Tag Archives: BLOG LIFE

GUNS IN AMERICA PT.1


Posted by bloglife

(FROM CHICAGO TO SANDY HOOK)

I can remember very clearly the first time I laid my hands on a gun. I can still feel the immediate sense of power and electricity that surge from my hands to my brain. I couldn’t have been a day older then 7 or 8, snooping around 1 of my uncle’s bedrooms while he was babysitting me. It was a small pistol and considering the time frame, probably a “Saturday night special” made popular by “street cats” in the mid 70’s, Popular because they were very cheap and very available. When I first saw it, I thought it was a toy, because I HAD toys that looked like a carbon copy of the very gun I held in my immature hands. I did what most kids who’ve never held a gun do… Pointed the barrel towards my face and click… and then I pulled the trigger again and again, click… It was in that moment, that I became scared.

This thing was different from my “toy guns”. It was heavier and colder and in my naiveté, broke! What I didn’t know was that it was not ‘broken’, but actually, and luckily for me, unloaded. Daam, when I think about it now, that could’ve been a wrap for me! I threw the “broken hunk of metal” back in the drawer I took it from, and bounced before I was caught and got my ass whooped. True, it frightened me, but it also kept a curiosity in me alive, born the very first time I saw gun violence on the television. I didn’t need to wait to see it on T.V. though. No, it was right there for me as soon as I left the safety of my mother’s apartment. I used to collect bullet casings from out of the gutters in the wicked streets of Brooklyn, NY. My buddy’s and I would throw them at each other pretending they were real when we played “cops and robbers”.

I saw a man murdered, shot in the head for his boom box one night while sitting on my terrace. I watched the police, then the coroner, come and pick him up and take his lifeless body away. I listened as the “ol-heads” from the block talk about how that “boy got his head blown off for a goddam radio…” In that same apartment building, a whole family of Columbians were murdered inn an apparent drug deal gone wrong. I got off the elevator one day to visit my cousins who lived in the building and was overwhelmed by the smell of “death”. If you’ve never smelled it you cannot fathom what I mean. I don’t remember how many people were killed but I do recall they were shot, and all of this happening before the age of 13.
AS time passed I began to lose friend after friend leading up to the untimely deaths of my comrades Tupac and Yafeu. Prior to that, my older brother’s dad was even shot, but survived. I say this to say Gun violence is something I know all to well. From an Uncle that I never got a chance to meet to rapper Rick Ross’s Rolls Royce being shot up recently, murder from the barrel of a gun is as familiar to me as the palms of my hands.

Now that was some of my beginning, but lets go all the way back, back to the origins of Guns. That would mean we’d have to travel to China in the 12 century. 3 centuries prior, they invented gunpowder. They started as mini cannon’s, then traveled west, being improved along the way. The Native Americans’ knew nothing of such a weapon and this resulted in them being slaughtered by the thousands, in the name of advancement or exploration by the time the 17th century rolled around. Killing someone became a lot easier and cleaner because of this invention. Our “fore-fathers” knew the importance of the instrument; so much so, it’s the second amendment right after the freedom of speech, assembly, and religion! I won’t even get into the fact that it was only permissible for whites and a “slave’, even a freed black person could be hung if caught with one.

I always felt it was a certain karma that came with firearms, especially when it came to The United States of America. In my opinion this is the exact reason country seems to be the nation who has the biggest issue with them. We out paste most 3RD WORLD countries and “Super powers” in murders per capita. Has anyone wondered why there are so many guns in this country in the first place?
Here are some stats I found that were interesting to me:
Gun Ownership
• The US has an estimated 283 million guns in civilian hands
• Each year about 4.5 million firearms, including approximately 2 million handguns, are sold in the
United States
• An estimated 2 million second hand firearms are sold each year
• The percentage of American households with a gun has been steadily declining high of 54% in
1977 to 33% in 2009
• The average number of guns per owner has increased from 4.1 in 1994 to 6.9 in 2004. Sources:
Injury Prevention 2007; ATF 2000; National Opinion Research Center 2008; Pew Research Center 2009
Gun Deaths: firearms each year in this country More than 30 people are shot and murdered
each day kill More than 30,000 people
1/2 of them are between the ages of 18 and 35
1/3 of them are under the age of 20 Homicide is the second leading cause of death among 15‐24
year‐olds And the primary cause of death among African Americans of that age group
Gun Homicides average annually: Less than 50: Japan Less than 150: Germany, Italy, France,
etc. Less than 200: Canada More than 10,000: USA Source: IANSA International Action
Network on Small Arms of the United Nations

Other countries have citizens who use there right to “bear arms” freely, but as you can see, don’t come close to the U.S. in the amount of deaths from guns. Recently while watching the news, I was amazed at the mile long line of willing participants in L.A.’s “gun buy back program”. Essentially, you can bring you firearm back (to the police); sell it, no questions asked. Of course in these desperate economic times, people were more than willing to give up a couple of their weapons for cold hard cash. Conspiracy theorist cry out “the government wants guns out of the peoples hands, so they can enact Marshall law!” Could there be some truth to that? If so, a gun buy back program is one way to do it, but with over 300 million guns in this country, it would take a hundred years to do this successfully…
After Sandy Hook, there was an outcry for tougher gun laws. Add that with what happened in Colorado this summer and we now have full fledge hysteria! These tragedies stand out because of the amount of casualties that occurred in one setting… But everyday in this great nation’s middle, the city that gave us Obama “the politician”, people are dying in numbers that resemble a small war…

TO BE CONTINUED…

SALUTE.


TODAY’S MARKETING AND PROMOTION


Posted by bloglife

(HOW AND WHY “THEY” GET YOUR MONEY)

DEAR POPEYES CHICKEN,

I HATE YOU MUFUCKAZ!

YOUR’S TRULY

EDIDON

I had to y’all. For those of you who still eat that garbage, don’t take it personal. I to had a love affair with the tasty but unhealthy fast food chicken chain. I remember when they first came on the scene. Being a lil kid in Brooklyn NY, I would pester my mother relentlessly to one day take us there, I naively assumed that my favorite cartoon CHARACTER at the time had ingeniously started selling chicken and I would have to check it out, ASAP! But I do remember thinking “If this is POPEYE’S chicken, how come they don’t sell any spinach?” Wasn’t the wonderful vegetable packed with nutrients essential to healthy living, the very thing Popeye used to kick Brutus’s ass and get his chick, Olive Oil back in almost every episode? “Well why don’t they have any, Ma” I asked. She responded that it wasn’t the same as the cartoon; they just used the name to sell it to us. That was my first experience with direct Marketing and Promotion.

I dislike Popeye’s not only because they sell unhealthy, cheap food, mostly in poor economic areas, but also those horrendouscommercials. We’ve all seen em, for example, the 1 with the older BLACK lady, who wants you to believe she is in every location, somewhere in the back, happily “fryin up some chicken, FOR yall” I’ve done the research and we are not the originators of “Fried Chicken” even though, Historically we (blacks) are considered to be. For the record, Popeyes was started by Al Copeland, a white guy from Louisiana, who also bought Church’s Chicken in 1982. Which brings me to 2012-13. An era that is dominated by hip-hop, not because we sell the most records, that hasn’t happened since 2001, but because we “the hip-hop generation” consume the most! Most records now a days are nothing short of commercials. With your favorite rapper proudly boasting about what he has and buys, while throwing it back into your face that you can’t and probably never will be able to afford any of it.

The major corporations began taking notice in the 80’s. RUNDMC famously made 20,000 people hold up their ADDIDAS in Madison Square Garden and it was officially on and poppin. It took time though and there was some resistance. Timberland let it be known they didn’t give a daam how many “rappers” flaunted and named dropped the boot company they were not made for “us” and didn’t want to be associated with hip-hop publically, but didn’t mind the boost in profits for the fledgling corp. Cristal Champagne dissed us to! After rappers started making real money and hanging with Hollywood stars, they began to get a taste of what the wealthy enjoy. Street cats with large amounts of cash to blow in clubs too were hip to the fancy, sweet tasting drink. But it was the rappers that made it famous to “us”, the consumer.Did Cristal thank us? NO. Jay-Z, a smart dude, began to take notice. He saw the power in his own lyrics and how what HE endorsed could sway his listeners one way or another. Steve Stout, who some of you may remember was cracked in the head by Puffy with a Cristal bottle! (say word,), some years back, is now the liaison between Big Corp USA and the hip-hop world. Him and Jay work together on a number of Ad deals, including Budweiser beer. I can’t knock the hustle (no pun) one bit. He has the Nets thing poppin too. You couldn’t write a better story. Local kid, blows up in the rap world, comes back, and brings an NBA team a few short blocks from the very projects he grew up and sold drugs in. The 4040 clubs, the list goes on. He owns none of them is the face we identify with, so they pay him well. Even Ice Cube, the hardcore political gangsta rapper, now has a deal with Coors beer.Rappers have essentially said, “If you can’t beat em, join em.” Cut me a check. Ciroc is not owned by Puffy, he has a share in the profits, which now have skyrocketed 500% since he got involved a few years ago.

Dr.Dre topped the Forbes list this year, without dropping one record anybody cared about due to the deal he made with Beats By Dre headphones and HTC. Most music videos are sly advertising tools, with product placement throughout. If you see a bottle of liquor deliberately displayed, somebody got a check. But your not getting a dime, in-fact you’re spending hard earned cash, for cds, mp3s, concertsetc.… Can we blame them though? We, the people, are too easily accepting and dismissive of the messages being sent to our children and us. Rappers are capitalist and it takes money to maintain the lifestyles they brag about. Bills got to be paid. All it takes is one MC to name drop on one of his hits, and people run to the mall or the bar and spend money they don’t have to feel like their “in”, or validated. Sure, it’s your paper, spend it how you may. But while you copping them new Js for 250$, ask yourself, do you really like the high priced sneaker? Or did somebody tell you, you liked them.

SALUTE.

P.S. CHECKOUT SOUNDCLOUD.COM/BEATZBYEDI FOR NEW BEATS ON SALE AND EXCLUSIVES FROM “THE HOPE DEALER” ALBUM BY EDIDON DROPPING IN 2013.


RELATIONSHIPS 101 (LUST OR LOVE?)


Posted by bloglife

If u break down the word “relationship” you have two words combining to make 1. Relate and ship. Two people must “relate” to hop aboard that “ship” to understanding and over-all happiness and bliss. Communication is essential to accomplish this. Now I’m no expert on relationships. I have had my fair share of failed unions. Recently divorced, I’ve been guilty of cheating and being somewhat difficult to live with, not communicating my “real feelings” etc. I realized, through trial and error that my former lovers and me did not relate to each other unless it was sexual. I was a typical man, focused purely on the physical and never giving any time to the inner unless I was “in her”! There is a saying that goes “men are from mars and woman are from Venus.” There are a plethora of books out there teaching us men how to better “relate” to the complex creature we call a female. But honestly, in my opinion, a book can only give you some hints or maybe an idea or two. Every person is different. What makes “her” tick might make “her” sick, and vice versa. A lot of what we as men do to attract woman, is closely related to our pockets. Most men feel as though, now days, a woman isn’t interested in a guy with “financial issues”. “Romance without finance is a nuisance…” is how I heard it as a youngster. In some cases it is 100% true. Lets be real ladies! I will say in defense of the ladies though, they are far less superficial then us dudes. Men are visual. If his lady isn’t visually appealing, then he does not feel proud when he’s around his homies and won’t bring her around, opting to save his attention and affection for those behind closed-door moments. This being the case, we now have an epidemic of artificial breast, ass-shots, facelifts, tummy tucks, weaves… I can go on and on but you get the photo, I’m sure. The ladies feel an overwhelming amount a pressure to look as good as can be to catch a mans eye.
Over 50% of marriages end in divorce these days. I’ve spoke on ‘marriage” before in previous blogs, so you may know how I feel on that subject. Here’s another statistic for you, civil unions or better put “marriages with out the ring or paper work” have been known to last longer than the traditional option.
It’s a bitch (no pun intended) to find love being an artist. You never know who’s really down for you or on they come up and you are their latter. Ladies have a difficult time trusting famous men, because of the readily available pussy that surrounds us. Sex, drugs and Rock and Roll is a true description of “this thing of ours”, so can you blame them. It takes a strong man and an even stronger woman to maintain a solid bond under the brightest glare of fame and money.

Love and Hip-Hop ATL was a huge hit for VH1 this year, ratings out the roof week after week. Now sure Stevie J was the most talked about “character” from the show. Yet it was the “relationships” of all that were involved that held viewers captivated. We all like to see others go through something similar to the things we deal with in life. Sex, emotions, insecurities, egos, lies, truths, and a whole list of other things make up the gumbo called “love”. It ain’t easy but it’s worth it, if you want it. Most of the time it’s as simple as just being honest you’re your significant other about your wants and needs. Remembering that none of us are perfect and there’s always room for improvement can help you out on those rough days when you feel like walking away is easier than another argument. Also every relationship you have may not be the “1”. You may have a few bumps in the road on you way to meeting your “soul mate”. There’s someone for everyone. You are what you attract, so if you keep running into asshole men or scandalous woman,

Well…

SALUTE.

P.S. NEW MUSIC FROM EDIDON THIS MONDAY AT MIDNITE OFF THE OUTLAW NATION MIXTAPE dropping OCTOBER 15!

WWW.O-4-L.COM EDIDON Exclusive Interview #2


VIRTUAL REALITY (NO, REALLY….)


Posted by bloglife

Sup People, long time no talk to! Ya boy has been busy dealing with life and all it’s wonderful interruptions. Honestly, I took some time off to kick it with family and friends, something I was failing at, miserably. We tend to get caught up in the rat race and forget the things (people) that are REALLY important. In the midst of all this, I made some observations, one of which I want to bring to everyone’s attention. OUR CELLPHONES, COMPUTERS etc., ARE A BY-PRODUCT OF THE DEVIL HIMSELF!!! If you decide to keep reading after that inflammatory statement then there’s hope for you. (lol) Of course I don’t mean it literally, but the seriously, we as a society are in trouble and here’s why. One day I was out with the fam having dinner at a local Red Lobster when I looked around and noticed everyone in the joint had cell phones or some sort of electronica gadget in there hands. No one was even talking to each other! Couples, families of 3 or more, sitting together but paying each other no attention, except to place their orders or to say “Past the ketchup…” I mean, even the little kids had their own phones or I pads too. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Now, I’m sure some of you have seen this before, but just never paid any attention to it. Some may say it’s the wave of the future and we are powerless to the natural progression of this world we live in.The problem with that is, technology advances faster than man. We as humans cannot compete with evolution, in my opinion. Social media has replaced the conversation. We would rather text, tweet, or “inbox” more than ever. How many phone numbers do you know by heart? If you didn’t have your cell or computers, how would you communicate with your loved ones? When’s the last time you’ve written a letter, with your hands! I am planning to write the homie Buck over the next few months while he is doing his bid, (Prison sentence, squares!) and I’m wondering if he will even be able to understand my depleting hand writing skills. SMH. Repeatedly, over the last view years I have observed couples out on dates, both on their phones totally ignoring the other. I stop and think, “What the hell is their sex life like?” Are they tweetin while they screwin?“I’m Wearin @So-and-so’s thang out right now!” And she retweetin it! Man that’s some sad shit! I feel Facebook ruined it with the timeline and pictures. Now any idiot can post, whether its true or not, what he’s up too. Women steal other women’s avi pictures and use them as their own! Fellas, How many of yall have bagged a chick on Facebook, looking at her pix like “DAAM, MS PARKER!” (Smokey voice), only to meet up in person and she’s 3 inches shorter and 12 inches wider! Ladies, I’m sure some loser miss-represented himself to you too and is currently cyber stalking you as we speak. Every rapper and his mama are constantly attacking you with their latest smash (this one included!) via social networks. After you fight through them, spam will invade like the Nazis did London in the 40’s. Shit is real son. Instagram, for some is the newest form of computer crack to hit the virtual streets. Every-fuckin-body is takin pictures and shit. I mean “Ma how MANY angles you gon give us of that fake ass booty of yours?” (THATS A WHOLE ‘NOTHER BLOG!) I’m not “liking” every goddaam picture you post, I’m sorry! And what the hell happened to MySpace? That shit disappeared faster then those fugazi all-clear air-force 1’s that came out a few years ago. Will FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM, go out the same way? We should all be so lucky. Maybe we would get back to actually interacting with each other like back in the old days, the 90’s! Remember the 90’s? Before the Internet. Historians will refer to that time like they do the “Before Christ” era. BC. Now it’s BTI. Before The Internet. Things Done Changed…
Word to Biggie.

SALUTE.

P.S. STAY FOCUSED.


INDEPENDENCE DAY (R U STILL DOWN?)


Posted by bloglife

in•de•pend•ent/ˌindəˈpendənt/
Adjective:
Free from outside control; not depending on another’s authority.

If you take the word “Independent” literally, using the Webster’s dictionary version, this country should not be celebrating at all right now!!! First, a lot of y’all will be to busy shoving burgers and shit down ya throats to even read this today. The rest will read that first line and surmise that I’m a kill joy and keep it movin to Porn Hub or something (lol). Anyway, I would not make a statement like that and not have any proof to back up my opinion, which I see to be fact. I mean, Just look at how much we depend on other nations for our survival and luxury. You wanna drive? Our gas comes from where? Duh… Shit we owe China so much bread, they could evict us from our own country, just like these crooked banks do to Americans daily! Independent? Stop it. This countries very work force is comprised, mostly of our primos from south of the border. If they got together under one common belief and decided to go on strike, they could bring America to her knees and make her “take it to the head”. The whole world depends on each other, and it’s becoming more obvious everyday. When I watch the news and they get to the economic portion, I’m always a little perplexed when I hear that the NASDAC is down because the NIKKEL is down way over in Japan, or vice versa. So how are we Independent? I’m sure the founding fathers felt good signing the Declaration in August 1776. Yeah August, Drafted in July, wasn’t exactly signed by all 13 colonies until a month later. The great state of New York was the last to sign.On paper, no pun intended, it’s a great concept. Freedom to worship, carry yablammers, say what you want, so on and so on. We were now Free from Great Britain, the over bearing and controlling mother. Truth is, back then it really balled down to one thing and one thing only. MONEY. Britain wanted to raise taxes, we weren’t with it, they also undercut us on some Tea revenue leading us to the “Boston Tea Party” and the rest is history you fell asleep on in the 9th grade. Still, they had to fight a war that lasted 5 years (American Revolution). Eventually America would win, but not without the help of the French! Independent? We all know nothing in life is free. What did we owe France for helping us out? I don’t write this shit to be a party pooper. No, this is just to start a trend of going beyond the surface of what has been fed to us all of our lives. The Fourth of July is another, in the long list of bullshit holidays, force fed to us until we regurgitate. The U.S.A is not independent because it’s Congress is controlled by money wielding lobbyist that make it rain on politicians like rappers do strippers. These lobbyers are often paid stooped money by big Corporations to push a specific agenda that more than likely has nothing to do with you and I. Realistically speaking, if weren’t for the fact that we spend 10 times as much on military as the next 26 countries combined (all of em happen to be our allies, go figure…) we’d be an occupied territory along time ago. So here’s to the troops who lay it on the line for our “freedom” everyday…

SALUTE.


TUPAC AMARU SHAKUR


Posted by bloglife

People always ask me “what was 2pac like?” I usually tell em “We don’t have enough time to really do him any justice, So…” Then they usually give me a look like…”Whatever, asshole…” (LOL!) It’s not that I’m trying to be rude, but it’s such a broad question, that for me to really answer it, truthfully, I would have to break down a person that @ 25 had more layers to him than an onion! Had done more than most will do in a lifetime and did it in a span of about 5-7 years, roughly. Had and still does, influence generation after generation of rappers with this body of works. More than just some rapper, dude is a movement still in motion. Literally, has given birth to numerous careers, accidentally. Niggaz owe his moms, A revolutionary in her own right, racks on racks on racks… SO as we embark on his 41st birthday, of course the phone rings a little more this time of year. Promoters wanna book the typical “Happy Birthday 2pac bday bash parties/shows.” Journalist call to do the “In memory of Tupac interviews…etc” Dj’s will make mixtapes of his music for die hards to buy, even though they already have these songs. Fake friends of the man will spark up blunts and pour out liquor, all claiming love for their “nigga.” Ever the “prophet” he said this very thing would happen to him. He would say “When Nat Turner died, the slave masters feared him so much they chopped his body up into as many pieces as possible and sold him as soap and other house hold products! They gonna do me like that too!” Cats take bits and pieces of Pac everyday, whether its with a quote of some of his lyrics or a bogus project “dedicated” in his memory, or during some VH1 “Behind The Music” interview littered with inaccuracies and blatant lies. Quick question for some of these artist “If your so great, why cant you tell your story minus 2pac? Oh yea not much of a story then, huh?” Sad.

“STREETZ CAN’T LET EM GO!” I said this on the GMIX version of “2PAC BACK” we dropped a year ago. I was actually, somewhat incorrect, because the WORLD can’t AND hasn’t since that dreadful September 13th day we all despise. I’m always amazed when Pac’s name pops up in some new rappers rhymes, still to this day. The irony is that he didn’t fell appreciated, musically, right up until the day he passed. He worked like a cat tryin to get in the game instead of someone, who at the time, was King on top of the hill to many. Recently, Dr.Dre did a historic concert at Coachella that drew ohhs and ahhs worldwide, when he unveiled the 2pac hologram. The faux Pac came out arms swingin, thug walkin and talkin shit before a shocked and awed crowd. I was in the studio when my phone began blowing up about the event and had little interest in seeing it. Actually I still haven’t in it’s entirety, and probably never will. Not hatin 1 bit, but im not a fan of fake shit, and the older I get the less I am am willing to front to make other people feel good about themselves. But, I will say this, Dre took care of his biz ($$$) with Moms so at least, karmectically speaking, He did his thing. 16 years later he’s still snatching headlines and attention form the competition and I’m sure they love it. Yeah, they love it because he’s not here. He’s just the big mouth, naturally talented, tragic hero, who got taken out way to soon, but is no longer a problem for them. They’ll give him shoutouts and such, but it’s the empty kind. 16 years later, 23 years in the public eye, 25 years on earth, the peoples champ lives on. Thanks to YouTube, and the Internet in general, “the general, Makaveli” can be scene in HD, live in living color!
(2pac hologram eat ya heart out! Ha) Fuckin sucks celebrating the Born Day of a man that’s been gone for…16 years. The Irony, right? 41? Tupac will for ever be 25 to us, because he was snatched from the world in the beginning of his prime. The greatest? Top 5 dead or alive? Best rapper ever? Cut it out, it’s almost an insult to the man to even put him in these silly little back and forth debates. Son, was and is, beyond the rhetoric, in my opinion. Of course some will label me bias, and there could be some truth to that. Still you can’t argue with the numbers, haters. The impact is there, still. “Niggaz talk alotta shit but that’s after I’m gone….” You know the classic line from “Troublesome96” and how real as that? Everybody from Jimmy Henchman to Prodigy of Mobb Deep have foolishly stuffed their feet into their own mouths with mis-information and blatant lies. Not here to fight Pac’s battles I just call it like I see it…. But again, they must feel they can’t tell their own stories without mentioning the big homie. So yea I get it…

I was at the Tupac center, down in Stone Mountain Ga recently and proud to see a full scale school filled with vibrant young minds and spirits. You wanna know Pac? You gotta go there and fill his spirit looming all over the place. Pieces of his art and image scattered about amongst the smiles of the very children he championed. He was about the kids and not just the ones in his own family. Telling me on more than one ocaasion “Be the Father you never had…” Can’t begin to tell you what he taught me, because the truth is, we learned together. I’m still learning from him to this very day. To the fans, its’syall who lift his spirit up more and more everyday, so the glory really goes to yall. The die hards that wont take no for an answer when they say to me “I know he’s in Cuba somewhere smoking a fat ass Cohiba filled up with the loudest of the loud, chillin with Assata…” That would be the perfect ending to this story, wouldn’t it? Fortunately, the saga continues….

SALUTE

P.S. NEW SONG! “IT’S GON SHOW” PRODUCED BY ME AND @AKTUAL4EVER
#O4L

Listen Now – It’s Gon Show


Gay Marriage, Obama And The Bible


Posted by bloglife

I have friends and family that are gay as the day is long. Some in the open some in the “closet”. It was never a big deal to me. In Most cases we all knew from a pretty early age who and what they were. I remember hearing the ol heads saying things like “Yeah, that one got a lil sugar in his tank….” I believe people are born homosexual, just like others are born straight. In MY opinion people don’t wake up and say “Fuck it, I’m gay today!” NO, even if it was suppressed or denied, it was always there. I love the whole “gay debate” because it gets the religious zealots and fake tuff niggas all riled up! Lol. I been round cats and the subject of homo’s come up and these fools start goin in, fa real… “Man, I hate fags! That shit is disgusting… Shit if I ever went to jail, I aint washin no niggas draws! Imma Die first! But shit, I do like to see two chicks gettin it in, ain’t nothing wrong wit that…!” The extra religious ones will hit you with bible scriptures “Leviticus 20:13 says “If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.” Then swear up and down that gives them the right to harm these people! What’s really funny, is that now you have people who don’t want to appear homophobic, sounding like the classic racist… “Look I have friends that are Gay, I just don’t want them around me or my children…” Sounds awfully familiar. They said the same thing about us back in the day and even still, today. The Preachers, who in the day time, quote the Bible verse I quoted earlier, at night, use their power and influence to manipulate young boys and for their own sexual desires. They act like they don’t remember that their own people faced some what similar obstacles in their quest for equality and basics liberties.

Some of these guys slammed Obama, because Recently, this country’s President came out In support of Gay marriage, causing a stir within the media. I could be wrong, but I believe it’s a first.Although it’s kind of like a President saying he’s in favor of Blacks or Mexicans being allowed to marry. It should be a natural right. Now I’m no fan of the institution Of marriage in an of it self. I believe that two people., in love, can exist without the paper work! We all know things change, people change, along with feelings. That little piece of paper can hold up a persons whole life. Divorce sucks! Still, if two people wanna travel down that road, more power to ya! They should have the right. Who cares? Well apparently alot of people do. A recent poll had the country split down the middle on the subject. If you poll the Hiphop community, it becomes a whole other ball of wax. (No pun…) The often overused catch phrase “No Homo” is popular amongst some. I recently had a young artist try to express what our music meant to him. But In doing so, he kept repeating ” yo Fa real, no homo, I love y’all dudes…” Since when did showing “love” and admiration Become a possibility of being Gay? So much so, you had to remind me you weren’t. I’m positive we have gay fans and it’s no Biggie. Lady Gaga has made and sold millions of records pandering to the LGBT community. Rumors of Nicki Minaj’s sexuality run amuck. There has never been any major openly Gay rapper, ever. But trust, some of your biggest names are in the closet on some ol RKelly ish. The very ones that’s be talkin that player/thug shit too! To me, if your secure in your own sexuality, what people do with there genitals wouldn’t matter to you. How many times have we heard about a right-wing uber christian politician, being caught in a “sticky situation” and exposed. Maybe if they could be themselves and not fear backlash for being gay, they wouldn’t have to hide in a cesspool of hypocrisy. There is some form of Homosexuality in every living species on the planet (look it up)… TO EACH HiS OWN.

Salute.

P.s. New song with this blog, y’all enjoy. The Hope Dealer.

Listen Now – 1By1 EDIDON F/ Laza Morgan and Mavado (GMIX)

TheHopeDealer
@TheRealEDIDON


WTF??? (Why we don’t ask any real questions.)


Posted by bloglife

I recall back when we were working on the MAKAVELI album, we were reading all types of shit. One day Pac came home with a bunch of books and began handing them out. Everything from “Blood In my Eye” by George Jackson, to “how to make home made bombs.”(!) Anyway, the shit we were reading eventually led to some serious dialogue. A lot of what we were talking about ended up in songs like “Blasphemy” and “Black Jesus”. Tupac began asking some REAL questions to anybody that would listen. Its 2012 and no one, that I know of, is bold enough or willing to ask any questions other than the obvious ones. “DO you love this shit?” “Are u high right now?” Cool song but those questions are not the ones this generation should be asking and we should careless about whatever the answer is! Because behind the scenes, in those questions and answers, is where all the action is taking place. So I got a few head scratchers for yall. Some real questions that I don’t expect people to answer. I just want us to think a little more, because a dumbed down society is an easy pray for the vicious vultures that await the perfect moment to strike at us. I asked a question that was on my mind for a few days prior to Easter, on Twitter, and was surprised by the chatter it started. It Inspired this blog that you are reading right now.Lehgo!

If Jesus died on “Good Friday and was resurrected three days later, why does most of the world celebrate Easter on Sunday instead of Monday? Also. What is Good about the day he allegedly died? Why did the Supreme Court just pass a law that allows the Police to strip search you for a misdemeanor, secretly? Why Is George Zimmerman STILL a free man, and its been over a month since young Treyvon was Unexplainably gunned down, by him? Why did a good friend of ours, Akili Stewart’s a.k.a “Big baldie’s” (RIP) charred remains found 60 miles outside the city of Atlanta, just a couple weeks ago? Police, of course, have no clues or leads. When did the value of a Black man’s life become so cheap? Why is “popular rap” so fucking corny? Does anybody love anymore? (Shoutout to @Translee, download his mixtape ASAFP!) Why do some of ya’ll care if Kanye and Kim are back together or not? Is your life that miserable, that you must spend most of your time concerned about theirs? Where are we running? Or, what is that we are running from? Is it our own shadows? Who do you Believe in? I hope it’s yourself! Is every Fermat number 22n + 1 composite for n > 4? (lol). Why is Melah still having Seizures?
When will the United States leave Afganistan? Why are old episodes of Martin the funniest shit goin? Will the Lakers win it all this year? Is Nikki Minaj’s ass really that big, or is them some ass shots? Why would a black woman need ass shots in the first place? Who owns the Federal Reserve? Why are we forced to pay taxes even though there is NO written law in the Constitution stating that we must? Is the “Hunger Games” a preview of what’s to come for todays youth? Who the fuck knocked Snooky’s ugly ass up? I could go on and on, but that’s not the point. Lets just start asking questions again, to our parents, friends, teachers, mates etc. Lets be critical thinkers in the face of some critical times. Lets not except everything that’s handed to us in a pretty package. Remember, to quote an often used catch phrase President Obama used during his 2008 Presidential run, “the devil is in the details.” Seek knowledge. It’s the fool, who thinks he knows it all!

SALUTE.

P.S. I got a stack for anybody who can answer the math question! TheHopeDealer


A Letter To The President


Posted by bloglife

(Fictionally written by Treyvon Martin)

Dear Mr. President,
It’s me, Treyvon… Remember, you told those reporters that if you had a son, he’d look like me. Yea, I know you got a lot on your plate right now, campaigning and all, I just wanted you to hear it from me, incase you were wondering what happened that night. YA know, when I died. Well it started like this, I was visiting my dad for the weekend, my little brother and I. Ever since mom and dad split up this is how we spend weekends. IT’s cool too, my dad has a new lady in his life and she’s nice. Anyway, the weekend I was killed was a typical weekend, except for the fact that I was under suspension for hangin out in a part of the school I go to, that’s restricted. I never really liked rules or laws but I understood their need, I guess. Krop High is an ok school to go to,Igottalotta friends, maybe its because I’m tall (6’3) and got that swag (have your daughters tell you what that is lol). I’m good, or WAS good at math and had above average grades. I could do much better, I know I can, I just get bored sometimes. My Dad says I spend too much time daydreaming about planes and stuff, but all I ever wanted to do was fly. My uncle Ronald flew planes and I’ve always looked up to him for that. The day everything went down, I was chillin, wacthin the game (GO HEAT!) and talking on the phone with my girlfriend. I decided to run to the local store around the corner for a snack and some juice. It wasn’t that cold out, I just like to wear my hoodie, I feel comfortable with it on. Adults are always telling me to take it off when I come in a room or like when I’m In school and stuff. Rules, laws smh… Junior prom is just a few weeks away and me and my girl were talking about what we were gonna wear. I bought a Arizona Iced tea and some Skittles for my little brother, he loves candy. Then I went on my way back home. I didn’t hear Mr Zimmerman’s voice at first, and when I did, I assumed he was talking to someone else. He seemed pretty riled up and made me nervous. My dad always told me to respectful to grownups, no matter what there color is. Still from the look in his eye, I knew he wasn’t asking me for directions, feel me? “Ay! Stop right there! I said… Nigger stop right there!” Is what he said to me Mr.Obama… I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been called that Sir. Yea, me and my friends call each other the ‘N’ word but NOT with the ‘ER’! My girl heard the panic in my voice and asked me what was going on. I didn’t wanna sound all scared, so I put a little base in my voice and told Mr. Zimmerman that “I was minding mine on fuckin business and going home, I live hear, sir!” That didn’t stop him though, he pulled his truck over and got out and started coming towards me. My girl said that I should run and that the guy I was talking too sounded “scary”. I agreed. I looked back at Mr.Zimmerman and noticed that he was fat, so I knew he couldn’t catch me if I started running. After sprinting a few yards, I didn’t see him anymore, and started to relax a little. Almost home. I could see the townhouse my dad shared with his fiancé Just 70 yards away, when I saw Mr.Zimmerman running towards me, I started running again, but stopped and decided to STAND MY GROUND, because I wasn’t doing anything wrong. He grabbed me and attempted to drag me towards his truck. Mr.President, I didn’t know if he was some weirdo trying to kidnap me, or not. I’ve heard the stories of kids vanishing never to be heard from again, so I fought back. Mr.Zimmerman didn’t like that. I could fell him reaching for something, and I tried to stop him. He was really angry and stronger than me,sir… I yelled for help as loud as I could, but no one came. I saved my dads life when I was nine, when we were in a fire. I just wanted someone to come and save ME this time. I found out what Mr.Zimmerman was reaching for, or should I say, felt it, the bullet going straight through my hoodie, into my chest, into me. I saw my dad and mom, my brothers, my girl and friends… than nothing. I could hear Mr.Zimmerman yelling something about self-defense, than he whisperd “I finally got me 1…” Sir, I know you have a tough job, but this guy was wrong and I did not deserve to die like this. I know you don’t have a son, yet (wink) and your girls have the Secret Service protecting them for the rest of their lives, but what do we have? The young black male with dreams of flying and going to college like my older brother is doing right now.

Say the police and I’ll say “Oscar Grant”. Say God and I’ll say “Sean Bell” Say you and… Well only you can answer that.

Treyvon Martin

SALUTE.

P.S. THE HOPE DEALER.


B.I.G


Posted by bloglife

Their names will forever be synonymous, intertwined, linked and associated with each other. Tupac and Biggie. HipHops great gods from the 90′s, our artforms greatest era, in my opinion.

Christopher Wallace burst on the scene in 1993. I remember hearing “Party and Bullshit” from the “Who’s the Man” soundtrack and thinking “who the fuck is that?!?” The dude was dope from day1,no 1 can argue that. We were on tour in 1993, to support Pac’s breakthrough album “Strickly 4 my Niggaz” And there were two albums we had the luxury of hearing before most people. Doggystyle was one and Ready to die (in it’s earliest and rawest form Aka before puffy touched it!) was the other. Without a doubt Biggies shit got the most run on the tour bus. PAC spoke so highly of the dude and was really impressed by his music that by the time we hit New york later that year and finally had a chance to meet him, I felt like I knew him already. I recall being in the Tunnel one night and seeing, even before his album dropped, how popular dude already was in NYC. He had chicks all around and was enjoying his new found fame. But he seemed very used to it like it was only new to us! It gave me the courage, as a overweight dark skinned kid to continue to reach for my dreams and goals in this rap game.
Pac had a great big ol heart and when he loved you, you knew it. His heart was big enough for Biggie as well. There friendship is well documented so I won’t go over that too much, but I will say this, BiG loved Pac as well. I could tell when PAc spoke Biggie listened and soaked up the game just like we did! BIG played “Juicy” for us in the Pac’s room at the Waldoorf Astoria and Biggie didn’t like it! He thought it was too soft or commercial. I remember PAC saying “That record is gonna get u Paid nigga!” “Listen to that nigga Puff, he gon make you a star!” The rest, as the saying goes, is history.

I recall the night we did “Running From The Police”. PAC hit BiG and asked him to come down to Quad. He wanted to get him and us (Dramacydal) on the THUGLIFE lp and figured we could all do a song together. What a night for hiphop history. Doug E Fresh along with Lil Vicious, who was pipin hot at the time, came thru. Heavy D, members of The JM including Cease, Big Stretch and a few others I can’t remember were all in the building. But before they all got there BIG was there first. He actually kicked some of his rap for us before he did it. Flow is impeccable is what I remember thinking. Always humble, we said our verses for him and he gave his approval, which for me was huge at the time! The last time we spoke to BiG, PAC was on the road or locked up, and he was in Atlanta recording that remix he did with Da Brat. The phone rang and his signature baritone came thru. “I’m out here in ATL and can’t find no chronic, waddup!?!” is what he said. Shit we was lookin too and couldn’t help him out. He wanted the address to Thugz Mansion and said when he got some “green” he would come through and smoke us out. We figured he got too busy cause we never heard from him again. Ever. PAC got shot later that year and things were never the same again. Hurt people, hurt people. The venom you hear on “Hit Em Up” is spewed from a hurting person, because he loved Notorious. Too much time has passed to debate on who’s wrong or right and truthfully who cares? 15 years have passed since two of hiphops darkest days were upon us. Both BiG and PAC are elevated to Icon status and every rapper since has paid homage in one way or another.

One my most fulfilling days came earlier this year when we ceremoniously “burried the hatchet” with Lil Cease. We too are linked for ever. We shot a video most of y’all have seen and it felt great being in Times Square spittin bars for our fallen mentors and comrades. Amazingly, some people on both sides weren’t with it. Some people will never let go of the past and eventually become a prisoner of it. We miss BiG right along with PAC. The “game” misses them both. To his children and all the people who loved him, may your pain be overwhelmed By all your fond memories of the man…

Salute!

P.S. For anybody who cares “Sky’s the Limit” is my favorite Biggie song, too cold…