The DNC

The Democratic National Convention has been going on the past few days, I'll reserve judgement until the end but for now here's the speech Michelle Obama gave on Monday night. Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton's speech coming soon as well.

This Week's Woman To Wakeup To...

The beautiful Solange Knowles.

The Year of the Gentleman

That it truly is, and with that said I had to share the new Ne-Yo video featuring not 1 but 3 beautiful leading ladies...Gabrielle Union, Keri Hilson, and Lauren London (in the order they appear) enjoy!

We Made It!

Here's some spoken word to help you through the week from Sunni Paterson. There's such a wonderful message in this so be sure to listen and reflect as well as enjoy.

Cultural Development...

Some Food for Thought on this here Monday Morning...Some good tender vitals I stumbled upon some time ago...

MAXIMUM CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT

1. Study-Oriented: reads, evaluates and debates books, newspapers, magazines and scholarly journals. Accepts the challenge of education.
2. Worker: looks for ways in which to actively work for self; may hold a job outside in order to sustain self and family. Self-Reliant.
3. Organized and Systematic - efficient and diligent.
4. Progressively Collective; conscious of others; Cooperative.
5. Family Oriented: regards mate as partner in struggle; loves children. Values trust in relationships.
6. Land Conscious: realizes that the only thing that nobody is making any more of is land.
7. Disciplined: strong, unyielding and energetic.
8. Serious. Practices fair play, order and punctuality. Honest and dependable.
9. Analytical and critical.
10. Frugal: buys mainly on need basis; saves.
11. Social life is developmental and involves children.
12. Creatively Aggressive: will dare the impossible if it is possible.
13. Respects Elders.
14. Dislikes incompetence and mediocrity.
16. Loves Black art, music and literature.
17. Can give and follow instructions. Encourages experimentation and criticism.
18. Committed to Black Liberation - local, national and international.
19. Does not use drugs.
20. Politically Active. Not crisis-oriented; acts on information rather than reacts. Plans ahead for the long term; alert; prepared for change.
21. Self-Confident. Respects others regardless of race or culture.
22. Understands the economic forces that control our lives on a local, national and international level.
23. Rational in decisions and actions.
24. Rewards merit and achievement.

I like that achievement shit...

This Week's Woman To Wakeup To...

The beautiful Chanel Iman.

Who's Gonna Save My Soul?

Admittedly i'm a little late, but watching this video inspired the following train of thought so do yourself a favor and get on track.

The moment of clarity that follows a breakup is never as poignant or as stripped from emotion as this is, and i suppose that is what makes them so difficult. The task of melding your individuality with another is trying in itself but having to sever those ties prematurely or, worse still, after complacency has set in is a humbling experience. Having played both sides of the fence, I can say with a fair bit of confidence that it's easier to initiate a breakup, the tricky part is that initiating the breakup and the end of the relationship rarely take place simultaneously.

As the video illustrates, once the relationship is "officially" over issues ranging from the ownership of an individual's heart or the boundaries of this newly formed friendship are yet to be prescribed and as such it is a confusing time. However, it can also be the time that allows us the greatest insight into how and why the relationship worked in the first place in addition to granting the opportunity for self reflection..the wondering "where did it go wrong" or the more toxic "what did I do wrong."

Cee-lo said in the Goodie Mob days that titles are limitations, living and learning are our only obligations...but when such an emphasis is placed on a title and that title is revoked you are left with nothing but limitations. Some can get caught up in the shuffle of regulating their emotions or reacting to their counterpart, and while emotion is fresh they can stumble through life much like a heart on a dinner plate unaware that both parties may be equally distressed.

Now that i'm good and into it, the question that needs to be asked is so what?

Relationships come to an end all the time but the point is that often times we carry with us the baggage of those relationships (see: Erykah Badu "Bag Lady"), unaware that luggage has been quietly shifting positions in the overhead bin while soaring through life. The emotional ties we develop are always retained in some form or fashion, and show themselves in different ways but acknowledging their presence and adjusting to them are paramount if we're to make it out of life alive. Some react with "passive aggressive contention" towards those we claim to love, and others cling onto more tangible remedies like polite bi-annual phone calls (on those shitty days, or to lift heavy things). No matter though, the first step is coming to grips with where you stand on the relationship and learning from the experience.

Remember that with those limitations gone, living and learning are your only obligations.

I'm obliged!

Peace to the Gods and Earths

Shamelessly lifted from Reverend N.O. Drakes.


"Peace to the Earths, all single mothers, and all positive Black women in 08.
Manhood is not easy so bare with us,
know that we keep you in mind at all times
we want to nourish, educate, cradle, and love ya'll the way you all deserve
but we get sidetracked
and we bend,
but never fold under internal and external pressure.
I never understood the Nature of a Black Panther until I gained knowledge of the struggle my mother went through in raising and protecting me out here in the jungle
fearlessly.

Breast milk is the shit!!!!

Peace."

!

Barack F*#@s with The Fugees!

Blender magazine recently polled the Democratic nominee for President of the U.S. and his Republican rival on their all time favorite songs. To my surprise Obama listed his favorite song ever as The Fugees' "Ready Or Not." Think he was sending a message to middle America with that one?

http://www.blender.com/WhiteHouseDJBattle/articles/39518.aspx

I do.

Crew Love

It seems appropriate to share this note here, lifted from the state of my mind.


"The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish, and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he, who in the name of charity and good will shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper." - Ezekiel 25:17 (also see Pulp Fiction)


What to do when that tight knit circle turns into an oval?

Where i stand as a man is somewhere between accomplishment and ambition, with hidden drive in my eyes only seen by those who are a part of this. Pardon me, herbal essences keep those eyes low for the most but La Familia, The Troop, my brothers, the ones with ties to my life that hold tighter then a clip-on know me well. I'm far from being god, but i work goddamn hard to maintain the strength in my chain of command. It's pivotal to the gameplan that my people, YOU, serve as the wind beneath a nigga's wings just as i provide that same gust for the braintrust.

You see, where we've been, and where we are, are small matters compared to where we're going and if you can't understand that i'm sorry. Through my journeys i've seen open eyes extend sight further, i've seen crooks go clean, and i've seen vice versa. Through all the adversity I learn and become more myself each day, more willing then ever to grab my goals by the horns. My lies, smiles, and tears have molded who i've been from birth and as a result my mind is primed for the challenges presented before me, by me, and beyond me.

But it would be simple of me to do this for my personal gain. My desire for success is not limited to what so many see. A full purse and a dime in pocket, cars, cribs, clothes. In short nice boats with no paddles sitting in shit's creek. Such goals are alluring to say the least but are merely worldly representations of what most see as achievement. A sugar coated vision of what people consider their just dessert for whatever hardship they've endured. Who am i to call one man or another deserving of such a hollow meal? My focus is instead lies on filling my own plate.

I would only step out to get breakfast, AND I'M EATING! Not just to fill my hunger, but to repay those who taught me to fish rather then feed me so that i would never go hungry. The reason i cultivate this tight knit circle with such care is because i love my family, both those that share my blood and those that share my love. Because of that, i don't represent myself in the world...i represent what i believe. I represent what those closest to me see in me, that fire, that desire. You may see me riding around shining and shit, but all the while my red eyes are to the skies with my feet on the ground because of those i surround myself with. YOU keep me focused. YOU keep me daring to dream. Yet you also keep me grounded and make sure i put my best foot forward. The love is not just reciprocated, it's delivered ten-fold nigga.

So what to do when that tight knit circle turns into an oval? The links on my chain of command have time and again shown rust (as to be expected) but those whose ties hold strongest shine the brightest. It's you that i do it for. I can no longer subject myself to the triviality of living in theory...spewing out cliche'd motivational quotes geared towards increasing my cashflow and not widening the scope of possibility to truly incorporate what i, as an individual, see for myself in the future. Somewhere between accomplishment and ambition i know that i'll be pulled by both sides as time goes on and yet i hope to remain balanced in the middle. As one increases, never losing sight of the other. For my own gain? It would be admirable if i didn't want any of the glory...but inadmissible as well because my well-being reflects the success of my team. As an extension of them my achievement highlights their peaks, while their triumphs are toasted to by the collective. As I heard it put once "One hand washes the other, both wash the face" and the shit is true! Crew Love means you and yours provide for one another, cultivating the growth of the individual and in turn harvesting benefits in the entire crop. It also means cutting the grass, being honest with yourself and others, and removing those that serve as a detriment to the development of the collective.

So bearing weak links minus weak links, my chain of command will remain strong. So that when we are smoking spliffs in the shade mixing drinks with the fruit of our labor politicking as usually as we shit you'll understand why that dedication was so important. I stand as a man, amongst men. A king amongst kings, and together that crew love will overflow like our blessings. I can't vouch for you if you not a part of this, so when me and mines reach greener pastures and are parlaying our chips there needs to be no talk of the doubt or envy. My aim is to make it so that the only pain my niggas know is champagne...now raise a glass to that shit, and drink deeply.

This is crew love, move music or move drugs...

Rival Crews get your Black Suits Up!

I wish...

I wish for alot. I'm a dreamer, its only natural for me to always want more. Some of these wants and desires are a little off center, but then again so am I so it all works out in the end. I wish that grabbing a bag of chips out the vending machine wasn't so painful.

My hand is always gettin stuck in the snatches of life just trying to collect my Funyons. I guess that is to deter us a society from eating so much junk food huh? These crackers think they slick.

I wish life didn't begin and end with currency, cause I hate working. Scratch that, I hate the actual act of performing task. Work is satisfying when it's a job well done and all that motivational, attitude mumbo jumbo. I really hate working for a dollar. I'd rather work to liberate myself, and others, and work to transcend this way of life we all have grown so accustom to living. 2 things I'm real big on, liberation and routine transcendentalism. I wish all my people knew what that means. Let's Get Free.

I wish my work ethic matched up with my potential. Damn, here I go again back to that work shit. But if my work ethic ever gets there, u really will be bearing witness to the greatest. For now, those are just words. Time for less abstract, more concrete.

I wish I could find a sweet bitch to trust. A tender experience.

And I'ma leave that untouched.

I wish I would go ahead and take that leap of faith and let my soul leak out through any and all mediums. You know I'm a vintage artist trapped in a late 80's babies wiry body. Thats trapped in a progressive mindstate. Thats stuck in a blind society with bifocals on. I have an ipod mind in an 8 track world. Woe is me.

I wish for alot of things, too much maybe. But I'm a go-getter fuck that, I achieve. As you should too.



I wish Joseph Forte had stayed in college a year longer. That shit bothers me to this day. Man could that boy hoop, R.I.P. to his career.



I wish Joe Buddens would get his proper shine as an artist. Top 5 emcee and nobody outside the Internet knows it.



I wish Lil' Wayne's music wasn't so damn infectious.



Wish Bernie Mac could still crack a joke and I wish Isaac Hayes could still sing "Walk On By" live. It's emotionally stirring.



I wish Cornell West would take the reins of Black leadership in America from Mr. Sharpton and Jesse " I just wanna cut off his nuts" Jackson. Pause.



I wish Boo and Gotti had just stuck with Kells. Lil' Boo doesn't look too comfortable in the smedium white tee's on Wayne's tourbus.



"I Wish" is my shit. Let this marinate and enjoy some classic Kels.



12 Play: 4th Quarter coming soon...its crunchtime!!

Kanye the Champ

This video is pretty funny, what better timing too with the Olympic inspired theme.

The Genesis

"The hood I live in ain't that proper
Cause a cop'll stop ya
And have you at a hundred and eleventh before you can say not guilty

I'm not filthy

Nor am I rich

Ain't that a bitch..

Like life is

Not your wife is

See that's your butter half

Do your math

And peep that two halves make a whole

And all I have to hold

Is my self pride

So these streets I stride

Like a Black Panther

Asking can the

situation get much worse?

All I do is try to appeal to the masses

As the phrase keep it real passes

The teeth of too many phony individuals

Snakes, thats smooth like criminals..."

The words of Malik Yusef are the thoughts prevalent on my
mind. I hope that's not too much to bite off because
it's going to be like that from time to time, this
is an experiment in expression by my brothers and
me. The Troop consists of forward thinkers and
the fly. Our aim is essentially to provide a
window to our respective streams of consciousness
but we also hope to invoke thought, discussion, and
action on varying levels. With time all things are
revealed though, so sit up and enjoy…here’s some
old school Outkast just to get things started,
though it isn't so much how you start as it is
how you finish.

Ya'll are about to witness a dynasty like no other.