Written and narrated by the host, Pablo, "Dear Negro" invokes centuries of African pain, suffering and bondage, to remind descendants of enslaved Africans about the savagery and horrors of chattel, plantation slavery and anti-black racism of that era. The latter, anti-black racism, persists to this day in America and around the world.

A world generally desensitized to the pain and suffering of Africans, of black melanated people.

A nation, among many, with a history of perpetrating vicious crimes against humanity, black and brown, with impunity.

A nation whose elected leaders lack the courage and resolve to approve H.R. 40, a legislative bill introduced by late Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, three decades ago. A bill to establish a commission to study and develop proposals for reparations.

Imagine that?

When will black voters in America wake up to the reality that America has no interest, so far, in holding itself accountable for the atrocities of chattel slavery?

That reparative justice should therefore be the single-issue to secure our votes.

No reparative justice.

No H.R. 40.

No vote.

Our ancestors deserve no less.

In this special bonus episode, Pablo engages Guyanese filmmaker, public intellectual and writer, Clairmont Chung, in a meaningful conversation about Mr Chung's recently published essay titled, "Saving the Essequibo from Becoming Another Gaza".

Guyana sits on the northern coast of South America bordered by the Brazil, Venezuela, Surinam and the Caribbean Sea to the south, west, east and north respectively.

Venezuela's president, Nicolas Maduro, emboldened by a recent referendum in which 90 % of voters (11 % voter-turnout reported) pledged support for Venezuela's annexation of oil-rich Essequibo, two-thirds of Guyana's territory, in violation of international law, said he would soon be giving out licenses for oil-exploration in Essequibo, among other annexation plans.

Is it all bark and no bite?

Will Venezuela invade Guyana and seize Essequibo?

Or is there much more to this border dispute than meets the casual eye?

And what about EXXON and the US?

And what are the similarities between Gaza, Ukraine and Essequibo?

"IT'S THE OIL, STUPID!" ~ Clairmont declares.

In his thoughtful editorial, Mr Chung writes, "European nations fought endless wars among themselves and against Indigenous peoples to annex the world and to divide it among their empires. After all that, they get to preside over border disputes they created. There lies the problem."

In a related article on Wired868.com, international agreements by colonial and neocolonial empires are described as  “the fruit of the poisonous tree”. Hmmm....

Please watch and share this episode, then join the conversation on Facebook @PabloSpeaks

AYO

In this episode, I take a deep dive into the pith of the worst crime against humanity in history, chattel slavery, and make a strong case, lyrically, for reparative justice.

Racism fueled chattel slavery then. Racism fueled the atrocities and lynchings of the Jim Crow era. Racism fuels police brutality, and the glaring racial disparities in wealth, homelessness, healthcare, education, access to capital, indictments and incarceration in America, now.

Truth be told, America would rather send 100 billion dollars in weapons of mass destruction and aid to Ukraine and Israel, than pay reparations to the descendants of enslaved Africans upon whose backs this nation was built; whose sweat and blood stain its soil and conscience; who served paid the ultimate sacrifice in every American war.

Why?

Because America doesn't really give a schmuck about black people, except when candidates need our votes or when our sons and daughters are needed to fight a war.

So, what are we gonna do about this blatant disrespect and disregard for the 400+ years of crimes committed against our African ancestors with impunity?

Are African American voters ready to make REPARATIONS the SINGLE-ISSUE to earn their votes?

Listen to my lyrical vent then answer the Q&A and poll.

Let's go!!!

..............

CREDITS:

Words, graphics & video by James G Paul Sr (Pablo)

Beats by Andy Anansi Gordon

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Pablo breaks down the production process for Moon ah Run, his latest dub poetry single - branded as the battle of Guyanese creole vs hiphop - from idea and inspiration thru writing, curating and recording, to mixing, mastering, registering and releasing.

Moon ah Run (by PablOGt) is streaming on Spotify and all major digital music platforms.

I would appreciate your feedback on this bonus episode. Is this kind of detailed recap of the song-creation process helpful?

Email me at [email protected] or leave a comment on Facebook @PabloSpeaks

Thanks for your support.

Have a great weekend!

AYO

Greetings.

A special episode to honor the five Guyanese soldiers who lost their lives in the line of duty in a tragic helicopter crash in the jungles of Essequibo, an oil-rich region of Guyana being claimed by Venezuela's president Nicolas Maduro, in defiance of international law and recent court rulings.

We pray for the two survivors and grieve for the families and friends of the five brave warriors who died. May their souls rest in peace.

Please listen and share, if the spirit moves you.

Peace!

AYO

Pablo

Welcome to the second episode of Pablo Speaks - the podcast where words are weaponized to inspire and edutain.

A famous quote by Lord Buddha reads: “We are what we think, all that we are arises with our thoughts, with our thoughts we make the world.” 

Or, as my Uncle Sam would say, “Thinking is everything.”

Thinking is also the theme of my first featured poem titled, “Breaking the chains”.

The background music was composed by Andy Anansi Gordon.

Enjoy!

Welcome message from the host. I will record and share a new, original piece of spoken word (narrative poetry, short story, interview, reading, commentary), weekly, on Sunday's.

That's the plan.

Let's go!