Strictly Truth...And Now This Message from K. Masenda.

"Amendment 14 - Citizenship Rights. Ratified 7/9/1868.

1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

"Amendment 15 - Race No Bar to Vote. Ratified 2/3/1870.

1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude."



Far be it for me to pretend to know it all about politics, but one thing I’ve learned over time is the power of your voice, and the responsibility that comes with being able to vote. The midterm elections tend to be overlooked, with folks usually deciding to come around only for the presidency, but anyone with knowledge of how The Game works will tell you how key it is to make sure you take part in not only what’s going on nationally, but also in your state and local elections as well.

People who love Brother President want to believe the man can save the world, but he’ll be the first one to tell you how important it is to keep up with what’s going on right now. According to CNN’s Election Center page, 37 states will elect governors; ballots will be cast for 435 seats in the House, as well as 37 seats in the Senate. Whether you’re a Republican or Democrat isn’t anyone’s business, but yours. The important thing is making sure your voice is heard.

Early voting has begun, and the best way to make sure you don’t have to deal with the madness of Election Day is to go ahead and get the process out of the way by going to your polling location and voting now. If you choose to wait until November 2nd, feel free to take your ipod or Blackberry, turn on some jams in your headphones, and wait a while. Who said music and politics can’t be intertwined?

Be Easy.

K. Masenda

*Chan.Lo. Note: I know you all look forward to Strictly Truth posts and I felt it necessary to take a moment and reflect on just how blessed we are to operate under democratic principles. Voting is essential to keeping these principles alive.  Know the people reppin you, because trust, they'll know what they're doing on your behalf whether you voted for them or not.

   Peace. Love. Knowledge.

XoXo

 Chan.Lo.

Strictly Truth...Rahtards?

I realize that for some of you the title to this Strictly Truth may be somewhat offensive, however, I find it rather funny seeing as it related directly to the picture above so...sorry.

Strictly Truth has been a venue for us to pose questions that illicit thought and provoke new insight on topics that are conducive to growth.  I was on Twitter one day and I noticed that people have been truly taken with the youtube sensation "Shawt Bus Shawty" (click the link to view the short), so much so that its already received upwards of 8 million hits and is being imitated by young kids around the country.  The mock depiction of contemporary artists: Waka Flocka Flame (Waka!), Gucci Mane (brrrr), OJ Da Juiceman (ayy!), and everyone's favorite possible drug addict, Soulja Boy (SOULLLGERR), is not only a hilarious spoof but, more alarmingly, strikingly parallel to the artists individual work. This all begged me to ask the question:

Is Today’s Music making The Kids Dumb?

Peep the weigh in by K. Masenda below...and challenge yourselves to think outside of the short bus. Again, my apologies for the pun.

Peace. Love. Truth.

XoXo

Chan.Lo.

Today’s artists face a listening audience that opens them up to more scrutiny than ever. Sure, there was a time when artists were on the scene five, ten, 20 years ago and beyond, but those artists didn’t have to worry about blogs, Twitter, Facebook, or any other media dissecting them like a science project. In those days, it was mainly about if their music was any good. While they had to answer questions, comments, and concerns about quality and integrity, it didn’t come in droves and in waves like it does in this day and time.

We see artists now who not only make music, but they have to live within the microscope of the music and the persona behind it. Dare them to try to sell it as entertainment, which some artists do. Some artists will be quick to tell you they are selling a character, or a lifestyle, and therefore, their music should be viewed within that scope. The counter, from detractors, is that kids are being exposed to it, and they lack the capacities to differentiate between fantasy and reality. While that last statement might be true, something has to be said about a person’s role that has the ability to deter kids from listening to it in the first place; that is, if a detractor’s concern really is about the kids.

For example, I was ten years old in 1992, which also made me 11 years old in 1993. Two albums were released in those years that were seen as toxic, debilitating, and destructive to not only the youth, but overall society by their detractors, opposition, and people who also said they were concerned for the youth being exposed to them. Those albums were The Chronic and Doggystyle. When they came out, I was young and impressionable and saw how cool the videos were, how cool I thought Dre and Snoop were, and how dope the lyrics were, even though I had little idea of what they were talking about. Despite my perception of them, my folks weren’t having it. Not only was I not listening to their music at home, I wasn’t allowed to listen to it in the car, and I certainly wasn’t allowed to own the albums. Their logic was I was a child and they weren’t going to allow me to be able to listen to their albums, no matter how much I wanted to.

They weren’t blaming Snoop, Dre, Death Row, or Interscope for their involvement in making albums like theirs. They weren’t ever holding them to some idealistic standard or standing on some philosophical perch about what’s right and wrong. They simply said that I, as their son, wasn’t allowed to listen to them, until I was able to get their album with my own money and until I was of age, and wouldn’t you guess it? I didn’t listen to either of those albums until high school, despite them being released when I was in the sixth and seventh grade, respectively.

Yes, times have changed, and kids have access to resources that kids my age certainly didn’t have in our time. However, the point remained that when an adult, in this case my parents, said no, that meant no. If there is a concern that some of today’s artists are poisoning the kids and making them dumber, then whose responsibility is it? I think artists should take some of it, but there’s also an understanding of how the game goes, and to be totally honest and 100% real, one of my boys says it best: the music we grew up on is way more destructive than what the kids today are listening to. With that said, my energy isn’t so much fueled toward the artists, because artists will always do what the majority of their base wants them to do, even if it is making music that some of the listening public isn’t crazy about, or outright despises. Instead, it will be geared towards adults to make sure they take proper measures to keep the exposure to a minimum. That is, if their genuine concern is about the kids.

Be Easy.

K. Masenda



Strictly Truth ... Oh You Fancy Huh? Pt. II.

*Chan.Lo. Note: 'Oh You Fancy Huh?' created such an interesting discussion that I thought it best to ask our own Kenny Masenda to give a male POV on the topic. Be enlightened.

 

P.S. If you've yet to read Elena P.'s original article, click HERE

 

Peace. Love. Truth.

 

XoXo

 

Chan.Lo.

 

Recently, I read Elena’s piece “Oh, You Fancy, Huh?” and was given the task of coming up with a response to her words. Honestly, I’ve read her post countless times, all with the intention of coming up with the most carefully-crafted response to her question that was initially posed to the masses, which was:

So, why is it that these powerful men still settle for the video vixens, strippers and DE-pendant women in their industry and throughout? What makes our ambition any less desirable in real life, as opposed to when it is embedded in the hook of a chart-topping single?

At one time, in times when I honestly thought I knew more than what I actually did, a response could have been crafted that could spark a firestorm, an uprising, or anything else that would have constituted excitement, enthusiasm, or maybe even just messy. These days, life has slowed things down for me, and with that, when I read this question, the same answer came back to me over and over again: these “powerful” men in question are more than willing to look for convenience rather than the women they praise in song and verse. Allow me to elaborate.

While I do this, keep in mind this is merely my opinion, and one that certainly will not resonate within all men, or even a majority of men. These “powerful” men realize what it takes to have a woman who they hold in high esteem, and while I don’t question the sincerity in their words, it does serve as a head-scratcher when certain women see these same men with women who are the opposite of what they sing, rap, and harmonize about. At the same time, this is something that any independent woman, in my opinion, really shouldn’t worry about too much. Your ambition is just as desirable in real life as in song, and, if anything, “powerful” men know they can’t just walk up on you, flash some money, their car, or any other tangible object, and expect you to bite.

They know in order to get you, they have to come with their A-game. They have to be attentive, show interest, be creative, be consistent, and work. When you see a “powerful” man out and about with a woman who is the opposite, it’s usually at some social event (awards shows, sports events, etc), and they would rather be seen with a female they don’t have to work hard to get, but looks the part, as opposed to the female they have to work their butt off for, but STILL looks the part. It’s not a knock on independent women at all, and, if anything, it saves you plenty of heartache, headache, angry Facebook messages, scorned tweets, rants, and anything else that’s counter-productive to your well-being.

There may be a fear from women who “have their own” being the same ones “who sleep alone,” but they are also the same ones who are held, at least in my eyes and others who feel similar, as the epitome of a woman, a queen, and someone who is more than ideal for a man to settle down with, once a man decides to settle down for good. That’s why as long as a woman continues to handle her business, she shouldn’t be concerned about what any man has to say about her, or when “powerful” men are choosing M&Ms over an Everlasting Gobstopper. When you see these cats out on the red carpet with a female who chose a different grind to the top, smile at them, and continue to do you, and realize that your path is a path that’s unique, and void of any man’s assistance except God’s.

-K. Masenda

Follow Kenny on Twitter @SoulOnIce6



Strictly Truth ... Oh You Fancy Huh?

*Chan.Lo Note: Hello all! I hope Labor Day was splendid. Mixtape Monday will be back with a dope edition next week, however I know plenty of you have commented on the Strictly Truth topics we introduced. I appreciate all the feedback! This week, Elena P. takes a crack at a topic that has been on the minds of many. Take a read and speak the truth.

Peace. Love. Truth.

XoXo

Chan.Lo.

Drake refers to us as "Fancy", Wale as "Ambitious" and Ne-Yo as "Independent". Regardless of your lyrical preference, women who aspire to be appreciated for more than just their figures are being praised and encouraged throughout more musical media. So, why is it that these powerful men still settle for the video vixens, strippers and DE-pendant women in their industry and throughout? What makes our ambition any less desirable in real life, as opposed to when it is embedded in the hook of a chart-topping single? Allow me to explain my rationale.

It is easy to SAY that a financially successful man would rather date a woman with a degree, steady income, and a closet full of clothes purchased with her very own Visa. How often does this occur though? The artists we listen to want us to believe the hype but, lets be honest. Jay-Z and Beyonce are pretty much the only noticeable "power couple" and they seem to be the last of a dying breed. Watching the MTV/BET Awards is often like a game of "spot the video chick" who brought this model or that video girl as their evening arm candy. Not to hate on these women, do your thing, but, really? One trend I've noticed is that these women, as beautiful as they are, do not hold a candle to the men they accompany with regard to the power spectrum. Ironic? I don't think so.

Truth is, a man of such status prefers to "trophy" a woman with lesser power then himself. Women who contribute to the power equation don't require a man to complete them. A man to compliment is preferred over a man to supplement. The "independent woman" mind frame serves as a threat to many men who find their solutions in their bank accounts. Enitan "Bereolaesque" Bereola II said, "A rich man is used to owning things...that includes you!" Women who rely on a "sponsor" to pay bills and fill shoe racks are more likely to put up with infidelity and physical/mental abuse just to support their lifestyle. That is what makes the gold-digger so interesting to me. Why would one want to jeopardize the very essence of who we are as women (caretakers, helpers, gentle lovers) just to walk around with the latest Louis V. handbag on their wrists?

Ultimately a man's choice also boils down to convenience. We all know the saying "why buy the cow, when you can get the milk for free" lends quite a bit of validity to the overall argument. Typically, a woman who is looking for more than a few Gucci purses wants a little thing called, commitment. We want a family. We want love, not lust wrapped in a pretty package. For the powerful, controlling man, this type of relationship isn't convenient. Hit it and quit it is no longer applicable with the women mentioned above and ultimately, who wants to buy the cow?

Put yourself in the typical musician/producer/high profile artists shoes. You are a hip-hop phenom, traveling the country 360 days out of the year. Every night, there are swarms of women at your hotel, tour bus, dressing room, etc. Cloud 9 never felt so good and a little attention from exotic women doesn't seem like a bad idea. After all, they're basically undressing themselves, and you'll never have to see them again so, why the *bleep* not? Giving in is more and more prevalent and well, if he needs a date, at least he knows she's down for whatever after the show. One thing we all can agree on, regardless of occupation, is that temptation can be a woman's most effective weapon and a man's greatest excuse. Moreover, a woman with beauty and ambition farther than her body is a perfect combination but, is she convenient? Is she practical? On his dope record, yes. In real life, not so much.

The reality (not always, but all too often) is this: Women who handle their business, without the aid of a pole or retouched bikini photo, are the same women who sleep alone. And for those women who model, act, strip, whatever with the sole intent on supporting themselves and making sure they get their money as best they can, this isn't for you because you probably don't use men as a stepping stone to stardom. But, for the women who use their assets to live a lifestyle they cannot provide themselves, the invisible handcuffs that your too blinded by bling to see, will always remain, courtesy of the man who "loves" you.

- Elena P.

Hit Elena up on Twitter @ElenaMarieP