volume 136 - side by side

o caminho do bem

claud 🎯

May 17, 2023

advanced friend homework

empath_bussy

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i dream of being the token brown guy in stock photos

empath_bussy

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multiple truths coexist

Run It Back in a nutshell 🤟😌🤟

i’ve been letting go and having more fun recently. life is too anxiety-inducing to not truly live lmao

take my tattoos for example. i always thought about getting some as i’ve gotten older. last May, i was hospitalized after just turning 30 and was reminded how precious life is. that experience pushed me to say fuck it why not and i went full send last August

i got four in my first session and flew to Salt Lake City to get another 🤪:

i appreciate the curiosity when people ask about my tats. but they honestly mean everything and nothing at the same time haha

i can have this extensive background about how the horses represent being persistence through tough times with a smile. other days? they just look cool to me 🤠 (the armadillos look so sick and will forever remind me of Austin)

in general, they’re a reminder to have fun

i think about the fun aspect as we celebrate Run It Back’s anniversary next month (with a surprise interview 😉). truth be told, 3 years later Run It Back is still fun for me! if / when it lacks its luster, i’ll know it’s time to move on

i don’t want to hold onto nostalgia if new experiences beckon. growth is good :)

and with that, let's get to the music for the week ❤️‍🔥

- claudio / claud / @offballscreen

this week’s music ⤵️

Apple Music

Spotify

Dummest & the Dummest
Young Dolph & Key Glock
Released: 2021

Yep my bankroll is humongous, I do whatever I wanna
Yep, I ball, I flex, I dress the best, I'm the number one stunna
Bitch, I just made two commas
Just pulled up the yellow and red 'Vette, Ronald McDonald

RIP Dolph 😪. too many artists die way too soon

revisiting his discography i stumbled upon their Dum & Dummer series and i was blown away by their chemistry and ability to play off each other. nothing feels forced. which makes sense because Key Glock is the cousin by marriage of Dolph and looked up to him as a mentor

also reminder, Dolph is for the kids:

O Caminho Do Bem
Tim Maia
Released: 1976

Tim had so much influence on the game. he infused Brazilian music with jazz, psych rock, samba, and funk (amongst others). he was a huge catalyst of the Black Rio movement in the 70s, helping Afro-Brazilians embrace their heritage

i got put on to his work through Toro y Moi, who lists him as one of his main influences:

this song is so groovy and you can hear the through line in Toro’s work 🙏

Side by Side
Earth, Wind & Fire
Released: 1983

Side by side, for love we waited
Side by side, we're dedicated
Side by side, now we can make it
Side by side, we gonna shake it on down

in no particular order, my (incomplete) side by side matches made in heaven:

strawberry Pocky and chocolate Hello Panda

fresh baguette with salted butter (this might be my next tattoo lmao)
Steph + KD pick and roll (i seriously think this is the most unstoppable play in NBA history — how do you guard this??)