Crown Hype

at Prospect Park

Inspiration. #mahaliajackson #sarahvaughan #billieholiday #paulrobeson #legends #icons

Yesterday's ceremony was so dope. This was REAL love and hip hop (not that bullshit you see on VH1). Continue to rest in peace and power, Phife, and respect and love to his family and his crew who were there to honor him on this momentous day. More pics to come... #phife #phifedawg #atribecalledquest #atcq #lindenblvd #representrepresent #queens #hiphop

Cuando en la bodega... #summertreats #staycool (at Crown Heights, BK)

Always.

Marauders and Low End, my two favorite ATCQ albums, represented in one flick.

I live this culture, because I love this culture.

Jarobi

Ali Shaheed

Tip

Phife Diggy

And, now the landmark is even more glorious than ever. Check the rhyme, y'all.

Back in the days, on the boulevard of Linden... True hip hop fans of my generation already know.

I should never have known who Alton Sterling is, unless I somehow had an opportunity to meet him face to face, man to man. I shouldn't know his name now, but I do. A nation of people do, and for entirely the wrong reason. His name is now etched on the growing memorial in my mind, for those needlessly killed by "law enforcement." So, if you are of the mindset that a petition to get Jesse Williams fired from a TV show (for having the nerve to voice his honest, and accurate, and valid thoughts, opinions, and feelings) is important, while you sit on your apathetic ass and watch these things continue to happen to our fathers, sons, brothers, mothers, sisters, and daughters, then we have nothing to talk about. And, you might want to steer clear of me, from here on out, because I promise you that you're not going to like what I have to say. Fair warning.

Middle finger up, to anyone who had nothing to say when Alton Sterling and Philando Castile were murdered by police, but immediately posted shields to show their support when they heard the news of the officers in Dallas being shot and killed. We see you. And this is why we shout that #BLACKLIVESMATTER I told you, I'm done playing with y'all. I will not be silent. And, I will not expend any more energy reassuring you that I am compassionate enough to care about other lives senselessly lost. I, instead, choose to focus on expressing my outrage, my concern, and my sadness as it relates to those whose shoes I do walk in, daily. We are not dying "honorable' deaths. We are being buried in relative anonymity, with our families being left to pick up the pieces. We are getting choked out, and shot in front of stores in our own neighborhoods. We are being shot and killed in our cars, dying in front of our loved ones. No one wants to acknowledge the dangers which WE face. Yet, we are constantly reminded of how dangerous it is to be a public servant. We get it. We've always gotten it. If you are unwilling to address the problem, then you are part of the problem. Know that your silence is saying that you've chosen a side to stand on. And, we are not on the same side.

Something tells me this won't end well for Pooh. Dope pin from @creepycompany... had to get it!