Reprogram your brain with Akira The Don
Hailed as a “Legend” by the undeniable force that is Lil B, Akira the Don is a talented DJ, musical artist and all around creative. While he has produced hit songs and played music for large crowds all over the world, I discovered him through his own personal creation called Meaningwave.
Mansionz 2 and the art of authenticity
The return of Mansionz. There were many people waiting for this to happen, and to say I haven’t been jumping out of my skin with excitement would be lying. Mansionz is the powerful combination of Mike Ponser and Blackbear.
The Universal Language of Hip-hop
My time spent in Germany is the most recent time the power of hip-hop shook me to my core and reinspired my worldview. And let me tell you, the people love their music there. One of the coolest artists I came across in my time in Deutschland was not German at all. Instead, a retired…
The Reality of Retinoblastoma: One Girl’s Struggle to Find Normalcy
The powerful story behind Jade Cowden’s fight with a dangerous genetic eye cancer called Retinoblastoma.
Token seeks emotional maturity on Pink Is Better
Pink is Better is an impressive body of work that finds Token at some of his highest highs and follows him through his lowest low. The album is a brutally honest confession that touches on all of the pleasures that money and fame can bring, while also showcasing the troubling emotional abuse and weight that…
Holidays away from home: Wiesbaden Christmas Market
Christmas markets are a huge part of the holiday season in Germany and date all the way back to the 16th century. While I was unable to celebrate this years holiday with my family directly, I was honored to experience one of these fascinating traditions of Germany and used the opportunity to capture it in…
Musical nostalgia and the beauty of time
Nostalgia is one of the most immersive feelings that a human can experience. As creatures that are aware of linear time, the longing to relive the past is an inevitable endeavor. For some, the feeling is often associated with childhood and the happiness of simpler times. Adding to the paradox that many of us have faced, as we grow older, there seems to always be a craving…
Q&A- Black Pegasus speaks his truth on “Black Pander,” his controversial views and the state of America
Black Pegasus is a Colorado-based hip-hop artist who has become adamant about his political views in the last two years. So, I took some time to speak with Pegasus about his more expressive viewpoints and provide some context to his thoughts and opinions. Below is an interview with the man himself, covering everything from “Black…
Mac Lethal faces his demons on Winter Heartbreak II
Released on June 9, 2021, Mac Lethal returned with another fantastic album titled Winter Heartbreak II. The album is a dark and visceral dive into the deepest depths of one of Lethal’s most depressing years to date. It touches on his crumbling relationship, the fears of being a failure, and the process of aging in a world where time just doesn’t seem to slow down for…
Mike Posner and the Art of Duality
Duality is one of the most important concepts in the universe. It weaves together the fabric of reality and creates the individual ego. Over the last three years, Mike Posner has shown me a lot about duality. Posner has released three albums over the last three years. A Real Good Kid, Keep Going and Operation:…
The Introspection Section Playlist: January 2021
In typical Introspection Section style, there are no genre boxes. We recommend the music we like and are listening to over the month. Hopefully you find something new to add to your catalog. There should be something for just about every music fan, so take listen and find something new. There no feeling quite like…
Mac Miller’s Evolution of Love and Self-Acceptance
How do we know what love looks like? Most people gather their first insights on love from watching their parents or peer group. And with America’s sky high divorce rate, that may not be the smartest direction to look in. Others use movies and books as their guidelines for love. The Notebook and The Titanic being the manual for what women tend…
The road less traveled: On The Road and the art of freedom
What does Freedom mean to todays youth? One thing that’s for sure, the word means something much different than it did in the 1960s. Today’s freedom is not the freedom that people like Terence McKenna and Ken Kesey spoke of. As cancel culture and the softening of the human experience runs rampant, I call back…
The Maturity Arc: Growing up through the Man On the Moon trilogy
A feature on the impact of Kid Cudi’s music and the experience of growing up through the Man on the Moon trilogy.
Marceline’s First Trip to Colorado (Photo Essay)
A Photo essay detailing my family’s trip to Colorado and the first time my daughter met her grandmother.
The Introspection Selection Playlist: October 2020
Welcome back to the Introspection Selection playlist. We had a short hiatus, but have returned with another playlist of exciting new music. This month’s playlist features a wide variety of artist. In typical Introspection Selection style, there are no genre boxes. We recommend the music we like and are listening to over the month. Hopefully…
Logic’s No Pressure and the Weight of Identity
“Why do you talk so white?” “Why don’t you act black?” “Is that really your dad?” I heard these questions over and over throughout my childhood. They never offended me. But I couldn’t fully conceptualize the reasons people were saying this and how it affected me. I would often shrug it off or laugh a long…
Jams of the Month: July
This was a fun month for new music. Hip-hop fans were gifted with new projects from Logic, Lupe Fiasco and Blu & Exile. As well as some exciting new singles from industry superstars like J.Cole and Joey Bada$$. I’m aware it may be controversial to call Bada$$ a superstar, but from my perspective he fits…
All-Amerikkan Bada$$, Connecting with my Black Experience
A look back at the 2017 album All-Amerikkan Bada$$ and it’s importance in helping me connect with the black experience in America.
Jams of the Month: June
There has been a ton of great music released through the hectic month of June. No matter how crazy the world seems to get, the release of music will not stop. More importantly, music can be used to as a voice for the voiceless. A great example of this is on Lil Baby’s “The Bigger…
Kota The Friend’s Everything and Accepting Adulthood
I had heard the name Kota The Friend floating around the hip-hop conversations but was still ignorant of his actual appeal. I had listened to his 2018 track Colorado, mostly because it was titled after my home state, and it didn’t jump out as something I must pursue further. I’m here to say I was…
Album Review: Earthgang- Mirrorland
On September 6, 2019, Atlanta based duo Earthgang dropped their official Dreamville debut album Mirrorland. I have been waiting in anticipation for months and can trace back my discovery of Earthgang to a February 2017 video a on Kinda Neat. I was instantly a fan and quickly dove into all of their previous work. I…
Album Review: 93 Punx, Vic Mensa- 93 Punx
Vic Mensa is no stranger to switching his aesthetic, and the Chicago native has gone through more phases than the moon. I have been a fan of most everything Mensa has created over the last eight years. I loved Kids These Days, Innantetape was fantastic, and genuinely enjoyed his debut album The Autobiography. His singles…
Album review: YBN Cordae- The Lost Boy
The debut album for YBN Cordae was released last month and the reception has been positive in most hip-hop conversations. The Lost Boy is 15-tracks long and comes in as a relatively easy listen through. The tracklist is ripe with star-studded talent and shows a ton of promise for the rising hip-hop star. Features form…
Album Review-Blkswn by Smino
Last week, two of my favorite up and coming artists in Smino and J.I.D both released their debut projects. St.Louis artist Smino first caught my attention when I saw him open up for the Mick Jenkins concert in Denver and has now finally released his debut project “Blkswn” on March 15th, 2017. The high energy singer…
Strain Review-Kimbo Kush #1 from Grant Pharms
Life is a constant wave of experiences, making valleys in your low points and mountains with the good times. A constant wave of energy to which all of life’s emotions and ideas are created from. So with that understood, what does that mean for us as individuals? Life will not stop for you or alter…
Album Review- The Iceberg by Oddisee
The Iceberg is the latest offering from 32 year old Emcee, Odissee, a talented artist who has slowly found his place as one of the most consistent artists in the industry right now. His 2015 album, The Good Fight made it’s way atop nearly every best of list including mine, and he has seemingly only…
Shatter Review- Violator Kush
With another semester rolling ahead at full speed, my daily schedule is back to being way too busy for one individual. Between two part-time jobs, school, and blog writing in my free time, it’s safe to say that I truly don’t have a life outside of working. Sometimes that’s a great thing, other times it’s…
Strain Review- Sour Amnesia Live Resin
Waking up at four in the morning is never a fun time and it doesn’t help if the reason is to take your mother to the hospital for surgery. That was the situation I found myself in on the morning of this review, not the best mind state for writing but you can’t stop life…
Strain Review- Northern Lights
A new year a new me, that is the cliché that everyone recites for the first two weeks of January, or at least until they realize they have already fallen back into their old habits. This year I plan to work on my writing more seriously than ever before. I plan on listening to tons…
Strain Review-Bordello Review
Today’s morning began with some Bordello shatter, processed from Emeralds City Wellness by Dabble Co. I was drawn to pick this up because I had already purchased the Bordello flower from Emerald City and was thoroughly impressed. The budtenders mentioned that the flower tested around the 28% THC range, an impressive stat alone to matches…
Album Review- Do What Thou Wilt by Ab-Soul
December 9th, 2016 was a big day for hip-hop fans, bringing forth new releases from J.Cole, Tech N9ne and Ab-Soul, three of the most consistent artists in the industry. While both excited and impressed by all three albums, and still trying to reel from the shockwave of listening to Gambino’s new project, the Ab-Soul album…
Tear Drop (prod. Garren)- Towkio
“I wonder when it will stop? The cops yeah they kill kids then act unfamiliar and cover up their case like its make up concealer. Damn why that hate so build up? The truth is in your face no filter.” Although there are many colorful characters in the rap game, Towkio easily takes a title as…
MGK- Till I Die (Cavs Remix)
On Sunday night LeBron James had his triple-double, and Kyrie Irving’s late 3-pointer that gave the Cleveland Cavaliers a 93-89 Game 7 victory over the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. The first of any title for Cleveland since the 1960’s in addition, the Cavaliers became the first team to rally from a 3-1 deficit to win…
Jon Bellion-The Human Condition
Finally the debut album, The Human Condition, is out. An ultimate journey through the sonorous sounds and the vivid imagery of Jon Bellion’s artistic mind. It is everything we could imagine. An album where he clearly defines the human condition. If there isn’t a tug on at least one of your heart’s string then you…
Top 5 Hip-Hop Albums of the First Half of 2016
As we fly past June and continue marching through 2016, the halfway mark gives a chance to reflect back on what has happen so far and give praise to the best music of the year so far. With huge releases from big time stars like Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar and Royce Da 5’9— 2016 has…
Album Review: There’s a Lot Going on EP by Vic Mensa
Fresh off of signing a huge deal with Roc Nation, Vic Mensa has released his first project with the label and follow up to 2013’s hugely successful Innanetape. After mixed reviews on the first two singles since signing, “No Chill” and “U Mad,” There’s a Lot Going On finds Vic rising up to the huge…
New Single: Machine Gun Kelly- Till i Die pt 1 and 2
Earlier this year on January 5th MGK dropped the visuals for his new Single Till I Die from his highly anticipated Sophmore album. In a very similar fashion as his first album, MGK decides to drop the firs single as a club banger like just like Wild Boy. This one is an ode to the…
New single: Hopsin-Crown Me
On May 31st, Hopsin decided to release the visuals for his new single Crown Me. This single will be featured on hop’s new album, Pound Syndrome which is slated to release on July 24th. The track features Hopsin spitting a relentless flow over the top of a very fast paced beat. The bass bangs and…
Album Review: The Growing Process by Dizzy Wright
The Growing Process is the latest full-length album from up and coming hip-hop artist Dizzy Wright. The 24 year old Wright has been rapping for a large part of his life so his growing process has definitely been a long road. From hanging around with Bone thugs and Harmony as a kid, due to his…
818 Headband Shatter Review from Green & Healthy Wellness
Green & healthy Wellness (GHW) is a local Colorado Springs dispensary that just recently was taken over by new managers. It is located on the Westside of town near Westside Tattoo, right off of Colorado Ave and 21 St. The business card for their dispensary states their the ” 719 710 Head Quarters” so I…
Mixtape Review: Wav. Theory by Towkio
Towkio previously known as Towkio Sean is a rising hip-hop artist from Chicago and is a part of the very talented young group of artist that calls themselves the SaveMoney Army. While Towkio has been around the past couple of years he has seen close friends Chance The Rapper and Vic Mensa blow up to stardom status. …
Album Review: B.4.Da.$$ by Joey Bada$$
If you haven’t heard of up and coming hip-hop star Joey Bada$$ yet, then a huge section of this generations best rap is missing from your life. Joey is the front man leading the charge of NY rap along with the “beast coast” movement . Joeys buzz first started back in 2012 when he released…
2014 In Review for Cuds Buds Reviews
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog. Here’s an excerpt: A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 330 times in 2014. If it were a cable car, it would take about 6 trips to carry that many people. Click here to see the…
The Tree House White Mousse Shatter: Dirtnap
On my Christmas Eve I got the day started with some White Mousse Shatter from the Treehouse in Colorado Springs. The Treehouse is a small quaint dispensary located on the westside of the city. They have about a 12 strain selection on flower, and a small selection between some local shatter retailers. So a plethora…
Album Review: 2014 Forest Hills Drive by J.Cole
J.Cole is not a new name in the rap name and has released three major label albums to date. His latest discography addition presents Cole in what many may say is his prime. He has had is chance at rising to fame with club hits and singles, however this project seems like a different Cole.…
Strain Review: Super Lemon Haze ( New Age Medical)
Today I got the chance to head over to New Age medical’s Garden of the Gods location and give their Super lemon Haze a try. This is a strain many people have heard about throughout the years and it has become a classic strain. The genetics come from the crossing of Lemon Skunk and Super…
Strain Review: Pirates Booty from LivWell
Pirates Booty is a hybrid strain from LiveWell cannabis, purchased from their Nevada location. This strain is a part of their top shelf or platinum jar buds, which means it is one of the dispensaries strongest. The staff there was extremely friendly and always has been every time I’ve went. They actually just started making…
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Introspection Section 