Huey_Dunbar's Blog

It's amazing at times the things, memories from the past, that stay with you....

At times I wonder if I am a loner in my trains of thought...

the Avenues of my thinking...

the Blvds where paquetes of moments and sounds,

that I don't remember choosing to pick up and carry with me,

come back like a comet to the front of my mind

for in depth analysis and deep speculation....

I know for a fact that I am one of many,

forever a part of and connected to a history of the tenements with built-in bodegas, roaches, parties

musica, sunsets, winters, violence

Truth & lies

Smiles & cries

Things left undone

Those that do or die

Those that have been broken down

But get up and always try

Them that use depression to move their feet

That lose but always compete

Old pizza boxes blowing across the street

Near the feet

Of the starry eyed child

There still sitting with the song of a Man

Etherealy being sung inside

While there beside a new child gifted by art in his hand

I come from a land

Of peoples, of dreams

That to the face of injustice

Have had the purest of a screams

Yet years past welcomed strangers

Bearing arms in modest self-esteem

Grandfather of strength

Of Machete, of sugercane

Of the coffee, of Pina,

And rat's favorite, green plantain.

We know eachother, when I see you

Anytime, rich or broke

It doesn't matter when you see me

With a lump in my throat

We share a weakness

We share the same strength

We hear our mothers

Cuidandonos every time that we left

We are brave

But we are still scared

Insecure of our ways

Not quite sure how we got there

Toe to toe, young blood, young man

Young lord, urban land

Bloodened hands, yet we stand

In this circle

Crowd as loud as ur tio's salsa band

You know me?

Well I Know you well.

And I can tell, by your smell

That you too feel like your apt's also ur cell

Mistakes are made

Not by you but you're sure gonna pay!

Trees above us sway

Those from the window wish the leaves

Were outta the way

But this all fades like the day

As a man moving away,

From all that you've known

Knowing how you hate it

But also wanting to stay

Now here I am

No, here we are

Shirt buttoned up nice

On the grind

Day to day

Not even thinking twice

Are you still hungry?

I hope, Cuz I know I sure as hell am

I've got a heart that still beats

And two strong hands

I need to know your ok = doing your thing

Striving to make sense of each day

This nu day

Our nu day

 

I know you not

 

Just that kid on the stoop

Picking dreams from our block

Will we ever stop, have nots'?

 

Huey Dunbar IV

 

Sun, October 12, 2008 2:24AM

L.A. California

Despite what some of you may have heard through radio advertisements and street promo, Huey Dunbar will not be Performing at Madison Garden this coming 18th of October. Huey Dunbar was never confirmed to perform. These are false advertisements.

I just wanted to personally send a shout out and mandar mis agradecimientoz to all of those getting hit up with a friend invite from me. These days, no artist has any excuse to not be able to simply say Thank You to those that are the CENTER in the reason for Exito. So this is mine. Thanks Mi Gente, My People. For without you I am not a singer, just someone who likes to sing waaaay to damn much. Know that you all have my respect and eternal thanks to helping me take care of my dreams as well as my children. Bear in mind always: Respect iz EARNED, and that you all ALWAYS have the power to give the gift of success to us , YOUR ARTISTS. Another day in game, Huey Dunbar

It's funny... the changes that affect your life when you become a "professional". Or more simply put, when people know you for your music.

The other night, i was up in the Greenpoint section of Queens, rushing through traffic trying to get to the 59th street bridge for an evening meeting when i realized that yet again, because i was so busy, i forgot to do one of the most simplist of things, something that wifey's always reminding me to do, eat.

So i pulled off of Queens Blvd and onto one of the side streets in search of a pollo spot. My plan was simple. One whole chicken to go, please.

I pull up a few stores down from a "polleda", run up the block and into the spot. Classic Salsa filled the air along with the sounds of gente dining, enjoying their sunday evening dinner. I wait on line behind a young latina who was also waiting for her take out order to be finished.

While waiting, i took in all the posters of Latin America and soccer teams. While scanning over the lugar, i came across a face staring @ me. Now, heres when the whole mental/artist trip kicks in.

****For those of you out there that grew up in an urban area, you know how it is when someone stares @ you, the choices you make to react to a stranger staring at you for more than a few seconds depends on "assessing" the intent in the eyes, face and body language....some good , and some bad.

But that was when I was a younger and had those rulez thrust apon me not by choice, but by the Tao of calle. It was and still is something that comes with leaving your house and going to the bodega for Klim or hoppin'the train(Yes i used to hop the train, bak when you could hop the damn train!) to hook up with peeps that I thought were die hard friends, or going into a nu block or PJ's just to hook up with what my older brothers called "trim".

All those experiences you take with you. They affect you on a psychological level socially. They stay with you as lessons learned, become ingrained in your character. And as you grow up and become more worldy, as I had the blessing of experiencing, you learn that there is a time and place for everything.

So because of growing up where and how I did, I go to that tao of thinking, initially.

But when you are an "artist" one of the things you give away @ the gate is the gift of blending in. The reality changes dramatically.. well , in some parts it does, lol. Imagine walking into a room full a people, You know absolutlely no one there. But because of your choice of occupation, everyone knows your face. Not you personally, but none the less they know of you. In one way, off the bat' you are @ a disadvantage socially. Now, thinking with the artist's ego: great someone knows me..cool.

But this kinda thinking clashes with the urban side of the brain, cuz you never know how some peeps will react. Therefore, you are slightly on edge. Not in way where you feel it merits being standoffish with people, your just "awake" in the midst of things.

So, with that out of the way, I continue my cuento...

Heres where it gets funny, ya gotta love this job.

Not to far away from where I was standing on line for chicken, there was a round table @ which sat 4 Latinos. The table was filled with wine glasses and empty plates containing the evidence of what appeared to be a recent carnage dealt most swiftly apon an unfortunate and ususpecting fowl, chicken bones. One of the guys points @ me and says my name . I nod and smile while shaking his hand but also put a finger to my lips in a respectful gesture as to make this as quiet as possible. Pa que fue eso..LOL! His friend got up and put an arm around my shoulder while reaching for a knapkin 4 me to dedicate to Vanessa, if I remember correctly.

I also signed the photo of a young child on the back..think the name was Giovanni. I was offered a glass of wine but I declined due to the fact that I was driving and don't like to drink much nowadays. I thanked him. And went about paying for my pollo'inabag, but he had already added it to his bill.

I told him thank you and that he really did not have to do that , but it was his way of showin'love so I could'nt disrespect that gesture, this I could tell came from a hard working man and that it came from the corazon. There was no "guille" in it. Much like my Abuelito's ways.

I then wrote down my myspace page info, pounded everyone out' and started to make my way to the door already humbled and feeling a little weird by the knights of the round table's kindness.

They then started chanting my name while pumping their fists: Huey!Huey!!Huey!!! As I opened the door I said Buen Provecho y Perdon to the rest of the restaurant's patrons. I could not help but laugh in a blessed way on my way out. It felt like I was in a movie. I was left with the mental photo of four guys stading @ a table, red wine glasses in hand, fists in the air. All hard working Men. Latinos. And they bought ME food just because they like my music....

I will never tire of saying this @ my shows because it is the only reality I know and other actors and artists should pay heed:

It does not matter who you are..you could be Bill Gates, Madonna or Tom Cruise...the only place that success, Real success, comes from IS OTHER PEOPLE!

All us so called artists have to do is show up,and follow thru', the rest is left to our bosses, the fans... maybe I'm not the artist, the people are.. and I'm the fan, forever chasing after Them.