The Writings on the Wall

July 20th, 2010

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Talking and Listening

July 19th, 2010

My good talented bud Paris, took some pictures of a group of us one day in the park when we didnt know it. Here are a couple of them of me doing what I hope I do best: talk and listen.

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You never know who may enter your life and finally help it make sense. Be Open and Optimistic.

July 16th, 2010

An Outside Party Like No Other…

July 15th, 2010

Every first Saturday something happens very special. Black people, white people, all people come to the Brooklyn Museum to explore inside and to Party Outside. There is a Sea of People there. The Music is Fun and Awesome. The crowd is cool and positive. The moment is beautiful yet unpretentious. The memory unforgettable. And your pockets very happy because it is FREE 99.

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At Weeksville with Cameron Corvett and Valerie June

July 14th, 2010

Went to Weeksville Garden Party this weekend again with my buds. Two great artists were in full effect: Soul Man, Cameron Corvett and Organic Roots Music Singer, Valerie June. They were simply awesome. Their music was pure and entertaining and they really connected with the crowd in a unique way. Plus, I won a bet that it would not rain and it didnt. I’m such a winner.

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OkayAfrica, blankets, and buds

July 13th, 2010

Sunday was a great day for Brooklyn. The OkayAfrica concert in prospect park which featured the Roots, Talib Kweli, Blitz the Ambassador and more was going on strong. Our bud Brandi (who was actually incognegro at the event) put us on to it, and we had a blast. Although it was a concert, we must admit, the music only served as background music. WE were too busy engaged in blanket talk as 8 of my buds talked, laughed, and played verbal games like :”2 truths and 1 lie” and “Never Ever”. I learned that its the simple things that are the most awesome. Yup!!!

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I almost had a heart Attack when I saw Brooklyn Artist and International Model, Ibrahim Baaith, from Centric’s Model City. Hes a cutie, but I complimented him all on his art. He is a great visual artist. Check out these pics of his great art. Check out these pics for Eye Candy.
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It was also good to bump into Brooklyn Emcee, Chenlo. He recently finished an international tour and will return back to it in October. Hes a talented guy and all around good person.

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This is Sharae. We went to undergrad together. She lives in Harlem but seems to only be hanging out in Brooklyn these days. SMH! I guess Harlem really isn’t that awesome.

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BTW: I followed him to the port-a-potty just to snap this picture.

Find Something To Smile About Today!

July 12th, 2010

Teenage Summer Fun

July 9th, 2010

The other day around the corner from my house I walked into a “Teenage Heat Wave Street Water” fight on Stuyvesant Ave. My and other adults first reaction was to complain. But then we thought for a second. We remembered when we were teenagers during the summer.

The summer was a time when water fights and battles of the sexes were the most entertaining thing to do in your neighborhood. I remember super soakers. The kids on Stuyvesant had buckets. I remember Travis and Marcus, my across the street male competition. To the girls on this Brooklyn street, every guy was the same: a water fight arch enemy.

I laughed, reminiscenced, took a few pictures and turned the corner. And I couldn’t help but envy and remember their fun.

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4th of July Joy

July 7th, 2010

On 4th of July, I decided to sleep the day away because it was 100’s of degrees and then headed out later for a nice rooftop BBQ in Brooklyn. It was a cool chill time. I met new buds, had some good veggie food, saw fireworks from queens and manhattan from our view, and just enjoyed life for a moment.

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Weeksville and Cody Chestnut

July 6th, 2010

This weekend I headed to Weeksville’s Garden Party to see Cody Chestnut perform. His voice is so innocent yet strong and his band was amazing. He performed cuts from his new album, which really has some very very great songs on them. I cant wait to grab it. The garden party was also a great place to see friends and enjoy what this summer has to offer. Check out pics below.

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My Week In Pictures: Manhattan

July 2nd, 2010

Thank God it is Friday. This week has been pretty cool and full of rest for me. I made a few trips into Manhattan this week and thought I’ll share some artful and interesting things I’ve seen.

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Reflections on Lauryn Hill and her return

June 29th, 2010

I remember the summer of my sophomore of High School. I went to the movies with my bestfriend and a few of our mentors to see the movie Sister Act. What intrigued me about the movie wasnt just whoppi’s wit, but a young actress whose voice moved me. Her name was Lauryn Hill. In my senior year her group and Her, named the fugees, would release The Score. It was a hiphop album I could get with. It wasnt filled with the thug life motif that was characteristic of the rap albums of the later half of the 90’s, rather it was a mix of MCing, a combination of soul, urban and caribbean utterances. It was fun, it was hypotizing, it was my kind of album.

In the summer of my sophomore year of College, Lauryn would release her solo debut, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. I remember going to the Baltimore Harbor record store and reserving my copy. I was the envy of my summer job office when I walked back in after lunch with my copy of the CD. I listened to it for the rest of the day instead of answering phones like I was being paid to. That college Junior year, posters of Lauryn peppered my wall.  That next summer, a group of friends of mine would go and see her perform in Virginia. It was a concert I would never forget.

What I loved about Lauryn then, is what I still love about Lauryn now. Her voice heals me. It inspires me. It makes me fall in love with music and lyrics. Her words touch me. They are true, vulnerable, and challenging at the same time. Although she has been missing in action, I like others await for her return.  When I read the latest NPR article about her impact and return along with rare, new audio interviews with her, I got excited again. Not merely for the resurrection of an artist, but a satisfied hope that hearing her again will make me love listening to music again. That it will make me preorder CD’s again. More importantly it will make me remember where I was 10-15 years from now when a certain album, a certain star touched my life through music.

Audio: Lauryn Hill on Being a Rapper and A singer

Audio: Lauryn Hill on Creative Experience

Audio: Lauryn Hill on Bob Marley

Audio Documentary from All things Considered: The Many Voices of Lauryn Hill

Meatpacking District Art PT 2

June 28th, 2010

I love going down to the meatpacking district. There are several reasons from food to highland park to the good ol’ apple store. But one of the things I love most is the art. Here’s another look at some of the art displayed on buildings throughout the district that I witnessed this past weekend.

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Luck… according to the Iphone 4 and Alicia Keys

June 25th, 2010

LUCK:  ”an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another”

Well Its been an interesting few hours of luck for me.
I go into the Apple Store at 6am this morning and is able to get it in stock AND in enough time to arrive at the office on time. Great Phone, Lucky me. I’m the envy of the department as we speak. (blah blah blah) but then…

as I walk out the apple store, right to my immediate left is a free concert of Alicia Keys taped by CBS Early Show. I walked over and participated. Great Show, Lucky me. 

I took some pictures on the Iphone 4. Not bad, not bad.

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Meet My Neighborhood:BEDStuy

June 24th, 2010

So I’ve had several posts about my neighborhood of Bedstuy on this blog. Remember the early morning post here and not to forget the recent mural post here. And I cant forget about the natives of bedstuy post I did here.

Well Here’s a video that I believe properly gives an introduction to what I believe is one of the best places to live in New York City. You will also notice my favorite neighborhood restaurant mentioned as well, Good ol PEACHES. Oh I posted about them here  a while ago as well.

Quote of the Day

June 22nd, 2010

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So here’s a quote from my good friend above, David Ross, who is an educator, father, writer, performer, and one of my closest friends. It makes me laugh but only because it rings soooo true.

“The truth will set you free…but

not before it pisses you off first”

–David “Native Son” Ross

Name Dropping: Meet my bud, Baruti

June 21st, 2010

So a few weeks ago while in Fort Greene Brooklyn, I bumped into my college roommates brother in law and good friend Baruti. Baruti is a Staten Island visual artist, educator, father, and Entreprenegro. He has an awesome spirit and a stand out personality. Check out the video below for a candid interview. You can check out more of his art work here: ART BY BARUTI

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Quote to live by

June 15th, 2010

My First Tattoo

June 14th, 2010

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So after Karate Kid was sold out this weekend, me and my bud decided to go to the tattoo parlor. Random, I know. But I decided to get one. My first one. While thinking of concepts it eventually became a no brainer for me.

The Inspiration:
Philosopher Rene Descartes once locked himself into a room, striving to investigate existence and skepticism. This was a metaphysical search. In Meditations on First Philosophy he engages in an experiment of doubting everything. The notion of doubting made him certain of one thing and that was his own existence. For him to doubt, there had to be someone who was doing the doubting (which confirmed his existence). In a nutshell, He proved his existence, by thinking hence the term “I think, therefore I Am”.

The Meaning For Me:
I am a thinker, personally and professionally. It is what I do most of my day. It is the thing that helps me cope and the think that makes me happy. It reminds me that I am alive. The act itself, proves to me my own existence every day. For when I stop, I will know that something in me has died. And so thinking remains my quest, my fix, my passion, and my zeal in life. And the pen (which represents communication) will always precede it because I don’t just think in my head, but I strive to share my thoughts with words in classrooms and on paper for the world to hear.

Something to think about…

June 10th, 2010

I saw this bumper sticker last weekend in soho.

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