10 toes down

Had my son at the shop today doing inventory. Father’s point of order, aint nothing like having your seeds work with you. My daughter ran around, sitting in her rocking chair from time to time. Rolled over to Bankhead for a few to see my folk. Walked in the D4L studio and saw Mook B. He screamed “God” as we greeted each other accordingly. I didn’t see Born (Born Immaculate, President of D4L records), until he pointed to him, and I mean across the table and I didn’t even noticed. I gave them the books. I had been meaning to get over there after Born (Orange shirt in pic on my rt side) had text me last week. I saw Lil Mark Too and dapped him up (his album dropping this summer). They was like, “Lo on his way.” I was like, “my kids in the car folk.” As I was leaving, Lo (green shirt on left side of me) pulled up. He was with is youngest daughter. He was like where my book?” I laughed walked over, gave him dap, and as Mook B and Born, told them about the book release party. He told me he was having a show and said I’d be on the guest list. He said it, but I could tell he knew I wouldn’t be there. I went to some of they shows on Bankhead, but never when among the general public. Lo’s new album is hot, Mook and Born as usual, did most of the production. But they learned from the best and we been folk for about 16 years now. They started in my studio on 140 Walker Street in Atlanta.

But Lo got a song out now, and one of the lines say “I'm ten toes down I'm up the sideline tryin' to stay in bounds.” And in honor of that. I’m finna (I’m country) drop these ten toes this man abides by to stay I the field of play. For me it means:


1] That I do not want to die but that I dont give a fuck if I die to day, for I have lived each and every day as if it was/is my last. Inclusive of loving, caring and treating all as I do and desire to be myself.


2] That I internalize faith in God (not a christian, Islamic, Jewish etcera God) but God, such that it is embedded in my heart to the point that I have no fear of anything.

3] That I live my daily offerings as a person in terms of "I am" as opposed to "I got or have."

4] That I love my family, my kids, my friends, my woman as love is expressed from my heart, smile and actions; knowing that words with out action are meaningless.

5] That I either abstain from intimate interactions with women or select to "Bone and disown" until one can find a woman that will hold them down, protect you, comfort you, be there for you and allow you to love them completely with unconditional positive regard and support.

6] That I accept who I am and give completely who I am to all I come in contact with such that they can choose to be apart of my being or not; without decipt, falsehood or hate.

7] That I admit I know nothing so I can continue to engage my mental faculties and develop my mind until the day I depart this earth.

8] That I try to be completely honest and truthful and embody the greatness in all those I come in contact with; meaning I will always to try and find some good and acknowledge that good before the bad.

9] That i accept the differences of all I come in contact with, with grace, respect and appreciation and attempt to exhibit the value I see in others at all cost, even if at a detriment to myself.

10] That i will never be afraid to love, nor make excuses about my foibles, iniquities or any other short coming I may have as a single human being.

Flickted homo sapien sapien

I learned of the origin of man through the works of Chekih Anta Diop (my Idol), the Senegalese scholar. To me his most seminal works were The African Origin of Civilization, Pre-Colonial Black Africa and Civilization or Barbarism. It was him that I learned of the lineage of homo habillis, Homo erectus and homo sapien sapien (all in Africa). This is just a preface, since for the last two days I have been hanging out on Bankhead with my folk D4L at their studio. I say this because I have written a few essays but have been thinking about stuff, that I thin I should understand being that I am homo sapien sapien. Many of which come from the consternation proffered by the cathode ray tube. Here goes.

1] Ugly Betty. How don’t seem ugly to me but is rather finer than a mug.

2] Grey’s Anatomy. It is nothing like the book.

3] Human vegetarians that have incisors and Canines which by design are made to shred meat.

4] Women suggesting that Jay-Z is fine – when did this happen.

5] A woman not giving head to her man, and a man that don’t consume kitty.

6] Over-looking the history of a nation such as Turkey for genocidal crimes because they let us use their military runways to take supplies to Iraq.

7] Dr. Marvin Weinbaum, scholar-in-residence at. Middle East Institute (How can a person of Jewish descent be an expert on Islam – this is not anti-Semitic.

8] Why mainstream America see the most defining event of our time being 9/11 and the war in Iraq as opposed to Racism.


Just a few things that I don’t understand and makes me feel un worthy of my status as homo sapien sapien.

down 4 life

Main, Jones, main, a nigga love music. Was raised on music, from Memphis main, home of Beale Street, Old Hernando, Sunbeams Hotel, Stax records, Issac hayes and Three six mafia. So Jones, main, a nigga love music main.

I realized that after I had my interview with Shorty-Lo, his album coming out in a few, and him and Born Immaculate, just as Lil Mark, Short Greg, Fabo and the Legendary Mook B, and I go way back. While I was there, D4L studio on Bankhead, I also ran into some more of my folk - Shorty B. Legendary Musician in old school mode play 16 instruments, was the bassiest for Rare Essence and reknown eastside Oakland Hustler. In fact I meet him through my folk , reknown in his on regard from the Westside of Oakland-lol. He still loked the same. He had his right eye shot out traping back in the day, I mean when i met jones in 1990.



But I was thinking, cause I asked and really told Born and Lo that they had mentored a lot of folk. I mean they used to recored in My studio in 1988, back then when Mook was in the county (Harris county - old projects across from what is now Morehouse Statidum and Borned had a Warehouse down the street from me on Walker Street). Being the diplomate he is, Born said "I aint gone call no names God, but they know who the are." So I speculated, Parlee, Frannchise Boys, Young Ralph, Yola, and Shop Boyz among others-many others. Humility is still represented in the streets, at least by my folk. DJ Scream was in that joint too .
And then he said, but their will never be another sameblackmuthafucka - savagebeastmonsta. So I smiled, knowning that he knew our music was ground breaking. Then he added Fabo think he you. I fell out laughing. But like I said whats up, i loved kicking it with my folks, But is it me or the world, Shop Boyz funky for real though no doubt. But aint nothing wrong with giving props, I mean sound like Dougie Fresh to me - "Only play this at night", which sounds like the theme from Fantasim to me. But they my folk, and we go back, thats whay they call themselves Down 4 Life. Get Shorty's new joint - them yola and Kool ace joints slammin'.