Tetrapeutic

Tetris is a classic. Developed in the 80s by a smart Russian man, the simple geometric premise of the game allows for almost infinite combinations of patterns and skill levels. But beyond the dry exterior lies a spiritual life of the game -a hidden dragon, so to speak. The simplicity of its construction could be described as elemental, and it's ever changing tiles belie its water-like tendencies. I am reminded of a quote by Bruce Lee: "Water can flow, or it can crash. Be like water, my friend". Tetris is just so elusive and unforgiving, silently molding it's shape around your state of being, and quickly ripping away any hard surfaces in its path.

To successfully play the game (and we're talking real deal marathon here), you must be malleable as well, keeping your mind pliable along with your fingers. This is state of focused devotion to your one goal: clearing away what is unnecessary. It is an endless game, just like other virtuous pursuits, and as the tiles get faster one must remain calm and centered. The chance that is involved in terms of upcoming tiles removes any focus on the future beyond your next move. The game makes you inhabit the now. From an architectural perspective, it constructs the perfect space for the exact moment you're in, reflecting your own input and the game's almost equally.

Perhaps you can tell my fascination with it. I've been playing Tetris almost every day for the past six years, and through countless hours spent numbing my thumbs a pattern has emerged: The more clear-headed I am, the better I do. Because I play it so much, I often find myself doing it without thinking about the game at all, instead musing on dreams, personal interactions, ways of thinking about them. It's therapy, in a way. And not only does it allow me to reflect, my level of clarity is directly connected with my progress in the game. If I have a calm and level-headed approach to my life, I'll look up to realize that I've beaten my high score. And when you link up with the game, the pieces seem to come at just the right moments, making the game an affirmation of thinking. Conversely, when things are anxious and undecided, my disconnect with the game seems complete, and I have no luck with block, and often make mistakes.

The resulting thesis I have about Tetris sounds more Chinese than Russian, but I think that it may very well be the greatest electronic ritual for finding one's way. The rituals that Confucius talks about in the Analects have a similar quality as this psychological massaging. As it says,
"At age fifteen I set my heart upon learning…and at age seventy I could follow my heart’s desire without overstepping the bounds of propriety”(Analects, 2:4). The way to reach such a place is through ritual and learning, training your instinct to work with your mind. Tetris is just such a ritual.

If you battle against it you may be victorious, but surrender to it completely and it gives you freedom. For me, it's always a learning experience.

STIMULUS PACKAGE

I admit it, I slept on Sha Stimuli pretty hard. Every now and then, dude's name would show up on some obscure mixtape crowded with Wu affiliates and Cormega knockoffs, but I never paid any attention. I should've. In fact, I'm beginning to imagine how satisfying the last couple years of my life would've been if I wasn't totally blacked out on Wu-Tang fringe material. Why? Because from January 08 to January 09, Sha Stimuli dropped 12 mixtapes. That's right-- 12 months, 12 full-length tapes. Don't believe me? And these aren't your typical filler-riddled joints either-- many of them are concept albums, including the stand-out Hotter Than July, a Stevie Wonder-inspired tape that exclusively samples the R+B legend.

Ok ok. Who the fuck has time to listen to 12 mixtapes by a relatively unknown Brooklyn MC? And what would that even prove? That your boy is prolific? That don't mean shit. Agreed. But scope any of Sha's freestyles or verses, and you'll hear creative rhyme schemes, a personalized flow, a knack for punch-lines, and an honest passion for hip hop that DOES mean shit.

Sha has all the makings of a technially great rapper, but what really makes him stand out from other MCs is his intellect, sincerity, and self-awareness. It's this self-awareness which makes him so unique among peers. Very rarely do underground rappers acknowledge a desire for commercial success, and it is equally rare for mainstream artists to speak of themselves as anything but the GOAT. Yet Stimuli positions himself in that grey area between the two, boasting a huge ego while simultaneously acknowledging his struggle to be successful within a context of "underground authenticity." In other words, peep the first verse on "Win the Fight," off Hotter Than July:

Oh you thought that I was playin?/ I do albums in my sleep so while you dream of gettin paper I cause nightmares like you seein' Satan

I showed up at Summer Jam feelin like Son of Sam/ Lookin at the stage in a rage/This is stupid yo/ I'm standin here mad at myself so I hit the studio/ And wrote this/

No hit record, no underground...

I'm up to somethin/ To intertwine fluff and substance/ The hip-hoppers gone feel it and the thugs will love it

Stimuli's penchant for reflexivity is further on display at his blog:

As much as this hurts me inside I have come to grips with the fact that I do not look scary at all to strangers. I can have my earphones in bopping to my music with the meanest of faces on a dark New York street and some elderly Caucasian lady will tap me on the shoulder and ask me for directions without hesitation. I want to say “Don’t I look frightening? Why aren’t you concerned that I’ll rob you Miss?”

The MC's reflections always seem to invert traditional ways of thinking about what is good (from a liberal perspective) for hip hop music and artists. Yet all this looking in the mirror seems to be good for Sha. As long as he knows where he is within the game, then he can keep banging out fresh material that challenges an audience stuck crabbily arguing about Underground vs. Mainstream. Which is why I'm so excited by this:

Further reading:

Sha Stimuli- Look At You