**disclaimer: the following words are written out of love**<P>>After reading all the hub-bub that my <BR>>comment about Flo Brown reppin' DC <BR>>has generated...I must say this: IT <BR>>DOESN'T MATTER! So what. Mercedes <BR>>said that Flo was representing HOWARD <BR>>(which is true)<P>Yo, I was referring to the Lyricist Lounge show, where Flo was billed as repping DC. Everyone else seems to have misread what I wrote, including Mercedes (much love to you, sis, BUT RE-READ WHAT I WROTE, I was referring to Lyricist Lounge when the comment about Flo repping DC was made).<P>> Howard is in <BR>>DC...so when I said that she <BR>>was reppin' DC...I was referring to <BR>>Howard...<P>That's cool and all and while I was rhyming here from 93-95, I thought repping Howard was repping DC, but it's really not. The problem is, there are a lot of people in this city who are trying to shine. I'm not born and raised here, but this is where I plan to stay. Like I said earlier, when you're under 18 (unless you run away from home) generally you live wherever your parents move. I love New Orleans. I don't really have nay plans to return. The type of hip-hop I do is way out of sync with 90% of the cats rhyming down there. Talk about an uphill battle...<P>but all that is beside the <BR>>point anyway. DC or NY <BR>>or Louisiana or Bum-f*ck, Kentucky, who <BR>>cares! Eff it, man it doesn't <BR>>matter where you're from it's where <BR>>you're at.<P>I've heard this expressed a million times, but when it comes time to become cultural producers instead of consumers, the issue of geography is very real. DC radio is not supporting DC area talent. Major labels, based by and large in NYC, aren't checking (they're barely checking for 90% of the rapers in NYC). Hip-hop media, also based largely in NYC, aren't checking. The politics in this shit is very real. <P>I do a lot of what I do out of love. Yeah, I'm pretty passionate. Yeah, I'm seeing cats who I feel are immensely talented struggle at menial labor type jobs or whatever...we work had for this, so yeah, there's a lot of pride involved. <P>I'm in law school producing a cable access show to spotlight folks and writing press releases for fools. I'm getting 3 hours worth of sleep a night. Hustling at this. So, yeah, I take the idea of who's considered "repping DC" and who gets their chance to shine on stage very seriously. Probably more seriously than 99.9% of the people, who could care less.<P>Saying "it's not where you're from..." to me sounds just like saying "it doesn't matter what color you are". Black people still face substantial discrimination, so it still does mater what color you are. In hip-hop, a lot of scenes still face substantial discrimination (I know, that analogy sounds wild, but it's the best way I could put it). If Master P had not have gotten distribution through Priority, he would not be in the Source today. (1) he wouldn't have been able to sell as many records without the distribution and (2) without being affiliated with a major, you can't get in these magazines in any real way and you'll be hard pressed to get a fair review, if you get a review at all.<P>A lot of people are misunderstanding me. You don't understand what I'm saying? e-mail me. But don't tell me I'm crazy, as if the idea that cities all over the U.S. have scenes, but only heads in NY or Cali (to a lesser extent) underground get any light makes sense for any reason other than the fact that media outlets are clustered there and _people are fronting_. This has nothing to do with Black Lily. <P>> If sis can flow, <BR>>she can flow. <P>That has never been an issue. I gave her the respect she deserves from the beginning. She's dope.<P>>Let's just cool <BR>>all this. It really isn't that <BR>>big a deal. I want <BR>>it to be all love again <BR>>next Monday...no static. Please? <P>No static? How can there be static? again, people are misunderstanding me. EVERYTHING I SAY IS OUT OF LOVE (except for my clowning the Lyricist Lounge cats, but even that is out of love, love for my folks on this scene).<P>I don't have static with anyone (except the Lyricist Lounge cats). I don't see how anyone reading my posts could think I have static with anyone other than the Lyricist Lounge cats. When I say READING, I mean reading rthe words on the page, not looking for some super-secret meaning. If I say "fuck Lyricist Lounge" there is no subliminal message. I'm simply saying fuck Lyricist Lounge. Now, Flo, again the only reason why you're really in it is because you happened to be on stage, as the person they chose to "rep" DC. What's funny is we wasted all this precious time, but I should have started it with asking simply: do you feel you rep DC? <P>That was my mistake. I started from the wrong angle. I started from a presumption. Then, Flo somehow presumed I had a problem with her (I don't), now Kawright thinks there will be anything less than love in the room on the 18th. It's all love.<P>Peace,<P>Spirit<BR><a href="http://amphibians.iuma.com">http://amphibians.iuma.com<;/a><BR><a href="http://infiniteloop.iuma.com">http://infiniteloop.iuma.com<;/a><BR>DC hip-hop is on the rise...<P>"High grade when I create beats/if I don't get signed/I'ma be the most dope bum that ever walked the streets" - <BR>Aychell (HL, of Khemystery)<P>"If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck, it's probably a tool of the conspiracy" - unknown

Peace,

Spirit (Alan)
http://wutangbook.com