Tuesday, December 28

Who Do You Think You Are? (& The Roots Concert Review)

I need to know how some people were raised... SERIOUSLY!  The lack of concern & common courtesy in situations where the code of conduct should not have to be reviewed or repeated to you is PERPLEXING. With that said, lemme tell you about my night with The Roots.

We arrived about 40 minutes before the doors opened at the 9:30 Club & of course my stalker Mr. D. Hawk was there. He whipped around me for 40 minutes non-stop. I don't know how people in Chicago deal with that mess. The wind became quite torturous around the 25th minute of waiting.

Once inside, ?estlove was spinning a Teena Marie set that had me JAMMIN! and he looked so CAYOOT!


I checked his Twitter page & realized he was going to be spinning for a MINUTE! Most of The Roots were north of Philly which was where the blizzard- that SKIPPED the area around I-95 in Maryland all together- had dumped the most snow on. (Seriously the weather map had a big bald spot in the middle where I-95 was in Maryland, but to the east & west, they got POUNDED by powder). So we settled in... did a lil two-stepping & it was like a live version of VH1 Soul's Soul School. He played al ot of the ORIGINAL songs from which some of raps greatest beats were derived. But he got DEEP, there were somethings I NEVER thought I'd hear the original for, but of course he had them! He even played a go-go set that had me wanting to rep my hood, HARD! A little too hard as I twisted my ankle a lil when he played "Uh Oh!" How embarrassing!

After 2 hours.... *sigh* It started getting crowded at the front. We were about 4 people from the stage. Suddenly this group of three: 2 girls & a guy come SQEEEZING by. The beau, being hte nice guy he is steps back for them to get through. The first girl passes him, the guy passes him, the third girl? STOPS right in front of him, turns to the stage & starts jamming.
Me: Is she FOR REAL right now?
Him: *silently serious side eye*
Me: You've GOT to be kidding me!
Him: *DEADLY serious side eye*

There was a group of girls behind us that saw the whole thing happen & they were giving her the WIDE eyes of disbelief. For those of you that DON'T see the issue... let me break it break it down: When in a crowd of people, if you are saying excuse me & someone moves to let you by, you should MOVE BY THEM. Saying excuse me & then standing in the spot from which they moved to let you through is rude. But then commencing to tossing your hair hither & yon and partying all over said spot AND said person is just ignorant. The three of them acted as if they were the only 3 people there, especially the last one. At one point she ended up in front of me, swinging her hair all over me & my phone as I tweeted about the possibility of catching a charge that night if she didn't cease & desist immediately!

I was having flashbacks of a similar incident from back in my partying days. I was at Ozio with my girl J one night. We were on the third floor, which is a lil snug. Some drunk chick & her boyfriend comes near us & begins to dance all over the place. Including up on J. I grabbed her by the shoulders and told her like a mother speaking to an insolent child: "YOU need to get up, sweetie. You are dancing on my friend." Now I need you all to understand that we were ok with bumping into people on the dancefloor but this chick was giving FULL BODY CONTACT and winding down to the ground, J was NOT having it and neither was I! She looked at me drunkenly as if I were joking & continued to dance FACING J. She dropped down & had her head between J's legs- shoulders brushing J's legs & we lost it! J grabbed her by the hair & YANKED her up and said: "YOU gotta go!" At this point her boyfriend, comes over and is all hey hey hey, what's going on. I immediately jump in his face and tell him: "You need to get your girl!", J steps in close & suddenly there's no problem... uh huh, ok, what's up? SHUT UP!
SO... as my hands were BURNING from wanting to have her hair wrapped firmly around it, I decided instead to give her the STIFF arm in the back tolet her know that she was invading my LIL bit of personal space. Eventually, I had to move to the side and let the beau run interference. But in her quest to get closer to the front, she ended up between a guy in a wheelchair and his friend who at first was leaning on the wheelchair, but by the time she had finished rocking him out of the way, HER left side was behind the chair. Mind you all of this was going on while ?est was spinning to fill up the time. Eventually, I guess their highs came down & they just PLOPPED DOWN indian style in the middle of the floor.  The beau was like where is your phone, you HAVE to take picture. I whipped out the sexy Evo, made sure the flash was ON & took this pic:
YUP! she was looking right at me and NOPE! I wasn't the onliest one to take a pic. The one in the purple was the personal space invader, the tall GUY in the middle was the hair flinger & the one staring longingly into the camera was the one jumping up & down & shouting "WOOOO!" Security came over & told them to get up and they seemed totally upset by that.

My question is: How were you raised that you don't think there is anything wrong with acting this way? This is ignorant behavior by definition: b : resulting from or showing lack of knowledge or intelligence. They really acted like they didn't know that ANY of this was NOT OK!
_________________________________________________________

FINALLY, at about 10:30 the show started and the crowd shenanigans got kicked up a notch. I saw one couple make their way almost all the way up to the front, only to be pushed RIGHT back! And they had the nerve to look appalled! Then there was the guy that tried his hardest to get by about 7 people, but we all put up a united front & refused to let anyone else by us, for no other reason than we had been standing there for over 2 hours & had EARNED the right to do so. Much the same way they thought they had earned the right to show up late & just make their way to the front. One guy even asked one girl Do you mind if we get rght there & he pointed to a space that was maybe big enough for an anorexic flamingo to stand in on ONE leg, mind you. Her: "There's no room!" Me: "YES, we mind." but he wasn't talking to me so....

Anyway, The Roots came out with the energgy on 10 & just built it up from there. After all that spinning  & spinning ?estlove was CRISP on his hits! F Knuckles was all smiles as he worked it out on the percussion. Apparently the look for the night was geek chic as almost all of them had on plaid, or a slim fit sweater. Except for Quest & Kirk who were rocking a 9:30 Club hoodie & some sort of trench coat made out of a baby bear, respectively. As the show went on & they heated it up Tariq came out of his plaid jacket, Damon shed his V-neck sweater & Frankie slipped out of his sweater... all without missing a beat! They played EVERYTHING... Including hitting a GREAT go-go beat during Everybody is a Star that made my heart race. They smoothed it out with some swinging jazz injected into some tunes & ramping up the guitar & rocking out some others. They played hit after hit & jam after jam... taking SHORT pauses during which the band would freeze LITERALLY & Tariq would do what he does so well- swaggerin all over the stage talking it up and keeping the crowd HYPED after the long delay! The spotlights were great! Frankie & ?est went hit for hit and never lost the downbeat, which I am always impressed by, I'm way too ADD to play drums! The beau was impressed by Damon's energy level & hypeness while carrying that SOUSAPHONE. tariq made sure to point out: "Give it up for Damon AKA Tuba Gooding, Jr. on the SOUSAPHONE, he don't even play a f*****g tuba!" I died laughing because I knew that already! here's a quick visual...

Tuba:

Sousaphone:

Got it? GOOD!

Captain Kirk showed out on his spotlight doing his George Benson and his rockstar riffs. Kamal's solo came during a song they did inspired by Fela which I didn't dig because of whatever sound he was using on the keyboard... *shrug* and it was over shadowed by ?est flubbing the words 3 times to the point they had to STOP the song & start over because he kept laughing. And Owens bass solo had my stomach trembling because of how the sound was set up!!!

SO, in short, if you love LIVE music & have never been to a Roots show, you have to go! But beware that there seems to be a certain faction of Roots fans that like to think they are the only people there. This isn't just based on this one incident. But I saw similar incidents occur this summer.

Overall a great show, cool venue... AWESOME CHRISTMAS PRESENT!

WHEW!... that was alot! I'm so not going back to edit it either.... so NAH! :-P

Sunday, December 26

Happy Kwanzaa!



I don't celebrate Kwanzaa, but one day when I have a family, I think I will.
My favorite principle is Kujichagulia! not just because it means self-determination, but ALSO because I loooove how it sounds when I say it. Koo-gee-chah-goo-lee-ah! LOVE IT!

In case you are not Kwanzaa-literate here's a break down of the days... You can google the rest:

Thursday, December 23

IownohowIfeelaboutthis- Antoine Dodson's Chimney Intruder



I will not say a word... NOPE... notta one...
Not about the pancake makeup, or the cottonballesque wig, or the neck rolling, or the slightly baggy t-shirt... NOPE! Not a WORD!

"I Don't Do Christmas"

I was in the salon yesterday & someone said that. It kinda made me sad. They weren't sayying they didn't believe in Christmas, but that they didn't "buy into the Christmas hype" as they put it. The only person she said she got something for was her grandmother. Though she has 2 children & nieces & nephews. I can't imagine what it must feel like to not "do Christmas". To not be excited about the food & the family. To not care about seeing the faces of the people you love when they open their gifts.

I definitely understand not wanting to go in the stores & fight over the last Robosan 3000 that's advertised as 75% off. But there is just something to be said for making people happy in Jesus' name! Seriously, there have been years when my Christmas Spirit was at like a 5 out of ten. But once the day came & I was there with my family it kicked up to about a 7.5 or an 8. This year I am already at a 7! and I am ready to see the looks on several peoples' faces. Christmas & Thanksgiving, as commercialized as the outside world has made it is still a time for family traditions. A time to set the trend, if you will. Christmas, for me has, for the last SEVERAL years, consisted of opening gifts with my mom & sister & a silly-bazilly breakfast at my mom's friends' house. Sometimes dinner is elsewhere, but the breakfast usually lasts until about 4 anyway, with munching & chatting going on throughout the day. So who needs dinner anyway.

But I just cannot fathom my Christmas consisting of breakfast with my oldest child & then just chilling at home watching the tube. Besides there is NEVER anything on tv on Christmas anyway!
D'ahwell! To each his or her own!

Merry Christmas Eve EVE!

Monday, December 20

Guilty Pleasure Song- Cooler Than Me



I got me a slow lil shoulder shimmy going on & I'm smiling like a mean girl... lol
LOVE THIS SONG!

Thursday, December 16

WHERE is the Next Musical Genius!??!

Does ANYONE play an instrument anymore?
Can anyone sit down with a pen & pad & write POETRY & put it to music?

Where is the next musical genius?
How many of these artists being lauded today can IDENTIFY instrument and walk up to it & play it?Excluding a beat machine...

With Usher claiming he is the successor to MJ (NOT!) and Kanye being compared to Quincy (and Quincy HOLLERING: I don't THINK so!), where is the next big thing that is accelerated to the top by more than a always-in-your-face PR campaign, a wind machine & a constant reminder of them being great?

Prince plays over 20 instruments... How many artists out today can NAME 20 ACTUAL instruments?

I am clearly disgusted with what is passing for popular music, partially increased by the fact that I am listening to Hot 99.5 right now & Ursher is whinnying thru this song. I need the old days back when ONLY Roger was using a vocorder! And only rappers performed in concert with a DJ! *sigh*

I need the REAL singer/songwriters to please STAND  UP!

Tuesday, December 14

Why Didn't Anyone Tell Me Christmas Was Next Week???

 

I JUST ordered HIS gifts! Now I am going to be STALKING the interwebs to ensure they get here on time.

I am taking care of my sister, nephew, mom & bestie tonight. But goodness, I looked at the calendar and realized... there are 11 shopping days until Christmas!

*bites nails nervously* Happy Chrismahanakwaanzakah!

Tuesday, December 7

That's Entertainment: 24 Hours With Bobby Brown

Read that title & think to yourself... is this a good idea???

How much would someone have to pay me to do this?

MY answer after seeing this clip?: Depends on how I'm feeling that day. If I'm up for an adventure, then MAYBE free.... if I am not, then there wouldn't be enough money in the world that would allow me to subject myself to this:
oh, btw... he is letting some CHOICE words fly... so ummm maybe it's NSFW.


THis dude's ETD was about to be 12:12! I understand him trying to get a reaction out of him, but COME ON DUDE, Bobby Brown does NOT play!

The show is called "24 Hours With..."  The reason you probably have not heard of it is beacuse it is a British reality show. But I am so sure American TV will copy this model soon. But here is more about the show from WikiWiki:

24 Hours with... is a chat show format as celebrity and interviewer spend an intense 24 hours locked in a room together.

Bobby Brown, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Lee Ryan, David Gest, Stan Collymore and Steve-O leave their mobile phones and PR advisers at the door for the first series in the UK. The host, Jamie Campbell can ask them whatever he likes.


Each 30 minute show tells the story of their 24 hours in the hot seat, with a digital clock at the bottom of the screen marking the passing of the day.

I am STILL laughing!





Friday, December 3

Would the REAL Slutty Sister PLEASE SHUT UP!

Last night the Kardashian sisters were on Conan. The fact that Conan was rocking jeggings wasn't the ONLY ridiculous part:



Kourtney, Kim & Khloe came out to discuss their book. And Kim was shocked & appalled by Khloe & Kourtney's goofing around on Twitter. Something about adult toys, mayo & shiny lady parts... Kim's reasoning was that they have followers under the age of 17. Khloe's response: "Follow at your own risk". Khloe & Kourtney were laughing & Kim? I couldn't tell WHAT that expression was on her "face" because that thing has been pulled & pushed & botoxed to the point where her facial muscles are all mixed up.

But was she for real? You are famous because of your professionally filmed sex tape with Brandy's brother. And you are concerned about the jokes your sisters are making on Twitter being read by children that follow you? And you said this with a straight face? (thanks to the miracle of unnecessary modern cosmetic surgery)

I am all for people redeeming themselves for their past transgressions & turning their life around a la Nicole Richie. But Nicole is a wife & mom doing wife & mom things. Kim takes pictures in swimsuits & dates tons of men in the spotlight. (Put a pin in that I'm coming back to it.)
Kim is on a reality show... I think she's on her THIRD show. I'm not buying the goody goody act Missy Poo! Besides you are sitting between one sister that is married & one that stayed was in a committed relationship with the father of her child (no matter how unvelievably cheesy he is). You were in a sex tape with Brandy's brother, are all over the internet & mags in swimsuits, are injecting your body with crap before the age of 30 & were just seen on a date with Halle Berry's leftovers. You are NOT the one to hold the moral compass.

Now, back to that pin, she also said that she wants to be able to go on 10 dates with 10 different guys & not have the papparazzi all around. Hun, YOU signed up to be on reality tv. You made YOURSELF a household name. And now you are MAD about getting what you asked for. GIRL, BYE! You humped your way into the limelight & no you're mad that your "innocent" dates are being made into more than they really are. Do you have AMNESIA? Was a lobotomy included in your various and sundry surgeries? I just cannot believe you are serious. Oh to be famous for nothing & delusional.

On Repeat- Angel by Anita Baker

I can't get this song out of my head!
And that's been ALRIGHT with me!!