President Barack Obama.

Wassup World!

President Barack Obama. It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? Well for all of you who witnessed the Inauguration this afternoon, it was definitely a moment to remember. Citizens of all races, from all walks of life could be seen amongst the crowd that gathered in Washington, DC. Snuggled in my sweater and a cup of coffee, I witnessed the events display on the Today Show. Like most Americans, I am excited to see how Obama will mold the future and change the course of history. After speaking with fellow peers and doing a little research, I got a variety of responses concerning Obama’s Presidency.

Post 9/11 Americans, especially in the Tri-State area, felt a sense of grief for all the individuals died beneath the rubble. Family members and strangers alike came together during that time, and America was closer. People volunteered to help remove the rubble, family members held candle lit memorials, and everyone gathered in prayer.Unfortunately,  As the 9/11 concern started to fade away, and everyone returned to their normal routines, the concern for one another began to fade. Fewer people took the initiative to help strangers and New Yorkers worked their 9 to 5 workdays. What happened to holding each other high in comfort?

Like 9/11 I feel the excitement revolving this Presidency will slowly fade and Americans will continue their normal lives. But unlike 2001, the US is in a worse economic crisis. We can not allow ourselves to spend the amount of money in 2009 as we did in 2008. Obama has made it clear that he cannot change the state of the economy if Americans are not by his side, changing their spending habits. So the questions remain: How long before the Obama frenzy wears off? Can Americans pull together and change their bad spending habits, in order to reshape our circumstances?

Thoughts?

ArtBattles

Wassup World!

Hip Hop Lovers, Artists, Poets, Emcees; I call out to you all! It’s going down on Friday. January, 23, 2009 at le Poisson Vouge in the Village. ArtBattles is back at it again. No this isn’t your lil sister’s finger painting spectacular, this is a battle amongst New York City’s illest painters. Basically each artist gets $100 to paint whatever the moderator assigns. What’s this year’s competition? ” Faux Fierce”. Half a dozen artists are assigned a pallete with no idea what they’ll be painting…well….till they paint that is. They have a specific set of time to create a crazy piece and with audience participation, they vote for their favorite artist. It should be one ill night so if anybody is down for some good art, hip hop and city lights,hit me up cause im going ;]

Homelessness in New York City

Wassup World!

We see it all over the United States. Post 9/11 and Hurrican Katrina, homelessness have increased tremendously, leaving Americans seeking government assistance. More specifically, New York homelessness has hit an all time high since modern day homeless began over 25 years ago. What’s more devastating is Gov. David Paterson has proposed an 11 million dollar cut back for homeless housing and prevention. With shelters packing in about 36,000 homeless families, there needs to be change. One of New York’s most helpful non profit organizations, Coalition for the Homeless, has helped feed and house homeless New Yorkers since 1981. Unfortunately, expenses continue to drop as homelessness increases, leaving thousands people unable to receive basic nutritious needs.

If you are reading this, you have the ability to change the state we are living in. Once upon a time, homeless individuals were labeled as: mentally ill, alcoholics, and crack heads; with rent increases and wages decreasing, there are families seeking city shelters during these winter nights. Donating just a few dollars can change the our neighborhoods, one step at a time.

Visit www.coalitionforthehomeless.org to make a donation or volunteer.

God Bless!

Barack Hustle.

With “President” Bush stepping down from office, we enter into a new year filled with hopes and excitement of Barack Obama. We, as middle class Americans are grateful, not only to have a laid back African American President, but also to have a man who is genuinely involved with our struggles. Obama has witnessed struggles of family members and community members, which benefit his goals of change. Personally, I look forward to viewing Obama’s steps towards change, and truthfully have only enjoyed his Presidential speeches (no offense to past Presidents). I pray Obama will be the President to actually make a change and take those promises he voiced during his campaign. Most New Yorkers I’ve spoken too, share similar views on Obama, yet we as New Yorkers take up only a tiny fraction of the U.S. map. There are millions of American’s who voted against Obama, mostly people he is a black male, and we need to be concerned about his safety. Obama now has the most expensive Presidency car to date. I believe it’s cost ranges between $400,000-$450,000, compared with Bush’s car which was about a a third of that cost. The question at first was, Will America make him President?, and now the questions seems to be Will America ALLOW him to remain President?

Thoughts?

Got Beef?

“Beef is when you need two gats to go to sleep. Beef is when your moms ain’t safe up in the streets. Beef is when I see you, guaranteed to be in ICU.”–B.I.G. (What’s Beef)

Unfortunately, the Hip Hop industry thrives on beef. The highest record sales, tours, and material goods, can ultimately be due to artist disputes. Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace are a prime example. Both men started out as friends and performing on stage together, but all that changed. On the night of November. 30, 1994, Tupac was shot and robbed by two armed men entering the lobby in Quad Recording Studios. Coincidently, Biggie Smalls and his entourage were also recording in the studio that night. Tupac felt he was set up by B.I.G and voiced his opinion on it, fusing hip hop’s most remembered rivalry.The ending friendship separated American hip hop fans with a West Coast vs. East Coast beef.

With “Notorious” hitting theaters this weekend, there have been several airings on BET about the late rappers life, career, and love for Brooklyn. Many friends and eye witnesses told stories about Biggie’s character and love for the hip hop industry. When Tupac’s shooting was brought up, friends who were with Biggie that evening remain true to the initial story- Biggie wasn’t involved. It seems evident that both men had beef over assumptions and arrogant motives. Sadly, I’m sure both record labels helped fuse the beef to promote and earn a nice profit.

With the movie showcasing Biggie’s life in all aspects, we still haven’t got a clue what the ending has in store. How was Biggie killed? or better yet, Who killed him? More then a decade later, and both rappers have been slain with no one behind bars to prove both murders. It’s a shame that two mothers have to live the rest of their lives, wondering about their sons murders- and who’s to blame for them.

50 Cent vs. Ja Rule, Jay-Z vs. Nas, TI vs Ludacris, and most recently Joe Budden vs. Saigon, what’s going to be their fate ? Thankfully, a few of these feuds never left the studio booths, but others have. Tupac and Biggie’s murders havent yet touched enough hearts to show that beef isn’t worth it. Got Beef? Then I strongly believe you need to take that aggression out on wax and make a hit record, not murder each other. Because of beef, hip hop lost two of the best rappers of all time. I just hope the hip hop community can respect that when they catch the film.

Thoughts?

Nuyorican Inspiration.

Wassup World!

For most people who know me fairly well, know I am infatuated with Poetry. I’m not sure if I would label myself as a poet but I definitely have written about 300 poems in my lifetime. I started writing at the age of 13 and haven’t put down my pen since then. With all interests, I came across older poets and a few still inspire me till this day. As a Puerto Rican New Yorker or Nuyorican, I always try to learn more about my heritage and so I want to pay homage to one of my inspirational writers-Miguel Pinero.

Miguel Pinero was born in Gurabo, Puerto Rico. At four years old, his parents decided to immigrate to the U.S. Soon after their arrival, Pinero’s father abandoned his family, leaving his family to live on welfare in a Bronx apartment. At age eleven, Pinero was sent to Juvenile Detention Center in the Bronx for theft. Piñero joined a street gang called “The Dragons” when he was 13 and when he was 14 he was hustling in the streets. Before Piñero had reached his 20 birthday, he was a drug addict with a long criminal record.

In 1972, when Pinero was 25, he was sent to Sing Sing prison for second degree robbery. It was in Sing Sing that Pinero began writing poetry and playwrights. Soon after his release, Pinero released the movie Short Eyes, which was written about real accounts from Sing Sing prison. Short Eyes is prison slang for a child molester (which the story surrounds). I watched this film about five times and learn something new each time. I definitely recommend everyone watch this film. The film later became so successful, it was published into a book by editorial house Hill & Wang. It was also nominated for six Tony Awards, and won the New York Critics Circle Award and an Obie Award for the “Best Play of the Year”.

Also once out of prison, Pinero went on to co-found The Nuyorican Poetry Cafe in the Lower East Side, where he later resided. The love for his people and neighborhood, inspired multiple poems. He was also witness to poverty, oppression, murder and drugs while living in L.E.S but he had a love for his residence that can be read in his famous poem “Lower East Side Poem”. Pinero wrote dozens of poems and co-wrote/ starred in several films and plays. He is well known for his performance in the television hit Miami Vice (1984).

A fantastic writer, activist, and Puerto Rican; I am proud and inspired by Miguel Pinero’s works. His writing was so real and minorities everywhere can relate to the tone his poems possess. Nuyoricans in L.E.S. and throughout the NYC area still support the Nuyorican Poetry Cafe that has only become more popular each year. I know Pinero would be very proud of its success if he was still alive. Poets like Pinero inspire me to advance my writing and make me proud to be a Puerto Rican.

*If you’d like to see Short Eyes, Youtube has a couple users who have uploaded the full film*

Enjoy! =]

All Major Credit Cards Excepted Here!

Wassup World!

Swipe here.Sign there. You’ve just walked out of Macy’s carrying four bags of merchandise after spending a mere $300. Now the question is….when does the bill arrive? With Christmas and New Years a thing of the past, New Yorkers are now facing the consequences of buying little Billy that Wii. Credit card bills are hitting doorsteps, and with the recession underway, consumers are wondering how they are going to pay. The use of Credit Cards has increased amongst consumers over the past couple years and it has to stop. Personally, I don’t have a credit card and don’t intend on signing up for one. I mean really guys, don’t spend more money then you know you can pay.Simple right? WRONG. With reality shows like, “The Hills”, “The City”, and “Gossip Girl”, it seems Americans are obsessed with the lavish lifestyle. What’s wrong with rocking some jeans and a t-shirt? The image of Glam is becoming a real drag and it’s brain washing people around this country. While returning my Zune ( which happens to be the worst MP3 player on the market) to BestBuy, I was standing on the customer service line, watching about a dozen people buy a video game system. Men, not boys, MEN fighting over Game Box’s and Guitar Hero’s just to be able to tell their friends i have “it”. Well as the new “it” keeps changing and forever evolving, credit card debt will continue to rise. There definitely needs to be something done about this idea that we all need to play the “rich kids” or everyone will pay the price.

In Your Eyes

body limb

collecting bottle caps

on the side of your ancestors

graves

you are hungry

with each rib calculating

age and suffering

i am wondering

why i have no milk for my cereal

shoes piled high and i yearn for more

complain i need to run to the store

yet there are millions of dying children

all across this world

children of God who seek refuge and shelter

eyes pregnant with tears of hope

hope for change

praying in God’s name

and i cry at my own selfishness

you smile at life’s most priceless gifts

…i now know the meaning of struggle.

Exposed

i lifted a veil this morning

summoned up 300

reasons why your not a man

and with each thread count

you transformed into a new being

i don’t recognize this person

he resembles everything you were not

pale skin

shallow lips

height of an infant

you my friend

became a child

i wash bedsheets you never slept in

along with your lies

i loved you once upon a time

…in my poems

but today

i could only write you in truths.

The Pursuit of Happiness

Wassup World!

What is “happiness”? How can it be defined? Can it be defined? It’s become apparent that the more you search for happiness, the more your perception of it changes. When I graduated high school, I was most sure that I would find happiness by attending a State University miles away from home. The thought of being independent with no parental control excited me. So off I went, packing away my independence with a carload of other necessities. I experienced the good, the bad, and the very very ugly. Day by day my happiness dwindled, leaving unanswered questions like, “Why did I ever think this place would make me happy?”.

With three semesters completed, I sit in my room wondering about the same thing I did in high school. I attempted to major in Hospitality Management during my academic course, yet found it very unfulfilling and dull. I realized I only attempted to pursue this business related course, solely based on the fascination of money. It didn’t take long for me to realize I wasn’t happy with my chosen major. Recent circumstances have shown me I need to take risks in life. Society molds our brains into believing we need to follow a curtain format of living, when in contrast, we should go against the grain.

I have a new outlook on life, and slowly beginning to believe I should be able to do anything I want. First, I decided I won’t continue to be unhappy in a swanky little town (sorry townies) and return to the five boroughs (where I currently rest my head). There’s no use in saving and spending money for a school that causes so much unhappiness. I believe happiness is something that doesn’t need to be found, because the purest form is so unexpected. What satisfies me and my urges might not be the same for John Doe, so we all need to except one another as is. Different is awesome. It’s what makes artists, photographers, fashion stylist, actors, you, me stand out from all the rest. Acting like a social clone is completely boring and lame.

So with that being said, go…now! Live life. Enjoy the company of a loved one, lend a helping hand to the less fortunate, paint your city red and thank God for everything you have. We only live once, right?