AOG Series: Straight, No Chaser

“The game ain’t the same no more..”

You can probably quote a whole bunch of rappers, gangster movies, and people around the way for that line.. I’ll go ahead and quote myself.. I’m jealous of the old school gangsters.. The Malcolms.. Jeff Forts.. Mikes.. Back then rules meant more.. I mean, you could change the rules, but you better have had a strong support system if you planned on doing that.. Or just a mean idea.. Nowadays? Shoot, you don’t need nothing but a mouthpiece.. Not too many more, “is he serious?” Or “negro please?” Or “no way Jose!” Or whatever term people used to shut nonsense down immediately..

Nowadays? People are either changing the rules on a whim’s notice, or there just aren’t too many rules left.. It’s almost like anything goes.. Honestly, I can’t stand it.. Your word used to be your bond.. Now words mean nothing as we see Webster adding words to the dictionary that don’t belong.. Irregardless, I’m bitter at our social landscape.. I conversate with people that really think conversate is a word.. That’s cool, but when I let you in that you sound ridiculous (but I say it in a nice way), you laugh it off and keep going with it.. Because nowadays nobody is straight anymore.. We all playing with the rainbow..

Yellow dudes raise their voice to you in public, but would cross the state line if they saw you in the street.. The Blues don’t bleed the same blood we bleed.. They make up sob stories that were never true, cuz they can.. Get away with it, that is.. The Reds end up stealing elections and running countries into the ground for 8 years at a time.. Telling so many lies that they have to laugh as they say it.. State of the Union address, Post 911 speeches, War updates.. Peep the chuckles in each of those moments.. Wasn’t nothing funny.. Orange people just look funny.. Lying about their complexion like we can’t tell they tan.. Orange is not a pigment of our imagination.. We don’t believe you, you need more people.. Nah, nevermind that.. It’s enough of y’all going around, and y’all got shows on TV and stuff.. I’m just sayin’..

Green dudes make deals that they never plan on owning up to.. Them green dudes are the craziest right now.. They lie about doing business with you, because they can.. They run the businesses and keep that green paper in their pocket.. They build companies and then milk them before leaving the employees left on Gilligan’s Island.. Then they get caught, get their people (other Green backs) to work(out) the system, and they get to go to Arizona in a prison that is nicknamed “The Biltmore” or “Camel(green)back”.. None of it helping any of us struggling to be a song on the Kweli album..

All I’m saying is, can we have the rainbow back? Can we just be straight with one another like they used to be back in the day? (props to that comedian for saying that joke!).. Can’t we all get along and be truthful to one another? We can tell little black lies, but nothing blatant.. Shouldn’t the truth set you free? If we keep lying to each other, won’t we remain locked up in this mess?

In other words, if you gotta live a lie, then you can’t be a gangster.. Peep that I said “live” and not “tell”.. There is a difference.. Educate one another about our history (and your history, and her’s too).. We weren’t always like this.. Do your research, cuz an AG would.. No lie..

R.I.P. Big Brother – Love you..

AOG Series: Spread the Word

What’s your definition of a gangster?

“You have people who go to work everyday 9-to-5 that are gangster in my eyes. There’s a parallel between the CEO of a major company… and a guy who’s the boss in the neighborhood.”

–50 Cent
Vibe Magazine, March ‘08

I’m not trying to take credit, but I’m just saying.. Peep that in the latest issue of Vibe.. They need to credit TROUBL, but we’ll let that slide for the time being.. I love the word of mouth ability that we have.. There is nothing like it.. Every AG has instituted that in its marketing plan.. On the street, it could be a pigeon or a young runner that is spreading the word.. In the boardroom it’s the whispers that resonate whenever the boss is in the building.. A great feeling to have.. I still recall vividly when I was out on business and my partner from Cali came into the office.. Word traveled quickly.. Dude was treated like a king, too.. I almost felt like it was his company when I came back to the office.. But, as I recall the story, it feels good.. Dude had that power..

Gangsters aren’t made by their lonesome.. Most times, we’re carried by others in the beginning.. Others spread the word about us, and the legend spreads.. Behind every AG, there’s a great viral marketing campaign.. Remember that dude you grew up with that was knocking cats out for no reason? Or the fastest dude on the block? The cat that could grab coins off the backboard.. The chick that could jump double-dutch like no other? The girl that could beat up the other guys? Man, when I look back, I was the fastest on the block for a sec.. They hyped me up.. I mean, I was fast, but I knew other dudes could get me in a race.. When I felt the pack catching up, I knew it was time to retire.. Why get beat? Shoot, I had my rep of “I’m sick of beating y’all all the time, someone can have the crown”.. Even though I knew that next cat was one more race from beating me.. I wasn’t about to go out like Joe Louis or Ali.. Or Mike.. The bottom line, the boys and girls on the South Side of Chicago trumped me up to be bigger than I was.. Not me.. Let’s not sleep on our own abilities to make a difference..

Shout loud and long about our own gangsters.. Who were some of the gangsters that you’ve made in your lifetime? If you don’t feel like talking about it, that’s cool.. Just remember it.. Remember the power you held in making it happen for others.. Remember that we can build giants and gangsters, if we really believe in them.. We don’t have to come equipped with the gangster lifestyle.. I have a young AG in training that’s going to be on ABC tonight in “A Raisin in the Sun” (8/7c).. Justin Martin.. Peep him.. I’ve been hyping him since I first met him.. Knew he was on that path, and did all that I could to move him up the ranks ASAP.. If you hadn’t heard about him, you would’ve after I was through talking with you.. Shoot, I have business meetings in one of my clients’ establishments, just to spread the word.. AGs exist all over the place, we just need to get our marketing on..

Spread the word.. You never know, the next thing you hear could be a story about yourself! Or a feature in Vibe that says some things that you’ve already said or thought!! You never know!!

AOG Series: Gangster Starter Kit Part 2

Fresh off the trip to New Orleans to witness the players, hustlers, pimps, prostitutes that look like men, ballers on a budget, women prepped and primed, and a handful of AGs, I bring you the 2nd installment of the Gangster Starter Kit.. If you didn’t peep the first one, you need to go check it, because I’m not providing the Cliff Notes for this..

I was inspired even more by what I witnessed this past weekend, and I realized that I needed to offer all of you much more than I did with the first part.. So, enjoy!

• Personal Hygiene Products
So, I figured this was a no-brainer.. I figured wrong.. No AG is running around funky or a hot mess.. An AG might forget his gum, but you better believe that an AG will make a mental note to go grab some at the first opportunity.. Funky breath is bad for all of our/your senses.. Not just the sense of smell.. Peep game.. Your funky breath bothers my sight.. When I can see fumes coming from your mouth, that’s not a good thing.. Bad breath can make your eyes water.. When your breath affects my sense of taste, that’s a big problem.. You basically just ished in my mouth, and I’ve never partaken in a dish of poop, but some of y’all are forcing this on us.. And when you get so close that I have to swing? Yea, that’s touch.. Deodorant is a must as well.. Same with brushing your hair (this coming from a dude that doesn’t own a brush or comb!).. Get your hygiene game together people!! All-around funkiness, is very not gangsta..

• Mental GPS System
An AG has to be aware of his surroundings.. Nah, I’m not talking about knowing how to get around time, find your local greenery man, or the best soul food spot.. I’m talking about knowing where you are and how to act accordingly.. Do not show up to a black-tie affair with your tshirt unless it’s a Nike event or something.. Don’t go throwing out the n-word when you’re the only Black person around, you just sound like the n-word.. Don’t go meeting your man’s family for the first time, looking like you’re ready to hit up Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras.. Your Mental GPS should let you know when it’s right to pull out that business card so that you can win a new client, or make a great connection.. That is very gangsta..

• Credible Sphere of Influence
This one is important.. Surround yourself with good people, and the chances of you doing some good to great things are increased.. A posse is cool.. I’m not mad at a posse.. Just make sure your posse is not going to bring you down.. When your posse is full of men itchin’ for a scratch, y’all might have fleas.. That’s not gangsta.. If your posse is full of women diggin’ for gold, y’all might want to watch I’m Gonna Git You Sucka again.. You can die from that!! An AG can tap into his rolodex to find the best party at All-Stars and get you and a few others in without a problem.. An AG can pull out the crackberry and have that lawyer ready to come bail him out in a second.. Need that ticket to a sold-out concert? You want some connects that can get you to the show.. A connect that can help get your child into school.. Just something tangible.. I mean, maybe 1 or 2 (okay 3 or 4) can help get you those greens to get you through a rough night, because we all have our days and moments.. That’s gangsta too..

So, those are just 3 additions to the kit.. Out of those 3, if you can’t get all 3, start with that first one.. A stick of gum, lotion, Sure.. I’ll give you that for free..

Until next time.. Stay gangsta..