“I don’t stand for the black man’s side, I don’ t stand for the white man’s side. I stand for God’s side.”
Those are the words of the man, musician and activist, Bob Marley who would have been 67 years old today. Marley came from an age when music truly meant something and it is evident by the fact that the messages from his music is relevant today. His music has stood the test of time and is still in heavy rotation today for fans of reggae music. His influence stretches over many of the artists of today and often mentioned as an inspiration to many not just those in music. If you are not familiar with the music of Bob Marley, please take a moment sometime today find a couple of tracks to pleasure your ears. Your soul will thank you for it.
The Shaun read, with he is sure many of you, the reports of Don Cornelius‘ death this morning with a heavy heart. Not just because we have lost a pioneer to black music, but because many of our youth unjustly know very little about this man who was instrumental to the modern rise of urban music. The Shaun cannot help but think that we lost a great opportunity to honor this influential man prior to his final days.
For those were children of the 70s, 80s and 90s; Soul Train was to Saturdays as church was to Sundays. In Chicago, for example, at 11am every Saturday morning your family was in front of your TV. Soul Train was the urban answer for American Bandstand and Don Cornelius was our version of Dick Clark. We eagerly anticipated Don Cornelius post performance interviews with the acts. Some of these acts we never had seen as Soul Train was also a stage for much of the up and coming talents of the era. We screamed at the TV our answers to the scramble board. Mostly, we took mental notes of all the new styles of fashion and dance that would shape our culture.
Yet as MTV and BET entered in the early nineties, Soul Train lost more and more viewers while not being seen as much of a influence as it once was. With shows like TRL, Video Soul, YO MTV Raps and Rap City on during the weekend, by the time Soul Train came on Saturdays, it content was considered old news in some minds. Most will tell you, The Shaun included, that Soul Train was never the same after Don Cornelius removed himself from hosting duties to work more behind the scenes. This goes especially for the year Shemar Moore hosted…yeah The Shaun said it!
Before the BET and Source Awards, The Soul Train Awards were the only major market music awards show solely dedicated to urban music. This was the only stage set, at the time, to recognize artists’ work in R&B, Jazz, Gospel and HIP HOP. It was one of the premier events each year for urban culture, being given its own prime-time slot for which most would not make any other plans. Yet as many would tell you, in the more recent years of the Soul Train Awards, the Soul Train Awards have struggled just to make it to air and often do not reflect the vision Don Cornelius once create Soul Train in. Instead of being the pioneer for where urban music would go, it seemed to follow the trends set by the more mainstream views BET and MTV had set.
So The Shaun cannot help but to ponder today after learning of Cornelius’ death. How could seemingly just forget to carry on the tradition of Soul Train and honor Don Cornelius’ achievements properly over the last several year? How did we not dedicate ourselves to ensuring our children knew of the great influence in our culture? Is the road Soul Train was traveled over the last 20 or so years not a reflection of the course of modern urban music as a whole?
As the news travels today regarding the death of Don Cornelius and the fitting tributes roll in, many interesting questions will come from our youth that we will to answer. Most of us will be in a position to have to introduce our children to Don Cornelius and Soul Train for the first time. We will tell the stories that most stick in our memory about the artists who appeared, the styles of clothes worn, the dance moves performed in the Soul Train and the woman with the insanely long hair who seemed was on the show forever while seemingly never aged. We will then be asked why Soul Train doesn’t come on any more. It is then it will hit you the hardest and a bit of your heart will sink.
The Shaun is going need to contact his people and ask that this arrangement be at his gathering for this Sunday’s game. There is so much WIN in this picture that even The Shaun’s mind can barely handle it! Whoever put this together needs to rewarded with a medal!
On this day in which we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., each of us will reminisce about Dr. King from many view points. Some will simply post a YouTube clip or transcript of his “I Have A Dream” speech and leave it at that. Some will obviously highlight his role in the Civil Rights Movement. Some will take the time to review his unique relationship with Malcolm X. Some will choose to quietly meditate over his life accomplishments and ponder over the possibilities of what could have been if he still was with us today.
Let us quickly add a bit of clarity to those who may have the impression that Dr. King was assassinated over his role in the Civil Right Movement. “The Black Power Mixtape 1678-1975″ discusses the moments leading up to the assignation of Dr. King, highlighting his increasingly anti-military stance on the Vietnam War. The highlight of his anti-war protests was his “Why I Am Opposed To the War In Vietnam” speech that he gave just under a year before he was shot while standing on that balcony in Memphis, Tennessee. While his “I Have A Dream” speech is Dr. King’s most popular speech, some have argued this was is his most impact-full as well as the real reason he was killed.
So The Shaun says…WHAT IF?
What if Dr. King was able to continue his work passed April 4th 1968?
What if Dr. King was allowed to transition the Civil Rights Movement into the Human Rights movement he seemingly leaned toward near the time of his death. One has to wonder how far we actually could have gone and the infinite possibilities for progress that could have been reached. Would he have had to wait for Obama to see our first non-white President of The United States. Would African-American culture have been exploited as much as it has since his death? Where would Jesse Jackson be still at his side? Would his influence and quest for equal rights reached past the borders of this nation?
What if Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. walked with us today?
Would the world be a different place?
Surely many will consider the episode of the Boondocks if which Dr. King awoke after a 40 year coma to return and see how much the world had changed without him. In this episode, Aaron McGruder illustrates King’s reaction as first confusion then frustration over, in his view, the decline of African-American culture in his absence.
It is very easy to anyone to assume that Dr. King would not approve of not only the state of current state of African-American culture but global society as a whole. Yet what is interesting to ponder is even though we all can assume Dr. King wouldn’t approve of it, we stay intent on going along with the current state of affairs. Even though we KNOW King would openly speak up against the open disrespect and exploitation of our young women, we support a culture that encourages them act as Jezebels and whores to succeed. Even though we KNOW King would insist on organizing and leading marches in our street to gather these young brothers selling drugs of the corners. Even though we KNOW Dr. King would DEMAND MORE from the church, we accept their role of REactivity as opposed to PROactivity.
So The Shaun asks you to be honest with yourself and ponder how much progress have we really made since Dr. King’s death? How much potential have we left untapped? Can it not be argued that mentally and spiritually we have actually taken several steps back from the days of Dr. King?
We have the audacity to openly joke about streets named after Dr. King being the most violent in our major cities instead of treating them as sacred ground to support and grow our youth. We naively pat ourselves on the back and say the King’s “Dream” is still alive when nothing could be further from the truth. Are we truly ignorant enough to believe THIS is the DREAM, Dr. King spoke of?! You really believe THIS is what he wanted?
We have brothers unemployed and/or locked up more than ever while others become slaves to drugs, sex and money.
We have sisters openly dressing like prostitutes at a younger and younger age while fighting each other and stabbing each other in the back as they embarrass themselves on TV.
The traditional black family has become an extinct species right before our very eyes!
YET WE HAVE THE NERVE TO SAY THE DREAM IS ALIVE
HOW CAN THE DREAM BE ALIVE WHEN WE ARE SLEEPING NOW MORE THAN EVER!?!
Every year we get together on the 3rd Monday in January to “remember” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and act as if so much as been accomplished since he was taken from us. Some of you will read this with your lip twisted and your eyes rolled into the back of your head because you think that the It is about time that we cherish his memory properly by living the actually DREAM he spoke of and not the mockery we have made of his legacy.
This page represents me...Shaun...uncut and free of bullshyt! The new page design is free of flashiness for the most part.
The Shaun is not a cocky arrogant alter ego based on yet another man on the internet who thinks he's knows it all. The Shaun is a symbol of my confidence and knowledge of self.
This blog is not written to tell you how to think or live your life but to incite thought and discussion about the world around. Some of topics are serious...even a bit controversial. Some are just to entertain and get someone through their day.
The Shaun says what others don't in a way all can understand and relate to. The Shaun believes the expression and exchange of different opinions is the key to creating whatever world we want this to be. Without those things we all lose the individuality, imagination, creativity and ultimately freedom that makes us who we are.
The purpose is to induce thought which induces conversation
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