For those of you who still have no clue as to where Detroit Motor Spirit is located, here's a little directional video courtesy of True Sight Music. REVENGE OF THE RED - IT IS HERE
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
The 'Race' we're Running
According to John H. Relethford, author of The Fundamentals of Biological Anthropology, race “is a group of populations that share some biological characteristics….These populations differ from other groups of populations according to these characteristics.”
Ok. So according to Science,Black folk got their own distinct traits, Whites got their own, Coloureds got theirs etc. Elaborating on the aforementioned would then, I guess, lead us to jumping on Darwin's natural selection hypothesis and all reaching consensus that blacks have smaller brains than white folk , which justifies their condemnation to subservience and all the slavery talk you know all to well about If you've been reading up on history.
Fast Forward a couple of years down the line and in steps Nigerian born Philip Emeagwali, 1989 Gordon Bell Prize winner who keeps it fresh with an IQ of 190.
Someone smell a contradiction up in here?
Point is peeps.
Race, being the mass propogated social construct that it is, has and is getting us nowhere as a people. For centuries it has condoned segretation and even in a newly democratised nation like South Africa, where diversity and common national values are professed, it has brought with it scores of tension, generalisation and a genuine loathing of every person not of your skin tone.
Citing many a debate in Politics class and conversations with peers, it seems quite evident that when one sees one self within such a boxed framework of physical and mental attributes, weapons are drawn in defense of that which theorists have claimed us to be. Progressive thinking is therefore simply a wasted conversation in my opinion if we continue to engage framework to framework, dismissing the individualist sphere.
Yeah sure, we all want to preserve our cultural needs, but the fact of the matter is that if we plan on 'getting along' and 'living in unity', there needs to come a time where a common vision needs to held and personal values need to be pushed to the side.
Only in a perfect world though right? I know, and that's the anomaly in all this...
Everyone facing the same direction while simultaneously facing the opposite.
A challenge indeed that I think many of us South Africans have not wrestled with fully, including myself.
Regardless, it exists most abundantly and is hindering the in-house development of this nation to properly nurture SUSTAINABLE growth and a social sphere that intergrates beyond the classification frameworks in which we greet with our hearts, not just our minds.
The answer I so wish put forward right now is a message of forgiveness, love and tolerance so professed by the Gospel, but for many, race has garnered so much standing within their perceptive realities due to emotional damage and it is impossible to take on such a stance
In time though I pray that we'll open our eyes to the green pastures ahead, strips us off this construct that is depriving us all of a unified future where love serves as the power source from which we interact and nurture this nation of ours.
We are limited, not by our abilities, but by our vision.
Peace
J
Thursday, December 23, 2010
I am Inspired
I am inspired by the sun's rays as they signal the start of a new day.
I am inspired by the knowledge of purpose that my Lord set to pave before my being was even a figment of imagination.
I am inspired by the legions of men and women who walk this earth without limbs and still find the time to laugh.
I am inspired by the ant colonies who stay dutiful in their daily work without an utterance of complaint.
I am inspired by the desolate fields and landscapes which mark the promise of what's to come.
I am inspired by the gift of love not classified as a mere emotion.
I an inspired by secular knowledge as it provides a perfect illustration of how not to go about things.
I am inspired by my beloved mother who's never needed duracell to keep her running #superwoman.
I am inspired by the rough path I walk, comfortable in the knowledge that even though I carry burdens, my Lord gave me shoulders.
I am inspired by the innocence of child, a state of purity in both mind and body.
I am inspired.
Peace
J
I am inspired by the knowledge of purpose that my Lord set to pave before my being was even a figment of imagination.
I am inspired by the legions of men and women who walk this earth without limbs and still find the time to laugh.
I am inspired by the ant colonies who stay dutiful in their daily work without an utterance of complaint.
I am inspired by the desolate fields and landscapes which mark the promise of what's to come.
I am inspired by the gift of love not classified as a mere emotion.
I an inspired by secular knowledge as it provides a perfect illustration of how not to go about things.
I am inspired by my beloved mother who's never needed duracell to keep her running #superwoman.
I am inspired by the rough path I walk, comfortable in the knowledge that even though I carry burdens, my Lord gave me shoulders.
I am inspired by the innocence of child, a state of purity in both mind and body.
I am inspired.
Peace
J
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Hip Hop - better off without it?
Hip Hop...
Yes, I know. The second your mind registers the two words it probably conjures up raunchy imagery of half-naked women, blinged out brothers with vulgar tongues and a temperament that points to nothing but pure anger.
So the question is - is this the Hip Hop that has forever been around? and If not, where have all the real rappers gone?
Well before we get into it, let's get rid of some background knowledge first.
Hip Hop as we know came about in the 70's as an alternative to the gang life that was rife within local New York neighbourhoods, the Bronx in particular.
DJ's would play records on turntables at what were known as 'Block Parties'. The MC later came aboard and played the part as a sort of hype man who would jump on a microphone and throw out little phrases such as : "C'mon Y'all" or "Everybody clap your hands" which served as a energiser to keep the party-goers grooving.
So yes, essentially, Hip Hop was a culture that was primarily intended to bring people together and eradicating the need for gangsterism.
It found its identity in the distinct clothing that was worn, the DJ who would later develop special techniques through 'scratching' on records and the MC who today we know as the rap artist.
More elements that came about were the more artistic expressions of Graffiti which involved producing artwork on walls using nothing more than an aerosol-can, as well as the dance aspect known as Breakdancing.
Hip Hop sought to be that sense of freedom and unity that was found in the midst of oppression. and yes, for young folk like myself, it had a degree of coolness to it.
In today's MTV generation, however, we have seen a huge shift from the down to earth art form of back then.
The primary themes among most rap songs today are the tried and tested ones of Sex, Alcohol, Violence, and Self-glorification.
As a hip hop lover myself, it really has saddened me to see this art form 'evolve' into some self-righteous money game run by billboard charts.
Good rap music is hard to come by nowadays and I find myself hunting the internet for some 'underground artist' bold enough to rap about his own life story that can stimulate my mental sphere and feed me with something filled with substance.
bI am therefore both relieved and grateful to have come across artists like Public Enemy, Blu & Exile, Theory Hazit and Immortal Technique in my short lifetime who have been the proof that one can still gain a mass international following without sacrificing your higher consciousness. I can understand that for many other artists, however, rap is all that they've known and it has therefore become the source of their daily bread. For this reason, they have had to switch up their styles, subdue their levels of consciousness and provide the masses with 'what they want'. In light of this, however, I still firm believe that if your idea of true happiness lies not in the things of this world, you'll leave this world a happy man.
Hip Hop lacks that today - in fact - our entire modern society lacks that. Yeah sure, the arguement comes rushing forward that we have evolved and its time to 'get with the new school',and as much as i acknowledge that point of view, I still can't help but come to the conclusion that the only evolving we have done as a society is the stripping of our individuality and embarking on a road trip of rapping for the record deal.
This post is probably one that will gain a big round of disfavour due its subjective opinion. But truth is, a natural bias is something that will forever be entrenched in all of us. As a Christian, I am a firm believer in the value of using your talents for the better and within the context of rap, i think this is best exemplified by artists who realise their inherent fallen state, their search for a purpose, and the acknowledgement of a creator who delivered unto a society a moral code so that we may live in the fullness as the people we were destined to be. (the concept of being real for the headz out there)
.
With that said, it is also the nature of a Christian to walk this life in humility, love and realise that none of us are perfect. A daily prayer is needed for corporates and other organisations to start pumping more funds into this conscious aspect of hip hop that yearns for a platform in which they may gain further exposure, because for most of us, MTV Base will be the only rap we will ever know and inevitably seek to emulate.
This post seeks to unravel more than the question of Real Hip Hop, but rather the consciousness that the modern society has adopted in general. Whether we delve into questions of governance, international relations or the human self, it'll do us a whole lot of good if we saw beyond material wealth and personal interests - in my humble opinion. This post could probably go on for days, but comments would be most appreciated so I myself can gain further insight into this contentious issue.
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" Matthew 6:33
Peace
J
Yes, I know. The second your mind registers the two words it probably conjures up raunchy imagery of half-naked women, blinged out brothers with vulgar tongues and a temperament that points to nothing but pure anger.
So the question is - is this the Hip Hop that has forever been around? and If not, where have all the real rappers gone?
Well before we get into it, let's get rid of some background knowledge first.
Hip Hop as we know came about in the 70's as an alternative to the gang life that was rife within local New York neighbourhoods, the Bronx in particular.
DJ's would play records on turntables at what were known as 'Block Parties'. The MC later came aboard and played the part as a sort of hype man who would jump on a microphone and throw out little phrases such as : "C'mon Y'all" or "Everybody clap your hands" which served as a energiser to keep the party-goers grooving.
So yes, essentially, Hip Hop was a culture that was primarily intended to bring people together and eradicating the need for gangsterism.
It found its identity in the distinct clothing that was worn, the DJ who would later develop special techniques through 'scratching' on records and the MC who today we know as the rap artist.
More elements that came about were the more artistic expressions of Graffiti which involved producing artwork on walls using nothing more than an aerosol-can, as well as the dance aspect known as Breakdancing.
Hip Hop sought to be that sense of freedom and unity that was found in the midst of oppression. and yes, for young folk like myself, it had a degree of coolness to it.
In today's MTV generation, however, we have seen a huge shift from the down to earth art form of back then.
The primary themes among most rap songs today are the tried and tested ones of Sex, Alcohol, Violence, and Self-glorification.
As a hip hop lover myself, it really has saddened me to see this art form 'evolve' into some self-righteous money game run by billboard charts.
Good rap music is hard to come by nowadays and I find myself hunting the internet for some 'underground artist' bold enough to rap about his own life story that can stimulate my mental sphere and feed me with something filled with substance.
bI am therefore both relieved and grateful to have come across artists like Public Enemy, Blu & Exile, Theory Hazit and Immortal Technique in my short lifetime who have been the proof that one can still gain a mass international following without sacrificing your higher consciousness. I can understand that for many other artists, however, rap is all that they've known and it has therefore become the source of their daily bread. For this reason, they have had to switch up their styles, subdue their levels of consciousness and provide the masses with 'what they want'. In light of this, however, I still firm believe that if your idea of true happiness lies not in the things of this world, you'll leave this world a happy man.
Hip Hop lacks that today - in fact - our entire modern society lacks that. Yeah sure, the arguement comes rushing forward that we have evolved and its time to 'get with the new school',and as much as i acknowledge that point of view, I still can't help but come to the conclusion that the only evolving we have done as a society is the stripping of our individuality and embarking on a road trip of rapping for the record deal.
This post is probably one that will gain a big round of disfavour due its subjective opinion. But truth is, a natural bias is something that will forever be entrenched in all of us. As a Christian, I am a firm believer in the value of using your talents for the better and within the context of rap, i think this is best exemplified by artists who realise their inherent fallen state, their search for a purpose, and the acknowledgement of a creator who delivered unto a society a moral code so that we may live in the fullness as the people we were destined to be. (the concept of being real for the headz out there)
.
With that said, it is also the nature of a Christian to walk this life in humility, love and realise that none of us are perfect. A daily prayer is needed for corporates and other organisations to start pumping more funds into this conscious aspect of hip hop that yearns for a platform in which they may gain further exposure, because for most of us, MTV Base will be the only rap we will ever know and inevitably seek to emulate.
This post seeks to unravel more than the question of Real Hip Hop, but rather the consciousness that the modern society has adopted in general. Whether we delve into questions of governance, international relations or the human self, it'll do us a whole lot of good if we saw beyond material wealth and personal interests - in my humble opinion. This post could probably go on for days, but comments would be most appreciated so I myself can gain further insight into this contentious issue.
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" Matthew 6:33
Peace
J
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Tshego and I take a trip around Gtown
This photo session initially started as a simple task required for a journalism assignment. Capture a subject within a context and upload it for assessment purposes. My brother Tshego and I had other plans however as we delved into the underground beauties of Grahamstown. Instead of getting complacement with the point and shoot method, we opted instead for some visual integration with the raw Graf Artworks situated under the bridge. At one point the clouds gathered and the rain pelted down on us.Solution: Take shelter in the sewerage pipelines, stench and all.Regardless, the day proved to be a memorable one and hopefully the results of natural light and a bit of creativity are evident in the few photos below, trust y'all heed to the saying below when looking at a couple of them. Shot to my brother Tshego for the invaluable contribution.
"A photograph is usually looked at - seldom looked into". ~Ansel Adams
Peace
J
"A photograph is usually looked at - seldom looked into". ~Ansel Adams
Peace
J
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