Life is hard ain't it!

What was it about adulthood that we so longed for as teenagers? Eye mean - besides the confident air that we perceived as freedom and the swagger that we assumed came from not having anybody tell us what to do? Knowing now that the staggered stride does not develop out of the freedom to make one's own decisions, but due to injury associated in doing so, eye sometimes find myself wondering what all the rush was about. My grandfather says eye was but a few months grown when it occurred to me that this was not going to be all that it appeared in my juvenile state. He recalls that from 16 thru 18 my main goal was to become legal. Just months following legal - and one day after getting my first car - being grown had already become a burden. Eye came to know firsthand that -

1. the po-pos=business
2. credit=bondage
3. love=heartache

(The love calculator is the jizz!)

For those of you who tend to correct the lowercase in lee - as in Oriana lee - DON'T!. lee is not my surname. It is my second name. My middle name. Eye NEVER capitalize it so that it does not appear to be my last name, but that is obviously not a good strategy because people usually capitalize lee thinking that eye made a mistake with my own name (except my potner Mickey Hess. Eye appreciate your attention to detail, sir). Oriana lee has been exclusive since 1996. Of course back when eye was in college and even now when dealing within the system, lee gets overshadowed by Farrell. It's all good though...word to Johnny from Compton!!!

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A Hiphop lifestyle is a very involved style of living. Participation is one of the key sub-elements of the sub-culture. As my every waking moment revolves around the principles, the rules & the duties stand at every moment. Lately, eye have been in the trenches, therefore explaining my laxidasical correspondence. The freight derailed this weekend & it has taken a few days to slap a fresh, new burner on it, so that it could get back on track. After pulling an all-nighter, we are indeed back on track -FINALLY!!!

Thanks for visiting again! Thanks for hanging in there with me during this transition!

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Ain't no slippin' goin' on...

Sorry for the lapse in local muse. This has been an incredibly busy week. BEGBORROWSTEEL dropped on Tuesday. You can only imagine the kinetics that surround such a project. This release afforded me the opportunity to work as Executive Producer. That means that besides making the music itself, facilitating every aspect of the record is my responsibility.

Hold on...

O.K. Had to run to get the morning nourishment in place for the kiddies. It's amazing how we go out of our way to break their fast, but most of us who parent hardly take the time to do the same. We begin our days with a sip of this or that; a nibble of this or that. This or that is not worth mentioning because we are all aware of those toxins, to which eye do not want to lend any more endorsement. Somebody around here smells like they have just passed his/her breakfast through. Phew!!! Gotta jet out again...be back soon.

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THE CONTENDER

Sugar Ray Leonard has flawlessly maintained his good looks over the past 20 something years. Back in his heyday Leonard was the best looking fighter in the ring. He was considered to be so fine that when eye learned that he had a son, Ray, Jr. - about my same age, my future plans for marriage included him. Of course, it was unclear to me then how eye would ever gain access; never did it seem uncertain that access would not be granted. It is amazing to have actually ended up with careers in an industry that actually affords me contact with just about anyone in the field of entertainment.

Much like the contender, this ten-year fight for respect and acknowledgement is finally paying off. At the turn of the century, we kick-started our professional pursuits – writing, educating, & music business. In 2005 we are nearing the top of the hill in two of those areas. Yo! In 2005 we are taking risks & we are taking over. Belie’ dat!!!

Sometimes when my mind runs back to Hiphop circa ’94 it generates nostalgia similar to ’84. That’s a throwback year in my story. Below is the playlist from a videocassette on which we recorded random television footage back in 1994. Too bad it was recorded on EP.

Olee n 1984=10 years old


OLDY MOLDY VIDEO CLIPS (Partial)

“The World is Yours”
“C.R.E.A.M.”
“YO! MTV RAP featuring Craig Mack
“Krush Kill Destroy Stress”
“Flavor in Your Ear”
”No Brothers Allowed”
“Rap City” featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg & the Dogg Pound
“Afro Puffs”
“Feenin”
“Tender Love”
“Sabotage”
“The Most Beautifullest”
“Tootsie Roll”
“The Message”
VH1: Rap Rockumentary
"Can It Be So Simple"
"You Don't Know Nothin'"

...and many, many more!

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Honorable Mention: The Juice Crew is the all-around best looking crew of all time. Watch "The Symphony" video and surely you will agree.

PEACE.
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ORIANA lEE & THE MSG's

Most ghetto girls, like myself, have done a fanatic snack bid with Doritos &/or Funyons, at some point or another. Just yesterday, a craving overwhelmed me while patronizing one of the community markets in my old hood. It took resistance unbound to not give in to the nostalgia that overcame once the Funyons caught my eye. When suddenly, my taste buds reminded me of the taste aversion that haunts me after hastily feeding the munchies with any MSG tainted product.


Everytime eye [over]indulge, eye find myself going through a ritual of trying to remove the pervasive aftertaste from my tongue. No amount of brushing, rinsing, or spitting will rid the taste. Only time & patience. Remembering how frustrating this process can be, the wiser me opted for the Sun Chips brand (w/o MSG listed). Even though eye ultimately backslid and chose the Harvest Cheddar against my strict, dairy, dietary guidelines - eye ultimately found it to satisfy my overbearing craving for the nastier goodies. In my opinion, Sun Chips give Doritos a run for their duckets, and nutritionally, they are a darn "smart choice". With that said, do keep in mind that at the end of the day, Frito-Lay is still Frito-Lay. TRUST NO ONE! WORD UP!!!

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IDLE IDOL

Another season of American Idol...another testament to how wack the pool of musical talent is any more, in general. What has happened to the "Aretha's & the Anita's"? Where are the booming male voices of the present? Did something happen to change the make-up of living talent or was all of the quality talent passed over for someone who appears to most offer the complete superstar package? We know that Reuben has a great voice, but his overall marketability is nill. Luther Vandross would never made it past the auditions had he showcased in this - the video age. As one who makes a living in this industry, eye find American Idol boring & quite frankly, a total waste of time. Except for the game that Simon dishes out from time to time. It's been said that you can learn a lot from a dummy. Especially a dumb-old millionaire. Randy & Paula provide nothing more than balance to Simon's brand of constructive criticism. Randy could better serve my good brother/friend Van if he spent a little more of his newfound celebrity on guerilla management. WORD UP!!! Who do you think thought it an excellent idea for Paula Abdul to publically be responsible for judging a good voice? Is that something that she honestly knows about firsthand???

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TRACK STAR

As a youth, I was a pretty darn good athlete. Not dope, but a solid, relative GOOD. Only good because eye was never able to master hitting a ball square with a bat. Most of my achievements were in track & my top events were the 800 meters & the 400 meters (listed in order of achievement). Yes...these long, slender legs were made for more than eye candy ;-). (Eye am taking your advice Baptman...emoticons).

My first run was in the 5th grade & the memory stands out like a recent one. It was a 3k race. Pleasant feelings overwhelmed when my sneaks hit the blacktop & generated the same emotion everytime thereafter. That same feeling returns when the opportunity arises for me to be on stage where all of the eyes in the room are glued on me standing before them. There is something unmistakable about the surge of energy that consumes in those instances.

Well, here again eye find myself on the track. But this time my main public events are writing & Hiphop business. The feeling that pervades when eye face each day with the challenge to make a lasting impression on this culture is enough to excite & delight. Knowing that people see me as a winner in this here is certainly worth the figure eights that eye do on this track each & every day. A track star. "...eye know you see me shining." Industry personnell call me spicy because eye walk circles around the others.

Check the gallery for a new piece dedicated to our "why" child with the x factor, "Womantime Power".

BEDTIME BOYS!!!

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GRANNY STRENGTH

"Long As I Live" (taken from Grammy-nominated hometown-homeboy Shannon Sanders Outta Nowhere) was the catalyst for the last phone call that I placed to my Granny. For years that song has been the signature song almost exactly defined the relationship that we shared. My granny raised me when my mother was too young to know how to be a mother. It was my Granny who taught me most of what I know about life. It is the love that she fed me during the formative, nurturing years that equipped me to be the devoted mother & wife that I have become. It is her enduring strength that carried me through many a challenging situation. It is her strength that carries me on this very day. Last year, on this day [March 3rd], my Granny returned to the essence. Oh how she suffered in those final days. Peace be upon her soul!

In memory of my Granny, this day shall be recognized as Pernell Elizabeth Young Jackson Day. Soar high, Granny! The warmth of your heavenly smile provides a great comfort. I LOVE YOU GRANNY!!!



To those who have lost loved ones recently, my thoughts & prayers are with you. Please keep me in yours. I am taking the day off to meditate, so I will catch you later...

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RAP CHAT

How many people in the house tonight like some James Ingram? Let me hear you say YEA!(Someone please explain to me why so many of these classic artists do not have official websites. Are they just old?)

In Hiphop terms, James Ingram equals "Rhymes Like Dimes". Period!
If you call yourself a loyalist & you find yourself turning up your nose at DOOM, then you don't know the half. Such a scenario reminds me of this story I once heard about an MC who thought that EPMD was wack. This was in the era of "Strictly Business" not "Out of Business". Cats today may justifiably have that opinion. Who's to say? Alls eye am trying to reveal is that "best" should always rate generally across the board. DOOM does that. Across the board & on them.

Let it be known that Count continually rates, too.

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