Supreme Mathematics AWARDS to be held in Medina (Brooklyn)

 

   It was announced last week by Seven On Demand via social media that on Thursday, June 6th, 2024 the First Annual Supreme Mathematics Awards will be held in Brooklyn, NY (Medina) to honor Five Percent nation members who are doing extraordinary work to nationally/internationally represent and advance our nation. Also shared was a list of nominees whose names were put forward by an event committee for different award categories. While some shared their excitement for this first-time initiative, others did not.

After reading many of the comments shared on the event post, a common theme that I recognized was a criticism of some of the nominees, the questioning of the nomination guidelines, and the reasons why some people should/should not be nominated. Some people even shared why they themselves should have been nominated and the assumption that some people probably nominated themselves. In response to those queries, the event organizer Lord Jamel, shared that these nominations were put forward by an event committee, not himself, and anyone nominating themselves were disqualified. Still, this explanation did not suffice for those who thought that they belonged on this list. The great thing about this initiative is that it is creating conversation and calling into question a criterion for how we are actually using Supreme Mathematics to positively impact our environment. Far too often some of us use the abstract phrase, "I'm building!" to proclaim that we are working, yet there is no real quantifiable evidence to show and prove that, especially nationally and internationally.

So, what are the criteria? Is it being someone who has lived the culture for fifty-plus years? Is it based on how many people you got to memorize 120? Is it being nationally/internationally successful in a certain industry? Is it how many parliaments and rallies we have attended? Based upon the comments shared on the event post, it was clear that people had different ideas of what the criteria should be. To some, I should not be on that list simply because my name is “Saladin” and they believe that this is a Muslim name, not an Arabic word. To others, you cannot even create a list about positive national/international impact without my name on it in multiple categories. Regardless, I think it is a great opportunity to publicly acknowledge and honor one another and learn about what others are successfully doing to advance our nation and culture. Here is why, and I think we can start by asking ourselves these open-ended questions:

*What are some of the benefits and opportunities that can come for our youth seeing and learning more about our nation members being publicly acknowledged for their positive contributions to our nation, the communities that we live in, and society as a whole?

*How are some of our nation members national/international work in the fields of health, education, media, technology, economics, arts, sports and entertainment helping better prepare our nation for a world twenty, fifty, and even one hundred years from now? 

     If we found ourselves struggling to describe more than ten actual benefits and opportunities for our youth seeing and learning about nation members positive national/international contributions, that is problematic. If it was difficult to quantify how more than twenty nation members around the globe are actually helping to better prepare us for our future, that is also problematic. That lacking in recognizing our nation members is part of the reason for such an Award Show. Lacking this information means that we obviously don't have access to benefits and opportunities that connect us to a global network of excellence. We are also less prepared than we could be for a world twenty, fifty, and even one hundred years from now because we don't really know the folks -and the work that they are doing- to help prepare us. This state of lacking is where many of us are, as adults. Now imagine how disconnected and unprepared our youth are because we are unqualified or ill-equipped to share that knowledge and wisdom with them. Some would argue that it doesn't require a Supreme Mathematics Award Show to address this lacking. Well consider this.

    This is bigger than a popularity contest or giving someone an award so that they can feel good and validated. While there are many Five Percenters who are doing great work locally and possibly regionally, every Five Percenter is not nationally/internationally known for their work. This Award Show sets a professional standard of acknowledgement to honor those whose use of Supreme Mathematics has garnered positive national and international acclaim. Without a platform to publicly acknowledge, learn about, and celebrate this, how would you, and the youth, even know? Some would agree that we should acknowledge and learn about nation members doing great national/international work, yet they don't think that an Award Show is the best way to do it. The only way to show and prove differently is to create the format or medium to do that, not just talk about what we should do. Some would argue that people should not be celebrated for what we should be doing, which is understandable. This is not to award people for what they should be doing. It is to acknowledge and honor our nation members who have done and are doing extraordinary work to nationally/internationally advance our nation in ways that has not been done before. Using Supreme Mathematics to expand their intelligence, develop their talents, and produce contributions that positively impact society nationally and internationally is something that our nation members chose to do, that many do not. That work of our nation members should never be minimized, dismissed, or treated as commonly expected because it is not. Besides, instead of waiting until people are no longer here to acknowledge their work, isn't there a clear benefit in recognizing them as a present resource to our nation in the fields of health, education, media, technology, economics, arts, sports and entertainment while they are actually here?

Palais des Nations (United Nations Office)
Geneva, Switzerland 

   In closing, in my experience the best way to critique anything is by providing tangible solutions, not just talk. Talking against something with nothing to actually offer as an alternative only proves that we are not truly invested in the solution that we claim. If we are that committed to some idea that we think is better, then we should have already invested our finances, resources, and sweat equity in that idea and have it to actually offer folks. If we clearly have not done this, then why do we think others should do it? I don't know about you b.u.t. I am skeptical of a car dealer trying to sell me a car that they never had, not confident in a phone store clerk selling me a phone service plan that they never had, and distrustful of a health and wellness coach selling me superfoods that they never used. If some of you think that there is another format or medium for people to acknowledge, learn about and maybe celebrate the national/international contributions of our nation members, then put the money up and create it. Talk is cheap, when there is no substance behind it. 

The Supreme Mathematics Award Show will be held on June 6th, 2024 at the Polygon BK, 299 Vandervoort Ave. Brooklyn, New York 11211. Doors open at 7pm and tickets are $100 General Admission and $150 VIP. Tickets can be purchased online HERE. This in-person Award Show and Gala will be live-streamed/recorded via Seven on Demand to honor some of the best and brightest minds living mathematics and their contributions to our nation and society as a whole.

Peace,

Saladin

Jay Electronica

and

The Freshman Jinx

On Saturday July 12th at the annual Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival, all eyes were on Rapper Jay Electonica, adorned in a Fruit of Islam [FOI] uniform and flanked with an entourage of Nation of Islam [NOI] believers. After bringing out J. Cole, Talib Kweli, Mac Miller, Jay Electronica finally brought out Jay Z and they performed four songs together before exiting the stage. Since this Festival, many have taken to social media to articulate what they believe to be the significance of this event, and today I want to share my perspective on this subject matter.

Heralding Jay Electronica's performance as an iconic return to take his throne, some have declared him as the rightful King of Hip Hop. Others are defining this demonstration with his Muslim entourage as an Islamic Renaissance of rap music; being led by Jay Electronica as a Farrakhan-like figure, reminiscent of the days when the God MC Rakim defined Hip Hop's Golden [Conscious] Era. Jay Electronica himself appears to echo many of these sentiments with the tweets/photos he's posted after the Festival: LINK

Whatever those sentiments may or may not be, I think that many people overlook the fact that Jay Electronica is a Rapper who has never put out an album before in a music industry he does not control. That in itself is a tremendous amount of pressure and level of expectations that a Rapper putting out a sophomore album doesn't even experience. A sophomore jinx is when artists prepares to drop their sophomore album after putting out a classic freshman album. Because their first album was classic, it's often believed that they jinxed themselves from creating a classic sophomore album because the first one was so good. Aside from A Tribe Called Quest, the Wu Tang Clan, and arguably others, there are not many artists who've been able to escape the sophomore jinx. Since Jay Electronica has only successfully recorded some classic verses as a lyricist, he has set a high mainstream bar to put out nothing less than a classic album, classic music production and classic features on his first long awaited album. This is equivalent to a freshman jinx.

You know, the music industry is a very fickle thing, and just as easy as the media loves you, they can hate you the very next day. Ask Chris Brown. So as I'm sitting back watching all of these Jay Electronica fans sharing pictures of him and his entourage on facebook/twitter and philosophizing about how this is a demonstration of Rap's Time and What Must Be Done, I'm wondering if these people realize they need to actually support him, financially. I wondering if they know what soundscan is, what first week albums sales means, if they understand what "merch" is, a HHQ [Hip Hop Quotable] and what a paradigm shift in an industry they don't control will require. Because if not, then all of this social media posturing will be all for not and this critical mass, or 85% of the people I see acting like they support him, will be one of the main reasons for his freshman jinx if it happens. Let me explain why.

Because Jay Electronica has shown himself to be a Muslim affiliated with the NOI under the leadership of Minister Louis Farrakhan, there are many Muslim believers and those whom are affiliated with the NOI, that have expressed their admiration and support of him via sharing pictures, links and comments on social media. Because he is a Rap Artist, in a music industry, that support is great yet it must be demonstrated in concrete quantifiable terms. In other words, unless this critical mass of people are actually supporting him by buying tickets to his concerts, downloading his album, buying his album in record stores and purchasing his "merch" [merchandise], it would be difficult for Jay Electronica to grow into the cultural arts leader some are declaring him to be. Worst than that, his resources to do more will be limited and you will give the media the means to actually destroy his career. I can see the headlines now: "Iggy Azalea goes Double Platinum, Jay Electronica goes Wood", "Rap's so-called King is Crucified", "Jay Elec-flop-ica's long awaited album is a dud", "Jay Electronica Concert cancelled because of low ticket sales" and etc. Most of my favorite Artists are not mainstream, yet in my opinion, they're some of the most lyrical and creative. In many ways, Jay Z publically knighted Jay Electronica into mainstream Hip Hop on July 12th. So the whole idea that "Jay Electronica makes music for the listeners" is no longer the driving force or marketing strategy of his music going forward. It's business and the bottom line is he must now appeal to the masses.

In closing, I want to encourage those of you who are watching this moment in time, and think/feel that it's truly a paradigm shift in rap music, to get involved. Don't just get involved by sharing pictures, links or commenting on statuses. I'm talking about supporting what you think/feel in concrete quantifiable terms. Just because Jay Electronica is giving Minister Farrakhan a shout out and you're feeling good because you're a registered Muslim in the NOI is not enough. Buy a ticket to his concert even if you don't go to rap concerts; gift it to someone who does! For those of you who are 5 Percenters and kith with Jay Electronica, rep his brand by purchasing his merchandise! And those of you who simply like his music, make sure you buy his album when he drops it. If there is any worthwhile demonstration in all of this, then this is what it needs to be demonstration; financially supporting any creative/performing artists whom we truly believe have something of substance and significance they're offering to this world. Chuck D and other artists have been advocating this for longer than I remember and its importance is still relevant and timely. All of the other empty posturing and "I'm affiliated" politics/pictures mean nothing if we're not invested in artists, or striving to encourage others to invest in them. On a personal level, I am not a fan of Jay Electronica although I do think he is lyrical and I like some of his songs. As an artist myself, artists that have more clarity in terms of their determined idea, a sense of consistency with their body of work and their art itself is what resonates more with me, regardless of the art form or genre I'm critiquing. As I've stated, Jay Electronica is still waiting to release his first album and willfully with his release he evolves to manifest a positive determined idea and body of work that inspires, empowers and educates people.

Peace,

Saladin