The Pretty Eye Sore that is the King Edwards Hotel. It’s a hotel that is older than my father and has been emptied as long as I’ve been alive. From every mayor we had here in Jackson since i have been here has said “We will make something of the King Edwards” But this is one of those promises that never happen. Kinda like Farish street being up by 2006 guess what? The year is up and it’s still isn’t ready nor is it really moving. I guess it’s because of our drug hunting want to be cowboy Mayor Frank Melton. What a douchebag.

Enough of that, During June of 2002 Talamieka, George and I when down to take photos around downtown. At the time, The King Edwards was open with the fences and heavy construction (I may post Update photos, if i get downtown.) On my way to JSU during my time there I would have to past this Eye sore and even look at it from JSU Liberal Art building before they finished the New Business Building. I have been down there before when George took photos for my Drawing final in the old parking lot next to it. I always want to venture around more after that. So we all hoped in My Jeep Wrangler (yeah that’s how i use to roll baby) and went down there to do so.

What I found was a beautiful in the decaying wound of this City, our Downtown life or lack of.

This is a Cafe down the street. It’s open and i have never ate there because they close at like 5 so balls.

Most of these building have been gutted in the back and now the for Hobos. Yeah, I said hobos. It’s not like they can get to the internet and protest me calling them that. It’s better than Bum.

The inside of the once great building. Wish I would have found one of the NO Colored signs, if the crackheads didn’t take all the tin and copper they could find.

Water damage was all over the building being that the windows are gone. You ever been in the car with a friend and farts then rolls up window and you gasp in horror. Well add that plus the smell of Midew. I didn’t dare got all thru the building because of the smell and my spider-sense was tingling.

An awesome sign outside the building.

Okay at a point, painters have these beautiful murals on the wall which are now Destroyed due to construction. Hurray for Progress. *SARCASM* I had a favorite one but it’s gone also. That’s Mieka in these photos. BLAST! I better be invited to Yours and Sini’s Wedding. I got six piece suit and Pimp grail. YEEEEAAAAHH

Between the Edwards and the parking garage. Very 80s.

I know I’m surprised that jackson has Taggers and Bombers also.

The Standard Life building is probably the oldest building downtown that still keep up with being fulling remodeled.

Inside the Garage is a ton of clothes and trash from Hobos and Street Urchins. HAHA I said Street Urchins. “Hello governa, can you give Two bits to a man who has falling on hard times”

The sign on the building. One day life will come back to this building, maybe.

Taken turn one of the holes on the sign in the photos above.

One thing i know that still around is Chane for Studio Chane. He’s a screenprinting company, clothing line, Swell skateboard shop, Wilai women clothing. and Monster businesss man. He is want hard work and drive equals. Plus he’s cooler than a Polar bears toenail. If you don’t know Chane and you live here, you kinda Lame.

The Iron House Grill is next on the list. This was John, My old professor/ Friend favorite resturant back in the days. It burnt to the ground about 5 times before they close shop. Seems someone didn’t know the grill could produce Fire that and burn down the mightiest of buildings. Go figure.

GOT TO COME BACK TO THE FUTURE! GREAT SCOTT!

Destination time: September 15, 2006
Place: Jackson, MS around the King Edwards

The Doc and I make it back to show you what has happened in 4 years. This is the reconstructed wall were all the paintings were. It’s to match the Train Station they finished 2 or 3 years ago. Hooray for slowness.

King Edwards redevelopment sign. See they put up a sign so that totally means they are going to do it. *SARCASM*

Back of Iron Horse Grill. That steps up above are gone and the fence.

Look kids a fence. That makes everything more beautiful. This is the parking lot.

Here is the deal with me. I still have friends from my childhood and high school years and I touch base with them once and while when I can. I may have a nice amount of friends from High school but i only have a few BEST friends, the holders of secrets. You know who you are out there so i don’t have to list names. Dwayna is one of my BFF (Best Friend Forever) because she’s like my little sister. At one point in our friendship, we had a falling out. We didn’t talk for like a year or two. Looking back it was I was stubborn and she was selfish. Taurus and Gemini butting heads. She lost a love one during my return into her life. It was kinda crazy because when i heard the news all I could think about was her and her state of mind. I called her mother asking her how she was doing. But Dwayna wasn’t at home at the time. So later that day i get a call back and just like that we were back. A good friend is a person who tries to be there, your best friend is there when they are needed the most. I’m very loyal to my family and friends. I find myself going out of the way sometimes but hey to make them happy makes me happy.

So like a few months later I was invited down to Monroe to hang out since she went to the University of Louisiana in Monroe. Monroe is a nice town, but eh. She tells me all the time “You have this abitily to make me buy Gadgets all the time because of your excitement.” At the time, I had a Nikon Coolpix 995 which i loved because of the swivel like body. She saw my digital cam and always wanted one to. She bought a Sony Digital Camera and that next day we went and took photos. She has always had tons of photos and camera so she loved the fact we were going around exploring. Now she doesn’t have a bulk bunch of photos in a ton of photo album but on her Powerbook hard drive. She has leveled up her camera game like 3 or 4 times since then.

She bought the camera from Sears and she had.. or still has a Frame & Candle buying habit.

Cerebus. Not his really name Dimmy or Bimmy. I never could spell. I can’t remember but i do remember this was his first time seeing me and he just BARKED ALL FREAKING DAY.

As always a phone glued to her ear. Doggie is all clean.

I worked on a Illustration for the JFP while she made..

.. her patented BBQ ribs which were very good because of the whole “made with love” thing.

This is me young and skinny.. oh yesterday. The next day. This is some Park we visited in Monroe don’t know the name but come on it had a tank.

“I’m a NO LIMIT SOILDER. I DHOUGHT I TOLD YA” Translation: I am a No Limit Soilder.. I thought we had this discussion. (I hate Master P still.)

One of my favorite shots ever. I don’t look great in photos but this one captured me to a Tee. I’m bring Sexy back.. (HA)

Dwayna rocking by the tracks..

Tow.. Arrow… Me Clever.

Loved this shot.

No, we aren’t in New York.. Which to this day i don’t understand why this house had a freshly painted sign saying NEW YORK. Louisiana go figure.

Good photo.. I really don’t like looking at the camera.

This was my favorite shot. So much my favorite that i did one of my last Watercolor pieces of this shot.

Dwayna now lives in Atlanta, so i can’t visit like i want to. I miss her every once and a while but i know she’s just a call away. She’s my little sister from another mother and mister. I need to plan a trip out to ATL to see her. Fall is coming and us southern folk don’t fair well in the cold. So I may go up there before it starts getting super chilly. Big MAYBE.

Love ya DP and i miss ya.

I’ll be out of town this weekend in Hattiesburg and Mobile. So don’t look for anything over the Labor Day weekend. I post a photo parade when i get back. As always, Leroy rockWELL will SLAM EVIL!

Destination time: September 25, 2002
Place: Jackson State University Campus, Jackson, MS
Event: The Annual Yard party

This is when i just got my dreads. I think i got them in August. So it’s been 4 years and not 3 as i thought. Man, time is flying on me. The reason i called it The Annual yard party is because i can’t remember the event it was for. But the art club @ Jackson state (which i think is defunked now.) put up a table for people to get portraits done of themselves. Only a few of us could really do live portraits, and i was one of them. When i look back at the photos, i didn’t do so well on the portraits but right now in my life i could kill it. Maybe I’ll go to New Orleans one weekend and draw people down at the French quarter. Monies!

This is one i did.

This is Tempress, President of the club, modeling and Kristy drawing her. I wonder what happen to Kristy because i met up with sister Frances at San Diego Comic-Con.

Jamal drawing some people.

This is Lorenzo aka Zo when he cut his dreads and if you go thru some of my old post you can see him now.

I think Kristy did this one.

Why do Pat and I make these faces still to this day.

I was drawing Tara and she’s looking at Kristy board and throwing me off.

My ex Jennifer, who has fell off the face of the earth, drawing Harry aka H-man, who drives around the Earth. Trucker style.

Here is a photo of the yard. Yes that is Terrance one of the photographers that help us out at Seven* studioz. He does weddings also ladies.

Pat before the Bob before the Awesome before the dreads

Ha Marques did do some characturies of all of us.

Marques

Me

Harry. He loved Orange soda.

Pat

Jennifer

A Preggers Patina.

Back is Lorenzo, Jennifer, and me. Next is Patina and Pat. Bottom is Harry and Marques.

I know this one wasn’t as cool as the Run DMC post but more cool ones are coming. I’m showing you a bit of my past and it’s fun for me to see if i can remember it.

Til next time travelers.

Ah. Jubilee Jam! I remember going to a few of them. I saw the P funk all-stars, and Earth Wind and Fire one year. But this Jubilee Jam! will hold a special place in my heart. I was a fresh 22 year old attending Jackson State University with a hope and a dream. I called Dorrell up and asked him did he want to go to Jubilee Jam! because my Dad had scored free tickets to the event because he worked at the Bellsouth building downtown. So he drove up from Natchez and we attended this event. It was a long day of waiting for the performance to start.

Dorrell and I sat in a window of the Amsouth building just watching people go by. That’s right Kappa Kappa Phi is his Frat.

Back in the Day I had an afro, but the wind whip my hair all which ways. So it turned into a Fredrick Douglas.

It’s getting close to that time.

The Jam! use to be this big event were everybody was out and about. They had food vendors, face painting for the kids and even Rock climbing.

The time has come. The performance stage down in the Park right next to Jackson One Place, where one of the greatest live shows I have ever witness and was honored to be there to see.

RUN DMC and Jammaster Jay. Jammaster was in Prime form. It saddens me when I think that i won’t see them all together Live one more time. Because October 30, 2002 Jammaster Jay was murdered in his studio. One of the saddest days in Hip Hop. This group made Hip Hop scatter the charts and shape the love of this culture I am apart of.

Jay did his thing for about 10 minutes warming up the crowd then they came out.

You know what they rocked it like it was 5 million people out there. DMC has had voice trouble for the longest but man he gave us the voice. The Devastating Mic Controller was giving us his all. I thank him for that.

Now Reverend Run wasn’t have stepping either. Forget that lovable Dad you see on Run’s house, this was RUN.

I got more shots of the Bodyguards.

But then it happened. DMC touched down with the crowd. I think he was perform Down the King.

That’s right DMC right in front of little Old me. Are you down with the king?

Shortly after it was over. There had to be over 400 or 500 people there for that performance. People of all ages and all colors just coming together for one thing. The love of Hip Hop and the showing of these Kings of Hip Hop.

I ran into a Young Marques then. That’s right not much has changed but now with 70% More Facial Hair. HA!

I didn’t know DJ Phingaprint (guy in the red) at the time but he was there showing love to one of the people I’m sure inspired him and was sadden by the lost of Jammaster Jay. He and Skipp Coon are over in The Czeh Republic putting it down. I got a call from Skipp on Wednesday around 7PM here 2 AM there. You can check out what i call “The National SkippCoon Czeh Vacation.” (A clever play on National Lampoon European Vacation.) over that the TIBBITMUSIC BLOG i set up.
I also think that is a Young JayClipp hang out with the hat on. I’m sure you out there can tell me if it’s him or not.