Normally, there would be a video here showing what I am talking about. Not on this post. Sorry. I can't do it. I wish I could UNSEE THAT THAT SHIT actually. @ THE VIDEO. Yes, I saw it. I know that doesn't make me 'gangsta' enough for some of you. I don't give a fuck personally. You do nothing for me and I nothing for you so we are good.
Here is the thing. I can't bring this message by showing the video of the boy in the Chi without feeling like someone, SOMEWHERE, will take it, see as 'okay' or acceptable. On some "We are going to do that to some cat.." type shit. So I won't be showing it. That saying "If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything..." has never rung truer in my head than it does right now. I can't condone that shit. I know some street niggas that would LOVE TO SEE IT. Sorry fam. You are gonna have to GOOGLE THAT SHIT. Not here. It is the same reason why I don't run many local news stories of the places that I consider 'home'. I am not going to glorify that shit. Anything that is done out of necessity? I don't like but I understand it. That out and out 'We did it 'cause we can and have no fucking care as to who likes it' shit? Nope.
I have yet to really delve into the whole 'embarrassing'/violence for the sake of violence type videos. I probably never will. I have seen how showing those videos can spiral into a sense of 'Oh well, that's just how shit goes down..' that I want no part of. I don't want to send a message that it is okay in any way.
First story is about the boy in Chicago.
Link to the story here if you don't know about it.. I don't feel bad providing the link but I won't be providing the video. That is a non video link.
He was at a place of refuge. A community center. Not out at 1:30 am. Not on the 'dope boy' corner. The community center. You can't let your kid go to the COMMUNITY CENTER NOW? Fucking really? Again, people will bemoan the lack of support by the government. The white man. Blame it on some other shit. Facts are facts. Nobody 'told these kids' to do what they did. They make conscious decisions every day. What to eat. What part of town to pull this type of shit on. (You didn't see 'em doing it over there with the Latin Kings hang out in the Chi did you? Yeah..)What gals to holler at? They KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING WAS WRONG. Period. I am sure they all have a story. We all do shit. Doesn't make it RIGHT. @ them having a story.
So now they have identified some of the boys in the video and they have charged them. Again, I won't be showing mugshots of them for as DEPLORABLE as the acts they committed are, I don't wanna 'glorify' them by giving them the 'street credit' a mugshot seems to bring in the minds of some people. Nor will I be a party to the potshots on the other end of the spectrum that posting up shots of them in the mug room. You wanna see that?
Go here: That shit was BEYOND unnecessary and I hope they let them live. IN JAIL. This ain't The Wire or some other TV show but I hope they follow them in jail and film that shit. Let the kids see what it REALLY is when you go to jail. What REALLY HAPPENS. Not none of that glorified shit that no one can either confirm or deny by some cat who mighta done some bids here and there way 'across the way' or by someone who went to a local jail where they were 'protected'. Naw. Send them away to Texas or Arizona where that reach can't reach out. In there with some REAL KILLERS...Maybe shit will get real for them then.
"But they are children 'Ware....."
Look many of you who know me know that I am as compassionate as they come with people. Especially kids. I am that way probably to a fault in some cases. Not in this case. I know too many people who have done shit like this. They don't change unless something DRASTIC happens in their lives to make them change IF THEY CHANGE AT ALL. I used to think we could save everybody. We can't. Sorry. Just like everyone isn't meant to be a thug, everyone can't be saved and turned into a productive citizen. That is the way the cookie crumbles. One of these cats is 19 years old and two of them are 18 years old. They are young but men at this point. They are not children. The 16 year old? He thought he was a man and made a grown man decision. He needs to live with it. If he made grown man decisions like 'moving that work', getting coupe'd up, and the like you would PAT HIS ASS ON THE BACK talking about he is a 'grown man doing grown man things taking care of himself'. @ the 'street' cats that are reading this. You don't get to pick and choose when you wanna be a man. Being a man is a full time job fam. He was man enough to commit this crime so he needs to take responsibility and 'man up' and take his punishment. I don't wanna hear that he didn't know any better. That bullshit excuse is just as bad as saying "Well maybe the white people of old had no clue slavery was bad....." FOH. They KNEW BETTER AND THIS MOFO DID TOO. And I saw the video. He was in it and participating. Heavy. So there is no 'benefit of the doubt.'. It is time to stop making excuses people. It is time to stop hiding behind misconstrued/rewritten slogans and shit and time to start acting like civilized people. Period.
Second story of the day is that karaoke shit in Connecticut. It also epitomizes why there are age limits on bars, clubs and even some parties even NOW more than ever. Six girls (all under aged at the bar) decided that they didn't like the singing performance of the singer. Do they leave the building? Hell no. They commence to beating her up. Really? For those of you who don't know the story
CLICK HERE and come back. Again, I know that on some level this is 'funny'. @ the thought. But if you look at the story again and just PUT YOUR GIRL/YOUR SISTER/YOUR MOTHER/YOUR DAUGHTER or any women that you halfway give a shit about in the equation you might actually see how fucking pathetic this shit really is. Yes, I am cussing 'cause it seems to be the only language some of you understand. This is bullshit behavior too. First off, your ass isn't even SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE FUCKING BAR but they let you in. Okay. Not the first time that has happened and won't be the last. Do you sit down and act like you got some sense though? No. You hear some shit you don't like and you and your girls take it upon yourselves to BEAT UP THE SINGER? Who the fuck are you to run around 6 on 1 and beat people up for SINGING? At an event where that is what the person is there to do? Now I hear some of you people saying in your mind "Maybe she was mouthing off to them....". I HIGHLY doubt that she was mouthing off to six girls. She might have asked them 'Who are you talking to?" or some shit but that is HARDLY a reason to beat her down. And if you think it is, the NEXT TIME A COP ASKS YOU A LEGIT QUESTION AND YOU GET SMART AND GET YOUR ASS BEAT, I don't wanna hear it. Same logic applies if it is 'cool' for these chicks to go on her for that. (And I don't like cops...Don't have any reason to fear them but I am not a fan of them in general.) Again with the 'picking and choosing' with certain shit. HERE IS THE KICKER THOUGH. There were six of you. Look at homegirl. Really??? Highly unnecessary on so many levels. People are really bitchmade nowadays. So it is L's all around for your sorry asses too.
People. Do better. Please. I know we all make mistakes but these are not MISTAKES. These are wrong ACTS. People know better. Only when they get caught does it 'become' a mistake or something and THAT IS WRONG.
I am not sure how we change that mentality of 'oops I am sorry but I have done it now and want my 'street' rep to go with it' but we need to fix that shit. Black President or not. Otherwise we are going have those in power giving some quasi Hov quote like this:
I wanna end your existence (career) but you are gonna do it for me....-Hov
We are doing a good fucking job of doing it. Can we stop please? Shit.
Nas weighing in on the Chi situation.
Or maybe you need to hear it from a 'hip hop hero'? Fine.....Here ya go..http://hiphopwired.com/11054/nas-writes-letter-to-chicago-youth-involved-in-fatal-beating/People were stunned and saddened after seeing the chilling video of the fatal beating of 16-year old Chicago student, Darrion Albert. A cellphone camera caught footage of the honor student being hit over the head with a 2x4 and then being punched, kicked and stomped to death. The boy's tragic story touched the hearts and minds of millions and apparently made it's mark on the Hip-Hop community as one of the most respected and prolific artists of our time is speaking out about the incident.
Nas penned an open letter to the youth involved in the incident for Global Grind. Young Escobar reflected on his younger days seeing senseless violence and attempted to relate to the children he deems as “young warriors.”
Dear Young Warriors fighting the wrong wars! Killing each other is definitely played out. Being hurt from the lost of a love one was never cool.
Dear Young Warriors fighting the wrong war! I know that feeling, that frustration with life and needing to take it out on someone, any one. But....
We chose the dumbest things to go the hardest for. I remember seeing deaths over 8 ball jackets, Fila sneakers, and name plate chains. Deaths over "he say, she say"!!!!! "I'm from this block or I'm from that block", or "my moms n pops is f*cked up now the whole world gotta pay"!!!
I remember feeling like I was the hardest "n*gga" breathing. And I couldn't wait to prove it. But let's think. What are we really proving?? And proving what to who?? Everybody knows Chicago breeds the strongest of the strong but I just feel, me, being ya brother from another state feels your pain as if I grew up with you in ya very own household.
In one of the realest parts of the letter Nas brings up the plight of racism in our world and the people that “love to see them down.” He also mentions the classic street movies that glamorize and sensationalize violence saying that they “left theaters years ago.”
You have the ability and mindpower to change they way we are looked at. Look who's watching us young warriors, look who's throwing us in jail constantly, look at the ignorance in the world. Look at the racist dogs who love to see us down. Loving to bury us in the ground or in jail where we continue this worthless war on one another.
Young warriors.... We are WASTING more and more time. We gotta get on our jobs and take over the world. Cuz this movie left the theaters years ago, Juice, Menace, Boys n the Hood , Blood n Blood Out, Belly!
He ends the letter with a question to the youth and a statement that sums up the whole situation, “This shit sucks.”
When we see each other why do we see hatred? Why were we born in a storm, born soldiers, WARRIORS....and instead of building each other up we are at war with each other.. May the soul of this young person find peace with the almighty. I'm with you young warriors. You're me and I'm you. But trust me! you are fighting the wrong war.
This sh*t sucks !!
-Nas
Here is a map of what is going on in Chicago alone. http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=113815459076713258356.000463b77495ac9c316f8&source=embed&ll=41.838874,-87.673645&spn=0.358097,0.583649&z=10Bear in mind this is a HOMICIDE map. Not a 'Who got shot' map. Death. Finality. No reset button. No turning off the game and getting three more lives to work with. No 'oops...' I can fix it. Sorry won't do it. They are gone. FOREVER. Think about that people.
