i used to make compilations to celebrate this site's anniversaries. i don't know why; the one compilation that made mad noise—Offshore Drilling with Kid Hum—dropped in May of 2009, and I don't really remember why. people don't remember that stuff; these dates don't really matter. my wife did give me some props this morning though; 15 years of having anything is a huge accomplishment. i am busy today, but felt compelled to put some words on the site on this day.
it's interesting; i vaguely remember setting up a Blogspot page at the time; it was really to share this review of Green Lantern's Alive on Arrival mixtape. i must have dug it, because i then put up a playlist featuring 20 tunes: 10 dnb, 7 hip-hop/rap, and 3 of other genres (always doing the most). then i wrote a piece influenced by some shit the Green Lantern tape had me thinking about INRE Trenton. i just reread the piece and didn't like a large chunk of it. i wasn't hating on everything, but i would've written that way differently.
rockthedub.com made me the person i am today. i learned how to blog on here—mostly about music, but i've griped about daily life, reviewed shows like The Sopranos and LOST, and ran with the big dogs when it came to upfront content. that game was dope at times, and put me in a position to be where i've been since 2012. almost nine years of grinding and finding myself doing something that excites me. and growing as a writer (i hope). and a podcaster. and a sometimes talking head. whatever i'm doing, this very site was a testing ground for it. it was where i honed my skills while putting my appreciation on display.
think of someone like ELUCID, for example. we did a lot during our time. and he's still that guy. his group, Armand Hammer (w/ billy woods) just put out Haram, a project they did with The Alchemist. i'd go in on it but a) i haven't had nearly enough time to decipher it, but more importantly, b) there are already dope pieces written to help you start to understand what J. Edward Keyes called "a Japanese puzzle box." it also features Curly Castro, which is dope!
if 15 years of keeping a blog have taught me anything, it's that things can change on a dime, so don't sweat the small stuff. the amount of times i got amped because i didn't get a shout out or some pinhead got an exclusive over me mean nothing because where even are...let me chill. i've got work to finish. thanks for rocking with me for however long you've been rocking.
what's your favorite rockthedub memory? artist you discovered here? is anyone even still around anymore? props to you if you are.
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