"PayDay" is out, and it's getting some really great response.  Cracked.com and MC Lars have both given it a public endorsement.  MC Frontalot, the godfather of nerdcore, was very positive about it.  We poured our hearts, souls, and wallets into this, and thanks to you, we seem to be realizing the dream of coming out with a high quality album!  I hope that you've had the chance to listen to it and enjoy our efforts!

I'm here today to set forth a couple of challenges for you.  If you're up to the task, let's see how far down the list you can make it.

1) Tell a friend about us.  

2) Like us on facebook.  https://www.facebook.com/chalkskin

3) Subscribe to us on twitter.  https://twitter.com/Chalkskin

4) Subscribe to us on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/user/chalkskinvideo/featured

5) Watch a video (any video), hit "like."

6) Take a picture of yourself with your copy of "PayDay" and e-mail it to[email protected] or upload it to your facebook and tag Chalkskin.

7) Encourage your friends to listen to us for free athttp://www.soundcloud.com/Chalkskin or http://chalkskin.bandcamp.com

8) Write a review for "PayDay" at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/chalkskin

9) Share us with your friends on your favorite social media.

10) Give a copy of "PayDay" to someone as a gift.



Once you've completed 60% of the challenge, e-mail proof to [email protected], and we'll send you a Chalkskin single you can't get anywhere else.

You are the gas on which the Chalkskin engine runs, and this dream can't be realized without your help.

Chalkskin Warriors, unite!

I got an interesting phone call from my nephew yesterday.  He was going through the credits of “Fresh Donuts” and “PayDay” with me.  (By the way, his favorite songs are “Don’t Hassle Me,” “I’m So Angry!,” “T ‘n A,” Alien Police: Theme from the Major Motion Picture,” “Mystery Track,” So You Think You Can Rap?,” “Nerdstock,” “Trek/Wars,” and “Got Game?”  He’s seven.)

During this phone call he asked me a question.  Did I really mean it when I gave special thanks to God?  ‘Cause Grandma doesn’t believe me.  Over the sound of my mother’s protesting that she ever said that, I answered the boy honestly.  Yes, I am serious about it.  Why? he responded.

Because without Him, none of it would be possible.

I guess I should explain.

I guess the first time I really understood that the Chalkskin project was special was when I added up the costs for the first album.  Somehow on a retail manager’s salary, I had managed to come up with over ten grand.  What?  Where did all of that come from?  If my car had broken down and required repairs… or if I needed extensive brain surgery…  or had to fly out of town to go to a funeral… or needed to get gas…  Literally, anything else I would have tried to do, I don’t know how I would have pulled that much money out of my chalky white rear end.

But that’s not really the most compelling argument.  And admittedly, I am prone to believe in miracles more than the average skeptic. (Though not nearly as often as the Jesus-in-the-toast-has-a-stigmata crowd.)

I’ll leave out all of the minor points of fact and move right on to the biggies.  The next one was a bit… harder to deal with.  Remember that retail management job I had when I made the first album?  While working on the second one, I lost my job.  Actually, I got fired for something really stupid.  You know how people say “God works in mysterious ways”?  Sometimes miracles can seem like punishment, even when you see the silver lining.

Since I got fired…  And since the reasons for why they decided to cut me loose after ten long years was dubious…  I was able to get unemployment and work on Chalkskin full-time.  I also was able to cash in all of my vacation time (which, thanks to California, had rolled over into quite a tidy sum), 401 K plans, Health Savings Plan accounts, etc. etc. etc., I was able to funnel a great deal of money into “PayDay.”  Like another ten grand.

Okay, I know what you’re thinking… none of this argues the point that miracles actually do occur.  You’re right.  They might shine a light on mere shadows.  And besides, many would argue that I really owe the results to the actions.  I mean, wasn’t it human ambition that made all of this happen?  Wasn’t it my own tenacity and unwillingness to give up combined with the support and talents of everyone else involved that made the real difference in all of this?

All I can say is that anytime I would get to a dead end, was ready to throw up my hands, was sweating my own health and security, was almost completely without hope (Obama be darned!)… Anytime I would say that the only way we could continue was if money fell out of the sky… well, it kind of did.

Sure, you may all point at the kickstarter campaign and tell me that that’s not a miracle.  That’s good friends.  True dat, n word*!  But you forget that even after that campaign, we ran into yet another dead end that spelled the last for Chalkskin.  How would we get another thousand bucks?  We had just asked every person we’d ever met for their assistance!

Enter Nathan Williams.  He is a guy that used to work for me at that retail job I mentioned before.  He and I have remained friends through social networking and will always have a good bond.  But give me a moment to tell you a bit more about how I know him.

Ten years ago, Nathan was the first guy I ever had to fire.  He was actually a really good worker, and Tina (my boss) and I really loved him.  That’s why we promoted him to a key holder.  With great keys comes great pain in the butt responsibility, and unfortunately for Nate, he had trouble in just one area.  He didn’t always wake up in time to go to work.  Or to open the store.  That happened twice in so many weeks, and our hands were tied.  If he slipped up again, we warned him, we would have no choice.  We offered to be his alarm clock, but Nathan, being the determined, young man that he was told us that would be unnecessary.  He would simply get up in time from then on.  The next day…

Yeah, it sucked.  For all of us.

The next job he got after working with us was at a company that specializes in investments for Roth IRA accounts.  I think he worked there for two weeks.  I think I was his only customer.  I did it more for him than for myself, and when I lost the information for the account, I shrugged it off, put my head down, and kept right on working.

Fast forward ten years.  I get an interest free loan from Nate Williams for a thousand bucks, and we get to finish the album!  He’s cool about the loan, and I will pay him a hundred bucks for the next ten months to pay it off.  I’ll start in August, and unless the album is insanely successful or something else outside of the box happens, I’m going to be subsisting off of a mere $12 a month after my bills.  (That’s for food and fuel.  And that’s if the unemployment checks keep rolling in.)

So about a week ago, I get this letter in the mail.  Seems it’s chased me all over the country.  It’s addressed to me but at my grandfather’s address.  The grandfather that died about seven years ago.  I tear it open, and it’s from that investment company.  If I don’t update my information, by law they will have to consider my account abandoned.  (And they will spend my money on hotdogs for the company picnic or something.)  I call the lady and update things, log on to the website, and check out my long-lost portfolio.

Just under a thousand bucks.

In case you weren’t keeping score at home.  Ten years ago, Nathan Williams invested a paltry sum of money for me that was lost until now.  That money grew exponentially and is now enough to almost fully repay a loan that I am indebted to make good on.  To Nathan Williams.

I don’t know about you, but I think God made a pretty good case this time.




*The “n word” is neighbor.

Insurance claim adjusters are on the scene as we speak.  They are standing atop the nearby buildings, peering down through the gaping hole where the roof once was.  The damage is almost incomprehensible.

On Saturday the 14th of July, the roof of The Ruby Room was completely blown off.
Broken Pixels, Geezer, El-Gun Legro, Doc Awk, Devil's Playground Burlesque, MC Lars, and MC Frontalot joined Chalkskin on stage and rocked the crowd like a broken dishwasher.  No one throws a Comic Con after-party quite like The Ruby Room!

Chalkskin would like to thank everyone came out, performed, and made the event happen.  Can’t wait to see all of you again.

Until then, our prayers go out to the victims and their families.

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/chalkskin

Today is the day you've all been waiting for!  "PayDay" is officially available!!

It would mean a lot to us if you would take the time to pick up your album as soon as now.  For some reason people look at sales to determine an artist's worth.  Weird, right?

Wolf In Wool Productions has decided to run a kickstarter campaign to get the funds necessary for the completion of "PayDay."

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wolfinwool/chalkskin-pay-day

Chalkskin came out with "Fresh Donuts" on April 1, 2011, setting the tone for their self-described Character Driven Comedy Hip Hop.

In May, they hope to release their follow up album, "Payday."  It is a major leap forward musically, lyrically, and comically.  The nineteen to twenty tracks that will be on this album feature the group in it's glory.  M.C. Chalkskin, D.J. Pop'N'Fresh, J-Man, and Rich Prophet shine with a boldness and intensity that is sure to engage every listener.

While "Fresh Donuts" may have had it's share of great music, "Payday" will blow you away.  This album has been produced by Jaz "Hookmaster" Williams, Godson, Dennis "D-Man" Ingram, and Hunter Bressan.  The instrumentation is rounded out byYochanan Winston, Ph.D (saxophone and flute), Dennis Ingram (guitar), Mark Shapiro(guitar), Dominic McNeil (organ), Rama (sitar),and Rahis Khan (tabla).

The group specializes in dope lyrics.  The writing and delivery are a great measure more advanced as well.  The boys really brought it this time, and the high concept approach has only advanced between the seminal album and this one.  In addition to the boys, "Payday" features the vocal talents of Jaz Williams, Kathy Robbins, Candice Thiem, Sangeeta Singh, and Rahis Khan.

The album has been rounded out by comedy sketches that involve Jesse Dillon Sorrells, Mark McKinney, Stella Ingram, and the crew in some situations that I will not divulge here.  You'll have to hear them to believe them.

The album has been described as "a beast," and it's been suggested that we could be a contender for "Best Rap Album in San Diego" for 2012.

We have recorded all but one of the songs, but everything needs mixed and mastered. Bottom line is that we've run out of money making the songs as awesome as possible, and we need your help to finish this off.  We encourage you to give what you can, butwe're really looking for 25 devoted fans to post up $100.  This will get you the amazing Chalkskin package as a reward and make you a part of the magic.

Wolf In Wool Productions has decided to run a kickstarter campaign to get the funds necessary for the completion of "PayDay."

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wolfinwool/chalkskin-pay-day

Chalkskin came out with "Fresh Donuts" on April 1, 2011, setting the tone for their self-described Character Driven Comedy Hip Hop.

In May, they hope to release their follow up album, "Payday."  It is a major leap forward musically, lyrically, and comically.  The nineteen to twenty tracks that will be on this album feature the group in it's glory.  M.C. Chalkskin, D.J. Pop'N'Fresh, J-Man, and Rich Prophet shine with a boldness and intensity that is sure to engage every listener.

While "Fresh Donuts" may have had it's share of great music, "Payday" will blow you away.  This album has been produced by Jaz "Hookmaster" Williams, Godson, Dennis "D-Man" Ingram, and Hunter Bressan.  The instrumentation is rounded out byYochanan Winston, Ph.D (saxophone and flute), Dennis Ingram (guitar), Mark Shapiro(guitar), Dominic McNeil (organ), Rama (sitar),and Rahis Khan (tabla).

The group specializes in dope lyrics.  The writing and delivery are a great measure more advanced as well.  The boys really brought it this time, and the high concept approach has only advanced between the seminal album and this one.  In addition to the boys, "Payday" features the vocal talents of Jaz Williams, Kathy Robbins, Candice Thiem, Sangeeta Singh, and Rahis Khan.

The album has been rounded out by comedy sketches that involve Jesse Dillon Sorrells, Mark McKinney, Stella Ingram, and the crew in some situations that I will not divulge here.  You'll have to hear them to believe them.

The album has been described as "a beast," and it's been suggested that we could be a contender for "Best Rap Album in San Diego" for 2012.

We have recorded all but one of the songs, but everything needs mixed and mastered. Bottom line is that we've run out of money making the songs as awesome as possible, and we need your help to finish this off.  We encourage you to give what you can, butwe're really looking for 25 devoted fans to post up $100.  This will get you the amazing Chalkskin package as a reward and make you a part of the magic.

Just two blocks west of Hollywood and Vine, somewhere along the world famous walk of fame, the Chalkskin crew dropped by West-One Productions to record the comedy sketches for their upcoming album and their first mixtape song.

"When we first heard the beat for Tyga's 'Rack City,'" Chalkskin said, "J-Man started free-stylin' a tune we just had to lay down."

The results are "Chalk City," a tight little song you can download for free.

Just head over to www.soundcloud.com/chalkskin and get it right now.  And if you haven't already, you can pick up "Grape Drink (Purple Stuff)," the first single for the upcoming album, also for free.

Today marks a very special anniversary for Chalkskin.

Exactly one year ago today, the boys held The Benefit for the Unloved at the Stage Saloon in San Diego's gaslamp district.  It was their first show together.

That weekend, they had recorded all of "Fresh Donuts," done the photo shoot for the album art, and shot the primary footage for the music video for "Peace in the Mid East."

Kind of hard to think of all that has happened within that year, and here's to many more!

It may have once been a duo, but the days of M.C. Chalkskin & D.J. Pop'N'Fresh are officially over.  With the full inclusion of J-Man and Rich Prophet, the dynamics have changed.  The new era of Chalkskin is that of a rap group, called... well, Chalkskin actually.


Many have pointed out the irony of a former boy band member now joining ranks with a group of men to entertain on the stage, screen, and speakers alike.  This view is not held with much esteme by M.C. Chalkskin.  He has gone on record as saying, "This ain't no man band!  Seriously, yo, how can you even say that?  We don't sing joints like 'Sexxy Dance (Hot Stuff)'and 'Wow Gurrrl!'  We drop hotness like 'Grape Drink (Purple Stuff)' and 'Pow Wow.'"

Since destroying the stage at the House of Blues in West Hollywood, Chalkskin has further solidified their union by blowing up with a totally new stage show at Nerdcore Night at the classy Ruby Room in San Diego.  Two tracks for the new album, "Payday," have been finished, and they have already blown away all expetations!

The new face of Chalkskin is an exciting one indeed.

"Grape Drink (Purple Stuff)" is available as a free download.  Hear our new sound now!

http://www.soundcloud.com/chalkskin

While the Steve-O show was canceled due to lack of sales (on their end, not ours), it did bridge the gap to getting us a gig at the House of Blues in Los Angeles on the 2nd.  This will be a bigger opportunity for us, since there will be industry types and media there.

Chalkskin on the red carpet, yo!!