ThrowBack - Chillin' with Usher... Naaaah, not really

Salaam Saturday

In 2011, I attended a work shop lead by some American dudes on different things like branding, respect, service, education and how we see ourselves and where we would like to see ourselves in 5 years time. 

The workshop was lead by young guys from a foundation called 'Usher's New Look Foundation' and was started of by the man himself, USHER!!! 

None of us thought he would come in to the workshop as it was in a crappy youth centre, but as we chanted catch phrases, the guy walked in!! 

I'm not always fazed by celebrities and I'm not a huge fan but this is the dude who is always on television with the latest tracks and such. (Plus, I was younger and anyone I saw got me excited)

(left) Usher walking in at which point we were star struck. (right) Me shaking Usher's hand after talking to him

Anyway, by attending this workshop, I had the opportunity to go to a free concert (yaaaay) and the opportunity to go to Atlanta to attend a 3 days conference and meet others from all over the world. I made some pretty awesome friends out there, one whom I stay in contact with and see time to time when he comes down to London :)

While I was out there, there was a night where we were allowed to express our talents because this conference was about learning new things and learning about ourselves and the talents which we hold.

I'm not such a confident person however I couldn't let this pass. As dozens of people sang, danced, played an instrument, rapped etc in a hall in front of 400-500 people, I decided to go up and read a poem which I had written in London for fun. 

Looking back at the poem, it doesn't seem all that (work of an amateur) but I'll write it out and show you guys what I read.

It got me a round of applause and a few 'woop woops!!!' and a few 'brap braps' and people who I hadn't met came to compliment me. I was younger then, so I think I thought I was the next Tupac or something. 

Even this dude called Dougie Fresh (apparently the Jay-Z of his days) came and said well done to me :D

(Even though I don't know him, I fainted a little)

You see, this life is a test

We must not reject what god claims

At the end of our lives, we are to blame

Our lives are like trains, ongoing

Only we can restrain

We’ve got to fear the hardship ahead

Thousand out there who have bled

And shed tears from their eyes

Until they could no longer cry

What they thought was fame, really made them die.

There are those who live life behind bars

Thinking what life would have been like if they stood back

And didn’t help corrupt innocent lives

They turn to the sky seeking for the lord

They leave that tiny space changing life to good

Not committing any fraud

They see they had failed their test once

Killing, corrupting, watching nude women dance

They could make a change with the click of a finger

The way a bullet shoots out of a gun with the pull of a trigger

They see sense, life’s no longer intense

As it used to be

They see a bright light shining upon he

Changed for the good

No longer a man from the hood

It was he that was the only one who could

The only one who could make that change and create brotherhood

Inviting others to seek that special relationship that he had made with the lord

Right now, they may be bored, no change, still bad men

But later on, they’ll be the big men who have found inner peace

Turning to the lord.

(left)Second day at the conference with my friend from Bermuda. (right) The Brits with Dougie Fresh (after my performance)

I hope you all enjoyed my throwback to 2011. 

Au Revoir

Salaam

(Follow me on twitter & Inastgram where I update quite a lot on things I do and just daily life: SalmaKhatun95)