Silhouettes of the Soul

A Book of Poetry and Prose by Roger A. Talley

 

Silhouettes of the Soul is the second book published through my company Quanaah Publishing and this has been a very inspiring journey reading and editing Roger A. Talley's writings. As a Poet myself, who hadn't written in this style in quite some time, Roger reawakened in me feelings that I hadn't poetically articulated in a while. Silhouettes is his personal testimony of being embraced by love, strengthening his spirit, and learning to live a full life; a poetic commentary about his quest to gain understanding and increase the value of family, friendship, and faith in his own abilities.

The Author, Roger A. Talley, was born and raised in Los Angeles, California until moving to Detroit, Michigan in his late teens. At 21 he joined the U.S. Army and dedicated eight years of service to the military.

A career in Law Enforcement soon followed until a tragic accident ended his career and the new millennium brought new career opportunities. Roger found himself pursuing a career in the Casino Industry, and currently holds a position in Management at Seneca Niagara Casino in Niagara Falls, New York with the vision and intent to achieve a top level management position. He is currently in pursuit of his Master's degree in Business Management at Empire State College to attain his goal. His leadership and intellectual abilities have been augmented by his love of life, willingness to learn and new found opportunities for growth. Roger has an uncanny ability to navigate through the negative inevitabilities of life always effectuating a positive end. He strives to keep his public and private life aligned, always keeping his eyes on the prize.      

I want to thank Roger for sharing his intimate experiences and illustrations about love in a way that reminds me of what I've once shared and strive to share once again. His book, and a Woman very close to me, were the inspiration behind various poems I've written recently and my musical piece My Tapestry of Love.

 



My Tapestry of Love...

I want to thank Author Asia M. Jackson (Rarity of Beauty and The Rose Thorn's Purpose) who helped in the editing and artistic development of Silhouettes of the Soul and Author D. Scott (Stay in Your Lane) for her consulting and business acumen.   

If you would like to purchase a copy, Silhouettes of the Soul is now available directly through our E-Store, Quanaah Publishing, Amazon, and can be ordered through any bookstore or store that sells books Globally.

 

Peace,

Saladin


True Skool Radio Presents

The Universal Street Academy

(3306 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19140)

 

 

Yesterday, the U.S.A. (Universal Street Academy) in PowerHill held a Raffle/Fundraiser to support our Institution's Restoration Project. Aside from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Prize Winners that were drawn from our Raffle, all of the proceeds from the Raffle/Fundraiser go to our Restoration Project. The Winners of the Raffle were as follows:

-1st Prize: $300 -Destiny Smallwood
-2nd Prize: $200 -Dee Click
-3rd Prize: $100 -Shabazz Dow

 

As a follow-up to this Event, I will be co-hosting a Show tonight at 6:00pm (EST) with True-Father of True Skool Radio (TSR) to discuss the establishment of the U.S.A., our present Restoration process, and how people can assist in this endeavor. We will be joined by Special Guests, U.S.A. Representatives, Khazire Knowledge Allah, Divine Universal Allah, and Life Justice who will give us more insight into the U.S.A., a recap of yesterday's Raffle/Fundraiser, and the importance of building/supporting our own Institutions. This Show's live feed cuts off at the 30 min mark so if you want to hear the whole Show live please call in before the 30 min mark, otherwise you can listen to the whole show in the archive section of TSR.

 

The Call-In Number: (619) 566-0922

Listen Online at: True Skool Radio (TSR)

What is U.S.A.?

The Universal Street Academy, affectionately referred to as U.S.A., is a nonprofit organization located at 3306 Ger­man­town Avenue in Philadelphia, PA that it focused on the cultural, academic, and social education of all people; with emphasis on the original indigenous peoples of the planet.

It's function will be to serve the North Philadelphia community where it is located and beyond. U.S.A. will provide educational, recreational, and social services, both public and private. The Universal Street Academy is currently under reconstruction. The end result will be a full service center with three (3) multi-use eventing areas; two (2) kitchen facilities; two (2) educational facilities equipped with computers, multimedia equipment, smart-boards, library, and smart podiums; a video/audio studio; meeting and conferencing facilities.

What is True Skool Radio (TSR)?

 

TSR is Hip Hop 101 and the Peoples CNN, a grassroots expression of the community's wants, needs and desires.

Peace,

Saladin

Community Circles
-How The Mighty Have Fallen-

 

Our Communities are not destroyed for lack of knowledge. People know what's wrong, especially those of us who live within the Community, that confront these problems each and every day. Our Communities are apathetically destroyed for lack of sacrifice. Many of us are simply unwilling to look out for one another, even our own children, in order to secure personal possessions and creature comforts for ourselves.

My father, Philip Frank, is a Painter by trade and an Artist/Musician at heart. As a teenager he played the bass in a group called The El Moroccos. It was my father’s influence where I developed a great love for music, nature, and culture. In second grade when I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up I told my teacher Mrs. Smith, “A Zoologist!” My favorite animal was a ‘jaguarundi’ and my father, my twin brothers, and myself would watch animal/nature programs religiously. Whether it was National Geographic, Wild America, Nova, Wild Wild World of Animals, and etc., if it was on, we saw it. My father also collected African art and taught us about our classical civilizations and cultural traditions prior to slavery. Recognizing the Dinka tribe from the Masai tribe, learning the story of General Hannibal, and understanding our story in America was common knowledge in our household. I also learned that I am the great-great-great grandson of Josiah Henson; forerunner of the Underground Railroad, founder of a Community of fugitive slaves in Dresden, Ontario Canada and the British-American Vocational Institute. It was through my father that I gained my cultural consciousness and developed my interpersonal relationship with the Planet.

My mother, Lois Frank, was a Psychologist/Sociologist by trade. One of my earliest memories of her is being gathering up on rainy days with a few of my siblings and put into our Pontiac Grand Safari to go look for "our buddies". She'd drive us around the city until we found our buddies and once we saw them she would tell us to wave, and we would return home. Our buddies were a group of four homeless people who sought shelter from the rain underneath an overpass. Over time, my siblings and I began to initiate these outings by asking our mother could we go look for our buddies when it rained. With that simple gesture, our mother successfully taught us to identify with others and a social condition synonymous with rain. Years later I would implement the same Parenting techniques by taking my school age daughters to "the lunch place". Nine years later my eldest daughter, Asiyah, would write about these experiences, the people she met, and how this positively shaped her life on College entry essays. All this time she never knew that the lunch place was the Community Soup Kitchen. Asiyah is now graduating High School and will be pursuing a career in Forensic Psychology at Howard University in our Nation's Capitol. It was through my mother that I gained my social consciousness and developed my interpersonal relationship to the World.

Along my journey there are many who have added onto and reinforced the foundation my parents have laid. Those people who have played and often still play the most significant roles in my growth and development have been people who understood the meaning of sacrifice. From my eldest sibling Brad Frank who would invest his own money and get resources to train my peers and I in the summer for the upcoming football season, to Rev. Kenneth James who kept his office, church, and home open to us who were seeking guidance and support in becoming boys to men. There were business owners like Carmen Jones, Mr. Brown, Beechie, Mr. Williamson, Arthur Ray, Howard, Ms. Theresa, Ms. Price, and etc., Youth Advocates like Knuckles, Virgil, Greg Lewis, Reggie McCreary, Hamp, Garth and various others too numerous to mention who took ownership of our neighborhoods and sacrificed their personal time and finances to insure that my present generation would be here today. It was through their collective work, responsibility, and examples that I understand what Community is about, and I actively build upon this legacy with the things that I do.

One thing that I've found in common with all of the people that I mentioned above was their sense of sacrifice. As Business Owners it was never about making themselves rich off of the support from the Community. It was about providing a service and  reciprocating the money the Community paid for these services by supporting other Businesses, Organizations, and Institutions within our Community; Beechy would buy groceries at Mr. Brown's store down the block, and Mr. Brown would get his hair cut at Beechie's Barbershop. Our dollar circulated a few times before leaving our Community and this type of support for one another strengthened the socioeconomic integrity of our families and thus our Community as a whole. We sacrificed personal gains to ensure that we collectively prospered.

I was  recently asked, "What type of vision do I have for our Community?" My answer is that is, I have the same vision as those who came before me. The same vision I benefited from that I share with my own children and our present generation: our greatest natural resource and Ambassadors of the future. I see people taking more pride in our Community because they're home owners. I see people who were once discriminated against because of a non-violent offense they committed fifteen years ago being business owners, employed, and providing a service to a neighborhood they once took from. I see Sunday no longer being the most segregated day of the week because our Religious Community is now working as a Community; collectively supporting, protecting, and providing programs and activities for the most vulnerable elements of our Society: women, children, seniors, the poor/unemployed, and the handicapped. I see our Community no longer relying on an underfunded, understaffed police force to resolve all our problems and keep our neighborhoods safe from ourselves. I see us policing ourselves, as guardian angels, who have taken an active stance against crime, juvenile delinquency, and family dysfunction. I see our Community investing in our youth by supporting the cultural arts, recreation centers, entertainment, and educational opportunities that encourage their positive growth & development. Lastly and most importantly, I see our Community as ours; a place our ancestors migrated to with goals of building, supporting, and perpetuating a better life for each other.

The decline of any Community is marked by its members unwillingness and inability to protect and provide for its most vulnerable elements: women, children, seniors, the poor/unemployed, and the handicapped. Establishing resources to protect and provide for these family elements builds the compound called a Community. In order to restore this place, we must be willing and able to sacrifice the "I" for "We", the "Mine" for "Ours", and the "Me & You" for "Us". If we all do a little, no one needs to do a lot. In the rebuilding process one of our greatest enemies is apathy; the lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern for each other and rebuilding our Community. Many of our Politicians, Religious Leaders, Parents, Businesses, and Organizations are apathetic. It's impossible for a Community to deteriorate, on the watch of those who care. When we care we're concerned. Concern means we're able to relate and when we're able to relate we can establish relationships; the intimate glue that holds our families, neighborhoods, and Communities together. This is a rebuilding process that doesn't happen over night. It's a long term investment in each other, and more specifically our children. It's the type of posture that inspires, empowers, and educates our children to develop a relationship with our Community. It's also the type of posture that encourages our children to take ownership of our Community when we are no longer here. I am the result of this posture and learned, through the sacrifice of others, my role, relationship and responsibility to our Community. After studying Therapeutic/Recreation at Central State University in Wilberforce, OH, I returned to WNY and have diligently worked as a Youth Mentor for over a decade. I have authored/published several books on the subject of Social Commentary, worked as a Program Consultant for an episode of the History Channel Series 'Gangland', started a Prison Correspondence Project, created/financed various other Community Initiatives/Youth Programs, and have partnered with many Institutions that advocate for the same common Community causes. While many have praised me for these efforts I constantly remind them that I am because we are. I am the result of many others, known and unknown, who have sacrificed their time, finances, and lives to pave the way for me to have these opportunities to contribute to a rich ancestral legacy. I am not apathetic because I saw many who cared and demonstrated their love for one another.

When a Community doesn't function as a circle-like Ecosystem of positive human resources, it simply becomes a negative, vicious, parasitic cycle amongst its members. If we, as members of our Community, are apathetic about the process of building it, we are the very elements that bring about its destruction. In conclusion, I leave you all with this question: What type of vision do you have for our Community, and what sacrifices are you willing/able to make to help bring this vision to life?

Peace,
Saladin



Temptation Commentary

For Those Who Saw The Film

 

I recently saw the film 'Temptation' and thought it was an excellent, insightful film. For those of you who've ceen the film, here's short list of 9 things I took away from it:

1.) Pick up the book 'Stay in Your Lane'. Among other insights you'll learn from Author D. Scott, there's a Chapter called 'Hoe Stroll'; a great psychoanalysis of Judith's "itch" and how to address that. 

 

2.) Fellas, add spice to your life or you will end up being a Brice. 

Brice
 

3.) Although Harley was living in Judith's head rent free, with all his paper he was still a predatory chili pimp; we wasn't no BIG GAME Hunter. If he was really bout dat life he would have acquired Mademoiselle's Business and made her Manager.

Harley

4.) Judith had no identity in her marriage or her home: The decorum in the living/bedroom and kitchen had no semblance of a womanly touch, and their bathroom didn't even look feminine. It was HIS (Brice's) Life and she was just in it. Top it off with that homely Bricemobile and you have what is called an "Invisible Woman" -or maybe a female "Hollow Man"...

Judith in the living/bedroom

 

5.) When Brice ran up in Harely's spot, he should have gave 'em a Hulk Hogan Leg Drop.

6.) Moesha did her thing.

7.) The grass ain't greener on the other side; it could end up being a brownfield.

8.) A Father, carrier of the seed of life, was absent throughout the film until the very end. This symbolized the potential to end a previous cycle and birth (renew) another life in its place.

9.) LOLA = Turnt Up!

 

Peace,
Saladin



Marquise de Merteuil and Cécile de Volanges

 

Misogyny = Misandry

 

Western Society, without a doubt, is historically and presently Misogynistic, Male Chauvinistic, Sexist, and Gender Oppressive. I've never supported this and have always been a firm advocate of Equality, regardless of gender. Many others also bear witness to this inherent problem with Western Society yet the important question to ask ourselves is, "What are we doing about it?" For females, this question is even more critical to answer because through her is potentially born the solution to these social ills.

There are females who have taken and are taking successful steps to solve this problem via embracing Cultures that are non-Western, engaging in the Political Process to create legislation that brings about levels of Equality, and creating their own Institutions/Businesses that promotes Gender Equality. At the same time you have other females who haven't taken successful steps to solve this problem. So instead of addressing Misogyny they become Misandrists; an unhealthy response to an unhealthy situation.

Misandry is defined as "hatred or strong dislike for males, boys, and men". The word "misandry" didn't appear in most dictionaries until the mid 1900's and in the 1970's it was considered a new term being introduced into mainstream American English (language). Misandry, as a concept, still hasn't been totally aknowledged within mainstream Western Society because if you were to go to Microsoft Word right now and type in the word "misandrist" a red line will appear underneath it meaning 'this is not a word' or 'this word is mispelled'. The point here to consider is that words, and their function, still shape our reality -even if Microsoft Word doesn't acknowledge them. It's also important to consider that just because words are not common within mainstream American English, it doesn't mean they don't exist, they're harmless, or neutral. In fact, oftentimes it's those things that appear nonexistent, innocent, and indifferent that actually end up being the most real, harmful, and political.

There are many reasons, in addition to a Misogynistic Western Societal atmosphere, that females become Misandrists. Sometimes they were raised by Lesbian Parents. Othertimes they may have been taken advantage of or abandoned by the males in their life. Maybe they were influenced by a Feminist. Perhaps they were in relationships with serial cheaters. Regardless what their rationalization is for this contempt for males, it doesn't solve their problem of reconciliation. Over the years I've watched females group together based upon mutual pain and insecurities. Many of these support groups are often nothing more than bitch sessions to trade war stories about mental, emotional, and physical abuse. Many of these groups do not even consider or explore healthy ways to reconcile a dysfunctional family unit and bring males and females back together. Oftentimes their Mission Statements are "It's all about my sisters" and the background music is the Covergirl, Queen Latifiahed Theme from Living Single. There's nothing wrong with Sisterhood; I think that's very important for our families and communities! Yet when these girlfriend pow-pows are not providing females with effective/healthy ways to come together with males to advocate one common cause of (re)building a family and community, that's a fundamental problem. Whenever I engage a group of females who're advocating any kind of Woman's Group I always ask them what is their plan of action and goal in regards to coming together with males/men for the purpose of family and community. If they don't have a plan, goal or even try to rationalize their Mission as "focused on what females/women need to do for ourselves" I know right then and there that I, as a male/man, am not an essential part of their plan or goal in regards to family and community. This mentality and approach is no different than the plans of action Western Society has historically advocated with no goal for coming together with Black/Brown families and communities. In other words, Caucasians as a group in America, have historically and legally kept Black/Brown apart from their own social equality from 1776-1965; 189 years of America's 237 year existence. Instead of finding healthy ways to address this alienation/seperation, many Black/Brown people have adopted the same mentality and approach towards eachother. So many of us keep eachother apart from our own social equality based upon cultural, ethnic, religious, academic, economic, gender, and etc. differences too. One of these differences I am pointing out is along gender lines; where Black/Brown females, in response to the 'blackfaced misogyny' that may/may not have been directly/indirectly perpetrated against them by Black/Brown males, are now promoting Misandry. 

Many females don't even realize that deep down inside they're holding this contempt for males, boys, and men. One of the biggest indicators is when the bulk of a their conversation is about how worthless males are and how men are beneath them. It reminds me of this female having a conversation with me about how dudes just wasn't on her level, as if she was The Last Unicorn. I perfectly understand the frustration of socializing with 'some' people; I've gotten frustrated myself. Yet to take a position that "males", "men", and "dudes" are ALL a certain way is deeply problematic. The females who think and feel this way about ALL males have basically reduced themselves to three abiological options in life:

1.) Denounce all males and become a Lesbian.
2.) Denounce all males, become a female eunuch, and promote Fratricide/Patricide.
3.) Use males as a tool and also as a slave.

While the issue of Gender Equality is a legitimate concern for any female (and males), these three abiological choices are not a healthy response/answer to the problem of Misogyny. They're not legitimate solutions because they do not demonstrate a female's commitment to assist in (re)building families and communities for our future generations. For without males there are no children or future and a Society without offspring will cease to exist; just like Societies without females to bear offspring will also cease to exist. So ceeing that these three options are obviously not a healthy response/answer, what is a legitimate solution to the problem? Do these solutions insure the production, provisions, and protection of a future Society?

I think before we even answer that question we have to be aware that we, as Black/Brown people within North America, are not the primary architects of this Society. We were given legal permission to participate in this Society about 48 years ago -even though America will be celebrating it's 237th Birthday this year. So we as Black/Brown people are not the status quo nor does this Society we reside in primarily reflect our Ancestors culture (core values, language, customs, traditions and etc.). Because we reside in North America and were subjected to its cultural conditions, all of us in some form or fashion have adopted many of these core values, language, customs, traditions and etc. We we all assimilated and some of us are striving daily to recapture our culture. So this is the lens we should be looking at eachother through; a filter of consideration for being made other than ourselves from eating the wrong cultural foods. In other words, present day Black/Brown males who perpetuate Western Society's Misogyny, Male Chauvinism, Sexism, and Gender Oppression were taught this from the most Misogynistic, Male Chauvinistic, Sexist, and Gender Oppressive people on the Planet. Likewise, Black/Brown females whose unhealthy answer to Misandry (and Misogyny) are also perpetuating a Western Ideology. Realizing this gives us the ability think about and seek answers outside of the Western box many of us are stuck in. In thinking outside of the box we must ask ourselves: How did we relate to eachother as Black/Brown people before July 4th 1776? How did we relate to one another 1200 years ago? What about 10,000 years ago? The further we go back, the resources/references we have to solve the problems of today. In many cases we'll come across practical solutions from people who thought about our problems many moons ago.

In closing, I want to encourage my sisters (and brothers) to realize that whatever problems we face as a people today doesn't exist in a vacuum. Also, the problems we're thinking about today are problems we have already considered; Archeologists have documented us as being here hundreds of thousands of years so that's alot of thinking about life and living. In striving to solve our problems, any solutions we come up with MUST involve a  commitment to assist in (re)building our families and communities for our future generations. If this bond is  not present, our lives will continue to be broken. Again, we've been documented as being here for hundreds of thousands of years so there are plenty of examples to put our theories to the test. Misogyny and Misandry is flawed logic; there is no life that has ever come from that. Hatred, strong dislike, or disatisfaction with one another only breeds dissention. This dissention causes division and before long we make Devils. Ladies, yes there are males who need some work, just like you do, and we need to work it out together. It's an excellent idea to come together as women/sisters to address issues related to females b.u.t. don't forget about us males! -smile- We need your insight and answers about ways we can (re)build our families and communities; our future generations depend on us providing these answers, together.

Peace,
Saladin 



On Outsiders

As a Public Figure I've learned alot and continue to learn alot when it comes to effective public speaking and basic public relationship skills. One of the things I've definately learned about this platform is how to choose battles. A few years back I had an incident where I gave people alittle too much credit by even mentioning their name and putting to rest their accusations against me. It's a situation I could have ignored like it was pork yet I chose to take it on. A couple years after that another incident occurred and I took the "ignore it like it's pork" approach instead. It was pretty difficult going through it without giving any time, attention or energy into it. Although I took two different approaches, the results of both incidents are exactly the same; I continue to add-on and remain a relevant contributor to the growth and development of people throughtout the World. With the worldwide web there's many opportunities for people to put on facades, front, create illusions and manipulate others into buying into their BS. So one of the reasons I've consistently operated this A.S.I.A. Journal is to remain a beacon of light for those who're seeking real growth and development, not facades, fronting, illusions and manipulation.

The last Article I wrote, HipHop Culture 101: in Defense of Lord Jamar elaborated on various attacks on Lord Jamar's position in regards to his reasoning for his song "Lift Up Your Skirt". Lord Jamar, one of the group members of Brand Nubian; contributing architects of Golden Era Conscious HipHop, were very inspirational in my growth and development. So I was motivated to clarify some of the stances he took and to also address some of the criticisms he received from "outsiders" of that Culture. One of these outsiders and main criticizers is also an outsider of the primary Culture/Society that Lord Jamar, myself and others subscribe to and are active Citizens of.

One of the things you'll notice in all of this, whether we're dealing with HipHop or the Nation of Gods and Earths (The NGE/Five Percenters), is outside opinions. A few years back I posted a video on A.S.I.A. entitled "Nuuwabians, Hebrews, Muslims, Khemetians, etc..?" The purpose of this was to emphasize that if anyone wants to know what these groups teach then go directly to them to learn. It seems simple enough b.u.t. time and time again people choose to get their information from "outsiders" instead of going directly to the source. This isn't to say that an outsider doesn't know anything, they may, in theory. Yet if you want to know about some of the ins and outs of prison doesn't it make sense to learn directly from someone who's been a career criminal and incarcerated in 5 or 6 different medium/maximum facilities? Or would you rather your primary source be someone who's only gotten a jaywalking ticket in their life and has a DVD collection of Gangland? Again, this is not to say you can't learn ANYTHING from the later person; most times you'll learn that this person can tell you some things about the map yet is completely oblivious to the terrain because they never actually been there...

Because we, as Black and Brown People, are the minority group here in the wilderness of North America, everything we do is going to be critiqued from the outside Society we live in. That's a given. The various different Cultural Societies that further makes a minority further compounds this critique. That's also a given. So in considering this, we can either obsess over what outsiders think or we can continue to do what we've been doing knowing that outsiders are going to think what they want anyway. It;s all about choosing our battles; sometimes issues need to be addressed directly and other times we need to ignore it like it's pork. This incident has been a wake up call for many of us who have sat by and not taken the necessary measures to preserve and protect our Culture, whether that's HipHop or the Nation of Gods and Earths. So today I want to share a couple key points in regards to that preservation and protection.

There was never a time in our Nation's chronology where our general consensus towards teaching others was, "Who wants to be a Five Percenter raise their hand?" People had to earn the right to be trusted with our brother/sisterhood and these teachings we hold as sacred. Nowadays people are handing out Lessons like they're pitchin' mollies from the corner and we wonder why people can claim to be The God or Earth so and so yet doing THIS the other days of the week. In the early days of our Nation (circa the 1960's to the 1980's), we didn't allow outsiders to just come amongst us nor did we give outsiders the symbolic authority to move the furniture around in our house. We didn't allow people to audio/video record our Rallies, Parliaments or Events. We didn't publish books and only wrote our understanding concerning our Lessons/Mathematics in Plus Degrees that we internally circulate(d) amongst ourselves. These protocols kept many people from infiltrating us. Although the growth of the internet and social networking may give outsiders the impression that The NGE and learning our Culture is easily accessible and one or two videos, downloads, amazon purchases and google searches away from being a Five Percenter, that is absolutely untrue. With the exception of audio/video recording some of our Rallies, Parliaments or Events and publishing some books, many of us still adhere to many of these standards we practiced in the early days concerning outsiders and the outside World.

In The NGE there are certain customs, traditions, principles, values, protocols, rules and regulations we strive to collectively adhere to. 75%, 6/8th's or the majority of these customs, traditions, principles, values, protocols, rules and regulations are directly derived from our knowledge, wisdom and understanding of 120 Lessons, regardless if we're male or female; a Five Percenter is non-gender specific. These protocols are in place as a system of checks and balances to maintain the order of our Society. An example of this is a conversation I had with a female who defined herself as "The Earth" for years yet when asked 'What is the Duty of a Civilized Person?' (18/1-40) she didn't even know -just like the average scantly clad, pork eating, 85 female doesn't know that this female often took pride in criticizing: the irony of Knowledge Build or Destroy... It's a problem when the only real difference between people on the so-called inside and outsiders is what they chose to wear and take instagram pictures of that day... If appearance is the face value standard and lackadaisical posture we're using to determine who's who in the zoo, then we will continue to compromise our ability to preserve and protect our Culture. Yet if we continue to adhere to the customs, traditions, principles, values, protocols, rules and regulations of our Nation such as asking people "How do you cee Today's Mathematics?", "How do you cee Today's Degree?", "Do you Knowledge 120?", "What Degrees are you dealing with?", "How long have you had Knowledge of Self?", "Who is your Enlightener/Educator?", "Where did you get Knowledge of Self?" and etc.. everything will come out in the wash. And even if someone answered "The 8th Degree in the 1-40's" when asked, "What Degrees are you dealing with?" TAKE TIME TO QUIZ THEM SO THEY CAN SHOW AND PROVE IT! They may be honest and sincere. You may also find out that they didn't anticipate you quizzing them and once you start questioning them you'll cee they were either telling a boldface lie or exaggerating what they knew, could accurately recite and actually understood about our Culture. This examination process isn't personal and never was personal; it's Nation Business. And this examination process extends equally to both males and females; the corresponding, foundational units of our Nation, Gods (males) and Earths (females). This is the approach we've always taken to ensure that those who are around us are actually us! This is the approach we've always taken to ensure that our families (especially our children) are protected from outsiders who don't advocate our common cause. This is the approach we've always taken to ensure that you or I can't just say or do anything and think it's acceptable to our group's Culture! Unfortunately many people aren't honorable and will try to fake it until they make it so the customs, traditions, principles, values, protocols, rules and regulations of our Nation serve IMPARTIAL STANDARDS to ensure our Culture is preserved and protected from anyone mixing, diluting and tamering with what What We Teach and What We Will Achieve. USE THESE IMPARTIAL STANDARDS by requiring that people know, can articulate and understand these standards or you'll loose it (cultural integrity) -and possibly your life behind claiming outsiders as the same as you. Require that others also hold you to these IMPARTIAL STANDARDS!

People, outsiders, are going to say what they're going to say about us on "the outside". They often do this to lure us into their arena so they can have their way with us on their terms and in their arena; sort of like inviting you on their Show so they can make a Show out of you... Reminds me of the scene in The Wire when Avon Barksdale was schoolin' Stringer about "playing them away games" when he got beat by Senator Clay Davis. When these outsiders come on the inside and feel as though they have some sense of entitlement and authority to say what they want about us it's because we Deputized them. Bottom line is we need to tighten up our ranks and stop being so lax about our examination process, internally and with obvious outsiders.
 

Peace,

Saladin 

HipHop Culture 101
-In Defense of Lord Jamar-

I recently read an Article by Michael Muhammad Knight entitled "Kanye West in a Kilt Has Lord Jamar So Hard Right Now" that was in response to Lord Jamar's recent Tweets, Vlad TV Interview and New Song entitled "Lift Up Your Skirt". Lift Up Your Skirt was inspired by Lord Jamar's stance on the Skirt/Kilt Kanye West -in particular- has recently worn, skinny jeans and ultimately the effeminization of males in HipHop Culture. After reading Knight's Article I was compelled to further add-on about what I understand this issue to be. 

One of the things that many people need to first consider about HipHop is that it's a Culture, meaning "a way of life". This way of living is comprised of various elements such as Breakin (Dance), Emceein, Graffiti Art, Deejayin, Beatboxin, Fashion, Language, Knowledge, Entrepreneurialism and any other components that make it a Culture. These elements were first forged and defined as a Culture by Black/Brown youth within the inner cities of New York, beginning in The Bronx. This definition did not come from thin air or a position of privilege or entitlement; it arose out of a position/condition of making a way out of no way. The founders of HipHop Culture were Black/Brown youth; the children of the Segregation/Civil Rights/Black Power Movement and Oppressed/Colonized people from the Islands. As the children of these conditions, our goal was never Cultural Assimilation or seeking acceptance/validation from a Western Society that rejected us; we created our own way of life. (Basic HipHop Timeline) So this way of life or Culture we call HipHop was born out of the socioeconomic, cultural and geopolitical considerations (and influences) of our fore parents, our chronology and our environment. This is one reason "sampling" has always been a  part of HipHop Culture; it demonstrates that connection to the chronology, cultural roots and musical contributions of our fore parents. This does not mean that there were NO Caucasians present because some did participate. This only means that we, Black/Brown people, were and still are the First World (Indigenous) People of HipHop Culture; not the minority, second class citizens or Third World people. The only reason HipHop is present today is because it was passed on from one generation to the next. It was this form of cultural propagation that made this reproduction possible. So from a Cultural perspective, there have always been principles and core values to ensure the birth of HipHop's future "offspring". There  have also been foreign values outside of HipHop that were never advocated because they would not ensure the birth of HipHop's future "offspring".  So HipHop today, in 2013, is now a Global Phenomenon and this is because of its Cultural virility (power to procreate) and fertility (power to produce).

Lord Jamar

Lord Jamar spoke clearly on how the effeminization of males within HipHop in particular (via skinny jeans, skirts/kilts and etc.) is the result of foreign values being injected into this Culture that is altering its course and potential to reproduce. In other words, he was pointing out the cross-pollination of values going on between HipHop Culture and Western Society. He argued that this effeminization is a  process and practice that is causing a HipHop Cultural Genocide. He also pointed out that effeminization has never been a part of core values of HipHop Culture, nor has it ever been reflected in the social norms/more of those who live this way of life. However, we do cee this process and practice as an acceptable "lifestyle" norm within Western Society at large. For example: Homosexuality, as a practice, is no longer defined as a mental disorder (per the DSM-IV) but a lifestyle that Western Society openly embraces; although this style, defined as life, does not actually propagate life. In other words, if all of us chose to practice Homosexuality right now, there would not be another generation of human beings on the Planet once we die. All opinions and feelings about Homosexuality aside, that is the genealogical reality; this practice violates the first law of nature: Self Preservation. The only option for those who do choose to practice Homosexuality is to manufacture artificial means to propagate life such as: the building of sperm banks, in vitro fertilization, surrogacy, human cloning and etc. As Western Society continues to inject it's values within HipHop, also consider what artificial means (people, places and things) it likewise employs to propagate it's life.

Some people feel and/or think Lord Jamar's stance was a personal attack against Homosexuals. No, his stance was  for the conservation, production and perpetuation of a Culture he and other Black/Brown people created -that has now gotten into the hands of cultural bandits. Kanye West and various other Entertainers are the ambassadors of these bandits and use their status within Western Society to primarily reinforce its values, not the Cultural principles and core values of HipHop's First World (Indigenous) People. I know the difference because I am the younger sibling of the youth who created HipHop Culture. Yet what about the youth of today? Would they know the difference between HipHop's core values and Western Society's foreign values being injected in our Culture? Those who know our chronology probably do. Those who don't know this chronology typically look at Kanye West, A$AP Rocky, P-Diddy and other Entertainers choices as a simple fashion statement, not a Declaration of Independence from an Indigenous HipHop Nation. Lord Jamar was not the first person to raise the issue against Cultural Assimilation; this stance was present in HipHop's inception and was always reflected in it's various "counter-culture" elements -as Western Society deemed them. It was only when Western Corporate Interests saw that they could make money from HipHop that they eventually began separating Emceein & Deejayin (Rap) from the other elements in order to get paid. And if the Rap didn't coincide with those Interests they either didn't promote it, undermined it or simply paid "Sellouts" (as we called them) to do it. This is still the Corporate formula of today and even though the term Sellout has become archaic amongst the present generation, Sellouts still functionally exist.

In closing, keep in mind that HipHop as a Culture is now becoming a Global Phenomenon that is primarily in the hands of Western Corporate Interests. These Interests primarily reflect the core values of the West yet many of HipHop's Indigenous People (and progeny) have bought into these values and dance to the tune these Corporate Pipers are playing. The euro-centered materialism, objectification of women, effeminization of males, rugged individualism and etc. are all examples of Acultural elements that never represented the roots of HipHop Culture. Within this Culture we always had proverbial wisdom, colloquialisms and slang that reinforced our core values. "Biting" meant to be original and not copy. "Crossover" meant to keep our Culture originally HipHop, not assimilate or become Pop (Popular Culture). These, and various other  terms/phrases, reflect core values a lot of the present generation is no longer aware of and do not advocate. These, and various other  terms/phrases, are not reflected in alot of the mainstream Rap Music or advocated by many Entertainers that are supported by Western Corporate Interests. An example of this is how this Society originally declared the HipHop elements Emceein & Deejayin (Rap) as "Jungle Music" and refused to play it on the radio. Michael Muhammad Knight's Article clearly reflects a lack of awareness/connection with the chronology of HipHop Culture and the social norms/mores that helped transmit this way of life from one generation to the next. While many of these social norms/mores were overt, much of the Culture was covert and transmitted non-verbally; unspoken rules and regulations the Indigenous People of HipHop forged and understood amongst ourselves. Those on the outside looking in aren't privy to this Culture's social norms/mores, especially the unspoken rules and regulations. Therefore, they tend to categorize HipHop not as a Culture but as an 'Art' that simply promotes 'Freedom of Expression'; a common phrase and buzzword associated with the LGBT Community. To the contrary, HipHop has only supported Freedom within the context of our Cultural Worldview; a view that was rarely advocated or reflected in the Western Society around us. Anything we considered Culturally 'out of bounds' was considered "Wack", meaning corny or not legit, and those who were saying/doing wack stuff were strait "Buggin"! Again, many of these, and various other  terms/phrases, are not reflected in a lot of the mainstream Rap Music today. So obviously many of the concepts and core values that reinforce this language aren't present. Lord Jamar's stance and many others within our HipHop Community is much more insightful than "policing fabric" as Knight stated, nor does it have anything to do with Prophet Muhammad sitting down to use the bathroom or being, as Western Society has coined, "homophobic". In plain ole HipHop language, Lord Jamar was just reiterating the same sentiments HipHop Culture has always held since it's inception: Kanye West and various other Entertainers are Biting Western Society and that Crossover stuff  is Wack! They may be talented Artists but they're Buggin because their choices are clearly leading our present generation and our future generations down a path of HipHop Cultural Genocide.

Peace,

Saladin