What Do You Respect?

In the 21st Century, a wise, great poet once said:

"I'm afraid for the future / Y'all respect the one who got shot, I respect the shooter" - Jay-Z, "30's The New 20's"

Although Mr.Carter (Shawn Cater, Jay-Z, Jigga, Young Hov...or whatever you call him) may have been talking about certain individuals in the realm of Hip Hop, I can't help but notice the resemblance and connection of his lyrics to one of Sen. John McCain's publicity garnered due to being a Prisoner Of War (POW). Not to discredit the service, bravery, and loyalty that McCain has exemplified to his country, but why does being a victim add to your credibility and experience??



Just yesterday I saw the movie, "Leatherheads", and although it wasn't as good as I expected, it was STILL a good movie worth seeing. George Clooney is a cool guy...kinda like a white Denzel. Anyway, John Krasinki plays a football athelete who is also a "war hero". Come to find out, he's NOT the hero that people thought he was. I'm not gonna give away the movie but hey...

*sorry to ruin it for you if you haven't seen the movie*


I just wanted to point this out...

Is John McCain MORE capable of being the Commander Of Chief of this country because he was CAPTURED - and with God's blessings made it out of his situation alive?

Is 50 Cent MORE capable of being a dope emcee because he was shot 9 times (as legend is told...no matter how many bullets, he WAS shot) - and with God's blessings made it out of his situation alive?


Those questions are rhetorical, by the way.

I understand that going through certain adversities in life, makes you stronger, but for one to market (or campaign off of) those situations and even exaggerate their stories is something totally different. It's all about building character and when thrown into the media spin, THEY (the media) makes is seem relevant. However, the fact of the matter remains that IT DOESN'T HAVE SHIT TO DO WITH THE PRICE OF TEA IN CHINA. Does playing the "victim" card equals "experience/credibility"????

Nope.

***SIDENOTE: LIZ SIDOTI of the Associated Press reports:

Meanwhile, in Washington, Gen. Wesley Clark challenged McCain's claim to be better prepared to be president.

Clark said that while he honored McCain's service as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam war and on the Senate Armed Services Committee, McCain has no executive experience and that the Navy squadron McCain commanded was not a wartime squadron.

"He hasn't been there and ordered the bombs to fall," Clark said on "Face the Nation" on CBS.

When moderator Bob Schieffer noted that Obama hadn't had those experiences nor had he ridden in a fighter plane and been shot down, Clark replied: "Well, I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president."

END SIDENOTE***

For someone who's so tough (as BOTH of these men has exuded), isn't that a little bit "bitch-made" to play the victim??

Just a question...


***EndNote: Although his music may be lackluster at times, I respect 50, and dude has an impeccable business sense and gives great interviews that a lot of artists/people can learn from. John McCain is a great politician (respect that) and that's how he's gotten to be where he is today. However, neither of them are fit to perpetuate "top dawg" status in their respective realms just because they've been vitimized***

Classic Material

When we think about Hip Hop's Greats, one may automatically conjure up thoughts of Run-DMC, L.L., Public Enemy, Eric B. and Rakim, M.C. Hammer, Salt 'N Pepa, BDP, Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick...ect..

Even Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five, Africa Baambatta, Kurtis Blow, and Sugur Hill Gang might be mentioned.

AND, Wu-Tang Clan, Notorious B.I.G., 2 Pac, Outkast, E-40, Snoop, and Nas.

*reminiscing* yeah, those were the times....

There are MANY artists who I didn't name for sake of this post being too damn long, but all of these artists have made signature contributions to the genre.

Most of these rappers have claimed to be "the Best"(or has been considered that) and that's merely an offspring of what Hip Hop is - being braggadocious, describing your wealth in materialistic measures, or just spittin' about REAL LIFE.


(Dorian, Tip, and Damon on the set of T.I.'s "Hurt" Video Shoot


Although, T.I. has been around since 2001 (relatively a long time in the fickle music business), I'd say that he be added to the category of "GREATS".

I know that he may have pre-maturely declared himself "King Of The South" on his first disc, "I'm Serious", but he has lived up to the name by consistently delivering good music that's lyrically great and introspective.

But think about it, cats didn't really consider Jay-Z to be one of the best until he put himself in that category.

"I'm from where niggas pull your card / and argue all day about, who's the best emcee, Biggie, Jay-Z, and Nas?"
-Jay-Z "Where I'm From" (1997)

Tip came out the gate doing that.

I can't even hate on Lil' Wayne for taking the same stance in saying he's the "Greatest Rapper Alive". Hip Hop is all about feeling yourself. A rapper who comes across as not being confident in destroying another rapper in a battle might as well stick to their day job.

Anyway, I think this track from Tip is very cool.

T.I. - A Better Day

Here's a couple of more gems:

"Do Your Thing" T.I. presents P$C

"Hurt" T.I. featuring Alfamega and Busta Rhymes

Black Is The New Bitch part TWO!!

C'mon now...

THIS right here is the classic example of Blacks being SO "IN TO" ourselves that the mere mention of race/color is apropos in a public forum.



In this recording, Don Imus talks about NFL player Adam "Pacman" Jones. While the other radio personality and sports announcer, Warner Wolf, is giving the run down of legal issues Jones has been involved in, Imus asks what race is he? Wolf says, "African American" and Imus replies, "There you go. Now we know.".

Imus has defended himself in saying, "I meant that he was being picked on because he's black." (By the authorities.

I sincerely hope that black folks will not go hysterical over this because WE ALL KNOW that when we hear about certain crimes we automatically attach a race to the offender without being given any further information. AND we often ask the questions, "Was he/she black?" Or "Was he/she white?" knowing good and well we already have a pre-conceived notion on the race of the perpetrator.

So is Don Imus wrong??

Shout out to Mr. Garland.

I Move, She Stayed...

By now, I'm sure you all know that R.Kelly was acquitted on all the charges he's been looking at and avoiding for the past seven years. I'm not going to comment too much on the case and the seriousness of the charges because I'm not one to judge. If he infact did do what they alleged against him then God will deal with him accordingly.

I never really thought that he'd be locked up though based on the fact that the female who people claimed to be on the tape with him denied that it was her. If there's no victim, there's no crime.

Anyway, I know you've probably seen this Boondocks episode a trillion times, but it's still funny as hell. I can't help but to crack up laughing when Riley says, "I see piss comin', I move...she saw piss comin', she stayed..." Too Funny!!

GREATEST VIDEO OF ALL TIME!! part FIVE!!

Great vid!! Props to Ric!!
This is exactly the direction where I want to take videos in. Raw, Real, Gritty Cinamatography with vivid images that tell a story in each frame. WOW!!

Here's Nas "Be A Nigger"...

CONTRADICTIONS!! part ONE

I've decided to do a post on the SINGLE AND FOREMOST thing that has Plagued America since it's root.

CONTRADICTIONS.
Because of the current political climate, I feel it's neccessary to bring forth this one.

Once Barack Obama clinched the Democratic Nomination for Presidency of the U.S., there were SO MANY outlets declaring that Sen. Hillary Clinton should drop out of the RACE. In a way, folks were RACING for her to drop out the RACE because she apparently had slim-to-none chance of winning.



I listen to Michael Baisden's radio show on the regular. I love the show although he threw me off one day when he, nor his staff, didn't know Condoleeza's Rice position in our government, especially when his show is SO politically charged at times. He suggested that Hillary be Obama's "Condoleeza Rice" and adopt that position...not even knowing what that position was initially until a caller or his staff members did an internet search and presented the answer.



As a fan, I was discouraged.



Very Dicouraged.

Hell, I'm a fan...who can blame me for not being a little disturbed by Baisden AND his staff not knowing immediately who the Secretary of State was. With a good number of issues that they discuss that are relevant to RACE, how can they NOT know that Collin Powell was the FIRST Black American Secretary of State and Condolezza Rice proceeded him in being the second. That's. Not. Cool.

Instead of hearing the same regurgitated music on the radio in my afternoon drive, I'd rather listen to Baisden (while switching back and forth to hear the edutainment Ryan Cameron and deleting the songs that parade on his station) primarily because this is considered to be "Grown Folk's Radio". This was a problem with me then but certain contradictions continued in the past week when Baisden constantly suggested that Clinton bow out the RACE. In the end, that's his opinion and he's entitled to it. I respect that.

As an Barack Obama suppoter, I do still see the irony in that. Placing a time-straint such as that is similar to how the media will place that time-straint the Democratic Nominee to RACING his selection of whom he choose to be on the ticket with him. It's unfair. By all means, Obama should delegate whatever time he needs to select a running-mate. It's a difficult decision as is suspendending a campaign that you've worked endlessly and tirelessly on. Well, I guess Billary did get tired at times.



It's cool that Hillary bowed out of the RACE (pun VERY MUCH SO INTENDED throughout this post), but for certain media outlets to suggest that she should have done it immediately is completely contradictory. I agree with many of her stances on issues and there's not much a difference between how she and Obama feels.

So while all the media RACES to focus on who will be a running mate, I hope that some of us don't RACE so quick when it comes to Obama making a decision immediately.

If you do, as such media outlets, THAT's where the CONTRADICTION lies.



***End Note: You'll be a fool to think that RACE dosen't play a major force in who's selected to be the next president of the United States.

What are your thoughts??