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Cal-S-thetics

@cal_s_thetics

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Things I say and do... #glassbottomboatproductions
#homiethisisdoggma
#LABasin w/ @abbeyrizzle
#NuffSaid Side A Beattape

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The past 9 months have been quite trying for my whole family as we tried to help and support my father the best we could during his prolonged illness. Various hospital stays of months, weeks, and days. Countless nights of anxiety and restlessness. A roller coaster of emotion:

“He is recovering well,” one day. “He may not make it,” another.

And while these were my thoughts, I know my dad must have struggled to deal with this all in a way I could never truly appreciate even though I was there by his side through all of it. Yet, in some way, I feel at peace knowing he did what he always did and fought like hell to live as long as he did. His cardiologist mentioned to me that my dad had a dire need for another stent for the past 10+ years and that he was somewhat surprised he was still going given his vessel’s condition. However, knowing him as I do, it totally makes sense that it never slowed him down haha. He was an “all gas, no brakes” kind of guy.

His never ending source of energy and hardworking spirit were always admired by all of us. And while I admired that part of him, I learned pretty young that I might never be able to match it and not to try haha. I still remember him asking me to help him repaint the inside of our house one Saturday morning and by the time I got around to getting my teenaged-ass out of bed, he was almost already done with it (and pissed no one helped him haha)! Growing up in his farming family I’m not sure he had much choice hehe, The energizer bunny has competition, for real!

Famously, my dad would often remark on how “not smart” he was kind of denigrating his intelligence because he was just a “dumb farmer.” However, I’m pretty sure he was one of the more well-rounded, intelligent people I’ve known. Who else could you talk about Porsche engine design, romaine cultivation, woodworking, plumbing, real estate development, AND smooth jazz music with??? Self-taught in many things, probably not a true master of one in particular, but a great breath of understanding that was hard to match. I’ll miss having someone around I could ask how to fix anything in my house for sure. by @cal_s_thetics

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a year ago

Back in May 2019, on a trip to Amsterdam that was totally planned and scheduled, @doggma1 and I went off the agenda and decided to use some of our time together to make an impromptu recording. I “dug” the music on the delta music library while we flew in. And during the late, late nights after working all day, we conceptualized and wrote the bones of the album that became #nosleeptilamsterdam. 3 of the songs were recorded there, too, in our AirBnB.

Was a sick trip even though almost all our plans got scraped. We caught the @eotrnetwork crew show on our first night with @vivamescal, @madmacks_, and friends. We got to visit Young Urban Sound Radio hosted by @jclows and @thareallanda. We got to hang and meet @eev1e, @bleszbeats, and @reytranquilord. We checked out a @banksy exhibit at @mocomuseum. We got to hang at LA Coin studio with the Black Acid crew @sor @smitty_ @dashaeno and @leyroyelshot and peep some of their dope music.

Probably dopest of all, Enkrypt, Tone, and I just got to hang out, eat some great eats, and vibe in what is truly a global hub of a city in Amsterdam escaping just for a bit our lives back in Southern California. The album is a snapshot of that vibe. It really was a fun project to work on. We even asked for a bit of help from our friends too having Viva Mescal, Landa Langg, Blesz, and AO jump on the crew cut “15 mins” to fully capture some LA to Amsterdam vibes for real.

All this is to say that Tone just put the album up on streaming services, and rethinking about the project got me a bit nostalgic I guess haha. I’m sure many of you have already heard the project, but if not definitely give it a listen now that it’s up. It’s a fun one. If not, just go and “brush yo teeth young’n and keep the bullshit out your speech young’n!”

📸: @enkrypt_losangeles
#gbbyachtclub #homiethisisdoggma #calsthetics #tonedoggraw #doggmauno #glassbottomboatproductions #enkryptphotography #sp404sx taken in Amsterdam, Netherlands by @cal_s_thetics

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2 years ago

#LABasin press run stop at @ughhblog early Nov. 2022. @abbeyrizzle laid down a dope session. I believe this was the first time the two platforms collaborated so it was great to be on hand for that moment. Because these two brands have done a lot for the artists in the underground hip hop community for years.

I’m proof of that. When I was looking for an established LA artist to showcase on some beats, Ab stepped up and rocked some joints right truly collaborating on the finished product. When @doggma1 and I we’re first pushing our Glass Bottom Boat Definitive LPs UGHHBLOG was one of the first to be supportive in helping us get our sound out to others. Hell, the first time I truly rocked a mic on a stage on some hip hop was with @projectblowedla as a 16-year old marveling at seeing the storied cyphers and chops and freestyles in person. So it’s fitting I think that in a week we will all be repping with the Blowedians to celebrate this great moment of history from our home team, LA’s finest in rhymes, Lemiert Park and all of the LA Basin’s own, Project Blowed.

Come out and support! These artist deserve it, there will be nothing but dope artists in the house! Shit, You deserve it for battling through these last few years! Let’s come together and spread that Good Life energy into the airwaves at it’s highest vibration!

(Tone and I plan on doing a dope Definitive LP 5th Anniversary set! Last slide has the flyer)

#abstractrude #keepthefeelent #projectblowed #ughhblog #lanights #undergroundhiphop #losangeles #hiphopshow #gbbyachtclub #homiethisisdoggma #losglobos #sunsetblvd #freestylefellowship taken in Los Angeles, California by @cal_s_thetics

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4 years ago

Saturday, @abbeyrizzle and I got to do a live performance of #LABasin in its entirety. Ab is truly a master of his craft as many of you know so you know he wasn’t gonna let me just stand behind him and press play. He challenged me to craft a set that embodied the spirit of the project while also highlighting my own abilities to rock a crowd.

Well, the “LA Basin Art Park Jam” Edition went off perfectly with my family in attendance making it extra special! Furthermore, having @zulubutterflyatu getting busy during the set was the icing on the cake!

S/O to @reb.duce & @artwaterlife for having us rock, and all the dope painters, vendors, musicians, artists who shared in the chill vibes of the day. We really did do a bit of a rain dance and keep those clouds at bay for us to rock out together! 😂🙏🏽

Next one is a big one, the @projectblowedla 28th anniversary show Wednesday 12/28/22 at @losglobos. Trust me when I say, you don’t want to miss this one! 🙏🏽

📸: @lee_sakioka

#abstractrude #abstracttribeunique #lanights #fivedollarartparty #projecteblowed #keepthefeelent #glassbottomboatproductions #calsthetics #gbbyachtclub #homiethisisdoggma #losangeles #undergroundhiphop #raindance taken in La Tierra De La Culebra by @cal_s_thetics

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4 years ago

May 21, 2020 @enkrypt_losangeles and I linked to discuss the prospects of shooting the #LABasin video. We agreed to make the most of our time together and to scout a couple locations for the video and continue some of the #LANights shots we got 2 years prior. Enkrypt had become a bit critical of our previous shoot and wanted to give me a few more looks. (Now we know she was a bit crazy because the first shoot as you saw came out fire! Haha)

The first location was the Spring St. bridge over the LA River. She was excited to show me her new secret weapon, a point and shoot film camera she said a photog friend had recommended to her. The first few shots on the bridge were taken with it.

After, we drove down into the riverbed to check out the lighting and feel. I think I almost drove into the river since there was a bit more water than usual. Luckily, Enkrypt stopped me and spared me an extra embarrassing story. 😂🙏🏽

A couple hours went by as we chilled grabbed a drink and caught up about each other’s lives during the unprecedented month and a half on lockdown. I think both of us were just happy to be out and not worry about other stuff going on in the world; just worried about finding some dope shots.

After that, we stopped by Chinatown and MacArthur Park and tried to get some drone shots as night engulfed the city. It was not happening. Just too blurry. And for some reason the drone was not cooperating making Enkrypt understandably nervous about flying it over the lake there. It was also a bit “crowded” there and I remember feeling a bit weird seeing people out and about given everything going on haha. Funny how something so normal became so strange so quickly. 😅

Lastly, we revisited the area near the financial district and tried the drone there, but it still wouldn’t cooperate. So we kind of just called it with very little to show for it we thought. But I guess the moral of the story is sometimes art doesn’t go as smoothly as you hope, but you still can come up with something dope.

#calsthetics #glassbottomboatproductions #gbbyachtclub #enkryptphotography #filmphotography #behindthescenes #abstractrude #keepthefeelent #alphapup taken in Los Angeles, California by @cal_s_thetics

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4 years ago

Last Friday @abbeyrizzle and I stopped by @breakbeatsandrhymes to chop it up with @mprttg about our new album #LABasin. It’s always a pleasure and honor to hop on the radio airwaves with my homies from Rebels to the Grain, one of my favorite hip hop duos of all time for real (check out their music if you haven’t heard it yet it’s super dope).
Check this clip. Shoutout to @ashtrayofla and @destructmusic for reminding Ab about the song and getting the ball rolling again! 🙌🏽

Additionally, the interview was special because besides talking about the project, a large portion was more in tribute to artists/friends who are no longer with us. RIP to #MCDucer and @gajahmatik who Ab goes into detail about their impact on the Project Blowed community and his appreciation for their talent and the humble, friendly people they were. It was a bit emotional discussion, but I feel it was a great show of their lasting impression on this LA underground community.

Ab and me talk a lot about our goal with this project. And for the most part it’s about doing our part to push this art and experience of Indy hip hop to another level with continuity of where we come from.

I’ll post the link the the interview in my story. Links to the project are in the bio as usual. 🙏🏽

#abstractrude #breakbeatsandrhymes #calsthetics #rebelstothegrain #freshrapsclassiccuts #ashtrayofla #ripgajah #ripducer #projectblowed #acidreign #flowandtell #toliveandthriveinla taken in Los Angeles, California by @cal_s_thetics

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4 years ago

This one is for my photography buffs and nerds out there! A breakdown of the #LABasin front cover shots:

1) Shot on Sony A7R using a long exposure on a tripod in the middle of the La Cienga/Manchester intersection. Enkrypt and I had to run out into the intersection when it was the left turn only going and then run back out before straight traffic started getting the green

2) Shot on film with Enkrypt’s secret weapon point-and-shoot during the LA Basin music video shoot. Just north of Spring St in the LA River channel.

3) Shot on the A7R using a 0.5 second exposure, but Enkrypt had me slowly walk through frame

4) Shot on a tripod on the median where 4th & 3rd St. merge just west of the 110 freeway. Kind of a medium exposure to capture the lights but not over saturate. Again on the A7R.

What I like about what Enkrypt did was specifically she went for a more quiet feel. I was originally thinking bustling LA Night scenes but she convinced me that these kind of subtle shots would give a unique feel. As usual, I trusted her here.

Additionally, what I love is she had recently started getting more into shooting with film when we had got back up to work on the music video and her digital work here almost matched up exactly with the film shots. Not over-processed, or over thought, just finding angles, getting your lighting right and going for it.

What y’all think about Enkrypt’s work on this project? I think she killed it!

Link in Bio to the music video she shot, plus all the dope merch featuring this photo art works! 🙌🏽

#abstractrude #Lanights #calsthetics #enkryptphotography #homiethisisdoggma #gbbyachtclub #losangelesphotographer #streetphotography #randysdonuts #lafinancialdistrict #dtla #hiphop #glassbottomboatproductions #sonya7riv #filmphotography #nightphotography #undergroundhiphop taken in Los Angeles, California by @cal_s_thetics

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4 years ago

Dedicated to all the artists out there, representing the love and community that Hip-Hop in Los Angeles has brought into our lives…

#LABasin is available for streaming worldwide. Additionally, @abbeyrizzle and I got some really cool merch available on the @keepthefeel #Bandcamp page. Links to both are in our bios if you’d like to support this wave we on. Thanks to everyone out there already rocking with us!

#abstactrude #keepthefeelent #alphapup #lofihiphop #lahiphop #goodlifecafe #losangeles #breakdance #graffiti #emcee #dj #hiphopculture #calsthetics #homiethisisdoggma #gbbyachtclub #glassbottomboatproductions by @cal_s_thetics

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4 years ago

Just 1 week removed from the drop of #LABasin. I feel like I am out here selling it a bit hard, but frankly I don’t care because I believe in this project. This project is near and dear to my heart. It’s a great mix of the past, present, and future rolled into a singular art work. So while it may seem like a blanket promotion in my feed, it is truly a celebration of the place Los Angeles’s Hip-Hop community and music has had in my life and sure in many of your lives as well.

This is my invitation to you to get involved. We have a vision. We are on a mission. And there is still room to jump on this bandwagon. This one is for the home teams. Let’s go! - Cal

📸: @shotsfired_1071
#calsthetics #glassbottomboatproductions #gbbyachtclub #keepthefeelentertainment #abstractrude #lanights #losangeles #undergroundhiphop #bsideshow #homiethisisdoggma #nanlibinvasion #digfindlistensamplechoprepeat #rolandlifestyle #beatmakers #projectblowed #hiphop taken in Los Angeles, California by @cal_s_thetics

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4 years ago

Proud to see @enkrypt_losangeles continuing to make her mark worldwide in photography, art and pop culture! Getting to catch up with her last night and celebrate was a fortuitous blessing after our #LABasin press run yesterday.

She’s been one of my biggest supporters and collaborators in the 6 years I have gotten back into this art shit heavy and I can’t thank her enough other than to keep trying to deliver on the dopeness.

If you haven’t seen, our last collab, #LABasin she handled all the photography as well as the music video so you know it’s a certified banger. And Today’s a perfect day to check it out (Link in Bio). Have a good Saturday all! 🙏🏽🙌🏽 taken in Los Angeles, California by @cal_s_thetics

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4 years ago

#LANights BTS dump.
July 11-12, 2019

@enkrypt_losangeles and I link for the first #LANights shoot. This was the eve that #nosleeptilamsterdam dropped. Enkrypt and I ended up spending 3 or 4 hours talking and walking in some LA streets getting shots we thought looked dope.

It was oddly quiet for LA this night so normal activity was kind of muted. It’s crazy because thinking back, I almost thought it was during the pandemic, but it was actually almost a year before that…

While we were both pretty tired from working earlier on other projects during the day, we found a bit of energy in each other’s company discussing life and kind of just focusing on the present, knocking out some shots. It was quite relaxing and fun, which good shoots always are. If you are ever fortunate to work with Enkrypt, you’ll find this to usually be the case haha. That’s why she one of the best in my humble opinion.

We tried a few riskier things like stand in the street trying to get sick time-lapse shots . The Randy’s shot especially, we had to set up in the intersection to get it so we’d run out with the tripod and set up shoot and have to wait until the long exposure ended before grabbing the camera and getting back out the way haha. I think the results were dope though.

We agreed on that night to not show any BTS until the project was already out so people wouldn’t feel like they already saw the finished product before. Well, now you see it and get to read a bit about it, too.

Anyways, the album is out steaming now, music video is playing, and the merch is up too so don’t sleep! - Cal taken in Los Angeles, California by @cal_s_thetics

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4 years ago

Shoutout to the @bsideshow and @danikilla4nya for having us on last week to talk about #LA Basin. Always fun checking in with the B Side fam, but also always very inspiring because every time you go you might get a few gems dropped on you… Of course not before some dope music and a few good laughs 😂.

Listen to the whole interview and so much more on their B Side Show YouTube channel now!

Let’s keep the good vibes going! Peace y’all - Cal

P.S. Link in bio for our upcoming merch bundles! Sick hoodie/jogger/hat the perfect fit for Scorpio season. Tap in!

#bsideshow #abstractrude #danikillafournya #auracleedition #calsthetics #projectblowed #covina #losangeles #lemiertpark #lanights #hiphop #undergroundhiphop #ethnomusicology #droppinggems #eachoneteachone #actlikeyouknow by @cal_s_thetics

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4 years ago