To get to the Big Game, the Redskins won two close games against the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings. Although Williams played solid in both victories there was still doubt that a black man could win the Super Bowl. Yes, in 1988 Black quarterbacks were looked at as more athletic and agile but not great pocket passers, which was basically code language for having lower IQs than their white counterparts. 

However, after falling behind 10-0 by the end of the first quarter, Doug Williams came out firing to start the second. He led Washington to 35 unanswered points before halftime, which included him throwing four touchdowns. When the game was over Doug Williams stat line read 18/29, 340 yards passing, 4 TDs and 1 INT with a passer rating of 127.9. Not bad for the first Black quarterback to ever start a Super Bowl.

Williams knew outside of the Redskins locker room there were few who believed he could outduel John Elway. If a more decorated quarterback would’ve started for Washington that day, they probably would’ve been the prohibitive favorites. But, that’s not what happened. Instead, Williams was named the MVP of the game and set a couple Super Bowl records, most touchdowns in a quarter (4) and most passing yards (340).

Up to that point, Williams was pretty much a journeyman in the NFL. Although he was a first round pick coming out of Grambling State University, Williams’ time to prove his true worth didn’t come until his football career was almost over. Williams knew he was a starting caliber quarterback in the NFL, he just never got a real shot until the biggest stage in football came calling.

When your time comes, will you play like a champion? Will you stay ready so you don’t have to get ready? Sometimes you have to win by default, meaning something out of your control must happen for you to get a chance. In Williams’ case it was poor play by and injuries to a quarterback that wasn’t as talented as he was. He knew he had to be the next man up and take full advantage of his once in a lifetime opportunity. And not only was he ready for the call, he exceeded all expectations. 

Feel like you’re doing everything right but the opportunities are slim to none? Keep perfecting your craft. Never do things just for repetition, do them to find ways to get better. And when your number gets called, as Doug Williams’ did, be ready to go and play like a champion. Leave nothing to doubt about your preparation and performance.

For you to emerge as a true boss and give yourself the best chance at “Playing Like a Champion” when your number is called, here are a few suggestions:

• Study the greats so you’ll know what it takes to be great
• Challenge yourself to be great
• Eat foods that increase brain function
• Try new activities
• Get sufficient amounts of rest
• Know your weaknesses and work to lessen them
• Prioritize what means the most to you and use that as motivation
• Don’t wait for things to happen, create your own luck
• Avoid distractions
• Invest in your overall well being 
• Eliminate bad habits
• Utilize gaps in time for self improvement 
• Raise your spiritual awareness 

The post Hip Hop 101 #5: Play Like A Champion appeared first on Home.

As 50 Cent began his recovery, he was dropped from his label and silently blackballed from the music industry which was primarily operated out of 50’s hometown of New York City. At his darkest moment, 50 closed ranks within his camp and left the city for a more serene location. While there, 50 began to double down on himself. He could’ve easily folded or broke, but instead he lifted himself up and stood tall.

As he rehabbed himself to peak physical condition 50 would forge a plan that would make him the hottest artist on the planet. Because no known producers on the east coast would work with him, 50 pulled a page from Ice Cube’s book and started jacking for beats. He would take the hottest instrumentals and drop better hooks and catchier punchlines than the original artists. This formula would get the attention of the top mixtape DJs around the country. 50 Cent was now reborn and ready to take the mainstream industry by storm.

At some point one of 50’s mixtapes would get into the hands of someone in Eminem’s camp. At that time Em was one of the top artists in the world and had the backing of west coast power label Interscope Records via Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment. With 50 and Eminem both having a strong love for free speech, the pairing was a no brainer. 50 eventually signed with Shady Records and the rest is history.

Now, if 50 would’ve given up and died or if he would’ve sat in that hospital and felt sorry for himself or if he didn’t work hard to get himself into supreme physical condition or if he didn’t use the resources he had, for example, other people’s instrumentals when producers were not available to him, 50 Cent wouldn’t be where he is today. Only special thing 50 Cent did, when at his lowest point, he doubled down on himself. He took what he had and went all in. 

When times are looking thinnest for you and you feel like it’s time to quit or do something else with other people in your ear telling you what you’re working on is not going to work and it’s not going to amount to anything, double down on yourself. Start listening to yourself and build your confidence up. Utilize the resources given to you, the things around you that can take you to the next level.

The formula that other artists, producers or influencers are using may not work for you. Find what makes you special. What is it that you know how to do better than other people? Through analysis, what can you immediately identify that you do better than the person you’re up against. And once you find that, use that to your advantage, exploit that. And then sometimes, you just have to outwork people.

When you begin to double down on yourself you’ll see that you can turn liabilities into assets, old foes will turn to allies and poverty will turn to wealth. Look within and find those inner qualities that have always been there but yet to be dusted off, cleaned up, polished and refined. Sometimes it may take moving to a new destination, re-enrolling in school or removing yourself from your current circle of associates. But what it’s not going to take is you giving up on yourself.

Here’s some things you can do when it’s time to double down on yourself:

• Be thankful for your existence
• Learn how to take constructive criticism
• Get a self help book and read it at least 10 times
• Utilize the mirror technique to encourage yourself
• Set small achievable goals 
• Pinpoint your strengths and talents 
• Exercise regularly 
• Plan self care days
• Be kind to others
• Immediately correct negative thinking
• Surround yourself with successful people
• Celebrate your achievements 
• Reinvest resources into yourself

The post Hip Hop 101 #4 Double Down On Yourself appeared first on Home.

At work today, I stumbled across an interesting lyric on Ambitionz Az A Ridah by 2Pac aka Tupac Shakur. He used the word Drill and in proper context as rappers in the Drill Music scene would. Listen to the video and hear me out, then leave a comment.

#tupacshakur #tupac #rap #musicindustry #drill #alleyezonme #money #bayarea #losangeles #california #chicago #chicagodrill #newyork #newyorkdrill #uk #ukdrill #phoenix #trenchesnews #truthteller #truthtellertv #kingak47 #kingakademiks #streetnewstv #sntvnews #chrisbarnes #lildurk #chiefkeef #chiefkeefsosa

The post Did 2Pac Create Drill Music? Ambitionz Az A Ridah Decoded appeared first on Home.

Former chief of security and CEO of #deathrowrecords Reggie Wright Jr. Speaks on the time #tupacshakur and Suge Knight planned to rush Biggie Smalls on stage at the Soul Train Awards in 1996.

#bomb1st #reggiewrightjr #vladtv #nojumper #keefed #orlandoanderson #piru #crip #badboy #pdiddy #notoriousbig #biggiesmalls #mobjames #wack100 #clubhouse #vanillaice #drdre #snoopdogg #thuglife #outlawz

The post Suge Knight and Tupac planned to rush Biggie on stage appeared first on Home.

Referral link – https://www.qwick.com/lets_work_together/?promo_code=251165

Business Referral link – https://app.qwick.com/business-registration (Referral Code 251165)

Qwick is an app that matches experienced industry freelancers with shifts at restaurants, hotels, catering companies, stadiums and more. Qwick is the leader in on-demand staffing solely for the hospitality industry.

In this video I explain how I made over $40,000 using Qwick.

#staffingagency #staffingsolutions #hospitalityjobs #hospitalityindustry #bartender #barback #server #busser #eventplanner #eventplanning #catering #cateringbusiness #banquets #foodandbeverageindustry #foodandbeverageservicetrainingvideos #foodandbeverageservice #foodandbev #cook #linecook #chef #souschef #restaurant #bar #cafe #barista #phoenix #losangeles #sandiego #sanfrancisco #denver #jacksonville #miami #southflorida #orlando #tampabay #atlanta #chicago #baltimore #newyorkcity #newjersey #charlotte #cleveland #philadelphia #pittsburgh #nashville #austin #dallas #ftworth #houston #sanantonio #washingtondc

The post How I Made Over $40,000 On An App Called Qwick appeared first on Home.

Referral link – https://www.qwick.com/lets_work_together/?promo_code=251165

Business Referral link – https://app.qwick.com/business-registration (Referral Code 251165)

Qwick is an app that matches experienced hospitality industry freelancers with shifts at restaurants, hotels, catering companies, stadiums and more. Qwick is the leader in on-demand staffing solely for the hospitality industry.

Watch the video to see why Qwick is perfect for hospitality workers. Actually it is the #1 gig worker app specifically for hospitality employees.

#qwick #hospitality #staffing #staffingagency #staffingsolutions #hospitalityjobs #hospitalityindustry #bartender #barback #server #busser #eventplanner #eventplanning #catering #cateringbusiness #banquets #foodandbeverageindustry #foodandbeverageservicetrainingvideos #foodandbeverageservice #foodandbev #cook #linecook #chef #souschef #restaurant #bar #cafe #barista #phoenix #losangeles #sandiego #sanfrancisco #denver #jacksonville #miami #southflorida #orlando #tampabay #atlanta #chicago #baltimore #newyorkcity #newjersey #charlotte #cleveland #philadelphia #pittsburgh #nashville #austin #dallas #ftworth #houston #sanantonio #washingtondc

The post Qwick Is The Perfect App For Hospitality Workers appeared first on Home.

#bar #bartender #cocktails

Margarita

1.5 ounces silver tequila
1 ounce orange liqueur (Cointreau, Grand Marnier or Triple Sec)
3/4 ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice
optional sweetener: agave nectar or simple syrup, to taste
ice
lime wedge and coarse salt for rimming the glass
Shake all ingredients except salt in cocktail shaker. Strain over new ice in rimmed glass.

Cosmopolitan

1.5 fluid ounces vodka
¼ fluid ounce lime juice
¼ fluid ounce triple sec
¼ fluid ounce cranberry juice
1 cup ice
1 lime wedge for garnish
Shake all ingredients except lime wedge in cocktail shake. Strain into chilled martini glass or coupe and garnish with lime.

Old Fashioned

2 teaspoons simple syrup or 2 sugar cubes (diluted)
2 dashes bitters
1 cup ice cubes
2 fluid ounces Bourbon whiskey
1 orange peel
1 Luxardo cherry
Add all ingredients except cherry and orange into a mixing glass. Stir until ingredients are cold and drink is semi-diluted. Strain over clean ice inside rocks glass. Garnish with orange peel and cherry.

Manhattan

Ice
2 ounces rye whiskey
1 ounce Carpano Antica Formula or other sweet vermouth
2 dashes of Angostura bitters
1 maraschino cherry (preferably Luxardo), for garnish
Mix all ingredients except cherry inside mixing glass until drink is ice cold. Strain into cold martini glass or coupe. Garnish with cherry.

Martini

2 ¼ ounces dry gin (such as Hayman’s)
1 ounce dry vermouth (such as Dolin)
3 dashes Angostura orange bitters
1 lemon twist, for garnish
1 olive (for garnish)
Mix all ingredients except garnish in mixing glass. Stir until drink is ice cold. Pour into cold martini glass or coupe. Garnish with lemon twist or olive.

#cocktail #martinis #margarita #cosmopolitan #oldfashioned #manhattancocktail #gin #vodka #whiskey #tequila #bourbonwhiskey #ryewhiskey

The post 5 Cocktails Every Bartender Should Know appeared first on Home.

Back in the pre-internet era, brands were built by providing next level service. Yes, Mr. Walton could match prices of larger more established retailers, however, he made sure to always keep his shelves fully stocked, stores clean and greeted people warmly when they entered and exited. Guests respond well to these subtle yet important factors. That’s why pre-Walmart, Sam always saw huge sales increases whenever he did business. Retail was Sam’s universe and he spent many years perfecting ways to expand it until he became extremely good at it.

As a member of the hip-hop community, you must see your universe through the lens of Mr. Walton, meaning how can you improve the culture. So many young artists, producers, influencers, etc., come in with the pillage mentality. Not asking what can I contribute, but what can I get out of hip-hop. Therefore, it should be of no surprise why there is so much scandal and violence in today’s culture. People see hip-hop as a way out but have done little to improve on it for the fans or for the people coming after them.

In one of hip-hop’s most successful eras, from 1992 to 2005, you saw a lot of innovation. Whether you thought an artist had bars or not, they were actively trying to separate themselves from the pack. And that’s when you also saw more expansion in the culture because back then you actually had executives actively seeking the next best thing. Yes, the business model was different back then, and so was the spirit. Take a place like Queensbridge Housing in New York City. There were so many artists that came from there with their own unique styles. Now you can barely tell where an artist is from because many of them look and sound alike. 

Recently a new artist popped on my radar. He’s an example of an innovator. He can rap, sing, play instruments, speaks multiple languages, can freestyle, knows how to write songs and can perform. He’s not starting wars on social media for clout and he’s maintained a humble nature throughout his journey. And from my current understanding he’s not involved in any major scandals or beef. That’s what the culture needs more of if it is to make another major expansion. Hip-hop only benefits when there are more pioneer spirits involved. There’s more opportunity, more peace and yes, more money when there’s more focus on improving than taking. 

Below is a list of things you can do in order to help expand your universe and become an innovator in the world of hip-hop:

• Get a self help book and read it multiple times
• Learn at least 3 new words per day
• Befriend someone outside of your culture
• Begin learning a new language
• Travel more often
• Take a public speaking course
• Join a professional or trade association
• Attend workshops or seminars
• Create a new stream of revenue for yourself
• Outsource some of your work tasks to others
• Treat others the way you want to be treated

As always, this is not an all inclusive list, just some ideas to get your juices flowing and start acting.

The post Hip Hop 101 #3 Expand Your Universe appeared first on Home.

Before his transition from Earth, Tupac Shakur and Suge Knight were planning to launch an East Coast branch of Death Row Records called Death Row East. Although many suspected Tupac of leaving Death Row, his passion for Death Row East might debunk that theory. Anyway, watch the video, like comment and subscribe to the channel.

#2pac #tupacshakur #sugeknight #nas #mobbdeep #biggiesmalls #notoriousbig #badboy #diddy #eastcoasthiphop #westcoasthiphop #losangeles #newyork #oakland #atlanta #tooshort #icecube #e40 #vladtv #theartofdialogue #camcaponenews #trenchesnews

The post Was Tupac Really Trying to Leave Death Row Before Leaving Earth? appeared first on Home.

The guy once held responsible for the safety of arguably the most popular rapper of all time is calling BS on conspiracy theories attributed to his death. The former chief of security at Death Row Records says anyone promoting Tupac conspiracy theories is dead wrong. He even mentions several by name including Tupac’s own brother Mopreme Shakur.

A former Compton Police officer, Mr. Wright says he knew who did the shooting of Tupac minutes after it occurred. And he is standing firm that the government had nothing to do with it.

The post Reggie Wright Calls BS on Tupac Conspiracies appeared first on Home.