Text by Jesse Peters

INTRO
I wanted to use the intro to kind of pay homage to all the music that influenced me as a musician.   So I referenced my favourite jazz greats as well as some of the albums that made me into the emcee/musician that I am today.

TAKIN' IT BACK
If I was running for office, this would be my platform.   This song is all about taking' music back to days before music became so incredibly manufactured.   Mad props to Craig Learmont for helping' me write the hook on this one.

BE SET FREE
I wrote the lyrics to this tune a few years ago when I was working on another project.   The song didn't get used so they sat on the shelf for a while.   I was looking to write something that would make people move and make them think.   Then I found the lyrics in my old notebook and decided to put them to use.

MR.
This song was a reaction to all the "God is on our side" rhetoric that's been flying around regarding the war in Iraq.   These people claim that the Jesus that said "Love your enemies" and "Love your neighbour" condones their violence.   I urge them to think again.

FLAMMABLE
Before hip hop, I was heavy into jazz. That would make it impossible for me to write a record and not include some "jazz type essence." So I wrote this jazzy joint.

CHURCH INC.
This is my critique of the "God-Mart" religion that seems to have replaced authentic faith in North America. I brought in my friend Chris to do guitars on this to make sure that this joint slams hard.

FOR THE LOVE OF THE FUNK
It's all in the title of this one. One cannot love groove and not be pulled in by the gravitational pull of the funk.   Sly and the Family Stone, James Brown, Parliament, all the pioneers of that body movin' rhythm are owed a debt of gratitude by hip hoppers. THA FUNK HAS LANDED!!!!!!!!!!!

AIN'T NUTHIN BUT A BRAND NAME
This song was born out of some research I did into corporate labour practices overseas.   What I found out made me sick.   And the ignorance of the North American public is incredibly shocking.   I would encourage anybody that is interested in learning more to pick up a copy of Naomi Klein's book "No Logo" as well as do some research on Fair Trade.

OL SKOOLIN
Old school is the best school.   Nuff said.

MOVE TO THE SPIRIT
The verse groove for this tune was the first one written for the record. I was playing a gig in Fort McMurray, Alberta and just jammed out the bass line on my producer's laptop. It turned into one of the funkiest joints on the record.

MY FREEDOM SONG
I wrote the chord progression and hook for this tune four years ago but never did anything with it. Then I wrote the verses and recorded a beta version of it six months before starting work on this CD. It grooved so well that it had to be on this record.

JUST KEEP GOIN
Can't fake the funk, this joint is one of those funky, nod your head type songs. I love the clav and rhodes parts in this tune. But it's the horns in the hook that give it that great funky vibe.

RETURN OF THE MIC MARTYR
This tune betrays my love for Rage Against the Machine.   Sometimes ya just have to bring it heavy. Props to Chris Nordstrom for the guitar work on this one.

FALLIN' DOWN
For two years, I played keys and sang in a funk/blues band and I really wanted to write a song that had some blues and soul essence in it. The verses have some fusion jazz influence but the hook is all about soul and blues.

MY FUNK, YOUR JUNK
This is another song that had been percolating inside my brain for a while. I wanted something funky but rhythmically interesting at the same time. So I wrote a whole bunch of conflicting parts and shots and this tune is what happened.