EPMD-Back in Business

Privileged to see the album release party for EPMD new album " We Mean Business". Album out now. They're back in business and Judging by Parish Smith's big smiles, they were happy to be there. I can't recommend the album yet, but I can recommend the group!

Coup D'Etat ( Clothing Line Brother Omi will LOVE)

I bought a black and metallic " Teach the Babies" t-shirt in Harlem and then Rocked it to EPMDeee's album release last night.  Eric Sermon and Parish Smith are making dollars again. Peace to D.J. K-Salaam for putting me on the list and spinning a great show..and to Bouncer Mike for making me tell him jokes to actually get inside. 

I bought this shirt because Dan Tres (aka Brother Omi) is always talking about the babies and what they learn.  Now this is when the post gets messed up....Danny ( mi maestro) I ALMOST bought you a tee and mailed it to you.Almost.

...but yeeaah bruh its a recession. So just so you know that I thought about you I'm telling you about Coup D'Etat. Click the Link and Go cop somethin'

Was Juno ( the Movie) A Ripoff?

People love to hawk movies in this country from Asia as tho there is no internet.  I recently worked a gig here in NY with a korean woman named Juna Lee...so her name started this conversation. Apparently there is a Korean comedy movie called Jenny, Juno written and directed by Kim-Jo Hoon. It's about a middle school girl and her boyfriend who gets pregnant and then delivers. Sounds a little familiar but even though the Korean and American versions are dead on screen writter Diablo Cody says she never knew it existed. I guess that's possible...

Naaah Kehinde Wiley this doesn't sit well

I've been off my blogging game lately. My bad. But Yashua Klos told me to tell it like it is so... 

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to go up to harlem and check out Kehinde Wiley as he spoke about his latest exhibition " The World Stage:Africa".  I've had convos with friends about Kehinde's artwork. Originally my reaction to his work was total awe and in time it turned to " what on earth?".  

Kehinde has become famous for painting image after image of gigantic black men in traditional european poses. They are gorgeous and technically sick.  But there are so MANY of them after awhile I began to question his message? I guess it was supposed to be ironic, but It began to seem like he wanted to make black men dignified by making them act non-black. One friend defended him saying that Kehinde's idea was that because we (blacks) are not repped in history he was "painting us in". I said " really, well that's cool". So when the opportunity presented itself I had to ask Kehinde what the real deal was ( turns out btw I wasnt the only audience member disturbed). 

He fumbled a little as he said he was fascinated by european art and he found it the utmost in dignity and wanted to depict the men this way (paraphrasing). It kind of makes me sad. With the many many gigantic and time consuming paintings he did this is the best way he found to make that point. And then he turned it into a gimmick. I've seen at least 17 of them 6 ft tall a piece. Well, we all have to eat and Kehinde is eating well.

Kehinde, babes. This is OUR world every last one of us. White-Black-Yellow-Beige.  There is no longer one standard. Pretty paintings tho, but I'm glad you've moved on. :)