Today I tuned in and listened as Hot 93 went off the air. I wasn't sad because let's face it we all saw the writing on the wall. Well at least I did. Hip hop radio like I wrote in an earlier post is slowly being eliminated due to the fact that radio itself is dying. Mass media conglomerates control radio now instead of small companies & they don't see how their decisions affect things on a "local" scale. Back in the day each radio station had one program director for each genre of music in charge of deciding which songs would make it to air. But due to downsizing & loss of revenue radio conglomerates have shrunk these positions down to one person trying to decide what makes the airwaves for FOUR OR FIVE different stations & genres. In a majority of these cases its someone who's background isn't nowhere related to hip hop so they defer these decisions a majority of the time to corporate. Which means in the case of Hot 93 its some dude or chick in Indianapolis who's probably getting paid by the major labels to play the bullshit you hear now.
This explains the trickle down effect. The director of urban programming in Indy or NYC says play these 8 songs every hour on the hour, object and we will find someone else to do it. Trust me your favorite on-air personality wants to but in this economy & job market would you suddenly get a conscious & prepare to give up everything you love & stop putting food on the table just because you're tired of hearing Drake's "Best I Ever Had" 20 times a day? A majority of club DJ's aspire to get one of these prized radio gigs because its stable income. This is why when you go to your favorite club those DJ's are playing THAT SAME PLAYLIST because they want that gig & YOU the listener never objects because you are too busy getting lit & dancing.
It all fits into the unseen war against hip hop. I'm not a conspiracy theorist at all but the signs have been troubling. If anything about the election of Barack Obama has shown its that when we are all together for a common goal, nothing is impossible. Corporate America has seen this especially in the hip hop community. While everybody is happy & content & talking shit about "My President Is Black" behind the scenes moves are being made to ensure that that shit talking comes to an end. Local radio jocks are being replaced by syndicated shows to stifle the local voices. Rappers are (though its their own damn fault) are being locked up left & right to silence any buzz they may be acquiring. Videos aren't being played, albums are getting leaked & undershipped, venues that cater to the hip hop audience are disappearing. It's really looking bad for our culture.
You can blame the music if you want to but that's not the central problem. There's awesome hip hop everywhere if you look for it. You can blame the companies but how can you? They don't answer to you unless you own a portion of it & even if you did you want maximum return on your investment. If they are turning a profit why should they care. The problem is YOU & ME the people who love this culture & cherish it & want to see it grow even more than it already has. We don't support the music we love by going to shows or putting a CD or emailing a great track or video to someone else. We don't put up a fight anymore because let's face it WE GOT A BLACK PRESIDENT IN OFFICE SO WE GOOD. I see this attitude is prevalent in hip hop America but we feel as though there is nothing else to achieve. This is when the enemy strikes.
An old head used to tell me the best way to catch somebody slipping is with their pants down. If you see them in a stall pissing sneak them. Well Hip hop is in the stall pissy drunk from all them Patron shots from the inauguration & corporate America is behind us with a billy club. If you don't become aware of what's going on we will lose.
Clear Channel radio has already set up shop with its own hip hop station in Austin & just like Hot they have picked up where they left off, same playlist, only this time with no voices from the community. Just music. This is what the enemies of hip hop want you to do. Just keep dancing & singing along while they ruin our community by not running PSA's about how to get a vaccine or what's happening in local politics or anything that could be beneficial to you.
KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN!!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Organized Rebels "Common Ground"
This is a dope video by my my folks Organized Rebels which consists of Cientifiq & Virt B. The video was directed by the World Famous Dookie Vizion Productions own M.O.S. of Crew54. And yeah I make a quick cameo.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
The Power Of The Chitlin Circuit
The other day somebody asked on Twitter "What makes Gucci Mane so hot & why do people like him?". I know the answer to this question but I kicked back & waited to see if anyone else would chime in. Of course no one answered so the person who initiated the question simply stated "No one answered therefore he must be overrated & wack". Now I personally can agree with him being overrated & wack but I do know & understand how he has risen into the current state of position. Its a demographic that mainstream hip-hop has long over looked & never understood until its too late.
"The Chitlin Circuit"
For those who don't know back in the Motown Era a lot of its acts would tour through the segregated south to black owned & operated bars & clubs to perform because they weren't allowed to perform in the white clubs. These tours & the cities they traveled to were affectionately called the "chitlin circuit". Even though times changed & more mainstream clubs became more accepting of these acts the circuit has remained.
As it relates to Hip-Hop, this circuit has been beneficial to many of today's acts. Boosie, Webbie, Plies, Jeezy, Gucci are just some of the names that are major throughout the circuit. While Jay-Z or 50 Cent would laugh hysterically in the face of a promoter offering them 5 grand to come to Tallulah, LA to do a show at a hole in the wall club, these cats jumped at the chance. Why? The answer is quite simple...
Promotion.
Let me give you an example. My current job required me to travel to Northern Louisiana & East Texas twice a week (mainly the I-20 corridor of Louisiana from Monroe to Shreveport with occasional stops in Longview & Tyler TX). My partner & I would go to places & have to TELL THEM about the latest Jay-Z or Kanye or whoever we consider a major hip-hop act albums release. But they could care less. All the knew was Lil Boosie or Gucci was coming to town & everybody was going to be there. It baffled me at first but I quickly understood that these cats rapped in their language. Poor English & vocabulary structure & slang, simplified beats & hooks. Nothing wrong with that because I personally own several of Boosie's albums but they related to what they rapped about. And with these rappers choosing to come to their small town, not driving by, not stopping by, but in these folks eyes this rapper who was on 106 & Park the other day way up in NYC is actually COMING HERE is enough for them to lend their undying support.
A majority of these rural areas don't have the Internet let alone cable so they are not privy to the exposure of new hip hop from other cities & regions outside of their own. They usually have one hip hop radio station which in most cases is still locally owned & operated by a local company & not Clear Channel or Emmis. This allows program directors to put local & small time acts into rotation. But the most important factor in this whole equation is that THEY STILL BUY MUSIC!!! Like I stated earlier a majority of these places can't afford the extra income to pay a monthly Internet bill. Therefore they are not privy to illegally download music. They happily go to their local mom & pop store or Wal-Mart & drop $10 to purchase an artists music & just performing in their little hole in the wall club which will probably only fit 200 people is enough for them to make that purchase.
Major labels have know this for years, since the days of Rap-A-Lot, to Master P, to Gucci Mane. This explains why the South has had nearly a decade of dominance in hip-hop. Majors are rapidly running out of ways to make money so the second they see an artist with a strong enough buzz appealing to a group that still lays down $$$$ for music, they are going to do whatever it takes to make sure the rest of us do the same. Never underestimate the buying power of those rural areas.
That is until they start getting the Internet....
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Coming in November: The Hot Box
What's the damn deal family? I'll be doing a few blog posts this week since I'm on vacation from my day job. I want to take a moment to tell you about the video web show that we will be producing called "The Hot Box" which will be hosted by yours truly & Mahogany.
Basically the reason why we are doing this show is to not only give an outlet to the literally hundreds of rappers & singers out there trying to make it, but to also weed out the untalented & let you, the listener, decide for yourselves. The only way to stem the tide of bullshit hip hop is to give the streets a voice & a say in these matters because labels, radio, and TV are pretty much ignoring us. So we decided to take matters into our own hands.
So beginning right now, if you or someone you know is unsigned, independent artist & can take a little criticism, send your music to hotbox254@yahoo.com for us to put up on our blog, twitter, tagged & other sites for your chance to be heard. If you are not an artist but want to have a say in what the next movement in hip hop should be leave your comments on these various avenues to have your say on the show.
If your music is selected by the "people" we will feature you on the show also give you an interview & (if you have one) put your video on the show!!
Look the labels aren't signing anybody, myspace is dying, & there's 8 million twitter links to compete against if you are an artist, and don't get me started on how MTV & BET won't give new independent music the time of day. We can't promise you stardom but we can give you a chance to be heard.
Follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/hotbox254
Tagged (Don't know how that works but anyway) www.tagged.com/hotbox254
Myspace: We'll be there too
Youtube Channel: Hotbox254 (There's no vids there now but just subscribe dammit!)
And everywhere else, hell we might do an e-harmony jumpoff before its all said & done!
So start sending your music in & lets have some fun taking hip hop back to where it belongs: TO THE PEOPLE!!
PEACE & LOVE & ALL THAT OTHER GOOD STUFF
Basically the reason why we are doing this show is to not only give an outlet to the literally hundreds of rappers & singers out there trying to make it, but to also weed out the untalented & let you, the listener, decide for yourselves. The only way to stem the tide of bullshit hip hop is to give the streets a voice & a say in these matters because labels, radio, and TV are pretty much ignoring us. So we decided to take matters into our own hands.
So beginning right now, if you or someone you know is unsigned, independent artist & can take a little criticism, send your music to hotbox254@yahoo.com for us to put up on our blog, twitter, tagged & other sites for your chance to be heard. If you are not an artist but want to have a say in what the next movement in hip hop should be leave your comments on these various avenues to have your say on the show.
If your music is selected by the "people" we will feature you on the show also give you an interview & (if you have one) put your video on the show!!
Look the labels aren't signing anybody, myspace is dying, & there's 8 million twitter links to compete against if you are an artist, and don't get me started on how MTV & BET won't give new independent music the time of day. We can't promise you stardom but we can give you a chance to be heard.
Follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/hotbox254
Tagged (Don't know how that works but anyway) www.tagged.com/hotbox254
Myspace: We'll be there too
Youtube Channel: Hotbox254 (There's no vids there now but just subscribe dammit!)
And everywhere else, hell we might do an e-harmony jumpoff before its all said & done!
So start sending your music in & lets have some fun taking hip hop back to where it belongs: TO THE PEOPLE!!
PEACE & LOVE & ALL THAT OTHER GOOD STUFF
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Just Some Stuff That's On My Mind
Normally I like to prepare to have something to say on here, its usually written. But today I'm going to freestyle it. Check it out.
Yesterday it was announced that the president won the Nobel Peace Prize & as expected the hate began flowing. If you are a rational person you will quickly understand that the award was given to the president because of his new stance when it come to dealing with enemies of the U.S., instead of popping off talking shit, he chooses to sit down and settle differences like men should do. Of course detractors will say some shit like, "He hasn't done anything" which is true, but at least he's trying. What, I take Republicans don't like peace? Guess not.
Even though the voting closed in Febuary, in my opinion what may have sealed the deal was the president's address at the G-20 summit. After weeks of collecting the CORRECT information on secret nuclear facilities in Iran, he didn't go to the U.N. immediately & say "Either you're with us or against us", nor did he send a missile down to blow it up. He instead waited like a D.A. with discovery papers prepared to make an indictment against Iran then presented it to a jury of his peers. Without hesitation everybody jumped on board & condemned Iran & once again the world is riding with us.
The Nobel Prize was given to him as something to encourage him to keep doing things the way you are doing them right now. Its probably the highest form of "Thanks" one can receive from the international community. After 8 years of sabrerattling, fear, & all out shit talk from a political party that is out of ideas but manages to have the most fanatical base of people that rivals the sympathizers of Al Queida, we can all say that its a good thing that somebody is keeping their cool.
Things aren't getting better here at home, but as you sit down & watch the play by play of the BET Awards on Twitter tonight just remember that Barack Obama needs our prayers & support & EDUCATED defense of SOME NOT ALL of his actions. Its time we stand up & help this cat. Yes we got him elected, that was the easy part. Now comes the part where almost daily somebody somewhere will criticize him no matter what happens. Its up to us to either help or concern ourselves with whether or not Tila Tequilia kills herself (I prefer the former).
Peace & Love & Enjoy Your Weekend
Yesterday it was announced that the president won the Nobel Peace Prize & as expected the hate began flowing. If you are a rational person you will quickly understand that the award was given to the president because of his new stance when it come to dealing with enemies of the U.S., instead of popping off talking shit, he chooses to sit down and settle differences like men should do. Of course detractors will say some shit like, "He hasn't done anything" which is true, but at least he's trying. What, I take Republicans don't like peace? Guess not.
Even though the voting closed in Febuary, in my opinion what may have sealed the deal was the president's address at the G-20 summit. After weeks of collecting the CORRECT information on secret nuclear facilities in Iran, he didn't go to the U.N. immediately & say "Either you're with us or against us", nor did he send a missile down to blow it up. He instead waited like a D.A. with discovery papers prepared to make an indictment against Iran then presented it to a jury of his peers. Without hesitation everybody jumped on board & condemned Iran & once again the world is riding with us.
The Nobel Prize was given to him as something to encourage him to keep doing things the way you are doing them right now. Its probably the highest form of "Thanks" one can receive from the international community. After 8 years of sabrerattling, fear, & all out shit talk from a political party that is out of ideas but manages to have the most fanatical base of people that rivals the sympathizers of Al Queida, we can all say that its a good thing that somebody is keeping their cool.
Things aren't getting better here at home, but as you sit down & watch the play by play of the BET Awards on Twitter tonight just remember that Barack Obama needs our prayers & support & EDUCATED defense of SOME NOT ALL of his actions. Its time we stand up & help this cat. Yes we got him elected, that was the easy part. Now comes the part where almost daily somebody somewhere will criticize him no matter what happens. Its up to us to either help or concern ourselves with whether or not Tila Tequilia kills herself (I prefer the former).
Peace & Love & Enjoy Your Weekend
Saturday, October 3, 2009
We Don't Believe You
I take it today's rappers haven't been watching the news. Despite the fact the our president is black, people are still losing their homes, unemployment hovers around 10%, etc., etc. No need to stress the rest. But in Hip-Hop Land things couldn't be better! "I Got Plenty Money" by Plies, "I Just Want My Money" by Young Jeezy. "It ain't tricking if ya got it", those type of rappers. But the labels & industry insiders say otherwise. Sales are at historic lows, concert attendance reflect the same. So what's the deal with all the money talk?
Hip-Hop has always been the story of the underdog. Take a look back at all the great albums that are considered classics, (BIG, Pac, Rakim, Nas, Jay, Face) who told the story of the struggle that WE relate to. What happened to that? Why is "Ready To Die" such a phenomenal album? It doesn't take long to realize that BIG was a man on the edge. "Everyday Struggle" says it all. You would think in these tough economic times "somebody" would tell the truth about what's going on instead of "escapism".
That's why I haven't listened to the radio but sparingly. I sit in silence during my 30-minute commute analyzing my situation instead of hearing rappers tricking (because no matter what yall say it is tricking even if you got it, ask your local pimp) and how much money ya getting. Hip-Hop is supposed to be the voice of the people, the voice of the streets, & last time I checked the streets are hurting. Sadly, Hip-Hop isn't reflecting this pain. Once that advance check clears everything is "wavy". I see some rappers whose album & mixtape covers have Rolls Royce's, Lambo's, & McMansions on it but have yet to break a song on the radio, let alone in the club.
I'm not saying we should hear bad news all the time. I've said in an earlier post we can all use some positivity, but braggadocio is not positive. It's down right disrespectful to the people who have helped put you in that position. If you are not giving me music I can feel & respect, why should I give my time, money, or attention? Respect, like money, is earned not given. Just because a million people bought your album doesn't mean I should respect you. Just because you have a car worth more than my house doesn't mean I should respect you. Hearing about your struggle earns my respect. Giving back to your community earns my respect.
This is where the disconnect occurs. While Hip-Hop has gone from ashy to classy, it's audience has gone in reverse. What made "Ready To Die" so great wasn't because of "Big Poppa" or "One More Chance Remix". Quite the contrary. Those were good for the radio but the other songs struck a chord with the streets. The stories of day to day life, the things that the average listener could relate to, were the things that stood out everybody's mind. 99% of Hip-Hop America couldn't eyeball a kilo of cocaine if you put one in front their face. 99% of this same nation will never ride in a Phantom because 99% of this nation are regular folks who are just trying to get by. They don't have champagne wishes & caviar dreams, thay just want to survive the work week & maybe throw on "I got plenty money" on payday. But the other days of the work week they searching for music they can feel & have somebody out there that understands that real ice is what they live. Of course, many of them are delusional & think that their lives are like that of their favorite "get money" rapper & if that's your fanbase then I can't knock that or them. But for the fan like me who is aware of what goes on in "real time", you really should not flaunt your riches in front of those who are on the edge of going overboard. Ask Brisco.
So go ahead Mr. "Im Rich Beyotch" Rapper Guy. Have fun throwing money in the air & continue to blow your advance & show money. Because in the end the million dollar advance will stop. The 360 deals (in all their "no Vaseline" glory) will only be reserved for the pop acts, and you will have to come back to the hood. Stopping me in the mall parking lot asking me for $5 to purchase that CD.
See "Protocol For The Out The Trunk Hustler" for instructions.
Hip-Hop has always been the story of the underdog. Take a look back at all the great albums that are considered classics, (BIG, Pac, Rakim, Nas, Jay, Face) who told the story of the struggle that WE relate to. What happened to that? Why is "Ready To Die" such a phenomenal album? It doesn't take long to realize that BIG was a man on the edge. "Everyday Struggle" says it all. You would think in these tough economic times "somebody" would tell the truth about what's going on instead of "escapism".
That's why I haven't listened to the radio but sparingly. I sit in silence during my 30-minute commute analyzing my situation instead of hearing rappers tricking (because no matter what yall say it is tricking even if you got it, ask your local pimp) and how much money ya getting. Hip-Hop is supposed to be the voice of the people, the voice of the streets, & last time I checked the streets are hurting. Sadly, Hip-Hop isn't reflecting this pain. Once that advance check clears everything is "wavy". I see some rappers whose album & mixtape covers have Rolls Royce's, Lambo's, & McMansions on it but have yet to break a song on the radio, let alone in the club.
I'm not saying we should hear bad news all the time. I've said in an earlier post we can all use some positivity, but braggadocio is not positive. It's down right disrespectful to the people who have helped put you in that position. If you are not giving me music I can feel & respect, why should I give my time, money, or attention? Respect, like money, is earned not given. Just because a million people bought your album doesn't mean I should respect you. Just because you have a car worth more than my house doesn't mean I should respect you. Hearing about your struggle earns my respect. Giving back to your community earns my respect.
This is where the disconnect occurs. While Hip-Hop has gone from ashy to classy, it's audience has gone in reverse. What made "Ready To Die" so great wasn't because of "Big Poppa" or "One More Chance Remix". Quite the contrary. Those were good for the radio but the other songs struck a chord with the streets. The stories of day to day life, the things that the average listener could relate to, were the things that stood out everybody's mind. 99% of Hip-Hop America couldn't eyeball a kilo of cocaine if you put one in front their face. 99% of this same nation will never ride in a Phantom because 99% of this nation are regular folks who are just trying to get by. They don't have champagne wishes & caviar dreams, thay just want to survive the work week & maybe throw on "I got plenty money" on payday. But the other days of the work week they searching for music they can feel & have somebody out there that understands that real ice is what they live. Of course, many of them are delusional & think that their lives are like that of their favorite "get money" rapper & if that's your fanbase then I can't knock that or them. But for the fan like me who is aware of what goes on in "real time", you really should not flaunt your riches in front of those who are on the edge of going overboard. Ask Brisco.
So go ahead Mr. "Im Rich Beyotch" Rapper Guy. Have fun throwing money in the air & continue to blow your advance & show money. Because in the end the million dollar advance will stop. The 360 deals (in all their "no Vaseline" glory) will only be reserved for the pop acts, and you will have to come back to the hood. Stopping me in the mall parking lot asking me for $5 to purchase that CD.
See "Protocol For The Out The Trunk Hustler" for instructions.
Friday, September 11, 2009
My 9/11/01
I just wanted to share what happened to me on 9/11 & how that day changed my life. Let me preface this by saying that in 2001 I was still living with my parents, broke & I didn't have a job & I was 23 years old.
I was planning on spending the day of 9/11 doing the usual, sleeping until the afternoon, wake up & hang out on the block & get drunk. My future wife was in Shreveport staying with friends because I didn't have a means of supporting her & her son. Earlier in the year I went through a terrible breakup & in my anger & heartbreak I enlisted in the Army. The only problem was I failed a drug test because in what I thought would be my last time hanging out with my friends I indulged in a blunt or two which caused my Army enlistment to get pushed back by a few months.
My mother (RIP) came home from work early & opened my door & told me to turn the TV on because Saddam Hussein had sent some terrorists to attack the WTC. In my disbelief I turned the TV & saw the constant repeat of the first tower getting hit & the announcers still not knowing if it was an accident or not. I sat up & told my mom that Saddam doesn't have the nuts to pull something like that. In less than an hour the second tower was hit. "We are under attack, this was on purpose" the anchor announced. I sat motionless for over 2 hours, literally in a state of shock.
I was in shock becuase my mother seemed to know what was up before the media did. When I snapped to I realized that I had more to worry about. I just enlisted in the Army & now I'm seriously reconsidering my decision. Due to my failed drug test I no longer had a contract & was now not obligated to join. Like just about everybody else in the first few hours I was thinking the world was coming to an end. Suddenly I thought about my then future wife, so I got on the phone & called her but the phone lines were jammed.
I spent the day glued in front the TV like every other American waiting to hear from the president. No one knew where that moron was at until my phone rung. My wife called from Shreveport & told me her mom called & was begging her to return to Hawaii & that the entire city was getting shutdown cuz the president had landed Air Force One there. I asked if she was ok which she was then we talked about our possible future together which seemed now to be in limbo. She made up her mind to go back to Hawaii. When she asked me if I was still joining the Army I told her that I didn't know. We talked for several hours until nothing else could be said. By this time the media just found out that Bush was in Shreveport but he had left.
After a few phone calls from various family members, I hit the block to see what the hood thought. At about this time it was pretty much established that Bin Laden was involved but as any hood cat will tell you they have their own opinions. I had to hear them. Some believed it was Bin Laden, others said the government, but everybody agreed on one thing: WE MUST KILL SOMEBODY!!
I went home at about the time Bush was addressing the nation. It was one of the few times I saw my entire family sitting around the TV. We talked about the events of the day when my mother asked me "So I guess you're not joining the Army now?".
I spent a majority of my day debating this. I'm sitting on my ass getting high & drunk living the life of a "scrub". I had a failed engagement that I wasted 6 years on & was on the verge of losing another one. I was a college dropout working bullshit jobs & I had been arrested twice in a year. Yet I'm faced with a decision that could make my life better but at the same time put my life at risk. It's September 11th 2001 and my country had been attacked. There is no doubt that we are going to war. What am I to do?
After answering "I don't know" my dad pointed something out. "You were supposed to leave this month weren't you?" I went to my room to look up my first enlistment paperwork & there it was:
SHIP DATE: 11 SEP 01
Shocked, I showed this to my parents. My mother broke into song: "God is trying to tell you something". Indeed. The rest is history.
I was planning on spending the day of 9/11 doing the usual, sleeping until the afternoon, wake up & hang out on the block & get drunk. My future wife was in Shreveport staying with friends because I didn't have a means of supporting her & her son. Earlier in the year I went through a terrible breakup & in my anger & heartbreak I enlisted in the Army. The only problem was I failed a drug test because in what I thought would be my last time hanging out with my friends I indulged in a blunt or two which caused my Army enlistment to get pushed back by a few months.
My mother (RIP) came home from work early & opened my door & told me to turn the TV on because Saddam Hussein had sent some terrorists to attack the WTC. In my disbelief I turned the TV & saw the constant repeat of the first tower getting hit & the announcers still not knowing if it was an accident or not. I sat up & told my mom that Saddam doesn't have the nuts to pull something like that. In less than an hour the second tower was hit. "We are under attack, this was on purpose" the anchor announced. I sat motionless for over 2 hours, literally in a state of shock.
I was in shock becuase my mother seemed to know what was up before the media did. When I snapped to I realized that I had more to worry about. I just enlisted in the Army & now I'm seriously reconsidering my decision. Due to my failed drug test I no longer had a contract & was now not obligated to join. Like just about everybody else in the first few hours I was thinking the world was coming to an end. Suddenly I thought about my then future wife, so I got on the phone & called her but the phone lines were jammed.
I spent the day glued in front the TV like every other American waiting to hear from the president. No one knew where that moron was at until my phone rung. My wife called from Shreveport & told me her mom called & was begging her to return to Hawaii & that the entire city was getting shutdown cuz the president had landed Air Force One there. I asked if she was ok which she was then we talked about our possible future together which seemed now to be in limbo. She made up her mind to go back to Hawaii. When she asked me if I was still joining the Army I told her that I didn't know. We talked for several hours until nothing else could be said. By this time the media just found out that Bush was in Shreveport but he had left.
After a few phone calls from various family members, I hit the block to see what the hood thought. At about this time it was pretty much established that Bin Laden was involved but as any hood cat will tell you they have their own opinions. I had to hear them. Some believed it was Bin Laden, others said the government, but everybody agreed on one thing: WE MUST KILL SOMEBODY!!
I went home at about the time Bush was addressing the nation. It was one of the few times I saw my entire family sitting around the TV. We talked about the events of the day when my mother asked me "So I guess you're not joining the Army now?".
I spent a majority of my day debating this. I'm sitting on my ass getting high & drunk living the life of a "scrub". I had a failed engagement that I wasted 6 years on & was on the verge of losing another one. I was a college dropout working bullshit jobs & I had been arrested twice in a year. Yet I'm faced with a decision that could make my life better but at the same time put my life at risk. It's September 11th 2001 and my country had been attacked. There is no doubt that we are going to war. What am I to do?
After answering "I don't know" my dad pointed something out. "You were supposed to leave this month weren't you?" I went to my room to look up my first enlistment paperwork & there it was:
SHIP DATE: 11 SEP 01
Shocked, I showed this to my parents. My mother broke into song: "God is trying to tell you something". Indeed. The rest is history.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)