Please stop saying F***tard.

Pretty Please. How did this word get so popular? It sounds so dumb and it makes you look so bad. Seriously, I'm embarrassed for you when you use it. Is it just online or does that word actually come out of your mouth in conversation? *shudders*  

With A Cherry On Top. It's literally impossible for you to use that word and come off as cool, thoughtful or intelligent...It's kind of like you're classifying yourself into whatever group you're trying to classify someone else in, at the same time. Two for one. There's lots of other good reasons not to say it, but number one: it just sounds so. dumb. 

And as long as we're on the topic, here's some other good reasons not to use it:

It's an even more violent version of "retard", which is hurtful enough as it is, thank you very much.

As the son of a woman with Muscular Dystrophy, I learned how the r-word is used in violent, hurtful ways, even though it never even made any sense to me whatsoever...and it will never be funny to me.

Why do people feel like it is their god given right to use words they KNOW (or willfully refuse to understand) HURT and DEGRADE another human being?  Why would you choose to ignore people when they tell you it makes them feel like shit? Because that's not how you meant it? So the impact of that word in society is null and void because of the way you choose others to interpret how you use it? I'm sorry, but just because that's not how you "grew up using the word", doesn't take away all the times that word was used with hate and belittlement. And how is it that you grew up using that word? AS A WAY TO PUT DOWN, DEMEAN or DISREGARD SOMETHING.

...I'm sorry, but it's really not about you. Yet everyone is just supposed to "understand" what you mean; that it's not supposed to be "taken that way" How about trying to understand the hurt and frustration that word causes on a daily basis? To try to understand the people who are being PUT DOWN and DISREGARDED by the use of that word everyday? Where's the understanding for them? Why should anyone have to work so hard to find fun and humor in words that have been used against them every day of their lives? And how many times do you think that word comes along with the many forms of bullying? With a push or a shove or even a bit of spit? Sounds terrible right? Believe me it gets far worse than that...


Why should someone be forced to live in a world where they are constantly being put down? Because "We don't mean it that way"? These hurtful terms (Retard, Gay, Bitch, Pussy) are being hurled out, either violently or casually (with the same emotional impact) everywhere, every minute of every day. At the time I wrote this, there had been over 1200 uses of the r-word since 12am on twitter alone. It's just after one and Twitter had been down worldwide for at least a couple of hours. What about Face Book? And texts? At the water cooler? Are you kidding me?!! Would you consider it ok to casually make fun of your friend by calling them a spic, chink or nigger? If so, we've got way bigger problems to address (and believe me we definitely do). You may not see those words in the same light, but the have THE EXACT SAME EMOTIONAL IMPACT on people who've experienced those words in hateful, belittling ways.


"In closing" (and from a conversation on the topic I just finished on Face Book), I'm simply asking that you not use language that puts down or demeans anyone. What I'm doing is civilly engaging in dialog about what is offensive to me and millions of other people. You are not a victim here, just someone who didn't understand the effect of their words on the people and world around them. There's billions of you, so it's easier not to see. The majority of people can't see the effects of hate language because they don't have to. Someone with disabilities doesn't have that luxury; they're reminded of that every day.

Thank you for reading and thinking,

SEE 

PS (edit) - although this may seem condescending at parts or the whole thing or whatever, this is truly how I feel and it comes from a place of LOVE and RESPECT. A Love and Respect that we all deserve. That's the whole point. Peace

New Song/Album Preview and the New Series of Boombox Emporium

 

 The new series of the Boombox Emporium is on and poppin'! It's the third installment of free music that comes once every month or two. I'm shooting for a song every month from here on out. It's been held up in the past with transitions from the old label and such (also tons of work within and without music; teaching, traveling, etc), so I'm looking forward to dropping new (and some old) tunes on you more consistently. Check out the the first two volumes HERE. All that music is free (for now) and it's REALLY EXCELLENT WORK. It illuminates some of the depth and variety of my work and I'm truly proud of every last song.

And here's the latest song, not only to be released, but to be CREATED by yours truly. I literally recorded this two nights ago and wrote it on the plane ride to Vermont a week ago. I put the finishing touches on it last night and here it is. It's the first leak from the new solo album I'm working on with super producer Serebellum One, who's worked with Twin Cities' Hip Hop luminaries Slug of Atmosphere, I Self Devine of Dynospectrum (as well as Rhymesayers Entertainment), Gene Poole (also of Dynospectrum and RSE fame), Unicus of Kanser and so many more.

The song has a bouncy, playful, golden era vibe to it and the lyrics are funny and sweet, rhythmically dense and expertly crafted. It's a nice appetizer for the full length which is just 3 songs short of completion. I don't want to get too much into it just yet, but this album is going to be something special, something sharp and something very different (nearly every song will boast a different vocal style, or two or three). For now, enjoy this new jam in the sun, at the office, or in the AC and devise how you can find someone who satisfies you to the core and vice versa. It's for my amazing partner on our two year anniversary. Please feel free to share it far and wide. Enjoy.