Twenty-six yearz ago today, April 10, 1993, just over a year after finishing college at the University of Pittsburgh, I printed and distributed the first edition of Da Ghetto Tymz magazine—well, then it was a newsletter because I hadn’t even thought of creating a magazine. I just had a few thingz to say and knew I wasn’t the ‘standing-in-the-streets-on-top-of-a-soap-box’ type.

 

However, I felt a calling to write, even more-so to share both thoughts and viewz that pondered my mind since I was a youth and what I had been learning since my “re-awakening” that started in 1991 thanks to legendary emcee KRS-One spoken about at length in my first book, ‘Analitikul Cogitationz’.

 

M'BWEBE ISHANGI 1994Little did I know after publishing my premiere issue with the first article being ‘Mythologies of Black Versus White’ would lead to inner-viewz with some of the most mentally stimulating people of our time starting with my Jegna Anthony Browder (Issue #19, Dec’94), Sister Souljah (#22, Mar.’95), Naim Akbar (#24, May’95), KRS (#25, Jun’95), and Steve Cokely (#29, Sep’95).

 

Da Ghetto Tymz (DGT for short) became a voice where conscious info was shared in a way I felt our current black media was failing us since they began accepting white advertisements.

 

To stay with the ‘tymz’, DGT morphed as technology advanced: from newsletter, to magazine, to digital magazine. At the aftermath of the last economic recession, Issue #114 Jun’06 ended the streak of printed editionz. It’s also when the effects of gentrification began consuming Black businesses—namely Black bookstores (ask yourselves, where are they today?).

 

DGT had to evolve. The good thing is we were ready. I make it a point to not gloat and remain humble, but I’d be remissed to mention on our 26th Anniversary that daghettotymz.com is probably the longest running Afrikan-centered publication on the internet having debuted January 1, 1996.

 

When I look back, DGT has faired well over the yearz in contributing to the digital merge of conscious information to the internet allowing connectionz and commonalities to diasporically be discussed with the intent and eventual goal of collaborative resolution to our age-old challenge: the effects of Yurugu/global white supremacy.

 

May I gloat just a little more? Just a few timeline bullet-points (click here chart for closeup):

 

• April 10, 1993 — DGT Founded, premiere issue released
• December 1994 — First inner-view with Master Historian and Jegna, Anthony Browder
• September 1995 — First inner-view with Futurologist and Boulé buster, Steve Cokely
• March 1996 — Boulé series debuts
• July 1997 — Issue #50
• January 1998 — Iss#57 article ‘IZ Islam 4 Afrikanz?’ released sparking first cyber debate
• April 2003 — Celebrated first decade and 100th issue
• January 2006 — Premiere of DGTv Digital Video Articles Season One
• June 2006 — Last printed version of DGT and debut of DGT Digital magazine
• August 2007 — DGT founder, M’Bwebe Ishangi releases first book, ‘Analitikul Cogitationz’
• September 2010 — Versus Series debut
• June 2011 — DGTeez t-shirt line launches
• September 2012 — R.E.A.D. (Restore Education of the Afrikan Diaspora) 30-day literacy month started
• February 2013 — Ishangi publishes 3rd book, ‘Urban Unrest: Slavery in New York’
• April 2013 — DGTs 20th Anniversary
• December 2016 — released first documentary ‘The Future of Our Past - Using Cooperatives to Survive and Compete in the Next Twenty Years’
• January 2019 — Ishangi releases 4th book, ‘Who IZ the Boulé?'
• September 2019 — Ishangi to release 5th book, ‘The Unknown-Known: Enduring the Seldom Quest of Questionz’

 

 View more here >> http://daghettotymz.com/20th/timeline/DGT20th-Timeline-Poster.pdf

 

WHAT’S NEXT

 

“It is said that it only takes two willfully ignorant generations for a people to completely lose their way.” 
               — Mwalmu Baruti

 

Over the past quarter century, we’ve witnessed the deterioration of Afrikan consciousness. Gone are the Black bookstores and todayz current crop of youtube wannabe historianz are more into self-branding, preferring social media “likes” over the “love” of extending the works of our master scholarz like Chancellor Williams, Cheikh Ante Diop, John Henrik Clarke, Francess Cress-Welsing, Browder, Marimba Ani, and Mwalimu Baruti (to name a few).

 

Couple that with the millennial plague of ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) where our youth haven’t the patience to read but rather indulge in youtube and social media “cliffnotes”, it’s clear the state of OUR-story is on the verge of intellectual distinction!

 

Technology in the form of digital eBooks (ie, Kindle, PDFs, and audiobooks) have replaced the value of actually having books in our home. What happenz if there was an extended blackout and all your books are on your laptop?! This has also put Black publishing houses at risk of going out of business—those that are remaining.

 

In sync with Baruti’s wordz, this is why this 26th anniversary celebration is more of a internal reflection on the dire need to continue this work!

 

Paraphrasing from my piece, ‘A.R.T.: Afrikan Ritual Thought of Protecting Our Writingz’

 

Now more than ever is there a need for new vanguardz of Our-story. In the past two yearz, we've had two of our greatest and latest giants transition in now Ances-Starz Dr. Yosef ben-Jochannan (March 19, 2015) and Dr. Cress-Welsings (January 2, 2016) as the Dr. Finch, Nana Sekhmet Newton, Marimba Ani, and Anthony Browder's assume position, so must ensuing generationz make the preservation of our history of major importance!

 

DGTs PREMEIRE ISSUE 1993

The horn of Akoben callz for those of you reading this, who are in the know and have supported DGT, to consider what your contribution will be to the preservation of OUR-story.

 

I humbly offer, we already have a playbook to follow created by Dr. Neely Fuller, Jr., Ances-Star Francess Cress-Welsing, and Keidi Awadu called ‘The Ten Areas of People Activity (10APA for short). These are created fields by white folks used to be in position of power (although their power is predicated on our continued ignorance). With each of these 10APAs just ask yourselves what race of people are in control and how has it served them versus how it’s served us.

 

Below is a synoptic overview with accompanying articles I’ve written over the yearz to counter for your review. Let’s “do it for the love and not for the likes!” (large up Chronixx!)

 

1. Economics

It is 2018 and we are still 99% consumer and 1% producer! Gentrification has been effective because we finance it ourselves and it starts as early as where we deposit our paychecks! (hint: banks use our deposits to loan money to non-AfriKan developerz who come into our communities — and we get no interest or dividend from profits yield!)

 

INTERNAL REFLEKSHUNZ

• From Fired to Hiring Myself: A Year's Reflection
• The Unapologetic Quest to G.E.N.T.R.I.F.Y.: Ethnic Cleansing Through Economics
• Get #CryptoWoke with M’Bwebe Ishangi

2. Education

Reading is becoming a pastime activity. Our greatest books are no longer being printed, Black bookstores are becoming fossilized before our very eyes, and Attention Deficient Disorder has clasped its grips into millennialz.

INTERNAL REFLEKSHUNZ:

R.E.A.D. It’s not illegal yet!

• At the root of global white dependency are groups of societies who hold secrets. I invite you to check our R-Kyvz Vault
• The Significance of Historical Consciousness
• Boom Shots | Rapsheets
• Uncle Tom vs. Uncle Tom

 

3. Entertainment

Although this is an area we’re allowed to be the most free of all areas, it comes with a cost: the loss of cultural identity. From industrial patents to the arts (music, fashion, and even language), Afrikan people have been the seed of entertainment. Don’t take my word for it, ask Ben Horowitz of Andreessen Horowitz Venture Capital who intendz to make a billion dollarz off culture created by POADUS (People of Afriakn Descent in the United States)!

 

INTERNAL REFLEKSHUNZ:

• Athletics versus Slavery 1.75: Athletes Can Spark Da Revolution!... But Will They?
• A Historical Perspective Between Deficiency and Difference

 

4. Health

Historically Afrikan men have the shortest lifespan. Collectively, we have inherited the poorest of diets due to economic deprivation, food desserts in our communities, and a cultural amnesia of how we once knew the importance of balanced mental, spiritual, and physical wellness.

 

INTERNAL REFLEKSHUNZ

• The History of White Sugar: the Hidden Truth
• The 3 Muskateerz: the FDA, Monsanto, & Soy: the Assault on the Human Diet
• Vaccines That Kill

 

5. Labor

The startling intergenerational stat of our being 99% consumer/1% producer lay in the fact we are not entrepreneurz. Instead, we ask everyone else for employment rather than what everyone else has done: Do. For. Self!

 

INTERNAL REFLEKSHUNZ

• The Future of Our Past - Using Cooperatives to Survive and Compete in the Next Twenty Years

 

6. Law

The law was never meant to benefit us. Review the Three-Fifths Compromise of 1787 for starterz. This is probably one of white folks most impenetrable and effective areas.

 

INTERNAL REFLEKSHUNZ

• 25 Yearz?! Y Not LIFE!!
• American-Afrikan vs. African-American

 

7. Politics

A better term is Poli-tricks, as the latest we witnessed was the 2016 election where the popular vote was overturned by the electoral vote putting #45 in office.

 

INTERNAL REFLEKSHUNZ

• Obama: What Could Have Been May Now Never Be!
• Y I'm Not A Registered Voter
• Recharging the Revolution

 

8. Religion

One of the top areas, religion has been used to keep us in a stupor! Coupled with (mis)education told from their-story, the quest of self-reclamation has been on pause to the point it may never be resuscitated unless we train the new millennial generation!

 

INTERNAL REFLEKSHUNZ

• Sankofa Kemetamorphosis: Ancestral Calling
• The God Complex: The Microcozm of the Macrocozm
• Fallen Star
• Heru vs. Jesus
• IZ Islam 4 Afrikanz?
• More >> http://daghettotymz.com/rkyvz/rkyvz.html#religion

 

9. Sex

Gender balance could be the perfect kryptonite to global white dependency. But it starts with us Brothas being able to step aside for our Sis-Starz to lead!

 

INTERNAL REFLEKSHUNZ

• Sistaz Can Spark Da Revolution!

 

10. War

This is being fought on several levelz mentally, spiritually, and physically. In my opinion, Each of the previous nine APAs are strategic war tactics used to keep us in the state we’re in. What we must realize is this can be flipped to benefit us simply by countering and refraining from repeating history!

 

INTERNAL REFLEKSHUNZ

• When Knowledge Became Kryptonite
• Ignoring History Perpetuates the Myth of White Supremacy
• H.E.L.P.: Human Extinction Level Project

 

I am truly humbled to have been blessed to publish works catered specifically for the Afrikan Diaspora for the last twenty-six yearz. I’m even more humbled and grateful to you reading this, whether you’re reading my works for the first time, been rolling with me since ’93, or any period in between. I sincerely appreciate your interest and support over the yearz and hope it will not waver.

 

In the spirit of Marcus Garvey who created the Negro World Newspaper August 17, 1918—nearly 110 yearz ago—I look for DGT to continue to be of service standing on those Ances-Starz shoulderz (including JA Rogers, Fannie Lou Hamer, Ivan Van Sertima, Del Jones, and those known and unknown reach back to the antiquital dayz of Kush and Kemet… from ’93 ’til Infinity! (large up Souls of Mischief!)

 

Knowledge of Self Can Only Be Found Undaground!

 

May the Ances-Starz guide and protect you as you venture on the road of righteousness…

 

Bless…

 

--

M’Bwebe Aja Ishangi

Founder & Creator

Da Ghetto Tymz magazine

Knowledge of Self Can Only Be Found Undaground

 ***Celebrating 26 Yearz: 1993-2019***

w: http://daghettotymz.com

e: mbwebe@daghettotymz.com

fb: @daghettotymz

ig: @mbwebeishangi

t: @daghettotymz

elist: http://eepurl.com/cOnltn