They Blogging Me Now, Mayne

I'm the latest in the Nuvany Nice " Grinding " Interview Series. About creatives in NY getting their hustle on. Note that I'm fresh off a flight, poised with my credit card ready to spend ALL my hardworked ends.

Click here to read nuvany-nice.com

While your there check out the site. They're selling some cool stuff.


Also check out my "Chucked" story on the Minus-Five Design Blog.Peace to Portfolio Center Grad Sarah Coffman.

Kh.

Dope, DOPE lyrics to the future President!- Joell Ortiz

Intro'd to me by Radio Rose: Underground NY rapper JOELL ORTIZ is DOPE! I had to type this in by hand, so you know it must be that fire. I don't have that kind of time on my hands. Keep your eye on this dude. I predict big things. Obama we all hope your listening...

Dear Future President:

I grew up with no brothers and sisters
and my moms was on public assistance
and her husband was missing
she developed this disgusting addiction
that had her on some of the ugliest missions
so she missed some appointments
she was supposed to keep my coverage consistant
I was a chronic asthmatic
huffing, puffing and whistling
Can't get a breath I wish for death,
It hurt my chest when I cough
...oh yeah i'm from the projects in New York

{we love basketball!}

But last summer my my boy got left on the court
some kid reached next to his shorts
put some lead in his thoughts...

...My other homey sells crack
he always telling me its wack
every day he filling out apps.
but they don't call him back
Background checks spotted his felony
but that ain't fair.
You make a mistake
You can't fix it man
this world don't care....

...I get mad when I see what other artists do with a mill
with a couple g's I gave my P's a few computers for real...

Joell Ortiz feat. Dante Hawkins album unknown " Letter to Obama"

Chile! Cuba! Brazil!: Estilo Hip Hop World Premiere!

This passed thurday, Tish Brown, Rodney and I followed talented movie editor Cinque Northern to Clearview Cinema here in NY for the premier of the big project he has been working on for the passed 3 years. Peace to stylist Tisha Brown for the phone call and dragging me out, that movie was more than banging it is absolutely necessary! You could tell how necessary but the ecstatic appreciation of the crowd. The movie is the baby of directors Loira Limbal & Vee Bravo. It took 7 years 400 hours of film ( poor Cinque ) and several continents to create the film. It was finally distilled down to 3 charismatic artists/activists: Cuban rapper Magia, Chilean rapper Guerrillero Okulto, and Brazilian rapper Eli Efi. Eli now lives in NY and spoke after the show.

Each of the artists spoke of their personal journey in the film and their connection to the art form. Each of them uses hip hop to battle against the oppression they feel in their own communities:
Guerrillero Okulto fights against the remnants of a Chilean dictatorship.

Magia battles with the effects of slavery on the minds of her community as well as its effect on the perceptions of Black Women.

Eli Efi is an activist in Brazil and keeps his integrity and personal vision in the face of a community in which 87 ( EIGHTY SEVEN!!) percent of black men don't graduate high school and make 125 times less than their non-black counterparts.

I wish I could tell you where to see the movie tomorrow, unfortunately it doesn't launch until 2009. But mark your calendars. The movie is on PBS March 2009. And if you do anything you must, must, MUST see this film! Click (here) to go to The World Is Ours! and see the movie trailer



The crew and I chilled with the directors, Eli and their friends after the show. It broke my heart to hear Eli describe how disappointed he was, after moving to NY, at how shallow the art form that grounded him in Brazil had become in its own Birth country. But as he says " Hip Hop arrived so we can change the world". We still got time.

Loira and Vee are interested in anyone who could help spread the world and who wants to get involved in the projects. Check out the many, many links I'm posting below to get in touch if your interested.

www.estilohiphop.net, www.myspace.com/djlaylo, www.myspace.com/eliefi

Conspiracy Theory-Tom Cruise & the FDA

I mean I know he's a Scientologist, and I know he was hopping up and down on Oprah's couch and I know he married that annoying ass girl from Dawson's Creek. But come on...was he ever really crazy? This came up in a convo with friends on Thursday: I personally think ( and if my blog gets shut down-you know i'm right!) that the whole Tom-Cruise-Is-Crazy theory may have come from the Food & Drug Administration trying to make him look loopy so he doesn't jack up their sales. Just like Oprah's comments damaging the Red Meat Industry, and getting sued by the farmers. If a big personality like Tom Cruise talks mess about the FDA it could be a problem...Just a thought


He looks crazy as hell in this pic tho doesn't he. Ha ha!

Jay-Z has his own Pantone Color!

Pantone has registered a color in 2007 called Jay-Z blue. The color was created during his deal with General Motors. The newest Denali is painted in the color. Damn the car! Do you know who you have to stab in the leg to get a PANTONE COLOR in your name?? Let me know and tell me their address. I'm thinking of putting out a Khia-Quality Pink....what do you think? I'm strictly speaking as a designer, but this is bigger to me than co-owing the Nets I'm sorry. They didn't even give a color to Milton Glaser.

Converse Ad (N.E.R.D, Julian Casablancas. and Santogold)

My Around The Way Girls fam has already blogged on this। But the Converse Ad is out and its so sick। So it must be blogged about again and again। Go to the site to see the actual video not just this little funky image.

www.theworld-isours.blogspot.com

Marc Newson ( Australian Product Designer)

So... I know you see him as a part of my new funky fly blog header; along with Santogold, Nina Simone and Amel Larrieux. So let me 'xplain. Marc Newson is in my new favorite designer list (next to the brilliant Karim Rashid). Not because he designs hot products, furniture and interiors. Not because his crazy ass designed a jet plane and a concept car. And not because Nike signed him to make really weird athletic shoes. No.

I love him because @ over 40, Marc is doing all this while rocking a hoodie. Way to own the dream Marc!

Why Are the Transformers so WACK today?

I got up early yesterday–for once. And I wasted time by clicking through the channels. My first thought was: Hey! the Transformers are on, let me see whats up with that.

My second thought was: OMG! What the HELL did they do to Optimus Prime?! Was he on a DIET? Whats up with the slim hips and all the curves? He doesn't even sound like Prime. He sounds like a kid... and a geek one at that. Bumblebee looks tougher than Prime now! I mean, people, I know that cartoons are going the friendly way of the japanese but this is getting ridiculous They look so goofyyy!! So what? Does Prime transform into a mini-van now?? As time goes on these cartoons are getting less well drawn and has less of a message. The next generation of kids can look forward to drooling stick figures. My head hurts.

Video Music Box 25th Anniversary was the JAM!

What a positive vibe! All these old school players showed out to support. The beginning of the jam was real old school at first. Not that I don't love old school, but some of those dudes were on stage out of breath! The whole thing got taken to another level by the very Special Ed. And it was off: Nice & Smooth, Lost Boyz, Sugar Hill Gang, Dana Dane, The D.O.C., Milk D. and others. Special appearances by DJ Red Alert, Kool Herc, & the Retro Kidz

Chubb Rock & Naughty by Nature by far were the best part of the show for me. Chubb has charisma that's as big as his belly. And much appreciation for him stopping the show and pointing out that there was no cursing in his act and there doesn't need to be. He said " My daughters are in the show and they ain't no B's". Of course you always got that one crackhead. Schooly D came right after Chubb, saying " I know Chubb don't like to curse but I do!" He hit us off with a pocket full of N's and B's a couple F's for posterity। The crowd was NOT feeling him.Get his wack a@& off the stage! AND Schooly your wife owes my homegirl money, . Payup!she takes money orders.

Tommorrow If i'm a good girl and get all my work done I'll be there to see Santogold and Diplo where good peoples Blair and Tasha will be. (Bliz tell Tash I finally understood the txt. I'm like whats a manana?)।

Machel!!!The Caribbean's Big Soca Fish

As soon as I hit a caribbean party, I look for the Trini's. No lie they can wine till like they have extra bones in their waist. The party doesn't stop for them.

The same is true of one of their brightest musicians-Machel Montano A big fish in the caribbean world, but still undiscovered elsewhere. Machel Montano's JamRock magazine article inspired me this week. Despite his obvious and rich talent and offers from everyone from Delicious Vinyl to Atlantic Records, he chose his craft over crossover fame which would cause him to dilute his music. He produces his music on his own label Mad Bull Music. He is patiently awaiting his inevitable blow up. It will come, he knows this, but it will come in his time and in his fashion. Amazing.! Kiss to Machel!

My Song Forever! Allison Hinds Roll It Gyal.

This is my baby's cousin's favorite song. This is for Sue-Ann and all of the ladies who read my blog. And of course the pan of hot caribbean ladies for the men to look at. ( I mean even a specimen as fine as myself gets boring to look at after a few months :)). This song is nice and forever. I always imagined what the video would look like and it's perfect! Not to mention my baby Machel is featured in it. Check out di Video, nuh?
But you have to shut off my little pimp bear. lol

Roll it Ladies!

Can you say " Beautiful" in Arabic?

I'm getting personally offended and hurt by the depictions of Arabs in Media, then of course one of my friends send me to the FBI site, where EVERYONE on the most wanted list is Muslim. I guess that now that the arabs are in town everyone else stopped committing crimes. So my other friend D. hipped me to this. It's my reminder of the beautiful things that come from our Muslim brothers...This from artist Hassan Mussa; the artwork is calligraphy made up of the characters in Arabic language. Beautiful!
( Of course they are probrably instructions on rigging cellular bombs....kidding!)

Good Look! Is Hip Hop Finally Getting a Makeover?

This is whats up. There are forces at work that are trying to tilt the scales back to the right balance. The trend of hip hop as nothing but hardcore has been going on for too-flipping-long. So I'm glad to notice these few changes this week that may indicate a glitch in the Matrix:

1) This kid on my train home tonite rocking high top kicks, TIGHT grey jeans and a sweater around his shoulders tied tennis player style. To be clear, i did NOT approve of his gear, but it shows a departure from the thug image.

2) The well meaning although misguided show "From G's to Gents" on MTV hosted by the semi-respected Farnsworth Bentley. It's some sort of reality show: The first episode details how rappers across the board have tranformed themselves from pistol poppin' thugs to polo playin' gentlemen.

3)Last but not least the veritable genius (and chess champion) RZA has started the new website WuChess.com. The site supports scholarship and features a monthly tournament wherein the winner plays RZA himself. ( props to Daniel St. George for this info )

The future looks bright, today I'm a happy girl.

Mandela finally dropped from US terror watch list

Wooooooooowwwwww....(Flavor Flav Style)

The United States has removed former South African president Nelson Mandela and his African National Congress from a three-decade old immigration watch list for possible terrorists, the White House said Tuesday.

I mean I don't know about y'all, but I wouldn't want Nelson Mandela sitting next to ME on an airplane.