[Music] I’m standing in my father’s bedroom
I’m standing in my father’s bedroom
I’m standing in my father’s bedroom there’s a leopard in the closet and man
there’s a leopard in the closet and man
there’s a leopard in the closet and man with my is walking outside the
with my is walking outside the
with my is walking outside the window the men outside are whispering as
window the men outside are whispering as
window the men outside are whispering as yet they’re sleeping
yet they’re sleeping
yet they’re sleeping the leopard is trying to get out of the
the leopard is trying to get out of the
the leopard is trying to get out of the closet and I’m standing there thinking
closet and I’m standing there thinking
closet and I’m standing there thinking how am I gonna get us both out of this
how am I gonna get us both out of this
how am I gonna get us both out of this scary life-threatening situation so I
scary life-threatening situation so I
scary life-threatening situation so I decided to walk up to the closet I
decided to walk up to the closet I
decided to walk up to the closet I opened the closet and I spoke to the
opened the closet and I spoke to the
opened the closet and I spoke to the leopard I said can you please get out of
leopard I said can you please get out of
leopard I said can you please get out of here it’s way too small for you anyhow
here it’s way too small for you anyhow
here it’s way too small for you anyhow and you could use some fresh air I
and you could use some fresh air I
and you could use some fresh air I walked up to the window and I spoke to
walked up to the window and I spoke to
walked up to the window and I spoke to the man outside I said there’s a very
the man outside I said there’s a very
the man outside I said there’s a very hungry leopard on his way out now
hungry leopard on his way out now
hungry leopard on his way out now they’re whispering voices became one
they’re whispering voices became one
they’re whispering voices became one with the wind and there was silence I
turned around to my father was him lying
turned around to my father was him lying in bed all alone and I said Park and you
in bed all alone and I said Park and you
in bed all alone and I said Park and you still hear anything or see anything and
still hear anything or see anything and
still hear anything or see anything and he had a smile on his face smile of
he had a smile on his face smile of
he had a smile on his face smile of relief and he said no no they’re all
relief and he said no no they’re all
relief and he said no no they’re all gone
gone
gone that day I felt really close to my
that day I felt really close to my
that day I felt really close to my father I felt like we were a team a team
father I felt like we were a team a team
father I felt like we were a team a team that had achieved something together you
that had achieved something together you
that had achieved something together you see my dad was schizophrenic and since I
see my dad was schizophrenic and since I
see my dad was schizophrenic and since I was a kid
was a kid
was a kid I spent most of my time trying to
I spent most of my time trying to
I spent most of my time trying to understand him I mean he fascinated me
understand him I mean he fascinated me
understand him I mean he fascinated me he would graffiti secret codes around
he would graffiti secret codes around
he would graffiti secret codes around the house he would see ultraviolet rays
the house he would see ultraviolet rays
the house he would see ultraviolet rays come out of your mouth as you spoke he
come out of your mouth as you spoke he
come out of your mouth as you spoke he had amazing theories about life and dad
had amazing theories about life and dad
had amazing theories about life and dad and he heard voices that I couldn’t hear
and he heard voices that I couldn’t hear
and he heard voices that I couldn’t hear normally in these kind of situations I
normally in these kind of situations I
normally in these kind of situations I would go into his bedroom and say back
would go into his bedroom and say back
would go into his bedroom and say back there’s really no leopard here
there’s really no leopard here
there’s really no leopard here no man with machetes it’s all in your
no man with machetes it’s all in your
no man with machetes it’s all in your mind but that day I did something
mind but that day I did something
mind but that day I did something different I decided to leave my reality
different I decided to leave my reality
different I decided to leave my reality and step into his his vision
and step into his his vision
and step into his his vision and we had a much better outcome of a
and we had a much better outcome of a
and we had a much better outcome of a situation that was scary for him also
situation that was scary for him also
situation that was scary for him also for me and I didn’t know a damn but
for me and I didn’t know a damn but
for me and I didn’t know a damn but actually failing this gap between vision
actually failing this gap between vision
actually failing this gap between vision and reality would be something that I
and reality would be something that I
and reality would be something that I would use to start projects now my dad
would use to start projects now my dad
would use to start projects now my dad was also very passionate about music it
was also very passionate about music it
was also very passionate about music it was a passion that we shared it was our
was a passion that we shared it was our
was a passion that we shared it was our common reality as it were he would play
common reality as it were he would play
common reality as it were he would play different instruments around house and
different instruments around house and
different instruments around house and made different kind of music but I
made different kind of music but I
made different kind of music but I wanted to do something else I wanted to
wanted to do something else I wanted to
wanted to do something else I wanted to make music that I could share with the
make music that I could share with the
make music that I could share with the world I remember I used to sit a lot of
world I remember I used to sit a lot of
world I remember I used to sit a lot of top of our car and look up to the stars
top of our car and look up to the stars
top of our car and look up to the stars and dream about how I could make music
and dream about how I could make music
and dream about how I could make music that could be like a way for me to get
that could be like a way for me to get
that could be like a way for me to get out of the island and learn more and
out of the island and learn more and
out of the island and learn more and study music you see dreams and visions
study music you see dreams and visions
study music you see dreams and visions for me are like empty white circle that
for me are like empty white circle that
for me are like empty white circle that when you fill that circle you make your
when you fill that circle you make your
when you fill that circle you make your visions reality I remember when my
visions reality I remember when my
visions reality I remember when my mother heard about my dreams and vision
mother heard about my dreams and vision
mother heard about my dreams and vision she’s saved for months and bought me my
she’s saved for months and bought me my
she’s saved for months and bought me my first guitar I was really happy about it
first guitar I was really happy about it
first guitar I was really happy about it as a kid I got my first guitar I took
as a kid I got my first guitar I took
as a kid I got my first guitar I took some guitar lessons but I felt like I
some guitar lessons but I felt like I
some guitar lessons but I felt like I needed more I needed to do something
needed more I needed to do something
needed more I needed to do something else for to fill this gap and make my
else for to fill this gap and make my
else for to fill this gap and make my own songs that I can share with the
own songs that I can share with the
own songs that I can share with the world one day I went to a bookstore I
world one day I went to a bookstore I
world one day I went to a bookstore I was looking for inspiration magazines
was looking for inspiration magazines
was looking for inspiration magazines about music to see what was going on I
about music to see what was going on I
about music to see what was going on I saw this magazine and had on the front
saw this magazine and had on the front
saw this magazine and had on the front cover it said samplers rule I read it
cover it said samplers rule I read it
cover it said samplers rule I read it and it had an article about a DJ that
and it had an article about a DJ that
and it had an article about a DJ that used this technology called sampler to
used this technology called sampler to
used this technology called sampler to make his album and I got really inspired
make his album and I got really inspired
make his album and I got really inspired I called up DJ on the island that I
I called up DJ on the island that I
I called up DJ on the island that I heard that had one of these magical
heard that had one of these magical
heard that had one of these magical machines and he taught me all about
machines and he taught me all about
machines and he taught me all about sampling you see sampling is a technique
sampling you see sampling is a technique
sampling you see sampling is a technique that you can record sounds even your
that you can record sounds even your
that you can record sounds even your voice or snippets of sound or existing
voice or snippets of sound or existing
voice or snippets of sound or existing songs whatever and you manipulate it you
songs whatever and you manipulate it you
songs whatever and you manipulate it you stretch it you pitch it up and you make
stretch it you pitch it up and you make
stretch it you pitch it up and you make your own sound with it that you can make
your own sound with it that you can make
your own sound with it that you can make your own music
your own music
your own music so after a few studio sessions with his
so after a few studio sessions with his
so after a few studio sessions with his guy I made my first song with the
guy I made my first song with the
guy I made my first song with the sampler and it sounded something like
sampler and it sounded something like
sampler and it sounded something like this
[Music]
[Music] I didn’t know what to call it so I
I didn’t know what to call it so I
I didn’t know what to call it so I called it some Caribbean music now it
called it some Caribbean music now it
called it some Caribbean music now it was also this song that helped me fill
was also this song that helped me fill
was also this song that helped me fill that gap between my dreams to go out of
that gap between my dreams to go out of
that gap between my dreams to go out of the island and study and I was accepted
the island and study and I was accepted
the island and study and I was accepted into a school in Holland to study music
into a school in Holland to study music
into a school in Holland to study music technology composition and production
technology composition and production
technology composition and production and it was during this during a course
and it was during this during a course
and it was during this during a course on Edna musicology it’s called it’s the
on Edna musicology it’s called it’s the
on Edna musicology it’s called it’s the study of music and culture that a
study of music and culture that a
study of music and culture that a professor asked me so Michael tell me
professor asked me so Michael tell me
professor asked me so Michael tell me about your musical identity and musical
about your musical identity and musical
about your musical identity and musical tradition of your island of Aruba
tradition of your island of Aruba
tradition of your island of Aruba now I explained to him what I knew about
now I explained to him what I knew about
now I explained to him what I knew about what we had on the island and I felt
what we had on the island and I felt
what we had on the island and I felt like I couldn’t really answer the
like I couldn’t really answer the
like I couldn’t really answer the question and I thought it was also very
question and I thought it was also very
question and I thought it was also very important questions for myself to answer
important questions for myself to answer
important questions for myself to answer because it was my Island and I was doing
because it was my Island and I was doing
because it was my Island and I was doing music and I wanted to know what our
music and I wanted to know what our
music and I wanted to know what our music tradition and identity was so
music tradition and identity was so
music tradition and identity was so after my studies I went back to the
after my studies I went back to the
after my studies I went back to the island to do a research on this and I
island to do a research on this and I
island to do a research on this and I asked many of my friends and I realized
asked many of my friends and I realized
asked many of my friends and I realized that they didn’t know what their musical
that they didn’t know what their musical
that they didn’t know what their musical traditions were or either and I felt
traditions were or either and I felt
traditions were or either and I felt like you know I realized actually that
like you know I realized actually that
like you know I realized actually that we had a big gap between a younger
we had a big gap between a younger
we had a big gap between a younger generation and the older generation and
generation and the older generation and
generation and the older generation and after doing more research and a project
after doing more research and a project
after doing more research and a project on this gap I met two guardians of the
on this gap I met two guardians of the
on this gap I met two guardians of the traditional music one was Buchi he was
traditional music one was Buchi he was
traditional music one was Buchi he was about eight years old he made comedy
about eight years old he made comedy
about eight years old he made comedy Oracle and the other one was recently
Oracle and the other one was recently
Oracle and the other one was recently was about 82 years old and he was all
was about 82 years old and he was all
was about 82 years old and he was all about the tumbu now these guys taught me
about the tumbu now these guys taught me
about the tumbu now these guys taught me a lot about the musical instrument more
a lot about the musical instrument more
a lot about the musical instrument more importantly they taught me about the
importantly they taught me about the
importantly they taught me about the musical tradition of the island found a
musical tradition of the island found a
musical tradition of the island found a musical identity here of our island and
musical identity here of our island and
musical identity here of our island and I was really really inspired I was
I was really really inspired I was
I was really really inspired I was really excited about it
really excited about it
really excited about it I started envisioning that I could use
I started envisioning that I could use
I started envisioning that I could use this musical identity that we had on the
this musical identity that we had on the
this musical identity that we had on the island and combine it with my own
island and combine it with my own
island and combine it with my own electronic music and make something new
electronic music and make something new
electronic music and make something new out of there and make my own musical
out of there and make my own musical
out of there and make my own musical identity which NVC and they weren’t so
identity which NVC and they weren’t so
identity which NVC and they weren’t so happy about this
happy about this
happy about this they thought here comes this guy is
they thought here comes this guy is
they thought here comes this guy is gonna change our musical tradition
gonna change our musical tradition
gonna change our musical tradition something we’ve been safeguarding for
something we’ve been safeguarding for
something we’ve been safeguarding for their entire life you can see but they
their entire life you can see but they
their entire life you can see but they were open to talk to me about the new
were open to talk to me about the new
were open to talk to me about the new ideas so I spent some time with Buchi he
ideas so I spent some time with Buchi he
ideas so I spent some time with Buchi he explained to me about the kahi article a
explained to me about the kahi article a
explained to me about the kahi article a cylinder organ it’s called and all the
cylinder organ it’s called and all the
cylinder organ it’s called and all the strings and how they amuse bike spokes
strings and how they amuse bike spokes
strings and how they amuse bike spokes to to make this and it a cup takes about
to to make this and it a cup takes about
to to make this and it a cup takes about like six months before he can finish one
like six months before he can finish one
like six months before he can finish one of the it’s a full craftsmanship one day
of the it’s a full craftsmanship one day
of the it’s a full craftsmanship one day I asked him if I could sample this
I asked him if I could sample this
I asked him if I could sample this basically recording note by note he said
basically recording note by note he said
basically recording note by note he said okay so I did I sampled it note by note
okay so I did I sampled it note by note
okay so I did I sampled it note by note I put it into my computer into the
I put it into my computer into the
I put it into my computer into the sampling technology that I’ve learned
sampling technology that I’ve learned
sampling technology that I’ve learned and I had the whole sound of the
and I had the whole sound of the
and I had the whole sound of the traditional karate or hoe and when
traditional karate or hoe and when
traditional karate or hoe and when computer so I can make any kind of music
computer so I can make any kind of music
computer so I can make any kind of music rhythms melodies with his sound I got so
rhythms melodies with his sound I got so
rhythms melodies with his sound I got so inspired I made an album using the sound
inspired I made an album using the sound
inspired I made an album using the sound of the Casio article and I let you hear
of the Casio article and I let you hear
of the Casio article and I let you hear a snippet of it as well
I also spent a lot of time with Vicente
I also spent a lot of time with Vicente in Istanbul he taught me a lot about the
in Istanbul he taught me a lot about the
in Istanbul he taught me a lot about the rhythms we had on the island you see in
rhythms we had on the island you see in
rhythms we had on the island you see in a row but there is four rhythms I didn’t
a row but there is four rhythms I didn’t
a row but there is four rhythms I didn’t know about this what he taught me we
know about this what he taught me we
know about this what he taught me we have four rhythms that we play on the
have four rhythms that we play on the
have four rhythms that we play on the island of Aruba that you don’t play on
island of Aruba that you don’t play on
island of Aruba that you don’t play on the otter Alice other islands have their
the otter Alice other islands have their
the otter Alice other islands have their own rhythm I thought this was
own rhythm I thought this was
own rhythm I thought this was fascinating I got really inspired so I
fascinating I got really inspired so I
fascinating I got really inspired so I also made an album inspired by these
also made an album inspired by these
also made an album inspired by these four rhythms sample – recorded them and
four rhythms sample – recorded them and
four rhythms sample – recorded them and make my own musically one day I got a
make my own musically one day I got a
make my own musically one day I got a phone call from Vicente said micro can
phone call from Vicente said micro can
phone call from Vicente said micro can you please drop by I wasn’t I was a bit
you please drop by I wasn’t I was a bit
you please drop by I wasn’t I was a bit hesitant about it because I thought he
hesitant about it because I thought he
hesitant about it because I thought he heard the album and he didn’t like what
heard the album and he didn’t like what
heard the album and he didn’t like what I did so I arrived at his house there he
I did so I arrived at his house there he
I did so I arrived at his house there he was sitting in his veranda with a small
was sitting in his veranda with a small
was sitting in his veranda with a small CD player his Tambu he had a piece of
CD player his Tambu he had a piece of
CD player his Tambu he had a piece of paper with some notes on it
paper with some notes on it
paper with some notes on it I said had always sat down I was still a
I said had always sat down I was still a
I said had always sat down I was still a bit nervous because I didn’t know what
bit nervous because I didn’t know what
bit nervous because I didn’t know what was coming
was coming
was coming and after a while he pressed play and he
and after a while he pressed play and he
and after a while he pressed play and he started playing my CD not only was he
started playing my CD not only was he
started playing my CD not only was he playing the CD he was playing along on
playing the CD he was playing along on
playing the CD he was playing along on his thumb boom with the music that I
his thumb boom with the music that I
his thumb boom with the music that I made he was looking at his notes and he
made he was looking at his notes and he
made he was looking at his notes and he then told me that he’s been practicing
then told me that he’s been practicing
then told me that he’s been practicing after he heard the CD he understood and
after he heard the CD he understood and
after he heard the CD he understood and he’s been practicing I was like sitting
he’s been practicing I was like sitting
he’s been practicing I was like sitting there like I felt like a kid you know I
there like I felt like a kid you know I
there like I felt like a kid you know I was like wow we had filmed this gap
was like wow we had filmed this gap
was like wow we had filmed this gap between our generations we understood
between our generations we understood
between our generations we understood each other and since then he’s been
each other and since then he’s been
each other and since then he’s been making music with this project we even
making music with this project we even
making music with this project we even made an album where he played on it as
made an album where he played on it as
made an album where he played on it as well we have a snippet of that as well
well we have a snippet of that as well
well we have a snippet of that as well [Music]
you know be the cool Dupree immediately
you know be the cool Dupree immediately after this even went on a tool with me
after this even went on a tool with me
after this even went on a tool with me in Holland and all right so after doing
in Holland and all right so after doing
in Holland and all right so after doing all these projects working with
all these projects working with
all these projects working with different people I started a new vision
different people I started a new vision
different people I started a new vision I started a vision of having a place a
I started a vision of having a place a
I started a vision of having a place a creative platform a creative center
creative platform a creative center
creative platform a creative center where we can all come together not only
where we can all come together not only
where we can all come together not only for my projects but creatives from all
for my projects but creatives from all
for my projects but creatives from all areas and backgrounds can come together
areas and backgrounds can come together
areas and backgrounds can come together can inspire each other and we can make
can inspire each other and we can make
can inspire each other and we can make our dreams ideas visions become reality
our dreams ideas visions become reality
our dreams ideas visions become reality it’s my current gap at the moment the
it’s my current gap at the moment the
it’s my current gap at the moment the challenge but you know it’s it’s not
challenge but you know it’s it’s not
challenge but you know it’s it’s not easy to fill this gap between visions
easy to fill this gap between visions
easy to fill this gap between visions and reality but I’m grateful for that
and reality but I’m grateful for that
and reality but I’m grateful for that experience that day with my father in
experience that day with my father in
experience that day with my father in his bedroom because it taught me the
his bedroom because it taught me the
his bedroom because it taught me the power of belief I mean he did truly
power of belief I mean he did truly
power of belief I mean he did truly believe in the vision that there was a
believe in the vision that there was a
believe in the vision that there was a leopard and man with machetes there the
leopard and man with machetes there the
leopard and man with machetes there the belief was so strong that I at one point
belief was so strong that I at one point
belief was so strong that I at one point had to step into his reality so I
had to step into his reality so I
had to step into his reality so I learned that if you truly utterly
learned that if you truly utterly
learned that if you truly utterly believe in your ideas dreams and visions
believe in your ideas dreams and visions
believe in your ideas dreams and visions they will become reality thank you
they will become reality thank you
they will become reality thank you [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment