Last month, I enjoyed reconnecting with my brother, Caleb. I haven’t seen him in almost three years. I can’t date the last time we saw each other in person, but we always checked on each other to see how each one was doing. We had a fantastic conversation to catch up, and I was extremely mad at myself that I didn’t kick it at his house that night like old times.
Confidence was the topic of conversation. I told Caleb that I felt my confidence was diminishing. I have poured my confidence into others to the point where I don’t know if my actions make sense. It was so bad that people replayed my faith as if it came from them. I was so lost, yet Caleb knew the right words to say. Caleb looked at me and said, “Obas, the people copying and pasting you only know words, not format. The words they preach may inspire, but the format gives others the creative outlet; that’s you.” At that moment, I got up and realized I was one of a kind.
This motivation has led me to Florida, where I had one of the dopest Wizard Fest runs since I joined as an emcee. Each location brought a new challenge, and I was ready to do my thing onstage. It was such a good time that two kids hugged me during mid-set and dressed as my character. I was so confused, but my confidence gave them the confidence to express themselves honestly. As a result, they had the most fun, and they restored my faith.
This wizard isn’t done yet, as I am just getting back to where I used to be. Both in the magical world and the non-magical world. Let’s Go.
All For The Music (2)
I'm so excited to run this back one more time, and this time, I have one of the spookiest line-ups you can imagine. This line-up was tough to piece together because I wanted to create the same vibe and experience as the first one. I made so many edits I thought this line-up would never happen. It took some researching, but I finally got the line-up I have been looking for, and it is with some of my favorite peers. We have Nate Joël headlining while Nala Jay, Jodi Fitz, and Vsteeze are opening. This night is bringing the Bronx and Harlem to a central location to make it memorable and communal. The event is entirely free, and we suggest $5 to the artist directly so they can continue their path. Come out to a fun night, and let's make it another movie.
Empire State Music Festival
3 days away from one of the best independent music festivals in New York City: EMPIRE STATE MUSIC FESTIVAL. This small independent music festival is for the artists by the artists. This affordable festival brings creatives from all five boroughs. This festival is seven days and features some of the best emerging talents in NYC. This is a chance for everyone to learn about the music business from live performances, revenue streams, and more. The festival offers workshops from industry experts and studio time as well. I recommend everyone attend as Pirate Studios, Amuse, DistroKid, and Brooklyn Brewery sponsor it.
The Cypher Tape
What an image! This image represents years of endurance. It’s so hard to pursue a passion within the entertainment world. You are either working 40+ hours at a place where your heart isn’t there or fighting tooth and nail to make $700 each week independently in a tough economy. No matter your direction, you always end up at the piers by yourself. You are wondering why you ever took the step in the first place at times. Then, it creative projects like the cypher tape that brings you into a room with other people who may feel the same way. They are looking to push the boundaries called normal and redefine it into something unique and different. It’s lovely, especially when you (me) have built some of the best relationships with each individual. I am thankful for each person I know on the tape and can’t wait to hear the people I can build with soon.
4 The Gram
Social media can be used in multiple ways. For creatives, we use it to market our art to a newer audience and expand our work to others. For non-creatives, they use it at times to create a persona that escapes their reality. It creates two different worlds for them. They may not belong in the real world, but on their Instagram, they feel they are on top of the world. I can't fault them, but it's not how I get down or Jam Young gets down. So, you create a song called 4 The Gram.
I had the pleasure of working with Jam Young on his latest single, 4 Da Gram, which calls out this world's clout chasers. For me, I took the executive producer hat as I gave him some direction on the treatment and shot list. I sampled some shots from Mr. Robot and Black Mirror to create some of the imagery. With these shots, we produced the video 4 The Gram. See Jam Young and some friends from the DMV perform at All Street Studio on October 20th from 7 pm to 11 pm.
Moving Forward
I don’t think anyone will be able to stop what is coming. We are doing everything we can to make a name for ourselves. With my other projects near complete, I can relax for the last two months as I prepare a rollout, budget, and final edits, as I think next year is a big game changer. However, before we can think about next year, we need to focus on this coming month, especially October 21st. October 21st, we celebrate the viewing of The Journal. We created this short film within two days, and I am excited to have it in a theater near my house. Thanks to my brother, Steven Mena, for all his hard work because this is a dope work of art. If you can't come out, you can purchase a ticket to see us at the Mott Haven Film Festival or the short film below.