Category: Uncategorized
Tell ’em I’m Doing Fiiine…
For a Spell [Esbe pt 4]
In the words of CL…
“I reminisce for a spell, or shall I say think back…”
Monday night I spoke with Reggie Coby for the first time since Saturday morning, and still don’t know exactly what to say to him.
Tuesday came the outpour. The local paper ran a story. Gabo made a nice tribute video. JD from Die Slo and Lil J from COD/LOEGz dropped a tribute song. Etcetera!
Thursday is the visitation in Pflugerville. Friday is the celebration of Octavis Berry’s LIfe in Austin. I’m certain there will be overflowing amounts of loyal love and support, because what goes around comes around.
For A Spell [Esbe pt 3]
In the words of CL…
“I reminisce for a spell, or shall I say think back…”
When time permits, observe the on-stage energy of Esbe the 6th Street Bully at the 1:06 mark in the above video. Witness why Octavis Berry was loved by his local community beginning at the 1:31 mark, and again at the 4:03 mark. Also, keep in mind the above video was shot the week before Tay’s death. I did my best to properly eulogize him at the 4:20 mark as well.
Thanks to DVZN Media for a great memorial video. And there’s more below…
For A Spell [Esbe pt 2]
In the words of CL…
“I reminisce for a spell, or shall I say think back…”
[Alot of folks call Octavis Berry “Tavis” (pronounced TAY-viss), but I always called him Tay because that’s what he called himself when he called me.]
To put it lightly, Tay had a boisterous and outgoing personality. He was exactly the type of in-your-face hip hop cat who would call himself “Esbe Da 6th Street Bully”. He was a family and community oriented man of the people who’d dealt with his share of losses.
Both of Tay’s brothers had already passed away, beginning with the oldest, Kenny, who was murdered in 1994. Kenny’s son, Lil’ Kenny, passed 10 years later at age 13 after returning to a burning car trying to save his little brother.
Tay’s other brother, LaDarrick, was known as his biggest supporter. “Everywhere he went he made sure people knew about his little brother,” said Tay’s sister-in-law Juanna. “LaDarrick was very proud of Tavis’ dream.” LaDarrick was killed in a home invasion in Illinois in late 2010.
“Tavis has been like a father to my boys [LaDarrian, Simeon] since LaDarrick and I divorced,” she said. “He had been a driving force in LaDarrian’s life, encouraging him to work on his own music and dream and Tavis was an awesome daddy to his kids.”
LaDarrian raps as DoWrong and, of course, rolls with the LOEGz.
[DoWrong]
Tay was the charismatic, free-spirited kind of guy that most people liked, and would do anything for. He had a hardcore, witty intellectual personality like a young Paul Mooney. Tay had the energy and candor of a Killer Mike or dead prez, both of whom he has recorded with in the past year or two as a member of Dred Skott.
Continue reading “For A Spell [Esbe pt 2]”
For a Spell [Esbe pt 1]
In the words of CL…
“I reminisce for a spell, or shall I say think back…”
My last memory of Esbe Da 6th Street Bully is the Troy Davis tribute Dred Skott recorded last week over the Pete Rock and CL Smooth “T.R.O.Y.” instrumental.
[I could go all deep about how Dred Skott is named after Dred Scott, and the connection to Troy Davis, but no.]
[Tay + Reggie = Dred Skott]
My first memory of meeting Octavis “Tay” Berry is about six or seven years back in Austin, TX, when he called me to Arlyn Studios off South Congress Avenue to collaborate with Dred Skott, his duo with Reggie Coby. At first exposure, they reminded me of Goodie Mob. Dred Skott is one of four acts in the Austin-based League of Extraordinary G’z collective. If my memory serves me correctly, Tay was the founding member of LOEGz.
If you ever read BavuBlogs, you know that Reggie Coby is a musician, singer and emcee who produced my upcoming SANCT EP. Dred Skott was also on the same Saturday night South by Southwest showcase with Donald “Childish Gambino” Glover, Mojoe, Kydd, Tony Williams and I. I vividly remember the first LOEGz performance in 2009 held at the same Red River Street venue, Austin’s RED 7. In fact, I introduced them to the audience. They asked me to pray for them before their set that night, and asked the same while supporting dead prez on tour six weeks ago in Santa Ana, CA.
I asked that the most high’s will be done for these guys, and now this. Tay aka Da Bully died Friday night, October 14, 2011, at age 30…
Question of the Year
If a recording artist is expecting a son, is that a release date?!
(((airhorn)))
Scholar Emcee 