I've got some good news and some bad news today. And since the bad always seems to outwiegh the good, I'll give the worse first. I'm afraid If things don't start looking up, we may not be in business too longer. That's right, I can't front anymore and try to act like it's all good when it's all bad. We have hardly NO support from the people we help the most. Namely, the music Industry. They ain't showin' us no Love with the Ads. That's the bad news in a nutshell.

The good news is that we have the newest issue complete and ready to go to the printer. That's the one with Terror Squad, Lil' Cease, GZA, and MC Eiht leading the charge. We also have folks like Sole', Ugly Duckling, Big Hutch, Dame Grease, E-Swift, Rahzel, Sauce Money, Tony Touch, Screwball, Black Rob. And of course, all the usual Short attention span shit and sections that you've become accustomed to. Can you smell those vapors?

We're also working on the following issue for the end of the year. It should be out by Thanksgiving (or a little before!) and features Dig(Diamond D, Lord Finesse, OC, Buckwild, Fat Joe, Show & AG, and Big L Rest In Peace), Run DMC, Lil' Wayne, Mack 10 as lead-ins. The Neptunes, Female newcomer Kelis (pronounced Kay-Leese), 2nd II None, Boom-Boom Satellites, Lil Troy, Big Pokey, and the Hot Boy$ following suit. And that's just for starters.

For now, I'm back to the lab again, the lab again...

"New York Overdose"

08.25.99

Me & Animal just got back from NYC, again. What is this? like the fifth time in the last year? We go to NY more than we put out mags. I mean, is the Big Apple letting us know something, or what? The only thing California about us is that we live here. Don't let the bullshit fool you.... We've gone there a handfull of times and lived to tell about it. I don't know what Niggaz speak about when they say Cali gets no love in New York. Nigga Pleaze!!! Kronick went to Queensbridge Housing Projects to fuck with Screwball. We got Madd LOVE!! Niggaz came from all around the Housing to get some Kronick. I'm talkin' thugged out Niggaz givin' us pounds & hugs like we was Fam. You don't know?

Then we went to Harlem World the next night and ate at the Sugar Shack. Politickin' with my girl from Vacant Lot, we ended up on 129th & Lenox Ave (Malcolm X Blvd), hookin' up with the Vacant Lot Crew. What?! The next day we went to Riverside Skate park on 108th & Riverside (Uptown, Baby!) for a GZA video shoot featuring ODB & Hell Raiza from Sunz Of Man. Spence Fujimoto, Jaime Reyes and Akira were also on deck flippin' sticks. Animal even got on the course and scooted artound with his pot belly and chi-chi's workin' up a sweat. Later that night we hooked up with Royce the 5'9" and Kelis to do interviews. Royce was in town from Detroit to work with the Neptunes. Kelis was there just looking good. More on her later.

The next day we spent the whole day waiting for DITC to show up and do a photo shoot/Cover Story. Diamond & Lord Finess couldn't make it. Everyone else showed up at different times. I don't wanna say no more. After thatwe went to the NORE release party and got thugged out. I almost got cracked in the head by the Man himself for grabbing his arm when he came off stage. After a hyped up party following NORE & Capone with the digicam, we went and fucked with the Neptunes in the studio. Oh No!! Those guys are NERDS for real. I kid you not. The following day (Yesterday) Paul interviewed De La Soul and I holla'd at Tony Touch & E-Swift.

Those were our adventures in NYC for the last week. I'm tired. It's good to be home again!

Thank you Tommy Boy for bringing us out and taking care of us.

"Po, Broke & Lonely"

07.25.99

So I can say with confidence and grace that the City of Angels is completely and entirely blanketed in a thick haze of Kronick. Streets is Watching and I'm on my way out. Next on the Map are San Diego, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Berkely, Vallejo and Sacramento. Whew! By the time those cities catch wind, New Orleans, Atlanta, and New York should be feeling this. That done and finished, the new issue will be coming `round the mountain by mid August to early September. You know how that shit go! In the meantime & in between time, I'll work your thang and you work mine; NOT!! Now I'm in the middle of transcribing the next slew of Interviews for the next issue. Oh, and the covers look HOTTT!!! That kid Animal got skills ta pay some bills. Like what! Never seen MC Eiht look like this. Never saw 1/2 of the Terror Squad angrier. Can't even see the GZA/Genius all in your face. And if P's computer would quit crashing, I'd get to peep Lil' Ceas' A Leo on his first Cover joint. I'm sayin' tho. Like Redman, I Can't Wait. What will we think of next? I dunno. I'd like to see some cheddar before anything, cause this here is a debt-maker, but it can be a credit-shaker if handled properly. And I'll leave it off at that.

"Ban Du Soliel"

07.20.99

Guess what me & P got to do today? We got to go hang with that buttah-brown Honey named Sole' for a few hours, picking out tattoos for her & her Publicist. They wanted us to get tatts too but I ain't the one and something about needles makes the Animal nervous.

Anyhow, if you ain't be knowin' who Sole' is, she be that XXXtra foine sistah in the JT Money video for Who Dat? Still don't know? Just ask professional skateboarder Frank Hertz aka Juan Gomez, who happened to lead us to the right parlor of body art. The coolest thing about it all was that Sole's personality was as bangin' as her body. And she was rocking a simplistic cut-off Levis (ala Cocoa Brown Daisy Duke's) and a white tank top. Once we jumped in the car, her publicist (bless her heart) volunteered to take shotgun. P & I looked into each other's grill as if to say "I ain't ridin' `bitch' in the back!" So we scrambled for the doors to the backseat. How u luv dat? On our way to getting the tattoos I conducted the interview, and during the session, P took photos. Frankie & I kinda made ourselves useful by offing whatever assitance without getting in the way. That wasn't easy `casue the two guys giving tatts were competing for an eyeshot of butterscotch like the rest of us. During the down time in the car we chatted about lingerie and false engagements. But what's important is that I forgot whatever I was thinking about previously and feel like I'm rambling on and on about chocolate dreams and a mouth fulla cavities. Get it?

In other words, I had a great time. Days like this make me Love what I do for a living. Stay tuned...

"In a Hood Near You"

07.16.99

OK Gang, ready for my daily (or rather weekly) reportage on what's what and where it's at? The new issue is all over L.A. proper by now. How do I know? I put them out myself, that's how. Yea, I ain't ashamed to say that I got a rental car (Mercury Grand Marquis, no diggidun!) for two weeks just to make sure the entire city was covered. Not like it takes two weeks or anything like that. I'm sure if I had an army like Cash Money Records, then I could get this shit out in a day. Just like the L.A. Weekly.

But instead, I opt to train individuals one by one to distribute this valuable information as if it were worth more than gold and better than the stickiest green. And that's why I ain't afraid to go out there to the retail stores, restaurants and barber shoppes to get the word out. So from Hollywood to Inglewood and Santa Monica to Pasadena you can get FREE KRONICK at any record store or chillinest hangout, while it lasts. The San Fernando Valley & South Bay should be done by the weekend. Sorry Ventura & Orange Counties, we hear your police forces don't take to kindly to minorities driving in your Hoods. So until some of you kids reach out and touch, you'll have to wait `til we tie this distribution knot with a particular music chain.

Otherwise, I've got transcriptions to work on for the next issue. Stuff like the GZA, MC Eiht, Lil' Cease and the Terror Squad, amongst others. Until then, sop up this latest issue like a sponge and I'll do my darndest to hurry up and get the nex-next out. Got my hands full, so for now I'm on the run.

L8r's

Mr. Blaq aka Duke Blaqqington

"Put Out the Fire!"

07.15.99

And I thought we would be picked up by a towncar today only to be whizzed to the Tom Bradley Int'l Terminal at LAX. The Itinerary said Royal Dutch Airlines would have us on their 4:20 flight to Amsterdam arriving by Noon Tomorrow. After a nice toastie layover in the city known worlwide for one or two things, we were supposed to head to Berne, Switzerland for an exclusive weekend with Tricky on his Summer Euro-Tour. But as with anything that has to do with Champagne Dreams & Caviar Wishes, when it's too good to be true, that EXACTLY what it turns out to be.

I wish muthafuckas wouldn't get my mind all erect only to take an internal cold shower 24 hours later. I'm tellin' you Folkals, I had it all at my fingertips slip away like sand. But everything happens for a reason. And I still don't know what that is exactly. So uh, three days ago I was on top of the world like Brandy & Ma$e. Now I'm ridin' on the same pile of shit off the grass I started out on in the first place. What can I say? Shit makes the best fertilizer!?!

I don't care, I don't care...

Look at the bright side; there isn't one!

"Weekend in Europe"

07.12.99

I may not be rich, but I am beginning to become well-travelled. I just found out today that the Animal & myself will be spending the weekend in Europe. Apparently my buddy Tricky likes the idea of doing a Cover Feature for his upcoming collaboration album with DJ Muggs (Cypress Hill, Souls Assassins) & Dame Grease (DMX, Nas, Jay-Z). Thus, with about 72 hours notice, I was told our assignment would have us not only Amsterdam, Holland, but also Bern, Switzerland. Can you even imagine? I can't, having never been overseas. But right about now I'm as happy as a fly on shit and wanna shout out to all the world: I'LL BE ENJOYING EVERY SECOND!!! So now you know what the next Road Fools has in store. So far some of the titles I'm playing with are How High? or Weekend In Europe. How about Fantastic Voyage? Hit me up and let me know. Meanwhile, I'll be getting my passport in the morning and running around scrambling my work-load like eggs. Smell me!?

"Shoot 'Em Up!"

07.09.99

Yesterday was one of those days where work was like play and there was no time for fun because we were having too much of it already. Myself, Paul & Jess were picked up by Big Rich & Julio (Pronounced Hoo-Leo) from Priority Records and proceeded to the LAX Firing Range. Once there, MC Eiht was waiting inside for our assignment; shoot Eiht for a Cover story while at the range, in action! What it turned out to be was a four lane free-for-all with enough guns & ammo to kill someone 1,000 times over. Or kill 1,000 people depending on your mind state. What was so ill about it was that it was like some sort of bonding ritual that I had never been privy to. That and the fact that there were all these older "responsible" everyday people who were right there alongside us, including "Mommy" with her 17 & 18 year old sons and 16 year old daughter. I was literally blown away. Then Richie got carried away with his selection of firepower. Even Eiht had to comment when Rich brought back the AR-15 semi-automatic along with the 12 Gauge Pump Shotgun. And I have to admit, blastin' that fucker a few times not only boosts one's confidence, but that and a few rounds discharged from a Glock 9mm, HK .45, and a Desert Eagle, can be like therapy to overworked nerves. I have a new respect for firearms now instead of latent fear.

Oh yea, remember next time in traffic to watch who you cut off. They might just be packin' and I know you don't wanna catch a hot one!

"What's N-X-E-T?"

07.05.99

How many times have you heard it said before that it's all about consistency?

That and constant elevation are a couple of keys to whatever lock that may stand before you. Well, at least me at this point in time. See, if I don't practically force myself to sit here daily and do what needs to be done, it won't get done. Until I decide to do it. If I leave work to be done later, it gets further and further away from actually being done to completion. For example, my greatest overcoming has to be getting started and staying motivated. I tend to get distracted easily. Once I get the old engine warmed, I can hum through anything in my way. In this instance I refer to my inability to transcribe the 15 or so interviews for issue #22, due on the streets 8/13. I sincerely wish to come out as close to on time as possible, but without the dedication and discipline to follow through, shit remains doubtful.

I say this not as a plea for help or anything foul like that. But rather as a lesson to all lazy souls out there that can't seem to motivate themselves. Learn from my example: you don't work, you don't eat. Simple as that. On the other hand, you get out what you put in. Thus, the more productive one is, the more fruitful the rewards. And I got a lotta mouths to feed ova here. So chew on that shit...

As for me, I know what I gotta do; go cook up some more of that marvelous shit for yo' azz!

"Ressurected Inspiration"

07.03.99

Someone earlier today made a comment on the not-so-latest issue (#19) relative to the boxing debacle betwixt myself and Mr. Weisberg of Insider Magazine. Let me make it clear that the story was pure fiction and totally made of Mr. Rourke & Tatu, Fantasy Island conjecture at its best. Or a warped sense of imagination on my part at worst. All bombast aside, it's all about that 2:00 AM motivation. While most in my time zone sleep, I creep!

I was watching the Jimi Hendrix Story tonite on Encore and felt as though Bluesmen like himself and Robert Johnson (On BET Movie Channel the other nite) were totally misunderstood by the Anglo/British audience (read white-bread) that openly embraced them most while living. I'm sayin' tho, Brothas' gonna work it out. How long shall they kill our Prophets while we stand aside and look? Some say it's just a part of it but we've got to fulfill the book...-Bob Marley

And it ain't the Helter Skelter that Charlie Manson or The Beatles thunk it'd be. The Rapture was fortold by Blondie, and now it's here: 1999 is half-past `til sundown and we're talkin' less than 180 days, so set your muthafuckin' clocks, my peop's.And don't forget to watch!! The time is at hand. Don't be afraid, but stand tall. May the confident conquer and the doubtful diminish. Take a look in the mirror and face the music. I'll see you at the crossroads...

"The Golden Seal"

07.02.99

As with everything in life, one must learn to take the bitter with the sweet. How easy or difficult it is to relay one's thoughts and feelings into words that translate to others is the medium which I have chosen as my profession. But what of those actions and manifestations throughout life that cause feelings that one wishes not to express? What of those subjects which cause hurt and anguish, fear and pain? How about when shit just don't go the way you want it to? I, up until recently would run, hide, or find an escape route away from the center of the storm. And I tended to stay away until the thunder and lightning would subside.

However, when personal matters begin to (and always do) bleed into the professional realms, WORRIES! So the good news is that the magazine is done and looking good!. The bad news is that it won't hit the streets until this Tuesday 7/5. So look for those mailouts, handouts, and retail distributors. Ther'll be three different covers. Nas/ B.G./ and Gang Starr. All FREE.

Now maybe tomorrow I'll open up and tell you what's on my mind. Maybe not...

"Back from the Dead"

06.27.99

First of all I ain't gonna apologize. I've been busy puttin' this shit together and now I'm on some next shit. The issue that was supposed to come out in April comes out now. But I ain't complainin'. I'm just glad to be in business, still. Other mags like Ego Trip, Beat Down and 4080 have gone the way of recycled paper.They no longer exist and may they R.I.P.

I'm here today to wax eloquent on the subject of survival. When it comes to the "Big Picture" in Hip Hop Publishing, we here at Kronick like to look upon ourselves as the best 6th mag in the Biz'. And that's alot to live up to. In the world of VIBE, XXL, THE SOURCE, BLAZE & RAP PAGES, Kronick fits in nicely right after them. Then there are the other bench warmers like MURDER DOG, TRACE, STRESS, BLACK GOLD, and I couldn't leave out RAP SHEET. Why do I make this distinct separation with us in the middle? Because how many of those around us will be around next year? I'll give you a hint: it's this Publisher's guess that the field will narrow down to a tight seven Zine's. That's one more than there's really room for. So what makes Kronick stand out in the field? FREEDOM & the law of supply & demand.

So this weekend while getting all those essentials together for 4th of July festivities, remember to pick up your FREE Kronick (in Southern Cali) and let it marinate. Anywhere else in AmeriKKKa and Europe that gets this; hold onto it because these things go FAST!!! That's why it's Underground-- you've heard of this but it might be hard to find. So tell a friend to tell a friend that if they get one, to get you one too...

"Missing in Action!"

04.18.99

Yess I've been gone from the web for awhile. What?! A Neeyas' gotta live too!! I've been gettin' the next issue ready for print. You know, the one with Gang Starr, Ca$h Money Records, and Nas? Yea that one! It should hit by Mid May or sooner.

But the Real reason I came back online was to announce our return to NYC. Seems like we're the biggest East Coast Hip Hop `Zine in the West. We go to New York more than we publish issues. It's becoming a once-a-month adventure. People are already saying we need an apartment out there now. Why would I do something stupid like that? So we can lose all these crazy all-expense-paid trips and ruin all the fun? It's gotten to the point now where we have Town Cars picking us up from my House, the airport, and Hotel. On top of that, they're waiting to bring me home when we return home! Talk about service!! So this is what happens when Hip Hop became the #1 Music in the world? I'm glad I stuck with this because I wouldn't trade it for anything at this poiint. Thank You Hip Hop! In return, we at Kronick will give you The GZA, The Terror Squad, Lil' Ceas and many others like Rahzel, Sauce Money, Camron & Black Rob. Not to mention the heads over at Station Zero on MTV. But I'm gettin' ahead of myself. We're talkin' July in April. So stay tuned for another NYC road Fools. Looks like we'll be doing two Road Fools in the next issue for three different trips: New York, New Orleans, and New York again. Isn't it ironic? Don't you think?

Other than that, I do not wish to divulge my Publishing snafus with the world at large just yet. Nor will I discuss the fact that it's me, Animal, AND Plus One (two's company, three's a crowd) on this trip. Now how did that happen??? For the moment, I'll holla at you Niggaz & Bitchez (Terms of endearment!) later. For now, I'm in a "Fuck the world, don't ask me for shit" funk-mode. So just leave me alone and don't be askin' me no questions, B!

Ahhite?