The amusing musings of Karl Nova

My New Single "More Than Just Music" OUT on iTunes & Amazon NOW!

2012-03-05T14:00:00.001-08:00

It's more than just music it is a movement
In some ways this is recruitment
So while you're tweeting and youtubing
Or facebooking I'll share a few things
I used to think I needed a gimmick
some kind of image for me to mimic
Now I get the picture vivid
I take steps of faith remove the limits
And know that you have been distinguished
I'm a human torch you can't extinguish
This aint just a song I sing I live this
I pour out my heart everything I give this
If you feel me can I get a witness
as with quickness I handle family business
If you have ears there's a message in this
Rewind, play it back in case you missed it

It's more than just music it is a movement
You need to understand what we are doing
alone with my thoughts like nick I'm brewing
I wrote the vision now I'm pursuing
So right now you must face the music
It's got such flavour you taste the music
We don't waste the music we make the music
My song still remains if you take the music
So you can download this
And maybe miss the reason why we wrote this
It's a song of hope for the hopeless
like a spaceship flying to where hope lives
This movement is an exodus
Move with it love has connected us
Believe me deeply it's affected us
We were dead but you resurrected us

It's more than just music it is a movement
Don't get it twisted its kingdom music
I just said that so you won't confuse it
I'm unplugged from the matrix, acoustic
So let this music take you away
From pain and strain, disdain and hate
You can call this the great escape
Shawshank redemption or prison break
I've broken free because of his grace
He bailed me out I've beat the case
How sweet the taste how deep is grace
Yes he erased all my mistakes
I'm keepin' it real and keepin' the faith
This aint no he say, she say, cliche
More than just slogans that we say
My life is a movie the soundtrack we make

My musical journey so far (Releases and Recordings)

2012-03-05T13:55:00.001-08:00

The very first official single I released for sale was "I Still Believe (take 2)" featuring Kirsten Marie and Kiwi. It was produced by Victizzle. It came out on my birthday September 13th, 2008. For me it was a major step.

I Still Believe take 2 feat Kirsten Marie & Kiwi by Karl Nova

That single was the lead off single for the original version of just as I AM: The Prequel and this was the album cover

It was released in April 2009, It was my baby and folks liked it, it went to no. 49 on the itunes hip hop chart with hardly any promotion but I was advised by close folks that due to some of the songs having uncleared samples I should pull it or get sued (well maybe) so I did and released the songs with some other songs as my Deleted Scenes Mixtape

Deleted Scenes Mixtape (Deluxe) by Karl Nova

In between those 2 projects I released "Skanksgivin' EP" which had dance tracks. I was really into the whole funky house/bassline/dance thing in 09. It went to a whole other level when I went to a Basement Jaxx concert, in fact after that gig I went into the studio and banged out like 4 tracks in a session! You can still get "Skanksgivin" on itunes, amazon and all digitalstores and even listen to it in full on Spotify.

I felt so disappointed about having to pull just as I AM: The Prequel that I re-released it with 6 new songs to replace the ones I couldn't sell

<- click on this to purchase music from myself on itunes

All this shouldn't be mistaken for the new project I've been working on which will be way better in quality than all I have done so far and I plan to shoot videos, do a short documentary and properly promote it since I have got some kind of backing for it.

For now the single "more than just music" from my upcoming album will be out soon and this is the dubstep version below!

While I am getting my new album and single ready, Download Outside my bubble mixtape by clicking on “Outside My Bubble (Side A)”

OUTSIDE MY BUBBLE (SIDE B)
Outside My Bubble (Side B) by Karl Nova

The Straw Man (Poem)

2012-02-28T05:58:00.003-08:00

We arranged to meet
Face to face
To go toe to toe
Like in a great debate
We named the time
We named the place
It was all set up
You were on your way
You got there first
I came a little late
When I arrived
I was amazed
I overheard you
Rehearse your case
Then it hit me
Right in my face
For other reasons
Is why you came
This was all part
Of your game
You weren't here
To hear me out
to know what I am
All about
I now know what
You came here for
You came to see
A man of straw.

Epiphany In a Club

2012-02-27T16:53:00.002-08:00

I had never stepped into a club ever. I mean I was a church boy so I had no business being there right? Also the clubs in Nigeria were so gangster that it wouldn't be very safe to go up in there unless you were rolling deep with people who could keep you covered.

There was a club on my street in Lagos, Nigeria called The Dome that had moved in and it brought all kinds craziness to our peaceful street. I once went outside to get some fresh air at night when the club was jamming only to almost bump into the voluptuous booty of someone I realized was a working girl. She had opened up shop right in front of my house along with other hookers that were pitching themselves to men who were pulling up to the club. (The club closed down when there was a shooting there and also a fire has since destroyed the place where it was, true stories!)

Anyway fast forward into the future and here I am in London in my 1st year of University. Part of your welcome as a fresher was a party held in a club so I had to go even if I didn't want to. I got in the club and it felt like a fish being put in the water for the 1st time! WOW! this was my natural habitat alright. You see I am the "Life of the party" type person even though I might come across as deep and reflective! LOL! I went crazy!

After one hit of clubbing, I became a party animal always up in there for more with my boys. I mean sometimes you get a DJ who seems to get into the hidden playlist in your heart and mind and plays all the songs you love! WOW! Apart from that, you find the lovely honeys who get loose on the dancefloor and know how to wind and grind and flex like they have no joints or something. I quickly learnt to get into female sandwiches. I was so lovin' it. I mean some ladies in clubs are WILD! I was once just trying to get my dance on and this young lady from nowhere just came and backed me up on the wall like WHOA! I mean she was pretty young too maybe like 19 so it was quite shocking to me. I was so overwhelmed by the gusto she came with that I had to adjust before I could ride THAT wave as the skillful club surfer I was becoming! LOL!

There was one other time that some ladies of caucasian persuassion got me pressed up on the wall and I was like OK! y'all wanna fulfil your chocolate fantasies or something? Go ahead! LOL! hahhaha! As I was dancing outta that some Asian came through with such aggression that it must've been the craziest time I have ever had on the dancefloor. This was NOT normal and I discovered why. A guy who must've been her boyfriend came and grabbed her off me. I quickly clocked that they had just had a fight so I guess she was taking out her anger on the dancefloor and getting back at him using ME as her tool! I guess that is a kind of metaphor for how clubbing is escapism. It's either that or I am getting too deep on y'all again!

There was this OTHER time in a club that was PACKED to the point that dancing was scaled down to almost eye twitches that I turned around and there was this thick lady who was ON ME LIKE WHOA! She was BIG BONEDED! hahah! she could MOVE too. I mean this girl lifted her leg in the air like ballet even though the place was packed! Another time I flipped around and there was this African American lady who was very light in complexion who said to me with a very strong southern twang "boy how you like my ghetto booty?" I have to be real with you, this girl WAS FINE! I was like, "well I'm about to find out right?" Yep that was me always quick with the corny lines! LOL! It was all fun at the time.

I would club on saturday and come and get my praise on Sunday morning in church and it became normal. I guess it was the novelty of the experience that kept me coming back. There was a student Christian fellowship on campus that I used to attend and because I could sing they made me lead praise and worship. They also knew that I went clubbing and some of them dissapproved but did it stop me? HELL NO! I was lovin' it. I mean some people need to get high on something to have a good time but me? Nope! The THOUGHT of getting my grove on sent me into cloud nine faster than crack ever could! *he pauses on the word crack chuckles to himself then moves on*

There was one time some girl challenged me to a drink contest and we went at it. We were drinking some strong liquor that had gold flakes in it and she knocked back 12 shots like she was sipping water. I was like "that aint nothing" I knocked back 7 shots and the world started spinning. We then went clubbing and I ended up snogging this girl who I had this drinking competition with, who I DIDN'T even like because I was tipsy! LOL! When we left the club it's as if the spell broke because we boys developed a maxim that says "whatever happens in the club stays in the club" so trying to meet a lady and get into something real in a club situation was dumb as far as we were concerned back then!

You can guess what happened right? The say anything that is new can get old and one so one day in a club I had some kind of strange epiphany. I was tired of getting loose on the floor and I went to have a seat. This DJ spinning was wack because he started playing some trance/techno music and it wasn't doing anything for me. I then looked across the floor and saw all the people there getting loose and it just looked like the same old crowd. It then hit me that everyone was just seeking an escape. It kinda struck me how empty it was. It kinda hit me that I WAS SEEKING ESCAPE too. The whole scene could even be substituted to any kind of place people are whipped into a frenzy and lose their minds. I mean it didn't look too different from church down there in some ways. In church people seek escape too. There is nothing wrong with getting your praise on OR your dance on either but I had to face the fact that maybe I was just trying to escape from something. This is where the lines from a poem I wrote called "Escapin' from escapism" came from:

We all want to be free, but isn't it amazing

How escaping through escapism leads you to seek

escape from escapism

it becomes another prison you seek to escape from

some seek escape in the club getting their groove on

some seek escape in the church getting their praise on

i've tried both and this is my conclusion

they can both be the same thing with Gods exclusion

After that the novelty kinda died. I still went clubbing in fact I even performed in clubs a couple of times and some bars too but the whole fervour I had (which was probably because it was a novel experience to me) kinda went.

Am I saying that clubbing is wrong? not at all, I'm not here to tell anyone that, that is NOT my job! there are some people who would wish I would come out and say this is right and that is wrong well my name aint Moses and I don't have commandments besides I am not under the law. The epiphany I had didn't tell me to stop clubbing either it just showed me reality and how things were, from there you grow and as a natural process of life happens, you just mature. Some things don't mean as much as they meant to you at some point in your life and I guess that happened to me.

I still get my dance on, anywhere I feel like it. Sometimes no music is needed

New Beat Demo: "Pounded Yam Riddim"

2012-02-23T08:06:00.001-08:00

Outside My Bubble (Side B)

2012-01-31T10:02:00.000-08:00

Outside My Bubble (Side B) by Karl Nova

This is side B of my "Outside My Bubble" free download. All the beats on SIDE B were made by Phil Mayers, in fact I recorded 7 tracks with him in 2 sessions. Freedome is one of them and it is on SIDE A.

Throwback to the future

2012-01-05T10:33:00.000-08:00

Looks like it is going to be a more music less talk kind of year for me. I have been making beats left right and centre and writing too.

DJ Premier is one of my favourite producers of all time and this is me creating a beat in his style.

No Words (Just Listen)

2012-01-03T12:05:00.000-08:00

I have not been in the mood to blog lately and even in other areas of writing like songwriting I have not been in the mood to write anything either.

I have been making beats though and this one I created recently.

Happy New Year 2012

2011-12-31T16:50:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! So we are in 2012! I pray this is a great year for us all! I haven't really much to say, nothing deep and meaningful! I will live life and as life happens I guess I will blog! For now, face the music and dance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas time!

2011-12-25T06:10:00.000-08:00

I just want to wish everyone a merry Christmas! thanks to all those who have followed my blog this year!! Have a lovely time filled with joy and love!

Oh yeah! Boogie to this, I made this with my iPhone! LOL! I am making a whole mix EP hahahahhaa!

Vicarious: Words I need to really understand the meaning of

2011-12-07T07:53:00.000-08:00

In this media saturated world and in this time that social networking online dominates most of our lives. I have come to realise that there are some key concepts you need to be aware of to navigate through the maze. I have decided to blog about the following terms that stand out to me.

Vicarious
Demonization/Scapegoating
Projection

If you are not familiar with these terms you need to be because they operate in your life whether you know it or not especially in these times we live in.
So I’ll start with vicarious. In this celebrity saturated world, this is something that powers the whole thing and keeps it moving. So what does it mean?

According to the dictionary, vicarious means: “Experienced in the imagination through the feelings or actions of another person” So from this definition it is immediately clear how this ties in with the world of celebrity. Celebrities represent an ideal that fuels aspiration and because of that can drive commerce. They are held up as living the ideal lifestyle you should be living, they are held up as what to aspire to be like and since most of us have no hope of ever being as famous, rich and celebrated as they are, the next best thing is to identify so close with them mentally and emotionally that you almost feel like you are taking part in that ideal by intently following their exploits. This is why they can drive commerce because your money follows your aspirations and desires.

It is pretty interesting the word vicarious and vicar come from the same latin root word “vicarius” which means substitute. A vicar is the representative of the Church of England, basically the leader of a church parish and is supposed to represent God on earth. Since the Church of England is pretty much emptying and people vicariously live through celebrities then maybe it can be said that in a way celebrities have taken the place of vicars. Would that be taking it too far?

The funny thing is that in some churches the equivalent celebrity culture is pretty much mirrored and we have cults of personality that develop around certain preachers and also the movement of money is mirrored too, the only difference is the preachers say it is Divinely sanctioned and withholding money from them is withholding money from God (the whole tithing teaching) They tell us that we are advancing the Kingdom of God when we “sow” money into their ministries which could be possibly going towards their next luxurious car or private jet purchase. (Of course I am being a bit facetious but this does happen)

I could go deeper with this religious aspect because since vicarious is from the root Latin word that means substitute then ultimately Christ is that substitute we should be living through and aspiring to be like and who is actually THE substitute but I would pretty much stating the obvious wouldn't I? Well if you are of the Christian faith, that is the very heart of what you believe.

There’s nothing wrong with aspiration, it is one the most basic things that makes us human, we NEED aspirations. The problem is when we are just mentally and emotionally living through other people and not living ourselves. We end up merely watching, discussing, criticizing, idolising those who are making things happen and not making much happen ourselves. Instead of going out and living out your own moments, you are just living through the moments of others and not just that, these people you vicariously live through are mainly there to drive commerce, so basically you become just a consumer, a prospective customer. You potentially become part of the people that well known quote attributed to Will Smith says, “…… spends money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like”

Outside My Bubble: Behind The Music

2011-12-05T09:11:00.000-08:00

So I released this free download “Outside My Bubble (Side A)” recently. The whole concept of this project started when I began to do creative writing workshops in Schools in 2009 with Student of Life (shout out to “Breis” ) This project is not my new album that is coming out hopefully next year.

When I first started shadowing Breis in schools and learning how to be a workshop facilitator, I realised that the only material I had to perform while doing workshops were my gospel rappity raps which were based on my faith and my moving within the UK gospel scene. In this situation of education and the classroom, I realised that these pieces I had might not be appropriate because I was not in there doing workshops as an evangelical gospel rapping preacher. I had never seen myself that way but here I was in front of a classroom with only faith themed bars and nothing else to say. Nothing to say about life, nothing to say about growing up, nothing that relates to them, nothing addressing social issues, Nothing. I had nothing to meet them where they were. All I had was preachy gospel bars. This realisation was so shocking to me that I had to rely on my off the top of my head freestyling ability to get me through that first session I ever did.

I went home and I reflected and it hit me how over time I have been conditioned by the bubble I was in (the gospel scene) to only view art and expression in an evangelical context. I had bought into the idea that if I wasn’t preaching the gospel in every single one of my raps and poems that anything I wrote would be of no good, of no merit and of no value and that my dear reader I have found out to be a lie.

I know many still hold to this view and that is where the whole “positive gas” train of thought comes from. This is where that “Holier than thou” and self-righteous superior attitude some have comes from towards those who see themselves just as artists who are Christians and not musical evangelists within the Christian/gospel music scene. All I can say to that is to each their own and walk according to your conviction. I’ve already blogged about that (click on Positive Gas?! and read up on the blog I wrote that addresses that in detail)

I always knew that the creative arts were not just for evangelical purposes but having mainly moved within the bubble of church events, Christian youth events, evangelical outreaches, gospel concerts, Christian festivals, Christian tv, Christian radio and church services for a while; I had tailored whatever I created mainly around that. This was not how I began my journey in creativity, this was not the only vision I had of myself but I had allowed myself to drift into this mode of operation and I had become trapped in this bubble.

I am so thankful that working with Student of Life has shaken me up and challenged me to step out of this self-imposed limitation that I allowed myself to get into. I know that my views have made me less popular within the gospel scene but freedom is far better and way sweeter than gaining the acceptance of people who have limited views on creativity and what it is for besides the amazing reward of being able to affect a wider community has been such a blessing to me.

This brings me to this recording. This (SIDE A) of “Outside My Bubble” isn’t actually the material I would do in schools except for “Midnight Run” “FreeDome” “naija 4ever I would be” and “always on the web like a spider” the rest are stuff I wouldn’t use in workshops. This SIDE A is actually made more to show where I am coming from. I had to start inside the bubble and work my way out and from “Midnight Run” onwards in this recording I am coming out of what I would normally do.

The first 5 tracks after the intro were recorded in one session. I was stressed at the time and just needed to vent and get some things off my chest. Those tracks except for “Midnight Run” are very faith related because that is how they came out when I wrote to them.

I recorded so much that the rest of it will be on SIDE B. It will contain pieces and tracks I do while doing workshops and you will be able to see the different direction I take since I found my freedom.

I will end this blog with a quote from Lecrae that sums up how I view myself as an artist:

"I don't do secular music and I don't christian music, I am a christian and I do music" - Lecrae

Download "Outside My Bubble (SIDE A)" for free by clicking HERE

Outside My Bubble (Side A) by Karl Nova

Outside My Bubble (Side B) by Karl Nova

"Outside My Bubble (Side A)" Free Download

2011-11-29T15:03:00.001-08:00

Download this mixtape by clicking on “Outside My Bubble (Side A)”

iMASCHINE Sketches

2011-11-25T07:41:00.000-08:00

So I found out about this new iPhone App called iMASCHINE it is some kind of drum machine, it is really easy to use and even records vocals. I made these beats for these tracks myself and recorded these vocals like RIGHT NOW on my iPhone. I can’t believe it! hahahahha!

I think it will be good for producers or any artist who wants to quickly sketch out an idea that you will later take to a real studio and lay down for real. It sounds ok though.

I did a verse on each track I made and for some reason it loops the same verse again. I am still figuring out how to use it!

More Than Just Music (Karac's Dubstep Version)

2011-11-11T09:25:00.000-08:00

Today is 11.11.11 just like any other day but it was the day I was supposed to released the single I have been talking about for months now. We had some complications and we couldn't release to be on iTunes all digitalstores to be honest I don't actually know all the details concerning why. So I decided to release the dubstep version first.

This is actually my favourite version. Well to be honest I haven't heard 2 of the versions yet lol. So watch out for the main version and every other version dropping in the next couple of days and buy it on iTunes and all digitalstores!

More Than Just Music Part 3: nah for real though, it IS more than just music.

2011-10-25T10:11:00.000-07:00

I am currently about to release the first official single of my new album. The last time I did this was when I released "I Still Believe" on my birthday September 13th 2008. That song had 2 versions, it had one that was just me and the amazing singer Kirsten Marie which is on the album "Just as I AM: The Prequel [Reloaded]" which is still available on all digital outlets and also one that featured Kiwi a lady Emcee straight out of the U.S, in fact that version was made a free download and you can still download it for free at http://www.reverbnation.com/karlnova or the player right here on my blog page

Even though this is the 2nd time I have done an official single release, if you follow me you will know I drop the odd song here or there as I please because like I say the music I make is the soundtrack of my life and I am always creating something. Any song I have let out this year has a story behind it and a reason for it showing up at the time it did. Even if the song is not a "hit" with people it doesn't matter to me because that is not my first priority when I shared it.

That single "I Still believe" is a statement, you see the songs I make are first and foremost statements of where my mind and heart is at. When I dropped "I Still Believe" I was going through the period of losing my religion and wrestling with my relation to faith, God, religion and it was intense at the time, I still go through that sometimes but at THAT time it was quite a defining moment for me. I realised that I still believe in God, Christ and the gospel but I had lost faith in the structure of religion I was dealing with at the time. I was so over it and like I said I lost my religion as it was in that form at that time but thankfully I still had my faith. That is the story of "I Still Believe" it was a declaration of where I was and if you listen to my verse on that it is a position I still hold today.

This new single "more than just music" is another statement I am trying to make. It has been a crazy journey since "I Still Believe" So what am I saying with this? With this track I am tryin to say that though I love music, make music and perform music, I realise now more than ever that it is more than just music that is going on and more than just music that matters. It is so easy to get caught up in the hype and forget that music isn't everything.

Music definitely matters and I respect and cherish this precious gift from God but music can't save my soul, muisc is not the be all and end all. Music is the soundtrack but cannot replace the actual movie of my life that I live everyday. Who goes to watch a movie and treats the soundtrack as if it is the film? that is how it is when music is treated as if it is a replacement for living life. Yeah music is a lovely way to escape for a little bit, but you have to face real life when the music stops. "It is more than just music it's the soundtrack of a movement/so after the music stops we keep it moving"

My roots are in the UK gospel scene and gospel music but the gospel message is more than just music though I feel it is so easy to mistake the two for each other. I value the message higher than the genre anyday and always remember to make the distinction between genre/artform and message/faith. Music aint ya saviour, music can't save ya. Most of what is called gospel music today isn't recognised as such by those way older than me and personally I feel labels and definitions are just too limiting. All I know is I have faith in God, seek to walk with Christ and I rap (and try to sing a lil' bit though for me it isn't a great strength by the high standards of singing black people hold and judge you by) people can call it what they want when they hear it. It is up to them. I just hope it is something beautiful they're hearing. One can only hope because the reception of music is subject to the personal preference of the listener and their perception of who you are as an artist.

It is from this mindset and viewpoint that I made this song. Apart from the art of it I am dealing with the business side or I have been dealing with it for a bit. I don't totally like the business side of things, I am still learning about it day by day, I have a love/hate relationship with the business of music and I think it is because I have such a love for the art of it. They seem to be at odds with each other so much.

I think this conflict arises because once you decide to create a product you want to sell you start trying to anticipate what people will like and buy and this can affect how and what you create and all a true artist wants to do is freely create from the heart for the joy of creating something beautiful. If you are like me that hopes to influence, inspire, challenge thinking and pass on messages (ultimately The gospel message) it can be a problem if you keep trying to cater to what you feel will appeal to people. When I create that is never my first priority because for me it is more than just music, it is the statement of my heart and soundtrack of my life.

Slide Presentation by Dave Kusek on the music business

2011-10-19T10:46:00.000-07:00

This is for the music people out there, no one has to tell you that the music industry is changing at a fast pace. This slide presentation is really good with useful information! Enjoy!

Global Music Business 2011 Updated Dave Kusek

View more presentations from Dave Kusek

R.I.O.T (Radical Invasion Of Truth)

2011-10-17T14:52:00.000-07:00

I came out with the follow piece just thinking about the world in general and what is going on.

There is a cry in hearts for change
Not mere crumbs or pocket change from the weighty pockets of the elite
There is a cry for change
We’ve reached a tipping point where the amplifying cry from heavy hearts seek to tip the scales unfairly imbalanced in the hands of lady justice who still stands blindfolded
There is a cry for change, real change, transformation, revolution, the status quo has got to go,
there’s a cry for newness
No more same ol’ same ol’
We need more than a facebook update or Apple upgrade
We need more than a mix-tape
More than another pop idol on which to fixate
the drugs don’t work, the opiate has worn off
a quick fix and a temporary high
Is not enough
There is a cry for change
But a riot must take place in the heart and mind, true revolution happens inside, a radical invasion of truth from which you can’t hide.

Steve Jobs in his own words (2005 Stanford Commencement Address)

2011-10-06T02:10:00.001-07:00

I won't say anything, in the video below he speaks for himself. It is so inspiring. R.I.P Steve Jobs

my 2nd Net video "FreeDome"

2011-10-03T14:14:00.001-07:00

So the story behind this was shortly after I shot "Translation" I found these cool guys called HoodVideoShop that shoot great videos. We shot a first version which was totally different, it even had a cool concept that I came up with, the only problem is the weather was bad that day and the lighting wasn't great so I had to wait 2 whole months to re-shoot it and this is what we came up with.

Shai Linne Speaks about Christians and art

2011-10-03T04:23:00.000-07:00

I love this and it reflects my point of view at this time.

Happy Independence Day, Nigeria is 51.

2011-10-01T04:48:00.000-07:00

I did this song over a track that samples "water no get enemy" by Fela Kuti. I guess I felt inspired after watching the Fela musical and also by this beat. I have also been reading my fathers book "images of a native son" which is his memoirs and his father and my grandfather Raymond Njoku was involved in helping Nigeria towards independence so it all links and connects I guess.

More than Just Music Mini Doc/EPK

2011-09-26T08:43:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the release of my EPK I am posting this little freestyle. If you haven't watched the EPK check it below and remember this is just Part 1. "More than just music" single will be out soon!!!

Hypocrite!

2011-09-22T05:27:00.001-07:00

Hi, my name is Karl Nova and I have been guilty of being a hypocrite.

The dictionary defines the word hypocrite as follows:

1. a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, especially a person whose actions belie stated beliefs.

2. a person who feigns some desirable or publicly approved attitude, especially one whose private life, opinions, or statements belie his or her public statements.

(Man reading those definitions is so humbling lol)

The word hypocrite comes from the greek word hypokrites which means an actor. Think about that for a minute. We all watch films, sitcoms or whatever. Over here in the UK we have an ongoing soap opera called Eastenders. It gets so deep for some viewers of this show that if they happen to bump into one of the actors on the street they forget that it is all acting. Those who played the villain in the show sometimes find themselves being abused for what they did on the show when it is all just scripted acting. They are acting out a story and reciting lines they didn't even come up with themselves! The reverse happens too, those who played the hero part find themsevles being treated with favour and acclaim not just because they are great actors but because some viewers have bought into the idea that what they are acting is REALLY THEM. This sounds totally crazy but it happens. Think about it in another way, if some of your outward actions are "put on" to gain public approval but in your heart and when no one is looking you are something different isn't it the same kind of thing? Folks will approach you based on some perception they have of you that is false. A perception that you perpetuated.

Hi my name is Karl Nova and I have been guilty of being a hypocrite.

I confess I have made public statements to gain approval and ratings at some points. I must confess one of my greatest fears as one who professes faith is that because I proclaim my faith publicly people might attiribute some kind or righteousness to me like I am some perfect saint when the truth is the reality of my life in a way is more like a druggie in rehab as far as virtue goes. I have been a moral failure and apart from God's work of grace in my life because of Christ and my faith in Christ, I am still that. This is not some kind of false humility either, I know myself, to a great degree I know the depth of my depravity and how low I have sunk to at my worst points. To me it is not just a theological concept. I could tell you what I have done for real but I don't want to use my sinfulness as a badge of authenticity, it is nothing to boast of. I can't front like I am some goody goody. I really can't, I know people who would pull my card in a minute if they wanted to and would expose me as a fraud if I tried to stick my nose in the air and walk around like I am "all that" morally speaking. I am fully aware that I am in a process of becoming a better person. It is a journey that won't take a day, it will take my whole lifetime.

Hi my name is Karl Nova and I have been guilty of being a hypocrite.

Jesus went hardest at the religious hypocrites. ESPECIALLY those that held positions of power and priviledge over people. He went hardest at the religious elite because they were hypocritical. Think about that for a minute. Let that sink in. If you are being held in high esteem publicly because of people looking up to you as some kind of role model or if people are trying to prop you on a pedestal as someone who is supposed to live up to a particular standard (that they are probably not living themselves) it should make you quake with fear and trembling, especially if you are starting to believe your own hype. If you are projecting some image as some kind of moral super hero or some kind of morally upright picture of perfection then you should begin to shake in your shoes with fear because apart from the fact no one is really that perfect, the people who hail you for that today will definitely nail you tomorrow even if they are not living up to that standard themselves.

Hi my name is Karl Nova and I have been guilty of being a hypocrite. Lord have mercy on me! I just want to be real!

"..... got some change?"

2011-09-20T09:35:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had that feeling that you are changing? Or maybe it hits you one day that you no more think and feel about certain situations and issues the way you used to. I am feeling just like that, it is throwing me into some kind of inner turmoil, I am questioning certain things I have believed in and it is truly unsettling.

I don't think it is a bad thing though because it is too easy to get stuck in some kind of autopilot and just live life like you have default settings just programmed into you to be a certain way. Life doesn't seem to permit us to go unchallenged and thank God for that you know? You should be open to being tested in order to grow and sort through certain assumptions you just pick up that you never question. I mean what if your assumptions are wrong? It just feels uncomfortable when you are going through the process of change and let's be real no one likes to be wrong.

Hey what can I say? That's life and change is one of the only constants in it as I have heard so many times, so it is what it is and everything is everything and... [insert any inspirational quote or almost worn out phrase about change here]

I think probably the most unsettling thing about everything is on some level I know that there is a consequence for growing and changing, I know certain choices and decisions I am making or I am going to make is not going to make me acceptable to certain people who might have embraced me before and that is just something I am going to have to accept.

Peace Through The Storm

2011-09-05T04:34:00.001-07:00

It's crazy to think it has been almost a whole month since the UK riots. If you are in London right now you won't even feel like it even happened. The news reporters have obviously moved on to the next hot thing and it seems it's the end of that for now. Even with outstanding questions and issues surrounding the whole thing not being addressed or given a sufficient answer or solution.

Anyway during that time I remember how crazy it all felt. I leaked this dubstep demo track I recorded which was like my soundtrack during the whole period.

I really appreciate all of you my readers much love to you all!!, my official new single "More Than Just Music" is dropping soon as well as some special videos and stuff like that. It is indeed more than just music!

More Than Just Music Part 2: THEY'RE LOOTING! I made you look!

2011-08-11T03:05:00.000-07:00

It's been a crazy time in London, the city of my birth, the place where I lay my head. In fact it's been a crazy time in the UK. It's been surreal. Seeing everything happening around me has been upsetting. It's been a wake up call. The way I've been in prayer has been serious. It's sad that it takes tragedy to do that. In one way you kinda knew this could happen. All that was needed was a trigger, a detonator and the whole shooting of Mark Duggan was just that and now everyone for better or for worse is trying to hijack this bandwagon for their own agenda. Everyone.

When times like this happen it really exposes our hearts. Pressure and distress does that. Now that we have twitter and facebook which really is snitching on yourself and thinking out loud in public, the whole world can have a glimpse into your mind to see what you're thinking. Of course it only gives a glimpse unless you are able to truly articulate your feelings and thoughts in 140 characters. It's not as easy as it sounds because not many can be true like that, although being behind a keyboard or blackberry or iphone or whatever does give people some kind of false courage to say what they would never dare say in person.

Now that things are beginning to quiet down, the question of why this happened is being asked. There's no easy explanation. Please christians just throwing around the word "end times" doesn't cut it. You do that everytime something that causes fear and distress happens. Also just offering the doctrine of "total depravity" doesn't totally explain it either because if it did then how come the rich and well off weren't out looting as well? (well there was apparently a 19 year daughter of a millionaire who joined in and looted £5,000 worth of goods from Curry's) This will need going beneath the surface to fully understand all the factors but the fact is this riot is wrong even if there is some justified anger in there somewhere. Another fact is it is complex. They're many ingredients that went into this bitter and destructive meal we're all being forced to eat, some even to the point of death. How sad.

It's really strange that this whole situation is happening when "Swagger jagger" by Cher Lloyd has gone number one in this country. Cher Lloyd, the x-factor finalist who thinks she's a hip hop artist and ironically does a song which really is supposed to be called "swagger jacker" which is about stealing someone's style. Jacking, stealing, looting. How ironic. She's trying to slip in using "urban" music styles she's been trying to mimic and can't even spell the term she's borrowing properly and she still went number one but the main point is it is more than just music. The young kids of England will eat that up because they see one of their own living the urban fantasy without having to deal with the reality of where the music came from which if you switch from all the bland music channels where her video is playing to BBC News it's all there in it's shocking and quite scary reality.

This whole riot reminds me why grime music finds it hard to blow. Grime in it's "purest" form is just too grimey, too angry and too gritty. It's like the harsh news reports that are so shocking that you want to just ignore it but never can totally turn a blind eye. Basically this riot is what Dizzee Rascal's first album "boy in the corner" looks like if it could be visually represented even down to the shocking sounds he used that just arrest your attention. Maybe there's a connection here. Grime isn't really heard nationally like that right now and most of the top grime artists like Dizzee don't make grime albums anymore that expresses the voice and feelings of the voiceless and marginalized in the UK especially London where he comes from and since "a riot is the language of the unheard" (c) MLK maybe this is the option folks are using to be seen, heard and feel that rush and euphoria that grime music gave when it first blew nationally through the aforementioned Dizzee. Some felt that finally their story was being told and recognized on a wider scale. Of course some just jumped on the bandwagon too without fully understanding it because they didn't live the reality of the streets grime came from. This all might sound a bit far fetched and even sound like I am condoning these riots which I am not doing. Folks need to understand that someone trying to give an explanation is not the same as someone giving an excuse.

It's quite ironic that at this time Guvna B is about to drop his "Next ting 140" compilation album which is a "gospel grime" project and it actually recaptures that authentic grime musical vibe and energy that most of the top known grime artists have abandoned and due to it being labelled "gospel grime" it will probably be limited to the christian audience and laughed at by secular grime enthusiasts as inauthentic or rather grime music for young church folks even though it will be more authentic in the grime sound than the last albums of Dizzee, Kano, Devlin, Tinchy Stryder and Tinie Tempah but it's more than just music, it's about the lifestyle and message it promotes right? The message they carry is what this generations NEEDS.

I do wonder sometimes because gospel music is the only genre defined by it's lyrics not it's sound so it can jump on whatever hot sound is happening and not have a distinct sound of it's own. That's why the terms "gospel grime" or "christian hip hop" don't go down well with me personally even though I understand them and they're not necessarily wrong. I just can't rock with those labels though I back the intention, message and movement 100% regardless. Let's just keep it real and say it is hip hop for christians and grime for christians or maybe I'm being too harsh? You tell me. With all that is happening now, the message the gospel brings is needed more than ever but we need to listen to what this lost generation is saying to meet them where they are. We're from the same backgrounds and neighbourhoods. Well most of us are.

I'm rambling too much but I'll end with the "watch the throne" album which has dropped at the time that London was burning. Many others have reviewed it and talked about it better than I can or care to but I only comment on it because in the UK lots of folks idolise and vicariously live through Jay Z and Kanye. It's amazing. You can see Jay Z's hand movements and stage presentation in the top UK urban artists. It's pretty blatant when I watch them cloning his moves and put their own variations on their best jay z impression.

I've listened to the album and musically it falls short of the hype. Short like a midget in a basketball game trying to go for a 360 slam dunk. It's not that it is wack, it just fails to deliver what the hype promised. It is also out of touch with the people (even though in a few lines Jay Z reaches back to his Marcy Projects origins but those moments are few) Most people over here might not admit that it isn't that great because they live vicariously through these artists so much, they occupy that spot in the heart and minds of their fans and they can do no wrong. It's all escapism, since you don't have the money, power, success, popularity and adulation they have you can easily get caught up in the image because it reflects what you deeply desire. Yep it sure is more than just music that is important because the music on this album isn't that great like the hype would want you to believe, it's all about what the music represents. It's all about the image and idea being projected.

It's more than just music and that's a fact. It's about having a voice. It's about being heard. It's a soundtrack to your choice of lifestyle nowadays. It's a disposable accessory. Since music has to be visually represented and image is actually becoming more important than the music which to most is secondary, it's about being SEEN and heard. That's not necessarily a bad thing because if you have an important message then it's all about the message you want to communicate right? Well not really because if the music sucks it affects how your message is received and if the image and idea it projects is not what the people want then it's even worse because coupled with bad art the message you have doesn't even stand a chance of being given a fair hearing except by those who have ALREADY bought into the image and brand you project. They'll swear your album or song is the greatest thing ever, even if the music isn't REALLY great because you're validating their lifestyle. You're validating their very identity. People want to be seen, heard and not ignored and If you reflect the lifestyle, feelings, image, aspirations, goals, beliefs, values they'll be loyal, because it's more than just music to them.

Is this right or wrong? You tell me.

More Than Just Music

2011-08-04T06:27:00.000-07:00

I have been finding it hard to blog lately. Not because I haven’t got anything to say. My amount of tweets on my twitter show I can chat all day (http://www.twitter.com/karlnova) I have also fallen for yet another social networking website tumblr (http://karlnova.tumblr.com) and I am all up in it posting pics and even little blogs here and there etc.

So what’s been on my mind? Yep you guessed it, music. I have also been reading an amazing book called “Saving Leonardo” which is by a lady called Nancy Pearcey. It is a beautiful book dealing with what exactly a worldview is and how the whole split between secular and secular originated. I highly recommend it because what she deals with is the root of so many arguments and debates I see on twitter, facebook almost everyday.

The books I’ve been reading this year have caused some kind of shaking up of my mind and views towards music, art and creativity. If I am being honest my mind had already been shaken up for probably the last 5 years but these books have put into writing the feelings and thoughts I haven’t been able to express properly.

I’ve always thought that when it comes to art, creativity and music in general the church hasn’t been able to know what to do with them. It seems the value of these gifts are in direct proportion to there function as an evangelical tool. Basically if they are not overtly employed in preaching the gospel then they are useless as far as most folks in the church are concerned. If you’re not a musical evangelist you are not rated or respected at all because evangelical music has been exalted as the supreme musical expression by many. It is used to gauge if you are spiritual and if you will be celebrated and accepted. If you are strong in evangelism you will be rated higher on the food chain in the Christian realm. It’s really sad considering the fact God is our Creator as well as our Saviour and him being our Saviour doesn’t cause him to cease being our Creator. I mean in the bible there are all kinds of musical expression from the worship of the Psalms to the romantic Song of Solomon all the way back to the Lamentations of Jeremiah and even King David just jamming on his harp with no words.

It’s ok to not feel like you have to be a musical evangelist. It’s not an either or situation. Variety of callings and vocations come from God. Even in the “five fold” ministries mentioned in Ephesians it wasn’t just the calling of an evangelist mentioned there. Don’t impose what you feel is your calling on someone else even though generally we are all called to be part of the ministry of reconciliation. We are all to be salt and light in this world. If you're true to faith in your heart it will come out in what you create anyway. It's actually beautiful when it is not forced because you are trying to impress your peers with how spiritual and righteous you think you are.

Like I’ve said before gospel music and the gospel of Christ are not synonyms. Equating one with the other is silly and will lead to all kinds of confusion and weird thinking. You will keep thinking if gospel music tops the charts (which is not a bad thing) that it automatically means the gospel is being “preached to all nations” to some folks gospel music is just black church music (which is one of the things that it is). Gospel music for many remains shorthand for black even in the way it is categorised as a genre in the music industry today. I personally think we need to continually guard against making an idol out of music especially gospel music. Elevating anything to a status above its true value is just making an idol out of it and that cannot be right, it also places unnecessary pressure on those who call themselves gospel artists and in extreme cases it can lead to fans of gospel music making the more gifted, popular and successful out of them “idols” just like their secular counterparts are idolised and when the weaknesses and failings of these people are exposed it causes those who might have idolised these artists to even doubt the very God and gospel they have placed their faith in which is sad. It just shows that they have probably placed their faith in the wrong place to begin with.

One of the marks of being created in God’s image is that we are blessed with creativity like the God we were created in the image of. This is why even someone who isn’t reconciled to God or saved or a Christian can be amazingly creative and gifted (duh! It seems redundant to have to say that but I have talked to people who believe that the devil gave some musicians/artists their amazing creative ability errr no God is the originator of music and creativity not the devil) Acknowledging someone’s talent and God given gift doesn’t automatically mean you’re endorsing their belief system or lifestyle or character flaws or sins. The fall of man introduced sin into the world but it didn’t take away the blessing of creativity from humans. This actually proves that humans still retain echoes of being created in the image of God even though sin has come in to mar God’s original creation. Just like gold nuggets are found in dirt, so also flashes of brilliance and amazing creativity are found in us whether we are “saved” or not. (it really seems redundant to have to point this out)

With all these kinds of thoughts swirling around my head about music it has led me to know even more in these days that this is all more than just music. It is about so much more, mainly what lies in our minds and hearts. The heart of every matter is a matter of the heart.

*short mini EPK/Documentary coming very soon*

New Track: "Always on The web like a spider"

2011-07-18T09:09:00.000-07:00

We spend a lot of time online. It is an understatement to say that this is the internet generation. Social networking has turned it up a notch. I mean imagine how much time we spend on facebook, twitter, tumblr etc etc. If we are really honest it is a lot. It is with this thinking in mind that I decided to have a bit of fun over this Timbaland beat I found which was originally for the track called "Here we come" which samples the spiderman theme tune. Just a bit of fun. I'm gonna put this on a future mixtape.

Always on The Web like a spider by Karl Nova

my 1st ever 'net Music video "Translation"

2011-07-02T05:57:00.000-07:00

I met a cool young video producer who runs a media outfit called Flock Point 7 and I was impressed with the work he could do on the limited equipment he had. So we got together and shot this video guerilla style in central London in an alley right behind oxford st which is the heart of London. It was fun and this is how it came out! I have another on it's way!

The Top 5 regrets people make on their deathbeds

2011-05-31T15:54:00.000-07:00

This was originally in The Observer last year, I found it posted somewhere and just had to share it with you. Basically Ms. Bonnie Ware, a nurse who worked for years with the dying, posted her list of the top 5 regrets people say aloud on their deathbed. This is really deep and quite poignant to say the least. You see these things below are things that are not going to be new to you, they are basic things we take for granted but I think from reading them I realise at the end it is the simple things that will matter.

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people have had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.

It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.

2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.

This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.

By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.

We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.

It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have sillyness in their life again.

When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.

A Piece of Truth (A very short story not by me)

2011-05-16T03:58:00.000-07:00

One day, the Evil One, was travelling with his attendants. he saw a man walking whose face was lit up with wonder. The man had just discovered something on the ground in front of him. The Evil One’s attendant asked what that was and he replied, “A piece of truth.” “Doesn’t this bother you when someone finds a piece of truth, O Evil One?” his attendant asked. “No,” he replied. “Right after this, they usually make a religion out of it.

Jon Foreman's famous comment about Christian Music "It is a Faith, not a genre"

2011-05-03T12:02:00.000-07:00

"For us, it’s a faith, not a genre. We’ve always been very open and honest about where the songs are coming from. For us, these songs are for everyone. Calling us ‘Christian rock’ tends to be a box that closes some people out and excludes them. And that’s not what we’re trying to do. Music has always opened my mind — and that’s what we want.”

“My faith, I mean, that’s such a personal aspect that a lot of times, of course it’s going to come out through the song. But at the same time, I’m not a religious salesman. I feel like God doesn’t really need a salesman, and what these songs are simply my interactions with this life and learning. I guess the bottom line is the songs are really honest, you know what I mean. That faith is going to come through. If the listener is looking for it, that’s definitely a part of it.”

“You’re boxing it in. I would like to think that the music that I make is best with claws and teeth, instead of being locked up in a cage. As a band we’ve always been very deliberate in making music for everyone. And we’ve never changed that. If we’re going to define our music it would just be honest music for thinking people. We’ve always called ourselves a rock band and tried to stay away from anything that would limit our audience. For me, my faith is a really personal, important part of my life, and it’s much bigger to me than a musical genre”

— Jon Foreman, lead vocalist of Switchfoot

Yep it is Easter again

2011-04-24T15:14:00.000-07:00

It's time of the year again, as usual the so called "deep" folks were all out on twitter "kicking knowledge" about how Easter is based on a pagan festival which was held for the spring equinox (Basically back in the day folks worshipped the sun and the equinox is when the day and night is equal in length, it happens twice a year and the days get longer and hotter after the spring equinox) and really is all about the movement of the sun and blah blah blah. So called "conscious" folks claim to be speaking the "truth" to sheep and mindless clones blah blah blah. I've heard it all before and will hear it again at Christmas and again at Easter next year. Nothing new. Same ol' same ol'

The fact remains that followers of Christ celebrate his death and resurrection and there is no amount of "kicking knowledge" that is going to stop folks from rejoicing in the resurrection of their saviour. True disciples celebrate him everyday and we actually celebrate his death and resurrection every Sunday and all the time not just at easter time. Yes I know it is also the spring equinox, yes I know the root word of easter is from a fertility pagan god, yes I know it is a based on a pagan celebration welcoming back the sun after winter and the arrival of spring but it still won't stop me from rejoicing in the Son who rose from the dead and upholds all things by the word of his power besides I am happy that spring is here in London, I am happy the sun is out, I mean I hate winter because to me winter sucks (forgive me Lord), so I am thankful that the sun is out in April and the temperature has been high lately. It feels like summer came early.

Anyway enough of my blabbing. I found this cool video someone made. Basically it is about if twitter was around at the time Jesus walked the earth. It is really good, even though Jesus is white in the pics used hehehe.

Outside My Bubble

2011-04-23T05:23:00.000-07:00

IS perception Everything? (Part Two) : "How does the eye see itself?"

2011-04-16T11:36:00.000-07:00

I was on twitter one day and I saw some tweet this:

“Sometimes the speck we see in our friends eyes is merely a reflection of the plank that is in our eye”

When I saw that, it really hit me. It is not as if what I was reading is a new thing but no one had put it that way before.

One of the strangest things about us humans is we sometimes miss something in ourselves that everyone can see and that same thing we miss in ourselves we find it easier to see in others.

I think this truth is something that should humble us especially when forming opinions about people. It should make us pause and not be hasty in assuming we always know what someone’s motives and intentions are. We can’t always be sure in every situation.

It also should make us pause and do some self examination. There is a quote I saw that comes from “Julius Caesar” by Shakespeare that goes: “…the eye sees not itself but by reflection, by some other things” that is a very profound statement. How does your eye that sees everything else see itself? There has to be a mirror or reflective surface. How do you really know yourself? In proverbs it is written “As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects man” (Prov 27:19) and “out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45)

It should humble us that we don’t have perfect knowledge into the intents of our own hearts talk less of others. We have to admit that sometimes all we do is project on to others assumptions that might be true things about us that we haven’t really considered and might not even be true about the other person.

It helps to know that sometimes when someone comes at you sideways or indirectly it’s possible that it could be all about them and THEIR unresolved issues and not REALLY about you and also sometimes when you come at someone else it could be exactly the same thing.

Unwrapping

2011-04-04T06:29:00.000-07:00

I’m plugged in to those who are unplugged
I’m tuned in to those who have tuned out
I’m connected to the disconnected
Empathetic to the apathetic
My attempts to be heard
so far have been pathetic
I’m picking up the pirate signal being broadcast
Frequently on a frequency blocked out
By those who wish to control the airwaves
So I became an amplifier, a loud speaker
I’ve been an unpaid piper
So I’m not always a crowd pleaser
I’m wired to transmit
Connected to the power source
They say the medium is the message
So I unwrap this rhapsody
Wrapped within me
So actually I’m not rapping
But unwrapping
Revealing more than just a gift of the gab
And empty yapping
I speak the naked the truth
Clothed in see through verses
I’m offensive to some even without curses
Hurling truth out like a javelin
And it unravels and keeps travelling
With more velocity than a bullet from a barrel
Faster than assumptions are projected from hearts
On the screen they watch so attentively
They assume that they know your intentions
But fail to see it’s about them starring
In their own movie
Because they cant face themselves
So they scapegoat using bitter tasting quotes
But it doesn’t matter, the elected stay elected
With no votes
My religion is still lost and I don’t wanna find it
But I still have a speck of faith,
seeing not blinded

3 Books that I've read lately that I HIGHLY recommend

2011-04-01T10:37:00.000-07:00

I have read 3 books lately that have been rocking my heart and mind like an earthquake and flooded me with thoughts like a Tsunami. They have had such an effect on me that it has taken me a few months to really talk about them.

Ok 2 of these books hit me harder than the 3rd one and I would like to recommend them to you. Ok so here goes some short reviews.

The first one I would like to present to you is "Unchristian: What a new generation really thinks about christianity and why it matters" By David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons

I really liked this book because it was based on some research to find out the attitudes and perceptions of people about Christianity in America, now whether such research is 100% accurate is questionable but for the most part if one is honest their findings do hold a lot of water and can apply in any context. This is a good book and a reality check. It is definitely humbling to know what people who are on the outside looking in really think about Christians and Christianity and there are real stories that will definitely strike a chord with any Christian really ready to face reality about how their attitude and conduct could be blocking people from seeing what Christ is really about. I HIGHLY recommend this book.

The next book I've read lately that has an ENORMOUS effect on me is "Imagine: A Vision of Christians in the arts" by Steve Turner

I found out about this book when I was on twitter and Sho Baraka the American Christian rapper tweeted about it. I bought it immediately and if you are a Christian who is a singer, rapper, producer, songwriter, dancer, sculptor, poet, instrumentalists or even if you're not, YOU NEED THIS BOOK IN YOUR LIFE! For many of you it will give you a perspective that will SET YOU FREE from certain legalistic thinking when it comes having a creative gift. I say this especially if you have been in a church that is very strict and legalistic.

One thing I have learnt is when it comes to the creative arts, the church doesn't for the most part know how or where to place those who have been blessed with creativity
(unless they are evangelical and using their gift as a tool of evangelism that is) In this book you will have a lovely and fresh perspective on this from Steve Turner and also a little history lesson to show you that the issues of secular vs scared have been around for a long time and for Christians you will see how this split and conflict originated. Take this from me, YOU NEED THIS BOOK IN YOUR LIFE! It's like when I see the same old positive/inspirational music vs gospel music discussion/argument break out all I think now is stop the talking READ THIS BOOK then come back and discuss! I highly RECOMMEND this book, it is a fun and enjoyable read, you won't even know when you get to the end because it is so engaging and gripping! Get it today!

The last book I recently read that really made an impression on me is "British Black Gospel" by Steve Alexander Smith

I think this is a great attempt at trying to trace the journey of gospel music genre in the UK to where it is today. I had been crying out to know what had happened before and this book answers a lot of my questions. Also it showed me that all the issues that exist today in the gospel music scene have appeared before. Nothing is new under the sun really. The whole desire to crossover into the mainstream, the conflict of traditional vs contemporary styles of music being incorporated into gospel artist's sound and more or less every kind of issue that springs up now has been around for years and years. It was very interesting and I recommend this to anyone ESPECIALLY gospel artists of today. You HAVE to read this book and know what came before you.

Anyway I think a separate blog about where my head is at now with everything I am learning needs to be done another time. I think I might even video blog it because as folks say "it is a lot"

Next on my reading this list is:

The Mis-Education of The Negro by Carter Godwin Woodson
The Business of Urban Music by James L. Walker, Jr. Esq
Velvet Elvis: Repainting The Christian Faith by Rob Bell

I'm celebrating World Book Day for the 1st time!

2011-03-03T07:42:00.000-08:00

Today is a happy day for me, I feel so proud today. I am proud to announce that my dad has just released his 3rd book:

You see my dad is one of the main influences I have to even be a writer of anything in the first place. He used to get me to write essay's as a child. So me doing this blog at all is definitely down to him instilling in me that discipline because I love writing.

My dad has always been writing, he used to have his own column in a very big Nigerian newspaper. So I am glad he finally returned to what I know to be his real passion with this book. It follows in the literary chronology of Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Adichie. They are the other 2 great igbo writers I know.

I haven't read this book yet because it just dropped but I can't wait. I know it gives an inside story to what happened before Nigeria's independence and immediately after. I don't wanna blow my horn but my grandfater the late Raymond Njoku was part of that movement. This book is a collection of my dad's memoirs telling the story from a personal point of view.

If you want to buy this book it is on amazon go here for more info: http://tinyurl.com/ImagesOfaNativeSon

IS perception everything? (Part One)

2011-02-18T05:39:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking about the phrase “Perception is everything” and I have come to the conclusion that it is a true statement yet deceptive at the same time. This statement is not a matter of right or wrong and that is the amazing thing about the statement.

Someone would say “but isn’t our perception wrong sometimes, so how can perception be everything?" Well, saying that only highlights how important perception is, our perception being wrong or limited only highlights the value of correct perception.

Think about it, why is it that in this media saturated world that how we appear in the eyes of others is so important? We want to appear successful, important, beautiful, clever, attractive etc but why? It seems how we appear to others affects how we see ourselves and this is why we place so much importance on how we are seen. In this case, perception is everything because of how we appear to other people.

I once walked down Sloane Street in London and on that street you have all the big designer labels with shops. Fendi, D&G, Gucci, you name it, they were all there lined up and the thought hit me “vanity is big business” I mean do people buy these expensive things JUST because they are quality products and look nice? No! they buy them because they are status symbols that make you look important and successful and it seems self esteem is magically built into those name brands because almost everyone else has emotionally invested into this magically inbuilt high value tied into them.

As I walked down the street further and got to Knightsbridge which is where Harrods is, I noticed that a lot of people were rocking the new Beats by Dre headphones. You know those ones that cost over £100 that I personally don’t think really sound better than others that don’t cost as much. Somehow because people have bought into the image of it, they were willing to part with a lot of money. Is this really about them sounding WAAAAAAY better than cheaper earphones or is this an image and status thing? Your answer depends on who you are and if you’ve bought into the idea that they are superior or if you’re kind of skeptical like me because you tried them and didn’t really hear anything more amazing than some good old Sennheiser headphones.

If you want to further see how the phrase “perception is everything” has such truth to it, think of the whole idea of branding or watch how we present ourselves in the digital social networking worlds of twitter, facebook and all the others. Look at how we celebrate when we get more followers on twitter, it makes us feel more important when our numbers increase because people say “well he/she must be important if he/she has over a million followers and this other guy has only 100” It does make you think doesn’t it? What make us think this way?

Look these pictures below of some amazing 3D street art. It looks so real doesn't it? But we all know it's not real, if only we could see many other things clearly for what they are.

The theme of my next album.........

2011-02-09T05:21:00.000-08:00

"Imagine there is a bank account that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day.

Every evening the bank deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course?

Each of us has such a bank. It's name is TIME.

Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds.

Every night it writes off as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to a good purpose.

It carries over no balance. It allows no over draft. Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the remains of the day.

If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours. There is no drawing against "tomorrow."

You must live in the present on today's deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness and success!

The clock is running!! Make the most of today.

To realise the value of one year, ask a student who failed a grade.
To realise the value of one month, ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.
To realise the value of one week, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.
To realise the value of one hour, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.
To realise the value of one minute, ask a person who just missed a train.
To realise the value of one second, ask someone who just avoided an accident.
To realise the value of one millisecond, ask the person who won a silver medal at the olympics.

Treasure every moment that you have! And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time with. And remember time waits for no one.
Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it's called the present"

Quoted from "Sun Dials and Roses of Yesterday: Garden Delights..." by Alice Morse Earle (1851 - 1911)

more info coming soon......

I can't remember any song making me cry, but this one brought me to tears...

2011-02-03T14:35:00.000-08:00

I am not very good with dates, I tend to remember things when tied to events or time periods, it must've been '09 or maybe it was '08, I bought Taylor Lane's EP "End and Begin Again" and the 1st song on the EP "A new day" came on my iPod and I loved it so much I kept it on repeat. It was on repeat for a good hour I kid you not!

What happened next is something I can't explain, I found myself welling up with tears right on the street! I felt my chest heaving. I had just come out of Euston Square station, it was sunny and I remember myself just wanting to bawl.

In retrospect, I think the song reminded me of dreams that I had buried and all I wanted was to start all over again. Man that song really struck the proverbial chord loud inside of me for real.

Here is the song in full.

Taylor Lane - A New Day by EXHALE_Nation

Lauryn Hill speaking to some students circa 2001/02

2011-01-26T09:19:00.000-08:00

I will always love Lauryn Hill, this video just shows why I love how she thinks! Well this is back in the day and she could be a whole different person now. I wonder what she would think if she watched this now?

I Am A Student of Life

2011-01-06T05:49:00.000-08:00

In 2009 I was made redundant. I was doing a job that felt like I was dying everyday. The money was good. I was a Market Research Executive. I hated it.

Anyway I met an MC called Breis and he has been involved in creative education for like 8 years and I had always been curious about what exactly he does so I asked if I could shadow him and I did for a couple of his workshops in schools. I just sat in and watched. In my mind I was like “is that IT?!” It just looked easy or maybe he made it look too easy being so experienced and all.

One of the times he asked me teach in of the classes and boy I was not ready. I felt like I didn’t have any material to use to teach so I took a chance and asked for 10 random words that I could use in an on the spot freestyle which went down nicely.

So now I work with Breis and the company he founded Student Of Life. So what exactly do we do? It is all about creative education. Basically we go into primary, secondary and colleges (I even did a workshop in a Museum once) and conduct workshops to help raise the literacy level in a very unconventional way. We use rap, poetry and break it all the way down to show that it is an art that actually employs the principles of literature. Some of these kids have never seen rap in this light before. I also get to discuss the images and possibly reasons why certain artists write what they write.

It has been pretty challenging because I have been forced to actually study what I do and break it apart. I have had to properly research the history and all that. Rap is more than just bars, punchlines, metaphors and similes. I have also had to write new material because when I go into schools I am not going in a religious and evangelical capacity. I am going as an artist (the job title is creative practitioner or workshop facilitator ha!) who happens to be a Christian. The material I use is still uplifting and positive and most of these young folks have never heard skilful positive rap or poetry that is skilfully done (well I try to do it as skilfully as I can) to most of them it is a revelation. You see most people associate rap with negative stereotypes they are force-fed daily so being exposed to what we do is an education in itself for them and I am not just talking about the students, I mean the teachers too.

It has been an amazing experience of growth for me. I tell you never underestimate young people and what they are able to do. Some of these kids are known as troublesome problem children, (well that’s the teacher tell me) but in the workshops I do I have seen these same young folks produce amazing works of poetry, short prose and rap. I mean if you READ what I have seen 8 year old kids write it would really BLOW YOUR MIND, I am not even exaggerating. I have done workshops where I was asked to use creative writing to teach mathematics and German.

The main lesson I have learnt is you have to learn to listen all over again. As in really pay attention. The aim is to open up these young minds and hearts and get them to express themselves and give them tools through creative writing to do so. Some of them have never written this way before (or been interested) but end up discovering something totally new about themselves which is empowering for them; you can actually see transformation happening as they discover this, to me that is amazing and humbling to even be part of this process. It's just one of the ways I feel I can serve in the community and help my generation. Thank you Breis and big up Student of Life. For more info go to http://www.iamstudentoflife.blogspot.com

One, Won, One......One.

2011-01-01T07:08:00.000-08:00

Happy new year. Hope you had a lovely Christmas season. I just want to take time to thank you for visiting my blog in 2010. If this is your first time here welcome.

As always when the New Year rolls around there is this burst of enthusiasm and celebration. I personally think people are just happy they made it through another year and it is a reason to celebrate and give thanks. It is no surprise to me that the change of date on a calendar inspires thoughts of change and newness and this is a good thing. I however know that a change in the calendar doesn’t necessarily mean an inward change of mind and heart for the better which is what we need more than anything. The hype of the moment will die down and it will be back to business.

I am not into numerology and all that malarkey but the number 1 reminds me of beginning again, it reminds me of unity, it reminds me of integrity, it reminds me of The Anointed One who I follow. It reminds me to take one step at a time as I move on in my journey. Having gone into other years saying it was "my year" and seen things not work out how I wanted, I'm more humble, I now say "your will be done and keep moving with quiet confidence and faith.

I pray this year the road rises to meet your feet as you walk your path, I pray the wind of grace is at your back to assist and move you forward, I pray that God blesses and guides you, I pray you are surrounded with the right people to assist you on your way.

One.

Tell Your Story

2010-12-18T13:57:00.001-08:00

Sometimes when you hear a bit more about the artist, you understand the art they make in a deeper way. Sometimes to really understand the book you have to get to know the author.

I am beginning to understand even more what motivates me to express myself. I write to make sense of my experience. I write to tell my story and to make sense of what I’ve been through. I write to express my feelings and thoughts and it helps me to get perspective on the things I am learning as I live everyday.

There is so much power in telling your story. You might have heard it said that there is a testimony for every test you go through, or a message that comes out of every mess you’ve experienced and a story of triumph for ever trial you’ve endured. Even though over time it can quickly become a cliché to say all that, it still remains true. Simply sharing your story with anyone has a powerful effect.

The song below is inspired by a certain period and it was the time I was suicidal. I think that time is one of the main defining moments of my life. It was when I hit the lowest point I have ever hit. Sometimes I think back to what in the world could have made me reach that point mentally and emotionally. It is only by the grace of God that I’m still here. When I hit rock bottom, I found that God who is my rock was at the bottom waiting.

Content & Context, Lil Kim & Nicki Minaj, The Bible & Tattoos, Say What?!

2010-12-03T04:54:00.000-08:00

If there’s one thing that’s been on my mind lately even more than before it is the relationship between content and context. At the risk of sounding boring I am gonna briefly explore this relationship in order to make it as plain as I can.

Ok we all know what content is, you buy a coca cola and the content is the drink in the can, you have a conversation with someone and the actual things being discussed and information shared is the content of the conversation, you hear an eloquent speech from say Obama and the actual message, points and ideas being expressed is the content of the speech.

I used to think that content was king, I still do believe that the content of something is one of the most important things but in this information age I’m beginning to feel context is just as important if not more important than the content of something depending on the situation.

In this information age, content and context rule. Any content taken out of context loses it true meaning and any context with no proper content is empty like a can of coke with no drink in it or like an eloquent speech or sermon going on and on with no real substance.

So what is context? Ok let me explain by looking at something going on. If you’re into rap music you would be aware of the Lil Kim vs Nicki Minaj battle. So Lil Kim drops a diss “Black Friday” going at Nicki Minaj and “calling her out” for being a clone and biting her image and style. I saw all the older hip hop heads get happy that finally someone is putting the overhyped Nicki in her place but my view is that in this battle, Lil Kim will lose without Nicki even needing to respond with one direct bar, why? It’s all about context. In the music business right now the business side is more important than the music (that is context is more important than content right now, style over substance, sales over skill, image over depth) and it’s all about numbers, sales and who is buzzing right now, it’s all about perception and who has the image of being successful and “relevant” which nowadays really means “hot” or currently popular. Nicki has all that right now. Apart from all this, Lil Kim will only come off as appearing, desperate, washed up and envious of the current hot lady rapper, that’s the context the content of her diss track is framed in. I mean her last album was almost 6 years ago. If you lose in the battle of context you lose in public perception no matter what content you are dropping. This is not a rule just an observation.

So what IS context? A dictionary definition is: “a set of circumstances or facts surrounding a particular event or situation” Another example can be drawn from how people use The Bible. Folks like to quote Leviticus 19:28 to say “it is written” that it is a sin to get a tattoo but they miss out the verse 27 above it where it talks about not shaving your beard or sideburns or also in that same chapter not mixing fabric (see Leviticus 19:19). I mean come on, if you’re gonna quote a law and push for it to be a rule for all then you’re gonna have to quote the rest and not pick and chose according to your own personal preference and prejudice. It is so convenient to quote a verse out of context to justify one’s own opinion but it doesn’t always make what you say a rule for everyone even if the content of what you’re saying is lifted straight from The Bible. I guess this is why it is written “the letter kills but the Spirit gives life” just following the letter of scripture can kill your spiritual life because it can only make you legalistic, judgmental, self righteous, hypocritical, picking out scriptures to create rules and regulations at your own convenience which doesn’t necessarily lead you into a life of faith in God’s grace and a walk of love and humility talkless of true righteousness and holiness.

So if you’re a content creator of any kind and nowadays we ALL are, (I mean what do you think you’re doing on twitter and facebook all day? You’re creating content with your tweets and facebook status updates among other things you upload!) try to understand the context within which you operate, to not do so could be fatal because in this information superhighway content and context rule like king and queen. When you see artists with no real content or substance being hyped up understand it is because context is taking pre-eminence (who is producing them, who is featuring on their project, are they co-signed by big names, are they endorsed by big name brands, which label are they signed to? How many youtube hits do they have? Are they on 106& Park? Are they on Tim Westwood’s show Etc etc) understand what is going on and keep your eyes open and don’t believe the hype! To me balancing and understanding the relationship between content and context is my aim. I think that’s how to stay relevant in whatever field you’re in.

Words To Remember and Ponder

2010-11-23T03:10:00.000-08:00

I love reading and I came across this from a book by Steven Covey called "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" I am going to get this book!!!

Each of us tends to think we see things as they are, that we are objective. But this is not the case. We see the world, not as it is, but as we are—or, as we are conditioned to see it. when we open our mouths to describe what we see, we in effect describe ourselves, our perceptions, our paradigms. When other people disagree with us, we immediately think something is wrong with them. But, sincere, clearheaded people see things differently, each looking through the unique lens of experience.

This does not mean that there are no facts. But each person’s interpretation of these facts represents prior experiences, and the facts have no meaning whatsoever apart from the interpretation.

The more aware we are of our basic paradigms, maps, or assumptions, and the extent to which we have been influenced by our experience, the more we can take responsibility for those paradigms, examine them, test them against reality, listen to others and be open to their perceptions, thereby getting a larger picture and a far more objective view.

7 Days (7 haiku poems)

2010-11-22T04:28:00.000-08:00

A new day is born
Bright light overcame the night
Life goes on for now

The sky above me
The earth firm beneath my feet
For now my heart beats

My thoughts were scattered
But as I stand they gather
Thoughts are seed, deeds fruit.

Written in the stars
Some say there are signs for us
I seek the Author

All living things were
Created by your power
Made for your pleasure

In your image made
Male and female to mirror
The brightness of you

The day is over
Now I'm laid to rest in peace
I wake up again

Straight Spittin'

2010-11-13T06:07:00.000-08:00

So the good folks of gospel cypher (http://www.gospelcypher.com) came to record me dropping some of my heartfelt lines over a track I have produced by Rodney Rockerz

Kanye West speaking on his movie "Runaway" and explaining the whole "sold my soul to the devil" line

2010-10-25T02:11:00.000-07:00

I watched the new short film "Runaway" by Kanye West and thought it was ok. I like the fact he's fearless as an artist in trying something different creatively. It had nice images, shots and I got the theme of the movie which is basically how people can't deal with something that is different by trying to control it and not giving in or conforming to people's expectations because if you do, you'll "turn to stone" so instead it is better to go out "in a blaze of glory" and arise from your ashes like a phoenix (the bird woman in the movie represents a phoenix and not Lucifer like I have read some folks think it is *sigh*) It was o.k and not all that but inspiring nevertheless.

I know folks are going on and on about Kanye West saying Michael Jackson is bigger in pop-culture than Christ and as usual insecure Christians took the bait and got all offended (as well as unwittingly recruited into his album campaign promotional team in the social networking world) but that's the opinion of a mere man so why is there an uproar? (I mean Christ isn't a pop star and to try to reduce the Son of God to a mere rock-star definition is dumb anyway, are those Christians mad that Christ isn't a famous pop mega star? Is this really about some Christians feeling it reflects badly on them not feeling "recognized" by the world?) Apart from the fact that him saying this is nothing new (Lil' Mama said the same thing last year and John Lennon said the same thing about The Beatles) the question I asked is "if you saw a man saying a grain of sand is bigger than the universe, would you argue or care?" At best you would be amused and laugh him to scorn or maybe be intrigued. Maybe that's just me.

I mean this is same guy who said Swizz Beats is the greatest producer of all time and Nicki Minaj could be the 2nd greatest rapper of all time (after Eminem) and also is the greatest female rapper alive (when Lauryn Hill and a bunch of other female rappers are still alive) So how can his words offend you when they lack such credibility? It's just his silly opinion which he has a right to and is hardly absolute truth. I personally think if you just swallow everything Kanye says as if it is gospel truth you are the most lost soul on earth.

Anyway this is an interview about his inspiration for the film. He makes a lot of interesting points and I like hearing the thoughts that inspired the music and the film. He also explains one of his rap lines about "selling his soul to the devil" of course people took it literally and ran with it and hardly stopped to think that it probably could be wordplay. I mean that's what rappers do right?

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

Real Talk: This is the BEST breakdown about the current state of things in the music biz I've heard in a WHILE!

2010-10-18T16:48:00.000-07:00

This is Young Guru speaking about the music business, he's a studio engineer and I know he's run studio sessions for Jay Z a lot because Jay Z has shouted him out so many times on tracks. You need to watch this video ESPECIALLY if you're an artist. This is REAL TALK right here!

What Chu Sayin'?

2010-10-11T12:12:00.000-07:00

This is probably going to be the baitest blog I’ve ever written in a while. (Definition of Bait: It is an adjective that describes when something is being made so obvious. This is London slang at it’s finest) Anyway even though it is so bait here it goes.

In this media driven, digital social networking world we live in, good communication is everything. That right there sounds like such an understatement but the more I think about it, the more I realise how true this is.

As I’ve been online blogging, tweeting and facebooking the need to effectively communicate becomes even more glaring, the reason why social networking online has blown up the way it has is because we humans have a deep need to connect and be part of something, we have a deep need to be heard and validated, it is something we cannot escape from, it is our nature. It's like I can almost say communication is as necessary as breathing. (well kinda right?)

I really hate being misunderstood (don’t we all?) but it is something that is bound to happen because most times we don't really listen to each other or want to see another person's point of view, I guess that’s why the saying “seek to understand before seeking to be understood” is such a deep saying. Easier quoted than practised.

It’s not just important to understand what is being said but you need to understand something in its proper context as well. You see when something is taken out of context it takes on a whole new meaning. It’s like in hip hop when a producer samples something from an old track and puts it in a whole new track, that sampled piece of music can mean something totally different from where it was cut from. (well something like that but you get me right?)

Communication happens all the time and so fast, even your circumstances “communicate” something to you and the decisions we all make are determined by how we read, understand and respond to our circumstances. Actually to be more accurate we respond to the interpretation of the circumstances more than the actually circumstances themselves.

Another thing that happens all the time is the internal dialogue that we have with ourselves and believe it or not it happens all the time. I know it’s uncomfortable when we see someone talking to themselves out loud (I mean they could like be really mentally ill or something right? Have you ever seen someone like that on a train or bus?) but that whole “talking to ourselves” thing is what we do all the time and the more aware we are of this the better because there is a dominant theme going on inside us that influences all our decisions and how we see the world.

So what chu sayin’?

Chimamanda Adichie - The Danger of a Single Story

2010-10-11T12:08:00.000-07:00

Here in the UK, mainstream TV programming seems to always have these documentaries potraying Africa from one point of view, a negative point of view and it's really tiring. This short talk by Chimamanda Adichie accurately articulates how I think and feel. I've posted this before and I am gonna post it again, YOU MUST WATCH THIS UNTIL THE END!

NEW Video: Shabach feat. Andrew Bello, Karl Nova, BNG and Uddy of 6Team - Ose o

2010-10-02T03:31:00.000-07:00

I got together with Shabach in the studio and we worked on some tracks, we came up with this track and did a demo with only me, Uddy and him on it, later a version with Andrew Bello and BNG was made, we shot a video for fun and here it is. It is just to celebrate Nigeria's 50th independence anniversary. I know there's a lot of negativity surrounding Nigeria and due to many reasons it is not fulfiling it's potential. I hope things will get better because that country is so blessed.

Ose o means thank you in Yoruba. I am not yoruba by the way. lol

Forget thinking outside the box, Banksy thinks outside the Frame

2010-09-29T11:50:00.000-07:00

I just love this! hahahah! Banksy is mad LOL!

Worshipping The Golden Calf (Or Should I say Platinum)

2010-09-26T07:36:00.001-07:00

I wrote this 2 years ago and with everything that is still going on I feel like I wrote it this morning

It was the usual early morning Sunday service, a well dressed usher welcomed me with a smile and guided me to a seat. The atmosphere was charged with emotional expressions and outbursts from the people who had already assembled. As the music gathered momentum, the praise and worship leader spoke with such gusto: "He woke you up this morning! Give Him praise!! Praise the Lord somebody!!!"

A few people responded with the same enthusiasm.

"Can I get some worshippers in the house this morning?!!!!! Praise the Looooooorrrrrrrrd!!!!!" He continued.

He spoke in an unknown tongue for a few seconds with such a look of rapture on his face and as if on cue, the music built more momentum, and the people responded with even more outbursts and frenzied shouting.

As I looked around I thought to myself, "Is God really in all of this?"

Before now, I would never have permitted a question like this to cross my mind, but, recently Ive been questioning a lot of things.

Most things dont seem to add up any more. I didnt just want a quick fix, and a simplistic, well rehearsed kind of answer. I had mastered the Christianese and Church lingo and had become very fluent with the Pentecostal language but, I still felt like something was missing. I honestly felt like everything was like a well rehearsed show. I had come too far; I wanted something real not a substitute for a West end show. I guess I wanted God. My conclusion after a while was that everyone gathered for the same reason, hoping that they might perhaps encounter something bigger than them.

The man of God might have a "word of knowledge" for our situation that will solve our problems, we might "sow that seed" and "reap the harvest" we've been longing for, we might one day be blessed and ride that car the man of God drives, we might "fall under the anointing" or be "slain in the Spirit", or maybe "the wealth of the wicked that is laid up for the just" might become ours right after the service. God does move in mysterious ways after all

I guess ministers must be under a lot of pressure to "deliver God" to the people but the truth is God or "His move" cant be manufactured. God responds to something deeper. God responds to faith.

It is written of Moses that he endured as seeing Him who is invisible (Heb 11:27) Human beings however, prefer a more visible God not a God who seems too shy to be more demonstrative of His power. When you point people to the old rugged cross and tell them the cross is the ultimate display of Gods love and power you can almost hear people say, Really?

The saying that Christianity is not a religion but a relationship with God has almost become another cliché. "How do you have a relationship with someone you cant see?" some may ask. If only we were alive during the days of Jesus, at least the Word was flesh then, some others lament. Jesus was accessible, He even spoke with sinners. I guess this is why some people place "men of God" on pedestals. They cant see God but they can see the man. They are the visual representation of what most people in Church aspire to be like. If you are looking for evidence of God they are that evidence most times to devout believers, they are to them living proof, so much so that when its time to worship God, it becomes difficult. True worship is faith in God who though is invisible, is very real.

Have you seen how different the welcoming of a "man of God" is totally different from the welcoming of the God of the man? Its a hard pill to swallow but it is true! You hear the cheers and the applause veering to a point of adulation and adoration. We have, sometimes unknowingly put these men on a pedestal that puts them under undue pressure. We have given them more honour than they are due. We have projected our expectations and unfulfilled desires on to them and in waiting so long for our breakthrough which we normally only understand in material or monetary terms, it looks like the man of God and his gospel of prosperity is the proverbial carrot, held in front of the proverbial donkey.

"Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron and said to him, come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him" (Ex 32:1)

The Christ we believe in has ascended into glory and will return soon with a shout of triumph (I say soon because thats what the scripture says a thousand years to God is like a day it doesnt feel like soon to us!) He has left us His Spirit until He returns. I confess that like many others, I would love a more visible, more demonstrative God in the world. I would like it to be more obvious to everyone that God is real. When disaster strikes whether it is a natural disaster or one that is man made, I groan within and would love God to be more active in the world. Coming closer to home to my own personal life, I would love God to answer my prayers faster and supply all my needs according to His riches in glory but, like we know it does not always happen like that. The temptation is to try and help God or find a kind of short cut to what you feel is Gods blessing.

The children of Israel had encountered God beyond any shadow of doubt. They had just witnessed God bring them out of Egypt. They had seen miracles, signs and wonders that we will probably never see in this life time. They had seen God part the red sea and they had walked through on dry land. This is the kind of God we all would prefer to witness! A God that demonstrates His power, swallows up His enemies and shows up with mighty manifestations of His glory. But alas, their leader Moses was up on the mountain for too long as far as they were concerned. To them, He delayed coming down from the mountain When we think God is delayed or slow to come through, we feel itchy to do something to make Him feel more real and obvious to us. In this age of instant messages, instant coffee, emails and fast food we cant see why God cant get with the times. The children of Israel demanded a god and Aaron gave them one. They fashioned for themselves an idol made of gold, the same gold God blessed them with when they left Egypt! Such is the pressure on leadership to manufacture God or His move. Aaron gave into that pressure and gave the people what they wanted.

I look at the Church today and I see the same tendencies. We associate Gods blessing primarily in monetary terms. Being blessed equals being rich. If you are not wealthy or well to do you are not living the abundant life Jesus spoke about. We forget things Jesus said like, "a mans life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" or "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" or "woe to you that are rich, for you have received your consolation". These are things Jesus said. We dont want to hear that because we have bills to pay! Buildings to build for God! Most of us are from poverty so the prosperity message is an extremely profitable product for those who propagate it. We want the crown without carrying the cross. Or rather I should say we feel we have carried the cross for too long and we want our crown NOW! Our fascination with material prosperity is almost the same way in hip hop culture young people are fascinated with bling bling.

The way people look up to Jay-Z and 50 cent is the same way people look up to men of God The only difference is that men of God are wealthy because they have, as most believe, tapped into the blessings of God (or maybe they have gotten wealthy off making the people believe that when they sow money into their lives we will reap financial blessings from God) while 50 cent says he will get rich or die trying even if it is through propagating a glamorised negative image to willing consumers and impressionable youth. In both situations people are buying into an image that carries the idea of what it means to be successful and prosperous. These images of success are all about getting rich when you get down to the bottom line.

We give tithes to rebuke the devourer, isnt the blood of Christ enough? The devourer has been rebuked! The blood of Christ, which speaks better things than the blood of Abel, constantly rebukes Satan and silences his accusations. We sow seeds of money into lives of the men of God hoping that the same anointing will rest upon us hmm! I recall in the Bible when a man named Simon offered money to some Apostles to receive the power of the Holy Spirit Peter told him, your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter for your heart is not right in the sight of God (Acts 8:20&21) We already have an anointing from the Holy One is that not what the scripture tells us? so what is this making the FREE gift of God into a commodity all about?

Our minds need to be renewed and really know what the New Testament or covenant holds for all those who are now in Christ and for those who we seek to bring into the Kingdom of God. We need to go back to the word and be like the people of Berea who after hearing Apostle Paul preach received the word with readiness and searched the scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so ignorance is inexcusable. If Apostle Paul held a meeting I doubt if any of us would go back and search the scriptures though, we would probably just take his word for it!

The church of Laodecia in the book of Revelation was called lukewarm because they said, they have become wealthy and have need of nothing not knowing that in the Lords eyes they were wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked (see Rev 3:15-18) many of us are far from being rich and wealthy, having need of nothing but that is what we aspire to be. Dont get me wrong, I believe God wants to bless us financially, but the things we hold in high esteem are abominable to God. He counsels us to buy from Him gold refined in fire that you may be rich. I believe that represents THE FAITH once delivered to the saints. This faith is what will matter in the long term. This faith is what will last past this life into eternity. The genuineness of our faith is more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire (1 Peter 1:7)

I dont think God and faith is missing in the church. I just think the golden calf gets in the way sometimes. The golden calf of the promise of material prosperity is sometimes placed on the altar only God deserves. The "men of God" who embody this and espouse this "prosperity gospel" are propped up on a pedestal and worshipped with such blind devotion that it is digusting. The golden calf needs to be knocked off with the truth of Gods word, written on the tablets of the hearts of believers who keep their eyes and ears open to the truth.

Here is a song I did that goes with the blog above. It was something I released on my "Deleted Scenes Mixtape" that was originally on "just as I AM: The Prequel" but because I sampled Queen's "Let me live" I had to remove it.

Positive Gas?!

2010-09-15T03:57:00.000-07:00

I don't think anyone is disputing that the gospel is the most important message we have to give. I don't think anyone is saying positive messages other than the gospel is what will eternally save anyone.

I just don't get how it is an either, or situation. We give the gospel AND positive messages like Jesus healed the sick and fed the hungry while seeking to eternally save their souls by giving his very life. If those things weren't important then Jesus would've gone straight to the cross and wouldn't have bothered to show compassion in that way, I mean why did he heal bodies if he knew that it wouldn't eternally save them?

Positive messages are only positive gas if folks are saying that these positive messages like "silence the violence, increase the peace" or "put it (guns) down" or "help haiti" or "help pakistan" (because of the tragedies there) or whatever positive message other than the gospel is what is going to save them eternally and I don't think anyone is saying that. That would be giving false hope but who really believes that stopping violence saves you from judgement in the after-life? Come on now! Lol! Who preaches that being charitable in a time of tragedy to the less fortunate reconciles one to God? Please show me these people!

Giving the world the gospel message is not the only message we have though it is the most important. We all have different assignments as well as the general mission of giving the world the gospel. So if seeking to impact my community in a positive way means it is positive gas to some then so be it, I stay inhaling that positive gas while giving the gospel because it doesn't have to be either, or.

Let me tell you a secret, giving positive messages and seeking to positively impact your community through action opens hearts and doors to the gospel message that you have for them. You know why? It shows you're human and identify with the common problems of this world that affects us all. It's called being socially relevant. Speaking against social injustice, giving social commentary on current events, encouraging people to be thankful and grateful, comforting hurt people or just showing you're a human and no better than anyone else helps you connect and gives you more credibility when seeking to tell people to repent and believe the gospel.

I don't know why I get the feeling that because some folks are more socially aware and want to positively impact their community that they are sometimes seen as shirking the responsibility of sharing the gospel. Both approaches go hand in hand. If that is positive gas then please pass the gas my way let me inhale it deeply. Lol.

When Hip Hop went to Church

2010-09-01T05:41:00.000-07:00

I've had a strange relationship with the music I create and perform. I don't actually like addressing it directly. I sort of address it within the lyrics from time to time.

You see I came in the double doors of Hip Hop and gospel music. What a strange entrance. Traditionally one of the doors should be marked entrance and the other exit since it seems you can't do both at the same time. I don't subscribe to terms such as "holy hip hop" (because I think that is corny and something Robin from the old Batman series would say as in "Holy Hip Hop Batman, to the Bat mobile!) and I don't subscribe to the definitions "christian hip hop" and "christian rap" because I think the word Christian is a bad adjective and a better noun. Even the term "gospel rap" just doesn't totally feel authentic to me. If you subscribe to any of these terms please don't shoot me, I'm not dissing anyone else for doing so. It's just a personal thing to me. Don't mind me with my personal opinions! Lol.

As for gospel music, I'm finding out more and more it is a genre of music in this modern time that doesn't have it's own sound like it did before. They say Christian music is the only genre defined by the lyrics first and not the sound. I don't know if this is a good or bad thing although Christ remains Christ and the message of the gospel remains what it is as defined by The bible. I think the problem is my generation doesn't have a lot of understanding of what has come before them. It does help to know where even the term "gospel music" came from and it wasn't from your bible so trying to impose biblical definitions of what the gospel is on to the music without acknowledging where the term "gospel music" came from is bound to lead to endless debates around issues like positive vs inspirational vs gospel vs message vs style vs genre. I've touched on this elsewhere. All I will repeat is gospel music does not always mean the same thing as the explicit gospel message and when some refer to the phrase "gospel music" they could be referring to a sound and not even the gospel message at all. It all depends on the context of the conversation you're having and who you are talking to at any given time.

When I was coming up in the christian faith I was taught hip hop is the devils music and even some view it as a false religion (which made me only listen to christian praise and worship music for 3 years and nothing else). So when rap and hip hop style beats were made popular in gospel music by the likes of Kirk Franklin and others something happened. It made rap and hip hop music fused with that throwback choir gospel sound acceptable and lets face it, the music was beautiful! It also made those who were christians who rapped feel the need to prove themselves harder as real believers to be accepted in the gospel music community/industry. I mean Kirk Franklin got Salt from Salt N Pepa to do the verse on "stomp" and you can't tell me there weren't any christian female rappers then! If I remember one of the members of the gospel rap duo A1-Swift was a female rapper and funny enough she popped up on the remix of "you are the only one" by Kirk Franklin which got a video (youtube that!) and wasn't on the actual God's Property CD.

I think because young people who are part of this Hip hop generation were being sought after to be part of the faith and come to church that terms like "holy culture" "holy hip hop" started popping up so that Christians could enjoy hip hop without being associated with the negative and dark side of hip hop which is what most people link the genre to and define it with (the same can be said about grime here in the UK and any "urban" music). I understand how you can love the artform and want to redefine it for yourself according to how you want to express yourself. The truth is Hip hop always had room for individuality, the main thing was to represent who you are with style and skill (I mean some MCs were down with Islam or the 5% Nation of Islam and it didn't stop folks who didn't share those beliefs from enjoying the music) although it must be said that in this present time it's more about materialism and gimmicks and less about being authentic and skillful.

The is an actual advert

I remember when Common did a song called "I used to love H.E.R" where he personified Hip Hop as a lady he loved. I think of christians relationship with hip hop the same way. It's like a guy falling in love with a lady of ill repute or to put it blatantly a hooker but he brings her to church and is determined to marry her. He believes he can make a ho' a housewife. He wants to put her in a spotless bridal gown and he wants to put a ring on it so that they can live together forever in holy matrimony. The clergy were opposed to this but over time they can see his love will not be killed because it is stronger than death. Why does that sound like a story in the bible? (Shout out to Hosea and Ezekiel lol) They can also see that just as Hip Hop is now mainstream and corporate and has this generation moving to it's beat AND is profitable, then maybe it is wise to back these christians that rap. (Or maybe that's just my wishful thinking)

It sounds sweet but I still feel terms like holy hip hop are corny though. I'm fully aware that the back and forth debates won't end because these are the things that must happen for an identity of a movement or artform to be found especially like the one I've been talking about. Debates happen because different opinions exist and in this case one opinion won't rule every other one as far as art and music is concerned because interpretation of art is subjective. Maybe that's what makes it exciting and interesting. Maybe.

Artist's that inspire me: Bobby McFerrin

2010-08-28T11:02:00.000-07:00

The Blog below was not written by me, I got it from http://www.pbs.org/wnet/musicinstinct/video/music-and-evolution/bobby-mcferrin-on-culture-and-music/41/

It hit me so hard that I just had to post it here. If you don't know Bobby McFerrin he's an amazing artist, probably known more for creating the song "Don't worry be happy" Just read what he says below and you will understand why it hit me so hard

Bobby McFerrin: My friend Yo-Yo Ma, when we first met, we were very, very interested in each other’s music. I was starting to work on conducting, and he was very interested in improvisation. So we had many, many conversations about this. And he knew that he had to do something for his music-making, that had something that would take him to a deeper place in himself. And so after a few years of talking about this, he went to Africa and he went to Botswana, he went to not a town but sort of out in a village somewhere. Lots and lots and lots of music-making and what have you. But in the beginning, there’s two stories that defined and shaped my musical life ever since I had heard them. “Well,” I thought “I have to make music like that.”

The first story is where when he arrived in this village, there was an interpreter who was trying to explain to the villagers that Yo-Yo Ma was going to play a concert at 7:30 at this place somewhere. And they had a hard time comprehending this for two reasons. One, they didn’t understand why they had to wait to hear music. Why did we have to wait to hear him play? And why do we have to leave where we are to go somewhere else to hear it. Because music was so integrated in their life. They had no concept of performance because music was so much a part of their lives, that there was no such thing as it. People were simply getting together and playing and they were celebrating everything. They were celebrating life, birth, harvest, hunting, you know, everything. So this I thought, “Okay I want to be the kind of musician where music is with me whether I’m on stage or not.” And when I’m on stage there’s nothing different except maybe the space. But what I’ve taken on stage with me is the same, it’s not different, it’s just being myself, the same self that I am just when I’m just getting out of bed in the morning, It’s the same musical self that I take with me on stage.

The second story is this: when Yo-Yo wanted to leave, when it was time to go—he’d been there for a couple of weeks, I think—he wanted to take some music with him to remind him about the experience. And the village shaman shared one of the village songs, and Yo Yo took out his manuscript so he could write it down. And the shaman is saying (singing notes) and Yo-Yo said, “Stop, I need to write this down.” So he writes it down. And he says, “Play it again, I want to make sure I got this right.” And the shaman sings (sings notes). And Yo Yo is saying But that’s not the piece you sang before. The shaman laughed and said “The first time I sang it there was a herd of antelope in the distance and a cloud was passing over the sun.” So this is the part that we lost. Every time a piece of music is played, one time there is a herd of antelope, and one time there’s not. And we turn in these cookie-cutter performances. Everything is so laid down and regimented and locked-in and so rehearsed, that they squeeze the life out of it. It no longer has any life in it because no one is open to surprise, no one is open to any spontaneous event that can happen. Everything is just dictated, and this is the way it’s gonna be. I think that’s the part that we’ve lost.

I had to include a live performance in this to just show why he is so inspiring to me!

Here he is Live in Montreal, Canada. Doing "Drive" it is amazing

Here is his most popular song "Don't Worry be Happy"

Artist's that inspire me: Banksy

2010-08-06T15:02:00.000-07:00

I love how the street artist Banksy is subversive and witty with what he does. There's always a message and I try to be that way with my music and poetry. Here's something he did in New York.

Civilization by Marco Brambilla

2010-08-03T14:26:00.000-07:00

Civilization, a video mural created for the new Standard hotel in New York City, depicts a journey from hell to heaven interpreted through modern film language using computer-enhanced found footage. This epic video mural contains over 300 individual channels of looped video blended into a multi-layered seamless tableau of interconnecting images that illustrate a contemporary, satirical take on the concepts of Heaven and Hell.

What do you think. This is interesting. Apparently the guy who created this is the guy who directed Kanye West's new video for "power"

Deleted Scenes Mixtape [Deluxe Version]

2010-08-03T14:18:00.000-07:00

DOWNLOAD THIS MIXTAPE FOR FREE HERE: http://tinyurl.com/DeletedScenesMixtapeDeluxe

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Provided by DatPiff.com

The Boy and The Devil a short story by Paulo Coelho

2010-07-29T14:48:00.000-07:00

I found this story interesting. What do you think?

A boy was walking to buy bread when the mayor of the city crossed the street.

‘The reason he is so powerful, is because, he’s made pact with the devil,’ a very devout woman in the street told the boy, and he was intrigued.

Some time later, when travelling to another town, the boy saw a beautiful corn field. He asked who was he owner as soon as he arrived at his destination

‘All this land belongs to the same man. I’d say the Devil had a hand in that.’ – answered one of the villagers.

Later the same day, a beautiful woman walked past the boy. A priest also saw her and said aloud:

‘That woman is in the services of Satan!’

From then on, the boy decide to seek the Devil out. One day he managed to see him face to face.

‘They say you can make people powerful, rich, and beautiful.’

‘To be totally honest, this is not true’ replied the Devil. ‘You have just been listening to the views of those who are trying to promote me.’

To whom it may concern: YOU DON'T KNOW ME LIKE THAT!

2010-07-16T12:20:00.000-07:00

I really hate being misunderstood and judged and I can't help but feel that way today. Let me explain.

I was on twitter and I asked a question, I tweeted "if God had a formspring what questions would you like to ask?" (In case you don't know formspring.com is where you can have an account and people can ask you questions anonymously)

So my homie Shach tweeted at me "what would you ask?" I had never actually thought what I would ask. I mean I have loads of questions for God but I understand that many of the questions I have will not be answered this side of the grave for example the ones posed in this short youtube clip:

So what I replied shach was "I would ask God what do I need to do to be successful?" and I honestly would like God to let me know that right now. Someone else hopped into the conversation from nowhere (as it happens on twitter) and said "So your first thought is a selfish one? Fail" and then the same person tweeted to me "To be honest that's genuinely sad. You're one of 7 billion people; success may be the point when you see them all as equals"

I have to say I was a bit baffled because the question I posed wasn't asked in a deep frame of mind and because right now I'm thinking of what success really means beyond the normal personal gain and money/possession acquisition definition of success needless to say I felt misunderstood. I tried to explain this then this same person tweeted "The question wasn't about success, simply "what would you ask"? For me, ending AIDS and malaria would be high up the list" before this, the same person had tweeted "It's not about God - it's about whether you give a damn about other people. See Jesus, Ghandi, MLK for more info"

So it appears my question is selfish and sad. Is my question not valid and legitimate? Is it wrong? For me succeeding (well one of my definitions of success) is finding a way to help young people and enriching their lives and not just gaining wealth and possessions although I would like that too but I felt like the question I would ask God was misunderstood and undermined.

I hate being misunderstood. I hate people assuming that they know me and this is what happens in social networking whether it is on twitter, facebook or whatever, it gives the illusion that folks really know you like that. It gives the feeling of familiarity and all of a sudden folks think they can neatly define and categorise you. They think they have you all figured out and even relate to you based on this "knowledge" they think they have of you. Sometimes folks don't really wanna know you, they just wanna know if you fit into a pre-conceived notion they have in their heads.

I felt let down because I expected this person to know better but I realise I've made the same mistake. I've assumed that based on the some social networking interaction that this person is non-judgemental and open minded enough not to assume they "know" me like that and that already set me up to be let down.

I felt like this person who is an atheist by the way and has a certain view of black churches which focuses on materialistic prosperity (which I actually agree with and speak about frequently) has cast me in the same shadow. So now that I have said my question to God would be "what am I meant to do right now to be successful?" It has been placed in that same materialistic context when I'm against that. For me it was just an honest question I would ask because right now and acutally for a long while I have been redefining what success is in my mind.

If that makes me sad and selfish to someone else who should know better or doesn't even really know me like that then so be it. It shouldn't upset me because you don't know me like that! I guess I allowed it because I thought this person would know better.

I guess I'm just going to mark this down as a lesson learned, or more accurately a lesson re-learned.

Where were you when you heard Michael Jackson died?

2010-06-25T10:55:00.000-07:00

I remember I was tweeting on twitter (http://www.twitter.com/karlnova) and someone tweeted that Michael Jackson just had a heart attack and was being rushed to the hospital. I even saw someone put up a link to a picture of him getting to the hospital. It was all surreal like I was seeing it happen in real time. I mean that's just crazy! I guess it's the digital age we live in, instant information, instant reaction. Then it was reported that he had died long before even CNN dared to confirm it. To me he is the greatest entertainer. I know many might not understand and I am not even one to go overboard with things like this. Below is a pic that was on shortlist of pictures that were possibly going to be used as the album cover image of his 2001 album "Invincible"

Anyway this is one of my favourite Michael Jackson songs

I think I've got Blogger's Block

2010-06-09T15:48:00.000-07:00

This blog is me feeling scared that if I don't write something you will stop visiting my page so I am going to just ramble on because if I am sticking to keeping it all the way real, I have to confess that I haven't been feeling very inspired to blog lately.

It's not because I couldn't have just thrown something random out there, it's not because I have lost my writing mojo either, I mean I have been in the studio recording a lot lately and I have had to come up with lyrics on the fly. Off the cuff I seem to pull words out of thin air because the demand for them in the moment is strong.

It's not because nothing has been going on in my world or the world at large that I have found it hard to blog. I mean the other day I was part of a video shoot. I was featured on a song and a video was shot for that. It was pretty exciting. I really don't know how it will turn out. I hope it's good!

Also the collective I am part of, GK Real (http://www.myspace.com/gkreality) got nominated for 2 UMAs! (Urban Music Awards) We were nominated in the best gosopel AND best group and I was pretty shocked about that! I feel some other people deserved to be nominated not us but there were are (http://www.urbanmusicawards.net/uk_vote_now.php )

we are even up against JLS, N Dubz, Roll Deep in the best group category which I'm sure we won't win and I'm not even mad at that because to be honest we didn't get into music for awards at all. I mean we never even thought of all that! Besides when we got nominated in 2008 and went for the award show at the indigo 02, violence broke out and I saw blood flow from people stabbed with broken bottles of alcohol so I am not too keen on the UMAs.

I don't know what it is, maybe it is bloggers block? (errr that would probably be writers block right? but since I can still write lyrics maybe I don't have writer's block? LOL) Is there anything like that? I don't know.

I love this song from B.o.B below. It's called "Don't let me fall"

Ok until I find a flow again, that is all.

WORLD CUP FEVER IS STARTING TO GRIP ME!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-05-21T09:51:00.000-07:00

These are 2 of the best adverts for football I have ever seen! World Cup Fever has officially taken over *shivers in the corner clutching Nigerian, Brazilian and English football kits"

BlackBerry Photography: My Favourite Spot Where I Chill in my Area

2010-05-21T07:54:00.000-07:00

Today was a beautiful sunny day in London and I was out in my area. I have this spot where I love to go and sit and listen to music, write or just reflect. I'm not gonna tell you where it is, unless you ask nicely! lol hahaha!

All these pics were taken on my Blackberry, I touched them up using photobucket! cool huh?

Do you have a spot?

If it was left to me

2010-05-18T08:38:00.000-07:00

If it was left to me.

I would have nothing to do with

issues of the heart

questions of faith and fate

deep conversations that almost leave me

drowned in an ocean of emotion

If it was left to me

I would not be

born at all

thrown into the midst of a drama

that was being acted out

badly

before I came

If it was left to me

I would rather be

all alone

quarantined

so that I would not infect

anyone with my brokeness

I would gladly chose loneliness

and maybe blindness

in case the virus was hidden in my Iris

and I have a look

that can kill

If it was left to me

I would choose Ignorance

they say it is bliss

but knowledge and wisdom

has kissed

my mind

now I have understanding

which brings pain

as well as gain

But it isn't left to me

there is no turning back

I am here

in the midst of life's drama

and I must tread the boards

even though sometimes

I act the fool

and mess up my lines

and miss my cues

I am part of something bigger

It isn't left to me

and I am not

left

alone.

What's your story?

2010-05-14T07:41:00.000-07:00

I came across the following in a blog (http://us.penguingroup.com/static/html/blogs/seven-stories-rule-world-matt-haig) and it made me think:

Are there any new stories, or have they all been told? The British literary critic Christopher Booker, has argued that there have only ever been seven basic plots, as follows:

1. 'Tragedy'. Hero with a fatal flaw meets tragic end. Macbeth or
Madame Bovary.
2. 'Comedy'. Not necessary laugh-out-loud, but always with a happy ending, typically of romantic fulfillment, as in Jane Austen.
3. 'Overcoming the Monster'. As in Frankenstein or 'Jaws'. Its psychological appeal is obvious and eternal.
4. 'Voyage and Return'. Booker argues that stories as diverse as Alice
in Wonderland and H G Wells' The Time Machine and Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner follow the same archetypal structure of personal development through leaving, then returning home.
5. 'Quest'. Whether the quest is for a holy grail, a whale, or a kidnapped child it is the plot that links a lot of the most popular fiction. The quest plot links Lords of the Rings with Moby Dick and a thousand others in between.
6. 'Rags to Riches'. The riches in question can be literal or metaphoric. See Cinderella, David Copperfield, Pygmalion.
7. 'Rebirth'. The 'rebirth' plot - where a central character suddenly finds a new reason for living - can be seen in A Christmas Carol, It's a Wonderful Life, Crime and Punishment and Peer Gynt.

I found this very interesting. I would have added another one as number 8 which would be Redemption because most stories (well almost every “action” movie) has the idea of a hero saving the world from destruction.

When I found this and read it, I started thinking what’s my story? What story am I living? What story am I telling? You see everyone has a story and because we’re all human you find out as you meet people and find out about their background that we share similar stories and experiences. This is why certain things resonate with a lot of people in such a deep way.

I’ve been doing a creative writing workshop with some 10 year olds and trying to find out why they were not into reading. From talking to them and really listening I found out that some of them are actually into books even though they are hooked to video games. I asked them what is it about reading that they liked, one of them said “it’s because I feel like I am inside the book myself, it’s like I can see myself living inside the book” I was like “YES!” If you don’t see yourself as part of something it just won’t be of interest to you. A story with characters you can identify with gives you a way to relate.

Last year was one of the toughest years ever for me and I came across an artist called Donae’o and the following songs of his struck such a chord with me that they became anthems for me:

Donae'o - "Because I'm Strong"

Donae'o - "Love Music"

I mean these songs moved me so much that at the time I found myself writing a song called “Overcomer” which was inspired by the same sound and theme’s in those songs. I guess the story of overcoming in those songs really got to me because I saw myself in them. I mean at the time I was really struggling to stay focused and encouraged and even now I am fighting! I had been laid off work and one of those songs even talked about that! Here is the "Overcomer" song that I recorded last year. The final proper version sounds nothing like this but this version is special to me because it reflects how I feel about fighting and winning:

So what’s your story? What story are you living? What story are you telling?

Tonex - "Joy"

2010-05-07T10:36:00.001-07:00

I have been busy doing stuff and I haven't felt inspired to blog but I love this song.

Escaping from Escapism

2010-04-21T10:36:00.000-07:00

"fantasy is what they want but reality is what they need" -- Lauryn Hill

I have been thinking about the music business and entertainment. I mean it’s normally all in my thoughts. I have been thinking "why is it so important to us human beings?" The one thing word that stands out to me is the word “escape” or more accurately “escapism”

I used to work a day job I hated, this is over a year ago before recession caught up with the company and I got laid off. It’s not that the job was bad, it was BORING and for someone like me with such an overactive imagination it made it 10 times worse. I wrote a lot of poetry, songs and raps and blogs while at that job (I was a market research executive) and that was how I “entertained” myself and “escaped” boredom. Thankfully I'm self employed right now and free from that though it's a hustle everyday.

That’s what entertainment does, there’s nothing wrong with escape and taking a break from one’s everyday life, we actually NEED it because it’s how we unwind and at the best of times get recharged and inspired. You might watch a great movie that fires up your imagination or hear some music that lifts you up. You then return to the task of everyday living feeling renewed (sometimes) or even with a whole new outlook on things (well possibly) You might even feel more alive.

This is my theory, deep down inside we sense that life is more than we can see, hear, feel, touch and taste and art at it’s best be it music, the theatre, movies or whatever reminds us of that sense of life being more. This can happen to you whether you believe in God or not. We all wanna get away from the mundane and everyday same ol’ same ol’ thing and break that monotony and even more so when life gets harsh. This is one of the reasons why the most frivolous and shallow entertainment sells more than what we consider “wholesome” That which has more content and truth doesn’t seem to compare with that which is pure fantasy and fakeness.

In some people’s minds the line between reality and fantasy is very blurry, some can’t even tell the difference. We’ve all heard of actors in soaps like “Eastenders” sometimes seen in public and people actually forget they play a created tv character and act like they are indeed the character and not a real person! Some have even gotten cursed out in public because they play the role of a baddie and folks seem to forget it is entertainment and not reality. It is make believe.

It’s from this point of view that I wrote the piece below.

“Escaping from Escapism”

We all want to be free, but isn't it amazing

How escaping through escapism leads you to seek

escape from escapism

it becomes another prison you seek to escape from

some seek escape in the club getting their groove on

some seek escape in the church getting their praise on

i've tried both and this is my conclusion

they can both be the same thing with Gods exclusion

reality is harsh, it overloads my senses

weighing down my heart weakening my defenses

when reality bites fantasy gets more alluring

but it really is a weak umbrella when the rain is pouring

I sought freedom in my spirit by loosening my flesh

but that only left my innerman gasping for breath

my guilt trip almost took me to a point of no return

I found out I was ego tripping I had to relearn

the truth I knew in my head and felt in my heart

the truth that molds and shapes my art

I love beauty because my world's been ugly

I've found Gods fingerprints all over the lovely, things,

people and moments I encounter on my journey

this road less travelled twists and turns me

this world like night is fallen but we keep on living

outside is dark

but in my heart the Son is risen

Ok so I was in a local newspaper last week.........

2010-04-06T03:45:00.000-07:00

Ok so last week I did a workshop in Colchester and found out I was in the Local newspaper!

Below is the write up by Owen Bennet I found at http://www.essexcountystandard.co.uk/news/localnews/6457136.Ich_bin_ein_rapper/

I was sent this newspaper shot by the good Melissa Capes who organized the whole thing for the school

Thomas Lord Audley School pupils learn to rap... in German

PEOPLE often complain they do not understand the language of today’s youth.

But things are about to get a lot more difficult now youngsters are rapping in German.

Thomas Lord Audley School, in Colchester, invited a rap artist to help pupils, aged 13 and 14, with their German lessons.

Karl Nova, who describes himself as a poet, rapper and freedom writer, helped the teenagers adapt the German they had learnt into lyrics on life in Colchester.

Francesca Mahon, a Year 9 pupil, said: “It’s great. It’s something new and a different way of learning.”

Ashleigh Greene, who is also in Year 9, agreed it had brought the language to life. She said: “He’s really good at rapping. We should do this more often.”

The day was organised by Melissa Capes, head of modern foreign languages at the school, in Monwick Avenue, who was voted National German Teacher of the Year for 2009.

As well as a session on rapping, the students also spent time making a video with specialist Toby Roberts, and a soundtrack with musician Dan Dolman.

These were then mixed with the rap.

David Boggis, assistant headteacher, said: “Karl enthused and captivated the students with his contemporary and engaging approach.

“The clear message was music and rapping, key elements of youth culture, can be used in a different context to help improve learning of a language in a much more inclusive way.”

Groupthink Part 2: Good Friday, Jesus and Erykah

2010-04-02T02:24:00.000-07:00

Today is Good Friday. Like every year I always expect some folks to point out that Easter is actually a pagan holiday hijacked and Christianized, it’s kinda exactly like Christmas in that regard. I am fully aware that Easter wasn’t originally anything to do with Christianity and I am aware that folks prefer to call it Passover weekend etc etc. However knowing all of this does not mean I can’t use this day to remember the day Jesus died. Having dealt with that, I wanna look at something that I noticed when examining the events as laid out in the gospels that led up to his dying on the cross, it might be things you’ve not noticed before.

One of the things that struck me one time is how much the religious rulers of the day perceived Jesus as a threat. This is someone who never harmed anyone but only did good. He only spoke the truth and showed compassion to those who were more or less at the bottom of society. He taught with power and authority unlike the scribes. I think the main thing is he exposed the religious rulers of that day as people who didn’t really care about the people or even God’s law. They seemed to be more about maintaining their power over the people and their privilege as people with status in Israel that was occupied by the Romans at the time. Jesus went hard against them for being hypocrites. In fact it’s the main times we see Jesus angry in the gospels. Read the following verses, they’re from John when they began plotting Christ’s death:

“What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.”
And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” (John 11:47-50)

These were words uttered in a meeting of the Pharisees after Jesus had performed the miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead. It’s like Christ had become such a threat to them that they decided to find a way to put him to death.

You see it’s hard for us to understand how things were at that time but you have to remember that Israel was under the rule of the Romans and for Israel that was almost like them being a defeated people considering the fact that they have had an amazing history with the reign of Kings like David and Solomon as high points. So when their prophets had prophesied that a Messiah would come, what they expected was a military type King like David who would come and deliver Israel from the Roman rule. They pinned all their hopes on this one who would emerge and restore Israel to its former glory.

So Jesus bursts on to the scene preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God, undermining the religious rulers who were weak and corrupt and allowed a little power by the Romans who firmly had Israel under control. They were scared that because of Jesus the “Romans would come and take their place and nation” meaning they would no more be the ruling elite over the people. Of course felt they had to silence and put Jesus to death so that it would be “business as usual”

Ok this next verse is one that when I read it, I was like wow I have never seen this before but peep this, this was after Jesus had faced Pontus Pilate and he turned it over to the people to decide if they wanted Barabbas to be released or Jesus

‘Now at the feast he was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested. And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion. Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them. but Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy’. (Mark 15:6 – 10)

I had never noticed the line about envy before. WOW! So the religious rulers envied Jesus because of who deep down they knew he was and what he was able to do. It kind of reminds me of how Joseph’s brothers envied him for being the favoured son of Jacob and the one who dreamed dreams of being the Ruler over his brothers.

Ok this last bit is something to do with “groupthink” its kind of the “message” that a certain Erykah Badu was trying to pass across in her “window seat” video. If you don’t know what “groupthink” is, the following verses describe EXACTLY what it is.

But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them. Pilate answered and said to them again, “What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?”
So they cried out again, “Crucify Him!”
Then Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?”
But they cried out all the more, “Crucify Him!” So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified. (Mark 15:11-15)

Groupthink is simply mob action with no thinking, the same kind of mob action that can have over twenty 15 year olds murder another 15 year old in broad daylight during rush hour in one of the most crowded stations in London (Victoria) It’s when your conform without any question and it is what gives people like false religious leaders their power. It is what fattens their pockets at the expense of the flock who are simply sheeple. It is what gives cults their power; it is what enables folks to follow something blindly without finding out if what they are following is true and worth following.

These were just a few things that popped out to me about the death of Jesus. Thankfully we can call it a “good” Friday, only because “what was intended for evil, God worked for good” for we believe that in that death is our redemption and because resurrection occurred 3 days later, such an evil thing worked for our benefit. It is the ultimate display of God’s love and grace towards mankind, it is because of this sacrifice we can find forgiveness and hope beyond the grave.

Erykah Badu says the following words in her “window seat” video but why oh why when I read them do I think of Jesus and how he was crucified so much? I am not saying she was saying them about Christ or anything like that but when I read them, it makes me remember him! Why? You tell me:

"They who play it safe are quick to assassinate what they do not understand. They move in packs, ingesting more and more fear with every act of hate on one another. They feel most comfortable in groups. Less guilt to swallow. They are us. This is what we have become. Afraid to respect an individual. A single person or event or circumstance can move one to change, to love ourselves, to evolve."

Groupthink Part 1: My thoughts on Erykah Badu's "window seat" video. Just my thoughts........

2010-04-01T04:15:00.000-07:00

By now you must’ve heard about or seen the Erykah Badu video for window seat, if you haven’t then you probably have been under a rock or something. When I 1st viewed it, I was quite surprised and knew it was going to be a problem. I wasn’t offended; in fact I was quite amused because I got the point, I read in a book “How to make friends and influence people” that to get your point across you have to sometimes “dramatise your ideas”

The video appealed to the non-conformist and anarchist in me. I know I am one that is into breaking boundaries and using art to convey a message. That's my thing.

Apart from the video trying to send a "message", it was a perfect promotional tool for her album which was dropping 3 days latter, in this day and age in the music world it seems your promotional game has to be stepped up a few notches in order to be noticed. Most rappers use women and their barely clad bodies to promote their videos and work and now Erykah is doing it too though not in the same way because she tied it with conveying an idea of her “stripping away outer layers to reveal her true self” and make you think about the concept of “groupthink” besides she was calling the shots. I don’t think the aim was to titillate folks or turn you on as much as provoke thought (and promote the alBUM oops I said BUM hehehehe just joking)

It’s not like she was the 1st to do something like this, folks are going on about how it was so “original” hehehe come on now LOL! She even mentions in the beginning of the video that it was “inspired by Matt and Kim” I think what made hers different was because she was a black lady and she tied the theme of J.F.K’s assassination into her execution of the whole “stripping in public” thing. (The car she pulled up in beginning is the same kind J.F.K was in when he got shot, the path she took when walking was the same one J.F.K took and where she fell as if shot was the same place J.F.K was shot, in fact X marks the spot in the video) She also tied the concept of “groupthink” into it too. (The blue blood that spills out of her spells “groupthink” check it on Wikipedia if you are familiar with that it is)

I find it quite amusing that even though you might get this message, the outcome of the exercise seems to be that due to hero-worship by Erykah Badu’s fans, they exhibit the same kind of groupthink too and I say this because if anyone questions the video and doesn’t seem to show total support towards it, they probably would be attacked with the same kind of groupthink/mob action that “assassinates” Erykah in her video.

I have questions for Erykah like “is stripping in public the best way you can show you’re evolving as a person?” or “is the freedom you seek within yourself from fear found in breaking societal norms of decency?” or “do you realise that as a celebrity, many of your fans exhibit hero worship more than critical thinking towards your work and are therefore just hoping on your bandwagon exhibiting groupthink?” or “do you realise making yourself the subject in your art and actual metaphor might come off as you being quite self-absorbed, attention seeking and martyr-like in a video tackling a topic like this?”

As much as I get the point, I don’t think the execution of Erykah stripping in public was the best way to go about it but then having said that maybe she wouldn’t have gotten people talking if she had done it in another way. People have gone on about how the kids who saw her on the street naked would be “traumatised” I think that’s over the top. How about all the violence they see as entertainment all the time? I know religious folk will react to this video negatively, especially very religious men because it will stir the lust in their loins and they don’t like feeling those urges or remembering that they still have them and have to deal with them.

So was it worth it? I guess it was worth the buzz and the discussion not to talk of the album promotion which will add to sales (if only I could get a CNN mention when I drop a project, maybe I should strip in London? Hmmm Oxford St maybe? LOL) but let’s face it, most will miss the point or not even care about it because the big booty is in the way. Hehehehe. I kid! I kid! Or do I?

I know this article may have a slight skeptical tone but I am one who appreciates Erykah's music. So please don't throw the word hater my way because I am a lover hehehe.

(This is just part one of my thoughts on this. Tomorrow, I am gonna blog about groupthink for real in a whole other way)

Bet you've never seen this before...... Cut scenes from Michael Jackson's "BAD"

2010-03-29T09:29:00.000-07:00

He was truly the greatest to do this. He made short movies not just music videos! check this out! I can't believe I'm seeing this for the 1st time ever!

Are you feeding your faith and starving your fears or are you feeding your fears and starving your faith?

2010-03-27T08:05:00.000-07:00

For a few days I have been thinking very deeply. Ok so what else is new? That is my normal state of mind, I know I come off to many as that cheeky joker but I am a deep thinker. My mama used to always be like “karl iri deep o” (Ok she mixes igbo with English when she says that but what she means is “Karl you are deep” but I digress)

So what’s been on my mind lately? It’s been the current obsession folks have with the mythical “illuminati” who supposedly secretly run the world and seek to use mind control through the media. Whether this is true or not isn’t my issue here. There are those who have spent more time delving into this than myself. I know you probably check their websites and watch their YouTube vids on the regular. :-D

It is a fact that the world’s wealth are in the hands of few, it is true that power struggles are occurring all the time. It is a fact that the we live in a media dominated world and many are just sheep following blindly and easily influenced by the dominant trend of ideas, finding it easier to go with popular opinion. It is true that many would prefer to conform than to stand out and be themselves. These facts are pretty obvious BUT sadly another trend that people have blindly bought into is this Dan Brown style conspiracy theory trend.

We live in the internet age and anyone can put out any kind of information and state their opinion. This is going to increase and continue. This overload of information is going to be even more crazy as time goes on. This is the time one has to be even more critical in their thinking and not just believe everything because it sounds convincing because using technology, anyone can make anything sound convincing, certain former disciples of an Elder G Craige Lewis are kicking themselves because they know what I’m saying is true (LOL!) not that I’m saying the homie didn’t have valid points in his DVDs (if you don’t know who he is don’t worry) The point is you can’t just believe everything you see or hear and you can’t just read your own meaning into things and think that it is the truth or fact, no it is your INTERPRETATION of things but not necessarily the truth. Sometimes the sad truth is you need to get over yourself (myself included OUCH! This is a hard truth to take)

Ok so let’s say for example you find out with solid evidence Lady Gaga, Jay Z, Rihanna are part of this secret society then what? Let’s say you find out Jay Z is a devil worshipper beyond all reasonable doubt (hehe) then what? Of what use is that information to you? Some people will say “you need to be aware! We are in the END TIMES, they are subliminally controlling you (really? To do what? You got the wrong dude because I am not the one) and also they’ll say [insert any religious speak here where they’re trying to put the fear of evil into you]”

This is the bottom line for me. Is all this information feeding your fear or feeding your faith? Most of this information just reflects the fear people carry in their hearts. Most of this information is useless speculation and not fact, it is just someone’s opinion and not something proved with real evidence. In a strange way also it could possibly reflect envy too (I say possibly with great emphasis) because for some the only reason why any person can be famous and rich is by “selling their souls to the devil” I think sometimes people just say these things because they are not successful themselves in that way and wish they were.

Remember when you were a kid and you were scared of the dark? Remember when you were told there is a monster in the closet or under your bed and there wasn’t any such thing there? Probably these type of fear inducing conspiracies are in the same category. Fear is a great way to control folks and keep them in their “place”.

Now if you’re one who has jumped on this bandwagon blindly and are just following the rest of the sheeple, can I advise you to jump off this bandwagon because it is taking you nowhere except down Conspiracy Avenue which is off Speculation St and only leads to Fear Valley which is a dead end.

When all is said and done the question I have is “are you feeding your fears and starving your faith or are you feeding your faith and starving your fears?”

I love this old story of the 2 Wolves

2010-03-27T07:47:00.000-07:00

A Grandfather from the Cherokee Nation was talking with his grandson.

"A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.

"It is a terrible fight between two wolves."

The young grandson listened intently.

"One wolf is evil, unhappy, and ugly: He is anger, envy, war, greed, selfishness, sorrow, regret, guilt, resentment, inferiority/superiority, false pride, coarseness, and arrogance. He spreads lies, deceit, fear, hatred, blame, scarcity, poverty, and divisiveness."

"The other wolf is beautiful and good: He is friendly, joyful, loving, worthy, serene, humble, kind, benevolent, just, fair, empathetic, generous, honest, compassionate, grateful, brave, and inspiring resting wholeheartedly in deep vision beyond ordinary wisdom."

The grandson paused in deep reflection of what his grandfather had just said. Then he exclaimed; "Oyee! (in recognition).

Grandfather continued; "This same fight is going on inside you, and inside all human beings as well."

The grandson paused in deep reflection and recognition of what his grandfather had just said. Then he finally cried out deeply; "Oyee! Grandfather, which wolf will win this horrific war?"

The elder Cherokee replied, "The wolf that you feed. That wolf will surely win!"

I found this funny. It made me feel some kind of way, while I laughed LOL

2010-03-25T03:21:00.000-07:00

NEW VIDEO!!! Jay Ess "Intoxicated"

2010-03-20T17:58:00.001-07:00

I love this! top quality! UK STAND UP! BIG UP!!!!!!!!

The not so amusing musings that might still be amusing of a british nigerian male

2010-03-19T12:41:00.000-07:00

I hate it when one person in a group commits a crime the whole group is judged. Its like when that nigerian was arrested for trying to blow up a plane with a bomb in his pants, the first thing I saw someone say was "so nigerians are now terrorists" I mean I was so angry about that! How can the action of one man brand everyone as "terrorists" I already have problems with being Nigerian what with all the fraudulent associations attached to being that in people's minds among other negative things.

I'm not even gonna lie. I have denied being a Nigerian loads of times or downplayed my Nigerian side a lot of times because I've felt ashamed of what that means to people. I've been on the streets of London and recognized nigerian folks talking loud and so brash and I've felt like hiding my face as if people could tell I was Nigerian by looking at me. Also there's the accent thing.

We Nigerians (I'm speaking of some of the younger generation who have been influenced by hip hop that live in Nigeria) are heavily influenced by American culture so many Nigerians end up deeply immersed in American movies, hip hop etc etc. You find Nigerians who have some kind of weird American twang in their accent. Look at me saying "they" like I'm not affected lol. I lived in Nigeria for 13 years and when I came back to London the city of my birth I discovered from people's reactions to me that I've got one as well!

My accent is such a mashed up thing that I have my own unique accent. Its part british from being born in London, part fake american from reciting hip hop lyrics as a kid in Nigeria and probably vaguely nigerian. The Nigerian part becomes more prominent if I get SUPER angry which takes a lot to happen. (LOL!)

I feel ashamed when I rap sometimes. Oh I promise, I'm so self conscious! I'm not trying to be an american but when I rap I just sound how I sound because it is what I learnt from years of repetition. I didn't grow up in London during my formative years so I just don't feel like I sound english enough. I hate it that I sound like I'm faking it. Funny enough to Americans I sound english. Ah what to do?

Whether I sound english, nigerian or american, I am black. Nothing is going to change my appearance and I don't want to change that! I am proud of being African! I am proud of being a Nigerian even though currently its crazy over there and our image abroad is still damaged. I will be who I am in a society which has people who view people like me in a certain way. The subliminal message you get sometimes is you're black so you should be fit into a certain mold and that mold feels like its got to be negative and inferior.

Think about it, if the message someone receives all their lives is "you are worthless" or "you will never make it" or "you must be a criminal because you look like that" imagine the mental obstacles someone has to overcome at a stage when one's identity is still trying to be found. To make matters worse, the role models that this person looks up to are mainly in the mainstream media. They are successful men who have made money off of selling an image of masculinity that is distorted and largely negative, dark and always moving in the direction of being criminal.

These distorted images of masculinity which are linked to success, popularity and ideas of "swagger" are internalised by young minds and we wonder why some try to act out these thug fantasies and end up in jail or dead on the streets. You wonder why they walk around feeling that being a "badman" is the best thing to be and what should define them. How sad.

As much as I believe in God's redemption, I know one thing that will not change, there is one thing I can't be redeemed from and shouldn't even think of needing redemption from in this life and it is the fact that I am black and one who will be viewed by many through a negative, prejudiced lens in this society due to images in the media that some take to represent and define all of us. It's not even just due to negative images in the media, these images support the prejudice that already exists in society and has been here for years though it is subtle most times.

I know just because of who I am and where I'm from some have already cast me into a role and even have a script I'm expected to act out. If I followed that script and acted out that role, early death and jail are sure things but I chose to flip the script and break the mold.

Who's soooooooooooooon? Run's sooooooooooooooooon!

2010-03-11T13:53:00.001-08:00

WOW! remember Diggy from "Run's House" as in Rev Run's son? check this out! I was surprised LOL! Apparently he writes his own stuff? huh? NO WAY! LOL!

Diggy - Made you look Freestyle (Flow Stoopid) from Diggy Simmons on Vimeo.

Express Yourself: Everybody wears a mask but how long will it last?

2010-03-11T09:37:00.001-08:00

“I used to wear a mask, like the one Jim had to carry
Scared of showing my true face to every tom dick and harry
It was the only way I could survive and save my face
And stop predators and hunters from invading my space
It was only in my poetry that I could keep it real
Only when I was on stage that I could show how I feel
Also when I chose to pray searching for the words to say
To them who eyes can’t see like every single day”

The Mask (unreleased track from yours sincerely)

I can’t speak for anyone else but I come from a broken home that was dysfunctional. I have gone into details in blogs before so I won’t do it now but to put it plainly I have seen some twisted things that will make you say more than mmmmmmmm. I have often asked myself the question “what are the subconscious effects of the craziness I’ve gone through?”

If you’ve been through a traumatic experience that hasn’t been properly faced up to and dealt with, it doesn’t really go away by wishing it away or suppressing it in your mind. In fact like a child that refuses to keep quiet when told to hush, the issue seeks your attention and finds expression in one way or another until it is dealt with.

We live in a society that demands conformity in order for us to get on with living. You learn the norms, rules of engagement and protocol soon enough. You learn you have to be “politically correct” in order to move along socially. A lot of us end up repressed because of things we would love to express but due to fear or maybe more accurately because we’re just trying to survive and get on with living, we hold them in. I guess this is one of the reasons social networking has blown up so much. Many express thoughts into cyberspace through status updates, blogs and tweets that would have either been tucked away in our minds or shared only in a private journal. Now you can tweet it to “followers” who you might never meet hiding behind an alias, avatar or just behind your computer screen. It was Ralph Emerson Waldo that said “Society is a masked ball, where every one hides his real character, and reveals it by hiding”

I now know why I tweet a lot, write a lot and why music and poetry is my thing. It is because I have been repressed in my life. People see me and think “wow he’s so expressive” but only close folks know that in private I can be very quiet and very thoughtful. I have always said music is like cheap therapy and what becomes my “therapy sessions” i.e. studio sessions give birth to the songs you hear and may or may not like.

I also now know why musicians, artists, preachers are held in such high esteem. They speak the thoughts we want to speak, they express the feelings we hold in and are not “permitted” to speak due to the way society demands we conform. They express the good, bad and ugly we might not have the guts to express due to us just “getting on with living” We have the few who seem bold enough to speak for all of us (well this is what we secretly wish if we are honest or more accurately if we are weak in speaking up for ourselves and expressing our opinion) We might not like to admit it but we gravitate towards the public figures who we feel “represents” our expectations, desires, aspirations, point of view and way of being.

I’m just the same as everyone else though in some ways I am not a big fan of anyone speaking for me. I guess that’s why I became a poet, rapper, singer and blog junky so that I can speak for myself and say what I feel and think. I want to tell my unfolding story in my own words. Most of all I actually do this more to make sense of things in my own head than to be seen and heard by anyone.

Ok I lie, I do like folks reading my stuff, hearing my stuff and giving me feedback, especially the nice kind that makes me feel all nice and validated, is this a weakness? (I sometimes think it is)

This is MY ANTHEM!!!!!!!! "All you are" by Rhema Soul

2010-03-07T13:59:00.000-08:00

I love this song! it's from Rhema Soul's debut album "worn soles" Butta P the lady in the group is on my song "get up" which you can actually hear by scrolling down my blog page and checking out the player which has 17 free songs from my mixtape "Deleted Scenes" this song is so goooooooooooooood! Rhema Soul are straight out of Florida.

The Pitch: "So what y'all wanna be, wanna be ballers.......?"

2010-03-04T03:31:00.000-08:00

*he casually walks up to reader, put his arm around his/her shoulder
and says "walk with me"*

If you're a reader of my blogs you will be used to me and endless
questioning by now. You will know that I'm some kind of artist. You
will know I rap, sing a lil' bit and dabble in poetry. You will know
that I am of the Christian faith and wrestle a lot with what that
means in today's world. You will also know that I love music
especially the artform of rap and culture called hip hop and I am also
interested in all things "urban" and the effect that media
representation has on the self perception of young people especially
black people because I am an African that's very aware.

I am unapologetically me and I'm not trying to fit in or appeal to
anyone. It's taken a while to get comfortable in my own skin and from
time to time I still struggle with insecurity and questions of my
identity. I know that for example in hip hop or the "urban" music
industry if you want to be popular and "make it" you have to fit into
the cookie cutter industry images of swagger laid out for you before
you got here. So the choices are: hustler, thug, badman, pimp, playa,
killer, dealer, roadman, baller, shotcaller etc. These are the prime
choices for you to express your masculinity and define your manhood
within the "urban" artforms if you want to "make it" or "crossover" or
go "mainstream" (ladies you know you have yours so with your
imagination you can come up with your cookie cutter images too.
If you're having trouble doing that please switch on BET and MTV Base
for a crash course) if you don't tick those boxes you can kinda forget
about it or is THAT IT?!"

Well not really, there is another way. Now I don't know if you really
want to know about it, it is not for the fainthearted. It takes a lot
of guts, you have to be prepared to be unpopular, rejected,
misunderstood and possibly never "crossover" and be accepted EVER in the
mainstream fantasy you have built in your head. Can you live with that
young artist, rapper, singer? do you have the heart to follow
through with this? Don't get it twisted, You can still "make it" it though but this way is defined by this simple saying, "No cross, no crown"

Until you can answer the above question you are not ready. You are
simply not prepared for this and I suggest you drop out now while you still can.

*pats the reader on the shoulder, gives a smile, then walks off with a
slight limp in his "swagger"*

NEW VIDEO: "One Love" - Africa for Haiti

2010-03-01T06:20:00.000-08:00

Ok I have been involved in 2 projects aimed at raising money for Haiti. This song will be out from tomorrow March 2nd at www.sethimoff.com all proceeds go to Haiti. This is not the Abbey Road recording which will be out on April 27th.

Secular: Oh no he just used the S word.......

2010-03-01T02:51:00.000-08:00

Secularity derives from a Latin word meaning "of the age". The Christian doctrine that God exists outside time led medieval Western culture to use secular to indicate separation from specifically religious affairs and involvement in temporal ones. For instance, eating and bathing may be regarded as examples of secular activities, because there may not be anything inherently religious about them.

I got the above from Wikipedia. I typed in the word secular and this is what came up. It is very interesting. There has for long been a divide when it comes to music, especially in the community of black folks between secular and gospel. I think it comes from an improper understanding.

Most people who are fervent in their faith take secular to always mean the same thing as carnal, worldly, fleshly, immoral and sinful activity. This is not true because for example most of the congregation have secular jobs. If you apply the thinking of what secular has been defined as then the whole congregation is secular all week except Sunday (or anytime they’re in church engaging in spiritual activity) this is faulty thinking with partial understanding and it has bothered me.

I have found out that some people cannot conceive of a Christian just being an artist. Some folks feel if a Christian is artistically gifted (music just being one of the many artistic expressions that exist) then they must exclusively create gospel music. They see music as primarily as evangelical ministry or praise and worship. I think this is so because they believe that secular has to be immoral or carnal but not all “secular” activity is that.

Most Christians can accept professions such as being an accountant, a medical doctor, lawyer, a banker but the moment someone says they’re a professional musician it becomes a problem especially if they’re not professional musicians working in the gospel music industry solely. God forbid they be a session singer or an instrumentalist or movie score creator or a music teacher in a school that is not teaching gospel songs. God forbid they be like Kim Burrell who has been known as a gospel artist but now is someone about to create an inspirational/secular album. You will be automatically judged and marginalized even before they’ve heard any song on the project by some folks. It will be said of you, that you’re doing it for the money and to glorify self. I mean really? How do they know your intentions all of a sudden? So her doing that means she is renouncing Christianity? Does that mean she’s abandoning her moral compass and promoting immorality? I need to get this album and check it!

On the other hand concerning Kim Burrell, it probably could be said that she is switching things up in order to sell more units. I have not really been a fan of her music except for her first album “Everlasting Life” which was excellent. The other ones after that were just not for me. What can I say? To each their own. Only God truly knows her intentions. If her new album is bangin’with wholesome content, then hey it’s all good to me as a lover of music.

I think there is an idea that God frowns on all “secular” music. If this was the case then surely the book “Song of Solomon” would have not been left in the bible. The book is purely about the love between a man and a woman. It is not like the book of Psalms which is exclusively a book of songs of praise and worship with God being the focus. In Song of Solomon God is not even mentioned once, the lovers focus on each other. It is a book of romantic love lyrics and as much as people spiritualize it and say its about God’s love for his people and a foreshadow of Christ and the church (which also is a way you can read that book and actually should) it is STILL a romantic song book and that’s great! I don’t think God frowns on that! So if Kim Burrell for example does music in that vein about love, why would it be frowned on if she keeps it wholesome and tasteful? What’s wrong with doing music that is not exclusively evangelical or Praise and worship? What’s wrong with inspirational and positive music? Yes God frowns on the carnal, immoral, sinfulness and worldliness of this age but surely creating art with wholesome and tasteful content is good right? Doesn’t that glorify God? I think there is a place for all kinds of artistic expression. Am I wrong for thinking this way?

As for secular, the truth is we all engage in secular activity and secular does not mean the same thing as carnal, worldly and sinful. Secular just means any activity that is not exclusively religious. Eating an apple is secular; being an accountant is a secular job, being a medical doctor is a secular profession. We all eat, drink and sleep and since those activities are not exclusively religious they can be described secular, so I guess we’re all secular then everyday. LOL. The fact is though you might not be OF the world; you are still IN the world.

I think what we would be ideal is embracing a worldview that looks at the big picture. Our lives in this world is a whole thing and not separated in these little independent departments. When you believe in the gospel and you have a relationship with God it affects your WHOLE life so I don’t see why my art shouldn’t reflect my whole experience of living in this world. I think there lies the challenge. It is allowing God into all the little departments of our lives and having them transformed and affected forever whether they are secular or spiritual “departments”. God wants to make us whole. Do you WANT to be whole?

Underground vs Mainstream

2010-02-20T18:30:00.000-08:00

If you’re a lover of music you’ve heard this before. Let’s say you discover a local band or act or artist and they are not big or known yet but you connect with them. They are authentic, fresh, creative and passionate and you love their music, you love their sound. You hope they succeed. This band or act or artist is broke, playing the part of the starving artist. They work a dead end or not so high paying job and would love to do what they love full time either that or they still live at home with mum and they are still in college or University.

They are part of an underground scene only known by a few people in comparison to the huge musical megastars you see on tv all day. They are like a secret shared by a few people. They are local superstars or local champions because they represent for that scene that is only known by a group of people. They dream of mainstream acceptance and success and go through the internal battle of wanting so badly to “blow up” and have more people embrace and possibly buy their music. They also battle with making their material top quality and creative. They stick to a certain content and outlook in their songwriting and fight against being labeled as “sell outs” by changing up their style and content.

So what do they do? In this underground scene there are many other bands just like them even with similar sounds because they work with the same people. (This is the part where the story splits into 2, we will call one story, Story A and the other Story B)

Story A: The band realizes that the only way to progress and possibly make this their full time occupation is by getting signed so they attempt to get a deal. Labels at the moment are not taking risks with a new band so they get rejected because they just don’t have a large enough following for the label to invest in them and get a profit. Also the label asks them to change up their content and style a little bit in order to fit in with current mainstream sounds that are selling and the band flat out refuses. So the band goes back to grinding underground and eventually the demands of living slows them down and the dream of making music their full time occupation gradually dies. They all get day jobs and do music part time. As time goes on the band breaks up and the dream of music becomes a memory.

Story B: The band after trying to get signed and being told by labels to change up their style and content have a meeting and realize that in order to broaden their audience their approach has to change. They know that they have to expand beyond the underground scene they come from in order to be able to sell more music and continue music as a possible full time occupation. Some people are not happy with this because they want to “keep it real” others are more realistic and realize their content and style has to change to be more acceptable. They decide to hit the studio and switch up their style and content just a little bit. They make their sound more bright, not as confrontational, they rationalize that they are not watering down their sound but only just making it more accessible and more subliminal. Their music is more catchy and it finds a whole new audience. They begin to get a buzz beyond their scene music to the disdain of the underground scene they come from. They eventually blow up with their new musical approach and end up in the top 40 and are well on their way to the mainstream. The labels that rejected them before come knocking and they land a lucrative deal because of the buzz they’ve generated. Meanwhile some from the underground scene they’ve come from begin to constantly critcize them for “selling out” and look to the next band coming up to represent for them.

What do you think? what would YOU do? Do you think this is a realistic story?

I wanna shoot cupid outta the sky with his own arrow! (Throwback Valentines Day blog)

2010-02-14T06:16:00.003-08:00

I feel like shooting cupid with his own arrow outta the sky! tell him to come and see me!
Ok I wasn't gonna do this but I need to get a release from this day called valentines day.

So here I am typing away. Flowers are being exchanged, chocolates are being eaten, people are receiving all kinds of sweet messages of undying love, love is in the air and if you inhale you will get high and be carried off to cloud nine where cupid is having fun playin' with his upgraded iBow and iArrow. If you see him tell him to come and see me! let's battle! LOL!

My relationship with Vals day is kinda like my relationship with Christmas. I can't STAND the hype. When I was a child Christmas was magical but now that life has set in and there are bills to pay, father christmas has been gladly laid to rest in the memories of my childhood. So when people are caught up in the yuletide wave I am trying to focus on what it really is about! As for vals day? It seems like it has long followed the same road down to the cemetary! How has it come to the point that we have invested so much emotion and projected so much feeling onto this one day?

Vals day raises the expectations of people to unrealistic levels. Its crazy because a date now carries some kind of magical meaning and it taps into the minds and hearts of people. It taps into their deepest longings of being loved and all of that. Its like people project all their hopes and dreams onto this one day.

So am I a "love hater" NO! In fact I am deep down inside of me a die hard romantic! I mean I am a poet aint I? My idealism is what feeds my poetry! My being able to be dreamy and live in the world of my imagination (without losing touch with reality of course) is what helps me paint pictures with words! I mean with the feedback I get from my work I feel like I strike chord! Y'all seem to feel me out there and for this I am eternally grateful!

So why do I want to shoot cupid out of the sky? What's my beef with lovers day? Well first of all I know that in this world of pain, romantic love is deified and put on a pedestal that it does not deserve because it simply cannot deliver what it promises in all it's fairy tales, hollywood stories and myths! It cannot produce that happy ever after and I feel duped everytime I fall for it's charming promises! I hear you say, "but doesn't the Bible say, God is love?" well God is love but love aint God! The love I speak of is "romantic love"

Due to my talents and disposition I am kind of a great candidate to serve in the espousal of it's myths and promises of everlasting happiness. The only thing is life has shattered my idealism and I don't want to try to fly with cupid only to find out I am a man with no wings! I have crashed and burned too many times! I have been high in the sky with cupids arrow stuck in my chest only to drop to the ground when reality bites!

So while everyone is rushing around today acting like this day is the MAIN day of love, I'll be looking up to the one who IS love and also looking for cupid to shoot him out of the sky with my lyrical bow and arrow. I will be knocking him of his pedestal that people gladly bow down and worship before to the sound of countless numbers of sweet love songs that hipnotize the masses and even almost mesmerizes me too!

Yeah I'm a sucker for love but since God is love I'll rather be sucker for God.

The End until next year! hah

"We are the World 25"

2010-02-13T01:28:00.000-08:00

New Video: 29th Chapter "Invincible"

2010-02-10T06:58:00.000-08:00

Do you like gospel music? (this aint the main piece, just an introduction)

2010-02-08T10:00:00.000-08:00

Ok before I go on go to this link and read some comments about gospel music from some folks:

http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/180974 (copy and paste it into your browser. I don't know how to make it a link GRRRRRRRRR!!!)

I bet you're scratching your head right now. LOL

I wrote the blog below a little while back (actually in '08) and it has taken me until now to write a follow up to it which I have exclusively given to ukgospel.com. So to prepare yourselves for that piece re-acquaint yourself this one:

Gospel Music Vs Gospel Message intro: The Ironies of Gospel Music

People say it is ministry and not entertainment but it IS entertaining (notice I said entertaining NOT entertainment though to some there aint any difference really)

It is the only genre of music defined by its message NOT it's sound (though some people still define it by its sound but what IS it's sound? a choir singing maybe? can somebody tell me? I heard of T-Pain taking a song by Kirk Franklin "Silver and Gold" and sampling it to make a song which is not a gospel song)

It is the only music where people feel it should only be exclusively sung but people who "live" its message (but really WHO is walking EXACTLY like JESUS? and isn't the gospel message meant for EVERYONE? Is the gospel message inclusive or exclusive? Is Gods love and grace exclusive to some or for all?)

It is said to be a tool of "spreading the word" yet people have to pay to get it. (Isn't that like paying for "the word"? Well I guess because they are paying for the MUSIC)

The gospel message calls for repentance but how many times have you seen people repenting when hearing a gospel track? (I'm not saying it hasn't happened before I mean I have SEEN it happen before!)

It is the only music where it is said to be all about the Man behind the message a.k.a Jesus yet you have your favourite band or singer (whether you like to admit it or not and that is like having your favourite preacher that is if you look at it as ministry not just music. Personally I don't think having your favourite band is wrong because to me music is music. I just think it is ironic! LOL!)

Gospel music is mainly purchased by people who ALREADY believe in the gospel yet we say it is meant for those who don't believe it's message (the truth is whether you believe or not you need the gospel message ALL the time)

No matter how explicit the message is, if it has a dancy beat and is played in a club people can still groove to it and actually ignore the words. (I know some people DON'T like that but hey Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding party so maybe that aint too bad! LOL!)

Christians sometimes expect gospel music to do what they are meant to do: Preach the word and be holy and pure.

Christians steal gospel music from Christian artists (Rip tracks off their myspace pages using software that can actually do that even if you have not given it away as a free download) and freely burn CDs. (Thou shalt not steal anybody? Yep I've been guilty too! forgive me Lawd! LOL!)

Some "gospel purists" get mad when Christians do urban variations of gospel music but if you ask them what gospel music is right to listen to they would probably point you in the direction of a genre of gospel music that is still a derivative of one of the "secular" genres of music that might not be Urban but is based on a "secular" sound

Purists who listen to gospel music don't like to admit that what they listen to has been influenced in sound (in sound, musically! I repeat MUSICALLY! LOL!) by a genre of music that by their definition is actually "worldly" in origin.

The truth is everything you hear that is gospel music has a multitude of musical influences and unless Jesus has a myspace page AND an album coming out in December there is no MUSICALLY PURE gospel music that has no outside musical influence in the world today. (If there is can someone show me? I would buy 10 copies right now)

Gospel Music = Black, Christian Contemporary music = White. This is equivalent to like Hip Hop = Black and Rock = White. This is what the general view is out there. Real Talk.

Inspite of all these ironies (and many more I am sure you can mention) I LOVE the message of the gospel and I love gospel music! (though I might not like all the music out and that is down to my personal taste not that it isn't good!)

The way I view gospel music is like a movie and a soundtrack. The music is the soundtrack you hear while the movie plays. The movie is actually YOU living out your faith on a day to day. I think music is placed on a higher pedestal than it is meant to be placed. That's just my personal opinion. I will talk about gospel message vs gospel music soon.......

I love this Video and song! Green Jade "Kick off ya shoes" featuring Frank McComb, Jaz Ellington & Clinton Jordan

2010-02-05T06:03:00.001-08:00

2 New Videos: Dimeji & NCR - "Wen Da Praise Goes Up" & A.M.P Presents Presha J & A Star - Whose side are you on

2010-01-27T11:11:00.000-08:00

Dimeji & NCR "Wen Da Praise Goes Up"

A.M.P Presents Presha J & A Star - Whose side are you on

Chimamanda Adichie: The danger of a single story

2010-01-26T06:55:00.000-08:00

I have been having a twitter exchange with a couple of people (you know who you are LOL) and the point one person made is that "Black people only make up 2% of the population of the UK and there's definitely a larger percentage of us on tv."

I had no problem with that. For me its not the number of Black people on tv or even other minorities that is the problem. My problem is they seem for the most part in mainstream tv and media only to reinforce the negative stereotypes of black people. I am not unaware of the fact that every stereotype is based on the fact that a few amongst a group of people might actually be what the stereoypical view is but those few don't tell the story of all. There are different stories, opinions and views amongst a group of people and these stories should have a chance of being heard too.

Personally I'm not demanding more black faces on tv. I just wouldn't mind different points of view and stories of minorities being able to come through into the mainstream arena. I am just tired of the negative stories being reinforced but then again it is said the only news that makes the news is bad news.

To fully understand what I mean you NEED to watch this video below. It is Nigerian female award winning author Chimamanda Adichie giving a short talk on the topic "The Danger of a single story" It says it all. It expresses how I feel and the point I was trying to make above in such a profound way that until you watch it to the end, this blog I just posted will not make any sense LOL.

A Song for Haiti: Kirk Franklin and Friends "Are you listening"

2010-01-24T15:41:00.000-08:00

Kirk Franklin and Friends "Are you listening"

Pants on the Ground (the remix? LOL)

2010-01-19T08:18:00.000-08:00

if you haven't heard about this American Idol audtion then where in the world have you been? hahahah someone tried to add a beat to it! LOL! hahaha this is too funny

The Devil Writes Pat Robertson A Letter (6:30pm January 15, 2010)

2010-01-19T07:43:00.000-08:00

Dear Pat Robertson,

I know that you know that all press is good press, so I appreciate the shout-out. And you make God look like a big mean bully who kicks people when they are down, so I'm all over that action.

But when you say that Haiti has made a pact with me, it is totally humiliating. I may be evil incarnate, but I'm no welcher. The way you put it, making a deal with me leaves folks desperate and impoverished.

Sure, in the afterlife, but when I strike bargains with people, they first get something here on earth -- glamour, beauty, talent, wealth, fame, glory, a golden fiddle. Those Haitians have nothing, and I mean nothing. And that was before the earthquake. Haven't you seen "Crossroads"? Or "Damn Yankees"?

If I had a thing going with Haiti, there'd be lots of banks, skyscrapers, SUVs, exclusive night clubs, Botox -- that kind of thing. An 80 percent poverty rate is so not my style. Nothing against it -- I'm just saying: Not how I roll.

You're doing great work, Pat, and I don't want to clip your wings -- just, come on, you're making me look bad. And not the good kind of bad. Keep blaming God. That's working. But leave me out of it, please. Or we may need to renegotiate your own contract.

Best, Satan

LILY COYLE, MINNEAPOLIS

SOURCE:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/01/the_devil_writes_pat_robertson.html?sc=fb&cc=fp

A poem I left on the cutting room floor

2010-01-19T06:26:00.000-08:00

Conspiracy theories
are making souls grow weary
The fear of the unknown
has got people feeling eerie
We have a lot of information
but very little truth
A lot of speculation
but hardly any proof
it's like people think
everything is true on youtube
it's no wonder that
perceptions are skewed on cue
some people think
everything has a message subliminal
But if you say God is in you
how can you continue
To live in fear and remain paranoid?
Tossed to and fro by
distractions and decoys
it's lack of knowledge of the truth
that destroys
Sadly empty vessels
still make the loudest noise
There's a lot of information
but little revelation
That's why there's hardly any transformation
of many situations
So what are you buying into?
What holds your attention?
To focus on the Most High
should be our main intention
Or haven't you heard?
eternal is the Kingdom
As above so below
heaven and earth are linking
When we believe in our hearts
And speak with our mouths
And face our fears
and overthrow our doubts
And not buy into the lie
that seems so true
The lie that claims to be stronger
than the truth
It only takes a little light
to pierce the darkness
So this little light of mine
will shine regardless
Life sometimes feels
like a movie to me
So these are just a few
of my deleted scenes