Sunday, September 16th
Brooklyn Book Festival – “My First Time Panel”
10:00 am
Brooklyn Borough Hall Community Room
2/3, 4/5 to Borough Hall
A/C to Jay Street
The Brooklyn Book Festival will be the place to be on Sunday, September 16th. I’m on the “My First Time” panel in the Brooklyn Borough Hall Community Room at 10:00 am, but you should stay all day to hear everyone from Edwidge Danticat to Colson Whitehead to Martha Southgate. And so many others. Very groovy.
Thursday, September 19th
National Urban League Hip Hop Panel
7:00 pm
National Urban League
120 Wall Street
2/3 to Wall
Panelists include Havelock Nelson-Goodman, Catherine McKenzie, and Summer Hill Seven.
Saturday, September 22nd
Circle of Sisters – Hue Man Bookstore Signing
10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Jacob Javits Center
2/3, A/C to 34th
I’ll be at the Hue Man booth all day.
Comment(s)
LYRICS TO FREE THE JENA 6
Justice for Everybody Not African
Indians and Latin kids lock them up and pack them in
Crime pays so the DA will trap them in
It’s the new millennium slave trafficking
Call Weezy, Call Baby, Call BG, Call Juvenile, Mannie Fresh, Call Master P
Soulja Slim would have rode but he in the ground
Somebody call Young Turk he ’bout to get out
Call Romeo he ballin’ on a scholarship
Don’t be silenced by record label politics
Original Man so I’ll be the genesis you know what the mission is:
We gonna FREE THE JENA 6
Jena, Louisiana they call it the Deep South
In other words black folks keep out
Or stay in your place its OK if you’re playing it safe
Or a wide grin stay on your face
Kids raised to hate
Before age 8 they learn to tie nooses this is what a lie produces
And 10 years later you beside the student in high school
In his mind you’re a visitor N—- it’s my school
This is my room don’t you even try coon
It sets the stage for a showdown at high noon
Lunchtime in the cafeteria one mind thinking blacks inferior
One time under a tree that cracks the exterior and reveals the truth
Must of forgot that you’re still a spook
You’ll remember when you see this noose see this tree was used
To hang your ancestors after we’d party and barbecue
This led to rising tension when the ones who did it got a brief suspension
And you know our spirit we will not surrender we always fight back
It’s on now its white vs. black like a war
A black kid was jumped it opened the door
A white man pulled a shotgun at a convenience store on black children
They didn’t put their hands to the ceiling
They disarmed the man and then ran from the building
Unless you’re born black you can’t understand the feeling
They beat that boy down they never planned to kill him
Them young brothers just wanted to defend they friends
And in the end to suspend is all it should have been
But they went further
They was charged as grown men for attempted murder
For a fight in high school
They were made an example in Jena that whites rule
And you won’t see this on the Nightly News
Cause they’ll likely choose dog fighting and blues
Michael Vick being stripped of his lightning shoes
Not 6 teenagers being charged despite the rules
Or a racist prosecutor trying to take our future
This is madness children behind bars this is savage
As we spend money on cars, jewelry and fabric
Our children need our help to heal this damage
When you don’t speak the truth watch your realness vanish
So sign the petition organize for the victims
Please give your money, your time, and your wisdom
And to Mychal Bell were gonna fight for your freedom
And we want a million dollars for every night you keep him
It’s Justice for Everybody Not African
Indians and Latin kids lock them up and pack them in
Crime pays so the DA will trap them in
It’s the new millennium slave trafficking
Call Weezy, Call Baby, Call BG, Call Juvenile, Mannie Fresh, Call Master P
Soulja Slim would have rode but he in the ground
Somebody call Young Turk he bout to get out
Call Romeo he ballin’ on a scholarship
Don’t be silenced by record label politics
Original Man so I’ll be the genesis you know what the mission is:
We gonna FREE THE JENA 6