“My poem ‘Pickup Line Protest’ shortened for Good Magazine and 247 Townhall’s ‘If I Were President Series.’ Filmed at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver.
So this poem is made pretty much irrelevant by Barack Obama’s election. I’ve pretty much retired it at live shows for that reason, but thought it might be interesting to folks.”
Please comment below. At least show some appreciation for the kid! 
Categories: Inspiration · Our World, Then & Now · Political Opinion
Tagged: george watsky, Good Magazine, If I were President, Obama, Pickup Line Protest, Poetry, US President
What’s going on people? Words are powerful. Here is a collection of quotes from books, movies and well-known individuals which have inspired me at different stages of my life. By putting them here for you all to see, I hope they can inspire you in some way too. PEACE!
“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” – Jimi Hendrix
“If you want something, you had better make some noise.” – Malcolm X
“The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” – Anon
“There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.” – Einstein
“If you want something in life, reach out and grab it.”
“The core of man’s spirit comes from new experiences.”
“Happiness only real when shared.” – Into The Wild
“Whatever time you get is luck.” – De Niro in Heat
“I am sometimes taken aback by how people can have a miserable day or get angry because they feel cheated by a bad meal, cold coffee, a social rebuff, or a rude reception… We are quick to forget that just being alive is an extraordinary piece of good luck, a remote event, a chance occurrence of monstrous proportions.
Imagine a speck of dust next to a planet a billion times the size of earth. The speck of dust represents the odds in favor of your being born; the huge planet would be the odds against it. So stop sweating the small stuff.” – Taleb, The Black Swan
“Do what you love and fuck the rest.” – Little Miss Sunshine
Categories: Inspiration
Tagged: Inspiration, Inspirational quotes, Life lessons, Quotes
Hi everyone. Below is an article which a good friend helped me get published in the magazine Socialist Worker in July 2005 when I was the tender age of 17! It is my first published article 
His mentorship really taught me how older role models can have a HUGE effect on a young person’s life. He knows who he is and I want to thank him for his wise words and encouragement.
Music has always given a voice to the people. It has also been abused as a tool for power, money and fame. In east London music is a means to both ends. It has been used to spread political messages and has also been a gateway out of the run down streets of London’s East End.
East London is known for its cultural diversity. This is reflected in the musical taste of its populace. The recent combination of the various sounds in the East End is the creation of a new genre, grime (an amalgamation of drum ‘n’ bass, garage, hip-hop, Jamaican dancehall, reggae and techno). This music form initially struggled to expand outside the barriers of the underground scene but has recently grabbed international attention.
The success of artists from east London is revealed by the achievements of Mercury Music Prize winner Dizzee Rascal. His accomplishments contradict his humble beginnings in Bow. After being expelled from school four times, Dylan Mills (his real name) was regarded as an academic failure. It was not until a teacher began to show support that Dizzee was able to express his love for music. Accompanied by his appearances on pirate radio and London’s rave circuit, the support helped lead Dizzee Rascal out of the gutter. Now he has two gold records and is currently touring the US.
Music has revolutionised international society. In the 1980s Run DMC of New York changed the face of popular music. In the 1990s Tupac Shakur of California brought the realities of American poverty to the forefront of music entertainment. Now the likes of Crazy Titch, D Double E, Dizzee Rascal, Kano and Roll Deep are showing the world the streets of east London.
Their ends (a term used to describe their location – in this case east London) prove to be an immense stimulus of their music. One of Dizzee Rascal’s latest singles, ‘Graftin”, exemplifies the depth of this influence. ‘It’s a cold world I gotta stay on track, dog eat dog, others gain if you lack in the LDN.’ The track, dedicated solely to the streets of London, sends out a message that London is not ‘all teacups’ (a phrase used by a few people outside London – one which draws parallels to the Queen and the lives of the rich). He also uncovers the realities of his ends with the complementary music video where council flats, estates, and alleyways are shown during a murky night in the streets of east London. There is a clear contrast between the high-rise council flats and the towering buildings of Canary Wharf also shown in the video.
The Mitchell Brothers, a new up-and-coming duo from Manor Park, have their say on the stop and search policy established by the government in their single, ‘Routine Check’. They assess the problem with stereotypes in east London culture, and conclude that the police label individuals by the way they dress. ‘Routine Check’ attempts to correct this common misconception: ‘The good thing with the law these days is that criminals know their rights better than their wrongs.’
The single delves into the subject of stereotypes, not only in the music world, but also in society itself. Music has influenced people around the globe but it has had some negative bearing on certain groups of people. The sex, drugs and violence portrayed in several songs give a detrimental depiction of some artists in the music business, as well as various communities alluded to in the songs.
Individuals do have a right to be concerned about the numerous references to prostitution, murder and drug abuse, but should realise that the vivid images revealed through the lyrics can reflect an artist’s life. Music enables someone to deliver a message so compelling that people have to take notice. Tales of murder and prostitution are not mentioned in songs to promote them. They are brought up because people do actually experience such things and want to let others know about their situation. In this instance music should be seen as a documentation of real lives in the poorest boroughs – another problem which must be solved.
Music can allow for one’s dreams to be fulfilled. Like Dizzee Rascal’s teacher, those in a position to should try their best to help the youth of today realise their true potential. We should help the youth of east London realise their dreams, as well as try to understand the problems expressed through their music.
Categories: Inspiration · Our World, Then & Now · Political Opinion
Tagged: Dizzee Rascal, East London, Grime, Kano, Mentorship, Music, Role Models, Tupac, UK Hip Hop
Shout out to Naomi Jane from 4WD for kindly forwarding me this video.
Please comments below. Thanks.
Categories: Inspiration · Our World, Then & Now
Tagged: Future Generation, Generation X, Lost Generation, Make it Happen!, Our Mission, UpRising, We Are The Future
Yea, so this was blatantly just an excuse to post a photo of Adriana Lima on my blog.
Before we start, I’d just like to make it clear that Britney Spears is not a person who inspires. Her worldwide appeal is undeniable, and I have shaked my arse to a few of her songs, and yes, she is (was?) hott. But nah, I don’t consider her to be a person somebody should aspire to be like.
The reason why I quoted her is because when I searched “heroes” and “inspiration” on quotationspage.com, I couldn’t actually find any good quotes. So I decided to quote the “Princess of Pop” to introduce a number of people who have inspired me in the 21 years of me life.
These people, as Brit alludes to in her analysis of her own influence, are not perfect, the women in the list do fart and I’m sure many of them have done something I don’t agree with. But what makes most of these people inspirational is what they’ve done when they’re at their best (some of them just are inspirational just because they be; like me mumsy)
(The list is in no particular order. Please excuse me for the regular use of the word “inspire” and its derivatives 
)
Categories: Inspiration
Tagged: Heroes, Inspirational People
First man to fly without wings
A few weeks back, I asked my mate Ryan who he thought the most well-known athlete is of recent time. Immediate in his reply, with a response most confident in tone and with his chin held up high, he said that Muhammed Ali is easily the most well-known character is recent sports history. He was wrong (and still is wrong, because he continues to believe in his initial knee-jerk answer).
Who’s the most well-known athlete then, you ask? Who has inspired millions worldwide? Who has become ‘bigger’ than just another name in hall of great achievers in sport? That person Michael Jordan.
Muhammed Ali floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee. My man Mike flew through the air like an eagle and jammed hoops like a sledgehammer.
During his career in the basketball team, the Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan singlehandedly brought six championships in the NBA. With the US Olympic team, he helped bring North America two sets of gold medals as part of a group of players dubbed “The Dream Team.”
He is a record-breaker in basketball (he holds the NBA record for highest career regular season scoring average with 30.12 points per game), but the reason why I say that he is greater than Muhammed Ali is because he has a ‘reach’ far greater than the traditional American sport.
Michael Jordan is also business man, a film-star (who remembers Space Jam?) and, most importantly, a brand. Naomi Klein mentions it in her famous book, No Logo: and I take it further by saying that Michael Jordan is, by far, the most well-known, greatest sportsperson of recent history.
Millions of people have bought Air Jordans (the trainers named after the one-man show) and many others still do today. My mate Adham recently bought a cap with his insignia, one item in a massive range of clothing. Trading cards, T-Shirts, tattoos… You name it, Michael Jordan has his name or logo stamped all over it. Muhammed Ali might have people writing books about him, and he may have a big mouth and spoke powerful words, but has he got his own trainers?
I admire Muhammed Ali a great deal. His performances in the ring encouraged me to put on the red gloves and box in my local gym when I was a teen. His charisma and “I-don’t-give-a-fuck” attitude also helped me to realise that there’s nothing wrong with a little chutzpah in a similar way to Malcolm X. But despite his wit and wise words, and his intriguing maturation as a man, he was not able to make a kid believe he could fly.
One of the first books I bought when I were a kid was called How to be Like Mike. Looking back, it was clear that Mike’s never-quit attitude, hard-work, grit and determination was what made me believe in endless possibilities. I’m sure that his high-flying feats (now displayed on YouTube [one video featuring MJ has nearly 6,000,000 views, while Muhammed Ali's most viewed video has 2,ooo,ooo]) continue to stretch the imaginations of millions of kids today too.
Maybe the basis of my argument is more about the power of capitalist powerhouses like Nike, who arguably made Michael Jordan who he is today, but that’s another question. Muhammed Ali’s influence is undeniable, but put next to Michael Jordan it is clear who is the real heavyweight when it comes to sporting achievement and X-factor combined. The fact that both ESPN and Sport name him the greatest athlete of recent time helps me prove, too, that my mate Ryan was wrong (HA HA! – in Nelson’s, from The Simpsons, voice).
Who do you think is the greater athlete? Michael Jordan or Muhammed Ali, or someone else even? Comments welcomed.
Categories: Inspiration · Sport
Tagged: Basketball, Greatest Athlete, Michael Jordan, Muhammed Ali, Sport
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