Bob Marley Birthday Tribute at S.O.B’s | February 2013

Bob Marley’s legacy continues to live on through his music and his children especially. On what would have been his 69th birthday, many celebrations were taking place all over the globe. I was fortunate enough to attend New York City’s SOB’s 22nd Annual Bob Marley Tribute featuring the Brooklyn based ‘New Kingston Band’.

I must say, I am a sucker for live music. There’s something about seeing musicians playing their instruments, singing with their natural voices, for a live studio audience.

His music continues to live on and inspire so many artists and musicians across various generations since his passing. His lyrics are quoted daily by thousands,  including my self. 

After listening New Kingston’s latest album on spotify, Kingston University, I can hear Bob Marley’s influence as well as Morgan Heritage, Dennis Brown and other prominent reggae icons.

If you haven’t gone to a Bob Marley tribute, I suggest you do. I doubt you will be disappointed.

“Post Racial America?”

On November 4th 2008, when Barack Obama was elected as America’s first African American President all racism died and in that moment “post racial America” gained solidarity.  Granted, the kind of racism that was prevalent prior to the Civil Rights Movement is practically nonexistent today. However, racism has shifted and taken a new form for Generation Y Millennials to see – or not see. Today, America suffers from an underhanded, passive aggressive, sophisticatedly designed, dastardly kind of racism. The “post racial” racism America faces today  comes in the form of gentrification, disproportionate and unfair treatment of minority ethnic groups in professional environments in addition to daunting unconstitutional laws, as well as inequitable media coverage, and many other nuances that one can easily overlook and not immediately see racism. It appears that some of those in Generation Y views the Civil Rights Movement’s success as absolute abomination of American racism. Many look at President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder as the living proof of this acclaimed “post racial” America.  On the contrary, the right wing has grown more conservative since electing the first African-American family into the White House, with groups such as the Tea Party emerging, gaining momentum and having a presence in office.

barack_obama_time_magazine_cover_2008_october

Islamphobia was a term that came about shortly after September 11, 2001. Time magazine published an article in August 2010 titled, “Islamophobia: Does America Have a Muslim Problem?” during the time the mosque was proposed to be built near Ground Zero.  In the article, it stated,  “Attitudes toward Islam have worsened perceptibly in the past two years, perhaps because of a string of terrorism-related incidents involving American Muslims like the accused Fort Hood shooter Major Nidal Hasan and the would-be Times Square bomber Faisal Shahzad. Sami, the Iraqi immigrant in Dearborn, says he noticed a change in his neighbors’ attitude after the Times Square incident.  “Two days later, I was loading some bags in my car, and one guy comes over and looks over my shoulder,” he recalls. “I saw the look in his eyes, and I knew what he was thinking.” Incidents like this continue to occur as just recently a bus operator in New York refused to let a 10-year-old Muslim boy on the bus because he assumed he was a terrorist. This is not “post racial” behavior.

Stop and Frisk laws is an example of unashamed legal injustice that invoke racial tensions. Stop and Frisk is a notorious tactic carried out by the NYPD, supported heavily by New York Commissioner Kelly, and now former mayor Michael Bloomberg, that was recently found unconstitutional by a Supreme Court. The tactic specifically targets African-Americans and Latino minorities to be selected to stop and frisk based on nothing more than their appearance with the intention of minimizing crime and confiscating illegal weapons.

Trayvon Martin was an African-American young man, gunned down and killed February 2012 by a Caucasian-Hispanic George Zimmerman in the State of Florida. It was roughly 60 days later, that charges were filed and an arrest was made. This case caught national and international attention simply because of those circumstances. Many people, including myself, were upset because it seems nearly impossible to fathom those same circumstances of the delayed arrest would have occurred had Trayvon Martin been the aggressor and George Zimmerman been the victim. After Zimmerman being found not guilty in June of last year, many people, especially myself  experienced grave disappointment in the legal system and sadly

In more recent news,  in Detroit, Renisha McBride is another recent example of a racially charged unfortunate crime. After being lost in an unfamiliar area Ms. McBride was fatally shot by a  man, from whom she asked directions. Charges have not been filed and prosecutors are still investigating to see whether or not to file charges at all. Like Trayvon Martin, many are infuriated there has to be more evidence to charge someone for killing someone, accidental or not. According to Fox News Detroit, Yusef Shaker is an activist who said “Black life is not valued in America, not worthy, not respectable… Here was a woman who seeking help from potential danger and her life was taken… It’s a Trayvon Martin case all over again.”

i have a dream court presstvdotir

The 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington recently took place this past August in which many political activists, elected officials and other prominent figures participated in continuing the dream of Martin Luther King Jr., and his associates. Many people were quoted to say it was a shame fifty years later we still have to march on Washington to protest equality and civil rights in America.

Voter Rights have been tampered with by conservatives significantly since 2008. It is not a coincidence after the election of the first African-American president was elected, states were eager to make it difficult for people to vote in the hopes to defeat “voter fraud”- specifically targeting African-Americans, Latinos and groups who supported President Obama.  Section five (5) of the Voters Rights Act was recently voted out mostly by Republican congress men and women. Voters Rights was a major part of the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington.

voter-id1

Other illustrations of clandestine racism is the “birther” movement that was orchestrated and unofficially led by Donald Trump that had many people believe President Obama was not a natural-born American citizen. It was an indirect, passive aggressive way to make sure everyone knew President Obama was “different” from every other President.

Lastly, the Prison Industrial Complex clearly shows disproportionate numbers between races regarding incarceration, sentencing and penalties. “The New Jim Crow”, written by Michelle Alexander discusses this topic in great detail, describing the Prison Industrial Complex as a new form of modern-day slavery.  This book was published only just in 2010.

With these prime examples of racism one can easily deny America is somehow “post racial”.  There are no longer separate water fountains, or specific seats on the bus for minorities to sit in, however, there is a good chance a Muslim person will be profiled as a terrorist. There are many more examples of racism in recent times such as the Paula Deen scandal, the recent Bank of America settlement for those racially targeted on mortgage applications, Although there is this misconception that successful minorities such as Barack Obama, Oprah and Jay-Z, just to name a few, discredit other disenfranchised minorities. Sadly, there is a good chance an African-American person will be shot and killed and their perpetrator will go unpunished. Unfortunately, it is likely that an African-American person will be sent to prison for a longer time than his Caucasian counterpart who committed the said crime. Profiling is the new face of racism and it by far not “post racial”. These instances exemplify modern-day sophisticated racism – underhanded, concealed racism that intends to hold minority groups socio-economically oppressed. Post Racial America will exist when racism is no longer socialized for the younger generations to see.

Really, What is Black Friday? Marxism and Illusions

Really, What is Black Friday? Marxism and Illusions.

“Black Friday” is the epitome of Marxism. It is indicative and in a sense illustrative of the Marxist laws of capitalism, which emphasize the competiveness of, between and within the various class groupings. “Black Friday” is one of the biggest scams in America. Well then again, besides the one or two heavily discounted items that have to be purchased between the hours of midnight through sunrise, “Black Friday” really is a scam. Do the elite even remotely care about “Black Friday”, let alone wait in lines for sales? Absolutely not.  Do the elite even pay for things? Rarely. Proletariats are exploited in attempts to be like(d) and amongst the elite especially on Black Friday. Perception is a muthasucka isn’t it?

I like to think of myself as Generation “Xy”. I don’t consider myself a millennial but I could if I wanted to – mid late 80’s and all. Growing up, consumerism was intense but never this extreme. Actually I don’t recall “Black Friday” really being that big of a deal until my early teens. Instead what I truly recollect the biggest sale of the year was once advertised as the “After Christmas Day Sale” (which still exists, although ignored and outshined by Black Friday Madness).  Over the last decade, “Black Friday” has morphed into this ridiculous, obsessive game show. It was when I got my first few jobs in retail I saw Black Friday for what it was – or at least what it was becoming. I worked for some prominent male American designer stores as a sales associate, some were commissioned and others were not. Working on “Black Friday” you’re really only excited about the money. Its more hours and more commission if your lucky. Some retail workers have to be at their stores at 4AM ready to go in. But then again, they also prepare for the madness and overly excited customers as well which can be very stressful. It really is a demonstration of capitalism at its worse and at its best, I suppose. Not only have innocent people died on “Black Friday” for the sake of consumption, but people get robbed, gypped, and a host of other things that don’t even get reported. Personally, I cannot imagine it being fun waiting on line and shopping in a crowd full of anxious people, on a full stomach, around and after midnight. Huh?

black-friday

 This does not look remotely fun.

Neither does this ↓

images

…Or this ↓

images (1)

I fully understand people make sacrifices to take advantage of the sales, but frankly those sales take place all throughout the year. In fact, I would argue that some items are discounted even more during the rest of the year, but people don’t want to hear that. Retail insider; for “Black Friday” most stores just get really humongous signs, which say 40% off. Um what is so damn special about 40% off???

blk friday 40 s

Courtesy: Vivobarefoot.com

 Things are 40-50% off for the Presidents Day Sale (February), St. Patricks Day Sale (March), Easter Sale (April), Memorial Day Sale (May), 4th of July Day Sale, and not to mention the Columbus Day Sale (October) which takes place weeks before “Black Friday” not to mention the every other “weekend specialty sale”.  But for some reason people are fixated by this illusion of “Black Friday” and want to leave there house at the crack of dawn to get something on sale that was on the same damn sale a few weeks before.  I am not negating the fact that there are items on sale that really gets your bang for your buck with things for 90% off and such, but most likely as I mentioned before, you would have to be up before sunrise to really take advantage or go to the major department and specialty stores. Black Friday at one point just meant getting businesses of “out the red” (deficits) and into the black (profits). When was the last time these companies such as Walmart, Kmart Target etc been in the red? Really? People have to do what they have to do and I am not knocking anyone’s hustle. However, I can’t sit around and watch people get sucked into the “Black Friday” bravado and illusions. You’re better off shopping between Christmas and Martin Luther King Day when stores are practically giving away everything as they await new inventory or any other holiday weekend for that matter. Besides, with the new “Cyber Monday” and so many other opportunities to grab sales like living social and groupon, is it really necessary to go shopping in the wee hours of the morning? I don’t know how modern Thanksgiving transformed from family time to this insane sense of shopping, but okay.

Happy Holidays :/

Rebelistic Caribbean Poets & Poetry | Louise Simone Bennet, Matabaruka, StaceyAnn Chin and more

Rebelistic | Caribbean Poets and Poetry

Poets are rebels. What they choose to rebel against is up to them. It is interesting nonetheless, how art can be formed around words and words can transform into art. I am astounded by voices that stretch around the globe about topics expanding on colonization, freedom, sex, relationships, Rastafarianism, LGTBQ issues, black identity, religion and the list goes on. Poets can be very powerful and effective and shouldn’t go unnoticed. They may be speaking directly to you.

Often times in the Caribbean, athleticism and the music industry receive an abundance of attention and admiration, which is good. However, the arts in the Caribbean tend to get overlooked and unnoticed on an international level. The potential is obviously there in a vast number of categories including literature, film production, modeling, designing, poetry, etc. Sometimes, but rarely, does a project make it to an international platform and sometimes the world misses out on really creative, innovative, inspiring people and ventures within the Caribbean arts and entertainment industry.

Poetic voices scream loudly from the Caribbean. Usually the voices transform and crossover into the music industry. Many reggae/dancehall artists and songs originate as poems written by poets. For the artists, sometimes they naturally transition into the music industry. It is easier and a lot more lucrative to do so.  Caribbean poetry has influenced a lot of artists and art internationally, yet sometimes the poetic inspiration is occasionally overlooked or even forgotten.

Poetry is a fascinating, intriguing and an inspiring genre and sometimes the poets behind the poems are sometimes even more captivating because poetry extends to other categories as it intersects into the blurred lines of multifaceted literature, film, visual art, photography, music and so on, making its way to dynamic international audiences.

 Claude McKay

Claude McKay

Claude McKay

Photo Courtesy: Flickr.com

Claude McKay is an important seminal figure with a significant history with both Jamaica and the United States and I was totally ignorant to his existence until I began this research project. He participated as a prominent literary figure in one of the most important, contemporary U.S. revitalization periods – The Harlem Renaissance.

McKay migrated to the states to pursue an education in his late teens. He first arrived in South Carolina and then New York.  He lived in England for a brief period, even stayed in the Soviet Union for some time and it was in Chicago where he died. But it was Harlem where he lived. He had a profound interest in (left) communism. He’s alleged to even have been a member of the Communist Party. But he eventually changed his views and denounced his affiliations with them and wrote negatively about it in the 30’s. He is also alleged to have been one of the first (if not the first) black journalist in Britain. He was also a part of the radical revolutionary group the African Blood Brotherhood that was co-founded by Cyril Briggs. He published many books, articles and poems to which his writings inspired many writers after him such as James Baldwin and Richard Wright. Most recently an “unknown” manuscript of his was authenticated in 2012 titled Amiable With Big Teeth: A Novel of the Love Affair Between the Communists and the Poor Black Sheep of Harlem.

Harlem Shadows

I hear the halting footsteps of a lass

In Negro Harlem when the night lets fall

Its veil. I see the shapes of girls who pass

To bend and barter at desire’s call.

Ah, little dark girls who in slippered feet

Go prowling through the night from street to street!

 

Through the long night until the silver break

Of day the little gray feet know no rest;

Through the lone night until the last snow-flake

Has dropped from heaven upon the earth’s white breast,

The dusky, half-clad girls of tired feet

Are trudging, thinly shod, from street to street.

 

Ah, stern harsh world, that in the wretched way

Of poverty, dishonor and disgrace,

Has pushed the timid little feet of clay,

The sacred brown feet of my fallen race!

Ah, heart of me, the weary, weary feet

In Harlem wandering from street to street.

Mutabaruka

mutabaruka

Mutabaruka                                    Photo Courtesy: Jamaicanmusic.com

I was sitting down in my back yard in Jamaica, sipping tea one early Sunday morning. My cousin let the radio play, but only informative radio. I heard a man closing out what appeared to be his show, speaking anxiously about the politricks in America and his hopes for Jamaica. He then began to recite a poem and I sat still and listened very carefully to every single word.

“Mutabaruka”, my cousin said. He saw that I was intrigued with what he was saying. Everyone talks about politics, never about politricks. He spoke about the mishappenings with Dudus Coke and the misguided perception of who and what he did to Jamaica. He also spoke about American consumption of cheap goods being sent in barrels to Jamaica was problematic.

He was originally born Allan Hope in Rae Town Kingston.  He converted from Catholicism to Rastafarianism sometime in the 70’s when the wave black awareness hit the Jamaican island and people like Louise Bennett were around to inspire him.

He performed “This Poem” on Russell Simmons’s Def Poetry Jam a few years ago, in 2007 and it was also the poem he used to close out his radio show that Sunday morning in Jamaica.  He still performs today.

Dis Poem

  dis poem

shall speak of the wretched sea
that washed ships to these shores
of mothers cryin for their young
swallowed up by the sea
dis poem shall say nothin new
dis poem shall speak of time
time unlimited time undefined
dis poem shall call names
names like lumumba kenyatta nkrumah
hannibal akenaton malcolm garvey
haile selassie
dis poem is vexed about apartheid rascism fascism
the klu klux klan riots in brixton atlanta
jim jones
dis poem is revoltin against 1st world 2nd world
3rd world division man made decision
dis poem is like all the rest
dis poem will not be amongst great literary works
will not be recited by poetry enthusiasts
will not be quoted by politicians nor men of religion
dis poem s knives bombs guns blood fire
blazin for freedom
yes dis poem is a drum
ashanti mau mau ibo yoruba nyahbingi warriors
uhuru uhuru
uhuru namibia
uhuru soweto
uhuru afrika
dis poem will not change things
dis poem need to be changed
dis poem is a rebirth of a people
arizin awaking understandin
dis poem speak is speakin have spoken
dis poem shall continue even when poets have stopped writin
dis poem shall survive u me it shall linger in history
in your mind
in time forever
dis poem is time only time will tell
dis poem is still not written
dis poem has no poet
dis poem is just a part of the story
his-story her-story our-story the story still untold
dis poem is now ringin talkin irritatin
makin u want to stop it
but dis poem will not stop
dis poem is long cannot be short
dis poem cannot be tamed cannot be blamed
the story is still not told about dis poem
dis poem is old new
dis poem was copied from the bible your prayer book
playboy magazine the n.y. times readers digest
the c.i.a. files the k.g.b. files
dis poem is no secret
dis poem shall be called boring stupid senseless
dis poem is watchin u tryin to make sense from dis poem
dis poem is messin up your brains
makin u want to stop listenin to dis poem
but u shall not stop listenin to dis poem
u need to know what will be said next in dis poem
dis poem shall disappoint u
because
dis poem is to be continued in your mind in your mind
in your mind your mind

Louise Simone Bennett Coverley

Louise Simone Bennett

Louise Simone Bennett Photo Courtesy: Lasanabendele.com 

She was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1919. She migrated to England in her 20’s. Poet, scholar, entertainer, she discussed culture and colonization a lot in her work. She is the inspiration behind Harry Belafonte’s famous song “Day O.”   She wrote a lot of her poetry in the Jamaican patios dialect, which inspired many Jamaican poets after her to do so, such as Matabaruka, Lasana Bendele, Linton Kwesi to name a few. She passed away at 86 years of age in 2006 and her poems and legacy continues to live on.


Bans a Killin

So yuh a de man me hear bout!
Ah yuh dem seh dah teck
Whole heap a English oat seh dat
yuh gwine kill dialec!

Meck me get it straight, mas Charlie,
For me no quite understand –
Yuh gwine kill all English dialec
Or jus Jamaica one?

Ef yuh dah equal up wid English
Language, den wha meck
Yuh gwine go feel inferior when
It come to dialec?

Ef yuh cyaan sing ‘Linstead Market’
An ‘Water come a me yeye’
Yuh wi haffi tap sing ‘Auld lang syne’
An ‘Comin through de rye’.

Dah language weh yuh proud a,
Weh yuh honour an respec –
Po Mas Charlie, yuh no know se
Dat it spring from dialec!

Dat dem start fi try tun language

 

From de fourteen century –
Five hundred years gawn an dem got
More dialec dan we!

Yuh wi haffi kill de Lancashire,
De Yorkshire, de Cockney,
De broad Scotch and de Irish brogue
Before yuh start kill me!

Yuh wi haffi get de Oxford Book
A English Verse, an tear

Out Chaucer, Burns, Lady Grizelle
An plenty a Shakespeare!

When yuh done kill ‘wit’ an ‘humour’,
When yuh kill ‘variety’,
Yuh wi haffi fine a way fi kill
Originality!

An mine how yuh dah read dem English
Book deh pon yuh shelf,

For ef yuh drop a ‘h’ yuh mighta
Haffi kill yuhself

 

 

Velma Pollard

Velma Pollard

Velma Pollard

Photo Courtesy: Jamaica Gleaner

Born also in Kingston, Jamaica, Velma Pollard is a successful poet who reached an international platform through her work and teachings. She also writes fiction and studies of language.  She taught in the US, as well as Trinidad, Guyana, and worked as the Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica.

Here is a poem from “Leaving Traces” a collection of poems published recently in March of 2008.

CONFESSIONS OF A SON

My father lost me
somewhere between
the smell of leather
shoes and the enchantment of untying laces

Waiting to cross swords
with the tyrant
who would cow her
I man watched
hovering over
Mother

(I four feet high)
standing on tiptoe

Half century later
still I do not know
if culture curbed concern
or if he loved less
than he needed love

I store for her
affection without question
for him respect
with unlove
waiting for compassion

 

 

SteceyAnn Chin

StaceyAnn Chin

StaceyAnn Chin

StaceyAnn Chin is a popular poet from Jamaica based in NYC. She is mostly known for her stance on LGTBQ issues and her struggle living openly as an lesbian in Jamaica and more recently giving birth to a child and living as a single lesbian mother. She’s gradually crossed over into mainstream as she too has performed on Def Poetry Jam. She has also made appearances on Oprah, as well as publication features in the Huffington Post and more. She speaks to a lot of people through her poetry who struggle with homosexuality in the Caribbean and places where it’s socially unacceptable and practically objected on a whole by society paired with government.

All Oppression Is Connected

Being queer has no bearing on race
or class
or creed
my white publicist said
true love is never affected by color
or country
or the carnal need for cash
I curb the flashes of me crashing across the table
to knock his blond skin
from Manhattan
to Montego Bay to witness
the bloody beatings of beautiful brown boys
accused of the homosexual crime of buggery

amidst the new fangled fallacies
of sexual and racial freedom for all
these under-informed
self-congratulating
pseudo-intellectual utterances
reflect how apolitical the left has become

I don’t know why
but the term lesbian just seems so
confrontational to me
why can’t you people just say you date
other people?

Again I say nothing
tongue and courage tied with fear
I am at once livid

ashamed and paralyzed
by the neo-conservatism
breeding malicious amongst us

Gay
Lesbian
Bisexual
Transgender
Ally
Questioning
Two spirit
Non-gender conforming—every year we add a new letter
our community is happily expanding beyond the scope
of the dream stonewall sparked within us

yet everyday
I become more afraid to say black
or lesbian
or woman—everyday
under the pretense of unity I swallow something I should have said
about the epidemic of AIDS in Africa
or the violence against teenage-girls in East New York
or the mortality rate of young boys on the south-side of Chicago

even in friendly conversation
I get the bell hooks-ian urge
to kill mother-fuckers who say stupid shit to me
all day
bitter branches of things I cannot say out loud
sprout deviant from my neck

fuck you-you-fucking-racist-sexist-turd
fuck you for wanting to talk about homophobia
while you exploit the desperation of undocumented immigrants
to clean your hallways
bathe your children and cook your dinner
for less than you and I spend on our tax deductible lunch!

I want to scream
all oppression is connected you dick!

at the heart of every radical action in history
stood the dykes who were feminists
the anti-racists who were gay rights activists
the men who believed being vulnerable
could only make our community stronger

as the violence against us increases
where are the LGBT centers in those neighborhoods
where assaults occur most frequently?
as the tide of the Supreme Court changes
where are the LGBT marches
to support a woman’s right to an abortion?
what say we about health insurance
for those who can least afford it?

HIV/AIDS was once a reason for gay white men to act up
now your indifference spells the death
of straight black women
and imprisoned Latino boys
apparently
if the tragedy does not immediately impact you
you don’t give a fuck

offer a social ladder to those of us inclined to climb
and watch the bottom of a movement fall out
a revolution once pregnant with expectation
flounders
without direction the privileged and the plundered
grow listless
apathetic and individualistic no one knows
where to vote
or what to vote for anymore

the faces that represent us
have begun to look like the ones who used to burn crosses
and beat bulldaggers and fuck faggots up the ass
with loaded guns

the companies that sponsor our events
do not honor the way we live or love
or dance or pray
our life partnerships are deemed domestic
and the term marriage is reserved
for those unions sanctioned by a church controlled state

for all the landmarks we celebrate
we are still niggers
and faggots
and minstrel references
for jokes created on the funny pages of a heterosexual world

the horizons are changing
to keep pace with technology and policy alike
the LGBT manifesto has evolved into a corporate agenda
and outside that agenda
a woman is beaten every 12 seconds
every two minutes
a girl is raped somewhere in America

and while we stand here well-dressed and rejoicing
in India
in China
in South America a small child cuts the cloth
to construct you a new shirt
a new shoe
an old lifestyle held upright
by the engineered hunger and misuse of impoverished lives

gather round ye fags, dykes
trannies and all those in between
we are not simply at a political crossroad
we are buried knee deep in the quagmire
of a battle for our humanity

the powers that have always been
have already come for the Jew
the communist
and the trade unionist
the time to act is now!
Now! while there are still ways we can fight
Now! because the rights we have are still so very few
Now! because it is the right thing to do
Now! before you open the door to find
they have finally come
for you

Rebelistic Quotes from the 20th Century | feat Bob Marley, Nina Simone, Nikki Giovanni, Josephine Baker & more

Rebelistic Quotes

Different people rebel against different things. Some choose to stand up and sacrifice their lives for different causes. Given the time period, the demographics, the upbringing, a person’s passion can become apart of their legacy.  The following, features some prominent figures and their passions that manifested and inspired movements. These quotes also manage to reveal the rebel within them as well in the most settle and robust ways. The rebellions, whether large or small can be considered a part of culture that was expressed in a very necessary way to approach sensitive subjects ranging from unification,  equality, desegregation, anti-oppression, or just simply F R E E D O M.

Though these quotes come from a wide variety of time slots in the 20th century from an array of celebratory figures of different backgrounds and origins such as entertainers, writers, poets , their mantra is still relevant and resounds loudly in today’s global environment.

Bob Marley


“I’m a rebel, soul rebel
I’m a capturer, soul adventurer
Do you hear me
I’m a rebel, rebel in the morning
Soul rebel, rebel at midday time

“Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery.
None but ourselves can free our minds.”
― Bob Marley

“The truth is, everyone is going to hurt you. You just got to find the ones worth suffering for.”
― Bob Marley

“Who are you to judge the life I live?
I know I’m not perfect
-and I don’t live to be-
but before you start pointing fingers…
make sure you hands are clean!”
― Bob Marley

“The good times of today are the sad thoughts of tomorrow.”
― Bob Marley

Nina Simone

Photo Courtesy: Violentsuccess.com


“I’m a real rebel with a cause.”
-Nina Simone

“You’ve got to learn to leave the table
When love’s no longer being served”.”
― Nina Simone

“There’s no excuse for the young people not knowing who the heroes and heroines are or were.”
-Nina Simone

People, let a lone, musicians don’t exist like these two any more. Bob Marley inspired generations of people with his music and activism for black unification and Nina Simone was an artist that challenged the status quo of beauty through her music. These are self-proclaimed rebels that lived and died for a cause in the hopes the leave an impression and change the world. Entrenched in their ancestral roots, they understood their present day, prayed for a better future and put their soul into their artistry.

Maya Angelou

Photo Courtesy: Dorkmuffin.com

“I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.”
― Maya Angelou

“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”
― Maya Angelou

“Everything in the universe has a rhythm, everything dances. ”
― Maya Angelou

“Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.”
― Maya Angelou

Nikki Giovanni

Photo Courtesy: Ironboardcollective.wordpress.com


“Mistakes are a fact of life: It is the response to the error that counts.”
― Nikki Giovanni
“Deal with yourself as an individual, worthy of respect and make everyone else deal with you the same way.”
― Nikki Giovanni
“Black love is black wealth”
― Nikki Giovanni

James Baldwin

Photo Courtesy: Blackhistorynow.com

James Baldwin 1 255x300 James Baldwin
“True rebels after all, are as rare as true lovers,and in both cases, to mistake a fever for passion can destroy one’s life” — James Baldwin

“Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up.”
— James Baldwin

“Perhaps home is not a place but simply an irrevocable condition.”
— James Baldwin

“You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read.”
— James Baldwin

Unforgettable poets and unparalleled literary figures, these three are unmatched in many layers of their being. With both Maya Angelou and Nikki Giovanni still among us, they shed life on black life and black survival that many simply ignore and continue their activism and writing today. James Baldwin was unique in his approaches to sexuality and religion and the black race as a whole. These three artists are definitely Rebels in multifaceted ways.