As this JENA 6 story grows more and more everyday, I start to wish that I will wake up soon from this nightmare that something this racist can still go on today. Why do I still live in this type of country. How can our kids grow up in this. But I realize that I am not dreaming, and this sh!t is real. Its also as American as Apple Pie. Its not only JENA 6, for some time now I have noticed the backtracking that has occured in the media an in Hip Hop. Like someone gave them the cue that racism was okie now.

Take for instance FLAVA FLAV. This Summer on Comedy Central, they aired the FLAVA FLAV ROAST. Theres no real reason to defend Flava Flav, being that hes brought back the Mistrel Show back to modern tv, but watching this show made me realize that we all are being bamboozled into another Civil Rights Movement, and it looks like its gonna be against our own people.

JENA 6 is not a surprise, I just think that we are all being just too naive to exactly how racist this country is. It was built on racism. We are in the belly of the beast here. Thats why i'm actually kind of scared for Barrack O'Bama. I was scared when he spoke at Washington Square Park last week in NYC. The Ku Klux Clan is not extinct. There are many people who rather Die than see this Half Black man take the white house.

If the Next Presidential Election is Going to be btween Barrack and Hilary, then we are just gonna find out what America is more of, either Racist, or Sexist, and thats the only thing it will prove. Dont be fooled and dont believe the hype!

"El patriotismo require la ofrenda y en esto no hay parcialidad. O todo o nada." 

Today marks the b-day of one the greatest Independance fighters of Puerto Rico's Time. My aunt, my grandmothers sister Titi Tere, used to roll with Don Albizu back in day and she used to tell me stories about him, She was a member of the PNPR. She used to tell me about when he used to come over for dinner and how inspiring he was. Everyone at that time would follow him to the death, and some did.

His fight still continues today. We still fight for a FREE PUERTO RICO.
please visit September23.org for more info

He was called "El Maestro" by all who loved him and valued his leadership. Pedro Albizu Campos was the most prominent Puerto Rican political figure of the 20th century, a National Hero who sacrificed his life for the freedom of his country. Under his direction, the Nationalist Party of Puerto Rico became a major force in the fight for independence. A powerful speaker, thousands would gather to listen to his passionate discourses of freedom. He urged the Puerto Rican people to reclaim their cultural history and national symbols such as the flag and the national anthem.

Pedro Albizu Campos was instrumental in winning an island wide sugar cane strike and exposing secret medical experiments sponsored by the Rockefeller Institute. He developed the theory of non-collaboration (retraimiento) with the colonial structures, i.e. boycotting elections and military service. He soon became a target of the colonial forces and was arrested and charged with seditious conspiracy. From the mid-thirties to the early sixties, Pedro Albizu Campos would be in and out of U.S. prisons (25 years). During his incarceration, he repeatedly charged that he was a target of human radiation experiments. His skin severely swollen and cracking he covered himself with wet towels. Jailers thought he was crazy, but today there is proof that radiation experiments did take place.

He never accepted the United States rights to govern in Puerto Rico. He did reach that "Éif they won't listen to legal reason, then we must take up arms against the invaders." When he issued his call to arms, he cited as legal precedents the Boston Tea Party and the drawn sword of George Washington. Ironically, he also mentioned that Luis Muñoz Rivera got Puerto Rico's Autonomy from Spain by means of a threat to take his case to the U.S., both parties understanding that the liberal Yankees, would sympathize with the concept of independence. It is curious to note that both Cuba and the Philippines where the Spanish/American War was fought were granted their independence. Only Puerto Rico where there was no major fighting is still controlled by the U.S.

Because of his teachings, the Puerto Rican people and the Latino world called, Pedro Albizu Campos, "El Maestro". He was the first great Puerto Rican theoretician of anticolonial thought and the first to describe the contradictions of the colonized. Today there are parks, streets and schools named after him. Institutes and scholars study his work as well as activists look to his example to continue their struggle for Puerto Rico's independence. People of all ages wear T-shirts adorned with his picture and famous quotes. In all the major struggles presently taking place in Puerto Rico you will always see and feel the presence of "El Maestro" at a demonstration or at rally.

I'm a big Fan of Real Time with Bill Maher, watch it kinda religously. Last week They talked about the infamous Miss Teen North Carolina Speech that has been all over the internet. What was hilarious and sad at the same time was when they compared it to a speech by George Bush in 2004. Watch for yourselves people… Makes me shake my head….

How can this country have a leader like that?

 Real Time with Bill Maher check your local listings…

Shoutout to the sister(and i mean everyone's sister, even yours)Marineives Alba for getting the post about GRITA before me…heres my lil take on it and Latin Hip Hop…

 What do we really consider "Latin" Hip Hop? Is it just Hip Hop in another language? Is the language barrier the reason why it deserves its own sub-category? Who exactly is to say that english is the primary language for Hip Hop anyway? I have had many conversations about this topic recently and in my opinion I truly believe that "Latin" Hip Hop is more hip hop than any other hip hop especially American hip hop right now. It deals with the roots of hip hop and what it should be, a voice of the people. Most "latin" hip hop artists(not reggaeton artist, wutever that means) talk bout the social issues of their country, and their culture. I feel thats exactly where todays "American" Hip Hop should be. So some may argue that there is no language barrier, its all the same language, the language of HIP HOP, no matter what dialect.

An example of this took place on Sunday Aug 19th, at the world famous S.O.Bs in NYC. A gathering of International Latino Hip Hop Artists convened to put on the show GRITA || SAY SOMETHING. A Hip Hop Politic Show, and a show that NYC has not witnessed in a long time. A show that put the faith back into HIP HOP in general. The lineup consisted of Boca Floja from DF Mexico, Intifada from Puerto Rico, Chilean and Boriqua Rappers that make up REBEL DIAZ and the Foundation Movement out of Boston. All students of hip hop but on this night, we were the students.

This also brings me back to a the same topic that the Legendary DJ Disco Wiz(I like to call him Uncle wiz) raised to me and other peers in the game. You can chek it out here. While writing an article he asked us all "What Hip-Hop means to you, and what the Latinos Role in this movement has meant to you, the problems you see, and what you would like to see changed?

So this was my response:
I don't really like to make that segregation in Hip-Hop, being that Hip-Hop was born out of blacks and Latinos in the Bronx. When we say Hip-Hop, Latinos are already included in just those two words. To me Hip-Hop has always been a forum for the people; it was always about talking about what was on our minds and what's around us, even if it was just a emcee at the party over the mic, talking about everyone in the party. It manifested into our very own vehicle for consciousness around us. There was no music at that time that inner city youth can really relate too; I mean the BX was a disaster. Between crime, poverty and illiteracy, no music was really relating to that.

I really believe that the same manifestation is occurring all over the world, I mean Hip-Hop is everywhere, Africa, Mexico, South America, Central America, Europe, Asia, Middle east, etc. It's reflecting the societies it comes from. Latin American Hip-Hop is on the rise, because it's a reflection of their struggles now, just like how Hip-Hop started in the states. I really hope that Hip-Hop in the US will teach them what road not to go down. I always thought we should look at Hip-Hop as if it was our child, because it is, WE MADE THIS! You shouldn't disown your own child for mistakes they made or are making. You gotta let them make those mistakes and let them learn from them to grow. Hip-Hop is growing up; the people are using it to change worlds.

Right now, exploitation of Hip-Hop is on a decline, the music industry is not doing that well, and I think it's because of people not willing waste their money on glitter and gold. These corporations don't have a grasp on what Hip-Hop really is, and down the line it has reflected. They lost it. Everyone is starting to realize it. These big record labels are like the uninvited White boy who can't dance at the hip hop party. I really do believe we are trying to take it back, Underground is bigger than mainstream right now. People are pushing that real Hip-Hop without labels, that's the essence of it. Especially in Latino America. We got Boca Floja out of Mexico, Siete Nieve out of PR, from Cuba, we got Anomino Consejo, Obsesion, Orishas, EPGandB and the list goes on! The whole Cuban Hip-Hop Movement was crazy, and Cuba is the Bronx circa 1973. That's what makes it so real. I believe in Hip-Hop and waiting on it to come full circle. Watch!

Check out the photo gallery of all our progress renovating our new storefront. BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS have gone into this shop, we should of had our own reality show…
Click here for the Photo Gallery

A new concept shop from the people behind 1SOULDESIGNS, REBELUTION & E.Soto. Providing the community of Williamsburg, Brooklyn a fresh venue to experience a new inspiration in grassroots/independent artistry. Part time Gallery/Retail/Print shop, FRESTHETIC aims to serve the people with a new shopping experience and services aimed at helping the prosperity and progress of the Brooklyn community.