1SP - Thugz 4 Life...

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1SP is a French Rapper and Couch Surfer who calls Edinburgh home. He has discovered the secret to success in the music industry; always live and perform in a place where they do not understand your lyrics. Then, without problem, the artist is able to spout complete nonsense to thunderous applause, because foreign rap must be edgy and cool.

1SP (Jean Marc) took us kindly into his home during the Fringe Festival for four nights, and showed us an Edinburgh we might have otherwise missed.

We ate cheap, greasy Scottish breakfasts at the ‘Quick and Plenty’, made delicious meals with Jean Marc and his roommates, saw an endless parade of street performers, attended a raunchy British comedy, saw ‘The Blazing Fiddles’ and bore witness to the spectacle that is ‘The Church of the Holy Afro’. We also hiked Arthurs seat, had lunch with Dennie’s lovely cousins Nadine and Adam, completed a 25 piece Maisy puzzle twice with Ellie (Dennie’s littler cousin), and attended a 1SP concert at an amazing grassroots gathering place called The Forrest.

On a previous visit to Scotland, Adam, Mike and I engaged in a bit of a session at a lovely pub called the Pear Tree. The trip was cursed from the beginning as a result of Adam and I and our terrible haircuts. Reactions to them ranged from looks of mild disdain to public name calling. This time around I ensured that my hair was short and conservative, but I failed to remember that male beards are circus worthy in this part of the world. At home I am respected and revered for my voluptuous face doo. Here I have received a barrage of comments and stares.

My return to the Pear Tree would bring a change to my beard luck. Upon entering the bar, I was immediately accosted by a rowdy, young, Scottish fellow who loudly proclaimed my beard to be of the highest standard. After sitting down with him and his friends I was informed that my beard was something to be proud of. Dennie was informed that I was as handsome as Bert Reynolds. And so the celebrations of facial hair began. They took pictures of every man in the pub with a beard (there were 4 of us), and I told them of my lumber jacking exploits in the Canadian Wilderness. I left the pub with renewed confidence in my man hair, and ready to show it to the continent.

Once again Edinburgh loved and comforted me in a way that only a large and impersonal city can. Now back to London for Cornish pasties, Jacket Potatoes and a wee bit of Shakespeare at the Globe.

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Photos

Beware
Elderly people!

Holy Afro
This crazy fun south african show we saw as part of the fringe

Scottish Breakfast
1SP and I eating some scotting breakfast!

dennie
on top of Arthurs seat

Reading books
with Dennie's little Cousin.

fringe
again from flickr... in my defense its a bad picture....

Comments

[Aimee]

Burt Reynolds?
I love your beard story. Keep the randomness coming.

[Collette]

aw, The Forrest. I thought about trying to get something like that going here.... it's run by volunteers only. it was a block away from my flat in Edinburgh, but I only went there once or twice actually. I tended to go to Favorit for coffee, rather than The Forrest. which is a damn shame.