MY COLOURS BRUISE THE SKIN ___ MY PASSION MELTS STONE

Brazilliant - Cocktail Hour Celebration

2012-01-11T08:56:00.007-05:00

new york, new york

please join me this friday at Chiles and Chocolate in chelsea to celebrate my album release. there will be a full-blown CD Release Party in the coming months, but in the meantime i wanted to take some time to celebrate with good friends and fans!!

guests will receive a free Download Card for the cd, as well as a signed copy of my EP!

please let us know that you're coming with an RSVP! email KIDAKIMBOpr@gmail.com, or on the Facebook invite here: http://www.facebook.com/events/140310059418228.

Brazilliant - Cocktail Hour Celebration
friday, 1/13/12

6:30-8:30

Chiles and Chocolate

155 8th avenue (17th/18th)
new york, new york

BRAZILLIANT - PRESS RELEASE

2012-01-05T12:57:00.002-05:00

new york, new york

Pop Sensation, KID AKIMBO,

Releases Debut Album, Brazilliant

"New York, New York. January 5, 2011 -- Award-winning International Recording Artist, KID AKIMBO's full-length debut album is now available. Written and produced in 8 cities, 3 states, and 2 countries, “Brazilliant,” features 14 songs in an array of styles. Beginning with a remix of the title track by the inimitable Haus of Glitch (of Lady Gaga Mega mix fame), the record culminates with KID AKIMBO's visionary reworking of Michael Jackson's Billie Jean.
The young singer-songwriter presents a slough of new material as well as re-masters of songs from AKIMBO’s EP, namely, the award-winning track, Disco Berimbau (Riera Remix), the OMA-nominated, Fun Boyz, as well as Moody, an electronica gem that clearly hallmarks KID AKIMBO's signature talent.

'There is something about this talented young man that may be impossible to describe, yet just as impossible to go unnoticed.

...he brings a passionate force and performs from his very soul. His voice, looks, and style captivate.' --DeMarcio Slaughter, Main Stage Entertainment Coordinator, Denver PrideFEST

A headliner at recent events from New York’s Jacob Javits Center to Halifax, Canada’s annual pride festival, KID AKIMBO is gearing up for a CD Release Party at a major Manhattan venue. He has also begun collaborating on new material with the writing collective, The Force.

Brazilliant is available for free download by sending an email to KIDAKIMBOpr@gmail.com. For those wishing to support the artist, CD Baby currently offers the record, with other major retailers such as iTunes and Amazon soon to follow."

About KID AKIMBO:
KID AKIMBO is an award-winning singer and dancer based in New York City. Voted Best International Artist at the 2011 OMA, his ultra-sexy music video, Fun Boyz, had it’s broadcast debut on LOGO Television and has been featured on MTV and VH1.com. Originally from Brazil, AKIMBO’s Brazilian-inspired urban-pop music has been featured on stages from New York to San Francisco, and Vienna to Miami, sharing the spotlight with such acts as Kat DeLuna, Tiffany, Ledisi, and Amanda Lepore.

Contact: Michael Petre
KIDAKIMBOpr@gmail.com, KIDAKIMBO.com

BRAZILLIANT - FREE DOWNLOAD, LISTEN, AND PURCHASE LINKS

2011-12-27T13:25:00.010-05:00

Brooklyn, New York

i am so thrilled, ecstatic, happy, relieved, and overjoyed that my debut album has finally released -- and excited to see what comes next!

thanks for visiting this page for info on how to obtain a download or purchase Brazilliant. scroll down for more info.

(click here for full album credits.)

to PURCHASE click the link for iTunes or CD Baby.
the album will be available on Amazon, DigStation, and other online retailers in the coming weeks.

for a FREE DOWNLOAD visit the Bandcamp page at http://kidakimbo.bandcamp.com/album/brazilliant.

LISTEN to it online! you can now stream the entire record on:
YouTube
Bandcamp
Soundcloud
Reverbnation
Last.fm
and Indaba

your support through a purchase means a lot, but honestly, what means a lot more is you sharing this music with as many people you can and as far as you're inspired to. i've poured my heart and soul into it and i hope that you get even a bit of the Love, Passion, and "Brazilliance" i feel for life from it. :)

some other ways you can support:

friend me on Facebook

follow me on Twitter

COMMENT AND SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE,
SOUNDCLOUD, AND THIS BLOG!! :) :)
and remember, TELL YOUR FRIENDS!

thanks so much to everyone, and god bless!

Brazilliant - album credits

2011-12-27T00:33:00.001-05:00

brooklyn, new york

here are the full album credits for the release. thanks so much.
(thank-you's posted at bottom).

this album is the product of five years of work. it’s face has changed many times in it’s evolution and i have grown with it, sometimes joyfully and sometimes in struggle.
i hope it will bring others joy and inspiration, and communicate to them some of my passion, which i’ve been told is my defining characteristic, and which i, in turn, find to be the quintessence of being “Brazilliant.”

i dedicate this work - it’s beginnings, coalescence, and final product - to my great-grandmother, Alice Bautisa. -- i feel her blood and the strength of the earth flowing in my veins as she lives on the land in the distant place my spirit calls home.

dedico esse trabalho - os seus começos, coalescência, e o produto final - a minha bisavó, Alice Bautisa. -- eu sinto o seu sangue e a força da terra fluir em minhas veias enquanto ela vive na terra no lugar distante que o meu espírito chama de lar.

Composed and produced by KID AKIMBO; Daniel Riera; Jesse

Engel; and Bardia Charaf
with remix contributions by Haus of Glitch and Daniel Riera

Recorded and produced in Boulder, Colorado; Berkeley, California;

San Francisco, California; Fort Worth, Texas; Aarau, Switzerland;

Brooklyn, New York; and Hillsboro, West Virginia

Personnel: KID AKIMBO (vocals); Francisco Marques (guitar); Eric

Wiggs (bass); Amy Shelley (drums); Damani Phillips (saxophone);

Bardia Charaf (vocals); Daniel Riera (vocals); and Joey Johnson

(rap)

Mixed by Daniel Riera; Haus of Glitch; Jesse Engel; KID AKIMBO;

and Johnny Rademaekers

Mastered by Bryce Graven at Mastering Solutions. Burlingame,

California

Photography: Roger Lanoue, rljmedia.com

Artwork: Leslie Van Stelten and KID AKIMBO

Executive Producer: KID AKIMBO

1 Brazilliant (Haus of Glitch Carnaval Mix)
    by KID AKIMBO and Daniel Riera
    Mixed at Haus of Glitch Studios. Fort Worth, Texas
2 M.I.A. --> K.A.
    by KID AKIMBO/M.I.A.
    Mixed at Haus of Glitch Studios. Fort Worth, Texas
3 Fun Boyz (Remastered)
    by KID AKIMBO and Jesse Engel
    Recorded and Mixed by Jesse Engel at Cottage Studios. Berkeley,

    California
4 AKIMBO’s Kitchen Realness
    by KID AKIMBO
    Recorded at The House of Coloured Lights. Brooklyn, New York
    Mixed at Daniel Riera Studios. San Francisco, California
5 Truth Is
    by KID AKIMBO and Bardia Charaf
    Recorded by Bardia Charaf at Charaf Studios, KID AKIMBO at

Gesundheit! Institute, and at The House of Coloured Lights. Aarau,

Switzerland; Hillsboro, West Virginia; and Brooklyn, New York

    Mixed at Daniel Riera Studios. San Francisco, California
    Additional vocals: Bardia Charaf. Rap: Joey Johnson
6 Love You to Death
    by KID AKIMBO and Daniel Riera
    Recorded at The House of Coloured Lights and Daniel Riera Studios.

    Brooklyn, New York; and San Francisco, California
    Mixed at Daniel Riera Studios. San Francisco, California
7 Love You to Death (Reprise)
    by KID AKIMBO and Daniel Riera
    Recorded at The House of Coloured Lights. Brooklyn, New York
    Mixed at Daniel Riera Studios. San Francisco, California
8 And Now, Fifteen Seconds of Silence for the Immortal Dead
    by KID AKIMBO
    Recorded and Mixed at The House of Coloured Lights. Brooklyn,

    New York
9 Moody (Remastered)
    by KID AKIMBO and Jesse Engel
    Recorded and Mixed by Jesse Engel at Cottage Studios. Berkeley,

    California
10 Brazilliant
    by KID AKIMBO and Daniel Riera
    Recorded and Mixed at Daniel Riera Studios. San Francisco,

    California
11 Disco Berimbau (Riera Remix) (Remastered)
    by Baden Powell
    Recorded and Mixed at Daniel Riera Studios. San Francisco,

    California
12 Lover Boy
    by KID AKIMBO and Daniel Riera
    Recorded and Mixed at Daniel Riera Studios. San Francisco,

    California
    Guitar and additional vocals: Daniel Riera
13 Fun Boyz (Haus of Glitch Street Mix)
    by KID AKIMBO and Jesse Engel
    Mixed at Haus of Glitch Studios. Fort Worth, Texas
14 Billie Jean
    by Michael Jackson
    Arrangement by KID AKIMBO
    Recorded by William Yale at The Rokbox. Boulder, Colorado
    Mixed by Johnny Rademaekers at Ten Ton Studios. Boulder,

    Colorado
    Guitar: Francisco Marques
    Bass: Eric Wiggs
    Drums: Amy Shelley
    Saxophone: Damani Phillips

thanks to:
my sponsors: RLJ Media, Steel Gym, One Way Magazine, and Mr. You; Art Lande, Ledisi, Rebecca, Parris, Eric Wiggs, Francisco Marques, Amy Shelley, Johnny Rademaekers, Avery Brown, Uzal De Montserrat, Kathleen Sepeda, Andrea Fultz, Jeremy Dean Henry, Bardia Charaf, Lizz Feliciano, DJ Ivy, Jesse Engel, Johnny Sexbang, Jeb Havens, Leo Herrera, Joshua Klipp, Maria Aparecida, Terezinha Da Silva, Alte Lampe, Julian Kessler, Martin Schaberl, daniel lucio, Chögyam Trungpa, Dogen Zenji, Lee Worley, Reggie Ray, Judith Simmer-Brown, changchup shönnu, Iúna, Michael Jackson, Dr. King, Jazz Camp West, Ken Hunt, Kenny Still, Roger Lanoue, Tony Cortopassi, OUTMusic, MTV and VH1.com and all those who have believed in me, pushing me forward, as well as those who challenged me, even forcefully.

lastly, thanks to the people and natural beauty of brasil. salve a sua beleza e graça; dai-me a sua força e proteção.

Brazilliant - release date

2011-12-21T12:33:00.005-05:00

brooklyn, new york

the debut album

coming december 27, 2011

i'm happy to announce the official release date for my debut album: 12/27/11.

written and produced in 8 cities, 3 states, and 2 countries, the disc features 14 songs, with writing contributions from Daniel Riera, Jesse Engel, and Bardia Charaf, as well as 3 remixes by the inimitable Haus of Glitch. the album includes remasters of the award-winning track, Disco Berimbau (Riera Remix), as well as the OMA-nominated, Fun Boyz, and Moody.

the album will be available for free download. for those wishing to support the artist, CD Baby will be the first retailer to offer the record, with other major sellers such as iTunes, Amazon, and DigStation soon to follow.

stay tuned for details

video blog #1

2011-12-20T23:53:00.000-05:00

brooklyn, new york

a few months old, but i'm posting for posterity.
more to come soon

Fun Boyz remixes

2011-11-25T16:14:00.008-05:00

manhattan, new york

click here to go to the Overdose Store. happy listening!

i'm very happy to announce the release of my first set of remixes.
this project was done in collaboration with Gerardo Aguilera and Overdose Records, based in león, méxico. Gerardo and i met on Facebook and he was interested in working together after hearing my work. one of those social networking success stories, i guess!

do your best to support this independent label!
please buy the release at

or run a search for your preferred music retailer worldwide.

thanks to Gerardo and Overdose for helping to make this happen!

and here's a little taste to whet your appetite!

foto: Rami Hyun
concept: KID AKIMBO

2010 OUTMusic Awards highlights

2011-11-22T02:01:00.003-05:00

manasquan, new jersey

i had the honour of being awarded Best International Artist at the OMA's for my song, Disco Berimbau (Riera Remix). i was also nominated for the Best Producer category for Fun Boyz.

it was a real honour to be nominated. i dedicated my award to my great-grandmother, Alice Bautista, who lives in the interior of minas gerais, brasil. i got to see her a few weeks ago just before her 89th birthday, and that was very special to me.

here's a collection of my favorite moments from that night. you can see the full album of fotos on Facebook, here.

all images by Roger Lanoue. (click to enlarge!)
as always, comments are welcome.

wardrobe by Pierre-Henri Mattout. styling by Debra Ginyard.

red red carpet

with Rodiney and Reichen of The A-List

one of the great things about working with Roger is that we're always taking time out to play.

there's got to be some mafia-bloodline backstory to this. let me know if you know how it goes. with Mike Ruiz and Martin Berusch.

i was also a presenter for that evening. fun!

Deepa Soul doing her thing.

my friend, Jen Urban, and her "Box"

at the afterparty with Diedra Meredith, OUTMusic's Chairperson. that's all folks!

thanks to One Way Mag!

2011-07-04T21:13:00.002-04:00

brooklyn, new york

happy interdependence day, everyone.

i wanted to take today to thank another of my official sponsors, One Way Mag. One Way launched it's first issue in may. just a few months since it's release and it's already had interviews with pop legend, Cyndi Lauper, and new york nightlife great, Mark Nelson! it's full of new takes on nightlife, fashion, fitness, dating, food, and of course, music. ;)

it's an exclusively online publication at this point. click on the logo above to sign up to get the magazine emailed directly to you. and click here to go directly to the first issue. happy reading!

thanks again to One Way Mag and congrats on a great start!

here's an One Way placed in issue #1 for me. thanks!! foto: Leo Herrera

thanks to RLJ Media!

2011-06-30T21:27:00.007-04:00

brooklyn, new york

i'm continuing to list --and thank-- my official sponsors. next on the list is Roger Lanoue and RLJ Media.
much more than a talented fotographer, Roger is a gem of a person. elegant, gentle, and deeply centered, he leaves me full of peace and joy every time i see him. i was put in touch with Roger through a friend and he has been vastly generous and supportive since day one.

especially on the day of a show i have so much going on that it's such a blessing to have a professional fotographer and videographer following me every step of the way-- from on the road to backstage, showtime to cd signings, and back home again. when things move so quickly, it can be a very nostalgic experience to look back on the day's events and see everything so well captured. it puts the art back into the mayhem that performing can sometimes be, and for that i'm very grateful.

please contact RLJ Media for your fotography, video, website, and marketing needs!

one of my favorite shots of late. backstage @ Brooklyn Pride with my dancers, Lindsay Hall and Dani Sclauderaff, before the big event. [CLICK TO ENLARGE!] foto: Roger Lanoue, RLJMedia.com

thanks to Steel Gym!

2011-06-28T23:27:00.003-04:00

brooklyn, new york

i wanted to take the next few posts to thank some very special individuals and organizations that are offering their support to me. although i'm still an unsigned artist, it's been about a year that i began to receive some much needed support for my work. the help has meant a lot to me not only for the resources it's provided, but because my sponsors also represent a mark of confidence and a push forward in what i do. the road can get lonely and it's very encouraging to know that others are in the fight along with me, investing in me, and believing in my dream as well!

so a deep Thank You to Steel Gym, and especially Ken Hunt, for the steady encouragement and support in the past year. Steel was my first sponsor, so they've been with me since near the start of my move to new york. i just love working out there and highly recommend the gym to anyone! it's centrally located, has great staff, a diverse set of trainers, and good equipment. my workout days are the highlight of my week. check it out!

and thanks again to Ken and the whole staff at Steel Gym.

much love... KA

infinity compassion

2011-04-08T03:12:00.004-04:00

brooklyn, new york

when i was a kid they told me that anything was possible, just like they told all the other children.

the difference was i believed them

REAL PEOPLE shoot exclusives: International Playground/KID AKIMBO/Leslie Van Stelten

2011-02-17T20:12:00.005-05:00

new york, new york

here are some exclusive looks from a collaboration between International Playground, the indie boutique in the lower east side, fotographer, Leslie Van Stelten, and myself. i've been modeling more lately and think it's intriguing and fun. more coming soon!

Carlos Campos Short Sleeve Magenta Plaid Shirt

Daniel Palillo Tape Jeans

thanks to Leslie and Johnny Pizzolato of I.P. for a great time.

hope you like!

spontaneous poem

2011-01-25T01:05:00.003-05:00

new york, new york

if change is the only constant

and god is omnipresent

is change not god?

Fun Boyz (Jeremy Henry Street Glitch Remix)

2011-01-12T03:01:00.001-05:00

brooklyn, new york

hope you like this sick remix by Jeremy Henry of Haus of Glitch fame. it's the first remix ever done of an original song of mine, so holds a place close to my heart.

and this marks the end of my little lyrics and video upload project i started on christmas eve. congrats to me for a fast turnaround, which can be hard sometimes.

xoxo
thanks for your support and love

Fun Boyz lyrics

2011-01-11T13:29:00.002-05:00

brooklyn, new york

in the time since releasing this song, i've found people often misunderstand it, or make a judgment call about it based on the title alone. everyone enjoys things at their own level, so that's quite alright but i did want to post the lyrics here to anyone that's interested in finding out more.

hope you enjoy them!

lyrics:

fun boyz wanna have
fun boyz

what it is? pay attention cause here we go
i'm a live boy reppin' in the castro
i be colorful, my name is KID AKIMBO
i know that you don't know so, so i'm here to tell yo'

i be coming up so listen to my flow
boys these days seem to want a line to tow:
picket fence and other things so hetero
material seems to slow the path of our potential

i see the boys these days
their heads locked in a haze
for cash and money crave
things not ours, not yours

fun boyz wanna have
fun boyz

let me run, let me run, bucky's done gone with it
but AKIMBO just done got started with it
i live to laugh, i dance for fun
and when i start to twerk on the floor i don't see no one like me,
like the way it seems it used to be
when we were confident, radiant, more creative beings
we held outside status as worth something
let's not lose that, until then i'll sing:

i see the boys these days
their heads locked in a haze
for cash and money crave
things not ours, not yours

the world turned to a maze
the man makes you his slave
don't give your life to save it
not ours, not yours

fun boyz
wanna have fun
boyz. fun boyz wanna have fun
boyz

ever stop to wonder
that we be goin' under?
the world's been torn asunder
and we've been taught to plunder it

Mac, Ed Hardy, Dolce, Dior
when'd we become so insecure
that we bought buying as the cure?
are you a man, or are you a whore
or are you a fun boy whose mind's mature
who wants fun boyz?
who wants to have fun
boyz, who wants to have fun
boyz, who wants to have...

(chorus)

i see the boys these days
their heads locked in a haze
for cash and money crave
things not ours, not yours

the world turned to a maze
the man makes you his slave
don't give your life to save it
not ours, not yours

Disco Berimbau (Riera Remix): lyrics and foto vid

2010-12-28T00:29:00.001-05:00

brooklyn, new york

here's a disco remake of the samba classic by composer, Baden Powell, wonderfully remixed by my producer and co-writer, Daniel Riera, with fotos by Rami Hyun.

another one bites the dust in my video upload project. just one more and i'll be done with all of my current releases. :) feel free to comment on the YouTube page!

lyrics:

quem é homem de bem não trai
o amor que ele quer seu bem
quem diz muito que vai, não vai
e assim como não vai, não vem
quem de dentro de si não sai
vai morrer sem amar ninguém
o dinheiro de quem não da
é o trabalho de quem não tem
capoeira que é bom não cai
más si um dia ele cai, cai bem

capoeira me mandou
dizer que ja chegou
chegou para lutar
berimbau me confirmó
vai ter briga de amor,
tristeza, camará

when he plays that bow and string
what magic he can bring
so sing, my berimbau
send my song across the sea
and tell my love for me
i need him, berimbau

you can find the track on iTunes here

Moody: lyrics and video upload project

2010-12-24T01:00:00.004-05:00

brooklyn, new york

you know how on YouTube artists (or their fans) will upload a video with just a still fotograph (or sometimes the lyrics) just so people can hear the song? well, i hadn't thought to do that for myself until a few weeks ago. it took me a while to get to cause i was busy, but also terrified at trying to learn another medium: iMovie. a day later, though, and here's what i made.

a little more than just a foto still, here's a little montage of pictures for my song, Moody, by my fantastic friend, Edwina Morgan (with picture #3 by Dave Moore). i really liked the result, and it turns out that the pictures tell a bit of the story. watch out til the end of the video if you will. the pace picks up a bit.

i'm hoping people will enjoy the work and it'll be yet another avenue out there for people to listen to and enjoy my music. i will be doing this for all of my other released songs to date as well.

xxxo

lyrics:

i don't wanna hear, i don't wanna know
i'm tired of hearing them say
that they know what's good for me
"just breathe," i've heard all that by now

cause everybody knows how to live your life
what you gotta do
everybody but you
i know what's good for me and sometimes i'm just

moody, up and down sometimes i'm
angry, what the hell, i'm going
crazy, nothing to do just let it be
feelings come and go

wanna come to me, wanna give me love
wanna give me life
how about some freedom?
time and space to choose

easy to tell someone how they got it wrong
thinking you are right
i've read the tao te ching
applying it is no simply thing. so i'm

(chorus)

darling, i wanna see you
don't want to sleep now, i really miss you
if i could see how i'd let it go too
instead i dream how it'd be to kiss you again

darling...
i don't want to hear, i don't want to say...
i really miss you...
"just breathe," i've heard all that by now...
darling...

Hierophany: Ochún Rising

2010-10-15T11:40:00.005-04:00

san francisco, california

the following is a foto exhibition of a performance art piece i did at Our Lives Post 9/11, a four-day conference hosted by We Are Change, on september 9th, 2010 in new york city. speakers included Cindy Sheehan, former congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, and Dick Gregory, fellow activist and contemporary of Dr. King. the performance continues my exploration of/with/within the afro-cuban deity, Ochún. (see here, and here.)

a last-minute addition to the program, the piece was the sudden expression of a years-long gathering of inspiration, research, and materials (including folkloric studies in havana, cuba), not the least of which were custom-made costume and jewelry pieces by bay-area designer, Yahroe Hill, and jeweler, Patricia Rabellizsa. it was the first time these pieces were shown publicly.
the mask was created by Yahroe. in the practice of brasilian candomblé, orixás are often depicted with a beaded veil. after seeing a similar theme in Yahroe's work, i thought that a metal veil would facilitate dance and movement, as well as highlight Ochún in her manifestation as Caridad del Cobre, or Our Lady of Copper. the modular collar piece and a necklace were made by Patricia, augmented with items i've collected over the years. concept design for all the pieces was by myself. the designs were executed in close collaboration with the artists over a number of months.

the piece begins with Ochún in a state of struggle, and is a progression to a place of joy, liberation, and strength. her presence at the conference signified an act of solidarity with the 9/11 Truth movement and a reminder of the love which drives the true revolution.

special thanks to Jeremy Henry and Natasha Junejo for documenting the evening, also to Brian Reeves, gallery curator.

plan B

2010-09-29T02:34:00.003-04:00

brooklyn, new york

for AB, my dearest friend

we could be fugitives

2010-09-28T00:26:00.007-04:00

brooklyn, new york

for CMG

mouth full of fig

2010-08-28T19:53:00.007-04:00

brooklyn, new york
8/26/10. for JTF

my mouth is full of figs
overfulover
flowing. not just their ripe and
alien bodies
strange seeds flesh like muscletissue
but leaves as well protrude from my mouth
gathered small bundles (twigs too)
full--over flowing
verdant figgreen

it’s dedicated to you
the drops collected on my back
as if i were the landscape
harvesting the dew
the morning moving down a hill
one body water
it’s the morning i’ve waited to gather
shadow an eyebrow thick

i’m cultivating in new york city
i’m drawing crops from afar
because soon our mouths will live together
and feed on the crop stored my cellar
the slope of my back
my garden plot mouth full of fig

i'm fluoride-free! - how to remove a highly toxic industrial waste product from your water

2010-08-26T18:06:00.011-04:00

brooklyn, new york

“...any person who drinks artificially fluorinated water for a period of one year or more will never again be the same person mentally or physically." Charles Perkins, chemist. 1952

in my last blog post i spoke about some of the environmental poisons in our food, water, and air. inspired by the research i had done, i decided to do something about the fluoride present in my drinking water, courtesy of industrial corporations enabled by the u.s. government. (click here to find out if the drinking water in your area is fluoridated. but don't get too optimistic: as of 2008, 60% of water in the united states contained fluoride, with an aim to increase that number to 75% by this year [source].)

for those of you who don't know, despite the zeitgeist that fluoride is beneficial for your teeth, the material is actually a hazardous waste, a byproduct of the aluminum, nuclear, and phosphate (chemical fertilizer) industries. fluoride is found in rat poison, cockroach poison, Prozac, Sarin Nerve Gas, anesthetics, hypnotics, and other psychiatric drugs. and yet thanks to the brilliant masterminding of Edward Bernays, founder of public relations (a nice name for studied mind-control), who spearheaded water fluoridation, most of us don't question it's presence in our toothpaste, drinking water, and as an unlabeled ingredient in our foods.

fluoride's side-effects include bone degradation, cancer, damage to the hypothalamus & thyroid, kidney & liver disease, increased susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease, and dental fluorosis - get that. but what's perhaps most shocking are the decreased i.q. and mental & emotional sedation associated with fluoride, and the allegations that the chemical was originally used in Nazi germany and communist russia to keep camp inmates docile and under control [sources: 1, 2]. hmm, i wonder why it's in our water?
i've provided a number of articles and videos below which document fluoride's toxicity and the origins of fluoridation, the most overwhelmingly conclusive of which is the professionals' statement calling for an end to water fluoridation, but this post is meant to provide solutions: YOU CAN FILTER YOUR WATER! :) here is a list of filtration and distillation options:

i purchased this filter with the CFA-P sediment filter attachment (this piece can help avoid filter clogs in areas like new york where the water has a lot of sediment).

you'll notice that my filter is a two-stage. there are also three-stage filters and filters for an entire household's water system. just be sure to purchase one that explicitly states it filters fluoride.

some other options are a reverse osmosis filter, as well as a water distiller. distillers don't actually filter water, but vaporize and recondense it, leaving all chemicals and residues behind. what's left is pure H2O. this might sound enticing, but the jury is still out as to whether this is good for your body or not. naturally occuring water contains beneficial minerals for your body. distillation removes these minerals leaving the water with the capacity to suck those minerals out of the body as it passes through the digestive tract, hence i decided not to go with distillation but a filter instead.

lastly, it's important to consider filtration for shower water as well, given the skin's ability to absorb water and other substances topically. i haven't purchased a shower filter yet, but this website offers some options.

i did a good amount of research comparing filter efficacy and price. the links i've listed were the best options i could find. as you can see, the filter i purchased isn't too expensive ($129); i think it's well worth the price to remove the poison that's currently in our drinking water.

please let me know if you decide to filter your water or are already doing so! i'd love to see the comments section full of folks who are taking their health back into their own hands.

INFORM YOURSELF! - FURTHER INFORMATION ON FLUORIDE

a playlist i've created with salient clips on water fluoridation, beginning with The Fluoride Deception, a short documentary based on Christopher Bryson's book by the same name, and including newscasts from mainstream and alternative media - http://www.youtube.com/KIDAKIMBO11#g/c/E853F248F8DC96D0

from the professionals' statement calling for an end to water fluoridation - “...the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) safe drinking water standard for fluoride (i.e. maximum contaminant level goal or MCLG) of 4 parts per million (ppm) is unsafe and should be lowered. despite over 60 years of fluoridation, the report listed many basic research questions that have not been addressed.”
“...fluoride has a statistically significant association with a wide range of adverse effects. these include an increased risk of bone fractures, decreased thyroid function, lowered i.q., arthritic-like conditions, dental fluorosis and, possibly, osteosarcoma.”
“of special note among... animal studies is one in which rats fed water containing 1 ppm fluoride had an increased uptake of aluminum into the brain, with formation of beta-amyloid plaques, which is a classic marker of Alzheimer's disease pathology in humans.”
“[infant] formula made with fluoridated water contains 250 times more fluoride than the average 0.004 ppm concentration found in human breast milk in non-fluoridated areas.”
“...the predominant benefit of fluoride in reducing tooth decay is TOPICAL and not SYSTEMIC. To the extent fluoride works to reduce tooth decay, it works from the outside of the tooth, not from inside the body. it makes no sense to drink it and expose the rest of the body to the long term risks of fluoride ingestion...”
“in 2000, the publication of the UK government sponsored “York Review,” the first systematic scientific review of fluoridation, found that NONE of the studies purporting to demonstrate the effectiveness of fluoridation to reduce tooth decay were of grade A status, i.e. ‘high quality, bias unlikely’.”
“...the industrial grade waste products used to fluoridate over 90% of America's drinking water supplies (fluorosilicate compounds) have never been subjected to toxicological testing nor received FDA approval for human ingestion.”
“...industrial interests, concerned about liabilities from fluoride pollution and health effects on workers, played a significant role in the early promotion of fluoridation.”

from the effect of high-fluoride water on intelligence in children - "the iq of the 60 children in the high-fluoride area was significantly lower... than that of the 58 children in the low-fluoride area. more children in the high-fluoride area... were in the retardation... or borderline... categories of iq than children in the low fluoride area..."

"repeated doses of infinitesimal amounts of fluoride will in time reduce an individual's power to resist domination, by slowly poisoning and narcotizing a certain area of the brain, thus making him submissive to the will of those who wish to govern him." quoting chemist Charles Perkins - http://www.preferrednetwork.com/FLUORIDE_STUPIDITY.htm

"A series of epidemiological studies in china have associated high fluoride exposures with lower i.q.." quoting Dan Fagin of Scientific American - http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS108377+02-Jan-2008+PRN20080102

"the whole structure of fluoridation is founded on quicksand. It is founded on statistical errors." quoting Dr. Hans Moolenburgh in his book, The Freedom Fight - http://sonic.net/~kryptox/editors/moolen.htm

from fluoride added to children's milk in schools throughout uk city - "in germany, belgium and luxembourg fluoridation of water was rejected because it was classified as compulsive medication against the subject’s will and therefore violated fundamental human rights."

for more information and ways to get involved visit the Fluoride Action Network

TOTAL EMERGENCY, TOTAL TRANSFORMATION: extermination through food, water, and air

2010-06-28T16:32:00.004-04:00

brooklyn, new york

"i had the right to remain silent, but i didn't have the ability." -- Ron White

let me tell you a little bit of my story.
i came to new york city to pursue my dreams. fame, glamour, lights, glory. and with my MTV and VH1 debuts earlier this month, and my television broadcast premiere last week, you might think that that's exactly what i've been focused on. the reality, though, is quite different.

i'm happy for the success and continue to push my work out into the world, but since arriving in april my world has shifted inexorably by the truth i've discovered through untold hours of internet research and reading. i spoke about some of the subjects of my research in the interdependence imperative but as my awareness has grown on these issues of dire concern, it has become more and more definitive that all the sick madness of the world is simply the symptom of a plan so sinister that most people will laugh when i say what it is: that we are being exterminated.

my apologies to the light of heart. my apologies to those for whom this presentation is too blunt and jarring; i wish for the skillful means to be able to relay the dangers which ensnare us and the imperative to act swiftly and with conviction to all. but i have always lacked the ability to dumb down the truth. for those of you who are listening, please hear me and make no mistake: the time to act is now, at this moment, in every aspect and sphere of your life. you must take action, you must protect yourself and those you love, and you must do your best to keep the dignity and brightness of your human spirit above the waves of precipitous darkness.

but what am i talking about?
one need look no further than the elite's policies vis-a-vis the basic elements of life to confirm the conspiracy i had mentioned. there is perhaps no clearer evidence of the plot to destroy human life than the fluoridation of water and the fact that nazi germany put this into practice in the concentration camps of world war II.
besides being labeled a toxic waste by the FDA, there are numerous studies which confirm fluoride's link to cancer, brittle bone disease, brain damage, and immune deficiency. but what is most interesting about fluoride's effect on human physiology --and what must have been the most enticing to the champions of the Third Reich-- is that it clouds mental ability, lowers i.q., and weakens mental resolve. it makes people lazy. it makes them dispassionate. it makes them unable to muster their strength for action.
does it make more sense now, when you hear the plight of the world and perhaps shrug your shoulders and wish you would do something, but come up with nothing? might you read these words and go back to life-as-usual?

i'm sorry to say, but very soon there won't be any life-as-usual. besides our water, the government has been spraying carcinogens and virulent bacteria en masse into the atmosphere. clearly distinguishable from from regular aviation contrails, these operations are known popularly as chemtrails. this is quite simply biological warfare being practiced on the american people and abroad.

our food systems have been hijacked by giant agribusiness monsters. genetically modified organisms (gmos) are now in 70% of our food products. the effect of this altered dna is never tested on human beings. (see here for studies on butterflies by hungarian scientists).
our food is becoming ever-increasingly low in nutrition. products such as high fructose corn syrup and aspartame, a known neuro-toxin, are everywhere in foods. these toxins, along with gmos, are introduced to the food supply through the revolving-door dynamic of the fda and other food regulatory bodies within government and the ceos of big agri and big pharma corporations. (see food, inc; the future of food; and the world according to monsanto for more.)
the mother of all food genocide schemes is called codex alimentarius-- a world trade organization-backed global food control system. codex will do such things as make vitamins, minerals, and herbs illegal; reintroduce 7 of the 11 most deadly persistent organic pesticides (like ddt) back into the food supply; eliminate food labeling, thereby killing organics; and by the wto's own projections, codex will result in the deaths of 2 billion people by the vitamin and mineral guideline alone, 3 billion including the preventable diseases from malnourishment which will result from this guideline.

do you understand what's happening? this is genocide. this is apocalyptic.
don't take my word for it, do your own research. but certainly do something. the times where you can roll over and wish you could or would do something about it are soon over. the problems are going to start coming to you now.
i'm not telling you this to be scared. i'm telling you this because if you're anything like i was, or i think most educated people are, you are aware but you're not activated. we need to turn-on and resist this flow. we need to support the direction of The Venus Project along with The Zeitgeist Movement and other models for social redesign and social change. in the transition phase we can support groups like We Are Change and infowars.com which propagate the truth. and all the while we can cultivate our compassion and awareness through groups like Shambhala, a branch of buddhism which encourages self-awareness and warriorship through non-denominational mindfulness practices such as meditation.

i chose to focus on food, water, and air today as they are the most basic life supports, but unfortunately there is a harrowing litany of threats in the economic, environmental, political, social, military, medical, and media spheres to uncover.
for the foreseeable future, i will use this blog as a sounding board for disseminating the independent media source material which has brought me thus far. i'll present the main issues along with various sources which back up the claims or legitimize the problem. for those of you curious to dive in, my playlists page on youtube is now exclusively dedicated to this cause, as well as my favorites page, where there are clips which are generally less comprehensive, though more compact and powerful.

i love you, and please know that we will survive this. the more people that awaken and begin to work against it right now, the less damage will be done.
we will rebuild this earth and it will be great.

yours in the fight,
KID AKIMBO

foto: Rami Hyun

[i urge you to comment. i hope that you understand why. please say something. use your voice. practice.]

iron mandala

2010-06-18T13:23:00.003-04:00

brooklyn, new york

informed by my recent collaboration with bay area-based artist, Yahroe Hill, this piece is dedicated to the intersection of the afro-cuban deities, Ogún and Ochún, or more accurately in this case, Caridad del Cobre.
it is made primarily of found objects. (click to enlarge.)

brake pads, pipe section, mirror, coil, copper pipe section, gold ring, washers

Ochún aspect, peacock feathers

the interdependence imperative

2010-05-25T00:48:00.004-04:00

brooklyn, new york

i've been doing research online. days' worth. looking into things i've been concerned about for a long time. whispers. murmurings hungry for quite some time. new world order, hyperinflation, sinking the dollar, north american union, water fluoridation, codex alimentarius, the history of the focus group, lrad, fema, rfid, cfr, pittsburgh g20, civil rights' suspension, "vaccines", trilateral commission, bilderberg, skull and bones, etc.. you probably have no idea what i'm talking about. and of course that's the biggest problem. i wouldn't have either until i locked myself in a room so to speak for a week and counting and plumbed youtube's depths for what may very soon be extinct nuggets of truth.

i'll get to all the details later.

but right now i feel the song within me of galaxies and stars. the universe breathing us in and out. and we breathe it. so much darkness, so much power, so much control all sides closing, and the only thing i feel will stop it is the recognition of the universe's breath. only then can we see the ecological, cultural, political, and physiological aspects of ours lives which are under fire as part of one giant system. it is said that this awareness brings compassion, for as we recognize our interconnection to all things we see that an attack on one of those elements is an attack on them all. we also recognize that just as disparate areas of our lives are in fact connected, so are we just as connected to one another as human beings. we share the same fate should our human rights continue to unravel. we can fight the from-an-eighth-inch-to-closed corporate fist on all sides, or we can submit to it happily as we're doing, with a vague sense of concern like hunger for a-nother potato chip as we wait for the next iphone launch. one giant system, one giant universe, contained in one single human, and as insignificant as one single breath. but which of course creates the whole universe again.

world powers are counting on this wholeness, this system, this fullness. their plans are comprehensive. and so we have to embrace our struggle in the same way, on all sides. an attack on one of us is an attack on us all.

so if you hear what i'm saying please say something. say "i," or "sanity," or something. make up your own word. do something daring. speak out. participate. i dare you. your life depends on it.

re kindle

2010-03-18T19:07:00.005-04:00

san francisco, california

as i’ve become more intimate with what it means to be an independent artist, i’ve come to appreciate more and more those moments of energetic salvation where the resources of time, energy, and in particular, inspiration, come flooding back. one of the most significant occasions of this rekindling came when i was last in new york city, collaborating with singer, Jasper James, and Ken Still, director of the 2009 OUTMusic Awards (one of Michael Jackson’s principal dancers) on a performance for the ceremony. the fire returned not in a moment with either one of my collaborators, but at a dinner with a new friend at the 24-hour Cafeteria in chelsea, it’s heat so purifying and healing because i hadn’t realized how burnt out i’d become, which is, of course, the greatest danger of all.

my thanks to L for the 100% honest conversation.
my thanks to the zeitgeist movement for offering the topics that are of the utmost importance in this day and age, and which haunt me constantly.

this is a foto exhibition of that fire i feel inside. thanks to Rami Hyun for the incredible images.

from the choreography, "millionaire galang," which is dedicated to Changó, the Yoruba deity of fire, thunder, lightning, and masculine power. 9/16/09 fotos: Rami Hyun

[comments are very welcome]

love, you can eat the leftovers

2010-03-04T20:45:00.002-05:00

san francisco, california
this poem was inspired by an entry on my friend Michael’s blog, found here

you can stay
find a place, go ahead
i’m not going to rearrange the furniture this time
i’m not going to make you a bed out of the finest things
i can find
you can make do with what’s on the floor
the scraps of food
the spaces not occupied
by my busy life

you’ve got a heartbreaking face handsome
but i know you’re a little fucker
bitter powder keg. your eyes full of darts

who left you that way?
you won’t take comfort
in no place
i made you my best stews and soups
you poured them on me
disappearing down the hall
i know you’re going to
come and go as you please. sometimes
i don’t see you for months
your face changes
but there’s familiar disgust

i’m gonna make my apartment a sidewalk now
you can be a rose. take root
where you may
but you’re going to have to really want it
i’m not putting myself out this time
no fucking way

[your comments are encouraged]

spontaneous poem

2010-02-26T19:51:00.002-05:00

san francisco, california

i composed this poem for the guests of the VIP Prescreening Party for the Fun Boyz music video on the eve of the event, monday, february 8, 2010

call me constance
who wouldn’t want this
the truth is evident
from what i say

the things i’m capable of
i do myself
and what remains
i delegate

to friends and helpers
the world’s my princedom
i come with treasures
of dignity

the ground you stand on
surely is sacred
not the ground but your feet
make it that way

everywhere we roam
the kingdom comes
the queendom
can not dissipate

holding inside
the peace the prize
the things we’ve searched for
all this time

we’ve met our maker
the time it takes to
realize we’ve come
a long long way

impetus

2009-12-29T19:17:00.004-05:00

san francisco, california

surely i would be a genius of music

if i wrote it
the most wonderful poems would
spring forth like fresh water from tuck’s
spring. who wouldn’t weep
at my costumed dancers
performing the most sublime choreography
inspiring one to suicide so
beautiful.

but none of it happens
i sit hammered into stillness by the
world’s beauty. or caught somehow en
snared an ineffable paralysis
colours penetrate me in
the most violent ways i hear
sounds on the street i mull a face in passing
as if it were a hard candy in my mouth
at least i think that’s why
i think i do it all

that’s the problem with being a vessel
for every thing that comes my way
i’m an empty gun a car without
a driver a pot without a plant
i need someone to push me
over the edge that’s
the most valuable thing
to me i need it or
i’m nothing

the mobile temple

2009-12-28T18:50:00.005-05:00

san francisco, california

on the dragon throne
portland, oregon. february 2009

“you must get so lonely moving around all the time.” F could see it in my eyes as i leaned with my back against the wall outside of alte lampe. i was on my set break. he kept talking to me, sucking the air through his teeth as he fidgeted, not knowing what to do with his pity. compelled by the gravity of his compact bear frame, and much more by the superlative brightness of his eyes, i had called him outside for a chat.
there was, in fact, no such loneliness in my eyes --i was having the greatest, most carefree time in vienna-- but it didn’t make me listen any less. besides, i saw he was already beyond convincing; there was an undeniable resonance between us, which F would hardly entertain for even a chat on the sidewalk, much less the date i was requesting. i was leaving the city in a few days, and he used his projections as sword and shield, cutting off attachments before they could form, hiding behind the rest. i knew that if i was going to keep this kind of touring up i’d start to feel the edge he was talking about sooner or later, or something like it.

it’s easy to get sick on tour. i fell ill in zürich after my 15 shows were over (i still thank god that it was after), then again a week after getting back to the states, then again in new york while i was choreographing for the out music awards, and once more after a round of shows in san francisco last week. four times in 2 months, it might seem like i’m falling apart at the seams. but these are less full-fledged sicknesses than dips in my immune system from over-exertion and stress, meaning i’m usually down and out for about 36 hours and then pretty good from then on.
still, something in F’s words and in moments of meditation i cultivated with Bardia in his house in aarau behooved me to ponder what was stability in all of the movement, even if that stability itself moved, and more importantly, how i could create it.
so i call it the mobile temple: the outer temple (the body) as it moves through the universe, crossing borders, meeting cities, moving; the inner temple (awareness), supported through creating a small shrine in house or hotel room, by remembering to follow the breath while at a bus stop or waiting for a train; and the innermost temple which is always available, and which the first two temples support in accessing.
i’m a taurus. if i can’t feel the ground i go crazy. i’m methodical as all hell with my practices and home routines. and for all these reasons it’s good for me to think about what i need most while on the road (i usually don’t have time for everything i’d like). no major developments with the mobile temple so far, beyond following my inspiration moment to moment-- that and being tenacious to start each day with meditation as it can be the only constant for weeks on end, and that one small piece can be the difference between me feeling sane and going to pieces.
it doesn’t feel like it’s all that much to go with, but something tells me that’s all i’ll get... at least for now.

[your comments are welcome]

what if pain were public?

2009-11-27T14:20:00.005-05:00

i often wonder at how backwards our social interactions are. everything's happy-go-lucky, people exchange information on what's new and great, going on with them--but there's scarcely ever a word about what's happening besides that, dare i say what's happening for real. the usual, "how's it going?," is no longer a question but a greeting. ask someone how their day has been and actually wait for an answer, and you'll be surprised by their reaction. or ask someone the question, and then ask it again. you'll see that the first one was just a throw-away. they'll be surprised you actually meant it. ground your feet into the earth and sink your awareness into your body while you do this. it will help them know you're for real, and you too.

i wish pain were public, as public as our façades of joy and excitement about the party this weekend or what have you. it's ludicrous to only share our positive feelings in this world and discard the rest. that pscychology is indicative of something. i think it's maddening that we can't lean our head on someone's shoulder on the bus and cry, or chat with someone in the grocery line about what a hard day we're having. i crave this. i crave this realness. i know we're all in pain at one point or another, so why the pretending we're not? i think a violent society capitalizes on our fear of rejection, but i think there's more to it than that. we seem to be push-overs in this regard. people don't seem to even consider that there might be another way.

i think of a world in which our pain were just as emphasized as our pleasure and pleasant feelings. what if we were all honest, all the time? of course, society would come crashing down because it's predicated on submission procured by physical, psychological, economic violence. but would that be so bad?

i see more equilibrium. i see more equality. i see more harmony, equanimity, and balance in the possibility of embracing difficult feelings as much as "good" ones. it would require more feminine energy, more receptivity and subtlety. it would require social systems of therapy and physico-emotional processing to deal with anger, depression, anxiety, and trauma. and our government wants no responsibility in this. it's created pain, but doesn't want to clean it up. but let's not think about that in this moment. let's think about where our heart is at right now, and if we might dare to take the leap to expose it to the people we see around us, not just keeping it to a select few, and especially not just to ourselves. but sharing as a reminder of our shared humanity, opening as a measure of solidarity and support, whenever we may need it.

i don't believe in strangers

[your comments are encouraged]

happyness

2009-11-25T15:35:00.005-05:00

chelsea, new york
(foto: ipanema beach, circa 2004)

i realized it in dolores park the other day: in my speedo, my body exposed to the strong sun, a clear sky overhead, and the freedom to do with my day what i wanted, that this to me was the ultimate happiness.
people search the world over for their happiness. they conquer lofty feats or pursue expensive things, but to me it was that moment, that moment of near nakedness, of simplicity, of nature and sun, that was essentially the epitome of my entire existence. it was a sense of death, that we come into this world naked and we also leave it that way, that despite all there is to grasp for and collect in this life, we really only have a moment like i had in dolores park. we can experience our bodies, we can savour the freshness of the air, be grateful for the day, perhaps we can appreciate the view, but there’s not much more than that. and if there is, perhaps it’s falsity.
it seemed silly and even a little sad, that that was it for me. “i could die in this moment,” i said aloud, “and everything would be alright.” i thought, the fact that i have realizations like this is what makes me freakish, different from other people. but perhaps this naked feeling is something that all people should one day achieve. perhaps i had just found it sooner.
but it was of no consequence. i just rested in my own happiness and freedom on the subject. aware of all the scrambling we can do in life. completely let it go.

as far as one can be certain

2009-10-26T22:10:00.003-04:00

Bardia's horn.
from the album fall europe tour 09

train from aarau, switzerland to bolzano, italy

i spent my time in switzerland nearly exclusively inside. the first two days i was recovering from the tour. the third day i was writing music. and the last two i spent in and out of headaches and upset stomach. i think i got sick from the exertion of being on the road, the 16 concerts in the past three and a half weeks, and of course the general strains that life seems to bring. (perhaps i’ll speak more of this later.) the body has a way of staving its needs for a while. and i’m thanking for being in good health throughout all of my performances.

the highlights of my time in switzerland revolve around one of my most cherished friends, bardia charaf. a man of extraordinary talent which surpasses his years, he is a deeply gifted composer and virtuosic saxophone player. bardia and i met six years ago while studying at havana’s instituto superior de arte, cuba’s national conservatory. we hadn’t seen each other since then. but after hearing some of my music, bardia sent me some pop and electronica backtracks of his own. a stellar jazz and classical musician, i was shocked to see bardia working in more contemporary styles, and a little miffed he hadn’t told me sooner! (his response was that he found “fun boyz,” and “moody,” to be so good, he didn’t want to give me just anything. :) ) the tracks possessed his usual vigour and brilliance, whilst reflecting his persian and arabic background, and intimacy with cuban music. bueníssimo! i couldn’t pass up the chance to see him in europe and hopefully develop some of these tracks with him there.
i had the pleasure of landing in baden mid-way through one of bardia’s concerts. walking into the jam-packed pub between songs, the show stopped for a moment as bardia peeled himself from the piano and walked over to give me a hug. a dramatic moment befitting us both, i think. bardia and his multi-cultural cast of musicians (venezuelan, colombian, cuban, and brasilian) expounded his triumphantly chorded tunes with über-rhythmic fire through the night. but it was bardia’s inability to stop playing hours later, long after the concert was over, that really struck me. i saw in him the same fire and delight for life that i possess, unrelenting, verging on madness. i felt a little less alone in that moment. perhaps this is the source of our strangely powerful brotherly love, i wondered.
in the end, my need for recovery made our collaboration slow-going. but as far as one can be certain in this life, we parted with the knowledge that this was just the beginning.

the psychology of beauty

2009-10-21T06:30:00.005-04:00

"it's not very hard to tell you're back in vienna"
from the album fall europe tour 09

train from graz, austria to baden, switzerland

when i was in cuba my pack was ripped out of the window of a moving train at approximately 3:30 in the morning; in europe i leave my ipod, sennheiser headphones, mobile, and camera out in the open as i go four cars up the train for a bottle of mineral water. my laptop stays not-so-securely hidden underneath my rucksack.

in vienna i contemplated beauty and it’s role in civil development, namely through the eyes of its citizens. what kind of effect does it have on a person to see palacial buildings slathered with gold-gilt statues, or indeed real palaces, on his way to work? how does that affect the mind? what’s the difference between such sights and seeing dilapidated structures, wolfing down smoke from ancient automobiles, seeing the city you live in crumble day by day?
it would seem that there is something inherently uplifting to the vienna-type environments around the world, encouraging refinement and sophistication, perhaps a sense of the order of things: that a city should be clean, that it’s trains should run on time and be fully-functional, that it should have beautiful architecture and museums that speak to it’s history. but what about those who live in urban decay? what happens to their minds?
if order is the way of things, then why not so for cubans and the other darker-skinned people of the world? and how is it that one society establishes order while another languishes? or is order purchased? or perhaps wrested? and does not the absence of beauty perpetuate a people’s dis-ease?

as it stands humankind lives an equation that can never be balanced. when walking the streets of vienna, this is where beauty takes my mind.

so it begins

2009-10-18T07:53:00.005-04:00

car from graz to mitterdorf, austria

first of all, thanks to tess for the inspiration--an exceptional person and a warrior in the pawo sense. being so young and so fiercely heart-centered, i hope that she will continue to flourish in this way. please follow her journey here...

my name is KID AKIMBO. i am a singer and dancer originally from brasil. i live in san francisco. it’s on stage that i feel that i really come alive, so i also consider, “performer,” as a defining part that i play.
it has been a karma year, ripe with expansion and growth. the green wind of activity blows through my life. my work now takes me across the u.s. and internationally (i’m currently on my second european tour) and it seems that this might be the way of things for me in the next years.
this blog is begun as a record of my travels as a performer, an exposure of my inner world, and a sounding board for my sanity as i cover ground mostly alone. my work is image-based and high-gloss--this is not that. this is a place for me to share the things that may not be readily apparent, or to reveal a deeper meaning to something in the fore. it is a space for my ruminations, thoughts, obsessions, and fantasies. and most of all for my passion, which is consumptive, giving as it takes. as such, i think this blog is more for me than for you; my thanks for your generously open ears.
i hope that you will take the ride with me through a subscription,
and that there is something in here that will be of benefit to us and all sentient beings.

the king of colour,
KID AKIMBO