A Kid Called Money.: Massacre of the Bay – Oakland, Ca.

I heard about this Grindtime event about a month ago from my homie Tony aka T-WRECKZ!
He told me he was going and asked if I wanted to join in and you know what I said...I said “FUCK YEAH!” and we gave each other a high five and started planning.
We told others about the roadtrip and they said they were down...we had about 6 heads who said they were down to go. This is about 3 to 2 weeks before the event.
The event draws nearer and I’m fucking excited as hell because I’ve never been to the Bay before or a Grindtime event so this was going to be a new experience for me.
The week to finally go comes up and the group of 6 drops to 3 (Tony, Socheat, and myself) and we almost didn’t go since it was only a few of us.
Sucks how they couldn’t go and some canceled it last minute...but whatever I’m not mad because I understand shit don’t work out like it’s supposed to but yeah next time PLAN AHEAD!
And don’t keep us waiting the day when we’re leaving and then tell us you can’t go. If you can’t go and you know you can’t go or are even unsure just a little bit you can’t go then don’t make it seem as if you are going until you’re 100% sure cause that fucks with everyone’s time and money.
ANYWAY! Back to the blog! So Socheat, Tony and I make our way to the Bay. We ate at KT Cafe with the homies after a small session at Barnes Park. Tony picked me up from my place then we got Socheat and chilled at Tony’s house. We slept for a good 40-45 minutes and then we head on out around 5 am.
The drive wasn’t that bad at all..it actually went by pretty quick. We stopped at a few rest stops and chilled, talked, joked around. It took us about 5-6 hours to get there but it was a smooth ride that smelled of cow poop and bugs committing suicide on Tony’s car windshield.
We got to San Fran around noon, got some muh-fucking grub and checked into the hotel.
Chilled in the hotel until the event cause we were pretty tired and around 4, we made our way to Oakland for MOB Day 1!
Right when we step in we see an Octagon where the MC battles are going to take place.
We chilled there and boom bap! F.L.O. announced the first MC battle of the day.
I like they run things at these events...none of this waiting bullshit; they get to action right off the back.
The Day 1 MC battles were dope as sheit. I saw a lot of familiar faces just chilling and lounging around.
It’s pretty much like a b-boy jam but instead of b-boys, picture rappers just walking around and hanging out like any other person. Chill.
Highlight battle of Day1 and my favorite battle from that night..motherfucking A-Class vs. Dizaster...shit was craaaaazy! Everyone got hype for that one. Both came out swinging hard! Dizaster was racist as fuck! I had to hold up my right fist cause he was pretty ruthless. A-Class’ wordplay and punchline delivery was so crisp, clean and cut like a fuckin’ ninja sword...damn! So dope.
As much as I love A-Class, I do believe Diz got him in Round 3 pretty bad so Diz got the win but seriously A-Class is improving and getting better each time I hear him...definitely underrated but I think people will see this guy’s Top-Tier.
Other highlights of mine from Day1...Tricky P vs. Illusion-Z was pretty funny, Reverse Live vs. 24-7, Tantrum vs. Bartone...man I don’t even know...so many battles and shit. All of them were entertaining!
Then the b-boy battle started around 9ish...which is something I didn’t even know! FUUUUUUUUCK!
I didn’t bring the right shoes or any pads...my knee was still jacked and my elbow is worn down...FUCK IT! Tony and I entered and we battled...I forgot I think one guy was from Cloud 9 Tribe.
It was a fun battle...I thought I could’ve done better...3 rounds for a prelim...but it’s probably because not that many crews entered so they wanted to make it a longer show.
I thought Tony and I did well overall but I do wish I prepared better...I think we were the only b-boys watching the MC battles while all the other ones were practicing in the other room.
Plus we drank a bit so we were feeling tipsy too! Hahaha talk about being unprepared...I thought the b-boy battles were going to be the 2nd day of the event. >.<
But we made Top 8! So I was happy about that ^__^
We left a little early cause we were still tired from the drive, standing around watching the MC battles and battling in the Breakin’ battles.
We got some good ol’ fashion McDeeZ nuts! Ate in the hotel, chilled, and knocked out.
BEST SLEEP EVER...EVEN THOUGHT I SLEPT ON THE FLOOR! K-TOWN SON!

2nd DAY!
We woke up pretty damn early since we had to check out before 11am. Woke up around 10am and got ready for a day out in the town!
We drove around downtown SF and got some breakfast in Union Square. Walked around Union Square and checked out a lot of the shops.
The building landscapes and architecture is pretty amazing compared to LA’s ghettoness...I felt so small walking around these huge ass skyscrapers. Had some fun with the homies; filming random shit here and there. YOU’LL SEE SOON!
Met up with homie Ben Langholz and his gf! We got some lunch together and continued to check out the shops here and there. Some dope stores in SF.
Niketown was pretty sick! I was so tempted to buy all this shit but expensive and I needed to control my budget! Fuckin’ shaft tubs delivering shoes...some high tech stuff man! We came to a conclusion there’s a sweatshop underground making and delivering the shoes to the store hahaha.
Anyway! So then Ben and his gf went their separate way to study and we made our way back to Oakland for the 2nd day of the event.
Get to the event and this time the event was even more packed. A lot of people came through the second day. This time it sort of took some time to get things rolling cause people didn’t show up or whatever but anyhoo they got started with the DJ battles...that shit was fuckin’ awesome.
Funny and dope shit come the DJ’s using movie quotes and lyrics to diss the other DJ...shit was pretty hype.
Then we moved right into the MC battles...Nocando vs. Anecdote, Real Deal vs. 9DM, Rone vs. Kid Caustic, Soul Khan vs. QP, Madness vs. Sahtyre, Quest McCody/Marv Won vs. Dirtbag Dan/Soul Khan, Jonny Storm vs Sonny Bamboo...fuckin’ sick first half!
I think the thing they needed to speed up was the producer beat battles cause that was taking a little too long. We caught some MC cypher battles outside...shit was raw. Canadian dudes are coming up man!
Sessioned a little but dang I just wasn’t feeling it...but it was coo anyhow.
After the beat battles came the b-boy battles. We went up against....I forgot...damn I have a really bad memory...I know one guy was from Flex Flave and the other was from Rockforce I think but whatever.
It was pretty tense battle and I KNOW I could’ve done better. My head wasn’t right...I wasn’t feeling it...I didn’t have that WOD attitude or hype haha. My knee was starting to ache again and the other team was coming out pretty aggressive.
I didn’t finish my second set sadly...I blanked out. The judges gave one tie-breaker and the other two to the other team. S’all good though. I wasn’t mad...I was just there to have fun and mainly watch the MC’s. Big ups to Calamities for taking the whole thing and Art of Movement for a dope final battle.
All crews were pretty darn good. It was just dope to finally get to battle in Nor Cal...I know next time ima rep harder! Get my shit together and hope my leg will be 100% next time!
Big ups to all the crews that battled...definitely loving that aggression.
The MC battles continued and finally Freeway performed around like 1am! Shit was dope!
His show was pretty long though and it was getting late and we had to drive back to LA the same night. So sadly we left around 1:30ish am to make it back in the morning.
We were getting more tired as we were driving so we stopped, got some food and took a nap in the car.
Socheat drove this time most of the way and the drive back was pretty fast as well. No traffic or anything...just the long boring 5 freeway road haha.
It was relaxing though.
Then I drove when we got to the Hollywood area and got home...so good to be home.
SF is a dope city and to be honest there’s not much of a difference SF and LA...I hate it when people try to compare the cities but to be honest there’s not too much of a difference between a few things.
I do love LA and would pick LA over ... anywhere ... just cause that’s where the heart is at.
Definitely a FUN TRIP! Had a great time with the homies, meeting some peeps here and there, reppin’ ZHLA, eating lots of junk food, watching MC’s punch each other metaphorically, seeing new sights and just chilling.
Good times! Thanks to Tony for driving and Socheat for coming through!

Happy Mother’s Day! Happy Birthday to Matt Tran! And big ups to Peter Heng! ^_^

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