Mixed Bag of Entertainment

Last Friday Sade & I hung out for the day for some brother/sister ("Brother/Sister" is my favorite Brand New Heavies Album!) time.  We started with that voter registration drive that I mentioned below.  After the voter registration piece, we did a little lunch & then decided to go to the movies to see “Hancock”.  After seeing previews of “Hancock” I was not all that thrilled to see it but Sade seemed pretty excited about it, so we hit it up.

I walked into the theater with no real expectation to be entertained but I was open minded (I guess).  The movie kinda started off with some of the stuff that was played on TV for press but started to take off after the 1st thirty minutes.

The ending story line was a trip (in a good way) & unexpected.  I left the theater feeling satisfied that my 13.50  was well spent/  I also walked away wondering when I will see a Will Smith movie when he has a BLACK love interest.  “Enemy of the State” & “Independence Day” is not enough IMO.

Ok enough of that….

After the movie, I decided to head to the Detroit Taste Fest or City Fest, whatever.  Sade did not want to go but, guess who had the car keys boo!

So 45 minutes later we arrive at the Taste Fest & make our rounds to the various vendors, did some people watching & chit chatting with random friends.  We chilled for a couple of hours then it was time to go & I was getting tired.

As we were walking out, I spotted the concert schedule for one of the stages & it said Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 performing @ 530.  I was like Sade, we gotta see this, which resulted in her doing some eye rolling & teeth sucking.  I could not be mad at that because I felt her.  It was a long day.

We had like 20 minutes before the show started & managed to get seats up front which were cool because I did not have my 70-200mm lens.

It’s now 530 & the show is actually starting, then Egypt 80 (Fela Kuti’s original band) walks out to energize the crowd.  They performed a few songs & were JAMMING!  They sounded so damn good!!!

So after a few cuts, Seun was introduced as he walked on stage with these tight ass wrinkled angel flight pants with a coordinating polyester shirt.  I was thinking to myself, I know this nigga did not come all the way here with no damn iron. If the pants were ironed he would have looked more together.  I’m just saying.

Anyway, Seun put on a great show & had the crowd going.  His vocals almost made it seem like I was listening to his father.  The song themes were similar if not the same and still empowering.

During the performance Seun danced his ass off & so much that it seemed like his pants got tighter.  Eventually the polyester shirt came off & the ladies were like take it off baby!  Minutes later, I think we all got more than we bargained for.

After the shirt came off the next song that he set off was a cover of Fela’s ”Suffering & Smiling”.  During the instrumental intro, Sade was like didn’t we just hear that in the car,  then she said, I thought he was dead, which made me laugh.  “Suffering & Smiling” is my jam so I joined the crowd by dancing, singing, & cheering on the band.

Half way through the body of the song Seun started doing this weird booty thrust dance move & next thing you know his dick was hard & popping up & down.  The ladies were really geeked now.  I could not believe that I was watching a skinny, singing, shirtless nigga with a hard dick popping around on stage in the middle of Detroit.  I was like I gotta get out of here because it was a little too much & I was with my child.  The last thing I want to expose my kids to is light pornography.

As I was leaving the area. I ran into a friend/local international celeb who knows Seun & Femi Kuti & he said that Seun is good but cannot compete with his brother.  Apparently, Femi is more energetic, has better looking girls & a little more original.  And according to this friend who I will call AF, said that Femi is not as nasty & horny on stage.  I laughed & we parted ways.

So catching up to the other day, I posted a comment about me seeing Seun on the “Black Cool” Blog’s  “Happy 4th Everyone!” post:

“Ooooo you know I love Fela! I saw his son Seun perform in Detroit on the 4th.

He covered Suffering & Smiling & set it off. The women in the crowd or up least up front where I was were very excited especially when he got a spontaneous erection.

I was so turned off & pissed off. I was with one of my kids.

Anyway...
Bygbaby”

Then the Invisible Woman followed my comment by saying “Love it! and I am referring to the video and not bygbaby's comment...lol!” 

Then the Invisible Woman came here & called me out with the following comment:

“Hey yo....why didn't you write about seeing Seun Kuti? I was lmao at your comment on Black Kool---I told you I went to see him too...want to hear about your perspective....I wrote about mine on my blog.

Dude does seem pretty horny tho--those tight ass pants were the first indication!”

She cracked me up with that last line because I was thinking the same damn thing miles away.  So then I go peep her post out & read the following

“…Seun is an entertainer, but what caught my attention more was the fact that Mr. Kuti looked like he'd been raiding his father's 70's closet. He had on a bright polyester floral shirt unbuttoned down to his navel, and the tightest white Angel Flight pants one could ever witness in their life. I haven't seen anything like it since "Saturday Night Fever". Tho admittedly, but the end of the show, he was half-naked, which seems to be some sort of trademark of his….”

I guess the bottom line is ladies or gents, if you are into hot dick & nuts along with some ass popping, check out Seun when he hits your town.  No seriously, he did put on a good show but homeboy is mos def hot in the pants!

Oh and by the way, speaking of hot, his new album "Many Things" a must have for the Afro Beat lover.

Music From the Diaspora: Fela Kuti Explored

A few weeks ago, I discovered the Fela Kuti tribute album "Red Hot + Riot: The Music and Spirit of Fela Kuti" while searching for something totally different. After hearing a few snippets on Amazon, I knew I had to have this very eclectic compilation album.

Five days after ordering, the CD was in my mailbox waiting to be played. So after dinner the night it arrived, I headed down to my office to take a listen. Four hours later, I was hooked to each song & listened to the CD like 4 times non-stop. The music was very Afrobeat-Licious & I was loving every beat, lyric & message. The music is Afro-Political & applicable throughout the Diaspora.

Honestly speaking, I never explored the music of Fela Kuti "the father of Afrobeat", so this Red Hot album was the perfect jump off point for me to explore his legacy. Before I get into this discovery let me talk more about the Red Hot album.

I really don't know where to start breaking down this album because it is all over the place, in terms of melody, tempo, poly-rhythms & themes but they seem to point to one common place & that is freedom, political awareness & unity. Ok, that's three places, sorry.

One of my stand out favorites is "Shakara/Lady (Part Two)" by Cheikh Lo, Les Nubians and Manu Dibango. I later learned this is a remake of Fela's original but much more up-tempo & sexier. This version makes me dance & envision carnival style parades. If you know nothing of African dance this song will make you feel like you have been doing it for years.

My other heavily repeated jam is "Zombie (Part One)" by Bugz In The Attic (originally released by Fela in 1977, "zombie" was a metaphor to describe the methods of the Nigerian military (thx wikipedia). This song is mid tempo, fun & the lyrics are infectious. I was singing along instantly & did not even know what the fuck I was saying half the time. When I played this for cousin Dee the 1st time, she was like OMG, this is my new jam.

"Water No Get Enemy" with D'Angelo, Macy Gray, Femi Kuti & the Soultronic is one of the more Afro-Political cuts on the CD. This cut is down tempo but makes you wanna dance & yet wonder WTF; this message is deep. Something we take for granted because it's readily available but yet so difficult to obtain for many around the world; specially speaking, in Africa.

Lastly, my absolutely favorite cut is "So Be It" by Kelis. Why, well because it's by Kelis & she is Fine as hell!!! Besides that, the message is on point & so related to what is going on now, then & before then. This cut too is another political piece but now that I know more about Fela, so were the majority of his releases. Kelis is multi talented; it's a shame that she gets no love commercially.  Well maybe if she did, I might not like her as much as I do. I really appreciate her quirky since of style in music & fashion.

OK, Back to my discovery of Fela Kuti. So after getting acquainted with his music via the red Hot album, I discovered a ton of his stuff on iTunes & eMusic, & downloaded like 15 songs in one drunken night.

For the past 2 weeks, I've been taken aback from the messages that Fela communicated though music. He took on many sociopolitical issues but the ones that resonate with me are the messages of Black Nationalism, Pan Africanism, & empowerment. I wish, I was up on Fela years ago so that I had the benefit of his knowledge when I was living in my white oriented matrix. He may have been the one to save me back then.

One of Fela's songs that I cannot get enough of is "Africa Center of the World"! If you wanna know why, just download it & by the 12th minute of the 17 minute song, you will know why. This song speaks to the core of my being.

So I guess what I am trying to say over all is a) get "Red Hot + Riot: The Music and Spirit of Fela Kuti" b) discover & download anything Fela Kuti, you will not be let down; at least I hope so.

Other recent discoveries from the Black music Diaspora that I'm loving are:

Estelle - "Shine"
Hil St. Soul - "Black Rose" (this joint is hot & needs its own post!)
Zap Mama - "Ancestry in Progress" & "Supermoon"
Darondo - "Let My People Go" (This is a must-mutha-fucking-have; OK!)
Al Green - "Lay It Down" (yes, Al is back!)

Bits & Pieces

As of yesterday, I’m ahead of schedule with the completion of my garden clean up & annual planting. When I got off work yesterday, I planted 6 gerbera daisies, 3 torch lilies, 2 hen & chicks, 1 elephant ear, 12 caladium bulbs, put together 3 planter boxes & spread 24 cubic feet of cypress mulch. Basically, I worked like a Hebrew slave for 3 hours.

All that I have left to do is plant 30 gladiolus bulbs & spread a little more mulch & this means that I will have a relaxing but exciting 3-day weekend.

My weekend actually started yesterday after all of my garden work & attending Olivia’s school play. After the play & dinner, Olivia & I went to see the new Indiana Jones movie “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”, which was fucking awesome. When it comes out on DVD, I will purchase all 4 films in the franchise. “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” has been getting some mixed reviews but I loved it. For me it was like an updated version of what I knew growing up. All of the action, dumb one-liners & interesting plots gave me what I needed to be fully satisfied.

Since I am on the topic of movies, I recently saw two other great movies that are worth checking out, “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” & “Iron Man”. The newest installment of the Narnia franchise is good but not as awesome as the first and it is much more violent & IMHO even more violent than “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”. If you check it out, I would not take kids under 12 & if you do see it, rent the first one so you can be up to speed.

“Iron Man” was fucking awesome & it will be in my DVD collection as soon as it drops. It is totally a man’s movie: action, sex, speed, bravado, back stabbing, shit blowing up, etc… I wish it was in iMax, that would taken it over the top. And last on the movie note, Monday, I think we are doing a family movie date to see “Speed Racer”. I’m not all that thrilled about seeing it but the kids are harassing us.

Back to my weekend! So tomorrow, I am I am getting my hair color touched up for the summer & by 3pm tomorrow I will have my look back together. Mary Henderson @ the Meagan Mitchell Salon in Ferndale, MI is the shit!!! She is quick & really knows her stuff, which makes it so worth the money.

After I get my red hot look back in place, I will be making my way downtown Detroit for the “Detroit Electronic Music Festival” (DEMF) for a photo journey adventure with Cousin Dee (also a photographer). Over the last 2 weeks, I was trying to land a press pass, but shit was tight & I was not able to make it happen, so I gave up & just said fuck it, it will be worth the 25 bucks. Flashback::::::::: Monday, I got an email from my girl & Nicole Brown of the Detroit Fashion Pages who wanted to interview me & get my thoughts on what the DEMF means to me & the city. It was a good interview & I certainly had an opinion (imagine that). OK, flashforward::::::::: today I get a call from Nicole.

Phone Rings: Hmmm, it’s Nicole

Bygbaby: Hey Boo (why is everybody's my boo???)
Nicole: Heyyyyy

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
...Small talk...

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Nicole: Guess what?
Bygbaby: What?
Nicole: I scored 2 VIP tix for the DEMF.
Bygbaby: Wow, that’s awesome!!! (Can you say 175 a piece)!
Nicole: Would you like one?
Bygbaby: Hell yeah!!!
Nicole: When will you be in Detroit?
Bygbaby: Tomorrow around 330ish.
Nicole: Cool, then call me when you make it & I can meet you to give you the pass.
Bygbaby: Bet, talk to you tomorrow!

I then hang up & scream YESSSSSS inside my head. I was just on the DEMF Myspace page & looked at the VIP package & was like, I wish I had it going on like that to just drop 175 bucks on something not family, flower or camera related.

The VIP ticket comes with:
- 3 day admittance
- Private check-in area to receive your credentials

- Access to large area above and behind the main stage

- Private bar - 15 complimentary drink tickets - $5 drinks available when you run out of tickets

- Deluxe private executive bathroom trailers

- Complimentary Movement T-shirt ($20 value) from the Movement store

I am super excited. Now I just have to figure out how to share this with Cousin Dee. I will figure something out; I always do.

After the DEMF (around midnight), Cousin Dee & I are heading to the Northland Roller Rink for Kenny Dixon’s (aKa MoodyMann) Soul Skate. And no, I will not be skating! I am not trying to fuck my ankle back up. We will be people watching, photographing & talking shit with party people friends (not real friends, just friends we meet out & about). Anyway, this is a DEMF weekend must attend party because you never know who will be there & what will jump off!

After some sleep, Sunday breakfast & house cleaning, I will be headed back to Detroit to attend my good friend Dahia Shabaka’s retirement party at the Charles H Wright AA History Museum. Dahia is a real inspiration to me & helped me look at my Blackness in a new & educated light. We have only known each other for a little over three years but it has been a good friendship.

Last year, when I started getting very close to making the decision to change my name, she guided me & helped me understand what I would be going through, legally, mentally & with family & friends. For that I am forever indebted.

After the celebration, I will be headed back to the DEMF to see Mark Farina perform & I am really looking forward to that. I hope to be home by 12ish cause I gotta get my ass up on Monday to help clean up, finish the garden work & season the chicken for out chicken & waffles dinner.

Now that I look back on my schedule, seeing “Speed Racer” is going to be tight. Maybe we can catch the early show on Sunday.

Anyway, back to gardening, here are a few shots from the last couple of days.

Have a safe weekend!

Occaisional Rain

"There was rain today
And crystal blue was hidden by a cloudy gray
A sudden shower come to chase the sun away
Occasional rain

Damn the weatherman
He seems to work against me any way he can
And he’s been dealing tear-drops since the world began
And occasional pain

And blue you, don’t believe I’m talking to you
The light is shining through you- still you will not see
Blue you- think I’m trying to undo you
When I only want to seek the Truth

And speak true
I can’t tell you when
But someday soon we’ll see the sun re-born again
And there’ll be light without as well as light within
And occasional rain"

Terry Callier 1972

Whenever I listen to Terry Callier's older music, I feel like I'm transported back in time for some reason. His newer music inspires me to want more of myself, my people & my love. If you are not up on him & like old soul/folksy type music, check him out. If you are a house fan, he has some pretty cool remixes out there. iTunes Boo!

DoYouLikeBaduLikeIDoBoo

Erykah Badu performed last night in Detroit with the Roots & the show was KICK ASS. I got so many awesome shots & I am so feeling myself right now. I may post one more, but I think this is a pretty good tease for now.

Don't you just love press passes???

Twilight World

My post title is inspired by Swing Out Sister's song "Twilight World” from their "It's Better to Travel" album 1987.

"Time out
World in a hurry
There's more love than money changing hands

Lights out
Thinking out loud
Turn your back on the world outside

Night thoughts
No one can share
As darkness breaks through another day

Secrets
Talking out loud
Silence waits just a dream away

Forget lonely crowds, unfriendly faces
They'll soon became familliar places
Before too long, before too long

Don't be fooled by love songs and lonely hearts
You're living in a twilight world.

Don't be fooled by love songs and lonely hearts
Don't give in to the twilight world."

Last night before dinner, I ran out to a cornfield near my home to take some photos of this lonely tree.  The real inspiration behind it was really the sky because it was so pretty with tones ranging from blue to pink to purple.

So I set my tripod up & get a few exposures so that I can process a HDR (High Dynamic Range) image.

30 minutes later, I’m at the table throwing down & 15 minutes after that I am working my magic & 25 minutes after that I have this:

I was so amazed at the twilight sky that I could not stop staring.  You know I use the term twilight a lot & especially referring to my preferred movie time (cheap tickets) but honestly never knew when twilight actually was.

So after some surfing, I discovered that twilight happens twice a day (before sunset & & after sunrise).  Can you say lesson for the day!

So while reading, I saw a link that said “Belt of Venus” & I was like, what the hell is that & how is it relevant.  Well it turns out that the Belt of Venus is an atmospheric occurrence that happens around twilight & it is the reason why we see pink & purple tones in the sky.

The reading further, I learned about the Blue Hour, which occurs between daylight and darkness.

The funny thing is that lately I've been taking images during these times & did not even know it. I just loved how the sky provided extra drama for my images.

I will not even get into the Golden Hour or Green Flash but I will tell you that I love Wikipedia!!!

If you too were in the dark about these natural phenomenons, now you know boo & we’s smart now.

That’s all!

Day Dreamer

Don't dream too long make all your dreams come true.
Things Happen when you move on the things you wanna do.

Day Dreamer it's in your eyes, you got that fire in you.
Make your dreams come alive, you've got to do it for you.

Keep aiming high.... high...... high. high. high.
Reach for the sky.... high...... high. high. high.

N'Dambi 2001

Music From the Diaspora: Estelle's "Shine" Preview

Friday night, I was lucky enough to cop a ticket to see UK singer Estelle in Detroit. Her two current singles, “Wait a Minute” & “American Boy” get me dancing big time so I was hoping for a lot of fun & boy did I get it (but first I had to plot to get my camera up in that bitch).

So after happy hour at the Centaur with Cousin Dee, we headed for dinner @ Union Street where the food is awesome but the service is horrible.

After a delicious meal, we headed back downtown hoping to miss Estelle's opening act & luckily we did! I will not name any names but her MC/opening act sucks & he happens to be a social acquaintance. He always asks me how I like his work, I'm always like, man it's great. I really wanna tell him to get a full time job & give it up but who am I???

It's now 1030 & Estelle is actually going on & what a relief that was because some of the smaller concerts in Detroit, start late as hell, which is very aggravating. I mean, you say the show starts @ 9 but the main act does not hit the stage until 11 or midnight; WTF!!!

Anyway, Estelle hits the stage & turns it out from start to finish! Her energy level was so hype, that I know I missed some good shots because I was busy shaking my ass. Her band & background singers were icing on the cake. The crowd mos def helped to liven the atmosphere because the house was feeling her & letting her know.

After the set I got to chill with Estelle & crew, which was very nice. She is a grounded, approachable & genuine person. It's so fun talking shit with with people whose art you admire & I talked a lot of shit.

If you have been following her recently, you know her album "Shine" does not drop in 4/29/08 &I will be picking it up vs. iTuning it.

A Little About Estelle:

She may be a born-and-raised West London girl, but we’d venture that 28-year-old Estelle Swaray is right at home in the energy of New York, her newly adopted city. She’s got the self-determination with a bit of swagger. The get-up-and-go hustle. And this is one singer/songwriter/producer/rapper who is not afraid to take risks.

The brief period since moving to NYC from London in May 2007 has been an absolute whirlwind, as Estelle gears up for her re-entry into the musical landscape with Shine, her second album. She’s the first artist to release under John Legend’s new Homeschool label, in partnership with Atlantic Records. It’s her debut on a major label, and an American one at that, but with Homeschool’s philosophy of artist control and good soul music, her affiliation with the label is at the essence of what she’s all about.

Whereas her 2004 debut album, The 18th Day from V2 Records, was totally self-created, Shine marks the first time Estelle has brought other producers and artists into the creative process with her, and she’s excited by the scope of the music that has come out of these collaborations. Kanye West, Swizz Beatz, Wyclef Jean, Will.i.am, Mark Ronson and Cee-lo & Jack Splash all lend talents to the album, executive produced by John Legend.

"Her sound is a unique blend of hip hop, pop, reggae and soul,” explains Legend. “She has a special voice, unlike any other voice out there in mainstream music, and she can really write. She writes hip lyrics with unforgettable melodies. I recognized that in her when I first worked with her in 2004." He continues, "I'm excited and honored to have Estelle as the first artist on my label, Homeschool Records. I believe the world is going to fall in love with her album, as I already have. Estelle is an amazing talent, and she's going to do big things." (Read More Here)

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Back to Me:

Cousin Dee & I had a great time on our 1st official "cousin date" this year. We joked & wondered how long it would be before we could top the fun we had.

Music From The Diaspora: Appreciating J. Dilla

I finally got a copy of this CD by J Dilla Friday.  I'm almost shamed to admit that I did not appreciate/know much about his musical talent until his death 2 years ago.  He mos def had a profound influence on r&b, hip-hop, & house/electronic music.

I find it interesting that so much goes on behind the scenes of music production that is never known by us common folk.

J Dilla has produced many of my favorite songs from artists like Erykah Badu who dedicated "Telephone" from her "New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War)" album.

The tribute was done after J Dilla's mother told a story that right before Dilla passed away, he would go into hallucinogenic rants about how Ol' Dirty Bastard was telling him he needs to get on the white bus and not the red one. 

"Telephone, it's Ol' Dirty
He wants to give you directions home
He said it won't be too long...

Just fly away to heaven brother
Make a place for me brother
Fly away to heaven brother celebrate for me brother
Fly away to heaven brother put in a word for me..."

2008 Erykah Badu "Telephone"

BTW, the CD is off the hook!

The Art of Composition

My post title is inspired partly by the composition of this photo & partly by Anita Baker’s song "Love You to the Letter” from her "Compositions" album 1990.

“Life is always changing
Constant rearranging
But nothing changes with you
You never do

I go to different places
See a million faces, but
None as fine as you

Baby I have the honor
To love someone kind and true
I thank my lucky stars
For bringing me here to you

Like water flows down from a hill
And yellow grows on daffodils
I'm gonna learn to love you better
To the letter, baby

Like morning dew on southern pines
And honey that bees leave behind
I'm gonna love you sweet to the letter
You'll find no better"

Because of Anita Baker, I love daffodils! When I see them, I remember riding the bus on Sunday mornings to work when I was a teenager listening to her "Compositions" album.

Actually the entire album takes me back to a very happy year in my life & strongly brings out memories of driving around in my mom’s Renault Medallion with my brother & sister. My momma would blast the music & we all sang along. We all knew we could not sing but it was so fun. The overall car favorite to sing was "Fairy Tales"

Bygbaby Week in Review

Yes, this is all about me. The post is long, kinda boring but I had to get it all out or die from excitement.

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Monday I had a test in my math class that I was feeling pretty confident about because I had been hitting the books consistently over a period 3 weeks. This test had to be the test that I made my comeback on because I totally fucked up on got a 69% on the 1st one. So I had to prove to myself that like so many others before me, I could do it.

So I took the test, which took me a good hour. After it was over I felt good, went home, changed into my gym gear, hit the gym, came back home, ate dinner & eventually fell asleep.

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Tuesday: I woke up feeling pretty good but nervous about the test from the day before. Got ready for work, hit the plantation for 8 hours, came home to cook dinner, went to the gym, ate dinner & eventually fell asleep.

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Wednesday: So today was the day I got the results of Monday’s test & I was pretty much on edge all day wondering how things ended up. Work was boring as usual & after 8 hrs, I hit Whole Foods for an in-class snack & some two bite brownies just in case I needed to console myself after getting my test results.

So now I am in class & the instructor said that he would pass the tests back after the break; everyone was like damn.

Anyway, we jumped off into chapter 4 & that shit was not so easy to comprehend but I will be working my ass off over the next few weeks to keep up.

Now it’s break time. I pull out my snack & beverage & await the test results. Five minutes later, the instructor stops in front of me then gives me smirk. At 1st I was like what was that all about, was he laughing at me, was he like great you did it, what???? Bottom line is it was a smirk of you did it. I got a 94 fucking %. So I was so geeked, I could not concentrate one bit after the break.

My come back is now on & poppin’!

After class, I went home, changed into my gym gear, hit the gym & watched ANTM while working the elliptical, came back home, ate a delicious Thai dinner that Suite Suzy picked up for me & eventually fell asleep after basking in the glow of my math victory (can you say run on sentence like a mutha!!!).

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Thursday: I woke up feeling fucking great & glowing because of my successful math comeback. Got ready for work, hit a 9am work mtg, returned to the office for a few hours, then left for the day to pick up Olivia & Sade because they had a half day of school & I wanted to spend some time with them.

It’s now 1150am & the girls & I are on our way to lunch. Lunch was god but the conversation was much better. It is really fun listening to them voice their opinions (sometimes). They are quite strong in how they feel about things & speak with such conviction to be so young. It’s good to see my kids more advanced than I was at their age.

Now it’s 2pm & we are back home after stopping at the store to pick up some movie snacks. The rest of the afternoon was spent watching “Stardust” (rented in iTunes), popping milk duds & whoppers.

OK so now it’s 4 pm & I get an email from Vonnie @ Honey Soul who informed me that singer Anthony David was trying to get in touch with me. So moments later Anthony David & I touch base & he tells me that his record label wants to BUY the impromptu photo that I took of him back in Nov 07. I was like what???

He was then like name your price & it’s on. So at this point, I had to consult with one of my professional fashion photographer friends & he was like don’t accept anything less that ?00 but don’t lose the sale so be flexible at the same time. I was like for real? He was like hell yeah.

OK so now I am back with AD & was like my price with rights is ?50 or you can have all 6 for ?000. He was like no problem, let me hook you up with the record label rep (Universal Republic Records).

Hours later after all negotiations, my price was honored the paperwork was submitted & the images were sent.

So you can imagine I was on cloud 9 all fucking afternoon through the evening. The kids heard all of the discussions & were like OMG is that for real. They were like, we are so excited for you baba/brother. It felt good to her my babies talk that way. I then got in touch with my boo to share the good news & she shared that same sentiments as the kids.

During all of the negotiations & other shit, I attended a talk on becoming a stock photographer by professional photographer Ric Kasnoff. I learned a lot & hope that one day some I can put the information to use.

About 1030, I made it back home did some paperwork, & eventually fell asleep. Notice, I did not have dinner, I was too tired & went to be slightly hungry.

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Friday: I woke up feeling fucking great & glowing because of my successful math comeback & my 1st photo sale!

Eventually, I scroll up into the plantation, work until about 1240pm then hit the Toyota dealership to test drive that Prius that I mentioned a few months back.

After being up in that bitch for 3 damn hours, a deal was made & I am now the proud “pre owner“ of a Prius. The one I wanted was not in stock & had to be ordered. It should be in by Wednesday next week. I am pretty geeked about my new car & the fact that I will be rolling fat like my boy Larry David!!! My car not is 24 bucks cheaper plus all of the gas money I will be saving. Cha ching!!!

The ride on the Prius was smooth, very quite & pretty roomy for a small vehicle. My gas guzzling V6 days are almost over!!!!!!!!!!!! BTW, I got mine in the "magnetic gray metallic" color.

It’s now just before 4pm & I roll up to the house & see Suite Suzy off before their 3-day girls weekend in western MI somewhere. I will miss them but looking forward to a quite house, mos def.

So I run in the house to spend some of the money I earning on my photo sale. I now have a new Nikon 85mm & Nikon 12-24mm lens on the way.

It’s now almost 5, so I take a quick leak then hit the freeway to head to the Centaur for after 5 cocktails.

My BFB winded up meeting me & we chilled while talking some shit like we do with some of the other bar flies. About 730 my boy “Bouncer Locs” asked me if I was going to the Jill Scott concert that was jumping off @ 8. I was like no, I could not get tix in time. He then said he had 2 & could not go. He offered them to me for 125 bucks. The wheels in my head were turning big time. I was like hold on let me consult. Fifteen minutes later, BFB had the tix in hand after making the money exchange in a weed smoke filled car (nothing like a contact buzz after a few martinis). Fifteen minutes after that we were up in the Fox in our seats (half way decent seats).

We caught the end of Raheem DeVaughn’s set, which was just OK. I mean, I really like Raheem but that new CD Is wack!!!!!!!

Now it’s a little after 9pm & my boo Jilly from Philly on stage looking good & sounding even better. She burned the stage up for 2 straight hours & totally gave me an eargasm!!!

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I ended my best 08’ week ever on such a high note, unlike that bitch ass Kwame Kilpatrick!

What the fuck is next?

Music+Wine=Comprehension

"Started with a rhyme from old ancient times.

Decedents of warlocks, witches with ill glitches.

Children of the matrix be hittin' them car switches.

Seen some Virgin Virgos hanging out with Venus Bitches."

Erykah Badu - "Twinkle" 2008

Reporting live from my Thursday night (much needed after an intense week) basement jump off! Lyrics from Erykah Badu’s latest album are now starting to make since to me. Maybe it’s the 3 glass of Chardonnay tonight or maybe because I have not stopped listening.

Who else is addicted to this joint? And can hip–hop really be bigger than a nigga???

Unrelated note:
If you are lover of blue cheeses I highly recommend picking up Gorgonzola Dolce. It is very mild yet very flavorful, perfect with fruit & fun when enjoyed with your favorite toys!

Crank Dat'

I wonder if this was done in the US, would human rights activist be tripping? Whatever the case, the video is off the hook!!!

Music From the Diaspora: New Amerykah: Part One (4th Volume)

"What if there was no niggas only master teachers?
I stay woke!

What if there was no niggas only master teachers?
I stay woke!

What if there was no niggas only master teachers now?
I stay woke!

What if there was no niggas only master teachers now?
I stay woke!"

Erykah Badu - "Master Teacher" 2008

After work today, I made a b-line to Circuit City to pick up Erykah Badu’s new CD “New Ameryka: Part One (4th World War)”. Once I was up in that bitch, I made my purchase, bounced back to the car & unwrapped the CD like an excited kid on Christmas day then popped the disc in.

Now the CD is playing & I was like, oh no! I hate the first song but I listened to it anyway. After that disappointment, the CD recovered by giving me 11 more songs that I liked.

“New Amerykah” is much different then its predecessor “World Wide Underground”, which was more hard hitting, in your face & edgy. Erykah’s latest offering is mellow, slightly trippy & proves that homegirl can move throughout the R&B & Hip-Hop genres blazing new trails while others continue to put out bullshit like several studio artist who will not be named because I am sick of them.

Anyway………. It took Erykah almost 5 damn years to come back & I must say it was worth the wait, point blank! Now I just can’t wait to listen to it tomorrow night as I enjoy a few cocktails to relax my mind.

My standout favorites are (RealPlayer needed to listen to samples):

• Honey (of course)
• Soldier***
• Telephone
• That Hump
• My People***
• Master Teacher***

Wait! I also LOVED the art in the CD jacket, which to me was like an added bonus, so I am happy that I did not settle with the iTunes “clean” version offering. There are just some artists who I need to have their physical CD in my collection.

Did you cop it yet or is you???

BTW: Another disc will be dropping this summer (YES) called "New Amerykah: Part 2 (Return of the Ankh)"

In other good news my new Tizieu French Series Dunny arrived today!!!

Yes We Can

I got this via email today from one of my heroes & loved it & thought I would share it. What a great message!!!

Will Jesus Really Save Your Ass???

Why is that when Negroes are in boiling water they all of the sudden call on “the church” to help their asses out. Why come they were not up in the church trying to help them get out of whatever it was that got them into trouble.

Today, Detroit news outlets reported that Kwame Kilpatrick will finally be addressing the sexy text message scandal tomorrow from his church @ 730. Why did it take a week!!!???

When I first saw this headline, I sighed out loud WTF! I am like you should have been up in your pastors office last week instead of being all up in Christine Beatty while on vacay @ a spa in NC.

I'm also tripping on the fact that Kwame & Christine are now both being surrounded by spiritual supporters/advisers. One of the pastors last week said that we should not judge the man & let him work through this drama with the help of the lord.

To that, I’m like, wait, so you, the pastor are telling us not to judge him but 2 years ago you told us to judge him & doing it by casting a vote to get his monkey ass re-elected! So basically, you are telling me to judge him when it is beneficial!!!

Classic example of why we need a separation of church & state. Too many pulpit pimps, leading fools to do foolish things.

I remember 2 years ago when I was a church attending Christian during election time. My then pastor told us basically to vote against a proposal that would allow gay marriage in Michigan. I almost stood up & said something but Suite Suzy was like don’t go there. When I was going to a church, I was not there to talk politics & suppress the rights of other.

Anyway, I am hoping that Kwame tenders a resignation tomorrow so that the city can heal (said in my best sarcastic voice). Oh the drama!!!

On another but similar note, I was having an internal conversation with myself today & questioned what song would Carlita & Christina sing to Kwame if they had the chance. The first thing that came to mind was “The Boy Is Mine” by Brandy (1998), but then I thought that was too juvenile. Then after some real deep thinking, I came up with “Let No Man Put Asunder” by First Choice (1977), which is perfect for the situation. You see, music can be applied to anything boo!

Childhood Music Rememories

I was over on the Ensayn blog this AM & he had a mini post on 80's sensation, Billy Ocean. When I saw Billy's picture posted, I immediately thought about my baby brother & I jamming to his songs when were we kids. One of our favorite songs was "Loverboy" & I remember how we would go crazy when the video came on "Friday Night Videos" way back when.

My other Billy Ocean jam was "Love Zone"! I remember thinking back then that I would play "Love Zone" when I had sex for the first time way back when. Like a lot of things that I wanted to happen, "Love Zone", never jumped off that one fucked up night. The night I became a man is actually one of my worse memories from the 90's. The chick, looking back was a barracuda, who only used me for nothing more than hot dick & nuts.

It is a good thing that Youtube exists because I just had a vicious bittersweet childhood "rememory."

Good TV Flashback

Erykah Badu's rendition of Diana Ross' "Love Hangover" was the single best thing that aired on BET all year!!!

Music From the Diaspora: Madlib Shades of Blue

I may be late as hell on this but whatever cuz it’s new to me.

About a month or so ago, I met Asia Zimmerman, another Detroit area media, freelance photographer, & fellow Nikonian. We were both working a shoe designer event midtown Detroit & we talked about how phony & standoffish some photographers are that we run across at other events. We also tripped on how this was really the first time we actually could kick it with a photographer at an event & actually have a little fun talking to someone in the business.

Anyway over the course of the evening we shared a few stories, snapped some photos & swapped cards; you know the usual. So the next day, I pulled out Asia’s card, so that I could check out her website to see what kind of photography she and her husband did & immediately liked the site & their work!

While combing through the site, there was this hot hip-hopish jazzy cut playing but there was no indication of what it was etc. Since I am a music whore, I emailed Asia, to a) let her know that I was happy to run into her, b) compliment her on her work & c) find out whom that music was by.

Later that day, I got a reciprocating email from Asia & she gave me the song info. It turns out the song is “Mystic Bounce”, a remix by Madlib, which is on the “Madlib Shades of Blue: Madlib Invades Blue Note” album. “Mystic Bounce” is a modern take on Ronnie Foster’s “Mystic Brew” which has more of a jazz lounge feel.

Anyway, so I open iTunes so that I could find this album with the quickness, but was let down fast as it was not on iTunes. I then turned to eMusic, only to find that the album was not there either. The only place I could find the album for sale was on Amazon & it was listed as an import for 22 bucks. Since I am cheap, I said fuck that & decided to just chill until I could find it cheaper.

Weeeeeeell, I never found it cheaper and after searching for 3 weeks back & forth on Amazon etc. I finally got to the point that I did not care & just bit the bullet, paid the damn 22 bucks, & eagerly anticipated the arrival of my cd.

Last week, I watched my mailbox for the CD like a welfare recipient waiting on a check and yesterday it finally arrived!!!

As soon as I got the wrapper off, I popped the CD into my laptop & listened to “Mystic Bounce” first. I actually listened to it like 5 times before I decided to see what the rest of the CD was about. I had no idea that “Mystic Bounce” was the tip of the iceberg.

Shit, I think I got my money’s worth because this CD is bumping start to finish with its hip-hop/jazz/lounge vibe. I think for the next week, I will be on Madlib overload as I plan to heavily rotate this on my iPod.

This CD is a winner start to finish, so if you are as late as me, you should mos def pick this up & discover it for yourself. If you decide to pick it it, you will find a better price than I did. I just checked Amazon & there are tons of CD’s available now from $8.49-12.97. Shit maybe if I waited, I could have saver over to bucks!

Anyway, my standout favorites are:

• Distant Land (Hip-Hop Drum Mix)
  
• Stormy
  
• Step into Tomorrow
  
• Montara
  
• Footprints

Are you a Madlib fan? If so gimme some recommendations of his other work I should check out.

Music from the Diaspora: Red Earth: A Malian Journey

Earlier this month while on a road trip to Detroit to shoot an event, I heard a very fascinating interview with NPR’s Melissa Block & jazz diva Dee Dee Bridgewater on All Things Considered. They were discussing Dee Dee’s latest CD Red Earth: A Malian Journey which is a tribute to her African Roots.

Before the interview even began, I was hooked when I heard a clip of one of her new cuts “Afro Blue” & then I became totally engrossed with every word that Dee Dee spoke as she described her process for developing this new master piece.

One thing from the interview really resonated with me was when Melissa asked Dee Dee if she knew anything about her African heritage before the beginning of her Red Earth project & Dee Dee said “I didn’t know anything. And as a matter of fact, to be perfectly honest, I had grown up with very, very negative impressions of Africa. In, you know, schoolbooks where they would talk about Africa, it was always like the Africans were savages. I had no idea that there were African kingdoms, that there were, you know, these deep, cultural roots, you know, the whole, griot oral historians. You know, I didn’t know this stuff because we weren’t taught that in school.” To that statement, I was like hello!!! I also felt proud because I am teaching my children about the beauty of Africa as I learn myself (it's really up to Black parents to learn & teach our children as much as possible about our own heritage because these white school systems are not down for the cause).

During the interview Dee Dee also talked about how Mali had this draw to her, some type unfamiliar familiarity but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it until she visited Bamako. To hear her describe the experience made me want to touch down on the motherland even more. On her website she says “The calling was so strong, so forceful, that I had to heed its inaudible cry. I took wing, and was guided to the land of my forefathers. The RED EARTH has always spoken to me, from the time of my birth in Memphis, Tennessee.

When I touched the red earth of Bamako, when I inhaled the Malian air, when I heard the tambours, and listened to the griots, I felt my spirit begin to dance.

I saw myself in the people; I saw that our customs were the same. I found the answers to long-standing questions about the ‘how’, the ‘where’, and the ‘why’. I was invigorated and inspired; my soul was filled with an inexplicable peace.”

I could go on & on about how awesome the interview was but I’m not, I beg you to listen to it yourself (here).

One thing that I would have asked Dee Dee would have been if she got a DNA test to confirm her link to Mali. Actually I guess it really does not matter because ignorance is sometimes bliss & adoptive homes are just as welcoming.

Lastly while I am on Dee Dee's jock, I stumbled across an interview that she gave Baltimore Sun reporter Rashod D. Ollison where she said "...With this album, my concern was that my people, our people, would hear it and maybe it would inspire other brothers and sisters to make that connection with Africa. With this record, I've come full circle." To that I say, you have me all in but then again, you are preaching to the choir.
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Back to the music.
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Since I got the CD, it has been in heavy rotation especially the song “Red Earth (Massane Cisse)”. It has this strong Blues jump off blended with heavy Afro poly-rhythms that just gets my head boppin’. She really has the Griot song style down pat & it shows in this cut I think also hearing her talk about red earth reminds me of playing in the dirt as a child in Alabama & then getting in trouble when I got home because I ruined another Salvation Army outfit.

“The Griots (Sakhodougou)” also has me addicted its words and sound. This cut also drives my imagination wild when I close me eyes & imagine people dancing on the continent when the song hits the orgasmic crescendo. Most of the song is in either the Songhai or Babara language & I have no idea what they are saying but of course I sing along. Good thing music is a universal language!

My last highlighted favorite is “Afro Blue”, where her Griot skills are showcased yet again wonderfully. “Afro Blue” is an up-tempo jazzy cut infused with African percussions that really make this song go over the top. I have also determined that this is a good song to listen to a few times while cleaning the kitchen after dinner.

Other favorites include:

• Bad Spirits (Bani)
• Long Time Ago
• Children Go 'Round
• Four Woman

I’ve always considered Dee Dee to be a very diverse artist but she mos def stepped her game up with something to offer the jazz, blues and Neo Afro rhythms fans on “Red Earth: A Malian Journey.”

If you have this album, I would love to know your thoughts…….. So talk to me…………

About Last Night XII: Urban Organic Music Festival (UPDATED)

Saturday (11/17/07) I was assigned to photograph the 6th Urban Organic Music Festival at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD). When I heard about the event 2 weeks ago I got excited a) because Amp Fiddler was hosting and b) because Roy Ayers was the featured act (one of my favorite jazz musicians).

The Urban Organic Music Festival features great music workshops for those wanting to break into the business, a concert that has an eclectic mix of hot new R&B/Neo-soul (what's really new with soul) acts from across the country and always tops it off with a cherry by having a music heavyweight on the bill like my new friend Roy Ayers. Bottom line is this event is a must do for any serious music fan; it attracted online R&B maven Honey Soul, who I kicked it with briefly.

My evening at the MOCAD started around 8pm and like most events, the coordinators were happy to see me, gave me my press kit and let me in to do my thing.

So now I am up in the spot and the crowd was already thick, luckily I was able to get in some quick photos of many of the artist before they went on (talk about busy!).

As the hours went past and the who's who of Detroit showed up, I grew exhausted longing for a 15-minute nap (I was vending Quench Essentials yesterday in 2 locations from 9am-730pm) but that was not going to happen. Between taking performance photos and kicking it with friends, I got occasional adrenaline rushes that got me to 10pm when Roy Ayers entered the building. Here is shot of Anthony David and it is one of my favorites from the evening.

Now that Roy was in the spot, backstage took on a different tone. Everyone was excited and enjoyed the vibe that this living legend was giving off.

After things slowed down, I was able to kick it one on one with Roy (guess who was ultra excited). This was a moment that I had been hoping for and I had my questions ready to go.

First I asked Roy, what was on his mind when he wrote "Kwajilori" (one of my absolute favorite songs). When I finished asking the questions, he chuckled and said that he did not write it. His bass player at the time wrote the song and when he heard it the 1st time, he knew that it had to be recorded. I told him that Kwajilori also makes me smile and feel good about life and he said that was the point; then we both laughed.

Secondly, I said "Roy, I love "Brand New Feeling because it gets me in the mood", we again both laughed. I then said, excuse my French and no disrespect intended at all but.......... when the vocalist (Merry Clayton) sings, it sounds like she is fucking, she sounds so very sensual: Roy, what was going on during that time. He was like man if you only knew! He said that "she sang like she knew how to do it" and again, more laughing.

Before we parted ways, I let him know one more time how his work influences me and always gets me singing and feeling great. Usually at events I do not get photographs of myself because I trust no one with my camera and last night was no exception. So I was like, Roy, lets take a picture. He was like how, no one is around then I said, I got this and did my thing. He was like, man you are BAD! Minutes later he was on stage.

Although Roy’s set was 4 songs long, it lasted for over an hour and he set it off!!! He started with "We Live in Brooklyn," which sent the large crowd of fans out of control with excitement. He then smoothly transitioned to "Searching" and the crowd started singing. Once he neared the end of “Searching,” he asked the crowd what they wanted to hear then an unanimous thunder of the word SUNSHINE flew back at Roy, seconds later it was on and poppin’. This version of "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" lasted about 30 minutes and included improv duets with most of the artists that performed that evening including Amp Fiddler, Monica Blair, YahZarah aKa Purple St. James, Melissa Young, Alison Crockett, and Profit (a new Detroit based rapper, who really got the crown hype). I mean this performance was an orgasm for the ear!

The evening wrapped with a dance favorite "Runaway". I think most of the crowd including me was up shaking their thang and singing the hook (doo be doo, run, run, run - doo be doo, run, run, run - doo be doo, run, run, run).

After the concert was over, Amp Fiddler announced the after party location and people started to file out. I said fuck that, I need to sit down before I passed the fuck out, eat & take my ass home. I made it home about 2am totally drained of energy but glowing thinking about the time that I spent with one of my idols.

Oh I forgot to mention that Roy asked for my card and I excitedly gave it to him. I hope he hits me up, how cool would that be???

::::::::::::::::::::::UPDATE::::::::::::::::::::::

Yesterday, I was contacted by Drake Phifer, the founder of Urban Organic because he stumbled across this post & loved the photos. We did a little business & he will be forwarding many of my photos to Fusicology & Detroit's Ambassador magazine. Guess whose geeked???

Quench Essentials @ the Shop-n-Sip

If you are in Metro Detroit or just looking for a road trip with a mission to shop, come check Quench Essentials out next Saturday at Spectacles for the annual Shop-n-Sip. This will be a shopping experience to remember!

Music from the Diaspora: Panacea