It's been called "Rumi-esque"

"And then he can murmur, confidently and with an open mind: my philosophy is travel, and pluralism my destination. 

Humility is my table, respect is my garment, empathy is my food and curiosity is my drink. 

As for love, it has a thousand names and is by my side at every window." 

from The Quest for Meaning, Developing a Philosophy of Pluralism by Tariq Ramadan

The difference between duty and love

 

Egyptian Cotton

Under Muhammad Ali Pasha, who ruled from 1805-1848, Egypt was industrializing. Industrialization at this time was key to the development of every European nation, Egypt was on par.

It was invaded by the British in 1882. A process of deindustrialisation was enforced with investment only placed in cotton production.

When I think of Egyptian cotton I don't think of luxury and comfort. I see a nation oppressed. I see forced backwardness.

Driving to Boksburg on a Thursday morning.

I want to read books. Make music. Write blog posts. Train Bboy one day and Muay Thai the next. I wanna smoke some kush from time to time. Do comedy and feature on a track with AKA. I'll stay awake late at night sending emails to organise something I believe in and wake up early to meet with creative people and share ideas.

The problem is...I want medical aid too.

Thinking

I think I think too much, and while I've heard many claim that their thinking is more thinking than should be thought, I've thought about and think that my thinking would out think the thoughtiest of thinkers. 

My thinking is based on a need to think coupled with the desire to know thoughts and have thought them in and of themselves, whereas others think they need to think their thoughts in order to claim they have thought. 

But I cannot access the thoughts of any thinkers but myself except through that which they produce and hence the real thoughtful are the doers for their thoughts can be known.

My (Our) Hip-Hop Tribute to Being Indian

Don't you wanna help me write a song about how great it is to be Indian?

I'm really into this Mackelmore guy right now, conscious hip-hop music with punchlines and he's creating a new, different path towards industry success (away from major labels) with a really cool homie of his, Ryan Lewis who also seems mad creative and hard-working.

I watched one of his songs that's about being Irish. It describes and celebrates a part of his history so well that it made me proud to be Irish.

This type of description and celebration is something I think every identity should enjoy. 

Being Indian isn't the most important part of my identity but it's a part that I haven't fully come to terms with. Perhaps in an attempt to go completely reverse the divisions created by Apartheid my family has downplayed it somewhat. I think it shapes me in ways I'm yet to fully understand or explore, but it is a part of me.

I thought I would explore it by writing a song similar to Mackelmore's and started jotting down some lyrics and concepts that might provide content for a couple of verses and a hook (that's all you need for a song right?...well maybe a beat, and singers, and people with the ability to say words in catchy ways...think they're called rappers...but we can worry about those later).

I need your help though. I'm short on free time and I don't know all that much about Indian-ness so I thought we could try crowd-source lyrics to a hip-hop song describing and celebrating this part of our identities. (Not assuming everyone that reads this is Indian but maybe the non-Indians feel Indian or have some Indian-ness in them that they wanna contribute)

This is what I have so far...concepts...lyrics...we'll figure it out later...esp number of syllables to actually make it fit a beat:

The only genuinely cool Indian people are Sachin Tendulkar and Aziz Ansari, 
tired of tired white-people jokes about eating biryani.

Family is important to us, cousin just born, grandad being buried. 

Question on every aunties lips, "betha when you getting married?"

I'm an Indian, some Pakistani, 

the history's complicated I might be Bengali. 

The stretch marks on my skin,

I call them my tiger stripes,

cause I was meant to be real skinny,

but my ambitions put up a tiger fight.

Examine the context South African, rainbow nation, Jozi born and bred. 

Glad to be able to walk around without being called a towel head. 

We love our food too but be careful when you chew. 
Elachi speed traps could easily be the end of you.