Side Note...(You know i had to put it in there!)
1. Some crazy stuff aqui... Thanks to my man bboystickly for this one. It has many levels of implications in there. Please leave comments. Its a video.
2. "Act like you got some sense..." Jamie Foxx won an Oscar for Ray! YO, i am so happy. You don't even know. A brother won the joint for something real. His speech brought tears to my eyes as he paid homage to his grandmother who he considered his first acting coach.
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Today is my daughter's first day at school. She is going to a catholic school. That is something i wanted from jump. I guess it worked out that way. I know heads is like "WHAT! ol' african centered Danny is sending her to Catholic school?!" uh, yes sir....
I went to Catholic school for 11 years. I know the deal. i owe them a great deal for my work ethic. I want my children to do the same.
I had a surprise from my son today. I put him in the bathtub and step out for like two minutes. I come back and there are quite a few turds in the water. He just looked at me and smiled... i had to laugh even while i cleaned up the mess.
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3. Man, i heard Intelligent Hoodlum's "Arrest the President." That joint came out way back in like '92 (was it '92?). It was on libradio.com. He wrote it for Bush I. BUt it works with Bush II. It was the joint. So relevant.
4. Tidewater Talents for Tsunami Relief In partnership with the Barry Robinson Theater Fine Arts Center At Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School Presents:
Turning the Tide
Dances of Hope, Rhythms of Love
Presented by: Tidewater Talents for
Tsunami Relief
Date: Sunday, March 20, 2005
Time: 4-5PM Silent Art Auction/Heavy Hors d'oeurvres
5-7PM Stage Performances
Place: Barry Robinson Theater Fine Arts Center
Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School
4552 Princess Anne Rd.
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Proceeds to: Tsunami Orphan Relief
Suggested Donation: …$15
Children under 12…$5
For More Information Contact: Sonia Monson
757- 717-0063 or 757-853-0642
Email- savanegas@yahoo.com
Checks can made out to: Tsunami Relief
come out and support.
5. This just in: check Nas Dawud's joint. he has a nice piece on the greatest MC of all time. Yeah, let's see heads make some noise nad leave comments on his blog..
6. My girl Fly Pheonix sent me this:
Vote or lose your food rations, Iraqis say they were told
By Dahr JamailUpdated Feb 17, 2005, 09:28 am
BAGHDAD (IPS/GIN) - Voting in Baghdad was linked to food rations, many voters said after the Jan. 30 poll.
Iraqis said that their names were marked on a list provided by the government agency that provides monthly food rations before they were allowed to vote. “I went to the voting center and gave my name and district where I lived to a man,” said Wassif Hamsa, a 32-year-old journalist who lives in the predominantly Shia area Janila in Baghdad. “This man then sent me to the person who distributed my monthly food ration.” Mohammed Ra’ad, an engineering student who lives in the Baya’a district of the capital city, reported a similar experience.
Mr. Ra’ad, 23, said he saw the man who distributed monthly food rations in his district at his polling station. “The food dealer, who I know personally of course, took my name and those of my family who were voting,” he said. “Only then did I get my ballot and was allowed to vote.”
don't get it twisted....the US is NOT bringing democracy to Iraq...
Sunday, February 27, 2005
Roadtrip to Alexandria and Playing Capoeira with Frodo, Shmeagal (yeah i spelled it like that), Spliff Star, and Grupo Ondas.
first up, big up to Grupo Ondas and my man Doninha for inviting us as guests to their encounter this past weekend. Our group had a wonderful time. We had a chance to fellowship with other capoeiristas. Man, it was great.
My body is terribly sore but i feel like a million bucks. I was able to push my body to its limits and called upon all my physical resources. I also had to maintain my mental facilities while in the roda (circle). Every member of our group, represented in one way or another. but let's talk about what went down.
----------------
Friday morning:
I was slated to rent a van for our trip up. I arrived at Thrifty at Norfolk Airport at aroudn 9am. they ran my card and said they could not use it because of Equifax. I had plenty of money in there. So i could not understand why it would not work. So i left and went to a few other places.
I could not use my check card at enterprise because they only had SUVs and you had to have a credit card to hold the reservation. I have one but it does not have enough money on it. So i was screwed (the poor man is always screwed). I headed to Budget. Now they would accept a check card for a van, BUT i had to be working at my current job for at least a year, give a $150 deposit, run a credit check, and a few other things (I think i had to promise them my first born as an indentured servant). I was like eff that.
So i called my crew to see what we could do. We had two options:
a. use someone else's card
b. one of our students, VI, offered to use her truck.
we met up, late as usual, at Pharoan's house. Deputado, Pele, VI, and myself were there. We decided to opt for plan B. good lucking to VI for the idea. we piled in Dominican style. and left at around 1:30pm. We popped in Wale Oyejide's One Day Everything Changed. That became our theme music. Pharoan pointed out how on the track with Obie Trice, he says "....like Frodo and SHMEAGOL" instead of "...like Frodo and Smeagol..." that became the punchline of the weekend.
What I love about people of African descent is that we can take ANYTHING and make about a million jokes on it. So my stomach is sore from all the laughing i did. We applied that punchline everywhere we went.
we arrived in Alexandria at around 4:15pm. we did good time joking all the way up there. I called Doninha to let him know we were there. It was to take place at Gold's Gym (I thought of Dodge Ball when they have a parody of that place and called it Globo Gym: "Where we're better than you and we know it..."). We were hungry since none of us ate breakfast. So we went to Quizno's. We all ate there and ran into Doninha and Pomba. Pomba was mad cool. he was half egyptian and half arab. So here is this arab looking (if there is such a thing) cat who has an irish accent. that was too funny. but he was mad cool.
They had to take care of some other things so we decided to walk to a Dollar Store, TJ Maxx and AJ Johnson. We went to AJ johnson to get some shower shoes. Pharoan needed a bag since he declined using any of mine from home , came with a trash bag and then cussed me out for not getting one for him WHEN he told me he was good. He ended up buying this giant Adidas bag that was big enough to stow a rocket launcher in there. He was able to put his sleeping bag in there with all of his gear too. We could not find any shower shoes so we headed to this dollar store. Bingo, they had them but they had two versions. One had an American Flag motif going. That was not flattering at all. The second were regular flip flops BUT all of them looked like someone wore them. They were all dirty. So we opted not too. Maybe Frodo and Shmeagol wore them.
Then Deputado spotted some shower shoes in the women's sections. They were made by Speedo's. I cannot front they were dope but they were women's. Deputado insisted we get them. Pharoan, Pele and I were like HEll no! .... he picked them up. as we headed to the other side of the store, we found some real cool ones. Deputado put the other ones back feeling like a dummy.
We ran out of there and headed back to Gold's Gym. that was when Pharoan realized he did not have a toothbrush and toothpaste. of course he blamed in on me. he claimed that i was rushing him, when we waited like an hour and a half for everyone else.
we got in the Gym around 6:15pm. we changed and got meet a whole mob of folks...
(to be continued) ....
first up, big up to Grupo Ondas and my man Doninha for inviting us as guests to their encounter this past weekend. Our group had a wonderful time. We had a chance to fellowship with other capoeiristas. Man, it was great.
My body is terribly sore but i feel like a million bucks. I was able to push my body to its limits and called upon all my physical resources. I also had to maintain my mental facilities while in the roda (circle). Every member of our group, represented in one way or another. but let's talk about what went down.
----------------
Friday morning:
I was slated to rent a van for our trip up. I arrived at Thrifty at Norfolk Airport at aroudn 9am. they ran my card and said they could not use it because of Equifax. I had plenty of money in there. So i could not understand why it would not work. So i left and went to a few other places.
I could not use my check card at enterprise because they only had SUVs and you had to have a credit card to hold the reservation. I have one but it does not have enough money on it. So i was screwed (the poor man is always screwed). I headed to Budget. Now they would accept a check card for a van, BUT i had to be working at my current job for at least a year, give a $150 deposit, run a credit check, and a few other things (I think i had to promise them my first born as an indentured servant). I was like eff that.
So i called my crew to see what we could do. We had two options:
a. use someone else's card
b. one of our students, VI, offered to use her truck.
we met up, late as usual, at Pharoan's house. Deputado, Pele, VI, and myself were there. We decided to opt for plan B. good lucking to VI for the idea. we piled in Dominican style. and left at around 1:30pm. We popped in Wale Oyejide's One Day Everything Changed. That became our theme music. Pharoan pointed out how on the track with Obie Trice, he says "....like Frodo and SHMEAGOL" instead of "...like Frodo and Smeagol..." that became the punchline of the weekend.
What I love about people of African descent is that we can take ANYTHING and make about a million jokes on it. So my stomach is sore from all the laughing i did. We applied that punchline everywhere we went.
we arrived in Alexandria at around 4:15pm. we did good time joking all the way up there. I called Doninha to let him know we were there. It was to take place at Gold's Gym (I thought of Dodge Ball when they have a parody of that place and called it Globo Gym: "Where we're better than you and we know it..."). We were hungry since none of us ate breakfast. So we went to Quizno's. We all ate there and ran into Doninha and Pomba. Pomba was mad cool. he was half egyptian and half arab. So here is this arab looking (if there is such a thing) cat who has an irish accent. that was too funny. but he was mad cool.
They had to take care of some other things so we decided to walk to a Dollar Store, TJ Maxx and AJ Johnson. We went to AJ johnson to get some shower shoes. Pharoan needed a bag since he declined using any of mine from home , came with a trash bag and then cussed me out for not getting one for him WHEN he told me he was good. He ended up buying this giant Adidas bag that was big enough to stow a rocket launcher in there. He was able to put his sleeping bag in there with all of his gear too. We could not find any shower shoes so we headed to this dollar store. Bingo, they had them but they had two versions. One had an American Flag motif going. That was not flattering at all. The second were regular flip flops BUT all of them looked like someone wore them. They were all dirty. So we opted not too. Maybe Frodo and Shmeagol wore them.
Then Deputado spotted some shower shoes in the women's sections. They were made by Speedo's. I cannot front they were dope but they were women's. Deputado insisted we get them. Pharoan, Pele and I were like HEll no! .... he picked them up. as we headed to the other side of the store, we found some real cool ones. Deputado put the other ones back feeling like a dummy.
We ran out of there and headed back to Gold's Gym. that was when Pharoan realized he did not have a toothbrush and toothpaste. of course he blamed in on me. he claimed that i was rushing him, when we waited like an hour and a half for everyone else.
we got in the Gym around 6:15pm. we changed and got meet a whole mob of folks...
(to be continued) ....
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Celebrating Life, remembering exemplars and elders.....
Today was a big day for me. well, everyday is a big day for me, i have a beautiful wife and children. Today i was able to show the world how big my world is. Last night, the latest issue of Portfolio Weekly came out. I was on the cover. oh it looked so smooth. I was in a dope b-boy freeze. It should be on the site by Thursday so check it out. I was allowed to write a piece in there. The picture above my piece had me doing a six step. The photographer did a great job. I was also interviewed in another piece by this brother named Jerome Langston. ANd that piece was monumental.
Today was a big day for me. well, everyday is a big day for me, i have a beautiful wife and children. Today i was able to show the world how big my world is. Last night, the latest issue of Portfolio Weekly came out. I was on the cover. oh it looked so smooth. I was in a dope b-boy freeze. It should be on the site by Thursday so check it out. I was allowed to write a piece in there. The picture above my piece had me doing a six step. The photographer did a great job. I was also interviewed in another piece by this brother named Jerome Langston. ANd that piece was monumental.
I was also on Kathy Lewis' Hearsay on NPR. I was on there with Tom Robotham of Portfolio, William Banfield of the University of Minnesota, and of course Kathy Lewis. I am a big fan of hers. It was a dope one hour show in which we covered much ground on Hip-hop culture. They were impressed with me since i was the only cat without a college degree. I charmed the staff there too. I even asked if i could run the board on a few days. They were happy about that. Hopefully, i can get a copy of the show and let folks here it.
After that I went to see Elbert "Big Man" Howard, the deputy Minister of Information of the original BLack Panther Party for Self Defense. It was a blessing and an honor to meet and hear him speak. Then my professor got him to speak at my class. It was so dope.
For those of you that don't know me, i have been known to wax poetic on the BPP often. i have much of their material (i will say about 70%) and still collecting. I always try to find ways to try to implement Huey P. Newton's ideas of Intercommunalism into hip hop culture (as well as Amilcar Cabral's and Frantz Fanon's). Their determination and ingenuity has always been an inspiration to me.
So it was just a wonderful blessing to listen to him. An older cat to a young blood...
The Highlight of my evening however is coming home with my wife to see my children running to me. Both of them are comedians. You should see their eyes light up when they see me. I hated having to run out. I love hugging them and letting them beat me up. BUt my best friend Ms. Sills just had a little girl. So i drove to the hospital to see the Queen and the Princess. both are healthy and fine. it was good to see a mother and child connect through breast feeding. it really made my day complete.
Life is good. Let us give thanks, praise, and sacrifice.
Obrigado
Asante Sana...
Monday, February 21, 2005
El Hajj Malik Shabazz (you know his as Malcolm X)
"If you're not ready to die for it, put the word 'freedom' out of your vocabulary." (Ase)
I remember the first time I heard a recording of his speech. I was going to Rice High School way back in 1986. Some guys in my lunchroom were listening to him. At first, I ignored it. When i traveled up 125th St, i heard another speech playing out of store. I was curious. I asked my man Iiles (that was his last name) about him. He was my connection to my African self. He told me every day that i was in Black.
"You want to know about Malcolm X?" He asked.
"Yeah , be (that's a term we used back then. i still use it...:)" I replied.
"You sure you ready for this?"
"Yeah, man."
He told me to get the Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley. I copped it and read it in 4 days. It fascinated me. Every page was an eye opener. It was over from there. I have read it 3 more times since 1986. Ever since then i considered him my hero. The person i wanted to emulate.
His discipline and fortitude impressed me immensely. I was very open. He is still the standard I use to evaluate myself. He was meticulous and organized. He was focused and continued to evolve up until his transition. His organizational skills (which kills more devils then bullets) are ones i want to emulate.
Ironically, when he went to Ibadan, Nigeria, he was given the name "Omowale," which means "the child has come home" in the Yoruba language. I married a Yoruba woman (a Naija woman as she so eloquently puts it) . I have given my younger two children yoruba names.
Because of people like him, Pedro Albizu Campos, Amilcar Cabral, and Huey P. Newton, I dedicate my life to the upliftment of people of the African diaspora. I have endeavored in the wholistic education of our people. I know that what i do is only a fraction of the work that El Hajj Malik Shabazz has done. So i must do more...
Of course, most folks run out and rent the movie (which is pretty good) but you should read teh following:
1. "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" as told to Alex Haley
2. "The Judas Factor: The Plot to Assasinate Malcolm X" by Karl Evanz ( i loved this book someone stole it from me. this is highly recommended ! )
3. "Ghosts in our Blood" By Dr. Jan Carew
4. "By Any Means Necessary" speechs by Malcolm X
Also, listen to the late Ossie Davis' eulogy of Malcolm.
"If you're not ready to die for it, put the word 'freedom' out of your vocabulary." (Ase)
I remember the first time I heard a recording of his speech. I was going to Rice High School way back in 1986. Some guys in my lunchroom were listening to him. At first, I ignored it. When i traveled up 125th St, i heard another speech playing out of store. I was curious. I asked my man Iiles (that was his last name) about him. He was my connection to my African self. He told me every day that i was in Black.
"You want to know about Malcolm X?" He asked.
"Yeah , be (that's a term we used back then. i still use it...:)" I replied.
"You sure you ready for this?"
"Yeah, man."
He told me to get the Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley. I copped it and read it in 4 days. It fascinated me. Every page was an eye opener. It was over from there. I have read it 3 more times since 1986. Ever since then i considered him my hero. The person i wanted to emulate.
His discipline and fortitude impressed me immensely. I was very open. He is still the standard I use to evaluate myself. He was meticulous and organized. He was focused and continued to evolve up until his transition. His organizational skills (which kills more devils then bullets) are ones i want to emulate.
Ironically, when he went to Ibadan, Nigeria, he was given the name "Omowale," which means "the child has come home" in the Yoruba language. I married a Yoruba woman (a Naija woman as she so eloquently puts it) . I have given my younger two children yoruba names.
Because of people like him, Pedro Albizu Campos, Amilcar Cabral, and Huey P. Newton, I dedicate my life to the upliftment of people of the African diaspora. I have endeavored in the wholistic education of our people. I know that what i do is only a fraction of the work that El Hajj Malik Shabazz has done. So i must do more...
Of course, most folks run out and rent the movie (which is pretty good) but you should read teh following:
1. "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" as told to Alex Haley
2. "The Judas Factor: The Plot to Assasinate Malcolm X" by Karl Evanz ( i loved this book someone stole it from me. this is highly recommended ! )
3. "Ghosts in our Blood" By Dr. Jan Carew
4. "By Any Means Necessary" speechs by Malcolm X
Also, listen to the late Ossie Davis' eulogy of Malcolm.
Friday, February 18, 2005
Never in a million years...
Brown in 100% debt relief pledge
By Tim Weber Business Editor, BBC News website, in Davos
The world's seven richest countries - the G7 - should offer poor countries 100% debt relief, UK Chancellor Gordon Brown has said. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Mr Brown said he hoped to persuade his colleagues to commit to the goal by the end of the year.
His pledge has already won support from France's new Finance Minister, Herve Gaymard.
-----------
Wow, i never thought that this would even be considered. I remember a few years back, heads laughed at Bono from U2 who suggested this all the time. I thought that many countries on the periphery would just continue to borrow under the draconian measures of the IMF and World Bank. Who would have thought? many argue that the Core states have underlying conditions. We shall see. Read the article and pass it on.
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HEre is one for all of you physics majors:
Running rings around a distant planet
Feb 17th 2005 From The Economist print editionAstronomers may have found their first Saturn lookalike
LAST summer, millions of people around the world watched the silhouette of Venus slide across the face of the sun—the first such “transit” for 122 years. At about the same time, a team of professional astronomers was pulling off a similar trick for a planet the size of Jupiter in orbit around a star 32m times farther from Earth than the sun. It was the first triumph for the Trans-Atlantic Exoplanet Survey (TrES), a set of three tiny telescopes, one on Tenerife and the other two in Arizona and California. Each telescope has a mirror just 10cm across, yet working together they detected the microscopic dimming caused by a planet getting in the way of the distant star.
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I love stories about that. I wish papers would publish them more. Do you think its because in certain areas, particularly the south, they worry about their Christian/Muslim subscribers? Cause the astronomers have been finding all kinds of things in the last ten years. It's just amazing to me. Alot of folks say we should be worried about what is happening on the planet. I feel them. we have alot of issues, but what's wrong with dreaming? What's wrong with wondering and trying to figure things out?
"When can i do some b-boy poses?"
I forgot to tell you guys about my photo shoot. This local alternative weekly will be doing a cover story on me. I had to go in and take the pictures last Wednesday. The photographer was pretty cool. She was an older lady. Of course, she had me doing all these foo foo poses.
"Excuse me, when am i going to take b-boy poses?" I asked. She was like "huh?"
So i started doing freezes, baby's, chairs, and up-rock stops. She was open.
"Let me get the background!" She exclaimed. She got this white background and laid it on the ground. And i went to work. She was in photographer's heaven. She just flashed away. i was all over the floor. I was freaking my floor rock.
When it was over, she let me look at the pictures.
"This is the most exciting thing I have done in awhile. How could you stay in those positions for so long?"
I laughed and shrugged it off.
"I don't have any say on what pictures they use, but i will advocate for them to use these."
I was mad happy, and gassed.
UNIVERSAL MAGNETIC B-BOY
Brown in 100% debt relief pledge
By Tim Weber Business Editor, BBC News website, in Davos
The world's seven richest countries - the G7 - should offer poor countries 100% debt relief, UK Chancellor Gordon Brown has said. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Mr Brown said he hoped to persuade his colleagues to commit to the goal by the end of the year.
His pledge has already won support from France's new Finance Minister, Herve Gaymard.
-----------
Wow, i never thought that this would even be considered. I remember a few years back, heads laughed at Bono from U2 who suggested this all the time. I thought that many countries on the periphery would just continue to borrow under the draconian measures of the IMF and World Bank. Who would have thought? many argue that the Core states have underlying conditions. We shall see. Read the article and pass it on.
-----------------------
HEre is one for all of you physics majors:
Running rings around a distant planet
Feb 17th 2005 From The Economist print editionAstronomers may have found their first Saturn lookalike
LAST summer, millions of people around the world watched the silhouette of Venus slide across the face of the sun—the first such “transit” for 122 years. At about the same time, a team of professional astronomers was pulling off a similar trick for a planet the size of Jupiter in orbit around a star 32m times farther from Earth than the sun. It was the first triumph for the Trans-Atlantic Exoplanet Survey (TrES), a set of three tiny telescopes, one on Tenerife and the other two in Arizona and California. Each telescope has a mirror just 10cm across, yet working together they detected the microscopic dimming caused by a planet getting in the way of the distant star.
--------
I love stories about that. I wish papers would publish them more. Do you think its because in certain areas, particularly the south, they worry about their Christian/Muslim subscribers? Cause the astronomers have been finding all kinds of things in the last ten years. It's just amazing to me. Alot of folks say we should be worried about what is happening on the planet. I feel them. we have alot of issues, but what's wrong with dreaming? What's wrong with wondering and trying to figure things out?
"When can i do some b-boy poses?"
I forgot to tell you guys about my photo shoot. This local alternative weekly will be doing a cover story on me. I had to go in and take the pictures last Wednesday. The photographer was pretty cool. She was an older lady. Of course, she had me doing all these foo foo poses.
"Excuse me, when am i going to take b-boy poses?" I asked. She was like "huh?"
So i started doing freezes, baby's, chairs, and up-rock stops. She was open.
"Let me get the background!" She exclaimed. She got this white background and laid it on the ground. And i went to work. She was in photographer's heaven. She just flashed away. i was all over the floor. I was freaking my floor rock.
When it was over, she let me look at the pictures.
"This is the most exciting thing I have done in awhile. How could you stay in those positions for so long?"
I laughed and shrugged it off.
"I don't have any say on what pictures they use, but i will advocate for them to use these."
I was mad happy, and gassed.
UNIVERSAL MAGNETIC B-BOY
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
$1.20, Be...
After a photo shoot downtown, I headed to this 75% off book sale near TCC (big up to Manny Infinity who told me about it... word...). I got down there and found the latest issue of Vanity Fair with George Lucas on the cover. you know, Vanity Fair has always done the pre-Star Wars special. I got it for $1.20! I was ecstatic.
So there i was, walking up Granby St. pass all this construction. My roda skills weaving me through bricks, ladders, and obese construction workers. Near misses and accidents that could have happened did not stop me from skimming through all the advertisements to get an exclusive look at Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.
I was mad disappointed! Maybe I was walking too fast and was not as slick as i thought i was. Maybe i skipped some pages in my haste. I actually stopped and looked through it slowly. That damn Lucas! he got us again. All they showed was broken up sets and a costume or two. I did not read the story BUT i found a jewel.. (always seem to).
Remember Abu Ghraib? Yeah, you know that little prison run by the US military where men were tortured and sexually abused? Yeah, well Vanity Fair interviewed Haj Ali , the man who became famous after he was pictured in a black hood with electric wires attached to his fingers in Abu Ghraib prison. They also interview other detainees and discuss new allegations of torture on the part of US troops.
VAnity Fair, which is sort of like a more upscale GQ and usually caters to the Martha's Vineyard crowd gets two thumbs up for this one. Go cop it.
After a photo shoot downtown, I headed to this 75% off book sale near TCC (big up to Manny Infinity who told me about it... word...). I got down there and found the latest issue of Vanity Fair with George Lucas on the cover. you know, Vanity Fair has always done the pre-Star Wars special. I got it for $1.20! I was ecstatic.
So there i was, walking up Granby St. pass all this construction. My roda skills weaving me through bricks, ladders, and obese construction workers. Near misses and accidents that could have happened did not stop me from skimming through all the advertisements to get an exclusive look at Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.
I was mad disappointed! Maybe I was walking too fast and was not as slick as i thought i was. Maybe i skipped some pages in my haste. I actually stopped and looked through it slowly. That damn Lucas! he got us again. All they showed was broken up sets and a costume or two. I did not read the story BUT i found a jewel.. (always seem to).
Remember Abu Ghraib? Yeah, you know that little prison run by the US military where men were tortured and sexually abused? Yeah, well Vanity Fair interviewed Haj Ali , the man who became famous after he was pictured in a black hood with electric wires attached to his fingers in Abu Ghraib prison. They also interview other detainees and discuss new allegations of torture on the part of US troops.
VAnity Fair, which is sort of like a more upscale GQ and usually caters to the Martha's Vineyard crowd gets two thumbs up for this one. Go cop it.
Monday, February 14, 2005
Oh, you thought I would talk about...
Things have been looking out for us. I have been asked to write a piece for Portfolio Weekly . I submitted it and they loved it. I was also interviewed by them today and have to take a picture for the cover shot on Wednesday! I also will be on NPR's Hearsay with Kathy Lewis (one of my favorite radio shows by the way...) on Feb 22nd (i think.. that might be right). So i am looking forward to that.
As usual, we stay busy during Black History Month. Everybody and their momma wants you to lecture, demonstrated, an interview, be a panelist, etc. But the rest of the year you are like hurting. It sucks. it really does. its like folks ain't black the rest of the year. Crazy right? we are programmed to be something when someone else wants us to be.
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I have not gotten political on here in awhile. but i have to talk about this. Last week, North Korea announced that it had nuclear weapons. This comes as no surprise to me. of course, this is not due to the wonderful intelligence agencies the US has (yeah right, those guys could not find intelligence information if it was faxed to them -- read the 9/11 Commission report). It's just a situation that was heading that way anyway.
First up, let me say that i am no fan of nuclear weapons. I think they are the most devilish and evil things ever created. Why would someone create a weapon that can annihilate entire populations and make everyone else sick? Mind you that the U.S. is the only country in the world that used atomic weapons on another group of people in history, but i digress. And those that created them are evil ass devils (i know that is redundant but they are).
Anywhoos, if we all remember way back in 2001 ol' Dubya called a few countries out. In particular were North Korea, Iran and Iraq. He called them the Axis of Evil. Then we went and invaded Iraq. And the things with Iran are heating up. There are talks of more aggressive positions against Iran. Dubya and his administration are discussing bring "democracy" (or should i say Dey mo crazy?) to oppressed peoples of the world. So what is North Korea to do?
Understand that the reasons why those countries are moving through with their nuclear programs is because of US aggression. On a conventional level, they have no chance of defeating the US. So they are forced to find some other measures. That is why some countries resort to terrorism and others to nukes. They are forced into that position.
If NOrth Korea is living under terrible conditions (which it is), then eventually it should collapse on its own. There's not need for us to send troops in there. Let's be honest, US Foreign Policy is aggressive and with the concept of Pax Americana being the basis of the decisions that the Bush Administration and their supporters , things can only get worse. Understand this: the ideologues behind Pax Americana are deeply embedded in the administration, bureaucracy, and the Senate, so even if we do away with Bush, those policies will still be in place.
Parade, a weekly insert that comes with my paper, had an article on the 10 worst dictators. Its ill cause some of the folks on there are supported by the US. What does that tell us? that oftentimes, we instigate these problems. Look at Saddam Hussein, who the US helped to put in power. And even Manuel Noriega. Heads need to wake up.
Things have been looking out for us. I have been asked to write a piece for Portfolio Weekly . I submitted it and they loved it. I was also interviewed by them today and have to take a picture for the cover shot on Wednesday! I also will be on NPR's Hearsay with Kathy Lewis (one of my favorite radio shows by the way...) on Feb 22nd (i think.. that might be right). So i am looking forward to that.
As usual, we stay busy during Black History Month. Everybody and their momma wants you to lecture, demonstrated, an interview, be a panelist, etc. But the rest of the year you are like hurting. It sucks. it really does. its like folks ain't black the rest of the year. Crazy right? we are programmed to be something when someone else wants us to be.
---------------------
I have not gotten political on here in awhile. but i have to talk about this. Last week, North Korea announced that it had nuclear weapons. This comes as no surprise to me. of course, this is not due to the wonderful intelligence agencies the US has (yeah right, those guys could not find intelligence information if it was faxed to them -- read the 9/11 Commission report). It's just a situation that was heading that way anyway.
First up, let me say that i am no fan of nuclear weapons. I think they are the most devilish and evil things ever created. Why would someone create a weapon that can annihilate entire populations and make everyone else sick? Mind you that the U.S. is the only country in the world that used atomic weapons on another group of people in history, but i digress. And those that created them are evil ass devils (i know that is redundant but they are).
Anywhoos, if we all remember way back in 2001 ol' Dubya called a few countries out. In particular were North Korea, Iran and Iraq. He called them the Axis of Evil. Then we went and invaded Iraq. And the things with Iran are heating up. There are talks of more aggressive positions against Iran. Dubya and his administration are discussing bring "democracy" (or should i say Dey mo crazy?) to oppressed peoples of the world. So what is North Korea to do?
Understand that the reasons why those countries are moving through with their nuclear programs is because of US aggression. On a conventional level, they have no chance of defeating the US. So they are forced to find some other measures. That is why some countries resort to terrorism and others to nukes. They are forced into that position.
If NOrth Korea is living under terrible conditions (which it is), then eventually it should collapse on its own. There's not need for us to send troops in there. Let's be honest, US Foreign Policy is aggressive and with the concept of Pax Americana being the basis of the decisions that the Bush Administration and their supporters , things can only get worse. Understand this: the ideologues behind Pax Americana are deeply embedded in the administration, bureaucracy, and the Senate, so even if we do away with Bush, those policies will still be in place.
Parade, a weekly insert that comes with my paper, had an article on the 10 worst dictators. Its ill cause some of the folks on there are supported by the US. What does that tell us? that oftentimes, we instigate these problems. Look at Saddam Hussein, who the US helped to put in power. And even Manuel Noriega. Heads need to wake up.
Sunday, February 13, 2005
Here are the folks that help put this thing together. the cat with the vinyl is Dj Fingatips, the young lady next to him kept track of the tournament bracket, the young man in the middle with the gray sweater is LB the winner, pointing to him is Bren One who organized the event, the young lady smiling with the pink shirt is the president of the local chapter of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, the girl behind Bren ONe with the Peace sign is my co-host Rika. the rest of the cats you know.
On Hosting..
I know many of you have heard me boast about my hosting skills. Hands down, I am one of the best hosts out there. Only a few people come to mind when i think of anyone that can outshine me (Red Alert and Bobbito Garcia...) In the past few years however, my hosting gigs have diminished. Fewer people are booking me for hosting gigs. They are passing me over for less talented and even less intelligent people. Not only do i have a "personality" and i have a commanding presence and i am a quick thinker. There were shows that I hosted that behind the scenes were completely dreadful, but i made it look like everything was cool. I have broken up fights back stage, tusseled a few times myself, and came back onstage as if nothing happened. I have hosted shows where all of the acts were late and I put something together. At the same time, the crowd found me witty, unpredicatable, and educational.
Just the other day, i was asked to host an MC battle the night before it was to go on. I normally don't take any gigs a day before they happened since i am so busy, but i thought what the heck...
Big up to Bren One for putting it together. He did his thing organizing his first MC battle. Dj Fingatips was on the 1's and 2's. I co-hosted with my girl Rika. It was sponsored by the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network. They were able to scrounge 8 MCs (we normally do 16). So we had to set up a loser's bracket.
It's funny because I knew alot of MCs who i invited over and over. Many said they would come. I was also approached by quite a few MCs and managers who boasted rosters of battle MCs. I gave them the info, my info, and everything else they might need. But none showed up. I can easily say that i personally spoke to about ten MCs and about two or three managers who all claimed they would be there. Oh well. Put up or shut up.
bottom line, it was the wackest MC battle i ever hosted. I noticed that throughout the years, MC battles have gotten terrible. It is not only the quality of MCs (if i can use that term) that has degraded, it is also the ear of the audience that has adjusted to this quality. An MC can now pretty much say anything and the crowd goes wild. In a battle, explaining to the other MC how many guns you carry or how much "ice" you wear does not equal a victory. Yet lately, crowds feel this is what will bring you a trophy. They cheer for anything as if they were the studio audience at BET's 106 and park.
A 13 year old by the name of LB won the battle. He was okay. But towards the end all he did was curse out his opponents. There was one MC who caught my eye, Lew Jiles. he killed it but his rhymes were over everyones heads. I was tripping cause when he said a punch line i would fall out and laugh and when i look up, i noticed no one else was laughing. i felt old.
oh well....
oh where or where are the dope MCs?
they out there, we will find them...enjoy the pics above..
I know many of you have heard me boast about my hosting skills. Hands down, I am one of the best hosts out there. Only a few people come to mind when i think of anyone that can outshine me (Red Alert and Bobbito Garcia...) In the past few years however, my hosting gigs have diminished. Fewer people are booking me for hosting gigs. They are passing me over for less talented and even less intelligent people. Not only do i have a "personality" and i have a commanding presence and i am a quick thinker. There were shows that I hosted that behind the scenes were completely dreadful, but i made it look like everything was cool. I have broken up fights back stage, tusseled a few times myself, and came back onstage as if nothing happened. I have hosted shows where all of the acts were late and I put something together. At the same time, the crowd found me witty, unpredicatable, and educational.
Just the other day, i was asked to host an MC battle the night before it was to go on. I normally don't take any gigs a day before they happened since i am so busy, but i thought what the heck...
Big up to Bren One for putting it together. He did his thing organizing his first MC battle. Dj Fingatips was on the 1's and 2's. I co-hosted with my girl Rika. It was sponsored by the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network. They were able to scrounge 8 MCs (we normally do 16). So we had to set up a loser's bracket.
It's funny because I knew alot of MCs who i invited over and over. Many said they would come. I was also approached by quite a few MCs and managers who boasted rosters of battle MCs. I gave them the info, my info, and everything else they might need. But none showed up. I can easily say that i personally spoke to about ten MCs and about two or three managers who all claimed they would be there. Oh well. Put up or shut up.
bottom line, it was the wackest MC battle i ever hosted. I noticed that throughout the years, MC battles have gotten terrible. It is not only the quality of MCs (if i can use that term) that has degraded, it is also the ear of the audience that has adjusted to this quality. An MC can now pretty much say anything and the crowd goes wild. In a battle, explaining to the other MC how many guns you carry or how much "ice" you wear does not equal a victory. Yet lately, crowds feel this is what will bring you a trophy. They cheer for anything as if they were the studio audience at BET's 106 and park.
A 13 year old by the name of LB won the battle. He was okay. But towards the end all he did was curse out his opponents. There was one MC who caught my eye, Lew Jiles. he killed it but his rhymes were over everyones heads. I was tripping cause when he said a punch line i would fall out and laugh and when i look up, i noticed no one else was laughing. i felt old.
oh well....
oh where or where are the dope MCs?
they out there, we will find them...enjoy the pics above..
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Break the Funk Spectacular...
Last Friday, Feb. 4th, my wife and I went on a date. yeah those are far and inbetween but well worth it. I got free tickets to see "Break, The Urban Funk Spectacular..." at the newly refurbished Crispus Attucks Theatre.
Actually it was a Black History Month Program that featured a tap dancer named Joseph C. Wiggan, a counter-tenor named Hisham Breedlove, and the ODU Ebony Impact Gospel Choir. Breedlove shook my out of my seat. He is a Zimbabwean (did i spell that right?) who studies opera. Dude was amazing. I could not see his voice coming out of his mouth, but it did. I almost suffocated just watching him. His breath control (and i am no opera aficionado so i am not used to this...) was amazing.
Joseph C. Wiggan killed it. Man, he just brought back memories. What's cool about tap dancers is like B-boys (or should i say, b-boys like tap dancers since tap dancers came before) they each have their own flavor. When they first come up and learn the basics, you may find that they just emulate their teacher. But as the grow out and evolve, they develop their own flavor. But his footwork was nasty, man. Gosh i wish i could top rock like that.
After Ebony Impact's lackluster performance, we had an intermission. I got a chance to mingle with folks. It's ill cause alot of people never met my wife. They know of her because i speak of her often, but most never met her. Afterwards, we went back to the auditorium to see the rest of the show.
Break, the Urban Funk Spectacular featured DJ G.I. joe on the tables and some well known b-boys and b-girls. The program did not list him, but Alien Ness with his Zulu self showed up on stage. So you know i went crazy. They really lit up the evening. all i can say is that when real b-boys come out you have to be there to watch it since it is so difficult to describe to non-b-boys and b-girls.
But afterward my man Al-C , a local B-boy, invited me to Relative Theory . I ran home, picked up my daughter and dropped my wife off. My sister and I headed back there. When i arrived someone was playing some old break beats. It was my man B-buggin's little brother, the Afro-white bread (yeah he looks like one). he was killing it. He even played "The MExican." So you know i had to take off the sportscoat (I noticed all the b-boys wore them that night) and get busy. it was hot. what a dope night. please check the pics...
Big up to Jetty, Vizion, and Al C ... and the brothers from Salem High School
Last Friday, Feb. 4th, my wife and I went on a date. yeah those are far and inbetween but well worth it. I got free tickets to see "Break, The Urban Funk Spectacular..." at the newly refurbished Crispus Attucks Theatre.
Actually it was a Black History Month Program that featured a tap dancer named Joseph C. Wiggan, a counter-tenor named Hisham Breedlove, and the ODU Ebony Impact Gospel Choir. Breedlove shook my out of my seat. He is a Zimbabwean (did i spell that right?) who studies opera. Dude was amazing. I could not see his voice coming out of his mouth, but it did. I almost suffocated just watching him. His breath control (and i am no opera aficionado so i am not used to this...) was amazing.
Joseph C. Wiggan killed it. Man, he just brought back memories. What's cool about tap dancers is like B-boys (or should i say, b-boys like tap dancers since tap dancers came before) they each have their own flavor. When they first come up and learn the basics, you may find that they just emulate their teacher. But as the grow out and evolve, they develop their own flavor. But his footwork was nasty, man. Gosh i wish i could top rock like that.
After Ebony Impact's lackluster performance, we had an intermission. I got a chance to mingle with folks. It's ill cause alot of people never met my wife. They know of her because i speak of her often, but most never met her. Afterwards, we went back to the auditorium to see the rest of the show.
Break, the Urban Funk Spectacular featured DJ G.I. joe on the tables and some well known b-boys and b-girls. The program did not list him, but Alien Ness with his Zulu self showed up on stage. So you know i went crazy. They really lit up the evening. all i can say is that when real b-boys come out you have to be there to watch it since it is so difficult to describe to non-b-boys and b-girls.
But afterward my man Al-C , a local B-boy, invited me to Relative Theory . I ran home, picked up my daughter and dropped my wife off. My sister and I headed back there. When i arrived someone was playing some old break beats. It was my man B-buggin's little brother, the Afro-white bread (yeah he looks like one). he was killing it. He even played "The MExican." So you know i had to take off the sportscoat (I noticed all the b-boys wore them that night) and get busy. it was hot. what a dope night. please check the pics...
Big up to Jetty, Vizion, and Al C ... and the brothers from Salem High School
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
On Dialectic Materialism Part II (if you have not read Part One go to the Wed Feb 2nd entry)
I realized that the idea that everyone works in the benefit of his or her own interests , which is what capitalism is based on, its immoral and destructive. For a few people to live luxurious lives, a great many have to be impoverished. This is wack, counterproductive, and immoral. I have felt this way pretty much all of my life. In a sense, this has been the basis of my activism. Since being a child of the 80's, i was bombarded with propaganda that was pro-right and anti-progressive. I always felt that i was a progressive individual (not necessarily a "liberal") but something kind of blocked me from coming out as a socialist (or a dialectic materialist as Huey P. Newton would put it). I guess it was that endless viewing of "Red Dawn" (only the old school heads remember that one with Patrick Swayze, Emilio Estevez, and Charlie sheen).
I am an avid reader of all things that pertain to the Black Panther party for Self defense. It was through Huey P. Newton's writings that I was introduced to the idea of intercommunalism. Later on i read Angela Davis' Autobiography and learned some more about socialism. I came across some material from the African People's Socialist Party.
All this has stayed on my mind and has influenced some of my writing, but i never really implemented any of it consciously. Until i started watching the 3rd season of the Wire....
to be continued...
I realized that the idea that everyone works in the benefit of his or her own interests , which is what capitalism is based on, its immoral and destructive. For a few people to live luxurious lives, a great many have to be impoverished. This is wack, counterproductive, and immoral. I have felt this way pretty much all of my life. In a sense, this has been the basis of my activism. Since being a child of the 80's, i was bombarded with propaganda that was pro-right and anti-progressive. I always felt that i was a progressive individual (not necessarily a "liberal") but something kind of blocked me from coming out as a socialist (or a dialectic materialist as Huey P. Newton would put it). I guess it was that endless viewing of "Red Dawn" (only the old school heads remember that one with Patrick Swayze, Emilio Estevez, and Charlie sheen).
I am an avid reader of all things that pertain to the Black Panther party for Self defense. It was through Huey P. Newton's writings that I was introduced to the idea of intercommunalism. Later on i read Angela Davis' Autobiography and learned some more about socialism. I came across some material from the African People's Socialist Party.
All this has stayed on my mind and has influenced some of my writing, but i never really implemented any of it consciously. Until i started watching the 3rd season of the Wire....
to be continued...
I got a question....(as serious as cancer...)
In Martin Luther's "Daily Bread" video. is he laying down with the sexy Nona Gaye? In some instances, it looks like her but then sometimes it doesn't. well, wasn't she hot in Matrix Revolutions? Can someone let me know, i looked all over the net for the credits last night.
Also, in the latest Ludacris video, is that Fat Lip of the original Pharcyde group in that bathroom scene? once again i have not been able to confirm this.
------------------------
we had a nice session in capoeira last night. it was so dope. Alot of folks came throught. I finally got to play PJ (thanks for the CD man, you hooked a brother up). I was so sloppy in there. I been out of the roda for a minute. Our singing was great though. Man, we kill those instruments. we are so funky fresh.
can't wait for Feb 25th and 26th...
Events start at 6:30pm Friday
Where?
Grupo Ondas Capoeira
Gold's Gym (Studio 2)
7770 Richmond Highway
Alexandria, VA 22306
How much?
(Participants)$15 for one day, $20 for both
(Spectators) $10 for one or both days
Workshops, special guests, lots of rodas...
Guests will include:Confirmed)
Professor Tigri and students - Grupo Ondas Capoeira
Gaviao and students - Quilombo do Queimado
Galego and students - CapuraGinga
Mr. Darnell Bell and students - student of Mestre Nego Gato
Professor Reizinho and students - Grupo de Pretos Velhos
Capoeira Uhuru Association and the list might possibly go on!
------------------
I hope some of you don't get caught up in the Valentine's Day hoopla. Here is another holiday set up to make $$$ off the masses. It's a shame that they got us convinced that keeping our mates happy is a seasonal thing. Back in the day, I used to date sisters who would be upset if i did not get them a thing on Valentine's day but when i got them something any other day, it did not count. that sux. I knew women who were treated really bad by their boyfriends, husbands, fiancee's etc., but as long as they got them something on that fateful day, it negated all the bad stuff they did. How warped is that thinking?
You should always get your woman something. It keeps the romance alive and it demonstrates that you truly think about that person. You should not do it when everyone else is doing it. You'd be surprise how far a nice card would be any time of the year. Or getting them a lollipop when you go to the store. There are so many inexpensive things you can do to show that you love her. for real.. think about it.
and don't believe the hype...
In Martin Luther's "Daily Bread" video. is he laying down with the sexy Nona Gaye? In some instances, it looks like her but then sometimes it doesn't. well, wasn't she hot in Matrix Revolutions? Can someone let me know, i looked all over the net for the credits last night.
Also, in the latest Ludacris video, is that Fat Lip of the original Pharcyde group in that bathroom scene? once again i have not been able to confirm this.
------------------------
we had a nice session in capoeira last night. it was so dope. Alot of folks came throught. I finally got to play PJ (thanks for the CD man, you hooked a brother up). I was so sloppy in there. I been out of the roda for a minute. Our singing was great though. Man, we kill those instruments. we are so funky fresh.
can't wait for Feb 25th and 26th...
Events start at 6:30pm Friday
Where?
Grupo Ondas Capoeira
Gold's Gym (Studio 2)
7770 Richmond Highway
Alexandria, VA 22306
How much?
(Participants)$15 for one day, $20 for both
(Spectators) $10 for one or both days
Workshops, special guests, lots of rodas...
Guests will include:Confirmed)
Professor Tigri and students - Grupo Ondas Capoeira
Gaviao and students - Quilombo do Queimado
Galego and students - CapuraGinga
Mr. Darnell Bell and students - student of Mestre Nego Gato
Professor Reizinho and students - Grupo de Pretos Velhos
Capoeira Uhuru Association and the list might possibly go on!
------------------
I hope some of you don't get caught up in the Valentine's Day hoopla. Here is another holiday set up to make $$$ off the masses. It's a shame that they got us convinced that keeping our mates happy is a seasonal thing. Back in the day, I used to date sisters who would be upset if i did not get them a thing on Valentine's day but when i got them something any other day, it did not count. that sux. I knew women who were treated really bad by their boyfriends, husbands, fiancee's etc., but as long as they got them something on that fateful day, it negated all the bad stuff they did. How warped is that thinking?
You should always get your woman something. It keeps the romance alive and it demonstrates that you truly think about that person. You should not do it when everyone else is doing it. You'd be surprise how far a nice card would be any time of the year. Or getting them a lollipop when you go to the store. There are so many inexpensive things you can do to show that you love her. for real.. think about it.
and don't believe the hype...
Sunday, February 06, 2005
hmm applesauce!!! I MUST FEED MY BIG HEAD... I AM BRAINIAC !!! when i am done, i will : a. find all the remote controls and bury them somewhere in the house... b. fart my little bad self off and stink up the house... c. destroy all of my sisters artwork... d. pull all of my father's books out of the shelf... e. smack my mother around.. f. finally take over the world.. g. watch some more Elmo...
A Sith Lord at work...
today, my sister and I went out to get some sushi and some dvd's at blockbuster. It was a nice sunny day too, i might add. Anywhoos, we were looking for some movies and I ran into the Village (see review much later) by M. Night Shylaman. i pointed out to her that we did rent it at one time and i took it back, but i should have allowed her to watch it. I explained to her that as usual, Shylaman makes you think. This one older guy shakes his head and says "it was not that good, it was just like the Twilight Zone..."
Self: What do you mean, it wasn't good? It's writing at its best. He covered many themes and had an ill plot twist with a dope ending.
Blockbuster Critic: Nah, the ending was not good. It was too much like the Twilight Zone.
Self: And the Twilight Zone was bad?
Blockbuster Critic: No, it's just that i don't think you should pay $8 to see the Twilight Zone.
Self: well, what's wrong with paying $8 to see some good writing and a psychological thriller that is similar to what Rod Serling did?
Blockbuster Critic: I just don't think someone should pay $8.
Self: that's a weak excuse. You should pay more for it especially with all the crap that's out there. Look at this... Here was a so called utopia created by a handful of people who lied about something to keep the people in check.
Blockbuster Critic: yeah they created a fear...
Self: Exactly! Fear is the prime motivator. They created a demon, like the federal government created this idea of Bin Laden and his shadowy organization that hates us because we love our freedom. It's the same concept. Especially this idea that you can go back to the way Puritans did with their religious utopia.
Blockbuster Critic: well, you can take any civilization and criticize it...
Self: of course, but that is not the point of the movie. Check it... they created this so called utopia but they still had lies, jealousy, and murder. what does that tell you? See how he addressed it? they felt that if they did not discuss it and hide it from their children that they will never know. Meanwhile, they were all living lies! It's deep. You can't beat that for $8.
Blockbuster Critic: I guess you're right. it is deeper than i thought. Now that I think about it, i can't front it was a good movie.
(heh heh heh, the Jedi Mind Tricks work....)
----------------------------------------------
Speaking of movies:
The Village -- it is M. Night Shylaman's last piece. He did it in 2004. This is one of those movies that you just have to watch because if I tell you anything about it, it will give the ending away. Pretty much its about a village that lives out in the boondocks and surrounded by a forest. They live a in puritan like setting. There are monsters that roam the forest and they made a pact with the humans to leave them alone as long as they stay in the village and out of the forest. real ill. It's kind of like 1984 meets the Scarlet Letter. Real dope.
AVP -- Alien Vs. Predator. I had a beef with the idea that the Predators taught humans how to build pyramids as they used them as host bodies to hold the alien offspring. The Predators had used the earth to spawn the aliens so that their young warriors could hunt them as a rites of passage. Its a real short movie but Sanaa Lathan does her thing. She puts Sigourney Weaver to shame. What's dope is that you can tell her character was written with a white woman in mind. She did her thing. She fought well without being overly masculine (as Weaver did in the second installment of Aliens) and without being overly sexy. She did her thing. You got to watch it just to see her out of her element. They always got her playing some hoodrat or heart broken sister. Alot of folks did not like it. They felt that the fight between the Aliens and the PRedator was not worth the price of admission. Folks are real picky and not imaginative enough. oh well.
Redemption -- way back in 1999 when Tookie Williams was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, we tried our hardest to get an interview with him. It was tough and we failed in every endeavor. Jamie Foxx did his thing in this movie. He was not too hard or too fake. He just did his thing. Williams is unapologetic in his movements. He did what he had to do and feels that it was transition for him to be the true warrior he became. The movie of course had a few discrepancies. They only mentioned the CCC and the BBB. they forgot that he learned Kiswahili in prison. But Vondie Curtis Hall did a good job with the cinematography. I can't front i cried like a baby cause it was so deep. Jamie Foxx can act his ass off, he had found his niche.
there you have it...
today, my sister and I went out to get some sushi and some dvd's at blockbuster. It was a nice sunny day too, i might add. Anywhoos, we were looking for some movies and I ran into the Village (see review much later) by M. Night Shylaman. i pointed out to her that we did rent it at one time and i took it back, but i should have allowed her to watch it. I explained to her that as usual, Shylaman makes you think. This one older guy shakes his head and says "it was not that good, it was just like the Twilight Zone..."
Self: What do you mean, it wasn't good? It's writing at its best. He covered many themes and had an ill plot twist with a dope ending.
Blockbuster Critic: Nah, the ending was not good. It was too much like the Twilight Zone.
Self: And the Twilight Zone was bad?
Blockbuster Critic: No, it's just that i don't think you should pay $8 to see the Twilight Zone.
Self: well, what's wrong with paying $8 to see some good writing and a psychological thriller that is similar to what Rod Serling did?
Blockbuster Critic: I just don't think someone should pay $8.
Self: that's a weak excuse. You should pay more for it especially with all the crap that's out there. Look at this... Here was a so called utopia created by a handful of people who lied about something to keep the people in check.
Blockbuster Critic: yeah they created a fear...
Self: Exactly! Fear is the prime motivator. They created a demon, like the federal government created this idea of Bin Laden and his shadowy organization that hates us because we love our freedom. It's the same concept. Especially this idea that you can go back to the way Puritans did with their religious utopia.
Blockbuster Critic: well, you can take any civilization and criticize it...
Self: of course, but that is not the point of the movie. Check it... they created this so called utopia but they still had lies, jealousy, and murder. what does that tell you? See how he addressed it? they felt that if they did not discuss it and hide it from their children that they will never know. Meanwhile, they were all living lies! It's deep. You can't beat that for $8.
Blockbuster Critic: I guess you're right. it is deeper than i thought. Now that I think about it, i can't front it was a good movie.
(heh heh heh, the Jedi Mind Tricks work....)
----------------------------------------------
Speaking of movies:
The Village -- it is M. Night Shylaman's last piece. He did it in 2004. This is one of those movies that you just have to watch because if I tell you anything about it, it will give the ending away. Pretty much its about a village that lives out in the boondocks and surrounded by a forest. They live a in puritan like setting. There are monsters that roam the forest and they made a pact with the humans to leave them alone as long as they stay in the village and out of the forest. real ill. It's kind of like 1984 meets the Scarlet Letter. Real dope.
AVP -- Alien Vs. Predator. I had a beef with the idea that the Predators taught humans how to build pyramids as they used them as host bodies to hold the alien offspring. The Predators had used the earth to spawn the aliens so that their young warriors could hunt them as a rites of passage. Its a real short movie but Sanaa Lathan does her thing. She puts Sigourney Weaver to shame. What's dope is that you can tell her character was written with a white woman in mind. She did her thing. She fought well without being overly masculine (as Weaver did in the second installment of Aliens) and without being overly sexy. She did her thing. You got to watch it just to see her out of her element. They always got her playing some hoodrat or heart broken sister. Alot of folks did not like it. They felt that the fight between the Aliens and the PRedator was not worth the price of admission. Folks are real picky and not imaginative enough. oh well.
Redemption -- way back in 1999 when Tookie Williams was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, we tried our hardest to get an interview with him. It was tough and we failed in every endeavor. Jamie Foxx did his thing in this movie. He was not too hard or too fake. He just did his thing. Williams is unapologetic in his movements. He did what he had to do and feels that it was transition for him to be the true warrior he became. The movie of course had a few discrepancies. They only mentioned the CCC and the BBB. they forgot that he learned Kiswahili in prison. But Vondie Curtis Hall did a good job with the cinematography. I can't front i cried like a baby cause it was so deep. Jamie Foxx can act his ass off, he had found his niche.
there you have it...
Thursday, February 03, 2005
Clear accounts...
I keep forgetting to do this. But in my 2004 Year in Review, someone asked why I left out Mos Def's "The NEw Danger." I have been meaning to explain it to everyone. First, let me say that I am a humongous fan of the Mighty Mos. Being caught up in that fan(aticism) hoopla, at times we believe that our idols can do no wrong (the long word for fan is "fanatic" so we need to be mindful of that). I will admit that after defending him for doing all those movies, weak cameos, and then hosting Def Poetry Jam doing wack flows, i was praying and hoping that he would redeem himself on his next album so that i can tell his detractors: I TOLD YOU SO...
but that did not happen.
When i first heard the album, i was disappointed. I would be lying if i said i did. It took me a few listens to actually start to think that i was feeling. I wanted to be like, Damn son, you played us, your hardcore fans! but my fanaticism told me not to. So last year, I gave it a fair review. BUt in hindsight, i see why i claimed to like it.
With a team like Bernie Worrell (of Earth, Wind, and Fire) and bandmates from Bad Brains and Living Colour, how can Mos go wrong? So in a sense, i felt that members of some of the best bands in the world could not eff things up. Boy was i wrong. None of them shined on this.
Overall, I only listen to like 6 tracks on the whole album. So for an album with over 16 tracks, that equals to about 60% of the album being wack. And honestly, it is. He could have done better. Will I leave him as a fan? No. I will remain true. and when i see him, i will let him know.
I apologize to all the folks i told to get the album. Cause that was my irrational, hopeful side. It's the same side that prays that Condeleeza Rice is on our side (yeah right...). as you can see, it remains hopeful but bearly.
-----------------------------------------------------
what have you done for black history month.... ?
you don't have to answer this one party people. You should celebrate black history month all year long. don't get it twisted. Carter G Woodson, the founder of Negro History Week which later became Black History Month, expected us to do that. Are we?
I keep forgetting to do this. But in my 2004 Year in Review, someone asked why I left out Mos Def's "The NEw Danger." I have been meaning to explain it to everyone. First, let me say that I am a humongous fan of the Mighty Mos. Being caught up in that fan(aticism) hoopla, at times we believe that our idols can do no wrong (the long word for fan is "fanatic" so we need to be mindful of that). I will admit that after defending him for doing all those movies, weak cameos, and then hosting Def Poetry Jam doing wack flows, i was praying and hoping that he would redeem himself on his next album so that i can tell his detractors: I TOLD YOU SO...
but that did not happen.
When i first heard the album, i was disappointed. I would be lying if i said i did. It took me a few listens to actually start to think that i was feeling. I wanted to be like, Damn son, you played us, your hardcore fans! but my fanaticism told me not to. So last year, I gave it a fair review. BUt in hindsight, i see why i claimed to like it.
With a team like Bernie Worrell (of Earth, Wind, and Fire) and bandmates from Bad Brains and Living Colour, how can Mos go wrong? So in a sense, i felt that members of some of the best bands in the world could not eff things up. Boy was i wrong. None of them shined on this.
Overall, I only listen to like 6 tracks on the whole album. So for an album with over 16 tracks, that equals to about 60% of the album being wack. And honestly, it is. He could have done better. Will I leave him as a fan? No. I will remain true. and when i see him, i will let him know.
I apologize to all the folks i told to get the album. Cause that was my irrational, hopeful side. It's the same side that prays that Condeleeza Rice is on our side (yeah right...). as you can see, it remains hopeful but bearly.
-----------------------------------------------------
what have you done for black history month.... ?
you don't have to answer this one party people. You should celebrate black history month all year long. don't get it twisted. Carter G Woodson, the founder of Negro History Week which later became Black History Month, expected us to do that. Are we?
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Man, i have not played capoeira in two weeks. I feel flabby. Students are not coming to class (i stopped teaching ya'll... it's okay to come back, we won't kill you.. the drill seargent has stepped back).
I do work out with my wife. we focus on our abs and stuff. But its not enough for me. It's hard maintaining an organization that teaches. We have some performances coming up, i hope we can work it.
Volte O Mundo...
------------------------
On Dialetic Materialism... (adapting to my situation-- in this case economic systems...)
The last couple of months, I have been re-evaluating a few things. i have been holding back on my blog. So sorry if i have been neglecting you folks.
I have never been for socialism even though folks like Ernesto "Che" Guevara (you know the guy on those shirts everyone is wearing), Amilcar Cabral, Huey P. Newton, and Paul Robeson have been my heroes (amongst other supermen and superwomen). I have always quoted them in my articles and in my lectures. I always use their theories in class and in my papers. They were all socialists/dialectic materialists. I have friends who are socialists as well and we always agree in our politics.
Lately, in class i have been running across many theories based on Marxist thought. I found Karl Marx to be an elitist, so i stayed away from him. I read the Communist Manifesto and some of this other writings. I felt that he was out of touch with the working class but it was not until i ran across Huey P. Newton's version of intercommunalism (he took it further than the original), that i started to see things differently. My views have always been leftist but not far enough.
Of course, not understanding Marxist thought since i was not feeling him, i assumed socialism was a political system when in actuality its an economic system (like everyone else thought).
I realized that the idea that everyone works in the benefit of his or her own interests , which is what capitalism is based on, its immoral and destructive. For a few people to live luxurious lives, a great many have to be impoverished. This is wack...
to be continued...
I do work out with my wife. we focus on our abs and stuff. But its not enough for me. It's hard maintaining an organization that teaches. We have some performances coming up, i hope we can work it.
Volte O Mundo...
------------------------
On Dialetic Materialism... (adapting to my situation-- in this case economic systems...)
The last couple of months, I have been re-evaluating a few things. i have been holding back on my blog. So sorry if i have been neglecting you folks.
I have never been for socialism even though folks like Ernesto "Che" Guevara (you know the guy on those shirts everyone is wearing), Amilcar Cabral, Huey P. Newton, and Paul Robeson have been my heroes (amongst other supermen and superwomen). I have always quoted them in my articles and in my lectures. I always use their theories in class and in my papers. They were all socialists/dialectic materialists. I have friends who are socialists as well and we always agree in our politics.
Lately, in class i have been running across many theories based on Marxist thought. I found Karl Marx to be an elitist, so i stayed away from him. I read the Communist Manifesto and some of this other writings. I felt that he was out of touch with the working class but it was not until i ran across Huey P. Newton's version of intercommunalism (he took it further than the original), that i started to see things differently. My views have always been leftist but not far enough.
Of course, not understanding Marxist thought since i was not feeling him, i assumed socialism was a political system when in actuality its an economic system (like everyone else thought).
I realized that the idea that everyone works in the benefit of his or her own interests , which is what capitalism is based on, its immoral and destructive. For a few people to live luxurious lives, a great many have to be impoverished. This is wack...
to be continued...
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