Hatin' On My Hexaquarks

When I was still a tyke, Spiderman was my favorite superhero. I remember my mom buying me a Spiderman Halloween costume and long after that night of candy gathering had passed, I continued to wear that foam muscled suit around the house. In my eyes, Peter Parker was the perfect blend of morals, athleticism, and science. Younger than most, always loaded with a quip, a good heart, Spidey has been and still is an amazing hero and role model. He's just no longer my favorite.

My world changed the first time I watched Static Shock on WB Kids. Before I met Static, the heroes I loved the most resembled and represented me the least. I was too young to notice, but there was an imperceptible, yet powerful change that happened when I saw Virgil Hawkins.

A native to the fictional Dakota City, Virgil Hawkins (a good kid by all means) got caught up in some gang activity and was exposed to a gas that gave him his powers, along with others at the scene. Those who walked away became known as Bang Babies. Virgil attained electromagnetic powers and became the hero known as Static Shock to fight Bang Babies gone bad.

That show is so important to me because it changed the way I looked at myself, even when I was too young to understand. Whereas I pretended to be Spiderman, I dreamed of being Virgil. Virgil was funny, a geek, loved his family. When I looked at him, I saw me (I definitely look more like him with my hair longer). He wasn't a rich white grown man, he was a black inner city kid who was positively changing his city.

Yesterday, I bought my first comic, BLACK by Kwanza Osajyefo.

In many ways, the world of BLACK is very similar to the world we reside in: black bodies are taken, stolen, undervalued. But in this universe of superheroes, the only caped crusaders are people of color. The main character, Kareem, finds this out after taking a surplus of bullets that should have been the end of his story. But upon finding out that he isn't another black male executed by the cops, he learns that he is among a select few who has superpowers.

This was a world building chapter to me. We're introduced to the characters, the reason these powers are popping up (formation of quarks known as hexaquarks), the organization who's mission is to protect people like Kareem. I'm definitely excited to see where the series goes from here.

But the strength of BLACK lies in the representation. The same excitement I had watching Static Shock on TV is the same feeling I had when the cashier at Atomic Books handed me my copy. That feeling sprouts from knowing that when I flip through these pages, I'll be face to face with characters who look like me.

Superheroes were born out of the Great Depression. The saying goes that "Necessity is the mother of invention". In a time when America needed it, we were given new hope in the form of the super powered. But who is that "we"? It wasn't those with melanin, that's for sure. On top of economic struggles, blacks were still suffering from racism in profound ways. And we were told that our heroes to look up to were white men with chiseled jaws. But it's damaging to grow up with this idea that only predominantly white males can save us from our tribulations (some they were responsible for).

Fast forward to the 21st century, and though some would claim that we're living in a post-racial America, racism is still alive. The harassment black boys and girls go through, the housing/workplace/educational discrimination we experience, the executions and persecutions of brown bodies by the state are harrowing. Some of us have reached a point of numbness after continually hearing about our brothers and sisters being killed. So imagine as a PoC hearing about a comic where the main character is black, but bullets don't even phase him. Imagine seeing the cover of BLACK and seeing a boy in a hoodie (who could equally be Trayvon, me, you, or your loved one) at gunpoint by the cops ... and knowing he'll walk away. Method Man in Marvel's Luke Cage said it best:

We need BLACK. We need Luke Cage. We need Static. We need to know that when times are tough, in the face of adversity, our protector hasn't been bused in from the suburb. She visits the same corner store as you. He's faced microaggressions you have. I'm so happy that there will be kids who read BLACK, immediately feel the link, and have positivity and strength course through them.

I'll mention that not everyone's happy. This picture shows the top comment on CBR's Facebook page in response to BLACK:

@kwanzer @BLACKsuprpowrs hey it's taken from CBR's Facebook page. https://t.co/KAk1HqL3Z9 pic.twitter.com/dD1wt0YEnh

— Andy Haigh (@Wolverinesclaws) October 1, 2016

And I'll respond with words I heard from Crissle from The Read. At their London show, in response to finding out that in England, there was backlash against POC-only yoga studios and white people crying "Racism!", she said, "It's not racist to create a space for ourselves; it's racism that makes us need a space for ourselves". We need these types of comics, these types of heroes. Latin@s, blacks, Asians, Middle Easterners, we've all suffered for not being white. But somehow, it was whites who were given rescuers, and in their image no less. So I applaud the creators of BLACK for giving us the heroes we need, especially in the social climate we live in.

Hate on my hexaquarks all you want. But I'm black and I'm super. And though only a small percentage of our people have these abilities, all of us can take pride in BLACK.

Age Ain't Nothing But A Number

Aaliyah might have been talking about how age shouldn't get in the way of a relationship, but this is going in a little different direction. This is about how age shouldn't get in the way of your life.

* * *

I don't remember when the tradition started, but at least since I was 10, my Pops has asked me how it feels to be a year older on my birthday. It's like a call and response because every year I've said the same thing: "Meh, I feel the same as I did yesterday". Even from a young age, I didn't see my birthday as some huge, radical transition. But not everyone feels that way.

Do a quick DDG or Google Search for "What should every [your age]..." and see what shows up. This is what I get:

We're constantly comparing ourselves to others, hoping we fall within the range of normality for our current stage of life. We love analyzing and scrutinizing numbers: ACT scores, BMIs, salaries and the amount we've accomplished in our lives are no different. If you ask me, however, this can be a debilitating way of thinking. There will always be people who ever done more than you have, have used their time on Earth in ways you couldn't imagine. There's even a website you can even check out to see what achievements people have reached. Again, I'll be your guinea pig:

At 19, people have invented the rules of baseball, led their own expeditions, and delivered Harvard commencement speeches. And I remember when I first saw this site posted to Reddit and so many people expressed feeling bummed because comparatively, it looks like they've wasting space since their first breath.

But for me, I look at the achievements of these people and my outlook is "Wow, look at what the human spirit is capable of". At the end of the day, their lives are not mine. Yeats or Thoreau are not in my head, like some twisted Inside Out, berating me for not doing as much as them. I have to be happy with who I am right now, and if I'm not, I have to change on my own accord.

You know what's more important than a number? Your happiness. If you want to play dodgeball at 67, go right ahead. Want to go back to school, but you might be described as "over the hill"? Grab the nearest application and head to Walmart for school supplies. Wanna write n book or record a song, but you can't see R-rated movies alone yet? Get your mic, get your pen, and get creative. Don't decide on your success or your worth based on what others have accomplished at your age. Be your own benchmark. Be better than you were yesterday, irrespective of how many candles you put on your cake.

Instead of looking around, look ahead. Twin Peaks (which I'm currently bingeing) nudged me towards this mindset:

Whether you're 9, 19, or 90, focus on the life you have ahead and all the marvelous things you can still wrap your hands around, all the great things you still have to do. Imagine all the possibilities of the years ahead and don't let some number dictate your life.

Make the Moment

"Don't touch the floor; it's LAVA!"

"Let's race to the corner and back!"

"We should build an airplane with the stuff in the backyard!"

I haven't been in second grade in about a decade now, but I still remember the way my principal signed off during the end of day announcements: "And don't forget to play outside until the streetlights come on". I think it had such a lasting impression because the emphasis put on playing was clear and powerful. The message was "Don't sit inside all day; go out and Do".

And when we were younger, we did so much. I spent a lot of time at my Mama J's house with all my cousins. Once, after my third grade teacher taught my class how to make ink, I took my new information to Mama's house and we painted a large section of her white fence (she was not impressed, shockingly). I remember using storage containers and mattresses as staircase luges (which six year old me with his arm cast wouldn't recommend). We would play 3Fly in the street and scram to the sidewalks when someone yelled "CAR!"

Now some people might have had calmer childhoods, but I wouldn't doubt if a few folks got into as much craziness, if not more. But when I look around, I wonder "What happened to those kids? To that energy?"

Take a trip to Frostburg on the weekend and you'll have no problem finding parties. But you'll also have no issue finding people bored and complaining. The complaints follow a pattern:

• "The town should do more and provide more events"
• "There's nothing to do BUT party, so what am I suppose to do?"
• "All the events the school provides are lame, so there's really nothing to do?"

Really? 

When I hear people talk like this (and I've heard it from and often), my thought is never "You're right, there really is nothing to do". I think "Wow, people really don't want to take responsibility for their own leisure".

My squad during freshman year was the antithesis to this lethargy. We longboarded, we poked our hands into the woods and our feet in the creek, we took night drives just because. It was beautiful and lit because we never let the defeat settle in. We were doers. When the moment came when we wanted to do something, we didn't sit around and complain that the community wasn't servicing us. We went out, claimed every minute, and put every memory in our pockets like it was a souvenir to marvel at later.

This weekend, I didn't visit Frostburg. I could have easily sat around and just binge Netflix but I knew that if I asked myself Monday "What did you do this weekend?", my answer would have been "...nothing". So I grabbed my bookbag, packed some food, and took a trip to BrainFest. Unbeknownst to me til I got there, it was hosted at my old elementary school. And it was amazing! I got to test run a Hololens, helped teach a robot arm to mimic my movements, and walked away more knowledgeable about the human brain than when I entered.

Don't lounge around until something falls in your lap. On more than one occasion, I've stepped out my door, spun in a circle, and walked in whatever direction I stopped in, no endgame in mind. And through this, I've find the most striking things. Did you know that there's a Easter Island head in Baltimore? I randomly found out one day just meandering and taking in my city.

"But King, my city doesn't have random statue heads or brain festivals?" Well, start one! Someone built that head, someone organized that fair. Especially if your not in a popular or populous place (like Frostburg), it's almost imperative that you go out and start instead of staying in and waiting. The true warriors of Frostburg State? The LARPers. Because they go out onto the green in front of everyone and LARP their hearts out (I swear it's like Medival Times when you watch from the caf). Whatever it is that you love, go out and do it, points for finding others who share your passion. And if your search turns up empty, be the founder of something amazing that other people will flock to.

All it takes is the decision to take responsibility for yourself and your joy. There's so many books to be read, discussions to be had, community projects begging for your services, art to be birthed. Boredom is mindset you don't have to submit to. Take your mind to your younger days: don't wait for the moment, make the moment.

The Rap Game S02E09 aka Jermaine Dupri and The Deadly Vowels Pt 1

For last week's episode breakdown, click here.

Now that you're caught up, we can try to tackle this beast of an episode.

***

It's absolutely crazy to think that next week is the finale. Well, actually this week is also the finale. This is part one of the two part conclusion. If I had to guess, JD must be a Harry Potter or Infinity Wars fan.

I decided to structure this week's post a little differently since there was no challenge. Everyone is prepping for next week's big performance to determine who will sign to So So Def. Since everyone is grinding and focused, there was no challenge. There were many telling moments and revealing glimpses, however. And with no challenge, there was no hit list. But thanks to some carefully taken screenshots, I've unlocked the hidden ninth hit list before next week's decision.

Hidden Hit List

Like last season with Supa Peach, Lil Key and his mom have been recording the hit list in the room. Here's some snaps of it:

Some quick math will give us the following for the average for the eight weeks:

1. Lil Key 2.375
2. Nia Kay and Prince Of New York 2.625
3. Mani 3.25
4. Jayla Marie 3.375 (I gave her a 5 for the week she sat out)

Now this is a somewhat cold way of ranking all the kids, so let's look at the artists behind the numbers.

Lil Key

As I said before, I'm rooting for Lil Key to win. As much as I admire his talent, I admire his essence. For someone still of high school age, he's a very humble and wise kid. This episode alone he said "No matter what obstacle, I'm jumping over them". Acknowledging that people would go into beast mode now that the pressure is on, he remarked that they “should have been going hard like from day one, I’ve been going the hardest that I can”. His hunger is so evident and his work ethic is so admirable. Most times it seems like he is the only one who consistently extracts lessons every week.

But I did notice one hiccup. His biggest appeal rapping wise may be his biggest drawback. Last week during the versatility challenge, he came out the gate charging, but when the beat changed, he tripped. The aggressiveness of his rapping balances well with his disposition, but he's always the aggressive rapper. Thankfully he took the advice given to him to smile more, but when you're always start with your intensity at 100, it becomes expected. The last thing you want from a listener is to develop a tolerance and potentially a boredom because they know what you're giving them before you even get a chance to give it to them.

Yet, that seems like more of a long term problem (something JD will definitely have to consider when deciding who to sign). In the short term, I think the aggressive, turn up style he's stayed true to will work in his favor at the concert. And because there's a big stake tied to this challenge (as I outlined he needs last week), I don't think he'll mess up during the performance at all.

Nia Kay

I firmly believe that Chicago is one of the Mystical Groves of Hip Hop. I mean it gave us Chance, Vic Mensa, Kanye, Lupe, Common, and many many more. So I was extremely excited when I found out Nia Kay was from Chicago. She had such a powerful audition; completely held her own in front of Snoop Dogg; and like Key, has topped The Hit List three times. 

That being said, I'm not her biggest fan. She suffers the same issue as Key: stagnant flow. JD even commented that her flow is always the same. And worse than her cadence never changing, her signature thing is the woo-ing and dabbing. But it's just annoying, frankly. I won't even pretend that an artist can't have a signature move or phrase, but it should not be so irritating that it turns me off to you performing.

But again, in much the same way as Bmore's own, when it comes to next week's performance, I don't think it'll be detrimental. Nia Kay is a strong performer who's energy can connect with the crowd. And no shade, but the flow she has is familiar, so I think the crowd will only vibe with her more.

Prince of New York

Oh boy.

Da Brat likened him to a mad scientist during his audition. Strangely enough, his story was the classic NY artist mythos flipped on his head: instead of heading to the Big Apple with only his hopes and dreams, he hailed from NY, but with arguably the least experience in the group. His flow is absolutely ridiculous, like a Twista Jr but with way more Afro. He quickly became a favorite of mine and he's continued to prove so. He won the photo shoot challenge and landed on the cover of Hip Hop Weekly. Last episode, he absolutely killed the formal challenge in versatility and slaughtered the informal challenge during the Rap Battle.

Now before we can get to the important part, we have to address our visit from Uncle Flo.

Jermaine invited Flo Rida and all the kids were so excited. Now I don't think Flo Rida is anything amazing, but like Darius from Atlanta said "Moms need rap too". All the kids thought they would be performing with Flo the next day, but Mr. Rida and Mr. Dupri had another surprise in store: gym class. I could not shake the feeling that this was a Play 60 plug and the wonderful Michelle Obama was going to walk out and speak to the kids. But in actuality, this was suppose to show the kids that there's a physical component to rapping and performing, and there is conditioning to prepare for it. I might not be a Coach Flo diehard, but I did notice some terrible form on these kids' pushups that needs to be addressed. So, there was some good from his visit.

After the pushups and laps, Coach asked all the kids to spit because as a professional, even when you're exhausted, you still have to perform. And this is where everything spirals out of control. Mani's dissection will come later, but it's worth noting that he actually volunteered to go first. But Prince hyped up on feeling himself and adrenaline just butted in. You could argue that he was being assertive, but I think assertive can be truncated to get to the real behavior...

It's amazing because I noticed that compared to last season, this season is a lot more amicable. Usually it's the managers who stir up trouble, but even they were behaving better (for the most part). But lately PoNY has become a little diva and hasn't been playing well with others. On the field with Flo Rida, he and Jayla would not stop bickering. I'll put most of the blame in his court because he was being extremely rude, cutting people off, refusing to let anyone say they were better than him. Again, "But he SHOULD think he's the best and blah blah blah". Bye, he knows better. For Prince, the Rap Game has become the Rep Game because even one perceived iota of disrespect is enough to set him off now. Everyone basically had to get in between Jayla and him because the arguing was getting heated.

He's even talking back and snarling at Yovanka, his manager, but more importantly his MOTHER. Let me tell you, I was truly scared for that boy. (By the way, when Prince asked for critique and Yovanka said he could do better and the music in the back scratched in the back, I had trouble catching my breath from laughing).

Even with the sudden attitude shift, Prince has been doing a lot of things right. He noticed that everyone (including himself) has been spitting the same rhymes lately, so he took it upon himself to write a new one. JD commented last week that Prince's mic holding was atrocious, so he walked around holding a microphone to practice. Prince may be the wettest behind the ears, but he's a powerful rapper and I think he's gonna impress the crowd come time for the performance.

Mani

I want to root for Mani. He's like a mini Snoop Dogg, which is great for him because the last baby Snoop was signed to So So Def. Mani is a real cool cat, and even though he didn't do great during last week's versatility challenge, he switched up his flow when he rapped for Flo Rida. When JD asked all the kids what kind of beats they wanted, Mani was the only one who requested something outside of what he would be expected of him, which I think deserves recognition.

But I think the biggest obstacle Mani faces is Mani. When the kids switched managers, Key's mom asked Mani "Who is Mani?" and his response was a verbal shrug. Mani, along with everyone else, says he's just Cali laid back, but I just don't think he's committed to this competition. In fact, it often feels like his mom wants this win more than he does. She did a whole exposition on how he came from the streets (which I'd think he'd know...) and has shown more passion for him winning than he has.

Except when he performed for Ms. Mariah.

I won't speak too long on Mariah because I don't have too many nice things. Mariah has had an incredible career and is known for the amazing range she was gifted with. But recently, she hasn't been holding up. I honestly forgot about her 2014 Christmas performance (I apologize in advance), but was swiftly reminded when she struggled to hum a few notes.

But this show (thankfully) is not about her. Mariah's visit definitely got the kids excited and she even remarked she saw something special in Mani.

What will Mani be like next week? The only concern I have would be how the crowd receives his energy. I may think Mani is too chill for his own good, but with the way people love turn up music right now, I fear he'll have trouble connecting to the crowd and getting the response he wants.

Jayla Marie

I've said it once, and I'll say it again: Jayla shouldn't be on this show. Jayla is not a rapper, she's a performer. When she and Prince were arguing, she stated that he couldn't sing like she can. One, this isn't The Voice, so whether he can is irrelevant unless he's exceptional and can pull off an Anderson Paak. B, Jayla can't sing. Multiple people have told her not to, or that she wasn't on pitch. This is a rap competition. She's had trouble memorizing lyrics she didn't have to spend time writing, even under the same time constraints as the other kids. She even skipped a challenge week.

Can Jayla perform? Yes. Does she have the potential to be a popular child star? I honestly think so. Next week, I think she'll do fine, but I doubt she'll get signed.

***

And that's that for this week. Excited to see who comes out on top of this 10 week musical journey and gets that So So Def gold chain.

Pursuit of Happiness(es)

When I was younger, I was thrilled to go to college. An avid reader and one of the few it seemed who loved going to school, college seemed like heaven: learn whatever you want; everyone's intellectually hungry; labs, books, and bliss every day.

In my idea of Fantasy U, I'd be able to pursue all my passions. When I got my diploma, I'd walk off the stage an astronaut-mathematician-author-paleontologist-historian... I was going to earn those hyphens and that ellipsis!

And then reality hit. But more accurately, society hit. Growing up, I was pushed to a STEM path. And not just me, but so many parents of kids my age try to define and commit their child to a hobby or talent or passion for the rest of their lives.

But then I look at Donald Glover. I was watching Atlanta Tuesday (because my loyalty to Royalty is real) and I was suddenly consumed with pride and admiration. I will always applaud the success of another black male or female, but in Glover's case I couldn't help but to gawk at his portfolio. He wrote for 30 Rock pretty much immediately after graduating college. At that point, he could already be labeled a success ...  but he left 30 Rock. Not because he no longer had a passion for writing, but because writing wasn't his only passion. He has 

• Done stand up
• Acted on Community for nearly five whole seasons
• LEFT Community just because he just wanted to be on his own
• Learned to program, and advocated for the younger generation to learn to code
• Written, directed, and starred in a short film
• Written, produced, created and acted in Atlanta

In this A.V. Club interview, he says his mom said (in regards to him leaving his job at 30 Rock), “I don’t get it. What are you doing?” When he was left Community, people thought his choice to rap as Childish Gambino was Glover playing around or even making a mistake. People loved Troy, why would he just walk away from that?

It might seem like I'm stanning right now, but there's much to be learned from Glover. He could have stayed in any of the areas he's stuck a foot in and found successes. But, he stayed true to his varied and far reaching passions and it has paid off.

Along with Bino, I look to Elon Musk as a great source of inspiration. Elon Musk is LITERALLY a real world Tony Stark. He's known for

• Tesla
• SpaceX
• Now owning SolarCity
• Popularizing the Hyperloop
• Being a strong proponent for interplanetary travel

But in Musk's case, his failures are just as, if not more, important than as his successes. Failed launches, burning electric cars, almost going bankrupt. For some, any of these obstacles would lead to a reevaluation of your priorities. Plenty of people thought he was spreading himself too thin, spending too much time at one company when another was sinking, having goals considered to be too lofty. 

But look at what he's accomplished by saying "All of these are important to me, nothing's being abandoned." He's made the science fiction concept of returning reusable rockets routine; SpaceX is now the face of modern day space travel; and 325,000 $1000 reservations for the Tesla 3, a car not even on the market yet, were made a week after unveiling it.

Glover and Musk are fantastic figures in my eyes, but I can't finish this without mentioning Batman. I've always been drawn to him as one of my favorite superheroes, mostly because he had no powers. He earned his place among these gods and weirdly was probably more of a symbol of the American way than Superman (minus the disposition obviously): despite the worst or most scarring events, through hard work he reshaped his destiny and his place in the world.

How did he rebuild himself? Through brain and brawn. Bruce Wayne has multiple degrees and knows various martial arts. Now, one might make the argument that as a fictional character it carries less weight to have all these accolades. But this is not a post about the practicality of achieving so many amazing things. This is a post about the mindset behind those achievements.

I'm not even 20 years old yet i.e. I have more years ahead of me than behind. I'm not done yet and still figuring things out. But I know for sure that I want to be happy and I want to do what I love. So I write, not to become some internet celeb, but because this is what I like to do. I develop apps and read books and learn languages because these things make me happy and I think it's ridiculous to give any of them up so that I may restrict myself to a sliver of the satisfaction I currently have to satisfy others. 

Like Mufasa (RIP) said "Everything the light touches is our kingdom". I plan on enjoying everything under the sun. Why else do you think they call me King Sol?

Pugilists, Pigskins, and Patriotism

The day was April 28, 1967. This is the day that the late Muhammad Ali, heavyweight boxing champion of the world, became more than an athlete. He became a leader because this is the day that Ali refused to join the US Army during the Vietnam War.

The day was August 26, 2016. Colin Kapernick, quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, refused to stand for the national anthem and shocked the nation. A star became an activist, and the country was stirred.

Almost 50 years apart, and yet, America reacted the same.

To catch those unaware up to speed, Kaepernick decided he would draw attention to the racial issues and the ongoing struggles the black community have been suffering by sitting out (and then taking a knee during) the national anthem. In his words:

"I'm going to continue to stand with the people that are being oppressed. To me, this is something that has to change. When there's significant change and I feel that flag represents what it's supposed to represent, and this country is representing people the way that it's supposed to, I'll stand."[1]

As a Black American, I fully support Kaepernick. I was in high school when Trayvon was murdered, sitting in my dorm lobby watching my city grieve on CNN following Freddie Gray's death, and marched in a #BlackLivesMatter protest after witnessing the disgusting and unjust executions of Philando and Alton. Each incident only hits harder because each time it could have been me. So, it's imperative that I get behind any stand (or lack thereof) for our lives, for my life.

But what I found especially interesting was the response to Kaepernick's protest. A new hashtag was even born: #boycottNFL

Tonight will be a silent protest against the anti-American "national" football league. Turn off the TV. #BoycottNFL

— Mike Cernovich (@Cernovich) September 12, 2016

#boycottNFL I just saved alot of $$ by being a patriot and cancelling my NFL package. Done and over with.

— Deplorable Latina (@terrymendozer) September 9, 2016

I just cancelled #NFLSundayTicket with @DIRECTV. I refuse to pay to watch players disrespect the flag.🇺🇸 #boycottNFL

— Alaskans 4 Trump (@TCB_AK) September 9, 2016

I couldn't help but to draw comparisons to the flak that Kaepernick has been getting to the way the public turned on Ali after he objected to participating in the war in Vietnam. I can only imagine that Ali's words and stand against the Vietnam Draft served as inspiration for Kaepernick:

“You want me to go somewhere and fight, but you won’t even stand up for me here at home!”[2]

They called Ali unpatriotic, stripped him of his title, fined him $10000, sentenced him to five years in prison. In some eyes, Ali went from a beloved boxing icon to a hated traitor to the country. Jackie Robinson commented that Ali’s disobedience was a setback for the race[3]. A popular television host at the time, David Susskind, said:

I find nothing amusing or interesting or tolerable about this man. He’s a disgrace to his country, his race, and what he laughingly describes as his profession. He is a convicted felon of the United States. He has been found guilty. He is out on bail. He will inevitably go to prison, as well he should. He’s a simplistic fool and a pawn.[4]

It’s amazing to me that 50 years apart, and yet the visceral reaction is almost identical. Two men, one from the original Civil Rights movement and the other from its resurgence, used their status in their respective sports to reach millions with a message against the injustices perpetrated against people of color … and they were met with animosity. Ali actions said “I can’t fight for a country that abuses those who look like me” and attempts were made to destroy his image and career. Kaepernick's protest said “This is the land of the free for some, but until it is for everyone I can’t stand for that flag”. And people would rather turn their TVs off than face the flaws embedded in this very country.

But in my eyes, those who stand against the injustices they see are more patriotic than those willing to turn a blind eye. These United States are not a utopia of white privilege, bliss, and absolute safety. Pockets may exist, but ingrained in the backbone of this country is oppression. Luckily, there are those are working to eradicate the illness we have been afflicted with for sometime. Kaepernick may not have faced the flag, but he faced the nation and said “This country can be better, and I will do my part in helping us reach that goal”. That is someone who cares enough for the present and the future state of this country and wants to see us progress. Ali was a hero to his people because instead of turning his back on the theft of our lives, the deprivation of our liberties, and the denial of our happiness so that he could fight for a country that wouldn’t have cared for him had he not been a star, he spoke out and refused to comply.

There will be those who disagree, spit venom in the face of peace, try to protest the protests. But if you’re one to throw around the word unpatriotic or quickly bash one for attempting to uplift a victimized group in this country, ask yourself:

What have you done lately for the betterment of your fellow countryman?

The Rap Game S02E08 aka Battles and BBQs

I'm excited for several reasons.

One, this is my first legit post. Origin Story was like the christening of the ship, but this is the first stop of my voyage.

B: This is my first review. I love media because media is information and I LOVE information. So, there are a couple of shows I watch during the week (Atlanta, Halt and Catch Fire, Mr. Robot, and The Rap Game), new albums to listen to, articles I read. Everyone's reaction and perspective should be added to the pool of human knowledge, so as much as possible, I wanna weigh in.

Triangle, I feel some type of way about this episode so let's go.

***

For those who aren't aware, The Rap Game is a show on Lifetime about aspiring kid rappers. Five kids are all competing for a chance to sign to Jermaine Dupri's label, So So Def. This season's five rappers are Prince of NY, Lil Key, Nia Kay, Mani, and Jayla Marie. Each week puts the rappers through a challenge that addresses a certain aspect of the rapping business and then concludes with The Hit List, the week's power rankings of the competitors.

This week's challenge was twofold: a rap battle and a BBQ performance with friends.

Rap Battle

JD took the group to watch battle rappers to teach them about versatility. On Jermaine's part, I thought this was a solid choice because it was a novel challenge compared to last season and just as novel an environment for the kids. Most of these kids write their own rhymes (minus Jayla), but only Prince is a capable freestyler. I could write a whole separate post on whether rappers should be able to spit off the top or even what criteria a "real" rapper should have to meet, but for now everyone gets a pass.

JD didn't even plan on having any of them battling, but Prince stepped up. It was so important that he did because last week he ranked number 5 (5 being the lowest). The fact that he rose to the challenge showed me how hungry he is to win the competition. Only one person gets signed and the fact that Prince faced this older man (Cannon ThaBeast) showed that he would do whatever he had to redeem himself. And he absolutely KILLED it. I think Cannon underestimated PoNY, but Prince showed that he wasn't some child to play with. Prince has such a fast, ballistic flow and he clearly wasn't afraid to take some shots of his own.

After Prince held his own, Lil Key was next on the mic. Full disclaimer, I'm from Baltimore and so is Lil Key, so I've been rooting for him since Day 1. Tupac is the only one big rapper who is a product of Baltimore, but he didn't even claim us. So, I root hard Lil Key. After witnessing how easily Prince dismantle the threat of rapping against an adult, I thought this would be easy for Key. But then came Bad Newz . Compared to Cannon, Bad Newz had real bars. Key took it all in good stride, had a smile on his face. But Bad Newz crossed a line: he took a jab at Key's mom. Now, this is a battle rap, a place where disses and braggadocio reign supreme. But to go after a kid's mom is kinda tasteless. Key lost his smile and unlocked the beast. Lil Key is such an interesting rapper because he's like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde or Bruce Banner and the Hulk. I'm constantly impressed by how much wisdom, humility, and kindness emanates from this 16 year old, but when he raps, he's hard hitting, super aggressive, and shows no mercy. Key admitted that he doesn't freestyle, but he chose a prewritten with a lot of choice lines and got within inches of Newz's face. I admire him taking the leap despite not being a freestyler and keeping cool despite someone making crude remarks about his mom.

Mani, Jayla, and Nia all stayed behind. They took it as just a field trip and not an opportunity. Mani, with his jaw touching the floor, said that a person needs to "stay in your place". Nia said "we kids" and implied that if any girls had stepped up, she would have rapped. Now, those sound like excuses. Especially for Nia, I think being a female rapper should have been all the incentive she needed. Rap is a male dominated field, and so as female, you have to grind even harder.

Block Party BBQ

We leave the Battle Rap Club and head over to the Block Party BBQ. It's a pretty small, intimate event with the kids, their parents/managers, some of the battle rappers they met, and a couple producers that the kids have worked with. The challenge is like a knock off version of Sway's Five Fingers of Death. The DJ (DJ Holiday) changes the beat repeatedly while the kids are on a stage.

Now the mention of Sway is important because his Five Fingers videos are legendary, with his top videos getting millions of views with top name artist. I would fully expect these kids to have seen some of these videos, to dream of being invited on the show, or just admire the skills of their favorite rappers. But it seems like some of the children haev not...

Prince once again came to take the number one spot. He rapped his bars and everytime the DJ changed the beat, he adjusted his tempo and kept rapping. It was so good, it's honestly not worth commenting on. Like watching a SpaceX flight land, it was just watching him do what he was suppose to.

Jayla's been doing well the past couple weeks, coming in 3 and 2 before this episode. And she held it down during the BBQ. I'm not a big fan of Jayla because she doesn't write her own raps. There's nothing wrong with having someone write your lyrics, but it changes your title from rapper to performer. It's caused her problems in the past because she didn't have enough time to memorize since she got lyrics late or because she didn't feel comfortable with her lyrics. So I didn't have much faith in her, but I have to admit she did well. The beat stopped completely and she paused, but kept rapping until it came back.

Nia Kay started strong but whenever the beat changed, she became her own hype man. She just wooed and dabbed until she could catch herself. Unfortunately, that's the opposite of being versatile.

Mani started rapping and also got caught by the beat. The remainder his time on stage was filled and "uhh" and "uh-huhs" and one poor "let me dance it off".

We wrap up with Lil Key. His BBQ performance was both shocking and completely expected. Key came out strong but stumbled when the beat changed. He even said "Let me start over". It was shocking how he did because of how well he did at the rap battle. But then you have to remember that Key never freestyled. He did kill it, but he chose a rap that he'd written. The point of taking the field trip to the battle rap arena was to teach versatility, but you realize that none of the kids really learned anything. More specifically to Key, this had led me to develop a theory: Key can't perform unless there are stakes involved. Key excelled during his audition when it would decide whether he would get a place on the show. Last week when the kids performed at Birthday Bash, he jumped down into the crowd because he decided he needed to turn up the crowd's energy. But during rehearsals, Key has fluttered. During the BBQ, he tried to smile through and when he asked to start over, I imagine it was because being among people he knew, relaxed him.

The Hit List

This week's Hit List is as follows:

1. Prince of NY
2. Jayla Marie
3. Nia Kay
4. Lil Key
5. Mani

Prince of NY deserved the top spot. There was some tension between him and Jayla for who thought should get the top spot. Jayla did well this week, but the fact that she thought she was the best was insane. She used last week as more reason she should be number one, but she was partnered with Key during the Birthday Bash, so I have to assume Key wrote all, if not the majority of her lyrics. So Prince gets number 1 because he never stopped. Jayla did better than usual but her rhythm was slightly off and she did pause.

Nia Kay and Lil Key (along with Prince) are among the Top 3 strongest rappers in the contest but they weren't at their prime this episode. Nia Kay was slow on her feet when the beat changes and Key was completely jarred.

I don't think Mani really wants the So So Def chain. He's claimed he's a chill laid back guy, but my feeling is that he's using that he's using that as an excuse. He didn't rap at the BBQ when the beat changed. He even complained that the changes messed him up ... but that was the point of the challenge. So until Mani can except his own faults and his future, I don't think he has a chance of winning.

And that was The Rap Game this week. There are only two episodes left and everyone needs to evaluate their weaknesses and amplify their strengths. If someone offered me money to do what I love and all I have to do is impress JD, I would do everything I can to stand out. Hopefully the light clicks and someone does.