Since I have nothing else to do

Seeing as though I have NOTHING else to do. I'm blogging. I might be obsessed with this class just a little lol. Oh well, it's definitely how i get through the week sanely.

Here's something I wrote this week, uhm I find myself buried in my notebook for hours on end sometimes now, neglecting other homework, it's somewhat of a problem. Or walking to class bopping to my own beat in the street..here i go rhyming..but with "The Message" lyrics in my head or my MC Lyte verse from "Lyte as A Rock" or some random line from any other artist or just plain random phrases that I think of like this..false hopes, dreams and tattoos...shit like that...and I'm rambling at 2:30 am..lol

Here it is..it doesn't have a title I seldomly title anything lol, if you have an idea drop one, I'll consider it. I should probably memorize this, it's meant to be spoken, I'll get around to it eventually. lol

A real writer doesn't write for your pleasure
A real artist presents material for usage as mental treasure
True, I'm subject to your critique
But in reality I'm not, this is just my sanity technique

It so happens that you use it for recreation
but to me, it's just a mind and paper collaboration
To express my views on academics to pop culture
then from music to what I think of unnecessary torture

A true writer's work reflects how they maintain composure
contrary to common belief it's not to gain commercialized exposure

A real writers work is a coping mechanism
the mimics and all the "Get rich quick gimmicks" are just victims of capitalism,
just atttempting to expedite the eradication of classism, but solely for themselves.

Real artists do this shit to free ourselves
we'd be perfectly content keeping these books on the shelves

One might say, well you should talk to a friend
but that's not always so easy, the situation depends
but my hand and notebook paper can talk forever.
Whatever i go through, me my notebook and pencil, endure it together.

See, to a real artist this is how we might express our pain,
otherwise, some might be liable to go insane
these words aren't in vain,
I'm alleviating pain.

I use my words to illustrate what i feel that would otherwise be presented by tears
these feelings are authentic
voiceless emotions decoded
my life story, I wrote it, my heart spoke and I quoted.
my life is not a mixtape, it does't need to be promoted.

I don't do this for popularity
Solely for mental clarity
I'm not rich from this, nor am I trying to be
Life gets foggy sometimes, I'm just trying to see
I hurt inside, but I'm not allowed to flee
I write these words so that my soul is free

I'm a REAL kind of writer....THIS IS LIFE TO ME.

-yours truly
Mszedukated..over and out.

A little knowledge never hurt nobody

So today I learned about Hip Hop Theatre the art form. Very interesting. When asked to define it prior to the lesson, I had NO idea what to say or any names big in it or anything like that.

But today like it was cool, uhm we watched some stuff by some big names in the business. Was definitely cool, everyone had their own little unique presentation style. Some were spoken word, some freestyle, some theatrical stuff too. I think the most interesting was Danny Hoch, check him out yo, on youtube. He's different, but that's what it's about, being different, expressing yourself in a unique fashion. See the cool thing about hip-hop is that you can present yourself anyway you want to, hip-hop gives you that abilit; that kind of just set in for real today.

Anyway, so where have I been? It's been 4 days right lol. Well besides trying not to bust my ass walking to class on the ice, and being unsuccessful at it. I've been writing some stuff, trying to up my game a little. Trying some freestyles, and some written freestyles covering for familiar instrumentals. Check facebook for now for 2 songs I got out, one featuring my dude FlyBoy Bryce. uhmmmm I'm going to see if I can get them up here soon, to be honest I don't know how to really work this blog shit. I'm learning as I go. uhm I'm trying to figure out some shit for this like valentines talent show type thing, not quite sure yet what I'm going to do but i got a few days to get it together.

oh but wait, back to what I was saying about the being "different" component peep this dude Charles Hamilton if you havent already. He's MC Lyte's cousin if I'm not mistaken, originally from Ohio now reppin Harlem and BK. Cat's really kind of nice, uhm calls himself Sonic the Hedgehog, yes from Sega Genesis (Seeeeggaaaaaa), showing my age lol but uhm do some research and find out why he calls himself that, it is a rather meaningful metaphor, I'll say.
So here's him freestyling for DJ Green Latern. Youtube him for more.

Mutya Buena...B-Boys?

Well with our recent discussions of breaking in class, I thought maybe it was appropriate to post this song. It kind of reflects how breaking has transcended American borders. Mutya Buena is a British singer, a former member of the British pop group, Sugababes and it features one of my favorite artists right now, Amy Whinehouse. Check it out.

Lyte's On!

MC Lyte that is...

Must I say it again, I've said it before, move out my way when im comin through the door...("Lyte as A Rock", 1988)

Lana Michele Moorer better known as, "MC Lyte" stepped on the scene when she was 12 and got signed when she was 17. The Brooklyn native was signed to her father Nat Robinson's, First Priority Music recording label. Her first single, "I Cram to Understand U", a song about her trying to vie for time from a boyfriend struggling with a crack addiction.

Lyte pioneered the Grammy scene for the women in the rap game with "Ruffneck", it became the first gold single ever made by a solo female rap artist.

In the mid '90s, Lyte went to a new record label; she signed to Elektra/Asylum and in '03 she made her own label, "SGI/CMM". Lyte's rap career alone is crazy, spanning near 2 decades, with more than 10 albums. She's receieved a number of awards including Billboard Artist of the Year Award, Soul Train's video of the year award, and being honored on VH1's Hip Hop Honors.

BUT, Lyte is so much more than just music. She's even kicked in the Hollywood game. She's been on a number of sitcoms as herself, or another character. Shows such as, New York Undercover, My Wife and Kids, Moesha, In the House, and Half & Half. She's also had a role in a few movies, "Fly by night, Train Ride, and Playa's Ball" to name a few.

Lyte has done a lot for humanity, promoting safe sex and being a political activist as well as other things. She was fully supportive of Barack Obama and was quoted saying, I'm not voting for him (Obama) because he's a black man, I am voting for Obama because of his message and I identify with his words and his passion."

Lyte's many works and illustrious career has earned her an honorary membership to Sigma Ghamma Rho Sorority Inc as well as a place in many peoples hearts and a role model to many young black women across America.

One of my favorite tracks from the mid 90s with some old school flavor.

Speak your Truth....

Alright so bet, we had a free write today, and Kashi said alright go write and we were all like, well...write what..and THEN she said speak your truth..so I took that and ran with it...

Truth is I'm insubordinate to politics
Truth is I couldn't give less of a damn about sideline critics
Really.
Truth is my lyrical disposition disregards your position and leaves your opinion hurt; in critical condition
Truth is I see the unseen, predict what's yet to come and what you're trying to do, I've already done
Truth is that my mind bleeds profusely unique knowledge, not the shit that's taught in textbooks in college
Really.
Truth is I'm a quiet rebel
Truth is I have a rambunctious alter ego
Truth is that my reality is only your biggest hope
Truth is I lose myself within myself
And your truth is you criticize myself, because I'm not like thyself,
haha.Damn. I'm buggin
getting beside myself, really
But let me come back; find myself
reposition my presence; ultimately redefine myself.....

Hip Hop is......

HIP HOP IS emotion.
Hip Hop is devotion.
Hip Hop is a way of life.
Hip Hop is a struggle
Hip Hop is success
Hip Hop represents our freedom to express.
Hip Hop is dead.
Hip Hop is alive.
Hip Hop will probably forever continue to thrive.
Hip Hop is collective.
Hip Hop is individual,
Hip Hop plays a position in my life that's critical.
Hip Hop is me,
Hip Hop's you too,
HIP HOP IS WHAT WE DO.

It's how we talk,
It's how we walk,
It's even in the hopscotch games on the block with chalk.
Hip Hop sings,
Hip Hop Dances,
Hip Hop even catches romances.
Hip Hop spits,
Hip Hop beatboxes,
Hip Hop will never be limited to social boxes.
You mold it how you want to,
whatevers applicable to you,
you live your own interpretation,
It's definition is up to your own perception,
your personal translation,
To each's own unique creation.

Hip Hop is these words,
simply because I CAN.

Hip Hop is.....(insert thoughts here)

Recognize what this is..

Tomorrow represents the dream. I represent the dream. You represent the dream. Recognize that and KEEP the dream alive.

Happy Martin Luther King Day to all, but lets remember that service and good deeds should not be constricted to just this very day. Everyday should be approached like a Martin Luther King day. Everyday you should wake up and LIVE the dream, that in essence is the dream afterall.

It's bigger than Hip Hop

See, me I think more critically, way more analytically, y'all think one-dimensionally, merely politically....Pause. Now that I've hopefully caught your attention...Allow me..Because I was just wondering...



Why are we as people so 2-dimenisonally minded? Why is that what our eyes have the inablity to see our minds have the inability to conceptualize? It's bigger than what we see, it's bigger than what we think. It's bigger than me, bigger than you.

Dead Prez reiterated it perfectly for us Hip-Hop heads...

First Day

So yesterday was the first day of Act Like You Know at LU. This is the 3rd generation of the class. It was pretty excting and I love my classmates and I think this journey that we've all decided to embark on will be fun and equally enlightening to us all. I'm known as "Cool Chelsea" by way of the name game lol.

Free Write today was "Hip-hop is...", so that was cool, maybe that will be exposed at a later date.

Now on to trying to master the last 3 verses of Grandmaster Melle Mel and the Furious Fives "The Message" for tomorrow. Old school hip-hop, the good stuff.