Nobody's gonna see this - Except the world...

Us after a long day of the video shoot -- the "final scene"

"I'm f.. I"m wasted." -DMarC

CURRENT LOCATION: I'm at home.

Lol -- That's basically all I can do today. I'm happy. I'm proud. And when people say some shit that just isn't true, it's funny to me.

I watched an awards show -- the Grammys -- not the BET awards -- let's get it straight. and said I can do that... No... I'm gonna do that. How many of you have ever been watching a professional sports game or been to a concert and dreamed of being on the court or on the stage? Yeah, a lot of you.

For most of our lives, we're told we can't do what we wanna do. We live by Plan B. It's like, "what are you in school for?" -- You mean what am I in school for? or what do I wanna be in school for? Or what do I wanna be doing? It's always a different answer. Shoutout Wes B.

Society has raised us to not go after our dreams or follow our ambitions. And yes, they're bizarre and crazy unrealistic at times.. And now ten months later, people are seeing and believing. The impossible "is" being achieved ONCE again because of one or two people's visions coming together to form something great.

It's no surprise. The "Rudy" stories of our generation carry on and develop stars and individuals with genuine character and attitudes that entertain, motivate, and inspire us everyday. They won't stop either... Because while a bunch of people hate as one gets higher and higher on the totem poll of success, there's those individuals who just don't stop.

Sometimes they wind up traveling so far they become distant even in their own lives and to those around them -- soaked up by their dream. Rarely do they fail... They usually stumble upon magic, success, and wisdom. They're not afraid to take risks... And they will win.

I am one of those people.

So while you sat around and became a dope blogger, I'm accomplishing my dream.

"See No Limits. Hear No Limits."

-JQ

Proving Yourself as An Artist

I recently re-discovered the greatest cereal on the planet.

CURRENT LOCATION: My brother's computer (for some reason in my life, I never wind up using my own computer even though I have 3 of 'em lol)

Ok, it's 6:48 in the morning... And I've been thinking about this post for like two days now.

There have been so many sacrifices that have been made in the past 10 months to get me where I am. I can't count them on my ten fingers... Like Spinning off the highway going 70 MPH in the middle of nowhere Indiana after almost hitting a deer at approximately 4 in the morning on a Sunday night because I had left the studio at around 2. Or the time "we" spent 36 hours straight in the studio... Or when I had to skip school to get my mixtape crackin'. Or the 4.5 hour drive I took home every weekend both semesters, missing the greatest college weekends of my life that can never be replaced at the dopest fraternity in the country -- what up ZBT Beta Gamma?

I've heard some of the nicest things in the past few days... There's no better feeling to an artist than people connecting to their music. In just ten months, many who work with me or close to me believe I have made the impossible happen -- and I am proud of that despite it being just the beginning. We all have dreams when a new year begins and I think if you could show me where I am right now, I'd be satisfied.

With all that being said, never underestimate the grind of an artist. Don't think it can't happen or will never happen for someone... Cuz first off, things change, people change. I've changed... I used to not believe in God. Now I believe in God. I used to be anti-smoking weed... Now I'm promoting it. LMAO!

But a lot of people think these things "just happen" to me cuz... my parents are rich? Or cuz I live in a big house?

They really have no idea.... And it doesn't really matter -- I don't need them to because in the end, their hate will bring me to the top so I'm not standing in their way from trying to bring me down -- it's more fuel in my tank really. I wanna thank Vince Lawrence -- cuz despite all the shit I go through to get my music done, in the end, it's fucking dope, but that's not what I'm thanking him for... He was kinda the first person to believe I could be "that dude". He really helped me grow and a lot of my humbleness is owed to him.

On the other hand, there's one thing that nobody can give me and nobody can take from me... And that is my hustle. So for anyone that's ever talked shit or anybody that came out with some whack shit that never got played or to anybody with a dream that's sleeping right now and will sleep all day tomorrow or call me to party every night of the week but say "they wanna do this" -- let me tell you right now. that's not how it works. You can think that's how it works, but you're only biting yourself.

Boogie tells me almost everyday that whatever we do, we're gonna smash what anybody else is doing... He calls it being on smash. And I wanna thank him too... I got a bigillion things to thank this dude for, like y'all don't even know. I'm gonna make it its own post in the next couple days or something cuz this entire blog entry will turn into a Gangsta Boogie thank you note. Anyway, I think that's a cool way to live -- striving to beat expectation and the competition. Telling yourself that you're doing that and doing it are two different things -- I don't "need" others to see the struggle, but if you're reading my blog, I thought you might be interested:

I spent the last 6 hours putting them together and I have more to do so that means I won't be getting any sleep... Then I'll be headed straight to the city where luckily I have great street teams to distribute them -- shoutout to Ruben and his Smash Bros team. And coming home to sleep won't be an option, cuz I gotta get fitted for the music video this weekend. Then I'll probably wind up in a studio or something or a meeting -- and you get the picture. THIS IS A GRIND.

And I'm not saying I grinded like everybody else, cuz I didn't. I grinded smarter. Don't always try and take the shortcut, just make the best cut. Track. Rap.

"See No Limits. Hear No Limits."

-JQ

P.s. Fuck I'm tired. And now it's 7:25... lmao... took longer to write this blog post than a verse.

P.s.s. One click MIXTAPE DOWNLOAD: www.files.burbetto.com/JQ_TheOfficialBurbettoMixtape.zip

Yo Q, where the fuck have you been?

The Official Burbetto Mixtape Trailer

Current Location: Sitting on my brother's love sac

Is what my friend Alex Alessi asks me week after week... "Why aren't you posting on your blog?"

Me: Man, you read that shit.

Alex: Yeah dude, I look everyday for that new post.

Well, here it is my dude. Thanks for the support!

And to all my other blog readers, who I probably lost over the last month during my "waiting" period -- which basically consisted of self-realization and TV -- AKA one of the worst months of my life. People are probably reading this like, "WHAT HAPPENED?"

More like WTF didn't happen?

I sat around and waited... For other people to do things that I couldn't possibly do. Yeah, I know -- I'm that kid that thinks he can do anything, but when it comes to music and politics, I'm learning to be patient. I can go into it, but honestly... it hasn't been that exciting. It's been the typical teenage start to summer. But this week changes that.. as you'll see.

So the mixtape... will be released officially this Friday: 6/19/2009. It will be released and available for free download through my BRAND NEW official website: Burbetto.com .

If you haven't watched the trailer yet, the mixtape is presented by none other than my dude, and when I say my dude, I mean MY DUDE, Boogie and is hosted by none other than the MIXTAPE KINGS -- DJ Khaled and DJ Drama -- Their first mixtape ever hosted together.

By virtue of that, it's another first... It's the first "Heavy Hitters", "We the Best", and "Aphilliates" collaborative mixtape ever. 'Nuff saidddddd...

I'm gonna blog a bunch over the next couple days to get back in the swing of things and cuz I owe y'all a step by step look at what will happen prior to the release!

We'll be leaking a track tomorrow morning so let's see if you can find it on the internet before I post it!

As always, I appreciate your continued love and support! Without it, I would've stopped this craziness long before -- not just blogging -- music, believing, etc. All I ask of you, is that you enjoy the free media and help SPREAD THA WERD. What up Mani?

"See No Limits. Hear No Limits."

-JQ

On the front page of the Indiana Daily Student

Front Page of IDS 4/22/09

"If there's not going to be that level of success, then I'm not interested."

To read the full article click here.

CURRENT LOCATION: Still in Chicago... Wondering when my work will actually be finished here so I can head back to Bloomington.

So I'm sitting in Chicago for one final day before I make it back to the town that I'm honored to be seeing so much support from. All the texts and calls are greatly appreciated. Big thanks to Rachel Krasnow of the IDS for giving the story the spotlight it deserves as well as for the recognition. Rachel, you did a great job and on behalf of me and my team, it was a pleasure to work with you.

The article contained a few quotes from my close friends and individuals who have been involved in my project including my good friend Jon Stein:

"Stein, also a business student, said he met Udell through a friend and has gained skills that deal with effectively marketing campaigns. The term “Burbetto” comes from the suburban and ghetto culture, Stein said."

I woke up to a text from another one of my good friends Joby Wright. I had yet to read the article, but dragged my ass out of bed before responding to Joby.

I apologize to anybody who was offended by the misrepresentation presented in that sentence. The actual "term" Burbetto is does not come "from the suburban and ghetto culture"!   Allowing individuals to speak on your behalf always puts you at risk for situations like this. While luckily I'm not in the spotlight yet, this has allowed me to pledge my faith towards awareness of Burbetto by using viral marketing tools to help "SPREAD THA WERD".  Shoutout to Mani Manglish -- mmdot.blogspot.com !

I think Joby brought up some really great points and I appreciate him for coming to me before talking to anybody else about it. Hopefully in the future Burbetto will be represented accurately, but we all know how the media is and we were obviously not allowed to see this article before it went to print or that would've been changed.

On another note, Burbetto: The Mixtape is on its way. I wanna talk about it so bad, but you're not ready for it yet. When you are, I'll let you know. hahahaha Show love.

"See No Limits. Hear No Limits."

-JQ

What is "Burbetto"?

The Logo

CURRENT LOCATION: Don't you wanna know. Running around preppin' for my gig tonight!

Wouldn't you like to know?

Just because I'm a rapper, doesn't mean my music is directed at the hood -- that's a common stereotype. My music is directed at the world... Everybody in the industry keeps telling me to pick my target audience and attack 'em, but if you ask me... It's you... and you... and you too. I'm not going to discriminate my audience. If you wanna listen to my music, buy my album, or come see my shows, you're more than welcome to -- you don't need to be in some exclusive group or something. How many times have you heard someone ask someone else, "Why do you listen to them? You're not _____." Exactly!

Also, just because I'm from the suburbs doesn't mean I have nothing to rap about... Damn. So stop asking me, "What do you have to rap about?" I rap about what I feel like rapping about that day and if it's not relevant to you, then that's cool. Thanks for listening!

Haters... I love you!

So back to Burbetto... It's a combination of two words, but it's deeper than that...  But I can't tell you the rest right now.  That'll have to be a later post.  or series of postssss...  and videos.

Are you ready for The Reverse Racism Experience?

"See No Limits. Hear No Limits."

-JQ

What do your parents think?

The New Burbetto Ladies T-Shirt and Men's Hoody -- So freshh!

CURRENT LOCATION: At a computer... Duh. Still in the Chi... For one more day.

As I pursue each day of my career with an open mind, I've noticed that one question is asked more than all others combined in my interactions. The magic question is: What do your parents think?

I don't know... What do you think they think about their white son from suburbia who attends Indiana University and studied business up until this point in his life becoming a rapper?

Actually, my parents are pretty cool. I give them a lot of credit--I'm a very difficult child. At the same time, I'm pretty cool too. Pretty cool in knowing what I want to do and relentlessly working to attract it. I'm ambitious and focused to the point if my parents aren't on my team when it comes to what I want to accomplish at any given point in life, they my as well be working against me.

Working against me is too much stress... So, support it is. Regardless of whether it is rap, memorabilia, or any other venture I vigorously chose to pursue, or at least attempted to, I think my parents recognized my ambition and realized it couldn't be stopped. Working to stop real ambition -- not the bluffing kind, you know what I'm talking about -- is more difficult than "silently" supporting or supporting your child or anybody else in your life. I love my family, not just my parents, but my awesome sister and brother too, and hope I always be able to support them as actively and passionately as they have for me.

The concept of wanting what I want and getting what I want is selfish to an extent, but at the same time you gotta not only look out for your own self-interest sometimes, especially when you deserve it, but you also can't be afraid of being someone you wanna be or doing something you wanna do because your family or anybody else doesn't think it's possible or isn't supporting you. Trust your instincts, be strong, and don't forget -- "See No Limits. Hear No Limits."

-JQ

P.S. Speaking of "silently supporting".. . As far as my rap is concerned, "silently supporting" with the parentals quickly became your music is getting better to, "I really like that one!" to the point where I think my Dad is actually gaining an understanding of hip-hop -- a day I never thought would come.  I'm pretty sure Dixie Cups is now in his regular playlist... And oh boy... You should see the little dance he does to it. He's even got me doing it!

With Love Comes Hate: Sometimes People...

CURRENT LOCATION: Just got back from the Glenbrook North Supersectional... About to head to the studio.

Sometimes people rip on me for who I am or what I wear... But sometimes in life like my dude Kelz taught me on his birthday, you gotta say, "Fuck dat!" When I started rapping, I'm not gonna lie haters got in my ear, but that's because I wasn't expecting it -- the hate. I've learned that if you're successful at anything you do, people are going to hate. I didn't have haters until my track started bumping on B96. As it slowly spread throughout Chicago and into the other markets, more and more people began to get at me like that. With every video that a girl would post dancing to my song -- thanks for the love girls -- there'd be another person unhappy with where they were at in life bring that aggression to me. So on top of fuck dat, you know what I say... Bring it! hahaha BURBETTO!

Sometimes people would meet me at parties... One time I went up to a girl and said, "My roommate thinks you're cute." She was like, "I know you. You're JQ. My friend showed me your friend on her IPOD. I love that shiyatttt!"

Sometimes people are at their best when they're wasted -- hahaha!

"See No Limits. Hear No Limits."

-JQ

Am I a Head?

Ronaldo sports his medal with the original Mercurial R9 cleats hanging from his neck

CURRENT LOCATION:  My basement

"Sometimes people" ask me if I'm a shoe head...  I don't know if I'm a shoe head, but I do know I collect shoes.  I don't follow it or anything; I don't care how much they are or if they're rare or not...  To me, it's all about the look.  Back to the music comparison, it's like a beat.  I've paid $100 for beats that are sick and $4000 for beats that don't bring the heat -- there's no formula.  You just gotta do you.

I showed one of my boys the shoes I got and he was like, "How do you know they're dope if you don't know anything about them except what kinda Nike they are and their color?" -- So I decided to do some research.

SimplySneakers.com and NiceKicks.com (official article click here) filled me in:

"The Nike Dunk Low Mercurial brings the colors of the original Mercurial, which inaugurated a new era in real shoes for soccer in 1998, and lines that evoke the sole and traces of leather and comes to stores in June [2008].  The shoes will sell for about $125.  Like the top tiered soccer cleats, these Dunks also feature Zoom Air. "

It sounds like these original Mercurial R9 cleats were a part of the soccer great Ronaldo's bringing of a new generation to the game of soccer:  one filled with "game striking fear" and "off-the-field antics".  I have chosen to wear the shoes I was given yesterday at my first show one week from today to symbolize the way in which I plan to start a new era and movement in music.

Get ready to "fall into my drumline"

"See No Limits. Hear No Limits."

-JQ

Welcome to the "No Limits" Zone

Official Blog Logo

CURRENT LOCATION: Herman B. Wells Library in Bloomington, Indiana

If I am not at the Grammys in 11 months, I will destroy my own career. Yes... These are the standards in which I hold myself--which might sound crazy considering last August I couldn't rap. So now it's been 1, 2, 3... 7 and a half months and yes, I've come a long way.

For those that don't know, my song "Go Down and Show" has received airplay nationally and seems to be having its own fiasco on YouTube.

What started with three of my girl friends telling me they were going to make me a music video because they were tired of watching still pictures on YouTube -- check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N97RvVu3xWo -- became an "I can shake it better than you" debate which led to the SHAKEiT4JQ competition. I've been lucky enough to have 100+ videos posted by girls across the country and from all around the world including girls from the Canada, the UK, and Spain!

Unfortunately, YouTube keeps taking down the best ones cuz they're "inappropriate" -- I guess they don't want a six year old -- yeah, there's six year olds on YouTube these days, go figure -- watching girls in thongs without bras dancing to a song about blow jobs. Did I just type that outloud? I'm going to save one of these so-called "inappropriate" videos one of these days and post it here to show you what I'm talking about.

Anyway, back to my "Grammy guarantee" which will slowly seem less crazy as the months wear on, but if I was you right now, I'd probably press "X" -- thinking who is this kid -- and WTF makes him think today he is nobody and tomorrow he'll be at the Grammys?

A little bit over a year ago, I was running my sports memorabilia company (ONtheCOURTSports -- http://stores.ebay.com/ONtheCOURTSports-Memorabilia) which was "nice" before this recession, when a Grammys advertisement popped across my page. I hadn't really been writing at the time... I don't know... It goes in phases, ya know? Writing that is. But anyway, for some reason, at that very moment, I was bored with life--with routine. I was done pledging (yeah, I'm in a fraternity... Zeta Beta Tau, '11 Full, yessur (at Indiana University btw)).. School was kickin' my ass and the classes weren't nearly as good as first semester.

At that point, I decided I was a rapper. See, I was always a poet... and I've always been into music. I had recorded a track or two joking around with my boys that remained in our day to day playlist about some crazy ex-girlfriend and real "hip-hop", but nahhh... This was different. This was for real.

I told a couple people, who obviously didn't take me seriously... and I slept on it. But for some reason, unlike most dreams we have on a day to day basis, this one didn't go away. I started to write songs... a lot of songs. Songs like thiss:

JQ - 'Bout My Money (T.I. - Big Shit Poppin' REMIX)
http://www.limelinx.com/files/2bc114568c3abfdfb78a5a84c3e9f833-- The First "No Limits" Zone EXCLUSIVE Release.
(yeah, as you can see, my style has changed a lot hahaha... yeah, a lot... I realized I wasn't a thug? "So who am I?" if I'm not a thug and I rap -- that's a question for my next blog.)

I didn't really know what I was doing, but I was further along than I thought and by the time summer hit instead of heading to New York as originally planned, I found myself in a nice learning situation in Chicago with house music legend Vince Lawrence of Slang Music Group (http://www.slangmusicgroup.com/).

But back on Grammy night, February 10, 2008, I told myself that in two years, I would be at the Grammy's (aka 11 months left). It was more than an "I told myself" sorta thing; it was like an oath.

People have been hatin' since so I must be doing something right and as my good friend Jon Ackerman told me the other day, "That's your motivation--isn't it? Proving people wrong... That's what keep you going."

I plan on using a handful of quotes like Jon's inside the cover booklet (what is that thing called?) of my debut album, which I don't have a release date for, but my only hint is that it would have to be before the Grammys next year, if I was going to be there, wouldn't it?

That's "Enuff" for now -- a subtle shoutout with hint to my nexttttt blog. As Lupe told me back in 2006 when he autographed my picture and watered the "rapper seed" Kanye planted in my brain, "Stay Tuned!"

"See No Limits. Hear No Limits."

-JQ

www.myspace.com/JQhitsit