As an old-assed boomer of two Black-identiying sons who grew up in Hip-Hop, this is, and has always been my issue, given my oldest respects his shit. It's crazy to me that I was in a club in San Anotnio when Tupac was murdered. They stopped the music to let us all know what happened. My first thought was, "How do I tell my sons (they were at home asleep with their Dad)??!! Tupac Amaru Shakur meant the world, not only to them -- but to me. He epitomized the knowledge he could impart to Black boys like mine about the world with which they'd have to deal. Eminem's life experience could NEVER teach them that!

My journey was to make sure they knew how and where this thing called "Hip-Hop" had become. It was the least I could do. "Blue-eyed Soul" had already been relevant as consumerists made their "dolla dolla bills y'all," But my sons deserved the truth.