Nature

Nature is my great motivator

Trees spreading sweet pine on the breeze

Sneeze! Sometimes I forgot pollen makes me wheeze.

Hat her? I could never hate our creator

Streams running flowing over and under various greens

True, true beauty in that flowing blue, blue

You all can enjoy it to

Dreams are made of these scenes

Tall figures that dominate all

Scratching clouds, unique trails never matching

Attaching to each other huddling like a hatchling

Fall? True kings are an indestructible wall

The mountains.
Nature.

Dear Bethlehem Central High School

Dear Bethlehem Central High school,

I would like to apologize for the following misunderstandings:

I’m sorry that spending five hours in school and then three at a required tutor isn’t enough for YOU

I’m sorry that I misunderstood that the reason of school was not learning but filling out a time sheet for YOU

I especially would like to apologize for thinking the purpose of education

Is to inspire imagination

And create an atmosphere for creation

In which children experience inspiration

Because of passionate people who care for the salvation

Of a misguided youth

I’m sorry that I thought I should get to leave highschool with my graduating class without spending time in summer school instead of enjoying life

I’m sorry that I wasted so much time lounging around in a hospital bed with a needle in my arm instead of enjoying life

I’m so sorry that I have a fear of needles as insane as that is

And I have to keep this needle in my arm as inane as it is

Something is coming like a train it is

Pain

It is

Mental pain

That is

I’m sorry that my body has chosen this inconvenient time to try and make its self turn inside out

I’m sorry that this has worn on my mind and that I’m not up to also having my mind turned inside out

I’m so fucking sorry that I think that I should pass after investing more time than anyone

 But oh not on the right days

Thanks for clearing that up

With Love

Jimy

E and C Come Home

Way back in 2008

Growing up in behem wasn’t great always surrounded by hate

That is till I met you guys

Straight shootin dudes who opened my eyes

Realized were now as free as the skies

Tight as brothers skatin behm cops always hatin

Cant grind? only choice is mistake makin

Taken back I feel guilty as fuck

It sucks Im the one who showed you drugs

Now wannabe thugs just because

Gettin caught up in the drug game

Just some kids takin a hit

No fuckin harm can come of this shit

That’s we liked to think

Before we went over the brink

No turnin back now

How? Just what youd say to me

Always talkin about dyin at 23

Yo C

Please change your thoughts man

Please change your actions damn

I wouldn'nt say this to you

If I didn’t know it was true

But dying early isn’t for you dude

E I gotta bring this up too

We were the dynamic duo nuthin could fuck up

word up makin money like it’s a fuckin stick up

But it’s up If I step back and take a close up

I was a terrible influence man

Understand, I’m sorry

Yeah for what I did

But because my help was so invalid

Coulda stopped you from doin all them hard drugs

To afraid of own addictions to budge

Now I can’t take it back I hope its not to late for you

Now I still think back to when we were like glue

Now if I could  bring you back before you were new

Now just ask for help you two arent alone

Now ask for help so we can take you home

Take you home take you home

Take, Take me home
Cause I don't remember

Take, Take me home
Cause I don't remember  

Critique 4: Chapter 4

                This chapter of The Hip-hop Wars was another I enjoyed because of how it linked social issues to other larger causes. This is similar to what chapter 3 did however chapter 4 speaks much more broadly about American culture as opposed to just black culture, so I am able to understand and relate to it more. While I found most Tricia Rose’s points thought provoking the one I had an issue with was her first which was that black people have a long standing association with violence and sexual deviancy. While this may be true in some circles at this point in time it is only extremist that still link rap and black people as one cause of corruption of youth and this is because rap does not equate to being the same as black people as a whole. I don’t think her point is completely invalid I just think she makes it sound more important a factor than her other mentioned issues. I found her discussion on the emergence of youth culture and its marketability to be far more convincing. How emerging youth culture also related to the change in family values and how the same changes in values were related to the distribution of wealth were also interesting points. It helps that Rose can tie all these points together so well and really helps her prove her point that hip-hop must be a progressive movement that draws on true American values such as equality and justice.

Critique 3: Chapter 3

                Chapter 3 was possibly the most interesting chapter of The Hip-hop Wars I’ve read. Two particular topics that interested me were the sentiments surrounding the no snitching attitude and the anti-educational attitude. Both issues I believe I was partially aware of before reading the chapter however Rose goes into their origins and reasons and by doing so she forces you to realize that rap is not hurting black culture so much as the people themselves are. Rap merely reflects an attitude of, as Geoffery Canada put it, “Just have our community. Do anything you want, and we will either deal with it ourselves or we will simply ignore it.” This attitude towards crime perpetuates the attitude that crime is ok. You can say it is up to the parents and leaders of the community to prevent the music from doing this however the issue lies in the anti educational attitude. Anything about mainstream culture is enemy to many children who also embrace the anti snitching ideals. Because of this any guidance from school or parents is found to not be helpful to these kids but rather makes them feel even more attacked. This is important as combined with the no snitching attitude these two common youth ideals create a recipe for neighborhoods full of drop outs and eventually as a result of lack of education and employment you get gangs. I found it interesting that Rose was able to root all these societal woes that are blamed on rap music to a larger cultural view that is flawed. It is a view that must be changed if improvement is ever to be an option.  

Critique 2: Chapter 7

                I enjoyed reading chapter 7 of Tricia Rose’s The Hip-hop Wars as it swayed my opinion slightly on Rap’s relationship with sexism and women. I was very much in favor of freedom of expression (one of the issues tackled in the chapter) but reading the chapter has made me realize while rappers should be allowed to demean women, if this is how they wish to express themselves, it doesn’t mean they should or that it is ok. The chapter also made me realize that censoring indecent words doesn’t change the overall message that it sends youth; youth that admire rappers above all else. I disagreed slightly however, that rap can’t contain sexist lyrics as a way to show a true issue of sexism in our culture. While the chapter argues sexism should be tackled at the root by rap I believe this in part has happened through rap displaying how sexist our culture is. The problem really arises in that not enough rappers are socially conscious enough to make it clear to their fans that they can rap these lyrics and still have a great deal of respect for women.  This issue goes back to the disconnect between how rappers act in their personas and in reality. Tricia Rose has made me think a lot of social issues related to rap are cause by this difference in personalities.

Imitation 6 Home

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's "Home" ft. Phil Collins is rap from the 2002 and was written by the group after a long period of struggle following the deaths of Easy-E (the groups greatest supporter and backer) and member Wish Bone's uncle Charlie (who they all say acted as the best father figure they had). The song expresses feelings of sorrow for their loss but also appreciation how they have helper them all through hard times. The song is a confession of what the Bone Thugs have gone through. The song often speaks generally but going through troubles we all have and is easy to relate to because of this. The rhyme scheme is interesting as it is aa b c dd e fffff all at the end. I like this rhyme scheme as Layzie Bone is able to make it flow really well even though most of the words do not technically rhyme. He also uses repetition of the phrase "out here" emphasizing how he views his old neighborhood. This repetition also helps contribute to how smooth everything flows. Layzie also uses a lot of poetic language straying from the literal meaning of his sentences at times. The line, "But see brain so cloudy" is  an example as it refers to drug use and how it prevents many people from being functioning members of society; this isn't mentioned in the line explicitly however.
They say everything happin' for a reason
Can you tell me why these niggas bleedin'
Needin' general assistance?
Out here needin' public housing
Out here tryna make ends meet
Tryna get on their feet
But see brain so cloudy
And I know what you don't know
You better get on your mission and get down for your dough
See the real niggas ready out here taken control
See I'm screamin' out Mo'
With my pockets on swoll