I-dication to My Two Fathers

The best way to began this blog is with this I-dication. First of all, the use of the "I" in the place of other letters in words is a Rastafarian use that places the subjectivity on an individual or a collective rather than making one an object.

I-dication (dedication) to Two Fathers

It's one of those rare memories of my early childhood that I can still remember almost like it was yesterday. I will admit that details are foggy. I had to have been between the ages of ten to twelve years old. It was a spring Louisiana/Mississippi night (in my hometown of Norwood, Louisiana our front yard was Louisiana and backyard is Mississippi...literally). My father came on one of his many visists to pick me up and take me for a ride. This night was no different than many others; he'd call, show up in his '87 (maybe '89) Volvo and then we'd go for a ride. He'd always have someone else with him, be it an older cousin, god-brother, uncle, or one of his close friends. But there was something a little different than the usual rides. There was a peculiar sound coming from the speakers produced from a tape in his car stereo. At that time in my life I was into MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice, yet making a transition to Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. In our rides I was usually very quiet unless my father or whomever the driver that was with him asked me questions. However, this time, upon hearing the wierd guitar and raspy voice harmonizing with what sounded like angelic women I broke my own silence and asked, "Daddy, who is that?" He responded, "Bob Marley."

I would not hear the name of music of Bob Marley until after I saw the Fugee's video for "No Woman No Cry" which was a remake of the classic Bob Marley social-ballad in which they callaborated with his second son Stephen Marley. I was mesmorized by the footage of this small man with long and rather thick "dread locks." I considered myself a Fugees fan, mainly because of Lauryn Hill, but it was their remake of "No Woman No Cry" that prompted me to go purchase "The Score." Unfortunately, when I reached track 12 I was disappointed. It wasn't the version of "No Woman No Cry" that I witnessed on MTV. It was a regular recorded remake of that same song that would become my favorie Bob Marley ballad, at least until I heard more.

Thirst for more Bob Marley not quinched from the Fugees album, I sought him elsewhere. Unlike many folks who could just go to a music store and get a CD, I lived in Norwood, La. The closest Wal-Mart is in Zachary, Louisiana and that was 30 minutes away. I didn't have a computer to research him. I didn't even think about asking my father about him because that may have been one of our many non-speaking moments. But one day, there was a light at the end of the check-out counter at a Dollar General store about 10 minutes away from my home. I saw a Bob Marley tape with the title Mellow Mood and later Kaya(not to be confused with the actual 1978 Kaya album). This album was full of early recordings of Bob Marley and two other singers I would know nothing about until a short time later.

Eventually I would go off to the Art Institute of Houston. My father and I began speaking again and while on Christmas break, we went to Jackson, Mississippi for one of his many meetings. I had already asked him about Bob Marley and when I got into his car, he had for me the live Bablyon By Bus album. When we got to Jackson, MISS we went into this music store and we went to the Reggae section. I was about to buy Natty Dread because it had a song called "Revolution." My infatuation with learning about "revolutionary causes" played a part in that, as well as I thought it was the original to a song that Krayzie Bone collaborated with The Marley Brothers called "Revolution." However, my father instead suggested that I buy Legend.
To this day, anyone wanting to experience Bob Marley for the first time I suggest that they purchase Legend because it is a glimps to the many aspects of him.

Back in Houston, this comic book loving, anime watching, Bone thugs-n-harmony wannabe, was on a Marley mission. Every chance I got I would purchase a Bob Marley CD and with every CD there was something fresh and new. His music would bring me to places where I had never been; learning about struggles that were familiar but foreign. I remember the first book that I read about Bob Marley was "Songs of Freedom" which was a book of photographs and a biography. This gave me my first glimpse into the life of this musician who would become something much much more to me. It also gave me my first glimpse into Rastafari as did the first video tape I purchased called Carribean Nights and eventually Time Will Tell--which I rented and dubbed.

My most precious memory of a Bob Marley experience was one night sitting on my Dorm-apartment bed making a failing effort doing homework. I began flipping through the channels and I stopped on PBS. It was a live performance of Bob Marley singing "No Woman No Cry." I stopped everything and began singing with him (thank Jah that no cats or dogs were around). As he moved his hand I moved my hand. It was as if the spirit of his words pulled me in and then the most remarkable...and a bit frightening thing happened, I began crying... This had NEVER happened with any song I listened to. There was something about this feeling I would not understand until many years later. All I knew is that Bob Marley meant something deep to me. There was a time I was going through something very scarey in Houston, TX. I had three of his CDs in my Aiwa CD changer and it seemed as if every song that played random spoke to the way I was feeling.

Since graduating from the Art Institute of Houston in Septemember 2001, I've learned a lot more about Bob Marley. I've also learned a great deal about my father. I had finally read Bob Marley's biography by Timothy White called "Catch A Fire." There have been many documentaries that I've watched, artwork I've created and will create, and more books that I've read. Speaking of books, one of the best I've ever read was called "Bob Marley: Lyrical Genious." This research into Bob Marley's music prompted me to finally purchase all of his albums. Each chapter was broken down by two albums, with the final encompassing what was supposed to be Bob Marley's trilogy: Survival, Uprising, and Confrontation. I had also created what is one of my favorite pieces of art of Bob Marley based on my favorite song of his called "Redemption Song."

Bob Marley is not just a musician in my life now. He's that voice of a spiritual comforter that brings peace. He was that un-perfect human being that wanted to perfect the concept of one love. Watching the video for "Is This Love" with him dancing with the children and having so much fun with them shows the type of innocent spirit he had no matter how many vices that befell him. Watching this video, it makes me want to attain that same spirit of love and also spread it.

I find it very befitting that I began this blog speaking about what indirectly began my search through culture. For this I have to think both of my fathers. No matter how many differences exist between my father and I, it is Bob Marley that binds us and I love him especially for introducing Marley to me. Bob Marley planted that dormant seed that would grow to be my love of Pan-Africanism. It was through Bob Marley that I developed a love, respect, admirition and overstanding for the Rastafarian culture. Yet, this may not have happened had my father not have played Bob Marley in his Volvo cassette player that spring night oh so long ago. I love you for that, pop.

Selah.

Who Is Ras Ashe Sundiata Selah?

The Hungry Lion is named after one of my many titles: Ras Ashe Sundiata Selah, which means "Prince So Shall It Be The Hungry Lion For-I-vah."

My given name is Antoine Dijion Mitchell and in my artist circles I am known to many as GHOST, which is an acronym for "God Holds Our Souls Together" and "Genocide Hinders Our Survival Tactics."

Going back to the name of the blog "The Hungry Lion" and my handle "Ras Ashe Sundiata Selah." First and foremost, many may see the Rastafarian colors of Green Gold and Red and many Rasta connotations. I'm not a Rasta, per-se, however I do consciously and carefully adopt many of the symbols, etymology, and some of the beliefs . "Ras" is actually an Ethiopian title that means "Duke" or "Prince" that has been made popular by Rastafarians. "Ashe" is the energy of creation in Yoruba mythology but can also mean "so shall it be." "Sundiata" is Guinean for "Hungry Lion." "Selah" is the most mysterious of the names. It is Hebraic and can mean "stop and listen" or "forever."

The title "The Hungry Lion" simply solidifies my hunger for cultural knowledge, mainly African, however I'm not limited to Africa as I am a lover of many cultures.

This blog will serve as a window into my journey and I hope that it creates many fruitful discussions and even inspires others to search outside of the box. You'll be surprised, and maybe even terrified, of what you may find. I'll be sharing what I've learned from many of the books that I've been reading, documentaries that I've been watching, music that I've been listening to, and current events that I feel I need to write about. I may even throw in a piece of art work or poetry or two.

Hopefully this will serve as a Reasoning ground or a form of digital Groundation of words where we all can strive toward Inity.

One Love. Jah Bless. Selah.

Ras Ashe Sundiata Selah