Q Period.. A Path, Not a Destination..

Off My Game..

2009-08-06T05:28:00.000-07:00

thanks to my boy/best friend/business partner/financial genius - J - i'm getting back into the game.. like everybody else, for the last 1 1/2 years i've been chasing the next dollar.. i've been acting like the donkey chasing the carrot.. forgetting all that i learned before this economic crash..

i'm where i am for a reason.. i got to where i was for a reason.. over the last 1 1/2 years, i forgot that reason.. i forgot myself.. i was Bush.. when the levees broke.. i was FEMA.. i was all of the above.. i was thinking about quick fixes, so i converted my style to those quick fixes.. started using duct tape for everything.. and i mean EVERYTHING.. money issues? duct tape.. family issues? duct tape.. bill collectors? the gas face..

but yesterday, it changed.. my boy left his laptop at the crib, so he had to travel a minute to go back to get it then back to the office.. he's in Cali and rises early like me.. so he used that "gas mistake" to reach out to me.. and i needed it.. had a big meeting in 2 hours prior to his call.. i told him about it.. he was cool for a second.. on some "cool, yea, umm, hope that works out for you".. then a few minutes later, he treated me like he was my step-pops.. you know how your "later" family will tell you like it is, w/o sparing feelings? well, he did it.. stopped me in mid-sentence on some "stop it.. STFU.." well, he didn't use those words, but he might as well have.. lol..

he goes into making me looking in a mirror.. a time capsule mirror.. making me realize the dumb moves i was making just to get that next large check.. not self-sustaining checks, but those "start Fuzion" checks.. lol.. he was right.. and those were some stupid moves.. really stupid moves.. i mean, to others, they weren't necessarily that.. but for someone that worked as hard as i did to get where i was, it was stupid.. he called it "community service".. i agreed.. i was doing things that i could do w/ my eyes closed, but was FAR from where i needed to be.. later, after i told him that the meeting didn't go too well, he texted me telling me to get back to playing in the NBA, and that i'm no longer a HS all-star..

point taken..

i say all of this to say that i'm back.. i got the smack, and now i'm back.. damn, that sounded like a page out of Jesse Jackson's book.. didn't mean for that to happen.. but, i am.. gonna take a couple weeks and figure some things out.. obviously i don't have a couple weeks, but i'm going to do that.. i'm going to sit down, right the ship, and get back into being the Street CEO.. don't take that as a bad thing.. all that means (for me), is that i'm going to be myself, in my own image, and knock down doors that i already opened.. so, if i have on some jeans and a button up w/ some nice shoes (not kicks, but shoes), that just means that i'm back.. i might have a hat on too..

although i've been the Street CEO about 3 times a month, i left it, because my patience wasn't there.. i was tired of the BS.. on those days, i made things happen for other people, but not really for myself.. i walked in, did what i was supposed to do, and walked out.. each time w/o a check for me.. it was a check for someone else, but not for me..

but i'm back in the gym now.. working on my game for the next 2 weeks.. my own training camp.. it's time to get it back.. it's time to be back.. shoot, Barack is the President..

i'm just sayin'..

Some Next Ish..

2009-07-17T07:31:00.000-07:00

who knows..

who knows what this blog will end up being about, but i'm glad to have you following.. i'm back on my meds, and this is my therapy.. the written word.. so much been going on.. business issues.. family issues.. and everything that falls in between.. right now, it's all BS.. lies on top of lies.. sometimes i feel like i'm living a lie.. not on purpose, but just on some hidden camera real life experience ish.. like, somebody already made plans for my life, and i wasn't hip to the game (dang i sounded old saying "hip to the game")..

i'm serious, though.. i'm breaking my back getting stuff together.. meeting w/ all types of ppl to figure out this lie of a life i appear to be living.. and i feel like i stopped lying.. lol.. that's the ironic part.. as a business man and owner, you learn to tell the lies that you have to in order to be successful.. not on some "i make a million dollars" type of lies or "i'm the best that ever did it" type of lies, but more on the "i never had an employee named T Bags" or something like that.. just something small to distance yourself from random ridiculousness.. wait, are things that are ridiculous usually random? sheeit, i don't know.. anyway..

i feel like lately, everybody and everything around me doesn't seem real.. i get a call from the Aldermen to meet to discuss biz, only to get there and see that there is a line of ppl complaining about fire hydrants, their next door neighbors, or the annoying stray cat that walks around barking like a dog.. i don't know.. but, then i'm placed in that position and then forced to act like i'm "too good for lines".. well, that part is true, i am too good for lines.. even if its in my own mind and in my own reality, it's still my truth.. so yea, then i'm calling ppl out, and saying "nah, i'm not here to wait for a 15 minute slot. i'm hear to discuss business. if i can't then i'll roll"..

see that's where i look "bougee" (yes, i know how to spell the word - keep it moving).. cuz i had those workers scrambling to figure out how to make me happy, and they did.. i got my meeting set up, and i was out the door.. but, from an appearance stance, i looked like an asshole to some and like a true business man to others.. i literally told this Aldermen's assistant that "i don't need to have this meeting, i'm already good w/ the Mayor and other Aldermen".. now, that's all true, but i didn't want to have to play that card.. they forced me too.. from something that stemmed from a lie (i.e. Aldermen wants to meet with you on this day at this time)..

then i'll have money lies.. even joints i've used myself.. check is in the mail.. waiting for money to clear.. etc.. we've all done it.. i stopped doing it, on some "it's whateva get off my phone" ish, but now i see EVERYONE is doing it!! i mean EVERYONE.. i can only smile (except for the times when i'm trying to get my money).. when it comes to money, everyone is on some do for self ish right now.. i can't say that i blame them, cuz once my cashflow is back to where it should be, please believe that if i don't consider you close, then from a money perspective i'm treating you like a long lost relative that resurfaced after i won the lottery.. i've had bank execs tell me they want to do something, then turn around and ask to borrow a dollar.. it's crazy..

i've dealt w/ family stuff (i'm going through some deep family ish) and turned around and was like "damn, are we family?", cuz the person i was talking to morphed into someone else.. i'm close to the point of only talking to like 3 ppl in my family.. no lie.. and my mom ain't even 1 of those 3!! it's crazy..

that's why i'm thinking that i'm in the Truman Show (google it).. thought i made moves to right the ship, and realized i was on the wrong ship.. got on another ship, then realized that we never left the dock..

shoot, i went to do a television interview only to find out that the reporter forgot that we (Blacks) were free (based on his appearance and speech).. then i turn to the tv and watch America's Got Talent and see a dude from the south that can sing, but before he started singing, i said "dude sounds like he's still a slave", only for this negro to start singing a slave song!! i can't make this us.. shoot, that reporter i talked about? this dude had a show called "My Guests Ain't Guessin'".. i shit you not! i busted out in laughter on camera when he said that.. looked around the set like "is he serious?".. then realized he was and then i was on some "oh hell nah, give me the papers, cuz i'm putting my own clause in this piece that says - WILL NEVER BE AIRED".. it was crazy.. dude wearing a wool suit straight off the back of sheep.. in 100 degree weather..

shoot, this is a rant, and i can go on and on, but i'll stop.. i'm just hoping that i one day wake up from this lie and i'm 4 years younger but still have the lessons learned from this nightmare..

i'm just sayin'..

When the Pen Hits the Paper..

2009-06-29T08:56:00.000-07:00

Awwwwww shhhhhhh…

This is a reality rap.. Yeah, I’m a rapper right now.. No bars, no hooks.. No beats, no soundtracks.. Just a reintroduction.. Our prophets are now supposed to be those wearing fake chains and having the hottest looking asian-influenced woman on our arm.. Well, picture me as just that, because I have a lot on my mind that I have to get off.. I’m the mad rapper.. I’m the hip-hop professor.. Sorry Michael Eric Dyson.. You owe me anyway..

Life has been crazy.. Too crazy.. From the bottom to the top, and back down to the bottom.. Then back to the top.. My rap moniker is now Phoenix.. And that has so many subliminal messages to it that it should be part of the Wu-Tang Clan.. Y’all will catch that in 2020.. Life hasn’t been easy.. Some days I’m Shawn Carter, other days I’m Jay-Z.. Some days I’m Shawn Carter from 1992, which means that on those days I have nothing.. My worth on those days are defined like a 18 year old McDonald’s All-American.. It’s all based on potential.. Realized potential, if that makes sense.. On those days, on the inside I feel like an allusion of myself.. On those days, on the outside I am exactly who everyone expects me to be..

The reality hits.. The best-of albums.. The mixtape massacres.. It's all there.. Some get released, some get tabled.. But let's get back to the reality hits..

And this is tough.. Discussing reality when no one really buys that reality.. The reality is that everybody is struggling.. The reality is that my own expectations are higher than your expectations of me.. The reality is that no one will allow me to talk “nonsense”.. Meaning, no one wants to hear me talk about dwindling marketing accounts, broke professional athletes, and artists that need much more than they actually realize.. I’m not talking about my own, either.. I’m talking about the way it is.. My bad, I mean, no one wants to hear me rapping about my mother's ills, my sister's struggles, or my own personal demons.. My biggest obstacle is my own success.. And I have nothing or no one to blame for that.. I craved it.. I desired it.. I embodied it.. On some days, I fed it.. Beyonce’s “Ego” song might be part of my issue.. On some level, ego plays into it.. Never letting them see you sweat.. Never painting the whole picture.. Never saying never..

I’m not sure that’s my problem, though.. I’m not sure what the problem is on most days.. Some days I look up to the sky and ask why.. Other days I look up to the sky and scream “**** the world, don’t ask me for ****”.. Am I talking to God? Why wouldn’t i? Some days I look down below and ask would it be worse down there? Other days I look down below and realize that down below is just a mirror reflection of my life.. Hell is no different from the present.. At least that’s what I feel on those days..

But then I have to snap out of it, and smile for my family.. Smile for my clients.. Smile for my fans.. You know, the ones that are no longer buying my album.. Work hard for everyone, but myself.. I can’t be working hard for myself and still be feeling like this.. I don’t question the Lord.. That’s not my style.. My bad, not my steez.. It just can’t be.. I can’t allow that.. Knaa’mean?! I might be blocking my blessings.. Knaa’mean?? My rap alter-ego wants to scream “Bless Deez”.. My phone is always buzzing.. Another hand out.. Someone else’s and mine.. Cuz when I put my hand back in my pocket, all I feel is lint.. That’s the reality.. Money comes in and goes right back out.. Sometimes money comes in, and it gets jacked.. Bills, bills, and more bills.. Sometimes my days are like hearing Destiny’s Child play on repeat.. Same song, different day.. But the tape won’t pop.. When I take it out, I realize that the tape is indestructible.. It’s wild..

I help more than I harm.. I help more than I harm.. I help more than I harm.. So why can’t I get help?? Why is no one listening? Ok, let me take that back.. I get help.. I get bailed out.. But even that bailout comes w/ steep consequences, and recently those consequences come in the form of what feels like a loan shark.. When I think the coast is clear, I walk out and there is a spotlight on me.. Can you hear the violins playing??

All I know is that it gotta change.. Quickly.. Or I’m leaving the game.. On some Ready to Die ish.. I can’t deal w/ these rap dudes no more.. No promoters.. No labels.. Nothing.. I’m giving it one final shot.. And I’m hoping it will not be like MJ’s last shot or even Hov’s.. Just Q..

Too Long..

2008-11-26T05:47:00.000-08:00

yea, yea, yea..

i know, i know, i know..

i'm the worst blogger in terms of consistency.. i make promises that i never keep.. i start concepts that i never keep going.. but y'all gotta give me a break.. we have a new President.. Hope is on the horizon.. hopefully i'll get my blogging act together and be more consistent..

i'll tell you what, though.. i do write blogs.. daily.. they are just in my head.. maybe i'm the Hov of blogging.. yeah, that's it.. i'm the Hov of blogging.. i don't write it down until i'm ready to drop the album.. so that can be every 6 months or so that i go back into the booth (i.e. blogger.com), but i promise not to drop duds..

anyway, too much is going on and not enough time.. def' not enough money, but who's pinching pennies?? well, who wants to count the pennies that they are pinching??

explain this to me.. how is it that as you get older Christmas becomes more and more expensive for you.. how is it that your grown siblings and family expect bigger and better gifts from you? what is that about? i swear my mom grows her Christmas Wish List exponentially.. it ain't fair.. i can total up the last 10 Christmas' and i'm dang sure that the amount that i spent in those 10 years for my mom is more than the 16 or so that she spent on me growing up.. shoot, i'll venture to say that it's more than me and my siblings combined.. what is that about?? flights, jewelry, food, trips.. really? did i ever get a trip to Disney World when i was a kid?? shoot, i would've love to get outta the South Side to a warmer place.. i'm just sayin'..

what about Turkey Day? maybe when i have a nice crib and room for 25 people will i appreciate this day more.. right now (and since i could remember) it always seems like more of a hassle.. it starts from the family.. who's house are we having it at? at what age is it acceptable and be grown and not have to go home for it? who's preparing what? man, so many questions.. the biggest one is, who is cleaning up?? cuz that's what i'm looking for in the future.. ain't no way i'm having 25 ppl in my spot and not have help cooking AND cleaning.. nuh uh.. ain't happening.. everybody is working.. if not, it'll be a scene from "Martin".. tellin' everybody to "get to steppin'!".. i'm just sayin'..

so, yeah, as you can see, i'm VERY excited about the holiday period.. VERY.. i'm disappearing.. y'all don't believe me? ask my mom.. i sent her an email and told her that i'd reconnect with her after the holiday period, cuz i needed a break.. yup, i said it.. i treated my mom like she was a business associate.. i'm sorry, it sounds harsh, but i just needed some me time.. is that too much to ask?? she knows i love her.. so stop screwing your face up at me!!

Chicago Style

2008-11-05T04:32:00.001-08:00

i'm still nearly speechless.. after literally losing my voice in the streets of Harlem, USA, i find myself operating on 2 1/2 hours of sleep.. and i never felt better (aside from this pounding headache)..

i get to go home today.. ironically, i'm heading to Chicago today, and i have no clue how i will feel.. i spent all of last night shedding tears of joy and screaming.. forces buses, taxis and cars to honk their horns after Barack was elected our first Black President.. damn.. Black President.. stuff sounds crazy.. but there we were.. Fuzion had an event all day yesterday to watch the results come in.. that night was something that i couldn't describe.. as we watched the inevitable happen, we were puffing cigars and drinking Johnny Walker Blue (don't try that at home, folks).. realizing that the numbers were about to come in for Barack.. seeing him first take control of the senate.. then seeing 293 pop on the screen, showing that he exceeded (later trounced) the 270 that was needed to secure the Presidency..

we went crazy.. i felt like Coach Jimmy V running around looking for someone to hug.. i picked Superstar up like she weighed 2 pounds.. i was hugging and kissing and pounding up everybody in sight.. grown men were crying.. i teared up, but didn't have the waterworks.. not cuz i was ashamed, just because my joy was limiting the amount of moisture streaming from my eyes.. i was laughing and smiling and crying.. and it never felt so good..

i ran out into the street.. the MIDDLE of the street.. i didn't care.. a few blocks away on 125th street they were doing the same.. with news cameras everywhere.. they had that.. we locked down 116th.. i was screaming at cars.. screaming at people on the street.. hugging more white folk than i probably have in my entire life.. i was telling men that i loved them.. men that i didn't know.. literally..

"i don't know you, but i love you!!"

i called my Man C3, and was yelling and he probably wasn't understanding anything i was saying as i was at the highest level of ADHD as possible.. cars were blaring the Obama "A Milli" remix.. i was yelling it.. i was in the street for nearly 45 minutes.. NON-STOP.. this was unbelievable..

i thought about my family.. those that passed, and those that are still here.. i thought about my future family.. i thought about being able to have a child born under a Black President.. i thought of everything at the same time.. i thought of burying the hatchett with people that i don't like.. i thought that my credit was good.. i thought i had the bank account of Oprah.. i thought of everything.. and even believed it for a second..

i thought of how after it was announced, everyone in that room came to me about making some things happen.. they asked me to lead it.. some big things.. where we use our collective power and expertise to do something big.. something so big that i can't even talk about it.. but i felt good, cuz they gave me the keys to make it happen.. the youngest guy in the room.. 4th youngest period in the room.. that made me feel good.. made me feel like for a change, a lot of us will use this extra inspiration to fully tap into our potential.. that alone is good enough for me.. that alone makes me so proud.. that alone makes the world see the power that one Man has..

it takes me to that scene in Malcolm X when he put his hand up and pointed and had everyone walk in unison.. only to have po-po remark that no man should have that much power.. well, World, that Man has arrived..

his name is Barack Obama.. the 44th President of the United States of America..

Tales from the Booth

2008-11-04T04:01:00.000-08:00

ok, so i just voted for my man, Barack Obama.. the future President of the USA.. Brasil, i'm coming if something crazy happens, so please have my bed ready!!

so, i wake up at 6am today.. realizing that my polling spot opens at 6am.. ok, well it was like 6:14am, but i didn't set my alarm.. i have that internal clock thing going on.. anyway.. i creep out of bed and look out the window.. no lines! YES!!

yea, hate on.. my polling place is DIRECTLY across the street from me.. i wrote a blog about that back in the day after my vote wasn't counted for Barack in the primaries.. old news.. anyway..

so i'm excited that there wasn't a line, cuz i've been hearing about the long lines.. not that it matters.. actually, as i type this, my best friend is in a long line around the block in another part of the Bronx.. but it's beautiful to be sending text messages before 7am and get responses from everybody.. everybody is out there.. at least my peoples are.. history in the making..

ok, so i finally get up around 6:24am.. yup, 6:24am on the dot.. wash my face, do all that good stuff, throw on some sweats, sneakers, jacket and a hat.. i'm dressed for voting success!! i get outside, still no line.. woo-hoo!! i see a police scooter parked in front of the crib.. got an instant bad feeling, but i moved on as soon as i crossed the street.. took some pics outside the spot.. felt good.. saw an older Black woman videotaping her mother going to vote.. i think i felt a tear creeping from my belly to my eye in about 3.8 seconds.. i didn't allow the tear to beat me.. my instincts were clocked at 3.5 seconds..

so i walk inside.. aww shoot..

nah, no lines.. just the okey-doke.. confusion.. they have 2 lines (which i found out was 3 later on).. 1 line says 44th District.. the other says 45th.. EVERYBODY in there was confused.. except those that brought those cards.. i didn't have mine.. most of us didn't.. some man was walking around assisting people with locations, but this dude was just a helper.. usually i'd say he was worthless, but he was helping out doing a job he's obvious not trained for.. looking up addresses is VERY hard.. anyway..

i see my neighbor, but he doesn't see me.. i stand behind him.. we finally figure out that we're in the 45th District.. but again, this feels like one of those Bush tactics.. it's like 25 people there.. since when did we have to go to a booth that was labeled w/ our district? it is what it is.. i hope and pray that everyone's vote is counted.. moving on..

i get to the table where they are trying to find our name.. last time, they couldn't find my name, and i had to do the P Vote (look it up, it's too early for me to remember how to spell it when i can't remember how to pronounce it!).. again, that vote was never counted.. i'm not bitter (i promise - wink wink).. well, here we go again..

i tell him my name and say "it starts with a P".. even though he has my ID right there in front of him.. do y'all know this Voting Helper (Black man) didn't know his ABC's?? that dude was stuck on M forever.. then went backwards.. i'm like "my man, P is AFTER M".. after some blank stares, he finally got it.. we laughed about it.. i dang near wanted to say, vote for Barack, so your children have a chance, cuz you, my friend, did not get a proper K-5 education!

my people, my people..

so i help the lady next to him spell my name on the card.. finally, i'm in the booth..

aww shoot.. i'm lost.. i feel like the Voting Helper who doesn't know his ABC's!! this ancient machine has me shook.. joint is so big, it looks like it can eat me.. i'm staring at Barack's name.. trying to move the lever.. ain't budging.. i take a deep breath, and take a smaller step back.. i'm confused.. i want to call for help, but i know i can beat this big machine that looks like the first computer.. i know i can.. i know i can!! so i look up and see some directions.. ahh-haa!!

i move this big lever to the right, and then i hit the switches.. all Democrat.. i have no clue who the other people were.. i'm horrible, i know.. well, the one chick lives right down the block from me.. so that was it.. i just pushed all the levers to the Democrat names, saw the X mark the spot, and pulled the lever..

jackpot!! i did it!! I VOTED FOR THAT ONE!! Yes sir!! i made history!! commence with instant texting and picture taking!! here i thought that i would get right back in bed, but i'm blogging to all of you.. texting to even more (i think).. having conversations w/ ppl standing in long lines (i'm here for moral support!).. and it'll keep going.. Fuzion has an all-day event at BBRAXTON starting at 10AM, where we'll have food and drinks (big up to CIROC for being a sponsor!) and watch all the news come in.. at 11AM i'll turn on The View (yup, i like that show.. go Whoopi!!) at the shop, and have dudes hating.. it's all good..

Go Vote!! (if you're confused, go with the dude who sounds like the most unlikely choice for President)

The Questions..

2008-11-03T14:20:00.000-08:00

yeah, so the picture has nothing to do with The Questions.. but oh well.. deal with it.. it's my blog!!

moving on.. more questions..

How can you have HBO, HBO OnDemand, Showtime and Showtime OnDemand and not have CNN, ESPN, or MTV?
How does that make sense? If you pay for premium cable, shouldn't "basic" cable stations be free? What kind of sham is this?
Why do I feel the banking industry is a monopoly? Or are they playing monopoly or us? Or is it just that - monopoly?
Why am I feeling like tomorrow is going to be like Christmas?
How did DL Hughley get a show on CNN? Did anyone see that debut? If you did, did you bother to watch the 2nd show? I know I didn't - not a question, but i'm just sayin'..
Why does the economy make everybody a born-again Jamaican? Aren't people looking for 2nd jobs? Aren't business owners looking to start another business that can make quick cash to pay for the first business?
Was that last question just for me?
Why does this NBA season seem even better than last season? Is it because I'm liking the way that my Bulls are looking?
Why was Hov's "Kingdom Come" so slept on? Was it just too grown for a dumbed down audience? Dude had timeless beats and rhymes to match on it.. I mean, you really don't get a skip track until more than 1/2 way through the album.. Sorry, that wasn't a question.. i'm just sayin'..
How do you allow yourself to get clowned to your face? (i'm talking to you Palin and McCain)
Why am going to vote for Barack tomorrow? That was rhetorical..

Shut the Bleep Up..

2008-10-15T05:27:00.001-07:00

normally i don't do this.. but really?? for real? in the words of Riley (Boondocks, come back), "that's what's really hood, huh? that's what's really hood?!"

saying your RNC speech in your latest Klan rally?? that's how it goes down?? only to see FoxNews report that you finally had your moment and spoke with assertion? really? is that what assertion is? being able to raise your voice above a whisper while finding a way to stay alive?? really?

did you really think a show like the Daily Show wouldn't peep that either and make fun of you? really? you actually had the audacity to spit the end of your RNC speech again? line for line? word for word?? and the media doesn't eat you alive for that??

i guess that really is hood..

Shut the eff up and get off my tv.. i hope you have an accident on stage tonight.. and not the "that one" accident.. one more of those, and you might mess around and find yourself missing.. keep playing.. there are a bunch of "that ones" walking around free nowadays.. read up on your current affairs.. i mean, i know your girl doesn't read or even know the name of newspapers, but you should be smarter than her.. shoot, who isn't??

The (Stock) Market..

2008-10-14T13:12:00.000-07:00

or so they say.. for my math people, you know those brackets mean the negative.. pun was definitely intended..

our economy is worthless.. i just got my latest statement, and while i'm not doing horrible (diversity has its perks), i still lost money across the board.. i've been upset with people talking about buying stocks and all that stuff, because they THOUGHT we bottomed out.. sorry, didn't happen.. people bought those cheap stocks and days later lost it all.. not a good look.. and i know Buffet came out saying how the stocks are on sale..

umm, no.. i feel you, but no..

the fact is that maybe 6 months ago, our stock market became the equivalent of Marshall's and TJ Maxx.. Maybe Filene's Basement.. places where you could get great stuff for cheap.. name brand stuff at 1/2 the price.. that's where we were sitting.. and as an avid fan of Marshall's and Target (don't sleep, y'all saw Halle in Tar-jay earlier this week too!) i like those deals.. those types of stocks.. because as soon as i get them, then they go up.. i end up making the stocks better (or at least that's what i tell myself).. that Polo sweater i copped for 1/2 off looks like the same one Kanye bought for full price.. no one can tell the difference, so that stock went right back up to where it should be..

now??

shee-it.. the stock market is like the 99 cents store.. you go in there, and you dang near know that what you cop will be useless in about a week.. it goes down as soon as you buy it, and the only ppl that are happy, are the ones who sold it to you.. so, nah, ain't nothing on sale.. we are a week away from it being worthless..

let that marinate for a second..

Battle Royal

2008-10-10T12:26:00.000-07:00

this is some amazing stuff.. i thought this only happened in movies, post-1980.. some Gangs of New York ish.. they get it in inside of Russia.. peep how after they start running, how cars come in and try to run cats over (yea, i'm giving it away).. crazy..

Gangs of Russia

Big Foot..

2008-10-10T07:01:00.001-07:00

so, a bit ago i was out in LA.. while i was out there, i needed a massage.. in the worst way.. ya boy was stressed.. was also tired and my body needed some attention.. so, i heard a lot about the Thai Massage.. and it was cheap.. $45 cheap.. but again, i heard from a lot of people (credible people) that this was the way to go.. so i find one..

now, i know a lot of you are thinking about Happy Endings.. so was i.. and a lot of those places do cater to the Happy Ending crowd.. now, i'm a fan of happy endings, but i wasn't looking for that.. i just needed somebody to abuse me in a pleasant way, and for cheap..

so i find a spot in Hollywood.. i make the appointment.. let's bypass the fact that i got lost and dang near tore up the rental car.. forget all that.. i get there.. finally.. immediately Mr. Miyagi greets me.. he then points to the license that he has signifying that his place of business is legit..

pause..

business owners.. please don't do this.. i'm not concerned about your credentials by the time i get to your establishment.. the fact that you point out a license that is above the door that i walked in (i.e. i had to turn around and look up to see the license), and it is barely visible, is a problem.. i can't see the date or even what the license says, so then i'm made to be more skeptical..

unpause..

i say cool.. i give him my money (we have to prepay) and the tip.. i'm getting all of that out the way, plus i want the person hammering out the kinks to know so that maybe i can get a few more minutes beyond the hour that i've paid for..

so he ushers me back to these small cubby holes.. these joints sneak up on you.. as soon as you turn the corner, you see a serious of these holes.. before each hole there is a small step that you have to use to get in.. most people miss this step.. it's dark.. i know i missed it and banged my knee right into the bed that i didn't realize was a bed.. so obviously i would need some extra work on my knee area to compensate for this bed taking my knee out..

so what you have to do is pretty much crawl into this bed.. thanks for telling me that before i lost this next season in the NBA.. truly appreciated..

then a lady comes by and provides me with some boxer shorts to put on, as i was told to strip down and put them on.. umm.. no.. first of all, why am i putting on someone else's boxers when i have my own.. actually i was wearing boxer briefs, but still.. so i put these boxers on over my boxer briefs.. i don't need coodies like that chick that worked at McD's that i talked about.. not happening.. so there i am, laying down in this bed w/ extra support for my man region..

in comes the lady that is about to hammer out the kinks.. personally, i don't like looking at the women that work on my body.. i like to just assume i have this fine woman working on me.. i don't need to know that the chick working on me is the lady from "Misery".. nah, i'm good..

so i'm laying on my stomach.. she comes in and starts to work.. now a Thai massage is different.. it's a mixture of swedish and some flexy exy stuff.. contortion.. something like that.. but i heard it works wonders.. so there she was, doing what she does.. i'm a human pretzel.. cool..

then towards the end of my back portion, i feel A LOT of pressure on my hamstring.. A LOT.. it feels like someone is standing on my hamstring.. my eyes are closed.. plus the cubby hole is maybe 5' high.. so it can't be that.. then i'm thinking that this chick turned into the Incredible Hulk in minutes.. as i struggle to figure out how i made her that mad that she turned into the Hulk, i tried to take a sneak peek.. i couldn't see her.. she was angled just enough that i couldn't see her or move my head to see her.. as i tried to man up and not let her know that i was in pain, i just kept thinking "this chick is standing on my legs, she's not that strong"..

next thing i know, i'm being told to sit up.. phew! the pain was over.. i manned up.. made it through the Hulk experience.. i'm now looking at this chick that is about 4'8".. still in awe of her superhuman strength.. she asks me to sit up.. she then puts me in a WWF (not a WWE) move where she grabs my arms from behind to stretch me..

then it happens..

she puts her foot on my thigh for leverage.. it just happened to feel the same way as the hands that were laid on me that felt like the Hulk.. but then i look at her foot on some "this chick just put her toes all on my thigh!!".. then i notice that this chick's foot is wide as hell!! the biggest little foot i've ever seen in my life.. her toes were wide and flexible.. this messed up my whole experience, as i started to think about how big her foot was.. then i started to realize that the chick actually was standing on my hamstrings!!

this was too much.. but i was a pretzel at this point and was at her mercy.. i started to feel pain and pressure that i never felt before.. i was confused.. i was also amazed at her strength.. here i am, a dude that can do some fictional pushups, and this dwarf has me hemmed up, and i can't do nothing.. can't cry, can't scream, can't move.. i was scared to do any of that.. i just kept thinking, "this is a blog waiting to happen"..

all the while, more people came in down the small hall.. more people blew out their knees with the cubby hole structure.. this one Black chick came in and was telling the person what not to do.. she knew.. she had it all figured out.. she told her person that she didn't want to be walked or stepped on..

i knew it!! they walk on us.. this is some revenge thing.. they walk all over us, cuz they can.. some psychological payback.. it was crazy..

so this was all going through my head.. and then it was over.. and you know what? it was the best massage i ever had!! stepped on.. bent up.. confused.. blown knees.. big foot.. everything.. my body felt good.. i dream about Big Foot now.. it exists.. and it's a dwarf Thai chick that makes a living in Los Angeles..

don't believe me? try it yourself!!

Success Magazine..

2008-10-10T04:24:00.000-07:00

it's on the newsstands now.. pick it up.. some dude from a company named Fuzion is in there.. nice 3/4 page picture and everything.. Tony Hawk is on the cover.. and yes, the magazine is legit.. Donald Trump was on the cover last month.. check your local Barnes & Noble.. article is pretty much in the middle of the issue..

Justin Martin..

2008-10-09T04:43:00.000-07:00

my little man is growing up.. dude is about to be all over your theater screens starting this Friday (tomorrow)..

The Express.. check it out.. he plays Ernie Davis as a child..

High School Musical 3.. check that out.. comes out on the 24th of this month, i think.. check the commercials, they are on all of the time.. y'all don't need a link for this movie..

The Soloist.. check that out.. with Jamie Foxx.. comes out on Nov. 21st..

Black Water Transit.. check that out.. not sure when this one will be released.. crazy.. he did this movie before the others one, but this one is taking a bit longer to come out.. it also stars Laurence Fishburne..

props to the young man, Mr. Martin..

The Androde, Ms. Alaska & Orthopedic Gumby

2008-10-08T15:38:00.000-07:00

man, i tried to stay outta this.. tried to mind my manners.. tried to bite my tongue..

i even let the "That One" slide without a post on that.. but now as i'm watching NBC Nightly News, and seeing McCain's Android (Wife) run her mouth about Obama not funding her child who went to war.. and how it sent "cold chills" down her back.. bitch, your back is made outta metal!! your whole body is cold.. kick rocks..

then seeing Ms. Alaska chuckle behind her.. that bitch can get it too.. she needs to be a contestant on Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader, and i'll bet that she doesn't make it to the 3rd question.. go fix your infant up with another infant.. see how that one turns out.. yup, i said it.. kick rocks..

and then i see Orthopedic Gumby talking shit.. and having the crowd join in unison to call Barack a liar.. niggas, y'all can't even look him in the eye.. say it to his face.. Gumby acts like Barack orders "about face" whenever Gumby talks shit about him.. bitch ass nigga.. bitch.. but what happened was the way i felt as i watched and listened to chants of "liar! liar! liar!".. nah, Android, i had chills running down my back! if i closed my eyes i would've sworn that i was at a KKK rally.. now i got scenes from the Great Debaters playing in my mind.. that shit is scary..

this shit has gone too far.. is it 2008? 1908??1888? shit.. watch ya back on November 4th.. in the words of Chris Rock, "these crackas ain't playin'!"..

The Debate..

2008-10-08T06:01:00.001-07:00

i haven't spoken much about the debates.. haven't had much to say.. same stuff, different day.. i was about to post something, but then my man C3 hit the blogosphere w/ this:

Darkest Berry

check it out.. classic material.. props due..

Random

2008-10-01T11:40:00.000-07:00

man, i'm tired.. been tired.. been grinding.. been working.. been slaving.. been ridiculous..

yea, ridiculous.. which reminds me..

Tracy Morgan..

what's up with this dude? i met him in the BX one night (real late).. dude was out there looking like a Busta Rhymes video shot in 1995.. woo-ha, got you all in check.. those type of outfits.. it was what it was.. but as i see him on Scare Tactics, 30 Rock, commercials for VH1, etc, i'm lost.. every time i hear this dude, it always sounds like he just learned how to talk.. what part of the game is this? how does he keep getting a job? yeah, he's funny from time to time, but do we really think he's THAT funny, or is it funnier because he's 2 steps away from the reading level of a slave? i could be wrong..

Fast Food Employees..

over the weekend, we (a group of us) were rolling deep.. after a nice long ride we find ourselves at Mickey D's.. there was too much going on there.. outside, 3 latino-looking employees sat inside of their car on what it seemed like was a break.. but they parked in the spot directly in front of the door.. granted, i've only worked at Taco Bell for 2 months, so my experience w/ that type of employment is limited to about 14 years ago.. but i was almost positive employees could not park in the "premium" parking spots.. but oh well, i ain't knocking the hustle.. but anyway that sets the table..

we go inside and we all order together.. i think that alone scared the young Black dude that was taking our orders.. but he takes them.. 1/2 the way through, his register went down.. so we had to move to the other register.. he helps us.. 1/2 of us order the 99 cents sweet tea w/ our value meals.. i've done this before.. i never pay more, nor do i ask for a discount, as i have ordered a cheaper drink.. it's cool.. not here.. he passes all of us the medium size cup, not the sweet tea cup.. that's a sticking point right there.. this tea is only provided in the larger 99 cents sweet tea cup.. w/out the sweet tea, this cup wouldn't exist.. that's the background.. so when dude gives me the medium cup, i reminded him that i was getting tea.. he agreed.. so, umm, yea.. why don't i get the sweet tea cup? he responds saying that the computer doesn't allow that.. and that if i wanted it, i would have to pay extra.. y'all know me, so y'all know i (and the group) grilled him to the point that he dang near had a panic attack..

pause, i forgot a good part of the story.. when his first register went down, the manager came to help.. this chick had coodies.. her elbows were covered in some form of rash.. it messed us all up.. this older white lady had coodies.. that slowed down our order times, as we all started to peep where this manager was going to go, and who's order she would touch.. keep in mind she didn't wear gloves.. but in this case, this chick needed a sleeve.. she needed to hit up Iverson for his joint, or maybe Kobe.. shoot, D.Wade's elbow pad might be more like it.. that chick had coodies..

unpause..

so, we ended up giving dude 75 cents more just to get the cheaper cup.. then the tea wasn't at its best.. sigh..

John McCain..

eat a dick..

Brothers for Barack..

2008-09-20T15:49:00.001-07:00

More events to come.. First was a success..

Event Recap

http://blogs.uptownlife.net/dianedacosta/?p=188

My Rules..

2008-09-09T05:53:00.000-07:00

in the spirit of Bill Maher, i'm coming up with my own take on New Rules.. if y'all don't know what i'm talking about, then you've missed one of the best shows on TV for some years now.. follow along.. you'll get it once you start reading them..

MY RULES:

Sequels should have to follow the previous movie.. Also, a prequel is not a sequel..

First it was Scorpion King 2.. garbage.. hot garbage.. while it had something to do with Scorpion King, it was produced by a different company, directed by somebody who has no eye for talent, and it was a prequel!! it wasn't a sequel.. figure out a different naming convention.. joint was poop.. straight poop..
Belly 2.. garbage.. not necessarily hot, but still garbage.. first, it had NOTHING to do with the original Belly.. i liked that movie.. it's one of my favorite movies.. yes, Nas' acting was horrible, and so was T-Boz and a bunch of others, but the movie had a story.. a plot.. i could follow it, even if i had to mute certain scenes.. i liked it.. a hood classic.. but Belly 2? with The Game?? come on now.. that joint was pitiful.. first of all it was made without anyone knowing it was made.. then it popped up on DVD.. had us all amped (ok, maybe not amped) to see it.. it was 1st on my Netflix Queue.. garbage.. they should be ashamed of themselves..

Blogger needs to fix its' numbering system.. i'm just saying..

why does it pick up at #1 again? sigh..

Animals need to find ways to make money

if i'm in a recession, so are you.. pets need to make their own dang money.. my cat was better when times were better.. he was more active.. he played more games.. had more tricks up his sleeve.. now? with the recession.. this dude is lazy.. he's getting the same treatment, but he's doing less.. i don't get it.. a fly will be right in front of him, and he'll just ignore it.. what's up with that?? a fly will have to walk to him - not fly, but walk - for him to even react to it.. then he'll catch it, and just let it go.. what's with that? i call it laziness.. and i'm thinking that if he's going to be lazy, then he needs to have an income..

Magazines need to change their name to "Ads with a couple stories"..

every month i'm seeing more ads and less content/news in the magazines that i like.. that's cool.. gotta make your money.. but let's stop fooling ourselves.. those are no longer news magazines.. not current events.. nothing.. those are ad books.. if your first story starts on page 78, then you are no longer qualified to be a magazine..

No more taking pics of your baby on the phone, nor sending them to a person's phone..

i'm going to catch hell for this, but y'all need to stop.. i've had too many baby pics recently be sent to me via email and on my blackberry.. those pics made the babies look like aliens.. that's at least what i'm claiming, cuz i can't believe a baby would have a head that's bigger than its entire body.. and that's what i've been seeing.. i'm ignorant.. ignant.. i don't know any better.. i see those pics (and they can be family too), and i'm ready to disown that family member.. on some, "nah, b, that baby ain't no kin to me!".. i know y'all don't believe me, but i showed a few to some friends, and they co-signed it.. they thought i was just talking trash until they saw them for themselves.. babies looking like extras from the new X-Files movie.. i'm just sayin'..

More Focus Material

2008-09-03T06:01:00.001-07:00

click above.. more classic material.. y'all gotta peep the dude Ankh Rah doing some type of worm while they're singing "End of the Road".. classic..

btw, Focus, is going to be a new blog series of funny stuff i find on the net.. i got a list of joints, but i'm trying not to flood y'all..

I Am Not Barack

2008-09-03T04:11:00.000-07:00

the family might (and should be) off-limits to Barack and his campaign people, but i am not Barack.. i believe the media should not research the family, but discuss the implications of the issues surrounding the family.. they should do it in the manner in which they have gone through Barack's family.. i want you dissecting things the same way you dissected the air that Barack breathes..

i'm not insensitive, but don't try to call me stupid to my face and get away with it.. that ain't happening.. the same way i caught up with that dude that owed me money, i'm catching up with you.. i don't believe the hype (spin).. i'm sorry, but i don't.. if it was no big secret, why did you have your 5 month pregnant high school senior (barely) daughter holding your baby the entire time? why was she hiding that? if it's not an issue, why keep that hidden.. let it be what it is.. she is a product of you.. you're (Sarah Palin) against abortion, contraceptives, etc, and now i see why you have a Goof Troop and bball squad in your family.. that's cool.. my older families have 5 on 5's so i ain't knocking that..

but i am having issues trying to figure out how you can do it all.. i do have an issue of you pretty much demanding your daughter to have the child and marry the father.. the boy came out on his MySpace talking differently.. so, something is definitely fishy in Alaska.. i'm just sayin'.. and i'm sorry, but that's not off-limits.. if you said they are getting married and they are happy, and he comes out and says something different, that is news.. that shows another crack.. that at least shows something to be concerned about, when it comes to families and the family value issue.. i'm not going to say you are forcing your child down this path, but the body of work is pretty much saying that..

more than that, i'm having an issue trying to figure out how this is going to work.. i know my family is different.. i know cultures are different.. but, i do recall that when you have a young teenage mother, usually the majority of the work, heartache, and stress falls on the grandma.. that would be you Gov. Palin.. with your Goof Troop and your baby (suffering from something that's not a joke), i'm not sure that you can or can't effectively do your job.. coming from a strong Black woman, i'm not going to question the resolve of a woman.. ok, maybe some.. but i know women can do extraordinary things.. i've seen it.. time and time again.. but VP? i know my mom went to work some days and messed stuff up, just remembering things that me and my siblings did at home.. that happens.. that's life.. but umm, at that high of a position, with a dude that looks and sounds like he's ready to go at any moment?? i'm not too sure.. dude might still have some type of post-i-was-abused-for-a-long-time-in-somebodys-war syndrome.. Manchurian Candidate type ish.. i have no clue.. but i ain't doubting it.. esp' cuz this old dude swears he is young and can roll with Daddy Yankee.. some call that a senior moment.. others call it an end of life crisis.. i'm just saying..

this isn't about whether a working mom can effectively do her job or be a VP.. nah, this is about that and the fact that the chick has a gang of issues internally and will be second in command, and could potentially have to take the seat in January if she won, cuz i'm not sure McCain's heart can hold up that long.. there is something about just having that look and aura, as well, and neither of them has it.. Palin definitely doesn't have it.. she hit it on the head with that hockey mom stuff.. i see that.. a VP? i don't see that.. put them both in the box.. they shouldn't play anymore..

Democratic Nomination Concert

2008-08-29T03:54:00.000-07:00

oops.. my bad..

so let me go ahead and eat my own words.. a Nerd Convention may be how it started, but it definitely ended as a concert.. last night i witnessed history.. something bigger than all of us.. i wish i was there.. that was a moment.. our moment.. our history being made.. and it felt so good..

i saw some of the lead up.. will.i.am and john legend getting their Spliff Star meets Marvin Gaye on.. but then i skipped the rest.. until 10PM EST.. as they say: "then it happened"..

in front of a reported 84,000 people (but it could be more as that placed looked as packed as the opening for the Beijing Olympics) a man appeared.. The Man appeared.. The Next President appeared.. Barack Obama was home.. cuz he owns this place.. the United States of America is his..

i don't know about y'all but for the first time in my life i felt proud of my next President.. i was happy with Billy, but i didn't really know much about him.. not as much as i know about Barack.. so i felt a closeness.. yea, the Chicago thing didn't hurt.. him being Black didn't hurt either.. but after that moment.. that speech.. those words? yeah, i was proud.. That Dude stood up there and straight killed it.. ripped into Bush and McCain.. made me proud.. i mean got at him..

see, the thing i love about Barack is that no matter how powerful his speeches are.. no matter how moved you are witnessing and hearing his words, it actually gets better.. it gets better when you have the opportunity to read his words.. his speeches.. you see exactly how gifted this Man is.. for me it started when i read when he did the Commencement at Northwestern a few years ago.. Killed it.. i felt good that my alma mater had him.. and that he delivered arguably the best speech there, ever.. yea, i said it.. ever.. so, i can't wait to read his speech.. i have some moments that i memorized, but dang if i don't memorize that whole joint like i did MLK Jr's..

i'm not comparing the 2 speeches, but i do feel moved by them.. Barack's had so much power in it.. along with the intellect and wittiness that we all love about him.. but it was the power.. him "going in" on Bush and McCain.. it was him showing the power to state exactly what he will do, so you're not left confused.. it was him defending himself.. i mean, when he led you down that track where he was saying how they knock his experience.. knock his pedigree, etc.. that set-up was as good as it gets.. maybe some of y'all knew where he was going with it, but i sure didn't.. i thought he was about to start stating his case on how that's wrong.. but nah, not Mr. President.. nah.. he don't go for that.. no-u-o, ahh, no can do.. he flipped it and said, that's ok, cuz it was never about him.. it was about us.. can anyone say Oscar? Grammy? can that speech be put up for lead role? can it be the best single of all time?? i'm just sayin'..

this dude hit us w/ so many lines, that everybody is officially straight..

that picture up there? that's courtesy of the NY Times.. that was outside of the stadium.. those were some of the 1,000s that couldn't get in, cuz they packed it past capacity.. but that picture paints the story.. one America.. one People.. one Choice..

Barack "My Dude" Obama..

That Dude..

2008-08-28T05:15:00.000-07:00

i gotta give it up to my man, Common.. his new video/song "Announcement" is my joint right now.. i won't front, he's where i want to be.. nah, not on the rapping ish, but just on being able to stake claim to Chicago like he does.. pound for pound, he is Chicago.. the way he has gone about this is how i want to go about this.. i want everybody to know where i'm from.. yeah, i have the whole NYC thing going with the accent, but talk long enough with me and my "twang" will come out.. and i still say Pop!! what??

i love my city.. Chicago.. Chicagoan.. Blowing like Chicago Wind.. South Side..

Announcement

Bad Business

2008-08-27T07:29:00.000-07:00

ok, i've been on my blogging game recently.. i guess i got my swagger back.. whateva..

but, this is a truthful fiction story.. meaning that i won't expose names, etc, but the story is the truth.. my adlibs and jokes are fictional, but they were thoughts running through my head..

ok, so y'all know that i feel that as Black people, we have mastered the art of bad service.. i also believe that we've mastered bad business.. that includes practices, looks, methodologies, everything.. we mastered it.. that's not to say we can't or don't get it right when we want to.. some of our businesses are good.. some of our business minds are excellent.. but a lot just don't cut it..

so i was trying to get somebody to provide their sales pitch to me.. oh this was a sales pitch that was wrong from the start.. let's just say i needed a gym membership.. so i go to the spot, and i try to get them to upsell me on the membership by offering my own dedicated locker.. they have stuff that come with them.. so i go in there and ask the dude to give me the pitch.. dude is confused.. you would've thought that i asked him to give me all of his banking information or something, cuz dude was lost.. after 3 tries, he understood.. so here he goes..

he tells me that with the membership and locker, i get a discount on things that i buy there.. that's cool, but keep in mind that i don't buy nothing there.. nothing is of use to me there.. the shirts are from 1988.. they don't even fit me.. shrunk down to the size of Midget Mac or something.. then he tells me that when Nike comes in to do presentations, that they often leave him with empty boxes for Nike.. told me that he can give me a couple of those empty boxes so that i can put my own non-Nike shoes in them.. ridiculous.. so he's 0-for-2 right now with these "perks"..

then he tells me that they are considering giving people the opportunity to not only hand in comment cards to reflect on my membership experience, but that i will also have the opportunity to tell it to their faces, cuz they want to smell my breath.. yea, didn't make sense to me either.. i mean, i can just tell them that any time.. why do i have to wait for a special meeting? how do you know that i care enough? can't a brother just get a locker and go about his business? i just don't feel like bring my toiletries and stuff every dang time.. that's all a brother wanted..

the next part was payment.. see, supposedly the cost went up for the lockers.. but then others told me how much they were paying.. but the dude told me a different cost.. so i had to address that.. and it was addressed with no problem.. i could get the lockers for the same cost as others did.. no ish, sherlock.. then i could pay over time.. or i could pay it all in advance..

pause..

i don't know about y'all, but i ain't paying for nothing in full if i ain't getting everything at that time.. payment plans work for me.. plus, this gym might close next month, and my membership lasts for a year.. what good is a membership that ain't valid?

un-pause..

so here i am, making this dude sweat.. it's hotter than Africa in this piece, so that didn't take much.. his sales pitch was going down faster than Richard Simmons.. i'm just saying.. i was getting frustrated listening.. with my patience fried, i started to help out.. i re-did his sales pitch.. told him how he probably should come at other people for this membership and locker.. and my last parting shot was just to tell him that next month, i'd like for him to try it on me again.. for now, i'll just bring my toiletries..

so people, get your game together.. don't say you're a marketer, and then come up with the wackest idea ever.. don't say you're a business dude but have never heard of "sales pitch".. i mean it happens, but don't make it so obvious.. we all have our days.. our moments.. shoot, i recall one of the best moments at my business.. some chick gave one of the worst ideas ever.. i mean ever.. and did it like she was Billy Clinton or something.. hand gestures, facial expressions, everything.. the only thing that saved her from the ridicule was that the client was there, and they found her VERY attractive.. that's it.. she was lucky.. but she never was in with another client.. and truth be told, she wasn't working w/ us for too much longer.. shoot, i was people's boss, and i couldn't even get them to work with her.. i think they would rather have quit than to have to deal with her.. so we all have our days, our moments.. but even in those moments, you can separate the real from the fake..

step your game up.. please..

i'm just sayin'..

Babies Making Babies..

2008-08-26T13:27:00.000-07:00

a damn shame..

WE GOTTA DO BETTA!

i'm sick of y'all..

Lookie Here..

2008-08-26T05:56:00.000-07:00

talent.. gotta love it.. click the image.. or cut and paste the url below..

http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshhhGOSyg5DxM2w0B4y

Democratic Nerd Convention..

2008-08-26T03:49:00.000-07:00

for the first time that i can remember, i spent dang near an hour watching the Democratic National Convention.. if this isn't a Nerd Ball, i don't know what is.. i sat there trying to ignore and listen to the commentators (bored me dang near to death), look at these people who appeared to be having the time of their lives (which i couldn't understand, cuz absolutely nothing was going on in between speeches), and wait for Michelle Obama to speak..

that was it for me.. i just wanted to hear her speak..

so there i was, trying to listen and understand.. each moment that passed, i got more upset at the fact that i was getting lied to about when Michelle would come up.. i was also getting more upset because i just didn't understand why these people didn't seem to have a life.. why this event was so major to them.. i mean, this year brings some historical value, as we have the first Black man leading the charge.. this is something even Joe Biden is coming to grips with.. like "damn, it's really come to this? i worked my entire life just to take orders from a Black man?".. that ish had to hurt!!

but i watched everything from the looks, the outfits, the ages.. everything.. this is a Nerd Ball.. nothing short of one.. i've never been to one, but i can imagine that in my dreams, what i saw last night is what i would expect to see at a Nerd Ball.. manners kinda off.. badly dressed individuals.. conversations about the same dang thing.. some bad speakers.. everything..

pardon me, but the Kennedy thing was qute for a split second and that's it.. dude's elbow and hand kept messing w/ me.. like it was from years of being hit w/ a switch on some "keep it up this high, not that low!!".. "curve your hand like this, not like that!".. it was horrible.. then seeing him shake.. yeah, i was done.. it's wrong.. dude had a brain tumor.. i get it.. but dang, if you get paraded up there, then you can get talked about.. i talked about Ali when he about lit all of Atlanta on fire by handling the torch at the 1996 Olympics, and i'll talk about this dude.. and his speech? man, i was nodding off.. Great Grand Dad done had it.. let him go..

Michelle, it was just impressive to watch you speak like a proud Black woman.. i appreciated that.. i think i was expecting more, but i'll take what i can get.. you repped the South Side of Chicago easily and frequently.. much love for that.. i sat there saying that 2 people that have lived on the South Side of Chicago are about to be Mr. & Mrs. President.. that ish is messing w/ me.. and for the first time (actually, 2nd, cuz i gave Hillary respect), i feel like the woman in the White House is a great equal to the man in the White House.. Michelle is bad.. stumbles and all..

but your kids? come on, y'all had to keep it too real.. Barack crashing the party from some other people's home.. then gonna show up on a video.. how Black is that?? then is speaking directly to his wife and kids.. having his kids interrupt him (please resend the baby daughter the memo).. having the oldest stand right in front of the screen, knowing Michelle wanted to snatch her back and say "is your Daddy a window maker?".. it was just some classic Black people stuff.. Barack was stumbling around with his words, cuz he was like "damn, i guess we are Black!".. white people didn't know what to do or say, cuz that man was literally their boss.. it was all classic material..

a Nerd Ball it definitely was.. i can honestly say that the DNC is far from being included on my to-do list..

i'm just sayin'..

Redeem Team..

2008-08-25T11:09:00.000-07:00

so we saw.. dudes did their thing.. so my question is this:

what happens to this team now?

i mean, we know about the 3 years of playing together.. do they stay together now? are they playing in the tournaments each summer? are they practicing in the off-season? i'm not sure people thought about this..

i love the thought of them killing the rest of the world, but i'm also happy that no Bulls players are on this team.. cuz not being able to rest could shorten the careers of some of these dudes..

i'm just sayin'..

Baby Powder Awards - 08/08

2008-08-21T04:41:00.001-07:00

i'm sorry.. i had to do it.. i had to bring these back.. The Baby Powder Awards.. i initiated this on Troubl's blog site earlier this year, but i need to bring them back home.. need to start slapping more people.. as a review, The Baby Powder Awards are given to those individuals who need "hot fire" slapped out of them.. i'm willing to do the slapping.. i just need my baby powder so that my hand can get through the sting of the continuous slapping that's about to commence..

George Bush, Jr.

Just because..

Fox News

For being too blatant with your media power.. Do some research.. Get people's names right.. I mean, Ill Doctorine did a piece which was a take off of Soulja Boy (political piece), and you actually put it on your news and said that it WAS Soulja Boy.. come on now.. You never came back telling ppl you made a mistake, and that it wasn't Soulja Boy, you just let it keep going..

John McCain

Just because you look like you smell like an old folk's home.. i'm just sayin'..

Scorpion King 2 Staff

i'm blaming all of you for putting out that wack ass movie.. really? i mean, how are you going to name the PREQUEL to Scorpion King, Scorpion King 2? that's just backwards.. then how are you going to trick me into believing it would be as good as Scorpion King or The Mummy, so i wasted a Netflix spot for you?? then, how you gon' put those bad as actors in there?? i'm mad.. bitchassness.. for real..

TV Show Competition Voters

i might need to smack myself for watching and not voting, but that's besides the point.. on shows like American Idol (which i don't watch beyond the prelims anymore), America's Best Dance Crew, etc, there is a lack of intelligence.. a serious lack of it.. i mean the best get voted off too early.. consistently.. producers, judges, stop blaming America.. we are stupid.. we are led by an idiot.. what do you expect from those that watch? they follow their leader.. they don't know how to vote.. they don't know how to judge talent.. if they did, they'd have your job.. stop leaving it in their hands.. rig the damn votes for crying out loud..

Jamie Foxx

you knew damn well them dudes wasn't G's.. i'm just sayin', fam, i'm just sayin'..

Jay-Z

for being on the cover of the new Vibe with that Louis scarf on.. fam, you know that's like last summer's fashion.. Louis or not.. my man L was rocking that style for the last 3 years.. shit ain't timeless..

Recession

because i ain't living how i was last year.. because i can't get paid like i should.. because it's hard out here for a pimp..

bitch niggas..

The Man..

2008-08-20T08:04:00.001-07:00

i've pretty much stayed away from talking about Barack.. with everyone trying to make anyone who is siding with him a reason not to vote for him, i didn't want to be another Ludacris.. i'll come clean and say that i'm honored to know this dude.. to know him before all of this President stuff.. he lives around the corner from my Pop-Pop.. has attended my church.. shoot, he's in our family photos.. one of his mentors is the daughter of one of my mentors.. i have a couple autographed books from him.. books i still haven't read.. i'm bad, i know.. but that's my disclaimer..

so yea, i'm for this dude.. been in his corner, cuz he was in mine before he knew much about me.. Chicago love.. that's what i call it..

but this picture i snagged from today's NY Times.. it was fitting.. it puts in perspective the pull he has on people.. young, old.. white, Chinese.. doesn't matter.. the dude moves us.. and i know we don't need a glorified coach or public speaker to lead our country, but he's more than that.. yes, "he speaks so well".. so can i.. so can many of you.. so let's build that bridge and get the hell over it.. that ain't what he's about.. (yup, i said ain't right after i said i can "speak so well").. the dude just makes sense.. which is hard to find nowadays.. do your research.. not what the media puts out.. not the sly Fox's of the world.. do your own research..

whether it's his take on the gas and whether to dig or not to dig.. or his take on the war.. or health care.. or the economy.. or education.. whatever it is, do your own research.. you might be surprised at what you find..

but let's not get it twisted.. what's wrong with being popular (like that McCain ad tried to poke fun at)? really? what's wrong with so many people wanting to be on your side and wanting to support you? what's wrong with the fact that other countries have already come out and said that they would have a newfound respect for the US if we elect Barack? what's wrong with having a smooth dresser and athlete in the White House? can anyone deny the fact that if we see Barack in that position, then it would have a lot more kids actually wanting (and believing) to become the President? probably more than an NBA player.. what's wrong with that? what's wrong with all of the excitement this man brings to an area that no one really cared about in years past?

i just don't get it.. i mean, i do, but my mind goes back to it being a matter of race.. which i don't really want to cry about, but it gets harder.. i'm sick of hearing about how this or that becomes racism.. especially when minorities are not the ones screaming it.. it's like that one Vanity Fair (or whatever magazine that was that i don't read) that had LeBron on it with that one white actress.. immediately the press made a big deal out of it saying that it's racism, cuz LeBron was being portrayed as King Kong or some other beast trying to snatch a white woman..

really?

was i really thinking that before you said it? it never crossed my mind, and i was (and still am) upset that the media ran with that.. Black ppl didn't come out to say that.. we didn't immediately scream racism.. we saw LeBron as LeBron on that cover.. not some gorilla.. there was no "G-Unit" call or anything like that.. if anything, i can see it as some "move over, i'm here now".. but they do that with Barack, too.. somehow bringing race into a discussion that doesn't need it.. now that's not to say that there isn't a bit of that going around, cuz it is.. it's actually a lot of it.. but not in every dang case.. some times it's just pure hate.. point blank..

but i'm excited about this.. because i believe he's our next President.. i believe it just as much as seeing Usain Bolt crush the 200 and break a record i never thought would be broken.. i believe it, cuz it's needed, too.. we need a change.. i don't want to bite on his stuff, but it's the truth.. nothing is going to change immediately, but i hope and pray that he'll have 8 years to start to right the ship.. the first 4 years will be hard, because there is too much stuff to undo.. but i believe in his mission.. and i believe that when it's all said and done, i'll be able to say that i have a friend in the White House.. i believe you will too.. cuz i honestly believe Barack is a friend to all of us..

G's to Gents..

2008-08-19T11:40:00.000-07:00

big shout out to my girl, who inspired me to write about this.. you know who you are..

so yea, i'm guilty of watching the MTV show "G's to Gents".. blame it on the internet.. but i sit and catch this show online each week.. now, i'll be late every dang week, but i make sure i watch it.. that and some other shows..

but this show has me addicted.. another pseudo reality show, hosted by Fonzworth Bentley (created by Jamie Foxx), that talks supposed G's and turns them into Gentlemen..

*cough*

bullshit

*cough*

from the first episode i was like "where did they find these dudes?" G's?? really? gangsters? OG's?? really?? from where?? well, that was answered immediately, as they provided their hometowns.. i know people in Detroit and other cities are UPSET.. on some, "nah, that nigga ain't from here".. i apologize, but i had to drop the n-bomb.. it fit.. and nah, it's not a show full of Blacks.. everybody has a shot to take that label.. but them niggas are bitches.. punks.. whateva you want to call them.. they are far from a G, and far from Gentlemen.. but what's crazy is that they would be A LOT closer to being a Gentlemen than they ever will be as a G.. just ain't happening..

all of them soft.. a couple have heart, but heart doesn't make you a G.. i know some dudes i grew up with that would love to smack the ish out of them dudes just for posing.. shoot, in some cases, i want to get my slap in..

you got a dude that was on the show, that just needed a few hugs when he was younger.. dude had a temper, but dang if i ever felt like he would be a threat to me.. say whatever he want, but i would've just laughed at that dude.. another dude is the epitome of "doofy".. i can't think of a better word.. he's soft.. lacks any ounce of sense.. looks confused all of the dang time.. it's like the women that get their eyebrows done and it is arched in such a way that they look like you just asked them a question, and they responded with "huh"?.. well, he has the same way of making a face that shows he is utterly confused at every possible moment of the day.. and i feel bad for him.. i really do.. doesn't belong on the show at all.. belongs more on I Love New York or something.. or an episode of Dave Chappelle, but he wouldn't have to act.. he would just stand there, collect laughs for looking doofy, and get a check.. that's it..

but yeah, y'all have to check out this show.. if i'm lying i'm flying.. peep it.. it's worth it..

now, i have no clue who is going to win this show.. i haven't even paid enough attention to figure out what they win.. the nonsense is just too much to actually concentrate or act like this is a legit show.. it's just entertainment for me.. so i apologize for not giving you the rundown, cuz i really don't have one.. i just laugh.. make messed up faces, and wait for next week's episode..

i'm just sayin'..

Smart Stupid People..

2008-08-15T14:31:00.000-07:00

i'm sick of y'all..

really, y'all are just stupid.. those of you that fall into this category are those of you who believe you're smarter (much smarter) than others, so you try to prove it each time out.. but when you try to prove it, all that you prove is that you are actually stupid.. right now i'm talking about some Black people..

i made this comment:

"the one thing i love about my people is that we are good for showing our ass eventually"..

that came from this chick trying to play games with other people's lives.. talking slick.. trying to act slick.. trying to run her mouth.. and every single time she tried to act smart, she just showed how stupid she really is.. it's amazing..

here are some ways to spot Smart Stupid People:

they talk to you about your own close people/friends/associates, not realizing those are your close people/friends/associates
they don't know when to shut the eff up
they confuse their lies
they argue with you, and you can switch it up midstream on them, and take their side, and then they'll flip and argue your side, but will do that wrong, and then try to flip back, but they are lost
they will say "i really like you" or "it's no one's fault" but RIGHT after that they will say the opposite

y'all might need an example on that.. you know like when someone will say "my team played hard, but they played so soft"..

did i say that they don't know when to shut the eff up?

that's just a start.. i'm sick of these people.. seriously.. i'm making my baby powder shirt as we speak (yeah, the clothing line is finally launching in the next month).. cuz i need to start smacking fire out of people's face.. yesterday i almost got into a physical altercation, just cuz i wanted to get this chick of my girl's back.. there is also this dude that i know the next time i see him, ain't shit to say.. just a fight.. i don't even get like that much anymore.. but this dude has been asking for one since May.. lil' fat mickey fickey.. him being fat doesn't matter, but that's just where my head is.. y'all MIGHT think i'm playing.. i MIGHT get in trouble for even typing this.. but at this point, i really don't care.. dude been talking slick, not getting me my money, and lying consistently.. dude ducks me.. had him come by a spot i was in, saw me in there, and took off.. i give it to him.. he has good luck or some angels.. cuz there have been moments when my people told me that he appeared at a spot i was just at like 5 minutes after i left.. his problem is that i know where he and his family live..

his other problem is that i'm going hard with the boxing thing.. really hard.. i know the numbers with my eyes closed.. second nature now.. throw in the various combinations, and while i'm bragging, i'm bragging.. point blank.. i won't skate around that.. i always felt that i was nice with my hands since growing up on the South Side of Chicago.. lil' dude with heavy hands.. (Herm, don't play).. but now i can fight traditionally (instead of southpaw).. now i know how to throw check hooks and "four plus".. so, yea, dude is getting it.. i told a few of his friends already.. they replied:

"he's just going to have to take that.. we ain't gonna allow him to go to the cops, etc.."

that's all i needed to hear.. plus i just got a check.. i got some money to escape if need be.. C3, i ain't gon' leave with the whole check, but i can't be an episode of Oz.. i know you feel me..

i'm just venting.. but i'm starting to strongly despise Smart Stupid People.. it's not about a degree.. but in many cases, these people don't even have a GED, but will profess like they were Cornell Barack Winfrey or something.. aka your next rap superstar..

i'm just sayin'..

You Are Embarrassing Me..

2008-08-11T04:38:00.000-07:00

this dude is an embarrassment.. this dude interrupted my viewing last night of watching the Olympics.. for some reason NBC and Bob Costas felt the need to interview this dude.. something about him being the President or something.. who knows.. but this mickey fickey is just plain stupid..

it's embarrassing that the U.S. has to call this dude its President.. that this dude is known across the world to be the most powerful man in the U.S.. that this dude some how has the ability to call the shots.. i don't know if y'all were watching, but that man couldn't answer his own complete thought, let alone a question from Bobby Boy.. and that damn look/smirk? it's ridiculous.. instead of tapping the mic, i always want to tap his head and be on some "is this thing on?".. i'm just sayin'..

i can't pinpoint what he said that had me mad, because i think it was everything that he said and didn't say that made me mad.. it was him breathing that made me mad.. it was him on my tv that made me mad.. if there was one moment i wanted the picture to go out, it was that moment..

all i know is that we have to garner much more respect across the world with a guy that's as intelligent as Barack is.. i know the world has been like, "i've been talking to myself for the last 8 years, cuz this idiot don't have the lights on upstairs"..

i'm just sayin'..

Scary Sights..

2008-08-08T08:11:00.001-07:00

ok, so the photos from the Beijing Olympics came out.. this is just one of them.. is it me, or is this a scene from X-Files or some other scary futurist alien movie? Taken, anyone? V? (ok, that's old school, so y'all might not all get that)..

now i realize that this is after some fireworks went off, but dang if it didn't look scary.. a few of them did.. since i debuted that apocalypse joint the other day, this reminds me of it.. but, i'm excited about the Olympics.. i always planned on being there, then Bush happened, and then the economy tanked, and then i had to realize that there was no way i could make my first visit to that country.. but it will happen in its own time.. i know that.. but i will be watching the US give it to cats across the board.. basketball, swimming (Phelps owns that pool, dude was bred for that), track.. we got that.. soccer? yeah, i'm praying..

but yeah, i'm excited about the Olympics, but i don't think the rest of the US is.. for the first time that i can remember, there isn't much around that i see people excited about it.. maybe it's Bush.. maybe it's the foreclosures.. maybe it's the economy.. i just don't feel the love..

am i wrong?

Signs..

2008-08-04T06:19:00.000-07:00

this is my new ish.. each week i'm going to try to put together more signs that the world is coming to an end.. in my inaugural edition, i'm just going off things i meant to blog about, but never got to it.. enjoy.. feel free to add your own..

Sperm Donors being forced to pay child support.. Now if this ain't a sign, i don't know what is.. i was watching Good Morning America today and they had a feature on this.. dude even had a contract with the person he donated his seeds to, saying that he wouldn't have to provide financial support, and the judge said that wasn't enough.. so i started to listen more, and i know some of these cases hinge on the sperm donor having some form of communication with the child.. but still, since when is a binding agreement no longer binding? and isn't the ish called "sperm donation"?? in this recession, men are going to have to find another way to get some bread in their pocket.. $20 ain't worth 18 years of child support.. i'm just sayin'..
McCain meets with Daddy Yankee to discuss, of all things, immigration rights.. Nigga please.. Daddy Yankee? Can someone check to make sure this dude is legal? McCain depicts Barack to be a cross between Brittney Spears and Paris Hilton, and then flies Daddy Yankee out to meet him? i would've loved to be the fly on that wall, to see McCain (already hard of hearing) trying to understand Gasolina.. was there an interpreter there??
Gas prices.. when you have a $10 bill, and you can only get 2 gallons? yea, that's an issue.. i sat over the weekend contemplating if i was going to spend $20 for some gas.. i decided not to (i'll get some tomorrow), cuz i was like, that will not even move my gauge.. i'm not feeling this ish.. on another note, it was nice of that one church that bought $15,000 worth of gas (i know they got a nice write-off) and sold it for $1 a gallon for up to 10 gallons.. now that's what i'm talking about.. you could have my $300 check, if you allow me to be able to have $1 a gallon gas for 2 months..
Luke has a reality show.. nuff said..
i'm actually going to watch the Teen Choice Awards tonight, just to see that dance battle.. sigh..

Q Murder..

2008-08-01T06:31:00.001-07:00

I'm on my fitness kick right now.. Training with Optimum Fitness on a personal level, and then with ARC Fitness on the weekends, doing fitness boot camps.. Some of y'all know that i've been at it for a bit (with a few breaks), but i would say that i've been going hard and non-stop for about 4 months.. from that, i got the nickname "Q Murder"..

i really don't give up when it comes to the workouts.. i've tapped out on a few of the really crazy joints that i was doing trying to keep up with the trainers during their own workouts.. i've even thrown up a few times.. had some dizzy spells, all that.. but because i kept coming back, and kept giving it my all, i got that nickname.. i told them that i would be coming.. that i was placing bounties on cats' heads.. and i am now making true on that promise..

i'm proud (no ego, ok, maybe a small one) to say that cats ain't seeing me no more.. i already have the top slot in Harlem on this fitness stuff (non trainers), and every Saturday, more and more people are coming for my head and for my spot.. i'm letting y'all know right now, that it's not happening..

a few weeks ago i debuted the 1-arm, 1-leg pushup which y'all can see me doing in the picture.. blew their minds.. i figured out i could do it about 2 months ago.. but didn't spring it on them.. to top it off, i did it after doing 2 consecutive workouts.. none of the trainers could do it.. so i was floating, and i became a street workout legend.. my forte is pushups and pullups.. i can do just about any pushup that i can dream up.. i haven't done the 2 finger, 1 arm pushup that Bruce Lee did, but i haven't tried either.. i don't think i'm ready.. my newest joint is really getting sick on the pullup bar, though.. i'm working my way up.. flips on the bars.. core isolations on the bars, all that good stuff..

i feel better than i have ever felt in my life.. i'm almost positive that i don't have any body fat at all.. none.. i'm trying to beat Father Time.. trying to stay as young and fit as possible.. i owe it all to Triple Platinum (my trainer).. dude made me believe in myself.. i'm hoping to soon start a youth fitness program, cuz this is important.. i'm seeing too many fat kids around.. i'm not saying you gotta be skinny.. i'm not saying you gotta do workouts that i'm doing.. all i'm saying is that you should be active.. shoot, you have to be..

i already know my body isn't the same.. shoot, my left knee is not a good look for me.. if i play ball (like i did last Saturday -after my workouts, but i still won), i can guarantee that i'll be limping for 2 days.. guarantee it.. i need to see a doc, but when i messed it up last year, i was diagnosed with a sprained MCL.. really nothing to do for it.. after paying those medical bills, i'm good with a doc right now.. eventually i'll get it checked out again, but for right now, i'll just be prepared to hang up the sneakers on the balling tip..

but yeah, i felt the need to blog about this, because i'm really trying to make this youth thing work.. i'm still a lil' fella.. by working out in the parks on Saturdays, a lot of kids come around.. i love it.. love them.. and so i try to get them involved.. since i'm not 6'3" and 239lbs, i'm realistic to them.. so i need to ride this thing out.. 1 child at a time..

Q.

Dance Machine..

2008-08-01T06:09:00.000-07:00

it's been a minute, but i was inspired last night.. so much so that i woke up today wanting to blog about it..

so it started with me watching Step Up 2.. yea, i Netflix'd it.. didn't want to see it in the theater, cuz i felt a certain away about it being based on white dancers that aren't even from the street.. but i got over it enough to have it in my Queue.. well, last night i watched it, and i was VERY entertained, i won't front.. them cats can move.. i mean Hi-Hat (GREAT choreographer) did the majority of the choreography, so many props to her for that.. but the dancers were sick..

yea, i might have had an issue with the main character's best/signature move being this - in the words of Riley from the Boondocks after he was called the N-Word - peep the S-Word episode - by the way, this is the longest run-on sentence ever - "booty dance, do the booty dance, booty dance, do the booty dance.. ok, if you don't get that, then go buy the 2nd season of the Boondocks.. yeah, that was her best move.. moving on..

they had all types of dancers in there.. sick..

so, as one of my favorite shows is MTV's America's Best Dance Crew (America, y'all suck!! Can you get the voting right, please?? How in the heck is Fanny Pak still there? In the final 3?? Really??), i'm on this dance stuff.. been on it since last season.. so after watching the movie, my mind was going crazy.. shoot, i woke up this morning with the YouTube clips in my head.. and that movie in my head.. Crazy.. here's my issue..

YouTube..

my guilty pleasure when searching for any and everything, but right now i'm on this whole dancing and catching crazy workouts on YouTube.. so, back to the point.. dancing.. last night i stumbled on this:

M&M Cru vs. ACDC

peep it.. dude from Step Up 2 is in the ACDC crew.. basically they challenged Mylie Cyrus and her girl Mandy to a dance competition.. really, it's not a competition at all as ACDC is just retarded.. sick with it.. And Adam grabbed about all the best dancers to form his team.. well, this thing spun out of control as it became the 1st online dance competition.. M&M came back, but so did ACDC.. once you click that link, just look at the other videos.. shoot, ACDC even had Chris Brown join.. and you know he's retarded with it..

so i started to think how it got to this point.. started to think about cultures being mixed and then straight snatched.. i'm not hating right now.. cuz after i thought about it this morning, it's typical.. Black ppl need to get better at owning their own creations, instead of having others snatch it, then flip it, then make loot off of it, then in some cases become better at our own ish!! (see Asher Roth).. i sat there thinking why we can't just put our own stuff out there.. this young white boy, Adam, basically rounded his ppl up and they were all down with it.. could you see Blacks doing that?? that quickly? even turning a profit by making ACDC tshirts.. it's crazy.. it also hurts..

we can't join together for nothing.. yeah, i said it.. nothing.. we suck.. point blank.. we can cry all we want, but we need to take the blame for this ish.. letting our stuff go, and then when we see it going, we don't even try to get back in on it.. we just complain (maybe like i'm doing right now)..

with that said, i'm starting my own dance crew.. i haven't figured out a name yet, but i already have 2 members.. cuz as i started to think this morning, we already have been dancing together.. it's me and 2 women.. 1 older (slightly younger than me) and 1 younger (over half of my age).. the youngest one is the star.. she can dance her lil' behind off.. the other woman can as well.. me? shoot, i just make up dances.. i'm like a bootleg choreographer.. i make up dances to my favorite songs on the fly.. my issue is remembering them.. so, "Don't Touch Me" by Busta Bus?? yea, i have that dance down.. so does the older woman in my crew.. hers is for females, mine adds a masculine flair to it..

i'm definitely a nut, so don't mind me.. we wouldn't be battling ACDC, cuz we ain't that nice.. but i'm seriously going to have our crew do some stuff.. starting later this month, cuz we ain't all together right now.. but, i'm going to come up with a name (y'all can help), and then i'm getting our stuff up on YouTube.. we might have on masks or something, but hey.. i won't talk about it, i'm going to be about it..

stay tuned.. and also check those dang videos.. crazy.. it's worth it.. just click the link and enjoy!!

Q.

Catching Up..

2008-07-21T04:34:00.001-07:00

up and down.. up and down..

nah, not a porno move or anything like that.. just more life.. life now is playing funny games.. convincing you that things are one way, when they really aren't.. thinking you're up, when really you're just in the middle.. hovering.. wading water or something.. the only thing real is that when you're down, you're officially down..

what do we have here? banks closing up and saying they don't have money..

pause..

are you kidding me? y'all don't have my money any more? please believe cats will be getting robbed if this talk keeps up..

un-pause..

citigroup just delivered more "write-down" news that didn't make me feel any better about our economy, our depression, our recession, and whatever other "ssion" they can come up with.. i don't think ppl are realizing how bad ish really is.. i was talking last week and over the weekend about this.. shoot, when rappers ain't poppin' bottles anymore, you know the game is messed up.. cuz they don't even have bank accounts.. they have the rubberbands.. and when they can carry loot w/ no band? yeah, not a good look.. people ain't going out no more.. people ain't even trying to be seen as much.. shoot, even Kanye ain't in the limelight as much.. what is going on??

the heat ain't making it no better.. this weekend it was so hot that my wardrobe was straight up and down a beater (if i was lucky) and my draws.. every time that i came out of the bedroom, Sleepy was sprawled out on the floor on some "negro can you turn on the air out here, too??!!".. see Sleepy don't know that ConEd is trippin' right now with these bills.. i conceded and turned it on, cuz shoot, at this point, ain't nothing getting paid anyway.. it is what it is..

it costs a Ben Franklin just to fill up the gas tank.. American restaurants are now providing European size dishes for NYC Friday prices (triple your normal Friday's bill if you're thinking about eating there in NYC).. cable companies are cutting off cable if they think you're going to be late.. AT&T stalks you if you are 28 minutes late paying your bill.. shoot, i went off on my mom the other week.. kinda felt bad afterwards.. sadly it was on some money stuff.. maybe she wasn't coming at me sideways, but during this time, it sure felt like it..

all the cats i know that are used to making long money are no longer making it.. we all pinching pennies, cuz we don't know when those pennies will be gone.. everything is harder.. doing good work is harder.. i never thought that would be the case.. shoot, i'm learning a lot more over the last year than any time i spent in b school.. they didn't tell me about this.. and what about ethics?? i'm struggling with that, as i'm getting hit up with more interview/media requests to talk about business stuff..

shoot, i don't want to talk about that stuff, cuz i ain't feeling that media worthy.. i won't even go further with that statement (as it relates to me).. but the stuff in the news ain't always the truth.. businesses ain't doing that well.. the numbers reported aren't right.. the stories told are skewed.. it's a mess out here.. but i understand the journalists, reporters and media outlets.. ish is depressing and ppl need to read and see brighter days and times..

shoot, i've been stuck as i'm writing my book right now as well.. i'm still in the pre-college years.. learning more about myself as i recall things.. remember things.. remember things that i wanted to forget.. it's therapeutic, and probably what is getting me through right now.. cuz i had it hard back in the day, and i ain't going back.. or so i thought.. nah, i'm playing.. i ain't going back.. no way, no how.. but these days it feels like i could.. luckily i got enough stuff to pawn off if i really needed to avoid the 'jects..

oh, and people coming at me sideways.. let's get a couple things straight.. check the resume.. South Side of Chicago.. fight history.. bully history.. check the eyes.. i'm not shook off of your words.. if you wanna come for me, come for me.. all this talk ain't nothing.. corporate bullies.. lol.. are you kidding me?? corporate bullies.. get your company and your business affairs in order before coming for my head with words that mean absolutely nothing.. my phone doesn't work for your calls.. stop trying.. my email is about to stop working for you too.. the longer it takes for me to respond to you, shows your position on the totem pole..

also, some of you dudes need to recognize who's really on your team.. i'm just sayin'..

Q Quotables.. Music on My Mind

2008-07-18T07:15:00.000-07:00

so i'm feeling a few joints..

first is Jazmine Sullivan.. that "Need U Bad" joint? with Missy? yeah, official.. 21 years old.. the girl can blow.. not your typical size, but i love her size, shape and talent.. y'all need to check for her..
Ne-Yo's "A Millie" remix.. ok, i lied.. i like his the best.. and the video they did? please check it.. YouTube it.. i'm too lazy to provide links..
YouTube "Al Green Soul Train".. Click on the one that shows him in a hat.. Please.. Anyone that knows the Boondocks, think about Gangstalicious.. "Homies over Hoes!"
YouTube "James Brown and Pavarotti".. True music.. True genius..
i'm inspired to figure out this music thing again.. was trying for a sec, then life happened.. now i'm meeting more and more ppl in the biz.. i need to get that new Ashley Renee Jordan joint popped off.. point blank.

I'll be back..

Not in Harlem..

2008-07-02T16:54:00.000-07:00

so, yesterday i made my way to Bank of America to open up an account.. i can't stand banks.. none of them.. they all crooks.. been with Bank One, then Chase, then Wachovia, Chase again and now Bank of America.. they all the same.. but, i pretty much had a clean slate with Bank of America.. or so i thought..

so there i was.. in Harlem.. in Bank of America.. why i chose to go to that location is beyond me, other than being in the area.. obviously there are different standards depending on where your bank is located.. or should i say depending on how many white people you have living in that area.. don't believe, if you're here in NYC, try a big named bank in mid-town, and then one in the Bronx, Harlem or Brooklyn.. see if you don't see a difference.. for one, the mid-town ALWAYS has 10 too many bank associates at one time.. in the hood? you have 3 people manning the whole bank!! the ppl in mid-town can tell and advise you about everything.. in the hood, that chick don't even have her GED, but she can take my money and punch in wrong keys into a computer.. and the service? forget.. you can be in a hood bank for 2 hours and 18 minutes just trying to get cash out.. first you have to sift through the people who have no business trying to deposit $3.99 Publisher Clearinghouse checks.. or dude trying to convince the teller that he was just waiting for another check to come in, so that he can bring his account current.. or the dude pulling out 10's and 20's and trying to deposit into an account that's not even his name.. it's a mess..

but anyway, there i was.. i get in there and 4 ppl are waiting for a person to help them get loans, open accounts or get another loan.. my attitude immediately was expressed on my face.. there are no signs, no nothing.. i have to "spot" a sign in sheet.. so my name is placed on the list.. i sit down watching a tv that i thought had CNN on, but realized that they have a cycle of 2 minutes on a news station, followed by an 8 minute loop of the same Bank of America commercial.. so there i was watching some people sue PediEgg about them not being paid to be in tv commercials.. and her comes this Jewish white lady.. in her 60's easy.. possibly early 70's.. we're in Harlem..

she immediately turns around and mumbles something.. i give her the instant gas face.. not on purpose, but i really wasn't in the mood, nor could i hear her.. the look on my face must've scared her cuz she turned around immediately and then mumbled "the picture and the voice is not synched! ikk, i hate that!"..

pause..

first i was like "the chick just said ikk!"

un-pause..

thanks lady, i wasn't even noticing that, but now i can't get it out of my head, and i'm now as agitated as she is about it, and i've inserted "ikk" into my grown man vocabulary..

the chick gets this manager to sign her name on the list.. i guess her hands were too precious to sign it on her own.. she then convinces the dude that she was in front of 3 other people.. i walk over and look at the list and just laugh.. this chick is crazy.. all of us overhear this, but we don't say nothing.. cuz every last one of us (Black and Latino) KNEW she was going ahead of not one of us.. not that we said it collectively, but individually we all were on some "shit, let her try to go in front of me!"..

so i was the last of the 3.. so it's me and this white grandma in the lobby watching a messed up FoxNews show.. a bank teller comes out and asks what we were waiting for, to see if she could help us.. she couldn't.. she then asks if i'm next, and i say yes.. then the mrs. klause clone asks how long the one guy was going to be in the meeting he was having with a customer.. the teller wanted to tell her something, but didn't.. the white chick then demands that she go ask him.. and the teller did!! i smiled.. she comes out and says that he will be in there for awhile.. so the white chick then says "oh well, i just go to the other guy next".. yup she said "next".. i laughed.. grandma didn't know that i had a quick first step and a sharp elbow.. grandma can get it too!!

so the banker comes out and gets me.. i go in the office.. 15 seconds later.. not 3, not 5.. 15.. maybe 30 seconds later, grandma comes running and storms into the office.. out of breath she says "no, no, i'm next.. i was next.. see my name was on the list before his!".. i laugh.. and sit calmly in the seat.. again, i was one of the 3 that was like "i wish she would!!".. so i told her, no, you're mistaken.. my name is on the list before yours.. she then points to an arrow from her name about 3 people before me and how the manager did that and she didn't.. "call the manager" came next.. i laughed.. the banker asked me again, and i told him the same.. i signed up before her and was sitting there before her..

pause..

now, while this all made sense and was true.. let's think about the situation again.. 1 name, 2 name, my name, her name.. all in order going down with hers in last place.. then an arrow from her name to before the first name..

think about that..

1 name and 2 name have come and gone.. if she was before them, why was she not going into that office making a scene? why did the tellers ignore that arrow the first 2 times and go to the name that was next on the list? why is she now making a scene? chick, you have no case.. get your hubby, he'll tell you!

un-pause..

so, after we laugh, she goes and sulks in the lobby..

excuse my french, but Bitch this is still Harlem for now.. slow your roll.. "we ain't.. go-in no where.. we ain't.. going no where.. we can't be stopped now, it's Harlem!"

don't let the cracks in the image fool you!!

Q Quotables..

2008-06-27T06:11:00.000-07:00

y'all know the drill.. things i'm feeling..

My hometown Chicago Bulls.. Yes sir!! Derrick Rose.. Chicago's PG of the future.. literally.. dude is sick, and i was so glad to see him go to the Bulls with the #1 pick.. next season is going to be crazy.. my boy Tyrus is going to have a field day catching oops from that dude.. hopefully BG will be there as well, enjoying in the run.. now let's hope Kirk is on the move.. any takers??
The NBA Draft.. no where else will you see that many Black kids/men turn into instant millionaires.. to see the smiles on the faces of their mothers is priceless.. gotta love it..
The NY Knicks.. only the Knicks can continue to mess up good draft picks?? that Italian dude?? my man hit me up saying that he's giving up pizza for the whole year to protest this pick.. classic.. with all those guards on the board, they go with that dude?? i think it's going to be another long season for the Knicks, and i'm loving it..
"A Millie" remixes.. i like to see when the whole hip-hop community comes together.. and Lil' Wayne's "A Millie" did just that.. everybody under the sun made a remix to that joint.. Hov did his "A Billie" remix, true to form.. Jada spit on it, shoot, everybody spit on it.. but truth be told, Lil' Mama might have had one of the best remixes out of all of them.. crazy.. check it out..
Changing perceptions.. i'm feeling this now.. i was out somewhere last week, and exposed a bunch of people to how life can be for minorities.. my people's turned a spot out, and had people wondering just who we were and how we got there.. i ain't gonna brag, but i had the biggest spot in the whole venue.. and i made sure people knew that.. it was beautiful to see how much fun so many people had, and how people started to dream again (including myself).. a feeling i will never forget.. let's keep changing perceptions.. Barack will be in the White House, the Bulls in the Championship, and a company called Fuzion on top of the world.. i'm just sayin'..

Moment of Clarity..

2008-06-26T11:08:00.000-07:00

ok, a lot has happened since i've been away from y'all.. i ain't gon' tell y'all where i was or what i was doing.. y'all be hatin' too much..

but, i need to recap on some things..

How the heck did R. Kelly get off? i mean, i know how he got off.. shoot, we all saw it.. saw him.. so yea, dude def' got off.. got off on a chick too.. shoot a few of them.. but i'm just sayin', how do you get off when you're on camera? when you're adjusting the camera in your OWN HOME?!! i guess dude was right.. he don't see nothing wrong.. and i guess the judge and jury didn't either.. yeah, chick moved like she was grown, but she wasn't.. case was on trial so long that my baby niece is dang near in college now..
Suge Knight got knocked out again.. i know y'all saw the pics from him getting jumped and KTFO a few weeks ago, but he also just sold Death Row for $25 million.. at first, i was like, how did he get that much? then i was like, that's cheap! for that entire catalog? with Snoop, Dre, Tupac? and 20 unreleased Tupac tracks?? pause, how does this dude still have unreleased tracks.. they already put out 20 albums since that dude died.. crazy.. i would be selling Doggfather ringtones like a mug, if i was them.. California Love would be a new anthem that would be played in LAX.. i'm just sayin'.. but again, to those that saw that footage of Suge on his back, please believe them dudes that jumped him are going to catch a bad one..
Was anyone else shocked by Jay-Z's verse on Mr. Carter with Weezy?? dude tipped his hat..
is there anyone bigger than Will Smith right now?? i'm just saying.. i'm feenin to see that Hancock flick.. that's breaking somebody's record (his own i guess).. i also want to see Wanted.. that's a movie NYPD and other cops that can't shoot, need to watch and learn from..
did y'all see how some people were trying to legalize smoking weed in airports? while i would be all for legalizing the green substance (esp' with the emphasis of Go Green), how high were those white folks for coming up with that idea? that shows you that there is a serious cultural difference between races.. they get high and think of stuff that even other high Black dudes lose their high off of.. like "nigga, what did you say?".. and yeah, i dropped the n-bomb in reference to white folks.. but seriously, how high are you to talk about legalizing weed only in airports.. not in your home.. not on your porch.. not in the club.. not in your backyard.. but in the airport, and only the airport.. niggas taking "get high" to a whole new level.. i'm just sayin'..

The Questions..

2008-06-09T18:50:00.000-07:00

y'all know the drill.. don't try to answer these, unless you must.. comment as you please.. just some rhetorical questions that's my ode' to hip-hop..

Is it me, or did Bush Sr. sell his soul/son to the devil? I mean, the war, gas prices, the economy, his stupidity, etc.. How can your son be that bad?
How can anyone not believe in global warming with the tropical storms, fluctuations in temperatures (my east coast people know that this 100 degree weather is no joke), and LA being a "green" state, yet you can't see through the smoke.. i mean smog..?? - somehow that was a question..
Was Ellen DeGeneres a Black man in her prior life? i'm just sayin'..
Would somebody find something to put in in Elisabeth Hasselback's (The View) mouth? my zipper is stuck..
Did anyone really think the Lakers would be down 2-0 right now in the NBA Finals?
Was anyone other Bulls' fan happier than me when it was announced that Doug Collins wouldn't be the next coach?
What happened to hip-hop?
Is it hip-hop or hip hop?
How quick did Bill Clinton go from the 1st Black President to a southern white man?
Is there a funnier series of commercials than the e-trade commercials with that baby? i mean, that clown one? why can't i see that enough?

Kick Rocks..

2008-06-07T06:25:00.000-07:00

that's to you, Mrs. Clinton.. Hillary to be exact.. you really have no clue what "audacity" means.. i mean, maybe technically, but you don't "feel" it.. how are you going to dang near demand Barack to pay your $30 million dollar debt? Really? you should've gotten out of the race a long time ago..

kick rocks..

Belief..

2008-06-06T05:15:00.000-07:00

"i'm glad i have more belief in myself, than i do in signs" - Q.

that's probably going to sound pretty self-absorbed to quote myself, but it was something powerful for me.. some words that i uttered to myself and to a couple of my boys yesterday afternoon.. see, it's been a rough week.. really a rough past 3 days.. to me, all the signs were pointing to negative things.. across the board.. all of the way across the board.. i went into my own cocoon.. i felt that i needed to remove myself from the world.. i went into it pretty much after my workout on Tuesday.. i believe that was the last time someone saw me until yesterday.. at least in a casual setting.. i just couldn't bring myself to mess with people.. i had to grind.. at least i thought i had to..

i figured if i saw people, i might wil' out.. might do something stupid.. might say something stupid.. i couldn't allow that to happen.. what was crazy is that my man was actually going through the same thing over the last couple of days.. a dude i see dang near every day.. we both were to ourselves making our own life altering decisions.. or so we thought.. i thought it was crazy when i opened up to him and told him about what i was going through, and he pretty much returned the same message to me.. he was feeling the same.. during that conversation i couldn't really get through it.. where we were, i had a hard time being.. it was supposed to be a good situation, and it was, but it was lessened due to our attitudes.. so then i said what i said above..

after that, i think the world was removed from my shoulders.. cuz no matter what, i was going to be good.. whether that's on the personal side or the business side, i was going to be good.. shoot, that morning i contemplated doing a lot of things that were not good.. well, maybe i should say that they weren't smart.. i woke up at the crack of dawn yesterday, earlier than usual.. and i was up working.. researching some nonsense that my sleep woke me up out of.. at that point, i felt that i HAD to research it.. then i was brought back to reality.. a few tense conversations, a longer one with my man C3, and then one with PC.. i still wasn't out of the woods, though..

so there i sat, spilling a lot over lunch.. had a text message from a dude that owes me something.. kinda put me over the edge at that point.. but then i went back to what i said before.. i'm glad that i have more belief in myself..

that's all that i needed.. i snapped back into it.. forget these "signs".. i ain't even worried about them.. because if it really is a sign, i still have a choice.. i still can go another way.. i can still spin a negative into a positive.. that's what i was going to do.. so i ended up having a man afternoon/evening.. i was with my boy for a few hours.. we ended up moving around the city checking out a few things that we've been meaning to.. work was the furthest thing from my mind.. so was most of the world.. things that usually aggravated me (like the train), wasn't getting to me.. i took my behind home, realizing that there was a planned "men retreat" that night to watch the kick-off of The Finals.. Lakers vs. Celtics.. i needed this..

my attitude began to get foul again.. i called my father to wish him a happy birthday.. i forgot, but as i finally checked my voicemail last night, i heard his voice.. so i called, and we rapped for a bit.. all he really wanted to know was when my birthday (and my siblings) was.. i had to laugh.. dude had no clue when any of our birthdays were.. i think he had mine in april, my sister was in the right month, but way off on the day, and i think he had the right month for my brother.. he then mentioned that he tried to call my brother.. i laughed.. i was like "don't you know he's locked up again?".. he then told me that he got out.. "word?!".. i had no clue.. it made me feel a certain way.. not good or bad, just weird.. through that conversation, i realized how separated my family was.. but then i got to the cigar shop, where i was to meet the fellas before we rolled to my man's spot in NJ.. i saw them.. talked a lil' more w/ my father, and i snapped back out of it..

or so i thought..

so we drove to grab some steaks and stuff for the night.. then were off to NJ.. we get to the spot.. my man's crib is SICK.. brownstone.. SICK.. we walk in through the basement, which opened up to the perfect basement.. walk in and you see like a 72" plasma.. wrap-around couches.. a bar.. a spa.. it was crazy.. it let out to the back.. dude had his own gazebo-like structure.. grill and the whole nine.. i was like "what part of the game is this??".. i was in love with the dude's crib.. straight up in love.. we went up to the main floor which had the kitchen.. we each prepped our own steaks and greeted each other.. then to the grill.. then cigars and wine.. it was an experience..

there were 5 of us.. i'm the only one under 40, and i think everyone had me by at least 10 years.. but it was cool.. these Black men do it! powerful group.. i felt honored to be included.. we ignored the game for the first 3 quarters as we talked about everything.. they were schoolin' me, and they said i was schoolin' them (not too sure about that, but hey).. we talked about life.. and then i realized how good my life was.. how i didn't need to hide from the world.. how i could just live.. i was living.. i had to let the negative stuff go.. i had to let the signs go.. they told me how business can humble us and make us stronger, and that things would be getting better soon.. i truly believed them.. they talked about what i was doing, and how if they were doing it that early, they would be having this gathering in Dubai or something.. made me feel good.. didn't put any more bread in my pocket, but still made me feel good..

so we were talking until 3:30 this morning.. crazy.. didn't get back home until after 4am.. but it was all worth it.. and here i am again, back at it.. believing more in me than anything else.. getting my swagger back.. about to go hard yet again.. rainy day or not.. i'm gettin' it.. trust me on that.. so, say hello to the bad guy..

no more bitchassness for me..

i'm baaaaaaaaack!!

Introducing Sleepy..

2008-06-04T15:19:00.000-07:00

see man, i wasn't even going to do it like this, but my man forced my hand.. here i was, prepared to introduce my cat to the world.. full of stories that were hilarious to me.. that were even funnier to those that have met my cat.. but today changed it all..

let me back up.. i hate cats.. HATE them.. never liked them joints.. were too sneaky to me.. to be honest, i thought they were too much like me.. slanted eyes.. no sense of what limits them.. they just go for it.. but then Sleepy came into my life.. much more than a cat, dude is a tiger in training.. that's where he got me..

see, i like big cats.. Lions, tigers, panthers, etc.. Sleepy has some of that in him.. he made his way from the street, to finally living with me.. he won me over with his athletic ability.. plus he's a BIG cat.. dude is not your ordinary house cat.. he's probably like twice the size of your traditional house cat.. but not fat.. just strong and athletic.. lean.. i give it to him.. dude is a beast..

so that's the background..

over the last year, he and i became closer.. that's what happens, keep a pet long enough, and y'all start to know everything about one another.. plus he was a bully.. a small terror.. and a show-off.. he's like the LeBron of house cats.. jumping from 10 feet away.. bullying grown men.. biting.. dude can even slap box! don't believe me? just wait until the video blog.. just wait.. he will pop the mess outta somebody.. and that's how he won me over.. i just couldn't believe this lil' mickey fickey had so much gangsta in him.. to the point where i would literally have to resort to punching dude in his gut.. PETA, kiss my ass.. you can let a house cat punk you if you want, but i'm not the one..

so, we developed this rapport.. he has his gourmet food in the morning and at night.. i woke up, he was there waiting for me.. forcing me to the fridge? don't believe me? let me explain.. dude will be at the door, then wait for me, and as i'm walking to the bathroom he will cut right in front of me forcing me into the kitchen.. he'd then rub his face against the fridge and begin talking.. if i took too long, his meows became longer and stronger.. he wasn't playing.. i liken it to a spoiled kid banging his fists on the table saying "i want to eat! i want to eat!!".. that's Sleepy.. when i returned home, he would greet me at the door, then layout in front of me acting as if he wanted his belly rubbed then as soon as walk beside him, he'd trip me and run to the kitchen.. so, there i'd go.. being a punk.. getting him his food.. i was Mr. Belvedere.. although he has dry food in his bowl, he knew in the morning and evening he was ENTITLED to his gourmet meal.. crazy.. oh, and consider that the dude has an automatic kitty litter box!! he lives much better than me!!

but today?? as i sat working from home, i was lost.. sitting on the couch with the window air conditioner behind me, we both heard noises.. i figured it was my landlord messing with the trash, so i ignored it.. not Sleepy.. nah, dude was on the prowl.. he sat in the window staring.. i ignored him.. like 15 minutes later, i heard another sound.. so i get up.. "what is dude doing?".. i can't believe he's still out there messing w/ the garbage.. so i look out the window by the door and i don't see anything.. so then i peek out the air conditioner window.. guess what i see??

a female cat chillin' on top of the air conditioner.. Sleepy has a crush.. i was like, "aww that's qute".. but then it was going on for too long.. Sleepy sleeps all the time, esp' during the day.. he likes to do his dirt all by his lonely, so he waits until the night to start ripping and running.. not today.. dude is up all day.. knowing good and well he's dead tired.. all for a girl.. i start to ignore him, then i start to get upset.. i look at this street cat, and i'm like "she ain't even qute!!".. so i'm now bitter at his taste.. but part of me feels good.. like Sleepy isn't concerned about dating some model, even though he could.. he just likes what he likes.. since i see some of that in myself (although i would never date an ugly chick), i start to smile a bit..

so i peep his game.. he has none at all.. none whatsoever.. dude is caught out there.. BAD.. he's pressed.. this chick ain't even meowing for the dude.. she is pretty much just staring or either ignoring him.. on some, "dude can't even come out to play, what kind of man is that??".. but Sleepy ain't hearing it.. he proceeds to jump all around me, dang near pulling down the curtains and blinds to get closer to him.. he's "hissing".. yes, my man hisses or "huffs".. i'm screaming at him, dang near embarrassing him like any parent would do.. then i'm realizing that Sleepy, as big as he is, is just a teenager.. he don't know how to act.. so, as he tries to rip the plastic down (yea, i didn't take it down yet from the winter) from the windows, i intervene..

i start to take the plastic down so that he can see that even with it down, he still ain't getting to her.. then that cat starts looking at me.. that chick was too ugly, so i closed the blinds.. Sleepy is all over the window.. this goes on for hours.. like 6 hours.. shoot, that dang cat is still out there.. Sleepy can't sleep for 5 minutes without getting back up to check for her ugly ass.. so yea, right now i'm bitter.. my man has bad taste.. and he's pressed.. we don't do that.. we don't get down like that.. it has to be some mutual stuff.. Sleepy ain't hearing me.. dude is still pressed.. i have a feeling he's going to be up all night.. a shame what women do to us, isn't it?!!

i mean, here i was planning on telling you all about the amazing feats and tales of Sleepy, now i'm putting him on blast as being a sucker for an alley cat.. my strong, creative and athletic cat is now a sucker for love.. what is up with that? i want my tiger back.. i want my pretty boy back.. ahh, yea, Sleepy is a pretty boy.. bathes ever 15 minutes, like he was getting ready to go out on a date.. dude is "stank" too.. has a nice attitude.. touch him and he'll look at you sideways then clean himself.. as if he was questioning where your hands had been.. dude is hilarious.. he'll try to be all grown and sit next to me, when he knows he wants to go to sleep.. his head will start falling and his eyes will be dang near shut, but he'll fight the sleep.. shoot, then he'll find the most uncomfortable places to sleep and make it even more uncomfortable.. piles of papers or magazines.. he's crazy.. then, knowing that i'm allergic to him (and all cats, but good thing for Zyrtec!), he'll lay on my clothes, on my pillow.. one time, by accident, i jumped in the shower and threw my draws and wife beater in the hallway.. i come out only to see this dude doing a mating dance with my stuff.. first he lays on it, then he'll put one arm in front to brace it, then use his back legs to kick and stretch it.. it's classic, but at the same time nasty.. i'm like "why do you like my draws?".. but i guess he's showing me that he's with me for life, like it or not.. cuz if somebody loves your dirty draws, then shoot, they got love for you!! dude is funny.. we go to bed at the same time.. he races me to bed to be honest.. i get up and start walking back, and there he is flying by me, then slowing up as he walks into his room (the 2nd bedroom) at the same time that i walk into mine.. then he will sleep on the pillow that is laid out for him.. when i wake up early, he's still in his bed.. funny dude.. some might wonder why he doesn't sleep anywhere around me.. take a look at that picture.. he's worse than an infant or any woman.. he HOGS the bed.. will sleep right up under me.. not a good look if your cat is spooning you or you're spooning him.. so he gets kicked out.. sometimes he'll get lucky, and creep in, and make his way to the bottom of the bed (see, he's smart, as he knows how to start).. then come 3am, he's all up on my calf or something and i can no longer move.. then he'll have the nerve to give me attitude as if i woke his behind up.. he's special.. he's my cat..

he's Sleepy..

Q Quotables: Things I'm Feeling..

2008-06-03T17:49:00.000-07:00

ok, this is some new stuff i'm on right now.. taking a page outta my man C3's book, i'm going to hit y'all with any and everything.. each week, i'm going to discuss "Q Quotables" aka "Things I'm Feeling".. you can love and hate em at the same time.. oh well.. do what you do.. it's my site, danggit!!

1. Busta Rhymes - Don't Touch Me Remix

ok, i thought i was in love with the original version, but i was wrong.. that was some lust stuff.. the remix?? yeah, that's love.. the beat? sick.. don't believe me? zshare that bad boy.. if i'm lying, i'm flying coach besides the bathroom in the back of that joint.. ain't happening.. i ain't lying.. the verses on this joint?? the line-up?? come on man, dude had Nas, Weezy, Game, and others.. but shoot, he got Big Daddy Kane on that joint.. Big Daddy Kane.. the b-i-g d-a-double d-y k-a-n-e.. shoot, i even made my own dance to that joint.. wait till the video blog, the Harlem Shake don't have nothing on me!! "throw water on 'em".. welcome back Bus.. we need this dude.. his energy is crazy..

2. Summertime

i'm feeling Memorial Day, because that is the official re-release of Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff's "Summertime".. think i'm lying.. think back to years past, and this year.. it's like Labor Day.. that let's you know that you can't wear white no more and look fly.. Memorial Day is when you can play that joint and get away with it.. matter of fact, people will give you dap for no reason.. none at all.. gotta love it..
3. Barack

the dude don' did it.. what else do i need to say? other than get at me for those fundraiser dinner tickets for the June 29th Fuzion/Barack event here in NYC.. get at me..

4. Kobe

i can't front, dude is a beast.. the best in the game.. hands down.. wish he was in that Bulls uniform, but it is what it is.. i'm feeling his game and how he elevated a team nobody (even him) thought would be on the verge of another championship.. he killed it this year.. MVP.. too many nasty dunks.. dude pulls up and every shot looks like it's going in..

5. Paid in Full - The Movie

i popped that in the DVD player this week.. forgot how much i liked that movie.. classic material.. dudes playing trash can basketball for 5G's a pop.. can i find some of them dudes to play with?? come on, please?? i can use the cash.. remember Camron watching his own dang porno in that joint? or when he shot dude in the ass? classic..

6. So You Think You Can Dance

guilty pleasure of mine now that Bad Girl's Club is off.. i thought i wouldn't miss hearing "pop off son, pop off", but i do.. so this show is my new pleasure.. i think it was last week that had that dude out in LA that basically was like a human rubberband.. he danced to Swizz Beatz' joint.. crazy.. that beat is sick.. but that dude was sicker.. i gotta give to him.. but the other dancers were crazy too..

7. ARC/Optimum Fitness
i'm on my workout game right now.. 3 to 4 times a week, plus i picked up boxing.. i gotta give it to my man Tony VP for training me this hard.. i ain't gon' boast, but dang if i don't brag.. don't believe me? challenge me.. pushups, dips, pullups, 1-arm joints, whatever.. i'll be your huckleberry.. my boxing game is getting better, and i'm looking for some sparring partners.. not worried about them being in my weight class either.. with Tony VP in my corner, i'm feeling pretty dang arrogant with mine.. so, i'm on this fitness kick, eating oatmeal in the morning instead of my bacon and eggs.. and i hate oatmeal.. but i hate throwing up my breakfast more, so i do what my trainer tells me.. if you're in nyc, get at me if you want a trainer.. i'll let you borrow mine..

8. Women

mom's day passed, but i'm still feeling y'all, and it wouldn't be appropriate if i didn't let y'all know in my inaugural quotables.. i love y'all.. addicted to y'all.. not necessarily on some "i wanna get with you" stuff, either.. i just love y'all.. my barber is a woman.. the best in the game, too.. i'm surrounded by you.. and i want to stay surrounded by you.. at a safe distance, though.. but still want to be surrounded by you.. y'all get on my nerves as often as the opposite feeling, but i still can't run from y'all.. i catch cramps on purpose.. pull up lame on purpose.. just to be around y'all.. just to be around you.. in the same vein, i need more from y'all.. stay by my side.. please.. stay by our side.. we men have issues, but we ain't ish without you.. so don't give up on us just yet.. i promise not to give up on y'all..

SEX and The City..

2008-06-03T05:10:00.000-07:00

so i ventured out on Sunday evening to catch the new Sex and the City movie.. i wanted to see it.. chick flick and all.. i watched the show, so i wanted to see the ending.. more than that, i liked the show.. i'm man enough to state that.. so there i was, going to see this movie in a sea of NYC women and gay men.. and guys forced to go by their significant others..

the lead up was just as funny as the movie.. i mean, you saw groups of four women (majority white, but it was still a mixed crowd) seeming like they were trying to audition for a role in the movie.. dresses.. crazy outfits.. hair done up.. i was trying to figure out if the movie theater was where they would find one of the 2 L's that the movie spoke about.. if they knew what i knew, they wouldn't be..

then there were the gay dudes.. too qute.. i'm pretty much over my homophobia, so i feel more comfortable speaking about this.. we had to wait in this long line an hour before the movie began.. that wasn't working for me.. my ADD was kicking in.. stand in that long line? for an hour? with gay dudes and Carrie wanna-bes?? shoot, i can get caught!! somebody might see me! (only jokes, i ain't running from nobody but bill collectors).. yea, that scene wasn't working.. i snuck upstairs only to see another long line and the manager.. not a good look.. i played it off and went back downstairs to that long line..

2 Black gay dudes were in the front looking like they knew me.. we caught eyes, i immediately looked sideways and then back to them.. i gave them the head nod, they gave me one back.. i had to do my own lion stance and let them know that i was not the one.. i was searching for women to piss on.. (ok, that's gross and slightly disturbing, so i take that back).. i went back and stood in line.. sigh..

so then they let us upstairs.. no one said the people that work in theaters were geniuses.. so we get up there, only to run out of room.. the escalator was turned off, so ppl were just stuck standing on the escalator, as there was no more room in the lobby.. then the brilliant minimum wage dude tries to separate us into 2 lines that looked more like 6-8 depending on the angle you were standing in.. a mess.. i went to get something to drink..

as i'm down there, i do what i do best.. choose the wrong line to get in.. the people in front of me can't make up their minds, and the worker is the slowest on staff.. my ADD is going crazy.. where are my meds?? then this white chick behind me whispers something in my ear.. i have no clue what she says, so i halfway turn around and acknowledge her, ready to hit her with the "nah, i'm good" line.. she is dressed for the part.. i know she's going to see the movie too.. she says, "i'm sorry, but you have a string hanging off of your hat that i'm going to remove for you"..

what?

i was confused.. trying to figure out why she was staring at the loose string so hard that she wanted to remove it for me.. i smiled and said "thanks".. not sure what trap i was about to fall in, i wanted to be safe than sorry.. i've seen American History X, y'all ain't getting me that easy!! so, she proceeds to remove the string and then show me.. i smiled and said "cool, thanks".. all i was missing was "dude".. i ignored them as i waited another 10 minutes.. when i got my pop, i turned and said "thank you, have a good one".. she smiled..

back upstairs i went, and we were finally let in.. a mad rush to find seats.. i'm like "there are only maybe 30 people in front, why is everyone rushing to get seated in an 1000 seat place?".. but no one else is thinking like that.. so i get my spot, and i proceed to people watch.. i think there were about 589 four-somes.. yeah, my math is off.. chicks together.. what was most disturbing is the mothers that brought there kids.. are y'all crazy?? don't you know what type of movie this is?? SEX and the city.. why do you have infants and 6 year olds with you?? sex was all over the screen.. from scene 1 to 69.. it was there.. i saw it.. some of it i tried not to see..

pause..

movie directors, if you want to turn your movie into soft porn, please find more attractive white women for the job.. i did not need to see 50 year old women getting tapped out.. i still have not recovered from that..

un-pause..

some people do need parenting licenses.. i believe in that now.. y'all don't have no sense, and you definitely don't make any.. kids were crying and covering their eyes.. shoot, i was covering mine!! then i'm having to see Rico Suave onscreen fully naked.. i mean, for the gay dudes, i get it.. now i see why y'all were in there.. y'all must've bootlegged it before, and knew what was coming.. pause.. me? i was thinking that they were not allowed to show penises and grown men asses.. wasn't a good look for me.. then again, i wasn't the intended audience..

but, overall it was a good movie.. a nice ending.. could make and break your relationships, so be careful who you go with!! i don't want to give it away.. just be prepared to experience NYC like most of us never have, see places most of us would dream to see, and feel what it's like to be a 40+ white woman trying to find love and labels in NYC..

it was worth it.. gay dudes and all.. (i still want the rainbow back!!)

Guess Who's Baaaaack..

2008-05-29T19:45:00.000-07:00

yes sir.. welcome, welcome, welcome.. after a long hiatus, i'm back in a difference place.. long overdue and a lot of stuff to get outta my head.. my goal is to keep this updated weekly, and turn this into my blog home.. with vlogs (video blogs), my own brand of photojournalism, and anything else i can think of.. it's going to take some time and some effort from my creative friends for the look to be "me", but bear with me..

i currently have old blogs up here, with most of them being a series called Anatomy of a Gangster which is featured at TROUBL.org, but i'll also bring some of my old favorites in one place, as many of you were not able to see them.. this will be my place to rant about any and everything, but hopefully with an educated voice..

i kinda want this to be anonymous, but y'all already know it's me.. my words have nothing to do with my work or ideals of that company that i scream about all of the time.. that company does not necessarily stand by all of the words that i speak in this forum.. i mean, they could, technically, but don't not do business with them based on a highly opinionated blog..

other than that, i just hope y'all enjoy it.. agreeing and disagreeing with me.. don't be silent either.. leave comments.. comment with others.. that bashful stuff doesn't work over hear.. i don't like people that "dip and dap".. i have issues.. the Man is after me.. my phones are tapped.. i'm that Ghetto Boys video.. so, yeah, don't make me even crazier.. argue with me.. tell me i'm stupid and corny.. i can take it, cuz i can def' dish it.. trust..

what does that mean, exactly? trust.. why do we stay shortening sayings? we are too dang lazy.. we dropped a word.. me.. one syllable.. that was putting us over the top, huh? true.. true that.. out.. i'm out.. good? you good?? y'all mickey fickeys are too lazy for me.. but y'all catchy..

why does Usher seem like an old Chris Brown? isn't it messed up that when CB first came out, he was just a younger Usher? now, with Usher having been gone for a minute, marrying his stepmom and ish, he looks like he's trying to be CB.. and what is up with these marriages? can someone name a recent celebrity marriage that looked like it made sense? Jay and Be? i get it.. his swag got her.. but it still don't look right to me.. mariah looks like nick's mom.. kimora is dating a former slave.. janet is dating a troll.. ray j was wooing whitney.. what is going on..

ok, ok, i'm done.. just like this post, my blog is going to be all over the place.. ADD (hopefully) at its' finest..

out.

The Choice is Yours..

2008-05-28T18:40:00.000-07:00

Common ground is a lot like common sense.. Sounds good to say.. Everyone understands it.. Not many have it.. Finding the balance, finding a calming place, finding yourself is just not easy.. Too many choices.. This or That.. Hov or Nas.. Beyonce or Rihanna.. Bulls or.. Nah, no choice there.. Corporate or Streets.. Single or Married.. For some Boys or Girls.. For me, Her or Her Too.. Friends or Enemies.. Life or Death..

I like to think that I make choices based on trying to find common ground or a nice balance, but I’ve told myself that I’m not able to do that.. I like to read (hooray for nerds!) and pick apart any and everything.. Breaking things down to the least common denominator.. Over the last 2 weeks or so, I’ve been focused on trying to understand a bit more about myself.. During my self-reflection I read an article about a business man.. Someone we all know.. Doing big things.. The article touched on him being misunderstood.. Everyone saw him as one guy.. He knew he was someone else.. Shoot, I knew he was someone else.. I knew his government.. But his government didn’t allow for him to be much more than those that came before him (which was nothing to really be proud of).. So, he became someone else.. Someone we appreciate.. Now he’s stuck.. He can’t go back.. No one would believe that he’s not this or that.. It appears he no longer has a choice..

Sometimes I feel trapped in a similar dilemma.. We all made choices to do what we do.. I graduated from college and went left instead of right.. During that time I became someone else.. I was no longer myself to many people.. That was a conscious decision I made when I wasn’t conscious of the outcome.. I didn’t have a path to follow.. No one really to look to.. So, like Hov told to Freeway, I kept going.. I remember going back to high school and people being surprised.. Never thought I would be the loud type.. I was always quiet.. Went back to college, and the same.. I wasn’t that quiet, but I wasn’t the dude that was loud about my intentions and goals.. I was the silent type.. Now?? Things don’ changed.. Now? I can’t really go back.. It’s something I have to live with.. I think it’s something that those that I want to follow have to live with as well..

Life has a way of humbling you.. The gangsters get humbled.. Get too big, they’re coming.. Ask Oprah.. Ask Barack.. Ask Hov.. Ask Frank.. Ask Kobe.. Cry a river if you want, but no one is listening.. I needed to be humbled.. I was floating for too long.. I knew I breathed the same air as everyone else, but I wanted to find that new air.. I wanted to walk on it.. I did for a bit.. My heart was in the right place, but my brain wasn’t.. I made too many wrong choices.. I won’t call them bad, cuz I don’t feel that they were.. They were just wrong.. Wanted to be right, even when I knew I was wrong.. Wanted to ride it out.. I rode it out alright! Straight to the demise of a lot that I worked for.. I needed it though.. I made the choice.. Now I feel like I can make another one.. I know I just said I was stuck, but I think my fall has allowed me to change..

I can change.. It’s up to me.. My circle is smaller.. My heart is bigger.. My brain is right there with it..

I’m making the choice to be right.. For me.. For more than me.. For my future.. Here’s to hoping that we all make better choices and we all find people who can steer us in the right direction.. Black Sheep..

AOG Series: Baby Powder Awards..

2008-05-15T19:43:00.000-07:00

Recently we’ve seen a lot of moments that have either angered us, embarrassed us, or called for us to disassociate ourselves with someone or something.. In the spirit of this recent history, I announce AOG’s 1st Annual Baby Powder Awards..

The Baby Powder Awards are given out in the spirit of the strong desire to “smack hot fire” out of some of us.. As AGs, it’s our responsibility to hold each other accountable, but in a manner that speaks in the voice of Riley (Boondocks).. “That’s so not gangsta!”.. So, everyone, hold out your hand, sprinkle some baby powder to lessen your own sting, and get to smacking..

1. Rev. Jeremiah Wright
This one is difficult, but even my Chicagoans can get the five fingers.. Rev. Wright, you know better.. If it wasn’t for Barack’s prowess, you might be up for 2 smacks, but since Obama proved how gangsta he was by providing landslide slaps to Mrs. Clinton, he saved you.. You could have been the scapegoat for Black people losing its opportunity for a Black President.. THE Black President.. You were fine when you started, and they were getting on you about 8 second sound bites.. You were right to be upset.. They didn’t know you.. They shouldn’t have come at you like that.. But, then you took a long break and came back with nonsense.. True to stereotypical form, you were “all late” with your response.. Then you started shucking and jiving like a scene from Bamboozled.. That was so not gangsta! You even called out Barack, when he referred to you as a “spiritual advisor”.. Negro please.. You knew what he was doing.. He was speaking to a larger audience.. Or in your game of semantics, a larger congregation.. People understand “advisors”.. Not everyone has Pastors, Deacons, Church Ladies, etc.. But, here you come acting like he was referring to you like you were Candyman or some other boogeyman.. Congrats, Rev, you’re the first to get smacked..

2. Louis Johnson
Y’all might not know this dude.. Actually, he’s probably about to be more famous by receiving this award, because he was nowhere close to being an AG.. This is the dude at the center of this OJ Mayo story.. If you don’t know, OJ Mayo will be a Top-10 NBA draft pick this year.. Was LeBron after LeBron left high school.. This year he made it look easy as a freshman at USC.. We all knew he was going pro.. He’s been groomed for the NBA.. All of the big players know him.. Carmelo Anthony got him into hot water this year when he gave him tickets to the Nuggets vs. Lakers game.. They are boys, and he was just hooking his friend up.. The NCAA didn’t like that, and OJ had to pay Melo back.. Now, ESPN breaks this story after some sorry former writer/drug dealer comes forward about OJ getting cash and gifts since he was in high school from a “runner” who was provided funds by BDA Sports (a large sports agency headed by a Black man).. This story is only told after Louis was kicked out of OJ’s circle.. I find it funny that this 40-something year old Black man is referred to as OJ’s “former confidant” by all of the media (headed by ESPN).. Really? A confidant? That dude was around OJ for a paycheck.. It’s sad that the media can’t see right through this.. That they can’t see that since he’s been kicked to the curb, that now he wants to do what’s right so that OJ can get the wrong people out of his corner.. Let’s not forget that OJ has done nothing more than work his behind off and become a future NBA star.. Let’s not forget that at 13 he started having all of these old men get at him “in his best interest”.. Really? Now OJ’s world is turned upside down and everyone is looking at him as just another Black athlete getting paid to play a sport.. Getting money because he’s good.. Puh-leeze.. If the NCAA, ESPN, or any other media outlet wants to really crack down, let’s look deeper.. Let’s do an analysis of some of these baseball players that get jobs and other perks that no one talks about.. Louis? Who are you?? You tried to be a pseudo sportswriter, then a pseudo drug dealer/addict, then a “confidant”, and now a snitch.. I have 2 handfuls of baby powder for you..

3. Hillary Clinton
Get out.. Leave.. It is no longer a race.. Check the new cover of TIME if you don’t believe me.. You are just wasting money and time.. If you’re for the party, then do what your colleagues are asking you to do.. Bounce.. Get gone.. It’s not a competition if you can’t win.. And at this point, you can’t win.. You tried.. You really did.. You lied.. You and your husband did something that I didn’t think was possible.. Loose the luster with Blacks.. I liked Billy.. I really did.. I always said that he spoke better for and about Black people than most Black people could.. Now, I can do without y’all.. Especially you, Hillary.. I know it’s not right to slap chicks, but you, my former friend, are deserving of one.. Even if it’s a nice, soft, playful one.. Just enough to put the nice handprint on your cheek.. You deserve it for just being this dang stubborn.. For changing your stance and lines to fit what you felt would generate more votes.. That’s so not gangsta..

4. Media
Y’all get this award for being too blatant with your racism.. Pacman Jones, Michael Vick, Carmelo Anthony, Cedric Benson, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens.. One of those kids is doing their own thing.. Guess which one? That’s right, Mr. Clemens.. Mr. Cy Young.. Mr. Yankee.. Mr. I Can Get Paid $2 Million For Each Game I Play.. Mr. I Did Not Take Performing Enhancing Drugs, But My Head is the Size of Shaq’s Rims.. Mr. I Did Not Rape a 15-Year Old Country Singer, Even Though She Co-Signed the Allegation.. Mr. I Know I Was Married with 2 Kids at the Time.. Mr. I Will Use Your Wife, But I Won’t Steal Her From You.. Mr. My Trainer and Former Teammate/Training Partner Have No Idea What They Are Talking About When They Admitted That I Did It Too.. Come on now, enough is enough.. Media, you’re getting the smack, because through all of the recent news that came forward, you found a way to ensure that it wasn’t online or in your news.. I mean, nowhere.. It disappeared.. When the Vick non-sense came out, y’all had cameras around him 24/7.. Remember when Allen Iverson had that issue in Philly with his wife? When he went to find her after he got into an argument with her? Y’all camped out at his house for about 3 months.. Do you not know where Roger lives? Let me know, I can google it for you.. Barry Bonds can’t get a job.. Cedric Benson is being aired out one day about being one of the worst NFL dudes in the game, and when his friends and family come out in defense of him, you limit the airtime the story gets.. What’s up with that?? You blasted him for 2 straight days, and when accounts, pictures and 911 records came out to support what he was saying, the story no longer gets airplay?? What’s really going on? Where are our sportswriters at? Why are we not taking the time to defend one another? That’s so not gangsta..

5. Myself
I get a slap for staying away from y’all for so long..

So, yea, those are the initial awards.. Who else is up for nomination or a clear path to the slap?

AOG Series: From the Block to the Boardroom..

2008-05-01T19:42:00.000-07:00

I love B.I.G., but we’re taking his rhymes a bit too seriously.. The man could definitely wax prophetic from line to line, verse to verse, song to song, but let’s move away from making his words the Ten Commandments of what we can become.. I know I have y’all wondering what I’m talking about, and I’ll get to it in a second..

I keep hearing the “voice” of our people (at least to mass media, which I disagree with) in magazines, interviews and every other outlet they can reach quoting BK’s finest..

“either you slang crack rock, or you gotta wicked jumpshot”..

Stop it!

I’m saying that with my Grandma’s (RIP) face on.. That no nonsense look she would give us spoke volumes.. No other words needed..

Stop it!

My jumper is sick (I know cuz I tried it out over the weekend after not taking a shot in a year), but my brother’s is sicker.. He dabbled on that other court too.. I didn’t.. He’s locked up again.. I’m out free with a legal team.. The fact is that we both grew up together.. The fact is that I didn’t choose those 2 avenues that leaves my brother facing yet another bid.. I did something different.. I went left.. I didn’t think it was crime or sports.. I saw crime and sports.. I played in 1 more than the other, cuz the other was just stupid.. But I knew I could get out.. Again, I went left.. All those others went right.. Going in circles and never got out.. That dude that was sick with his right hand, but couldn’t go left.. That dude never made it to college, cuz coaches knew he couldn’t go left.. Stuck..

Where’s the line, verse or song that talks about him having other options? Oh my bad, we can’t find it.. At least nothing that becomes a quotable for the potential talents we have in communities and neighborhoods across the country.. I’ma be real.. My jumper didn’t get me no further ahead in life.. High School? Man, yea, it felt good to have people shout your name.. College? Yea, it felt good to put it on dudes with scholarships.. Where does it leave us now?? The drug game? Well maybe Biggie didn’t lie about that! Pfizer has been killing the game to the tune of billions.. But that ain’t what we’re talking about..

We came from the block.. We built the block.. We built up the block.. We became the block.. Then we got stuck on our block.. A block most of us don’t want to live on.. That ain’t the part I’m mad about.. It’s about leaving the block and heading to the boardroom.. That can be corporate america, philanthropic work, church, wherever.. Just a place that you’re building up so that it’s not all about making it rain (bball reference or Pacman) or pushing weight..

Speaking of pushing weight, isn’t it ironic that the likelihood of those actions will leave you pushing weights in a facility that houses more Black men than most project buildings in the U.S.? I’m just sayin’..

Don’t get me wrong.. I’ve had visions of playing in the league.. That stopped when I realized that I was blessed with the short gene from my Mom.. Shoot, I’ve even sat and thought about how easy I felt the grassroots (peep the subliminal) game is.. Just seemed like with a little more common sense, we would see more Marlo moments than corner moments.. But I was smart enough to realize you can never be smart enough when you have to employ niggas.. I mean that not in a color sense, cuz I’ll use that term for any “ignant” mickey-fickey that I come across.. The whole drug game has a serious STD.. Those crabs are no joke.. All the more reason to stay protected, and in that game abstinence is the only way to avoid catching a case..

So, I’m calling on us to use another line.. Gangstas to use another verse.. Shoot, make your own song.. Just make it a different tune..

From the Block to the Boardroom..

A line to emulate..

AOG Series: Key Messaging

2008-04-01T19:41:00.000-07:00

This Friday your boy (with my Fuzion counterparts) will be leading a forum at an NYU conference on Media and Messaging as it relates to the Black/Latino male population.. I’m excited and as I’ve been doing my due diligence on the media, I’m turning this vehicle into a sounding board for voices of reason.. AOG style..

A change is coming.. We are in the midst of a cultural revolution.. Yet another one during the storied history of America, but the first one that most of us will live through.. It’s exciting.. I was talking to my boy this past week, as we were in the midst of the revitalization of Harlem.. He mentioned that he felt he was born in the wrong era.. He was more Harlem Renaissance era than this other.. The look, the style, the opportunities, the love.. All of those things we know and appreciate about Harlem, is what he was referring to.. I felt the same.. But then I thought longer.. And I think I needed to have been a time traveler, cuz I would say I’m part Harlem Renaissance, Civil Rights struggle, 80’s Baby, and now.. I see myself in all of those eras, and wanting to be in those eras.. As an 80’s baby, I’m not proud of all the stuff we went through, but I appreciate it and know it’s a big part of me..

But then I think about now.. This new cultural revolution.. This one has blogs, vlogs, and dogs that get treated better than middle-class Americans.. This one that has shown a change in politics and a viable Black president.. This one that has turned television from Must-See TV to Everything That I Can Possibly See TV.. Where Flava Flav can get 3 seasons of dating ugly chicks with phat asses, and then land a sitcom on another network.. This one has Sofia from The Color Purple pretty much owning The Color Purple, Green and her OWN network.. This one has the rebirth of the Harlem Renaissance and TROUBL owning the word nigga.. That’s real..

I like this one the most because of that last bit.. Because of TROUBL.. Because we have more resources at our fingertips and more voices to spread the message.. Shoot, TROUBL has the TROUBL blog site, TROUBL Magazine, TROUBL Radio, and soon TROUBL TV.. What other era really made that possible for us?? That’s what my talk is going to speak on this Friday.. So many opportunities for us to create and distribute our own messages.. So many vehicles.. Many less excuses.. And that’s what I love.. On Friday I can tell them all that they can make their own voice be heard.. If they choose to use what they have in front of them.. You don’t have to wait on a job with the NY Times or BET.. If they drag their feet you can make your own The Economist magazine and Oprah Winfrey Network.. That’s only if you really want it..

Think about the irony of “don’t talk about it, be about it”.. Many times you can be about it, and don’t nobody know.. I mean, it should be, first and foremost, something that you believe in and don’t need the acclaim or props for it.. But, many times it can be something so big or so good that everyone should hear it, and it doesn’t get covered.. So I’m glad to live in this era where we can say “talk about it, be about it” and we can actually do both.. And it be positive.. With or without the help..

So, as I’ll be challenging the future voices of reason at NYU, I’m also challenging the future AOGs.. Talk about it and be about it.. Let your voice be heard, and put it into action.. While you’re doing, make sure your message is being heard.. Make sure you find vehicles to support your AOG cause.. If you don’t find any, make your own.. Pedal your bike down the block and scream it.. Get at TROUBL.. Make your own TROUBL..

Just make it happen..

AOG Series: Take a Break..

2008-03-01T19:39:00.000-08:00

Sometimes that’s all we need.. A break.. Not necessarily a handout.. Nothing that a stimulus package can provide except for covering your overdue cable bill or maybe the heating bill, cuz those charges continue to rise for no dang reason.. Having you thinking someone is stealing electricity from you or something..

Nah, the break I’m talking about is a self-imposed break.. Time away from it all.. Cuz we all need those.. We might feel like superheroes from time to time, but none of us have recuperating powers like Wolverine.. It’s just not happening.. We need rest.. Shoot, sometimes we need a reset button, but for some reason we don’t allow ourselves to press it.. Or even pause.. Nah, if we do that, then somehow we’ll be human.. Newsflash.. We are human.. We can take a break.. We definitely need them..

Hillary needs one, but she keeps pressing on.. Now she looks like a stray dog or cat lashing out at anybody who tries to feed her.. That’s not a good look.. Ever heard of the term, “sleep on it”? We can do that.. Cuz the opposite is probably worse.. Barack has needed them, and he’s stayed away.. And has looked poised after doing so.. TV shows take breaks, so that they can come back with fresh ideas and insight (someone please tell that to VH1 and BET).. Sports leagues do the same thing.. Even the government.. Shoot, some sleep while they are on the job!! (too easy of a shot to take, my bad)..

Go overseas if you get the chance.. If anyone knows how to break, it’s people outside of the US!! They start with about 3 months of vacation.. When they break, they break.. Out.. Gone.. 0-90 in 2 seconds.. They don’t look back, worry about workload, nothing.. They just bounce.. And come back 3 months later and get right back into it.. It’s a beautiful thing to witness.. Ever wondered about their economy or standard of living and wonder why it’s better than ours?? Go peep the game that they play..

Us? US? Here? Sheeit.. We rush back from our vacation, stressing about all the work that’s on our table.. We lose vacation days doing that.. We don’t sleep well on Sunday, knowing we gotta go back in and clean up after someone else’s mess.. Am I lying?

Gangsters need breaks too! Shoot, some of them take longer ones in federal establishments.. I mean, you don’t want those breaks, but sometimes it’s a necessary evil.. Bad boys move in silence.. Really? Tell some of them dudes around the block making all that noise.. Oh, my bad, those aren’t gangsters either.. They just act.. We have to educate our actors as well.. Your block is hot? Take a break for a sec, cuz that’s silence too.. Job getting under your skin, call out sick.. Take a break, before they break you..

Only have a few vacation days left? Take mental breaks during the day.. Read a book at night.. Relax your mind, let your conscience be free.. Daydream.. Go chill with your girl/boy for a drink.. Sit on the corner and listen to the street.. Check out sites that push your boundaries.. Those are breaks too.. You really think your boss expects you to work every minute of every day? Get real.. I’m a boss, and I know good and well, that I’m lucky to get 5 productive hours out of my people every day.. It is what it is.. I used to be in the same position, and the bottom line was getting ht job done.. That’s what I did, and I did in less than 8 hours.. I had some me time in there.. So, don’t stress over “the man” watching your every move.. We can’t do that.. We don’t have the time nor the energy for that, because it shows over time.. The people at the top learned that when they were on the bottom.. We ain’t really tripping over that..

So take a break.. A few of them.. Every little bit counts.. You’re not asking anymore, remember, you’re taking in 2008.. Take a break.. Chill out, relax.. Think.. Thinking might be the best break known to all of us.. Think hard, think twice, think about yourself.. For a change.. I won’t tell.. I promise..

AOG Series: Straight, No Chaser

2008-02-15T19:37:00.000-08:00

“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

2008-02-08T19:36:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-01T19:34:00.000-08:00

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..

Working Too Hard To Be Poor..

2008-01-24T18:54:00.000-08:00

i'm sitting in Baton Rouge, La. on business at 6 something in the morning, focused on ways to generate more income for me and my family (and employees), i turn on the tv.. hoping that it would put me back to sleep, i turn on Good Morning America.. Oprah was on speaking about her role in Barack's campaign.. then she says something that hits me.. something that i flip immediately.. something that is now the title of this blog..

Working Too Hard To Be Poor..

that's deep to me.. shoot, that's why i wrote it (who am i fooling?).. i find myself in that position.. i find a lot of us in that position.. and this isn't a race thing.. this might be more of a class this.. maybe more of an American thing.. i don't know, but it hit me and compelled me to write.. something i haven't done in weeks..

i've been down.. i won't front.. as a Black man, that's hard to say.. i've been depressed.. others around me have been depressed.. the news is depressing.. I’m seeing my brothers being killed.. I’m seeing my people being locked up.. I’m seeing my people battle injuries that can affect their livelihood.. business has been rough.. man business has been rough..

i've worked so hard to get to where i am, and now i'm faced with a big part of my business being affected by things out of my control.. i'm a marketer.. i run what many believe and feel is an up-and-coming force in this industry.. i'm not saying that to toot my own horn, because the work is out there.. but i'm a small guy amongst billion dollar giants.. i try to conduct business as ethically as possible, but in doing so i feel that i have lost so much..

so much money.. so much time.. so much energy.. we always try to find ways to rationalize things, and tell ourselves it will be better.. being raised in the church, that's our mentality.. "everything is going to be alright".. "it's all in God's hands".. but reality is a bitch, booooooy!! shoot, my ability to use a cuss word right after saying God is a testament to that.. sometimes we start to wonder if it's going to be alright.. shoot, i've had a client go back on about $300,000 worth of business.. that hurts.. especially when we hire people specifically for the account.. that shit hurts.. i've had a client try to tarnish my name and reputation in this athlete business that i also have.. and i'm doing things the right way (at least that's what some agents and league officials have told me to my face).. million dollar athlete.. owes me $15,000 for work we've done on his behalf.. an easy check for him to write.. and because i had my employees (and myself) work so hard at the beginning of our contract relationship, we made the Red Sea part.. gave him everything that would normally take a year.. but we made it happen.. and i feel that because he has it all now, he doesn't want to pay anymore.. it's sad.. i'm not even trying to hold him to the contract at this point.. i learned a lot about dude, and i don't want to be associated with him AT ALL.. but i do want my money..

i'm not a rich dude.. i'm from the South Side of Chicago.. born and raised.. dirt poor.. nothing.. nadda.. zip.. zero.. i feel like i lived the American dream.. i overcame those obstacles to be here.. i'm not alone.. a lot of us have worked too hard to continue to be poor.. and that hurts.. what do we say to our children when we do things right and just, only to be in the same position?? what do we say to our loved ones when we come home with an empty bank account, but have a lot of work to show for? that work doesn't pay a bill.. creditors don't care about that work.. they care about that cash..

i sit here, fresh off of signing 2 more athletes.. another NFL player and our first WNBA player.. but i'm sad because i'm faced with the reality that we all work so hard, but could be right back to where we started in a heartbeat.. yes, we adapt.. shoot, i'm adapting from my hardship with my other company to transition most of my efforts to this athlete business.. i've worked too hard.. we've worked too hard.. you've worked too hard..

but what's the remedy? what's the solution? it's definitely not the new Beanie Sigel album! so what do we do? who do we turn to? will the next election help those that work so hard finally find a way to get up and out? will our voice get bigger? will our voice make a change? because talking doesn't pay a bill, unless you're a minister!! so many unanswered questions.. i sit here in my hotel room, lost.. i know exactly where i am, but i have no clue as to when things will change..

holiday season is not too cheery for me.. i won't see my family, because i can't commit funds to it knowing that i might REALLY need those funds next week, tomorrow or today.. don't cry for me, though.. cry for all of us.. all of us being faced with the reality that we can work so hard to make a change for ourselves.. that we can work so hard to make a living for ourselves and our families.. we can work so hard and have nothing to show for it.. we can work too hard and still be poor.. that's a tough reality pill to swallow.. shoot, my niece just sent me her report card through email last night and i see that she has a 3.3.. i'm so proud of her.. it hasn't been easy for her on the South Side of Chicago, especially in school.. shoot, she's a bully as well with a mouth to match.. she got that from me and my sister.. but all of my family follow in my footsteps and i'm worried about them seeing me falter..

"Unlce Q went to Northwestern, had his own companies, has a sphere of influence that includes some big time influential 'friends', and he struggles everyday.."

i'm working hard for that line not to be a true story.. i really don't know how that story will end.. i'm working hard.. but again.. i find myself in the same line as most of America.. looking for that welfare check.. not literally, but i'm just saying..

AOG Series: Gangster Starter Kit Part 1

2008-01-22T19:33:00.000-08:00

Come one, come all!! You’ve seen the Hip-Hop Starter Kits sold on MTV, BET and VH1, and in the back pages of XXL, Vibe and your favorite hip-hop magazines.. You know, the ones that teach you how to be a Wanksta, Backpacker or Video *cough* Vixen.. You’ve seen the Presidential Starter Kits as well.. Barack didn’t intend for his “Hope” to be jacked by other Presidential Wanna-Be’s, but that’s what he gets for having big rappers back him, and videos created for him.. I mean, when Tyra can book Obama, Clinton and Edwards and pretty much talk about nothing? Yea, that’s leading the pack..

Don’t sleep, though, because we have the TV Producer Starter Kits too!! Call it TRL, 106th & Park, Real World or College Hill, but Starter Kits seem to be all that you need to get by.. I think Bill Gates might have created one, too! I’m still waiting for my Oprah Kit (OK playa) to arrive in the mail.. My own Dr. Phil is going to be sick!!

So in that spirit, we announce The Anatomy of a Gangster Starter Kit!! After careful consideration, insight and due diligence, we present steps at becoming the next AG..

• Your own nickname or “just a name”
Mike, MJ, Oprah, Barack, Hov, Gates, The Answer, Tiger, Tyra, Denzel, Alicia.. You have to get to that point to be an AG.. One name, one letter, one symbol (I see you, Prince!).. You gotta get there.. If someone is saying your whole government in order for the general public to notice you? Yea, in the words of the Boondocks’ Riley, “that is very not gangsta..”..

•Nice wardrobe
You have to have your clothing game right in order to be an AG.. And let’s not get that confused in having your own line.. Cuz, some people have garbage lines that also are very not gangsta.. So, listen up, Generation Me.. Those long t-shirts are truly gowns.. Baggy jeans should mean that you have some breathing room.. Not room to fit another person or two.. A blazer should fit you perfectly.. If you have shoulder pads that don’t sit on your shoulders? Yea, that is very not gangsta.. Ladies, if your business suit shows all ass and cleavage, that is very not gangsta.. I mean, we men appreciate it, but I’m not able to think about respecting you when you have the twins staring at me.. Y’all know our focus is already questionable.. The tight jeans? Yea, we love them too, but at some point even we (men) start to wonder if you’re cutting off your blood circulation.. So, just get your clothing game right.. Clothes that fit.. A nice sense of style..

•Common Sense
You cannot be a gangster if you believe everything you see and hear.. You have to have a very strong sense of what is logical and what smells funny.. A rapper/politician/actor/man/girl can’t define what you do or say.. At least not as your Bible, Qur’an, Mathematics or anything else.. Common sense also tells you that you have to take time to learn.. You have to study.. Whether it’s a textbook, a playbook, history, script or blog, you have to study your craft and hone it.. Then you have to Oprah it (peep the past AOG: OWN).. Sometimes it’s just stopping to think for a second.. WWAGD (What Would an American Gangster Do – for the slow ones out there).. Spend money on rims or a house? Go to school or the block? (Frank wasn’t on the block!) If you want to be on the path of an AG, then just stop and think.. WWAGD??

•Your own theme song
If you’re really big, you can have your own soundtrack.. We knew about the importance of your own song way back when Keenan provided that tidbit of information in “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka”.. We just didn’t listen.. Think about it.. All AG’s have their own theme music.. Remember when the Bulls started their reign as the best since those old time Celtics?? What do you remember?? Mike? Yea, kinda.. Pip? I guess so.. Big Chief Triangle? Not Really.. Rodman? Of course.. But don’t front.. Y’all know who created the player announcements (or at least took it to the next level).. That’s right “Your, Chicago Bulls!!”.. Lights went out, music started blaring and you knew what was coming next.. Be honest, if you’re a sports fan and you know what I’m talking about, you’re getting hype right now just thinking about that theme music.. For the non-sports fans out there, think about what’s going on with Barack or even the jingles that you remember and associate to people and products.. That Apple jingle? Law & Order sound? Martin’s show theme? The music speaks volumes for it.. “Sometimes I feel, that he is me…” Ahh, let me stop..

So there you have it.. Part 1 to your The Anatomy of a Gangster Starter Kit.. For consultation on the Gangster Starter Kit, please feel free to contact me for more information.. Otherwise, stay tuned..

AOG Series: United

2008-01-15T19:31:00.000-08:00

This weekend, something happened that even I couldn’t believe.. Something that I might’ve joked about, prayed about, begged about, but it really happening?? Shoot, that was a pipe dream.. But then it happened.. Barack won South Carolina..

Now, I’m not all that concerned about him winning or losing.. Well, at least not that much.. What I was concerned about was whether people would join together to vote, or if they would split the vote.. But, when the polls came back, they had percentages of 80 and 82 for Black women and men that voted for Barack.. That was the amazing part to me.. That Black people actually joined together and instead of bringing one another down, they brought someone up (someone not named Oprah cuz we love and are afraid of crossing Ms. OWN).. That might not mean much for y’all but it definitely does for me.. I probably would go another 20-30 years believing that we are some of the most non-brand loyal people on the planet.. I mean, y’all know we’re brand loyal.. We’ll stick with Nike, even if Phil came out saying that he just likes us cuz we jump higher and run faster.. We’ll rock Tommy no matter what.. We’ll listen to Dr. Phil without questioning his resume.. But let there be a Dr. Leroy.. Not happening.. Just that name alone will make us skeptical..

So yea, this was big for me.. In the ways of an AG, I have to give props to all of the people down in South Carolina.. They proved me wrong.. Made me eat my thoughts and dreams, cuz y’all know I really didn’t voice it.. In a time where candidates were stealing lines from Barack like he was Biggie, I wasn’t sure if we would listen.. Cuz, I’ll listen to an old Biggie song on some “Yo, what song did he snatch that line from”, then realizing I’m dead wrong for even forgetting that Biggie said it first.. It’s like Barack has his stuff being leaked ahead of time nowadays.. I’m just sayin’..

I’m just proud right now.. I was out in Cali doing cartwheels with my boy when we received the news that Barack pulled it off.. And it wasn’t for Barack.. This election is bringing us together.. Uniting us to an extent.. Making us read more about these elections and figure things out week by week.. I know I’ve learned about caucuses, Super Tuesday, platforms, etc, way more than I cared to learn at any other point in my life.. I KNOW that if Barack wasn’t in the race, I’d be just as ignorant as I was before.. I would care less.. But, dude has us learning.. Barack needs a holiday after this, no matter if he wins or loses.. Cuz he is making more people read than any NBA Read to Achieve program combined with those old Book It joints that we used to be a part of so we could get a free personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut.. Don’t front, you know you were doing that!! Made your mom all happy, cuz she didn’t have to cook.. Then you would fight with your sibling over one corner of that personal pan pizza.. Ahh, those were the days..

So, I wonder.. Or I’m led to wonder.. Will this last? Will we stay united?? Does seeing South Carolina do it, motivate more people around the country to do it? And since when did a NY Times backing mean anything? Who was backed in 2004? 2000? People be making stuff more than it is.. Really? They back Hillary and I’m supposed to go with her? I mean, maybe if TROUBL backed her I’d think a bit harder, but the Times? People were acting like she won the Presidency.. I find it funny how people try to steal thunder from others.. Nothing new, huh?

AOG Series: Our Own

2008-01-08T19:30:00.000-08:00

In a true gangsta move, Ms. Oprah Winfrey “don’ done it again!”.. Announced this past week, Oprah went out and grabbed her own tv network.. Her OWN tv network.. Get it? The Oprah Winfrey Network? O.W.N.? The woman is sick.. I don’t know what I really think about cloning, but she needs to be one of the first in line.. Can I get me an Oprah clone? Please?! I’m just sayin’..

She linked up with Discovery and pretty soon it’ll be what Oprah wants, on tv 24 hours a day.. You can believe that when her deal is up with ABC in 2011, the world better end.. Cuz if it doesn’t, they might need to rename that after her.. And I’m not sure you want her to start naming stuff, cuz Oprah will let you know that it’s about her, and her people.. Talk about her if you want.. But her name is Oprah, and she ain’t trying to change it for no one.. She has Harpo which has an image of a young Black girl sitting in a rocking chair.. If that ain’t our people, I don’t know what is.. And now, with this, she’s basically sticking her tongue out and letting people know she’s here to stay.. Forget CBS, NBC or FOX.. It’s all about OWN..

Moving forward, I’m going to stop using the term minority for us.. I mean, when we break down the math (I haven’t done it yet, cuz I’m lazy, and I’m sure one of y’all know the answer) we aren’t the minority.. Maybe in the US as a whole, but in the world? Shoot, let’s look at some of our largest cities.. NYC? Chicago? ATL? There are sections that are predominantly Black or Hispanic throughout this country that they call minority populations.. Really? Last I checked, Harlem is as Black as can be.. How is that a minority population? Yea, one can break it down to fit what one wants it to be, but really, is it a minority spot? In the spirit of Oprah, Harlem is our OWN.. The South and West Side of Chicago is ours, too.. Dang near most of Cali might not be Black, but the Latinos might be able to stake their OWN in there.. So, with that said, I’m not using that term to refer to us.. I’m Black.. I’m this, I’m that.. I’m me.. I’m Q.. I’m not a minority..

Even if I’m up against some “300” type ish, I’m still not a minority.. I’m a Black man that’s going to run if I see a dude that’s 80 feet tall.. He just got me on that height/weight/mutant thing.. But, I’m not a minority.. In that instance I’m outnumbered for a sec or it’s just not a good look.. As long as I have the spirits of those before me with me, I’m not going to be outnumbered.. I have to remember that.. It’s not like we haven’t been outnumbered before.. Every situation most of us go into, we’re outnumbered by physical bodies around us.. We step into boardroom meetings, they have more than us.. When we represent ourselves, we can only bring a few, or otherwise we’ll be labeled a posse..

I’m not going to make this a white/Black thing either.. I’m just stating the facts.. I’m stating these facts, because I don’t want us to psych ourselves out.. I don’t want us to give ourselves an excuse.. We’ve been doing it.. Label or no label.. I’m saying ditch the label, because I feel that I go into those meetings with y’all.. I go in there, knowing I’m coming out with something positive to report back to all of you.. So I carry your voices and faces in there with me.. I’m never outnumbered.. Shoot, until this year I thought I was, but now I’m good..
I just need to OWN some more stuff.. Y’all already know I’m trying to own this marketing thing, and I tell y’all what.. 2008 has been a great year.. We have already come out w/ some great things that are being well-received (get at me if you want to know more).. Each new account, or new initiative and we’re growing.. Our talent is growing.. I really believe that when you start to dream realities, then the tide starts to turn.. That can be so many things..

Lately most of my marketing ideas have come from sleep.. Whether it was a dream or me laying in bed and I have to jump out just to get it out.. For me, that’s me making my mark.. I know athletes do things like that as well.. Same with entertainers.. I think artists, writers and creatives do the same thing.. When they are on it, they are on it.. Then they own it..

Are there things that each of you own, that you need to let out so that it becomes true to everyone around you? We all have something.. I truly believe that.. Shoot crackheads own the Harlem Shake (before Zab Judah and Smokey).. I’m watching that Celebrity Rehab now (would the writer’s strike hurry up?!), and that one actor going through withdrawal? That’s a crackhead.. You can say he didn’t do crack, but that white boy has some crackhead tendencies.. Most prominent Black media owns bad taste, articles and programming.. Hey, I didn’t say it was all good, did I? We have our own OWN issues.. I’m just sayin’..

I’m trying to figure out what “OUR” will stand for in the future.. What will we own together?

AOG Series: Take '08

2008-01-01T19:28:00.000-08:00

Past year’s resolutions have always focused on the same things.. Making more money, launching a business, being more positive, finding a mate, blowin’ up, and anything else you can think of.. But as I entered into 2008, I felt completely different.. I thought about the “gangsta” mentality.. I listened to the entertainers and athletes and people on TV talking about getting it and taking it to another level this year.. I heard it all.. It was cute.. But it was the same..

The time for change is here.. Dang I sound like a Barack campaign speech.. Everybody is struggling.. Rich, poor, young, old, Black, white, educated, straight stupid, greedy, ugly.. It really don’t matter.. One week you can be killin’ it, and the next you’re getting killed.. This year we have to keep that gangsta mentality.. when we get that off week, we change our focus.. We don’t have to dwell on it, we just need a few “woo-sahs”, a pack of nowalatas (y’all know that’s how we say it!), and a red pop.. get that in your system and blow that ish oooouuuuuuttttt.. after that moment, then focus on taking your moment back..

Bring in the new year like Hov did opening up his new spot in Vegas.. Create ways to enjoy what’s rightfully yours.. Do stuff you want to do.. Don’t worry about having to get up early on Tuesday morning to go to work.. Stay up late and watch Huey and Riley take over that 11:30PM slot on Monday.. It’s worth it.. When you get to work the next day and people ask you why you have bags under your eyes, speak to them in the voice of Riley.. “Do you know me? I’m carrying money in these bags!!” (on another note, if you get the chance, watch episodes of The Boondocks back to back and see if you don’t start talking and thinking like Huey and Riley!!)

Let’s keep our eyes out for some potential gangstas.. the ones I see are:

Hov:

The Vegas 40/40 was just the start.. 40/40 in Tokyo is coming, and many more as this brand continues to be viewed as the hip-hop spot.. Although he’s still President of Roc-a-fella Records, there is talk of him joining up with Apple.. I’m not sure what the Roc would be w/out him, but I’d be willing to watch how it would crumble..

Barack:

Dude just won the Iowa Caucus.. What more do I have to say? Just the thought of my grandparent being able to witness a Black President gives me a bit of a chill..

Oprah:

The real O(prah).G… I’ll stay watching her moves..

Will Smith:

As my man C3 said, he’s positioned as the next Denzel.. but bigger.. he’s started to put more money into businesses such as Carol’s Daughter and even his own production company.. Watching his family take over movies, dude has a lot of power in Hollywood..

Alicia Keys:

Last year she took over.. forget her music.. her philanthropic stuff was something we haven’t seen.. she stole the spotlight from Angelina Jolie and the work she has been doing.. but, now that you throw in a hit album with a #1 song, we could be seeing a lot of Ms. Keys this year..

LeBron James:

The most marketable player in the NBA, is also doing a lot in the business world.. from chillin’ with Warren Buffett, to building a village in China, dude is doing some things.. While we know he won’t be getting back to the NBA Championship any time soon (that was a fluke last year), he’s still killing the league.. I tip my hat to him.. on Fortune covers and SI.. I’m just sayin’..

Who else should we be targeting as potential gangstas in 2008?

AOG Series: Gangster PSA

2007-12-08T19:27:00.000-08:00

This right here?? You know, the thing you’re reading right now?? Yeah, it’s about to be ReaL.. ReaL talk.. feelings will be hurt, some of y’all dudes might start a whole “eff Q.” fan club.. some females might claim that I’m wrong.. or talking about their man.. but hey, what I’m about to say is true.. and ReaL..

This started based on an argument I had w/ a female.. it escalated into a venting session I had w/ my boy/business partner/business twin.. he felt my pain.. it all came together w/ one line that I vented.. “I’m not a per hour nigga!!”..
Listen up while I explain that line to you..

A lot of females say men ain’t shit.. for the most part I can buy that.. and I can return it like a forehand shot from Serena on you, too!! Most women ain’t shit either.. but that’s not what this blog is about.. it’s about the misconceptions that turn into realities.. I’m here to educate some of y’all.. I’m here to cuss out a few of y’all negroes that’s messing it up for men like me..

Here’s the situation.. you take 10 men and put them in a room.. matter of fact, take 10 guys you know or 10 dudes that roll together.. get them in a room.. look at every last one of them.. say hi to them if you want.. 9 of those dudes are wack.. I label them per hour dudes.. 1 of them is straight up and down a man that’s on his J-O.. a good dude.. smart dude.. common sense dude.. call him the salary dude..

So there we have it.. 2 labels.. per hour dude.. salary dude..

Keep in mind that I’m also talking about my friends.. also understand that the per hour dude can one day rise up to be the salary dude.. right now? At this present time? That’s not his desire.. he’s content being a per hour dude.. now let me further break it down for you..

Per hour dude..
This is a dude that can live w/ mom dukes.. can work at your neighborhood game spot.. will get happy about going from $8/hr to $10/hr like he just won the lottery.. this dude will spend all his money on clothes, video games, weed, going to the clubs, etc.. that’s his life.. that’s what his life revolves around.. this is the dude that is down for going to the spot w/ you whenever you hit up his cell phone.. it never fails no matter what he may be doing or what time it may be, if you got at him, he would be down to drop what he’s doing to roll w/ you.. truth be told, that’s a dude I want and have in my circle.. his mindset is different.. he almost has no worries.. his worries revolve around talking about a chick, the cops, that new mixtape cd, or the new pair of jordans.. that’s pretty much it.. he can be a smart dude, too!! He might be able to wax poetic w/ you, but he really doesn’t care..
When you talk about females w/ him, or relationships w/ females, this is the dude that’s quick to tell you that you’re doing too much “for them hoes”.. he’s the dude that’s quick to tell you what he won’t do for a chick, but is also quick to be searching for another one at the club.. spending lunch money on drinks for them.. playing the pimp card and getting happy over getting a females fake number.. bragging that his cell phone is full of “hoes”..
Let me get at you dudes for a second.. I can care less about the numbers in your phone.. truth be told, I can battle you number for number.. and I don’t even hit up the clubs.. truth be told, every number that I have in my phone will still be working 6 months from now.. can you say the same?? And I’m not calling not one of them a hoe.. I mean a label is a label, but dang.. and please understand that if your game is really up to par you don’t have to spend a cent to keep a female around you.. but anyway..

See, for some reason females have per hour goggles.. every dude they see is a per hour dude to them.. granted 90% of the dudes they see are per hour dudes, but when they meet a salary dude they treat him like a per hour dude.. but I’m getting ahead of myself.. let me break down the salary dude for you..

The salary dude is about something.. forget the fact that he can’t get overtime or guarantee that he’ll be out of the office by 5PM.. that comes w/ the territory.. he makes a salary.. he gets percentage raises.. not dollar raises.. working on Saturdays is a no-no for him, unless he’s out of town on business.. or if his career is such that he has to work on weekends..

A salary dude dreams realities.. I don’t mean to get deep on y’all but think on that for a bit.. he’s trying to become something.. he understands construction.. he’s laying down that foundation for a fruitful future for his future family.. tongue twister, I know, but it’s the truth.. can’t build the pyramids in a day or w/out thoughtful planning and careful considerations.. excuse the alliterations.. the salary dude also understands what being a man should entail.. he keeps you on his inside if y’all are walking down the street.. he opens doors for you.. steps off the elevator after you.. removes your coat should you desire him to.. he doesn’t mind spending money on females.. but he understands that spending money on a bunch of females will lead him into financial ruin!! Juggling 5 girls?? Come on fam, why?? 5 different lives.. 5 different headaches.. 5 separate relationship bills?? Stupid.. shoot if you were smart.. nah, lemme not go there.. he understands the value of having a down-ass chick.. and he will deal w/ those relationship headaches if he knows that this chick will be there for him..

Some of my friends joke that I’m always liable to have a chick living w/ me.. I can live w/ that.. my heart is big.. BUT.. please understand one small but big difference.. I’m ABLE to move a chick in w/ me.. I’m able to have a chick eating out of my refrigerator.. you.. the per hour dude?? You don’t have that luxury.. so joke all you want.. i look at my Pop-Pop.. he will spend his hard earned money to care for others.. some of y’all per hour dudes will call him a sucker or just plain stupid.. nah negroes, that’s a man.. that’s a salary man.. he understands the calling of helping others in need when you can.. I learned almost everything I know about being a man from that man..

The salary dude also has some bad traits.. he KNOWS he’s a salary dude.. he’s confident.. he doesn’t feel that he should be treated like a per hour dude.. he feels that he should get away w/ more.. he feels that he should get more slack.. he feels that he should be talked to rather than screamed on.. called a prince, rather than a nigga.. he also tends to feel that if he asks you to jump then you should jump.. BUT.. don’t get it twisted.. he feels that he should act and react the same way.. if you are holding him down, he has no problem w/ jumping when you tell him to..

Please understand what I’m saying.. I am saying that there are a different set of rules for the salary guy.. put it this way, if I’m married to Oprah, she’s def’ going to be treated differently.. I’m not trying to mess that up.. ok, some of y’all might have a hard time thinking of Oprah, so if it’s Halle or Jada, I’m not trying to mess that up.. I’m treating her like I was playing out a scene from Coming to America.. I’m singing “my queeeeeen to beeeee” like I was Luther.. it’s not a game.. that chickenhead?? She ain’t getting treated that way.. nor, in my opinion, should she.. and y’all might not agree.. oh well.. but let y’all get Jordan, Carmelo, Iverson or Boris, y’all know y’all wouldn’t be trying to mess that up!!

But the fact remains, y’all treat salary dudes the same as per hour dudes and y’all need to stop.. we are not the same! I love my boys, but even they’ll tell you that I’m on some next ish.. and that’s not me saying I’m better than them.. it’s just my focus and my mindset is different.. it doesn’t make me better.. it just makes me that salary dude.. not that per hour dude.. again, they can get to where I am, but that’s not their desire..

you can start yelling at me like you don’t have no sense if you want to.. and I will quickly let you know that you can get the eff outta my face.. I will also let you know that I don’t need you.. no disrespect, but it’s the truth.. and if you think that I can’t find a female that won’t agree w/ the words that I’ve stated in this blog, try me.. she’s out there.. I’m waiting for her to show up.. I’m stubborn, I’m confident, and I’m blunt.. as far as I’m concerned, you need to treat me like you understand what a Northwestern University degree stands for.. understand what it’s like having 2 engineering degrees.. understand what Graham School of Business, Kellogg and Columbia University stand for.. understand what excelling at sports while being a nerd (in an academic state of mind) stands for.. realize what the gift of gab stands for.. realize that on any given day I might get a call or email from a person that you might see on CNN or something.. shoot, next time you walk in my crib, look again at those books on my bookshelf.. those aren’t your average books, and I’m not your average per hour dude.. y’all need to realize that all those things combined aren’t found in your average per hour dude’s repertoire.. I’m not saying give up on the per hour men out there.. truth be told, the same applies for females.. there are some per hour females too!!

There are some good per hour men out there.. but I’m just saying don’t treat me like one..

AOG Series: Leaders of the New School

2007-12-01T19:24:00.000-08:00

i’m thinking about making this either a 3 or 5 part series.. maybe i’m on my R. Kelly ish right now, but i’m inspired to blog again.. to blog with purpose.. please check part 1 for an understanding of how we got to this point..

i’m having more and more philosophical conversations.. i love them, but i’m saddened after a lot of them.. just because of how we allow the media to be our education.. i recently said in a conversation that placing blame is the American way.. from Bush on down to the Imus situation.. when we can’t own up to something, we place blame elsewhere.. we can’t find Osama, let’s go to Iraq.. we make racist statements, let’s blame hip-hop.. we use the n-word 6 times during a taped recording to our son, and we respond by going on a show no Black people watch and claim that we are Black too.. come on now.. we find excuses.. and the society allows it to go clean.. Imus got off big time, just by blaming hip-hop.. from a man that doesn’t even listen to hip-hop.. blame hip-hop if you’re truly influenced by it.. and influence is not hearsay.. blame hip-hop when you have all of Snoop’s albums and a copy of any NWA album.. i’ll start buying your story a bit more..

but this doesn’t surprise me.. i look at this country, my place of residence, as a nation of followers.. we go where the wind blows us.. we are educated by the “idiot” box.. not by publications such as The Economist, Hidden Agenda (R.I.P.), TROUBL, but nah, CW11 and MSNBC.. that’s our reference point.. beginning and end.. and it’s sad.. a nation of followers.. a minority of leaders..

let that marinate.. a minority of leaders.. double edged sword.. a mouth full of marbles.. call it what you want, but that’s where my head is at in this country.. we are a minority of leaders.. meaning, our leaders are minorities.. both in the sense of far and few between as well as in the sense of our community..

i’m cool with both sides of that coin that i just flipped.. seriously.. there shouldn’t be a gang of leaders running around.. but there should be a team of them.. and i think we can make it happen.. self-reflection.. reflection eternal.. look in the mirror people.. some of us are chosen.. it’s time for us to accept that calling, instead of waiting for others to take or make a step.. if you’re not a leader, it’s not a bad thing.. all leaders need a team to help carry them to the promised land.. i played on a squad that had a few, but i was the point.. it was my job to lead other talented cats.. they believed in me, and i believed in them, and we made some nice memories.. put the ego to the side.. i ain’t pressed.. we ain’t pressed.. together we pressed on to make a difference..

as minorities, we are leaders.. think about it.. we’re placed at the bottom, and it takes a leader to climb out of that.. so look around, and see how many of us have made it out.. that’s not by coincidence.. it’s innate.. it’s what we do.. for every 1000 of us, it’s 1 of them.. i made that up.. but it feels right.. maybe i’m off by a few more 0’s.. who knows.. but it can’t be far from the truth.. we can do this if we want to.. we have to..

just the other day another kid was shot in BK.. for having a hair brush in his hand that was assumed to be a gun.. i don’t know the whole story, cuz i’m waiting for someone i trust to cover it.. it’s all over the news, but i ain’t buying any of it just yet.. the fact remains that an unarmed child got killed.. point blank.. not a man.. a child.. by individuals who are trained to assess the situation and act accordingly.. why are we continuing to get killed by cops? why are we shooting to kill? can we at least aim for a knee cap or something? or maybe it is about there being so many cops shooting, that one will eventually be a kill shot? them dudes doing the shooting are followers, though.. they followed their colleagues.. doing what their colleagues did decades before them..

i’m going to stop promising getting moving on some of these town hall meetings and just make them happen.. what do i have to lose? my business? come on, i have people coming for that every day.. and they are doing a good job of stopping my business.. i remain resilient, even during times of weakness.. i’m strengthened by my sense of self-worth.. so again, what do i have to lose? my sanity?? nah, never that.. the strong survive, and i’m built strong.. trust me on that.. i’ll lose my sanity by remaining the status quo.. i know that for a fact.. i have family members who are a testament to that.. there are dudes from the South Side of Chicago, that i no longer can call my friends because they remained with and amongst the status quo until they met their demise..

our community is a community of mirrors.. that’s just real talk.. i walk down the streets and see the same thing.. if that ain’t a mirror, i don’t know what is.. i see my reflection in a bunch of them.. in dang near all of them.. pieces of myself.. cuz i refuse to see what others see.. what others feel.. i don’t see drug dealers and ball players.. i see business men and talent.. call me naive if you want, but that’s what i see.. i see the good in us.. i just deal with the bad.. but i’ma stop dealing with that nonsense.. i’m going to influence the nonsense.. so i’m writing these words to be my own line in the sand.. my own reflection point.. it’s out there, so i gotta follow up on it..

we have the anatomy to be a leader.. we sit on the graves of hundreds of them.. we walk alongside hundreds more.. self-reflection.. we gotta start from within..

our community.. our friends.. our families.. ourselves..

let that marinate..

Anatomy of a Gangster..

2007-11-24T18:58:00.000-08:00

The #1 movie in America is not only about a former king of Harlem, but about the power we all have within us.. Frank Lucas, Bumpy Johnson, Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali.. All held power beyond what the majority felt was appropriate for them.. Our ascension scared them..

“No man should have that much power”.. I play that line in my head from time to time to recall the words of a police commissioner about Malcolm X.. That’s scary to them.. To reach our full potential would mean that we would rise way above the majority.. That’s a reality to me.. Not a dream.. That’s a fact.. When we reach our full potential, we surpass our competition similar to MJ in his prime or Tiger Woods until he’s ready to quit.. It’s Michael Vick running faster than they think he should, and throwing farther than others previously thought to be stronger.. It’s Johnnie Cochran against all odds.. It’s Oprah.. It’s Barack Obama..

When we want to, we can do some powerful things.. And when we get to that height, we become an American Gangster.. We become the top of the food chain.. I’m not talking about dealing drugs or shooting people up, either.. I’m talking about our ability to be the ones setting the trends and determining how circles move.. We’ve been doing it for years, but haven’t taken our rightful place on the throne.. The time is now..

From our athletes, our entertainers, our educators, our business executives, and our youth, we’re ready and poised to make a difference.. If we want to.. So this is a call to everyone out there who talks about doing something.. Let’s make it happen amongst ourselves.. Why go outside of our circle without first solidifying our circle? Let’s join forces and “fuze” our abilities for a common goal.. Let’s make some Troubl.. Let’s see if we can go against all odds and scare people straight.. Let’s become our own version of American Gangsters..

Q.