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School Is In Session…

Friday, August 7th, 2009

thought

MEL D. COLE is the world’s most dangerous photographer…

Every week the Roots Jam Session features surprise guests that put their talents on display along with the mighty musicianship of the Roots themselves. During this residency there have been some stellar performances from great artists and some veteran artists have looked like rookies up on stage.

That was the case on Tuesday when JANELLE MONAE thought she had killed the crowd and prior to walking off the stage she simply dropped the microphone. I understand that Ms.MONAE is touring with ERYKAH BADU and she might be accruing some of the diva tendencies that BADU is known for, but in all my years of seeing BADU perform I have never seen her drop a microphone in the vicinity of Black Thought.

Let me also say that I have never seen anyone have a grip on the mic as tight as TARIQ either. For you to come to the Jam Session and share the stage with this brother you should be happy that you even have the opportunity to work with him. But to drop the mic and walk off as if you just tore down the stage with your little raps was foolishness. JANELLE MONAE is dope as hell but she ain’t no BADU and ERYKAH ain’t no Black Thought.

Memo to JANELLE MONAE: Smarten’ up lil’ darling, it’s how you’ll get over.

Posted in 5 Elements, Blipsters = Hipsters, Crappers, Ghetto Celebs, Ninjas, T.O.N.Y., Wig Owners | 9 Comments »

The City That Never Sleeps…

Friday, August 7th, 2009

ny shitty

I am h8’ing NYC so much right now. It seems that every night there are several events that I really want to fux with but I can’t be in several places at once. I wish BILL GATES would hurry up with that human cloning project.

Last night had an obama with Patron shots and tons of TWitterati. There was another obama where Just Blaze was deejaying. My homeys Heems and Vik a.k.a Das Racist also had a show at the Bowery Ballroom. Das Racist is blowing up on the low. I fux with those dudes hardbody.

Back on the planet of Brooklyn, Prospect Park’s bandshell, which will be hosting Big Daddy Kane this Saturday was screening my generation’s ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ which is Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’. I don’t think that film has screened in NYC for the last 10 years and I haven’t been there to sing along. ‘Purple Rain’ is what I call Blackaoke.

But the real karaoke jumpoff was going down in Coney Island. HALL & OATES was doing a concert for the free seaside summer series that the Brooklyn beep MARTY MARKOWITZ hosts annually. This was going to be the first time I had seen these dudes perform live. HALL & OATES blue-eyed soul is definitely part of the soundtrack of my life. I bought the ‘Private Eyes’ album from The Wiz with my paper route paper back when I was in junior high.

I’m glad I found some time to spend with Chocolate Snowflake. She is the most patient and generous woman on these internets. I see that some of my steez has rubbed off on her too. She enterprised us some seats in the wristband VIP area. The show was a beautiful night under the stars in Coney Island. The full moon added that perfect romantic element. HALL & OATES ran through a litany of their hits and didn’t disappoint the crowd of thousands. It’s nights like this I wish would last forever.

DARRYL HALL still had the big hair and diva tendencies while JOHN OATES kindly played the sidekick role as always. I was kind of sad that JOHN shaved off the moustache entirely. These old dudes still rock though and their band was getting it in. HALL & OATES had the nerve to make me suffer though a second encore to get some of my favorite hits like ‘You Make My Dreams’ and ‘No Can Do’. I wasn’t going home without hearing those jams better still, I wasn’t going to let them go home.

Damn you New York City and your free concerts and cultural events.

I’m sure I will see some of you internets in Brooklyn on Saturday.

Until then…

‘You Make My Dreams’

‘Private Eyes’

‘Maneater’

‘I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)’

‘Say It Isn’t So’

‘One On One’

‘Method Of Modern Love’

‘Out Of Touch’

‘Adult Education’

‘Kiss On My List’

Posted in BeYONCE's Hair, Blipsters = Hipsters, Hollyweird, No Boutros Boutros... Ghali, Straight Laced, T.O.N.Y., When I Reminisce..., Wig Owners | 7 Comments »

Summertime Sweet Spots…

Sunday, August 2nd, 2009

a life

Saturday finally got underway for me at 7pm on the lower east side at a store called Alife Rivington Club. The shop is managed by NYC tastemaking legend CHRIS VIDAL (formerly of Flight Club NY fame). CHRIS opened up the backyard space and they barbecued and spun classic rap shit. HOF from OnSmash was in the joint with the homey Plain Pat.

The next spot to fall thru was the SoleFood block party on Lispenard Street in TriBeCa. When I got to this joint it was already over and done. I parlayed for a minute tho’ to chop it up with some folks like MEKA from 2DopeBoyz. I’m really happy for MEK that he is living on this side of town now. I have to get him to come to the Back 2 School edition of the Sneaker Fiends Unite! NYC tour.

The next stop on the run with the setting sun was to the 92Y space in TriBeCa to watch Game Rebellion open for Blitz the Ambassador. Game Rebellion is still the band that I think too many folks are sleeping on. Their political rants are tuned up for whatever ails this country. Now that BUSH is out of office they drop songs about Wall Street greed and corruption along with police brutality and menage a’trois with club groupies. What more could you ask from rockstars?

The nail in the coffin was when Che Guerilla pointed me to the Red Bull Space. An obama in Manhattan on a Saturday night? What kind of shit would this be? Some corporate dewshbaggery for sure, but what kind of alcohol were they serving? Svedka FTW. The music was fucking atrocious. The Red Bull did give me wings though. It’s 8am now and I am just popping away at the video console. I’m wondering what kind of shenanigans I will get into today?