Maybe Hip-Hop IS Dead After All?

The other day, I was listening to one of the newer hip-hop "artists"  - and I use that term only for lack of a better one...and I was more than mildly disturbed at his "lyrics." Not because of the profanity or any of the other criticisms many have of hip-hop, but because of the lack of clarity, originality or plain old sense of the "lyrics". As someone who grew up during the dawn of hip-hop in the late 70s/early 80s, I am offended by many who call themselves rappers. Offended because they have failed to honor the origins of hip-hop. I advise the youngins to at least read some kind of history to help understand that hip-hop is not just about the bling, the limelight and other perks, but it is about the music and art form called hip-hop (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip-hop might be a nice easy place to start).

I love listening to lyrics of KRS-One, Jay-Z, Run DMC, LL Cool J and others who paved the way for these new guys and gals who are desecrating the sacred ground of hip-hop. I dare any one of the newbies to battle them...oh wait, do the youngins even "battle" anymore? Used to be a time where the true test of an MC's mettle was in the lost art of "freestyling" - where rhymes were spit on the spot, off the cuff, with a back and forth battle between MCs. Now true, every old school artist couldn't necessarily freestyle, but most of them could. Don't get me wrong, there are a few mainstream artists out now who are okaaay. Drake probably has some skills, if he could peel himself away from Weezy and get rid of the Auto-tune. Oops, did I say that out loud? No disrespect...I actually like Drake.

In fairness to the new jacks, I invited a few young people to tell me what they and their peers thought of some of today's emerging artists. Interestingly enough, they admitted that their younger peers loved the newbies, but the older teens didn't seem to care much for most of the mainstream artists. "Their lyrics don't make sense, and these kids are singing the words without knowing the true meaning behind them," offered one of my young friends. I felt comfort that errybody is not falling for the new hip-hop okie doke.

So is hip-hop dead? I don't know...the hip-hop I knew and loved is in the past, and much of what is taking its place is not fulfilling the original mission of the genre. Or maybe the new jacks are taking it to another level that I just don't understand. Maybe I'm just an oldhead! Feel free to disagree if you like. But I will leave you with the words of one of the original hip-hop philosophers, KRS-One [Step Into a World (Rapture's Delight)]:

Step into a world where there's no one left

But the very best

No MC can test

Step into a world, where hip-hop is me

Where MC's and DJ's

Build up their skills as they play every day

For the rapture

...and in the words of Rakim...PEACE!

(...and by the way...shouts out to Afrika Bambaataa, Kool DJ Herc, and the Sugarhill Gang - and all the other REAL OGs!)

Quick Update

Hey y'all! Two posts in the same week?? Kinda frightening, eh?

Anyway...just a quick note to say thanks to all of you read my posts and to those who have dared to follow me! Please check out my YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/cybranch - I just posted two new videos, one of which is a contest/giveaway. But I'm not gonna tell you what it's about - you'll have to head over to my YouTube channel and find out! ;-)

I'm entering two new ventures, hoping to earn a little gas money, which these days is actually a lot! I'm now a Cookie Lee Jewelry Consultant (shout out to my Sistafriend Melanie from BxSci for hooking a sista up!), and an Avon Representative (shout out to the lady at my local Starbucks who kept harassing me...no just joking, she didn't harass me, she was 'mildly persistent'). So please check out www.youravon.com/cbranch and place an order, and http://www.cookielee.biz/calandrabranch to check out the jewelry. Give me a shout out if you're interesting in hosting a jewelry party - there's some cool stuff for you if you become a hostess!

Until later...peace and blessings y'all!

To Breastfeed or Not to Breastfeed?

I know...it's been more than a minute since I've blogged, and my re-entry into the blog world is about breastfeeding? What's up with that? Well, remember we talk about a little bit of anything and everything here, and parenting issues are near and dear to my heart. This is probably the most widely discussed parenting topic out there, right next to "cloth vs. disposable" (diapers, that is).

This afternoon, I was reading this blog/article on parentdish.com (http://www.parentdish.com/2010/04/13/baby-formula-is-not-rat-poison/), written by a woman who actually DID breastfeed her children, but was also a supporter of formula. I thought I'd add my two cents for all those moms-to-be out there. Be careful, I also feel a rant coming on! It's been 3 1/2 years since I first had to contemplate the breastfeeding choice and that's exactly what it was...a choice. I am so very sick of mothers (and fathers for that matter - contrary to popular belief, men need to be able to at least voice their opinion about anything that concerns their children. And no, I will not duck when you all throw the tomatoes at me for that statement. I'm not afraid to stand up for the Dads out there) being chastised for the decisions they make concerning their children. The bottom line is, any parent worth his/her salt is a "real parent" not because they conceived and bore a child, or not because they chose one form of something over another, but because they have made a commitment to put the welfare of their children before their own. And that they have committed to being the best they can be for their children. Now that's a pretty tall order - we are selfish by nature, so even though they're real cute and cuddly, it is sometimes difficult to put their needs before our own.

But as usual, I digress...I was talking about breastfeeding, right? Actually, no. This blog is more about choices and the consequences of the choices we make for our children. Well...I guess I'd better stick to the breastfeeding issue and I'll come back to choices later. (Note to self: Start a series of blogs on parental choice - public vs. private school, to spank or not spank, hmm...)

OK - I'm focusing, I'm focusing...Breastfeeding, right? It saddens me that a woman's motherhood is tested by her decision to breastfeed. To me, breastfeeding is not the end all. Yes, there are health and nutritional benefits, and bonding opportunities, and all that other good stuff. But when we put that kind of pressure on mothers, especially when there is a perfectly legitimate alternative, it makes non-breastfeeding mothers crazy! When I was pregnant with my son, I actually read the benefits of breastfeeding, and I decided to give it a try, but had also decided what formula we would be using, just in case. I chose to breastfeed because of the health benefits, and the bonding opportunities, but did not think formula was the devil. I did not think that breastfeeding would make me feel like more of a mom. I knew my baby would love me whether I gave him breastmilk or formula - as long as he got fed!

The irony is that we still put pressure on ourselves. I had difficulties breastfeeding. When I came home from the hospital, I was so obsessive about getting Izzy (our son) on a schedule, I didn't like the arbitrary-ness (yeah, I know that's not a word) of the breastfeeding schedule. If I couldn't measure it, I didn't know if he had had enough, and I was just a hot mess. After a month, I decided to stick to formula and after a few days of grieving my decision, I got over it and moved on. I was disappointed because I felt I had betrayed my commitment to breastfeed. I wasn't worried about losing any health benefits - there are perfectly healthy formula-fed children out there. So by the time our daughter was born 2 years later, there was no choice. I didn't want to go through the emotional struggle again. We were going straight to the formula. Enfamil had served us well.

So to breastfeed or not to breastfeed? The purpose of this blog is not to provide you the answer. There is no correct answer. My only answer is to do your homework and make a wise decision. But also realize that sometimes biology is not in line with our decision, and you may have to go another route. Just know that if you make parenting decisions with love and due diligence, then don't let anyone get on your case about them.

Let me get off my soapbox, before someone knocks me off! Love y'all!

Young Adults and the Church

I read an interesting article this morning - www.politicsdaily.com/2010/02/25/young-adults-doing-religion-on-their-own-blame-it-on-politics/%2F. [NOTE: The link may only take you to the main Politics Daily page. Enter "pew center young adults" in the search box, and it's the first article that comes up.] The article briefly discussed the Pew Center's recently-released report, "Religion Among the Millenials." Please read the entire article, but in short, Pew indicated that the generation of young adults aged 18-29 are leaving organized denominations and churches, but have not abandoned their faith to embrace secularism. They are not worshipping in the way of their parents and grandparents. They are leaving the church because of the church's role in politics. I do find it interesting that the early church was always involved in politics - as with the Civil Rights Movement - but perhaps the church was dealing more with social politics as opposed to the extreme right- and left-wing issues being fought across the country today. This blog is not a review, or even a discussion about the Pew report. However, this article had me revisit the question many of us in the church have been asking..."Why are young adults leaving the church?"


We must be very careful with information found in surveys such as the Pew report - I think that too many of our churches take this information as a cue to "re-vamp" the church. Speaking as a Methodist, John Wesley (the father of Methodism), Richard Allen (founder and first Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church), James Varick (founder and first Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church), and all our other forefathers and foremothers, along with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, gave us all the tools we needed, and still need, for effective ministry. What we need to do is just sharpen the tools for today's times. Too many ministers and laity feel it necessary to "change" the church drastically in order to attract, or re-attract young adults. Many want to write-off the "traditions" of the church, citing them as being outdated and irrelevant. However, in terms of Methodism, the "tradition" of John Wesley WAS preaching to the people in the streets, at risk of being stoned and ridiculed for his faith and public proclamation of the Gospel. It was the tradition of John Wesley and his brother Charles to "preach" to the local pubdwellers by putting Christian lyrics to the tunes of popular bar songs. Now if that wasn't an example of bringing the Gospel to the people...!

Please...let's not start trying to take the "church" out of the church - restructuring pulpits, taking down altar rails, taking crosses off the wall and not using the word "church" in the names of our ministries. These are not the things that turn people away from the church. What turns young adults away is the church that preaches the Gospel, but fails to LIVE the Gospel. The church filled with people who have forgotten what it is like to be young in age, or young in Christ, and forget to be patient and loving to those who are growing up in the faith. We must stop trying to give people what they WANT and remember to give people what they NEED, according to the Word of God.

The true church is made up of the hearts of the people. If our hearts are right and in tune with God, and we continue to preach, teach and live the unadulterated Gospel of Jesus Christ, and continue to allow God to give our leaders vision and share that unaltered vision with the followers, then our churches will grow and reclaim its place as the true beacons in our community and in our world.

Facebook and the Grammys

I love, LOVE Facebook (a.k.a. FB)! Since around this time last year, I have reconnected with friends from High School, college and church and become even closer to people I was only loosely affiliated with. It's amazing how many people really remember you - genuinely remember you. It's pretty cool. Another cool thing - no more birthday cards. The birthday reminder helps us to remember/find out friends' birthdays and now instead of a card, or one of those email greetings, we can post a happy birthday message on our friends' wall, and even send a cute little virtual 'gift' - all without guilt and with great satisfaction. Nowhere else can we reach out to so many, so effortlessly and for FREE! Who doesn't love that?! LOL

But tonight was really fun - I 'watched' the Grammy's right along with a bunch of my FB friends - giving play by play commentary, joking on the festivities, and on each other. This is my 2nd or 3rd different awards ceremony that I have watched in FB parallel. If you haven't tried this yet, please do - it's so much fun! It's like having a virtual viewing party without the cleanup, drinks and food! So to all my FB friends who watched the Grammy's with me tonight - love y'all and had a blast!!