“Life Work”

Cloud NI9E- “Life Work feat. Kensho Kuma” from “Alternative.”

If you’re in Japan, purchase the Cloud NI9E’s “Alternative” Album @ We Nod Records.. or you can hit up the chain stores like HMV or Tower nationwide..

For those of us outside Japan, purchase Cloud NI9E’s “Alternative” album on iTunes.

Verse One:

Once you hit a certain age, hella people quit/ doing music they love, maybe it’s an ego trip/ or maybe it’s the accolades that we don’t get/ or maybe they a sensitive and weak emo bitch/ (huh) rappers give up on they damn penmanship/ and producers wanna sell they equipment and split/ (I’m out) some got a job with real benefits/ others ended up in prison with life sentences/ if you meant for this here, gotta bite the bullet/ gotta be a true soldier and fire the full clip/ rap’s getting raped and they hide behind the culprits/ as the industry’s putting these liars on pulpits/ comparing yourself to Kanye or Rick Ross/ will make you feel underrated, deranged, and pissed off/ so do it for the love, just pray and spit raw/ ’cause too many artists feeling betrayed by Hip Hop/

Chorus:

This my Life Word, every track, every sixteen/ everyday put in work, for a very big dream/ this our Life Work, yeah mastery of our craft/ you should walk away now, cowards ain’t gonna last/ this my Life Work, shine so bright for all of you/ while them dudes play around I write in solitude/ this our Life Work, everything we have sacrificed/ representing raw shit, ’til the damn afterlife/

Verse Two:

Face it, damn, you gon’ have to get a day job/ if you think that music’s paying rent, then you way off/ 99 percent (shit) won’t make the paper/ dreams and reality, eventually will face off/ we as adults, must handle our finances/ many abandon art, deny what’s inside of us/ no money (more problems) gotta find answers/ we never get enough from the conscious rhymes we bust/ (so fuck Rap) let’s get a legitimate career/ cancel everything, that we invested in for years/ but no matter what, find myself flowing right here/ sound engineer turning up the head phones in my ear/ (D-Wiz) regardless of stress from the nine to five abuse/ we acknowledge that rapping is a lifetime pursuit/ a real skill that’s practiced by the men who spit truth/ you should walk away you was never meant for this booth/

Chorus:

Verse Three:

一割残るか分からんゲーム/ くたばりぞこないやバカは歓迎/ 生存者のアルバムなら完成/ でも生活のレベルは変わらんぜー/ 今でも中毒者が注目/ だが年とっても上がらん給料/ 前より重く感じる重力/ 経験と悩みが生み出す十六/ (ughh) あいつら就職し、ラップから去った/ まだまだ行けたなチャンスはあった/ 努力をしてもな、販促ばっか/ している二セ物はギャングスタがマーダー/ 責任つーのがmusic の強敵/ 結婚、子育て、もしくは懲役/ あらゆる理由で無くなる衝撃/ Cloud NI9E と Ken Kuma 永遠にso ready/

Chorus:

2FS Live Performance @ROTC

2nd Floor Samurais (Kensho Kuma x Orukusaki) will be headlining the Boom Boom Room on 05/24. As you probably know by now, Return of the Cypher is our weekly Sunday event at BBR, and on May 24th, we will be doing a full performance for our home team. We will be premiering some of our new material and our comrade Xienhow will be opening for us.

2FS Flier

 

2015 Hip Hop in the Park

UC Berkeley’s Students for Hip Hop will be hosting their 19th annual “Hip Hop in the Park” on 05/02/15. This annual celebration has a special place in my heart; I remember attending in high school when my mentors Group Uv Nutz killed the stage.. also, I opened for Frontline at this event back in ’03 or ’04.. This year, yours truly will be rocking with my comrades Breathless and BPos.  The headliner is the critically acclaimed Fashawn.. this is my favorite verse from dude..

Hip Hop in the Park Flier

ROTC TV Episodes #6-10

Orukusaki and Tefari at Filmatic Productions are continuing the weekly ROTC TV webisodes; every week, the episodes will capture the featured performers, patrons dancing to Kev’s set, MC’s, the Gemstone Band, and the overall vibe of ROTC. Khali at aFilmNoob shot and edited episodes 6.

 

ROTC TV: Episode 6- Return of the Beat Boxer

ROTC TV: Episode 7- Jern Eye

ROTC TV: Episode 8- Brycon x Luke Sick

ROTC TV: Episode 9- Mack Deezoe

ROTC TV: Episode 10- Boom Bap Sessions

ROTC TV Episodes #1-5

Return of the Cypher now has an official weekly webisode series thanks to my brother Orukusaki and Tefari Casas from Filmatic Productions. Each ROTC TV episode will feature cyphers on and off the stage, the Gem Stone Band, DJ Kevvy Kev rocking the dance floor, featured performers, and patron interviews. Oruk will be the regular anchor, but I’ll cover for him when he’s out on assignments. Here are the first five episodes, enjoy.. Just always remember, ROTC is every Sunday evening at the Boom Boom Room in SF, and it’s always free and never will be canceled. All episodes shot by Tef @Filmatic Productions, except episode 5 shot and edited by Khali at aFilmNoob.

ROTC TV: Episode 5- the Introduction

ROTC TV: Episode 4- Rahman Jahmaal “Street Poetry” Release Party

ROTC TV: Episode 3- Watzreal Album Release Party

ROTC TV: Episode 2- Boom Bap Sessions feat. Joe Mousepad

ROTC TV: Episode 1- January MVP Competition

Kensho Kuma First Solo Show of 2015

I will be performing @50 Mason for the first time on 01/07/15, along with my comrades Poe x Citizen, Pure Powers, and OneWerd x Pete Feliciano. I haven’t done a solo performance since the summer time.. so let me get my bars up.

Builders Flier

Cloud NI9E Debut Solo Album Dropping 11/19

Cloud NI9E will be finally dropping his debut solo album “Alternative” on 11/19. The Tokyo based producer released “the Program EP” with me last May and completed a successful Japan/ South East tour in the summer of ’13. He was also hand selected by Nujabes’ Hydeout label to become a member of the “Ficus” collective, which was specifically designed to carry on the late Japanese mastermind’s sonic legacy. This collective also enlisted 9th Wonder of Jay-Z/ Little Brother fame. The “Alternative” debut features two tracks by yours truly and one from my crew member Orukusaki.

http://www.cloudni9e.com/info/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/jacket.jpg

TRACK LIST :
1. Recollection
2. Everlasting feat. Orukusaki
3. Bird’s Eye View
4. Peaceful Warrior feat. Kensho Kuma & Justin Murta
5. Stages feat. Cise Starr (from CYNE)
6. Kazamidori
7. Suicidal Psychology feat. Chiba Chemist
8. Stand Alone (Musou remix) feat. Audace
9. Botanique feat. Pumpkin
10. Talking all days feat. David Whitaker
11. One Day
12. Life Work feat. Kensho Kuma
13. Tokyo kid ~Split style~ feat. Kemui
14. My heart is a melody
15. Home
16. Eclipse (Kamiaritsuki pt.2)



R.A. the Rugged Man’s “Definition of a Rap Flow” Contest

I submitted a song to the “Definition of a Rap Flow” contest being hosted by R.A. the Rugged Man. I thought it was really cool how contestants can choose from Mr. Green instrumentals… instead of barring out at Super Saiyan 1000%, I remade a song to “the Dangerous Three” beat.

I usually don’t care about contests, but R.A. has really had a significant influence on me… one of the first instrumentals I remember attempting to record a song to back in the 90’s was “Till my Heart Stops.” Dude has paid dues forever and the “Legends Never Die” album is probably my favorite album to come out in recent years. This contest is also being judged by Talib Kweli and Vinnie Paz, who are without a doubt in my top artists list.

2FS Live @Allattractive x OMF Daytime Party 09/27/14

2FS (Orukusaki x Kensho Kuma) will be performing live at the Allattractive x OMF daytime party at the Legionnaire on 09/27/14. Allattractive is an awesome independent clothing brand masterminded by the homie Allcreative; his gear is regularly rocked by heads that actually are active in the scene.. I believe this is evident of his label supporting the artists putting in work and vice versa. Oakland Music Festival is celebrating its second year in the Uptown District of Downtown Oakland. It’s a multi-genre, indoor/ outdoor festival and they are partnering up with local venues to host additional showcases. My crew will be @the Legionnaire showcase. The main line-up available here, and features the comrades Latin Soul Brothers and Kool Kyle.

OMF Flier one

Kensho Kuma Opening for MC Jin

Alright, who remembers MC Jin? The Chinese American rapper who shocked the nation by guillotining all opponents on the 106 and Park “Freestyle Friday” competitions in the early 2000’s? He would go on to become the first Asian American rapper signed to a major label when he got down with the Ruff Ryders label; his debut album “Rest is History” gained mediocre commercial success with the single “Learn Chinese.” Jin suffered highly publicized battle rap losses to Serius Jones and Iron Solomon in the post- Ruff Ryders, moved to Hong Kong and became a born again Christian, became a highly successful Asian musical act, and moved back to the states in 2012.

Yours truly will be opening for MC Jin in Oakland on 09/19/2014 at Club Zoe in Oakland.

 

Undivided Flier