The Wooing of Maryanne Pureheart (excerpt)

....The two gentlemen arrived once again at the same time to present their fateful gifts. It appeared that Ian was empty handed, but he informed them that his gift was outside. The curious ménage all three, preceded alfresco where wrapped in a red ribbon was a shiny black Bentley Continental GT - a very phat whip indeed. Marryane was quite thrilled and almost overcome with joy. It was now Truth’s turn.


He would surely have to be up on his hustle to top Ian’s bold display of mad skills. Much to Ian’s surprise, Truth’s heart did not pump Kool Aid and he stood his ground unvexed. From behind his back he brought forth a white box bound by a much smaller red ribbon, which was of curious size compared to Ian‘s big package. Marryane pulled out her platinum Tiffany scissors, cut the ribbon and opened the simple box. She gazed upon the beautiful red roses and silently read Ian’s heartfelt card. She was genuinely moved to tears. She tucked the note into her Prada bag and wiped away both of their tears with her pastel Versace handkerchief.


She chose Truth.

Ian was outraged. “I am reproached fair lady and I dare say Good Sir I shall demand satisfaction.” Ian exclaimed. “I spent a whole lot of time and hard earned scrilla trying to woo you – What’s the business baby?!?!?!?!”....

Transit

….Black, fat and ugly - Do she have to be eatin' them bright red hot sauce drippin' wings on the train too????
Please let yo’ li'l girl have one so she'll stop cryin’ – Pleeeeze
….Grease all over her mouth - Lookin' like ghetto lip gloss
Jus’ had to sit next to a White man too - makin' us all look bad….
Lord have mercy Jesus
Y'all try not to look at her - Please.....
….Look at her - Leanin’ all up in her seat like she want you to see her.
Jus’ a hot mess….

....cd's...dvd's...cd's....dvd's....


….I bet she one a them “College Girls"
Them ho’s ain't shit – Steppin’ all over my new shoes!!!!
What she doin' on the train anyway????
I bet that ain't her real hair
I can't stand them ho’s!!!!
They thank they all that
I'll be glad when she get off this train
She bett’not look at me again neither
Forgive me Lord
....I can't stand them ho’s!!!!


….oils....incense....oils...incense....


….Lord have mercy, I can't wait to tell my roommate about this hoochie here
Blue hair, pink nails and a red thong
I can't wait to get me a car and get away from these Black folks
Child they a mess
Ain't no tellin' how many babies she got
What's that smell????
Lord please let me off this train….


....socks....footies....socks....footies....


….Lord, Please don't let that Nigga sit next to me
Damn!!!! Why every day some dirty construction job Nigga gotta sit next to me????
Where all the men with the “good” jobs at????
No I don't look familiar, so please don't ask….
Lord, Please let me get to my stop before another Blue Collar Nigga try to talk to me


....got that green....got that hard....got that green....got that hard….


Po' child, his mama must didn't see him leave the house this mo’nin’
Lord why don't that child pull up his pants????? Draw's all showin'
Look at that - the girls got they tails all hangin' out too....Oooh child - a thong
….Don't they mama's teach 'em nothin' no mo'????
"Oh….Thank you baby - Mama sho' do need to sit down today"
I’ll keep prayin’ for 'em Jesus, they still yo’ chillun


….cd's.....dvd's....cd's...dvd's....

Am I Black Enough for Ya???? (excerpt)

....In a March 7, interview in the lowly Torrance, CA newspaper The Daily Breeze, former Democratic Party vice presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro made a statement that has set an ill wind to blowing. In reference to the candidacy of Democratic Presidential front-runner Barack Obama, Ms. Ferraro stated that, "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position," she continued, “He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept." This statement about the possible first “Black” man to be nominated to challenge for the presidency, has blown the doors wide open to discuss the race factor in Obama’s run for the White House.

The Obama campaign itself has tried to down-play race as a factor in his run for the White House. Mr. Obama has not ascended to the heights of power the way other “Black leaders” have, which is to say he has not been a lifelong crusader for civil rights, voting rights or even squatters rights for that matter. Because Obama was not groomed and mentored into his position by the “old guard” civil rights movement power structure, many powerful Blacks are opposed to him becoming the first Black President. They claim that he is not Black enough.

Barack Obama was born of an African father (a Kenyan national) in America (the state of Hawaii) and he looks like any “Black” man you might meet. So that surely means he must be an African-American. Cased closed. Well not so fast. The question is whether he has a sufficient amount of “Blackness” to satisfy Black voters and powerful Black people who might endorse him. Ay, there's the rub. What then does it mean to be Black?....

BB Shot (excerpt)

....Most young Black kids did not go down to the basement and start Punk bands in large numbers. The lure of the thrashing guitar was not as strong as the booming call of the drum for most of us. However, R&B and Disco didn’t provide much of a platform for expressing the ideals of resistance and rebellion that many of us felt within. The agenda in “Hardcore Nation” would continue to be set mostly by bands of young White kids and populated by their peers. However there was an active minority of Black Punks.

Like all of the American musical forms that Black people created, it just so happens that the band that is considered the best, most talented and most influential band of the American Hardcore Punk Rock Music scene that started in California by skateboarding kids, is a band that originated in the "Chocolate City" of Washington, D.C. This highly influential band featured an entirely Black lineup of accomplished musicians. The group was called Bad Brains.

The Bad Brains were formed in 1979, out of the remnants of a Jazz-fusion band named Mind Power. Their roots in Jazz provided them with skills that enabled them to explore territory that their peers {who typically were not skilled musicians} could not venture into. Despite the fact that they chose to play a style of music that was “alien” to their cultural roots, the Brains wore “dreadlocks” and were practicing Rastafarians. The band itself was all Punk though and regarded by their peers as the band you never wanted to follow behind in a concert lineup....

Billie, Ella and Nina

When the silence breaks, make no mistake, you shall remember what you've heard within these walls

This divine choir is rare, so be thankful you were there and well worthy to be here in this hall

I know the hour draws nigh, but these great divas are worth the wait I assure

Perhaps they’re still convincing the Duke, to play piano when Ella sings Azure

The ladies are as excited to be seen as you are to see them, especially Miss Lady Day

I understand, if you have to leave I won’t stop you, but you’ll regret that you did not stay

I would still be here and would sit here all year, to hear sweet Ella sing just one song.

No sir I did not say there would be only one, listen carefully and please don’t quote me wrong

With my own eyes I have seen them all three, though Miss Simone hath just arrived of late

Will she sing Mississippi Goddamn???? Well I suppose she will, if she finds herself in that mood or that state

Just be patient, they have some catching up to do, you must admit they’ve all paid their dues

“....Yeah girl, they had this skinny broad playing you and called it “Lady Sings the Blues....”

Alas, I can hear them laughing, it should be just a minute before they appear right here on this stage

Sir I’m sure if they take requests she’ll do Strange Fruit, but be warned, it still may send some into a rage

Pres will blow Tenor, Chick will play drums and Nina may play some piano if she so feels

Does Billie still drink? That’s not your business I think, did you come for the spectacle or their skills?

At last the lights have been cued, the curtain will rise, we shall hear an angelic trio for the ages

We should count ourselves blest, to hear the three best, to ever grace this or any other stages

The Letter S (excerpt)

....“Yeah girl, I’m goin’solo, no mo’….I’m gonna hold on to this nigga…Is he fine??? Girl please, and you know this…How long have we been talkin’????? Since last Monday, but shit I already know….His status???? I don’t know how much money he makes. He works in systems sales, so I guess he makes pretty good money…..HIV status???? Girl what the fuck is you talkin’ about, that nigga is clean from head to toe….Yeah I know you see all kinds of different people down at the clinic, but he ain’t like that….Ok, I will girl….Allright, I said I’ll ask him, Damn….I’ll talk to you tomorrow girl…. Shiiit, I ain’t gonna lie to you, I’ll probably jus’ call you Monday, 'cus tonight I know what it’s gonna be and tomorrow I gotta get up and go to Sunday School….Okay girl, I’ll talk to you later.”


Sheila and Stan, young love in full bloom. Hot quick sex at lunchtime in the office building stairwell, wet and wild high times on the living room sofa and late nights spent making sweet love under satin sheets. Then all of a sudden, there are phone calls unreturned, no noontime rendezvous, no late night soul sessions and no early morning moanin’. Young love can be so fleeting. And so it goes.


…..“Stan!!!! Stan!!!! Stan!!!!, I know you in there, answer the phone, it’s Sheila!!!! I can see your Suburban sittin’ outside. I bet you up there fuckin’ some new skeezer. My girl Shirley says she saw you at the STD clinic. She says you got that shit!!!!....Stan!!!! Stan!!!! Stan!!!!”….

The Murder of Tupac Shakur Considered as an Illegal Street Race (excerpt)

....It may be irrelevant that the winner of the race is still in question. The fact that the great Tupac was felled is not in question and was witnessed by all. The void he left in the sport after his departure has yet to be filled by anyone. To this day, none of his rivals have come forward to acknowledge their triumph.

Some of his fans were inconsolably affected by the outcome. They have taken to imagining he is still racing.


The race results will continue to remain in question. As is usually the case, there were no officials present when the race was decided. When they were asked to get involved in the disputed issue, they did not make much of an effort. They were rumored to have been paid in secret beforehand, to stay clear of the streets where the race took place. Others speculate that although the officials secretly enjoy these races, they have little regard for the participants that the sport attracts....

Agenda

Tell me what you are trying to build, not what needs to be torn down

Tell me what you believe in, not what you doubt

Tell me what you love, not who you hate

Tell me who is right, not what is wrong

Tell me about your plan, not about your plot

Tell me about your leadership, not the betrayals of the past

Tell me who you will follow now, not how far we've come

Tell me about your organizing, not the conspiracies of others

Tell me about unity and culture, not political science and urban studies

Tell me who I can believe in, not that I should vote just because

Tell me what you’ve learned, not what they were wrong about

Tell me about your triumphs, not just our tragedies

Tell me what you did right, not what they did wrong

Tell me about our bright magnificent future, not the dark gloomy past

Who Responsible???? (excerpt)

....Black Americans are in the unique position of being the only people on the planet whose sole agenda is to help another race of people to rule the world. We do not seek any power for ourselves as a group, nor do we aid in the empowerment of our own people abroad. We have no homeland. We are entirely at the mercy of our other peoples plans.


Our complacency with and complicity in this situation leaves most of us unable to recognize this as a problem at all. We consider ourselves solely as “Americans” because some of us have realized the “American Dream.” We don’t feel any connection to Africa or any other Black people in the Diaspora. Most of us feel that those other people must have either organized improperly to secure their liberties or that their “Great Emancipators” must not be as warm hearted or industrious as our American benefactors.

I will not debate America’s influence toward restraining the growth and prosperity of other nations and consequently the creation of their oppressed classes here. However, I do think it is worth noting that this is not the first time a “minority” population within a prosperous, Western society find themselves in a similar position as “African-Americans” in the twenty first century.
Prior to the “Nazification” of Germany, Jews enjoyed economic prosperity and legal equality, similar to and in some cases superior to native Germans. They settled into a certain complacency, satisfied that they were indispensable to the German way of life....