memories in my life that would have only existed because he did.

I remember the first time my mom called me out in front of all my aunts when I was a kid still living in Regent Park. My mom says, do the MJ dance. She was merely referring to the moonwalk. So like the chubby lil 4 year old I was, I went to go put my socks on and did it.  Dont lie, you know you all did your moonwalks with socks on as a kid…unless you were juss pro like that. I prolly looked so stupid cuz I couldnt do it, but they clapped for me anyways. My brother loved MJ, he did the dance all the time, and even claims he was named Michael because of him. (Nice try Mike, you were named after David Hasselhoff’s character on Night Rider because your dad liked Firebirds.) lol

I grew up to him. We all did.

My parents listened to Thriller while on the refugee camp in Singapore in 1984. I remember their MJ collection.

I was born in 1985, probably at one of the most memorable era’s of his career and maybe entire life.

I remember standing in HMV stores when HIStory first came out and staring at it wanting to buy it so bad when I was like 12 or something.

That red leather jacket. The one glove. The white socks. The crotch grab! The “OWWWE!” The pose with the hand in the air and on his toes. The moon walk. The fedora. The Jerry Curls.

We as a whole, as a generation, have said a lot of things about MJ in the last few years. I obviously wont get into it, but putting aside all the claims, accussations and rumors, Im going to miss this guy a lot. He’s done so much for our generation, I wouldnt even know where to begin to thank him. So sad to think he had to leave for us to miss him, I wont lie, Im guilty of this too.

Im sitting here at Remix…and Im pretty bummed. Im not crying. But it feels like a piece of my past and a piece of who I am just died. I know the words to almost every MJ song. It feels like an entire chapter of your life just ended and a new entry into the encyclopedia and history books has just been entered.

I mean none of us know him, but are all somehow moved and hurt by the fact thats he’s gone. And thats the beautiful thing.

I wonder if MJ wondered if we’d miss him before he died…

: (

Wow…Im getting super emo arent I? The only reason I wanted to blog about this because I dont want us to take for granted some of the people who have made us who we are. Whether directly or indirectly. Inspiration and the effect people have on us have no boundaries.

Take a second though, and just think about all the good memories, all the fun school dances and maybe even the karaoke nights that Michael created for us.

I feel like how our grand parents felt when Elvis Presley died.

Dont blame it on the sunshine,

Dont blame it on the moonlight,

Blame it on the boogie.

Rest in Peace to the King of Pop.

Goodbye Michael.

Here’s one of my fave MJ tracks…*sigh