Rap Lyrics Demystified - Trinidad Jame$

So I was listening to the radio, and by chance, I came across a riveting song that literally inspired me to write this blog. There is a Caribbean artist, with origins from the island of Trinidad, who has produced a song about the 79^th element, AU, or gold. At first listen, I believed this song taught to instruct the audience about the advancement of the chemical properties in the commercialized use of jewelry. But after reading about this artist, Nicholas Williams, I realized that Trinidad James has jumped to the national stage from his revolutionary YouTube stardom. His premiere song had much more depth than my initial assumption. In fact, it is one of the anthems of 2013 that will last throughout the century. Please review as I break down the incredibly insightful lyrics of “All Gold Everything” by the artist Trinidad James:

This ain't for no fuck nigga
If you a real nigga then fuck with' me

This song is not for an ignorant person who is not concerned with the true values of life. If you understand the deeper aspects of the universe we live in, follow as I share some profound knowledge.

This one for the hood niggas
The hipster bitches that shop at Lennox

I love this phrase for its irony. To begin with, although it refers to “hood niggas” it actually means those who have lived in a sheltered life, much similiar to the wholesome blindness of Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood. In addition, these “hipster bitches” are really those who blindly follow the popular trends. Mr. James is trying to tell us to wake up! Pay attention! Oh, #SpikeLee would be so proud.

Dark skin, light skin, Asian and white women

This phrase is analogous to “All Men are Created Equal.” Mr. James seeks not to exclude any race. In addition, he facetiously focused on “women” to highlight the ignorant, patriarchal society we live in that give credit to men, while ignoring the contributions of both genders.

Hypebeast we know aboutchea'
Don't buy shoes unless they popular

Again, Trinidad James is reaching out to those who are simply following the masses. This song is a call to arms for those who need to mobilize and move to act for a cause greater than “shoes” and “popularity.”

For the hoes, my Nigga
That's pussy poppin' that Magic City

This phrase is the most interesting because of its metaphorical comparison. The “hoes” do not refer to promiscuous women, but rather to the gardening tool. The “pussy” they are “popping” is not the oldest profession (prostitution), but rather the job that revolutionized humanity and stop nomadic tribal relocation, FARMING. And the city of magic is the location that the nomads decided to reside in; no longer chasing buffalo these societies were able to build and thrive, almost like magic.

Got that strong, my Nigga
Then come match that shit with' me

This is where it gets real. Trinidad James, the incredibly creative artiste, writes that he has “that strong,” which is a metaphor for the military of the United States. He challenges us, the People, to take on the United States, in a very brave but stupid protest. He says, and I am paraphrasing, if we don’t unite, we will crumble from our own government. #Astonishing

Smoking mid, my nigga
Then don't pass that shit to me

Mid-grade marijuana, as referenced here in this song, is a less-tasty, much-harsher type of drug. This metaphor calls to action for pharmacists and publically-accepted manipulators of drugs. He further writes that we must ALL be responsible for each other’s constitutional rights.

 

Essentially, Trinidad James seeks to unite all americans, from the farmers to the women to the pharmacists to the folk who don't serve a specific purpose other than creating the masses. We must take charge of our government, be involved, for it is EVERYTHING, just like gold.

Thank you Mr. James. Your inspirational lyrics truly hit home.

 

The Grass is Brown on the Other Side

I am often told that I suck at communicating. As an electrical engineer, you would think I would have a damn-near romantic fascination toward phones and tablets and other gadgets. Obviously, what you think is not true. Just cause a person is interested in how something works, does not mean they want to use it (kinda like a female gynecologist). Again, I digress. What is more important is that I fail, and fail often, at communicating my emotions.

Within the past few years of my life, since I learned about continuous improvement in Van Munching Hall (#TERPS!), I have taken significant strides toward improving this obvious malfunction of me. I use the following phrase:

It makes me <INSERT EMOTION> when <INSERT PERSON/THING> <INSERT VERB/TASK>.

I have found that besides getting the point across, this is a very simple way to express my emotions and/or piss off whoever I am talking to. (Hey, if I have to talk about my feelingslike I am a frickin’ 5-year-old, someone is going to have to share in my misery.) Consequently, I have a new “emotion” to express:

It makes me SAD when people complain about their life.

Yeah, I get it. My motto for 2012 was “life sucks and then you die.” We are all trying to make life less sucky. Goal-setting is important and blashé blashé blah. But yet, is there not a single, truly happy-slash-satisfied person??

These are one of the few things in life I totally understand AND totally hate. #Totally. More often than not, people want the opposite of what they have. But when they get it, they want something else.

-      People want more money but then they want less responsibility.

-      People want more friends but then they want less drama.

-      People want to be less boring but then they are too busy.

It’s like a cycle where you get what you want, but you aren’t happy. So you go for something else, and again you aren’t happy. So then you keep searching and searching and eventually . . . anti-climax (insert inappropriate pun).

So, in an effort to shut people the hell up, I have Bing-ed some shit to help me make a point. Hopefully, this will change the world, but I am thinking not:

-      Lottery winners. The one thing you should avoid in life is giant lump sums of money. Sounds strange, but seriously it’s logical. Did you know that 70% of lottery winners spend all of their winnings in 3 to 5 years? As the story goes, most of these people can’t handle a shitload of money. Nor can their children, brothers, sisters, friends, etc. The tale often ends with a hitman, drug overdose, or suicide. So stop by 7-11 and get your ticket!

-      Millionaires and murder. Obviously, hundreds of thousands of dollars can’t make you happy. But MILLIONS can! Just ask Oprah, she couldn’t be any happier. #SikeYourMind. For the last time, money will not make you contempt. Jonathan Wraith, 35 year old millionaire from Britain, shot himself in the head with a shotgun for no apparent reason. Christopher Foster, 50 year old millionaire, killed his wife and daughter before killing himself. Wayne Pai, businessman from Taiwan, killed himself while rumors of insider trading circulated. Paul Castle, the 54 year old workaholic, threw himself in front of a train, leaving behind 3 ex-wives and a fiancée.

-      Tom Anderson. There was a point where Tom was the most famous “friend” of everyone. With the rise and overcome of Facebook, MySpace is dead and gone. And now, Tom has NO FRIENDS. What does he do now? He is an expert on real estate in Las Vegas. You can probably send him an invite on . . . oh wait. I forgot. No one cares.

-      10 seconds of Fame. This should be an obvious one but fame is depleting. No matter what amazing, miraculous, phenomenal thing you do, people will forget. Lady Gaga was the #1 artist for 2010. For what song . . . I’ll wait. . . Okay, here’s an easier one. The top-watched TV show of 2011 was Fringe. What station did it come on? Who starred in it? Takes a few brain cells, don’t it? Whether it’s MC Hammer showing up at the New Years Eve celebration or Kim Kardashian’s next sex tape, celebrities hold on to their fame because it will leave you. Just ask Paris Hilton or Ryan Lochte (Olympic swimmer) or Lil Bow Wow (rapper/actor/waiter at Red Lobster).

So, set your goals higher than money and fame. No matter how rich or famous you become, that won’t buy happiness. Simply be happy that you aren’t terminally ill, lonely, or a billionaire. And remember, life could be worse. Your mother might despise you for your success (#LindsayLohan).

On a side not, check out the origins of the following proverbs/clichés:

-      You can’t always get what you want (song by the Rolling Stones in 1968)

-      Catch 22 (book by Joseph Heller in 1961)

-      You can’t have your cake and eat it too (letter from Thomas, Duke of Norfolk in 1538)

-      Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it (Fables of Aesop in 550 BC)

-      The grass is always greener (Latin proverb cited by Erasmus of Rotterdam in 1545)

Only Bad Things Happen When Men Are Emotional

Usually, I try to avoid stereotypes (99.3% of the time). But this is one I have to sadly agree with. Men do not cry! See, when men are emotional, mistakes are made. When mistakes are made, people get hurt. And when people get hurt, everybody loses. By the transitive property of equality (IF a=b AND b=c, THEN a = c),

When men are emotional, everybody loses.

I want to say now, and probably not for the last time, that I am no fan of Robert Griffin the IIIrd. Why do you ask? Oh, let me tell you: 

1.     I think anyone named the third is pretentious by default (I blame the parents).

2.     I have to watch his UNATTRACTIVE face on Subway commercials every 7 minutes (BTW: Jared and friends were a little premature for signing him a deal. But don’t worry, there is Viagra for that sort of thing).

3.     He played his first playoff game with so much impatience, it looked like he was never going to perform wearing a jersey ever again. I can only assume he thought it would be most appropriate to gamble his career on that single game.

Yes, we have seen him hobble up the field with a knee injury at the Battle of the Beltway game in Week 14 against the Baltimore Ravens. And I am sure he played slightly brain damaged with a mild concussion during the Week 5 game against the Atlanta Falcons. But like every player and every sport, pain will not stop a true athlete. Some hierarchical authority has to make that decision. Find examples below:

-     In 2008, Tiger Woods competed in the US Open with a torn ACL and two stress fractures in his tibia. Normally, these are career-ending injuries, but he won in sudden-death after sinking a 12-foot birdie.

-     At the 1996 Summer Olympics, Kerri Strug suffered a third-degree lateral sprain on her ankle on her first vault. Despite this injury, she completed her second vault and stuck a perfect 10. She performed her bow on one foot as her coach carried her off the mat.

-     In the 1972 Heavyweight bout between Ali and Norton, Muhammad Ali suffered a broken jaw. Yet, he refused to quit fighting. After 12 rounds, Ali lost in a split-decision.

With this being said, athletes will ALWAYS refuse to quit, no matter what pregnancy-contraction, testicle-kicking pains they feel. So it’s the job of the coach, the ref, or another authority to decide their faith.

Although RG3’s negligence may have resulted in an forgettable NFL career with, not a stupid choice, but an emotional decision, it's not 100% his fault. This Coach Shanahan thought without logic and with passion. He wanted to win! He believed in the players, he felt inspired, blah blah blah. He became a female and ignored LOGIC (yeah, I said it and I'm not taking it back). He was blind to anything that would prevent a Super Bowl 47 victory. He ignored his perfectly willing and able back-up QB and gambled his chances on an injured player. He made a mistake and now RG3’s leg is injured AND Kirk Cousins feelings are injured. And once again, the Washington Redskins fans lose. The NFL, who won’t sell RG3 jerseys until he is eligible to play, loses. The FedEx field, who already had a crappy reputation for tearing the ACLs of Adrian Peterson, Chris Clemons, and so many others, loses. So, as mentioned above, men with emotions leads to everyone losing!

Who is at fault? Is it right to blame the players? Should we blame the coach? Or what about the sponsors? Well the hippie in me says no to all of the above. We should blame The Man, or big business, obviously.

The league has turned the game into a machine that transforms decent men and turn them into slaves for sport. These athletes go through tremendous abuse and get paid a set salary, averaging out to $2 million for 3 years. God forbid they get injured! But if they do, they must fund their own surgeries, their own rehabilitation, and whatever else the NFL refuses to pay for. So rather than pay a couple hundred thousand to fix a field, the NFL rather risk their player’s livelihoods. On top of that, FedEx, sponsor to one of the worst stadiums in the league, do not dare give their two cents and risk the free advertisement, irregardless of the broken knees. 

So, pretty much, the players are the only ones who care and the league has monopolized football to the point where the players:

Risk injury in unfavorable working conditions 

OR 

Get another job 

. . so everyone loses. YAY!

Music, The Law of Entropy, and Proof We Can All Get Along

First and foremost, to the survivors of the Mayan Apocalypse, Happy Merry 2013 and Happy Belated Christmahannukwanzaakah Solstice! Since it is now 2013 AD, let’s get real in this bitch.

I have been debating, (internal quarrel. I am getting violent but will handle it by myself. Get it? I-vs-myself. I sleigh me. LOL) whether I should write about:

1. Congress (over it)

2. Gun Control (been over it), or

3. The Vikings (seed 6 bitches)

I decided to start the year’s first blog with my favorite topic of discussion: MUSIC. As you may or may not know, I am undoubtedly a music enthusiast. I strongly believe that music is the great equalizer and decides 74% (yes, this is an exact percentage) of what you need to know about a person. Favorite genre, preferred listening venue, understanding of the production quality, these factors determine compatibility (Match.com, off my nuts).

Traditionally, each genre has its very own predictable group of listeners. You have your hillbillies and bluegrass, your Goths and Death Metal, your tweens and Justin Beiber, etc. Recently, however, I have noticed an increasing number of nonconventional followers for various music types.

For instance, gangster rap is, for the most part, listened to by gangsters . . . #Duh. Who would’ve guessed that it takes a certain type of person who is capable of withstanding lyrics about the sale and use of illegal drugs, the degradation of women, and the glorification of violence to listen to this genre? Now when a woman, we shall call her Last-Name-Savopolos, knows that Juicy J can’t say no to ratchet bitches, we must ask ourselves, how do you know that?

My answer: the thermodynamics law of entropy!

Only seemingly random (LMAO, will make sense later), this law of physics can be used to explain the aforementioned cultural observation. Not sure what I’m talking about? Well of course you don’t. You’re normal. I am the geek, but here goes it.

One fine day, I am sitting in science class in Middle School and fake-me-out-Bill-Nye starts going in on this topic of “entropy,” or the law of disorder. Now, it was explained to me years ago (during the horrific school hours of 7AM to 2PM), but my memory is a little fuzzy. So this is what it I think it means now, courtesy of the internet:

The law of entropy states that all matter and energy in our universe is evolving toward an inevitable steady state of deterioration, randomness, and disorder.

AKA, the end of the world is coming AND it is going to be chaotic AND that chaos is happening around us . . . right now . . . steadily getting worse. Comforting I know, but if it makes you feel better this law is a phenomenological theory (is based off of observations and holds no theoretical proof). So, don’t be so devastated. Any-way, this theory is un poco complicado, so here are a few ejemplos:

Example 1: Salt placed in a cup of water will disperse completely and randomly. It’s really hard to undo.

Example 2: Your room is clean. If you leave and come back in a month, there will be a thin layer of dust on top of all your belongings. It’s really hard to re-clean.

Example 3: If you age wine for 50 years, the chemicals therein will cause it to become less bitter and form polymers and other stuff to make it taste good. This process is hard to undo.

So get it now? Well, if not, #BingThatBitch. I gotta move on.

In short, entropy explains why my favorite shirt has a hole in the armpit. Entropy is why marriages end in divorce. Entropy is why reality TV exists. Entropy explains everything that is broken, torn, disrupted, falling apart, upside down, dirty, pink, or whatever else is in a state of chaos.

And entropy explains why Last-Name-Savopolos and I, although are culturally different, can laugh about ratchetness. To some, this may be chaotic. But I think it’s pretty damn cool.

Plus, chaos is the red-headed step child of concepts. It only seems destructive to the untrained eye (NRA certified sharpshooter #zing). Really, it just wants to bring things together, and by things I mean EVERYTHING. See, it’s not so bad after all.

So Long story Short, entropy is cool. Chaos is really complicated but also really cool. And the intermingling of cultures and music is just one step closer to everyone getting along, aka the end of the world.