Hood Tips

This is a guest blog by Terrence "Gangsta" Williams, the brother of Baby Williams from Cash Money Records.

There are many people out there that will assist you in becoming successful. First thing is our appearance. Even though we like to let the pants hang low, mouth full of golds and the wrong vocabulary words rolling off of our tongues. It comes a time when we have to think, act and speak like a business man or woman... Look at Master P, when he first did the Nickolodean thing he took his golds out. Once he was finished, he replaced them. It's not all of the time we have to remove the golds and hood-look to become successful; however, if we want a certain backing it won't hurt to switch the style up.

The main thing that gets us is that we don't try to make the necessary steps to get started; like reading books and asking questions... You will be surprised and overwhelmed at the support that will follow. Be aware of the Haters on the sideline that will chant things like, "don't waste your time with that," or, "it won't work," etc. You have to believe in yourself... the things I know, only God knows how rich I could be.

When I had lots of money, I had the chance to buy a few houses but I didn't see a quick return in it. I only could envision my money slowly decreasing. You know the old slang, "scared money don't make money," or, "you have to spend it to get it." Yeah, I was once like the slangs. I wanted to hold on to it when it came to something positive but I spent it in a heartbeat when it came to foolishness. Like paying notes on a car I'll never own and still living in the projects; putting chrome rims, TV's and a nice system in, only to have it repossessed once I went to jail.

We have to put our priorities in place. Wendy Day sent me several books the other day. The first once I read is entitled"The Power of Focus" by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Les Hewitt. Once of the things that I liked was a chapter called "The Results of Your Bad Habits Usually Don't Add Up Until Much Later In Life."

There are two young black entrepreneurs that I was incarcerated with a few years ago. The both of them are successful and I'd like to take the time out to congratulate them. One's named Dwayne Cooper aka Ross The Boss. He and his wife started a Chicken Shack. They sell fried chicken, chicken wings, etc. Now I'm hungry. The other one is a guy named Kenny Rushing. I would go to his cell and the first thing I'd see was a desk halfway full of real-estate books. Me in my ignorant stage of my time used to tell him, "man, why do you have all these stupid books, you know when you get out you going to pick that work back up." That's all I knew at the time - negativity. Plus his case was real big and violent... well right now, to this date, he's a millionaire.

There are many things to start legally...
Terrance Gangsta Williams
25958-034
FCI Jesup 2680
Highway 301
South Jesup, GA 31599

Clear Vision

On a daily basis I talk to people about their goals, dreams and aspirations. It never seems to amaze me that the majority of people all yearn for the same thing. A better life. But what does amaze me is how unclear their visions actually are. Most people can actually see and feel the things that hold them back. And still they do nothing about it. Nor do they make any effort to change their situation. What most people do is complain. They complain about their jobs, their children, money, even giving a real effort. I learned that the world doesn't want a loser. It only wants and respect winners. So I tell people all the time, that in order to succeed a person must first have a winner's attitude. All winners have a clear vision. If most people made a real effort to build the habit of establishing a clear vision, the final outcome would be tremendous. It doesn't matter if you desire wealth, better relationships, knowledge or success, you can achieve it all, and more. If only you have a clear vision of what you want. If people don't believe that having a clear vision will benefit them, then check out my story, because I'm living proof that having clear vision is the key to your ultimate success. But you have to want it.

The Power of Persistence

Today, Jimmy DaSaint and I were working out on the weight pile when the word 'persistent' came up in our conversation. We both agreed that persistence is the one trait that all successful people have in common. Without persistence you will not be successful for long. Everybody goes through ups and downs in their life journey, but it's not what you go through but how you deal with it when trouble or situation arrive. It made me think back to the one time I almost gave up on everything.

The year was 1995, I had just been arrested for trying to purchase 100 kilos of cocaine from an undercover DEA Agent. On that strange bizarre day it felt like I had the whole weight of the world on my back and shoulders. One of my closest friends had betrayed me and set me up for an undercover drug sting. The worst part about the entire situation was that I had been doing a favor for a friend. What a fool I was. Once again I had separated myself away from my children. Something that I had promised them I would never do. See, it's alright to break a promise to yourself, but it's not cool at all to break a promise to your children. They never forget it.

Around that time of my life I was just ready to shut down. Life was no longer fun for me. For the first time in my life, I felt like a victim. Blaming the world for all my problems and making excuses for why I had put myself in that position - again! It was truly one of the worst moments in my life. Then one day a good friend of mine named Gordon Hall came to my cell and offered me some words of encouragement. He also had a book in his hand called "The Richest Man in Babylon." After a touching conversation with Gordon, he challenged me to read the book. I accepted his challenge and a few days later I had finished reading the entire book. I learned some very important things as I turned those pages. What put me in prison wasn't fate or destiny or chance, but my persistence to further my drug empire. From reading the book I learned that persistence can be used for good or bad. The book completely changed my life, and the way I thought and looked at situations that I faced. I turned my negative persistence to a positive persistence. At that time I was flat broke, everyone had abandoned me except my mother. Still I was persistent and determined to succeed with my life, no matter how hard the obstacles were that were placed in my path. I had no choice but to start from the bottom and work my way up. As each new day came and passed, I became more and more persistent with turning my life around. I had refused to be broken.

Now after all of these years spent in prison, my persistence has become a part of who I am. In the book "The 12 Universal of Laws of Success," it says, "persistence is to complete whatever you set out to do." I set out to win the chess game of life. With each new day, my persistence is bringing me closer to my checkmate.

DJ Vlad Sues William Roberts For $4 Million

MTV.com - According to the suit, Vlad received a text message from Ross (William Roberts) on the afternoon of the Ozone Awards that read, “N—– will learn … trillaaaa.” Vlad had interviewed Ross twice before, which is allegedly how the MC obtained Vlad’s phone number. After the DJ inquired about who the text was from, Ross allegedly responded, “Ross … I’m hearing things.”

A short time later, according to the suit, Ross called Vlad and said, “I’ve been hearing things about me on your Web site. … We gonna make a story. … We going to see each other. … We going to talk. … Where are you?” Upon learning that both men were in town for the Ozone Awards, Ross allegedly set up a time for the meeting on the second floor of the Hilton Hotel in Houston and arrived accompanied by four other people.

“Following a brief conversation between DJ Vlad and Ross in which Ross said, ‘We got beef,’ Ross’ accomplices, who had surrounded DJ Vlad while he spoke with Ross, proceeded to strike and beat DJ Vlad in Ross’ presence and without any protest on Ross’ part,” the suit says. The men then reportedly fled the scene and left Vlad laying on the ground “bleeding profusely” after one attacker shouted, “Yeah, mother—-er, that’s what you get.”

A spokesperson for Ross had no comment on the suit at press time.

Flashback: INS Agent Tells of Errors

Los Angeles Times / July 23, 2000

Launching his bid for a new trial, South-Central Los Angeles crack kingpin “Freeway” Ricky Ross put one of his own captors on the witness stand Thursday, accusing an INS agent of illegally supplying a green card to the Nicaraguan parolee who helped set him up for arrest.

Ross, whose conviction four years ago sparked an international furor over the U.S. government’s alleged role in the drug trade, contends that the Immigration and Naturalization Service sanitized the files of Oscar Danilo Blandon, allowing the trafficker-turned-informant to obtain permanent residency despite his own cocaine-related crimes.

Keep reading: http://articles.latimes.com/2000/jun/23/news/mn-44051

Guest Blogger: Willie Dutch

This is your boy Willie Dutch. I am an incarcerated author/rapper reppin da Dirty South. This is the first of many weekly blogs that I have coming your way for 2008 and beyond.

You might be saying to yourself, "why should I give a damn about what this nigga has to say?" I'll tell you why... Because I'm da Truth. And we all need a little truth in our lives right now. Especially with all the fake shit that's been going on lately.

With that said let me begin. The first issue I want to address is the hypocrisy in hip hop. This isn't more evident than in the lastest revelations about officer, ahem, I mean rapper, Rick Ross aka William Roberts. Now we know why Noriega owes him a hundred favors. LOL! But the fact that he was once a C.O. isn't as bad as his reaction has been after the truth came out. He is still denying that it was him on the damaging photos that have bee flooding the internet, even though his tax forms confirmed that it was him. To make matters worse, he recently did an interview in Don Diva in which he continued his recent streak of reckless statements. He even went as far as calling the "Real" Rick Ross a rat! How can you talk down on the very person whose identity you stole?! Or better yet, ask yourself this: If he was a C.O. in '95 and started rapping in '96, when did he have time to become this big time kingpin he portrays? The answer is that he didn't.

In my opinion all these fake rappers need to be exposed for the impostors they are.  Maybe then we can bring back REAL Hip-Hop!!

ONE!

The Rise and Fall of the Rapper and Rap Music!

I remember back in the day when rapping was all about the art. One expressing himself through lyrics. Nowadays, most rappers are only in it for the money, how much bling they can wrap around their wrists and necks, and most of them are young, confused puppets of corporate America. What's worse is that most of them know this and yet they continue as if nothing's awry. 

Over the years, the quality of good rappers and music has declined, and the rise of mediocre rappers and music has blossomed at an alarming rate. Back in the day, rappers knew who they were, what their identity was, and were willing to make a name for themselves by their lyrical talents. It was considered taboo to use someone else's name, lyrics or their identity. Back then rappers only rapped about what they'd lived, or had seen first hand.  In "the good old days" of rap, MCs would call each other out and battle with their lyrical skills. After a winner was decided by an energetic crowd, the two would shake hands and go their separate ways. But so much has changed since then. 

Rappers are killing each other, going back and forth to prison, fighting and so much more to keep up the fictional images that they're portraying. These days, most of the rappers want to be gangsters, famous drug dealers, and even pimps. Tell me, why is it so hard to just be yourself? Don't these industry puppets understand that all of the real gangsters, drug dealers, and pimps are either dead or in prison serving long bids? Most of them probably wish that they were rappers instead of spending 30 years of their life (or longer) inside federal and state prison walls. It's funny how rappers want to be the gangsters and drug dealers and the other "real" gangsters want to do something positive and legitimate. 

The last few years of rap music has been rough. The decline has reached an all time low.  CD sales are down and steadily falling. Most rappers are happy to sell 100,000 copies of their album. I remember one time when less than 500,000 copies sold would get you kicked off a label. Now the media and corporate America control the rap game. They can make or break an artist, whether he or she is good or not. It's all about packaging and marketing. Talent is no longer a requirement. Sources like BET, MTV, MySpace, and others dictate who will make it and who will fail. They (and so many others) are the puppet masters that are now in total control of the music industry. And we're buying it: hook, line, and sinker. Now, being the most talented rapper or MC, or even the best producer is no longer important. Either you play their game, by their rules, or you don't play at all. 

In order for us to fix this problem, we must first learn everything there is to know about the music business. Knowledge is the key to success! And this applies to everything in life, not just the rap game. You must be yourself and create your own name, image, and identity. No one likes or respects a fake.  Most importantly, you NEED desire. Call it ambition, mix in a little self discipline, and pretty soon you will be able to succeed. But this is no simple task. This path is filled with peril, back-stabbing, debauchery, and greed. Stay focused, keep your mind clean, and fight. These are the tools that will help you to achieve your goals. If you must focus on a specific trait, let it be discipline. In the book BUILT TO LAST it says: "Discipline is the greatest thing in the world. Where is no discipline, there is no character. And without character, there is no progress." 

Rappers and rap music have a chance, but not until we take control of our own destinies and go back to the original meanings and art form. We are giving the puppet masters the shovels to dig our own graves. 

Sincerely, 

Freeway Ricky Ross and Jimmy DaSaint 

P.S. - Rap is not dead, it's just barely hanging... on life support. 

From the Desk of Kenneth Moore (Part 3): Wealth Building

Focus on learning how to build wealth and nothing else. Do what one of the richest men is said to do, read 100 books about building wealth and dedicate 1000 hours toward becoming financially savvy. That 1000 hour investment will change the course of your life and the lives of your children.

Read every book you can about millionaires, anything you can get your hands on. One of the least expensive ways to do this is by taking advantage of the public library. It's cheap and it will give you access to an unlimited supply of material. In the beginning stages you should start by reading material that will help you to start seeing the world through the eyes of an investor/entrepreneur instead of always seeing the world through the eyes of an employee. Making that mental transition is extremely important.

"Rich Dad, Poor Dad" by Robert Kiyosaki is an excellent book to begin with. Another good book to begin with is "Build Wealth" by Russ Whitney. These books will expand your mind and point you in the right direction. Also be sure to read a few books about building and repairing credit. "How to Make Your Credit Sparkle" by Ameen Kamadia will teach you how to build credit, but for credit repair there is no book better than "The Credit Secrets Bible" by Terry Price, Consumer Education Group.

You will learn something valuable from every single book you read. After you have read these books then you can move on to the more specific 'how-to' books that get you revved up but don't give you a plan of action. You only need to read those books once in the beginning. Education is the key to get started immediately.

Kenneth Moore

Dope Man

This is a guest blog by Terrance Williams who is currently serving a life sentence of 147 years.  Terrence is the brother of Baby Williams from Cash Money Records.

Do you remember N.W.A. rap back in the day? Dope Man... Eazy E. said, "Hey Mr. Dope Man, you think you slick, you sold crack to my sister and now she's sick. And if she happens to die because of your drugs, I'm putting in your --- a .38 slug." Isn't that something? Most of us actually think like that.  We can sell much as we like but don't bring that foolishness to my family. Yeah right... 99 percent of us that sold drugs were scared of something or somebody.

I know you may be saying, "naw, I'm a 'G'. Me scared? Not happening." Okay, well what about the police? We run and hide when they come through.  Any way to get that money home. The Feds have fixed the crack situation so we think, March of this year the crack situation helped a lot of people. A lot were release and a few more are still being released. So you know theres plenty of room for you.

As I think about how I thought when I was a drug dealer, it saddens me. I felt the weak must perish and the strong can move on... Not only do we have foolish thinking patterns, we have selfish and ignorant habits.  If a person's not from the block or the hood, he can't sell or hang out there.  First, it's wrong to sell drugs, and second, the block nor the hood belong to us. How is it we will hide dope out of respect for our parents and children, but will sell it in front of other parents and children? Then we have the nerve to get mad if someone disrespects our people but yet we disrespect other people. We sell drugs in front of someone else's house, but will be ready to kill if it's done in front our families house's. 

One more thing, then you can go about...

Even though we try our best to avoid disrespecting our family and friends, don't you think we still wind up hurting them when we get caught and go to jail, or when someone shoots or kills us behind drugs? No.  One thing our parents and loved ones worry just about everyday. 

Trust me, all of the above I've been through. You have a chance to clean it up... 

Get it right and keep it right... 

Terrance "Gangsta" Williams 

Modern Day Slavery: Racism and the Drug War

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znnRONNMDMQ

Word on the Streets

The Kronikles of Freeway Ricky Ross
As told to: N. Ali Early
wordonthestreetsmag.com

In the first installment of “The Kronikles of Freeway Ricky Ross,” the former King Pin blessed us with an exclusive that was months ahead of its time. In it he discussed his plans for outreach via his website www.freewayenterprise.com, where bloggers, artists and fans are encouraged to join and contribute. He also addressed the fact that the rapper Rick Ross, whose real name is William Roberts, not only adopted his name, but attempted to copyright it!

Click here to continue reading.

Identity Theft:

Freeway Ricky Ross: Name Check

Freeway Ricky Ross: Name Check
By Alvin 'aqua' Blanco
allhiphop.com
August 1, 2008

What’s in a name? Everything.

It can be haphazardly given, a carefully contemplated nom de plume or even a wayward nickname that sticks, but eventually your name will come to represent the many facets of your being. "Freeway" Ricky Ross—the man serving out a bid in the Texarkana Federal Correctional Institution for drug trafficking—takes pride in his name. He earned the Freeway moniker when gaining his legend running a multi-million dollar cocaine ring that spanned from South Central LA to the Midwest and beyond in the 80's. Google it if you need evidence.

Click here to continue reading.