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Consider This

All of this mental stimulation that’s being forced into our vision can cause one to go blind morally. Feeling euphorically inclined to intertwine with another body, and most times, any body will do. We’ve become lust filled, so we must fulfill that gratification instantly, which causes us to shut off our common sense. Once the blood drains from our brains in to our lower region, we become as heathens. Sleeping with the enemy, we pretend to be in love; all for the sake of a good orgasm. Casual dates turn in to casual sex, and once that cow is milked, it’s on to the next. The size of a man’s genitals has become essential. As long as he has eight or nine, he’s fine; and his girth somehow out-weighs his self-worth. Know that a King has more to bring to the table than just good din-a-ling. And fella’s, we must do better, a fat butt and thick thighs does not imply she will be a good wife. You might want to delve a little deeper before you decide to keep her. Her sex and body may be amazing now, but when she is 80, will she still be your baby? A Kween is many things but one thing she is not, is a THOT.

~ Jah Soul

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The Flip Side

As I was watching the news yesterday, the first three stories ran in this order: a 15 year-old black girl was thrown and slammed to the ground by a white police officer in McKinney, Texas. Second, a white man is currently on trial for shooting an 8 year-old black boy in the face at their apartment complex. Last, a white officer is currently on trial for shooting and killing an unarmed 60 year-old black man in the back as he ran from his car during a traffic stop.
If you are not, as America labels it, “black”, would these stories have any effect on you? Can you relate to them in any way? Do any of these stories disturb you? Well, let’s take a trip to what I call, the flip-side. Doodle-doo-doodle-doo-doodle-doo-doop.
As I was watching the news yesterday, the first three stories ran in this order: a white, 15 year old (a minor), female was thrown and slammed to the ground by a black police officer in McKinney, Texas. Second, a black man is currently on trial for shooting an 8 year-old white boy in the face at their apartment complex. Last, a black officer is currently on trial for shooting and killing an unarmed 60 year old white man in the back as he ran from his car during a traffic stop.

Okay… How do you feel now?

Whether the person is black or white, wrong is wrong and right is right…

– Jah Soul

Konscious Thoughts

I want to share this quote with the masses. “You have to become that which you are not before you can become that which you are”. Now at first glance, you might be thinking, “what?” so allow me to expound on it a little.
How would you know tall if there was no short? How would you know hot if there was no cold? How would you know if you were a bad or good person if you never encountered a bad person?
In my younger days, I was not the man I am now. I had a temper, was unfaithful to women and had no regard for my life. But, as I got fired from jobs because of my temper, losing and hurting good women that I dated and putting myself in situations that could’ve cost me my life, allowed me the opportunity to be the man that I am now. These past situations, along with my incarceration caused me to decide that I no longer wanted to be the man I was before. I know what’s on the other side of the fence and what comes with it. I made the choice not to experience that nonsense anymore. I now choose peace instead of chaos, love instead of hate and to seek knowledge and wisdom instead of ignorance and foolishness. I also appreciate these things more because I know and understand the pain and tribulation that comes with its counterparts.
So, do not beat yourself up when you find yourself wearing those layers of cloth that were not cut from conscious fabric. Acknowledge them, realize them and decide if they are conducive with the image of who you really want to be as a person. If it is not, change them immediately so that you may become that of which you are; Konscious…

– Jah Soul

Caught Up

A country boy who was raised in them city lights.
Many fights got my heart right.
And plenty nights, momma stayed up;
worried about me, prayed up.
Could’ve been laid up in them streets
sprayed up.
Back in the day, I lost my way
I tried to creep light.
No one cared about my nightmares, couldn’t sleep tight.
I tell you man, that Boogeyman was a doozy man.
Had me drownin’ in my liquor, I was woozy man.
PCP and THC, lost in a clouded daze.
Them corners and blocks was nuthin’ but a crowded maze.
Callin’ plays from the stoop…
The hood quarterback, clique thick.
Youngin’s wanna be part of that shit.
But eventually I’d see the penitentiary.
A bunch of lonely days and lonely nights.
Pain, stress and misery; was about that life.
Now I’m sittin’ in this cell with strife.
Cuttin’ through my mortal soul, like a butcher knife.
Don’t worry though, because I promise I’ma make it up.
Fight the system until the Governor comes and breaks it up.
Change it up and be the man I was supposed to be.
Stay tuned because I promise there’s more to see…

– Jah Soul

Lifetime Foes

Age and youth do not mix
Age is a marriage, a constant companion
Youth is the hot date, the quick fix
Age and youth go to war like opposing foes
Youth strikes without thinking
Age contemplates strategy and battle woes
Youth is spirited, wild and untamed
Age is calculating, reserved, claiming no fame
Youth is swift like the wolf
with lupine grace
Age is slow like the tortoise
moving in a set direction, keeping steady pace
They cannot, will not live forever
Age cares too much, youth is like whatever
Age is benign, youth I beseech
Age knows many things, youth I must teach
It’s a pleasure to try to make them co-exist
Now I’m experiencing them both in betwixt
As I live each day, I’m learning
Age and youth do not mix…

– Thomas D. Payne

Marvin Gaye

I am tired of this world we are living in.
Dividends… divided unequally amongst many men.
Keepin’ pace with the rat race,taking a toll on your soul.
People think you are rich because your heart is gold.
No relief…so we roll a leaf and light it up.
Or we pour it up and drink it all before the night is up.
Inebriated…God knows we needed that.
Give it everything we got but one day we will need it back.
The American dream, as it seems.
Is a nightmare to many, married to that pretty penny.
Single mothers being left to pick the slack up
because the daddy packed up and left her with no back-up.
This is a curse, the roles have reversed.
That’s why her spine is strong.
Raising those babies by herself and bringing the swine home.
Marvin Gaye… what the hell is really goin’ on?
Where did we go wrong?
And why did everybody tag along?
It’s time we man-up, do more than put our hands up.
Start a real revolution. Get off ya ass and stand up!
Unite as one…
There should never be a separation.
Elevation can be achieved with preparation…

– Jah Soul

What’s in a Name?

Brethren, why do we call ourselves everything under the sun but the one thing we are supposed to strive everyday to be: a man. I’ve heard story after story about who used to do what, be this or was that; but in these conversations I never hear “I was a good husband”, “a loving father”, “a doting son”, “caring brother” or a stand-up person: a man.
I’ve parlayed with the pimps, played with the playa’s, hustled with the hustla’s, swapped clips with the gangsta’s, macked with the macs, jacked dope boys for their sacks, and stole from thieves; it didn’t get me any closer to being a man.
Been a brother to the ones who didn’t have a brother, a father figure to the fatherless, and a friend to ones without a friend. Done broke bread with males considered weak, advised those needing advice. Made friends with those which thought of me as their enemy. What did it get me? I grew some, but still wasn’t a man.
Showed love to people who never loved me back, given to those who never even thought of repayment. Was there for friends and loved ones beck and call. Who was there for me when I fell? I stood alone, still a boy.
While standing alone, it dawned on me that those friendships, kinship’s, imitations and participation earned me nothing because although I used every name and moniker I felt I had to be in my dealings and travel, I still was not a man nor did I ever consider myself to be a man.
I showed the ability to provide, be unselfish and generous. Had attributes that was considered honorable; displayed friendship, loyalty and trust. Doing the things that I was supposed to do, things all considered as having respect. But these things were done all under the false pretense of being everything else but a man. These things didn’t make me a man, actually they made me selfish, self-centered and unilateral in my thinking.
So today my brethren, I say, it is time to become a man. We need to stop calling ourselves names we never meant to be. There is a lot in a name! The world respects men, not those boys that are pretending to be a man. Don’t give yourself a name, unless you plan to live the life of that name…

– Thomas D. Payne

Get Down

In a letter my homegirl wrote me, she made the statement that she believes it is “hunting season on Black Men” and I agree with that. We are being ostracized and dehumanized daily by the media and sadly, by our own actions. There is a solution that can be enacted to diffuse these acts of genocide.

The first thing they teach a student in the police academy is when you are being fired upon, get down on the ground or crouch behind something. Make yourself as small of a target as possible. This action greatly decreases your chances of being shot. So, since we as Black men are being “hunted”, we must make ourselves as small as a target as possible. How can this be done without looking weak? Through knowledge and education.

We must empower ourselves through the knowledge of self and of life. This will in turn strengthen our spirits and our minds. We will no longer feel as if we are inferior or of a lesser value than our counterparts. This will allow us to instill great morals and principals back into our essence and communities; thus elevating our self-esteem, confidence and morale. It will alter how we look at our selves and life.

An educated man is a respected man. Once we are able to climb to the same level of education as our counterparts, we won’t look to them as being superior or “smarter”. We will carry a higher image of ourselves, which will motivate us to want better for ourselves and the people in our community. Education and knowledge enlightens the mind. Right now, we are blindly walking in to the “cross hairs” of those hunting us.

Remember, before they can begin to hunt us, they have to make us look worthy of being hunted. The more despicable and malevolent they make us look, the easier it is to hunt us. The crazier and more ignorant we act, the easier it becomes for them to pick us off.  We must strive to make ourselves look less repulsive so we can look less “killable”.

Let us carry ourselves with dignity and respect. Let us walk a higher path than what we are currently on. We need to stop walking right in the line of fire. Get Down!!!

– Jah Soul

As the World Turns (Upside Down)

Subliminal mind games being skillfully played on the masses.

Bottles of barbiturates given so the minds are more like molasses.

Billboards and blow-up dolls can be found on every block and a dollop of a sexy trollop

will cause the men to flock.

Laced with lies for so long that it’s what we most expect, while morals and principals

are something we don’t respect.

Promiscuous princesses prancing around in place, waiting patiently for perverted

pedophiles to finally give chase.

Children of color dying for reasons not yet shown, being vilified like men,

although they’re not grown.

Down the rabbit hole I go. I wonder what land I’m in.

Where it’s weird to have a good heart, but cool to live in sin

and gangsta’s are continuously glorified, immortalized and praised.

So I ask the question mama, why isn’t this how I was raised?

If bad boys get all the babes, what’s the point of changing over?

Everyone around me is inebriated, so why do I remain sober?

The battle of Cain and Abel; am I my brothers keeper?

Physically we’re growing stronger, spiritually we’re growing weaker.

This world has become peculiar, a testament of times to come.

I just hope it’s some good ones left when it’s all said and done…

– Jah Soul

The Imperfect Perfection

“Usefulness is not impaired by imperfection. You can still drink from a chipped cup” – Greta K. Nagel

~Encouraged by this statement, I was inspired to form a message. Pump the volume higher, please…~

People think because we are locked up and locked down in a chaotic darkness there’s no hope

we are considered useless, no-good, outcast and broke.

It’s far from reality, believe it or not my friend; the pen doesn’t make the man

the man makes the pen.

Most will remain asleep while others finally wake, some will learn to love

some will constantly hate.

It’s a thin line to understanding what should’ve been understood.

The choices we made to be selfish and false, or the choice to be true and good.

There are those who deserve their sentences to the letter, and then there are people like us

who strive to be better.

Many will blame the way they were raised, people they hung around

Creating excuses, half-truths that will always keep them down.

But me and the Kingz on the other-hand admit our mistakes, taking control of our lives.

Regretfully traveled through the darkness and into the light.

They said they could take us out of the hood, but not the hood out of us; why?

Another fallacy, crutch, excuse and a lie.

Couldn’t care less about the hood trappings and those in it

I’m pro-black, love my people, but I am anti-silliness.

“Keep it real”, they scream, no more can I hear the streets

because being real to me is being a better husband, father, and son

Taking responsibility for all I’ve done plus what’s to come.

Been down the rabbit hole, I’m not Alice, I’m done.

With places I’ve been, people and things I’ve seen

Would make the weak of heart, break down crying or even scream.

It made me want to holler like Marvin, a time or two,

from the lowest level I built myself up and managed to pull through.

Transitioning from a boy to a man, I’m doing just fine with this forced hand.

Learned my lessons, amended my transgressions, went to college and received two degrees

Becoming the man, I should’ve been when I was free.

I invite you to witness my change, all eyes on me.  Lost my ambitions of a rider, Hail Mary, follow me.

Like Pac, once upon a time I had a lot to say with no path

Until, they gave me a sentence and I couldn’t figure out the math.

It cleaned my mind, changed my thoughts, perceptions and patterns of living

gave me a willingness to share, that’s why I’m giving

these words that come from my heart without a single pause…

I’m bruised, not broken and far from a lost cause…

– Thomas D. Payne