High Stakes, I Got More At Stake Than Philly…

Last seen out of state where I drop my slang
I'm deep in the South kickin up top game
Bouncin on the highway switchin fo' lanes
Screamin through the sunroof - money ain't a thang

O-KAY- Run it on down!

Yo, it’s Monday. You can tell cause there ain’t a fucking haiku here. Lucky showing off his ole’ fancy ass book learnin’. Like a good evil henchman! I’m so proud. *sniff*. I’ve created yet another arrogant son-ova-bitch. Oh, happy day!

And can I say, for the first time this season, “E-A-G-L-E-S!!! Eagles!” I love this game. As a result, there will be a lot of Philly love up in this jawn today, nah-mean, Ak? What’s good Fam?

Now, today I am gonna answer your questions, all two of them. Then I’ll have some room left, cause I’m concise that way.

T, who was thoroughly disgusted with my “Uncle Tom-like” blind defense of Condi Rice insightfully asked:

"People might not get all they work for in this world, but people work for everything they get."

If this is the case, how do we (believers) reconcile this with a "just God?" How can someone sleep at night with the idea that "I might sow something and not reap anything for it!" Does this not promote a "what's the point?" attitude? Not to get too deep, but I'm just wondering your take cuz this is something that troubles me deeply.

Success is never guaranteed. Sometimes we toil for things that we do not realize. Often for reasons outside of our control. I wanted to graduate law school first in my class. I didn’t succeed. Hell I failed. But, I graduated Cum Laude. My ring is enscribed Cum Laude to remind me of both my failure AND my achievement. And in some ways, graduating Cum Laude was more of an achievement than if I had been first in my class, BECAUSE of what I overcame to do it. The quote isn’t designed to challenge the idea of reaping what you sow, it proves it. I worked hard but got out-worked.

And I think that is the point. I didn’t work hard enough. So I didn’t earn what I sought. Even though by working hard, I earned more than most.


Hostess – the woman who outranked me on the Top-Ten blogs, but whom I aptly named (we talking licensing agreement, right lady?) asked – and then had the temerity to answer (on her page nonetheless—Oh, the humanity!):

What's more important for a young Black man in America? Following his dreams (i.e. rap music) or gaining a marketable skill?

I will say this one time, and one time only. I have a favorite poem. (See, I am intellectual like that. I like art, poetry, music. A renaissance man, like the black Ben Franklin – without the gut. And this is a “Philly Stand Up!” Subliminal digression. Get it? Ben Franklin? I swear, niggas need to read a history book once in a while. Sonny “Two trademarks in one sentence”Redd.) One that shaped my life and that I will share with my son. The good news is that only the first line answers your question, Hostess.

The trick is, to live your days as if each one may be your last
(for they go fast, and young men lose their lives
in strange and unimaginable ways)
but at the same time, plan long range (for they go slow; if you survive
the shattered windshield and the bursting shell you will arrive
at our approximation here below of heaven or hell). ...
"Advice to My Son" by J. Peter Meinke

Pursue your dreams, and prepare for your tomorrows. That is my advice to every young black male. I mean, there are several rappers who have degrees -- Lauren Hill, Tracy Lee, Master P, Chubb Rock (Ph.d in Biology), Kool Moe Dee and Roxanne Shante (Ph.d. in Psychology). And many more who have gone to college and had their career blow up while in school – Puffy, Jada Kiss, Ice Cube, Chamillionaire, David Banner, Bun B, Lil’ Wayne (yes Weezy), Russel Simmons, Kurtis Blow and the most famous one—Kanye West. So there is no reason why a young man cannot do both. Hell, nowhere but in college do you have time to pursue your dreams like that anyway. That’s my $.02. That was fun. Ask more!

And speaking of Kanye… In the words of the great negro poet Kwame, “One of these kids is doing his own thing…” and Kanye ain’t it.

Seriously, can there be any doubt that Kanye West ain’t shit but Kwame all over again? If you doubt me, peep this:



I mean its all there – the arrogance (a positive quality), the fashion (polka dots? You niggas know you wore ‘em), the decidedly un-gangsta approach, both rep outside of New York (Philly Stand Up! Does a pattern emerge yet?), the “K” names, hell, the use of their own names? Shit. It is clear, and I say it here and now – Kanye West is nothing but a modern day Kwame biter!

Need more proof? Here!




Now then, some of y’all work in government installations, and “Youtube” is blocked. Sucks to be y’all! But for my final point, I want you to put on your thinking caps (so I’ll assist).

You know, one of the repercussions of feminism (and there are many) is that women, the fairer sex, have begun to view men as a tool. We are a means to an end for many women. And hell, I have no real objection to it. Do you, ma! Don’t expect me to succumb to such manipulation, but God bless with all that. Let me know how it turns out. (But ladies, you reap what you sow. And when you are paid for, you are property.)

I remember when “get money” broads first came into style. Must’ve been around 87-88. By ’89, it was an epidemic. I blame the ugly crack dealers who had no shot at a woman, unless he tricked off $150 on a 8-Ball jacket. Shit, and real hustlers would trick off $300 on a Pelle Pelle. Me? I had my Alpinas, my little herring bone, Sergio Taccini sweatsuit, 3 parts in my eyebrows, and a natural stinginess. THANK GOD for the stinginess. (Oh, don’t sleep, I was reppin’ Philly HARD! Philly Stand UP! And this is a thematic digression!)

Anyway, to my point. A small beef emerged among two groups of rappers in Philly around this time. Ironically, at the time, they were all part of the same crew – the Hilltop Hustlers.

See, Three x Dope (3 x Dope, 3D, Three Times Dope – for Google Searches. Sonny “I really don’t understand why y’all spend the time to chronicle the shit y’all do, and then hide from the world by putting periods in your shit. If you’re hiding shit, get a myspace account. Nobody will see you there”Redd) dropped their album in late ‘88 early ‘89. The lead single was a song titled “Greatest Man Alive”, and introduced the world to the way we wear our hair in Philly. Like who you thought Bobby Brown got the Gumby from anyway? (Philly Stand Up!)

Well, for their second single, they released a song that moved me – deep in my heart. Spoke to me in ways that no song has ever compared with. Ladies and gents, I present “Funky Dividends” Play the video. There is a point)





For the government employees, I’ll give you a verse:

It's a shame nowadays you've got to stay paid.
It ain't like the old days, when you could serenade.
Take walks with your girl at night in the park,
And in the shadow, secretly steal her heart.
But the new wave 80's has everything reversible.
Instead of walks, you drive a Cadillac Convertible.
Two's bound to kill you, all you need is one
To constantly bug you to get her hair done.
Every weeks a new style.
She's always got to rock it.
Like a Super Bowl sack, she's tackling your pockets.
But when you want to chill, you find that something always blocks it.
You're looking for your wallet, but your girlfriend’s got it.
I tried to put you D [own], cause you was my friend.
You didn't listen. Now she's got you for your dividends.

Simple right? "Love shouldn’t be used as a personal Visa card." Classic! This is 1989. A simpler time.

Well, there is an interlude in the song (remember when songs had interludes and not Lil’ Jon screaming “O-Kay!” er’ three seconds? This? This is a “I still hate sourthern rap” digression) wherein, EST (the rapper) is discussing the situation with his girl, Michelle. Michelle explains:

When I was with Steady B, I had it all: Gucci, Louie Vuitton, gold, Liz Claiborne. I had it all. You ain't giving me nothing.

The dilemma faced by the young rapper (these niggas were in High School! Olney! Philly Stand Up!) is that he wants a relationship that is more meaningful than how much money and things he can provide her.

Now, the inside ghetto secret is that this song, and a line in “The Greatest Man Alive” were both directed at another emcee from the crew, Cool C.

Cool C was a local legend in Philly. He dissed the entire Juice Crew way before some cat from the South Bronx named KRS repped his borough, and tore down a Bridge. (For the confused, ask in the comments and it shall be answered.)

Cool C had been bullshitting on his album. The story goes that he was chasing after a lady instead of recording. I am sure he is neither the first nor the last, but no one learns from other’s mistakes.

In an effort to defend his position, Cool C led off his album with the single “Glamorous Life” (Yes you HAVE to play it):

First of all you got to have money
Just in order to be her honey
But hey, that’s down my line
Cause I like a girl that’s fine
Give her anything that she wants
Gold and money so she can flaunt
And show that
She got Gucci, Louis Vuitton
MCM styles of every kind
Mega Designs, Alpinas
This girl man, you gotta just see her…

Well, not to be outdone, Cool C’s interlude has Michelle telling her “new” beau:

When I was with Steady B, I had everything. I was rollin’ phat—livin’ large. I had all the luxuries of life. But when I was with that nut EST, he ain’t give me nothing!

Some love triangle, huh?

Coupla’ points need to be made here.
One – Mega Designs and Alpinas were sunglasses. I had both. I was – and am – the shit.
Two- I bet many of y’all have heard “Glamorous Life.” Or even remember when that third rate rapper with dyslexia – Fabolous (And there will be a generation of our children who will never be able to properly spell the word again. This is a lamentation digression.) co-opted the gang call of the Hilltop Hustlers…“Ohhh-OOOO!”
Three- The Cool C video is a direct ancestor of the bullshit videos we have today (Philly Stand UP! Or Sit down…) It had all the elements: Many uneducated negroes with gaudy jewelry, rented vehicles and the ubiquitous video ho. Shit, that could’ve been an Usher video.

Compare that with the subdued and poetic “Funky Dividends”, no jewelry, one car (with deep dish hammers- Philly Stand Up!) that couldn’t have been rented because one didin’t rent a car with rims in the 1980’s, no video ho…well she was acting ho-ish, but I digress.

My point to this long-winded diatribe?

I have none. I was just traveling Broad Street, and making a right onto “Memory lane,” remembering my home town.

Oh, but there is a moral to the story.

Cool C, the tall and generous rapper in the video holds the unique distinction of being the only rapper on death row. Seems that he and the ever-popular Steady B robbed a bank and in the process, killed a police woman. Well, at least that’s what Steady B said when he testified against his partner.

And y’all niggas thought C-Murder (I tell ya’ don’t use the letter “C” as part of your rap name. C stands for Cursed.) was hard. Philly niggas don’t be appealing no shit. And them LA niggas don’t know shit about Death Row. Philly niggas is hard, Ak! Nah-mean!

Meanwhile, “nut-ass” EST is lampin’ here in Miami. Writing Songs with Scott Storch! I suppose it is a shrewd move to keep your money in your pocket, and your eye on the ball. (Sonny “See, all my posts have a lesson. Today’s lesson is, Philly Stand…oh, I mean, stay focused. Don’t let the opposite sex fuck you up. Shit has consequences, man – AND the title is a double entendre” Redd.)

I suppose the moral is, tricking off cash on the opposite sex can lead to consequences. Tricking off time is equally dangerous.

One last thing...


PHILLY STAND UP!