Books, Hip Hop culture, and everything else in between...

2009-07-19T11:44:00.002-04:00

It's Not that much Hip Hop here, is there bro?

I agree. The last several dozen posts have been devoid of any hip hop culture. It's completely my fault. I have not forgotten you. So I posted some treats down below. I hope you enjoy them.
Before I go there, I do have a challenge for my readers. Before 2009 is out, I urge you all to attend at least ONE b-boy battle. You don't have to do that. I am not going to track you down. Just try to go to one. They are usually no more than $10 to $15 but it's worth it all even just the ciphers.

I also have a request. Has anyone read:

1. "The Hip Hop Wars" by Tricia Rose

2. "From Black Power to Hip Hop: Racism, Nationalism, and Feminism" by Patricia Hill Collins

Unfortunately, no one I know personally has read it. If you have, let me know what you think and if I should cop it.

Thanks, folks.

Here we go,

1. Q-tip and J Period mixtape

2. the folks at hip hop is read have put out an acapella joint of some of Michael Jackson's songs for all of you mix tape Djs.. enjoy.

3. Dope emcee NOT out of NYC... word

Blog One, Blog Two, Blog, Blog Two...

As most of you can tell, I enjoy blogging. Although I am not a pioneer or anything like that, I have been holding it down for 8 years. Blogging has been great for me and has opened so many doors for me. I have been paid to speak because of my blogging and I have met interesting people from all over the world. There were highs and lows. I have entries that had 20 to 30 comments (usually, the posts that discuss religion and sex garner this many comments) and some that barely get one comment (usually the posts that discuss everything else). Despite the disagreements, I love them all.

The best part is the blogging community. Some of you have some great blogs. Quite a few make me go back to the lab on some entries. So I always look forward to meeting some of you when we are traveling.

The next few posts will be about my time in DC and NYC and meeting up with some of my blog homies. Please enjoy and visit the links I post in those entries.

2009-07-17T07:21:00.002-04:00

Sovereign Evolution: Manifest Destiny from "Civil Rights" to "Sovereign Rights
by Ezrah Aharone

Book Review by Dan Tres OMi

When the topic of legal sovereignty is bought up, it is usually masked by spookisms and gobbledygook. When one attends lectures on sovereignty one is bombarded with quotes from the Bible or the Qu'ran. Sovereignty is sold as this mysterious legal undertaking that only a few have access to. It is a tremendously complicated concept that many of us would rather avoid. When this book came across my desk, I hesitated to read it. The book's synopsis however, offered a different view point.

Ezrah Aharone is no ghetto scholar. A scholar and a well traveled man, Aharone's background qualifies him to be an expert in the topic. Yet after reading Sovereign Evolution: Manifest Destiny From 'Civil Rights' to 'Sovereign Rights,' it is very clear that Aharone writes for the lay man. His argument is clear and current. Aharone does create a utopian and mythic past and makes his points relevant.

Usually, one hears how sovereignty is good for the individual. Aharone however, points out that freedom is relative and comes in states. From that viewpoint, Aharone explains how sovereign rights is good for the collective. He states that it is part of our political evolution. A good number of people feel that we have reached our political peak in the 21st century and Barack Obama's successful campaign is the best example of that. Aharone begs to differ.

Aharone's main argument is that Euro Americans never had it in their plans to accommodate people of African descent in any way, shape, or form. It is obvious that this dilemma continues today since we are given a few token measures and laws to give the illusion that democracy is working. "The real mockery," Aharone says, "is that we remain in a unprincipled political relationship with a European people who hold 'parental authority' to conditionally approve what they feel is politically best for us." Again, history is the best measure we have. Aharone uses several historic examples to demonstrate how sovereignty is used to acquire political and economic power.

Aharone describes the relationship between people of African descent with Euro Americans as one of products and owners of product. It is no lie that our ancestors were bought here as laborers. Their work was a form of free capital that was used to build up the United States. Today, we are still a dependable labor force. His solution is to create a collective sovereignty not just legally but spiritually and mentally. That is the component that we fail to realize. Sovereignty should not be seen as just a legal position, it should be seen as a mental and spiritual one. Many of us don't just want to assimiliate politically, we want it to be all encompassing.

To quite a few of us, this information will not be new. Yet Aharone's voice is not fiery. He uses a sound scholarly voice and leaves it up to the reader to make the final assessment. He lays out his argument, at times in a somber voice, but he does not chastise or place blame. The word is evolution. We must never assume that we have reached our peak. I look forward to reading Aharone's earlier work and for him to continue writing on this subject. For those who are opponents or skeptical about sovereignty, I suggest reading Aharone's latest. It will not only make one rethink his or her position on soverignty, it will also help one rethink the course of our political evolution.

2009-07-15T22:52:00.002-04:00

Joy

Being a parent is definitely a learning experience. Children have such insight. We often underestimate our children. We believe that they are brainless pockets of energy that only seem to run around. It still trips me out to think that child psychologists at one time thought that babies didn't have cognitive skills until 5 to 6 years of age. Children pick up things even while they are in the womb (which is why doctors urge parents to read to their children while in the womb).

Another problem parents have is that we always seem to forget that at one time we were children. Case in point:

We grew up poor. Deep in the outskirts of James Monroe Projects and the tenements of the Lower East Side. Yet I recall good times with my siblings. We were always scrambling to go outside. To be honest, I didn't really begin to think I was poor (no one does) until I joined the Navy and compared notes.

So it's natural for me to grow up, have children, and want them to have everything I didn't have. Of course, I am no millionaire. Add to that is the fact that I don't see the necessity of owning things that have no value. In the middle of all that, I do stress the fact that I can't buy my children everything. I would like to.

Fortunately for us, my children aren't like that. Like most children, ours would take an old cardboard box and play it with for days on end. This reminds me that happiness is not something you buy. The joys in life comes in those things that we can't put on a credit card. I hate to quote a credit card commercial but it is priceless.

Yesterday the babies came with me to teach Capoeira. As I have stated on several occasions, Ohio has a wonderful park system. A good number of them have a sweet sprinkler system. I guess it compensates for not having beaches. It reminds me of when we were children and we played for hours under the fire hydrant (yes it is all wasteful, I know it).

As I waited for some of my students to arrived, I chased my children into the sprinklers. They giggled with delight. I grabbed the youngest, Omokolade, and began to swing him around with half of the circle going into the water. He screamed with glee. Of course with multiple children, you have to do the same for the others. Soon enough you are grabbing your third child for the 8th time. You have to keep going or you will fall from the dizziness. Yet I too enjoy this.

At one point I go to pick up one of my other children when I grab the hands of a child that is not mine. I pause. A little girl about the same age as Omokolade. She is reaching out to me with eager eyes. She hops up and down in anticipation for the spin. I look about and see a group of children huddled with their arms extended, all hopping up and down in unison.

I paused for too long and the dizziness hit me. As I spun, I noticed more children crowding around me begging for a turn. I laugh and shake my head and run off. Thankfully, my students have arrived. I head towards them keeping one eye on my children. Who begin to lead the small crowd back to the sprinklers.

During class, as I take glimpses of our babies, I notice they were showing the other children how to mimic our movements. A moment of tremendous pride washed over me and I smiled. It felt good to see them teaching and laughing instead of scolding as I do my students when they miss a step. Another lesson learned.

When class was over we hung out for a bit and chased one another around. They interacted with my students, laughing, running, doing au's (cartwheels), and head stands (yes head stands on concrete -- our babies are hardcore!). Again they did me proud.

They taught much more than I did that evening through laughter then I did through yelling, kicking, and executing take downs.

The babies are the greatest.

2009-07-12T20:26:00.001-04:00

Steve McNair: A Case of Bad Decision Making

It is very, very difficult not to judge someone who chooses to be in a situation that affects his or her life and family. It is difficult not to judge someone who leaves this plane of existence in a very embarrassing manner. When I first heard the news and the few details of Steve McNair's untimely death I thought to myself that this could not be good at all and immediately my mind began to make up very bad scenarios. Unfortunately, I was right. I must reiterate that I don't know McNair or his family personally but numbers don't lie and no one can sit here believing that McNair's passing raises several questions.

What is sad is that people are blaming Sahel Kazemi, McNair's mistress, for the entire fiasco. While the latest news is that she murdered McNair, I can only give her partial blame. It is obvious that McNair and Kazemi began dating when Kazemi was very young. I have seen older "gentlemen" date women who were young enough to be their daughters. Some will say that it is the women who prey on these men. I disagree. A child, yes a child, that age is not mature enough to be in a "serious" relationship particularly an extramartial affair. So I will go out on a limb and say that McNair took advantage of Kazemi. So to place full blame on Kazemi would be sexist and not looking at the entire picture.

I have noticed that people have also used race as a factor. Some have defended McNair by stating that he had extramarital affairs with women of various ethnic groups. I don't know if this is true but find it to be a very poor excuse. The matter has nothing to do with race but has much to do with fidelity, honesty, and male privilege. We should be dealing with male privilege and NOT race. So if we see the societal implications of this incident, it is that of male privilege.

People have also blamed it on fame and McNair's stellar career as an NFL player. Many have argued that with that fame comes unwanted attention and that it is difficult to avoid being tempted (we can talk about temptation for hours -- another excuse to do damage). We can debate the problems that athletes have win they earn exorbitant salaries but again, we are missing the point because at the end of the day it all comes down to male privilege. I am no where near a millionaire but women still approach me knowing that I am married. Now athletes might have an exponential increase of women flirting with them compared to the blue collar and white collar men out there but some blue collar and white collar men still cheat on their wives. So that excuse is groundless as well.

In the end McNair, who like most men in his position did not acknowledge his male privilege, made a very, very bad decision. A decision that will affect his children for the rest of their lives. If he kept his gun in his pocket, his children would have a father right now.

Don't get me wrong, McNair did not deserve to be murdered in cold blood. I don't wish that on anyone's children. It was unfortunate but we can all agree that if he played his position, that of a husband and father, he would be alive today. Is that judgement? No, it's calling a spade, a spade. We should take this as a lesson. We should make sound decisions and we should raise our children to do the same. When married with children, we should understand that our decisions affect them more then it affects us. In the end, the victims are McNair's wife and children. They didn't sign up for nonsense and will have to live with his poor decision for the rest of their lives.

Many will argue that we should respect McNair's passing. I am sorry, one's transition does not clean out one's chicanery. We should praise someone's accomplishments but also negatively criticize his or her's bad side. We should stop worshipping and start critically thinking. McNair's accomplishments on the football field are just that, accomplishments on the football field. Yes, he donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to non profit organization but so have millions of other people who are not millionaires or Hall of Fame level athletes. McNair is a human being like you and I.

Let's take this opportunity to learn from it and realize the perils of playing with people's emotions and being unfaitful to one's family.

2009-07-10T07:16:00.001-04:00

City Kid: A Writer's Memoir of Ghetto Life and Post Soul Success
by Nelson George

Book review by Dan Tres OMi

It seems as if any decent documentary on any music icon in the last five years has featured Nelson George. Although I have followed George since his time at the Village Voice, I really began to appreciate his work in the early 90's with the prophetic "CB4" and his book "Hip Hop America" in the late 90's. George has been holding it down since before Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons were sketching out the Def Jam logo in Rubin's college dorm. As a matter of fact, George provided a bird's eye view of the rise of certain notables such as Anita Baker, Chris Rock, and Spike Lee. It was about time that he penned a memoir.

Like the ghetto story that is never told but is often lived out by a large number of we Afro nerds, George escaped from the Brooklyn PJ's through literature. It was through writing that George was able to gain access into the music industry. George literally bumrushed his way into a gig at Billboard and the Village Voice. Soon he was able to pen several books about Michael Jackson, Motown, and the "death" of R&B due to his extensive interviews and research.

George could have easily given away tidbits of juicy information about several celebrities to sell books. Instead, he parallels his life with his writing career focusing on his growth and development as he witnessed the changing landscape of black music from the early 80's to the present. He brings the reader into his personal life beginning with how his grandparents met. George explains how his family helped shape him become who he is and how they were instrumental in his success.

Of course, my favorite part of the story is his interaction with Spike Lee. He describes the hard ships Lee faced earlier in his career and how many did not even see his genius. This vantage point is unique since we often see the mainstream media's response to a Lee quote or movie. George does not worship his subjects. Instead he gives the reader a well balanced point of view. This is something evident in all of his work.

My only problem is the brevity of the book. While George lets the reader into his private life, he does not let it all hang out. The reader is given brief glimpses of George. George's career is extensive and I am sure one book cannot fit it all in but another 100 pages would not have hurt. Much of the it was probably done to allow a better story flow but the blanks force the reader to turn back a few pages here and there to see if something was missed. Although George does not consider himself an exceptional writer, he is. His body of work speaks for itself.

2009-07-08T07:05:00.001-04:00

A Learning Opportunity: Michael Jackson's Transition

If I learned anything in my 36 years of existence on this plane is that one should see every experience as a learned one. With Michael Jackson, this is a shared experience. One that we should all be learning from. During the past few days, I realized quite a few things.

1. You will always have naysayers...

...so why sweat them? If anything, why give them power by responding? Why even mention their name? It's wild because people actually make money talking junk about people. Here is the thing: we give them power when we respond to them or tune into them. When we ignore them, they go away and are forgotten. Over the years, I realized that there are people who made careers off of taking advantage of Michael Jackson's personal problems. Yet they did so because we listened, watched, and discussed what they had to say. It's kind of like the little beefs with have with people on the day to day. There is always going to be someone who doesn't like us. There will always be people whom we can never satisfy. We should learn to not give them power.

2. A shared experience

I remember when James Brown (who Michael Jackson admitted had a huge influence on him) passed. I was hurt. However, if you were of a certain age group or a particular lover of music history, the Original B-boy was someone whose grandparents listened to. I can honestly say I don't know anyone down to my 8 year old daughter (you remember the Thriller debacle at school right?), who doesn't not have a personal story about Michael Jackson. We can safely say that at this moment we had a shared experience. The ill part is that within my lifetime, this has only happened one other time: the election of Obama where even the naysayers shared an experience and can tell you where they were when he won the election and when he was inaugurated.

3. No matter how much money you got, you are still a human being...

It's funny to watch how people look at celebrities. People assume that just because that person makes a large amount of money and garners a good amount of publicity that somehow said person is smarter and savvier then everyone else. Let's face it, Michael Jackson was a wonderful entertainer whom so many people try to emulate. Yet the brother made some horrible decisions that will cause pain for several of his family members in the years to come. Like all of us, Michael Jackson bleeds red and like all of us makes some horrible decisions. It doesn't make him less than any of us and it doesn't make us any less than him.

It bothers me how we invest so much into celebrities and icons. We place so much emotional value in people we really don't know, and let's admit we really don't know Michael Jackson like that, that when they crumble we crumble with them and attempt to defend them as if he or she is a member of our family. To me that's scary and it causes me to detach myself from the world of celebrities to the point where I often just turn everything off. I did the same with Michael Jackson because like everyone else, I got sucked into the circus. And honestly, people can say what they want but he didn't deserve that. Like I said, I didn't know him but to be honest, I felt that I should let his family mourn him and avoid being sucked into the nonsense.

4. If I hear someone say something about race again...

When it came to race, Michael Jackson like the rest of us had issues with it. Yes there was some self hatred there but we all suffer from it. While I dug Michael Jackson's efforts at race reconciliation, I never saw him as an expert on race relations. In the end, I take issue with folks who want us to reconcile with race by just holding hands and singing kumbaya. So I ask people to stop toting Michael Jackson as this great race relations PR guy. If we are going to discuss Michael Jackson and race, then let's discuss it in it's greater context.

5. Our mortality

As much as we would have liked for Michael Jackson to live forever, alas none of us are immortal. There are only two guarantees in life: change and our transition. Eventually we will all return to the essence. The question is what will do with our time here. It's very, very easy to say "let me change that person in the mirror..." This is something I have been hearing people say all the time. So what now? I don't find that life is short. Michael Jackson did his thing in those 50 years of existence. Life is long, sisters and brothers. Let's utilize our time properly.

Again, none of us are superhuman. We bleed. We tire. We hurt. As much as we aspire to be bigger than what we were built for, our imperfections are what makes us beautiful. They ground us. They tell us where our limitations are. They urge us to strive for perfection. So life should be about constant elevation. Michael Jackson worked tirelessly to perfect his craft. It seemed like at every moment he was trying to flip the script when it came to his music. That was where he was God and could pretty much not be surpassed by anyone. That is how we should work when it comes to what we do best.

6. Love...

I watched quite a few interviews over the last few days from people who knew Michael. Some told great stories, some told personal stories, and some told some pretty weird tales. The common thread in these stories is that everyone admitted that Michael Jackson had issues. While I don't doubt them what bothered me was during the interviews, no one said "I tried to tell him you know..." Now they might have said that and it was edited. They might have said "hey can you leave that out of the story." They might have even told Michael Jackson to slow down. I was not there. Yet it made me realize that I am so grateful to have people in my life who always bring me down to planet earth when I start to wild out. My wife always grounds me. My moms can still beat my tail (not literally but you catch my drift) and my siblings will put me in check in a heartbeat. I have friends who also refuse to let me go off the deep end. That's important. When I look at people in the news who are in trouble or hurt themselves, I realize that oftentimes it is a cry for some love. That in their lives, they have no one to turn to. In their desperation they cry out in ways that are harmful to all. Again, I didn't know Michael Jackson. What I do know is that everything he did was put under a microscope. While there is a price to pay for fame, I honestly find that Michael Jackson just wanted to make music and be left alone. He never came off like he was holier than thou or make political statements he felt he was inclined to make. One thing that hurt me the most is the reaction of his parents. I don't know them but I remember when a co worker who I barely knew lost a 3 year old child in a drowning. Man, I cried. I would not wish the passing of a child to no one.

I will say that I only caught a glimpse at his memorial. I never been good at those things. I prefer to remember people the way I want to remember them. I know when I pass I want folks to party. I am sure Michael Jackson wanted me to pass the time singing his songs and b-boying.
Anyone care to join me?

2009-07-05T22:49:00.002-04:00

My Letter to Trader Joe's (inspired by Liberator Magazine -- big up Achali)

I have been shopping at your store's throughout the country for the last five years. My mother and my siblings have also shopped at your store locations in New York City for around the same time. I have recommended your stores to several friends throughout the country. I can safely say that I have bought thousands of dollars worth of business to your stores. I enjoy your stores immensely. Your customer service in every story I have been in has been of a caliber I have never experienced in any other super market. Your prices are inexpensive and you always seem to have sales on items that we need. Your store is also environmentally friendly and filled with organic produce.

I have noticed that I come from a demographic that normally doesn't frequent your fine establishment. I hail from the projects. I am Afro Latino, participate in hip hop culture, and I teach Capoeira. When I go to your stores, which is usually out of my way, I don't see too many people that look like me. I don't have a problem with it but I have a solution for you.

Oftentimes, we are told by the powers that be that people from economically deprived neighborhoods should eat healthier foods. I wholeheartedly agree. Our family has been vegetarian for over ten years. We drink plenty of water and get plenty of exercise. However for us to get those healthy food choices, we have to travel out of our way. Where we currently live in Dayton, Ohio, we have to travel close to 25 minutes to go to your store. A family we know rides their bike an hour each way to reach your store with a baby in tow! As you can see, quite a few of us are determined to make sure we have healthy eating choices. Yet a good number of us do not have those opportunities.

I think it would do a good number of us a huge service if Trader Joe was to open up a store in an economically deprived community. Think of the good it will do if your fine supermarket were to open up a store in the Bronx, New York or Detroit, Michigan. Think of the access, the healthy choices, and the wonderful customer service people in those deprived areas will have. My mother will not be able to find it difficult to convince her friends to shop there. People I know and love will not have to take a plane, train, and an automobile to reach your stores.

Some will say that people in those neighborhoods will not buy healthy foods if given the alternative. I disagree. How can we say something to that effect if we do not give people in our community that choice? Studies have shown that people in economically deprived neighborhoods actually pay more for poor quality foods then people in economically advantaged neighborhoods when they pay for higher quality foods. I am sure if given the opportunity to purchase healthy foods at reasonable prices, people in economically deprived neighborhoods will make the right choice.

I know my family and I did and we don't live in economically advantaged areas. We don't mind paying a little extra to drive out to your stores. We live in a free market economy and I know how it works. There has to be an incentive for Trader Joe's. There is. You will make a substantial amount of money. Of course, there is no way for me to guarantee it. As a valued customer, I am sure you value my opinion and will take this idea into consideration.

Sincerely,
Danny J. Rodriguez

2009-07-03T00:31:00.003-04:00

Only Built for... (Marriage Rocks literally)

In the last few months, I have been hearing quite a few people state that the institution of marriage should be thrown out. Many have come out to say that the institution of marriage is outdated and should be discarded. It is obvious that I disagree with them on so many levels. I am a historian, so I am no fool.

I understand that in most cultures, marriage is pretty much slavery for women. Despite the economic advantages, women would still be second class citizens. In some cultures, women were passed on pretty much as property from their fathers to their husbands.

I don't find that marriage is outdated. Studies across the board that children that come from a two parent home do much better across the board and through all economic levels then others. I know that for our babies, marriage gives them a greater advantage. It gives them one that we can visibly see each and every day.

What has changed is gender roles. Women can go out and earn their own and be financially independent. It is not considered unmanly for a man to learn how to cook and clean. We also don't live in an agrarian society anymore. We don't need to have scores of children to maintain a farm. Those are things we should keep in mind. Marriage can be more than just a stable financial unit.

The naysayers can be split into three categories: a.) those that have never been in a FUNCTIONAL monogamous relationship, b.) those that have never been married (and probably never will), c.) those that have been married and it failed miserably.

I can't blame them for being cynical. I can't blame them for being frustrated at not being able to find a mate. It's real out there and scary. To be honest, I could not see myself out there dating. Some of the stories make me cringe and hold on to my children. As usual I digress.

In my almost 9 years of marriage, I continue to learn the valuable lesson that love is hard work (big up Miguel Alcarin and big up to my Mother, the divine GODDESS). I also realized that not everyone is built for this. This does not imply that someone who is not married is less than someone who is. I look at it like the military, not everyone is built for the military and the military is not built for everyone. I know plenty of strong and fierce women and men who never served in the military and who I know will give their life for me in a minute just like I know women and men who served who would do the same. I can apply this to marriage.

Instead of complaining, I think more people should man/woman up and admit that they are just not built for it. Heck, there are quite a few things I am not built for and yes I have tried them. I never parachuted out of an airplane but I plan on doing it. After executing that move, I will tell you whether I am built for it. I remember a paratrooper admitting to me that he pooped his pants each and every time he jumped. He did 24 jumps and earned his parachute wings. He never did it again. He admitted that he was not built for it. I admired him for his number of jumps, but I admired him more for admitting that it just wasn't for him.

Marriage is a large amount of work. I look at it like a garden. You get what you put into it. One must stand a constant vigil over one's garden. You don't want to find patches of brown throughout the garden, it would mean impending doom for what you have grown. In marriage, one cannot think of one self. The best analogy I can give is that of the Akan symbol of the two lizards and one stomach. If one mate eats something poisonous, both will suffer.

Are there days when I want to quit? No doubt. Are there days when I think I made a big mistake? Of course. What we should ask ourselves is when do we not doubt ourselves? Like everything else in life, it's a risk. It is a risk that is well worth it.

I enjoy our marriage. We have more ups and downs. The downs really test our love for one another. Those downs are enough to break any individual down. But as a unit, we can break through brick walls with ease. We are both built for this.

2009-07-01T23:03:00.001-04:00

All Good Things Come To an End (Sort of)...

(as of this writing, Quincy Jones has offered to buy back Vibe Magazine)

I had very mixed feelings about the closing of Vibe magazine. When it was first published and launched by Quincy Jones in 1993. I was one of the first to get a subscription. Back then it was just $8.95 a year. Many of my favorite writers from the Source ended up there so it made sense to start reading it. The pictures were as sharp and vivid as those of Rolling Stone. Their exposes were rich and intriguing. Yet right before the murder of Biggie, it fell off hard. No more good write ups, most of the best writers were gone, and they seem to market their magazine to the 106th and Park crowd. So I canceled my subscription. Every now and again, I would pick up a copy after a friend advised me to read a particular article. Yet it was never the same. Even the pictures seemed to lack the artistry from the jump.

I would be a liar if I didn't say that I know quite a few people who launched their careers while working there. Heck, I tried to get a gig there almost 15 years ago and didn't even receive those dreadful letters that declined my resume and letters of inquiry (I just learned that Harry Allen, the infamous media assassin and 50% of reason why I began writing was never offered a permanent gig there -- so I am in good company). I also know a handful of people who ate well and supported their families working there. Yet the magazine still managed to fall off.

When I heard that their offices were closing my feelings were mixed. Being laid off is not something I would wish on my worst enemy especially in these dire economic times. So my heart goes out to those who are losing jobs they needed.

However, Vibe magazine was wack and I don't think contributed anything but a stepping stone to up and coming writers. Yet that is not the focus of this entry.

It pretty much comes down to business models. We all know that magazines make no money through subscriptions. Those rolls are needed to convince advertisers to purchase ad space in those magazines. As a former editor I know the deal. Folks won't buy pages if you don't show them the numbers. However no one, even the fine intelligent folks at the New York Times, saw the writing on the wall. One cannot depend solely on advertising dollars. Newstand sales in the last decade for any magazine or newspaper have fallen sharply for a myriad of reasons. Yet no one made a move to start something new. No one made the move to flip the script.

I am sure, there were some people who said "hey, why don't we try this to make some dough?" and were probably laughed out of the boardroom (doesn't this always happen? I have been a victim to this and I am by no means a genius). But alas, I was not there so I can't really speak on it.

My biggest gripe I have with Vibe is who they were marketing to. Yes, they marketed to the teenie bopper Lil Wayne fanatics. In other words, they put out low brow puff/nut sac pieces. Every now and again, they published a banger or two but pretty much after 1995 to 1996, it was a wrap.

Some will say, "well no one wants to read cerebral pieces..." My response? Tell that sh** to The New Yorker Magazine or Vanity Fair. "Well Dan Tres Omi, there are no music magazines that do that..." Hello, every heard of URB? What about Wax Poetics which doesn't even a discount to subscribers (gee, that's an idea, having subscribers and making $$$ -- see someone was paying attention in the boardroom). Those are but a few magazines that have a nice following and put out some great articles. Some have been around for decades while others just in their teens. One can put out a wonderful magazine that focuses on the aesthetics of a culture and still maintain a sizeable staff and a very supportive following. Trust me that teenie bopper crowd is very finicky, homie.

Quite a few people will argue that print is dead anyway. I beg to differ. If that was the case, people would be buying the Amazon Kindle like crack in the 1980s but they aren't. We must remember that only a little over 21% of the world's population are using the internet. It is easy to live in a post industrial modern society and assume that everyone else lives like we do. I digress, sisters and brothers, but you catch my drift.

What is different is how we need to market things. What is different is how we need to approach acquiring money to produce what we want. What we should be learning in this day and age is that corporate money is not the end all be all.

What we should be worrying about is the fact that despite all the technology we have, fewer people are reading. Or fewer people are reading the right things. Reading is brain food however that is a post for another day.

To the Vibe Magazine, good riddance. Get te vale para carajo! You will not be missed.

2009-06-30T22:53:00.003-04:00

Reciprocity and communication

Reciprocity

a. the quality or state of being reciprocal

Reciprocal

a. consisting of or functioning as a return in kind

Another important part of any relationship, be it between mother and son, best friends, husband and wife, boss and subordinate, is reciprocity. This is the best way that each person knows that their investment is valued. And yes, a relationship is an investment. As Miguel Alcarin said, "love is hard work."

I know that as we get older and get caught up in the hustle and bustle of working life, we tend to make less time for our peoples. Moving away from our folks on the east coast has been hard on our family. Yet the Omi's always hold it down and have no problems making new friends and creating that nurturing community. However, this does not mean that I forget my friends back east. If anything, it should strengthen our bonds and make us value one another more.

One would assume that with all the new technology, it would be much easier to stay in contact. This has not been the case. Thus, the issue of reciprocity.

I have been known to really stay in contact with folks. I still write letters and send postcards. It's a habit I picked up while in the Navy. If you want me to write, just say the word and I will. I still send cards with written words in them. I call to check up on folks and if I am in your area, I make an attempt to contact you. I am that brother. While I am still working on being a human being, I am not the best friend to have by far. I still have things to work out.

What bothers me however is that if I call someone a few times a week and leave messages, I MIGHT get a text message back. If I send someone a post card letting them know that I am thinking of them, I get a comment on facebook. What's up with that?

Again, I don't expect folks to write me a ten page letter (yes, I write ten page letters!) to reply to one I wrote them. I would rather they give me a call. While I dig technology, a good number of us have used it to replace intimacy and real social contact. I am old school cat, I prefer building with folks face to face. I prefer drinking beer with strangers and sharing life experiences. I prefer to hear people's voices and know that they are okay. So much is lost in texting, IMing, or leaving comments on someone's page.

To be honest, you never know how much it might mean to someone if you call them, or send them a little card, or hop in for a little 15 minute visit. It is important for us to maintain those bonds. Those bonds are maintained through healthy physical contact.

I can't front, I need that reassurance as well. I am a human being. I don't want to be that ghost in the shell. Affection is more than just electro magnetic stimuli to me. I need to hear voices, see folks, see pictures in print.

Reciprocity fits into that. Again, I don't expect a ten page letter or a fat order on snapfish on photo books. A phone call will suffice.

2009-06-28T23:31:00.002-04:00

Transformers 2 : Revenge of the Fallen

Sequels are a tough thing to pull off. I find that there are only a few directors in the history of Hollywood that have followed a movie with a better sequel. To be honest, only George Lucas comes to mind. I think anyone can admit that "Empire Strikes Back," is the best sequel ever. Yet I digress. I must admit that I never felt Michael Bay as a director. When I heard he was tapped to direct the first Transformers adaptation I decided I was not going to see it. Somehow, I made it to the theater and I was impressed. I was so impressed that I was looking forward to the sequel.

I was able to get a ticket for a Wednesday evening show. I had the opportunity to talk to other eager movie watchers. Like me, they were excited. The general mood was that this was going to be the summer blockbuster. This was going to be the one to beat after the disappointing Wolverine movie.

Like most Hollywood summer blockbusters, the storyline was thrown out the window and the director just added several explosions with some half dressed latest go to girl running around blasting bad guys. It seems as if the writers decided to just throw every storyline about the Transformers ever written (death of Optimus Prime, the leadership Cog, the Primes, etc.) and mythical archetypes of the Messiah and other earthly ditties into one 2 and a half hour movie without a clever way of tying it all up. What made the first Transformers movie great was that it was a simple plot. Mind you, I wanted to see robots blow each other up but I don't mind some decent writing thrown in to keep the story flowing. I guess this time, Bay was looking for the loot.

The Good

Optimus Prime really saved this movie. To be honest, the things didn't get down until he showed up. The fight scene between Prime, Megatron, Starscream, and another Decepticon reminded me of why I went to see this film. Although the fight scene moves fast, Prime gets busy. The fight seen in the end with Fallen and Megatron is also worth the price of admission.

A Rail Gun. A rail gun gets used in the movie. You don't see too much of those.

They figured out a way to put Soundwave into the movie without making him a boom box. He was made into a satellite and helped coordinate Decepticons to come to several locations.

The Bad

Where should I start? Megatron gets handled in this movie. I mean he came off like Starscream. Even earthlings were handling Megatron. In part one, everyone ran from this Decepticon. This time, he gets treated like an extra.

Decepticons turning into humans? Decepticons turing into sex starved co-eds? With metal tails that come from their rear ends? Or with tongues that seem to stretch with no end?

Mrs. Witwicky eating marijuana laced brownies and running around a college campus discussing her son's virginity? Dogs humping each other? A robot humping a human woman's leg? Is this Transformers or "Superbad?"

A Decepticon named Fallen? Did I spell that correctly? And they want me to take him seriously. He is the guy behind this entire war. Gee, reminds me of this guy named Beelzebub. But his name was never Fallen. And Megatron was his apprentice.

Sam Witwicky is the Chosen one? Gee, reminds me of this guy named HAY SOOS. Hey, I came to see robots blow each other up. Why all the mysticism? Again too many subplots to try to fit into a 2 and a half hour movie.

If I see one more slow mo scene I will puke. I think every other scene in this movie was done in slow motion. Despite slowing things down, the subplots were not tied together in the end. I know that with the CG some of the scenes were overwhelming so the frames had to be slowed down so that the audience can see what is going on. In Part Two, however, even the scenes were in slow motion. Scenes that didn't need to be in slow motion, were framed that way. It was tiring.

Too many new robots. I dug the first one because there were only a few robots to keep track of. It seems as if every two minutes, a new robot was introduced. Again, just too much going on.

What's up with the old SR-71 Decepticon? I think his name was Fire Fox. A robot with a cane? Come on man, folks are reaching for humor.

When I was a youngblood, I thought the Constructicons were the joint. Not anymore. Thank you Michael Bay for ruining that.

The Ugly

I know, I know. I cannot expect Hollywood to really show love to non whites. It's like expecting Lil' Wayne to say something intelligent. I have always found Hollywood movies in the 21st century to be slick with their racism. Not in Transformers 2. Introducing Skids and Mudflap. Yes a robot named Mudflap equipped with a gold front to boot. Yes, he even had googly eyes like those old sambo characters. Yes, I said it, a robot with googly eyes. One would think that technologically advanced robots from another galaxy would have it in their right minds to make robots with eyes that stay transfixed in their domes. Did I mention that these two buffoons consistently say "bus a cap in yo ass," and "...bitchaz.." throughout the entire movie.

As usual, people of African descent can't build a darn thing on their own. So of course, Kemites could not have designed and constructed the pyramids. It was the Decepticons! There is even a close up of John Turturro's character saying "aliens built the pyramids, YES!"

Again, I find it amazing that most of the movie takes place outside of the U.S. and no people of color, other than Tyrese, have a hand in it. Okay, Jordanians make a quick entry into one scene but they don't have the firepower we Americans have so the Decepticons took them out in seconds. By the way, Tyrese gets less lines than KRS One did in Who's The Man.

Oh don't take your children to see this, even robots have testicles! I don't know what one has to do to get an R Rating but come on. Again, I thought I was watching the robot version of Superbad at times. Whatever happened to robots blowing each other up?

Overall, the movie is worth getting on bootleg from that guy at work you don't care too much for. Thank you Hollywood for ruining another childhood past time.

2009-05-26T12:14:00.002-04:00

Why I play Capoeira (Not Golf)

I am 36 years young and I do work in white collar job. In that sector, many of the men in my age definitely go out of their way to promote their male privilege (let's not even talk about white skin privilege). Part of that is playing golf. What the mainstream media doesn't tell you is that golf is where many high powered executives and white elites make their deals. This is one of the reasons why golf clubs remain one of the very few all white organizations in this country. Yes, they let in the occasional person of African descent in there but that's just for publicity.

(Profesor Mandrill and I in Kentucky)

Every now and again, someone invites me to play golf. Of course my response is always, "I don't play golf, I play capoeira!" Which is also followed by a brief history lesson. While I always approached Capoeira from the vantage of person of African descent, it was not until the last couple years that I began to approach it from an academic level. Capoeira is tremendously different from golf not just from an aesthetic and physical level. It is also different from an economic, environmental, and a hierarchical level.

1. You can play Capoeira anywhere and pretty much at anytime.

This is why I really enjoy it. I have played capoeira in a darkly lit, hole in the wall bar, in a cathedral, and for the United Nations. Sometimes we have played with a full bateria (orchestra), one berimbau, or even one pandeiro (tambourine). There are times I might run into a capoeirista and we play a quick jogo (game). You never know who you will meet. Now extend this further into the world. Capoeira is world wide. From the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to the shanty towns of Lagos, Nigeria to the skyscrapers of Tokyo, folks get down like that.

2. The music

Capoeira is a prime example of the universal appeal of music. The lyrics to the music in Capoeira are sung in portuguese. To do otherwise would be sacrilegious. Many will say "but singing in portuguese represents how that group of people oppressed Africans." While they have a point, the delivery, concepts, and what is discussed is African based. Even the instruments used are based on african drum percussions. So even the singing is a form of rebellion.

Yet it's dope that i can go to NYC or Mexico City and jump into any roda and sing and we all get it. Can't do that in golf. It is a language we can all speak or understand. While we many not speak portuguese, we understand the concepts discussed in those songs. We can apply them or understand their applications. Golf is devoid of any universalizing rituals.

3. One doesn't need much to play a game

This is definitely where one sees a class difference. I have always found golf to be white male patriarchy's conquest of space. I have always found it interesting to find golf courses in the middle of the hood where the residents of that community have completely NO access to that space. At the same time, those same communities have lost prime space to develop for their own purposes not due to their fault of their own.

With capoeira as I mentioned before, I can play anywhere. Capoeira is essentially, like most african diasporic forms of martial art and dance, a fight for time and space. Often in response to situations like the white upper class taking over real estate in deprived neighborhoods for their own purposes.

This is where Capoeira takes on a more radical approach to things. It reminds me of how police stop cats from b-boying in the street. THe same approach here. In Brazil after emancipation, the police stopped people from playing capoeira. It was an unconscious attempt to claim space. In capoeira, it is the same thing. Most of us acquire spaces with permission from the state. Sometimes the police will ask us to move without any provocation from anyone and sometimes they leave us alone when we don't get permission. But even if we post up in club or at a festival, the struggle is obvious. What's dope is that the audience gets caught up in that struggle. They dig it and stay on the edges of the roda (circle) and at times participate. When someone asks us to stop, the audience even gets mad and their support is there.

In Golf, that does not happen. Usually people in the communities surrounding those courses have no say in the matter.

One needs space to play either. Yet with Capoeira, not much is needed. Heck, I even played right outside of a bathroom one time with two other cats from Abada. It was dope. For that moment in time, we claimed that space for our own. With golf, one needs to take down homes and parts of communities to conduct a game.

4. Environmentally, golf sucks.

Plain and simple. Trees are taking down and lands flattened. Nothing of ecological value is recreated or replaced. Golf courses are not sustainable on any level. Again this is a clear demonstration of white male patriarchal conquest.

Now I will admit that when it comes to Capoeira, we need to find a new material to replace the berim wood on the berimbau. Other than that, one can play capoeira anywhere, no landscaping needed. It is sustainable and thrives on being out in the open air. Unlike golf, it urges its practitioners to stay in shape.

For those of my homies who play golf and might be offended by this piece. Please be offended. Remember that an agnry response is a subconscious tick that is urging one to defend their male privilege and golf represents that privilege. Yet that is a discussion for another post.

I might change my mind when golf course allow our folks to work, play, and use the space for other things outside of golf OR golf courses found in the hood sell their space for affordable housing and garden plots.

'nuff said

2009-05-22T06:34:00.001-04:00

Park Bench People: Is that hip hop?

When my wife and I were still a young married couple, I used to always play the Freestyle Fellowship. The cuts I always played from their commercial release, "Innercity Griots" were "Innercity Boundaries," "Park Bench People," and "Heavyweights." I played "Park Bench People" to the ground. When I stumbled upon the remake by Jose James, I was taken back.

"Innercity Griots" was the joint. It recieved critical acclaim from the Source (when it actually meant something) and Rap Pages (when it was under the editorship of the woman I would have married if she didn't get married first -- Sheena Lester). I don't even think it sold 20,000 copies. At the time, I was in the Navy. I was shocked to find it in the exchange! Yes, I copped the cassette. I remember visiting my folks in NYC and purchasing the t shirt from 555 Soul when it was a small store in the Lower East Side (LES).

One thing that has always bugged me out is when I play the track to anyone no matter what age or walk of life, they ask "is that hip hop?" I never really peeped it. I always shrugged my shoulders. I was just happy that they liked it. The other day as I played the track and talked to my daughter about it, she asked the same question.

That was when I peeped it.

Is it hip hop music? I mean it was released on a hip hop album by a pretty dope hip hop group. Yet Mikah Nyne's flow was actually scatting and not really MCing even though folks will argue that Cab Calloway was MCing when he actually was scatting. There was live instrumentation on that album too. They were definitely playing be-bop. So it's jazz right?

I will say that it's jazz. Outside of Stetsasonic and Rammellzee (oh yeah, the Soul SOnic Force), this could be one of the earliest times when MCs started flipping it. Could this be why "Innercity Boundaries" wasn't a commercial success? I want to point out that all those heads that act like black hipsters are a new thing, REALLY need to check their history cause Freestyle Fellowship and that entire Good Life Cafe vibe was on some hipster stuff. Heck, Afrika Bambaata was on some hipster stuff but I digress...

I wonder if they released that album today would it have blown up?

2009-05-21T16:56:00.001-04:00

Chinks in my Armor: A Sore Loser's Lament

Everyone knows me as this super optimistic person. I can't front. Although I am analytical as anyone can get, I like to see the silver lining. So after last week's attempt at starting a Capoeira class in Dayton, I decided to try again this week. I had a nice circle of a few students. They were amped and excited. They even took some of our flyers and passed it around. I fed off of their enthusiam. I felt that if I had a nice foundation of students, we could build a nice capoeira class out of them. Trust me, an instructor couldn't ask for a better group of students.

The night before last, I dreamed of having around 20 students in my class. Even in my best seasons while teaching Capoeira in Virginia, I never had more than 15 students. Yet my optimism was on overdrive. I was tired from work and school and I needed a power nap but my hyper positive attitude kept me going.

I arrived to the spot and Ganchada Peixe and a new student was there. We waited for another ten minutes and Touro showed up. We waited another ten minutes and decided to just head to the park and played capoeira. Deep down, I was crushed but I said nothing to my fellow capoeiristas. I played as if it was any other day. Despite the set back, I had a good time.

Yet when I came home, I felt like a big time failure (thankfully, my wife was there for support!).

As men, we are cowards in the face of failure. It is something we run away from. We don't even want to discuss it. It is consuming like a brightly fueled fire. It takes us down a few levels. It is something we want to hide. We are quick to discuss our triumphs but never even mention our failures.

Many will argue, "well people not showing up for something isn't necessarily a failure." To me it is. I love Capoeira. I want other people to love it too. I want to help promote capoeira culture in okey doke Ohio. I want to have open rodas every other week. I want to go out and bump into a capoeirista and bus a quick jogo. I know I am being super naive, but I can't help how I feel.

I did set my expectations too high. I only needed 8 people to show up to make a full month's rent. I had some help in promoting it by several people who are too numerous to name. I attended other local events and passed out flyers. Facebook and emails were in effect. The folks in my group have talked it up and passed information along. I think I might have talked to at least 50 prospective students personally. I am not the best salesman, but I have been known to convince people that they are not the brightest people in the world. So I thought I convinced at least ten people to show up.

Looking back, I could have done more. I have to shoulder most of the blame. So we decided to go back to the lab, revamp the plan, and come back out. August folks, we shall be back in full force.

2009-05-10T23:38:00.002-04:00

Mos Def and Talib Kweli is Black Star
Father and Sun album review (A Labor of Love)

My oldest is 14 years old (soon to be 15). Although we live 600 miles apart, it feels like he is under my wing. He has the same tastes in hip hop music that I have, b-boys, and dabbles in capoeirista.

I don't know where he got it from since I don't get to build with him that often. We decided it would be a good idea to review albums we love. I thought the Black Star album would be appropriate since I meant to do one last year for it's tenth anniversary but never got to it. There are rumors that another Black Star album is in the works and my son and I are Huge Mos fans.

It's rather long but I think it's worth the read. I did NOT edit my son's part. That is all him. Dude is highly intelligent. I am so proud of him. Enjoy and pass it on.

2. "Astronomy"

X Man

I like the fact that it uses alot of analogies. I actually used it for a school project because of that. I also enjoyed how Talib and Mos kinda turned it into a dialogue and go back and forth with it. It makes me think of alot of things because they say "black like assassins crosshairs" showing how black is often seen as negative. Then it says "black like my true loves hair" meaning black is beautiful. They also say "black like my baby girl's stare" meanin black is love. I like when they say "black like my grandaddy arm chair, he never really got no time to chill there cuz his life is warfare" meaning that blacks had it rough especially in the past. And I like when it says "black like faces that are roadways for tears" meaning black people have been mistreated.

Dan Tres Omi
It's amazing how you picked up on that. When I first heard this track live on stage at Rock Steady Anniversary, I thought the same thing. That's what makes a dope MC, they can take things and pain a picture using analogies, metaphors, and similes. It's an ill play on the English language. Some regard MCing as low culture but here is a clear demonstration of how it can be high culture.

3. "Definition"

X Man:
Now I really love defintion because its the first song I heard by Black Star. I enjoy how they promote nonviolence in the song because they say "it's kinda dangerous to be an MC."

I like how they give tributes to Tupac and Biggie who were shot. I also just like the wide range of vocabulary and the complexity of the rhymes and the cleverness of it all.I like how they give shout outs to life in the streets and explain how some things are natural that shouldnt be accepted like when they say : "what a pity blunts are still 50 cents, its intense."
My favorite is when Talib says "my name is in the middle of eKWALIty." My only grievance is it's only like 3 and a half minutes long.

Dan Tres Omi:

It's funny because when this song came out, it was on this little floppy plastic paper that came on some of the singles released on Rawkus. It was a great way to create a buzz. We played the hell out of this song on our on line radio show. It was not released until right before the album dropped. The track came from a song by Boogie Down Productions so it was a throwback to that time.

4. "RE:DEFinition:

X Man:

I didnt like it as much as the original but i still loved it. First I liked the title because instead of "Definition Remix" it's Re:definiton." I like how they say "the blackstar shines eternally" which means they are still stars but also promote black strength. Talib Kweli's first verse is my favorite. But I love it when Mos says "these simpleton's they mentioning the synonm for feminine, and sweeter than some cinnamon." When he raps he's makin it sound like he is disgusted with some of the current rappers and he's like chastising them.

Dan Tres Omi:

Although the track isn't a head nodder like the one for "Definition," it's an MC's track. You really have to listen to the verses. They say so much on this song. At first, I wasn't so hung up on it. Then I started listening to it and started getting it. I really enjoy how they seque into this track from "Definition."

5. "Children's Story"

X Man:

I FREAKIN' LOVE CHILDREN"S STORY.I listened to Slick Rick's version and like Mos gave him tribute not only by making the song in the first place but he starts and ends it the same way

I just love it because it's a story. There is a cleverness to it since it all rhymes and it makes sense. I like how it admonishes those wannabes who are only in the music for money.I love the part where Mos says "this aint funny so don't you dare laugh, this will come to pass when you sell your ass, life is more than what your hands can grasp" and that line basically explains the point of the whole song.

Dan Tres Omi:

Back then, I had issues with hip hop remakes. I didn't see the value in them. When Snoop redid one of Biz Markie's songs, I wasn't feeling it. It's not like R&B where one's vocal range is like 50% of the talent and the other 50% are the lyrics. With MCs, about 75% of the talent is the lyrics, the rest is production and delivery. Yet Mos flipped it and modernized the song. He applied it to what was currently going on in mainstream hip hop music. So it worked. It's ill cause Pharoan Monche redid "Welcome to the Terrordome," and he worked it the same way as Mos.

6. "Brown Skin Lady"

X Man:

I actually let this black kid who only seemed to like white girls listen to it. I like it because it gives the black girls pride in their own beauty and it doesn't say white girls are ugly it only says that black girls are a different but no less kind of beautiful. I like how they rhyme fast but legibly in this and but stay complex. Talbi says "i was appreciating God's design" meaning that he was checking out a girl and that was funny because then i started saying that when someone saw me staring at a girl and i'd just say I was appreciating god's design. The rhymes are so complex and clever but the message is still clear. i basically love how ot empowers black women.

Dan Tres Omi:

This album was released in the summer and I felt this was one of the best summer songs of 1998. Rawkus should have released that song as a single. It was definitely needed back then as well as today. It does empower the sisters big time. I still rock it and sing the hook when I can. It reminds me of summers in NYC when we went to all those street festivals. The song is a definite head nodder but also has many jewels dropped.

7. "B-boys will Be boys"

X Man:

I like how he gves a shout-out to famous dancers like Ken Swift and Crazy Legs and how he gives a shout out to the rock steady crew and the Zulu Nation and how he mentiond\s labels like Rawkus. This is like their only "pat on the back" song like they mention all their affiliates like Rawkus and 88-keys and the native tongues posse.

Dan Tres Omi:

As an amazulu, I am mad biased. I love this song. It sounds like how the MCs got down in the parks where it was mostly shout outs over the break beats. As a b-boy it is a definite roll call.

8. "K.O.S. (Self Determination)"

X Man:

I like how this song is a bit more introspective, slower, and deeper. i like Talib says "the fire's in my eyes and it need's fanning" meaning that i'm not givin up but i'm still going thru stuff so i'm building myself up. I just basically love how this song makes you think and is a self esteem boost. Ii like how he says "i got love in the face of hate" which is almost like turn the other cheek.

Dan Tres Omi:

This song is the very reason why these brothers should keep making albums together. Classic joint. You are right, it's very deep. THe writing is just superb. Poetry at it's best. A clear demonstration of how A alikes can put their minds together and make some powerful music.

9. "Hater Playas"

X Man:

Now this song is one of my personal favorites cuz its a direct chastisement almost. and the rhyme scheme is sick in this like when he said "i'm like shot clocks, interstate cops, and blood clots, the point is your flow gets stopped." I used that in a battle one time. The whole thing is a package of complex and clever rhymes but that particular one killed me when i heard it.I also like when Mos said "i'm destined to rise cuz i'm basement adjacent" and he says " i aint your student so i ain't to be tested, i'm majestic, i represent my strength without ethics, my skill is unorthodox but of course it rocks" that part was sick to me i played it back like nine times. But still i like how they directly call out the "spice-girl MCs."

Dan Tres Omi:

I remember there being a debate about this album. Songs like "Hater Playas" and "Children's Story" were seen by the so called backpackers as rally songs against mainstream hip hop music. The fans of mainstream hip hop music saw the so called backpackers as "haters." It was an ill dichotomy that exists today. Once the term "backpacker" or "hater" is thrown on someone for critiquing someone's lack of artistry, that person's argument is completely ignored. I think Mos and Talib were trying to get to that in this song. This was another song I played often because of how they both flowed.

10. "Respiration"

X Man:

Now respiration is one of my favorites too for some reason where Mos says "the new moon rode high in the metropolis, shining, like who on top of this" just kills me and he refers to it as "gotham" which even though it a nickname for New York City , it still evokes the image of Batmans Gotham and that image is strenghtned when he says "No Bat-Man and Robin, can't tell between the cops and the robbers, they both heartless with no conscience." and that image also gives personalization to New York which strengthens thewhole " i can feel the city breathing" concept.

The rhyme schemes are sick like when Mos says "the shiny apple is bruised but sweet and if you choose to eat you can lose your teeth." The whole song is like a warning agaisnt the city of New York not because its a bad place but because of whats in it.Common's part is like someone who didnt listne to the warning.

Dan Tres Omi:

"So much on my mind, I just can't recline, blasting holes into the night, til she bled sunshine..."

Crazy visuals. And you are right, this is a straight NYC song. Being a native New Yorker, one can feel the city breathing. It's nuts. Again this track is another reason why Mos and Talib need to make another album.

I remember you and I building on this song and you pointed out how Common didn't really fit the track. I agree. Since it was an NYC track, his verse was awkward. It is a dope song despite Common's lackluster performance.

11. "Thieves in the Night"

X-man

I LOVE THAT SONG IT"S MY FAVORITE ON THE ALBUM. I like how it has the excerpt from Toni Morrison's "The Bluest Eye" where it says "Not strong, only aggressive/Not free, we only licensed/Not compassionate, only polite (now who the nicest?)/Not good but well-behaved/Chasin' after death so we could call ourselves brave, still livin' like mental slaves/Hiding like thieves in the night from life/Illusions of oasis making you look twice" and it directly mentions it when they say "i asked my man why we follow the law of the Bluest Eye, he looked at me thought about it and as like i'm Clueless why" They say how we are lied to all the time like he says "foolishly most men join the ranks cluelessly, but foolishly accept the deception and believe the perception." Mos Def says that we are distracted by "short attention spans, short tempers, and short skirts."

basically They are saying that the world is lying to us in believing "Not strong, only aggressive/Not free, we only licensed/Not compassionate, only polite (now who the nicest?)/Not good but well-behaved/Chasin' after death so we could call ourselves brave, still livin' like mental slaves/Hiding like thieves in the night from life/Illusions of oasis making you look twice" and we need to shake that and make our own rules.

Dan Tres Omi:

Vinia Mojica did her thing. She needs a solo album for real.

Originally, Mos and Talib met doing spoken word. So this shows and proves that they started off doing poetry. Another deep song that says so much after each listen. I notice that most of the songs on the lower part of the list were the cerebral ones."Thieves in the Night" is mad cerebral. It's a song I don't get tired of. They both take turns dropping it.

12. "Twice Inna Lifetime"

X Man

i like the fact they had a girl sayin the lyric sit makes it sound more serious and the lines are no les clever like when she said "bringin you pain till you want a vaccination." I like the complexity of the rhymes and how they are clever. Talib's first part is the best.

Dan Tres Omi

This title was taken from the "Fortified Live" song where the hook says "this is once inna lifetime like Halley's Comet..." THey are implying that they were making another dope posse cut. Personally, they should have bought Mista Man back from that Talib single but Wordsworth and Punchline catch wreck.

2009-05-08T10:38:00.005-04:00

Almost forgot:

Support Local events!

I often hear people say "there is nothing to do in my city..." there is always plenty to do. One just has to keep their ear to the street.

We gonna be there, Zulu in the house. Bring the babies.

oh yeah, one more thing.... for you capoeiristas and future capoeiristas...

2009-05-01T05:59:00.000-04:00

To the Ladies: The Signal

I can safely say that I have more female friends than male friends. I appreciate that. I have a different world view to pull from. I have female friends who are conservative Christians, lesbians, feminists, and Pan Africanists. It has helped to shape my worldview on so many levels. Yet, this post is not about my world view.

Every now and again, I encounter several of my female colleagues in my travels. Some times, they are accompanied by a young man. Some of those times, those young men are individuals who are doing their best to holla. I can't knock them at all. I don't hang out with dummies and usually these sisters are on point. When I run into this, I usually introduce myself and keep it business. I don't want to mess up anyone's game or give anyone the idea that I was once an ex.

So I am usually "peace, my name is Dan Tres. How are your folks?" and then I am gone. There has been quite a few times, however, that the young lady in question was trying to tell me something. In my haste, I always seem to miss the signals and realize later on what she was trying to tell me. Some times, these young woman are being hawked by the said young man.

Women, you know the deal. You are making your way somewhere and you encounter someone from work, class, or some other place who dug you in a major way but you don't really care for. You actually want to stay away from him. So when you see me, you see it as an opportunity to either use me as interference or to somehow convince me to invite you to something where the eager young man cannot or won't accompany us.

But I missed the signal.

So I decided to make a signal up so that I know without a doubt that you need me to SNAFU someone's advances. Here it is:

1. Introduce me as your cousin -- This will throw everyone off but it will immediately tell me that something is amiss. It will also signal to me that I have to leap into action.

2. Of course, I joke around alot so I need more convincing. At times, I even tell people that I am related to people. I am that type of dude. Heck, I might be flattered if you say I am related to you. But if you put your arm on my shoulder and then blink twice. After you blink twice, move your eyes to the left and right twice. At that point, there is no doubt in my mind that you need me to play interference.

At that point, I will lie and say that I have to talk to you about something. I will say that I need to come out of the closet or something. Hey, I am comfortable with my sexuality to lie and help a homie out. Then we can be on our way and you will be saved!

See how that works?

2009-04-30T18:19:00.000-04:00

A Heavy dose of optimism (and how to get the news part #4, I think)

The news can really get to you. Being an avid reader and subscriber of newspapers, I get a nice steady dose of the news all the time. As far back as I could remember, I have always stayed on top of the news. I remember reading Malcolm X who said that carrying around a newspaper will make people feel different about you. So I stuck to that. I can safely say I read about 100 to 150 pages a day of all kinds of stuff.

At times, the news can be daunting. It can really place you in a mood especially when one watches the mainstream press. You know the saying, "if it bleeds, it sells." Everytime there is a crisis or a non crisis, they seem to lay it on thick. While I have no problems with informing people, I take issue with updating people on information every 3 minutes without confirming everything. I always tell my wife that one should listen to a newsflash in the first 20 minutes or so, then wait 48 hours. One will see the big difference in the information that is being dispersed. Much of the information given in the first 24 to 48 hours is speculation. Much of it is usually not confirmed.

When I have the opportunity to build with people about a particular news item, I encounter a large amount of hearsay. Much of this I have to attribute to the people circle story (remember the Indian circle?) Once someone hears something and passes it on, it already is edited and embellished. Yet, the sensationalist mainstream media feeds much of it. In an attempt to get the latest news to us in the fastest time alloted, much of the truth gets lost. Yet much of what gets added is pure negativity.

Time and again, studies have proven that being depressed or moving through a negative atmosphere can he harmful to our mental and physical health. Hearing all of that bad news actually affects your day to day outlook on things. Sometimes, it's okay to turn all that stuff off and meditate on something positive.

One does not have to sit around and chant to "meditate" (as the whirling dervishes of Sufism). Spending time with family does it for me. Or taking up a hobby works well. Some people read non fiction or watch a movie or two. I enjoy playing capoeira or just walking helps. Some people do community work or help organize fund raisers. There is no better feeling than helping others. When we focus on positive things, it usually lifts us out of all that negativity. A heavy dose of positivity really helps out. Sitting on your butt however, will not bring a big lump of the good stuff through your door. So get out and do something!

2009-04-19T21:40:00.002-04:00

Foundation: B-boys, B-girls and Hip-Hop Culture in New York

by Joseph G. Schloss

Book Review by Dan Tres Omi

Most people treat B-boys/B-girls like freaks in a circus. Most people see someone execute an air flare and assume it is just acrobatics with no connection to an actual dance. It is called “urban” to denote that there is no professionalism involved. It is treated as a fetish and not given any respect. Of course, it is important that we as b-boys/b-girls also treat it with respect and love. Joseph Schloss attempts to do that in his second book “Foundation.”

I was mad that I missed the release of this book. I asked several of my academic homies about it and they never heard of it. Schloss had previously written a book on sampling that somehow was missed by a gang of us as well. Yet the title of the book is so eye catching for a b-boy/capoeirista since it is a term I used frequently when amongst my peers. For us foundation means knowing the basics of b-boying. It means knowing the history of the dance and the etiquette of the cipher. We judge one's skill not on how long he or she can head spin but how they transition into that headspin or how they set the crowd up before they execute the headspin.

Schloss not only catches the essence of foundation through his interviews with several B-boy and B-girl notables, he emphasizes the importance of seeing B-boying as a respectable dance. Every chapter in the book screamed out “Self Determination!” One thing I love about the B-boy cipher is that we name all of our dances. We don't care if anyone one outside of that cipher respects it or not. We do and we will ensure that the dance continues.

In Chapter 2, Schloss focuses on the classic b-boy records that are normally played at battles and ciphers. He, like all b-boys and b-girls, considers these songs canon. Although I play those songs (“Apache,” “Just Begun,” “The Mexican,” “Give it up or Turn it Loose,” and a handful of others) almost all the time, I never thought of those songs as canon. Yet they are. He points out how originally these songs represented a particular experience for the early b-boys and how it was passed on from one generation to the next. I know when schooling my oldest son on b-boying I have noted how I emphasized that he learns how to rock to these songs first before moving on to anything else. It is almost like passing Biblical stories down to a child.

In Chapter 7, the author focuses on how the early history of b-boying was not documented and the problems caused by the remembrance of that history. What I enjoyed about this chapter is that Schloss uses the history of uprocking to explain the problems of recording history without access to technology during those early years. Schloss sheds a lot of light on the early pioneers of uprocking. That chapter alone is worth the price of admission.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who claims to be a hip hop historian or hip hop head. Schloss asks some very important questions and applies theories that can be used to discuss the other elements of hip hop culture. Schloss also interviews some great b-boys. In the end, it's just wonderful to see b-boying written about in an academic tome.

2009-04-17T07:51:00.001-04:00

Confessions of a Pan Africanist Part 313

Being from NYC, people give me props walking through the door. Living in the Bronx, people automatically give me the benefit of the doubt when it comes to hip hop culture. While hailing from NYC has its privileges (everyone wants to be your friend), I often find people's misconceptions although positive to be unwarranted.

This is not really a confession because folks will tell you that I always tell them to don't believe the hype. Just because I am from NYC doesn't automatically make me this worldly person. I can introduce you to folks from NYC who are not worldly at all. I know quite a few folks from NYC who could not name one pioneer (don't believe me? Go to NYC for the Rock Steady Crew Anniversary).

I am 36 years young. While I know I am an older cat, I am not that old. Folks assume I was plugging up speakers for Afrika Bambaata. Newsflash: I was not. When those pioneers were doing their thing I was in diapers. While I know Bambaata on a first name basis, that does not mean he and I go back like Atari 2600.

I find myself having to explain this to people. Despite the standard bio I email to everyone how books me to speak, I still get introduced as this “pioneer” or one of the “brothers who help start it all” or even, “an eyewitness to the origins.” I always have to debunk that myth.

While reading Joseph Schloss' “Foundation” (a book every so called hip hop head should read), Alien Ness admits to having the same problem. For those that know me, Alien Ness is like a mighty Djinn in my house. Dude is nasty on the floor and I pity the fool who attempts to battle him. I always tell cats that Ness is the brother who will eat another b-boy with no power moves (I am taking junk now).

In “Foundation,” Alien Ness points out that he is not a pioneer and admits to being a late bloomer. Although Ness is senior to me in the degrees department, I too am a part of what he calls the “bandwagon clan.” I jumped on b-boying with the generation before me gave it up and stopped getting down. Unlike my peers though, I kept the rock “steady.”

So yes, I am a part of the bandwagon clan.

2009-04-07T07:27:00.002-04:00

The Five Percenters: Islam, Hip-Hop and the Gods of New York

by Michael Muhammad Knight

Book Review by Dan Tres Omi

I am tremendously skeptical of those outside of our community who write academic works about us. The last time I picked up a book on the Nation of Gods and Earths (NGE) that attempted to approach them from an academic standpoint, I was mortified. Five Percenter Rap by Felicia M. Miyakawa was horrible not just by the almost comical errors found in the book (such as claiming that Killah Priest's lyrics on B.I.B.L.E. Was ideology based on the NGE) but by academic standards Miyakawa's sources were highly questionable. Thankfully since the printing of Miyakawa's book, there have been several books published by Gods about their nation. When I read the cover to Michael Muhammad Knight's book and saw the term “hip hop” in the subtitle, I put it down. I ran into the book again since some book browser must have refused to return the book to the proper place. This time I looked at the end notes. I found that Knight had interviewed several of the older gods such as Abu Shahid, God Kalim, UmAllah, and ABG. He also referenced issues of The Word and The Five Percenter. He even interviewed Azrael, Prince A. Cuba, and Barry Gottehrer extensively. I decided to cop the book at full price. I did not regret it.

Knight spends a substantial amount of time on the story of Noble Drew Ali, Fard Muhammed, and Elijah Muhammed. Oftentimes when people talk about the Nation of Islam (NOI) or the NGE, Noble Drew Ali is ignored. Ali is important when discussing how Islam affected Black Nationalism in the 20th century. Knight even talks about Father Divine who at one point claimed to be God in the flesh. Knight smoothly segued into the life of Clarence Smith who later became known as Clarence 13X and eventually Father Allah. Knight even writes a chapter on Father Allah's time in Matteawan.

Usually when one reads a story about the NGE or even the NOI, the pictures are filled with those provided by the FBI archives or the mainstream media. Knight provides pictures from the collection of many of the Gods. This adds a very insider touch to the entire tome. Knight gives the reader little anecdotes about Father Allah and the first generation of the NGE. He is quick to admit which stories are accurate and which are questionable and avoids the pitfalls of myth making.

There is a chapter (“The Builders Build”) that focuses on the ideology and doctrine of the NGE. This chapter could be an entire college course on it's own. Although Knight is an outsider, his grasp of the 120 and it's application shows that he is a quick study. In my opinion, it is a chapter that stands out.

Although it is an ambitious work, there are some flaws. The chapter on hip hop (“Song of the Gods”) is rather short and doesn't really discuss the NGE influence on hip hop culture in depth. Knight touches on the vernacular used in hip hop music but that is about it. Knight also spends a large amount of time talking about Azrael. I understand that since the author is white, there is a connection to be made and while most admit that Azrael is an anomaly, Knight fails to emphasize how oftentimes the adherents to the NGE are influenced heavily by Black Nationalism even outside the realm of the NOI. Many young Blacks and Latino's join because of this nationalism. The last two chapters also seem to be unfocused compared to the first four fifths of the book.

I find that Knight did a wonderful job of discussing the history of the NGE. I often tell students of African American history that studying the NGE is integral to understanding Black political thought and the progression from the Noble Drew Ali until the present time. This book will help introduce them to the NGE.

2009-04-01T07:29:00.002-04:00

Steel sharpens Steel: How battling elevates...

After watching Planet B-boy for the umpteenth time, I started to understand the accent of the founders of the Battle of the Year B-boy (BOTY)Battle in Germany. They pointed out how the b-boys from the U.S. Continue to lose. They made some great points. The one that stuck out explains how in the U.S., our society focuses too much on the individual. In countries like South Korea and Japan, the collective is emphasized more than the individual. The BOTY does not begin like your typical b-boy battle where one has brackets and groups eliminate one another until there is one left. Instead, there is an actual 7 minute dance contest where your entire group performs. They are judged and placed. The top 4 end up battling one another (in essence, it doesn't start off as a battle...something that might have to be applied to MC battles, but that is another entry for another day). Since 1999, b-boys from the U.S. Have not been able to place in the top four.

I had the opportunity to build with my man Meen about it. Both of us agreed that in the U.S., we do place a greater emphasis on the individual (much to our detriment). Yet we both agreed that the founders of BOTY forgot one thing: we b-boys and b-girls love to battle. It's dope to watch the younger b-boys and b-girls quickly challenge the slightly older heads. They come to take names. It's not just a way to make a name for one's self but it is also a way to sharpen one's skills. The only way to get better is to battle the more experienced b-boys and b-girls. It forces the younger heads to push the envelope and take the dance to the next level.

Meen pointed out that when he went inside for 6 months and came out, he had to catch up pretty quickly. Instead of practicing 2 hours a day, he had to practice 4 hours a day. In six months, the cipher elevated in light years. B-boys and B-girls continue to add on. Folks have to learn entirely new disciplines. It's funny because I hear those outside the cipher who rave about the Korean b-boys who do a large amount of power moves and contortionism. Contrary to popular belief, contortionism went out 5 years ago. Of course, b-boys incorporate contortionism in their basic movements but it's not something they will pull out of a hat instead of something they transition into after each move. It is the very reason why the ciphers from around the world seek to emulate our cipher here in the United States. Don't believe me? Go to Rock Steady Anniversary or a Universal Zulu Nation Anniversary and watch how the b-boys from outside the U.S. Get eaten up.

Our superiority is not our focus here.

It's about battling, competing, or even just ciphering. While I see heads doing this in b-boy/b-girl ciphers and writers rocking it on public transportation (Dj's are a different story...again another entry for another day), I don't see MCs even on the independent circuit doing this. Someone might dis someone on wax or on a Youtube video clip but they don't really compete. No one produces a song better than the next. They just throw wack barbs at one another and wait for interviews. This makes the art form stagnant. There is no elevation. I don't expect heads to just come out and battle. I do expect heads to have ciphers or do impromptu appearances on stage when no one expects it. Of course, a few heads do this but they are usually the older vets (big up to Black Thought, Sadat X, Busta, and several others who have no qualms jumping on stage to bless the mic).

I find this in other modes of physical expression. In capoeira, one finds mestres who discourage their students from interacting with other schools. Yet many mestres, like many other teachers and participants, forget that capoeira evolved in a state of constant oppression and competition. B-boying evolved in a constant state of competition.

Knowing that it's important that we create spaces that promote competition or opportunities for exchanges. I often urge young MCs to perform exercises that develop their talent and to never to be afraid to interact with other MCs. If the other MCs rubs you the wrong way, then battle. It is the only way to make sure the art form evolves.

Too many of the mainstream artists we see play it real safe. As listeners, we seem to set standards by record sales or how the song(s) makes us feel. Of course this stems from assuming that hip hop cannot be an art form. When we make that assumption we don't think it cannot evolve. We don't see how the artist is contributing or not contributing to the cipher. We can set standards from that point and support those who contribute and discard those that don't. It allows the younger heads to stay fresh by pushing the boundaries and staying away from mimicking the older heads.

2009-03-26T22:24:00.002-04:00

Incognegro

written by Mat Johnson; Art by Warren Pleece

Book Review by Dan Tres Omi

It is a nerd's sweet revenge when graphic novels and comic books are considered literature. It is about time that these genres get their recognition. In the last few years, we have seen several comic books (I.e., Y: The Last Man ,
Ex Machina ) and graphic novels garner critical acclaim. Incognegro: A Graphic Mystery is another one of those novels that are definitely top choice. It is published by DC's own Vertigo line. Although I have never been a huge fan of DC comics, their Vertigo line has released several high quality graphic novels such as Sentences: the Life of Grimm and DMZ.

Although the story in Incognegro is fictional, it is based on the true accounts of African American news reporters who traveled to the deep south in the early 20th century to cover lynchings. This African Americans could pass for European Americans and infiltrated many lynchings. This was called “going incognegro.”

Zane Pinchback, an incognegro, decides to pull one more stunt even after almost being caught playing a white man during a lynching in Mississippi. This time, the stakes are higher as he learns that his brother is framed for the murder of a white woman. He takes his friend Carl, another African American who can pass for white but who is an actor, along with him. To make matters worse, Carl heads into Tupelo, Mississippi and poses as an Englishman and has the entire town infatuated with his British airs. Pinchback also learns that the woman his brother is accused of killing is actually not dead.

What the reader will appreciate about this graphic novel is that it is drawn in black and white. At times, even the reader will not be able to tell who Pinchback or Carl is when he is drawn amongst white people. This adds much more mystery to the story and also makes the reader see how these reporters were able to get the inside scoop.

Mat Johnson's writing is top notch. The story twists and turns almost at each panel. The ending will shock everyone. The final panel caused this reader to laugh out loud while on a bank line. Non comic book readers will get a big kick out of Incognegro. Warren Pleece's work shines and both of them work well together.

2009-03-22T19:47:00.003-04:00

Confessions of a Pan Africanist Part 132

Omi's Note: I know what you are thinking: there are other things to write about then a reality show. Yeah, yeah, just hear me out.

Yes, I watch a nice chunk of reality TV. From a socio political standpoint, it's fascinating. As a cultural critic (an adjective that many of my friends throw at me but I refuse to accept – so here it is). Not just because of what things to do for money, but because of the broken homes many of the participants come from. It's telling to watch these “...love” shows on VH-1 when the participants are asked to bring in their families. Notice how many of them come from single parent homes or how many are raised by their aunts and grandparents. It says so much. The ill part is that many people think that it is just something that happens in the United States. Go overseas homie, reality shows are huge as well.

While the drama is hilarious, we must remember that producers pick and choose what makes the final product. Yet viewers tend to invest a large amount of time finding favorites and hating the rest. It is a clear demonstration of how the mainstream media can manipulate images and information. The late Jean Baudrillard pointed out how our concept of reality is tremendously warped by these mainstream media outlets.

There are two shows however that really catch my eye. One is VH1's Tough Love and the other is Bravo's Millionaire Matchmaker. The Former is about how Steve Ward teaches a group of women how to find the perfect mate. The Millionaire Matchmaker is about how Patti Stanger, a woman who runs a company that matches millionaire's with potential mates.

While at times I find the advice that Ward and Stanger give to be on point and actually common sense (which in actuality is rare so it should be dubbed rare sense), I have to question their vantage point. Much of the advice they give is from a white patriarchal point of view. Their focus is on the physical most of the time. Stanger takes it a step further by advising her female clients to avoid discussing politics, religion, children, and to not come off as rebellious at all. Yet I realize that as man I am afforded that opportunity (male privilege rears it's ugly head yet again) to talk about whatever I want and if a woman disagrees with me or even has an opinion, they are treated as an anomaly or just plain crazy.

Some will argue that it is a man's world. Some will say that if a woman wants to be a great catch they have to adhere to certain rules and be ready to submit (another Christian throwback). A woman has to be good in bed, make a decent amount of money (never more than the man), cook, clean, and be fertile. While the mainstream media does tell women to look for a romantic, athletic, rich, good in bed, and handsome man, we find that women are much more willing to settle while male privilege allows us the opportunity to wait.

So we should ask that although Stanger is a woman who holds her own on and off the show, and Ward's mother actually runs the company he represents: Are they promoting male privilege? Are they asking women to submit to sexist roles? Or are they just meeting a market demand?

See, you can learn a lot from a reality show (big up to Dr. bell hooks).

2009-03-04T06:40:00.001-05:00

The Day After...

Omi's Note: It has been a tradition where I write about what I have learned each year of my life. I realized that last year I wrote that I was 36 instead of 35. This year I turn 36. I apologize for the confusion. And if you are wondering, I am not getting old just better. So this year I decided to flip the script since last year's boo boo tripped everything up. Enjoy and pass it on.

As a historian, I have learned that thirty six years is but a stain. While much can happen in that time compared to the entire written/non written periods of history, it is not much. Yet to the average American male, thirty six years is getting close to that midway point. To be honest, I don't feel it. I don't see life as a race, I see it as a journey.

Looking back, I can safely say that I have seen and accomplished much. My wife will tell you, I do a good amount of reminiscing. Ask my children, I tell them a nice amount of stories from my childhood. Even while teaching Capoeira, I always use analogies from my childhood. It's not that I feel old, but as a youngblood, I didn't think I would live past twenty. Living in NYC during that time was bugged out. Shootouts were the norm and we seemed to live on the set of “Night of the Living Baseheads.”

Through the work of my mother, the help of my elders (too numerous to name), and the guidance of my ancestors, I was able to live through that. Each year has been a blessing and has made me happier. For those that know me, they know I also love to spread that happiness. I know that I am the forever optimist and in my own little world, I want everyone else to be as happy as I am. Who would have thought that this skinny Afro Latino b-boy would grow up to be, well, a skinny Afro Latino b-boy who plays capoeira and smoke cigars!

I would have learned nothing however, if I didn't see the world as it is instead of how I want it to be. I understand that there is a certain balance. Looking back, I remember bullets passing by me. I remember the brutality of police officers. I remember literally shedding blood with my brothers in Brooklyn, Marseilles, France, and Miami, Florida. I remember being jumped and stomped on. I remember witnessing a plane crash and not being able to do nothing about it. I remember having hunger pangs.

Yet I also remember watching the birth of my children. I remember seeing my sister graduate from college. I remember my oldest made me his first peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I remember my capoeira batizado. I remember the countless b-boy battles I participated in. I remember working on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier. I remember buying a pizza and a soda for 60 cents as a child. I remember my first hip hop concert. I remember meeting my wife for the first time. I remember performing for the United Nations.

All of these things made me who I am. If I had a chance to do it over, I would do it exactly the same way. No regrets just lessons learned and experiences in full color. A close friend of mine has a saying during a crisis: “in about five years, you will look back and laugh about this...” She is so right.

I remember when my wife and I got our first apartment. It used to get so cold, we would use a blow dryer to warm up our bed before we went to bed. Looking back while living in our first home with the great insulation, nice yard, and beautiful fire place, we laugh our butts off. I told my daughter yesterday, that life gets better. Trust me, it does.

At the end of our journey, it is not about how much money you made, how much land you own, or how many degrees you earn, it is about how many people you touch. The late, great Octavia Butler wrote: “Everything you touch, you change; everything you touch, changes you...”

If I learned anything, in my short yet humble life, it is that.

Peace!