Dave and I had to plans to make music together after Wesleyan. I was beginning to conceptualize how to approach my music outside of school and he was right there, encouraging me and pushing me. The session on this recording was just before senior week, in our homestretch to graduation. We were both starting to look ahead and envision our lives outside Wesleyan, we were excited, optimistic, and both certainly uncertain as to our exact paths, but as Dave put it he was “ready for a bigger pond”. These twelve and a half minutes are a poignant vignette of our connection to each other, our personalities, our styles as MCs, and our world - and of course - cosmic views. More than anything though Dave shines through so palpably on this recording, and presents his ideas and perspective on existence and his own place in it, so clearly and forcefully, that there leaves no doubt about where he was at that time, and the intentionality with which he approached what he viewed as the sacred day to day. No moment, person, or idea was worth dismissing to Dave. Everything was to be considered for the potential value it could hold or lesson to be learned from it. Dave knew himself and his place in his communities, his country, and the cosmos. He understood life to be an ongoing process of experience, reflection, recalibration, and action. He was evolving. Constantly. And as so many with whom he connected will attest, he did what he could to help others engage in that same process. He’d critically but lovingly probe, listen, probe further, and encourage. This was Dave. And in this recording we are infinitely fortunate to have him, in his own words. Happy Birthday my guy. Let’s get it.

*Dave's presence is all over this album and much of my material since. The record is dedicated to him. Our “hidden” session starts at 4:15 and Dave’s first verse is at 7:00. Enjoy.