Sometimes I think the democrats are playing stupid, like they aint got no tactics. No one is gonna limit the war budget once it’s on and popping. People are death, bombs were dropped. We’re going to have to see this one to the end. Another worthless war and another american taking the bullet. It’s shame really. Finally just got back to peace, after covid-19 and america soliders back at home from the war in afghanistan, we didn’t have five minutes before the american government jumped head first into another war.
Simultaneously, on the web, I’ve seen videos of a black solider celebrating the purchase of her first house. She was dancing. Something feels oddly strange about that. It’s not a consequence. I can’t trust it. I also saw a video of another solider crying as she realized that she going actually going to war.. I want to pray for her but I don’t believe my prays will protect her. They say war is hell, and how do you prepare someone for hell?
I think that why I never could join the military, not being able to be in full control. Not being able to have a full spectrum of my own will at an unfair price. Don’t get me wrong I think what they do is admirable, to march into war, ready or not to face death and destruction. But having to prostrate yourself to the US government is dancing with the devil. I hear of how they treat black people, I can visualize what they’d do to the arab.
First and foremost, I am proud as a US citizen that people are hitting the streets, staging protest and trying to get corporation’s and the government’s attention with strikes and economic withholding on today, January 30th, 2026. I believe these are important steps to take in trying to get these corporations to listen to the general public.
With that being said as a Black American, it’s important to acknowledge that these kind of actions should have been happening years, if not decades ago, when government agents and police officer killed multiple black and brown Americans in cities all over the United States. Today we are seeing large amount of white Americans standing up and speaking out now that they see that men and women like Renee Good and Alex Pretti (Americans that look like them) can be shot and killed like they’ve been doing to Black and “minority” Americans for decades.
And even in their protest, we can still see the division of racism at work as they have keep names like Keith Porter Jr. out of the forefront. Names like Liam Conejo Ramos a 5 year old preschool detained by ICE or Geraldo Lunas Campos that was choked to death while in custody at a detention center. Not including a list of names that most Americans aren’t aware of that have suffered, died, and torture in Detention Centers,
The people of Minnesota are chanting things like, “Say her name” and I wonder if they understand that this chant was first used with Breonna Taylor in 2020 in her wrongful murder.
I hope the people of Minnesota understand that these are just their first steps in the fight of injustice that have been happening since the wrongful lynching of Emmett Till and prior. Now it’s time to do the knowledge, read and understand what has happened in this country and what continues to happen in this country on a daily basis again the black and brown.
Since 2018, we’ve heard of women being raped and sexual assault in these detention faculties and the powers at be stating that it’s not responsible for it’s staffs actions. Not until March 2025 did CBP state that they would have zero tolerance policy on rapes and sexual assaults. Even though rape and sexual assault have been a disgustingly unlawful action for years, so how when these women are considered, “illegal alien” it deems them to be treated as subhuman without rights.
Doing the right things isn’t something that lawful or unlawful, look at our history: Fugitive Slave Act, the Black Codes, Jim Crow. And right now the president and other government officials sanctioning these occupations from city to city causing chaos, causing civil unrest, in the “name” of “justice”. Lying to the American people about what happened even those we all just saw what happened online via video recording.
Agencies like ICE and CBP are nothing but fraternities for racist bigots and losers wanting to cause harm. Sometimes again their own raza, because somehow they see themselves as superior. When actually the same racist they’re wanting to be, would arrest them and confine to detention center if they didn’t have the same uniform. Agencies like ICE and CBP are only the latest agencies causing injustice in American communities. Acting as a modern day gestapo. But don’t forget about the action of the FBI and CIA in the 60s, The NSA and their usage of the Patriot Act, and now Corporations like Google, Meta, and Open Al using your consumer information against you to drive up prices and gouge you at every corner.
These offensives on the American people run deep and I hope that you understand what it means to stand up and fight. Educate yourself, look up information, unlearn harmful stereotypes, and don’t believe everything that politicians and news anchors are spewing over the air ways. They want us to be divided and fight over insignificant things like race. When the real issues are much larger.
that’s the most loser shit I’ve ever heard because it doesn’t solve anything. if your have an issue with people, men specifically, spending money on these models and sex workers, find out what are the circumstances that are causing these men to feel like they have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars for female attention. because thats the real issue. 2. if you implement this “sin tax” these models and sex workers are just going to move out of florida and the people are still going to be subscribed but now you lose money on the taxes you were already charging. 3. are you not aware of what fucking state your governing? Miami is one big ass orgy on drugs. there’s the porn industry, cam girls, prostitution, etc. but you want to focus on a subset of people because their the “it” thing right now. reactionary policy is going to get at the root of the cause, if that’s what you really want to do.
edit: sophie rain actually has a point
Sophie Rain responds to Florida governor candidate James Fishback after he proposed a 50% ‘Sin Tax’ on OF creators pic.twitter.com/xF5dmfTkZT
America has a problem with crossing the line. for years americans have used politics and religion to cross the line and then try and return to their day-to-day lives as if what the did was moral or right. and it’s been allowed, turned a blind eye to, permitted in some insistences. then when that same line is crossed to infringe on their rights they sympathy and understanding. they want revenge, they want to get even. it’s an eye for an eye on the land of free. some much so that it’s citizen are blind to their neighbors and community members. pushing others into isolation and hysteria because when you aren’t of anything, you have nothing to lose. instead of us americans coming together on issues that can benefits us as a country, health care, standards of living, minimum wage, we fight at the sight of our perceive like rival gang member. fighting and killing each other for a cause long forgotten and a moment of prideful ignorance because we justified in what were doing, because the other side is wrong. but ain’t nobody bigger than the program, if you cross the line, someone else is going to cross the line to get even. if you kill mines, best believe i’m going to kill yours. is the American way. it’s in our leaders, it’s in our institutions, our news, our school, our people, our children. if a kids at the playground right now gets pushed, they’re going to push back. as a country we can’t play the moral high ground, go to church, and indulge in disorder all in the same day. either let it all go to shit, as we go an eye for an eye to the end or lets stop the lies.
Tyler sat down in london for an interview/panel discussion hosted by converse a few days ago. Tyler is a huge influence on me and was a huge influence for me to do my own thing no matter what other people think. From time to time i still need to be reminded. so when he drops an interview, i always make an effort to put my phone down and pay attention for a bit. today I thought maybe i’d be a good idea to take notes on what stands out to me so that i can better grasp and digest the ideas he sharing with us.
if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it
keep creating, and explore random ideas
your passions and your creations are your resume
if you like it, run with it. If people don’t understand it, it doesnt mean you’re wrong
you have the internet, use it
use what you have around you, you don’t need the best
have honest people around you, not yes men
1. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it
Tyler and the Clancys have been together since the very beginning. they signed tyler when bastard was taking over the internet and through out the years they’ve built and maintain a great relationship that allow tyler to flourish as an artist. they all have respect for each other and allow each other to play their role. the Clancys find ways to take tyler delusional ideas and package it for public consumption. they know how to differentiate between tyler’s storm of ideas and support the ones that he seem most passionate about. at anytime tyler could of found new manage and tried something new but he stuck with the guys that believed in him from the very beginning and that type of loyalty is hard to come by nowadays
2. keep creating, and explore random ideas
tyler has a lot of ideas, i mean a fuck ton of ideas. and the well never seems to run dry for him. but it’s because he explores ideas even if they don’t pan out to anything. he doesn’t go, “no stupid, i shouldn’t do that,” but rather goes, “this could be cool i wonder what will happen if i look into this.” i think that most of us creative may kill an idea in our mind before we even write it down, i know i’m guilty of it, and all that does it bring self-doubt. explore shit even if it may seem like a distraction for the moment, you might come back to it down the line.
3. your passions and your creations are your resume
tyler talked about how converse has so much trust in him and the things he makes. partly cause he can go back as far as 2011 and say these are my ideas and they’ve worked time and time again. he had success prior to partnering with converse and leverages that when he sit down with them to make new and creative ideas that executive may not understand. you have to bet on yourself before you expect others to bet on you.
4. if you like it, run with it. If people don’t understand it, it doesnt mean you’re wrong
this one kind of touches back on number 3. you have to like your ideas first. you have to be your first supporter. remember it you selling this idea at the end of the day so if you don’t believe in it, how can you expect others to do the same? think of something you like and follow through with it. just that experience alone with help you in building confidence for the next one.
5. you have the internet, use it
the internet is a powerful tool, but nowadays it’s just used to masterbait and waste time. you’re connected to everyone and just about everything if you know what you’re looking for. if you don’t know how to do, look it up on youtube or google it. I’ve even hear of people getting free course from harvard because they just have the information on the school website. the world is literally in your hands
6. use what you have around you, you don’t need the best
today must of us have a phone that can do just about anything you need it do. it can take pictures, record videos, record instruments and vocals. it has calendars, alarms, and connection to the internet. start with something simple and build your way up. I’ve definitely have talk myself out of some great ideas because i was worry about equipment quality and ended up killing an idea before i even explore it. and you don’t have to it all yourself. i’m sure that there’s people out there looking to explore these ideas with you. like a child with a sharpie and a white wall, get back to the basics and just create with what you have.
7. have honest people around you, not yes men
last but not least you got have people around you that are going to give it to you straight. that doesn’t mean that they have to shit on you or your ideas but someone that can tether you to reality if you ever drift off too far into creativity. it’s a delicate balance but when you find someone that can do that keep ’em around. some of us just have people that are killing our ideas as soon as the idea is vocalized. PROTECT YOUR IDEAS. work your ideas before even hinting that your working on something new. unfortunately dream killers love to shit on anything and everything because they can’t see themselves succeed so they don’t believe anyone around them.
but you also don’t want someone that just gasses you up to the moon every time you tie your shoes. these people are great when you’re having a bad day and you need someone to remind you who you are and what you’ve done but if they just want to see you happy they may not tell you want you need to hear all the time.
i use to think that killing was a bad thing, at least that was the way i was programmed or raised to believe. but i don’t think that it is as simple as good and bad. and i don’t think that killing is inherently evil. i believe that some people are too quick because they’re immature and/or lazy. and America as a whole has that apart of our ethic. the whole “shoot first ask, questions later” approach has brought forth a lot of unnecessary death. i understand if it’s a life or death situation, if your a soldier or you back is against the wall but it seems cowards will have the advantage and claim they were in fear for their life just so that the courts will justify their cowardice as valor.
i can respect a man that is slow to kill and understands the weight behind of pulling a trigger. a man that is tough without a gun, a man that will toss his gun to the side and fight with his hands.
but then there’s the other side. the guys that bought a gun and are looking for a reason. guys that wouldn’t kill with their hands. an ignorant man driven by fear and pride. a guy that’s never thrown a punch. guys that are male but not men. these people deserve hell and slow death. they belong with the abusers, the rapist, the ones that claim to be men and take from the weak and poor.
i don’t believe that everyone is built to face the death of another person. some of us need to be protected and contribute to community and society in different manners. but i think it’s important to know where you stand, can you protect yourself? could you kill someone if you had to and can you live with your decision to justifiability take another man life? and when i say justifiability i don’t mean the legal system saying it’s okay. i mean can you sit with that weight on your soul? if god takes you today, can you answer for your actions?
that’s the man, the father, the brother, the protector i work towards being. that’s a true killer. and i pray that you can either be that or have someone that can be that for you. because very few men are as honorable as they claim to be.
The problem that some of America is having with Kendrick Lamar’s performance is a problem that America has created itself through intentional ignorance. Not everyone is in the know when it comes to Kendrick Lamar, which is part of the indent of an artist being televised. Artists are given these moments to share their contribution to music to a wider audience. The Audience is then, if curious suppose, to look up the artist and browse their catalog. Playing their top songs or listening to an album. Some of America’s audience didn’t not want to do the footwork, which is fine, personally I didn’t look into Maroon 5’s or Shakira discography after their performances. Not that I didn’t enjoy the performance, I just wasn’t compelled to at the time. But in an age of technology where a google search is in your pocket and this halftime show has been advertised for months, you can’t complain about the performance after the fact.
What some Americans don’t like is that they were not included. They wanted “They Not Like Us, but they didn’t want Kendrick. They don’t understand what was happening and they don’t see themselves on that field. And what does America do when they don’t understand something? They hate it. And instead of doing a little research, and trying to understand who Kendrick Lamar is and what songs he’s performing, they see it as an affront to what they believe should’ve taken place for the Super Bowl Halftime Show performance. They pick apart the thing they now have decided to hate because it should have been easy for them (the audience) to feel a part of.
At the end of the day, the Halftime Show, is a 15 minute performance to debut an artist on one of the worlds biggest stages. It is their 15 seconds of fame to show the world what they got. Like it or love.
Kendrick Lamar has always been this kind of artist. Anytime he performs in front of white America, there’s always people that find offense even though they are both from the same America. Instead of asking the right question with the intention to understand, they make their assumptions and run with it. The same thing happened with Malcolm X, Colin Kaepernick and any other African American that does something that doesn’t fit within white America’s idea of Blackness.
Fuck man, every time i’m about to fall asleep I find a piece of internet gold that keeps me up for another few hours. I’ve been typing Max Schaaf’s name into a bunch of search boxes and abusing the infinite scroll. I found a couple of clips!
1. DicE Magazine did a little short on Max.
2. Vans x. 4Q(Max Schaaf) collab on a Sk8 mid. This is their commercial for it. Showing off his shop and the personal touches he did for the collab. I’m definitely going to add this song to my library.
3. Max Schaaf’s Non Fiction Part. In the Lone Skater article I wrote, Max talk about living in Oakland (in the video) and having a bunch of the neighborhood kids come by and just hang out with him at his mom’s place. You get to see some rad clips in this parts of some of the kids doing some fakie ollie on Max’s ramp. They probably had no idea who Max was in the skate world to them, to them he was just the crazy guy with a skatepark in his house across the street.
4. BIG HONGRY! I’ve been seeing Big Hongry on Thrasher and on Instagram, interviewing skaters and making music. Bro can really rap! From what I can piece together he owns and runs a shop in California somewhere. He seems to be plugged into the scene out there. Which is awesome because I haven’t seen many dude like him on the more rugged side of skating in the mix with big profile name. Shoutout to Big Hongry! But tonight I found his sit down with Max Schaaf on his podcast, Break Free. Him and Max talk about growing up with Jake, Phil Sato and bunch other names that do really get the commercial recognition but are legend in their own right. You had to be there to see it but if you didn’t see it people like Max mentioning their names pushes their legacy further into the spot light to get their just due. Max even gives an update on the kids from the last video in a full circle moment.
One of my favorite things about skateboarding, outside of the actual act, are the personalities behind the skaters. A few people are dicks, most people are humble and super cool, and then some people are just loners. People that skate alone and don’t skate for the social interaction of meeting homies at the park or to have a community/family to rely on. These lone skaters don’t skate any different whether the camera is on or off, or wait for the homies to hit them up to hit the park they skate. They skate cause it’s what they do. It’s their therapy, it’s their solace.
I don’t know when I became a lone skater, but most of us start skating alone. When you’re first learning how to skate, it’s a lot of trial and error trying to figure out the basics. Over time you find a crew of friends and you guys usually meet up to skate somewhere, playing games of SKATE (or HORSE, for non-skaters), hang out and try to progress as skateboarders. But if you really want to get better you have to put in your own time outside of those crew sessions. You need to focus, not that you can’t with friends around but there’s a different level of focus when you are alone.
A lot of artists and creatives get lost in the comfort they find alone. With an unrelenting focus they can make their dreams or ideas a reality. One of the unofficial principles of skateboarding if you ask me.
A few weeks ago I watched a clip on Max Schaaf. A lone skater that came up skating a vert ramp in his living room in oakland. He had a long career, successful as a skateboarder and even a videographer. About 20 mins into the video they discuss what being alone did for him and his skateboarding and how it may have looked on the outside looking in. Then later in life what that solitude did for him as he moved into different avenues in his life.
Burning in paradise 