Angel

 A hit song I revisit and like more because of the demented way Madonna laughs at the beginning and the dope electronic piano sample, surprised nobody hasn't flipped it, slowed it. Madonna low-key don't get her props, there legit wouldn't be no Beyonce, Rihanna, Lil Kim, Nicki, etc.....without her. Not since Josephine Baker did any musician use sex to the extent that she did in pop culture, some people legit hated her for it too.

Europeon History and Trumpism

There's this unsaid rule in Western society, (and most societies Worldwide) that those who possess a vast knowledge of European-based philosophy, literature, art, science, politics, and history are more well equipped to make wise, intelligent, decisions than those who don't, regardless of whether one is in Europe or not.

If anything, Trump was the smack in the face to this intellectual supremacy, despite the obvious lack of moral leadership qualities he possessed. Trumpism is Eurocentric-based White Supremacy eating itself. What the use of woke by the right-wing hints towards is a bastardized term to describe "the institution", i.e. the institutions of Europe and anything loosely associated with it. If you study the "great works" of European history, you see they're pockmarked with, and predicated on countless examples of savagery, which some people are triggered by, and subsequently shooting wildly at. Some see those in the institution as a decadent group of educated elite who are free to do whatever sick crimes they wish and are never punished for it, and well, that has been mostly true. This explains the Epstein/Hollywood elite/Billionaire pedophile obsession. That's European history! That's how the elite have been celebrating and achieving objectives throughout European history, and that's not the worst they've done.

Rottenhouse

The Kyle Rittenhouse situation is the same scenario as many gang shootings: poorly-raised child taught to aggressively resolve conflicts with violence, arms himself to hit the streets and flex on the ops, winds up getting attacked and subsequently has his sense of hubris driven invincibility threatened, so he reacts in fear and kills somebody 

The difference is that unlike the other ten thousand times it happens where you have the perpetrator quickly flushed through the prison pipeline, this time you have an impartial judge and a significant portion of society supporting him. 

It doesn't surprise me. The minute that judge said that the people shot shouldn't be called victims, I knew what time it was. 😑

Top 10

I'm my favorite MC by default, I'm my favorite Griot by default, but there's those that influence ME that find the best midpoint between the two, the ones that I revisit the most, because their material, whether its flow or substance or both, gives me the most of what I enjoy and need on some level. I'm not doing a top 10, because hierarchies waste time and energy, the only hierarchy that is constant is age.

 No particular order


Solo Acts:
Ice Cube
2Pac
Biggie 

Kanye West
Dr.Dre
Andre3K 

Big Boi
Lauryn Hill 

Krayzie Bone
Bizzy Bone
Twista
DJ Quik
Big K.R.I.T. 

Lupe Fiasco
Busta Rhymes
50 Cent 

Missy Elliot
Snoop
Common
Eminem
Kendrick Lamar
Jay-Z
Nas
Erykah Badu

 
Groups/Collectives:
Bone Thugs N Harmony 

Outkast/Dungeon Family 
Little Brother 

Wu-Tang Clan 

N.W.A. 

Cash Money Records 
Crucial Conflict

Perspective

 

Policing

The law is determinant upon whether people choose to follow it or not. The consequences of not following the law are also determinant upon compliance. Its not a given, nor is following court protocol. Most Police follow peaceful protocol. When they don't, the penalty isn't severe enough, hence the protests and the contemporary issues of Police Brutality and abuse. Any unnecessary infraction of aggression by Police should be treated 10X as harsh as a normal crime. These infractions have largely have been ignored or even encouraged, which is unacceptable. When the courts can't discipline our public servants, its up to us as citizens to step in where they have failed.

The Gay Agenda

I hope there is a Gay agenda and it gets fully implemented, just because the way people whine about it is disgusting. Insufferable. 

Even if you're religious, I assume God assumes you know the difference between a deviation from the norm VS an actual existential threat. 

The Silent Uncool

In this Western society where nonstop hedonism is celebrated and promoted, Who advocates for "the silent uncool"? 

One who lives their life with a strong moral compass who doesn't participate in the unfettered hedonism of the day is often made a pariah. 

The behavior towards them can be mean, insulting and nasty. 

Subsequently, we go out of our way to protect and coddle people who may have done foul, mean, nasty things. We want them to not feel embarrassed, we care about their feelings. This is not a bad thing, everybody deserves to be cared about. It's a virtuous act to have empathy and compassion. 

....BUT, what about the silent ones? Who cares about them. Who reaches out to them to see how they feel?

CONservatia!

As a conservative, I'm appalled at how the conservative mind set has become so knee-jerk in it's approach, that it's automatically set up to KNOW how things are going to go, that it doesn't even give the room to brainstorm and use creative skills to give equal footing in thought of how something could succeed in the best case scenario, VS failing in the worst case scenario. The thought process is instead guided by a set of unchanging values that leads one to half-think.


Instead of considering the options , it's much better to react like a petulant child, covering their ears, repeatedly screaming "NO NO NO NO NO NO!!" in a stunning show of self-righteous authority, even when said authority is not based in any reality what so ever.


Can't expand that knowledge now! Wouldn't want that!

The dominant conservative mindset is of one where conservative values exist in a vacuum, apart from all other conditions, and all other factors. The solution is to separate yourself from the World around you and apply those values.
#Winning!

I take an "If it works for you, then it's legit" approach to religions and spirituality, whether it be God, Allah, Yahweh, Brahma, Spirit, the Universe, the Eggun, or Eastern concepts such as Zen and Tao. For a strictly scientific mind, those beliefs can be easily and righteously grouped in the category of things than cannot be proven empirically. On the other hand, I've heard representatives of the "empirical crowd" say that belief in these unseen (often sentient) forces is akin to a mental illness that must be addressed and perhaps cleansed. I think such a cleansing would be an undertaking in futility. I am a believer in spirituality and religion.  If I'm crazy, then my crazy is bothering nobody, so to be so adamantly against a crazy that bothers nobody, is well.....crazy. 

Beyond the shallow waves

Something happens when a Woman tells a Man the deep spiritual and emotional reasons why she likes him. Were expected as Men to be very surface level utilitarians, with no expectation for profound and intense connections, we're expected to take what we can get because it's "the thing to do". 

Most everyone loves the beach, but beaches are but a small portion of the total amount of coastline space to be found around the world.  My body of water is like a reef or a trench, a short, shallow stretch leading into a steep drop off. You can't just wade and or play in it, but once you explore it, you'll find treasure. 

Epic Trilogy + Prequel

Epic stories (Setting):

Part 1: Isolated, scattered, half-built towns with incredible monuments of worship, run by lawless warlords, with roving/nomadic tribes in nonstop violent conflicts. A mythical city, said to be the pinnacle of civilization and modern day comforts on one side of the region. On another side, another mythical city, like that of a theme park, run by a legendary psychopath. 

Part 2: The empire city state, cities and towns under one banner, anything allowed, as long as it doesn't interfere with the empire. Illicit activities pushed to centralized areas where waste is burned and consumed. Multiple positions of primary consultancy, from waste, to military, to spirituality, to entertainment are given to a legendary psychopath. 

Part 3: A centralized gathering of the organic, complex, crowded, dense city as the nexus of life,  The preponderance of mysterious tribes, organizations, corporations, cults; all with cryptic practices and schools of mystery and spirituality. Underground culture nurtured in the literal catacombs of the city, said to be traversed and intimidated by a legendary psychopath.

----------------------------

Prequel: An inverse of sorts of the three stories. Starting off in a crowded village of complex leadership run by a small counsel, leading to a series of villages and towns under one banner, forming the beginnings of an Empire, leading to a scattered region run by an untouchable authority in a city with incredible technology and monuments. In every instance sabotaged and ruined by an unchecked psychopath who became a legend.

First new graphic in a while.

 Haven't gotten around to doing graphics up until now. Did a bit of a collage. 

Gettin old?

They say that Men always look sex first. I wonder if that theory has a shelf life? I find myself at 40 to the point where I won't even be attracted in a sexual way unless one first becomes the type of good friend that I'm eager to kick it with the most out of all my friends. How they look is a distant second.

Cartel Goons on a Speedboat

I saw a news story about some cartel goons shooting at people on speedboats,


This is kind of goofy, get sex appeal by any means necessary types of s**t. It's a game of who can outdo each other, who can do something more and more scandalous (or macabre) to the next person, and find a way to associate with something positive, something cool. This is what happens when children are raised by fools with no concept of the rules of getting along with each other, they ain't punished, they ain't reprimanded, they ain't told what they did wrong, instead they get PRAISED! The poor fools on the boats don't even realize they'll be in debt, and they'll also be a slave to the void that needs to be fulfilled when taking a life. How can one help the helpless fool who insists on being helpless and revels in it? It's unacceptable, despicable, disgusting, embarrassing. This childish behavior threatens the goodwill of the village, regardless of where the village is. Same patterns repeating themselves everywhere you go. The more extreme, the easier the pattern is to see. FOH.

Science

When you know you can obtain it easily and frequently from a number of different sources, but you make it a personal quest to find out what happens when you don't, analyzing your own attitude and the attitudes of the people offering, and your reaction to it. At this point it becomes like a serendipitous science experiment, with the unexpected benefits of a serene and ever-growing, profound sense of self + an unwavering faith that you will find what's best for you. The only thing stopping you is inaction or actions against your own self-interest. The former is impossible and the latter is implausible.  Hallelujer.

X-Men into the Marvel Universe.

If I were writing X-Men into Marvel, I would make it so that before the blip, there were only a few hundred mutants worldwide, hidden so well, only the most secret govt agencies know about them. Increased mutant gene activity coincides with traumatic events in World history. Post blip, people start slowly gaining powers. 

I can't wait to see what they do. 

Inasal chicken

Traditional Filipino dish, made from scratch. Very tangy, robust sweet flavor. Served with rice. If you're adventurous, you mix the rice with the sauce until the rice turns orange  

Self portrait or Selfie

Some preparation and post-work was involved, so it straddles the line. 

Religion Vs Science?

I got my issues with Religion, but very few people have the audacity to criticize Science.  Science has given us most the tools to kill each other nd tools to kill ones own self. Science also hasn't figured out a way to bring equity to the World either. We haven't figured out how to not destroy our own selves, and how to not destroy the environment we live it Am I right or am I wrong? 

What if someone saw paranormal apparitions when they spoke names of Prophets from religious books? - "that person would have a mental illness" is the quite insulting response I would expect from some, based upon that statement being oft repeated by those who put down religion. It's interesting how we root for characters in mythology who see and feel paranormal things, and how we get frustrated when in the movie some authority thinks they're crazy.

There are so many far-out, theoretical scientific models that can't be proven tangibly, but one believes in them enough to create a model for it right? This is an example of people putting their time and effort into something that "doesn't exist". Shouldn't they also have a mental illness?

The God particle conundrum. The pursuit to prove something's nonexistence. To me nonexistence means that its not even a thought in your mind, or the mind of anyone else, let alone millions of people. It doesn't exist. There's no time to devote for it, no time to prove or disprove it, because that time doesn't even exist. Nothing can come out of nonexistence.

Maybe science isn't considered a way to live one's life, but it often gets equated as the opposite of religion, when I see it as a method of religion. I'm sure the reason we were given these inquisitive minds is to use them and to expand them, to question everything, but to also feel how it feels to be a part of something that is unquestionable to many other people. Considering ALL the options is also Science. To manifest that unquestionable feeling into tangible feelings of fullness and wholeness, (however brief or sustained they may be), is an amazing, marvelous pursuit. Religion ain't going nowhere. It will adapt with Science, take new forms, but the fundamentals will remain.

I love science! I believe we need some scientific consensus on universal applicable ideas of morality. I also love religion. I've said it before, I'll say it again, religion, in it's many criticisms and misuses, at the very least tries to address those universal ideas. Religion uses the scientific method of providing parables, stories, proverbs and rules as variables in a model of good or bad behavior. Models are very important in science. Maybe Science with capital "S" will make a more universal version, that many people adhere to, but then will that be a Religion?

Needy and proud of it.

I'm needy and proud of it!!! 

In order for me to be attracted to a Woman to want to have sex or a relationship with her, we have to have chemistry, but that's not enough, we also:

- Have to build a long period of friendship and companionship to where we can't get enough of each other's presence.

- Have to show vulnerability and need. I have to see her vulnerable side and she has to express the need for me, and only me to fulfill something she's missing, I have to feel wanted, and vice versa.

I know needy is a bad word nowadays, but so is impotence. If I'm not able to get aroused because our relationship doesn't satisfy those conditions, what's the use of continuing?

Afro-Futurism Dystopia

Setting: The global network of the underworld of the planet is ruled by gangs who specialize in torture and gruesome murder. The preferred method they use is what is called "hidden in plain sight", which involves clever, whimsical, artistic ways to disguise their torture and murder, subsequently branding and selling it, to gain income, and as a tool to reinforce fear. They are led by super-gangsters who have charismatic, camera-ready personalities. These super gangsters are the sons and daughters of the Worlds most terrible dictators and mass murderers. Their opposition is a squad called the "The Funkillers" 

Is it an eraser or a life sized torture room? The consumer will never know, but the victim may or may not.

Confession

Confession: Sometimes I look at footage like this of Philadelphia in the 40s and get envious. What would it have been like to ride an EL through a city like this being rich and White, owning a house in a convenient location in the city, feeling like you have a stake in your world, feeling like this was made for you in mind. The people around you viewing you as their equal. The civic authority working with you. You having a voice that's heard, and not because you need to raise it. What would that feel like?

Northsider

I was born on the South Side of Chicago. My Mother and I moved up North at a young age. All of my family remained on the South Side, before they eventually moved out to the suburbs or different cities. While they were there, I frequently visited them, or took trips back and forth on the EL and bus. The "scenery" and people of the South Side was second nature me, as was the North Side. One day while I was living up North, we were riding the school bus on a field trip to the South side. We were on 79th, and we passed a block with vacant lots, strewn with trash, a common sight on the South Side. The White students who sat behind me on the bus remarked about how bad it looked. It dawned on me that they were right. 

Science fiction movie idea

 A movie that deals with a dog getting revenge on its owner as the premise. The dog gains incredible psychic powers and is able to speak to its owner via telepathy. The dog will rig the owners home and narrate as the owner gets caught in various set traps. During the narration, the camera will focus on the expression on the dog's eyes with dialogue dubbed over the audio track. 

Freaking Stupid!

 When you're in a social circle and you never pick up on people's passes towards you (or purposely don't respond to it), or never make a pass at anyone else, you often disrupt the group dynamic. Some people tend to think they're entitled to that side of you. They'll talk about you, theorize over you, tell your life story in frustration. They'll do everything but actually engage you or confront you. It's like you become FEARED.

Freaking stupid!

"We're laughing at you"

[😂😂😂😂😂]

When someone laughs at you to let you know that they disagree with you, or to mock you, they're essentially giving their power to you.

"I want to show you how little I care about you by letting YOU know that I'm laughing at you" - Think of the logic of that statement. If one really doesn't care, they'd say nothing and keep it moving. I know I do. 

 Something you've said has evoked an emotional reaction from them,  their soul is screaming out "I'm frustrated and want to be seen". They're coming to you for help. 

Be flattered.

#BlackConsciousness

I like to test myself on the criticisms I make towards others, because everyone's fundamental thinking process stems from the same point, regardless of the variations of the actions that one participates in. 

A deviation in thought for one person may be to eat a donut, knowing doggone well it has more sugar than one needs, for another person, that same thinking pattern may apply to an action such as pulling a trigger.

L.A.

LA is like somebody took a mid-sized city and stretched it out forever, it has about 100 Western Avenue sized streets, and never ending traffic. Much of LA lies on wide, well traveled streets, creating a "pit stop" effect for cities and commerce. Everyone is on there way to somewhere. 

Don't kink shame me!

I thought the footage of a lion licking and gently rubbing a warthog before he casually carried it off in his mouth to eat it was the kinkiest thing I ever saw an animal do, until I saw a vision of a T-Rex trapped behind plexiglass at a "Jurassic World" style amusement park. This T-Rex eyed a visitor, made towards them, then smashed his head against several feet of thick glass, creating a huge thud sound. 

Then it proceeded to lick the glass in a splash of dinosaur saliva.

That did it. I'm done. 

#Gratitude

The way history is told, it usually omits the savage details. I imagine eras such as the spice trade era, silk road era as akin to the drug trade today. Could you imagine that? People dying over having allspice. You bet not use that garlic powder in your recipe at your restaurant, have some patron yell "WHERE YOU GET THAT FROM!!" Nope, I'm glad to live in the era I live in as messed up as it is. 

Gratitude! 

(How many people died to get you that allspice?) 

Islands on Land

I find myself depressed today

My super thick, "f**k these White people" shield usually makes me immune to whatever corrupt vibe they're giving off. I observe them like Darwin, I find aspects of their culture quite fascinating in fact. Today was one of those days where I was particularly annoyed, out of line. There's a certain lackadaisical, la dee dah type mentality that many White people have. It's as if there's nothing important and life is a game. Everything is said through cheerful, unserious eyes, as if nothing means anything. As if everything you deal with being Black means nothing. "I'm not worried about the plight of my people", why are you disrupting my fantasy?!!" I'm sure I'm not the only Black Man that feels this way. 

Fiction writing.

Ancient epic city of lights, with three ways in to visit. The sides of the valley where this city resides, has epic stairways down serving as entrances, for people who would be metaphorically comparable to airplane passengers today.

The Greyhound and Amtrak entrance would be through the official gates, which has a lengthy section that serves as a "moat" of sorts. This section is nothing more than a pit, a giant burning pile of trash, filth and whatever else one can burn. Squatters routinely reside and live on pits of dirt that have not yet caught on fire. This area is a free zone of sorts, where any thing goes. From that point the city is broken down into tiers based on classes, going up the hill. People passing into the city via the lower class can only hope their carriages don't get raided as they pass through the pits. They ride through with cloth over it, shielding their eyes from the horrors outside.

This city sacrifices defenders of justice in many brutal, bizarre ways, but the most popular is the combat arena. The announcer and organizer of the arena, is also the enforcer for the city, a corrupt zealot priest from the outside, who is also the Boss of the pits. The city has networks of aqueducts, canals and rivers, some of them underneath the ground, some of them going right through buildings. This water is recycled and pumped back up to the highest peak of the city, where the richest people preside.

Celibacy/Abstinence.

I don't have any political or religious reason to be celibate. I'm very skilled at seeing the anger, frustration and entitlement of people who expect it from me. I understand where it comes from, but it still turns me off. I tend to relate to people better, and spend more time with people when it's not on the table. I'm old school like that. 🙂

When hedonism becomes insidious.

Every big party during this period, (unless health precautions are dilligently enforced) is going to have a very insidious, negative vibe. People are not partying to have fun no more, they're partying in defiance, in angry, vitriolic, vicious rebellion. It's not the type of rebellion that starts positive social change either, the good kind.  It's the "I can do what I want to even if it hurts myself and others, and I dare anybody to say something about it" form of rebellion, the nasty kind. I don't know why anyone of any reasonable intelligence would want to attend one of these functions.

R.I.P. to the victims of the Park Manor shooting. Let's do better y'all. 

Progressive.

Ideas that are "too progressive" for certain cultures will cause culture shock, not necessarily born out of a feeling of being forced to adapt, but out of a feeling of being rushed to learn the specifics in a specific time frame. Every unique component and facet that is changing has it own unique way to be absorbed and accepted, so a rich planning process can emerge, and move things to progress. The attitude "Progress now" is just a catchphrase without specific, audience-based, individual planning.

My boarding school idea

Dent Boarding School: Where teachers and staff are allowed to grab the parents of bad ass kids and beat the s**t out of them in front of the kids, then grab the bad ass kids and beat the s**t out of them in front of the parents, then proceed to beat the s**t out of both the parents and the children at the same time.

Socialism

If Socialist ideas came to fruition, it's detractors would try to project failure upon to them, instead of patiently working with them and coming up with different options on how they could work in the name of genuine fellowship and scientific discovery. 

Sometimes the reaction to that word itself it is so extreme, based on it's extreme misuse in the past. I refer to those instances as tyranny, facism, corruption, and other terms, as they ceased to represent the political idealogy they supposedly supported. They are abominations. 

 

On a completely unscientific note, Socialism's detractors seem to attract a "I got rich ON MY OWN" type personality. That's impossible, the movement of profit itself is a form of socialism. 

Young Dent in Accra Ghana