It has been said that one of the best ways to understand another person's point of view is to walk a mile in their shoes. It's no secret that in 2004, Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum recording artist Bizzy Bone, suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, voluntarily began life living on the streets, giving up all his money and material wealth, and embarked on a journey that changed his life forever.
For several months, Bizzy walked on foot, trying to get from his hometown of Columbus to Cleveland.
After many miles and blisters on his feet, Bizzy could walk no more. It was a long, hard road for him and not all the critics have been kind in his absence. Many were puzzled and confused at the bizarre behavior and sightings of Bizzy sleeping in bus stations and on the streets.
Much speculation has surfaced about this drastic turn of events. However, now clean and focused, Bizzy explains, “Wandering in my desolate state, I had an overwhelming desire to surrender myself. My journey then became spiritual and my relationship with God was personal, between me and him.
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As a twist of faith would have it, it was through poverty and the renunciation of his ego, that Bizzy crossed a spiritual threshold that turned his journey around to where he is now using his celebrity status to address the plight of the homeless crisis.
Now let's see what it does for his upcoming album!
My friend and associate Adisa Banjoko was featured on the cover of last Sunday's San Francisco Chronicle for an article entitled by Matthai Chakko Kuruvila.
The article is a portrait of Muslims in the Bay Area who stand as counter-evidence to the monolithic stereotypes many Americans have of Muslims.
Adisa also recently hosted a at San Francisco's Commonwealth Club featuring Mistah FAB, Tamara Palmer, Traxamillion Eric Arnold. If you want to get past the mainstream media portrayals of hyphy, check out the audio for an hour of real talk on the matter.
Posted by Clyde on September 5, 2006 in Kanye West's is leading to further attention for hip hop with Christian themes. The apparently controversial Jesus Walks has inspired much attention from some Christians concerned with its mix of English language names for their deities and street language perhaps similar to that found in the downtrodden milieu in which Jesus is said to have operated. Not surprisingly, West is undisturbed by such concerns.
The online account, which is supplemented by additional video, closes with the following exchange:
" "The minute you use those [curse] words in a song, there's a whole evangelical crowd that isn't going to listen to you, right," asks Simon.
"Yeah, but the song is not for them," says West. "It's speaking to the people that I think God is really trying to reach.
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