‘Phantasmagoria’ has arrived!!

Click link to be directed to Free Download page

The Album is finally being put up for free download!  Since I have some free time on my hands while I thought I’d give you a brief synopsis.  Here is a track list and how each song came about:

1)The Way I Feel- I was feeling pretty down one night after having a drink downtown with some friends.  As I walked to my car I heard a someone waling  on some old plastic buckets and a metal shopping cart with drum sticks.  Dude was absolutely killing it.  At this point it was about 3am so the street was fairly empty.  Immediately, I brightened up a little bit as I listened to this guy murder the drums.  After about a minute I reached into my pocket and dropped my last $10 into his donation box.  I gave him a nod and began to walk away.  Before I could set my sights towards the street he called out to me and said ‘hey, come here for a second I got something else for you.’  I turned around and the man just  belted out with an amazing voice singing, ‘God loves you tonight!!’  He was getting so funky.  I still am amazed because it was like ‘damn that’s what I needed to hear.’  Came home and got the beat a few day later from one of my super dope producers Cody Valentine.  When I wrote that song I was re-living that night in my head.  If you notice the first 2 verses are pretty morose.  Then the 3rd verse is after I heard this man sing.  It’s a lot more optimistic and hopeful.

2)I Can’t Explain- Everyone always says you have to be ‘commerically viable.’  Well as I’ve heard many times over I’m not commercial enough.  I was dealing with some pretty important and connected people who said they could get me a deal tomorrow if I dumbed it down.  So, I compromised and did a track that I considered to be ‘meeting them half way.’  They said it needed to be more commerical.  At the end of the day this is me, this is who I am.  I told them if they want bubble gum try bazooka! lol ‘Come as you are.’  I won’t be something I’m not.  So this song was written out of frustration.  ‘I walked for miles and miles I feel something I can’t explain, I just breath.’  It’s just a metaphor for having been grinding it out for years and being exhausted from putting up with politics.

3)Introduction- I was very blessed to find this group of musicians to work with on this project.  Everyone is talented and great individuals.  So, of course in fitting fashion they needed and introduction!  Aaron ‘Big Lips’ Burroughs (drums), John Aaron Proctor (base), Jamal ‘Grandpa J’ (acoustic guitar), Brad Wilson ‘B rad’ (electric guitar), Charlie Lou ‘Ninja Chuck’ (congos), Will Rast ‘Willie Rast’ (keyboard), and Sleepwalker ‘Sleepy’ (Vocals)

4)Southern Man- I wrote this a couple years ago after watching ‘When We Were Colored.’  What a good documentary!  The thing is it really only comes to life when it’s live.  Neil Young is also one of my favorite musicians.  I wanted to keep the format the same but just add a little different funk on it!

5)Fly Now- I was actually on my Rocky Kick.  I watched the whole Saga!  All 6 like twice.  My little cousin had just got locked up for the 2nd time.  My mother was really sick.  Just all these things going on in my head.  So I chopped the track up by Bill Conti and wrote the entire song that day.  I hope it uplifts people just as much as the original song did.

6)Get on the Floor-Man I absolutely love this song.  This to me is my most commerical track.  When my producer originally let me hear the track I was blown away.  He was like ‘really you want to touch this one?’  I was like ‘hell yeah!’  So I knew I had to come different but correct nonetheless.  The next night ‘FAME’ came on.  It was like a sign!  Funny thing is the whole time I was writing this song I was breakdancing in my chair.

7)Always Dreaming-This track is so old every time I get to it I skip it.  I was definitely in a bad place.  I was dealing with Lava Records at this time.  I had a great deal on the table and they totally pulled it.  After weeks of going back and forth.  It was so heartbreaking for me.  Meantime, in the city I’m trying to get love and I’m getting nothing but blank stares and empty promises.  The next week I come across this beat courtesy of Lo Boogie and Avatar!  I really opened up on this track!

8)Moment of Clarity- For some crazy reason Lo Boogie & Avatar decided they should throw Always Dreaming in reverse.  It turned out to be a great idea.  I made this track to go along with an indie film my friend ‘Henderson Wade’ directed and stars in called ‘Lucid.’  I definitely draw from personal experience a lot.  So, this was a familiar scenario however far less dramatic.  It’s ART.  It seems too often people are driven to the precipice before they choose to act or change.  That is a true ‘Moment of Clarity.’

9)Imagine- Obviously, everyone can agree that John Lennon is one of the greatest songwriters of all time.  Well, at least in my opinion.  I actually wrote this song only a week before it was time to lay down the live album.  I just always loved this song and what it represented.  I had a 2nd verse but I decided to step back and let Sleepy really shine.  He is an amazing singer, rapper, and all around artist.  I think John Lennon would be proud!

10)Beautiful 1′s- Probably my favorite track on the album.  Prince is one of my favorite musicians of all time.  Once again, Sleepwalker murdered this track!  What else can I say.  I did a ‘Purple Rain’ Mixtape years ago but out of all the tracks I was far more taken by this one!  Sleepy & Band I salute you for this one!  Prince, you are the Man!

11)Lean to the Left- This track is about 5 years old.  I honestly thought it was a hit when I made it although I didn’t really like it.  At the time people were just getting hip to ‘Sipping Lean.’  My man O brought a whole bunch of it back from H-Town in baby bottles.  So I just put it on wax.  However, when we got in the studio the night we recorded the live album something was different.  Although, we practiced all week Charlie Lou put that joint in the meanest GoGo pocket I’ve ever heard!! If you listen at the beginning of the track it actually makes me cuss.  I’m like ‘that s*&t rocks right there’ like I’d never heard it before. lol When we mixed it down I had to ask the engineer to take it out! So, kudos to my man Charlie Lou on them congos for turning this track out!

12)Move- I’m actually going in on this track.  I had been really ticked off at this particular DJ for something he did.  So I had to let him know that he wasn’t going to stop me from rocking.  I say his name in the track too.  If you from the DMV and listen to the radio it’s probably obvious to you.  This is a real hybrid/fusion track.  Kind of like Rock/Rap/GoGo!  In the hook I’m sating ‘Move I’m back in the building’ and then later go on to say ‘you never met a guy like me well you Goddamn right I’m that DUDE.’  Just to reiterate I’m not going to kiss anyone’s @ss!

13)Bittersweet Symphony- A classic track that I always love to listen to.  Deep lyrics so I felt I had to match their intensity.   Seemed very fitting to end with this song.  At the end of this song I call myself ‘the man on the moon.’  This is often how I feel.  I see thing and hear things and I think to myself ‘am I the only one that thinks this is wrong?’  I know everyone feels lonely and wishes they could abscond from this rat race.  Only we all know what the alternative is!  But on a brighter note hopefully this song as well will inspire!!

I chose the Batman logo for this project because I feel like the character and myself have a lot in common.  Bruce Wayne/Batman and myself parallel each other in many ways.  We both carry our personal demons around but when we throw on that suit, when I become Incwell, I feel impervious.  Some people choose to walk around with blinders on and ignore the ills of life while I choose to address them.  And for this I often feel shunned and ostracised.  So I’ve chose it to be my symbol because it’s something people can identify with easily.  I’m just a simple man who wants to do extraordinary things!