bet they wanna be rappers

It is apparent for me that we have some serious problems in our community. I mean serious, for any time a young man walking home from school can be beaten to death, in day light, while folks watch and think nothing of it, and even video it without considering that said person may need help, or what they are watching is not right, is a true indication that something is amiss in our beliefs and world view.

I have noticed that there is a difference in general behavior when I look and my parents, myself and the present generation. As a father with a 17 year old son, I am proud to have been a part in raising a fine and responsible young man. An honor student, an athlete and a gentlemen is what best describes my son, yet although he has made it to the 12th grade, I still worry and pray that he continues on his path of success with the next pointy of entry being graduation.

Often we fail to see the difference between blame and problem solving in such matters. Fo9r we get defensive and tend to see ourselves in the problems that we are confronted with. Whether it is that we are single parents, or our environments, we forget that the issue is not blame or deflecting blame but solving the problem. It is not difficult for me to discern what the differences are. I can reduce them to one simple area – media influences. My folks didn’t have to deal with television at all and the music, well let us say it was not as graphic and vivid as it was in my day. In contrast, I grew up with 4 channels on television and they went off before midnight, and the music, albeit it was the beginning of hip hop – the lyrical content was mild compared to today.

It is no wonder that we have folks feeling and displaying penchants that evince appropriate behavior as beating someone to death or watching someone getting beat to death without the consideration of helping. I won’t blame this all on parents, for objectively; I know they can’t control the media influences that bombard their children each day of their formative years. And I know folk will say media, or movies or music cannot make a person do something – I agree, but they can impact the way folks think and define personal standards of behavior. For example, I would assert that most African American males currently would have desires to be professional athletes, producers, Dj’s and rappers because of what they see. Not the jobs per say, but rather the fame and avarice and wealth associated with the aforementioned. Especially the music. I bet if I went down the playlist of any top urban radio station – I will see the likes of idiots inclusive of Gucci Mane, Jeezy, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z and Plies. Songs that contain lyrics espousing staying strapped, shooting folk, fucking ever girl in the world, and having pockets full of money and following ones owns rules.

So understand where I am coming from, and feel my pain as a parent for although Derrion Albert was not my blood, he was my son and I have no problem pointing fingers at the folks above for five to one, the folks who did the beating probably know all the lyrics to your songs more than the formula for slope/intercept and even worse, want to be rappers. The new KKK strikes again so let us bow our head in silence for we still dont know that we are both the hunted and the prey.

Take your place

Preface: slapzz- no Euclid wasnt- key word you know. I was taught pythagoras was responsible for a therom that was in use 900 years before his birth - see pyramids

Where was he born? Egypt, where did he die? egypt. Egypt aint in Greece, its Africa, so south white africans aint africans - represent folk. Hellinestic is what they say, but these the same folk that refuted the moors, who taught europeans for more than 300 years the world was round - they selected to belive it was flat.

Point of order: 1] “Full scale brain cell warfare I ejaculate”….SBM see today’s song by me.

2] Good look to all at the funeral. Bernie Mack, love u folk, but you wasn’t no Isaac Hayes. So to Denzel Washington, Wesley Snipes, Maurice White (EWF), Bootsy Collins, Chuck D, Jesse Jackson, Doug E. Fresh, Chick Chorea, Kirk Whalum (home boy), Robert Johnson, Tom Cruise, Al Sharpton, Richard Roundtree and the rest at his funeral – good look. Veronica I love you, yo pops was my pops too. After all he told me I would be the next music great out of Memphis, and he aint write or read music....You heard it here first, soon to come, The Issac hayes International Airport. And thanks SJP for the Brilliant Blogger award - im flattered.

A man stopped by my shop yesterday. He asked if he could spit some of his spoken word to us, and that he would accept what ever he had to offer if we had it. I offered him a glass of vino, and a seat. My folk, one of my loyal customers was out there with me with his daughter. Chi and his daughter play on most days together. We talked, told us he was from NYC, been in ATL for 3 days. Had no job. And we talked. Told him he was great. He accepted fellowship and cried, and cried. I said men cry, you spirit breathes tears when greatness is around the corner, so have faith.

But as he cried, we talked. My folk and me boosted his belief in self; I even gave him one of my books. He said we were rare. I said I aint steak and he laughed. But he made me think. I have often wondered where the break down in stable community responsibility went a stray. Likewise, I have wondered why the urge for men to be men, and women to be women has evaporated to.

I know that I may be part of the problem and I can accept blame for this on a personal and individual level, the query is how we get more folks to do the same? It is easy to point fingers, but only those that point the fingers at themselves have the right and authority to express to others what they see as neglectful and irresponsible. The consternation occurs because most blame all on others and never look at themselves. For the future, tomorrow, or the next turn is uncertain, as it is for us all, but some neglect taking charge of what they should decide to do next. Like the child afraid to leave the crib, and ends up 30 years of age with an Escalade but living with his Mom. Or the girlfriend once past, who say they are over with their past relationship but always ask for something, or the man who spends with others but not within his own neighborhood for excuses yet untold. Which makes folk wonder, where do we go from here, or is our future as a collective union completely dilapidated?

And this revisited by me during the week of the celebration of the birth of Marcus Garvey. I remember when I stole a book of quotes by him from the AUC library when I was in college. That same day stole Thomas Wentworth Higginson’s Black Rebellion: Five Slave Revolts & a book called Elements of Photo electro-chemistry. The two quotes that stuck out from that book to me then as a sophomore at Morehouse were:

"A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots."

and

"I do not speak carelessly or recklessly but with a definite object of helping the people, especially those of my race, to know, to understand, and to realize themselves."

It seems that the obvious lessons of history are now going untold, for it may be more eaiser to look at a movie, or music video and get more pleasure than the attempt in self instruction. Even worse, sometimes I hold my head down for it seems like many of us forget that once upon a time in America that we were sold off as slaves and had no choice. And even worse, that we now u have a choice, but select to enslave ourselves with the feculent: Clubs over libraries, Malls over our neighbors front porch and strip clubs over the classroom. Yes we all attend to our selfish and personal desires as opposed the well being and good of all. We keep to ourselves as opposed to share, we ask and take as opposed to give and offer with the knowing that the goodness we provide to others will be returned ten fold to ourselves. Yes I take pride in knowing that if you are hungry, I will feed you, or that if you are cold, I will give you clothes if u need them.

Now I aint talking about everybody, nor am I hating as I have been told many times before, but yes, I am a hatter. I hate to see suffering endured that is unnecessary, and hate to see people avoid the extension of lending a helping hand. It as if we have forgot our past, or as if we forgot what it means to express freedom, or as if it is easier to want what we see others have, without the desire to work for the same. Yep, I hate that. But I try my best to take control, to take charge and take my place in my world that I have earned and value and do so without hesitation. Just why is it many are afraid, or would prefer to charge animosity towards others, when they fail to see the real world and accept it? When they don’t acknowledge the energy they put out? When they become the weak and the lame? I say to you mane, take your place and live free – take your place and live free. Take your place and stop blaming others for your mistakes. Take your place. I will take mine and lay down for you to walk on my back to get to yours. vote

outside the box

On the days I do not have to take my son to school in the morning, I take a short cut off of Sylvan Road on 85-North so I won’t have to be caught up in the traffic heading towards and through downtown Atlanta. This past Monday I took this route. Passing the same old sights, I approached Sylvan Middle School. At the light, I saw a bevy of four boys. I suspected they were all heading to school. Fresh haircuts, White Tee’s and Air force ones, they were all laughing, walking, and smiling. I noticed that of the four boys, only one had books in his hand.

While at the light, I turned out my window and asked, “Yawl on yawl way to school?”

“Several of the boys responded “yea.”

“Come here little daddy, no not you, the one with the books in his hand.” He came over and said, “Yes sir?” I gave him five dollars and said. “I like that, always keep your books with you, I mean you take them too and from school-don't you? You be doing your home work all the time don’t you?”

“Yes sir.”

“Well good.” All of this happened within 30 seconds. One of the other boys asked if I would give him five dollars too. I said naw folk; you don’t have any books in your hand.” I drove off.

This was Monday. Today I am taking the same short cut. I see the same boys. They all waved at me as if they were trying to flag me down. Again, I stopped at the light. This time they all had their books with them. They even held them up to me with a smile. I called them over to the car and gave each of the four five dollars. Now I am broke, and I have no lunch money, but I feel richer than a motherfucker and I am still smiling as I pen this essay. We all can make a difference, guess we gotta try sometimes and just think outside the box.