To the Beat

Have you ever felt an energy so strong amongst a group of strangers so strong you felt as if you've met these people in a previous life? "No" ok well that's how I felt outside of the Vogue Saturday night for a head to head battle of the beats...literally. About fifty of us waited outside some spectators and some producers, but we were all there for a common reason : The love of music... I've been a music head ever since my mom used to throw impromptu basement parties in the projects laced with  LL Cool J and Public Enemy. I didn't understand the words at the time but, the first time I heard "Bad" I was in love.

Producers provide the canvas and artists get the paintbrush, but at this particular event only the canvas was being judged, a first experience for me but I was geeked. Most of the local artists I'm used to seeing out were there, lots of girls in short skirts, Unique faces and just an all around blend of straight music lovers. The atmosphere was just so dope.

The opening act came out and belted out a colossal tyrannosaurus rex roar , to warm us up performed some hot shit and  then the emcee got down to business. The producers took turns going trumpets and samples  to  snares and bassline for about ten minutes before judges quickly decided who was advancing  and who had to go back to the lab. I liked this type of bracket choosing because I don't favor sports but it was easy for me to pick the winner here, where I knew something about the "sport"

The night went on with catchy pop style beats and conscious "Ab-Soul'ish" type beats. With each spin  the tracks were getting more dynamic, they were breaking out the big guns! Ultimately the mad scientist looking producer MenDog, I had picked in round one took the crown. I loved the energy, the sportsmanship and the overall experience of seeing passion on display like that, that was my first and wont be my last battle of the beats.

Gold Bird

The Detox

In order for love to grow it has to first be planted. I see and feel so much its almost like a curse, I can see the hurt , pain and misunderstanding in people's eyes. Its my "superpower". What this world is severely lacking is love, and not the kind you think you know. Real love requires compassion and understanding of differences but still being accepting. People don't and cant have that because of ridiculous things that divide us. When you sow a seed of hate and constant turmoil, your garden can't grow and be fruitful. Your garden is your heart.

The cloud of heartache looming over this world of confusion , division and hatred for people dying to live is something I didn't think I'd ever have to experience. You would think after all these years some peace and harmony would be wanted and needed from an entire civilization who have and always will have to SHARE this planet, its no ones in particular were all just visiting, so why be so fucking selfish about it? It really is a big place.  

The world is numb. The people are the zombies and the human race should be ashamed, the way we live so wastefully and hateful. The real animals on earth kill only for survival, the made animals (humans) kill for nothing. The world has been around for who knows how long , because no one really knows , and we still haven't gotten it right, made all of these technological advances and still haven't figured out how to coexist with each other. The only race that really has the power to change everything ;does nothing.

The things that are being taught to the youth and coming generations are so fucked up. Half of these kids don't even know how to fight, let alone survive. But I bet they can twerk like nobodies business or put together a dope ass outfit. The old are supposed to teach the young, and the misinformation that they are receiving will be the standard for life in the future, let that shit sink in America.

Gold Bird

In Plain Sight

I often ask people why they're glad to be an American and the most popular  answer is, "Because I'm free."  That couldn't be more wrong.  Just because certain liberties and freedoms that you may presume to be privileges haven't been stripped away from you doesn't mean we have it better. The same things people fear like wearing burkas or population control goes down here too, just in different forms. Or slightly similar ones. You get chided in America for  wearing certain things and there is DEFINITELY population going on, just because they aren't out in the open with it like in China does not mean it isn't happening.

I've never actually enjoyed being an American, never felt any real connection to this place. Although I've never lived in another country I have never felt welcomed here. People often forget their history or don't even bother to know it. I knew something wasn't right when they didn't want me to read. As a a little black girl that enjoyed reading and going to new and far away lands through paper and ink, I couldn't understand why they didn't want me to have that opportunity. So I read as much and as fast as I could to try to figure out what they didn't want me to know. I came across the Willie Lynch letter on my own around nine. I couldn't believe people felt like that about other people, why would you want people to behave like that? Break families apart like that? 

Fast forward twenty years. Black people killing each other over the dumbest shit imaginable, Babies being killed in the streets and watching it all unfold before your eyes because of the information super highway  is mind boggling. The Ferguson situation right now is fukking terrifying, just seeing despairty of the people. The force and practices of law enFORCEment are showing us what martial law is going to look like. We are all watching and subconsciously and psychologically being conditioned for this shit. Ferguson is a prerequisite to what America is about to go through. Seeing what will make people mad, in what areas, how militant are the civilians so we know how much and what they can handle.

I know people will say "Well the blacks are killing the blacks TOO!" so I guess that makes it ok for a police to drop a kid in the street because he was embarrassed? Nah. I worry  about the future. I'm an optimistic realist so I want things to get better for this angry ass world but not everybody feels like I do.

Gold Bird