free ceschi ramos

[COOLEHMAGAZINE]

No position really on the whole thing but Alaska's contention that getting popped for 10 lbs in CT or 110 would result in the same penalty is ludicrous.

Even if the law is written that way, that is not how things work when the plea is being negotiated.

Also, being caught with anything over an ounce in NY is intent to distribute. Would you have us believe that getting bagged receiving an ounce and getting bagged receiving 300 ki's will result in the same penalty?


I am skeptical.

[ALASKA]

No position really on the whole thing but Alaska's contention that getting popped for 10 lbs in CT or 110 would result in the same penalty is ludicrous.

Even if the law is written that way, that is not how things work when the plea is being negotiated.

Also, being caught with anything over an ounce in NY is intent to distribute. Would you have us believe that getting bagged receiving an ounce and getting bagged receiving 300 ki's will result in the same penalty?


I am skeptical.

got that information off this site.
http://www.gottrouble.com/legal/crimina ... urces.html

I am not arguing that i believe that the sentencing would be the same, even if he was found guilty of the full 110 ounces, which i am assuming is the case based on the video his plea sentence was only 18 months. I know that is not exactly how it works. i was just reporting the law as it is on paper at least according to that site.

So that said, even if he was bring in the 10-20 lbs that mike stated he was, he opened himself up to that.

Again I am not saying I agree with the law, and obviously Ceschi doesnt either. most people here stated that they dont. But I know that if I broke said law I would be open to the penalties of said law.

My issue was always with the way this whole think was presented. It is presented as though he was an innocent victim of some meth head who randomly chose to bring him down. which he obviously wasnt.

as you can see from most of the responses after mike mentioned the 10-20 lbs. people thought it was a frame job and he didnt in anyway have any involvement.

He did. he played on the sensitivities of his fans, and that is is my issue. If he just came out and said i fucked up, we need your help to keep this going because of my fuck up, i would have no issue.

[COOLEHMAGAZINE]

No position really on the whole thing but Alaska's contention that getting popped for 10 lbs in CT or 110 would result in the same penalty is ludicrous.

Even if the law is written that way, that is not how things work when the plea is being negotiated.

Also, being caught with anything over an ounce in NY is intent to distribute. Would you have us believe that getting bagged receiving an ounce and getting bagged receiving 300 ki's will result in the same penalty?


I am skeptical.

got that information off this site.
http://www.gottrouble.com/legal/crimina ... urces.html

I am not arguing that i believe that the sentencing would be the same, even if he was found guilty of the full 110 ounces, which i am assuming is the case based on the video his plea sentence was only 18 months. I know that is not exactly how it works. i was just reporting the law as it is on paper at least according to that site.

So that said, even if he was bring in the 10-20 lbs that mike stated he was, he opened himself up to that.

Again I am not saying I agree with the law, and obviously Ceschi doesnt either. most people here stated that they dont. But I know that if I broke said law I would be open to the penalties of said law.

My issue was always with the way this whole think was presented. It is presented as though he was an innocent victim of some meth head who randomly chose to bring him down. which he obviously wasnt.

as you can see from most of the responses after mike mentioned the 10-20 lbs. people thought it was a frame job and he didnt in anyway have any involvement.

He did. he played on the sensitivities of his fans, and that is is my issue. If he just came out and said i fucked up, we need your help to keep this going because of my fuck up, i would have no issue.

He definitely "opened himself up" to arrest and prosecution. My only contention is that pinning 110lbs on this guy is bullshit and a frame job of sorts. It's like if you get in a fistfight with someone and then police pick you up and say you stabbed the guy.

The way he framed his case in the video and such forth I am making no comment on. I certainly did not think that he was an innocent bystander after watching it but I can't speak for anyone else. I also think he played the victim card pretty heavy but then again, getting stuck with 110 lbs when you copped 10 could probably make someone feel that way. Still, I don't have a problem with anyone criticizing him for that. You prolly should not be having a mule bring 10 lbs to your grandfathers house either which way. That stupid decision is what put his family's house in jeopardy and seems pretty lazy on his part.

[Philaflava]

Here is the thing, he sold drugs regardless of the reasons why. He sold them. He got caught. Doesn't matter the amount, we all agree marijuana should be legal anyways. It's not though. He broke the law.

I met that dude once and he was super nice. I'd have no problem promoting or supporting anyone who is good trying to do right. I'm glad he got the support by his friends and fans. But I agree with Alaska, the video plays him to be a victim. He just made a mistake and got caught. You fuck around with the wrong people and things happen. I mean, after all Walter White just wanted to leave money to his wife and kids.

[COOLEHMAGAZINE]

Here is the thing, he sold drugs regardless of the reasons why. He sold them. He got caught. Doesn't matter the amount, we all agree marijuana should be legal anyways. It's not though. He broke the law.

I met that dude once and he was super nice. I'd have no problem promoting or supporting anyone who is good trying to do right. I'm glad he got the support by his friends and fans. But I agree with Alaska, the video plays him to be a victim. He just made a mistake and got caught. You fuck around with the wrong people and things happen. I mean, after all Walter White just wanted to leave money to his wife and kids.

You didn't address anything I said so I assume you are not talking to me.

In the off chance that you are, you are missing the point. To say that violating any law thus makes you deserving of any possible punishment within the spectrum of that law is, frankly, asinine. If you punch somebody in the stomach during an argument, you are breaking laws against assault. If you are then charged with assault with a deadly weapon and attempted murder, I would think that is objectionable.

If you grab a girl's ass in a bar I think you should be held criminally liable. If they charge you with aggravated rape, I think that is wrong.

Others are certainly entitled to their own opinions but that is mine.

[ALASKA]

Here is the thing, he sold drugs regardless of the reasons why. He sold them. He got caught. Doesn't matter the amount, we all agree marijuana should be legal anyways. It's not though. He broke the law.

I met that dude once and he was super nice. I'd have no problem promoting or supporting anyone who is good trying to do right. I'm glad he got the support by his friends and fans. But I agree with Alaska, the video plays him to be a victim. He just made a mistake and got caught. You fuck around with the wrong people and things happen. I mean, after all Walter White just wanted to leave money to his wife and kids.

You didn't address anything I said so I assume you are not talking to me.

In the off chance that you are, you are missing the point. To say that violating any law thus makes you deserving of any possible punishment within the spectrum of that law is, frankly, asinine. If you punch somebody in the stomach during an argument, you are breaking laws against assault. If you are then charged with assault with a deadly weapon and attempted murder, I would think that is objectionable.

If you grab a girl's ass in a bar I think you should be held criminally liable. If they charge you with aggravated rape, I think that is wrong.

Others are certainly entitled to their own opinions but that is mine.

i agree with you on that. and if he was indeed charged for the full extent of the shipment and was only expecting 10-20 lbs that is fucked. but all the things that he described happening to him seem as though they would be applicable on the amount he presumably was expecting. Painting him as a drug kingpin was some fucked up shady policing. selling drugs out of your family home and putting them at jeopardy is as well.

[Kiran187]

Fuck donating money to this guy. Yes, weed laws and the jailtime linked to them are dumb and need to be changed but, unfortunately for now, they are the law. It's not like he didn't know what he was doing by selling weed. Dude made it look in the video like he was just hanging out at his house when the feds came through and raided him for no reason and planted a bunch of drugs on him. Who cares if the feds say that he had 100lbs on him? 10-20lbs is still more than enough to fall under trafficking and that's the amount he was waiting on. You can't expect to be in the drug game and assume no reprecussions or fallout will ever happen. If a rival dealer had robbed him of his stash and beat him up so badly that he was laid up for 18 months, would you still donate? He got in the game and got caught. End of story. If those sentencing guidelines in the above posts are accurate and he dodged 7 years and only got 18 months, he should be thankful.

[sleazy_j]

dude already made his goal in less than a week.

regardless of politics involved, there's no need to fund an already funded project and most people here probably aren't into funding projects, anyhow.
edit: unless you want to be involved in one of the many cheap artist collab opportunities, then by all means do that.

welcome to the internet age of crowdfunding. put up a great story, and most people are so impulsive to buy into it that they'll throw their $10 at the screen.
i know people on facebook still fans of KONY 2012.

[peanut butter]

Fuck donating money to this guy. Yes, weed laws and the jailtime linked to them are dumb and need to be changed but, unfortunately for now, they are the law. It's not like he didn't know what he was doing by selling weed. Dude made it look in the video like he was just hanging out at his house when the feds came through and raided him for no reason and planted a bunch of drugs on him. Who cares if the feds say that he had 100lbs on him? 10-20lbs is still more than enough to fall under trafficking and that's the amount he was waiting on. You can't expect to be in the drug game and assume no reprecussions or fallout will ever happen. If a rival dealer had robbed him of his stash and beat him up so badly that he was laid up for 18 months, would you still donate? He got in the game and got caught. End of story. If those sentencing guidelines in the above posts are accurate and he dodged 7 years and only got 18 months, he should be thankful.

Anyway, good for him. He has a devoted base of friends and fans who went to bat for him.




PEACE

[ardamus]

Read what's in bold everyone.

From Astronautalis (only 1 left!):
WANT TO GET A PHONE CALL FROM ME? WANT TO HAVE ME FREESTYLE TO YOU ON SAID CALL? WANT TO HELP A GOOD CAUSE? read below:

As the owner and founder of Fake Four Inc., my friend Ceschi has done a lot of great things for a lot of people. Not only does he give a platform to a lot of artists who deserve more appreciation then they get, but he, and the rest of Fake Four gave me, the freedom to make my album, "This Is Our Science" the way i dreamed it could be made. Beyond all of that, Ceschi, is without question, one of my favorite performers of all time. watch this: http://youtu.be/06fo-RkXwnQ get it? The man has a gift, is a gift, i am lucky he exists.

Yesterday, Ceschi went away to prison for an 18 month bid, you can watch this video to get a better idea of those circumstances: http://youtu.be/iGy3Wcuh12M However, Ceschi is NOT raising money to help his legal fees, he is trying to raise money to Fake Four Records afloat while he is locked up. A label that put albums from: bleubird, Radical Face, Open Mike Eagle, Busdriver/, Sole and the Skyrider Band, and myself. there is a lot that can be said about the nature of his "crimes" and the situation Ceschi is personally in...but i think Ceschi would rather we focus on keeping his dream alive while he is locked up. Keeping a business alive that is keeping talented artists alive is a cause i think we can all get behind.

So, i have added some gifts to the list:http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/free- ... fake-four/
i will call you on the phone, we will have a little chit chat, you will give somethings to freestyle about, and i will freestyle for you. only 5 of these are available! get your friends to chip in, and we can do it all over speaker phone, or skype, i don't care! this is going to be a really cool way to help out a really amazing person. or, if you don't want to hear me whisper sweet nothings to you over the phone, check out all the crazy prizes people have volunteered to help this beautiful man keep his amazing dream alive through his incarceration:
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/free- ... fake-four/

if you can't help, just check out Fake Four Records, check out Ceschi's music, support in small ways, is still support.
thank you for your support.

Makes sense that something he started and created he wants to run while he's away. Some people who he brought aboard work for him and he's trying to make sure what he worked hard for doesn't crumble. As someone who personally knows him and has met his fam, it does fuck me up he's going through this. Heard about it a while ago and I reached out to him to see how he was holding up. We all get into some shit and what's happening with him with those details are terrible. On the other end of it, he started something that he does not want to fall apart that other folks gravitated, too.

[young god]

This isn't to raise money for his bail. It's to help keep his label afloat while he's locked up and already spent 50K on legal expenses. A lot of people care about keeping his label afloat. If you don't, then you shouldn't donate, and you also shouldn't be a cunt on the internet about it.

[young god]

Fuck donating money to this guy. Yes, weed laws and the jailtime linked to them are dumb and need to be changed but, unfortunately for now, they are the law. It's not like he didn't know what he was doing by selling weed. Dude made it look in the video like he was just hanging out at his house when the feds came through and raided him for no reason and planted a bunch of drugs on him. Who cares if the feds say that he had 100lbs on him? 10-20lbs is still more than enough to fall under trafficking and that's the amount he was waiting on. You can't expect to be in the drug game and assume no reprecussions or fallout will ever happen. If a rival dealer had robbed him of his stash and beat him up so badly that he was laid up for 18 months, would you still donate? He got in the game and got caught. End of story. If those sentencing guidelines in the above posts are accurate and he dodged 7 years and only got 18 months, he should be thankful.

you're a real asshole.

[ardamus]

I agree, I think doing time for weed is ridiculous, especially any extended time.

I have no conflict with them trying to raise some money through the fans to put out the records they promised the artists they would release, if the fans want to support that more power to em.

He doesnt seem like the kind of dude that would sign a confession if

a. he didnt do it, or have a big part in it.
b. wasnt covering for someone else or family.

if it is a. the whole I'm a victim thing kind of pisses me off.

if it's b. then more power to him i guess.

Tim. Wow.

Let's be clear on what happened. Ceschi doesn't do drugs, he doesn't smoke weed, he makes music and helps out a ton of people. Employs 4. He is also an incredibly generous person who wanted to help put out other people's music. People like Myka Nyne, Busdriver, Louis Logic, Sole, Grayskul, Astronautilus, Mike Eagle, myself, etc. He started a label on the east coast of America in the wake of the closing of Def Jux and the slow down of sites likes Sandbox Automatic. As you know starting a label is a thankless and expensive job -- so he sold weed to fund it.

Ceschi wasn't some drug kingpin, in fact I doubt he could even afford 110 pounds on consignment. He wasn't moving work at that volume. Realistically, he would have ordered about 10-20 pounds. What actually happened here is the Freeway cat driving from Cali got popped early in the game in like New Mexico with a huge shipment and they basically said give us everyone you're going to or you're going away for a long time.

Fast forward to Ceschi.

Freeway arrives in CT and is like yeah I got what you ordered, come outside. Boom arrested for an unknown quantity.

So he's not acting like he's a victim for selling weed. He knew his risks. He also could have given up any number of people. Instead he is doing his time.

However to suggest he isn't justified in making clear the injustices done throughout the process of being arrested is pretty ridiculous. Cops setting him up for an unknown quantity? Multiple guns for a non-violent crime? Threatening to arrest his family and take their house? (Which is a very real thing btw - http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2013 ... 3&mobify=0_) Not allowing him to see his lawyer? Forcing him to sign a confession to a quantity he didn't order? Now they're not letting his mom visit because she doesn't have the same last name? I'd say he is indeed a victim.

In fact he didn't even want to do this crowdsourcing campaign. It just became a necessity because he simply doesn't want to let people down on the commitments that he made. Think about it, he has over 50k in legal debt...this could have easily been a "help me pay my legal bills" campaign like C-Rayz did. Instead he's like please help us keep the label alive here are a bunch of deals on products. I'd say that's a lot more selfless than you're making it out to be.

-Mike

Bolding what Mike said earlier just in case you folks want to keep restating that's suckered the fans into paying his legal debt. Besides, everyone on here has praised some of the records that came from Fake Four on here. Remember that shit?

[Balzac]

the only mention of using the money to "bail him out" was by peanut butter on page 1. nobody thinks the money is for legal fees.

[ardamus]

the only mention of using the money to "bail him out" was by peanut butter on page 1. nobody thinks the money is for legal fees.

I should've known it was either him or another one of these smart ass lurker dickheads said something. Just to "make a point". Miss with that bullshit. Didn't make sense especially if that's not what he was asking.

[ALASKA]

Read what's in bold everyone.

From Astronautalis (only 1 left!):
WANT TO GET A PHONE CALL FROM ME? WANT TO HAVE ME FREESTYLE TO YOU ON SAID CALL? WANT TO HELP A GOOD CAUSE? read below:

As the owner and founder of Fake Four Inc., my friend Ceschi has done a lot of great things for a lot of people. Not only does he give a platform to a lot of artists who deserve more appreciation then they get, but he, and the rest of Fake Four gave me, the freedom to make my album, "This Is Our Science" the way i dreamed it could be made. Beyond all of that, Ceschi, is without question, one of my favorite performers of all time. watch this: http://youtu.be/06fo-RkXwnQ get it? The man has a gift, is a gift, i am lucky he exists.

Yesterday, Ceschi went away to prison for an 18 month bid, you can watch this video to get a better idea of those circumstances: http://youtu.be/iGy3Wcuh12M However, Ceschi is NOT raising money to help his legal fees, he is trying to raise money to Fake Four Records afloat while he is locked up. A label that put albums from: bleubird, Radical Face, Open Mike Eagle, Busdriver/, Sole and the Skyrider Band, and myself. there is a lot that can be said about the nature of his "crimes" and the situation Ceschi is personally in...but i think Ceschi would rather we focus on keeping his dream alive while he is locked up. Keeping a business alive that is keeping talented artists alive is a cause i think we can all get behind.

So, i have added some gifts to the list:http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/free- ... fake-four/
i will call you on the phone, we will have a little chit chat, you will give somethings to freestyle about, and i will freestyle for you. only 5 of these are available! get your friends to chip in, and we can do it all over speaker phone, or skype, i don't care! this is going to be a really cool way to help out a really amazing person. or, if you don't want to hear me whisper sweet nothings to you over the phone, check out all the crazy prizes people have volunteered to help this beautiful man keep his amazing dream alive through his incarceration:
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/free- ... fake-four/

if you can't help, just check out Fake Four Records, check out Ceschi's music, support in small ways, is still support.
thank you for your support.

Makes sense that something he started and created he wants to run while he's away. Some people who he brought aboard work for him and he's trying to make sure what he worked hard for doesn't crumble. As someone who personally knows him and has met his fam, it does fuck me up he's going through this. Heard about it a while ago and I reached out to him to see how he was holding up. We all get into some shit and what's happening with him with those details are terrible. On the other end of it, he started something that he does not want to fall apart that other folks gravitated, too.

I get all that, but the bold part comes from Astronautilis, and not Ceschi. and the bolded part, though it does address his "crimes" throwing quotes around crimes only goes to play on the victimization of Ceschi.

I think he owes it to the people he is requesting money from to express his culpability in his situation than let them decide from there. That has always been my point.

Do I think he should be in jail for weed - no
Do I think there is anything wrong with the label reaching out and asking its fan base to help keep them alive through an exchange of goods and upfront payments for said goods - no
Am I happy the label reached its goal and these artists are going to get to keep putting out music? yes, wildly happy.
Do I think Fake Four is a great label and something that people should fight to preserve? without question.

I just have a hard time with the way it is being presented to people you are asking a lot from. As a fan it leaves me uneasy and kind of pissed.

[Dids]

What the money is actually doing is somewhat immaterial when the method for generating is is trading on somewhat manufactured outrage.

There's all kinds of noble causes at play here, but there's a degree of manipulation and bullshit that makes it seem unsavory from the outside looking in. If it's "help me save my label after I went and fuck it myself" then make this about "Save Fake Four" and not the dude himself. Essentially branding this as "Free Ceschi" seems like it just gets in the way of the actual end goal.

[sleazy_j]

He's already damn near double his goal if not at it yet, so he's making better rap money in jail than most in this thread.

[MC Homeless]

It's really just about supporting a good dude with a label that has done more for independent hip hop than most people in the last handful of years. Why turn it into a philosophical debate? Do you support someone that is keeping the sinking ship known as independent hip hop afloat or do you not? I think since this is a hip hop board, most of you probably support it. It sucks that artists have to turn to illegal means to have a label, especially one that has publicists and booking agents, a staff,etc but that's how it goes so when someone falls, pick them up. Shit, I'd be down to donate to Ceschi's legal fees too, quite honestly.

[ardamus]

It's really just about supporting a good dude with a label that has done more for independent hip hop than most people in the last handful of years. Why turn it into a philosophical debate? Do you support someone that is keeping the sinking ship known as independent hip hop afloat or do you not? I think since this is a hip hop board, most of you probably support it. It sucks that artists have to turn to illegal means to have a label, especially one that has publicists and booking agents, a staff,etc but that's how it goes so when someone falls, pick them up. Shit, I'd be down to donate to Ceschi's legal fees too, quite honestly.

Understand where you're at. It wouldn't be right if we didn't have some of these folks go like "waitaminute". But yet, its the same label that has done what you said. And supported friends and participants on this forum in their endeavors.

[GentleJonesReturns]

[Philaflava]

30K in less than a week. pretty much a testament to him and his fans.

[sleazy_j]

^and the goods being offered.

[myself]

So, is this money for him or for the label? If they aren't separate things, he should have spent some of his drug money setting up a proper business.

FWIW, I might consider donating to his legal defense AND/OR support the label products, but I'd prefer having the choice to do either. I might even consider donating for his legal bills with no incentives, because I'm more passionate about the War on Drugs than I am about this music. Shit should be separate though, IMHO.

ETA: Guess I should read the whole thread.. but I still think this could be clearer.

[Sucka Ducka]

For the annoying, anonymous (or not so anonymous), idiots posting about Ceschi wanting a "handout" on obscure blogs that serve as relics for the Def Jux era of hip hop.....well, unfortunately El-P shut down Def Jux in 2010, and that is sincerely shitty. But, right now, today, Fake Four still exists and is continuing to exist thanks to a loyal community that does not want to see a scene fade to obscurity. There are other great labels, and we are not claiming to have saved a scene, but lets be clear here, we are not asking for handouts. Take the time to look at the incentives and that should become pretty obvious. For example; 50 albums for 100 bucks is a pretty fucking good deal if you ask me. Furthermore, take the time to learn about what happened and the fact that Ceschi is one of many victims of a broken system should also become obvious. But, as much as this is about Ceschi, it is mostly about Fake Four, community, and solidarity. If you can't get behind that, well fuck you and peace.
"$100-FOUR FINGER USB STICK
Fake Four is customizing some four finger shaped USB sticks loaded with ALL 49 Official Fake Four albums (up to Louis Logic's album) PLUS Ceschi's Forgotten Forever album!
40 out of 90 claimed"
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/free- ... -fake-four

[ardamus]

yep. they definitely saw this thread.

[Philaflava]

you think that was for us? blog? def jux??

[ardamus]

you think that was for us? blog? def jux??

just because they said that doesn't mean they probably didn't take a look at this thread either though. just sayin'.

[Brougham33]

You diss Hangar 18 you diss yourself.

[Philaflava]

you think that was for us? blog? def jux??

just because they said that doesn't mean they probably didn't take a look at this thread either though. just sayin'.

If they or anyone think they can have a situation like this and people won't share their opinions they're crazy. I think this thread, for the most part was supportive of Ceschi. If he feels this place is what he said in that comment or that Alaska can't be honest, then he doesn't get this place and taking wild shots is kinda negating his entire post. I'm sure told him or somebody close because I saw David Ramos sign up just last week.