Convergence

Music Video Inspiration

As an artist, I'm always looking for things to inspire me so that I can create or just so that I can allow my imagination to soar. So what inspires me? Weird, off-the-beaten path movies about some kind of dysfunction. I know, it's weird but there's nothing like watching a sad or quirky character drama about familial dysfunction or someone dealing with substance abuse (Half Nelson, Requieum for a Dream, Wristcutters, come to mind). Movies that nobody's ever heard of that make me think. Know what else inspires me? Music videos. Weird, music videos that are outside the box and sometimes make no common sense. Here are some examples of some of my favorites:

Gotta love Gnarls for keepin' it real. Here's another one:

You can always count on Bjork to make a crazy music video that doesn't really make sense but is SO COOL. How about my girl Santogold?? If you've never heard of her, you need to look her up. Her album is WONDERFUL. It's a fusion of musical styles that I don't hear a lot these days.

And while we're on Santogold, I LOVE this song from the Converse commercial...

And then lastly, there's Kanye. A lot of people are hatin' on this song but I think it's kinda catchy. I liked it from the time I first saw him perform it on the MTV Awards.

Ok, so here's a little sidebar, but am I really that slow or has anybody heard of Jazmine Sullivan? I just heard of her for the first time last Friday on the Steve Harvey Morning Show. This girl has an AMAZING voice. Very reminicent of Lauryn Hill. She sang live on the radio and I really thought it was the record until I heard Steve and Nephew Tommy making comments in the background. I wanted to put her video here on the site but YouTube (or probably the record company) wouldn't let me embed the video. It's not weird or anything but I do like it. Especially the parts where she's inside the spinning record. If you want to see it, you'll have to click here.

So those are just some of my favorite music videos that fuel my artistic fire. What about you? What movies or videos bring out the inner artist in you? 

A Grown Folks Good Time

So tonight Sadie and Bertha had a night out on the town and we went to Cafe 290, a jazz club out in Sandy Springs. I had actually been there before with Jon and my sister and we had a good time so I decided to take Bertha there since she likes jazz too. Tonight a guy named Reggie Hines was playing saxophone and he was great. We had a good time and I felt very old. Why? Because he played a bunch of old songs by people like Earth, Wind and Fire, The Gap Band, Stevie Wonder, and DeBarge. And I found myself doing the old folks dance. You know the one where you throw one hand up, close your eyes, twist your mouth and groove from side to side and then follow that up with the words "Ooh! That's ma soong!!" Yes, I did that several times tonight. Yes, I'm old.

But all in all Cafe 290 is a great place to go on a date or just to go and chill. It's a nice, adult crowd so you don't have to worry about any scallywags trying to push up on you. Sorry I don't have any pictures to post of me and Bertha tonight but we were just too into the music I guess to think about pictures. But I have a good feeling that that's gonna become my spot whenever I get in my grown folks mode. Now I just gotta find a place where I can hear some good rock and a place that has good cover bands. Anybody got any suggestions?

A Sigh of Relief...Hip Hop Ain't Really Dead

The other day I was flipping channels and I came across a new show on MTV, I believe it was called "Hollyhood" or something like that. I watched in dismay as two men stood in a hotel room and proceeded to pat themselves on the back for a rhyme the had just written, all of which consisted of the hook "What you starin' at? I'm not a mirror." As watched I couldn't help but shake my head and lament the fact that I had been in denial all along. What was once an art form had officially crossed over and become nothing more than commercial ear candy. Hip hop was dead.

But my hope was restored tonight when I went to see the pre-screening for the upcoming film "The Hip Hop Project." What an awesome movie about a rapper named Kazi who "inspires a group of NYC teens to transform their life stories into powerful works of art, using hip hop as a force for hope, healing and the realization of dreams." As I watched the film and listened to these teenagers spit lyrical fire, it brought me back to the golden days of hip hop. It reminded me of why I love hip hop. It reminded me of the art and the message and made me feel proud to be a supporter of this art form. It also inspired me to continue being an artist and to let my voice be heard as a filmmaker whose got something to say.

Do you remember the days when hip hop was poetry? When hip hop was an expression of reality, not a regurgitation of somebody else's fantasy? Do yourself a favor. Go and see this movie when it comes out in theaters on May 11. You can also show your support by going to iTunes and buying the album "The Hip Hop Project." You'll be so glad you did. For more information, go to www.hiphopproject.com.

They Just Don't Make Music Like They Used To...

Ok, so I just finished watching the BET Awards--what a mish mash representation of what music has become today. First of all what was that MESS w/ Jamie Foxx & Fantasia???? It's already bad enough listening to her holler for 5 minutes straight, but watching them tongue each other down was a bit much...I still have yet to figure out what T.I. is saying in "What You Know"...Chris Brown--one word, HORRIBLE--he sounded horrible and I couldn't get with the flying in the basket deal...Mary J. and Mary Mary--luv 'em, but the hollerin' has got to stop...Damon Wayans, corny...

Ok, maybe I'm being a bit harsh, but ah...the good ones...Beyonce held it down with the opening...I think that was the best I've ever seen/heard her perform...she sounded great, a little bit much on the giratin' but gotta love the energy...Even Young Joc held his own w/ Diddy even tho I"m not really a southern rap fan...BUSTA RHYMES!!! 'Nuf said--and it was even great to see Slim Shady onstage too...Ok, but the highlight of the night for me of course was the Queen herself--Ms. Chaka Khan--she rocked it! And to see her AND Prince AND Stevie Wonder all onstage at the same time--that was a real treat...Now THAT was a true performance. I was so glad that they let her sing my two of my favorites--Through the Fire and I Feel For You herself and not have someone else sing it. It would have set it off if she had sung Ain't Nobody, but hey, I guess you can't have everything...And like Steve Harvey said (with his crazy self)...she's someone who's been around for a long time that can sing and has sung ALL different types of music--a true artist who's influence and gift spans over decades...you've got to respect her for that...luv me some Chaka Khan...you just don't hear music like that anymore.....

Still trying to figure out what to say about that Keyshia Cole performance...she's a doll but something seemed a little off with the vocals...But didn't Harry Belafonte look great? And so did Boris Kodjoe and Larenz Tate (too fine!!)...aw well, that's just my take on it all...I tell ya, music is great, but there's just nothing like the old 'skool vibe!!