Walkin into my dorm’s lobby, I saw legs – all brown legs. Judging by the girth and shininess of them trunks, I knew immediately that it was a rap video on the big screen. In a trance, I made my way into apt viewing range to be able to see every toe and dimple. Car wash, chrome rim, old school, some nigga in shades, gun store, gun store, liquor store, gun store – I knew where they were takin me. I thought I did. ‘Them big legs,’ I said, ’should be comin up any second now…any second…what the fuck?’ I was surprised. I saw Murphy Lee and every nigga from the Lou. I saw the whole Spring collection of Lee’s new brand, U-City. I actually attempted to really pay attention to the video for the first time in a long time. ‘Hey that girl’s face is-HOL UP HOL UP there go some more legs.’ They almost caught me slippin. But even those took like a full 45 seconds to see since the last ones. I watched the video for another 40 or so seconds lookin for some more legs or titties or somethin and eventually got bored. I saw somethin I haven’t in a minute, if ever…
a rap song on primetime BET with many girls that were fully dressed, I’m talkin bout some of ‘em had their necks covered. And even they weren’t even on display like that. Granted, the hoes was replaced with rims and more niggas in the hood – you know…’thugs’. But it was quite a chance taken by not packin every scene wit female parts, and these niggas is known for that, damn near famous for it. I been to St. Louis quite a few times for family visits and I’ve come to find out that folks up therrr aint as inauthentic and ignorant as the media would have folks think. It’s actually pretty gutter for people to take it so non-seriously. I digress; Ultimately, niggas from St. Louis have hardly been followers in the game, and now they may be settin new trends with positive implications. Maybe they figured they’d cut down on the video vixens what wit all the Top Model/Beyonce dancer syndrome plaguing the game right now. (See ‘fucked up rumors’ for an explanation). Whatever the case, my hat’s off to the land of my father’s upbringing – the south MidWest.
P.S. I watched it on mute.
I enjoy reading notes from Facebook, but I don’t read all of them. I read a selected few. This particular one was so well written that I had asked permission to publish this on my blog. Its entitled “I Don’t Love Spelman Women” by Brother Zamir Green Tea W. Enjoy!
This note was inspired by the self righteousness that is imposed on our people via colleges. After reading a note titled “Dairy of a angry Spelman woman” which pointed out that one of the Spelman Male staff members was at a local bar joking or being real about running through Spelman girls. Then there were a few comments that disturbed me… not made by the staff, but by the students who responded. One in particular was that a young ladies said “I do not pay over 30 thousand dollars a year for anyone to disrespect me or my fellow sister” and the other comment called the the Staff member a Self Indulged Egotistic (which I think can only be said by an egotistical person). I understand that this note may make me unpopular, but fuck it…. It needs to be said.
Moral Of this Poem: “Too Much Pride in anything that doesn’t sustain life and create it, is foolish Pride that blinds one from there own spiritual purpose”I Dont love Spelman women
Not to fund of the ones a Clark
Could Care less if you go to Emory
Or Atlanta Institute of Art
Morehouse Men I dont get along with
Me and G State Alum Never hung
I dont get Down with Morris Brown
Of UGA women I aint Fund.
You See I cant love Spelman women
Because I love a mother who never graduated
and raised 4 kids on her own
I love a sister who graduated in 6 years
because Accreditation hit Morris Brown like hurricane
Katrina Making students evacuate
I love a little cousin with a speech Impediment Who
16 and Speaks like she’s two
I love the young lady who had a baby at 17
who drives a old chevy to pick her kids of from school
I love the sista’s in the Westend with Diesheki’s
and the one’s who wear weaves
The Kim’s, Cookie’s, Ke Ke’s
I think the girl at McDonald’s Drive thru is cute
I even think the stud chick is pretty if she didnt dress like a dude
I love the Circumstances that make us different
But hate the ones that make us think we better
Wether it be your religious belief
Or if you pledge Alpha, Omega, Or Delta
you see a Delta Cant fix me dinner
But the sister in red will
I cant love an A.K.A.
But I can rub the feet of the woman who wears Pink and green
After I take off her heels
You Can’t take an Sigma no where
you can step out with Que’s like probating
Because none of the entities are 1 person to love
They just incorporated
We so quick to rep a school, blocks, cities, and a states
but when we go put this bullshit aside and Rep the whole human race
Aint nothing Special about Morehouse Men
So dont break your back trying to marry him
Chose a man that will take your kids on his back to the park and Carry them
Seems because we got a little cash, we put our heads in ours ass
We try to unify inside the gates of spelman
When the Gates divide us from the mass
We so secluded, and unrooted, in what should be claimed the truest
that we desire the same things to live wether you are the blackest or the bluest
or the brownest, or the redest,or the whitest, or lightest
because when all these colors dont have the answers
Then What will unite us.
My love for woman in general, wont allow me to love spelman women
because when we pride ourself in what doesnt sustain life
Thats when the situation gets grimace.
I got to much love for women, to say i love the ones from a school
I love all my brothers too much to say i only fox with Morehouse Dudes
Your College dont make you special
Only Your spirit makes you unique
And if you forever label yourself something that aint your spirit
You’ll never find the self you seek
So lets not Praise the name of our Colleges, but praise the names of eachother
Put your religiosity aside, and talk about how we can make things better
I love my sisters more than you know and this love has no limits
Thats Why I have to say “I dont just love Spelman Women”
Ms. Shauna Barbosa Earns December 2008's Profile In Lifestyles
So it’s December, and people have been asking to be featured on this months “Profile of Lifestyles”, except this extravagant young lady, Ms. Shauna Barbosa, who didn’t seek the spotlight. I’ve known her for awhile so that helped me vouch for her during one of our meetings discussing who we should be selected for the month of December.
However, we didn’t really mesh until senior year of high school in our pilot class, Journalism. Yes, I wrote for the school paper (GOSH), and one of the pioneers of the O’Bryant Edition. She was tough cookie to talk to but a passionate writer, so I did less talking and more reading of her work. She was in love with music, and I loved sports.
“I met this girl, when I was ten years old
And what I loved most she had so much soul
She was old school, when I was just a shorty
Never knew throughout my life she would be there for me
On the regular, not a church girl she was secular
Not about the money, no studs was mic checking her
But I respected her; she hit me in the heart
A few New York niggas, had did her in the park
But she was there for me, and I was there for her
Pull out a chair for her, turn on the air for her
And just cool out, cool out and listen to her
Sitting on a bone, wishing that I could do her
Eventually if it was meant to be, then it would be
Because we related, physically and mentally
And she was fun then, I’d be geeked when she’d come around
Slim was fresh yo, when she was underground
Original, pure untampered and down sister
Boy I tell ya, I miss her”- Common “I Used to Love H.E.R.”
Long story short, I didn’t get anywhere with her, but a true friendship rose from that classroom between us. She then made that move to NYC and attended New Rochelle College, shortly after got a career at Vibe Magazine (Brown Sugar? YES). She blogs at letsjusteatcheese.wordpress.com as well. Here is the exclusive interview with Ms. Shauna Barbosa:
Kool Kids Inc.: Hello Ms. Barbosa. How are you?
Shauna Barbosa: Wonderful. Drinking coffee, appearing to be busy. But too many tabs open.
Kool Kids Inc.: Great! We here at Kool Kids Inc. admire your work at “Letsjusteatcheese” to the point where you inspired us to blog. How’s your blog coming along? And is it where you thought it would be now after only a year?
Shauna Barbosa: That is amazing. “Letsjusteatcheese” is doing great. There are serious devoted followers that I’ve grown to love and learn from. It’s been a year; I’m not sure what I thought it would be over time. I was a full time student at an all girl school, I just wanted some action. But what I know is that I’ve changed as a writer and… and grown as an individual, with the blog. I never thought I’d inspire people the way I’ve been told, that keeps me blogging.
Kool Kids Inc.: I recall hearing you had some literary work in progress however you wanted to keep it a secret. How’s that going? And how much can you tell us this time around?
Shauna Barbosa: I am so good for secrets. Ah, I am writing. A book of short stories is what it looks like. It’s coming together. It’s refreshing and it’s allowing me to put experiences, people, [and] feelings – to rest. It’s something like Allure stories, that and a bit heavier.
Kool Kids Inc.: Are you still working for Vibe Magazine? Or you have moved your expertise to another magazine or journal?
Shauna Barbosa: I left Vibe in September 2007 to go back to school. Since then, I’ve worked corporate publishing, and freelanced for Conde Nast publications.
Kool Kids Inc.: How’s life in the Big Apple? What are some of your favorite place in NYC?
Shauna Barbosa: Life here is unlike anywhere else. The best thing about this place is if you leave it, for a weekend, a month, a year – it’s the same grimy, aggressive, beautiful place you left. Favorite places? The Strand Bookstore down on 12th and Broadway. Keeps me sane and I spend a lot of money there on books. They have an amazing rare book collection. Barnes and Noble. I spend a lot of time at bookstores. Other favorite places include, the number 6 train, Soho Grand Hotel, Santos Party House, The Parker Meridian, Eleni’s Bakery, Gizzi’s Cafe, and so on. Oh, Brooklyn. I have a lot of men there. Totally kidding.
Kool Kids Inc.: Are you thinking of moving to another big city or is NYC where you plan on spending the rest of your life at?
Shauna Barbosa: I’d like to live in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and also Van Nuys, CA (not a huge city). However, not for the rest of my life. That is not certain. Later, later on, I’d like to teach in my hometown of Boston. But the rest of my life? That means I’ll age. And honey, I am not okay with aging right now.
Kool Kids Inc.: Glad to hear teaching back home is an option, so is mine eventually. Now you know we had to ask this, but whose the lucky guy in your life at the moment? Whose the Shawn Carter to your Beyonce Knowles, or the Jay Z of your Sasha Fierce?
Shauna Barbosa: That is always THE question. I’m happy, having fun. And would like to go on vacation with a really good looking guy (*wink*). Also, I have a thing for Doctors.
Kool Kids Inc.: (laughs) I have a thing for English Teachers, myself. Is there anything else you might be working on that you would like to share with us?
Shauna Barbosa: I’m writing.
Kool Kids Inc.: Any big plans for New Years?
Shauna Barbosa: I hope NOT to bring it in with almost everyone I did with last year. Other than that, anything that includes dancing and wearing really weird 2009 glasses.
Kool Kids Inc.: Count me in for this years, NYC is in mind for me. Thanks for taking time of your busy schedule to talk to us. Have a great rest of the year and happy new years love.
“Listen, yo
Let’s start it up (start it up) Let’s get it flowin (get it flowin)
Let’s make a move (make a move)
Let’s get it goin (haha)
I know it’s feelin like everything you want, don’t it?
And you been waitin your whole life for one moment
Well baby here it is (here it is)
You better step to it (step to it)
I know you ready right (ready y’all)
Then baby let’s do it (let’s do it)”
-Mos Def “Brown Sugar”
Due to Thanksgiving break, most of us were out on vacation with family, but on November 30th, 2008, two Kool Kids turned 21: Mr. Lawrence Allen Forrester and Mr. Stephan Anthony Semple!!
Impatient ass Michael Williams flipping the bird!! He made some bomb ass drumsticks tho (look behind him)!!
Time goes by and LA
Stephan had other things on his mind! SMH
Mi hermana Annaliz esta aqui tambien!!
These two Jasmines were also in the building!! Lol
Finally, he's here. Now cut the cake bro!
A red cup in one hand, and a knife in the other!! He
Yeahh man, welcome to the 21+ Crowd!! Cake in your FACE!!
You aint save neither man! IN YOUR FACE!
Niggah, its not even my birthday! Damnit!
Clean up time! I got you BLOOD!
For years, I have been asking myself “where in the world is Michael Jackson?”, and to my surprise I received a comment from another blogger Jason Henley in regards to the Macbook article written a couple of days ago. So I returned the favor and read a couple of Mr. Henley’s work. And I come across this:
King of Pop disappoints the Prince of Bahrian [Bahrain]
Everybody’s favorite Michael Jackson is at it again. Apparently an avid fan, the Prince of Bahrain has taken a personal interest in the King of Pop. During his tough financial times, Jacko took millions from him with an understanding that he would come out with a new album, an autobiography, and a musical. All three of those things are too good to be true on their own.
Jacko had a tough time getting the creative juices flowing, so after some frustration he went back to the Prince of Bahrain with a brilliant idea: To get his ideas going he requested that Prince hire Tony Buzan, a “Mind Mapping and Motivational Guru.” This creativity magnet Tony charged the Prince of Bahrian [Bahrain] $37,000 a day to give Jacko good ideas. Michael Jackson hung out with him for a week, costing the friendly Prince $350,000. The frustrated Prince was agitated at Michael Jackson’s broken promises, so now they both are in court.
I’m still waiting for the Michael Jackson Las Vegas show, that is supposedly going to have a godlike statue of Michael Jackson that shoots lasers.
Special thanks to Jason Henley for the information and for more interesting articles by him check out:
Jason Henley “The Internet – It’s good for everyone”
