Peace of Mind.

What is it for you?

Well, for us, it is our music, our art, and our vibe. It is an ideal for which we continuously strive and one that we believe is now broadcasting world-wide and live!

It also happens to be a unique group of like-minded individuals coming together to share their gifts in music with one another and the world.

We are not just a band, we are friends. We are family. We are different, and we are the same. And it just so happens that we are just. like. You.

In a sense, we are You, and you are Us. Because together we are a United people, held together in life by One rhythm, One laughter, One love, and One respect.

We are fun, silly, kind and good-hearted people. And we remain, each and every day, committed, passionate, and genuinely excited about what we do, striving always to promote that philosophy which we whole-heartedly live and believe: encouraging, supporting and strengthening others, while doing that which brings you meaningful, genuine and fulfilling happiness in your own personal and unique one-of-a-kind life.

All of us hope for bettering our world by continually educating and growing our individual and unique selves (accomplishing this primarily by means of experience, travel, education, art, and music!) and by helping our fellow man and fellow woman at every turn along the way, supporting one another in positive tones and endeavors, and promoting visions of terra-wide peace, unity, and harmony everlasting.

The Peace of Mind Crew strives to take the steps necessary to create a space of goodness and happiness for all to share in while ensuring its own unique and lasting legacy, establishing it’s universal resonance with generations past, present, and future, and accomplishing this all by creating original, uplifting and conscious hip hop music, supporting art in all of its varied and unique forms, and supporting the independent spirit, culture and tradition of peace, love, and equality.

“We are souls united in a world too often divided; and we come together here and now, regardless of our differences, in order to spawn positive vibrations and share them with friends and fam, strangers and fans, humanity world-wide and souls bodies and minds universal alike. Together we stand, united and uplifting goodness, sharing our passion, our message, and our music with all and with all who choose to hear it.” – Pakman

We are the Peace of Mind Crew.

***a little backstory on POM-C***

The “Peace of Mind Crew” formed officially in 2007 in Honolulu, Hawaii as a collaboration between MC/writer/producer/manager “Pakman” (real name Sam John) and producer/turntablist “DJ Wish” (real name Brian Taaffe). Both were undergrad students studying at Hawaii Pacific University and seemingly found each other the start of the fall semester, or rather, more accurately, the music found them. Production on their first album began taking place almost overnight in a jerry-rigged home-recording studio on the windward side of Oahu late 2007.

As the album began to take shape, friends and fellow musicians began lending their unique talents to the project. Guitarists “3-Pete” (real name Peter Avedschmidt) and “Changer” (real name Ryan Chan) brought powerful, hard, and distinct electric guitars to the Pakman’s beats (the primary foundation of the album) in addition to providing melodic, smooth, and funky-style overtones to others. Their complex and intricate rhythms helped give the beats a harder edge, a deeper dynamic, and a richer, more diverse melody. Rounding out the production roster was turntablist & producer “DJ Kenny K” (real name Kenny Kugler), and with beats, guitars, and vocals in place, the crew’s self-titled debut album, “PeaceofMind”, was officially released in May of 2008.

It was only natural then that the crew, building upon the excitement and positive energy that comes with a cd-release, host their first official live debut performance in California at Pakman’s mama’s house! Featuring Pakman on the mic, 3-Pete and Changer on guitars, and DJ Kenny K on turntables, it was an intense success of a show!! Shows in Honolulu soon followed as Pakman and DJ Wish hit the 808 scene as a hip hop duo, but their adventures were short-lived as the two eventually parted ways. However, shortly thereafter, “DJ Priceless” a.k.a. “DJ U” (real name Jon Price) stepped up to the decks to help keep the Peace of Mind movement moving forward!

Shows in Hawaii rolled on strong with Pakman and DJ U at the helm, while at the same time Pakman began producing, writing, and recording a sophomore-album entitled “Ques?ion” (officially released May 2009), a project with a more decidedly “hip hop” feel and a deeper “philosophical social commentary” as its guiding direction and dominant sound-scape. It was also geared more-or-less of a “solo project” for Pakman, however, he was blessed on select tracks by guitarist “Dirck B” (real name Dirck Blaskey) and singer/photographess “Mel” (real name Melanie Ladonga), both close friends of the Pakman and musicians who brought an even deeper element to the crew, in specific, crunchy, hard, funky guitar riffs and sultry, soulful, female vocals. The POM crew welcomed two new members and an even sweeter edge!

Concurrently, as “Ques?ion” was being produced, Pakman began collaborating with another extremely gifted and skilled friend, dj/producer/turntablist/ “DJ Wunda” (real name Ryan Haynes), on a five-track EP entitled “Still Wunda” (officially released June 2009). With DJ Wunda providing the production and Pakman providing the lyrics and vocals, the project was plastered with creativity from inception. DJ Wunda’s style of sampling and creating intricate, groove-heavy beats with banging drum-lines and multiple layers of sound meshed perfectly with Pakman’s rich, lyrical, story-telling imagery and unique quick-style delivery and rhyme schemes, and the final album was met with great love.

In late summer of 2009, the POM crew, as a five-piece unit featuring Pakman, Mel, Dirck, Changer, and DJ Kenny K, began performing live shows in and around Southern California. Simultaneously growing and expanding their Cali fan-base while expanding and growing their own selves, musically, as well as mentally, socially and spiritually, they began learning more about one another and perfecting their own unique on and off-stage personas and auras, as well as blending their new-found one-of-a-kind musical identities together into a collective, united, and positive progressive-minded group!

At present, the live band is on-hiatus in California as Pakman holds it down in Honolulu, Hawaii, representing the Peace of Mind Crew on-isle as a solo act, tho never alone!

It’s worth noting, however, that the band is currently working towards re-recording a set of tracks from their prior albums and 2009 live tour run to accurately represent the evolution of the POM sound and will be releasing this album as soon as it wraps! It will include the various members of the Peace of Mind Crew and will feature dynamic rhythm and lead guitar sections, soulful and melodic operatic-style singing, fresh vinyl turntable scratching and mixing, and an even more highly refined rhyme scheme and flow!

In addition, a full-length concept album featuring Wunda and Pakman entitled “Perspectives of a Do-Gooder: New Millennium” is in production and will be scheduled for release in the near future.

The crew’s most recent release, however, just took place in the fall of 2011! A brand-new LP and the crew’s 3rd full-length feature titled “Rhyme4aReason” dropped online as part of an exclusive Kickstarter project aimed at raising the funds for a comprehensive West Coast tour! Without a doubt, the disc delivers strong and elevates the POM bar in an exciting number of ways

And most assuredly, more dope freshness is still yet to come…

In the meantime, Peace, Love, Unity and Respect to and for all peoples y’all!

And remember, all this right here?! Well, this is still only just the beginning….