When I think of the word mafia there's one thing that comes to mind, Big Tobacco.

After over 50 years of knowingly lying and deceiving the public about the deleterious effects of smoking, the Tobacco industry is just now being held accountable in the court of law and admitting their detrimental actions.

There are so many lessons that can be learned and so many clues that reflect how much of the same playbook used by the Tobacco industry in the 1900s are still very much in effect today.

Sorry to inform you but those resolutions are more than likely not going to help you move the needle this year.

Is that being negative? Of course not. But you DO want to be successful this year don't you?

Well I'm trying to help a brotha or sista out and explain why just making resolutions similar to what you've done in the past won't be enough for you to achieve the health and wellness goals you've set this year.

What exactly is this culture and legacy we speak so highly of?

We're dying people. And early.

Throughout hip hop we not only see the promotion of degenerative lifestyles but we see the artists we've come to love succumb to illness, disease and often early death.

How exactly can you move any movement, community or culture forward when our health is failing at the rates they are?

Let's clear one thing up before we go into 2018.

Black folk WILL remain sick and stupid going into the new year, not by accident and not due to white supremacy or any other bs being told to you by your black favs.

There are three concrete reasons why and the proof is in the pudding!

*crickets*

Yes you read it correctly. I think I've ridden this vegan train about as far as I'm willing to ride it and now's the time for me to hop off.

Now I'm not in anyway suggesting you should do the same however, with all of what I have observed this year, I want to set a clear intention for Project Rook going into 2018.

The debate is on.

In one corner we have vegans who have taken on the role of food police and in the other we have meat eaters who say, wait just one minute, look in your own plate before questioning mines.

So the pressing question is this: are processed foods healthy as long as it's vegan?

I think you already know the answer.

You know the drill.

The holidays are upon us and it usually evolves a lot of unnecessary eating and stress. So your desire to keep your peace and your waist gets a lot more complicated when you've transitioned to a vegan or healthier lifestyle.

What do you do when no one in your family wants to hear about why you're not eating "normal"? How do you handle them thinking you're not only being extreme but a disgrace to tradition aka down right bougie?!

More importantly whose opinion will ultimately prove to mean the most to you?! Let's discuss.

We're back!

Here's my update on what's being going on for the past month or so.

But more importantly, let's discuss the hidden culprit behind a lot of illness and disease....stress!

Could it be that your health progress is been hindered by your inability to avoid and/or properly handle stress?

Saturdays, Consciousness and Pastor Pork Chop? Ha, what a combination!

I know people hate the correlation between health and church BUT it is an important one we can't afford to overlook.

Even if you don't want to admit it, I'm sure you have noticed the shift in mass consciousness that's taking place. If you haven't I challenge you to look at your Saturdays and "Pastor Pork Chop" just a little bit differently.

So what's the real deal with the Hoteps?

Are they helping or hurting? Uniting or dividing?

We've seen them mocked, ridiculed and dismissed by many of our mainstream black favorites but how do we break this thing down to see who is actually contributing to the health and wellness of the black community and who is promoting more pain and discord in the mind and body of the people?

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