Soundcheck

Get Ya Mind Right

By Wes Flexner

JOE MAIORANA PHOTO

Self-help is on everyone's mind. From viewers of The Oprah Winfrey Show to busy professionals or hipster students, there's a basic inner desire in all humans to grow and obtain self-awareness. It's perhaps best articulated by multi-platinum motivational speaker Young Jeezy's imperative to "Get Ya Mind Right."

I recently came across a monthly improvement seminar in the guise of a dance party, located in the extremely cozy and comfortable Downtown bar The Cove on the first Friday of every month.

The seminar, aptly titled "Get Right," is led by Johnny Cashola, a DJ who teaches self-hypnosis and self-improvement through loud rap music, assisted by his business advisor, Kareem Jackson.

At September's meeting, Cashola demonstrated to the large crowd of party people the positive manifestations of what he calls "impulse music." They come in three forms:

Money Motivational Practice: During this segment the crowd's attention is focused by catering to their inner desire for freedom through visualization of financial stability. Cashola utilizes "Hypnotize" by Jeezy and "Make it Rain" by Fat Joe and Lil Wayne to accomplish this transcendent state.

JOE MAIORANA PHOTO

Get Rowdy Music: Impulse music meets the Greek party god Dionysus. Cashola claims it helps people find their "personal boundaries by losing control." During this part of the "Get Right" program, I witnessed people raising up, taking their shirts off and waving them around like helicopters. The music included "Santana's Town," "Make Em Say Uh," and "Tear Da Club Up." This seemed to bring the males out of their shells.

The Gyration Segment: Songs like "Laffy Taffy," "Back That Thing Up" and "Ms. New Booty" promote a celebration and encouragement of the female body, and freedom of sexual expression in both genders.

Jackson was also a proponent of a supplemental aspect of the night, which Cashola "finds weird but supports." This segment is "Global Freedom," an eclectic mix of global impulse music like Baltimore club, Baile funk, grime, Miami bass and '80s music. October's installment of this portion will be led by DJ Detox.

While all this looked fun and the crowd seemed to enjoy it, I asked the two gurus what made them better than any New Age cult. Cashola pointed out that his way "promoted financial freedom by not charging a cover."

Kareem added that he wanted people to "Get money, and take money. And always watch out for the snitches."

October 4th, 2007

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