“I’ve got some trees and I’m ready to smoke, but when I smoke I think of things that I normally don’t, but it’s dope because.. This is part of the Earth’s essence anyway, So if the Earth could speak this is what it would say..”

Those are the words that lead off the song I was writing close to 10 years ago, now known as “Earth’s Essence”, which was quite a contrast to the majority of rap I was working on at the time. Much of my music was more superficial and spoke negatively towards women because that was the culture in South Florida, and that’s the way I felt, not because I strove to be a player like many of my old friends, but because of the disappointment I felt from the way most girls around me acted.

Whenever I did write to express deeper thoughts I kept it to myself or only let a few people hear it. I suppose I knew that South Florida was different than other places in the country (or world) but I didn’t really think about it much. That was my world because that seemed to be all there was as far as I can see. We humans tend to forget life exists beyond the horizon sometimes, but I knew there had to be more than the daily “where the hoes at” hunts or the “let’s get fucked up” adventures that my old friends used to constantly go on. I knew there had to be more because I heard it in the hip hop that wasn’t too popular around me but was in other places not too far away. I knew there was more because I heard it and I dreamed about it. I wanted to go there, but I was losing my way.

Then, one day, disgusted by the pattern of strippers, groupies, and friends I didn’t trust around me, I locked myself away and started writing & blazing just to get away and clear my head. By this point, it was a necessary escape. The atmosphere was so chaotic that there was a large rumbling which consisted of loud music, drunk male & female hollers and laughs, and a banging from someone who could smell something burning and was trying to break into my small room to get some…but the door remained locked and blocked by furniture, with the lights low and my headphones on.

Enter the original “Earth’s Essence”… recorded on my homie D. Shwartz’s setup in an open room, no south booth, no professional studio and mixed myself. A year or two later the song was put on CunninLynguists Sloppy Seconds Vol. 1 (while I was a member) and then I put it on my first solo mix compilation, SOS For President. To this day it’s still one of my most popular songs, and I am very proud of it – especially knowing the story that inspired it.

Well, I have good news. Fans of this song will be happy to know that I will be making a newer version of it over new music produced by Wes Green (because I don’t even know who produced the original.. shady situation.. don’t even ask). This can be considered a remix or a sequel, but I’m thinking of just keeping the same title and releasing it as the official version. Nevertheless, I’ve been working on this version of “Earth’s Essence” recently and I must say, it sounds pretty damn good. It features an updated 1st verse that sounds similar to the one in the original but with new lyrics and a new second verse. I’m so proud of it that I feel the need to pay homage to the original and the story that inspired it by writing this blog. So, enjoy the original version of “Earth’s Essence” and thank you all for making it one of my most popular underground gems to date. Get ready for part 2 coming soon…and yes, it will be better than the first.