News Media

LET me say this before I even get started... BOOO TO THE NEWS MEDIA!!! To be honest with you I hate the news. I like knowing what's going on in the world, but I hate how the news makes my people, black people, look like crap. I used to always think it was hype when I'd hear black people talking about how the news media portrayed us. Eventually, I started to observe for myself and it's so true. As far as crime goes, the news media loves to show all the crimes committed by black people and in the black community, but black people aren't the only people committing crimes. Nearly, every news anchor is white and the black ones are all light skinned... I won't get into this, but there are certainly implications. I'm not going to rant any longer, but I will say this. The news is supposed to chronicle the good, the bad, and the ugly of all four corners of our world; North East West South. So, until the news starts airing the successes of every community I'm not watching. Until the news starts addressing the needs of every community I'm not watching. Cover it all or don't cover anything at all. Furthermore, this infatuation with the struggles and bubbles of celebrities is ridiculous. Katie Holmes' new haircut is not nearly as important as the need for loving families to adopt children. The breakdown of Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, and others is nothing to smile, laugh, and joke about. Whether you like the chicks or not, they are still human and we should wish them the best and pray that they can find some type of healing. Okay... I'm done.

"Journalism is popular, but it is popular mainly as fiction. Life is one world, and life seen in the newspapers is another."
-G.K. Chesterton

Spending Habits

SPENDING habits in the United States today are outrageous. Americans, myself included, spend money on some of the most outrageous things. I, however am not as guilty as most people, but this is simply because I don't really have any money to spend. It is amazing to see the things that people spend money on; hundreds and thousands of dollars on shoes, clothes, purses, and the like. I am like that little kid who's money burns a hole in his pocket. As soon as I come across some cash I'm ready to spend it. The majority of the money I spend though, I consider an investment. A majority of my money goes into my music for studio sessions, promotion, etc. I do this because I believe that my investment will pay off. I do get sick of being broke though... so I'm looking forward to my money-filled future. As far as the national spending habits are concerned, I believe that if you want it you should get it, but you should also get it responsibly. Don't buy something knowing that getting it will prevent you from paying your rent.

"Money talks...but all mine ever says is good-bye."
-Anonymous

Video Games

VIDEO games are becoming more and more real everyday. They are also becoming more and more violent. With the push of a few buttons and the maneuvering of a couple joysticks anyone can become a hit man and slit the throat of a government official. Children are joyfully taking the controls as car thieves joyriding through cities and brutally murdering anyone who gets in their ways, but it's all just for fun! Different organizations, many of them parental groups, are started to fight video game makers citing the argument that their games are too violent and dangerous to the healthy development of children across the globe. Scientific studies have even gathered data linking video violence to "angry activity" in children and grown folks alike. As far as the grown folks are concerned, just control your anger people. YOU ARE GROWN! If you see that your actions are becoming for volatile and you're a chronic gamer... put the sticks down homie, and that's all I've got to say about that. Now, as it pertains to children, we all know that children will try to imitate what they see. Parents need to take responsibility and monitor what games the children are playing. Of course a child can always go to a friend's house and play a game that perhaps isn't allowed in his/her own home, but that's not really an excuse. Parents need to instill a firm understanding of what is wrong in what is right. If your child doesn't know through your teachings that stealing a car and shooting someone in the head for 1,000 points is wrong, then you need to reconsider before giving birth again.

"If you must play, decide upon three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time."
-Chinese Proverb

American Language

WHAT would you think if you asked someone what language they spoke and "American" was their response? Shockingly, (at least to me) there are people who think that "I speak American" is synonymous with "I speak English." But, let me just get to it. "American" is not a language. Now, let's talk about the English language. Because of the diversity of the United States today and historically there is an equally diverse make-up of the language. All across the country people speak English and all across the country people speak English differently. The English language is one that is full of colloquialisms that have their regional homes. English has so many variations that it would be hard to keep up: there is British English, Canadian English, Australian English, and God knows how many other variations abroad and in the U.S.A. The important thing is that we are all able to communicate. I don't get the big fuss about language. If we can communicate with each other, then why are so many people trippin? The answer is that there is an ego in a lot of people that tells them everyone should speak the way they do, especially when it comes to "Black English" and Ebonics. Everyone assumes that because you speak like Flavor Flav instead of Professor White at Harvard University's English Department that you are ignorant! Well, I'm not even going to touch on that because I can easily nullify that point. Honestly though, has anyone ever considered what it would be like if the powers that be were flip-flopped. What if somehow through history it worked out that the people who speak Black English were the people running the country for the past 500 years? The answer is Black English would be the "standard" today. This goes to show that the selection of what is considered correct and incorrect English is totally political. You can tell me that I'm wrong, but I won't believe you.

"It's a strange world of language in which skating on thin ice can get you into hot water."
- Franklin P. Jones

Do Words Matter?

STICKS and stones may break the bones, but words can break the heart. We live in a world that has a lot of hatred in it and somewhere along the lines people have gotten the idea that the hatred that they dish out doesn't really have an effect on people. The opposite is true. In many cases verbal abuse does as much damage as physical abuse and sometimes even more. Today there is a lot of controversy about the word "nigger" and all of it's variants (nigga, nigguh, etc). Many black people hold fast to the belief that it is okay for black people to use the word and sometimes even Spanish people, but it is not okay for anyone else to use the word. Many black people have adopted the word as a term of endearment, but to some people, myself included there is NOTHING endearing about it. Now, I realize the chances of the word become archaic are improbable, especially during my lifetime, but when it comes up in discussion or elsewhere I still feel the need to speak my mind on it. I associate with many people who use the n-word and being in the music industry I often find myself making with music who incorporate the word into their lyrics. Sometimes, the word is even used in songs that I perform on. Now, it is not my job to chance anybody and the way that they create their art, so if they choose to use the word then so be it. However, there have been times when people shout me out and say things like, "that's my nigga SeAzOn ALL." Those things don't get released and I make the person aware of my conflict. One day I was actually compelled to write a song discussing my take on the word. It was well-received, so much so that I moved forward in creating a shirt that was also well-received. Basically, I am discouraged and a bit annoyed whenever I hear the word, but that's life. All I can do is me and spread my message to as many people as I can... stand up for what I believe.

BLACK MAN (mp3)

"We've bound ourselves in chains man and nigga's just one of the links/I can't break it on my own. I'm strong but need power of we/But too many of we have decided that nigga should be/Every black man's name. The black man's I.D./So I write this rhyme in red ink, dip my pen in the Dead Sea/Spill blood on my pad to kill the nigga that's been killing me/"

-SeAzOn ALL

Gender

THE gender "conflict" is incredibly controversial today. There are men who want to be women and women who want to be men. There are men who want to be men that act like women and women that want to be women that act like men. It is like the whole world is going topsy-turvy. When discussing gender my religious beliefs have an incredibly strong influence on my stand. I am a Christian and with my beliefs I do not agree with homosexuality. You often hear people say that "God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve." When thinking about gender and homosexuality I often wonder and ask myself, "How can a man possibly want to be with another man when there are so many fine women out there?" A question that I'' never be able to answer. Yet, when discussing the topic I also find myself disgusted with the outlooks of other Christians. I understand that as Christians I should want to bring people into the Faith and witness, but to me beating people up with a Bible and telling people, "You know you're going to Hell 'cuz you're a faggot, right?" just doesn't seem to be the right way to go about it to me. Many people will say they don't care if a person is gay as long as the "gayness" doesn't show up in their presence. But let's be real followers of Christ. In the eyes of God all sins are the same. So, in God's eyes the person who calls in "sick" to work when they are not is just as guilty of sin as the gay couple who acts on their idea that an act of sodomy a day keeps the doctor away. The fact of the matter is that my agreeing or disagreeing with gender switching and homosexuality is irrelevant because there is only one with the true right to judge and it certainly is not me. Being gay or transgender does not make a person non-human. I've been raised and taught in my beliefs to love any and everyone; red, yellow, black, white, gay, or straight. I also hold the belief that people who are "in the closet" need to bring their happy behinds on out... it's for their own good (once again stemming from my own personal beliefs). The way I see it, homosexuals are already committing sin just by being gay. When I say that I don't mean it with cruelty either because I'm a sinner also. Now, for a homosexual to be in the closet, that is the equivalent to lying, thus you are stacking one sin on top of another. However, if homosexuals are out of the closet, then that is only one sin. I'm sure I have a host of people out there who disagree, but that's just how I see. No matter what you are you should be proud of it and love yourself regardless. Just do you!

"This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man."
-William Shakespeare

Genetics

GENERALLY, I am a very open-minded person, but something about genetic discussion makes me cringe. I think back to when I was younger and replay events where I had performed well. Often times my dad would shout out, "I know ya'll saw that! It's in his genes!" So, it may sound weird, but my genetic make-up is something that I have been proud of, therefore I can not imagine any artificial alterations being taken to it. Frankly, the idea of genetic alteration alone concerns me. It never sits right with me when people take it amongst themselves to play God. My belief is that God made us the way we are for a reason. Now, clearly I do not mean that people cancers and other illnesses should not seek treatment. My problem lies with those who use science to reinvent what God has created just for the heck of it. Why can't they just develop a computer some sort of simulator that let's people clone and and make genetic alterations all they want... at least that way, the natural order of things would remain in tact. It requires so much intelligence to tweak and alter genetic make-ups and it is just my opinion that all of that intelligence could be put to better use.

"I have observed that the world has suffered far less from ignorance than from pretensions to knowledge. It is not skeptics or explorers but fanatics and ideologues who menace decency and progress."
- Daniel J. Boorstin

Cultural Identities

CULTURE is alive in every human being on the planet whether they are in touch with it or not. However, taking the time to get in touch with ones own cultural identity can be a very enlightening process that promotes self worth, self pride, self knowledge, and self love. Sadly, I do not know as much about my own culture as I would like to, but as I have grown and matured so has my interest it. Cultural identity can live in many things, including, but not limited to, clothing, food, and habitat. It is unfortunate that the United States is a place that destroys much of its cultural beauties for a buck. Much of the history in the nation has been bulldozed and covered up for parking garages and office complexes. This is why it is important that we soak up as much of the culture and history as possible, but soon it will be replaced with the new culture and that of the past will be a culture lost. I have found that some of the best ways to gain a better knowledge of my own culture is through books and asking family members. I know it's a long shot, but perhaps if more people knew more about where they were from then more would be done to carry on in a positive direction because there is so much negative energy in the world that it is absolutely ridiculous!

"What would it be like to have not only color vision but culture vision, the ability to see the multiple worlds of others."
- Mary Catherine Bateson

Social Networking

TODAY, social networking websites such as Myspace, Facebook, and many others are the craze of the internet. Such sites allow people to create an online profile and connect with people all across the globe. It truly is a wonderful concept, for what better way for people to connect and reconnect with friends, old and new? Unfortunately, as it seems with any good thing, people have found a way to manipulate the websites for their own twisted and dastardly deeds. Lately, social networking websites have come under fire because sex predators have flooded them in attempts to lure young boys and girls and feed their perverse addictions. While the companies that run social networking sites do what they can to provide an essentially safe online environment, there is no way they can fence all offenders. With that in mind it is up to people to be responsible users of the websites. Furthermore, it is up to parents to keep a close watch of their children's online activities. As far as I am concerned, social networking sites are of great benefits, especially as it relates to my endeavours in the music industry. Such websites allow me to connect with fans, artists, and other industry decision makers all across the world with a few clicks of a mouse. This makes it possible for me to reach and share my music with far more people than would generally be possible.

"Your network determines your net worth."
- Joseph 'Rev. Run' Simmons

Body Image

EVERY morning newsstands are stocked with magazines that flaunt the world's "most beautiful" people on their covers; thin runway models, muscular athletes, and our favorite silver screen dudes and darlings. Often times the pages of these magazines contain tips to have the physique, hair style, and fashion sense of the aforementioned figures. However, everyone is not meant to have blond hair, blue eyes, and high cheek bones, thus more and more people are beginning to lose confidence in themselves as they do not fit the mold of the prescribed notion of beauty. I personally feel that people should have confidence in themselves and believe in their own beauty whether they look like a Cover Girl/GQ model or not because beauty is so much more than fair skin and a slim waist. People should not make changes to their physical selves because it is what the world deems beautiful. A person should make physical changes for two reasons: because it is something that he/she genuinely wants to do and/or because it is for the good of his/her health.

"Character contributes to beauty. It fortifies a woman as her youth fades. A mode of conduct, a standard of courage, discipline, fortitude and integrity can do a great deal to make a woman beautiful."
- Jacqueline Bisset