One of the most vivid rap tracks ever made was My Mind's Playin' Tricks On Me, by the Geto Boys. Though I'm pretty sure Esham was making underground tapes in Detroit at the time with his unique vision of what should probably be called Satanic Rap, the Geto Boys were the first to come above ground. The rhyme scheme is fair to middling, as are the rhymes themselves ("I got a child to look after...and if I die then my son will be a bastard"). But for invoking a sense of paranoia infused with horror, I don't think there is a track in any genre that captures this sense as well as the Geto Boys do.
I bring this up, because I just got word a few minutes ago that one of the parents at my son's school committed suicide.
I knew the parent probably better than any other parent. It didn't mean we were friends, but I enojoyed seeing him and would talk to him when I could. Was always at the events...always chaperoned the field trips. I don't know much at this point, but when my wife asked me if I was surprised....I said yes and no.
Yes, in that I didn't think that he would be the one, when he has a beautiful wife and two beautiful daughters to look after. And he had a humble spirit and was a genuinely good man.
But no, in that I think this is part of a trend driven by a combination of economic forces and social anomie. Home foreclosures are increasing even as loan rates hover in the low single digits. The economy is draining jobs like a sieve, but those bills are still due.
I remember asking my Public Opinion class in a discussion about political ideology, what types of myths regular folk create for themselves once they realize that their best years occurred before they reached drinking age. What was it that kept them going even as everything and everyone around them shouted GIVE THE FUCK UP! I imagine a number of folks look to their kids as their driving force.
Given what we're looking at, I don't think this will be enough. Suicide used to be uncommon among black folk. It still is...but the rate of increase is through the roof.
Damn. We've got a LOT of work to do.
Posted by at May 4, 2004 09:07 PM | TrackBackWas browsing Google and found your site, enjoyed the reading, thanks
Carnival cruise line service
Hello, I just wanted to say you have a very informative site which really made me think, thanks very much! Have a nice Day!!
Cruise review service
LKS,a couple of points,first extended family concept among Bro.&Sis.if your catching hell the family including the neighborhood was your support group,so you had rent partys and shared cultivation technigues; canning,growing of vegetables,and bartering.Second since everyone was in the same boat there was an absent of doom,i.e. I didn't know I was poor to a saw the Nelson's (Ozzie & Harriet )on tv.As you have previuosly noted the educational system does not give you coping skills.Yes we have a lot of work to due and always will.
Posted by: tootsie at May 6, 2004 09:08 AMtootsie