Lovehard x Ernie Paniccioli

[Ernie says LOVEHARD!]

About a month ago I received a message on facebook from pioneer Hip Hop photographer Ernie Paniccioli saying, “I want a LOVEHARD shirt, 2XL, and you better come to my event!” After finding out that Ernie would be returning to Toronto to speak at a Hip Hop festival that Ryerson was putting together, I made sure that these shirts, along with the Lovehard Monsty ones, got made just in time.

If you’ve never heard of Ernie, he has literally shot everyone in the Hip Hop world, from when Jay-Z, Queen Latifah, and TLC were young bloods, to  Tupac when he used to be a groupie in Digital Underground. He’s one of the Mighty Kings of the Zulu Nation, and also actively participates in various positive movements regarding the preservation of Hip Hop. Most of all, he’s one of the most powerful speakers I’ve ever listened to. No rehearsed agenda, no speech repeated… he bounces back and forth with his stories, making millions of references to his experiences growing up when Hip Hop was on the come up and his role in shaping it. There is much to learn from this strong, resilient, and intelligent man.

Ernie is a fighter. His words, energy and knowledge has real power, and he is an example to everyone of what it means to have the fighting courage to LOVEHARD.

[Speaks my language, language of the SOUL.]

We were at dinner today at Salad King with Seema and Jade. Like a proud father, he tells Jade, “She has the most beautiful name for her website, the BEST name you could ever think of.” He nudges me along, “Go ahead, tell her.” “It’s LOVEHARD.CA”, I say to Jade. “Yeah, and she walked in yesterday with a Lovehard shirt for me.” He nudges me again. “Tell her what else it says on that shirt.” “It says, ‘It don’t matta what you do if you don’t LOVEHARD.” “I love that! I love it cause people like to HATE hard, but we all need to LOVEhard.”

MAD love to you, Brother Ernie. You are a light to us all.

Ernie Paniccioli – So Much Things To Say – MANIFESTO Speaker Series from themanifesto.ca on Vimeo.

Ernie drops some science on all ya’ll at Manifesto last fall. Check! Also peep Ernie’s Radio show that he does on Positive World Radio Network!

I’ve spoken my piece.

Peace!

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