Forgive Me If I Don't Smile

 

  I haven’t blogged in quite some time…since June…Jesus. I feel now is the time to dust off my keyboard and do God’s work by giving y’all my point of view on a choice topic. This blog is titled “Forgive Me If I Don’t Smile” why? Well it’s just that…I am done smiling. Right now Amerikkka is letting us (black folks) know iggzackly where it stands on the issue of police homicides involving blacks. And it hurts, you always knew that the system in place was built off of the backs of blacks and other “minorities”, but to witness the hate and fear of whites firsthand is somewhat of a new experience for me. I have dealt with racism and bigotry all of my life being a black man, but with the internet you really get to see who’s who and where they stand.

  After the Ferguson decision to not move forward with the indictment of Darren Wilson for the murder of Michael Brown, the fire was lit on both sides of the wick. Black folks (well, most blacks) woke up and realized that Amerikkka does not give two sh*ts and a f*ck about a black life. On the other side you had closeted white supremacists come out the wood work or at least their FB/Twitter/Instagram with their posts about how the jury made the right decision to not indict a police officer that was “just doing his job”. And in their eyes “just doing their job” is killing unarmed blacks with a made up excuse. 

  No video or pix for the Mike Brown killing, so the jury could be manipulated by a story that took over 3 months to trump up to justify the killing of Mike Mike. Protests/riots start and here come Amerikkkans with their opinions of the unheard. Why did I call them the unheard? Lowkey white supremacists love to quote Dr. King’s, “I have a Dream” speech, but Dr. King said, “A riot is the language of the unheard.” And right now Amerikkka does not give two sh*ts and a f*ck about what black people have to say. And if I am correct didn’t the “I have a Dream” speech have a line in it about police brutality? Anyways I have seen the protestors and rioters called everything from wild niggers to scum. And some blacks that have been assimilated in to what they believe to be the land of milk and honey agree with these sentiments. And it’s disgusting. These blacks are ones that “pulled themselves up by the boot straps” and worked hard by singing, dancing, or being a sweaty beast with a sports ball. That money and the entertainment that they provided for Amerikkka gave them some privilege to look down the capitalistic ladder at other blacks and wag their finger. Again, disgusting. 

  You got folks out here trying to hinder the “hands up don’t shoot” movement by telling protestors to protest in peace like our people did in civil rights era. Well if I’m not mistaken peaceful protestors were being beaten, had dogs attack them, and firehoses blasted their way. And what really worked was the bus boycott, black folks stopped spending their money on public transportation which threw a wrench in the economy. But you know folks like to pull only certain things to support their argument. So in the end f*ck a peaceful protest, the world needs to hear us. Amerikkka loves to police the world, but their own backyard is full of dry patches and tall weeds to hide their misconduct against blacks. 

  And the people that scream “stop making this about race, it’s about police brutality” look at the comments under Derrick Rose’s pic of him wearing the “I Can’t Breathe” t-shirt. The age of turning the other cheek and ignoring social issues for athletes is coming to an end. And that scares the hell out of a lot of Amerikkkans. Because to be accepted by Amerikkkans you have to either be able to sing, dance, be athletically gifted, and don’t speak your mind on social issues. In other words “shut the fuck up and entertain us, boy/girl.” 

  Every damn step you take in Amerikkka as a minority someone is there to remind you that you are just a second class citizen on temporary land. So forgive me if I don’t smile when you speak to me and your facebook post is filled with racial epithets. Forgive me if I don’t reply to you when you want to talk about Sunday’s football game, when your Instagram posts are filled with slanderous pictures of what happened to Eric Garner, Mike Brown, and other victims of homicidal police officers. Forgive me, brotha, if I don’t hit you with a head nod or a dap because the events in Missouri don’t impact you and it’s not your fight. 

  One day you’ll get it and I hope it’s sooner than later. The system in place is not working and the cogs in this disgusting machine are breaking and working on building a system of equality and justice. Then on that day just maybe, I will smile. Until then, forgive me for not smiling.

#BlackOmaha

#KeepFightingTheGoodFight

#BlackLivesMatter

Who do you see in the mirror?

“We cannot think of being acceptable to others until we have first proven acceptable to ourselves.”
― Malcolm X

  We are all chasing something that we feel will make us whole and complete. Whether we are chasing money, a career, love, freedom, etc. and during those times we question ourselves and our abilities while we are in pursuit of these things. So I really want to blog about knowing your self-worth.

“You cannot be lonely if you like the person you're alone with.”
― Wayne W. Dyer  

  One of the biggest mistakes we make is underestimating the power of the mind and its effect on us. How you perceive yourself is everything. If you look at yourself as someone that can’t get things done and always depending on others, then you’ll be stuck in that same dusty rut. The mind is telling you that you can’t, but your gut is telling you to go for the gusto. But the mind always wins because it’s giving you the easy route, the devils route. That poor man’s attitude aka low self-esteem reflects outward even though it is generated from within. People can sense that and two things are going to happen. They will either use you for their own gain or will not deal with you due to that negative energy you have infecting their space. 

  No one wants to be used so it’s important to practice self-love and no I’m not talking about you haven’t had a mate in GOD knows how long so you light a candle and blow the dust off that gag dvd your friends got you years ago from Dr. John’s adult store. I am talking about loving yourself inside and out. Self-love is associated with narcissism, being conceited, or whatever you call it…but at the end of the day who’s going to love you if you don’t love yourself? GOD of course, but are you going to wait until you reach those pearly gates? That’s just waiting time on this beautiful earth…waiting to die. I’m not telling you to be on Kanye’s level when it comes to self-love, but if you can back it up…throw humble out the window and let the world see the gifts that you’re bringing.

Do not and I repeat DO NOT try and project a fake image that you think people want. You cannot live behind a mask and not sweat when the lights shine on you for more than 15 minutes. Do not build your self-worth using someone else’s bricks. Stay true and set the trend. Always trust your gut.

“My circle’s small and my circle’s tight, with a couple Negus that ain’t scared of heights.” –Double

  There is nothing wrong with seeking advice from others, just take the advice with a grain of salt. Especially, when you’re dealing with people that have a lot of regrets. They can give sound advice, but also try to live vicariously through you or even try to have you live out their dreams that they were too scared to go for…so be careful. I always stress this: your team should be just as ambitious as you, if not they should be bringing something to the table. And if they are not bringing anything to the table then they do not deserve a seat. Keep poisonous people from around you, yo. The same goes for your mate, do not look to your mate to determine your self-worth. It’s SELF-worth, so you’re not looking outside to build it.

  So you know what not to do, but what do you do to build your self-worth? Pep talks are an amazing way to build self-worth and remind yourself of how dope you are. So look in the mirror and kick some positivity to yourself. You have to prove to yourself that you matter and how do you do that? You accept responsibility for your circumstances. The position that you are in now, is the result of the choices you’ve made and your thought process. Once you’ve accepted the your circumstances, then you can take the appropriate steps to change those circumstances. Stop placing blame on outside entities, that’s taking the easy route. Your situation has been affected by the government, your parents, blah blah blah…but if you keep thinking that, you will always feel as if someone else is controlling your life. And when you feel like that, you don’t value yourself and you just accept your circumstances. 

  Once you take that first step to change your circumstances, you have to practice resiliency. You can’t give up once you start, because you might spiral down even further. Power through the setbacks. Opportunities come your way, you have to dive in head first and trust your abilities and talent. Stepping in to unfamiliar territory and thriving is always good for the soul. Pleas value you yourself, I don’t care if you’re flipping burgers for money and sleeping on a pallet in your grandma’s basement. You are bringing something to the world and you need to realize that. Always value you your time, don’t let anyone or anything waste your time. We don’t have much of it, but the time we do have is valuable. And the most important thing you can do is live in the present. The worst feeling is that Sunday night before your Monday workday. You’re already thinking about how bad Monday is going to be, but that’s projection. You’re already setting that Monday up for failure, fuck Garfield and his lasagna eating Monday hating ass. Embrace your Monday, but on that Sunday night…just enjoy that Sunday night. Live in the present. 

  That’s really all I can say when it comes to knowing and gaining your self-worth. If you feel yourself getting down, read this blog over and over again and practice what I’m preaching. Much love and remember  #WeWorking  

Lions without a Historian

            

             This isn’t for everyone, this for the Lions without a historian. With the help of Tariq we now know why the colors were hidden. Hidden Colors 3 will be out next week in theatres and soon after on DVD. This got me to thinking…what if the colors weren’t hidden? What if the lions knew their actual history? Would we have more Barack’s and Michelle’s and less Waka Flocka’s and Rihanna’s?

            We are out here roaming the pride lands without a sense of self. And because of that hunters are destroying us by the droves. I’m not talking about just killing us, I am speaking on the assassination of our economic base, and the havoc being wreaked on our image.

            How do you control a pride of Lions? You make them think that they are lambs. Hide their history to control their future. If the only thing that the lion sees is the hunter in a prominent position, while his fellow lions are in cages or being used by the hunters, then how will s/he see himself/herself when s/he looks in the reflection pool? I will tell you, the lion will not hold his/her head high and be the lion that s/he can be. The hunters might let a few docile lions have their scraps that they do not want…but only if they are docile…DOCILE. Lions are hunters. Lions do not get fed scraps or handouts, they are not scavengers.

            These Lions need to pull themselves up by their boot straps and get their pride in order. We’re victims and now since being “free” we have to try and even the playing field with the hunters. But we have to forget that the hunters have had a head start in this race for about half a century. When Lions built strong economic bases decades ago, the hunters came in and destroyed those bases. The hunters want Lions to think that their way is the only way to live life…we know better than that.

“Until the lion has his historian, the hunter will always be the hero.” Don’t let these hunter lovers fool you in to thinking that Lions are the villains. We are not the villains; we are the nightmare that fuels their fears. Why are we the nightmare? Because deep down the hunter knows how dangerous Lions are, if…IF the Lion knows it’s’ true potential.

            How can a Lion get back to being a Lion? Lions have to know their true history. The colors are hidden, they’re not lost. Lions have to do some digging to find the truth. Once you find that truth then you are truly free of the mental shackles placed on you by the hunters. Knowledge is power…textbooks are high, but that library card is free. I only ask that the Lions act with their newfound knowledge, don’t just soak in the game and sit on the sidelines. Let that mane blow in the wind and prosper, my Lion. 

We Working.

Twitter: @OmahaHostage

Stand Firm

I haven’t written a blog in about a month and honestly it’s been due to laziness. I can’t even lie to y’all, but I’m back so don’t fret. I have been working my ass off, but my energy has been focused on the wrong things. I’ve been working long hours at my 9-5 and just trying to be the best that I can be there…but as you know I really want to run my own corporation. And I have been neglecting my business and my other endeavors. So it’s time to regain focus. And that’s the purpose of this blog. Finding your purpose and staying focused.

How do you find your purpose? That’s not an easy question, first ask yourself, “what does success look like to me?” Success to me was waking up and checking my work email from home somewhere near the old market. It was my girlfriend asking me to do something and not having to enter a PTO request a month in advance to guarantee that I had it off. Success also meant having my own building and employing 10-15 people. So sit there and ask yourself, “what does success look like to me?” Then the next question you should ask is “how do I get there?” and that question ties in to “finding your purpose”. You can make a list of things that you like/love to do. I am not going to tell you to make a list of things that you’re good at. Why? Because you could be good at scooping up dog sh*t with your left hand while your eyes are closed hopping on one foot, but would you want to do that for a living? Iggzackly. And you don’t have to be good at the things that you love to do, but you can outwork the competition while you continue to get better.

How did I find my purpose? Well, I had local artist hit me up on twitter, email, and FB asking for ideas on how to promote their album/mixtape or ways to shoot their videos and I would give out that info for free. I even went as far as creating storyboards for artists, but a lot of the times my views were too HypeWilliams for that $300 video shoot budget. I also love helping people reach their goals. So I figured why not start a consulting firm on top of doing marketing and promo? There aren’t too many firms that offer all of that under one umbrella. 

Enough about me, back to you…so did you find your purpose? If so, don’t let it sit on your mind. You have to act on it and act fast. There will never be the right time to do something. Think about when that alarm clock goes off for you to go to work or when Sunday night hits and all you think about is Monday morning. You know it’s not the right time for you, but you have bills and you need to pay them so you make it the right time to go and get that bread. You have to strike while the iron is still hot so to speak or when the idea is still fresh in your mind and you’re still very excited about the possibilities of your dream becoming a reality. You have to be solid as a rock when you decide on what you want to do or who you want to be. The universe will maneuver around you, of course there will be obstacles, nothing comes easy in this life. But once you stand firm and stay focused, your vision will become reality. 

I have so many talented friends that are not putting that work in, so I hope it reaches them and inspires them. Do not let your talent and gifts to the world go to the grave with you. Share them! The American Dream is doing what you love and being able to make a living off of that. Quit settling. Thrive.

We Working.

Twitter: @OmahaHostage

If you all you got is time then you ain't got $$$...

 Something told me to keep blogging. I don’t know what, but it was a feeling that I had deep down inside me. I could’ve blogged about a million things by now…but school and work are taking up all of my time. And that’s when it hit me…time. We are always searching for more time. You feel as if your weekend has just been blowing by you or there isn’t enough time to do what you need to do to earn your freedom and live the life that you know you are capable of living? So here are a few tips to get ya time back, fam.

  First things first turn off the damn TV. You can get sucked in to a marathon at the drop of dime. You’re flipping through the channels and you see Spike TV is playing Rambo First Blood at 11am and next thing you know it’s 9:45pm and you’re still watching the Stallone marathon. Turn that damn idiot box off some times and just enjoy life or work towards your financial freedom, bruh.

  The other major distraction is your phone, these phones can do everything that a damn desktop can do. You check your email and all of a sudden your multitasking between candy crush saga and a twitter rant about the state of Beyonce and what she means to the feminist movement. You’ve lost 4hours right there, fam’ron. Put ya phone on do not disturb or airplane mode and put it in another room.

  The internet is a huge distraction, you find yourself trying to build ad revenue and step ya blog game up and bam! You’re sucked in to vine compilations and researching how Kim Kardashian built an empire by bussin’ it wide open for Brandy’s lil brother. 6hours wasted. I know I sound like a hypocrite because this is a blog and your reading it online, but this is a helpful blog, bruh man.

  The last time killer is…dun dun dun…SLEEP! We have all had those lazy days where we have had so much to do and decide to nap. Well that nap turns in to a full-fledged 5-6hr slumber! You wake up like, “What time is it?” Look over at ya clock and it’s now 7:58pm. If you’re gonna nap set an alarm and there are 24 hrs in a day roughly 10hrs goes towards work, with commute and getting ready and staying a little late. That leaves 14hrs, set aside 6hours for sleep and you have 8hrs of freedom or extra work time. You just have to be more disciplined with your time. Why? Because it is YOUR TIME. Stop living for that 9-5, sure it pays your bills, but if you follow the “whole work til I’m retired then enjoy my freedom” you’re going to realize what’s important to you…TIME. If you love what you do for a living then keep on keeping on, I’m speaking to my people that hate their job and want financial freedom.

  All I’m saying that if you want to be financially free and work on your own terms then you have to sacrifice entertainment and sleep. I don’t believe in the whole “no sleep” bs that you see on all of these inspirational memes, nah you need sleep to recuperate. Just don’t sleep so much that it gets in the way of achieving your goals. We Working.

S/N if you need help getting your business in order contact the good folks over at Down North Digital. Hit em up via twitter @DNDTT or DownNorthDigital@gmail.com

As always follow me on Twitter @OmahaHostage