Keoki's Psyche

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Category: Editorials (Page 1 of 2)

Keoki Le Monday’s ’10 Laws of Manhood’

March 17, 2023 /

I’ve said it before, then said it twice, and I will say it again for an audience in the back… A man is nothing without a code. This code is a set of personal and interpersonal rules that he abides by. This man isn’t a cog. He is a man that sets his place in the universe and defines what he represents. Not what others choose for him. He is a man of his word and understands why he prioritizes what he does over your feelings. He does not awkwardly laugh to ease the tension. His manliness is his core philosophy and although it may differ from a modern perception of the former term, he’s quite alright about being different. His path is his own and he never strays from it to belittle or demean his fellow man. He is a warrior with a garden and protector of his castle. He can be of any race, shade of color, nationality, height, and culture.

Most importantly, he can be you.

Below are my ’10 Laws of Manhood’.

1. Be the best version of yourself — Not follow trends of the best versions of others:

Napoleon Hill once said that “it takes half of your life before you discover life is a do-it-yourself project” and Bruce Lee said “Absorb what is useful. Reject what is useless. Add what is essentially your own.” You know yourself better than anyone else does. You should not succumb to the pressure of the ignorant when they’re also the sum of their past and present. Boldly represent your personality in your dialogue, wardrobe, and achievements. Observe your own environment and ponder if “this is all that there is”. You will find that it is not. You will find yourself watching films that you never imagine bringing yourself to view and traveling to locations that your peers are afraid to because they are stuck in their bubble of influence. When, or if, you return to your old neighborhood(s), you will find that there is absolutely no reason to stay around for longer than you have to after the possible feeling of familiarity wears off.

2. Do not let your brain go to waste:

We are essentially energy. If there is no activity, there is no progress, and there is no evolution. The average adult reads twelve books a year, which in my opinion is a very small amount, and statistics do not go into detail regarding what books they are. Engage with what you are passionate about and what you believe you should know more about. I am fascinated by psychology, quantum physics, sexuality, self-improvement, and bio-hacking, so books of the aftermentioned nature are what I often seek in a library. I read one book a week because seeking knowledge is habit-forming when you would like to rewire your brain to desire an increase in dopamine that benefits your overall ending. You might find yourself course-correcting because what you thought you knew or didn’t know, is not the truth of your reality.

3. Always strive to make better decisions to stand by:

The name of the game has been and will always be about evolution. The evolution of the universe and everything in it. That includes you. Fools too stubborn to improve themselves will attempt to disrupt your goals because they do not align with their repetitive cycle and the belief system that spawned from it. Knowing that you’re not perfect and that every interaction or experience is a chance to grow will mentally set you ahead of the pack. Holding yourself accountable and being transparent with your flaws while openly striving to correct them will disarm judgemental critics and make yourself more relatable to individuals with an open mind. Every king is still only a man. Your word isn’t law. It is just “your law”.

4. Trust consistency and don’t take shit:

Many people, no matter what their native country is, are passive-aggressive and are sheep. That is simply a fact about humans who follow their programming after being indoctrinated into a system. “They not know what they do” and that should not be a concern of yours. Envy is a natural and emotional response, but it can be also destructive if you allow weak links into your inner circle. As Robert Greene states in the book ‘The 50th Law’, your friends and family may hide behind objective opinions. I noticed that the less I associated with certain people and disregarded their thoughts, the more progress I made. Disrespect will be shown to you in an effort to make you want to act on the impulse to prove yourself to them. This is a sign of their character and not your skill. Make a conscious effort to ask yourself if you would trade places with the man or woman giving you advice. If the answer is “No”, then what they say truly does not matter. Trust your instincts enough to push forward and shut down negative mortals or crabs that wish to keep you back, for the purpose of living comfortability in their own little universe.

5. Choose friends, lovers, and allegiances that reflect who you are:

I have roughly five childhood friends in my life and I would not doubt if there is only one left after a couple of decades. I’ve ended relationships with women who could not keep up or obey, and other than family, where I am aligned, politically, is not always clear because I do not agree one hundred percent with every organization and group to represent my best interests without my involvement. Although temporary “crossovers” might open doors for me, I care more about how my legacy and lineage will be remembered throughout this timeline to risk staining it without control of where the paint flies. Don’t be afraid of reinventing yourself and let the chips fall where they may. Crush the solipsism of women, lead your friends to victory or drop them, and watch the territory that you walk through. You’ll never know the intention of a snake until they bite you, and you will never know how poisonous the bite or long-lasting the stain is, until after you assess the wound.

6. Expand your vocabulary:

I’m the “last person” who should be lecturing someone on refraining from the use of swear words, slang, and letting loose verbally, but I do believe in a balance of the three with the extensive knowledge of The King’s English. My mother was a history major and happened to be the worst grammar nazi that you would ever meet in your lifetime. Not only will studying proper English garner you respect and immensely help you raise the probability of “getting a break”, but you’ll also be able to maneuver through communities that would have never given you a chance if they had not heard your intelligence through speech. Don’t worry about those who “call you out” on your ability to code-switch. You can reach a lot more people when you can speak about how they do. My favorite example of this is an episode of ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ titled “72 Hours”. In this episode, Will bets Carlton Banks that he can’t survive in “the ‘hood” and not only does he, as “C-Note”, but Will’s friends also become interested in networking, Deutsche marks, and Schwab accounts. When in Rome, or anywhere you can think of, you want to adapt to the environment, and that is what Carlton was capable of doing, in the show. You are too, in your reality.

7. Acknowledge your vices and destroy the habits that formed them:

I can’t think of a single person that I’ve known who doesn’t have a vice or two. A vice can be anything that doesn’t serve and harms your well-being. For many, it is alcohol. For myself, it was pornographic content and sex. I’ve been open about how I’ve conquered it through semen retention, karezza/coitus reservatus, and meditation, however, the final nail in the venomous coffin that I built to kill the tendencies was replacing the vices with reading. As I discussed in my second law of manhood, the dopamine increase that I receive when completing books is a much healthier substitute. I briefly play excessively violent first-person shooter video games, every now and then, but anything that involves strategy against another opponent, such as checkers, is my go-to.

8. Place every aspect of your health, first:

Don’t wait until your thirties, forties, fifties, or sixties to sculpt your body, and fortify your mind. Time is relative, but what it does not have is patience. Your motivation should be the man in the mirror. Learn to cook and continually try to cut out processed food from your lifestyle. If you cannot afford a gym membership, then work out at home, and there are plenty of free libraries or unethical options to acquire literature on the internet. Ignore the shame from any bums and plebs who choose not to reflect because they fear the pain of accepting who they are at the moment. While I do not promote the use of drugs because becoming dependent upon them may also become your reality or the end of it, I do share my journey with edible cannabis such as Delta-8/9/10 THC. They have assisted me with forgiving my past, reconnecting with myself, and psychologically making fundamental changes that have put me back on track. Occasionally, I practice Mouna for twenty-four hours, which requires that I refrain from speaking the entire time and let waves of thought flow, for the purpose of introspection. No matter what you choose to do, you should always do your due diligence, spend time heavily researching anything that you might do, and focus on happy longevity.

9. Learn the code of your reality and manipulate it:

As I started to approach the age of thirty, I ditched brand names and t-shirts based on intellectual properties that I do not own in favor of professional attire, whether business or casual. As a Black man in America, I immediately noticed that the attitudes of those in the congregation of people around me changed. I felt respected and important. They did not inquire if I owned a company before. Like it or not, the perception of everybody you meet is different and you want to make the best impressions in order to open doors to better rooms instead of begging the system to change. It may, slowly but surely, but you want to maximize your success. This is not a contradiction to my first law. It is an extension of code-switching and every race in the corporate world does it. If you feel like a monkey in a suit, strut like King Kong, and witness many that are programmed to worship or fear you. You can even apply a personal style to it or a lax variation. If you dress up and you still feel out of place due to how you want to completely express yourself in society, you can revert back to your old fashion statements after you make the Forbes list.

Please note, that this route is not for everyone. Wearing a ‘Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers’ t-shirt, grey sweatpants, and a pair of running shoes that were falling apart just didn’t vibe with how I wanted to be seen.

10. When you have an opportunity to do so, pass it down:

Not everybody starts on the same step of the ladder to success and fulfillment, but you can best believe that there are people just like you who could appreciate a helping hand. Regardless of age, race, or sex. Do not add to the discouragement that they face, and if they, like yourself, want to put in the work, mentor or bring them into your fold when they’re ready. Teach when they arrive at class. Remind them that you will say “deuces” if excuses are heard when they need a kick in their rear, and provide support when necessary. Do not lie, and don’t be their parent or caretaker. It’s their job to pull themselves up by the bootstraps that you’ve gifted them. If being a mentor is too much, you can extend a hand through other means, but a work-in-progress is still risky. Be hesitant about offering financial backing beyond what you can spare. Education is free.

Having a Healthy Obsession with Ownership, Avoiding Racial-Gatekeeping, Implementing “R&D”, and Protecting My Brand Identity

January 25, 2023 /

“Your self-image is so powerful it unwittingly becomes your destiny.” — Oscar Micheaux

I wasn’t raised in a family that prioritized climbing up the corporate ladder as both of my parents were business owners who encouraged self-education and building yourself up to the point of having a strong abundance mentality. I’ve never once had the desire to work for someone else so that I can claim that I have a “real job” and when I freelance, my terms of service are either followed per a proposal that’s been given to accept by the other party or I decline the client’s contract. If I need to supplement my income with a part-time position, I do, however, I don’t allow another company to become a plantation when their best interest is to keep me working in the field and not prepare me to own the house. Just because I can get three square meals, a bed, and free access to a gym in prison does not mean that I want to live there longer than I have to. I once asked a close friend whether he was comfortable with working at his demanding job well into his late thirties and I was disheartened when he answered “yes”. The most successful people that I know would say “no” in less than a millisecond of having the same question posed and it was his response that terrified me into a healthy fear of failure. Which is different than an unhealthy fear that’s brought upon by crippling anxiety. A healthy fear will let me learn from my mistakes if I were to have a setback and form a solution based on what I’ve learned from a process of trial and error.

I benefit from the privilege that my father worked hard for me to have, and while this knowledge provides an incentive to show sympathy toward those who had to start from a smaller mountaintop by assisting them in whatever way I can, I’ve recently been withdrawn from doing so outside of my small circle because of the constant negativity that’s projected. I liken it to Neo in ‘The Matrix’ and this aforementioned protagonist pulling those out of the simulation when they display the yearning for more. You can’t discuss another world with someone who has no interest in what’s outside of their safe haven. It can be soul-crushing to have to cut off friends or family who you’ve known for a decade or two, but absolutely necessary when they transform into energy vampires when you speak something of another language around them and possibly become killers of ambition that’s responsible for “making a dent in the universe”. In the words of Jim Rohn: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

As I reach the age of twenty-eight in roughly two more days of writing this article, one of my biggest revelations is that adults are all adolescents with more responsibilities, increasingly outrageous bills to pay that unknowingly support parasitic societies, and social pressure from hypocritical tribes surrounding them that are bent on enforcing their idealized methods of self-preservation onto our species. So many of my peers and colleagues have had their dreams shredded by machines built to squeeze every last bit of individuality that doesn’t serve the system they hold up like pillars. The survivors who thrived are considered unorthodox, eccentric, or shamed using any thread of controversy, whether small or long. Especially by their own people, and in Black culture, we call these “crabs in a bucket”. Some of them are more obvious than others but are equally dangerous if paid attention to. Even the notion of “owning what you labor” or anti-capitalistic rhetoric has less to do with your happiness and more to do with “sharing the wealth” instead of strategically using it to eradicate the root cause of struggling. Contrary to the popular belief, individuals of non-Black races that have amassed a large amount of money do not lift up their own. Based on my observations, they help those who did not stand in their way or are determined to be a better version of themselves.

I’m not concerned about what’s in the next man’s pockets and what he’s doing with his spare change or what ethnicity owns that majority percentage of what is in America. I’ve met various humans from different walks of life and I refuse to be close-minded. When I say that I am Pro-Black, that simply means I’m for the advancement of my culture, highlight our talented creators, employ the finest of us, and would like to act as a mentor for those rising within it. It does not mean that I will consciously choose to limit who I form interpersonal relationships or associate with based on ethnic background. The enlightenment that a stranger can bring is not dependent on their skin color and I’ve grown past blind hatred for beneficiaries of deceased oppressors. As the traditional saying goes: “Anyone can get it”. If we are “brothers from another mother”, then I’ll have no problem with that person. If they pose a threat, I will deal with it accordingly, regardless of the generation in that the critic was born.

Throughout my teen years, I produced a lot of music that I have removed because as an artist, I did not own the instrumentals that my lyrics molded into songs. They were leased and holding exclusive rights did not account for other artists who paid for the latter, so I decided to hire music producers for tracks under the condition that all parties could do as they pleased with the musical compositions, similar to the agreement Melvin Van Peebles made with then-unknown American band ‘Earth, Wind, and Fire’ during the filming ‘Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song’. Fred Williamson paid James Brown a modest amount for a score to 1973’s ‘Black Caesar and received no royalties himself. Along with retaining rights to what I serve as an executive producer, I would also obtain the project file(s) and stems. After seeing the plethora of artists in the Hip-Hop & Rap industry be taken to court by estates over the smallest of samples, I understood that I needed to shape my hobby as a source of income into a legitimate business and treat it as such. It became important to me as a creator to own everything that I released. I couldn’t care less about the bits and pieces that were legally provided to me being recycled by those who shared the same rights as long as my projects were covered Keoki’s Psyche represents the enigma that is my brain and I want to monetize what it imaginatively conjures up.

To make ends meet, as I’ve stated previously, I did freelance, and one thing that I kept in mind at all times to do is to take my clients off of the platforms that I used to cut out the middle man and decrease the duration that I would need to wait for payments to clear. Which could be as long as two weeks. While some clients were uneasy about lacking the protection of a platform, others preferred it because they had fewer fees to pay. Websites such as Freelancer, Fiverr, and Upwork disincentivize this, of course, as what I did/do removes their opportunity to charge for connecting us. It has nothing to do with safety, as they will typically claim. I strongly believe that it’s foolish to solely rely on an external platform for revenue, given how they can modify their website, behave toward you as if you’re an employee, and affect your traffic as a freelancer. On these websites, you can go from making five thousand a month to a few hundred dollars depending on how they are laid out and updated. With a biased rating system that you have zero say over its functionality and little-to-no protection, there isn’t a single reason why you should be loyal to corporations that wouldn’t survive without your unwavering cooperation.

Moving forward, I will have a strict dress code that will shy away from being a model of other brands and replacing what I wear with my own merchandise, if not basic attire that’s fitting for the occasion at hand. We market what’s worn on our body and the more respected that we are, the more value is added to these designers’ products. I don’t own any shares of Nike, Converse, Gucci, or, Armani, so why would I advertise them when I’m not getting paid to? The same approach to representation goes for my opinions and the tendency of millions to freely state their own on the internet. I used to post many paragraphs in comment sections on forums and social media like Facebook until I realized that the habit is a waste of time. Those same opinions could be articles, podcasts, or books. We do so because of the dopamine rush that receiving a thumbs-up or heart emoji may bring. Seeking the validation that it brings is a distraction and proves to aid in procrastination. The busiest say what they want to when there’s a goal that furthers their mission, and now, after I do, I “post and ghost” to better disregard immature reactions. Outside of a film review or two, I’ve found myself posting or tweeting a lot less because there’s always a task that needs to be completed.

Not too long ago, I left a colleague’s podcast as his co-host due to the lack of respect that I received, among several other reasons that I will not disclose at moment, and I learned that I needed to be more meticulous about how I allow myself to be portrayed or treated as a personal brand in media. I’ve never had an issue with calculating my value to determine my worth as a contributor to someone else’s platform and what confirmed my suspicions of absent gratitude was being told as a backhanded compliment that an episode that was recorded behind my back, did not have the same amount of energy that it would if I was involved.

It was indeed time to part ways and grow from the experience. There isn’t any deep-seated ill-will on my end and I wished everybody who participated in the show as regulars with us my best of luck. To quote Michael Corleone in ‘The Godfather Part III’: “Friendship and Money: Oil and Water”. I had decided to give my energy as a host toward ‘Keoki’s Kast’ and preserve my thoughts for appearances that benefited the progression of GameCargo. I love organic back-and-forth between myself in a group, but I do also understand why some people prefer controlled interviews or environments that they can prepare for. I’m frustrated when logic is momentarily thrown out of the window for the sake of clickbait as a man who loves engaging in intelligent debate and I will not volunteer in a circus to be annoyed by clowns that respond to anything that I say that they don’t understand with “So what you’re really saying is…”

I continually set to distance Keoki’s Psyche from other companies and implement R&D, an abbreviation that is commonly known as “research and development”, but will stand for “Rip-Off and Duplicate” in instances where you take a concept to improve upon it. We’ve all heard the phrase “Everything is a Remix” by Kirby Ferguson and hopefully you have read the book ‘Steal Like an Artist’ by Austin Kleon if you’re an entrepreneur. I’ve borrowed concepts from others and they have from me. You will get farther by studying your competition and jotting down what works for them, or implementing what you gravitate toward, in your own work. Geniuses don’t reinvent the wheel, they give it a new purpose. The best ending that I had written for a story as a screenwriter was actually inspired by an ending to one of my favorite martial arts movies starring Donnie Yen. The average viewer would not recognize this because I switched the fates of the protagonist and antagonist, among other small events of the chain. Not only did my altered conclusion speak volumes about these characters it also provoked the discussion of morality, civilian casualties, and the problem with normalizing vigilantism.

Digital products that are easily accessible by the public due to the distribution of impressively clever internet pirates costing our company revenue isn’t a concern as I appreciate the illegal avenue of acquiring copies of anything because it increases word-ofmouth marketing and I would be a hypocrite to condemn what allowed me to be exposed to various forms of art or mind-blowing entertainment. However, it would be foolish of me to ignore the concept of supply and demand. Despite a project’s quality, its value is lessened by the fact that very little effort or investment was put into experiencing it and that’s why I protect what GameCargo releases. For the benefit of my creative mind and others alongside me. If someone really wants to judge a leak, bootleg, or project without supporting the creators behind it, while there are security measures in place to make it difficult, I don’t sweat over the possibility.

As we see the powerhouse that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe become a multibillion-dollar franchise, several creators and artists of these characters have surfaced with complaints that all stem from their lack of ownership. From Ed Brubaker to Declan Shalvey, there has been no short of debates engaged by both sides of the coin that is capitalism and communism. I agree that what’s created for a company should belong to them if the contract discloses that clause and you signed it. Yes, a lot of contracts are predatory. That’s why it’s important to know your value as a creator and make sure that you are compensated in various circumstances. Even Quentin Tarantino was recently sued by the film studio Miramax for selling his screenplay of ‘Pulp Fiction’ as an NFT (Non-fungible token).

Ciro Nieli, the creator and executive producer of ‘Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!’, jokingly said that he might change the names of the show’s characters and designs to get away with developing a graphic novel that would serve as a finale to the animated series’ cliffhanger…because Disney fully owns the rights to this specific work of his.

Then you have Dan O’Neill’s 1930’s underground comic called ‘Air Pirates Funnies’. A series that challenged copyright law through parody and was met with a lawsuit by Walt Disney Productions, a company that is hypocritically known for mostly adapting intellectual properties in the public domain. I highly recommend reading Bob Levin’s ‘The Pirates and the Mouse’. Although Disney had successfully won its case, O’Neill defied the court’s judgment, and the media conglomerate settled the matter as they were unable to recoup their $190,000 in damages and $2,000,000 in legal fees. This famous legal battle is regarded as an unprecedented win against the corporate giant, however, while I understand the stance that Dan O’Neill took, it was a quite risky one, to say the least. He insisted upon not changing the names of the characters that were being parodied because it would “dilute” the point, but it helped show that perhaps using another’s property as a basis in conception is a safer route to go. After all, ‘Robocop’ and ‘Darkman’ would not exist if their creators were given the rights to ‘Judge Dredd’ and ‘Batman’, as they had originally optioned for.

The Trap of “Potential”, Reflecting on Trauma and Understanding Yourself as a Man

March 29, 2023 /

The following article is subject to updates if warranted, however, every event detailed has evidence accounting for them in the case of defamation of character. The statements included in this post are not associated with the #KeokisPsycheFitness brand and are a personal editorial. The comment section will be left open for those with questions or related stories for the author.

First and foremost, Juju B of the podcast ‘Free Reverie’, otherwise known as [Redacted]: Yes, I no longer see her. I ended the relationship in February this year, which comically enough, was one month after the eighth entry of the first ‘Keoki’s Kast’ season, titled ‘Date Night Movies of the Decade’ (2010-2019)’. I never spoke too much about it simply because I didn’t care to give her any attention when I wanted to leave that particular situation buried in the past. I don’t dwell on what was anything but inevitable. With that said, I am going to address a few statements that were made to direct a flawed narrative in order to publicly insinuate that she was a victim and I was an abuser of sorts. Similar to what she has done with previous exes.

She is a mother, however, her son was not a problem at all nor a factor in my decisions such as being hesitant about giving her access to my abode or meeting my circle. Her behavior was. During the relationship, she would hit her child for acting out, which is absurd, because he is a two-year-old. I’ve commented on it and that did not go over well, so I distanced myself by not going over to her place when she had custody instead of the father of the child. Ultimately, I decided to return on scheduled days because of my concern for his well-being and he naturally grew an attachment to how I treated him. By doing what, you might ask? Acting fatherly, as I had an example, albeit revealed to be in my twenties as a narcissistic one to correct, set during my childhood to base my own conduct on. I assume she grew resentment due to this and that’s the primary reason for the projection that she’s displayed.

Regarding “the connection” that she mentioned, I do have firm boundaries that I make partners aware of in the beginning. Unfortunately, I did make the mistake of giving more chances than I should have. She would lightly slap me in the face and call it “tapping” after I told her before to stop disrespecting that area of my upper body or pulling on my hair when I let it grow out. I was arrogantly met with resistance and spoken to as if I were exaggerating. There’s been an incident where I was yelled at, screamed at, and sworn at over stripping a screw when putting together her mattress frame. The hounding progressed to a point where I almost decided to pay for another after gathering my belongings with the intention of walking away permanently.

I refused to engage and [Redacted] offered empty apologies. During an altercation initiated on her end, she admitted to emotional manipulation by “breaking up with me” once because I was preoccupied with cleaning my vehicle, and upon returning to work through the ordeal that occurred, I found her crying along with “vomiting” in the toilet.

I did not harm her physically or emotionally and while I will admit to lashing out near the end through blunt deconstruction after holding my tongue for the longest, it was in response to having blame placed on me for choices that she made. For instance, debt that she impulsively put herself into. I recollect two moments when I pulled her to the side when I felt that she was spending too much. The first is 2019’s ‘Indy VegFest’ and the second is our trip to ‘After Dark’ (Yes, it’s an adult novelty shop). Frugality is a trait of my minimalist mindset, so everything I gifted her was what she needed or out of the kindness of my heart. This did not matter, nor did bringing over food when she vaguely expressed that she was going through hardship, because “I didn’t cook” as often as she would have liked me.

Other complaints included prioritizing my financial freedom and not being obsessed with the approval of her family as if we were teenagers. Prior to being a couple, in 2018, we had a casual arrangement. After reluctantly giving exclusivity, since I was asked for quite some time, I learned that she tried using my presence to make her ex-partner jealous. Who, I heavily suspect, also became unsettled by her antics and left. She claims he cheated, but I have a feeling it may have been the other way around. I did not meet him officially because my suspicions were ultimately correct. As a Black man, I as well made a conscious effort not to feed negative energy between myself and another brother.

Although I took what I found to be necessary precautions, (that thankfully support my case in the event of slander or a lawsuit), such as recording phone conversations, saving text messages, and documenting the ongoings of the defunct relationship, I questioned why I stayed for so long, aside from wanting to protect the child as I understand what it’s like to have a volatile mother. I held the belief that people grow and change. That’s not always the case. There’s a clear pattern that seems to be consistent with BPD (abbreviation for Borderline Personality Disorder), from what I’ve researched, and I don’t doubt that it’s a possibility considering what she has told me during a moment of clarity in one of our last conversations. I paraphrase: “There is a reason why I told you about my past.” concerning actions one would deem “crazy”. Her original justification was completely different, but apparently, altering history also fits the criteria of the illness. It also doesn’t help that she mentioned not wanting to be on medication. Most likely due to stigma.

Even if I were to omit the label that would capsulize common habits of hers, for those familiar with it, I still had to contend with unnecessary jealousy on top of her seeking male validation, considering every trivial disagreement as an argument, reliance on alcohol consumption, poor attempts at lying, and anger management issues. I made a joke to my friend near the end of last year that I felt like I had to be a pseudo-father figure, lover, and psychic in the relationship. I honestly don’t believe that should be a normal dynamic, and the weight on my shoulders lifted, the further that I detached from what I suspected to be very unusual. Hence why I allowed a cooldown period so that confusion did not cloud my judgment moving forward.

The reason why I have chosen to come forward is that had I known what I do now, I would have never given her the time of day because I value my peace, security, and future. Men must be aware of what’s at risk when we allow our complex to decide against our best interests. We cannot hope for the potential to manifest itself at the expense of our sanity. Society was built off of the servitude of men that weren’t selfish, brainwashed into idealizing inherently manipulative beliefs, and died at young ages. That is not a life I wish on anyone. Once we identify our circumstances, we must change them for the better. It’s an obligation that we have to ourselves.

This may mean confronting our programming, which ranges from religious indoctrination, the trauma that’s normally trans-generational, unreasonable expectations that take a toll on our well-being, to traditions that we bound ourselves to instead of challenging them, and negative peer pressure that serves a close-minded purpose. It’s important to recognize what we are responsible for and what we aren’t. We are not responsible for the happiness of others. This is fundamental knowledge to master as men. Especially those without a father in their lives to turn to for guidance.

I do not shy away from using my outlets as a form of therapy or blogging my thoughts when I need to vent. My nonchalant attitude towards judgment provides me an amount of indifference that enables my outspoken persona. In contrast to my younger days, the distinct ability I’ve acquired is being able to reflect and psychologically dissect to the best of my studies. I don’t seek to level the playing field because I’ve gained very little satisfaction doing so in the past. My drive has been coming more from within and I have meditation to thank for this. Not in the spiritual sense, but in the mind. The mind is what constructs the path that we take. Everything else needs to be appropriately filtered.

On that note, I do want to thank my friends, family, colleagues, and sweetheart for their encouragement on these upcoming projects. Make sure you tune in to the next couple of episodes of the ‘Black Grindhouse’ podcast as we wrap up our first season. We also have two insane animated shorts on the way and original music from artists who have worked with ‘Keoki’s Tunes’!

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” ― Viktor E. Frankl

#KeokisPsycheFitness: Running 30-Miles in One Day (Pre-July 2020)

January 23, 2023 /

What’s four miles more than an average marathon? After all, I had already completed one, which was 2019’s Fort4Fitness race. While an extra forty minutes didn’t seem like much, the real challenge was ultimately running alone for close to seven hours on the trails and streets of my city in Indiana while bearing this summer day’s ninety-degree weather. I wasn’t looking forward to the heat, however, the following days would have been a lot hotter in comparison, so I decided to free up my schedule on a Tuesday so that I would have as much time as I needed to prepare and take necessary breaks. My alarm clock was set and I hit the hay early that previous night.

At 6 AM, I stocked my running backpack with a single water bottle (since the five-mile mark has a gas station that I typically refuel at), a plastic bag full of dehydrated tangerine wedges, a small notepad with a pen for any ideas that pop inside of my head, ChafeZone Skin Protectant Stick (Highly recommended), my wallet, keys, headband, and an extra pair of Bluetooth earbuds (which, thankfully, I did not need). After having some of my protein mix and a couple of salted microwaved avocados, I was off to begin my journey at 8 AM! Hilariously, it rained for all of a minute, but I was determined to complete my run, even if it was pouring. Luckily, I didn’t have to contest with that, on top of the humidity.

The occurring thoughts that I meditated on were pretty much what I typically have come to expect during sessions. My mind will keep me distracted by giving me a mock interview about a project, putting together “pieces of a puzzle” that I may not have gathered in the moment of a situation, concepts that I’m fully fleshing out as time goes on, lyrics that I will craft (I once formed an entire song and remembered the lines to it when I returned home), or imagine myself in a training montage (this happens a lot). I tend to use the word “push” regarding how we motivate ourselves, but the truth is, I “bully” myself because that’s how my ego kicks in so that I have a reason to strive to prove those who doubt my capabilities wrong. Rather than internalize my anger, I make it work for me and that’s why I can be as calm as many say that I am.

My taste in music mostly reflects this. I will listen to Ice Cube, DMX, Onyx, Run the Jewels, Apathy R.A. the Rugged Man, and Xzibit, for example, when I want to get a fire started. As the flames cool down, I may vibe to Lupe Fiasco, Drake, Maxo Kream, Little Simz, or LL Cool J. Depending on my mood, my playlist choice might grow tired of Hip-Hop and I’ll be tuning in to other genres such as blues, jazz, ragtime or some classical. On paths that seem like long stretches, I love rock and metal. The band ‘Skindred’ makes me feel alive! The same goes for Ice-T’s ‘Bodycount’, Papa Roach, Molotov (Specifically their album ‘Apocalypshit’), or Lenny Kravitz’ “Love Revolution”! Very rarely will I listen to a podcast, because not only do I need a beat to pace myself to, but I normally save them for drives to and with my significant other.

Back to the run! Once I passed the five-mile mark, I did begin to have an upset stomach, and the feeling of something” knocking on the door” increased until I, fortunately, arrived at a porta-potty at the ten-mile mark. I honestly did not think that I would make it I can see why some marathon runners wear diapers. Personally, I can’t do it, but I am not shaming anyone who chooses to. Once I finished dropping a few pounds, I was back in the game! Three miles left until I reached the Y, and when I did, met up with many other runners enjoying the scorching hot afternoon. Moving past the facility was a fire station and another park before I entered what I like to call “Private Property galore” territory. Large magnificent-looking houses and communities owned or populated by rich snooty White people. Of course, I plan to own one of these in the future, but the energy that was given off felt as though the area wanted to say “You don’t belong here, boy!” on behalf of its people. I’m normally praised, and given “hellos” or at least a head nod by most people I come across, so I made sure to be friendly and turn around at the fifteen-mile mark instead of lollygagging. Now, I could have been just a [rightfully, given our racial climate] paranoid Black man, but I’m a firm believer in trusting your intuition.

On my way back, I did need to stop at the Y to use their porta-potty (again) and took a short break to eat my dehydrated tangerine wedges. What happened next was quite irritating! I accidentally spilled the remaining pieces of my snack on the ground, so there went half of what I had saved up to this point. Not only that, but I was also running low on water bottles that I had purchased from the gas station previously. I needed to conserve what I still had until I reached that gas station again. I consider myself blessed that there was a cool chill that carried me before I did, so I didn’t need to drink as much. With five miles left to conquer, I continued to maintain decent movement. One of my thighs began to throb, so I took it easy for a minute. Always trust your body! For me, I couldn’t let the fact that I was in very familiar territory slow me down. That said, I didn’t want to be in excruciating pain when I woke up either. Letting myself recover the best that I can is more important than beating a time.

Two miles left and the park near my apartment complex is busy, so I had a lot of encouragement as I ran through to finally stop at my destination. Where I started. Home. As soon as I exited my shower, I changed the sheets and passed out in bed. Psychologically, it was the challenge that I was “warned” of prior to running my first marathon. I went through a range of emotions and even doubted myself. I “bullied” myself into not quitting. The guilt of not finishing would have been worse. I can’t ever settle for merely trying, which might be a fault of mine, to a degree, but it serves its purpose. I’m undecided on whether to participate in an ultramarathon (50 miles max) because of the boatload of projects that I’m responsible for. It certainly is on the table though.

“I always loved running…it was something you could do by yourself and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs.” — Jesse Owens

Strava Recording

The Future is the Past’s Remix by Micah

January 23, 2023 /

If you have been living under a rock during the last couple of years or you have not noticed yet, childhood nostalgia has been a persisting trend, especially on various platforms on the internet. It is no longer just photos of this and that for #ThrowbackThursday or #FlashbackFriday, the internet is filled with comparisons of the current generation’s experiences with those of the past. And a particular group that is experiencing childhood nostalgia is the children of the ’90s. We kind of have a gut feeling about how different today’s childhood is from what it once was. But are the differences really that different? Check this lowdown of childhood experiences and be the judge.

Cartoons
Then: Before, cartoon shows on television only had one purpose – it has to be entertaining. Cartoon shows have that mass appeal that transcends age gaps. There were a plethora of cartoons that are watched by young children and even older teens. Cartoon characters were varied and storylines were very interesting. We had the Ninja Turtles, Looney Tunes, and even Anime. In addition, when a show is really good (like those Saturday specials), children then tend to block off that schedule just to stay home and watch.

Now: In this generation, cartoons have diversified, and thus, they now serve many purposes rather than entertaining children. For instance, animated shows for preschool children are meant to teach them the ABCs, numbers and so much more – thus the ‘talking TV’ trend. Shows for school-aged children have to be educational whether they teach something academic or something that is values-based think of all those Disney Channel Shows and stories of friendship on Cartoon Network. Either that or it’s a cartoon about zombies, fashionable characters, or something with lots of fights. Cartoons for preteens tend to have more grown-up humor such as in Adventure Time and Amazing World of Gumball. Additionally, children no longer have to stick around to watch a show if they have something else planned. Shows can now be recorded for later watching and there’s always the internet for streaming too.

Movies
Then: It used to be that production companies had to come up with unique ideas to get children to go out, line up, and see a movie. Disney was on the front line of animated movies with songs you cannot get out of your head, there were a few books turned movies and there were entertaining family movie types of films. Anyone who wanted to see a movie again after its release in theatres had to wait for months for the film to be released on VHS tapes or DVDs.

Now: Nowadays, children can access movies without even going to a movie theatre. There is Netflix, various sites for internet streaming, and so on. Also, there has been a surge of remakes of popular children’s animated classics into live-action movies like Maleficent, Alice in Wonderland, etc. Other popular movies for children include comic book franchises, games and books turned into a series of movies. There are a few novel ideas that come out from Pixar and DreamWorks from time to time, those being the digitally animated ones with possible 3D features.

Video Games
Then: Well, let us just say that having the best video game was not the highlight of childhood during the previous decades. Children used to love playing outside, collecting plushies, action figures, Barbie dolls, and cars, playing board games, and so on. The video games like Mario, Crash Bandicoot, Street Fighter, Tekken, Zelda, Final Fantasy, Sonic, and Resident Evil were lots of fun but the focus was on playing the game with friends. Also, we started most games on Family Computers, Atari, and Sega and the wait for new games took really long.

Now: If it is not playable on cross platforms (video game consoles and handheld gadgets and computers), chances are children are not going to be interested in it. The video games of this generation have a high emphasis on graphics, massive sound, and the experience of being in the game itself. And since we live in the digital age, the turnaround time of new games and updates is pretty quick and the game makers make lots of money churning out updates that need to be paid for quickly.

Music
Then: Music has always been a big thing for young people. What used to be giant boom boxes lugged around by teens became Walkmans and Discmans. Music was beginning to be played everywhere and it was a general idea – there was not a lot of music specifically catering to children except maybe for lullabies. Boybands, girl bands, and pop acts were perhaps the closest thing for school-aged children.

Now: The Digital age has revolutionized the way people listen to music. Streaming, downloading, and overall portability now allows even the youngest member of the family to have access to music. There are albums specifically for young children, educational songs, lullabies, heck, even Mozart and The Beatles music have versions for babies! And it does not stop there, audio companies are catering to young music lovers with headphones for kids and apps for family listening pleasure.

Basically, with gadgets these days being more integrative, children can now listen to music, watch videos, play games, and communicate with others wirelessly. There are obvious perks and pitfalls with the continuous advancement of technology, especially when it comes to our children. While it is great that they seem to be making the most of what they have, we cannot seem to wonder how these changes are affecting their growth and their childhood. Is there even a childhood to speak of when children have access to almost the same thing as adults?

Perhaps the childhood nostalgia phenomenon comes from the previous generation realizing just how much they enjoyed their experiences, how they miss being children, and how much the children of today are missing out on. Perhaps in our hearts of hearts, we feel like the children of today are not being ‘children’ as we know it or that they seem to be growing up too fast.

Why I choose utilizing Satirical Themes vs Mainstream Parody

January 23, 2023 /

Since my early beginnings as a writer, storytelling has always been a form of escapism, especially while my mind was processing emotions due to events that ultimately were used as a basis for interactions and scenarios between my characters. This has led to a lot of chapters being close to reflections of my own life when utilizing masturbatory protagonists, however, at the same time, allowing them to branch off into directions relative to their developed nature.  Then there were, of course, characters who were inspired by their own real-life counterparts. This practice of mine actually started when I used to write comic-strips and injected my friends into them. The purpose served as an engagement of fantasy within our social group. That said, there were those who had an issue with the exaggerated interpretation of their personalities, which is bound to happen with such very similar traits being portrayed.

While I still remain unapologetic, I have admittedly favored using satirical premises and themes rather than parody as I feel the latter is limited to the current period of which the piece is created. Satire has a lot more longevity and relative points. This is a fact that we’ve seen throughout history. I believe I really came to this conclusion after President Trump’s election. As colleagues recall, his original presidency in the GCArts Universe’ Earth 3/12 was meant to be a parallel outcome, much like how the 2010 video game ‘Vanquish’ included a cameo appearance of their own president at the end, who mirrored Hilary Clinton. Whether or not ‘Vanquish’ had intended to try and predict or create an alternative outcome of that year’s election remains to be told. [Ending spoilers to ‘Vanquish’ in the link below]

After the United States election in 2016, I found myself molding what once was an unflattering imitation, into a composite that while could be compared to the Chief of State, was seen as an idealistic politician with views more so biased to humanity, than selfish in nature. It made very little sense to–and I hate this phrase with a passion- -“beat a dead horse”.  I feel as if the act of artistically critiquing the government has been lost underneath the internet’s shock value culture. My sentiments extend beyond that subject matter if we are to discuss modern entertainment as well. The narratives that society is fed by the media often sidesteps encouraging thought for the purpose of baiting emotion. While one’s interpretation or conclusion may ultimately be confirmation bias, the lack of viewpoints argued in a scenario allow for such reasoning to be easily maintained.

For example, if you were to watch Dreamwork’s 1998 ‘The Prince of Egypt’ animated film, you could reasonably come to the conclusion that God was the antagonist of the film. Instead of God communicating to Ramesses II directly, arguably exploiting his love for Moses as a brother, and his love for Egypt’s supremacy, the route that is taken ultimately results in mass hysteria, the first-born genocide of babies and eventually distrust in followers. This interpretation would not be possible if the film were written to be propagandistic. The ‘Book of Exodus’ is treated as an inspiration, rather than factual history that it needs to faithfully adapt. This gave the screenwriters freedom to structure what is now referred to as a masterpiece by both followers of religion and atheists.

To conclude my thoughts, content must provoke without prejudice and persuade open-ended discussions, rather than reflect echo chambers that continually serve as ego boosts to corporations, political figures, and celebrities in society.

Exercising “Escapism” in Modern Black Cinema

January 23, 2023 /

I actually hope that more black movies follow in the direction of ‘Get Out’ and ‘Sorry to Bother You’ in regards to utilizing various genres to approach social commentary and political satire with layers of content. That’s not to say I don’t appreciate films such as ‘Dope’, ‘First Match’ or ‘BlacKkKlansman’, however, it’s easier to find myself engaged when the messages are intertwined with entertainment that first serves as a form of escapism, instead of a hammered lesson that I’ll feel like is only worth a viewing or two.

I look back and I’m actually surprised by how many of my favorite films have anti-capitalist themes. From ‘Daybreakers’ (which has parallels to veganism), to ‘Snowpiercer’, ‘Repo Men’, to ‘American Beauty’ (which I felt was more about self-actualization as a man, the first time I saw it).

There’s so much that can be tackled without the confines of uninspired urbanism, which creates disinterest for me in a project when I notice it as the main theme. I’ve seen hundreds of wildly artistic movies in that you could swap the cast out with black actors/actresses without making much of a cultural difference, and it shouldn’t be seen as “different” as there shouldn’t be a definitive black experience in the case of representation. That’s not to say that the topic of race shouldn’t be brought up at all, as that would be a bit unrealistic. It’s allowing more than just a couple of perspectives in an unbiased manner that I’m more concerned with. I don’t want limitations placed on creativity because of the fear of judgment from peers.

Issues with the movie aside, I still find it perplexing as to why Spike Lee would choose to cast Josh Brolin as Oh Dae-su/Joe Doucett in the American remake of ‘Oldboy’ when it would have been a great opportunity to employ a black cast, which would have brought in a larger audience and encourage tweaks for an already too familiar script. The incestual element would have proven controversial, but also daring. Much like Ari Aster’s short film ‘The Strange Thing About the Johnsons’. Ironically, this was done on a much lower scale by a prior film in 2012 that was inspired by the Korean adaptation of ‘Oldboy’ called ‘The Samaritan’ starring Samuel L. Jackson and Ruth Negga.

That said, the possible choice Spike Lee could have made might have caused the remake to be labeled as the “black version” of ‘Oldboy’, even though cultural differences would be due more to it being an American translation than race. There’s really nothing that could be done to change that perception because precedents may have been set, thanks to movies like ‘The Wiz’ and other content we create that blackwash white characters in order to “fill the need” for diversity instead of taking the time to create it. Until we move away from that, any well-intentioned remake will be seen as a desperate copy.

I’m speculating at this point, but I believe part of the problem is what creators are exposed to. I’m not hard-pressed to find comedic Instagram videos or dramatic short films, yet anything else that takes influence from relatively obscure sources is few and far between. I’ve said the same thing about the fascination of Japanese culture and implementing Kanji. It was a personal decision of mine to fuse African-inspired culture as modern placement in my work because I wanted to motivate others to see it as an extension of my heritage, rather than latch on to one that’s developed enough popularity. I don’t want it used as a momentary phase of hype when accessibility can assist with the reach of followers that are invested long-term because of overall quality.

Keoki Le Monday On Only Making “25 Films”

January 23, 2023 /

To quote a line from Kendrick Lamar’s hit song from his album ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’ “King Kunta”:

“Aw, yeah, fuck the judge. I made it past 25, and there I was. A little nappy-headed nigga with the world behind him. Life ain’t shit but a fat vagina .”

Not too long ago, I entered my mid-twenties. An accomplishment among Black men due to the unfortunate circumstances common within impoverished communities, a corrupt justice system that supports the countless amount of executions committed by law enforcement, and a lack of significant learning. My background has been that of privilege due to hard-working parents and my knowledge along with passion in the fields that I dabble with owe acknowledgment to my environment. Therefore, it is safe to say that I would not have made it this far if it were not for several variables that should indeed be embraced by Black culture instead of being looked down upon while associating traits with acting as another racial identity. Most notably, White Americans.

Hence part of the reason why as a writer, I stray from glorifying the degraded aspects of urban culture and the lack of fundamental education. It is overused “placement” in content that represents my fellow man and ignorant mannerisms that we are frequently portrayed displaying are excused under the guise of reflecting reality when that couldn’t be farther from the truth. While negative stereotypes can be argued under a certain context, what’s often seen as the alternative is over-exaggerated attributes such as being extremely intelligent or lifeless/thoughtless personalities with one defining trait to push media as progressive. Like being homosexual in an interracial relationship with a white individual, or objectified sexually, in a manner that’s reminiscent of a sophisticated beast, much tamer than how American Society painted us in the past, for the purpose of propaganda.

I consider either side of the spectrum as “playing it safe”, which seems like a hypocritical critique at first, however, truly boils down to “good writing”. Which is subjectivity at its finest. Personally, I don’t want to create a destiny for my characters that my writing inevitably leads them to. Even if my own philosophy is based on determinism. I enjoy being along for the ride, yet a “God” in my own rite, as if I were playing an M-Rated version of ‘Sims’ in an exploitation movie set. I may switch between the protagonist and supportive characters to manipulate their decisions for the purpose of seeing what happens, but I don’t exactly decide what may occur until after I do. Regardless of the events that imagine myself tackling throughout the story, it’s the mystery that keeps me loving the process.

Over the course of my screenwriting career, I plan on tackling subject matter that I consider relevant, interlaced with outlandish escapism. While I don’t find myself consciously doing this during the writing process unless I’ve created an outline as a basis for creating dialogue, I’ve developed a tedious habit of returning to pages so that I can interject moments that socially flesh out my world. This is very evident in ‘BHI’, which is the first installment of my upcoming ‘Black’ horror trilogy and partially the reason why I’ve gone through many drafts when updating my first screenplay ‘The Time Spirit’. Where others see “easter eggs”, I see the opportunity to build an experience worth revisiting due to multiple layers enhancing one’s viewing. Not for the sake of relying on homage or referencing news currently transpiring, but creating material that encourages engagement from the intended audience.

With all of that said, I do find myself engaged with other mediums of artistic expression. Of course, I began telling my tales in the comic book format, however, I studied animation and I was somewhat of an ambitious game designer in my youth. So, I would like to convey to my own people that our talent isn’t limited to one outlet and we do have the time to strive for all of our passions. Regardless of how big or small they are. That’s why I plan on completing twenty-five films and moving on, indefinitely. I don’t want to be trapped in a sea of redundancy or feel obligated to “provide” when I may be given the opportunity to “pass the torch” to other like-minded creators that contribute to Keoki’s Psyche.

The Story behind Keoki’s ‘Kemetic Toon’ design

January 23, 2023 /

As someone who is never the one to shy away from layering content with historical truths that aren’t considered common knowledge, I found myself with a great opportunity to display love and hatred as two sides of a nostalgic coin that I often flip when drawing inspiration from in regard to my original properties. It’s also not often that I can purposely leave a controversial design open to a wide range of interpretations among many communities.

I honestly had not imagined that cover art for a remastered track that was being released by our subsidiary record label ‘Ultimate Mecha’, would evolve into a brand that would act as a bridge between the two companies. In the beginning, the concept to me was quite simple. I wanted to showcase the original Kemetic peace symbol which signified “unity” as clearly evident from being the opposite of the “V sign”, which separates the index and middle finger. This cultural symbol would then be masked with the glove of a traditional cartoon character in order to emphasize my love for animation.

However, what I had recollected throughout this thought process is that the gloves traditionally worn by cartoon characters originated from Minstrel shows, which featured blackface as an attempt to mock Black Americans. While this is a potentially shocking fact, those that are well aware of cartoons’ political and racially-biased history wouldn’t be surprised. This is why rather than unfavorably censoring certain episodes of the Looney Tunes, for example, Warner Bros. employed Whoopi Goldberg to assist with explaining the nature of jokes and themes prevalent in them and how they reflected a very hateful time towards “people of color”.

Most recently, Disney has done a very similar action to coincide with the release of Disney Plus.

Again, I quite prefer providing knowledge of this, rather than censoring what may offend sensitive critics as an attempt to hide history. The ‘Kemetic Toon’ design strongly represented this, however, in no shape or form was I trying to revise the imagery of cartoonish buffoonery that the older generation used to implant a subconscious correlation between the antics of a trickster and black people in the minds of their audiences. The ‘Kemetic Toon’ design is not cherishing coonery like I would consider black artists who wear confederate gear, knowing that The American Civil War was about the right to own slaves. The ‘Kemetic Toon’ design represents the journey of growth in a world that has masked your contributions to its society and accomplishments as a culture that’s identity was stripped away. An ironic form of rebellion unbeknownst to individuals that lack the ability to recognize subtext. Much like the ancestors who braided maps onto each other’s heads. It’s a subtle way of saying “I know what you did, but I won’t let it define my strength and intelligence”.

The existence of Bosko hasn’t been forgotten…

With the amount of information disproving nationalists who would prefer to sugarcoat or bury the reliance on depictions mocking minorities that did not have the power to control their own narrative, it is important to remember the technical advancements and creative work that did come from an era many of us couldn’t safely time-travel back to. Even ‘Birth of a Nation’ a.k.a. ‘The Clansman’, a very racist 1915 silent film that served as a spark to the rebirth of the Ku Klux Klan provided artistic innovations that can be appreciated. Especially if you are a film historian or simply passionate about the medium of storytelling.

No better quote than what Bruce Lee had once said, rings truer in the case of Keoki’s Psyche’s ‘Kemetic Toon’ message.

“Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own.” — Bruce Lee

Creating the World of ‘Olodumare City’

January 23, 2023 /

With the release date of Keoki Psyche’s two upcoming animated shorts ‘The Bear Destination’ and ‘The Manifestation of Boogie’ upon us, I felt that it was important to reflect on why they were originally produced and how they came to be separate but connected installments from the ‘Drive-In Universe’.

Quite a few years back, both were intended to be a part of a trilogy of music videos for a shelved Hip-Hop and Rap album from ‘Keoki’s Tunes’. Not too many people know this, but the subsidiary record label was created before Keoki Psyche. After that particular musical venture was left alone, relatively costly remnants of the project still remained. The most notable were cartoons that featured the artist, his real-life brother who worked on the cover art for the album, and a teddy bear that was meant to pay homage to the “Baby Steps” quest from ‘Fallout 3’. like the lyrics on the album were consistent with references to video games and old cartoons such as ‘Tom and Jerry’, which is mentioned on a track conveniently titled ‘At The Drive-In’.

Since entertainment and media were Keoki Psyche’s primary focus, ‘Keoki’s Tunes’ became a subsidiary company that produced music for its parent organization. From podcasts, film, and now animations. So, the founder decided to repurpose the two animations that were once shelved and incorporate them into a multiverse of sorts. The layer would showcase what fictional characters in stories may enjoy from time to time. Fortunately, the two animations shared enough similarities with each other that they could be connected with a concept that was currently being brainstormed. Ironically, this concept would draw from other ideas that the founder had and worked in unison with one another after being sewn together.

One of the main characters in this world, Mikhael Singleton, is loosely based on a draft for a mockumentary. A Black stuntman who wants to be an action hero. The most drastic change made would be giving him a fake British accent that he would utilize to garner roles meant for Black American actors, but often given to Black British actors. Satire on a subject matter that remains controversial to debate, still.

https://www.vulture.com/2017/04/black-american-and-british-actors-what-the-debate-gets-wrong.html

The character Luke Townsend would still be based on his real-life artist brother and would act as a freelance storyboard artist that assists with scenes Mikhael Singleton would roughly write. They are, however, stepbrothers with the same father and different mothers.

Aryana Reynolds is loosely based on a protagonist that a colleague and a frequent guest of the podcast ‘Keoki’s Kast’, and Keoki Le Monday, the host, imagined tackling in a collaborative film that never went into production. The original character was still a retired porn star that wanted a successful career. The main difference is that the original character was a lot younger than her milf adaptation, wasn’t South African, and she wanted to be a comic book creator. Aryana Reynolds desires fame and wealth as a mainstream actress. She is intrigued by Mikhael and Luke’s desire to make an action film on their own terms and wants to participate in it while she searches for her “big break”. All three of them share a very small apartment in a frantic area of Olodumare City.

While a third animated short to close a trilogy of pilots is underway, a mini-series with a twelve-minute per episode schedule is currently being outlined for an undisclosed production date. The show will contain several nods and homages that will make even the most die-hard cinephiles do a double-take.

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