Season 1 · Episode 51

Honoring MC Chill at Cleveland History Center AAHCC 2026

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0:01Hey, welcome, welcome, welcome.
0:04This is photographer Jackson Steve Jackson
0:07of Alienize Photos Media.
0:10And this is Alienize Photos Industry Talk.
0:13And this is a special African-American heritage
0:17and cultural celebration episode,
0:22the AAHCCAAHCC.
0:27AAHCC.
0:29And today we were at the Cleveland History Center.
0:34Now I'm hip to the Cleveland History Museum,
0:38but I've never been to the Cleveland History Center.
0:44OMG, definitely somewhere to check out
0:49if you're in the city of Cleveland,
0:52if you just love history.
0:54The Cleveland History Center is where it's at.
0:58But on today, August 22nd, 2026,
1:05we honor the legacy, the 40 year anniversary
1:11as we celebrate Mr. MC Chill, legendary MC Chill
1:19at the African-American Heritage
1:22and Culture Celebration, along many other activities
1:27as I reconnected with some fellow poets
1:30that I used to do poetry with during that time.
1:34And they had a pop-up poetry slam,
1:37even my old producer, like man,
1:40shout out to E-Rock and Young Thomas,
1:43Jewel Justice, Quiet Kid.
1:46Like they all did, they themed,
1:48people who I've shared the stage with,
1:50been in different shows with,
1:53back when I used to be on the mic and do poetry
1:56and just hearing their words saying that I inspired them
2:02when, you know, it's a big circle.
2:05We inspire each other.
2:06I inspire you, you inspire me.
2:09But just to hear some of those, you know,
2:12stories about inspiration,
2:13how I inspired them back in the day
2:16with some of my words and performance, which is amazing.
2:22But today we honor Mr. MC Chill,
2:32the 40 year anniversary of MC Chill
2:34becoming Cleveland's first national rap recording artist
2:40and is also the first non-New York solo rap act
2:45to chart nationally.
2:48Won the billboards.
2:51Isn't that amazing?
2:52Right here in Cleveland, Ohio, Mr. MC Chill,
2:57first of many, straight out of Kent State University,
3:05but born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio,
3:07representing Cleveland and so much history.
3:13And we had, also had Carlos Jones in the Plus band,
3:19The Lord Jazz, Mix Master Ice, Rick Robinson,
3:24Vince Robinson also.
3:27Man, so many legendary.
3:29I even ran into, you know,
3:31one of my idols, DJ Code Cheese.
3:34Shout out to DJ Code Cheese,
3:36who I had to formally introduce myself as, you know,
3:41we've been exchanging messages here and there
3:44for the past year.
3:45I wanted him on my podcast.
3:47He's on my list to be on my podcast.
3:50And I reached out to him last year when I was in Atlanta
3:54because he moved from Cleveland to Atlanta.
3:58And it didn't happen.
4:00It didn't go through, but I did not get discouraged.
4:04And I just knew he'd be at this legendary event
4:10honoring Mr. MC Chill,
4:14because he was actually the first DJ to bring MC Chill out,
4:18which is wild and crazy.
4:20So much history in Cleveland,
4:23but so much history with those two alone,
4:27MC Chill and DJ Code Cheese.
4:31And I've been blessed to hear DJ Code Cheese
4:36grace the mic.
4:39Like that was before my time when, you know,
4:42Freeze, D Frost, when he was an artist.
4:49But I knew him when I was a little kid growing up
4:53listening to the radio, like 107.9,
4:57hearing them scream his name.
4:58Yeah, DJ Code Cheese, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah.
5:01Like, man, they're playing some good music.
5:05Shout out to DJ Code Cheese.
5:09But, you know, we took a couple pictures, did a video.
5:13He said, yeah, let's reschedule this and make it happen.
5:18So look out for that DJ Code Cheese episode.
5:23Probably happening next year when I'm in Atlanta.
5:26So stay tuned for that.
5:29And I'm just honored.
5:32There's so many, so many vendors.
5:34I did not get a chance to support today
5:38or go around like I usually do.
5:41I'm sorry.
5:43I was running late, had a third shift
5:48and working off a couple hours of rest,
5:52but wanting to show up.
5:54Definitely wanted to support and honor and celebrate
5:57their legacy as so many hip hop pioneers,
6:02people in Cleveland, the whole music scene,
6:06especially in the hip hop music scene here in Cleveland.
6:10I had to show up and support.
6:13And shout out to my fellow poets,
6:16still doing their thing.
6:21But yeah, that's why I didn't get the chance to support
6:24or check out any of the food vendors
6:27or anything like that.
6:29I was locked in.
6:31Supporting, supporting, supporting, supporting my people,
6:35people who I've looked up to growing up,
6:38people who I've looked up to during my career.
6:42So I made that priority.
6:45I didn't even eat.
6:49As you can see, I didn't support any of the vendors,
6:52which is unlike me,
6:53but I did purchase a few items and T-shirts
6:58from people who were selling them, just walking around.
7:03So I made sure I did that at least.
7:09I got to support some way somehow, and I did that.
7:14Because support goes a long way.
7:17And shout out to Jay Glover.
7:21Man, trying to think of,
7:25is it 216 in Atlanta?
7:30Laterland, 216 in Atlanta,
7:32I think it's called, docu-series.
7:39Documenting a lot of the early pioneers,
7:42like MC Chill, DJ Cochise.
7:45So many, so many others, just go check it out.
7:50I'm actually opening up the shirt right now,
7:54so I make sure I got the right.
7:58216, Legends of the Land.
8:02Yes, L-O-T-L.
8:07Laterland, also known as Legends of the Land.
8:13216, Legends of the Land, docu-series by Jay Glover.
8:18Shout out to Jay Glover for doing this thing.
8:23Cause the docu-men.
8:26It's crazy, I'm in my car, and he just walked past.
8:32That's so ironic, that's the universe.
8:36But yeah, this is a day of celebration.
8:39And shout out to the official MC Chill Day,
8:44August 21st, and as we celebrate today,
8:48August 22nd, 2026, 40 years.
8:52Yes, that's amazing.
8:55And going back to my previous episode
8:58about me producing, hosting,
9:02and recording collectively, 10,000 podcast episodes.
9:10And when I think about 40 years,
9:11I think about that too, just that legacy,
9:14that history, that pioneer,
9:17that consistency, that showing up,
9:20staying in the game, showing up being part of the game,
9:26and bringing others with you, cause it's important.
9:31But yeah, shout out to the whole
9:38AAHCC African American Heritage and Cultural Celebration
9:42here in Cleveland, Ohio.
9:45And for hosting the whole event,
9:47shout out to the Cleveland History Museum,
9:52CHC, my first time there.
9:55They even had a Ring Around the Rosie carousel,
9:58the horsey carousel,
10:01I'm gonna have to bring my daughter back on a day,
10:04on a regular day, and just explore the whole building.
10:11Because I didn't get a chance to,
10:13I said I was gonna be back, and that is a must.
10:17I checked out some old cars.
10:20And man, I'm just blown away about the history,
10:25the airplane, like just the,
10:28sometimes I take history for granted,
10:30and I know I did in school because it was so boring to me,
10:33and I didn't like it.
10:35One of my worst subjects as far as like test grades go,
10:40but I still did good, I still put in that effort.
10:44And even to this day, I'm still researching,
10:47and I'm still learning about my history,
10:51learning about history, especially American history,
10:56because it's important.
10:57But the history of your city,
11:00the history of the people in your city,
11:02the people who came before you, it's important.
11:07And the business lesson that I wanna leave today,
11:12and take away from today is
11:16always support and show up,
11:18especially for the people who show up and support you.
11:25Reciprocate it.
11:27Reciprocate that support, keep showing up,
11:30keep clapping, keep celebrating.
11:33I don't care if it's your first episode, celebrate,
11:37or your hundredth episode, celebrate,
11:39or your thousandth episode, celebrate.
11:42You clap it up, you clap it up, you clap it up.
11:45I don't care if it's your first day in business, celebrate.
11:49I don't care if it's your third year in business, celebrate.
11:53I don't care if it's your 20th year in business,
11:56clap it up and celebrate, celebrate, celebrate.
12:00And when you're celebrating,
12:03make sure you got people around you
12:05who truly support you and really wanna see you win,
12:09who really wanna see you grow
12:10and take it to the next level,
12:12because it's all about the elevation.
12:15You gotta elevate and be part of that evolution.
12:20It's monumental, it's powerful.
12:22Grow, grow, grow.
12:25Be supportive, get support, get love, give love.
12:31Keep it in your reciprocation, keep it in the loop.
12:34Keep, keep it, keep it, keep it.
12:36It's important.
12:38And I'm seeing that people who've been together
12:4340, 50, 60 plus years and still rocking together,
12:49still rocking out and supporting and showing up,
12:53it is amazing.
12:55So check your support system, build your support system,
12:58grow your support system,
13:00be there for your support system.
13:02Make sure your support system is always there for you
13:04when you need them the most,
13:07especially through tough and trying times,
13:10whether that's your personal life or your business,
13:14or you just need an air just to get advice,
13:18get the right support system around you
13:21and support the people who really support you
13:24and that you really wanna support and be there for.
13:29It's two different ones, but it all coincide.
13:33Just support, it's the biggest thing.
13:35But again, I wanna celebrate and continue celebrating
13:42and honoring MC Chill and all the pioneers
13:46and legends that showed up for him today.
13:50Congrats, Mr. MC Chill.
13:52You did it, you did it, you did it 40 years
13:55and counting.
13:56Cleveland history, I'm proud of you and you're a great MC.
14:02And shout out to everybody that I named earlier
14:05in this episode, Vince Robinson, DJ Cochise,
14:12my brother, E Rock Beats, my brother,
14:15brother Pat, Jewel of Justice.
14:20We have Quiet Kid, Young Thomas,
14:24and all the other individuals
14:27that I just met earlier today.
14:31Shout out to you, I support you.
14:34I'm there for you, I love you, I care.
14:37Let's grow together.
14:39And with that, peace, love and blessings.
14:43This is photographer Jackson, Steve Jackson
14:46of Alienize Photos Media.
14:50Again, bringing you another episode
14:52of Alienize Photos Industry Talk
14:55as we celebrate MC Chill.
15:04Freeze, defrost.
15:07Shout out to my new homie, DJ Cochise.
15:16And yeah, I'm excited for this episode
15:18even more than I was last year
15:21as it gets closer and closer to that time,
15:24to that moment.
15:25Never give up on your dream, never give up on a goal.
15:29It was one of my goals and I never gave up.
15:32I never lost sight.
15:34And I saw him, I'm like,
15:35I gotta reach out and say what's up and tell him.
15:40Like, I know we didn't make it happen,
15:42but hey, I appreciate you all.
15:45You do, how you doing?
15:47Hey, I appreciate, he was just about to perform
15:51and I didn't even know.
15:52So, you know, we interacted right before he got on stage
15:55was even more amazing.
15:58I captured some good footage and photos of him.
16:01Man, shout out to DJ Cochise, man.
16:03You've been around for a while and doing your thing.
16:06You're a real pioneer as well.
16:08But yeah, let's continue the celebration
16:10and honoring the people in our lives,
16:13whether they're distant or super close.
16:16Support, support, support, honor, honor, honor,
16:20all that good stuff.
16:22But if you wanna follow me,
16:25follow me at Alien Eyes Photos
16:28and check out my website, alieneyesphotos.com
16:34if you wanna book me or for more information.
16:39All right, continue that celebration, y'all.
16:41Peace, peace, peace.