EPISODE 19 is LIVE is in FULL EFFECT! Organized Grind: The Podcast is honored to have TLA SHAWN stop by the Graff Roots studio and share his history and contributions to Twin Cities Hip-Hop. Tla kicks it off by talking about growing up over Southside Minneapolis (0:00) - Tla talks about first getting into hip-hop via older cousins, breakdancing, and fashion (5:35) - His first album he ever purchased on his own (9:25) - Getting into skateboarding and some history of skateboarding in the Twin Cities (13:48) - Tla Shawn - "Black Sk8r" (21:07) - More sk8 talk (27:27) - How he started rapping and getting nice on the microphone (28:16) - The influence of Wu-Tang in hip-hop (35:13) - The hip-hop group that influenced his style and getting into writing raps (36:16) - The experience of performing in front of a crowd for the first time (38:16) - The beginning of Cherry Sky (46:10) - Meeting Big Wiz and Tony Bones for the first time (49:09) - Surviving open heart surgery and the re-emergence of Tla Shawn - (50:30) - Meeting Sun Chi Som for the first time and the creation of Sun&La (57:50) - Tla Shawn - "Here I Go Again" (1:00:24) - SUN CHI SOM TRIBUTE SHOW APRIL 30th at NOMAD WORLD PUB in MINNEAPOLIS - (1:12:43) - Tla Shawn takes on the LIGHTNING GAUNTLET!  (1:23:08) - Tla Shawn - "Where I'm From (Murdapolis)" off of upcoming project BOOK OF TLA - (1:29:53)