REFLECTION & REASON

He used to intimidate me! His truth scared me. I unfollowed him from Twitter back in the day, I'd refuse to watch his commentary when it got offensive and raw, and I brushed him off as a loud-mouthed know-it-all who was just looking for attention. Surely, I'm not the first person to express my dislike for Charlamagne Tha God. He is, by design, a controversial figure. He's brutally honest. He's silenced by few, and has a huge platform to communicate his views which in today's social world = power. Purchasing his book "#BlackPrivilege: Opportunity Comes to Those Who Create It" was automatic for me, however. Because between fearing his Twitter rants, and being addicted to YouTube videos of his morning show The Breakfast Club on New York's Power 105.1...I became a fan of his. A huge fan. In fact, somehow over the years I started to respect Charlamagne. Like, really respect him...and the things that I respected him for were the very things that I disl...

I am not a sound clash expert, but I am a true lover of reggae music. I love music in general, from soca to hip hop, R&B to pop/dance, but it is reggae music that speaks to my soul the most. Naturally. The lyrics, the riddims, the culture, the history, the origin, the personal/family nostalgia, and the originality are like no other genre. And for as long as I have known about reggae music...I have known about David Rodigan. I've only heard him play live once...in Oshawa, Ontario (of all places) probably over a decade ago. I knew about the legacy of the man, and truth be told...on the surface, it was more of an entertainment factor. An older white, British gentleman who could select and chat with the best of them. On the surface, my appreciation for him was almost novelty-based...with all due respect. News of his book's release was good news; I didn't even hesitate before ordering a copy. I love a biography. Coupled with a love for the music, I was more than happ...