Essential The Locker Room's Random Thoughts

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Long winded post alert: Brace yourself.

Recently, I have been feeling frustrated. Not financially (I'm living very well now, new apartment, got loot, etc), not sexually, but about the state of young black men and women trying to make something of their lives.

I had a conversation with my father the other day, he was saying that maybe I should just do the safe route and try to find a decent paying career. I told him I wanted to establish my own business and had no desire to work for somebody else. I told him I had no desire to just be a worker bee. I realized this mentality black folks have had of just telling us to go to college, get a good job, etc...was bullshyt. This conversation was with a man that had already established his own practice, done lectures at colleges in America and in the UK, and has two other practices. The fact he would tell me to just work a job like everyone else was sad to me. I am really starting to hate this "I got a good job" slave mentality amongst black Americans and this sense of learned helplessness.

Alright, I want to be that person that young black men and women look to and say I inspired them to follow their dreams and now they are happy and successful and not stressed out doing a job they hate living a miserable existence cause their parents, peers, friends etc told them their dreams weren't realistic.Or they were foolish. Or whatever.

I love skateboarding still at the tender age of 31. I remember being all into the skate magazines and my favorite skaters were Harold Hunter (RIP) Keenan Milton (RIP) Ray Barbee Sal Barbier cause they were black like me and I could relate to them.

My mom would tell me, I don't see black people skateboarding.
Other older black people would tell me the same thing. Even when I knew the opposite.

Looking back, I wish I could of told them to shut the fukk up with their I can't mentalities. And this is where my frustration is coming from. This notion of being content with this 'I can't" mentality. If I got to be that person that lets young black men and women know...they can...so be it. Maybe this is my purpose on planet earth.

I was sick and tired of hearing it from people on this board. "just work a good job" meanwhile they living a fukking meaningless lifestyle they don't even know they want to live.

My frustration is towards this society that wants us to be involved in it and shuts us out of being involved in it at the same time.
My frustration is towards this society that tells us to just enjoy being unsuccessful, not having money, not having opportunities, not having this, or that...and tells us we should just be content watching others have these and maybe...just maybe years down the line, or decades, or centuries, we'll be able to enjoy the same thing.

fukk. THAT. :stopitslime:
America is not for people like me to survive and thrive doing things the traditional way. Cause then you have to ascribe to rules and standards that are designed by others. It's basically playing on someone else's homecourt and playing by their rules. They make them so if you don't fit those standards, you lose. They make them so they win everytime.

You can only make your own blueprint to success...
I was working on 14 Wall Street for Aflac. I made next to no money...it was so depressing.
That same year I made more money selling my own clothes I designed in the Lower East Side....it was revealing to say the least.

Long story short, don't give up on your dreams or yourself. Even if I fail, I know I tried and that's better than not trying at all.

Shouts to @bdizzle and @DrX
 

↓R↑LYB

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Long winded post alert: Brace yourself.

Recently, I have been feeling frustrated. Not financially (I'm living very well now, new apartment, got loot, etc), not sexually, but about the state of young black men and women trying to make something of their lives.

I had a conversation with my father the other day, he was saying that maybe I should just do the safe route and try to find a decent paying career. I told him I wanted to establish my own business and had no desire to work for somebody else. I told him I had no desire to just be a worker bee. I realized this mentality black folks have had of just telling us to go to college, get a good job, etc...was bullshyt. This conversation was with a man that had already established his own practice, done lectures at colleges in America and in the UK, and has two other practices. The fact he would tell me to just work a job like everyone else was sad to me. I am really starting to hate this "I got a good job" slave mentality amongst black Americans and this sense of learned helplessness.

Alright, I want to be that person that young black men and women look to and say I inspired them to follow their dreams and now they are happy and successful and not stressed out doing a job they hate living a miserable existence cause their parents, peers, friends etc told them their dreams weren't realistic.Or they were foolish. Or whatever.

I love skateboarding still at the tender age of 31. I remember being all into the skate magazines and my favorite skaters were Harold Hunter (RIP) Keenan Milton (RIP) Ray Barbee Sal Barbier cause they were black like me and I could relate to them.

My mom would tell me, I don't see black people skateboarding.
Other older black people would tell me the same thing. Even when I knew the opposite.

Looking back, I wish I could of told them to shut the fukk up with their I can't mentalities. And this is where my frustration is coming from. This notion of being content with this 'I can't" mentality. If I got to be that person that lets young black men and women know...they can...so be it. Maybe this is my purpose on planet earth.

I was sick and tired of hearing it from people on this board. "just work a good job" meanwhile they living a fukking meaningless lifestyle they don't even know they want to live.

My frustration is towards this society that wants us to be involved in it and shuts us out of being involved in it at the same time.
My frustration is towards this society that tells us to just enjoy being unsuccessful, not having money, not having opportunities, not having this, or that...and tells us we should just be content watching others have these and maybe...just maybe years down the line, or decades, or centuries, we'll be able to enjoy the same thing.

fukk. THAT. :stopitslime:
America is not for people like me to survive and thrive doing things the traditional way. Cause then you have to ascribe to rules and standards that are designed by others. It's basically playing on someone else's homecourt and playing by their rules. They make them so if you don't fit those standards, you lose. They make them so they win everytime.

You can only make your own blueprint to success...
I was working on 14 Wall Street for Aflac. I made next to no money...it was so depressing.
That same year I made more money selling my own clothes I designed in the Lower East Side....it was revealing to say the least.

Long story short, don't give up on your dreams or yourself. Even if I fail, I know I tried and that's better than not trying at all.

Shouts to @bdizzle and @DrX

You think I'm reading all of that breh :usure:
 

DrX

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Long winded post alert: Brace yourself.

Recently, I have been feeling frustrated. Not financially (I'm living very well now, new apartment, got loot, etc), not sexually, but about the state of young black men and women trying to make something of their lives.

I had a conversation with my father the other day, he was saying that maybe I should just do the safe route and try to find a decent paying career. I told him I wanted to establish my own business and had no desire to work for somebody else. I told him I had no desire to just be a worker bee. I realized this mentality black folks have had of just telling us to go to college, get a good job, etc...was bullshyt. This conversation was with a man that had already established his own practice, done lectures at colleges in America and in the UK, and has two other practices. The fact he would tell me to just work a job like everyone else was sad to me. I am really starting to hate this "I got a good job" slave mentality amongst black Americans and this sense of learned helplessness.

Alright, I want to be that person that young black men and women look to and say I inspired them to follow their dreams and now they are happy and successful and not stressed out doing a job they hate living a miserable existence cause their parents, peers, friends etc told them their dreams weren't realistic.Or they were foolish. Or whatever.

I love skateboarding still at the tender age of 31. I remember being all into the skate magazines and my favorite skaters were Harold Hunter (RIP) Keenan Milton (RIP) Ray Barbee Sal Barbier cause they were black like me and I could relate to them.

My mom would tell me, I don't see black people skateboarding.
Other older black people would tell me the same thing. Even when I knew the opposite.

Looking back, I wish I could of told them to shut the fukk up with their I can't mentalities. And this is where my frustration is coming from. This notion of being content with this 'I can't" mentality. If I got to be that person that lets young black men and women know...they can...so be it. Maybe this is my purpose on planet earth.

I was sick and tired of hearing it from people on this board. "just work a good job" meanwhile they living a fukking meaningless lifestyle they don't even know they want to live.

My frustration is towards this society that wants us to be involved in it and shuts us out of being involved in it at the same time.
My frustration is towards this society that tells us to just enjoy being unsuccessful, not having money, not having opportunities, not having this, or that...and tells us we should just be content watching others have these and maybe...just maybe years down the line, or decades, or centuries, we'll be able to enjoy the same thing.

fukk. THAT. :stopitslime:
America is not for people like me to survive and thrive doing things the traditional way. Cause then you have to ascribe to rules and standards that are designed by others. It's basically playing on someone else's homecourt and playing by their rules. They make them so if you don't fit those standards, you lose. They make them so they win everytime.

You can only make your own blueprint to success...
I was working on 14 Wall Street for Aflac. I made next to no money...it was so depressing.
That same year I made more money selling my own clothes I designed in the Lower East Side....it was revealing to say the least.

Long story short, don't give up on your dreams or yourself. Even if I fail, I know I tried and that's better than not trying at all.

Shouts to @bdizzle and @DrX

WORD!!!! this is some motivational shyt, I needed to hear this actually, I been feeling down.... I feel the same way...fukk this society....fukk this system....fukk its bullshyt standards...u only get 1 life...no way I'm wasting it working some stupid job and coming home watching TV for 50 years to collect some bullshyt retirement that I cant even enjoy, man i rather die...just shoot my in the face and get it over with...My parents gave me stupid cowardly advice and think god I'm rebellious and never listened...Im gonna keep pushing...

in life u just gotta roll the dice and whatever the consequences are...so be it...but i cant grow old saying "what if I wouldn't did....?"
 

Unknown Poster

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Another thing, let me tell you why I have been grinding so hard.

I read this quote on twitter: don't forget where you came from, you might have to go back.

I am from Pittsburgh, PA. Born and raised. I now live in New York City.
Pittsburgh, is without a doubt, the MOST RACIST city in the NORTHEAST!

It's severely segregated. Black unemployment is at damn near astronomical levels. Black underemployment is the norm. The black young professional scene is damn near nonexistant.

You can drive downtown and see nothing but black people hanging out from around 9 in the morning to 5 in the day with absolutely nothing to do while all the white people are going to and from work.

You go to the malls in Pittsburgh, and you'll see more black people working there as janitors and in the food court then enjoying shopping there.
I attended and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh. On any given day during a school semester, you will see more black people there working in the cafeteria and as janitors then as actual students. There are more black people there as athletes than as students, which creates a very hostile and tense atmosphere amongst students and athletes alike. Sometimes there were fights between the two when I attended school there...like physical beatdowns. IT was sad to observe.

30 minutes outside of the city limits in any direction you will see nothing but black people in poverty, 45 minutes it's nothing but white people. The businesses only hire white people. The patrons are nothing but white people. You can't even get a job there if you aren't white.

My parents were so oblivious to how racist Pittsburgh is as immigrants from Nigeria and St. Croix. Even though we grew up as one of the only families in an affluent upper class predominantly white suburb. They attributed to black Americans being lazy, but as time went on and I observed the visciousness of white racism in Pittsburgh on a historical level (Pittsburgh was the only Northern city that had slavery....let that sink in), I realized this wasn't the case. And during thanksgiving and christmas dinners I would discuss this and it was met with silence.

Even with a degree from a college, Pittsburgh still thinks all a black person is good for is cooking and cleaning.

I'm reminded of the story of Josephine Baker.
josephine-baker-cheetah-fashion-1920s.jpg


She moved to France and became famous as a stage entertainer. She resented America as she left for France. What would she do in America but be a nanny for a rich white family or their maid? She knew she had talent and value and sought out to pursue it. She didn't settle for less.

and in this society, this engrained notion that all we are good for is to serve others, whether it's to drive a team to a championship, or to cook, or clean, is still prevalent.

This is why I work as hard as possible to make my talents and gifts known to the world. Cause I know I am worth more than someone to flip burgers, or clean up a spill in a waiting room.

I couldn't of stayed in Pittsburgh to do that.

In the time I've lived in NYC, I have run my own business and managed a staff, I have played rooftop parties, I have hobknobbed with fashion designers, models, rappers, bands, celebs, etc...I can definitely say that if I was still living in Pittsburgh, I would be unemployed living with my parents cause businesses and companies have no desire to hire black people.

My older sister is 34 and will be 35 this year. She has been living at home for almost 10 years. Has onbly had 3 jobs since then that lasted less than two months. She graduated from Oberlin and went to Columbia University.

:mjcry:

Know how valuable you are and never let anybody tell you anything less.
 

Unknown Poster

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WORD!!!! this is some motivational shyt, I needed to hear this actually, I been feeling down.... I feel the same way...fukk this society....fukk this system....fukk its bullshyt standards...u only get 1 life...no way I'm wasting it working some stupid job and coming home watching TV for 50 years to collect some bullshyt retirement that I cant even enjoy, man i rather die...just shoot my in the face and get it over with...My parents gave me stupid cowardly advice and think god I'm rebellious and never listened...Im gonna keep pushing...

in life u just gotta roll the dice and whatever the consequences are...so be it...but i cant grow old saying "what if I wouldn't did....?"
Word.

I'll you something breh. You know why I voted for Obama and why I'll miss him when he's gone? He was that person that black people could aspire to and look to...that kids could look to and say, you can be anything you want even president of the united states. Not just a basketball player or football player or a rapper. That's the example I want to strive towards now...

Whatever you do, never give up. You might be sparking that flame that lights the candle that leads the world out of the dark ages.
:salute:
 
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DrX

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Another thing, let me tell you why I have been grinding so hard.

I read this quote on twitter: don't forget where you came from, you might have to go back.

I am from Pittsburgh, PA. Born and raised. I now live in New York City.
Pittsburgh, is without a doubt, the MOST RACIST city in the NORTHEAST!

It's severely segregated. Black unemployment is at damn near astronomical levels. Black underemployment is the norm. The black young professional scene is damn near nonexistant.

You can drive downtown and see nothing but black people hanging out from around 9 in the morning to 5 in the day with absolutely nothing to do while all the white people are going to and from work.

You go to the malls in Pittsburgh, and you'll see more black people working there as janitors and in the food court then enjoying shopping there.
I attended and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh. On any given day during a school semester, you will see more black people there working in the cafeteria and as janitors then as actual students. There are more black people there as athletes than as students, which creates a very hostile and tense atmosphere amongst students and athletes alike. Sometimes there were fights between the two when I attended school there...like physical beatdowns. IT was sad to observe.

30 minutes outside of the city limits in any direction you will see nothing but black people in poverty, 45 minutes it's nothing but white people. The businesses only hire white people. The patrons are nothing but white people. You can't even get a job there if you aren't white.

My parents were so oblivious to how racist Pittsburgh is as immigrants from Nigeria and St. Croix. Even though we grew up as one of the only families in an affluent upper class predominantly white suburb. They attributed to black Americans being lazy, but as time went on and I observed the visciousness of white racism in Pittsburgh on a historical level (Pittsburgh was the only Northern city that had slavery....let that sink in), I realized this wasn't the case. And during thanksgiving and christmas dinners I would discuss this and it was met with silence.

Even with a degree from a college, Pittsburgh still thinks all a black person is good for is cooking and cleaning.

I'm reminded of the story of Josephine Baker.
josephine-baker-cheetah-fashion-1920s.jpg


She moved to France and became famous as a stage entertainer. She resented America as she left for France. What would she do in America but be a nanny for a rich white family or their maid? She knew she had talent and value and sought out to pursue it. She didn't settle for less.

and in this society, this engrained notion that all we are good for is to serve others, whether it's to drive a team to a championship, or to cook, or clean, is still prevalent.

This is why I work as hard as possible to make my talents and gifts known to the world. Cause I know I am worth more than someone to flip burgers, or clean up a spill in a waiting room.

I couldn't of stayed in Pittsburgh to do that.

In the time I've lived in NYC, I have run my own business and managed a staff, I have played rooftop parties, I have hobknobbed with fashion designers, models, rappers, bands, celebs, etc...I can definitely say that if I was still living in Pittsburgh, I would be unemployed living with my parents cause businesses and companies have no desire to hire black people.

My older sister is 34 and will be 35 this year. She has been living at home for almost 10 years. Has onbly had 3 jobs since then that lasted less than two months. She graduated from Oberlin and went to Columbia University.

:mjcry:

Know how valuable you are and never let anybody tell you anything less.
WORD!! all this shyt is fire....i cant feel it 100%!!!!
 

DrX

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Word.

I'll you something breh. You know why I voted for Obama and why I'll miss him when he's gone? He was that person that black people could aspire to and look to...that kids could look to and say, you can be anything you want even president of the united states. Not just a basketball player or football player or a rapper. That's the example I want to strive towards now...

Whatever you do, never give up. You might be sparking that flame that lights the candle that leads the world out of the dark ages.
:salute:
100......real shyt
 

MrPentatonic

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WORD!!!! this is some motivational shyt, I needed to hear this actually, I been feeling down.... I feel the same way...fukk this society....fukk this system....fukk its bullshyt standards...u only get 1 life...no way I'm wasting it working some stupid job and coming home watching TV for 50 years to collect some bullshyt retirement that I cant even enjoy, man i rather die...just shoot my in the face and get it over with...My parents gave me stupid cowardly advice and think god I'm rebellious and never listened...Im gonna keep pushing...

in life u just gotta roll the dice and whatever the consequences are...so be it...but i cant grow old saying "what if I wouldn't did....?"
:wow:

Exactly how I feel
 
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