Chemical Babies

Peace,

A couple of things that I'm pondering at the date of this writing (Allah U God, Knowledge Power, AWM 42):

- The DMX reality show is good for a laugh or two, b.u.t. I don't get anything deeper than you would get listening to his album. His relationship with the white man that lives next to him on the ranch is a tad bewildering, cause it infers that with all the people that X has met over his life, he didn't get any Wisdom or guidance until he went out to the desert. Another interesting aside is that X mentioned that his original rap name was Divine Master of the Unknown! Get outta here! (For those who may not know, that's DMX in the Supreme Alphabet) This is just a testament to the influence that the NGE has on Hip-Hop, and look where Hip-Hop has gone as our influence has waned.

- BET is wild as hell, and not in a good way. I saw a commercial where KFC was sponsoring the "Ultimate Family Reunion". Yeah, I said it: The Ultimate Family Reunion. The winner would receive enough chicken for hundreds of people. Extreme ethnic marketing and stereotyping for the '06. Check this out: I'm the Blackest man in the building, and I ain't had chicken since Biggie returned to the essence. I recognize that we do enjoy chicken, and that family reunions are big business, b.u.t. we are a diverse people.

- Today, while listening to a podcast, I heard a term that I would like to share with everyone: Chemical Babies. Reflect on that for a second while I give you some context. Walk w/me through the mind:

- I'm doing the knowledge to Yellow Bus Radio hosted by Mistah F.A.B. from the bay (Yes, I moves with Thizz & Hyphy, which I'll delve into in a second). He's interviewing San Quinn, and they begin to discuss the violence in San Francisco. San Quinn states that one of the reasons that the babies are tripping in the street is that they are "Chemical Babies", meaning that many of them were born addicted to crack, plus being addicted to sugar and flaming hot cheetos. Currently, the chemical babies are addicted to e-pills and blunt wrappers, and are wild as all outdoors. It's important to understand that we're dealing with a different generation: One raised on TV, Bullshit Hip-Hop & Violence. No wonder they're going dumb.

Two days ago, the Philly Daily News reported that the rate of gun violence in Philly is comparable to the deaths at the start of the Iraq war, and that most of the killers and victims are between 14-24. Family, we have a epidemic on our hands, and the younger generation looks worse.

So I Majestic, since you're presenting all of the problems, what are the solutions?

Detox.

We need a cultural detox. Not a hippie detox; not a Lailaa Afrika 30 day fast detox; not a put your head between your legs detox. This detox that I'm speaking on starts with identifying all the things that keep us addicted within our society. From porn to chocolate bars; High Fructose Corn Syrup to computer time.

Step 2: Identify how and why you're addicted to said element, and the positive and negative effects that it creates.

Step 3: After weighing the pros and cons on a personal and collective level, identify methods to disconnect from said element along with suitable alternative (if necessary).

Step 4: Live it out

Step 5: Identify how to succintly capture your experience and build with others

While it may look like i'm oversimplifying, I'm not. The above process may take years, b.u.t. we have to start with those who don't know anything else. This brings me to a point that might as well be my mantra: Create alternatives. If a young'n sells drugs because they don't want to be broke, and all of the people who tell them not to sell drugs are broke, it only reinforces why they should get the hell away from you and your sad-sack story. If I'm trying to build with a young person on why they should be a vegetarian, and all of my food tastes like alfalfa sprouts, do you really think that they're dropping the hamburger? If you're living a righteous life, stop making it look so damn boring! While I don't eat boca burgers and the like often, I recognize their utility in helping with some people's transition. Family, we are in a war of sort, and slingshot are not enough.

*Plug, Plug, Plug* Rebel Music Vol. 3 is out! Check www.classic1824.com or www.myspace.com/rebelmusic1824 for more details.

Also, be on the lookout for my "Get Money, Teach Kids" T-Shirt