Life is But a Beach Chair

You see the beach in the background??? I'm on vacation, bitches...

Back to blogging when I get back from the Dominican Republic, don't worry... 

He Said: "I Write What I See"

Lupe Fiasco's The Cool dropped yesterday, and at night, I got to see him perform live at The Fillmore.

The NY fans who came out to see him were a genuinely diverse bunch...

Every ethnic group was represented in solid numbers and people were clearly from all walks of life.

While the show was longer than I expected (over 2 hours), Lupe performed a good mix of old and new songs and still managed to keep the energy high (despite his periodic pausing for explanation).

I always try to get snippets from my favorite songs:

You're my Sunshiiiiiiine:

Coaching the crowd to mimic the energy of shows he's done in Dublin, Ireland, Lu insisted they jump up and down to the next beat... The Instrumental:

At one point in the show, Lu took a moment to discuss our beloved president, George W. Bush. Promising that he has never wished harm on anyone ("it is the holiday season..."), he then vividly described how a Christmas tree, Chanukah menorah and Kwanzaa kinara should all fall on the president and set him on fire since he is, in fact, an American Terrorist:

The 1st & 15 roster got their shine on too... Sarah Green, Bishop G., Gemstones and new addition Matthew Santos were all given moments to demonstrate their talents. Gemstones can sing and actually rap; his song from the perspective of a $100 bill was cliche, but a well executed one at that. Flow is pretty crazy too... I guess we'll see what comes of that project.

Putting some newness on display in the second half, Lupe delivered a few verses a cappella...

The Coolest


Gold Watch

And what kind of person would I be if I didn't leave you with my favorite verse from the single, Superstar:

Now...

I know I mention him a lot, so trust me, this is the last Lupe post for a while....

It's just that I believe in the music. And you should too.

Flashy..........Lights

Kelly Rowland's new video for "Work" reminds me a lot of contemporary artist Dan Flavin's light installations. Examples of his amazing work are below...








I wonder if they shot the video where his pieces are on display, or if they just stole the idea and made their own. See for yourself...

Kelly Rowland "Work":

The Mental Plane... To Spark The Brain

Since Liquid Swords is somewhere on my Top 10 list, the rumor of Gza performing the whole album as a full set had me drawn to the Knitting Factory last night. With an appreciative guest on my arm, I was taken back in time to an era of hip hop where both beats and verbals were essential to an emcee's survival. "Wu-Tang is relevant, motherfucker!" shouted Gza, taking time out between songs to examine his audience and point out that the 14 year-olds in the front knew every single word. I'm so glad I went.

After the show, I saw this wall downtown and had to take these photos. Many thanks to my model...I really am the kid from American Beauty... SMH.

But this wasn't the only show I went to this week... 3 nights out of 5, I was getting my industry on, something I haven't had energy to do in a while!

Tuesday night, British beauty Estelle tore down SOBs. I wasn't fully convinced until I saw it for myself, but her one-two punch of star power and swag is pretty lethal.

The night after Estelle, Bozworth and I went to see Matthew Santos and Goapele (pronounced GUAP-el-lay for those of you who struggle with the English language).

She looked ridiculously fierce and sounded even better:

AND IN IMPORTANT NON-MUSIC NEWS...

They dragged us kicking and screaming, but our spoiled and ignorant child of a country finally said "yes" to an environmental agreement called the Bali Roadmap. High five.

Let That Bitch Breathe

...away from the microphone though, LOL.

After reading an interview with Tay Zonday on HNN a few months back, I was frustrated with myself for initially underestimating him and his YouTube hit, Chocolate Rain. I knew the song had deeper meaning beneath it's comical surface (it's actually about institutional racism, and some say "rain" is really "reign") , but the interview showed me that Zonday is actually much smarter than the average bear. Just when you write him off for being over the top and too socially different, he makes a point that radiates universal truth. Some might find him strange, but I appreciate his martian tendencies. And since I mentioned him in a past post but never had time to readdress his greatness until now, I decided to steal his words from that HNN piece and engage with them...

HE HAD A UNIQUE CHILDHOOD:

"Growing up, I learned to hide the fact that I had any passion or enjoyment for music or life. Being "influenced" to laugh or dance was always a sickness or pathology. It made my parents fearful that they were losing their kids. To this day, I'm not sure you could get me to admit that I was influenced by anything. It's just beaten out of the way I think. Perhaps people call my music "unique" because I don't feel beholden to any influences."

Since he grew up forbidden to appreciate some of what others take for granted in this country, he developed a style of his own, uninfluenced by certain societal norms.

HIS DETACHMENT FROM SOCIETY OPENED HIS EYES:

"In music and life, you've got to connect the dots to see how simple things relate to power."

Within the context of this quote, I think he's trying to say that pop culture can often assert control over the masses. Then, once we stop thinking for ourselves, we might not realize how and why we react to every day shit the way that we do.

HE DIFFERS FROM MOST ASPIRING ENTERTAINERS:

"I am not in a rush to find an agent, label, a publicist, etc. All of those things are like looking for an apartment. You never move into the first one you find. It's worth it to take the time to get it right."

I'm not sure if he's signed anywhere by now, but WOW, when this was written, he really wanted to be patient and make a good decision! Meanwhile, goons trying to break into the music industry would not only kill for the exposure he got from YouTube, but would likely sign to the first label that came to them with an offer.

HE HAS A LOT TO SAY ABOUT RACE AND GENDER:

"I get lots of Janet and Michael comparisons. I take them as compliments. But I also think there's a deeper cultural reason behind them. Any young black man in pop culture who isn't hypermasculine is held to a racist double-standard. Because Aaron Carter is not hypermasculine. Clay Aiken is not hypermasculine. None of the boy-bands were hypermasculine. But there's this idea that because I'm a young black male, I've got to look hypermasculine. I've got to look 'urban.'"

Word. Go on...

"People need to ask themselves why young black men don't have the same freedom to present themselves that young white men do... Many young white men choose to be hypermasculine, but as soon as a young black man chooses the ordinary suburban-kid look, all of a sudden he violates the prejudice of pop culture. But you can't blame this prejudice on everyday people because the fantasy that all young black males must be hypermasculine, whereas young white males can be wholesome boy-band members, is promoted by business interests that need categories in which people will be predictable consumers."

HE UNDERSTANDS THE MUSIC INDUSTRY'S DOWNFALL:

"People are sick of these categories. They see themselves in the eyes of pop music marketers and know it's not who they are. This is why corporate sales are down across the entire industry. It's not because everyone is stealing music. It's because they woke up to the fact that musical categories, racial categories, and all these other things that are sold to them as their identity, are contrived."

"...I defy category. I'm the new route to the next economic quarter. My demographic isn't black, white, brown, young, old, straight, gay, or any of the above. It's real people. People who don't need labels as shortcuts to who they are."

AND LASTLY, HE WANTS YOU TO BE OPEN-MINDED:

"People should not worry about what I was trying to do with my music or my videos. They should just experience it in the way that is real to them. It is not my job to understand why people experience my art in the way that they do. I just make the art and people find what they find in it. Leave it at that. We spend too much time in this world trying to be each others' psychiatrists. Does what I was trying to do with the music, or my imagination of how other people experience the music, actually make a difference in what it means to you?"

So! If you didn't know I was a huge nerd before, I'm certain you're aware now!

And to make myself appear even more dorky, I'll leave you with a quote I pulled from another Tay interview that hit me very hard:

"What inspires people to be publicly silent? We all have these moments of brilliant expression between ourselves and the wall. Anyone who says they don't is a liar. The fact that I take a camera and put it on YouTube doesn't make me special. Everyone dreams of not being silent. Everyone has the "drum major instinct." Most people stay silent."

Batter Up

It was a bad day for baseball, that's for sure.

And as a die-hard Yankee fan, this wasn't great news for the Bronx either.

All this 'roid rage, SMH.  But I admit, while the truth is devastating, it's kind of a relief at the same time. *sigh*  I can't wait to see how this all unfolds...

See the List of Players or Learn More Here

The Cool

Lupe Fiasco- The Cool on MTV's The Leak

I don't really care whether or not you read it, but I was compelled to write a review:

"Check your ingredients before you overdose on the cool," a female voice urges as she finishes the album's spoken word introduction (Baba Says Cool For Thought). Her calm tone is almost a relief to the listener after she first greeted them with a bombardment of social issues, noting the likes of "Katrina!!!" and Virginia Tech to wake us all up.

Free Chilly, a short ballad dedicated to Lupe's incarcerated friend and ex co-manager, helps to quickly transition you into Lupe's anthemic gift to Chicago residents: Go Go Gadget Flow. The quick, stoccato hook coincides nicely with Fiasco's rapid flow, and just as you get amped, Lupe downshifts the vibe with the next track, The Coolest. Along with his intense ability to paint pictures with words, we also re-discover Lupe's cast of characters that were first introduced on Food & Liquor.

Next up, Matthew Santos' vocal crowns Superstar, the single that discusses the concept of celebrity and everything that comes along with it. Lupe opens up on topics like touring, exclusive nightlife and the pressure to succeed. As somewhat of a newcomer, he explains that life's simpler things are often more realistic and fulfilling. Smooth track Paris, Tokyo follows... it's chill sound will make any listener vibe out as Lupe describes the downside to his jet-setting lifestyle. While expressing how much he misses a special lady back home, he also manages to illustrate extremely rich examples from his travels.

Hi-Definition (f. Snoop) is probably my least favorite track, but I guess the album needed some "Good Life," high energy mojo - "loopy hit the lotto, snoopy hit the lotto!" Gold Watch on the other hand, is solid gold: Claiming to deliver the "essentials of The Cool," Lupe plays with a consumeristic theme (and hook) by listing all of his favorite items, ostensibly for us to fall in line and cop (because he said so). At the end of the track, however, he unveils that his self esteem is actually far more important to him than anything else.

Hip Hop Saved My Life made me look at the "ringtone" state of hip hop much less cynically than I had previously. Lupe tells the story of a struggling rapper making a living off his success in the game, supporting his family and so on. I guess some of these corny, one-hit-wonder guys actually have souls (and bills to pay!) Intruder Alert comes next with three powerful verses that discuss rape, drug abuse and immigration, respectively. Lupe does a good job of playing with the definition of "intruder" on this track, and although I think the verses could have been better suited in a different order, hopefully most people will listen past the chorus to really discover the lyrics.

Streets On Fire brings out the conspiracy theorist in all of us by mentioning some of society's falsehoods that have recently come into question. With a hook that is undeniably fierce, Lupe continues his trend of hitting us with unpleasant imagery (otherwise known as reality's current events). Little Weapon is intense from start to finish; the involvement of children in warfare is woven throughout the theme, and Lupe doesn't hesitate to tell us how sad it is that kids in hostile communities have been unknowingly robbed of their childhoods. From it's dark intro to the battle-like drum pattern, this track is going to beat you up!

Spoken from a hamburger's point of view, Gotta Eat is Lupe's critique of poor nutrition in urban areas. The beat is just as sick as what most people choose to put in their bodies, and as always, his flow is right there alongside it. Dumb It Down then goes in on Lupe's critics, boasting complex wordplay to illustrate the point that his content-driven style isn't going anywhere. Next, his attempt at rocking out arrives via revolution-beckoning track Hello/Goodbye. Within a Limp Bizkit-esque description of potential apocalyptic destruction, Lupe bursts our lack-of-awareness bubble, letting us all know that one day, the sky could inevitably fall.

While Lupe warns his main character (Michael [The Cool] Young History) of his looming demise on The Die, Gemstones simultaneously tells the story from the killer's point of view. The track closes with a gunshot skit that serves as the perfect transition into scruffy sounding track Put You On Game. Delivered from the authoritative voice of The Game, this song does exactly what it's title offers. Dark in content again, Lupe utilizes his captivating flow to reveal the analogies behind this notorious character as well.

And just when the intensity has come to a head, Matthew Santos' soothing voice enters with the chorus from Fighters. Lupe showcases personal aspects of his life on this track, and even if every listener can't directly relate to his words, his humanity is likely to transcend boundaries and allow him to connect with them. Go Baby comes last, and maybe I'm missing something, but I don't necessarily agree with where it was placed on the album. I don't mean to take away from the song's positive message (that advocates couples supporting one another in relationships), but I do feel the track may have been more suited in another spot.

Content, flow, wordplay and production are all solid on this album. It met and surpassed my expectations, so I really have nothing else to say except that you should spend some time with it yourself. XO

Little Girl Gone

Has anyone ever told you that you resemble a celebrity?

Last night this dude told me I look like Rose McGowan. I was clearly flattered.

Musiq told me I resemble Kate Hudson... I've heard that a lot since. Flattered again!

And since I was young, people have said I looked like Drew Barrymore, circa the ET era and beyond...

What do you think???

Cool For Thought

Some stuff that swirled around in my head this week:

Laurence Fishburne almost killed my favorite architect. More on why I love Frank Gehry in a future post, but yup, he got on Smokey McPots' motorcycle and they wiped out.

Check out photos from Jessica at Frolab.com... we met during Drama's Rap City taping last week. It was shot at Nostylgia, my favorite sneaker spot on Dyckman, so you know I had to cover it. Her photos are up and look great!

I might hate on Beyonce a little bit, but this is just classic.

The Dream's Love/Hate album is alright... He definitely loves to play with repetition and "ey!" and "ooooh" noises. There are a few heatrocks though (She Needs My Love, I Luv Your Girl, Falsetto and Playin' In Her Hair) and the rest grow on you enough to be tolerable. Cop it and go make some babies.

Secret to keep between you and I? I used to watch Ricki Lake a lot when I was in middle school. Just saw this great clip of her on The View discussing divorce and heard she's rumored to be dating John Mayer. Get 'em girl.

I didn't want to comment on it until the dust had settled. Wayne and Lauren London are not engaged. Thank you all for your kind, consoling words during this allegedly tumultuous time for me, but I assure you: Contrary to popular belief, I'm not infatuated with Weezy romantically. I just like his music and provocative character.

And lastly, Sexy and The City is coming:) I hope the movie lives up to the show and isn't disappointing!

Girl You (Should) Know

I loved Jaheim from the moment I saw the "Just In Case" video and heard his amazingly warm vocal pass through my eardrums...


...And I still love him for making a romance grinch (me!) feel tingles when they see the NEW video, Never.

But just when you thought I was getting soft, let's come back to reality! The real reason behind this post? I have to hit you with one of the most truthful songs I've heard in a while regarding male/female relations... It's true ladies, most guys are incapable of being tied down to one woman.

Get your TOUGH LOVE here with Scarface f. Trey Songz "Girl You Know":




Nod to Mr. Russell for calling this one... early.

Form The Alliance

I LOVE football.

I also LOVE fashion.
This week's episode of Project Runway showed that human beings can be versatile in their interests. Former NY Giants running back Tiki Barber guest-starred as the judge and inspiration for Week 3's sewing challenge. It was nice to see a pro athlete openly discuss his interest in the fashion industry... Although they're not the most far-fetched combination of hobbies, fashion and sports are also not necessarily two things that often get paired together either. In an interview after the show, Tiki displayed an open-minded ability to align himself with an interest that (he admits) is not the most masculine.

Since I often struggle with having widespread interests, I empathize with people who find it hard to categorize themselves as a this or that type of person... And that's why programming like this is so refreshing to see. I wish more people would not just think, but live outside the box; trying new things that don't fall within the category you like to imagine yourself in might be what you're missing.

I jacked this clip from MissInfo and wanted to post it since Rza talks about Wu Tang's ability to approach "all walks of life." The context has nothing to do with my sports/fashion dichotomy, but what he says is ironically relevent to my point:

P.S. I love him.

Anyhow... Bravo to Bravo and all those who are brave enough to walk through life collecting what they like, how ever bizarre or contradictory it might seem.