Its Hip Hop Appreciation Week

Yhere is a day for everything. A month for everything. A week for everything. May is known as Mental Health Awareness Month. However, this week is actually Hip Hop Appreciation Week. I don't know about you but Hip Hop definitely saved my mind... many times in my growing up. I remember when hip hop first started... in a way. In Cleveland,  we heard Rappers Delight...and it was mind blowing. Rap music just took to all the youth at the time. Our next real dabble into hip hop was Run DMC's Sucker MCs. EVERYBODY practiced that rap. EVERYBODY practice that beat. All the children started wearing those clothes wearing those shoes, really getting their style together. At the time, the adults really didn't understand. The complaints? "They aren't really singing". "This is noise... not real music".  "Those rappers keep stealing songs from everybody else". Adults felt offended at some of the lyrics. Some of the lyrics are crass,  misogynistic and downright disrespectful to women, mothers, girls, etc. However, there's a love there for the music. There's a love there for the artists. There's a love there for the people that you just don't understand. What started off as a street trend in New York City has literally taken over the world. I mean, wherever you go you see its influence. I deal with the real, and I love the real music. I love the true Hip Hop more, and I love the fact that this hip hop week was created to really celebrate the true origins of hip hop. The true impact that hip hop brings. The fact that it's about peace, love, unity, dignity- the things that you know we should be teaching in our society. I don't care about the gold chains, the diamonds, or how much money you got stacked up. I certainly don't care about all the people who are doing whatever hedonistic, lascivious debauchery. What I care about is the music. As an Aquarius, it's always about the music. It's always been about the music, it will always be about the music.  As for me and my house, we will always love hip hop. We will always give respect to the artists who really paved the way for this true art form. I invite you this week to listen to some of your old hip hop albums. Listen to the music that makes you feel good. We need more of that in this world, especially with the conflicts that you see on the news every day. This is a refreshing break to go to a time past where you can really just appreciate a true American urban art form. Are you into hip hop? If so, who's your artists?  What do you like to do when you're listening to hip hop? Can you appreciate the art form for what it is? Share your comments below. I want to thank you for reading this article and supporting this blog space. Please stay safe, warm and healthy. Take Care and God Bless!!!

Money Can't Buy Life

Legend. The greatest of all time. Best performer in the world, Rastafari. All of these terms describe one man... Bob Marley. I can't believe 40 years ago today, we lost this legend of music to cancer. He was only 36 years old, but he left an indelible mark on the entire world. As the Ambassador of reggae music, he opened up the door for many island cultures. Millions got to see their culture shine in the spotlight. Many saw their music being performed on some of the greatest stages in the world. Most took pride when seeing their lifestyle being portrayed in a positive light. Bob Marley:s music was politically correct, if you will, to describe the everyday situations that were happenng on the island. At this time, Bob Marley continues to be a legend 40 years after his death. You can't go anywhere in the Caribbean- in any tourist spot- on any cruise ship- anywhere without hearing his music. His music is timeless. It is classic. Bob Marley is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and his music will always stand the test of time. As the feel good reggae music maker, Bob Marley took his role very seriously as an ambassador of the country. Upon his death, the Prime Minister of the country delivered his eulogy. What was quoted is quite a bit much. Truthfully, the way that he spoke of this king- this jewel- this crown prince of Jamaica- truly struck a chord in everyone's heart. A portion of his speech reads as follows:

His voice was an omnipresent cry in our electronic world. His sharp features, majestic looks, and prancing style a vivid etching on the landscape of our minds. Bob Marley was never seen. He was an experience which left an indelible imprint with each encounter. Such a man cannot be erased from the mind. He is part of the collective consciousness of the nation.

But what did Bob Marley really stand for? What connotations did his music bring up for you? What drew me most to this creative genius was the fact that he managed to combine his music with his beliefs. Oftentimes we talk about the political crises and situations around the world. Even today, with the conflict rising in the Middle East between Israel and Palestine, conflicts were arising throughout the island as far as how people were being treated. Bob Marley spoke to this, to the point where there was even an assassination attempt on his life. He and his wife survived, and for his safety, he moved to London. Again, this man was 36 years old when he passed. So many strides have been made in cancer research and cancer cures. So many strides have been made on the political scene. So many strides have been made in life in general. I have to believe a part of that is his music. As a fellow Aquarius, music is life to us. His final quote to his son Ziggy, was that money can't buy life. This is a mantra. This is an affirmation. This is really the calling card that we need to remember upon today because money can't buy life. All the money in the world won't save you when your time comes. Bob Marley was buried with his guitar, but he couldn't take it with him. So, what is your dream? What is your focus in life? He believed in his religion. He believed in what he was saying. He believed in the tenets of his treatment, to make sure that it was a holistic approach without having a lot of the chemical substances. He shunned the treatments that were available at the time. He lived his life the way he wanted, and he lost his life the way he wanted. He did what he needed to do. He was a rebel. He was a man, and he stood face to face with the challenges of life. And to this day we still talk about him. We still revere him. Long after we're dead and gone, his music will live on. We want to do things that will last. We want to make an impact on this world. Make the world feel the fact that we were on this earth for some period of time. Now, is everyone going to reach the level that Bob Marley did? Probably not. If what you can do leaves a mark on anyone, you continue the values that you poured into them. That is a blessing. Anything that you can do to make this world a better place- especially during this pandemic- is the right thing to do. We could argue religion all day long. But this man stuck to his principles. This man stuck to his heart. This man stuck to his rights. And that is why people loved him because he stood for everything that he believed in. There was no sugarcoating. There was no falsehoods. There was no fakeness. His life is a reminder to us that we need to be authentic. We need to claim who we are and make our stake in the world. So what are you prepared to do to make your life'ss impression? What is your impact on the world going to be? What will you have them write on your tombstone? What do you want people to say about you? nce you are dead and gone? Something to truly think about. Please share your comments below. Thank you for reading this article and supporting this blog space. Stay safe, warm and healthy. Take Care and God Bless!!!

Cinco De Mayo- Pandemic Style

Its May 5, 2021. Happy Cinco De Mayo!!! This day is celebrated more in the US that it is in Mexico. I saw a meme that showed reTHUGlicans shouting down people on every day of the year. But then on Cinco De Mayo, they celebrate traditionally. I am fed up with the unfortunate policies that the former administration created. Our country is still reeling from the negative effects of the twice impeached, violence promoting, treasonous blowhard who left the White House in disgrace. America was pilfered by a "billionaire " xenophobic monster who didn't care about anything but himself. The border crisis is spiraling out of control where unaccompanied minors are sent on the most dangerous journey. American People have been silent for too long. ReTHUGlicans only understand one thing-  power. They've sold their souls to the devil to maintain White supremacy and world subjugation.  Money can't buy everything, and some money is better than none at all. However,  these robberbarons have sunk to a new low. Creating and enforcing policies to escape the law and due process is exactly the steps taken in Nazi Germany. Separating children from their families is frightening, but oddly American. Since the slave trade, trail of tears, and internment camps, Americans have sunken to yet another low. However, our society is becoming more aware of the racial divide that no one is trying to repair. The world is watching and they are not pleased. God is watching and His will shall come to pass.   How will this ugly episode be viewed by history? Probably as one of the darkest moments in the country.  Please let you light shine. Let your voices be heard. Celebrate the day today,...but pick up the fight tomorrow. Definitely stand in your truth and live your power. You matter. Your thoughts matters. Too many lives are at stake to sit on the side and let this continue. As we all strive to live the best life, we must never forget our most vulnerable.  Let's finish this chapter and proceed to the rest of our collective lives. The purple life . Thank you for stopping by.  Take Care and God Bless!!!

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

May the 4th be with you. So many days are used as rememerence day. Some of today's themes are Star Wars Day, Petite and Pround Day, and Bird Day. Many months are used for awareness of many social and historical causes. What caught my attention is that May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Many organizations are bonding together to promote the importance of reaching out to those who need help. The goal is to erase the stigma of receiving care and achieving balance and well-being. In doing my research, I discovered that millions of Americans are living with a mental illness. For this May, the focus is to raise awareness by talking about mental health. We must join together to fight the stigma, provide support for each other, educate the general public and advocate for effective laws and policies. The message for 2021 is “You Are Not Alone.” Some topics of discussion include the following:

• Adapting after trauma and stress
• Dealing with anger and frustration
• Getting out of thinking traps
• Processing big changes
• Taking time for yourself
• Radical acceptance

Use this month to learn about the healing value of connecting in safe ways, prioritizing mental health. Let's acknowledge the fact that it’s okay to not be okay. Our society has sheltered in place for so long, we long to feel normal again. But what is the new norm? What is this new reality we're living in? Can we truly realize a nation where anyone affected by mental illness can get the appropriate support and quality of care they need? Can individuals dealing with mental illness live healthy, fulfilling lives? ABSOLUTELY!!! No one should feel alone in their struggle. Where can we start? Below are some links to different organizations and virtual events happening. Do your best to help your loved ones and others who may be suffering in silence. Please share your comments below.  Thank you for reading this article and supporting this blog space.  Stay safe warm and healthy.  Take Care and God Bless!!!

Mental Health Awareness Events

Mental Health America 2021 toolkit to conduct awareness activities

National Alliance on Mental Illness Awareness Events

May 5, 2021: World Maternal Mental Health Day

May 6, 2021: National Older Adult Mental Health Awareness Day Symposium

May 7, 2021: National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day: Resources and Event

May 9-15, 2021: SAMHSA's National Prevention Week

Get your house in order!

Monday Monday, bad bad bad bad bad bad. This work day was cray cray. I just couldn't deal with it, and I'm sure a lot of you felt the same way. This weekend was especially tough. I had some bad news from a friend of mine. Her brother lost his battle with COVID-19. He fought the good fight, even with all these vaccines and technology out here. Its just a reminder that tomorrow is not promised. You have no idea when your time is up. When your number will be called. When God calls you home to glory. One famous quote talks about the greatest collection of ideas is in the graveyard. Why? Because this is where people take their dreams and wisdom when they die. Recently, I've noticed that so many people are dying in their 50s. Too many people are dying young (Chiraq) but people in my generation are dropping like flies. If you look at all these entertainers, these rappers, these artists are literally dropping one after the other after the other...and they're all in their 50s. It made me think-what did they have together? Did they have a succession plan? Was there a diagnosis and they weren't sure what the future held? Who's going to take care of their family?  Most companies have a succession plan in case something happens to their "key employees". Most millionaires and billionaires have some sort of plan in place. When you think of the artists like Prince and Aretha Franklin-who reportedly did not have wills- it makes things that much more difficult. So I'm just imploring you.... Get your house in order! This is actually a biblical term. In the Bible there is a famous quote where God is telling someone you bout to die. 

2 Kings 20:1-2- In those days Hezekiah became ill and was near death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.”

I wish we could pray so earnestly that God would extend our lives. Since that's not possible, it's time take action. Get your house in order! Why is it so hard for us to get into our minds that we need to plan for the future? When we look at the environment, people are just acting like things are growing and growing and growing, and that we don't really have to worry about what's left for the kids. Now some people want to talk about the laws and the policies and the taxes and how our children will pay for this. Well, our children will pay when they have no oxygen to breathe when they have no trees, no shade, no plant, no food, no chicken. NO CHICKEN! I mean it's really a crazy, crazy world that we live in. This pandemic took us by storm. It really shook the normal, but it shook our eyes open as well. This shift in our lifestyles was an absolute necessity to really get us to focus on the real things in life. The truth of the matter is, we need to provide for our families. We need to provide for the future, even those of us who do not have kids. My concern is... what's going to happen when I'm gone? Who's going to get these resources when I've passed? Will it be important enough to someone to take care of the resources that I've set aside for their enjoyment?

Or will they just blow it on a whim and be worse off. Any kind of gift that I could possibly give requires planning. You need to do the same. There should be no fights, doubts, or questions about your intentions. What are your thoughts? Have you ever gotten an inheritance? Have you ever gotten any sort of planning done? Have you ever considered a will? A land trust? Anything for your future self? Let's talk about it. Leave your comments below. I want to thank you for reading this article, and supporting this blog space. Please stay safe, warm and healthy. Take Care and God Bless!!!

When I think of home...

Happy Sunday! This has been a week for the record books. My church held their 89th Bible conference virtually, and it really set the bar. We had such good teaching and preachers, even during a pandemic. The word got through and everybody felt it was a great gathering. Now one of the things that I kind of missed was being at home.  Not home here in Chicago but I mean home home... Cleveland. Cleveland, the place where I was born. Cleveland, where the water caught on fire. Cleveland, The Plum, as compared to the Big Apple. Cleveland where the tower is Terminal and the lake is Erie. My hometown. Born and raised. Buckeye to the bone. When I saw that the NFL draft for 2021 was going to be held in my hometown. I was absolutely  estatic. The last big event was one of those political conventions, which I won't even talk about. Seeing this universal sport being celebrated in my hometown held a special place in my heart. I have to admit, I was just watching The Draft on TV for the backdrop. All of the fans showed up in brown and orange- just like I knew they would. Cleveland is firmly behind their Browns team, and it didn't matter who was up to pick. They were surrounded by Browns fans, and I loved it. Everything in town seemed to be brown and orange. Even though they lit the Terminal Tower up with all the teams different colors, it just seemed more beautiful when they had the brown and orange on it. It just really took me back and reminded me of the things that I love about Cleveland. The loyalty. The vision. The work ethic. The passion. The inspiration. The fact that we started from the bottom and now we're here. People don't understand how beautiful a city it is until they get there. They don't understand the quality of life until they've been there. They don't understand the family dynamic until they've tapped in to a family of their choice. It's just a whole different vibe that you get there, then you get anywhere else. We were born with some sense, with a spirit. We were born with a drive. We have a chip on our shoulder. We're really nice, beautiful people, until you start talking about our hometown. We will talk to you about Cleveland until we run out of breath, and I haven't run out of breath yet. Cleveland is not the mistake on the lake. It is revitalizing and becoming a technology hub.. Cleveland is your basic melting pot because of all the cultures that are born there. I will always love Ohio. I will always love Cleveland, no matter where I live on this earth. I am a Clevelander, and I want you to have that kind of pride in your hometown or wherever you choose to call home. You should love it. It should rise up to meet you. If that is not the life you're living right now, then consider making those changes. Home is where the heart is. Home is where the heart grows. Home is a place where you feel the peace, the comfort, and the joy. My heart is in Cleveland-always has been, always will be. Again, I wish you felt about your town the way that I feel about mine. Let me know what you think about your hometown. Everyone that I've talked to love that the NFL draft was there. Folks felt it was one of the best classes that came through. Since I don't follow football like I used to. I will take your word for it. Let's chat. Let's talk. Let's discuss. Leave your comments below. I want to thank you for supporting this blog space, and for reading this article. Stay safe, healthy, and warm. Take Care and God Bless!!!