First of all, I would like to say welcome to all those who may be
unfamiliar with whatI do here on AllHipHop.com. When I’m not breaking rappers
down in my digestive system, redecorating some walls or trying to make
some historical music, yes, I do get journalistic with it as well. I
was taught to shine across the board, so here I am again to provide a
service to the world by divulging the real.
For those who are still in the dark, obviously I’m far from your
average rapper. I went from a so-called “battle rapper” to a signed
artist with an international fan base. I’m set to release my debut
album on the world, but I’m sitting here on the block outside Classic
Cuts (Harlem 149th & 7TH Ave. Come thru) typing on a laptop about
social and political issues that affect the hood instead of glorifying
my own experience in it. I could be using my time and energy to
reiterate my reputation and activities streetwise, and accentuate the
personal drama and crime that I deal with everyday, but If you live the
struggle it always translates. Put your bifocals on!!
So anyway, last week I was chilling in my grandpa’s recliner
on planet piffery (think) when I see a 60 minutes episode where they
interviewed Cam’ron about the state of “snitching” in the urban
community. I don’t know the host dudes name or why they even chose Cam
to speak on behalf of the Hip-Hop
community, but they had some token slave-face looking older Black man
bashing rappers for promoting the “Stop Snitchin” campaign. In an
emotional ass I’m sick of-this-voice he kept making references to
rappers and their companies as if they are responsible for criminals
not being brought to “justice” in the hood.
So you know what my initial thought to this whole show was right? “Get tha f**kada here!” These white American media
dudes are hilarious! First of all, the only reason they trying to pull
this attack on Hip-Hop trick out the bag is because some racist old
white radio host finally got caught out there talking reckless (Don
Imus) calling a group of Black female student/athletes “nappy headed
hoes” for no reason.
So, in an effort to take the spotlight off the fact that there are still
a bunch of reject Klan members running around in positions of power,
they decided to re-direct the public’s attention and blame Hip-Hop with
the same tactics of a snitch. Talking ‘bout, “Well they
say the word hoe too!” Then using more media trickery they spin it to
act like rappers made up the term “snitching”! Like it’s a race, and
they have snitch rights or something… Since when does anyone like a snitch? Even the Feds used to put black bags over snitches heads in court just to humiliate them.
Some of you reading this may not be of the same complexion or background as us
so you may not even understand why I even care about sh*t like this.
However, the reality is, I feel like it’s my responsibility as an
intelligent young Black leader and revolutionary gangster to re-steer
the minds of those that might be fooled by the news and their bulls**t.
Unfortunately, a lot of these so-called veterans don’t have the balls
to stand up for this culture or our way of life – which is Hip-Hop –
but it’s cool. Serius Jones ain’t scared of these muthaf**kas!!
Ok, let’s go real street now. If there are any millennium
gangsters reading this then y’all know that the streets across the
nation are at an all-time snitching high! Even mafia crime bosses who
have built empires based off that code of silence now are singing
like f**kin’ parakeets. What makes this even more ridiculous that they
chose to blame rappers for making law enforcement officers’ jobs
harder. Even when I was too young and square to play the streets, I was
always watching. This is what it once was.
It used to be the gangsters:
They lived by their own code. There was loyalty, respect shown, and organization. They controlled the underworld
and supplied the needs and wants on the street level. If the
organization was advanced enough, it could elevate to a level where it
could infiltrate and work within the system of government. (The
Government are the illest gangsters ever, by the way.)
Then there were police:
Their job was to stop crime from spilling over into the
communities and lives of the civilians and bring the criminals or
outlaws to “justice” for their crimes. They are trained to treat those
trying to rise from the bottom of society as those criminals.
Then there were the civilians:
They worked whatever tax paying jobs and supported the system
by being conventional citizens. They didn’t and were not expected to
follow the streets ethics, and could enjoy entertainment without the need to feel like a “tough guy” or a “gangster.”
As time moves on it seems like the lines and boundaries have gotten
blurrier. Entertainers want to be gangsters and street ni**as and vice
versa. The problems is that the lifestyle of the average person isn’t
this crazy, dramatic gangster lifestyle that America celebrates.
Everyone loves a gangster because he does what the civilian fantasizes
about, and above all is in control of his destiny. Movies, music
and all forms of entertainment exploit the stories of real gangsters
whose families suffer from the reality while the public are entertained
by the fantasy.
However, the rules that apply to the streets don’t and
shouldn’t apply to the average civilian. If a 50-year-old woman doesn’t
want someone selling crack in front of her building, she isn’t a
“snitch” for telling the police because she doesn’t have any code to
stick by besides that of a law abiding citizen.
A lot of these rappers and so-called hustlers need to stay on
that side of the law and fill out some applications instead of tricking
themselves into believing their real gangsters because of too much
weed, liquor and mob flicks. In the meantime I’ll be on the real side
of life living for the moment and shining extra for those that couldn’t
be here to live it with me.
Real sh*t. 100 every trip. Hip-Hop is the culture that raised
the World’s awareness to our struggle, so I’ma make sure the world
remembers Serius before I leave this b***h called life. Check the music for the rest… LIFE IS SERIUS the Blockumentary and LIFE IS SERIUS the album…. It’s coming Summer 07!!!
www.myspace.com/seriusjones
www.lifeisserius.com The
views expressed inside this editorial aren’t necessarily the views of AllHipHop.com
or its employees.
