Today, I Got Time

[DISCLAIMER]

It was in fifth grade, after having moved from Amarillo, Texas to Aurora, Colorado, that I first heard the word “cuz” (also “cuh”) regarding Crips. As an example, when attending Crawford Elementary School, one boy asked me, “What set you claim, cuh?”

A “set” is a subgroup or chapter within a larger street gang alliance (e.g., Crips are the overarching gang, and Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips are a subgroup of that alliance). After being repeatedly jumped, it didn’t take long for me to learn gang territories in Aurora.

Although I have no formal affiliation or membership with any gang or set, in one capacity or another, I’ve befriended Crips, Bloods, Sureños, and a number of renegade sets (factions unaligned or affiliated with major street gangs) from my fifth through twelfth grade years.

Looking back, I can imagine how I appeared to people who were unfamiliar with gang activity. Perhaps the closest comparison about which I can conceive relates to a once meme video of the late Vincent Brown in which the following monologue was expressed by the individual:

Cuz, I’mma keep it G-real! I don’t fuck wit’ you, cuz! You disrespected me! You disrespect my hood by tellin’ me take off my flag, askin’ how gangsta I was, nigga! You lucky, on that day, I was actin’ cool, cuz. I told you I ain’t got time for that. But, nigga, today, I got time, cuz!!

I recall a time when I was prepared to fight on behalf of my friends, as I likely looked how Brown was depicted in the viral video. Alas, as is the case concerning an impermanent and uncertain existence, one 2021 source reported:

Meme followers across the U.S. are mourning the death of a 22-year-old Aurora man — whose video went viral in 2014 — after he was found shot dead this week in front of a tire store.

Police identified the man found dead Sunday morning as Vincent Brown. The itinerant, young homeless man with gang ties became a national sensation several years ago for aggressively telling a man “Today[,] I got time” for an altercation in a viral video.

Linnea Brown, his mother, told the Sentinel that Vincent was a big personality and beloved on Aurora’s streets. He’d been homeless for several years and split his time sleeping in a tent, in cars and in motels, she said. She said Vincent also had ties to local Crip gang members but was more “affiliated” with the gang than an active member when he was killed. 

Unfortunate for Brown, someone else had time on a particular day. Fortunate for me, I didn’t meet a similar fate which waits may people who befriend, associate, or otherwise join gangs. In any event, Brown’s memetic moment has echoed throughout a number of hip hop songs.

For instance, on Trippie Redd’s 2017 song “It Takes Time”, Brown’s voice is featured in an audio sample. As well, reference to the meme video is found on Eric Bellinger’s 2019 R&B joint “Today I Got Time”.

Similarly, on Moneybagg Yo’s 2021 track “Time Today”, it’s expressed, “I just looked at my wrist; I got time today! Fuck it; I’m crossin’ a line today.” In essence, Brown’s memetic phrase serves as a form of provocation. But wait, there’s more!

On DJ Drama and Jim Jones’s 2022 song “Different Ways”, featuring Talk It Trigga, Shoota93, and Lil Crody, it’s said, “We ain’t have time for you niggas, but we got time today!” Also, on Cordae’s 2022 joint “Want From Me”, Brown’s voice is featured in an audio sample.

Likewise, on The High & Mighty’s 2025 track “Spaceport”, featuring Chill Rob G and Copywrite, it’s stated, “People take advantage, try to rob you blind. Yesterday, I was busy. Today, I got time!” Although Brown is no longer among the living, his memory lives on.

And this is where the tale of Vincent Brown relates to Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). While it would be rather obvious to illustrate how Brown’s belief-consequence connection led to self-disturbance, à la the ABC model, I’m opting to focus on a separate matter.

In specific, I invite you to consider that REBT uses unconditional acceptance (UA) to relieve self-induced suffering. This is accomplished through use of unconditional self-acceptance (USA), unconditional other-acceptance (UOA), and unconditional life-acceptance (ULA).

Whereas the ABC model is a scientific approach to wellness, UA serves as a philosophical method for un-disturbing yourself. I view the former as an abortive approach to disturbance and the latter as a preventative method. Of course, not all REBT practitioners use the same style as I.

With my approach to REBT, I incorporate author Stephen Covey’s concepts regarding the circles of control, influence, and concern, as well as an area of no concern. UA maps onto the circle of control (USA), circle of influence (UOA), and circle of concern and area of no concern (ULA).

The circle of control encompasses only oneself, the circle of influence encapsulates elements which may be subject to one’s sway, the circle of concern engrosses most matters one can imagine, and the area of no concern relates to all content which isn’t yet imagined.

Brown was merely a fallible human being with very little control and influence in life (USA). Perhaps he could’ve taken time to recognize that the same matter was true for others (UOA). Unfortunately, although he had time on one day, Brown no longer has time in life (ULA).

Just as a number of hip hop artists have reflected upon Brown’s influence, I encourage you to contemplate use of UA. Today, I got time to un-disturb myself, cuz! How about you? Do you have time to practice acceptance without use of unhelpful conditional beliefs? Time’s-a tickin’!

Rest easy, Vincent Brown. One.

If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help you understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.

As the world’s foremost hip hop-influenced REBT psychotherapist, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.

At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!

Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW

Photo credit (edited), fair use

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