Killer on the loose in Flint Michigan

ALERT: There is a serial killer in Genesee County. The News says that he is a stocky white male posing as if he needs help and then stabs his victims. Mostly older black males. Even if you don't fit the profile, BE CAREFUL!

My city needs help!

My Nike Commercial!

So, I had an opportunity to write a commercial for Nike while I was out in LA! This is the video, lets see what happens!!!

Feelings like. . .

Normally I don't post my lyrics, but here goes nothing. . .

Feelings

feelings often are socially transmitted diseases, it’s

easy to spread std’s like these when you don’t watch what you say

not thinking before you speak is like not watching with whom you lay

and since I'm always on display I never know who I may do next

so I practice safe text

I'm careful with the content of my context

careful not to spray I, lay text before I play text

play house

doctors orders:

lay out my oral erection in sections so you know what you getting

the lesson

is size, can be deceptive

should be concerned with if its tight, the fit and if you can work it right

some realize they’re good and start to work at night

skip ethics if the working price is right

say the right thing and they’ll work you tonight

might go straight to head if the line is tight

the vultures circle the spot light when that lime lit right

like freshman whores in college dorms, the line…is tight!

you might as well be on the mic 'cause everybody know what your business like

and its just like kids to kiss and tell, so you getting emails asking what the business is

but what you're missing is

you cant make a pass just to fit in

what you spit in got to sit in line with the mind receiving

I mean the quarterback, has to be in tune with the wide receivers!

so whether or not you’ll enjoy this started long before this evening or heavy breathing

you have to work out the word play, like lingerie

its more than underwear

you lace up the shape tough to intensify what’s already there

a gift is just a gift

but you bow tie and hide it under wrapping paper to show you really care

it might not be new, but

sometimes you want people to stop and stare

look away just to double take

make you break it down, slow it up, bring it back, work it out

tilt it just right to see what it looks and sounds like in a different light

and if its hitting right it might get ripped and torn, stripped bare

thoroughly tested, dissected, inspected inside and out

just to see the smiles and what comes out of their mouths

there is no greater pleasure than pleasing

except maybe a little teasing, a little teeth in the right places be anxious, for nothing

savor, everything

be present

in the present

Written by Edwin "Future" Wilson

Moments

Some people say life is about moments. I can agree that in life there are moments. Some good, some bad, both are ever changing. I think as people we often rush from one moment to the next. Never fully enjoying or learning from the moment we're in at the time is like speeding towards a red light. You know that you have to stop, but for some reason you rush to it, you have to be there now!

If life is made up of moments, then not taking in every moment is like skipping out on parts of your life. Like dozing off on a movie and waking up asking, "what happened? What I miss?"

True enough, there are moments we all wish we could forget and moments we wish we could relive, but what about the moments we let pass us by? What about the moments we never paid any attention to?

Two nights ago a gentleman at my show told me he thought that my performance was the best thing he had ever heard. I immediately thought about all kinds of other artist, other performances, anything to feel like what he was saying wasn't true. I find it hard to accept a lot of compliments without feeling vain or unworthy of the praise I happen to be receiving at the time, but not only am I brushing off someones compliment, I'm robbing myself of encouragement i need. How many times have you felt like people didn't respect what you were doing? How many times have you wanted or wished someone would reach out and encourage you through tough times or times of challenge?

I know we all have felt as if people didn't care enough, but I also know that its easy to focus on the negative around you instead of the positive. It's like when people respond negatively to us, we forget all the positive things we have to be grateful for. We all have rainy days, but lets not forget that rainy days keep us inside with our loved ones, they make us want to rest, relax, chill out, things most of us don't get enough of.

It's easy to focus on what we want or what we don't have at the time. My challenge to you and to myself is to focus on the right now. Where are you right now? How do you feel right now? What GOOD are you doing right now?!

If life is but a moment, live for the moment!

Future

My Canadian Experience (When Brothers Speak)

Being from Michigan, going over the border to Canada was nothing new to me. Well, aside from the changes being made when with what you need to have to cross the border and all, but Windsor and Toronto Ontario Canada were places I had seen before and sorta liked.

So I finally get a message I had been waiting for, "Future, we have the budget to bring you to Toronto and Ottawa for shows!" YES, I thought as I wondered what it would be like to perform for our northern neighbors.

November 13Th 2009:

I leave Flint early thinking I'm going to be EARLY for check in at the hotel in Toronto, but upon reaching the boarder I was stopped (as always). I guess once again I fit the description, so I was sent to immigration to be searched and questioned. This cop or Mountie or whatever leans into my window telling me to get out, so I step out and walk to the front of my car like I'm told. Next thing I know, this lady comes out with a search dog, the officers start pulling all of my belongings out of my car and patting me down asking me if I'm smuggling anything. So they send me inside where this lady ask for my passport and license, then she tells me I'm not me! She asked where I was born and I tell her, then she says, "yeah, well we'll see about that!" So after a 2 hour sitting and arguing period they let me go and I was on my way to Toronto at last!

Upon arriving at the show there was food backstage (which was GREAT!), all the poets performing in the show were relaxing and eating. We get the line up of the show and we are off!

I step out onto the stage, and the crowd goes wild. "That's the guy from YouTube," says someone close enough to hear in the theater. Instantly I felt that this would be one of the best shows I have been a part of. I started the set by sharing my story about being held up at the border, after they laughed themselves to tears we got into some poetry.

I never knew that art and poetry were/could be appreciated like the way it was at When Brothers Speak. These people paid $35 to $45 dollars to get into the show, then purchased EVERY album I had! I had never been apart of anything like it!

Night two was even better than the first night! After the audience screamed themselves hoarse, the CD selling frenzy began! I had to run back to my hotel to grab my whole box of albums! When the people leaving the venue saw me running back with my box, they ALL ran back in and cleaned me out! That's a GREAT way to make a brother feel GOOD! The show in Ottawa was no different. I actually took more pictures after the Ottawa show than both night in Toronto, although I did get to hang out with a few Zombies in T dot!

Out of the country love, you have to get some

An Honor

Recently I performed at the University of Toledo. I was invited by a young lady who (while in high school) learned about my work from her African Studies teacher. Not only was this the first class of its kind at her school, but I was the first Spoken Word artist she had heard of.

Its always an honor when someone approaches you after a performance or even in the street to let you know that you are hot, dope, bloody brilliant or anything else that lets you know they appreciate your work. Whats even better, is when you find out that your work has been studied and used for lessons in creative writing as a part of an instructors course work!

When I first received the phone call about the show I didn't really know how to feel. What do you say to a person that holds you in such high esteem? What do you say when someone tells you that you have helped them get through tough times in their life? Thank you doesn't seem to be enough.

It ceases to amaze me when I'm told that my work did something for someone. I always think, "wow, you're really listening to me?" For some reason I always feel like I'm just Ed, just a brother, just a friend, cousin, son, writer. I have always believed in putting my best foot forward in all that I do. I have always believed that I should be responsible for what I say to people, whether on stage or in regular conversation I am mindful of I you say because I never know how it may affect a person.

Years later, my phone rings, 4 weeks after that, she is standing on stage introducing me to her classmates, telling them how she never thought she would ever meet me, much less bring me to her school to perform. WOW

You would think that being an artist from Flint Michigan I would frequent the open mics and spoken word venues of Detroit more often. Well the fact is I don't. I am out of state for most of my shows. Rarely am I ever in Detroit to perform or take in the craft the way it’s done in Motown, but after the way my show went last night that MUST change!

They Say restaurant is home to The Main Course open mic, hosted by Marsha J. Carter. I must say, the vibe when I walked in was marvelous! It feels good to walk into a well hosted venue. Knowing that the people have been groomed and your platform has already been set makes it easy to concentrate on connecting with the audience.

My intro was pretty dope! Marsha told a story about her and I performing at a venue together some time ago (the name of the place still slips my mind), I had not thought or even remembered I performed there! It made me think about how much of my poetic history is linked to Detroit (that's for another day, another blog). Walking to the stage I felt the energy in the room change. It wasn't the typical, "I have been waiting to see him perform" vibe. It was a rare, but always welcome, "who is he and what is he going to do." I felt like a stranger in my own back yard and it was GREAT! There is nothing I love more than the element of surprise when dealing with an anxious crowd of people. All I have to do is read the vibe of the room and NOT BLOW IT. Lights. . .Camera. . .ACTION!

The right piece at the right time is a powerful thing. It's like the wind hitting your sails head on, all you have to do is ride the wave and steer the boat in the direction you want it to go.

I felt nothing but acceptance the entire night. Not only were they hungry for it, they were excited, energetic and more than responsive! They made me feel as if they had been waiting all year to see me perform, like I was saying all the right things at the right time to the right people! It’s hard to describe, but it feels wonderful.

Thank You Detroit City, I am sorry I stayed away for so long

Future

ReGenesis

An infinite number of things run through my head before stepping on stage. Things like, me wondering what pieces to perform or what piece to start off with. I check the tone of the room and wonder how will I be received... The list goes on. If I don't feel like performing, I don't. It's a rule I hope I never have to break. Going into Cincinnati this past week it had been over a month since my last performance. I had not held a microphone or even thought of putting on any type of show prior to. I didn't want to get back on stage until I felt I was ready.

During my "layoff," I got a chance relax and do some writing, thinking about the tone of my work and where I want to take it. After thinking about it all, I felt recharged. I was ready to be the spark on stage someone may need to see in order to make their evening or week go by a little bit smoother.

Upon showing up at the MIXX on Thursday, everything about the show felt different. I had to perform on a different stage then past acts. The microphone stand was "missing" and my performance time was earlier than normal. This time when I took the stage I didn't have a thought in my mind other than, "I'm going to be holding the mic my whole set, this sucks!" It didn't! The energy I felt on stage was amazing! I have never felt so good performing and moving around with the mic in my hand. Plenty of times I've had shows where I felt like every word fell from my lips with perfection, but THIS, this was nothing like before.

I almost felt as if I was putting on a show for myself. Like, God was reminding me that HE blessed me with this gift to be a blessing to others. It was as if HE wanted to show ME how HE gets down! The rush was great! I didn't even feel that my FIRST time on stage! OR my first time in front of THOUSANDS of people! I feel hungry all over again. Not my normally determined and strong willed self, but HUNGRY, like I have something to prove not just to myself, but to everyone who has supported me from day one.

This is the recharge, and is only the beginning...

Stay tuned!

Passion

This week I will be stepping on the stage to perform for the first time in over a month. The past four weeks off have indeed been good for me. I think a recharge, refocus was in order for my writing and performing to grow.

Cincinnati will be the back drop for what feels like a "new beginning" of sorts. I have been writing new material, practicing old poems for new delivery and the whole nine. I'm actually interested to se ow this goes

Stay tuned. . .

Clear skies and ocean waves

It's amazing how beautiful the beach is at night when no one is around. You can break out a nice chair or blanket, look up into he heavens and listen to the sound of the ocean meeting the land.

It's rare we get moments to ourselves to think. Moments where we can wonder, ponder or think about nothing at all. Tonight I found that if you stare up into the stars long enough you almost feel as if you are looking down into an abyss. Pretty cool

Dreams

What is it about some people that makes them dream? Chasing what they want instead of following suit?

During some much needed down time out here in the beautiful Washington DC area, I have been thinking about my dreams and things I want to accomplish. Sometimes when my back is really against the wall it makes me question if I'm on the right path, or maybe I should consider being something else. Just when I get down on myself for not being more "successful", someone steps in and reminds me that things wont always be easy.

Who helps to motivate you when you need it?

Adventures in LA LA Land!!

What can I say about LA that you haven't already seen on TV?! It's a great terrible beautiful ugly city! There's everything to get into and most of it is trouble! lol

Upon arriving at LAX my first mission was quite clear. . .Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles! That craving was quickly put on pause as I drove past a Wing Stop!! Those wings are the bizness!

So I hook up with my frat brother and hit a backyard BBQ that turns into an old school battle dance contest which turned into a drunken soul train line that turned into what seemed to be a TOO serious Micheal Jackson dance move contest. Yes folks, Micheal Jackson's best moves were performed by a 6 foot woman in booty shorts. . .that is all.

It was great kicking it in LA and Hollywood. I met Rufio from Peter Pan! The leader of the lost boys. lol Between politricking with suites and "up coming artists" I had a ball. Ate on sunset blvd, road through the hills, walked through Long Beach and slid out to a few mics in the process.

PS

Do not feed the birds

and now, SLEEP zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Dissed by ANGRY blogger. . .

For those of you who think the grass is always green on the other side, heres a hole in my wooden fence, take a peak. . .

This is a blog from a guy that attended my show in Saint Louis:

Allow me to start by saying that the Future, the Michigan based poet, is not wack. Nothing that I’ll say in this blog will change the non-wack view people may have of him. Surely, a few words won’t dim his, umm, future.

Let’s start with the positives. He’s a handsome guy. He’d tell you as much during his set. He’s a clever punch line artist. He’s engaging when he spits his verses. His locks looked manicured. He has a cool looking CD (I didn’t get around to buying one). He knows his Nas albums, which is a plus for those who dig Nas. It seemed like most sistas liked him or at least liked looking at him. Did I mention that he’s a handsome guy?

I had a chance to check out Future at Legacy Café during SWG last Friday. I wanted to support the brotha because he’s my friend on MySpace…but really, because I like to hear spoken word artists do their thing. I mean, with a name like Future, I was sure his flow would be unique and his lines would be, umm, futuristic; ergo, original. Ironically, Future’s flow is very much a reflection of the current style of spoken word (rap-esque with sermonic tendencies), and cliché at that. By reflection, I mean that it only reflects the light of other poets who may possess the light that Future reflects, like a star or a moon would with the sun. I don’t want to speculate on whose light Future is reflecting, so I won’t.

Beyond his originality-challenged flow, his transition between poems needs scripting. It was like hearing someone talk on the phone when you’re waiting for the point. After a while, you get distracted by TV or paint drying and just want to hang up. Some folks did hang up; by leaving. For instance, before dropping his last poem, Future gave a five minute introduction about his looks and about some other self-absorbed ish.

As for the content, one piece sticks out in my mind. It was an anti-intellectual rant about “deep” poets whose lines are littered with jargon and obscure references. I don’t recall if he said this in the poem but he wanted the crowd to “get” one of his punch lines that may have floated over their heads. I don’t know if they did because I had to get off the phone.


If you want to see this on the original site (to ensure i haven't embellished this blog in anyway) copy and paste the link below:

http://www.mkstallings.com/?entryId=32265d2b1aae8d2b9b3b8a8c84fe7fd8

please send your HONEST thoughts and opinions ;-)

7 days

So, I have been back home for 7 days straight. Its a weird yet restful feeling. Anyone who knows me or has been following me this year knows I have been away from home all year with the exception of about a month, if you add he pit stops between tour to say hi and bye to family.

Outside of working out theres not too much going on in Flint Michigan, but hanging with the family.

Stay tuned!

Barber Shops

So im in Houston Texas and I have been sitting in tthis barber shop for wha seems like an eternity!

I'm watching the hustlers run in and out. The local alcoholic has come in and made himself comfortable. The local crackheads (yes, that's crackheads with an s) are trying to sell random items like socks, batteries, oh, Barrack Obama thongs! Yes people, Obama is in that butt!

All in all its a pretty good day out in screwston

What Happened?

So, im sitting outside of the car insurance spot, kicking it with my daddy, when I see an elderly couple pull up.

They appear to be well into their 80's, yet they don't seem to have been slowed down by life much at all. All except for the Husband helping his wife out of the car and into the dialysis office.

I'm thinking to myself, when was the last time I witnessed something like this? More importantly, when have I seen folks my age treat each other with the same kind of respect and love?

I want to ask you all, when was the last time you saw such a thing? Were you on the giving or receiving end? Or was it something you saw that made you feel like TRUE love still exist?

I wanna know

Contact Info

Here's to making new connections and booking bigger shows!

PS


I have good news and bad news. The bad news is I sold out of albums.

The good news is, I had more pressed and printed so...BUY MY NEW ALBUM!

thank you :o)

http://cdbaby.com/cd/futuretunes2

Helping Others

So as I sit here getting ready to go out, im thinking about all the wonderful people I have been meeting on the road. Here is a random thought im having right now....

Its AWESOME to receive things, be it money, toys, gifts or whatever, but it is truly better to give.

I recently had the opportunity to help a friend find a way out of a bad situation. All it took was some talking and some time.

Often times when we give to people we immediately think physical, but the best thing you can do for a person is give them your time.

Its great to feel like you had a part in the growth and flourishing of an individual who looks up to you....no matter how hard headed they are :o)

http://cdbabycom/cd/futuretunes2

Break Dance Killer!

First off I want to give a big thank you to Cleveland Ohio for bringing me out for a weekend of great shows! We did a lot, we learned a lot, and what we didn't know was that we were about to experience one of the funniest moments in Spoken Word history!

What you are about to read is strictly confidential and for your eyes only!

Location: Cleveland Ohio USA
Venue: The B Side!
Date: Tuesday April 7th 2009
Time: Approximately 12 midnight

All was well at the B side, the poets were ricking, the crowd was buzzing, everything was as it should be, I mean after all this is Cleveland's premiere spoken word venue and one of the countries best! Little did we know that a young man that turned out to be high off of more than beer and liquor was about to change our lives forever!

At about 12:30am, there's a small commotion in the room. People are beginning to talk amongst themselves as opposed to listening to whats happening on stage. That's when we notice a guy in a beige jacket, cup of liquor in hand, dancing like he is auditioning for the film, "You Got Served!" YES ladies and gentlemen! He was break dancing to the words coming off stage! NO music, just dancing hard while the poets were rocking out.

Now I bet you're asking yourself, "who does that?" Well that's what we wanted to know, but first we had to get him out of the venue.

The Break Dance Killer caught the attention of security pretty fast, but instead of your typical grab and throw out situation, the powers that be tried to settle it peacefully. A few words were exchanged with the friends of the BDK, but they would not control their friend so matters had to be taken into the hands of SECURITY!

Upon realizing that the jig was up, the Break Dance Killer began his escape, but this wasn't your normal run away. Oh no ladies and gentlemen, he was break dancing away from security! That's right, pop locking and shaking everyone who attempted to grab or corner him. He was like a mix of Omarion and Carl Lewis! Spinning and ducking and waving with a little hip grinding in the face of those who wanted to beat him to a pulp, and HE GOT AWAY!

The most memorable act was when he was headed straight for me, i'm thinking, " I'm gonna clothesline him WWF style!" Before he could reach me my guy Frost took a dive at him! Clearing the table in front of him and the people at it! But that didn't scare the Break Dance Killer, oh no, he just wiggled, pop locked and moon walked around the corner! YOU CANT MAKE THIS STUFF UP!

Finally he ran up the stairs and out of the venue never to be seen again. Where is TMZ when you need them

Album Release Show!

April 4th 2009...the release of my new album Spit Personality!

First off I have to say thank you to everyone who came out in support of the show WHILE Michigan State was beating Uconn! We had a packed house and that shows me that there are plenty of people in Flint Michigan who are not only looking for good quality entertainment, but are willing to support! Thank You!

To all of the NON support of the local media I ask...why is it that you only come out when someone is laying dead in the street? I'm thinking next show we'll stage a brawl in hopes to get all of you yellow journalist out of the house AND you all STILL owe my brother Anthony Dirrel a formal apology!

So back to the show...FIRE!
Allen Imagery and Nsaychable represented HARD for the spoken word scene in Indianapolis, Jon Desir drove from Chicago and wrecked shop in his home state! Truth B. Told shut it down as always. And to my mentor and arch enemy Avery Brand slash Prose showed why he has been thee staple for writing and performing in Flint since he was in middle school.

To my "ghost producer" for the show...I love you for all the work and selfless acts of kindness. I love you but I don't like you lol

To everyone else, I love you all and your support means more to me than I can say

Stay tuned...