[Mega Ran]
So they were wondering where I've been all this time
And truthfully, I've been working
I've been trying to enjoy the fruits of my labor when I could
But there wasn't a lot of time for that, so it was right back to work
We put out an album that changed the game, way back in 2011
And it took me around the world, quite frankly and literally
And it took me out of the classroom
I tell this story all the time but it was literally because of Black Materia going viral
I was able to quit my teaching job and start doing tours

Right after that, MC Chris called me to hop on the road, I was glad to do that
Next, touring with other folks doing more and morе traveling and writing
And I knew, that I could nevеr ever attempt to retouch and regain and recapture the momentum and excitement of Black Materia ever again
So I didn't bother
We did a few remixes here and there, but it was not like we ever had to worry about an actual remake of this game happening

And then, it happened
Many years later, we saw announcements, we saw rumblings, we saw rumors
Then we saw screenshots, then we saw videos
And I knew that it was real
Because it was real, I knew, the question that I got asked every day
Would I be going back to the center of the earth?
Would we continue, would we remake, would we attempt to touch something that I thought was so personal, so dope, and so important?
And I didn't know if I could do it, honestly
Then, I knew that I had to try at least
We got together with some producers
Lost of course was there, brought in DN3, K-Murdock, Rifti, RoboRob, Kazu, so many talented folks who helped out
And then I went back to find all of the performers, all the rappers, all the singers that had helped me out with the first Black Materia
And some of them, quite frankly didn't even make music anymore
They had gotten out of the game for various reasons
They had family, they had dealt with so many disappointments
And they didn't want to rejoin on the adventure for whatever reason, or they just couldn't
And so, we had to get a whole new team
There's new performers, new characters
But I knew if I had to do this, then I absolutely had to make it bigger and better than before
So we went to bigger producers, bigger mixing

In the beginning, I mixed this album in my closet
I was in my apartment on some cracked software
Doing the most with the absolute least
And somehow, we made something special
And I knew, that if this was really going to happen, it had to be bigger and better than before
So DJ Cutman enters, agrees to do some mixing and mastering
We bring in live brass, all types of instrumentation
And finally, it got to the point where I knew this was going to be just as special, if not more

And then, we're hit with the pandemic
I'm at a point now where, can't get into the studio
Can't do anything, but yet the release date creeping up
One thing that's very important to me is dates
So I wanted this to come out on the date, on the anniversary of the original release
Wasn't able to do that
We hit so many snags and started to believe and think that this just wasn't meant to be
Like maybe we just weren't gonna get it done
Because it had to be so perfect
But then I realized, this journey has been so far from perfect for me
It wasn't the story I would have written, if I was in control of the pen
I come from humble beginnings in a small town
Well not a small town at all, a large city called Philadelphia
But in our part of town, uptown, it felt like a small town because everybody knew each other
And nobody really made it out
We didn't see any success in music like we saw in other parts of Philadelphia
So once I finally decided to do it, I had to do it my way
And I'm very excited and very happy about the way it turned out
But it wasn't perfect
It was no crystal stair as Langston Hughes put it
So I knew, that this journey couldn't be perfect just because of the way I had been built and the people who made this had been built
We've seen so much tragedy, so much loss along the way
That it just pushed me and fueled me even further to let me know that this absolutely had to be done
Because Final Fantasy VII is such an important part of my life
And I feel like it always will be

So fast forward, we're at Tokyo Game Show
And I get an invite of all invites
To go to Square Enix's offices
Get to hang out, talk to people who created the game and are working on the new game that's about to change everything all over again
So amazing

Next, E3 comes around and they have a playable demo
And they invite me to come in as a special guest to come and play the demo
And it's unbelievable, absolutely gorgeous
Better than I could have ever expected
And I went back home, more motivated than ever
We gathered up the troops, and I listened to beats
We rewrote, restructured, repackaged
Added singers, took singers off
Added rappers, took rappers off
And created what you are finally listening to
Black Materia: The Remake
I have way too many people thank
But most importantly, I want to thank you, the listener
Because, I don't know about you, but I've listened to this album approximately 1,000 times
But my goal and my only hope is that you, the listener, makes it through this recording one time
So if you're able to do that, then I know that my 1,000 listens were worthwhile
So I just want to thank you for that, and continue to spread the word
And until that moment comes again when we are summoned from the ground like a beast
Stay safe, stay blessed, stay awesome, and keep on chasing what's important to you
Because I know I will
Haven't found it yet, and I don't even know if I'll know it when I find it
But that's just the carrot in front of me that keeps me going
And I wouldn't have it any other way

So this is Mega Ran, I'm signing off of this very long outro with the age-old ending of every hip hop record I ever listened to back in the day, when they would ask
Whatever happened to peace?
Peace