Your Cat's New Toy

I know
You don’t want to chance
With an alter of our current state of
Relationship
For fear of messing up our Friendship
The difference between calling me boyfriend instead of friend
I get it

But I can’t help but to wonder
If your current reserve isn’t
Like waiting for Labor Day before making a commitment
In other words
Turning down potential ownership of the cow
Still showing up requesting milk for free

It is becoming clearer
From your cats new toy
Brought to me as I pee in your toilet
And you wait for me in your bed
“To watch TV”
Was the reason
You woke me
Requesting my friendship
An advantage of our relationship at 1:20 am

The word for this morning is “Empty”
Old reruns of Def Comedy Jam
Watching and laughing at
Us fucking again
And your black cat in the corner
Crossing our now less than passionate path
With an empty Fleet bottle

Unspoken Sympony: Rules 1, 3, 44 & 138

I don’t want to know his name
Don’t want him calling for mine
He
She
Or it
Just to be clear
And cover all possibilities
Shouldn’t even have our phone number

Don’t have this person chillin’ amongst us
At the movies nor the mall
At Sunday Brunch nor Sunday service
Church is not the ultimate cover
Ultimate covers are the most obvious spaces

Not at your job
Or mine
Not at our gym
Unless you both are so clever
That I never
Know

And definitely not my best friend
Or yours
And most definitely not an enemy
Again
Ultimate covers are so obvious
And choosing any of the ultimate covers
Is not loving me
That is who and where I will look first

And don’t get fucked
You can fuck
But don’t get fucked

Lastly
Doesn’t matter who or what you do
As long as you don’t get caught

Getting caught is the ultimate disrespect
These are all things I should never have to say

New D'angelo Music

All week, I've been playing "The Best So Far..." - the new CD by D'angelo. It's a greatest hits collection (how do you have a greatest hits collection with two CDs) with a few unreleased tracks including my favorite, "She's Always In My Hair." If you remember, that's an old Prince B-sides jam (one of my favorite Prince songs ever) and D'angelo rips this track. It's a perfect cover - not just musical arrangement but a perfect vocal performance that reminds me how much I miss D'angelo's music. His first CD was so fresh and refreshing. I remember how easy-breezy his first CD "Brown Sugar" made me feel. I miss his music like an old school crush from grade school. That's what his first CD was like to me. I always reflect back to it with roses and berry memories.

The "H" Word

Fox News, first to report that Jesse Jackson had a problem with the name of rapper Nas’ upcoming CD then reported to be titled “Nigger,” was also first to leak a conversation the Reverend had while taping a segment on the channel in which Jesse very comfortably uses the word “nigger” when referring to Black people. But wait, didn’t we bury that word, having a media and literal funeral for the word about a year ago.

The word we should bury is today’s word of the day - HYPOCRICY! In this media frenzy of conversation about the use of the “N” word, the “H” word has caused far more damage and confusion by having the ability to fly under the radar, deflecting focus back to the inflammatory conversation about our use of the “N” word. When an arguably hailed leader of the black community parades a crusade on television against use of a word that he clearly so freely uses, hasn’t he just proven Nas’ point. (I hear Riley from Boondocks shouting out - NIGGAS!) So it’s not okay to name my CD “Nigger” but it’s okay to be in your hater’s home and expect a pass with an apology of weak excuses including you didn’t realize it was a “hot” mic. Oh, I get it!!! It’s okay to use the supposedly dead “N" word if you believe your mic is off. HYPOCRICY!! Jesse – that’s such HYPOCRICY and has caused far more damage than if Nas’ CD had been allowed to be called “Nigger.”

As an artist, I am a firm believer that NO ONE has the right to tell me or any other artist what to record in the studio and release on CD. If you don’t like the music or the message, don’t buy it. And don’t hate on Nas’ for understanding the intersection of art and commerce, brilliantly demonstrated with his new CD that I bought and loaded on my iTunes as “Nigger,” the CDs most appropriate title.

If there’s ever an argument for why we CAN’T bury the word “nigger” – listen to Nas’ new CD. It breaks down the argument like it’s not been broke to date on any CD and clearly if you didn’t get it before, after Jesse’s blunder – one must realize the relevancy of a CD titled and discussing our use of “the N word.” Honestly, the word that leaders like Jesse, white people, all people, media, corporations and other (insert N word here) should be burying instead of “nigger” is the word and actions of HYPOCRICY which historically and currently has absolutely no value at all.

They say we N.I.G.G.E.R. we are much more
Still we choose to ignore the obvious
Man this history don’t acknowledge us
We were scholars long before colleges
The say we N.I.G.G.E.R. we are much more
But still we choose to ignore the obvious
We are the slave and the master
What you lookin’ for, you the question and the answer

- Lyrics from Nas’ “Nigger”

So f**k that,
No apologies on the issue
If it offends you, it’s meant to
It’s that simple
Trying to erase me from y’all memory
Too late, I’m engrained in history
I’m here my niggas
Speak my name and breathe life in me
Make sure y’all never forget me
Cause y’all give me life
Cause y’all use my name so reckless
Whether to be accepted or disrespected
And I love it
Especially when you do it in public
And I’m the subject
Cause y’all my niggas

- Lyrics from Nas’ “Y’all My Niggas”