Working Too Hard To Be Poor..

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..

Q.

AOG Series: Gangster Starter Kit Part 1

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

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

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

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

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

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..