THUG LIFE

This beef is genuine.
You sweet like Genuwine.
This heat is genuine.
Say hello to a friend of mine.
You ain’t no Scarface,
You ain’t Cubano.
Nor are you really a drug lord,
Let’s go mano a mano.
Tired of all slick talk,
Fools actin’ all breezy.
Tired fools actin’ all hard,
When they life is so easy.
They got,
Food and shelter,
Healthcare and education.
So what you mad about?
Why you so impatient?
Many have it much worse,
And still stay peaceful.
You will have it much worse,
If you listen to these fools.
Talking’ ‘bout they thugged out life.
Why would you want to be a thug?
You should love our life,
Love your wife,
Love your kids,
Love your friends and fam.
Even love your enemies,
THAT’S what makes you a man.

Faith, Hope & Love

CA

DVD Review: Something New

Something Different from the same old romantic comedy. Something Engaging. Something Enlightening. Beautiful cinematography, flowing and natural dialogue. Stunning performances by Sanaa Lathan and Simon Baker. A wonderful ensemble cast. A story that is sensitive without being sappy, sexy without being smutty and funny without being silly. This is not a movie it is a cultural experience of sight and sound. While watching this movie you become more than a viewer, you become a participant; a member of the family. You work with the characters as you struggle through issues of race, class, family and fidelity. Director Sanaa Hamri adds an inspired vision to an irreproachable cast and a wonderful story to create Something Magnificent.

Faith, Hope & Love

CA

Public Service Announcement

Do not, under any circumstances, go see the film Let's Go To Prison!

Movie Review: Let’s Go To Prison

Before we even get started I must explain why I chose to see this movie. When my brother, my nephew and I arrived at the theater we had every intention of seeing Borat. We figured, if Borat isn't funny we would, at a bare minimum, be culturally literate and able to discuss this very popular movie. Upon our arrival at the movie theater, at 8:10pm, we were dismayed to discover that the next showing of Borat, or any other movie we had considered, was 10:30pm. None of us being man enough to admit our love for animated movies, and go see Happy Feet, we decided to take a chance on Let’s Go to Prison. We figured that in an hour and a half of cinema there had to be at least one funny prison rape or shank joke that we could later reference to justify our seeing the film.

WOW!!! As we left the theater I felt like the filmmaker should be sent to jail. I truly felt that someone had hit me over the head and stolen from me, eight dollars and an hour of my life. I can unashamedly declare that, this is one of the worst movies that I have ever had the misfortune of seeing. This movie had no redeeming qualities. The pain began with poorly written dialogue and over-used comedy bits with no originality. However, I have learned that even the oldest bit done well can be funny. How else can you explain the fact that there is a Big Momma’s House 2? That said, no performance could be said to rise above the level of fair. Through the course of the movie I tried to force a giggle, but neither I nor any other audience member could be moved to a chuckle. My disgust with this poor excuse for a film cannot be fully expressed with words. If a picture is worth a thousand words I offer Exhibit A below.

0 out of 5 stars!

Faith, Hope & Love


CA

Beats, Rhymes & Us

We make
beautiful
music
together.
The jazz
and R&B.
The groove
and sway.
I want to put
us
on wax.
To spin
and blend.
A sweet mix
of Donny Hathaway
and Mary J.
A pure expression
Nothin’ fake.
No feeling of hate.
Straight love.
Straight
from God on high.
No drugs needed to fly
To soar. To pour
out my soul.
Into you.
Microphone check 1, 2.
Jigga, Jigga
The base drops
The beat knocks
Here comes the hip-hop
Non-stop
Emotion,
Floatin’,
Coastin’.
To keys, strings and horns.
Word is born.
You got me open.
We make beautiful music together.

Faith, Hope & Love

CA

Portrait

Black man.
Wrinkled face bares the worries of fifty-seven years.
Standing in the doorway of an abandoned building on Graham Street.
Pouring rain.
Leaning with despair.
Wondering about tomorrow.
Praying for something to change.
Brown corduroy sport coat.
Black sweatshirt underneath has a hood.
He uses it to keep out the pain
and keep in the little but of warmth that his frail, thin frame generates.
Warn jeans.
Old, once white, sneakers from the salvation army.
A thick grey beard holds months of struggle.
Winter’s coming.

Faith, Hope & Love

CA

REAL TALK

Written 10/2006

Writin’ in my book of rhymes all the words past the margin.
Who startin’?
Who want beef?
I’ma keep it cookin’ and make sure that ish is sizzlin’ ‘til I’m makin’ it cease.
All you brothers beefin’ better be happy that I don’t eat red meat,
or I would come out buckin’ but I’m a man of peace.
Shalom ya’ll.
Still any rapper steppin’ is steppin’ closer to downfall.
It’s a slippery slope and my lyrics is dope.
Snorted, shot or smoked they givin’ all my people hope.
I’m like a Civil Rights leader workin’ for the right to vote.
I feel hate,
But keep it movin’ because I’m a man on a mission.
It ain’t all about the money but I’m a be insistent,
that I get mine.
I will give all away later,
but I gotta get it now to send a message to haters.

Faith, Hope & Love

CA

Evening Meeting

Written 10/2006


Waiting, waiting, waiting
Sedentary
Ill-informed
Dependent
Passive
Docile
Weak
Sleepy
Dull
No opportunities for production
“Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping into the future.”
I hear and see,
But experience
No activity
Left to ponder
When?
I can get in
Get into the act
All the world is a stage
I wait in the wings
I have no role
No lines,
No possibilities
Is this a life worth living?
What is my next task?
How do I get past the impasse, of inactivity?


Faith, Hope & Love

CA