Peace!

I'm off on my journey to the motherland (Ghana). I am excited to reconnect with my roots and have a good time. Besides, It's cold in New York. I shall return with many pictures, stories and maybe some gifts. But for now I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Lessons Learned (Fall '09)

The fall 2009 semester is finally over, midway through I thought I wouldn’t survive it. This was definitely a memorable semester with many lessons learned. The semester started off great on the social end, but as it continued I noticed my social life beginning to overshadow my academic life. It also didn’t make it any better that I was taking all major courses. Midway through the semester I became mildly depressed because the grades I was receiving weren’t up to my standards. A part of me began to give up on the semester and look forward to doing better in the spring semester. I began taking the L (loss) giving up on some assignments, even quizzes and exams. Then, I got very valuable advice. The advice was to focus all my energy on finishing the semester strong and do not think about the upcoming spring semester. My mind began to clear up and I recalled ADJAPONGS don’t give up. Got back on the grind and knocked out the last couple of weeks of classes and all my finals. I ended the semester strong and made organic chemistry my bitch, but I still wasn’t expecting my final grades to be as great as they were in the past. To my surprise I made the dean’s list ..again.. only thanks to the curve in my physics class, at least I was at the top of the curve. Hey I made it.

This semester I was focused on unimportant people, events and some drama which fueled my downfall. But I’m happy I experienced everything I did because it only makes me a stronger person. I can say I learned a lot about myself and the people around me this semester. Some may say my mouth gets me into trouble, but I beg to differ. If I said I meant it (sober of course). I know there are things I need to work on personally and through constant thought and reflection I am.

Next semester is going to be a challenging one and I have many goals to accomplish, but I’m ready and focused. Who’s stopping us?

Through it all I learned from many mistakes and have become a more rounded person.

“Ladies and Gentlemen/I ain't trynna be politically correct/But I won't rest till I'm givin my respect” – Wale (Triumph)

"All I got is dreams nobody else can see/Nobody else believes/Nobody else but me" - Jay - Z (History)

Self-Realization

Haven’t blogged in a minute. Thanksgiving break was great!! It was just what I needed, a break away from Plattsburgh. I saw family that has been missing for years and friends that I love dearly. Although my break was very relaxing and satisfying in many ways I also had a lot of time to think (this tends to happen whenever I’m not in Plattsburgh). After some incidents that have happened in the recent past I’ve looked back at them and thought about the different ways they could have been resolved. I may have acted immature and maybe out of character, but I noticed that I let my pride get the best of me, when in my mind I know that man must put his pride to the side at times. Sometimes I know what is best for me, but I ignore it. I realized that I need to humble myself and be more loving toward all people.

For me this whole semester has just been a bust and isn’t going anywhere near the way I planned (but things never go as planned). I’ve lost some friends, but in that process I learned which friends I can truly trust. Nothing feels better than having a group of friends that you can be yourself around and tell anything. When I feel like the whole world is against I think “All I need is the love of my crew.”

At least after everything I can say I’ve learned and have become a better person from it.
Life is a learning experience..

At times I still feel like a young child who needs to always be pointed in the right direction, that’s why I look up to the people that I do because they’ve never steered me wrong. I could use some of their positive energy right about now.

I’ve realized some of my problems, but have no idea how to resolve them.
Why is it that we always know what the right thing to do it, but ignore it?

At times like these I use music for therapy: All I Need – Jay - Z

Watch out for that swine!

Service to thy Community

This blog has been past due. I haven’t had the free time or a surge of creative energy to write about anything lately, so I am just going to write about me.

Since I’ve come back to school I have participated in two community service events and I really enjoyed both of them. The first was a food drive and the second was a walk for children with down syndrome. The food drive was a great experience, I got the chance to go out into the community outside of the college campus and meet residents. The people of Plattsburgh are very giving and we collected two garbage bags of canned food for the Salvation Army shelter. Today was the Buddy Walk for children with down syndrome and it was such a rewarding experience. I got the chance to donate and show support for a cause which I believe is every important. Also, seeing many organizations such as sports teams, social clubs and Greek organizations take part in this community service event made me see how amazing it can be when many different people come together for the same purpose.

DON'T FORGET TO GIVE BACK YOUR COMMUNITY!

Hip-Hop's Defibrillator

A picture speaks a thousand words...

Hip-Hop is back. Thank you 2009.

I haven't posted an new entry in months, I believe it's due time. I never posted an entry just about music and since I live, breathe, and excrete music, I think it's about time. Nothing serious, just my thoughts.

When Nas dropped his "Hip Hop is Dead" album late 2006, I couldn't agree any more with the title. Hip Hop has been in a comatose state for a moment. Every time I would turn on the radio I would hear the same generic sound that most Hip Hop songs have, and whenever I would turn on the TV I see a generic dance that goes along. I would ask myself, is this what Hip-Hop has come to? Everyone sounding the same. But the year 2009 has been a great year for Hip-Hop, there are many lyrical and original freshman (an artist who has a buzz and has an album set for release soon) to the game. My favorite freshmen are Wale, Big Sean, Kid Cudi, J. Cole and Drake. All these artist have great mixtapes out right now that are better than many rappers albums. Wale is my favorite because his sound original, his lyrics are above par and his metaphors are slick. I think Wale = Hip-Hop.

A freshman that I think gets too much attention is Drake. He is undoubtedly a great lyricist, but he doesn't have swag and he cannot sing despite numerous attempts. Sure he has put out a great mix tape, but what about Big Seans mixtape "UKNOWBIGSEAN." I found “UKNOWBIGSEAN to be better than every mix tape Drake has released. I think Drake is riding off of a couple hit songs and the little power Young Money Ent. has... (Please do not compare Young Money Ent. to the early 2000 Roc-A-Fella, they are nowhere near). I think that he still has some growing to do, but I am still looking forward to his album. [No Hate]

Newly released artists are also putting out quality albums. Some of my favorite albums of 2009 are: Ryan Leslie - Ryan Leslie, Keri Hilson - In a Perfect World, Chrisette Michele - Epiphany, all debut albums. I am glad that I can actually listen to new quality music. I’m upset that the generic Hip Hop songs get more attention from the media than original ones, but that’s the business.

**I’m also waiting on The Blue Print 3, which I believe will be the best album of the year (just a prediction).**

To end this entry here are the mix tapes I discussed. Enjoy and thank you 2009 for being so kind to Hip Hop and my eardrums.

[CLICK PICTURE TO DOWNLOAD MIXTAPE]

Favorite Song - Good Girls

Favorite Song - Desire, Want & Needs

Favorite Song - Sky Might Fall

Favorite Song - I Get Up

Favorite Song - Uptown

FEEL FREE TO COMMENT, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR OTHERS OPINIONS!

Visit to the hood...

I remember my mom always telling me to be grateful because there's someone who has it worse than me, but I always thought that was her way of making me feel better. After this first week back from college I finally understand what she means. Today I went back to Soundview, a block where I use to hang out regularly while in high school, and I saw a lot of old friends. I was good seeing and talking to these old friends, but while talking to them and hearing the stories of their life of the past year I began to think. My friends and I are all the same age and I am the only one enrolled in college, one has just gave birth and two others are expecting children. What shocked me the most was that the same people were outside since the last time I was on the block, a year ago. Nothing has changed.

After seeing this I immediately thought about what my mom would always tell me, there is someone who has it worse than me. Sometimes I get upset and think that I have it tough or that I wish I had something better, but at the end of the day I have to realize that I have a great life. There are people who struggle way more than me and I wish I can help them all, but there is only so much one person can do.

I talked to my friends and gave them some words of inspiration. I stressed how important it is to go back to school and get an education.

"Born to lose, raised to win"
"My life is sweeter than a honey bun"

"History" by Jay-Z Analysis

“Now that all the smoke is gone and the battle is finally won, victory is finally ours,” these are lyrics from Jay-Z’s song “History.” This was released November 5, 2008, the day after, the first African-American, Barack Obama, was elected President of the United States. These lyrics can be interpreted as progression for racism in America. “History” is my favorite rap song because the lyrics reveal a story that most people can relate to while expressing deep passion and emotion. The message is that there would be struggles in life, but we must continue, never give up trying to be successful, and that after success is gained one needs to continue working towards the next level, which is the level of victory. Through these lyrics, Jay-Z portrays the elusive allure of attaining success, and the beauty of reaching new possibilities.

The rhyme scheme in “History” is remarkable; Jay-Z uses imagery to describe victory and history. Jay-Z raps about three different females named defeat, success and victory, using personification to describe each of them. For example, when Jay-Z raps “I'll be stuck with [victory’s] sister, her name is defeat, she gives me agony... she brings me so much pain, so much misery,” he is describing defeat as a woman who causes him emotional suffering whenever she’s around. Defeat is the first woman Jay-Z meets, and he is not satisfied with her, he wants someone better. Victory is a sister to defeat, because one cannot exist without the other, and defeat is the failure associated with victory. Like a baby that falls before it learns how to walk; we fail before we become victorious. Later in the song Jay-Z introduces success by saying, “success is like lust, she’s good to the touch, she’s good for the moment, but she’s never enough, everybody has had her.” Success has similar attributes to victory, but her flaws come when he realizes that she is not satisfying enough and anyone can have her. Anyone can be successful, but only a few people are victorious and make history. Finally in the last verse, Jay-Z describes victory as the perfect woman for him. “Now victory is mine, it tastes so sweet, she’s my trophy wife coming with me.” Victory is better than success in all aspects because no one has been with her she almost untouchable, and she is the prize that he has worked so hard for.

The song “History” has visual imagery and numerous descriptions of victory, who Jay-Z describes in the song. Jay-Z begins the song rapping “In search of victory, [but] she keeps eluding me, only if we can be together momentarily, we can make love and make history” Jay-Z is chasing after a very attractive woman who goes by the name of victory. Victory is not any ordinary woman, and her standards are extremely high. She does not pay attention to any regular guy, and she only likes guys who are very successful, guys with money and prosperity. Jay-Z is climbing up the ladder of success and wants to leave his mark by having a child with victory who will then carry on his legacy of success.

Another example of imagery can be found in the chorus of the song, “Now that all the smoke is gone and the battle is finally won, victory is finally ours, history so long , so long.” The chorus represents the end of the struggles and failure and finally reaching the goal of victory. The battles are over, the weapons are down, and the smoke is clearing. Some sacrifices were made to get to this point, but the feeling of victory makes it worth while.

Since “History” was released the day after President Obama was elected into office a real life connection can be made between the song and reality. The imagery given in the chorus can be interpreted as a step forward from racism. “History, so long, so long” is Jay-Z saying good-bye to racism and welcoming in President Obama to be victorious and presenting other people of color with the opportunity to make history. We can look at the struggles that President Obama has been through before he reached the oval office. He had the challenge of running against Senator Hillary Clinton for the democratic presidential candidate and the ultimate challenge of running against Senator John McCain for President. President Obama has faced many struggles during his campaign from racist comments to false allegations by the Republican Party, but that did not stop him from running for presidency. He simply dusted off his shoulders, as Jay-Z would do, and continued his campaign. After facing these challenges he came out on top and won the election and made history as the first African-American President to be elected into office.

The tone of “History” is humble and compassionate. Jay-Z sounds like he is pouring out his heart and soul through his lyrics, doing all he can to make history while being confident and self motivated at the same time. He sounds compassionate and sincere throughout the whole song, and raps with a soft tone. He is known for his countless types of rhyme schemes. The beat and rhythm of the song is alluring while the smooth bass drums come in at the right time to blend in with the pleasant snare drum and the attractive rhythmic high hats and goes well with the imagery presented.

The meaning of “History” is deeper than the lyrics, and Jay-Z conveys this by using visual imagery to express what it takes to make history. His comparisons of history to situations we encounter in everyday life are relatable and provide listeners with an intimacy with the lyrics and the artist himself. “History” is my favorite song so I give it five stars, I recommend anyone who has failed, but still has the determination to continue to listen to it because it is extremely motivational. When I have pile of work up to my neck to complete and become stressed I listen to “History” because it gives me that push I need to continue and reminds me never to give up.

The song “History” is one that most people can relate to, especially me. In life a common goal that many people share is to be victorious. In order to attain victory one must never give up and stay focused. Everyone can relate to this song even if they are not comfortable with their level of success. Everyone has struggled at one point and these struggles represent the battles that are mentioned in the chorus of the song. As a college student, my success is in the distance I see it, but I just have not attained it yet.

First Year

My first year of college passed by my eyes extremely fast. I can still remember moving in day, my parents and my brother bringing me to Plattsburgh, and after they left I was on my own for the first time. Ever since then I have grown in a number of different ways, I’m more mature, further educated, and wiser. First year of college was definitely a learning experience; I learned how to deal with different personalities, how to manage my time, and how to motivate myself and others. I learned a lot about myself academically, I can do anything as long as I’m focused and determined enough. This semester was challenging for me, but I kept strong and continued to grind. One thing I learned about higher education is nothing is handed out, so you have to work hard and earn the grade you want, even if it means going out of your way.

I enjoyed my first year at college, there were numerous good times and few bad, there were good parties and horrible parties. But overall I always enjoyed myself. When I came to Plattsburgh it was just a stepping stone for me to go to another school, but I decided to stay because of the people I meet. I meet many wonderful people and one very genuine person that make Plattsburgh enjoyable. Now that the studying is put on hold for a couple of months I have time to think about things that aren’t important and SLEEP.


I will enjoy my summer, read, and SLEEP; I’ll come back to Plattsburgh with an open mind and a clean slate. I’m coming to take over everything in my path so beware.

“Rank me amongst the greats, either 1 2 or 3, if I aint number 1 the I failed you victory”

Dear Plattsburgh I know you're gonna miss me
Even though I thought we wouldn't go well like Nike Airs and crisp tees

Is someone a witness to the way I live my life,

Has someone observed all the struggle and strife?

That I’ve been through to get where am now?

If so, then how?

Looking at you from a distance, you don’t know me,

And my perspective of you is kind of obscene,

Who are you to judge?

I love to have fun,

But I’m serious about my shit,

So look at what I have become,

I am a leader not a follower,

So cut the bullshit and chat chatter,

I am on the path to become an elitist,

So don’t get crazy while you’re reading this,

Like Dr. King Jr. I have a dream also,

Look deep into my soul and feel the pain sorrow,

I’m on the path to achieve,

Give back to my community,

And believe I will grow to be the best I can be

Jay-Z's Six Principles To Living The Best Life…..

Be Your Own Biggest Fan…
“Believe in whatever is you’re doing. If you don’t believe it, no one else will”

Take Control, Then Let It Go…
“Work really hard and apply yourself in a way that when job is done, you can look in the mirror and say, ‘I’ve exhausted all possibilities. I’ve done everything to make this right’. After that, let it go: It’s out of your control”.

Focus On The Process, Not The Result…..
“People get consumed by the trapping of success. They forget the reason they wanted to do what they wanted to do in the first place. Whether you have zero money or a million dollars, it doesn’t change who you are. Keep yourself inspired.”

Never Act On Your Fears…
“Card players have a saying: ‘Play the cards, not the money’. If your hand is good, it doesn’t matter if there’s $2 on the table or $2,000. You determine your outcome. Don’t make decisions based on the fear. People can be jealous of you and bait you, but you can be mature and handle the situation.”

Use Money The Right Way…..
“For some people money can be a burden and lead to bad decisions. But money should make you comfortable so that you don’t have to compromise yourself or do anything just for money. It should give you the freedom to do what you love.”

Don’t Stop Growing…..
“Growth doesn’t stop when you’ve become successful. That’s when it starts.”

Melodies that Motivate

I was in the second grade when I memorized my first song, “All About the Benjamins.” It was the most popular song at that time and it featured some of the best artists in Hip Hop, like Puff Daddy, Notorious B.I.G. and other influential artists. I remember waking up for school as a third grader to “All About the Benjamins” on the radio as my alarm. At lunch, a group of us would meet up during recess and stand in a circle and recite the lyrics word for word. This is when I truly fell in love with Hip-Hop. Until this day, I still know every word from that song. Hip-Hop always reminds me to never give up, and tells me to ignore people who try to bring me down, and serves as my escape from reality.

“All I got is dreams, nobody else can see, nobody else believes, nobody else but me,” these are lyrics from my favorite song, “History” by Jay-Z. Hip-Hop music always played in my house. I would nod my head to the pleasant melody of the beat while trying to memorize the lyrics. Hip-Hop remained in my life because it benefits me positively and motivates me to succeed.
I love music so much, that when I was young, I would secretly save money to buy CD’s. “The Life and Times of S. Carter” by Jay- Z was the first CD I purchased on my own. I remember going to the music store. I walked for one block, but was so excited I ran the rest of the way. When I got to the music store I was only allowed to buy the edited version, but I was still excited. All of my friends thought I could not save the money to buy the CD, but I proved them wrong. I cherished that CD more than any other, it traveled everywhere with me, I took it to school and slept with it under my pillow. I studied everything about it. I stayed in my room lying on my bed with the CD on repeat in my boom box, memorizing the lyrics and learning the melodies, I even memorized the credits. I knew everything from who produced the songs to who was featured on every single song.

After I fell in love with “The Life and Times of S. Carter,” I began to learn everything I could about music. It’s no coincidence that Jay-Z is my favorite Hip Hop artist; it was his work that I spent my allowance money on, and it was his album that I knew word for word and cover to cover. In my mind, Jay-Z is so lyrical that he practically defines Hip-Hop. His lyrics are descriptive enough to make me visualize stories when I close my eyes. I am a huge Jay-Z fan because I can relate to his music. We both grew up struggling and wanting to make the best of our situations. Jay-Z has already become successful, so it is my turn.

My favorite album is “The Blueprint,” by Jay-Z. That whole album is the soundtrack to my life. I can relate to all the songs on the album. “The Blueprint” was a personal album for Jay-Z, and it became a personal album for me as well. I can feel the emotion and see the stories he tells through those lyrics every time I listen to that CD. The song that I have the most connection to is called “Never Change,” in which Jay-Z rhymes about doing whatever it is he has to do to make it to the top, while remaining true to him. I believe that staying the same person with the same values is important after becoming successful, along with never forgetting your roots and the people who helped you become successful.
My favorite song is “History” by Jay-Z, released a day after Barack Obama was elected President of The United States. The song is so meaningful to me and the lyrics are charming and alluring. In the song “History” Jay-Z talks about being in the search for history by rapping, “In search of victory, she keeps eluding me, only if we could be together momentarily, we can make love and make history.” He is ready to defy all odds and make history. This is my favorite song because I feel the same way. I know I have a long road ahead in school as a Biochemistry major and before I am comfortable with my level of success, but I am ready to embark on my journey and make history within my family by being the first pharmacist.

There have been many times when I felt like giving up in life, but music sent me the message to keep going. I was a junior in high school and I had a five page essay to write that was due the next morning. It was twelve o’clock in the morning and I had not started my paper. I was extremely tired and did not want to write the essay. All I wanted to do was lie on my bed and fall asleep, so I did. While lying on my bed the radio was playing and the song “Go Getta,” by Young Jeezy played. “Go Getta” is about being persistent in what matters to you most no matter what obstacles you face. What always mattered to me most is getting good grades and being successful in school. I was concerned about my grades and had a goal of getting an A in English, and I knew if I did not hand in that essay the next morning, my chances of getting an A in English would be slim. After the song played I got out of my bed and began to write my essay. I was fighting with myself to stay awake. Four hours passed and the essay was complete. I was proud of the results and myself. I handed my essay to my English teacher the next morning with bags under my eyes from exhaustion. The next week the teacher handed the essays back and I earned an A. I was extremely proud of myself and thanked music for motivating me.

Listening to music teaches me many lessons in life as in addition to motivating me. Rappers like Common, Lupe Fiasco, T.I., and Jay-Z rap and send positive messages about how important it is to give back to your community, and giving back is a main principal in my life. I think that giving back to your community is extremely important; there is always someone who can use a helping hand. I give back to my community anyway possible from volunteering at local hospitals to volunteering at day camps. Music has also taught me to be ambitious in life. The song “Sky’s the Limit” by The Notorious B.I.G is a very motivational song about pushing the limits in life and realizing that nothing is impossible. The sky is the limit, you can do anything as long as you put your mind to it. When I listen to “Sky’s the Limit” I feel like I can reach the goals I have set for myself in school and more, I will never limit myself or settle for less.

As I write this essay I am listening to music. The tunes allow me to escape from reality, distractions and concentrate on writing. Whenever I am in a bad mood I put on some music, relax and escape from reality. I’m always searching the internet to find new songs that catch my ear. I love to listen to old songs to see if I can grasp something new from the lyrics. The motivation I get from music is inspiring. It inspires me to succeed and be persistent in everything that I do. Whenever I feel down or discouraged I can listen to songs like “Go Getta” or “History,” to remind myself to push harder and go further.