Wednesday, August 12, 2009

ROLE MODEL SERIES: MUHAMMAD ALI

AS I TURN ON THE TV I SEE A DOCUMENTARY PLAYING ON PROLLY ASIDE, GOD, MY FAVORITE MAN OF ALL-TIME. A MAN WHO WAS NOT ONLY INFLUENTIAL TO THE AUDIENCE OF HIS CRAFT, BUT TO THE WORLD. THIS MAN CHALLENGED POLITICS, BUT WAS NO POLITICIAN. HE SPOKE WITH GREAT CONFIDENCE AND CHARISMA, BUT WAS NO CAR SALESMAN. IN FACT, HE WAS MORE PERSUASIVE THAN ONE. HE EVEN SAID, AND I QUOTE "I figured that if I said it enough, I would convince the world that I really was the greatest." MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. NOT ONLY DID HE TALK THE TALK, BUT HE WALKED THE WALK. HE WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO WIN THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP 3 TIMES. YES HE WAS A BOXER. IN MY OPINION, THE GREATEST EVER. HE WAS ALSO AN OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL. HE DENIED THE DRAFT FOR THE VIETNAM WAR AND STATED "I ain't draft dodging. I ain't burning no flag. I ain't running to Canada. I'm staying right here. You want to send me to jail? Fine, you go right ahead. I've been in jail for 400 years. I could be there for 4 or 5 more, but I ain't going no 10,000 miles to help murder and kill other poor people. If I want to die, I'll die right here, right now, fightin' you, if I want to die. You my enemy, not no Chinese, no Vietcong, no Japanese. You my opposer when I want freedom. You my opposer when I want justice. You my opposer when I want equality. Want me to go somewhere and fight for you? You won't even stand up for me right here in America, for my rights and my religious beliefs. You won't even stand up for my right here at home." A GREAT MAN WHO STOOD FOR WAT HE BELIEVED. HIS NAME WAS CASSIUS CLAY, OR AS MORE OF US MAY KNO HIM, MUHAMMAD ALI. HIS PERSONA AND INFLUENCE TRANSCENDED THE VERY MEDIUM THAT BROUGHT LIGHT TO HIM, BOXING. HE SERVED AS A ROLE MODEL TO ME BY NOT ONLY BEING THE BEST AT HIS CRAFT AMONGST STELLAR COMPETITION. BUT HE OVERCAME ADVERSITY WHEN THE GENERAL PUBLIC DOUBTED HIM AND ENDED UP ON TOP. AS AN ARTIST, AND AS A MAN, THESE ARE ATTRIBUTES I TAKE NOTE OF AND SHOULD POSSESS TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND INFLUENTIAL TO PEOPLE. HE SAID such things as "
He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life. " WHICH IN MUSIC, MEANS EVERYTHING. IM NOT HERE TO ASSIMILATE TO WHATS GOIN ON NOW, AND FOLLOW THE LEADER. IM TRYNA TO BE THE LEADER. "I know where I'm going and I know the truth, and I don't have to be what you want me to be. I'm free to be what I want." THINGS LIKE THIS GOT ME THROUGH IT BEFORE I EVEN TOOK ON MUSIC AS A CAREER, AND NOW HE GOT ME FEELIN LIKE THIS "It's hard to be humble, when you're as great as I am. " WHY? BECAUSE "I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was". BIG UPS TO MR. ALI. ONE OF MY BIGGEST ROLE MODELS, ONE OF MY FAV MEN OF ALL-TIME.GET'EM CHAMP!

3 comments:

  1. WELL SAID CUZ!...This Post Jus Inspired Me To Be A Better Man..I Strive To Make A Difference And An Impact On The World Just Like Mr. Ali Did!..Every Man Should Strive For Greatness...Thats Why It's Important To Be Original So You Can Separate Yourself From The Crowd Of Followers..

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  2. Wow I love this one, u did a great job! I still can't believe that I lived 10min from this man for 9 whole yrs, but never went up to his house to meet him! Did u ever go while u were in Berrien??

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  3. This is amazing. I don't think there was ever a better way to describe Mr. Ali. For those of us who love HIM, we love this piece of writing. He has been an inspiration to many of us -- only a few of us have the 'guts' to follow what he says . . . I wish us all the strength to practice what we preach and FOLLOW WHAT WE BELIEVE IN!!! Thanx for the article . . . =)

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