Day two: Kujichagulia

Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.

This principle i'm going to list this song by one of my favorite emcee, Talib Kweli. Ya want it, here it go...

So many emcees focusin on black people extermination
We keep it balanced with that knowledge of self, determination
It's hot, we be blowin the spots, with conversations
C'mon let's smooth it out like Soul Sensation
We in the house like Japanese in Japan, or Koreans in Korea
Head to Philly and free Mumia with the Kujichagulia TRUE
Singin is swingin and writin is fightin, but what they writin got us clashin like
titans it's not excitin No question, bein a black man is demandin
The fire's in my eyes and the flames need fannin (3X)

With that what? (Knowledge Of Self) Determination
*repeat 4X*

[singer]
Things I say and do, may
not come quite through
My words may not convey just what I'm feelin

Yes yes come on, yes yes
Knowledge Of Self is like life after death
With that you never worry about your last breath
Death comes, that's how I'm livin, it's the next days
The flesh goes underground, the book of life, flip the page
Yo they askin me how old,we livin the same age
I feel the rage of a million niggaz locked insidea cage
At exactly which point do you start to realize
That lifewithout knowledge is, death in disguise?
That's why, Knowledge Of Self
is like life after death
Applyit, to your life, let destiny manifest
Different day, same confusion, we're gonna take this
hip-hop shit and keep it movin, shed a little light
Now y'all bloomin like a flowerwith the power of the evident
Voices and drums original instruments
In the flesh presently presentin my representation

With that what?
(Knowledge Of Self) Determination
*repeat 6X*

Things I say and do, may not come quite through
My words may not convey just what I'm feelin
*repeat 2X*

The most important time in history is, NOW, the present
So count your blessings cause time can't define the essence
But you stressin over time and you follow the Roman calendar
These people enter Cona like Gattaca, you can bet
they tryin to lock you down like Attica, the
African diaspora represents strength in numbers, a giant can't slumber
forever I know you gotta get that cheddar whatever
Aiyyo I heard you twice the first time money, get it together
You must be History, you repeatin yourself out of the pages
You keepin yourself depleatin your spiritual wealth
That quick cash'll get your ass quick fast in houses of
detention Inner-city concentration camps where no one pays attention
or mentions the ascension of death, til nothing's left
The young, gifted and Black are sprung addicted to crack
All my people where y'all at cause, y'all ain't here
And your hero's using your mind as a canvas to paint fear
With, broad brush strokes and tales of incarceration
You get out of jail with that Knowledge of Self determination
Stand in ovation, cause you put the Hue in Human
Cause and effect, effect everything you do and that's why I got love in the face of hate
Hands steady so the lines in the mental illustration is straight
The thought you had don't even contemplate
Infinite like figure eight there's no
escape..

From that what?
(Knowledge Of Self) Determination
*repeat
4X*

Things I say and do, may
not come quite through
My words may not
convey just what I'm feelin
*repeat 2X*
..
Things I say and do, may
not come quite through
My words may not convey just what I'm feelin
*repeat 2X*
What I'm
feelin, what I'm feelin, ooooh, what I'm
feelin...

Day 1: Umoja

UMOJA (UNITY) (oo-MOE-jah) - To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race.

Unity is a very key role to the upliftment of black people worldwide. We have so many things that separate ourselves that we forget about our collective struggle which is for freedom, justice and equality. I remember this line from Talib Kweli, "if one of us ain't free then we all to blame". I think that line is so real, we have lost the collective thought of "I am we". We don't care, love or even respect ourselves anymore. And until we have those basics down then we can have unity in our family, community, nation and race.

Reflection

black is a culture not just a color bracket

red is for the blood

black is for the people
green is for the land

WE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE RED, BLACK, AND GREEN, OUR FLAG, THE SYMBOL OF OUR ETERNAL STRUGGLE, AND TO THE LAND WE MUST OBTAIN; ONE NATION OF BLACK PEOPLE, WITH ONE GOD OF US ALL, TOTALLY UNITED IN THE STRUGGLE, FOR BLACK LOVE, BLACK FREEDOM, AND BLACK SELF-DETERMINATION.

I'm determined to start this year off right. What is right? Whatever is going to keep me elevating, there is no going backwards. Whenever I look at this flag it reminds me of the foundation I stand on that lead me to where I am right now. Starting tomorrow, which is really later on today I'm going to say my peace on each principle of kwanzaa.

Don't know what kwanzaa is, check this link http://www.melanet.com/kwanzaa/about_toc.html

Simply Beautiful

beau·ti·ful adj.
Having qualities that delight the senses, especially the sense of sight.
Excellent; wonderful.

This post is dedicated to ugggg you know who...Common. I told myself that I would use this blog for my artistic expression. So as far as music goes he is one of my favorites. Here is one of my favorite verses from him. And yes I know its from his recent album, but please believe that I have been down with Common since his drunk days with Can I Borrow a Dollar.

I want to be as free as the spirits of those who left
I'm talking Malcom, Coltrane, my man Yusef
Through death through conception New breath and resurrection
For moms, new steps in her direction In the right way
Told inside is where the fight lay
And everything a nigga do may not be what he might say
Chicago nights stay, stay on the mind
But I write many lives and lay on these lines
Wave the signs of the times
Many say the grind's on the mind
Shorties blunted-eyed and everyone wanna rhyme
Bush pushing lies, killers immortalized
We got arms but won't reach for the skies
Waiting for the Lord to rise
I look into my daughter's eyes
And realize that I'ma learn through her
The Messiah, might even return through her
If I'ma do it, I gotta change the world through her
Furs and a Benz, gramps wantin 'em
Demons and old friends, pops they hauntin' him
The chosen one from the land of the frozen sun
When drunk nights get remembered more than sober ones
Walk like warriors, we were never told to run
Explored the world to return to where my soul begun
Never looking back or too far in front of me
The present is a gift and
I just wanna BE

-Common - Be

I know i'm going to get some comments from some...oh well.

July 4, 1930 :: The Coming

Master Fard Muhammad

On July the Fourth, the day of America's Independence celebration, He announced the beginning of His mission which was to restore and to resurrect His lost and found people, who were identified as the original members of the Tribe of Shabazz from the Lost Nation of Asia. The lost people of the original nation of African descent, were captured, exploited, and dehumanized to serve as servitude slaves of America for over three centuries. His mission was to teach the downtrodden and defenseless Black people a thorough Knowledge of God and of themselves, and to put them on the road to Self-Independence with a superior culture and higher civilization than they had previously experienced. He taught us the ways of love and peace, of truth and beauty. We are being led into the path of a new spiritual culture and civilization of complete harmony and peace, one of refinement in the pursuit of happiness and eternal joy in the Supreme Knowledge of God and the Science of everything in life.

-taken from Muhammad Mosque #11

Christopher

My buddy Chris also graduated this year. Nice pic isn't it? Yeah I took it.

Nation of Islam Single's Retreat '05

San Antonio, TX

May 19-22, 2005

This year the single retreat was held in San Antonio TX. I had such a wonderful time. It was such an eye opener for me, ya know, "Being on the market to be a wife of a god". That alone was too much for me to handle.

NOI Single Believers

I felt so blessed to be amonst some righteous and loving people.

Graduation Life

Myself and Marlon

So far, this summer has been excellent!!! This week is the only week that I have time to rest from traveling so much. I'll be adding some info later of all the places i've traveled thus far. I still can't believe that i'm a college graduate, it has been a loooong time coming, but I made it! I miss school already, not the work of course, just the atmosphere.

Tonight is study circle night at the mosque where we go over the study guides Self Improvement: The Basis For Community Development given to us by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. And I will be in attendance. Alot of people sleep on the Study Circle, that's one of my favorite nights, second to MGT-GCC class of course. Its one of best places to see where everyone's mind is at and to discuss life/self/Islam and everything in between.

Let me get back to uploading some pics to put on here.

Yet another one...

PEACE!

Ok I'm back to the "blog" world due to Bro Troy. Who knows what I'll be writing here, I think it will be some photography type of stuff up in here. I wonder how many other Believers have blogs?

Well until next time, stay in peace!