Remember back in the 80 & 90s when videos were hot because they were just hot, not because they were blinged out.
I think I’m way too old to look at videos now but I love me some videos from back in my young days.
Videography + Photography + Music + Blackness = The perfect storm
Kelechi’s use of light & minimalist environment are very inspiring!
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From Director Joel Benson shot with a Canon 7D
“Renowned photographer, Kelechi Amadi Obi, was having a photo session with Nigerian-born international music star, Keziah Jones, and graciously invited me to come watch. I went along with my camera.”
h/t: Kiss My Black Ads
The other night I was put up on a website created by Kenan Banks dedicated to celebrity stories written by ?uestlove, ummmm that’s ?uestlove from The Roots.
Many of the stories are absolutely hilarious! Like this one on Bjork
Bjork:
“she broke my heart in 94.
i was her biggest fan and flipped out when i met her.
meanwhile malik roll up and she starts gushing over him and all he says is….
(days later looking for her number)
damn i lost that oriental bitches number….”
Janet Jackson:
“the best story is the tootie facts of life 10/2001 update i did round here.
i can say that janet is one of my biggest supporters when it comes to spinning (i was called to dj her after jawn in philly but she is incapacitated due to exhaustion)
my 2nd gig for her in vegas was a party she hired me for to dj JD’s 30th partyday party.
3 hours in money was DRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIZUNK she was in the booth all embarrassed like *hand on my shoulder* please excuse him….he is drunk tonight”
meanwhile im like
*will
*never
*wash
*shoulder
*a
GAIN*”
This site is such a fun & good read, especially the Eddie Murphy & Prince stories.
Last night I attended the Urban Organic Eric Roberson performance at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History & enjoyed one helluva show.
As you can see in the video above, things were quite electric, which is always the case when Eric is on the stage.
I love live music! Good live music!
BTW, the video was recorded & edited iMovie on my iPhone 4. I love this thing!
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Wait, speaking of good music, I have a few new music recommendations that I need to put out there!
Albums———————-
Zo – Sunstorm | A GREAT showcase of musical talents with songs performed by Phonte of Little Brother/Foreign Exchange, Sy Smith, Monica Blaire, Carlitta Durand & more.
Sunstorm has everything that a choosy soul music needs in an album; hot vocals, meaning lyrics, & catchy hooks on a dope instrumental backdrop.
On my heavy rotation playlist is:
Zo is a musical super talent & just can do any wrong. Pick this up, like right now!
Incognito – Transatlantic R.P.M. | Well, there’s not much to say here because I am talking about an Incognito album so that automatically makes it all that & a bag of Flaming Hot Cheetos!
Like Sunstorm, Transatlantic R.P.M. features some great & eclectic vocal talents ranging from Maysa Leak & Chaka Khan to Ursula Rucker & Tony Momrelle.
One thing that I can say about all Incognito albums is that they are always diverse with ballads, smoking jazz instrumentals & tunes that make you want to dance.
On my heavy rotation playlist is:
Cee Lo – Stray Bullets | I’m not gonna lie, I was not a big Goodie Mob fan. I was mildly interested in Cee Lo with Gnarles Barkley. But….. I’m fucking loving Cee Lo in this “mixtape” release!
I mentioned to a friend recently that this album kinda reminds me of some funky shit from the 70s that was produced during a weed-induced haze.
It’s just something about Cee Lo’s voice that just weird & fresh at the same time. Maybe it’s because he’s defying what would be considered “normal.”
On my heavy rotation playlist is:
So I guess, if your ready for a trippy ride down a musical highway, you needs to cop this!
K-Murdock – Piano-Rama | If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, then you know I love the rap duo Panacea! Piano-Rama is a solo project from producer/beat maker Kyle Murdock aKa K-Murdock & it’s totally on fire with a smooth & interesting hip-hop feel.
On his blog K-Murdock mentions that this project took 7 years to complete. He also notes that Piano-Rama will give listeners a panoramic spectrum of piano sounds that are dark & aggressive, up-tempo & mellow/spacey. I agree with is assessment because this album gives you that and so much more.
On my heavy rotation playlist is
Blue Six – Noesis | Blue Six is back with a tasty new album & it’s like a techo/electric hit of crack because I’m addicted!
This release like their past two is filled with slamming beats, ambient grooves & sexiness! No glow sticks needed!
On my heavy rotation playlist is:
Hot Singles———————-
R&B
House
World
Rap/Hip-Hop
Found the signles via iTunes, eMusic, Amazon.com, Traxsource. Happy surfing!
The other day, I was telling Cousin Dee about Cee-Lo’s new mix tape “Stray Bullets” & how much I loved it. During the conversation The Yellow African chimed in & stated how he wasn’t feeling Cee-Lo’s singing voice, which I get.
Cousin Dee & I both countered with how we like his singing voice & how he sounds like an obscure 70s throwback.
His “Stray Bullets” mix tape really has me feeling his sound. In fact, I am finding it to be a form of crack because I can kick my addiction to any of the eclectic tracks.
So anyway, I spotted Cee-Lo’s new video “No One’s Gonna Love You” on Soulbouce (a daily haunt) earlier & was all in this artsy short film type music backdrop. This cut is supposed to be from Cee-Lo’s “upcoming” album “Lady Killer.”
My Soulbouce comment:
“Me love Cee-Lo and pretty white people in videos. This song is a win. The video is quite interesting in a good artsy film kinda way.”
You can see Cee-Lo talk about “Lady Killer,” “Georgia” & more here. I can’t wait until this drops.
In the meantime, you can get “Stray Bullets” here while the link is hot boo!
I feel bad for liking this but I do. I love Youtube
It’s officially summertime & no song gets me more excited about summer than Doug E Fresh’s “Summertime.”
“Summertime” was released back in 1989 & I recall Detroit radio station 107.5 WGPR being the only station playing the hell out of this song. 1989 was also the year that I got my 1st job & entered high school so that summer was very important to me as a young teen.
Typing out 1989 & thinking about what I was doing back then has me feeling quite old. Damn!
I used to love walking to my job at KFC (Highland Park, MI: Davison & Woodward) listening to my Crystal Waters “Making Happy” maxi single cassette back in the spring/summer of 1991. “Surprise” was & still is my jam.
I had so many maxi cassettes & cassette singles back then. Kinda funny thinking about how I used to walk around with a small bag of tapes.
1991 was a rough year for my family after a bout with homelessness but my Sony Walkman & house music certainly provided an escape & made me happy.
When Monica Blaire is on stage, you are always in for a soulfully energetic show & last night at Bravo Bravo was no exception.
After Monica’s performance, we talked briefly & she said they weren’t ready. I laughed because no one is ready for Monica because she brings it hard & different every time!
I love watching her grow as an artist & performer. She is really making shit happen & represents the Detroit creative scene very well.
If you are not following her on Twitter you should! Word on the street (Twitter street) is that she is about to drop a new mix tape. Cop that!
On amother Bravo Bravo note, stay tuned for a post that spotlights some of the hottest looks from one of Detroit BEST parties of the year.
Last year when I left the Detroit Electronic Music Festival (DEMF), I said that it was my last time attending. Basically, I grew tired of the same musty suburban kids dressed all weird & shit or barely dressed.
The music was good last year but I can only take so much electronic music. What happened to all the house & soul house? It was virtually not there last year.
Fast forward one year later & I found myself at Hart Plaza attending this year’s DEMF. And this is all after I applied for & was denied press access. I guess they didn’t Google my name, nor did they do my resume. Luckily, I have friends in many places.
So, the crowd was the same yet weirder & the music overall was not all that exciting. I was just like blah by the end of the one day that I decided to attend.
I mean, the people watching was even a turn off. I found myself not very motivated to photograph much. Funny thing is, the image above is my favorite image that I snapped out of all of the hours that I spent being DEMF Paparazzi.
On a total positive tip, the highlight of the time I spent was kicking it with some of my people, which is always fun.
Maybe I’m being a prude of some sort but I think I’m over the DEMF & I am renewing my vow on canceling it off of my events that need to be attended in Detroit list.
Next year, it will be all about the soul house after parties for me. If I’m going to spend money, I’d rather spend it listening to music I like while not dealing with a bunch of musty 20 somethings.
You can check out a few of my uninspired DEMF photos here.
I fucking love this sing!!!! If you’ve never heard it & have the new Erykah Badu release then”Arrow Through Me” should sound familiar.
Hint: “Gone Baby, Don’t Be Long”
Erykay Badu got the clearance to use a sample of this songs shortly before her album; New Amerykah Part 2: Return of the Ankh was released from Paul McCartney via Twitter connections.
Lucky for Erykah, Lenny Kravitz saw her request for help who then got in touch with his friend Stella McCartney who then connected her dad Paul.
Erykah got very lucky & this is a true testament to the power of social these days.
One of my all time favorite songs performed by Nina Simone is “Lilac Wine.” The song is as simple and sweet as the blooms of a lilac tree itself.
When I left my 9-5 today I noticed that that lilac tree was blooming & I instantly heard Nina crooning in my head. This is all before I stole a few sprigs for myself of course.
“I lost myself on a cool damp night
Gave myself in that misty light
Was hypnotized by a strange delight
Under a lilac treeI made wine from the lilac tree
Put my heart in its recipe
It makes me see what I want to seeand be what I want to be
When I think more than I want to think
Do things I never should do
I drink much more than I ought to drink
Because I brings me back youLilac wine is sweet and heady
like my love
Lilac wine, I feel unsteady
like my love
Listen to me
I cannot see clearly
Isn’t that he coming to me nearly here?Lilac wine is sweet and heady
where`s my love
Lilac wine, I feel unsteady
where`s my loveListen to me, why is everything so hazy
Isn`t that he, or am I just going crazy, dear
Lilac Wine, I feel unready for my love”