ROX-TV releases the cutting edge book documentary “MY LIFE THE FUNHOUSE” based on the story of the Rude Boy from Southwest Detroit. From his days as the World Champion of the JCW, Psychopathic Records, and beyond. Don’t miss it.

Welcome back to the ROX-TV website. Tonight we have a special treat for the readers out there because the brand new book documentary “MY LIFE THE FUNHOUSE” just dropped on YouTube. The book documentary pulls back the curtain to give readers and fans, a closer look at how the book came together, what’s in it, and a lot more insight into the project. The book documentary is rather ground breaking, especially for the underground music scene of the Midwest and beyond because no one else is doing them.

At ROX-TV, we are constantly trying to think outside the box and one step ahead of the curve, to bring the readers interesting perspectives with different formats, that include the standard articles….but coupled with so much more. The book documentary features myself and Rudy “Rude Boy” Hill talking about how the project initially got going, the concepts behind the funhouse layout, some of the guest features included, and basically a more in depth look at the process.

The initial idea for the book “MY LIFE THE FUNHOUSE” actually was realized while I was working on another publication called “Forever in the Jects” about Flint rap legends Project Born.

During the course of making that book, we were interviewing artists, friends, and peers of the group, which led us to CRB Radio and Cruisin The Barrio (hosted by the Rude Boy, DJ Carlito, A.T. Huck, The Hood Picasso). The Rude Boy, who for those of you who are not aware, was Project Born’s manager at Psychopathic Records when they were signed to the label.

 

So in late 2020, we went to CRB to interview Rudy Hill about his time and memories of Project Born. During a break in the action, the Rude Boy was pretty interested in the project and mentioned that he has been thinking about doing a book as well.

I told him that he should tell his story (as someone who documents underground music, I feel compelled to encourage the artists, industry workers, and fans to get the history down, so that it is not lost to time. We will never be in this position again and the world will never be the way it was, now or in the past. The world is constantly evolving, and if you don’t remember the past, time will not be good to you).

To my surprise the Rude Boy seemed interested in the prospect, but we were having a good time, and it was after midnight at the studio, so I didn’t know exactly how serious he was. Before leaving after a great interview with him both on the air and off, the Rude Boy gave me his phone number and told me to get a hold of him when Project Born’s book was completed. I thanked him for his time and then we were off into the night, gliding over the cold streets of Beech Daly and Five Mile.

Over the course of the next few months, my life would be thrown into over drive. I was working closely with Project Born to get their book released on time for that summer (July 7th to be exact, 2021) deadline. While I was completing the finishing touches on “Forever in the Jects” (available on Amazon and www.therealprojectborn.com) I used my maniac energy bursts to start on the Rude Boy’s book. I’m not sure why, but I felt like I needed to push hard, like if I stopped for just one second, all the progress and work would be lost. I know that sounds kind of silly, but I listen to my internal guiding systems and have come to trust the “intuition” that bubbles up from parts unknown.

You’ve probably heard that old saying “trust your gut” and I believe in that one hundred percent. Trust your instincts…they’ve been evolving for as long as humans have been on this planet, and over the thousands and thousands of years….developing into vital tools that most people don’t use any more. Sure, if you want to tell me something that’s fine, but I will factor in many other things, before jumping into the boat. Questions everything, especially if what your being told isn’t lining up with your true personal experiences or observations. Since when did it become hip to listen to and trust authority? The track record speaks for itself….but now I’m off into the weeds again. I apologize for that, but sometimes the world around needs to be checked. Don’t be a fucking bobble head. Now back to the story….

So I trusted my feelings and decided to push harder than I ever had. The results were amazing, with two completed hybrid memoir type books, two book documentaries, and 168 articles (totaling over 320,000 words) for the year. If you add in the word counts from “Forever in the Jects” and “My Life The Funhouse” some 175,000 more words…..I cranked out almost a half of million words this year. That’s really wild to me, because a standard size book ranges from 45k to 65k in word count (or so I have read). I created enough content to fill about ten volumes, in one year. I think that is amazing and the best part is, it’s all geared around supporting underground music and documenting the history of the sound and the artists who make it.

There are lots of people who had a hand in those successes, including the artists, entertainers, and especially the supportive and highly talented team at ROX-TV. The crew, consisting of Bob Rox, Carlito Hill, Rudy Hill, Frank Stanley, and myself….is nothing short of a content Voltron Crew. With the support from the ROX-TV crew and the Los Drifters, I was able to dive into the writing and churn out the butter.

After the Project Born book dropped  in July, I continued to smash the gas peddle and get in as much as possible. I was going to shows to support PJB behind the scenes, which included The Prom Night Massacre Show, Big Ballas Christmas Show, The Gathering of the Juggalos 2021, while at the same time started to work on Rudy’s book and hit events like the Death By Denver Show, JCW Black Out Brutality event, and on and on it went. The action never seemed to slow down, but like I said before….when you start seeing progress from the results of your efforts, the tendency, at least for me is to keep moving. It took me almost four years to build up the steam required for Project Born and Rudy’s books, and I was not about to down shift.

The next few months were spent on trying to figure out the best way to move forward with Rudy’s story. No two stories are alike and although I was really excited about how Project Born’s book turned out, I couldn’t do the exact same thing again even if I wanted to. The content I create is unique, just like the people I write about. The day making books becomes an assembly line situation with no soul….well, that’s the day I stop writing. I can not support that and thankfully I don’t have to. I’m driven by a passion for documenting the past, especially when it comes to things that I believe in and love. Underground Music, particularly from the Midwest (Detroit, Flint, Murder Mitten in particular) played such a huge part of my early years in the 1990’s and for me, it’s worth getting etched into “stone” (paper and ink).

So we’ve come to the end of the road and Rudy’s book is complete. But if you’re familiar with Rust Cole…”time is but a flat circle” and I really believe that it. The end is only the beggining….so keep coming back to ROX-TV because we are constantly “On the road” as Jack Kerouac so elegantly said decades ago.

I think social media is a great tool for expression and saying what’s on your mind, but don’t let that restrict you into a life of thirty second posts. Each and everyone of us have untold gifts and we should all be putting them to good use.

Don’t stop with the posts, express yourselves but don’t let it limit you in your work, regardless of what it is. Anyone who knows me well will hear me say the phrase “don’t give me words, give me action”. It’s all waiting for you….all you have to do is get moving. Fuck critics who arm themselves with talk, they will talk regardless and more likely than not…will still be doing so, long after you start to achieve your dreams and aspirations. Action over words…

Signing Off,

Mike Shepard

ROX-TV Head Writer

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