Rhymefest Announces Contest Winner + Video Debut!
It took quite some time, but after listening to almost 1,500 contest submissions, Rhymefest has chosen his winner, Chicago native ADaD. After the winning verse, peep the world premiere of the highly controversial video for Give It To Me (Part 1). Let us know what you think!
Rhymefest Picks A Winner of The “Give It To Me” Contest from Ruby Hornet on Vimeo.
Slamming Sammy Sellout Teaches Us A Lesson
After I saw the recent photos of MLB legend Sammy Sosa sporting his new anti-tan, I declined to rush to conclusions. I just knew it was a crappy photoshop hoax, you know, some kind of an internet prank. As a couple more days passed and Sammy admitted he was indeed the pasty creature in the pictures, I remained in denial. They were obviously remnants of Sosa’s Halloween evening dressed as Count Chocula I rationed. Then I turned my Dell Plasma to Univision, a channel I frequent to ogle the amazingly hot female reporters English speaking American channels could never get away with exploiting brush up on my Spanish. To my utter disbelief I watched a grown up Eddie Munster, purported to be the Dominican home run king, give an interview bragging about his new skin “rejuvenation” cream. Left with no other conclusion besides “this Negro done lost his natural Black mind,” I proceeded to torch my Sosa Topps rookie card.
As the card disintegrated under the flame, I reflected on what could make my formerly Jheri curled brethren cave in to white supremacist ideology. Was Sammy dealing with post-traumatic stress stemming from Michael Jackson’s death? Was he attempting to revive the spirit of MJ through self replication of his vitiligo? Maybe his wife’s light characteristics just started to rub off on him; you know, the longer people stay married the more they start to look the same (just look at Billary Clinton). Nah, for the second time in his life Sammy Sosa simply sold out to the Cream. He let everyone down when it was revealed that he cheated by consuming those magical home-run enhancers, and now he has destroyed any confidence that his remaining fans had in his integrity by whitewashing his pigmentation. 
The perpetual optimist, I am ever so grateful to Sammy Sosa Sellout for giving me a platform to discuss the overarching problems that are indicative of his predicament. First, as a man of mixed Negro and Latino heritage I must address the problem of race misidentifcation in the Black and Hispanic community. I can recall days where I kicked it with my Puerto Rican and Dominican homies and comments about “morenos” were hurled around. Most of the time their skin was as dark, if not darker than mine, yet there was a clear distinction made between Blacks that spoke English and Blacks that spoke Spanish. It was clear to me that in their minds the Spanish language created a physiological distinction between them and English speaking Black people. It mattered not that they congenitally inherited just as much African blood as the next Negro; Spanish meant you were phenotypically different from English speaking Blacks.
This division, based predominately on language differences, has always disturbed me. Growing up with my Dad’s side being African-American and my Mom’s side being dark, Spanglish-speaking, Panamanians, I never considered myself anything other than Black. I hate when I have to fill out a form and I am forced to make a decision between shading in the “Black” bubble or the “Hispanic” bubble. It’s as if I’m being told it’s impossible to be both; or better yet, Blacks who natively speak Spanish are Hispanic, while Blacks who speak English, French, German, or any other language are a different race altogether. That’s absurd… and this is why Sammy’s overt attempt to make a clear distinction between himself as a Black man and himself as a Latin man is a wake up call – Blacktinos we must unite!
As Sammy Sosa has suddenly burst onto the scene as the real life Clayton Bigsby, I must also address the issue of self -hatred in the Black community. Females always ask me what type of women I find attractive. When I simply respond “sexy women” they tend not to believe me. After all, every guy has a certain “type” of women they explain. 9 times out of 10 they’re referring to skin color and body type. “Do you date dark skinned girls, or light skinned girls only?” they ask. Once again I assure them that I date sexy women. Period.
Years of being a sought after Black man (don’t hate!) has led me to understand why Sisters feel the need to ask this question. I recall conversations at Vanderbilt University with my boys. Sitting around talking ish about chicks, I can vividly remember a couple of buddies confessing that they exclusively devote their attention to light-skinned females. Strangely, these were some of the darkest brothers I ever met. I could never grasp how they couldn’t find women of their own skin color attractive. Not only were they Black-than-a-mofo, their mothers were dark as well. “Do they despise their mothers?” I pondered. Better yet, “do they despise themselves?” Clearly, white supremacy has permeated the minds of Black men to the point where many do not find mates of their own skin color to be worthy companions. In their eyes light is right.
Unfortunately, many Black women are guilty of the same sin. I realized this as I watched Precious (Monique deserves an Oscar BTW) last weekend. There’s a scene where the lead character looks into the mirror and sees a thin, blond-haired, White woman in the reflection, instead of a heavy-set Black woman. Also, the main character frequently fantasizes about her desire to find a light-skinned man with “good hair” to settle with. It is due to this mentality that situations like Sammy Sosa’s are more common than you might think. Skin bleaching products are a big hit in the Caribbean right now. Don’t believe me, check this out:
At the end of the day I am thankful for Sammy selling out so publicly. The conversations this fool has sparked will hopefully bring attention to the issues of Black/Hispanic race identity, self-hate, and the global skin bleaching epidemic. Whether you agree with my analysis of this situation or not, I hope you will heed the moral of this story: be comfortable with the skin you’re in.
FREE DOWNLOAD! The RE-education By REO The Emcee
dangerousNEGRO Prez, Sebastine, introduced me to Reo Pagan back in 2007. They went to grad school together at Purdue, so it was only fitting for Sebastine to acclimate Reo to his new digs in H-Town. That meant bringing him into our circle of dangerousNEGROes. As I grew to know Reo, we connected as Hip Hop connoisseurs. Due to the overwhelming number of Negroes that purport to have rap as a talent, I was skeptical when Reo told me he had mic skills. However, the moment I popped his ’08 D.O.E Records debut CD into my ride I felt like a Hip Hop paleontologist; it instantly dawned on me that REO The Emcee is the missing evolutionary link between Nas and Jigga. Today he offers to the world a musical masterpiece. The RE-education is on par with 50 Cent is The Future, Trap or Die, So Far Gone, and Man In The Mirror, as far as classic mixtapes go. It is equally infectious and indicative of a new star emerging on the Hip Hop horizon.
Demetrius: Who is REO The Emcee?
Reo: REO The Emcee is first an entertainer. Second a Poet. And third a Teacher. Would love to call myself The Teacher but KRS beat me to that. And Nas and Pac were credited as the poets…so I’m all three
Reo: so this mixtape is titled RE-Education for few reasons. The first reason is the fact that I am a well educated person and have no fear in letting the world know that. Hell everyone who knows me knows what I’m about…and it’s about constant improvement
Demetrius: Being from Detroit and now residing in Houston, how has your ear and appreciation for music evolved?
Reo: Well funny thing is I grew up listening to NWA and Ghetto Boys.
Reo: Honestly no.
Reo: Only reason I did it is because cats run up on me all the time and say “This song or that song was jamming you should chop and screw it.” So I put it on as my way of saying to fans I hear you…! It’s my way of saying to Houston “Thanks for even giving me a chance” because they could have played me to the left like “Get this fool outta here. He ain’t from TX”
anybody listen to this mixtape?
African Constitutional Law (origin of real Democracy)
from The Destruction of Black Civilization by Chancellor Williams
Some Political Theories and Principles of Ancient African Constitution Law
(Drawn from African Traditional Constitutional and Customary Laws. Different versions and modifications of the same laws occurred in different societies.)
I. The People are the first and final source of all power.
II. The rights of the community of people are, and of right ought to be, superior to those of any individual, including Chiefs and Kings (a) The Will of the People is the supreme law; (b) Chiefs and Kings are under the law, not above it.
III. Kings, Chiefs, and Elders are leaders, not rulers. They are the elected representatives of the people and the instruments for executing their will.
IV. Government and people are one and the same.
V. The family is recognized as the primary social, judicial, economic and political unity in the society; the family council may function as a court empowered to try all internal (non-serious) matters involving only member of the Extended Family Group.
VI. The Elder of each Extended Family of Clan is its chosen representative on the Council.
VII. Decisions in council are made by the Elders. The Chief or King must remain silent. Even when the Council’s decision is announced, it is through a Speaker (Linguist). Decrees or laws are issued in the same manner to assure that the voice of the Chief or King is the “voice of the people.” (This is an example of a provision that had wide variations.)
VIII. The land belongs to no one. It is God’s gift to mankind for use and as a sacred heritage, transmitted by our forefathers as a bond between the living and the dead, to be held in trust by each generation for the unborn who will follow, and thus to the last generation.
IX. Each family, therefore, has a right to land, free of charge, sufficient in acreage for its economic well-being; for the right to the opportunity and means to make a living is the right to live.
(a). The land, accordingly cannot be sold or given away.
(b). The land may be held for life and passed on to the family’s heirs, and so on forever.
(c). The Chief is the Custodian of all land, the principal duty being to assure fair distribution and actual use.
X. All moneys, gifts, taxes and other forms of donations to Chief or King still belong to the people for relief or aid to individuals in times of need.
XI. Every member of the state has the right of appeal from a lower to higher court. (In some states appeals could be taken even from the King’s Court to the “Mother of the Nation.”)
(a) The procedure was from the Chief’s Village Court to the District Court, to the Provincial Court, to the King’s Court.
(b) Such appeals were allowed in serious or major crimes only (those affecting the whole society).
XII. Fines for offenses against an individual went to the victim, not the court.
(a) Part of the money received from the loser was returned to him as an expression of goodwill and desire for renewal of friendship.
(b) Another part was given as a fee to the trial court as an appreciation of justice.
XIII. “Royalty” in African terms means Royal Worth, the highest in character, wisdom, sense of justice and courage.
(a) He who founded the nation by uniting many as one must be the real leader, guide and servant of his people.
(b) The people, in honor of the founder of the nation, thereafter will elect Chiefs from the founder’s family (lineage) if the heirs meet the original test that reflected the Founder’s character, whose spirit was supposed to be inherited.
XIV. The trouble of one is the trouble of all. No one may go in want while others have anything to give. All are brothers and sisters. Each is his “brothers’ or sisters’ keeper.”
XV. Age grades, sets, and classes are social, economic, political and military systems for (1) basic and advanced tradition education (formal); (2) individual and group responsibility roles; (3) police and military training; (4) division of labor; (5) rites of passage and social activities. In chiefless societies the age grades are the organs of social, economic and political action.
XVI. Bride Price or Bride Wealth is the gift that signifies mutual acceptance on the part of both families and is intended as a family security bond which may be returned in part if the wife turns out to be worthless or utterly unsatisfactory. (Bride Wealth tended to stabilize the institution of marriage. This was not “wife buying.”)
XVII. The community as a whole is conceived of as One Party, opposition being conducted by leaders of various factions.
- Factions of opposition are usually formed by the different age-groups.
- Debates may go on indefinitely or until a consensus is reached.
- Once a consensus is reached, and the community’s will determined, all opposition to the common will must cease.
- Those whose opposition is so serious that they are unwilling to accept the new law may “splinter off” either individually or in groups under a new leader (to form a new state or the nucleus for it).
XVIII. In warfare the object is not to kill the enemy, but to overcome him with fear, if possible, such as screaming war cries, loud noise, hideously masked faces, etc. Where killing is unavoidable it must be kept at a minimum. In case of defeat there must be some kind of ruse to enable the enemy to retire in honor.
XIX. The African religion, not being a creed or “article of faith,” but an actual way of thinking and living, is reflected in all institutions and is, therefore, of the greatest constitutional significance.
- Politically, the role of the Chief as High Priest who presents the prayers of the people to his and their ancestors in Heaven, is the real source of his influence, political or otherwise.
- Socially, the “rites of passage,” songs, and the dances (to drive away evil, etc.), as well as the purification and sacrificial rites for the atonement of sins – are important.
XX. Since religious and moral law must prevail and the race survive, a man may have more than one wife; for he is forbidden to sleep or cohabit with his wife during the nine months of pregnancy or during the suckling period of one or two years thereafter. (1) The wife may not prepare meals for the husband or family during the menstrual period (2) The husband is strictly forbidden to have any kind of relationship with one wife during the set period that belongs to another wife.
XXI. The supreme command of the fighting forces is under the Council, not the King. If the King becomes the Commander-in-Chief, it is through election by the Council because of his qualification as a general or field commander. This position ends with the war and the armed forces return to former status under the Council or, more directly under the respective Paramount chiefs. There were no standing armies.
Tyler Perry: Cunning or Cooning?
by Nobody in Hollywood can hold a candle to Tyler Perry’s meteoric rise to stardom in the last decade. From niche market gospel plays to Black blockbuster bravado, Perry is the American Dream realized – a rags to riches phenomenon. Despite Tyler Perry’s cinematic and syndicated success, anchored in applying Christian family values to modern day strife, there are those who choose to label the brother a sell-out. In defense of America’s first Black movie mogul, these haters are nothing more than ornery crabs in a barrel.
Critics of Tyler Perry’s work tend to cite his caricature of Madea, a fiesty, pistol packing granny, as the fundamental flaw in his representation of the Black race. They feel that if it weren’t for Perry cross dressing and posing as the boisterous, belligerent, “buffoon” we love to laugh at, he would be irrelevant. Most recently, Spike Lee, a brother I admire, threw a pity party and chose to throw Tyler Perry under the bus. Lee, not understanding why many of his movies have flopped by box office standards, inappropriately lashed out against Perry for stealing his shine. Peep the clip here:
Sorry Spike, but that was a hater move homie. Fundamentally you are complaining that the audience which appreciates your intellectually stimulating, artistic gems, is quantitatively limited, therefore relegating your films to irrelevance and elevating Brother Perry’s films to prominence. Nothing could be farther from the truth Spike. Yes, it is difficult to gain the attention span of a generation breast fed ignorance by BET, commercialized Hip Hop, and mentally contaminated media… Trust me, if anyone knows this it’s me. But Spike, Tyler Perry supplies solutions to these problems, not provocations.
While I cannot say that I have thoroughly enjoyed every TP film, musical, or television episode I have watched, (some have been a little corny), I will admit that I see the light in all the endeavors Tyler Perry produces. Never have I witnessed Perry using his theatrical vehicle to encourage ignorance, promote Black destruction, or attract mockery. Perhaps it is because I, like many other Black Americans, grew up with someone strikingly familiar to Perry’s Madea. Inside my brain I shriek when critics label this character too “over the top.” If you think Madea is over the top, I challenge you to come to Harlem with me and meet my great-aunt A.P. 
Step to her wrong and A.P. will curse you out worse than NWA in ’91… piss her off and I hope you wore a teflon diaper cause she’ll bust a cap in your @ss for sure! So for the critics that claim characters like Madea are too unrealistic, over the top, and don’t really exist in the Black community, I advise you to get off your bougie high horse and politic with your folk in the hood.
Anyone who cannot see the brilliance that Tyler Perry exudes is pointing a misguided finger. If you just can’t resist pointing out the coons that are truly responsible for the dumbing down of Black youth, let me help you out – PLIES. Yes, this 5 foot, gold-mouthed, midget single handedly destroys more Black brain cells than malt liquor, pork fried rice, and slavery combined. Consciously concealing the fact that he attended college, Plies tries his best to be the innovator of ignorance. Instead of promoting the proper grammar and sentence structure he accidentally reverts to in radio interviews and chance meetings, Plies sells albums to your kids telling them to be his “bust it babies” and assuring them that he is “real.” Jamie Foxx recently called this so called “goon” out, mentioning how he cowered like a bust it baby fresh out of Newports when some real gangsters showed up to his video shoot.
Anyway, back to the debate on Tyler Perry. Before you cast judgment on this brother I challenge you to watch Diary of a Mad Black Woman (no Bruno). I also challenge you to investigate his opening of the first fully independent Black production studio, a studio that puts great Black talent to work amidst a Hollywood that overwhelmingly shuts us out. If you’re still not satisfied after that then kick rocks… Tyler Perry is good for Black America.
Rhymefest Give It To Me Contest Evaluation 2!
Fest is back at it again… trying to find a hot verse worthy enough to make the classic El Che LP. After going through over a thousand contest entries, Fest gives a second recap…. check it out!
Rhymefest Give It To Me Contest Update!
Fest weeds through the first 500 entries to the “Give It To Me” Contest…. Check out the video!
*dead* at Silent But Deadly…. LMAO til MSH!
RH TV: “Give It To Me” Contest Evaluation #1 from Ruby Hornet on Vimeo.
Press Release:
RHYMEFEST GIVES FANS A CHANCE TO BE FEATURED ON NEW ALBUM
Announces Online Contest to Fill Guest Spot on El Che
CHICAGO – Grammy Award winning rapper, Rhymefest, is giving fans the opportunity to be featured on his highly anticipated sophomore album El Che. All unsigned emcees are encouraged to submit their hottest 16 bars to be considered for placement on the Scram Jones produced anthem “Give It To Me.” Ruby Hornet, in conjunction with Rhymefest’s new label home dN|Be Entertainment, will be accepting verses online beginning October 13th, 2009. Contestants will have until October 27th to submit their feature at RubyHornet.com.
With the “Give It To Me” contest, Rhymefest is giving back to the fans that have inspired him to keep making music. Not only is Rhymefest giving one undiscovered talent the opportunity to be featured on an epic album, he is also hoping to launch the career of a new dynamic voice in Hip Hop. The winning contestant will not only be featured on the digital version of the single, but will also appear in the video for the song when it debuts.
Since the debut of the Blue Collar LP in 2006, fans have been a significant motivating factor in Rhymefest’s continual progression in Hip Hop. Therefore, it would only be fitting to include them on El Che. Through his partnership with new indie label dN|Be Entertainment, Rhymefest now has the freedom to work more interactively with fans. According to Rhymefest “I want to reward my fans for faithfully supporting me over the past few years. They’ve helped me shine so now I’m opening up the door to let them shine.” El Che, featuring the street banger “Give It To Me,” is slated to drop in early 2010. For more details on the “Give It To Me” contest please visit RubyHornet.com and ElCheTheMovement.com.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
dN|Be Ent., is an independent record label geared towards producing music with social, progressive substance and providing artists with complete creative control of their projects. Additional information about the company can be found online at www.dnbeentertainment.com. Please visit ElCheTheMovement.com for the latest Rhymefest news. For interviews please contact Marketing Director Demetrius Walker at Demetrius@dnbeentertainment.com.
Legally Disadvantaged
Legally Disadvantaged
A Revolution illegaly couldn’t stand it
Arms race held by racist arms, dogs, bombs, police and blazed alarms
…Looking through this glass prism
defining a culture of black symptoms
Rage, hate, tears, death
crying babies
…staggered…breaths
God
Save
Me
Lynched chest eroding
churches blowing
Up
What?
Trust Us?
You must be jive’n
Maybe we meant to be screwed?
Black skin is tougher..maybe we meant to be bruised?
Worked so hard like…we meant to be used
Again..back to the prism
back to the pen back to the vision
slight sight through the lens backed by the prisons
Childs’ play couldn’t reside in lines
now we reside in lines
to find time in solitary confinement…time
Again..back to the prison excuse me the prism
refracting the pens lens
red eyes realize the depth of your perception
from culture chocked from bad reception
Deception..
The lens by thought could clearly feed me
but the lens aint’ just on your eyes%3
Rhymefest Announces Give It To Me Contest!
Grammy Award winning rapper, Rhymefest, is giving fans the opportunity to be featured on his highly anticipated sophomore album El Che. All unsigned emcees are encouraged to submit their hottest 16 bars to be considered for placement on the Scram Jones produced anthem “Give It To Me.” Ruby Hornet, in conjunction with Rhymefest’s new label home dN|Be Entertainment, will be accepting verses online beginning October 13th, 2009. Contestants will have until October 27th to submit their feature at RubyHornet.com.
With the “Give It To Me” contest, Rhymefest is giving back to the fans that have inspired him to keep making music. Not only is Rhymefest giving one undiscovered talent the opportunity to be featured on an epic album, he is also hoping to launch the career of a new dynamic voice in Hip Hop. The winning contestant will not only be featured on the digital version of the single, but will also appear in the video for the song when it debuts.
Since the debut of the Blue Collar LP in 2006, fans have been a significant motivating factor in Rhymefest’s continual progression in Hip Hop. Therefore, it would only be fitting to include them on El Che. Through his partnership with new indie label dN|Be Entertainment, Rhymefest now has the freedom to work more interactively with fans. According to Rhymefest “I want to reward my fans for faithfully supporting me over the past few years. They’ve helped me shine so now I’m opening up the door to let them shine.” El Che, featuring the street banger “Give It To Me,” is slated to drop in early 2010. For more details on the “Give It To Me” contest please visit RubyHornet.com and ElCheTheMovement.com.
Rhymefest Gives You A Chance To Be on El Che from Ruby Hornet on Vimeo.
ZEALE Drops The Microphone of Time
If you haven’t heard of ZEALE before, get your mind right… the budding star is about to be all over your radio, internets, and movie screens. Since dN partnered with the lyrical assassin back in January, we’ve watched ZEALE make major headway in this Hip Hop game. There was the global tour he did of the middle east this February. Then we shadowed him as he ripped over 20 stages at Austin’s SXSW in March (FOOTAGE HERE). Finally we watched the dude light up the silver screen with his role in the major motion picture Bandslam. 2009 isn’t even over yet! Keeping up with the onslaught ZEALE just dropped off this heat rock of a mixtape (dubbed The Microphone of Time). If you care about pleasuring your ears make sure you download it HERE…. otherwise get your hearing aids warmed up as your auditory senses shall surely shut off after not being put to good use!
Visit ZEALERAPZ.com today.
Our original interview with ZEALE, posted on January 28, 2009, can be found below:
dangerousNEGRO was in the building at KRS-One’s Stop The Violence Tour in Houston when a new phenom descended upon the stage. Hosted by M1 from dead prez, we knew we were in for an exciting show. As the anticipation built up for The Blastmaster KRS-One to rip the stage, an act surprisingly stole the show!
Sounding like a Slim Shady/Andre 3000 hybrid, Zeale (pronounced Zilly) took the stage in front of a restless crowd. As usual, spectators were a bit skeptical of hearing brand new material. Zeale gripped the mic and rocked the spot like very few emcees can! Listening to Zeale was like hearing Hip Hop in the the 23rd century. As he performed “Haterz and Robotz,” I found myself checking my phone to make sure I was still in the year 2009. Just when I was assured that I was indeed only 9 years into the new millenium, Zeale’s hypeman started taking words from the audience, which Zeale in turn threw into a freestyle. Everyone’s jaw dropped as Zeale figured out a way to spontaneously rhyme “revolutionary,” “apathy,” “combustion,” and several other words on the spot. I came to see arguably the greatest rapper of all time in KRS-One, and left grinning about the birth of the new legend – ZEALE.
After his show, I knew I had to reach out to the cat. He is the epitome of Young. Gifted. Black. Peep the exclusive interview he granted dangerousNEGRO:
1. What makes you a dangerous emcee?
My arsenal. I have mastered an acclaimed ability to freestyle with and as one of the best in the world. (World Rap Championship Finalist, NY) I have also proven to have one of the most dangerously hype live shows and a ridiculous ability to capture “swagger” in my recording and song writing capabilities.
2. Who are some of your influences (musical and otherwise)?
Obama, MLK, Talib Kweli, BIG, Jay-Z, Outkast, Radiohead, Pink Floyd
3. What is your goal in this whole Hip Hop thing?
To become one of the greatest performers and lyricist to date. And I will.
4. Spit your dopest bar to date!
“I’m here to stay, and I won’t go away…So I’m like racism in the U.S.A.”
5. Who are your top 5 dead or alive?
Jay-Z, BIG, Andre 3000, Nas, Eminem (Young Eminem)
6. What can we expect from you in the next year?
International notoriety, national movie appearance, more releases, bigger tours, more “dangerousness”
What The Murder of Derrion Albert Says About America
by You’ve seen it by now. The whole world has seen the carnage that ensued amidst the brawl that resulted in Derrion Albert losing his life. Shock, astonishment, and tearful resentment filled your psyche as you watched Black youth try their best to destroy each other on a Chicago street corner. Some of you implicate the parents, while others blame the lack of police intervention. Many of you disgustedly threw your arms in the air and simply muttered “ni**az” out of frustration. Regardless of the reaction, few people can point to the true root of the Hip Hop Generation’s destructive mentality, and even fewer have a solution to resolve the issue at hand. Grounded in both street knowledge and formal education, I will tackle both conflicts head on.
Coincidentally, I had just finished re-reading Cornel West’s poignant best seller Race Matters when I was alerted to Brother Albert’s untimely demise. West, who I’ve had the privilege to meet on 2 separate occasions, aptly describes the dark mentality that has infected our youth as Black nihilism. According to Dr. West:
The proper starting point for the crucial debate about the prospects for black America is an examination of the nihilism that increasingly pervades black communities. Nihilism is to be understood here not as a philosophic doctrine that there are no rational grounds for legitimate standards or authority; it is, far more, the lived experience of coping with a life of horrifying meaninglessness, hopelessness, and (most important) lovelessness. The frightening result is a numbing detachment from others and a self-destructive disposition toward the world. Life without meaning, hope, and love breeds a coldhearted, mean-spirited outlook that destroys both the individual and others.
Clearly Black nihilism, as defined by Cornel West is what you witnessed in the footage capturing Derrion Albert’s murder. No other concept can better explain an honor roll student being violently beaten to death by two Black rival gangs.
So now that the true issue has been identified, we must not only address how we arrived at this destination, but more importantly how we progress beyond this roadblock. Let’s start with America overall. We live in a society completely enamored with violence. Boxing is the sport of yesteryear… we need the blood and gore of Ultimate Fighting to keep us entertained. Furthermore, nobody loves guns as much as we do. Estimates put the number of guns in this country at 250 million. In fact, instead of our law making officials searching for a solution to combat the murder rate in the city where Derrion Albert met his demise, the Supreme Court was busy hearing a 2nd Amendment case arguing that citizens of Chicago need easier access to guns! On the heels of people bringing machine guns to Obama rallies and the Virginia Tech massacre still lingering in our subconscious, there is still a contingent of people that believe we don’t have enough guns in this country. What kind of message does that send to our children and subsequent generations of Americans? We are perpetuating a cycle of violent behavior.
Narrowing the scope of the issues that led to Derrion’s death, I would be remiss not to mention the lack of positive Black role models, leaders, mentors, and parents that exist in the Black community. Who do you think the thugs captured on video cite as their major influences in life? I can assure you it’s not Cornell West. It’s obviously not their hometown hero Barack either. The choices can only be A) Older thugs, B) No one at all, or C) Jackasses like THIS that tell them “f**k school, come and [gang]bang with us.”
Watching the Derrion Albert beating, I could not help but to recall my public school days in the Bronx where I had to hide my flawless report card from the menacing degenerates that employed the “f**k school” mentality. Being a straight A scholar was considered being a nerd, a no-no, an enemy to Black street life. Essentially, I would have been the target of unwarranted beatdowns had anyone discovered my true love of intellectualism. This is the mentality that must shift if there is to be any hope for the future of Black America. We have to teach Black youth that Smart Is The New Gangsta. The sooner Black people embrace this concept, the sooner we will see a turn for the best in our community. To get there we will need strong mentorship programs, Black male retreats, and more positive images of Blacks in the media. Tragedies like Derrion Albert’s death can be avoided if we turn the anger and despair we felt from watching his broadcasted murder into action. Go out and find a mentee today. Schedule some time to hang out with your little bad a** cousins, nieces, and nephews. Stop supporting entertainment that condones Black on Black violence as a way of life. As we pray that Brother Derrion Albert rests in peace, do not allow his senseless murder to sow the seeds of apathy in your life.
U of H NAACP Fashion Show Starring dangerousNEGRO
The University of Houston NAACP Chapter’s 9/17/09 Fashion Show starring dN|Be Apparel (dangerousNEGRO Black Empowerment Apparel). Over 30 pieces from dN|Be Apparel’s Fall 2009 line were showcased. Here are some of the highlights. All choreographed to Rhymefest’s Man In The Mirror 2.0 mixtape. Please forgive the lighting… it was outside of our control 🙂
Constructing The Blueprint for Black Male Success
By Prior to September 12th 2009, had someone told me the blueprint for Black male success would arise from the state of Iowa I would have labeled them mentally deficient. Invited to share my expertise on the topic “The New Grinding: Expanding Your Consciousness as Your Life’s Work,” I was nonetheless excited to impart the merits of entrepreneurship to a group that seldom receives this message. It mattered not that this Fall retreat, titled “What’s Stopping Us Now?”, was being hosted for an assemblage of less than 50 students. I was eager to participate in The Hubbard Group’s revolutionary approach to fostering a sense of Black collegiate community.
Before I delve into the specifics of the symposium, I find it fitting to give a little background info on how I came to participate. Exactly ten years ago, I had the privilege of dwelling in The Taft School’s boisterous upper classmen dormitory a few doors down from Michael and Lena Hill. The newlyweds arrived at the posh boarding school just in time for my senior and most formative year of high school. Having determined that I would go on to become a virologist later in life, I caught bi-weekly rides to Yale’s AIDS Institute with Mrs. Hill, who was completing her PhD there. During those 45 minute drives, I enjoyed our politically engaged discussions just as much as I cherished the frequent hip hop convos I had with her husband. At the conclusion of every discourse with the Hill’s, I couldn’t help but to feel the urge to read more books to keep up with the intellectual prowess of this brilliant couple. A full decade later, arrogantly convinced that I fit the criteria for being considered one of the greatest minds of the 21st Century, I jumped at the opportunity to join Dr. Michael Hill in his quest to foster a sense of Black collegiate community at The University of Iowa. While I set out to impress my mentor by providing valuable incite to an audience of Black male undergraduates, I ended up learning that A) the framework for Black male success hinges upon old and young minds converging to address issues that linger despite generational differences and B) I still need a pocket dictionary to keep up with the mental horsepower of the Doctors Hill 🙂
I felt it necessary to divulge my prior relationship to the Hill’s because they represent the first element in the blueprint for Black male success – role models. Not only has observing them made me want to seek enlightenment, improve my vocabulary, and become more articulate, they have shown me the beauty of equally yoked Black love. As Black males become more endangered, and Black families are more scarcely found in America, it is vital that our generation has people like the Hill’s to emulate.
The Fall Retreat for Black Men, hosted by The Hubbard Group, boasted a room full of Black male role models. From University of Iowa graduate students, alumni, and professors, to Super Bowl winning football coach Carl Jackson, there were several figures from which the undergraduate attendees could glean advice. Three panel discussions were held. The first being “Are we There Yet? The Black Male and the Search for Collegiate Community,” the aforementioned “The New Grinding: Expanding Your Consciousness as Your Life’s Work,” and finally “What’s With a Mentor? The Value of Help in a Foreign Land.” The 6 hour retreat was opened with a powerful speech from Michael Hill and closed with an interactive discussion about unlocking the clutch of White supremacy by Eddie Moore Jr., PhD.
In order to protect the Black race’s most vulnerable component, the Black male, retreats like The Hubbard Group’s must frequently occur in communities across the United States. According to the Schott Foundation for Public Education, only 41% of Black men graduate from high school in this country. Furthermore, National Student Clearinghouse recently published that just 22% of Black males who began at a 4 year college graduated within 6 years. There are countless other startling statistics I could reference showing the fragile state of Black male vitality in today’s society. Thus, the sustainability of Black America hinges on isolating the imperiled Black male and making him the specific target of encouragement and mentoring. This is the blueprint for Black male success. Please watch and spread the video below:
dangerousNEGRO Hits MAGIC 2009
dangerousNEGRO ventured out to Vegas for MAGIC 2009. Follow dN Execs Gary and Demetrius as they chop it up with DJ Jazzy Jeff, Day 26, Angela Simmons (Pastry), Fashion Designer Willie Esco, Actor Cisco Reyes, Frank 151, and the real Ed Hardy.
The Politics of Machine Gun Machismo
AR – 15s were designed for the US military to quickly and accurately strike enemy forces on the battlefield. This lightweight machine gun’s sole intent is to kill. Despite these facts, radical 2nd Amendment enthusiasts find it acceptable to suddenly exhibit their gun “rights” in opposition to Obama’s healthcare proposal. This is very odd considering that healthcare has absolutely nothing to do with the 2nd Amendment. So what is the deeper message being conveyed by these fanatical pistol pushing partisans? Upon closer examination of their actions, it is apparent that they are fighting to uphold White supremacy and social inequality.
Veiling their anger over the election of the nation’s first bi-racial President, these conservative Obama opponents have been itching for outlets to truly express their frustration over “losing” the country since last November. With Rush Limbaugh and Faux News constantly condoning the hate and branding the modern White supremacist movement, the radical Right has emerged more angry and ignorant than ever. Because they disagree that all Americans deserve quality health coverage their reaction is to intimidate the President and his supporters with guns? A rational conservative would concede that Thomas Jefferson declared that Americans “derive rights inherent & inalienable, among which are the preservation of life, & liberty, & the pursuit of happiness.” Yes, the preservation of life is the first and foremost inalienable right promised during America’s founding. How else can the American government preserve life without universal access to proper healthcare? Opposition to this right reflects a culture of selfishness bred by people who wish to maintain their social dominance.
Let’s revisit the Bush Administration. Where were the gun toters concerned with losing their freedom when GWB signed The Patriot Act? I don’t recall any of these guys greeting President Bush with their preservation of liberty signs and perfectly polished pistols. Could you imagine the speed in which a Negro would have been arrested had he attempted to bring an assault rifle to a Bush rally? Now what if it were a Muslim guy that carried a weapon to a Bush townhall? I can see Faux News running back to back telethons on how anti-American these people must be! The Muslim guy would be in Guantanamo right now! Prior to this year, when was the last time morons with firearms were accepted in the vicinity of the World’s most prominent leader? If you were to bring a machine gun to a sporting event, concert, or even the airport your gun “rights” would cease to exist and you would be arrested. So why then is it acceptable for civilians to carry weapons in locations visited by President Barack Obama?
The race card is the last card I like to pull out the deck, but let’s be realistic – It’s because he’s (half) BLACK! The local police forces in Arizona and New Hampshire (where the last 2 incidents have occurred) have chosen to turn a blind eye to the severity of these situations, which is highly unusual. They have no problem with these radical White men that oppose Obama creating a threatening scenario. In turn, radical Black men on the other side have now exhibited the same right, increasing tensions. If a shootout transpires are they going to shrug their shoulders and say “Hey, we were just protecting the gun liberties of our citizens?” By condoning weapon exhibition in the proximity of Obama these people are actively promoting a race war. Who do they think will emerge triumphant in the end????
If Obama makes any comment about these lunatics he will undoubtedly seem like an opponent of 2nd Amendment rights and other so called “freedoms.” Therefore, I believe this is a situation where others in Congress need to step in and assert that this behavior is unacceptable. A bill needs to be passed that restricts public firearm carry to law enforcement officials within 500 yards of the President. So for now on, no machine guns at NFL games, Britney Spears concerts, LAX, and oh yeah, near the President….
Say It Aint So…..
People Bringing Assault Weapons to Obama Forums… Wouldn’t Have Been Allowed To Happen With Bush
Wassup DangerousNegros, I know I been away for a minute but back to business, and the first order is this silent assassination being planned against our President.
Feel me now, simple mathematics says “this + this = that”…… Now, with this understood, how can the media not see that “Openly showing people carrying guns to Obama Rally’s on television + The Inflamed Radical Right Wing Conservative Movement that exists in this country still upset about the election of the country’s first Black President = ………..” Well I’ll let you do the math.
People don’t be fooled, the Board of Directors of this corporation/country understand fully what is in line for their President. As a matter of fact, I would go as far as to say that they may be planning for it.…. Throwing the Rock from their Hidden Hand…. The reason??? Social Unrest and the ability to amp up this already overwhelmed Police State in which we live, not to mention more profits for the Prison Industrial Complex which would end up housing the dissidents…. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
I pray for the safe flight of President Barack Obama. I know that Good always overcomes Evil. At the same time though, they killed Jesus so anybody can get it…. Open your eyes to what is going on around you, it’s hard to hide what your doing if everyone’s looking.
Peace and Love to tha Gods,
Mr. Nigga
