"Brooklyn's Finest"

"They still hatin' bruh but hate is the silent motivator!"

As much as we think things have changed in this country the more they remain the same.  African-Americans have been able to go to college at alarming rates and hold significant corporate and political offices over the recent years. Barack Obama was even elected the 44th President of the United States in the fall of 2008.  On the surface we've made significant strides in this country. If you didn't know any better you would think that race relations were on the rise to make this a better USA. Our kids are going to school together and understanding each others cultures like never before. 

They listen to the same music and wear the same clothes! It's great to see what Martin Luther King Jr. dreamed of in 1963 at the March on Washington finally start to come true! Then all of a sudden somebody runs into the room with a needle, bursts the bubble and the dream starts to turn it into a nightmare. New York Post columnist Phil Mushnick in his "Equal Time" column, recently made some racists remarks about the Brooklyn Nets for their association with rapper and minority owner Jay-Z. This guy jumped all in with this one bruh!  Check out what he wrote:

"As long as the Nets are allowing Jay-Z to call their marketing shots—what a shock that he chose black and white as the new team colors to stress, as the Nets explained, their new “urban” home—why not have him apply the full Jay-Z treatment? Why the Brooklyn Nets when they can be the New York N------s? The cheerleaders could be the Brooklyn B----hes or Hoes. Team logo? A 9 mm with hollow-tip shell casings strewn beneath. Wanna be Jay-Z hip? Then go all the way!"


Now what's crazy is that I'm not mad at this cat. I'm more upset that the New York Post published it. We all know that there are racist folks in the world that we can't do anything about that. The problem is when the racism is endorsed by a major company. The New York Post is one of the largest newspapers in the world bruh and this is what we get? In 2012 this is what the powers that be at the newspaper think of us. It's sad that I've got to even write about this foolishness but I promised to keep it real or all the way 100, which ever comes first! So here we go!

Where I'm from that's called more than a cat being racist that's being a straight up hater! According to the most recent Forbes list published April 18, 2012 of the wealthiest artists. Jay-Z's net worth comes to a staggering $460 million - an amount tied to the $200 million-plus sale of his Rocawear clothing line in 2007 as well as a 10-year, $150 million LiveNation deal made the following year and, oh yeah, he's nice on the mic too bruh!

Jay-Z designed the Nets new Logo

I love it when boyz hate because I was taught a long time ago that success is the best revenge! People can't look down on you or turn their noses up at you when you're ahead of them in the line. This ignorant columnist and the newspaper throws up every time "Imaginary Player" comes on the radio! I can hear Jigga now, "You beer money, I'm all year money, I'm popping, you ain't got to count it, it's all there money! I never change money 'cause brothers got strange money!" He goes on to say, "I got bail money, XXL money, You got flash now, but time will reveal money!" That drives them up a wall because he's dead serious bruh! That's my joint in case ya'll didn't know! It stays in the ride! 

See the problem isn't so much that Jay-Z is black. It's the fact that he's black and uneducated according to their standards. He never went to college or obtained a post graduate degree like they did. How dare he step into their world?  But look-a-here patna, Jay-Z has a bachelors degree in STREET HUSTLE, a masters in DISTRIBUTION and a PhD in WATCHING CORPORATE HUSTLA'S REAL CLOSE AND FIGURING OUT THE GAME! All the corporate game is, is a street hustle. Once cats figure that out they can start getting their weight up legally. 

This columnists is upset that Jay-Z is showing young urban cats that it's possible to knock down the doors of opportunity if they truly believe in the hustle. You can be legal and hustle everyday. To hustle is to figure out what you're good at and do it to the best of your ability daily. Never listen to the naysayers and always keep your blinders on bruh. You may not ever become part owner of an NBA team or become the best rapper to ever live. Oh yes I said it bruh! When they write the book on hip hop Jay-Z will land at the top of the list of lyricists! Sorry B.I.G. you just had two albums and they WERE nice but Jay-Z carried the borough bruh! I'm quite sure the Beastie Boys (RIP MCA), Big Daddy Kane, MC Lyte, Special Ed, The Fat Boys and Busta Ryhmes don't mind you holdin' Brooklyn down either.  

So if you use the gifts that God blessed you with the sky is the limit and one thing is for certain the haters will always be in line behind you! Now ya'll Brooklyn Cats better show this GI Cat some love when I come out there to see the Nets play next year bruh!  "Is Brooklyn in the house? Without a doubt!"

Holla At Ya Boy! 

Jay Graves

Follow me on Twitter: @jaygravesreport