On June 3rd, I was fortunate enough to open up for Louie Vega’s Elements of Life band down in our homeland Puerto Rico. Special guest vocalist Nina made the hair on my forearms raise when she got on the mic and sung to the Orishas–wonderful and spiritual indeed, and fitting for La Isla Del Encanto. […]

On June 3rd, I was fortunate enough to open up for Louie Vega’s Elements of Life band down in our homeland Puerto Rico. I had no idea who Grammy Award winning guest vocalist Lisa Fisher was, but trust–after this performance of her Chaka Khan “Ain’t Nobody” cover, I’ll never forget Lisa’s name! If I heard […]

One of the profound books I read as a youth was Jim Carroll’s Basketball Diaries. Unfortunately, it was made into a very forgettable movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio who is a phenomenal actor but can’t poise himself as a believable ballplayer to save his socks. In any event, I love the idea of chronicling daily pick-up […]

“El Presidente” to the baja @ Mundo Feliz, Isla Verde, Puerto Rico.
Long before Kenny Stephens donned former Dyckman MVP and 3 point champion Eric Opio “El Presidente,” there was another guard by that nickname catching international fame. Queens-bred Boricua James “True” Carter dominated the Puerto Rican Pro League for over 10 years to the point […]

My people back home on the island definitely have a small and growing sneaker scene; they just don’t have many outlets to shop for exclusives yet. The market has to be cultivated. Many kids were chanclas (slippers) and older heads rock shoes. But where there is a will, there is a way. Shout out to […]

Headache and JFK during our huddle
Yes, playground legend, former And 1 Tour member, and my basketball buddy/adversary Tim “Headache” Gittens is medio-Boricua (Half Puerto Rican), and **** proud of it! We went on the PR Streetball Tour together in ‘05, and today at the “White Park” in Spanish Harlem, him and I, along with high-jumping […]