'I just wanna be heard!'

The other day, someone asked me 'Why do you write screenplays?'

My reply? 'I just wanna be heard?'



I remember being in New York to visit my Granny for the summer, and her taking us to the movie theater to go see 'Double Impact'. I'm sure it wasn't the first movie I saw in theaters, but it was the first one that I REMEMBER seeing in theaters. I've been in love with movies ever since (That movie is corny as shit, now that I think about it. But FUCK IT!).

I've always known that there were actors who acted in movies and directors to directed in movies. And there are producers who make sure the who ship stays on track. But I never wanted to be an actor (too much notoriety; I like to play the background). And I never wanted to be a director or a producer. Then one day, during my junior year of high school, i realized that someone has to be WRITING these movies that I see on television and in theaters!

You combine my love for writing, my love for movies, my creativity, my huge ego and my sometimes anti-social demeanor, and you've got a screenwriter. 

HIP HOP LYRIC OF THE DAY:

I promise I will not lose!

-Killer Mike

Dear Negro...My Bad...Love, Uncle Sam

'Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction'

So reads the 13th amendment; the one the effectively abolished slavery. That was 143 years ago. Since then, there have been 27 United States Presidents. On July 29, 2008 Congress issued a formal apology for the atrocities commited against people of African descent during the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and for Jim Crow segregation laws.

The resolution, while not speaking about reparations (thankfully), acknowledges the responsibility of government in correcting the “lingering consequences of the misdeeds committed against African Americans under slavery and Jim Crow.”

Not sure how I feel about this. I'm glad that it finally happened. I'm not glad that it took so long. I'm glad that the United States government is acknowledging that they did whatever they wanted to Black people, with no regard for their wishes, families, feelings or thoughts. However, I'm not glad that they don't acknowledge the fact that they are still doing the same thing today; firing 50 shots at unarmed black man Sean Bell, murdering an elderly woman in her home in Atlanta by way of a 'No Knock' warrant, black teenagers in Jena, La being arrested and charged with attempted murder after a fight at school stemming from a white student hanging a noose from a tree in the school's courtyard.

We don't want your pity, we don't want your understanding, we don't want your reparations. All we want is an acknowedement that you FUCKED us over! And for you to stop pretending that you aren't STILL fucking us over! And for you to STOP fucking us over! That's it. Too much to ask for?

Food for thought. Now eat.

Hip Hop lyric of the day: Lord knows, thangs gon' change for better/Lord knows it can't rain forever/that's what I told my momma/...two days later Masta sold my momma

-Nothing 2 Lose, Field Mob

A Breath of Fresh Air

Oh yeah, do yourselves a favor and go cop that Killer Mike 'I Pledge Allegiance To The Grind, part II'. It's one of the best albums that I've heard since...'I Pledge allegiance To The Grind, part I'.

It's very...complete. Mike is quickly rising on my list of top emcees. I've always been a fan, but I also always felt like he never really lived up to his potential. I don't know what he been doing for last couple years, but now...he's a trained assassin! The album is smart, aggressive, thoughtful, grimey, spiritual and inspiring. Go cop it!

Hip Hop lyric of the day: The curch ladies weep/when they hear ya man speak/they say they see God in me, but I'm in the streets/they ask me why I'm rappin', tell me I'm called to preach/I smile, I kiss 'em on they honey brown cheeks/I tell 'em God bless 'em and their concern for me/but you can never walk on water if you still fear the sea/if Jesus came back, mother, where you think He'd be/probably in these streets with me

-God in the Building, Killer Mike

No Rest For The Hungry...I'll sleep when I'm dead!

What up, world! I was sitting here writing on my latest script, when I decided to take a break and blog a bit.

Lately, I've been working a lot and haven't had as much time as I would like to write. Sometimes I get up early and write, and sometimes I write at night before I go to bed. But I try to ALWAYS write...everday...something...anything! No matter how tired I may be, or no matter how shitty I may discover it to be the next day when I read over it. Why? Because the only place the 'success' comes before 'work' is in the dictionary! A lot of people want to be successful at whatever they have chosen to do in life, but they don't want to work hard and pay their dues. I pride myself on never sitting around and waiting for people to give me things; I got out and get them.

Whatever happened to niggas being hungry and working hard to make sure that they can eat good? Where are those dudes at these days? Because from where I'm sitting, there are only a few of us left. So, if you're reading this, I want you to go take a look in the mirror and ask yourself, 'What is it that I want?' After you answer that, ask yourself 'Am I doing what it takes to get it?'. If the answer is yes, then keep doing what your doing and stay on your grind. If the answer is no, then you either need to re-commit yourself to working like a slave so you can eat like a king, or you need to choose to want something that requires a little less effort.

That's it. Now if you'll excuse me, I've gotta get back to this script!!!

Why So Serious?!?

If you haven't gone to see 'The Dark Knight', go see that shit! It was rediculously good, and I'm a pretty tough movie critic. The action was explosive, but stopped just short of being cartoon-ish. Maggie Gylenhaal (Not sure if I spelled that right. My apologies) is a huge upgrade over Katie Holmes in the part of Rachel Dawes (even though Katie Holmes is waaaaaay more poke-able). And I think Christian Bale is a pretty beleivable Batman. The story took a weird turn towards the begining of the third act, and I felt like the writers left one major loose end, but overall, I was very impressed.

As far as Heath Ledger as the Joker, he played that shit like I didn't think possible. I never thought I'd see a better Joker than Jack Nicholson in the original Batman, but I'll be damned if he didn't pull it off. Go see it and you'll see what I mean. He went out like a champ. Hey, at least his last contribution to Hollywood wasn't 'Ten Things I Hate About You'!

Anyway, I've gotta get up early and write before work, so I'm gonna take a showere and hop in the bed. GONE!

Here I Am...Catch Me If You Can!

Friends, Americans, countrymen...lend me your eyes! I'm back for the first time and getting down to business. I started this blog to keep my friends, family and friends-who-are-like-family in the loop about what's going on in my crazy world. Plus, it just seems like fun! This is just a trial run; meaning I could love this blogging s#!t and do it everyday, or I could hate it and never post another! Only time will tell! 

Onward and upward...the Ivory Tower Awaits!