I present to you..."I Am (Obama)"

J.Kwest - I Am (Obama) from Endangered Peace on Vimeo.

Do enjoy, share, and let me know what you think. There's plenty to talk about here.

Some will love it. Some will hate that I even tried it. We can use RIGHT HERE to discuss. In full HD. Love you

WOW!!! This dude used to do Sportscenter

This Week's Prayer Requests

Please list them here so we can have them in mind and heart throughout the week. We'll do at the beginning of every week and I'll check on it periodically until next week. Then repeat. If you pray make sure you say one for the folks listed here. Also, we'd be glad to help however we can. This is a community.

Here are mine:

-Mary Henry
-reconciliation within families
-the "I Am (Obama)" video
-health (the weather change is getting folks)

Your turn...

Inside the Maya Angelou Experience (thoughts from Cep)

Earlier this week, I had the esteemed pleasure of being a fly on the wall during an interview that featured the one and only Dr. Marguerite Ann Johnson (you might know her as Maya Angelou) and Mr. Julian J.Kwest Deshazier.

If it wasn't enough to listen to her speak about her inspirations, and her thought process when being creative, to hear her commend J and his work took it over the top for me. It was amazing to hear, arguably, the most preeminent voice in poetry say that she thanked God for a talent like J. It was truly one of the most validating moments I can say I've experienced.

I could see J was nervous as the interview started (and rightfully so) but once the conversation shifted to the PM Movement and what he truly believed his purpose was as an artist the flow got natural…for a minute it didn't feel like it was their first conversation…

(real quick though: Oprah is a goon at it, we all know this…didn't hit me till I realized I was parked in front of the wrong Harpo Studio's building…as in more than 1…because Oprah is EXACTLY "who we thought she was"…but I digress)

All in all it was a humbling and encouraging experience cause like I said when I walked out the door (in complete knee jerk style) in the words of the Great Ricky Bobby…"That just happened"… stay tuned to the PM Blog and Jkwest.com for more info…until it airs we got some teaser video for you down below…

"And I'm out yall, and I'm out"…(you'll get that when you hear the interview J )

Sound Familiar?

MORAL sent me this...sigh

EXHIBIT A:



and THIS...


EXHIBIT B:



and now, obviously, "Broakniss"


All from circa '06. At least I know I'm ahead of my time. God is good regardless.

Wow! U gotta see this

This guy died after this. But maybe Hes lucky the boy didnt shoot himself cuz his LIFE would have been a living hell after that.

Join the Media Violence Fast!

Some of us need to fast from media altogether (hmmm), but this is a good start. Sponsored by the UCC, PureMusic will be participating in a Media Violence Fast, Oct. 12-18. Here what they have to say and decide for yourself:

"Just consider this: Before reaching the age of 18, the average U.S. child will witness 200,000 acts of violence on television, including 40,000 murders. The National Television Violence Survey has found that 60 percent of TV shows contain violence.

This Media Violence Fast is not about censorship. Instead, this is an opportunity to pause and consider how the saturation of violence on our TV screens also affects our spiritual lives, our relationships with others, how we see the world and how we promote peace as a religious value, starting with our remote controls."

Info on the Media Violence Fast (click here)

I love it, what do you think? Sign up!

PureMusic Endorses: BERTO RAMON

These cats are dope, like real dope. What I love is that they make REAL MUSIC. They represent the Chi but more importantly they represent The Pure. Berto Ramon has traveled the world as one of the hottest bands out PERIOD. They've won too many contests and it's time for the world to know. We're working on some things now for "AM-to-PM" but I wanted to fully introduce them to you. This is their latest effort called "Movement Music". Download and enjoy!



Download "Movement Music" EP

"We Don't Care" is my joint! Single. Single. Single.

Whattup DJ Moral One, 773. Get at me!

Instead of sleep...

watching this. do yourself a favor and go watch all of these. See why I'm still fascinated.

extra treats in here for you too.

Gospel Beef (Happy Monday)

This is an important read for artists and ministers who do the Jesus thing. For folks who just like J.Kwest, it's an interesting take on the WORST of the gospel music industry. Posted by the homie Vessel from The Yuinion.

Article on GOSPEL BEEF

Let's talk about this. BUT FIRST, watch this video. Actually just start it at about :40 seconds (Profanity not PureMusic-Approved). The ONLY beef I know...



LET IT BE KNOWN THEN

From Breeve's Journal

I will be OFFICIALLY announcing my website (www.BreevEazie.com) later this week. I have been updating and perfecting it for the past 4 months and its just about ready. I have a journal on the site and I will periodically share entries on this blog. This is one I would like to share with you the community. Love!

I guess we should be used to it by now. Since the departure of his Airness it seems that Chicago sports have been infected with high hopes and low performance. We always tend to see the greatest and subsequently pay for it with years of the NOT greatest. The Bears do have a pretty decorated past but have been dismal post Super Bowl, did manage to put together the greatest football team to ever take the field. This is a fact. Everybody agrees. The ’85 Bears Super Bowl shuffled their way into the single greatest display of domination ever seen. 1 meaningless loss on the last game of the regular season and  an easy Super Bowl win. We also had the services of the best RB ever in Walter “Sweetness” Payton. The problem is... 1 Super Bowl does not a dynasty make. Since then we have been subjected to our mantra. High hopes low performance. 

Then the Bulls. Dominated the 90’s with Jordan, Pippen, Phil, and WHOEVER decided to join them. Best team ever, Best record ever, best player ever period. His departure was followed by sub 29 win seasons, plenty of free tickets, and teams led by the likes of Brent Barry, Jalen Rose, and Toni Kukoc. If you dont know whats wrong with that , I dont know whats wrong with you. Funny thing about the Bulls is everybody that stays turns horrible and everybody that leaves turns great. See Ron Artest, Elton Brand, Tyson Chandler, and SOOO many more. And just when yo think its over. Just when the Bulls are predicted to win the East, such as last year, they DONT make the playoffs just to remind you what city you’re in. But the Bulls will always sell out the seats, probably because of some psychological obligation we feel for receiving the benefits of the Jordan years. 

Now baseball I dont know MUCH about but I do know this. I had high hopes for a Chicago World Series. But in typical Chicago Sports fashion High hopes breed low expectations. They both start off down 0-2. And since this is a best of 5 series its looking like more of the same. All Im saying is Chicago sports is in need of Pure Homage. Sox? cubs? Can we get some?

Word of the Day: Overwhelmed

PureMusic Definition: (adj.) The feeling that arises when one's expectations and preparation for any given situation are SURPASSED by the actual or real experience, to the extent that one is forced to adjust and re-situate one's self within the given new reality.

It's obvious I've spent a long week at the University of Chicago Divinity School, which after a summer full of music, traveling, and speaking with audiences in the 12-24 demographic, has me feeling a bit OVERWHELMED. I expected the 2nd year to be tough, and this will be, but much more of a challenge than I expected.

The first year is hard because you learn things you didn't know.

The second year is tough because you re-learn what you think you know already. For example, Preaching. A little Frank Thomas, Tom Long, and a spontaneous 1-minute sermon is all it takes to let you know that there is AT LEAST room for improvement. Today I left class excited, in awe of my peers, but mostly OVERWHELMED. It's like playing baseball after you haven't for a while. The first few swings are ROUGH, but if you DO THIS, it'll come to you.

I share these thoughts because I not only DO music, I DO THIS. I love school. I like being in rooms with people who are seasoned differently (read: smarter) than I so we can share together. But the feeling of being in this environment again is...OVERWHELMING.

In a good way of course. I think feels of overwhelming-ness (F-) are God's way of teaching us that we still have much to learn. We might perhaps look to live our lives in a way that will OVERWHELM those who have low expectations of us. What overwhelms you?

I'll tell you what doesn't overwhelm me. Talking about politics. People usually know just enough to say something without feeling like an idiot. Like why they support Obama. Or their stance on gay marriage (by the way, read ShaunInTheCity.com for a good little piece on all of this). Or Sarah Palin, whom Tina Fey can skewer all by herself. I'm a simple guy, and even this talk is far from overwhelming. In fact, I believe the church in many ways is UNDERWHELMING.

So this is the question: what overwhelms you, and what underwhelms you to the point you just wish they would DO BETTER. Conversation starts NOW. I'll respond first

JK 2morrow @ Democrats for Change!

Holla at me. I wonder what they want me to perform?