WHAT IT IS...

Hip Hop is how I define myself. Hip Hop did not start in the late 70's. It started long ago, undefined, from several points around the globe culminating into what we now call Hip Hop. Hip Hop is a way, a feeling, a thought. This blog reflects my Hip Hop.

Thank you for paying attention.



Thursday, January 14, 2010

HANDS-ON AID IN HAITI - VITAL INFO! DONATIONS CENTERS INFO

FOR THOSE IN THE TRI-STATE/BROOKLYN AREA:

I heard on the news earlier tonight that if you want to do hands-on aid in Haiti contact the Bedford-Stuyvesant Volunteer Ambulance Corps for more information ASAP.
CONTACT THEM TO CONFIRM/GET MORE DETAILS.
727 Greene Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11221
(718) 453-4617
http://www.bsvac.org/contact.html

This is a list of Donation centers from state-to-state. Use this to find the nearest location to you: http://www.rockmasters.com/haiti-relief/relief-location.htm

Other donation centers in Brooklyn/Queens/Manhattan:
QUEENS RESIDENTS: Relief Location Dutch Travel Agency 221-09 Linden Blvd Cambria Heights, NY 11411 718-527-8594

Don't Forget Tomorrow Help support The cause for #HAITI. @ Redlight 163 08 HILLSIDE AVE TAKING DONATIONS OF ANY KIND.
Contact Delson Postman Laurent for more info.

BROOKLYN RESIDENTS:
Food/Clothes drop off point in Bedstuy
73 Lewis Avenue corner of Macon & Lewis Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11233

Church and Block association in Brooklyn N.Y
We are going to help, to send clothes and food. To donate clothes please
bring clothes to 817 Livonia ave New Hope Church. Contact Patrick Grant at 347-840-2410

MICHELE HELPING HANDS ALONG WITH THE HAITIAN STUDENT ASSOCIATION OFLONG ISLANDUNIVERSITY IS COLLECTING CLOTHES (FOR KIDS, MEN AND WOMEN)HYGENIC ANDMEDICAL PRODUCTS.... you can call DJ Ricky @ 347-542-2849please call please CLOTHES (FOR KIDS, MEN AND WOMEN)

St. Pauls Community Baptist Church (OPEN until 9pm tonight) 859 Hendrix St.(between Linden and Stanley Avenue) Has allowed Yele Foundation tocollect blankets, solar flash lights, power/proteinbars, clothes, andmedical supplies at this location.

Epiphany 34 Productions & The Problem Boyz Ent will be having a Haiti Relief drive. TOMORROW JANUARY 14, 2010 ALL DAY from 10am until @ 1790 Utica ave between ave I & J. Canned foods, clothes, medical supplies We are all affected by this Tragedy. For more information please contact productionsbyepiphany@gmail.com Thank you
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=296063631112&ref=mf

Donations of canned food or clothes to Savoir Faire 1175 Nostrand av(corner of Fenimore st.) Thier doors are open now...if you are makinga cash donation they ask that you make it out in the form of a check... There will be a live visual there this eveni...ng as well starting at7:30Pm...News 1 , Channel 11 news along with other Media Sources will be there ...
P.S. Anyone with relevant Informaton.. please feel free to forward it to me so i can forward it to those who want to know and are willing help

Manhattan:
BMCC is also collecting food and clothing.

MULTIPLE COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES and CHURCHES are collecting donations - so please feel free to contact them as well.

This is a list of Donation centers from state-to-state. Use this to find the nearest location to you: http://www.rockmasters.com/haiti-relief/relief-location.htm

Hey this is a PHONE NUMBER FOR PEOPLE SEEKING INFO ON FAMILY IN HAITI 1-888-407-4747. This may be useful info for some people.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Overstanding...

"So, me and my dudes is standing in the trap, 'naw mean? And 5-0 roll up like, "What's the deal, dunnie?" We started gettin' heated cause these pigs always wanna shake a brother down for something and $hit. We got mad like, "What y'all trippin', Columbo?! Shit is real all up on in these streets here! We just tryin' ta maintain, 'naw mean?!" Then all of a sudden, the big homie from up the block pulls out the jammie and starts buck off at them niggas! I'm like, "Say word?!" So, I pull out the ooh-wop like bam!! I'm like, fu*k it! I might as well start gettin' it in to, for real! I ain't no punk! If I'mma go out, I'mma go out like Corleone and dem niggas!!

Anyways, I break out like a porcupine with a poison ivy! I ain't wanna catch a charge neeva so I drop the rock candy down the sewer as I make my get away. I feel the wasps zinging by my ear as I run away, layin' low the entire time. I get about a block away and my dude is still firing the jammie! Then, all of a sudden, I hear one final shot from po-po's glock .... BLOW!! I turn to see my nigga just lyin' on the pavement, 'bout to take a dirt nap.

That's when I awoke from my mental slumber. After seeing my good friend get shot by the police, I realized that I did not want to die a senseless death as well. I stopped wasting my time doing things that I felt wouldn't contribute to a positive future for me or anyone in my circle. I had to. I was soon arrested. I've since come to terms with my mistakes and am peacefully repaying my debt to society. Alive. Not totally well ... but alive. Although I have done some horrible things in my youth, they have shown me the differences between right and wrong. And for that, I am grateful."

Don't ask why. My fingers just started moving and I couldn't stop 'em... 'Naw mean?!

Bigg Russ

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

The Crashing Sound of Tiger's Vanity

Okay, so if you haven't seen it, here it is:





Now that we got that out of the way, allow me to share my take on all of this. Tiger is not 'us'. And by us, I'm referring to the stereotypical, media-saturated, hip-hop loving African-American male that many of 'see' on a daily basis. He's not even your typical 'Black' guy. I will not use this particular space to discuss typical. You're an adult. You know what I mean. Let's continue.

I've read a lot of people discussing who's wrong here: Is it Tiger? Is it VF? Honestly, they're both to blame. But I have to lean on VF much more. Plain and simple: Vanity Fair fu*ked up. Period. But not because they did this to Tiger. Tiger did this to himself. I'm pointing my finger at VF because it was purely tasteless. Their decision to run this photo as its cover lends itself to an ugly undercurrent of (what I like to call) anti-socio-celebrityism. Simply put, it's part of the mob-like, 'cash in now' syndrome that permeates most mass media when it's time to break down and continually stomp on a celebrity who's too perfect. This article in the San Francisco Chronicle says it best: A bad idea at the worst possible time.

Again, VF is a mass-market magazine. And a mass-market magazine's main goal is to sell itself. And nothing - NOTHING - sells like controversy. Personally, I would've thought VF missed the Tiger Boat. People weren't really talking about Tiger anymore ... until this photo hit the web, that is. It's a shame but VF is guilty of perpetuating the same shameful tabloid journalism that it most likely claims it's not. Not only that ... but the cover is so unlike ANY of their covers over the past year. Google their covers. Go ahead. I'll wait.

See? All the other covers are 'pretty' and 'artsy fartsy' and 'jovial' and 'inspiring' and whatever other pleasant feeling you can muster. Why this cover, now? Why did Tiger even bother to take the photos in the first place? What was he trying to prove? It surely wasn't to achieve some type of street cred ... I hope. But unlike Wayne Brady's turn at being evil on Chappelle's Show (see video below if you've been living under a rock), this photo doesn't scream, "Look at my other side! Ain't it funny?!" It screams, "Help! I'm stuck in this facade and I can't get out!!"

Tiger, if you're reading this, the photo is stupid. Not because you were trying to look different for the sake of art or ignorance but because you didn't need to do it. We, and by we I mean everyone, didn't care if your clean image was real or not. That's how we got you and that's how we knew you and that's how we accepted you. If you wanted to cameo on Prison Break, you should've just had your people call Fox's people. And yes, the photo would've been stupid even if 2009 hadn't happened for you.

Vanity Fair Editor, if you're reading this, yeah ... ya fu*ked up. And now your magazine has gained a borderline racist hue around is page edges. For all intents and purposes, I know you view Tiger as 'Black'. Most people did, do and will continue to do so. Your calculation for releasing this cover is commercial genius. Judgmentally speaking, your timing straight sucks ass. You can make up for your mistake by putting the first Black-looking canoeing champion on your cover.


As usual, thanks for reading...

Bigg Russ