Rascality--The Disease of African Irritation

I received this book as a gift from a dear friend.

This book is one of the most important scholarly offerings in terms of affirming Africa's deserved place in World History.

The book gives ample evidence to support the fact that Africa is the real mother of what we call 'civilization'. The authors contend that the greatest scholars from Greece and Rome all received their knowledge from African learning centers, and even gave credit to their instructors. Over time, Eurocentric historians have sought to discredit and deny the existence and influence of the African continent.

This blog is dedicated to one specific term-- RASCALITY. I will rewrite the passage European medical misdiagnosis, as written by Molefi Kete Asante:

"The assumptions that caused doctors to misdiagnose Africans were based on attitudes about slavery. How could an African want anything other than slavery? Thus, any African who ran away from the plantation had to be suffering from a particularly bad form of drapetomania, the desire to leave forced labor. If the African happened to show a dislike a for slavery and the overseer or master of the plantation, he or she was diagnosed as having rascality, a disease of Africans who are irritated by their environment.

According to this definition, I am most certainly a RASCAL. As I reflect on [White] American Independence day, my rascality jumps into full gear when I see Black people waving US flags and playing the Star Spangled Banner.

Newports are the 'black cigarette'

Tisch Family owns Newport cigarettes

I read this article the other day in the NY Times. Turns out the Tisch family, long known for its philanthropy, owns the second-most popular cigarette brand, none other than Newport.

They own or have owned all other types of wild shit, including Loew's Theaters, CBS, wild hotels, hospitals, and NYU.

The article suggests that the family no longer wants to be associated with the cigarette, and have apparently been trying to sell it off for the last 40 years. FORTY. I don't buy it folks. Our country specializes in profiting off of our death and illness, so you mean to tell me no one wanted a piece of the second largest cigarette company? I guess the billions of dollars they made helped to ease the guilt.

I found it kinda funny that the Times even knows that Newports are the 'black cigarettes'.

Be A Nigger Too

My buzzin' Rasheed sent the team a link to this new Nas video here.



Say what you will about the brother, but I am going to give him credit for the efforts he's making with this new album. When I first heard that he was no longer calling his album 'Nigger', I was very disappointed with him. I'm tired of black people lacking the courage to, as Malcolm once said, 'tell the white man the truth to his face'. Or tell anyone the truth to their face for that matter. I cringed as Obama denounced his own pastor in order to win the belt (this political shit is as phony and entertaining as wrestling nowadays), and I cover my face when I see Sam Jackson star in "A Time to Kill" only to move on to "Snakes on A Plane".

From what I'm seeing, however, Nas' case is slightly different. He appears to only be changing the title of the album, whereas none of the content will be different. So if this change means that a few more people will purchase the joint and listen to it, then I'm okay with that. It's better than them not listening to it at all.

Quite frankly, there are many folks out here who have no understanding of racism and its direct impact on their lives. Pre-1970, you might see someone getting lynched or firehosed and realized that something's up. Even your typical white bigot knew that their actions bore some sort of prejudice. But today racism is far more subtle and difficult to detect. The young Dominican in an NY public school may have no idea just how inferior the facilities are compared to the virtually whites-only private school just a mile away. The hipster gentrifier who jogs down St. Nicholas or Nostrand Ave. doesn't realize that their mere presence has driven up the price of just about everything in the hood. They don't understand that the reason bodega prices are so cheap is because most neighborhood people can't afford Gristede's and Fairway prices.

The issues that Nas addresses on this record are important for people to hear, because for some, they may never hear it anywhere else. I consider myself to be fairly well read on race matters, but I didn't get most of my knowledge until I got to high school and college. And that's only because I took classes that focused on race. We have people in this country who think racism doesn't exist, yet continue to simultaneously cast Obama as a Muslim while criticizing his Christian pastor!

I'll leave this blog on that note right there.

It's Hot Outside

Given my utter hatred for heat and humidity, I find it hard to believe that I am a descendant of Africa. Anytime it passes oh, 80 degrees, I turn into this fellow here:



I once read that Patrick had to take a shower at halftime, and change into a brand new uniform. I feel him.

Here are five things that get me through an unbearable summer day:

1. Scantily clad women--Even if they're drenching with sweat it's fucking awesome, because then you get a potential wet-T shot. Ladies, I know I've offended you, but you we were looking already.

2. Italian Ice--my personal favorites are served up by the Latina women in the hood who scoop your mango-flavored sugar ice with a pot spoon. I'm not feeling that those shits are a dollar now. Used to be a cool quarter. But then you could only get cherry or coconut.

3. My sweat rag--I'm still on the hunt for the perfect sweat rag. Paper towels are only good for two, maybe three swipes before they shed on your forehead like an Amazonian rattlesnake. Washcloths are okay only if you can rinse and wring them out. Otherwise, it's like wiping your face with a dirty, sticky towel.

4. My one pair of shorts--Folks, I own exactly one pair of shorts, and yes, you will see me rocking those shits on any given hot day. I got camoflauge too, so they could match with everything. And if they don't match the shirt, I'll look like a hipster. I'm not a total dirtbomber, the drawers are different.

5. Diet and exercise--I know that's two things, but if you got a problem, get your own blog. I always get the urge to exercise and eat less during this time of year, and I come back to work in the fall to much fanfare. Maybe I need to move to Arizona or something.


Honorable mention
A sack of bud--I get so blazed that I can't tell if it's hot or not. This also works for winter time!

Here's a golden oldie for y'all:

Liar's Poker--Can the Government keep a straight face once their card gets pulled?

Our country is full of sophomores--wise idiots. We know just enough to think that we know it all, but we don't know enough to realize that we haven't figured out a damn thing.

Ancient Kemetic (egyptian) students engaged in study for at least 42 years before they could be considered scholars. And we have dumb fucks out here who think a GED entitles them to a full slice of the pie, with icing. I think that I can write this blog about stupid Americans, though anytime I've left the country(or NYC) I may as well be wearing a flower shirt, sunscreen on my nose, and Birkenstocks. Shit, even our President was a fucking C student, and his mediocrity is celebrated.

The proverbial chickens are coming home once again to roost in their white-picketed back yard. The first is former President Jimmy Carter's admission that Israel has over 150 nuclear weapons in its arsenal. People are pissed big time with President Carter, because it weakens the Western world's case for denying Iran the right to have nukes of their own. For years now, Israel has been silent about its nuclear capability, while it continues its reign of terror over the Middle East. Yeah, I'm calling those Israelis terrorists, and yeah, I'm never getting a record deal now because of it. But fuck it, a spade is a spade, right? Whether you strap bombs to your chest, or send them over on planes, it's murder. I'm glad Carter spilled the beans on Israel, it's time for the truth to come to light.

The second big spill of the week comes from former White House press secretary Scott McClellan, who is set to release a memoir titled “What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and what's wrong with Washington".


McClellan speaks on a number of issues, namely how the Bush administration manufactured and sustained a series of lies that have greatly affected the nation. Major topics in the book include Hurricane Katrina, the CIA leak of Valerie Wilson, and of course, the Iraq War. In each case, the government failed to respond appropriately, and those at the highest levels then would engage in deceit to save face in the public eye.

This presumably will not be the last of the faux pax from this administration to come to light. These are things that I already suspected were afoul in the government--what I worry about are the things that we know nothing about that are going to wreak havoc on the world in the next ten years.

I sincerely doubt that any meaningful consequences will arise from this book, at least not for anyone that matters in the administration. But at the least some of the truth will surface, so that this pathetic group of politicians can't try to write themselves into the books as moral crusaders, fighting war for the people.

Old School Video of The Week-- KMD "Peach Fuzz"

My homie Cavalier reminded me of this hip hop classic. For those of you who didn't listen to hip hop until Eminem came out, this is for you. I remember when the shit had soul(not implying that Em has no soul, his rhythm is impeccable).

Also FYI, see if you can point out MF DOOM, one half of KMD. Rest in peace to his brother Sub Rock.

The Real World--Same ol' Hollywood Shuffle

I can't even lie, I'm a straight sucker for reality TV. Here are my most favorite:

1. Top Chef--Though I probably wouldn't eat any of the food they prepare, I would taste test Padma for sheezy. The show has actually inspired me to cook now, though. My rap is like ziti, and my ziti tastes like a dude named Luigi made it.


2. Deadliest Catch--Never seen a brother on there, prolly never will. We don't really do the artic circle like that. But those dudes are gully as fuck.


3. Deion and Pilar--Deion Sanders is the fucking champ. His one-liners are classic, and Pilar is a living, breathing, Barbie doll. Now I don't necessarily want the women I date to be Barbie replicas, but I would certainly smash one to pieces.


Now onto the meat of the blog sandwich:


I've never really been too big on the Real World, the mother of all reality tv. But I've been drawn to watch the latest season, which takes place in Hollywood. I had heard that MTV dared to put three, yes, 3, black people into the same house, at the same time. I truly can't stand any of them, but that dude Greg is really making me a fan. He blacked out in a manner I've only seen executed by the assholes I chill with. Greg humiliation of those cockblocking ass white girls(I should mention that cockblocking is a federal offense. In man court. Seriously, we fucking hate that shit). Then he took the manhood of Sarah's boyfriend for fun. And not one Negro fist was thrown to shame the race. Speaking of throwing a fist, this clip I found made me fux with the Gregster that much more:

Greg destroying a heavy bag with his cousin

I chose this particular picture to highlight the other black guy on the show, Will. Son is bitch(note: different from being 'a bitch'). Not feeling how he schemed on Greg's girl. Not because it's Greg, and not because it's violation to try to bag your roomate's girl(also a felony in man court. Unless your roomate asks you to. Then it's different).

The problem is that he has splintered a friendship with the only other brother over a white girl's underwear. On some real Birth of A Nation, 'protect the virtue of the white woman' shit. Some of you may not feel me, but hear me out.

Black unity is important, especially when that union is in the public eye. Why? Because we have no fucking Black Unity. Why? Because our self-hatred brainwashes us and makes us afraid to stand together in the face of the public. We fear we'll get chopped down.

No one else wanted to punch the fucking wall after learning that Greg stole the girl's panties. Granted, that shit was mad, mad weird, and strange(like weird), but Will should have confronted him directly, like a fucking man. Instead, he goes after Greg's girl to upset him. Did I mention she was white?

Shit really reminds me of Barack denouncing Reverend Wright. The stakes are high, but what are we really gambling with?