NCAA ''Reform'' in 2 steps

     Yesterday, I saw an article about a recommendation to change college sports, and I disagreed with everything . . .  So I wrote my own response and recommendation!

    In summary, the article says people who make/made millions from the current college sports model, are making a recommendation to change the current model, because they're "reform-minded"? . . . Sounds fishy . . . The only reason they want "reform" is because they don't want to address the only problem that exists.  Players should receive financial compensation and additional benefits.  College coaching salaries are well into millions per year and that's one measure that can be adjusted.  Here's my plan below:

• Players compensation:
• Revenue sharing agreement with coaching staff (80/20) for staffs making over 1M per year
• Merchandise, TV deals (60/40)
  
• Can make money off their own likeness (endorsements, etc.)
  
• Free healthcare for up to 10 years after leaving the program
• Free education for 1 BS, MS, and/or PHD degree for life
  
• Remove amateurism rules 
• Read them here: ( http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/future/amateurism )
  

    Those two actions would make college sports even more attractive to fans without completely abolishing the current model.  If eligible NCAA athletes are being compensated during their matriculation, maybe they're more likely to stay in school, complete their education, help build the school's profile, try to win games/championships, be more involved after they leave, etc. . . 

 

Hope you enjoyed.  Leave and comment with your plan to change the NCAA below

 

Article Summary:

• The Knight Commission, a reform-minded independent group of university presidents, former athletic directors and others, spent the past year studying the current state of college sports before making its recommendation.
• Creating a separate system would allow schools, conferences, and programs to set and enforce all rules governing the new body.  These rules would include, setting health and safety standards, enforcing disciplinary action, determining eligibility, etc.
• Plan only includes a new body for FBS schools, but lower level football schools and all other sports would remain as part of the NCAA.

 

Sources:

• ESPN Article on Knight Commission: https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/30444422/knight-commission-endorses-fbs-split-ncaa
• History of College Football Coach Salaries: https://www.bannersociety.com/2019/8/15/20732192/coach-salaries-history-highest
• Current College football salaries: https://sports.usatoday.com/ncaa/salaries/

Laugh of the Day: Dr. Seuss Changed My Life

Below is a new post from the newest member of the Brothers Blog, Wobbly. Enjoy!

   

It was National Dr. Seuss Day in 2007. As I walked into Compton elementary school all I saw were the doorways to the classrooms decorated like The Cat in the Hat, Oh the Places You’ll Go, and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish Blue Fish. I walked down the hall and made a right to get onto the Pre-K hallway.

      Every morning my teacher, Mrs. Green, would come in wayyyyyy too excited and loud for this time in the morning. She would come in, sing a song, and have us play a game where we interacted with others. Now adults always say that kids should never be tired and have boundless energy since they’re young but asking a kid to hug some white people at 8 o’clock in the morning is a bit much.  After “friendly time” was over, Mrs. Green told us that because of the holiday, we would be sitting in the classroom all day listening to her read books and she began with Green Eggs and Ham. . . I was asleep by the time she got to the part where the character ate the food.
    

      I woke up to the smell of some Oreo cookies and quickly realized that I had slept until snack time. Unfortunately, I had forgotten to pack one earlier that morning, so for the next 15 minutes I played around with some toys that I’d snuck to school. Usually, my mom or dad packs my snack for me but since I was becoming a “big boy” they suggested that I do it myself. So up to that day I’d have a snack to hold me over until lunch at 1 o’clock.

      Today when Mrs. Green said it was lunch time, I was the first in line. On the way to the cafeteria I was constantly rushing past my teacher in a feat driven by an intense desire for food. We finally made it to the lunch line, where Mrs. Green stopped us. “Now children, since we’re celebrating our favorite author today, the lunchroom staff has prepared a special meal for us.” When she said the word “special” it registered in my brain as, “Maybe we’ll have some cake!” so I didn’t think about it too much. Mrs. Green finally moves out of the way so that I can try see the wonderful spread of food they have to offer. As I peered over the glass window separating us from the food, I saw that the metal coverings were still over the food. The lunch lady looked at me and smiled. She pulled the lids off of the trays and the food was....green eggs and ham!

     Instantly, my throat started burning as stomach acid was making it’s way up my throat and into my mouth. I was positive that the throw up that was in my mouth tasted better than the green eggs. Growing up, my father never bought ham or used it in any way, shape, or fashion so both parts of this meal horrified me. I was stuck in a very difficult situation. Do I risk getting food poisoning or go hungry for the rest of the school day? March 7, 2007 happened to be a Wednesday, which according to my father was “Try Something New Day.” Unfortunately, I decided to try the green eggs and ham. 

    I got my plate and sat down at a table, optimistic about this meal. “Well I like eggs, and ham comes from a pig like bacon does, maybe I’ll like it.” Famous last words. I stuck my plastic fork into the pile of eggs and put a forkful of it into my mouth. Let’s pause here. At Compton Elementary School, the lunch ladies don’t see use in draining a 20 pound tub of eggs so what happens? The green eggs absorb the green egg water. This means that if someone were to bite into such eggs, then they would get a massive volume of green egg water bursting in their mouth and dripping down to their chin.  Take a moment and imagine how you would feel if you were five years old and had this happen to you. Now take that feeling and add the fact that you were longing for some nourishing food, but have to wait several more hours to get some.

    This story gets worse. Apparently, my father had volunteered to read books to one of the classes that day so he was at the school during my lunch period. Of course, he was trying to find me so that we could have lunch together, which I had no problem with. Except on this particular day we had green eggs and ham. If we went out eat eat as a family or ate at the house, my dad would not let me leave the table until I’d either finished my food or thrown up trying. By the time he’d found me, I had already given up hope of finishing my tray so it was just sitting on the table in front of me, green slime and all. 

    My dad saw this and asked why I wasn’t eating and I told him that eggs aren’t supposed to be green. “Don’t disrespect the lunchroom staff by throwing out a full plate of food that they made for you. Finish it all.” So as my classmates got to leave the lunchroom and go back to class, I was stuck alone in the lunchroom, with my dad, ingesting green egg water.

- Wobbly

Saturday Morning Vibes: WNBA APPRECIATION

Aaaargh! Readers, I just couldn't let this one slip through the cracks.  Earlier this week a former disgraced NBA player who shall remain nameless, because well, fuck him...added another churlish rant to his long list of social media faux pas.

What makes the comments more disturbing is that said player went out of his way to denigrate the women players who have reached the same professional peak as himself.  But instead of focusing on this numbskull I decided to dedicate this post to the sacrifices made by the women of the WNBA as well as give them my deferential respect.

WNBA PLAYERS AND LEAGUE- LGBT PIONEERS

When Michael Sam and Jason Collins came out to the public they were praised for their bravery and lauded as sports heroes.  I applaud both players, however, as athletes they don't hold a candle to lesbian players like Chamique Holdsclaw and Brittney Griner.  While their male counterparts recieve sportsman of the year awards and fame, despite being awful at their respective sports, the media fails to give the women of the WNBA proper respect for their work in the community.  The WNBA is light years ahead of the sports world in it's efforts to embrace our lesbian and gay sisters and brothers. Just last year the league became the first professional american sports structure to acknowledge it's gay and lesbian fans with the first ever "Pride" game.  Let's give the WNBA credit for this unprecedented gesture.


MEAGER PAY SCALE AND SUBSEQUENT CAREER EFFECTS

In 2014 the average WNBA salary was estimated to be around $75,000 with the max salary being near $110,000. To put things in perspective the last man on an NBA team receives close to $400,000!  Of course the NBA generates more revenue than the WNBA and the WNBA players Union could possibly negotiate more fair profit-sharing, but this smaller pay scale has significant effects on the career trajectory of WNBA players.  You would never hear of Carmelo Anthony signing a contract with a foreign team immediately after his final playoff game.  This would essentially commit him to the grit and grind of a complete year of professional basketball!  Yet this is necessary for some WNBA players without coaching gigs or other supplements to increase their income.  Hell, even the great Tamika Catchings played overseas 8 of her 10 WNBA seasons.  Competing at the top of your sport year round ultimately has to have detrimental effects on your ability to stay healthy, and could possibly shorten your career.  In turn, I wonder if WNBA players would continue to play ball year round, or take time to rehabilitate and spend time at home with their loved ones if they recieved the same league revenue share as their NBA counterparts? This remains to be studied.

FAVORITE PLAYERS

Finally, as a show of obeisance...here are video montages of my 3 favorite WNBA players! Elena Delledonne (hometown hero), Ivory Latta, and arguably the future GOAT (sorry Cheryl) Maya Moore!

PEACE!!!

TheLonelyBlogger

What's the word!? From Johannesbuuuuurg?

"Oooo sista/woman have ya heaaarrrrd, from Johanessbuuurg??"- Gil Scott-Heron 1976


     Yes. There's so much life in the city of Jo'Burg. Johannesburg is a place where you can experience some of the best wine in the world, scrumptious ostrich steaks, (you should try them medium-rare) and tantalizing garlic mussels. Oh, I'd absolutely LOVE to dedicate this post to the foodie scene in Jo'Burg. But it's the brutality and heartlessness of apartheid that remained on the edges of my mind as I enjoyed the welcoming 14ZAR:1USD exchange rate.

Let this quote from an Afrikaaner congress person sink in...

     I can't say I've seen a more heartwrenching sight than the list of legislation documented on the wall of the Apartheid Museum that was used by the racist Afrikaaner regime during the 1900s.  Under the guise of a "civilized" government, this bloodthirsty establishment used bullets and laws to destroy the minds and self-esteem of black children.  Black men and women were made everyday to remember they were no better than animals in the eyes of the whites who immigrated to their homeland.
     To be an African accused of political activism was an automatic death sentence.  Steven Biko was beaten and killed while in police custody for his work, in a death to Baltimore's Freddie Gray. No police were ever charged for his death, which autopsies confirmed to be a result of brain injury from blunt force trauma.  Legislation allowed for an activist to be jailed for up to 90 days without a trial. This period often extended to 360-540 days and prisoners were often held in solitary confinement with little more than a cloth (if that) to cover their genitals.  Police constantly reminded them..."We could kill you right now and say it was suicide by hanging".  Can you imagine how many Sandra Bland's there were during apartheid?

Myself- on the corner in the city of Soweto 15 miles from Jo'Burg

      Fifteen miles outside of the city in the township of Soweto, home of Winnie Mandela and the place where blacks were relocated under the iron fist of apartheid, is the Hector Pieterson Children's Museum. This museum is dedicated to the Tamir Rice's, the hundreds of black children slain by police during the Soweto protests of a new decree of the Bantu Education Act, which stated that black schools were required to use Afrikaaner language and text as a teaching medium in an already dilapidated school system. A foreign language for black students and

Small town of tin roof houses off the highway in Soweto

teachers. A 30 yard gravel pit on the periphery of the museum is filled with bricks for each child victim of this violence. The length of the pit alone is a chilling reminder of how many lives were lost in just this brief period of a 50 year regime. 50 years of havoc wreaked on the culture, family-structure, and pride of a group of people...because of their rich, dark skin.
    Alas, this post is dedicated to the unwavering spirit of black South Africans! The natives I was able to speak to will always be in my heart. Jethro, my Zulu brother and Head Chef at the bed and breakfast I stayed at along with his beautiful wife and twin boys, my labmate Mpha and her friend NhlaNhla, my hostesses Ivon and Ntombi...all survivors of Apartheid, who, in spite of a brutal campaign to tear them down, still hold their heads high like the Kings and Queens they are. They reinforced my spirit as a black American and showed me how connected we are even thousands of miles away. They will NOT be forgotten. Finally, this post is also dedicated to my big brother and friend Dr. Manu O. Platt for granting me an opportunity to research HIV and tuberculosis while submerging myself in the history of South Africa. I cannot wait to repay him for this once in a lifetime trip! UNTIL NEXT TIME

DEUCES!

TheLonelyBlogger


 

Welcome back NBA!

The NBA season has kicked off and is in full swing!  It's great to see all the things I awaited all summer.  Here's a list of the top five things I'm most interested in this season:

Warriors Title Defense and Steph Curry MVP Encore
At this point, Steph Curry is the best player in the world.  Sorry Lebron.  His shooting ability from anywhere on the floor, coupled with insane ball handling skills is just incredible.  And I'm sure Chris Paul hates him.  Through the first 9 games of the season, it seems as if Curry has gotten better and more lethal from behind the arc, if that was possible.  The entire team seems hungrier than ever to win another and that's great to watch!

New Look T-Wolves
I know, I know, maybe I'm crazy but I love this new Timberwolves squad.  Saddening that Flip Saunders passed away prior to the season starting.  On another note, my favorite thing about this team is the presence of Kevin Garnett.  With a roster full of young players, KG is the perfect veteran to get their two recent number 1 picks to play with an attitude at all times.  Wiggins is in his second season and has improved tremendously (coming off a ROY season) and Karl Anthony Towns was 2 wins away from a NCAA championship last year.  Maybe they don't make the playoffs this year, but they can only get better and it will be exciting to watch that transition from endless years of lottery picks into a playoff berth somewhere down the road.

Russ and KD back together
Self explanatory.  Who doesn't want to see the most formidable duo in the NBA back together for an entire season.  They've both shown what they can do without the other when Durant won MVP and Westbrook with 11 triple doubles last season.  Playing under a new head coach in back to back NCAA champion Billy Donovan, OKC should definitely be a contender when the postseason comes.

Fred Hoiberg and the Bulls
I'm personally excited to see what The Mayor of Ames, IA can do for Chicago this season.  In anticlimactic fashion, the Bulls were destroyed by the Cavs last year in the playoffs so I'm hoping he can make the necessary changes to get them over the hump.  I enjoyed seeing what Hoiberg did with a virtually unknown Iowa State team over the last several seasons and I hope that success continues in the NBA.  Chicago definitely has the talent to make some noise but we'll have to wait and see how they mesh with the new coaching philosophies.

Rondo
In my opinion, Rondo was the best PG in the league at one point due to his playmaking abilities.  He racks up triple doubles when playing consistently at a high level and now he's back at the helm of team in need of a veteran presence.  Rondo will be able to help Demarcus Cousins and a struggling Kings franchise gain some sort of momentum, but they won't make the playoffs.  He hasn't really played well since his ACL injury a few seasons ago so it'll good to see if he can get back to the 10 points, 15 dimes, and 12 boards Rondo of old.

Honorable Mentions
Cavs and Lebron's quest to win a championship in Cleveland, Kobe's farewell tour, Melo and the Phil Jackson Knicks, and a deeper LA Clippers team.

Reasons I'm Done with My iPhone

iPhones Used to Be Cool
Apple has made some great devices over the last decade or so.  When the iPhone first came out, I was eager to get one because it just looked so cool and Apple was known for making great products.  I had a Macbook in 2008, an iPod nano in 2004, and an iPod touch when they first came out.  Recently the quality of their products has significantly decreased.  My iPhone continually glitches and closes apps for no reason.  My nano and touch are long gone due to their own issues.  And my Macbook is basically obsolete, mostly because I'm too cheap to upgrade my software (and even if I did, macbook gurus say that it will not run as efficiently for several reasons).  Since my software isn't updated, I cannot sync my phone with my itunes and put the songs I want on my phone, or upload my pictures to iPhoto.

These are my own personal problems I have with the company, but in all honesty, things have been on the downside since Steve Jobs passed several years ago.  Their latest unveilings have been more of the same and I'm no longer impressed by the company.  iPhones were cool in the beginning because they could do things that other phones couldn't.  Now however, other companies have caught up and iPhone is no longer the only nice looking, touch screen phone with lots of applications, and that is easy to use.  The luster wore off a long time ago.  Below is a list of more reasons I'm done with my Apple iPhone.

Ten Reasons

1. Apple Emoji's were unveiled in 2011 and it took four years to incorporate racially diverse ones.  Seriously.
2. My phone repeatedly shuts off and restarts on its own for no reason whatsoever.
3. Updates seem cumbersome and unnecessary.
4. The iPhone 6 is wack, it looks cheap and generic.
5. In the most recent phone update, I was forced to download an app for Apple Watch.  Who told them I was getting one? How presumptive!
6. I feel like my privacy is being invaded. I was asked if I'd like to scan my credit card and save my information on my phone to make online purchases go smoother.
7. I'm continually asked what my location is whenever opening certain apps and websites.
8. Siri can't answer any of my questions.
9. It's ridiculously expensive to get any repairs or replace my phone if something bad happens to it.
10. Having one makes me feel like a member of a cult or a worker ant.

I just need a phone that can make calls, text messages, receives emails, plays music, and has twitter and internet capabilities.  Any suggestions?

Peace.

P.E.T.A. (Pup Experiences Traumatizing Automobile accident)

Intro
I was walking my younger brother's dog this afternoon and something interesting happened.  Rio, the dog, tends to chase after large trucks, buses, and any vehicles that make a lot of noise.  Each day this happens and he's restrained as you can tell by the video below.

Crazy Pup
This particular scenario happens every day without fail.  On this day, he happened to be wearing a harness that was attached to his leash.  As the walk began, I noticed that he was feeling some discomfort.  I saw him laboring and attempted to fix his harness.  After he still seemed to be uncomfortable, I tried again to alleviate the pain and discomfort he was feeling.  Ironically, after the second attempt at fixing the harness, the bus he likes to chase so much was coming down the street.

Rio saw the bus trudging along and began to bark while heading into the street.  Using the leash, I began pulling him back while he tried his hardest to get into the street and he slipped right out of the harness!  He was hit in the face by the front of the bus and fell backwards closer to the sidewalk.  The bus did not stop at all.  I screamed like a schoolgirl and was frozen with shock, while he writhed in pain on the ground for a few seconds.

Conclusion
Then, in the strangest fashion, he just got up and started running back towards my house.  I went home and told my family what happened.  Other than a bloody lip, he seemed fine and chipper.  As I'm typing this, I'm still a little mortified and if any complications were to arise in the next several days, I would feel pretty awful.  I blame myself for adjusting his harness during the walk, rather than inside, and whoever put the harness on him in the first place.  He never wears a harness!  I'm glad he's okay though, probably won't be walking him for the next several days . . .

PS. It was kinda funny (now that he seems fine).  I hope he learned his lesson about trucks, buses, and noisy vehicles.

Laugh of the Day: Snow Day Adventures

Snow??

Across the south today, snow was expected in Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama.  Last year it snowed in these southern states, Atlanta specifically, and the Snowpocalypse happened.  With that in mind, schools were cancelled and offices announced they would be closed due to the impending storm.  In Birmingham, when I woke up this morning, I figured that nothing would happen because it wasn't even cold enough for snow.  It rained all day.  Essentially, my little brother missed school and my parents skipped work due to rain.

Disrupted Plans

I was planning to use this Wednesday to search for part time job opportunities around the city, so the rain played no role in my day's activities.  However, my parents urged that today wouldn't be a good day to search for employment because of the lack of open businesses that were fearful of the storm.  This led me to sit around the house and harass my kid brother all day.  During a session of roughhousing in his room, an interesting thing happened.

Roughhousing

It's important to note that my kid brother is now in 7th grade, that age when he can somewhat fight back during our skirmishes.  While we wrestled and bounced around his room, he retaliated to my shenanigans, causing me to stumble backwards a few steps into the window.  We heard the breaking of glass and stopped.  My butt broke the window.

After discovering the extent of the damage we caused (and our subsequent laughter), we devised a plan to fix the situation.  Using the top of a Nike sneaker box and duct tape, we were able to seal up the hole.  In the end, we told the parents what happened because it would have made more sense to tell them then, rather than wait and cause more drama for trying to hide it.

In my defense, I blame Alabama schools for canceling the day's activities, because if he had been in school, none of this would have happened.  Snow Days are always full of adventures . . . Even if it doesn't snow.

Just Because

As a child, my favorite VHS tape was NBA Superstars 2.  It contained highlights of the NBA's top players of the day with a great song to complement the plays.  Featuring Magic Johnson, Centers of the NBA, Dominique Wilkins, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley and more, my brothers and I watched this tape religiously. I woke up this morning with Patti Labelle's song on the MJ vid stuck in my head.  So here it is . . .

Magic Johnson's video is pretty great too.  I still watch these if I want to get hype before going to play basketball.

Watch these inspiring videos and have a great day!
Peace.

Everyday is Black History

Here at Brothers, we've been slacking.  I have been meaning to post something about the month of February and its significance but there's one problem.  The reality is that we should be celebrating black history every day.  If you're a person who is truly black and proud, Black History permeates each and every single second of every day of your life.

Black History is something you have to live and understand your importance and position in culture.  In a country where black men are murdered and imprisoned at alarming rates, we must all remember our ancestors that were enslaved, tortured, persecuted, and humiliated in order to improve our own lives.  While shopping at Barnes & Noble, I discovered this gem of a book with hundreds of quotations from Black people.  I read from it every day.

The video below shares some enlightening sentiments from Detroit Red aka Malcolm X.  I leave you with some words of advice via the great El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz!

"In the ghettoes the white man has built for us, he has forced us not to aspire to greater things, but to view life as survival."

Peace and Love

K. Plattinum

Off The Top Freestyle w/KiD CuDi

Here at Brothers we are always fans of dope music and freestyles.  This vintage off the top Cudder freestyle over some unreleased 88 Keys production will certainly have you bobbing your head. Enjoy!

Top Five, Bruce Wayne, and Moses

Well I'll just make this quick.  When first hearing news of the new Chris Rock movie, Top Five, I knew I would go see it as soon as I got the chance.  I've always liked Chris Rock and the movie features a star studded cast of comedic geniuses.  The various interviews that he's participated in leading up to the film's release increased my anticipation to get a big bag of twizzlers, sit on my butt for a few hours, and get some hearty laughs.

I went to the nearest movie theater the week before Top Five came out to see The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (I read all the books and couldn't resist, it was okay).  However, this forced me to start planning my next trip to the movie theater and I realized there are no theaters near my home showing this film.  I live at the intersection of Pomona, La Verne, and Claremont, California.  Upon further research, I see that black people make up 7.5%, 3.4%, and 4.7% respectively in these cities.  I'm not really surprised by the figures but it helps understand why I won't be able to go see Chris Rock's new movie.


I'm just appalled that a movie that has garnered so much attention, wouldn't even make it to my local theater.  But it makes sense, during my daily adventures I rarely see black people unless it's on public transportation.  However, I wouldn't be telling the whole story without mentioning that all the nearby theaters are showing this Exodus bullshit with numerous time slots.  And that is America for you.  A place where a black man can't go see Chris Rock's new film at his local movie theater, but I have many opportunities watch some white people pretend that their Africans.  Never thought I'd see the day when Bruce Wayne and Moses were the same person.

If you don't understand white supremacy . . . Everything else will confuse you

A Day in the Life

Intro
Amidst the Eric Garners, Trayvon Martins, Mike Browns, and countless others, America still has no idea what the life of a black male consists of.  White supremacy has pervaded every level of society all over the world and it has systematically made us enemies in the subconscious of everyone, including our own people.  That being said, black males must learn and understand how the world views them in each and every possible situation that can occur in a given day.  Read on and I will detail the daily interactions I experience as a young, educated black male living in America.

Growing up with four older brothers, I have been conscious of how society views me for as long as I can remember.  I credit my parents, home life, personal experiences, and propensity for reading black literature, for helping me to see the world the way it is. Unfortunately, the bulk of young black men don't have a strong support system of brothers AND/OR a father figure to teach them how to navigate the proverbial cloud of white supremacy.  This causes a lack of knowledge that is essential to the SURVIVAL of black males in this country.

The Package
These days, I wear whatever clothes I want because I enjoy comfort while out running errands and whatnot.  Whether it's a tee shirt, polo shirt, jeans, khakis, or shorts, I make sure that my clothes fit properly and my pants aren't sagging. Why? Because if you look unkempt as a black male, people think you're a criminal.  Each day I have to be careful about the package that I present in public because otherwise, people will assume I'm just another "robbing, stealing, killing nigger."

I walk with a purpose, keep my head held high and I speak to all people using proper english because that's how I was raised.  I walk with my head up because I enjoy seeing the reactions of white folks and others when this skinny black guy is walking down the street.  Rarely do I see another black man during my ventures and if I do, they always get a hello or nod of recognition.  Others however, stare at the ground, clutch their purses tighter, walk faster, and my personal favorite, refuse to acknowledge your presence.  I see the looks and I know what they're thinking based on their facial and physical demeanor.  And these are just the cases of strangers whom I don't know and will never get to know.

These are just the little things that happen everyday that I notice.  There are always the store associates that follow me around the store, policeman shining their flashlights in my face whilst riding my bike home at night, the elementary school teacher that told me I'd never amount to anything, getting arrested and the cops letting my white friend go home free while me and two black dudes are sent off to jail, and the list goes on. . .

This is America
I don't let these things affect me anymore, because I expect it to happen.  This is America, a country founded on the backs of free labor and white supremacy.  They brought our ancestors here against their will, and now they don't want us here and will continue to kill and imprison us at every chance they get.  So black men, know that white supremacy exists and we are at the bottom of their hierarchy.

It's our job to survive and support our families, so don't even give them the opportunity to say they were "defending themselves" because as we know, it always ends with an acquittal or lack of indictment, and a dead black man.

Brothers
In order to get a better understanding of self, I urge my brothers to read the books of the past by black male authors.  Their stories are just as relevant today, if not more so.  We have to get an appreciation for what they went through in order to find your path and figure out how you can make a positive impact.  Some must reads include: Native Son by Richard Wright, Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, Soul on Ice by Eldridge Cleaver, and The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X & Alex Haley just to name a few.

It's not about hating white people, it's about loving yourself and your people.  We define the culture.  Know that you have worth!!  Black is Beautiful!!

"The price of hating other human beings is loving oneself less." - Eldridge Cleaver, Soul on Ice

Peace
K. Plattinum

Summer Reading List: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Welcome back, scholars!

"You must understand that love never keeps a man from pursuing his destiny. If he abandons that pursuit, it's because it wasn't true love..."

Equipped with a mug of my favorite green tea, I stretched out on my sofa and lost myself in the journey that is 'The Alchemist'. I finished this adventure in less than 24 hours...I promise you, it was that good! 

The main character, whose name we never learn, is a young shepherd from Spain who possesses a burning desire to see and do things no other shepherd had ever done.  Simply by having the faith and courage to travel to foreign lands the young shepherd is able to learn invaluable lessons about sacrifice and the freedom that accompanies true love. 

The author, Paulo Coelho, knows all about sacrifice. The son of an engineer, Coelho constantly battled the expectation that he would be a straight-laced carbon copy of his father in the professional world. While his parents expected him to be a doctor or a lawyer, Coelho knew his destiny was to become a writer. Coelho holds no ill-will towards his parents despite their having him committed to a mental home because of his rebellious ways. In 'The Alchemist' Coelho imparts wisdom about true love, fear, and the urgency of following one's dreams.  Below are a couple takeaways from 'The Alchemist' I plan to use in my personal adventure.

1) Love Without  Ownership

"He tried to deal with the concept of love as distinct from possession, and couldn't separate them"

One of the dopest parts of this book was the love displayed for the main character by his love interest, the beautiful Fatima. In layman's terms, Fatima is "Ride or Die" personified! In spite of her desire to be married to the main character Fatima explains to him that marriage cannot precede him following his dream.  This quote from Fatima sums it all up: "If I am really apart of your dream, you'll come back one day....I want my husband to wander as as the wind...". Fatima's selflessness is amazing to me. She wanted to be with the main character and knew that all she had to do was tell him to stay and he would have with no questions asked! However, she knew the importance of fulfilling a dream. She displayed a truly unselfish love.

2) Fear

My takeaway? Fear has no place in the hearts of those who truly wish to fulfill their dreams. The fear of losing Fatima would have caused the main character to stay in her city completely putting off his desire to see the pyramids..content upon being her husband. However, as the alchemist later points out, this could drive a wedge in their relationship, with an unfulfilled husband on one hand and Fatima secretly blaming herself for her husband deciding not to pursue his dreams on the other. Always follow your heart! Only a self-serving love would require you put your dream on hold for them.

Coelho believes our dreams die young because we realize them at an early age, life gets in the way, and the next thing you know you're settled and nowhere near where you wished to be. The lesson here is to start pursuing your dream today! It's never too late to begin. The Alchemist is the perfect book for the transition into the Fall and I HIGHLY recommend it! Happy reading...

Photo Credit: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/mar/17/paulo-coelho-manuscript-found-in-accra

You can follow myself and Paulo Coelho on Twitter at @Chief_Platt and @paulocoelho respectively

Yours Truly,

The Lonely Blogger 

Peace

New King Chip!! #LazyAndLucrative Summer Rap Tunes

You know how we feel about King Chip over here at brotherspl (Peep our 44108 Mixtape review). Today on twitter Chip blessed us with a new summer jam produced by Blended Babies...perfect tune for rolling up and vibing with the homies or your lady if you're lucky enough to have one. Follow the link, CLICK PLAY AND ENJOY!

King Chip - Lazy And Lucrative (Prod. By Blended Babies)

Summer Reading List: Song of Solomon

After Fall, Summer is my favorite season for a variety of reasons. The beer tastes fresher, the days are longer..and of course, beautiful brown bodies are decorated in sundresses.  The long days are great for kicking back with a book and a young woman recently recommended I dive into Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison.

The book mostly follows Macon Dead, known in his neighborhood as Milkman, for reasons that make me uncomfortable to think about. Milkman's pops is a well to-do negro who sees money and ownership of property as the great equalizer. Throughout the book Milkman struggles with this concept, even though he perpetuates his father's behavior which ultimately alienates him from his community and even his own sisters at one point.

The general insanity and jaw dropping scenarios (necrophiliac incest, hidden bodies..) make this a pretty fun book to read however, there were also some pretty interesting themes that can definitely be relevant to a lot of black lives out there...Below I touch on what I gained most from this book, which was the importance of oral tradition.

Regardless of what mainstream white america will have you believe the effects of The Trans-Atlantic slave trade still, yes in 2014, have blasted jarring holes in our culture, in our history. This book really highlights the importance of oral tradition.  Because the history books are always written from the perspective of the conquerors, conversation with our elders is the only way we can know where we truly come from. Just like Milkman, a conversation with my mom, dad or granddad really gives me a sense of pride. My history begins, as told by my mother in Georgia and South Carolina with slave great-grandparents and sharecropper grandparents. These are people who had no rights and ultimately chose to flee the hold of the south for a better chance at life in Philadelphia and New Jersey. It's up to me to give these stories to my future seeds. Milkman only got to hear mythical stories about his great grandfather who may have been a runaway slave, but the little he heard definitely inspired him. It made me wonder about what my sense of self would be had my great grandparents been able to pass stories down to my grandparents...which could have ultimately trickled down to me. The moral of the story...get those oral histories while you still can! And hold on to them like gold!

Deuces...

RetroHash Album Review

Early Beginnings

Asher Roth's sophomore LP came out in late April, so I've had about a month to listen to it thoroughly. This much anticipated release shows lots of growth from Roth since his 2008 party anthem I Love College and Asleep in the Bread Aisle, his debut album.  Since then, Asher has released a bevy of mixtapes and an EP with Virginia rapper/producer Nottz, which has only boosted his lyrical and song making abilities.  This earlier Asher Roth and Kid Cudi freestyle shows both artists exceptional skills when it comes to controlling the mic.

Mixtapes

Seared Foie Gras with Quince & Cranberry shows Roth freestyling over a number of classic productions including The Diplomats' I'm Ready and Cam'Ron's Down.  Pabst & Jazz has Asher taking a unique approach by flowing over heavily jazz inspired production via Chuck Inglish, Blended Babies, and others.  These two tapes are my personal favorites and RetroHash contains the best elements from both works.

RetroHash Favorites

Parties at the Disco starts this album with a smooth sound and Ash singing about feeling wishful and partying at the disco.  Dude brings the Blended Babies (they produced the majority of the album) back for another sick track with flawless worldplay also featuring Curren$y.  Spitta and Roth talk about being that dude in an industry where most people compromise themselves.  The album continues with hippy-like dance tracks Tangerine Girl and Pull It until my favorite song, Fast Life featuring Vic Mensa.  On this song, we hear Asher talk about getting caught up in the fast life and the troubles of trying to grow up too quickly.  Last of the Flohicans has Asher putting his lyricism on display with three great verses (just listen to them).  Be Right has Major Myjah on the hook where Asher spits about keys to finding happiness in life.  

Summary

RetroHash finishes up as quickly as it starts - it's only 10 songs and 41 minutes long. I may not have done the album justice with my analysis.  However, each song contains musical elements and lyrics that show Roth's growth as an artist.  Get your copy asap!

Why I Hate Kerry Washington and Scandal

Now before you jump to any outlandish conclusions, I was once a huge fan of Kerry Washington.  However, her antics as of late have really just pushed a nerve with me.  I was first introduced to her when I watched the Spike Lee film, She Hate Me, in which she plays a lesbian and love interest to Anthony Mackie.  No problems with me here, mostly because of the great romance scenes she has with Anthony Mackie and Dania Ramirez (MY GOD!!).

Rise to Stardom

Since 2004, Washington has had unparalleled success by starring in numerous blockbuster films (including Ray, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Fantastic Four, The Last King of Scotland, I Think I Love My Wife, and several others).  I had to do some research and looked back at her older movies.  The Details (with Tobey Maguire), Lakeview Terrace (with Patrick Wilson), Fantastic Four (with whoever played The Thing), and The Last King of Scotland (with James McAvoy) were movies that contributed greatly to her success, where she just happens to be the love interest to some random white guy.

                                                      

Scandal

By 2012, Scandal comes out and she's the envy of women everywhere.  Starring in this television show, she's a "political fixer" who just happens to be having an affair with the President.  I watched the first season and enjoyed it . . . But the way she is portrayed in the show wouldn't allow me to continue watching the second season.  (I tried to watch the first episode and had to turn it off)  The show builds her up as this amazing, independent, smart black woman but for some reason she can't escape the grasp of the President. (Oh yeah, he's a white guy)

Recap
In conclusion, Washington is a huge star today, with young black women emulating her at every chance.  But as a black male, I just can't endorse the subliminal messages the show sends.  We criticize celebrities like Taye Diggs, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Kobe Bryant for their on and off camera interactions with white women, so how is it different for her?  . . . . 

P.S. I don't hate black women, I promise lol

Allen Iverson Video Tribute: BBZ10 StoryMaker

Growing up so close to Philadelphia we here at BrothersPL appreciate what Iverson did for the game. Checkout a sneak peak of a video tribute we have. COMING SOON with some of AI's greatest Highlights!!!

As Always,

The Lonely Blogger

44108 Murder Zone: March Madness Mixtape Special

In the first round of March Madness Dayton represented with an impressive win over Ohio State. King Chip's latest masterpiece "44108" represents another win for the state of Ohio. The Cleveland emcee's work ethic is impeccable as he blesses us with 19 tracks on topics ranging from getting top aka "Crown" from the finest of freaks all the way to getting revenge on a corrupt police officer on "Police in the Trunk".

"I OWN MY OWN NAME"

In a bold move a couple summers ago Chip changed his moniker from Chip the Ripper to King Chip, a fitting title for the new father to son, Cash (named after Johnny Cash) and one of the best to do it from Cleveland. With this classic body of work Chip solidifies his place on the throne.  Peep my 5 picks for the most influential and dopest tracks off #44108! 

Photo Credit: http://rapgenius.com/artists/King-chip

Download 44108 from LiveMixtapes at this link: http://www.livemixtapes.com/download/23455/king-chip-44108.html

1- Best Track to Ride To: 7AM on St. Clair ft. Ray Cash

Easily one of the smoothest tracks on this project. Play this during a trip to your shorty's house, or on the way to your local hoop spot for some pickup basketball. Guaranteed to have your swagger on a hundun. Chip enlists Cleveland vet Ray Cash for the smoothest guest feature on the entire mixtape.

2- Most Creative Track: Vortex ft. Kid Cudi and Pusha T

First of all the beat is CRAZY! King Chip and Cudi may be one of the best tag team duos when it comes to mixtape bangers (just look at Chip's features on Cudi's early mixtapes). Chip and Pusha T deliver some epic verses while Cudi sings to the ladies on the hook "I want to live in your Vortex, you knowin what's comin next!"

3- Best Track to Vibe to: Action Plan ft. Lorine Chia

"My legacy is way beyond my vital signs, I am a god!" Try not to bob your head to this joint. It's impossible. Lorine Chia's vocals set Chip up perfectly for some insightful verses. You can blaze a blunt to this joint and completely zone out.

4- Best Story: Police in the Trunk

This takes NWA's fuck the police to the next level! On this track Chip exacts revenge on an officer that killed one of his homies. If you're squeamish you probably won't want to listen to this track! The imagery is astounding as Chip raps about taking the officer's body to the butcher shop on some real Sopranos type shit. Also, the rock band type break at the end is extra dope.

5- Dopest Track: BLK on BLK 

I had to save the best for last. The production on this joint is flawless. Before each hook Chip raps "Black on black like Morpheus, pills on deck like Morpheus" as he takes listeners on a ride through the realest hoods in Cleveland. "Nigga my hood so crazy man this shit just like the Gaza Strip" pretty much sums it up. JUST WATCH THE VIDEO.

You can follow King Chip on Twitter @Chip216 for word on his much anticipated #CleveLAfornia. The fans are patiently waiting!