The College Dropout: 10 Years Later with Kanye

10 years ago today, the greatest rap (musical?) debut of this century came out. Kanye West’s College Dropout dropped in like a breath of fresh air and my ears and love of hip-hop would not be the same. I wrote in brief for Bro Jackson about it but I need to expand more.

For me, it was the first time a rapper had touched me in a way I could relate. I connected with Eminem for his passion, Nas for his lyricism and Tribe Called Quest for their vibe. I enjoyed Nelly and I tolerated 50 Cent while not becoming the full G-Unit fan most were. I still hadn’t found too many rappers that spoke to where I was.

That’s where Kanye West came in. A middle-class kid from Chicago who grew up like I did. A guy who didn’t fit in to what convention said a rapper should be just like I wasn’t what most of my peers expected of Black kids. He cared about his fashion, wore backpacks and looked like a combination of underground cred with mainstream appeal.

Blackface and Kanye: Too Comfortable with Hate

Transcending race. Being colorblind. These are all terms that I seem to hear often and after reading David Sirota's "Back to Our Future", I understand these are fairly new concepts introduced in the 1980's. That's why last month was so interesting to me.

Two things happened that showed the problem with this idea. The annual issue with folks dressing up in blackface and Kanye West adding the Confederate flag to his fashion at his shows. First the blackface.

The problem with blackface is that we have a couple of generations removed from the "racist past" who think it's cool to do it without realizing the consequences. They actually bristle at you when you dare tell them it's wrong and offensive instead of apologize and realize the error of their ways.

But today's youth has a unique situation. White kids grow up with a Black president, Black rappers being the biggest pop stars on the planet and White pop stars using Black influences (which isn't new). They're in a society where pop culture is more diverse than ever yet their understanding of individual cultures is limited.

August 30th - Anniversaries to Remember

August 30th is a day that always means a lot to me. Thanks to Twitter, it now has two meanings (or 3?) and amidst a day of reflection, I was able to think about this a bit closer.

8/30/02. The 10th anniversary of the day I moved into my dorm to start my college years. I woke up in a hotel in La Jolla with clouds in the sky and looked outside the window not sure what to expect that day. I had nerves and butterflies because while I knew folks who went to college, I wasn't close enough to fully experience that lifestyle. All I had were my ideas and dreams.

My family packed in my Dad's BMW and we drove down the I-5 to the University of San Diego. On my headphones, I was listening to Incubus' "Morning View", one of the albums that put me in the mood for being away from home. We drove up to Maher Hall and saw all the folks unpacking their cars and shuffling boxes and suitcases all around. I stepped out nervous but excited because I was finally here. Finally a college kid.

Electric Relaxation: A Debate over "Niggas in Paris" and its success

(Disclaimer: I personally don't use nigga in my everyday speech. But since we are adults and I'll be darned if I let mainstream (White) publications say it with no fear, I'm going to say it here because I'm discussing the song and the word in general. This also isn't meant to be my complete opinion on the word because there's more to say.)

I guess this was inevitable. At some point, there’d be a popular hip hop song with nigga in the title that would somehow cross over and be a pop hit. I didn’t think it was possible but as Jay-Z once said “difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week.”

It’s no surprise that America’s favorite rappers were the first to do it. Jay-Z and Kanye made history again as "Niggas in Paris" is the first #1 R&B/rap hit with Nigga in the title as well as the first Top-5 and 10 pop hit.

Let’s get this out of the way. I didn’t like Watch the Throne when I first heard it. Besides a few songs, it was too gaudy, too much focus on excess, Jay-Z’s still on lyrical cruise control (on the surface at least), and not even an inspired Kanye made me enjoy it like I would have in 2005/06. I’ve only liked one Jay album since he came back from retirement so hearing him isn’t exciting anymore.

But “Paris” was a highlight. It sounded like a foreign beat and it felt funky like what you’d expect to play in the background as you visit Paris. Not to mention, I got visuals of my Black heroes who spent significant time in France – Josephine Baker, Richard Wright, James Baldwin and more. I liked the song more than just the catchy hook or Kanye’s usual lyrical shine.

Yet like Jon Heder said in the sample, I don’t even know what it means…..that a song has crossed over with Nigga in the title (but only says it four times in the song). Is it all bad, quietly dangerous or even a sign of the further meshing of cultures that there isn’t more outrage? Or is this the final spawn of something that’s been bubbling for three decades?

NWA wasn’t the first act to use nigga in their lyrics. 70’s Black movies and Richard Pryor had already made that word a bit popular in the communities and other cats in the 80’s had done it, especially Ice-T and Schooly D. But Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, MC Ren and DJ Yella made that word part of their identity and Hip-Hop/Black culture would never be the same afterwards.

Their last album “Efil4zaggin” is the first (and to date, only) No. 1 album with nigga in the title and even then, they had to flip it backwards. It was also a sign of hardcore rap making a popular dent following the 3 million seller of Straight Outta Compton.

But as I remember an MTV special showed, Straight Outta Compton and Ice-T’s Power only used Nigga 40-50 times on their album. Cats on average probably use it over 100 times now. Yet NWA’s name and “F--- the Police” gave them a lot of shock value notoriety.

Even as more and more rappers started using nigga in their raps, White fans still knew that word was a no-go. My White peers knew never to say that word when they rapped songs and only the truly smart alecky idiots would dare say it.

Despite the widespread usage, songs like A Tribe Called Quest “Sucka Nigga”, Goodie Mob’s “The Experience” and Mos Def’s “Mr. Nigga” discussed what the word meant and people always got reminded that there was a flipside. Cee-Lo said it best on The Experience - "you ain't a nigger because you're Black, you're a nigger cause of how you act" (meaning it was about ignorance, not skin color). Of course, that got lost among every rapper and their mama using it.

I didn’t grow up using that word. I began saying “brotha” because I realized at some point, it’s better to reinvigorate a term of endearment than recreate one. Like the Last Poets said on Nas’ “Project Roach” - “We should resurrect brothers and sisters instead of trying to kill the word nigger” because that mentality still exists."

(Speaking of Nas, his last album was supposed to be titled Nigger and I would’ve supported it because his album had songs that discussed the word and it’s impact. Of course, it was forced to be changed but it didn’t tone down some of Nas’ songs that looked at how we see ourselves)

Every word we use, it has a capacity

And if you don't understand the words you're using

And understand the capacity of it

You are using words that is creating a destiny for you

That you don't even know, or even conscious of

I once wrote a poem discussing why I didn’t use the word yet at the same time, since my college was so White, I grew to feel comfortable when I heard Black folks use it.  It was a reminder that I could be cool around my people and just be myself instead of always hanging around one group. That may sound hypocritical but it shows how it can be confusing. 

15 years ago, it never would’ve been cool to have a pop hit single with it in the title.  Let’s not forget it was barely 10 years ago when The Source tried to destroy Eminem’s career over 90’s tapes with him saying it.  Times have changed and it’s coincided with the culture becoming far more integrated and younger folks having less awareness of cultural differences/history (and tastemakers being less sensitive about it)

A generation of kids have heard nigga in popular rap and are growing up thinking it’s normal – hence the V-Nasty’s of the world who say it and Black folks who defend them for whatever reason. That offends me more because when we don't check others, we've lost control of a word we tried to empower. Years ago, White people would listen to rap and know much better than say the word. Nowadays, people want to know why they can't say it or what's the harm.

I asked on Facebook how people felt about the song being a hit. Some could care less. Some were concerned over why folks are using that word still. But that small sample showed me why it’s no surprise that in 2011, the right, safe rappers could get away with doing it without most folks raising an eyebrow over it.

A friend of mine made a good point in an email that if 2 of the top Black artists are doing it, it’s troubling because of America’s fascination with violence and hate. Black artists used to uplift the people and now we’ve gotten so comfortable with using that word that it’s regression that it’s become so ingrained in popular music.

Both points are valid and it’s exactly why this song being popular is hardly eyebrow raising yet it also should be. "Niggas in Paris" to me is an ultimate sign of how far we’ve come on culture mixing but a question if it truly is progress – if anything it’s obviously surface progress. Is it cool if Top 40 plays a song with it so kids will have the awkward conversation of requesting it? The way I figure, pop hits have had that word in it for so long that having it in the title is the only logical next step.

It’s a confusing argument for me.  I'm not saying we censor the word cause everyone has the right to do with it as they please but when that word escapes the boundaries of the group trying to reclaim it (similar to other harmful words) - what then? Does it lose it's power and is that a bad thing given the dark history of the word? 

I guess the only thing I’m clear on is who should and shouldn’t use it and the fact that us using so much has created more problems than liberation.

Grammy Noms 2011: Low Bars = Weak Results

Anyone who listened to music in 2011 can tell you that the mainstream was utter crap. 2011 was one of the worst years in terms of popular music and while rock music had a great comeback in my opinion, this was a bad year for pop and rap.

Adele's success is mostly a byproduct of her overwhelming talent, great songwriting and the fact she had little competition. Adele is a talented singer well beyond her years and her success shows that people were yearning for something real. That's why she sold 4 million here and that's why she'll be cleaning house at the Grammys - in a year of mostly crap, she rose to the top like her rich voice soars over those tracks. 

I'm disappointed she only had six nominations. I expected 10. But she'll be winning nearly all of them. Album and Song of the Year are practically giftwrapped for her

AOTY Field is: Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga and Rihanna. Just stop with that noise. Stop!! This is proof 2011 was terrible. Bruno Mars' joint is over a year old. Rihanna??? Almost a travesty as putting Katy Perry here last year.

I am SHOCKED Kanye West didn't get nominated for My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Yes I said that album barely got a listen from me but with all of its accolades, I'm shocked he didn't get a nod. Almost like they said "Hey Kanye, we'll give you the most nominations, just don't hate us for not giving you a 4th time to be screwed for AOTY"

Speaking of Katy, who voted her weak singing behind for Record of the Year? Really??? C'mon son.

Kanye got love for Song of the Year for "All of the Lights" but again, outside of Adele, who really deserves this? "Grenade" has more sap in it than a maple tree and I like Bruno Mars and his talent, but that song was pure cheese.

Who listens to Bon Iver away from MBDTF??? Not this guy.

As for Mumford & Sons, I listened to "The Cave" and liked its simplicity. Decent song but if a year old song is worthy to be on the list, that doesn't say much for competition. They are another British act who is getting mucho praise for doing American music. 

But I know what y'all are waiting for. Me to bury the Rap Categories with that typical Virgo anger. Let's go and dive into this garbage.

Is it a sad year for hip hop that Chris Brown had a song in the category? Yes Busta Rhymes destroyed that verse but cmon. Chris Brown is not a rapper. NOT a rapper. Guess he really is amping like Bobby Brown. 

It's no surprise that the most hyped artists got recognized. Watch The Throne was gonna get love. "Otis" got way too much love for a poorly chopped sample and Jay-Z's boring cadence. Nicki Minaj got her love but I'm so disappointed she couldn't rap the words to the most famous hook in rap history when LL passed her the mic.

No love for "Ghetto Dreams" - a brilliant song with Common and Nas traded back lines like it's 1994 but still fresh. Same with Nasir's "Nasty" or The Roots "Make My" from what's shaping to be an instant classic album.

And yes, I'm not surprised Lupe Fiasco got love for Lasers. It's an inconsistent album as I've said but you know they won't going to give "Words I Never Said" a Grammy nomination. Even though that's one of the hardest singles in recent memory.

Rap was so weak that the best albums included mixtapes. Grammy wasn't going to reward Kendrick Lamar, Phonte or any of the other guys who crafted great albums. It's a terrible nomination year and it shows why the mainstream was disappointing. J. Cole should be getting props for getting nominated for Best New Artist but his album was such a bore.

Congrats to Foster the People (who somehow didn't get a Best New Artist nod). Congrats to the amazing duet between Cee-Lo and Melanie Fiona, Marsha Ambrosius and "All of the Lights" dominating most of the rap categories. But you gotta admit it, wouldn't it have been funny to see Tyler, the Creator get nominated just to see how wild Odd Future would've acted up there?

(Speaking of which: I'm surprised Frank Ocean didn't nominated in the R&B category for "Novocaine" - as good as any R&B song I heard in the mainstream.)

Once again, though. The Grammy nominations will continue to be warped with this eligibility period (October of the previous year to September of the current year). This hurts albums released in the last quarter of the year - typically when most good albums are released to roll into Christmas sales. If they aren't honored the year of their release, they'll most likely either be forgotten in the next year or get honored ahead of something more deserving.

This is why I've said the Grammy eligibility period should be from January 1 to early December. Start sending out ballots in November and host the Grammy concert in late January. It'd push the ceremony back to February but so what. If they care about being legitimate, let's speed the voting process up since it'd force people to start thinking in advance. 

Also, let more music critics vote instead of just award winners. The committee consistently is out of touch with them, let alone catering too hard to the public. That's just simple changes besides Grammy cutting down a bunch of categories. 

But the star of the show will be Adele. In a year where I haven't seen anyone dominate like her since Usher in 2004, she deserves everything she gets. I hope she finds good things to write about for her next album so it's not all depressing but the way she sings her pain is endearing. She soared above the mediocrity this year and she should be honored as such even with mediocre company in the nominees.

Get that voice right, Ms. Adkins. You got a Grammy performance and award speeches to get ready for. You blew me away a few years ago on the stage and now I'm happy to see you do it again.

Top 10 MC's of the decade - Low Two's to BET

BET, you never fail to let us down. It was bad enough you couldn't make me watch your Hip Hop Awards and even worse when they failed to make up for the BET Awards not mentioning Guru's passing by only a 1-min tribute with no playing of his music. Now you've made a list that screams "Please pay attention to us, we know how to respect a genre."

Yet, you sucked me in to write a rebuttal. Stupidity should be ignored but I can't help it.

The criteria was simple. MC's who debuted in 1999. Already it's a problem. How can you judge the best of an era without including MC's who impacted the decade that may have come before it started? By the way, the 21st century started in 2000/2001 depending on who you ask. And why not just call it Best of the Decade?

Here's their list. Eminem, Wayne, Kanye West, 50 Cent, T.I., Ludacris, Drake, Young Jeezy, Jadakiss, Rick Ross. This face says it all.

Ummm where do we start?

Based on their stupid criteria - Jadakiss should be DQ'ed since he was with the Lox in 1997. Props for mentioning him cause he's slept on. And Drake?? Really? I didn't realize having a great 2009 placed him above Nelly or Fabolous. By the way, how did those 2 get omitted?

I'm gonna do 2 things. Make a list based on their "criteria" then do a real list with some real explanations. I started on Twitter but I need to tweak it more. Most of my generation can do better since we grew up watching music from 2000-on extra closely

My list on BET criteria. Eminem, Nelly, Kanye West, 50 Cent, Ludacris,  T.I., Lil Wayne, Ja Rule, Fabolous, Mos Def (with Missy Elliot sitting just outside).

Not only did they omit Nelly - one of the best selling rappers of the decade and definitely one of the most influential on slang and fashion - their criteria also forgot Mos Def, who dropped his classic debut in 1999 that went gold on an indie label. Regardless of his output since, that one album is worth his placing.

I rank my list on simple qualities - skills, album sales, critical acclaim, influence, impact, longevity, consistency. That means that rappers who made an impact from 2000-2004 should be given more preference since their impact can be analyzed much more. Ja Rule might be remembered for being part of 50's stepping stone to greatness but from 01-03, he was as big an artist as anyone in hip-hop and brought back R&B/hip-hop collabs.

The REAL list is as follows: (Honorable Mention: The Game, Ja Rule, Missy Elliot, Talib Kweli, Lupe Fiasco, Young Jeezy)

1. Eminem - Do we have to say why? Biggest selling rapper of the decade, oodles of hits (Stan's a well-used term), 2 well-revered albums and an Oscar. 2002 was as big a year for any artist in musical history. Plenty of respect. Encore/Relapse aside, nobody comes close except...

2. Jay-Z - The Blueprint's the album of the decade. Went from great rapper to respected legend. Plenty of hits, arguably the world's most known rapper. Blueprint, Black Album and American Gangster are great albums. Fashion, culture. He's even become heavily overrated but that doesn't knock his accomplishments.

3. Nas - The feud with Jay-Z restored his career from being forgotten. Catalogue might be the strongest/most consistent of the decade minus Street's Disciple. Last two albums went #1. Reminded everyone why he's one of the greatest lyricists/storytellers. Ether has become a term for embarrassing/clowning the mess out of someone.

4. Nelly - Single handedly put St. Louis on the map. One of the biggest rappers from 2000-2004 with hits and albums. Had everybody speaking country slang before Lil Jon. Apple Bottom Jeans became a fashion statement. His career tailed off quickly as it started but 21 million sold is 21 million sold.

5. Kanye - Production aside for this argument. One of the most acclaimed debuts in recent music history. Each album has sold more in its 1st week except for 808 and Heartbreaks. Arguably the biggest rapper out right now besides Lil Wayne. Each album has been highly acclaimed (depending on 808) and he has one of the biggest hits of the decade (Gold Digger). Dudes wore preppy clothes because of him and the emo-rap owes him a debt.

6. 50 Cent - His album/hit quality has dropped off since 2007 but from 2003-07, no rapper was bigger. Hits, album sales, Vitamin Water, brought back the streets into rap, Great songwriter. Greatest debut in the game since Snoop Dogg. Video games, movies. One of the best rap singles of the decade with "In Da Club." Also increased awareness of mixtapes in mainstream.

7. Ludacris - Definition of Consistency. More Top 10 albums than anybody in the decade. 14 million sold with plenty of hits. Arguably the king of guest verses. Skills have gotten better with each album and the balance of comedy, party and serious hits make him one of the most well-rounded MC's in the mainstream.

8. T.I. - Nearly the same career trajectory as Luda minus 2 years. Two jail stints aside, he helped bring Swizz Beatz back (for better or worse). King and Paper Trail solidified him as one of the biggest stars in rap. Almost influenced the new generation of trap-rap but he's shown himself to be more versatile lyrically and content-wise than his proteges.

9. Lil Wayne - 2000-2004 he was a Cash Money sideman. Carter 1 and Go DJ started getting him national notice. Dedication 2 mixtape, along with others, added to it, leading to Carter 3 selling a million. He makes the list because of his slow, uphill grind to fame and unbelievable explosion the last 4 years. Influenced style. Arguably the biggest player in terms of rap now. Time will tell where he heads in the next decade.

10. Fabolous - Once hailed as the next LL for his balance of street jams (Breathe, Holla Back) and ladies jams (Cant Let You Go, Baby). Last 5 years have been hit or miss but his last album went #1 last year.

Most underrated MC of the decade. Ghostface Killah. Check his catalog - Supreme Clintele and Fishscale are two of the best albums of the decade. Most of his albums were critically acclaimed. If he had more hits, he'd slide right in at No. 10 easily.

Sadly there's no women on here. Eve had a good run but you can't mention her - like BET did on their Top 15 - without mentioning Missy Elliot, who had more hits and critical acclaim from 2001-2005. Had Missy dropped 1-2 albums in the last 5 years - her position would be earned. It's a reminder that female MC's are on the decline.

Everyone will have their biases and opinions with their lists. There's no problem with that but make sure your lists are well-informed and reflect everything that happened. BET failed again to honor our culture which is like saying water is wet but still I somehow expected more.

Why I still Root for Kanye (Love-Hate)

Kanye West poured out a stream of consciousness on Twitter today regarding what happened a year ago with him running on stage at the Video Music Awards. It was a overload of thought but it showed Ye at his best - honest, open and introspective. He ended with an apology to Taylor Swift.

It also reminded why I've said that he's one of the few rappers I can relate to. To understand why, you have to go back to 2004 with me. Back when I was a sophomore in college and hip-hop was in a weird state.

I had just discovered Tribe Called Quest's "Low End Theory" and finally heard some rap I could relate to. 50 Cent, Jay, Eminem, Ja Rule, DMX, Juvenile - all were hot at the time but I didn't see myself in them. Mos Def and Talib Kweli dropped so-so albums so I couldn't feel them. But when I heard this kid from Chicago, something was different.

Kanye wasn't your average rapper. He didn't look like your average rapper. He was smart, dressed preppy, strong faith, reminded me of a bookworm who had a knack for producing. His parents were well-educated. He was me.

College Dropout was an album that spoke to me in a way no album did. It had a light sound but had an honesty that few rappers showed. Who rapped about Jesus and made it a hit? Instead of bragging, he kept it real on "All Falls Down." He was hilarious about gold diggers before Jaime and Ray. He had quotables for days as I felt like I was being spoken to as a smart college kid who loved rap but didn't fit in with the music.

At the same time, the other side of Kanye came out. The ego. The ego that blasted XXL for not giving him a "XXL rating" in their feature on him, blaming an early leak of the album. He did the same thing in the Source. He fumed at award shows when he didn't win - famously blasting Gretchen Wilson winning Best New Artist at the AMA's and after he lost Album of the Year at the Grammys.

This started my love-hate relationship with him. He was skilled with the pen and on the production boards but his antics made me cringe. It only got tougher in 2005-06 when he dropped "Late Registration" and produced Common's "Be"

I still remember me and my friend Irma going to Best Buy to get Late Registration then later going to see his tour at UCSD. It's still one of the coolest shows I've ever seen and when I saw him in 06 at the San Diego Street Scene on a smaller scale, he still killed it. But Soon after came the infamous Rolling Stone cover with him posing like Christ. Crown of thorns, robe and all. You went from rapping about Jesus to having a God-complex?

At the same time, he showed his balls by saying those famous 7 words all of us wanted to say after Hurricane Katrina. Most people forget that he made an impassioned speech before then talking about the news coverage showing Blacks as looters, Whites as survivors. That set up his great moment: George Bush doesnt care about Black people.

It made me admire him more. He could've easily just asked for money but he was brilliant in his anger. He spoke for a region and a people. Even Jay-Z said he could've done more.

He was a complicated figure. The biggest rapper in the world with an even bigger ego who found a way to draw you into his struggles. Was Kanye the guy who rapped about his mom and blood diamonds? Or was he the guy chasing pop stardom whose mouth was reckless on a minor Tupac level.

I left college in 2006 and the "Graduation" album summed my mood the next year. He nearly sold a million that first week as he began chasing stadium status but with songs like "Can't Tell Me Nothin", "Everything I Am", "The Glory", he was still inspiring me.

When his mom passed away, I knew he'd touch her soul with something great and the Grammy version of "Hey Mama" nearly had me in tears. But after that moment, Kanye finally looked like he stopped relating to everyday joes and began going international in his style and out of this world production wise.

I cringed when he started rapping in Auto-Tune (considering that he can hold a note). I cringed more when I anticipated 808 and Heartbreaks and for the first time, his first single didn't move more than his second (Love Lockdown and Heartless were both bland even though the words of Heartless were still great). I thought he'd lost it - too caught up in his grief and ambition to make something soulless

The album dropped not so soon after I broke up with my last girlfriend. When I heard "Say You Will" on the plane, it was so stark and haunting I felt like she was talking to me. As bad as the auto-tune was, Kanye's words were speaking to me and I felt like I heard her in there. I still say it's his worst album but he used auto-tune to create something close to Marvin Gaye's "Here My Dear"

Six years in, it's his words, creativity, emotion that both inspire me, speak to me and make me wonder what the heck he was thinking. The Taylor Swift incident was overblown, unfortunate and the upset ramblings of a fool who hates award show screwjobs but maybe it's the start of Kanye getting back to himself.

Today's long diatribe is a great start.I still consider him one of my favorite figures in rap. No matter his flaws, he still reminds me of that personal, introspective guy I see in myself who's unafraid to show his emotions. And musically, he may be miles away from College Dropout but every so often, he'll remind me why he's one of the best writers in hip-hop and an inspiration to guys like me who love hip hop but aren't street dudes.

He's still gonna say and do some weird stuff (Nicki Minaj potential to be better than anyone but Eminem? Swizz Beatz the greatest producer ever? Do a track with Raekwon and Justin Bieber???) but for me, he's just a reminder that entertainers aren't perfect. Neither are we.

Katrina 5 Years Later

Thanksgiving weekend 2004 - my family was in New Orleans for a day to watch the Battle of the Bands. We walked along Bourbon Street and watched a step show along with the Battle between Southern and Grambling's bands inside the Superdome - the pinnacle of Southern Black culture. With "Nolia Clap" and "Go DJ" played non-stop in the arena and surrounded by Black Greeks, it was a wonderful time.

That night we watched Black folks celebrate in downtown New Orleans. While I was dreaming of regretting that decision not to apply to Morehouse, I felt like I was getting a taste of the South that so many of us in Cali don't see.

9 months later, that memory was replaced by something else. I remember moving in my senior year of college and hearing that a hurricane was coming to the Gulf Coast. It didn't hit me just how huge this was gonna be. I remember as an 8 year old kid seeing how bad Hurricane Andrew was in Florida so I figured it would be close to that but nowhere the devastation.

Next thing I knew, we saw the Gulf Coast submerged under water. People floating in boats and standing on roofs. Houses nearly covered in water. I'll never forget seeing the chilling photo of a dead woman face down in a pool of water splashed on the front of the NY Times.

My uncle and cousin had to move to Atlanta. The Superdome became a home for the displaced. My dad's hometown was a living waterpark - with poor folks who looked like me struggling a terrible evil.

Looking back on it, I remember these feelings and the lackluster government response. It was a reality to a lot of folks that like John Edwards said, we lived in Two Americas. George Bush watching that response from Air Force One said it all - an America detached from the painful reality of the poor, working class.

(I always wondered what he was thinking. Like his reaction on 9/11)

I was so confused about my feelings of despair and anger that I wrote this blog on MySpace. I didn't want to blame the government at first but that later faded.

Katrina was indeed a hurricane of class and racial issues that this country forgot about. Those issues came up when White with supplies were called surviving and Black faces were called looters. They came up recently when we discovered that officers had the green light to shoot looters at will. It comes up when Bourbon Street and the Superdome have been rebuilt and refurnished while most of the lower wards are still in recovery mode.

And by the way, what about Mississippi and the rest of the Coast? You may hate Kanye West for what he said on the telethon but I admire him for having the balls to say what many of us were saying privately and still needs to be said. David Banner forever earned my respect for not just organizing a concert for Katrina relief, but performing this great poem on Def Poetry Jam reminding us it's not just about New Orleans.

5 Years Later, Katrina reminds me of the outpouring of love we have, the feeling of detachment when it doesn't affect you personally, and a reminder that the federal and local government show who they really care about. I think about what would my Dad have done if he were alive to it and how much he would have given.

This spring, I watched David Simon's new show "Treme" on HBO, which captures a slice of post-Katrina New Orleans for musicians. To me, it not only captures the wide range of emotions after Katrina but it's a reminder that there's resiliency in the area and there's hope. When I talked to a former coworker last year after she returned to NO, she told me the same thing. People are struggling but they aren't giving up -when others forgot about them, they show the same spirit they had beforehand.

Katrina opened my eyes a bit more and it's a bigger reason why I'm passionate about injustice.

In the worst of times, we often see the best of humanity but we leave that memory behind as we move on. Never forget the lessons we've learned and are still learning. That would be a tragedy as well.

One day I'll return and make a pilgrimage to my Dad's birthplace. Reflect and learn again from the city that showed me a great time and exposed me to a new side of my culture.

Here's a great link from the BBC on how post-Katrina New Orleans looks like.

What Inspires Me? (Music)

"Music is the air I breathe, the prayer I leave" - Talib Kweli said one of the best lyrics describing how people love music. Good music sticks to your rib and reminds you of the moment when you heard it.

But before this goes into a deep love affair, let's get to Part 3 of my inspirations. These are the artists that have inspired me the most because they resonate with me and speak to me.

(Note: These aren't all my favorite artists and I left some out intentionally. These are just the ones who left a mark on me in the most way)

(A Tribe Called Quest - A reminder to be yourself and "never follow someone else because opinions are like voices we all have a different kind")

(Little Brother - No group impacted me more this decade. "Dope rhymes, dope beats, what more could they want?" Saw them twice and were reminded why I love hip-hop.)

(Public Enemy - Thanks for teaching me to fight the power and not believe the hype. )

(Red Hot Chili Peppers - Thanks for reppin the City I live in, The City of Angels. )

(Prince - doing it all and doing it oh so well. A creative genius who remains a purist)

(Nas - "It aint hard to tell, I excel and prevail." Simple reason why he's the best.)

(Rage Against the Machine - They remind me never to be comfortable and always fight for my beliefs along with injustice.)

(Kirk Franklin - For updating gospel music in my era without watering down its message, he's a reason I believe gospel music will always stays fresh musically. )

(Jimi Hendrix - A reminder that creativity knows no bounds)

(Incubus - Lyrically beautiful/thought provoking, musically challenging. California goodness)

(Ice Cube - You Know How He Does It. One of the best writers/storytellers in hip-hop and a reminder that being real means speaking your mind. Favorite album of his.)

(dc Talk - Showed me Christian music isn't soft and poppy as well never being afraid to evolve without compromise. Christian music needs to challenge its audience while uplifting them.)

(Kanye West - I hate what he's become but every now and then, he reminds me why his songs relate to me like they did on this album.)

(The Clash - Working Class Heroes who inspire me to stay vigilant)

(OutKast - Thank you for reminding me that the South always has something to say)

Next up: Places.

Electric Relaxation: Goodbye 2000's - Favorite Songs

I really wasn't going to try and do a best of 2000's but after seeing the Songs of the Decade Trend on Twitter and the Rolling Stone list of great songs, I got inspired. This is just some of my favorite songs from the decade, when I got exposed to way more music.

Some of these songs are influential on the decade. Some still sound fresh as when I heard them for the first time. Some are personal favorites for various reasons ("Virgo" anyone?). But anyway here they are. Happy New Year, everyone :)

Eminem - Stan

Jay-Z - Takeover

Jay-Z - Roc Boys

Missy Elliot - Get Ur Freak On

Alicia Keys - Fallin (the true queen of R&B this decade)

Nas - Stillmatic Intro, Made You Look, One Mic, Virgo

AZ - The Essence (f. Nas): The last official partnership we have for now :(

Lecrae - Jesus Muzik

Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor

The Strokes - Last Night

Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out

Kanye West - Jesus Walks/Touch The Sky/Addiction/Celebration/Everything I Am

The Roots - Rising Down, Long Time

Common - The Light, The Corner

The Vines - Get Free

The Hives - Hate To Say I Told You So

Outkast - B.O.B., Hey Ya, I Like The Way You Move, Art of Storytellin Pt. 4

Mary Mary - Shackles

Tonex - Real With U

50 Cent - In Da Club

Clipse - Grindin, Mr. Me Too

Lupe Fiasco - Kick, Push/American Terrorist/Theme Music to a Drive By

The White Stripes - Fell In Love With A Girl/Seven Nation Army/Icky Thump

Foreign Exchange - Sincere/The Answer

Little Brother - Lovin It/The Yo-Yo/Speed/Hiding Place

Blue Scholars - Loyalty

Usher - Yeah/Confessions Pt. 2/U Got It Bad/U Remind Me

Talib Kweli - Get By/Say Something/We Got The Beat

John Legend - Ordinary People/Save Room (that whole 2nd album is underrated)/Green Light

Cee-Lo - I'll Be Around (how many of yall bought his solo albums?)

Gnarls Barkley - Crazy/Smiley Faces

Musiq Soulchild - Love/Just Friends/Halfcrazy/Forthenight/Womanopoly/Soulstarr

Slum Village - Fall N Love (one of the 1st J Dilla beats I heard after his passing)

Big L - Ebonics

Big Pun - Dream Shatterer

Q-Tip - Gettin Up/Life Is Better

Angels and Airwaves - Do It For Me Now

+44 - Lycanthrope

Bubba Sparxxx - Deliverance (an underrated collabo partner in Timbaland's camp)

Aaliyah - Rock The Boat (if you don't know why, you're too young)

Coldplay - Shiver (hated Yellow)/The Scientist/Amsterdam/Viva La Vida

Craig David - Fill Me In

Craig David - Walking Away

Green Day - American Idiot/Minority/Jesus of Suburbia

Jadakiss - Why

T.I. - Bring Em Out

Nappy Roots - Po' Folks

Incubus - Wish You Were Here/Dig/Warning

Jurassic 5 - Quality Control/What's Golden/The Game/A Day At The Races

Justin Timberlake - Like I Love You/Love Stoned/Senorita

K-Os - Sunday Morning

Run-DMC - Queens Day

Silversun Pickups - Lazy Eye
Sean Paul - Temperature

N.E.R.D. - Lapdance

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Dani California

MIA - Galang/Paper Planes

Kidz in the Hall - Driving Down The Block

Maxwell - Pretty Wings

UGK - Chrome-Plated Woman/Int'l Player's Anthem