These stories about living in the inner cities of Manhattan are but a reflection of inner cities throughout the greater US of A. They serve as a slice of reality not found in the tomes churned out by those baby-boi, wet-behind-the ears, pimped rappers abused by the recording industry.
REVISITING Buffoonery and Blackface in the 2nd Decade of the 21st Century
In the Summer of 2013 Miley Cyrus mande a big sensation with her twerking escapades. Justin Beiber, Miley, etc are the latest incarnations of BlackFace. It is a lot more covert in the 21st Century - just as most forms of racism - to serve the purpose of concealing it. Yet most important: to make folks of color look like paranoid, chip carrying blowhards. Cool, I get it...not going to stop me though. Original Post: This whole thing swirling around Ms Cyrus and the way she was behaving during this 'show', is just another wack take on the music industry's looong history of appropriating what they THINK is African American culture and putting it in a package that appeals to Caucasian male youth. Continuing the sick, sexist AND racist cycle; passing it down to yet another generation of Americans. As a woman of color, who learned culturally-based popular dance from Soul Train, to then watch it repackaged an sifted out sideways on American Bandstand a week later, I am not surprised at this baffonery. Home girl may as well have gone all-the-way-live and busted out in 'Black-Face'. My boy from Maroon 5 says, "I've got the moves like Jagger." Well, where do you think Mr. Mick got his moves? Can you say, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and James Brown? Mick Jagger is not alone in his appropriation however. Musicians such as Dr. John, Bob Dylan and Peter Gabriel were all influenced heavily by Professor Lonhair and Robert Johnson. This mooching of 'Black' and Continental African cultural style has been going on ever since Europeans discovered Africa, lol. On the one hand, they felt as though people of African descent were beneath them and uncivilized, yet they were fascinated by the so-called primitive's level of artistry in music and adornment techniques. In addition to their knowledge of agriculture and complex cosmology. George Barnes "was a world-renowned swing jazz guitarist, who claimed he played the first electric guitar in 1931...George Barnes made the first recording of an electric guitar in 1938 in sessions with Big Bill Broonzy." ~WIKI Mr. Barnes grew up in a suburb of Chicago's South side and spent many hours in the inner South Side area, where all the folks of color are, soaking up the Blues and Jazz. "He started his professional career at the age of 12, when he received his musicians' union card, and toured throughout the Midwest. By the time he was 14, he was accompanying blues vocalists such as Big Bill Broonzy and Blind John Davis." ~WIKI Now, during the time that the young teen Mr. Barnes played with them, both Mr. Broonzy & Mr. Davis did not have the provilage of being given musicians' union cards, since they were not welcome in any 'White' man's union at that time. They were stuggling to establish their careers while Mr. Barnes was on his way to stardom. Mr. Barne's is "world-renowned", whereas the two gentlemen that he developed his chops from are just codas in American musical history. Yet when the two gentlemen went to tour Europe in the late 40's through 1952, they were greeted with standing ovations and media accolades. They are still highly respected and well known in European Jazz music circles yet virtually unknown in their birth country. During the time Mr. Broonzy and Mr. Davis were on tour in Europe, many young ones like, Mick Jagger, Steve Winwood and other musicians of the 'British Invasion' were exposed to this music and promted to delve into it further. Robert Johnson, Ma Rainey, Charle Patton, Big Bill Broonzy Blind John Davis inspired the next generation of Black performers like Berry, Little Richard and Fats Domino, who seized upon the introduction of the electric Guitar, incorporated the old Blues, injected it with the energy of the inner-city aesthetic and the struggle for equal rights. They turned it into something entirely new. Out of this innovation and redefinition of African American cultural style and music sprung good ole Rock and Roll. Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Steve Windwood, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards and Eric Clapton have all said, in interviews throughout their career, that they were influenced accordingly by these 'new' musicians; in additon to Blues singer's like Bessie Smith, Jazz artists like Dizzy Gillespie and Early 'Motown' Soul music. Miley Cyrus' performance is yet another generation sucking on the teat of African American culture. The other issue in this otherwise irrelavent drama is her 'dancing'. The ridiculous choreography in her 'performance' only served to project her sexual immaturity rather than reflect any kind of Feminist expression. The silliness surrounding this yong lady is making it difficult for women who have consciously made the choice to be professional entertainers; Exotic & Burlesque performers and dancers. Strong, confident and empowered women that not only enjoy what they do -- they take it very seriously as an art form. Belly Dancing is an ancient art form -- as well as the sensual dance forms that are part of the Vedas' Kama Sutra & Tantra. I was s Modern, Jazz & Improvisational dancer as well as an Exotic dancer for over 14 years; a continuing Belly Dancer and, recently (the past 3 years), a Tantric dance practitioner. I am concerned about the escalation of this into the ridiculousness of minutia, such as the wrangling over grinding vs gyration and making issue of whether Ms C is making a "feminist statement" or not. I have no judgement regarding a young woman of any age experimenting with Sensual Dance Forms yet someone under 25 would not have the Life experience to truly and fully express the power of this Divine Feminine activity. It appears that Ms. Miley doesn't either. ORIGINAL ARTCLE http://www.newstatesman.com/music-and-performance/2013/08/memo-miley-twerking-not-feminist-statement
Two and a half years ago I attempted to write a blog post regarding the murder of a transgender Human Being that I knew. I could not because it was so raw. The backlash of violence against young people of color over the past five years has demanded a revisit from me. because although the police were not involved directly, their lack of response was equivalent to covert abuse. The original, intended post: I knew Islan Nettles. She was a intelligent, articulate and accomplished young woman. She had her whole Life waiting for her and a career in the clothing design industry. Insead, she was beaten to the point of Death. I am sick to my stomach because what the NYS media monsters failed to mention, in ALL of the articles I'd seen for an etire week, is that the incident happened RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE 148th Street POLICE STATION! If it was a citizen considered to be 'White' or Caucasian', they would have been there johnny-on-the-spot; all over the 'perps': feet on necks, knees on backs and gun barrels pushed up against temples and/or throats! The entire neighborhood put on lock-down until a perp was found. The police materialize, it seems out of thin air, when they want to Stop and Frisk you for handing a friend $5 standing in front of your own dwelling (SIDE-NOTE: I thank DeBlasio for being serious about cracking down on this and not just using it as a campaign nibblet - yet, the police are hard nuts and are no giving it up easily). The people crying about NYC turning into the Wild, Wild West or some 'Mega-City' straight out of a Judge Dredd strip obviously don't live in the communities where this protocol is being abused at every level of policing. The precinct I'm referring to, located on Frederick Douglass Blvd (8th Ave) between 147th & 148th streets, has a history of harassment & detention of young Latino and Black males. Question: tell me how a beating of that level, right in front of the precinct with cameras upon the roof, NOT catch at least ONE officer's attention? In addition to the ones installed on top of the traffic light poles at the intersections of 147th and 148th streets? Answer: because, the police are worthless when it comes to doing anything that resembles real, sincere support in this community. A neighbor told me that they overheard a officer say, "If we hadn't of responded as quickyl as we did, it woulda been worse..." Excuse me but, last time I checkd: Death is about as bad as you can get. Ummm, maybe I'm wrong, eh?! What's really funny? The day after the tradgedy, I was on my way back home from a walk at around 9:00pm that evening. As I passed the precinct, I noticed that there was a cop on patrol out front, casing the block. LOL!!!!!! I had to find the irony; the humor, to keep myself from wringing that man's neck. It's the first time I've ever seen that in the 10 years I've lived here (on 8th Ave -- only a few blocks from the station). The lives of Black folks don't mean much in the US - esp. young males, women and those of alternative gender orientation...the levels of racism, sexism, gender bias and class snobbery in this country is sick, insane and detestable. NEWS ARTICLE http://tinyurl.com/m6cpb7l
A very interesting interview with Ms. Swinton, if you can get passed Mr. Rollins' flippant attitude and occasionally superficial questions,that reveals a humorous side to the actress.
I truly appreciated her reply to Mr. Rollins regarding Tangiers (from 1:00 - 2:10).
She's straight up; no chaser throughout the entire tete a tete. A woman after mine own Heart. LoL!!
Radioactive Wolves Of Chernobyl [Full Documentary] | Witness the perseverance and strength of Ghaia! In the shadow of Chernobyl, wildlife that was once hunted and scared away by Stalin's socialist, land clearing and urbanization is thriving, despite the high levels of radioactivity found in the bones of much of the wildlife, plants and water.
Racism: the Collective American Neurosis that no one wants to hear about, especially from the people who suffer as a result of it the most.
In fact the title should be: 'Paula Deen and Why So Many AMERICAN Racists Don't Believe They're Actually Racists'
I have my moments of racism; even as it pertains to my own culture, LoL. It is ingrained in Americans from the cradle to the grave by the most beloved and sacred of our institutions. The educational system and religion being the top two.
The only way to heal a neurosis is through employing some of the protocols used in psychiatric therapy,such as: dialogue and opposite role identification. The most important aspects of dealing with this monkey-on-the-collective-back is 1) there needs to be an acceptance of the existence of the problem ; 2) letting go of Fear and opening our Hearts; and 3) a willingness to heal.
A comment made by one of the readers of this article and my response:
IngridToday said:
"Paula Deen admits to using the n-word when being held at gun point.... because that'll improve the situation.
I'm from the North and moved to the South for a short time. I was surprised how many people absolutely believe the Civil War was *not* about slavery. One person tried to tell me slavery wasn't that prevalent and another that black people were better off as slaves because they had free room and board. She seriously insisted that slavery ended because it was too expensive for the landowner.
Of course, I had also had some use the n-word and immediately say he -at twenty- he didn't know any better because he's from a small town."
My response:
Unfortunately, Ingrid Today, the Civil War wasn't about slavery as it's primary interest. The impetus for the North's disagreement with Chattel Slavery was motivated more by dollars-n-cents than by any moral inclinations. The primary issue was that the financiers of the Northern 'Union' states recognized that slavery was giving the Southern Republic states a greater economic advantage. Too many Southerner's families, in relation to their silver-spoon-mouthed counterparts up North, were stinking rich as a result of the Chattel Trade. Wealth = Economic Flexibility = Political Power. The kind of power that would have bought them the Presidency, as well as, the ears and socioeconomic clout of corruptible reps in the Senate and Congress. The kind that would situate them in a position to rule the economy and shut down the Federal Reserve Bank and the fate of gold & silver would be in the South's control. That's what made them scream so loud about slavery: they were terrified of the clout it gave the South. If slavery had continued, for as little as 20 more years, we would be calling this country the Confederate States of America. This was more worrisome to folks up North than the freedom - or not - of some Black servants and workers. The North was just as racist as the South anyway. History bears that out. That is why so many 'freedmen' went either far North into Canada or South into Mexico; or the Caribbean.
