DISCLAIMER:
IT IS NOT THE WAY OF THE KNOCKAH TO USE THE INTERNET TO MAKE A NAME FOR HERSELF.
IT IS NOT THE WAY OF THE KNOCKAH TO GET INTO INTERNT FIGHTS.
IT IS NOT THE WAY OF THE KNOCKAH TO DISRESPECT ANOTHER’S HUSTLE.
IT IS THE WAY OF THE KNOCKAH TO RESPECT DADE COUNTY AND EVERYTHING IT’S PEOPLE, THEIR GRIND AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
IT IS THE WAY OF THE KNOCKAH TO APPRECIATE ALL THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE, THOSE WHO ARE NOW PRESENT AND THOSE YET TO COME FROM WHOSE ACTIONS, WE ALL BENEFIT.
MIAMI: SunShine eclipsed by The Arab Attack of joey’s crack
It is such a joy sitting here watching ATL WEEK on MTV JAMS. Seeing so many different artists and entrepreneurs who represent the variety and vibrancy that is not just Atlanta, but Georgia overall fills me with great joy and excitement. It is entertaining and educating. And I wish to thank all of those participating for presenting Their Home in such a wonderful light.
With all that love in the air, it troubles me that my mind has drifted back to reconsidering my writing off MY BLOCK: MIAMI’s fifteen minutes spent on ACTUAL FLORIDA ARTISTS as an anomaly. I am forced to look myself in the mirror and accept that the place, no matter where I was born or roam, THE PLACE, I consider HOME, had nothing more to offer THE BIG O.G. SWAY and His Crew, than fifteen minutes of The Essence of Magic that has always been a City called MIAMI.
I have to revisit my watching MIAMI week and writing off the THREE (3) days of programming DEDICATED to THE ARAB ATTACK OF JOEY’S CRACK as all those few folks are on major labels, MTV is a Multinational Global Corporation, so thus the resulting programming; instead of a hint to a situation more gravely telling and devastating for my HOME and the current state of affairs as regards to its international portrayal of OUR GRIND.
I must confess, in 1998, for health reasons, I had to relocate to a locale where the year round climate was more cool. And though I still have many Family and Friends in South Florida, who am blessed to visit on occasion, not being on the ground and able to witness and experience firsthand, it has taking me sometime to comprehend the bullshit that has piled up and poisoned our pristine waterways.
To be precise, THE ARAB ATTACK OF JOEY’s CRACK.
On September 10, 2001, there was a Hip-Hop deejay named THE ARAB ATTACK. While I have not heard anything of Him since September 11, 2001, there is a Hip-Hop deejay named DJ Khaled on the pop industry entertainment scene who looks EXACTLY like THE ARAB ATTACK.
This DJ Khaled (a dead ringer for ARAB ATTACK) caught my attention in a YouTube interview where He was asked to comment on a documentary, I just recently saw for the first time called “COCAINE COWBOYS.”
(Please note I had heard such a film was in production and saw all the ads for said film when it was released. However, the era that this KNOCKAH knows was being referenced (approx 1979 to 1992) was a time when I moved to 13440 Aswan Road in Opa Locka. And after all that living, I frankly was not ready to relive the REALNESS of The REALITY, that outside of the cocaine and weapons trade, if any jobs existed they all started your pay at $3.35 an hour. I was NOT and frankly probably will never be ready to accept, that all MaMa Pearl, like so many of Our Mothers had left to pick up the remains of Her Son TOBY, shot 100 (ONE HUNDRED) times was some tweezers, TOBY, who KNOCKAHS and HOMEBOYS all HAILED as HOLLYWOOD (meaning SuperStar) for He was The DEFINITION of DUNKRIDER for hardcore car enthusiasts in Dade County. I’ll NEVER be ready to relive the canyons craved by tears on McDuffie’s MaMa’s face when Officer Lozono got off scott free for murdering HER SUN on his way home from one $3.35 n hour job to change to go to another. And don’t even suggest I accept Ma SistahGurl, Michelle forced to mule out Herself to feed her family and getting caught in The Bahamas and her calls to The US Embassy there going unanswered.)
>>>>>>>‘Sides, the only time I didn’t watch Miami Vice as a comedy was the episode when Crockett rode out in the ‘Tess to Phil Collins’ “In The Air Tonight.” Lemme help you get this. Go rent Frank Sinatra’s “TONY ROMA” and tell me if the Crockett character don’t look familiar. Watch Quincy on Retro television and then any CSI, and then come tell me, if for the times they occurred in and innovations available to use in the scripts, both of those shows dealing with forensics to solve crimes are not both masterpieces. Do the same with Perry mason and Law and Order. NOW, compare Miami Vice to Hawaii Five-O. On the top of your notepad, write, LOCALE, ACTORS, CHARACTERS, CRIMINALS, DRUGS, UNDERCOVER , INFORMANTS, DRUGS, GUNS, LAW ENFORECEMENT TACTICS and MONEY.<<<<<<
But, back to pleasantries.
How could ANYBODY who resided in DADE COUNTY, claiming gangster, authority or expertise, be so MOVED like DJ Khaled (dead ringer for ARAB ATTACK) in His YouTube Cocaine Cowboy video?
And PitBull, You was young, so lemme help you out.
The CenTrust Tower was not built to look like ‘cake’ as in cocaine.
A Dade County Man named David Paul, who got caught up in the S&L Junk Bond Scandal of The Ronald Reagan Era, then president of CenTrust Bank (first organized as Dade Federal Savings) as a goft to The People of South Florida and also out of a desire for Our City to have a landmark corporate building defining its skyline pulled off an architectural feat still envied in most world capitals. And that was he got I.M. Pei, considered the 20th Century’s most accomplished architect to design The CenTrust Tower. And with its Majestic beauty that I know reflects the Essence of My Community and Neighbors, the element I found most endearing was the sky garden that ANYONE, back then could take the elevator and go up to, and from that perch get a panoramic view of Our Lovely Land.
(And it ain’t because I worked for that company for five years why I know that.)
The Pride throughout Florida when SunShine reflect off that building and worldwide, everyone instantly knew they were looking at downtown Miami is how I am sure.
Hollywood’s Baby Brother, in my opinion, should have been included in the film, not just served up as an aside in a YouTube video after the fact. Trick Daddy Dollars is one of the most prolific and intelligent people of Our generation that Dade County has produced. And His insights, knowledge and understanding of Our Community would have gone a long way to further enhance, what is a very informative film for those who were previously unaware and a brief synopsis for those who lived thru the time period the filmmakers so eloquently portrayed.
With the mass deregulation of The Reagan Era finally trickling down in critical mass on Americans at this time, ATL Week is actually serving a far greater purpose as a well needed diversion for me. So, I CANNOT express how pissed I am at myself that I find myself having wandered back to My BLOCK MIAMI and MIAMI WEEK and having this time travel so upset my balance, I must pen out loud this cry from My Soul.
WHAT THE FUCK IS UP WITH Y’ALL?
Every ten minutes is a different Person from Atlanta, speaking on Atlanta, introducing the world to things Atlanta and welcoming all to enjoy.
Meanwhile, THREE (3) days of MIAMI WEEK was about fat joe?
Tell me, that was because he made the elephant’s share of profit off of “BORN and RAISED in DADE.
Tell me, that was because Y’ALL knowing Dade County is a communal society where individuals must develop the spine to go it alone if necessary, have chosen to fall in love with your global entertainment industry pedestals. And thus have taken this to mean you refuse to share any Sunshine with anyone else in or from Our Community.
Tell me, that was because Y’all is contractually obligated to recite W-E-T-H-E-B-E-S-T after every bar.
Tell me, that was because in a locale where one of the three official languages is Creole, you could not find ONE Haitian to rhyme on Born and Raised.
Tell me, that was because in a locale that birth BASS MUSIC, there was not ONE BASS Musician available to do a BASS version of Born and Raised in equal measure akin to David Banner’s most Exquisite Screwed and Chopped MISSISSIPPI albums.
Tell me, that was because the few of you are the ONLY musicians and artist in the entire SUNSHINE STATE allowed to practice your craft and profit from said produce as a business.
Or we could take it to DA AVE and ask Folks what THEY think ‘bout Y’all addiction to joey’s crack.
For I am at a lost trying to figure out why.
Florida in general and Dade (well MIAMI-DADE nah) County is blessed to overflowing with innovative enterprises individuals and groups. A mean We got soundscan in Our Flea markets for heaven’s sake. We got Mom and Pop business who sponsor the buyout of local cable time, where We are entertained and informed in all three of Our native tongues thru music shows, soap operas, sporting events and news forums.
I would like to mention just a handful of the Folks who could have been given three seconds of airtime, that ALL A Y”ALL DAYUM WELL KNOW’, that would have rocked the world about out hamlet, the way the CenTrust building did on its debut.
But I am communicating via the internet. And in this virtual-reality, y’all like to think that if someone offers an opinion, they must be financed by one “y’all haterz.’ And I do not wish to tarnish anyone’s long fought for name and reputation with My Cry.
So Amma just end on this note.
To ALL MA DAWGS grinding, May God’s Good Grace continue to shine on and bless your endeavors.
ICE CREAM MAN thank you for Haulover Beach Daze
Clint O’Neil, thank You for 12 midnight to 6 am Sunday to Sunday Caribbean Music on Public Radio.
Jam Pony Express, Uncle Al and SugarHill DeeJays, Quad City DeeJays, 69Boyz, MC MADNESS, Ghetto Style DJs thank you for bring the club to the projects like Y’all still doing.
2Live Crew thank you for showing the hypocrisy We face by standing trial for performing an adult show in a strip club then getting banned in the usa.
Uncle Luke thank you for asserting your Civil Rights, so that I now have LUTHER CAMPBELL v US as ‘legal’ authorization to be an artist as I wish.
Peter, thank you ETERNALLY for THE BOX and ‘HOW CAN I BE DOWN’ Hip-Hop Summits.
Rhythm Rocker, thank You for The Saturday Night Funk Box.
Don Rico Ricketts, thank you for your educational and philosophical insights expressed in and on local media.
Darnella Dunham, thank You for standing firm in your successful quest to get a Hip-Hop show on the University of Miami’s airwaves.
ACE ONE (Black Forest) and DEE BAKER for your local cable access show.
Taz of Doz Funky Bastardz (Blitzbeatz) and Mother Superia for The original “ROCK BOTTOM OF THE MAP.”
DJ Laz, Thank You for all You did in the beginning of Power 96, when Y’all went for more than a year commercial free ‘cause you bumped all manners of Hip-Hop music.
Jill Tracy, thank you for your tireless efforts during those seemingly endless days when WEDR insisted live for all to hear that they would NEVER play Hip-Hop music, the likes of Public Enemy for it does not positive for the Youth.
DJ RAW and all the other pirates thank you for the many 919s, ensuring the Youth got to hear Public Enemy.
Dayne Dickson, thank you for The Caribbean Unity Showcase and for using profits form your Liberty City based business to sponsor local Youth in the Caribbean Carnival Parade when it first began on Biscayne Boulevard.
DJ Chris and all the New York Mixtape Cowboys, thank you for slinging dem things like it was coca on DA AVE.
Mike Valentine, thank you for The Jazz Set.
Lil John, thank you for raising the property value of ALL of North Dade with your presence while in residence in Opa Locka..
Shy D, thank you for keeping it Geechie, the connection that is Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.
MC MADNESS, thank you for your poetry so poetically rhythmically and artistically reminding us Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana is HOME too.
Khalid Haneef, thank you for your ‘Behind The 8ball’ cartoon strip in the Palm Beach newspaper.
Drunk Drew (Area 61 Massive) thank you for The Science Room.
Alfred James and Bart Mervil (Cyclops Massive – PINK Documentary and How The South was Won) thank you for SharpShooters Photography Studio.
Dread-n-Da Rhymesters, thank you for Black I Productions.
My T and The Sinmen, thank you for “Is Miami in Da House.”
Big Gates, thank You for ‘Tell Dem Crackers Dat.”
Jenny and Greg, thank you for the Spoken Word jump off in Lincoln Road Mall on South Beach.
Adrian Castro, Malachi Smith, Raining Deer, Gene and Wallis Tinnie, thank you for the poetry and writing workshops at The Liberty City Community Center.
(41 for me, means am an ole lady. Memory bin gone, so please don’t assume this all there ever was, is or gone be outta Dade County.)
In closing, as a long standing bus pass having KNOCKAH, BIG UP to all who made ‘BACK A DA GROVE,’ a HAVEN where riding on 20s wasn’t law, it was the Culture of Our Ancestor’s Traditions. A’s Home last in ’06 and A know all Y’all who A met and don’t know how to stop Loving saw thru ma eyes The beauty that is The Opa Locka Strip. Man, Am happy ain’t nobody ask me tah judge. ‘Cause A’d a given e’ry Cah, two trophies, one for best in class and one for best in show.)
LONG LIVE THE DUNK! THE BASS! And A COUNTY called DADE!
I LOVE!
wordslingAH, Da Kid!
9/18/2008 3:04:19 PM© cindy adrienne quashie, 2614 4th ave, apt 408, Seattle, WA 98121 (206) 441-5412 cindyquashie@yahoo.com
To Viacom:- the City of Miami is divided into subdivisions. One of these neighborhoods is called BROWNsville SUBdivision, hence the name BROWNSUB. Kindly refrain from bleeping a neighborhood in Ma HOMETOWN filled with GRINDERS out of the playing of the video, BORN and RAISED in DADE, as well as live performances that you sponsor.
