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Thoughts on Commercial Hip Hop & The New Roots Album

Ever since Slick Rick told us his children’s story, and even more so when Tupac dropped his Grammy-nominated, All Eyes on Me album, with tales of the “Thug Lifestyle”, and California Love, I’ve been smitten by the Hip hop genre. And for someone who grew up in a relatively middle class upbringing, with stints in polar opposite cultures and a variety of ethnic groups, the struggle and existential angst that oozed out of my half broken walk-man wasn’t something you could say I directly could always relate to.  However, despite my appreciation for other genres, there was something specifically attractive about Hip hop music.

Then Tupac and Biggie died, and arguably the west coast and east coast grip on the sound of hip hop gave way to the southern era. An age of southern Hip hop artist, and music that definitely gave you funk, and soul, but in my opinion, further dumbed down an art form that was already under severe commercial attack(Barring a few exceptions).

If there was any breath in the genre of Hip hop, it was now, virtually extinct. Where you may have been able to point to a wider variety of conscious artist in the 80, or early 90′s, with the turn of the millennium, it seems like Hip hop is now even more so a narrow lane of superficiality, short sightedness, and the echoes of guns, bling, and hoes. The holy trinity of all that is commercially expedient.

I’m not attacking the freedom of choice all artist have to make in the music they choose to create, nor am I marginalizing the corporate forces at play in shaping an environment that arguably stifles true art.  I’m also not discounting a time and a place for everything, and that can also be represented in music.  I guess I’m just mourning the fact that such a powerful medium cant be better shared by a broader range of voices, and sounds.

Over the last few years, as my hunger and thirst for wrestling with the bigger questions in life has expanded, so has my desire for music that was both conscious, not whack, and soul searching. Baring a few exceptions, and since Lauryn Hill went underground, my music palate has grown to other genres and styles of music that seem to better embrace a larger breath of subject matter in their music.

But a few days ago, my brother started playing the new Roots album: How I got over in my hearing and I just had to sit up.

For those of you who enjoy Hip hop, or any music that punches past your epidermis, speaks too the human condition, and contains a much needed politic, societal, and spiritual activist tinge, I highly recommend you check out this new album.

Here’s a great review from Anthony Fantano at The Needle Drop Music Review Website. I’ve also included a couple of my favorite songs from the album. Let me know what you think, and also feel free to recommend your favorite music, Hip hop or otherwise, that actually has something important to say

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Red Lights Mean Grow

Red lights have gotten a bad rap. So has getting locked out of your house, or car.  Or getting a flat at 1:20am in the morning, when you happened to loan you brother your jack the week before, and..well..having to walk 6 miles to your house, in a light drizzle…with dress shoes…

Highway drivers can be so insensitive.

Inconvenience has the potential to be underutilized.  Its the art of disruption that flies under our radars ability to appreciate the moments that are still, arduous, and dare I say even painful.  The kinds that demand of us the kind of contemplation that comes only through long weary walks down roads we have always speed past…going somewhere quickly…A life lived at 90 miles and hour.

These inconvenient moments slap us out of our hysteria.  Grabbing our attention…shocked and wide eyed we focus in on what matters.

“They” told us stop signs compromised our inner sense of rebellion.  That’s why the kids sprayed paint over them, and shot at them with paint filled balls of suburbia styled revolution.  But the revolution for today’s age may not be as sexy.

No raging fires or wailing sirens.

No service announcements to interrupt a regularly televised dinner.

And definitely no t-shirts with hammered fist or blood red logos to certify your allegiance to the cause.

But just the still small turning of your soul, amidst your crucible.  This revolution is an invisible genetic alteration.  Open for newness.  As still as a cool summer night pregnant with possibilities beneath a star dust peppered blackness.  And you… below, flat on your back, forced to look up.

The situations in our lives right now that are slowing us down, confining us to reclined seats of sickness and pain; these can be the thrones where new kingdoms are formed.  These are the barriers, motes, and enemy affronts that flatten our backs and butts against the walls of life, jagged edges and all, and slowing us to a humble crawl.  But don’t we need the foreshadowing of life’s finiteness?  Aren’t these the very moments, where the seeds of truth are waiting, embryonic…and waiting to be born?

Anyhow….let these words be hands around your shoulders…or if you’re a guy, and that makes you uncomfortable…let these pixels remind you that you are not alone, and that it’s ok to be still and know…

One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star. – Friedrich Nietzsche

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The Calf Path

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Exploring Authenticity & Spiritual Marketing with Tony Teegarden Part #2

Part #2 of my conversation with Tony Teegarden(Part #1 here). In this half of our conversation we explored the subjects of authenticity, a cubicle nation, his views on Spiritual Marketing(a term I am new too), and more…

Again, due to a technical issues, some parts are a bit jumpy.

Exploring Clarity, Congruency & Creativity with Tony Teegarden – Part #2 from Veron Graham on Vimeo.

• 0:15 – Defining Authenticity
• 3:03 – Projecting our greatness unto other people
• 4:36 – Tony shares his view on “Spiritual Marketing”
• 8:18 – Tony shares future projects (blogging as a business, & personal coaching)

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Exploring Clarity, Congruency & Creativity with Tony Teegarden

Developing in all aspects of our lives is something that most of us desire, but achieve with varying degrees of success or effectiveness.

Tony Teegarden has helped me grow, particularly in the areas of gaining clarity on my career goals, and developing some important entrepreneurial skills.  I was fortunate to sit down with him(via skype) and catch up on where he is now in his life, and as usual, he dropped a few gems worth careful consideration.

The video is a bit choppy at times, but still very watchable.  Here’s part #1 of our interview.  Hope you enjoy:

Exploring Clarity, Congruency & Creativity with Tony Teegarden from Veron Graham on Vimeo.

Summary of Interview:

• 0:50 – Philosophy on work
• 5:00 – Creativity & congruency as core values
• 7:00 – Gaining Clarity & Advise for those making transition from work to work that connects to core values
• 9:35 – What he’s learned as entrepreneur/solopreneur -
• 10:30 – Getting clear on what kind of life you really want to live?
• 11:30 – Rethinking the Time & Money ratio. Do you have a life?
• 12:59 – Authenticity & life as a blogger

Part #2 of our converssation: Here

What are some things you value regarding your work or career?

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5 Bloggers To Check Out: A Week In Review

This week I began to think about all the blogs, zines, and just plain interesting people I meet in real life, and also through this crazy thing we call the internet.  And it hit me(again) that sometimes the things we learn, that stick with us the longest, are through the relationships with real people. I say real, to highlight the unique benefits one can receive from the real experiences of someone you know, versus the book you read, course,etc…

Sometimes it takes that personal experience, or the one of someone you’ve taken the time to get to know, to really impact you.

And maybe that’s one of the things that is powerful about blogging.  Yes I’ve learned a ton from some of the immensely popular bloggers, and writers out there, but sometimes, I’ve picked up gems from individuals going about their lives, and quietly wrestling with life, work, truth, and the host of challenges that bind us all together as human beings.

Soooo…I figured, why not share, from time to time, the people, that I’ve had the opportunity to meet, and talk to, and most importantly learn from.

Here are a few bloggers you should check out.  Maybe someone’s story will connect with yours.

Nawala Damiba(aka Nicole)

Nawala is a young, dynamic woman who is leaning fully into the winds of life. She’s a fellow truth explorer, and I recently got the opportunity to interview her. We share a love for the practical aspects of Philosophy and Spiritual growth, which are among the topics she explores at her blog, theNawalaTribe.

Blog Post I Learned From: “God….What are you? Where are you? How…are you?”

Follow her on twitter: @theNawalatribe

Brandon James

I recently got to interview Brandon, from New Life Travel, and just in one short conversation, walked away having learned something.  Months ago, he decided to quit his job and travel the world.  With some savings and gut load of courage, he took off, and is now somewhere between Egypt and Greece.  I’m not quite sure   Brandon isn’t just traveling.  He is intentionally exploring the inward parts of the soul, questing for a deeper understanding of life’s meaning, his spiritual beliefs, and just growing as a person.

Blog Post I Learned From: Sweet Dreams Come True

Follow him on twitter: @NewLifeTravel

Sidney Champagne

A personal friend for many years, I remember the conversation we were having almost a year ago, where Sidney Champagne, author of Positive Struggle articulated his wrestle with remaining positive in a world of negativity.  Out of that he has began to share that journey through this growing site.  Check it out.

Blog Post I Learned From: Think About It…Positively

Follow him on twitter: @schampagnejr

Ashley Ambirge

She’s brash, funny, and will probably piss you off.  But in that, dang-I-now-that-has-some-truth-to-it sort of way.  If you need a shot of wake up and think for yourself, then check out her site. I may not agree with 100% of what she has to say, or her approach, but I do think that the sharp edges of someones opinion, or truth can serve to arrest us into deeper critical thought.  I always enjoy reading her site, and usually learn something for having been there.  She’s not afraid to think boldly, and out-loud.(She has 99% of my heart

Blog Posts I Learned From: Education And Wage Slavery or her first post on how to Become An American Without A Visa.

Follow her on twitter: @TMFproject

Rod Kirby

I learned a fairly valuable lesson from Rod Kirby of The Success Center.  He had this post on scheduling your editorial post.  Very practical and useful video.  So I looked around his site some more, and discovered a wealth of useful information for bloggers and entrepreneurs alike.

Blog Post I Learned From: How To Create An Editorial Calender For Your Blog

Follow him on twitter: @rodkirby

Thanks guys…

Featured picture by: BenTaher

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Exploring Truth With The Nawala Tribe – Part 2

Check out part #2 of my conversation w/Nawala of the Nawala Tribe Blog.  We switch gears a bit, and discuss health, travel, self employment, and making a difference in the world.

Exploring Truth w/ the Nawala Tribe Part 2 from Veron Graham on Vimeo.

If you missed part 1 of our conversation, check it out here

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Exploring Truth With The Nawala Tribe

Her mantra is, Peace, Love, and Grass Juice, and after listening to the conversation I had with Nicole “Nawala” Damiba of the Nawala Tribe, you’ll see that there is so much more to her than just that.

I really appreciate the intentional approach she takes to understanding life, and her willingness to talk to me about some “serious” topics.  It’s not always easy to confront the deeper side of your life, and then turn around and share it openly, with the hopes it will benifit someone.

Sometimes I wonder if I’m just a bit nerdy when it comes to my interest in practical philosophy, thinking critically about life, and questioning aspects of my religious experience, but then I connect with a kindred traveler, and am reminded that the struggle to understand what is really going on is as human as…well…truly being alive.

Nawala definitely defines someone who is taking that pursuit seriously, examining her life, and making it count. I hope this, and future interviews motivate and inspire you in your journey to a better understanding of the human condition, what’s going on in your world, life, and personal development.  That’s a tribe I can get down with anyday…

Check out part #1 of our conversation.  We discuss the various benefits of blogging, pursuing truth, living your purpose, Religion, God, some tree hugging stuff, and more:

Exploring Truth w/ the Nawala Tribe Part #1 from Veron Graham on Vimeo.

• 1:00 – Nawala speaks on what the Nawala Tribe is about, why she began her blog, and the many benefits to blogging(both for writing, and personal growth)
• 3:35 – Why philosophical and spiritual themes are at the core of what she writes, and how she lives
• 5:02 – What makes someone so intentional about pursuing truth in their life?
• 9:00 – Why is it that some don’t take that degree of intentionality to life?
• 13:15 – Religion and how it shapes us
  
• 15:30 – Knowing about God vs Knowing God
• 19:15 – Does religion sometimes obstruct the Truth?

The rest of our conversation will be posted tomorrow.  Feel free to comment, agree, disagree, and all that good stuff!  Oh, and make sure and check out Nawala’s blog, she really has some very insightful things to say, and its very obvious, at least to me, that she’s a down to earth, and all around nice person…

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Field Of Swords

In the distance see them there
moving in increments bare
to the top of that hill
onward and upward, steadily they rise…

with the sun in their face, and grins in their eyes…

And we watch below the alter

Into the grassy plateau of souls….whispering of yesteryear’s
they march towards the point….

men from the east to the men of the west
The sky looks down and rumbles in knowing….and the earth trembles beneath the iron hoofs, and boots of steel
across the red river, and the skulls and ravens…they go…to the field of swords…

Look to your hips soldier…

take from your holster the venom from tongue….
for across the field…table…or room…comes your brother, sister, mother and friend…

and we plunge our swords together into the souls of our reflections…and fall together again again and again

onto the field of swords…..

feat photo by Rita Crane

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Exploring The Inner & Outer World Through Travel

Recently I was able to interview Brandon James from NewLifeTravel.Tv

Brandon is a 23 year old who quit his comfortable corporate job in order to pick up and travel the world.  His goal?  To live the life of a global vagabond,  and search for more meaning in his life.

He also aims to live life in the moment, face doubt and fears, discover perspectives, meet others with the same vision, learn about what people want out of life, and connect with the world.  A mouthful?  Well, that’s just for starters.

I was fortunate to get him away from gallivanting up Mount Sinai, in Cairo, Egypt, just to sit down and talk to me for a few moments.

We discussed:

• What someone needs to begin to do, in order to travel the world

• Similarities between exploring the world through travel, and growing as a person

• Long-Term travel vs short term trips

• And much more…

Check out the interview below and feel free to leave any comments below:

Part 1

Exploring The Inner & Outer World Through Travel Part #1 from Veron Graham on Vimeo.

Part 2

Exploring The Inner & Outer World Through Travel Part #2 from Veron Graham on Vimeo.

Featured picture by Brandon James

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