This morning, I found out that Hugh Masekela, one of my art heroes is coming to Detroit next week for a performance. I actually screamed in my head a little.

His music, sociopolitical voice, & background are so inspiring.

“We Are One” by  South African DJ, Black Coffee featuring Hugh Masekela is one of my favorite soul-house songs.

When Hugh says “Wake up Africa, the time is now. Wake up Africa, the time is now,” I hear it as a rally cry for Blacks across the Diaspora to unite and fight for the changes we want to see in our people, communities, and selves.

Art Credit: Brett Rubin

I’m no Christian but even when I was, I never really liked gospel music but I do have a few songs that I like for sentimental reasons. While I I’m not into gospel, I do happen to love gospel-house music & have tons of it in my music library.

I guess if you put anything to a good house beat it’s a win in my book.  One of my favorite gospel-house songs is “Be Thankful” by Jamie Lewis featuring Michelle Weeks. This is actually one of my favorite songs to work to on the elliptical machine. It get’s me pumping.

Even though it opens up super churchy, I feel the power of Michelle’s voices and I love it for that.

And these days, I honestly have so many things to be thankful for! Feels good being able to say that!

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“Let us come before him with thanks giving and extol him with music & song.

Well, I know some of you must be saying. What do I have to be thankful for? I can’t pay my bills. My marriage is falling apart, my health is failing, and I just can’t find a job.

Well, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says ‘give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.’

So. Come on, life your hands and give him praise. Say thank you, thank you father…”

Dancing is my favorite form of stress release and this weekend, I danced like no one was looking and got my life right.

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“Sometime I disappear, I’m not in the room anymore. Most of the time I look at the floor, I don’t want to make eye contact with anybody. I only see me. They only see me. So, we’re all looking at the same thing.

I can tell when I’m doing just the right thing to get the room just the right way; when the room is doing just the right thing to me to get me the right way. But it’s never really me.

I feel like I’m in a million places at once. Like I’m dancing with everybody that’s there. That’s why I like to dance by myself.”

Inspiration: Dancing Feels Like… (PirahnaHead)

“It go Halle Berry or hallelujah

Pick your poison tell me what you do

Everybody gon’ respect the shooter

But the one in front of the gun lives forever

And I been hustlin’ all day, this a way, that a way

Through canals and alleyways, just to say

Money trees is the perfect place for shade and that’s just how I feel”

Money Trees ~ Kendrick Lamar

This remix of “Have You Seen Her” by Just A Band has been musical crack to me for the last week or so. I cannot stop listening and have had it on auto play & non-spot repeat.

So soulful, so beautiful, so black.

Cop a download here….

My last piece from my watercolors class… While I learned a lot in this class, it was not the cake walk that I thought it was going to be but at least I have some new skills and new activity that is quite relaxing.

Inspired by Prince: Irresistible Bitch….

POW!

This is one reason why I love NYC… I mean, where else in the world can you assemble a mass amount of people for the purpose of song, dance & soul???

And to be fair, Everbody knows….. that I came up with the idea for a Flash Mob last Wednesday:

“I’m calling for all of my fellow Americans to join in a flash mob Soul Train Line to celebrate Black History Month & the life of Don Cornelius… Meet me on MLK Blvd.” ~ Tafari Stevenson-Howard

Everybody knows that I LOVE house music & everything that it stands for!

One of my favorite house artists without a doubt is Osunlade! If you read my 2011 wrap up then you know that seeing him in Chicago last summer was all that & more.

This video interview offers a nice window into Osunlade’s world! Kinda tripped out to know that he lives in Greece. That was unexpected.

I was further amused by saying that he was planning on releasing his music at a much slower pace because after Pyrography was released last year, he said in an interview that he was done all together. So, I guess this is some good news here!

If this song doesn’t make you happy, dance, or do a disco spin then you have some issues in your head!

When the movie “Shaft” was released in 1971, the entire world learned how important it was for a Black man to have a theme song…. Typically, I have about 3 to 4 theme songs going at one time but this year, 2011, I have had only 1 theme song.

My 2011 theme song? “No Way” by Osunlade from his Pyrography album. The 1st time I heard it, I knew that it was mine. It speaks to me, my life, and several situations.  When it comes on, I do my little dance in my head.

No lie, when I was in NYC back in Sept, I listened to it like 50-11 times while walking around doing my pimp switch. Hilarious I know but I was doing my thing & working my thing. Shit!

Many, many years ago, I had a dream where I was visited by the Devil. He came to me while I was half asleep & he sat in my  bedroom chair offering me an opportunity.

From that dream or nightmare, I woke up screaming. My wife asked me what was going on & at that time I was afraid to explain that the Devil was in the room with us talking to me.

Then, before I realized that it was a dream questioned my faith and why the Jesus that I then believed in did not come to help me and escape from this being.

For a long time this dream was a reality and I shared the story with a select few.  One good friend told me that it was impossible that the devil visited me and that Jesus covered me. I simply did not believe that and after a period of time, I abandoned pretty much all of my beliefs in Christianity and other religious sects. Of course, abandoning belief in the devil was included in my religion purge.

But….. Driving home tonight after an evening with friends, I was stopped by this light & was reminded of the devil. Maybe (s)he exists, maybe (s)he doesn’t but for a moment at this cross road, I had a flash back of that one night when I had that dream or nightmare. Whatever you want to call it.

“Early this mornin’, when you knocked upon my door

Early this mornin’, ooh, when you knocked upon my door

And I said, “Hello, Satan, I believe it’s time to go”

Me and the devil, was walkin’ side by side

Me and the devil, ooh, was walkin’ side by side

And I’m goin’ to beat my woman, until I get satisfied

She say you don’t see why, that you will dog me ’round

(spoken: Now, babe, you know you ain’t doin’ me right, don’cha)

She say you don’t see why, ooh, that you will dog me ’round

It must-a be that old evil spirit, so deep down in the ground

You may bury my body, down by the highway side

(spoken: Baby, I don’t care where you bury my body when I’m dead and gone)

You may bury my body, ooh, down by the highway side

So my old evil spirit, can catch a Greyhound bus and ride”

Me and the Devil ~ Robert Johnson

Last Friday, I photographed The Parade Company’s “Hob Nobble Gobble” black tie event.

The event always has a host of local & national celebrities that guest have the chance to interact with up close & personal.

I’m not usually one who is star struck but this time around, I kind of was because Doug E Fresh was one of the celebrities this year.

When I saw the celeb line up, I got excited & hoped that he would perform. I believe at the time I saw the line up, it was unknown if he would perform.

When he arrived at Ford Field, fans young & old were excited to see him. Everyone was taking about the Dougie. It was fun to watch and listen.

Once the entertainment for the evening started, the crowd was surprised with Doug E Fresh rocking the stage. He was hype. Super hype. Between snapshots, I hit my Dougie while maintaining my professional image. I think….

Funny thing is, Doug E Fresh was not even the headline act but he totally stole the show & offered energy that was not matched for the rest of the evening.

I mean, how do you follow up to a hip-hop legend? Well, you don’t.

I did have a chance to kick it with him for a bit & I had to let him know that his song “Summertime” is WAY better than Will Smith’s “Summertime.” He just laughed…. I wonder if there was a mini beef behind that? I’m just saying!