Lin-sanity Abound - Chris "Preach" Smith

You saw it just like I did.

Jeremy Lin, the new shooting star point guard of my New York Knicks,
added yet another superb game to his resume last night in a thrilling
defeat of Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. On a Friday night
in February, just five days after the New York Giants energized the
city with a  Super Bowl win, Lin has managed to become the talk of
the town. Hell, the WORLD at that. In four games, Jeremy has made
a name for himself in being the first NBA player since the 1976 merger
to average more points in their first four games than ANYONE. That
list includes Isiah Thomas and Magic Johnson.

His play has revitalized a team that was sinking fast even with two
stars in Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudamire. And it's also raised
some points of interest we can't ignore going forward. The biggest point
being, how an Asian-American player will fare in the NBA. Lin isn't the
first to do it; that honor belongs to Wataru Misaka, a Nisei (second
generation Japanese-American) from Utah who joined these very same
New York Knicks in 1947, effectively breaking the NBA's color barrier
just as Jackie Robinson did for baseball. Yeah, we've had Asian players
in the league, none bigger than recently retired Yao Ming. But Lin is
different being an ABC(American Born Chinese)...just by being here and
proving he can lead an NBA franchise flies in the face of stereotypes we
have about Asian-American athletes. Which is what has come to light
in the wake of his success. We've gotten so happy about Lin that we find
ourselves getting too racial with the nicknames. Just look at Twitter for
proof of that. Yes, Lin is a Chinese-American dude who can BALL. But it
doesn't call for you to summon up rudimentary nicknames that you think
would go well on a movie marquee and minimize him.


Another point I'd like to point out is this; CAN WE STOP comparing him to Tim
Tebow? Yes, they're both Christian. They both rely on their faith heavily. They both
were heavily underestimated(word has it the Knicks were to cut Lin after last Saturday's
game against the Nets) and have shown and proven they can be professional athletes.
But i'm not going to sit here and diminish Lin's stature to falsely equate him to Tebow.
Sports media outlets will do that because Tebow represents all that they want to be
subconsciously right with America. And that negates Jeremy Lin's game and career to
this point on a racial and professional level. Also, Lin has improved his game WITH
each game, even dropping 38 points last night and outscoring Kobe. Tebow has been
average at best. Let the man live. Ultimately, we don't really know what's ahead for
the Knicks and Lin. Melo and Amar'e, for different reasons haven't been playing during
this win streak. One can only hope that they'll mesh well and be the contender that
New York City hoped for at the start of the season. We do know one thing. As long as
Jeremy Lin rocks the blue and orange, Lin-sanity will rule. Let's just make sure we all
don't get TOO crazy.

The Soul Controller Lives On - Chris "Preach" Smith

When a giant falls, the sound still echoes days after.

Waking up to hear that Don Cornelius left us in a tragic way dampened the
sunshine on this unseasonably warm February day. And it brought back the
cold of winter in a heartbeat. But this doesn't, and shouldn't define who Don
Cornelius truly was to generations of Americans.

'Soul Train' on Saturdays at noon was as important as church on Sundays. For
some, more so. It was our time to revel in everything Black, beautiful and
BAD-ASS. A quick anecdote for you: I was in a nightclub in Cancun a few
years back, hanging out anomg budding applicants for 'Girls Gone Wild' and
other foreigners hopped up on tequila. Out of nowhere, the DJ plays the
original Soul Train theme!!! It was a sight to see a gang of folks make way to
create their own Soul Train line that night. That is what having an impact looks
like. Understand that the show ran from 1970 to 2006. That's a run that may never
be broken. It was the funkier, more flavorful alternative to Dick Clark and 'American
Bandstand'. The dancers alone made it a slice of history; without them, we would've
never known about Rerun and Shalamar and Rosie Perez to name a few. And the
singers and groups KNEW they had to bring their 'A' game to 'Soul Train' or be
forever declared squares. 'Soul Train' was our kindgom of pride. And Don Cornelius
reigned over it all like a true king would with a voice of velvet.

Thank you Don...thank you for blessing us all with love, peace...and soul.

Courage & Celluloid - Chris "Preach" Smith

How do we want our heroes to live onscreen?

That ran through my mind on my way home earlier this evening after
having the chance to see the highly anticipated 'Red Tails', a movie
about the all-Black 332nd Fighter Group, the Tuskegee Airmen and
their experience in World War II Italy. I can definitely say that this
movie has sparked a lot of discussion on the 'Net and offline in many
ways. The fine folks I caught the film with (shoutout to the Jewish
Multiracial Network) were no exception; we had a lively and engaging
talk about what the impact of a film like 'Red Tails' has in communities of
color. And now, as I'm typing this up, that above question has even more
weight.

I saw one or two people kind of downrate going to see the film this first
weekend. 'Why should I rush to see it just because it's a mostly all-Black
cast?" "It's a Hollywood film, you know how they see us already." I paid
all of that no mind for this reason: Black cinema that entertains AND
enriches needs to be supported. Yes, George Lucas is the main man
behind this film. It doesn't make 'Red Tails' any less of a film for that fact.
Bear in mind he's wanted to do this since 1988. He even hired Aaron
McGruder to write the screenplay, AFTER McGruder basically demolished
him for creating Jar Jar Binks in 'Star Wars' which made Aaron feel as if
the character was an embodiment of negative Black stereotypes. Lucas
funded this film mostly out of his own coffers. He felt this film needed to
be made. And he did it even after seeing how Spike Lee's own 'Miracle
At St.Anna' was denied funding and basically forgotten in theaters. Hell,
Spike is now at Sundance with his newest film and HE even said 'go see
'Red Tails'. Because it is OUR history.


Which brings me back to my original question. I think, that for communities of color, we
deserve to see our heroes from that era onscreen. While 'Red Tails' doesn't really get into
the full backstory of each pilot and their commanding officers outside of a few anecdotes
for shading, I've accepted it's not there for investigating the complexities of that time. It's
a movie designed to establish just how important these men were to ensuring victory in
World War II with enough blazing, Saturday morning movie matinee fashion. It's giving the
Tuskegee Airmen their due on the big screen. To me, that's definitely important. And while
we only get a little about these men, perhaps the proposed prequel and sequel will fill in
the blanks. Maybe someone else like a Lee Daniels or a Ernest Dickerson will be able to
make a film that will add more depth to these heroes. Until then, 'Red Tails' allows our
heroes their place in the celluloid world. Maybe their courage will breed it in others to get
more of our stories out the way we want to see them.

Hip Hop Alfalfas - Chris "Preach" Smith

Let me be real clear about this.

I do realize and appreciate that there's a few versatile MC's that exist
in the hip hop world as it stands today. But I've just about reached my
limit with some MC's need to flex their singing chops on almost every
record they make. There's always been rap records with singing; hell,
hip hop itself in the musical evolutionary chain owes its birth to funk,
R&B and jazz with all of their respective vocal stylings. I grew up on
Uptown Records ('Uptown kickin' it!!!') and was used to songstresses
making their name on hooks. Many of us lived on blend mixtapes as
well back in the day, for the NYC area especially with Dirty Harry, Clue
and Ron G.

These days though, it's getting outright outlandish. There's a couple of
artists out there who seem hell-bent on getting their Al B.Sure work in.
They're beginning to remind me of Alfalfa from the Little Rascals; they're
straight up crooning and getting over on a public that has become accepting
of this music. For example, Drake's 'Take Care'...yes, it has gone platinum.
But the best way to describe it comes from the husband of a college friend
of mine; 'it's cool, but it's like audio lotion.' In other words, soft. And while
hip hop has a soft side, too much of this rap crooning makes the music and
whatever message you want to get across more of a soapstone than the
diamond of truth you would expect. Truthfully, you could see this coming
back in the days when 50 Cent would sing his own hooks. But 50 never, ever
portrayed himself as a full-blown singer. Fast forward from that point to the
rise of T-Pain, the 'rapper turnt singer' and the beginning of Autotune as a
must-have tool in the studio. It coincides with the rise of the newer wave of
Southern MC's and their own unique style and in turn, that becomes an
entrenched part of the music. Think about how many singles you've heard
this year alone with an artist you KNOW has no business trying to be Peabo
Bryson singing in the middle of their song or for most of it with Autotune layers.
And some cats and some women act like little Darlas and fall for it, proclaiming
it to be better than anything out there. Which allows for Justin Beiber to now
have aspirations of rhyming.

I'm writing this not solely to throw rocks but to illustrate exactly what it is
that crowds the airwaves these days. And there are male MC's who can ably
flip between singing and rapping without looking crazy. Just know that the
hip-hop Alfalfas shouldn't be the only ones carrying hip-hop's torch. Because
too much oversexed, sacchrinated crooning can lead to them being viewed
by another word that can be used if you remove the 'R' from crooning. And
that's something we surely don't need.

Rip City Regret - Chris "Preach" Smith

The Portland Trailblazers are cursed.

There's really no other way to explain it. And in all honesty, maybe that's
the best way to cope with everything that has happened since the NBA
lockout ended and even before. It's been almost 24 hours since Brandon
Roy, the Blazers' rising superstar and hero of the Pacific Northwest hit us
all with the sad news that he was retiring at the age of 27. B-Roy had to
retire; the cartilage in his knees had degenerated so much that he risked
never being able to walk again after six surgeries. When I heard the news,
I shook my head. It seems that there's a shadow over Rip City, one that
despite its successes, gets in the way of the Blazers.

Seriously, they might want to get Randy Newman to do a song just like the
one that opens up 'Major League' because it's almost incredible. In addition
to Roy retiring, Portland will have to start the season without their forward
powerhouse LaMarcus Aldridge who'll be out after heart surgery. And Greg
Oden, the man who they thought would be the latest in a line of great big
men like Bill Walton, Arvydas Sabonis and Kevin Duckworth, has suffered
yet ANOTHER setback with his knees after signing a one-year, $8 million
dollar deal with the team. The Blazers can't seem to catch a break. It's as
if someone made a side deal with some sinister force to win that title way
back in 1977 over Dr. J and The Philadelphia 76ers at the expense of any
future wins.


The Blazers thought the bad ol' days when everyone called them the
'Jailblazers' were behind them since they traded Zach Randolph to
the Knicks and got other troubled players off their roster. This was
supposed to be a clean break from hard times. This team had a shot
to bring back the glory days of the 70's, to have an era just like when
Clyde 'The Glide' Drexler first took the floor. To have your three main
stars go by the wayside like this is saddening. But there is hope. The
team snagged veteran Kurt Thomas, and Aldridge will be back to lead
a youthful team on the rise.

Let's hope they can lift Portland up just like B-Roy did.

30 Years on a Razor's Edge - Chris "Preach" Smith

I sit here at my desk, more than an hour removed from hearing the news that
the Philadelphia District Attorney's office had dropped the death sentence against
Mumia Abu-Jamal. I sit here, and listen to the rain lessen its pace outside my
window and let it sink in.

Thirty years is a long time to live on a razor's edge.

I think back to when I first became aware of Mumia. I was at Hofstra University, young
and Black and proud. I felt, and still do feel that his conviction for the murder of
Officer Daniel Faulkner was yet another gross injustice inflicted upon people of
color on American soil. I remember those talks with friends about his case. I can
remember all of the rallies I attended, my work with different activist groups. I
remember being deemed 'radical' outwardly and silently. I remember having to
swallow a pill of pain at hearing a relative smirk and deem Mumia 'nothing but a
guilty cop-killer.' And over the years, I admit, I got disillusioned. I saw some of
these same folks who chanted for his release in marches become opportunists.
One person who shall remain nameless here literally told me, 'Mumia is important,
but not THAT important. Think of the Iraqis!!' I've seen some of these 'professional
protesters' hop from one cause to another as if they're open bars. You and I may
see them in their next guest spot with the Occupy movement. But for the faithful,
the dedicated, the ones who fought tirelessly and defiant, for Pam Africa and MOVE
and Mumia's family...this day is yours and his to embrace the sunshine.

The fight doesn't end here. Let's not forget that this man was sentenced to death
for thirty years. Let's not forget that Mumia is still going to be behind those bars
for the rest of his life for a case that smacks of suspicion and racism. We can't just
be satisfied now. We have to press onward. Because there's many people who still
see him as a 'cop-killer'. Because there's others that see him as nothing more than
a n-----. There's others still that are using the legal system as another tool to lynch.
The real victory is when Mumia Abu-Jamal and others unjustly imprisoned due to
antiquated racist precepts can walk into the sunshine as free men.

Free the man, free the minds, free the land.

A Peaceful Journey Too Soon - Chris "Preach" Smith

It's taken me this long to write about the passing of Heavy D. Partly
due to shock, of course, But partly because it takes a while to fully
recognize a giant's gentle impact.

Let me first begin with a story.

It's 1988. I'm in the sixth grade. Somewhat shy, introverted and a
bit heavyset. At the time, I was attending Catholic school. And like
other young dudes my age, I was girl crazy. Probably more so. Which
isn't a winning formula no matter how you slice it. Things came to a
head during a Christmas party held by my class. I had been dreading
this for a while until a couple of weeks beforehand. I had just gotten
home afterschool. And one thing that was a must before I hit the books
was to watch Video Music Box with Ralph McDaniels. This day, I caught
one video that made me laugh, but also got me energized. It was "The
Overweight Lover's in The House' by Heavy D and The Boyz. Heavy D
was WAY different from The Fat Boys, the only other rappers of size I
knew. He could MOVE. Just seeing him dance like he did made me go,
'Yeah, I can do that too!' And style? Heavy was snazzy. Once I found
out he was Jamaican just like my family is, it was a wrap. I went to
school and danced a lot at that Christmas party. Granted, not too well..
but I wasn't a wallflower anymore. And that's just part of what Heavy
D did for me.


Without Heavy D, you realize that hip-hop as it is would be drastically
different. In some ways, he was our Jackie Gleason. Without him, we
would not have been blessed with all of the musical talent representing
Money Earnin' Mount Vernon and Yonkers. He gave Sean 'Puffy' Combs
a job as an intern with Uptown Records. Hev helped Mary J. Blige when
she first started out. And in the midst of tragedy when Trouble T-Roy died,
he not only released a platinum album in 'Peaceful Journey' but that wound
up being a focal point to catapult Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth into stardom
with their iconic classic, 'T.R.O.Y. (They Reminisce Over You)". I mean, he
was even responsible for one of The Notorious B.I.G's first appearances
on the 'A Buncha Ni***s' track. Heavy D even enjoyed a notable acting
career, from movies like 'Life' to guest spots on TV favorites. And who can
forget his duet with the late Michael Jackson on 'Jam'?


Looking back, one sees how Heavy D was an innovator. And how in some ways,
we took that for granted a little bit. Heavy D's life should be summed up in one
ord: positive. Because no matter if it was rapping or acting, he did it with so much
positive energy. And he did it right up until the end. Look at his last message on Twitter
as proof.

I know this much...there will always, ALWAYS be nuttin' but love for you big man.
Thank you for inspiring all of us.

The Third World of Hip Hop - Chris "Preach" Smith

KRS-ONE

Remember when rappers could be seen as reporters?

It hit me while watching the Vh1 documentary "Planet Rock" the other day.
There's so many things occurring in the world at this moment from the
Occupy movement to the rough economy to the Arab Spring. In the film,
MC's and producers and other figures speak about how hip hop informed
them of what was really going on in the streets during the era of crack
cocaine's dominance in the United States. Hip hop has always been a craft
of storytelling and in a lot of ways, it was a newspaper detailing what really
went on. If you grew up like I did with a mother who worried everytime you
left the house, then you viewed hip hop music as a way to understand some
of what went down on the blocks closest to you and those far away. I cut my
teeth on Public Enemy and KRS-ONE among others like everyone else. But I
find myself asking the above question more and more often these days.

Immortal Technique.

I understand that hip hop is as varied as its listeners and rightly so. But I'm not going
to sit there and just accept what others seem to. Which is, the messengers of hip hop,
the truth-tellers are few and far between. Remember 'Self-Destruction' and 'We're All
in The Same Gang?' You may never hear full-blown records like that again promoted
by a label like those were. Not only are the times different, but the circumstances are
also different. For one, the labels are in essence an arm of a huge corporate conglomerate
and profit is the aim when it comes to hip hop artists with a few exceptions. To them,
messages don't make money. At least in the hip hop of today they supposedly don't.
You turn on the radio and you get a lot of rap that is formulaic. I remember being in a
store in the Financial District one day and they had on Z100, a pop music station that I
always figured wasn't a realm hip hop would even crack. They played two songs by Drake
and Lil Wayne that sounded so similar that I didn't even notice until a Rihanna song played
afterwards. It wasn't like that five years ago. And even before that.

dead prez.

Look, I'm not here to throw stones at some of these contemporary rappers. Well, maybe a
couple but that's not what ithis is about. I know I'm not the only one who notices that there's
a distinct schism being placed in between certain MC's whose subject matter makes them akin
to the journalists of our corners. I know I'm not the only one who sees that certain labels that
are put on artists are more harmful than good. Like 'backpacker' or 'conscious'. And the problem
is, some of us are helping those labels stick in a way that makes others not want to pay them
any mind. In some cases, admitting you listen to certain hip hop artists whose music is laden
with messages these days gets a response laden with crickets and silence. It never used to be
that way. I remember when EVERYONE was bumping dead prez's 'Let's Get Free' when it dropped.
When I saw M-1 at a show with Ghostface and Slick Rick five years after that album, the crowd
barely gave him props. I still remember seething with irritation when Jeru The Damaja got BOOED
on his birthday as he performed at a Wu-Tang Clan show. My point here is, while hip hop is a viable
art which allows for many forms of expression, it is no longer art when it all becomes the same.
And we've got to appreciate that hip hop is one of the few sources of info out there we can rely on
and celebrate the artists who keep speaking the truth to things as much as we celebrate the ones
who pop bottles and toss dollars constantly. Artist like The Coup, Mystic, Immortal Technique,
Talib Kweli and many others need that from us now because they're the lyrical journalists in a war
being waged. What war? Pick one. They're the balancing piece the music's been missing for a minute.

Like the song says, 'It's bigger than hip hop.' We can't make hip hop - and our minds - smaller than the times.

That DJ Made Our Days - Chris "Preach" Smith

I don't really hang out around Jamaica Avenue and Merrick Boulevard much
these days. Most of my missions take me to the subway and the Long Island
Rail Road. That one area used to be a mainstay for me during high school. It
was the main connection point for me to get home from Fresh Meadows, which
seemed a whole world away back then. The bus terminal, with the newsstand,
the pizzeria with the SNK arcade cabinet and the grocery store framing the
entrance to the Coliseum mall on 165th Street was in some ways like the
like the zocalos I would see in the Yucatan years later. One thing always stood
out though; the back of the Tabernacle of Prayer Church directly on the avenue.
Faded reddish brick walls stood imposing off to the far end of the terminal. It
always was a source of curiosity for me. And now, on the off chances I do get
to pass by it, it represents a bit of sadness.

That building is where Jason Mizell, better known as Jam Master Jay of the
legendary hip-hop group RUN-DMC, lost his life to a gunman nine years ago.
Nine years. It means that one whole generation has been born, and don't know
hip-hop without a man who helped bring it further into mainstream music. Run
used to say, "We'll never have a band. That's our band." as he pointed at Jay.
And yet, Jay's talent and style made it possible for us to even think of bands
being part of hip-hop, being expressed in the skills of the DJ. I still remember
that day clearly. I remember getting home from Manhattan and hearing the
news. The 'hood seemed to go still for the rest of that night. I still recall the
news reports showing people placing candles out on 205th Street in Hollis. And
today, it's now known as RUN DMC JMJ Way.


There's reason to be a little bit saddened on this day. You've got DJ's who proclaim
themselves to be with no history, and less talent. An associate of mine once told me
that he asked a group of 14 year olds who Jam Master Jay and other icons were.
And not one of them knew. And a couple of them rocked Adidas shelltoes. Every
MC and DJ doing it right now should set aside a moment to thank this man if they
haven't done so. But there's also a great deal to be happy about on this day. Look
at The Scratch Academy that he founded. It's led to Red Bull starting their own
music academies and workshops. His style of black fedoras, tracksuits and crisp
Adidas shelltoes which were the calling card of RUN DMC is regarded worldwide
as b-boy elegance. I see the murals here and there. His memory still lives. And
his legacy won't fade.

So for today, play RUN DMC's "Peter Piper" just a little bit louder. Rest in power,
Jam Master Jay. Queens and the world, thanks you.

Words From Liberty Square - Chris "Preach" Smith

(photo courtesy of Mista Stress)

I had a chance to head down to Liberty Square, home of Zuccotti Park
and the birthplace of the Occupy Wall Street movement this past Tuesday.
I went to garner interviews for Earthtribe TV and to fully ingest what was
taking place down there 38 days later. I had been by there in the second
week and was thrilled with the energy of the protests, but I still had some
concerns. I intended to make this a straightforward account of what I had
seen this last visit, but I saw some things that both gave me some hope
and also gave me reason to cast a sideways eye. I chalk it up to being
there on the scene when the bulk of the crowd had gone to march on a
meeting convened by Mayor Bloomberg. The best way for me to speak on
what I witnessed is like this:



To the young man, Jalen from Orlando who I spoke with...I'm glad you're
direct and clear about what you feel the goals of OWS are, and are more
than willing to help other newcomers get organized. I also think that you
represent the majority of folks down there, honest people who are sick and
tired of what's been going on.


I'm glad I saw more people of color involved in OWS...but I wish the folks
I approached were willing to share their views on camera openly. I did get
a chance to speak to the OWS General Assembly so I'm sure there will be
more to come on this topic. It was interesting to see older Black women
selling support pins. And I spotted the Puerto Rican flag in the middle of
the encampment, but no red, black and green. I still think a lot more can
be done in this regard as far as outreach, but they definitely are trying.


To this dude in the haz-mat suit...you are a reason why people cast bad
eyes on this struggle. I saw this dude run up on an NYPD officer and yell
at her for a couple of minutes. There's a reason why they call it CIVIL
disobedience. The whole of Zuccotti Park was surrounded by the NYPD,
complete with their 'eye in the sky' command tower I've only seen out
on 125th Street, and other hot spots in the city. We all know what went
down in Oakland. There's protest, and then there's direct provocation.
They don't need an excuse to hurt you in the name of protection and
service. Ask Occupy Boston. Ask Occupy Oakland and Occupy Denver.
Hell, ask Scott Olsen. Rubber bullets kill just as well. And the city would
LOVE for an incident to occur to clear you guys out. You're going to get
people hurt because you want to satisfy your ego instead of speaking
as part of the people. Take it down a few notches.

To the random people just walking around with 'DONATE' signs and asking
for money for bus fare on the fringes...find somewhere else to hustle.
You're like the gypsies.

To the people in the tent city...I understand how you feel. You're out here
to fight for people's rights, not to be viewed as animals in a zoo. Who knows
how many people out there were taking photos as souvenirs? "Hey, look at
the dirty hippie protesters!!!" Hanging up that sign saying 'We don't mind you
taking photos, but please consider donating to the General Assembly' was
a stroke of genius.

To the sewing station, the food distribution department, the library and most
importantly, the medical tent...you're doing amazing work. It was cool seeing
how you all operated. And most importantly, you did it with spirit and helped
everyone who asked.

To the overt druggies...you may think you're the movement. You may think
that you're sticking it to the system. But you're not. All you're doing is giving
the NYPD more reason to sweep you guys out of there. You're giving predators
more reason to attack you, just like what happened last Saturday with those
three coke pushers. You're making more work for the medics. And you give the
critics that much more ammunition. If you are addicted, get help there. The
staff's willing. Or keep it out of the park if you must indulge. (Personally I wish
you wouldn't at all.)

To the 'Layoff Santa'...you get props. Next time I'm down there we will speak,
seeing as how you were fielding five different interviews.



Overall, I walked away from Occupy Wall Street with a good deal of hope.
Because I know very well that this is the beginning. What OWS has done
is provide a spark for discussion, real discussion without disrespect or some
derision. I'm not overly romantic about OWS; it's the beginning of a long,
hard road. I would like to see them a bit more organized, and I do wish that
some of that energy could be used towards creating a true and stable third
party to contend with the Republicans and Democrats. I don't want OWS to
be seen as a party, or something one does just to gain some cred on Twitter
or Facebook. I've already seen a few groups use it to promote their movie,
or push a book. I don't want the Occupy movement to be seen as just another
way for some two-bit panderers to get laid. I think the hope I feel is that
Occupy Wall Street, for all of its flaws and shining facets, is a diamond-like
moment of possibility. Liberty Square and all that's taking place is just as the
name implies. It's the liberty to make your voices heard, and to make other
people realize they have that same power. Let's hope that OWS never totally
strays from that.