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The J-Dilla shirt contest winner... Bless 1 · by Rafi Kam
Bless 1 putting pen to paper
We got some really nice submissions for this contest and you can find links to all of them here.
But only one of that made me do this 
the first time I heard it.
The most felt of this quality batch of submissions was this rhyme by Bless 1 over the Dilla beat titled “Another Batch”.
You have to hear this already. It’s too nice.
R.H.S. commented how the 2nd verse is some beautiful rapping. That is no joke:
I’m from the city where they filmed cooley high
where L trains be screaming when they move through the sky
so wonder why it’s hard to see the stars at night
but it’s easy to see former hoop stars kissing the pipe
former lives – they snatched quarters off backboards
now they’re reduced to asking for quarters in front of stores
headed for armageddeon and thugs are semi-religious
crosses tattered on bodies while they hustle relentless
my defense is the music untainted in this septic tank
my methods ain’t the best for coping but i guess it ain’t
worse than fiends paying twice to inject the pain
or pistols held to the temple to push death in the brain
we got arabs at the corner, koreans at the strip malls
africans on the court playing basketball
indians that ain’t native running the gas stations
and irish men on walkie talkies on the block hatin’
colorful portraits when i step on my doorstep
survival and poverty got me knowing why the lord wept
they say the cause is justified if it means eating
we be repenting so long until our knees bleeding
Bless 1 from Chicago has a MySpace page and he has 2 Dilla shirts coming his way.
Thanks to everybody who submitted their work.
Comments for "The J-Dilla shirt contest winner... Bless 1"
he looks like that dude who plays ball with Shaq
— Hashim Mar 27, 03:45 PM
My nigga Bless 1 doing the damn thing. Hold it down man! We almost there!!!
One
— Jimmy Mar 27, 06:24 PM
dope!
— obi Mar 28, 07:47 PM
That shit is tight, or better yet HOT as the people on 106 and park would say. Bless you keep blessing us with your lyrical knowledge. You know I got yo back :-)
— Candice Mar 29, 01:52 PM
Bless one is legit and take no short cuts as his words scribe past, present and future streams of city life across many dimensions. How do I know…as a westsider who’s eyes seen, nose smelled, and ears heard, my words validate the above dynamic sprinkle of Chi-town prose. Stay blessed…Blessed one, never forget, and don’t stop scribing!
Bear
— Bear Mar 29, 02:04 PM
This is off the hook…when is the album going to drop?
— Hi-C Mar 29, 02:23 PM
a well deserved victory… sweet verse there!
— miguel Mar 29, 03:25 PM
Bless 1, keep after your dream it’s in reach!
— alesia Mar 29, 05:54 PM
Bless 1, you are truly belssed. Keep using your pen, the stars are no limit to you!
— canessa Apr 8, 03:43 PM
Bless 1 , you are the best rapper alive, know that. You speak the truth and keep it clean. Keep doing what you doing. Much love.
— andrea May 5, 01:31 PM
you that was dope, we almost there is a movement yo, from nothing to somthing keep doin ur thing, and look out for my tv show anyone kan be a guest man K.I.T. everbody we almost there
— Lawrence Anthony Jun 4, 05:01 PM
bless one is the man!
— suff Aug 29, 05:43 PM