Author Archives:
[Events] Irie Fashion Rave Fashion Show
There promises to be some new and innovative Caribbean fashion designs and designers in attendance. Live performance by Singing Melody and Alphonso Express. I will be there so come thru…. 
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[Books] How Do You Black?
I can’t quite remember how I came across Baratunde Thurston because I wasn’t aware of his comedy nor did I follow him on Twitter (I do now though @bartunde). This book came out and I began researching the author who is the digital director of the satirical newspaper The Onion and co-founder of the blog site Jack and Jill Politics. Reading my TimeOutNY magazine, I saw a literary event listed – a comedy author reading series taking place at Greenlight Books in Brooklyn. I decided to hear what this book How To Be Black was about. I wasn’t sure what to expect.
I purchased the book and had it signed (of course) but I wasn’t sure I was ready for the read. I had recently read Toure’s Who’s Afraid of Post-Blackness and although that was a great read, I wasn’t sure I wanted to read more about race and the race issues especially during the height of the Trayvon Martin murder that has been at the forefront of the racial issues in America since Trayvon was murdered in February. In addition to that, I have been continually discussing race in my Baldwin thesis and it seems to consume almost every facet of my thinking these days which is sometimes good and sometimes bad.
I decided to carry my How To Be Black manual after deciding to take another break on the thesis project and hoping to probably find some more ideas to include in my thesis project. I think it took me all of four days to read this book. I could not get enough of it and I wished it was longer. This book had me crying tears of laughter as Thurston poked fun at what “blackness” is and presumed to be. The utter satire in this text shows the idiosyncratic ways people look at black and blackness. Just the double takes alone at my books’ cover confirmed much of what I read. I’d get a survey of looks to my face and hair and then a full up and down review until my eyes met theirs, then followed by either a wry smile or a quick avoidance. Ha!
I was able to identify with much of Baratunde’s memories of his mother. There exists an obvious feeling of undeniable indebtedness to her for his being the way he is and being able to achieve what he has. I gather from reading How To Be Black that Thurston was influenced much by his mother’s love for road tripping and the wilderness, his memorable time at The Sidwell Friends School, and his developing time on campus at Harvard.
My favorite chapter in the book is “Can You Swim?” I was on the train headed to work when I started this chapter and I think I laughed from Far Rockaway to my stop in Midtown. I had a good day that day because I started that day with belly laughter and I kept thinking about what I’d read that morning. This chapter begins with the nightmare of learning how to swim the “swim for your life” way – by being pushed into the deep end of the pool.
I think the chapter that inspired me the most was “Going Black to Africa.” Here, Thurston discusses his class trip to Africa and how he felt visiting the home of his forefathers. It was a spiritual experience and helped to develop Thurston’s way of thinking with regards to race and how black people were understood in the American paradigm.
I love comedy and I’m making it my business to follow Baratunde’s stand up schedule so I can experience his comedy live.
I enjoyed this book and gave it to my 16-year-old to read. I recommend this as a comical and leisurely read about race. Enjoy
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[Black History] “All Hail The Honorable……”
William Michael Griffin, Jr. respectfully known as Rakim Allah/The God MC, is a hip hop veteran well known to all who claim to know true hip hop music. Rakim was born January 28, 1968 in (Wyandach) Long Island, NY. An all star athlete in high school, Rakim would have likely been a professional footballer had it not been for Eric Barret, or Eric B who would later become his DJ. Eric B at the time worked as a DJ at a prestigious New York radio station and would convince Rakim to take the music serious because he was that good at it. Following Eric B’s consultation, Rakim would leave a potential football career in order to follow his music and become a hip hop icon.
What is evident is that Rakim is a master at developing rhymes that were more prolific and spoke beyond having cash, cars and women. As a member of the Nation of the Gods and Earths, Rakim’s rhyme style are indeed influenced by his spiritual teachings. Rakim’s ability to generate lyrical content required fellow MC’s to either tighten up their lyrical game or drop the prefix “MC” from their titles. For example, the track The Ghetto is a black history lesson/Nation of the Gods build session alone and is without curses. Listen to the lyrics.
Timeless, so age don’t count in the booth when your flow stay submerged in the fountain of youth…
I always enjoyed Eric B & Rakim’s music. Actually, a funny story regarding Eric B and Rakim’s first album – my uncle (dad’s brother) had just came from Dominica to live with us and he wanted to become familiar with New York. My uncle went to the record shop and came home in the evening with Paid In Full. The album had just came out and I didn’t have enough money to get it so when I saw that vinyl in his hand, it was over. He had no clue what that album was about or how important it was that he had it but I immediately took that record, ran to my dad’s music room and played it – Sides A and B, all night. I liked the track Paid in Full so much that I was disappointed it was only 3:50 minutes. As am I writing this, the track I was most intrigued by on that album was Chinese Arithmetic. What caught my attention with this track was how Eric B manipulated the sound of dripping water to match the overall beat of the track. I thought that was absolutely amazing.
Back Cover of Paid In Full Album
A humble man, my son and I met Rakim on 125th St. in 2009. We were leaving House of Hoops and as we walked I noticed Rakim was alone and walking towards us. I asked my son, 14 at the time, if he knew who Rakim was. He said the named sounded familiar (gasp). I immediately told him he was on the track Classic with Nas and Kanye. My son remembered. I urged my son to walk over and say whats up to Rakim. Rakim greeted my son with a pound and “Peace young God, protect your mother.” Obviously that moment was more important to me than it was to my son but whatever.
Rakim still continues to make music and many artists attribute their careers to being influenced by Rakim. Eric B and Rakim are current nominees for the 2012 Hall of Fame induction. Hailed by many as the greatest of all time, Rakim is the God MC, hands down.
One of my favorite Rakim tracks…..
This track hard as all hell…..
Love and support your artists while they’re here too….Enjoy
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[Black History] “This is How to Stay Beautiful….”
I can’t take the credit for writing all of the following but I am highlighting this young poet because not only is she that good to be a Black History feature on DJ WayneSki.com but because we share a grandmother, and a few aunts and uncles. Check her out….
A New York City grown cupcake enthusiast and college sophomore with neurotic tendencies, Camonghne was featured on HBO’s Brave New Voices as a member of the Urban Word 2010 team, who became the 2010 National Brave New Voices Champions. She is a two-time New York Knicks Poetry Slam Finalist and the 1st Runner-Up of the 2010 NYC Youth Poet Laureate Program. She is currently (2011) the 17th ranked poet in the world. In early 2011, Camonghne opened for esteemed writer Sapphire, author of the book PUSH and has been honored to share stages with Talib Kweli, Common, Rosario Dawson, Mahogany L Browne, and La Bruja. In November of 2011 she was profiled in The Forward as a Young Jewish Philanthropic Hero. You can find her work in various publications, including Pank Magazine and Kill Author Magazine. She writes about the small things that happen when we’ve stopped looking.
Hailing from the Bx, it isn’t hard to tell that Ka’mone definitely has it going on. She actually makes me want to revsit the poetry reading scene. Her craft inspires me to stay on top of my writing and I’m honored to call her my lil cousin. You can follow her on Twitter @KamoneFromPluto. She apparently has a lot to say.
HBO’s 2010 Brave New Voices Appearance performing Amber Alert with Jessica Blandon….
Enjoy.
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[Black History] I Likes My Coffee Black…….
Nkosinathi Maphumulo better known to us as Black Coffee was born March 11, 1976 in Durban, the largest city of the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. Nathi began his musical career as a member of the school choir. He later went on to study music theory and keyboard at Natal Technikon. His desire to learn music theory is perhaps what makes him an integral and indeed relevant music producer and DJ today.
Black Coffee left his studies at Natal Technikon in 2001 on a hunch to integrate himself into the music scene taking place in Gauteng, another province of South Africa. He freelanced and played clubs before locking down a residency at The Afrodisiac and Voodoo Lounge in Johannesburg. In 2003, Nathi would participate in the Red Bull Music Academy and the rest is history.
Nathi launched the Soul Natives Music label and also started the foundation “The DJ Black Coffee Foundation” with the hopes of uplifting and assisting people in South Africa who are disabled. He, himself only has the use of one arm, the result of a car accident he endured during his childhood. Visit the foundation website at www.djblackcoffee.org and follow him on Twitter @RealBlackCoffee.
In 2010 Black Coffee set a world record for the longest DJ set (60 hours) using one arm. He is an avid deep house DJ and has received SAMA’s (South African Music Award) in the categories of Best Urban Dance Album (2005, 2010) and Best Male Artist (2010).
Perhaps one of Black Coffee’s most recognizable tracks would be Superman which features South African vocalist Bucie who has been dubbed the princess of House. This track is fresh and remains in heavy rotation at the skating rink……
One of my favorite remixes of a Black Coffee track….
You can also hear a live Black Coffee set on the podcast That’s House Act V with Black Coffee live at Djoon.
Enjoy
[Black History] “…I Can Only Rep the Real and the Raw…..”
James Dewitt Yancey bka J Dilla was born February 7, 1974 in the motor city of Detroit, Michigan. Like most of us, Yancey was influenced by his parent’s love of music. At a very young age, he started to collect vinyl and would perform as the dj at neighborhood gatherings. Yancey was exposed to all genres of music but he developed a distinct love for hip-hop and this passion would eventually become the basis of his life’s work.
Slum Village
Yancey, with two high school friends, formed the group Slum Village and would produce the first series of the group’s albums debuting with Fan-Tas-Tic Vol 1 in 1997. This album would introduce to the underground community and beyond, Dilla’s production skill and would subsequently get the attention of ATCQ’s Q-Tip. J Dilla worked alongside many hip-hop and neosoul notables and was a founding member of The Soulquarians, a collective of musicians that included Questlove, Erykah Badu, Common, and Bilal to name a few.
J Dilla suffered a rare blood disease and was also diagnosed with Lupus. It has been documented in interviews with his mother that Yancey kept a set of turntables in the hospital with him as he worked up until his last days finishing his solo album Donuts. After battling his rare illness and undergoing numerous treatments to no avail, J Dilla passed away days after his 32nd birthday in 2006
J Dilla’s mother and brother created a foundation in Dilla’s honor. This foundation seeks to provide opportunities to children who may show musical talent but lack the resources enabling them to channel their musical energy. Visit the foundation site for more information:
I couldn’t pick just one so….
Love – I love this track because of Curtis Mayfield and Pharoahe Monch….
Love It Here – This is one of my fav instrumentals. It’s wistful and the vocals are soulfully obscure…
[Black History] One Good Thing About Music……
Robert Nesta Marley was born February 6, 1946 in the parish of St Ann, Jamaica. Born into a family consisting of a white father and black mother, Marley would use this juxtaposition to his benefit. The messages in his music would resonate unity and liberation; unity of all people and the liberation of those who continued to live under colonial rule and unjust subjugation. An avid musician, he has been honorably regarded as the king of reggae.
Bob Marley and The Wailers
Marley’s musical career began very early with him leaving school at the age of 14. He connected with his childhood friend, Neville Livingston (Bunny Wailer) and they would attend vocal classes held by reggae musician Joe Higgs. Higgs would later introduce Marley and Wailer to Peter Tosh and with this introduction the world would receive Bob Marley and the Wailers.The trio were introduced to Sir Coxsone Dodd who would later help the trio refine their signature harmony evident in the first Studio One release “Simmer Down”. This single sold over 80,000 copies.
Bob Marley was diagnosed with cancer in 1977 and later succumbed to the illness May 11, 1981. Marley experienced a very successful career and continues to function as an influence not only to his children which include Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, Stephen Marley, and Damian “Jr Gong” Marley but he continues to influence the music of many reggae artists and hails as the reigning King of Reggae music.
Happy Bornday Mr Marley.
My all time favorite Marley and the Wailers track…..
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[Black History] Love and Hate Can Never Be Friends….
Welcoming in the celebration of Black history month, I wanted to start off with a special bornday mention…..
“Here I come with love and not hatred, surely goodness and mercy shall follow I all the days of my life…”
Dennis Emmanuel Brown, born February 1st, 1957 in Kingston, Jamaica, has got to be one of the most recognizable voices in reggae music. Coined as the “Crowned Prince” of reggae, Brown would help define the elements of Lovers Rock, Rockers and Conscious reggae music. Brown’s most recognizable record would probably be Love and Hate which is indeed a classic reggae tune. Dennis Brown worked with a canon of notable reggae producers that included Niney the Observer, Joe Gibbs, and Sir Coxsone Dodd. A musical prodigy, he recorded his first record No Man is an Island at age 13.
I was introduced to reggae music via my father’s vinyl collection. The very first Dennis Brown album I ever became familiar with was an album titled Judge Not which had a picture of both Dennis Brown and Gregory Isaacs on it. I have to say though, my favorite Brown album is Satisfaction Feeling. This, to me, is an undeniable classic DB album. His voice, no lie, is like soothing honey and he sings with such passion. He is indeed my favorite reggae artist and I am happy that I was able to witness his last live performance in New York at SOB’s in 1998.
Dennis Brown died July 1, 1999 of complications with pneumonia. He rests in Kingston National Heroes Park in Jamaica. The influence of Dennis Brown’s music resonates through artists like Luciano, Freddie McGregor and George Nooks.
So thankful for Youtube, here’s a video of Brown recording Rocking Time….Enjoy
[Notable Mention] Happy Birthday To Ya…….
Today is not just a celebration of MLK Jr’s born day but a day to acknowledge and recognize a patriarch of the civil rights movement in America. Other birthdays being celebrated today…..
- Patrick Douthit bka 9th Wonder, music producer
- Regina King, actress (227, Boyz in the Hood)
- Creflo Dollar, pastor (Creflo Dollar Ministries)
- Ernest J Gaines, author (A Lesson Before Dying)
- Jean Bugati, automobile designer
- Shirley Cummings, american actress (Sanford & Son)
- Lisa Lisa Velez (of Cult Jam), american singer
- Young Dro, american rapper
Happy Birthday!
[Books] Shut Up….You Ain’t Black!!!
So, I’ve been at war with a project better known as my master thesis. My project, on James Baldwin, focuses on the exile trope and the way he expresses this through his characters. A major focal point is that Baldwin felt the need to leave America in order to produce his work and to survive. According to Baldwin, had he stayed in America with her racial tensions rising, he would’ve killed or been killed. In the midst of working on my project, I became overwhelmed and considered taking a break from it all. I decided to read something else to kind of scale things back a bit.
I purchased Who’s Afraid of Post-Blackness?: What It Means to Be Black Now at the 2011 Brooklyn Book Festival where Toure was scheduled to sit on a panel. I’m all about discussions regarding race-relations and couldn’t wait to dig in to this text to find out what was this “post-blackness” term he referred to.
I thought the text provided a platform for many of us to address ideologies, traits and stereotypes that we’re probably conscious of all the time but don’t display in front of white people. But what’s more, Who’s Afraid… allowed me to be relaxed in knowing I’m not the only one who is self-conscious of eating chicken or watermelon in front of white people, which is proof that the white gaze still remains a factor and further confirms the effects of racism have been deeply embedded in our psyche.
This text was an insightful read and I attracted all types of gazes as I read it on the train. I enjoy Toure’s honesty when he acknowledges his experience as a burgeoning journalist and how he was questioned when it came to performing his craft. The fact that Toure had been accused of not being Black or Black enough was the motivation of this book. He was forced to examine why someone would feel that way about him and what allowed someone to think that there was a checklist to being Black? Black is however you do Black and that Blackness is limitless.
There is an entire section on Dave Chappelle which I enjoyed and thought was brilliant. Chappelle’s satire of racism poked fun at the white gaze and how that gaze interprets Black people. I have to say the part that intrigued me the most is The Most Racist Thing That Ever Happened…. section with Henry Louis Gates and how racism literally crippled him:
In 1964, in West Virginia a fourteen-year-old Henry Louis Gates Jr. broke his hip and went to a doctor who x-rayed his knew, which was also in pain. The doctor saw nothing wrong with his knee and deemed his pain psychosomatic. “He said that I had a nervous breakdown because I was an overachiever,” Gates said. “He said colored people weren’t supposed to do as well as I had done. I had been stressed out and there was nothing wrong with my knee. White guy thought I was imagining things. And that’s why I walk with a cane and I’ve had a dozen operations since I was fourteen.” Gates remains bitter about the whole thing. “I hope that motherfucker’s burning in hell.”
I have to admit that there are times I find myself feeling weird around white people and I’ve been in situations where I felt I needed to validate myself or my knowledge of certain topics because of the white gaze. I’ve had white friends say things that I thought were inappropriate and I would quickly respond sarcastically to let them know what they said was dumb. There are still some ideas and ways of thinking that I’m working on and will probably continue to work through for the rest of my life. I’m sure there were jobs or opportunities I didn’t get because I am Black and there are Black people who do embarrass me. I mean, I have my reservations about Section 8 tenants like the Black tenants who destroyed my house….(very bitter about that, lol.) This, again, are ideologies I am forced to confront and work through everyday and I was relieved to know that I’m not the only one who feels the way that I feel. I’m also comforted that listening to bands like America, Bread, Nirvana and Nickelback doesn’t make me less Black either.
What does being Black mean to you?
Kudos to Toure for this book. Enjoy
[Books] Gift Ideas for Your Favorite Writer
So the holidays are upon us and everyone’s running around trying to find the perfect gift for their loved ones. DJ Evil Dee recently posted a list of the most ideal gifts to get for your favorite DJ. I thought that was such a brilliant idea that I decided to copy it and create an identical list but for the special writer in your life. I’ve listed some ideas that make much sense to me. Take a look….
- A Moleskine brand journal. – These journals come in different styles but the leather journal is so elegant that it’s a must have for every writer.
- A refillable, metal writing pen. – An elegant writing instrument makes for successful writing projects when not using a MacBook.
- A subscription to a prominent literary journal or magazine – Poets & Writers, Writers Digest, Glimmer Train are highly recommended but there are a host of others to choose from.
- A subscription to a prominent editorial magazine – The Atlantic, New Yorker, Esquire – These magazines exhibit some of the best writings and writers by way of simple opinion articles and short stories.
- Tickets to a literary event/talk (92Y, Nuyorican Poets Cafe, etc) – Literary events are listed everywhere and some are free. Check the CUNY Graduate Center and TimeOutNY.
- Gift card to a bookseller (Barnes & Noble, Strand, Greenlight Books, etc)
- Gift card to Starbucks (real writers drink real coffee :-] )
- An autographed book of a favorite author (if alive of course) – chances are your writer will have every copy of his/her favorite writers’ texts but an autographed copy is timeless and means so much.
- A John Coltrane cd – his music sets the tone for easy reading and writing in most cases (at least for me it does.)
- Literary tote – I love to carry my tote with books and journals in them especially when my tote has a quote from a literary icon posted on it.
Most of us are writers at heart because we’re on twitter, facebook and sending emails all day. I hope you find this list helpful. Enjoy
[Books] F*ck Off!!!…I mean Freak Out!!!
I was reading my usual Sunday Times magazine some months ago and in there was an excerpt from a book that was coming out. A funky book by Nile Rodgers of Chic. I not only grew up on the music of his band but would stop mid conversation to speed skate around the rink to Good Times at the legendary Empire Rollerdome in Brooklyn. Once I heard that guitar followed by the piano being mixed in, I would make my way to the skate or dance floor!
Le Freak: An Upside Down Story of Family, Disco, and Destiny by Nile Rodgers is indeed a fearless memoir on Rodgers life and how the legendary music of Chic came to be. I’ll admit, I didn’t know much about Chic and the details behind the band but I have to say, once I read Rodgers’ book, many of the songs I’d heard that were produced by Rodgers and his endearing musical partner Bernard Edwards made sense. They produced hits for Sister Sledge, The Pointer Sisters, Diana Ross, and even Luther Vandross sang on some of their records. This explained the fluidity of that “sound”. That sound resonated in all of their productions and it deemed successful, obviously.
Rodgers shares stories – some happy and some sad – about his eccentric family from his mother and her sometimes dangerous lovers, his troubled father, to his loving step-father whom Rodgers admired dearly. There are many funny stories, like the one about how Rodgers and Edwards met, the history behind the song Freak Out and the brief fall out behind Diana Ross’ I’m Coming Out.
I met Nile Rodgers as he discussed his book at the Barnes and Noble in Union Square. Equipped with his guitar, he explained to the audience the history behind the bass line that would later carry the Sugar Hill Gang’s Rapper’s Delight. He is a charismatic dude and was very pleasant as he autographed the two copies I purchased.
I enjoyed this memoir very much so if you have a loved one that’s really in to music like that, this would be an on target gift for the holiday season, I promise!
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[Books] Before the Coldest Winter Ever, there was….
I remember reading my first Donald Goines novel Dopefiend during the fourth or fifth grades. I recall vividly how excited I was to show my fellow classmates the inappropriate language that was used in a real book. Words like SHIT, FUCK, and PUSSY were employed to tell this harrowing story of the effects of being the unfortunate bearer of carrying the “monkey” on deck.
What was I doing reading such a book at that young age? Well, my mom is an educator and had always been passionate about music and books. There were all types of books available to read. And as long as we were reading something, my mother was happy. I came across this title on the bookshelf in the living room one afternoon – I read the synopsis on the end cover and quickly proceeded to my room to read it. Needless to say, with all the sex and drama that took place in this book during the birth of my puberty, I was done reading in one weekend!
Dopefiend, although fictional, is a true-to-life depiction of days in the life of the drug addict and the drug dealer. Set in 1970′s Chicago, the protagonist, Terry, is a hardcore skin popping junkie. He turns his young girlfriend, Terry – a privileged only child – onto heroin in order for him to get a discounted rate on his own drugs from Porky, an obnoxious drug dealer who sells out of an active dope house.
It’s indeed a sad story of drug abuse, despair, loss, and affliction. Teddy witnesses the murder of his close friend, and drug buddy during a botched robbery and Terry is subsequently admitted to a mental institution after finding her pregnant dopefiend friend hanging from the ceiling of her room. A confirmation that drug addicts eventually quit. Usually they’re either in jail or dead when they do.
[Books] Snitches Get Stitches…………B*tches!!!
I learned about drugs and to “Just Say NO!” as a shorty in Southside Jamaica, Queens. My family lived right off of Sutphin Blvd which is a main ventricle in the lower section of Jamaica, Queens. I remember vividly two crack houses on my block – right across the street from each other. And fiends would be outside early in the morning to late at night when it was time to go to bed, and even later than that! This was the early 80’s during the reign of Fat Cat, Supreme and the Supreme Team.
One of the things that scared me about drugs was not having a place to sleep and walking around smelling like urine. Walking to Jamaica Ave. one day with my mother and brothers, we saw a man laid out on the sidewalk fast asleep. He reeked of urine and was unaware, apparently, that he had fallen asleep in the street. When my mother noticed me staring, she told me that if I ever decided to do drugs, that would be me. That was all I needed to know!
Mr. Untouchable – The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Heroin’s Teflon Don tells the story of an American rags to blood money riches hero. Leroy “Nicky” Barnes is considered the “Fat Cat” of the drug era preceding my years in Southside. Nicky Barnes was undeniably a heavy hitter in the streets of Harlem shortly before Alpo, Rich and AZ were twinkles in their father’s eyes.
Nicky Barnes, responsible for not only destroying Harlem with his influence of heavy drug trafficking but he is most remembered for snitching on his whole crew. Mr. Untouchable is Barnes’ own story on what happened and why it happened. In a nutshell, Barnes felt that he had been shitted on and wanted to show his Council members that he was still the HNIC even if he was to be locked down for time that might exceed natural life.
This memoir can easily be the screenplay for a Donald Goines novel. Dedicated to inmate #05404-054 in Allenwood Federal Penitentiary – this memoir is easily a cynical shot at Guy Fisher – The Council member who was allegedly sleeping with Barnes’ girlfriend ShaMecca, while he was locked down.
This book came out some time ago and it’s a good text if you want to get the story from the horse’s mouth. Barnes is in the Federal Witness Protection Program and for obvious reasons but I wonder, isn’t he still sort of living in “jail” by having to hide from everything he once knew and loved?
Here’s a clip from the documentary……
[Books] “What Did the 5 Fingers Say to the Face?!……..”
Most might recognize Charlie Murphy due to the undeniable resemblance to his multi-million dollar comedian brother Eddie Murphy, who recently accepted to perform as host of the 84th Annual Grammy Awards. He has appeared in many movies – Harlem Nights, CB4, Mo ‘Betta Blues, etc. And although Charlie may not be as big as his younger brother, he is not far from it.
In his memoir, Murphy focuses immensely on his adolescent years in Brooklyn, his time in the armed forces and life on the road as head of security for his brother. He gives insight on how it was growing up with a no-nonsense father and step-father, which many of us can relate to, the painful loss of his biological father and having an intensely famous younger brother.
What this memoir does is shows us the growth of Charlie and how he came to be a comedian. As Murphy explains it, comedy chose him. Parallel to being a real life tough guy, I learned that Murphy’s passion lies in writing. He is an avid screen writer and has written many movies. He wrote the screenplay for his brothers’ A Vampire in Brooklyn which starred Angela Basset.
But success didn’t come out without struggle. Murphy was indeed a thug and found himself near death on a few occasions. Charlie Murphy had his share of close calls growing up in the hood and admits to being part of a gang and doing a few years locked down. You can guess by many of the characters he’s played that he genuinely embodies that thuggish persona and he applies it well.
Charlie Murphy might be remembered best by his time spent on the Chappelle Show. He played many characters but probably his best character was as himself on the True Hollywood Stories skits. The most memorable one is perhaps the three-part skit where he recaptures his encounters with the legendary Rick James…hilarious!
[Books] “When your hair is nappy, they aint happy……”
Paul Mooney’s “Black Is The New White” is a memorable recollection of Mooney’s rise to comedic stardom. He discusses his family background, his displacement from Louisiana, to DC to California to his relationships with his comedic colleagues, good and bad. Mooney has seen it all and tells it in this memoir.
Mooney is best known for his racial comedy which proves to be, at times, discomforting to his white audience. I’ve been to his standup shows and have seen them walk out! In his memoir, Mooney shares how he met and developed a loving friendship with comedic genius Richard Pryor. He also discusses encounters with other comedians and tells of the ins and outs of making it big in the industry of laughter. There’s drugs, a whole lot of sex and much to laugh about.
I’ve always enjoyed Mooney’s comedy and I learned that although he is quite the well known standup who is heavily in rotation at Caroline’s on Broadway, he is also the genius behind the scenes man writing for Red Foxx’s “Sanford and Son” sitcom, “The Richard Pryor Show” and most recently “The Dave Chappelle Show”.
With a sincere and comical introduction by Dave Chappelle, I thought Mooney’s “Black Is…” was an endearing account of his passion for comedy and his love for his dear friend Richard Pryor.
Anyone who knows me knows I love to laugh and Mooney is one of my favorites. Check out these outtakes from his “Ask a Black Dude” sketch from the Dave Chappelle Show……
[Books] Untitled Too
Oh damn………
So this book was read a long time ago but still remains relevant since the term “nigger” is still in heavy rotation. I think the title pretty much gives an overview of what to expect in the text right? But I’ll tell you, this book really breaks down where this word comes from and what it represents and what it has evolved (?) in to.
The term “nigger” remains a controversy – should it be used?; who has the right to use it? and once approved, when should it be used? With these potential rules and “free” passes available, why not learn if you even want to use the term in the first place? The idea is that everyone has their own reason why they use it or why they don’t. However, learning where “nigger” is birthed will either confirm your reasons to use or not to use it.
Interesting, when I found this book, I thought of something James Baldwin said regarding “the nigger”……
“In order for me to live, I decided very early that some mistake had been made somewhere. I was not a “nigger” even though you called me one. But if I was a “nigger” in your eyes, there was something about you – there was something you needed. I had to realize when I was very young that I was none of those things I was told I was. I was not, for example, happy. I never touched a watermelon for all kinds of reasons that had been invented by white people, and I knew enough about life by this time to understand that whatever you invent, whatever you project, is you! So where we are now is that a whole country of people believe I’m a ‘nigger,’and I don’t , and the battle’s on! Because if I am not what I’ve been told I am, then it means that you’re not what you thought you were either! And that is the crisis.”
The author Randall Kennedy is a professor at Harvard Law School and once served as a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.
[Books] Untitled
I thought I’d bite off Nas and “untitle” this blog posting with all due respect to the reviewed book…….
So I read this book a long while ago but I have to say I it was a heart warming read. See, I had an idea who Dick Gregory was via my mom. She used to watch him whenever he was on t.v. telling jokes….he’s a comedian. But he’s also a social activist – he was very vocal during the Civil Rights movement; he’s a writer, humanitarian and a most notable vegan.
Gregory’s biography, published in 1964, presents itself as a comfortable inside look at how Gregory developed as a comedian and how he turned despair into something fruitful and even marketable. Gregory talks about how he met his wife Lillian, and their struggles during the early years of their life together – they’re still married today. This autobiography focuses much on the struggles with racism, growing up black in the ghetto, in other words – a story about life right? Hence the title…..
I found this book at a sidewalk sale somewhere and probably paid $1 or something for it. It’s a cool read if you’re into vintage and the blues….Enjoy ;-)
|Books| “For all y’all smart dumb cats out there…..”
“Legendary Hip Hop artist Ghostface Killah settles into one of his most popular characters, Pretty Toney, and offers readers a hilariously unique perspective on life via guides to and advice on everything from sex to gambling, family to education, even how to eat on just $5 a day, better known as “The Hustler’s Diet”. A singular twist on Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People for the Hip Hop generation complete with illustrative photos. Born as a series of shorts on MTV2, Pretty Toney and his musings quickly became a channel and online hit, with fans uploading the shorts on YouTube and circulating them virally. The book will also include a CD of Ghostface reading the material, the perfect accompaniment to enjoying the book.
As one of the original members of the seminal 90s rap crew the Wu-Tang Clan, Ghostface Killah made an impact before he released his debut album, “Ironman”, late in 1996. Like all members of the Wu-Tang Clan, the rapper used the group as a launching pad for a successful solo career and “Ironman” debuted at number two on the pop chart. His work with Wu-Tang continues, as does his solo career. His 2006 album “Fishscale” was a top ten hit and on many top ten lists for album of the year.”
This book came out a few years ago and I thought it was a must have. I can’t lie, I enjoyed watching these clips on MTV2. They were hilarious because they were so true. We all know how to get by on a Hustler’s Diet, learned that as a kid growing up. We know how to listen out for the sink after your peoples use the bathroom, assuring that their hands were washed. I thought Ghost and director Joseph Brightly were indeed genius for putting this in book form so we can revisit it anytime we want. There are photos that depict the scenarios Ghost speaks of….Donnell Rawlings (Ashly Larry of Chappelle Show) is in a few. You need to add this to the coffee table collection…it’s contents are quite useful 
Celebrity / How To / Out There / Music / Essays / Urban
Hardcover, 9.25 x 6.25 inches, 112 pages, four-color photographs throughout
ISBN: 978-1-57687-411-0
$22.00
powerHouse Books
37 Main Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
powerHouse Books 212-604-9074
powerHouse Arena 718-666-3049
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