connecting*the*dots

Artist: Public Enemy (ft. Sister Souljah & Paris)
Song: Hard Rhymin’
Release Date: 2006

==========

[Sister Souljah]
Brothers and sisters, this is not a test
I’ve been asked by Public Enemy leader Chuck D to make this emergency announcement
The police in your cities, for all intents and purposes
have declared open season on black people (hey yo check one two)
Public Enemy was driven into the underground by government forces
However a small resistance is forming
Both Terminator X and Chuck D have resurfaced
Leading a small mobile rebel unit, “The Valley of the Jeep Beats”
(1-2-3-4-5-6)

[Chuck D]
Hard rhyme and the rebel is on the mic
One time, rhyme animal’s on the mic
They’re still keepin, youth asleep an’
We in the hood with heat and still beatin
And we back with the rap that packs the room
Black tracks with the rhythm that make you move
Can’t hush the bumrush, we bust the sound
with these sonic bombs, feel the pressure all around
Raise the level I’m up again rhymin
Ridin on the devil since I began rhymin
Hell we bring back the meat that rap lacks
Cause like I said, we got sold down the river
And I ain’t for these racist wars
A lie’s fed by these TV whores
I know it’s more to news fake the truth
We break through won’t lose we move with Public Enemy

[Chorus 2X: Chuck D] + (Paris)
Hard rhyme when the rebel is on the mic
One time rhyme animal’s on the mic
(It’s P.E. - whattup - it’s on you, brother what’chu wanna do)
(Brother tell me if it’s on, it’s on)

[Chuck D]
Now hip-hop was a gift that lifted up
Loved rap ’til the companies ripped it up
Now the soul is set, we’ve been had like jazz
If you down for change then they take your voice away
And then they tell you the best is white
Co-signed by a nigga that pimped the mic
Make the rule the view that the beef is cool
But what it do is fool the few fools who buy the feud
Keep the people all blind and dumb dancin
Never let a record that wreck become rampant
See the street copycat the crap rap and songs
Not knowin “There’s a POISON Goin’ On”
‘Til the message revealed and I show
But you never get to hear it on the radio
Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, fuck Jack!
Bust that, squeeze, rewind the shit, c’mon

[Chorus]

[Interlude - scratching and samples]
“C’mon now!” DJ Lord
“Here we go again”
“C’mon now!” Guerilla Funk
(Hey yo check one..)

[Chuck D]
We move as a team to keep them demons out
Y’all know what I’m talkin about
See ‘em used, abused, confused us into thinkin that
bein ghetto mean the same as bein ignorant
And so we strive to rise and get by
No peace for the beast we police and shine the light
Culture vanish on the television pimpin those
on “Cribs” in a home that they never own
Damn! Tell me that once again
Radio and the video don’t uplift
Take a stand be demandin all my freedom and my civil rights
Worldwide fight the plan and they genocide
Yes the road is long and hard
And when I’m gone you’ll say I did my part
Keep gunnin, we the crew that never lose
on the ones and the motherfuckin twos, Public Enemy

[Chorus] - 2X

[Flavor Flav]
Hey yo check one two
Yeah that’s right, Flavor Flav takin you back to the next millennium
You know what I’m sayin? Always cold cold kille-enum
You know what I’m sayin? And I ain’t playin
It’s all in the message that we’re layin
I got a secret weapon, you know what I’m sayin?
Let’s take two steps to the rear, we gettin out of here
You know what I’m sayin? Operation Cold Killin ‘Em to the next millenium

Flavor Flav, rock the house

Hey yo check one two

Artist: Public Enemy (Featuring Paris)
Song: Coinsequences

==========

[Intro/Chorus: Paris]
Is it a, coincidence that we ain’t taught truth
A, coincidence that they target the youth
A, coincidence everything is the same
That a message in the music ain’t a part of the game
A, coincidence that we livin a lie
A, coincidence that we only get by
A, coincidence that so many are lost
And do prison time ‘fore we notice the cost

[Paris]
It really ain’t difficult to break the mold
And take a close look at the lies we’re told
Wipe away the facade, see we got to know
See the plot to control and to rot the soul
You can make anybody that don’t read believe
anything that they see on the TV screen
That a lie is reality, the sky is green
That there’s weapons in Iraq, and the President’s clean
When it’s on, thinkin you can trust police
Every black is a beast and our women are cheap
And that brothers gettin murdered is the way of the streets
That it’s normal to die when we still in our teens
And that’s the way it is, what’s the use to try
That school is a motherfuckin waste of time
Slang yay, die young, maybe get rich rhymin
And prison if you black is just a part of life
And that all of America support the Pres’
Religion is the way, and we all full of sin
That it’s better after death if we suffer and pray
Even though they fuck us off in this life today
And that white Jesus hangin on the wall in church
ain’t a part of a lie to keep a brother subservient
And that the whole world need the word “Amen”
Got troops overseas gettin murdered for free
If you buy that shit, I got a bridge to sell
Like I said I’m a rebel, so I must re-bel
And lies be the truth now, war is peace
Like corporations don’t dictate the streets
Like brothers don’t die for the diamond or bling
Like brothers don’t die over songs we sing
Like patri-ots act like the Patriot Act
While we swing on this bitch ’til we break it in half

[Chorus: Paris]
Is it a, coincidence that we ain’t taught truth
A, coincidence that they target the youth
A, coincidence everything is the same
That a message in the music ain’t a part of the game
A, coincidence that we livin a lie
A, coincidence that we only get by
A, coincidence that so many are lost
And do prison time ‘fore we notice the cost

[Paris]
You guilty if arrested and niggaz are thugs
Only good for welfare, murder and drugs
The media is true, with no bias at all
And Fox News ain’t on the President’s balls
That Lacey and O.J. and Kobe and Mike
ain’t bullshit and really do matter in life
That you shouldn’t be insulted they give ‘em the time
but never talk about all this corporate crime
That they generatin news stay loose with facts
Relate fake views that’ll keep us attracted
like sheep so we don’t think, never react
Never question authority, never suspect
Never trip off of why what matters to us
always seem unimportant, and never get love
Why it’s never any money for the school support
But it’s fallin out the sky for these corporate wars

[Chorus: Paris]
Is it a, coincidence that we ain’t taught truth
A, coincidence that they target the youth
A, coincidence everything is the same
That a message in the music ain’t a part of the game
A, coincidence that we livin a lie
A, coincidence that we only get by
A, coincidence that so many are lost
And do prison time ‘fore we notice the cost

[Paris]
They never give real shit space to shine
Just donkey-ass niggaz on assembly line
Cookie cutter pop-slutter make music designed
to pedal Coca-Cola, Motorola and Sprite
No love for the Enemy with video play
But they give Flav a show to take the focus away
from the realest group ever made, whaddya say
when to them it’s Eminem that’s goin down as the greatest?
When the plan is a shame like we makin a choice
Understand it’s a scam who get handed a voice
And it’s only a few and they decide in advance
Like votin for the President and both of them fam
All that “God bless America, and nobody else”
But I can smell racism, however it’s dealt
Know the real shit never miss, see how it’s felt
All around the world, hear the people cryin for help

[Chorus: Paris]
Is it a, coincidence that we ain’t taught truth
A, coincidence that they target the youth
A, coincidence everything is the same
That a message in the music ain’t a part of the game
A, coincidence that we livin a lie
A, coincidence that we only get by
A, coincidence that so many are lost
And do prison time ‘fore we notice the cost

[Outro: Paris]
A, coincidence ex-cons can’t vote
A, coincidence they can’t get no work
A, coincidence that they can’t hold heat
Now they know that they enemy don’t look like me
A, coincidence that we shit out of luck
The consequence of coincidences all add up
When you never know the reason and you’re set up to suffer
The offense is coincidence is never the cause

Artist: Public Enemy
Song: Can’t Hold Us Back

==========

[Farrakhan Jesse Jackson]
Today, we are together
We are unified and on one accord
When we are together, we’ve got power
That is why we gather today to celebrate our own sense of…

[PE]
We spit flows on foes
Listen to the message that ya never know
Got a plan for the man and it’s federal
The rhyme animal, back to play the part again
Clear the madness - and put the message in

D the enemy is back to rip the mic
We come together - so don’t believe the hype
Check my tone it’s a war here at home
We united and strong - and never move alone

We rep justice, equality and freedom now
Put fam first, man woman and child
Never mild keep it hostile ’till we raise
Where we say what we mean and we mean what we say

It’s been a long time coming that we mob as one
Guerrilla funk, hard truth nigga, that’s what’s up
No peace on the street ’till the justice come
From the ballot to the bullet, if it’s on, it’s on

Chorus:
I ain’t lettin nothin hold me back or block me,
they gon’ have to pop me to stop me, see
I ain’t lettin nothin hold me back or block me,
they gon’ have to pop me to stop me, believe
I ain’t lettin nothin hold me back or block me,
they gon’ have to pop me to stop me, my brother
I ain’t lettin nothin hold me back or block me,
they gon’ have to pop me to stop me, that’s real talk on the one

Yo I’m a target I got proof, my building got an ‘X’ on it
Bloomberg threw the hex on it,
It’s like a pistol with effects on it
On a nigga with arrest warrants

Hittin’ pigs in they in they chest quadrant where they vest wasn’t
Now he dead cousin
All you snitches hit the red buttons, we some Uncle-Tom killas
Mini-nina concealers, political cap-peelers for this freedom fo’ rilla

Yo if police stop the whip you got to eat them trees
I ain’t got no ‘G’ to give to these crackers and court fees
You know my steez, security first, prepare for the worst
Never caught slippin’ if you stay on alert

Malcolm X said send send ‘em to the cemetery if they touch you
A revolutionary virtue - a dull blade’ll hurt you
I’m up early workin’ my machete
In war, it ain’t no warning, you just got to be ready

Chorus:
I ain’t lettin nothin hold me back or block me,
they gon’ have to pop me to stop me, my nigga
I ain’t lettin nothin hold me back or block me,
they gon’ have to pop me to stop me, my nigga
I ain’t lettin nothin hold me back or block me,
they gon’ have to pop me to stop me, you see
I ain’t lettin nothin hold me back or block me,
they gon’ have to pop me to stop me, yeah

It’s bigger than rap-
You really think you gon’ be left alone
On sayin’ that you believe and ain’t gon’ have to get your scrap on?
Then yap on, and we’ll see if that’s the right route
While I get my clap on and turn snitches lights out

I tried to be nice, now we gon’ have to bleed ‘em
I’m willing to do a killin’ for the price of freedom
Comin’ from the left, nigga, hood is how we kept it
So prison or death is just something I done accepted

So we’ll murder a snake, and we’ll kill a skunk
This ain’t the word of a fake, it’s Guerrilla Funk
So right now is the time and your turf’s the location
Y’all about to see the Rebirth Of a Nation

Even if some got de-rebelized
The revolution still will not be televised
U.S. Government tellin’ hella lies
And it’s evident when you look in this president’s devil eyes

Chorus:
I ain’t lettin nothin hold me back or block me,
they gon’ have to pop me to stop me, yeah
I ain’t lettin nothin hold me back or block me,
they gon’ have to pop me to stop me, nah homie
I ain’t lettin nothin hold me back or block me,
they gon’ have to pop me to stop me, my brother
I ain’t lettin nothin hold me back or block me,
they gon’ have to pop me to stop me, that’s real talk on the one

[Farrakhan Jesse Jackson]
That is why I challenge you now to stand together
Raise your fists together
And engage in our national black…
Do it for courage and determination
I am! (I am!)
Somebody! (Somebody!)
I am! (I am!)
Somebody! (Somebody!)
I may be poor! (I may be poor!)
But I am! (But I am!)
Somebody! (Somebody!)
I may be on welfare! (I may be on welfare!)
But I am! (But I am!)
Somebody! (Somebody!)
I may be unskilled! (I may be unskilled!)
But I am! (But I am!)
Somebody! (Somebody!)
I am! (I am!)
Black! (Black!)
Beautiful! (Beautiful!)
Proud! (Proud!)
I must be respected! (I must be respected!)
I must be protected! (I must be protected!)
What time is it?!
When we stand together, what time is it?!

Blogging is a strange beast.

I was on ScriptingNews yesterday, reading Dave Winer’s spot-on post about Google web clips. Frankly, it surprised me that it was a new feature to him, as I’ve had it displayed above my Gmail client for what seems months now. Maybe Google is releasing features in chunks of user groups? I digress…

Just as I began to create a post about the differences in my mental model when I’m searching for information and performing specific tasks to accomplish a specific goal within an application (with the former being the proper place for RSS advertisements [which is what they are] and the latter a place that should be free of such junk), I happened upon his post which used an out of context quote from Tara Hunt’s post as a lead into a somewhat self-aggrandizing post. Well, that shifted my posting focus.

Within 10 minutes I had moved from one blog to another, uncovering the gist of what her quote actually referenced. In the end, I found myself watching a 3 minute-long clip of Mena Trott and Ben Metcalfe going at it at Les Blogs conference in Paris. This somewhat common interaction in the midst of a conference (speaker and attendee getting worked up in debate) was different because it came into being due to the backchannel IRC conversation being presented behind Mena, which led her to call Ben out of the audience to back up his off-comment.

So instead of dropping a UX post, I found myself clued into who Ben Metcalfe is and this practice of presenting IRC conversations "to add texture" to a conference presentation—a practice which, I feel, is completely fucked up. Don’t agree? Feel free to create more noise for the sphere to devour. Monitoring the sheer amount of conversations that posted following the Mena-Ben exchange has been almost humorous. Yes, this post is my second referencing the “event.”

Look, blogging is empowering; it connects us individual human beings, allowing us to have a voice within the mass markets of consumerism. To Dave’s point, it’s also a hell of a lot more than that, as human behavior is impossible to predict or map out. The great thing about the blogoshere is that there is little to no organization or editorial control across blogs, but a snapshot of the conversation across the blogosphere might tell a different story.

We’ve already moved beyond the purist definition of a blog (or a web-log) into a sphere peppered with collaborative blogs, some laced with specific editorial agendas, others serving as a virtual world for friends in the real to pool their perspectives of the world. This evolution begs a bunch of questions to be asked:

• What happens to these voices in this ecosystem as the blogosphere continues to evolve?
• Is there a tipping point for these new blogs to leave the support system of the blogosphere and enter the capitalistic fray of the mainstream media?
• What signifies that initial shift; a weekly email between contributors agreeing upon editorial direction and goals, possibly?
• How about an advertsing or revenue model that only subtly effects the subject matter of posts?
• A blog isn’t a blog simply because of it’s posting and interactive features… or is it?

Are we moving towards creating more brand in the ether or is it the first step to creating grass roots, organized, activism with a catchy name to evoke information scent within the greased-palm structure of the mainstream media?

Oh, and about social tagging…