Join the Cipher

Congressman Claims Today's Abortion Hurts Blacks More Than Slavery

2010-02-28T03:38:00.006-05:00

Abortion policy is more damaging to the Black community than slavery? Really Congressman Franks? Really? Check it out around 6:15

Fall Back

2008-05-27T02:20:00.001-04:00

Idle Warship has a banger with this one...

Tell Us How You Really Feel...

2008-05-26T19:38:00.006-04:00

You know, between Hillary Clinton's comments about Robert Kennedy's assassination in 1968 as a reason for staying in the presidential race...

...and this person's comments on Fox News,

some real feelings are starting to bubble up to the surface. Now I'm not saying I know what it's the hearts of folks, but what I am saying is the tongues are getting real slippery these days. Reeeaaalll slippery. This kind of stuff is going to intensify as we get closer to the election day (assuming Obama is the Democratic nominee).

Who's the Master?

2008-05-23T01:31:00.006-04:00

I am realizing, once again, the lack of actual political clout of the Black community. Over the past couple of weeks, Barack Obama has been bending over backwards to demonstrate his love and support for the state of Israel. Why is it, I ask myself, that a presidential candidate must pass an Israel litmus test? It seems it is not enough to support Israel, as Barack Obama has done vociferously for quite some time (check the man's website), one has to love and be enthusiastic about supporting Israel unconditionally. How does it make sense that to be president of this nation, you have to unequivocally support another nation? I'm a brother of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Would it make sense that I have to be enthusiastic about Kappa Alpha Psi to be president of Alpha?

Really, this disgusts me. I am disgusted because I personally believe there are serious injustices that are being overlooked within Israel. Now, before anyone reading this gets bent out of shape, I don't think that Israel should be destroyed or wiped off the map or anything like that. But I do think it's patently absurd to crush critical thought, stomp critique, and give unconditional support to a nation, party, idea, etc. without question. That's just dumb. And it pains me to see Obama doing this dance to satisfy a slice of the electorate or some other country as whole, when he's been supporting them out his behind in the first place. I disagreed with Obama's views on Middle East policy as it was, but now it's like he's dancing for massa, proving loyalty to Israel - IT'S A DIFFERENT COUNTRY. Not even Great Britain gets this kind of love.

So how does this relate to the Black community? Well, obviously the Jewish community has some serious clout (although, I think it's fair and necessary to say that not every Jewish American unconditionally supports all of Israel's actions). How else can a group that's less than 3% of the U.S. population dictate to candidates what they can and cannot say and do on foreign policy with respect to the Middle East? The Black community, at around 12% of the U.S. population, can't even smell this kind of political power. When the Sean Bell verdict was delivered, did Barack Obama say that this is an injustice? Did he even say that police brutality against Black folk has historically been problem? No. He just said something about judge's decision, respecting the law, blah blah blah.

I don't fault the Jewish community for carrying a big stick. Don't hate the player, hate the game, right? What bothers me is that Black folk (myself included) are supporting this dude with unprecedented effort yet we're not getting an equivalent return on our investment, and have less and less of a guarantee of any return. We're watching this guy, "our" candidate, dance for other folks, when he isn't even really trying to earn Black votes. The really sad part is that he doesn't even have to, we'll give him our vote on the promise of hope.

Such audacity.

It's not just the Jewish community and Israel. The news media keeps talking about how he's not getting the so-called "White working class" vote. Why isn't it a problem that Hillary Clinton isn't getting the Black vote? She's not even trying either.

How do we continually give candidates such overwhelming support for absolutely nothing in return? Nothing. At all. Democrats don't even have to try, they know we'll come out like sheep for them. It's disgusting. You know what? Jewish Americans typically vote Democrat as well - but there are concrete hoops to jump through. Promises must be made. And don't you dare say anything even remotely critical of Israel. Shoot, unless you don't show your undying love and support with every fiber of your being then you're not making the cut.

We know, for a fact, that the criminal justice system is broken and disproportionately incarcerates young Black men, which further closes windows of opportunity for them. We know that Black communities all across the country are under assault from gentrification in the name of "progress." We know that public schools in Black communities are not operating at an acceptable level. Why isn't either Democratic candidate addressing these issues? Because WE ARE NOT FORCING THEM TO DO IT.

Why should they, if they can get the milk without the cow? And I was one of those same folk who said that Obama has to play the game, can't been seen as addressing "Black issues" because then White people won't vote for him. But you know what? Other people are getting their issues and agenda taken care of. What sense does it make to hold back on our issues so that a preferred candidate can win with a mandate of not addressing our issues? This is lunacy. It's crazy.

2008-05-01T20:49:00.002-04:00

What is really good with Rev. Wright?

Seriously though, what is really good?

Why does your man have to be all up in the spotlight?

There's a time to rise up, and there's a time to fall back.

This is a time to fall back.

I don't think that Rev. Wright is crazy. I don't think he's off the fall. I don't necessarily disagree with what he says. But the fact of the matter is that this is not the time to be making national speeches and gettin' confrontational - even if he is right.

Time to fall back.

Cops Got 99 Problems But the Law Ain't One - Pt. 2

2008-04-27T22:00:00.004-04:00

I was so mad the other day, I had to put somethin' down. Nod to Jay on this one...

if you got legal trouble / I feel bad for you son / cops got 99 problems but the law ain’t one

they got the / Black hood hold / on gat patrol / best ta watch ya back / ‘fore your life gets stole / you could be comin’ home / to your vestibule / fill up your whole buildin’ / and your chest with holes / don’t try to touch your wallet / don’t need no ID / niggas is all the same / “yup” / that’s all they see / you could be / on the block / just mindin’ your business / undercovers roll up / and you’re on their hitlist / don’t say no to drugs / Patrick Dorismond did / in just a brief flash / they took a father from his kids / this crap has been / happenin’ / for hundreds of years / Black mothers done cried / so many millions of tears / if you didn’t understand son / the message is clear / if a cop shoots a nigga / he got nothin’ to fear / and we gon’ keep marchin’ ‘till it’s over and done / cops got 99 problems but the law ain’t one

if you got legal trouble / I feel bad for you son / cops got 99 problems but the law ain’t one

the DA might charge ‘em / no worries – they walk / the police run the streets / that’s how we do in New York / no civil rights / no privacy / but maybe if you’re lucky / get a courtesy “FREEZE” / there’s one perspective / there’s only one view / and if you ain’t got a badge / then nigga it ain’t you / this ain’t no lie / every word here is true / and if you don’t believe me son / just ask Ahmadu / my heart goes out to the wife of Sean Bell / matrimonial heaven to criminal justice hell / yeah some of them was Black / but really it’s just as well / the only color is blue / it gets you right of jail / what are we to do? / when the prosecution fails / justice goes unserved / the end of too many tales / it’s kinda funny / and maybe I can’t tell / but when the perp is poor and Black / they seem to do pretty well / and we gon’ keep fightin’ ‘till it’s over and done / cops got 99 problems but the law ain’t one

Cops Got 99 Problems But the Law Ain't One

2008-04-26T23:27:00.001-04:00

All three police police officers involved in killing Sean Bell were acquitted of all charges.

This is a grievous injustice. A grievous injustice.

The judges decision in this case is an affirmation of the unfortunate notions that Black lives are not of importance. It also affirms the unfortunate notion that the life of police officer has more value than a non-police officer, especially if that person has ever associated with any illegal element.

It's a sad, sad day.

See, it's not just about Sean Bell - it's about Patrick Dorismond. It's about Amadou Diallo. It's about Anthony Baez. It's about Timothy Stansbury.

No accountablity. None.

Yes, we must respect officers for putting their lives on the line, but having a badge does not give you free license to kill innocent people

But, I guess according to the law, it does.

You Joined Yet?

2008-04-25T12:27:00.000-04:00

Have you ever been to a cipher? A group of emcees flowing together, each individual dropping a few bars of improvised gems, then passing the mic (real or imagined) to the head next to them. If there is a person in the cipher who has the mic but doesn't spit, doesn't say anything, doesn't get involved, that disrupts the flow of the entire cipher. Our democracy is one big cipher, and we all need to speak our piece when given the opportunity. Our democracy, like any cipher, only works when people participate. If you feel like you're not getting the mic, you have to seize your opportunity to make your voice heard.

So, how do you get involved? How do you grab the mic and make your voice heard? Voting is the most obvious method. Every election cycle we're told that voting is important (usually by the people that want you to vote for them or their preferred candidate). But voting is really only a small part of being involved in the cipher. It's like waiting and waiting to get the mic and then spitting one or two bars before passing it. You have to speak your piece on a regular basis. Check out the articles in your local newspaper and write a letter to the editor to let them know what you think. Call in to a radio or TV discussion program such as Washington Journal on C-SPAN. And you really gotta pay attention to what your elected representatives are doing in YOUR name and with YOUR tax money.

Okay, maybe this is starting to seem a bit of work - and it is. But think about this - would you rather be one of the emcees flowing beautifully with the mic in your hand, or would you rather be one of those people who doesn't even get in the cipher and just complains about this or that emcee. You know who you want to be. Join the cipher.

Obama for Hip-Hop

2008-04-24T23:23:00.003-04:00

The presidential candidate on hip-hop:

Work to Do Remix

2008-04-24T23:19:00.000-04:00

Remix of the joint by the Kidz in the Hall, featuring Talib Kweli and Bun B., from Hip-Hop for Obama via YouTube

Work to Do

2008-04-24T23:16:00.001-04:00

Kidz in the Hall for Barack Obama

Barack Obama / Jay-Z Mash Up

2008-04-24T23:09:00.002-04:00

In case you haven't seen this...

I thought it was pretty cool.

Join the Cipher!

2008-02-10T03:37:00.000-05:00

Now is the time to get involved. What does "join the cipher" mean?

Our democracy is like one large cipher. The mic of power gets passed around to those who demand to be a part of cipher, those who demand to join the circle.

The people who sit on the outside looking in hating on those with the mic in their can only be and will be nothing more than haters unless they themselves join the cipher and spit their piece.

Our democracy only works - it ONLY works - when the people are involved.

If you are unhappy with anything that goes on in our world, know this - it will NEVER change unless you change it.

We CAN make it happen, but we MUST get involved.

JOIN THE CIPHER

Hip Hop for Obama

2008-02-10T03:36:00.001-05:00

Clean Sweep

2008-02-10T03:15:00.000-05:00

Obama took Louisiana, Washington, and Nebraska tonight.

So far, Obama leads Clinton in pledged delegates. We need all the support we can muster so that it doesn't come down to a delegate convention- that would be very bad.

It's Obama Time!

2008-01-04T00:26:00.001-05:00

Know What I Mean?

2007-07-19T23:26:00.001-04:00

I went a lecture & book signing this evening for Dr. Michael Eric Dyson and got a copy of his new book Know What I Mean?: Reflections on Hip Hop.

It was a very engaging lecture as Dr. Dyson touched on feminism, mysogyny, homophobia, the Black church, the word "nigger", and other topics within the context of hip hop. I got a copy of the book and got it signed. I wanted to ask Dr. Dyson a question or two but he had to catch a flight and there were a lot of people of line. I've reading the book so far and it's good reading. It's written as an album on paper using the longer interview to discuss hip hop and society. I'm still in the first chapter so I can't really speak to much more than that.

Some of what I've read so far and what Dr. Dyson said in his lecture has stimulated some of my more latent thoughts on hip hop and myself. In particular he discusses authenticity which is an issue I've grappled with throughout my life. I'm not sure how to articulate some of my thoughts on it right now. I'll have to think on it more.

Go buy the book

Too Little, Too Late?

2007-07-06T16:27:00.001-04:00

Yet another Republican senator has called for a change in the War in Iraq. Senator Pete Domenici of New Mexico is the most recent GOP stalwart to wake up and smell the napalm in the morning, following Senator Richard Lugar who spoke up last week and Senator John Warner who spoke up in April.

This is why I love democracy: these guys want to keep their jobs and they know the writing is on the wall. They know that the American people from coast to coast are sick of this stupid (no planning) and immoral (no reason) war. They don't want to end up like Rick "Conservatively Asinine" Santorum and Lincoln "If Only I Were a Democrat" Chaffee (real shame about Senator Chaffee, the only knock against him was the R). And Sen. Warner really doesn't want to end up like George "Macaca" Allen.

But it seems too little, too late. We as a nation - nay, as a world even - could have used some cajones a few years ago. These guys could have stood up and said something in 2004, 2005, or even 2006. But nooo, they were too drunk off the wine power and now they lost it. And we all continue to get screwed by Bush and Dick.

The real tragedy in all of this is that it could've been different if not for the very same average citizens who are now waking up to smell the coffee and realizing they drank the Koo-Aid. The same electoral pressures that elected Democrats in 2006 and that the Republicans are feeling now could've been applied in 2004. Of course there were many across this land who didn't drink the Kool-Aid and tried to warn our fellow citizens. We tried to illuminate the folly our government's ways but no, others would not listen. We went to our own party and asked for actual representation - backbone is what we said - but no, they would not listen. We marched and protested and blogged and wrote articles and essays and screamed at the top of our lungs! But others would not listen. Our representatives failed us. Our free media failed us. Our government has failed us and in a democracy the only thing that means is that we have all failed ourselves.

What to the Slave is the Fourth of July

2007-07-04T12:40:00.001-04:00

Fellow citizens, pardon me, and allow me to ask, why am I called upon to speak here today? What have I or those I represent to do with your national independence? Are the great principles of political freedom and of natural justice, embodied in that Declaration of Independence, extended to us? And am I, therefore, called upon to bring our humble offering to the national altar, and to confess the benefits, and express devout gratitude for the blessings resulting from your independence to us?

Would to God, both for your sakes and ours, that an affirmative answer could be truthfully returned to these questions. Then would my task be light, and my burden easy and delightful. For who is there so cold that a nation's sympathy could not warm him? Who so obdurate and dead to the claims of gratitude, that would not thankfully acknowledge such priceless benefits? Who so stolid and selfish that would not give his voice to swell the hallelujahs of a nation's jubilee, when the chains of servitude had been torn from his limbs? I am not that man. In a case like that, the dumb might eloquently speak, and the "lame man leap as an hart."

But such is not the state of the case. I say it with a sad sense of disparity between us. I am not included within the pale of this glorious anniversary! Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. The blessings in which you this day rejoice are not enjoyed in common. The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity, and independence bequeathed by your fathers is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought life and healing to you has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn. To drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty, and call upon him to join you in joyous anthems, were inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony. Do you mean, citizens, to mock me, by asking me to speak today? If so, there is a parallel to your conduct. And let me warn you, that it is dangerous to copy the example of a nation (Babylon) whose crimes, towering up to heaven, were thrown down by the breath of the Almighty, burying that nation in irrecoverable ruin.

Fellow citizens, above your national, tumultuous joy, I hear the mournful wail of millions, whose chains, heavy and grievous yesterday, are today rendered more intolerable by the jubilant shouts that reach them. If I do forget, if I do not remember those bleeding children of sorrow this day, "may my right hand forget her cunning, and may my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth!"

To forget them, to pass lightly over their wrongs and to chime in with the popular theme would be treason most scandalous and shocking, and would make me a reproach before God and the world.

My subject, then, fellow citizens, is "American Slavery." I shall see this day and its popular characteristics from the slave's point of view. Standing here, identified with the American bondman, making his wrongs mine, I do not hesitate to declare, with all my soul, that the character and conduct of this nation never looked blacker to me than on this Fourth of July.

Whether we turn to the declarations of the past, or to the professions of the present, the conduct of the nation seems equally hideous and revolting. America is false to the past, false to the present, and solemnly binds herself to be false to the future. Standing with God and the crushed and bleeding slave on this occasion, I will, in the name of humanity, which is outraged, in the name of liberty, which is fettered, in the name of the Constitution and the Bible, which are disregarded and trampled upon, dare to call in question and to denounce, with all the emphasis I can command, everything that serves to perpetuate slavery -- the great sin and shame of America! "I will not equivocate - I will not excuse." I will use the severest language I can command, and yet not one word shall escape me that any man, whose judgment is not blinded by prejudice, or who is not at heart a slave-holder, shall not confess to be right and just.

But I fancy I hear some of my audience say it is just in this circumstance that you and your brother Abolitionists fail to make a favorable impression on the public mind. Would you argue more and denounce less, would you persuade more and rebuke less, your cause would be much more likely to succeed. But, I submit, where all is plain there is nothing to be argued. What point in the anti-slavery creed would you have me argue? On what branch of the subject do the people of this country need light? Must I undertake to prove that the slave is a man? That point is conceded already. Nobody doubts it. The slave-holders themselves acknowledge it in the enactment of laws for their government. They acknowledge it when they punish disobedience on the part of the slave. There are seventy-two crimes in the State of Virginia, which, if committed by a black man (no matter how ignorant he be), subject him to the punishment of death; while only two of these same crimes will subject a white man to like punishment.

What is this but the acknowledgment that the slave is a moral, intellectual, and responsible being? The manhood of the slave is conceded. It is admitted in the fact that Southern statute books are covered with enactments, forbidding, under severe fines and penalties, the teaching of the slave to read and write. When you can point to any such laws in reference to the beasts of the field, then I may consent to argue the manhood of the slave. When the dogs in your streets, when the fowls of the air, when the cattle on your hills, when the fish of the sea, and the reptiles that crawl, shall be unable to distinguish the slave from a brute, then I will argue with you that the slave is a man!

For the present it is enough to affirm the equal manhood of the Negro race. Is it not astonishing that, while we are plowing, planting, and reaping, using all kinds of mechanical tools, erecting houses, constructing bridges, building ships, working in metals of brass, iron, copper, silver, and gold; that while we are reading, writing, and ciphering, acting as clerks, merchants, and secretaries, having among us lawyers, doctors, ministers, poets, authors, editors, orators, and teachers; that we are engaged in all the enterprises common to other men -- digging gold in California, capturing the whale in the Pacific, feeding sheep and cattle on the hillside, living, moving, acting, thinking, planning, living in families as husbands, wives, and children, and above all, confessing and worshipping the Christian God, and looking hopefully for life and immortality beyond the grave -- we are called upon to prove that we are men?

Would you have me argue that man is entitled to liberty? That he is the rightful owner of his own body? You have already declared it. Must I argue the wrongfulness of slavery? Is that a question for republicans? Is it to be settled by the rules of logic and argumentation, as a matter beset with great difficulty, involving a doubtful application of the principle of justice, hard to understand? How should I look today in the presence of Americans, dividing and subdividing a discourse, to show that men have a natural right to freedom, speaking of it relatively and positively, negatively and affirmatively? To do so would be to make myself ridiculous, and to offer an insult to your understanding. There is not a man beneath the canopy of heaven who does not know that slavery is wrong for him.

What! Am I to argue that it is wrong to make men brutes, to rob them of their liberty, to work them without wages, to keep them ignorant of their relations to their fellow men, to beat them with sticks, to flay their flesh with the lash, to load their limbs with irons, to hunt them with dogs, to sell them at auction, to sunder their families, to knock out their teeth, to burn their flesh, to starve them into obedience and submission to their masters? Must I argue that a system thus marked with blood and stained with pollution is wrong? No - I will not. I have better employment for my time and strength than such arguments would imply.

What, then, remains to be argued? Is it that slavery is not divine; that God did not establish it; that our doctors of divinity are mistaken? There is blasphemy in the thought. That which is inhuman cannot be divine. Who can reason on such a proposition? They that can, may - I cannot. The time for such argument is past.

At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed. Oh! had I the ability, and could I reach the nation's ear, I would today pour out a fiery stream of biting ridicule, blasting reproach, withering sarcasm, and stern rebuke. For it is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake. The feeling of the nation must be quickened; the conscience of the nation must be roused; the propriety of the nation must be startled; the hypocrisy of the nation must be exposed; and its crimes against God and man must be denounced.

What to the American slave is your Fourth of July? I answer, a day that reveals to him more than all other days of the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mock; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are to him mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy - a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation of the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of these United States at this very hour.

Go search where you will, roam through all the monarchies and despotisms of the Old World, travel through South America, search out every abuse and when you have found the last, lay your facts by the side of the everyday practices of this nation, and you will say with me that, for revolting barbarity and shameless hypocrisy, America reigns without a rival.

Frederick Douglass - July 4, 1852

Resurrection

2007-06-17T03:13:00.000-04:00

I was in the record shop the other day when I came across Common's classic Resurrection. I immediately had to buy it. I didn't even think about, just knew it had to be done. When I went in the shop I was just looking for some flyers to see what events and/or happenings might be going on in the area hip hop community, and I DID NOT want to spend any money.

But there was just something about having Resurrection on vinyl that just seemed right, felt right. I also picked up two 12 inch joints by 7L & Esoteric and Marco Polo. I actually forgot titles of them but the Marco Polo joint is off his most recent album. Beats are hot.

Anyway, just wanted to share that will ya'll.

Self-Deprivation

2007-01-13T12:14:00.000-05:00

I've developed a bit of a reputation as a cheap skate. I do deprive myself of some of life's pleasures because I don't want to shell out the money for it. That's one of the reasons I don't watch a lot of movies at the theater. Last time I was home in NYC it was $11!! Crazy. That's also 2 hours or so I can't get back if I'm not feelin' the film.

The Roots' albume Things Fall Apart is one of those life pleasures. Over the past seven years or so I hadn't bought the album because I didn't find it at a price I liked, and the discount places were always sold out. So I recently bought the album for $13.99 and I'm almost mad at myself for not doing it sooner. Songs like "The Next Movement," "Dynamite," "Double Trouble," and "You Got Me" have been playing in my head for years, it's nice to be able to just thrown on the iPod whenever I get a craving.

I'm still trying get Lupe Fiasco's album, and I also want to get The Roots Come Alive since that's a bangin' album as well.

Next I want to start collecting old school albums. I have The Sugarhill Gang's Rapper's Delight on cassette (including the full 15 minute version and remix) but it would be nice to have on my iPod. But legends such as Slick Rick, Big Daddy Kate, Kool Moe Dee, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Doug E. Fresh- I don't have any of their albums. Knowing your history is important.

Laffy Taffy Really Does Rot Your Teeth

2006-10-13T00:41:00.000-04:00

Have you downloaded this album yet? I gotta say, it's one of the best albums I've heard in a minute. I know some people may be able to list ten different albums they can say are the best they've heard in a while or whatever, but this one really has that raw, real, hip hop sound.

Freech Speech & Ro. Blvd. team up to provide the community with some music to confront the minstrelsy in hip hop today, and succeed mightily. Ro. Blvd. produces tracks for other emcees on the album too, such as Plat, Stereotype. There's even a remix to Lupe Fiasco's "Kick, Push."

Each track carries its own weight and merit. I wish I could highlight one or two songs, but seriously each track is that tight that I wouldn't really be doing justice to each one.

The best part of all is that the album is free. You have nothing to lose. So download it. Listen. And nod your head.

You'll thank me later.

Oh yeah, and big up to my man Ed for putting me on.

Mark Warner Decides Not to Run for President

2006-10-13T00:40:00.000-04:00

I respect his decision, but I think it would've been cool if he ran.

Democrats Better Win

2006-10-13T00:38:00.000-04:00

The Democrats better take at least the House if not the Senate as well. I mean the Republicans have basically rolled out the red carpet for the Dems with blunder after blunder, scandal after scandal. If the Dems can't pull this off then there needs to be a serious re-examination of the entire party from top to bottom.

Not only that, but I think the country needs for the Democrats to take at least the House. The deficits, corruption, incomptence - it's just not healthy. I don't think the Democratic party is the best thing since sliced bread, but I mean as a tax-paying citizen I expect a lot more than this garbage.

What's really pathetic is the sad story of this Foley scandal. Folks knew that something was going on and did absolutely nothing. Nothing. For years.

These are the same folks that impeached President Clinton for lying about getting head from a consenting adult, then they turn around and protect a child predator sending instant messages to teenagers asking "Do I make you horny?" How disgusting!

And let me be clear - when I'm talking about Republicans I'm not saying that all registered Republicans are horrible people or anything like that. The Republican leadership, however, is on some reeeeaaally shakey ground right about now.

What I don't understand is how some registered Republicans accept incompetence from their elected officials. I mean sheer incompetence. Like the whole Iraq war situation. Or the surplus-to-deficit magic trick. Or not being able to even rescue American citizens stranded in a flooded city. What good is the government if it takes days to even REACT with any sort of purpose? And say all you want about the incompetent local government (Dems some they be), but I believe part of our federal taxes go to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for occasions such as, say...a hurricane?! I know there are plenty of Republicans from Christian evangelicals to fiscal conservatives have stopped drinking the Kool-Aid and have realized that the emperor has no clothes. Look, I'll vote for a Repub if I think they're the right person for the job. I would've voted for Bloomberg in NYC last time if I was still registered to vote there. I'd consider voting for John McCain if he ran for president. Now I'm registered in DC, and that means I have no represenation in Congress. Booooo!!! Nor is there statewide office either so the options are limited.

All I'm saying is, I'm tired of this garbage and if the Democrats can do a decent job then they better win.

Niggas

2006-10-11T01:04:00.000-04:00

It really bothers me that the word nigger is used as a "term of endearment" amongst our people. The history of the word is so volatile that when it is used it should be handled a sense of responsiblity. Plenty of my friends throw it around and they know my feelings on the matter, but of course I cannot control other people's actions, especially when they do not see things the same way.

What really bothers me is that as Black folk use the word more and more as a "term of endearment" it makes other folks think it's okay to use the word in the same context - and it's not. The folks who say "wassup my nigga" are cool when it's a Black person but are quick to get angry if a White person says it - even if it's in an "endearing" manner. Several years ago Star & Buckwild at Hot 97 caused controversy by going after Jennifer Lopez for saying nigger in a Ja Rule song, and subsequent discussions followed on who does or does not have the authority to use nigger in an "endearing" way and have it actually be accepted as such.

There was one time in high school when an Asian friend of mine said to me "wassup nigga." And I told him I didn't like that. To help him out of his confusion I asked him if he would like it if I said "wassup chink." Of course he wasn't a fan of that idea. After that we had a mutual understanding. But I can't fault him for just trying to emulate what he sees and hears.

Whatever happened to calling each other brother and sister? I remember that being the popular term of endearment at least in the late 80's and very early 90's. Maybe I was just too young to really know what the popular lexicon was. If we continually refer to each other as nigga then isn't that how we view each other? As niggers. There's a slept-on classic scene from Spike Lee's School Daze in which there is a confrontation between the characters played by Lawrence Fishburn and Samuel L. Jackson (before they were stars). Samuel L. tried to tell Lawrence Fishburn and his crew that they were niggers, just like the rest of them, while Lawrence Fishburn ends the scene with one of my favorite lines:

"You're NOT niggers."

While surfing the net I came across a powerful website: www.abolishthenword.com. I invite you to check it out and think on it for minute.

Assume the Position

2006-10-11T01:02:00.000-04:00

Here's an interesting tid-bit of the day: NYPD Captain orders police to stop and frisk every single Black man that comes into a particular train station in Brooklyn, NY

According to Commissioner Raymond Kelly, it's a misunderstanding of the directions

Riiiiight....

Chicken Noodle Soup

2006-10-08T20:29:00.000-04:00

I've been inside all weekend with a cold. I've been trying to apply the traditional methods of drinking fluids such as organge juice for vitamin C and drinking tea; I've also been eating chicken noodle soup.

Which brings me to the topic at hand: "Chicken Noodle Soup"

When I first saw this video I couldn't believe it. I didn't understand why I saw a bunch of kids dancing like some minstrel show. And this comes out of Harlem?? I really need to move back home before the Harlem that I grew up with is gone.

In all fairness, DJ Webstar just picked up on what kids were already doing, it's not like he made it up himself. Furthermore the general idea behind the song and video is that people should dance and have fun and enjoy themselves. At least that's what I got from reading his interview on NobodySmiling.com. Granted, the kids who came up with this dance in all probability had no conscious knowledge of minstrelsy or even all the stuff that we've gone through in this country as Black people, so in no way is the Chicken Noodle Soup supposed to mimic minstrelsy. However, just because there is no intentional connection between the dance today and the shucking and jivin' we all know and love doesn't mean that abdication of responsibility to memory of those who came before us and shed their blood for our future is valid.

It seems that mainstream/commercial hip hop today in general is becoming a minstrel show, which is not some great epiphany. Little Brother put out The Minstrel Show in response to this unfortunate trend. Several years ago Spike Lee's Bamboozled also sought to address this issue. The most recent strike in the battle against modern day minstrelsy is Laffy Taffy Rots Your Teeth; you should really download this album if you haven't done so already (it's free). "Chicken Noodle Soup" just follows the mistrelsy trend (in my humble opinion).

Although the hook is catchy, the song gets annoying after you hear it a few times. New York hip hop will indeed make a comeback, but not by eating some chicken noodle soup with a soda on the side.

Subdue the Masses

2006-09-29T10:45:00.000-04:00

I haven't been tuned in to what's going on in the world as much lately. A lot of my energy gets sapped from my day job just like everyone else. Most of the time when I get home I don't want to sit in front of the computer or spend brain juices thinking about the complexities of the world and social justice.

But this morning I was thinking about that's one of the major problems in our society: people get so caught up in the day to day that they don't pay attention to what's going on around them. Reminds of the saying that there are three kinds of people in the world: those who makes things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happened.

We all have to make the best effor to stay informed- especially in our democratic system- because action or inaction can have serious global consequences. That's what Join the Cipher is all about. We all have to stay engaged and make our voice heard. Speak your piece. Join the cipher of public discourse to effect positive change in your life, your community, your world.

New York Sh*t

2006-08-31T13:10:00.000-04:00

I just gotta say, that old school Diamond D beat is ill.

Have you heard the Talib Kweli/Jean Grae version? Check it out on Kwe's MySpace page.

At Least Black Men are Safe...

2006-08-31T12:55:00.000-04:00

Sen. Conrad Burns of Montana believes "the United States is up against a faceless enemy of terrorists who 'drive taxicabs in the daytime and kill at night."

Wow, you better think twice before catching that cab next time, you could be riding with Osama bin Laden! Don't you just love it when our elected representatives make incredibly assenine racist statements?

Well at least Black men don't have too much to worry about, since I can stand on a corner in a suit and tie and still get passed by...

Is this Love?

2006-08-24T23:03:00.000-04:00

As I was walking home tonight I felt compelled to go to Tower Records. Honestly I had been thinking about it since yesterday when I was contemplating buying J Dilla's (God bless) posthumous release The Shining from iTunes. I decided I wanted the physical product so I could explore the liner notes. I was quite dissapointed to find it missing from the shelf, and once again I started thinking about the iTunes store. But before I walked away I checked out some other CDs, looking for anything good on sale for the right price. As my eyes covered more and more titles, I felt like I had to buy them- I had to- but I realized that once I bought one I might not be able to stop myself until I dropped way too much loot that needs to go to my bills. Besides I had done this twice in the past month or so, which is very unsual for me. I've deprived myself of a lot of good music throughout the years simply because I thought CDs were far overpriced. So after stopping myself from loading a stack of CDs on my debit card, I thought about just grabbing a bunch and taking them on a five-finger discount - which is when I realized something was very wrong.

I had a few impulse buys lately...or so that's what I thought. But these impulses are getting stronger and stronger. I've been listening to Yahoo! Launchcast for hours during the day...my iPod is glued to my head...

I think I'm experiencing now what a lot people may have started experiencing in their early teens or even earlier when buying, listening, and sharing music seemed darn near essential as food and water. After downloading Laffy Taffy Rots Your Teeth (see post below), I burned a CD and gave it to one of my co-workers. He hooked me up with a chill Kanye mix pre-Late Registration, so I figured I'd reciprocate (don't worry Naomi, I got you for that Unspoken Heard). Even though I wanted the CDs and liner notes and all that, I'm glad I thought twice...

...but I still bought a Miles Davis CD on the way out the door.

Laffy Taffy Rots Your Teeth

2006-08-24T21:11:00.000-04:00

Jay-Z is My New Favorite Rapper

2006-08-13T22:21:00.000-04:00

I mean that in a tongue-in-cheek way, cuz Jay-Z was far from the list of rappers, emcees, etc. (...it's a long story for another post).

Jay-Z hooking with up with Kofi Annan & the United Nations to do a tour highlighting water crises around the world is crazy. He's taken hip-hop to yet another level. I mean, someone could ask why specifically water when there are so many causes that effect Black folk domestically. But Mr. Carter needs to get his feet on something (pardon the expression).

Hopefully Jay won't get caught up like Barack Obama or Michael Jordan and have the expection & weight of being the next "Black Superman." But even if that does happen, I feel confident that Shawn Carter can handle it.

Expanding Peace Through Hip Hop

2006-08-03T11:52:00.000-04:00

I have a solution for the Middle East Crisis: Battle

Three of the four elements of hip hop will used to wage the contest: emceeing, b-boying, and DJing

It'll be like The Last Emperor's Secret Wars

For something like this you'd need a crazy large area, perhaps stretching from Jerusalem to East Medina...

I heard there are some ill cats out there in the Middle East who can really flow

Live satellite feed to broadcast all over the globe

Now that would be ill...

Damn! Damn!! DAMN!!!

2006-08-03T10:50:00.000-04:00

The American Muslim Taskforce today urged Muslim nations to end diplomatic relations with Israel.

Yes, we're all concerned about the loss of life in Lebanon and Gaza, but what will that solve? How can you resolve differences when there is no communication?

everybody wants to be right/but nobody's left/to see you/raise the flag of victory/upon your last breath

Appetite for Destruction...

2006-07-25T10:13:00.000-04:00

[Crossposted at the Underground Railroad]

How many people does it take to utter the words “never again?” 100? 1,000? 100,000? Do the hands that take a human life determine its worth? Right now in Lebanon, the current death toll is over 400 and rising. Right now in Lebanon, hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing their homes as their buildings, roads, and bridges are destroyed. And yet, their pleas are muted in the name of fighting terrorism. The state of Israel seeks to destroy Hezbollah- an organization intent on Israel’s destruction- by raining bombs and missiles on the country of Lebanon in which Hezbollah primarily resides.

Israel does have the right to defend itself and the lives of its citizens, but how far does that right extend in taking the lives of other innocent people? How can we condemn Hezbollah for taking innocent lives on the one hand, and sanction the killing in hundreds of Lebanese people? The government of Lebanon did not declare war on Israel. The people of Lebanon certainly did not declare war on Israel. Hezbollah’s actions are Hezbollah’s actions. Why must the entire country of Lebanon taste death and destruction in retaliation against a group over which the government of Lebanon itself cannot control?

Hezbollah, which was founded in response to Israel’s occupation of Lebanon in 1982, has killed and terrorized Israeli citizens for years. When the so-called “Party of God” (as its name means in English) captured two Israeli soldiers just over one week ago, people around the world and some Arab governments- including Saudi Arabia- understood Israel’s reaction and condemned the actions of Hezbollah. Any nation has a fundamental right to protect itself, its citizens, and certainly its defense forces. The onslaught we have witnessed since then has crossed the line into wanton annihilation.

The bombs and precision-guided missiles that are striking Hezbollah militants and innocent children alike are made right here in the United States of America. Just the other day President Bush authorized a rushed shipment of bombs to Israel to drop on Lebanon. Your tax dollars are funding the death and destruction of other human beings, other lives. Mothers and sons, fathers and daughters. This is immoral and unjust. How can we be silent as the deafening booms of bombs shatter the rebuilt peace of a nation that has already seen 25 years of civil war? How can we be silent when humanitarian aid is blocked by crater-filled roads? How can we be silent when our nation uses the United Nations Security Council veto to effectively seal the death warrants of Lebanese families?

Our silence signifies our complicity, and blissful ignorance of the actions of our own government in our name means absolutely nothing for the mother who has lost her child, or the father who cannot protect his family. Is Israel justified in seeking to disarm Hezbollah? Of course, as a basic measure of survival. But Hezbollah is not all of Lebanon, and all of Lebanon is not Hezbollah.

What can we do? The most practical act is calling your Congressmen and expressing your sorrow at the death and destruction taking place. Furthermore, we must pray for peace; peace for the people of Lebanon and peace for the people of Israel. We must refrain from taking sides in the name of politics and pseudo-righteousness; the only side we must take is the side of God. We are all his creations, of the same rank and station. We can justify our actions however we choose, but God has the final say over all.

Nigga

2006-06-20T00:10:00.000-04:00

I'm just gonna cut straight to the point....Black people, please stop calling each other nigga. Whether you want to say nigger or nigga it doesn't make a difference.

Juneteenth

2006-06-20T00:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Juneteenth everyone.

Not really sure if that's the proper greeting, but I wasn't sure how else to speak (or type) celebration to the day that the last remaining slaves learned of the Emancipation Proclamation down in Galvestion, Texas.

It's important that remember our history. Hip hop wasn't born out of a vacuum; rather it is the product of our centuries of pain, hope, and joy that rose out of the Middle Passage.

By now it's pretty mainstream to acknowledge the griotic traditions and rhythms of West Africa that reside in hip hop today.

But it still is not mainstream for us as a people to truly reflect on our history and our place. Dr. King's "I Have a Dream Speech" is not the sum total of Black history in America. As painful as it may be, we need to be cognizant of our past or we will never have control over our future- that includes the future of hip hop.

Like Mos said in "Fear Not of Man," if you wanna know where hip hop is going, just look at yourself, and you'll get a clearer idea.

How I'm Feelin'

2006-05-29T04:59:00.000-04:00

My mirror's reflection/lacks the detection/of valid results/of my inner inspection/mixed signals/of my identification/life moves too fast/at the speed of stagnation/as I/keep on/keepin' on/I wonder/if life's short end/will come/before too long/I try to penetrate reality/but my will/is flaccid/will I please the ancestors/as generations past did?/overcoming obstacles/runnin' through barriers/blastin'?/or succumb to persistence/and become another statistic?/but that battle/is already won/right?/just turned 25/still Black/and still alive/never been arrested/not too close to dead/college educated/I bought my own bed/but is that/the pinnacle/of our life aspirations?/descendants of slaves/in this greatest of nations?/so easy/to get confused/what is our goal?/what is my role?/the eager soldier/looking for a unit/but keep the G/cuz thugs/on the frontline/got barrells/faced inward/eye to eye/nose to nose/our body count climbs/as we go/blow for blow/just miseducated negroes/niggas/bitches/and hoes/are we even Black anymore?/sometimes I don't know/Africans claim they ain't Black/Blacks claim they ain't African/so it's no/small wonder/to see what's happenin'/the United States/of race/has my soul displaced/still searching/for my true name/and my family lineage trace

...or maybe not

2006-04-09T00:14:00.000-04:00

Okay, so George Mason didn't win. They got smacked up by Florida who was just passing through on their way to winning the National Championship.

But hey, if you're gonna go out, might as well go out to the guys who win it all. Might as well say "we got beat, but we got beat by the best team in the nation. The champs."

In the end, George Mason gave us something to believe in. After all, isn't that draw of sports? Religion, politics, and sports are all venues which allow us to develop and express our beliefs, show our character, and exhibit deep faith. Of course I would put religion in the first tier of importance, politics in the second tier, and sports in the third. For others it may be different. Whatever your personal order is, it sure feels good to believe in something.

George Mason will be National Champs 2006

2006-03-31T21:41:00.000-05:00

Why not?

Why not George Mason?

They've already proved themselves capable of defying conventional wisdom and busting everyone's brackets (including mine).

The fact that they're having so much fun and are playing basketball the way it's supposed to be just makes all the more sweet.

I have to admit, being from GW, I looked down on George Mason just a bit. Just the same as how Gtown students look down on GW just bit- don't hate the playa hate the game.

But they're a local school, I know people who went there, and I've been there myself. So I'm jumping on the bandwagon. Actually, I was on the bandwagon after Mason knocked out my UNC, my favorite team in college sports (other than GW, of course).

After Michigan State I just figured it was one of those upsets that happen every year, when some unfavored team takes out one of the big dogs (or at least a bigger dog than them).

But then when Mason beat my Tar Heels, I realized then that I had to respect them. I was confident of victory against Wichita St. I was more hesitant against UConn- before the game.

I was watching that game with a couple of friends and towards the end of regulation we started to get the feeling of "why not George Mason?"

So I'm shamelessly jumping on the bandwagon. I'm rooting for the "unknown team" in the "unknown conference" who crashed the big dance to go all the way. After knocking off the past two national champs, they've proved they're capable.

George Mason National Champions 2006

Why not?

Imette

2006-02-28T19:09:00.000-05:00

I don't believe in the dealth penalty.

I firmly believe that we as human beings do not have the right to take the life that God gave.

But something horrible happened to one of my friends this past week.

Terribly, horribly unspeakable.

I am against the death penalty.

But if I did believe in the dealth penalty, that sucker or suckers would fry. Forget lethal injection- I want to hear the snap, crackle and pop of vengeance.

I want the bastards to beg for mercy for hours and hours.

I want them to know exactly what they did, and literally suffer the consequences of their actions.

And although I know that executing such vengeance would not bring Imette back, maybe it would help just a little.

Just to have them be on the receiving end.

Of course, my more rational side says that such actions don't solve anything, and violence only begets violence. My more rational side says that mercy is a guide on the path to righteousness, no matter the pain inflicted. In fact, the greater the pain, the greater the mercy, the greater the righteousness.

At the end of the day it's all moot since I have not the means nor the actual bastards to carry out such thoughts.

It's all just wishes.

I wish Imette left this world peacefully.

We love you Imette. God bless you.

Thoughts By Monika

2006-01-27T11:24:00.000-05:00

Check out this blog.

When I get around to updating look for this on the blogroll.

thoughtsbymonika

New Political Thought

2006-01-24T07:06:00.000-05:00

Politics is defined the process by which resources are distributed. The political conversation in our country revolves around two perspectives: liberal and conservative.

It seems to me that black folk do not fit within the pre-defined categories of political thought known as "liberal" and "conservative." The main reason for this is that neither end of the spectrum holds a particular concerns for the rehabilitation, survival and future of black folk (or Latinos or Native Americans for that matter). At one point the argument could be made that the liberal movement was acutely concerned with seeing justice for us, with participation in the second major Civil Rights movement in the mid-twentieth century. However, as we stand back 40 years from the passage of the last great civil rights victory- the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965- we have in some senses witnessed a deterioration of our community.

Black folk own no greater wealth now than in 1865. Far more black men are in prision than in college. Abortion rates are grossly unacceptable. Marriage has declined. The black family has all but fallen apart, with a large number of black women wading in smaller and smaller pool of potential husbands and fathers.

The fact is, the concern for black folk is and was just a segment of liberal concerns, along with the environment, abortion rights, and of course- power. Both Dr. King and Malcolm X concurred that the "white liberal" has a more vested interest in their particular view of order and society as opposed to real freedom and justice.

Can anyone please tell what, if any, of the core principles or policies of the Democratic Party since 1965 actually resulted in the redress of grievances or spur prosperity? Don't tell me affirmative action, that is a just a band-aid on a gash- better than nothing but not really solving anything on the whole. Sure incomes amongst black folk went up under Clinton, but so did then number of incarcerated black men.

The fact is that government is very limited in what can do to turn around the destructive effects of American society for the past 400 years or so- W.E.B. DuBois leadership for political progress must be taken together with Booker T. Washington's leadership for economic progress. However there are some things that government can do- such as reformation of the criminal justice system. Such as spurring economic development in impoverished communities that actually brings concrete benefits to the people of those communities instead of pushing them elsewhere. Such as actually looking at the bill introduced by John Conyers to study reparations.

Why is that our black men are continually being herded into prisons while so-called "liberals" are virtually silent? Why is that on the flagship liberal radio station Air America Radio, only a very few voices of color are heard? Not to mention the fact that Air America took over WLIB, a potent pillar of the black community for some time. Where are the policies for increased trade within the African Diaspora?

As far as the conservative side goes, the Republican Party has definitely stepped up its game in the past few years. School vouchers are a good idea, but like affirmative action kind of puts a band-aid on a huge gash. Nary 30 some odd years ago Virginia shut down some of its public schools rather than let black students attend. This legacy will not be corrected by a few token vouchers to a few token students- we need to think on a larger scale. A further fault with the conservative school of thought is that black folk would get ahead if we just worked harder- which is really laughable when you think about. The descendants of free laborers groups upon whose blood the economic foundation of this nation was built don't work hard enough? Negro please

*****

Often prominent political leaders of both donkey and elephant persuasion will say something to the effect of: while the United States hasn't always upheld its ideals, it has continued to get better and that's part of what makes the United States a great country. I think I've heard most often when speaking of civil rights and/or racial issues, especially around the Dr. King holiday. One the one hand this is true; I mean it is undeniable that American society is much better now than say, in 1833. However when I see these prominent political leaders (usually white and affluent) make such comments, it sounds akin to an abusive relationship in which the abuser says to the abusee: yeah I know I've abused you mentally and physically, but hey- it's not as bad as it used to be, right?

But we're stuck in this relationship for the long haul now. Shoot, you think we're just going to leave the House for which we literally laid the bricks? Even in divorce one spouse gets half of the assests, and reparations or not we ain't leavin' empty handed- I guarantee you that much. Black folk know- and have always known- that our own welfare is connected to the overall welfare of the country, as goes the phrase "when white America sneezes, black America catches a cold" (or something to that effect). If the ship goes down we'll be the ones without the life boat. So of course it's in our best interest to keep the ship running, all the while banging on the captain's door to steer the ship in a different direction.

It's kind of the "double-consciousness" W.E.B. DuBois spoke about in his landmark work The Souls of Black Folk: to ensure your own survival, you have to also ensure the survival of the entity that is the very threat to your survival. Black nationalist thought, as exhibited by Nation of Islam among others, calls for separation; in other words leaving the abusive relationship. The only sticking point is that, as I pointed out earlier, we ain't leavin' empty handed. So we do this dance where push America to stop being a hypocrite, and the rest of America sometimes moves in sync (as in the case of the end of legal segregation). But usually right after the pleasing dip, there is the spin followed by the mashing of toes (as in the assasinations of Malcolm X, Dr. King, and the infamous COINTELPRO which lead to the dismantling of organizations such as the Black Panthers).

***

The reality is that both Democrats and Republicans have policy ideas that can benefit black folk if properly used. For example, President Bush's touting of an "ownership society" promoting home ownership can really benefit us. The way to build wealth in Western society is through owning property, and we need some serious wealth building. The emphasis on healthcare for all by Democrats without a doubt can benefit black folk, as long as the disparities in health care amongst class and race are addressed.

So amongst all the hoopla about liberal vs. conservative, left vs. right, Democrat vs. Republican, let us keep our eyes on the prize, and continue to fight for our mental and economic freedom. The ballot alone will not take us where we need to go; we must vote for the candidate that best reflects our interests with one hand, and rebuild our community with the other. We not only owe to ourselves, but we owe to our ancestors and our future generations. Now is the time for new political thought.

What Happened?

2006-01-11T21:06:00.000-05:00

When I first started this blog, it was like an addiction. I couldn't stay off the internet, couldn't stay away from tweaking the look, adding content that someone somewhere would find and enjoy. Even as I wrote mainly for myself and whatever tired, huddled masses who would listen to voice, I actually had people start to read what I was writing. I'm not talking Google numbers in terms of hits or anything like that, but I had at least gotten past the point where I had to press my parents to read my blog to feel like I was doing more than having a conversation with myself.

But now my posts are few and far between. I rarely even visit my own blog site, except to get to other websites through the links I have over on the right. But even now that has diminished.

Where's my passion? Politics hasn't changed in the past year or so. It's business as usual. Hip Hop and music in general hasn't changed in the past year or so. Two things which captivated my attention, spurring the creation of this blog, no longer hold the same weight they once did.

I'm not checking out AllHipHop.com on daily basis; I'm not even watching C-SPAN on a regular basis anymore- and you KNOW how much I love C-SPAN.

Really, it's a reflection of some other things that are going on with me, things that I don't plan to get into anytime soon- this isn't one of the super-personal blogs where I put all of my business out on the internet for everyone to see.

I can say that staring at my computer screen at work all day doesn't leave my eager to stare at my computer screen at home for several more hours.

God willing the passion will return and I will continue my effort to expand political consciousness through hip hop.

Why Kweli Why?

2005-12-07T15:18:00.000-05:00

Why is this mixtape this hot? It almost makes me kind of mad. Makes me think maybe Kweli was holding back on Beautiful Struggle or something like that. Seems like half the songs on this joint are tracks that didn't make the Beautiful Struggle. Why keep the hotness from your fans while giving them lukewarm mediocrity?

Can someone please explain the difference between an mixtape and an album, cuz I don't understand. Is it just a question of royalties? Cuz this "mixtape" has liner notes and all that, whereas the previous mixtapes seemed more like actual mixtapes- low-budget CD's with upwards of twenty songs with grassroots distribution.

Remember when mixtapes were actually mix tapes- casette tapes with a mix of songs.

Head Roc

2005-12-05T22:39:00.000-05:00

Ya'll heard about this cat Head Roc from out of DC?

I bought one of his album a little while ago, titled "The Return of Black Broadway," a reference to the U Street area of Washington, DC.

I definitely recommend picking this one up if you can.

Head Roc speaks on matters from the glaring inequality seen in our nation's capital to the drudgery of holding down a 9-5.

This District of Columbia native definitely appeals to those who like to think while listening to hip hop. What else would you expect from someone who spoke at a huge anti-war rally at the Washington Monument?

This guy is like Public Enemy meets A Tribe Called Quest with a gritty, underground, homegrown feel.

He has a newer out, titled "Negrophobia," is on my list of albums to pick. It should be on yours too.

Right About Now

2005-12-04T15:17:00.000-05:00

I'm listenting to the new Kweli mixtape, "Right About Now: The Official Sucka Free Mix CD."

I haven't fully formed an opinion yet, but so far I'm feelin' that the album is hot.

The strength of this album is that it's classic Kweli, seemingly cooked from the same ingredients as "Train of Thought" and "Quality."

Unlike the lukewarm "Beautiful Struggle," Kweli does an excellent job of having hot, almost "commercial" beats and flows without sacrificing the very essence that has grown his fan base over the past decade or so.

I know some folks (myself included) have been less than impressed with most of the work he has put out since "Quality," but thankfully this album delivers and redeems Kweli as an emcee that is too contagious to be relegated strictly to the underground market.

If there is a downside to this mixtape, it is that it does not monumentally surpass some of Kweli's best work of the past, and thus does not elevate the BK emcee to a level beyond that which he achieved with "Quality" - which by far is his best work as a solo artist (sans Mos & Hi Tek).

Without a doubt, "Right About Now" puts Talib Kweli back on the ascending track to the forefront of hip hop music.

All that is missing for Kweli to go the next level is well-crafted full-length album that pushes and highlights his talents while giving us a three dimensional understanding of him as a artist.

*RING RING*

...hello, Kanye?

Egad

2005-11-17T18:03:00.000-05:00

Looks like I had another long break in posts.

This point of this post is to try to get back into the swing of things, try to get some of my mojo back.

I'm surprised there are still 10 people subscribed. Thanks for hanging in there.

Columbus Day

2005-10-10T15:47:00.000-04:00

[Crossposted at the Underground Railroad]

Today is October 10, 2005 which means it's Columbus Day.

On October 12, 1492 land was sighted aboard the Pinta, one of Columbus' ships, and thus began full-scale European exploration of the "New World."

So every October Columbus Day is observed on the 12th. Federal holiday, no work for some people.

But what are we celebrating?

Ever since I've been old enough to have a sense of history I've kind of felt like Columbus Day is a cruel joke; a spit in the face to those who endured the widespread brutality, destruction, and death that followed Christopher Columbus' journey to the Caribbean. How you gonna honor murder, rape, and pillaging? Cuz you do know that Columbus did that when he arrived, right?

I mean, how must it feel to be of Arawak, Taino, Carib descent and know that the man who nearly decimated your entire people is a celebrated hero?

For that matter, anyone of Native American Indian descent lives with the legacy of Columbus.

In any case, I hope you have the day off today and you spend it being a blessing to others.

Happy Indigenous People's Day!

Your Video on Your Cellphone

2005-10-09T13:31:00.000-04:00

Got videos? Want to see it YOUR cellphone? Check out what's going on at ProHipHop- you could be part of a new wave of hip hop videos.

Millions More

2005-10-08T17:58:00.000-04:00

The Millions More Movement is coming. Are you ready?

Support Democracy for Our People!

2005-10-08T17:37:00.000-04:00

[Crossposted at the Underground Railroad]

Liberia will be holding elections in a matter of days.

These elections will form a new government from the interim government that was in place after President Charles Taylor went into exile in 2003.

The turmoil in Liberia stems from the nation's establishment by freed American slaves. Thus, we as Africans in America have a unique connection to Liberia.

Remember our people struggling for democracy around the world!

Legislate!

2005-09-23T22:29:00.000-04:00

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. is having their Annual Legislative Conference this weekend.

I personally can't be there unfortunately, but I would go if I were you.

With Jamie Foxx as ALC Ambassador, how can you go wrong?

There will be a very interesting session, titled "Countering Culture - COINTELPRO Attacks on Political Musicians." Now you know you wanna check that out.

Reverend Lennox Yearwood, President of t he Hip Hop Caucus, is an invited panelist for the session titled "From Challenge to Triumph: The Emerging Leaders’ Empowerment Agenda." Personally I think there should be a larger representation of the hip hop community, but we can work on that for next year.

Go this year, check it out, take notes, and get active!

Democracy is a participartory sport. Get yo' behind off the bench!

Busy

2005-09-14T09:52:00.000-04:00

Work has been keeping me busy, but I'll be back.

Just remember the words of Kanye West: "George Bush does not care about Black people."

Hip Hop for Sale?

2005-08-29T10:17:00.000-04:00

Check out this article from the NY Times, In Hip-Hop, Making Name-Dropping Pay

I don't know how I feel about this situation. I mean, I feel the whole notion of artists getting paid if they're basically advertise a particular brand anyway- but shouldn't the lyrics come first, instead of the money?

I guess it goes back to a classic argument of being about the art or being about the money. But at the end of the day if you have no money you ain't eating, no matter how good your art is.

I just don't think corporate brands should be influencing artists' music.

Hip Hop Worldwide

2005-08-25T16:12:00.000-04:00

Check out this article from the New York Times titled "Hip-Hop Hybrids That Scramble Traditions"

It illustrates the global reach of hip hop.

We got emcees from Brooklyn to Bangkok.

Don't sleep on the power of hip hop. Global culture means global communication means global understanding.

Hip Hop is more powerful than you might think.

Bringing Back Sweet Memories

2005-08-24T15:24:00.000-04:00

Man.

Two of my co-workers are leaving.

Anyone who reads this blog on any sort of regular basis knows that I don't like my job.

But even if you claim to hate your job, as I do, there are people there in the trenches with you who help you get through each day.

That's who these two people are to me.

Of course there are peoples still here who I can- and do- depend on.

But these cats helped me adjust when I thought I might not have been up to the challenge.

They had my back when I was under fire.

They voiced their opinion when stuff wasn't cool, putting their own neck on the line.

Co-workers like that are not a dime a dozen- I haven't been in the "real world" that long and even I know that.

So here's to my peoples- best of luck in all of your endeavors. Keep shaking off the haters because greatness cannot be denied.

Peace

Beats, Rhymes, Life

2005-08-16T14:49:00.000-04:00

Man, it's kinda rough at work right now.

Nuttin' too serious, but I'm just stressed out. I feel like whenever I try to focus on one project, fifty others demand my attention.

And I got cats comin' at me for stuff that ain't even my fault, but I'm the person who they gotta deal with so I gotta catch it.

Don't you hate catchin' heat for stuff that's not even in your control?

So I had to pop some Tribe Called Quest in my walkman. This album is like a de-tensionizer (is that a real word?). Especially the Faith-laced classic "Stressed Out."

I thank God that I can listen to music with headphones in the office.

Aight, time to 'motivate.'

Bad Rap

2005-08-15T12:25:00.000-04:00

Domestic hip hop has a reputation for being all about the bling bling. But is that an accurate or fair represention of the hip hop community from the East to West coast?

I feel like in a few articles I've read recently regarding international emcees, the comparison is made that U.S. hip hop is basically about "money, cash, hoes."

Of course Common, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Dead Prez, and Immortal Technique have albums that beg to differ. But let's take a look at the more "bling bling" style emcees:

Jadakiss- suprised everyone with organically intellectual "Why"

Jay-Z- got more personal than we thought he ever would in "Moment of Clarity"

Nas- just check out It Was Written, Lost Tapes, and Stillmatic; there are quite a few songs (let's just forget the "Oochie Wally" phase, shall we?)

What? Did you say something about Nas always being psuedo-intellectual? Maybe we do need to remember "Oochie Wally," or even the banished "Hate Me Now"

Hip hop as it is practiced in its birth country is more complex than just "conscious" and "thug" rappers. A true hip hop head can appreciate the entire spectrum of hip hop music, or at least not just one category.

I love me some positive, complex rhyme-scheme hip hop. I grew up on Public Enemy, Sista Souljah. But I can appreciate some Lil' Jon, some Yin Yang Twins, some Ludacris, some Nelly, some Jay-Z, some Snoop D-O-double gizzle. It's all good.

As Mos Def said in Black on Both Sides, hip hop is about the people. When the people narrow their view on hip hop, the people narrow hip hop.

Waitin' For the DJ

2005-08-15T00:01:00.000-04:00

So I'm trying to become a DJ. I'm starting off slow. Right now I have no mixer, no turntables, no records.

But I have a dream!

I have a dream of rocking parties.

I have a dream of dropping the right beat at the right time to make the crowd live.

DJ equipment is not cheap- it's actually a rather expensive hobby.

The industry standard Technics will run you a few hundred bones.

So my dream is deferred for the moment. I still have to pay rent and a few other bills. I gotta eat, too.

Perhaps I'll take you on my DJ quest with me.

One of the things I like to do is check out Turntable Lab. Usually I just window shop and look at the things I would like to buy if I actually had the money. I also like to check out the snippets they have on the records. Kind of like virtual crate digging, except the Turntable Lab crew makes choice selections so you're not climbing over old school Michael Bolton (although I bet some of his stuff could be sampled pretty nice).

Anybody want to make my wishes come true and bestow upon me some direct drive decks they don't want? I'm not picky, I'll even take Gemini.

Magic Touch

2005-08-13T23:34:00.000-04:00

Click above to check out the article from All Hip Hop News.

Magic Johnson just help start a hip hop basketball league to uplift Native American communities.

The power of hip hop is undeniable.

We have only just scratched the surface.

In the words of Sticky Fingaz, "b-b-b-but wait it get worse!"

Mr. Johnson

2005-08-10T13:28:00.000-04:00

May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon Brother John H. Johnson, the ledgendary founder of Jet and Ebony magazines.

Mr. Johnson is a true American success story- ironically because it was America's hatred that necessitated the founding of an incredible publishing empire.

Jet and Ebony magazines are counter-ammunition to the negative stereotypes and images of Black people. Mr. Johnson became a success by slicing his way through the cultural fabric of America that says "niggers ain't sh*t."

Think you're a hustla? John Johnson took a $500 loan and flipped it into an internationally reknown organization that touched the lives of Black folk around the globe.

Think you're a hustla? John Johnson did so well that his future generations are eating from his hard work.

He was a hustla baby. I just want you to know.

American success fueled by American oppression.

American freedom fueled by American subjugation.

Unlike many other business successes of Black America in the past half-century, Mr. Johnson's publishing company remains Black owned.

Our images, our lives, our survival.

Thank you Mr. Johnson, for all that you have done.

My generation would not be where we are today if you had not dared to go where others said you could not.

Thank you Mr. Johnson.

May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon you.

Amin.

The Miseducation of the People

2005-08-08T14:59:00.000-04:00

[Crossposted at the Underground Railroad]

It seems that every time I open the newspaper, click on a news website, or watch one of the major news channels, the flow of information is inundated with claims of Muslims not doing enough to prevent terrorists from committing evil deeds. From right-wing pundits such as Michael Graham to Democratic Senator Diane Feinstein of California to Thomas Friedman of the “liberal” New York Times, the consensus seems to be that terrorism would go away if only Muslims made it so.

Such sentiments are both myopic and unproductive. How many Muslims does it take to condemn terrorism before our misguided news sources and opinion leaders realize that a global religion of approximately 1.2 billion adherents is not the foundation for the murderous acts of comparatively few individuals? The Council on American-Islamic Relations has been issuing regular denunciations of murderous acts committed in the name of Islam for years. In addition the Fiqh Council of North America, the Islamic Society of North America, the Islamic Circle of North America, various Muslim scholars, and spiritual leaders around the world have issued numerous denunciations in the name of Islam. Unfortunately, this perspective is relegated to the deep inside pages of a few newspapers at best. To follow the logic that is so constantly displayed in the media, one must conclude that Christianity is the foundation for the actions of U.S. slave owners, the Ku Klux Klan, the Spanish Inquisition, Timothy McVeigh, and more recently Eric Rudolph.

Muslims around the world from Bangalore to Baltimore know and have stated that the terrorist actions of Osama bin-Laden, Al-Qaeda, and other hateful organizations do not represent the religion of Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, peace be upon all of them. As followers of Abraham, Muslims share history and kinship with everyone who considers him or herself a Christian or a Jew. Yet it appears that this is either not known by the general public, or is simply neglected by the mainstream media. To label Islam a “cult of death” or a “terrorist organization” as some have done, is to deliver a horrendous smack in the face to the aforementioned messengers of God.

Let us join together and fight those who commit vicious acts of murder against innocents, and let us not be divided by the empty, so-called “religious,” excuses of the perpetrators.

Holla If Ya Hear Me

2005-07-21T09:14:00.000-04:00

I just heard Tupac for the first time recently.

I've listened to Tupac before, but this is first time I've heard Tupac.

Growing up, my parents censored most of the music I listened to (as good parents should). As a result of Tupac's love of profanity, his albums were kept at a distance.

My best friend, however, had greater access and would share with me. But the songs I remember listening to were "Hit Em Up" and "How Do Ya Want It." I viewed these songs as negative an destructive. Actually I still think "How Do Ya Want It" is a poor use of incredible talent.

For Mother's Day one year, I bought my mother the "Dear Mama" single. At the time it was the one Tupac song I knew really well, and I felt that the love that poured through on the album would be a good representation of the love I felt for my own mother.

Apparently, she didn't view the gift in the same light. At least not until she listened to it. Then she heard it.

When I was in high school, the song "Changes" was released posthumously. That was the first Tupac song that hit me on a personal level. Pac really expressed alot of the unspoken anger about being a Black man in America. The song is an affirmation of the Black struggle and lets others know that we're not alone.

The funny thing is, alot of Tupac's music is like that- I just didn't hear it before. Yeah, some of his stuff is negative and anti-productive and I still don't wanna hear it. But other stuff, like "F*ck the World" off the Me Against the World album- that speaks to the truth of human emotion.

When Tupac passed, we all did lose something. We lost an insightful young man who articulated the fears, hopes, and dreams of so many young Black men across this nation. Tupac was an ambassador of the Black experience.

Sick Day

2005-07-20T18:20:00.000-04:00

I'm home sick today with a stomach virus.

After sleeping all day I stuck to the sick day ritual- lots of television.

Got to watch the "Drop It Like It's Hot" video again; that was pretty fun.

Saw part of a hip hop special on VH1. I have to admit, it was pretty good. I know I've said some anti-VH1 things before, but I gotta give credit where credit is due. It's only fair.

Of course there's also alot of talk about President Bush's Supreme Court nominee, John Roberts.

I dunno much about the guy, but I'd like to hear more constructive and unbiased information about him.

The climate for today's political/public affairs discussion has become as amicable as the Wannabes and Jigaboos.

Blog Freestyle

2005-07-18T23:40:00.000-04:00

Aaaah
So I'm a
try to rhyme
while I'm typin'
freestylin'
on the keyboard
sounds so excitin'
cats are like
the internet
oh kid, he's into that
can't write rhymes
if computers eat ya time
it's all good
I don't sweat none of that
I here to do me
Do you
And that's that
Last Emperor pumpin'
In the speakers
lookin' for a job
to get a new pair of sneakers
current boss is crazy
be trippin' on the daily
showin' like Jon Stewart
why I gotta hit
the door & be out

Frustrations

2005-07-18T23:38:00.000-04:00

Ever get frustrated watching the news? Watching events traspire and feeling like there's not much you can do about it?

I try to fight such feelings on a regular basis. Why I allow myself to get worked up, I really don't know.

Right now I'm unwinding to The Last Emperor flow over a DJ Jazzy Jeff beat. Ahh, tranquility.

Wait Up

2005-07-11T17:42:00.000-04:00

Just to let whoever actually reads Join the Cipher know that I'll be out of town for a few days, which means a break in posts. I figured a head's up would be nice.

Gangstas Grow Up - OpinionJournal.com

2005-07-06T13:38:00.000-04:00

Check out this brief article on hip hop, fatherhood, manhood, & the images of Black men.

Let's Get Free

2005-07-06T11:30:00.000-04:00

[Crossposted at the Underground Railroad]

Ever wonder if we're in a matrix-type world and Black folk are still in bondage here in the U.S.?

Consider this fact: Black people are 12.3% of the general U.S. population, but make up 43.9% of the incarcerated population. If we are just under half of one quarter of the total population, how do we make up almost half the percentage of inmates?

Intelligent thinking will tell you that the social construct of race is not an inherent crime indicator.

We need different policies.

We need policies that recognize there is no difference between powder cocaine and crack cocaine.

We need policies that encourage rehabilitation for drug users instead of locking up mommies and daddies for years on end.

We need policies that focus on crime prevention instead of criminal detention.

Who creates these policies? Our elected officials. Who gives our elected officials power? We do.

To keep it real, short of being a millionaire, there's not much one single person can do to effect sweeping change.

However, one single person can form a link in the chain which tears down bad policy and lifts up good policy.

One person can write letters to the editor of their local newspaper or talk to their neighbors and enlighten them.

One person can call their elected official and give their two cents.

One person can make the decision to vote for someone who they believe will enact good policy.

Nothing will get better until YOU do something about it.

Black Like Me?

2005-07-04T20:28:00.000-04:00

Check out this interesting article from the Village Voice out of New York City.

Argues that the audience of the more political, overtly pro-Black hip hop is increasingly white kids, while the black audience is declining.

What do you think?

Original Work

2005-07-04T17:15:00.000-04:00

Too many
weapons
of mass distraction
no compassion
just passion
outlastin’
the fastin’
the cleansing
the mending
of mem’ries
of men’s sting
men sling
men’s kings
to get power
the kill brings
I sing
I scream
it’s just like a bad dream
TV
news spray
driving me
crazy
red state
blue state
I hate
you hate
my life
my time
my love
my rhyme
I’m just tryin’ to do me
live right
get by
how many of you
can relate to
these lines
these times
seems like
these lies
keep growing & growing
with no end
in sight
hindsight
proves right
history’s players
but foresight
shows you
history’s dangers
is it too little
too late?
out of time
end gate?
the climax of our fate
no more food
on our plate?

My American Dream

2005-07-04T17:14:00.000-04:00

[Crossposted on the Underground Railroad]

On the Fourth of July I usually feel a little off. I am an American by birth and so one might think I want to celebrate in the founding of our country. However I can never shake the double-edged sword of reality as expressed by Frederick Douglass in his famous speech, "What to The Slave is the 4th of July?"

I feel like the 4th of July can be a sick joke, a mockery of freedom and liberty. The Founding Fathers regarded a lack of absolute political autonomy as tyranny, yet accepted a culture of owning other humans as legal property. Am I the only person who thinks that doesn't make any sense at all?

In reflecting on the 4th of July this year, I started to have a dream: what if in 1776, under this new nation with freedom and justice as founding ideals, all men were truly regarded as equals. What if there were blacks and whites, fighting side by side for the freedom of all peoples?

We'd have a vastly different nation, no doubt a much better one- a more perfect union.

Black people would have more of our own names.

The wealth of the many would not be so concentrated in the hands of the few.

We would be moving together for freedom and liberty- all the people of the United States of America- Europeans, Africans, Asians, and Native American Indians in all of our various cultural and ethnic blends.

Since things didn't happen that way, but we're all Americans now, can we move toward that ideal together? Can we progress our society to true representation of freedom, justice, and democracy? I don't know if we will, but I believe we can.

Live 8

2005-07-02T20:43:00.000-04:00

Did you see the Live 8 concerts today? They were really something.

I wonder what effect today will have on the G-8 summit, and on the mission to eradicate poverty.

God willing, the lovers of peace, justice, and righteousness will be successful, and we are moving toward a more beautiful world.

Random Thought

2005-06-25T23:49:00.000-04:00

What is this thing called hip hop? This culture? This manner of expression?

Young Blacks and Latinos in NYC back in the day- did they really know what they were giving birth too?

Hip hop is international. A global voice.

Songs of oppression and depression mixed with fantasies of a lavish and opulent life have resonated all around the world.

Just think about it for a second.

US House panel cuts funding for public television - Yahoo! News

2005-06-17T15:07:00.000-04:00

Doggone shame.

Study: Black Men, White Ex-Cons Have Equal Job Prospects - nbc4.com

2005-06-17T09:37:00.000-04:00

Color blind society what?

Donde Estas?

2005-06-16T14:11:00.000-04:00

Working with African Americans for Democracy

Check out the Underground Railroad

(White) Women We Love

2005-06-10T12:14:00.000-04:00

Truth

Helms mea culpa on AIDS, not integration - Politics - MSNBC.com

2005-06-09T11:51:00.000-04:00

This is why Black folk have stayed away from the Republican Party since the latter half of the 20th century.

Review the following comment from an uncorrected (politically?) proof the Senator Helms' forthcoming memoir:

“We will never know how integration might have been achieved in neighborhoods across our land, because the opportunity was snatched away by outside agitators who had their own agendas to advance...We certainly do know the price paid by the stirring of hatred, the encouragement of violence, the suspicion and distrust.”

That's like the comment I heard from a caller on C-SPAN who said the "War Between the States" was wrong in part because "slavery was on it's way out" anyway.

How do you justify injustice?

How do you promote the idea that injustice will eventually fix itself?

That's like looking a starving child and saying, "well food will come eventually."

What if George Washington met with Benjamin Franklin and said "y'know Ben, this whole monarchy is on it's way out anyway. The agitators for self-government are just outsiders with their own agenda to advance."

R.E.A.C.Hip-Hop

2005-06-08T10:14:00.000-04:00

The new movement you've been waiting for is here

The question is: are you ready?

Crumbs for Africa - New York Times

2005-06-08T10:06:00.000-04:00

But it's Christmas Mr. Scrooge!

Katherine Harris to Run for Senate in 2006 - New York Times

2005-06-07T14:19:00.000-04:00

Democrats are playing checkers

Republicans are playing chess

Meanwhile we're all just getting played

Haaretz - Israel News

2005-06-07T13:26:00.000-04:00

Struggle is everywhere

Uncover Your Eyes - New York Times

2005-06-07T09:39:00.000-04:00

Abre los ojos

War Crimes Court to Start Investigation in Darfur - New York Times

2005-06-06T15:53:00.000-04:00

Think of the people suffering- right now- as you read this.

Haven for Blacks in Civil War Riots Now Safeguards History - New York Times

2005-06-06T15:51:00.000-04:00

Little known piece of history

The Heartland Institute - Apologizing for Slavery: Part 1 - by Carol M. Swain

2005-06-06T15:48:00.000-04:00

Big thanks to BlackElectorate.com for the recent string of articles

Wichita Eagle | 01/16/2003 | Kansas senator's race initiative quietly killed

2005-06-06T15:45:00.000-04:00

Very interesting

The Pillage of Africa - [Sunday Herald]

2005-06-06T15:40:00.000-04:00

Check out this piece.

AMERICAN INDIANS: Apology, and much needed assistance, in order

2005-06-06T15:32:00.000-04:00

Word

Get Your Money Right: HSAN.org | 2005 Washington D.C. Hip-Hop Summit

2005-06-06T11:49:00.000-04:00

If you're in DC tomorrow, check out the Hip Hop Summit Action Network Washington DC Summit on Financial Empowerment.

If you're not in DC tomorrow, check out the following cities/dates:

Friday, July 15th
Miami, FL
Mansion

Saturday, August 20th
St. Louis, MO
America's Center

Saturday, September 10th
Kansas City,MO
Black Expo

Saturday, September 17th
Los Angeles, CA
USC

Friday, September 30th
Trenton, NJ
Soverign Bank Center

Emmett Till's body reburied in Illinois - MSNBC

2005-06-06T11:17:00.000-04:00

It's kinda funny that in the article the article call Emmett Till's brutal murder "...a crime that symbolized the raw history of race relations in America..." as opposed to "a crime that symbolized how White Supremacy and the physical and psychological attack on African descendents persisted in the 20th century."

Maybe a little too honest I guess.

Court Rules Against Pot for Sick People - Yahoo! News

2005-06-06T11:00:00.000-04:00

Boooo. That's a wack decision.

State's rights man. The federal government only has but so much juice as according to the Constitution.

Hip Hop Hot Spot - Hip Hop to a Higher Degree

2005-06-03T23:02:00.000-04:00

Just found this site and thought I should share

Be

2005-06-03T21:56:00.000-04:00

The hype is real.

The album is classic.

Doesn't need a review, just buy it.

Common's Ill Lyrics + Kanye's Sick Beats = Hip Hop Classic

The only weird part is that from the promotion, it seems like it's Kanye West's album featuring Common. I guess it's just Puffy syndrome.

U.S. Confirms Gitmo Soldier Kicked Quran - Yahoo! News

2005-06-03T21:24:00.000-04:00

Wow.

Funny what comes to light when the heat turns up.

But there is a nugget of hope in this story- facts have come to light because of democracy, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press.

Now, Newsweek did take alot of heat for the story they wrote, but if they hadn't this information might not be coming out now- if ever.

Bush Returning Funds From Coin Dealer - Yahoo! News

2005-06-03T21:07:00.000-04:00

Smart move

Bolivian president steps in to end unrest - Yahoo! News

2005-06-03T15:57:00.000-04:00