::2010 FIFA WORLD CUP IN SOUTH AFRICA::

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!!!

The games will run from today, June 11th through July 11th. For more information, visit the FIFA website!

::R.I.P. Cousin Benny::

(embedded YouTube video)
09.26.1963 – 05.30.2010
Your legacy has left an indelible impression on the world-at-large.



Thank you for the precious gifts you bore.



May your journey be peaceful and radiant

Note: To a cousin who so unselfishly gave his great talents to a world that he left too soon.
There is solace in knowing that you did not leave with your music still inside you.
I know Footz is up there lacing your effervescent, glorious trumpet solo with the tightest socket beat ever heard. Until we meet again, keep them Cabbage-Patching in heaven. Ashe.

::Ultimate Breaks & Beats...on USB?!::

Ok. How in the HELL did I miss this one?!


Looks like the folks over at Street Beat Records gallantly glided into the 21st century two years ago with this nifty USB thumb drive jam packed with the entire 25 volume set of the seminal crate digger's we dream: Ultimate Breaks & Beats. The year prior, they released a CD/ DVD version of this. At the risk of soiling my digger's dossier, I must admit I was never educated on these lauded volumes. I learned the art of trainspotting samples through the extensive and eclectic collections of my parents, relatives, and friends as a shortie.



Upon discovering the re-pressings at the now sadly defunct Beat Street, I made it a point to purchase one and slowly begin to collect the entire lot. Unfortunately, Beat Street shut down before I could complete the mission.



But this new ("new" to me, that is) USB configuration just might make me abort that mission. Initially priced between $75-$105, this joint is kind of hard to find at the moment. The initial production is surely sold out and I'm almost positive that they haven't produced any new ones in the past year. If you can find it, and you're an anal collector like me, snag it! But I'm so super late on this one, I'm not even going to post a link. Google it.



Ultimate Breaks & Beats
1986-1991

::Ancestry.In.Progress::R.I.P. Gary Coleman::

02.08.1968-05.28.2010

Your legacy has left an indelible impression on the world-at-large.
Thank you for the precious gifts you bore.
May your journey be peaceful and radiant.


Note: When I chose Gary as the mascot for my blog, it was largely due to the good cheer he inspired in me as a child. It was also partially attributed to the fact that Gary's lovable character Arnold Jackson was the first television character that I, as a young Black kid, could identify with on many levels. At the juncture of Gary Coleman and Arnold Jackson, I saw the possibility of transcending my own socioeconomic circumstances and actualizing my potential. Whether rushing to the television upon hearing the first line of the theme song or doubled over in laughter at Gary's antics, Diff'rent Strokes was one of my many weekly highlights for several years. When I started this blog, it never occurred to me that he would be departing this world so soon. But I am certain that his spirit is at infinite peace in a realm where the pain, ridicule, neglect and transgressions he incurred are distant, incidental memories. Thank you, Gary Coleman, for giving a little Black boy like me an inkling of an idea of what it means to be young, gifted, and Black. Ashe.


(embedded YouTube video)

::Joint of the day:: Kelis "4th Of July (Fireworks)"::

Yes. Kelis is weird. We know. But, hell, she's been that way since she made her debut 11 years ago. And you can't front on the fact that her special brand of Black girl weird adds to her appeal and makes her unique (Black girls ROCK, btw). I personally champion it. Can't say I'm a fan of her entire catalog. But her self expression as an artist never ceases to intrigue me. Her fifth album Flesh Tone is due out early next month on Will.i.Am's Interscope-distributed label. The lead single "Acapella" reached the top spot on Billboard's dance chart and her latest fashion and creative visual concepts have made an, um, "impression" on blogs all over the net:


Artwork from the Flesh Tone CD booklet.


And apparently, she doesn't give a good goddamn:

Kelis - MTV Shows

(Props to Parlour.)


Yet while "Acapella" did little in the way of whetting my appetite for the new record, the second single "4th Of July (Fireworks)" was definitely a pleasant surprise. It's a dope little Euro-dance romp retrofitted with a funky French house strut. Kinda dope, actually. Take a listen. You make the call.