just my two cents on things
Tell you the truth I prefer to sit back and read others point of view but man I got my own opinion. First off I ain't no white boy I'm a 32 year old BLACK brotha ( I would prefer to use the word brotha over nigga but it don't offend me when a brotha use it, but I don't really like it when other races use it and yes I'm from the days when other cultures would get stomped for usin the word but this is off topic) I was born and raised in Modesto I got more family in Oakland on my dad's side than in Modesto as my Grandmother and her kin came to Oakland from the south during WWII as many Black families did. Most of my partnas since 1990 came from Oakland. Since I was 15 my people laced me on many things and showed me around the Town and upped me bout how brothas out there were earnin' money off of organized dope sells not just hand to hand solo shit like you see out here, and since then it stengthened my already firm beliefs that that Crip/ Blood gangbanger shit don't make you no money. Many of them Oakland brothas I was told about were street legends ( a couple of my older partnas that I've known forever even tell me they went to (correction) school with Little D.)The music I listened to was a broad varity I fucked with Seagram, Rappin Ron & Ant Didley, Askari X., Delinquents, so many others to name ( As well as New York shit then and now and some L.A. shit in the real early 1990's). I dressed different than most cats out here I wore Girbaud Brand X's and Guess wore $100 Ralph lauren Polo and Polo Sport rugbys and tops, Polo Sport, Nautica and Helly Hansen jackets back then we was even rockin low top white or black Vans back in 1991-92 ( fuck Vans now though), Nike Air-Max, real authentic NBA and NCAA jerseys no replica the shit the players wore on the court.We wore fades while many brothas out here thought a fade was a straight line round yo head. So the way I spoke, dressed and my mentality was a little different then most Modesto Blacks. I always let everyone know I'm from Modesto and yes I do have family in Oakland. I have alot of respect for Oakland ( as well as another half dozen Bay Area cities) because it has always had its own identity since the days of the Black Panthers ( I am very well read on the Black Panther Party the positives and the negatives) ( i've read Mickey Mo's book) I look at Oakland as the center city for Black culture on the west coast and since I live 80 miles away I get a little offended if someone from another region says something bad about the place just as someone who lives 80 miles outside of Atlanta or New York, Houston, Chicago, New Orleans, Philadelphia, D.C., Baltimore, Detroit or any real Black city might. I am no way from Oakland but I do have family roots, and real partnas from the town and even a partna from San Jose who 's family moved out of Oakland before he was born. Now I never really seen Crips and Bloods in Modesto until 1988 ( please correct me if I'm wrong) it seems the movie Colors influenced everybody along with the news medias frenzy over gangbanging and gangsta rap. It do not make sense to me especially at that time Gherri Curls played out hard in early 1986 ( except in L.A.) then all of a sudden brothas was sportin gheri curls after seeing L.A. brothas with them. Everyone was trying to dress G.Q. or as nice as possible then all of a sudden brothas was sportin Dickies and shit. I see things like this for example Crips/Bloods are Los Angeles gangs you a straight buster if you front like you from a town you ain't so if you claim to be from Oakland or whereever and you are from somewhere else and somebody checks yo ass you deserve it. But if you claim Crips/ Bloods and you ain't from Los Angeles thats like being from Modesto and claiming to be from the 700 Club or 69 Mob ( because Crips/bloods are L.A. gangs). Even if somebody put you on in the 1980's are you welcomed in they turf, can you kick it with them brothas when the brotha that put you on ain't around if you are welcomed in the turf that your boy got put on to even when he ain't around then you are a part of that turf and you are there when its ugly or when its gravy then you can go head and rep it. Now I see hella bay area cats talkin down on other valley cities that they reside in but knowin damn well they ain't a factor in their own city or turf. I see hella brothas from other valley cities and towns talkin down on Modesto knowin their town ain't much better or rougher. Modesto is just a regular city of over 200,000 yes its is boring, has no identity, a little slow paced most people out here ain't never been up on game but there is people that will knock you off if you spark shit just like anywhere shit you can get it even in Iowa or something but this is California you have people from everywhere people from different walks of life and hot tempered people you never know what the next man is capable of so why not treat everybody with respect unless they don't deserve it for some reason and take each town for what its worth. Also I see kids thats been out here since they was 7 years old reppin different bay area cities please stop Modesto is your home.Tell you the truth though I ain't really ain't feeling too much of the hyphy shit I grew up listening to lyricists and that shit is missing badly my favorite rapper is Seagram and it don't seem with the direction bay area rap has taken won't be nothin like that era of rappers again. Plus I grew up on Rakim, Boogie Down Productions, so many others we need lyricists right now the only brothas up out the town I'm really feelin is Yukmouth when he's focused, T-Luni, the Delinquents and one or two more ( plus Richie Rich if he ever come back in). San Quinn outta Frisco and a few more I used to feel Cellski ( brotha was spittin it hard bout the dope game, Messy Marv's older shit) and a few more brothas out the bay.Plus peole got this hyphy shit all fucked up brothas been doin sideshows since 1985 I believe brothas was flippin all sorts of shit after the Crack exposion brothas wanted to be seen turnin tight ones in they new shit or old school shit, brothas was boostin rides not even trippin tryin to swang em in the Town. What people percieve as hyphy do make brothas look like some damn coons just like Ice Cube said years ago " niggas always gotta show they teeth." hyphy really mean the same as goin buckwild do back east. I mean its an all new generation if they wanna act a fool they sure doin it but its on them, I ain't trippin if people wanna embrace it who from the valley or bay area or what ever. Plus I remember slang as something that was always changing staying fresh people would use slang so that they could speak so that people who don't need to be in their business or were straight square ass busters or from the suburbs could git up on what they was saying now it seems like all this slang is so damn stagnant please switch up the slang that way you won't have all these kids playing the shit out how many times you gonna hear ghost ride the whip or thizz face or go dumb, 10 or 15 years ago those words would have played out along time ago and people would have changed it so the people who don't need to know won't know. Also I said I respect Oakland as a city the culture the players that was and are in the game, my friends, family , and anyone who carries themselves well and earns respect as an individual, I don't care where you from if you ain't cool I don't fuck wit you.Thats just my opinion on things you ain't gotta agree with me on shit that on you.
