#Repost @humansofny ・・・
“I grew up in the suburbs. I used to think that I could write a prescription for a poor man: ‘Get a job, save your money, pull yourself up by the bootstraps.’ I don’t believe that anymore. I was ignorant to the experiences of poor people. I’d invite anyone to come and meet the people who live in this neighborhood. Right now we are surrounded by working poor people. These are the people who sell your tools at Sears, and fix your roofs, and take care of your parents, and mow your lawns, and serve your meals. They’re not getting a living wage. There’s no money left to save. There’s nothing left if they get sick. Nothing left if their car breaks down. And God forbid they make a mistake, because there’s nothing left to pay fines or fees. When you’re down here, the system will continue to kick dirt in your face. You can’t pull yourself up when there’s nothing to grab onto. We aren’t paying our brothers and sisters enough to live. We want them to serve us, but we aren’t serving them.”

Silly season has begun. How is it we only devote 1/12th of the year to this?

#Repost @questlove ・・・
30 yrs ago this week on a tuesday this changed everything. It’s easy to overlook the artistic achievement that was #LicensedToIll. In 86 Rap lps were starting to become the norm. Most were “cool” but nothing close to high art. Rick Rubin took Larry Smith’s lead (producer of Run DMC’s 1st two albums & Whodini’s work) & refined em. Taking hip hop’s 7 min just-add-water-& instant party method & reducing it to 3-4 min radio madness. 1st w LL’s Radio in 85 but really hitting bullseye with in 86 with Ill. I thought they were Puerto Rican based on the slanguage of 84’s #BeastieGroove (swear to god Mike D’s “you just fessin’ man I don’t even wanna hear it you just fessin” was gonna be “a thing” in 9th grade–I was wrong) a year later due a pressing plant faux pass all Philly DJ’s mistakenly started rocking the shoulda been b-side “acapulco” version of #HoldItNowHitIt (hip hop’s first a cappella) it was so innovative at the time we ate it up like the new #PootieTang single ” !” Them trading stanza’s like RunDMC on steroids w no music foundation! It took a year and all of Philadelphia by surprise when we heard the correct version WITH drums. I really wish I could convey how this album cover froze me in my tracks when it first came out. I think between this & their followup #PaulsBoutique that marks the last time I lost myself in album cover art as I immersed myself in the music (maybe #Pharcyde’s Bizarre Ride lp) but everything about this jawn was next level, Rubin’s rub scratching on #RhyminAndStealin was obnoxiously louder than most scratching of the day. #AdRock’s whine, #MikeD’s Sneer & #MCA’s growl was such a cool combo. Weird to see this version of minimalist hip hop almost mirror what’s goin down now (808 still being the weapon of choice) it slowly colored outside the lines adding Zeppelin & CCRevival w/ its Kool & The Gang & Jimmy Castor Bunch attracting a new audience never seen before. I miss the magic of this era. Respect!