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MESSAGE TO GRADUATING SENIORS OF 2008
By Michael Hayes
Minister of Culture
Okay, better late than never, lil homies.
I’ve been getting the emails (myspace/facebook and yahoo)
from graduates and parents of graduates.
I have to say that the response from parents this year has
been greater than any year before.
Thank you all. Last year’s address was so personal because
my baby sister was part of that class
and I really … I don’t know, I just really wanted it to be
special.
This year is big too because my record label, U.G.E., has a
young up and coming singer/songwriter named Timothy R.
Sherman, a/k/a T. Rtist, who came out of Scott High.
His family is very proud of him and we are too.
We all want him to do well and he’s handling his like a man.
So here we are again, everyone.
Deciding on that next step.
Evaluating, re-evaluating, etc.
If you just came out of high school and you know what you
wanna do with your life, more power to you. But for some,
that kind of peace of mind may elude them.
And, actually, it’s okay ... I’m not old enough to have any
teenage children so I’m not thinking like a parent. I’m just
dealing with what’s real – and what’s real is, it’s okay if
you don’t know yet what you are going to do.
I was one of those people who just knew.
It was music, it was media, entertainment, etc. I’ve known
since I was 12 what degree I was going for even before I
fully understood what college was about.
But one of my closest friends didn’t have a plan until he
was in his 20’s and he’s doing great. I mean great, like
built a home – the whole nine.
This is the key.
While
you are deciding what you are about to do …
#1. Try to avoid getting caught up in something that will
could make your dreams more difficult to achieve – early
parenthood, club life, alcohol/drugs, gang activity, crime,
etc.
You’d think that you graduating from high school means that
the drama is over
That ish is so far from the truth it’s hilarious!!
There’s a lot more time and opportunity to get caught up in
stuff now, so be smart.
#2. Do not just chill. Video games, hanging out, getting fly
– yeah, that’s all still here for you to do.
But one thing about adulthood is that you can look up and
you’re 25 and
that video game, that block, that girlfriend/boyfriend has
had your attention for the last seven years and ya ass
hasn’t moved forward yet.
You just been chillaxin so hard and time was stomping ahead
leaving you where you stand.
#3. Make a damn plan! Gotsta get in ya face on that one
because it’s so important.
Sit down, pen and paper and write out some goals you want to
achieve.
Sit down and think “if I could do one career and really be
fulfilled by it, what would it be?”.
Think of the loot, but don’t only think of the loot.
Plenty people make big bucks at factories, medical jobs and
all that around here...and that good money is keeping them
fly but they HATE going to work everyday.
You might have to walk that walk one day too, but while you
have the luxury of
time on your side... really try to evaluate what will make
you happy
and then do it so well that you can live however you want.
#4. Network. Y’all see me mentioning my record label in here
a lot, and it’s not just promotion.
Trying to get this CEO/producer plan of mine up and running
has taught me a lot.
A record executive who The Undergodz know and trust asked me
this question last fall:
“How many millionaires do you know?” And he was serious.
He was like “How many millionaires do you have direct access
to – as in if you called them they would know your name and
have a conversation with you.”
He was speaking in terms of finding funding for the label,
but it was a valuable tool in assessing how well I’ve done
as someone networking with other people powerful enough to
change my position.
So it’s so important that when your mom, dad or uncle or
whoever wants to introduce you to some friends of theirs –
show up, be on point.
You never know all the doors that can open from whom you
know.
And lastly
#5. Be humble. Too good to work at Taco Bell?
Ya moms is one of those cool moms who buys you $300 Coach
bags and thousands of dollars of bling?
You wont roll a whip if ain’t rimmed up?
Okay, that’s on you.
But if you know you need a job, you know you wanna look fly
and you know you wanna start rolling. Don’t be too proud.
Gotta start somewhere.
One of the scariest things about growing up is that all that
stuff parents say kinda starts to make sense.
When ya mom is on you about not laying up in her house, you
think she’s tripping.
But what’s really happening is a difference in priorities.
You just graduated high school. You feel free. You wanna
celebrate.
If it takes a whole summer to get it out ya system, oh well,
because you’ve been waiting for most of your life to walk
out that school for the last time.
I feel you.
I think I’ve been back in Jesup W. Scott not even three
times since I left that mug.
You are thinking celebrate and relax because you know you
have to prepare for whatever is next.
However, Mom dukes is thinking about bills.
She’s not shiftless, she’s out getting it done.
So it’s driving her crazy to see you on the porch, on the
xbox, hanging out all times of the night etc. and you don’t
seem to have any direction.
What you need to do is be humble enough to see her point.
Don’t defend your right to kick it, that will get you a
quick beat down.
If you see her point, get a little plan in motion.
You’ll be free to do you.
QUICK RULES ON COLLEGE:
If you go, sit in front of every class!
And pick stuff you are interested in so you will go every
day!!!
Understand - No one is gonna give a damn about your
education but you.
Even if your advisor loves you like fam, it’s up to you.
Last year I took a day off of work and literally walked my
sister through every inch of UT’s campus she would need to
know about for her first year.
If you can find someone to do that, good – if not, grab a
map.
You’ve got to look at your education as an investment, it’s
not like high school.
No one is forcing you. Get ya grown man/woman on and handle
ya B.I.
QUICK RULES ON SEX:
No secret, you can probably count on one hand the people you
know who are “innocent.”
No point in acting like it’s not going down when we all know
it is.
Just exercise restraint. This ain’t no advice for 18 year
olds, this is just real life ish.
You have got to treat your sex life like something you
value.
Your health is at stake. Your peace of mind is at stake.
Make wise choices that you can live with.
If you wouldn’t trust someone you just met with your
paycheck, your house keys or your car keys...why trust them
with your body?
Dudes too.
The girls in college are 10 times rougher than whomever you
were messing with in high school.
Do what you do, but just assess the situation first.
And if you know you a freak already and there just ain’t no
stopping the ‘ignant’ acts you are about to commit... please
protect yourself. At the very least, protect yourself.
But at the very most - Think thoroughly before you act.
QUICK RULES ON GETTING INVOLVED:
Y’all are basically it.
Our parents are all Baby Boomers, our older brothers/sisters
are Generation X.
The generation America described as not giving a damn about
much.
But those born from late 70s to around 1990 is Generation Y.
We are the ones they say love to get involved.
We grew up on video games, the internet and hip-hop as a
mainstream influence.
We are connected and we are not apathetic... if anything we
care too damn much.
So, if you are looking for somewhere to put all that energy,
get to it.
You’ve got a historic presidential race taking place.
You can speak up for the environment, speak up for the arts,
speak out against police brutality... etc.
Just try to manage your schedule so you don’t get burned
out.
At one point, I was working on the Kerry campaign ... still
running my poetry night (in its final year), still
performing and producing as one half of The Undergodz...
still working a job - I don’t really get tired. But I was
just mad all the time. Felt like I had no ‘Michael – time.’
So, it’s great to get out and do something.
Ya life don’t have to revolve around the club and the mall.
Do something, but just put it in perspective.
(something really ironic, I’m listening to windows media
player on random and it just went to that “broke phi broke”
skit from Kanye’s album).
So that’s all y’all.
One thing the old heads say that will always and forever be
true:
Life is what you make it.
Peace
glasscitytruth@yahoo.com
myspace.com/undergodzent
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