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Magazine July 2015

View The Journey Inside!

$100

Bing Bing walks through entire San Gabriel Valley for Respect & Common Courtesy in honor of Good Fathers

It’s always exciting when I get ready to release a new issue. Today, I am so proud of this publication and how far it’s come. ThaWilsonBlock Magazine started out as a social network website to promote myself and other artists on the local music scene in Pasadena, CA. I’ll admit, at first, I was taken by tha vanity of mainstream music today. Like many other kids growing up in the inner-city, we become influenced by the things we see on television or hear on radio. When I started ThaWilsonBlock, I was 16 yearsold. But, I never knew it would turn into what it is today. When I started ThaWilsonBlock, I was still living on Wilson Avenue in Pasadena, Ca. My beautiful struggle didn’t begin until 2009 when I emancipated from foster care. Year after year, my struggle got realer and realer…and so did my hunger.

“I have always walked by faith.”

Every time I faced adversity, I re-channeled my frustrations into positive outcomes. I took my frustration and made it push me to work harder. To want it more. What started as a creative project grew into a passion. A lifestyle. Pain. Neglect. Abuse. Triumph. Victory. Today, I declare myself KING OF MY OWN COUNTRY. By making this proclamation, I am sending a message to tha world that I am in control of my destiny. This means that I will think for myself. Take care of myself. Love my people. I’m doing everything in my power not to get a crown tattooed on my face. I am on a mission to inspire. Why? Not because it sounds good, but because I understand just how much I need it myself to move forward. Hope. I was exposed to the harsh realities of this life whilst having an innocent mind. And for that, I’ve retained respect, common courtesy, and conviction from my childhood. Not only do I want to inspire, but I WANT to be a positive role model. I want to be the difference. And I have been. Today in my life, I do not seek vanity. I just want to be able to exercise my creative engine to the maximum. I am a visionary. I believe. The Lord Jesus Christ is my only assurance in life…and always has been. That is why I have made the executive decision to sell each issue of ThaWilsonBlock Magazine for $100 each month. Because I just want to help tha world. I want to pay it forward with every effort. This is. What I WANT to do. To help those who can’t help themselves. To help give a better future for our next generations.

There are so many good things I want to do with my life. I want to make a difference. I want to help be a solution in people’s lives, whether I know them or not. Deep down, I know I am a good person because even when no one is looking, I have a genuine desire to want to help. My feet are quick to run and help. Growing up in Pasadena, California has been a bittersweet experience for me thus far. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I love my city. But see, I didn’t grow up with most of the local rappers I try to promote today. I came to Pasadena in 2002 and lived on Wilson Avenue. I remember my foster pops telling me that he believes I was going to be a positive & successful young brotha’. Yes, that IS what he told me. Of course, I didn’t really understand back then. I was still just an innocent kid. All the days of my struggle. I remember waking up in tha middle of tha night. Homeless, sleeping on concrete. I was awaken because it started to rain on me. It was one of those nights where I just couldn’t wait for the evening to come so I could get some rest. All I wanted to do was rest. I became so frustrated that I repeatedly punched tha concrete. Angry. I looked up to tha sky and saw grey with a red haze. Clouds. Drizzle. I called

myself being mad at God, but when I reflect on it, I felt so blessed in that situation. I always have walked by faith. I follow my intuition. When I was 20 years old, I was chillin’ in McDonald Park with one of my younger homeboys. This particular friend was a pretty good hustler. Not that he would try to hustle people, but he knew how to make some money on tha streets. He proceeds to ask me,” Yo, Bing how do you make money. Bro?” Before I gave him an answer, I already had it…and I knew he was going to laugh at it. “I just walk by faith, man. I just believe God is going to take care of me,” I replied. I was very sincere in my response to his question. Sure enough, he laughs and proceeds to say,” Naw, man you know what I mean. Like what do you do?” He couldn’t understand where I was coming from. I always felt blessed through my struggle. And that’s what makes it beautiful. My natural-born innocence is what separates me from tha rest of tha population. Because I’ve held onto my innocence for so long, it has inspired my desire to be a positive role model. Now given, I’m not perfect. No one is for that matter. But, I plan on learning through tha process as well. Today, I have such a compassionate heart. I will go out of my way to make a positive impact in a person’s life. And that is why I have fulfilled my

one million foot commitment for causes & charity. Because respect & common courtesy is what I stand for. It’s what I want to remembered for. My legacy. I’ve been so oppressed on my journey. Laughed at. Humiliated. I created a local music scene for artists who don’t even want to be involved in it. Because I saw a void. I am that artist I advocate for. And I’ve come to believe that artists may feel threatened by my drive & determination. What else am I to think? No one cares to hear positive ambition. All of my frustrations have led me to walk. Because people have turned against me, because life keeps on taking, because I just want to do good things, I have re-channeled it all into the things I love to do. Take the 2014 LA Marathon for example. I’ve been smoking cigarettes for tha past 10 years and I completed it 2 hours sooner than I gave myself to win a medal. I could only imagine how much sooner I could’ve done it had I never began smoking because I was on tha lower end of finishers my age. Nonetheless, I passed over 350 people, and only 50 people passed me. I just woke up supercharged one day from all of the hate I’ve received from local competition. Because I just want to help tha world, anyone who buys a copy of ThaWilsonBlock Magazine can allocate 10% to the charity or cause of their choice. This is my way of paying it forward, because I don’t believe in giving back. When we give, it ought to be from tha heart. And we shouldn’t expect much in return.

Just tha other day, I was passing through Union Station on my way home. It was that time of day where everyone is getting off work. So the tunnel was full of people. As I’m walking in the tunnel, I see an old man pushing himself backwards with his leg in his wheelchair. I briefly looked around and offered to push him where he needed to go. I was on my own time, so I couldn’t ignore an opportunity to help someone. At first, the old man acted as if he didn’t want to be bothered, but he accepted my help. That’s where I get a good deal of personal satisfaction. Knowing I can help someone. Through this publication, I will spread inspiration and raise money for causes & charity that are geared towards helping those who can’t help themselves. I walk for those people. I will help those who suffer beyond their own will. And I will strive to be a positive role model. Because if we’re going to do anything, we’re going to do good things. Why wouldn’t we? ♠♠♠

Tha Mindful

Fatherâ€™s Day 2015

Leaving Pasadena