13 of nazareth™ — the nazareth analysis

2011-01-20T11:52:00.001-05:00

*EYE'M PERFORM'N 2NITE* Party 4 the People Showcase & Happy Hour 6pm @ K Street Lounge - 1301 K St NW Washington, DC $3 cover

2010-12-07T11:58:00.001-05:00

the knowledge that life is cyclical in nature & history repeats itself makes me wonder if empires reincarnate

2010-12-01T15:33:00.001-05:00

having a deadbeat parent is no excuse for being one. you weren't born knowing how to make children either but you figured it out just fine

2010-11-29T16:27:00.001-05:00

*PERFORMANCE* 7pm - Thursday Dec 2nd @ CRE8 Gallery - 1314 9th St. NW Washington, DC (across from Convention Center) $5 adm.

2010-06-28T14:45:00.001-04:00

Chillin with Clayton Singleton - dope visual artist, fantastic teacher, and my brother - before I head back to NOVA

2010-04-07T18:26:00.001-04:00

#NUSPA we know you love your ppl & want them 2 win but you ONLY get 1 vote; casting multiple votes nullifies your 1! #TellaFriend

2010-02-03T22:10:00.001-05:00

There are minds among us who don't want answers, they just want to argue; fully aware that answers bring peace but arguments bring revenue.

2009-12-26T20:42:00.001-05:00

chillin' wit my family like WHAT! Happy HolyDays

2009-09-21T20:03:00.001-04:00

just realized how busy my week is about to be and "I'm lovin' it" not to be confused with the fast food slogan ba-da-ba-ba-baaaaaaah

New Website

2009-09-04T17:45:00.001-04:00

So if you don't know already I have a new website which I lauched about two weeks ago http://13ofnazareth.webs.com please visit when you have an opportunity, sign the guestbook and become a registered member I have some things in the works I want you to be a part of.

I will use this site as a primary distirbution point of all info regarding me and my whereabouts I will then filter all info through my mailing list, social networks, blogs, etc. So if you want the news on 13 of nazareth first you definitely should become a member

I promise it will be worth your while

Peace Within

2009-08-20T11:20:00.001-04:00

"I had this dream about IngridB, Anomaly and you'll never guess in a million years; visit 13ofnazareth.webs.com to find out about it."

2009-08-13T20:04:00.001-04:00

"In the pages of my eyes you can read every story in the building of my life."

2009-07-18T19:11:00.001-04:00

"the farm show has so far included an accapella quartet, with a member who is Kymone Freeman in 20 yrs, and an impromtu dance/yoga class."

2009-07-04T13:12:00.001-04:00

is on the way to the airport; Tampa here I come to channel sunshine through imagery within Stained Glass (can I get a SoulClap?)

Happy Father's Day After

2009-06-22T18:03:00.001-04:00

This morning like every morning, David Long, woke up, got dressed, ate a light breakfast and drove across town where he works as an auto mechanic. He is the best damn mechanic I have ever known not just because he is good at what he does (and he is) but he makes it look easy. I, for one, know almost zero about cars, but whenever I watch him fix someone’s car I am certain that I could have done it.

Now as he works throughout this day like every day he doesn’t do it for a thank you or a card or gifts or dinner; although it is clear he appreciates all these things when they occur. His work is a work of provision. Provision of security for his family and thus provision of security for himself; for in his eyes he and his family are one and the same. If they are secure so is he

When he gets off work this afternoon; he’ll drive back across town to the two-story brick house that he purchased back in the 80’s. This house (formerly a duplex) was beat down on the inside but, he slowly turned into the home in which he got married raised children, celebrated holidays and so forth. When he gets home today he will greet his wife and youngest daughter kick off his shoes go upstairs take a shower throw on some sweats a t-shirt and slippers come back downstairs, have a seat in his favorite chair in front of his 50 inch tv and quietly watch with a sense of purpose fulfilled. His daughter will climb into his lap kiss him on the cheek for seemingly no reason other than she loves him. She will then return to playing with whatever her latest favorite toy happens to be. He will remain in this seat until he get tired goes to bed and…tomorrow, God willing, David will do the same thing again.

David is a simple man; happy with the man he has become and the things he has accomplished in life. I don’t know this because he told me but I know this because in my life…I have watched him…I have disagreed with him… I have been disciplined by him…I have celebrated him…but most importantly I have loved him knowing with zero shadow of doubt that he loves me.

David Long is my father.

I just want him and all active fathers to know that on the days before and after Father’s Day you all are worthy of celebration and recognition. All the things your children may grow to become are most definitely enhanced by your involvement in their lives.

If you are not active in your child’s life; there is no time like the present…besides you might be raising the next 13 of Nazareth

I have a question for you...yes you

2009-06-12T18:15:00.001-04:00

My Aunt Darlene used to always tell me, "Take no stock in rumors, however, if you hear the same thing about the same person from 3 or more sources who you know do not know each other you may want to check into it yourself before blowing it off as a rumor."

Since I have began performing in 1999 the most common statement made to me about me has been "You're deep." Initially I took this as a compliment, under the poor assumption that all those who were saying it actually understood my work. The shock of my life came when I asked my homegirl, Toni Stanza, if she understood my work and her response was something to the affect of, "I understand enough to know that you what you're talking about but not enough to fully comprehend it myself."

I began taking an unofficial poll and I slowly realized that the only people who understood my work were predominantly other poets. I have no problem with being misunderstood for that has been the story of my life (tell you later). What I have issue with is that it has been my desire to inspire and encourage those who hear my work and its difficult to inspire a person who cannot understand what you are talking about.

I think that the masses of people are more intelligent than they give themselves credit for and I aim to write for the unrecognized intelligence within; but when I voice this to audiences the response is that I am calling the audience stupid "in a smart way". This speaks to the level of misunderstanding that occurs in relationship to me as an artist.

I also have knowledge of being rejected from several performance opportunities because the promoters of said events thought I was talented but "too deep" and thus not entertaining for their audience demographic.

Taking my aunt's advice I have to ask myself am I too deep to be accesible or am I just trying to access the wrong demographics?

I am a performance writer with a heavier emphasis on writing than performance in an arena where people are often more captured by great performances and writing seems to be a welcomed extra. I want the art to speak for itself, but I am the face and voice of this art coming through me so if I am percieved as inaccessible to the listener then does this not make the work inaccesible as well.

Funny thing is if I am "too deep" to be accesible then no one is even reading this.

So honestly do you think 13 of Nazareth is too deep?

The Reason for Stained Glass

2009-05-31T03:23:00.001-04:00

Initially my upcoming CD was tentatively titled NewClear Winter which was intended to be a somewhat of a sequel to Fallout Shelter with more of a hip-hop focus as I felt I had been neglected that facet of my art over the years. However once I began recording the project back in September of 08 the material as well as the overall sound did not feel conducive to the aforementioned concept. In fact it was on my brithday that the current title, Stained Glass, came to me via intuition. I have never provided an advance explaination for any of my work but decided that preparing the world for what is to come would be beneficial to the purpose of this and all my projects for that matter.

So what is the purpose of my work? Well, the answer is simple; I wish to convey to the listener the presence of divinity in humanity through the art of spokenword. Thus far I have gone the route of revealing divinity through divinity; in other words I have used my understanding of God to attempt to reveal God to and in others. What I have discovered in hindsight is that this requires the audience to have an experiential understanding of God already in order to appreciate my work. I have also discovered that the percentage of people who have a practical understanding of the divine through personal experience is low but the thirst for such is extremely high.

This raises the question of how do you provide these understandings to people who don't have them? The answer or atleast my answer is to reveal deeper aspects of my own humanity and allow those who choose to use these revelations as stepping stones into themselves. If I can't show you God using God I will show you God using Man which is in alignment with all the spiritual beings/teachers/prophets whom I admire.

Now I, like all humans, am engrained with flaws and it is my belief that the reason our souls journey in the flesh is to correct those flaws and that we continue to return via reincarnation (same soul, different form without memory of prior incarnations) until we heal of these flaws, purge our karma etc. Essentially we are on a cosmic ferris wheel that continues spinning until we become an embodiment of the Source from whence we all come at which time we an embued with the power to stop the wheel.

This returns us to Stained Glass; over the years those whose appreciate my work hold me in a certain esteem. For this I am grateful but noone should be fooled I am still growing. I am beginning to think that the content of my work is interfering with people seeing the content of my character. As a result of feeling this way I aim, in this project, to show you me more clearly through my work.

In the Middle Ages stained glass was considered "the poor man's bible" because the majority of the church in that time period was illiterate. Since education level was directly tied to financial status the masses were taught the stories of biblical scripture via the stained glass images and spoken word of the priest.

In the current Spokenword movement I am held by many in a regard similar to that of a priest, people confide in me and come to me for advice. I was even recently called the Poetry Pope by Megan Rickman from Richmond VA which I find funny as hell (no pun intended). I veiw myself more like a combination of the priest and the glass itself because I use language and images to convey spiritual understandings.

The other point I want to touch on is that stained glass is useless without light. It is thus a mix of the colors shapes and light which make the images leap into the viewer's consciousness.

See before hip-hop/spokenword the direction of my life was aimless on a material level in the sense that I had no desire to do anything and was basically wandering. On a spiritual level I was just ignorant. So I was 19 ignorant and aimless and on my 20th birthday the artist who was the voice for my voicelessness left this earth after being shot 6 days prior in Las Vegas. This artist is Tupac Shakur and within a week at the behest of my cousin, Garland, I was writing and in the next 3 months my life underwent a drastic change. This change included my first visit to a church on New Year's Day '97. I basically discovered the gateway to my physical, mental and spiritual reasons for being in this time period.
The undifferentiated light of the Most High shines through the colorful shape that my life is constantly taking and re-taking. Without this light noone sees me or anything that I have to present they only hear a voice in the dark unable to guide them anywhere beneficial and healing.

Stained Glass Tracklist

1. Nostalgia
2. Know Idea
3. Message from the Messengers
4. Spokenword Judo
5. Hittin' Ms.
6. Death Before Honor
7. 10:19
8. Shot@Freedom
9. Born Again
10. Stained Glass feat. Courtney Dowe
11. Labyrinth
12. Eyehear Wurdzavpower
13. Stability in Motion

Keep track of what's happening with me, this project, ask me questions or send fanmail via the following:

Instant Messenger
Yahoo Messenger ID: thirteen_nazareth
Google Talk ID: 13ofnazareth

Blogs
13ofnazareth.wordpress.com
thenazarethanalysis.blogspot.com

Mailing List
reverbnation.com/13ofnazareth
yahoogroups.com/13ofnazareth

Social Networks
facebook.com search Marquis Mix
myspace.com/marquismix
twitter.com/marquismix

Adventures In Visibility Step 1 Contact

2009-05-30T23:04:00.002-04:00

I have heard that I am kinda difficult to keep track of or get in touch with. I am certain that this is my own fault as I am a privacy addict. Though enjoyable extreme privacy is not conducive to developing a career which has me in the public eye. So in the spirit of mesengers I am going to sacrifice a bit more of that privacy.

Following is every way to contact me except my phone number. If you know me like that you already have it and if you know me like that but don't have it; there are enough ways listed to reach me so you can get it.

Instant Messenger

Yahoo Messenger ID: thirteen_nazareth
Google Talk ID: 13ofnazareth

Blogs

13ofnazareth.wordpress.com
thenazarethanalysis.blogspot.com

Mailing List

reverbnation.com/13ofnazareth
yahoogroups.com/13ofnazareth

Social Networks

facebook.com search Marquis Mix
myspace.com/marquismix
twitter.com/marquismix

Videos

youtube.com/thrtn

Origin

2009-05-26T16:40:00.001-04:00

All That Is finds its beginning on the plane of Pure Spirit which is an infinite malleable intelligence, able to take on the form of its own thought; thus All That Is is, in essence, Spirit.

I am aware that many people do not acknowledge the existence of Spirit and many others acknowledge Spirit with little to no practical understanding. Spirit is, however, inclusive of and beyond these and all polar demographics which require each other and Spirit to exist. One can find these polar opposite everywhere in nature. The form and function of the material universe is based upon the operations of these opposites and these opposites are the hand of Spirit at work in the establishment of a living space in which the Spirit can become Self Aware.

If you haven't fled the page yet you may be wondering as I once did; how can Spirit being All That Is not be Self Aware? That's an excellent question, so the answer, given the understanding of polar opposites, has to be excellent as well LOL.

The Spirit Is Pure Consciousness and within it is "no thing" of which to be aware. Self Awareness, being a creation requires several things in order to occur. First it requires an opposite, unawareness is that opposite. Spirit being, All That Is, has no opposite and must in a sense withdraw a portion of ItSelf to create a "spiritless vacuum" in which the possibility of diametric opposites can exist. The is the Biblical 1st Day or Period of Creation

Genesis 1
1In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
4And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
5And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

This is also the basis of the human creative process; any thought you have begins here. Simply remove the religious connotations and you discover that creativity results from the acknowledgment of a emptiness real or perceived that needs to be filled.

Spirit is an unopposed fullness and must create "emptiness" before creating anything else. A human being, however, is spirit after the creation of that "emptiness" and is more often than not attempting to create ways to fill the piece of the great "emptiness" inside themselves.
Now the "emptiness" inside the human being is what I have termed a "throne". This throne, the emptiness is infinite for it is the opposite of Spirit which, as stated, is also infinite. People are essentially creating finite things and throwing them at an infinite space with the thought that this will fill them up, make them happy et cetera; but truth is only the infinite can fill the infinite.

No amount of money or possession will satisfy a soul who is not satisfied before receiving this money or possessions.

Imagine its a Monday morning and you just became the proud owner of an empty bank vault; which you stand inside thinking if I could get a million dollars in here I would be happy. For the sake of saving space lets say on Tuesday you find yourself with a million dollars which you quickly deposit and you vault appears full. Until you return on Wednesday and discover more space enough for $10 million. Lets say on Thursday you deposit an additional $9 mil only to return on Friday and find enough space for $100 mil and so on and so forth.

Now you can either keep adding more funds hoping to someday fill this vault that has proven itself to be unfillable with the $$ you have been adding or you can realize that the vault was never empty and that space which you own is actually the vault or throne of Spirit which upon being acknowledged made aware of itself through you becomes full automatically. You can of course continue to make deposits after this realization but they are only for useful purposes and not for that of accumulation for the sake of accumulation to which there is no end or satisfaction.

The bank vault is this analogy is you. You are an infinite being who does not realize the fullness of yourself and thus you keep trying to fill yourself up with small things that you think are large until you get them and then they become ordinary. You buy bigger cars than you need, build bigger homes for fewer people et cetera when all you need is to acknowledge and accept the Spirit presence within you; the Spirit presence that is you and all else will slowly fall into place.

You are the means by which Spirit becomes aware of ItSelf. We are not born into our physical forms not knowing we are spirit; not knowing we are an integral connected individual version of All There Is. When we consciously go into the process of Self Discovery and follow this path to its end we find that which we had all along.

Ignorant men are fools with no idea why they do not know/care about the opinions of the world. Wise men are fools who know exactly why they don't care about the opinions of the world...which is because a Self Sustaining Entity has no need or desire to be bothered by anything or one outside ItSelf. They are still fools because with they know they still know nothing separate from the Spirit which is ever present and knew everything always.

The aforementioned throne of emptiness is the throne of Spirit and nothing else seated there will satisfy the soul. Try as you may to deny or disregard this; it is the same truth spoken by every prophet written in every scripture throughout history.

Humanity at it grandest is Microcosmic Divinity, a finite malleable intelligence, able to take on the form of its own thoughts.

As a man thinketh in his heart so is he.

2009-05-23T22:44:00.001-04:00

wants to know what are the elements of your ideal spokenword/poetry venue? - 13ofnazareth.wordpress.com and thenazarethanalysis.blogspot.com

2009-05-23T01:28:00.001-04:00

thanks you for your past, present, and future support of his lifework via art and all else which may stream through his being

2009-05-11T21:58:00.001-04:00

is in the 757 shhhhhhh! don't tell nobody; its a secret but not really

Changing No Circumstance

2009-05-11T09:43:00.001-04:00

Greetings from Nazareth on this dreary yet beautiful Monday morning; as you head to/arrive at school or work (where you are checking this message while glancing over your shoulder to make sure your boss isn�t looking LOL) I want you to deposit the following thoughts into yourself for the day, week, or however long it can be useful.

This morning I was scheduled to be on a train to Norfolk, VA (my hometown); a train which I missed due to the fact that I was close to having a seizure. I, determined to make this train, wrestled with myself and started to get dressed. While doing so I convulsed periodically and this of course frustrated my wife, who for my own safety wanted me to be still, lay back down, and just catch the later train. Though I understood her concern I refuse to be beaten by this neurological circumstance.

So after getting half dressed, spilling a glass of water on myself and the kitchen floor, and knocking over the garbage can as I cleaned it up, returned to the bed; but I did not lay down. I just sat on the edge of the bed and relaxed; concentrating the entirety of my being on being at peace, on living out the final lines of my poem �Stability in Motion� which will be on my upcoming double CD Stained Glass

...the outside
is difficult still
the inside however
is just still
for stability within
the motions of life
is God�s will
stability within
the motions of life
is God�s will
stability within the motions of
peace be still
peace be still
but even if it�s not
I will still be
peace

The only reason this worked is because I emphatically believe that our lives are the product of our thoughts and if we want to change our lives we need to change our minds. Often people complain of the circumstances like if such and such was different life would be better�happier. This is one of the greatest lies h.you.manity continues to tell itself for we are not our circumstances but our circumstances are us or at least products of us. In my case I am not seizures but seizures are a product of me and to suppose that my life would be easier or happier if I did not have seizure is ludicrous. I do what I love for a living; create. As the image of God in the form of Marquis Mix aka 13 of Nazareth creativity is literally and lyrically encoded into my DNA and I did not discover this until several years after I began having seizures.

Sometimes we are cursed with the keys to our blessings but we focus so much on the curse we ignore the keys.

After arriving at my place of internal peace I finished getting dressed and if I left immediately I still could have caught the train. The only reason I didn�t is because my wife was still uncomfortable with the idea and catching the later train is not going to throw off anything that I have to accomplish on this trip, even though it is costing me 20 extra dollars LOL. I, being wide awake at this point, needed something worthwhile to do to begin my day and decided I would share this experience with you. So whatever you are facing today be not afraid for your goals are not something you achieve they are a place that you arrive to; which means they are already there waiting for you to show up and claim them.

This morning I claimed internal peace in the face of internal war not because the circumstances changed but because I did and though Hallelujah is not a part of my daily vernacular right now it just seems appropriate so�

Hallelujah

Here's to Dreaming Different

2009-05-10T10:53:00.001-04:00

gives honor to his Founding ForeMothers for the lessons taught and sacrifices made to make him posssible; Everyday is Mother's Day; I LOVE U

2009-05-09T17:10:00.001-04:00

The universe is God's dream so its inevitable for dreams to come true. Your previous dreams are your present life. Unhappy? Dream Different