gance and writes about real life — mundane, frustrating, unsatisfying, messy life.
Fort Worth rhyme mason Dru B Shinin’ has made a career of doing just that for two decades.
On his most recent album, the Korean-American takes his most honest look at life yet. This Iz 40 is about heartache and disappointment at falling short of where one is “supposed to be” during middle age.
Hip-hop is a genre often dominated by rappers spitting endless verses about how great they are or how great being them is. How much money they have or how many women — a cartoon caricature of a perfect music video lifestyle. So, it’s refreshing when an MC cuts out all that exaggerated extrava-
For the newish long player, Dru again employed his longtime beatmaker EyeJay for the basic tracks and laid down the vocals with Grammy award-winning producer Ty Macklin (Erika Badu, India Arie) at AOE Recording Studios. Electronic/dance music producer Ish D mixed and mastered the effort. This Iz 40 stands as Dru’s first solo venture in nearly two years. In 2020, he dropped a mixtape with fellow Fort Worth rapper A-Roy and also collaborated with friend and fellow self-reflective rapper Wrex on the celebrated ’70s kung fu/blaxploitation-inspired BRUCELEEROY project, but This Iz 40 is his first proper solo album since.
“It wasn’t a planned decision,” Dru said of the gap in his normally steady recorded output, “but I think after those two projects, I kind of wanted a second to just chill. That second turned into a whole year. It’s the longest I have gone without writing since high school. Toward the end of the year, I started to feel depressed because I hadn’t done anything musical besides a few shows with Wrex, so this year, I made a New Year’s resolution to start writing again. I planned to start by writing four bars a day.”
On his latest album, self-reflective rapper Dru B Shinin’ opens up
middle age and when life isn’t living up to expectation.On This Iz 40, Korean-American rapper Dru B Shinin’ tackles middle age with the introspective finesse he’s become known for.
Dru said that he must have been pent up because one he got rolling, the verses kept flowing. That first day’s four bars quickly became 16, and before he knew it, he had most of the lyrics for what would become This Iz 40 written before the end of January.
“I started writing the album with no concept in my mind,” he said, “just writing about what I’d been going through: trying to get over my ex, dating in middle age, all kinds of different traumas and issues that were on my mind, some of the things that I went through being in the streets when I grew up back in Topeka, Kansas. I looked at what I was writing and thought, ‘Damn, my life is kind of a mess.’ Like, at 40, we are supposed to have our stuff together. But I don’t.”
Dru B Shinin’ has always put himself into his writing. His last solo album, 2018’s Spilt Paint 3, was largely about the split with his longtime partner, a challenging experience he admits he’s still not quite over. On This Iz 40, the track “Can’t Even B Friends” revisits the subject. In addition to being a document of self-reflection, This Iz 40 is also, at times, an evaluation of a society failing its purpose.
“There’s been some things that have been bugging me about society and how we are treating the earth and other people,” Dru said. “I have always written some political and social songs, and I [do] on this album,
too. I talk about two specific things that help me make a living but also contribute to the exploitation of people and the destruction of the earth or our ecosystem, like plastic consumption [‘Food Storage Bags’] and batteries [‘Li-Ion (Lithium Mines)’], how we all kind of sacrifice our morality in order to make a living. Those things make it on this album. Some things that are probably what a 40-year-old thinks about,” he added with a laugh.
As a whole, the album is just the latest in a discography that Dru B Shinin’ has been meticulously building to stand as a testament to the merit of open and honest writing in a genre replete with performative grandstanding. It’s an addition he’s proud of.
Emotion, pain, and hearing about an artist’s real life are the things that are most important to him, he said. “Also, a consciousness about society and the world and a genuine love and respect for hip-hop culture and the community that created this music we all love. Music is how I communicate with my friends and loved ones. It’s like I’m able to say what I want to them in the most perfected way. You know when you’re trying to tell someone something and it comes out all wrong? With music, I can perfect it and make it come out exactly how I want it. I think people like that from me. Different rappers give you different things. Wrex is going to give you some wisdom. I’m going to give you my real life, no matter how messy it is. I put genuine love into this one, and that’s exactly what I have been getting back from people who have listened to it.”
Hysen’s Nizza Pizza is Now Hiring!
Nizza is seeking a counter person, delivery drivers, and wait staff. Apply in person at 401 University Drive, FWTX, 817-877-3900. (Open SunThu 11am-10pm and Fri-Sat 10:30am-11pm.)
HysensNizzaPizza.com
Travel Accommodations:
According to the New York Times, the following companies have said they would cover travel expenses for employees who need abortions: Airbnb, DoorDash, JP Morgan Chase, Levi Strauss & Co, Netflix, Patagonia, Reddit, Starbucks, Tesla, and Yelp. Additionally, NowThis has listed the following companies also offering the same assistance to employees: Amazon, Apple, BuzzFeed, Citigroup, Comcast, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Lyft, Mastercard, Meta, Microsoft, Paramount, Sony, Tesla, Walt Disney Co, Vox Media, and Zillow. (JMB, FWW)
Cardiovascular Disease & Stroke
These are leading causes of death, according to the American Heart Association. Screenings can provide peace of mind or early detection!
Contact Life Line Screening to schedule your screening.
Special Offer: 5 Screenings for $149!
Call today! 1-833-636-1757
DENTAL INSURANCE
1-888-361-7095
Physicians Mutual Insurance Company covers 350 plus procedures. Real dental insurance - NOT just a discount plan. Do not wait! Call now! Get your FREE Dental Information Kit with all the details! Call or visit Dental50plus.com/fortworth (#6258).
Of Greater Texas
We’re not going anywhere. We know you may be feeling a lot of things right now, but we are here with you and we will not stop fighting for YOU. See 6 ways you can join the #BansOffOurBodies fight on FB @ PPGreaterTX. For more info, go to: PPGreaterTX.org
Gateway Church Church time is the BEST time! Join us for online church each weekend.
Online services start at 4 pm on Saturdays and are available to watch any time after at https://gway. ch/GatewayPeople.
Hannah in Hurst 817.590.2257
Massage Therapy for pain relief, deep relaxation, and better sleep. Professional office in Mid-Cities for over 25 years. “I am accepting new clients now and happy to return your call.” -Hannah, MT#4797. MasseuseToTheStars.com
Music Junkie Studios
1617 Park Place #106, FWTX www.MusicJunkieStudios.com
We offer lessons on voice, piano, guitar, bass, ukulele, violin, viola, drums, recording, and music for littles!
TDLR Complaints
Any Texans who may be concerned that an unlicensed massage business may be in operation near them, or believe nail salon employees may be human trafficking victims, may now report those concerns directly to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) by emailing ReportHT@TDLR.Texas.gov.
We’d Like To Hear From You! Do you have thoughts and feelings, or questions, comments or concerns about something you read in the Weekly? Please email Question@ fwweekly.com. Do you have an upcoming event? For potential coverage in Night & Day, Big Ticket, Ate Day8 A Week, or CrosstownSounds, email the details to Marketing@fwweekly.com
CALIFORNIA
From its celebrated coastline to its broad heartland and granite Sierra peaks, CA offers a lifetime of vacations in one Golden State. CaliforniaTouristGuide.com
CONNECTICUT
Great shopping, dining, casinos, Mystic maritime fun in CT, the southernmost New England state. More at: VisitConnecticut.com
DELAWARE
Explore the Great Outdoors with DE’s Scenic Drives, State Parks and More. Find Trip Ideas at: VisitDelaware.com
ILLINOIS
Places to go, things to do, the best places to eat and drink, must-see Chicago, trip ideas and inspiration for your travels at: EnjoyIllinois.com
OREGON
From Mt Hood to the Oregon Coast, Explore Oregon with the official tourism at: TravelOregon.com
MAINE
Take the Guesswork Out of Planning Your Getaway at: VisitMaine.com
If you thought Maryland was just battlefields and Old Bay, think again! VisitMaryland.org
Find countless fun things to do from Boston to The Berkshires at: VisitMA.com
MINNESOTA
MN is the place for extraordinary, eye-opening adventures likr camping under the stars in a Dark Sky Sanctuary. More at: ExploreMinnesota.com
NEW HAMPSHIRE
NH is the perfect outdoor playground. Roll the windows down and explore scenic routes, walk around vibrant small towns and make unforgettable memories. VisitNH.gov
NEW JERSEY
NJ wows with 130 miles of shorelines and cities that pulse with exciting entertainment and culinary pleasures. Discover the Garden State. VisitNJ.org
NEW MEXICO
Visit New Mexico for a unique family vacation filled with exciting activities like skiing, hiking, shopping and sight seeing. NewMexico.org
NEW YORK
Explore all the state of New York has to offer including fun things to do, year-round events, festivals, and more. ILoveNY.com
Outdoor recreation, exciting events, and stories for days. Plan your next trip to Nevada. TravelNevada.com
RI is 400 miles of New England coastline, with beaches and freshfrom-the-ocean seafood. It’s also public art, charming villages, and more. VisitRhodeIsland.com
Our cities and towns welcome visitors with their rich history, eclectic shops, farm-to-table dining establishments, and recreation areas. VermontVacation.com
WASHINGTON
Emerge yourself with things to do in Washington from fishing, tours, volcanoes and more.
StateOfWATourism.com
CARE AND PROTECTION, TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS, SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION, DOCKET NUMBER: 22CP0075LO, Trial Court of Massachusetts, Juvenile Court Department, COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, Middlesex County Juvenile Court, Lowell Justice Center, 370 Jackson Street, 4th Flr., Lowell, MA 01852 TO: Emmanuel Ortiz, father of Joshua Ortiz and Caleb Ortiz: A petition has been presented to this court by DCF – Lowell, seeking, as to the following children, Caleb Ortiz, Joshua Ortiz, that said children be found in need of care and protection and committed to the Department of Children and Families. The court may dispense the rights of the person(s) named herein to receive notice of or to consent to any legal proceeding affecting the adoption, custody, or guardianship or any other disposition of the children named herein, if it finds that the children are in need of care and protection and that the best interests of the children would be served by said disposition.
You are hereby ORDERED to appear in this court, at the court address set forth above, on the following date and time: 02/16/2023 at 08:30 AM Status Hearing
You may bring an attorney with you. If you have a right to an attorney and if the court determines that you are indigent, the court will appoint an attorney to represent you.
If you fail to appear, the court may proceed on that date and any date thereafter with a trial on the merits of the petition and an adjudication of this matter.
For further information call the Office of the Clerk-Magistrate at 978-441-2630.
WITNESS: Hon. Gloria Y. Tan, FIRST JUSTICE, Elizabeth Sheehy, Clerk-Magistrate, DATE ISSUED: 12/02/2022
currently being reviewed. Comprehensive Services: Consultation, Production, Promotion and Distribution. Call for Your Free Author`s Guide 1-866-256-0940 or visit dorranceinfo.com/ftworth
Inspection Almost Due? Are You Road-Trip Ready? With our handy pick-up and drop-off services, having your car checked out could not be easier. Get ready for the holidays. Call today!
3958 Vickery | 817.731.3223 | CowtownRover.com
The Lead Analyst, Supply Chain Systems for GXO Logistics of Texas LLC at its facility in Fort Worth, TX will support the information systems component for Warehouse Management Systems (WMS). Perform services management processes, working with warehouse team and solve their business problems. Requires a Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Industrial Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, or related. Experience must include four (4) years of post-bachelor’s progressive experience performing business analysis, client relationship management, and release management, using the following: Warehouse Management Software (WMS); Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Database Management Systems, Microsoft Visio and SQL. Experience using Order Management Systems (OMS) within a global supply chain environment is also required. Apply at https://www.gxo.com/careers/, Req. 332446. Must have legal authority to work in the US. EOE.
Now Hiring CDL Drivers with Tanker & Hazmat preferred. Health Insurance and other benefits. Per Diem Paid. 1-830-833-4547 EOE
The Gas Pipe, The GAS PIPE, THE GAS PIPE, your Peace Love & Smoke Headquarters since 4/20/1970! SCORE a FREE GIFT on YOUR Birthday, FREE Scale Tuning and Lighter Refills on GAS PIPE goods, FREE Layaway, and all the safe, helpful service you expect from a 51 Years Young Joint. Plus, SCORE A FREE CBD HOLIDAZE GIFT With-A-Buy thru 12/31! Be Safe, Party Clean, Keep On Truckin’. More at thegaspipe.net
Get DIRECTV for $64.99/mo for 12 months with CHOICE Package. Save an additional $120 over 1st year. First 3 months of HBO Max, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz and Epix included! Directv is #1 in Customer Satisfaction (JD Power & Assoc.) Some restrictions apply. Call 1-855-966-0520
THE RIDGLEA is three great venues within one historic Fort Worth landmark. RIDGLEA THEATER has been restored to its authentic allure, recovering unique Spanish-Mediterranean elements. It is ideal for large audiences and special events. RIDGLEA ROOM and RIDGLEA LOUNGE have been making some of their own history, as connected adjuncts to RIDGLEA THEATER, or hosting their own smaller shows and gatherings. More at theRidglea.com
