In a recent interview, I heard Open Mike Eagle say that he regretted not going to Scribble Jam. I only went once, but looking back on it now, it was pretty amazing. I’d never heard of it when I lived in San Jose, but when I started hanging out in those early Anticon days, it was an annual trip for most of them and they encouraged me to go. I finished the original version of Left handed Straw before attending and I spent the night before the flight cutting cd sleeves and burning discs. I wanted to show up with a good stash to sell.

In the photo, you can see a razor blade. I cut every edge of the inserts with a straight metal edge and a razor on that wood board. If I am remembering everything correctly, I also finished the song “Heckles From The Peanut Gallery” that night. I was extremely tired when Mayo drove us down to San Jose for the flight. I remember doing one of those things where you fall asleep and you randomly jerk awake. We flew out of San Jose even though we lived closer to SFO, I guess to save a few bucks.

We flew into Indianapolis. I think that may have also been to save money, but the plan was also to meet up with Scott Matelic and stay at his house for a bit. Emil (Emynd) was there too and he asked me if there were any “jawns” on the flight. He’s from Philly, I’m not. I had no idea what he was talking about.

We stayed at Scott’s house in his basement. It was hot outside and the AC was cranking so hard it felt like winter inside. Everywhere we went, it was the same. Hot outside and ice cold inside. We ate at some buffalo wing place the first night and I met Ryan Sickle, one of Scott’s friends. On this trip, he told us stories of some of the craziest pranks I’ve ever heard. I still think about some to this day.

The next day, we ate at CiCi’s Pizza. We were broke and this place was amazing. It was all you can eat pizza and salad. They even had dessert pizzas. It was something like $3 for everything. There was a wrestler/body builder that was carbing up and he was removing the toppings and just eating insane amounts of crusts. We may have gone two times. It made an impact on me, but they don’t have any in California, so it just remained a fond memory. High potential that it was terrible, but…all you can eat pizza for $3 kinda negates terrible when you’re 20 and broke.

Scott took us to a few record spots. I got a few things, but only remember a children’s record and a record with bird songs. One thing that tripped me out about Indiana was that it looked like TV to me. There were houses that had that sloped grass off the road with 3-4 stairs that then led to a long walkway to the house. I’d never seen it in real life.

We drove to Cincinnati for Scribble Jam and stayed at a Best Western or something. This was the view from the hotel:

The sequence of events is a bit of a blur to me. I remember an outdoor gathering at night. Lots of first time meetings. All of the producers were hanging out together, so it was me, Moodswing 9, Matth, Scott Matelic, Emynd, Mayo, and Wes Bonifay. I’m pretty sure this was the first time I met Sixtoo. People had black books and were trading tags. This may have been the same night as the show at Top Cats. I know Atmosphere was performing, but there may have been some Deep Puddle Dynamics performances too.

The bouncer at the door wouldn’t let me bring in my box of LHS cds. I think I had to check them in at coat check. I met Buck 65 at this Top Cats show. We talked briefly. I was in awe because he was a mythical character to me up until that point.

The next day was the main day with the dj and freestyle battles. We ate breakfast at some diner and that was probably the first time I met Sage Francis. He was eating at the next booth over, possibly wearing the Xaul Zan wig.

I remember the parking lot at the club and people flooding in and out of the door. None of it looked like what I’d imagined in my head. I had fun watching the battles. I hung out around the merch booth a lot too.

below: Sixtoo tending to the merch table. You can see the Buck 65 Mt. Uniacke baseball jerseys, LHS cds on the bottom, greenthink cds, the P.E.A.C.E. Southern Fry’d Chicken CD, some Shapeshifters stuff, and lots of fliers and stickers.

I had a disposable camera and took photos of people.

Below: cLOUDDEAD before they were cLOUDDEAD. Me taking a photo of Dose while he takes a picture of me. Someone took a picture of us taking pictures of each other. Nosdam is right over Dose’s shoulder. I did a lot of surprise photos and I’m pretty sure I called Yoni’s name and took the photo as soon as he turned around.

Below: DJ Signify and Ryan Sickle.
Below that: Mayo, Jel, Scott Matelic, Sickle

Below: Sole, Circus, (don’t remember who the other person is)
Below that: Circus’s hand. He wrote stuff on his hand before the battle. The bottom says “ I don’t know shit as a matter of fact Captain Smartypants.”

Below: Buck 65 in the 3/4 sleeve Mt. Uniacke shirt. He looks like he may have been caught off guard when I took the photo.

Below that: Buck demonstrating the Gear Shifter dance.

If I am remembering correctly, the third day was the day in the park. There were performances, but mostly just a lot of hanging out. I met Mr Dibbs. I think Mayo introduced us. He was doing the Atkins diet at the time and he said something like “I can have ___ carbs per day. That’s like two M&M’s.”

I took photos with my Lomo Action Camera, which takes 4 photos in a sequence.

Below: A performance on the park stage (left) and Emil/Emynd (right)
Below that: Wes Bonifay aka space marsupials aka the lizard kid.

Below: Alias. Always fun to hang out with him.

Below: Sole and Alias.

Below: Dj Signify, Jel, and Matth

I had fun. It was great experience. I’m fairly quiet, so I don’t think I made the most of it and I probably didn’t talk to a bunch of people that I should have talked to. I also wish I paid attention more and soaked it all in. I saw Brother Ali, Eyedea, and a bunch of other people. Mostly, it was just fun hanging out with people.

Footnote:

In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, I would watch a lot of Serengeti IG Lives. One day, he was free flowing some ideas, just repeating what people said in the comments. He was talking about food and I mentioned CiCi’s Pizza in the chat. He ended up saying “If we’re talking about some pizza, we ain’t talking bout no CiCi’s.” It later ended up on “Gyro” from KDXMPC.

I haven’t had CiCi’s since the year 2000, but this ending up in a Geti song twenty years later makes me smile.