Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Blood Money


So let's talk about Libya. President Obama addressed the country Tuesday night to explain his rationale on air strikes invading Libya saying “circumstances allowed the U.S. and its allies to halt a humanitarian  disaster.”  Now peep, Gaddafi undercuts the position of the "feebler sex" and berates black Africans whom he calls “a lazy race liable to multiply without limit,” (taken from Gaddafi’s “Green Book” written in 1975). In addition to that, he believes that HIV is "a peaceful virus, not an aggressive virus" and "if you are straight then you have no worries." Really Mr. Gaddafi?
 To Obama's opposition Louis Farrakhan backs Gaddafi and asks Obama, "Who the hell do you think  you are, that you can talk to a man that built a country over 42 years ago, and ask him step down and get out?" True Mr. Farrakhan. However, Farrakhan has been in cahoots with Gaddafi for over 40 years. The Libyan leader once provided the Nation of Islam a five million dollar interest-free loan and reportedly offered to fund  Farrakhan's group to the tune of one billion dollars. Also, Louis Farrakhan was  the person who introduced Jeff Fort, founder of the Black P Stones, to Gaddafi. Farrakhan then called Fortes new gang, EL RUKN,  his "Devine Warriors.” Later, Colonel Gaddafi offered to pay EL RUKN 2.5million to carry out terrorists plots against the U.S.
So my question is this, who's wrong? Obama for wanting to take out the Libyan leader? Gaddafi for wanting his people persecuted because they want him out of office? Also, is Farrakhan wrong for accepting money from the Libyan leader to support his own cause and in return wanting to help bring the United States to its knees?
Politics works all the way around when it comes to money. The main objective is protecting self interest.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Should Obama Have A "Black Agenda"?

Our so called black leaders feels as though Obama needs to create a black agenda that solely focuses on black people. I have to disagree with them. For one, it isn't good politics. Is Obama supposed to go in on his first term and say "fuck the economy, I gotta focus on black people first"? He would've been shot dead before he could even say black. I don't understand why people expect Obama to wave some magic wand and all of  a sudden everyone has their 40 acres and a mule. Also he wouldn't get elected a second term. Obama's biggest haters, Tavis Smiley and Cornell West, thinks he should ballyhoo for this type of plan. However my question is, how come Tavis Smiley and our so called black leaders aren't starting grass roots movements to have congress push for laws and programs to get passed? Congress makes the laws!  Obama just says yay or nay. Tavis knows that nothing can be passed without governments permission. Tavis also knows about the checks and balances system that goes on in this country. So my question is should the President push for a Black Agenda or is that left up to our black leaders and not the president??

Thursday, March 17, 2011

"I Cant Be Faded"

I remember when I first put my hands on Dr. Dre’s, "The Chronic." I didn't buy the tape, it was dubbed for me. My favorite song on that classic album was, "Deeez Nuuuuts". When I first heard it, I said, "who is this no singin’ mf on this record?" The more I heard this guy, the more I rocked with it. The next thing you know I'm singing, "IIIIIIIII can't be faaaaaaaaded, I'm a nigga from the mf streeeeeets." One year later Snoop’s "Doggystyle" dropped with the anthem "Ain't No Fun." Soon after, the world would knew the Nate Dogg sound.

In hip hop, there was a time when Nate Dogg had to be on your record or else it wasn't a hit. So many artist used his formula for success: Tupac, DMX, Ja Rule, Master P, 50 cent and even T-Pain. Nate Dogg’s gospel-gangsta baritone voice will be missed. In a time in which gangsta rappers didn't sing, Nate made it a million dollar trademark. 
R.I.P.  
O.G Nate D-0 double G.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

MIC CHECK:

Marsha Ambrosius-"Late Nights and Early Mornings"


After connecting in England due to their passion for basketball, Natalie Stewart and Marsha Ambrosius later connected in the poetry circles of England. To two eventually hopped the pond and landed in Atlanta and started performing at Yin Yangs Poets Cafe. With rave reviews, the 2 traveled north of the Mason-Dixie and arrived in Philadelphia where they started recording at Jazzy Jeff's "Touch of Jazz" studio. In 2002 Floetry signed to Dreamworks and recorded 3 albums (Floetic, Floacism and Flo'Ology respectivly) before the group disbanded due to personal reasons.

Fast forward to 2011, after a brief stint as a back up singer for Aftermath artist (insert lol), several mixtapes and guest appearances, Marsha Ambrosius now sees the light of the day as she releases her first solo studio album "Late Nights and Early Mornings". This album really shows emotion as she copes with the loss of a bestfriend, a romance and eventually losing herself to love better.

Stand out tracks includes the 1st single "Hope She Cheats on You With A Basketball Player". When I first saw the title I immediately thought pop/radio bubble gum bullshit. Far from it.  I actually like the track a lot, even though some of my male counterparts might not agree with me but i actually think its funny, it shows you how bitter people can actually get over a relationship.

The 2nd single "Far Away" is Just Blaze produced. When I first saw the video I was confused as to what was going on. The visuals threw me off so I couldn't really grasp the lyrics until it was later explained to me. She lost her best friend to suicide as he couldn't deal with the pressure society put on him because he was gay. Taboo subject but it happens urban America. Remember black people were the ones that voted against same sex marriage more than any other race in the California Elections of 2008.


"Lose Myself" touches on self love. She lost herself in a relationship but that experience taught her how to love herself more. Real talk! Other stand out tracks include, "I Want You to Stay" , my favorite "Chasing Clouds" and the masterpiece she wrote for the King of Pop, "Butterflies".

This album does have a few minor flaws "Late Nights and Early Mornings" is cool, it would've been dope if Prince used it. The song sounds so much like Prince that I had to check my mp3 player to make sure I was listening to Marsha. Plus the beat had the electric drums and the reverbs of a classic Prince song. You see where I'm going with this? "Sour Times" and "Tears" slows this album down a lot. I believe she could've left these 2 songs off. She's missing some mid-tempo to up-tempo songs. It would've balanced out the whining she constantly provided us with through out the album.

All in all LNEM is a solid album, just don't listen to it during the day or at work, it might give u case of the itis ("food coma"). Maybe she could've enlisted some of her backpack cronies (Mos Def, Common, The Roots) or even some of her friends at Aftermath (Game, Eminem) to give it a dose of No Doze. On a scale of 1-5, I give it a 3.75.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Uncircumcised (Emasculate)

As I leave the store after picking up my morning snack before I head to work, I see a mother cleaning her sons face. As I walk by, I can see the son bothered by his mother digging in his eye for boogers as if she was digging for gold. In no time, the son jumps and says "OWE" . The mother yells in reply "STOP ACTING LIKE A BITCH. WHY YOU ACTING LIKE A GIRL? STOP JUMPIN' BEFORE I BEAT YOUR ASS!! YOU WANT ME TO KICK YO' ASS OUT IN HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET???"

Its extremely difficult for a single mother to raise a man. However, does that style of parenting work? I mean, she called her son a "bitch", told him to "stop acting like a girl" and she wanted to go 12 rounds with him in the middle of the street. I guess she wants for her son to be like Ike Turner when he grows up and make his woman "eat the cake"?
 
This goes on a lot in urban communities where mothers try to break down their childrens psyche to make them feel inferior. Some parents may think they are trying to toughen their boys up. Bless their heart. They mean well but males in Urban America get harassed by police more than flies on cow shit. So why is it that some mothers have to emasculate their boys (might has well leave the foreskin on) when the cops call them bitches and in most cases cooperate America does too.  Not only that but the child may develop insecurities and low self esteem because he's been broken down all of his life. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you should submit to your child and let him have tantrums without an effect for his behavior either. That's a part of life but there's a difference between having your child fear you and taking away his mental strength. In order to have a strong community, our mothers must raise our boys to have strong minds. Somebody has to because most of America doesn't.