Musical Genius Erykah Badu -- I Miss Her

Erykah Badu Changed My Life

She is indeed the Love of My Life.

I remember the first time that I heard an Erykah Badu song. It was On& On and I was in the studio (I was a radio jock at the time) and listening to new artists. I remember thinking here is someone else trying to be creative with the spelling of their name. I pressed play and out of the speakers poured a sound that was new and different but reminiscent of a time that I had never experienced.

From day one I was hooked.

It is like her rhymes were so unlike anything that I had ever heard it was truly a love affair. Granted I was not trying to fall in love with her. Whatever she got between her legs sends niggaz wild! Look at Andre Benjamin – after Badu he went from Dro and Lacks to blond wigs and turbans. Or Common once she finished with him – the brother was rocking shawls and crochet pants! Yea, Mama’s Gun is strong and serious but I love her none the less.

When I am traveling, when I am reading, when I am writing, when I am working out – she takes me on Worldwide Journey Underground. From introducing me to N’dambi to helping me discover deeper parts of myself, for me Badu had always been there.

I enjoy her holistic philosophy and in many ways think that she challenges convention to ensure that at the basis of it all – WE LEARN! I may not be ready to ride to the “Mother Ship” with her but I am ready to ride with Badu. You can never create another earthy diva like her. Never!

She is a chick that is down for her man. A chick that knows LIGHT is the only cure for darkness. I have been working on a poem about her for sometime but every time I am ready to reveal it – another thought comes. So I’ll share it when the time is right

Take a day and join me on the journey! Ingest Baduism and understand that the mission of this sister is more than music. It’s the words that identify her passion. After Revolution – there must be Peace. Only then can you really take control.

Light,
RAHMAN

Incorporated: On The Set

Hey, Hey, Hey!
So as you know I LOVE my job – you know being an actor and all. I know that one day I will be able to do this full-full time.

Anyway, I am currently working on the newest project here in Philadelphia called Incorporated. It is directed by up and coming director Michael Johnson. Who I must admit knows how to get a great performance out of actors and he did his undergrad work at Hampton University. You can’t hate a man from an HBCU!

I was the first one on set since this day my make up was pretty extensive since I was to be beaten to a pulp and my head was to be sawed off. Let me back up. The movie is about the Philadelphia Black Mafia. This was a ruthless group of African-American men who ruled the black underworld in the northeast during the mid-to-late 1960’s. These guys were the premier numbers runners, drug pushers and all around enforcers of the criminal activities in the area. This is their story.

I play James Foxx, one of the members of the collective.

Anyway during the filming the weather was very cooperative. Since this was my day for getting beat down, all I had on was a tank top tee shirt. That was both the good and bad part. Good because, I was able to stay cool but bad because I couldn’t wear any protective gear. The other part is that since we were doing close-ups, I had no stunt double. RIGHT! I got the crap kicked out of me! All the falls, I took em! I even have the bruises to show for it!

Although, I was “there” in the scene – as most actors do I had to rely on my performance since the opportunity didn’t exist to check playback. The crew was very complementary and I was truly working with a “band of brothers”. The enforcers, played by Atif Lanier and Nakia Dillard and the boss Franklin Ojeda Smith, were pros that gave me what I needed to work with. Mr. Smith was probably one of the most dynamic men I had ever met.

When he arrived the joke started out about his hands. The script called for him to “pimp slap” me in the face. Well of course I took a look at his hands and my first words were, “Man you got some big hands – Oh hell naw”! We had a good laugh and connected nevertheless. In our conversation, I discovered that he was also a cancer survivor, a former educator and that one of his sons was my frat brother. To sum it up even further – he was also boule’! For lack of a better term he was in the very least distinguished and supremely talented.

We were able to get some great shots and have a few more days of shooting ahead. I love quickly developing a family on set. It already feels right. It’s just a matter of time before I am doing this every day. That’s something that I can’t wait to do.

What the Hell Was He Thinking?

So somebody please tell me what the hell is wrong with O.J. Simpson. I mean what was he thinking?

When I looked up and saw him on CNN (you know they are everywhere all the time), I knew that this had to be some sort of a joke.

I guess not.

I’m thinking O.J. was receiving a pretty hefty NFL pension, he does not have to spend the rest of his life in jail and he relaxes at a pretty palatial estate in Florida.

Yet, according to the news reports that I have read, Simpson allegedly burst into a hotel room to take back some of the sports memorabilia that belonged to him.

WHY?

First, after the 33 million dollar judgment that exists against him from the Goldman Estate almost any money that he collects outside of his pension goes to the Goldman Family. What the hell does he need to look at some trophies for anyway? I mean there are dozens of photos all over of him receiving every award that he has gotten. Look at those.

Some people are just stuck on stupid!

OK O.J., so you felt the people took your property? Then call the police. Do you not realize that you are probably one of the most hated men in America? Does it not dawn on you that many people feel as though you got off and that they are looking for a way to bring you to justice? Nevertheless, you just play right into the hands of those same people.

It’s like you have a wish to be right back where you were thirteen years ago. Seated in front of a judge defending yourself! You could have easily held dual citizenship with another country and keep under the radar, assisted in the raising of your children and tried to live out the rest of your life in comfort and anonymity. I guess that NOT being the center of attention was just too much for you.

Just like with Michael Vick, I feel that even though this is a crime, the punishment may have been a bit too harsh. Nevertheless, you had no business there and now you have to pay the price.

I will never stop admiring the OJ that made magic on the field!

I will always laugh at all the Naked Gun movies!

Yet, I will always scratch my head with some of the stuff that you do and just wonder, “What the hell was he thinking?”