Charles Hamilton & Serius Jones

I am amazed that are places in the world that you can be, where a freestyle battle could just suddenly break out. I don't mean a wack one between one of your boys and that really nice middle schooler that everyone is talking about. I mean a good one. Much less a battle between two artist in the peak of their ability. I was a little worried that Serius wasn't gonna spit, but it ended up being a win-win for all. But that's just my opinion though, and who the hell am I?

Speechless

The thing that I notice about this video is that the woman in it doesn't seem very ignorant at first. I bet she believes 90% of what she is saying. I know that desperation sometimes prompts the worst in us, but it rarely inserts qualities that we don't already possess. I also have to admit that I like seeing videos like this. Especially, after the media and some of my white friends try and convince me that racism is dead and buried. I can't decide if it is good or bad that this type of thing doesn't surprise me at all and in fact, makes me feel that my reluctance to drop my guard and sing unity songs isn't black paranoia. I'm gonna have to think about that one. Who know? Maybe I have become institutionalized by the institutional racism? Like a prisoner who has been looked up more of his life than he has been free. The bars are comfort. Maybe I need racism to feel comfortable and calm. I just that used to it. I seriously doubt it. But that's just my opinion though, and who the hell am I?

I Know How You Must Feel

I've seriously been neglecting my blog. For what it's worth, I apologize and promise to do better. I have no real excuse, but I posted this video because I believe that the people who have been regularly reading my blog, have felt this way about my blatant blog neglect at one time or another. But that's just my opinion though, and who the hell am I?

If you wouldn't punch yourself in a street fight, why do it in a word fight?

Y'all know I'm a fan of Hip-Hop, especially freestyle battles. I'm not exactly sure if the cat in this video understands. I'm assuming this cat thought that his wit would carry him beyond the implications of his insinuations. HE WAS WRONG. I don't even think HOV or Em could dig themselves out of this lyrical hole. Not enough to win the battle. Your opponent wouldn't even need to do anything more than repeat your rhymes back to you. I hope this trend isn't followed. Battle rappers need to be the epitome of confidence, bravado, and machismo. Sometimes, in a battle, that can be enough to bring you out victorious. Even if you're lyrics are better. Example: LL vs Canibus. My advice to any battle rapper is to tighten up your lyrics, but don't forget this is a BATTLE!!! If you want an example, check out Jae Millz vs Murda Mook. But that's just my opinion though, and who the hell am I?

OVAASA

During my month long hiatus, I decided to do something that I always wanted to do. I started an organization. It is called the Ohio Valley African American Students Association. I quickly found out that it is easy to start an organization, but difficult to make it real. It involves tons of paperwork, and things like PO Boxes, Tax IDs, Logos, and Letterheads. After that was established, I concentrated on my first event. I wanted to have a Banquet. I wanted to honor each and every black high school senior in the Ohio Valley with some sort of recognition, at a fancy sit down dinner. After some butt kissing and begging, On May 27th, 2010 at West Virginia Northern Community College, the first annual Ohio Valley African American Students Association's awards banquet took place.

It was one of the proudest moments of my life. Now, I'm doing everything I can to make the OVAASA self-sustainable and able to provide scholarships, interships, and college visits. If any of you reading this would like to help out; our e-mail address is ovaasa@gmail.com. You can follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ovaasa and if you would like to send us a donation or any other correspondence, you can do so at OVAASA PO Box 6497 Wheeling, WV 26003. Donations should be made out to OV African American Students Association. I'm excited. I think everyone should find something to get behind and promote, that would better the world. It really makes you feel like you're making a difference. But that's just my opinion though, and who the hell am I?

It's Been A Long Time.....

...I shouldn't a left you; without a new post to vent to. Think of how many weak shows you slept through. Time's up, I'm sorry I kept you .
For those of you who don't know, I was using the immortal words of Rakim to try and make up for the fact that I have been seriously neglecting my blog. I have been working on a huge project and it finally has been finished. It is over and established. I'm gonna talk about it in the next post. I am really proud of the accomplishment. I have also been reading more blogs lately. I am amazed at the dedication that some people have when it comes to posting their thoughts, ideas, and opinions. I was also pleased to see that they have just as many nameless, cowardly haters as I have. It is a cool experience and I stress to more people that they should blog and read blogs. Unless of course you have no grasp of the term "moderation". If reading blogs begin to rule your life, and you take what is written as holy gospel; maybe you should stick to your steady diet of fear provided by CSI, Law & Order, 20/20, Dateline, and your local & national news. We need you people to keep the economy good by buying pepper spray, Lysol Hands Free Soap Systems, and subscribing to www.showmewhereeverypedophileinamericalivessoicanbarricademeandmychildinmyhouseforever.org But that's just my opinion though, and who the hell am I?

Top 100 Movies of All Time

I found an old notebook that I had from 1999. In it, I found a list of My Top 100 Movies Of All Time. There aren't even 100 movies listed on it though. I guess I never finished it. Here they go. Tell me what you think.

A Few Good Men

The Devil's Advocate

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Star Wars trilogy

The Learning Tree

The Silence of the Lambs

Tombstone

Pulp Fiction

Goodfellas

Die Hard

Trading Places

Blazing Saddles

Terms of Endearment

Casino

The Breakfast Club

Ralph Bakshi's Streetfight

Malcolm X

Blade

Event Horizon

Batman

Terminator 2

Glory

Jaws

The Ten Commandments

Back To The Future

Superman 2

Rocky 3

Jerry McGuire

Duel

Menace II Society

The Golden Child

Clerks

Do The Right Thing

The Color Purple

In The Mouth of Madness

The Godfather 1 & 2

Mulan

The Lion King

Wonderman (Danny Kaye)

JFK

Kramer vs Kramer

True Romance

The Usual Suspects

Titanic

Bad Boys (Sean Penn)

Jacob's Ladder

The Professional

Dracula

Happy Gilmore

The Beastmaster

I'm not sure what my criteria was for these movies. I forget. It was 11 years ago. Let me know if you think they suck or they shouldn't be on this list. If you haven't seen one of them, check it out and let me know. I stand by my picks, but that's just my opinion though, and who the hell am I?

Ms. Badu

I know most of you think I'm posting this because the beautiful and talented Erykah Badu finally gave the world a look at that fantastic rump of hers. In actuality, this is an amazingly creative song and video. This woman never ceases to amaze me as an artist. Her personal life is kinda confusing, but whose isn't? I hope you all enjoy it, and she has finally killed the myth that you can't trust a big butt and a smile. (two of her most amazing assets) I hope that she one day gets the exposure and acclaim for her artistry and risk taking. It's long overdue. But that's just my opinion though, and who the hell am I?

BACK ON MY HIP-HOP SH#%T

You can't pass up a line up like this. This is one of those cyphers that I would pay to see. I don't really know Una Kasa or Rex, but they sounds legit. The rest are BONA FIDE SPITTERS!!! I'm just glad to hear lyrics again. But that's just my opinion though, and who the hell am I?

15 Minutes of.....

I was thinking about the idea of "15 minutes of fame". Why is the 15 minutes of fame the only 15 minutes that are defined in our life? If the average person lives to the age of 75, we have 2, 628,000 intervals of 15 minutes in our lives. Why do the 15 minutes that deal with fame get to shine and the others do not. I've decided to define the other 2,627,998 intervals of 15 minutes in our lives. I'm sure that it can be done.

This time I'm gonna focus on the 15 minutes of Doubt. Doubt is such an odd feeling. It seems to wash over a person at the most inopportune moments. One of the times that doubt gets to me is when I think that I'm doing good work with a client. Sometimes I feel like I'm actually making a difference in another human beings life and then I remember that we only spent 1, maybe 2 hours out of 24, working with that person. Then I begin to think that they are returning to their elements. The same elements, that caused or are causing the condition that they are getting counseling for. It is worse when you are working in a residential rehab. You would be 100% certain that a difference was being made. Then, once they leave the facility, its like the reset button was pressed. Even working at the High School; you work with a student for maybe two periods and you work hard to inspire, and enlighten; but often you have that fleeting thought of doubt. It lasts about 15 minutes. once you realize that you are doing more or working harder than the client, the feeling goes away. A good counselor knows that when you realize that; its time to pull back. I've often heard that was my main drawback as a counselor. Occasionally, I pushed them too hard. Once I meet my client, I begin to tabulate their potential. I don't demand perfection, but I promote progress. Once, I had a client say to me, very agitated, "Look, man!!! I just wanna stop doing coke, OK!!!!! I just wanna stop doing coke!!!!!" I'm not sure if it is a blessing or a curse, but I've learned that help not asked for is meddling. My goal is to be effective, efficient, inspire, accommodating, and understanding. More often than not, that means; meeting a person where they are, and walking with them. Not leading. Not following. Just offering support and belief. There is no room for doubt. Screw Those 15 minutes. But that's just my opinion though, and who the hell am I?

Acting Black

Recently, I was struck by the comments of actor, Nate Parker. He has taken a pledge to no longer take roles that emasculate black men or the image of black men. I originally thought that this was a cool stance for an actor to make; but the more that I think about it, the action is quite heroic. Then it hit me; not much has changed with the roles offered to or recognized for black actors nowadays. It seems as though degrading roles like Steppin Fetchit are becoming extinct, but are being replaced with the Holy Trinity of Black Male Actor's Roles:

1. The Misogynist- A man who loves nothing more than to tear women down and has no real love in his heart for females. Especially Black ones. This character never has a back story that will give you any insight in to his attitude or behaviors. It seems as though he was just born this way.

2. The Thug- This character has grown up on the wrong side of the tracks and is well versed in crime and "criminal" ways. Every now and then, this character achieves a level of success but desperation, addiction, or some other character fault, leads him back to his "true self". This character never feels completely comfortable with positive or honest actions/behaviors. It's as if he's allergic to good things. With this character, a good/positive action almost always results in his death.

3. The Safe One- This character is always funny and always brings a wisdom to other characters that he obtained through his life of adversity. You'll know this character because he s always alot older or younger than the main character. This character is always afraid of success.

Think back. Do you remember any black male character in a major motion picture that didn't fall into one of these categories? And I'm not talking about The Tyler Perry movies or the obligatory urban crime dramas. Since no African American, (including Oprah) has the power to green light a movie, we have to believe that these depictions are the safest ones for white America to identify with. We have to believe the story of Biggie, with all the similarities of your average everyday "hood" movies, was somehow more sensational and layered that the sorry of Tupac, with his roots in the Black Panthers, his study of the arts, and his trouble in the limelight.

I applaud Mr. Nate Parker and hope that more black men in Hollywood follow his lead. If they do, I imagine the presence of Black males in cinema will change from Caricatures to Characters. But that's just my opinion though, and who the hell am I?

David Fagen

According to Wikipedia, David Fagen (1875-?), A native of Tampa, Florida USA, was one of five African Americans who defected during the Philippine-American War. Fagen acquired the rank of Captain in the Filipino Army. Fagen served in the 24th Regiment of the U.S. Army, but in November 1899 defected to the Filipino army. He became a successful guerrilla leader and his capture became an obsession to the U.S. military and American public. He was probably a product of the appeals made by the Filipinos for racial solidarity, calling for African American soldiers to desert the U.S. army.
After two other black deserters were captured and executed, President Theodore Roosevelt announced he would stop executing captured deserters.
As the war ended the US gave amnesties to most of their opponents. A substantial reward was offered for Fagen, who was considered a traitor. There are two conflicting versions of his fate: one is that his was the partially decomposed head for which the reward was claimed, the other is that he took a local wife and lived peacefully in the mountains.

The story that I heard was, during the Philippine- America War, a soldier named David Fagen decided to defect to the Filipino Army because he came to the realization that it was wrong for an oppressed people to fight and kill another oppressed people in the name of an oppressive empire. Some people consider the Filipino's tactics as brainwashing or propaganda. I have a tough time believing the truth to be considered propaganda. Some people think that the ideas of the Filipino Army or the the thoughts that lead to David Fagen's decision are not such a strange concept. I don't think of him as a traitor. He's more of a human rights leader/hero. My boy, Jeremy Richter is the one who brought him up to me recently. You should hear him tell the story. My question is, in honor of black history month, would you be comfortable with the story of David Fagen being told or taught to your child in school. I'd be cool with it; but I've been unplugged from the Matrix for years now. I don't think your average everyday John Q. Public would dig the story of David Fagen being told. But that's just my opinion though, and who the hell am I?

Precious

OK.... Where do I begin? Maybe, i shouldn't be so hasty when I see a trailer that moves me. Maybe, I shouldn't be captivated be what I feel is genuine acting. Maybe, I shouldn't be so quick to get behind a story that I feel needs to be told. I posted the preview to this movie and I said, "YOU MUST SEE THIS MOVIE". I am not a fan of this movie. I think it is too dark, too sad, and offers no hope to the audience. You leave the theater feeling pity. I was tricked into believing that this movie was inspirational, but it doesn't inspire. It doesn't move you towards appreciation, it scares the shit out of you and drops kicks you into the general direction of appreciating your life. There is nothing that motivates me about this story. Maybe I have a skewed sense of a inspirational story. However, I still would recommend that everyone should watch this movie. I'd just like to see if anyone else feels the same way. I dig the movie, but if it isn't going to entertain, it should've just been a documentary. I'm not saying every movie should have a happy ending, but to me, the purpose of a movie is to entertain, educate, or inspire. This movie does none of the above. I'm not disrespecting the film, the actors, or the people it was made about. I just don't know what there intentions were with making the film. I know what you're thinking, I'm just hating because Tyler Perry was involved. This isn't the case. You know what makes my argument even worse? I didn't watch the entire film. Once the film got to a point where I KNEW, I repeat, KNEW Precious's life couldn't get better; I turned it off. I would tell you the part I'm talking about, but there maybe people who didn't see it. I'm not saying that gaining peace of mind wouldn't lead to a life getting better, but you can't be inspired by the acceptance of mediocrity or complacency. It reminds me of the Catholic church convincing slaves that if they put up with life here, they have a better one waiting for them in paradise. This post probably should've waited until I saw the entire movie and it will probably piss off a lot of folks, but I hope it makes you watch it and discuss what you see. But that's just my opinion though, and who the hell am I?

Sweet Sweet Redemption

The man in this picture is an adamant Dallas Cowboys hater. He has spent the majority of his life bashing and denouncing America's Team. Now due to a lost bet, this man had to wear a Dallas Cowboys Jason Witten jersey. This is more poetic because he devotes a good bit of his time to bashing Jason Witten as "The Softest Tight End in the League". I LOVE THIS!!!! I will never let this picture die. It warms my heart. I love it even more because, he wore it this season: The season where the Pittsburgh Steelers(his favorite squad) lost to the Browns, Chiefs, & Raiders. The season where the Pittsburgh Steelers didn't make the playoffs. The season where the Dallas Cowboys won a playoff game after 13 years. This is beautiful. I bet he didn't even think this picture would circulate. This guy has stolen my Cowboys flag and my Cowboys sign. Now he is rockin a Cowboys jersey! Even if he only wore this for 3 minutes it was completely and entirely worth it to me. But that's just my opinion though, and who the hell am I?

15 Minutes of.....

I was thinking about the idea of "15 minutes of fame". Why is the 15 minutes of fame the only 15 minutes that are defined in our life? If the average person lives to the age of 75, we have 2, 628,000 intervals of 15 minutes in our lives. Why do the 15 minutes that deal with fame get to shine and the others do not. I've decided to define the other 2,627,999 intervals of 15 minutes in our lives. I'm sure that it can be done. The problem is that they have to be universal and able to apply to every person. I'm gonna work on this so be expecting a series of posts. I have every intention of making it to 2,628.000. But that's just my opinion though, and who the hell am I?

Abstinence Is The Way Kids

This is the best student generated Pro-abstinence video I've ever seen. Most are made by groups of students or a school/church club. This was made by one girl. The best part is that I know this young lady very well. I remember her when she was just 4 years old. She's immensely creative and incredibly artistic. Just like her mama. I know she's proud. I'm proud myself. But that's just my opinion though, and who the hell am I?

My 2010 Resolutions

I know everyone does this, but I'm gonna honestly try my best to keep these ones. I thought long and hard about them. Here they are. Tell me what you think.


Resolution #1: Drink more water- With my recent kidney issues, this one seems like a good idea.

Resolution #2: Get better at answering my texts, phone calls, and e-mails- This is the number one complaint of all my friends and family. I'm honestly gonna work on this one.

Resolution #3: Spend more time with people I care about- This one is pretty self explanatory but there isn't a better way to show people you care about them.

Resolution #4: Call or text my mom at least once a day- No one has my back like she does. No one.

Resolution #5: Forgive and forget Mr. & Mrs. Brown- Nothing good can come from holding grudges and keeping resentments.

Resolution #6: Close the book on Ronald Scott Sr- Sometimes hope can prevent you from growing. Not often, but sometimes.

Resolution #7: Appreciate my baby mama a little more- She takes good care of my daughter.

Resolution #8: Retire my threesome fantasy- I don't wanna talk about it.

Resolution #9: Hate the Pittsburgh Steelers more- It couldn't hurt.

Resolution #10: Only sleep with a woman that I could imagine being the mother of my child. (unless there is a revision to #8)- This forces you to get to know women you sleep with better and forces you to be lead by smarter head.

Resolution #11: Start cutting out coupons from the Sunday paper- Times is tough!

Resolution #12: Become more of a force in my community, without organizations like NAACP, YSS, YWCA, or WPHS. Just me. One concerned man- This forces me to become more of the solution than the problem.

Resolution #13: Start playing my hand drums again- Creativity and art are good for the soul.

Resolution #14: Stop using the words SHOULD, COULD, WOULD, & DESERVE- I gotta put myself on a more positive road. Our speech is very important.

Resolution #15: Get back into Yoga- It's too good for he mind, body, and soul to stop.

I'm gonna try and really hold on to these for an entire 365. If any of you see me slippin or slackin, feel free to check me. It couldn't hurt. It can only help. But that's just my opinion though, and who the hell am I?