Marcel P. Black x M Slago "4Tha CLTR" EP

"4Tha CLTR is finally here!!! Click right here to stream & buy the EP for only $3!!!

#BlackThoughtsRadio Podcast S2:E8 "How To Roll Out Project" By Marcel P. Black

On this weeks episode I kick #FreeGame on "How To Roll Out Project" for up & coming artists.

I touch on things such as:

1. Why Up & Coming Artists NEED Projects 

2. The Importance of Creating Dope Art

3. Creating a 6 Month Roll Out Plan

4. The 5 Don'ts of Rolling Out Project

5. The Importance of Working Your Plan

And much more.

Also, you can pre-order my new EP "4Tha CLTR" @ my bandcamp right now before it's online release on 3/22/19 and get a free download the single "Principles & Standards" asap!!!

You can watch the VLOG @ youtube.com/maroonmusic1

You can stream the podcast at mixcloud.com/BlackThoughtsRadio

marcelpblack.com

Twitter: @marcelpblack

Facebook: Marcel P. Black

Instagram: @marcelpblack

New "4Tha CLTR" Release Date, Tracklisting, and Pre-Order Link!!!

My new EP with M Slago, "4Tha CLTR," will now be released 3/22/19 right here on marcelpblack.com, marcelpblack.bandcamp.com, as well as all digital retailers/streaming sites. 

Here is the tracklisting:

Pre-Order the "4Tha CLTR" EP for $3 at marcelpblack.bandcamp.com and receive a free download of the first single "Principles & Standards" right now!!!

See yall next Friday!!!

Marcel P. Black #RapRecap #7 (3/9/19 in Pensacola, Florida)

DJ'S ARE THE BEST

I seent my man Wes a.k.a. Ya Momma's Favorite DJ, b.k.a. DJ Slim, f.k.a. DJ Body Slanga is having a birthday show in PCola at Chizuko's on 3/9/19 about 6 weeks ago, and I comment like, "Say mane, u gotta holla atcha boy for one of these in the future," on the Facebook page. I wasn't fully being serious, just expressing my intent in a passive kinda way. Then he hits me on the messenger like 

"Wazzam?" 

I'm like shiiiiitt, whats gu?" 

He was like, "You wit dat for the 9th?" 

I replied. "Shiiiittt, it eeem much that serious, but yes indeed."

He says, "Already mane." 

Me, "Say less."

All of that is me paraphrasing, but you get the point. Also a few weeks later, I get a text from my DJ telling me he's getting married the same day in NoLa. I'm like shiiiittt, NoLa is on the way, it's lit.

WHEN YOU GOTTA WEDDING AT 3, AND A RAP SHOW AT 8

Day of wedding, me & my Director of Function Mark Dub, Part Man/Part Thug, catch that slizzle to NoLa bout 1:30pm in the afternoon, pull up to the chapel at 3:00pm, just in time. For those who don't know, Go DJ Automatik is one of my best friends on the planet, and my original tour DJ since 2010. He was there when noone believed in me, traveling all over the south with me from Houston, to Jackson, to Birmingham, and all points in between. When he said he was getting married, I wasn't gonna miss this for the world.

Funny thing about it is, I don't own any dress clothes, nor do I own any dress shoes. I had a couple of button down Ralph Lauren pieces, even some chino pants, but no dress shoes. So I had to put on a collared Polo shirt with a Polo sweater with some Lo jeans, and my burnt orange high top Nike AF1's, hoping since he was my DJ and I was the rapper, it'd make sense with me being at the wedding dressed like that. 

It worked lol.

We were able to attend the full wedding, spend about 30 mins in the reception, then slide out to Pensacola so we can check in to our hotel and be at the venue at doors. If I didn't tell you this, Manuel, I love you like a brother, and I'm so happy for you and Juana. This is the happiest I've ever seen you, and I pray you stay this happy forever. You're a great human being that's greatly enhanced my life, and I'm a better man for it!!! 

#STUPIDMCDUPID

We hall ass to P Cola, and check in about 7:15pm, mind you doors open at 8. Mane picture why my silly ass left my WHOLE LAPTOP and my WHOLE FLASH DRIVE with all my music on it!!!

*neck's self

Luckily for me I backed up some old show sets on another flash drive that was in my merch bag.

Clutch. 

Only problem is, the hotel we at is renovating, and so there's no complimentary laptop or business center. 

Damnit. 

So we go round the corner to a hotel that has computers, I'm able to access my email and get all the songs I need for my show scraight.

God's Plan.

So we finally get into the room, get changed, and now we off to the venue.

NO BEEF

Chizuko's is a dope ass bar that that serves vegan food, and is owned my 2 ladies that are apart of the LBGTQ community. This is important to note because it's legit a safe space to share your truth, and no room for hatred & bigotry, and those sentiment is protected and respect by the staff and venue patrions. If you're Team MAGA, ur prolly not gonna be at Chizuko. If you are openminded and down to rock with people who may have different stories from you, you're gonna fit right in. 

And their vegan food is delicious. I had a vegan chili dog, and that bih was rollin. Lowkey the best vegan dog I've ever had. In life. That was worth the trip right there alone.

Show Time

As I set my merch up, there's a drummer going back & forth with DJ Slim, pretty dope. Then a full band plays, and it was pretty damn good. Next is the official Mayor of North West Florida, Big Lo. Big Low is an incredible emcee/producer/creative, and one of the hardest working indie/underground artists I know. Big dot. He's Kevin Bacon to us DIY touring artists. He rocks his set, now I'm up next. 

TOO FOCUSED FOR MY OWN GOOD

If ya'll have been reading my #RapRecap's, you've heard some of my battle with diabetes, and how I changed my diet and excercise regimen, and I've lost mad weight. Before this, I hadn't performed at Chizuko since October '17, and I was wild out of shape then. Now I'm near 50 LBS down in the last 5 months, and in the best rapping shape I've been in ever, ever better than I was when I was 125 lbs lighter. I literally train to be the best emcee I can be, and I put alot of pressure on myself to be able to show & prove everytime I touch a stage. 

All of this is going thru my head as I begin my acapella. 

A drunk white guy is in the front of the stage talking loud as hell about youtube or some shit to Big Lo. I kinda joke about on the mic, and he doesn't get the hint until Lo kinda tells him I'm about to start.

First up is "Henry Clay," and it goes over well. I come out hot and I'm feeling my self. This record is 8 yrs old at his point, and it still rocks hard. I'm feeling myself.

Next is "Principles & Standards," my new record off my upcoming EP "4Tha CLTR" dropping in a week or so. This is my first time performing the record, so I'm nervous as hell, not 100% confident that I know all the words. I do, but that ol' bitch ass nigga on my shoulder is telling me I don't. If you listen to my music, you know I'm a conscious rapper, who rarely talks about myself, and I can honestly careless about other rappers, or the dreaded wack emcee. Also, if you've gotten into my music in the last 5 years, you know that as much as I love "boom bap" Hip-Hop, I haven't made music like this in a while, and alot of people don't know me for it. So basically this whole song got me out my comfort zone.

FUMBLE!!!

I get through about 8 bars of the first verse, and to my surprise, my bro Jamaal Steele knows everyword of a song that just dropped 2 weeks ago at the time. And he's so mf hype it throws me off, and I fall off. Fumbled like a mf. But the energy was good, so I had Wes run it back. We get thru the first verse, only to have everything I had planned in terms of crowd interaction for the hook not work. 

Second verse begins, and I get about halfway thru the verse, still thinking about the mulligan I had to pull on the first verse, and the failed crowd participation on the hook, and I fall off again. This time I have Slim cut the track, and I kick the verse acapella. The crowd is feeling it, but I feel like shit.

I apologize to the crowd, big mistake #1, I'll explain later. 

SHAKEBACK

So now it's on my mind. I hit em with "Black God Fresh," it works. Being that the day was the 22 year anniversary of Big Poppa's death, and I'm the Southern Conscious Biggie Smalls, I couldn't let Christopher Latore down, so I had to redeem myself. I pull out "Hallelujah," and kill it. Now I'm wide awake, firing on all cylinders, but my 15 minutes are up. I ask can I do two more, and Slim and the whole crowd look at me like I was an asshole for thinking I was just gonna come and hit em with 4 songs and dip. 

Bet that up.

So I kick a flawless rendition of "#FreeBLKPPL," and take everyone to church with "Cry Freedom." IMO, I won by one in overtime. I had to come back and hit a buzzer beater to keep my respeck.

NEVER BE TOO HUMBLE WHEN YOU'RE GREAT, ALWAYS LEARN

This next part I'm bout to right will be the realest shit I've ever blogged about. I'm writing this to fully let it all go once and for all. I'm not cutting any corners, so it may be long, but very honest and transpatent, so bear with me, please.

I posted my tour flyer for "4Tha CLTR" a few days before the show, and an dude named Stess The Emcee from Talahasee comments, asking will I be hitting Talahasee. I tell him no, and that I want to though, the convo then moves to the DM's, and we chop it up. Now, IDK how, but he and I have been friends on Facebook for a while. Though we'd never conversed, I knew enough about him to know he's an OG in the Talahasee scene, a radio personality, and a dope and acomplished emcee. 

When I was eating my food, I see who I think is him, but wasn't sure it was him or not. Thought maybe I was trippin'. I even look online to see if he posted about coming to the show to make sure, but all I saw was a #TBT pic of a much younger him, and that didn't help at all lol. Once I started performing, he stood front & center and was rocking with me, and I kinda was convinced it was him. Then after my set, I saw him with DJ A To The L, and I knew it was him. So I go over to pay my respects.

We get to chopping it up, and he's telling me he's been a fan for a while. In my mind, I see him as an OG in his city, so I'm not really taking time to appreciate and digest him telling me he thought I was dope and loved my set as a fan of my work, I'm too busy telling him I didn't think I did that good, and I was upset with my self. 

Mistake #2.

Context: Being a fat Black conscious rapper from Oklahoma fighting & battling for respect in Baton Rouge, Louisiana has made me a savvy tough as nails veteran, with a huge chip on his shoulder, and a sincere passion to win despite what naysayers have to say. These same battles I've fought and ultimately won have also given me PTSD. As much as I've never let naysayers stop me, I admit I have let them get to me. As long as I've been doing music, I've had motherfuckers tell me I wasn't dope. As much as I've perservered, it wasn't until this moment I realized that I've subconsciously allowed this to permeate my psyche. I've internalized my weaknesses/deficits as an emcee based on what other people have said about me, as opposed to being 1000% confident in my strengths & assets. 

One of the reason I go out on the road so much is because I get more love there. When I go out on the road across the country, I'm the motherfucking man. In Baton Rouge, the place where I put so much time in as an artist and facilitator, I don't get a quarter of the the same affection. Imagine leaving your castle and being treated like royalty in other people's kindgoms, but come back to your own palace and they handle you like a pauper. What Stess said to me next, was the realest shit/advice a person I've only been talking to for 5 minutes every has told me in life.

Brother Stess stopped me mid pity party about what I felt was a bad set, and told me he didn't know me through our mutual friends, that he heard me on Hip-Hop DX or some other publication, and has been a big fan ever since. He told me he fucks with my music because it's dope as fuck, and my live set was crazy, and that noone woulda knew I fucked up if I didn't keep saying it. He in so many words told me I was ruining his moment of meeting someone he's been a fan of by crying about some shit that NDC about. 

Mane, that shit hit me like a ton of bricks. 

Because I've internalized the negative things people say about me, I often find myself trying to hop out in front of criticism by admitting some of the things I may lack dexterity in, more than I acknowledge all the great things I do as an artist. I'm my worst critic, and I'm really hard on myself, so I take it hard when I fuck up. Plus, I'm in the best rapping shape in my life, and I wanted to show Big Lo, Jamal, Slim, and all my other fans in Pensacola that all this hard work I've put in in the gym has paid off, and I felt like I let them down. I got some dope shit on the table, and I feel like I have to be flawless on stage to prove to myself I'm not who the haters say I am, when I'm already that fucking guy. 

You can't see 'em comin' down eyes so I gotta let the blog cry...

At this moment, I shut the fuck up, and listened at this man who I've just met tell me the realest shit ever, and I am a better man for it. Fuck the country humble roll I play. Deep down, I'm still that fat rap nerd who studied all the rap video shows and read all the rap magazines in my parents living room in small town Oklahoma, dreaming of being apart of the culture. I wanted to be apart of the culture more than I cared what other people thought of me, even if I did let what they say bother me. I've worked very hard to get where I'm at, earned everything I have, and I have to enough skin in the game that proves I am what I am, and not what mf's in the peanut gallery who highkey can't fuck with me say I am. So with that said...

Nigga I'm dope. 

I claim it, and fully intend to do all the work to be the best I can be, and earn/maintain being dope af. I'm currently working to exorcise all the negative things that I've allowed dwell in my psyche. Fuck ya'll niggas if you hating, I love you from the bottom of my heart if you love me. 

Thank you Thomas. I know we just met, but I'll be forever greatful for our dialouge, and hope we can build more in the future. You may have just added 5 years to my career on accident lol.

Oh yeah, after all this, I go to the hotel to change shirts (I was mad sweaty) go throw some ones at Lookers, go eat Denny's and go get some sleep. Spring forwad bih.

RATINGS:

Venue: 4.5/5. No real complaints. I love this spot and hope to play here often as possible

Crowd: 4/5. As much as I didn't like myset, the crowd did. I had sisters come tell me they been hearing about me, and people that I never met before singing my songs. Something I'm not used too, but should be.

Merch Sales: 4/5. Didn't sell any shirts, but sold mad CD's. 

Sound: 5/5. Great.

NEXT SHOW:

3/23/19 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Marcel P. Black x M Slago "4Tha CLTR" Release Date & Artwork

It's official, my new EP "4Tha CLTR" March 19th on all digital retailers, as well as marcelpblack.com, and marcelpblack.bandcamp.com.

Here's the front cover artwork!!!

The entire project was produced, mixed, & mastered Dallas beatsmith @ M. Slago, and we're really proud of what we've created!!!

If u haven't yet, stream/download/buy our new single "Principles & Standards" by clicking right here asap. Dope southern boom bap Hip-Hop, strictly for the heads...

I will drop the track listing soon.

#BlackThoughtsRadio VLOG & Podcast S2:E7 "Guard Ya Mental" By Marcel P. Black

On this weeks episode I discuss the importance of preserving your mental health as an artist/creative

I touch on things such as:

Engaging the Things You can Control

Focusing on Positive Things

Watching The Company You Keep

The Importance of Self Care

Reaching Out For Help

And much more.

You can click here to watch the VLOG.

Click here to stream the podcast.

marcelpblack.com

Twitter: @marcelpblack

Facebook: Marcel P. Black

Instagram: @marcelpblack

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Marcel P. Black #RapRecap #6 (2.11.19 in New Orleans, Louisiana)

BACK IN THE BOOT

Along with the many dope things I brought back from the Bay Area with me, I also brought back a nasty eye infection. I've been wearing contacts since since the summer of '96, when I was 12 yrs old. I started off at a -3 in both eyes, now I'm -10 in my left eye, and -11 in my right eye with stigmatisms. I'm legally blind af, no Donna Goodeau. May eyesights deterioration may or may not be connected to my diabetes diagnosis, as it is my mothers. I'm too old and my eyes are too bad to lasik surgery like Chris Paul, so I'm lowkey outchea.

I began having a bad left eye infection before I left for California, so I took it out & threw it away. By the grace of the Lawd my wife found a new one, so I threw that bit in. While in California, with the different climate triggering my alergies and all the weed smoke I was constantly around, the right contact was like, "Fuck this I'm out too." Luckily Brianna wears contacts, so she had her boyfriend Chilly Will bring me some contact solution and a case to put my lens in to let my eye rest since I didn't have my glasses or fresh ones with me. 

Blessings.

Fast foward, I fly back to Louisiana that Saturday evening, and drive in the night time back to BR from NoLa, with one contact. If anyone knows me, you know I hate that drive from NoLa to BR at night with a passion. This was hell multiplied. I get home, don't do shit on Sunday, but Monday I have a show in NoLa with the homie Taiyamo Denku from Milwaukee. He brought me up to Milwaukee last summer to rock with him, Wu-Tang Affiliate Trife Diesel, Rec Riddles, + more and it was a great night that ended with them inviting me on tour with them. I could only do one other date, but I'm playing with them in New Jersey & NYC at the end of the month so it paid off. I helped Denku find other NoLa guys to add to the bill, so yeah, I'ma pull up and rock.

Plus I have a bone to pick with NoLa because noone booked me there in 2018, the first time in 9 years, a calendar year went by an noone booked me there. That's a whole nother rant tho. Anyways, I had it on my mind to body the stage, because I'm petty like that. Like I said, that's a whole nother rant.

THANK GOD FOR MARK DUB, PART MAN/PART THUG

I really wanna go to this show in NoLa, but I know it's not safe for me to drive at night with a bum right eye. So the day before the show, I call my right hand man, Mark Dub ask him can he drive me to NoLa bc a nigga can't see straight outchea. Mark did not want to take me to New Orleans on a Monday night, I can tell by his reluctant yes. But I asked him was he sure, and he said yes again. I wasn't gonna ask him a third time. If you know me personally, or if you've read #RapRecap's for OKC & Tulsa, you know Mark Dub is one of my best friends, my biggest supporters, and an all around great motherfucker. He's not my manager, he's not my assistant, he's my sanity when I try to do shit all by myself like I always do, because I'm an only child and hate asking for help. Mark is one of the few people down to ride with me unconditionaly. His title is the "Director of Function," because he makes sure everything goes right, from driving when I can't see or have the gotdamn gout in my right foot, to setting up my merch table, getting me waters, and most importantly, finding the right strip club after the shows. We always ctfu on the road, my best rap travels have him riding shot gun and/or manning the wheel 9.5/10. I love him like a brother and am grateful the Heavenly Mother put him in my life. 

Thank you Mark, on some RNS.

MARCEL P. BLACK VS DRUNK WHITE WOMAN

We get to the venue, I set up merch. Holla at Denku, Proper Channels, John Brown, and Slangston Hughes. Slang and I go back 10 years, so we had some turkey to talk, a convo that we been needing to have to get some understanding. Nothing serious, but it was a necessary convo. As we were squaring it away, a drunk older white lady interrupts us with, "Hey how do you guys feel about racism." Slang looks at me like, "You got this Black."

Indeed. So the convo goes something like this (edited for brevity).

Me: I don't fuck with racism at all. Do you?

DWW: No way man. I'm an owner of this place. I'm tired of all this indie rock bands here, I wanna book more rap.

Me: Well thanks for having us. What does that have to do with racism?

DWW: You know, I just wanna make sure you're comfortable here.

Me: We're good, everyone here has been very nice to you. What makes you come ask us about racism tho?

Slang: Yeah, because that can make someone feel uncomfortable.

DWW: Don't mind me, I'm just a old white lady I love rap. Oh I like your hair. (*reaches out to touch hair)

Slang: See that can make someone uncomfortable.

Me: Hell yeah.

DWW: I'm sorry, I just love the style. Where does it come from?

Slang: *sigh... Well...

Me: Africa.

DWW: -_-.

Slang: *lol

Me: You fuck with Trump?

DWW: No way, fuck that mother fucker. My dad  voted for him, and my mom is still pissed because she voted for Hillary.

Me: I fuck with mom dukes. Well I'ma say Fuck Donald Trump alot tonight, is that gonna be a problem?

DWW: No go ahead.

ME: Aight...

Then I turned back to Slang to finish our convo till she go the hint and went on bout her damn business. Later that night she DID touch Slang's hair, and he had to school her. Gave a Black History Month lecture for her mf ass.

GIVING WORK TO NOBODY

I've already written way too much, so I'll try to try to breeze thru the rest. Oh yeah, this venue is 200 cap, and it's like 14 ppl there. 7 people are the rappers. I have to go last. On a Monday night, with one contact. And judging by the crowd, there will be no money for me. But the show must go on.

First is John Brown, he does his thing. Next is Proper Channels. I've been watching them since their LSU days as AOI, and man are they sharp af now. I'm jealous as hell that Blueprint shouted them out on Super Duty Tough Work too lol. Slang goes up, polished NoLa vet performance. Denku runs thru his set with ease, bodies shit with his freestyle abilities, literally one of the best emcees off the top I've ever seen. 

Now it's my turn. It's already midnight. I'm still jetlagged from Cali. I have one working eye. I don't feel like being here at all. But I have something to prove, I'm the best emcee performing in New Orleans period tonight, and they gone get this work, even if ain't nobody here. Specifically these New Orleans artists, because I feel New Orleans is seeing a nigga shine, but don't wanna show love. Not these guys really, but they gotta feel my wrath tonight. So I gave work.

I decide to do the exact set I did in San Fran, bc I wanted to work out the kinks I had at the Backseat show. And man did I. I punched everyone in the mouth with "BR7MC," then went straight into

"Live My Love," fixing all the fuck ups from the the last time I performed it. Next was "Black God Fresh," and buddy from Proper Channels was fuckin with it tough.

Issa bop.

I make good on my word on saying "Fuck Donald Trump" alot as I perform "Hallelujah," only after dissing the venue in Lafayette that I believe canceled my show the day of because I was gonna perform that song. The crowd ate it up. For some reason white folks love "#FreeBLKPPL," it went over well. Then I take them all the way to church with "Cry Freedom," and it's a wrap. Of course I didn't have the 300 cap crowd hanging on every word like they were in San Francisco, by my set was actually better technically, very sharp and crisp, like a mf who really does this. Niggas knew what it was.

"THIS POST TOOK NUTS"- BORNMATIK

I'm an honest ass person. Here's what I wrote as I posted the pics from the show on the gram. 

"Every artist knows not every time is packed crowd at MSG. Some nights are slow, but u still gotta rock for the ppl who came thru the door. I still feel I had a good set as I performed at full game speed like it was a sold out crowd. Mf's still got this work."

 I mean what else can I say? I'm thru tryinna angle my phone in small ass crowds to make people believe it was a packed house when it's not. I rap all over the country, and book rappers from all over the country. This is apart of the game. Period. If you've never had to rock hard af in front of 10 people, you not really outchea. I earned my respect from all the emcees, and Denku wants me up in Milwaukee this summer. This time with a bigger bag. Mission accomplished.

RATINGS

Venue: 4.5/5. I love playing at this venue, perfect place for an underground rap show. Subtracting becuase of the annoying drunk white woman.

Crowd: 3/5. If it was a full house it'd been a 5. But since it was damn near noone there, gotta give a lower score.

Merch Sales: 2/5. Noone shopped besides a member of Proper Channels. And a random white lady gave me $10 bucks for the culture.

Sound: 5/5. Great.

SET LIST

1. "BR7MC" (from "Seven")

2. "Live My Love" (from "Black Collar")

3. "Black God Fresh" (Unreleased)

4. "Hallelujah" (from "Seven")

5. "#FreeBLKPPL" (From "Seven")

6. "Cry Freedom" (From "Cry Freedom)"

NEXT SHOW

3/9/19 in Pensacola, Florida