Lyrically Speaking-II

“…Land seems so far when your own sails you away like a bad omen and every other brother’s a Roman. Wanting to rope and beat me. Rather see me hanging from a cross or a tree than succeed…”

-Future, “The Calling”, Darker Side of Black What happened to role models? What happened to placing people on pedestals that they could live up to? What happened to FOX 45’s Champions of Courage? Where have our heroes gone? There are so many amazing people who pass by us everyday. Yet in this society, we tend to be so caught up in “celebrities” that we don’t see them. Don’t get me wrong; some of these celebs deserve our admiration. I would love nothing more than to spend a few hours talking to actress/producer/singer Jada Pinkett-Smith, but I cherish the relationship I’m building with EDCH Apparel CEO Elon, the time I spent intervewing director/choreographer Sherman Shoate, and the moment I shared with my husband meeting Saul Williams. These, ladies and gentlemen, are my superheroes. And I am someone’s superhero. And just like everyone else who has been anointed with a gift to save, I have been faced with challenges. Strangers don’t bother me much. I tend to make a good first impression on people. Usually, they’re surprised to learn that I’m not 15 and am, in fact, a 21 year-old Navy wife. But, it’s so called “friends” and rarely calling “family” who do the best at hindering my path. The very ones who hold our love and respect, the very ones we entrust with our hearts, these are the ones who hurt us the most because they don’t believe in us and we feel that we need them to. And it’s not their faults. There’s a cycle of faithlessness that continues through generations because way back when, someone’s mother or father didn’t reach their goals. Since life wasn’t kind to them, they didn’t know how to uplift others. And so today, we unconsciously (and some time purposely) say or do things to keep other’s from excelling. I was told my voice wasn’t strong enough to sing a song that I wrote. I was laughed at when I shared a song that expressed my pain years before admitting I suffer from depression. And for years I let those events keep me from sharing my writings, which was like not sharing a large part of myself. The name calling and the belittling was in the form of jokes. Only, I wasn’t laughing and I’m still not. Look at Christ: He came to this Earth to save us and his own people turned against him and watched as he was crucified. They could have saved him, but they chose to let a thief go free because they didn’t understand Christ’s calling. He, however, accepted their hatred because he understood the place that it came from. He loved them the same and continued with his mission. He served his purpose with no regrets. Or take Senator Obama and Senator Clinton for example. Both were born with the purpose of making a difference in this world. For once—and in our lifetime at that—an African-American and a woman is able to run for president. Regardless of who actually makes it into office, we, as American citizens, have already won just by having that dream take form. And the media did its best to slander both senators, refusing to turn it’s venom towards John McCain until the Democratic nomination was made and he became an official “threat”. People hate what they don’t understand. People hate change. People hate feeling inferior, hence slavery and apartheid and terrorism. But, we have to recognize our power. We have to believe in ourselves first. We have to realize our purpose and stop at nothing to fulfill it. Family and friends will support you once they see strangers buying your product and offering you a shoulder to lean on. They may not admit they were wrong, but eventually they will come around. You have to make up your mind that you are not going to wait, singing, “She’ll be coming ‘round the mountain when she comes…” Instead, stand firmly in your purpose and protest: “…You wanna set Barabas free and condemn me, then go ‘head…”

-Future, “The Calling”, Darker Side of Black

***Lyrically Speaking-II

Written by: Ccep J. Dew, West Coast Editor

as published in eXcape the matriX magazine www.eXcapethematriX.com