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Fredric is a web developer based in Chicago who hopes to one day start a foundation to support young, Black males in programming and computer science.

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ten things i learned from kanye west and charles barkley

September 21st, 2007 • Related • Filed Under
  1. kanye westall of the college degrees in the world won’t keep you warm in the winter if you don’t put them to good use. “look at me, i’m 52, but i got these degrees from my dad.” - kanye
  2. arrogance can be an asset if you’re self-conscious enough to admit it. i’m so self-conscious, that’s why you always see me with at least one of my watches. - kanye
  3. don’t make excuses about the outcome of a situation. if it doesn’t happen, then it didn’t happen. it’s over, you didn’t win. try again next time. i hate it when people say that “we could’ve won that game if we would have made that pass.” well, you didn’t. i wouldn’t be as fat too, if i didn’t eat so much. - charles
  4. don’t expect to win even if you play by their rules, with their ball, at their game. who else do you know to throw a tantrum like he is 8 years old. alicia keys tried to talk some sense in him. - kanye
  5. speak your mind.
  6. a champion defined by other people’s standards does not make you a champion. you have to realize you are a champion regardless. barkley is arguably one of the greatest athletes of all time, despite not having won a ring.
  7. don’t lose your ’street-ness’. keep your ear to the ground. they tell you read this, eat this, don’t look around…just, peep this, preachers…teach us, Jesus. ok, look around, they done stole your street-ness. - kanye
  8. when you make it, don’t forget your friends and pay respect to those who help you get there. track 13, graduation, kanye.
  9. charles barkleydon’t apologize for your own personal actions. being grown is just that. if you make a mistake, then cop to it and move on. i gamble millions of dollars because i can afford it. i don’t have a gambling problem. - charles
  10. black people in the united states will continually be viewed differently and with a different set of standards. katrina is still in shambles. george bush doesn’t care about black people. - kanye

Viewing 3 Comments

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    Funny how some of these contradict each other. : )

    I value Kanye ... greatly. I really have no opinion on Barkley. Maybe I'd feel differently had he brough Phoenix a championship. ; )

    Re: #1, Kanye really disappointed the status quo - specifically many of my friends - by saying pursuing an education because you're told to do so when those degrees have nothing to do with what you are supposed to do/want to do in life is unproductive. It needed to be said.

    I've always been turned off by Kanye's calling out folks' problems but not being willing to change the same ones in himself. Addressing them but not changing them is wack. He is being held accountable. It reminds me of growing up in DC hearing Marion Barry telling us to stay off of drugs.

    I think Barkley doesn't get that #3 is some folks' way of learning from their mistakes.

    I understand West's tantrums, but I feel for him because he actually thinks they are acceptable. And that's sad.

    #6 is the truth. Period. The ability to self-define - or at least, not be defined by the masses - is a great one.

    Can't get with #9. If you wrong, say you sorry. But I dont think Barkley thought he was wrong in those situations, right?
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    well, remember that the title of the post is 'things i learned from them' not 'why i idolize or look-up to either'.

    sometimes, the best lessons come from the entities that demand we reach outside our comfortable box.

    we all have our stumbling blocks, ill-opinions, and mistakes. i just think about some of the raw emotion and words coming out these cats mouth and try to apply the message to things going in my life.
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    Kanye is a different kind of brother. He can jam though, whether I agree with him or not on a particular political ramble on a particular day.

    Charles is the man because he's older and smarter lifewise. Some stupid stuff rolls off his lip too but his opinions and observations make more common sense in general.

    Hey fredric, give me a shout at mlindsey@martyblogs.com bro'. I want to hear more about your VPS. I don't have time to do justice to my site anymore and I do need help with it. I lost all my e-mail contacts when the PC crapped out so I'm still rebuilding my address book. Thanks.
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