esteban lives!!

yo miz, thanks for the comment,
but it should be a posting
so I am going to put it in it's entirety here:

Well niceFro,

It seems that you have left the door wide open as to where this blog will take its readers. If that is indeed the case, and I am the first to comment, then I will take what you selected to post and run with it.
For those unaware of my relationship with niceFro, we met over 20 years ago and our mutual appreciation for rap music and the Hip Hop culture has been a common thread. For anyone who logs on, views the video that niceFro references, and does not "get" why we would find that clip, art in its truest and purest form, then I would ask you "Why not?"
And here we begin to get to my first axe to grind. There are a large number of people out there who view rap music as anything but music. They feel rap is profanity laced trash that serves no purpose, and does nothing more than glamorize drug use, dealing and sex and the exploitation of women. However, these same people go on to talk about Eric Clapton, the Doors, Aerosmith or any number of "rock" bands who essentially project the same messages with one exception-they are white.
Sex, drugs and violence sell in America, regardless of the type of media or artists involved. Rap music began with young black males originally making music that was proud and playfully braggadocios, built on break beats from old records (guitars, pianos, horns, and drums are not readily available to inner city youth living in poverty-so they used what the had and created a new artform). Record execs new that black pride would not appeal/sell to predominantly white buyer base, but the good old sex, drugs and violence theme would.
Therefore, groups like De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest were replaced with the 50 Cents of the world. However, the greater crime here is the further violence that has been perpetuated by this transformation of what was once (and in many circles still is) a positive outlet for frustrated urban youth to express their ideas and opinions about their race, culture and history. One type of violence (see David Gill for the complete theory on violence) in this country is that which is created when our institutions deprive some of its citizens (generally impoverished minorities) the right to live and engage in meaningful work and activities.
We all should be granted that opportunity, but sub-standard educational systems, living conditions and health care prevent many from pursuing meaningful work and activities. When this pursuit is obstructed, the frustration and anger is often released in violence, which is of course met with violence in the form of our prison systems. So essentially rap music emerged as an art form that allowed urban youth to engage in a meaningful activity and release their frustrations positively and creatively. It was then stripped of much of its history and culture (a familiar theme when talking about white europeans and native africans), degraded (again familiar) and used to generate profits for already wealthy white males (hmmm).
Now, watch that video again and note the black, latino and white men all gathered around the artist-community building 101. Now, try to recite the verse that Mos Def raps at the same rate and articulate it as clearly. Now, go and write a 50 second rap that not only rhymes, but says something meaningful and engages the listener to the point that they begin cheering upon its completion.
Finally, tell me why you are not impressed and why when an affluent white man does it, its called poetry, but when a poor black man does it, its called trash.

R.I.P. J-Dilla.

Respectfully yours,

Esteban
May 29, 2007 10pm

eye reality

sounds of the night
mind trapped
stuck in the mind
the beat eternal in an irie place
spent part of the day
moving around H town
no direction seeing who is out while
eye work doing the best eye can
sounds of tonight
spinning beats moving from room
to room creating more room
at the island located not far away
unbelievable but undeniable
at the same time like flood
waters power through any
boundaries head spins away from the smile
starting the dread all over again
mind spins still as sleep will arrive
shortly as time together
staring into eternity
with these eyes no limits
to eye reality...