Bizz the Messiah has been knocked down a time or two, but don’t discount the possibility of a third coming.
The rapper from North Toledo, whose real name is Philip Walker, has a new mixtape, “Welcome 2 Cash City: The Fixtape,” which dropped Jan. 21.
His fifth full-length solo album is due in March.
“The mixtape is like the appetizer; this is gonna be the main course,” said Bizz of the yet-untitled album, which will be produced by Yung Fresh Entertainment in Sandusky.

Bizz the Messiah

The 30-year-old single father, who works nights as an STNA to fund his music and provide for his 5-year-old son, said he writes about his life and is rarely at a loss for inspiration.
“I feel like a reporter. Everything I see, I’m gonna write about; anything I feel, I’m gonna write about,” said Bizz, who has been rapping since he was 13. “I used to go up to Riverside Park, where it was quiet, and write, but lately if I think of a good beat, I do it right where I’m at with my headphones and laptop.”
His former group, Fifth of Rose, was twice on the brink of a record deal. After passing on an offer from First Chance Records in Atlanta due to creative differences, some friction within the group caused a deal with De Dub Music Management/Third Eye Recording in Chicago to fall through in 2002, just as the success of the group’s first single was peaking.
The group basically had a choice to drop one of its members and continue as a duo, or keep the member and lose the deal, Bizz said. They decided to lose the deal.
“I was loyal to my friend rather than the music,” Bizz said.
When the group broke up shortly after its third release in 2003, Bizz decided to go solo, releasing his first album, “Trials and Tribulations,” that same year.
More recently, Bizz has been delving into the production side of the business.
“I used to be more of just a writer; now I’m trying to be the full artist,” said Bizz, who started his own label and recording studio in 2009. Nawty Nawf Entertainment has signed two local artists, Mindgames from Fremont and Anonymous from Toledo’s North Side.
Bizz, who did all the recording for “The Fixtape” at his home studio, said the mixtape includes something for everyone.
“It’s got love tracks, breakup tracks, emotional songs and some harder stuff in there too for hustlers, anyone with a 9-to-5 job,” Bizz said. “I put music out for everyone, not just one category of people.”
The release also features labelmates Mindgames and Anonymous; Anthony Jones, a former Fifth of Rose member; Mike Feez from Toledo; Young Yac from Sandusky; Kobe Keiz and Contraversy from Kentucky; and a remix by Pittsburgh’s Wiz Khalifa.
Bizz’s favorite song, “Right Here,” features Toledo’s Sonny Ray and Uneek from Arkansas.
“It’s an anthem for the Glass City,” Bizz said.
His full-length album will also feature local talent, including Cuntry and Jay Rush, Bizz said.
“I’m trying to get some people that’s buzzing in Toledo right now and promote them,” Bizz said.
Although he lives in Monroeville now, Bizz said his heart is still in the Glass City.
“My main roots is in Toledo,” Bizz said. “I’m a hometown kind of guy.”
Aside from his upcoming releases, Bizz is prepping for Hundid Racks Energy Drink’s 10-city Ohio rap tour in February as well as a 12-city industry tour later this winter.
Although still looking to break into a record or distribution deal, Bizz now has to make sure any opportunity that comes his way would be the best thing for his family.
“Now I got my son involved so I gotta make sure everything is laid down and beneficial to me at that point,” Bizz said. “But I’ve still got big plans.”
Listen to Bizz’s music at www.reverbnation.com/bizzthemessiah. Catch him live in Cleveland Feb. 5 at Peabody’s, or in Fremont Feb. 11 and March 5 at Tailgators Sports Bar and Grill.

As the city prepares to sell the property known as The Docks, it is appealing the area’s most recent tax appraisal.

David McDowell, commercial appraisal supervisor in the Lucas County Auditor’s office, told Toledo Free Press on Jan. 26 that the current tax value for the 10-acre parcel that encompasses The Docks is nearly $5.6 million. This does not include the building value of a venue used for a rowing club.  The current tax value of the buildings that make up The Docks is $4,321,100; the land value for the 10 acres is $1,278,100.

McDowell said the taxes for some of the parcels are under a Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) credit, which is one of the reasons the property is detailed in a per-building scenario.  Each CRA has a different expiration date.

He also stated that the Board of Revisions (BOR) had recently made a decision on an appeal filed by the City of Toledo seeking to reduce the appraised tax value on the property. If the city accepts the BOR decision, the 2010 value for the 10-acre property, including The Dock buildings, would be approximately $3.5 million.

AREIS Online records show Toledo currently owes $13,210.39 from first half and $17,599.04 for second half for property taxes on the the 10-acre property parcel.  A payment of $26,779.98 was made on Nov. 29, 2010 for the first half and a previous outstanding amount owed from 2009.

The City of Toledo recently announced investors from China are interested in acquiring the property.

Dashing Pacific Group Ltd., an Ohio LLC established by the real-estate investors from China, has offered the city $2.15 million for The Docks.

“When you talk about economic development and being able to turn Toledo around you’ve got to have people who want to come to your city,” said Mayor Mike Bell during a press conference.

“We’re very, very happy about this particular initiative here.”

The mayor said the interest in the property is a direct result of relationships built during his administration’s trip to China.

City Council members have been given information about the agreement and will have their first reading of the proposed sale Feb. 1.

If City Council approves the sale, this will be the Dashing Pacific’s first investment in the United States, said Scott Prephan a representative for the group.

“I feel and the group feels, that this is just the start of what may prove to be a long term relationship well beyond The Docks, which will be of great benefit to Toledo and the region as a whole,” he said.

Prephan said depending on how the sale acquisition goes, Dashing Pacific could also be interested in other investment opportunities in Toledo.

With its purchase of The Docks, Dashing Pacific is interested in keeping the area a place with restaurants, but also plans to make improvements to the building’s structure and lighting, Prephan said. While rumors of a Chinese restaurant at The Docks have been floating around, the investors are not restaurateurs and will most likely fill the vacant spaces with local restaurants, he said.

It is most likely the property will be managed by someone local, Prephan said.

The sale only includes the property known as The Docks, but the city continues to market other properties it owns to both foreign and domestic investors, Bell said.

Toledo Free Press contributor Lisa Renee Ward contributed to this report.

Bar Louie has three words for the many people who are attempting to stay trim and fit since the new year: “screw your resolution.”
Just 28 days after the ball in New York City dropped, the sports bar located in Levis Commons in Perrysburg is encouraging everyone to forget the promises they made to themselves at the “Screw Your Resolution” party.

The party starts at 8 p.m. on Jan. 28 and encourages people to enjoy a time with friends without worrying what the scale reads.

“At Bar Louie, we tell people to eat, drink and be happy,” said General Manager Al Preston. He is encouraging people to let loose during a time when people aim to eat healthier.

The restaurant is running different specials for the party, which will be all ages until 10 p.m., when it will be 21 and older.

There will be a “complimentary guilty pleasures buffet” from 8-10 p.m., which Preston said will include “indulgences like donuts [and] fried Twinkies.” There will also be a donut-hole eating contest at 8:30 p.m.

In addition, select appetizers will be half-priced and there will be drink specials.

“It’s a fun time having everyone come together,” Preston said.

Columbia Gas of Ohio announced a 12 project, 32-mile natural gas infrastructure upgrade in Toledo for 2011.
“By investing in our infrastructure, we are investing in our community,” said Chris Kozak, communications and community relations manager for the company during a press conference.
The upgrade represents up to $18 million in investment for Toledo and is part of a 25-year, $200 million investment across Northwest Ohio, Kozak said. By the project’s completion, Columbia Gas will have invested $2 billion throughout the state and replaced roughly 400 miles of natural gas lines in Northwest Ohio, he said.
“We’re extremely happy that [Columbia Gas] is going to be able to help us with our infrastructure,” said Mayor Mike Bell. “Things get old and they start to wear out and what we have to do  is be able replace it; that the Columbia Gas crew is prepared to come in and do that is a great thing.”
Columbia Gas will replace the aging bare steel lines, with some dating pre-WWII, with plastic pipelines that are designed to better handle pressure and easier to replace, Kozak said. The new pipes have a 60-to-70-year lifespan and have a safety feature, called an excess flow valve, that will shut off the gas flow in case of a severed line.
“Our hope is to go into one of these neighborhoods, re-wire the entire system, bring the natural gas system up-to-date, make it state of the art,” Kozak said. “With our new automated meter reading devices, we won’t have to come back to that neighborhood for 60 of 70 years unless there is a gas issue.”
Columbia Gas has identified areas where there are high leak issues and will start replacing the pipes in those areas. The 12 different projects throughout the city are expected to affect roughly 5,000 customers, Kozak said.
The old pipelines will be abandoned in place and Columbia Gas will utilize a technique called directional drilling underground to install the plastic lines. Kozak said removing the old steel lines would require an open cut and is more invasive.
Columbia Gas has hired and contracted 12 different employees to install the new lines and it’s estimated for every dollar spent on the project there is a $1.60 economic impact in Northwest Ohio, Kozak said.
Funding for the 25-year project came from Columbia Gas’ 2008 rate case, which increased the average bill by 2.5 percent to the company’s
1.4 million customers.

The Toledo Museum of Art will display a recently rediscovered painting by Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn starting Jan. 28.
The painting was lost for several years, but resurfaced in 2007 when an English family that owned the artwork sold it at an auction house.
While the painting was originally attributed to a follower of Rembrandt and valued at $1,600 to $2,400, art dealers recognized its importance and the piece sold for $4.5 million.

“Rembrandt Laughing,” oil on copper. private collection of hazlitt Gooden & Fox, London

The self-portrait, on loan to the museum, will be on display with TMA’s two pieces by the Dutch painter. The exhibit also features “Young Man with Plumed Hat” and “Man in a Fur-Lined Coat,” pieces from the beginning and end of Rembrandt’s career.
“You can’t have too much Rembrandt,” said Lawrence Nichols, TMA’s William Hutton curator, European and American painting and sculpture before 1900. “He’s always rewarding and his artwork is visually and utterly compelling. At 6 inches by 11 inches, [“Rembrandt Laughing”] is small, but it will be a thrill to see this creative genius at the outset of his career.”
Rembrandt is captivating because he can capture human emotion well, Nichols said. These skills allowed Rembrandt to share a story in his artwork and make his work relevant centuries after he lived, Nichols said.
The newly discovered portrait of the young artist is a study of human emotion, Nichols said.
“It’s himself looking in the mirror, face laughing,” he said. “He examines the emotion and captures it. He’s training his eye to examine the human soul and he’ll utilize these skills when it comes to his history paintings.”
Unlike many paintings done on panel or canvases, “Rembrandt Laughing” is painted onto the less frequently used copper, Nichols said. The copper medium illuminates the painting, he said.
The exhibit will be on display Jan. 28 through May 6 in Gallery 24, Nichols said.
“Good things come in small packages and this installation of three works of art is a small scale installation, he said. “It will be very gratifying to see these works of art. We are very pleased to be able to bring it to Toledo.”
Nichols and TMA Director Brian Kennedy plan to give tours of the exhibit, but the museum is still finalizing programming to accompany the exhibit, Nichols said. Nichols is scheduled to give tours Feb. 11 and 12, he said.
For more information on programing accompanying the exhibit, visit the website www.toledomusuem.org.

The golf world in 2011 is looking very similar to 2010. Martin Kaymer is winning on the European Tour, Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy, are playing extremely well and Tiger and Phil are non-factors.

This past weekend in Abu Dhabi, Kaymer garnered his first win in 2011 and his 9th career win on the European Tour. The 2010 European Tour Order of Merit winner leap frogged Tiger Woods to grab onto the No. 2 spot in the Official World Golf Rankings. With Lee Westwood at No. 1, the Europeans now hold the top two spots and 6 of the World’s top ten. Graeme McDowell is in 4th spot and poised to blow by No. 3 Tiger Woods over the next couple of weeks.

Speaking of the great one, there will be a Tiger sighting this week. He is scheduled to tee it up on Thursday at Torrey Pines. This is his normal starting point of the season and it will be interesting to see if he can continue to improve and regain the unbeatable form that he has had for most of his career. Woods ended 2010 on a somewhat positive note, when he finished second at his Chevron event in December. He and Graeme McDowell were tied after the regulation 72 holes and McDowell eventually outgunned Woods in the playoff. Even though Tiger lost he had to be encouraged at his play for the week.

Over the past two years Martin Kaymer has 7 wins and 29 top tens including the 2010 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in his last 40 starts. These are “Tigeresque” type statistics. No one has had better numbers over that time frame. Lee Westwood has been No. 1 for the past 13 weeks, but if Kaymer continues to post high finishes he will rapidly overtake him. Kaymer is the “Best Golfer in the World” right now.

McDowell finished T-3 and Rory McIlroy was runnerup to Kaymer at Abu Dhabi. They appear to be the real competition for Kaymer. With the strength of field in the European Tour events and with the strong performances over the past two years of Kaymer, McDowell, McIlroy, as well as, Lee Westwood, the Europeans are set to continue to dominate the Official World Golf Rankings for the foreseeable future.

When the movie was over, my mind and heart were racing. The visceral thrill of its intensity stayed with me for a long time. “Black Swan” is as exciting and enthralling a piece of entertainment as any made in the past few years. It is as involving as a hundred thrillers, as shocking as a hundred horror films, and at its core is a Natalie Portman performance that will easily win her an Academy Award in February.

Director Darren Aronofsky’s previous film, “The Wrestler,” was a study in obsession — a man whose love of the spotlight kept him constantly chasing past glory. “Black Swan” can be seen in many ways as its companion piece, though its star’s obsession comes not at the twilight of her career, but its dawn.

Nina, the ballerina portrayed by Portman, has the chance of a lifetime. Dancing for a prestigious company in New York, she tries out for the lead in the season’s opening performance of “Swan Lake.” Her director, the brilliantly slimy Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) says plainly that Nina can easily play the White Swan, the virtuous heroine of the piece, but she may not have it in her to play the crucial role of the evil and sensuous twin, the Black Swan. After a tense meeting where Leroy forces himself on her, only to have Nina fight back, Leroy gives her the role anyway.

Nina’s home life is a mess. She still lives with her domineering mother (Barbara Hershey, who so disappears into her role that I didn’t realize it was her until the credits ran). Mom’s past lies at the ballet, too, and Nina openly speculates that her mother is living out her failed ambitions through her daughter. Nina’s room is still decorated as a child’s would be. We realize we are seeing two cases of arrested development — a mother who still lives in the past, and a daughter who has never been allowed to grow up.

As rehearsals begin, Nina still can’t connect to the evil character. Her frustrations are compounded by the arrival of Lily (Mila Kunis), a gorgeous dancer who can play villainous and alluring so effortlessly. Nina slowly finds herself both drawn to and threatened by Lily, and it is a night of debauchery with her that leads to a crucial tipping point in the film. Dream and reality begin to become confused to Nina, and the madness of the role she’s so desperate to immerse herself in begins to take hold.

It’s not the most original idea in the world, a story where an artist becomes so obsessed with their work that life begins to mirror the art. What makes “Black Swan” stand out are the remarkable pace of its direction and the performances of its cast, which make the characters crackle with life and individuality. Early in the film, Aronofsky’s camera contains subtle indications of what is to come, with small visual cues and flashes telling the audience that something is not quite right in Nina’s mind. This sets the table for a last half-hour of startling power, where surrealism creeps into the film and we can never be sure how much of what we’re seeing is real or fantasy.

It would all be for naught if the actress at its center weren’t able to carry it off. This is the role of Portman’s career. She has an indefinable innocence to her bearing that makes Nina intensely sympathetic. She really wants to be great. She wants it so badly that she loses her sanity in the process. And though the character’s arc is melodramatic, Portman keeps us from finding it anything but utterly human. We can understand every choice she makes and every step she takes, even the ones that lead to her utter ruin.

Who among us has never felt the pressure to be great, and bore the thoughts of uncertainty that come with it? The film is about how Nina’s world is full of people who are depending on her to rise to the challenge, but her mind collapses under the weight. Aronofsky has the talent to inspire his audience to identify with people whose ambitions far exceed their ability to catch them. “Black Swan,” in many ways, can be seen as an answer to those who found the ending of “The Wrestler” ambiguous. The Ram didn’t survive his last dive. Neither does the Swan.

Email Jeff at PopGoesJeff@gmail.com

Ten years ago, freelance illustrator Dustin Hostetler was the creator of a Xeroxed and stapled art magazine. Today, Faesthetic is a full-color, printed magazine.
The magazine’s focus is to include “illustration, graffiti, photography and design” of different artists from all over the world, Hostetler said.
“The goal has always been to publish and promote artists I love,” Hostetler said.
Faesthetic is celebrating its 10th anniversary with issue No. 13. The issue is available at www.faesthetic.com for a special discount price of $13 plus shipping and handling. The first 100 copies will also come with a laser-etched keychain designed by artist Jennifer Daniel.
Hostetler said the magazine’s name means “The Fast Aesthetic,” which explains the magazine’s incentive to give a “quick glimpse into what art looks like from the year it was produced.”

Art by Mark Mothersbaugh

“‘The Fast Aesthetic’ refers to the crazy media world we live in, where commercial and pop culture are constantly changing,” he said.
Hostetler, who makes art under the name UPSO, has published the magazine as a hobby; he now balances his time co-owning Grumpy’s Deli in Downtown Toledo.
Each issue of the magazine has a separate theme; this current issue’s theme is “luck.”
“I invite artists to do work based on a specific theme and color scheme for each issue,” Hostetler said.
One of the features in the issue is a photo essay written by Molly Dilworth. In the essay, she writes about an art competition she was involved with during the summer in New York City. Dilworth discovered she was selected for the competition right after being hit by a car while she was riding her bike.
“It was really good luck and bad luck right next to each other,” Dilworth said, which made the essay perfect for this issue’s theme.
Dilworth has been featured on the magazine’s accompanying blog think.faesthetic.com, but was never previously featured in the magazine.
Hostetler said he is the only person involved in the publishing aspect of the magazine, but each issue involves 40 to 100 artists.
Issue 13 features 130 high-quality printed pages of original art from 45 different artists. Only one artist is local; the others come from across the country. The cover was designed by internationally known artist Mike Giant.
Another contributor is Mark Mothersbaugh, the Ohio native who leads the band Devo. Mothersbaugh illustrated eight miniature postcards attached to the issue.
“Mark came to an art opening of mine in LA a few years ago and we’ve kept in touch ever since,” Hostetler said.

“Faesthetic is a ding-dang double spicy, 3 ring fire alarm! They were courteous, kind, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent! The only sad thing is, They are always working with new artists, so this is probably the last time in my life i will ever get to be in Faesthetic” Mothersbaugh said.
Hostetler, who contributes illustrations to Toledo Free Press Star, is constantly looking at artwork by people from all over the world.
“Typically, artists contact me through [the website], and e-mail me links to their portfolio. If I think their work fits with the project, I follow up with more information,” Hostetler said.
Learn more about the magazine by visiting Facebook.com/ThinkFaest or Twitter.com/faesthetic.

The Jan. 26 issue of Toledo Free Press Star, featuring a story on the return of the TV “Archer,” is available as an electronic edition.

My Jan. 19 column, “Schedule C for artists — made simple,” shared some basic information regarding Schedule C, the IRS form attached to your 1040 tax return that breaks down profit and loss for businesses operating as sole proprietorships.
It’s very possible that you are employed full time by someone else’s company, and don’t think that information related to keeping solid expense and profit records applies to your economic situation.  You may be right. However, each of us has some sort of talent, skill or service that can be of benefit to the community and can be sold for income or traded for other goods and services within the market.
In the past 60 years, the United States has shifted from a manufacturing to a service economy. Think of all the goods and services that used to be home-produced — most food was home or community farmed, meals were home-cooked and the majority of clothing was made by Mom.  Today, we purchase most of our food precooked from grocery stores or fastfood restaurants, and the average person under the age of 30 does not know how to repair worn out or torn clothing.  We went from self-sufficient to almost helpless in two generations. As a society, we spend an enormous amount of capital on “ready-made” consumables, capital that could be saved or invested in enterprises that contribute to our long-term well being and financial security.
I’d like to challenge everyone to rethink how they earn their money to pay for their basic needs.  Although many are simply thankful to have a job in this “down” economy, others find themselves unemployed or under-employed.  Instead of focusing on what we don’t have, let’s assess what each of us can do to contribute to the “economic recovery” of our communities and our personal household finances. It’s true that when one door closes, another opens.
If you have lost your job or have had your working hours reduced, this could be your opportunity to review your lifestyle and create a positive change that is also financially empowering. What can each of us do to reverse the unsustainability of consumer-driven lifestyles?  What skills or expertise do you have (or could you develop) that are in demand in your area?  How can you create income and wealth from your God-given talents and education?
I’d like to encourage everyone to “think outside of the box.”  What sort of a job would you have if you could redesign your life from the ground up? Think of what you wanted to be when you were a child.  Did you want to be a doctor or a teacher to nurture others? Did you want to be an artist and sell your paintings? Did you have a love for animals and want to be a veterinarian? Although it may not be possible to go back to school and change professions completely, you can start a small side business that is a derivative of your hobbies and interests.
Those who enjoy spending time with others can become an after-school tutor or babysitter for children of family and friends. If you enjoy animals, create a pet-sitting or dog-walking business. If you have a passion for art, why
not offer lessons to children and retired adults in the community?
There are myriad goods and services we can each contribute to the market. Some other ideas for creating capital include: baking breads and sweets for sale, refinishing and refurbishing old furniture, and offering janitorial/ home cleaning services. The changing seasons also present opportunities for seasonal employment. You could: clean snow from cars and sidewalks, transport elderly community members to the store and to doctors’ appointments, or knit scarves, hats and blankets. In the summer, landscape and plant gardens, paint the exteriors and interiors of houses, repair automobiles and assist homeowners with routine maintenance and renovations.
Remember that it’s also possible to create demand for your labor through advertising and marketing. I never thought that I would be able to make as much money as I do selling Shine and Gloom Ceramics.
Always be optimistic.  What would you create for yourself if you knew you couldn’t fail? Positive change and economic development within our community starts with each of us.

Jules Webster is owner of Shine Ceramics and Shine 419, a division of the business created to promote Toledo’s vibrant creative scene. Visit www.shineceramics.com or e-mail julieshinewebster@gmail.com.