text:
Freddie Gibbs moved away from his hometown of Gary, Ind., more than 10 years ago. He went to L.A., where he became friends with Madlib, the producer revered for his work in The Lootpack, as a solo artist under the name Quasimoto, for that time Blue Note Records let him do whatever he wanted in their vault and the albums he's made collaboratively, with heavyweights J Dilla, MF Doom, Percee P and Talib Kweli.
Gibbs and Microphone Check cohost Ali Shaheed Muhammad are quite certain that Piñata, the album Madlib has made with Gibbs, is the most gangster project Madlib has ever worked on. He couldn't join us in the studio, but Gibbs sat down to talk about what he calls his "homiefied" album.
ALI SHAHEED MUHAMMAD: What up?
FREDDIE GIBBS: Man, chilling. It's a pleasure to be in the building, man. It's a pleasure.
MUHMAMMAD: We're happy to have you here.
GIBBS: Especially to be here with you, man. So you already know.
MUHAMMAD: Who me? Who am I?
GIBBS: It's a pleasure.
MUHAMMAD: What's good, Freddie Gibbs?
GIBBS: It's crazy, man. I just dropped my new record and I got a show tonight in New York, sold out, man, you know. Things couldn't be better.
MUHAMMAD: How does that feel?
GIBBS: It feels great. It's mind-blowing. I'm still like — this is surreal to me. Like the point that I'm at with what I'm working with and the odds that I was against and all the doors closing in my face and everybody telling me, "No." So to be here right now, it's a blessing, man. It's God.
MUHAMMAD: Piñata. How'd you come up with the title?
GIBBS: The name of the record is Cocaine Piñata. We gotta call it Piñata so we can sell it in the stores. Wal-Mart and Target don't like that whole cocaine thing.
It just came to me in a dream, honestly. That's what I tell everybody. It came to me in a dream. Madlib had never made a record this street, at all. And I think that I just wanted to culminate everything that I was doing and everything that I had been through into one album. And it was just like — that's like a piñata, you know what I mean? If you break it open, there's a bunch of treats gone fall out. So that's the direction I wanted to go with it.
MUHAMMAD: How long did it take to put this album together?
GIBBS: To be honest I was working on this album for like three years, in-between working on my other projects. Cause you can't work on another kind of project and then work on this at the same time because it's totally different.
MUHAMMAD: Yeah, I was gonna ask, what's the difference between this and like the other mixtapes?
GIBBS: Definitely the beats. The beats are — they're different. It's more dirty loops, samples and things of that nature. A lot of — on my other tapes, it's more synthesized type things. There's still sample-based production on there, like I get from Statik Selektah and guys like that. Shout out to Statik Selektah. But for the most part, the difference between this record is definitely the production.
MUHAMMAD: How did you and Madlib connect?
GIBBS: Nothing real crazy. Just we got mutual friends. We have mutual friends, his manager cool with my manager; we all just link up, drink, smoke and made a record. It wasn't nothing — no industry red tape, no lawyers, nothing crazy. It was just like let's do this record, let's put it together and put it out.
MUHAMMAD: Did you have some of the songs written up before you got the music or was it — what's the process?
GIBBS: Nah, I never do that. I never write a song before I get the track because I just feel that I have to make a marriage with that track with my raps. And if it's something that's already there, it ain't gone really fit, I don't think. Like if you get divorced and you go marry a new chick — if it was me — I would want to get a new house, a new car, everything. I wouldn't even want to put her in the same house that I had my old wife in. So I just like to start fresh and come with something fresh for a fresh track.
FRANNIE KELLEY: And you guys met in L.A.?
GIBBS: Yeah, definitely. I been in L.A. almost 10 years, almost like a native. You know he's been living there for years, he was born there. With all the weed smoking and music-making going on out there, we was bound to link up.
KELLEY: So you work with people from very different places and you don't feel the need to stay in Indiana, in the Midwest.
GIBBS: Mm-mm.
KELLEY: What does your hometown give you, though?
GIBBS: My hometown gives me that — I go back all the time. I go back every month, every other month. My family's still there. My close — you know, my best friend, my closest friends still live there. It gives me that base; this is where I started from. This is the things I rap about, so I could never just let it, let my sense of home dwindle away. Not for nothing. Like I said, I'm always there. My family's there. Those are my roots so I'ma make sure I'm always connected to that, no matter what. Every record. Every day I'm talking to somebody from Gary, like I said, every other month I'm going back home so I'm deeply rooted there. Half the people there don't like me, but they'll get over it.
KELLEY: What is Gary? Can you describe the city?
GIBBS: Yeah. Gary is a old factory town right outside Chicago. From my standpoint, my family migrated there in the '50s and '60s from Mississippi — Sardis, Mississippi — shout out to Sardis, Mississippi. My family migrated there just like a lot of black families in that area: they migrated there to get jobs, to get those factory jobs, that steel mill job. A lot of people from the South migrated to Detroit for the automobile business, you know. Like I said, Gary had U.S. Steel — it was basically the largest steel plant in the country at the time.
When late '70s, early '80s rolled around, a lot of layoffs start happening and the crack era ushered in — and when you got a lot of drugs and a bad economical situation, you can just imagine what happens to the city. It deteriorates. I'll say the city probably started deteriorating when I was about five or six years old, and since then it's just been on a steady decline.
So the things I rap about are 100 percent real. But at the same time, I don't rap about those things to tear my city down. I give you the reality of what it is and what I been through and how it is living in those conditions in Gary, Ind. But at the same time, I'm trying to shed light on it so that possibly, you know, we can figure out something to reverse that deterioration process.
KELLEY: When the city was thriving, what was happening culturally?
GIBBS: Culturally? Hm, when the city was thriving? When was that? In the '60s? The Jacksons. That's what was happening when the city was thriving. It was The Jackson 5. But you know, after that, it wasn't much hope left there.
KELLEY: In 1972, there was the National Black Political Convention.
GIBBS: Correct.
KELLEY: Did that have any impact? Is that ever talked about? Do people remember?
GIBBS: You know what man? I definitely can say — that probably scared a lot of white people away that lived in Gary. You got what we call, in the city, is "white flight." A lot of those people that lived in Gary in those areas, they moved because we had a black mayor that was all about black power: Richard Hatcher, at the time. He was pushing that line, and he was militant. And rightfully so. We were going through a time in America where you needed that black pride, and we needed something to be proud of.
With that said, I think that that drove a lot of people out of the city that were making money and spending money within the economical circle. That drove a lot of businesses out, in turn. I hate to say that you push the white people out, you push the money out, but essentially that's what happened. When they left, they moved to like Hobart and Merrillville and neighboring little towns like that. They just went like South Lake, and they took their businesses and influence with them. They built malls and things of that nature and movie theaters and things that we all could have had in Gary, they just built them south of Gary, in the middle of nowhere.
If you were to go to some of these places that they occupy now, in the '70s and '80s, there was nothing there — cornfields. But now they have multiple malls, multiple movie theaters, endless amounts of business. It's just a real direct stream of commerce, and we don't have that in Gary at all. We don't have a movie theater; we don't have a Wal-Mart.
MUHAMMAD: Wow.
GIBBS: We don't have a Target, like, we don't have big-name businesses opening up in our city to bring those jobs, to battle those economic woes that we have.
MUHAMMAD: So, if that's the case, then is it still highly affected by the drugs?
GIBBS: Oh, yeah. Definitely, man. I mean, crack, not so much. That's kind of — you see that everywhere in America kind of like dying down a little. People still smoking crack — don't get me twisted — but I mean, it's more so the youth, man. I think they about to close like three or four schools in Gary. Like we have no funding for, you know, school board, you know what I mean. My mom does a program, or she works with a program, that provides school supplies for the children. And I'm about to go back and donate to that. We do that every year, man, because the city just can't hack it.
MUHAMMAD: Wow.
GIBBS: It's tough. I can't — you know you can't really point the finger at anybody because it's like what would be the point of that?
MUHAMMAD: Are people leaving as a result? Like in Detroit, how most people just kind of like — it's a ghost town?
GIBBS: You hit it right on the head. You look at Gary; it's a smaller Detroit. That's exactly what it is; exactly what it is, totally.
MUHAMMAD: Wow.
GIBBS: Same crime rate, drugs, deteriorating business, you know what I mean. At least Detroit's got professional teams and things of that nature. They got the Lions, they got the Tigers, you know what I'm saying, the Pistons.
KELLEY: They just got the Lions and the Tigers back, whatever.
GIBBS: Yeah, they're barely hanging onto 'em by a thread but they got them though, you know what I mean. Is still some type of sense of pride there in Detroit, so they doing they thing.
A lot of my family lives in Detroit, too. Matter of fact, my Uncle Jimmy — he just died. Rest in peace to my Uncle Jimmy. He lived in Detroit. Like I said, most of my family migrated from Mississippi and half of them went to Detroit and half of them went to Gary.
MUHAMMAD: I was wondering about a song on the album, "Watts." I thought — is that a real relative?
GIBBS: Yeah, that's definitely a real relative. That's my uncle — my mom's brother.
MUHAMMAD: I felt it. Cause, you know, we all got someone.
GIBBS: Yeah, it's one in every family and I had to display mine.
MUHAMMAD: I was wondering if you did that as a reminder to yourself.
GIBBS: Right.
MUHAMMAD: Is that why you put it on the album?
GIBBS: Definitely. Keep me grounded. It's only certain people that could talk to me like that and he one of them. And you know when he mad, he don't mind speaking his mind. And like I said, man, things like that humble me, make me never, ever forget where I came from.
The dispute that he had was definitely ridiculous. He was calling my phone cause he was mad. He's been a real source of joy for me my whole life. I been laughing at him my whole life so it's cool, man, I love him to death. I definitely put that on the record to keep me humble and remind me, "This is where I come from, and my family still got the right to talk crazy to me if they want to."
MUHAMMAD: I love your attitude, your spirit about it. Cause it made me wonder — you know, certain words is just a straight violation, but when it comes to a relative, it's like —
GIBBS: Yeah.
MUHAMMAD: It's like, how do you rectify that? And I was also wondering, "I wonder if it was that big of a deal." Were you able to have a conversation? Be like, "OK, hear me out," and then he would hear you out and be like, "Oh OK, no big deal." Some of those words were just so cutting.
GIBBS: If you meet this guy, you will know that you cannot have a real conversation with this guy. You have to just take the good with the bad and let it roll. Let him say what he's gonna say. That builds your skin up. If you got tough skin, you could deal with it. He been cursing me out like that since I was four or five years old. It don't really affect me no more.
MUHAMMAD: That's crazy.
GIBBS: It's funny to me.
MUHAMMAD: It is funny. I'm just saying. I mean, you put it up there.
GIBBS: We real close. He'll cuss me out like that and then tell me he love me five minutes later.
MUHAMMAD: That's what I was wondering.
GIBBS: Yeah, we super close. That's just how we rock.
MUHAMMAD: You said this is the most street record for Madlib.
GIBBS: Definitely.
MUHAMMAD: Specifically with "Real," I was listening — I was like man, "I'm wondering how he's feeling about that." Like, "That has nothing to do with me," sort of a position or it's like, "Yo, we ride. Whatever it is, it is."
GIBBS: You know what, man? That ain't got nothing to do with him, you know what I mean? That don't got nothing to do with nobody but me and the person I was talking about on that record. And like I said, that's not the end all be all to what I am. Every record is an expression of how I was feeling at the time, and that's how I was feeling at the time so I felt like I just wanted to express that.
I don't want to make that the driving force behind the whole album. It's definitely one of the best songs on the album; I can't even front on that. It's definitely one my favorite songs on there, whether it's a diss record or not. But you know, that's how I felt that day and that's the way it came out. And if I feel like that another day, you gone get another one. So I suggest don't nobody make me feel like that and I won't have to do that to you.
MUHAMMAD: Understood.
KELLEY: Can we say who it is?
GIBBS: Yeah. It's Jeezy.
GIBBS: Yeah, you can say it. I say his name on the record. Ain't no secret. You know, me and him do not get along. Ain't nothing to play with. It is what it is.
KELLEY: You guys, to me, represent two different approaches to talking about struggles. You're very warts and all and sometimes with Tribe, it's like, "Let's uplift. Let's focus on what's possible." What do you get out of airing the dirty laundry?
GIBBS: It's therapeutic for me, man. It's good to get a lot of things off my chest and if I can do that through music and entertain people with it, then you know, it's just poetry in motion. That's how I look at it. Some things I don't get to talk about with certain people. Or, some things I'm not comfortable talking about in a regular conversational setting, but when I get it in the music, it's easier, you know, it's way easier. I can't really talk about, you know, me running down, chasing somebody around the corner with a gun trying to kill 'em in a conversational setting, it feels kind of weird. But when I do it on the music, it's like, oh yeah, it's like I'm painting a picture for you; it's like I'm giving you a vivid interpretation of what I'm trying to say.
KELLEY: Does it feel comfortable to perform a song like that?
GIBBS: Oh, yeah, definitely, definitely. I love performing. That's definitely one of my favorite things to do. I just act like it ain't nobody in the crowd and I just rock like I'm at home by myself. Every time I do a show, I gotta ask everybody, "Did I do good? Did I do alright? Did I do alright?" cause I'm like — my ears are on mute. I can't hear the crowd noise, I can't hear nothing. All I know is the cue for me to rap; that's all I know. I'm a straight robot on stage. I don't know what's going on nowhere else. It's just me and the mic, you know.
KELLEY: Our colleague interviewed you a few years ago and it was all about performing. It was right before you played a show at CMJ I think in 2010?
GIBBS: Uh-huh.
KELLEY: And you told him your pre-show ritual.
GIBBS: Uh-huh.
KELLEY: And part of it was praying.
GIBBS: Definitely.
KELLEY: Do you pray for something or do you pray that something doesn't happen?
GIBBS: I always pray for something. I don't ever pray for nothing negative, you know what I mean. I always be like, "Yo, let me do this right." You know, "God, let me go do what I — what you put me to do." That's really it. It's just a 20-second conversation. Like, "Yo, let me go execute." Execution — that's the main thing. Just execute the objective.
KELLEY: And when you spoke to him, you were sort of just starting to tour because you were working without a label and everything and so —
GIBBS: Still working without a label.
KELLEY: Right, right.
GIBBS: From the get-go.
KELLEY: You were making most of your money from shows. Is that still the case?
GIBBS: I make a lot of money off sales, too, selling these records. Every project might only sell like 30 to 50,000 but I mean, I'm getting seven, eight dollars every CD. I make more money per record than a artist on a major label — I can definitely say that.
KELLEY: Cause you got the Master P, deal, you say?
GIBBS: Definitely got the Master P deal. Shout out to Empire Distribution, those are my partners. They distribute all my music. ESGN, we put it out and it's a beautiful marriage to me, man. We make a good amount of money and we tour all over the world, so you can't really ask for much. It's nothing really a major label can really do for me that I can't do for myself right now. I got videos on MTV. I might not have — getting a thousand spins a day on the radio, but what does that really matter when the label's paying for that anyway?
I got a real core fan base, a grassroots fan base, and I just keep feeding them and they just keep growing. So unless a label gone come give me like $5 million, it really doesn't make any sense because I'm making a lot of money doing what I'm doing. Off the shows, we're selling out on iTunes every day. This album gone sell a lot so we about to get a big check off this.
Sometimes you gotta put your ego to the side and just be like, "Look, man, I'm an artist, this what I do. I'm making a living off of this; I'm feeding my family off of this." I don't need to be within the "in" crowd of rap. I don't need to be standing next to this guy, that guy, that guy, and be — I don't need to be on your magazine cover. I don't need to come to whatever. People that rock with me, they rock with me off of my sheer skill and just the fact that I'm a cool person. Nothing extra with me, man. If it ain't real love, then don't even have me come, you know what I mean. That's how I feel.
KELLEY: But what do you say to the haters on "Robes?"
GIBBS: Oh, man. "I got plenty fans, but I ain't nothin' without my haters." I ain't s—- without my haters. I gotta have the haters, you know what I mean? If you ain't got no haters, man, you ain't doing something right, man.
KELLEY: We feel like that.
GIBBS: For real. If everybody love you, you need to check yourself and think. Like, "Something could be wrong." If everybody love you and nobody hate you, it could be all over just like that, cause they'll turn their back on you real quick. I just feel like, gotta be some type of opposition. Gotta be some type. Or it ain't as sweet when you get to the top.
KELLEY: Right. And Raekwon is on that song?
GIBBS: Oh, yeah, definitely Raekwon is on there.
KELLEY: That was a nice smile. How did that happen?
GIBBS: Oh man, Raekwon. You know, we got mutual friends. My homeboy Dominican H, he a Brooklyn dude and he helped me get Rae on the record. Me and Rae, we did a little small tour together I think a year and a half ago, and we just developed a rapport from there. He asked me to do a record a while ago; I gave him this record and it was simple. That's how I love it, man.
That's why I love guys like Rae, because they don't make you deal with the industry politics just to do a record, man. That's one thing I hate. Like, "I gotta talk to this person, talk to that guy, I gotta get it cleared." I don't want to deal with all that when I'm doing my music. Like if we want to do music, let's just do music without all the red tape. And guys like Raekwon and Scarface, they made that possible for me without all the red tape.
MUHAMMAD: You know who I heard on there? I love what Raekwon did, but I just kept hearing Havoc and Prodigy. I was like, "Man, this sound like so tailor-made for Mobb Deep."
GIBBS: Yeah, man. I definitely want to — I'm bout to be remixing a lot of this album and I've already did one remix of the joint "Knicks." I got Action Bronson, my homeboy Ransom on there — Ransom's from Jersey; shout out to Ransom — I got Troy Ave on there, my homeboy Rob White on there, you know what I mean. So I rock with all New York cats on that thing. I'm definitely gonna remix a couple more joints and try to get the Mobb on there. I rock with Prodigy. Prodigy's the homie — shout out to Prodigy. It's all love, man. Like I said, I just like working with cats that I came up listening to and respect.
MUHAMMAD: I love — what's it, "Broken"? With Scarface?
GIBBS: Correct.
MUHAMMAD: Yo. You know that song touched me cause how you start it off. I was like, "Wow. He put it out there."
GIBBS: Yeah, that's real man. You know Islam is something that I definitely can relate to so I definitely had to throw that in there. And that record — man, I really poured it all out on that record. I've never done a record like that. I think that that's the most open, honest record that I've ever done. I listen to it, and it can bring me to tears, listening to that record.
MUHAMMAD: Me too.
GIBBS: And it's my record! Then when I hear Scarface on the end of it and he says, "Fred, I'm on the same page" and I'm like — it's surreal cause you know that's my favorite rapper, and to hear him on a record like that, where I'm being just all the way open like that, man — it's just real. I still don't believe it. The album's out and packaging's there and I still don't believe he on the album.
MUHAMMAD: I love that song. I think that — like with a lot of your music — I don't know the story of your life, but it feels like you speak about the life in the sense like, "Yo, to the limit, I have to live it," because that's what the surroundings may be or whatever. But it comes across like there's — it's sort of a price to pay, but I don't think you put it out there like that. You find ways of — not necessarily apologizing for it, but it's like, "This is what it is."
GIBBS: Right. I'm not trying to glorify it. It is what it is, you know what I mean. I'll tell you about it, but I'm not like — it ain't cool to get in shoot-outs every weekend. So I kind of gotta give you both sides of the coin with that. But at the same time, I gotta give you both sides of the coin when it come to messing with certain females, when it come to dealing drugs. Yeah, it's pluses to all of that. But it's plenty of minuses. I feel like somebody gotta make note of that.
Pimp C said that before he died. He was like, "Yeah, it's cool to have fun and do all of this and ball on these records and all that. It's cool, but we gotta add some type of social commentary to the records." When he said that, that really stuck with me and, you know, ever since then, I just been on a mission for that.
KELLEY: He said that to you in a private conversation?
GIBBS: Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah. I wish. He said it in an interview. I wish.
Oh, man. Man, I kill a rapper to bring Pimp C back. Take one of you guys out. Why we have to lose Pimp C? Why couldn't we lose somebody else? Nah, I'm just joking.
KELLEY: I don't think you're alone in that feeling.
GIBBS: For real. Real talk: there's a couple guys that we could have pushed off a cliff just to get Pimp C back. I kill three rappers to get Pimp C back.
KELLEY: Warts and all.
GIBBS: For real.
MUHAMMAD: Who was the inspiration for "S—-sville?"
GIBBS: You know what? This goofy rapper said something about me on Twitter. I ain't even gonna say his name, cause he ain't even worth publicity. But he was somebody that was signed to a major label — signed to a big rap cat. And like, he's nobody now. The cat that signed him don't even rock with him. But I remember he said something to me on Twitter, something basically bashing me, man. All it take for you to do is — to spark me off, man … I'm a calm guy; I'm a nice guy. But man, dude, when you push me to that level — I let all that rage and emotion just pour out on that record.
I was just tired of the things that I was hearing, you know, in the music, like guys perpetuating something that they weren't. Like I say in that song, "The society dare a n—— to do drugs and dare you deal 'em, distribute and conceal 'em," And then I said, "My n——s don't got no boats or no ports / How you think we get 'em?" It's guys out here talkin' 'bout they meeting Pablo on the boat and all this and — just far-fetched stories.
Those drugs are getting dropped off in the ghetto every day, to a guy that they think can sell 'em, and they making they money and they looking down laughing at us. But we gotta do what we gotta do cause we ain't got no other options, you know what I mean. I gotta sell that pack of cocaine because I don't have a job, or I don't have the correct training, or the correct funds to get me the training that I need to get a good job and provide for my family. It's so easy to succumb to that.
With that record, I just wanted to pour all that emotion out, and show people the real side of the things. "S—-sville," that's where we was living at, man. We was really dipped in the s—-, man, for real.
MUHAMMAD: Wow. I like that record. I just think it's a real kind of like tongue-in-cheek — especially when you go, "It's just like me." I love that.
GIBBS: Right, man. We all the same. We all live and born to die, man, and ain't no man greater than the next. You could be easily dipped into the s—- just like me, you know what I mean. I wanted to show that. I think that record kind of gives people a little bit of self-confidence, too. It evens the playing field a little bit in life, I think.
MUHAMMAD: Yeah. I know the record just dropped. Have you and Madlib talked about, like, Part 2 already?
GIBBS: The day the record dropped, we was like, "We ain't never doing Part 2." We was like, "The only way we gonna do Part 2, it's gonna have to build up a lot of hype." I'm not really a fan of Part 2s and Part 3s and Number this and Number that, cause I feel like it take away from the first one, man. We do another record together, it's definitely not gone be Part 2 — it's probably gone be called something else.
Hopefully we do that, you know what I mean. But right now, we gone celebrate this. We gone ride this one 'til the wheels fall off cause I think that we dropped a classic, man, and it's something to be, you know, just put up there.
I was looking the other day at a lot of the records that got 5 Mics in The Source. Y'all got a record in there, Outkast, you know what I'm saying, a couple other people. And I was just like, "Man, I gotta do something on that level before I check out the game." I could easily sit up and rap on all these, whatever they call it, trap beats, that everybody — I've definitely done that throughout my career and a lot of my records and whatnot. But I wanted to do something that was gonna sit by itself. No matter how people took it, or if it was critically acclaimed or not, I didn't really care. I wanted to do something like, "OK, nobody else did this this year." Or, "Nobody else is gonna do this this year."
MUHAMMAD: The way it starts off — what's the name of the intro?
GIBBS: "The Supplier."
MUHAMMAD: "The Supplier." That just — it sets the tone right there. It's like, "Yo, uh oh, this is serious." Stop everything and let me really listen to this album.
GIBBS: Yeah, the whole record is like a Blaxploitation film. I grew up watching those Blaxploitation films like Black Caesar, Super Fly and things of that nature. And when I listen to Madlib beats — I told him when we started working on it — I was like, "Man, when I listen to your beats, that's the mode that I get in. I think of that Blaxploitation, Ron O'Neal type stuff." That's the sound I was looking for with this record.
MUHAMMAD: Yeah. If anyone's listening out there and they know Madlib, he chops stuff up, so there's that familiarity of it, and this definitely has his signature. But I think your voice and the painting that you put on that canvas, it's a good combination.
GIBBS: Yeah, definitely, man. Like I said, I don't think he made nothing this gangsta before in his career.
MUHAMMAD: Yeah, I don't think so.
GIBBS: And I don't think there's no gangsta rappers that rap as good as I rap, honestly. I mean, you got a lotta guys that can tell you about the street. They be like, "Yeah, shawty, we got a bag. We doin' this. We bang." But nah, man. I don't think nobody brings it across as intelligent as I do, you know what I mean, from my standpoint. They just can't out-rap me, flat-out.
MUHAMMAD: What do you think, as a gangsta rapper, is one supposed to take away from the music?
GIBBS: You know what? I hear a lot of people say, "Oh, man. Gangsta rap, man, the subject matter. How many times you gonna bang, bang, shoot 'em up, sell drugs on the records and this, that and the other." But I mean, that's where I'm from, man. I rap about that cause that's what I seen coming up.
I know that the subject can get redundant, but at the same time, you gotta think of new ways to flip it, new ways to bring it across to 'em each time, and that's what I did with Cocaine Piñata. Everybody can sit up and talk about selling drugs or banging and gang-banging and all of that; it's just the way you bring it across.
MUHAMMAD: What do you think is missing in hip-hop now?
GIBBS: Diversity. I think that everybody's doing the same thing and everybody's trying to jump on one bandwagon. Everybody trying to be in one big clique. Just the diversity I think.
KELLEY: You got some of this new generation on here, though: Earl and Danny and Ab — how do you decide who?
GIBBS: Earl and Domo, those are my homies. The whole Odd Future, I'm cool with them. They some weird little dudes. They come by the house, and, you know, this whole record was made organically. It was just people at the house doing verses, whoever wanted to come through and rock. Mac Miller came through and rocked, that was love. It was just the homies; it's a homiefied album, you know what I mean? Me and Madlib homies, everybody that jumped on the record was my homie — Scarface, Raekwon. It was all love.
KELLEY: What about BJ?
GIBBS: BJ, too. I just talked to BJ. I mean, me and BJ always work together. BJ from Chicago, so that's a given. That's hands down.
KELLEY: So that song "Shame" — he sounds sampled. I think it's the best he's ever sounded.
GIBBS: Yeah, man. A lot of people ask me was that a sample? I'm like, "No, that's BJ."
KELLEY: Yeah.
GIBBS: Yeah, BJ is great. A lot of people sleep on BJ the Chicago Kid. Shout out to BJ the Chicago Kid. He definitely have one of the best voices in the game, period.
KELLEY: 100 percent. How would you describe that record, though? It's nostalgia but not from your point of view and —
GIBBS: That was actually one of the first records that we did off the album and whatnot. That sample was just so smooth. It was like, what could I rap about but girls on there? It was so smooth and then BJ just came in and killed it. To be honest, I sang it first and then he came over and re-sang it for me. I did a little reference. Don't sleep on my singing skills, either.
KELLEY: I would like to hear that but also I'm very glad that BJ came in.
GIBBS: Yeah, don't sleep on my singing skills, either.
KELLEY: What's the line you're most proud of off the album?
GIBBS: That's quite difficult; every rap is like my baby. Probably the line on "Broken," in the end when I say, "Seven days a week, I'm living in a rush / Seven grams of rock, I stuff 'em in my n—s," you know what I'm saying. That was like, you know, a real line. I was talking about my pops, like how his infidelity with my mom and things of that nature, how that rubbed off on me. Seeing your pops with a bunch of different women, when you get grown, it's gone be hard for you to stay married or be with one woman.
It's difficult — especially with all the fame and the money and things of that nature, it's hard. And I say that on the record. I be like, "Running through groupies and boppers, I guess I got it honest," you know what I mean. "But honestly I know I'm out here f—-ing up / Seven grams of rock, I stuff 'em in my n—s." I got bad traits from my father. I got bad traits from my uncles, selling drugs. I mean, you heard 'em on the record. I took — a lot of good things I took from them, but I took a lot of bad things from them and I applied them to the streets. This record is a display of that. But I'm man enough to know now that those were transgressions and now I'm all about progression.
MUHAMMAD: I can't remember the exact three words, but what was it you said that I was like, "I gotta get a definition." Is it something jug of juice?
GIBBS: Ah, it's crazy. Hot water jugging — it's crazy. Shout out to Egon, because Egon asked me about that, too. I said, "If I never sell a record, might catch me hot water juggin'." That's cooking crack. You got the jug with the dope in it, at the stove, hot water, let's get it cracking. Literally, let's get it cracking. I definitely brought a couple new slanguage terms to this album, too.
MUHAMMAD: Yeah, I'ma have to go back and listen for some more, but that one caught me. I was like, "Hot water juggin'?"
GIBBS: Hot water juggin'. It's a lot of guys out there hot water juggin', man. They know what's up.
KELLEY: I feel pretty good about everything we've got.
GIBBS: I'm blessed to be here right now. I'm blessed to be in the room with you right now, man. When I walked in here, saw you was here I was like, "What?" I had to go to the bathroom. And just, "What's going on?" Man, everything's a blessing from God, that's how I look at it. Every day is a gift, man. I woke up this morning, it's a gift. Sent my mom some money yesterday; it's a gift.
I'm able to provide. I'm not on the corner. I'm not in nobody jail cell, you know, I ain't out here got 10 women chasing me for child support. I pay my taxes. You aint gone never hear, "Freddie Gibbs owe $3 million in taxes." Nah, ain't gone be none of that.
I'm living a real — how can I put it? My life is in order right now, man, that's how I can say it. I went through so many years of my life not being in order, and for it to be in order right now, it's a blessing. I'm speechless, man.
My mom, she look at me and shed a tear now because five, 10 years ago, you didn't know what path I was gonna go down, or where I was gonna wind up, because everything that I was doing I was losing at it. I was losing. I went to college, played football; lost that. Went to the military — which I didn't want to do, the judge made me do that — but I lost that. I got kicked out of that, being insubordinate. Every job I ever had, I lost. It was like nothing really worked for me, at all, man, and this the first thing in my life that I won at. And I'm winning at. I'm definitely not gonna take it for granted at all.
KELLEY: We've been talking to a lot of people who have reached the point that you're at. And then the music, it's like, you can hear it. It's never people saying, "I'm the best. I can tell you how to be the best. Be yourself," whatever. It's less direct than that, but it just comes out more clearly.
GIBBS: Yeah, definitely. I think I'm the best rapper. Honestly, that's my opinion. If I don't think that, how can I sell it to you, you know what I mean? But I let the music speak for itself, I let the lyrics speak for themselves. I don't need to profess that all the time or tweet it or anything like that. If you can do what I do lyrically, then do it. I think that — I don't think it's nothing that anybody else does lyrically out there that I can't do. It ain't nothing that challenging to me. I think that I made a lot of rappers scratch they head with this record.
And I know that for a fact because they was calling my phone and telling me and texting me. A lot of them was asking me for Madlib number. And I'm like, "Nah, man. Get it out the yellow pages." I threw a monkey wrench in the game, I think.
But watch how many labels and these majors and things of that nature — watch how many of my techniques they try to steal. Watch how many of my techniques they try to incorporate with their artists. Really, whoever come out with an album sounding like this, they need to give me a check. Somebody's definitely gonna try to duplicate it.
MUHAMMAD: Yeah, that's inevitable.
GIBBS: They not gone be able to do it, though.
MUHAMMAD: Stay on your grind, though.
GIBBS: Definitely.
KELLEY: Thank you so much.
GIBBS: Thank y'all so much. I really appreciate y'all having me.
KELLEY: This was really great.
GIBBS: It's a humbling experience. I appreciate y'all. Thank y'all so much.
MUHAMMAD: You in New York City sold out?
GIBBS: Sold out NYC. We sold out in L.A., too.
MUHAMMAD: That's what's up.
GIBBS: Sold out Chicago. We selling it all out. Everything sell out.
MUHAMMAD: Well, I won't say break a leg. That one always throws me when people say, "Break a leg."
GIBBS: Nah, don't break a leg.
MUHAMMAD: I don't know how to take that. I know it's show business, but I'ma say just have the best trance that you can ever have, since you go in a trance when you go on stage.
GIBBS: Definitely get in a trance.
MUHAMMAD: That's what's up.
GIBBS: Man, I appreciate it, big homie. That's love. [Copyright 2014 NPR]


text:
- Filed Under
Elain Ellerbe will lead a two-day workshop next week to teach local people how to deal with poverty effectively by becoming allies to those in need.
Ellerbe is associated with the statewide organization, Resources Benefiting Families. She's also affiliated with Refined By Fire Ministries, which received the national designation to become an area consultant for the Bridges Out of Poverty program.
"Bridges Out of Poverty: Strategies for Professionals and Communities," was written by Ruby Payne, which is used today to implement the program in communities across the nation. ...

subset: commoncrawl


text:
YOUNTVILLE, Calif. (AP) — Geologists are reporting a 3.7-magnitude earthquake in Northern California.
The United States Geological Survey announced on its website that the quake occurred at about 9:04 p.m. about 5 miles east-northeast of Yountville, Calif.
The earthquake was recorded at a depth of about 4.7 miles, the USGS reported.
Yountville is a town of about 3,000 people in California's wine-growing Napa Valley region.
It was not immediately clear if the quake had caused any damage.
©2014 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Here are the most recent story comments.View All


text:
King Conservation District holds bareroot plant sale
January 29, 2013
By Staff
Residents can stock up on native shrubs and trees as the King Conservation District holds a bareroot plant sale.
The taxpayer-funded district offers the plants for conservation purposes, such as wildlife habitat, windbreaks, hedgerows, reforestation and stream enhancement.
The plant stock is bareroot, meaning the shrubs and trees do not come in pots or burlap bags.
The next sale is scheduled for March 1-2, but organizers suggest residents interested in purchasing plants order early online. The online order deadline is Feb. 8, and residents can browse the available plants at the district website, www.kingcd.org/pro_native.htm.
Residents then pick them up at the district office, 1107 S.W. Grady Way, Renton.
Got something to say?
Before you comment, please note:
- These comments are moderated.
- Comments should be relevant to the topic at hand and contribute to its discussion.
- Personal attacks and/or excessive profanity will not be tolerated and such comments will not be approved.
- This is not your personal chat room or forum, so please stay on topic.


text:
- Filed Under
Peg Atherton refers to her Queen Anne home as the "painted lady."
Atherton is selling her home at 1226 Broadway St. on the Near Northside for $674,900.
Since buying the Victorian home, the Athertons have updated the kitchen with granite countertops and a gas stove with claw feet. ...


text:
Geberit has to report to SIX Swiss Exchange all transactions of Geberit shares and options made by the Board of Directors and the Group Executive Board.
The disclosure of management transactions is intended as a means of furthering the supply of information to investors. Such disclosure provides investors with additional qualitative insight with regard to their investment decision.
Information on management transactions can be found on the website of SIX Swiss Exchange. Please fill in "Geberit" in the corresponding search field "company". The link to SIX (Swiss Exchange) can be found on the right hand side of this page.


text:
A man and a woman were arrested after deputies allegedly found crystal methamphetamine in a car at a truck stop in west El Paso County, sheriff's officials said.
Deputies with a drug-sniffing dog allegedly found 2 grams of crystal meth, drug paraphernalia and chemicals and other items to make meth on Thursday in a Cadillac Deville parked at the Petro II truck stop on Westway Boulevard.
James Mears, 34, was arrested on suspicion of having a controlled substance. He was jailed under a $2,500 bond.
Car passenger Christina Banning, 33, was arrested on suspicion of giving a deputy a fake name. Her bond was set at $300.
A haz-mat team and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration were called to dispose the chemicals.


text:
FootprintWire 26.3.12
Recycled shipping container hotel by Alsop approved for planning
UK Centre for Carbon Measurement due to open in south-west London, in BBC news.
Danish Government increases green energy and carbon reduction targets for 2020, with half of its electricity delivered by wind farms.
Las Vegas to pump water across 300 miles of desert, in The Guardian.
And finally … Alsop wins planning for modular hotel made of recycled shipping containers, based on My Space Pod concept. Read full article on AJ.
Subscribe to Footprint by email.
Have your say
You must sign in to make a comment.


text:
Archive for Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Wrestlers look to be consistent at Burlington
January 6, 2010
After a start that coach Shannon Sawner has deemed up and down, the De Soto wrestling team will begin the second half of its season Saturday at the Burlington Tournament.
The field will consist of 16 teams, primarily representing 3A and 4A schools. The tournament will provide the Wildcats an opportunity to develop some much-desired consistency.
"We've had a few tournaments this year where we've wrestled well but made some small mental mistakes that has hurt us on the scoreboard," Sawner said.
If those mistakes are eliminated this weekend, Sawner said his squad had a good chance to be competitive in the tournament.
"We always want to improve upon what we did last year, so this year at Burlington our goal would be to finish in the top five," he said. "If we eliminate those mistakes we have a lot of potential in some of our kids."
Sawner said he would field a full varsity squad with openings only at the 112-pound and 130-pound weight divisions. He added a few of his talented freshmen should get the nod this weekend.
"We still need to develop them a bit, but we'll wrestle Shane Bunn at 103, Christian Zwahlen and Brent Johnson," he said. "The freshmen may take some lumps in the next few weeks, but we'll continue trying to prepare them. There's a fine line between taking lumps and getting them discouraged."
One newcomer who Sawner expects to help immediately is transfer student Cole Cannon. Cannon, who made the move from St. James this year, was a state qualifier last year.
"He's looked good in the wrestling room and has been undefeated in his 15 or 16 JV matches for us," Sawner said.
More like this story
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Commenting has been disabled for this item.


text:
Welcome to the Proof Point series—research findings to use when advocating for the marketing approaches you know are right.
You're the marketing and communications expert. But that doesn't mean your boss, colleagues and/or board buy your recommendations. Whether they just don't get the whys (so feel uncomfortable), propose a "better" solution or gravitate to the devil's advocate role, these proof points will help make your case and protect crucial relationships!
Today's Proof Point: Your website(s) and email marketing are the most important communications channels you have. That's the call from the 1,500+ nonprofit communicators who shared insights and practices for the 2015 Nonprofit Communications Trends Report.


text:
About Us
Wendover Ambulance provides state-of-the-art emergency medical services, capable of providing advanced life support, to the communities of Wendover, Utah, and West Wendover, Nevada.
Wendover Ambulance offers an incredible hands-on experience for our EMS providers. Our service area is over 8,000 square miles.
Pay a Bill
Payments made through our website are processed by PayPal. You don't need a PayPal account in order to make a payment using your credit card.


text:
LONDON (AP) - Keira Knightley, the glamorous star of "Pirates of the Caribbean," is engaged to marry musician James Righton, her publicist said Friday.
Publicist Sara Keene said the couple were not releasing any details of the proposal, and did not have any comment on wedding plans.
Righton is a keyboard player for the rock group Klaxons. He and Knightley, 27, have been dating since early last year. Previously, Knightley dated actor Rupert Friend for several years.
Knightley first won notice for her role as a soccer-playing teenager in "Bend It Like Beckham."
She went on to star in the first three "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies and was nominated for an Oscar in 2006 for her role as Elizabeth Bennet in an adaptation of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice."
Copyright 2015 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


text:
Welcome to the Virus Encyclopedia of Panda Security.
Windows 2003/XP/2000/NT/ME/98/95
It uses stealth techniques to avoid being detected by the user:
FlySky.AD. uses the following propagation or distribution methods:
Panda Quick Start
Let our experts install, activate, configure and customize your Panda's antivirus solution.
[+] info
Panda Remote Virus & Spyware Removal
Let our experts access remotely to your PC, scan it and remove all viruses and spyware detected.
[+] info


text:
Donkeygate: a reply
Before getting into the following, I would like to be clear: I have never sent a donkey parasailing. I do not intend to do so. If I saw it happening I would try to stop it. Also, if I see a spider in my flat I catch it in a tumbler and take it outside rather than squash it.
Anyway, there's a blog elsewhere on this site featuring a video of a donkey parasailing. Quite a lot of people commenting on that post apparently found the idea that anyone could watch such a video in anything apart from total horror repellent. Its publication was variously characterised as 'sickening', 'deplorable', 'disgusting', and 'despicable'.
Meanwhile, most of today's newspapers, ours included, got the story in somewhere. Was this because of a sense of horror across Fleet Street at the evil being done to this donkey? Was it because of the geopolitical ramifications of the animal's ordeal, and the long term impact it's likely to have on the tourist prospects of the village of Golubitskaya? I would suggest that no, it wasn't. It was included, and widely read, because it was a completely unexpected picture, man bites dog rather than dog bites man.
And, yes: it was funny. You just don't see pictures of donkeys parasailing every day, and the disconnect between the normal image and the one you're presented with is sort of entertaining, and if we want people to read our lengthy reports on a crisis at the UN, or the Afghanistan donors' conference, or Pakistani politicians accused of faking their degrees, all of which I would heartily recommend to you, then we tend to take the view that when something incredible unusual happens we should probably draw your attention to that, too. Not everything we consume has to be important, and a newspaper that behaved like it did just wouldn't be reflecting the real world.
Now, it's possible to be hypocritical about this and just make it available and pretend that we're doing so with a totally straight face. Indeed, no news report should include the value judgement that something like this is funny. But – look, sorry – speaking without a news hat on, it just is quite a funny video. You don't have to be a pervert to think so. It's not because of the donkey's ultimate fate, or any satisfaction at the terror it's experiencing. It's just the completely unexpected image of a DONKEY wearing a PARACHUTE.
If we could have only stopped that donkey being forced to wear that parachute, yeah, I think all of us – or very nearly all of us – would do so. But we weren't in Golubitskaya. We were somewhere else. (A dog fight, in my case. No, just kidding.) And now there is a video of a DONKEY, and I just cannot emphasise this enough, wearing a PARACHUTE. Another way of putting it is that there is a video of a FLYING DONKEY.
Finding that funny does not make you a sadist, a fact that is probably appreciated by the very many people who watched the video and have not as yet stuck a hamster on a bungee cord, and who seem to be less likely to comment than the moral minority. Also, a woman left £125,794.42 to Sidmouth Donkey Sanctuary in her will earlier this year. Also, outraged comments on mean video about single flying donkey: 15. Outraged comments on grim drug addiction story about people forced to inject blood: one. Come on, furious animal lover. Don't be telling us we're the ones with our priorities out of order.Tagged in: donkeys, parasailing
Recent Posts on Eagle Eye
- Cameron and Modi bond as they woo some 60,000 overseas Indians at Wembley
- Modi tries to revamp his battered image as he flies to London
- Big defeat for India's Narendra Modi just before UK visit
- Mark Carney is compromising the Bank of England's independence
- Do the latest GDP revisions vindicate Osborne's austerity?
Latest from Independent journalists on Twitter


text:
Updated 04/17/2015
Traverse a bridge flanked by gargoyles and gas lamps to reach the Beast's castle, home of this massive new restaurant with a Beauty and the Beast theme, French flair, and the Magic Kingdom's first and only wine and beer served at dinner. The 500-seat restaurant has three rooms: a gilded ballroom, whose ceiling sports cherubs with the faces of Imagineers' children; the tattered West Wing, with a slashed painting that changes from prince to beast during faux storms; and the Rose Gallery. Decor comprises French provincial furniture, suits of armor, and heavy drapes. Food, scratch-prepared on-site, includes pan-seared salmon, grilled steak, and maybe a pork rack with red wine au jus. The signature kids' soft drink comes in a light-up castle cup, and desserts, while sweet, are made without refined sugar. Be sure to accept a dollop of "the grey stuff—it's delicious." Lunch is a no-reservations fast-casual affair with the likes of quinoa salad and a braised pork stew with mashed potatoes, ordered on a touch screen and delivered to the table.
Fantasyland, Walt Disney World, Florida, 32830, United States
Website: www.disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining
Restaurant Details:
Updated 04/17/2015
No Thanks


text: Not as far as I know. A favorite blonde thread would be fun, if you want to start a thread. Even if there were a thread no one should ever worry about starting a duplicate thread. I'd rather members start threads and (worst case) have to merge them than not start threads at all. Currently it seems that no one starts threads, which makes me sad. In all honesty a thread would have to be obviously identical for me to feel inclined to merge. As long as it is just different enough to sustain a separate conversation I would not even bother merging, no matter how similar.


text:
Arena, Friday
We couldnt think of anything new to say about the Trans-Siberian
Orchestras annual visit, so heres what we said last yearer,
two years ago: Imagine if Queensrÿche were to perform something
called Operation: Nütcracker and youre in the ballpark
of what the Trans-Siberian Orchestra might have to offer.
Since 1996, Paul ONeill, Robert Kinkel and ex-Savatage vocalist
(we just had to mention that) Jon Oliva have been slicing,
dicing and mostly shredding traditional holiday music to create
their unique spin on the seasonal standards. By pairing heavy-metal
guitars and drums with full orchestration, the TSO have sold
millions of records and become something of a seasonal standard
in their own right. Heres proof: There are now two touring
companies of this production. Excellent! (Dec. 22, 4 and
8 PM, $40-$50, 51 S. Pearl St., Albany, 800-30-EVENT)
Bassett, knotworking
Tavern, Friday
They always come running back. Fridays lineup at the Lark
looks like something that might have happened in, oh, 2004:
Heart-on-sleeve alternapopper Brian Bassett and heart-in-the-ashtray
alt-country collective knotworking will team up for what is
being billed as a homecoming. Bassett bolted the area for
Raleigh, N.C., early this year, leaving behind a couple of
rather good releases (Rock and Roll, Nothing to
Lose); no official word on his current status, but we
have a feeling hell have more to offer in the coming months.
Knotworking leader Ed Gorch took his act to Brooklyn a few
years back, and is currently working on a few projects there;
hell reunite with a few of his old bandmates for this show,
and hes made vague promises about a fourth knotworking record
in 2007. Hold him to it. (Dec. 22, 10 PM, $5, 463 Madison
Ave., Albany, 463-9779)
Annual Ghosts of Hardcore Past
Operation Ivy are scheduled to headline over the Buzzcocks
this Friday, and opening for them are the Violent Femmes andget
thisWeezer. OK, yeah, so . . . not really. The deal is this:
An eclectic mix of local bands are getting together to perform
sets of covers of their influential alt-punk forefathers.
(Yes, we just called Weezer an influential alt-punk forefather.
It has come to that.) But we have to admit, were really excited
by the clash of styles that the show promises to produce.
We really sort of dig Evixxions Joy Division cover, so we
have high hopes for the sludgesters take on My Name Is Jonas
(Please tell us youre covering My Name is Jonas!). (Dec.
22, 7 PM, $10, 17 New Scotland Ave., Albany, 432-6572)
103.1 Yule Rock
Lights, Friday-Saturday
The folks at Channel 103.1 FM are all about the holiday cheer.
To prove it, theyve expanded their annual Yule Rock concert
to a two-night event. Night one (Friday) features the unfortunately
named alternative-rockers-on-the-rise Red Jumpsuit Apparatus,
plus the Audition, Patent Pending, and Moros Eros. Night two
(Saturday) is a decidedly more punishing affair (for those
on the naughty list, we presume) featuring the Stillborn
Fest. The event is headlined by ho-ho-hardcore heavies Hatebreed;
and the packed lineup features sets from God Forbid, Full
Blown Chaos, Subzero, the Risk Taken, Scurvy, Recon, Brick
by Brick, and Johnny Mathis. Just kidding on that last one.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good ni-i-i-i-ght! (Dec.
22, 7 PM, $12; Dec. 23,5 PM, $18, 1208 Route 146, Clifton
Park, 371-0012)
Loder & Friends
Helsinki, Tuesday
If youre still feeling that egalitarian Christmas vibe on
the day after, boogie over to Great Barringtons Club Helsinki.
There you will find neo-hippie poet-nomad Jordan Loder combining
reggae, folk and rock, and alternating between hard truths
and tender invocations in his original compositions. Dude
will be joined by a variety of Berkshire notables, including
three MacVeetys (Bob, Sue and Max), Steve Ide, Jeff Stephens
and many more. Its kind of a homecoming for Western Massachusetts-born
Loder, so look for old friends and kind buds. Opening will
be Rob Sanzones Bah Humbugs. (Dec. 26, 8 PM, $12, 284
Main St., Great Barrington, Mass., 413-528-3394)
you like your dreamy pop sounds mixed with big
gleaming slabs of classical romanticism, check
out Michael Amante at Proctors Theatre
tomorrow (Friday) night. Tony Bennett says the
dudes the next Mario Lanza, and the times demand
another Mario Lanza (8 PM, $19.75-$77.50, 346-6204).
. . . Saturday night at Red Square: Super-happy-tastes-like-candy
pre-Xmas fun with Kitty Little, the Luxury
Flats, Evolution Revolution and Scientific
Maps. Go ahead and indulge, its too close
to Christmas for Santa to notice (9 PM, $5, 465-0444).
. . . Also Saturday, another dance-tastic international/Latin
party with Babaloo at Club Helsinki (9
PM, $15, 413-528-3394). . . . Let us take you
down, cause were going toSchenectady. Specifically,
the Van Dyck on Wednesday night to dig Tom
Raider. He will be channeling John Lennon
in his Imagining Lennon show (8 PM, $15,
381-1111). . . . Or, you could saddle up with
the New Riders of the Purple Sage and go
lookin for Panama Red, also on Wednesday, at
the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton (7 PM,
$25, 413-584-0610).


text:
Information about vegan products that I have personally tried, including everything from food, cosmetics, and household cleaners, to shoes, cookbooks, and who knows what else.
Why this blog?
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Vegan Hair Color: "Naturtint Green Technologies"
On my continual quest for products that are both vegan and more natural, the hair color issue was for me inevitable. As much as I hope to one day embrace my gray, I am not yet ready. I did a bit of online research and came across a few products that have been recommended as suitable for vegans.
Initially I was very excited about one site in particular which featured a vegan hair color called "act naturals," and I emailed them in the hopes of obtaining more info about their product. I never heard anything back despite emailing them several more times over the course of a few months before I eventually gave up. They do list a phone number where they can supposedly be reached between the very inconvenient hours of 8:30am to 5:00 pm eastern time Monday through Friday.
Instead of trying to reach them by phone, I ordered a different brand online called "Tints of Nature," which worked ok but left my hair feeling a bit dried out. It also came in a very small bottle, so even though I have short hair, I almost ran out of color before I had completely covered my hair.
The next product I tried and the one that I am now recommending to you is called "Naturtint." (If you live in Bellingham, you can find this product at the Co op for around $14 a box. You can also find it online for about 9 or 10 bucks a box.) I started out with a 5N "Light Chestnut Brown," and it was very very dark. I recommend choosing a shade or two lighter than you think you want because you can always go darker more easily than you can go lighter, and these colors tend to run dark. Also, the "N" colors seem to have more of a greenish base, while the "G" colors are more reddish.
I eventually switched to the 5G "Light Golden Chestnut," which I really like, but right now I am dealing with the slightly lighter shade on my roots not fully blending with the darker ends. (This is the color I probably should have started out with, but it's hard to know what will happen when you are experimenting on yourself until you try...)
Anyway, the good news is, the gray coverage is awesome and there are no gross chemical smells with this dye. It is permanent hair color that is also ammonia and paraben free, and it's made from a vegetable protein base. It is gentle on my hair and leaves it softer than before I color it, and with the use of a color-safe vegan shampoo and conditioner, the color can last up to 5 weeks. (If you don't use a color-safe shampoo, the color will be stripped from your gray pretty quickly. I use Abba's "Pure Color Protect." It's vegan and it works great on color-treated hair.) Naturtint hair color is also easy to mix and apply, and it comes with simple clear instructions, and also with a small amount of shampoo and color-setting conditioner.
I can't vouch for how well the blonde shades work since my only experience is with the darker colors, so if anyone out there ends up trying those out, please let me know. I have to say though that I am very happy to have finally found a vegan-friendly hair color that is more natural than the typical chemical-based smelly dyes that make your scalp tingle and damage your hair! If I ever hear anything from that other company, I'll let you know. But for now Naturtint is the one I recommend that I will be using again.
9 comments:
I agree - this is a great product. Thanks for sharing.ReplyDelete
I googled 'vegan friendly hair dye' and yours was the most helpful link I found; thanks for taking the time to make the recommendation.ReplyDelete
It's time to start covering that gray which is turning into a little more that a few here and there that I can just pluck out. ;-). I live in Vancouver, BC so I'll check out some of the Whole Food stores here, if not I can always zip down to Bellingham. Thanks again!
I made the comment above, showing me as 'unknown' but my names' Racquelle. CheersReplyDelete
Thanks Racquelle! I am glad I could help! I am still using this hair color and it works great. Let me know what you think if you end up trying it. :)ReplyDelete
Hi CM,ReplyDelete
I'm wondering if you've tried or heard of Naturcolor by Herbaceuticals? I've been using it for over 10 years and do love it. However, I have seborrhea Dermatitis and it seems no matter what I use, I still break out (could be brought on by other issues such as stress so not blaming the haircolor necessarily). Rgds, Sharon
Hi Sharon! I have not tried Naturcolor before, but I am curious about it now. From what I could find online, it sounds pretty similar to Naturtint. Do you order it online, or is there some place local where you buy it?ReplyDelete
Thanks for the post. I'm looking for a "temporary" hair color, the kind that last "28 washes." I THINK this is what I want because from my coloring experience the permanent ones strip the natural color from my hair then when the color fades I'm left with a bleached out version of my original (dark brown). In that instance, I'm stuck with the lighter look or have to recolor. Is this your experience with "permanent" hair colors? If so, do you have a recommendation for a "temporary" color? ThanksReplyDelete
Hi Cassie,ReplyDelete
My issue when it comes to coloring my hair is that my roots are becoming increasingly gray, which makes them lighter than the rest of my hair. I find I have to leave the color on my roots longer than the rest of my hair when I am processing it, and that it does begin to fade by about the 4th or 5th week, which is also about the time my gray starts to become noticeable again due to growth. So I tend to color my hair every 5 weeks.
I have never used a semi-permanent color, so I don't have any advice I am afraid. However, if you live in B'ham, you should talk to Billy at The Velvet Rope hair salon--he is beginning to find out more and more about vegan hair color, and he really knows his stuff when it comes to deciding what kind of color to use for what situation. I say next time you need a haircut, schedule an appt with him, and then you could ask him for advice on coloring too--he does an amazing job!
I went on line for Naturtint hair color and it looks like it no longer is available. Only Tint of Nature. But I will try the Co-op. Thanks for your evaluation of products though, it is much appreciated!ReplyDelete


text:
click to enlarge, hover to zoom
A lighter version of our Silk & Honey product for moms. It's smooth lotion feel--l versus a thicker cream--makes it easy to rub in, and leaves skin wonderfully fresh and moisturized. Non-irritating and hypoallergenic.
The Bella B skin care line is designed to provide luxurious moisture for skin all over the body. From Orange County-based Mother's Intuition, the Bella B natural line includes a full range of stretch mark prevention and fading products, firming and control cream for cellulite and a revitalizing moisture solution for tired legs and feet. The company utilizes safe, natural and hypoallergenic ingredients to create products that are pleasurable to use as well as effective. Bella B skin care products have no petroleum-based ingredients, mineral oil, lanolin or artificial preservatives.
Customer Service 866-SHOP-DUE (746-7383)
eMail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Hours M-F 8:30-5 CT


text:
In This Issue:
Inspired minds will connect at CompTIA ChannelCon, the premier education and partnering event for the IT channel being held July 29 to July 31 at the Peabody Orlando. ChannelCon is the hot spot where industry training, peer-to-peer learning, and partner networking all come together resulting in new partnerships and business growth. Attend at NO COST! This $899 value is complimentary for solution providers. Register now!
White Paper
Can you fathom a world where you aren't fumbling with your wallet, looking for that right credit card, loyalty card, and/or coupon? That is the promise — and increasingly the reality — of the mobile wallet.
Learn more...
Using audio can extend your video surveillance system's capabilities and provide considerable operational benefits. Adding sound could mean increased possibilities for improving detection, creating better situational awareness, and obtaining valuable forensics information.
Learn more...
Executive Commentary
The Old Adobe Union District in Petaluma, CA, is a school district consisting of four elementary schools and around 2,000 students. Between all of the schools, there are over 700 machines. Larry Black, the sole member of the IT support staff, oversees all of the machines.
Full article...
Read about three lies enterprise storage vendors like to tell SMB resellers. This IT solutions provider's experience with enterprise storage vendors taught him one thing: you can't cram an enterprise storage solution into a small to midsize business.
Full article...
Selecting a VMS can seem to be a daunting task — every software suite has their own strengths and weaknesses, often obscured in spec sheets multiple pages long. While some of these features may seem inconsequential, there are four features that are worth the effort to track down if you want to create a long lasting surveillance solution.
Full article...
Shows And Events


text:
Kidney Stones (cont.)
Kidney Stones Causes
There is no consensus as to why kidney stones form.
Picture of a kidney stone
Medically Reviewed by a Doctor on 7/2/2015
Medical Author:
Medical Editor:
Next Page:
(Page 2 of 11)
Must Read Articles Related to Kidney Stones
CT Scan Computerized tomography scans (CT scans) are an important diagnostic tool for a variety of medical conditions. The process uses X-rays and a computer to produce...learn more >>
Cystoscopy Cystoscopy is the use of a scope (cystoscope) to examine the bladder. This is done either to look at the bladder for abnormalities or to help with surgery being...learn more >>
Dehydration in Adults Dehydration occurs when the loss of body fluids (mostly water), exceeds the amount that is taken in. Causes of dehydration include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, di...learn more >>
Patient Comments & Reviews
The eMedicineHealth doctors ask about Kidney Stones:
From WebMD
Healthy Resources
Featured Centers
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Read What Your Physician is Reading on Medscape
Nephrolithiasis »
Nephrolithiasis is a common disease that is estimated to produce medical costs of $2.1 billion per year in the United States.


text:
Just make your Parts Express online purchase total more than $100.00 in merchandise and we will ship it fast and ship it free to you.
Free Shipping Offer Details/Exclusions:
Chauvet's innovative EZpar™ 64 RGBA is a battery-powered wash light designed to free the mobile entertainer from the hassle of running cables, and to drastically improve setup and tear down times. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery lasts up to 20 hours on a single charge to deliver stunning colors for the duration of your event. Easily keep tabs on the remaining charge using the visible battery-life indicator.The EZpar™ 64 RGBA is ideal for uplighting walls, tables, structural features, or adding light and color to any areas you wish in larger venues, without having to run cables here and there and everywhere. The on-board control panel and included IR remote control make setup and operation a breeze, or you can add a wireless D-Fi™ receiver (sold separately) to create a completely wireless DMX solution for more advanced applications. The dual bracket system allows the fixture to be mounted to truss in the traditional manner, or to be set on the floor (or virtually any flat surface) with confidence.Specifications: • DMX channels: 4 or 8 • DMX connectors: 3-pin • Light source: 180 (45 red, 45 green, 45 blue, 45 amber) 0.25W (20mA) LEDs rated for 100,000 hours • Beam angle: 14° • Field angle: 23° • Typical run time: up to 8 hours (full on) • Typical run time: up to 20 hours (single color) • Recharge time: 6 hours • Illuminance: 1,325 lux @ 2m • Power linking: 55 units @ 120V; 85 units @ 230V • Input voltage: auto-ranging 100~240 VAC 50/60 Hz • Power and current: 33W, 0.3A @ 120V 60 Hz • Power and current: 35W, 0.2A @ 230V 50 Hz • Weight: 4 lbs. (1.9 kg) • Size: 10.8" x 10.8" x 2.6" (276 x 275 x 66 mm).
Warning: California residents only. Please note per Proposition 65 that this product may contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Be the first to hear about new and exciting products,special pricing and incredible deals!
© 1986-2015 Parts Express, All Rights Reserved


text:
Pens won't trade Neal to clear up salary, they would trade Martin and Fleury before.
Draft and Trade Rumors: Avalanche, Maple Leafs, Panthers, Senators, Penguins and Ducks
- Adrian Dater: Lots of talk that the Avalanche are trying to create a smokescreen by saying they are taking a forward at No. 1. General managers aren't buying it.
- Pierre LeBrun of ESPN: Joe Sakic didn't back down from saying they would take a forward with the first overall pick.
"He's a great player, he's going to be good," Sakic said over the phone from Denver. "But after we had our internal meetings we came up with these three forwards, (Nathan) McKinnon, (Jonathan) Drouin and (Alexander) Barkov. We're really leaning towards one of those three forwards."
Asked for clarification if they'll pick one of those three forwards,
"If we're picking first overall, yes," he said firmly.
Sakic was asked about why telling people what they are planning.
"It was more really for our fans here, to let our fans know what we're thinking going into the draft," said Sakic, the Avs' vice-president of hockey operations. "That's really what the purpose was, let them know where we're leaning. What I said is that we're picking first overall and this is what we're doing."
- Jason Brough: If reports of the Panthers and Maple Leafs interested Jonathan Bernier are true, are the Leafs and Panthers still potential destinations for Roberto Luongo? Kind of shows the level of confidence the Leafs have in James Reimer and the Panthers in Jacob Markstrom.
- Howard Berger: Berger still thinks that Leafs GM Dave Nonis will inquire about Avs Paul Stastny. Leafs could steal a true No. 1 center who needs a fresh start. Berger wrote last month that he'd trade Carl Gunnarsson and Nikolai Kulemin for Stastny. The Avalanche need to make cap room for Matt Duchene, Ryan O'Reilly and Gabriel Landeskog. Trading Stastny's contract makes too much sense.
- Ken Warren of the Ottawa Citizen: If the Penguins sign Kris Letang and need to trade out some salary, Senators GM Bryan Murray should be calling about James Neal. Senators trade chips Stefan Noesen, Matt Puempel and Shane Prince. The Ducks may have to move Bobby Ryan, who has two years and $10.2 million left on his deal. Bryan should call Bob to see what it would take to bring Ryan to Ottawa. Should Daniel Alfredsson retire, Daniel Briere may be a nice replacement.
21 Comments
pens do not need to trade anyone. this is crazy. almost all of thier players contracts are up. you sign Letang first and all others after. just stupid.
No way toronto brings in beriner. He isn't an upgrade. Reimer has played more games, and last year posted 923, and 924 in playoffs (good enough for best stats EVER for a leaf goalie, including belfour). Beriner wants a starting job. Leafs want a vet goalie to tutor reimer, not a goalie controversy. The colorado deal would be nice, but why on earth would the av's get so little in return. Me thinks these rumours, stay rumours.
I think Nonis' talk about upgrading at every position is a bit of posturing — especially when the cap is going down. I think most will agree that Reimer is indeed the real deal and even if you doubt Reimer — I don't think you can say that the leafs goaltending was an issue at all last year.
All this Bernier talk is ridiculous. The only way I would want Bernier, is if you can get him, then flip him to another team, say the Oilers, Panthers or Isles… Reimer/Scrivens is a good tandem. If one goes down, then get another goalie during the season..
Stupid, Jake & Jeff ? Yes you are. just to be sure you know, it is 2013 and there is a sa-la-ry cap. That means, there is a CAP on the amount of sa-la-ry that a team can pay. If nobody goes from the Pens, they will have about $40 million out of $64 million allocated in 2014 to just 6 players (Crosby, Malkn, Neal, Letang, Martin & Fleury). No Dupuis, no Kunitz, no Cooke, no Kennedy, no Orpik, get the idea ? Withput young players able to step in and take up the gauntlet for much less money, sucess in this era cannot be long-term. Given that D is a position of strength in the Pens system, they need to trade from there and make sure they are strong throughout their roster.
The cap in 2014 will be greater than $64 million, probably closer to $68 million. As of now, the Pens have:
For their 14-15 roster. Assuming that Letang gets $7 million per, that's $42.9 million in salary. Of that, the players that will be re-signed (because they are RFAs) are:
Sutter- $3 million per
Despres- $3 million per
Bortuzzo- $.8 million per
So with that, we would have $49.7 million to 6 F, 6 D and a goalie. Assuming we re-sign the following:
Dupuis: $2.75 million per
Cooke: $2.25 million per
Kunitz: $3.8 million per
Vitale: $1 million per
That leaves $59.5 million in 10 F, 6 D and a goalie. Assuming a $68 million cap, that leaves us $8.5 million to get a backup goalie, 2 4th line forwards, and a 7th D and a 13th forward. The Pens are fine with Letang.
Orpik will not be re-signing here, unless it's for cheap. Niskanen will be traded before next year. The Pens will slowly be weeding out their older D to put in younger D. Bortuzzo and Harrington are NHL ready this year, so it's not that crazy to think that both will be here for 14-15.
Crap I meant Dumoulin and Harrington are NHL ready for next year. Bortuzzo is NHL ready because he's in the NHL already haha.
Pretty sure cap continues downward trend in 2014-2015 to just under $63M. Dupuis is going to make more than $3M too. It'll be tight for the Penguins this year.
@azuziel…you're kidding right? You think the Aves are getting 'little' in return if they get Kulemin and and Gunnarson? Paul Stastny makes 6.6 mil per year and is a UFA after this year. He got 24 points last year. He had ONE good year where he got 79 points and has never even reached 60 in any other year. Kulemin? Kulemin got ONE less point than Stastny last year (23), is the same age and makes 2.8 mil. Gunnarson got 14 points last year which would have lead the entire Avalanche d men in scoring last year. If anything, Colorado would either have to a) keep salary or b) add something to sweeten the pot. Why would the Leafs trade two assets to get an underachieving overpaid centre when they can simply re sign Bozak, or try to sign Weiss, Briere or Derek Roy? Those are four possible options that the LEafs could take and not have to give up anything. If the Aves want to get rid of Stastny it should be for Liles; one guy trading a player they don't need for a player the other team doesn't need.
How is the cap going to decline? That makes literally no sense! The cap is directly proportional to the amount of revenue that the league is bringing in. For the cap to go down, the revenue needs to drop as well. With 5 or so outdoor games next year, that isn't going to happen. Also, the $64.3 salary cap next year will be the lowest under the new CBA.
The cap for the 14-15 season will depend on the revenue gained from next year. Let's say the revenue for next year is $3.3 billion (which was the 11-12 revenue, the actual will almost definitely be greater with 5 outdoor games). To find the salary cap, you have to find the salary midpoint. To find that, you divide the total revenue by 2 (since it is a 50-50 split, the players receive half the revenue), and then you divide it by 30 to get the equal distribution per team. That gives you $55 million. However, that is not the midpoint, because there is a 5% inflator added on, so the midpoint would be $57.75 million. The cap ceiling will be 15% above that, while the cap floor will be 15% below that. So that means the cap ceiling would be $66.4 million, and the floor would be $49.1 million. That is what the numbers would be with the same revenue as 11-12, which is almost guaranteed to be lower than the 13-14 season. So point is, there is no chance in hell that the cap drops.
TL;DR- There is no possible way for the cap to go. down.
hopefully the leafs don't part with kulie in a stastny deal.. hopefully ryan o'reilly and the team ownership continue to be at odds with each other and we can become a trade partner when he is allowed to be traded..
leafs could deal dion for statsny but aves not that dumb
best deal for leafs is VINNY for GRABO straight sweeten it eith Khadri
azzuziel forgot to mention other leaf one year wonders,,,RAYCROFT winningest season goalie ever
Best deal for la is islanders
bernier and williams for nino makes semse
what about the bruins
not enough cap space to sign RASK,KUBBODIN,FERRENCE,HORTEON and BERGERON IS UP THE FOLLOWING YEAR
CAN SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY =philly d0es not LTR PRONGER
@tied dummy. They can't LTR him until the season starts and they have to submit their final roster.
lol @ autistic ramblings of tied dummy
you nuts ottawa and pittsburgh will not trade with each other,almost like flyers and pens trading hahahahaha. anyways neal UNTRADABLE FORGET IT THATS IT
Why would you get rid of Kadri?? That kid is going to grow into a #1 center!!


text:
Federal buildings, parks and programs across the nation were creaking back into service Thursday, hours after congressional leaders brokered a deal to reopen the government.
Office of Management and Budget Director Sylvia Burwell issued a memorandum announcing that the hundreds of thousands of federal workers who had been furloughed were to return to work Thursday.
"This has been a particularly challenging time for Federal employees and I want to thank our nation's dedicated civil servants for their continued commitment to serving the American people," Burwell said in a statement.
Much of the government, designated as essential, never closed. And Great Smoky Mountain National Park was among a handful of parks that reopened before the government did, aided by state and local funding.
But on Thursday, Twitter was alive with news from departments and institutions heralding their reopenings - most including exclamation points.
Yosemite National Park kept it short and sweet: "Yosemite National Park is open!"
NASA: We're back and in the process of turning things back on! http://www.nasa.gov and #NASA TV will be up as soon as possible!
Smithsonian: "We're back from the #shutdown! Smithsonian museums will reopen on Thursday and the @NationalZoo will reopen on Friday."
The pandacam at the National Zoo was back up and running at 10 a.m.
At 7 a.m., Lisa Jenkins, of McLean, Va., was back on the job in IT with the Environmental Protection Agency. She was furloughed when the government partial shutdown began Oct. 1.
"At first we thought the shutdown might last forever, then when they decided they would pay us for the time we missed we thought it might be settled more quickly," Jenkins said. Jenkins, who spent much of her furlough time working on a rural Virginia home she and her husband are converting into a bed and breakfast, has worked at the EPA for 23 years and says she loves her job.
"I am just happy to be back at work," she said.
Leaders of some social programs that rely on federal dollars expressed relief that the government was back in business. National Head Start program director Yasmina Vinci issued a statement saying she was "encouraged" by the deal that ended the shutdown.
"We look forward to working with Congress to adopt a responsible, forward looking fiscal policy that stops the damage being done by sequestration and enables programs like Head Start to provide the highest quality early learning opportunities to our poorest children," Vinci said in a statement.
Still, the glee of Thursday could be shortlived. The bipartisan agreement that reopened the government is temporary. January could bring more controversy -- and more furloughs.
The 1.7 million American Indians and Alaska Natives in 566 federally recognized tribes rely heavily on federal funding. While police continued to work and hospitals stayed open, the shutdown cut off funding to reservations for foster care payments, nutrition programs and financial assistance for the poor.
"There's still a lot of work to be done in the coming weeks for lawmakers to reach an agreement on a budget beyond January 15," Navajo Nation President Ben Shelley said in a statement. "During the budget negotiation process lawmakers must remember their trust obligations to Indian Country under federal laws and treaties. Indian Country has been severely damaged by Congress' delay in reopening the government, an experience we do not wish to repeat."
You don't have to be heavily reliant on federal funding to be concerned.
In Fort Myers, Fla., Bill Wiemer, 64, said he's "deeply upset with the Republicans and Democrats being so selfish and not being able to put the country first."
The real problem is the country's debt, according to Wiemer. The proposed deal "hasn't solved the problem in the long run," Wiemer said.
"The government shutdown has been harming folks in Montana and the nation, so it's good they're getting it resolved, said Tim Shanks, 60, in Great Falls, Mont. "Hopefully they can get it done permanently and not just extend the argument out. We need to get things back to normal and move on."
USA Today


text:
We got a chance to check out one of the local primary schools, aren't the kids cute?
June 2008
Devin D
Some content licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
© 1997–2015 Viator, Inc. CUR015 - 330212 All rights reserved. Viator is a registered trademark of Viator, Inc.
is a Service Mark of Viator, Inc. Travel with an Insider is a Service Mark of Viator, Inc.
Use of this website constitutes acceptance of Viator's Terms & Conditions.
Viator uses cookies to improve your experience on our website. Learn more about how we use cookies and how to change your cookie settings | Close message


text:
- Filed Under
The Green Bay Packers' all-defense, all-the-time draft has already achieved one of its goals.
The six rookie defenders have supplied a jolt of energy for a defense - and a team - that might have grown a little complacent after following up its victory in Super Bowl XLV with a 15-1 regular season in 2011.
The next goal will be for the six rookies to provide an influx of talent. Though that will take longer to manifest itself, coach Mike McCarthy sounded convinced when the Packers reconvened Tuesday for the first time since their shocking first-round playoff loss to the New York Giants.
"This is clearly the most experienced football team in conjunction with the most talent that I've had a chance to coach," said McCarthy, who is entering his seventh season in Green Bay. "That was my message to them this morning when we started. It's going to be very competitive."
With that statement, McCarthy set the bar for the 2012 Packers. If the current roster has more talent and experience than the team that won the Super Bowl two years ago and the one that dominated the regular-season last year, the sky is the limit.
"A lot of the guys are back; I think that's where he gets it from," wide receiver Jordy Nelson said after hearing McCarthy's lofty assessment of the team. "But at the same time, having that is not going to win any games for us. We've still got to go out and perform. Opposing teams aren't going to come in and say, 'Oh, they're deep and talented and experienced, so let's give them a win.' That's what everyone thought when we played Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl, that we didn't have experience and they did, so they were trying to hand them the win. But you've got to go out and play the game, and play it well."
To McCarthy, the key to a football team maintaining the necessary edge has always been competition from within. The Packers didn't have much of that last season, especially toward the end and particularly on defense.
The defense never could get it right due largely to an anemic pass rush, a development that heaped the pressure on quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the record-setting offense. The Packers added six defensive players they clearly coveted in the draft and two of them - first-round outside linebacker Nick Perry and second-round defensive end Jerel Worthy - played extensively with the first unit Tuesday when the team's initial OTA practice session of the offseason brought the veterans and rookies together for the first time.
The youth and speed the rookies have brought to the defense was noticeable immediately. More than anything, though, the rookies added energy.
"There's a lot more competition, so guys really have to get after it," cornerback Sam Shields said. "You saw it out there today. That was the beginning."
McCarthy certainly hopes so. So do most of the veterans, who gave their seal of approval to a draft that yielded only two offensive players, both in the seventh round. It didn't take a personnel expert to see that the Packers needed help - lots of help - on defense.
"I think everybody knew it was coming," linebacker Desmond Bishop said. "I think it was necessary."
Though the running back situation remains muddled with the team showing little interest in re-signing starter Ryan Grant, even the offensive players had no argument with the Packers using the draft to provide a six-pack of reinforcements for the defense.
"I think it's going to be good," Rodgers said. "We've got some new guys bringing some energy into that defense, so, as coach said, it's a room with a lot of talent. There's going to be some jobs on the line and some great competition once we get the pads on. The defense, they like to go pretty hard during these OTAs without pads on, but it's exciting to look across and see so many new faces."
Meanwhile, the combination of experienced players and promising rookies made for long lines at most defensive positions in Tuesday's practice. Clearly, the Packers don't plan on getting caught short-handed again.
"I think whenever you can have intrasquad competition, it makes the team better as a whole," Bishop said. "That's what we did as a team. We got a lot of young guys on defense and it's just going to help motivate other guys and raise everybody's play up to the level we need it."
If that happens, the listless, mistake-filled performance that ended last season with a premature thud will serve as a catalyst for a swift revival. The offense largely remains the same and the defense has an infusion of youth, talent and three or four pass-rushers, all of which it needed.
"This rookie class that we've been able to bring in here," McCarthy said, "has heightened the competition throughout our football team."
That was already apparent Tuesday, when the Packers officially embarked on their 2012 season.