Talib Kweli, and I'm bangin' on your eardrum.
For all you cats who know me, you probably have discerned that I'm a pretty timid guy, always looking for diplomatic and 'safe' solutions, never wanting to piss anybody off. As much as it's important for me to keep things level and comfy, and give people the respect they deserve...
...sometimes you gotta tell a fool straight up that he's a fucking fool without reservation.
Shattering my former delusions, I realized that you should never bend over backwards to keep on people's good sides and keep them on yours. Because before you know it, you've got your head between your legs and the view ain't pretty. And man is it ever exhausting; there is no respect in the end, and you just pass up a chance or two to cuss a fool the fuck out.
There are so many cats out there acting like surgeons, cutting everybody up like it's their job. As a concerned individual trying to perpetuate societal equilibrium, isn't it the responsibility of me and others like me to make sure these bitches are under the knife themselves once in awhile?
All this may come by surprise, and it sure as hell did to me. I stood up to somebody I've always rolled over for. Not rude, no hard talk, just the straight goods that let him know I was sick of his clowning and he would need to come up with some new tricks if he was planning on scaring me. I was surprised, but probably not as surprised as him.
Maybe I can thank/blame rap music for this sudden paradigm shift. I have been listening to a LOT of it this summer, and these past couple weeks, me and my best buddy Rob have been rolling to this stuff with a beer in hand for DAYS now.
While I don't relate too strongly with the glorification of the 'thug life' as a straight-laced suburban caucasian guy, I know why I like this stuff so much:
Aside from the obvious musical merits of a good rap song, a lot of these rappers/ballers/gangsters/whatever exude something that our generation wants. They are bloody fearless. They will say and do what they need to and aren't afraid to do it. They don't let the haters roll over them, they know what's up and how to keep it up there.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I'm gonna go ape on someone if they look at me funny, or start talking hard to protect myself against peeps who don't like me. But it IS a serious promise to have the self respect to burn the fools who play themselves up to get you down. They only do it because, like any drug, they've done it enough times and it felt good enough such that they won't stop.
I haven't been tested for yeaaaaaaaars, but I always worried about it.
Worry no more - I got a taste of not being afraid, and I wanna come back for more.
But don't panic, you can't function if you livin' in fear.
Pay attention, you gotta listen to hear.
Who the fk you think you talkin' to?
Put you on hold, get a specialist to walk you through.
Bangin' on the system, fighting my kinda war.
Loud as a whisper, quiet as a lion's roar.
Talib Kweli - Listen (check that shit! Too good!)
...sometimes you gotta tell a fool straight up that he's a fucking fool without reservation.
Shattering my former delusions, I realized that you should never bend over backwards to keep on people's good sides and keep them on yours. Because before you know it, you've got your head between your legs and the view ain't pretty. And man is it ever exhausting; there is no respect in the end, and you just pass up a chance or two to cuss a fool the fuck out.
There are so many cats out there acting like surgeons, cutting everybody up like it's their job. As a concerned individual trying to perpetuate societal equilibrium, isn't it the responsibility of me and others like me to make sure these bitches are under the knife themselves once in awhile?
All this may come by surprise, and it sure as hell did to me. I stood up to somebody I've always rolled over for. Not rude, no hard talk, just the straight goods that let him know I was sick of his clowning and he would need to come up with some new tricks if he was planning on scaring me. I was surprised, but probably not as surprised as him.
Maybe I can thank/blame rap music for this sudden paradigm shift. I have been listening to a LOT of it this summer, and these past couple weeks, me and my best buddy Rob have been rolling to this stuff with a beer in hand for DAYS now.
While I don't relate too strongly with the glorification of the 'thug life' as a straight-laced suburban caucasian guy, I know why I like this stuff so much:
Aside from the obvious musical merits of a good rap song, a lot of these rappers/ballers/gangsters/whatever exude something that our generation wants. They are bloody fearless. They will say and do what they need to and aren't afraid to do it. They don't let the haters roll over them, they know what's up and how to keep it up there.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I'm gonna go ape on someone if they look at me funny, or start talking hard to protect myself against peeps who don't like me. But it IS a serious promise to have the self respect to burn the fools who play themselves up to get you down. They only do it because, like any drug, they've done it enough times and it felt good enough such that they won't stop.
I haven't been tested for yeaaaaaaaars, but I always worried about it.
Worry no more - I got a taste of not being afraid, and I wanna come back for more.
But don't panic, you can't function if you livin' in fear.
Pay attention, you gotta listen to hear.
Who the fk you think you talkin' to?
Put you on hold, get a specialist to walk you through.
Bangin' on the system, fighting my kinda war.
Loud as a whisper, quiet as a lion's roar.
Talib Kweli - Listen (check that shit! Too good!)