Just for kicks, I sometimes listen to Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh. Though ignorance is their forte, it's a disturbingly bleak guage of the mentality of some Americans. The other day, O'Reilly was goin on about how San Francisco is full of homeless people because of the liberal weed policy. To make such a connection just may have some credence, who knows. Wishing some sort of punishment on somebody minding their own business smoking weed is political shill type work. The work of a sucker. Yet there did seem to be an unusual number of homeless looking young people in Berkeley though. And this kid did try to sell me some keef, which is like a strained resin ball of weed, like a bright green spongy chunk. Keef? That's over my head. I neva seen that shit before so I thought he was tryin to get over on me. He didn't look homeless at any rate. Regardless, all cities have homeless people, I would much prefer hippie types and pot heads over dope fiends and crack heads any day. If it is true that the marijuana plant correlates to homelessness in the Bay area, then that is still a higher grade of bum than your average mental patient with no insurance living out of a bag or a shopping cart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At Blakes on Telegraph in Berkeley, CA some hiphoppas got a unique treat. One they might not soon forget. Because the sound system and mics were sub-par to say the least, The Teacha, ever the crowd pleaser, did something he doesn't usually do. As he shouted "can yall hear me!" his decision was already made. As if to say ' forget this stage shit ', he disappeared off stage behind a wall and reappeared inside the crowd. Surprised fans, while crazed with excitement, drew back in a circle to hear a truly live performance which they are sure to never forget. How many rappers would have just said ' nah, the system is fucked up I ain't rockin? ' Instead KRS ONE brought the show to the people on some old school, outside in the park shit, where there aint no mic. Even if you aint in the front, you are in the action. You surround it. In the cypha, without the people there is no cypher. Hiphop consciousness was definitely in the building to pull that show off, because what could have been a whack show turned out to be some peoples best Hip Hop memory in life, something they will always remember. " (like) I remember at Blakes when KRS ONE came in the crowd and rocked a whole show ! "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nightlife in Berkeley CA is what's good! The scene is very live, lots of  people cruising the many shops and bars, restaurants and coffee houses. Next to Fat Slice, home of stupid sized slices of pizza, Blakes has a cool vibe, and some say, very tasty mini cheeseburgers. At night it was definitely more calm than in NYC. In Berkeley it was more laid back and cleaner ofcourse, though Manhattan is relatively clean compared to the old days. On this side of the Bay Area, Berkeley is like a college town with an undertone of hippieness especially during the day.