From LOSER to L.A.S.E.R.S: The Lupe Fiasco Story

This week we are discussing people who have risen from obscurity to popularity. So who would be no better to do this blog on but none other than Lupe Fiasco. Not only is he one of the best rappers alive but I find him very inspirational to the youth. In essence, his story sways from the average depiction of "rags to riches". He grew up in a poor neighborhood however he still had his mother and father (who were both very intellectual people) and had the means to be educated. He wasn't one of those people who submitted to devious acts or went in and out of jail. He may have lived a crime swarmed environment but his life was quite the juxtaposition.

Wasalu Muhammad Jaco was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois to Gregory Jaco,his father,(engineer) and Shirley Jaco,his mother, (gourmet chef). You probably can derive this from his name, but Lupe is Muslim and was raised, for some portion of his life, under the Islamic faith. Lupe (one of nine siblings) grew up in a very tumultuous, turbulent neighborhood. Crack addicts trotted around his premises with drug dealers not to far from view. Any other individual who heard of conditions like this would be devastated and angered by the individual's who create such standards of living but Lupe--having to live under these conditions--took another perspective; "I saw the dudes who would be the gangsta, big-time guys on the block, but would also be dedicated fathers." instead of getting caught up in the crime he witnessed and knew his friend committed, Lupe joined the chess club at his high school along with drama and the high school decathlon. Ultimately, Lupe was a paradigm shift from the average boy who grew up in such an impoverished neighborhood.

Wasalu's love and knowledge of music really came to par through his father; in the car Lupe and his other siblings would listen to N.W.A, along with jazz and other world music from an extensive jazz collection his father owned. At the age of 17, Gregory allowed Wasalu to use the basement as a recording studio. Of course, lupe did not have the funds for a real recording studio so he scoured flea markets and secondhand stores where he found an old mixing board, a record player, some vinyl records, and mic stands. At the age of 19 he entered a group called "Da Pak" under a record deal with Epic Records. Their first and only single was one about guns, cocaine, and women. Lupe was actually opposed to hip-hop because of this vulgarity and in order to acquire his dream he compromised his morals (peer pressure); Lupe felt like a hypocrite. This incident didn't deter Lupe however as he continued to record tracks that led to another deal with Arista Records. That contract was nullified however when L.A. Reid, previous CEO of Arista Records, was fired. It seemed that every step forward led to a great leap back for Lupe. However, Lupe kept in mind that when one door closes another door opens. For the short period Lupe was at Arista Records, Lupe met Jay-Z, who was the President of Def Jam at the time. Kay-Z described Lupe as a "breathe of fresh air" adding that Lupe reminded him of a "younger version of himself". So Jay-Z got Lupe the hook up at Atlantic Records (he wanted him at Def Jam but the contract wasn't very good).

Ever since that faithful day Lupe has been nominated five times for the Grammy's and has become one of the best innovative and evocative rappers of the 21st century. It was difficult to reach this premise but Lupe overcame this difficulty and intends to reach the optimum of the hip-hop hierarchy. Right now he is keeping it cool until "he gets there" (it's a song off of L.A.S.E.R.S).

Strata, strata, does it really matter..........

Previously, social stratification was a means of identifying who you are as an individual. People who attained highly -valued possessions were looked at with admiration but mostly envy. Most people felt that reaching the clout in which they can afford such items was futile. The prestige of the upper class use to create an aura of low self-esteem for those residing in the middle class. However, in recent years, more people have acquired the means to attain the same highly-valued items considered to be attainable only by the rich. As a result the rich has lost their grip over the lower socioeconomic classes. In fact, the "poor" are beginning to be confused the "rich" because of more reasonable foods showing up in the market.

Society has shaped into a Weber-laden world; everyone can have attain the same strata regardless of class. It's kind of admirable. Everyone has the ability to reach the same prestige like those who had it for years. If you look at it from this perspective, it seems as if society has become more meritocratic and lessened on the competitiveness of capitalism. On the other hand, one consider the means in which people who have the same status as the "rich" did to attain that status. Did they sacrifice their personal needs to reach that prestige? Did they buy something just to say they have it? Nowadays you can have the same status without being barred down by your class means, however one has to consider how he/she will maintain that status. For instance, let's say a middle class individual and a upper class individual buys a BMW 528i Sedan. The value has depreciated to 26,000 which is affordable for both the upper class and the middle class individual. Both will be commended for acquiring a luxury car but then the individual has to maintaining the vehicle. If no one knew this before, oil changes for some luxury vehicles can be anywhere from $150 up and that's just for a simple change;. Imagine if it was for fixing brake parts. I bet the car doesn't look so "luxurious" anymore, especially to the middle class individual. How is the middle class individual going to incorporate those fees when money is so scanty already. Yes, items that were considered "for the rich" are more attainable, but one must consider that the desire for status from attaining those goods comes with other consequential effects.

Strength: The Main Characteristic a Teen Should Have

Our society is based on competitiveness, it's capitalist. The competition we observe with businesses on the stock market has dwindled down on adolescents. In order to be recognized we try our best to stay current with our clothes, speech, and attitude. We become consumed by the masses and as a result we forget how to navigate away from them. In a small group of ten people it becomes difficult to identify ourselves because we all look the same. We are capable of doing something to make ourselves look more unique from the group, but at what cost? We could be cursed with social condemnation because of our choice to be different. We are forcefully compelled to wear certain clothes or speak in such a demeanor that is considered the "norm". Elders ask, "why is it so hard to be yourself"? In response to that question, I would say its not hard at all but I am living in a society that doesn't make it easy.

You are laughed at for being a virgin, you are judged if you don't have a girlfriend/boyfriend, you are talked about if you have too many girls/boys around you. Adolescents have been forced to submit to the principles of everyone else.

I've experienced this situation with a friend of mine from middle school. He was a good friend of mine and we use to tell each other a lot about each other. I was a little bit more mischievous in middle school and a lot of kids in middle school would relate to that more. As a result I gained some popularity. My friend was getting jealous of that and he began to participate in some of the negative endeavors I did just to be on the same standard as I was. First off he was terribly clumsy so he would always get caught. Secondly, because more praise was given for your the negative things you pursued it pushes kids like my friend to do things they would not normally do just to get recognition.

Ultimately the social pressure society is placing on adolescents is making it harder for us to configure who we are as a social being. Nowadays we are motivated to follow in the footsteps of others because of the fear of making footsteps of our own.

Peer Pressure, Insecurities, Social Acceptance and that of the sort

Well it has come to my attention that Mrs. Basi would like to know about our project on "social problems effecting adolescents". Claude, T'Shoy, Gadiel and I decided to focus on peer pressure and it's effect on the youth.

Initially the peer pressure (which I guess you can refer to as the "heading"), was suppose to be a sub-heading for insecurities. But after much debate, we decided to keep peer pressure as the heading because it was a broader category other things could fall under than insecurities which is sort of confined. Peer pressure is really the biggest contributor that effects adolescent behavior.

Adolescents are forced to commit acts in order to impress friends, to keep up with friends, and become situated in a certain group. This behavior derivates from insecurities, social mobility, and prophecies set by the individuals an adolescent chooses to surround himself/herself around (self-fulfilling prophecies).

Our group is really trying to establish that these issues stem from peer pressure, indirectly and directly. It occurs directly through verbal communication, when one of her friends tell you to steal something or they push you try something. An indirect example of peer pressure is if an adolescent hangs with someone that wears expensive clothing or at least acknowledged clothing. The adolescent may be someone who feels insecure about the clothes he/she wears, maybe because their truly raggedy or maybe it is because their clothes aren't recognized as much as their friend's clothing. As a result, the adolescent goes through some drastic measures in order to achieve that paramount his/her is on.

This is just some insight into the direction we are going for our project. In fact our project is much more complex because of all the correlations we are going to make with this study. What intrigues me the most about our project is the underlying moral our presentation has towards society. I do hope that everyone takes the time to understand and then implement the moral we are going to inadvertently teach because it is something that we should try our best to do. Instead of referring to "before" look at the "new". (That was the hint guys...........smh)

A Ream of Blue Tape, An Empty Pack of Markets

So it has come to our attention that blue tape enhances student learning capabilities. Well I can see how having a more organized board will help students navigate their attention better........BUT when their isn't a good dry erase marker in sight, WHAT IS THE BLUE TAPE GOING TO DO! I was shocked, on Friday, to witness students carrying around blue tape to post up flyers on the school premises. I pondered if I could get the same response if I asked for markers FOR MY TEACHER TO USE ON THE BOARD.!!!
Dry erase markers are being used down to the tip. "Ms. Basi, don't use the yellow marker"! What's the difference, all the markers are dried out anyway! I can't even see black marker on a white board, what are you complaining about? It's sad what our schools are directing our efforts towards: blue tape to organize information with NOTHING to write in the information with.
Cereal, no milk. Butter, no bread. Soap, no sponge! Sneakers, no socks. Peanut butter no jelly. Hot dog no bun. Cookie sheet, no cookie dough. Food no spoon, fork, knife, hands............. You get my drift.

Zapatista: An Opposing Subdivision of American Subculture

So as a result of me being on the "outsider kind of status" (hence "The Outsider Looking In" for those of you who won't get the joke immediately) I decided to do my blog on a subculture that has derived from an element of American culture but is not in unison with it. In other words, they are a "counterculture". But what element is this "counterculture" opposed to? The element of globalization.

Globalization is the idea of uniting all countries to enhance international trade, diplomatic relations, technological innovation and most of all provide a means of integrating different societies and cultures.

As most of you are well aware the United States is regarded as the forerunner for globalization. Majority of the worlds economies function on the stability of the United States economy. Furthermore other countries work alongside with the United States to formulate new creations that will implemented on the world as a means of helping it prosper.

The Zapatistas, are well aware of the benefits of this ideal but are still opposed to it. Formally known as the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional, EZLN). They established themselves in 1994 as a result of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA); the doctrine served to provide free trade (by eliminating tariffs and border barriers) among Mexico, Canada, and the United States. What manifested the Zapatistas rebellion was what the doctrine altered: the 27th article of the Mexican constitution that protected Indian communal landholdings from being privatized or bought. With the establishment of NAFTA, business owners were allowed to invest and buy these sacred lands. In earlier years, Emiliano Zapata began a revolution from 1910 - 1919 when he faced obstacles in adding this clause. Thus, the Zapatistas named their group after Zapata to pay retribution to the individual who first fought for the clause to be added to the constitution.

From that moment on the Zapatistas stood as an anti-globalization revolutionary militia. Overtime they have gained some autonomy and took over the Eastern part of Mexico's poorest state, Chiapas. The Zapatistas subculture is based on the ideals of revolutionary imagery, Catholicism and Maya-centrism. According to ty.rannosaur.us, their leader Subcomandante Marcos (who is known for smoking a pipe through a ski mask and leading a protest for the poor treatment of indigenous inhabitants of Mexico in 1994) gives speeches with a rooster that he calls "el pinguino" (the penguin) because of it's hobbling walk. He uses this to represent the proletariat. Pretty creative.

Driving Us to Suicide

According to the National Institute of Mental Health in 2007 suicide was the 10-tenth leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for 34,598 deaths. For young people (ages 15 to 24) suicide is the third leading cause of death. It is unfortunate that these suicide victims are letting these issues (whether societal or person) succumb them into paths of casualty. However, The purpose of this weeks blog isn't to convey pity to those suicide victims but disappointment to those who I believe mainly responsible for this behavior, society.

Our society functions or claims to function under the idea of cultural pluralism, which supports that minority groups fully participate in dominant society but maintain their endemic identities. This ideal has become the forefront of our society thanks to activists like Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. who were advocates against the segregation of minority groups from society. Even with all this change that resulted from those civil conflicts, minority groups are still being socially repudiated and disrespected by fellow Americans. People from countries such as Afghanistan, India or Iraq are called demoralizing names such as "terrorists" or "bomber". As a result, teens and adults from foreign countries are deprived of the opportunity to live cohesively amongst society. Foreign teens and adults are forced to forbore these conditions some of which are very overbearing and hard to withstand. The ultimate resolution? Suicide to drive them away from the harassment they endure because of their culture. We look like hypocrites; we portray evidence that America welcomes all sorts of cultures, yet when they enter we do not have that "welcoming" attitude we tend to portray. Instead we drive foreigners to drastic measures of dealing with our degrading behavior towards them. Studies by Suicide Prevention. Resource Center demonstrated that suicide is the eighth leading cause of death among American Indians/Alaska Natives and the second leading cause of death of American Indians/Alaska Natives ages 10 to 34. At this age group, individuals are the most active in society. As a result of being active in our society, people are killing themselves. Sorry to put it so bluntly but some people in our society are really evil. Business owners will restrict you from a job because of your ethnic background. People will not want to work with you because your skin color is indicative of those who committed terrorist attacks. These people cannot live a fair and peaceful life. They start to question the point of living and thus commit suicide. Suicide is claimed to be a permanent solution for a temporary problem but in my opinion suicide is slowly evolving to a permanent problem resulting in a sole solution.

The Underlaying Cause of Teen Pregnancy

Our generation has become more and more indifferent and flaccid about the consequences of sex. As a result the rate of teen pregnancy has increased dramatically over the years. Our elders have blamed this on the current society we live in. Even though our society has been more accepting and encouraging of teen sex, that is not the only cause as to why teen pregnancy has become so prominent. Here in this blog we will Identify more rational reasons (in my
opinion) why teen pregnancy has become an increasing social issue.

In my opinion a factor of teen pregnancy is result from an internal problem with girls. Society claims that girls tend to be more mature than boys are. However girls tend to show a deficiency when dealing with guys. Most girls are so insecure in themselves that they search for a man to help fill this void. Instead of building confidence in themselves they rely on males to fill them with it. As human beings we sometimes need some motivation in order to keep ourselves stable. However there are those males who take advantage over the female's infirmity and make them feel even more inferior. Thus the female begins to denounce and lose respect in herself and the male has opportunity to sway the female in doing things she wouldn't normally do (like having sex).

Another I feel it truly contributes to teen pregnancy is parents. There are some parents who make the decision to have sex knowing that they are not mature enough or ready possible result, a baby. Some parents do not provide the right amount of guidance and direction for their children causing them to construct a path they aren't really ready for. Parents need to be reminded that they play a role as a leader. A leader has to set principles and morals for their successors. Yet the statistics of teen pregnancy show that parents are failing at their duty.

Ultimately the cause of teen pregnancy in my opinion is rooted from the home. However if we plant a need for individualism and respect within our youth, I believe the prominence of the the problem will halt.