Saturday, February 7, 2009

"THE CURBSIDE ELECTRIC: BOOMBOX"

NEW CURB SECTION BRINGS BACK OLD SCHOOL MUSIC AND MUSIC VIDEOS

I want to post music that I remember listening to/hearing as a youngster, in a section I would like to dub "Boombox" or "The Boombox" every month. In the first "Curbside Electric: Boombox" I want to re-introduce Ahmad, a Los Angeles born rapper from the '90s with the hit suingle "Back In The Day."


As times prove to be a bit challenging (economically) and with the beginning of 'Black History Month,' I thought I would present a song that acts as a cornerstone for reminiscence within the Hip-Hop community and cheers me up.

The symbol to the left (<----), is an Adinkra West African symbol that basically means: "learning from the past." This video brings me many good memories from my past and I have personally learned a great deal from my past as well...Oh! "Back in the day."


ENJOY THE VIDEO!

Sunday, February 1, 2009

THE PARLÉ POETRY TOUR TRIPLES IT'S RUN FROM "THE CURB"

THE PARLÉ TOUR SPEAKS A WORD TO COLLEGE STUDENTS FOR A THIRD TIME

Officially beginning in February of 2007, the tour’s kick off performance was held at the Bowery Poetry Club in New York City, NY. Now the Parlé Poetry Tour is back for the third go around, visiting colleges and cafés across the nation.

The poetry tour venture began with “Parlé Newspaper” holding poetry slams with poets from all five of New York City’s boroughs. The venture expanded to a first time inclusive performance entitled: “The New Christmas”, during the last week of 2006. In 2007 (when the tour officially began) the poets performed at venues such as: SUNY Purchase, Brooklyn College, and The Nuyorican Café. During the Parlé Tour’s second run the tour branched out to states outside of New York, presenting themselves in states like Pennsylvania and Florida.

The featured poets are Devin, “The Poet,” Kesed, and Marcus Wright, these poets have performed for the tour from the beginning, but there have been a host of other artists who have performed, including: Brian aka SciryL, Naima Ince and Charles Hamilton who is now signed to Interscope Records.


So far this run of the Parlé Tour has visited Keystone College, SUNY Oswego, Quinnipiac University, Edgewood College, and Lawrence University.

UPCOMING SHOW DATES AND LOCATIONS INCLUDE
February 6th – Chapman University in Orange County, California

February 12th – The College of New Jersey

February 13th – Pre-Valentines Day show in NYC

February 14th – Wesleyan University in Connecticut
February 22nd – Albion College in Michigan

For more information on the “Parlé Poetry Tour” and/or Parlé Newspaper CLICK HERE.

Friday, January 16, 2009

JESSE BOYKINS MAKES A TOTAL REQUEST

RHYTHM AND BLUES SINGER, JESSE BOYKINS III, PRESENTS A NEW VIDEO ENTITLED "PANTYHOSE"

Naiquan Greene

With the release of "The Beauty Created" back in November 2008, Jesse presents a new smooth, mellow, and suggestive video for his single "Pantyhose." In the video and song Jesse Boykins III asks that his love interest undress down to her bare essentials and let him see more than her true heart.

I enjoy the song and thought that putting up the video and song would take my blog in a new yet different direction. I am not knocking the vocabulary used in the video by any means but I never put any content that has been this suggestive on the blog. I believe I am beginning to find my own voice, rhythm, and sound; just as I believe Jesse Boykins III is doing with his second album.

The video also brought me back to the place where I grew up, as I noticed a scene with a "Clean Rite" franchise laundromat. Brooklyn goes hard but in this case Jesse shows that Brooklyn can go soft when he requests what he would like to see his love interest wear.