::Sean Bell Town Hall Meeting::Brooklyn, NY::(4/29/08)::

As promised. Here's a town hall meeting scheduled for tomorrow night in Brooklyn discussing the Sean Bell verdict and its implications:

COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA JAMES,

THE FORT GREENE ASSOCIATION,

AKILA WORKSONGS LLC &

KEVIN POWELL

PRESENT:

A TIME TO HEAL AND ACT

A Town Hall Meeting on the Sean Bell Verdict

This Tuesday, April 29, 2008, doors open at 6:30 pm

Brown Memorial Baptist Church
484 Washington Ave. @ Gates Ave.
Fort Greene/Clinton Hill, Brooklyn
Subway - C to Clinton-Washington Aves.

All in the community are invited.

We will begin a dialogue that will
move beyond words to positive actions.


"Get up, get into it, get involved."

::Nas' shining contribution to the canon of intellectual Black thought::

I mean, really. This is wrong on so many levels. I don't even know where to begin. At this point, I think everybody is being controversial just to sell some units. And the part that kills the whole concept of this record is that when you listen to the single, there's nothing meaningful about the lyricism or the message. So much for thinking that Nas was going to have something constructive to say. I don't know man. Historically, the use of this word in pop culture has always been on a tightrope. Let us not forget that social thinker and comedian Dick Gregory entitled his 1963 autobiography Nigger.



But the difference in this instance is that Gregory's heart wrenching story had a socially redeeming undertone. Strangely enough, the fact that a rapper would make a record like this doesn't bother me as much. What bothers me is the gross moral corruption of media corporations who seem indifferent as to how "art" such as this will psychologically impact the masses. When the working day is done, I guess a dollar is a dollar.

Nas' artistic choices exibit the dual consciousness of many hip-hop recording artists. 2pac's body of work was a prime example. He could make positive songs citing the social ills of the Black community ("Brenda's Got A Baby"), uplifting messages of inspiration to Black women ("Keep Your Head Up") and praise ("Dear Mama"). But he could turn the corner and make violent songs that would seem as if he had an alter ego. Nas' body of work has many parallels to 2pac. Sadly, the majority of their catalogs are comprised of incendiary content. Nas' most recognizable uplifting contribution comes in the form of "I Can," a tune urging young children to aspire to higher goals in life. But, again, the Philip Morris philosophy of warning the public of an addictive poison that it simultaneously sells is clearly not the answer.

Anyway, I digress. Listen for yourself and chime in:
http://www.zshare.net/audio/11222405ccc21113/

::Who freaked it the best?::

Brenda of Apollonia 6 - 1984


or...


Madonna - 2008

You make the call.

::Racism doesn't exist::

Marketing and advertising are very interesting tools. Here's a cool little test. Check the following ad campaigns. If any of these ads rouse some sort of concern, then it's a good sign that you've retained some of the autonomous critical thinking faculties that Madison Avenue has tried to kill off over the course of your lifetime. If they don't bother you in the slightest...I want some of what you're smoking:


Translation: "In Africa, many kids would be glad to be worried about school."


Translation: "I'm waiting for my last day in school, the children in Africa still for their first one."


Translation: "Some teachers suck. No teachers sucks even more."


Translation: "In Africa, kids don't come to school late, but not at all."









The first four ads ran in Germany as part of their UNICEF campaign to raise funds and awareness about the need for school funding in Africa during 2007. However, it looks and sounds (from the translations) more like they're mocking the situation. Bottom line, somebody need some fire put to their ass for this one.

The two Sony PSP ads ran in the Netherlands in 2006. When Sony was approached about the potentially offensive nature of the campaign, they apparently felt absolved stating "All of the 100 or so images created for the campaign have been designed to show this contrast in colours of the PSPs , and have no other message or purpose." While the billboard ads stayed in place, the ads on their website were subsequently taken down following the controversy. Again, somebody needs some fire set to their ass for this one.

The last two ads were developed by Benetton in the early 1990s. Throughout their history, Benetton has made many a controversial move in attempts to personify their projected company image of "one color." However the Italian clothier's modes and methods of doing so remain questionable for many. The image of the white baby nursing the black woman's breast was pulled after the ad caused an uproar. The "devil and angel" ad caused a maelstrom of letter writing campaigns upon its debut.


If you were incensed by any or all of these ads, it is likely that you picked up on the central theme that these images attempt to convey: racial ideology. However playful or clever they may be, the psychological damage of ads such as these threaten to further deteriorate our global society. For those eracists that are devout believers that racism is an artifact of a bygone era, look at these ads once again with the following terms in mind and tell me if that don't slap you back into reality:

*Birth Of A Nation
* subjugation
* blackface
* mammy
* racial villification

(feel free to ad more in the comments section)

In the words of John Singleton, unlearn.

::Where's Maxwell?::

Ok, I've been secretly waiting for this kat to come out of hiding just as much as the next person. But the last place I expected him to resurface was modeling clothes on a Gap in-store poster board. I mean, really. What the hell ever happened to his comeback record, Black Summers' Night?



That album title and the impending release had been volleying back and forth in the press since 2006. But instead of a dope record, all we got were broken promises and rumors of a label-artist conflict stemming from alleged homosexual messages in the music. Man, at this point I don't even care. I just want some good music. Hopefully, D'angelo and Lauryn Hill can come out of obscurity and drop some gems real soon too. Call me nostalgic, but I just long for a little slice of yesterday. R&B (and hip-hop) has become increasingly disposable since the dawning of digital downloads in the 21st century. We're selling scandal, reality program personalities, and souped up celebrity status instead of music. It seems that art has officially taken a backseat to commerce in the millennial era. When your net worth as an artist is measured by your total ringtone sales, there's a problem. We've morphed into a culture of incidental music consumers...and that ain't good folks.

Chalk it up to wishful thinking, but I'm of the mind that what goes around comes back around. Good shit will come back in fashion. Early. Until then, I guess we'll just have to cross our fingers and pray that groundhogs like L-Boogie, Maxwell, and D'angelo don't get scared by their own shadows and camp out in their bat caves for another decade.

::By unnecessary means::

In this month's issue of Giant magazine, photographer Antonin Kratochvil and journalist Aliya King peer into the troubled life of Malcolm Shabazz II, the grandson of great civil rights figure and iconoclast Malcolm X. This is one of the very few pieces in pop journalism that I'm jealous of. This is the type of ish that I'm definitely trying to get into. Though the actual journalism played second fiddle to the centerpiece of the article, the recreated iconic photographs of his grandfather, the scant dialogue that was printed spoke volumes about his perspective on his life and the adverse effect the burden of his grandfather's legacy. On his recent release from Attica prison, what we do know for certain is his resolute pledge to never return. But with the rate of recidivism amongst Black male inmates, the odds are highly stacked against him.



In many ways, his story is one of irony and heartache. With all the tenets of empowerment and self respect that his grandfather strove to impart to black men with the intention of improving their condition and staving off the plight of the Black community, it is interesting that his grandson would stumble upon the very same pitfalls he warned of. Malcolm II's plight is a shining example of how the social institutions continue to fail the Black community.

The fire that he started in 1997 at the age of 12 claimed the life of his grandmother and widow of Malcolm X, Betty Shabazz. When news of this spread, many chose to crucify him in the press instead of thinking critically and asking the question of what would lead him to perform such a grave task.



Conversely, we could view Malcolm's journey as a replication of his grandfather's. Let us not forget that Malcolm X was also a "troubled" teenager who dropped out of school at a young age and bounced from several foster homes, detention centers, and even prison. In addition, Malcolm X was sent to live with a relative when he was too rambunctious to remain at home. Likewise, Malcolm II was sent by his mother Qubilah to live with his grandmother at the age of 12. Could it be that we're witnessing the making of another legend? Just a theory...

Check the story here:
Malcolm Shabazz II - Giant Magazine story

and here:
Malcolm Shabazz II - News One story

::The ballad of Sean Bell::

Breaking news: Queens, New York detectives Gescard F. Isnora, Michael Oliver, and Marc Cooper were acquitted of all charges in the murder of Sean Bell. Judge Arthur J. Cooperman stated just before he delivered the verdict that the "police response with respect to each defendant was not found to be criminal."

I'm not going to do a lengthy post on this. It's apparent that this is a blatant example of injustice at the hands of our government. Many people may not be surprised by this verdict. Need we be reminded that this overt display of injustice comes a mere 4 days before the 17th anniversary of the Rodney King verdict in California and 9 years after the Amadou Diallo tragedy in the Bronx?

Many people only see race as a factor in this disturbing case, yet it traverses those boundaries. After all, only one of the detectives charged with Sean Bell's murder was white. This is really about law enforcement's egregious abuse of power and the legislative branch's flexible use of the trope of blind justice.

Beneath the surface, an ominous tension is berewing like a viscous witches' brew. When it boils over, how will the government react. The fire next time won't be so easy to contain. It just may burn out of control. Though I'm trying hard to be civil, something inside me is ready to rage against the machine. The ending sociopolitical rant of Erykah Badu's "Twinkle" comes to mind(diologue borrowed from the 1976 motion picture, Network):

I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU THINGS AREN'T GOOD.
EVERYBODY KNOWS THINGS AREN'T GOOD!
WE KNOW THE AIR'S UNFIT TO BREATHE,
AND OUR FOOD IS UNFIT OT EAT!
YOUNG PUNKS ARE RUNNING THE STREET
NO ONE KNOWS JUST WHAT TO DO
AND THERE'S NO END TO IT!
THE DOLLAR BUYS A PENNYS WORTH!
BANKS ARE GOING UNDER
CONGRESS ARE KEEPING A GUN UNDER THE COUNTER!
WE SIT WATCHING OUR IDIOT BOXES
WHILE SOME LOCAL ANCHOR MAN TELLS US THAT
TODAY WE'VE HAD 18 MURDERS AND 80 VIOLENT CRIMES,
AS IF THAT WAS THE WAY THINGS WAS SUPPOSE TO BE!
WE KNOW TIMES ARE BAD!
WORSE THAN BAD!
PEOPLE ARE CRAZY!
ITS LIKE EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE
IS GOING UTTERLY MAD!
SO WE NEVER LEAVE OUR HOMES!
WE SIT IN OUR COMFY ABODES
WHILE THE WORLD IS GETTING SMALLER
AND WE SAY, "COME ON!
AT LEAST LEAVE US ALONE IN OUR FAMILY ROOMS!
LET ME HAVE MY MICROWAVE
AND FLATSCREEN AND MY 20 INCH RIMS
AND I WON'T SAY ANYTHING!
JUST LEAVE US ALONE!"
WELL I'M NOT GONNA LEAVE YOU ALONE!!!
I WANT YOU TO GET ANGRY!!!!
I DON'T WANT YOU TO RIOT,
I DON'T WANT YOU TO PROTEST,
I DON'T WANT YOU TO WRITE YOUR SENATOR
BECAUSE I WON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU TO TELL HIM!!
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE RECCESSION
AND THE INFLATION, AND THE CRIME IN THE STREET!!
ALL I KNOW IS THAT YOU'VE GOT TO GET MAD!!!
YOU'VE GOT TO SAY, "I'M A HUMAN BEING DAMMIT!
MY LIFE HAS VALUE!"

Thirty-two years later, those words still resonate. But who is ultimately to blame for the state of our society? In a post 9-11 world, racial profiling is on the upswing and distrust amongst citizens increases with each piece of propaganda. But should that justify the killing of innocent citizens? John Locke and Thomas Hobbes must be rolling in their graves.

This is an issue of human interest that expands beyond the confines of race, class, ethnicity, and gender. In the words of James Brown, we need to all get the hell up, get into it, and get involved.

Stay tuned for info on rallies and protest marches...

::You::guys::suck::

No, really.

::Keep hope alive?

Did this one even register on anybody's radar? I didn't hear about any big to-do at my neighborhood record stores (and I live around a gabillion of 'em). I'm all about supporting the record stores, especially indie stores. But I didn't hear of any big name or local bands doing any appearances or significant freebies. So, naturally, it was just another day to me. I mean, all that stuff may have happened...but the promotion around it was mediocre at best. In all, this just seemed like a feeble attempt to rescue a situation that's already too far gone. Digital media is on the upswing. There will be a moratorium on the physical medium within the next 5-10 years, kids. End of story. From all the snotty high school kids who purchased those 3 million Soulja Boy ringtones, the college kids who swear by downloading MP3s online, the greedy industry executives who charged too much for music for too long, to the die hard "vinyl junkie" DJs who switched to Serato Scratch---EVERYONE'S A CONTRIBUTOR!

As much as I love vinyl, it's going to get more and more scarce. But is anyone particularly to blame for the current trend of consumption? Hmm. Certainly not the consumer, right? MP3s are far more practical. I mean, don't you laugh at those messengers that hop on the subway nodding their heads fervently the newest hip-hop track...pumping from their Sony Discman? Don't you just get the sudden urge to shake them into 2008? HA! I do. So does the blame sit with the corporations, then? Hmm. With the recession and the stock market in flux, everyone's looking to cut their overhead to save their profit margin. And if the manufacturing costs of CDs can be sacrificed by going fully digital, why not? Some may see my facetious little argument as a bit devil's advocate, but let's just call it food for thought.


I mean, I still go to record stores. I love the spots in my hood. But my visits have waned over the past few years. CDs aren't getting any cheaper and with new vinyl production on the downslope, I've been uninspired to drop by some of my favorite haunts of yesterday. However, nothing will supplant the niche stores that specialize in satiating the joneses of crate diggers. But let's face it. The digital revolution is progressing at breakneck speed, and ain't no turnin' back. I'm a hater, swipe my card.

WTF?!

I mean...are they f*ckin' serious?! If this is the future of country music, you'll never have to worry about me settin' foot on the flip side of the Mason-Dixon line!

::Ancestry In Progress::

12.08.1963 - 04.03.2008


07.23.1926 - 04.08.2008

Your legacies have left indelible impressions on the world-at-large. Thank you for the precious gifts you bore. May your journey be peaceful and radiant.