Rancour Writes

Monday, May 23, 2016

Sunday, May 22, 2016

Tokyo, Yokohama

It's 7:00am and I'm at my local neighborhood Starbucks. I live in Denenchofu. It's an upscale urbish-suburb with transit options at its core and its comprised of houses only (which is notable, bc Tokyo is 95% apartments). I want to do a home architecture video so maybe Ill do that video on the way home. The architecture here is so, so very interesting.

I've spent really good time with my family in the last two days and saw new sights in and around Tokyo. Food has been excellent. It's wild to see how differently I play, opposite of my mother, father, and sisters, after just having seen them 6 months ago. I feel like a different person. More resolute and not for show, either. I sense principles in my convictions and that's not wishy washy.

I know that this trip is about me. I sense it multiple times each day. The same feeling I get moments before a roller coaster starts. I'm eating ramen and counting down moments simultaneously. I have a 7 day trip starting tomorrow, and each time I think about it, I feel pain, fear, and a whole lot of excitement. The itinerary is something out of a dream. I'm disappointed there's nobody to share it with. I guess this is why people glom together at this age. I've designed an arduous journey for myself. What I like about hard work is that pretensions fade away. The body and mind automatically cut non-essential functions and I'll be happy to get rid of nerve-induced musings.

Lastly, an ode to my family. Without them, this is impossible. I'm lucky and extremely thankful to have a family of means, able to support a trip such as this -- generous, too; willing to pay for a trip on which they dont see me. Man, I am lucky. I feel some guilt about this, but I can look at what I do, how I carry myself, my intent, and how I've acted with regard to generousness and sharing, and I do their legacy honor and will continue to. My father laments the lack of returns for his generousness. I'm sure if he got to thinking about it, everything he has is because of his generousness. The social world is so neurotic, its best to focus on your own energy, rather than your returns. Reflections and basking in moments of sincerity always reward the gifter. My family, however, is them most wonderful microcosm where generousness hangs between us. I cant forget it! It makes me jubilant AF. Raising kids cant be easy, but my parents did and do a damn fine job. Japan is my bitch.

Friday, May 20, 2016

What is Rancour?

In England they put U’s in strange places. According to the British and my motherfucking computer (Fuck you Apple), there are u’s in honour, favourite, and colour. Its accepted that these are geographically specific spellings of the same word, but I propose we do away with this silly ambiguity in the year 2016, and break words from their u countourparts. Aha!

Colour has been my longstanding example, rancour is my new one — Ill briefly discuss colour first. To color is to color, how one does in a coloring book (or a good rap album). Colour ought to be used in situations where one tries to describe the adoption of a tone during an event — i.e. Rob Stark’s unexpected death coloured the rest of the television series. Lets do it! We have a homonym and we have an extra duplicate spelling around, and something about the “u” adds, in my opinion, a distinguished flair, fitting for the secondary use of the word.

So Rancour. Rancour is actually a word. It means bitterness. It used to mean bitterness. Please consider this a declaration of intent as well as a vote of no confidence in the word rancour!!!! I have made an executive decision and BANISH that word, never to return, and, in its place, torn asunder in creative destruction, form this new word with a new definition — rancour!

To know this word, the namesake for this blog, you must know its history. The Rancor is its inspiration; this new definition is its progeny. The Rancor is a race of large, fleshy, golem-type creatures from the Star Wars universe. The race of 20-ish foot tall behemoths was made famous in Episode VI, when Luke fought a Rancor which had been tortured, culled, and trained for viciousness by Jabba the Hut. The creature Rancor represents what the word ‘rancor’ defines:

"Bitter, rankling resentment or ill will; hatred; malice... Also, especially British, rancour."

It is the very same word we’ve described above! By Mark, Anthony, and the third! We have a homonym and a duplicate spelling!!!

Rancour now means a rare refinement or understanding within situations appearing outwardly like chaos — Of course there exists no other word suiting this definition. It is a man and woman with rancour who first peg a new art as prophetic; a writer, a new word! Luke Skywalker displays his own rancour many times, like in battle against the Rancor or before he jumps into the Sarlaac pit, prepared to defeat his opponents against all odds.

Japan - Day 0 - Star Wars and Generosity

“I’ve been on a double decker bus. I was only 6 and cant remember it. But what is a double decker plane?”

“I dont know, I’ve only heard of them.”

“I bet it’s like a jumbo jet!”

Im in SFO, hoping to extend my layover long enough to rendezvous with my friend and lover -- lets just call him Robert. Timing hasn't work out. My layover was too short and too early, so I'd volunteered my ticket as tribute, in case there was overbooking on the flight. Airlines will pay you to take a later flight, if they overbook your flight and you help them out in a pickle.

The attendant seemed surprised and thanked me, but noted that my volunteering was unneeded. I left for some Spanakopita from a poorly run greek establishment (no way, right?) I funnelled a beer (Sean once said this was cool to do when you travel - typical Sean) and returned to a big ass line for boarding.

...

“Just checking in before I get on. You do not need my ticket”?

“No — but — yes, come here. I want to thank you for your generosity. You're upgraded to international business class.”

Motherfucker

I board, looking for 13J.

“That’s on the upper deck of the plane, sir”

*escorts me up the stairs*

DOUBLE DECKER PLANE!!! UPPER DECK!!! OH, the places you will go!

The air up here is predictably refined. Here are a few pics I snapped, before I phone kamikazed, as is its wont these days, apparently. POS. Hope it works for the rest of this trip.

...

I recently came into a collection of rare Han Solo novellas and these are my reading for the flight. Im def in a SW mood, dig. I check out the in-flight movies and one of the sections is Star Wars Series. They have all seven Star Wars! Cool! Star Wars, Star Wars, Star Wars, which one do I pick? The rancor (VI) is a natural but I am the rancoUr, you see, and Im not bound to my primogenitor - athankyou.

So I scroll to other in-flight selections and I check out Classics — only Star Wars movies LOL — but not ALL seven SW movies made the cut as “classics.” Consider the selection: Phantom Menace, New Hope, Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi.

I chose the most complete Star Wars adventure — The Phantom Menace.

The Phantom Menace has had so many wonderful tie-ins which add depth to an already-deep movie and its the illuminati entry of all the films. Darth Jar Jar — say no more. The Darth Plagueis novel tie-in — marry me. The Pod Racer Game — take control. The music score is 100% the best and there are A LOT of cool images! The imagery is not always presented with the emphasis it deserves, but there is enough depth to the composition and coloring to keep you busy.

Episode I is a tragic shortcoming; the director-producer team (George Jong Lucas) failed to make a fundamentally sound film. I once turned in a 13 page paper in 7th grade and got a C on it. That is Phantom Menace. Among the wounded are the choices in camera angles, acting, written dialogue, character connecting, and then Qui Gon dies from a stab wound but Maul survives being cut in half and falling down an abyss. This is a film only a motherfucker could love.

BUT GUESS WHAT. The motherfucker next to me saw that I put on Phantom Menace and he is ALSO now watching the Phantom Menace LOL! How fortuitous and serendipitous has this trip been, already. I know a large % of my audience has not embarked on many trips such as this and they terrify me as much as they do, you. The second you step out on a trip such as this, though, you wreak of adventure (you cannot hide it in your air and body language) and people step in to make your day, as you make theirs.

Im sorry I could not see my lover in SF - but here I am in business class, reclining, just ate a literal 5 course meal, topped off by a RAF scoop of vanilla ice-cream w caramel, cherries, walnuts, heavy cream, and coffee, and the Phantom Menace. I have already reached the pinnacle, with far to go.

Update: Watching the Battle of Hoth during airplane turbulence is actually really cool and like a 4D movie experience.

Monday, May 16, 2016

Chance the Rapper Reaction

I've been listening to this album non-stop for a good two days -- not at all uncommon -- I did that with Lemonade, and I really dont like Beyonce. I'm convinced she is illuminati. I think she's not a real persona and - oh - how conveniently her drama with Jay Z seems to have exited the public sphere the second she opened the doors to the Carter mansion's laundry room. She's a robot -- A fembot. Wow, Austin Powers comes full circle.

Anyway.

Chance Lé Rapparout

A lot of these songs are so light sounding and play so nicely with Chance's flexible voice and rhymes that I consider this a top level creation. Chance, indeed, did to a "good ass job with Chance 3." He wont be snatching the grammy, tho. The shades of Kayne are very apparent, also. I think that's pretty funny. His music sounds just like daddy's. Maybe Ye should have called his album Waves, bc the wave very clearly runs (and perpetuates) right through this album. Chance's rapping is very, very good. This is nothing new, but the level of production and overall tone of the album reaches a level I've never seen him at before.

I do think that he runs out of themes by the end of the album. Smoke Break, Juke Jam are about the same thing, and theyre really just stories and Im not super about them, tho I like Juke Jam a bit more. Smoke Break falls flat. Reminds of me of the TI and Flocka collab on 50k, where TI says 50 brought him 50 bands in cash and work and so TI gave him a verse. They never met in the booth, TI was just like aw fuck here take this hot beat -- that's like what Future seems to have done here. There's no synergy. Should have been omitted. Im not going to fry the end of the album, tho. Mixtape was aight. Angels was wonderful. Finish Line was a beauty and reminded me that Ye should have put T-Pain (and here's the proof he's still alive - and a degree away from Kanye) he should have put Kanye on Waves instead of Chris Brown.

8.5/10

Monday, August 17, 2015

Ranking Lil B's Mixtapes, Best to Worst

HOW DARE YOU

Lil B does NOT have a worst mixtape!

Bow Down!

God's Father

Lil B "The BasedGod"

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Top 10 Waka Flocka Songs of all Time - GOATF

Greatest of all Time Flocka

Flocka is a fat fuck with an appetite for college girls, cheap beer, expensive liquor, and debauchery. When asked about Oj the Juiceman's relative lack of success, Gucci Mane said Oj came in the game rich and didnt have the hunger it takes to develop and feed a following on the mixtape circuit. The story here ends similarly but is far more interesting.
Flocka gained mixtape notoriety, titling himself the Prince of Mixtapes, and then went commercial. His first album, Flockaveli, was great and had a more well-produced sound than his previous offerings did - but something was lost. His raw delivery was there but the beats were different and, believe it or not, the concepting lost a step - trading in what was special in him for what was consumable. It's hard to be a mixtape success and trending commercial personality -- especially for someone who, up front, admits they suck at rapping. Here is a retrospective on Flame's career, outing his best.