The Audacity of Dope

Soon after posting up last week’s SNSS on the blog, I heard the unfortunate news that the legendary Guru passed away.  While the circumstances surrounding his coma and battle with cancer have been strange, suspicious, and possibly manipulated by his business partner Solar, enough has already been written and gossiped about on that front.  Unless some new information comes to light, I’m leaving all that to the parties involved.

What I will hold on to instead is the incredible amount of quality work that Guru left us, both as a part of Gang Starr and with his Jazzmatazz projects.  No, he wasn’t the best MC bar for bar and people seemed to either love or hate the monotone voice, but his contribution to this music and culture is one that few rappers will ever equal.  Guru didn’t just talk the talk in his rhymes: he was a living embodiment of hip-hop, both the positive and negative aspects (like all great artists).  He wasn’t a perfect man, as some in the Seattle hip-hop community can personally attest to, but ultimately, I’ll remember him for his classic records and constant effort to promote positivity in his music.

There have been plenty of great tributes to Guru already, but we wanted to pay our respect by dedicating the entire SNSS episode to him this week.  We had about 400 records we wanted to play, ranging from the early Gang Starr stuff to Jazzmatazz to guest spots and b-sides, but we just ran through them live and picked ’em along with our listeners as we went.  We also dropped in a few snippets from our last interview with Guru in 2007.  Shout to the entire Elam family, the Gang Starr Foundation, and 7 Grand Records.  Enjoy the music and RIP to Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal…

Show #256 (4-25-10)
RIP Guru Tribute

1. Gang Starr – “You Know My Steez”
2. Gang Starr – “Who’s Gonna Take The Weight”
3. Gang Starr – “Ex Girl To The Next Girl”
4. Gang Starr – “Work”
5. Gang Starr – “The ? Remainz”
6. Gang Starr ft. Nice & Smooth – “DWYCK”
7. Gang Starr – “Step In The Arena”
8. Gang Starr – “Conspiracy”
9. Gang Starr ft. Inspectah Deck – “Above The Clouds”
10. Gang Starr – “Just To Get A Rep”
11. Gang Starr – “Soliloquy Of Chaos”
12. Gang Starr – “Mass Appeal”
13. Gang Starr – “Full Clip”
14. Gang Starr – “JFK 2 LAX”
15. Gang Starr – “Skills”
16. Gang Starr – “Manifest (Remix)”
17. Guru ft. Jay Dee & Bilal – “Certified”
18. **INTERVIEW WITH GURU (7-24-07) (SNIPPET) #01**
19. Gang Starr ft. Big Shug & Freddie Foxxx – “The Milita”
20. Gang Starr ft. K-Ci & JoJo – “Royalty”
21. Gang Starr – “Code Of The Streets (Kenny Dope Mix)”
22. **INTERVIEW WITH GURU (7-24-07) (SNIPPET) #02**
23. Gang Starr – “In Memory Of”

Link to download the mp3 of the show – http://www.mediafire.com/?witiy2igvmz
(back up / streaming link – http://www.zshare.net/audio/754311037e24d58f/)
(2nd back up – http://usershare.net/yx88e5nfhqpk)

If there are any problems with the links or if you’d like to be added to our weekly email list to receive the playlist and download links after every show, just shoot me an email, DJHyphen@gmail.com.

I haven’t been posting up my CrossFit workouts for a while, mainly cause I do ’em so often, this blog would be nothing but workouts and wack lyrics.  Plus, it’s a little weird to keep strangers up to date with my personal workout log, but ehhh.  I felt like I did well on “Christine” tonight, so I figured I’d post.  Sue me.

Christine: 3 Rounds for Time

500m row
12 deadlifts (bodyweight)
24 box jumps

My dude Mikey suggested this one, and since we did a lot of arm stuff the day before and I’d never tried Christine, I was all for it.  The rowing felt great (one of my better exercises) and the box jumps were fairly easy (except for the final few when your legs are shot).  We used Mikey’s bodyweight, so I only had to lift 135lbs, 20 less than my own BW.  It’s still a decent lift and you feel it on the final round.  I finished in 12:32.  Blaow.

Try this one if you have a rowing machine at your gym.  Or if you’re in Seattle, you could always man (or woman) up and come to a free workout at Foundation CrossFit with us on Saturdays @ noon.  Or you could be lame and get fat during the winter.  Your call.

Even though it was a holiday, this was one of the busiest weekends I’ve had in a minute.  Thanks to the fine folks over at Foundation Crossfit, I was able to squeeze in two bad ass workouts.  First up, from Saturday:

Tabata bottom to bottom squats (8 rounds of 20 secs on, 10 off, hold for the ‘rest’)

then as far as you can go in 20 minutes, in order:
100m sprint
25 burpees
30 pull ups
40 sit ups
50 kettlebell swings
60 second L-sit
70 push ups
800m run
90 second active hang
100 box jumps

I got through 700m of the 800m run before time expired.  I love these kind of “checklist” workouts because you get a real sense of accomplishment as you’re flying through the exercises.  Next up, tonight’s workout was “Tabata Fight Gone Bad” (see the video above):

8 rounds of 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, with 1 minute rest in between exercises.  Take your lowest score in each round and that’s your score for the exercise:

Sumo Deadlift High Pull (75lbs)
Box Jumps
Push Press (75lbs)
Wall Ball
Row (count calories burned)

I finished with 38 (in order: 10, 8, 6, 9, 5).  Probably could have bumped that up by one or two, but this is a hard workout.  Very fun though.  Try it, or if you need some help getting started, hit up the Foundation fam!

This one doesn’t have a snazzy name, just the workout of the day posted on the official crossfit site.  For time:

30 handstand push ups
40 pull ups
50 kettlebell swings, 1.5 poods (~52 lbs)
60 sit ups
70 burpees

Aight, this one was a bit more than I could chew.  I’ve never done handstands in my life, so I just did 30 ten second stands against a wall to get used to being upside down.  I was able to knock out a few push ups like that too, but I’ll need to practice a LOT to be able to do that freestanding.  That would be bad ass though, so that’s the ultimate goal.

After the handstands, I did the last 4 exercises for time and subbed a 35 lbs dumbbell for the swings.  Pull ups, swings, sit ups = fairly easy.  70 burpees = a bitch.  Finished in 16:43.  Try this one.

Shout to Foundation.

Well, I guess that would technically be at the same time.  Tried my first “Barbara” last night:

20 pull ups, 30 push ups, 40 sit ups, 50 squats

5 rounds for time

Finished in 25:33, though I think I can definitely shed a few minutes off that the next time I do it.  I kinda paced myself a bit too much in the early rounds, rather than going all out from the start.  I thought it would be easier than “Angie” (100 reps of each, straight through), but the advantage gained from splitting up the exercises goes out the window with the additional reps.

Today’s WOD on Crossfit.com turned out to be “Angie,” so I knocked that out again and finished in 18:49, three seconds slower than last time.  Until I start doing these on a bar where I can kip, I’m thinking I might be nearing my top time.  Hmm, we’ll see.  Foundation Crossfit RAINSTORM (free workout) at 100th & Lake City Way on Saturday at 12PM for all my Seattle people!  Be there.

For time. Complete all reps of each exercise before moving to the next.

100 pull ups
100 push ups
100 sit ups
100 air squats

Broke my last time of 19:54 with a PR of 18:46.  Chyea.  All about improvement people!  Shout to Foundation.

5 pull ups, 10 push ups, 15 squats.  As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes.

Doesn’t get much simpler than that.  I finished with 18 full rounds + 5 pull ups + 10 push ups + 10 squats.  In other words, 5 squats short of 19.  Damn.  Shoulda pushed myself harder in the last minute.  I think that’s a decent performance though, since I’ve only done 10 minute versions of “Cindy” before.

If you want to start doing crossfit slowly, find a bar and do this workout for 10 minutes.  That’s what I did my first day.  Or come check out one of the free “Rainstorm” workouts over at Foundation Crossfit every Saturday at noon.  Y’all are talking a big game, but I’ve yet to see you come through…

My good friends Dru and John from Foundation Crossfit stopped by Sound Session on Sunday to talk a little bit about working out. They explained exactly what crossfit is, what they do at their gym in North Seattle, how you can get down with some free workouts, and more. Make sure you come to the gym for the free “Rainstorm” workouts every weekend. It’s the best workout in Seattle, hands down. Whether you’re in shape or not, you can always get healthier! I’m there every week, and the people are super cool & friendly, so come check it out. Aight?

For more information, peep their website – http://www.foundationcrossfit.com

DISCLAIMER: That Bud Light didn’t belong to the workout warriors. That was Stretch’s from The Parker Brothaz, one of the best hip-hop groups in the NW, who were also on the show. You can hear more of them (and understand why we were joking about Yung Joc) by downloading the full show.

(i hate you.)

For time.  Complete all reps of each exercise before moving to the next.

100 pull ups
100 push ups
100 sit ups
100 air squats

Finished in 21:33, which is 5 minutes better than my last time.  Bladow.  I’ll aim for the 20 minute mark next time.  Try this one, it doesn’t get much simpler!  Shout to Foundation CF.

I think I’ll keep posting workout stuff until I can convince one of our Seattle readers to come check out the free crossfit workout at 11 AM on Saturdays @ Foundation Fitness.  Then I won’t jam up the blog with the CF workouts I try, since I know some of y’all will get all pissy if I don’t keep this music related.  Then again, this is my world and music’s only a small part of it.  We’ll see.  Anyway, last night’s workout was “Fight Gone Bad” (check the video above for an explanation of each station).

3 rounds, one-minute stations for reps, one-minute rest between rounds:
wall ball, 16lbs
sumo dead lift high pull, 70lbs
box jump, 20″
push press, 65lbs
row (count calories)

Add up every rep you complete (and every calorie for the row) and that’s your final score.  I got 235.  Next goal will be 240.  Try this one out if you can, it’s a crazy workout.  Plus it only takes 20 minutes!  Can’t beat that right?

If you can’t try it in your current gym, seek out your nearest crossfit spot.  Seattle people, holler @ me if you want to come to Foundation Fitness sometime.  We had Ricky Pharoe get hooked recently and DV-One will be checking it out soon.  Official Seattle hip-hop workouts, son.  Don’t be squishy for the summer.