Excuse for a second that this song is in French, and just enjoy the music.
Archive for the 'Art' Category
09
Feb
09
Super Kool Music Video
Check out this music video for Oren Lavie’s Her Morning Elegance!
So what do you think? Video of the Year material? Leave a comment!
20
Jan
09
Player’s Ball : ‘Nauguration Day
At midday on January 20, 2009, Barry Obama dropped the ‘elect’ and was inaugurated as president of the United States. Washington D.C. was the center of the sociopolitical universe for a day as people worldwide watched the Inauguration. What is usually a relatively mild ceremony marked by tradition and little publicity became a media spectacle as President Obama began his four year journey to bring Change.
Occurring on the day following the Martin Luther King holiday, the 44th Presidential Inauguration attracted a large number of spectators who crowded the nation’s capital in hopes of being counted in attendance for the historic occasion. Different media outlets told the story of the Obamas’ initiation in differing ways. While TV One provided commentary revolving around Obama’s spiritual countenance, ABC flashed slideshows, and FOX Network offered professorial criticism directly following Barack’s speech.
“I didn’t even watch it,” recalls Atlanta artist Thabiti Nosakhere. A former student at Morehouse College, Nosakhere appreciates Obama’s appeal as “an example, a symbol…to do better, be better.”
Outgoing executive George W. Bush received a torrent of applause as he relinquished his post in what may be the most unified show of approval to date for the former businessman. This Inauguration, not unlike this year’s campaigning and election process, has flirted with pop sensationalism. It appears that President Obama’s theme of Change is made manifest already. Much like John F. Kennedy, Obama has benefitted and suffered from the advent of media evolution.
President Barack Obama delivered a rousing speech overlooking the “mall of America” in downtown D.C. His cadence and imagery incited diverse reactions from the mixed crowd of judges, legislators, and celebrities behind him and American citizens before him. In the midst of performances by some of the West’s best musicians and performers, Obama’s soliloquy held its own.
Nosakhere noted that President Obama was the first ever to acknowledge “another religion – Islam.” However, like many members of the community, the local artist realizes that Obama is surrounded by politicians and appointees that may not share in Obama’s zeal for unified peace. “A lot of these people are not necessarily neutral.”
President Obama’s Inaugural Address, beginning with “my fellow citizens”, seemed to speak to different communities within the crowd. The use of “us” and “they” was prevalent, though at times it was unclear exactly who his intended audience was. “At these moments,” Obama explained, “America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears…” At many junctures during the procession, the facial expressions of onlookers provided an accurate depiction of the local environment in freezing-cold Washington.
“For us,” he continued, 
“they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans…for us, they toiled in sweatshops…endured the lash of the whip…fought and died in places like Concord and Gettysburg.” His words seemed to invite listeners from any and every conceivable American corner onto the platform with him. By associating traditional ideals of “hard work and honesty…loyalty and patriotism” with being “old” and “true”, the new president established a new basis for American pride – one to which the majority of citizens can attest and with which the majority of humanity can share.
The Reverend Joseph E. Lowery delivered the Inauguration benediction in the voice of an Alabama native tired from years of service but inspired by nostalgic memories of the 1960s. President Barack Obama led the masses who have traditionally been excluded from political culture in a march into Washington. As a Black American, he can successfully harness the potential of educational leadership while acting as a canvas for the entertainment of popular ideas.
By 1 P.M., stories of discord in Africa, connections between Russian and Europe, and peace in the Gaza strip were quietly stirring and have gone largely unnoticed by major broadcasters. With all eyes on the dance of the president and his family, the world continues to turn. The “far reaching network of violence and hatred” of which President Obama speaks is alive and well, and this was first day at work. However, whatever “storms may come,” “we” will always have a working model of worldwide unity to pass on safely to “future generations.”
12
Dec
08
G.R.I.T.S.M.W.
Walkin into my dorm’s lobby, I saw legs – all brown legs. Judging by the girth and shininess of them trunks, I knew immediately that it was a rap video on the big screen. In a trance, I made my way into apt viewing range to be able to see every toe and dimple. Car wash, chrome rim, old school, some nigga in shades, gun store, gun store, liquor store, gun store – I knew where they were takin me. I thought I did. ‘Them big legs,’ I said, ‘should be comin up any second now…any second…what the fuck?’ I was surprised. I saw Murphy Lee and every nigga from the Lou. I saw the whole Spring collection of Lee’s new brand, U-City. I actually attempted to really pay attention to the video for the first time in a long time. ‘Hey that girl’s face is-HOL UP HOL UP there go some more legs.’ They almost caught me slippin. But even those took like a full 45 seconds to see since the last ones. I watched the video for another 40 or so seconds lookin for some more legs or titties or somethin and eventually got bored. I saw somethin I haven’t in a minute, if ever…
a rap song on primetime BET with many girls that were fully dressed, I’m talkin bout some of ‘em had their necks covered. And even they weren’t even on display like that. Granted, the hoes was replaced with rims and more niggas in the hood – you know…’thugs’. But it was quite a chance taken by not packin every scene wit female parts, and these niggas is known for that, damn near famous for it. I been to St. Louis quite a few times for family visits and I’ve come to find out that folks up therrr aint as inauthentic and ignorant as the media would have folks think. It’s actually pretty gutter for people to take it so non-seriously. I digress; Ultimately, niggas from St. Louis have hardly been followers in the game, and now they may be settin new trends with positive implications. Maybe they figured they’d cut down on the video vixens what wit all the Top Model/Beyonce dancer syndrome plaguing the game right now. (See ‘fucked up rumors’ for an explanation). Whatever the case, my hat’s off to the land of my father’s upbringing – the south MidWest.
P.S. I watched it on mute.
07
Dec
08
~I Don’t Love Spelman Women~
I enjoy reading notes from Facebook, but I don’t read all of them. I read a selected few. This particular one was so well written that I had asked permission to publish this on my blog. Its entitled “I Don’t Love Spelman Women” by Brother Zamir Green Tea W. Enjoy!
This note was inspired by the self righteousness that is imposed on our people via colleges. After reading a note titled “Dairy of a angry Spelman woman” which pointed out that one of the Spelman Male staff members was at a local bar joking or being real about running through Spelman girls. Then there were a few comments that disturbed me… not made by the staff, but by the students who responded. One in particular was that a young ladies said “I do not pay over 30 thousand dollars a year for anyone to disrespect me or my fellow sister” and the other comment called the the Staff member a Self Indulged Egotistic (which I think can only be said by an egotistical person). I understand that this note may make me unpopular, but fuck it…. It needs to be said.
Moral Of this Poem: “Too Much Pride in anything that doesn’t sustain life and create it, is foolish Pride that blinds one from there own spiritual purpose”I Dont love Spelman women
Not to fund of the ones a Clark
Could Care less if you go to Emory
Or Atlanta Institute of Art
Morehouse Men I dont get along with
Me and G State Alum Never hung
I dont get Down with Morris Brown
Of UGA women I aint Fund.
You See I cant love Spelman women
Because I love a mother who never graduated
and raised 4 kids on her own
I love a sister who graduated in 6 years
because Accreditation hit Morris Brown like hurricane
Katrina Making students evacuate
I love a little cousin with a speech Impediment Who
16 and Speaks like she’s two
I love the young lady who had a baby at 17
who drives a old chevy to pick her kids of from school
I love the sista’s in the Westend with Diesheki’s
and the one’s who wear weaves
The Kim’s, Cookie’s, Ke Ke’s
I think the girl at McDonald’s Drive thru is cute
I even think the stud chick is pretty if she didnt dress like a dude
I love the Circumstances that make us different
But hate the ones that make us think we better
Wether it be your religious belief
Or if you pledge Alpha, Omega, Or Delta
you see a Delta Cant fix me dinner
But the sister in red will
I cant love an A.K.A.
But I can rub the feet of the woman who wears Pink and green
After I take off her heels
You Can’t take an Sigma no where
you can step out with Que’s like probating
Because none of the entities are 1 person to love
They just incorporated
We so quick to rep a school, blocks, cities, and a states
but when we go put this bullshit aside and Rep the whole human race
Aint nothing Special about Morehouse Men
So dont break your back trying to marry him
Chose a man that will take your kids on his back to the park and Carry them
Seems because we got a little cash, we put our heads in ours ass
We try to unify inside the gates of spelman
When the Gates divide us from the mass
We so secluded, and unrooted, in what should be claimed the truest
that we desire the same things to live wether you are the blackest or the bluest
or the brownest, or the redest,or the whitest, or lightest
because when all these colors dont have the answers
Then What will unite us.
My love for woman in general, wont allow me to love spelman women
because when we pride ourself in what doesnt sustain life
Thats when the situation gets grimace.
I got to much love for women, to say i love the ones from a school
I love all my brothers too much to say i only fox with Morehouse Dudes
Your College dont make you special
Only Your spirit makes you unique
And if you forever label yourself something that aint your spirit
You’ll never find the self you seek
So lets not Praise the name of our Colleges, but praise the names of eachother
Put your religiosity aside, and talk about how we can make things better
I love my sisters more than you know and this love has no limits
Thats Why I have to say “I dont just love Spelman Women”
