Here we are at the brink of the most important election in my lifetime. My wife & I have PROUDLY ALREADY VOTED! I am presently in Cape Town, South Africa, where only 15 short years ago most of the population here was denied simple freedoms that many in the world take for granted. Arrested Development was here in 1994, during their time of FREEDOM when the worlds hero, Nelson Mandela was elected President of South Africa with overwhelming support! I was not only able to meet him, but I was able to speak directly before him at an address to the South African people, it was proudly one of the most important times in my life!
Today in America, racism is being woven (once again) into the fabric of our thoughts, and whites & blacks are having to unleash their deep hidden fears, anxieties and dreams as they make a decision on a possible first Black president of the racially unjust United States. This is an exciting opportunity to live out the dream of America and a great time to be alive. (I love this following video)God knows the outcome of this election already, that comforts me. I also know that ultimately (in the end) God's will has to be done in this world and that also comforts me, as a God "fearing" and God loving man.
Being here in Africa today, and having communed with the black & white Africans, Indian and colored people at our two shows (in the last two days), it has been amazing and refreshing! I, being almost 40 years old, have seen things that I had never seen before. Simple things like, a commercial about a clothes detergent having an all black cast. A black soap opera, that is not based on "black" issues. I'm in a place where I can finally see the possibility of blacks being seen as humans, not "black" at all. And I am filled with a mix of joy and sadness. Joy that I can finally see the possibilities of a world not seeing me as black! Sadness because it took 39 years and a trip all the way to South Africa for me to see it that way. At our show last night in Cape Town, I saw an African wearing an Obama T-shirt! It's amazing to see the overwhelming interest and support for our elections. It reminds me of the huge role we play in the entire world!
As we toured, first to London, now in Africa and God willing next to the middle East (Dubai, Bahrain & Abu Dabui); my wife & 2 kids are in tow, seeing Muslims, Arabs, Blacks, Jews, Whites, and Indians as people, not terrorists, or all the other stereotypes that Americans have been indoctrinated to see. They see humans, families, children of God and I thank Him for this! I thank all of you fans of music for giving me the opportunity to tour, and for paying my bills. :-) Click on the title of this blog to read the review of our SOLD OUT show in London! Thank you South Africans for your love, hospitality and long talks about your future hopes, your past atrocities and love for human kind! Thank you to the many hip hop heads here that reject the imagery of U.S. mainstream hip hop and have decided to take a more life sustaining/conscious route! Today I am about to go into the townships and shanty towns, I will also go to church. I know what to expect! Many strive to put fear into us about crime and violence, but I know God is with us and we'll see exactly what He means for us to see. Anyway, we're on a world tour and in this day, this time period we are freedom riders. Seeing the vision, promoting the dream, and living with no fear!
Glad to hear about South Africa and your experience there, Speech. I had the pleasure of traveling to Kenya this summer and meeting the amazing people there...and since Obama's grandparents were Kenyan, they are pumped about this election to say the least! :)
How is my favorite people all doing??? I know you guys are on your tour,just wish all of you safe traveling... Eat good and rest well and shall see you all in 2 months.. ps: I will be flying with you guys to Tokyo this year!!! ALL THE MEDS AND THINGS ARE READY HERE!!!! love june
Wow Speech -- thank you for posting this; it is such an inspiration to me on this sunny Sunday morning in Ithaca, NY. Thanks for sharing your journey across the globe with us and your perspective on what's going on globally and in America. The upcoming election here in the states is going to be historic. God willing we will have Barack Obama for President. I pray too that we will soon be able to all live as humans in peace without the plague of racism tearing us apart for another four or five centuries. We as a people have a lot of healing to do -- and whites have a lot of learning to do. This election is hopefully going to bring us as a country to a deeper understanding of our racial history and point us in a new and better direction. Enjoy your travels! One Love, Liz
Speech well said....Keep Barack in your prayers and good luck to you and your family on the tour. i hope to see you in LA. I may be in ATL for Thanksgiving and if you are home, i will definately call you. Engrid
Hey Speech, I just wanted to say that the gig at the Jazz Cafe was excellent! Your lyrics are helping me to help my younger brother. For real! He is involved with some bad people. Only last week a friend of his was murdered for something he did to someone else. I don't know???? They know who did it and my brother is talking about taking care of it. What???? He actually told me this on the way up to London, on the way to the AD gig. So you see, this is only a small snap shot of his mentality and chosen life style. Some of the stuff he tells me scares the hell out of me. Whenever I confront him over anything he says it's a black thing. I wouldn't understand. As you can see I'm not black, but I was raised for 14 years by an African American. He made mistakes in his life and is now regretting those mistakes. I still keep in contact with him..he is my one and only father, he gave me so many qualities, I even learned valuable lessons from his mistakes. He was gone by the time my two brothers were really young, so I became the man of the house at 14. I always taught them to be proud of their fathers black heritage, always in a positive way and never negative. I saw it as a way for them to step over the racism they came into contact with. Anyway, he loved your gig, and your lyrics are getting through to him. I can't thank you enough man...You could save my family and especially my mother from a lot of heartache here. Thanks Speech, sorry if I went on a bit here. But I thought you should know what your positive attitude achieves. If only the world had the same mentality of us that are so few. Bless you, Paul PS: I hope the tour is going well.
Lead vocalist of (two time Grammy Award winners Arrested Development). He also records solo projects. Speech owns a boutique label called "Vagabond Records & Tapes out of beautiful Fayetteville Ga. He is a proud father of two, a committed and happy husband of one (Yolanda) :-) AND last but not least, he helps lead a vibrant arts ministry called The Greater Atlanta Church of Christ (GACC). Speech LOVEs what he does, and is passionate about LIFE and MUSIC!
Here we are at the brink of the most important election in my lifetime. My wife & I have PROUDLY ALREADY VOTED! I am presently in Cape Town, South Africa, where only 15 short years ago most of the population here was denied simple freedoms that many in the world take for granted. Arrested Development was here in 1994, during their time of FREEDOM when the worlds hero, Nelson Mandela was elected President of South Africa with overwhelming support! I was not only able to meet him, but I was able to speak directly before him at an address to the South African people, it was proudly one of the most important times in my life!
Today in America, racism is being woven (once again) into the fabric of our thoughts, and whites & blacks are having to unleash their deep hidden fears, anxieties and dreams as they make a decision on a possible first Black president of the racially unjust United States. This is an exciting opportunity to live out the dream of America and a great time to be alive. (I love this following video)
God knows the outcome of this election already, that comforts me. I also know that ultimately (in the end) God's will has to be done in this world and that also comforts me, as a God "fearing" and God loving man.
Being here in Africa today, and having communed with the black & white Africans, Indian and colored people at our two shows (in the last two days), it has been amazing and refreshing! I, being almost 40 years old, have seen things that I had never seen before. Simple things like, a commercial about a clothes detergent having an all black cast. A black soap opera, that is not based on "black" issues. I'm in a place where I can finally see the possibility of blacks being seen as humans, not "black" at all. 
And I am filled with a mix of joy and sadness. Joy that I can finally see the possibilities of a world not seeing me as black! Sadness because it took 39 years and a trip all the way to South Africa for me to see it that way. At our show last night in Cape Town, I saw an African wearing an Obama T-shirt! It's amazing to see the overwhelming interest and support for our elections. It reminds me of the huge role we play in the entire world!
As we toured, first to London, now in Africa and God willing next to the middle East (Dubai, Bahrain & Abu Dabui); my wife & 2 kids are in tow, seeing Muslims, Arabs, Blacks, Jews, Whites, and Indians as people, not terrorists, or all the other stereotypes that Americans have been indoctrinated to see. They see humans, families, children of God and I thank Him for this! I thank all of you fans of music for giving me the opportunity to tour, and for paying my bills. :-) Click on the title of this blog to read the review of our SOLD OUT show in London! 
Thank you South Africans for your love, hospitality and long talks about your future hopes, your past atrocities and love for human kind! Thank you to the many hip hop heads here that reject the imagery of U.S. mainstream hip hop and have decided to take a more life sustaining/conscious route! Today I am about to go into the townships and shanty towns, I will also go to church. I know what to expect! Many strive to put fear into us about crime and violence, but I know God is with us and we'll see exactly what He means for us to see. Anyway, we're on a world tour and in this day, this time period we are freedom riders. Seeing the vision, promoting the dream, and living with no fear!
11 comments:
Glad to hear about South Africa and your experience there, Speech. I had the pleasure of traveling to Kenya this summer and meeting the amazing people there...and since Obama's grandparents were Kenyan, they are pumped about this election to say the least! :)
Be blessed and travel safe,
JMS
Give thanks for the upful words my brother!
Continue to walk in the gospel of GOD's perfect peace and love!
You are a blessed brother.
Shalom.
Brimstone
P.A.T.H.
How is my favorite people all doing??? I know you guys are on your tour,just wish all of you safe traveling...
Eat good and rest well and shall see you all in 2 months..
ps: I will be flying with you guys to Tokyo this year!!!
ALL THE MEDS AND THINGS ARE READY HERE!!!! love june
VERY WELL SAID! Beautiful! Tara
Great Positive news thanks for keeping it REAL
Wow Speech -- thank you for posting this; it is such an inspiration to me on this sunny Sunday morning in Ithaca, NY. Thanks for sharing your journey across the globe with us and your perspective on what's going on globally and in America. The upcoming election here in the states is going to be historic. God willing we will have Barack Obama for President. I pray too that we will soon be able to all live as humans in peace without the plague of racism tearing us apart for another four or five centuries. We as a people have a lot of healing to do -- and whites have a lot of learning to do. This election is hopefully going to bring us as a country to a deeper understanding of our racial history and point us in a new and better direction. Enjoy your travels! One Love, Liz
Speech well said....Keep Barack in your prayers and good luck to you and your family on the tour. i hope to see you in LA. I may be in ATL for Thanksgiving and if you are home, i will definately call you.
Engrid
Thank you so much for sharing Speech! Awesome post! Cant wait to see you in Tokyo December 31st!
Thank you for shari ng! I look forwa rd to AD retur ning to Phill y. Make it happe n! Alan
Awesome blog bro! And what a day it was spending time with the children in the Townships of Capetown. Something I will never forget.
peace
jj
Hey Speech, I just wanted to say that the gig at the Jazz Cafe was excellent! Your lyrics are helping me to help my younger brother. For real!
He is involved with some bad people. Only last week a friend of his was murdered for something he did to someone else. I don't know????
They know who did it and my brother is talking about taking care of it. What????
He actually told me this on the way up to London, on the way to the AD gig. So you see, this is only a small snap shot of his mentality and chosen life style.
Some of the stuff he tells me scares the hell out of me.
Whenever I confront him over anything he says it's a black thing. I wouldn't understand. As you can see I'm not black, but I was raised for 14 years by an African American. He made mistakes in his life and is now regretting those mistakes. I still keep in contact with him..he is my one and only father, he gave me so many qualities, I even learned valuable lessons from his mistakes.
He was gone by the time my two brothers were really young, so I became the man of the house at 14. I always taught them to be proud of their fathers black heritage, always in a positive way and never negative. I saw it as a way for them to step over the racism they came into contact with.
Anyway, he loved your gig, and your lyrics are getting through to him. I can't thank you enough man...You could save my family and especially my mother from a lot of heartache here.
Thanks Speech, sorry if I went on a bit here. But I thought you should know what your positive attitude achieves. If only the world had the same mentality of us that are so few.
Bless you,
Paul
PS: I hope the tour is going well.
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