Wow! Now it’s official! The “R4aR” CD release for our Honolulu peeps?! Super-charged, mad-inspiring and off-the-chain encouraging! What else can I say other than that we are blessed with INCREDIBLE fans and supporters! Supporters of positive music and artists doing what they love to do and doing it on their own terms! Aw yeah!

You see, we are not backed by any labels, nor do we have any sponsors, in fact, we do most everything necessary for the creation of a quality, genuine, and heart-felt album ourselves. That is not to say that there are not those who support us, on the contrary, we are extremely fortunate to have a TON of really supportive people, organizations and companies surrounding and helping us out. But, driving it all is our passion and love for underground conscious hip hop and a burning desire to connect with others to help create a better world for us all to enjoy.

So, we put this new album together on our own, Wunda and I, and along the way we were joined and aided by some truly incredible people and friends of ours with great skills and amazing talents and a willingness to share their time and energy with us! In other words, supreme blessings which allowed us to finally create an actual CD that we could actually put in your actual hands! The discs, alongside some of our other merch (band t-shirts, stickers and peace symbols), were personally packaged (by yours truly!) and made available for those down for the cause! Aaaand, based on the “support” figures for the night, the items were a smashing success! Thanks to all the independent underground artists who have shown and taught me over the many years of my attending shows (especially The Grouch of Living Legends!) what it means to hold it down at the merch table and to meet-n-greet your fans, make yourself accessible to them and to genuinely connect with each and every person showing you love and respect. Mad love and many thanks to those fans who gave us their support, either by kopping a copy of the album or shirt, getting down and throwing it up during our set, and/or just encouraging us by dropping us a kind word!! Y’alls generosity and positivity continues to be the FUEL we need to keep on doing this type of hip hop bigger and better! For real yo TRUTH!

Now, not only was the support and energy in the room strong, but the set itself and the vibe in the space was balling! Especially since it was an Occupy-themed event Conscious and educating on the social justice & equality tip was the decor of the loft, posted up on the walls and all around the gallery, same style as our music and our rhymes, which was oh so cool. Plus, because the homeys came through on the musical tip, Joel Spiral (my self-appointed “hype” man or “backing” mc, also the lead mc for hip hop band “Family Dinner”) and Alan Moreno aka Sepka (dj for the night, also producer for “Deux So”), I was afforded the opportunity to really rip it on the mic and let loose like a champ, fully focused and in the zone, hip hop on my mind and consciousness spilling heavy through the speakers

Truth be told, if this show is any indication of the future and what is still yet to come for the Peace of Mind Crew, oh man, prepare yourselves people, because it is only going to be getting stronger and doper from here on out, keeping on it right and doing some ridiculously uplifting things…all of us in together now.

Big ups to ONG KING ARTS CENTER once again for hosting us and to all the conscious and respectful performers in the house that night, plus a HUGE shoutout to all of YOU who supported us and who continue to do so, and of course, to the people reppin’ peace and who still keepin’ they poise

‘Til the next one, wishing you all the best!

Peace!

- Pakman

Rise Up Hawaii and the Peace of Mind Crew. You have to recognize and appreciate the mutual love/synergy/support there. Honestly speaking, the two together is a match made in passionate positivity heaven.

Let it be known, every time the Rise Up Hawaii crew puts together an event, they do it with a sense of unity in mind, as well as for a just cause. The unity manifests in the eclectic and diverse line-ups they consistently bill, while the just cause, in this instance, appears in the form of “Charity:Water”, a non-profit striving to provide clean water for those without in developing nations, especially Africa. And once again this event (like all the others!) was a stellar success.

Outstanding performances by Friends of Adam (rock/blues/soul), Streelight Cadence (a young 20’s something 5 piece of classical harmonization ft. violin, strings, upright bass, and accordion!), One Kin (reggae/rock/roots) and the Night Marchers (hip hop), as well as punk/metal groups Skylene & Shipwrecks, really made for an inspiring, fresh, and assorted mix of music!

Plus with raffles and special giveaways from our very generous sponsors, live art and original artwork on display, the night was a meaningful one, especially for those less fortunate now one step closer to receiving clean water for themselves and their communities!

Big ups Rise Up Hawaii, Charity:Water, The Venue, and of course, EVERYONE who came out for such a great cause and who shared mad love!

Until the next one, blessings!

Peace!

- Pakman

You’ve realllly got to strain to see us there, posted on the flyer, but once you can make us out, aw yeah that’s right, feel good about yourself, you just deciphered this graphic art successfully

Haha, so this show was a pretty laid back one, and by reading on you’ll catch my drift. You see, unfortunately, 2 of the other bands on the bill had to back-out last minute style, leaving just us and the Grlfrnds to hold it down for the house, though Animal Mother would later jump on to close the night with a slamming bang which was fantastic!

We got good video and handed out some cool POM-C posters, but more so than our set was the connections that were made. Chaz the audio engineer gave some really helpful suggestions for improving our show. Grlfrnds treated us to some new-school old-school synth rock. And Rachael the ADHdj of KTUH rocked us by holding it down on the decks proper.

That, and some random guy picked up our promo flyer for “Rhyme4aReason”, gave it the ole’ thorough look-over, and then proceeded to pocket it! Awww yeah, now that’s uplifting

Anyhow, much love and thanks to the homey Joe Agogo & Jet Setter Productions for setting it all up!

And ’til the next time, peace!

- Pakman

In honor of our homey SYNTAX VERNAC’s new EP release titled “Spring Broken”, and the fact that he was flying out to visit Hawaii (and vacation with his girl!) on the cusp of its release, we had to throw a proper show to celebrate!

Deciding upon an alternative-type of venue, we were gracious enough to be hosted by our buddy Bryce who runs the Burning Tree Hookah Lounge located in Kaimuki!

Also on the bill was our good homey St. Graves a.k.a. Alan Moreno laying down his amazing electro breakbeat dub-style music and of course yours truly spitting hot fiah on the mic!

Sweet performances by Syntax (originally from Las Vegas NV), Pakman, and St. Graves as well as the homeys Matt, Devin and Joel who joined on the live band freestyle cypher sesh, made the night one to remember, although it seemed most of the patrons in the house where there primarily for the hookah smokage, haha, oh well, at least a few of us really enjoyed the sets and others got to smoke hookah with killah hip hop & dub breakbeat & live freestyle in the house!

All in all a great experience, especially since our friend Syntax Vernac of Speach Impediments recognized and dispensed some great aloha while he was here, both on and off the mic

Cheers my brother from another! And come visit us again soon!

‘Til the next one, much love and many blessings!

Peace!

wowza! haha, what an unexpected bonanza of a good time this show was! though truth be told, that particular sentiment would not become fully apparent until later in the eve, you see….

i was just getting over the flu and still not feeling so jiggy as i got set to step out the house and into the Hawaiian Brian’s showroom (one of my favorite venues on the island as an artist and performer since their stage and sound-system are just bangin’!) for a featured performance hosted by SUNDAY JAMS HAWAII!

my throat was closing up, i had lost my appetite and a few tech snafu’s had me a lil’ nervous, but oh my goodness would you believe the miracle i needed came through just like that right on time and just when i needed it the most oh yes hallelujah you better believe it! but wait, what’s that you ask? you want to know what it was?! well check it then friends!

hahah it was none other than the POM homeys and homettes oh yes!!

for real! each of you who came to support, who got up and got down on the dance floor, who were hollering back the lyricals, who shared your positive energy and spirit with us?! YOU ALL ROCK! (especially you, the super nice korean lady who hooked me up with hot green tea and saved my throat/voice! i loves you!)

i was super blown away and madly uplifted by y’all and i can hardly wait for the next one because i can hardly wait to once vibe again with YOU! that’s right, real talk, real love.

thanks again for making the night such a special and unforgettable one, my love-bug Joey for filming and just being there for me (especially since it was a laaate night, i love you for sticking by me!), Resa my fav b-girl and official POM breaker, Jason Tom the human beatbox and positive aura homey, Justine for rallying the gang, Alan, Trae, Nathan and Ben for answering that rally call, Jeremy Roske and Liz for performing, Jivatma for dancing, Kt for hooking us up with the kick-ass button, Brett and Chaz for helping on sound, and Duane for hosting and organizing the event! and of course all those i may have forgotten to mention here but who were most definitely there and vibing proper, whether in the physical or in the spirit! much love!!

’til the next one my peeps,

peace and blessings!!

- sam the pakman

to me ONG KING is like a 2nd home, and every time we rock a show there it is a blessed experience each and every single time. thankfully this time was no different, except for the unnoticeable fact that A LOT more tourists seemed to be in the house, lol, how the heck did they find us?! hahaha

like most of our performances being an indie crew with not a whole lot of recognition, most folks in the audience were hearing us for the first time, and in our case, this equates to a group of people mostly sitting and listening intently, doing their best to hear and process our lyrics, because well, i love to spit flows, and much of the time you best know they come quick and heavy!!

however, without a doubt, there is at least one (or so we hope!) person in the crowd who takes that first step to get up, get down and get it moving! and thankfully, our friend and fan Juanita was there to do just that (you rock Juanita!) haha, once she let loose, so did a few others, and before long, the audience was being treated to two shows, one on-stage, the other on the dance floor! i personally was loving the one on the dance floor

haha aw yeah! once again and without a doubt another great show and experience for PEACE OF MIND!! big ups to SHAIN & ALIA, the hosts and curators of ONG KING, who are and continue to hold it down proper in downtown Chinatown for the arts and music and community! they love PEACE OF MIND and WE LOVE THEM! oh yeah! one love! plus a special shoutout to Brenna, another much appreciated fan of ours, who took some awesome pics of our performance simply because she felt moved to do so! i said it before and i’ll say it again, you rock Brenna!

and of course, a huge MAHALO to all YOU! our amazing fans and supporters!! we LOVE you guys and gals immense and want you to know that! until the next one, be seeing you!

peace and love always!

- pakman

ps. a VERY SPECIAL fan vid created by ALOHA BRIDESTAR featuring scenes from our performance on this night! check it out if you’re feeling so inclined! THANKS a TON ALOHA! YOU ROCK!

one of the dopest sound systems i’ve ever had the privilege of rocking the mic on! NEXT DOOR is off the hook with it! that is, when the sound guy hasn’t fallen asleep at the soundboard, haha, no worries brother man it’s all good! we go late-night style so being a bit tired from making us all sound great is tiring work for real, we understand and just want to say thanks for helping us out!

check it! if you were unable to make the show this time around at this venue, no worries. but! do make sure to make it the next time! because the atmosphere, sound quality and stage at Next Door are popping like nowhere else in Honolulu! real talk.

those who made it out, however, got to experience powerhouse performances not only from PEACE OF MIND crew’s MC Pakman, but also some unexpected and majorly appreciated slamming hip hop by the NIGHT MARCHERS, a young quartet of local MC’s based here in Hawaii, as well as a full set from one of my personal favorite bands on island, BATS IN THE BELFREE, another local Honolulu group whose drum/bass/guitar trio rocks live shows like none other wicked-amazing style!

and of course, a huge shoutout and mahalo to JOE AGOGO of JET SETTER PRODUCTIONS for putting this event together and for hooking us up with a slot on the bill! looking forward to the next one bro!

last but not least in fact most of all, a HUGE and SINCERE THANK YOU to all of you who came out to support and who were dancing, throwing up hands, and showing mad love Peace of Mind style!! you know who you are because, well, you were there! hahah, much love again and blessings to you and yours always!

peace and love now and forever.

’til the next one!

- pakman

“I like how you were just straight up rap, raw hip hop, not trying to be flashy or like those kats all up on techno-y, electronic stuff who just go with the trend or whatever. I like how you’re just a straight up lyricist. And that you’re REAL with it.” – Josh, a new POM fan, conversing with Pakman after the show.

The reason I’m so real with it?! That’s easy…

I LOVE HIP HOP!

The real hip hop that is, meaning the culture, the tradition and the lifestyle; also the music, the message and the empowerment hope that it gives and still continues to give people.

A friend of mine after the show told me how much she absolutely loved our music, explaining that she’s not even a fan of hip hop! Not to say that she doesn’t enjoy hip hop music, she just doesn’t much care for the commercialism and the straight up no-holds barred exploitation behind what mainstream hip hop/rap (and in fact, for that matter, almost every other facet of life!) has become. So, to see and hear a truly positive message delivered in such an engaging and fun way?! Well, let’s just say she’s another precious drop of peace of mind water in the hip hop life-bucket of goodness that we all long to keep on drinking from…and we hope you are too

Love, peace, and aloha!

And til’ the next one my friends and fam, may you be well and blessed always!

- Sam the Pakman

“now rise!/ to a new platform/ like the sound in the storm no one can hear it come/ said rise!/ what will be be done/ from the earth and the ashes/ rise as One!/”

that’s precisely how we felt gettin’ up in the mix with Rise Up Hawaii! and even more uplifting? the fact that so many others joined in with us as well

LIVE performances by Ill Hill Society, Def!nition of 4N Tongues, some of Hawaii’s illest b-boy breakers, and many others including yours truly, the Peace of Mind Crew, helped make the night an epic one of both comraderie and positivity!

with the major focus of the night on raising funds to buy much-needed supplies for those less fortunate, in this instance, those families currently homeless on the Waianae coast (west shore of Oahu), that goal was met in-full and then some with the support and generosity exhibited by all those in attendance

big ups to Rise Up Hawaii for organizing, the Fresh Cafe for hosting, all of our fellow artists and musicians for playing, and to all of the dedicated fans (underground, live, local, and POM lovers out there! you know who you are!) as well as our entire crew (Joey & Justin in particular!) for doing what you do and coming through so legit

we love you guys and gals tremendous, and are amazingly blessed by you all.

be well, blessings to you and yours, and ’til the next one,

peace!

- sam the pakman & the peace of mind crew

Let me begin with the shout-outs. First and foremost, Phoenix Rose, for hooking up the gig. Second up, Shebazz aka Jazz, for holding us down. Third in line, DJ Hi Vibes for mixing it up, and fourth, though perhaps most important of all, our friends, family, and comrades, or, in a nutshell, our crew!! Plus, big ups to Rock Bottom for allowing us the use of their space in order to “Rock the Flow” right

The night was like most, alive and jive with revelry and good energy, though a few snafus had Sahak and I jittered just a tad, though the show still went off without a hitch, minus the delayed set start and occasional lyrical and dropped beat hiccup that is. However, more important than technical precision, was actual delivered passion, and that is exactly what we made sure to deliver strong, seeing as how all our homeys and homegirls had their game faces on, ready to go. So, naturally, reciprocity ensued, and the show was what it was, and exactly what it had to be. Nothing more, nothing less. Simply put and summed up in one word, uplifting.

We had a stellar time, and are eagerly looking forward to the next opportunity we get to rock with all our friends and fam again! At the same time, we are working on a new album, a project which is coming along quite nicely if I do say so myself, and which we hope all of y’all will enjoy too!

Until the next one, many blessings, love, and aloha y’all! And looking forward to connecting with you again soon!

Peace.

- Pakman