The World According to Teef

A Penny for Your Time, a Dollar or Five for Someone's Life

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Sat, 04 May 2013 16:38:00 +0000

The night before I started tenth grade my mother called and gave me the worst news of my life; my grandmother was diagnosed HIV positive and from that moment, my entire family lives changed. A little over three years later my aunt Danielle was forced to tell me what she couldn't my grandmother had lost her fight with AIDS. Once again, my family’s lives were changed. Twenty years ago AIDS was a death sentence, but there have been remarkable strides in awareness, education, research and treatment that have reduced rates of new infections and provided a better quality of life to many of those fighting this deadly virus.

Two years before my grandmother’s diagnosis, Magic Johnson revealed to the world that he was HIV positive and nearly 22 years later, he continues his fight to educate the world while he’s created an empire away from sports. Magic’s story is not my grandmother’s story. Nor is it the story most of the one million people living in America with HIV or AIDS. The fear attached to HIV/AIDS has decreased through the years; in part because of the triumphs Magic has continued to achieve since his announcement and partly because of the advancement in treatment through the years. We've grown through the infantile stages of the virus and for some reason the stigma associated with it seems to have dissipated with the years. Yes, people with HIV and AIDS are living longer, but that’s no cause to continue to engage in the high-risk activity that may expose you to the disease.

According to the CDC, there were 80,000 new cases of HIV/AIDS in 2011 and African-Americans accounted for half of the newly HIV infected. For our community, the fight never ends; we must continue to educate ourselves and others about the dangers of HIV and AIDS, as well as continue to be a voice in the conversations about awareness, research and treatment. Organizations and websites such as, Greatherthan.org, AIDS.org, UNAIDS.org, the Red Cross and any thousand others are valuable resources to arm yourself with the latest stats, research and ways for you to get involved.

My family has continued the fight we started with my grandmother twenty years ago and subsequently other family members by starting the Delia Mae Gordon AIDS Foundation, through which we intend to raise awareness and money for research and education. Tomorrow (May 5^th), we’re participating in New Jersey AIDS Walk 2013 and we’re asking for your help. You can join the thousands walking through Branch Brook Park in Newark or the remaining locations (Atlantic City, Asbury Park, Morristown or Ridgewood), find an AIDS Walk near you at AIDSwalk.net or support our team here. Additionally, you can spread the word and live responsibly, be most importantly, do something!

Surrealism: Bilal Releases "A Love Surreal"

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 16:19:00 +0000

You don’t listen to a Bilal album, you experience it; the latest experience comes courtesy of A Love Surreal, a suite of songs that tug and poke at your emotions until you’re completely enthralled by his amazing vocals and the depths of his lyrics.

Anyone who’s experienced 1st Born Second,Airtight’s Revenge or managed to get their hands on Love for Sale is familiar with being drawn deeply into the music and navigated through story after story in a way that leaves you breathless and wanting once the album has completed.

A Love Surreal doesn’t disappoint in its poetry or refusal to compromise to what R&B is currently being defined as. Instead, Bilal (who produced 11 of the 14 songs) retains complete creative license over his trademark sound and continues to produce music that relates to the depths of relationships, the crust of society and not just the party and bullsh*t on your FM dial.

Read the rest on EURWeb...

For Lovers Only...

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 17:03:00 +0000

By now you know my issues with Valentine’s Day; the commercialization of love does more to drive a line between the haves and have-nots than Christmas, because it drives at an emotion that many of us feel consistently and dictates just how we live our lives, loneliness. It’s great that millions of couples and individuals are sharing their love with so many today, even better for retailers, but I digress. But what of those with the lonely hearts, the two-time losers that just can’t seem to get it right when it comes to L-O-V-E? More than any other day of the year, today is a reminder for many of what they don’t have, don’t want and some feel, don’t need.

That’s the lie of St. Valentine’s Day.

Today is not for couples only, it’s for those who believe in love, but more importantly, love themselves. In my opinion, self-love is the most important expression of love today and all other days. There’s no shame in sending yourself roses today (just don’t create a fake boyfriend) or taking yourself to dinner. Furthermore, today provides the space to examine your singleness and determine if this is what you want or if it’s the result of deep-seated issues that may cause you to have to do the dirty work of improving who you are. However, many of us will bury our heads in the sand in attempts to block out the outpouring of love in our offices and through social media. Even worse, some will revel in the disappointment of others, whose mates have fallen short of an often unrealistic expectation of what their love should look like today.

That’s the ugliness of St. Valentine’s Day.

I had a friend who anticipated her boyfriend proposing to her on Valentine’s Day a few years ago and when it didn’t happen, another friend took it as her cue to delight in what she deemed the failing relationship. However, when he proposed two weeks later during a dinner to celebrate her parents anniversary and announced that Valentine’s Day was too cliché for such an occasion, that friend was largely silent. She offered a half-hearted “congratulations” and came to the realization that her ill feelings towards relationships should remain singular and judging by her friend’s overwhelming happiness, her attempt at poisoning her did not work.

Retailers and mass media draw a line in the sand today; I haven’t seen ads or coupons directed to the single folks who love themselves enough to not feel slighted today, there’s no “Every Kiss Begins with Kays” commercials for a single woman buying herself a charm bracelet with all the pieces of her that will make her a great wife someday. Buffalo Wild Wings is not running a deal for the fellas who are between relationships at the moment, but holding out hope for something real. No, I suppose there’s not much in the budget for those marketing campaigns. However, the absence of this population in media and conversation doesn’t delete them from existence, nor should it shame you into believing that Valentine’s Day is not for you too.

The truth of St. Valentine’s Day is that it’s for the lovers; lovers of God, lovers of self, lovers of love and lovers of the possibilities.

The Hump Day Song of the Week: A Tribe Called Quest "Sucka Nigga"

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 00:22:00 +0000

I be hating sucka M.C.'s and them sucka niggas!

The Hump Day Song of the Week: Sean McGee "Be Your Friend"

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 21:08:00 +0000

Yeah, that other guy has a version of this song, but I know the real and this is it! Check out Sean McGee...

What We Talk About When We Talk About Love: I'm a Man and I Don't Play Games

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 19:55:00 +0000

Damn I wish I said that line!

Instead, I stood in my living room and told my would-be wife that I could no longer be her friend, I had fallen in love with her and the time had come for us to either move into a relationship or simply go our separate ways. We had gone months as friends, talking to one another whenever an occasion freed itself, we were hanging out more and more and the vibe between us had definitely moved out of the “friend zone”. Yet, here we were, still undecided about if there was going to be an “us”. We both had some things to sort out, but at that moment I made it clear, I did not intend to spend another day as just her friend, I wanted her as my woman. There were some tears, a conversation, but obviously we aren’t just friends anymore. I wasn’t given her an ultimatum, I was simply declaring my position so there could be no confusion. I wasn’t interested in dating anyone else and didn’t want to leave room in her mind to think that I didn’t want to be with her, so this conversation was necessary, because the nature of our relationship was changing and we needed to be clear about what was happening.

Too often we leave space for doubt and when there’s doubt, there’s confusion. I’m a firm believer that confusion is a root of evil in relationships, so avoiding that gray area when dating or married or even just kicking it is a must. However, many of us have been so scarred by previous relationships that something as simple as having a conversation about the direction of a relationship becomes a burden. Often, men will avoid the conversation, in hopes that eventually things will progress on their own and she will become his lady. Other times, we become overzealous and over-commit ourselves, moving much faster than the situation called for and dealing with more than we’re capable of at the time.

In either case, the purity of the relationship can become contaminated; if you wait and string a woman a long, trust and believe that guy who simply says “hello” to her at the gym may be joining her for drinks when she skips her Zumba class. Although we believe women to be the more emotional of the sexes, they are pretty logical as well and if you haven’t made a move to commit to her after an extended period of time, she’ll start to get the feeling that this isn’t going to be anything more than what it is. Sure, you’ve talked about the possibility of a relationship and you text throughout the day, but all of that talk not followed by the action of making it real, seems like every other guy she’s dumped before she even said “hey” to you.

Conversely, you could be the guy that’s pressuring her to pass “Go” without collecting her $200 and really getting to see what it’s like to be with you. You’re the serial monogamist moving past dating to marriage and skipping the essentials to building a successful relationship. Giving you guys a chance to grow as a unit before taking the ultimate plunge because going back to change what time didn’t allow isn’t a possibility, so getting it right should be paramount. However, we’re conquerors and many times, planting our flag takes precedence over doing things correctly. When you look at it that way, it’s no secret why so many relationships fail and quickly. Ultimately, how we communicate and work together to move forward in a relationship is, along with friendship, the foundation of what healthy relationships are built upon.

Yet, we have so many brothers out here sending mixed signals. You’re telling a woman that you want to be with her, but haven’t acted on your words or we have cats proposing with empty ring boxes and promises just as such, but aren’t committed to the basics. At the root of it all is fear; I took a chance on losing a great friendship, but the risk was having a beautiful wife, so I stepped out of any trepidation lingering in my Adidas and made it known that I not only wanted to be with this woman, but I wanted to maintain the principles of our friendship as we moved into the romantic portion of our relationship. Sometimes fear causes us to miss out on something real, other times it makes us put a band on an illusion, hoping it becomes real. The result is the same in either situation, your name attached to those words you hate to hear: alone, unhappy, depressed or bitter.

The New Bobby & Whitney

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 02:02:00 +0000

Throughout the 90's and early part of the new millennium, Pop Culture was mesmerized by the soap opera that was Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown's marriage. Since their union dissolved, we’ve been privy to numerous toxic relationships via Reality TV and the internet's never-ending news cycle, but none have played out like the drama of Chris Brown and Rihanna. While the short-lived “Being Bobby Brown” gave us a peek at their dysfunction, Twitter and Instagram tell the saga of Chris, Rihanna and even Karrueche Tran, Chris’ on-again, off-again girlfriend.

The day before the 2009 Grammy Awards, Chris Brown and Rihanna were the epitome of young love; they were atop the charts, in-demand and seemingly headed to that exclusive level of uber-stardom. In an instant, it was over; their relationship and Brown’s career seemed to have been snuffed out when it was reported had beaten Rihanna after an argument following a pre-Grammy function. The whispers turned to gasps and then anger as pictures of a battered Rihanna circulated the internet and suddenly the bright future of Brown had dimmed drastically. Probation, community service and anger management counseling were in the immediate future for Chris, while Rihanna would recoil from the limelight briefly before releasing Rated R later in the year and continuing her ascent into stardom.

Fast forward three years and the two are rumored to have rendezvous overseas and then were seated courtside at the Lakers game Christmas and a segment of the population is wondering how did we get here? Since the assault, Chris has inherited Bobby’s title the “Bad Boy of R&B”, throwing tantrums at Good Morning America and being involved in numerous run-ins in nightclubs and of course social media, all the while riding a wave back to the top of the charts and back into Rihanna’s arms. In the interim, Rihanna has publicly flaunted a Rock & Roll lifestyle complete with booze, blunts and boys, the latter of which is said to have caused a bottle throwing brawl in a New York City nightclub between Drake, Meek Mill and Chris Brown last June. You add all of that up and we have a match made in heaven, at least cyberspace heaven.

After the two came together on the “Birthday Cake” remix, the whispers and gasps returned as people wondered aloud how Rihanna could accept Brown back into her life in any capacity. The violence left on her face was enough for many to believe there was no turning back, but there’s something in her heart that allowed the two to reunite and that’s what’s reminiscent of Bobby and Whitney to me. We never understood the love that kept the two of them together; we read the headlines of their fights and Bobby’s arrests, heard the whispers of Whitney’s drug abuse, saw their careers decline, but no one on the outside knew what it was like within the confines of their relationship.

And that’s how it should be.

We don’t know the ins and outs of this Chris Brown/Rihanna thing, but we’re privileged to far too much of their relationship via social media. The two have been sending subliminal tweets to one another for over a year, Rihanna’s Instagrammed numerous pictures of the two of them and Karrueche Tran seems to be a willing participant on this crazy ride. There was said to be a breakup with Tran in October, some sort of reconciliation with Rihanna, then photos with Tran, Rihanna posts pictures of her and Chris, Paris with some other chick and then Rihanna is in Paris. I’m too old to keep up with all of this, but millions are following this soap opera, waiting the next twist and hoping this episode doesn’t end as brutally as the one before. I already did my time, I grew up in the 90’s with the originals, Bobby and Whitney.

What We Talk About When We Talk About Love: When the Cat's Away...

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 03:46:00 +0000

I know cats that can’t wait for their wives to go out of town or simply have a night out, because this is their chance to run wild, cut up, break curfew or whatever the case may be. Not me. It’s true that my wife and I spend an enormous amount of time together, doing things we love, but neither of us had to sacrifice the identity we forged when we were single. In fact, we’ve maintained much of who we were before we began dating and that’s what helps to keep our bond so strong.

There are various times throughout the year when I travel for work or she’s away with her girls or handling family business that we are forced to spend apart; those are the worst days of the year for me. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like being away from my wife; I struggle to sleep and walk a hole in the carpet traveling up and down the stairs trying to busy myself in her absence. But there’s only so much you can do to pass the time you’re so used to spending with someone. When we discussed her going to Atlanta for the weekend, it seemed like a good idea because I was supposed to be away for work for most of the weekend, but once that was cancelled, I knew what I was in for.

As a matter of fact: I’ve had buffalo wings, donuts, a couple glasses of vodka, been to the movies, wandered around Walmart, done laundry, left my socks in the middle of the floor, cleaned the fridge, washed dishes, messed the kitchen up, cleaned it and messed it up again, conducted interviews, played the lottery, researched vacations, read a book, started to clean my office, stopped, watched six DVDs, overslept for church, packed our bags for our trip to D.C. and slept on your side of the bed so I could smell the scent that gives me peace through the night.

Yeah, I’m missing my wife.

Martin learned it the hard way when Gina went away for work, but I’ve known it all along, I’m not missing anything being married. Furthermore, I don’t feel smothered by marriage, causing me to run wild as soon as I’m given a bit of air. That’s because there’s always space to be me, yet room for us to grow, together. With that said, I have about twelve hours until I pick her up from the airport, so I still have time to get my party on! Who am I kidding, my knees hurt!

Never Tell a Nigga You Have a Quarter...They'll Ask for Twenty Cents!

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 23:05:00 +0000

Recollections on what my Granddaddy used to say...

By now, many of you have heard the tale of Tyron Smith, the Dallas Cowboys first round draft pick in the 2011 NFL draft. Smith, a 6’5 310 pound lineman has more on his mind than protecting Tony Romo these days; he’s trying to protect his ones. Since being drafted and signing a four year $12 million deal last summer, he’s had to make the adjustment to the fame and fortune that comes with the NFL lifestyle, and having to escape the clutches of family members who wish to share in his fortune. Boys grow up with dreams of becoming a professional athlete with the goal of buying their mother a big house, but in the case of Smith’s mother Frankie Pinkney, she seemingly wants a little more than a house and the satisfaction of knowing her son’s hard work and her family’s sacrifice paid off.

Cut the check!

Tyron Smith

Smith’s lawyer John Schorsch says the lineman broke his family off after he signed his deal, but mom says he made promises to give additional money and has defaulted on those assurances. There have been incidents dating back to last summer with his family showing up at the Cowboys’ practice facility and the recent 911 call against his sisters who showed up at the house as agents of mom and stepdad to harass the seemingly gentle giant. Furthermore, he has a restraining order against his parents that extends to his siblings (three sisters and two brothers), but has seemingly been violated because this family wants their piece of his pie.

The shame of it all is this predatory mentality is not reserved for millionaires; many of us have friends, family members or may even be the repeated target of family members that just can’t seem to get their finances in order. There’s a myriad of reasons our families struggle and even quite a few solutions to begin the work on their struggles, but nothing works like calling on so & so to ask for a few dollars, because they have it. What makes you think I have it? Like my homie told me yesterday, his wife likes nice things and so does mine, that is reason enough for someone not to call my house asking for anything. Besides that, what about my mortgage, car note, light bill and the food in my freezer, my day-to-day expenses don’t matter to you? If you’re constantly in my pocket, could I ask you for some help when I'm going up the rough side of the mountain? However, people don’t see that far ahead, they see Facebook pictures of you out having a good time, know you have a decent paying job and a two-income household, so there’s got to be extra for them right?

Well ain’t it?!?

Emphatically no! Many of us work ourselves to the bone for the opportunity to go on vacations or make sure our wives have new shoes; nothing about my waking up at the crack of dawn was done by you, so why should you cash in when my direct deposit goes through? It may be hard to fathom, but being family is not a sense of entitlement, especially when a concerted effort at improvement on your behalf is not being seen. The reality is, calling your brother to put a little something on your light bill or because your cupboard is bare, doesn’t affect the root of the condition so we may be right back in this place on the 20^th of each subsequent month.

There are folks who don’t want their conditions to improve, yet want to reap the benefit of your hard work and act as if you owe them something because you have one or two more zeros in your bank account. They prey on the fact that you’re a “good person” or try to guilt you into your repeated assistance. But here’s the kicker, oftentimes they have the most asinine requests, like, “Can I borrow a few dollars to get my cable cut on?” Seriously, you’re waist deep in the struggle and you’re trying to keep the cable on? Do you need internet access to apply for a better job? Oh, you can’t do that, because you don’t have a computer.

(sidebar: Some of yall have $800 cell phones and no computer at home?)

We’ve reached a valley in social illiteracy so deep that the correlation between survival and luxury has been blurred beyond recognition, so calls to help with rent or even food have been replaced with keeping T-Mobile off your ass. I guess the thought is that someone will step in if you need a place to stay or a bite to eat, but you can’t be disconnected from the people who don’t hold you down, so let me call my cousin. Social media has frayed the edges of relationships to the point that many categorize connections in “likes”, forgetting the intimacy that goes along with a meaningful bond…until there’s a need.

Whether we’re talking millions or a couple of twenties, you can’t count what someone else’s PIN number has access to and consistently chomp at their bit for a taste when you’re mismanaging what you have or haven’t put forth an effort to get on your own. Life happens in real time and has no sympathy for your suppositions or imaginary debts, so you may need to get up, get out and get something, because while you’re trying to get over, many of us are having a hard enough time just getting by.

...Or Do You Not Think So Far Ahead?

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 21:40:00 +0000

Out of frustration and hopelessness, our young people have reached the point of no return.
Malcolm X

No more countdowns, no more wondering about ID’s or anticipating the lines, the time to vote has come and the anticipation now moves to watching the results roll in and the electoral college maps fill in. So, while you, me, Michelle, Tagg and millions more are anxiously awaiting to find out who the next President of the United States will be, there’s a large number of the population who can care less. This growing number of constituents has grown either disillusioned or feels disaffected by the politics of the country, that what’s momentous to many of us is microscopic in their grand scheme of things. Or perhaps that’s the issue; there is no big picture for so many living among us.

The 2008 Presidential Election really brought into focus the power of the young voter; the college-aged citizen coming into their own, developing their worldview and for many, having their voices heard for the first time. But what of the disconnected youth? Those who’ve finished high school but have opted out of post-secondary training and have yet to find stable employment, the transient beings who pass through life never knowing what lies ahead, because getting through the day is paramount to their lives? This number has grown since 2008, as nearly 1,000,000 young people between the age of 16 and 2004 have joined the ranks of the disconnected.

By disconnected, I am referring to young people not in school or working; your brother that plays video games all day, your sister who watches “Maury” until her friends come home from work or class. Of the 5.8 million young folks classified as disconnected, 22.5% are African-American, 18.5% Latino; imagine the voting power not going to the polls, because many of these young people don’t see the relationship between voting and their current and probable future situations.

It’s hard for many to draw a correlation between how voting today may aid in a turnaround for them tomorrow, when they feel as though there’s no trickle down to their neighborhoods or households. It’s similar to how those living in poverty didn’t feel as if The Great Recession had reached them, yet more storefronts are abandoned and jobs once considered menial, became desirable as people were forced to humble themselves and pick up work they may have felt either overqualified or superior to.

Opting out of the electoral process is in many cases a submission to your current conditions, because you have abandoned an opportunity to have your say on matters that range from federal to your municipality, chances to vote on Higher Education reform acts, biased criminal justice policies and recreation activities for the youth in your community. Additionally, you’re aiding and abetting the government in burning the bridges out of poverty. The federal investment on programs supporting disconnected youth has been slashed from $15 billion to $3 billion since the late 70’s; the government’s investment in the socioeconomic mobility of its poorest citizens has always been questionable at best, but the appropriating of funds for those who’ve disengaged from the institutional pillars of our society is a figurative foot on the necks of those climbing the ladder of success.

33% of disconnected youth have dropped out of high school and 75% of inmates in state prisons have not earned their diploma. Do we see a connection? Even more, just about $74 billion is spent annually on corrections, while they’re role in rehabilitation has been limited by cuts to training and education programs, so they’ve become breeding grounds for recidivism.

But I don’t do politics

That’s the most common refrain from those who aren’t voting today and have no intention to ever do so. They don’t “do” politics”. Much in the same way they don’t “do” church, or work or self-improvement, but will be among the first to bitch about the lack of progress they’re making in this thing called life. You see, disconnected youth move on to become disenfranchised adults; the listless individuals we try to dissociate ourselves from, those who’ve watched life pass them by and often make mention about what wasn’t given to them or what they didn’t have. However, when the time necessitated speaking up, many fell mute and allowed the spirit of Fannie Lou Hamer to rest in turmoil, as her efforts and those of so many others may have been in vain because so many of us take for the granted the obligation of voting.

Yes, voting is an obligation, not a mere right. We have the right to bear arms, but we should feel duty-bound to vote, to have our say in policy and know we’re represented on all levels of government and feel our best interest is being sought by those we put in the position to do so. Somewhere between what happens when you leave the booth and once an elected official takes office causes much of the breakdown, as those not sophisticated enough to understand the nuances of politics grow frustrated by campaign promises and the outright lies of our presidents, governors, mayors and so on, would rather not be part of process than take a chance in the booth again the next fall and falls to come.

The climate of social and cultural illiteracy is a learned behavior; where does an 18-year-old learn not to vote? Civic disengagement happens in many homes, long before a child is eligible to vote, because the conversation of the positive outcomes of the process is nearly nonexistent. To add, many of our young people are electing not to be involved, because the information is definitely there. When he or she turns on the television, there’s a commercial saying “vote for me”, the same goes for radio. That same teenager logs on to Facebook or Twitter and there’s dialogue about the upcoming election. Yet, somehow he or she is able to tune all of the commotion out and proceed with their fractionalized life, because the audacity to hope was extinguished long before the reality of forever was even a consideration.

When we’re living for today, what does tomorrow matter? I pray you’re planning to vote today or already have. If you don’t, I pray you gain the wisdom to want to change your mind for future elections in an attempt to change your future, because old fools used to be young fools…

Matthew A. Cherry - Something to "Fall" Back On

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 17:15:00 +0000

jour·ney·man/ˈjərnēmən/ – A worker or sports player who is reliable but not outstanding

Young men who grow up with aspirations of playing a professional sport are often advised to have something to fall back on–a “Plan B,” because the likelihood of making it as a pro is often a long shot. Like those young men before and after him, athlete-turned filmmaker Matthew Cherry grew up with those same dreams but was able to make his a reality; and when the time came, he put his “Plan B” into action. As an undrafted free agent from the University of Akron, Cherry was faced with long odds in making an NFL team, but his work ethic and ability landed him on the practice squad of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played one game for the Jaguars and then began an NFL odyssey not glamorized on ESPN or recognized in the eyes of young men growing up; he bounced around between teams, countries and continents, before finally deciding to walk away from the game after a run with the Baltimore Ravens at age 24.

The time to explore his options and establish a second professional career came much earlier than anticipated, but he approached it with the same discipline and drive as he did athletics. With his playing days behind him, Cherry set up shop in Los Angeles, working as a production assistant on the set of various television shows and absorbing the mechanics of directing.

Read the rest at Soul Train

The Hump Day Song of the Week: Bub Luv "Devil May Cry"

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:33:00 +0000

I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing the growth of the artist behind this week’s song over the last six years; I still remember when Jabbar aka Bub Luv told me he was a rapper and then proceeded to spit a rhyme in my office (after closing the door), but he’s come a long way from there. I’m not speaking as an MC, but as a man. Over those six years, he’s endured a change in majors, become a father, maintained a full-time job and managed to keep his nose clean, not to mention kept working to improve his craft.

He’s always been a little different; I’ve watched him go from having sixty pairs of sneakers to rocking wingtips, so it’s no surprise that he and a group of friends closed ranks to become a self-contained unit. The company they’ve formed is MadLights, a full-service art house consisting of rappers, managers, artists, photographers and designers poised to gain a foothold in entertainment as they continue to grow as artists and mature as men and women.

The result of Bub’s growth is evident in “Devil May Cry”, the first release from his upcoming mixtape “PowerLights” and also displays the direction the company is moving. The song is an honest attempt at chronicling the past six years of his life and aligning what’s next for him, his family, company and career. I’m proud of you Bubbie, keep working on your craft, keep working on being a better man, everything you do will benefit from your determination.

Another Sad Love Song...What the Hell Happened to Toni Braxton's Face?!?

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 17:19:00 +0000

Perhaps the fact she hasn’t had a hit in a while is why I didn’t know Toni Braxton now looks like this. I saw a snippet for her VH1 “Behind the Music” and it took a clip of “You’re Making Me High” to realize the show was about her. She was completely unrecognizable from the Toni Braxton I knew. Remember when she first hit back in ’92, rockin’ that short cut and her husky voice, a star was born. By the time her second album was released in ’96, the nose was trimmed, her boobs had been touched up and her hair was extended, she had undergone a reinvention. Even more, she was decidedly sexier as she neared 30 and her cover story in Vibe magazine was a testament to that. Still, the music was good, “Un-Break My Heart” was huge and she was everywhere, winning Grammys and every other award you can imagine.

It seems she didn’t learn industry rule #4080 or she thought the sun was going to last forever, because her rainy day fund was depleted and at the height of her success, Toni Braxton filed bankruptcy. A few years removed from TLC’s bankruptcy dilemma, it was easy to say the record label had done her wrong, until her lavish spending (and not paying) was revealed. She endured that drama, dropped another album that was decent, got married, had a baby, dropped an album that flopped, another baby, Broadway, more flops, “Dancing with the Stars” and then a series of health issues. At one point, it was rumored that she had breast cancer and later had a benign growth removed from her breast. Her Vegas run of her show “Revealed” ended after a hospitalization and mystery illness sidelined her, she later revealed it was due to a heart issue. Even more, she’s been diagnosed with lupus and her second son has autism.

Celebrity life for Toni Braxton sho’ ain’t been no crystal stair, because after all of the ups and downs, trials and tribulations, she was back in bankruptcy court again, claiming she was nearly $50 million in the hole. Say what!?! It seems as if homegirl said F paying any bills, Saks Fifth Avenue to parking tickets, she was not breaking anyone off. Like other stars dimmed by time, she took to Reality TV, bringing her family along for “Braxton’s Family Values”, making her sister Tamar a ~~hot mess~~ Reality star in the process.

After all of that, she’s doing “Behind the Music”, talking about smoking weed, Oprah and who knows what else, but I want to talk about her face! I want to know if she hates herself of what she sees when she looks in the mirror. Funny-face Tamar has definitely been under the knife a few times, but Toni has done more than create a new Braxton nose, but has seemingly reconstructed her entire look. It’s a damn shame, because she was fine! She’s just another sad story in the tragic book of stardom exposing the worst of what people can be and revealing the subtle scars of their psyche.

Worst-Case Scenario

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 13:50:00 +0000

Just when I thought it was impossible for the collective intelligence of people to sink any lower, Hurricane Sandy blows into town and a new low of ignorance is reached. The mainstream media has a knack for creating a panic through their hype machine by feeding on the fear factor of the public; impending storms become headline news and people rush out to purchase the essential supplies (bread, water, batteries and liquor) and then hunker down bracing for impact. However, many times we’re hit with torrential downpours and damaging winds, but the most severe damage is usually reserved for those areas practically living on the water. Usually, that is the case, until Hurricane Irene blew through town in August 2011 and wrecked shop, causing massive flooding and damage. At that moment, the thought process changed and the Northeastern portion of the United States realized that we are now part of the hurricane season that tears through the Caribbean, Southern Florida and the Gulf Coast routinely.

So why is that a year removed from Irene’s wrath were people still cynical about the possibility of Hurricane Sandy being the superstorm or “Frankenstorm” it was predicted to be? Early Thursday I read in my office that two people had been killed as Sandy ravaged Jamaica and Cuba, but by the time I got in that evening, 21 more were lost. At that point, I knew there was something real about this storm. At that point, I learned this storm was headed directly for the East Coast. I joked with co-workers that I would not be returning to work until at least Thursday, because once the storm arrived, there was no way I was leaving Philadelphia. Perhaps I should’ve considered being a meteorologist, because much of this region is picking up the pieces, waiting for floodwaters to recede and power to be restored, in hopes of resuming some semblance of normalcy.

One thing was sure; there was no way I was going to be separated from my wife through whatever happened. That meant work, a run to Walmart, nothing was going down without the two of us being together. The storm could have taken a turn in the Atlantic and never reached us, but there wasn’t going to be any space between us until Al Roker and them said sunny days were here again. I can’t fathom the thought process that drove non-essential personnel out of their homes yesterday, when winds were gusting around 40mph and rain was falling in buckets. Perhaps the threat of losing a day’s pay was incentive enough, but I saw two governors tell everyone to stay off the roads and that was enough for me. However, it still wasn’t enough for people to flee areas mandated to evacuate, either out of skepticism or having nowhere to go. I suppose I wouldn’t want to be cooped up in a shelter either and I’m fortunate enough to have enough loved ones to make my way to, but there are many whose options are severely limited in a time of crisis.

Atlantic City

With that said, I can understand the cynicism from folks thinking this storm was just another byproduct of the media, a conspiracy theory to help drive the economy. Besides, even gas priced dramatically fell as we anticipated the storm. However, once governors and mayors started taking to TV, advanced closures announced, the Stock Exchanged shut down, a certain level of preparation must be followed, despite your doubts. Even more, the rain and wind that began to kick up Sunday night was just a precursor of what was to come and that was on par with the worst of storms we received this year. But you know your cousins, “I’m missing work because of a little rain, a little bit of wind”, just ignorant, while Atlantic City was being battered.

BY 8:00 am Monday morning, Delaware was shut down, the Atlantic City Boardwalk was literally in pieces and Sandy was still hours away! Still, this was nothing to some people. I saw posts damning the news coverage and their likening results to horrible storms of other regions like Hurricane Katrina, because this hurricane was a mere Category 1. We’re not used to having our storms categorized as hurricanes around here and not to mention the many rivers that border our cities and towns, the fact that it is the Island of Manhattan and yes, there are levees in New Jersey, this had the potential to be something serious.

Red Hook, Brooklyn

Ask the 1,000,000 people without power in New Jersey if this was just a “wind storm”? Ask the patients who had to be moved from NYU Hospital after a generator failed if this storm lived up to the hype? Take a look at the crane that’s dangling over New York City, the boat that capsized in the ocean and listen to the sirens that broke through the wind and what little peace there was to the night. Better yet, find out from those displaced or the families of the nearly twenty dead if only a “little bit of rain” caused all of this damage? Like many people, I’ve been glued to the news coverage, mesmerized by the winds, the damage and applying my own assessments as to how quickly we’ll move on from this storm. The results around New York City were amazing, as entire neighborhoods were on fire, transformers blew, the Subways were flooded and even Sam Champion from “Good Morning America” was stuck in Battery Park all night because all routes were flooded.

I’ve been up since 5am reaching out to family and friends, trying to ensure they’ve made it through the night safely and with the exception of a few fallen trees and lost power, they’re doing just fine. However, the fact you still reduce what happened yesterday and will carry on through the remainder of the week (not to mention the millions in damage that will take who knows how long to repair) to such a minimalist effect, really displays just how confined your way of thinking is in relation to world surrounding you.

I'm Disappointed in America: "The Houstons: On Our Own"

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 19:36:00 +0000

Grief can cause the strangest reactions in people; there’s anger, shutting down and those who keep moving as if nothing ever happened, until the weight is too much to bear. In the case of Whitney Houston’s family, it seems as if adding a few cameras and crew to their everyday lives was the answer, because Lifetime premiered “The Houstons: On Our Own” the other night and new era of train wreck TV was born. While Whitney’s most hardcore fans are still coping with the death of their idol, the show must go on for her family, despite the pain they must feel and the disarray their lives is in.

The ringleader of this circus is sister-in-law Pat, wife to the incredibly high Gary and now-guardian to out-of-control Bobbi Kristina. I’ve had issues with Pat since the announcement of Whitney’s death; all of her movements were seemingly done to preserve the gravy train and not the emotional state of Whitney’s mother and daughter, practically every movement since that fateful day in February has found Pat pulling the strings and nearly every inch has been questionable; the leaked information, the Oprah interview and now the show. I can dig that Whitney kept the lights on all of these years, but moving on also means creating your path, but her path is tied squarely to the estate.

It happens that estate is tied to the drinking arm of Bobbi Kristina, the sole heir to whatever fortune Whitney left and at 19-years-old, a spitting image of her parents’ bad habits. I only saw minutes of the show, but what I did catch showed a visibly impaired Bobbi Kris at a family dinner, guzzling a bottle of wine and incoherently speaking to family members and doting on god brother/boo Nick Gordon. I know the bottle was there and she was taking it to the head, but I don’t recall liquor slowing a person down so much and delaying the speech in the way hers was. Her behavior seemed more like someone on the Aitch, Horse, Boy, Smack, Junk, Heron, the Shit, or if you prefer, Heroin.

We’ll skip over the fact the girl is underage and drunk on television, there has to be some responsibility from the network on that, but Pat is completely unconvincing as the glue to hold the family together. Where is Cissy during all of this mess, did I miss her? I guess no one thinks it’s a good idea to call the girl’s father, even though he has some issues of his own right now, she may need her daddy to step in. The tabloids have told the tale of Bobbi Kristina and Nick since her mother’s death, but to see it was something different, it is a bit creepy, but he could be what she needs to get through this tough time. Sure, the timing is bad and her access to a few million doesn’t hurt either…

Lifetime has definitely made a conscious effort for the Negro eye as they premiered that God-awful Steel Magnolias remake a few weeks back and now have cast Bobbi Kris as the new “Bad Girl of Reality TV”, the only difference between her and Snooki is that she’s on a crash course with addiction and death. I’m pretty sure the Houston clan doesn’t want to deal with another tragedy, but the tragedy here is actually going this route for exposure at the expense of this child’s life. Somebody get Dr. Drew on the line!

Panem et Circenses: The Hunger Games Redux

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 19:52:00 +0000

..but until then, you know and I know,
niggas will party & bullshit and party & bullshit
and party & bullshit and party & bullshit and party...
Some will even die, before the revolution comes
“When the Revolution Comes”
The Last Poets

This election season can’t end fast enough for me; between Mitt Romney’s stupidity, Donald Trump’s blatant racism and pseudo-awareness of your cousins, the run-up to November 6^th has taken on a more circus-like atmosphere than ever before. Granted, social media has done wonders in raising the awareness of millions on specific issues, but it cannot be the primary source of consciousness in situations as important as a Presidential election.

The debates interrupt a constant flow of nonsense and place some of the most disorganized minds in a realm slightly above where they normally reside. I don’t have an issue with people getting involved or wanted to be attentive to the process, but you can’t just tune in on a Monday night and automatically assume the position of ghetto correspondent. Over the last month, I’ve literally seen folks go from discussing gang relations to politically astute within seconds, simply because ABC began to air coverage of the debate. Still no problem, I turn it on and off all of the time. My problem is when the debates or crucial moments in the campaign become entertainment, like watching the Cowboys and Giants play; we’ve gotten to the point where we narrow in on zingers and one-liners, missing what’s actually being talked about or more importantly, isn’t being talked about.

Panem et Circenses

Juvenal, Roman poet and satirist, used the metaphoric phrase to describe the state of Romans displaced from history and political involvement, satisfied by food and entertainment. Translated, panem et circenses means bread and circuses and in its original context refers to Roman politicians distributed wheat and circus games to citizens to gain their vote. Fast forward a few thousand years and our lives are based around bread and circuses; political involvement has taken on a tint of entertainment, only when it’s a trending topic on Twitter or in the hood. Even more, historical struggles and sacrifices are nothing more than the heroics of days gone by, as we’ve reached a break in the continuum of our experience in America.

Now, everyone’s #teamobama and turned up for Election Day, but many of us missed the City Council and Board of Education elections. We can’t check in and out of the electoral process, because if you’ve really been paying attention, much of what’s being talked about is above your tax bracket and what’s not being discussed are the things your local government are left to contend with, but that’s not the lead story on your nightly news or your timeline.

The hilarity ensues the moment the debates end and it’s back to business as usual almost immediately as grammatically incorrect rants about “so & so”, talk about Tamar, graphic sex talk and pictures of disgusting looking food begin to flood the timelines. At that point, the show’s over, the curtain has dropped and the day-to-day nigga shit has thugged its way back through without anyone taking a bow for their performance as informed citizen. It’s back to the nonsensical conversation and oblivion of the world around them, yes, it’s back to the party & bullshit and party & bullshit and party & bullshit and party & bullshit.

With all of that said, get out to vote, then stay involved. Not just for you, but for your children and James Meredith and Medgar Evers and Dorothy Height and Shirley Chisholm and all of the people killed before Martin’s dream and after crack’s nightmare. Vote because your voice matters and your place counts. Vote because the party and bullshit will end one day and you’ll have to be counted for when the bread and circuses are tabulated.

The Hump Day Song of the Week: Rick James "Ebony Eyes" ft. Smokey Robinson

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 23:29:00 +0000

And I bet you didn't know...how much I loved Rick James coming up!

The Kingdom Theory

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 14:51:00 +0000

Please don’t get it twisted, not everyone marched or died for the right for you to vote, this is an actual conversation I overheard:

Negro #1 – Did you watch the debate last night?
Negro #2 – No, I sure didn’t, neither one of them buzzards ain’t gonna get my vote this year.
Negro #1 – You for real?
Negro #2 – Yes ma’am. I don’t trust that Rumney and that ol’ Barack said the gays can get married. My pastor says that’s against God and I can’t support a man that’s against God.
Negro #1 – (Shakes head and walks away)

This can’t be what’s going on in the church; are pastors out there advising their congregations not to vote because President Obama has given an endorsement to Gay Marriage? I pray this is not the position the Black Church has decided to take because of an outdated philosophical difference. I get it, somewhere in the Bible it says that homosexuality is a sin and somehow that’s become the most condemnable of them all, because the doors of the church are opened weekly to lowlifes, pushers, prostitutes, child molesters and murderers, but a person with an alternative lifestyle is made to feel unwelcomed.

The Black Church has become so insulated and a fair share obsessed with the prosperity gospel that the message of community has been lost. During the era known to us as the Civil Rights Movement, the church was at the forefront, organizing and rallying the people in the direction of change. My, how things have changed; we’ve placed judgment before the testimony and the civil rights that were marched, fought and died for are suddenly not applicable to everyone. Even more amazing is there can be any consideration of not supporting President Obama because of this issue or opting out of the election altogether; there’s a long way to go before Gay Marriage is considered by the Supreme Court, but poverty, education, crime, women’s rights, immigration and unemployment should be what you take your president to task over.

Jesse Jackson once referred to our communities as kingdoms, primarily because of our spending power and as an attempt to instill self-pride and mobility into the people, but that concept was lost on materialism and a selfishness that defeated the purpose of the solidarity of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements. We’ve lost our fight, as well as our focus and will, become fragmented into the haves and the have-nots, never realizing that most of us don’t have anything. As a whole, we seem to place too much emphasis on who’s single or if we can sell enough coffee or vacations to reach a million dollars and not enough attention is being paid to if we’re living righteously. Are our children are being educated properly? Are we’re holding all facets of government responsible for its people?

This is about more than a man having the ability to marry another man or a woman to marry a woman, this is about a segment of citizens being denied rights, sort of like when you and I were 3/5 or not able to vote. The message can’t be selective, we’ve got to be inclusive of everyone if we’re going to grow, if we’re going to impact any sort of change. To be dismissive of any segment of your congregation or community is hypocritical to not only the fights of days gone by, but the tenets of your beliefs. Additionally, you have to know your audience and translate into plain speak they have a responsibility to vote and to think for themselves and not jumble the message in the way that’s confusing to your flock.

The bottom line is the message of inclusion needs to be what’s being preached, a compassion for those with varying lifestyles, because it’s all about having God in your heart and walk correct? This issue can possibly cause misguided individuals to sit out the most important election of right now, for such a narrow-minded point of view. We are running the risk of sacrificing any progress made over the last four years because the President, the NAACP and Jay-Z say they support Gay Marriage. If it’s that serious, go for it, but I can’t be convinced the God I believe in is not accepting of what he’s created and allowed the free will to choose.

Wanted: #2 Male to Run, Jump, Kick Ass & Blow Sh*t Up

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 21:12:00 +0000

Get Tyler Perry on the phone!

When I read last year that Tyler Perry had signed to play the title role in Alex Cross, I remember thinking that Hollywood and Tyler Perry had won. After shoving stereotypes and bad screenplays down our throats for more than a decade, he’s broken through and is making his crossover debut as a Drama/Action star. Whoopty damn doo! We can keep with the party line that a Black man is starring in a movie or we can discuss how troubling his casting in this film is. His acolytes will applaud the fact that he’s taken over the role, optimists will reserve their opinion until seeing the movie, but the so-called cynics or chronic haters will decry his casting as nothing more than an attempt at boosting the box-office appeal of the film.

It’s been eleven years since Along Came a Spider hit theaters and fifteen since Kiss the Girls, so there is a legitimate fear that interest in the series may have declined, so a splash for the revamp was necessitated, hence Tyler Perry and his bankability. The first films starred Morgan Freeman, who at 75, could not plausibly handle the duties of a high-impact film. With 21 novels in the series, there was fertile ground to choose from, but with the long absence from theaters and new actor in the lead, the creative team completely rebooted the series. It has been updated for the more bang for your bucks cinematic time we’re in and creates the possibility that Perry may be cast for movies to come.

For those who haven’t read the books or seen the movies, Alex Cross is a psychologist and former D.C. homicide detective that goes on to become a FBI agent and ultimately settles into a career as a consultant to both law enforcement agencies. Let’s call him a profiler, à la “Criminal Minds”. There’s a sophistication and high-level intelligence that’s attached to this character, nuances that Tyler Perry’s characters lack in his production, a certain je ne sais quoi. Honestly, he’s the polar opposite of what the trailer portrays him to be, but the sophistication and nuanced minds of moviegoers has dwindled in those eleven years.

I know Photoshop when I see it!

Before Rob Cohen was brought in as director, Idris Elba was contracted to play the lead role, but was soon replaced by Tyler Perry. It’s still puzzling to think this change was made, because of the type of action involved in the film, but judging by Men’s Health this month, Tyler’s done a few sit-ups or seen a doctor. However, we’re still missing the point on translating the essence of “Alex Cross” onscreen; there are a number of talented actors that could capture the varying degrees of the character that were overlooked because they didn’t come with a built-in fan base.

I know Will Smith and Jamie Foxx don’t leave the house for less than $20 million, but Don Cheadle, Jeffrey Wright or Chiwetel Ejiofor would’ve been ideal for the role, even Forest Whitaker. Hell, I’d rather see Samuel L. Jackson yelling and cussin’ for 95 minutes than see Tyler Perry extend his machismo beyond its means. Seriously, have you heard his voice on the commercial? Dude, you’re not Rambo! I imagine the studio looked at the bottom line for Tyler Perry’s films and started to see green, as in the $51 million dollars his films average. A chance to establish a vehicle for a credible and trained actor of color has been forsaken for first week’s sales. What’s next, 50 Cent or The Rock cast as Othello?

Thinking of a Number Between 1 and 1,000

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 20:09:00 +0000

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but for my 1,000 post, I wanted pictures to relay what The World According to Teef actually looks like.

The Hump Day Song of the Week: Curtis Mayfield "We People Who are Darker Than Blue"

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 17:56:00 +0000

I really believe this song sets the tone for the zone I'm in and the posts that will follow...

Introducing: Aaron Camper

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 14:18:00 +0000

Aaron Camper has played the background too long; he’s written for and sung with some of today’s biggest stars, but his talent cannot be confined to behind-the-scenes work much longer as he’s poised to breakout and take his space among the stars he’s apprenticed with through the years. Beginning with last year’s Welcome to My World mixtape and the recent release of “Madness”, he’s taking the necessary steps for you to get to know his name, his face and his music. Prepare yourself!

Salisbury, nestled on Maryland’s eastern shore, is where Aaron Camper’s musical spark was ignited. That flickering flame was stoked into an inferno where the careers of many have started–church. Born to a choir director father and gospel singing mother, he was swaddled in spirit and song, developing an appreciation for the marriage of the two. Having his Sundays stretched beyond the limits of a young boy, he found himself sleeping on the various instruments used to support his parents’ burgeoning group and undoubtedly dreaming of the various arrangements he heard orchestrated through the day.

Read the rest on Soul Train

Kem Shares "What Christmas Means"

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 14:16:00 +0000

Over the last ten years, Kem has cemented his place atop the Urban/Adult Contemporary charts and in the hearts of many; from “Love Calls” to “You’re on My Mind”, he’s stirred from his soul emotional ballads and mid-tempo grooves that have become his signature.

This time around, he’s applying his formula of smoothness and intimacy to a Christmas album that’s he’s dubbed “What Christmas Means.” While his most diehard fans are anticipating the follow-up to 2010’s Intimacy: Album III, they will find their appetites satisfied by this holiday offering of covers and original compositions.

This is a Christmas album for lovers, the spark to warmth on cold nights and ignites the feelings of the season. Sure, the standards are here, “The Christmas Song”, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “We Three Kings”, plus the R&B standard “Merry Christmas Baby”, but they each have his fingerprints all over them. No, this is not Bring Crosby or even Nat King Cole, it’s all classic Kem. He’s included his brand of soul into what has become background music during your shopping trips to solidify its place on your iPod on those trips to the mall.

Antoine Dunn: The Truth

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 14:12:00 +0000

October 16^th will be the culmination of the first leg of Antoine Dunn’s journey; on this date, his debut album, The Truth of the Matter will be released. His trek from Cleveland, Ohio to “Can’t Forget” finding a place on your iPod hasn’t been unlike many artists before him, but the grace and determination he’s traveled with is all his own. Currently, he’s bringing his heart and soul to cities across the country opening for Anthony Hamilton and Estelle on the former’s “Back to Love” tour, but soon the spotlight will be his and his alone.

This moment is bittersweet for Antoine Dunn; of course he’s excited to release his first album, but he’ll be celebrating with his mother’s memory in his heart and thoughts of his cousin on his mind. On the morning “Can’t Forget” was released to radio he was singing at his mother’s funeral, days after a long battle with Breast Cancer took her life. The album is being released on the birthday of a cousin that was murdered while Antoine was laying the foundation for this day. That type of pain is enough to make a man quit, but it’s also the type of pain that feeds a man’s soul and finds it outlet through the music he’s committed to making.

Read the rest on Soul Train

Back to School with Winston Warrior

noreply@blogger.com (Al-Lateef Farmer) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 14:09:00 +0000

Winston Warrior has a lot to learn.

In less than a year he’s released his debut album, Lifeology 101 and returned to the studio to ready its follow-up, Lifeology 101…Back to School. The frequency of this output is amazing when you take into consideration that he didn't make music for over a decade, foregoing dreams of climbing the charts for making his way up the corporate ladder. Burned by the frustrations of the music industry in his first go ‘round, he applied the skills learned studying marketing at the University of Miami and began making a living for himself.

Read the rest on Eurweb