If I were living then, I know I would have been apart of the Harlem Renaissance. Those guys really believed in their gifts and their efforts are still empowering the arts all over the world. I love history... Black History and Native American History. I think we could learn a lot from studying the life of the Indian tribes. They were very similar to the African tribes but both are totally different from the communities that are set up in America today. They had morals. They trained their villages to protect their women and children. Today we kill our own with no remorse. Their spiritual beliefs were shared by the entire community. Today, we don't really believe in God... we just play religion. They nurtured families and today we don't really build foundations anymore. They celebrated together... dancing and singing as a community in unity. If we do that today we have to be high, drunk, and somebody will probably get killed. Sometimes, I wish I could move to a cabin house in the woods and raise my family there... teaching my children to embrace the values of life rather than the ignorance that usually corrupts our mindsets and change who we were designed to be.
Jesus is the only person I want to meet but I'd like to have dinner and brainstorm some of my ideas off of Oprah Winfrey, Russell Simmons, Jay-Z, Queen Latifah, Bill Cosby, and Ice Cube. I'd love to have an empowering conversation with Barack Obama, Asatta Shakur, and Langston Hughes. My wife and I would love to double date with Will Smith and Jada P.Smith.
Lauryn Hill, Tye Tribbett, Bilal, Coldplay, Brandy, Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek, Common, Kirk Franklin, John Legend, Zie'L, India Arie, PJ Morton, William Murphy, Byron Cage, Nickelback, Amel Larrieux, The Clark Sisters, and Maxwell.
Epics and Suspense Movies. My favorite actors include:
The Wire on HBO, I am addicted to this show! I think The Wire won me in the very first season. I've been watching every season. It's hard to believe life actually exists for many people in such a manner as exhibited on this show but the reality is... it does. I think the actors on this series are as good as they get. From the kids in Season 4 to Avon Barksdale in Season One. I'm already a Wood Harris fan anyway... every since Remember The Titans and Above The Rim but I think The Wire shows his talent even more. My wife and I watch this show so much, I feel like I really know these people. It is an eye-opener for people to see the inside of poverty and the struggles that many communities are battling still toady, more than 25 years after drugs hit the inner city streets in America. But anyway, I found some of my favorite characters from the show on myspace. Connect to them below.
The Miseducation of the Negro by Carter G. Woodson
My parents are my heroes and NO ONE ELSE!