“To Live And Die In L.A. to Empire State Of Mind”

Listening to my Ipod today a familiar song came up from one of the greatest poets of all time, Tupac Shakur. Despite all the controversy surrounding this amazing character, or lack there of according to some, I like to think of Tupac in a more positive light; one that remembers his creative soul and not the fame that molded his rap career. To Live And Die In L.A. was more than just a song. I’m thinking of it more in the light of a snapshot of the minority struggle during the mid 90s. Tupac’s lyrics painted the picture of what it was like to live in the hood and actually love it! Despite all of the negativity that come with living in South Central L.A., Tupac said lets put it out there that I still love this place, despite what privileged America thinks!

There’s a correlation between To Live And Die In L.A and Empire State of Mind by hip hop artist Jay Z. An important transition takes place between hip hop in the mid 90s to hip hop in the 2000s. Tupac discusses the struggle. What its like to live in the so called projects. Highlights of laughing out on the corner and embracing other cultures that help create your neighborhood. Legal battles, highlighting the changes in laws that affected the fate of those charged with criminal acts are intertwined. To Live And Die In L.A. embraces the struggle, Jay Z’s Empire State of Mind moves us past the struggle and into the future of our dreams.

Now don’t get me wrong, Empire State of Mind definitely discusses the ups and downs to living in NYC. I like the way he also narrates a story of everyday life that many of his listeners are not able to connect with until listening to this song. Connecting the struggle with success, Jay Z lets us listen to what many of us are living everyday; the pursuit of our dreams. Sometimes we get so busy out here grindin’ we fail to remember that we too are living history.

The time frame of which these songs were written is a big factor in how the message was received. To Live And Die in L.A. was written in the shadows of the Rodney King trial and post riots in Los Angeles. It just goes to show that a true artist feels what the people feel, regardless of their status. Jay Z released Empire State of Mind soon after President Barack Obama came into office. The elation of this time comes through in his record and gives the listener a sense of what people are thinking; anything is possible, keep striving.

Peace and Blessings to All

Reedah

Changes

Its amazing how much you can change over the course of a year. I haven't blogged in over a year and a half, so I hope you all will welcome me back to the community! My outlook has changed tremendously, and I will no longer bore you with the everyday happenings of my life. I'm moving towards positive thinking and reflection, so I hope the world enjoys this moment that I have chosen to embrace. I've never been one to write on routine, but we'll see where this one takes me for now. First blog of the new Reedah coming in just a few moments.

I salute you!

once again, like never before

in all essence:

you are the HD to my TV
you're the popito to my mommy
you're the I-5 to my California
you're the fudge brownie to my ben and jerry's (made at Greyson Bakery, of course

you're the will to my knowledge
the pish to my posh
the Honda to my Civic
my sister ... to me

you're my love to my culture
my heart to all people
you're the drive to my current position
you're the destiny to my future

you're my blanket on a rainy day
my fuzzy socks during a thunderstorm
my carebears pillow at home, and school

my desire to be healthy
my yearning to Think
the afro to my adonis
and the need for spirituality

the horripilation to my passion
you give me strength when i'm weak
you call when i'm at my lowest, and make me tell you whats wrong

you are the real to my reality
my humor to the worst of situations
you're my outlet in the midst of a quiet storm

it is you that i call on
day or night
thank goodness God created you
dangonit i love you!

all sorts of random tings

and the saga continues...

my mouth often gets me in trouble
not because of what i say, but how i say it

raw...that would be the only way to describe the way i can come off

i don't believe in sugar coating
it creates illusions that need to be explained further later

and since wasting time is a pet peeve
i say why not just give them the real deal right then?

i know feelings can get hurt, stepped on, even plucked

but i'll give you the raw version...cry with you
and then aid in the healing process

so why the eff don't people understand that?

i digress

i hate it when good sitcoms randomly decide to have a "throwback" show
i started watching the show because it was entertaining...now i'm watching my favorite characters pretend to be The Supremes. who cares

i need a dam* job

TV One and BET just froze on my TV -- coincidence?

motherhood is no joke...ever since being forced to take care of my sister's child i have never been so exhausted in my life

cooking 3 meals a day
cleanting the freaking kitchen
vacuum-ing
read-ing picture books
practicing multiplication tables (like my illusion, :)
and not to mention follow-ing his every move with the dust buster after he returns from being outside

i see why stay-at-home moms be snappin on people now! if the highlight of my day was gett-ing the kid to eat all of his green beans, i would be a little snappy too if another adult walked in the house and didn't give me a flippin hug

lol, who sings gospel hymns while laying in the bed, with their siblings joining in? the kids on 7th Heaven! lol, good times

so where is the kid now? i know you're wandering...the water in the bathroom has been continuously running for about 5 minutes now...i should get up and see what he's doing but i would like to finish this first....hmmmmmm

it shut off...

he walks out, cheeses and then says....

"I made a mess" ....hardy har har

he then proceeds to ask me if I've heard of a song called Get Off the Corner, WTF!

i've rambled long enough...peace and love, peace and love

Neuroscience room 618

Neuroscience Room 618

your walls are cold
everything is sterile
should this be a positive?

Neuroscience ICU

buzzzzz
nurse: "How may I help you?"
Me: frozen...I can't say anything

she proceeds to get loud,
"HOW MAY I HELP YOU?"

I studder, "I, I'm here to see Amos Turner"
she tells me to hold

i cut my eyes
cuz this woman does not know what my family has been through
the last 3 days have been hell
and if she doesn't watch it
she might experience hell on earth from....me

the doors open
black suite, blond hair
ohhh so this is the voice behind the doors that once stood closed
no eye contact this go round
just a polite voice
"Mr. Turner is in 618"

we walk into his room
and the confusion on his face tells it all
he speaks, in a rugged tone,
"Joyce"
"Liza"
but wait, you got her name right...no grandpa i'm not liza,
i'm tonza

ha, you never could pronounce my name right, but i adapted

remember me?
the loud one, you have to remember

i once stood in the middle of your living room
stomping on your coffee table

remember, i was the only one who got away with that
i was the your "doll baby".......

i'll just blame it on the sedation
cuz i know they have no adoration...for you
the way that i do

those gray eyes
they once had life, but now...
now they are just empty

Neuroscience Room 618

4 seizures in one afternoon
damages? who knows
explanations? they for dam* sure don't know

wtf
i know you're not God, but can you at least...
tell me something

moms is slowly declining
she was never one to deal with the sick

so that leaves me, standing here
waiting...
cuz i'm not leaving until you figure it out
somebody has to put the iron fist down

stop bs'n my fam
and get me some answers

Neuroscience Room 618

he's fidgeting
so i'll try to make him more comfortable
we're tugging and pulling at sheets, trying our best

you see this ONE nurse, he doesn't like...
and we know why, but won't say it aloud

so instead of dicsussion we just step in and take her place, lol
some things never change

i now see where some of my ideals come from...

its 6:30

black suite, blond hair cuts the lights off
visiting hours = over

its time to go -- Southbound 95
moms doesn't want to leave, so i just wait until she's ready

black suite, blonde hair comes back

lol, its not worth the fuss, lets go

i slowly kiss his head and rub his arm...repeat
"alright, liza"

my head drops...


*to be continued*

got

you got me
i was driving home
for the last time from an experience that will never be duplicated

what is with this!
why do we go through things with half closed eyes
and when its over, we look back and say dam*

so i try to live in the moment
never passing up the opportunity
to do anything and everything
within my wants and needs

i hate good bye's
God knows i do

maybe i'm thinking too hard
taking too much from those who i've been surrounded by

i don't care
that's who i am

but yea you got me

my emotions took over as i drove away
the road clouded by my tears

even as i type this the computer screen has slowly become an amoeba of memories

but such is life

it feels great to get got:)

cuz i wouldn't be me without it

Crush

i've been watching you
and I like what I see
but the first move will never be me

but I don't want to wait
because tomorrow is never promised
ha, i like to call you my afro-donis, lol

i wasn't expecting this
feelings
shmeelings

my hard exterior won't allow me to share this

but until the right time, i'll be waiting
patience isn't your strong suit
so, i hope you make the first move...

snaps snaps*