Venice Beach California.
I found him on the Board Walk, so I named him Ghost Shadow. I found this flyer but he wasnt too sure it was him, so we just hung out for a night, then I returned him. He needed some space. I called the number on the poster, and asked if there was a reward as a joke, and the dude-bro said “sure…”
I gave him back for free obviously, unscathed and full of cat nip, and it actually turns out he lived on the ground floor of my building.
90291 till infinity…
Pashupati. River-side in Nepal. The smoke filled the morning air as multiple human bodies burnt beneath stacks of flowers, hay, and wood on the stone banks. Smoldering ashes and unburnt larger remains swept into the flowing river below. A continuation of an unbroken journey everlasting. BABA WHITE BOY is one of a group there, who every morning, in a reflection of death, life and impermanence, cover their entire bodies in fresh human ashes and river water.
He also charged me the equivalent of 10 bucks for a few flicks. Savage.
On a run through Cuba with Aceyalone. We were shooting in this local bar, when I stepped outside to get out of the shot. I saw this beautiful little girl in her school uniform hustling down the street. I imagined at first she was bringing her little brother one, but the second I asked if I could take her picture she looked incredibly guilty. And once I started popping off, the neighbors stared yelling at her, and teasing her in Spanish for something I can only imagine was about two ice cream cones in a communist state…but probably not. The people there are fucking amazing, so warm and open hearted, and about living in a present moment, content. They show so much love, especially when they find out your from Nueva York. People always say it’s so sad how Cuba’s going to go to shit after Castro dies. I think thats so racist, everyone there is too ill to let that happen. Fuck off, viva la revolution.
“At the end of the day,day my momma told me don’t let no one break me let no one break me
At end of the day, day, nobody, nobody, ever could stop me ever could stop me
At the end of the day, day you can’t regret it if you were trying if you were trying
At the end of the day I’m walking with a heart of a lion…”
Mandela. South Africa. I was on a World-Wide run with Pharrell. We found ourselves somehow inside the Mandela Compound in Johannesburg. The security was beyond anything I had ever experienced before, but once we got inside the walls, and through the checks, and past the gigantic guns it was an awesome atmosphere of complete comfort. Amidst the gorgeous rose gardens, African art, and precious grandchildren running around barefoot, I remember sharing a brief moment with P. It was a glance of humble disbelief, and a shared sense of being in the right place at the right time, and knowing it. Nelson was relaxed, full of light, and kept saying what an idiot politician George W was…
He could then, of course, recognize a sense of our American shame, so added how he liked George W. personally. He told us the first thing Bush asked Mandela when they met was if he wanted to do a shot of whiskey with him…God Bless America.
Leimert Park, California. We were shooting a video for Aceyalone, and I was walking towards Project Blowd, up Crenshaw Blvd. I saw this guy standing by the park facing traffic and asked if I could snap a few off. He looked at me somewhat confused, agreed, and then waited a moment and said, “he does though nigga, I’m living proof…” Great moment.
One of my personal favorites. Baba lived on the river banks of the Bagmati in Pashupati. Half Spiritual beings of heart, and half Brooklyn card hustlers, these spiritual men deal with both corn ball tourists and “true seekers” all day long. They live a simple life with no possessions, eating and smoking what’s given to them by the people. They’ve thrown everything in their lives to the wind and live in the present moment. This particular Baba was so full of warm light. He wasn’t smiling when I framed him up – I took a second, and he just stared at me. Then I peered up from the eye piece of my camera and made eye contact with him. He erupted in sunshine and I pushed the button without looking.
Electronica
We were standing on a river side. The smell of burning incense and buring bodies filled the nose. The monkeys were fighting on the roof and beating and biting one bloody. The Baba’s of all sorts were combination Hustling for dough, and blessing in beautiful mantra. Radios crackled, and dogs barked, and I stood there with Jay watching and taking it in. He had just been blessed by an ancient looking Sadhu, and had fresh paint on his face.
I reached for my camera and said “Look at me.” He did, but with a distance in his eyes. Distracted by the sea of stimulation pummeling us in ever way. ” Jay look at me, dude… Your Grand Children will see this flick.”
Instantly he looked right up, and into the lens. SNAP.