J.Rashad Underground Hip Hop Blog

J.Rashad (Flint, MI) – “Same Shit, Different Day”

Dream Chasers

I used to be afraid of my dreams. I thought they were unattainable and they overwhelmed me very often. I wanted to achieve so much, but I was caught up on how others would view me in the development stages. I didn’t want to look like a failure if it didn’t work out. I thought that success had to be instant, and that it all had to be achieved at a young age.

Then I woke up.

I realized that our talents must be utilized. Even if we do not fully pursue the paths that our talents could lay out for us, the least we could do is find out how to pass it along to someone else. God gives us these gifts for a reason, and when I realized that, my fear of not fully utilizing them dissipated. I’m able to strive after something great because I know that dreams are a lot stronger than excuses. I do not want to be that man reminiscing about what I COULD HAVE done. I want to tell my kids that I achieved greatness, or I helped someone else achieve it. You have to chase your dreams regardless of how ridiculous they seem, or how unattainable they appear. Life is about challenges and overcoming them. The satisfaction of succeeding, is far more powerful than giving up because of the fear of failure. So chase your dreams.

I would love for you guys t like, comment, follow.
Also check out my other posts and tell me what you think.

Thank you. JR

J.Rashad Shot You Down Freestyle

Me (JR) lol rapping over Shot you down by Isaiah Rashad

ME

It’s hard to find happiness when you aren’t familiar with the feeling of what freedom is..And no, not in reference to being physically enslaved, or confined to to certain system. But psychologically, I feel like I tend to trap myself in these cycles, or maybe life is just waiting for me to break through….who knows. I have the answers, but I question my confidence that I hold within these answers.

I’m not sure if that makes sense, or if it even matters, but it is what it is. I don’t know if life is about searching for answers or making a difference, or if it is meant to do whatever you want. I don’t know if there is a heaven, or a hell. I don’t know if I will wake up tomorrow. I know I make “mistakes” I used quotes because we have a sense of right and wrong that we grew up with but I don’t know how concrete the moral code is either. I know I have made decisions that have caused discomfort, I’ve felt guilt, and I’ve been angry many times, but I do not know if there was purpose behind it. I guess I don’t know much. But I don’t know if I’m supposed to. I can only be me and live life in a way that suits me.

Questions. There are always questions, many times with no answer. At some point I have to determine if I will continue to chase these answers forever, or if I will just be content with my place. I guess time will tell.

This is Me.

J.R

Time CAN equal FREEDOM..Depending on how you use it

A lot of us have seen the move ‘Limitless’ and if you have not, watch it. Gain a little insight. The movie is about a writer who is played by Bradley Cooper. He is behind on his book and is a mess priority wise. One day while procrastinating on doing his book, he decides to take a walk and runs into his ex brother-in-law and they go have a drink to catch up. While catching up the brother in law gives Cooper a pill. This pill apparently has the capacity to unlock every facet of the brain. Meaning you will be able to access every memory, each vessel of knowledge you have ever obtained, etc. long story short it makes you into a genius. You are able to do anything and be the greatest expert at it, whether it is stocks, politics, or something innovative.

There is an idea that we are only able to access 10% of our brain. Which I believe is false because of the constant actions that we are able to perform simultaneously. Also if so much of our brain is unused, then when we experience brain damage, some functions should remain intact based on the fact that figuratively, much of it isn’t utilized anyway. The point is, I do think we are able to tap into these different avenues of our mind. The only issue is the pointless forms of info and bullshit that we prioritize. The distractions that we allow to ruin or make our day. The wasting of “time”.

Seth Godin said “Time is borrowed, wasted, spent. We find the time, slow down time, take our time. It’s Miller, quitting, clobberin’ time. We focus on the stitch in time, hard time, closing time, not to mention big, daylight savings, race against, first, last, due, nick of…Time.”

This hits so close to home for me because I always think about how much time is invented. Time started as a tool for train companies to use to organize the time zones and travel in various areas. Society as a whole uses it to determine how much time we have to complete a task, how much time it will take to get from one destination to another, and how much time we have to live.

What we do not focus on is how much time we are wasting doing things that are not necessary for us to succeed. We spend so much time doing things we do not enjoy, things that are not productive, and we justify it in many ways that are just excuses. Most of the time it is “necessary” for the greater good. What I personally do not understand is, if something is supposed to make you happy, then why experience unhappiness along that path at all? It doesn’t add up. Of course you will have adverse moments, but it should no coincide with the path you follow to joy.

That is why I say we take advantage of actual dreams, stop chasing goals that do not contribute to a meaningful legacy. The other day I asked my friends what the American dream meant to them. Although this question arose in an atmosphere that was not sober, it was a serious question, in which I wanted a serious answer. This did not go as planned, but for me I was able to answer it. To me the American dream is finding something you enjoy, utilizing your talents and using your time to figure out ways to make it into a living. Doing things on your terms and creating stability within that.

No more wasted moments. No more exerting effort towards things that do not truly matter. Time for FREEDOM.

America: The Expert Illusionist

“The way to destroy an opponent is to get them to destroy themselves”

This quote is from the 48 Laws of power. The idea is not new, but the ways in which the action is carried out is constantly developing each day.

As Americans we face issues that are influenced by our culture, our government, and our “needs” based on the economic structure. I quoted ‘needs’ because most of the time I believe that we amplify our necessities based on our inability to separate our desires from what truly matters.

Through this comes markets that exploit this idea and uses it against us and we feed off of it like clueless cattle, not knowing if the feed is full of pesticides and fillers, or if it is truly organic.

Truth is I’m not sure if anything america is based on is organic. We see this through entertainment and mass media that are designed to get us to stop thinking independently and learning about issues that truly matter.

At the same time America divides their ranks among one another (democrats and republicans) and then feeds both sides through debt, class separation, government policies, etc.

Which is all bullshit.

We need debt in order to have money…if we paid off all of our debts then there would be no dollars in circulation. We need jobs to keep up with the debt that is forced upon us through the banking system. Money is created through loans from the federal reserve and the banks allow us to use this money and raise our debt, therefore we pay this back by working to maintain our cost of living.

This same structure keeps us from advancing in technology that could improve energy sources (geothermal, solar, wave, etc.) and transportation, but the ability to use the market to fuel the monetary system, keeps us from investing in these advancements. Human employment is in conflict or direct competition with technological advancement.

Our “technological advancement” is in the form of devices that improve social ineraction. It is in the form of tablets that are flash compatible so that you can utilize certain apps without using a computer. None that help with sustaining our resources.

We are in “debt” yet we spend billions on prisons and police, and only a fraction of that is spent on programs for poverty, which is usually the root cause of criminal activity. Whether it is direct or indirect, it is a variable.

Manipulation is expensive, if you are referring to money. Morality is cheap, in regards to what America chooses to prioritize.

We have perfected the act of destroying ourselves. America is only as powerful as the morals that the people choose to uphold. It’s safe to say, we are the opponent…

But I can now go back to eating my slice of humble pie, as I am typing this article on my ipad.

Interview with YCQ (You Can’t Quit) founder Darius Recard

We are constantly faced with adverse situations, disease, poverty, etc. Philanthropy is a large avenue, and with it comes those who have a genuine passion for being a positive change in their communities, and some who see it as a tax write off. I was recently able to interview Flint, Michigan native Darius Recard, the founder of YCQ which stands for You Can’t Quit. Darius who now lives in California, is striving to be a positive figure in his native town and other impoverished communities and promote unity and revitalize our cities economies.

JR: What does YCQ stand for? And what is the mission

Darius: Y.C.Q! Stands for You Can’t Quit!
The mission of this YCQ (You Cant Quit) Movement is to seek out all needs in the communities of the world and strive for improvements. To educate, inspire and uplift our communities and make a postive impacts.

JR: If money was no object, is there anything else you’d be doing?

Darius: I got alot of ideas, one thing I really wanna do is start youth programs with a complete different educational system. We learn about math, science, and history every year. It just gets harder and harder as you progress, then you leave the class room and can’t apply it to your lifestyle. I would like the programs to teach true sex education, gun violence, drugs, the truth on black history etc, things you can apply to your life that can help you improve as a person. I feel we have enough programs for sports, dancing, and other entertainment. I feel it’s time to open up more programs for the youth that can generate more people who can make positive impacts in the world. More leaders, presidents, doctors and etc.

JR: Who/What inspires you?

Darius: My father inspired me alot. Right before my father passed back in 2004 he started this YCQ! Business back in 2003. He committed suicide, and for the longest I felt I owed him. Weeks prior to the incident he use to come to me with questions and being 14 at the time I didn’t have the answers to help him, so I sat there and didn’t say a word. So I carry that in my heart. I never wanna feel that pain again. I never wanna say I didn’t try, and that’s why I refuse to be silent. What’s going on in the world, a lot of it can be solved but too many people are quiet. So yeah, my father inspired me to solve it. That’s why I turned the YCQ business into the YCQ movement. Lets break the silence and start making positive impacts throughout the world and keep it going day by day, one person at a time.

JR: Can you describe the time when you realized you had to start such a movement?

Darius: It was crazy, I put this on everything. I was sitting in my room back in November of 2011 at about 1am just thinking. I was thinking about getting surgery on my knee, didn’t know if I should continue running track or not, then I just started thinking about my life. Now before I say what happened next, I always had a lot of faith, I always had coversations with god but life was so heavy on me. For the 1st time I dropped to my knees and just started praying about everything. I felt like a different person, my vision was clear, I knew my purpose in life and next thing I knew I was writing a business plan and that’s when YCQ! Movement came about. I never understood the power of prayer til that day. While I’m writing this I’m pacing the floor because that day he showed me how powerful prayer is. That’s when I realized my purpose, and that’s when I started giving back.

JR: Where do you see this movement in a year from now, or 5 years?

Darius: To be honest idk where God taking us with the movement. I just know where ever it goes, it’s go be a life changing experience for those who become one with the movement. Since I’ve started, people have started making their own shirts, getting YCQ tattooed on them, making mixtapes, etc. So many people have sent me messages saying how they thank YCQ for helping them get through tough situations, get back in school, get off drugs, and we haven’t even reached the 1st step of what I wanna do. Who would have thought YCQ would be in newspapers? I got interviewed and appeared on a tv show that aired in Flint/Lansing and Detroit Michigan and I didn’t even know about it until a day before. That’s how I know it’s God who is leading this movement, I’m just enjoying the ride. I can’t wait to see what happens down the line.

What inspires You?

What Inspires you?

I often wonder what it is that keeps me going. What makes me wake up every morning and take a step forward, even though everything seems to try to push me backwards? Life, the world. Those keep me going. The fact that to the world I am so small, but my impact can be so big. I am but a tiny organism to this spherical mass, but it is all all here for me to see.

So many experiences to be made in this lifetime, each day may seem long, but in reality this life is only a split-second on the true spectrum of time and who am I to waste it and not make the most of it?

That is why I am inspired. There is so much to live for and so many reasons to move forward, sure there is corruption, sure there are hardships, but persevering through that makes you truly discover how amazing life and this planet is. Forget the strains of society, the adversities you face because of the economy, forget the daily issues and work towards something that will make you say, I made it and I love my life.

I’ve had many reasons to say f*ck it and just give up and quit, but through it all I am still here trying to strive towards greatness, and through each setback, I’ve remained positive, sure I have my bad days, who doesn’t?

But the point is..I’m Inspired. Inspired to lead others towards greatness, inspired to achieve dreams that I thought were futile. Never let time or expectations stop the flow of love that you have for a certain craft or anything for that matter. Recognize your flaws, and Make them your strengths. They say the only limitations that you have are the ones that you place upon yourself, once you are able to defeat your internal enemy, is when you achieve greatness.

The power of Lying

What if you could no longer lie to others? Not even the ones that are harmless, like telling a girl she is a 7 even though she is a 4 so that you don’t hurt her feelings?

If you have not seen ‘The invention if Lying’ then check it out. In this film, lying has not been invented, until one day a man ( Mark Bellison who is played by and Ricky Gervais ) discovers the ability and uses it to his benefit. That example is not where I’m going with this lol.

What if one day you lied with ease, and the next day when you woke up you could not lie to save your life?! Beneficial or chaotic?….

As people we rarely study the effects of lies, even if they seem harmless. Of course we notice the large scale lies like the ones the government tells us of course lol, or when women say “I usually don’t do this but…” but if we could not lie any longer, would we be truly happy? We would find out how our “friend” of 17 years has been stabbing you in the back, taking passes at your girlfriend for months, we would learn about how you are really awful in bed, but your significant other loves you so they don’t magnify that issue. We would also learn about how our boss has been cutting your time in the hour log so he could minimize your benefits.

In a sense it is beneficial or chaotic depending on how you look at it. Of course you would lose friends and opportunities that you thought you’d enjoy, but at least life would be more transparent and open. Maybe we need lies for things to run smoothly? Can we find no middle ground? No filter to separate the harmful and harmless little fibs?

Those are rhetorical by the way. If we had those answers then life WOULD run smoother. But it’s something to think about. We go through life performing our daily routines, interacting with others and not really paying attention to how the little things may have a huge impact on an even bigger outcome. Would the lie you told your boss about you havIng explosive diarrhea affect the future a lot? Probably not, but it may affect how smoothly the day at work goes with you being absent.

Maybe there is an alternate universe in which we do not lie as much, or pay attention to how much our small decisions impact the big picture. Maybe that universe runs more smoothly than ours. Or maybe it is in compete disarray. Just a thought….