Things are often not what they seem. This music video, Can't Hang, shot in Death Valley, California is no exception to this rule.  Madison and his videographers, Martin, and Magnus, selected this location for the shoot primary because it was desolate. They wanted to show that we needed to keep our presence in the most trying of times. 

In the closing scene of the video, Madison drove off into the sunset with his best friend, Logan, in Logan's beautiful Ford Mustang. What you did not see in the video is that the Mustang had a flat tire in the desert as they were driving back to Los Angeles. Madison and Logan had to spend a night in the car before a truck came to tow the vehicle to the nearest town to replace the damaged tire. 

 I received a call late at night from Madison explaining the situation and as a parent, I was anxious because I know that these two young men stuck on the side of the road in a dark, and isolated location could make them very vulnerable to predators. Logan, my third son, assured me that he had his dagger. Ha-ha.  I had a restless night, but everything worked out. These two young men demonstrated that they could hang in a terrible situation. 

 Can't Hang is a metaphor for life. There are so many situations where hanging in there makes all the difference. Sometimes it is a weak financial position, other times in may be a difficult relationship or you may be fighting health issues, but the challenge is to hang in there. Put up a good fight.  The quality of your fight will make all the difference.  I want to dedicate this video to two of my friends, Waugh Wilson, my classmates from Kingston College, my Jamaican high school and one of the best women I know, Pamela Cafritz.

Can't Hang

It's hot in the street on these summer days,

grinding with the Gunners and the runaways,

not a second to lose, the clocks ticking

down the time you got to do what you do, so stop slipping

get your mind right while in the huddle

'cause the bustle of the jungle eats a hustler when fumbles

... stumbles.. like a stampede ... anxious nights on the grind, the city 

can't sleep! And I can't either ... so my eyes peeled

my competition doesn't give a fuck how my eyes feel

and I ain't worried bout theirs 'cause mines working

my rhymes perfect and merkin as soon as the lines surface

ugh .. right everything with my heart

most people just see the money and wanna be shooting stars

wrong .. they burn up before they're rippin'

I'm more of an astroid, so niggas know that I'm hitting the globe!

 

And I'm 'bout to explode so y'all can see me

they'd do it if it was easy as breathing but see they Can't Hang!

I do it all for a reason, it ain't that hard to believe it,

they can't conceive of me leaving 'cause man they Can't Hang!

long drop to the bottom and even more if you slip

I got a grip, but shit, these brothas Can't Hang!

I'm never going to quit, I'm only going to hit

so when you're hearing my name you're hearing Bang Bang

 

Bang, as I'm hitting the earth, ugh, take on the world for whatever its worth

people claim that it's work, ugh, I would say that its worse

not to ever display what you're worth, leave your dreams in the dirt

man, you might as well bury them if you won't 

strap them all to your back and then carry them

every time that I fly they go carry on, 

'cause I wanna knock 'em out the park like Barry Bonds

the scariest thing is the opportunity, 

and I'm getting it true indeed, I'm doing these

verses like these labels are suing me

for all the money I aint even made them yet,

they ain't even paid him yet!

but I ain't playing that, when I pay ''em back

I'm going home run derby, I'ma stay at bat

and pitchers know that I'm never missing

the outfield'll dip, then the dugout'll flip, 'cause I'm hitting the globe!

 

And I'm 'bout to explode so y'all can see me

they'd do it if it was easy as breathing but see they Can't Hang!

I do it all for a reason, it ain't that hard to believe it,

they can't conceive of me leaving 'cause man they Can't Hang!

long drop to the bottom and even more if you slip,

I got a grip, but shit, these brothas Can't Hang!

I'm never going to quit, I'm only going to hit

so when you're hearing my name you're hearing Bang Bang

 

so when you're hearing my name you're hearin'...

so when you're hearing my name, you're hearing Bang.. Bang..