Thinking of a Master Plan By Lee H. Tillman

On the song "Just Don't Give a F***" Eminem famously spit the line "I'll diss your magazine a still won't get a weak review." After his scuffles with The Source we know this to be true. There is a short list of rappers that have the ability to say that. Well ladies and gentleman, you can add Brother of Moses of the Kansas City collective Deep Thinkers to that list. On the song "Rock the Beat," he raps "f*** Vibe, f*** Source, f*** XXL,/ those pretty fashion magazines are stupid as hell". Yet, there was "Necks Move" (the groups latest album) in the Revolutions section of Vibe magazine getting a favorable review. When asked if this changed his feelings about the publication Brother simply states "No. it was from an independent writer, Vibes' still one of the worst. There're plenty of nice mags out there. Fuck them. It comes to my house every month believe it or not so I know what I'm talking shit about." Fair enough. The group Deep Thinkers is composed of Leonard D. Stroy (He's the DJ) and Brother of Moses (He's the rapper). Sticking closely to their moniker they stray away from the typical "money, hoes and cloths" script that you would usually hear on the radio. Much like the groups Dead Prez and Zion I, brother of Moses is unapologetic when it comes to political issues. It's this type of thinking that might not get them as much play as they should. Even worse his might even gain them some enemies but BOM doesn't feel he has a choice in the matter. The truth must be told. "It's our job to make the music we create , sometimes I wonder why I write the things I write about , then I turn on the TV and it all comes back to me, THIS IS MADNESS ! Don't get me wrong life is beautiful and I'm very thankful for what I have and what I can do, but is it worth the worlds sufferance? I live in America as a result of slavery, if it wasn't for colonialism I wouldn't be here and the world wouldn't be as it is now. Many whites think slavery has nothing to do with our situation today and discount it's continuing effects on Afro-Americans. We've come far but we still have a ways to go. Sure you can have a couple lap dogs like Condoleeza running around making everything seem fair and equal but if you step into the ghettos of the U. S. you get a different story. Look at BET, Vibe , Source, etc. We look like a bunch of diamond flashing throwback wearing fools. There's no balance here in K.C. or nationally we gotta make this music." Now before you start to think that Deep Thinkers are just a bunch of Black fist pumping Whitey hating militants, let me introduce the rest of the crew. While Brother of Moses is providing the listener with our "next move" socially Leonard D. Stroy is busy making our "necks move". With complex musical arrangement and keen drum programming D. Stroy lays the sometimes agitated but always smooth soundtrack for the revolution. Check out the Kansas City anthem "We Live in K.C." if you don't believe me. Simply put, Leonard D. Stroy is the spoon full of sugar that makes the medicine go down. And the revolution doesn't stop there. When Brother of Moses isn't lacing a D. Stroy track he's working with other K. C. artist Talltale a.k.a. Klue, Opus Grey, Nez Beat and The Beat Broker. (Check out symbolheavy.com for more info,) Brother is also an oil painter and right now he's in the works with other like-minded artist to start a hip hop academy for youth where he plans on teaching mural painting. So, to anyone asking why Deep Thinkers do what they do, the answer is in the name. For those of you not familiar with Biblical teachings Arron was the brother of Moses. The same Moses that led his people out of captivity. You may or may not know that Moses spoke with a speech impediment so his brother Aaron (which just so happens to be BOM's birth name.) had to do all the talking. Arron was the spokesperson for the revolution. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Lee H. Tillman is a Los Angeles based writer/MC. For more information log onto Calogerodean.com"