Go Tell It On Mason Street: BG Is Free

Nihilism is trending again. Originating from 19th-century moral skepticisms amid the various campaigns of Russian Tsar Alexander II and popularized in the modern era by Autobahn member and occasional logjammer Uli Kunkel, the so-called ‘belief in nothing’ appears to be sweeping the globe, with the U.S. political pundit class pontificating on the nihilist fixations of the vote-casting populace, China viewed to be constructing ‘nihilistic weaponry’, and even Bat-man, reborn as a caped believer in nothing. 

Is there a cure? This week, the world was stunned and joyously banged over the head with the news that BG, onetime Cash Money Millionaire, original Hot Boys member and Chopper City Records founder, had been released from prison following a 12-year term, which had come about as a result of his conviction on weapons possession and witness tampering charges. BG’s lockup presaged an extended period of darkness; as an artist and figure of enduring influence, his stature in the entertainment industry, skateboard industry and the world in general remains hard to overstate. His intricate wordplay and partnership with Mannie Fresh and the Hot Boys helped to revolutionize the way the human race perceived and related to music in the late 1990s as Cash Money registered a stack of chart-topping hits. 

In 2001 he went independent, inspiring several with the heavily autobiographical ‘Life After Cash Money’ releases, some of which featured the artist Gar. Throughout this entire period of time, BG remained a crucial, imitable presence in skateboarding: Clyde Singleton memorably skated to the 2000 hit ‘Gunslinger’ in an Aesthetics commercial in a 411; ‘Bling Bling’ soundtracked a road trip segment in ‘Digital #2,’ resulting in one of the most highly regarded vids of all time; Juvenile’s BG-featuring ‘A Million and One Things’ closed out Gold Wheels’ seminal ‘Got Gold?’ vid in 2002; meanwhile, his personal style was widely mimicked.

Upon his release from prison this week, BG offered up what could be considered as a remedy for international malaise. “This year I’m celebrating the whole Virgo cycle, matter of fact, from this year forward I’m living and celebrating like everyday is #MyBIRTHDAY,” he posted. “The main focus, is to stay focused… I’m not letting nobody rob me of my productivity, prosperity, positivity and peace of mind. My dreams then got bigger and my vision is clearer. 13 years was more then enough time for me to change the reckless path I was on.”

BG’s impact seems to have been felt with immediate effect in skateboarding. Miles Silvas, in one of the more creatively shot hill bomb-related photos in some time, is poised on the front of the just-released Thrasher doing a frontside k-grind at the Top of Mason. The trick easily qualifies as one of Jenkem’s ‘tricks made better by skate stoppers,’ given the long-running rumor that the hill’s grade has been increased and cross-streets strategically positioned so as to discourage skaters. It also checks off each item on BG’s instructional list: the fearsome descent is in focus. Miles Silvas, already established as a prolific pro with a can-do attitude, maintains endorsement deals via Adidas, Primitive, Thunder, Spitfire, PLA, Bones and Mob. He appears to be on a reckless path, but concentration and a clear head presumably enabled him to survive his trip to the bottom. 

Can BG’s counsel help to snap the global populace out of an apparent funk? Considering the degree of the pinch and the very tight timeframe to get back to regular for the hill ride, is this the gnarliest trick to go down the Mason Street rail since Jeff Carlyle hauled his board back to regular out of a backside lipslide in ‘Right Here 4 Pablo’ last year? Is Miles Silvas’ recent beard, with its un-aerodynamic bristles and whorles, lowkey a way to slow his descent down the SF steeps? How come he’s managed to rock more Twins gear this year than all those Minnesotans on Real combined?

Tags: AL Central, BG, cash money millionaires, Chopper City, Dan Zaslavsky, Gar, Hot Boys, KMFDM, Miles Silvas, nihilism, pointer grind, Primitive, the bat man, The Mind Of Mannie Fresh, Thrasher, Top O Mason, Turk, Walker Ryan, witness tampering