Check out Duffle Bag Trappy’s new video “Feel Like” off of his album “Stay Down 4 The Come Up”. You can find Duffle’s new album on all major platforms.

The post Feel Like – Duffle Bag Trappy appeared first on Real Lyfe University.

Slack is a Collaboration app I use with a few of my friends/business partners to keep in constant contact for an app we are creating. Slack app allows us to create channels to keep our topics of discussions separate therefore keeping us in the know with updates based on the channel of the topic.

2. Medium

Medium is an online publishing platform for exclusive publications and blogs from amateur to professional publishers. I use this app pretty religiously. I love reading the articles posted on Medium. I personally read a lot of self-help and productivity blogs on Medium but the topics you can choose from are endless.

3. Timepage/Actions

Timepage and Actions are both apps by the company Moleskine. Timepage is a really intuitive Calendar with a really cool UI and nice theme customizations. I have Timepage synced with multiple email accounts to keep up with all of my calendar events across my personal and business ventures.

“Actions” is a To-Do-List/Checklist application that works in tandem with Timepage. “Actions” allows you to create lists for your to-do-list on a very similar UI to Timepage as well as attach your to-do-list actions on your Timepage calendar. Both apps work really well together.

4. Evernote

Evernote is a note-taking, task list and organizing platform that I use daily. Evernote allows you to create notebooks to separate your workflows it allows you to separate your entries with tags and a very intuitive search flow to find old notes you may have archived, also recently they’ve added templates which is a very useful addition to Evernote if you’re not good at formatting your notes manually. I would highly recommend Evernote to keep your notes in order. They also auto-sync to your email address so you’ll never lose your notes.

Kindle App

Last but not least, the good ole’ Kindle app. Kindle is an E-Reader app that allows you to buy, download and read E-Books, Newspaper articles, and other digital media. When I am lazy and don’t feel like going to the library I use the Kindle app. I appreciate the convenience of having a book catalog in my pocket. Kindle also works with Audible for the audiobooks section for those who prefer audiobooks versus reading.

The post 5 Apps That Will Help You Produce appeared first on Real Lyfe University.

Presented us with his “Been Beast .5“. EP over the summer. RLU is a little late on the listen, but you know what they say better late than never. I have to say I am a little disappointed that I am late because it was definitely worth the listen. This EP is in preparation for Rari’s full project “Been Beast” that drops October 11th.

The post Been Beast .5 – Cash Rari appeared first on Real Lyfe University.

Blesses us with his first official album, a follow up from his mixtape “The S.A.N.E 2.” His new album “Stay Down 4 the Come Up” gives a plethora of different genre-bending vibes. Duffle is really in his bag (no pun intended) on this project. You can find “Stay Down 4 the Come Up” on all major platforms.

The post Duffle Bag Trappy – Stay Down 4 the Come Up appeared first on Real Lyfe University.

I had the opportunity to listen to Tony Bodega’s newest project “DRGZ & WiFi” and I have to say this tape is definitely a vibe. While Tony may rap in a relaxing monotone voice the tape has a very intriguing contrast.

The Lo-Fi appeal was very inviting for a stoner like myself to just kick back to. My favorite song of the tape is “Whatchathink.” Share your favorite with us.

The post Tony Bodega – DRGZ & WiFi appeared first on Real Lyfe University.

is a Hip-Hop artist from Boston MA. R. Rocket started rapping in church and converted to today’s current sound. Understanding tempo and rhythm come easily to R. Rocket due to his drumming background which makes him versatile in switching up his flows and approaching his music.

Check out an RLU favorite from R. Rocket

Rizzy Rocket- Maserati

The post Rizzy Rocket – Maserati appeared first on Real Lyfe University.

is a Hip-Hop artist from Grove Hall MA.

Duffle has worked with Boston artist like GBG Flee, Interstate Flamez, L-Wave and much more.

Duffle latest single “Animosity” off of The S.A.N.E. 2 Mixtape gives us a dope visual.

For more of Duffle Bag Trappy follow him on his Social Media sites:

The post Duffle Bag Trappy – Animosity appeared first on Real Lyfe University.

is back again with that HEAT! Vanni follows up his latest mixtape “LoveMeNow” with his highly anticipated “Still Vanni” mixtape. This project does not disappoint. Great production and great content to match.

The post Vanni Allen Poe – Still Vanni appeared first on Real Lyfe University.

There was an article on Black Entrepreneur and it stated that by 2017 the buying power of Black America should reach a whopping 1.3 Trillion dollars.

If you compared those figures to World Bank’s list of each country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Took that amount and divided by the number of Black people in America (estimated at about 44 Million). The amount spent would land us 46th in the world in GDP

Now I gave you those figures, to get to the actual point of this article.

With the kind of spending power and affluence, we have on the economy. Why is it we don’t spend more money in our own communities?

Unaware?

Is it unawareness? If I am being totally honest, until it was brought to my attention as a problem, I never thought about demographic spending. I did take notice at a young age, the lack of people that looked like me running establishments my Grandmother would do business with. It left me more curious than upset.

I’d hear her make comments addressing how black people don’t own any businesses in the neighborhood, I had no idea then, how national this issue was.

I read an article on Atlanta Black Star that states, according to an annual census survey done in 2014. Black-owned businesses made up only 2.1  percent of the nation’s companies with at least one employee, a majority of these jobs being created after the 2008 recession. This figure clearly doesn’t address African-Americans that are self-employed but is an important number nonetheless.

“Would you ask Gucci for a discount if they were selling a hat for $30 or even $300?”

It’s Not Ralph Though.

So is it lack of Black business that keeps us from being more supportive, or is it something different?

I had a conversation with a friend of mine one time. Another friend of ours sells concept apparel, he was selling a hat for $30 dollars. My friend thought it was too much and was going to ask for a discount. I asked him.

“Would you ask Gucci for a discount if they were selling a hat for $30 or even $300?”

“No, but it’s Gucci!”

That quick without him even realizing it, he not only de-valued our friend’s product. He pointed out the struggles Black businesses have staying competitive.

“Do you think the hat is worth $30?” I continued just curious to what his answer would be.

“Hell yea, but that’s my N**ga I’m gonna see if he’ll throw it to me for at least $20”

Again, he didn’t realize the bigger issue with his approach, especially when it comes to black business. It’s not that he didn’t think the product wasn’t worth the amount. It was that it didn’t hold the allure that a “Gucci” product would.

Right On Time.

I watched an Instagram video, a woman comic (I can’t think of her name) was addressing black businesses and why she believes Black people don’t support more.

She gave an anecdotal story about her going to a black-owned restaurant for a certain fish. They didn’t have that fish and a couple of other things she’d requested and said a phrase I have heard many times before.

“This is why I don’t go to black (Fill in Blank)” in this case restaurants. Somehow this one experience discredited every other black business.

The Bigger Picture

That shit needs to stop, yesterday. Now is a time of taking action, not pointing fingers. I wrote this to give some insight on a highly discussed problem within black communities. I don’t have all the answers. However, I do lend some suggestions.

1. Stop blaming every black business for your one bad experience.

2. Take the time to locate black businesses in your neighborhood.

3. Tell your friends about these businesses for them to pick up traction.

4. Build relationships/Rapport with businesses (honestly any business) before you request for discounts. It’s kind of insulting when you de-value someone’s shit.

5. For Black businesses, be able to take constructive criticism as your venture continues to manifest.

Lastly, let’s continue to grow and create more opportunity. Our only direction should be up and we need each other every step of the way. There’s nothing wrong with constructive criticism, just make sure the criticism stays constructive.

The post Mind Your Black Business appeared first on Real Lyfe University.

is one really big game of chutes and ladders. You may be at the top of your game and everything is going in your favor. Then you almost make it to the end of the game, just to land on that long ass ladder all the way back down to the bottom. Having to start over from nearly the beginning, in the blink of an eye. What shitty luck to have huh?

That’s Life Though.

You’ll have ups with really great peaks and then you’ll have downsides with equal valleys to overcome. I believe it’s important to experience these type of up and down events. It’s never a good thing to put all your eggs in one basket, or at least that’s what I was always told. So never get stagnant and never get too comfortable.

Some people love their job, they tell stories of how their boss praised them, we’ve all been there. It’s a good feeling to be acknowledged, but again never get too comfortable. Everyone is dispensable. I know that’s harsh, the truth usually is. It’s better you know that then to be blindsided by it in the future. For example, let’s just say you and the higher up have a verbal altercation which leads you both to be fired. You’ll realize very quickly the employee handbook means a lot more than the employee. You break the rules and you’re done just like that. All those praises don’t seem to mean so much now.

Those up moments of praise or those down moments of losing employment doesn’t define you, those are just chutes and ladder moments of life. Moments that leave you with more questions than answers initially, but gives you a lot to think about. It allows you to learn, grow and possibly even gain access to an opportunity your previous situation would have never granted you.

Chutes and Ladder moments are very humbling in my own experience, to have felt like you had it all and to lose it all is sometimes humiliating, depressing and just frustrating to be honest. In those moments you can really feel helpless, but it usually gives you some clarity on what others may go through or just be a personal reminder that you are not above the currents of the universe of this ride called life.

The post Chutes and Ladders appeared first on Real Lyfe University.