Tag Archives: skillz

Con$umeri$m

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As I scrolled through my Facebook news feed, I discovered the following captioned photo here, being shared by the page, “Ms. Lauryn Hill,” and originally posted it to my own wall, along with commentary…

Consumerism is a track coming out on the eve of Ms. Hill’s release. She wanted to get this music out while she was incarcerated, as it is a product of the space she was in while she was going through some of the challenges she has been faced with recently.
Available now on iTunes: http://bit.ly/MLH_C
“Consumerism is part of some material I was trying to finish before I had to come in. We did our best to eek out a mix via verbal and emailed direction, thanks to the crew of surrogate ears on the other side. Letters From Exile is material written from a certain space, in a certain place. I felt the need to discuss the underlying socio-political, cultural paradigm as I saw it. I haven’t been able to watch the news too much recently, so I’m not hip on everything going on. But inspiration of this sort is a kind of news in and of itself, and often times contains an urgency that precedes what happens. I couldn’t imagine it not being relevant. Messages like these I imagine find their audience, or their audience finds them, like water seeking it’s level.”
– Ms. Lauryn Hill

My Commentary: New song from Ms. Hill!

Ms. Lauryn Hill Has Skillz!

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The following correspondence originally took place on the Facebook wall of my friend, Rebekah P…

Rebekah P.: “Stand by me” -Ben E. King ❤ “When the night has come, & the land is dark & the moon is the only light you see…No, I won’t be afraid!” was playing along Talibs Tribute to True Talent. Sending Love, Peace & Strength to every beautiful mess in the ‘Beautiful Struggle’

Ms. Hill – Talib Kweli:

Rayn: Ms. Lauryn Hill has skillz! 🙂

Feedback on “I Thirst,” by Damion Sanders!

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I originally posted the following information and commentary onto my Facebook wall…

I Thirst:

My Commentary: Awesome work, by my friend, Damion Sanders! A powerful song, and a great video! Very touching and moving! Check it out! 🙂

Remembering the Inspirational Hip-Hop Legacy of Lisa “Left-Eye” Lopez

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The following correspondence originally took place upon the Facebook wall of fellow emcee, Tru Leo, after he shared a captioned photo from here…

Tru Leo:

Hold Up! Lil' Mama Will Never Match Up To Left Eye's Legacy! http://bit.ly/XU4ohq

Hold Up! Lil’ Mama Will Never Match Up To Left Eye’s Legacy!
http://bit.ly/XU4ohq

Rayn: Word! Lil’ Mama couldn’t hold a candle to her! Left-Eye will always remain my original inspiration to rhyme – even before Lauryn Hill, who actually contributed to it, later, by virtue of her skills on the Fugees album, “The Score.” And, it was Left-Eye’s verse on “Waterfalls,” alone, that actually did it for me! 🙂 I played that portion of the song so very many times that my damn “CrazySexyCool” album stopped working properly SOLELY on that part – skipping it’s way through, instead!

Lauryn Hill Deconstructs the Mental, Physical, Spiritual and Social Bondage of Life in Today’s Society

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The following correspondence originally took place upon my Facebook wall…

Rayn: I Get Out – Lauryn Hill:

“I won’t support your lie no more. I won’t even try no more. If I have to die, oh Lord, that’s how I choose to live!

I won’t be compromised no more. I can’t be victimized no more. I just don’t sympathize no more, ‘cuz now I understand. You just want to use me. You say “love,” then abuse me. You never thought you’d lose me, but how quickly we forget – that nothing is for certain. You thought I’d stay here, hurting. Your guilt trip’s just not working – repressing me to death! ‘Cuz, now, I’m choosing life, yo! I’ll take the sacrifice, yo! If everything must go, then go! That’s how I choose to live!

No more compromises. I see past your disguises. Blinding me through mind-control. Stealing my eternal soul. Appealing through material to keep me as your slave – but, I’ll get out! Oh, I get out of all your boxes! I get out! Oh, you can’t hold me on these chains! I’ll get out! Oh, I want out of social bondage! Knowing my condition is the reason I must change!”

Steven C.: Please explain. You mean she doesn’t like hollywood as well

Steven C.: Does that mean she doesn’t like hollywood

Rayn: It’s not Hollywood she’s referring to, Steven. She’s deconstructing the mental, physical, spiritual and social bondage that comes with living in a corrupt and illegitimate system of control, run a small minority of “elites,” in a situation where most don’t recognize it as a such…

Rayn: Listen to it, again, while keeping that in mind.