No excuses for the lateness of this one really. I’ve just been tired yall. But it’s been almost a week now, and I better get this down before I forget how good an experience it was.

So I hit up Syracuse last Thursday, and yes, the shit was hot. It was an event sponsored by two student orgs: ASIA and La Lucha, representing for Asians and Latinos on campus. So the double feature was myself and the phenomenal Carlos Andrés Gómez outta New York. The event was called “Cafe con Bubble Tea,” which leads me to believe there are just different spellings from zip code to zip code. Here in Boston, I see it called Boba like everywhere. I guess whatever it’s called, it’s delicious!

But the night wasn’t about the beverages. I opened the show, and just got real comfortable, running a little longer than my usual set, since the vibe was so family. I don’t remember what pieces I did, I just know I had a mad good time. It was a beautiful basement space with good sound, and interesting lighting choices going on, so I immediately felt comfortable and purposely didn’t prepare too much because I wanted to keep it kinda spontaneous.

Plus I was tired from my trip from Chicago that day.

Man as beat as I was, that night really energized me. After my set, came a student affairs staff at Syracuse on the mic, Cedric Bolton, who goes back to the old days in Minnesota with my boy Bao when he used to round up artists of color to routinely battle and defeat the mainstreamers in the Twin Cities. So little did I know that one of the members of the school’s administration was also a spoken word super hero, so that was crazy! It also turns out he was in the movie “Lean on Me.” You learn something new every day.

So After Cedric, came Carlos, and yeah, I feel like nowadays, every time I double feature with someone, it’s someone I’ve known for years, so it’s not that new. But Carlos and I never shared a stage before, so I was able to experience it like most of the students there. Just everything was brand new and fresh. I don’t remember the last time I saw someone for the first time and was blown away like that. Damn, I hope I get to see that brother again soon, because his work is on that level.

After all that, we went out for Korean food, which is always a good call. I had to wake up at 4:30 the next morning to catch a 6AM flight. So I had that going for me.

I have to give major props to the Cuse students for bringing me out there and allowing me to be a part of a great night. (And also for giving me a shirt. Word!) Especially Jennifer, who did most of the legwork to get me out there, as well as to Andrea and Judy who scooped me at the hotel to guide half a block down the street in case my dumbass got lost. Jessica from La Lucha, and also Jin and Sterling who handled guitar lending-duties for the evening. Oh that photo of me and Cedric is ganked from Kacy’s Facebook page.

Later yall. Vassar Thursday, Maryland Friday. Sleep Saturday.