Darius Lee Shot and Killed After Returning Home from Houston Baptist University to Visit Family Illuminates the Hate Blacks have for one another

By: Reginald Kenneth Mathes, MPA

Darius Lee defends a Texas Longhorn while competing in the NCAA

As a victim of Black-on-Black gun violence, I am familiar with returning home from college and experiencing how bullets feel.  Sadly, Darius Barnes of Houston Baptist University was not as fortunate as I was, his life was taken.  Darius Lee was on his way to graduate in December and was ready to start a new life after graduation.  I’m sure he had dreams of being successful either on the court or off the court, however, those dreams were cut short at the hands of a gunman in his hometown of Harlem, New York.  Recently, I heard a “Youtuber” presume that “a prophet is not welcome in his hometown”.  Sadly, I have discovered this to be true all around the country in the Black community.  As a new father, I can’t even imagine the pain and agony his mother and father are going through right now. 

Shortly after pursuing a PhD in Higher Education Administration at Morgan State University, I discovered a lecturer by the name of Dr. Neely Fuller Jr.  His lectures pertained mostly to the Black community and how racism and White Supremacy has poisoned the minds of Blacks.  Essentially, he presumes that institutional and systematic racism has strategically caused Blacks to hate each other.  I hate to admit it, but I think he’s right.  I’m sure Darius Lee had no clue about the hate among Blacks and how deep rooted it is as he was traveling back home from Houston to Harlem, New York.  However, even if he did understand the teachings of Neely Fuller Jr, who doesn’t think it’s safe to attend a family barbeque at your own home?  I remember being terrified to return home in 2021 after being gone ten years, because I knew I had discovered what I refer to as the “Black Secret”. 

“We hate each other”.  Yes, it’s a secret in the Black community that former NBA star Charles Barkley referred to as “a dirty little secret” in the Black community.  In fact, I think, Dr. Boyce Watkins a graduate of Indiana University’s Finance PhD program would agree with Charles Barkley.  Recently, Dr. Watkins stated a few weeks ago on his podcast “we hate the shit out of each other”.  He was talking about Blacks hating Blacks.  As an educator myself at an HBCU, I wish I had the chance to introduce the teachings of Dr. Watkins and Dr. Fuller to not only Darius Lee, but one of our students who was recently gunned down as well.  It is essential that our Black parents, teens, families, teachers, and community organizers educate our people on the hate we have for one another.  It’s sad, however, I think my understanding of this hate has saved my life thus far.  After studying Black on Black crime for the last seven years, I discovered that summer cook outs and barbecues and even family reunions are dangerous in our community. 

Dr. Neely Fuller Jr presumes that in the Black community, you can just walk down the street and listen to the conversations we are having on the phone.  He presumes that if you pay attention, you will hear us (Blacks) arguing and stirring up poison among one another.  According to Dr. Neely Fuller Jr, stirring up poison essentially means perpetuating more hate among each other.  Again, I hate to admit it, Dr. Neely Fuller Jr is correct.  In addition, Dr. Neely Fuller Jr, has recommended that Blacks need to live by his code that is mentioned in his book titled” The United Independent Compensatory Code/System/Concept: A Compensatory Counter Racist Code” (1984).  “No contact, no conflict” is a part of his code that he recommends us (Blacks) to live by.  Essentially, he presumes that we should not even contact each other unless we are conversing about something constructive that has value.   Has the Black community arrived at the point to where we cannot have family cookouts without one of our less fortunate in the neighborhood wanting to gun us down?  Does “no contact, no conflict” essentially mean stay completely away from each other to stay alive?  Everyday, I get alerts to my phone regarding Black-on-Black gun violence.  Can we even begin to imagine how much worse it’s going to get as gas prices surge to all new highs?

4 Major Shootings in the U.S. Over Easter Weekend at the hands of African Americans by Reginald Kenneth Mathes, MPA

An Air Jordan lies on the concrete illuminating the desperation of party goers trying to dodge bullets last weekend (Mathes, 2022)

I assume I will be considered a coon, sell out, and a race trader after writing this blog.  At this point, I do not know if I even care anymore as I have a ten-month-old African American son whose mother will not even allow me to be in his life.  As a victim of Black-on-Black gun violence in 2003, the brainwashing of thug culture, rap music, and gangster mentality still did not deter me from hanging around dangerous environments (nightclubs, house parties, and lounges).  This same brainwashing, I assume is what motivates our parents and children to allow our kids to frequent these events.   Our young Black boys and girls are not taught how dangerous these parties and nightclubs really are.  Instead, in Black America our fascination of thug culture, hip hop dance culture, and a culture of idiocy is what’s celebrated and pumped into their minds as normalcy.  How many more shootings and killings in Black America at the hands of thug culture to we must witness to understand that this very same culture is leading to the deaths of our young Black boys, girls, teens, and young men. 

 As they say, “someone must have prayed for you”, as I think about all the night clubs, bars, and lounges I’ve frequented over 39 years of age.   After moving to Baltimore, Maryland to pursue a Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education at Morgan State University, I never thought my education would lead me to wanting to eradicate Black on Black Violence.  I didn’t plan on discovering what I refer to as the “Black Secret” when I arrived in Baltimore, Maryland to pursue a PhD in Higher Education Administration in a city that’s known for Black-on-Black crime since the early 80s and maybe even the 70s. What I refer to as the “Black Secret” is simply knowing and understanding that the very same culture we idealize and glorify (Trap Music Culture, Hip Hop Culture, and Thug Culture) is a DEATH CULTURE.    

This culture that we (African Americans) love so much is so hypnotizing that even at thirty-nine years old and being shot close range in 2003 is even hard for me to let go at times.  However, after this past weekend I think I am completely done with certain environments that are obviously death traps.  Imagine being inside of the house party that took place last weekend in Pittsburgh, PA when countless gun shots took place, and two 17-year-old teenagers were killed and several other injured.  Imagine being the parents of those two 17 years old teens and receiving ta phone call, and on the other end its law enforcement telling you that your son or daughter is dead from senseless gunfire.  Last week, Dr. Boyce Watkins stated on his podcast “we hate the Sh**T out of each other”.  I hate to admit it, but we do.  I’ve been away from my hometown for ten years.  I recently returned and I can see the same hate in my childhood friend’s eyes.   

Dr. Neely Fuller Jr said the same thing a few years ago on his podcast.  He said, “Black people can’t stand each other”.  I hate to admit it, but he’s right.  He mentioned Willie Lynch who was a slave owner as a reason we hate each other so much.  We must hate each other or ourselves to sit in an enclosed area and start firing shots at close range and killing innocent human beings.  This enclosed shooting that took place in Pittsburgh, PA was not the only shooting that took place during easter weekend.  In fact, on Easter Morning there was another shooting that took place at Cara’s Lounge in Hampton County, South Carolina where nine individuals were shot.  When I heard it announced on the news, I was wondering if it was the race of people we blame so much for our problems.  However, it was not, it was us again. African Americans.  The lounge is currently permanently closed.  I believe that this past weekend provides validity in my daily qualitative research that African- Americans have a hidden disdain for one another.  Am I presuming that all African Americans hate each other? No, I am not.  However, I am contending that there is a spirit in our community that is perpetuating Black on Black crime at an epidemic rate.  It seems that these crimes are never going to stop. 

A few years back a rapper named Nipsey Hussle was gunned down in his hometown.  This year in 2022 a rapper by the name of “Young Dolph” was gunned downed in his hometown.  In fact, the rapper by the name of “Young Dolph” was shot at 100 times in Charlotte, North Carolina less than five years ago.  Additionally, if I am not mistaking, he was shot in California as well.  Like myself, even being shot was not enough for him to wake up and realize that we are glorifying and essentially living within a Death Culture.  I hate to admit it, but again, as I stated earlier the very same culture that we teach our children to love so much, is essentially a death culture.  Whoever the accomplices were that killed Young Dolph, hated him so much that his rival associations tried to kill him twice before he was killed.

This is identical to the story of Tupac Shakur’s murder; he was shot several times years before he was killed.  Instead of Young Dolph and Tupac Shakur turning the other cheek and starting a new lifestyle, they both went back to the rap studios to infuriate their rival rappers, and attackers even more.  “100 shots”, Young Dolph chanted in a song retaliating verbally to his rivals after surviving 100 Shots due to his bullet proof vehicle.  I believe that this culture is what led to the shootings in Pittsburgh, PA, Hampton County, South Carolina, and Columbia, South Carolina.  I presume that rap culture, drill music and trap culture is what’s helping the perpetuation of these violent crimes. 

Lastly, as a nation it is essential that we discover a solution for these crimes in our very own communities.  Additionally, I contend that it is imperative that we teach our young children, teens, and young men the dangers of allowing this culture to brainwash them.  I know others will say that the music is not the problem, and they may even be 100 percent correct.  However, I think the music alone can hold constant as one the variables that must be considered when conducting research to discover a cause for this type of behavior among people who look identical to each other regarding ethnicity and race. 

Slain American rapper’s body propped up on stage during funeral at nightclub By: Reginald Mathes, MPA

While attending Morgan State University’s Doctoral Program in Higher Education Administration, we studied depths of White Supremacy that I never knew existed. We studied concepts such as eugenics, scientific racism and other concepts regarding White Supremacy that most people have never even heard of, let alone, studied. After about three years of agonizing and dragging myself through the mud for not being allowed to graduate, I realized that I was glad I didn’t graduate. There were a few reasons I was glad I did not graduate. The main reason was the fact that I didn’t have to keep studying information that was going to make me a complete racist, probably for the rest of my life. If I would have been allowed to pursue the dissertation phase of the PhD pursuit, it would have required me to delve into more literature regarding racism and White supremacy. I think the Lord knew that I had learned enough regarding the sensitive subject.

Due to the fact that I was distraught over not graduating with the actual Doctorate Degree, I continued to reside in the Baltimore area for another five years in the pursuit of landing a respectable career. I figured the least thing I could do was find a career and accomplish something other than mastering thug culture which is what my childhood friends and I has mastered during our teen and young adult years. Thug culture. During those five years, I never stopped studying and researching White Supremacy and racism. Somehow the passion and desire to learn more about racism and White Supremacy, led me to discovering a different passion and spiritual awakening. I assume I developed a passion for eradicating black on black crime because I discovered the end result of institutional racism and systemic racism. I presume that the end result of institutional racism, systemic racism, and invisible racism is black misery, and essentially black on black murder.

As I grew tired of reading due to being in a PhD program for four years, Youtube became my source of research and information. It was mind blowing, satisfying, and intriguing to discover other Blacks who were discussing violence in the Black community, and they were not blaming White Supremacy and racism. It was interesting to hear other Blacks discuss issues and concerns about our community that I always felt was needed. I always felt that when someone Black actually got shot in our community as a kid people were more excited than saddened as it rarely happened compared to inner cities such as Baltimore, Southeast Chicago, and East St. Louis. In fact, I actually discovered a philosopher by the name of Neely Fuller Jr who actually enlightened my way of thinking . He’s Black. He contended that Blacks become excited when we hear the sound of the 9 mm going off in the night. Ironically, when I would post about these issues on my personal Facebook page, an older guy that I would see nightly at the gym would comment in the comment section ” it’s exciting”.

That was further confirmation that for some reason in the Black community, Black on Black crime is secretly exciting to Blacks. Am I contending that all blacks find Black on Black crime exciting? Of course not. However, I’m presuming that there is a disconnect from common sense and reality in our community. I don’t know if we can blame institutional racism, invisible racism, and or White Supremacy; however, I am done blaming White Supremacy and other forms of racism. Yes, I understand that a system has been put in place to perpetuate our misery and demise; but I do not think we can blame whites for the acts of nonsense that took place recently in Washington, DC. We cannot blame the majority for nonsense such propping a dead body up on stage at a planned funeral which took place in a night club. Are we in the last days? What’s going on in the Black community.

I think it’s time that we all should study the teachings of Joseph Murray, Neely Fuller Jr and Napoleon Hill. Black on Black crime is becoming a norm in our community and we are starting to celebrate it. ” I’m smoking that Von pack” is what rappers were saying after King Von was slaughtered in the streets of Atlanta. ” Smoking that Von Pack”, essentially means their smoking marijuana and celebrating the death of one of their rival rappers. We have stooped so low as a people, that we are now celebrating the deaths and murders of our very own kind. Drill music is another form of rap music that illuminates the celebration of Black on Black murder. Prayer is needed in our communities at an alarming rate. We need to almost be on our knees 24 hours a day, to pray for hope, salvation, peace, and forgiveness in our communities around the nation.

As the cost of living rises, I presume that black on black crime is going to sky rocket this summer. How can we solve the problem of Black on Black Crime? Is there a solution? Or are we just doomed as a race of people? Are we cursed? Imagine becoming numb to seeing young Black boys lying on the ground covered in blood. Imagine death, and murder becoming normal and it’s something we just overlook like road kill on the side of the highway. I’m 39 years old, and when I drive to my mother’s house, I take the back roads so I won’t have to sit in traffic at 5:00 pm when it’s more likely to get gunned down at a red light by a stranger with the same skin tone as mine. I’ve been away from my hometown for ten years, and my very own city has become almost equivalent to the inner cities.

I ‘ve created a website titled ” savingblackboys1911.com” tailored towards raising awareness about the senseless thug culture, gangster mentality, and trap music that I believe plays a major role in black on black crime. As a victim of black on black gun violence myself, I’m seeking a solution that will eradicate the hate we have for one another in our very on communities. Propping a dead corps of a slain rapper in a night club as a funeral service truly illuminates the state of Black culture. If fact, the mother of the slain rapper or a family member was interviewed, and said ” it’s how he would have wanted to go out”. It was as if this type of thinking and behavior is normal.

Social Media Might Be the Worst Thing To Happen to African-Americans: Dr. Boyce Watkins, Kwame Brown & Stephen A. Smith Provide Validation By: Reginald Mathes, MPA

Willie Lynch was a British slave owner in the West Indies. Research suggest that he was invited to the colony of Virginia in 1712 to inform slave owners new methods to control their slaves. Additionally, research suggest that term “lynch or lynching” was derived from his last name. He claimed to have seen a slave hanging from a tree as his boat sailed to Jamestown, Virginia. In his letter, he presumes that lynching was causing uprisings, loss of valuable stock (slaves), runaway slaves, and even a lack of profit from crops being left unattended. Also, in his letter he contended that he outlined a number of differences among the slaves and made them bigger. His primary weapons to gain control of the slaves was fear, envy and distrust.

The differences that he used included: age, skin tone, size, intelligence level, size of plantations, status on plantations, and hair quality. There are a few more differences he used to control slaves, however, I have chose not to list them. He assured his audience that distrust was the most powerful weapon he used to control his slaves. In fact, he assured his audience of slave owners that distrust even outweighed envy. Willie Lynch felt that the use of envy was more powerful than adulation, admiration and respect. He stated “ Don’t forget you must pitch the old black Male vs. the young black Male, and the young black Male against the old black male”. Additionally, in his speech he stated that “ You must use the dark skin slaves vs. the light skin slaves, and the light skin slaves vs. the dark skin slaves. He even indicated that You must use the dark skin slaves vs. the light skin slaves, and the light skin slaves vs. the dark skin-slaves. Essentially, his ultimate plan was to turn the slaves against one another to gain control of the slaves.

Today it seems that African – Americans are still cursed by the teachings of Willie Lynch. In my humblest opinion, I presume that social media illuminates validity in my claim on a daily basis. If I am not mistaken, African- Americans are the only race of people using social media to bicker, humiliate, criticize and tear one another down. However, I may be wrong. Am I saying that African-Americans only use social media to tear each other down? No, of course not. African – Americans use social media for all the reasons any other race of people utilize the incredible technological advancement of “social media”. However, it’s heart breaking to see scholars such as Dr. Boyce Watkins and other African – American celebrities such as Stephen A. Smith, end up in verbal battles and arguments that sometimes lead to shouting matches where profanity and name calling is being used. It’s truly embarrassing.

This is why I contend that African-Americans are still cursed under the spell of the slave owner Willie Lynch. For the last two weeks, Dr. Boyce Watkins, Kwame Brown and ESPN’s host Stephen A. Smith have been at each other’s throats about each other’s Black identity, Blackness, athletic ability, and even personal disagreements about one’s outside of their profession and entertainment platforms. I contend that African-Americans should be using social media to build unity, business’s and uplift of the Black community. Am I saying that African-Americans do not use social media for unity and uplift? No, of course not, however, it is essential that our youth does not see our leaders of our community tear each other down. Social media is filled with enough violence among African-Americans and celebrities tearing one another down. The last thing we need is for our scholars who have graduated from PWI’s, with PHD’s to join the nonsense. Are we still Willie Lynched?

RICKEY SMILEY EXPOSES THE BLACK COMMUNITY AS DANGEROUS AFTER A PASTOR’S DAUGHTER IS KILLED EASTER WEEKEND IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA BY: REGINALD KENNETH MATHES, MPA

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As a victim of gun violence in 2003, I still never knew that Black men were killing each other at an epidemic rate until I moved to Baltimore, Maryland in 2011. Additionally, I never knew that Blacks had such a disdain for one another until I moved to Baltimore, Maryland. As a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc, it’s fulfilling and rewarding to see another member of Omega Psi Phi (Rickey Smiley) speak up in regards to the truth about the Black community. Rickey Smiley spoke passionately out of pure anger regarding the death of a pastor’s daughter during Easter weekend in Birmingham, Alabama. According to ABC News, 32-year-old Areyelle Yarbrough was shot and killed at a local park during an Easter weekend gathering.

Hearing another Black man, especially, a member of my fraternity express the same frustration and anger about Black on Black crime allows to feel somewhat of a relief. I’ve been told several times that I lost my mind when I started expressing my passion for eradicating Black on Black crime across America. It’s truly and epidemic. Smiley ask “ what is wrong with us, why we don’t know how to act?”. I’ve been listening to YouTube sensation Tommy Sotomayor for the last five years, and his theories, thoughts, and beliefs are spot on with Rickey Smiley’s rant on social media that took place recently. He’s Fed up, just like I am. In fact, he’s a victim of Black on Black gun violence as well, and guess what? His daughter is too.

Now that I think about it, my nephew is a victim of gun violence as well and last summer, my cousin’s nephew was killed after attempting to carry out a robbery in Statesville, North Carolina. I remember the first Neely Fuller Jr video, I watched on YouTube titled “ Blacks Must Stay Away From Each Other”. I truly believe that this video was the beginning of my awakening in regards to survival as a Black man in America. Survival as a Black man in America, has nothing to do with racist Whites or the “Proud Boys”. Survival in Black America has everything to do with understanding that a Black man or boy will kill you quicker than a racist White cop any day. Again, it is rewarding and fulfilling to see and hear another Black man speak up out of sheer frustration and anger.

According to ABC News, even a toddler was shot during this incident last weekend in Birmingham, Alabama. Two weeks in a row, I saw that two different road rage incidents has lead to the deaths of two different toddlers in two different states in less than 10 days. At times, I do not have to search and discover the race of people who are pulling the triggers as I see the notifications going off on my phone on a daily basis. Recently, two weeks in a row in Virginia Beach, there were shoot outs that lead to the death of cops, a celebrity, and of course more Black people. You would think, after the death of Nipsey Hussle, Black people would wake up and put the guns and gang flags down and try to unite and love one another. In fact, Nipsey Hussle’s, funeral was the perfect display of the state of mind of Black America. Instead of Snoop Dogg and Nipsey’s younger brother getting on that stage in front of millions and saying “ stop the violence”, “ burn the gang flags”, they were on the stage glorifying and steal idealizing “gang culture”.

Even his wife, Lauren London was glorifying Nipsey Blue which essentially means “crip blue”. You know, the gang that was originated on the West Coast. The gang that has been the responsible for hundreds of Black men’s brains been splattered on the pavement or a car window. In fact, I’m almost terrified every time I’m at a red light waiting for it to turn green. Scared another Black man will shoot through my window out of pure jealousy and envy. Rickey Smiley suggest stop going to parks with crowded people (Blacks). I suggest Black men and women should stop going to predominately Black night clubs, parks, gyms, gas stations, homecomings, cook outs, family reunions, and any function where the crowd is predominately Black.

I mean let’s think about it. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out if a group of people are listening to music that is promoting and glorifying gun violence in it’s lyrics and drinking alcohol and consuming opioids, that something sinister is bound to happen. Even myself, if I am drinking and listening to our favorite music genre (gangster rap), I will forget the education I have received and revert back to the behavior and glorification of gangster life before the night is over. Rickey Smiley is fed up and coming in to his wisdom about the Black community. He states “ public service announcement, we are in danger”.

Again, it is a relief to finally hear a Black celebrity tell the truth about the state of Black America. We want to blame “ White Supremacy”, however, it’s not the White Supremacist I’m looking over my shoulder for when I walk to my car at night after leaving a grocery item or my phone in the car. It’s a Black man, teen, or boy that I’m looking for in the night. Sadly, Covid 19 has given uneducated African-American degenerates permission to wear mask 24/7. This has to be the last days. I heard gun shots in the woods today, and I don’t have to ask the race of color of the imbecile that was pulling the trigger. LORD HELP US!

DMX OVERDOSE ILLUMINATES THE HARSH REALITY OF HIP HOP & THUG CULTURE BY: REGINALD MATHES, MPA

As a suburban Black Boy growing up in in the South, I had no reason to gravitate to the poverty stricken areas of my hometown city. However, being enrolled in an elementary school near these areas, I was introduced to a lifestyle that was completely outside the norm of my family’s morals, traditions, and teachings. Even when visiting cousins in the rural South, I was introduced to a lifestyle and entertainment that was the complete opposite of the norms of my upbringing in my suburban neighborhood that was full of successful christian African Americans who were the epitome of the saying “ Black Excellence”. I never truly understood what “Black Excellence” was until I moved to Baltimore, Maryland to pursue a PhD. It wasn’t until I moved to Baltimore, Maryland that I discovered how bad Blacks had been brainwashed by Hip Hop and Thug Culture. As a suburban Black boy, I found myself imitating and glorifying the lifestyles of Nas, Jay-Z, DMX, Biggie Smalls, and many other rappers whose lyrics perpetuated violence, drug use, and nihilism in the Black community.

Similar to DMX, I was introduced to Marijuana by a family member which is the only reason, I thought it was acceptable. I remember telling myself, “ never try another drug” before putting my first Marijuana cigarette to my lips for my first “toak” or “puff” as some would say. I knew that Marijuana was the gateway drug to other hardcore drugs that would completely destroy your life. D.A.R.E. was a drug educational program that was implemented in elementary schools in the eighties to inform youth that drugs will destroy your life. I remember being terrified of crack cocaine after watching countless videos during our D.A.R.E. program class sessions. Years later, I discovered the effects of crack cocaine first hand after gravitating to a near by poverty stricken neighborhood that I had no business hanging around. I remember seeing crack heads who were basically walking zombies. Regardless of seeing the effects of drug use, and admiration of gangster mentality, I still wanted to be accepted by individuals who were born into a completely different socioeconomic status.

Thug culture and Hip Hop culture is so enticing that young Black boys and myself today ignore the pitfalls of admiring this death culture. DMX’s vegetative state is not going to help young Black boys understand that thug mentality is dangerous and deadly. Why do I say that? I say that because over the years we have not learned from the amount of rappers who have died from gun violence. In fact, it’s as if the deaths of Nipsey Hustle, Tupac, Biggie Smalls, MO3, Pop Smoke, and many more actually perpetuate the violence. It’s like the deaths of the rappers motivates these young Black boys to go out and commit more murders. Therefore, I do not think DMX’s overdose is going to help change the mentality of young boys who strive to be gangsters instead of scientist. Do you think DMX’s death is going to stop rappers like Future from motivating our youth to use opioids ? No. In Hip Hop culture, the rappers do not take the deaths of rappers and use that as a catalyst to promote change and revolution. They just keep going and going like the energizer bunny. Hip Hop culture is a selfish culture, the rappers promote this lifestyle to our youth at the cost of their lives.

I was so lost in pretending to be a thug as a teen, I actually purchased a dog chain from a pet store to imitate DMX. I watched his movie “Belly” countless times trying to imitate the northern slang and lingo so when I returned to school, I was viewed and respected as a “real Nigga”. As we can see, being a real nigga doesn’t get you anywhere but in a casket or a jail cell. Yes, I understand that he was tricked into smoking crack by a childhood friend, however, I also understand that DMX had several chances to change his life, and let go of thug culture and drug addiction. In Black America, remaining “ a real nigga” is more of a badge of honor than becoming a Christian and becoming a productive law abiding citizen.

It wasn’t even five years ago, that DMX was charged with arm robbery his hometown of New York City. This is an example how powerful and addictive thug culture is, regardless of how rich DMX is, he still had to return home to New York City from Arizona to commit an armed robbery. Therefore, I believe that Hip Hop culture played a major role in why DMX was not able to let go of the drug usage and become a family man. Even to this day, if I have too much to drink, I find myself listening to those old songs by DMX, Nas, Biggie, Jay-Z, and all the East coast rappers that ruined the minds of so many Black boys and girls. I truly believe that if DMX had discovered scholars such as Neely Fuller Jr, Dr. Welsing, and Joseph Murray, I truly believe that he would have discovered a new desire to quit killing himself. In Black America, “keeping it real” leads to death, destruction, and incarceration.

As Blacks, we hear how White Supremacy has hurt us as a people, however, it’s not until you start to study the depths of White Supremacy to truly understand how we have been purposefully brainwashed into self destruction. I’m sure DMX has never heard of Neely Fuller Jr, and other scholars who could have changed his thought process. I’m not sure if we can blame thug culture on DMX’s current state, but I do know that Hip Hop is destroying Black America as a whole. If it’s not gun violence, it’s domestic violence, drug overdoses, emasculation of Black men, separation between Black men and women, and perpetuation of Black on Black hate and violence.

HOUSTON RAPPER CHUCKY TRILL SHOT AND KILLED IN ATLANTA DURING NBA ALLSTAR WEEKEND: HIP HOP DESTROYED BLACK AMERICA By: Reginald Kenneth Mathes, MPA

About a week ago, I predicted that at least one Black man will kill another Black man in Atlanta, Georgia during NBA All-star weekend. If I’m not mistaking weekends start on Friday night in American society. On Thursday, March 4^th, 2021, Chucky Trill of Houston, Texas was shot and killed in Atlanta, Georgia. He died in another Black man’s arms that referred to him as his brother in an article I read. As a victim of Black on Black crime who was shot in the Back in 2003 close range with a 38. caliber pistol, I ‘ve become passionate about discovering a cure for Black on Black crime and nihilism in the Black community. I often wonder can we still blame the root cause of Black on Black homicide on White Supremacy and what Charles Hamilton coined “ institutional racism”. In 2001, I moved to Baltimore, Maryland from Raleigh, North Carolina to pursue a PhD in Higher Education at Morgan State University. However, the program’s curriculum was embedded in White Supremacy.

Somehow four years of studying racism and White Supremacy, led me to studying Black on Black crime. Baltimore City is riddled with daily Black on Black murder and it’s truly heart wrenching and terrifying. I’m not sure how studying racism lead me to studying Black on Black crime but this passion of mine seems to have become a lifetime passion. I use to refer to the end result of institutional racism and White Supremacy as “Black misery”. But is this truly the case, are we doomed because of racism and White Supremacy or are we doomed because we truly are feeble minded like the racist Eugenics philosophers suggested in their research. I do not think this is the case, however, when I see the state of Black America I often wonder is there some validity in their claims. In fact, after living in the Baltimore area for over 9 years, I’m convinced that the majority of African-Americans are mentally ill. I’ve never lived in a city where it seems all Blacks hate each other and despise the success of other Blacks.

I’ve never lived in a city, where I could not develop a relationship with another Black man it that could not turn into a genuine friendship. The majority of Black men that I tried to befriend as I am a transient and all alone, it would have been nice to meet one Black man that I could hang with and enjoy the night life. Instead I found myself hanging in the Fells Point district of Baltimore alone for 9 years. It seemed that each Black man that I tried to befriend was in a competitive mind state instead of a brotherly loving mind state. It’s as if Black men are just naturally against one another at all times. Don’t matter if its the job, church, school, sports, dinner, dancing, dating, homeowner ship, socioeconomic status, career goals and life. It’s seems as if it’s a life time competition to out do one another in the game of life.

Therefore, I wonder does this competitive spirit come from racism, White Supremacy, and slavery or are we just naturally against one another. Whoever killed Chucky Trill I’m sure it was a rival gang member or rap artist. I’m just a normal guy with no fame and lot’s of education and I live a decent, lifestyle and in Baltimore, Maryland the looks I get from other Black men and the experiences, I’ve had while living there one would think I was rich or famous. So I can only imagine the competitive hateful spirit that exist among famous rap stars who only rap and sing about demonic violence and the degrading of Black women. In fact, If you just look down your timeline on Instagram and Facebook our race is the only race doing dance challenges to demonic violent music with our children dancing in with the parents. So sad, foolish, fatuous, inarticulate and untaught.

Growing up in Suburbia, I was in love with the opposite of my upbringing which I now refer to as Black excellence. I was infatuated with hood mentality, gangster life, thug life, Tupac, Biggie Smalls, Nas, Jay-Z, and all the other rappers that brainwashed me and several friends into being thugs and wanna be thugs. Instead of us mastering the skills that would lead us to prosperous lifestyles we mastered how to to walk like Tupac in the movie “Juice”. We mastered how to talk like the rappers we idealize and how to pretend to be gangsters and thugs. I presume that this same ignorance and foolishness is what led to the death the Houston rapper named Chucky Trill. Murder in the Black community is exciting and has become a lifestyle that is accepted and respected by young Black men. Not going to college or becoming an entrepreneur or a NASDAQ and S&P guru. We master and take pride in lifestyles and characteristics that lead to death, prison, misery and agony. In fact, I think the article I read regarding Chucky Trill indicated that his father was apart of “Rap A Lot” records or a rival gang member of Rap A Lot records.

Honestly, when a rapper dies I do not have to read the article because I know that the reason some Black man’s brain has been splattered on the concrete is because of the same reason my childhood friends are now whining and crying about the quality of their lives. The reason is because they allowed Hip Hop and thug culture to brainwash them into disregarding learning the life skills they needed to learn during the ages of 13 to 21. These are the critical years of our lives, and sadly to say most young Black boys and men are mastering how to be a gangster instead of mastering how to be productive citizen in life. In fact, the brainwashing of Black men through Hip Hop and thug culture is so bad that some of our leaders become natural hypocrites. As a Black man it’s like regardless of how successful you are and how powerful your platform may be, it’s like they still have to display that keep it real mentality. Community activist Neely Fuller Jr contends that we are poisoned by White Supremacy? Is the poison from White Supremacy?

For example, LeBron James gives back to the community and says great things regarding the community and racism and White Supremacy. However, he’s also easily seen working out to rap music and singing the same lyrics that destroy the minds of young Black boys. In fact, not only can you see him sing and rap the same lyrics that destroy Black boys minds, you can also see him using the same gangster hand gestures while singing those lyrics that motivate young Black boys to commit murders and live lifestyles that lead them to the graveyard or prison. I’m sure Chucky Trill was raised by a father who instilled a gangster state of mind in him instead of peaceful loving state of mind.

What is wrong with us? Is keeping it real and being thugs and carrying out this image our culture? Our culture was Black excellence before all this rap music was transformed into murder music.

IS SOCIAL MEDIA PERPETUATING BLACK ON BLACK HATE AND CRIME? By: Reginald Kenneth Mathes, MPA

Has social media perpetuated the “crab and the barrel mentality” in the Black community? After moving to Baltimore, Maryland in 2011, I discovered that my race of people are some of the most envious people on the earth. However, I learned that that envy, pain, misery, jealousy, and hate among each other is deep rooted in White Supremacy, institutional racism, covert racism, invisible racism, and systematic racism. Growing up I never knew of these concepts and the fact that the majority of Black misery is deep rooted in racism. As a privileged Black boy and teen, I never understood the level of envy and jealousy that surrounded my existence. The envy and jealousy that surrounded my existence went unnoticed for several years simply because I was surrounded by childhood friends. As a privileged youth, who never really had to work or understand the value of a dollar, I was blind to the socioeconomic status of other childhood friends. Childhood friends who did not have father’s. As I matriculated into my adulthood the envy that was there when I was a child, teen, and young adult was finally illuminated. However, I think social media made it worse as we became adults.

Before the evolution of social media, failures and losers never knew the degree of failure they had experienced unless it was at a family reunion, wedding, high school class reunion and holiday gatherings. Times have changed significantly, today your life failures are apparent as soon as you scroll down your timeline on Facebook and Instagram and see childhood classmates and friends succeeding in life. Imagine seeing someone on your timeline succeeding in life that you were smarter than, however, that individual was just not brainwashed and brain damaged as bad as you were from THUG CULTURE. Envy is one of the seven deadly sins spoken about in the bible. As you get older jealousy and envy turn deadly. As a young Black adult man, I started to understand my socioeconomic status around the 30 years old.

I contend that jealousy and envy were definitely going to be existent when I approached my adulthood and will be there when I am dead and gone as well. However, I feel that social media makes envy in the Black community deadly. Blacks have struggled for years in regards to socioeconomic status, home ownership, and survival. I truly believe that social media has perpetuated and intensified the hate Blacks have for one another. I do not see other races of people on social media always speaking about someone “hating” on them. We are the only race of people that are on social media discussing “letting go of friends”, “fake friends”, “cutting people off”, home ownership, credit, and simply financial goals and accomplishment. Yes, I know other races of people discuss some of these things and post about some of these issues. However, in the Black community it seems all we talk about is getting ahead, how not to fall behind, cutting of the have not’s, hating, envy, jealousy and the typical Black behavior that perpetuates Black murder. I knew it was bad when I saw Dr. Cornell West arguing with another Black leader on FOX News.

Social media has driven the average Black woman and man into a cyber addiction that is essentially rotting the brain. From my experience, some of the most envious jealous individuals in the Black community are the ones that go out of there way to exemplify non jealous and envious behaviors. THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WILL KILL YOU. Social media has driven Black folks into a never ending grave yard rat race that will be talked about in history books when we are dead and gone. They might not discuss the plight that social media caused specifically on Blacks. Therefore, I’m trying to raise awareness about it through this blog. Social media has driven Blacks into a cut throat type of mentality. Blacks are becoming selfish, greedy, and evil. People are being motivated to cut childhood friends off via social media simply because of not making it or doing well in life. I see countless judgments through memes and comments via social media that illuminate socioeconomic status competitions.

Lastly, I believe that social media plays a major role in Black mental illness, Black misery, Black on Black crime and Black incarceration. Some Black inner city youth and other Blacks have never really had much in life. Some Blacks grew up without fathers and lived in unstable living conditions. Or simply conditions that are below the living standards of the people they’re following. In fact, I believe social media is secretly being used to divide the Black community. As a Black YouTuber, I noticed that over the past ten years, Black women and men have been at each other’s throats about love and relationships. If it’s not the meme’s saying something ignorant regarding someone else’s socioeconomic status or their very own socioeconomic status it’s fights, arguments, discussions about Black love, Black women and men arguing over the Black family structure, and simply just Black overall hate, disagreements, and ignorance. But what I’ve learned about the majority of Blacks, as long as you’ve got money or appear to be living a decent lifestyle you’re supported and praised. If you hit rock bottom, you’re childhood friends and classmates are sitting back waiting to point the finger and send your failures to their friends who are your friends instantly via social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and more).

Lil Boosie Promotes Stick Challenge to Young Black Boys & Men By: Reginald Kenneth Mathes, MPA

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Growing up in the suburbs of Southeastern Raleigh, North Carolina, as a young Black boy I was influenced by the lyrics and musical beats that cause most young Black boys to go down a road of destruction that leads to regret and misery. As a young Black teen and child that was born to educated parents who held Master’s Degrees and professional careers, I was still influenced by the thug culture that is embedded in young Black boys brains at an early age. Being born to older parents who never listened to rap or were ever influenced by violent African-American crime filled movies, one would think that thug culture would not be in the site of a young vibrant teen. However, it was not only in my daily vision it became a lifestyle that I portrayed and imitated throughout middle school, high school, college, graduate school, and even doctoral studies. The brainwashing from hip hop culture, thug culture, and rap music is a hypnosis that almost cannot be eradicated. Each year several Black teens, men, and even boys are murdered at the hands of this hypnosis that comes from the brainwashing of thug culture and rap music. As a thirty eight year old soon to be father of a son, I am terrified for the life and journey of my unborn son. However, I’m not terrified of the police brutality or White Supremacist, I am terrified of my son being gunned down by another male organism that has the identical skin tone and race as my my unborn son. Additionally, I’m not only terrified for him, I am terrified for myself as I decided to move to Baltimore, Maryland nine years ago to pursue a Doctorate of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration at Morgan State University. After discovering what I refer to as the “Black Secret” and studying Neely Fuller Jr., I discovered that the poisoning of White Supremacy has simply led to Black hate among each other. This hate seems to be intensified and multiplied in hopeless inner cities where the cost of living is outrageous and thousands of Black men and boys reside. Rap music and thug culture perpetuates this violence and demonic spell that has been poured down in the souls of Black men and boys like precious oil in the fields of Oklahoma or some middle eastern country. Sadly, this is what Black culture has become and the lifestyle that most young Black boys grow up thinking is the life they are suppose to be living. Young Black boys grow up thinking that they are suppose to be learning how to sell and consume drugs, disrespect women, and earn street credibility by committing crime that lands them in prison. Sometimes these crimes are murders, and attempted murders that leads life sentences and even death sentences. I remember visiting a cousin who lived in the complete opposite of an urban city or an area where homicides are common. My mother and her sister’s loved to shop at a flea market in the early nineties. As kids, we found ourselves getting back in the car with bootleg rap cassette tapes that produced violent, destructive, homicidal, and misogynistic lyrics. These lyrics would go on to be formulas, arithmetic, lingo, language, and the blueprint that would lead to a life of anger in our mid thirties and forties. As a thirty eight year old man, I see the misery and frustration in the lives of childhood friends. However, they do not know where the misery and frustration originated. In my opinion, this misery that we are currently experiencing because of not being able to experience the American dream is deep rooted in those brainwashing lyrics that we grew up not only listening to but actually studying at times. I see this same misery on the faces of Black men all across the country. The sad part about this understanding, is the fact that most Black men do not know that their misery and unhappiness and failures in life come from being brainwashed by thug culture in their early teens. I can pull to a red light any day, and see a fifty year old man bobbing his head forward and backwards to the lyrics of a rap artist whose probably not even twenty five years old. However, there are older rappers who are still making this brainwashing music that destroys the lives of countless young Black boys and men. In fact, there is a rapper the same exact age as myself that is still making demonic brainwashing music today. Torrance Ivy Hatch Jr., known as Lil Boosie is still making music today that is disturbing and will perpetuate the thinking process of young Black boys that leads them to a life of crime and incarceration while he will be living lavish in a multi-million dollar mansion outside of Atlanta, Georgia. After being released from prison about five to ten years ago, Lil Boosie has reentered mainstream hip hop culture as if he never left. Thanks to social media, Lil Boosie terrorizes the internet daily with his ignorant thuggish antics and rants. He promotes and glorifies marijuana use, violence, sex, homicide, and death daily to young Black boys, men, women, and girls. Recently, Lil Boosie was shot after attending a rapper’s funeral by the name of MO3 in Dallas, Texas. After being shot in the leg, Lil Boosie did not use this as an opportunity to promote the eradication of violence. However, the rapper known for allegedly having people killed in his hometown Baton Rouge, Louisiana, promoted a “Stick Challenge” on his social media platform. What is a stick? I never knew what a stick was until one of my college classmates who was brainwashed by thug culture introduced this lingo to me. A stick is a machine gun. The challenge that Lil Boosie is promoting and pushing basically challenges Black men to ride in their cars with their “sticks” while video taping themselves with the gun in the car. This is the same individual that was recently interviewed by VLAD on YouTube. During this interview Lil Boosie insinuated that rappers need to be more vigilant when performing and attending night clubs. He even went as far as to pretend to have a caring heart for the deaths of recently murdered rappers including MO3. After hearing about the shooting of Lil Boosie, I thought Lil Boosie would gradually understand the importance of speaking out against the gun violence and gang violence. Instead, Lil Boosie started performing his demonic, violent, and misogynistic music in a wheelchair. This illuminates a clear depiction of how powerful the brainwashing of thug culture is on the minds of Black men and Boys. Yes, we understand that Lil Boosie wants to continue to make money while being injured. However, this also shows how powerful the brainwashing from rap music and thug culture is to the actual rappers as well. The brainwashing of rap music is so detrimental to the thinking process of young Black men Lil Boosie’s followers will participate in the “Stick Challenge”. Is Lil Boosie being ordered to do this by elite White Supremacist who are aiming to decrease the population of African Americans as a whole? How does one go from talking about how sad the killing of King Von was to promoting a “Stick Challenge” on social media? There is actually a reward going to the individual with the most gangster “Stick Challenge” video. What does “most gangster” mean? “Most gangster” can be described in this sense as an individual who can present the most volatile, dangerous and scary video. Sadly, in Black America, the music that our kids grow up listening to is actually terrifying and scary. Music is suppose to bring about a pleasant feeling and maybe even a happy feeling. However, most the music that Blacks listen to is actually scary and frightening. I remember seeing myself dancing to and singing music that essentially was demonic. Why would any human being want to dance to and sing songs where the singer or rapper is glorifying murder, drugs, and life destruction? This is how I know that Blacks have been terribly brainwashed by Thug Culture. Not just the men, our women are brainwashed by this demonic music that puts us basically into a lifetime spell of zombie like behaviors and thoughts. Who wants to live like that? Sadly, young Black boys and even Black men love this spell. It’s as if it’s a way of life to idolize and promote. After discovering the secret meeting that took place regarding rap labels and the prison industrial complex, I think Lil Boosie has been chosen by elites in the rap industry to promote this challenge during an epidemic of Black rappers murdering each other. Drill music is evolving in Chicago. What is “ Dril Music”? Drill music is a Chicago style of rap music that describes the murders of individuals who have been recently shot and killed are laying in a morgue in downtown Chicago. Not only describing the murders but bragging and celebrating the deaths of young Black boys who were gang rivals. If Drill Music does not illuminate and provide evidence of a severe brainwashing of young Black boys and men in the Black community I do not know what will. In fact, Lil Boosie himself contended in his interview that bragging about the the killing of a rival gang member via rap music and social media is ridiculous. Then he goes on to promote a “Stick Challenge”. This let’s me know that rap music is like the warm-ups before and a professional athletic event. It’s like the rap music is the preparation and warm up to murder. In fact, young Black boys who have been brainwashed listen to this music before carrying out a murder. We have been brainwashed though rap music so terribly that we are now making music bragging and celebrating the murders of Black men and Boys on social media. The natives of Chicago have become immune to murder and loosing sons. I do not want to experience that level of misery and agony as I have a young Black baby boy laying in the womb of a young Black woman. In 2020, over ten rappers have died to the hands of gun violence and it’s actually becoming as normal as breathing in oxygen or consuming H2O. MO3 and FBG Duck were actually gunned down in the middle of the street in broad day light. Additionally, a Chicago rapper by the name of King Von was gunned down outside of a nightclub approximately two months ago. These killings are the end result of rap beefs, fueds, and verbal altercation that actually take place within the realm of social media. FBG Duck was actually from the home of what is known as the “Windy City”. Southside Chicago. Southside Chicago is a place that is being referred to as a war zone. This war zone is so deadly that Spike Lee directed a movie recently titled “Chiraq”. “Get it, Chiraq? Iraq? Yes, young Black men are killing each other at an alarming rate that has led to U.S. citizens referring to what was known as “The Windy City” now being referred to as Iraq AND LIL BOOSIE’S NEW”STICK CHALLENGE” WILL SIMPLY JUST PERPETUATE THE KILLINGS AND INSPIRE YOUNG BLACK BOYS AND MEN TO KEEP KILLING EACH OTHER.

BLACK ON BLACK HATE IN THE MIDDLE OF A RACE WAR BY: REGINALD MATHES, MPA

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Despite the racial tension we are seeing in America today, I still see the poison in the eyes of other Black men among each other. The same poison I see in the eyes of Black men among each other, I see in the eyes of Black women among Black men between one another. In fact, as a new Youtuber I’ve discovered that we’re the only race of people who are discussing Black relationship issues on a daily basis on podcast all around the web. I’ve never seen a group of White women or Asian sitting around discussing their disdain for their men publicly. As America is in a race war, Blacks still seem to hate one another just as much as always or more. White supremacy and systematic racism has riddled Blacks in a state of misery and disdain for each other that cannot be cured.

In these trying times that we are living in as American citizens, one would think that Blacks will unite and start to love each other more than we ever have. However, that is not the case as a Black man is almost killed daily by another Black man nationwide. Can you imagine being a Black man in America? Our women hate us, racist whites hate us, and our very own brothers hate us as well. Additionally, not only are we the only race of people that are having daily discussions via cyberspace regarding Black female and male love for one another. I’ve also discovered that we’re the only race of people that use social media as a platform to discuss how and why our socioeconomic status is either better or worse than one another. We’re the only race of people that discuss daily on social media platforms the need to turn our backs on childhood friends and family members. “Hate” and “Broke” are two words that Blacks love to use continually and nonstop.

“He’s broke”, “They hatin” are common sayings that I see daily on social media platforms among Black women and men. Someone is always supposedly hating on them and the material things they may own. Or someone is always discussing how another Black person doesn’t have any money or not as much as the accuser. This is essentially the Black sector of social media in the middle of the so-called revolution. Even in the the middle of our so-called revolution, we are still at each other’s throats and of course murdering each other nightly. Last year, I was a Special Education Teacher at a Predominately Black Middle School in Ft. Meade, Maryland. It was not my White students or my foreign students looking to ruin my career, it was the students who had the same color as mine. My White students even went as far as to give me Christmas gifts. Do you think I received one Christmas gift from a Black student? Why, hell no.

Imagine being on a job and having to deal with racism from White Colleagues and Black hate from Black Colleagues. I do not know if the hate among Blacks for one another is a Northeastern regional thing. But it’s obviously not, if 400 Blacks are murdering each other annually in Chicago. I remember my first day of work as a Special Education Teacher. I remember walking to my car and seeing two of my Black colleagues just staring at me as if they hated me. Again, it was the first day of school. We did not even know each other. In fact, the female would later enter my classroom bashing her boyfriend who was standing beside her as they stared at me as I walked to my car. Thankfully Neely Fuller Jr, has assisted me with understanding the hate we have for one another and where it comes from. I started out writing these blogs about White Supremacy. Now, I understand what White Supremacy as truly done to the Black race. In the middle of a race war we still hate each other.