Hi everyone! I have to put God on display! I try to stay modest about stuff like this, but it ain’t about me anyway! So I was blessed to have the opportunity to be featured in the Voyage Raleigh magazine publication! Glory to God! Check out this feature when you have a moment. Thanks and God bless- Your Neighborhood Hope Dealer! 😇
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Transparency
Check out my new song, “Transparency”. God bless you all.
New Song Release- U Can Run and Tell That, Homeboy!
Check out my latest encouraging song on YouTube! Thank you!
Wayside (New Song Released 04/14/21)
God help us. I hope my new song helps someone. 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
Easter Sunday Podcast
Happy Easter everyone. Remember the Savior’s sacrifice today. Enjoy this 3-minute message. -Your Neighborhood Hope Dealer
Tuesday Nite Live, 01/26/2021
Join your neighborhood hope dealer this coming Tuesday, 01/26 on Facebook Live for an open and honest dialogue on what’s on the flyer! If you can’t stay on the full hour no worries, just plug in for 5-10 minutes or however long you can! 🙂 Bring your questions and your prayer requests! Who knows, I may even perform a verse live or something, lol. 😉 See y’all on Tuesday evening! -YOUR Neighborhood Hope Dealer!
I Celebrated my 4 Year Blogging Anniversary on 01/15/2021! Happy 4 Year Blog-A-Versary To Me!
Greetings friends and fellow bloggers, it’s me C.P. The Vintage Retroman, YOUR Neighborhood HOPE Dealer! It’s so hard to believe that it has been 4 whole years since I started my blog, http://www.vintageretroman.com on 01/15/2017! I started this mission with a vision: To bring the cultures of the past to the present, to spread hope and encouragement, and to educate and entertain through writings, poetry and songs. I am happy to report that despite the challenges of life, God has sustained me to still be here in 2021!
Recently, I have been thinking alot about the future. My children are now 17, 14, 11, and 9 years old, so much of my time has been invested in making sure they have everything that they need. With the current turmoil going on in the United States, I am hoping for a better future for my children. With that being said, this past year with COVID-19 we have connected on a level that we have never been on.
During the time I was working from home, I introduced them to a lot of classic music from the 70’s and 80’s, and I started making my own music and using samples from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s. All of my music is on my YouTube channel, free of charge! (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCllZ2c5bmKo_qwoHbzLguJQ) I believe that my kids have gained a greater appreciation for the cultures of the past. I know I have. Sometimes it is an escape from what we have to deal with.
My wife blessed me with a Nintendo Switch for Christmas 2020. It’s funny, because I have found myself playing more of the older NES and SNES games in comparison to the newer games. It’s something about the way they make me feel. They take me back to a simpler time in life. A time before hardship, before responsibility. A time when I didn’t have to be a serious teacher of youth called my children. A time when my biggest fear was if I would get picked on by girls for my haircut, or my parents buying the wrong video game because it was cheaper in price!
One big change this past year was the birth of my nickname, “YOUR Neighborhood Hope Dealer!” I got this name from the Friday night Christian Hip-Hop parties I was hosting on Facebook live from April 2020- August 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in the summer. I started thinking, “People need hope like fiends need dope”, so I ran with it! It has really caught on well! My audiences on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube love it! I love music of all types, so I am glad that God blessed me with a gift to help people with it!
I will end this blog post with some original lyrics from one of my songs, entitled “Some Real Talk” ft. my oldest daughter Zaria, aka Z Bank. 🙂
“Cause’ Hindsight’s 2020/ I’ve got the Spirit of God that’s flowing right through me/ I know my worth when the enemy is lurking/ I push up, hands in the air, so they call me burpee!/ and surely, by now yes you know what I’m all about/ Your Neighborhood Hope dealer coming out the south/ A hybrid of hip-hop, the old with the novel/ A fusion of the past and present, call me time travel!”
If you would like to listen to “Some Real Talk!” ft Z. Bank, here is the link: https://youtu.be/QrcKJeoMLRA God bless you all in 2021! 🙂
Gettin’ It! (New Song Released 01/19/2021)
I’m so excited to bring you all my new release “Gettin It!” I put a lot into writing this song under the power and influence of the Holy Spirit. If you have a quick 3 minutes, check it out! -YOUR Neighborhood Hope Dealer! 🤟🏾
Watch “A Feeble Attempt..(New Song 2021) ft. Adele (Adele “Always” Sample Credit to Psychosoundsbeatz)” on YouTube
Have you ever felt like you don’t measure up? Check out my new song “A Feeble Attempt”. I hope this new song touches the people. -Your Neighborhood Hope Dealer
Memory Lane Moments Part 6- The Beauty Of The Blend
Legacy…to make a lasting meaningful impact on people, spanning throughout several generations. To leave a legacy is one of the single most important experiences many of us dream about. Presidents talk about legacies, as do athletes, musicians, and celebrities. We should all make it our ambition to leave a lasting legacy for our children, family, and friends. I have heard that as important as success may be to some people, significance is held to a higher standard. To be significant is a key ingredient in leaving a legacy.
I think back to growing up in the 1980’s and 90’s. My dad on a very limited budget did his best to leave a legacy for our family. I am not speaking about money in this case. He left us a legacy of fun memories that no amount of money can buy. He and my mom sacrificed everything for the few things we did have. That is why my Nintendo NES and games meant so much to me. 1 game console for a family of 10, picture that!
When I look at my children, I try my best to emulate the same spirit my dad had towards us. I am blessed to have a blended family. Sure we have our struggles. My wife and I constantly talk about how there really is not a blueprint for all of the issues that come along with a blended family. We are doing our best to leave a better financial legacy for our children than our parents were able to. With that being said though, the most important values we are trying to instill are God, family, and fun.
Blended families many times are looked at with a negative connotation. When kids are products of a divorced home, there are typically issues and pain that traditional homes don’t have to deal with. I believe when my kids struggle with the emotional impact of their past, they strive to loose themselves in video games. My sons play Minecraft, Terreria, and Brawlhala among other titles. I believe they sometimes find peace between the joysticks. When I talk to them, the conversations remind me of my childhood.
Of course I don’t have all of the answers. Legacy is one of those concepts that is mostly subjective. It means different things to different people. But I do believe it is important to leave a legacy for future generations, regardless of wealth or prestige.
The moral of the story: What do you want people to remember you for? If you have kids, do you spend enough time with them? Do they know you? Do they only know your victories, or do you also share your struggles and failures with them? I’m only asking because these are issues I struggle with, and I want to make sure that I am not alone in my struggles.
For my situation, there is beauty in the blend. I want nothing more than to see my 4 children, 10 years from now talk about how much fun they had in their childhood. I pray that they love each other, and discuss their memories with one another. There is so much nostalgia in the phrase “Hey, do you remember back when…?” I hope and pray that you all focus on building and leaving a legacy that lasts for your family. If you don’t have children, legacy is not just limited to biological kids. Kindness to a younger sibling, compassion for foster kids, empathy for the next generation falls under the same umbrella. May we go forth in 2020 and do our best to leave a beautiful legacy for the next generation. -V. R.
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