#NaptownSlim be ROCKIN…
Slim love some Led Zeppelin. I mean, LOVE some Led Zeppelin.
They’re kinda like Slim’s ‘Rock N Roll Security Blanket’….and I can relate a lotta Led Zeppelin songs to my Daddy and Uncles. Them cats taught me to have an open mind for ALL music…
Led Zeppelin albums were some of the first albums I played, by myself, just to be listening to music and controlling it. Straight born to DJ. I’mma find ‘The CUT’ on this album. As it turned out, Led Zeppelin albums are FULL of ‘The CUT’.
I copped these albums by searching through the archives at my Grandma’s house and finding the ‘doubles’, the albums that there were TWO copies of…Grandma and Grandpa had stashed a buncha records away when they moved and one miraculous summer, I found a GANG of records I KNEW everybody had forgotten about in the hall closet. I found ALL the joints there were two of, which I realized in later years, meant my Dad or Aunties Angela C Johnson and Jessie (whom I can’t tag… *shakes fist at Facebook*) got caught slippin.
“But, Gramma…there’s TWO of em…and I juuuust got a record player…”
Game. OVER.
Lil Russell was finna become a ‘record hawk’…and didn’t even know it. “I GOTTA HAVE THAT RECORD”…that first batch of records included the first three Led Zeppelin records, Elton John’s ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ (TWO records, even better), two Edgar Winter Group records…all records I love to this day, records I have used to create music of my own, records that took me back to Gary when I was in Indianapolis…
Now, why is THAT a big deal to me…?
Well, I believe music is really a key factor in helping us make memories and create the dreams that will make new memories for others. I hear the song attached here and I flash back to being a happy child, discovering music and the family that afforded me the opportunity. I’m sitting in front of my little portable record-player, which likely cost a little fortune to my family and Lil’ Russell…was…GON..get his…little…record player.
I’m in my room, listening to a song that I know I’m gonna play again and again and I was lucky enough to get to hear it now…and I can play it when I want, for who I want, and tell those people what I think about it.
I don’t know what I was born to do. I just know I had a family and friends that nourished the things I was naturally passionate about.
“That’s the way it oughtta be…don’t ya know?”
Feed your kids’ ….MINDS.
Another funky #ATFU production and yes, dammit, it’s REAL.
RR
#ForTheKids. #NAPTOWN Radio Doin Thangs.
My pal, @BSwift317 (Hot 96.3) and I making sure that EVERYONE is a winner.
Let us bless the people with Plinko and gifts for their prowess.
I had a buncha fun and we hooked a buncha people up. Every kid is a winner!
WoW.
Lemme say this; People are gonna be entertained by sex and violence and that’s that, but some kids are so desensitized to violence that they don’t even think it’s real until they maim or kill someone. 9 year-olds are looking at things on the internet that weren’t even in my imagination at that age.
They have FOOTAGE of it, man. Lord.
Also, mental health issues are obviously going unchecked in this case. Kids don’t just stab people unless they’ve BEEN having REAL issues. You gotta talk to em, man. You gotta KNOW what they’re up to, how they’re feeling, what motivates and hurts them. This kid needed help before this, no one can tell me different…and now, one kid’s life is ended way too early and another’s is ruined and scarred forever.
Talk to your children. Make sure you know the difference between ‘teen-ager crazy’ and ‘having issues with mental health’. There’s a big difference and it could mean life or death.
RR
This is @Alluringshrew. We call her ‘Shrew’ or ‘E Ru’.
She is a WARRIOR for JUSTICE.
She is a SOLDIER for her children.
Today, the Trayvon Martin March and Rally that she spearheaded and organized was a huge success with a turnout that far exceeded expectations. The Indianapolis Star estimated the crowd was 2,500 people. Amos Brown, from WTLC-AM told me that through his communications and experience with events like this, he’d say a safer guess was 4,000 people.
Thousands of people got together in the streets of Indianapolis and walked from Crispus Attucks High School (no irony there, huh? Google ‘Crispus Attucks’ if you must…) to the American Legion Mall to meet and walk some more to the very center of Indianapolis, Monument Circle. We showed solidarity. We showed we had had enough of our young people being chastised, hunted, and killed for simply existing. We showed that we could gather and communicate our ideas and rage…peacefully and forcefully.
I gotta address some bullshit, cuz Shrew probably will address it…and I saw the whole shit go down. Here’s the one little pocket of bullshit I saw at the rally today. And I saw all this with my own eyes and heard the whole thing. My account goes as such…
There was a small, oh so very very very very small, faction of people with a so-called ‘Black leader’ that somehow found a way to have a problem with the fact that the lady who spearheaded this march and rally was white.
Never mind that her children, all of whom I know and think are some of the nicest, most respectful kids I have ever met, couldn’t walk anywhere on Earth and be seen as anything but ‘Black’. Never mind that.
Never mind that she was spurred to organize this event by her children and the deep, intense motherly love she has and proudly shows for them.
Never mind that she is standing here in front of a crowd of people of ALL colors, but yeah, predominantly Black, asking for a moment of silence for the kid who was shot. Unbelievable to think that a leader, a so-called man of the cloth at this point, who wants to hold public office, would get in front of a gathering like that and insist on speaking into a megaphone while we’re trying to have that moment of silence.
…and when another one of the female organizers had had totally enough of you shouting down the people who organized the rally that you are grandstanding in front of to get your face in the news, somehow she finds a way to be pushed to the ground. Class.
Did you notice that when we were chanting ‘No Justice, No Peace’, it wasn’t to affirm what you were saying, Mr. Ajabu. We were DROWNING YOU OUT. We had too much class to boo you, bruh. Then, you tried to join in the chant…smh. What a clown you looked like. The only way it would’ve been better was if ‘Sandman’ Sims had been there to sweep you away from the speaking area.
That was the people speaking. You had no intention of speaking for the ‘people’. You were speaking for YOU. I’m so glad everyone got to see you make a complete fool of yourself, push down a woman and that a real man of God got the megaphone to set things straight. And who was he there with…?
E Ru.
Mr Ajabu, refusing to listen to E Ru and discrediting her based on the fact that she is white and female is no different than the reasoning George Zimmerman used for following, chastising, and shooting Trayvon Martin.
Yahtzee. You’re doneski, man. You showed your ass today. I had to say something.
Now, back to me praising my friend, who did more to organize this and get the word out in a week or so than you’ve done for anything…well…ever.
E Ru, this next part is personal too.
I am so proud of you. I am so proud of how you organized this and handled yourself. You are simply amazing. You had us out there walking for the young man. You rallied us on Facebook and brought out a crowd that far exceeded expectations. We walked in the middle of downtown during rush hour and we were seen and heard. There were so many kids there and I had the opportunity to speak to them and tell them,
“I’m here for YOU, little bruh. I’m here because I want YOU to know that it is perfectly OK to be Black and young. This is not just about Skittles, Arizona Iced Tea and hoodies. This is about your future. We’re out here so this doesn’t happen again. One boy in Florida died, seemingly for existing, and we’re all out here because we don’t ever want it to happen again and we want the people who do this to pay for killing us. We’re here because your Dad and I have already lived through it. We understand that it’s HARD growing up with a target on your back and people putting strikes against you before you even get to the plate…and your Dad loves you so much, he will walk downtown to show people that he’s not gonna let that happen to you. And I love you too, little man.”
I wouldn’t have had a chance to do that without E Ru putting thought, concern, and care into action. It ain’t a social event to me and it ain’t a social event to her. I know this. I know she gives a damn. It was about the future and where do we go from here…and she led the charge to get #Naptown off their asses and into the streets and to GET VOCAL.
E Ru…I love you, sister. I really do. You really are an amazing soul and I couldn’t be prouder of anyone than I am of you right now. My friend, thank you. And give my love to the entire Shrew Crew. Their Mama is incredible!
Respect and Grace. Fight The Good Fight FOR THE RIGHT REASONS.
#JusticeForTrayvon #MakeGeorgeFamous #AlleyAngelsChangeTheWorld #ATFU
The San Diego Padres let every Little League T-ball, softball, and baseball team that plays within 10 miles of their home stadium pick any uniforms from their 20 year history and OUTFITTED THE TEAMS…authentic uniforms for little leaguers. 11,000 of em, man.
DOPE.
At the end of the year, the kids get to keep the gear. Too fresh. Too fresh for words.
It’s always for the kids, man.
(guided by the spirit of @E40)
My weepalations were on the block tryna get that scrilla scratch, mobbed up foe deep finna hurt sumn. I was headed to get some go-go juice, ya dig? Entirely different vibe, but I wanted to drop some fetty on the young hustlers out here squabbin for their grizzly grizzle. So I swabbed my way there and chopped up some game with the chillruns and spread a little green in their garden cuz I know a come-up when I peeps it. Moms gotta come back with the brick tho.
(translated)
I saw my pal’s kids and their two friends on the block with a little lemonade stand. I kinda had my taste set for my morning coffee, but there was no way I wouldn’t go give them a coupla bucks. I went over there and got caught up on the whole operation. Gave em a coupla bucks. Didn’t get any lemonade, still waiting on Mom to come back from the grocery store.
…but they were READY!
“Warning: This Product Contains Happiness.” Well, I didn’t get any, but the kids selling it always seem to put a smile on my face. #TruthInAdvertising, I suppose. I can definitely support that.
That’s my #Naptown, man. The people make the place ‘home’…and I know generations of GREATNESS.
#ATFU
#SHRUGLIFE
#ATFU for the kids!
Room 213 retells Donald Crews’ book, “Shortcut”, using a miniature set created by students in grades 4-6th. The lighting was provided by students as well. The short film was edited by their classroom teacher. The students provided the lighting and initial idea that led to the creation of this film. This was completed from May 23-26, 2011. The students really wanted to do something different for the last week of their school year and it really turned out great.
Thank you for watching. Please be kind with your comments…this is a product made/thought of/directed by kids!*****************************************************************************************
GREAT WORK, KIDS! We salute you! Way to close the year out strong.
ALLEY. We’re for the children too.
#ATFU
Salute Mr. Kinetik. You really are ‘The Man’, bruh.
…and they quoted ME at the end…? Flattered, man.
We for the kids, yo.
#ATFU IS FOR THE CHILDREN!!!!
@alphaisforever and the lovely Bridgette (a.k.a. ‘Alphanetta’) listening to ‘The Professor And The Hustler’ in the whip…
This made my day…!
#VILLAIN: The Early Years…
“Ignore the Spider-Man flip-flops. I’m here to rep #EVL!”
You’re my dude, Keegs!
#VILLAIN: The Early Years…
…all up behind the counter and thangs…”Where’s the candy, Megan?”
