MENTAL MEAL: 40TH ANN. VIDEO

I got this in my email the other day from Mama Akua, who is the widow of Chairman Fred Hampton Sr. Mama was pregnant with the now Chairman Fred Hampton Jr. when the Chicago Police Department ambushed them on December 4, 1969. See previous post for more info!

Enjoy the mental meal and by all means send to a bunch of friends. If we can forward corny chain emails, surely we can spread the TRUTH.




"You know who it is, you know what it is...peace out."

R.I.F. Chairman Fred Hampton & Mark Clark

This is the eve of the night on which the Chicago Police Department, through J. Edgar Hoover's/FBI endorsed COINTELPRO, that Deputy Chairman Fred Hampton Sr. and Defense Captain Mark Clark were ambushed and assassinated while they slept; Chairman Fred in bed with his pregnant wife. This year marks the 40th Anniversary of "The Murder On Monroe".

These men were two YOUNG courageous members of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense. They embodied the character and personality that is so lacking in the youth of our black communities today. They were men devoted to their families and to the pursuit of freedom and justice. Instead of promoting and exploiting the ignorance and troubles that we endure, they fought to create unity around these common issues that were affecting us across the country. They created the free breakfast and health screening for our children. While Chicago sought to lock up (or kill) the street's Lords, Stones and Disciples, Fred and Mark along with the BPP sought to organize, politicize and unify them through various community outreach and development programs.

Being a threat to the government's COINTELPRO politics that were designed to destabilize, discredit and destroy black leaders, and to "...prevent the rise of a Black Messiah...", it was obvious that they had to be killed.

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I was introduced to Chairman Fred Jr. about 7 years ago through a mutual friend I had been doing artwork for. I was very familiar with Chairman Fred Sr.'s story prior to this meeting, so it was nothing less than a pleasure to be able to shake hands and build with his son over dinner.

Later in the year, while in Chicago for a family reunion, I had to convinced my cousin to take me through his "opposing neighborhood". If you know the slightest bit about Chicago, if you represent a 6, you're usually not chillin' somewhere where 5's are being repped...lol. But he took me and it would be my first official meeting with Chairman Fred Jr. and his mother, "Mama" Akua Njeri. Here we discussed me playing a role in their National Revolutionary Day, a yearly memorial for the "Murder On Monroe". This would be the beginning of a 7 year working relationship with the family providing creative support in the form of flyer design.

I also had my younger cousin with me, and it was a beautiful thing b/c he wasn't familiar with the legacy of Fred Hampton. Surely I had drilled him on the Black Panther Party and the general importance of that movement, but as I met with Mama and Fred Jr., The Assassination Of Fred Hampton played in the background for my cousin to consume. He had now become one of what should be MANY young black men who have been enlightened by these fearless soldiers.

I think if OUR media and music focused on the likes of the REAL GHETTO SOLDIERS, the ones who fight (and not conform to) the system by any means necessary, the current and future leaders in our communities would be just as courageous and fearless. They would be more responsible brothers, fathers, uncles, cousins. Instead of the next Jay Z, we really need the reincarnation of the spirit that ran through the blood of Chair Fred Hampton and Deputy Mark Clark. The amazing fact is that Fred was a young 21 years old, Mark 22, when they were murdered. What they accomplished at that age is something divine to me...

But until that spirit rises, Rest In Freedom gentlemen. I'm sad to say that as a community we've gone backwards from what you sacrificed your lives for, but I am also proud to say that it definitely was not in vane. Not all of us have been consumed and programmed by the world society that seeks to destroy us as it sought to destroy you.

"You can kill the revolutionary, but you can't kill the revolution."
- Chairman Fred Hampton, August 30, 1948 – December 4, 1969






"You know who it is, you know what it is...peace out."

MISTERSOUL216

Online I spell it as "mistersoul216" because the period in the "mr." can sometimes throw things off in the net world. I tag it as "mr.soul" because it's quick and simple. It represents my style of art and my personality. And the 216 represents Tha Land that I am from..."Thieveland™". If ya don't know, betta ask somebody...

Where did the name come from? I'm asked this many times, so here's the official story, complete with a fresh new piece I will be using to further brand the name and myself.

So, back in '95 during my creative creep on a come up in Cleveland, I was the go-to guy for my homeboy and Cleveland legend DJ CENTIPEDE. 'Pede was known for throwing the very successful MIX MASTER MASSACRE DJ Battles back then and he provided me with the opportunity to get my work out by doing the flyers for the event. In the process of this, 'Pede used to always call me and say, "What up Mr.Soul?". It was his version of greeting me as my company (which was Visual Soul). I never really thought much about it, but then I moved to Atlanta, and my homeboy BJ Kerr followed suit. So I took it as something to embrace and to represent..

So at that point I decided that I had to give it meaning. I carved out a few acronyms to further break down the SOUL, one of them being Student Of Universal Law/Love. The others I can't share yet because there are people out there sharpening their teeth, waitin' to bite!

In addition to the acronyms, I decided that everything I designed or created should embody the definition of soul. It should be fluid and have movement, invoke emotion, and MEAN SOMETHING. I was heavily inspired by the movement of Atlanta's Dungeon Family around the same time, and so that music background provided me with the motivation and inspiration necessary to create. I wanted my artwork to visually represent what I heard through the music of Outkast, Goodie MOb., Society Of Soul, etc.


And so that's how the name came about and what it means! And now, the art...









"You know who it is, you know what it is...peace out."

CATCHING UP...

I've been slackin' on my blog mackin'. Truth is that as much as I've intended to keep you posted on the artwork and expressions of mr.soul, I've been pulled in various directions to do a multitude of things. Definitely not what the average person should be taking on alone, but I welcome the challenges. They're what make you greater, stronger and more adapt to the ways of the world.

So for the past few weeks, a lot has been going on. I've been organizing an art show (that you should make it a point to attend if you're in Atlanta!), working on several projects, developing a few other projects all while trying to maintain my sanity. The good thing is that I have an inspirational circle of people around me who help to keep me grounded and focused, and who help me keep my eyes on the prize.

Sometimes all of this responsibility can appear to be overwhelming, but the key is mastering the art of controlling what you can, and not stressing about the things you can't.

So let's see, in the past few weeks, I've gone home to visit Cleveland in all of it's 6 degree glory! I've definitely been spoiled by the southern comfort. But the warmth of being with my family and childhood friends, who I hadn't seen in almost a year, make the Cleveland cold feel like a hot sunny day on South Beach. There's something special about re-visiting your roots and getting re-connected to the energy that gave birth to who you are. As pitiful as my hometown looks, I am still proud to be a native! Seeing how things have changed over the 12 years I've been in Atlanta does much to fuel my desire to make it, to succeed. I know a lot of people trapped working jobs they don't like because they don't pay shit, or because they're just shitty jobs. I know people who want to up and leave but can't. I hope to inspire these people to keep strugglin' and strivin'. There's a light at the end of the tunnel.



I look forward to going back home this summer though. I don't get to see everybody during the winter because no matter how long you've lived in Tha Land, you STILL don't care to deal with the harsh realities that a mid-western winter will remind you of! But in the summer, everybody's out enjoying the sun and the crazy Cleveland streets. I especially like and remember going down to the lake and watching the sun set. Me and my big homie Rashad used to make that a ritual after working all day and nite on our weeky hip-hop publication, Planet Black Magazine which was based out of Cleveland of course. We were a featured insert in the Call & Post, a Ohio Black newspaper which I believe is currently owned by Don King. It was different times and management back then. That was '95.



Me and my creative comrades at City Of Ink did a photoshoot last month for one of the biggest tattoo publications on the newsstand right now, INKED Magazine. This is a historic event seeing as how City Of Ink is the first Black tattoo shop to be featured in the publication. We have deemed ourselves "The Obamas" of the tattoo industry! The photoshoot was done b a very talented Michael Blackwell, who has been shooting a lot of Atlanta's urban scene for magazines like Vibe, XXL, The Source, etc. Stay tuned for the publication date, and make sure you pick a few of them thangs up!

Aight, now that I'm caught up a little bit, let me proceed to give you what you need!


"You know who it is, you know what it is...peace out."

A New Beginning

Tears aren't falling from my eyes, but I am definitely feeling some special emotions for one of the most monumental moments in WORLD history. I say world history because it's much bigger than america. People across the globe have been amazed at what has been taking place, and have patiently waited for this change as much as we have. For them, it is a great sign of hope for a new day.

I dwell most on my grandmother in her 86 years. Speaking to her, and listening to her shed a tear or two, I realize how important this moment is for our elders. They have seen some difficult times in their lives. The transition from slavery, the Great Depression, segregation and the Civil Rights Movement. I can tell that she feels some victory in this history, and I'm very grateful that she lived to experience this moment. I know that this is one of the biggest moments in her life.

A lot of people suffered and died for the freedoms that have produced this moment. The work of Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King, Jr., and countless others shows us that through dedication, persistence and even death if necessary, will pave the way for great things to happen. WE have to adopt this attitude. We can't simply rely on Obama being in office as our "salvation". WE have to be willing to continue to travel and pave roads in the same vain as those who came before us. There has to be sufficient balance between "party and bullshit" and community responsibility. We are all components to making this historical day be what it can be for us in the future. That task doesn't rest on the shoulders of Barack alone.

For my Black Nation of America, men and women, we have GREATER responsibility! Many have looked to Obama as an example of what can be achieved...ANYTHING! But also, we have to look deeper into what has allowed him to achieve this great moment. His OPEN love and RESPECT for his wife and his family. Black men, your woman is very necessary in your success in life. SHE is MOTHER EARTH, the cradle of civilization. Black women, in order to gain that respect from your Black King, you have to be the Queen God created you to be. This will trickle down to the children, and provide a strong foundation for them to be able to conquer the world. We have to become a family again, we have to put aside our differences to strengthen our communities because they are weak and desperate for solutions now...

Anyone who is close to me, knows that I have very little faith in a system that has constantly shown it's disregard and disrespect for us. You can say what you want, but I know for a fact that the founding fathers did not establish this New World with us in mind. We were to be the burden bearers, the sacrificial lambs, the expendable. And in reality, I still have little faith. Oscar Grant was MURDERED by a police officer a couple weeks ago. And there were at least 2-3 other incidents that didn't get TV time where Black men were slaughtered at the hands of the people who are to serve and protect us and our communities. But what I do have is a new hope that this historical moment will be the first major step towards changing minds like mine...

"You know who it is, you know what it is...peace out."