Compassion, Creativity, Buddhism, The Quest for Truth & Wisdom, Health & Wellness, Music, Films, Literature, Art, Revolution, Healing, Critical Thinking, Mental Health Advocacy, Social Justice, Resilience, Reflection, The Beauty of Melancholy, Spiritual Development, Consciousness, Memento Mori, LOVE…
In this reflection, I wanted to explore the intellectual and poetic side of Tupac that is rarely discussed {the same happens with Jim Morrison the lead singer of The Doors}.
I hope to explore other artist’s reading lists in future reflections.
He was a voracious reader and student of life. His passion for learning and social justice advocacy was a part of his essence.
Tupac’s intellectual power came from a vast knowledge of eclectic topics. He loved to explore esoteric, the metaphysical and philosophical topics. This study became the foundation for his song lyrics and life philosophy.
His mother, Afeni Shakur, had already instilled in him a revolutionary education as she was a member of The Black Panthers. She passed on her wisdom and Tupac continued to polish the jewels.
Tupac was truly an autodidact {a self-taught person}. He would educate others through his song lyrics.
In this short video, Tupac’s first manager Leila Steinberg discusses Tupac’s love of literature and critical thinking.
“Leila Steinberg is an artist and community organizer who began working with youth twenty years ago in the San Francisco Bay area. As the daughter of a criminal defence attorney, she grew up surrounded by the workings of the justice system and took a front row seat at the personal tragedies and socio-economic pressures that turn so many at-risk youths into hardened felons. Steinberg helps them connect with their hearts and turn anger and pain into creativity. AIM promotes artistic expression as a way to handle problems as opposed to choosing violence, drugs or other forms of escape. As the program facilitator, Steinberg sees confronting pain as the best way to move past it. She believes self-awareness is a key to making better choices. Steinberg is committed to helping people who fall through the cracks of society. In 1995 she began a series of specialized programs for youth within the juvenile justice system and those residing in residential treatment facilities. As hip-hop music became the expression of today’s youth, Steinberg began training artists to develop voices powerful enough to reach a generation. While conducting poetry workshops in Northern California, she met Tupac Shakur and he became a regular participant in her class. They shared a vision of developing a space where each artist in attendance is encouraged, inspired and motivated to address social change in their work. Tupac referred to Leila as the “bow” and himself as the “arrow.” –http://www.pinlight.com/leila.htm
It is said to be a “documentary examining the politics, music and life of Tupac Shakur.”
This is the description from the Youtube video…
“This is a list of books read by Tupac during his lifetime including while he was at the Baltimore School of Arts and in prison. They are presented in no particular order. The topics include Black history, the afterlife, religion including Zen, war, women’s liberation, music, and poetry. Reading these books, it is clear how they moulded Tupac’s thinking and language. This is a handy list of good reading material if you ever find yourself locked up.”
One Hundred Years of Solitude Written by: Gabriel Garcia Marquez
1984 Written by: George Orwell
Ah, This! Written by: Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh
All God’s Children: The Boskett Family and the American Tradition of Violence Written by: Fox Butterfield
All You Need to Know About the Music Business Written by: Donald Passman
And Still I Rise Written by: Maya Angelou
Art of War Written by: Sun Tzu
Assata: An Autobiography Written by: Assata Shakur
At the Bottom of the River Written by: Jamaica Kincaid
The Autobiography of Malcolm X As told to: Alex Haley
Bhagavad-Gita As It Is Written by: A.C. Bhaktive-danta Swami Prabhupada
Black Like Me Written by: John Howard Griffin
Black Sister: Poetry by Black American Women, 1746 to 1980 Edited by Earlene Stetson
Blues People Written by: Amiri Baraka
Catcher in the Rye Written by: J.D. Salinger
The Complete Illustrated Book of the Psychic Sciences Written by: Walter B. Gibson and Litzka R. Gibson
The Confessions of Nat Turner Written by: William Styron
The Destiny of the Nations Written by: Alice A. Bailey
The Diary of Anais Nin Edited and with a Preface by: Gunther Stuhlmann
The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy Written by: E.D. Hirsch, Jr., Joseph F. Kett, James Trefil
The Grapes of Wrath Written by: John Steinbeck
Great White Lie: Slavery, Emancipation and Changing Racial Attitudes Written by: Jack Gratus
The Harder We Run:
Black Workers Since the Civil War Written by: William H. Harris
Here and Hereafter Written by: Ruth Montgomery
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Written by: Maya Angelou
I Shall Not Be Moved Written by: Maya Angelou
Imitation of Christ Written by: Thomas a Kempis
In Search of Our Mother’s Gardens Written by: Alice Walker
Initiation Written by: Elisabeth Haich
Interesting People:
Black American History Makers Written by: George L. Lee
James Baldwin: The Legacy Edited by: Quincy Troupe
Kabbalah Written by: Gersham Scholem
Life and Words of Martin Luther King, Jr. Written by: Ira Peck
Life as Carola Written by: Joan Grant
Linda Goodman’s Sun Signs Written by: Linda Goodman
Makes Me Wanna Holler Written by: Nathan McCall
The Meaning of Masonry Written by: W.L. Wilmshurst
Moby Dick Written by: Herman Melville
Monster:
The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member Written by: Sanyika Shakur
Music of Black Americans: A History Written by: Eileen Southern
Mysticism Written by: Evelyn Underhill
Native Son Written by: Richard Wright
Nature, Man and Woman Written by: Alan W. Watts
No Man Is an Island Written by: Thomas Merton
Nostradamus: The Millennium & Beyond Written by: Peter Lorie
The Phenomenon of Man Written by: Teilhard de Chardin
Ponder on This: A Compilation From the Writings of: Alice A Bailey & the Tibetan Master, Djwhal Khul
The Practical Encyclopedia of Natural Healing Written by: Mark Bricklin
The Prince Written by: Niccolo Machiavelli
The Psychedelic Experience: A Manual Based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead Written by: Timothy Leary, Ph.D., Ralph Metzner, Ph.D., Richard Alpert, Ph.D.
The Psychic Realm Written by: Naomi A. Hintze and J. Gaither Pratt, Ph.D.
A Raisin in the Sun Written by: Lorraine Hansberry
Roots Written by: Alex Haley
Savage Inequalities: Children in America’s Schools Written by: Jonathan Kozol
Secret Splendor Written by: Charles Essert
Serving Humanity From the writings of: Alice A. Bailey
Sisterhood is Powerful: Anthology of Writings from the Women’s Liberation Movement Written by: Robin Morgan
The State of the World Atlas Written by: Michael Kidron and Ronald Segal
Social Essays Written by: LeRoi Jones
The Souls of Black Folk Written by: W.E. Burghardt DuBois
Teachings of the Buddha Written by: Jack Kornfield
Telepathy Written by: Alice A Bailey
The Tibetan Book of the Dead Written by: W.Y. Evans-Wentz
Thoughts and Meditations Written by: Kahlil Gibran
Tropic of Cancer Written by: Henry Miller
The Visionary Poetics of Allen Ginsberg Written by: Paul Portuges
Wisdom of Insecurity Written by: A.N. Watts
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance Written by: Robert M. Pirsig
his self acts as his own enemy like an external foe.”
–Bhagavad-Gita, VI.6
*
You can be your best friend or your own worst enemy. It really is your choice. Sadly, most people are their own worst enemies. They consciously or unconsciously engage in self-sabotage/self-destructive behaviour.
This is the shadow side that Carl Jung talks about. {I will be discussing this fascinating concept in future posts}.
The question is: how to emancipate yourself from your self-destructive prison?
How do you stop fighting yourself?
*
Please enjoy I Against I by Mos Def…
*
Lyrics
“I-ya, I against I, flesh of my flesh, and mind of my mind,
two of a kind but one won’t survive,
my images reflect in the enemies eye, and his images reflect in mine the same time,
I-ya, I-ya, I against I, flesh of my flesh, and mind of my mind, two of a kind but one won’t survive,
Right here is where the end gon’ start at, conflict, contact ‘n’ combat,
fighters stand where the land is marked at, settle the dispute about who the livest, 3 word answer, Whoever survive this, only one of us can ride forever, so you and I can’t ride together, can’t live or cant die together, all we can do is collide together, so I skillfully apply the pressure, won’t stop until I’m forever… one! A doorstep where death never come, spread across time til my time never done, and I’m never done, walk tall, why ever run? when they move if I ever come? bad man never fret the war, tell’em come general we have the stock, the mad fire burn I-ya,
I against I, flesh of my flesh, and mind of my mind, two of a kind but one won’t survive, my images reflect in the enemies eye, and his images reflect in mine the same time, I-ya, I-ya,
I against I, flesh of my flesh, and mind of my mind, two of a kind but one won’t survive, survive (x16)
Reign supreme in your U-N-I, V-E-R-S-E with the sharpness, narrow row building no space for partners, no space for drivers, no space for walkers, no space regardless, your on my path then get off it, hardheaded and unresponsive, get they lives put on target with harshness, come with the canons sparkin’ they darken, who am i? one man squadron, Ma stir the fire this time that’d snatch your tomorrow, the thousand-yard spear that’ll pierce through your armour, you can get it on right now if you want to, but when ya front 9 get marched through, I warned you, You know who forever belong to,
I-ya, I-ya I against I, flesh of my flesh, and mind of my mind, two of a kind but one won’t survive, my images reflect in the enemies eye, and his images reflect in mine the same time, I-ya, I-ya, I against I, flesh of my flesh, and mind of my mind, two of a kind but one won’t survive, my images reflect in the enemies eye, and his images reflect in mine, survive survive (x16).”
Tonight the United States of America chooses their leader- their president.
The world is watching. So many people are hoping for change.
I sincerely hope that the United States makes progress in their quest for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (as stated in the declaration of independence).
Here I present a video of one of my most respected and favourite artists/musicians/poets…Dead Prez…This is their appearance on Def Poetry Jam called “4 The Hood.” It includes the beautiful and heartfelt “Window To My Soul.”
Their spoken word pieces and music are filled with intelligence, social justice, critical thinking and soulful, revolutionary poetry. 4 the hood begs the question: is money the real president?
Is voting really choosing between the lesser of two evils or the evil of two lessers?
Lyrics
RBG…RBG…
Look look
Yo, you expect me to vote for the lesser of two evils?
NEVER!
It’s more like the evil of two lessers.
That’s like sayin’ – M! Choose your oppressor!
Pick one! Jeffery Dahmer or Hannibal Lecter
You want Crack, Coke, Pepsi or Dr. Pepper?
THEY ALL FU**ED UP and neither one of ‘em better
Cuz Crack is like a Democrat
Cocaine – Republican
Marijuana – Independent Party
SAME GOVERNMENT!
You really think your vote counts?
Ask my folk down in Florida didn’t they straight THROW they sh*t out!
And them crackas act innocent,
KNOWING they depend on this
Benefit from HUSH money from big businesses
MONEY is the president!
Dead Prez,
Dolla dolla bill, and I bet no convention ain’t spinnin’ this
Soon they gon’ need us
BELIEVE US
When these cats pick rappers to be POLITICAL LEADERS?
Don’t be pawns, be Lolita Lebrons
Run up on them all like ‘Muthafu**a it’s ON!’
If CONGRESS can’t make PROGRESS
Let’s change the PROCESS –
NO MORE TOMS RUNNIN’ FOR OFFICE!
Talkin’ like that these crackas’ll call you crazy
What’s crazy is, ain’t no difference in ME and JAY-Z –
The SAME BOAT brought us the SAME PLACE in slavery
So we rock the same chains anyway
BABY, BABY!
Jim cites the blues and folk music {or country music as he said later} are the roots of American music; namely rock n’ roll. He thought that rock music was a fusion of the blues and folk/country music. Jim felt that rock music was dying and that musicians were returning to their roots in either the blues or folk/country music. He prophesied that in the future music would turn to electronics; specifically he foresaw the rise of electronica/trip hop, rap music, hip hop and the DJ {disc jockey}, etc.
Did Jim’s shamanic powers grant him his futuristic vision?
Regardless of how he was able to foresee the future, Jim was a visionary.
{I would have loved to see the evolution of The Doors’ music and Jim’s poetry}.
*
Please enjoy this electronic remix of The Doors’ interviews…
He notes, “the ultimate goal in acquiring money is to have enough money so you don’t have to worry about money.
His observation, “the best thing about money is when you don’t have to pay attention to money” is paradoxical.
It is a paradox that you can stop paying attention to money only when you have money.
This begs the question of how much money does one need to have in order to stop paying attention to it?
{I suspect that it varies from individual to individual}.
Moby talks about how he grew up poor and even lived in an abandoned factory in a crack neighborhood.
*It should be noted that at no point in time does he complain about the poverty he experienced.
One senses an air of gratitude from Moby for these experiences.
His humble beginnings are quite the contrast to his massive success as a musician. I believe that Moby truly deserves and enjoys his success- financial and otherwise.
His last point was that he doesn’t understand the pursuit of money for the sake of money.
Chasing money for the sake of money sounds like greed to me.
To me it seems that Moby is asking existential questions about human existence.
Specifically, he is questioning purpose and what brings happiness and satisfaction.
He does not think that happiness is derived solely from money.
Moby Loves Animals & Is An Animal Activist…
However, Moby notes that money can improve the quality of your life.
Sociology teaches us that a person’s income and social status greatly impacts their health and quality of life.
Sadly, society is not a level playing field; hence, the vital and urgent importance of social equality is understood.
Moby invites us to define success and find happiness and satisfaction on own our terms.
…”It’s the kind words you gave to that homeless man without judging that man it’s the fact that you gave; and showed compassion ’cause he humbly asked you for change…”
can’t get but so far in this life being selfish. a free spirit a giving heart that’s what wealth is we rich when we recognize the power that’s within it’s not all about the money it’s the time that we spend it’s the hand that we lend to a friend when we can it’s the kind words you gave to that homeless man without judging that man it’s the fact that you gave; and showed compassion ’cause he humbly asked you for change i know the blessings I receive is not just for me a shared blessing comes back to you that’s what I believe to help someone in need to throw down some rope to be a ray of hope ya know?
sometimes you gotta help somebody sometimes you gotta help somebody sometimes you just gotta be helpful when life gets stressful sometimes you gotta help somebody sometimes you gotta help somebody what goes around is gonna come back ’round what goes around is gonna come back ’round when you help somebody
donate my extra clothes to a clothing drive. help the lady cross the street bring her bags inside. send a letter to a prisoner to lift his spirit. be a mentor to a child ’cause it takes a village.
lend a hand, help a brother that I learned the hard way all for one one for all it got to be the squad way the early bird get the worm it’s corny but it’s true first impressions last forever careful how you move first you crawl then you walk the 1 before the 2 nothing new under the sun the golden rule lazy people work the hardest that’s my motivation everything in moderation even moderation
yo yo, when you put out your hand, is it to give or to receive? see what goes around will come back around I do believe that the positive and negative is relative to where you live not from experience that’s what we tell the kids ’cause they are the seeds the stronger the root the stronger the tree if we eat from the fruit the stronger we be if we do it today tomorrow we free.”
Cold winters are sheltered by crack houses instead of recreational centers that they claim to not have the paper to keep open for operation…
What’s a young boy to do when he doesn’t want to do wrong but there’s a lock on the right door?
When he has the heart of a soldier, the aggression of a prizefighter but no one’s taught him what to fight for…
Young Tupac was one of many boys without fathers {as Black Ice says}. However, the absence of his father was eclipsed by his mother’s fierce love. Afeni {a former Black Panther} passed on infinite wisdom to her son so it isn’t true that “no one taught him what to fight for.” “My mother taught me three things: respect, knowledge, search for knowledge. It’s an eternal journey.” -Tupac. I included this caption of Tupac because he had “the heart of a soldier and aggression of a prize fighter”- not to mention the mind of a revolutionary leader.. In the end, Tupac defined manhood for himself and became quite the revolutionary man. I would have loved to see Tupac become a father…
See, most of our families are fatherless and quite poor so we miss out on meals as well as kisses and hugs.
Imagine we lived in a world where there was no suffering, injustice/oppression, “third world” class distinction or any class distinction whatsoever.
This is the world that I want to live in…
Art by BANKSY
Peace & Namaste.
{More posts about poverty/social inequality/injustice, sociology, spoken word poetry, Tupac, Dead Prez, Black Ice and hip hop coming up in the future…}
Tupac Amaru Shakur was an inspiration to millions.
While 2Pac was most famous for his rap career, he was also a gifted actor, poet and thoughtful while outspoken advocate for the poor and the overlooked in America. During his life, he produced an immense amount of artistic work, which included studio albums, major Hollywood feature films, and published works. He was most prolific in the music industry, selling over 75 million albums. 2Pac’s unapologetic lyrics were relevant, important, and reflective of the hard lives led by many. His music earned attention and respect through a poetic style that embraced street vocabulary while being innovative. Today, 2Pac is still considered by many to be one of the biggest influences on modern hip-hop.
2Pac’s career has earned him six Grammy nominations and three MTV Video Music Award nominations. In 1997, Shakur was honored by the American Music Awards as the Favorite Hip Hop Artist.
Born on June 16 1971 in New York City, Shakur’s parents were both members of the Black Panther Party whose militant style and provocative ideologies for civil rights would come to influence 2Pac’s music. At an early age, Tuapc’s love for performance and the arts began to show, as he began acting at age 13 and later enrolled in the Baltimore School of the Arts before dropping out at 17. Shakur broke into the music business with rap group Digital Underground as a back-up dancer and roadie. Eventually Shakur released his first solo album in ’91, 2pacalypse Now. 2Pac’s music career began to grow as his second album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z included two top 20 pop chart tracks: I Get Around and Keep Ya Head Up.
Shakur’s legal battles began after he established his rap career. In the early nineties Shakur faced a wrongful death suit which settled out of court, accusations of assaulting police officers where charges were ultimately dropped, and even an incident where Shakur sustained five gunshot wounds from shooter Dexter Isaac. In 1995 2Pac was sentenced one-and-a-half to four-and-a-half years in prison for sexual abuse. However, not even prison could slow the success of Shakur’s career.
While incarcerated 2Pac’s latest album at the time, Me Against the World, was number one in the pop charts and would later go double platinum. Shakur became the first artist to reach number one in the pop charts while serving a prison sentence. Making the most of his time in jail, 2Pac became a passionate reader. Among his favorites were the works of Niccolò Machiavelli, an Italian Renaissance writer whose works were in part the foundation for western political science. Shakur’s appreciation of his work inspired the nickname: Makaveli.
After serving only eight months of his sentence, 2Pac was out on parole thanks to a 1.4 million dollar bond paid by Suge Knight, CEO of Death Row Records. Now signed with Death Row Records, Shakur went on to create All Eyez on Me, which featured hits How Do You Want It and California Love.
2Pac’s life was cut short in September of 1996 when Shakur became the victim of a drive-by shooting while his car waited on a red light. While Shakur survived the surgery that followed he was pronounced dead almost a week after the attack.
Even today, 2Pac’s influence is wide-spread. From the Library of Congress where his song Dear Mama was added in 2010 to the National Registry, to artists like 11 time Grammy winner Eminem who in an interview with MTV said:
“He made you feel like you knew him. I think that , honestly, Tupac was the greatest songwriter that ever lived. He made it seem so easy. The emotion was there, and feeling, and everything he was trying to describe. You saw a picture that he was trying to paint.”
2Pac leaves a legacy of honesty and passion in his songs. Respected by many, 2Pac has become an inspiration for artists and a standard in rap music.”
Our mission is to provide training and support for students who aspire to enhance their creative talents. Each and every child desires freedom to creatively express themselves. We provide an environment that encourages freedom of expression, serves as a resource for families, and empowers via education.
ABOUT
The Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation (TASF) is home to the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts, just outside of Atlanta in Stone Mountain, Georgia. TASF was founded in 1997 originally as the Shakur Family Foundation by Afeni Shakur, mother of multi-talented Tupac Amaru Shakur. Since its inception TASF has offered performing arts camps, essay competitions, youth book clubs, visual arts workshops, community development projects, and scholarships to students pursuing undergraduate degrees.
On June 11, 2005 the TASF opened the Center! The Center is dedicated to providing youth and the community with educational programs in the arts. It is a fact that early arts education improves school grades, as well as offers invaluable life lessons while building self-esteem and confidence. For nearly 15 years, the Foundation’s programs have served youth of all social and economic backgrounds, giving countless young people the courage to get off the streets and learn vital skills that have the potential to positively impact their communities. The Center is open to the public and hosts several noteworthy events throughout the year.
MORE ABOUT TUPAC
Tupac Amaru Shakur dealt with great obstacles such as homelessness, hunger, and pain, amongst other situations during his youth. Performing arts provided the hope that would seed the expression that would one day influence generations worldwide.
Tupac accomplished a lot before his murder at the age of 25. At an early age, he wrote and organized family productions, casting himself as the lead and his older cousins in supporting roles. Tupac formally trained at the 127th Street Ensemble and Baltimore School for the Arts. At the age of twelve, he experienced his first formal stage role as the character “Travis” in the stage play ‘Raisin In the Sun’ at the prestigious Apollo Theatre in Harlem.
Tupac was eventually cast in several feature films and recorded several chart topping albums. In fact, he released the first ever double hip-hop CD. Today, years after his physical departure, he is the second highest selling Hip-Hop artist of all time. His gift- his words and creative talent- continues to inspire others around the world!“
“…People would maybe envy the success that you have or the fame, the celebrity…you know but I’m not sure if we talked about it you know specifically if you want to pay the same price that I did…”
He paid quite the price.
Cee-Lo felt he was “thrust into manhood” because his mother had become a quadriplegic as a result of a car accident. He had to watch his mother suffer for three hellish years from complications due to her paralysis until her death.
He felt there was “a transferral of energy” and that he took on her spirit and her wish for him to be a success as a person.
*
His fierce love and reverence for his mother are so inspiring.
He speaks about it in the chilling song “Guess Who” on Goodiemob’s Soulfood album.
Here it is:
Cee-Lo’s fierce love and heartfelt devotion to his mother makes my heart melt every time I listen {along with the rest of Goodiemob’s’}.
He is a phoenix that rises from the ashes; his resilience is the essence of who he is.
This song is not only about love in relation to others but in regards to one’s self.
Self-love is what was born of deep pain. The protagonist in the song starts from being a naive victim and then transforms into a heroine.
She comes from a place of dependence and grows into independence.
My favourite line is, “What I thought was gold was only gold-plated…“ How many times have you met someone who you thought had a heart of gold only to discover otherwise; hence, the gold-plated reference.
*How rare it is to find a heart of gold in this world…but it’s not impossible.
Don’t forget that you can have a heart of gold ;).
*
Love Song Lyrics
“She grew up believing in passion and love Whose folks divorced and remarried Very naive Seen life and commitments that shoulda been dead and buried Highly sentimental Sensitive Gentle beyond the point she should be What might be obvious to most, she says they too bitter Can’t see the world the way she does Clean lungs, undamaged liver Sees thugs through a pink-tinted glasses Occasionally Weed does make her giggle Listen to some music closer Dudes approach her Lightly Wanna be her lover and she obliges Likes to cuddle under the covers by candlelit fires Oblivious to lying schemes to talk her out of clothes Says she’s just in love with love Cuts her classes Spending too much time entrancing romancing Things are changing quickly She’s asking “why aren’t you spending more time with me?” N****’s eyes are getting shifty Coming over later smelling of pussy On his face, jeans, and sweaters something’s fishy And it’s not what he tells her, man, it’s what he don’t
And she don’t understand and for some years, she probly won’t Just wants an honest man For goodness sake They backstabbing and cutting her throat Restraining orders follow, but she still optimistic about it Like Annie, thinking tomorrow will maybe be a better day I let her pray on bended knees “ask him to send prince charming, please” She’s never cheated Treats her man well Cooks, cleans, dresses sexy for him Halter tops and tight jeans Would break the law for him Go through a couple of these relationships Still stays strong
She’s too young and dumb to call it quits Learns that she carrying twice Scared and afraid the first time The second she don’t even cry Makes her wipe away his tears and it hurts They always leave return crazy, so she doesn’t flirt Spends time warning the babies Goes through a couple of these relationships and still stays strong Too young and dumb to call it quits
Its still a love song
Shes got a good man Shes 19, he’s 21 and sweet and honest Promised to love her Talk of marriage She would never wanna be somebody’s baby’s mother Use rubbers occasionally When she’s flowing Open to all the affection and gifts and all the good manners he’s showing He’s trying to build a life for himself Studies late computer shit and she’s missing attention that she’s not getting Sex dwindles Crawling in the sheets He say “ya tired” and she say she feel “neglect and defeat” Just doesn’t see his ambition She wanna be the universe and hold his center position Starts hanging round the best friend more Crazy attraction takes impulsive action Drop the drawers And falls in love The world explodes And she confesses “yeah I did it, so?” They so tight it like he moves when she stretches Over the couple years Too many stresses Girls who wanna fight her Bitches writing letters Friendships disappearing Plus he rhymes, so it’s competitive Pressure miscarriage They break up fifty times a week and make up just as much He fuckin’, and I know, but pretending I’m out of touch It’s getting strained and gets physical She cries until the river dries and leaves her dead and cold Packs up her things and leaves behind what I thought was gold was only gold-plated Thinking of all the other ones I coulda just left and up and dated Singled after four years Starting over never easy But it takes some time to realize your own worth
Come into your own
Play your mental rebirth She starts penning some better poems Straighten up her bank account Likes to take herself out I’m getting better at it I’ve had a few relationships But still too young and dumb enough to call it quits It’s still a love song
Love All I ever want is you All I ever had, leading in my life was you All that ever was, all I ever had
Maybe it’s easier to talk about this shit in third person Learning better Looking for love in all the wrong places Like I’m Eddie Murphy Curse me to repeat the same cycle I’m breaking No longer think relations make a better woman
Just for life, I’m pursuing
Growing, but hopelessly romantic still Tasted weather in the bitter climates Love the sunshine better Dreaming of dream proposals Decent moral values placing higher on my chart
Trying not to have a shallow heart
But battle scars are deep and reaching to the depth of hell and back
Try to give up the grudges
Think it’s experience and move from the clutches of sadness
It’s difficult Sometimes I wish I wasn’t an adult Adolescent primetime sitcom star I’ve been too far and too much, too hard, for too long
It’s still a love song.”
-Jean Grae
Here’s hoping that you realize your own worth and find the person that has a heart of gold {not a gold-plated one}.
Here’s to hoping you find the person that deserves you, your love, heart and soul.
I can see your only eyes, locked into your skull
My backbone the zone and when I roam my mind is full
Guess who? I’m swoopin through the air like pestilence
I know your nerves are shot and skin is tight from my presence
Got the aura of a gazelle and roll like an ox I linger in the air and make my vocals bust shots
To your dome, I’m thicker than a junkie’s nostrils or veins
The membrane, of a party, nucleus of the brain The cytoplasma, is gettin phatter as it grows
And expansions of the soul so throw the trash below dig within
Your mental will extend upon arrival of the truth the spiritual
Ya hear it nigga you’ll get loose So light the wick and let’s get busy
Like a stick into your teeth I override the threshold, and take it back to the sea
Who can it be? Dance up in the party
Come and grab the microphone, come and move my body
Well I came through the door, I said it before I never let the stress get me down anymore
So as we walk through the thresholds of snake in the grass
I thought of super vicious shapes, lyrics begin to mass
Feel the blast as the format of the rap smacks the skit No profanity but the tongue is rough spit
Verbal vomit, strings the atomic Some electrospectroscopic storm, rising from the quorum
It’s like water all up in your grill as we be strokin to the doom Eliminating gloom as we walk in
With the WalkMan’s on, turned up to ten
Apocalypse is comin, Boogiemonsters’, transcend
With the
Dan-ne-na, dan-ne-na
Dan-ne-nanny-yah on your block
Rock the ill one for energy, blesses as the mess
Penetrates the thresholds of negative stress
Chorus: Repeat 2X
[Dan-ne-na, dan-ne-na] The recognized thresholds of negative stress
[Dan-nah-nah-neyaa] The recognized thresholds of negative stress
Verse Two: Yodared, Myntric
I like the bare back when I rip my rap on the track MC’s be beggin for mercy, but we don’t be cuttin no slack, see
Yoda’s on attack and Myntrick got my back
Peep the ver-nacular, cause I don’t know how to act
Spectacular, back you up like Dracula Feedin off the energies, flip em like french toast I be the spatula
My man my blackness, we’re, comin through the fatness
The drifter, floatin to the mist of the wackness
Attack us like a virus, look into my iris
Save that Achey Breaky Heart stuff for Billy Ray Cyrus
Just one of four Jugganauts, breakin down the walls I fall into my zone and I realize all
So bring the noise b-boys, cause we’re back
Peep the naked flow, bust the dreaded afro check the track
And plus the microphone, when I take you back
Represent the Boogie Down, monster when the sound hold me black
Chorus:
Verse Three: Vex, Mondo
Well it’s the taker of the took-en, the shaker of the shook-en
My head will bop and rock like the niggas bop in Brooklyn
On the block, so you don’t stop
And ya don’t stop when I rock and the nine goes pop
Remember me, I be the kid with the Catholic uniform
But nowadays, ahh, the girlies just swarm
I don’t know why, I’m walkin through the negative stress
Ghinga levi, is use-ful and still may get the thresh
Well I’m that little peasy-headed kid from back in the day
The one that could run fast, cut and go the other way
And run a three-eight forty, leave ya in the chills
Leave ya at the twenty standin still holdin ya dillz
I used to get frustrated with my Nike’s
It never matched my wears, I used to be in tears
I used to be chillin, I used to roll dice
Nowadays I’m thrillin, my wears are twice as nice
And nice on the rhyme flip, watch how my rhyme tip
Just gets more complex, as we come, let me say my name is Vex
Fe fi fo fum, ho hum, yes I said it, before
But bring it in, Mondo, my man cause he got more
One day I be the rich and famous sittin in my Nova
Scoopin chicks, gettin chicks, to flip like bend over
Got my powerful, ice-ring, and everybody’s witness
And the swing techniques, so flow you fly freak
So in ninety-four, yo, it’s all about the music
Here it comes, spiritually, now you can, use it
So ah, eliminate the worst and the best
And eliminate the threshold, of negative stress.
Who is Passing You By??? Or Who Are You Passing By???
I Love The Pharcyde… Passin’ Me By is a True Hip Hop Classic… Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde is a Classic Hip Hop Album…so original, creative and fresh. Its still all love after all these years… The Pharcyde – Passin’ Me by Lyrics
“Now in my younger days I used to sport a shag When I went to school I carried lunch in a bag With an apple for my teacher cause I knew I’d get a kiss Always got mad when the class was dismissed But when it was in session, I always had a question I would raise my hand to make her stand, come to my desk and Help me with my problem, it was never much Just a trick, to smell her scent and try to sneak a touch Oh, how I wish I could hold her hand and give her a hug She was married to the man, he was a thug His name was Lee, he drove a Z He’d pick her up from school promptly at three o’clock I was on her jock, yes indeedy I wrote graffiti on the bus
First I’d write her name then carve a plus
With my name last, on the looking glass
I seen her yesterday but still I had to let her pass
She keeps on passin’ me by…
When I dream of fairytales I think of me and Shelly See she’s my type of hype and I can’t stand when brothers tell me That I should quit chasin’ and look for somethin’ better But the smile that she shows makes me a go-getter I haven’t gone as far as asking if I could get with her I just play it by ear and hope she gets the picture I’m shootin’ for her heart, got my finger on the trigger She could be my broad, and I could be her nigg* But, all I can do is stare Back as kids we used to kiss when we played truth or dare
Now she’s more sophisticated, highly edu-ma-cated
Not at all over-rated, I think I need a prayer
To get in her boots and it looks rather dry I guess a twinkle in her eye is just a twinkle in her eye
Although she’s crazy steppin’, I’ll try to stop her stride
Cause I won’t have no more of this passin’ me by…
Time for me to voice my opinion of not even pretendin she didn’t have me Strung like a chicken, chase my tail like a doggie She was kind of like a star, thinking I was like a fan
Dude, she looked good, down side: she had a man He was a rooty-toot, a nincompoop She told me soon your little birdie’s gonna fly the coop She was a flake like corn, and I was born not to understand By lettin’ her pass I had proved to be a better man
She keeps on passin’ me by…
Now there she goes again, the dopest Ethiopian And now the world around me be gets movin in slow motion
When-ever she happens to walk by – why does the apple of my eye
Overlook and disregard my feelings no matter how much I try? Wait, no, I did not really pursue my little princess with persistance; And I was so low-key that she was unaware of my existence
From a distance I desired, secretly admired her;
Wired her a letter to get her, and it went:
My dear, my dear, my dear, you do not know me but I know you very well
Now let me tell you about the feelings I have for you
When I try, or make some sort of attempt, I symp
Damn I wish I wasn’t such a wimp
Cause then I would let you know that I love you so
And if I was your man then I would be true The only lyin’ I would do is in the bed with you
Then I signed sincerely, the one who loves you dearly, PS Love Me Tender
The letter came back three days later: Return to Sender, damn
She keeps on passin’ me by…”
This Shakespearean style soliloquy/spoken word piece is one of the many reasons why I love Tricky. He is so unique. There is no one like him. His delivery is raw and exploding with confidence and wisdom. He is a poet and an artist.
Copied & Pasted from AllSaintsShop youtube channel…
“From his early collaborations with ‘Blue Lines’ era Massive Attack through his own highly influential recordings such as Maxinquaye, Tricky is a man who has done more to expand the definition and artistic aspirations of Hip Hop than almost any of his peers.
The otherworldly sprechgesang delivery stands in stark contrast to the braggadocio style of most other rap artists.
AllSaints Basement Sessions and GQ talk to the Bristolian icon about coming up with The Wild Bunch, becoming so famous so quickly, the artistic process and his exciting upcoming collaboration with Massive Attack.“ Enjoy, AllSaints AllSaints.com/Music
“….Reflect on your life
Time isn’t real
How much time can you kill?….”
-TRICKY
My respect and love for Tricky/Adrian Thaws and his music only grows with time. He is an artist that does not truly exist in any category.
It can be said that he is a “trip hop artist” but it can also be argued that he is a hip hop artist because he raps and whispers. He is simply an artist in the truest sense of the word. To me, he doesn’t fit in any box because Tricky is just too fluid.
His liquid, mercurial lyrical style flows like water.
And no one has a voice like his…love his voice!
This song speaks of time being an illusion.
Contradictive is esoteric and existential at the same time.
Its beauty is that it is timeless- just like Tricky’s music.
I am always excited to hear Tricky’s music- vintage or new. I would LOVE to see Tricky in concert and to meet him in person. What kind of questions can one ask Tricky?
The answer is the most creative ones you can think of {e.g. Is life an illusion? Is death a new beginning? Is time an illusion?}. *Sigh…one can at least dream… Love you Tricky!!!
To learn more about Tricky, please click on this link to visit his official website: http://www.trickysite.com/
“Born in the ghetto it’s hard to survive
Some have achieved and many brothers tried But I realized which life to choose
I wanna make money so I gotta pay dues But there’s no rules and you only have one chance
If ya fuck up kid you face the circumstance
At night I use to scream and shout
Livin’ in the ghetto trying to get the hell out
So I would try as I watch my friends die
But all I could do was sit back and cry
These are feelings I’m expressing through my rhymes I been through hard times so many problems on my mind
I wasn’t living rich and I also wasn’t poor
I try to appreciate but I deserve more…”
-Group Home
“Reminisce’ back when I was only a child
Back in the days of livin’ carefree lifestyles
As long as we wasn’t caught, bein’ bad was cool
and we were never at a loss for something to get into
Children in the neighbourhood, down at the park
Sunny days when we played at the old schoolyard
where kickin’ it live was a familiar scene
Kenny M. and Big Gene know what I mean
But nowadays it seems life just ain’t the same
Everybody’s involved in the game or a gang
and when we die, it seem like nobody cares
It ain’t no love in they cold-hearted stares
Thinkin’ of payback, of makin’ a hit Now Cowboys and Indians become real-life shit
and life means nothin’ when the heart is cold
It ain’t the same as the days of old.
Yeah…it ain’t the same as the days of old.
It’s a unity thing, much love for my people here
But what good is love if the people don’t really care?
The triggers are cold at the O.K. Corral but it ain’t O.K. when my people live foul
Another sad case of the black-on-black
It’s a fact, some of our people don’t know how to act
Can’t go to the club, can’t to the store
Can’t chill with your girl, can’t go to the show
Can’t do anything without some fool actin’ up
You start to believe that black folk are savage but
before you do, allow me to say
that in the old days we didn’t act that way, see Kings and Queens were the names of the righteous
but the sons of slaves are insane and we might just
self-destruct and erupt without a chance to grow
This ain’t the days of old.
Damn…this ain’t the days of old.
I don’t know…c’mon.
(Sound bite of George Bush)
There is no match for a united America…a determined America…an
angry America…our outrage against the ploy unites us, brings us
together behind this one plan of action – an assault on every front.
Better wake up…
So I say, what will it take before we change up?
Some more of us dead, or more of us locked up?
Or maybe even more of us will blame the white man
before we understand now the problem’s not him
What I’m tellin’ ya is actual fact I’m ain’t pro-human cuz all humans ain’t pro-black
Remember in your mind that there still exists
a plan to bring down a black fist
See the struggle is uphill, life’s at a standstill
Jack popped Jill now he don’t act real
And every livin’ moment got her singin’ the blues
Her sole provider can’t afford the baby’s shoes
That’s the cycle so many of us go through America’s black holocaust continues and I just hope we wake up soon before we fold
I miss the days of old.
Damn…I miss the days of old.
Listen…it ain’t the same as the days of old.”
-PARIS
“I’ve Never Really Been Afraid To Evolve…
I Allow Myself To Evolve- Artistically, Creatively…”
–Saul Williams
“I was basically writing poetry to fill the void between the hip-hop I was hearing and the hip-hop I wished I was hearing. Because, at that time, that whole gangsta bullshit hip-hop was becoming commercial.”
*
Reflection for today…Critical Reading -Henry David Thoreau & Tupac Shakur
13 Sep* Editor’s Note: Today {September 13th, 1996} marks the 23rd anniversary of Tupac’s tragic death at the age of 25.
Rest in Peace Tupac.
We will continue to celebrate your life and your legacy.
{Things are not the same without you…}
https://2paclegacy.net/today-marks-23-years-since-tupac-was-killed/
In this reflection, I wanted to explore the intellectual and poetic side of Tupac that is rarely discussed {the same happens with Jim Morrison the lead singer of The Doors}.
I hope to explore other artist’s reading lists in future reflections.
*
“Readers are plentiful;
thinkers are rare.”
–Henry David Thoreau
*
Tupac Shakur was always hungry for knowledge.
He was a voracious reader and student of life. His passion for learning and social justice advocacy was a part of his essence.
Tupac’s intellectual power came from a vast knowledge of eclectic topics. He loved to explore esoteric, the metaphysical and philosophical topics. This study became the foundation for his song lyrics and life philosophy.
His mother, Afeni Shakur, had already instilled in him a revolutionary education as she was a member of The Black Panthers. She passed on her wisdom and Tupac continued to polish the jewels.
Tupac was truly an autodidact {a self-taught person}. He would educate others through his song lyrics.
“Before his tragic death at age of 25, Tupac rapped about poverty, violence in the black community, police brutality, black empowerment, political strategy and spirituality.” https://www.blackfaves.com/story/11-books-tupac-shakurs-bookshelf-still-relevant-today/
*
In this short video, Tupac’s first manager Leila Steinberg discusses Tupac’s love of literature and critical thinking.
“Leila Steinberg is an artist and community organizer who began working with youth twenty years ago in the San Francisco Bay area. As the daughter of a criminal defence attorney, she grew up surrounded by the workings of the justice system and took a front row seat at the personal tragedies and socio-economic pressures that turn so many at-risk youths into hardened felons. Steinberg helps them connect with their hearts and turn anger and pain into creativity.
AIM promotes artistic expression as a way to handle problems as opposed to choosing violence, drugs or other forms of escape. As the program facilitator, Steinberg sees confronting pain as the best way to move past it. She believes self-awareness is a key to making better choices.
Steinberg is committed to helping people who fall through the cracks of society. In 1995 she began a series of specialized programs for youth within the juvenile justice system and those residing in residential treatment facilities. As hip-hop music became the expression of today’s youth, Steinberg began training artists to develop voices powerful enough to reach a generation. While conducting poetry workshops in Northern California, she met Tupac Shakur and he became a regular participant in her class. They shared a vision of developing a space where each artist in attendance is encouraged, inspired and motivated to address social change in their work. Tupac referred to Leila as the “bow” and himself as the “arrow.” –http://www.pinlight.com/leila.htm
*
This clip is from the movie Tupac Shakur: Thug Angel.
It is said to be a “documentary examining the politics, music and life of Tupac Shakur.”
This is the description from the Youtube video…
“This is a list of books read by Tupac during his lifetime including while he was at the Baltimore School of Arts and in prison. They are presented in no particular order. The topics include Black history, the afterlife, religion including Zen, war, women’s liberation, music, and poetry. Reading these books, it is clear how they moulded Tupac’s thinking and language. This is a handy list of good reading material if you ever find yourself locked up.”
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Written by: Gabriel Garcia Marquez
1984
Written by: George Orwell
Ah, This!
Written by: Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh
All God’s Children:
The Boskett Family and the American Tradition of Violence
Written by: Fox Butterfield
All You Need to Know About the Music Business
Written by: Donald Passman
And Still I Rise
Written by: Maya Angelou
Art of War
Written by: Sun Tzu
Assata: An Autobiography
Written by: Assata Shakur
At the Bottom of the River
Written by: Jamaica Kincaid
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
As told to: Alex Haley
Bhagavad-Gita As It Is
Written by: A.C. Bhaktive-danta Swami Prabhupada
Black Like Me
Written by: John Howard Griffin
Black Sister:
Poetry by Black American Women, 1746 to 1980
Edited by Earlene Stetson
Blues People
Written by: Amiri Baraka
Catcher in the Rye
Written by: J.D. Salinger
The Complete Illustrated Book of the Psychic Sciences
Written by: Walter B. Gibson and Litzka R. Gibson
The Confessions of Nat Turner
Written by: William Styron
The Destiny of the Nations
Written by: Alice A. Bailey
The Diary of Anais Nin
Edited and with a Preface by: Gunther Stuhlmann
The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy
Written by: E.D. Hirsch, Jr., Joseph F. Kett, James Trefil
The Grapes of Wrath
Written by: John Steinbeck
Great White Lie:
Slavery, Emancipation and Changing Racial Attitudes
Written by: Jack Gratus
The Harder We Run:
Black Workers Since the Civil War
Written by: William H. Harris
Here and Hereafter
Written by: Ruth Montgomery
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
Written by: Maya Angelou
I Shall Not Be Moved
Written by: Maya Angelou
Imitation of Christ
Written by: Thomas a Kempis
In Search of Our Mother’s Gardens
Written by: Alice Walker
Initiation
Written by: Elisabeth Haich
Interesting People:
Black American History Makers
Written by: George L. Lee
James Baldwin: The Legacy
Edited by: Quincy Troupe
Kabbalah
Written by: Gersham Scholem
Life and Words of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Written by: Ira Peck
Life as Carola
Written by: Joan Grant
Linda Goodman’s Sun Signs
Written by: Linda Goodman
Makes Me Wanna Holler
Written by: Nathan McCall
The Meaning of Masonry
Written by: W.L. Wilmshurst
Moby Dick
Written by: Herman Melville
Monster:
The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member
Written by: Sanyika Shakur
Music of Black Americans: A History
Written by: Eileen Southern
Mysticism
Written by: Evelyn Underhill
Native Son
Written by: Richard Wright
Nature, Man and Woman
Written by: Alan W. Watts
No Man Is an Island
Written by: Thomas Merton
Nostradamus: The Millennium & Beyond
Written by: Peter Lorie
The Phenomenon of Man
Written by: Teilhard de Chardin
Ponder on This: A Compilation
From the Writings of: Alice A Bailey & the Tibetan Master, Djwhal Khul
The Practical Encyclopedia of Natural Healing
Written by: Mark Bricklin
The Prince
Written by: Niccolo Machiavelli
The Psychedelic Experience:
A Manual Based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead
Written by: Timothy Leary, Ph.D., Ralph Metzner, Ph.D., Richard Alpert, Ph.D.
The Psychic Realm
Written by: Naomi A. Hintze and J. Gaither Pratt, Ph.D.
A Raisin in the Sun
Written by: Lorraine Hansberry
Roots
Written by: Alex Haley
Savage Inequalities: Children in America’s Schools
Written by: Jonathan Kozol
Secret Splendor
Written by: Charles Essert
Serving Humanity
From the writings of: Alice A. Bailey
Sisterhood is Powerful:
Anthology of Writings from the Women’s Liberation Movement
Written by: Robin Morgan
The State of the World Atlas
Written by: Michael Kidron and Ronald Segal
Social Essays
Written by: LeRoi Jones
The Souls of Black Folk
Written by: W.E. Burghardt DuBois
Teachings of the Buddha
Written by: Jack Kornfield
Telepathy
Written by: Alice A Bailey
The Tibetan Book of the Dead
Written by: W.Y. Evans-Wentz
Thoughts and Meditations
Written by: Kahlil Gibran
Tropic of Cancer
Written by: Henry Miller
The Visionary Poetics of Allen Ginsberg
Written by: Paul Portuges
Wisdom of Insecurity
Written by: A.N. Watts
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Written by: Robert M. Pirsig
Copied from: https://www.thuglifearmy.com/index.php/tupac-reading-library.html
{Goodreads also has an alternate list of books that Tupac read}.
*
For more information…
Henry David Thoreau…http://thoreau.library.ucsb.edu/thoreau_life.html
Tupac Shakur…http://2pac.com/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000637/?ref_=nmbio_bio_nm
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/23942.Books_Read_by_Tupac_Shakur_
Tupac Shakur: Thug Angel Movie…http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0314806/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
*
Peace & Poetic Love…
-V.
Tags: Ability to Think Critically, Advocate, Afeni Shakur, Autodidact, Book, Books, Creative Reading, Critical Reader, Critical Reading, Critical Thinker, Critical Thinking, Eclectic, Education, Enlighten, Enlightening, Enlightens, Esoteric, Henry David Thoreau, Hip Hop, Hip Hop Artist, Hip hop music, Hip Hop Musician, Intellect, Intellectual, Intelligence, Intelligent, Knowledge, Learn, Learning, Legacy, Literature, Metaphysical, Metaphysics, Music, Music Therapy, Musician, Old School Hip Hop Artist, Old School Hip Hop., Passion, Passionate, Philosophical, Philosophy, Poet, Poetic, Rap Music, Rap., Rapper, Read, Reading, Reading List, Religion and Spirituality, Revolution, Revolutionary, Self Taught, Social Commentary., Social Inequality, Social Justice, Social Justice Advocacy, Spiritual, Spirituality, The Black Panthers, Thoreau, Tupac, Tupac Shakur