If You’re Sitting, Stand Up!!!

As early as last week, I’ve been getting notified about the early recipients of Census forms. This should be an exciting time for everyone because it’s an opportunity for us all to become civically engaged without leaving the confines of the crib. Honestly, I don’t care how it’s done…you can lay down and complete this form…as long as you STAND UP and BE COUNTED and make sure everyone in your household is accounted for!!!

Below: Highlight and Paste the link in new window or tab to watch Funny A** Census Scene from “The Wash”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTc_Ty8V_ZE

Posted by:

DJWillieShakes

NUMBERS DONT LIE DETECTOR!!!

We’re about 2 weeks into our Numbers Dont Lie campaign and i’m sensing viral-bility…lol, I’m sure that’s a word in some country. If you’re somewhere under a rock (and considering the worlds condition, we all will be soon) then you’re excused but I encourage you to give it some download love.

This morning I felt like googling ‘Numbers Dont Lie’  and discovered a plethora of sites and online platforms supporting us. So, I want to send fat shouts to Krysten @BET Centric&HipHopDx, GlobalGrind, 2DopeBoyz, 4080records and anyone else who has contributed  or wants to contribute by dedicating space on their blogs or social networking sites. We, over here @ 99problems.org, greatly appreciate such gestures.

Oh any suggestions/questions/comments??? DONT LIE!!!

Posted by:

DJWillieShakes

CAN WE LIVE…PLEASE??

It is Saturday January 9th, 2010 and as I prepare to participate in this event, I think to myself how many more of these will I attend? I should be excited because this is an opportunity for me to see all my loved ones and friends I haven’t seen in a long time. We never get to hang out anymore. But there is no happiness today.

This is a home going celebration of one of my lil homies and I’m the DJ. A crew accompanies me with no equipment in hand as we witness the double funeral of Donte Pearson and Don Hamilton who were struck by suspects fleeing police. In the distance, some neighborhoods away, another family prepares for a similar fellowship in memory of Shanica Adkins, a 21-year-old senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who shared the same cause of death.

Police pursuit deaths are on the rise in my city as Melinda Moore was struck yesterday morning when she stepped into the street in the 2700 block of N. 20th St. According to Police Chief  Edward Flynn, officers pulled over a van they believed to be stolen. The van took off and eventually struck Moore. The van later was located and three people were arrested, but the driver was still at large, Flynn said.

They’ve been singing that same “If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime” song forever but as corny as it sounds, the lyrics are true. A crime like this is unfair and as wreckless as texting while driving. As unfortunate of an incident this is, there aren’t too many ways to prevent them. We must make smarter decisions about life and consider those that are effected by our actions.

My prayers go out to the families of them all. But what’s even sadder about this is these are four people that hadn’t even really had the chance to live life to its fullest and they died over something they didn’t have anything to do with. All four victims were  between the ages of 20-23 and they all occurred within the last two months. The individuals responsible are either twice the victims age, which is a shame or the same age and that’s an even more negative aspect to consider.

We can’t keep playing with life, CAN I LIVE??? CAN WE LIVE…PLEASE???

Posted by:

DJWillieShakes

Sorry For The Late Response

This morning I wake up to see on my Facebook homepage, a friend of mine grieving the loss of what may be someone I know. You never know because Milwaukee is sooo small. And true indeed, this fallen comrade is Mario Brown. It’s sad to me, knowing that the tragic death I read about the day before, was of a person i knew. I lost touch with so many people because of life circumstances that just don’t allow people to always remain connected.

He just recently added me as a friend on Facebook and I wasn’t able to respond in time to check in with him. From the looks of things, he was doing great. I personally, want to express how much you are going to be missed by the people you touched from Wisconsin to Alabama. But crazy ass John can sum it up a lil better below!

“I never thought I would lose one of my brothers in my real circle but I did 2 the hands of a h** a** n****. My friend was more than a friend he was a bother, father, son, uncle and a Damn good mechanic. R.I.P Mario Brown I tatted you on my arm today 2 make sure u make it 2 vegas with us Friday love u my n****” – Jarvis Rogers

If this man’s death was attributed to health complications, I would be somewhat at ease knowing that that’s apart a life. But unfortunately he and a woman in her late twenties were found murdered at a home on the northside of Milwaukee and that I can’t get used to. Why is it so easy to kill but so hard to love? It takes a heart to do both.

Posted by:

DJWillieShakes

Muhibb Dyer Preps for the Debut of His Play

MILWAUKEE, WI – Renowned community activist and national poet, Muhibb Dyer is on a mission to take you on an intimate journey of a people’s struggle from early civilization to present time; an intricate look through the eyes, words and sounds of one man’s poetry that captures the essence of several generational stages of Hope, Triumph and Heartbreak.

photo by Isaiah Merriweather

Join that journey on Saturday, February 20th, 2010, with the one man stage play entitled, “From Kings, To Thugs, To Presidents” at the nostalgic Miramar Theatre located at 2844 N. Oakland Avenue in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This powerful stage play is executive produced by the host and co-founder of Poetry Unplugged (PU), Kwabena Antoine Nixon.

Kwabena Antoine Nixon and Muhibb Dyer are undeniably two of the most dynamic elements in our community that are cultivating a scene of positive and influential change with a local and national following of sold out events. Their penetrating poetry reaches the core of their audiences painting real life scenarios geared towards societal issues with a mirror effect. Their “Flood the Hood with Dreams” seminars serve as a catalyst to diminish violence within our communities by empowering you to dream big and achieve your goals by getting past your environment and background so that you can receive your dreams by taking responsibility of your future.

Much like the late activist Malcolm X, they have encountered similar trials in their lifetime that was enough to make them fall victim to the streets adding to the statistics in the African American community for black males. But instead they are using their life’s experiences as a spring board to motivate others through poetry and inspiration that will create change regardless of your current environment.

You don’t want to miss this powerful performance by one of America’s leading master poets, Muhibb Dyer. Doors open at 7:00pm. Tickets are $10.00.

Posted by:

The Editor

Jordan Larson’s Killer Captured….Now What?

A 19-year-old man who was fatally shot over the weekend in Milwaukee was set up for a robbery by a man he knew, according to court documents filed Thursday.

Jordan G. Larson, a Milwaukee resident, was shot in the back and head about 11:15 a.m. Saturday in an alley in the 4600 block of W. Scranton Place, according to court documents. He died Tuesday night at Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa.

According to an affidavit filed in support of a search warrant:

Larson was conscious when police arrived at the shooting scene. An officer asked Larson who shot him, and Larson said a man named Keith Bohannon was responsible for the shooting but had not fired the shots.

Larson also told his brother at the scene that “Keith” had set him up and that “Keith’s guy” had shot him.

Larson lost consciousness while riding to the hospital in an ambulance.

Police arrested Bohannon, 18, who eventually admitted he had arranged for Larson to buy a car from Antonio L. Tatum, 26, who would rob Larson.

Bohannon and Tatum are in custody at the Milwaukee County Jail.

Charges have not yet been filed in connection with the homicide.

Jordan’s older brother Adam, says this:

“my little brother noah larson and granny will b on chanel 4 news @ 6oclock 2 give u some of our feelings about the loss of my little brother jordan…any1 who kno him knows, dat wasn’t 4 him…not @ all!!..they envied his swag and he died cuz his flava..they can neva b him…I love you”

Posted by:

DJWillieShakes

The Reality Is…

Ammunition leaving innocent bodies in ambulances

Im holding up candles for the kids that didn’t really have a chance

to live life to the fullest

The cops dont stop the fights that ignite the bullets

So im naked

Because the colors i wear, i dont want the gang members to take it

the wrong way

So some days i smoke this cannabis and this locust

So i can lose focus

on whats going on with my folks

Cuz i aint supposed to see this scenery

So i stick to this greenery and think thoughts of revenge on people thats mean to me

As my grandmother sings to me

Songs from Mahalia

See, Thats the reason i aint focused on America

Because The Reality Is….

The area im living in is surrounded by killing

And in my vision i see kids getting the life sentence in prison

Yall chasing the wrong Osama

Imma tell you about the forgotten Bin laden

The cops that left ya son shot in the streets

And didnt do nuthin to prevent it

But we holding up flags representin America

Like we sharin a bond or something

Yall PROBLEMS aint nuthin compared to mine.

So as long as condoms bustin

And people rushing to hospitals for abortions

And  a portion of Milwaukee missing

Because people missin their targets

and hitting Malcolms and Martins

I aint gon take part in the starting of another war!

Posted by:

DJWillieShakes

That’s Garbage: Trash Turned into Energy

Trash would be converted into electricity at Project Apollo, a renewable energy project proposed for Milwaukee’s north side, developers said Tuesday.

Alliance Federated Energy announced plans to develop a $225 million renewable energy plant that would create 250 construction jobs and 45 full-time jobs. The first phase of the project is expected to be running by 2013.

The plant would use technology developed by Westinghouse Plasma Corp. of Madison, Pa., to convert the waste at high heat into a synthetic gas, or syngas. That, in turn, could be used as a fuel to generate power.

story jacked from Jsonline.com

The first phase of the renewable energy facility is expected to process about 1,200 tons of municipal and industrial waste per day. That would generate 25 megawatts of electricity, or enough to power roughly 20,000 typical homes, according to Alliance Federated Energy. A second phase is envisioned that would generate another 25 megawatts of power, company spokesman Josh Morby said.

Alliance is a Milwaukee-based company that focuses on developing and financing renewable energy projects. The company was founded in 2005, and Apollo is its first announced project.

… Continue Reading

Posted by:

Biko Baker