Mamma, I Confess

I never told my mom, but I’m going to tell you. My mom would give me $3 a day (Monday through Friday) for lunch. This was during high school and food was not that expensive. Instead of using the entire $3 I would only use $1 or $2 and save the rest. When I had 15 or so dollars saved I would find a ride out to Coconuts Record Store and buy whichever music CD I needed at the time.

The fall of 1998 required I go on a short fast. You see it was on Tuesday, September 29, 1998 that two albums came out: albums that I needed way more than lunch! Brand Nubian’s comeback album, The Foundation, and A Tribe Called Quest’s The Love Movement came out that day. Leading up to that wonderful Tuesday I did my best to save up that lunch money. I needed close to $30 rather than $15. That was tough and it took me an extra day to do it. But, there I was on Wednesday, September 30th handing over my hard earned lunch money in exchange for two native tongue releases that would soon feed my soul.

Later that evening my senior high school friends invited me out to work on the homecoming float. I joyfully passed. Instead I was in my room reading every lyric of The Foundation as I listened to Sadat X, Grand Puba, and Lord Jamar sound as good as ever. Then came The Love Moment. It was a wonderful night.

This memory is etched in my brain forever. I want to help provide similar musical memories for you. Maybe you’re not going to skip lunch for any EHHL release. (you don’t have to as I only ask for $1/month). And you probably are not in a place to skip homecoming. But, you are alive and that means pain and struggle and frustration and joy are all fighting for your attention. Perhaps a little Hip-hop music can be part of the soundtrack to your life’s adventure.

Thanks for the opportunity to serve you good hip-hop.

Peace, MC Till