On Finding Out You're Not Such a Crappy Parent After All

This past weekend, we laid my Tomcat's (my eldest son) father to rest. Upon hearing the news, my boy was amazingly strong, yet he'd expressed concern about not feeling more immediate grief about his passing. I reassured him that whatever he was feeling was okay, and that no-one would judge him for his feelings, and that everyone here would be there for him if he needed us. After a bit of a cry from most of us here Lairside, he seemed strengthened, and carried on as usual.

Soon after, he wrote this... incredible status on his Facebook regarding how he felt/his goodbye to his father:

 It was extremely well-received by not only people on his and my friendlists, but by family members and friends of the family he did not know.

He was asked to read his good-bye at the memorial service, and both before and after the service, people were so good to my son and said such nice things to me about how well-mannered and intelligent he was. Some even encouraged him to consider attending the college his father attended.

It was a bit overwhelming but gratifying to know that the work (and I use that word loosely, because it really wasn't work at all; it was a privilege) I put into making sure my boy loved to read, encouraging him to express himself, teaching him to be his own person, and insisting that he use his manners, if nothing else, was not in vain. To receive confirmation that he is indeed a wonderful kid is the best gift and comfort I could ever get.

I'm probably the happiest weirdo parent in the world right now. Thank you to everyone who was so sweet to my boy, and thank you for confirming that I'm not such a bad parent as was previously said.

Thank you, my beautiful boy, for being you.

And, thank you, Jermaine, for giving me our brilliant son. For that I will always be grateful.
Rest well.

InvestiGATA: The Ask-Me Video Series

I have a good friend, Ericka, who was listening to me hem and haw over content choices for my channel on YouTube. "Why not do a question/answer/advice thing?" she suggested.

"Why not," indeed...

Frankly, I didn't think it would matter if I did or didn't-- I mean, was anyone really willing to ask ME anything? It just so happened that she was actually right. Much to my surprise (and in some cases, my chagrin), I did manage to get a few questions, and some of of them are tough, so you know I wouldn't ask myself these things, for those of you who might think I cheated or something. I've compiled the best and will be posting these in the first of a new video series called "InvestiGATA".

Know what that means?

That means you can ask me some questions!

Though hopefully not as intense as the ones asked by THIS woman.

What kinds of questions? Ask advice, my opinion, stuff you wanna know! AS LONG AS THEY'RE RESPECTFUL QUESTIONS, I will answer all I can and post it in a video to my YouTube and Vimeo channels. Deal?
You can ask via my tumblr or shoot me an email. Please keep them respectful. Ask yourself, "Is this something I would want to be asked?" If not, then, maybe think of something you'd want to be asked.
Let's keep it fun and interesting...can't wait to see what you ask!

Old Twitter Rant...

I was inspired to post this due to this article...which totally validated my attitude towards the whole femcee culture. I am SO. FXCKING. GLAD. I am not the only one who sees this shxt--and has used this anaolgy!
This was one of the rants I went on-- and often go on-- about the plight of the femcee, the attitude the world seems to have about us, and how I'm just gonna continue to do what I do--EVERYTHING I DO-- whether people like it, accept it, or not. I know I have tweets that go back further than this rant about the same subject; if you care to look, go right ahead, LOL. But this is the stuff I've said as of late.

A rant from a month or so ago:

Are #femcees REALLY that bent about being the next queen/bad bxtch/w'ever? You can't ALL be the best. This Highlander shxt must stop! #damn
— TRUEORIGINAL GATA 黒猫 (@ThaGataNegrra) July 29, 2012

Twitter rant, April 17th:

TRUEORIGINAL GATA 黒猫 @ThaGataNegrra
Did a search on YouTube: ”female rapper”. Oh, boy. Two things: 1) you can't ALL be the ”best female rapper alive in the game”.......(I tried to cram all the common adjectives into that one, lol) 2) there are some really misogynist, limited, chauv bastids out there. I'm staying in my lane. Fxck what sells, fxck trying to outrhyme my femcee brethren (never battled anyway; got nada to prove!),fxck yo niche...Fxck the currently limited scope of the genre that chose me...I'm doing what I do to express me, and gonna have fun doon that shxt. I choose not to play ”the game”, cuz the game sure ain't playing me. I colour neatly but go outside the lines cuz I...just do. #facets I'm just done w/this Highlander ”there can be only one” shxt w/chyck rappers. Done w/one-dimensional chyck rappers. You are BETTER than that...Stop trying to prove how sexy/badass/hard/fill-in-the-blank you are to the world, ladies...and just BE. Create. Damn. I know and accept I don't belong in yawl's arena...so I'm building my own. That will be my legacy. I don't have to be what I'm expected to be or what motherfxckers think I ”should” be...who has time for that? #notme...

And then Russell Simmons goes and tweets this, so I RT'd: " 'Do what you know in your heart to be right—for you'll be criticized anyway.' Eleanor Roosevelt"

I go on:

 TRUEORIGINAL GATA 黒猫 @ThaGataNegrra
W'ever. If you actually read my feed, you know I go on these rants every once in awhile... #randomthoughts...Yawl ain't tryina hear me, you just wanna tweet. HAHAHAHA

The Coffee Cave Mural: Compromised "Historical Character"?

Personally, I have yet to go to the Coffee Cave, but I have passed the place and had their food at the Halsey Street Block Party. I've seen the mural they had painted on the facade of the building, and I think it's wonderful. Unfortunately, the New Jersey Historical Society seems to think the mural sux, and has ordered Coffee Cave to remove it.
From John Murray's notes on Facebook:



The Newark Historic Society has asked that the Coffee Cave mural at 45 Halsey Street be removed because it compromises the historical character of the building.  I am asking that you email your letters of support for the mural and what it represents.  Please send emails to john.jd.murray@gmail.com.  Please include your name and address in your letter.

If you would like to support further, please let your voice be heard when we appear in front of the historic board,  details tba.

Thank You All

If anything, I think the mural blends history with progress very well. It also represents the beauty and diversity and renaissance of the art/cultural scene in Newark, and should be allowed to remain.
If you feel the same way, please send emails to the above address, telling of your support for the Coffee Cave Mural. I will be sending one myself. 
This is a promo video made for the Coffee Cave w/o its mural on the front: 

Pressing On Despite Haters and Lack of Faith/Support...

Wow.
If you know me you know it takes a lot for me to express frustration. But I have to say it is really hard to get people to support a cause. I mean, I have fans but I barely know it...most of you, when called upon...don't respond. It makes me wonder if anyone actually is into what I'm doing. Part of building a fanbase is word of mouth. I'm really pushing the gig thing this year. But how on earth can anyone tell their buddies "GATA had an awesome gig" or "GATA's gig really sucked, but I liked it anyway" (LOL)  if they're not even there to see it? How can you post pictures, or video--how can you hate on it if you haven't even seen it?

I think that, because of how I performed last year at the Newark Gay Pride thingy, people are prolly put off a bit, and don't want to come out again (not that they came out in droves for the first one). I mean, if you were there, it prolly looked crazy, but some people were responding...add to that the fact that Newark acts as if it's too cule for the room sometimes. They don't respond to anything they don't get, and even if they do get it, it takes a lot for them to express anything. I've seen them literally just stand there and zombie stare at all the acts in a show, save the people who may have known the act that was on stage at any given time. It's like it's too much to ask for some positive energy! Even when WWE was here, they gave no love...and that's WWE! WTF did you buy a ticket for? But I digress...

My performance wasn't...as good as I'd hoped it'd be. I even tell you in the video that I'm having some issues w/sound and a fit of the giggles...thanx to my grrl cub kicking me and these two people in the front who were giving sooo much energy doing these 80s dances, LOL. It could have been much better. I had fun, tho'. I thought I was gonna end up in the damned emergency room/labour and delivery when it was over, N4N!
I look at the video often to study myself and remember what not to do.

I am hoping that May's gig will be better. I'm certainly putting a lot into it. I'm an emcee, but I'm kinda from the old school when people rhymed about nearly anything and could get away w/it, when dance was still an important part of the culture, when people weren't trying to look like they were hardened criminals and obsessed w/"keepin' it real". I'll keep it real, alright, but my "real" is waaaayyy different than their "real". Real for me is expressing myself thru my art and my music, which includes my appearance. I mean even by old-school standards, I'm a different breed. I prolly would've been the weirdest of the Native Tongues if I was part of that crew, to give you some perspective on that.

My show is different from what you'd expect a hip-hop act to be...so you can't go in expecting hardcore ghetto attitude. That's not to say I won't write hardcore, cuz I have some sinister shxt going on in my head sometimes. I explore a range of feelings when I write. Right now, I am focused on trying to have fxckin' fun. Where's the fun @ in hip-hop, guys? Does it always have to be about "bxtches", how much collateral you supposedly have, how many people you fxcked, how much money you have, how you'll cap somebody for no apparent reason, to be "real"? I mean, even when the Beasties wrote "License to Ill", they were doing it tongue-in-cheek! C'mon, yawl...

Expect actual choreography this time. Expect more songs besides what you see on the video. Expect me to look really crazy--as usual. Expect an overall better show.

In light of this I am trying to gather a street team. I need visual support, I need to get the asses in the seats, as it were, LOL. The outside world has to know who I am and what I'm about. If you appreciate what I do, if you think I should meet the world, I humbly ask for any help you might be able to give. I do give incentives, for those asking, "What's in it for me?" Get recruited and find out!