We have 2, possibly 3 generations growing up without examples of men and women leaders of color, outside of entertainment. So we want to stop, recognize and celebrate the unsung heroes, literally. When my 42-year-old cousin, husband, father, community leader, and business professional died unexpectedly in December of 2014, I was challenged to think about the impact of his life. I processed why he was a great man and what we should celebrate. I thought about many of the men I follow, respect and emulate and noticed a consistent theme in their lives: depth of impact vs. width. Jesus, my father, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., my grandfather and cousin each were unsung heroes for their families and communities. Their deep investments in those who are within reach matters to me. I believe it’s essential that we begin to celebrate men and women like this, not the creative and popular. If we can change what we value and who we celebrate, we can change our goals and change ourselves. God did not make us to receive worship, but to give it. This song relates to the new Group Vigilant Community Development initiative: Neighborhood Superman.
lyrics
Hook:
I’d rather have change than fame,
You ain’t gotta know my name,
As long as it the same,
As when I came.
Verse 1:
What are we here for? Is it to make them scream – make them holler?
Give them – something to cheer for, legacy, land and lots and lots of dollars,
But I’ve got an idea and it might sound strange,
You could keep your dollars – I’d prefer to have change, well alright,
Because we all lose sight, and even if they don’t see me I’m gone touch they life.
We’ve got to go back to what was before,
At the same to something we never knew,
Because this situations critical,
They can have the crowds – I’d prefer a few,
It makes me wanna say…
Verse 2:
Basketball saved me life,
Then that car crashed and I ___ died,
Yo – Music was the resurrection,
Now on that respirator – feelin’ 105,
I’ve got an idea and it might sound strange,
A leader’s not a leader just because he’s on stage, well alright,
Because at home – at night, a hero’s gotta come to life – not take a flight,
We need more business owners, managers, moms and dads,
Fewer careers built on entertainment trends and fads,
Give them change that lasts, stone not glass,
Build a city with your head, heart and hands – make them wanna say.
Poem:
I mean I could be famous
might even be able to keep my heart at the same time
without an industry changing me at the same time
rewriting me at the same time
I could leave a wide name behind
a long following
I could cast a shadow Redwood size
I could find a place to accept a chisel for me
there's always a monument that needs an inscription
but if it meant shallow roots
a stone's throw in the distance of eternity
if
in the end
God is largely unseen
because of my seat in the atmosphere
I think I'd rather be the most profound whisper
I'd rather wear the callouses than the rings
I'd want to be a voice
crying in the wilderness
I'd turn my hands out
instead of holding everything they grab in
I'd lift my finger
and I'd point it
at the Son.
credits
released February 16, 2016
Production: Decap Beats and Chris Keys
Spoken Word: Ayinde Russell
Mix: J Mumbles
Master: Dan Shike
Creative Direction: Russell Robinson
PR: Josh Niemyjski
