Agent of Change

Saturday Morning Music - Episode 8

2011-12-24T10:59:00.008-05:00

"She Knows" - "I wrote this in honor of a lot of the women I've met throughout my life. I don't consider myself to be a feminist, rather a brother who just sees the wrong and wishes things were more right. For me, it's not just another rap where I big up women but also an homage to every hip-hop song that put women in a positive light and attempted to provide comfort, strength and wisdom.

I'm only releasing a snippet of the unmastered version because this is one of my favorite songs on 'Little Brother Syndrome' and I want you to get the full experience when you hear the story that connects to it. This is the first verse to the song where I talk about women in hip-hop... inspired by a show I went to with a female headliner...

It features the ever-talented Ms. Jeanette Berry and is produced by the homie Donta Black."

"Won't stop - got a big heart/ Even if they want a menage"

(sidenote: the line was not a diss at Nicki... I'm a fan of her's lol)

"Child Soldiers" - "I debated whether or not I was going to release the mix of this song as part of Saturday Morning Music for a while now. I had an omen today when I came across this article in The Huffington Post about the rise of gangs in communities of Sudanese refugees in the Midwest (I didn't mean for that to rhyme at all)...

'Child Soldiers' is a song I wrote about the inner city youth of today. Going back to the mixtape's theme of growing up and becoming a revolutionary, I talk about my frustration of feeling powerless to do anything because of the social and economic barriers I'm trying to overcome myself, the disgust I feel towards the fact that our children's needs are being ignored for foreign support, and ultimately, what it's like to be the disenfranchised youth. There is a war going on and they are forced to become soldiers before they can grow...

Although I think the lyrics could have been better for the first two verses, the hook and the third verse ties everything together neatly...

I dedicate this to our young brothers and sisters, U.S. and abroad. I know it's hard but fight on, family. Fight on..."

"'Cause their inheritance - a war they can't escape..."

Peace and Love...

V.W.

Saturday Morning Music - Episode 7

2011-11-26T10:45:00.002-05:00

Rise Up Theme by VaryusWaise

"Rise Up Theme" - "Thanksgiving passed a few days ago. This year's was the best I ever had as I not only got to spend it eating well and having real, in-depth conversations about life with loved ones but I through those conversations, I realized that although this was a challenging year for me, I have much to be grateful for.

I've had the honor of being apart of the Rise Up Radio team for two years, come February 2012 and it's been a great ride along the way. I've gotten to meet so many interesting people from many walks of life and hear their stories and I wrote this song for them.

Although I wrote it last year, I never released it because I didn't want to come off as the arrogant new guy lol. Also, the second verse needed to change from the original. It's a new theme song I wrote as anyone who's listened to the show frequently knows, we've had the same theme for a long time and change is always a welcomed thing. Shout out to Outernational who created the original theme, 'Arise', we play each week and to Daru Jones who unofficially produced this song (I got the beat off one of his instrumental collections).

This will be on "Little Brother Syndrome" when it drops although I think I'm going to seperate the intro from the song on the final version. The intro comes the very first show I was on... as you can hear, I didn't quite have my radio voice at all. I don't know if we'll ever actually use it for our theme.

I'd like to dedicate this week to everyone out there fighting, whether it's on the frontlines through policy reform or community activism to those who are fighting through daily living. I thank you and am thankful for you."

Peace and Love...

2011-11-19T13:08:00.003-05:00

FU#K A 9 TO 5 by TOUGH DUMPLIN & R.ME by VaryusWaise

"Fu#k a 9 to 5" - "Don't let the title fool you; this song has nothing to do with the "Occupy..." movements going on around the world. This song is just a few rappers rapping about rapping and with the number of us on it, it's really more an homage to "Protect Your Neck" than "Fight the Power". This was a song I recorded with the brothers R. Me. last summer. They wanted to do a massive crew cut so they put a bunch of us emcees together on the same track.

I wrote this on the spot so it's not my best verse by a long shot but the energy we all put on the song makes it one of my favorite collaborations so far. Shout out to R. Me, K. Raymo, Johnny Storm (Eye Q.), SoleBlind and the homie Tough Dumplin..."

Peace and Love...

Saturday Morning Music - Episode 5

2011-10-29T10:51:00.006-04:00

Nightmares (2010) w/ The MC Faceman by VaryusWaise

"Nightmares" - "It's Halloween weekend. I decided to celebrate the holiday and re-release this song called "Nightmares" off the "Tales From The Sick" album, my homie The MC Faceman asked me to be apart of. This track... this album is definitely one of my favorites. It's horror story driven but has some hidden, deeper meanings about some issues we're facing in society. I don't want to give the story for this song away; 'it's something kinda crazy right...'

As an added 'treat', I'm including the lyrics to my verse below..

Happy Halloween."

Peace and Love...

Verse

"All I spit is bitches and coke
Rims spinnin and dough
You feelin me mo
Than Christ scriptures at shows
Parent groups wanna bitch tho
Mad cause I got more influence on they kids tho
Ipod full of my hits (whoa!)
This life I rap is real - what lived thru
Skippin po-po
Duckin bull-ets from a fo-fo
But now it feel like I'm losing my miiind G
Cause I every step
I feel the Devil right behiiind me
Like I do his work when I do me song
Thrilled at thoughts
Of chaos going on
When I perform
Hold on
Something's really really wrong
So I hit a church to see what's really goin on
I feel good when I do something really really wrong
And LATELY it's been gettin really really strong
Father, I need your help
I'm goin thru Hell
Lay down
Breathe deep
Into sleep
I fell..."

Get Off My Facebook! (Job Market Series Part 2)

2011-10-27T22:30:00.000-04:00

Mashable posted an article documenting how employers use social media to screen candidates for jobs. The link is here: How Social Media is Used for Potential Employment
I'll let you read it if you haven't yet but keep this window open...

Back? Ok cool.

It's funny that this article was published in the midst of worldwide protests where people are practicing civil disobedience for a variety of reasons but namely due to the economic crisis the globe is facing. In the United States alone, unemployment is at a staggering 9 percent rate. Spain, where the "Occupy..." epidemic reportedly originated from, has more than twice that with a national 21 percent unemployment rate. And other countries are and have historically been even worse off. However, I'm going to focus strictly on America's dilemma.

Nearly one of every 10 Americans does not have a job. This means they have trouble paying their bills on time, they have trouble having food to eat, they have trouble keeping up with their health while the bank and land owners they owe money to wouldn't even have to recognize words like 'hunger' and 'bad health' in their vocabulary. While a majority of Americans have been starving, the rich and wealthy have been getting mass amounts of government aid; aid that could have and should have been used to aid serious societal issues like education or the lack of health care. Everyday living has become a gamble for many Americans while the 1% win consistently.

This metaphoric slap in the face is what started the "Occupy Wall Street" movement, which has spurred people nationwide to demand dialogue occur and action taken to benefit the downtrodden and desperate masses of America. But then I read the article above and thought to myself: just how many of those people protesting were denied employment not because of bailouts for the rich but because they posted pictures of a wild night out with friends on Facebook?

Just what does what I do on Facebook or Twitter or whatever other streams of social media have to do with how well I'll perform at a job? I've asked myself this many a times since learning that human resource departments use social media as a method of researching potential candidates. It’s worse than I thought, however, as a near 70% of employers denied someone because of the content on their personal pages is ridiculous. I agree that there should be some restraint exercised as we can easily see on some hot mess nonsense that people post. However, whenever anyone applies for a job we are submitting our credentials related to the job. We're not sending you to our Cancun getaway photos because it has nothing to do with the job. Essentially every application is a movie and instead of watching it, HR reps are looking at blooper reels left in the editing room and saying "Oh man! Another trashy Adam Sandler movie." (sorry, I’ve never been a fan of his and that “Jack and Jill” movie looks like hot garbage) And what's worse is that 47% of employers do this before actually meeting the person while another 27% do this after only meeting the person once.

They need to be paying attention to what's in front of them i.e. resume, cover letter, me during an over-the-phone or in-person interview and whatever else is asked of in the job description. What happens on personal time does not and should not affect the way you're seen as a potential member of their staff. And to be quite honest, future employers are silly for using social media to screen people because they’re essentially,trying to ween out the crazies but the sites already do that for them through their rules and regulations. And if the candidate does do something extreme there'd be no applicant in the first place because they'd probably be in jail for whatever crime they committed. And even if they aren’t, criminal records are trackable… by virtually anyone.

One can make the argument that employers should have access so they can see the "whole you". Ok but then who's to say that personal biases don't come into play? Maybe they looked at my Twitter and saw that I retweeted Barack Obama and they're a hardcore Republican. Maybe I like to go blog about burger joints in my city and they're a vegan and animal rights activist? Personal experiences and biases come into play whenever you meet anyone. Why should that stop me from getting a position?

And even if we're going the "they need to see the whole you" reasoning, you have to know that it's silly because no one ever sees the complete picture of yourself, except you. Who you are around your parents is not who you are when you're watching the football with your boys. Point blank, stop looking at what I'm not presenting to you.

--

The problem with this method of employee selection is two-fold: 1- you're judging a potential candidate by choices of lifestyles, not their qualifications which is what counts for the job. 2- you're a peeping tom. Let's delve into the first.

What difference does it make to you if I prefer to get baked or bake cookies in my spare time? As long as I'm not showing up to the interview or, if I'm lucky enough, the job inebriated and present myself in a professional matter my other life doesn't affect you or the company. There's plenty of people at your job right now who do things that you would find questionable. Does that make them any less of a good member of your team? No. It just means that they do something that you are not comfortable doing. Common sense would show that the alcohol business thrives on working class people who get smashed on Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday night and show up ready to work on Monday. And if I decide to talk about it amongst my peers through social media, it really is nobody I work with's business. If it’s not illegal, then beat it. When you apply for a job, you're not applying to make friends but to perform tasks that you feel you're qualified to accomplish, which brings me to point number two.

We, as a people, have become incredibly voyeuristic. In the span of less than 20 years, we've given ourselves access to anybody anywhere at any time through the Internet. And while this has been great in expanding our knowledge of the world as studies show that we're becoming a smarter and more peaceful world, that access shouldn't be abused by potential employers in the name of trying to find the right fit. Human resource representatives shouldn't act like Grandma from 227, hanging out electronic windows and taking note at everything happening with candidates that doesn’t affect them directly. They need to ~~realize~~ remember that the right fit for a position will present themselves as such in person and possess said qualities. Their credentials will speak volumes all their own and what they do in their life and share on their own personal corner of the web shouldn't be apart of that criteria, especially if it was never presented as such or relevant to the position.

If I choose to party like a rockstar and present that to friends and associates on my Twitter or Tumblr page, that's where it should stay: with my friends and associates; not as a factor in my getting a job.

Peace and Love…

Saturday Morning Music - Episode 4: Marathon Edition

2011-10-22T16:23:00.007-04:00

"Can You Feel Me" Rough by VaryusWaise

"Can You Feel Me" - "This song is really one of my favorite songs that will be on the mixtape. On this joint, I expressed what it's like when I first started out on the open mic circuit; realizing how much I had to learn about live performing and the ambition that comes with wanting to get better. I dedicate this to all my fellow rappers and performing artists reading this...

This is nowhere near the version I'm going to put on the mixtape. I like the emotion but hate my voice on it because I have too much air in my voice. It'll be different but I hope you enjoy."

As it is the Marathon Edition, the bonus is that I'm re-releasing the first three episodes of "Saturday Morning Music"!!

"Saturday Morning Music" - Episode 4: Marathon Edition by VaryusWaise

Peace and Love...

Saturday Morning Music - Episode 3

2011-10-15T10:35:00.005-04:00

"Break On Through" (Unreleased) by VaryusWaise

"Break On Through" - "Although I did this track last year, I never put it out except to a few close friends or performed it live. I like the song overall except the outro. I seriously hate the talking at the end and even thought about fading it out for y'all but I ultimately decided to deliver it as is.

This was another joint produced by my mans and nem, K.O. Beatz."

"Y'all still learning to punch - they callin' me the Avatar..."

Hope y'all enjoy! Tune in next week!

Peace and Love...

Saturday Morning Music - Episode 2

2011-10-08T10:34:00.005-04:00

"Sky High" by VaryusWaise

"Sky High" - "This was a song I wrote and recorded back in 2009. Although I felt I wasn't at my best lyrically at the time, this song is still at the top of my list of my favorites. It actually got a little buzz and was even featured on the first volume of the Fighting for Futures Mixtape. You can get that here (http://www.mediafire.com/?8dgcq079fec6gvo)

This is only a mix as I still had to learn about recording techniques... like getting songs mastered. There's a few technical things I would change here for the recording that I changed when I perform live. Namely it's just taking out a few words here and there... word."

"Powerful homie/ You could never hurt I/ Cause I shine like stars that make up ya birth sign..."

Hope you enjoy! Tune in next week!

Peace and Love...

Saturday Morning Music - Episode 1

2011-10-01T09:31:00.013-04:00

"Home Alone" Rough by VaryusWaise

"Home Alone" - "It's actually going to be the very first track on "Little Brother Syndrome". This song is about where every emcee starts at which is in their home, pen and pad, writing towards their dream. On this, I say from jump exactly where I wanna go with my music and message. I let you know my fears but also show that I recognize my own talent and need to just get out there and do the damn thing.

It's produced by my dude Jae Monee. Like half of my mixtape is his beats lol... he's that nice.

It's pretty close to the final. I'm redoing most of the adlibs, taking out some of the talking in the background (sounds too much like I'm schizo) and tweaking the verses a bit."

"Seeds only grow in fertile land so allow me to kick that fresh sh*t..."

"Blackout" w/ Outsider Rough by VaryusWaise

"Blackout" - "This is one of my personal favorites on the mixtape so far. I'm releasing this version in honor of my brother who's featured on it as he celebrated his 26th birthday this past week. It's just us going crazy and showing off sibling love and rivalry at the same time.

The intro is the only thing changing. Shout out to K.O. Beatz on production!

Happy Birthday, little brother..."

"Sayin' that you nice - I can't tell like dead snitches..."

"Delta Forces" (Unreleased) by VaryusWaise

"Delta Forces" - "Out of all the songs I've ever written and recorded, "Delta Forces" is by far one of my best, I feel. I did this back in 2005 when I was still attending college at SUNY New Paltz. It's a song about how I feel like I just don't belong anywhere so I walk to get away from the bull. This is over a J Dilla beat for Slum Village's song "Players". Still one of my favorite joints by him...

I never put this song out namely out of technical reasons. My recording process prior learning how to record in the studio was just record and move on to the next song. One day, even if it's just for my own listening pleasure, I'm going to redo this song. I miss those sneakers..."

"They always make me feel like 'I ain't supposed to be here'/ Born and raised here/ So why should I fear here?..."

Hope you enjoy! Tune in next week!

Peace and Love...

The Unemployment Meeting (Thoughts on the Job Market Series - 1)

2011-09-19T15:54:00.004-04:00

*Editor's Note: This is the first of a two-part blog of within a series of posts regarding my thoughts on the job market. I'll be focusing on this for the next three weeks or so and

I'm writing this as I wait for my Job Search Follow-up or unemployment check-in meeting to begin. They happen every few months or so as a way of finding out if you're actually looking for work and ways to help you find it. These things were jokes after the first time I came to one (by mandatory demand) and the coordinator I spoke with brushed off my need for help saying I was "a smart guy" and knew "how to look for work because I'm experienced". I didn't feel upset about it because she was right; I do know how to look for a job and I am smart (no arrogance). What I needed was sound advice on what to do. I needed her to be career coach. Ironically, that was the last position I had in my career before I found myself jobless.

In that job, I only worked for five months before being asked to leave. The reasons why are for another blog but being that I had worked with youth for the last two and half years prior (said job included), I had no clue what to do with my life. Was I to keep looking for work in the nonprofit/education sector where my last job was only for five months with a pretty reputable organization (the job prior to that was only a summer gig) OR take it as a sign for a career change? Was I to put that last job on my resume or not? If not, what was I supposed to tell potential employers about what I've been doing with myself since the summer? If I was to add it, what reason was I to give an interviewer about why I wasn't there anymore? I was 25, still wet behind the ears when it comes to life and didn't have anyone to turn to for wisdom on where I should go.
I came into this federal building in Brooklyn one Spring morning looking for answers and all I got in return was 'you know what to do so go out there, get a job, and stop taking taxpayer money. Oh and good luck!' One year later, I'm back for the fourth or fifth check-in.

The more I come here, the more depressing they get. They're depressing because even if I ask the right questions, none of the coordinators can really give the time to really talk... now. You have to set-up another appointment. The hypocritical thing is that they'll tell you to make "looking for work a full-time job" but what job allows you to leave anytime you want to grow professionally? And it's not just me looking for looking for that kind of support.

Everytime I come to these things, I'm reminded of how hopeless this job market is by the sheer number of people in each meeting. Every one I've been too except the first two, the classrooms have been overcrowded with a diverse pool of people looking for that golden ticket to job land. There are women older than me and men younger than me, all different races and backgrounds. And sometimes there’s the obnoxious idiot who wants nothing more than to sit on their ass all day and collect money for doing nothing. To them, these meetings are a bore, cutting into their Maury and X-Box 360 time. For the majority of people in here, however, these Job Search Follow-Ups are another name for Out of Work Anonymous meetings. They're a shared space (albeit mandatory) full of people who are sick of hearing "it'll get better", looking for hope...

end of part 1... part 2 coming tomorrow...

peace and love...

“Little Brother Syndrome” (Where You Been, Varyus?)

2011-09-17T14:41:00.002-04:00

As you may or may not know, I’ve been working on my first mixtape called “Little Brother Syndrome” for a while now. This is actually going to be the first project I put out to the masses even though I have songs recorded prior to this. The more I listen to the rough mixes that I’ve recorded so far, the more proud I am of it. No lie, I’ve shed a tear or two just thinking about how good it is and how much I can’t wait for you to hear it. It’s a great feeling to make dreams come to reality and this has been a dream of mine for a long while.

I'm going to give you my thoughts on the project and what it means to me as well as let you know what's to come...

Why The Title?

First and foremost let me say, it has nothing to do with the rap group Little Brother. Although they ~~are~~ were one of my favorite hip-hop acts, I was not going to rap over their beats for the entire project as much as I love 9^th Wonder’s production.

I had a few titles in my head for it but the reason why I named it “Little Brother Syndrome” was because when I wrote it, I was in a place where I was still learning what it means to be a real emcee. I was so used to writing songs and only playing them for close friends that I was (and in some ways) still wet behind the ears when it comes to being an artist. I was so caught up in making sure lyrics were on point that I neglected pretty much all else and when I first got on the scene, it definitely showed. That said, I had people to talk to and gain wisdom from about what it would take to really pursue this but still felt uncomfortable a lot of times sharing my craft, either by putting music out or through live performances. I let things like not having good breath control or needing to hone my stage prescence skills slow me from going harder with the music than I should have, despite getting respect from people about good I was. All the while, I watched my friends and artists that I knew go on to do bigger and better and grow with each project, each interview, each show, each song.

Watching the stories of others progress while I was still trying to figure out what mine would be led to me feeling like “the little brother” in this circle of hip-hop artists; the person who always seems to be around and has the potential to shine bright but had to pay dues first.

My Story

I’ve always been a fan of superhero stories and comic books as a medium, namely because I’m a fan of serial storytelling. I’m actually in the process of writing a few graphic novels myself but that’s a story for another day. Why I’m telling you this is because one, my story will be an adventure per se as you will watch me grow from the very beginning. “Little Brother Syndrome” is going to start at the place where all emcees start at which is with a notebook and a pen. I decided that instead of going the route of being conscious like everyone knows me for being, I’d rather start by showing off range, expressing myself in… (insert name here).

Also, I’m not ready to be that conscious artist just yet. I even start off the mixtape with “Got a message for the people – one day I’ma finish it/ ‘Til then, get used to me being this ill lyricist…”. I want to start off my music as just being… me. While I am a socially conscious-minded person, I feel a lot of conscious artists don’t attract audiences as much as they should because everyone expects them to be the ‘social soldiers of the world’ all the time. They aren’t. Even for myself, it's hard to connect with their message sometimes because it sounds more like it comes from a textbook than the heart. I want you to understand what I’ve been through, go through, and what to be first before I speak on world issues. Like I quoted in my previous blog, “can’t change the world without changing yourself first.”

Reason two why I’m telling you about my love for comic book and serial storytelling: as I tell you my story, everything will be canon or apart of the greater story. Every mixtape, EP and (eventual) album will be happening as a musical serial, all telling the story of Varyus Waise. I want you guys to join my world as I’m going to tell my life, which has things that every one can relate to in some form or another. ““Little Brother Syndrome”” will just be the first chapter of it…

But Where’s The Music, Tho?

The mixtape is almost done as far as recording but right now, I’m taking a break from that to handle some back end things before putting on the final touches. That said, I’ve been talking about this project coming out for well over a year now. Warren Britt even hit me up on Twitter a few days ago and asked my not to make it “the new Detox”. (I'm glad I wasn’t the only one thinking that). I’m not sure when it will actually be released but I want to start building some traction now as it’s nearing completion and I definitely don’t want to keep any of the supporters I do have waiting any longer for new material.

I’m going to go really grassroots with it and give you my music, live and direct from my own computer. What I’m going to do is, in keeping with the mixtape’s theme of being a “kid” of sorts, I’ll release one song each Saturday morning at 11:00am (EST) starting next week. Each track will be like waking up your favorite cartoon (the best ones came on at that time, don’t front). It will be a mix of rough versions of songs that will actually be on “Little Brother Syndrome” and throw in a few of my favorite joints that I never released to the public as well as a sneak peek at what I have in store for the future. It will give you all a chance to get re-familiar with me and a way for me to meet some new supporters in the process. I’ll do brief write-ups of each song with my own personal critique, I’m open to any and all thoughts you have as well.

Feel free to look out for me on Twitter (@VaryusWaise), where I’ll hashtag each weekly post #SaturdayMorningMusic . I’ll also make note of where I’ll be performing but that will be rare for the time being. Retweet, post on Facebook, your blog, tell your friends, spread the word… If you like it, support it.

I hope you enjoy the music that’s to come as well as the normal blogs that I’ll be writing.

Peace and Love…

Can't Change The World... (Hi, Everyone.)

2011-09-08T13:26:00.006-04:00

Writer's Note: This blog is not an apologia. I didn't write it for you to feel sorry for me or to stir any other emotion in you. Rather, it is a declaration...

“I thank God that there are still brothers (and sisters) like you, showing such encouraging gestures. May God continue to bless your efforts and may your efforts not be in vain. Keep on building!”

This was a comment posted on a previous blog, “A Letter to Lil’ Wayne”… that I just saw 8 months after the fact from Funbi (www.datfunkyfro.blogspot.com). I didn't see it for so long because I had stopped keeping up with my blog, main reason being lack of faith. I felt like everything I was doing was in vain and not worth the time and like many other things in my life, I let them fall to the wayside.

I lost my way.

I let myself go. I can finally admit that to the world. I’ve crashed down harder than I ever have in life and somewhere, sometime I stopped being who people like Funbi loved and respected me for being and became like the people I dislike the most. I can run a list of people who I can blame for where I am but ultimately, it all comes back to me.

I’ve ruined friendships and foundations with people I care about. I’ve hurt. I wasn’t a man of my word in both my activist life and my life as a hip-hop artist. I shirked responsiblities... I’ve done a lot of things that went against, not who I am per say, but who I should be; all the while knowing I wasn’t healthy but not making any real effort to change things.

Since I first started to learn about the true nature of the plight of Black Americans, in particular Black males, I made it my duty to ~~try and~~ be a shining example of what we can truly be if we stop making excuses and motivate ourselves to do better than what is given to us. And I was good at it.

While I’m currently not as active as I’d like to be, it’s still an effort I make with my life. However, somewhere over the course of the last 3 years, the reasons for my doing so changed for the negative. (I won’t get into them specifically just yet; I’m not comfortable enough and don’t feel that this blog is the perfect venue to do. I will one day soon…)

While I never claimed to be perfect or had an ego that flamed out of control for what I was doing, I became a community workaholic to fill voids in my personal life. Eventually, I was so involved with being a champion for our youth that I turned into a fame monster of sorts. The hype got to me and when you finally get attention and acclimates after feeling unappreciated for so long, it brought the worst in me. The “Riley” in me overtook the “Huey”. (I’m a Boondocks fanatic what can I say.)

I started doing things simply for the attention I would get instead of the awareness I was aiming to bring. I was more driven by being asked to be a guest at a fundraiser than I was towards actually being a resource for my community. To put it simply, I wasn’t being an Agent of Change because it was the right thing; I was being an Agent of Change because it would get me what I wanted. Admiration. Respect. A good-paying job. People to hang out in bars and talk politics with. Women. Things that weren’t inherently bad or good... it was all in the value I put into it.

It I became superficial and one thing I learned about life is that if you recognize something is wrong with yourself and you don’t put in the effort to humble yourself, life will do it for you. Reading this, you can tell I'm on the latter.

It wasn't until I found myself in my current situation of being unemployed, broke and virtually friendless because of the bridges I burned that I realized how far from grace I had fallen. I wake up to nothing but my thoughts and time. I'm a Black man "in prison". I'm eating the metaphoric 'shit sandwich', it’s my own fault and I accept that.

Now I only have two choices, like we all have when faced with adversity: continue to ruin my potential until I find myself in a real prison, mental institution, the streets or a grave or reflect, strategize and move forward…

This downtime I'm in gave me a lot to time to realize many things I've been doing wrong and how progress forward and positively once I'm rewarded with all the other things that make life great. I don’t regret anything I’ve done because I believe that regrets are mistakes you haven’t learned from. I’m not mad at myself for what I’ve done; I’m mad at myself because I knew better. I do wish that I had made smarter decisions but it's life. When you fall down, you get back up. That's it. I can apologize for the disappointment I caused and pledge do better than I did in the past.

I don’t want to wake up feeling like a failure anymore. I don’t want to wake up living in my own shadow. I don’t want to live this way not because I fucked up and I want better, but because I know I am better. And for me to want to be the Agent of Change I claim to be and want to be, you deserve better too...

Peace and Love…

“Can’t change the world until we change ourselves.”

Father, Where Art Thou

2011-02-16T18:06:00.003-05:00

I haven’t posted anything on the site in a hot minute. Between working on a fundraiser for the summer, recording my mixtape “Little Brother Syndrome”, and a plethora of other issues including sheer laziness, I haven’t made time to focus on the blog like I wanted to. I figured I’d come back with a bang…

Kool Herc. He’s the man many say is responsible for the creation of hip-hop when he came from Jamaica so many years ago and DJ’d a party in the Bronx in 1973. The father of a now multi-billion dollar culture and industry, we owe him the credit for giving life to a genre of music that has transcended language, economic, cultural and, in some cases, political (re: President Barack Obama) barriers. Hip-hop is a lifestyle that has been adapted by all walks of life worldwide and we have Kool Herc to thank for it.

And with such a phenomenal accomplishment to his name, he’s now dead broke and can’t afford his own medical bills. And I’m not donating.

Blogger for XXL Magazine, Byron Crawford a.k.a. Bol, does make some points in his very convoluted and not very articulate piece about why he’s not donating to Kool Herc’s fund. His non-involvement basically stems from him believing Herc to be a “real douche” after instances he outlined in his article; however, I’m refusing on totally different grounds.

While Kool Herc is said to be the founder of hip-hop, one thing that always annoyed me was the fact that he was rarely ever in the spotlight. He never much capitalized on his creation for valid reasons (I won’t say good. Personally, I think he’s a fool for not coming away with anything more than just the title of ‘Founder of Hip-Hop’) and therefore, was forgotten. Out of sight; out of mind. For me, though, his plea for financial support for his medical issue, essentially coming out of the blue, speaks something much deeper about the hip-hop community.

One of the stigmas closely associated with hip-hop, American hip-hop in particular, is the abandonment by father figures. It’s a very sensitive subject that’s been touched upon by some of the greats, including 2Pac and Jay-Z, as the majority of emcees come from fatherless homes. Most oftentimes, rappers will become fathers themselves in public light and sometimes use their fame to try and serve as an inspiration like Snoop Dogg providing fatherhood tips on The Martha Stewart Show.

Unfortunately, many do not have a male role model to turn to, which has positive and negative results for fans, particularly the youth. The broader hip-hop audience has always related to our favorite artists when they speak on “no spouse [husband] in the house” or “[my father] tryin’ to get a nut and got a nothing” and other phrases relating to not having a father in the home because many have grown up in similar circumstances. This can be helpful as many can listen to these songs as a form of group therapy. However, it reflects poorly of the male figure in the hip-hop generation as 30 years later, we’re still asking the same question: “where’s my father?”

And so the question on the mind of some of the newer generation, as seen in the comments of Bol’s blog, to Kool Herc and many other pioneers is just that:

Where have you been?

Why should I care about you?

Why weren’t you there for me?

These feelings of resentment from the children of hip-hop music mirror those of children of real life parents living in the same communities hip-hop was birthed out of. Fathers haven’t taken a major interest in the children and the children don’t take an interest in their fathers or their legacy.

A family broken where the children left to ask those simple yet complex questions about our fathers… I mean, hip-hop forefathers.

Step up.

Peace and Love…

Goin' Loco For Them 'LOKO's...

2010-11-04T21:15:00.006-04:00

FourLOKO. The alcoholic energy drink that has people talking right now. Nothing good is being said by politicians and parents alike. Nothing bad is being said by people looking to get trashed quick.

Many have described the drink as "liquid cocaine" and “blackout in a can”. Having had it myself, I can say that this is an accurate description. My life would only allow half a can before I said, “I’m good.”

What’s causing some of the controversy is the fact that it’s being ‘marketed to teens’ with its brightly colored cans that easily can be mistaken for Arizona Iced Tea cans. In turn, those young adults are binging on the beverage resulting in some being sent to hospitals for alcohol poisioning. So far, it’s been banned from Ramapo College and other colleges and cities, including New York City, are currently proposing bans on the drink as well.

Although I feel that people are correct about its ‘bright colors’ are one thing that attracts young people to drink FourLOKO truthfully speaking, grown, mature adults are attracted to bright colors. Nobody likes for everything to be grayscale, which is why most people don’t feel productive on rainy days. How often have you woken up to a gray sky and said to yourself, “man I wish I could stay in and sleep all day”? And on the flip side, you felt inspired when you woke up to bright sunny day and thought, “I feel great.” Of course these examples aren’t absolute but you get the point. I don’t believe the problem lies simply in the drink itself.
Let’s keep it real. Alcoholism is both an elephant in the room and highly celebrated at the same time. While our society never talks about the harmful effects of alcohol and how alcohol can destroy your body and life, we regard drinking as a pastime like baseball. We even have movies out where the zany and fun plots revolve around being completely tanked (re: The Hangover). We love alcohol so much that you’re looked at strangely and ridiculed if you don’t drink nowadays, especially if you’re young.

The reason why teenagers and college students alike are putting themselves in harm’s way by binging on FourLOKO is not simply due to its 12% alcohol content mixed with the same ingredients that would equal a 12-ounce cup of coffee. The real problem lies in the fact that we don’t educate our young about what alcohol actually does to your body when you drink it and even more importantly, how dangerous alcohol can be. Even the high school students that I mentored and worked with never knew the actual effects of alcohol when you drink and why it’s important to not only keep your body hydrated between drinks but to also know your limits by knowing their family’s medical history, physical shape, etc. They’re just taught that “drinking is bad and you shouldn’t do it.” That’s not good advice to give when we know that young adults, especially in this day and age, have a Superman complex. Mixed with the fact that our society promotes drinking to the point of not remembering one’s name as being ‘cool’ and we get situations like Ramapo College did with 23 students being sent to a hospital for alcohol poisoning.

Although it’s clearly illegal and I don’t advocate under-aged drinking, educating them on exactly how alcohol really works would definitely help that person who decides they’re going to reach for a can. While some argue that education leads to acceptance, sex education… real sex education has teens across the country choosing safer methods of sexual activity including abstinence. There are even purity balls where teenagers are celebrating and honoring the fact that they will have sex.

Education works. Let’s use it more kids “go loco for them ‘LOKOs".

Peace and Love…

A Letter to Lil' Wayne

2010-06-10T14:15:00.007-04:00

*Editor's Note: Stemming from my last post about how the hip-hop community has set a double standards as to what is "real", This is a letter I wrote and sent to the brother DeWayne "Lil' Wayne" Carter, who is currently incarcerated. I wrote this out of love for my community. Rather than be a pessimist and hate on those who look like me, I chose to reach out to him.
I hope that you all look at this and use this an example of how we can attempt to be more proactive and heal those who are not only hurting us, but our communities and themselves.

Increase the Peace.

Eliminate the Hate.

Peace and Love...
Varyus

Peace Mr. Carter,

I hope that you are doing well and that this letter of mine reaches you in good health. My name is Nick Florest but I also go by the stage name Varyus Waise (pronounced Various Ways). Yes, I’m a rapper but I’m not writing you to promote myself or my music. Instead, I’m writing this to you as a person who grew up in similar circumstances as you.

I understand that you get a lot of backlash and hate for the messages you promote in your music. Trust me when I say, I’ve seen it firsthand at shows how other artists will say something negative about you just because you’re “not conscious”, “put out music that reinforces stereotypes” or simply “Lil’ Wayne is wack”. I’m not one to judge because artist to artist, I respect your craft and the name you’ve built for yourself.

However, I do want to say that you do hold a great amount of power being in the position you are in as one of the greatest entertainers out today and there’s a certain amount of responsibility that you have to your listeners. I’m not saying that I want you to come out of your incarceration quoting Malcolm X in your songs. I like what you do already and wouldn’t ask you to make such a drastic change like that. Switching your style like that would be career ending and among all, corny.

What I would like, though, for you to think. Think more I should say. I’m sure I’m not the first person to write you a letter like this (at least I hope not) so you know already that there’s a lot of kids that look up to you. I would just like for you to use your influence for more positive, brother. As I stated earlier, I grew up in the ‘hood like you. I know how easy brothers and sisters can fall into lifestyles that aren’t productive. I also know how much easier it is when it’s being glamorized by someone you respect and look up to. That said, I do hope that you return that you think of the younger heads coming up who love you and idolize you. I know you’re an adult but I’m sure you also know that as a celebrity, the things you do reflect on the community and the youth, more than anybody, internalize and feed off that image. And all I’m asking if you to think a little more. I don’t want you to stop living your life. Do what you want but do think of those younger fans when you create your songs and how you would want them to live. Would you want them to live the “Pussy, Money, Weed” life or the life of education and prosperity?

I don’t doubt you don’t have an album like Me Against the World sitting inside you; something real yet thoughtful and introspective. That’s what I would like from you. As an artist, as a fan, and as someone who mentors youth and knows the effect you and others have on them through music.

To end, I hope I didn’t come off as condescending as that was not my intention. Whether you agree with me or not, I’m still proud of you and wish you nothing but the best. I sincerely hope you take my words… my plea and think of it the next time you’re in the booth. From reading your previous letters, I can tell you’re growing in a way you couldn’t on the outside. Continue that growth, brother. I would like for you to use it for more good for us.

Stay safe, may God bless you and your family and I look forward to your return.

Peace and much Love…

Nick Florest

Me and My Dumb Opinion

2010-06-02T20:33:00.004-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I was told by a friend that I had a "dumb ass opinion". On what: what hip-hop artists I listen to. Turns out that I disgusted her to the point she couldn’t look at me because I told her that I like Nicki Minaj, Soulja Boy and Waka Flocka Flame. Yes, I like Waka Flocka Flame. I don’t own any of his music nor do I cosign his message of drug dealing but I understand and rock to it at times. Of course as a person who loves individuality and hip-hop music, I was pissed that she was so disgusted at me. You would think I told her I punched an old lady in the mouth by her reaction when I told her that I think Black Thought is a garbage rapper.

Now this isn’t the first time I’ve come up against people who thought I was wrong for having an opinion hold on scratch that… a real opinion on rappers. A few months ago, I said on Twitter that I think Black Thought is overrated after watching him perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live. For the record, I thought homie was boring since I first heard him in junior high. I got replies back from people I didn’t even know were following me. I had gone against the Holy Grail.

To everyone, I apologize that I’m an underground artist but don’t subscribe to a lot of other underground rappers because they’re lyrical or “conscious”.

My “problem” is that I believe that everything has a place. Everything. So while I don’t cosign some of the messages in the media today, I understand and respect that people are allowed to express themselves however they want. This is something I would implore to any artist reading this. In fact, anybody reading this. Live and let live. Promote positive. If you don’t like, don’t support.

However, after having these experiences and others dealing with “real” hip-hop I must wonder where people’s priorities and minds are. On one hand, “real” hip-hop heads complain that mainstream music sounds monotonous and doesn’t benefit the community yet they’ll give props to someone because they’re “conscious” or “nice”. What the fuck does that do for the community? You think some kid who’s about to get their afterschool program cut is really going to care about the metaphors in your verse or how much you want your people to be free? But then what really pisses me off is when one of these artists who fit into this category of “real” hip-hop does some dumb shit like John Forte getting arrested for pushing coke, which more than likely would’ve been sold in a Black community, they roll out the red carpet. Now before you get riled up, let me state that I’m glad he learned from his mistake and is using his music as his way of redemption. But where was the love from the underground when Plies donated his money to health care and helping people in his community stay out of foreclosure? When I posted that on Twitter, I literally got one reply from one of my homeboys who said some dumb shit about him not being to spit. Seriously? Dude goes out of his way to give away his money for 25 days to people in his neighborhood for mortgage payments, doctor’s visits, school supplies… you know, things people need and all he could say is ‘he can’t rap’. So it’s ok for John Forte to traffic drugs, get pardoned by George W. Bush and redeem himself but Plies can’t rap about ‘hood life and then give back to his ‘hood? Hypocritical much?

I remember being at a rap show once where the main performer came out of his face and was like “X-person doesn’t write his rhymes and he’s nice. Lil’ Wayne doesn’t write his rhymes and he’s wack.” Then he reiterated it so the crowd could get involved. And this happens at so many underground hip-hop shows that I’m really thinking of giving up on hip-hop. My question is what does that do for anyone? All that hate. All that unwarranted hate. Then I have to ask honestly when was the last time you heard a mainstream rapper diss the practices of the underground? I’ll wait...

This is why I don’t subscribe to the notion of “real” hip-hop. It's a bullshit concept. What’s real for you is not what’s real for the next person so who are you to judge what’s real and who’s nice and then try to enforce that on others? The way I see it, “real” hip-hop is just another institution that keeps Black people at eachother’s throats. Crabs in a bucket. Plantation vs. plantation. Nigger vs. nigger. The saddest part about this is that I’ve seen the hate coming from people who talk about building up people. Do you even realize what you’re doing? Saying how much you can’t stand people.

Instead of bashing mainstream artists and what they’re saying, why not reach out to them and talk to them about what they’re doing to our communities with their music? What’s the worst that can happen? They’ll say “fuck off” and go back to doing ignorant music.

On that note, I’m writing a letter to Lil’ Wayne. Peace.

Making Black History... real

2010-02-26T11:14:00.002-05:00

I came across this article today... literally stumbled upon it on StumbledUpon and thought I should post it. The author, Sam Sanders, made some very good points about the validity of Black History Month and what we can do to make it a have meaning again.

Here's the link:

Taking Black History Out of the Peanut Gallery

What do you think?

Peace and Love...
VW

Blood, Guts and the American Way

2010-02-25T22:45:00.005-05:00

I just came home from a screening of The Crazies. The movie was eh at best but I guess it's partly because I'm past my popcorn movie days... somewhat lol.

...I don't know about the rest of you guys out there but I'm getting tired of the ultra-violence in movies nowadays. I remember being pissed off at the remake of The Wolfman when I went to a screening for it a couple of weeks ago because they over saturated the movie with gore and took a lot of the story away from it. I hope I'm not spoiling it for anyone who hasn't seen it but it was like every 5 minutes 'here's the Wolfman ripping out someone's entrails' or 'here's the Wolfman knocking someone's head off' and for me, it really bastardized the legacy of the original Wolfman films. I felt the same way leaving The Crazies today.

From jump I knew I was going to get an hour and a half of brainless violence but then I got military undertones on top of that. I remember having a talk with a friend of mine about violence in movies one day and his thoughts on it were that they're used to desensitize us to things and create more soldiers. He echoed something that I was thinking about as well but it wasn't until he mentioned the part about the soldiers that it all became clear. Most of the violent movies I've gone to see in the past have had trailers/commercials for the National Guard play before the movie started. I won't go into my dislike for the military and their practices. I do, however, wonder what these kinds of images in movies is doing to us as a people?
Even video games are starting to become overtly graphic. I remember seeing the cover to a game called Borderlands and thinking "wow, I'm actually disturbed by this" and I'm a fan of Manhunt... the video game that caused a huge stir some 6 years ago. (I'm not going to post it here just because I want you to do some leg work too lol.)

Sometimes I just makes me wonder if people are right to blame the media for what goes on in the world today. I look at these movies and video games, listen to some of the music and can't help but think no wonder we have teens thinking it's ok to beat the hell out of each other on video. Are we becoming the apathetic society portrayed in movies like Idiocracy, The Running Man and Robocop? How long is it until shows like Death Race become a reality and we have mass murder happen on our doorstep and think nothing of it? Seems like we're already there.

Or maybe it's just me...

Peace and much Love to yourselves...

P.S. Check out those films... they're really deep when you read past what you're seeing but don't take my word for it.

What If Sarah Palin Was Black...

2010-02-16T11:06:00.002-05:00

I came across this article on Twitter today. I thought it was a really good read so I'm posting it for you all to see...

"What If Sarah Palin Was Black?"

Any thoughts?

Peace and Love...
VW

R. Me (Rebels Music Empire) - Still Untitled Til' This Day (LP)

2010-02-13T17:59:00.003-05:00

R. Me. Rebels Music Empire. Steph LV, X Maximus, Rashid Amir and Real. Four cool brothers from Brooklyn, who I know personally, who dropped an album that goes hard with the beats and lyrics and is very versatile.

One thing about me that I love are albums that tell stories: Biggie's Ready to Die, Raekwon's Only Built for Cuban Linx... the list goes on. Still Untitled 'Til This Day is nothing short of a masterpiece when it comes to just that.

I've been playing it crazy since it dropped in December of '09 and I'm definitely going to rock with it for a long time after.

But I won't say anymore. You can check it out for yourselves (for $5) at www.rebelsmusicempire.com

Peace and Love...

VW

"Where The Ladies At..."

2010-02-05T02:20:00.005-05:00

It's almost 2:30 a.m. here in Brooklyn and I got back home earlier (had to stop and get some Popeye's for late night munchies before writing this lol) from the She's So Fresh III Showcase. It's a show, organized by a friend of mine Bless Roxwell and J.A.G. Music and Media and is hosted by an even better friend of mine Tasty Keish, where they feature all female emcee acts. If you haven't gone to one, you should definitely check out the next one. Hopefully, I'll stay consistent with this blog by that time so I'll have information up for you when it happens.

The ladies definitely shut it down and seriously repped for the other females in the rap game as well as in general. There was an overall feeling of support and comfort for women of all kinds but they definitely didn't make it a Man-Hating Event at all. The only time I felt like a male groupie at all was when Bless actually put the mic in my face when I was singing along to her song "Peace Love Unity" (I heart you, Bless for that LOL.) It was really inspiring for me to be around such great women who were doing something positive for themselves and made me want to go harder with my mission and do more to support causes backed by women and for women's rights.

That said, the one thing that bothered me as a guy was the lack of men in the event. It irritated me even more that I was like one of four male emcees in the building tonight. I mean as an underground emcee, you know about the lack of support of women in the rap game as a whole, unless you're rapping about sex and money and wearing less than nothing, so why not support a group of female rappers who aren't going that route and refuse to portray a certain image about themselves? And this isn't a random thought because I was at the last She's So Fresh Showcase and it was the same case.

Now before anyone catches an attitude and says, "I had other things to do and who are you, Varyus, to tell me what I should do with my life?" I'm going to make it clear that I KNOW that life happens at times and I'm not in anyway saying that you HAVE to go to every hip-hop event with or without a cause. Believe me, I sparingly go to events just because I choose to exercise that right myself. But I wonder why we, meaning male emcees, don't support our women counterparts more. After seeing women constantly come to our shows and support our music, I wonder why we don't return the favor, especially knowing the nature of the field of hip-hop and how it cannibalizes women.

Is it that they can't rap? Clearly they can. I caught myself and many others making the "oooh! that line was sick" face many of times while women were rapping.

Is it that we're afraid that they'll destroy hardcore rap as we know it and make it all "girly"? No. There's PLENTY of females making "I'll break ya jaw" music and not all of them are lesbians.

So what is it then?

Why aren't we doing more to change how women are viewed in hip-hop and how female emcees are treated? Why aren't we supporting them more?

I don't know.

Peace and Love...

VW

"So where the ladies at?/ Yo we chillin over here..." - De La Soul, Dinninit

Jus Mic - Poetry for Misfits

2010-01-05T10:14:00.006-05:00

Yo since, I've been making my way in the underground, I've been blessed to know a few heads in the scene who have put out some DOPE MUSIC!!!

Here are the link and a short write-up to the first one:

Jus Mic - I never met this Cleveland cat in person; I've only heard his music through his sister who is a good friend of mine. I was absolutely mesmorized by how honest he is in his music. He really gives me the feeling Joe Buddens did with his first album. Just real stories from a man you can tell is not afraid to be himself and give you his heart through song.

Download it here...

http://bit.ly/7AA55m

Peace and Love...

VW l8-)

Mic Check 4

2010-01-02T14:11:00.002-05:00

Hey y'all,

Check out this interview with me on my homegirl Malaya's blog and get to know a little bit more about me...

Mic Check 4

Peace and Love...

VW l8-)

Agent of Change Logo and Meaning

2010-01-02T13:40:00.002-05:00

So the reason why the logo is designed the way it is is because I wanted to be able to brand myself/ organization as something powerful and bold as you need to be in order to make positive change in this world. Every symbol in the logo symbolizes change which is why I chose them all; the circle, the triangles, the phoenix.

The Circle

The circle is a simple representation of life itself, infinity. Change is something will always exist hence being ever-lasting. I want that part of to symbolize how I want whatever I do to be positive to last forever.
Circles have also been known to represent females, while triangles represent males. They're both in the logo so as to show that they both work together.

The Triangles

The 12 triangles represent the months in a year meaning that I'm going to keep going on no matter what. No days off.
The triangle also represents trinities that brings life/ existence. Like Father, Son, Holy Ghost. Man, Woman, Child. Sun, Moon, Stars.

Triangles pointing up also represent Success. I want Success and for the people I reach to be Successful as well.

The Phoenix
I've always loved the Phoenix and what it symbolized; reincarnation, constant rebirth, (change... now you're getting it lol). I also included it because it also represents heat or fire. All living things born in places of warmth from children to plants. The cradle of civilization on Earth began near the Nile River where Nothing ever grows from the cold. I thought this is a perfect translation of how Agents of Change want people to grow and how we want to bring life to the dormant.

As I wrote this, I began to see A LOT more in it than I intended when I first idealized it but I'll hold off on that as these are the basic reasons.

Ok... I'll be posting some new blogs soon and start featuring some other heads that I've been "training" with lately...

Peace and Love...

VW l8-)

Welcome to a New Year

2010-01-02T13:21:00.002-05:00

Hello all,

I just wanted to welcome you all to a new year and new decade.

I'm going to start off this year more frequent posts starting this exciting post to let you know that the Agent of Change movement now has a face.... albeit a creepy one given all the Illuminati/hip-hop connections that have been popping up. Just letting you know though that I am NOT involved with that stuff, if it does exist. Least not that I know of Lol... anyway I'm posting the logo up soon... by the way if anyone knows HTML let me know how I can add it to my background. Thanks!

Peace and Love...

vw