Gone but not Forgotten

Some stars who who passed away  to young

Tu Pac

1971 - 1996

I was and am  a big big fan of Pac, I was westside when i was younger (even though I lived in the UK), still love up biggies music, but Pac brought something extra to the stage.  Pac wasn't just about amazing lyrics he was a full package a performer, a actor, he was a icon.  No doubt in my mind best hip hop star that ever was and will be. 

Aaliyah

1979 - 2001

Aaliyah, 'oh my days' where to I start, the princess of r'n'b soul, my first actual celebrity female who I was in love with.  She was and is a star, I fell in love with her voice and with her, the baggy jeans, the over sized shades, with everything I guess. 

Kurt Cobain

1967 - 1994

Kurt Cobain one of the most famous rock stars ever, everyone knows this image even if they are not a fan.  I'm not going to lie I am not the biggest nirvana fan but I am more intrigued by Kurt's suicide and what makes celebs who we think have the world end up killing themselves.  The struggles of depression, drugs, illness... def a star who is gone but wont be forgotten...

Amy Winehouse

1983 - 2011

I have a whole blog post dedicated to Amy and how much I was in love with that voice that made here the ICON she is today.  The hair, the drugs. the alcohol., the relationships - the star who will never be forgotten...

Lisa 'left eye' Lopes

1971 - 2002

Lisa one of the three members of the group 'TLC', she was the lyrical addition to the hugely successful r'n'b group.  I loved these girls man they were wild and just were new to the scene and they were part of the 'idependant female era' which then other groups used to claim huge success.  Lopes also had her problems but her music she made with her group will live on...

Bob Marley

1945 -1981

He passed away 4 years before I was even born and still I rock this guys music, which goes to show how big of a star he is.  I love reggae music and Bob Marley was the man who introduced me to it from loving up the band the fugees I discovered Bob.  'No woman no cry' was the first track I heard and ever since I have been hooked to the reggae music Mr Marley provided.









Inpsired - Amazing pics

Some pictures need words...

Some take your breath away...

Some make you happy...

Some make you sad...

Here is a collection of some amazing pictures

One Tree Hill

I was depressing myself with everything that is going and being able to do so little to help.  Yes I donated money to Somalia, Yes I gave some of my old clothes to those people who were made homeless by the riots in London, Yes I pray for the state of this world when I go mosque or when I pray at home, Yes I do other acts of charity/ community work to help out.  Is it really enough am I really giving enough of myself...

                                                                                                                             

This was really depressing me and I needed something to brighten my mood and forget what was going on.  I know it’s gonna sound stupid but One Tree Hill helps me zone out for a bit, hence the title of this blog post.

I think because I have been hooked on this TV show since University and have watched the characters grow up with me.  Can I just say if you have never seen this show you are missing out, I have all the box sets and am currently watching season 8 one episode at a time.  I had missed some of the episodes recently so I started watching on 4od to catch up.

This show I fell in love with because in the UK not many people share my passion for basket ball, but this show did, sometimes to extreme effects.  The characters attracted a wide variety of young adults and we could relate to them going through issues that we all go through.  I watched as Lucas, Brooke, Peyton, Hayley, Nathan, Clay, Quinn, Skills, Mouth, Alex and friends went through their highs and lows.  It wasn’t just them their parents and community members seemed to go through even more drama than these kids. 

Also it was about the music bringing to light some amazing artists and some amazing musical talents within the cast.  Gavin Degraw created the opening track and the episodes had performances and music from Lupe Fiasco, Fall Out Boy, Travis, Jimmy Eat World and many more.  Bethany Joy Galeotti and Kate Voegele were cast members who vices were also amazing and both perform in the show.  Recently there is a new edition with her amazing Irish accent and even more amazing voice LAURA IZIBOR.  The show allowed me appreciates music which I would have never really picked up and introduced me to some amazing musicians and amazing tracks.

Quotes seemed to be another thing that One Tree Hill had an excess of, Amazing quotes by amazing inspirational writers.  Lucas bought them to the forefront with other cast members, either ending or starting each show with a powerful quote which would be hard to forget.

The show for an hour at a time helps me forget what I’m doing and jump into their world and I wait for the next season every time.  This show and The O.C. go me through my university years.  What shows help you zone out?

3 Lions R.I.P

The Three Young Muslim Men who died in Birmingham

Victims of the UK Riots

R.I.P...

The UK Riots took three innocent lives of three young Muslim men who had their futures ahead of them and their lives cut short protecting their community the job the Police should have been doing.  It was a Muslim community who are regularly bad mouthed and negatively presented in the press who were protecting their community in Birmingham. 

These three men were hit by a car which was going in excess of the speed limit while they were protecting their local communities businesses and homes from opportunist thieves.

Their deaths and the riots have brought the whole community of Birmingham together no matter if they were Muslim, Sikh or Christian a whole community stood together shocked at what had occurred mourning the lives of these young men.  Also below a brave father holds the picture of his son Haroon Jahan aged just 21 and one of the three killed. 

  

Tariq Jahan spoke out asking for calm and condemning the riots which seem to have taken over the UK.  This brave man spoke out for the son who he has lost and I can only imagine how painful it will be for him his family and the family of the two brothers killed, to bury their sons in this month of Ramadan.  My thoughts are with the families...

May Allah grant them a place in Heaven and may they Rest in Peace

Below is the father of one of the victims speaking for calm, very brave man...

Save My City - London Riots

The riots in London have opened up questions for the MET and for our communities.

                                                                                            

Do we not respect where we live?

Do we really have any love for our communities, towns and cities?

Does the MET cover up its actions by creating a negative image of their 'victims'?

The trigger of all these riots seems to have been the death of Mark Duggan, and a peaceful protest to ask for answers as to what actually happened to Mark? Where was the support and information for the family?

These were the questions which people took to the local police station, in a protest the police were aware was going to happen.  When they felt they were not really being listened to and tensions seemed to be running high riots broke out.  These riots seemed to have overshadowed the death, maybe the 'murder', of Mark.

Firstly Mark was a father and a son and if anything did happen to him, being his fault or not his fault while the police were involved the first people they should have contacted were his family.  Surely the mother of his children and his parents would need support for the loss of their loved one and I don’t comprehend why this was not offered. 

The riots firstly directed at the police and then the community seemed to have overshadowed all of this and then copycat riots seem to be occurring all over London now.  The MET I don’t think has controlled the situation as well as they could have, the response time and allowing people to openly loot stores is not the reason why I pay my taxes.  A part of me can understand the tension directed at the police but the abuse of the town you live in and the destruction of people homes and lives, I have a harder time understanding.

The news is overly 'hyping' up the fact that this many police officers were hurt, WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO LOST THIER HOMES AND HAVE TO REBULID THERE BUSINESSES.  Are they not worthy of news coverage, are they not important. It’s not the major corporations such as JD and M&S as they have insurance and will be able to cover this, but small businesses and local people may not have the financial stability to be able to be closed for a certain period of time while their lives are put back together.

Then people seemed to have joined in on the looting and destruction from Tottenham to other areas such as Enfield, Wood Green and Brixton. These people seem to want to destroy my beloved city and the communities they live in not thinking of the consequences for themselves or the community. 

The guardian also reported "Initial ballistics tests on the bullet that lodged in a police officer's radio when Mark Duggan died on Thursday night show it was a police issue bullet, the Guardian understands.”  If this is true and this was something that the MET have caused, this will not help with police and community relations. 

I hear you ask where the elected leaders are?  The Mayor of London and the Prime Minister. Good question they seem to be M.I.A or shall I say on holiday sunning them while the capital city is seeing such riots.  The leader of the country and the mayor should be cutting their holidays short and coming back to their country.  This may be another reason why there are such strong tensions between certain communities as a culture of the ‘rich getting richer’ and ‘poor getting poorer’ seems to be reappearing under conservative rule. (Next time listen to me and Vote Labour)

                              

Finally let’s not let this overshadow a peaceful protest which was after justice for the loss of a son and a father.   The media will sensationalise his background as they enjoy doing, but remember everything you read might not be true.
                              

Save my City - Love London!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/blog/2011/aug/07/tottenham-riots-police-duggan-live#block-44

AFRICA

AFRICA the cradle of civilisation...

The start of the greatest political movements seen by the world...

Once a place filled with Kings, Queens and Emperors...

 A continent that has seen vast amounts of blood shed...

A land who had its gold, its people stolen...

A land which had so much opportunity...

                                                                                  

Now the land that needs help but seems to receive very little...

Africa is again at the forefront of our news coverage, but the western media seems to report about it and then forget about it when a new story comes their way.  There are thousands of people across the continent living in refugee camps because there lands are covered with widespread violence, child soldiers, death, disease and destruction.  Charity money which goes to the continent seems to be paying for the rich to stay rich and the poor to become poorer.  I’m not saying all the money that goes into the continent is spent like this, but there are large amounts of televised events that are meant to helping the continent but where is that money going?  They show certain villages that the appeals are helping but there are hundreds more that seemed to be forgotten.

The western powers were quick to jump into to war with Afghanistan and Iraq - 'Helping the People', but these people need help, why are they not sending in armies to help them stabilise there countries. 

Where are the UN when dictators such as Mugabe are left to kill their people and let them destroy their economy and ruin the lives of so many people?

Where is the help for the people of Somalia as they suffer through this awful famine?

Where is the help for the northern African people who on western media channels are shown trying to fight for the freedom of their countries from these dictatorships?

Is it because the west took everything they wanted from these nations back when the continent was colonised by European invaders?

My thoughts are with the African people and their struggle I pray it is eased, and I will pray for them everyday especially in this month of Ramadan may Allah hear mine and their prayers...