Black Improvement Media (BIM) is a multimedia resource for the Black Improvement Movement. This blog is served by Seko Varner. On this site you may find media programming that support our mission of improving the lives of people of African descent. The views expressed in the media presented on this site are not necessarily the views and opinions of Seko Varner or Positive Vibes Inc.
It's a classic underdog tale: David, a young shepherd armed only with a sling, beats Goliath, the mighty warrior. The story has transcended its biblical origins to become a common shorthand for unlikely victory. But, asks Malcolm Gladwell, is that really what the David and Goliath story is about? Detective of fads and emerging subcultures, chronicler of jobs-you-never-knew-existed, Malcolm Gladwell's work is toppling the popular understanding of bias, crime, food, marketing, race, consumers and intelligence. http://www.ted.com/speakers/malcolm_gladwell.html
Be prepared, use strategy, make opportunity !
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About Barashango:
Rev. Dr. Ishakamusa Barashango began his journey to Nsamando, the land of the Ancestors on January 14, 2004. The dynamic minister, author, historian, educator and motivational speaker was born April 27, 1938 to Florine Mason in Philadelphia, PA. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Oakwood College, Huntsville, AL and was awarded Honorary Doctor of Philosophy Degrees from the College of Doctors of the New Afrikan University Network System, Washington, DC and the Sankore Institute operating under the auspices of Texas Southern Universty, Houston,TX. Rev. Barashango founded the Temple of the Black Messiah, School of History and Religion and co-founded Fourth Dynasty Publishing Company of Silver Spring. He also taught history and religion at several colleges and universities. In August, 1996 he married Lydia Umyemi who worked with him to establish the Temple of the Black Messiah, New World Church of All Faiths, Philadelphia, PA. Baba is survived by his wife Lydia Umyemi, his children; Daima Abdur-Rasheed, Wayne (Chaka) Mason, Damali Mason, Osagefo, T-Shaka Changa Cunningham, Njema Walker, Imari Marcel Nialah Barashano Washington, several grandchildren, and a host of grandchildren. Condolences and donations may be sent in care of Lydia Umyemi, Cornucopia, 4942 Parkside Avenue, Philadelphia, PA, 19131. A tribute is planned for February 14, 2004.
Dr. Barashango departed from us to another sphere on January 14 in Philadelphia. He apparently succumbed to a heart attack during his morning walk. Barashango, who was elevated to a grand master scholar in 2000 while in Kemet and co-founder and creative director of the Fourth Dynasty Publishing Company in Silver Spring, Maryland, would have been 66 in April.
“I’ve known Dr. Barashango for more than a quarter of a century,” said Dr. Jack Felder. “In fact, we talked for about two hours two days before he made his transition. One thing he always stressed and that most impressed me was that we can never free our minds as long as we view God as a white man or as long as we keep worshiping white people’s Holy-days (Holidays). He was a pillar of our community.”
Dr. Barashango, affectionately known as Baba, received his bachelor of arts degree in religion from Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. He studied for his master’s degree at Northeastern Seminary in Takoma Park, Maryland. The New Afrikan University Network System of Washington, D.D. saluted him with an honorary Doctor of Philosophy Degree in 1979.
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If you are receiving this correspondence via email and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com to watch the video described in the above text. The views expressed in the media presented on this site are not necessarily the views and opinions of the Imani Foundation, our members, staff, or sponsors. Find us on FACEBOOK under the name "The Black Improvement Movement". Subscribe to our posts by emailing imanifoundation-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .
Raising Black Boys: Exploring the Journey from Boys to Men
By Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu - April 25, 2011 Watch the video on the below website: http://youtu.be/caiU8FvZUsY
(Chicago,
Illinois) - A three-year-old boy struts down the street wearing
"gangsta" gear. A fourth grade boy can't read the comic book he holds in
his hands. A teen male sells drugs to support his mother. A high school
senior won't be going to college because his parents can't afford to
send him. The old saying, "Boys will be boys," takes on new meaning in
the Black community, where boys are suffering from academic failure, low
self-esteem, frustration, and a lack of direction.
According to
Jawanza Kunjufu, author of the bestselling Raising Black Boys and a
father of two sons, "The spirits of too many of our boys have been
broken. During the preschool and kindergarten years, our boys are
energetic and curious. They love learning and ask thousands of
questions. There's a glow in their eyes. By the time they reach high
school, however, that glow has been replaced with suspicion and anger."
The
statistics paint a disturbing picture of life for Black boys: 72
percent of African American boys lack a father in the home.
Nationally, African American males have a 53 percent chance of dropping
out of high school. In some districts, the rates are significantly
higher. While African Americans make up 17 percent of the total
school population, they account for 32 percent of the suspensions and 30
percent of all expulsions. One of three Black males are involved
with the penal system. African American male teens are placed in
remedial or special education classes at triple the rate of their white
counterparts, and they are underrepresented in gifted and honors
classes.
The top three influences on African American boys
today are peer pressure, rap music, and television. However, Kunjufu
believes that the greatest problems facing Black boys are a lack of
spirituality and fatherlessness.
"If you look at all the woes in
our society-drug addiction, teen pregnancy, illiteracy, grade retention,
incarceration-the common thread running through them all is the absence
of the father in a child's life," says Kunjufu.
The 9 Types of
Fathers Explained in Raising Black Boys Sperm Donors - define their
masculinity based on the quantity of children they create, not the
quality of their childrearing. No-Show Dads - promise to pick the
child up for the weekend, but they don't show. Ice Cream Dads -
instead of spending quality time with the child, they buy presents out
of guilt. Dead Broke Dads - may be penniless, but they still want to
participate in the child's life. Some mothers' "pay to play" philosophy
prevents the Dead Broke Dad from raising his child. Dork Dads - are
physically in the home but are not emotionally present. Divorced
Dads - although divorced from their wives, they would never abandon
their children. Stepfathers - often see their wives' children as
their own. Daddies - stay with their spouses, and they enjoy being
fully involved fathers. Single-Parent Dads - assume full
responsibility for the children when the mother walks. Single-Parent
Dads demonstrate that men, too, can develop a strong bond with their
children.
Using research and examples from his own life and
the lives of prominent African American men such as neurosurgeon Dr. Ben
Carson, Kunjufu goes beyond the gloom and doom reports that haunt the
Black community and provides sound strategies and a ray of hope for
parents, teachers, ministers, and mentors who are struggling to raise
Black boys against tremendous odds.
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Wise Intelligent speaks about the power and influence of Hip Hop and why a certain kind of Hip Hop music is being pushed and the response from the Black community to certain events that occur. The video link is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxZCBs1_5GM if you are unable to view the video.
Wise Intelligent's message may be in reference to this information:
Rap Music Conspiracy:
After more than 20 years, I've finally decided to tell the world
what I witnessed in 1991, which I believe was one of the biggest turning
point in popular music, and ultimately American society.
I
have struggled for a long time weighing the pros and cons of making
this story public as I was reluctant to implicate the individuals who
were present that day. So I've simply decided to leave out names and all
the details that may risk my personal well being and that of those who
were, like me, dragged into something they weren't ready for.
Between
the late 80s and early 90's, I was what you may call a "decision
maker" with one of the more established company in the music industry. I
came from Europe in the early 80's and quickly established myself in
the business.
The industry was different back
then. Since technology and media weren't accessible to people like they
are today, the industry had more control over the public and had the
means to influence them anyway it wanted. This may explain why, in early
1991, I was invited to attend a closed door meeting with a small group
of music business insiders to discuss rap music's new direction. Little
did I know that we would be asked to participate in one of the most
unethical and destructive business practice I've ever seen.
The
meeting was held at a private residence on the outskirts of Los
Angeles. I remember about 25 to 30 people being there, most of them
familiar faces. Speaking to those I knew, we joked about the theme of
the meeting as many of us did not care for rap music and failed to see
the purpose of being invited to a private gathering to discuss its
future.
Among the attendees was a small group
of unfamiliar faces who stayed to themselves and made no attempt to
socialize beyond their circle. Based on their behavior and formal
appearances, they didn't seem to be in our industry.
Our
casual chatter was interrupted when we were asked to sign a
confidentiality agreement preventing us from publicly discussing the
information presented during the meeting. Needless to say, this
intrigued and in some cases disturbed many of us.
The
agreement was only a page long but very clear on the matter and
consequences which stated that violating the terms would result in job
termination. We asked several people what this meeting was about and the
reason for such secrecy but couldn't find anyone who had answers for
us. A few people refused to sign and walked out. No one stopped them. I
was tempted to follow but curiosity got the best of me. A man who was
part of the "unfamiliar" group collected the agreements from us.
Quickly
after the meeting began, one of my industry colleagues (who shall
remain nameless like everyone else) thanked us for attending. He then
gave the floor to a man who only introduced himself by first name and
gave no further details about his personal background. I think he was
the owner of the residence but it was never confirmed.
He
briefly praised all of us for the success we had achieved in our
industry and congratulated us for being selected as part of this small
group of "decision makers". At this point I begin to feel slightly
uncomfortable at the strangeness of this gathering.
The
subject quickly changed as the speaker went on to tell us that the
respective companies we represented had invested in a very profitable
industry which could become even more rewarding with our active
involvement. He explained that the companies we work for had invested
millions into the building of privately owned prisons and that our positions of influence in the music industry would actually impact the profitability of these investments.
I
remember many of us in the group immediately looking at each other in
confusion. At the time, I didn't know what a private prison was but I
wasn't the only one. Sure enough, someone asked what these prisons were
and what any of this had to do with us. We were told that these prisons
were built by privately owned companies who received funding from the government based on the number of inmates. The more inmates, the more money the government would pay these prisons.
It
was also made clear to us that since these prisons are privately owned,
as they become publicly traded, we'd be able to buy shares. Most of us
were taken back by this. Again, a couple of people asked what this had
to do with us. At this point, my industry colleague who had first opened
the meeting took the floor again and answered our questions.
He
told us that since our employers had become silent investors in this
prison business, it was now in their interest to make sure that these
prisons remained filled. Our job would be to help make this happen by marketing music which promotes criminal behavior, rap being the music of choice.
He
assured us that this would be a great situation for us because rap
music was becoming an increasingly profitable market for our companies,
and as employee, we'd also be able to buy personal stocks in these
prisons.
Immediately, silence came over the room. You could
have heard a pin drop. I remember looking around to make sure I wasn't
dreaming and saw half of the people with dropped jaws. My daze was
interrupted when someone shouted, "Is this a f****** joke?" At this point things became chaotic.
Two
of the men who were part of the "unfamiliar" group grabbed the man who
shouted out and attempted to remove him from the house. A few of us,
myself included, tried to intervene. One of them pulled out a gun and we
all backed off. They separated us from the crowd and all four of us
were escorted outside.
My industry colleague
who had opened the meeting earlier hurried out to meet us and reminded
us that we had signed agreement and would suffer the consequences of
speaking about this publicly or even with those who attended the
meeting. I asked him why he was involved with something this corrupt and
he replied that it was bigger than the music business and nothing we'd want to challenge without risking consequences.
We all protested and as he walked back into the house I remember word for word the last thing he said, "It's out of my hands now. Remember you signed an agreement." He then closed the door behind him. The men rushed us to our cars and actually watched until we drove off.
A
million things were going through my mind as I drove away and I
eventually decided to pull over and park on a side street in order to
collect my thoughts. I replayed everything in my mind repeatedly and it
all seemed very surreal to me.
I was angry with
myself for not having taken a more active role in questioning what had
been presented to us. I'd like to believe the shock of it all is what
suspended my better nature. After what seemed like an eternity, I was
able to calm myself enough to make it home. I didn't talk or call anyone
that night.
The next day back at the office, I was visibly
out of it but blamed it on being under the weather. No one else in my
department had been invited to the meeting and I felt a sense of guilt
for not being able to share what I had witnessed. I thought about
contacting the three others who wear kicked out of the house but I
didn't remember their names and thought that tracking them down would
probably bring unwanted attention.
I considered
speaking out publicly at the risk of losing my job but I realized I'd
probably be jeopardizing more than my job and I wasn't willing to risk
anything happening to my family. I thought about those men with guns and
wondered who they were.
I had been told that this was bigger than the music business
and all I could do was let my imagination run free. There were no
answers and no one to talk to. I tried to do a little bit of research on
private prisons but didn't uncover anything about the music business'
involvement. However, the information I did find confirmed how dangerous
this prison business really was.
Days turned
into weeks and weeks into months. Eventually, it was as if the meeting
had never taken place. It all seemed surreal. I became more reclusive
and stopped going to any industry events unless professionally obligated
to do so. On two occasions, I found myself attending the same function
as my former colleague. Both times, our eyes met but nothing more was
exchanged.
As the months passed, rap music had definitely changed direction.
I was never a fan of it but even I could tell the difference. Rap acts
that talked about politics or harmless fun were quickly fading away as
gangster rap started dominating the airwaves.
Only
a few months had passed since the meeting but I suspect that the ideas
presented that day had been successfully implemented. It was as if the order has been given to all major label executives.
The music was climbing the charts and most companies were more than
happy to capitalize on it. Each one was churning out their very own
gangster rap acts on an assembly line.
Everyone bought into it, consumers included. Violence and drug use became a central theme in most rap music.
I spoke to a few of my peers in the industry to get their opinions on
the new trend but was told repeatedly that it was all about supply and
demand. Sadly many of them even expressed that the music reinforced
their prejudice of minorities.
I officially quit
the music business in 1993, but my heart had already left months
before. I broke ties with the majority of my peers and removed myself
from this thing I had once loved. I took some time off, returned to
Europe for a few years, settled out of state, and lived a "quiet" life
away from the world of entertainment.
As the
years passed, I managed to keep my secret, fearful of sharing it with
the wrong person but also a little ashamed of not having had the balls
to blow the whistle. But as rap got worse, my guilt grew. Fortunately,
in the late 90's, having the internet as a resource which wasn't at my
disposal in the early days made it easier for me to investigate what is
now labeled the prison industrial complex.
Now that I have a
greater understanding of how private prisons operate, things make much
more sense than they ever have. I see how the criminalization of rap music
played a big part in promoting racial stereotypes and misguided so many
impressionable young minds into adopting these glorified criminal
behaviors which often lead to incarceration.
Twenty
years of guilt is a heavy load to carry but the least I can do now is
to share my story, hoping that fans of rap music realize how they've
been used for the past two decades. Although I plan on remaining
anonymous for obvious reasons, my goal now is to get this information
out to as many people as possible.
Please help
me spread the word. Hopefully, others who attended the meeting back in
1991 will be inspired by this and tell their own stories. Most
importantly, if only one life has been touched by my story, I pray it
makes the weight of my guilt a little more tolerable.
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If you are receiving this correspondence via email and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com to watch the video described in the above text. The views expressed in the media presented on this site are not necessarily the views and opinions of the Imani Foundation, our members, staff, or sponsors. Find us on FACEBOOK under the name "The Black Improvement Movement". Subscribe to our posts by emailing imanifoundation-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .
Dr. Martin Luther King
"This is what happened to the Black Man in America........ He was left penniless and illiterate.................Emancipation to the Negro was to be freedom from hunger.......... It was Freedom and famine at the same time and it's a miracle that the Negro has survived."
To Black Radio Dr. King said “In a real sense you have paved the way for social and political change by creating a powerful cultural bridge between black and white. School integration is much easier now that they share a common music, a common language, and enjoy the same dances. You introduced youth to that music and created the language of soul and promoted the dance that now sweeps across race, class and nation.”
This is the full speech, a rare find of Dr King addressing the National Association of TV and Radio Announcers (NATRA).. here King talks about the important role Black radio played in furthering the Civil Rights struggle.. He also drops gems that many associate with his famous Transforming a Neighborhood Into a Brotherhood speech.. This is the Dr King that has been hidden from us and downplayed..He's on point with both his analysis and spirit.. He talks about how white folks were given free land when they moved out west while the sons and daughters of slaves were left penniless via Jim Crow laws and other forms of discrimination thus putting us far behind.. This is an incredible speech.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wxBCl1RDwA
The Honorable Dr. King who challenged Jim Crow laws and discrimination was considered by his enemies to be a rabble rouser who was creating a dangerous climate with ‘incendiary’ words. His words were so powerful that former FBI head J Edgar Hoover saw fit to follow him and try to disrupt his activities via a program called Cointel-Pro.
There were many including some Black preachers who did not want King to come to their towns and speak because he would stir things up. His ability to move the masses was threatening.
Now at the end of the day, King was able to help push through the Civil Rights Bill of 1964 which put an end to most Jim Crow Laws. He was able to help get the Voting Rights Act of 1965 passed which ended discrimination practices at the polls. At the same time Kings powerful words so enraged folks, that he was constantly receiving death threats. He also ruffled the feathers of powerful people including President Lydon Johnson after he spoke out against the Vietnam War.
If Kings words were seen as important weapons against discrimination, why are we not seeing the words of today’s far right punditry weapons to support oppression and draconian behavior and policies?
The other thing to keep in mind about Dr King was his shrewd understanding of media in particular radio and what a powerful tool it was. many do not talk about the special relationship King had with Jack ‘Jack tha Rapper Gibson and the nations first Black owned radio station WERD founded in 1949 which was housed in the same building as King’s SCLC headquarters on Auburn street in Atlanta.
Gibson is credited with being the first to broadcast King and other Civil Rights leaders on public airwaves. There are stories about how when rallies and special events were unfolding, King would bang on the ceiling with a broom to the studio housed above him, the disc jockey would lower the boom mic and King would speak to the people via radio.
In 1967 Dr King delivered a rare and powerful speech in Atlanta to NATRA ( National Association of Television and Radio Announcers). The members of this important African American organization were very appreciative as King laid out the indispensable role Black radio had played in shaping and furthering the Civil Rights struggle. King names off some of the key unsung radio heroes who he says there would not have been a Civil Rights movement had they not reflected the mood of the people and brought critical information to the masses.
King also talks about how radio is the most important and predominant medium in the Black community. It has far more reach and influence than television. He also talks about how the music these Black radio announcers played. King asserted that it helped united people. King pointed out how Blacks and Whites were listening to the same songs and doing the same dances and that the Soul Music these disc jockey’s played had served as an important cultural bridge.
He also talks about how some of them were vilified for ‘creating a climate’ that led to the unrest in American cities. Most notable was the radio announcer named Magnificent Montague who had coined the phrase Burn Baby Burn to describe a hot record, but was later used a rallying cry for the Watts Riots of 1965.
Montague who was good friends with Malcolm X who had been assassinated earlier that year, was on the air at KGFJ was accused of riling the people up and causing the mayhem. He had done no such thing, nevertheless LAPD paid him a visit. Montague was made to drop the slogan Burn Baby Burn to Have Mercy Baby.
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If you are receiving this correspondence via email and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com to watch the video described in the above text. The views expressed in the media presented on this site are not necessarily the views and opinions of the Imani Foundation, our members, staff, or sponsors. Find us on FACEBOOK under the name "The Black Improvement Movement". Subscribe to our posts by emailing imanifoundation-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .
Black Panther is an American cartoon series by Marvel Animation in partnership with BET, based on the popular Marvel Comicssuperhero of the same name. It was the first animated television series produced by BET since Hey Monie!. The series was broadcast on the Australian children's channel ABC3 in January 2010,[1] and in the United States on BET in November 2011.[2]
Upon becoming the new Black Panther after the assassination of his father T'Chaka, T'Challa deals with the jealousy in the Wakandan royal court while looking for the man who killed his father. Unbeknownst to Black Panther, Klaw (the man who assassinated T'Chaka) has assembled a group of villains consisting of Batroc the Leaper, Juggernaut, the Vatican Black Knight, and the Russian Radioactive Man to help him take over Wakanda.
At a presentation held in New York City in April 2008, BET announced that it had signed a deal with Marvel Comics to turn Black Panther into a primetime half-hour animated series. In July 2008 at the San Diego Comic-Con International, the first footage of the series was shown publicly, indicating that the series was essentially just motion comic versions of the mini-series released by Marvel Comics.[13]
The show was supervised by Reginald Hudlin, the President of Entertainment at BET, who also wrote, along with John Romita, Jr. as the artist, the story arc of the Black Panther comic entitled "Who is the Black Panther?" on which the first six episodes were based.[13][14] Only subtle deviations from the comic exist, such as replacing Rhino with Juggernaut. Djimon Hounsou was cast to voice T'Challa/Black Panther.[15] The series was directed by Mark Brooks.[16] The theme song was composed by Stephen James Taylor in a dialect meant to be Wakandan (the fictional character's native language). In reality, the song employed a Bantu-based language of Taylor's creation.
If you are receiving this correspondence via email and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com to watch the video described in the above text. The views expressed in the media presented on this site are not necessarily the views and opinions of the Imani Foundation, our members, staff, or sponsors. Find us on FACEBOOK under the name "The Black Improvement Movement". Subscribe to posts by emailing imanifoundation-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .
Restoring Our Pre-Columbian Mind - Dr. Naim Akbar VIDEO
The published volumes of Dr. Akbar’s works are excellent illustrations of the unique and special approach he has taken to the role of an activist scholar. His volumes are targeted to a mass audience. Though the concepts that he presents are highly sophisticated, they are presented in a concise and simple way that readers with minimal education and possibly no familiarity with mainstream psychology will be able to comprehend the ideas from his books and increase their understanding of themselves. Though his scholarly status is unquestioned this area of his work is targeting a much broader audience than would likely encounter his works prepared for advanced students, professional colleagues and for the dialogue of the academy. He feels very strongly that truly relevant ideas should be available to as wide an audience as possible in order that they may study these ideas and apply them to their lives and to their communities. The measure of success for this aspect of his scholarship becomes the number of people from various walks of life that have been able to study these ideas, change their lives and their world.
If you are receiving this correspondence via email and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com/ to watch the video described in the above text. The views expressed in the media presented on this site are not necessarily the views and opinions of the Imani Foundation, our members, staff, or sponsors.
Find us on FACEBOOK under the name "The Black Improvement Movement".
Subscribe to our posts by emailing imanifoundation-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .
December 18, 2011
NEW Wise Intelligent interview w/ Davey D and peformance in Pittsburgh @ the August Wilson Center... 1 HOOD All Day...Everyday!!! Support the Supporters! BUY Intelligent Muzik TODAY @ http://www.wiseintelligent.com/ You can follow Wise Intelligent @ http://www.twitter.com/wiseintelligent
"The Black Man's problem is a F$%#ing lack of knowledge."
Here is the video link: http://youtu.be/NBAP2-EAz9s
If you are receiving this correspondence via email and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com/ to watch the video described in the above text.
The views expressed in the media presented on this site are not necessarily the views and opinions of the Imani Foundation, our members, staff, or sponsors.
Junious Ricardo Stanton debunks the US government's psy-op about last week's supposed killing of Osama bin-Laden providing additional material that supports his assertion the raid and killing of bin-Laden is a hoax. He also shares a news account supplied by former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney about NATO allowing 63 African refugees to die in the Mediterranian Sea fleeing Libya.
If you are receiving this correspondence via email and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com to watch the video described in the above text. The views expressed in the media presented on this site are not necessarily the views and opinions of the Imani Foundation, our members, staff, or sponsors. Find us on FACEBOOK under the name "The Black Improvement Movement". Subscribe to our posts by emailing imanifoundation-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .
Hip-Hop's Letter to Rev. Dr. M.L. King - Game & Nas
"Letter To The King" by The Game Nas (Game) Second floor my hotel I'm rollin' up bout to blaze And zone out to this Frankie Beverly and Mayes As our days about to pass and them days in the past He set my mind free so my mind free at last So much that I don’t even drink from a fuckin' glass I'd rather find the first fountain I can and do it fast Didn’t understand a dream of a king now do the math Coincidentally on your birthday's I ditched the class Cause the younger me, dumber me was chasin' the cash Chasin the ass, low life with his face in the grass Ridin home from school in front of the bus Not even thinking bout how Rosa Parks done it for us How she stayed behind bars and she done it for us And she stayed behind bars till she won it for us Sometimes I wanna give up or at least take a break That’s when I close my eyes and see Coretta Scott's face
Cause sometimes I wanna give up or at least take a break That’s when I close my eyes and see Coretta Scott's face
(Chorus Sample)
(Nas) Uh Word up Game Standing at the pue panoramic view of the seating Greeting, I’ve been meaning to do me some letter reading, to the King He forever breathing your messages never leavin' Some of your homies, phonies I should say it when I see them Them sleazy bastards, some greedy pastors, jerks Some should never be allowed in Ebenezer Baptist Church, in Atlanta Some people be patient I know this ghetto gramma' But I'm a street dude normally I just speak rude Martin Luther, the martyr, the trooper, hate killed him Nobel Peace Prize winner they duplicate the feelin' As a kid I ain't relate really, I was sayin' Dreams speech jokingly Till your world awoken me First I thought your were passive, soft one who ass kissed I was young to be honest, I was feelin Muhammad I ain't even know the strength you had to have to march You was more than just talk you were the first real Braveheart We miss you Feels like King be in me sometimes
(Chorus Sample)
(Game) The word nigger is nothing like nigga Don’t sound shit alike like Game like Jigga One came before the other like aim and pull the trigga' One is slang for my brotha, one is hang and take a picture The rope aint tight enough, he still alive go fix it Pour some gasoline on him, call his daughters black bitches Make him pick cotton, while they momma clean up the kitchen The same cotton in white tees that’s the cotton they was pickin If Dr. King marched today would Bill Gates march? I know Obama would but would Hillary take part? Great minds think great thoughts The pictures I paint make the Mona Lisa look like fake art I feel the pain of Nelson Mandela Cause when it rains it pours I need Rihanna's umbrella For Coretta Scott's tear drops When she got the phone call that the future just took a fuckin' head shot
I wonder why Jesse Jackson didn’t catch him before his body dropped Would he give me the answer? Probably not...
The Direct Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fD1FV5DAtI ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you are receiving this correspondence via email and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com/ to watch the video described in the above text. The views expressed in the media presented on this site are not necessarily the views and opinions of the Imani Foundation, our members, staff, or sponsors. Find us on FACEBOOK under the name "The Black Improvement Movement". Subscribe to our posts by emailing imanifoundation-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you are receiving this correspondence via email and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com/ to watch the video described in the above text. The views expressed in the media presented on this site are not necessarily the views and opinions of the Imani Foundation, our members, staff, or sponsors. Find us on FACEBOOK under the name "The Black Improvement Movement". Subscribe to our posts by emailing imanifoundation-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .
If you are receiving this correspondence via email or Facebook and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com/ to watch the video described in the above text. Joel Freeman is an author of a host of books including "God is Not Fair", "Living with Your Conscience without Going Crazy", and "If Nobody Loves You, Create the Demand". Joel was responsible for the inspiration behind the christian Business Directory called "The Shepherd's Guide". Since 1979 he has served as chaplain for the NBA's Washington Bullets, and as a result of that experience embarked upon extensive research into the culture and history of the African American . Joel holds a Master of Science degree in the field of counselling and also a Ph.D. in the same discipline. He specializes in equipping individuals with the tools to create proactive, motivated personal and business environments. In this book, and in the below videos he deals with his journey into researching and accepting what many Afrocentric historians have been correctly teaching regarding the glory of the ancient history of African people.
If you are receiving this correspondence via email and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com/ to watch the video described in the above text. The views expressed in the media presented on this site are not necessarily the views and opinions of the Imani Foundation, our members, staff, or sponsors. Find us on FACEBOOK under the name "The Black Improvement Movement". Subscribe to our posts by emailing imanifoundation-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .
If you are receiving this correspondence via email and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com to watch the video described in the above text. The views expressed in the media presented on this site are not necessarily the views and opinions of the Imani Foundation, our members, staff, or sponsors. Find us on FACEBOOK under the name "The Black Improvement Movement". Subscribe to our posts by emailing imanifoundation-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .
Motivation for the youth and for people who engage with our youth.
Acclaiamed author, motivational speaker, talk radio host Victor Woods hits home, tackling relevant issuses of todays times with words of hope and direction. To here more from Victor Woods please visit www.victorwoods.com or email him at victormwoods@yahoo.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you are receiving this correspondence via email and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com to watch the video described in the above text. The views expressed in the media presented on this site are not necessarily the views and opinions of the Imani Foundation, our members, staff, or sponsors. Find us on FACEBOOK under the name "The Black Improvement Movement". Subscribe to our posts by emailing imanifoundation-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .
Teachings of Dr. Malachi Z. York aka Amunnubi Rooakhptah back in 1995.
If you are receiving this correspondence via email and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com to watch the video described in the above text. The views expressed in the media presented on this site are not necessarily the views and opinions of the Imani Foundation, our members, staff, or sponsors. Find us on FACEBOOK under the name "The Black Improvement Movement". Subscribe to our posts by emailing imanifoundation-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .
This entertainment-variety-talk show was not only a vehicle to promote African-American artistry, community and culture, but also a platform for political expression and the fight for social justice. It showcased classic live musical performances from funk, soul, jazz, and world musicians, and had in-depth, extraordinary interviews with political, sports, literary figures and more. It was the first program on WNET (New York Public Television) to be recorded with the then-new technology of videotape, and most of the shows were recorded in real-time—not live, but unedited. Soul ran from 1968 to 1973. ABOUT SOUL ■ Memories of Ellis Haizlip and Enlightenment, by SOUL! producer Christopher Lukas
It's a shame people don't dance like this anymore. The Spinners performing on SOUL! tv WNET NY channel 13 on January 13, 1973.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you are receiving this correspondence via email and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com/ to watch the video described in the above text. The views expressed in the media presented on this site are not necessarily the views and opinions of the Imani Foundation, our members, staff, or sponsors. Find us on FACEBOOK under the name "The Black Improvement Movement". Subscribe to our posts by emailing imanifoundation-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .
Video description: Angry, fearless and divisive, comedian Paul Mooney takes direct aim at racism in his stand-up act. The former 'Chapelle's Show' contributor offers his controversial take on Sept. 11 and race in his typical scathing style. Chrisitan / Islamic sensitivity warning !
Chris Rock's comedic educational video on how not to be beat-up by Police Officers. Profanity warning ! If you are receiving this correspondence via email and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com to watch the video or visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj0mtxXEGE8 to watch the video on YouTube.
