Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Who is to blame?

One of my newest favorite songs starts out with Pete Rock uttering the words "These little niggas is crazy..." It's a Styles P record featuring Pharaoh Monch and I ultimately like the record. It reminds me of a barbershop conversation amongst the elders in an urban neighborhood. It also represents the men who've come directly before me, that point out the problem and complain about it approach. The only difference is that my generation of men are glorifying these problems because the very same men who came before us did so. There is absolutely no break in this cycle. Human beings are creatures of habit, so if you teach me how to do something I will learn it and possibly perfect it. Now I'm not here to bash or be critical of rap music, but I would like to address something that hasn't been spoken about; when does it stop? Death and destruction in rap music is about 15-20 years old (on a national/international level), so it is still a baby. I cannot for the life of me understand why this is seen as a form of entertainment. I can understand why there is a need for a Chief Keef to let us know what is going on with young Black males in American ghettos, but I cannot understand why people have a problem with his style of dress or Instagram pictures. I thought the problem was that this young man, like many of his peers, embrace dangerous lifestyles. This concept of leading a potentially deadly life is somewhat ignored and seen as just another "thing." Are We too busy out there getting our own shit and worrying about Me, to realize our lack of doing is causing Our untimely demise as a people? I have a suggestion: Lets stop praying for eachother and start doing for one another OR nah is it easier to think about better thoughts for someone really really hard with your eyes closed while kneeling?
"CHILDREN is all missing the rulebook, these old niggas is hard don't know how to school'em/ Don't know how a herb or a sucker or fool look, don't know how a crack-pack, dope, or the tool look"- Styles P
I'm not sure that they should know what all of those things are, but we sure ain't schooling them with the right schooling. Lets start equipping our children before they're forced to equip themselves with weapons and shoot fellow poor people at home and abroad. Peace!

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