Chuck D said, “I got something on my mind,” and when it comes to being hardcore no one can tell you what that shit means or how to live.  You want to sing in a hardcore band and play hardcore shows and get inked up, tour, travel, or fight, do what you feel.  You want to write intelligent lyrics and articles speaking about your beliefs in straight edge, animal rights or veganism, use your stages in a scene to educate people on what is important to you, say what you feel.  You want to roll with a crew, give you and your peoples a name, and wear your hat brims flat and incorporate hip hop in this bitch, go for it homie.  You want to be in a band that signs to a major label and is successful in making your band and lifestyle a business and use your creative ideas and work ethic to build something winning, go for yours.  But it’s the dudes with all this opinion and something to say about others bands, what is or is not hardcore, how someone puts on a show or rolls, that I have a huge problem with lately.  You don’t like it? Stay away and you and your shitty new band stay home.  Don’t be involved and then we don’t have to listen to your bullshit with something to say about what hardcore means to you and listen to your opinions and view, or lack of opportunities perhaps, on people and judge what you have nothing to do with.  Hardcore would mean to live and die by that shit and do what’s important to you and what you feel and be true to yourself and if that means you take over the fucking world, go for it. If it means you are successful or can make a living on your hardcore, it means your shit is good, don’t worry what anyone else thinks or their opinion about *&*%$# wanting to endorse or sponsor your tour.  Take that shit, you earned it and shouldn’t change a thing if it is right for you.  If it means media wants to know you, represent yourself. The hardcore way would be to crush it, hippies worry about selling out. Hardcore would mean to live and die by that shit and take it to whatever level you want.  This is a fire, not a conscious decision to hold back.  And if you do have something to say as you are 43 and pissed now that your old classic band from the late 80s never meant as much in the wallet or on the road reunion show time as you thought it would and no one cares about your new band, remember to shut your fucking mouth as all your bitching is doing is ruining your great 7 inch and record from back in the day and making a classic from our youth and scene, unlistenable.  Best thing you can do to preserve your name and that of your old NYHC band is by shutting the fuck up and not sharing your opinion as times change and hardcore….well, hardcore is about the music and the lifestyle, not what you fucking think!