Yesterday's Heros / Today's Homie

In the days of the 90's when I would listen to anything out of Queens rap related groups like Mobb Deep and Capone N Noreaga meant the world to me. I remember getting a cassette copy of the Infamous form my boy Will for my birthday back then. I played that joint OUT. I didn't even know about the CD only song Up North Trip until months later. Those were the days. It was years later that I actually saw Mobb Deep in real life and realized that they were the height of that lil pesky kid on your block.

In 2009 everyone you ever heard of seems to be at arms reach from you. The advent of a software like facebook and twitter has knocked down social walls. In the past cats like Puff (I refuse to call him Diddy now) would only be accessible through television, the studio or the VIP section of a club. Now you can catch him updating daily (if not hourly) on twitter with what's going in his life and where's he gonna be for the night. When I started following Puff on twitter I didn't expect to see him talk about going to the club Santos later on, and then as I'm in line waiting to get in I see his whole crew arrive and sure enough roll right in.(can you believe they aint let me in!) On facebook I get actual messages from the living legend Jamel Shabazz. This is a photographer who's work I've purchased and given to others as gifts. I've had comic book conversations with the rapper/producer Kwame' and discussed politics with Davey D and Harry Allen. Would these conversations be possible pre-Twitter? Probably not. I definitely know they would not happen in the comfort of my own home (as these discussions did).

While there's been a backlash against these types of sites I think it's a case of how you use it. Some people use facebook to stalk folks and put all of their business out on front street. Others use twitter to alert the world of their daily stool rotation. These are things I don't need nor care to know about. However I do wish to know about Police using excessive force in California or Pos from De La detailing his overseas trips and shows. These are things that interest me and therefore I pay attention. The things that bother me I make sure it's misses me.

Ultimately if any of these social networking sites bother you just unfollow, trust me it's easy enough. I wont be logging off anytime soon though, because I just found M.O.P on twitter and they are just a loud and wild online (only with LOL's added which is ....just special).