Jordan Year
I don’t concern myself too much with the standard markers of the passage of time but I suppose this is a good moment to pause, take stock and look forward.
2022 might have been the best year of my life. Who would have guessed? I had no expectations for the King Of Drums album, so its success came as a very nice surprise. I thank you for that. By the way, I heard the other day that there were only four pre-order spots left for the vinyl. It’s almost gone already. So this is probably your last chance to check in at the Handsmade website to lock a copy down (you’ll have to scroll down the page a bit). Having signed off on the test pressing a few weeks ago, I expect we’ll be seeing the finished product very soon. I’m psyched for that.
2022 might have been the best year for record digging in my life. I pretty much crushed it. In February, I knocked my long-standing #1 ‘want’ off the list. When that happened, another record went into the #1 spot (another long-timer) and in July, I found TWO copies of that record! Bananas. And then, in late August, I had the best single-day score I’ve ever had. I managed to nab about ten grail-level records. I almost had a heart attack.
And as previously documented, I had a great year playing baseball. I was invited to join a team that competed in the nationals here in Canada. We won and I was named MVP. Honestly, I’m STILL buzzing over that. I pushed myself to the limit - both physically and mentally - and succeeded. That feels good.
So now we enter 2023 and I’ve made some resolutions. I plan to acquire a bunch of new skills and knowledge. The idea is to devote each month to a new endeavor. I want to learn about finance, carpentry, basic automotive repair, etc. I want to better understand how things work. I don’t like the feeling of being in the dark about anything and so I’m going to build up a flashlight collection, if you will. I also resolve to be a more positive person. I’m going to try to not speak negatively. I’m going to be the guy who says good things about people behind their backs.
Another big focus for 2023 is my next album. I’ve already done a lot of work so it certainly looks like it’s happening. I don’t have a title yet. But I do have more beats than I know what to do with. 30 of them! There’s no way all of them will make it onto the album. I’m going to have to make some difficult decisions at some point. I’m working VERY hard on this stuff. I need to take what I did on King Of Drums to the next level. In some ways, the vibe will be the same. Traditional and hardcore hip hop. But there are some improvements I want to make and some new ideas I want to explore. I’m also putting some constraints on myself, which I always think benefits creativity. I want to avoid using midi instruments - completely, if possible. If I can’t make an idea work with samples, it will be scrapped. This has already meant spending days on end trying to make one little part of a beat work. It also means pushing the limits of my understanding of music theory and learning some new lessons. Having said that, I’m also very excited about breaking rules where it feels right to do so. I’ve been exploring dissonance and messing around with timing. I’ll probably share more about the process in the coming months.
I released a ton of music in 2022. There won’t be quite as much in 2023. But aside from the album I’m working on now, a bunch of stuff is coming down the pike. In the last few months, I’ve done a bunch of guest work - production, verses, cuts. I did stuff with my TOP TWO all-time music idols (still hard to believe) and a bunch of other heroes and peers. As far as I know, all that stuff will be coming out in 2023. The first of the bunch will be the new album from AWOL ONE. It’s called Scribbleface and it’s coming out on January 26th. I’m featured on a posse cut (or crew cut, as AWOL calls it) called “Micro Chips” along with Taiyamo Denku, Sahtyre, Jizzm High Def, Ominous Words, Open Mike Eagle, Abstract Rude, Copywrite and 2Mex! Bonkers! Can’t wait for you to hear that. I think I ripped it pretty good.
I’m not usually one to take to social media to announce that I’m sad when a celebrity dies because making it about me is not the best look. The great fashion designer Vivienne Westwood passed away on December 29th. She lived a great life and leaves behind an important legacy. I’ve been a big fan of hers for a long, long time. I think she was a true artist. I was lucky enough to be outfitted by Vivienne Westwood when I did promo for the Secret House Against The World album back in 2005 or whenever that was. Huge thrill. And her Active Resistance manifesto inspired a couple of songs on the Dirtbike albums. She was awesome. She made the world a much more interesting place. I’m sure I’ll admire and study her work as long as I live.
Alright. The stage is set. Let’s get after it.
Next post, I’m thinking “Pants On Fire”.
Until then.