Remaining Rational in Hard Times..

Hello, everyone. I've been meaning for a while to weigh in on what's happening between my people and law enforcement in this country; but finding the words has not been easy, so pardon me if I ramble here. As these events unfolded, I made sure to remember that whatever I saw on T.V. was not to be taken at face value. The media has a knack for making things seem much worse than they really are; I was not going to allow myself to become incensed and lose my train of thought (although it hasn't been easy). As you already know, our nation was just recently starting to heal from the slap in the face that was a certain grand jury's decision not to indict officer Darren Wilson for the murder of Michael Brown. Tears were shed, expletives were hurled, small-scale riots broke out in the city, but things were just starting...JUST starting to cool off...when this happened.

The policeman who placed Eric Garner in a life-ending choke hold was not indicted. He walked free. Needless to say, the fresh wound of injustice created by Darren Wilson walking free was ripped back open. People are currently protesting in New York City--blocking streets, marching, and shouting their demands--and no one should be surprised. 

My barber said something a few months ago that I initially laughed off, but it seems less ludicrous as time goes on; he said that this recent string of black murders (Trayvon Martin, Mike Brown, Eric Garner, etc.) is the beginning stage of what will eventually explode into a race war in this country. And by "race war" he meant just that; blacks and whites arming themselves and taking one another out on U.S. soil until only one side is left standing. Pretty scary stuff....but it seems less crazy now than it did then. 

That's one reason I'm writing this post. This is my attempt, however small it may be, to restore some rationality in this crazy period. After much thinking about what's happened these past few months, I had to ask myself "what is this really about?" 

It's not about "Black vs. White" 

And it's not about "Black people vs. The Police"

Read the story HERE

No, it's silly to believe that all white people are racist; and despite what's happened in recent months, I still believe that we NEED law enforcement in this country. I guarantee that America's policemen have PREVENTED way more murders here than a couple of nutcases with badges have committed. To say that all policemen are bad is no better than for them to say that all black people are bad. Simple.

No, I've come to the conclusion that the problem we have is an overarching mentality in this country regarding people of color, black men in particular. We've been portrayed so negatively for so long in different forms of media, that we're now starting to see just how hard of a time some people are having separating us from those stereotypes. When we were first brought to this country, we were animals suited only for slavery, after that we were hedonists with no self-control, looking only to satisfy our lust for white women (Seriously. Watch this), after that we were second-class citizens who were allowed to live in this country so long as we "stayed in our place", and NOW we're thugs and hoodlums who may harm you or steal your belongings depending on what mood we're in. 

And that is what will have to change before any real progress can be made. I won't pretend to have all the answers. Because I don't. Not even. But I recently came across an interesting editorial which highlights the power of "art over argument." I urge you all to read it and share it (HERE). Basically it explains that art has much more influence on people's behavior than most might think. Slavery was not considered a national abomination until Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and threw the whole country into a rage. The year that Disney released "Bambi," deer hunting fell from a $5.7 million business to a $1 million business. Just that quickly. ART INFLUENCES PEOPLE. So one solution that I propose is that we, the black community, see to an increase of art that paints us as we really are--powerful, intelligent, compassionate human beings with hopes and dreams just like everybody else--so that the nation as a whole will see us as such and maybe one day stop being so afraid of us. I realize that not everyone is artistically inclined, and that's fine. But those of us who are must accept that we walk with a stigma, one that we must erase if we want to make this country better for ourselves and black youth. It's our responsibility. Let's get to work. 

P.S. Rest in Peace Tamir Rice, the 12-year-old who was shot and killed last month for walking down the street waving a toy gun. Sleep now. (Read here)

- Nick G.

Piano Roll

A little over a month ago, I released my first studio-produced track called "Same Moon" (you can hear that here). Today, I've decided to drop my second track called "Piano Roll." Yall enjoy it and let me know what you think!
   

(Chorus)
Hol' up! This aint ya typical hook.
Oh nooo and damn sho aint ya typical flow
Just a youngin from the South. No gold mouth,
But gold words til the whole Earth sold out.
And he got a prime time mind with ragtime soul.
You wanna take it to the hole? Let's go!
Shawty, you can bump it out ya Nano yo
But I'll just keep it comin out of my piano roll.

(Verse 1)
One time, two times, three and to the fo'
Nicky G's comin yeah I'm back fa mo'
Latch the do'. We don't want no one escapin the blast
Hand me the gas, watch a bastard blow.
Like Master P in '97 when he made em say uuhh
I'm just tryna make em wake up
Make em raise up with a new nation and new stations
Erase all straight fakeness from the equation
Minus Fendi socks. I'm tryna do for hip-hop
What Black folk did for Lindy hop
And that's wreck it. Throw on a record. Bet I'll spray it
I'll AK it. In one second. Now check it
It's the cliche slayer. The new-age mayor.
The leader of a legion with allegiance to the layers.
Young Scott Joplin Jr. of the future
With my 88 keys tuned up

(Chorus)

(Verse 2)
The second act is packed. With more curse than the first
So if you thought it was bad, it gets worse. Much worse.
So bad, if ya favorite rapper ever tried to beat me
Then you'd prolly neva see him again
Another dead bum with head lumps. I serve em Red Rum
On the mic, I flow nice and throw em breadcrumbs
If they ever come for me, it'll be a short story like
"Once upon a time, the end." (Check it out)
I wield words with the skill of a swordsman
It's more than might. I'm like a samurai mixed with a knight
I swing blades like "Sling Blade."
A sickle in my soft palate. All of my competition's tossed salad
And I'ma wild until a thousand islands bearin' my name
And I can view em from an airplane
But I'm feeling anxious cuz I'm up against so many trials
Walk a mile in these mud-stained Chucks. Ya can't!

(Chorus)

(Verse 3)
Act three, act three. I pound the black keys in anger
I'm workin on a club banger. So I hit a crescendo
And rattle windows til the whole town sense danger
I'm exhausted. Just by lookin, you would think that I lost it
I'm workin on a grand project. Notice how I'm focused
On dopness til every quote of his a magnum opus
And I'll be worth my weight in platinum tokens
I forego form for free-form. No music sheet for him
Like jazz man, it comes from the soul
Like Louis on the horn or a Monk and Coltrane session
I'll turn a Bic into the same weapon
When the music is good, you get respect from the hood,
Middle class, and the rich. Yo mama a fan of this
Young Black mastermind from the 9 Dime
Soon to be classified top five

(Chorus)

Same Moon

It is with GREAT pleasure that I bring you all my first professional single, "Same Moon."  A lot has gone into getting this track done so I ask that you all listen and share it with everyone you know. Trust there will be more to come.

It's crazy, ya know? Sometimes I just sit here and reminisce..wondering where the years have gone. Just looking back on my life and lessons learned. Sometimes it feels like I'm not even supposed to be here right now. Like I should be dead or in jail. But I'm still here. And I'm thankful...for everything this Carolina life has shown me. I aint done yet though..let's go!

(Chorus)
Lookin back on how these years made me
Coming up in Carolina. She's forever my lady
I tell my people now that we on. In this industry
It's '91 to infinity and beyond
From the Queen City to the 9 Dime
Home of the best, I'm guessin next that the world is mine
I really hope that I aint leavin too soon.
Every night of my life, I've been admiring the same moon

(Verse 1)
See it was back in '96
Had my first kiss in kindergarten
and I've been chasing waterfalls ever since
Wrote a poem for my teacher on some "roses are red"
She called me mannish. That went over my head
I wasn't trippin. I was livin every day like the first of summer
Outside in any weather. I thought it'd last forever
Playin with my cousins and them. My mama watched us race bikes
She was hustlin then, them late nights
I never realized we were up in the hood cuz I was five.
Mama watched me like a hawk in the sky
I gotta give it up cuz I know for a woman it aint EASY tryna raise a man
I understand. I got a plan, mama. On how to make a couple grand, mama
Couple pages per day. I'm nice with the wordplay
Gotta match you in the work put in. In terms of mothers, you a perfect 10
I'll hustle til you never have to work again

(Chorus)

(Verse 2)
See it was back in '02
Middle school I was dressin old school. Little dude tryna pose cool
Those were funny days. I was goin through my chubby phase
Had my pants saggin with the struggle braids
But effervescent adolescent I was,
Though it was tough tryna impress girls around the thugs
Tryna get attention, that's when I rebelled
Skippin class to get detention, like goin to jail cell
I remember all my boys playin basketball and
I was sittin writin raps and drawin
Hated the monotony. People shoot hoops every day.
I was droppin new jewels every page.
And they used to tease him.
Every day he would say that he'd make it but they didn't believe him
I aint mad though, cuz I don't know if I believed myself
I prayed to God cuz I needed help
now

(Chorus)

(Verse 3)
See it was back in '09
I was just a college boy
The freedom sweeter than an Almond Joy
That's when I met my boy Steve
And we both figured
We had to come together in the name of something bigger
We dropped the Validation. It was the foundation.
Tru Muzzik is the movement. This is OUR nation
Realist Undergrads....now we payin rent...
Staring at the same moon...as I plan my ascent...
Realist Undergrads...now we payin rent....
Rest in Peace, Deena....

Mike Brown vs. Robin Williams

Good day, everyone. As I sat here on my bed, listening to the new Ab-Soul album, scrolling through my IG timeline, I knew I'd have to hop on here and give my two cents on this whole Mike Brown/Robin Williams death situation.

What I see on my timeline today are a lot of posts criticizing

people for mourning Williams "more" than Brown, President Obama for acknowledging Williams' death and not Brown's, Williams for "choosing" to die, etc, etc, etc. 

I promise social media gives me a headache sometimes lawd.. 

Firstly, I'd like to go on record by saying that Mike Brown's death is a tragedy. From what I've read in the news, I imagine he was a fine young man who didn't cause trouble and dreamed of making something of himself. I can only imagine the pain his family is going through right now and I hope the police officer responsible is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. In many ways, this is the Trayvon Martin situation all over again, only this time there's an actual police department being held accountable. While Brown's friends claim the policeman instigated the altercation by telling them to "get the f*ck onto the sidewalk," the police department claims that Brown initiated the struggle by trying to reach for the officer's gun (read about it here). Sound familiar? 

History has a funny way of repeating itself, so they say.... 

That being said, I hope that my black brothers and sisters really aren't sitting around waiting for Obama to say something about Mike Brown. Ok. Let's say today he finally acknowledges the situation, then what? Let's say he gets behind his presidential podium today and delivers some prepared remarks about how his thoughts and prayers are with Brown's family and the Ferguson community and how we have to work to prevent these sort of occurrences in the future. Then. What? I can see why some people are disheartened about Obama's silence on the issue, but I personally couldn't care less if he says something about it or not. I'm sorry, but Obama is not a sorcerer; his acknowledging Mike Brown's death will not bring him back, nor will it stop policemen from abusing their authority and shooting more black people in the future. The sad truth is, we're pretty much the only generation in America with the power to stop this sort of atrocity, but we've been pacified into believing that we're doing our part by prefacing our tweets with #RIPMikeBrown. Slacktivism runs rampant and it's a problem. 

Have yall ever heard of Leroy Powell? Probably not. He was 15 years old and gunned down in an alleyway last week after giving an eyewitness statement of a murder his friend committed. What about Jakari Pearson? He was an 8-year-old who was killed in his sleep last month by a stray bullet through his wall. Where's Powell's Twitter campaign? Where's Pearson's? Where's the demand for better witness protection and stricter gun regulations? Don't their deaths deserve just as much attention and mourning as Brown's? Don't they deserve acknowledgement from President Obama as well? Apparently not..

Cuz that's just boring, right? 

Nope, we didn't hear about their deaths because black-on-black crime doesn't benefit the media. I said long ago in a previous post that I believe the media purposely focuses on stories like Brown's because they'd love nothing more than for a riot to break out; that way they can send some bemused-looking reporter out to cover it acting as if they have no idea what sparked it in the first place.

Moving on to Robin Williams, Uncle Rob was an American treasure; his body of work spanned generations and he brought countless people joy. This is not to say that his life was "more important" than Brown's by any means...but one must understand his magnitude. I didn't cry when I heard he passed, but dammit if I didn't come close; Mrs. Doubtfire and Aladdin were both staples of my childhood. The fact that Williams apparently struggled with depression and committed suicide makes his situation that much sadder. Of course people are going to grieve extra hard knowing that the man that brought them so much joy was so sad and experienced so much angst. 

Tony Soprano sums it up best, I think. 

And SHAME on anyone who feels he shouldn't be mourned because he "chose" to die. Depression is real and if you don't understand it, you shouldn't speak. 

In closing, instead of griping over which individual is receiving more attention, let's take this time to honor BOTH their lives. They were both men fighting the brave battle of existence; it's up to us as a nation to learn from their deaths and become better. That's how we pay our respect.

-Nick G. 

Jada

Good evening, everyone. As I'm sure many of you are aware, a disturbing meme has recently surfaced relating to a photograph of a 16-year-old girl known only as "Jada" passed out on a floor. In the photo, Jada is naked from the waist down with one leg bent up behind her. It wasn't long before the picture went viral and people the world over were making fun of this nameless naked girl.

Now I will admit, when I first saw the picture, I didn't pay much attention to it. Social media has desensitized me to the point that the most profane images can pop up on my timeline and I won't bat an eye; I simply shook my head at this girl and kept scrolling. Yesterday however, I learned the full story. Jada was invited to a party by some of her high-school friends; once there, she was given a beverage, after which she passed out. The picture of her on the floor is allegedly what occurred afterwards; she was stripped of her clothing and raped, then photographed and placed on the internet for the whole world to see and ridicule. Here's a video of her giving her account of the story.

Besides Jada being violated and thrown to the internet wolves, what really angers me is the fact that someone, somewhere thought it'd be a good idea to capitalize on the photo's popularity and take pictures mimicking her pose. Of course, the idea quickly caught on and spread like wildfire throughout social media.

I was speaking with a friend about the rationale behind this trend; how could people mock someone who had been subject to such treatment? After pondering on the situation, I reached a sobering conclusion; the internet removes personal attachment from everything. Think about it, if you saw an elderly woman on fire running down your street, you'd probably try to help her or at least call someone, right? But if you saw a video of that same lady on fire, it'd probably have hundreds of retweets and comments ranging from "Lmao!!" to "Damn! Hahaa" Either way, the lady would have suffered the same burns and would probably need surgery afterwards; after you scrolled past the video, her personal situation would remain the same. The same goes for Jada. After everyone has had their laughs at her expense and moved on, SHE will still have to live with what's happened to her. Years after we've all forgotten about this, she'll still be saddled with the stigma of being the girl in THAT picture back in 2014. I think one of the graver effects of social media is that it makes us forget that the people in these videos and pictures aren't actors. They aren't television characters. They are human beings like you and I. Jada is a MINOR who is being subjected to some of the most despicable treatment mankind has to offer; and I for one, am sad. 

Fortunately, after searching the #JadaPose hashtag on Twitter and Instagram, I found that 99% of people had used it in protest of people making light of her situation. Thus, the little faith I have in my generation remains intact for now. Let us all keep Jada in our prayers. You think we all would have learned from the Steubenville incident a few years back, but apparently we haven't. I'm not naive enough to think that rape will ever completely go away, but surely we can each do our part to lessen how often it occurs in this country. It seems a shame to say that boys need to be TAUGHT to not rape; but men, it is our responsibility to make sure that this upcoming generation of males knows the importance of respecting and honoring women. Likewise ladies, it is up to you all to educate the upcoming generation of girls. Mentor them, teach them that a real man would never force himself on them, and PLEASE stress to them that they should never get into cars with strangers or take unidentified drinks. The future is in our hands, everyone. Yall be blessed.

-Nick G.

P.S. Peep this too. Let's pray for our young men also...for many of them are lost. 

Blink (Freestyle)

Well everyone, this is probably the last freestyle I'll put on here for a while (Check out the first two here and here). Anything after this, I'll be fighting to get on the radio. Just had to come on here one more good time and show you all that we're still workin out here! Enjoy. Carolina, let's go!!!




(Yeah!)
Ok I'm back, relax. I never left
I was chillin on the porch eatin Apple Jacks. I'm def.
And if the sample's wack,
I still give ya dope lines with the punch like Snapple Facts
Cuz I'ma dope militant under no ceiling
And my stuff is so pure, it's like I'm dope dealin
No feelin like cruising screamin "Ooh kill em!"
In my car bumpin Babyface like I was born in '88
But I'm a 90's kid. I got 90's swag.
Phat Farm with a Tommy Hat.
I got bars like Atari had
And yo I'm hardly mad like baby mamas on "Maury." I'm sorry
I'm out'chea.
Made it to the top of the mountain, now I'm thinkin that I'll build me a house here
Or better yet, a hotel. Charge 4 mil a night.
Unless you nice, then yo bill is hype.
Who's badder in the new game? That's what I ask you lames
Because I kick it like a black Liu Kang
I'm underground where they got Hussein.
Lookin back on days when I was crushing on this tattooed dame
With cherries on her rib cage. In 6th grade.
Walked with her nose high cuz she KNOW she a dime
Trophy or not, I was tryna be her Kofi Annan
If she was tryna be Nane. Boy was she fine
But back to the matter at hand. I'm daydreamin
Damn, it's like a law in this land to stay scheming
Funny how we run for the top. We race, even
But I'ma win it long as I remain breathin.
As I remain writin. They'll remember my name even
When I aint droppin the same type of
lyrical gems that make em think til the weak are extinct
But you might miss it if you blink.

Nardwuar Vs. Chief Keef interview (Parody)

Hello, everyone. I'm back with yet another one of my bored projects (or borejects for short). This time, I decided to have a little fun and give you all my impression of how a Nardwuar interview with Chief Keef would sound. If you don't know who Nardwuar is, click HERE and look at some of the interviews he's done. You'll thank me later. Those who are already familiar, enjoy...

The Sad Story of Elliot Rodger

Good afternoon, everyone. It's been a while since I've written a post on here; the reason for that is I usually only take time to write on things that are particularly interesting to me and that compel me to conduct research. Thus, today I'd like to talk to you all about the perpetrator of the recent Isla Vista murders, Elliot Rodger.

This guy. 

Now before I even start, I want to make it clear that I in no way condone killing innocent people. At all. Point blank period. The murders of those six people was a tragedy and my heart goes out to their families. However, reading Elliot Rodger's 140-page manifesto (available here if you haven't yet checked it out yourself), I found myself both fascinated and dismayed; fascinated at the gradual decline in Rodger's mental stability, and dismayed at how much of my own experiences I saw mirrored in the pages. 

 For those who have not read his manifesto, it's pretty much an autobiography detailing his life from childhood to days before he began his killing spree (on what he called "The Day of Retribution"). Rodger was born to an upper-class family and traveled to various countries throughout his childhood before settling in California once his parents decided to move to the United States. Even with the comfortable lifestyle he enjoyed, he reflects angrily in his manifesto on the one thing he desired above all others but never got, attention from beautiful girls. Rodger's anger and frustration is a recurring theme throughout the work, his inner hostility the result of what he feels is rejection at the hands of the women he desperately longed for. He writes about things that many males go through in life; trying to fit in with the "cool" kids, buying nice clothes in order to stand out, feeling jealous and inferior when girls overlooked him and gave their attention to other guys who were more athletic or better-looking. As I said, while reading I found myself thinking more than once, "wow, I've been there." 

Let me take this opportunity to say that while some of what Elliot Rodger writes about rings true for several men, it is also clear from reading his manifesto that he was a narcissist with a huge entitlement complex. He viewed himself as someone more deserving of girls than the "brutes" he often saw them with. This angered him to the point that he would spend a lot of time alone musing on the problem, eventually concluding that women are flawed, mentally ill, and need to be controlled. In his manifesto, he details this twisted philosophy, writing that women should not be allowed to choose who they mate with as they will always pick the "brutes" over the "supreme gentlemen" (such as himself). He even goes so far as to declare that sex itself should be outlawed, writing that it gives "too much pleasure to those who don't deserve it" and that if he can't have it, no one else should. We all know how the story ends (like this), so I won't spend much more time talking about it; just know the main reason Rodger carried out those attacks on May 24th was because he felt humanity had snubbed him and that the entire female gender had deemed him unworthy of sex and love. 

Now, I pray to God that the case of Elliot Rodger remains an isolated incident; it's horrifying to imagine that every sex-starved man in America would think it reasonable to wage a bloody war on women and the men who receive their affection. The guy was certainly mentally unstable.......but.....it's not like the time we live in helped curb the anguish he felt...at all. 

We, at this very moment in history, live in a country where we are exposed to sex Ad Nauseam. It saturates our culture. It's literally everywhere, on T.V., in the music we listen to, in school, at home, everywhere. And it doesn't help that sex sells. 

This'll probably be the premier ad for limes in 2020. Not limeade or anything. Just limes

Lately I've found myself thinking about that old Wu-Tang song C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me); I figure for the time we live in, S.C.R.E.A.M. (Sex Certainly Rules Everything Around Me) would be more appropriate (or S.T.R.E.A.M. for "totally rules," but people would be childish). It's a powerful thing and I've seen it both build and destroy. I recall an incident a few years ago where the pastor of my church was arrested for having sex with an underage girl. Now THAT will make you question some things; at that moment I truly realized how sexual desire can cause one to act irrationally. 

I've noticed that over the years, the archetype of the triumphant man has endured; he is tall, strong, and good looking. He's always wearing the latest clothes and driving the coolest car. He's cool and collected, sauntering through life with no worries about anything. And most importantly, he is flanked by beautiful women at all times. If you are a man...and you're not him...you're a LOSER. Most normal men accept their strengths and weaknesses early in life and live accordingly, but I can understand why Rodger, in his desperate attempts to garner female attention, stopped at nothing to be THAT guy. He tried numerous times to adjust himself to what society stipulated he should be and he failed each time, which eventually resulted in the deaths of innocent people. Again, while my heart goes out to the families of the victims, a small part of me can't help feeling bad for Rodger. If I could, I'd go back in time to meet him before he carried any of this out, take him to have a beer and explain to him that there's a better way. Sadly, that day will never come; I just hope no more people will have to be buried before America begins taking mental illness a lot more seriously. 

-Nick G.

Stand Up Freestyle

Feels like I've been posting nothing but my musical endeavors lately, but I promise to have another post up here soon. In the meantime, here's yet another freestyle I wrote lol. Yall enjoy.

Uh...yeah...TRU Muzzik
On sight, the ruler is back
Slick Rick with his pupil intact, we all night
And-a you can bet your medulla on that
I'm magic. I'm Siegfried on a 6-speed
Cuz I'm a rider. Tamed the white Tiger
Aimin my knife for lames in my cypher
Screamin "I was the prettiest dame in my prime"
Like aging white wives who bathe in White Diamonds
But I'm feeling more Hugo Boss. Or Cool Water
The haters, they pushed. I pulled harder, oh
Headline of the article, "Nicky ain't cool, he arctic-cold"
Are yall sold?
Future's lookin bright, so I'm feelin dandy
Sittin on my couch watchin Bill and Mandy
Plottin my revenge. Baby stealin candy
From a grown man. Still I remain my own man
I've been known to flip words like gymnastics
I've been known to melt a couple dudes like plastic
Still, people wanna claim he don't spit acid
They questioning the pH balance with no talent
Realest in the game, Carolina's my field
How many girls fit inside a de Ville? 
Six in the seats, two beside the wheel
And as long as the Goose don't splatter, it don't matter
(ha) Nah, I'm messin. My impression of yall fools
That flow's gettin old so I'll move along
Ya wrong if you don't think I'm feelin Erykah Badu
I swear I'm goin On & On.....

Boredom Pt. II

What's good everyone, I just wanted to share this cover of a classic I did since I was off today with nothing to do. Yall enjoy lol.

Next Episode Freestyle

Good day, everyone. Hope everyone's having a GREAT Wednesday thus far. Because I have little to do outside of work around here, I've had time to write several rap verses lately. I wanted to share one with you all here so let me know what you think iite??





Yeahh...Tru Muzzik, let's get it!
(Uh) Yo, it's the attack of the rapper. This what they've all been fiendin' after.
My company hard. I'm the type to steal ya luxury car from out ya yard, I'm a Jaguar Jacker.
I'm Jaffe Joffer. I rule in a land of rattlers. 
If you aint got ya game tight, they'll hit you with the snakebite. 
And put that venom in ya system and have you shakin and pissin in ya Beemer seats havin fever dreams
(Ha) See I was born in the Hornets' nest so anytime I'll bring a swarm of death. Ya way.
But the Nine Dime granted me my rhyme insanity so hip-hop hooray. All day. 
I'm a Maestro. Like Castro. I'm psycho. 
My raps oh-so-hot that you can taste em cuz I baste em in Tabasco
That's why I'm bolder than a bowl of beef stock. I'm A1 amongst weak sauce, feel me?
Crazy, what you know about me? That NC Mc with more drive than GMC?
I go live in abundance. The message on the radio is redundant. Nobody wants it. So stop frontin.
I'm somethin to see. I'm the black Edgar Allan Poe spittin flows at a talent show. 
And we lethal. Tru Muzzik do it for the people. You betta stick around for the sequel.
And I'm out...

Wanton

In the past, the majority of my postings on here have centered around a specific subject; however, I've felt compelled lately to write on many of the random things I read and see day-to-day, much of which is not at all related. That being said, you can feel free to read this post in its entirety or not. I write this for myself and whoever else wants to kill a few minutes.

Did you all know that Bethune-Cookman has the same motto as Winston-Salem State University? I was looking up HBCUs and came across the school's wikipedia page where I saw the school's logo sitting smugly upon MY school's motto. I had to check the school's founding date to make sure that we hadn't actually bit "Enter to learn, depart to serve" from them, but they were founded after us. So yeah, shame on them.

It's cool to me that the official website for Space Jam has remained untouched since 1996. Seriously, look at it. It's cool af to me to have that reminder of the past here in 2014, but that is some struggle HTML if ever I've seen any. Brings back to memory the days of screaming modems and turtle-speed dial up. Yeah, I'll gladly leave all of that in 1996.

I'm currently reading Revolutionary Suicide by Huey P. Newton and it's friggin awesome. I haven't been this engrossed in a book since I read The Autobiography of Malcolm X. I'd recommend everyone to check out Revolutionary Suicide if you haven't already; and if you haven't read Malcolm X's autobiography, wtf is wrong with you? Get off here right now and go find it.

I'm not saying the government is planning something very sinister, what with the fluoride in our drinking water and various chemicals in just about everything we own, but I'm not saying they aren't, either. I'm just saying, why is it that articles like these from credible sources like the Huffington Post go ignored, while our news channels circulate the same stories for weeks on end? And what's the deal with water fluoridation, anyway? Shouldn't we get a choice as to whether or not we want to drink that shid? Not in the government's opinion, we don't. Here is a map where you can check whether or not the water in your area is fluoridated. If it is, there's likely Fluorosilicic acid in it. Check this wikipedia article on the stuff and make the call on how you feel.

Did you all know that Thomas Jefferson called John Adams a hermaphrodite in 1800 when they ran against each other? He justified this by saying he had neither "the force and firmness of a man nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman." LMaaaao seriously, I'm not joking.

David Sarnoff was a prick.

Some guy--this so-called heir to the Dupont fortune--was recently tried and CONVICTED of raping his THREE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, but spared prison as the judge reasoned he wouldn't "fare well" there...

I really don't want to talk much about this, so here is the link. This guy pled GUILTY to the crime and was put into a rehabilitation program. He didn't break into the white house and sprinkle crack crumbs everywhere, he RAPED A LITTLE GIRL. What makes it so bad is that this actually happened years ago, but recently came to light because his wife is now suing him. But like I said, there's the article if you want to read it.

More coming whenever I feel like it, I guess.

-Nick G.

"So Disappointed.."

Good afternoon, everyone. Today I want to take a look at an idea that has been gaining momentum among my peers. I understand that things in America today could stand to be a lot better; unemployment is high, test scores are low, and the inequality gap is perhaps wider than it's ever been in our country's history. The other day I was contemplating the many ills facing this country and a single statement crossed my mind. It was quiet at first, but as I continued to muse, it grew louder and louder until it blocked out all other thoughts in my mind;

"IF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. WERE ALIVE TODAY, HE'D BE SO DISAPPOINTED."

"I FROWN upon you! And you. And you. And you."

I'm pretty sure we've all heard this statement at one time or another; it is usually muttered by those of us who are disillusioned with the end result of the civil rights struggle and it usually follows the latest Tyler Perry movie or Worldstar Hip Hop fight. As this statement loomed in my mind, I asked myself, "how do we know?" Sure there's a possibility that MLK would be saddened at the state of the black community today; but we've also made several strides since the civil rights era that he'd likely be quite proud of as well.

Of course, this is all speculation. The closest we can get to knowing whether MLK would be disappointed in us is to look at the people who worked alongside him when he was alive, like Rev. Jesse Jackson. Now I'm not the biggest Jesse Jackson fan, but I do respect the work he's done in the past for our people. He knew Martin Luther King and was one of the people on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel when King was assassinated.

"Hahaa look that guy's car is gettin towed." 

Jackson and MLK were good friends; he knew MLK's views and what he stood for, so I think it's safe to say that his views of the black community today are pretty similar to what MLK's would be. And according to this article, he doesn't seem so much disappointed as he is CONCERNED about the issues we face today. I'm sure MLK's attitude would be similar. 

But then again, maybe it would be like this

While I'm on the topic, I want to bring up the subject of the second most popular "so disappointed" statement, Tupac Shakur. Hip-hop heads today swear up and down that if Pac were alive today, he'd either be really sad or reeeeeally angry. After all, 2pac was "REAL" hip-hop, nothing like that garbage that pollutes the airwaves today...but the thing about 2pac is that since he was killed at such a young age, he's forever immortalized in our minds as the angry bandana-wearing 20-something we've all come to revere. A permanent icon of hip-hop's golden age, he's been cemented in America's culture alongside greats like Elvis, Cher, Madonna, etc. Thus, it's understandable why some might feel that today's rap music is a blatant slap in the face of his legacy.

"IF 2PAC WERE ALIVE TODAY, HE'D BE SO DISAPPOINTED."

What makes us so sure? I wonder about Ice Cube sometimes. If he had been gunned down in his NWA days, would we hold his legacy in the same regard? Would we instead say, "if Ice Cube were alive today, he'd be so disappointed?" I hope not. Because in this reality where Cube has managed to survive all these years, we all know which direction his life has taken.

So who knows? If 2pac were alive today, maybe he'd be the one making family movies and bickering with beer bottles. He certainly wouldn't be a 25-year old firebrand leading a protest against mainstream hip-hop, flying around and throwing concerts on the sun. No, he'd be damn near 50 and probably too tired to even care about 2 Chainz and his impact on hip-hop.

He'd probably be married to Jada Pinkett, too.

In closing, I just want to say that it is important to honor and learn from the heroes who have come before us; but wondering if they'd be disappointed in us today is a waste of time. What we should do is take their lessons and apply them to our lives in order to better ourselves and the world. That's all we can do.

-Nick G.

The Last Dandelion

Good day, readers. Thanks for taking time to check out yet another installment of my latest random ramblings. Today I just want to talk to you all about a thought that crossed my mind during one of my 7-hour drives from North Carolina to Tennessee. Don't ask why, but today I want to talk for a minute about....dandelions.

That's right.

Why dandelions? Well ever since I can remember, dandelions have always been around; I distinctly remember them in both "regular flower" form and the form of wispy white seed balls that excited all children my age. Growing up however, I learned that these plants are widely considered pests--weeds to be sprayed with toxins and eradicated. What I really wondered as I drove down 75 North was....why? After all, the dandelion isn't a particularly offensive plant. It's a pleasant yellow color; it doesn't have thorns nor does it produce a foul odor. And it's very likely that many people aren't aware of it's several medicinal uses. After a few minutes of pondering, I reached the conclusion that perhaps dandelions are considered weeds simply because they are common. And if this is the case, it sure speaks to the pettiness of the human race. 

Many people don't like dandelions because they choke grass, making it difficult to grow a nice lawn. I can see this as a sound reason for wanting to get rid of them; but what if the reality is that dandelions realize their rightful place on Earth and are simply defending their territory? What if these dandelions that so many view as weeds are really just God's own misunderstood foliage? I began to ponder just how quickly our collective attitude toward these plants would change if there ever came to be only one left in existence. Would it then be revered? Would it be placed in a special greenhouse under 24-hour surveillance to ensure its survival and re-population? Or would it be allowed to wither and die--and with it the childhood pastime of plucking them and blowing those wispy balls until all that's left is a parade of seeds drifting off?

If you apply the dandelion metaphor to other things in life, it really makes you start to think. All I'm saying is, if you hate something, know WHY you hate it. If you want to get rid of something, know WHY you want to get rid of it.

These are the sort of things I think about.

-Nick G.