*[Ѕ][3][X][Y]-[C][H][1][C][A]-[G][H][3][†][†][0]-[β][A][Я][Я][1][0]*

The Battle of Chicano Park:

A Brief History of the Takeover

 

 By Marco Anguiano, Chicano Park Steering Committee

 

 

 Chicano Park - Reclaiming Aztlán

On April 22nd and 23rd, 2000, we celebrate the 30th birthday of Chicano Park - "La Tierra Mia" - "Our Land." We commemorate this sacred place and we honor those people - some alive, some passed away - who planted, painted, protected and nurtured Chicano Park. The birth of the Park is the story of a barrio tragedy transformed into triumph. It is the history of the Chicano Mexicano people struggling to reclaim our heritage and our right to self-determination. The Park is where our history is enshrined in monumental murals. It is where we keep making history as we fight to preserve and defend a small piece of Aztlán known as Chicano Park in Barrio Logan, San Diego.

 

 By taking Chicano Park, the "myth" of Aztlán metamorphosed to reality. Aztlán - the southwestern United States was the ancestral land of the Aztecs. These ancient people migrated to the Valley of Mexico and founded an empire whose capital was Tenochitlan, now Mexico City. By claiming Chicano Park, the descendants of the Aztecs the Chicano Mexicano people begin a project of historical reclamation. We have returned to Aztlán - our home.

 

 

 A Park for the Raza of Logan Heights, Aztlán

In many ways Chicano Park is like any other park. It's where families gather to have a reunion or a picnic. Where the crisp tempting smell of carne asada floats in the air. Where the high pitched giggles of chamaquitos and chamaquitas reverberate against the cement pillars as they climb, slide and swing on a playground that people struggled and sweated for.

 

 It's a park where youngsters bounce a basketball on the court or challenge each other to a round of handball; Where couples exchange wedding vows in the Kiosko. Where a grandmother - nana - gently pushes a stroller along the walkways to pacify a grinning, gurgling baby.

 

 Unlike other parks, el Parque Chicano pulsates when trumpeting shells, throbbing drums and percussive rattles proclaim the beginning of a Danza Azteca ceremony.

 

 Unlike other parks, Chicano Park displays on its monolithic pillars, one of the largest assemblages of public murals in North America. These awe inspiring murals are giant mirrors of our Chicano Mexicano history.

 

 Unlike other parks, Brown Berets fired raised shotguns in militant salute while a Mexican flag was raised and waved defiantly during Chicano Park Day ceremonies. And unlike other parks, Chicano Park was taken by militant force by a community angered by decades of neglect, ignorance and racism.

 

 

 La Raza Moves to Take the Land

For decades, the Chicano community in Logan Heights had thrived as a small, self-reliant neighborhood. Mexicanos had always been part of the community. Since the 30's many more moved there as laborers, cannery workers, welders, pipefitters, longshoremen, etc. For decades, community residents had asked city officials to build a park in the barrio.

 

 After World War II, the city, with complete disregard for Barrio Logan residents rezoned Barrio Logan to allow the influx of industry, junkyards, metal shops and other toxic businesses incompatible with a residential community. City burrocrats and politicians seemed to care less about the predominantly Chicano barrio.

 

 By the mid-1960's, the community was bisected by the construction of Interstate 5, an eight lane freeway that tore Barrio Logan in half and displaced many lifelong residents. A community gathering place, the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe was no longer in the center of the Barrio. It now faced a barren asphalt freeway flanked by a 40 foot high cement retaining wall.

 

 According to Victor Ochoa, a Chicano Park mural coordinator from 1974 through 1979, "They threw Interstate 5 in the barrio, taking something like 5000 families out of the barrio.

 

" When the Coronado Bridge, which intersects Interstate 5 in the heart of Logan Heights, was completed in 1969, it left a jungle of concrete pillars where many families had lived before.

 

 

 The "Paul Revere" of Chicano Park

On April 22, 1970, Mario Solis, a student at San Diego City College ditched class and was strolling casually through the Barrio Logan in the area below the bridge. He ran into construction crews, equipment, machines and bulldozers.

 

 Solis asked the construction workers, "what are you going to be doing here?"

 

 The crewmen responded that they were "building a parking lot for a Highway Patrol station"

 

 Solis was stunned. He told the crew that the people of the community had other plans. He said, "It'll be a park!" The construction crew cackled and laughed in response. Little did they know who would have the last laugh.

 

 Solis rushed back to City College and interrupted a Chicano Studies class taught by Gil Robledo. He alerted the students in the class and demanded to know, "...what are you guys gonna do?"

 

 Students and Activists on High Alert

Robledo's students who included Rico Bueno, Josie Talamantez, David Rico and others "went on red alert," according to some of those present. Bueno wrote and printed flyers and directed others to area schools and to surrounding barrios to sound the alarm - that this was the final straw. Bueno, a Vietnam veteran later threw away his service medals in protest against the war at a Chicano Moratorium march.

 

 Women, men, children, activists, students, residents the youth, the elderly and entire families gathered at the construction site. At day's end, two to three hundred people had congregated. They evicted the construction crew and seized the land.

 

 Solis, a Brown Beret, as well as a student, commandeered a bulldozer and ignited and gunned its engine. He begin flattening the land while others planted cactus, plants and trees. The people begin to build a park. Long time barrio residents like Laura Rodriguez brought tortillas, rice, beans and tamales to feed the rebels.

 

 "What I still remember is that there were bulldozers out there," says Ochoa. "And women and children making human chains around the bulldozers and they stopped the construction work. They actually took over those bulldozers to flatten out the ground, and they started planting nopales and magueys and flowers. And there was a telephone pole there, where the Chicano flag was raised.

 

 Police and Authorities are Stunned

According to veteran activist David Rico, current chairman of the Brown Berets de Aztlán, "When the cops showed up during the takeover of the Park, they demanded to know who the leaders were, so we pointed to somebody over there and that somebody would point to somebody else who would then point somebody else - you had a lot of confused cops. We had the system very, very confused."

 

 Al Puente, then a San Diego police officer on the Barrio Logan beat, years later divulged that the police department was confused since they had never experienced such an incident before - where an entire community had rebelled. Although Puente had earned a reputation as rough cop in the barrio, years later he related that he warned police against attacking the protesters since many women and children were among those at the site.

 

 The land underneath the bridge was occupied. An unprecedented coalition of barrio residents, students, and community activists, Brown Berets and Raza from barrios throughout San Diego and Aztlán united and confronted the bulldozers and stopped the construction of a Highway Patrol station. At a community meeting that night, activist Jose Gomez stated, "the only way to take that park away is to wade through our blood."

 

 

Chicano Park Steering Committee formed

On April 23 the Chicano Park Steering Committee was formed to direct the community effort to build a park and confront state and city authorities. Activists demanded that the property be donated to the community as a park in which Chicano culture could be expressed through art.

 

"Our community had already been invaded by the junkyards, the factories and a bridge had even been built through our barrio," declared Jose Gomez, "some of us decided it was time to put a stop to the destruction and begin to make this place more livable."

 

"We are ready to die for the park," Salvador "Queso" Torres, a community artist shouted to a gathering of city and state officials while supporters stamped their feet in rhythm and shouted, "Viva la Raza!"

 

The Coronado Bay Bridge was built at the height of the Chicano Movement. There was a great awareness at the time about the militancy that was all to often necessary to attain our rights. The establishment of a California Highway Patrol station under the bridge was a final insult to the people of Barrio Logan, a community that already had many grievances against local police.

 

 The occupation of Chicano Park lasted twelve days. People of all ages worked together to clear the land and plant it. Supporters arrived from all over the state. Finally an agreement was reached between the Chicano community and the city, which agreed to acquire the site from the state for the development of a community park.

 

 

 Chicano Power Peaks in San Diego

Many of the same activists involved in the takeover of Chicano Park were also central to the occupation and founding of the Chicano Free Clinic (now know as the Logan Heights Family Health Clinic) and the Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park.

 

 The creation of Chicano Park was a defining moment in Chicano history and in the history of Barrio Logan, as well as the City of San Diego. Respected leader Josie Talamantez, then an 18 year old student at San Diego City College and a resident of Barrio Logan, explained the exaltation of the community in the park takeover:

 

"I was living a block from the site and my family had been very much involved with trying to get a park in this area for a long time. I felt proud. It was the first time that I had seen Jose's (Gomez) mother and my mother and the little kids and a lot of the people in between all working together."

 

 One of the park's original muralists Mario Torero, linked the Park to Chicano identity: "We can't think of Chicanos in San Diego without thinking of Chicano Park. It is the main evidence, the open book of our culture, energy and determination as a people."

 

 Ramon "Chunky" Sanchez, composer and singer of the rousing anthem "Chicano Park Samba," said, "There's an energy there that's hard to describe - when you see your people struggling for something positive, it's very inspiring. The park was brought about by sacrifice and it demonstrates what a community can do when they stick together and make it happen."

 

Ernesto Bustillos, another veteran activist termed Chicano Park, "A Liberated Zone," where Raza from all walks of life, students, barrio residents and activists joined forces to retake our land. Chicano Park has provided us with the freedom to practice and express our ideas, our culture and our traditions. In short, the struggle for Chicano Park has become symbolic of our Raza's struggle for self-determination, our right to Aztlán and who we are as an indigenous people.

 

 

 A Never Ending Story

There is no end to the story of Chicano Park. It is a living history. As long as Raza take responsibility to preserve and defend the park and Barrio Logan, it will survive and thrive.

 

 Since the reclamation of the land, there have been many difficult and exhausting struggles to preserve and defend the park. We highlight a few:

 

Grand Jury Attacks

The battles included the San Diego County Grand Jury's so called "investigation" into Chicano Park Steering Committee which resulted in the evacuation of the Park building by the Chicano Federation in 1979. The Chicano Park Steering Committee has been homeless since, but holds meetings throughout the community and is open to anyone who wants to be involved.

 

 Building the Kiosko

The construction of the Kiosko (1972-77) went through a maze of San Diego City burrocratic red tape. After years of meetings the project was hijacked and funding withheld by so called city council representative Jess Haro. Haro wanted a "Spanish style" architecture for the kiosko." When finally confronted at a community meeting, Haro backed off. The Kiosko was dedicated in 1977.

 

All the Way to the Bay

The "All the Way to the Bay" (1970-88) campaign spearheaded by Ronnie Trujillo of the CPSC asserted the right of Barrio Logan residents to have the only access to the bay and to extend Chicano Park all the way to the waterfront. Activists challenged the San Diego Port District and other agencies from San Diego to Sacramento. Ground was broken for the bay park in 1987 and the park completed in 1990.

 

 The Murals and the Retrofit

In the mid-1990's, Cal Trans, the agency responsible for the San Diego Coronado Bay Bridge, proposed an earthquake safety bridge retrofit plan that would've destroyed the Chicano Park murals. In response certain community "representatives" formed the "Right Directions Committee" to squeeze Cal Trans for "mitigation money."

 

The Right Directions Committee assumed that the retrofit was a foregone conclusion and the murals would be inevitably destroyed. They wanted to press CalTrans for their pet projects in exchange. This "committee" began holding forums at the Barrio Station. When the Chicano Park Steering Committee found out about this "movida," mural supporters rallied to the forums and challenged Cal Trans and their proposals. The Right Directions committee dissolved itself in the face of community opposition to the retrofit.

 

 After many militant marches, press conferences and negotiating sessions with Cal Trans, they relented and under the advise of professional engineers found a method of retrofitting the pillars that spared the murals. This retrofit work continues to this day, while the Chicano Park Steering Committee is the watchdog of the construction.

 

 

Even in the Quietest Moments

Then there are the meditative moments in Chicano Park - when the din of the traffic evaporates and you're alone facing the monoliths of history - prisms reflecting our lives, our history, and our struggle.

 

 It's our church, where we reflect on the spirit of those who struggled to create and preserve the Park.

 

It is our school, where we learn our story - our history written, painted and told by us for generations to come.

 

It's also during these contemplative moments when Chicano Park becomes the paramount icon of our Raza's aspiration to control something meaningful in our lives - Chicano Park symbolizes our sacred right to self-determination

10 WORST RAPPERS SHAME TO THE RAP GAME

WHY THEY SUCK

 

EH YO WUZ HAPPININ HOMIEZ THIS BE YA GIRL SEXY CHICA COMMING BACK WITH SOME OF THAT GOOD OL CHICANO, CHICANA SHYT! YUP THIS BE THE INTERVIEW OF CROOKED STILO. LISTEN TO WHAT THEY GOTTA SAY SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD WITH THEM. LATIN RAPPER.COM YA THE BEST. TO ALL YA HOMIEZ OUT THERE KEEP REPPEN WHAT YA REPPIN HOMIEZ CAUSE FOR NOW ALL KETCH YA ON THE REBOUND! CAUSE I GOTTA BOUNCE! SO TAKE A LOOK HOMIEZ CAUSE THAT'S WHY I WROTE IT FOR YA TO READ IT.

 

Victor and Johnny Lopez, better known as the group Crooked Stilo, are taking Rap en Espanol back to the forefront. From the projects of East Los Angeles to their war-torn homeland of El Salvador, the Lopez brothers continue to sample traditional Latin music to give each track their cultural seal of approval.

 Last year the brothers dropped "Puro Escandalo" through Fonovisa Records, a medley of Salsa, Merengue and sensual rap in Spanish, the duo now prepare to release their new album "Retrasalo." We caught up with Crooked Stilo to get the scoop on the new album and more in this exclusive interview.

 

INTERVIEW WITH CROOKED STILO

 

LatinRapper.com: What have you been working on lately?

 

CROOKED STILO:  We're in the studio right now for the second album, we're doing the very last two songs today, so that's going well. Working hard at it, trying to take it to the next level, musically, lyrically.

 

 How does Retrasalo differ from the last album, Puro Escandalo?

 

CROOKED STILO:  It's more rhythmical, more club tracks. You know, we hit 'em again with a couple of the samples, a little less sampling on this one, all the other stuff is pretty much us. Our twist on hip hop. We got a couple of tracks, we call it crunketon because they aren't really reggaeton tracks. We're going to do a remix of Mentirosa, a reggaeton remix featuring La Seria from New York.

 

 I understand you just shot a new video?

 

CROOKED STILO:  We just show the video last week, for the song Retrasalo. We're gonna make it available online, as soon as the single hits the airwaves. All those [TV] stations, they given us love on the first album.

 

 What distinguishes your group from other groups?

 

CROOKED STILO:  I think its just the music,the first time you listen to it, its out in the left field. Its not your typcial gangster rap, its just corooked, and I don't think anyone else has that sound. Thats how the name came up, when I frist started as a producer I tried emulating other prodcuers to get that sound, it always came out crooked, thats how we came up with the name, with the style. At first we were pissed off then we just accepted it was gonna be like that.

 

 You released an album in ‘93, what was the reason for a decade long hiatus?

 

CROOKED STILO:  We've done two albums. I think the first one was out in 93-94, called Crooked For Life, half English half Spanish CD. We did a little small tour, Arizona, New York, but most of the comments I got back from people in email is that the Spanish was off the hook, just raw. So after that we just started working on an all-Spanish album. It took a while because we wanted the right person to put it out, we wanted it everywhere, so we couldn't do that so we went back to the same small label, 805 Records. That one came out in 2002-2003, so that took us a little while to do, 'cause we actually were gonna release two albums but ended up doing a Spanish one.

 

 How does being Latino fit in with your music?

 

CROOKED STILO:  We use a lot of the sampling that we use is based on Spanish music, even when do were doing the English tracks. Somehow, someway we wanted to make sure that people knew that we were Latin. Many Latin hip hop artists living in the U.S. do an album in English and appear to a broad spectrum of fans. By doing an album in Spanish,

 

 you seem to limit your audience to mostly Latinos. Had you considered doing an all English album to appeal to more listeners?

 

CROOKED STILO:  Yes, the very first one we did was gonna be all English, but we put some Spanish on it. The response we got was good from the fans of English, but the people who listened to the Spanish were overwhelmed by it because they hadn't heard that. The new generations, the ones we identify with, all speak English, so we would wanna do an album in English.

 

 Were there other Latinos in hip hop that influenced your music or how you conducted business?

 

CROOKED STILO:  The person that really gave us the main influence was MC ALT. He lived just across the street from us in San Gabriel Valley. We watched this guy, him and my brother would battle, at first my brother always lost. All of a sudden we saw him on TV, he had a big hit back in the days, and had another hit with Kid Frost, so that kind of opened our eyes and made it seem like it was possible for someone from the hood or without all the resources to do it. So we started taking it more seriously. Aside from them it was Cypress Hill, made a huge impact on us. Delinquent Habits, Psycho Realm, Beatnuts.

 

 You lived in the projects in L.A., but originally you came from El Salvador, a country that was known for rampant violence and disappearances. How would you compare the two areas?

 

CROOKED STILO:  Completely different. We were very young when we were out there. We had a chance to go back when we were teens, we got sent back for two years 'cause we were doing stupid things. It was culture shock, a lot of the things you have here you took for granted: food, cars, electricity. We didn't have that. We went to a school where we couldn't come out except for the weekends. And in the weekends we had to stay with our grandparents in a rural area, where electricity came and went, outhouses, stuff like that. I think being out there, if you can live here in the projects you can live 100 times better than areas in El Salvador.

 

 Would you consider going back to El Salvador to perform?

 

CROOKED STILO:  Definitely, that's one of my wishes, go back there and either give a free concert, [for] the people to see. El Salvador is a pretty small country, as a people we rarely had any artists that were big outside of the country, the biggest one, that was probably a decade ago. It would be like the maximum reward for me.

 

 Any noteworthy collaborations in the works?

 

CROOKED STILO:  I did a track with Daddy Yankee on his Barrio Fino CD, big opportunity there. I just did a track with Don Chezina, for a compilation. Urban Regional really blew up in 2004,

 

 what do you credit that to?

 

CROOKED STILO:  The big labels opening up their doors, backing up the movement, really showing their support. Also the media did that, the press, people like you guys. You got to the ears of the street. Also acts like Akwid, that brought good music to the table.

 

 Reggaeton had been around since '95 and before but only now is getting mainstream acceptance, do you think you'll ever see an Urban Regional video on BET or MTV?

 

CROOKED STILO:  What's gonna happen, the collaboration has to happen, and I haven't seen that yet. That's what helped reggaeton a lot, Daddy Yankee; Gasolina was a hot track, then he did a collaboration with Nore and Nina Sky, and that's pretty much what put reggaeton in the world eyes. Its gonna take Akwid collaborating with Nore Or Jay-Z to put it in the world's eyes. We tried to do it with this album, but there's a lot of red tape with the label. Not our label, but other labels. We had to finish the album pretty quick, and usually labels, you give them like a release, its takes a long time.

 

 Do you ever think that your subgenre of music is starting to get saturated with new artists?

 

CROOKED STILO:  Not really. I think its good when new artists pop up, because if the new artists is good, it gives the other artists more competition, which is good. It makes you put hot music, put out a hotter album than before. The ones that aren't good get weeded out.

 

 Have you been touring at all?

 

CROOKED STILO:  Yeah, we been doing shows all over the U.S.. We did a show with Fat Joe, we did stuff in Spain for a month, we just did a show with Don Omar and Pitbull and Nore, that was huge. And we plan to stay in that arena with those cats, try to get to their crowd. A lot of them haven't heard of Región Urbano, try to give them a different taste of Latin music.

 

 Last time we spoke, we discussed Crooked Stilo dropping an all English album, does that seem like it would still happen?

 

CROOKED STILO:  Yeah yeah, in fact, in this album half of the album was in English. Towards the end, we dropped a couple of the tracks. Again, just because of the timing issue, because of stuff not coming through. The single is a bilingual track.

 

What can we expect from Crooked Stilo in the future?

 

CROOKED STILO:  We are still gonna keep making noise in this rap game. Either producing a new album, definitely gonna push ourselves to the next level. Might be a Spanish album, might be an English album, I'm still trying to run to the next level.

 

Any last message you'd like to add?

 

CROOKED STILO:  May 17th, the new album. Different level, adding our crunketon in there, a new twist on hip hop. Be on the lookout.

EH HOMIEZ THIS BE YA HOMEGIRL SEXY CHICA ONCE AGAIN PUTTIN IT DOWN FOR THE CHICANO'S AND CHICANA'S. I JUST THOUGHT I'D ADD A LIL BIT OF PITBULL TO THE MIX. YUP THIS IS HIS INTERVIEW WITH LATINRAPPER.COM. MUCH LOVE AND RESPECT TO LATIN RAPPERS.COM FOR SHOWIN LOVE TO THE CHICANO RAP GANGSTERS AND ALL THE REGGEATON HOMIEZ. IF IT WERNT FOR THEM WE WOULDENT GET T HIS SPECIAL INSITE ON ALL THE HOMIEZ AND WHAT BE GOING ON WITH THEM THESE DAYS SO CHECKTHIS INTERVIEW OUT! SEE WHAT PITBULL IS ALL ABOUT! CAUSE FOR NOW..... I'M OUT! 

 

Pitbull released his debut album "M.I.A.M.I.: Money Is A Major Issue" on TVT Records this past August, the album was produced by The Diaz Brothers and crunk king Lil Jon. The 23 year-old Cuban-American rapper's sound combines hip-hop, crunk, reggae, reggeton, and dance-hall, with English and Spanish lyrics.

 Album sales for "M.I.A.M.I." have surpassed 200,000 units and hit #14 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart, and Pitbull prepares to record the video for his next bilingual single "Toma", the follow-up to "Culo" featuring Lil Jon. Pitbull will also be performing on the MTV Latin America video awards live with a re-broadcast on MTV U.S. on Saturday, Oct. 30th at 11:00p.m. PT/ET. Pitbull took time out to speak with LatinRapper about his new album and more in an exclusive Q&A

 

INTERVIEW WITH THE ONE & ONLY PITBULL

 

 LatinRapper.com: You've gotten a good reception to M.I.A.M.I., has the exposure been better than you had originally expected it?

 

pitbull:  Oh no, definitely, I'm used to a very slow grind. But it's definitely been overwhelming, I'm not gonna lie.

 

 For those who haven't hit the store to buy Miami yet, how can you best describe it?

 

pitbull:  I would say it's a melting pot, a lot of different music, a lot of different versatility, a lot of different topics being touched on the album.

 

 Though you're not really reggaeton, you hooked up with Daddy Yankee on the Gasolina remix which skyrocketed up the tropical charts. How did that collabo come about?

 

pitbull:  I mean, he's heard about my movement, I heard about his, we respected each other's movements and really wanted to do something together.

 

 You're down with TVT, what do you have planned with them in the future?

 

pitbull:  I've planned a bunch of things with TVT, I feel like I'm bringing something new to them, opening doors. On the Latin side, I'm bringing them things hopefully they can handle, ‘cause a lot of Latin artists are gonna want to come through as big as I did, not just in their regions.

 

 How has the touring experience been for you so far?

 

pitbull:  Its been a beautiful thing, but nothing I'm not used to. I went on tour with Luke, did 35 cities, I did that before. Its just connecting with people from city to city.

 

 Who are some artists that you are looking forward to collaborating with?

 

pitbull:  Right now, I don't really project things like that, I sorta just work with people who wanna rock with me. Jay Z... I wish I coulda worked with Celia Cruz but she passed, other than that I'm straight.

 

Many Latin artists on the East and West coast have earned their stripes nationally, but few when it comes to crunk. In the Southeast, what is that makes Pitbull stand out?

 

pitbull:  I been doing the mixtape thing down here for a while, so they been hearing me on that. So a record like "Culo" may touch nationally, with "Toma" I'm touching everyone with my hardcore following. I'm always sort of outdoing myself on these beats, and people are picking up on it, they're biting. The beautiful thing, like you said, is we are able to take this on the next level, meaning nationally.

 

 You seem to stress your Cuban background in your music and promotion, how important is it to you that people recognize you as a Cuban rapper rather than just a rapper?

 

pitbull: I'm not a Latin rapper, I'm a rapper that happens to be Latin, you feel me. With that said, I just want them to know where I'm from. Just like Jamaicans do, just like Puerto Ricans with Reggaeton. Just like black people with slavery, Jewish with the Holocaust, Cubans and Nicaraguans who had revolutions in their country, so I just want them to know my culture, my struggle, so they can learn from us as much as we learn from them.

 

 You mentioned Cuba, have you been back?

 

pitbull: Mmhmm, Yes I've been to Cuba.

 

 I've asked other artists from Cuba this before; if they were organized free shows out there, would you go perform for free?

 

pitbull:  I'd be very interested in that, because it comes from the heart. But politically it wouldn't be a good move for Pitbull because I'd be supporting Castro. I cannot go out there and speak my mind, I'd be put in prison.

 

 Anything else you want to mention to the readers out there?

 

pitbull:  Anybody that supports Pitbull, I really appreciate it.. If not for the fans I wouldn't be sh*t. Anybody else trying to get in this game: patience, passion plus perseverance equals success, hurry up and wait.

 

WELL THAT'S THE INSITE ON PITBULL FOR YA WHO DIDENT KNOW HIM, NOW YA DO. EH COME AROUND NEXT TIME AND BE SHURE TO DROP A LINE ALL GET YA BACK SOMETIME. DON'T FORGET TO PUT IT DOWN LET ME KNOW WHAT I SHOULD ADD TO MY GHETTO. BE REAL ABOUT IT. SPEAK YA MIND ON WHAT YA WANT TO SEE I JUST MIGHT ADD IT. WE SEE. ALRATOS! 

EH HOMIEZ WUZ GOING DOWN AS FOR ME STILL REPPIN FOR THE CHICANO SOUND WITH LIL ROBS INTERVIEW WHAT UP NOW. I FIGURED SINCE I PUT HIS FIRST INTERVIEW UP I'D PUT HIS SECOND INTERVIEW UP. HE GOTS LOTS TO SAY THIS TIME AROUND BUT I TELL YA ONE THING THOUGH HE STILL DOWN FOR THE BROWN!

 

LIL ROB'S SUMMER NIGHTS INTERVIEW

 

Chicano Rap on MTV? Some said it would never happen, but one artist is on the verge of changing all that. San Diego rapper Lil Rob has been a part of the game since '92, pushing as many as 90,000 CDs per album while continuing to stay underground. His new album, Twelve Eighteen Pt. 1, has pushed the mainstream limits of Chicano Rap and has gotten the subgenre a new level of attention nationwide. In our first interview (click here) Lil Rob discussed what it meant to be Chicano, how being shot changed his life, and what it would take for Chicano rap to get respect. Back on the grind, Rob took a break from his hectic schedule to speak with LatinRapper on his new album and brown pride.

 

 LatinRapper.com: Big news first, new album out. Tell us a bit about Twelve Eighteen.

 

LIL ROB:  Its Lil Rob, some good music out there, different music. Neighborhood music with the oldies samples, club music, stripper music (laughs). Just a big variety, bro, hip hop, a big variety of everything. Everyone likes a bit of something different, I didn't wanna put just one style on the whole album, hit a wider audience. It can be played in the clubs now, in the neighborhood too, just a well rounded album.

 

 What exactly is the significance of the number twelve eighteen?

 

LIL ROB:  Just a neighborhood thing, homie. Like we tagged up the neighborhood, we used the numbers instead of the letters. 12 for L, 18 for R, it had a ring to it, I ended up tattooing it on my arms. Determined to make something happen out of it. It's working homie, its my biggest album so far. So now that's my thing, it will be attached to everything. When I do get my clothing line up homie, that will be 1218, anything that has to do with Lil Rob will be 1218.

 

 You spoke about finding your niche with Neighborhood Music, did you stick to that formula for this album?

 

LIL ROB:  I mean I did, its not really that I found a niche bro, I just found out that if you put raza first, you can't lose. I did the whole gang thing, I grew up, now raza is raza to me. I drop it for everyone, homie, not just my click or neighborhood. People said I changed my flow or whatever, but its still me on there. Still brown and proud and raza related. I haven't changed, I don't think it sounds any different. Just gotta give it a listen, be open to new things so I can open up, so people can listen. I got added to all these stations because I opened up and experimented, now we're being seen and being listened to, before we were just getting put down.

 

 How is Twelve Eighteen Part 1 different from your last album?

 

LIL ROB:  Like I said bro, I don't feel that it is different, the production is different. I still use Moox out of Austin, Texas. We recorded 26 songs, we took the best 13 for this album. I recorded enough to do a part 2, we had a hard time choosing for this album. So we just compromised and put out certain things, but in my eyes it's the same. But it's old school sounding, people said I changed my flow up, I been doin' different flows throughout my whole career, its always been something different. Trying to do the radio thing, trying to blow it up, believe me it was hard for the label to work me, I just looked like trouble to people. There are a lot of good people that represent brown, a lot of us trying to do good, we shouldn't change the way we dress, just conduct ourselves with some class.

 

 I heard Summer Nights on the radio, which is the first time I've heard Chicano rap outside of the Southwest or West Coast. What does it feel like when Chicanos to get mainstream acceptance like that?

 

LIL ROB:  It's cool. Especially if you don't change who you are, I'm that same person that came out 15 years ago, bro. A lot of work, a lot more work than I thought, it feels good to stay on the front line and finally get respected from people. Radio, rappers, everyone else. The hating comes with the territory, but you just put that aside. Definitely feels good to be doing these big shows, real cool, especially to go all the way to the East coast.

 

 What motivated or inspired you to do Summer Nights in the first place?

 

LIL ROB:  That's my thing too, bro, not just like I did a song to hit radio. A singer played a beat, asked if I would rap to it at the studio. Sounded like a feel good song, he played a good beat and that was it. If I hear a good beat, I'mma write to it. Whether its hip hop or anything, the blues, I'll rap to it if I like it, that's why there's a bunch of different types of music on the album, we all grew up with different types of music.

 

 What artists appeared on your album?

 

LIL ROB:  Actually there's no other artists, again I just don't try to trust people in the business, I've been through it where they're friends one day and backstab you the next. I got a lot of people I know in the business that last I know I was cool with them, now they talking sh*t about me. I don't even waste time putting people on my album anymore. I've never had a feature on my album just because I don't trust people, they're out to get theirs. I wish people weren't like that, wish I could help them, but I do my thing homie. Just the producers and label that helped me out, otherwise people taking credit for stuff they didn't even do, but that's expected. You don't see me hanging out with other rappers just because of that fact, some are real caught up in the rap world and forget to be humble. Without the fans, you can't do nothing. Respect those people that made you.

 

It looks like you had an additional producer involved this time around, right?

 

LIL ROB:  Fingaz, he's bad, bro. He did like 8 of the tracks on this new album. Sounds good man, good mixture, different sounds.

 

 I noticed you're all over the place right now, are you touring or just promoting the album?

 

LIL ROB:  Just promoting, did a retail tour right now, different city every day. 42 cities, we just did Phoenix, there was 1500 people in the store. Albuquerque, 3500 people in the parking lot, I did a free show out there, hang out. Every spot that I hit so far been a good turnout, good to see people come out, be proud to be who they are, proud to be Mexican. They got someone representing now on a high level, I don't mind staying ‘til I'm done. It just feels so good, some girls are crying, it feels good.

 

 How important is it for artists on the grind to do the music store and radio station appearances?

 

 LIL ROB:  Ah bro, it's real important man. If I don't do those things, the radio doesn't see the people that dig me. Like today, 1500 people at the store at the mall. They have to respond to that, like ‘damn, this guy has listeners.' I'm pulling a big crowd, some places it's a bigger crowd than anyone else brought. It took a long time to get respect homie, I just waited for it, now people see we aint goin' away, Rob aint goin' away. Long as the fans are there, I gotta keep dropping music. They gotta know that you're out there, that you actually care. Its real cool, its very important. To get your face out there, do your thing.

 

 What would your advice be to someone who enjoys rapping and wants to make a career out of it?

 

LIL ROB:  Just not to quit, don't burn no bridges, respect people. Don't step on nobody's toes, that comes around and kicks you in the ass, bro. I got people wish they never did what they did, I'm a good dude, would have been helping them all the way through. But they learn the hard way. Keep practicing, don't get caught up in any rappers drama. You don't need theirs, they don't need yours.

 

 Like you said, every rapper picks up some haters, so what makes you wake up every day and decide that you still want to be a high profile artist in your subgenre instead of a more quiet job?

 

LIL ROB:  All the fans, bro. All the fans that are out there, they don't want me to quit, homie. I'm on a different level now, I get outside dude, see people all over the place.. Certain people rap about a certain place where they're from, but I don't. I got checked a long time ago, nothing wrong with getting checked. If they call me sellout, call me whatever they want, but I'm proud to be brown. I know I aint no punk. We can get down, I'd rather not, I'd rather live without having to watch my back. You gonna rap then rap, you gonna be gangster, then be gangster.

 

 Last time we spoke, we discussed what it would take for Chicano Rap to get national attention, have you seen any changes that tell you this is happening?

 

 LIL ROB:  Ah yeah, the first week I sold 35,000, know what I mean, that's the most I ever done [the first week]. It's crazy, all the work we're putting into it. Its happening now, bro, getting the respect, going out and the crowds are bigger. Lotta people think we don't need radio, that's fine, but there's a way to do it to where we don't change who we are. Long as I'm making hits. You should know, I‘m proud to be brown every time I spit. Gotta make something for everyone to listen to.

 

What's the story with 1218 clothing?

 

LIL ROB:  It's still there bro, but now that everything's happening, its to a bigger level, we gotta make it happen. Before it probably would have worked, but it's a way bigger difference now. Something for the homies, it creases up real clean. It's a process, one thing at a time, I don't wanna overwhelm the setup.

 

 Any other side projects or activities we should know about?

 

LIL ROB:  Right now dude, Part 2 is ready to go. So when this one starts dying down or whatever, we got Part 2 ready. That's about it. Doing the movie thing with Suspect Entertainment out of Los Angeles. Two movies, one is coming out in November with MTV films, little cameo where I do Summer Nights on stage. And the other one with Cuba Gooding JR, called "Dirty", coming out in December. That's another thing, doing a little bit behind the camera. We just did the video for Summer Nights, someone told me its on BET right now but I haven't been around a TV. But gonna be on MTV any day now, MTV accepted the video. Everything good is happening, long as it stays on that route, we aint gonna stop.

 

 Tell me one thing that people don't know about Lil Rob.

 

LIL ROB:  I'm really down to earth. People mistake me for being gang related like crazy, but like I said, it's a raza thing. It's a matter of where you're at, and what you're claiming, but to me its about good music people can listen to, no matter what neighborhood.

 

 Is there anything else you want to add for the LatinRapper readers?

 

Just be open-minded, I'm doing my thing trying to blow it up. Some people don't understand, think I'm trying to sell out for mainstream. I'm just trying to make music. I'm not trying to say I'm the downest gangster around, or the baddest rapper. I'll just do my thing, if you cant respect that, step back (laughs).

EH HOMIEZ QUE ONDA I JUST I'D ADD A LIL ADDITION TO MY GHETTO. THIS IS THE REAL INTERVIEW OF LIL ROB AND LATIN RAPPER.COM. I FOUND IT QUITE INTERESTING MY SELF I REALLY LIKED SOME OF THE SHYT LIL ROB HAD TO SAY I FEEL LIKE HE KNOWS HOW TO PUT THINGS DOWN IN THE RIGHT KIND OF WAY SO HOMIEZ CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND THINGS AND THE WAY OF THE CHICANO LIFESTYLE. I THOUGHT YA MIGHT FIND IT QUITE INTERESTING TO. SO HERE IT IS.......

 

INTERVIEW WITH LIL ROB

 

Chicano Rap. To those outside of the West Coast, the term conjures up images of shaved heads, shades and khakis. To look past that is to recognize one of the strongest growing subgenres of music today, being made and purchased by part of America's largest minority group. At the forefront of this music is San Diego rapper Lil Rob. Rob made his debut on wax back in '92, and as an independent artist has sold as many as 90,000 units per CD with virtually no mainstream radio or video play. Taking a two year break from music after being shot, he returned to the game, moved away from other successful formulas and instead focused on music that he and the people in his neighborhood could relate to. Rob speaks with LR about his music and what it means to be Chicano.

 

 LatinRapper.com: So what are you working on at the moment?

 

LIL ROB:  The new album right now, after Neighborhood Music I think I found my niche. I think it's more neighborhood pride instead of gangbanging, homie. The new album is a compilation of my favorite oldies, more of the hard to find oldies. 1218 is the clothing line that I'm working on right now. Kind of clothing we wear, homes, you know cuffs sewed in how we wear them, easy to crease up. ‘Crisp and clean 1218' (laughs). Also working with Suspect Entertainment out of Los Angeles. A lot of homeboys, ex-gang members, people that have been in the pen, just getting people parts. Parts in Bruce Almighty, Training Day. I'm in a movie called Party Animals. Little 45 second clip, debut right there, its at Blockbuster right now. Hopefully doing soundtracks for movies and all that. Just trying to get Mexicans known, have our slang known. Everyone's talking like the blacks do, we want them talking like the Mexicans do. Lots of homeboys don't speak right and look right in the movies, we want it to be a bit of class in the movies, have them look right instead of just the gangbanging. There's a difference.

 

 The music you put out is generally labeled as "Chicano rap", is that what you refer to it as, or do you consider it something bigger than that?

 

LIL ROB:  Its rap, man, know what I mean. I'm a Chicano so you can label me what you want to. Stereotypes... It's cool and everything, but nowadays you get a little older, you get shot for your neighborhood, you look at things differently. Chicanos gotta step up their game. Black rappers, you can't deny they got skills, Chicanos gotta stay home and get their skills tighter. I gotta get my skills tighter. Now I gotta live up to that, I gotta be as good as the next guy getting played after me. You get played in the radio, you better be good as the next artist. It's a different ballgame, homes, just trying to keep up. Don't get me wrong, I'm proud to be Chicano, but its just rap.

 

 As an indie artist pushing regional music you've had great sales, what do you think distinguishes you from other West coast rappers?

 

LIL ROB:  I just pretty much stay true to what I'm about. Neighborhood pride. We drink on our driveway, typical things we do, it stays in our music. I don't change my slang, the way that I talk is the way that I talk. Just telling our own stories, we have our own stories to tell and if people can respect that, it's all good. If they cant respect that, hopefully people will get the understanding of it later on. A lot of radio station are scared to play it (gang-themed music), I hear black rappers talk about red shoelaces, red shoes, you know what they're talking about. But when it comes to a Chicano saying it, they get scared. A lot of stations scared to play me, I'm on the frontlines trying to get played. Bash is doing this thing to knock down the doors. That's all we can do is try.

 

You first got some shine back in the early 90's when you were just 16, how do you feel that you've grown or changed as an artist since that time?

 

LIL ROB:  Well man, I look back and I think that I used to write better back then, when I turned 22, the rhymes were coming outside. Sometimes I feel like I can't even write like that no more since so much has happened. Gotta get motivated, put my problems down on paper. I understand life a little bit more, you can't trust a lot of people, can't trust nobody. Back then it was just a little gangbang thing, tagging up on fences, now I write on reminiscing back on the days. Older people don't get offended by what I'm saying. Teenagers or old people, a lot of moms bringing their sons and daughters to the concerts, giving me props. I'm not talking about being the baddest one around, I'm just like you. Just grew up, more problems.

 

 Only a handful of West Coast Latin artists were really blowing up in the early 90's, how does being Latino fit in with your music, is that significant to you?

 

LIL ROB:  Yeah it is, to put in the slang words so people know how I am. Not necessary saying ‘puro Chicano' throughout the whole thing, but letting people know where I come from. Back in the days, like you said, Proper Dos, Spanish Fly, Lighter Shade of Brown, Mellow Man Ace. I think I was lucky to get my shine when I did. I think if I hadn't started back then, it wouldn't be crazy now. Now there's a grip of Chicano rappers I haven't even heard, there's so much competition now, to be seen is kinda hard to do. So many rappers, so what I do to stay away from all that, I don't hang with no other cliques or groups. ‘Cause everyone got their own drama with other people, so I stay away from all that. Still strugglin' though, know what I mean.

 

 What does being Chicano mean to you as a person?

 

LIL ROB:  Just being proud of who you are. We have our own stilo, sometimes people look down on us.... But it doesn't matter how you dress or how you talk, just long as you represent. Our families worked hard for us, and for us to take advantage of that... people messing up the streets and poisoning our kids. It's cool and everything to be proud of where you're from. But to kill someone you don't even know because of where you're from, that's crazy. Be proud of who you are, nothing wrong with being Chicano.

 

 Have you ever considered dropping an album entirely in Spanish?

 

LIL ROB:  Yeah I thought about it. I haven't tried it yet, so we'll see what happens.

 

 Were there other Latinos in hip hop that influenced your music or conducting business?

 

LIL ROB:  Back in the days it was Kid Frost, Lighter Shade of Brown, Ese Rich Rock and Spanish Fly. Proper dos, Mexican Power, that's what got me go to the studio. I was rappin' over oldies at the pad ‘cause my homies took me to a producer's pad in San Diego. That's what got my foot in the door. Pretty much been around since then. As far as right now, I listen to Psycho Realm, I dig the way Jacken puts it down, they got skills. But then again I haven't listened to a lot of the Latin rappers that are out there right now.

 

 What can fans expect from your latest effort, Neighborhood music?

 

LIL ROB:  Just like I said, homes, neighborhood pride. Story of how we live: drinkin' 12-packs of beer in the driveway, scrapin' the back bumper of a Cadillac. I know how it feels to have problems, problems with your girl. Talkin' about people who don't like me, boo hoo hoo, I don't need your crying in my life. When the album came out, that was the first one on Upstairs Records. And to be honest with you, I wasn't really feeling rap no more. I been through so much in the business, I been burned, sold a lot of copies. I was pretty much done with rap, dude. Then I started doing shows and seeing more fans that I never knew was out there. So when I busted Neighborhood Music I put a little bit more in there. I aint goin' nowhere, gonna keep dropping neighborhood music long as people are there.

 

 Who did you collaborate with on your last album? Me and the producer, Mooks out of Austin, Texas. Another dude named Craig, Groove out of Alabama. And fingers out of Riverside, California. They did all the beats?

 

LIL ROB:  Yeah, they do the beats and I did all the lyrics. David Wade sang....

 

 Have you considered getting beats from any of the bigger names in production, like DJ Muggs or the Alchemist?

 

LIL ROB:  Yeah, I mean I do, but right now I got my little thing going on. It's the money thing, dog, there's a lot of underground people that can make beats. And if I can make those sound cool, than cool.. But it's a money thing, and I'm not gonna be one to go out there and pay for everything, pay for my fame, I'll take it when it comes. If people can help me out and offer their help, otherwise, to pay for someone like Dre, that's out of my league. I wouldn't even attempt it unless they came to me like helping me out. I really aint got the money. That would be nice (laughs)

 

 Indie artists have proven that you can eat well without going gold, but how important is it to you that you get a gold or platinum plaque?

 

LIL ROB:  It would be cool to get recognized, just to see a Latino hit the Grammies. Seen anyone that dresses like us, or see a show on the regular Grammies where we go up there with the Jay-Z's and Eminem, ‘cause there's a lot of Mexicans out there that buy their music. Crazy how many Mexicans in L.A., and they support black rap, they can support our rap. That would be important, not necessarily me, but it would be nice to see a Chicano-style video on MTV. We need to see that because there's a lifestyle out there, there's a lot of people out there that want to see it. A lot of places that I been, they say ‘there's no Mexicans here,' or ‘they don't lowride here,' but then again they play Snoop who talks about lowriding, but they talk about Chicano rapping it's a different trip. I tried to hit the radio when I was 17 , I know I didn't have the skills back then, but times are changing, its just a little bit harder. I've gotten a good taste of that.

 

 Its been said that you were breakdancing since you were a kid, how important was hip hop to you when you were younger?

 

LIL ROB:  It was important. I mean, back in the days, my brother used to DJ, back when Krush Groove came out. Breakdancing, I was in third grade, they called me Lil Rob. I was performing, I would go to the other elementary schools and breakdance with the older guys. Hip Hop was always there, my brother was DJing parties, blend some of the music together, learned how to blend, scratching and stuff. Doing that in my room. Just started rapping, I didn't know how that happened. One of my homeboys was supposed to be rapping, but I ended up rapping and doing my own thing...

 

 Sen Dog once spoke on 80's Hip Hop on the West Coast, I guess some people don't realize that breakdancing and all that was big in Cali back in the days.

 

LIL ROB:  West coast pop locking (laughs)

 

 You're from San Diego, I've heard people suggest that you wouldn't perform in Northern Cali for any number of reasons. Can you shed some light on that for those readers not living on the West coast?

 

LIL ROB:  Well, I get death threats when I go to perform in Northern Cali. ‘He's gonna get shot' or whatever. That all comes from me being from Southern California. That comes from prejudice, Sureño and Norteño. I don't even know about all that, I'd rather not. I'm all about brown pride, dude. I did a show in Stockton, where they said I shouldn't be at. But I did my show. Fresno, California was one of my biggest shows. Packed, sold out. There's a lot of people that hate on me, but there's a lot of people growing up that don't think like that. When they say I shouldn't show up, that makes me want to show up even more. I'm gonna go up there and represent what I'm about. Brown pride, walk out there with a brown bandana. A lot of people don't know what its about, dude, claiming it but they never been locked up. I guess its just the thing to do sometimes.

 

 I didn't know whether you wanted to touch on this or not, but you got shot a while back. Did that have anything to do with what you just spoke about?

 

LIL ROB:  I used to do my little neighborhood thing. Now that I grew up, its just that one town we had problems with. If other towns hate on me, they got no reason. I got shot when I was 18, back in ‘94, got shot in the chin, shattered my jaw (laughs). My Crazy Life came out, the title of the CD was "Crazy Life", homie. That's what I was doing, being a kid but being lucky enough not to die that night and not to get locked up. I been lucky this whole little journey that nothing bad ever happened to me. Many Latinos outside of the West Coast, Southwest or Midwest often write Mexican rappers off as Chicano rappers.

 

 What do you think it would take to get them to open up more to your sound?

 

LIL ROB:  It would have to be blowing up, get on MTV, get radio play nationwide, let them get something different. Rap, at one time, was something different. It's just wrong, we should be able to be who we are, Ice Cube was who he was back in the day with NWA, we should be able to be ourselves.

 

 Its easy to see that you're a car fanatic, what rides do you own at the moment?

 

LIL ROB:  ‘63 Impala convertible, ‘93 Cadillac Fleetwood, ‘49 Chevy pickup.

 

 When people see you cruising through the neighborhood, what are they likely to hear bumping out of your ride?

 

LIL ROB:  Oldies (Laughs). Or instrumentals when I'm riding in the car, pretty much do all my lyrics while I'm driving everywhere.

 

 What can fans expect from Lil Rob in the future?

 

LIL ROB:  Hopefully a whole lot, man. I'm back and I'm not stopping. Whatever comes to mind, it has to do with how we live. Expect it, ‘cause I will bring it. No one can put it down if its something popular that we do. ‘Cause I been on the frontline, getting made fun of ‘cause of the way we talk. But whatever, we'll prove them all wrong someday.

 

 Anything else you'd like to say?

 

LIL ROB:  Stay tuned for anything that I'm doing, ‘cause I'll always have something coming.

 

WELL..... THAT'S IT. I HOPE YA LIKED IT. BE SHURE TO KEEP COMMING AROUND TO SEE WHAT ELSE IS GOING DOWN. TO ALL YA CHICANO'S AND CHICANA'S STAY TRUE. CHECK ME OUT LATERZ TO SEE WHATS NEW.  

SEXY CHICA'S PERFECT NOVIO

WHAT NATIONALITY DO I WANT HIM TO BE? MEXICAN OR INDIAN.

WHAT COLOR EYES MUST HE HAVE? BROWN OR BLACK

WHAT COLOR HAIR SHOULD HE HAVE? BLACK OR BROWN

HOW SHOULD HE STYLE HIS HAIR? I LIKE THE SLICK BACK OR THE BALD HEAD. IF HE'S AN INDIAN THOUGH I LIKE THE LONG SILKY BLACK HAIR. KINDA LIKE (RODNEY GRANT)

CAN HE HAVE ANY TATOOS OR PEIRCINGS? OH YAH BABY I LOVE THEM BOTH! IF THEY GOT EATHER OF THEM I LOVE IT! ESPECIALLY TATOO'S.....

WHAT AGE DO I PREFER HE BE? NO MORE THEN THE AGE OF 32 ANOS.

HOW TALL SHOULD HE BE? WELL TALLER THEN ME BUT I'M ONLY 4'7 SO HE PROBABLY WOULD BE.

HOW MUCH SHOULD HE WEIGH? WELL I DON'T WANT A FAT CHICO. I'D SAY I LIKE THEM TO BE RIGHT IN BETWEEN. NOT TO CHUBBY NOT TO THIN.

MUST HE BE MUSCULAR? NOPE INFACT I DON'T LIKE THEM BUFF CHICO'S. SOME OF THEM BE TO BUFF.

HOW SHOULD HE DRESS? NOW THIS IS EAZY I LIKE UMM WITH BAGGY PANTS I PREFER THE BRAND "SOLO" I LIKE BANDANAS WITH A FIRME BELT WHITE TANK TOPS FOR THE CHICOS. ALL THE BLING!

WHAT KINDA JOB SHOULD HE HAVE? I REALLY DON'T CARE AS LONG AS HE'S NOT DEALING DRUGS AND HE'S NOT IN A REALLY BAD GANG. I DON'T CARE IF WE BOTH HAVE TO WORK TO PROVIDE SHYT FOR THE BOTH OF US.

HOW MUCH PAY SHOULD HE GET? THERE AGAIN THAT DOES NOT MATTER TO ME. I CAN CARE LESS ABOUT HIS MONEY. I'M ALL FOR THE LOVE AND FEELINGS.

CAN HE PARTY WITH HIS FRIENDS AND GO OUT ON HIS OWN? APSOLUTELY I'M NOT GONNA STOP HIM FROM HAVING FUN WITH HIS FRIEND OR EVEN HAVING TIME ALONE TO HIM SELF.

WHAT IF HE'S MARRIED? NOPE I WONT GO THERE FORGET IT! HOW DO I KNOW HE AINT GONNA DO THE SAME THING TO ME.

CAN HE HAVE NINO'S OR NONA'S? ONLY IF THE MOTHER OF THEM IS COMPLETLY OUT OF THE PICTURE AND I MEAN OUT! IT'S OK HE PICKS THEM UP DROPS THEM OFF TO HER THAT'S IT!

WHAT IF HE DRINKS? I REALLY DON'T WANNA MESS WITH A DRINKER. HE CAN DRINK ONCE IN A BLUE MOON MAYBE BUT TO BE HONEST I HATE DRINKERS!

CAN HE SMOKE OR DO DRUGS? NOPE! WELL..... SMOKING MAYBE BUT NO DRUGS LIKE WEED COCAINE NONE OF THAT SHYT!

HOW MUST HE TREAT ME? WITH TOTAL RESPECT! I AM NOT GOING TO SAY OH HE MUST TREAT ME LIKE A LADY..... BUT I DON'T WANNA GET INTO IT ALL THE TIME WITH HIM. THIS MAY SOUND KINDA STRANGE BUT I LIKE A GUY WHO ACTS KINDA B1TCHY!

WHAT ARE THE THINGS HE SHOULD LIKE TO DO? WELL LETS SEE I'M HOPING HE LIKES TO GO TO THE CLUBS AND DANCE, GO CRUISING DOWN THE BLVD, SPENDING TIMES AT THE BEACH THE PARK, JUST KICKING IT BACK, EVEN JUST HOLDING EACH OTHER ALL DAY I DON'T CARE JUST TO BE WITH HIM. I ALSO LIKE TO GO OUT TO EAT GO ON TRIPS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

WHAT SIGN SHOULD HE BE? DOESENT MATTER TO ME ALTHOUGH ALL OR MOST OF MY NOVIO'S WERE ARIES.

CAN HE HAVE A RELIGION? YES HE CAN JUST AS LONG AS HE DOESNT PREECH TO ME ABOUT IT. I HAVE MY OWN RELIGION.

WHAT IF HE DIDENT BELIEVE IN GOD? I KNOW THIS IS A WEIRD QUSTION BUT THERE ARE HOMIEZ OUT THERE THAT DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD. I MUST SAY NO I WOULDENT DATE THEM ONLY BECAUSE I AM A STRONG BELIEVER IN GOD I PUT MY FATH IN HIM.

WHAT SHOULD HIS PERSONAKITY BE LIKE? WELL... I WANT HIM TO STAND UP FOR HIS RIGHTS AND HIS BELIEFS. I WANT HIM TO BE KIND AND SWEET BUT NOT TO SWEET. I WANT HIM TO BE FUNNY AND ALSO HONEST, LOVING, TRUSTING, VEARY MANLY HE CANT ACT LIKE A GIRL. I DON'T LIKE UM SHY OR MOODY. I LIKE THEM SOME WHAT B1TCHY AT TIMES. I JUST WANT HIM TO TRULY LOVE ME

WHAT IF HE TELLS ME HE'S A PLAYER? NO PLAYERS I AM A PLAYER HATTER! WHY CAUSE I WOULD HATE GETTING PLAYED.

IF WE GO OUT SOMEWHERE MUST HE PAY FOR EVERYTHING? NO THAT'S NOT RIGHT I WOULD PAY SOMETIMES. I MEAN EVEN ON THE FIRST DATE I WOULDENT MIND PAYING FOR SHYT.

CAN HE KISS ME ON THE FIRST DATE? OF COURSE HE CAN IF I WANT HIM TO. I'M ALL FOR ROMANTICNESS.

SHOULD HE LIKE PETS? DOESENT MATTER ALTHOUGH I LOVE PETS AND I HOPE HE DOES TO.

I'M ALL OUT OF QUESTIONS FOR NOW. IF YA THINK OF ANY MORE ALL ADD THEM LATER.  ALRATOS!

 

I JUST WANNA TELL YA SOMTHING THOUGH. LET PEOPLE LOOK DOWN ON ME I DON'T CARE! I LIKE WHAT I LIKE AND SO FAR I ONLY GOT 2 BAD MESSAGES WRITTIN TO ME MOST PEOPLE SAY I DID A WONDERFUL JOB ON MY GHETTO. THIS IS HOW I LOOK AT IT IF YA KNOW HOW YA ARE IS GONNA MAKE PEOPLE THINK TO THEMSELVES HOW GROSS AND GHETTO THEY ARE HOW DARE THEY THINK AND ACT LIKE THAT THEN YA GOTTA BE PREPAIRED AND JUST THROW THERE FEELING BEHIND YA DON'T LET THEM GET TO YA JUST HOLD YA HEAD HIGH BE PROUD OF WHAT YA ARE AND DON'T LET THEM GET TO YA OR OTHERWIZE IF YA KNOW THERE GONNA TREAT YA DIFFERENTLY LIKE YA AN OUTKAST THEN CHANGE YA WAYS IF YA CANT HANDLE WHAT THEY THINK AND SAY. ME PERSONALLY I CAN HANDLE IT I JUST DON'T CARE! WHAT THEY THINK!. I KNOW WHAT I LIKE AND I'M NOT GOING TO CHANGE. HERE'S AN EXAMPLE I WAS IN THE STORE ONE DAY WITH MY MOM AND SOME FAT GIRL WAS TALKING SHYT ABOUT ME AND YA THINK I LET IT BOTHER ME? NO! HERE'S WHAT I DID THOUGH I FINALLY WALKED RIGHT UP TO HER AND TOLD HER JUST THIS "YA HAVE NO RIGHT TO TALK SHYT ABOUT ME IF YA REALLY TOOK THE TIME TO GET TO KNOW ME PERSONALLY YA WOULD FIND OUT I'M ACTUALLY A REALLY COOL PERSON" SHE JUST LOOKED AT ME WITH SHOCK SAID NOT A WORD JUST SHUT HER MOUTH AND WALKED OUT OF THE STORE. YES EVERONE IN LINE WAS LOOKING AT HER WHEN I SAID IT BUT I DIDENT CARE.....! SOME PEOPLE ALSO UNDERESTIMATE ME THEY THINK SINCE I'M ONLY 4'7 I WONT SAY NOTHING TO THEM. PERHAPS THEY THINK I'M SCARED BUT I'M NOT AT ALL SCARED TO SPEAK MY MIND! I AM VEARY OUT SPOKEN I SHOCK THE HELL OUT OF PEOPLE! I SPEAK MY MIND TO THEM I DON'T HOLD ANY GRUDGES YA MAKE A NASTY COMMENT TO ME OR LOOK AT ME IN ANY KIND OF NASTY WAY I'M GONNA TELL YA OFF! CAUSE I JUST DON'T PUT UP WITH IT! I LET THEM kNOW THAT NO ONE IS EVER GONNA MAKE ME FEEL DIFFERENT OR MAKE ME THINK OR ME FEEL I'M NOT JUST AS GOOD AS THEM. INFACT I EVEN WOULD SAY I'M BETTER THEN THEM 100 TIMES BETTER BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO I STAND UP FOR MY BELIEFS BUT I'M NOT THE ONE GOING AROUND LOWERING MY SELF TO HAVE TO TALK SHYT ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE NOT EVEN KNOWING THEM. I DON'T JUDGE PEOPLE BY THERE FIRST APPEARENCE AND THAT MAKES ME A BETTER PERSON. A BETTER PERSON THEN ALOT OF PEOPLE. TO BE HONEST, CAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO JUDGE BY FIRST IMPRESSIONS AND I'M NOT ONE OF THE MANY PEOPLE THAT DO. LOOK THE FACT THAT I AM SO DIFFERENT WITH THE WAY I LOOK DRESS AND THINGS AS MY BELIEFS IS SUCH A WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL THING BECAUSE IF I WAS LIKE EVERYONE ELSE JUST THE SAME THE WORLD WOULD BE SO DULL AND JUST BORRING. ALL TELL YA WHAT MAKES ME SUCH A GOOD PERSON IF I HAVENT SAID MANY REASONS IN HERE ALREADY I STAND UP FOR MY BELIEFS THAT'S ONE REASON I ALSO THINK EVERONE SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE WHO THEY WANNA BE AND NOT BE JUDGED IN ANY WAY. YES SOME PEOPLE HAVE THERE WILD DIFFERENCES BUT THAT DOESENT ALWAYS MAKE THEM A BAD PERSON. I LOVE PEOPLE FOR WHO THEY ARE NOT WHAT I WOULD WANT THEM TO BE. SO HERE'S WHAT I REALLY HAVE TO SAY IF ANYONE HAS ANY NEGITIIVE THOUGHTS TO SAY ABOUT MY GHETTO THAT SHOWS ME THEY ARE JUDGEMENTAL AND THEY DON'T EVEN THINK OF THE HARD EFFORT I MIGHT HAVE PUT INTO MAKING MY GHETTO AND ALSO THEY HAVE NOT LEARNED THE WAY OF DIFFERENCES IN THE WAY THAT NOT EVERYONE IS THE SAME AND HAS THE SAME BELIEFS. SO I WOULD SAY THEY ARE VEARY CHILDISH! I'M NOT ASHAMED OF WHAT I BELIEVE IN. I LOVE WHAT I BELIEVE IN. I LOVE MY SELF. YA ARE NOT GONNA TAKE THAT LOVE I HAVE FOR MY SELF AWAY FROM ME! COMMENT ON THIS ENTRY TELL ME WHAT YA FEELINGS ARE ON THIS. I'D LOVE TO KNOW WHAT YA HOMIEZ THINK. MUCHOS GRACIAS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ THIS HOMIEZ I NEEDED TO GET THESE FEELING OUT.

 

I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT I WROTE THIS IN SOMEONES SPACE. I LIKED WHAT I WROTE SO MUCH I THOUGHT I'D PUT IT IN MY GHETTO. POR FAVOR REMEMBER NOT EVEYONE THINKS TALKS AND ACTS LIKE YA DO SO DON'T JUDGE PEOPLE BY FIRST IMPRESSIONS. I JUST WANT THE HOMIE TO KNOW THAT WHEN I WROTE THIS TO THEM IT WAS NOT CONCERNING THEM. IT WAS WHAT THEY THOUGHT HOMIEZ FIRST IMPRESSIONS WOULD BE WHEN THEY ENTER MY GHETTO. I JUST WANTED THE HOMIE TO UNDERSTAND HOW I LOOK AT IT. THANKS HOMIE FOR YA PERSONAL OPINION. I DO TAKE IT INTO CONCIDERATION SO IN WHAT I WROTE TO YA IS MY PERSONAL OPINION ON THE MATTER. AGAIN MUCHOS GRACIAS FOR READING THIS HOMIEZ.