Fabreeze Brothers ft. Paten Locke

Last week, the world lost Paten Locke to cancer. 

If you weren't up on what Paten Locke is to the community, Paten has always been the consumate creator, just consistently and constantly djing, rapping, producing, everything. 

My interactions with Paten in person only took place over the Soundset weekend in 2011 up in Minneapolis, where I was playing guitar with Rubberoom, and Paten was DJing with Edan. Even to me that sounds like he was "just" DJing, but let me tell you, when Paten and Edan come together, they're both rapping and they're both DJing and it's a fucking party. I ended up meeting him in the hotel lobby while gathering some of the continental breakfast to take with me to the Shakopee, MN polo grounds early that morning. We shared a laugh or two over the lack of plates, and wound up carrying that laughter over into the van that took us to the venue, as we snacked on hotel bacon served out of a styrofoam bowl. 

I had no idea he was Paten Locke, I never even asked him his name, I just enjoyed his company because I was a bit nervous for the day ahead. I had obsessed over his album Super Ramen Rocketship a few years before, and knew a large chunk of the tune "Auto Reverse" by heart. The chorus of that track is normally plastered on Paten's chest on t-shirts that read "I grew up on tapes!".  (GO BUY THE ALBUM HERE.)

I knew him by his music, but not his face. Paten Locke demanded the stage as an emcee and masterfully curated the flow of a set I had never, and now will never see again. I remember he just started scratching and rapping at the same time, like that's somehow normal or common. The entire Soundset crowd was bugging the fuck out, looking at each other like "IS ANY OF THIS REAL?"

Fuck. Paten was incredible. I will miss his sarcastic internet persona, but I will also treasure the absolute fucking shit out of having been able to meet him in person, even if he didn't let on who he was.

I got to share a bowl of bacon with one of the greats.

Now, regarding this video, I don't know anything about the Fabreeze Brothers other than I'm now a huge fucking fan. Holy flow balls, this dude Phill Most is a MONSTER. This track "Heroes of the East" might contain the most SUPER HARDCORE CASE OF THE MONDAYS BATTLING beat and flow combo I've heard to date. JEEEEZUS if this doesn't make you wanna listen to it nine times in a row, you're empty on the inside. 

Phill, this is fucking incredible. I'm a new fan. Please know you're talented as fuck and a middle aged white boy with a whole bunch of kids from the Chicago suburbs is rocking the shit out of this meow.

Rest in peace to Paten Locke, as well as the Fabreeze Brothers' family member J2, and while we all fight our own battles with health and mental health and bills and politics and shit, let's bump more Paten Locke, cause that shit's therapy. 

#fuckcancer indeed.