Peace, people. Y'know, it's almost embarrassing to admit thisâbut this very column marks 10 years of me writing My Philosophy. I have mixed feelings about mine still being the name at the top of this column, to be honest. Integrity is very important to me (wamp wamp)âand in my eyes, this particular soapbox carries some responsibility to a deep and once-underserved community of artists. Do I do them a disservice by not moving on and letting someone else's philosophy occupy this space? I dunno, reallyâa decade down the line, I'm a walking conflict of interest. Stewarding not just this but other things, among them a radio show and the interests of the artists I help manage (who are some of the best in these Northwest states, and who I've always advocated for), but I try my best to be transparent about all of it. I hope that, and this, is enough, because for now I'm still hereâand I hope my driving is okay. You can let me know otherwise.
Now then: Red Bull Sound Select and KEXP have teamed up for this Souls of Mischief show at Nectar on Wednesday, June 18. In the interest of transparency, I should report that I helped book the supportânamely Kung Foo Grip and Nu Era. Rest assured I received no kickback from this, not even the case of 8.4-ounce Red Edition cans nor the 10K in crisp bills that I asked for. Thanks, guys. Y'all can RSVP for this online (learn to use your computer) and pay only three bones for the whole thing. You're welcome. Or that same night, you can see OG triphop-reggae-soul crew Nightmares on Wax at Neumos, supported by the Fabulous Party Boys and OCnotes (who I help manage, and whose next albums are amazing, so there).
Shout-out to DJs Supa Sam, Equis, and the OG Kun Luv for spinning at the All City Teen Dance for Peace at Seattle Center's Exhibition Hall on Thursday, June 19. Go know about that if you're a teenâno BS, no creepers. Or, if you're a creeper, you can hit up Studio Seven for Cleveland's Dub-O and Tezo, two guys signed to Machine Gun Kelly's EST 19XX label, which might tell you what you need to know.
Re: what you need to know. Blue Scholars are headlining their first show in a hot minute at the Fremont Fair on Saturday, June 21, along with the Physics, the Flavr Blue, and the Seatown Afrobeat of Cascadia '10. That same night, you'll find the polar opposite wave of town rap crashing at the Rendezvous with UDF, Mackned, and Key Nyata. Choose your own adventure.
Shootings in our city happen and you can almost hear the shrug. This air of resigned inevitability is unacceptable. Chance the Rapper recently helped stop gun murders for 42 hours in his homicide-happy Chicago by teaming with his father (Chicago's deputy chief of staff Ken Bennett) who connected with churches, schools, outreach programs, radio stations, and businesses. Their movement brought masses of people onto street corners with banners pleading to #SaveChicago. Imagine people camped out around Deuce-8 and up and down Rainier. Just saying. 
