The Solution

With so many headlines surrounding the Trayvon Martin verdict, it reminded me how much we feel compelled to use social media to express our thoughts about popular topics. When the shooting first took place it was difficult for me to post a status, write a blog, or pen a song that would provoke thought without sharing too much of my opinion.

I do not have all the facts in this case. I did not follow it as closely as some people did. I do understand the racial significance, but outside of Trayvon’s ethnicity I hate to think of a young man having his life taken for no reason while Chief Keef is still running around spreading ignorance. Just kidding young Keef.

Speaking of things I don’t like, having only six jurors sucks. I saw the movie Runaway Jury, and I watched Law and Order a few times, and I learned that both sides got to pick jurors. That’s as close as I got to law school. I do know Florida has only six jurors to save time and money, but how they got five Caucasian women with ages ranging from 20-60 amazes me. How could any of these women identify with Trayvon as their own child? They lock rappers up for simply having weapons and this guy killed someone. Plaxico Burress, Michael Vick, Wesley Snipes, and even Lil Boosie have the right to be more upset than I could ever be. And then the news just broke about George Zimmerman saving some kids after a car crash…which leads me to join the conspiracy theorists that say that this whole event is part of a larger plan. Don’t ask me what that plan is.

If President Obama does something though is that blatant favoritism for the black team, or is that why the country hired a half-white guy anyway? I saw George Bush free John Forte, President Palmer helped Jack Bauer numerous times, I’m sure Barack can find a charge for George if he really wants to. Didn’t they come back around for OJ after the nation was in an uproar about him getting off? Wait, nobody cared about OJ getting off did they? Didn’t we celebrate a little as brown people? Oh well, this race stuff is exhausting. I’m praying for aliens…in the meantime I remembered that I did an EP entitled The March last year when I first heard about the case.

I think my words were on point for the most part; unfortunately some were a tad prophetic. Here are some excerpts to skim:

“You heard about the March on Washington you was absent,
Or should I say you wasn’t born you hadn’t happened,
Take a quick second to zone out and imagine,

If you needed civil rights today would u take action?
What would make you hit the lawn? Inauguration
of a president with melanin, tone and some coloration?
What if you, right now were faced with segregation,

And some Jim Crow laws that altered your occupation?
Let’s say you’re an upstanding citizen, Caucasian
That believes all people are equal, it’s your nation,
And the government is telling you yes, discrimination

Is the right thing to do when you look at the population,

Would you march?
Would you hold folks hands?
Troop for some hours or days would you stand?
How about my black people, would y’all man up
And do anything that you can without war?

Stand for nothing and you’ll fall for anything,
In the same vein as Martin Luther, Coretta King
Committing to my goals like I put on a wedding ring
We all know that doe isn’t everything
So what would make you march?

Would you have to see police kill a friend of yours?
Would you let some other activists affect the laws?
Would you watch it on the Internet instead of porn?
And let equality die, and then regret it’s gone?
What would make you march?
Better yet, think of issues that touch your heart
Breast cancer, would you wear pink for ones you lost?
Would you donate bread for a mother whose breasts fell off?
Would it take you being up in the hospice
To see a loved one turn invisible thru the process?
Tumors spread; heavenly bodies just turn toxic
Would it be for real if you watched it, would you march?
For awareness of STDs,
For moms against DUIs,
For knowledge of heart disease,
For prisoners in the system that can’t even learn to read,
For dudes at a toddler level of learning, in their teens?
If Martin was in your era would you witness his long speech?
Or in today’s times would you occupy Wall Street?
If it could change the price of gas to go to a hall meeting,

Or get up out your bed would you dodge sleep?
Told you Hitler couldn’t kill millions if nobody was with him
Taiwanese make your sneakers don’t have dollars for living,
Would you go get your Lebrons or Jordans and put ‘em on

if we marched to lower taxes, and collegiate tuition?
It’s crazy
Cost only pennies to make Hardaways
People on line for hours Nike sparked a craze,
But if currency were minutes, we’d be finished,

What changes would you make in your life if you had to start today?”

-Sha Stimuli (Sherod Khaalis)

words from “The March” 03/12

“I’m a part of the problem
If I don’t bring a solution
Automatics and revolvers
But nobody wants revolution
I’m a part of the problem
Cause I know I don’t have a solution
My words ain’t gonna stop ‘em
And my worlds full of confusion

And maybe you might empathize,
How many times have you seen someone with helpless eyes?
Homeless person sleeping on the street,
trying to find food to eat and you pass by desensitized,
So it might not affect your mood,
You think the less they have, they got less to lose,
And if you give him doe, he might not get no food,

He could be alcoholic and you don’t want to be in his shoes,
We all have the notion,
Sitting in a church pew during the devotion,
Give a little cheese and you figure that God sees,

so the path to reaching spiritual Heaven is set in motion,
When young Trayvon died,
You signed a petition online,
Just because you hope the dude that killed him before his time
gets punishment for the crime, but if he doesn’t you’ll be fine,
You’ll still be at work in the morning,
You’ll still be searching for your calling,
I’ll be rapping and performing and the songs that I make up, won’t make
people wake up,
But I’ll see the news and hope that they arrest the guy,
Hope the case gets turned over to the FBI,
And whoever knows something testifies,
But if the kid was white, would that be alright?”

                                    –Sha Stimuli (Sherod Khaalis)

words from “The Solution” 03/12