WELDON IRVINE - "MORNING SUNRISE"
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/weldon-irvine-mn0000244561/biography
WELDON IRVINE - "MORNING SUNRISE"His genius is mostly only known by the truest of music aficionados; but his work is the foundation of so many classics of multiple genres. Weldon Irvine once worked for The Legendary Nina Simone-playing Organ, serving as Bandleader, Arranger, and Road Manager. He wrote "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" which would turn into HUGE Hits for Nina Simone, Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, and Aretha Franklin. He would go on to record several albums of his own, and write/produce at least 20 stage musicals. And his magic would even transcend into the future generations, as he worked actively on albums by Mos Def, BlackStar & others. The featured song of this blog post, "Morning Sunrise," was sampled for Jay-Z's classic "Dear Summer" and also "Bitch Is Crazy" by Drake. The original appeared on his 1979 LP "The Sisters." Sadly, Weldon Irvine's time on this Earth came to close on April 9, 2002. However, his music and contributions will go on FOREVER... http://www.allmusic.com/artist/weldon-irvine-mn0000244561/biography
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In January, and again in April, of every year the world pauses to honor the memory of the one & only Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. But what is his true legacy? If you let corporate media, politicians, or the school system tell his story, you get just a really watered-down version that really loses relevancy with each passing year. If you rely on those vessels for information, as far too many do, then Dr. King Led a few marches, Had "a Dream," Went To "The Mountaintop," and then was snuffed out by some Crazy Lone White Assassin's Bullet. How many even know that in 1999 The U.S. Federal government was found Guilty as a Co-Conspirator in the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King? Yes. So while the narrative of James Earl Ray continues to go on, the FACT is that it has been CONFIRMED that members of U.S. Military Intelligence and Sniper Groups were in the immediate vicinity of Dr. King's Motel-and all police protection was REMOVED within an hour of his execution (check the links below for more information). Anyway, back to the point... Starting around 1967, or some evidence would suggest even 1965, Dr. King's message and overall demeanor began to change/gain a stronger sense of urgency. Dr. King's message began to shift away from a loving message of integration-to a stance against Institutionalized Racism. Dr. King began to call out the government for the hypocrisy of spending hundreds of millions of dollars toward wars to control other sovereign nations, and at the same time, loudly proclaiming the intention to fight harder for God-Given Rights. Dr. King railed against Racism practiced via Housing Discrimination, Employment discrimination, discrimination in Federal Funding and Grants, Violence against Non-Whites, and the overall lack of morality in the actions of Government & society. “We have waited for more than three hundred and forty years for our constitutional and God-given rights. The nations of Asia and Africa are moving with jet-like speed toward gaining political independence, but we still creep at horse and buggy pace toward gaining a cup of coffee at a lunch counter.” Missing from the pages of history is the reality that many of his allies turned on him during those latter days of his life. He was no longer welcome in Lyndon B. Johnson's White House. Many spoke out against him. His change in focus, and willingness to criticize The Federal Government, put him on an island by himself. And much like Malcolm, it got him killed. Do note that on April 4th 1967 (EXACTLY ONE YEAR PRIOR TO HIS ASSASSINATION) Dr. King called the U.S. government "the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today." Most of those that walked with him prior to that time began to go into business for themselves, and Dr. King knew it. Once he was gone, they all got rich-and today they continue to bask in his light, while never doing anything more than SYMBOLIC acts that remain in the vein of a strategy that he had moved away from. “We have waited for more than three hundred and forty years for our constitutional and God-given rights. The nations of Asia and Africa are moving with jet-like speed toward gaining political independence, but we still creep at horse and buggy pace toward gaining a cup of coffee at a lunch counter.” In an encounter just days before the execution of Dr. King, Harry Belafonte Jr. described the demeanor of Brother mLK: "I remember the last time we were together, at my home, shortly before he was murdered. He seemed quite agitated and preoccupied, and I asked him what the problem was. "I've come upon something that disturbs me deeply," he said. "We have fought hard and long for integration, as I believe we should have, and I know that we will win. But I've come to believe we're integrating into a burning house." That statement took me aback. It was the last thing I would have expected to hear, considering the nature of our struggle, and I asked him what he meant. "I'm afraid that America may be losing what moral vision she may have had," he answered. "And I'm afraid that even as we integrate, we are walking into a place that does not understand that this nation needs to be deeply concerned with the plight of the poor and disenfranchised. Until we commit ourselves to ensuring that the underclass is given justice and opportunity, we will continue to perpetuate the anger and violence that tears at the soul of this nation." SOURCES: https://legacy.scu.edu/ethics/architects-of-peace/Belafonte/essay.html http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/21/dr_martin_luther_king_in_1967 https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/five-myths-about-martin-luther-king/2016/01/15/4094b44a-ba62-11e5-829c-26ffb874a18d_story.html?tid=sm_fb http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2015/01/martin-luther-king-assassinated-us-govt-king-family-civil-trial-verdict.html http://www.thekingcenter.org/sites/default/files/KING%20FAMILY%20TRIAL%20TRANSCRIPT.pdf OSHUN - "STAY WOKE"In Yoruba tradition & culture, "Oshun" is "The great mother of love, the great mother of sweetness, the great mother of the river, great mother of healing and fertility, the great mother of abundance." In in that tradition Niambi Sala and Thandiwe have emerged on the music scene with a vengeance not seen since maybe back when Erykah Badu graced us with her musical powers of Elegance & Intelligence. And in their most recent visual, Oshun bless with the powerful mantra "Stay Woke." Starting off with a spoken word intro, that would make The Last Poets so proud, as they ask "When Will You Declare You Destiny?!" the track then glides into a super smooth ode that challenges us to shake off the comforts of blissful ignorance in a system that is designed for your exploitation & eventual destruction. "Picking and choosing when you conscious like narcolepsy, Thinking you equal in the pot that they say is melting-Saying you righteous but you pray at the masters church,And when you're told bout yourself you get your feelings hurt!" As far as the visuals go, the Chelsea Odufu directed video adds a very modern twist to the 1993 film "Sankofa." Don't just look at the video, ANALYZE it. Absorb the lyrics, and then play it again & again. This is just the type of medicine WE need to heal the sickness of post-slavery/colonialism mindset that we cling to still today. Feedback & Comments welcome. "But i still got to get up, cause my dreaming tells me so-Reflecting truth and fate like divination from the soul. Its tiring but better than a wake like funerals. They trying to keep me sleep and dumb cause that's what's comfortable-Catching zzz’s while their alchemy eating pupils closed. And I’m not living life asleep niambi staying woke. Wake up, wake up..." *** (WRITER'S NOTE: The "MUSIC OF THE MIND" Series is loosely inspired by the Classic 1972 "Music of My Mind" album by Stevie Wonder) BONUS CUT: "STUCK"For those that don't know, Dr. Frances Cress Welsing was a trailblazing Behavioral Scientist that devoted more than 45 years of her life teaching the world about the conscious and subconscious realities of Global White Supremacy. Starting with her 1970 essay "The Cress Theory of Color-Confrontation and Racism (White Supremacy)" Dr. Welsing explained the pathology behind the inability of Whites & Non-Whites to be able to live in peace-the root of such being The Caucasian's genetic inferiority to the Non-White Worldwide Majority & fear of genetic annihilation. The realities of Melanated versus Non-Melanated Peoples dictate that when The Whites inter-mix with Non-Whites, the offspring will also be Non-White is at the very core of Whites long history of seeking to dominate Non-Whites globally & enforce a Social, Political, Economic & Faith-Based Infrastructure that promotes the idea of White Supremacy and Black Inferiority. This system is reinforced through many of the things that we see, say, and do almost daily-and they all are rooted in that fear of genetic annihilation. Greatly influenced by the writings of Dr. Neeley Fuller, Dr. Welsing helped in getting his "The United-Independent Compensatory Code/System/Concept Textbook" to the masses before going on to publish her greatest work "The Isis Papers: The Keys to the Colors" in 1991. Since then she has been highly in demand to tour the country speaking on the concepts she espouses on in her writings. The Isis Papers decodes many of the things that we encounter and unknowingly participate in daily; and most familiar with her work would agree that her writing (while a great source of controversy) has become more and more relevant today than when she originally wrote the book in the late 1980's. “Most important, Black males must help one another to understand that they are being led by the dynamic of white supremacy to inflict extreme damage upon themselves, one another and ultimately the Black race. Black males must understand that, contrary to what is said, the war being conducted in urban centers is not against drugs but against Black males- for the purpose of white genetic survival...(It must be realized that no Black males manufacture the chemicals for drug use, nor do any Black males manufacture guns.)” Dr. Frances Cress Welsing was a native of Chicago, Illinois, born March 18, 1935. Dr. Welsing earned her Bachelor's Degree from Antioch College in Ohio, and her Master's Degree from the prestigious Howard University College Of Medicine. Dr. Welsing worked in general and child psychiatry, and was an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Howard University College of Medicine, when "The Cress Theory of Color-Confrontation and Racism (White Supremacy)" came out. After controversy arose over her writing, her tenure at Howard University was removed in 1975. Dr. Welsing also worked as a staff physician for The Department Of Human Services, Clinical Director over programs for emotionally troubled children in the Washington D.C. area. She returned to the ancestors on January 2nd 2016, after having suffered a stroke. Her presence will be dearly missed; but her teachings will live on FOREVER-if WE do are part to continue on with her legacy & instructions. Salute!!! |
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