Gang Confessions

"This is guerilla theatre," declared Reed McCants. I was like, "da hell?!?" It was a Saturday morning, and all I could think about was......... nothing. I'm usually snuggled under the covers at this intolerable hour on any given Saturday. But I had to wake up. This is what my life is gonna be built on. So, for a cold jolt of awareness, I splashed water on my face in the bathroom. But, my dear lord........ what was that ungodly smell? To my left was a feces-infested potty that wreaked through the halls of farce. Now, I can't fault the club-owners for this insanitary atrocity, but in a Zen-like mind frame, a septic system can echo the overall karma of an environment.

When we first got our chance to shine on the air with the morning crew of 98.7 Kiss FM, I knew for sure we had arrived. Though, traditionally, I'm always reluctant to tout myself has having acquired that measure of mobility in such a premature state. Still, I felt optimistic, as well as I did for a great level of responsibility. Waiting for over 2 hours, my cast members' patience was starting to become antsy, as I was well-beyond that stage. What really bemused me was the memory loss of the security personnel. More times than I'd like to remember, me and my fellow team members were pushed around and ordered from corner to corner. "Alright, people.... y'all gotta move out the way if you aint on line," demanded one security guard. I'm like, "we're not here for no damn tickets! WE are the GUESTS!" What might be more interesting is that if we were (let's say) Russell Simmons' Def Poets, would we have gotten that kind of treatment?

I digress, however, because I know that being humble goes a long way. And, in this business, you have to pay your dues and eat shorts before you can get respect. A lot of people come, and some go. In a Darwin-like fashion, its about survival of the fittest. For sure, if you don't already have thick skin, it will develop soon enough. Though some people have shyed away from this organic progression. Being the mountain-climbing goat that I am, there is virtually nothing that can stop me on a mission. Once my path is set forth for a goal, you better roll or get rolled on. So, when the time came for me to get put on blast (by father and daughter McCants), I took it only as a natural transition. After all, if you can't take constructive criticism as an actor, then get the f*** out da business. Besides, everybody in LTG gets their spot blown sooner or later, and I knew my opportunity was inevitable. See, I had an insecurity factor stemming from my "fear of nakedness." Reed, equipped with the optical agility of a hawk, spotted me out and stopped me in my tracks before I endangered my artistic well-being. Plus, I had to get the concept of "blocking" into my hard head. When my directors put me on blast, I gracefully held my hands out and thanked god. I thank god for this blessing of having people that care enough to expose the talent which breathes deep within my soul. God communicates through people and experiences, so I feel it is my humbling duty to place myself in a situation of humility. Stepping out in boldness, or "being naked," as Reed would say. Besides from that, having been raised by a family of Black women, when a sista says "be quiet",...... I shut up. Okay?

Jomo said it best,... "this is thug theatre, baby!!!"