Sunday, October 30, 2011

Wedding Song for DPQ/Hip-Hop wedding

This song definitely sealed the deal for me.
I had to post this version cuz Mary's not in the video



My Vows, what Mary is saying

Saturday, October 29, 2011

The Truth about DPQ

Truth is, Disheveled Prom Queen wasn't the Prom Queen at all.
In fact, she couldn't even get a date to the prom.
She waited and waited for someone to ask her, but no one did.
So in a DPQ style act of desperation, ended up asking four different guys, who all said, "No."
DPQ strongly feels that being unable to get a date may just be what happens when a NewYorican coffee extra cream lookin girl gets taken out of Brooklyn and put into a semiaffluent Central NJ suburb lacking in ehtnic diversity.
Just a theory.
Anyway, back to the tragic tale.
So,
My girls and I actually ran with a crew of dudes from a different town anyway.
They dug up one of the boys from that crew to stand in as my prom date.
He was aight. Not a lot goin on upstairs.
His hair was a James Dean-ish greaser mechanic type of look, which was the best part.
And he did rock the chucks with his suit.

DPQ was really hatin on the whole Prom thing anyway, so in protest wore plaid Doc Martin boots with her vintage 1940's Jazz Singer dress.
mm hmm, she possessed a fly-ness even back then that dudes could not understand.

DPQ said about two words to her prom date.
Spent about 10 minutes at her prom because she thought is was so lame.
Thought smokin L's in the limo the was the best part.

After the prom, DPQ's crew hit the Jersey Shore. of course.
Another thing her being from New York self really couldn't appreciate.
And the most important thing was,
DPQ knew she wasn't going to be giving it up to James Dean that night.
Cuz he was only aight.

Not to worry cuz here's what happened next.
While she and her possee were listening to Cypress Hill's hits from the bong and, you know,
hittin the Graphix,  getting ready to go hit the boardwalk,
they all got to listen to her one girl givin it up to her man on Prom night.
This girl was loud.

DPQ ditched the James Dean mechanic and ended up one nighting some dude on the beach.
Jersey Shore style.
Not to worry tho, cuz when we got back to the house,
we all got to hear the same girl that was givin it up to her man when we left,
giving it up to the James Dean greasy mechanic.
Jersey Shore style.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Re: Sneakin a Freak In

Before you go thinkin your girl B is all hip-hop,  let me remind you, that I am disheveled.
Been a straight mess for years.
In a past life, I was even married, raising a small child.
And yeah, at one point there were lofty aspirations to be a husband and wife musical duo.
Let me tell you, them dreams were squashed with heaps of reality and a lack of creative compatibility.
Kindred, we did not become.
except in the context of this song to the extent which is that when you have a small child ruling the schedule, you do have to work it out to get it in.
This post is not meant to be a reminisce to back when me -n- the baby fadda used to do "it",
but really more of a chance to share this very nice, very funky, tune by Philly's own, Kindred.
Cuz I was listening to it today in the car, and the tune be bumpin. Moms and Dads turn it up.
And honestly, I don't even think you need to have kids to appreciate the fact that in this busy world, you gotta sneak that stuff in to make it happen sometimes.
West Philly representa.

Columbian Gangsta Rap

So yeah, before I get caught with my light shinin too bright, let me introduce another side to hip-hop's influence on International culture.
You see, while I get hype on Choquibtown as my example of Colombian hip-hop because they fuse together the traditional music with hip-hop and also have a female in the group, a co-worker of mine who is Colombian, does not share my enthusiasm.
To not hurt my feelings when I asked him if he thought Choquibtown was korny, he replied,
"It is just not my thing. You should check out La Etnnia. Colombian gangsta rap."

So I did. and honestly, right now, between listening to my boy speak spanish to latin customers and from listening to Choquibtown and La Etnnia, can I just say, I am so hooked on the flow of Colombian Spanish. but man, it is a little bit hard for me to "de-cipher" heh heh
Check this vid:
So can I just gush and drawl over the anime in this video?
La Etnia still doing what hip-hop does best; expose what is really going on.
It is a much darker approach, certainly more gangsta in feel, but still, bringing the darkeness to light.
The title of the track "Malvado Intento" means, "Evil doer's attempt" and as we see from the video, there is some shadiness going on.
So yeah, Hip-hop Colombiano, hittin the spot for the more rebellious youth culture.

Hip-hop's influence in Sengal

Among the random sardonic comments this blog contains there will be a thread of positivity concerning hip-hop's influence on global culture.
The video below is just such an example of that:
In 2007, Nomadic Wax and a crew called African Underground teamed up to do a project that documents hip-hop's influence in helping folks work through political issues within Dakar, Senegal.
Peep the youtube to watch the whole documentary.
This is really positive stuff.
And I wonder if Chuck D knows that he helped pop off this movement.

Skinny Jeans on Men

To all the fellas.
I know you love your skinny jeans, but wearing them does not make you a celebrity.
Please take those skinnies off and hang them up in the closet next to your Dad's acid washes and your GrandDad's bell bottoms.
You will thank me later.
If you rockin some loose fits, reading this post like, huh? Just checkin. holler at me

the relevancy of Computer Love

You know, we are in a time where unless you are so lucky,
most humans are saturated with social media.
Along with the typical social media sites, I do subscribe to an internet dating web-site which I hesitantly explore, when I am especially bored, called OkCupid.
(Lovingly called "OKC" by those who frequent it.)
Cuz not even one or two of my close friends, but more have met and even married through
such means.
So yeah, not so much because I am into internet dating, but more because I have a thing for electronic soul music with an utterly vintage feel, I mean putting me back to my childhood in NY type of vibe, we're gonna throw this one up here.
So can I just react to this tune by saying.....nuff said.
Here's the thing....this Album dropped in '85. Don't know about you, but was there internet in an acessible way back then?
Cuz I am thinking not only is this song so excellent, but completely science fiction futuristic.
Only thing is, if you are a dude I just e-mailed this to, you just got played, cuz you're not the first.

How I feel about myself, maybe

You know how sometimes there are these goofy ass trends that spread out across Facebook?
For example, and not to dis breast cancer research in any way, this one time there was trend that went out, to write the color of your bra as your status update.
And I'm thinkin, gladly. Black lace.
but you weren't supposed to say why. the object was to create a buzz of converstation on facebook that started off by talking about boobs and bras but ended up raising awareness for breast cancer research.
Like I said. goofy. but fun too. That one had more of purpose than what I am about to discuss, however.

Last year sometime, a post went out that said to look your name up on urbandictionary.com and see what it says about you.
And I thought to myself, gladly because I love UD.

and then I read this:
And my response is....well I have certainly never shat myself.
And my hair is real, OK?
And yo, I wasn't stalking that dude, he kept telling me to keep in touch.
but that situation will be featured in a whole nother blog real soon......

Oh yeah, and I left the other definition about flashing the tits to get cigarettes up there for shits and giggles. Cuz I'm about to "Bianca" you after I been drinkin.

WARNING: this posting contains many non-sequiturs

let me start out by jumping around and say that first, it is fun to write to an imaginary audience.
I feel quite liberated.
And secondly: I feel really strange right now. Just got home from work and my apartment is so hot, I am completely flush and shaking a little. So while writing this blog I am either, crazy from the heat, got a contact high from a co-worker who has been coming down off of this weird drug I have never heard of, or maybe the incense I am burning right now that I bought of the crackhead in the middle of 52nd street at 2am was laced.
And although it does feel good to embellish anonymously and freely, you too might think I was tripping if you saw how tragically I just put some pasta in boiling water. Cuz there is now dry pasta on every counter in my tiny kitchen.

Hmmm. story. yes. so
needless to say in the last few years, I had fallen way out of touch with radio hip-hop.
but I'm getting back on track.
Here in Philly, we listen to POWER 99 and we love it.
But now that I am grown, I've switched over to 105.3. Which is the R&B station.
So that is my excuse for not having heard the Drake song, "Sweat Pants Hair Tie."
What is even better is how I found out about this song...

I work at a Salad Place. That's right, I sling the OG Sweet Green all day long.
In fact "thug life" is part of our company's branding.
Quiet as kept, I just met the owners today and they are not very thuggish at all.
Their pants like fit without a belt and stuff.

Anywho, this one day, a co-worker and I were talking about boys, I mean, men.
She said something about being self conscious for not being all pretty-fied around her new dude.
So I said, "honey, you really don't need to worry about that. Men like us best when we are in sweats, smellin all stinky with our hair messed up."
And then a male co-worker chimed in, "yeah, like that Drake song, sweat pants, hair tie."
So I was like, "forreal there's a song about that? that's so funny."
Cuz really I learned the simple fact about the sweat pants thing from my ex.
He'd be all up in my grill when I was chillin in the crib on a sunday with a fuzz head.
Then when I would be all dolled up ready to go out with the girls, he'd tell me how weird I looked.
So yeah, here it is.
 And yeah, as if you needed proof that this is the case, I have another story.
Today, on my way home, I stopped at the Hess Gas station by my house to vacuum out the car.
I was lookin tired. Cuz slingin salads is hard work.
powder on my face faded. hair fuzzy from the work hat I was wearing all day.
Crusty salad dressing covered workshirt and a sweatshirt with a hole in it.
So I am over by the vacuum, picking trash out of my car, and I get, that's right, asked out to dinner.
Uh huh.
True story.
No wonder this track made Drake's career.
Only thing is.....Fellas:
Even if you think your girl looks all weird when she's dolled up and on her way out the door, you still have to tell her she looks Fyne, because she just spent like an hour puttin that smokey eye on, so if you don't "notice," then you might not be gettin any booty later on.
Just sayin

Watch This Movie; You must

Perhaps, I only feel passionate and inspired by this movie because I love Reggae.
However, this movie taught me so much of what I thought I knew.
I was truly perpetrating a fraud with my whole "Roots" lifestyle.
LINKEE:
Africa Unite

Sunday, October 23, 2011

I wanna be Ana Tijoux

A friend and I discovered this song in the same week, which I thought was pretty cool.
Another artist coming from what turns out to be a family friend's label, "Nacional Records."
the group Choquibtown mentioned in the previous blog being the first.

Ana Tijoux was raised in Paris. Her parents refugees of Chile, having fled the country.
My education of the political situation at that time has only been fed to me through a book I happened to be reading when I discovered this song.
the book is entitled, "The Garden Next Door." It is about displaced Chilean writers who fled to Spain in the 1970's unable to live under the regime of the Chilean dictator Pinochet.
The books illustrates the emotions of a displaced people unable to live in the country they love and belong to due to political unrest.
Anita Tijoux painting a similar picture in her debut album title track, "1977."
"Milnovecientosetentasiete." Shh.
Ok, so like.
Time to stop watching the clock as I develop myself as an artist.
This woman is my age!
And so fly.
And this video; so fresh.
her rhyme style, so different.
I love her laid back style.
Don't get it twisted though, my spanish is choppy, but this song is straight political.
Provocative.
She is just now breaking through in the states.
Peep the interview.
She's not freestylin, but God love her.
Hip-hop spreading through the world like wildfire.
Ladies first.

My obsession with Oro


The discovery of this video started innocently enough.

You see I live in the gritty city of Philadelphia, quietly wondering why I am here.
For at times, it seems my only purpose in life is to work intensely with the Rick Ross hook
"Evry day I'm hustlin" incessantly looping through my head.

Really now, I'm not that hard.
I am just a first generation Panamanian tryin to represent in the US for my ancestors.
Truth is, I do need bass beats and edgy hip-hop lyrics to keep my muted sorrow at bey.
Because without this, I am just another lost soul burnin in Babylon.

So when a facebook wall post from my cousin in Brazil lead me to the band, Choquibtown, I followed you-tube's recommended videos feed and found the song and video for "Oro," and my world was set on fire.
So many things about this.
Granted, I am a brown skinned gringa, barely able to speak the language of half my family, but from what I gather, the message in this song is powerful, number 1.
"A donde fuiste con mi oro?"/"Where are you going with my gold?"
"Me dejaste sin mi oro"/"You left me without my gold."
"Te ya va te mi oro"/"My gold goes to you"
Number two, the people in this video are Colombians; Colombiano.
this video was filmed in Colombia. You thought is was Africa, right?
Number three: this is the future of hip-hop.
This is a direct result of hip-hop's influence on international culture.
Proof that my idealistic vision that hip-hop will unite the cultures of the world is a true one.
And lastly, is not the imagery in this video, dope, vivid and truly beautiful?
Choquibtown, giving me something valid to obsess over.

The RZA & ATL


my first blog. from a couple years back obvi.

Really, this verse has me busting a gut.
It puts me back to a different time, a long time ago
When I met some far out dudes tellin me this same type of rap
 exerpt:
"We was like Mork and Mindy
Yeah, we was like Mork and Mindy
Yeah n**ga, I told her I was from space and this girl believed me
I told her I was a clone and they was prolly three o me,
We out at the movies,
She could've swore she saw me
 She Just Keep Tellin Me Things That I Don't Wanna Hear"

Song off Blackroc's album and feat. RZA
Around '94 or '95, I had taken a bus down to Atlanta.
The plan was to meet up with my current boy in ATL and hitchhike together to a party in the woods of Florida, otherwise known as a "Rainbow Gathering."

Well, boy was not at bus station to meet up with girl as planned.
The trip started off well, I was at a bus station god knows where, somewhere outside the heart of Atlanta.
It was dark out.
So I decided to play the flute as I walked towards wherever fate may lay a bed in front of me.
I found refuge in a hotel undergoing renovations.
I squatted, alone, in a windowless room
Awaking from my light sleep each time the plastic draped over window cut outs rustled
But the floor was carpeted

At daylight,
I found my way to the Marta station and used my last dollar to get on the train
Directionless, I selected my stop based on word, sound, power
Under Ground Atlanta

I wandered the indoor pedestrian mall, looking for a lead
I found conversation with jewelry maker
We struck a deal, one custom bracelet, for one custom hat.
He chose wools from the colors I had in my bag.
Light blue and magenta
We planned to meet in two days time to make the trade

Two days in Atlanta until I got my magic bracelet
Alchemically designed to match my energy
As I was to stitch star charts made of blue and pink
I had work now and only needed food and shelter until then

A heard a boy singing,
He told me his name was Peacemaker
I told him I had no place to stay
He said, "Come with me."
He sold incense on the train and freestyled as he walked through the cars
He told me his real name was Garnett Silk
And that back on the island, the people knew of him
That when he sang, birds would fly out of the manifold

At his apartment, we ate brown rice and tofu
And his roommate told me I should join the Tabernacle
He gave me his cousin's card; "Images by Shabazz"

While the Peacemaker sang in the shower,
his roommate told me to look out for dragons barely contained in their human disguises
Their fingers would be knobby, he said
And that dragons were not good, like in my fairytales
And also, that I should not go to the "Rainbow Gathering,"
I should make a better choice
Because, since my name was "Bianca,"
There were six of me, five of them clones
He could not be sure if I was the original or the clone
And that my choices would have to be the best of the six
To assure my space on the Mothership

Time to go
Peace took me into his apprenticeship,
We sold incense on trains to the Underground
The hat was completed, woven with star alignments suited for its wearer
My bracelet was a golden bronze, heavy with spirals and a perfect fit
I was ready to go now, to Florida

Peace did not want me to leave
He tried to keep me focused
Weaving my name into his lyrics,
He called me Star
And that I could not call myself Shine
I waited for the train to stop
I jumped on in the other direction
The people on the train had knobby knuckles
How many of them were dragons
Maybe he was right, maybe I should stay...
I went to Florida

Later that year, OutKast dropped their album;
ATLiens
And for years, I wondered

So, I could only laugh when RZA said his girl believed him
when he told her she was a clone
Nervous laughter, because ain't that some shit Alfred?