MY BLACKBERRY CRASHED!!! HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY!!!

As the subject said my BlackBerry just crashed. Thanx friends and family. Do not text me; leave a voice message with your contact info or send me an e-mail. Don't expect an immediate response.

T. 212.300.6450
E. GVG@iamGVG.com

GVG
~seeing clearer~

...

Wouldn’t it be great if I actually did some writing on this thing again? You might get your wish, working on some things...

GVG
~living in my head~

Haitians in U.S. Revolution get monument in Savannah, Georgia

Click on photo for larger view

After 228 years as largely unsung contributors to American independence, Haitian soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War's bloody siege of Savannah had a monument dedicated in their honor Monday.

About 150 people, many of them Haitian-Americans who came to Savannah for the event, gathered in Franklin Square where life-size bronze statues of four soldiers now stand atop a granite pillar 6 feet tall and 16 feet in diameter.

``This is a testimony to tell people we Haitians didn't come from the boat,'' said Daniel Fils-Aime, chairman of the Miami-based Haitian American Historical Society. ``We were here in 1779 to help America win independence. That recognition is overdue.''

In October 1779, a force of more than 500 Haitian free blacks joined American colonists and French troops in an unsuccessful push to drive the British from Savannah in coastal Georgia.

More than 300 allied soldiers were gunned down charging British fortifications Oct. 9, making the siege the second-most lopsided British victory of the war after Bunker Hill.

Though not well known in the U.S., Haiti's role in the American Revolution is a point of national pride for Haitians. After returning home from the war, Haitian veterans soon led their own rebellion that won Haiti's independence from France in 1804.

``It's a huge deal,'' said Philippe Armand, vice president of the Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America, who flew to Savannah from the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince. ``All the Haitians who have gone to school know about it from the history books.''

Fils-Aime's group has spent the past seven years lobbying Savannah leaders to support the monument, which the city approved in 2005, and raising more than $400,000 in private donations to pay for it.

Fils-Aime said the historical society still needs $250,000 more to finish two additional soldier statues.

As it stands now, the monument features statues of two Haitian troops with rifles raised on either side of a fellow soldier who has fallen with a bullet wound to his chest.

The fourth statue, a drummer boy, depicts a young Henri Christophe, who served in Savannah as an adolescent and went on to become Haiti's first president _ and ultimately king _ after it won independence.

It's unclear exactly what role Haitian troops played in the battle at Savannah because Haitian records from that era were destroyed by fire in the 1830s, said Scott Smith, director of Savannah's Coastal Heritage Society, which is dedicating a park on the battlefield site Tuesday.

But surviving records show 545 Haitian soldiers sailed to Savannah in 1779 _ making them the largest military unit of the Savannah battle. The Haitians are also believed to have been the largest black unit to serve in the American Revolution.

In the 1800s, Savannah erected monuments in its oak-shaded squares to Revolutionary War heroes Maj. Gen. Nathaniel Greene, one of George Washington's most trusted generals, as well as Brig. Gen. Casimir Pulaski and Sgt. William Jasper, both killed in the Savannah siege.

More than a century later, Haitian troops who fought for the same cause have rejoined them in history's ranks.

``When you look at the other monuments in the city of Savannah and then you look at this one, this is first class all the way,'' said Savannah Mayor Otis Johnson.

Haitian-American Historical Society: http://www.haitianhistory.org

Jay-Z, "Roc Boys (And the Winner Is)"

Jay- Z "Roc Boys (And the Winner Is)"

TURN YOUR SPEAKERS UP TO 11

To play click on title.

GVG

~Thanking my connect~

ONE LIFE TO LIVE – WITH RAPPERS?

So I get a phone call from my cousin Stephanie telling me to check out “One Life to Live.” tomorrow to see our other cousins husband John to us D.O.E to you (The guy in the black shirt) with Timbaland and Keri Hilson performing their hit "The way I are". I then found out that Timbaland, D.O.E, and Keri Hilson are the first Hip-Hop acts to appear on “One Life to Live.” Thought it was a big deal, so I’m handing them my platform. Enjoy people.



Here is the official video for "The way I are"


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

WE NEED TO DO BETTER.

I just saw this amazing video and wondered why it was Fall Out boy and Bono were going harder for our cause then we were. Where are our artists creating art to speak to the problems that harm and affect us as a people on a daily basis, not just on the block, but globally? “We need to do better, If not for us then for the children.”

GVG
~dreaming of better dayz~

BOONDOCKS/HIP HOP HONORS BAD BAD BAD THEN SOME GOOD

I was so excited about TV this evening; I turned my computer on to find that a strangely humorous (At times) little person posted a link to watch the season 2 premiere of the Boondocks online (Watch here). Which for anyone who’s ever watched the show knew that it was one of the biggest disappointments in recent satirical history. I didn’t laugh once, not even one of those cover my mouth and look around to see if anyone saw me guilty “I can’t believe they said that” laughs. McGruder; as my mother always told me “If you didn’t want to do it right, you shouldn’t have done it at all. Now go clean your room!” Then I watched "THE HIP HOP HONORS" – Hip Hop Honors my ass.

A few questions:

How does Missy Elliot get honored when she just came out? Isn’t this show supposed to represent the artist of the past that created the art that influenced today? Doesn’t Missy have a single out now?

Why didn’t Aaron Hall come out to slap T Pain and Ne-Yo for messing up his songs?

How you going to honor New Jack Swing and not do a tribute to Bobby “Crack head’s prerogative” Brown?

What the Hell do Doug E. Fresh, Kool Moe Dee, and Michael Jackson have to do with New Jack Swing?

Am I buggin or didn’t Black Street come out years after New Jack Swing?

Did Teddy Riley catch something?

Why does LL Cool J still dress like my Godson when he’s older than me???

When did Gucci start making cowboy hats and leather track suits? Let me find out Dapper Dan is making a come back.

Nick Cannon wasn’t horrible.

I did like the Whodini Tribute and performance. I miss the days of real stage performers.

How the hell you going to wear red for a Snoop Dogg tribute then scream out “Two Loked out Gs”?


Now it must be said, in all honesty, the only reason I cancelled my plans for the evening was for one thing and one thing only – A.TRIBE.CALLED.QUEST. So all that other stuff was fluff on my way to the main show. Just wish the fluff was better, almost gave up and turned off my TV. Then it finally happened - The Tribe tribute with Pharrell (Backpack in tow) Lupe (Just lost almost all the respect I had for this idiot, if you want read about why here) and the biggest and best surprise – BUSTA BUST RIPPING IT DOWN FOR THE SCENERIO!!! Tribe was still Tribe even with Phife in a sickened state from Kidney problems, you have all our prayers. They did a short set and made you really want to get out of your seat like I did and take it to that feeling the first time you heard "Award tour" or any other of their seminal works. It was all worth it to see one of my all time favorite Hip Hop groups and the influence for any artist that I give any attention to today with any common sense (pun intended).

I like em brown, yellow, Puerto Rican or Haitian
My name is Phife Dawg from the Zulu nation
Told you in the jam that we can get down
Now let’s knock the boots like the group H-Town
You got BBD all on your bedroom wall
But I’m above the rim and this is how I ball
A pretty little somethin on the New York streets
This is how I represent over this here beat

Talkin bout you...

HOW HARD IS THAT???!!!!!

GVG

~missing the time I lost~