Day 117 – Sauce



Day 117 – Sauce
By Jiddoe S'Phatt


Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to Day 117 of “Blog 365”.
A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!
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My sauce pan was ready. All the ingredients were in front of me, ready to be combined. It was time to start making my homemade enchilada sauce. But I couldn’t. Not right away. My mind wasn’t fully on cooking.

My thoughts were preoccupied by ‘Avengers: Infinity War’. A day later I was still in awe of the film I’d seen. From its many standout moments one was dominating my imagination.

Thanos beat up the Hulk. Convincingly.

This altercation was meant to shock the audience. It was done to establish how much of a threat Thanos was to Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. And it worked like a charm.

Hulk rushed him out of nowhere, pounding him as expected. Then, to the surprise of everyone, he out muscles Hulk before treating him like a heavy bag at the gym where young Mike Tyson worked out. Combinations of brutal punches followed by a crippling knee to the face. To add insult to injury Thanos scooped up Hulk and emphatically body slammed him.

Sauce.



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Day 116 – Wait … What?



Day 116 – Wait … What?
By Jiddoe S'Phatt


Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to Day 116 of “Blog 365”.
A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!
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The theater was mostly silent as ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ came to a close. With good reason.

I predicted some of the characters would meet their end at the hands of Thanos. But that many??!!

Emotions hung in the air longer than the scent of popcorn. People walked out perplexed, angry, sad, and everything else. I just needed to collect my thoughts. The movie left me with a lot to process. Earlier I was so excited I could hardly sit still. After seeing the film I just wanted to sit down.

I exited left out of the theater towards the emergency exit that’s directly in front of the parking lot. When I got to the doors I just stood there for a moment. Part of me wanted to turn around, head to the lobby to purchase another ticket so I could watch ‘Infinity War’ again immediately.

I need to confirm what I’d just witnessed on the big screen. I was unsure what happened really happened. Like passing a bear on the side of the road.
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Day 115 – Wait



Day 115 – Wait
By Jiddoe S'Phatt


Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to Day 115 of “Blog 365”.

A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!
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The wait is almost over.

In just a couple hours I’ll finally be sitting in a movie theater watching ‘Avengers: Infinity War’. Ten years of storytelling will come to an end. All my questions will be answered. Each of my theories will be proven right or wrong.

Seeing this movie is what I’ve thought about most today.

I purchased advanced tickets and paid extra for assigned seats. I’m not standing in a line outside the theater. I won’t be lined up in the lobby waiting for someone to say it’s okay to go in. There’s no worry of will there be good seats left.

I know there’s good seats. I picked them out. It’s been assured and my receipt proves it.

I’m going to walk in that theater holding whatever snacks I’ve decided on, sit down, and wait for that Marvel signature to appear on screen, getting me even more excited then I’ll already be while sitting there.

Out of courtesy they should forego any previews and get right to the film. No more waiting. Just get right to it.
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Day 114 – Five



Day 114 – Five
By Jiddoe S'Phatt


Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to Day 114 of “Blog 365”.

A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!
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I sat on my living room floor, my hands pressed into the carpet at my sides, watching Iron Man, Hulk, and Wonder Woman challenge a newly formed Voltron with no success.

As powerful as the 3 of them are individually, even their combined superhero efforts paled to against the might of The Legendary Defender. At least not while my son was controlling the giant robot.

It was his 5th birthday. Of his many requests, he wanted Voltron - a character and toy I loved and desired to own as a child too. He was clear on not wanting a Voltron that was already assembled. He wanted the full set of its 5 robot lions so he could himself assemble it.

The Black, Red, Green, Blue and Yellow lions today a bit cooler than their toy versions I got in the 80s. This Voltron talks. As the 4 smaller pieces are merged with the larger Black Lion, it audibly acknowledges their placement then calls for the remaining parts. Pretty cool.

My now 5-year-old was all smiles as all 5 lions formed Voltron in our living room. I was smiling too.

Iron Man, Hulk, and Wonder Woman soon had no reason to smile.
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Day 113 – Marvel



Day 113 – Marvel
By Jiddoe S'Phatt



Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to Day 113 of “Blog 365”.
A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!

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I’m a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, indeed. I’m also inspired by it. I admire it. They’ve been telling one long story for 10 years. It’s a tale that’s garnered unwavering investment from audiences around the world for an entire decade.

Back in 2008 when ‘Iron Man’ wrapped, I remember lingering in the theater having a conversation as the credits rolled. I and the few other people still in there were caught completely off guard when the post-credits scene started.

Every one of was stunned to see Samuel Jackson as Nick Fury. Then he mentioned “The Avengers Initiative”. From that moment on I salivated for an Avengers movie, a film I still drool over even though I’ve watched it, oh, 45 times? 50?

I’ve watched it an insane amount of times.

Seeing it for the first in the theater was the best, though. I can still hear the packed house explode with excitement when Thanos was revealed at the end. A story I thought was just building to where we were in 2012 was actually just getting started.

In a couple days I’ll finally see the culmination of 10 years of storytelling. It’s impressive, inspiring, and darn admirable.

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Day 112 - Joseph



Day 112 - Joseph
By Jiddoe S'Phatt



Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to Day 112 of “Blog 365”.
A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!

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I used to be better about remembering birthdays. I stayed on top of dates and was prepared to send my blessing and best wishes ahead of time.

These days they slip by me, regrettably, unless I’m scheduling something. Looking at the calendar triggers a reminder. It happened today.

The birthday it prompted was my grandfather’s. Joseph. The man I was named after.

I lost him 5 years ago to cancer just a couple weeks after losing my grandmother, his wife, to a stroke. I think about them all the time. What’s funny is just 4 days ago I was sharing with neighbors the stories my grandfather shared with me about Pearl Harbor during his time in the Navy.

Yet 4 days later and, had I not looked at the calendar for something un-grandparent related, I would have likely missed acknowledging his birthday.

I remember him being busy and forgetful. He’d forgive me.
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Day 111 – Cheese



Day 111 – Cheese
By Jiddoe S'Phatt


Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to Day 111 of “Blog 365”.
A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!

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I’ve waited 10 years for these. Now I have them.

I stood in line at the Regal Cinema box office patiently waiting. Once it was my turn I approached the window with a smile on my face. A big one. Full cheese.

“I need 3 tickets for ‘Avengers: Infinity War’, Thursday at 7PM!”

The person at the counter started smiling too. “I’ve had my tickets for 4 weeks,” she remarked, excitedly. The feeling is apparently as universal as I’ve imaged.

I’ve never been this hype for a movie. I’ve never anticipated the theatrical release of a film as much as I have this one. I’ve read numerous articles and watched cast interviews from just about every major news outlet available. Each one gets me more pumped! The only other movie that comes close is ‘Avengers’ in 2012.

And soon I’ll finally get to learn if Marvel’s 10 years of cinematic storytelling is worth the tremendous buildup.

If it is I assure you I’ll be buying more tickets to see it again. With a smile on my face. A big one. Full cheese.
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Day 110 – Yes, I Am Joe



Day 110 – Yes, I Am Joe
By Jiddoe S'Phatt


Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to Day 110 of “Blog 365”.
A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!

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I was lucky enough to attend “To Ray with Love”, music legend Maceo Parker’s tribute concert to his Idol Ray Charles at Wharton Center in East Lansing, MI last night. Great show.

As I was strolling through the lobby once it ended I was startled by someone inquisitively shouting my name.

“Joe?!”

I responded by turning suddenly to see an excited lady I didn’t recognize and about 9 other strangers grouped together by a bench. She asked, “Aren’t you Joe the singer?”

No, ma’am, I’m not.

“You look just like him!”

Just like him, though? I don’t think so. My name is Joe, by the way. Only my last name is Walker. His is Thomas. I can still sing something for you if you’d like.

They all laughed, she and two ladies sitting on her immediate left and right looked embarrassed as they roared while falling against each other.

“Well, you look just like him! Has anyone ever told you that?”

Yes, but only about 105,000 times since I was in high school … 20 years ago.

I don’t think Joe Thomas and I look anything alike.
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Day 109 – Maceo!



Day 109 – Maceo!
By Jiddoe S'Phatt



Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to Day 109 of “Blog 365”.
A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!

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I’m one of the lucky ones today. I get to attend a Maceo Parker concert. This is something I never thought I’d do. Growing up hearing the music of the late “Godfather of Soul” James Brown and him shouting “Maceo!” during performances, Parker to me was more of a myth.

As a kid I didn’t know what Maceo looked like. I just knew he was someone Brown gave frequent shout outs. I didn’t know how key of a band member he was. I was unaware of his role with Parliament-Funkadelic. 

Grown-up-me learned about the music legend that is Maceo Parker; he’s a motivating band leader, a doubler, a soulful singer, and dynamic jazz saxophonist who fully embraced the funk, the whole funk, and nothing but the funk.

Tonight I've been gifted the pleasure to experience Maceo’s music during “To Ray with Love”, his orchestral tribute to his idol, the late Ray Charles.

Yep. Lucky me.
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Day 104 – According to the Calendar



Day 104 – According to the Calendar
By Jiddoe S'Phatt


Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to Day 104 of “Blog 365”.
A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!

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When you’re as involved in entertainment as I am, you value trips to events. I look forward to drives from city to city because it allows me time to be trapped with my ideas. I can go over them, process them, and talk my way through them without any other voices but my own.

The problem is I’m tired of driving in the snow. For starters, it’s Spring according to the calendar. Michigan apparently has other ideas. Ones it’s not simply talking through, but implementing with literal chilling results.

The last thing I want to do in April before heading to a play, movie, listening session or concert is brush a mound of snow off my vehicle!

I heard someone say how pretty it looked outside with everything covered in snowflakes. I didn’t have to ask to know they weren’t from around here. Out of respect they should have said that to themselves in their head.

That’s an idea.
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Day 103 – Spur of the Moment



Day 103 – Spur of the Moment
By Jiddoe S'Phatt


Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to Day 103 of “Blog 365”.
A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!

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The 2018 NBA Playoffs started today. I cleared my schedule to watch what I hoped would be an exciting professional basketball game between the #7 ranked San Antonio Spurs vs the defending NBA Champions, the 2nd ranked Golden State Warriors.

With both Westcoast teams missing their best player due to injury – Stephen Curry for the Warriors and Kawhi Leonard for the Spurs – I expected San Antonio’s All-star center LaMarcus Aldridge to come up huge in this game. His toughness and consistency are often questioned, so this would have been the perfect opportunity to prove himself in front of a major viewing audience.

After scoring just 14 points in a 21-point loss while also getting out played by the Warriors’ JaVale McGee, this moment looked like more than Aldridge could handle.

Of course I couldn’t do any better. I can still expect it, though.

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To Develop: Blog 365 Day 52 – Black Watch



To Develop: Blog 365 Day 52 – Black Watch
By Jiddoe S'Phatt


Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to day 52 of “To Develop: Blog 365”.

Inspiration to write comes from a number of places. For this blog I’ve been inspired by hip-hop artist Rick Chyme and producer David K. Manley of Man@Work Productions. Through a collaborative project titled #DailyPieces365 these two artists will release a new song every day for 365 consecutive days! Their impressive dedication has motivated me to write a new blog every day of 2018.

A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!

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I’m blessed to wear an expensive Black Fossil watch on my Black skin. I always know what time it is.

If I’m not dressed up for a special occasion, which I love to do, you’ll often find me wearing a t-shirt. It’s usually something video game or cartoon related. Here and there I’m decked in MSU gear, one from a charity show or concert – Pop Evil, Hip-Hop for Flint, Project Cypher – or plain, nothing printed on it at all. At these times this chucky, shiny time piece of mine is visible.

Worn on my left arm, it stands out like a lighthouse. People of all ages and ethnic backgrounds sail over to compliment me on this accessory or to simply get a closer look.

I like when people choose to comment. It’s surprising how lengthy of a conversation you can have with people about watches. It shouldn’t be a surprise, though, because it’s such a universal item. Lots of people collect them. Their essentially functional bracelets.

Then there’s those who don’t say anything with their mouths. Their eyes and facial expressions say enough. It’s people of all ages and ethnic backgrounds who look at me like, “Where’d you get that?”

I always know what time it is.


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To Develop: Blog 365 Day 51 – Afraid to Be Black



To Develop: Blog 365 Day 51 – Afraid to Be Black
By Jiddoe S'Phatt


Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to day 51 of “To Develop: Blog 365”.

Inspiration to write comes from a number of places. For this blog I’ve been inspired by hip-hop artist Rick Chyme and producer David K. Manley of Man@Work Productions. Through a collaborative project titled #DailyPieces365 these two artists will release a new song every day for 365 consecutive days! Their impressive dedication has motivated me to write a new blog every day of 2018.

A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!

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There was a time I’d walk in a room, be the only Black person there, and honestly think nothing of it. I was little. I didn’t know any better. But you know what you learn, if that makes sense.

I’d mingle, talk with people I was comfortable talking to and just be myself.

After I got a little older I was told Black people weren’t always as welcome as I thought. So I started paying attention. I’d see the disapproving looks. I’d notice the difference in how I was being spoken to. I found out police weren’t always fair to those who shared by skin color. I learned enough to significantly disturb my comfort.

For a moment in my life I was afraid to go certain places and attempt certain activities because I was Black.

After I got a little older, after gaining experience from simply living, what I was told about Black people not always being as welcome as I thought lost its sting. I still believed it. It was true. But it’s a ridiculous, silly truth. I respected it because in some places, in some situations, you have to. It’s the same for a White person, or a person of any other ethnicity entering a space where they were the vast, even the extreme minority. But I no longer feared it.

Wherever I go I’m going to me. Who I am may be enough to change how it’s felt about what I am.

Most of all I won’t ever be afraid to be Black.

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To Develop: Blog 365 Day 50 – Draw Richard Pryor



To Develop: Blog 365 Day 50 – Draw Richard Pryor
By Jiddoe S'Phatt


Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to day 50 of “To Develop: Blog 365”.

Inspiration to write comes from a number of places. For this blog I’ve been inspired by hip-hop artist Rick Chyme and producer David K. Manley of Man@Work Productions. Through a collaborative project titled #DailyPieces365 these two artists will release a new song every day for 365 consecutive days! Their impressive dedication has motivated me to write a new blog every day of 2018.

A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!

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What you’re about to read is not exactly a Black History Month story. It is, however, about my past, so it’s part of my history. I also happen to be Black. Get it?

Art was a big deal during my time in grade school. I loved to draw pictures, I loved to tell stories and illustrate them. I probably looked forward to art more than I did the recess bell.

The art teacher would come to our class with assignments and projects. Some of them we could finish at school in the time allowed. Others we took home to finish, turning them in the next day. Each month had a special theme. There was Fire Prevention Month, of course Black History Month, and one of the months had something to do with dental hygiene.

One year for Blah-Blah Dental Something-Something Month, we were told to draw a picture of a dentist taking care of a patient’s teeth. I decided to draw Richard Pryor as a dentist holding a giant tooth brush. He was taking care of someone with giant yellow bucked teeth. I drew a caption bubble above his head and it read, “Let’s brush those big, yellow tooffus!” It was hung on the wall outside our classroom.

For a grade-schooler I thought I’d drawn a pretty good Richard Pryor. It made me laugh every time I looked at it.

My art teacher told me she didn’t get it.



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To Develop: Blog 365 Day 49 – An Appropriate Tune



To Develop: Blog 365 Day 49 – An Appropriate Tune
By Jiddoe S'Phatt


Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to day 49 of “To Develop: Blog 365”.

Inspiration to write comes from a number of places. For this blog I’ve been inspired by hip-hop artist Rick Chyme and producer David K. Manley of Man@Work Productions. Through a collaborative project titled #DailyPieces365 these two artists will release a new song every day for 365 consecutive days! Their impressive dedication has motivated me to write a new blog every day of 2018.

A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!

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The song “Stakes Is High” by iconic hip-hop group De La Soul should have been on the soundtrack for Marvel’s Black Panther movie. They could have at least played it somewhere in the film. It’s an appropriate tune.

There’s no stakes higher than a king fighting to keep his place on the thrown, his family together, and his nation both united and safe.

Had I been executive producer of the soundtrack instead of Kendrick Lamar, “Stakes Is High” would have surely made the cut. Add “Love” from Mos Def’s Black on Both Sides album to the track list too. Oh, and “Take It Personal” from Gang Starr’s Daily Operations and “Royalty” from their LP Moment of Truth.

My musical contribution to the movie would have sounded like a 1990s basement mixtape. Given its Black History Month theatrical release, I would have been right to load the set with classics. Its first track would be “It Gets No Rougher” by LL Cool J.

Why?

Because it’s from his album Walking with a Panther.

And what color is a panther?

Black!

I’m willing to bet a not-so-substantial amount Kendrick Lamar never thought of that when he started conceptualizing Black Panther’s soundtrack. Kendrick could have still be involved under my direction. I would have made him rap to the beat of “Black Cat” by Janet Jackson. It’s an appropriate tune.

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To Develop: Blog 365 Day 48 – No Expression of African Pride



To Develop: Blog 365 Day 48 – No Expression of African Pride
By Jiddoe S'Phatt



Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to day 48 of “To Develop: Blog 365”.

Inspiration to write comes from a number of places. For this blog I’ve been inspired by hip-hop artist Rick Chyme and producer David K. Manley of Man@Work Productions. Through a collaborative project titled #DailyPieces365 these two artists will release a new song every day for 365 consecutive days! Their impressive dedication has motivated me to write a new blog every day of 2018.

A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!

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I saw Marvel’s Black Panther last night. I loved it. So far it’s the highlight of Black History month.

My friend TJ and I went to an event at Celebration! Cinema in Grand Rapids hosted by Totem Soul, Grand Rapids HipHop Coalition and The Love Movement Inc. We could have easily watched the movie from one of the nicer theaters closer to our homes but chose to make the trek for the fan fair.

It was worth it.

With the main character being an African king, some people were dressed in African-inspired attire. Others wore costumes inspired by characters from the movie and comic books. We even caught a glimpse of 2 people dressed as members of the revolutionary Black Panther Party. I found their wardrobe choice quite interesting.

TJ and I didn’t dress up. He wore Michigan State University gear. I went with an airbrushed Darth Vader t-shirt and my MSU ball cap to top it off. Our exterior had no expression of African pride heading into this movie.

By no means were we out of place though. Our excitement matched with everyone bustling about for snacks, photos, and Black Panther merchandise.

We could tell which adults in attendance fully bought into the hype based on their outfits. I sure hope the night will be a Black History Month highlight for them for years to come.


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To Develop: Blog 365 Day 47 – I Heard



To Develop: Blog 365 Day 47 – I Heard
By Jiddoe S'Phatt


Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to day 47 of “To Develop: Blog 365”.

Inspiration to write comes from a number of places. For this blog I’ve been inspired by hip-hop artist Rick Chyme and producer David K. Manley of Man@Work Productions. Through a collaborative project titled #DailyPieces365 these two artists will release a new song every day for 365 consecutive days! Their impressive dedication has motivated me to write a new blog every day of 2018.

A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!

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I’ve been listening to the song “Stakes Is High” by iconic hip-hop group De La Soul over and over lately. I’ve done this before, played their 1996 title track repeatedly. I had it on heavy rotation 20 years ago.

With a little more time under my belt the song means more to me now than it did before.

I don’t want you to think its words and message fell on deaf ears back in the day. Younger me wasn’t ignoring what members Trugoy and Posdnuos were rhyming about. They touched on the continued carryover of inequality along with the socially damaging subject matter our youth were consuming through music. I heard all of that.

It’s just their rhyme patterns in sync with late producer J-Dilla’s beat was louder. I heard more of the fun than the fundamentals. That’s changed.

Young hip-hop artists approach me regularly with their fun-loving, carefree attitudes asking me to listen to their music. Most often it’s something bouncy and bass heavy with no discernable subject matter. Apparently it’s made to attract club goers who spend every waking moment intoxicated. That’s what I heard.

I wonder if these young artists care about the socially damaging subject matter in their music. They have to realize the stakes are higher than ever.


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To Develop: Blog 365 Day 46 – Anyone There



To Develop: Blog 365 Day 46 – Anyone There


By Jiddoe S'Phatt


Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to day 46 of “To Develop: Blog 365”.

Inspiration to write comes from a number of places. For this blog I’ve been inspired by hip-hop artist Rick Chyme and producer David K. Manley of Man@Work Productions. Through a collaborative project titled #DailyPieces365 these two artists will release a new song every day for 365 consecutive days! Their impressive dedication has motivated me to write a new blog every day of 2018.

A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!

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The song “Stakes Is High” by iconic hip-hop group De La Soul is considered by many, including me, to be a classic. The first single and title track of their 1996 full-length studio album, this J-Dilla produced gem still resonates today.

On it group member Posdnous delivers a line that’s grown more poignant and relevant to me as time has progressed.

Pos says, “Neighborhoods are now ‘hoods ‘cause nobody’s neighbors”.

I grew up in a quaint yet tough area. The grass was green, bushes were trimmed, flowers blossomed along fences, and its trees rained plenty of leaves to rake in the fall.

Many of the families who lived there, including my own, were close-knit transplants from the south. Their children and grandchildren played and attended school together from the time they were in kindergarten until they graduated from high school. We all knew one another, cared for one another, and treated each other like extended family.

I don’t know anyone there anymore.

Most of the elders have passed on. Their children and grandchildren fled for different cities and states as drugs and drug-related crimes ravaged that once quaint neighborhood. The grass, bushes, flowers and trees are dead. Bullets reign.

My neighborhood became a ‘hood. Stakes there are certainly high.

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To Develop: Blog 365 Day 45 – A Dirty Goose in a Chicken Coop



To Develop: Blog 365 Day 45 – A Dirty Goose in a Chicken Coop
By Jiddoe S'Phatt


Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to day 45 of “To Develop: Blog 365”.

Inspiration to write comes from a number of places. For this blog I’ve been inspired by hip-hop artist Rick Chyme and producer David K. Manley of Man@Work Productions. Through a collaborative project titled #DailyPieces365 these two artists will release a new song every day for 365 consecutive days! Their impressive dedication has motivated me to write a new blog every day of 2018.

A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!

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My basement is a warehouse of memories. Taped-up cardboard boxes line its cold walls. Inside each of them are keys to the time machine.

A few of the boxes are purposely stored on top of these piles for easy access. One in particular contains report cards, art projects, spelling tests, and other remnants from my time in kindergarten and 1st grade.

My kindergarten class photo means more to me now than ever before because my teacher, Mrs. Susan Leatzow, passed away in February of 2016. I’ve been thinking about her a lot lately.

I learned about Mrs. Leatzow’s passing the day after her funeral. Had I known, I would have certainly attended to pay my respect. I remember her being very nurturing and somewhat protective of me. I was 1 of very few Black children in a Lutheran private school. It was like being a dirty goose in a chicken coop. People looked at me as though I was about to lay anything but a golden egg. Some probably expected a crispy fried one.

Though many at the school, mostly other parents, weren’t thrilled to have me among the attendees, Mrs. Leatzow made me feel welcomed. She didn’t treat me like “the Black Kid”.

She was still the kindergarten teacher there when I returned in 8th grade. She was first in line to greet me. Sadly, I never got to say goodbye.

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To Develop: Blog 365 Day 44 – Tears of Excruciating Joy


To Develop: Blog 365 Day 44 – Tears of Excruciating Joy
By Jiddoe S'Phatt

Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to day 44 of “To Develop: Blog 365”.

Inspiration to write comes from a number of places. For this blog I’ve been inspired by hip-hop artist Rick Chyme and producer David K. Manley of Man@Work Productions. Through a collaborative project titled #DailyPieces365 these two artists will release a new song every day for 365 consecutive days! Their impressive dedication has motivated me to write a new blog every day of 2018.

A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!

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We can go back in time if we want to. All we need is something from our past to take us there.

My basement is full of potential time travel. A bunch of taped up memories are scattered about as far as the eye can see. It’s a semi-well-organized mess. Just at the bottom of the stairs rests a tall rectangular box overflowing with DVDs. At the very top are several seasons of FOX television sitcom Married… with Children.

For so long this has been my favorite TV show. I can’t explain how much I’ve laughed at the dysfunction of the fictional Bundy Family. My mom, on the other hand, didn’t find them amusing at all. Looking at the DVD covers transports me to sitting on the living room couch in my mother’s townhome.

I’d be laughing with tears of excruciating joy trickling down my face as my mother frowned from the chair next to me. She'd be rolling her eyes with displeasure, and at times would blurt out “That’s so stupid.” Surprisingly, she would sit through an entire episode. That made no sense to me then.

Looking back I realize my mom just wanted to spend time with me. She was even willing to sit through an entire episode of a sitcom she detested to do so.

Amazingly, I got all of that from just looking at a pile of DVDs.


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To Develop: Blog 365 Day 43 – Wonderful Playground Toys



To Develop: Blog 365 Day 43 – Wonderful Playground Toys
By Jiddoe S'Phatt


Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to day 43 of “To Develop: Blog 365”.

Inspiration to write comes from a number of places. For this blog I’ve been inspired by hip-hop artist Rick Chyme and producer David K. Manley of Man@Work Productions. Through a collaborative project titled #DailyPieces365 these two artists will release a new song every day for 365 consecutive days! Their impressive dedication has motivated me to write a new blog every day of 2018.

A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!

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This past summer I drove past the school I attended during kindergarten and 1st grade. I had the urge to just look at it for some strange reason. It was a Lutheran private school with lots of wonderful playground toys. I was curious to see if it was just as I remembered it.

It wasn’t.

The school was no longer operational. I have no idea how long it had been closed. A few of the windows were boarded up, the front door had a hole in it. The entire building was beaten down by the weather and time. I felt bad seeing it that way.

All those wonderful playground toys appeared to have long lost their wonder. Each piece had rusted quite a bit. Found in the heart of a pretty decent neighborhood, it’s a shame these were in no condition for the community to use them.

I used to play on the swings. Before I made a few friends I’d swing alone. I would attempt to swing with other students, even my classmates. When I’d walk over they’d get up and go play elsewhere.

So there I’d be in my sweater vest over a button up shirt with jeans and loafers, swinging alone. All this came back to me during this random visit to an abandoned, rundown school.

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To Develop: Blog 365 Day 42 – Tape



To Develop: Blog 365 Day 42 – Tape
By Jiddoe S'Phatt


Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to day 42 of “To Develop: Blog 365”.

Inspiration to write comes from a number of places. For this blog I’ve been inspired by hip-hop artist Rick Chyme and producer David K. Manley of Man@Work Productions. Through a collaborative project titled #DailyPieces365 these two artists will release a new song every day for 365 consecutive days! Their impressive dedication has motivated me to write a new blog every day of 2018.

A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!

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Most nights I’m writing when I should be sleeping.

Usually I’m in the living room recliner with my Toshiba notebook on my lap. It’s been dropped and literally jumped on, so it’s more of a patchwork computer. I have to wiggle the power cord to keep it from shutting down, both the screen and its underbody are missing screws, and its right side is held together with Guerilla Tape.

I do have a newer, fancier touchscreen HP, but I prefer to use this mangled one.

Oh, the left Shift key is gone too.  Well, not entirely. I still have it, it’s just not attached to my computer anymore. Despite its many injuries I refuse to put this old dog down. For starters, it’s reliable. Secondly, we’ve told some amazing stories together.

Recently I’ve been flashing back to my childhood past. I’ve written about wanting to be Superman, being called “Black White Boy”, sitting in the back of the school bus that picked me up from my considerably urban neighborhood every morning, and being 1 of 5 Black children in an entire school.

Parts of that time period could have used some Guerilla Tape yet I came away undamaged. There were some breaks but I’m not broken. I have a few screws loose but I’m not crazy. I was dropped and literally jumped on. Those situations made me feel powerless. Through it all I never broke down.


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To Develop: Blog 365 Day 41 – Out of My Pants



To Develop: Blog 365 Day 41 – Out of My Pants
By Jiddoe S'Phatt


Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to day 41 of “To Develop: Blog 365”.

Inspiration to write comes from a number of places. For this blog I’ve been inspired by hip-hop artist Rick Chyme and producer David K. Manley of Men@Work Productions. Through a collaborative project titled #DailyPieces365 these two artists will release a new song every day for 365 consecutive days! Their impressive dedication has motivated me to write a new blog every day of 2018.

A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!

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Saturdays. My mother would make breakfast while my sisters and I watched cartoons.

We had our favorites – Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, Pole Position (mostly for the theme song), Thundarr the Barbarian, Turbo Teen (when I look back I realize it was ridiculous), and Dungeons & Dragons. We’d watch toons until noon then it was time for Soul Train.

Once we finished our weekly ride on the hippest trip in America we’d all start getting dressed. This could take a couple hours because we only had one bathroom. After everyone was clean and fully clothed to each their likings we’d pile into the car and head to Grand Rapids to shop.

Our first stop was usually Rogers Department Store.

We’d enter the store by the jewelry counters, walk past the perfume and then head upstairs to the boys department. It seemed I was always growing out of my pants. The funny thing about that is I didn’t grow up to be tall.  

Once we were in the boys department my big sisters took over. Influenced by pop culture and a few of the boys they went to school with, my attire had to be cute and layered. The way I was dressed would typically be described as preppy.

I wore sweater vests over button-up shirts with jeans and loafers.


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To Develop: Blog 365 Day 40 – The Way



To Develop: Blog 365 Day 40 – The Way
By Jiddoe S'Phatt


Warmest greetings! My name is Jiddoe S’Phatt. Welcome to day 40 of “To Develop: Blog 365”.

Inspiration to write comes from a number of places. For this blog I’ve been inspired by hip-hop artist Rick Chyme and producer David K. Manley of Man@Work Productions. Through a collaborative project titled #DailyPieces365 these two artists will release a new song every day for 365 consecutive days! Their impressive dedication has motivated me to write a new blog every day of 2018.

A little piece of me goes into each entry I write. I hope you enjoy this one!

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I wasn’t like the other children in my neighborhood.

I wore sweater vests over button-up shirts with jeans and loafers. Those my age around the way wore sports jerseys, t-shirts and sneakers.

As much as I liked to watch basketball I didn’t particularly like to play it. I could hit a shot now and then but I wasn’t a good shooter by any means. If I happened to end up on a team I could get you a few steals and rebounds, make the right pass, I’d even get a block occasionally. To my peers around the way this was never good enough. I didn’t care. I preferred to participate in soccer.

My mother didn’t allow me to listen to dirty comedy or watch R-rated movies. For others this was okay, and if it wasn’t they’d sneak and do it. Not me. I played it straight. If I wasn’t watching any number of old school cartoons – The Flintstones, Jetsons, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Woody Woodpecker, and Mighty Mouse to name a few, I’d be writing in my notebook or reading Marvel comic books.

The children from my neighborhood called me goofy, weird, and a nerd. My favorite insult of theirs was “Black White boy” which insinuated I was a Black child who behaved like a White child.

I wasn’t like them at all.
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Share your thoughts with me at info@mrjoewalker.com or on Twitter @mrjoewalker.

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