Okay! I know I'm Late.

So if you know me, you could probably vouch that I have been desperately searching for new music.
I mean, there are only so many times one could listen to "Birthday Sex" or could care less about turning my swag on everyday when I wake up in the morning.
I have always been into different kinds of music, especially forms that are not familiar with mainstream success.
The Fugees, however are the exception. They have had both mainstream success as well as producing meaningful music that can make you dance and think at the same time.
John Forte, who is not apart of the Fugees but associated with them is the change in the music world that I seek.
John Forte's story is as follows:
Forte, was a rapper, producer who had a influential stake in the alternative hip hop scene of the 90's. In 2000, he was caught and arrested at Newark Airport for Possession of 1.4 million worth of liquid cocaine. He was convicted and sentenced to the minimum requirement of 14 years in prison.
Suprisingly, advocates for Forte believed that he did not receive a fair trial. After 7 years, he was pardoned by George W. Bush in 2008 and was released from prison a few weeks after. It is said that as soon as he was released from prison he bought a Blackberry, Ipod and Macbook (Go Figure).

Well we all know what happens when people spend long bids in Jail; they become a Hip Hop Intellectual. The only thing to do in Jail is read, gain knowledge and plenty of time to reflect on your life choices.

I am pretty sure Forte will become one of my fav artists. His lyrics are thought provoking and sincere and his musical ability is above any of the antics we have seen thus far in the entertainment industry. Not to mention he is nice to look at (dreads=love)

John Forte "Life Has Just Begun" from The ICU on Vimeo.

Truth about Somalian Pirates according to K'Naan

Dear L.A

I have been very disappointed with the way you have been representing yourself these past years! I have been finding it hard to claim you lately, with your expensive fashion sense and falseness I often find myself contemplating our relationship. Although I have never been to N.Y, it seems to be much more compatible with me.

I remember the L.A Riots, Conscious and "Gangsta" Rap, and Multiculturalism were your thing back when. Now its all about transient fame schemes and gentrification. The company you keep are just as sick.
I Thought we were cool but every time I come to visit you make me feel like I dont belong. Is it because of the way I dress? The music I listen to? the people I hang out with? or the change in my political ideologies?

Maybe we can work something out?

Chicago seems nice!

The Greatest

"We All Thought He Was Going To Live Forever"

I am ready!

So, today is my last night in Santa Cruz for the 2009 year and I am more than excited. These past 2 weeks have been hectic. No sleep, No time for people, parties and I have not been eating right at all. I have a thousand things to do before the day ends consisting of packing and washing clothes. I also have to do some chores around the house before i leave but I don't know!

I wish ( Carl Thomas status)

Sometimes I wish there was no such thing as love. Not to say that I am in love or that I am bitter or anything but whats the big deal anyway.
You wanna know the worse thing.

You meet a guy and then you feel all happy and warm inside and then just like that they can make you feel so so so bad. you can go from eating to much to not eating at all if that makes sense.

I remember I had a conversation with the roommates the other day about being in love and found out that when you first fall in love you dont wanna eat anything and you dont wanna go to sleep and then when they dump you, ironically the same cycle happens again only this time you are crying for days.

My other roommate is always breaking up and making up with her boyfriend which could get annoying because everyone around gets the blunt end of it as well. Man, that sounds draining!

I dont think boys know how much power they have when it comes to relationships. I would say when girls like someone or love someone they love hard. I have never been in love ( at least i dont think) but from the sound of it, it seems painful and very troubling.

I can never like a person w/out thinking about the future.It's very sad.

And then 4/20 Happened!

so Today is April 23, 2009 and Monday was the famous 4/20! The day that people with sense and some w/out smoke pot-marijuana-ganja-the herb-sticky icky, or whatever people call it these days. Everyone gathers at Porter Meadow on the UC Santa Cruz campus and lights' one up at 4:20 on the dot.

The school went far and beyond to hinder peoples urge to go to campus by only running certain buses and closing down the west-side of campus. IT DIDNT WORK!

It was one of the hottest days of the school year and to top it off everyone who smoked and had the munchies were at 711.

None of this bothers me at all but I have a real BIG problem when you bring my hero-legend Bob Marley into the mix.

everywhere that I went on campus someone was bumping Bob or playing one of his songs in celebration of this faux holiday!

Honestly, Marley is possibly turning in his grave, upset that after all of the things he has been through and all the things he has done in life ( Uniting Africa, World Peace, Rasta equality, Self-love, Killing hate ideologies, demolition of "isms-skisms", peace and love) all that he is celebrated for is smoking Ganja by white people, and hippies.

Bob Marley taught me the importance of Africa and it's great history that is unknown to most people. It's funny that he does criticize some WHITE people in his songs but thats a whole different post.

Bob Is one of my heroes and I refuse to let his legend be jaded with thoughts of getting high all day/everyday to initiate world peace. The Red, green and Gold Liberation flag that has come to symbolize so much to not only jamaicans but to every marginalized oppressed group within the African Diaspora has now been recognized as representation of Marijuana Solidarity in this sick country. no Dice!

Am I ranting?