Version 2.0

Culture, healing, politics and bullshit - Not necessarily in that order

The general, socio-political and very personal rantings and ravings of a hip hop head from the hood hustling for change... Of himself.

You all know me and are aware that I am unable to remain silent. At times to be silent is to lie. For silence can be interpreted as acquiescence.
—Miguel de Unamuno



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Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Nothing new over here except for what's happening in Brooklyn

Nothing to really get in depth about other than the fact that I'm really sore right now from getting rear ended on Saturday. I slept a lot and things keep on getting tighter. The car suffered no damage, but I took a good jolt that caused the seatbelt to catch me and throw me back in my seat after physically leaving it.

Got a chance to kick it (somewhat) with NameLair and Nsane Lee Sane. By the time they got to Moms, I was in the pool with the youngn's... I just had to. I was stiff, the sun was out (and boy was it ever, it was damn near 100 degrees) and I had to keep moving. After all of that I had to get back to writing. I did get a chance to hang out with everyone I wanted to hang out with, and I got hella sleep. Now, the grind is back in session:

Long hours writing and making nonsense make sense with my lyrics. Gotta go and check out a new keyboard controller I saw over the weekend. Also, gotta learn up on my Mac skills so I can implement the new hardware and OS for home recording.

I got 2 new joints I put together that I will unleash on y'all before the week is done.
I no longer have writer's block and I seem to be cranking out some good ish. Let's hope things stay that way for a moment.

I'm starting yet another fast on June 1. I hope the fluster and confusion that makes up the first few days of a fast doesn't stop the creative flow. If all goes right with scheduling, I should have at least 6 or more songs done before I escape to Brooklyn...

And speaking of Brooklyn -
Gotta book my trip to NYC for the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival, and I still gotta get to city hall in the ATL to finalize some paperwork for the cop job.

Another Brooklyn Happening



Check out Laylah doing her thang all up in Upscale magazine. I'm so proud and hapeee!!!


It's Wednesday, the weekend is almost here again. I need another one... stat!

Friday, May 26, 2006

Last Call for Workahol...

I've been working on finishing the album concepts and refining my lyrics so I have no post for today. I decided to share this piece I wrote a couple of days ago. I hope you enjoy it because it was inspired by someone very special. I hope they don't mind...




What I Crave

The fact that I cannot reach out and touch
you causes emotion that lays claim to depleted
portions of my soul.

I crave just a brush in a closed space.




By you.





It drains my heart to the point that blood cannot
reach my outer extremities. It doesn't matter anyway
because I cannot reach out and stroke your skin.

It's beautiful brownness, a bronze like no other,
coveted after by those that despise you but attempt
to move their hips in a directional sway like you do
but fail miserably.

Their imitation does not flatter one bit and I anger
thinking of all of the pandering and posing one does
to garner my attention in an attempt to be sister-like,
but it is you my sister... That I want to touch.


Contact has it's advantages. If I am physically
connected to you, even by hand means that
you have also extended out to me and want to
connect both at a cellular level and spiritual.

See, words have the power of life and death, so
imagine if I were to extend my hand to you, gently
causing ripples of sensation on your skin.

This means that the big bang theory meant nothing
because whatever we create in this moment
is much more powerful than stars crashing
in the cosmos.

It means that we build in the simplest of movements,
a symphony is composed with my finger being the
bow and your skin is the soft alto string of a violin.

Babies are made from the simplest of contact.
Let me touch you and render thought of creating
life by letting my fingers do the undressing...

Let my hands caress the smooth silkiness of your
left leg and release the tension is concrete and
steel by letting me massage your calf...

Your thoughts are softer and less threatening
dealing with the world after my index fingers
rotate gently on your temples...

You cry out in ecstasy, but not loud enough
for the neighbors to hear when my hands become
the stimulation tool that manually plows your garden.

As I dig I find a bulb that I did not grow but has
risen from your briar patch that needs to be
watered and stroked. In that moment, the secrets
of creation are revealed in actions much too
complex to put into words.

I'll just let my fingers do the walking.

copyright 2006 Hassan Olumoroti Ntimbanjayo

Enjoy your weekend and be safe blogfam. Chele, I ain't forgot to address the stress and blockage thing, look for an email forthcoming.

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

The 'Lost' Finale... Finally, Somewhat

My body is speaking to me in a language that I'd rather it not do right now. In the past month or so, I've had an episode with my heart and was medicated for that so my balance is waaaaaaaay off. It's time for fasting and a lot more meditation (and water) and positive thought because I got away from that last quarter. My meditation has actually increased thanks to seeing this cat that helped get me back into cognative alignment. I learned some breathing techniques as preached by Dr. Andrew Weil and I actually reduced my stress levels and blood sugars by breathing with focused thought. Wow, something actually works other than meds to do that...

Finished writing for the album including drops, skits and notes and that pleases me. I now have to step up our recording schedule in order to get finished and keep it creative and timely as well. I also ran into a fine little philly that can carry a note and wants to work and no, there is no romance so cut that out. I don't work that way. I mentioned that she wants to work, and so do I so that's what we'll do. She has the look and sound that can be marketed The hustle has to generating returns. Other than the heart scare, this has been the most difficult thing I've encountered so far this year. Time for work, family and friends has been invaded for the need to record music and fam, friends and work ain't really appreciating that shit. We ain't the same cats we were back in the day by not having the time to do what we want with recording because we ain't getting paid to do so. The love of the drum is keeping this movement going. We will finish this project, I just don't know how and when...

Now that I quit jobs # 2 and 3, I'm bored out of my friggin' mind and I feel like I have nothing to do... Well that's a lie because all I've been doing since quitting is writing and making constructs, experimenting with new tracks and drum patterns. I know I gotta get sleep and I should be letting my body rejuvinate but I've been up for days on end now surfing the internet, looking in sound libraries, writing new pieces of poetry, re-writing song lyrics and just entertaining the fact that I am here with myself and loving that I'm in the middle of a damn good creative process. I'm flowing and I don't want that to stop, so a little sleep has to be sacrificed. I'm loving that I refound my focus. That's why I get lost in my creative process and then look at the clock to see that I just spent hours doing whatever, the only thing is, I gotta be at work in the morning. THEN I'll decide to lay it down because I can't lose out on job #1. It's all I got and it pays well...


I got a jones right now. It's bad too. All up in my bones One of the reasons I can't sleep is because of this, and I like it.

Shit. (just like Sampson said in Half Baked)


And it ain't what you think, so stop that. It's more powerful.
Withcha' nasty asses...

I am so humbled and in thanks that Mz Dee~Dee took the time out of her busy schedule and actually interviewed my stankin' ass. We spoke about love and all things related to it. I remember love and being all up in it and welcome when it next visits again. Whatever. It ain't here now, but the thought of being all up in it and doing all of the things one does when it's here calms me something terrible. Keeps me collective, keeps me calm... Damn, the world need a new GooDieMoB joint...


But for now... Gnarles is tearing up the world

Speaking of that, I just copped that new Ghostface joint 'Fishscale' and will have my opinion on here shortly. I also got a hold of J Dilla's 'Donuts' platter and am grooving on that right now. As we speak. Groovin. SheeeYit! I notice that I'm slipping on the reviews and I plan on adding that back soon.

Also reading 2 new gifts bestowed upon me from a very special friend. Eric Michael Dyson's "Is Bill Cosby Right?" and Chakra workbook by Anna Voigt. I'm really feeling these ae well as advice given by Aquababie on getting back in balance. Thank you both, I really am appreciative on your love and concern on me getting back to balance.
And streeeetch...

Also need Sista Stiltwalker to post new sh%t. Millz too. Yeah, that's right I said it.
LadyLee is a trip. I can wait for the book...
I'm, also counting the days til' Brotha Buck gets back on the job
Ay yo Verse... I'm reading you.
Nsane in the friggin membrane... You better show up this weekend. You.Be.Bullshitting. But I understand.

I have been summoned by the powers that be to come up with a tentative plan for a Chicago Brownbloggers forum. This excites me seeing as I've met bloggers from other cities and shared ideas and opinions and thangs but haven't even broken bread with my own blogfam in the Chi except for a few. I must admit this:

There is an ex (we dated for a couple of months, it got a deep and then it ended) in the mix that also blogs (not sure anymore, haven't been there in a while) and because of the nature and scope of something like this kind of event, to extend an invitation is a no-brainer. I feel that being who we are and where we are at this point in history that this is bigger than a dating relationship gone bad. I feel that since I know (or knew) who she is her presence is needed in such a forum. I respect her gangsta and I hope I'm not the enemy, I was just thinking that with me organizing the thang that she would probably not respond and wouldn't want to participate. I don't know how to get at her as far as extending an invitation her way, so I welcome any suggestions as to how to do so or if I should anyway.

Would you invite someone you dated to a forum where Ideas are exchanged, information is given and networking will be at optimum levels? What we're trying to do is organize first, set an agenda on how we can affect change with writing and interacting and then finding a way to branch outside the digital divide and act on it to make the hood good. That's worth sitting thru a meet and greet with others regardless of who they are to be a part of the movement, right?

You sure?

Monday, May 22, 2006

The Want

I want to sit in a dark, quiet place.
I want to be alone.
I want to reflect on what was and
what could have been.
I want my mind to roam.
I want to be in past happiness
I want not emotions to flee.
I want to reside in that place in
your heart that you said that I'd
always be.
I want to be remembered.
I want to be in good graces.
I want you to be happier in all
of your created spaces and
places.
I want you to be married.
I want your husband to care.
I want you two to create new life
and be making love everywhere.
I want you two to make babies and
teach the things that we spoke.
I want them to have the knowledge
that you and your warrior cause
thoughts to provoke.
I want you to get that money.
I want you to live and stay paid.
I want you drown in abundance
stay in his bosom and share y'all
rich ways.
I want you to know that I'm
blessed.
I want you to know I am favored.
I want you to know if it don't
work out with this you know
you're my favorite flavor.
Cause' he can't do what I do.
And I know what I feel inside.
Also know I respect yours and
what you do but these feelings
can't hide.
So look for me when I'm passing
you by when you're out holding
hands in the street.
And know that I have a passion
for you like no man that you'll
ever meet.
Cause I can still taste all of
you and you know that shit drives
me crazy.
So when you give thoughts of
submitting to him I know that I
still am a maybe.
If he slips, forgets the woman
you are I'm here to share love
gave me.
So when pastor ask who gives her
to you, I'll say that this other
man made me.

2006 Hassan Olumoroti Ntimbanjayo