Just A Man Trying...

2009-11-10T20:47:00.000-08:00

The Noise Is The Message

I think it's past the time that Baby Boomers, of all races, ethnicities, and income levels (yes, black folks too) come to grips with the Hiphop culture. Although early in the Rap game it was predicted that this music would burn out, Rap (Hiphop) has not gone, and is not going, away. Rap has managed to twist, contort and develop a thick skin that has allowed it to withstand criticism and attacks for everyday societal ills such as immorality, violence peddling, and misogyny. This defensive mechanism has allowed Rap music to escape extinction. As an art form, the fact that Rap music has not always had, and still does not have, the full support of the community of its origin, the African-American community, is not a precedent. The lack of acceptance from the Black community puts Rap music in great company with some of the most revered musical pastimes of American history, namely Ragtime, Jazz, and Rock & Roll. Each of those musical genres, founded within the Black community, are cornerstones in the foundation of the American music identity. Rap music has swallowed pop culture and is now kicking in the door of mainstream America demanding to be heard. For those condemning Rap, the Nigers, the Stanleys, the Dolores’, and the Bills (you know who you are), you have missed the train. Acceptance by the Baby Boomers (Black Bourgeoisie and White Middle Class) is no longer needed and may not even be desired. Mainstream America has developed an appetite for Hiphop culture and Rap music is the standard bearer for Hiphop.

I was inspired to write this article because I had to listen to yet another African-American man tell me how Rap (Hiphop) had changed his life. This older, middle class gentleman explained to me how he had to take drastic measures to protect and preserve the environment that his children were living in. He had to protect them from Rap music. This required him to change jobs and take an active stand in his children’s upbringing. I commend him for his dedication to raising his offspring. No one can argue that they are not better off for having him in their life. Anytime a father, or mother for that fact, takes an active role in a child’s life it can be the most positive experience for all those involved, especially the child. Maybe instead of banning Rap music in his household altogether, this conscious African-American male could have redirected his daughter’s interest in Rap toward the positive and self-affirming lyrics of the conscious rappers. He could have used Rap music to teach his daughter the lesson of variance. That there is variation in all art forms and we have to be mindful of the choices that we make because sometimes those choices determine how we see ourselves and each other.

It just so happens that after hearing about the life changing affect Rap music had on the older gentleman, I attended a Hiphop concert at a local venue later that night. With the words of the older gentleman fresh in my mind, I entered the concert more observant than any other concert before that day. What stood out to me while watching all 3 performances was the range of issues addressed by the lyrics and the music. From street violence and police corruption to education and salvation, these artists represented the issues of Generations X and Y. People must understand that for a generation ignored (Generation X) and the generation that won’t be ignored (Generation Y), Rap music is our voice and Hiphop is how we live.

I will extend an olive branch at this point to establish a meeting place for dialogue. I will concede that there is some Rap music and artists that celebrate and revel in violence, sexism, misogyny, mayhem, and civil disobedience. I don’t blame anyone that would deny support for music that dehumanizes people for the sake of profit in any format. However, to vilify an entire genre of music, an entire array of entertainers, which represents such a large sector of our community, is inherently wrong. Just like any other medium of expression there are some very positive and very negative aspects of Rap music. While there are some in Hip Hop who use their words to tear down society, there are others whose lyrics are about responsibility, dignity, and self-reflection. All lyrics have the ability to make listeners think about their situation and position in life. Lumping the good with the bad and debasing all Hip Hop music is just too easy. It doesn’t require the critic to take a deeper look at the artists or their body of work. It is just another case of guilt by association, which is not new in the African-American experience.

Even though there will be notable disagreement, I must say that even Gangsta’ Rap has the potential to have a lasting positive affect on the listener. What can’t be ruled out is that Gangsta’ Rap is mostly street narratives, which are derived from truth in some way, shape, or form. If people are against the violent and destructive lyrics of Gangsta’ Rap, then banning or censoring the music is not the answer. The solution lies in quelling the violence and destruction in the neighborhoods and streets of America, especially urban America. It lies in creating space for everyone to have her or his voice heard and their issues addressed.

The young women and men of Hiphop have grown up in the time of violent action films, drug infested schools and neighborhoods, the ensuing war on drugs, explosion of the sex industry, the rise and prominence of street gangs, and militarization of the police. Is there any guess where this preoccupation with violence is rooted? Droves of people have come forth to report incidents of molestation, and yes even rape, by members of the clergy. In my lifetime I have known of more than a few religious congregations torn apart by their leaders stealing the tithes, telling lies, and sleeping with wives. These stories have had prominence in the news media. Yet, I don’t hear anyone advocating for the dissolution of religion, or any one religion, in America. Rap narrates the decay and destruction of the neighborhoods taking place in urban America because those stories are, many times, passed on by the mainstream news media.

According to those that malign Rap music, the inability to appreciate real music is the cause for our misguided love of Rap. They don’t see Rap as music; it is considered noise. Noise is an apt description for the issues that seem to always fall by the wayside when social, political and economic agendas are created. Noise is what your ears filter out when trying to hear what matters most to you. Yes, I would agree that Rap music is merely noise to the ears of those responsible for directing the social, economic and political agendas in America. In order to understand Generations X and Y all one has to do is retune their ears and hearts. The issues and concerns pertinent to today’s youth are in the noise just waiting to be heard.

For most of my life I have heard pundits and critics utter the line, “they rap because they can’t sing.” In some sense, I must agree with that stinging barb of shortsightedness. The Reagan era cuts to public funding are partially responsible for our inability to participate in the classical or mainstream forms of music appreciation and learning. These cutbacks in public programs adversely affected public schools. Combined with the massive unemployment and tied to trickle down economics, the drawbacks and cuts disproportionately affected the urban children and caused the dismantling of public school music programs, as well as other programs such as public recreation and summer youth employment.

Many urban youth were first introduced to music (history and appreciation) through the public schools systems. They presented historical and contemporary perspectives missing in radio and TV. These programs were crucial to providing a positive alternative for inner-city youth. When these programs were cut who was protesting, writing, and screaming for the rights of poor children? The middle class bourgeoisie had the money to pay for private lessons for their children. Thus affording them some of the separation so desperately needed for ascending the ladder of class.

Instead of denigration and criticism, Rap music (and Hiphop culture) should be given credit for keeping musical creativity alive in the urban areas. Rap should be applauded for providing the space for youthful creativity and expression to exist in an era of ‘go along to get along.’ Inner-city dreamers created a musical art form; using no instruments, they provided a way for the youth to maintain a connection to music.

The innovators of Rap created a viable, marketable, and profitable product complete with technological advances, where none had previously existed, using no more than their voice, Mom and Dad’s old records, turntables, mics, and their own life experiences. Most of all, they created space for their creativity, thoughts, and experiences to be shared, heard, and felt. In this world of ever-changing social, economic, and political alliances is there no room at the table for this voice to be heard? Can the leaders of our communities find no way to weave the messages of struggle, resistance, and success into the fabric of America?

2008-11-13T15:55:00.000-08:00

From the Ground Up! A Movement for New Leadership (written on 11/03/08)

As I sit in the Obama for America-San Diego headquarters, I am amazed by the constant crowd of people coming through the door. They are old and young, black, white, latino/a, asian, and every mix in between. There is no identifying factor, other than they support a Black American for one of the most prestigious leadership positions in the world, President of the United States. I had doubts until yesterday when I showed up here to 'help out'.

Sure, I saw all the rallies and speeches on TV. I even joined and volunteered in the early days of the campaign, leading the rally downtown to welcome Obama for his speech at the California Democratic San Diego. None of that and none of my work on other political campaigns could have prepared me for what I am witnessing today, nor yesterday. I can see the movement and let me tell you, it looks a lot different from the ground.

This really is a movement; people are talking about change in very tangible terms. Ending poverty, healthcare for all, and waging peace (as opposed to war) are just a few of the galvanizing topics that have people stepping out of their caves. People are using whatever means at their disposal to make a difference. From making calls to data entry to providing snacks to driving people to the polls, for the workers, each person is committed to making sure Barack Obama wins this election.

The Obama movement has restored hope in the promise of America and Barack Obama has given life to the dream that many of us, African-Americans or not, have had; that one day we, as ordinary people, can grow up and become president. This is bigger than one campaign, one man, or one american. This election is to restore hope in a nation that asked for the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses of the world. It is time for America to live up to its promise! YES WE CAN! VOTE BARACK OBAMA!

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

San Diego Slam Team Rises to Victory!

Last night in a small midwest town a small whisper turned into a loud roar. The San Diego Slam team let the world know that San Diego has something to say. In its first trip to the National Poetry Slam since 2001, the San Diego Slam Team enjoyed the sweet taste of victory in its first bout. Going up against very talented teams from Fayetteville, Montevallo, and Maui, the San Diego team performed four individual pieces.

With Ant Black kicking off the bout, he set the bar high, winning his round with a flawless delivery of "The Cuts." The team followed his lead, winning every round. In the second round Deacon Blair overcame the nervous jitters of a first-timer's performance in the national spotlight and performed "Mario Brothers", a brand new poem. Wowing the judges and the audience with a stellar performance of "Stars," Gill SOTU took the stage in the third round. Closing out the bout, Brian Debenedictis received the highest scores of the night for "Jack Your Mind Up."

The night was worthy of celebration and the team hooked up with the Hollywood Slam team, who placed second in their bout against NY-Urbana. It's been a good trip so far and last night made it even better. It was good for both teams to taste success in their first round bouts. Things are looking good for Southern California Poetry in Madison. Both teams are scheduled for their next bout on Thursday at 10 pm (central) and 8 pm on the left coast. Stay tuned for more updates.

2008-06-18T07:57:00.001-07:00

Cool Breeze

She’s like the wind
Gives me comforts with her cool breeze on the hottest days
Sweet smells of perfume and lovely tracks of her silky voice
She’s found her way into every piece of me
My ups and downs to my aimless thoughts and fooling around
Giving life with every breeze
With her I inhale confidence, spirit, and love
and exhale despair, loneliness, and doubt
I can do anything riding on her natural high
Taking me to places I’ve never been…all within me
I feel myself slipping back into the abyss of addiction
It pulls on every piece of me
Requiring more of me with each whisper of her presence
She’s in every breath I take
See what I mean…

She’s like the wind
Blowin in...then out of my life
But the wind don’t blow much around here no more
Y’all don’t know it but that’s a good thing
I still ain’t recovered from the last time she blew in
Flooding my state of mind like New Orleans streets
The day after Katrina
I wish I could have evacuated before she got here
But where would I go
My cousin Sam round the corner got it the same way
Same storm, same day
and he moved west to the next city
damn if he didn’t get it again
same pain, different day, different place
he moved back home lesson learned…you can’t hide
when she wants you…she'll find you
cuz she’s like the wind
blowin long and hard…in and out of my life
I can’t live with her and I can’t live without her

2008-06-06T10:10:00.000-07:00

It's Never Too Late for an IMPEACHMENT

Why is the congress so tolerant of Mr. Bush and his lies? It has been reported by several credible investigatory agencies that he and his cronies lied about Iraq and its nuclear weapons program. They lied about the illegal outting of Valerie Plame and they lied about 9/11. It seems like every time they open their [collective] mouth a lie can't help but jump out. The Bush administration's former mouth-piece, Scott McClellan, has just released his own tell all book on the illegal acts conducted in the White House by Bush staffers. Now we also have the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence report detailing the lies Bush and his less than able-minded aides told the world about Iraq to hype the war effort.

{The administration ignored facts that went against the case for the invasion.Just a week after President Bush’s former press secretary released a book blasting the administration for allegedly duping the American people and press into supporting an unprovoked war against Iraq, a report by the U.S. Senate made similar conclusions. The 170-page report, which garnered bipartisan support, found that Bush officials exaggerated intelligence and buried any findings that undermined their single-minded push to invade Iraq. They also ignored feuds among the spy agencies over inconsistencies regarding Iraq’s weapons programs and Saddam Hussein’s ties to al-Qaeda. The report, released Thursday, represents a half-decade of investigations by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence into information leading up to the March 16, 2003 invasion According to the report, many of the president’s top political guns overstated the Iraqi threat to pump up the American people for war following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. “The president and his advisers undertook a relentless public campaign in the aftermath of the attacks to use the war against Al Qaeda as a justification for overthrowing Saddam Hussein,” Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, the West Virginia Democrat who is chairman of the intelligence panel, said a statement accompanying the report. In an interview on MSNBC last night, Richard Clark, Bush’s former counterintelligence adviser, said, “In other words, they made things up … gave them to Colin Powell. I don’t think Colin Powell knew they were lies, but they were “Four years too late these facts were wrong. …They made things up.”} taken from BET.com News

2008-06-05T16:00:00.000-07:00

A Fall From Grace

So, I have been thinking and reflecting on the whole Rev. Wright situation for awhile. I have been trying to get to the root of my bewilderment at America's reaction to his 'volatile' words, which were merely truth wrapped in passion and prophetic praxis. For over 200 years the Black church 'movement' in America has partnered in the struggle against oppression.

The very first Black church in America (First African Baptist Church established in 1788), and Black churches since then, worked against slavery, opposed Jim Crow, and actively participated in the Civil Rights Movement. Black Christians, among others, were attacked by dogs, fire hoses, and nightsticks. Black Christians and their preachers marched on Selma, Montgomery, and Washington, DC, as well as other acts of civil disobedience. The most charismatic advocate of peace, civil and human rights, and social justice in American history was a product of the Black church. This praxis of faith, prophecy, and grace espoused by preachers and theologians such as Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Jeremiah Wright, Cornel West, and James H. Cone is also known as Black Liberation Theology.

It just seems odd to me that America is surprised by the emotion and spirit of men who have pledged to do God’s work on earth, fighting evil. Let’s not forget that most of these men have had first-hand knowledge and experience of oppression and racism in America. Oppression is an evil and all Christians should be on the side of the oppressed…God is.

Anyway, just when I came to grips with the whole Rev. Wright affair, along comes Fr. Michael Pfleger and his sermon at, guess where...Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. That’s right, the same church of the infamous Rev. Wright and Sen. Barack Obama. At first glance this may seem innocuous; a white Catholic priest and senior pastor of St. Sabina parish in Chicago speaking at a historically Black church. This is an attempt to move Trinity church back into the mainstream after the Rev. Wright debacle…not!

What you don’t know is for 27 years Fr. Pfleger has been preaching at a predominantly Black church. Saint Sabina Catholic Church is in a historically Black neighborhood in Chicago and his parishioners affectionately refer to him as ‘blue-eyed Black soul’. This man has been an advocate of social justice for most of his life and career with the Catholic Church. He is well known in and around Chicago for his social activism and has worked with many prominent activists of our time: Jesse Jackson, Cornel West, and even the Hon. Minister Louis Farrakhan, to name a few. This man has studied the Bible and used his life to work in the trenches for God’s prophecy . He gets it…

So, during his sermon (you can check it out on my blog page to the right) at Trinity church, he was preaching (yes, he can preach) about the impact of White supremacy and racial oppression on today’s generations. His sermon focused on White folk’s responsibility to own up to their privilege and work to dismantle the system of oppression. He was not in anyway saying that Hillary Clinton was a bad person. He was using her actions and statements during the campaign to illustrate an extreme reaction out of a sense of entitlement, as it relates to White privilege. He was on point in theory, although his delivery may have been a little too radical for liberal mainstream media (if such a monster still exists). Unfortunately, mainstream White Americans don’t want to be reminded of their privilege, and most certainly don’t want to be called out on it. Even worse are the Blacks in collusion with those liberals; the Blacks who want to maintain their purse-string relationships.

It is a very awkward situation, to say the least, for Sen. Obama. As a result of the latest turbulent event, combined with the Rev. Wright situation, he decided to leave the church which sparked his Christian life. If you listen to the media, they report that he could no longer associate himself with such wayward goings-on. While I think there was some drag on his campaign, in no way did it stick. People are not as dumb as the media would have them be. While they may have been able to lay Rev. Wright at Sen. Obama’s doorstep, there is no way they could push Fr. Pfleger on him. Simply because he is a White man.

If you read Sen. Obama’s statement, you will see that what he did, he did mostly for Trinity United Church of Christ. He felt that his campaign was bringing far too much scrutiny to the church and was a great hindrance to their mission. While he may disagree with the delivery, his exact words, “I'm not denouncing the church and I'm not interested in people who want me to denounce the church. It is not a church worthy of denouncing," indicate that he is not upset or in complete disagreement with the principles espoused in the church. He also goes on to say, "Rev. Moss and the church have been suffering from the attention my campaign has visited on them.” It appears that his motivation is to allow the church to continue doing its work in social justice and activism that attracted him in the first place.

We all knew that the first serious Black candidate would have to give up some of his or her ‘Blackness’ to make it to the White House. Let’s pray that by letting go of his church, he can claim the prize and effect greater change. Then the next one won’t have to sacrifice as much. In the end I just hope Sen. Barack Obama doesn’t have to change his name to some Americanized moniker like ummm…Clarence Thomas.

2008-05-19T08:50:00.000-07:00

A Little Change

He asked me if I could spare a little change
As I stood there shaking my head no
I thought I could use a lot of change
Change like I heard three poets talking about
Not the kinda change that comes from breaking down dollars into 4 quarters
I decided to give up my briefcase
Let me tell you how much it meant to me
My life couldn’t have been better
But the strain of the 9 to 5 had started taking a toll on me
The drag of fake friendships, business partnerships, and home ownership
You know the corporate life
Good job, great credit, pretty wife, and a freaky chick on the side
After listening to this homeless guy
I decided I could spare a little change
I dropped the 9 to 5
Went home to love my wife
Helped my kids with their homework
I realized that a little change could make a big difference

So now I’m here asking you
sista can you spare a little change?
What about it brah…can you spare a little change
Mothers can you spare a little change
Become the heart and soul of your family
Set an example for the little girls
Teach your sons how to love their baby mamas
Fathers can you spare a little change
Start living out your Godly duties
Take care of your families
Teach the boys how to be strong and sensitive men
Show the girls how a real man loves, respects, and uplifts all women
The smallest change in theses kids lives will make the biggest difference in our communities

I am begging you all for a little change
Lives are being lost everyday
I asked the president for a little change
Try making peace not war bring a change
Order the troops to drop knowledge not bombs
Change our young soldiers patrolling urban battle scenes
To streets filled with Iraqi people celebrating one year of peace
Mr. President please end the wars right here on our streets
Gang violence, domestic violence, and drug dealing
Our kids need real education the same way Iraqis need peace
A little change can mean the difference between life and death

Can I spare a little change
I look around and all I see is war torn nations
I see kids led astray with false promises
Big money if they can rap or dunk
Parents working on jobs that ran out of hope a long time ago
Government taking away more and more everyday
Giving democracy to people who don’t want it
Yes…I think I can spare a little change
Can you spare a little change
If we all could spare just a little change
We just might make this world a better place...

And then I realized he was still standing there
He said do you have any money?

HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT…

2008-05-15T14:35:00.000-07:00

Preview from the June 2008 issue of Rock & Rap Confidential

HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT…
by Danny Alexander, Associate Editor

“Hip-hop needs to find the next subject. Politics and social stuff—those are going to be the next real subjects groups get into.”—George Clinton, Detroit Free Press, summer 2007

Too many in the hip hop audience accept the big lie promoted by opportunist preachers and politicians that hip-hop is only about madness and misogyny. The truth is very different. There are many, many hip-hop songs reaching millions of people which carry a message of unity, songs whose protests and promise promote a vision of a world without war, poverty, and racism. The truth here should set us free, free of false divisions between mainstream and underground, between bling bling and backpack.

Let us know what we've missed.

"Black and Brown," Xzibit—"80% of inmates are black and Hispanic/They're trying to wipe us off of this planet/Dammit….That's why we've got to sit down/And talk about the black and the brown." A love song to brothers thrown against brothers in Los Angeles, nationwide and worldwide, with a dream of what could happen if we learned to focus on our real enemy.

"Concrete Jungle," Jim Jones, featuring Max B, Rell, Dr. Ben Chavis and Noe—There's power to Jones's shout out to his "political soldiers" behind bars—without romanticizing the streets, he’s dreaming of the world that can come out of making the culture of those streets work for us.

"Do Your Time," Ludacris with Beanie Siegel and C-Murder—A roll call of friends and loved ones locked down by a justice system "fucked up," bolstered by details of life behind bars, suggestions for how to support these brothers and sisters and contemplating what MLK would think of how far we have to go.

"Georgia Bush," Lil' Wayne—Sums up the first year after Katrina, calling the President out for ongoing genocide. A sample of Ray Charles's "Georgia" not only emasculates the president but restores the power of that refrain free of nostalgia.

"Ghetto, Arab Remix," Ali B featuring Yes-R & Akon—This call for worldwide unity features Morrocan rappers Ali-B and Yes-R joined by R&B singer Akon, who has his own roots both in St. Louis and West Africa.

For the full listing please check out the June edition of Rock & Rap Confidential at www.rockrap.com.

Once Again

2008-05-15T08:03:00.000-07:00

What people should really be asking about Rev. Jeremiah Wright is why this man alone represents Sen. Obama real nature? If Sen. Obama really is a Black man bent on revenge against Whites, did his grandmother, a woman who used the n-word in his presence to refer to blacks, contribute to his secret mission of revenge? What about his white uncles, aunts, cousins, and family friends, the ones who distanced themselves from his mother for marrying a Black man? What is the basis for Sen. Obama's crazy scheme to defraud White America and get some payback? This sounds a lot like the plot for the modern day version of the movie "Birth of A Nation.

How is it that a black man can go from being one of the most popular men in America to the most feared presidential candidate ever, based on the beliefs of another person? Bill Clinton has made some major snafu's during Hillary Clinton's campaign. She is not blamed for his antics and they are married (a much tighter connection than pastor and church member). They are more likely to agree on issues and politics than Obama and Wright. All the white media needed was a reason to paint Barack Obama as an angry black man bent on revenge and doing harm to the white establishment. "They couldn't do it based on his record and history, so they got a stunt double, Rev. Wright.

On another note, how is it that one black man (Rev. Wright) can be blamed for embarrassing a whole race of people? That sounds a lot like stereotyping...come on people, don't let them use the same dirty tricks to get us to turn on each other. Rev. Wright has the freedom(???) to believe anything he wants and it should not be assumed that any or all black people agree with him, especially because they attended his church or share his skin tone.

The right wing has done a great job, with the assistance of Hilary Clinton, of painting Sen. Obama as a man that does not care about poor and working class people. They have done so well that people are suggesting that he select Sen. John Edwards as his running mate (Vice-President). They claim that Sen. Edwards can provide a connection to the poor and working class voters for the campaign. This is laughable! Sen Obama spent many, many years of his life as an organizer in Chicago fighting against hunger, homelessness, and poverty. He is more connected to the poor and working class than any of the other candidates combined.

At the end of the day, it is no surprise to me that we are at this stage of the campaign cycle. Sen. Obama is a pioneer and is charting new terrain for people of color in America and the 1st world political order. The tactics,tricks, and lies being used to deny him the presidency are as old as slavery and Jim Crow; it is nothing new to Black folks. The same deceit was used to keep Black men from becoming superviser, manager, and CEO. It is the 'Glass Ceiling' of the highest order. No, unlike most Americans, I have not seen any evidence that America is ready for a Black man to rise to the level of power that makes him the ultimate 'decider'.

Anyone who cannot see the racism in this situation is blind or dumb (or both)!