My Obama Post

I stayed up late to write this one. Sorry Marshelle :(

If you must know I am a supporter of Obama. He visiting Oregon this Friday and I plan to take my son to the rally. Isaiah will be missing school Friday for this, why you ask? Here's the first serious Black candidate for the U.S. Presidency and we have the chance to see him in person. Missing this would be like missing the march on Washington D.C., the "I have a Dream" Speech when you live two blocks away. If Barack Obama becomes the President of the United States, he would of accomplished something that I seriously believed that I wouldn't see in my lifetime. It's an emotional possibility and I want to be able tell the story to my grand kids about how we saw the first African American President.

One last note before I go to sleep, I'm not voting for Barack just because he is black. Since he is a black man I am more exciting and interested in the process. Of course it is silly to vote someone just based on their race or gender, but I will say this. It is human nature to be drawn to people of a similar nature. We create entire communities based on our similar beliefs and cultures. When your culture is under represented in the public discourse and the political process, and you see someone similar to you its natural that your support goes toward that person.


The rub is that the African American is often overly simplified. We see a darker complexion; the assumption is that we have the same beliefs. Answer this question, how many times have you felt like the ambassador for your race? Me, many times, at least daily, the only time I don't have this feeling is when I'm no longer the minority. This is when I'm in the black neighborhood. Despite the struggles that face these communities, it feels good to see a wide variety of people with the same skin color as mine.

It's this good feeling that adds to excitement for black folks in my opinion. For some all they need is the emotional charge to gets them voting for someone. So why am I voting for Obama, I FEEL he is committed to do what's best for the country. I say feel because all politicians say they want to do what's best for the people all they time, but I actually believe Barack Obama. I know I probably wouldn't agree with all of his decision but I feel his motives are in the right place. To make it simple, I trust the guy(him being black is just icing on the cake), but I leave room for disappointment. After all, at the end of the day, it's still politics, stupid!

One,
DLUX:THELIGHT
music.dluxthelight.com

My Obama Post

The kid ain’t mine!

My son, Isaiah, is pretty patient kid for being 5 ½ years old. He can wait a whole 30 seconds before asking me where are we going, what we're doing, and can I have peanut butter on a spoon. I joke but really I can tell him to go play or draw some pictures and he'll be content. While I go teach a class or give a private lesson on free-styling and beat boxing as I did today.

Sometimes it makes me wonder is this my kid(You know I couldn't deny him even if I wanted to, the crowd would get me on Maury). Cause truth be shouted from the roof tops, I'm an impatient person at heart.

I read about The Roots touring in Japan, Add-2 in articles all over the internet, and the homie sleep getting his track in movies. I'm like man I need to push harder. I tell myself "I'm only one man and there's only so much I can do with a son, wife, and household to maintain." I know this is a legitimate reason, but it always has the familiar ring of excuses I hear from my students, when I say it out loud.

We get caught up in our grind that we don't take time to see how far we've come. Marshelle always reminds me of the good ol' days of hanging microphones from ceiling fans and neighbors below us with brooms to strike their roofs in Morris code for "SHUT UP!" Now people ask me what studio did you record in? Who did the mastering? When I tell them the answer they give me that impressed look like "Wow, you did this in your house."

The sonic quality has come along way just like my career, and I have to realize I'm right where I want to be. I am by no means content. My ambition has not been satisfied and I doubt it ever will. I guess you have two choices when you see success happening around you; Be appreciative of what you have accomplished, which energizes you to accomplish more, or get discouraged because you feel you're behind, which leads to stopping your pursuit all together or pushing too hard and burning out.

While it's hard to do at times, every time I think of what I've done, what I got in the works, and what I aspire to do, I feel more encouraged and inspired to keep going. The other piece to being appreciative for what you've already accomplished is that you begin to see that you did what you said you would do unaware that it could be accomplished. The first song, the first album, the first show, the first tour. There are major hurdles that you had to leap in order to be where you are and you did. This strengthens your faith (not necessarily a religious faith) and with strong faith you can be patient.

If you know and believe that you will do EVERYTHING you set out to do in life, it's like knowing the end to a film or basketball game. If you know the Tarheels will win the NCAA Championship this year, why would you worry if they happen to be down anytime during any of their games?

So I know I'll meet the people I need to meet and attract the opportunities I need to do everything I truly intend to do. How? That I'm not sure of and that can make me a little antsy at times, but I calm down. Speaking of calming down, enjoy this laid back beat-a-week called Isaiah's Lullaby. It's very mellow like a lullaby, go fig. This is a song about my son having nightmares when he was little (or littler, he still small). He use to cry in his sleep and it would take 15-30mins to wake him up sometimes. The lyrics tell the story, just enjoy the track for now.

One!

DLUX:THELIGHT

p.s. Yes I'm currently performing all over Portland. Join my email list for more details.

The kid ain’t mine!

My “wish a n***a would” moment

Someone decides to disrespect my wife and call her out her name, and then proceeds to insult my son, and to make matters worse this person has the audacity to call me the n-i-g-g-e-r word and mean it in the worse possible way.

Finally, an opportunity to release my full rage on this individual who, to put it quite frankly, doesn't who he is f*ing wit. As horrible as this situation would be, I think we deeply desire these types of confrontations. We want to be fully justified in taking a baseball bat to face of our perceived foes. Why worry about the consequences when you know you are right in being engulfed in your anger?

Well as I strive to become the person I want to be, I am afraid I have give up my desire for the "I wish a n***a would" moment. I guess it's a pride thing for people to want to defend their beliefs to the point they cross the line of their values and morals. I just realized that all actions have reactions and affect some body. As gratifying as releasing the anger maybe, you always have to deal with the fallout. Just some food for thought.

This week its "News 4 You" for the beat-a-week. Hope you enjoy it! When I'm done with this song you hear my singing ability or lack there of. If Snoop can sing on a track so can I damn it!

If you haven't done so, check my daily treat to you, rhyme-a-day. I compose a new rhyme everyday to keep my skills sharp and build my vocabulary. Until next time, share your thoughts below!

One,
DLUX:THELIGHT

My “wish a n***a would” moment

Happy! Happy! March! March!

Happy March! This month I'm stepping in my studio to begin recording my next album, K.I.M.(Keep it Moving). I thought it would be appropriate to feature instrumentals from the upcoming album on music.dluxthelight.com for the month of March.

Kickin' it off, we have "Got Some Sense." This song will display my sense humor and unique story telling ability when the lyrics are recorded. Until then go to music.dluxthelight.com to hear this beat and my other beat-a-week creations.

One!
DLUX:THELIGHT

p.s. A rhyme-a-day keeps the haters at bay. New tumble blog rhyme-a-day.tumblr.com Visit Today!

Happy! Happy! March! March!