Rare Blend found at UCR

For those that know me well enough online you know I have over 20 websites. Most of my websites are music related Like Presley-Radio.com and MutantEmcee.com, but this here is my personal blog and my personal blog is kinda of like the V.I.P. section of my online party. To keep it simple, I'll say my personal blog is reserved for me and I can feature any artist on the website of my choice. I can even have the music featured on websites I don't own but when I feature a song or band here on Sean-Presley.com I want you to already know it's important to me. Each feature has it's own significance and today I wanted to introduce you to Rare Blend, one of the newest branches of my Inland Empire music family tree.


The Rare Blend Group is a mixture of artists who met in college at UC Riverside. I first meet Jae Que (Javon Borum) and Say A (Aaron Scott) while they were hooping for my Hometown Highlanders. The two sat in on one of my studio sessions and we chopped it up about my experiences in the music industry. At the time I believed both athletes had a basketball future after college but their seriousness in studio suggested they had a a different plan. While most artists I invited wanted to talk shit, get drunk or smoke weed.... Aaron and Javon didn't want any part of it. The two were very quiet, observant and sober. The determination and focus as athletes was transforming them into determined and focused artists. I remember them saying they had a plan and a few years later I can now introduce you to Rare Blend.

With all artists coming from different backgrounds, Rare Blend has different feel and sound with every track. Their group consists of 6 artists: BeatsbyChe, Iman Europe, Say A., Jae Que, E.B., and K.C. Each artist all have their own unique and individual styles of music and together they are a "Rare Blend" of talent.

These artists all come from different demographics from the Bay Area, St. Louis, Fresno to Manhattan and DMV. It was college in my hometown that brought them together. Maybe you can even say Rare Blend was born on the hardwood of the UC Riverside Student Rec-Center. Maybe it was born on that drive home after Jae Que and Say A left my studio session. Whenever or however doesn't matter. What really matters is, these young men have found a life after basketball. Well all know the economy sucks and we also know these universities don't do a great job at preparing their  star athletes for life after hoops, but these kids have found a way to avoid the mistakes I made.

Personally when I realized I was done growing and My dream to be a Laker would remain a dream, I went Loco. It was my hope and my way to a better life and out of poverty. It was the only career I planned for because it was my most beloved pastime. I honestly believe I have an irregular heart beat when I am not on the court. It was the only high I ever wanted. So with no family, no support and no more dream... I literally seen no other route and I ended trying to be the Tony Montana of Southern California.

Although my story may be different, many of these kids leave for college and expect to be men or expect to be complete when they get done with college. Many of their families expect the same or more. This is not easy, even for children with a nice support system and it is even more difficult to do it so far away from home. So when the great athletes don't catch the break they deserve on the court or on ESPN... I feel obligated to help when I can off the court. Rare Blend may be a group of six or artists, but I am helping them because I want to see two of my favorite athletes become great men.

 In April I posted a Blog featuring NBA Prospect Phil Martin and in the post I expressed the wish I had that Phil and Javon  could have played more together but when Javon Borum (Jae Que) and Say A (Aaron Scott) were in Highlander uniform, UCR had a real shot at greatness. Don't forget we had Kyle Austin at the time too. I don't want to elaborate on why.... but I will say that the team and it's players didn't find the chemistry needed to reach their peak. In one game against Long Beach St. Aaron had 26 pts, 10 rebs, 4 ast and 3 steals. I remember when Phil and Javon both had 22 each in the same game. These kids shared the same dream, but they were bigger, stronger and faster with a legitimate shot at having the dream come true. For these young men to be around so much talent and see such opportunity, whiling holding the burden or dreams of their Families and our city.... then even after trying so hard, with determination and focus... they failed and the dream was gone.

We see it on the news, we see it around the neighborhood and I personally went through it. Most of you would think of Maurice Clarette or others like us that spriral out of control after the dream is gone. Well it happens more often than not. So many kids across the globe lose control when their dreams are shattered. Not Javon or Aaron... excuse me I mean Jae Que and Say A. Lets just say it's a blessing they have found a positive route in Rare Blend. They are UC Riverside Alumni and they are great role models. They showed us all how to react when the door closes on one of our dreams. We all must learn to have the will to open those new doors. I sure wish I had the foresight to make the same choices. Unfortunately I made impatient and ill-advised desecions in drastic situations that called for my survival. I may have been able to survive a different route but My mind was unstable and It took me a decade to get my music career started. Music has always been my second passion but I never thought it would be my job. Now I have classic joints and my Radio show but what I'm doing today, I could have been doing 10 years ago if I had the right mind state and the right team that Jae Que and Say A have surrounded themselves with. I think it is safe to say the Rare Blend movement can be compared to the start of a new season, with a new team. They are something like the Avengers of 2012 Indie Music and I am hoping you can all help spread the word. They need your support and they are repping for us. They are repping for Riverside, St. Louis, Manhattan and the rest of the globe. Their dream now depends on your response as fans but the first step is creating the awareness. So share the blog with your friends and let all the future UC Riverside Athletes know... we don't have boosters over here and we wont ask you to fix games. We are not a Goliath Division 1 university but we are no David either. Riverside and it's community refuse to play the role of David. We want the victories, we wants trophies, we want the pride of the dream and we want the best for all of you, on the courts and even on the airwaves. Rare Blend is the new Riverside dream and if KUCR wont play their tunes.... www.Presley-Radio.com will!

Check out the group's music below and visit their band page on Reverb Nation. You can also follow Jae Que and Say A on twitter for more updates on the group and the movement.