It was on a Friday......

.....a few weeks ago, coming back from my rheumatologist appointment at the University of Chicago. On the way to the crib I stopped at my favorite fast food spot Checkers...(the last one left in the Chi at that) for 2 of my favorite things, a spicy chicken sammich and a medium fry

#YESSSS!!!

and if any of you been to that Checkers on 55th/Dan Ryan you know in and around the drive th'u you're going to see one of the 3 individuals that im going to mention

1 the dude selling socks and incense
2.that rapper tryna sell a wack mixtape/album
3.the hype out there straight beggin (sometimes they'll clean your windows tho)

and yeah sometimes I throw em a couple of singles when I can...but sometimes I don't (just being honest, dont judge me) And this day in particlular I wasnt at first, but there was this man.....and his son at the drive th'u, and I thought, I'm sure its hard enough for him to be out here askin for somebody....anybody to tey and buy him something to eat but having his son (around 3 or 4 years old mind you) with him and seeing car after car play them both like they was invisible really got to me. Mainly for the fact that seeing the child despite the situation still kept a smile on his face. In this type of situation I didnt think i just said hol' up, I'll get something for yall.

At the time I didnt think of this verse but a short while later it came to me

Matthew 25;35 "...For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me"

I havent been back to Checkers since that day back in November but I hope and pray that things turned around for that man and his son. But it also made me stop and recognize the many blessings God gave me and my family.

To be honest I wasn't gonna blog about this because I really didn't want to make it look like I was thirsty for attention, or even worse put myself out there like "yeah look what I did, wheres my Nobel peace prize at" but then I thought why not, maybe one day just like it happened to me, It may happen to you and you just might be presented with a similar scenario and may have to make a similar choice, and perhaps these words may sway you the reader to do like that Spike Lee joint from 1989




do the right thing......

when you know better......

.....you should do better.

I was told that as a youth growing up, and now reflecting on these same words thinking to myself that as a grown man I need to take these words into consideration and not just to remember them but to APPLY them. I'm not a perfect man, and I never tried to be. I know I've made more than my share of mistakes, broken promises, and betrayed trust of the one who i've loved dearly for the past 13 years to the month. And for what? What did secrecy, and not being up front do for me...or the relationship besides bring back the hurt that was caused by me for making the same mistake previously?


which goes back to the title.....

and hearing the voice of my mother, and my grandfather saying these words. They're both not here because they both passed away but their advise comes back to my mind. Sadly a little too late after I failed to use common sense that God gave me and now things are startin to fall apart. But at the end of the day it's all on me


hopefully things get better, and if you read this even if you dont comment, say a few words in a prayer

10-30-2002

...I woke up that morning and cut on the news to find out about the murder of Jason "Jam Master Jay" Mizell, and first think ing that it was a sick joke. Because seriously it was a known occurence to hear rappers getting shot (not like it was ok) but around that time you would hear this rapper was shot, and that rapper was shot 9 times, and so on.

As for DJ's it was rare, in fact the last dj that was killed (unnecessarily) was BDP's DJ Scott "La Rock" Sterling back in August 1987. thus bringing up the question who would do this to JMJ and why? I dont know the answer to neither, but I do know hip hop ans the community of dj's and turntablists alike suffered a major loss hearing of the untimely death of one of the few DJ's that inspired a nation of young men (including myself) and young women to learn and practice the craft of blends, cuttin and of course scratchin.

you are still missed

#RIPJMJ

love.........

Love your parents with all your might and devote as much time and energy as you can to contributing to their well-being and absorbing their wisdom. You'll be more peaceful about their untimely transition if you do.

Time isn't retrievable.

-David M. Stephens

this was posted on his facebook page late last night and it inspired me to blog a little about it. Being that two of the most influental people in my life passed away. First my Grandfather who I thank God for being there at a time when a young hardhead boy like myself needed some structure and guidance from a strong male figure, and did the best he could to show me (and my brothers)how to be men.

More recently my mom passed away Feb. '09 which hit hard and as much as I wish she could come back, I am grateful for the time that God gave her, and also knowing and recognizing that the 62 years she has seen and done a lot (including being able to see her great grandbabies)

but this really isnt about me, but it is for all those that have suffered a loss of one or Both of their parents like some of my friends....


David, Matthew and Doug Stephens

Olan Kellogg

Brandy Coleman

Tanya Barksdale, Karen, Mike, Darryl, Dawn, Valerie Wells, and myself



It can be hard sometimes but with faith I believe they are someplace better than here

...whats beef

....remembering this rhyme performed at the end of a dave chapelle show by Black Star (Mos Def & Talib Kweli)

WHATS BEEF?

Beef is not what Jay said to Nas…

Beef is when workin’ ni**as can’t find jobs
So they tryna find ni**as to rob

Tryna find bigger guns so they can finish the job
Beef is when the crack kids can’t find moms
Cause they end up inna PINE box or locked behind bars

Beef ain’t the Summer Jam for Hot 97
Beef is the cocaine and AIDS epidemic
Beef don’t come with a radio edit

Beef is when the judge is callin’ you “defendant”
Beef, it comes with a long jail sentence
Handed down to you in a few short minutes

Beef is when your girl come through for a visit
Talkin’ bout “I’m pregnant by some other ni**a”

Beef is high blood pressure and bad credit
Need a loan for your home and you’re too broke to get it
And all your little kids is doin is gettin’ bigger
You tryin not to raise ‘em around these wild ni**as

Beef is when a gold digger got ya seat and a
A manicured hand out like “pay me ni**a”
Or I’m tellin’ your wife
Or startin’ up some foul rumor that’ll ruin your life

Beef is when a gangster ain’t doin it right
Another gangster then decided what to do with his life

Beef is not what these famous ni**as do on the mic
Beef is what George Bush would do in a fight

Yeah, beef is not what Ja said to 50
Beef is more than Irv not bein here with me

When a soldier ends his life with his own gun
Beef is tryin’ to figure out what to tell his son
Beef is oil prices and geopolitics
Beef is Iraq, the West Bank, and Gaza Strip

Some beef is big and some beef is small
But what y’all call beef is not beef at all

Beef is real life happenin’ everyday
And it’s realer than them songs that you get at Kay Slay
This has been a Black Star PSA
From Mos Def, Pretty Flocko, black Dante
And the Black Star embassy, B to the K

the do's and donts for party go-ers (part 2)

Now dont think I was just going to put the wack DJ's on blast and not speak to the party go-ers that fail to think to speak before you walk up to us dj's. I got some rules for all yall too...*clears throat*

Any good dj will have a diverse collection but your request MUST be reasonable, but use common sense though so

1. Im 37, please dont come up asking for Ray Charles and Dizzy Gilespie (that really happened)

2. If i've been playing house music and you want me to change it to hip hop It MUST be in a similar tempo (ex. I will not switch from Lil Louis "French Kiss" to Luniz "I got 5 on it")

3, please Know either the Song or the Artist, I have no clue who "Old boy" or "that song they played on WGCI this morning" (eapecially when I dont even listen to WGCI)

4. If its a family function with little kids runnin around dont ask if imma play the Young Money album when the parents that paid me spefically said DONT PLAY NO YOUNG MONEY!!!

5. dont bring no demos tawnbout, this my boy...he raw...knowing he sound like 50tyson

the do's and dont's (for dj's...part 1)

well many of you thak know me (friends from past and present) know I've been a dj and have been spinning for quite some time...1987 to be exact. And throughout those 20+ years of spinning various genres from hip-hop, Chicago house, deep house, RNB, steppers and occasionally pop, Ive learned a few things, some on my own with trial, and error as well as from dj's either close friends of mine, radio dj's and mobile.
This past weekend I attended my 20 yr high school class reunion...BIG SHOUT TO 1990!!!

...oh where was I, oh yes my reunion and it was all love seeing so many friends that I havent seen since the summer of '90 when I graduated. The food was good and the vibe was great until......

the dj (yes the dj) would either consistently change the music, put on a hot old school deep house joint and then stop it & talk so this brings me to the title of my blog....the do's and donts (AKA the what NOT to do as a DJ)


1. DO NOT take 5 hot songs and play only 30-45 seconds of the first verse (you can really piss the crowd off with that)

2. PLEASE DO NOT blend slow songs together (Let Keith sweat finish his beggin before you put on the Isley Brothers)

3. Play songs that have matching tempos or beats per minute (Its not possible to go from "Is It all over my face" to Beastie Boys "Paul Revere" and not look like a complete idiot in the process)

4. If you have an announcement to make, its ok, say it BUT dont stop the record completely, just turn it down say what you gotta say and keep it movin

5. If youre spinnin before a 35 and older crowd please dont think they want to hear the same 8 or 9 songs that the radio played all day everyday (unless you was really tryin to clear the floor)

.....feel free to add on with comments and opinons