Hip Hop Full Steam Ahead/Wal-Mart Benefits = Horrible!

Welcome to my first blog. Every blog that I compose is going to have purpose and meaning in how something effected my life and perhaps through my words, it can effect yours too. I want to touch on two imporant factors. My job and one of the passions of my life, music. On the more positive note, I'll start with music.

Today, my good friend Deshawn put me onto a video. It was a cypher with DJ Premier, Mos Def, Black Thought and Eminem. Each emcee KILLED IT. Nothing less than incredible. At a time where you've got artists like Lil Wayne, Souljah Boy, and carbon copies of them EVERYWHERE, this right here was a breath of fresh air. Nas once said and labeled his album "Hip Hop Is Dead". Hip Hop was never dead, here's one example:



And with the releases today of Sean Price - Kimbo Price and R.A. The Rugged Man - Legendary Classics Vol.1, it got me to write a verse with Multi's in it that last 55 seconds long. If you don't know what a multi is, check out Big Pun's Verse in Deep Cover 98 and follow the first minute of it. I'll have some audio of it up soon.

As for the job situation that effected me, I hate feeling stuck. I know many say if you aren't happy where you work, then just find a new job....around here, easier said then done. Especially when the pay is going to be less and with the bills I have, not exactly something that's affordable right now. However, that's not the main gripe I have. The gripe I have is that today, we had to re-enroll our benefits. Although I have until the middle of November, I was told it had to be done today. As I looked at them, I noticed some changes that of course help Wal-Mart and the insurance companies that this country have, yet help the employees zero. For the "Value" package, (and it's anything but that), My payment went from 54.00 to 57.00 a paycheck. 3 bucks doesn't sound too bad. However, the deductable (what I have to reach in hospital bills/doctors bills before insurance kicks in), has jumped yet again. A few years ago we had an option of 100 dollars. The monthly payments were a little higher but for those who get sick frequently it would be of great help to them. Two years ago the minimum deducatble became 350 dollars. I chose that one because It was either 100, 350, or 500. Now, the minimum deductable is 500 dollars! A visit to a walk-in clinic 2 years ago was 105.00 for me. I'm sure it's gone up. Now god forbid I get sick, I have to reach 500.00 worth of bills before I can get coverage from the company that takes 57 dollars every two weeks from me. A friend of mine and fellow co-worker has insurance for his wife and himself. He pays 248.00 every two weeks.
At a time where Wal-Mart, whom is all about image, is flourishing in this current economy, seems as it can't do more for it's employees and has to raise it's benefits cost. If you watch The Age of Wal-Mart special that aired, you will hear it said that Wal-Mart is THE WORSE in the nation with their healthcare. Don't feel like finding it? I'm sure there's a Wal-Mart in your neighboorhood. Ask a random associate how great the healthcare is next time you shop there. Something NEEDS to be done about this. They that condone this for my fellow associates at corporate headquarters for Wal-Mart and the insurance providers that are greedy pigs getting richer while mothers aren't able to afford benefits for their children, disgust me. Outrageous deductables ARE NOT NEEDED FOR BILLION DOLLAR CORPORATIONS! They already have us paying ridiculous amounts, the cause for the deductable just makes it worse.

It's almost midnight, the anger has already built in me writing this. I once saw a picture that said "Quit bitching and start a revolution". And just incase anyone is thinking otherwise, not all revolutions are violent. Many are peaceful with the mind being the strongest weapon. Hopefully by reading this, you yourself, if in a similar situation, will want to make a change also. Even though this is just a blog, it's a start.