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Life is cyclical. As the cliche goes, “what goes around, comes around.” And yet we continue to have a linear view of it which can be a problem, especially when considering the idea of ‘value based on proximity’ to power, or coolness, or influence, etc. I have had fancy job titles before, where people want to get close because there was a perceived value from that. And I have been outside the inner circle and seen people flock to however has taken up the mantel. It can be a shortsighted approach to life and relationships. There is also a comfort in being away from the centre of the madding crowd. The games that we play can be tiresome. Anyway, this week’s seven things that resonated with me.

1

DELROY LINDO IS A LEGEND. That’s it. That’s the whole tweet. by Miles Marshall Lewis does true justice to the legend that is Delroy Lindo whose last project was the Spike Lee film, Da 5 Bloods on Netflix.

Photo By Nashormeh Lindo (as directed by Mark Liebowitz).

2

From the first time I heard Outkast’s Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik I became a fan, not just of theirs but of Organized Noize and everyone else who came out of the Dungeon Family, like Goodie Mob. There’s a dope documentary on them that came out on Netflix.

Micro-Chop also tweeted out a thread of articles on Outkast which includes Organized Noize: Odds and Sods from the Atlanta Production Giants.

3

I try to make it a habit to reread Binyavanga Wainaina’s How To Write About Africa in the hope that the narrative would have changed in how the continent is perceived. Still waiting.

4

__nitch

John Lewis // "Study the path of others to make your way easier and more abundant. Lean toward the whispers of your own heart, discover the universal truth, and follow its dictates... Release the need to hate, to harbor division, and the enticement of revenge. Release all bitterness. Hold only love, only peace in your heart, knowing that the battle of good to overcome evil is already won. Choose confrontation wisely, but when it is your time don't be afraid to stand up, speak up, and speak out against injustice. And if you follow your truth down the road to peace and the affirmation of love, if you shine like a beacon for all to see, then the poetry of all the great dreamers and philosophers is yours to manifest in a nation, a world community, and a beloved community that is finally at peace with itself."

July 18, 2020

5

With all the live deejays sets and mixes online since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, some of us hadn’t forgotten about the most important one: The DJ Jazzy Jeff + MICK Summertime mix. And the pair did not disappoint with Summertime 2020, officially the 11th edition. Rumour has it Vol. 10 was supposed to be the last one.

6

Seth Godin is prolific when it comes to his blog, publishing and everything else that he lays his hands on. I subscribe to his daily blog posts and, more often than not, what he expresses resonates, like Money costs Money. I have had to learn, over the years, the opportunity cost of doing things. It isn’t always about money and is often about time. Time focused on one thing takes time away from something else.

7

With the relaxing of lockdown rules across the world, I have been using the time as an opportunity to spend more time on my motorcycle, beyond riding between meetings. And remembering the beauty of solitude that comes from riding. I have never been one for joining a motorcycle club or only riding with a crew. I find myself going further each time in an attempt to hold onto the feeling, and then trying to bring that calmness - yeah, I know that sounds strange - back into my day-to-day. When I first got a motorcycle, thee question I was often asked was whether I had a death wish. I wrote a little something then: I don’t have a death wish.

That’s it for this week. Please do share if you’re enjoying the newsletter. And please comment if you have any thoughts. Also, if there’s anything that you have come across that might be interesting for me, and this newsletter, send them my way.

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Kojo

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