The Mind of KLH

What a wonderful day!  No matter what your political persuasion, if you are an American I think that you have to be proud of what happened today.  On the veranda of the capital building that African slaves helped build, we elected our first African American president.  Mr. Obama our 44th President looked out over the National Mall where there where slaves were bought and sold several hundred years ago, and charted out a new day for America.  The pomp and circumstance was heart warming and inspiring.  This peaceful and orderly transfer of power is the envy of the world.  What a truly wonderful day.

Well…tomorrow is a new day.  A day that will start early for the new president.  He will have on his plate a TON of challenges and responsibilities.  I believe he is up to the job.  Perhaps a more important consideration is whether or not we the American people are up to the job.  While we really do need a great leader at the helm of government, each and every one of us needs to be responsible to ourselves and our American community.  We got into this economic mess because so many of us failed to live responsibly.  We consume ridiculous amounts of energy, we spend money we don’t have or can’t afford to spend, and we let our political leaders run amok without answering to us.

I as an American am so very proud of Mr. Obama and this country for the progress we’ve made.  But please be clear there is still real work to be done.  I do know however, that if we put our minds and hearts to it, we can bring back prosperity to America.  We have to believe, and then act persistently upon that belief.  Today was a wonderful day…and if we are determined, tomorrow will be even more wonderful.

Stay Fly and Fly High!
KLH

Be sure to check out the Hottest Hip Hop Beats on the Internet at KLH Beats.com

It REALLY does suck, so you have a right to put on that great big sour-puss. I believe in the power of positive thinking, I think the “Secret” is really great stuff. However, I think it’s totally unreasonable to expect anyone to simply “make lemonade”. We are built (quite awesomely I might add) to feel a full range of emotions… sadness and grief among them. The problem is not feeling sad it is becoming immobilized by your sadness.

Someone recently asked me “Why do crappy things happen to good people?”. First of all I think the question is incomplete. Bad things also happen to bad people. Even though it is possible to ‘attract’ certain things into our lives, many things simply happen to who ever was there. A hurricane is not selective, nor is a lightning bolt, or tsunami. Sometimes difficulty comes to us as a result of certain things we’ve done. If you don’t pay your bills you get phone calls. If you don’t respond to those phone calls they come and take your stuff…’cause and affect’. If you eat lousy food you may get fat. If you ignore your weight issue it may lead to more serious health conditions like heart disease or diabetes, ‘Cause…and…Affect’.

Now I realize that these answers to the question may not be satisfying, but the simple truth is bad things happen to everyone. A more interesting question may be “Why do tragedies happen at all?”. Or “Why does God let tragedies happen?”. I believe that the reason is this…Tragedies and all difficulties give us an opportunity. We human beings are made in God’s image. That doesn’t mean we look like him. I think it means we are mighty creators. I think it means we are powerful like God is (maybe not quite as much power). Tragedy and difficulty challenge us to use our power to improve upon our circumstance. When we overcome an obstacle or tough situation or tragedy we expand our power.

All of us know people or know of people who have prevailed over extraordinary odds. The little secret is that we all have that power. But we can only access that power with faith. Not simply being hopeful, although hope is useful. We have to KNOW that we can prevail, and when we do the universe will bend to our will. When we KNOW WE CAN the circumstance will accept that as fact and the universe will comply.

So, when life hands you a lemon, go ahead an put on the big sour-puss and then kick that difficulty’s ass.

Stay Fly and Fly High
KLH

Check me out at KLH Beats.com
The Hottest Beats on the Internet

Tuesday January 20, 2009 Barack Obama will be sworn in as our 44th president and I hope that’s what it will be…a New Day.  I’ve been into politics for several years, and pretty heavily in the last couple of years.  I’ve seen some good politicians and I’ve seen some bad ones (George Bush)…Ahem!!  I’ve also seen some good ones do some bad things (Bill Clinton) Ahem!!  This new guy Barack Obama seems to be different.  He’s young, good looking, in great shape, and is a master of words.  Those words make me feel better, bigger, and stronger.  They make me feel like I can do more.  His words make me feel hopeful.  I don’t know him but I feel like if I were talking to him, he’d actually care about what I had to say.

The world is very different than just seven or eight months ago.  The economy has slowed to a crawl…and backwards at that.  Israel and Palestine and killing each other…again.  Terror attacks in India, a senate seat for sale (allegedly), on OJ is in jail (I’m not sure where that came from).  There are a lot of gigantic problems on the plate for our new president.  I happen to think that we’re all here for something great.  I think Obama was destined to become president.  I think his temperament, his style, his inclusiveness and his grand rhetoric make him exactly the right person at the right time.  I’m certain he understands the gravity of the problems we face, and I think he’s up to the challenge.

Now, I’m under no delusion that he is our saviour.  I’m sure there will be plenty of missteps.  But January 20th will be a new day.  I think Obama will change the world, and I think he will do it by inspiring us to change our own world.  I think things are about to get really interesting…what do you think?

Stay Fly and Fly High
KLH

What is going on people!!!  This is the first of what I hope will be many posts from me on my new blog.  The Mind of KLH will allow you to see…what no man has ever seen before….we can chat about current affairs too!  I’ll discuss music for it’s own sake, as it relates to other issues, and as a metaphor for life itself.  So I hope to hear from you all.  I want to know what you think, and more importantly what you see as solutions to problems that come up on this blog.

Hip Hop and Rap music is now and has always been important to me.  I am a musician and I find it a very inspiring and at times cathartic form of expression.  But as much as I love Hip Hop, I hate it.  I hate it because it has degenerated into a violent, misogynistic, money hungry bully.  I once heard a female journalist compare Hip Hop to a family friend or brother who everyone loves but is always getting into trouble.  I think Hip Hop has to grow up, after all he’s over 25 years old.  Hip Hop has to be responsible because young kids emulate him.  Young kids aspire to be like him.  Like it or not Hip Hop is a role model, and role models have to be responsible.

I understand that this music reflects the harsh realities of where most of these kids come from.  But, how about being glad for the success?  How about teaching young kids to avoid the mistakes made, rather than glorifying them?  To me it just isn’t cool to live by the gun, to sell drugs, or to be a P-I-M-P.  I love the energy of Hip Hop.  I love the possibility of Hip Hop…and I can’t lie when Biggie comes on, my head will be boppin’.  However…

As we’ve learned in this historic election WORDS MATTER.  Words inspired us to vote overwhelmingly for the first Black President.  Similarly words can have a destructive affect.  Words may not make someone kill or sell drugs but they can ease a person’s conscience and make them think that maybe it’s not so bad.  Hip Hop has got to grow up.

Stay Fly and Fly High!
KLH

Check me out on:  http://www.klhbeats.com