Anyone who saw the BET Awards lst night will know what I'm talking about when say that Grandmaster Melle Mel is my hero. Always has been & always will be. One of the 1st MC's who I tried to emulate vocally (& still do sometimes), he gave us the 1st socially conscious rap record in "The Message" & his voice just always sounded...vicious, hungry, there's no way to describe it without hearing it. I mean next to Freddie Foxx (who coincidentally knocked my hero on his ass in a boxing match once) there aint many who sound hungrier on a microphone.
Another reason I idolize Mellie Mel is his honesty. Last night Jacque Reid (who needs to come from behind that news desk more often lookin like she did last night) asked Mel who his favorite emcee was & without missing a beat he said "Me. I mean, look at me! I'm the prettiest, I've got the biggest arms in hip-hop, who's gonna say they're better than me?" And no one on stage said a word.
I remember the 1st Grandmaster Flash album I ever bought had a picture of Mellie Mel on the back. Shirtless from the waist up, wearing shades, gripping a Louisville Slugger in one hand, screaming to the heavens, the caption read; "Whether you like it or not, I am the best rapper in all creation...give 'em a hug". And I instantly believed him.
I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. I see Mellie Mel when I look in the mirror. Not literally, but sometimes I feel like he's my alter ego (Fight Club, anyone?). Oh sure, I check the attitude when dealing publicly with people, but that's only because I know I can take these suckas out ANYTIME I want to. How do you think I won so many poetry slams? With Poetry?
Some poets wear their superhero-ness on their sleeves (kinda like Superman wearing his red & blue tights over his street clothes) which makes them seem so much more successful...or maybe they're just louder about it. It's not the same for rappers 'cuz each MC has a superhero quality about them anyway - even if they profess to not have one & just be a regular joe - then THAT's their super power.
I just found out that I've been selected to represent Washington DC again this year as a storm poet at the National Poetry Slam in St. Louis this August. But things are gonna be different this year. I'm not going as Patrick Washington, I'm going as Black Picasso. S on the chest like I'm a black superhero. We're gonna see what happens when we put the man away & let the myth in the ring. I'm already working out daily, I may not have dudes arms yet, but I've got a Louisville Slugger to back up everythang I say.
"Whether you like it or not, I am the best poet in all creation ...now give 'em a hug".