Rappin About Slavery

Tonight I was hoping to be at the Lupe Fiasco concert, getting crunk and all that...ya'll know what I'm talking about...Anyway, instead of going I was forced to stay on campus and do some work because I had so much I needed to get done. As you can probably guess, I was not too happy about this, but believe it or not I ended up getting a lot out of the night. I read the autobiography of Olaudah Equiana. He was an African who was kidnapped and sold into the African slave trade, eventually making it all the way to the U.S. I was really affected by his story and all that he had to go through at such a young age. It really put things in perspective for me. While Lupe Fiasco is known for his real, meaningful lyrics, Equiana lived a life with more hardships than Lupe and definitely more than me. Being separated from his family as a child and then being forced to a completely different country on a filthy, crowded boat with cruel, evil men was incredibly overwhelming for me to take in. It once again reminded me of all the hardships of my ancestors and the responsibility I have to get an education because so many of them were unable to do so.
I noticed several things while reading the autobiography that interested me. First of all, I noticed the definite inferiority Equiana felt to the whites that was a part of the time period. He starts of by apologizing and then apologizes later for talking about his homeland. The second thing I noticed was the contrast in styles the African and White owners believed in. Equiana was never beaten badly in Africa, and was often treated pretty well. Once he was under control of the whites though, he was beaten for simply not eating. The white men even beat some of their own on the journey from Africa. I believe this is because while Africans enslaved other Africans, they didn't feel as if the other African's were inferior, they were more just like prisoners. On the other hand, the whites felt like the blacks were inferior because their skin color was different than theirs. Don't think I am in any way condoning the enslavement of Africans by other Africans, because slavery, no matter who enslaves who, is wrong. I just felt it was interesting to see the differences in styles, most likely caused by difference (or lack of difference) of skin color.
So basically, instead of being at the concert of my favorite rapper, I am in the library noddin' my head to some old school Will Smith (Men In Black, don't act like you don't love that song), and I am almost happy I didn't go to the concert...Almost.

Don't Even Have Time for This Blog

Now when I finally seem to have the college lifestyle under control and I feel like I have a routine, my days are about to change greatly. I have so far enjoyed easy days of going to class, working out and studying. Nothing else, all on my schedule. Now though, I have seemed to take on a million different tasks at once. I now have a job, Group Excellence, where I will tutor and mentor high school students. I also was recently elected Community Chair of one of my clubs, and will also be involved in a mentorship program with another one of my organizations. On top of that I need to still find time to workout regularly so I can have a better chance at walking on to the football team in the spring. Then I am going to have to find at least a little time to study in there...that's not on the top of my priorites of course (joke...that was a joke). And after all of this I still have to find time for the females, the reason I came to college (that was only half joking there). So basically I am going to have much less free time in the coming months. Don't get me wrong, I'm not just some kid whining because I actually have to do some work...I just am a little stressed over how I am going to manage my time. I honestly look forward to working because it will allow me to help people who really need it and that is one of my passions. Anyway, it felt good to get this off my chest and put it on a blog...I would write more but I have some Sociology reading to do...(Note of Advice: don't take sociology! Way too much reading!)

Real Talk

I recently saw that Josh Howard, an extremely talented forward for the Dallas Mavericks, is being criticized for comments he made in a YouTube video. In the video, with the National Anthem playing in the background, Howard says “…I don’t celebrate that s***, I’m black…” This is not the first time the Maverick’s star has made controversial comments: Before a pivotal playoff game this year, he admitted to using marijuana and claimed many other NBA players smoked as well.
I have always been a Mavericks fan and more in particular, a Josh Howard fan but his comments frustrate me to no end. As an African American I already have to deal with the many stereotypes associated with my culture and don’t appreciate someone from within the race adding to these negative perceptions. I can guarantee that Howard’s comments confirmed the ideas of many ignorant people throughout the world. Let me say now though that NOTHING HOWARD SAID REPRESENTS THE MAJORITY OF AFRICAN AMERICANS.
First of all, let me address his comments on the national anthem. I know several black people that do “celebrate” the National Anthem. The most obvious being those African Americans who give their lives defending this country. The name Barak Obama also comes to mind…The more hurtful aspect of Howard’s comments is how they can be perceived. It could be interpreted that he is essentially saying black people do not care about politics. Once again this is untrue, as I personally know many blacks who not only care about politics, but are extremely knowledgeable in them. His comments are an insult to all African Americans, especially those who are active in our government.
Secondly, his candid comments on his own marijuana use are also extremely frustrating. It goes along with the growing stereotype of African Americans as thugs, smoking chronic in the back of SUVs with tinted windows, on the way to bust a cap on some hood who is actin’ a fool. Once again the actions of some cannot be a reflection of a race in its entirety. I am really disappointed in Josh for endorsing a stereotype that needs know help in being spread throughout the world. I don’t know how many times people have given me weird looks when they find out that the brotha doesn’t smoke. Rarely has it been a black person that has asked me…Some people truly believe that all black people actually smoke weed. In my family, every person up to my grandmothers generation has not only been clean of drugs, but have gone to college and gotten very successful jobs.
In short, I am really disappointed in Josh Howard, a former hero of mine who seems just to not get it. Maybe he felt his comments were accurate, he was just keepin’ it real, but that is not the point. He needs to understand that because of his fame as an athlete, his comments are taken as a reflection of the race as a whole. To those who think Howard’s comments reflect my race, let me say this with one hundred percent certainty: there are many more African Americans who disprove his comments than those that prove it… Now that’s real talk.