Step Inside, Turning Ugly Grin.

The collective masked madness known as Slipknot has recently released their latest creation upon the world and have taken to the road once more to share their sicness with every one of you. Slipknot has been one of my favorite metal bands of all time and continues to impress me with each release. Although some hit harder than others, they always have a solid build in their arsenal and their latest endeavor is no exception.

5: The Gray Chapter is the first release since Paul's death and Joey's departure from the group. This had a lot of us in question of what would become of the band we all know and love. Would the death break the band up forever? Would the departure of the long-favored drummer make a huge declining impact in their sound? As the record starts, all of these questions are proven useless as you realize this is just another growth in the band. Their is evolution here. And it sounds fucking amazing.

Slipknot made their way into my city last month to which I was unable to attend. This left me sad lol. But, I took matters into my hands and decided to ask all of my Facebook friends to share their photos in an effort to live the experience vicariously through them. I wanted more than anything to see a good photo of Sid, that dude is my metal hero. I held a contest with the best photo of Sid and the best overall winning a free art pack from yours truly as well as an original illustration of their favorite member. Long time supporter and fellow Maggot, Roxy, provided me with the winning submission of Sid and her choice was Corey. I love depicting their new masks every time they come out with a new one. Their look is always so much fun to create and Corey's new Frankenstein face is no exception. A mask within a mask, Corey's mask is truly spooky. The second winner wanted an illustration of Corey as well, so I felt it fitting to depict his mask without it's top layer. Each one was super fun to create and were striking reminders of how much I love to draw and paint, especially with a good soundtrack such as this one.

"To each his own
Life can do with one less watered-down excuse
There comes a time when we can't take the same abuse
My god, it would've taken just one word to stay away from you
Now that this is over you can tell me it's no use."


Stay Creative,
BLUE731

9"x12" ink on mixed media paper, digital colors
For comission of your own Slipknot or other band illustration, contact me at blue73100@gmail.com

Devising Virus.

The ship has left the dock once again to embark on a new journey throughout the cosmos. The collective force known only as Deltron 3030 came through San Antonio on a stop earlier this year and brought a live band with them (including a piece of The Mars Volta with Juan Alderete). The show was very energetic and it was nice to see these space fiends perform a great set. The city came through too, packing the venue with a surprising amount of people. Deltron has been one of those suuuper underground groups mostly known only to true heads.

I found Deltron by chance years ago, likely through a random find with Hieroglyphics. I used to hear the name Del The Funky Homosapien thrown around a bit and wondered "What the hell kind of name is that!?". I was pleasantly surprised when I began to hear more of his music and his, well, funky style. Del's delivery is very rhythmic and fluctuation in tone. Spit over Automator's otherworldly beats and Kid Kola's erratic cuts make this combo a very special one. Having never seen Del perform live before, I was in for something very new and exciting. The live band addition made for a dope show and this set was reminiscent of that ill Cut Chemist show I caught years ago (and one of my favorite of all time across all genres). A splash of high energy and pulsing cuts across button-pushing drum tracks gave me nothing but smiles the entire night.

Del is definitely someone who approaches lyricism from a shy spot between left field and that place in your mind you rarely visit. I drew the piece in the following days after the show. It wasn't til recently that I finally found time to lay some colors down. I found myself travelling to that same rare place when I colored this, trying some new shape exploration. I had two colorways for this one, finally settling on this warner toned background. It is definitely the launching pad for the next step in my art that I am excited to share with you all very soon. For now, enjoy this fun and colorful character known as Deltron 3030.

"Infiltration hits your station

No Microsoft or enhanced DOS will impede

Society thinks their safe when

Bingo!--hard drive crashes from the rending"

Stay Creative,

BLUE731.

9"x12" ink on mixed media paper, digital colors
For purchase of this Original painting, contact me at blue73100@gmail.com

(Prints to follow)

Duel of The Liquid Sword.

So here we are. Twenty years later after the release of one of hip hop's greatest releases of all time. A record that would change the face of hip hop as we know it and bring light to a brand new era of music--period. Twenty years ago the Wu Tang Clan hit the scene with a fierce explosion of lyricism, kung fu samples, and a number of MCs previously unheard of in one single collective with Enter The 36 Chambers. The Wu hit with the speed and force of a true Shaolin blow, leaving many trembling in awe of this new arrival. For myself, I didn't find the Wu until my senior year of high school, many years after the release of this record. I was immediately hooked though when I heard Ghost's Supreme Clientele and one of the next to follow was the classic, and often revered as one of the greatest solo releases from the group, Liquid Swords.

I was drawn in and really didn't understand why. GZA approaches the mic much differently from Ghost and, at first, it kinda through me off. GZA's steez is a much more complex and intellectual than most MCs--I knew I liked it, it just took me a while to understand why. The first GZA record I heard was Beneath The Surface and it GOT me, yo. When I heard that joint I caught myself enthralled by, well, his Genius! It seems I was finding myself drawn to the Wu's solo efforts a bit more at this time and it was always the sophomore record that I found first for some reason. But when I revisited this gem for the first time, I got to see how he built up to Beneath The Surface. Liquid Swords is a little less polished than his follow up (some may argue for the better), but it is nevertheless seen as one of the best Wu releases of all time. And their catalog is DEEP, son.

The concept of the Liquid Swords title (as well as RZA's Digital Bullet) is something I always loved about Wu. They have a unique way of playing with words and titles of songs. I mean, imagine...a LIQUID sword? A DIGITAL bullet? Come on, that's just hard, yo. This always pushed me in my own writing and even in titling works of mine. Just keeping my brain in that mindframe is definitely something I can say Wu helped influence. GZA does this often in his music. He just has an intellectual labyrinth about his rhyme schemes that gets me excited. It makes you think twice, thrice, sometimes multiple times on so many levels. I am always a fan of anyone that can get me to think like that or surprise me later with those little gems like when I found out years later that the Liquid Swords cover is actually a chess board with animated pieces.

How fresh is that?


Here's to 20 and counting.
"Woofers thump, tweeters hiss like air pumps
RZA shaved the track, niggas caught razor bumps..
..Now watch me blow him out his shoes without clues
Cuz I won't hesitate to detonate, I'm short fused"


Stay Creative,
BLUE731.


11"x14" acrylic and inks on bristol
For purchase of this Original painting, contact me at blue73100@gmail.com

Donuts.

BOOM. Dilla. Dilla Day. Dilla Month. All throughout February. Name the top five producers of all time. Dilla, Dilla, Dilla, Dilla, Dilla, because he dropped hot fi-ya lol. Naw naw, all kidding aside I thought what better way to pay tribute to a musical mastermind than to embody him in a style I have been having a lot of fun with lately. These little animated characters have been providing me with so much fun and smiles as I create I thought it would be a great way to pay homage. Then, to one up myself, I made him a donut.

For those of you unfamiliar with Dilla (and the donut connection for that matter) I suggest you fire up your YouTubes and Groovesharks and Spotifies and get ya school on. Dilla was (is) one of hip hop's dopest producers who passed away in 2006. I can honestly say I am not the know-all of Dilla. I am not the most familiar with his catalog nor have I always been a die-hard fan. I just know One Won't Do is BY FAR my favorite shit. The Shining is my favorite Dilla rec. Only One Can Win is my favorite instrumental. Jay Stay Paid is my favorite release after he passed away and Dilla will forever be revered as one of hip hop's absolute GREATEST, continuing to be missed my millions the world over to this day.

If you don't know Dilla, you'd be surprised that you probably do. Dilla has worked with sooo many of hip hop's greatest talents including Slum Village, Common, De La, DOOM, Royce, Busta, Tribe, Pharcyde, The Roots, Badu, Madlib, Ghost, D'Angelo, Mos, Chino...man the list goes on and on and on like a cross-country train ride for fucking days, son. Straight up. So check the liner notes of your old classics, there's a good chance he had a hand in it.

As for this piece itself, I had to include a few things to further drive the Dilla point home. One, the halo. Rest In Paradise, Dilla. Two, the classic MPC2000. Warm analog flavor we all love. Three, the fresh ass fedora hat. Four, that chin strap and mouthpiece, the wings for the same as the halo, and the donut for his record Donuts. Dilla you are missed by many and we all feel your presence when we tap into the source whilst we create.

RAP IN PARADISE DILLA.

"Whole body blingin' like 3-P-O nigga
And when I pull that fucker out
It attracts the gold diggers
With them big ol' jelly, Smuckered out."

11" x 14" acrylics and inks on bristol
**SOLD**
**Special Edition prints available @ blue731.bigcartel.com

Ubiquitously Deevilish.

last year i came across a new group that infused a fresh sound of rap into my speakers and hedphones. i came across them by chance through Tech N9ne's Bad Season mixtape. the mixtape itself was (is) SUPER ILL and one track had these two rappers that stood out from all other features on [Bad Season]. the skills these two cats possess are uncanny and they struck a deep chord within me. the duo is known as CES CRU. and these dudes are BEASTS on the mics.

it's been a while since i've heard rappers approach the mic with such lyricism as these two. their style is something you would normally hear in hip hop, only with a different sound of course. CES has nice multis, great control of speed, and overall commanding rhythm on the mic. rap today is over 90% garbage, so it's been a refreshing experience finding CES CRU and the sheer awesomeness they carry in their music. the intelligent flows of Ubiquitous and the thought-provoking imagery of Godemis have definitely caught my attention. CES has been around for a minute and the unique sound of the two meshed together has got me keeping a close eye and ear on these two. i suggest you do the same.

STRANGE MUSIC ALL DAY, BABY!!

"i got you a box of chocolates/a blunt/and a single rose

a pot to piss in/since matter dont money/a change of clothes

call it karma/come on let me paint your fingers and toes

i gotta get you comfy/before i get on the road."

"im the freshest thing out/gettin scooped on tour

cuz im hot for the moment/like a soup de jour

tryna hang with me hard/like shootin doors

or a stand-up fighter/tryna shoot Couture/Randy."

11" x 14" inks on bristol
Currently not for sale.
(individual images below.)

Money Spheres.

Deevil Don't Mind.

Accordion Folders.

one of the greater collabs of our hip hop generation came together with the combination of two dope ass MCs & Producers. being a proficient beat-maker AND an MC is a feat few can do, let alone do it well. and these two not only have lustrous careers as both, but they also have a great career as the menacing hip hop duo known as Madvillain. combining forces of DOOM's riddling chorus-lacking lyrics laced over Madlibs creative drum and sample loops, these two provided listeners with something new and exciting. and if that wasn't enough, they even created a character for their partnership. the burly masked villain knocks enemies out in a large green trench coat and brown fedora in one of my absolute favorite music videos ever--ALL CAPS. this video is an animated comic book. it is drawn so well and the storytelling is super dope. even the coloring is in traditional old school comic form complete with one of my favorite (now digital) printing techniques, halftones!! i can't express my love for this video enough.

when i first heard DOOM, i was entranced by his villainous ways. when i heard Madvillain, i was surprised that he could still muster up yet another persona so well. but he did. Kid Robot even did a figure of the Madvillain character that to this day i am still upset over for choosing to eat that week instead of copping the figure lol. but hey, my birthday is next week so if anyone can find one for me that'd be super awesome. till then, keep your eyes out for the trademark fedora and green trench coat of the overbearing metal-faced super villain, Madvillain.

"That's why he brings his own needles.
And get more cheese than Doritios/Cheetos/or Fritos.
Slip like Freudian,
Your first and last step to playin' yourself/like accordion."

11" x 14" acrylic and inks on bristol

**SOLD**
**Prints available @ blue731.bigcartel.com

Cause of Revolution.

VIVA LA REVOLUCION!! such resounding words from one of the most interesting MCs of my time. a few years ago i had know idea who this man was let alone what he stood for. i stumbled across a song of his through a frequented website of mine, Faygoluvers.net, by mere chance. it was listed in their weekly songs on the right column. this song changed my life forever. and i sincerely mean that. the words throughout this song filled me with complete exuberance and many "holy shit!"-moments. the delivery was raw & punchy, the beat was sic with a somewhat tribal kick & snare combo, but the lyrics....the LYRICS are what sold me. they struck a chord so deep i completely shut off everything else going on in the office..and immersed myself in this man's words....

the song was a gritty expose on the travesties and lies of September 11. so much information was put into these verses that i found myself immediately researching damn near everything he mentioned in the track as soon as it was over. as the song played on repeat, i found a whole new world of the attacks on the Twin Towers in NY. a world i didn't know existed. something didn't ever sit right with me about the entire attacks, and the topics i was coming across were all too real and began to answer many of those questions. it exposed a side to 9/11 that so many, including myself, had overlooked.

the song was Cause of Death by Immortal Technique.

powerful. i began to seek more of his music after rifling through so much government cover-up and came across Dance With The Devil. i won't even go into the disturbing content of this one but simply urge you to go listen to it if you are unfamiliar. the story painted is VERY grim but all too amazing in its form to not appreciate. i was immediately interested in his odd rhyme schemes too. he didn't always have the common AABB rhythm. often he stepped into AAABBB rhymes and i sometimes found it hard to catch, being used to the former for so many years, but it certainly made him stand out to any others i was listening to then by that alone.

Immortal Technique is quite the intelligent individual. his interviews aren't ever boring and he speaks very eloquently in a no-limitations manner. his rhymes in his songs hit even harder, with gut-wrenching honesty. this guy opened up an entire new spectrum of life for me and i began to question a lot around me, things i had forgotten about since high school. all i can say is thank you Immortal Tech. thank you for opening my eyes and urging me and everyone else to think for ourselves. there aren't NEARLY enough of you in the rap game, let alone in this world..

"And they thought that nobody noticed the news report that they did,

about the bombs planted on the George Washington bridge.

Four non-Arabs arrested during the emergency,

and then it disappeared form the news permanently."

13" x 19" inks on mixed media paper

Currently not for sale.

Metal Fist Terrorist?.

a few years ago in my drawing class back in college i met a guy name REVS. he was (is) a dope graffiti artist from here in SATX i believe and we would spend our breaks talking graffiti and art with another homie of mind, Rob Bee (who now does tattoos @ Trufant Brothers Tattoos in San Angelo btw). anyway, REVS gave me this old school LSD (Life Sucks Die) magazine one day in class and if you arent familiar, LSD was a graffiti magazine that had TONS of photos from all over the world in awesome collage style but also had reviews of records and featured random hot naked girls and well what more could one ask for in a magazine?

the magazine is now defunct, but i was fortunate enough to have one that had an interview of an MC by the name of MF DOOM. the review was of his now legendary CD Operation: Doomsday. the interview was i think 2 pages long but had the cover blowed up mad huge. so all i can see was Dr. Doom holding a mic. how fucking clever is that!? i read the interview not knowing anything about his music. it wasn't til maybe a year later i remembered the interview and decided to look his music up. i can't remember what the first songs were, but i remember finding his [2004] website that had an ILL illustration on the left with animated speakers bumping instrumental loops. the one i do remember most and sold me on DOOM all together was his actually his alter ego's [Viktor Vaughn] Vaudeville Villain on that same site.

MF DOOM's music is a very sample-driven style of hip hop. and trust when i say he has made some CLASSICS. an obscure character, its very rare you will see him live in concert (even if you pay for a ticket it seems lol). a very chill style of MC, DOOM is such a relatable character in the sense that he has a ton of different personas in his music. personally, i don't ever feel like just one person myself. i actually had a convo about this a few minutes ago about my birth name v. Bluzilla. crazy. anyway, MF DOOM is also a producer so all of DOOM's beats are his own. his alter egos' music however, tends to vary. so take a listen to MF DOOM when you get a chance. if you love hip hop and don't know who he is, i guarantee you will love him. and if you know him, then you already know what time it is, pass me the last one beer and blast Accordion.

"Everytime i see you/Its like the first time i meet you.

Fragrance like a flower/Subtle and sweet too,

Seductive and whatever/It might as well be see through."

9" x 12" acrylics and inks on bristol

Currently not for sale.

message me for shipping out of SATX.

to purchase, shoot me an e.mail: bluzillaone@gmail.com

T9X.

been a minute and i been sittin on this one for a couple weeks now. i hadn't planned on uploading it as i wanted a full on painting for Tech N9ne but this is my blog and i can do whatever the fuck i want even if it means some musicians get repeated. so here we have, the one them call, Tech N9ne. the King, the Clown, the G. i found Tech N9ne through a group known as Twiztid, hardcore rap group from Detroit that still can't seem to make a bad record. they were listing there features for Green Book before it was released back in '03 and Tech was one of the names listed. i hadn't ever heard of him so i decided to seek his music.

the first track i remember coming across was "Stamina". 20 seconds of raw spittin' lyrics across multiple semi-auto gunshots. no music, no drums, just the gun associated tongue. holy shit i was FLOORED. i kept on seeking, searching. the first video i found was "Slacker". super fun track that described my life @ the moment quite well. i fell in love instantly with his delivery, sounds, attitude, and overall steez. for many years after i bought everyone of his records, each one with that fire. but none will ever compare (in my eyes) to Anghellic: Reparations. that album tells a grim tale that leads the listener on a true journey from hell, limbo, and then heaven.

Tech N9ne's originality has always been the pinnacle of my love for his music. his bare-all style, constant cultural references such as "Fuck 'Em Girl" (Martin Lawrence's You So Crazy) and Kevin Hart lines, and urge to work with damn near anybody seeking his music has always been a huge inspiration for me as an artist and a person. not to mention his drive and work ethic to make it big, regardless of little airplay and recognition from the industry. something even us artists can relate to. today, November 8th, marks the day this wonderful soul was delivered into Earth setting him down the path of musical genius. it is also the date of his newest release Strangeland. so be sure and pick that up today, support real music. thanks for all the music Tech, keep on keepin' on mutha fucka that's word.

"a lot of talent and chemical imbalance and MDMA."

9" x 12" inks on mixed media paper

Currently Not For Sale

message me for shipping out of SATX.

to purchase, shoot me an e.mail: bluzillaone@gmail.com

De La Grind.

ok so we are BACK!! life threw many curve balls @ me recently but i feel like i got this back and moving. i decided to go for a different approach on this next piece. see this piece kinda came out unplanned but it certainly sparked the train i was on!! i was painting and had this loose piece of poster paper lying around and decided to grab some Sharpies and have @ it. as i was creating this, De La was steady on blast providing a wonderful soundtrack to this piece.

De La Soul is one of the older hip hop groups that still holds heavy weight in the game today. i didn't find them til my later years, but was so amazed @ their sound. i believe the first song i heard was Rock.Co.Flow featuring MF DOOM. and then when i kept searching, Shopping Bags was next and it was on!! the production and lyrics of Grind Date pushed me to find more, finally landing on the AOI joints. such amazing, amazing work between AOI one and two. later down the years i found what is still today one of my favorite De La tracks; Me, Myself, and I. i am constantly impressed by their work, the latest being the Nike joints; Are You In?. a 40 minute track marketed as a runner's tool. i certainly used this track on many of my late night skates thru my hood. it has a lot of rise and falls in it, perfect for sprinting, jogging, walking and varying the three. or just pure uphill skate only to bomb the hils back the other way.

13" x 19" inks on poster paper

**SOLD**

message me for shipping out of SATX.

to purchase, shoot me an e.mail: bluzillaone@gmail.com

Back On Track.

i apologize for the temporary hiatus but i will be back on track with this weekly blog next week!! to find out what i've been up to and what was responsible for this temporary slow-up, visit the main site @ bluzillaone.blogspot.com. thanks for your support, i will be hitting it hard next week!!

One Nutmeg.

many years ago toward the end of high school i began seeking out hip hop. not just the rap music i grew up on, but HIP HOP. a lot of my skate homies were constantly talking about this Wu-Tang and i even saw many Ws appear on decks in my CCS catalogs. one day a good friend of mine turns me on to this MC from Wu. he hands me a cd and lets me borrow it. i took it home and popped it in my stereo as soon as i got home. the cd was Supreme Clientele and the first track, as many of you know, called Nutmeg. this was the FIRST and official that set me off down the path of hip hop. i was hooked immediately from the music alone. the name on the cd was Ghostface Killah and when Ghost approached the mic i was blown away!! i truly was in complete awe of this new style of "rap". this led to many more Wu sessions and finding other of my favorites like Jedi Mind, Atmosphere, and even Joell Ortiz down the road as well as MC battles, graffiti, and the entire hip hop culture. crazy how ONE cd managed to make that strong of an impact on my life and my work.

thanks Aaron, that cd truly changed my life. get out there and cop some Ghostface Killah if you haven't already and show ya peoples what real hip hop is all about.

11" x 14" acrylics and inks on bristol

**SOLD**

The Portal Hopper.

last year i was @ a friend's recording studio and before settin up, Pandora was blazin up the monitors. suddenly the most chilling and extiting electrical notes filled the room. it was unlike anything i ever heard and i was immediately drawn in. high pitch notes with a fantastic delay set this track off from jump street. it was like the most cosmic nerdy shit you ever heard that had me feeling like i was on a spacecraft millions of light years away. its like a heart pumping jolt to your system. the song was called Portal Hopping by The Polish Ambassador. i sought this cat out shortly after and yo this dude is on some intergalactic nebulae notes man, straight up. so i felt what better way to continue this musical exploration by doing a piece on the man, the myth, the cosmic legend....The Polish Ambassador.

crank this cat's music up super loud and watch as your living space getz transformed into an all out electric dance party and you get hurled into a time-space portal of epic proportions.

ps. this is technically last week's piece, so expect another one this week!!

11" x 14" acrylics and inks on bristol

$65 or $80 framed.

message me for shipping out of SATX.

to purchase, shoot me an e.mail: bluzillaone@gmail.com

Soooooo....

hey and welcome!! sincerest apologies to anyone following this blog, its only the third week and ive already fallen behind!! BUT--with great reason..i have all my mini art books done and printed and ready for your viewing and drooling pleasure!! please visit bluzillaone.blogspot.com for info on how you can purchase one and i will be back @ it tomorrow and the rest of the week to post TWO pieces for this blog!! thanks for your support and patience, life getz crazy @ times!!

Kurt Too Soon.

the late, the great, the man (and band) who started a much needed musical revolution. Kurt Cobain was a HUGE influence on me as an adolescent coming up in a school dominated by sagging pants, west coast gangster rap, and trouble. Nirvana was simply one of those bands i could not stop listening to well into high school, college, and even today. we don't have many albums from Nirvana but i definitely hang tight to those we do have. i still have the entire Unplugged set on VHS somewhere. and sadly, on that same tape, i have the report they [MTV] did following his death. it was a ridiculously long special spanning a few hours. you know, when MTV actually played music videos and music-related shows and not the garbage "reality" tv it has become. Nirvana will forever be one of those bands i will not ever get to see live which is a deeply saddening reality, but in the end, the music is what is important and i have plenty to grow old too in my tattered pants.

Rest In Paradise Kurt. you were taken way too soon from the world of music.

11" x 14" acrylics and inks on bristol

**SOLD**

L'Via In Tune.

here we have a band i haven't been able to get enough of lately; The Mars Volta. between this band, At The Drive-In, and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group, i have been burning my (and my roommate's) speakers with the insane effects-driven guitar riffs and shrieking melodic vocals of Omar and Cedric, respectively. i don't know much about these bands other than they are from my home state of Texas (GEEUUHH!!, recognize!!) and that i really enjoi the different incarnations of these guys. i've been diggin their music a lot lately and seemed like a great place to start this weekly blog. Google or Tube or Bandcamp these cats and turn your speakers up!! your neighbors will thank you later.

or call the cops. either way, its still great music.

11" x 14" acrylics and inks on bristol

**SOLD**

WELCOME!!

hello friends!! welcome to my new art blog!! for those of you unfamiliar with who i am and what i do, feel free to visit bluzillaone.blogspot.com or my facebook page to learn a little about me, my my work, and my run-a-muck nonsense i call humor. for those who know me already, here's the new project i've been working on.

for the passed few weeks i have been following a daily blog by a great artist and inspiration Dave Crosland aka King Gum. his daily blog is Alphabet Attack and everyday [he] did a painting corresponding with a letter of the alphabet. i have a lot of fun watching what else he is going to create as hes done everything from Aeon Flux to Transformers to Star Wars and all our nerdy favorites. watching these constant creations i decided i'd like to do something similar with an ongoing idea i already had. for some time now i've wanted to do a series of paintings on my favorite bands, MCs, rappers, etc. so i thought a weekly blog would be a good way to a) keep me creating and b) flesh this idea out a little more cohesively. but having to work a dayjob, i cannot do a daily blog myself. so i am gonna do my best to have a weekly piece posted here instead.

expect music of all genres as i love all types of music. and i will most likely have them all for sale as well for anyone interested in purchasing one. i tend to sell a lot on facebook and @ my shows in town so please email me (bluzillaone@gmail.com) immediately if interested.

hope you enjoi and without further hesitation, i give you numero uno!!....