Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop... the grind is in full effect!!!
What's good, good people... What is good in your world today?!?
Well, I'll tell you what's good in mine in the news updates below, and boy do I have a lot for ya this time!!
This week, I'm bringing you guys and dolls great news from the DAPL Protester that's got the internet buzzing!! Yes, there is some positivity left in the world. I also have some news on my 2017 Kickstarter Launch party, and I need the fans' opinions on a few things about said party. For those that wanted it, here's fan access to the full video from the Nov 20 show, along with news on my upcoming show at Swayze's!! My Grown-up Christmas List (I don't think you're ready!!)... An audio snippet of the Janet Jackson cover project I'm working on, and my latest acoustic cover... MERCY by Shawn Mendes. This week I'm also gonna give you guys my internet numbers and humbly ask that you help me increase them... after all, it is YOU, the fans, that inevitably make any artist a great success.
So... strap in, and take this ride with me, as we take our weekly voyage into the wonderful world of CJ KENDRICKS MUSIC, and peak into the mind's-eye of an artist aspiring to be great!!!
- A Win For Standing Rock and the US Army -
Mark Ruffalo and the rest of us can all rest easy as the US Gov. has blocked the Dakota Access Pipeline, thanks in large part to the protesters with assist from the US Army and thousands of veterans. The internet has been set ablaze from with tweets, instagram pics, status updates and profile posts all celebrating this victory for Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, the other tribes protestors, veterans And active duty personnel who all came together along with hundreds of thousands of online supporters to make their voices be heard. This is a great victory for such a great cause after such a long fought battle. This protest went largely unreported by mainstream media during this election year, but gained strength through word-of-mouth and social media support.
- 2017 Kickstarter Campaign & Launch Party -
I'm excited to say we're grinding hard and gearing up for the launch of my crowdfunding campaign that's been almost two long, hard-driven years in the making!! I'm currently refining the show's script and set list, and starting to put together my backing band and dancers!! I'm also checking out venues for the event, and it will be a spectacle!! I'll be reaching out to all my friends and former colleagues in various areas of the industry to her make this a night we won't soon forget!!
There will be tons of new content coming soon to my YouTube channel to promote the Kickstarter campaign and the subsequent album it's set to fund like new acoustic and acapella covers, dance freestyles, new parkour vids, original music videos & cover video tributes, and so much more!
The campaign is set to launch in summer of 2017 and we are still seeking investors, performers and behind-the-scenes players for the event. If you or anyone you know is interested in joining the team, we are currently seeking to fill the following the following positions:
DJ (Turntablist - Vinyl, CD, or Digital)
VIDEOGRAPHER/Video productions
Rehearsals begin in April 2017, Launch Party is in May 2017. Venue And dates TBD.
- COBB COUNTY GET READY.... CJ is coming to you LIVE @ SWAYZE'S!!! -
Just Booked! It's officially confirmed that I'll be kicking off MLK weekend with a performance at Swayze's in Marietta, GA!! Thanks again to AFTON SHOWS for having me join the bill with DangerWoman, Thundershield, Yurp, BREJAe, Eminent Kaos & More!! I promise to bring another high energy live show to the stage, so don't miss out.
Get your tickets NOW online at www.aftonshows.com/cjkendricksmusic OR buy cash tickets directly from me. Ticket prices below:
$12 - online advance purchase
As always, I encourage all fans, friends and family to purchase tickets in advance. Advance sales are what help me out when performing with this particular promoter. Advance ticket sales are what help me as the performer secure a prime timeslot to perform for the largest crowd of the evening. Since it's a showcase event, it's always the goal to perform in the middle of the night for maximum exposure and experience. Also, advance ticket sales are what gets me as the artist paid for doing something I love to do. And I do indeed love ❤️ doing this for myself and for you guys. Writing, producing, playing, performing... it's all apart of my essential composition. I am an artist and I love it, and I hope you love me for it enough to come out and support on a fun Friday in January!! To get a glimpse at what you're in for, check out the video below and subscribe to my YouTube channel to see all my latest content.
- FULL VIDEO: CJ Live @ Smith's Olde Bar, Atlanta GA, Nov 20, 2016 -
Here’s the full (Youtube edit) performance from Smith’s Olde Bar!! It was an awesome night, a great experience and an amazing way to kickoff Thanksgiving week!! I hope you enjoy watching as much as I enjoyed performing! And be sure to comment, share and subscribe to my YouTube channel for all the latest visual content from me, CJ, and my collaborators here at CJKENDRICKSMUSIC, HerbanBlaze Productions, and Herban UNLTD records & films!
- My "GROWN-UP" Christmas List (and I use the term "grown-up" quite liberally, lol)
Here's what I want from Santa 🎅 this year...
A private screening of the entire STAR WARS saga with Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Billy Dee Williams
World 🌎 Peace ✌️ AND the END OF RACISM in the US.
A real working Light Sabre (and no, I'm not 6 years old inside... I'm 13, 😂😂)
A Tesla, but I'll settle for a NEW Charger or Skyline Import
A net launcher (these things are fucking cool 😎 and perfect for stupid pranks on unsuspecting friends)
Tactical full-body armor (One must prepare for the apocalypse, right... I mean zombies, aliens, crazy-ass rich people AKA 'the purge', etc.)
A hydrogen or grease-car powered Hummer with a lift kit, Bigfoot tires, and a battering ram (see Number 7 above)
A parkour playground in my backyard
A water slide from the roof into the pool.
A compound Bow with a shit-ton of armor-piercing and gadget arrows like Hawkeye or Green Arrow (again, see Number 7)
The entire Lego STAR WARS, DC SUPERHEROES & MARVEL SUPERHEROES collection (don't judge me, building Lego sets calms my crazy 😜 down, besides it ain't the craziest thing on this list, 😂😂)
New Studio equipment and Software
A variety of Jack Daniels, red wines, craft beers 🍻, Yuengling and Corona to stock my empty bar with.
Legalize and tax medical and recreational marijuana in all 50 states AND make drug and alcohol rehab completely free under some new federal act
Socialized Healthcare, dental care, primary and higher education without loss of quality of the top tier schools, wholeheartedly making all schools hold to the highest standards.
The (US) nation to treat arts & entertainment as coveted at lower levels as we do team sports and academics, bolstering the creativity and entrepreneurship of the next generation and generations to come.
(A serious wish for this one) A fully-funded Kickstarter campaign and a role in any Marvel or D.C. film franchise
The following mix of super powers in real-life:
Hulk's strength with its proportionality to anger (i.e. ; madder=stronger)
Batman's fighting ability, cunning and intelligence
Wolverine's healing factor, adamantium (fictional metal) skeleton & claws
Spider-Man' agility and spider-sense
Any level of telepathy and telekinesis, but no psychotic "Phoenix force", please
And that concludes my "grownup" Christmas list... I told you "grownup"was a term used liberally 😂😂😂. Hope you enjoyed!!
- Audio Snippet: That's The Way Love Goes -
a visual cover project
So, the team over here at HERBAN UNLTD have taken on the task of producing a visual cover of Janet (Ms. Jackson if you nasty). 'That's The Way Love Goes' has been one of my favorite songs to record, and getting the chance to put my own spin on it, but still keep it classic in a sense has been the best part. I remember earlier in the 2000s during an MTV ICON television special, NSync did a shortened cover of it in homage to Janet... And let's not forget that the original video also featured former "FlyGirl" and future A-List celeb, Jennifer Lopez. Well, it's time to put the CJ stamp on it. Click the link below to check out the audio sample on SoundCloud.com, and contact us if you want to be in the video!!! Filming begins soon!
https://soundcloud.com/cjkendricksmusic/thats-the-way-love-goes
- Mercy acoustic (piano) cover -
I've been rehearsing a new piano song for you guys, in preparation for the Kickstarter Launch Party. I'll be performing a full 45-minute main show, and several spot performances throughout the evening of the event. Here one of the songs I'll perform on piano. MERCY by: Shawn Mendes
- A message to the fans... organic numbers create amazing artists with career longevity
The last thing I want to talk to you all about is how the game works. I mean to say I want to tell you how bad I want to break full stride, into this industry (the mainstream portion), and what it takes in the digital age to do so. It's not that different from the old-school music biz, it is and always has been about numbers and marketability. The difference now is what numbers matter, and what's seen as marketable.
Clearly, I'm marketable. Not to be arrogant, but I know I have the look, the talent, the product, the drive/work-ethic, and the "it" factor. But it takes a team to make an artist, and it takes the numbers to attract and build a team... and my numbers are a bit lower than ideal. I need your help. Instead of buying plays and views, I want to see if YOU, THE FANS, can organically grow the numbers and fan base with me. How, you might ask, can you help?? It's quite simple, join my mailing list on ReverbNation, and LIKE/FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE across the following social media platforms:
If we can reach 1000 fans or more on each site, I can sustain a budget to help push more new music! 10000 fans or more on each site will garner the attention of indie and major A&R personalities, possibility of a distribution or 360 deal. And if anything goes viral, as we all know this day and age, I'll be set. So LIKE the uploaded pics and vids, SHARE content with your friends and frenemies 😝, and SUBSCRIBE wherever possible. Together, we'll get to the top of the Pop, R&B, Dance and Soul Charts!!!
