A-Quil Everything

A collection of music, videos, photos, various styles of writing...basically, whatever I feel like putting up related to my art. Word!

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Hi! Popping in quickly to acknowledge & celebrate 3 years of ASCEND Entertainment Productions! There's been an enormous amount of ups, with very few downs, while continuing to expand the company. And while there's much more work to be completed (the important stuff you don't see🙏🏾), I PROMISE to make time to properly celebrate this year when possible. Thanks for choosing ASCEND for any of your needs. It truly means the world to me. 💙🩶🩵🤍🚀 #ASCEND #ASCENDEntertainmentProductions #Anniversary #HappyBirthday #KeepRising #KeepGrinding #Hardwork #Dedication #ThankYou #Gratitude #Blessings #SmallBusiness #BlackOwnedBusiness #BIPOCOwnedBusiness https://www.instagram.com/p/CnzvUBIJL6P/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Just wanted to say, thank you everyone for your love and support! 2022 was a crazy year, & in 2023, there's only one thing to do: ASCEND! 💙🤍💙🤍🚀

Enjoy the New Year. May everybody be blessed with an abundance of joy & success.

Sincerest Appreciation,

- A-Quil (of ASCEND Entertainment Productions)

#ThankYou #HappyNewYear #2022 #2023 #SmallBusiness #Growth #Expansion #Goals #Dream #Believe #Achieve

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Sunday December 18th, 4pm-7pm! Pull up to Graze for our Ugly Sweater party! Great food to select from, along with holiday drink specials. I'll be mixing Christmas music, but you know I'ma have some "energetic remixes" on deck as well! 😂 See y'all soon! 🎅🏿 #DJGig #DJLife #DJsMakeTheWorldGoRound #MusicIsLife #OnThemOnesAndTwos #SoulBowl #Graze #YoSweaterShoIsUgly #UglySweater #Christmas #Party #SundayFunday #NorthLoop #Minneapolis #Minnesota (at Soul Bowl MN) https://www.instagram.com/p/CmPEoCHO8kD/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Saturday December 17th, 9am-12pm! Back for another pregame party, as the @Vikings look to clinch the #NFCNorth with a W over the @Colts! Catch myself on the 1's & 2's w/ @thatboy_steviejay on the mic (aka your favorite dynamic duo), live from the Pepsi Stage just outside of the Vikings Longhouse. We'll be keeping you warm by keeping you moving, so pull up & take some pics with us for our extensive Vikings fans gallery (we'll take pics with Colts fans too, we don't hate 😂). Skol! 😈 #DJGig #DJLife #OnThemOnesAndTwos #DJsMakeTheWorldGoRound #MusicIsLife #Vikings #Colts #Pregame #Party #Football #SkolGang #ShowYourHorns #PurplePride #USBankStadium #Downtown #Minneapolis #Minnesota (at Minnesota Vikings Longhouse) https://www.instagram.com/p/CmPBLKvO_-2/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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That was fun! Thank you to everyone that stopped by the Rotunda this evening and got their boggie on (them kids gon sleep good tonight 😂). & thank you @mallofamerica for having me back! Happy Holidays! 🦃🎄 #DJGig #DJLife #OnThemOnesAndTwos #MusicIsLife #DJsMakeTheWorldGoRound #HolidaySet #Fun #Dance #HuntingtonBankRotunda #MallOfAmerica #Bloomington #TwinCities #Minnesota (at Mall of America) https://www.instagram.com/p/Clc9W92Ox4O/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Saturday from 6pm-9pm, I'll be DJing in the Huntington Bank Rotunda in the Mall of America! If you're out kicking off your holiday shopping, or just looking for some good vibes & mall walking, pull up & say hey! 🎧 #DJGig #DJLife #OnThemOnesAndTwos #MusicIsLife #DJsMakeTheWorldGoRound #Event #SmallBusinessSaturday #MallOfAmerica #Bloomington #TwinCities #Minnesota (at Mall of America) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClaD3pOOfFq/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Looking forward to this today. A fun workout session before the holiday festivities kick in! If you haven't bought your ticket yet, make sure to do so at the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/thenewmpls-holiday-trap-bandz-workout-tickets-463929233827 #DJLife #DJGig #OnThemOnesAndTwos #MusicIsLife #DJsMakeTheWorldGoRound #TrapBandzWorkout #TheNewMPLS #ModernWell #Minneapolis #TwinCities #Minnesota (at ModernWell) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClRSlpqORch/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Listen... https://www.instagram.com/p/Ckt7RVZu88U/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Happy Halloween! 😎💊🕷🕸🎃👻👽😱🤘🏿😈🤘🏿 #HappyHalloween #Halloween #SpookySeason #SpookySZN #October #Morpheus #TheMatrix #DJGig #DJLife #NFL #Pregame #Vikings #Cardinals #Vikes #Skol #SkolGang #ShowYourHorns #PurplePride #TheCommons #USBankStadium #Downtown #Minneapolis #TwinCities #Minnesota (at The Commons) https://www.instagram.com/p/CkYTq05OozX/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Thanks everyone again for the Birthday love over the last week! It's been tremendous!

Got some more pics & vids coming (keep sending them! 😁) but quick s/o's to @thelegacybuildingmpls building for opening their space to me, my guy @itscousinchristopher holding me down on the music, @sweetstheperfectpiece for the wonderful desserts, @d.johnsonandco_greetings for my awesome custom birthday card (forgot to include in this vid, I'll put it in the next one 😊), B&B 360 Spin with the booth, @versatilehands with the grub, & my guy @grahamely with this hilarious birthday post that I turned into VO for this vid! 😂

Last but never least, my phenomenal & beautiful Wife @philafornia aka B. Velincia, for helping bring my birthday vibe/vision to life with her golden touch! For future inquiries, contact her management, which is me. Because one more thing... "the price of the brick is going up!" 💥

#Birthday #Bornday #Celebration #Libra #LibraGang #LibraSeason #LibraSZN #LibraScorpio #LibraScorpioCusp #October #Fall #Autumn #Dreads #Bald #BigChop

A-Quil on Instagram: "Thanks everyone again for the Birthday love over the last week! It's been tremendous! Got some more pics & vids comi

A-Quil shared a post on Instagram: "Thanks everyone again for the Birthday love over the last week! It's been tremendous! Got some more pi

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Hold space to properly grieve what you've lost, in order to make room for new Blessings.

It's just hair... but for a long time it was a big part of my identity... my love for the beauty of my people... my rebellion against the status quo of what is considered, "professional." When society speaks of "good hair," they aren't talking about Black folks hair. When society speaks on how to look "in order to be presentable for a job," well, my Fro was too "big" (I said too powerful). My Braids were too "thuggish" (though I graduated College with a 3.97 GPA...yes, 1 A- away from perfection). And my locs were perceived to be "untamed" (though they looked good as hell on my shoulders in a crushed velvet blazer).

Society's obsession to police Black folk's hair is weird, from our kids, to especially our Women (I've only experienced a fraction of what Black Women go through, & it was still ridiculous). But I'm fortunate to be in a position that the negative didn't impact me. Because for 20+ years, the love I received from my people in the states & internationally can never be outweighed. For 20+ years, I was able to express myself artistically through my work, my music, &, my hair by extension. For 20+ years, I made my own path, carved out my own doors, continue to build my own table. I'm proud of that.

But, on the practical side, my head became heavy. My neck started to hurt constantly. My roots were slowly breaking. These locs that once touched my waist, carried so much energy, especially from the last couple of years...various types of stresses & losses...my hair started becoming more of a burden than a source of inspiration.

What should I do?

Well, what's been speaking to me over the last few months is, if it no longer serves me on my path? Don't be afraid to let it go. Tie up all loose ends or cut them off. But to achieve this new level, I need a better me. A stronger me. And while that's not directly tied to just hair, it's about getting to root causes (no pun intended) & dealing with any issues at the source. Self care. Because from my hair to my soul, to my people around me, all I care about is health & happiness. ✊🏿

#BigChop #NaturalHair #Dreads #Bald

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Some endings are simply new beginnings 😊 #TheBigChop #Locs #Dreads #NaturalHair #TwelveYearsAndEightMonths #TwentyOneYearsOfLongHairOverall #CameOnHome #ThanksForTheMemories #RIPDJSexyDreads 😂 https://www.instagram.com/p/CkDzFGHufWD/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Bless 🙏🏾 https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj-ulXZuo7-/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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I was told a few times I was on the actual Vikings website. Finally went and looked. Nice! Next home game is October 30th vs the Cardinals by the way. See you then! 🤘🏿😈🤘🏿 #DJGig #DJLife #OnThemOnesAndTwos #MusicIsLife #DJsMakeTheWorldGoRound #SportsDJ #Vikings #NFL #Football #Pregame #Skol #ShowYourHorns #PurplePride (at The Commons) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj1qEG7uFAT/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Been posting a lil more on the @ascendentertainmentproductions page to highlight the Wedding Season, but it's time to get to some content on this page. Maybe I'll start dumping early next week leading up to the bday next Saturday. Today is not a dump though. I just set up super fast for a Wedding I'm DJing, so, impromptu photoshoot! Fun fact: I'm in the same location (several feet over, but still) where I shot album cover photos 10 years ago. That would be/could've been a cool time travel moment...🤔 Anyway ✌🏾 for now! #StillShinin #GetFocused #LibraSeason #LibraSZN #LibraGang ♎️⚖️ https://www.instagram.com/p/CjtjYg5uLpJ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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More details to come for the public events, but this is where I'm at in October, with a couple other things in the works (always lol). Oh, & it's LIBRA SEASON! ♎️⚖️ #Schedule #DJLife #LibraSeason #LibraSZN #WeddingSeason #WeddingSZN #FashionShow #Skol #Vikings #FootballDJ (at Booked 'N Busy) https://www.instagram.com/p/CjQyFHtO7br/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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✂️🧵 https://www.instagram.com/p/CjEs-LKOm88/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=