Everyday is Halloween in Nigeria

What’s really good people?

We are down to the last few months on the calendar already and what an odd year thus far. The weather people are even calling for possible snow in the forecast in some places including here in the DMV this weekend (NWO)! This is Halloween week so you know there is going to be some fun and buffoonery all going on around us at the same time. So whatever you do end up doing, just be safe and keep that third eye open out there at all times.

OK people; let me get focused…

Here in America; Halloween is only second to Xmas when it comes to spending. In fact billions of dollars is spent on Halloween each year to celebrate a holiday that honors ghouls, demons, ghosts and anything that goes bump in the night dangerous or even evil. I myself too have participated in the festivities on numerous occasions with my friends over the years but as I get older, it just does not do it for me anymore.

So I got to thinking this week, how did this entire Halloween phenomenon come about anyways? My quick research pointed to Halloween deriving from the Druid religion in the Celtic culture back in Ireland over 2000 years ago. Immediately, I said to myself is this impossible?

Now am not saying EVERYTHING originated or started in Africa, and I sure do not want Africa to take credit for something so futile and senseless like Halloween but FACT is FACT. Something about that just doesn’t seem right… A Halloween in Nigeria???  But the more I look into it, many African and Nigerian customs do have elements of Halloween in them.

For example, the bonfires that are associated with Halloween here in the western world originated in Africa from ritualistic ceremonies and sacrifices made years ago to appease the gods. I can easily recall as a youth witnessing several festivals where slaughtered cattle were thrown into flames as a means of repentant or celebration. Africans have sacrificed animals in many instances for centuries to insure that their crops would prosper or for the rain to come. The idea was that some type of spirit would speak through the head of the village and be able to forecast the future. Now of course after the crops blossomed and the rains came, people danced and partied the night away full of joy.

As for the costumes; I can’t think of one ritual back home where people did not dress in elaborate attire. Different forms of masks, colors and original pieces mark the occasion and excitement in the crowds. Many African societies see mask as mediators between the living world and the supernatural world of the dead, ancestors and other entities. The masks become the attribute of a dressed up dancer who gives life and word at the time of the ceremonies. Back home in Nigeria where am from (IDIMU Stand Up!) we would have these festivals that heads of the participants would in disguise as spirits and demons as they told stories, read fortunes and danced up and down the streets in the villages. We called it Odun Egun (Aygoon) in my Yoruba language.   

Trick or Treat; asking and begging for money from strangers back home in Nigeria is common practice. This is a constant you deal with from when you wake up; there is somebody at your front gate. On your commute to work; little kids are in the middle of the roads and your local police officers with their random “Check-Points” are all trying to make a dollar. Unfortunately, this is a regular occurrence and the way of life in Nigeria for so many not a means to rack up bags of candy and sweets.  

Tricks are made for Kids...

COONING – The New Black Hustle

What’s really good people?

I must say I am fighting some writers block in recent weeks. But just when you think you might be running out of fresh, provocative and informative things to share and discuss with the people, just grab a seat and turn on your television set and take-in an experience like no other. Let’s Go!

Ok people; let me get focused…

   

Catch anything of interest in television programming lately?

What’s that new hip-hop song they play like 20 times a day on the radio again?

See any BUFFONERY in the last African American movie you watched at the theater or in the confines of your own home?

Did you go buy your child a pair of JEGGINS or SKINNY JEANS from the local department store so he can SAGG his a** on his first day of school?

Oh, how can I forget; have you seen any of the recent Republican Presidential debates within the past month?  

The dictionary defines the old slang term COON as “disparaging and offensive; a black person; rustic or undignified person”. As a Nigerian American I unfortunately have come to see this unattractive side of my race, community and country far too many times than I can remember in recent memory. To the point that I have actually come to terms on this point, I can tolerate a SELL-OUT but I hate a COON. And just like Chris Rock elegantly put it in one of his best comedic stand-up performances; “There’s like a civil war going on with black people and there’s two sides. There’s black people, and there’s n****s. The n****s have got to go… I love black people, but I hate n****s, boy. I hate n****s. Boy, I wish they’d let me join the klu klux klan s**t, I’d do a drive-by from here to Brooklyn”. CLASSIC!

You know for the longest time I use to think the term Sell-out and COON were interchangeable. But the more I look around and start to pay attention to things, COONING is just outright vexing.  I see a Sell-out more like a misguided and naïve soul that needs some direction. A COON on the other hand is a character, someone deliberately and willfully playing a designated role or part for some type of compensation.

The origin of the COON stereotype began in the 1600s when white Americans looked at their black slaves as “Good for Nuffin”. A COON was typically regarded as someone you could not count on or who would rather live off of the work of others. The lasting images we saw were of males who moved very slowly and talked slowly. They could never manage to speak proper English and were easily manipulated by their slave owners.  So when I see these shameful images of people of color on my television and listen to the content of the music glamorized in today’s pop culture, I cringe and question what exactly do we value and deem respectable in our communities.

The three word answer is MONEY MONEY MONEY. People of color have become so distracted and influenced by consumption of wealth that they will absolutely do anything for money. They sell their souls to the devil, loose any of their moral fiber; make their families/race look worse all in the name of EXPLOITATION.

Just a week or two ago I loved how so many raved about the hip-hop cyphers in the recent Black Entertainment Television (BET) hip hop awards. The hip-hop cyphers were such a big hit that even Nigerian hip-hop artists back home staged their own. But if you watched the award show in its entirety, you get a sense that this is an exploiting of blacks at its best. I mean from the saggin pants, hollerin’ and cussin on stage, raunchy & provocative attire put on by the females, endless gold teeth etc… (BTW; let me be the first to acknowledge that I too do Sagg my pants and its something that I work on everyday to correct).

 

Now for the sake of not naming names because I can easily do so; can we just take a closer look at who makes, writes and decides on the themes in a number of films featuring people of color as leading actors? COONING!

The highest Court in the land here in America has one African American representative in the Supreme Court and what have been his rulings since he took the bench? Just know that the same laws and civil rights acts such as “Affirmative Action” that help propel him in his career are legal statues that he is now AGAINST. COONING!   

Finally, I present to you the African American vying for the Republican nomination for the 2012 ticket presidential ticket “Mr. 9-9-9”… Believe me when I say the acts of COONERY are all around us and you can’t run away from it. It’s even now in politics and more than ever it is the key to winning a party’s nomination ticket. Take “Mr. 9-9-9” for example, the Tea party pays him money to defend their white supremacy and do their dirty work in American politics. White power Rednecks in America love to use these characters as chess pawns in promoting their agenda. COONING!

SAGGIN Backwards = N****S

Who Invented SWAG?

Sound so soulful don’t you agree

I invented swag

Poppin’ bottles, puttin’ supermodels in the cab, proof

I guess I got my swagger back, truth

New watch alert, Hublot’s

Or the big face Rollie I got two of those

Arm out the window through the city I maneuver slow

Cock back, snap back

See me cut through the holes…. Jay-Z & Kanye (Otis)

Ok people; Let Me Get Focused…

Back to the topic at hand, it seems that every few years or so a new slang reigns supreme amongst people from all walks of life. A few popular ones that immediately come to mind are terms or catch phrases like Po Po, Biatch, Fo’ Shizzle, That’s Hot, It is what It is, Crunk, Cuddie, Mean Muggin and the classic DMV all time favorite YUN! But by far the number one leader of the pack in the clubhouse right now is the term SWAG aka SWAGGER. I mean everybody and their mama has used this slang at some point in the past year, young/old, white/black/purple, rich/poor, entertainer/professional I mean ERRR-body.

What I don’t know and am dying to find out is who coined the term in the first place? Was it cool a** Sidney Potier in his “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” epic film, Billy Dee Williams and his Colt 45’s, Denzel Washington and his killer B-Boy Stance, Michael Jackson Moon-walking on the stage at Motown 25, Michael Jordan on the Basketball court dunking over his opponents, Deion Sanders high stepping on the football field on his punt and interceptions return for touchdowns, the Dusaki Beer man or was it my old man S.O.? Yes, the man that coined the infamous “I have been flashy before you were born”. Yup, my old man is officially SWAGGED out.

So when I actually heard Jay-Z recently proclaim himself to be the originator and leader of SWAG nation, all that came to mind was Hold on Playa! Why “Hov” acting like he never been to Nigeria before? Us Nigerians are born with three blood types X, Y, & S and the S is for SWAGGIN!   

Little do people know that term SWAG has been around since the 70s. In some parts SWAG is used to describe bad hashish or weed. What if I were to tell you that William Shakesphere was the first to coin the term in an English publication? (You can look it up yourself).

The truth is black people and people of color have perfected the art of playing on words and turning and giving it a new meaning. Folks; SWAG simply represents CONFIDENCE and a STATE OF MIND. And trust and believe me when I say I got a mean lineup of candidates male or female with killer SWAG!

Step your game up…

Hit the cut below for my All-Star Team "KOOL KEEDZ" SWAG!

My Skin is My Sin

What’s Good People?

The dictionary defines the term or color BLACK as “soil or stained with dirt gloomy; pessimistic; dismal lacking hue and brightness”. Thus the unfavorable terms; BLACK SWAN, BLACK-DAY, BLACK SHEEP, BLACK HAT, BLACK COMEDY, BLACK FRIDAY, etc…  You ready people? Let’s Go!

Ok people’ let me get focused…

I was watching television the other night and came across the CNN coverage of Amanda Knox arriving in her hometown of Seattle, Washington after being set free by the Italian court in a highly publicized murder trial. She was being celebrated in similar fashion as heads of states or some larger than life dignitary the caliber of a Pope or the late Great Michael Jackson.  But wait a minute only a few weeks ago; Troy Davis was EXCUTED by the United States government after being convicted of murdering a police officer while on duty. Must I not forget this past summer all the rage was about Casey Anthony and her acquittal of murdering her 2 year old daughter on charges of aggravated child abuse and aggravated manslaughter? So in the past six months I have witnessed two Caucasian females set free by the justice system here in the United States and abroad and a Black male put to sleep despite mounting evidence that suggest he might be innocent? WTF!

The Back-story:

Amanda Knox: A knife was recovered by police at the crime scene suggesting that it was the murder weapon with Knox’s DNA on the handle and the victim’s blood on the blade. Knox also gave a confession that was deemed inconsistent with her whereabouts on the night of the crime. Bloody footprints of both Knox and her co-defendant were also found in Knox’s bedroom. There are witness accounts and suspect behavior by Knox that would suggest that she either participated or knew of the attack against the victim. The mounting evidence just piles on against Knox when you research the case.

Footnote: Did you know that an African Rudy Guede a native of the Ivory Coast was convicted in the same Knox case and is serving over 25yrs in jail today after being the first to be convicted amongst the three defendants (Knox, Sollecito and Guede). And please do remember that Knox initially blamed another innocent Black man Patrick Lumumba a Congolese nationale who ran a bar in Perugia, Italy who is now suing Knox for defamation.  

Casey Anthony: This trial led to an acquittal after 400 pieces of evidence were presented against the defendant. A strand of hair was recovered from the trunk of Anthony’s car that was deemed a match to that of the victim’s hairbrush. The defendant was alleged to have waited up to six weeks before reporting her daughter missing and subsequently upon the search the remains of the body was found in the woods in a baggy near by the family home.

Troy Davis: Despite being sentenced to death and executed just two weeks ago; these are the disturbing facts in Mr. Davis case that remain unanswered: (1) No physical evidence directly links him to the murder. (2) No murder weapon was ever found. (3) The case against him primarily rested on witness testimony and since his trial, SEVEN of nine key witnesses have recanted or changed their testimony. Some alleging police coercion. 

All the while I was raised to believe the edict that America is the land of the FREE where “All Men Are Created Equally”. Let me tell you about my America where race and the color of your skin is still used against you EVERYDAY. Money and ties to the local country-clubs are where justice is served. And in fact, it is not your truth that counts or matters only that of the 70 year-old judge sitting on the bench who believes his the smartest person walking the face of planet earth.

People of color wherever we are in this world suffer from political, social, psychological and economic exploitation at the hands of the powerful white elites and from our own kind filled with greed. As a result of this exploitation, people of color generally are purposefully put into situations where the commissions of criminal acts are seen as the most effective solution to their problems. Most whites, still remain daft and will probably never understand the quandary in which most Black people find themselves today. Stolen from their homeland (with help from the same greedy natives in some cases), forced to work under the most horrid conditions imaginable for no money and kept in slavery of different forms and fashions up to this very day, Black people have been under the constant control of Whites. And today, their most effective means of maintaining control is through the criminal justice system.

Black people are absolutely correct when they say “there is no justice there is JUST US”. Look in any courtroom in any urban area, what you will find is a steady stream of Black males going to jail and a steady stream of White males going home. When Whites don’t win, they want to take their bat and ball and leave the field, only to play again under a new set of rules. THEIR RULES!

Even the most die-hard integrationist must admit that there is racism in the criminal justice system. Just how much, however, is up for debate. Is it too much of a reach to assume that the prejudices of the larger society are also held by judges, cops, lawyers, bail bondsman, etc? Sure we have some internal issues in our communities that we must attend to. But all races do and I ask my non-colored friends to check their prejudices and biases at the door before you take the bench the next time. 

Give me WHITE Justice…