Say It Loud

Friends, Romans, Countrymen. & Drug Addicts, Prostitutes, Congressmen, School Teachers, Truck Drivers, etc. Lend me your ears (& a couple bucks if you got it, the economy's hurtin' my pockets something awful).......

Rejoice in new found freedom & respect! The long sought after spoils of trial & tribulation! The triumphant calm after what has been a tumultuous storm! Altogether now, say it loud;

I'm Black (African American, I mean) & I'm proud!

If only Malcolm, Martin, & Abraham Lincoln were here to see this.

Finally, Black folk can hold our heads high for somethin' other than the sake of lookin' cool, or exhalin' the smoke of choice skyward. It took time, but we moved from the back of the bus, to the backyard of the White House.

Barbeque's will never be the same again.

Even the least self-righteous house coon must feel a small swell in his chest right now. Not since the National Security backlash of 9/11 have so many Americans of African descent happily exclaimed "Damn, I'm glad I'm black".

*Get it, because that's when all the heat was shifted to those who looked like terr-nevermind.*

It's a proud day in human history when the most profoundly biased nation on the planet has allowed (yes, allowed. Dr. MLK Jr. didn't get killed THAT long ago, folks) a man of other than caucasion nationality to helm this country's voyage. Kudos, President Obama. It even sounds cool, doesn't it?

Hopefully, this ginormous leap in politics will do what Soulja Boy couldn't achieve with "Crank That". What Snoop Dogg couldn't do with "Gin & Juice", & what John Singleton couldn't accomplish with "Baby Boy" or "Poetic Justice".

Unite Black people (most, if not all) coast to coast.

It might not be the rags to riches story that rap careers are made of (county checks, the projects, blah blah blah, although his Dad did bounce on him), but its one of success regardless. Inauguration Day marks the reaching of the fabled Promised Land, or at least a viable step closer to the property line. & I'll tell you what, the fact that Barak is only 50% black doesn't sour the deal one bit. We can even go so far as to give White folks a little credit as well, because half of him is theirs anyway. That seems more than fair. Not "40 acres & a mule" fair, but fair nonetheless.
With all this partyin' like it's 1999, I feel obligated to briefly play devils advocate. Not to long ago, in a not so far away place, when there was a mess to clean up, no matter the magnitude, that job almost always went to the help (read: black people). Anybody see the news today? Or yesterday? Any day within the last year or so? Did I hear the word "conspiracy"? Guess it just my imagination. Or maybe not.........

So, before everything gets worse (& let's be real here, "better" isn't even a blip on the radar yet), let us enjoy our moment in the books. Barak Obama achieved superhero status, leaping insurmountable odds in a single election. If planet Earth wants to put a face to the black (I mean African American) experience, I'd rather it be an eloquette, college educated, family oriented man of color, as opposed to, say, someone such as 50 cent.

"Go Shawty, it's ya berfday" can only get us so far ahead as a people, nahmean?

The past has already passed, the present is presenting itself to us at this very moment, but for the first time since the introduction of the iPod, the future is somewhat bright & hopeful.

I, for one, am rather excited, & definitely inspired. Now, I'm going to jump in my ride, play "Hail to the Chief" at the highest volume, & go get "Obama Nation" tattooed on my neck for the whole world to see.

Happy Birthday, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

*go go go go go go go go shawty, its ya berfday*