Saggy Pants?: We Need to Pull Up Our Judicial Priorities First

Hotep,

Hip-hop has long been the target of political correctness.  For decades, politicians throughout this country have attempted to wipe away the significance of this artful culture.  In the late 80’s, the groundbreaking west coast crew, known as N.W.A., took heat for their explicit lyrics concerning their personal views of police officers patrolling their community.  The public outcry against N.W.A was horrendous.  Even people who were familiar with police brutality appeared to be offended by N.W.A.’s form of expression.

Then Rodney King happened a few short years later and some of these same N.W.A. detractors were forced to look at the other side of the fence.  Racial profiling (driving while black) was a reality long before Rodney King’s “lynch mob” was caught on amateur video.  Ya heard?

The members of N.W.A. were labeled as menaces to society.  As long as they were talking about black on black crime and degrading black women, their position in society was tolerable.  Today, all of the surviving members of N.W.A. (R.I.P. Easy-E) are successful businessmen.  In 1989, who would’ve thought a teenage “Ice Cube” would be a cornerstone in the Hollywood film industry?  Not even “Ice Cube” saw that coming.  “Burn Hollywood Burn” was Cube’s initial venture as a solo artist. Feel me?

The states of Michigan, Louisiana, Texas and Florida have taken the “anti-sagging” movement to the extreme by passing laws that outlaw the fashion trend through the creation of public-decency ordinances.  What?!!

We live in an era where people who can’t afford legitimate legal counsel are convicted of capital offenses based on circumstantial evidence.  Their inept legal representation could suffer from anything from depression to alcoholism to drug addiction and the system doesn’t even blink.  In 3 of the 4 states I mentioned earlier, defendants have been sentenced to death and executed without resistance.  How do we allow saggy pants to be a judicial priority?

Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone.  Broken down to form the acronym – KRS ONE – brings immortality to the greatest MC of our time, a ghetto activist most notable for holding the societal mirror to the faces of hypocrisy, oppression and racism.  Na mean?

Songs like “Illegal Business,” “My Philosophy,” and “Black Cop” were joints that uplifted the mental of everyone in earshot, but his lyrics on “Self Destruction” was a harsh reality check as to how our music and culture was being portrayed by media pundits and government officials.  “It really ain’t the rap audience that’s buggin, it’s one or two suckas.  Ignorant brothas trying to rob and steal from on another.” Word is bond!!

How someone chooses to wear their clothing may be offensive to others, no doubt, but it’s far from being a societal epidemic.  Racial injustice, abuse of discretion and ineffective assistance of counsel should be our judicial priorities.

Personally, I think saggy pants can be offensive, but so can a 15 gallon cowboy hat.  I’m not aware of any public-decency ordinance against that.  Hip-hop is expression, hip-hop is beautiful, hip-hop is me.  Ya heard?

Keep it 100,

MannofStat

Copyright © 2011 by Leroy Elwood Mann

A Purpose Lies Within

“It made me really sad that I didn’t know about it, even though I live in West Philly only a 5 minute bike ride away.”
-          Kara Khan

Hotep,

It’s always inspiring to meet or read about people who live purposeful lives.  The common trait for people of this ilk, is their everyday lives play out like the next chapter of a best-selling novel.  Hear me breathe people.

I recently encountered the purposeful life of Kara Khan.  By the time this goes to press, this photography student will be a graduate of Drexel University.  Kudos to her, right?  Well hold your congrats, because Ms. Kara is not only becoming a college graduate, more importantly, she’s taken the next step to becoming the embodiment of a humanitarian.  Word is bond.

Twenty-six years ago, four years before Kara’s birth, the mayor of Philadelphia, PA approved a police plan to drop an explosive on a row house occupied by members of a pro-African American organization called, “Move.” The end result was tragic.  Eleven occupants of the Move house were killed, including 5 children.  Sixty-one homes burned down.  May 13, 1985 was a dark day for my city of “Brotherly Love.” Feel me?

Kara decided to photograph the neighborhood that lies within Osage Avenue and Pine Street for her senior thesis.  Today, the neighborhood resembles a ghost town.  Twenty-three homes are still occupied by some diehard residents.  But, the neighborhood has been a desolate, crime ridden gauntlet to these inhabitants who refused a buyout offer from the city years ago.  Kara’s photographs went on exhibit as a means of bringing awareness to the mistreatment of these loyal homeowners.

“If this had happened in Center City or at Rittenhouse Square, I’m sure there would have been some kind of Statue or memorial about it,” she said…my sentiments exactly.  When you think of all the wrong in the world today:  

*Ten year old boy kills his abusive Nazi dad in Riverside, Cali,

*Nine year old girl raped and murdered 3 days after she escaped the clutches of the same assailant,

*New records handed over by the DEA show prison officials may have broken the law when importing lethal injection drugs.

How can you not applaud the valiant efforts of a younger generation acknowledging the past to make a positive difference for our future?  That’s what’s up!  The purposeful life of people like Kara Khan brings all of us one step closer to humanity.  Our purpose in this life isn’t lost, nor is it hidden.  It’s just waiting, accompanied by the ideal situation to bring it to fruition.  Na mean?

So what’s next, blogosphere?  Do we continue to merely exist or do we begin to live our lives purposefully for the betterment of humanity?  The ideal situation awaits us.  Ya heard?

One,

MannofStat, NP 4 Life

Copyright © 2011 by Leroy Elwood Mann

The Roads We Travel

Hotep,

Fifty years ago, “The Freedom Riders” etched their place in U.S. history.  Their mission was to challenge the Jim Crow laws of the South, in a nonviolent manner.  On May 14^th – Mother’s Day – their nonviolent mission of equality was met by a high degree of violence when they crossed the state line of Alabama.  Members of the Klu Klux Klan attacked and firebombed the Greyhound bus carrying these Freedom Riders.

Now, I have flown from Chicago to Hawaii, experiencing the Pacific Ocean from an aerial view.  I’ve tasted the salt of this same Pacific Ocean as I cruised its mighty waves from Hawaii to Cali.  In May of 1989, I committed 3.5 days of my existence to Interstate 40.  At the time, I thought navigating my Hyundai Excel SE for the necessary 3,000 miles, to get from the Golden State of Cali to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, was a monumental feat.  Well, it was definitely a memorable experience, but far from the roads the Freedom Riders traveled.  Feel me?

Between the scorching desert of Arizona and the lightning storms of Oklahoma, there were several times I just wanted to trade my Hyundai for a plane ticket to Philly.  Without question, this journey nearly got the best of me.  I can only imagine how those Freedom Riders felt when white southerners boarded their bus, grabbing the occupants, pulling them out of their seats and beating them.  The assailants were the embodiment of the south, encapsulated by racism.  I’m sure at that point in time, those black college students and their white supporters didn’t feel like their nonviolent training was appropriate for this Freedom Ride.  Na mean?

As the miles accumulated on my odometer, I occupied my mental with introspection, my last 3 years in the U.S. Navy and my overall 21 years of existence.  I was at the drive-thru window of McDonalds in Arkansas when I came to the realization that my journey across this country would make a difference in my life.  Experiencing the highs and lows of this extensive road trip would give me something I would need for the metaphorical roads ahead of me.  Death row is a beginning, not an end.  Ya heard?

I developed a strong sense of perseverance and endurance during that road trip. But I can’t help but wonder: How free would my cross country ride have been if the Freedom Riders hadn’t traveled these roads at all?  Holla if ya hear me.

Deuces,

MannofStat

Copyright © 2011 by Leroy Elwood Mann

What If?

“Yesterday’s gone and tomorrow doesn’t count unless you take care of your priorities right now.” 

-          Prodigy of Mobb Deep

Hotep,

The above quote was taken from the recently released, “My Infamous Life,” the autobiography of Prodigy, who is the front man of the legendary hip-hop group, Mobb Deep.  They first caught my attention in the early 90’s with classics like “Peer Pressure,” “Project Hallways,” and “Survival of the Fittest.” This group reached a high level of success while going against the grain of mainstream radio.

When I read the stories or listen to the music of successful hip-hop artist, I can’t help but wonder:  What If?  I mean, it’s not a crime to reflect on yesterday if your priorities are in order today.  Whether we like it or not, today will be yesterday, come tomorrow.  Right?

The first time I went to the RunDMC concert, I knew that rocking the mic would be my vocation.  I studied the masterful delivery of Run.  His command of the mic on joints like “Darryl and Joe,” and “Is it Live” watered the lyrical seedling known to many as “Doc Terra.”  An MC’s MC.  

What if I had never attended that RunDMC concert?  Who would I be?  Would the district attorney still have access to a promotional photo of ‘Doc Terra?’ By the way, Terra is not slang for terrorist, which is exactly what the district attorney conveyed to a jury of my peers.  Talk about peer pressure.  I experienced that first hand in a court of law.  Na mean?

In my days of “Rocking the Mic Right,” I was known as “Doc Terra.” “Terra” is in a mountainous region of the moon.  My lyrical flow was out of this world.  Feel me?  It’s funny how Run became “Rev Run” and Doc  Terra became a death row prisoner #0255136.  Our lives are at opposite ends of the societal spectrum, but we do share some common ground.

The Rev Run and I understand the ubiquitous nature of our Creator.  From tragedy to success, we never endure them alone.  The grace of our Almighty Creator is the reason we can reflect on them today.  Hip-hop is the journey of yesterday that I speak of right now to reach the ears of the hip-hop heads of tomorrow.  Ya heard?

My priority right now is my freedom.  What you think about you bring about.  Holla if ya hear me, Chelle.  But, I can’t help but wonder: What If ‘Doc Terra’ was a criminal defense lawyer?  Would I be reaching the masses right now?

Live Well,

MannofStat

Copyright © 2011 by Leroy Elwood Mann