“And it hurts me soul.”

Corruption.
Racism.
Xenophobia.
Poverty.
Lies.
War.

The list could go on and on and on. And time and time again the root of it all this ugliness and evil is the hearts of men, tainted by greed.

We live on a continent so rich in resources, yet most of our people suffer. Daily, they suffer.

Those with the power to change any of this, appear to be doing something about it, yet those who suffer mostly still do.

I don’t understand the intricacies of it, I just know that it’s plain as day. I don’t have the stats or the cold hard facts. But it’s all around for all to see.

As an artist I have a gift and platform to speak out.

But then, who am I and aside from that where do I find the strength and conviction to rise above my fears to even begin to try to make a change ?

Because at the end of the day, like so many others I am afraid.

That fear is my deepest shame. I hope and pray one day to be strong enough to play my part when the time comes.

Because I know it will in fact come, I’ve known it for the longest time. I’ve even hidden from it, tried to ignore it, but just like the feeling that I was sent here to be amazing…I believe a higher purpose awaits me. And to continue to run from any of that would just be foolish.

For now, I’mma sit back and turn this Lupe up a lil’ louder and let it lead the way. This album is one of my favourites ever.

Peace, Love & Light…

Tehn Diamond

Catch on me on twitter @TehnDiamond or facebook and lets chop it up sometime.

TODAY’S POSTS

1. THE AUDIO’S VISUALS: “Take You Away” by DJ Macson ft. TAGZ #TwimboMusic

2. LIVE IN EFFECT: Kanye West performs “POWER” x BET Awards ’10

3. MUSIC ON MY MIND: Tara King’s “Warning Shotz”

Kanye’s POWER uncensored from videotableau on Vimeo.

“Its not a music video, its a painting”

I really don’t know what to say about this. I’ve been head over heels in love with the song from the second I first heard it. I play it every morning before I do anything. I can’t play it when I’m driving or doing anything that requires me to not jump up and down on the spot. Basically, this track gets me hyped as fuck…

Now the visuals….WOW.

You know, right now if i’m honest with myself…there’s a lot of things going very well and then there’s a lotta things not going well.

Thats pretty standard though as far as life goes though. Yet the good and you get the bad.

But that second bunch of things are things that can be turned around in my case, just another challenge right ? Yea, I think I’m gonna NOT panic over these things AT ALL. I’ve got solutions brewing anyhow, so we’ll see.

Cos the first bunch of things, the ones going very well in my case, they’re keeping me in a great place mentally. Its not like I’m super positive and stuff, I’m very charged…like in my head things are just falling into place. I have a clearer picture of what I feel needs to be done, but more than that its all getting done. We’re making progress.

So I’m calm, chilling hear listening to some Chrisette Michelle…honestly I’ve just fallen in love with everything that comes outta this woman’s lungs.

So on those beautiful notes, I’ll leave you. Sometimes its just best stand still and feel the calm for a second. Then back to business.

Peace.

Tehn

P.S. I’m so sorry the mixtape is taking so long. Not too worry once I get the ON switch fixed, the floodgates’ll open and you’ll be please. We’re working hard out here. #NSOA #SOTG

This is my boy TK’s first single off his upcoming album. Usually I’d post something like this in the Audio’s Visual section, but its more than just a video for a song I like. This is an example of what I keep tryna tell people that WE as Zimbabweans and young Africans are capable of. We all stood up and cheered when the World cup went down, but don’t forget how much we’re doing regardless of the spotlight being on us or not.

I keep telling people that its about to be our time.

Watching this video just makes me too proud. Please share it on ur facebook pages…on ur twitter items…on ur blogs….EVERYWHERE….the world will never recognise us if we fail to push and recognise each other.

TK !!! You doing it my brother.

Peace, Love & prominence….

Tehn Diamond

I’m pretty sure most have played this game. I used to love it. Finding Wally was my life at one point. I used to have this Italian friend and he had tonnes of the books. So between playing Italia ’90 on SEGA, we’d go-a-searching for Wally. Ah yes, the good times.

Fast forward 10yrs….

In recent days I stumbled upon such a book…and excitedly decided to rekindle that awesome part of my youth. And here’s how it went down.

Monday 10am or so…I find old dusty “Where’s Wally” book. Proceed to flip thru pages with glee and drool profusely from the mouth, nose and eyes. (please dont ask how or why)

30mins later…..I find my first Wally…feeling awesome…its just like the old days, only my Italian friend is married and the only games I have on SEGA now are Tekken, MK1 and Shinobi

45mins later….I find another Wally…still feeling awesome…could do with some company, because a high-5 would be awesome right about now…nevertheless I move on to try and find my third Wally of the day..

20mins later…I find the sneaky bugger and in record time too….(this is where it all goes horribly wrong)

See I get a call from my Dad requesting that I get up off my lazy rapper ass and get down to the office to do some grown-up shit instead of staying at home pretending to write hits. (Yes of course, none of these were his exact words but the tone in his voice told me he was thinking it.)

So I put the book away and get in my car.

Whilst preparing to tackle whatever real world, grown up task my pops has lined up for me….I like to get my head in the game so to speak. I try to remove myself from child-like thinking and start to view things in a more mature light.

It usually works well, but this time I couldn’t stop thinking about Wally. Sure it was fun finding the book and finding him, but now all I wanted to know was why the fuck this fool was hiding in the first place ?

And why if he’s gonna be hiding does he have to wear stripes !!!

Who pays for the tickets to all these places he goes to ?

Must he always smile like such a goof ?

Is Wally gay ?

Where was Wally born and do his family ever miss him ?

Does Wally own a phone someone can reach him on if need be ?

What does Wally look for in life, while we spend precious time look for him ?

Then it hit me. Fuck thinking like an adult, thinking like child is sooooo much better. You question more of the world around you. And while you may not always come up with the answer, you almost always come up with even more awesome questions.

I swear to Zeus the kids are the ones to watch, they have this life thing figured out. So from Wally I’ve learnt two things:

1. Go out there and get lost every now and again…fuck who’s looking for you.

2. Stripes are a NO !

So now I’m off to apply the very wisdom I just vomited out here. I’ve got my favourite traveling pants fresh out the freezer, a jar of freshly plucked Skittles and a coupon that says if I get lost in Peru long enough I’m entitled to a tall refreshing glass of Pisco Sour.

Peace, Love & papaya juice if ya nasty…

Tehn

P.S. im not really going anywhere I’m just planning. #SueMe

So its no secret AT ALL, that I’m a social media junkie. I love being online, I love meeting people I don’t know and catching up with people I do know. Like, I’m ALL ABOUT IT. With that said though, I doubt I’d be online if I weren’t Tehn Diamond. I’m in a way kinda private as a person, and just don’t know what value I’d truly be adding to the internets as just ME.

But thats just how I feel.

Essentially I’m on here tryna build a brand, get my name and my music out there and all that mess. But when it really boils down to it, I’m on here selling ME. Cos’ as it turns out nobody just buys the music anymore, they buy into the person behind the music. Which in my opinion makes perfect sense.

In an age of transparency and high-speed information exchanges going on….who in the fuck has time to pause and pay attention to “the fake” ?

I for one don’t and wouldn’t expect any of you to either.

That bit of reasoning is the very reason I blog the way I do or tweet the way I do or update my facebook statuses the way I do…..its not always pleasant and beautiful….sometimes its crude and rude and ugly….then other times its inspiring and motivating….why though ?

Well, because I’m a human being. And being human, at the end of the day is a full experience…that encompasses so many different emotions on a day to day basis. In my mind, to sit there and just dish out just straight “positive vibes” for the sake of appeasing you or making you feel like “ooh Tehn is so deep and so positive” is just ridiculous and petty deception.

I’d rather just give you the real. I enjoy expressing how I ACTUALLY feel online and not something manufactured, processed or painstakingly thought out. I have my core beliefs, and those don’t change, but like anyone else I lose sight of them from time to time. Its allowed.

Don’t you understand that what makes this whole experience so awesome, is that sometimes its very very far from awesome. Its those dark moments that make the light that much brighter.

All I’m saying there’s no crime in embracing every part of ur humanity, the good, the bad & the ugly….its all beautiful really.

Peace,Love & just being who it is you is…

Tehn Diamond

“The last of the last ones.”