HISTORY WITNESSED: Q TIP, COMMON, AND KRS ONE ROCK THE SMIRNOFF SIGNATURE MIX EVENT

About two weeks ago, I read the blurb below on Miss Info’s blog:

"Smirnoff and Cornerstone Promotions are making art and commerce work together for our benefit. To promote the new Smirnoff Signature Mix drinks, they've commissioned Common and Just Blaze to remake "The Light," Q-tip and Cool n Dre to remake Tribe's "Midnight," and KRS One and DJ Premier to remake "Criminal Minded. All of the artists will be performing their classics live at the Smirnoff/Cornerstone launch party on Feb, 26th."

YES! YOU AND I BOTH READ IT RIGHT!!! I READ IT THREE TIMES TO MAKE SURE!

Then a mass e-mail was immediately sent out to ALL my insider friends with the subject “WHO KNOWS THE DETAILS ON THIS?! WE NEED TO BE IN THIS ROOM!!!!” A few phone calls later and I had all the info I needed. Thanx to all that got back to me ASAP on this one.

I showed up considerably earlier than I normally do for most things just because I didn’t want to deal with any BS or miss any parts of this history-making event. I’m a huge hip-hop (music as a whole) fan and quality performers, but with a mild case of Claustrophobia, I’m not a big crowd’s person so I tend to stay away from concerts except for very very special exceptions – this being one of them. I’m a HUGE fan of Tribe, Common, and the #1,2,3,4,5 spot holder – KRS ONE. This night was a dream come true.

I was fortunate enough to get there and IN early enough to witness common, KRS-One and DJ Premiere doing their soundcheck from the an ideal balcony spot that was directly in front of the stage. I thought this would have been the best part of the show – God was I mistaken. I’m not going to give you a long min by min recap. Except to say Common and KRS – One tore down the house, then rebuilt it in their likeness. I just wrote this so I could post the video clips from Mikey Fresh’s blog. ENJOY///

A very special thanx to Eliza Doolittle for making this experience happen for me and sharing it with me as well. ;)

Also a very very special thanx to the staff of Element that always takes great care of me and the special ladies of Cornerstone Promotions – you know who you are.

HIP HOP LIVES!!! TURN UP YOUR SPEAKERS!!!

GVG
~riding with this Hip-Hop thing till the wheels fall off~

P.S. Who else but Common could make a song and Video about a straight up freaky rock star orgy come across like a plausible savior of us as a people?!

Common freestyling…


Q-tip performing “Midnight 2008″….



KRS-One performing “South Bronx”….


Q-tip “Excursions”….


Q-tip “Can I Kick It”….


Common “Go”….


Common “The People”…..


Common “Testify”….


KRS-One freestyle…


KRS-One “Step Into”….


KRS-One “Classic”….

SOME QUALITY TO CLOSE OUT "BLACK HISTORY MONTH"

Cha$e Dollaz - The Best Of Me


A blog is probably coming real soon on those quotation marks, just wanted to give you this video and song that one of my good friends Shimy produced. Enjoy

GVG
~taking no shorts~

A PHOTO MASTERPIECE UNVEILED

I saw the above shown photo of Malcolm X as a teenager in a store in the west village of NYC, I would always frequent the shop for books, art, cloths, and personal enlightenment on my persuit of “Knowledge of self”. The photo was hung on the wall behind the shopkeeper. Every time I would go to the store, I would stare at the pic as I spoke to the shop owner. I was so impressed by the composition of the photo, the color, and Malcolm’s seemingly tranquil state that I always wanted to travel to that mosque and have that same red light shower me as it had him so many years earlier.

When I came across the photo again a few months ago online, I quickly saved it, and then did my best with the information I had (none) to find where and when it was taken. I had always thought the photo was from Malcolm's pilgrimage to Mecca and had to this day never shown it to anyone, just a photo I would look at on hard days to calm my soul and think of my trip one day to that place that seem to calm him. I finally posted the photo yesterday in honor of Malcolm X’s life on the day it was taken from us and my friend Megan immediately identified the location of that red light. I would like to introduce you all to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. The trip just got one-step closer. Thanx Megan.

PLEASE CLICK ON ALL PHOTOS TO ENLARGEThe Blue Mosque lit at night from the water

A daytime shot of the front of the Blue Mosque

View of the inner courtyard

Interior view of the mosque; in the back, the mihrab; on the right side at the pier is the imperial loge

Interior Prayer room

Central dome semi-dome with three exedrae; fine overview of the decorations in the mosque

From the Wikipedia entry

"The Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Turkish: Sultanahmet Camii) is a historical mosque in Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey and the capital of the Ottoman Empire (from 1453 to 1923). The mosque is one of several mosques known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior. It was built between 1609 and 1616, during the rule of Ahmed I. Like many other mosques, it also comprises a tomb of the founder, a madrasah and a hospice. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque has become one of the greatest tourist attractions of Istanbul."

GVG
~better~

O'REILLY DOESN'T WANT TO LYNCH MICHELLE OBAMA UNLESS...

GVG
~O'Reilly got a neck too...~

THE CORFORMIST x KANYE WEST x ADDICTION = GENIUS

Below is the latest video creation to come from the brain of the oh so talented VA$HTIE for Kanye West's song "Addiction" off his Late Registration album. Vashtie is probably best known for her video for "Us Placers" by CRS's (The "super group" Kanye West, Pharrel Williams, and Lupe Fiasco)

Below is what she had to say about the piece in which she mashes up the iconic film "The Conformist" and one of my favorite songs off the Late Registration album "Addiction" to create something special.

""the conformist" by bertolucci is one of my favorite movies ever. it's my version of porn...the cinematography makes my mouth water. it might be a little lame, but i was bored and i like it ;) if i could have directed a video for this, "the conformist" would have been my inspiration."



GVG
~taking the train~

IN HONOR OF MALCOLM X

Today is the 43rd anniversary of Malcolm X's assassination at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City. We have an election currently going on that has a lot of focus being placed on the spoken word and the way in which certain candidates deliver said words in their speeches. Malcolm X was who the word orator was created for. When he delivered a speech, he gave you more than just words and rhetoric - he gave you belief - both in him and his words. He died giving those words, but his words will never die.

PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU, TAKE A FEW MOMENTS AND LISTEN TO SOME OF MY FAVORITE WORDS FROM ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE MEN -

MALCOLM X
May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965











The best for last. This is a bit longer than the others, but truly worthy of your time. If you have it to give, take the time, and listen.

Below is, I think, one of the greatest moments ever put on film from Spike Lee and Denzel Washington's 1992 portrayal of Malcolm X in their biopic of the same name. We have all had those moments when a piece of art effected us in such a way that it stayed with us for life and from then on we were different, correction, better for having witnessed - The first time I heard Rakim Allah's "Microphone fiend", read James Baldwin's "Giovanni's room", heard Gil Scott-Heron, saw Clockwork orange - the list for each of us is different and I’m sure lengthy. The scene below is one of those that made me better. Enjoy.

P.S. It's been my dream for as long I could remember,since I first saw the photo above, to travel to this Mosque and recreate the image.

GVG
~the ballot or the bullet~

DERRICK ASHONG IS A POLI-SCI ROCK STAR!!!

It's funny that I just wrote a post about friends sending me clips to rile me up then I get an e-mail from my friend Reggie entitled "Check this brother out...Barack Supporter? Do we know why we support who we support?". I had a really busy day and didn't get to it until today about 23hrs later and God did it make my night. I don't want to give too much info about what it is, but to all those that say this generation is uninformed, tuned out, and indifferent - press play.



Derrick Ashong explains a bit about his background and his emotional reasons for supporting Barack Obama.


Thanx for this Reggie.

Here's an interesting sidenote - while doing some research on who Derrick was I came across this article in the Economist that used Derricks YouTube clip as an opening point to a very interesting article about the independent party (My party!).

"ONE of the most interesting political videos on YouTube features a young Obama supporter, Derrick Ashong. A camera-wielding interviewer collars Mr Ashong in the street and starts to pepper him with questions. The interviewer assumes that his victim's casual appearance—he is wearing a baseball hat, a shell necklace and is chewing gum—betokens an equally casual approach to politics. “Do you have any specifics?” he demands aggressively. “What are their policies?” Mr Ashong delivers a series of carefully argued replies that could form the basis of an editorial in a serious newspaper. The interviewer is increasingly abashed. But, having delivered his defence of Barack Obama, Mr Ashong concludes the interview by saying “I'm independent. I'm not a Democrat. I might vote for McCain.”" Continue reading here

Source: Think On These Things

GVG
~going to read a book~

DR. FIDEL CASTRO STEPS DOWN AS CUBA'S PRESIDENT AFTER 49 YRS

Dr. Fidel Castro - Council and Commander in Chief stepped down as Cuba’s president after 49 years - 1959-2008 - I have such a conflicted love for Fidel. As a black man born in America, but of Haitian Parents and a strong connection to my Haitian roots, you can't help but respect if not love the man who stood up to the super power and said "NO! I will not back down. Come try to take me out." The man stood strong for 49years in the name of COO-BAH - The longest leader in history. Please allow me to say that again Dr. Fidel Castro now stands as the longest sitting leader of any country.

The man has done so much for Haiti and its people. When the floods happened in Haiti a couple of years ago(The magnitude of the flooding due in large part to all the trees being cut down and used for the production of coal by America and France), he was one of the first to send aide. When our Bicentennial came around, he was one of a small few of world leaders to show his pride and respect for our accomplishment of being the first black republic to TAKE our independence 200 years earlier from the hands of our French oppressors. The same couldn't be said for many other leaders and nations that I thought should and would stand with us. When the Typhoon that hit Thailand also hit Haiti and other unmentioned black islands in the Caribbean and caused disastrous flooding, tens of thousands of deaths and many many more left with nothing- Castro was there. The doctors exchange program, which educates some of Haiti and Cuba’s best and brighest young minds and has them spend time in each other’s countryside’s providing free healthcare for the poorest of both our fellow citizens. The list could go on for pages…

I say proudly - God bless his good, while acknowledging what some may call his “Bad”. Remember many a black person believed in the basic tenants of communism during the 60s. Marxism isn't just a trendy intellectual dinner party conversation point. It stood as a beacon of hope and change for many a downtrodden, disillusioned, marginalized person back then, and still stands for many until this day as an inspiration of a different view. We understood in the 60s that the world in which we existed as black and Latino people did not see us as equals.

Communism stood as a path to equality for a people disillusioned with the pace of progress and saw change in a different way of government. The problem with communism has always been the same - it looks good on paper, but doesn’t account for peoples need to be tops and bottoms. People’s selfish nature to want to have more than their neighbor and take the power away from those who can’t stand up for themselves. This then directly contradicts the basic principals of communism: a socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of a classless, stateless society based on common ownership of the means of production.

A good friend told me of something his father once said to him as a child about Fidel Castro that I think really speaks to the sum of Fidel's parts.

“Fidel was a great man who possessed great ideas, but made some great mistakes. Eh...He is human” – said in his best Panamanian accent.

I’m not here to argue the pros and cons of communism, just to acknowledge a man I will not hide my pride for on this day as he stepped down from power on his own two feet and wasn’t pushed out by America’s.

VIVE LA REVOLUCION!

GVG
~VIVE LA REVOLUCION~

COERCION: A BLOG IN THE NAME OF FRIENDSHIP OR JUSTIN.

I received an e-mail today with a YouTube clip embedded inside from one of my oldest and dearest (on some days, not most) friends (Did I mention that I am the godfather of his soon to be daughter and he makes it a point to bring that up whenever he needs something as well? God, I love my friends. LOL). He is one of those button pushers I spoke about here. The clip didn't touch me in a deep down enough place to make me want to post it, but I liked it for what it was and was not at all mad at its addition to my day. The part of this e-mail that did resonate was the note that was attached, which brings us to today’s post - Aptly titled: COERCION: A BLOG IN THE NAME OF FRIENDSHIP OR JUSTIN. Enjoy.

“Subject: IF THIS DOES NOT MAKE IT TO THE BLOG, I DON’T KNOW......”

"DUDE I HAVE SENT YOU A LOT OF LIL CLIPS OF STUFF THINKING ONE DAY I MIGHT FIND SOMETHING GOOD ENOUGH TO MAKE IT TO YOUR BLOG. TODAY I PRESENT YOU THIS AND I KNOW THAT IT IS WORTHY OF YOUR TIME AND ENERGY AND IF NOT THEN I GUESS I MISJUDGED OUR FRIENDSHIP."



Loved the use of the ALL CAPS.

GVG
~keeping those friendships alive......~

OMG! UM... KANYE WEST'S "FLASHING LIGHTS" VIDEO PREMIERE... UM... WOW... YEA...

you say something...

GVG
~speechless~

THE TAO OF THE SCARF

The protect your neck crew© is a very discerning group of swaggerlicious cold style conscious individuals. We don't accept most applicants who attempt to join our ranks, but appreciate all entries done via public audition - when done with a pure heart and in pursuit of the commitment to the Tao. The Tao of the scarf is finding that perfect balance - Our members understand that a scarf should not only serve as a utilitarian object, but also as a reflection of our personalities and inner swagger or as some members call it "The light".

Below are two members of The protect your neck crew© that one of our best street Scouts - The Sartorialist - found while on his daily hunt for the swag.

PLEASE CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

GVG
~protect your neck or lose your light~

COME ON... SAY IT!

I'm in a serious fight with what wants to become a cold, so I’m not in full on writing mode. Excuse me for posting things that amuse me with not much commentary or analyst. I'll allow the work to speak for itself until I’m a bit better and you tell me what you think. I'm sure if you say something crazy enough, no matter how sick I am you'll get my fingers moving in response.

Below is a video promo for Nas's new album "Nigger". (Thought I was going to put controversially titled before that now didn't you?)
LOL.



GVG
~i wish~

GO BIG OR GO HOME - GRAMMY'S/FASHION WEEK EDITION

I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted anything, but now that the craziness that was the 2008/2009 Fall/Winter New York Fashion week is over I can get back to my regularly scheduled programming. I would blog about the shows, but there isn’t much to say about them other than they might not see me next season – steadily losing interest in the hype. Think I’ll just stay at home from now on and wait for my look books to be delivered. The parties on the other hand were some of the greatest EVER! Might write about that in the near future.

I was going so hard for the past two weeks that I think the lord just had to shut me down for a day and remind me I’m not as indestructible as I believe myself to be when on top of those tables dancing and screaming at the top of my lungs. I woke up on Friday with a pain in the back of my throat that was so bad that I honestly thought I had tonsillitis and needed to go to the emergency room. Having doctors around comes in handy – some scripts – some vitamins- some Theraflu – some other undisclosed things and by the next morning I was right. Then my dumb ass decides I need to make up for the Friday I missed and now my black ass is sick again. Don’t really care because hearing Prince Paul DJing my home girl Jamila’s B Day makes all things right with the world, including some sniffles and a sore throat.

So last night I decided after I had a 5 hr brunch with my friends (Yes. I said 5 hrs!) that I would be staying in for the night and resting my throat and after watching the Wire - I change the channel to the 50th annual Grammy awards - right as Kanye West begun his performances. Below are both his “Hey mama” performance that put a lump in my throat and the “Stronger” performance, with Daft Punk making their first American TV appearance, that got me off my ass to dance with him as he brought the house down. I respect Kanye West’s dedication to the extravagance of fame and showmanship.

GVG
~going big cuss I never stay home~


HEY MAMA


STRONGER

ANN COULTER LOVES SEN. CLINTON. BE SCARED.

I apologize in advance for cursing, but this is honestly the scariest shit I have seen in a very long time and I had a damn scary sight on Saturday. I have watched this clip multiple times,to make sure I wasn’t mistaken and imagining things, of Ann Coulter giving an endorsement to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary RodHAM Clinton. YES! I SAID ANN COULTER. DO I REALLY NEED TO DO A SATAN'S GREATEST HITS REEL OF ALL THE NASTY, MALICIOUS, POLARIZING, RACIST, UNTRUE, VENOM LACED, AND RIGHT WINGED THINGS THIS WOMAN HAS SAID IN THE PAST? I'm not sure what scares me more - the fact that Ann Coulter is making better points for the Democratic Party’s candidate than their own pundits or what it says about Sen. Clinton that someone like Ann Coulter wakes up in the morning, thinks to herself, and then believes in the thought enough to say it aloud, on national TV - "HEY! I LIKE HER. THAT'S MY KIND OF CANDIDATE"? Further proving my point that Sen. Clinton is pure evil that must be stopped by all means necessary. Even her fellow hell spawns are coming out of the woodwork to show their support and admiration. Watch the clip and prepare to be shocked.



GVG
~we're the warriors they write epics about~

Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick public statement

I meant to post his statements when they were first released, but got a bit sidetracked, and wasn't able to until now. I'll leave my opinions to myself on this one, but would love to know yours. Thank you to PostBourgie and my Cousin Steph for bringing this video to my attention.



GVG
~hoping things get better~