The highly anticipated, rightly controversial book, Overstanding™: a comprehensive look at Gangsta Rap its subgenres and their effect on our generations. This book will show you how major corporations are manipulating us through music, media, and entertainment for their own financial gain and purposes AND how we can regain our power and take back our families...
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reviews of Overstanding™
"Wow I'm blown away at the knowledge in just the sample of this book,it's an eye opener! Thank you for being brave enough to expose these truths that are hidden but also right before our very eyes, all the while helping us better protect our families and friends! Thank you, I look forward to ordering this book and learning so much more" Sherie H.
excerpts
In an apparent interview in the Philadelphia city paper, Schoolly D brings us into his world 30 years prior when he was on the brink of throwing in the towel on his fledgling rap career. He was discouraged, and decided to quit, before being inspired by some buddies from around his way. After a few pep talks, young Jesse decided to roll him some bud and give it a shot at ‘3 ‘n the mornin’, at his mom’s dining room table!
Talk about gangsta. Even when I was young and wild, drinking my liquor, and smoking my weed, I sure wasn’t doing it at my mama table. LOL. Schoolly admits that he wrote the song under the influence of plenty of ganja, and then recorded the song under the influence of much more ganja, in a studio which was intended to record classical music, and not funky hip hop or rap. After recording the song, extremely high, and listening to it on the following day, he noticed that there was a mistake, there was entirely too much reverb on this track. Young Schoolly wanted to change it, however, unbeknownst to him, his partners had already distributed numerous copies, and the people loved the “mistake”! This mistake would go on to change the world of music, forever. "PSK, What does it Mean?" would start a chain reaction that has since circled the globe.
As was previously stated, Ice T was influenced by the West Philly jam, which prompted him to switch his flow. This change up in delivery was heard in the opening lines of "6 'N the Mornin'" This same song by Ice T went on to influence other gangsta rappers of my generation, including "Mr. Ice Cream Man" himself, Percy "Master P" Miller, as well as the late Ricky "Lord Infamous" Dunigan of Memphis TN's Three 6 Mafia.
Master P basically "borrowed" the whole 1st verse of Ice T's gangsta classic in his rendition titled "6 'N Tha Mornin'". I didn't hear Master P's version until I was working on this project, so I wasn't even aware that he used his whole verse, minus a few word changes. Lord Infamous had a track on the 1997 release of Ch.2 World Domination by Three 6 Mafia titled "3-6 In the Morning".
Talk about gangsta. Even when I was young and wild, drinking my liquor, and smoking my weed, I sure wasn’t doing it at my mama table. LOL. Schoolly admits that he wrote the song under the influence of plenty of ganja, and then recorded the song under the influence of much more ganja, in a studio which was intended to record classical music, and not funky hip hop or rap. After recording the song, extremely high, and listening to it on the following day, he noticed that there was a mistake, there was entirely too much reverb on this track. Young Schoolly wanted to change it, however, unbeknownst to him, his partners had already distributed numerous copies, and the people loved the “mistake”! This mistake would go on to change the world of music, forever. "PSK, What does it Mean?" would start a chain reaction that has since circled the globe.
As was previously stated, Ice T was influenced by the West Philly jam, which prompted him to switch his flow. This change up in delivery was heard in the opening lines of "6 'N the Mornin'" This same song by Ice T went on to influence other gangsta rappers of my generation, including "Mr. Ice Cream Man" himself, Percy "Master P" Miller, as well as the late Ricky "Lord Infamous" Dunigan of Memphis TN's Three 6 Mafia.
Master P basically "borrowed" the whole 1st verse of Ice T's gangsta classic in his rendition titled "6 'N Tha Mornin'". I didn't hear Master P's version until I was working on this project, so I wasn't even aware that he used his whole verse, minus a few word changes. Lord Infamous had a track on the 1997 release of Ch.2 World Domination by Three 6 Mafia titled "3-6 In the Morning".
So Schoolly D's hit song was a catalyst to the gangsta music explosion.
It was an explosion indeed. Along with BDP, South Bronx's Boogie Down Productions, and the release of their gangsta album, Criminal Minded, it wouldn't be long until Compton's own N.W.A picked up and ran with, the gangsta rap torch. From this point on, gangsta rap would be idolized, glamourized, and from here on out, even "commercialized." Hang on to that word, "commercialized," because it is vitally important.
"N*ggaz Wit Attitudes" would go on to cement themselves into the hearts and minds of millions of people, globally. Coined "The World's Most Dangerous Group," Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, DJ Yella, MC Ren, and then producer, Arabian Prince, would create a whirlwind that would change multitudes of lives to come. The group dropped their debut studio album, Straight Outta Compton, when I was just three years old, at a peak time of the crack epidemic.
Crack Cocaine was spreading throughout the United States similar to a weaponized virus. In my opinion, the Crack explosion was a strategically planned instrument of producing vast amounts of money for the people behind the scenes, but it was also an instrument of planned, chaotic destruction. Although crack also affected middle-class white people, it was a targeted strike upon the "hoods" of America.
There was a recession going on in the early ‘80s, and apparently, people were suffering financially. One of the primary “victims” of financial circumstances were young black youth, especially males. Unemployment was tough to deal with, and people have needs.
Now I know that because of my faith, I have morals and standards that I must uphold, and live out, I also know that people like to think of themselves as stand up citizens; however, what I will say is that I know that it must have been tough to justify not making a “business transaction” to a “paying customer” when you have bills due, your family is suffering under the pressures of poverty, you have an opportunity to “come up” and unquestionably, as is always somebody’s excuse, everybody’s doing it.
Such was the case back in the early to mid-80’s among young Blacks and Hispanics. When an individual can earn more money in one single day than both of their parents combined in a week, even a month at times, put food on the table, dress their entire family as well as themselves in quality clothing, keep the lights on, and even own a good quality automobile, it’s difficult to say no to the source of income.
No one likes poverty, no one, and poverty is without a doubt, an extreme motivator. It just so happens that cocaine, which was a popular drug in the 70’s and on into the 80’s, was now available in a cheaper, readily ‘smokeable’ convenient form, and everybody wanted it. Because of its new arrival, the horrifying effects of addiction were unknown for a while. However, the downward spiral was soon to follow.
So, let’s do a little math here. We have a nationwide recession causing hard times, plus the weight of real poverty in specific areas. There's also a new drug available which is incredibly addictive, extraordinarily profitable and ‘contagious.’ Not to mention a new form of music filled with the passionate lyrics of inner-city young people that are experiencing the woes of injustice, poverty, crime, etc.
Add to that, passionate ‘street narratives’ being widely distributed throughout the nation, fueling and influencing even more listeners. The release of a cult classic film known as Scarface showing a Cuban immigrant rising to the top of the social ladder via cocaine and mayhem was just perfect.
And of course, dollar signs in the eyes of executives in multiple industries, especially the entertainment industry. If we were to add all of this up, we would see that the total of this equation = Absolute Destruction! Period. The unfortunate thing about this formula is that it is REAL. This is what has taken place in America, and has played a part in the destructive process of America, morally, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, even physically, and especially in specific areas and among certain nationalities.
It was an explosion indeed. Along with BDP, South Bronx's Boogie Down Productions, and the release of their gangsta album, Criminal Minded, it wouldn't be long until Compton's own N.W.A picked up and ran with, the gangsta rap torch. From this point on, gangsta rap would be idolized, glamourized, and from here on out, even "commercialized." Hang on to that word, "commercialized," because it is vitally important.
"N*ggaz Wit Attitudes" would go on to cement themselves into the hearts and minds of millions of people, globally. Coined "The World's Most Dangerous Group," Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, DJ Yella, MC Ren, and then producer, Arabian Prince, would create a whirlwind that would change multitudes of lives to come. The group dropped their debut studio album, Straight Outta Compton, when I was just three years old, at a peak time of the crack epidemic.
Crack Cocaine was spreading throughout the United States similar to a weaponized virus. In my opinion, the Crack explosion was a strategically planned instrument of producing vast amounts of money for the people behind the scenes, but it was also an instrument of planned, chaotic destruction. Although crack also affected middle-class white people, it was a targeted strike upon the "hoods" of America.
There was a recession going on in the early ‘80s, and apparently, people were suffering financially. One of the primary “victims” of financial circumstances were young black youth, especially males. Unemployment was tough to deal with, and people have needs.
Now I know that because of my faith, I have morals and standards that I must uphold, and live out, I also know that people like to think of themselves as stand up citizens; however, what I will say is that I know that it must have been tough to justify not making a “business transaction” to a “paying customer” when you have bills due, your family is suffering under the pressures of poverty, you have an opportunity to “come up” and unquestionably, as is always somebody’s excuse, everybody’s doing it.
Such was the case back in the early to mid-80’s among young Blacks and Hispanics. When an individual can earn more money in one single day than both of their parents combined in a week, even a month at times, put food on the table, dress their entire family as well as themselves in quality clothing, keep the lights on, and even own a good quality automobile, it’s difficult to say no to the source of income.
No one likes poverty, no one, and poverty is without a doubt, an extreme motivator. It just so happens that cocaine, which was a popular drug in the 70’s and on into the 80’s, was now available in a cheaper, readily ‘smokeable’ convenient form, and everybody wanted it. Because of its new arrival, the horrifying effects of addiction were unknown for a while. However, the downward spiral was soon to follow.
So, let’s do a little math here. We have a nationwide recession causing hard times, plus the weight of real poverty in specific areas. There's also a new drug available which is incredibly addictive, extraordinarily profitable and ‘contagious.’ Not to mention a new form of music filled with the passionate lyrics of inner-city young people that are experiencing the woes of injustice, poverty, crime, etc.
Add to that, passionate ‘street narratives’ being widely distributed throughout the nation, fueling and influencing even more listeners. The release of a cult classic film known as Scarface showing a Cuban immigrant rising to the top of the social ladder via cocaine and mayhem was just perfect.
And of course, dollar signs in the eyes of executives in multiple industries, especially the entertainment industry. If we were to add all of this up, we would see that the total of this equation = Absolute Destruction! Period. The unfortunate thing about this formula is that it is REAL. This is what has taken place in America, and has played a part in the destructive process of America, morally, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, even physically, and especially in specific areas and among certain nationalities.
