I am so full.
Archive for the 'i heart it' Category
I like to think of myself as a fan of modern art. I haven’t formally studied or read a great deal of literature about it, but when I see a piece I really like there’s little to nothing that can stop me from buying it — and I mean nothing, including not having a place to put it or enough money to buy it. I’m reckless that way.
While I was at Howard I developed a fondness for collage and mixed media art. There is a permanent piece in the Howard University Gallery Lounge by renowned African American collage artist Romare Bearden that I fell in love with. And ever since then I’ve had a weakness for the medium. Clearly I’m in no position to fill my little 1 BR with original pieces of art from some of my favorite collagists, but I’ve discovered some amazing local DC artists who do amazing work that I’ve been fortunate enough to meet and purchase pieces from.
As y’all know I spend most Sunday afternoons at Capitol Hill’s Eastern Market. Even when I’m inside-out-pocket broke, I’ll rustle up some loose change or a few singles from my ‘emergency stash’ and at least come back with some fresh cut flowers or some fresh fruit or veggies… Here are a few pieces I’ve bought from local artists who have booth space at the Market:
This piece is by Jackson-Collins. Bottom line, he is amazing. An internationally acclaimed artist, you’ll often find him at the market working on a piece he’s not planning or willing to sell. If you get the chance to go and just talk to him you’ll be intrigued, I promise. An art and music purist, his love for both shines thru in all he does and says. Continue reading ‘I heart art’
This is one of my first — if not the first — student film project I did while I was at Howard University. I ran into one of my former classmates/production team members at a show tonite and I told her I’d Youtube this for her. So I thought I’d share with you too ;)
The video is called “Ghetto Superstar” and it’s about a ghetto superhero who rescues innocent women from annoying men with no game. Shaky camera work, poor lighting and blurry focus by yours truly ;) And the sound effects came courtesy of Wu-Tang Clan’s “Enter the 36 Chambers” and the rest of the ladies in the group (I did the one where the guy next to the car is laughing).” It’s not exactly a masterpiece. But it’s still fun to watch. I’m not in it but a bunch of my old HU buddies are. Back then all I wanted to do was operate camera and edit. I had absolutely no desire to ever be in front of the camera… but look at me now. Life is so random.
Every now and then something happens that reaffirms my belief that people are good.
I had a show last nite in Charlottesville, VA. I parked my car in a parking deck in DC yesterday afternoon, and when I came back to the car to leave for my show, the parking lot attendant told me that I had a flat tire.
Inconvenient? Yes. But I’ve changed dozens of flat tires, so it wasn’t a huge problem. I asked her if the car was in a spot where I had room to jack it up and she said yes. Cool. So the man who parks the cars walked me down into the garage and I popped my trunk and pulled out my spare… only to realize that it was flat. I then remembered how I had a flat last winter and never took my spare to be fixed. Typical me.
But what to do?
I didn’t panic or have a cussing fit because there really wasn’t anything I could do about the situation. It was too late to try and get it to a garage and have it fixed because they would be closing for the day. I can count on 1, maybe 2 fingers the number of shows I’ve had to cancel on really short notice. And I absolutely hate to do it. But sometimes things happen.
I called the guy who booked the show I was headed to and told him there was no way I was gonna be able to get my tire(s) fixed and make it to Charlottesville in time for the show. And just as I was about to go call a tow truck, the parking lot employee who walked me down into the garage offered to lend me his donut.
Who DOES that?
I’ll tell you who. No one. Continue reading ‘Good people’
I can’t even believe I’m typing this sentence because I can’t believe it’s happening… but I am going to be a guest on the Ellen DeGeneres show next month! HOORAY!!! I’m not sure anyone really understands what that means to me. But it’s just the validation I needed. And right on time.
In addition to just plain being my favorite, she is THE icon for female comics of my generation as far as I’m concerned. So genuine and smart, so original… and she knows who *I* am. That blows my mind. I was contacted by her show after Ellen saw me on Last Comic Standing. “Ellen is such a fan. She was so upset you didn’t advance to the next round.” That was an exact quote! I’m going out to tape in about a month. More info to come later for sure. I’m so gassed. Gotta go write some jokes!
–Me
This cartoon was drawn by very talented artist and friend Scott Fertig.
From Passiveaggressivenotes.com. I heart this:
Oh and I couldn’t leave this gem out from Toothpaste for Dinner:
I think I’m gonna need backup…
So after my club experience a few weeks ago, I’ve been thinking a lot about the hip-hop I grew up on… in the good ol’ days ;) LL Cool J’s Bigger and Deffer is one of the first rap ‘cassette tapes’ I ever bought. This album came out in 1987, so I was just a baby — in 4th or 5th grade. I remember that I used to play it really low so my parents wouldn’t hear all the cuss words. I still know every word to, I think, every song on that album… Now that I look back I sooooo shouldn’t have been listening to this album at that age, but whatevs ;) I learned a lot by listening to that record. Here are some of my favorite tracks from B.A.D. Pls. pardon me if I get any of these lyrics wrong. I’m doing this off the dome w/o the help of Google.
The Bristol Hotel — I knew a fat girl / She wore an orange skirt / You give her 20 dollars and you could do work / She takes food stamps and travelers checks because her hair and her face and her life’s a wreck… (I think this is how I learned about prostitution).
I Need Love — When I’m alone in my room / Sometimes I stare at the wall / And in the back of my mind / I hear my conscience call / Telling me I need a girl / Who’s as sweet as a dove / For the first time in my life / I see I need love (The king of all sappy hip-hop love songs; this is when I first fell in love with one, Mr. James Todd Smith)
Kanday — I met this new girl / With big juicy lips / And nice round hips / I mean her body’s a trip… (This is how I learned what it takes to keep a man … and that I wasn’t willing to put in that much work ;)
But my favorite song (and I’m sure it was yours too ;) off this album was “I’m Bad.” You can say that the lyrics to the above tracks were cheesy or raunchy, but the lyrics to I’m Bad were just H.A.R.D… In 1987, son???? Hard.
I was listening to this track on repeat for like half an hour this morning and wow… Dude’s brag is sooo huge, but you kinda have to love a guy who loves himself that much. I used to write hip-hop album reviews for allhiphop.com. Dig around the site archives and you’ll find a few with my name on ‘em… I wish I could have reviewed Bigger and Deffer when it first came out. These would have been some of the lines I pulled from “I’m Bad”:
Got concrete rhymes / Been rapping for ten years / And even when I’m bragging I’m being sincere
Not bitter or mad just provin’ I’m bad / You want a hit give me a hour plus a pen and a pad
My vocals exact / Like rack and pinion in a Jag
I eliminate punks / Cut ‘em up in chunks / You were souped you heard me / And your ego shrunk / I’m devastating / I’m so good it’s a shame / Cause I eat rappers like a cannibal / They call me insane
I was just remarking to a buddy that no matter how many smooth commercial R&B/Hip-Hop tracks LL puts on a CD, he always has at least one banger that reminds us of the good old days. Plus his beef tracks about Ice-T’s perm, Kool Moe Dee’s Star Trek shades, and Canibus … threw a wrench or in a couple cases put an actual end to other rappers’ careers.
However I would be remiss if I didn’t point out some of the less-than-stellar lyrics in this track, such as: Continue reading ‘Anatomy of a Hip-Hop Classic: LL Cool J — “I’m Bad”’
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