Chained Brains

I seriously wished African-American/Black people in this corporation of a nation were sick and tired of all avenues being taken to show us and tell stories of us did not use the plight of our ancestors as a means of entertainment. When I hear shit like "oh it's just a film" and the nature of the film is exploitative and addressing a VERY touchy subject, I feel like I'm not saying what I'm saying LOUD enough. The last couple of weeks in this country 2 subjects were addressed in the media. One of course I spoke on before with my man RG3 the CORNBALL BROTHER and now this bullshit blaxploitation slave flick Django by the White Saviour Quentin Tarantino. It has forced both Black and Non-Black people to speak on race in a somewhat real manner. Shit was progressive UNTIL shit got too real and the things being said by prominent Black folks in the media. One incident resulted in a sportswriter (Rob Parker of ESPN)  getting suspended for speaking the TRUTH RUTH, and ironically my man Spike Lee getting portrayed as a hater (AGAIN) in the media for not accepting some bullshit Hollywood wants Black people to accept as gospel. People always talking about "racism is dead," yet when strong intellectual opinions are expressed about race by strong intellectual Black people that shit results in pandemonium. Terms like "reverse racism"(<<<suck my dick what is that?) are tossed around and then these opinions get dismissed as bullshit. The worst shit you can do is dismiss someone's opinion because that is showing how determined you/they are to keep your own agenda rolling, which may be detrimental to the well-being and welfare to a great amount of people. I'd appreciate if people kept it real with me, but I'd really appreciate if you kept it real with yourself and removed those shackles from your cranium. Peace god no pork on my fork!

Check this bullshit out...

So I'm up vamping and around like 7AM-ish I check my Twitter feed and see a rapper whose music I enjoy say something about Cornell West. Now, I usually could give two shits about a rapper speaking about politics and all but what he said weas quite interesting to me. So Cornell West I guess was quoted saying "the President only cares about White children." What the rapper says was "Mr West only cares about Black Presidents and Tavis Smiley." Okay so I'm like WOW because this fucking rapper lives in as neighborhood where Black children are underachieving due to lack of opportunities and he was a couple of those Black children who grew up in that same neighborhood. So I proceed to ask "hey, do you think the President cares about Black children?" Rapper says, "I only care about my family. Goodnight." So I'm pissed he told me goodnight at 7am and he tried to shut me down on some sucker shit when I was asking a legitimate question. I didn't ask him to elaborate, it was a yes or no type of question. So I then proceed to call duke a "nigger rapper" and BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM it hits me; this guy has always showed he was a prick why am I offended? Watched this clown tell a radio host on a very prominent radio station in NYC "fuck my fans I dont care about them" and didn't even feel a way because I was blinded by his bars... Bars which consist of such notions like "make ya moms suck my dick with BBQ sauce." Whose mom? Ayo fuck anything about hip hop/ rap music which mocks you and I. Boycott that shit, rant done. Good morning, Happy Kwanzaa.

I Think My Heart's Gooooooood

As cynical as most may think I am, my intentions come from a good place. Sometimes you gotta rub the dog shit in the dog's face. Gun control/bans have nothing to do with 27 people dying a week ago in CT. We need human control, not emphasis on mental health. When the wrong person dies we care, but when people die whom we expect to die from gunfire we do not discuss these issues. Mental health is an issue in the hood when we think it's cool for people to think people who look like them should die because they look alike. Gun control is an issue when there is no control at the hands of the community of who does and doesnt get a gun in that community. It's not like kids are buying guns at gun shops in Brownsville or Chicago. Who is keeping records of the guns being sold in New Orleans and Detroit? Let's not act like these shootings which pop up in the U.S. aren't scare tactics. Don't get duped into thinking the government should be the only ones armed; why would you give your weapons to your enemy? For one to think the government in America is their friend, you'd have to have an open mind which understands that this nation will try it's hardest to put the citizens in a position which is detrimental to their own health. Try convincing a house nigger they're a slave... I know it may take some persuading by the way of mental waterboarding, but I know my hearts good.

Me, Myself, and Eye

Everyday of my life I try to learn, unlearn, and re-learn. Sometimes I don't even re-learn what I un-learn because it was a waste of time and space in my brain; I'll just take away the lesson from the whole ordeal. I sit back and contemplate shit and analyze it in a manner which others probably wouldn't and it influences how I express myself. I always have to know why things are the way they are, because everything I believe which is taught to us by an authoritive figure comes with an agenda. I've never used a math formula at the Macys or needed to break down photosynthesis in the vegetable section of Pathmark. I mean those were two easy ones but let's look a little bit deeper than that...

The English language is a very peculiar one, a very harmful tool. The fact that we as citizens of this country who now call ourselves "natives," look down upon or discriminate against people who come here and prefer to use their native tongue. I find that shit fascinating being that the United States of America has no official language. What's even more fascinating is that there are African countries whose official language is English, but we'll delve into that later. As a nation (yes all of us) we will unite as one to hate something or someone, and if you're offended by me including you as us then tell me what you're doing that is effective enough to end this hatred; and yes, I include myself. When civilizations were conquered, one of the weapons used to destroy a people was to strip them of their language and force your's upon them.

I may have lost some people (hopefully not) by calling English a weapon, let me elaborate. If you take 10 Black people from 10 different countries, there is a very great chance we all speak a different language. If you take 10 people from Hispanic decent, there is a great chance they'll be able to carry on a conversation. Now this is not to say that all people of Hispanic decent speak or understand Spanish, but there is a greater possibility they'll be able to. My family is from all over the Carib Islands and so are most of my friends. They all speak just about one language which is English or  sometimes a creole'd or patois version of it (except for those from Haiti who speak a Haitin Creole). Them coming to America and learning American English did not really effect their lives like people who've never spoken an English word in their life before they got here. The English language can shape and shift one's culture, because the way it translate other languages is in a manner to which makes no sense to someone who knows no other language except English. To translate a statement from Mandarin or French to English gives it a very literal meaning and no space for ambiguity, two of many contradictory factors the English language thrives on. Double-meanings and vagueness can be harmful to someone whose native tongue spoken to be clear and understood.

Let's explore how the English language views the speakers. When we learn our first words and how to spell them, we break down words into categories. The most simple version: noun, adjective, and verb. I would like to speak on nouns, because nouns are us. We the nouns of the world are usually cultured to care for ourselves and told it is human instinct to be selfish. Through various outlets and influences, we're taught to be selfish and think we are the most important person to ourselves. Now I just used we and ourselves although I meant you which translates to I because you are reading it to yourself. Nevermind the last word "yourself" because that also breaks to you and I. All of those words showed a double meaning except for I, because all of those words could include a group of people. We are a very long way from the days of community, and in fact with the oppressive English language comes a driving force which breaks down that notion of thinking a group of people is more important than you (you meaning I because you're reading it to yourself). We're taught to capitalize the letter "i" (I) when speaking about ourself. I am is not im it's I'm. I have is not i've it's I've. Even when we add a word to the letter, it is still capitalized. Rule of thumb is that we always capitalize the first let of the first word in a sentence. So words like we, they, them, us, you, him, her, etc... are all capitalized (first letter) when starting a sentence, but never again in a sentence. Why is that? Why are we emphasizing on ourselves by capitalizing the letter "i" when speaking about ourselves at all times, but not when we're speaking about us as a whole? Should those type of words which include and involve others be as important as I? People who come from other cultures who do not learn the English language usually come here because of the conditions they've lived in which are most of the time poor countries. They come from a village or town where everyone relies on one another to survive and now they're being taught a language which negates & oppresses any sense or thought of community, just worry about I. We, them, they, us, him, her are just filler words used in sentences to make them complete and bring some sort of awareness that you're not speaking about yourself. Well if you were speaking about yourself we'd all know by that single slither of a font in the alphabet which sticks out in every sentence we write about ourselves; how else would we remember to remember abour ourself? Peace Yall!

Kinfolk

I remember the first time I heard Nasty Nas rap "I never sleep, cuz sleep is the cousin of death." I didn't initially get it, but after hearing the song over and over I eventually got exactly what he was trying to communicate. At first I understood it as sleep being similar to death because of the peacefulness and how dormant one is at the time. Life lessons have taught me that sleeping or not paying attention to your surroundings, can lead to your untimely death. Lately, I've been up at the wee hours of the morning thinking, building, learning, contemplating every single thing I could think of and sometimes it's burdening. I don't mind the pressure, but I often over-think my way into and out of situations. It's a challenge for me to sometimes express my thoughts and I frequently find this journey as an exercise in futility. No matter how I word what I'm trying to proclaim, my way of thinking is quite misunderstood and against the norm. I'm fine with people really not understanding what I broadcast into the atmosphere, because in my eyes a lot of them are sleeping. I find it kind of ill that you and I can look at the same thing and have two completely different views about the situation. The problem occurs when popular opinions are being passed off as gospel, especially when they're influenced by those with an agenda. We're taught to be individuals when it's convenient, but as soon as your individuality rocks the boat you're discouraged from anything seperating you from the pact. I mean it's cool for people to gravitate towards one another because of similar interests, but no two people can think exactly alike on everything. The way we think should honestly have some influence from our emotions. Conditioning us to think with our brain (which are full of thoughts we've been taught to think) instead of our heart, administers a precedent in our lives from such a young age which teaches us to think ONE WAY. If we can only see things through one lense which happens to be the popular lense, we'll be forced to do thing ONE WAY until another lense's view is accepted. The world was flat. Now, the world is round. If they told us the world was square, who'd question it? When the people making up the laws are making up the rules on whether or not a law is lawful, the people are sleeping. Apply that knowledge to any scenario in life and enjoy, Peace!

Daniella mi amor...

5:33AM I'm wide the fuck awake looking at Law & Order and an infomercial comes on with this old White man trying to sell me a child in a poor foreign country; oh I'm sorry he wants me to sponsor one. So I'm half watching, half internet surfing and I look up to see a 9 year old girl named Daniella shedding a single tear while they describe her situation to the viewer. What did they tell this girl to make her cry on cue? Is she a child actor? How genuine was that tear and if 100% genuine, why are they exploiting/capitalizing off of this childs tears? Why not save the money they're using to pay employees to film such a commercial and just give the money to the village so that they create an opportunity for themselves? We used to teach people how to fish, now we feed them Filet-O-Fish sandwiches and guilt, I mean religion. Peace!

Wait, What?

There are so many things in life that make you go “hmm.” And many others that make you say “WTF?” But, this one right here? This shit right here? It clearly qualifies as a classic conundrum, and is one of those things that, unless you’ve been paying strict attention, just might slip in under the RADAR.

What I’m about to say isn’t really news, and I’m sure I’m not the first to realize it or mention it...but seeing as how it’s 2012, the Mayan calendar has predicted the impending end of the world as we know it and Obama has won his re-election bid...it might be relevant and high time for a reminder. So, on to the $64,000 question. In movies, why is there always a black president in the White House during some cataclysm or apocalyptic event? What’s with the black presidents in disaster movies? Given the times, is this a perfect storm of fuckery on an epic scale, or what?

Since life holds innumerable possibilities and experiences, this type of nonsense, when viewed from a purely statistical, probabilistic standpoint, should lead the logical thinkers among us to question the proliferation of these “coincidences.” In other words, the shit that happens in life is, more often than not, so random—in spite of your, or anyone’s, best laid plans and intentions—that when something like this continually pops up over and over again, those with more than a few functioning brain cells should surely, at the very least, raise an eyebrow at this tomfoolery. Of course, it’s also possible that we’ve become so inure to these mass media shenanigans that things like this don’t even register.

Now, coincidences will happen. But it doesn’t take an Einstein to know some real bullshit when you see it. It can be argued that the majority of mass media exists primarily for entertainment purposes. Even so-called “news” outlets (which are owned by major corporations, beholden to government for their existence and profit margins)—for all their size and reach, comprise but a small percentage of media as a whole. And, although their “duty” and primary focus is to “inform,” news programs are still produced in a way so as to make them marginally entertaining. So what are “they” trying to

tell us?

TV, especially, literally has the power to physically change your brain wave patterns, lulling you into a drool-inducing, zombie-like state—perfect for you to passively, unquestioningly absorb the rapid-fire stimuli of images and text—sensory overload further facilitated by the accompaniment of mood-altering music. Of course, this subject matter is far beyond the scope of this post—but true, nonetheless and easily verifiable. Why do you think they call it “programming?” Hmm... I will revisit this at a later date.

Passive entertainment strips you of your ability for critical thought—it’s certainly dimmed a fair degree, for sure.  Therefore, a tough economy (getting tougher all the time) and a mindset firmly routed in escapism will lead you to cheap entertainment. And so I give you: the movies—“we are here now, entrain us.” (No, that’s not a typo. Deep.) Now, I love the movies, and who doesn’t? But to watch a movie and be aware of all the allegory and symbolism, not miss the plethora of hidden meanings and numerous overt references, you must resist your willingness to suspend your disbelief.

On the surface, we can all watch a movie and be quite easily entertained by things blowing up every 5 minutes and bad guys eventually getting their due. I just wish they didn’t wreck so many eighty-thousand dollar cars. Hook me up, yo! CGI that shit next time. Sure, many movies are exactly what they appear to be, “bread and circuses.” But, more likely, the screenwriter/producer/director has something to say. And to say it, they often use a device know as “predictive programming.” Yeah, look that one up and get back to me. Now, once again, consider the question: “Why is there always a black president in the White House in disaster movies?” 

~Brought to you by my good friend... Daryl Hope

Supreme Clientele

So for the second time in 2 months I've heard the word "Black Supremecist" out of a Black person's mouth. In each situation, there was an attempt to slander a person or persons trying to bring awareness to Black self-awareness. Shit, they were bringing just any kind of awareness to the people it just so happened that in both situations the majority of the people in the room were Black. I have trouble with the term or label Black Supremecist for plenty of reasons. For one to be SUPREME they'd have to have a lot of influence on how a system is ran. When we think about something as simple as America, the dollar is supreme. In this industry of a country, any-&-everything/one has a price. A dollar bill can literally dictate how much of a criminal you can be and not go to jail or pay for your crimes, that's supreme. For one to link the words Black and Supremecist in the same sentence is fucking incongruous! We do not live in a society where anything influenced by Black peoples has enough influence to effect any system. White supremecy effects racism which is a system that keeps other races of people down; in the case of America, it keeps Blacks down in the dumps. The person in particular who was called a Black Supremecist is Dr. Phil Valentine. I'm in awe of this man's intelligence and awareness, his perspective on the smallest things in life have opened my mind & eyes in ways that make me feel I need to unlearn the previous 29 years of my life. His ideas do not preach hate or a system which corrupts others. His ideas are not trying to get one group of people to triumph and succeed at the expense of another people. I respect White Supremecy, because not only has it perpetuated a system (racism) that helped one group of people get ahead, it made another group of people reject any ideas of self-pride and them succeeding as a whole. Bra-vo White Supremecy, Bra-vo... Peace!

Cornball Brotha???

I like to think of myself as a regular guy when it comes to what interests me; sports, cars, sneakers, movies, and did I say sports? Well anyone who speaks to me on a daily basis (all both of yall) know I LOVE the show First Take on ESPN. What I specifically like about the show is when they discuss race and the role it plays in the sports world and/or media. Well yesterday (13th of December) sports writer Rob Parker brought a very interesting and very REAL topic. Rookie phenom Robert Griffin the  3rd has been quoted numerous times as not wanting to be the best Black quarterback in NFL history, but the best quarterback to ever play. When initially hearing that statement I was pleased because this kid is a great QB and his skills are remarkable. He throws very accurately, which shatters any and every stereotype about Black QBs not being able to throw. He can stay in the pocket and take off and sprint 50yds at the drop of a dime, very Black QB-ish, but hey we've seen some White QBs get busy like that as well recently (see Johnny Football). Now let me get back to the statement of him wanting to be the best QB not the best Black QB... When the young Sir made the statement, nobody asked him about or brought up race. Maybe he was responding to critics he's heard via different media outlets, but that particular issue was not brought up at that particular moment. Then he made the statement again. Then there was a third statement; I guess third time's a charm because then I started to really notice something. Why is he so quick to dismiss being a great Black QB. Like sports writer Rob Parker brought up, we now have to re-evaluate this young Sir. See when Blacks in this country denounce anything linking them to being Black (try convincing a Black person they're African they'll go bonkers, but ask a White person where they're from and they'll name a European country and MAYBE add 'American' at the end), I see an issue that needs to be dealt with. We have to look at his whole body of work, his whole resume. Is he the Cornball Brotha? I mean he seems like a square his fiancee is White (no beef in that one of my best friend's fiancee is White ~wait, that sounds like something a racist would say~) and I wonder if he's ever considered a Black woman, and he grew up in a very racist Texas. Too often do we see Blacks in America put in a position where they're successful and public figures and have no problem removing themselves from any situation where they'll be forced to be "too Black" for Americans. It's not just sports, we even see it in music culture, tinsel town, and even the business world. Black people in America are not afforded the opportunity to denounce being Black, we're too far behind the power curve as a whole. I'm not saying do some charity work and date a Black woman, but at least keep your options open. We do not have strong representation of Black couples/families in this country, well not too many positive ones. The ones they ADVERTISE to us want nothing to do with the Black community and that sends out a very wicked message. RG3 doesn't seem like a guy I'd shoot the shit with honestly, nor does he come across as a brother who would care to with a brother like myself. That may come off a little ignorant being that I do not know the man personally, but I question his intentions with denouncing the label of Black ANYTHING in an unprovoked situation. Rob Parker represents the culture of Black sports fandom which askes questions like the ones he asked yesterday, "is RG3 a cornball brotha?" Whether you agree or not of whether it should be asked means nothing because it's a very real question. Show me a Black athlete with a Black wife who is marketed to the masses AND accepted by the Black community, because they generally care about the welfare of Black people in America and I have a bridge for sale made of unicorn horns... RG3 is NOT the first cornball brotha and he wont be the last, he's just the one putting himself in that #1 cornball spot. Peace!

Preacher

As I write this blog, Saigon's "Preacher" is blasting into my headphones. I love this track and what it represents, but that is not exactly what I'm going to get into. I often rag on the church and how the leadership fails the people, it's followers. What I do forget to do is sometimes check that almighty mirror. I wholeheartedly believe 100% of the stuff I say is right, but I don't always act on it. Bad habits, insecurities, fear are a few of many of the factors which lead me to hypocrisy. I myself need to take steps towards being a better Man, Husband, Father, Son, Brother, Uncle, Cousin, Friend, Citizen, Student, & Teacher. That's a lot on my plate, but I would hope everyone in similar positions recognize those roles define who we are. I'm not too heavy on dogmatic beliefs and religion, but I know that I have to live right simply because anything otherwise would be selfish and foul. So I challenge everyone who talks that hot shit (like I do), to reflect on your past week, month, year, decade, etc and decide whether or not they've been progressively getting better at being themself or just thinking they have and need to try harder. Some may think I'm very judgemental ( I am sometimes, I'm human), but I know when to fall back and shut up because we don't always know the whole story. This piece was not an effort to blast anyone or anything in particular. I just felt like I needed to work on some things personally and was hoping someone out there could relate. Always be the best you and if you know better, Practice what you Preach. Peace!

Fin

SO the end of the world is like mad fucking close right? Should I stop paying bills? Are you religious people getting ready for the bumbaclot end and Jesus to come get ya or are you proceeding with your life as if nothing is happening? I think that the faith people have in their beliefs (not just religious) are quite weak. Most of the time there isn't even any logic behind them. Not gonna speak on religion, faith, and beliefs too much, I just wanted to point some things out. So back to armageddon popping the fuc off, I wonder how many people will loot? What is it about the end of days or any disaster that sparks the thought behind fucking savages to steal flatscreen TVs? Like who is the genius sitting on their couch like "you know what I need before I perish from this Earth and all existance, a new fucking television. Possibly 60 inches if I can carry it back home."<<<WHY? If it's a wrap, I'm not thinking about watching my beloved New York Knickerbockers on a big screen television I'm probably thinking about my wife and child at the moment, and how I can preserve their lives as long as possible even if it costs me my own. I'm most definitely not thinking about running up in Best Buy to grad that new Wii U just in case there is a hell and the ride might be long, so I'm gonna need a way to entertain myself on the travels to the underworld. Whenevershit is about to go down or is going down, you damn human beings always prove me right. Let there be a fucking hurricane *cough*SANDY*cough* to hit a city *cough*NewYork*cough* where lives are being lost and homes being demolished and people will rob, steal, and kill in the worst hit places instead of coming together; if you think I am bullshitting because you did not see it in the media, ask someone who lives in Far Rockaway, Queens. So this is what I expect to happen if the world decides to rid itself of you pesky mammals: First off every sneaker store is a wrap! I don't know what it is about you people, but yall love to get fresh no matter the circumstance. Even at a funeral (your own) you wanna get put in the dirt in expensive clothing, why? You're already a wrap duke, why waste some fresh Louis Vuitton linen? So yeah all the clothing stores you can add up in there, but top 5 dead or alive fucking Jordans and Foamposites are gonna be finished because I can see people waiting in line to loot those overnight. Second, as I previously stated big screen TVs are going to be a hit. How else would Americans know who will be the last American Idol, win the game, hit the last lotto, the weather in Heaven or Hell, etc... I am forced to believe that is what they're thinking when shoplifting TVs in the face of DEATH. I'm longwinded with my fingers so I'll give you my last prediction, murder. Nevermind we're ALL about to die, some people will not be satisfied unless they are the reason another person is dead although they too will be dead soon after. I don't get it with you violent ass people. We're all gonna be a fucking wrapito and some bastard is going to be out there killing people just because he/she (probably he) can. I refuse to believe these 3 predictions I gave you (please believe I have PLENTY more) are not gospel. So strap up with the gats, get some water and canned goods, and do some pushups/situps to get in as much shape as you can so you're not a vic(tim) outchea! Peace!

Before You Self Destruct

I'm not one to speak on relationships as if I'm some sort of expert, but if you feel like you need to kill your companion then maybe you should just walk away. I mean when it comes to violence I'm not a fan unless you're defending yourself, but to cause so much harm to someone that they cease to exist is selfish and ignorant. Not ignorant in a sense where people like to misuse the word, ignorant in it's true meaning because obviously you're unaware of the victim's plans in life. Maybe you are aware and don't give a flying fuck, but you're definitely ignorant as to how such a heinous act will effect/affect the world. So we got this knucklehead of a fooseball player on the Kansas City Chiefs who killed the mother of his child (newborn 3 months old) in front of her mother, then decides to drive to the fooseball stadium and kill himself in front of the coach and other team authorities. Why didn't this coward just kill himself? I mean I won't elaborate on the obvious because I would LOVE to assume we all agree on how we feel about the situation that occured. I want to go a step further and discuss the fucking ignorance of Americans. A very public figure gave some insight on the matter and proclaimed the reason why the young woman is no longer alive is because of guns. Guns being easily accessible and legal are the impetus behind this woman no longer being alive and a child no longer having parents. The backlash from such a statement from team Red, White, & Blue with their right to bear arms was out of this world. I mean of course the memes started and the sensitivity from these gun-toting savages was at an all-time high. My immediate thoughts were "well if guns weren't so easily accessible she probably would've been attacked by this coward anyway, but she'd probably be alive." Then it became an issue about people's freedom's and blah blah blah and AGAIN the issue at hand was ignored. A woman was  killed by a man in a domestic dispute and nobody fucking cares. What is it about this world we live in that the fucking people who birth people are second class citizens? Why are we not protective of Our women on this Earth? I'm seeing football players crying on the field the day of the game after the murder-suicide and they're defending the SHOOTER? The fucking imbecile who ruined families for generations to come is somewhere in someone's dogmatic afterlife of a place getting well-wishes from his athletic comrades to rest in peace. This woman is dead. A Woman is DEAD and nobody cares... Why? A woman is dead... Did I mention another woman is dead due to domestic violence? Dead as in no coming back from that dead. When we valued women our society was a whole lot better. I doubt I will see those days, but I hope my daughter will. Peace yall. No really, Peace...

My fellow New Yorkers

Somebody is not gonna like this blog, eff'em. Listen this Emperor Bloomy has been running this city like a business for now what is his third term, which he bought. I don't wanna hear shit about the rent being too high, it's NYC! What the fuck you thought was going to happen when you re-elected a businessman of a mayor? He's on his oops-pow-surprise with freestyling new ways to create revenue and nobody opposed it. Do you know how many restaurants are in NYC? Now after you Google that, think about how much money this city can make from the grading system which checks out there restaurants and hands out hefty fines left and right. Now we got buses equipped with cameras that take pictures of the license plates of drivers illegally parked at bus stops! I'm not mad, that shit is illegal; why the hell are you parking at a bus stop anyway? In this capitalist society we live in with greedy bastards ranging from the title of politician to average citizen, why the hell wouldn't I turn New York City (the greatest metropolis this side of the Earth) into a cash-cow? You're bugging if you think New York City is too expensive. It's actually quite affordable for the people who can afford it. This perspective of mine is ME coming to an understanding and acknowledging that the citizens of this city are to blame for the condition it is in. Wouldn't be any gentrification if we took pride in our neighborhoods and made it into prime real estate without a greedy businessman seeing the potential first. THAT'S why your rent is high. More cars than parking spots in this city, THAT'S why fines for drivers are ridiculous; half of you don't need to be on the damn road anyway! Can't afford a train ride? Why the fuck did you let the MTA get away with murder in the first place? Nobody cares until it's too late... Go fucking sleep in the park and cry me a river. Peace!

Young Man's Game

The one and only Jay-Z is celebrating another year on this Earth brainwashing the youth via attractive rap lyrics. I'm sure plenty of his peers were not as fortunate to live as long or as well as he has, but my question is exactly how old is this mufugga? I mean since he's a Black man his face doesn't automatically show his age, but we know he's been alive over 4 decades. Is it like 41 years or 49 years? I find it quite peculiar that only in hip hop (probably the youngest established genre of music) is one's age and experience NOT a badge of honor. Why is this a young mans game? It's not like sports where the younger cats are bigger, stronger, faster (with the rhymes) and shit... All of the better lyricists are well into their 30s and 40s and have so much to offer with their knowledge via their trials and tribulations. Hip hop fans are so quick to dismiss a rapper because we feel he/she is too old to talk about everyday life, but 18yr olds fresh out of living in the room they grew up in have the ears of millions of hip hop "fans" because...? No I was asking, because I have no fucking idea. Damn hip hop, that way of thinking personifies how Black/Brown urban youth think; no respect for the elders who can guide us. All the other genre's of music call their pioneers LEGENDS. Kiss, Springsteen, Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, all these rock legends can sell out national tours, yet when acts like Public Enemy do shows in their native NYC, there is little to no advertisement. Damn you swaggots... Peace!

Just wow...

Damn so now law enforcement has unmanned drones? You've got to be kidding me. Protect and serve whose interests and well-being? Everytime I try to see the good in what local law enforcement does being that they are needed, they choose to show me/us that their real agenda is to violate citizens. No matter how many good cops are out there with genuinely benevolent intentions, their whole existance is to basically keep us in line and scared. They harass us, they unlawfully imprison us, they've raped our women, shot our children, and haven't answered for any of their actions and NOW THIS?!?!?!? Officer Overseer... Peace (one day)!

Uggins, Niggas, & Niggers

Tried to stay away from this subject here, but I think people are a bit confused when I use such vile language. I honestly try to keep that word out of my vocabulary, but this self-hate I was taught mixed with a little bit of knowledge of who exactly I am fuels this bullshit I participate in. In no way, shape, or form are my intentions to display a self-hatred or hatred of others when spewing such venom. My intentions are solely to insult one or to make a situation relatable to someone who considers themself one of or all of the above terms. One elder once said to me "nigger or nigga all comes from the same vocal chords, which makes them the same exact word." Tis' true, but try convincing Waka Flocka Flame or Jay-Z that their term of endearment is actually them insulting one another. I struggle with such concepts being that the populace feels this term is either a term of endearment or is associated with Black people in either a positive or negative way. See when I use the word amongst my friends, it's usually just a word I use to get their attention or a substitute for their name. I like to think that it is of the "a" and not "er" variety, but hey like that wise elder told me it all registers the same vocally (via vocal chords). I OFTEN use the "er" brand of the word to describe an imbecile, savage, ingrate, untamed being whom walks the Earth oblivious to their outrageous actions and does so with a sense of pride, arrogance even. That term is not reserved for a particular race and I find it hilarious when I spit that hot 16 at a Non-Black person. It flips their whole world upside-down in a manner where a rebuttal is literally impotent. That's my shit right there, that flustered look on a person when being insulted in a manner they cannot understand. Not to say that the word nigger is a whale of a word to understand, the concept that a nigger being someone OTHER than a Black person is just too incredible for them to fathom. I know this tone seems very boastful... Well because it is! Me using THAT word in such a manner which dispels any bullshit stereotype of Black people being the solamente niggers is a win in my little Black book. Yes Black people can be niggers, but it has absolutely nothing with them being Black. Oh yeah and uggin is just nigga pronounced backwards; check out your favorite 1990s hip hop records radio friendly version (shouts to Dupree). Those are my ingredients to my organized confusion of logic, which runs through my mind daily; thought I'd share a lil' bit. Peace!

Rappers: The Griots of my generation

For those who are unfamiliar with the term griot just go look it the fuck up, then come back to this blog. For those who are well aware, I'll proceed to give you what you need in the place to be. Whether we like it or not, Hip Hop music has become the voice of the urban community since it's creation in the late 70's early 80's. Fast-forward to the year 2012 and Hip Hop artists are quite possibly the most successful independent artists to ever grace the music arena. They've turned a culture into a profit, but at what costs? I can remember watching Video Music Box on my grandmother's living room floor while singing along to KRS-One's "You Must Learn" before I could fully understand what exactly he was rapping about. Although my age has given me the opportunity to witness the progression and transformation of Hip Hop music, it has also spoiled me. I got to enjoy the feel good music of Kid N' Play and Kriss Kross, as well as the Native Tongues movement, all the way to NWA all within a 1 or 2 year span. That is a whole lot of mixed messages for me as a youth, but I ultimately deciphered it all with the help of some responsible/irresponsible adults and elder cousins who lead by example whether they were positive or negative. These rappers or griots were the mouthpieces or storytellers of a silenced generation, who had no guidance being that the drug epidemic in America (fake ass war on drugs) took away all of the seniority our neighborhoods and communities had to offer. Jail, disease, murder, and death were all offspring to this violent drug situation which forced my generation to grow up lost, aggressive, and simply confused. Someone saw this tactic as profitable and now we're stuck with a people who draw inspiration from a genre of music which is dead set on destroying the very people who gave it life. The music used to emulate the happenings of the community, now the community is a direct reflection of the music. When the musicians have motives which don't necessarily promote positivity, then we have a fucking problem.Well, I guess we have a fucking problem... I guess I'll wait for another genre of music to come along to get excited again, Peace!

Time and time again...

I don't like shit like "colored people time." I understand that there is a structure within this (slave) system we operate in which constricts time. We're never alloted enough time to do some shit which 99 out of 100 times NOT saving lives or changing the world; why are you working 60 hours a week crunching numbers for a firm that could crumble and nobody would die. I mean what's the big deal with getting to work on time? Fuck a 9-5, is the job getting done? Can't it wait til later? Can't I just do this at home? I'm sorry but I LOVE to study origins of shit and something like 'time' has always sparked my interest. Now ancient cultures (yanno the ones who created the concept of time) viewed time as neverending. I know that's some mindboggling shit being that we have like 2weeks left on this Earth if you ask the Mayans (who also felt like time never really ends). In fact, the Mayan calender isn't the same one we use now; the world ended almost 6-7 months ago counting leap years the Mayans had no idea about... Anyway! This concept of time we haved adopted as a race of humans is one of the shark-biting ass Europeans. How you acting like the originator and you a pump faker? How we just gonna accept this bullshit concept? Daylight savings, leap years, 28 days in a month? Cmon son... This all trickles down into our daily lives and we have people exhausting themselves to meet dumb ass fucking deadlines just because someone said so. Listen bro those TPS reports will get done, ha! Enjoy your life and time on this Earth because honestly NOBODY knows when this world will end, let alone your own personal world. Wristwatch or shackle? Anyway, check your ingredients. Peace!

Has the youth gone mad...

Monday evening, rush hour, and I'm headed home from work. Hat, scarf, gloves, Soul Tape II on deck. Shortly after crossing the Manhattan bridge, 6 youngsters/hipsters/teenie boppers/hooligan types enter the train and commence to bringing a halt to the common, semi-silent bond shared amongst those—or should I say, we—straphangers who are simply attempting to make our way home from our overworked, underpaid day spent slaving for the "man," to our children and loved ones or solitude.

And as I stand by the door, expending great effort to camouflage myself against the cold, unforgiving steel—my only salvation for the next 15 minutes—I'm forced to endure the naked insolence characterized by obnoxious laughter and out-of-tune choruses to outdated songs bellowed at decibels far too loudly for the confines of this train car. These little...tyrants, presently "disturbing the peace" with their high-pitched cackles are wholly ignorant; oblivious to those around them in the midst of this commute—my commute—the one meant to bring me home to my loved one...and anti-bacterial hand soap. Their acute awareness of their own presence illicits various stares, snickers, and whispers, from those opting out of administering reprimand...myself included. I always find these unwarranted intrusions greatly annoying, especially the ones that dance and hang off the poles "like the monkeys we are said to be." But those interruptions are only momentary, fleeting, and before the migraine has opportunity to take root, they're done and off to annoy the denizens of the next train car.

This botheration brought by this group of delinquents, however, feels more like punishment. For finishing my work on time; for being able to leave the plantation at a reasonably human hour, in order to trudge along with a like crowd of strangers who are similarly at the mercy of mass transits' sketchy hiring policies. Daydreaming interrupted, I hear... "Ooh, a seat!" from one of the xy carriers, as he races to sit down, chivalry aside, casting no regard to any of the 4—ahem, females—in his entourage.
I just smh...

Unfortunately, this seat happens to be right next to me, and the door separating me from freedom, and now becomes the radius to the circle of uncultivated swine that's slowly closing in on me, as they gyrate and gesticulate in the face of someone's grandmother.

2 more stops...

The tasteless profanity and banal inside jokes slowly begin to dissipate as, one by one, the group begins to disperse during this seemingly neverending commute—my commute. I unconsciously draw closer and closer to the sliding, steel barricades standing in the way of me and the staircase that will thankfully replace my reflection in this glass. I ask myself "Were my friends and I like this?? At this age??" I feel sure enough to say "fuck no." I know, personally, I used to think that every "grown up" on the train was my mom's BFF and if they went back to her with news that I was carrying on with one iota of the trashy manner in which these pupils were, shit would get REAL when I got home!! N that fear was enough to keep me on the straight and narrow, especially in the streets. But clearly times have changed and basic mannerisms, such as chivalry, common sense and respect for oneself and your elders have ceased to exist—and in its place, we have...this.

Next stop, my stop

The moment I've longed for from the instant I left work and strode into the bowels of the concrete jungle that birthed me, is now upon me. Sketchy, abrupt halt as the doors open considerably quickly, and out and up the stairs I bolt, boo thang within grasp on the other side...and I reach...and we smooch...and he begins to say something I'm unable to register. He reaches towards me and I recede just a bit, confused as he takes out, my headphones...

The Young Black Youth...

I've been on this Earth for 30 years and have seen different phases of the Young Black Youth in America with my own two eyes. I mean We love to celebrate the "80s babies" because we think our childhood was so cool. I have to admit, a lot of things I've gotten to experience in life is due to the decade I was born in, but not all of it is celebratory. One perfect example is the fact that I have maybe 3 childhood friends who grew up with 2 parents. Now I'mnot of a generation where all the fathers went off and died in a war, these uggins just left. Not always to another borough, city, state, or country but they definitely were absent physically and emotionally. I mean that affect/effect has motivated different people in different ways, but I ultimately see it as a negative outcome. As much as my peers would love to think this aspect of our life has made us stronger, we've weakened every generation after ours. We never took the time to check on our siblings or little cousins after us to make sure they were okay, like how those 70s babies were looked after by their predecessors. All we did was introduce them to our way of life and didn't give them the manuel. That kind of stuff became habitual because that generation too was as fatherless as ours, but they had a bigger stronger machine out there in society trying to destroy them. That type of behavior became as frequent as tying your shoe. Now we got this generation of Young Black Youth here who We view as lost and ridicule for their identity (such as style of dress), yet We are the reason they are who they are. Everything that I am I can trace back to the generation before mine and even the generation before them. Next time you're calling the current music of the day stupid or anything that defines this generation as lesser than yours, remember that You and I are to blame. Check your ingredients, Peace!

Thanksgiving Slaughter-bration

Yeah well I know Thanksgiving Day was last week but I figured nobody would be doing much internet surfing unless it was for Black Friday deals so I held on to this one until that 9-5 came calling yall names... So Indian saved the Pilgrim and the Pilgrim killed him, hmph! Yeah we all know the deal with the Pilgrims (crossing my fingers that the people who read this blog daily actually DO know the deal) and I get that that MAY not be what you're celebrating exactly. Check this out, if I smoke yo' God damn cousin in front of you uggin (Menace II Society reference) and celebrated that day annually AND passed down that tradition of celebrating that day to my kinfolk who will carry that tradition, how would you feel? I mean it might not be AS bad being that me smoking your cousin didn't lead to the demise of your whole entire family tree which still isn't as bad as a whole entire RACE of people pretty much wiped off the map. Me being Black and living in a White supremecist societ I'm always reminded that I should just "get-over" or forget about slavery, but what about the Natives? What about the people indigenous to this soil? Are they just supposed to forget about 1492 and every day after that? Are they supposed to revel over flicks showing Cowboys killing "Indians?" I mean their people have been used as mascots for professional teams and the National Football League has the audacity to create a "rivalry" which perpetuates this Cowboys and "Indians" beef with the Dallas Cowboys being archrivals to the Washington REDSKINS (which is like saying NIGGER if you ask me). Their culture has been mocked and ridiculed as if their belief system is fairytale, yet they are one of the few cultures we learn so little about that respects the areas and lands they dwell. Imagine that, a people who respect the Earth taken off of the Earth so We can destroy the Earth with values which offset theirs. Now imagine celebrating that massacre "innocently" every 4th Thursday in November. How do you think those people who are kin to those victims feel? I bet if 9/11 was a holiday in Gaza you'd have a fit... Check your ingredients and pass that leftover turkey, Peace!

We The Sheeple...

Seems like every-fucking-time the people in charge of this society need to hide something from the sheeple they control, it's in plain sight. Now I can give you plenty examples, but unless you go about this big round planet with an open mind you'll reject everything I tell you. I'm definitely not trying to come across as this all-knowing being of flesh who drops nothing but jewels when I open my mouth (although I secretly do think that sometimes). NO, I'm just a person who can look at everything I've ever been told and broke down the storyteller's intentions with their version of the story. Who would gain if I accept that perspective as the truth? Words like conspiracy theory/theorists are just excuses for one not wanting to actually investigate and/or research on their own an objective thought to a widely accepted aspect. I definitely understand it is much easier to fancy lies and half-truths as gospel, but I ask that you question what persons or agenda(s) will acquire an advantage if get down instead of standing up and walking away. As always, check your ingredients, Peace!

Friends, Enemies, Homosapiens...Lend me your ears!!

In the wake of a failure to communicate lies a lack of willingness to acknowledge and accept. Often ignored are the crucial factors that contribute to the revelation and separation of what was, from what is, and what will be. The difference between what one WANTS and what one NEEDS is no different.  The process by which one becomes aware of that fine line is the first step down the path, allowing all that was written to come to pass. Accomplishing said task is far from a simple feat, however, with the right amount of attention to detail the means by which to distinguish become clear.

This separation should exist in the aspects of one's life that weigh the heaviest or determine the most. In relationships, por ejemplo, you have the basic...give/take, sacrifice/compromise. But the defining characteristic behind making these adjustments is your reasoning.  Is it to acquire what you want or what you need?? The difference... For some, it is as simple as deciding between what you can and can't live without. Exhibit A: "I can live with someone who doesn't have a car, but not with someone who doesn't have an education." Exhibit B: "I can spend my life with someone who can't cook, but not with someone who doesn't have manners." Exhibit C: "I can be with someone who's not D.D.G. (drop dead gorgeous) as long as they treat me right." What you NEED should supercede what you want (consider it a matter of life and death), and what you WANT will come to pass so much easier once your needs are met.

But even these simple examples, must be fine tuned over time.  What you want/need from a relationship when you're 20, should not be exactly the same when you're 30.  Via trial and error (I believe most call it "dating"), by 30 you should know what's working from what's not. What's healthy for you and what's not. Who's doing it for you and who's not, literally. Don't just live in "the weeds," letting life pass you by, racking up partners with nothing to show for it. Pay attention to the failures, fights, the arguing and the break ups, and find something to learn from them because there's a lesson in everything. Sift through the superficial, outer layers of B.S. and get to the heart of the matter, even if you come out realizing you're the one at fault. Take that realization and apply it, to life, work, relationships, whatever it is that means something to you.

And then keep it real...

Ladies, if you know you're a bitch, don't say you NEED a good guy, 'cuz we all know how that's gonna end. With you walking all over him and then getting bored. What you NEED is a man who likes bitches. They're out there!!

Fellas, if you know you're a dick at times, don't say you NEED a good girl/Christian woman. 'Cuz the ending to that...we've all seen on Snapped. What you NEED is girl who's attracted to assholes. They exist, I swear!

More to come....

Role Models

Imagine a whole generation of children without an abundance of positive males to look to for guidance in a societal structure built to destroy them; welcome to the fatherless 80s. This is a setting some of (y)our favorite rappers love to glorify and would love to see again, but the only problem is that it wasn't thriving. Well it wasn't thriving for folks like myself anyway. I walked to school stepping over crack viles just like any other kid born in the late 70s/early 80s, but it affected/effected us all the same yet differently. That outcome was all determined by our surroundings and influences... I hate to give those two variables all the credit, because add a little bit of common sense and accountability and you'll see two people come out of that situation completely different. No matter the neighborhood we all grew up in America and for the most part being that we are a product of the 80s, we've all been groomed to predominantly like the same things. A lack of a perspective which differs from the agenda which is forced on us leads us having the same tastes, for a great deal of reasons. One of those reasons is because we want to belong; what we want to belong to, who knows? We all develop these "common" interests influenced by outside influences which we have no control over and oops pow surprise, we fucking celebrate those who achieve the highest level of success in those interests we possibly do not have any genuine interests in... How crazy is that? This poison has been going on since floor model televisions all the way to mp3s and flatscreens. Decades of marketing to the masses as to what/whom we prioritize... We love shit that we love because we have been groomed to love that shit, and those who love it the MOST are the people we look up to. Damn... Check your ingredients and make sure you pour your own poison, Peace!

Reality Television

Remember when The Real World was basically the only form of reality television besides game shows? I mean my introduction to reality T.V. was shit like Double Dare on Nickelodeon, but who knew we'd spin that whole concept into a genre of television which has become the norm. It's gotten to the point where reality T.V. is miseducating the masses about a person or group of people. Stereotypes are either being built or reinforced and unfortunately a whole lot of naive and/or dumb people have access to remote controls and cable T.V. without the proper guidance or aren't fortunate enough to encounter multiples walks of life in this country. It's easy to squash said stereotypes by just meeting different types of people, but when you're born and raised in Mooseknuckle, Omaha and your introduction to Black Americans is Basketball Wives or Love & Hip Hop, that doesn't necessarily help you with judging people. I mean we all judge so peace out with that righteous bullshit, but to do so ignorantly is beyond me. Reality T.V. has turned into a tool for the closeted to make assumptions about flocks of folks whom they'll probably never meet in their lifetime; what happened to the entertainment? When I see shows like Saturday Night Live misrepresenting the citizens of say like a New Jersey, their go-to impersonations shouldn't be of a Jersey Shore reject. Although a lot of truth is said in jest, in this case the truth may be representing someone's own prejudices and assumptions. We went from green slime oozing out of huge ( faux Jewish) noses to grown women beating the living shit out of one another in front of cameras, why? Oh I know why; because fuck you that's why. You're gonna watch it anyway... Can't complain about these type of shows if you indulge. Check your ingredients before you find yourself on a television show embarassing your family for flashing lights and a couple of bucks. Peace!

Fast Food

Everyone loves to save time. I myself will spend extra money without hesitation to avoid layovers just so I'll reach my destination quicker so I wont have to wait. One thing I just cant/wont compromise when it comes to time is nutrition. An O.G. once taught me 'all money aint't good money' so I always find ways to apply that to everyday situations. One of those bad money things is fast food. I mean damn when you're caught up in the hustle and swing of things like a say NYC, you're always pressed for time. Finger foods or anything we can eat while NOT having to stop moving are always ideals because we live by this mantra of "the city never sleeps," and it ultimately effects/affects our diet. We are what we eat, literally. In 2012 when information is readily available and even unreliable sources like Wikipedia have some truth to them, I can't rock with someone just telling me "I didn't/dont know." That shit is absurd and we all know that fucking fast food is 100% here to harm us. I see time like others usually don't with my newfound respect to other cultures, so I find it hard to shove a fucking lab-made burger into my mouth because I am late for anything. So people please seriously, check your ingredients... Peace!

Thou Shalt Not...

As a youth I always felt like (modern) religion was quite bogus. For those of you who are still reading, let me explain. I never understood the concept of Heaven, Hell, and sin. If God loves everyone no matter what, why would he even consider sending us to Hell if the reason we sin is because he made us sinners? I've gotten the same rhetoric regarding that question, but none of the responses really answered my question. As I grew older and wiser I encountered other faiths and some were similar to what I grew up experiencing. Those encounters, whether through actual people and conversations or reading up on them, have shaped my entire perspective as to what the purpose of religion is and was. Many of them agree with my theory of religion being a very corruptive thing due to mankind, but they also believe it is because mankind corrupted it and not created it. Well then who created religion, someone's God? Since ancient civilizations human beings have needed a reason to explain the things they couldn't; usually these explainations were of some kind of divine happenings. Some of the early religions were (in my opinion) very genuine. Although sometimes there were alterior motives, there was a high level of spirituality present which was to promote prosperity for everyone and everything. Oneness with the Earth for example was highly promoted, which saw us human beings as part of the ecosystem which needed to thrive for us to live. That is the very opposite of this concept of believing every plant, animal, and fish is here to serve us. Another example was the belief in Goddesses. The value of women in modern religion has decreased and they're usually in a subservant role, no matter how they slice that McRib out of Adam. I mean those are two broad examples, but they aren't exclusive to just one religion. Those are actually some of the stepping stones to a lot of modern religions, mixed in with a little bit of prejudice and hate of course. Then we have good ol' sin. Sin sin sin sin mothereffing sin. I try to explain my perspective on sin and how they're just boundaries and crutches for people, but they often get offended. Before the Ten Commandments people knew not to kill eachother, no matter how many people went to war or just murdered others. In fact the church itself has been and is responsible for the slaughter for people daily. A couple of quick history lessons teach us that, so when we delve into religion and it's purpose and mix in a little bit of sin in there, we have to actually examine with a clear objective mind and determine what is their agenda? What has the church done with this weapon of mass destruction religion? In fact dont even worry about it, just go hang out in The Vatican. Oh wait, can you hang out in The Vatican? Nevermind, thou shalt no question thy hidden agendas. Check Your Ingredients before you overdose on someone's God, Peace!

Info Wars

The 2012 Election has turned the most novice mf'er in regards to knowledge of politics and policies, into CNN analysts. I find it cool though because it makes the people somewhat aware of what is going on. My only beef is when an opinion which is based on factual information is not a popular one, that opinion is often ridiculed by those ignorant to the information that opinion is based off of. Simply put how the hell can someone tell you what you're saying is wrong, if they dont even understand what you're saying??? Often I say things to people and my perspective is misunderstood and dismissed. I try to explain my opinion in the simplest form possible, but I often end up saying my favorite quote "I dont understand what you dont understand about what I said." It may sound arrogant, but anyone who knows me must know I seriously dont give a fuck. If the information I am basing my perspective on is wrong, I have no problem saying so. Noone is too big to admit when they are wrong, so stop-it-5. The worst shit is when debating/arguing with imbeciles whose view(s) are solely based off of opinion and emotion. Listen I get it you like ________ because they're a nice guy and all, but what about all these fucked up things they've been doing for the past decade bro? Information is everywhere and the sooner people are ready to look past the bullshit facade and flashing lights they are presented with on a daily basis which is soooooooo attractive, the sooner an objective opinion or perspective will be respected or a common one. I'm one that believes NOTHING trumps facts, and that's a fact. Check your ingredients yall, Peace!

Cuz I'm Black Yall

I will NOT lie, I do have a special place in my heart for sports. Like the average fan, they help me escape the reality or "reality" we live in, which can sometimes be too heavy of a burden. In fact, I even watch shows about sports on television stations like ESPN. My favorite of them all is First Take which airs Monday through Friday, I never miss an episode (ask my wife about our DVR memory). One of the sports analysts on the show is probably the most articulate people on the boob tube today, Stephen A. Smith. Not only do I admire this man's mind, I am proud he is also a native New Yorker. Besides us sharing a foundation like NYC, he's also Black. I can't even lie, I watch this man speak and sometimes have to pause the show to look up a word he just uttered; I have no shame in that, it's great to look up word you don't know nah mean? Anyway, one day it fucking hits me: WHY can't a man so educated and with such great influence be this passionate about the struggle of Black people? Then I started thinking about all of the Black coaches in sports who don't get a fair shot to become head coaches, yet have the gift of motivating grown ass men to put in work in regards to sports. How come these great leaders of men (and women) aren't out here motivating the people who REALLY need motivation? Why is their talent being wasted on grown ass men and women to play a child's game and get paid LITERALLY millions of dollars to do so? I mean like I said I love love LOVE sports, but would be fine if they were all to go away. Life goes on, sports aren't that important. Yes they can be a ticket out of living in poverty, but what the hell does that have to do with the welfare of an entire race of people? Too many times we can look back in history and see a talent wasted due to an impetus which serves absolutely no positive purpose when looking at the effect that talent could've had on the welfare of Black people. Imagine someone as influential as Herm Edwards (for my NFL heads) leading a neighborhood of poor Black people to the community board meeting to demand answers for the unfair treatment of the residents by police officers, dope right? Imagine someone as business savvy as Magic Johnson as the CEO of an all-Black business whose sole purpose is to uplift the community. I wont sit here and patronize you readers with more examples I think you get my point, right? Right? Riiiiiiiight... Stay classy, Peace!

When I Die, My Seed Will Be Ill As Me...

As a child are were sold the dream of wife-kids-house-dog, but the older I get the more I run into people who want none of those things. They'd rather go through life being productive citizens with no moral or emotional (or legal) responsibilities to the welfare of another human being. That is totally fine, being that we live on a very very very very very very very very overpopulated planet by the name of Earth. I have absolutely no gripe with those who choose to NOT reproduce or marry, that is their choice. My beef is with those who bring offspring into this world and see no faults with the reasons why you do so, or the practices you use to raise that child or children. I am a new parent myself and I'd be lying if I said my spouse and I weren't freestyling sometimes when it came to the methods we use raising our daughter. We're smart and responsible enough to know which things worked and didn't work on us so we move accordingly when it's time to put our parenting skills to the test. I won't get too specific, but I will speak on something I have noticed in the last several years of my life. The way we on this side of the Earth teach our children responsibility is in layman's terms fucking ridiculous. In fact our children do not often learn the burden of responsibility until the age of 18 years old when they graduate high school and are now given these new freedoms and rights. It is assumed that the average 18 year old will be disciplined or just plain ol' smart enough to handle being an adult. I find that shit absurd and here's why... Let's think about the what the average person goes through as a small child up until an 18 year old. A child and child I mean like a baby has no concerns besides their own self-preservation. We have to teach them to share and care for others. We teach them to love Mommy and Daddy, because Mommy and Daddy loves them. Maybe they don't wanna love their parents, why not let them decide? I'm not advocating tough-love for small children, but I am trying to look at this stage of human life objectively. Their concern with their own well-being doesn't necessarily come from a space which wants them to succeed or accomplish anything they desire while putting another person or human being into a compromising predicament. If they want milk, nap-time, or to be held nobody has to die. If an adult wants lets say something as common as a cellphone, someone in some foreign poor country is being deprived human/civil rights just so that new Iphone 15 can see the light of day. As the children get a little older they show their true selves/personalities, but everything about this society oppresses that notion and we enforce it because it is the norm. Don't color outside the lines, color inside the lines like everyone else yet make sure you're an individual because You are special like everyone else... Wait What? What kind of mixed messages and bullshit are we teaching our kids? I won't dwell, so fast-forward to the preteen stage where most children are by now introduced to sports. We tell them it 'builds character' and helps our children learn teamwork. If that's not the biggest crock of bullshit I've ever heard in my damn life... Yo how the fuck does giving all the kids a trophy, yes even the 12th kid on the fucking bench who saw no playing time unless it was a blowout, establish one's character if they're being rewarded for something they DIDN'T do? How and why does that make sense to anyone? This practice is repeated until teenage/high school years when sports and popularity matter. This is where we groom our children to be WINNERS or just to not be LOSERS in life. Maybe one has a job, maybe not. The ultimate goal I believe here is to constitute one's role in this structure we've built and participated in, which wont rock the boat. Of course we leave a little room for those who recognize this whole bullshit steez, but those voices are drowned out. Let's look at the end product and BOOM a whole generation of people who think they're individuals, but are really just loafers trying to find a way to express themselves but cant because that part of their brain has been held in check since they learned to use a crayon and now want to be rewarded for shit they've never accomplished, walking this Earth entitled as fuck trying to be the coolest person they can possibly be all while trying to handle responsibilities they were never taught to manage. Damn, ain't that some shit... Next time you find yourself practicing widely-accepted methods of parenting, think about what exactly you want to communicate to your child and what kind of person you want them to be when they grow up. Think about yourself and what was helpful/harmful to your character. Be sure to always check your ingredients, especially if you're giving them to someone else... Peace!

Global Warming for Melinated People

Now this is going to sound crazy, ignorant, and crazy ignorant all in one but please enlighten me as to what is the big deal with Global Warming? I'm from Afrikan descent which explains this melanin in my body, shouldn't I like Global Warming? I mean, I'm from Flatbush Brooklyn and every fall/winter I watch my fellow West Indian people struggle with this temperature they're not used to or built for. We can't seem to shake the sandals and t-shirts, no matter how much the windchill factor drops in my beloved New York City. Maybe we need a warmer planet. White people are something like what 1/7th of the population on this Earth which is nowhere near the majority or enough of a people to be a deciding factor if we were to have a serious vote on any social issues on Earth which affects everyone as a whole. Now I don't know all the scientific facts behind Global Warming, but one thing for sure is that there is constant mention of ice caps melting and blah blah blah... LOOK, if everyone was left where they were supposed to be there would be no concern about Global Warming. You don't believe me, check this out. Without giving one a total history lesson, we can historically trace Global Warming back to the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution was directly influenced by the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. If slavery wasn't so profitable, then there would be no need to make it even MORE profitable. From the Industrial Revolution we got the steam engine (1775) then 117 years later the diesel engine. The number 1 and 2 reasons for the accelerating rate of Global Warming are engine-related causes; fossil-fuel burning power plants and carbon-dioxide emissions from burning gasoline for transportation respectively. So basically all I'm saying is this shit ain't my fault or concern. The cultures of conquered peoples have a common factor which is "we are One with the Earth." Basically, we understand the need for every single creature/living thing in the ecosystem, so who taught you/us that these plants, animals, and fish were for us to consume until they are no more? Global Warming not only effects the human beings here, it effects the entire environment. Maybe if we kept in mind everyone/thing that is effected by this Global Warming epidemic then it'd make much more sense for it to be an issue we need to pay attention to, but we don't. We don't give a fuck enough to care about anyone but ourselves, which is actually a foreign practice to people of Afrikan descent like myself. So what I'm trying to say is let the fucking Earth heat up til Alaska is a beach (even though I can't swim) because it ain't my damn fault. Blame the... Nevermind, I'm about to drive around Brooklyn for 3 hours in my car while I look for gas, then wait 3 more hours in line to get gas just so I can park my car and take a city bus where I need to go. No worries, I recycle so I'm good right? Right? Riiiiiiight... Check your ingredients, Peace!

Soldiers Story

October 25, 2000 was the day I left my mother’s home in Deltona, Florida to pursue a career in the U.S. Army. I justified my reason for joining was for school money (which I used 10 years later), but I knew I was coerced by a slick-talking recruiter trying to get his numbers up. It was cool for me because I was chillin’, getting paid, out of my mother’s hair, and too busy enjoying my membership in the biggest fraternity in America. 3 years later I was in Iraq fighting for oil and I never had a gas bill in my name or owned a car at that point. Luckily I made it home in one piece(peace), but I could not say the same for all of my comrades. Let’s fast-forward 9 years after my experience in Iraq and slick-talking recruiters are still coercing indecisive young men and women into joining the Armed Forces. We view the military as being such an honorable profession although the main objective of our military is to destroy, conquer, and rebuild or remodel into what this country wants another country to be. Instead of being truthful to potential recruits, they’re being sold that they’re performing a duty they owe to a nation of people who may not even agree with the agenda this government is trying to execute via military action. Please tell me Mr. Slick-Talking Recruiter, how are we going to civilize people by bombing their homes and shooting their men who are simply defending their land we invade? Don’t worry about it I’ll be too busy never forgetting 9/11 and figuring out which country to hate next, while you persuade our youth into dying for a country that wouldn’t negotiate their return if captured by the enemy you have taught them to hate. Poor people kill poor people to make rich people richer.