The Street Stalker

I've Moved

2011-04-27T10:33:00.000+02:00

You can find me at thestreetstalker.wordpress.com

Sha-Clack-Clack

2011-02-15T15:14:00.001+02:00

If I could find the spot where truth echoes
I would stand there and whisper memories of my children's future
I would let their future dwell in my past
so that I might live a brighter now
Now is the essence of my domain and it contains
all that was and will be
And I am as I was and will be because I am and always will be
that nigga
I am that nigga
I am that nigga
I am that timeless nigga that swings on pendelums like vines
through mines of boobytrapped minds that are enslaved by time
I am the life that supersedes lifetimes, I am
It was me with serpentine hair and a timeless stare
that with immortal glare turned mortal fear into stone time capsules
They still exist as the walking dead, as I do
The original sulphurhead, symbol of life and matriarchy
severed head Medusa, I am
I am that nigga
I am that nigga!
I am that nigga!!
I am a negro! Yes negro, negro from _necro_ meaning death
I overcame it so they named me after it
And I be spitting at death from behind
and putting "Kick Me" signs on it's back
because I am not the son of Sha-Clack-Clack
I am before that, I am before
I am before before
Before death is eternity, after death is eternity
There is no death there's only eternity
And I be riding on the wings of eternity
like HYAH! HYAH! HYAH! Sha-Clack-Clack
but my flight doesn't go undisturbed
Because time makes dreams defer
And all of my time fears are turning my days into daymares
And I live daymares reliving nightmares
of what taunted my past
Sha-Clack-Clack, time is beatin my ass
And I be havin dreams of chocolate covered watermelons
Filled with fried chickens like pinatas
With little pickaninny sons and daughters
standing up under them with big sticks and aluminum foil
Hittin em, tryin to catch pieces of fallin fried chicken wings
And Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben are standing in the corners
with rifles pointed at the heads of the little children
"Don't shoot the children," I shout, "don't shoot the children!"
but they say it's too late
They've already been infected by time
But that shit is before my time
I need more time
I need more time
But it's too late
They start shooting at children and killing them!
One by one, two by two, three by three, four by four
Five by five, six by six, but
my spirit is growing seven by seven
Faster than the speed of light
Cause light only penetrates the darkness that's already there
and I'm already there
I'm here at the end of the road
which is the beginning of the road beyond time, but
where my niggaz at? (Oh shit!)

Oh shit, don't tell me my niggaz got lost in time
My niggaz are dying before their time
My niggaz are serving unjust time
My niggaz are dying because of... time

- Ray, Slam

StreetStalking

2011-02-07T09:28:00.003+02:00

I have a long way to go. In two weeks, I embark on a roller-coaster mission and I'm utterly excited! I cannot begin to express how hopeful I'm feeling about my future and the way I have managed to shape my life.

I have really managed to focus and despite all my setbacks, I have managed to achieve the goals I have set out for myself and I'm really proud of my achievements. I know that I'm nowhere reaching where I need to be but everything happens in its own time and for now, I'm completely fulfilled and happy with how far I have come.

I'm proud of me :)

Nike: Year of the Rabbit

2011-01-13T10:01:00.007+02:00

It's been ages since I blogged about kicks - in fact, I decided a while back that I wouldn't talk about kicks on my blog (I was trying to wean myself off). This time though, I couldn't help it (because I'm so China right now). Nike recently released Chinese Celebration packs called Year of the Rabbit (just in time for Chinese New Year, which falls in February) - which are available in AF1 and the Classic Tennis. The AF1, which I will always remember Emkay saying are just like heels because of their chunky sole, come in a red, white and blue white, varsity royal and crimson upper and a cute little furry swoosh. The Classic Tennis come in two colourways for men and women - metallic gold for men's (representing wealth) and red (representing prayer for good luck, according to High Snobiety)

Above: Nike Year of the Rabbit Air Force 1

This is Nike's 10th drop themed around the Chinese Lunar Years. If you know me, you know that I'm very China obsessed right now so I was excited about this release. The kicks will be sold exclusively in China at the following stores: Nike Beijing Store, Nike Sanlitun Store, Nike Beijing Oriental Plaza Store, Beijing Deal, Nike Shanghai Store, Shanghai Juice and Shanghai NPC.

Above: Nike Year of the Rabbit Classic Tennis

The Year of the Rabbit

Apparently this is the year that we should listen to our intuition more. Also, good taste and refinement will shine on everything and people will acknowledge that persuasion is better than force. A congenial time in which diplomacy, international relations and politics will be given a front seat again. We will act with discretion and make reasonable concessions without too much difficulty. (source)

Sounds like the kind of year that I need right now!

Also check HypeBeast and High Snobiety for more pics that I didn't lift from them.

Natural Born Killers

2010-10-05T09:44:00.002+02:00

"Once upon a time, a woman was picking up firewood. She came upon a poisonous snake frozen in the snow. She took the snake home and nursed it back to health. One day the snake bit her on the cheek. As she lay dying, she asked the snake, "Why have you done this to me?" And the snake answered, "Look, bitch, you knew I was a snake."

Positively one of my favourite movies of all time. There are many, but this is definitely one of my favourite. I mean, the microscope on the role of the media in making people that shouldn't be heroes, heroes through their sensationalism is something I talk about all the time. It's also the reason that I decided against my media studies degree; I really ended up not wanting to be a journalist. I don't think it sucks that much, so don't feel bad for me. You probably weren't right? haha

Anyway, Mickey and Mallory are such misguided souls. I love when Dr. Reingold says that Mickey & Mallory know the difference between right and wrong, but they just don't give a fuck. Well, the Doctor said they don't give a damn. Not fuck. But, most people do know the difference, it's just the choice they make. Those that aren't sure of the difference are psychopaths, and not everyone is a psychopath, although I've met a few sociopaths in my life. Like Mickey and Mallory, they know the difference too, they just don't care.

I think I might make Saturday movie arvie...

This Is My Life

2010-09-28T11:10:00.001+02:00

Nights Of RaMdomness!

2010-09-23T10:11:00.004+02:00

So I had a standing arrangement with Vie to attend Noodlebox Cinema at The Bioscope...we were both excited for it - I mean, noodles and an old school romance - who's really gonna say no? Luckily, Zaki also happened to be in town so Vie recruited her too. Yay. We were good to go! Except that Vie and I were late. By the time we arrived, Zaki was inside the cinema with her box of noodles watching a 1960's Chinese romance. The douche in charge wouldn't let us in because it was too ful- and he refused to allow us to sit on the floor (as if that would somehow fuck up the other guests' experience). "That's not what we're trying to do here", is what he kept on saying. What a square.
Anyway, so this other dude basically just invited us into the private party that was happening next door at Malva- which by the way, is a delightful venue filled with clothes and some nice decor - both of which I think are for sale. Not sure about the clothes- didn't get a chance to look around. Anyway, so it was an open bar and they had some really nice finger food. Now, usually I don't do this, but I went IN on the finger foods cos I didn't have dinner (remember, I was meant to have noodles at the cinema). That food was the goodness! And silly me, I forgot to find out who catered. At this point, I still didn't know what the event was about. AND THEN Nonku put me on the spot on camera, asking what I was doing there. I'm usually great at avoiding cameras (used to being the one WITH the camera), but she ambushed me She didn't seem impressed with my honest answer (I thought the sheer randomness that brought me to the party was cool). Turns out it was the album launch for a Gallo artist called Liz Ogumbo. Sigh. She was bad. No. TERRIBLE. Besides singing about big asses in blue jeans, she had these weird dancers that sashayed onto the stage mid-performance doing this hip gyration move. Her songs weren't all that. Judging by the nice launch they gave her, amsho Gallo feels they have their entry into the "emerging urban African market". This shit grated me intensely. She's a model, business person and artist. Ja. O montle. O motelle. O mosesane. So she gets the deal and attention. The white guys were loving her. Of course. Anyway, good for her, I hope she rides it til the wheels fall off, but I wish other talent got that kind of record label love. Real talent.

Anyway, the best part of the evening was when circumstance led us to Radium Beer Hall. Shit like this reminds me that Joburg is a great city, and you just have to choose which side of the real cool you wanna be on. These two ancient men were playing some good ass blues music - and the obese white guy entertaining the skinny coloured girl kept on saying it's Boeremusiek and we were like ummm no, it's black people music...anywho, that war might rage on for a long ass time to come. The one dude was strumming the shit out of a tin-like guitar - and Vie pointed out that they look like grown up Wayne and Garth. We giggled like hell when we realised one of the dudes' names was actually Wayne! Except older Garth's hair was completely thinning our, leaving his little fringe really little. What an awesome night.

Oh, we also bumped into Wandi and Scottness there - who tried to get us to come out, but we were STRONG and didn't succumb to any kind of FOMO.

I'm Sorry Charlie Murphy, I Was Having Too Much Fun

2010-09-21T09:18:00.001+02:00

If you know me, you know that I love Amy, despite the issues I usually have with crackish people. But I just love love love Amy man. So anyway, whenever I listen to Valerie - which was a collabo with Mark Ronson (who I also respect), I have a little giggle when she says "I'm sorry Charlie Murphy, I was having too much fun". Now, I was never sure if in fact she was talking about the Charlie Murphy, or if there was actually a "Charlie Murphy" present when she was recording. You know, like someone in personel or something. So anyway, it turns out she was referencing Rick James in a skit on Chappelle's Show.

I know, it's a total music/pop culture geek moment, but this is me. LOL!

This Is Funny

2010-09-15T10:57:00.002+02:00

Lifted from my husband - The Bullshit Artist's blog.

Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life

2010-08-20T10:22:00.002+02:00

So, I've been quite the wet rag this week. Very mopey and generally just being snappy and somewhat harsh-but to people that deserved it. At some point, my crappy mood was fucking with everything around me- I wasn't getting things right at work (work was a big part of the reason that I was in such a kak mood), and I was arguing with my mom and had less patience than usual for my brother (who has a knack for pressing the wrong buttons without fail). So anyway, one day,I burst out crying and the smallest gesture made me get it together. My 16 month-old niece walked over to give me a hug and stroked my face so lovingly.

It was the most genuine thing anyone has done for me this week (and no doubt the best part of my week). After that, I couldn't mope around any longer. I got it together, did my school work and focused on things that are in my control. I also learnt a lesson that I always think I know in theory but when it comes to practice...lol! Anyway, the lesson was a) Tumi, you can't be in control of everything b) not everyone sees things the way I see them, and I can't force that onto people c) Although I am so desperate to effect change, I can't do it on my own (this has a lot to do with my work situation, and the reason for this week's depression). Anyway, now I've decided to deal with the things that are in my power, and to make sure that those are 100% and just surrender the rest to the universe. It's worked for two days. I'm excited to see what the next few weeks have in store for yours truly.

Anyway, this song made me laugh a lot this week, and I had a great time watching Life With Brian with my niece Humi on Tuesday. I was shocked that she even knew Monty Python but really happy that I had someone to share my laughs and giggles with.

Throwbacks: Goodie Mob

2010-08-17T11:15:00.004+02:00

So this morning, I was listening to Still Tippin and mk called me out for listening to trap music so early in the morning. I realised that in fact, lately, I've been listening to a lot of that kind of music, and I've been digging that ol' dirrrty dirrrrty. What I've been bumping a lot of on my ipod though, is a certain is an often forgotten classic album from Goodie Mob, Still Standing. I know I say this all the time, but if you aren't familiar, you might have to kill yourself already.

These guys ARE dirty south. I will always love this album, and of course, how could I not love Soul Food. This is Cee-lo's beginning, and I will always love dude because he's really managed to evolve in his music, without losing credibility, respect and fans (and when he realised that he was a grown man, he replaced his full mouth grill with super white veneers). In fact, he's done what few hip hop artists are ever able to do- transcend boundaries as an artist. The other person I really dig for that is RZA, but that's another blog post all together. Don't me wrong, I'm not singling out Cee-lo because Khujo is one of the most underrated rhymists for me, and Big Gipp and T-Mo have had their own collabo's with artists too.

You might have heard the song below, maybe in the club, or heard a really cool person humming it, or a tryina be cool cornball sayin "dey don dance no mo, all they do is THIS"...Aaaaanyway, here's a video of They Don't Dance No More. I still have my Still Standing album in MINT CONDITION. That's something coming from me, because I haven't respected physical music in about 10 years (yeah, I've been downloading music since diap-up days, you ignorant grasshopper).

Ginger Madness: Quick Stir Fry Recipe

2010-07-28T13:07:00.005+02:00

As if the mint & ginger infused green tea wasn't enough to satisfy my craving for ginger, I had to take it a step further. This week, I was wandering around the food isles at Woolies trying to figure out what I would make for my lunch. As usual, I wandered aimlessly for about 20 minutes before realising what my body craved. See, I have to walk around and let my eyes take it all in and communicate with the belly to see if the little man inside jumps up for joy or curls up writhing in feigned pain.

So anyway, after scanning the near empty salad shelves (it was evening-time, and they only had those pasta salads - grossums), my eyes settled on the stir-fry veggie mix. He was jumping for joy- this had to be the meal! Then I had to make the decision- to noodle or not to noodle...I know it sounds crazy but a stir-fry is perfectly good without rice or noodles. Right. Settled on no noodles, no rice. What follows is the recipe I've had for the last two days. It's deelish. Please try it. I don't really do the thing of measuring quantities when cooking, so bear with me please.

Ingredients

Stir-Fry Mix from Woolies/Spar/P&P - or you can make your own using

julliened carrots
florets of broccoli
chopped onion
cabbage (red,white or chinese)
spinach
chinese/regular mushrooms
julliened baby marrows
chopped coriander (not a lot-so it take your taste buds' attention from the ginger-chillies taste)

and whatever else you fancy in your stir-fry

cloves garlic
ginger root
soy sauce/fish sauce
Whole chillies
olive oil/grapeseed oil

Method

Pour a tablespoon of chosen oil into pan. Heat.
Using a pestle and motar, crush chillies, ginger and garlic, then throw it into the pan for frying.
When flavours release, throw the veggies in and mix it all up
Keep turning the veggies over to ensure heat distribution and to make sure all veggies are cooking.
If you like to add salt to everything, this is the part where you add some salt.
Pour some soy or fish sauce and simmer- BUT DON'T LET THE VEGGIES DIE.

Serve with whatever tickles your fancy.

It's very quick to make but it tastes soooooo good!

P.S Sorry for the kak pic, I ate the food faster than I could blog about it. LOL

Artists I Like: Marc Baptiste

2010-07-27T15:36:00.002+02:00

I've been meaning to blog about Marc Baptiste for years now, and I still haven't. Marc is one of my faourite photographers, and when you see some of his work, I'm sure you'll understand why. Haitian by birth, this man's work is often emotive- but then again, what's the point of a photograph if it's not emotive?

Anyway, so Marc has shot for a gazillion magazines including Cosmopolitan, Vanity Fair, Harper's Bazaar, Trace and (my favourite magazine) Clam.He's shot more celebrities than I want to fit into this post and has also worked with various clients including Nike and Reebok.

Marc's work caught my eye around '07 when I was paging through a Clam magazine - and then even more a few months later when I heard about his book Beautiful. The book challenges the same old boring stereotypes of nudity of black women in the media: draped semi-naked across cars, grinding against a man, fighting with another woman over a man who probably doesn't care about them (Flavor of Love, For The Love Of Ray Jay) and all the other depictions of black women in magazines like King, XXL, The Source as well music videos.

In his book Beautiful, he's photographed some of the most beautiful women in different phases in their lives. Some of the models are very well known, while others might not be immediately recognisable.

You can see more of his images and profile on his website and his blog.

Tea Infusions: Mint Green Tea

2010-07-16T20:29:00.001+02:00

So I really love drinking tea. My main kind is ceylon tea, but I generally venture into other kinds depending on my mood. I love teas from everywhere, and I especially love adding masala to , I've decided to lay off the regular ceylon tea though, because drinking it means I end up consuming a lot of sugar. So in my effort to be healthy, I haven't had ceylon tea in 10 days. At all. Instead, I've been making tea infusions and the one below is by far my favourite. It has such a fresh taste and everything inside it works towards helping my body function.

Mint Green Tea

Ingredients

Green Tea
A few sprigs of mint (according to taste)
Ginger slices or chunks (according to taste)
A pinch of aniseed

Stick em all in a teapot, tea infuser or a cup, pour some boiling water and allow to stand for a few minutes so as to bring the flavours out, and then enjoy. If you prefer a more lasting taste, put the ingredients in a flask and allow to stand for about two hours before drinking.

I enjoy the taste of mint in tea- it's fresh and lasting- and I love that mint is good for my dodgy digestive system. Ginger is great for the immune system, so I know the flu isn't touching me again this winter. Aniseed is also a digestive aid, and has a great licoricey taste.

I'm still deciding whether I should substitute the mint for cinnamon sticks, but we'll see in time.

Bad Ass Females: Nicole Lyons

2010-07-08T15:20:00.001+02:00

If you know me, then you definately know that I love to have bad ass women around me. If not around me, I at least love to know of them. Imagine my giggles when I discovered one Nicole Lyons- the first black woman to race and compete in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), the drag racing authority States-side. She's so into her cars, that she's built some award winning engines (She once won an award for building an 1100 hp 565 naturally aspirated engine. I'm not sure what that is but I think it's good) AND she owns a muscle car restoration shop called "Cole Muscle Cars". If I was a dude, this is the type of girl I would be gunning for; fearless, stunning, ambitious and feminine.

Cyanide...

2010-07-08T14:08:00.001+02:00

R.I.P Lumumba

2010-07-05T23:07:00.002+02:00

This is one of my heroes and inspirations to be a better person and a better African. Patrice Lumumba. His birthday would have been on July 2nd, and he would have been 85. He was a man of vision, and his vision was one of a united, powerful Africa. It can happen. I know this because he would have never been murdered if it was impossible. They know how a powerful Africa could level the playing field, that's why they continue to have a go at our Achilles. We can still do it.

In the memory of our fathers and mothers, we have no choice but to rise, or face a future where those who have had no hand in our liberation victoriously walk over fields of our skulls.

Without dignity there is no liberty, without justice there is no dignity, and without independence there are no free men. - Patrice Lumumba '60

Article: Death Of The Independent Sneaker Store

2010-06-30T11:41:00.001+02:00

If you know me, you know that I *heart* kicks for real. You also know that I prefer small boutique stores and I certainly don't enjoy looking like everyone else. This Sneaker Freaker article really interested me and I feel compelled to share with the 3 1/2 people that read my blog.

In South Africa, the market is as small as a pin head, it's not easy to run an independent store that does more than break even. I think too many store owners adopt methods from overseas that can't fully work in S.A. We have to think of ourselves as 1000 steps back in terms of streetwear culture (that goes beyond chucks, dickies pants and spotties) in S.A. We are not a developed market in terms of individuality etc. and Joburg and Cape Town and Durban (where applicable) are easy enough to penetrate into when you're dealing with a handful of people, but when you're trying to get mass reach, that's when you walk into a brick wall.

Read more of the article here.

My First Time: Not Yet Uhuru

2010-06-19T23:28:00.003+02:00

For the first six years of my life, my family was very close knit, and made up of very few people. Well, compared to a lot of people, I guess my family was still very big. It was made of my parents, three siblings, my mother's four siblings, three of my cousins and two of my father's siblings. There were names that floated around during conversations about abuti such and such in exile or ausi mang mang ko Zambia but it never really registered what these people were doing in exile. I thought exile was a country and these people that my family kept referring to were living amazing lives and didn't have to worry about hippos, stay aways and such on a daily basis. I thought "the struggle" was in South Africa. In Soweto. Not in Pietersburg, because my coloured family lived the life there: nice houses that were made up of more than three rooms and bathrooms in the house and nice schools. And they never seemed to be concerned about stay aways, staying out of the way of marching IFP mobs, wondering where missing family and friends are, or any of that stuff that seemed to form my environment back home in Soweto.

1991 arrived. Mandela had been released and freedom was on the horizon. Lots of MK soldiers that we never thought we would ever see again were beginning to return home, and we sensed hope in the adults' voices when eavesdropping on their conversations.
I remember the first time I heard Letta Mbulu's Not Yet Uhuru. My mother's eldest sister- whose name was just a figment of conversation between family members and never really a real part of our family- had finally arrived. She who they called Sesi. They didn't even call her by her real name. I couldn't understand why until I finally met her. She pulled everyone together, and spontaneously, there was a huge party right there in the yard. Struggle songs could be heard from the corners as neighbours came out to greet and party with the returning soldiers and people who had snuck out of the country decades earlier. This was the moment of the formation of my family as I know it now.

This was my first time. The drums combined Mme Letta's powerful commanding voice implored you to listen to her message. Not Yet Uhuru. Immediately, perhaps because I had become a product of my environment, I knew exactly what the song meant. That freedom will never be here until it is accessible to everyone in every corner in all of its manifestations. But, we stlil celebreated. We celebreated because we were alive, that we were together, that we had all found our way back to each other again. That our family had been reunited. Surely, better days were to come.

Tonight, driving through the leafy yet badly potholed streets of Bryanston en route to one of the poshest surburbs of Johannesburg- the wealthiest African city, almost eerily, the disk changer switched to Letta's CD. Of course I pumped up the volume and sang along. Four times. Then I found ened up in the middle of a conversation with myself about what it is that Africa needs in order to reach its full potential. This is a conversation I often have with myself, and it often leaves me back at square one. Without political will, meaningful public participation in governance and lawmaking, solid economic-educational-health policies, we are done for. We will never rise in the way that we can.

Phew. This is a long post. And it's late. It shall continue. Not Yet Uhuru.

Studded Louboutin Kicks

2010-06-18T15:44:00.013+02:00

As seen on the feet of my fav rappers that I like to hear rapping sexy and romantic vibes to a girl - Fabolous, Juelz and Pharrell (is Skateboard P a rapper? iono lol). I could def buy these for a boy. And for myself too.

Unfortunately, Gucci Mane has also been spotted rocking them. I wish he'd stuck to wearing those tasteless Gucci kicks I've seen him in.

50-50

2010-06-18T14:52:00.001+02:00

I'm all alone in this world, she said,
Aint for nobody to share my bed,
Aint got nobody to hold my hand-
The truth of the matter's
I ain't got no man.

Big Boy opened his mouth and said,
Trouble with you is
you ain't got no head!
If you had a head and used your mind
You could have me with you
All the time.

She answered, Babe, what must I do?

He said, share your bed -
And your money too.

Langston Hughes

Throwbacks: Camp Lo

2010-06-04T15:44:00.005+02:00

Man, Camp Lo just brings back memories! It was 1996, I was young and had already been culturally socialised (thanks to my brother) to understand hip hop and to love it. Even though I was an annoying 11 year old, my brother still kicked it with me and even taught me what a "bar" is and I was proud to be the one that schooled so many boys on such basic knowledge. My brother, who was in matric at the time, had previously tried to make me less boyish by buying me a Mariah Carey Fantasy single- and my favourite version was the one with ODB in it. There was just no hope for me.

So anyway, come 1996 and my brother was banging Camp Lo around the house and of course the big tune was Luchini. Well, hip hop just wouldn't be without a sample and in this particular instance, the legendary Ski (shame on you if you don't know who that is) sampled Dynasty's Adentures In Music. I still listen to Geechi and Sonny every now and then and it always leaves me smiling and yearning a little for the good ol days when talent was all that mattered. As with all of hip hop, beats are recycled- sometimes cleverly and sometimes really badly. Have a listen to Camp Lo's Luchini aka This Is It and decide for yourself whether it was a good sample and think about whether you've heard any subsequent samples from this.

If you have never heard of Camp Lo, kill yourself. (I know, that's real mature of me, hey?)

Artifying Darth Vader's Helmet

2010-06-04T14:38:00.006+02:00

I love this exhibition. Invite 100 artists to go wild with Darth Vader's helmet, and they'll give you some amazing work. Mocoloco say that the exhibition has been travelling for four years and will exhibit in L.A before heading to Philly for auction. Too bad it didn't make it to Joburg City because I love this and so does my inner geek.

Images lifted from one of my favourite design/art blogs.

Magnified Heart

2010-05-22T18:28:00.004+02:00

This is an amazing magnified image of a heart that I lifted from National Geographic to share.

Video: Why Don't You Love Me

2010-05-10T21:56:00.006+02:00

When I saw Solange post a link to this video, I ignored it- until a few seconds later when I realise that Solange herself had written the track. See, I'm more of a fan of Solange than Beyonce. I generally don't give Beyonce two glances; especially since I don't watch music television anymore, and I'm not a big music radio station person. Except on Sundaze. On Metro. Anywho, the other reason I paid attention to this video was because Melina directed the video, and I can't deny myself some Melina.

Why Don't You Love Me

Looking at it, the art direction is really fun, the wardrobe cool in that Beyonce way. Except, Bey wishes she was housewife material-she can't even cook to save her life. But ja, I love the song-you can tell that it's Solange's work - even though there's a credit for her sister (we know that story lol).

The song resonates so much with situations that so many women find themselves in, when they feel insignificant, like they are not good enough, and are not worthy of their partner's affection, even when they actually are. The worst thing about being in that situation is that it borders on emotional abuse. You find yourself wondering why such and such a person needs to stray to validate themselves when you- his wife (sexy, smart and all) are there waiting for him every night.

Why don't you love me?
Tell me, baby, why don't you love me
When I make me so damn easy to love?
And why don't you need me?
Tell me, baby, why don't you need me
When I make me so damn easy to need?

I got beauty, I got class
I got style, and I got ass
And you don't even care to care
Looka here
I even put money in the bank account
Don't have to ask no one to help me out
You don't even notice that

But maybe he doesn't love her because- as she says; she's got beauty and she's got class. She never mentions intelligence. But it's Beyonce. lol

Time: Pictures of the Week (s)

2010-05-08T19:22:00.008+02:00

This is one of my favourite things to look out for on the TIME website. You have to go through the Pictures of the Week for a bit but some of the ones I enjoy follow.

I love all the volcano images- I don't know why, but I do love the glow and intensity of fire. At the same time, I also enjoy water images (hello, I'm a pisces). I also love the image of the vendor in Port-au-Prince (makes me think of Andrew). The image of the illegal weapons being set on fire in Nai...are those all the illegal weapons there? If so, I think I'll be moving the the East much sooner than I thought LOL. Another favourite definitely HAS got to be the image titled "13 Billion Year-Old Baby"- if that isn't beauty and testament to how amazing the cycle of life is...then I don't know what is. The image of the students looking at the Einstein manuscript gave me goosebumps...I know quite a few people who would be very interested in seeing that upfront. This is just so crass that I can't talk about it.

Above: 13 Billion Year-Old Baby

I love the picture of the waves crashing into the streets of Havana. Also love the overturned cars in Chile post 'quake. Lesson learnt: Nature rules. Man doesn't. The giraffes! A beautiful image and it pulled at my maternal heartstrings! I love nature in all its manifestations man. That shit with the Siberian tigers...then they wonder why the tiger went tiger and ate a trainer. I would also be pissed off if you trained me to do that; if man is so amazing, why can't it teach tigers to speak? At least the tiger would be able to warn you that it's getting annoyed with your condescending training. Tigers have pride too.

Thakadu

2010-05-04T17:53:00.005+02:00

Friends that visit my house are always asking me why I have a porcelain model of an anteater in my house. It's my totem. If they are white, I have to explain away. Black people get it. But the story is kinda cool. My uncle has a big ant eater at the entrance of his drive way, and another uncle has named his farm Tlokwe. I was the apple of my grandfather's eye, and his nickname for me was Thakadu, so it's always with love when someone in my family calls me an ant eater (aardvark).

Here's the short of the story behind Thakadu.

Ke mo tlokwa Long ago, our totem used to be nkwe before we adopted Thakadu (ant eater) as our totem. This was after our people were preserved by the water found in wells dug out by diThakadu while we were in the wilderness after being defeated by Basotho.

LEBOKO LA BOTLOKWA

Re Mafifatswana a go rekwa ka kgomo,
Magetakgomo a je motho,
Magadimana ntweng a a ja, ga a gadime,
Ba ha Mmakana a Mosima!
Bag a Musi! Mmolaa-moapei Moapeelwana a sale alla
Bag a Nkwenyana, a Nkwe o apareng?
KE APERE TAU!

I think being named for the anteater is a great honour. It means that like the anteater did for my people so long ago, I am more aware of my ability to preserve people when they are at their most vulnerable. If you ask any of my real friends, they'll tell you that this is definitely one of my more positive traits.

Why I Hate Shosholoza

2010-04-26T11:07:00.002+02:00

The song was originally sung by migrant workers who toiled in the bowels of Apartheid South Africa. In addition to facing oppression as black people, they experienced alienation from their families when they were forced to live away from their families in single sex hostels close to the mines of Apartheid South Africa.

The legacy of this element of the migrant labour system is the systematic and eventual break down of the African family unit: fathers, husbands and brothers left the reserves where black people had been banished to (let's not forget the Southern African migrant labourers whose sweat, blood and lives helped build the white economy), leaving mothers to fulfil both the role of mother and father in the home. Children grew up without fathers and the men working in the cities would eventually form new families in the city.

When these men sang Shosholoza, they weren't singing to celebrate that they had jobs, nor were they celebrating a victory. They were coping with trying to eke out a living in a system that was designed to break them, a system that controlled all of their movements at all times.

That is a small part of why I cringe everytime I hear the song being sung at sports games or in expression of some kind of South African pride. That and people sound like douche bags when they can't be bothered to pronounce the words when singing the song at rugby games while waving the old flag.

Desiderata

2010-04-26T10:39:00.004+02:00

If you've received an email from me, chances are, you might have peeped my signature. Below is the full text of the poem, titled Desiderata, which is latin for "things desired". I was introduced to the poem by a friend who was in my life for just a brief period, and this was one of the greatest and most powerful gifts that he left me with. He was definately a value adder. LOL

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.

- Max Ehrmann, 1927

Currently Reading: Dead Aid

2010-04-25T13:56:00.006+02:00

I'm currently reading a book by a really intelligent African woman, Dambisa Moyo-who, I might add, I really look up to. The book focuses on why aid is not the right way to go about stimulating and developing the African continent. In the book, Dambisa looks at how aid has developed in the past few decades, and she also unpacks the "industry" of aid. I call it an industry because that's the way i perceive the business of aid. I have had the aid conversation with friends from around the world, including those that work in the aid industry. I have always wondered how aid could be so gladly given to obviously intensely corrupt African governments. I've also just felt like aid only stimulates and strengthens the vicious circle of poverty in Africa. Governments who refuse to be accountable are often loaned money that they cannot conceivably and realistically pay back, and then more loans to pay off the other loans! See the circle already?

For Africans, corruption and underdevelopment is part of life, part of the routine. I once shocked myself when, in a conversation on the state of ruin that Lagos is in, I said that people in charge can skim a bit off the top, but could they please just get things done (craters in the road, infrastructure, clean water, sanitation). It's such a resigned attitude, and I really try not to be the person with that kind of attitude but sometimes it's really hard not to be that way. Anyway, back to the topic of aid.

So I haven't finished reading the book, but I just feel like some of what Dambisa says is just what I have been struggling to put across in certain arguments. This morning, I decided to read some reviews on her book and found some really intersting points of view. A review by Michael Gerson in the Washington Post is very defensive. I mean, I don't blame him because I'd also be defensive if someone told me all my efforts to save the world were actually self serving and weren't actually helping the people I actually meant to help- he feels like some aid does help; like the US Government's PEPFAR program that has helped many people, while shutting out those who advocate abortion and other ideals on reproduction and the female body which are contrary to the conservative ideas of the Republican Party of America (in other words, using aid as some kind of neo-. While obviously offended that Moyo has effectively rubbished the PEPFAR program, he doesn't give any other solid example of why Dead Aid is a waste of space in the aid discourse. He also dismisses Moyo's hopefulness for an Africa that doesn't rely on aid to function and to develop, and that, I think was the point where Michael Gerson proved himself to be a Counter-Revolutionary Tjatjarag Agent with White Tendencies. *har har i kill myself*

She doesn't tweet a lot-which is great because there are less brainfarts that way (I only have space for mine), but you can follow her on twitter or check out her website.

Economist & Authur Dambisa Moyo

Artists I Like: Melina Moutsakis

2010-04-02T10:55:00.007+02:00

Female music video directors are scarce across the world and in any music genre, and it’s always great to find out that a great video was directed by a female. Melina is possibly the biggest female music video director on the scene right now- her showreel features names like Snoop, Lady GaGa, Beyonce, Solange, Ludacris, Mario, Kylie Minogue, Keri Hilson and a host of other A-List artists. Being of Greek/Jamaican/Cuban American decent, her heritage screams passion and art; which definitely translates into her art. A graduate of the American Film Institute and New York University, her videos normally scream colour, or crisp visuals (think Bey’s Upgrade U).

Her breakout video that got her really noticed in the American industry was Ludacris’ Money Maker, and in 2008 she had her African debut when she worked with MTV Base on their Making The Video project in Kenya, where she mentored a group of directors and producers as they shot the music video to Wahu’s banging track Little Things You Do that featured Bobi Wine of Uganda.

Watch the Wahu ft Bobi Wine below- it's one of my favourite tracks! Really, it is.

Yay for Green Bathrooms!

2010-03-22T03:29:00.002+02:00

With global warming becoming more and more of an issue that touches us in so many ways, we were drawn to this great design fresh out of Paris. This design is of a bathroom that uses the natural filtering principle by recycling and regenerating the wastewater. Shower and bathwater is filtered through an organic system before being reused. The design is a collaboration effort between Japanese born, Paris based designer Jun Yasumoto Alban Le Henry, Olivier Pigasse and Vincent Vandenbrouck. The design is still in the conceptual stage and we hope it becomes a reality because besides being good for us,it’s preeety.
Links and Images: Jun Yasumoto

But Is It Art? Burlesque – Dita Von Teese

2010-03-22T02:53:00.006+02:00

Burlesque is described as a humorous theatrical entertainment involving parody and sometimes grotesque exaggeration. Burlesque shows are associated with striptease, in a more arty and showy sense than the conventional form. The most recognizable faces of burlesque of the past have included Mae West and the beautiful Josephine Baker (who was also the first African American female to star in a major motion picture and to integrate an American concert hall).

Today’s face of burlesque and everything kinky is Dita Von Teese. Her milky, smooth as a baby’s bottom skin betrays nothing but mystery and her red lips tell stories of seduction that you wish you played a part in. Her CV is long and interesting; she’s trained at ballet, she’s a trained stylist, has done porn, was a known tightlacer (the practice of wearing corsets to make ones’ waist smaller) and she’s been featured in fetish magazines. If anyone ever rocked vintage style –complete with the hair and lipstick, her name would be Dita Von Teese. Dita constantly seems to push boundaries: A lover of fashion and a fan of Dior and Marc Jacobs, it’s great to see her acceptance into the fashion industry as a muse and a model; she’s modelled in runway shows for Richie Rich (Heatherette), Giambattista Valli (Ungaro designer), Moschino and Jean Paul Gaultier. By her own admission, Von Teese has put the “tease back into striptease”, insinuating that the gap between the burlesque acts of old and now opened a space for classless, unartistic stripping.

In stark contrast to “regular” stripping, her dance shows include ‘30’s and ‘40’s inspired props and characters. In her routines, Dita has featured a giant powder compact, a clawfoot bathtub, and a carousel horse. The giant martini glass act that was used by Cameron Diaz in Charlies’ Angels is actually Dita’s current signature show (she is credited for it at the end of the movie), and who could forget her appearance at a New York charity function covered in nothing but $5 million worth of diamonds.

Dita inspires an appreciation for art in its various forms: dance; music and fashion by just being her. She has no aspirations to become an actress, having been quoted as saying "I don't understand why women feel the need to go into acting as soon as they become famous...But I suppose if the part were aesthetically correct, then maybe I could consider it.” For those who look at Dita and assume she is a regular run of the mill skank/scallywag just because elements of her art include sex and nudity, always remember that she walked away from a divorce with Marilyn Manson without asking for any of his money. And this is why I love this seemingly independent, artistic, beautiful and intelligent woman.

For more Dita, click here to visit her official website or follow her on twitter.

Artists I Like: Andrew Dosunmu

2009-11-30T14:45:00.008+02:00

If you bump into this guy on the streets and he doesn’t have his panama hat on, assume that his signature look is incomplete. An unassuming man, Andrew Dosunmu is a creative with a thirst for creativity and travelling. Although he currently resides in New York, Andrew was born and raised in Nigeria. He started his career as a design assistant at Yves Saint Laurent (we see you going green with envy!), and moved onto other projects in the creative field- but what he’s really well known and respected for is his photography. His images have been featured in magazines across the world (Fader, Clam), and he’s also directed an award winning documentary titled Hot Irons, which featured hairstylists as they prepared for a hair competition. If you’re South African, the controversial TV show must be really familiar to you; he directed several episodes of Yizo Yizo. He’s been art director for album covers for various artists (Erykah Badu, Public Enemy) and has also directed music videos for Isaac Hayes (yes!), Angie Stone, Common, Wyclef, Kelis, Aaron Neville, Maxwell and Tracy Chapman.

Andrew is a streetstalker of note; he clearly has a love for the streets across the world. The style of a lot of his images is simply based around creating or putting glamour on the streets of the “developing world”. The photographer will put an attractive and well styled subject against this backdrop, and the results are amazing. I would venture to say that his style preference is a clue to Andrew’s character; he has deep affection for the continent and other “developing” countries and nations, and believes that beauty can be found everywhere.

Melbourne Rectangular Stadium

2009-11-30T13:51:00.005+02:00

With soccer fever bursting around the world and locally in anticipation of the 2010 Soccer World Cup, we thought that only South Africa was building monster stadia! Well, the Australian city of Melbourne will be opening the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium in 2010- pffff talk about shining on S.A’s shine! Anyway- hate aside, the Australians are huge sports fans and we have no doubt that it’ll be put to great use. The $200-million rugby and soccer stadium was designed by Australian outfit COX Architects, and has a capacity of 31,000.

A short walk from the Melbourne city center, the stadium is expected to add to the wonderment of the city’s Olympic Spots Park and Entertainment Precinct. The roof will be covered with thousands of LED lights that can shine in many colors. They will be programmed to follow patterns that mimic the crowd’s energy during a match- soccer with Victory or rugby with Storm- or any other game or event.

Check for more pics at designboom

Santi on Norah Jones' The Fall

2009-11-16T21:12:00.005+02:00

Soooooo…I love Santogold. Santigold. Ok, Santigold. Just in case you haven’t received the memo, she had to change her name to Santigold because an 80’s throwback named Santo Gold called and wanted his name back. Really, he wanted to sue. It’s not so bad though, because her real name is Santi anyway. Whatever you want to call her, I was really happy to hear that she’s remixed a track for Norah Jones’ upcoming album fourth album The Fall.

While I’m on the topic of Norah Jones, I cannot wait to get her album because she’s worked with some prolific artists for this project; keyboardist James Poyser (Erykah Badu, Al Green), guitarist Marc Ribot (Tom Waits) and quite a few more. There also remixes that will be done by Beck and The Beastie Boys. Can’t wait!

Artists I Like: Takashi Miike

2009-11-15T16:14:00.009+02:00

In the cinema world and amongst film fundis, the name Takashi Miike needs no introduction. He rose to international fame in ’00 when two of his films (Dead or Alive and Audition) blew up on an international platform, thanks to film festivals. He is a director with well over 60 films under his belt, and is often called out for not sticking to what is considered “normal” and he has a penchant for the OTT. This is a man that doesn’t limit himself to the horror genre of ‘the unknown’ but more towards the horror of what people are capable of. Though he prefers not to classify himself under any genre- the horror genre you may find him under is what he’s been classified as, but he doesn’t see himself that way.

"I'm happy that my films were discovered by chance by foreign film festivals. That makes me realise more that there is a world outside Japan too. For me, it's an occasion to meet many people and to experience directly the response of international audiences to my films. But for me as a director, my attitude towards making films hasn't changed with the fame. I feel it's not good to change as a person anyway" - Takashi Miike

In a 2001 interview, he explained that his directing style often includes collaboration with the actors and actresses in which he is more of an “arranger” than a director. In other words, he puts scenes and situations together, makes suggestions to the actors/actresses and they would interpret it for themselves- I think this style allows for his movies to be a little more organic in their nature than a lot of other films. Takashi Miike is also very well known for including (or portraying) people from nationalities other than Japan in his characterisation or in his film crews- as opposed to sticking to a traditional Japanese crew and mix of characters. This is a really important element of his work, as it becomes more inclusive of people from other walks of life, making him more international in his appeal.

Above: The different faces of Takashi Miike

Takashi is not short of emotion or imagination for his work; he is well known for the sometimes gory scenes in his works, as he is always trying to push the envelope regarding societal norms in the cinematically conservative Japanese landscape. If you’re a horror buff and can’t place where you’ve seen Takashi’s face before, you probably spotted him in his cameo scene in Hostel (as Miike Takashi), which he did as a favour for his buddy Quinton Tarantino.

So next time you're craving a good horror movie, go to your nearest good video store and pick up some Tashaki Miike dvd's, you won't regret it!

Polyvore Sets: High End Shit

2009-11-15T11:56:00.003+02:00

I love this set, the nike glad's are funk, Married to the Mob always has cool ladies tees and these shorts are just begging to be found by me. I'm on a search, and if all else fails, I'm making a call to a certain lady to sew them for me. Peep the flask.

High End Shit by yummytumz featuring Nike shoes

My Confession

2009-10-12T01:52:00.002+02:00

I'm listening to Savage Garden. I found myself singing Truly, Madly, Deeply and then remembered how much I loved the group when I was much younger. I went to Youtube and looked some of my favourite tracks and I'm not totally geeking in the office. I really shouldn't be doing this, but I love it so much; this is definately the Tumi that people get surprised at when they get a peek. Baw! People make so many judgements based on appearance... Anywho, I know some of my friends will never let me live this moment down and for the next two years, I will hear about how I was bumping Savage Garden after I turned 17 - but honestly, I knew nothing about the meaning behind To The Moon and Back, I Want You or even Tears of Pearls at that age. And now I know....a little bit more. So bite me!

District 9 Signals a New Day for (South) African Cinema

2009-08-13T16:28:00.005+02:00

So I wrote this piece about two months back, and since the TILTT website is under going maintanance, I decided to put it up here. And why not? :)

I always get upset when The Next Big South African Movie begins to garner local and international attention- and then it turns out to be a film about crime or hiv/aids. It’s not that I don’t think that they are good films- we’ll put it down to personal preference. The thing that gets me though, is that I begin to question whether the only thing that we can use to get the world to look at South Africa is by making the same kind of movies over and over again. Cinema audiences like to be challenged. We want to see ourselves in different genres, not just semi realistic accounts of African suffering in film form used by celebs to find a new cause to up their profiles. South African audiences want to see themselves in romance, comedy, drama and sci-fi. As a relatively new lover of sci-fi, I have always been irritated that none existed in a mainstream South African context so I’m sure you can understand how excited I was in ‘06/’07 when I discovered a short South African sci-fi on youtube. Alive in Joburg (directed by Neill Blomkamp) explored various themes of apartheid- and almost prophetically, zenophobia. I thought this was a great departure in terms of sci-fi, as most sci-fi’s seem to historically challenge issues such as racism, human rights and religion (don’t laugh but I only found out in recent months that Star Trek was a huge challenger of racism, sexism and all those bad isms. I already told you that I’m new to the genre). In this case, Alive in Joburg seemed to me like an honest introspection regarding apartheid, its role and legacy in creating today’s South African society. The documentary-style imagery and visual effects used in the film stayed with me for a long time, and also made me believe that maybe different kinds of films are on the way for South Africa, and Africa.

Fast forward to 2009: I’m doing some regular e-street stalking and I bump into talk of this extraordinary South African film that is being launched to an international audience. At this point, I’m not excited because I’m seeing flashes of Tsotsi, Yesterday and the embarrassing inaccuracies of Jerusalema in my mind’s eye. Oh no. Ah, the film is called District 9. Bleh. Being the curious soul that I am, I googled the title and was incredibly excited when I recognized the style of the film- the lightbulb went off in my head to Alive in Joburg. Produced by sci-fi nerd Peter Jackson (he produced the Lord of the Rings Trilogy), District 9 is Blomkamp’s feature film that weaves various themes and elements established in Alive in Joburg. In District 9, alien refugees (real aliens, of the extraterrestrial variety) find themselves stranded in Johannesburg. Although the alien race had first made contact with earth years before they landed on earth, they arrive not as enemies out to take over the earth (as humans always seem to be very afraid of), but rather as refugees and the last survivors of their planet. The human government is nice enough to set them up in a refugee camp (District 9) managed by a private company while the governments figured out what to do with them. The plot thickens as one of the employees of said private company develops a peculiar virus that begins to change his DNA, he is then ostracized and forced to hide in District 9- with the oppressed black population (the film is set during apartheid South Africa) and the aliens. Without saying too much about a film that I haven’t actually seen (though I am taking the lead from Alive in Joburg), it seems to me that one of the bigger themes that will be explored in the film is how we treat one another within our ‘rainbow nation’- and maybe even address the never-to-go-away question of whether aliens (if they exist) are definitely without a doubt missioning to take over our planet.

I’m not too sure what local funding – if any was used for this film (once again the argument of a lack of available local financing for local stories comes to mind), but I think it’s a good sign if international funders are also looking at different genres and refreshing stories to come out of Africa. I think it’s encouraging to the South African film industry when films that don’t fall within the AIDS/crime spectrum of the South African film sphere get international funding and more especially, attention (the District 9 trailer was released with film X-Men Origins: Wolverine). Peter Jackson is also finally fulfilling his sci-fi nerd dream of presenting his film at the sci-fi nerd convention Comic-Con this year when he promotes District 9. As a South African, it will be refreshing to see my country from a slightly different lens, even though very serious themes are being explored- and I’m sure that many other South Africans will also be very excited to look at their country from the lense of a different genre, finally. I can’t wait to watch this movie and you can be sure that I will score tickets to the premier and I hope the scripting and acting is just as good as the visual work!
P.S Another really cool thing about this movie is the Official Site- it simulates segregation much in the way that the Apartheid Museum does. I really can’t wait!

OBAMA, OBAMA, OBAMA!!!

2008-10-06T12:33:00.003+02:00

How many VIBE covers has this man been on? Well, peep him on the November cover, featuring a whole page letter to the American Urban masses.

There Will Be No shots spared: The Battle of the Music Channels Edition

2008-09-18T15:45:00.005+02:00

Seems like everyone is coming out fighting...who wins THIS round?

I can fuck with the Channel O one this time around...

There Will Be No Shots Spared...Magazine Cover Wars: Cassie vs Ciara

2008-09-09T16:56:00.010+02:00

Dramatic title, I know but damn! Cassie's Complex Magazine is from August and Ciara's cover is Vibe's October pick. These chicks are both making comebacks around the same time so I guess management decided to up the ante and sell em to any magazine that'll take em.

Peep Cassie's cover lookin like she's about to spank the shit out of a dude lol

Click here to read about how she's gotten stronger from all the hate and her 'I'm not fucking for tracks' statement

Is Ciara struggling to stay relevant... showing us her goodies and shit.wtf? Picture two is quiet ashy...

And here goes Ciara's article pic. I don't really dig it hey...but each to their own.

YOU DECIDE:
WHO KILLED THE MAGAZINE COVER BATTLE?

My Artist Find!

2008-07-31T19:07:00.004+02:00

I really love music. Like, I LOVE music. Everything I do has a soundtrack or a song. Corny, I know, but I don't mean to do it- it just happens. Some of my favourite moments in life are when I listen to an artist that I can totally relate to, an artist that takes me back to a place that my memory alone can't take me to. I'm reeling right now because I've just been transported back to a point in my life where nothing really mattered- except contemplating the complexities of life, and not necessarily living them. But I'm older now, and the real world is oh so real. I now engage with music on a very real level: I question why Snoop leads two black women on a leash into the MTV Awards (and then consciously listen to his music selectively). Ja ne... Boys need better role models. So do girls. Lil Kim is a self confessed ho and her face is falling apart. Foxy Brown stays beating people up and the lesser known Trina's music straight up puts her out there as a whore. Then again, maybe she isn't a whore, seeing that Rick Ross isn't really gangsta. Still, we need good role models.

So here I am stalking the e-streets and I find AMANDA DIVA. Think Lauryn Hill circa '96 when she killed the Fugees' album The Score- before she flipped, cross that with the fierceness and feeling of Mary J, Gil Scott-Heron's poetry without the heroin- actually, scratch that- Ima give her Saul Williams smooth poetry. Oh shit, this woman's got me. According to Amanda's myspace, she's about to save female mceeing from itself. I know we all listen to all the Lil Kim's; the Trina's and the rest of their ilk but for real, we don't take them seriously, and I doubt the industry does either. If the case is that women won't be taken seriously unless their half nekked (lies, because no one takes Kim, Trina and Foxy seriously) then it's time for someone to step up and rep for a women on a smarter level. I hope Amanda proves that you don't have to be a Hip Hop bimbo to be heard. She's with The Aphilliates and everyone knows if you roll with DJ Drama's movement, everyone is bound to PAY CLOSE FUCKIN ATTENTION. For real though. Listen to this chick. I'm digging her.

Amanda Diva Official Site
Amanda Diva on Myspace

?uess who got their own Kicks!??

2008-07-28T20:24:00.006+02:00

The man is excited that Nike finally decided to give him a pair of kicks and shit, frankly, i don't blame him. I would be crazy excited too, because I think every self respecting queen and princess across the world deserves a shoe modelled after my dynamic and complicated personality. What was I talking about? Oh yeah, ?uesto's very own kicks- they're called the Air ?uesto 1. Complete with an image of ?uesto with an afro pick and everything!

Pics via the ?uestosphere

Jet Magazine Cover

2008-07-14T16:25:00.003+02:00

Funny, I named Keri Hilson my Hottie of the Month: June and who do I see on the front cover of Jet Magazine today? Yup, Keri herself. And then right next to her, my favourite new girl on the block, Teyana Taylor. Google her. Oh, and did I mention she's wearing the Creative Rec's i copped via TILTT.

Next time, don't say I didn't tell you.

Hottie of the Month: July

2008-07-08T14:55:00.008+02:00

I should've actually changed this month's hottie to hotties but I have a thing for uniformity. This month I have not one, but TWO hotties! So here goes...

LL COOL J

Contrary to popular belief, Ladies STILL Love Cool James! The man is now 40 (in my years, that's like 90 years old!), he's toned down a little on the 90's lip licking thing. And Hey Lover just touched all the right spots for a 10 year old...lol

Honestly, any female that tells me that they never had a crush on LL are lying. Or in denial. Plain and simple. He's been killin it in the game for 23 years. Damn, I'm 23! Anywho, he's comin out with a new album and I just had to share this cover he did... Sure, I wouldn't want a man so big (or maybe I would? who knows?), but you gotta acknowledge this man is knocking at death's door (in my years) but he's still looking like he's 17! All his albums have been released via Def Jam- including his final one (due out this year), so I have to add that I love a loyal man! Peep the picture beeeelowwwww, and hit me back with the verdict.

BARACK OBAMA

Well, what can I say? The man's swag quadruples every two months! He brushes his shoulders off and of course, publicly gave his wife Michelle The Pound! I don't need to remind you that the man is half Kenyan (yes, Africa shall claim him), and he's running for PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES! Not only is he a black man in America, he's a black African man in America and his middle name is HUSSEIN! Do you get my drift? Whether or not he wins the elections, I find him so inspirational! A black man that seems so family oriented- *loves it!* And then... have you seen the number of magazine front pages he has? And he's just been featured in the Ebony "25 coolest Black men" edition! You gotta love it.

Thoughts....?

Images via Gawker, Mark Pasetsky, and Def Jam

Hottie of the Month: June

2008-06-25T12:34:00.006+02:00

Seems like every entertainment blog is buzzing about last night's B.E.T awards. Blah. So I'm gonna write about something different, just because I can!
My Hottie of the Month is normally a guy, for obvious reasons but I am soooo all over Keri Hilson right now...What am I saying??? Since when do I have to explain myself to anyone? Anywho...ima keep it moving.

IT'S ALL ABOUT KERI.

She's a pretty face who's got it MADE.25 Years old, and over 20 song writing credits to her name. And not songs for nobodies either. She's penned multiple hits for Usher (Love In This Club Pt II); Timbaland (Scream); Pussycat Dolls (Wait A Minute); Omarion (Icebox); Ludacris (Runaway Love), Britney Spears (Break The Ice, Gimme More)- I could go on! In addition, she's lent her voice for backup vocals for Britney; Pussycat Dolls; Ludacris and others. Judging by the number of bangers to her credit, her talent is no doubt phenominal. And she's super fly. Keri is my hottie for the month. I dare you to challenge me.

Writing credits

3LW - "Feelin' You"
3LW - "Things You Never Hear a Girl Say"
ATL - "The One"
Avant - "4 Minutes"
B5 - "Heartbreak"
Britney Spears - "Gimme More"
Britney Spears - "Break the Ice"
Britney Spears - "Outta This World"
Britney Spears - "Perfect Lover"
Chingy - "Let Me Luv U"
Chris Brown - "Young Love"
Ciara - "Ooh Baby"
Crystal Kay - "I'm Not Alone"
Danity Kane - "Want It"
Danity Kane - "Right Now"
Diddy - "After Love"
Esko Martinez - "Heartbreak"
Esko Martinez - "I'mma Do Me"
Field Mob - "At the Park"
Jennifer Lopez - "Wrong When Your Gone"
Keke Palmer - "The Game Song"
LeToya Luckett - "What Love Can Do"
Lloyd Banks - "Help"
Ludacris - "Pimpin All Over the World"
Ludacris - "Runaway Love"
Mary J. Blige - "Take Me as I Am"
Mopheadz - Rub Me Up Rite
Omarion - "Ice Box"
Paula Campbell - "Hitlist"
Pussycat Dolls - "Bite the Dust"
Pussycat Dolls - "Wait a Minute"
Rich Boy - "Good Things"
Rich Boy - "Lost Girls"
Ruben Studdard - "Play Our Song"
Shawn Desman - "Red Hair"
Tank - "I Love You"
Tiffany Evans - "About a Boy"
Timbaland - "The Way I Are"
Timbaland - "Miscommunication"
Timbaland - "Scream"
Timbaland - "Hello"
Toni Braxton - "Sposed to Be"
Usher - "Red Light"
Usher - "Love in This Club, Part II" (featuring Beyoncé and Lil Wayne)
Young Twist - "Love for the Game"

Kanye's 'Flashing Lights' Third Version video

2008-05-30T13:40:00.001+02:00

In The Meantime....‘Abusive’ singer is nabbed

2008-05-13T11:46:00.002+02:00

Kwaito musician Mgarimbe, real name Nkosinathi Mfeka, is behind bars after being arrested for child abuse by the police at Honeydew, north of Johannesburg.

Mfeka was arrested on Sunday after Sowetan alerted the police about the alleged ill-treatment of his four-year-old daughter. He will appear in the Roodepoort magistrate’s court today on a charge of physical abuse.

“Just a mere look at the child tells a story. You can tell that the child was physically abused,” West Rand police spokesman Captain S’phiwe Ndlovu said yesterday.

Police have warned that, pending investigations, more charges could be levelled against the singer, who became famous for his Sister Bethina tune.

Neighbours have accused Mfeka and his girlfriend Thedi Dlodlo of beating and starving the little girl.

Neighbours said the child had become withdrawn because she was always left alone at the couple’s northern suburb home.

A neighbour said the girl had bruises and weals on her face, neck and legs showing that she was regularly beaten up.

But the artist, whose songs mostly contain crude lyrics, denied the allegations.

When Sowetan went to investigate the allegations, Mfeka said he only had two children. He denied the existence of the little girl. He showed reporters his two younger children.

“I don’t know what you are talking about. I don’t have three children. I have two and my oldest is a boy,” Mfeka said on Friday, before police found the girl, dirty and hidden in the house.

Yesterday his girlfriend continued to deny that they had abused the child but could not say why they were hiding the child from Sowetan and the police.

“Mgarimbe probably forgot about the child because he was only used to the other two children. That child only came here recently, so I will assume that he forgot about her,” she added.

Dlodlo said she did not know who the child’s mother was or where she was.

Asked why the girl had bruises, she said: “She is sickly.”

Their neighbour said he was glad that he did his part.

“I am glad they removed the child from them. All I wanted was to help that poor child,” he said.

Ndlovu said the case was still being investigated. He added that the child had been taken to a place of safety in Krugersdorp.

Hottie of the Month: April

2008-04-30T14:59:00.004+02:00

I thought about it long and hard and I've come to the conclusion that I have to entertain the part of me that wants to put a teenage boy (with P.T shorts and ashy knees) on my lap for a spanking. Hence this month's hottie, Evan Ross. I'm not gonna start to convince anyone as to why he's a hottie. Just look at him. I just wanna lock him up in the basement, Austrian style! Ok, bad joke. His filmography follows:

2006: ATL as Antwon 'Ant' Swann
2007: Pride (2007 film) as Reggie
2007: Life Support
2008: Greta

He's still really young but just watch him flourish... Your thoughts?

his myspace for stalking purposes

Gosh.

2008-04-30T14:34:00.006+02:00

Last week at Moloko I was tempted to compare this guy to Superfly, but I changed my mind after going back to the post to refresh my memory. Still thoug, this guy and his boys are kind of stale. I saw them for the first time last year in the exact same handmade, velvet, badly sequined 'Oh My Gosh' jacket. Talking about how they're the next best thing in S.A and that they had some record deal in the States. Fools.

Album on the Horizon: The Roots- Rising Down

2008-04-23T17:07:00.004+02:00

The Roots are about to release their 10th studio album (release date: 29 April '08) and I can't wait! Man, I love The Roots and since they're releasing their album via Def Jam again, let's hope that they get more promo support- unlike with the very slept on Game Theory release. I came across a really special recording on OkayPlayer- it's a 1994 freestyle that was later slated to be a bonus track on the "Rising Down" album, but it was excluded because they couldn't get full clearance for the track.

Listen/Download the freestyle featuring a very young Black Thought here.

Image & Freestyle via OkayPlayer

STILL DOING THE RIGHT THING...

2008-04-08T10:32:00.004+02:00

I found this article and Spike Lee puts it down when he talks about Obama vs the Clinton clan... I still love Spike and I'm so gonna see his next film.

ARTICLE VIA NY MAG

Several people have surprised me by saying that one of the movie’s biggest legacies is the impact you had on diversifying New York film crews.
Do the Right Thing was my first union film. I looked at the rosters, and for the most part, it was white males. Especially the Teamsters. So we had some conversations.

This was your third film. What was different?
That’s when I became a director. She’s Gotta Have It and School Daze, I really didn’t know what I was doing. And the biggest indicator of that was the acting. Do the Right Thing was like the first film where I really felt comfortable working with actors.

Your cast was nearly very different.
Originally, I wanted Robert De Niro. He wouldn’t do it. And it turned out to be a blessing, no disrespect. For it to work, it had to be an ensemble piece, and a star of that magnitude would have changed everything. So Danny Aiello was great. Then we had Sam Jackson—before he was Samuel L. It was Martin Lawrence’s first film. The great Robin Harris. Ossie and Ruby, Frank Vincent, John Savage, Bill Nunn, my sister Joie Lee, John Turturro. Richard Edson, who I knew through Jim Jarmusch, two years ahead of me at NYU … It was a hella fine cast, hella fine.

AND ABOUT MORE SPECIFIC POLITICS...

What do you think of Obama?
I’m riding my man Obama. I think he’s a visionary. Actually, Barack told me the first date he took Michelle to was Do the Right Thing. I said, “Thank God I made it. Otherwise you would have taken her to Soul Man. Michelle would have been like, ‘What’s wrong with this brother?’ ”

Does this mean you’re down on the Clintons?
The Clintons, man, they would lie on a stack of Bibles. Snipers? That’s not misspeaking; that’s some pure bullshit. I voted for Clinton twice, but that’s over with. These old black politicians say, “Ooh, Massuh Clinton was good to us, massuh hired a lot of us, massuh was good!” Hoo! Charlie Rangel, David Dinkins—they have to understand this is a new day. People ain’t feelin’ that stuff. It’s like a tide, and the people who get in the way are just gonna get swept out into the ocean.

READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE HERE

One of My Favourite XXL articles...the making of Reasonable Doubt

2008-04-03T16:09:00.003+02:00

In '96 Jay dropped Reasonable Doubt and this article was in the XXL. It takes you step by step through the making of the album. Still gives me goosebumps.

At first, people didn’t believe.

Raised by a single mother in Brooklyn’s rough Marcy projects, Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter hit the streets as a teenager and made money, a lot of money, selling drugs. But what he really wanted was a rap career. He hooked up with The Jaz (later Jaz-O), a local artist who had a deal with EMI Records, and cut guest appearances with the likes of Original Flavor and Big Daddy Kane. He made a demo tape and shopped around for a deal of his own, but labels weren’t biting.

Never short on confidence, Jay got with fellow hustlers Damon Dash and Kareem “Biggs” Burke, and, using capital saved from the streets, founded a label, Roc-A-Fella Records, and set to work on a debut album. Recorded at the storied D&D Studios in Manhattan, with production from DJ Premier, Clark Kent, Ski, Jaz, Peter Panic and Irv Gotti, Reasonable Doubt was released June 25, 1996 through a distribution deal with Priority Records. The album didn’t set the world on fire right away. It sold just 420,000 copies its first year out, peaking at No. 23 on Billboard’s album chart, and wasn’t certified platinum ’til 2002. Nevertheless, it announced the arrival of Jay-Hova, the God MC, and its moments—“Dead Presidents,” with the Nas sample that would play so prominently in the greatest rap battle of all time; “Brooklyn’s Finest,” where Jay trades verses with the Notorious B.I.G.; and the hit single “Ain’t No Nigga,” which turned a 16-year-old Foxy Brown into a household name—loom ever larger with the passage of time.

Jay’s made seven more albums since, and sold over 20 million copies of them. A lot has changed. He and Jaz-O had a falling out, with back-and-forth snipes over credit and loyalty. Roc-A-Fella grew to be an empire, of course, one that would eventually span music, fashion, movies and liquor. Last year, Jay split from Dame and Biggs and took over Def Jam Records—and kept the Roc-A-Fella name for himself. People believe now.

On this 10th anniversary, XXL pays homage, revisiting the creation of a classic with those who were there. —Justin Monroe

1. “Can’t Knock the Hustle” (feat. Mary J. Blige)

Produced by Knowbody
Coproduced by Sean Cane and Dahoud

Knowbody: I made the beat at my mama’s house. It was probably like ’94. You know, Dame lived in 1199, which is right across the street from where I lived at. I know there was air [in the mix] and everything. I want to go back to doing beats like that.

The whole time after we gave Dame the beat and after he picked it, from then on we called like every week like, “What’s up? Can you find out what’s up?” They’d be like, “He’s writing.” So I don’t know if he was actually writing. Dame just told me, “Quit calling me.”

Sean Cane: I remember thinking if they really wanted to keep the beat. I remember I kept calling Dame. He was like, “Nah, he’s writing to it.” I don’t know if it was just being that they were trying to stall, but they just kept saying, “He’s writing to it. Getting Mary.” We was excited. Before we got Mary, we put Veronica on it to reference the song. Veronica, the Spanish singer, she was on Hola Records. Mary came in the day of the mix to do her vocals. She just really came in to do her part.

When Jay went in to do the clean vocals, I was like, “I think you messed up on this one. I think you could do this part here [again].” I forgot whether it was on the “nigga” or the “player.” I was like, “I think that part you could say it a little better.” He was like, “Play it back.” He’s like, “You’re wildin’.” That was in Platinum Island. That’s where it was mixed at. But it was recorded at D&D, where they paid niggas with the shoe box of money. It was either fives or ones. It was ones. We had to count it. Jay and Dame, they came with the shoe box of money. Their whole shit, coming with the logo, they was hungry. They was grinding. We sat at the studio with the shoe box of money, and it was three people counting the money. It wasn’t a lot. It was less than 10 Gs, put it like that. That same day is the day they brought in the Roc-A-Fella logo. They came in with the Roc-A-Fella logo, and were showing it to Jay like, “Yo, what you think about this for the logo?”

2. “Politics As Usual”

Produced by Ski

Ski: I was riding in the car with my baby’s mama. I had it on the oldies-but-goodies station, and I hear “Hurry Up This Way Again” by the Stylistics. I said, “Yo, this shit is crazy. If I sample this here, and chop it up right and let Jay hear it, he got to hear that shit and love it.” That same day, she took me to the old record store, and I took it home that night and chopped it up and played it for Jay the next day. He was going crazy for it. A funny thing is, at the same time, Clark actually found the sample too and did it. But I think the one I did was just a tad bit hotter. No disrespect to Clark, the one I did was just a tad bit hotter. That’s one of my favorite records to this day. I think that was the blueprint to what Kanye and Just are doing now, the whole soulful voice thing.

Jay was quick with the verses. Back then, he might have wrote two verses down on paper, but he never really wrote it down. I would sometimes glance down and see three words on his paper, but the nigga doing a whole song. I’m like, What’s he rapping from?

When I got paid for these records on Reasonable Doubt I used to go to Dame’s crib, and I remember them giving me a book bag just full of money.

I used to just get on the train. If niggas knew I had thousands of dollars in a backpack…

Clark Kent: It’s crazy, ’cause the same day that Ski brought him that beat, I brought him the same beat like an hour later. Jay was like, “Dag, I think yours is a little better.” ’Cause mines was pretty sounding, because I made it big and very clear. But Jay was like, “You know how we do it, and real is real. He gave it to me first.” So he did his version instead of doing my version of the same thing.
Me being a music business guy, I was like, “Which one’s better?” He was like, “Clark, that’s not right to switch one. He came first. And Ski is our boy.” So that’s how it was. And not for nothing, it was no love lost, ’cause Ski is my nigga. So I was just like, “Go ahead, do it. You’re right.” That’s the way we are. I don’t even know if Ski knows it went down like this.

Lenny Santiago: I remember Ski was doing a group—I don’t know if this is supposed to be out there, but whatever—he was doing Camp Lo. That was his group. He was very heavily involved with them. And actually, one or two of the songs were Camp Lo’s. “Feelin’ It” and “Politics As Usual.” I’m almost positive those were Camp Lo’s. And Jay ended up hearing them, and was like, “Oh no, no, no. I need that.” No dis-respect to them, but he just felt it so much, and he recorded it, and it ended up being his record.

3. “Brooklyn’s Finest” (feat. Notorious B.I.G.)

Produced by Clark Kent

Irv Gotti: I did not want that record to happen. I was adamantly against it. I would call Jay every day like, “No, fuck that! Don’t do this record.” I said, “What I’m scared of is you doin’ [a record] with Biggie and you comin’ off like his little man. And nigga, we can’t be owning shit if you his little man. You never gon’ get that throne.” But this nigga would call me and be like, “Nah, but Gotti, I’m tellin’ you, I’m gonna show ’em. I’m gon’ make people see that I’m that nigga.”

Jay and Big had a lot of love, but at that particular time it was very competitive. Go ’head and listen to that record—“It’s time to separate the pros from the cons/The platinum from the bronze…” Real talk, Big’s goin’ at Jay in that record. “You ain’t harmin’ me/So pardon me…” Trust me. He’s goin’ at him real tough.

Lenny Santiago: I was doing promotion at the time, and we were at the video shoot for “Dead Presidents.” If you remember, Biggie was in the video. And it was during a break, Damon was being Damon, and everyone was around talking—Jay, Big, Lil’ Cease, D. Roc—and Damon approached Biggie, like, “What’s up with that record? You gonna do something with Jay?” And Big was like, “Whatever, nigga. I’m waitin’ on y’all. Whatchu sayin’?” Dame was like, “I’m sayin’, though, we could do it right now.” At the time, Jay was comin’ up and Big was the shit. He had the biggest record out, Puff was doing his thing, and Bad Boy was on fire. So Dame was trying to put him to the test. And they kept going back and forth, and Big was like, “Man, listen, whatever, anytime, anywhere.” So Dame called Clark Kent like, “I got Big right here, he wants to do that record with Jay, whatever, whatever.” So that same night, they ended up recording the record. And Clark did the track, and it was a classic. It was just funny how it happened from being put on the spot.

Biggs: Biggie came to the video for “Dead Presidents,” and he was saying how much he liked Jay, the whole style. Dame was talking about it, and said, “Do a record tomorrow.” Him and Dame was drinking. They drank like five bottles of Cristal, shot for shot. Dame threw up outside. Dame had told Biggie to call the next day at five o’clock. I remember being in the office, and at five o’clock the phone rings. We went to the studio, and we spoke to him. We had a date, and they went in and recorded. It was funny, ’cause they came in with a pad, and Jay pushed the pad to Biggie. They’re both looking at the pad like, Go ahead, you take it. No, you take it. That’s when they found out that both of them didn’t write.
That day we went in, I think Jay laid down his whole part. Biggie lay down like a line or two, then he said he couldn’t finish, he had to go home and finish it. We had Biggie come and smoke 60 blunts. But he came back and laid down a little bit more, left again, and then he came back and finished it. We had fun the first [session]. Afterward, we all went to see Bernie Mac at Radio City Music Hall.

Dame Dash: We didn’t do all of “Brooklyn’s Finest” in D&D. We had to come back to it, ’cause that didn’t have a hook. Me and Clark Kent had to make up a hook. We had to hand it in like the next day. Me and Clark and Biggs was in the studio, then Biggs left, and we finally got it, me and Clark Kent. Clark was trying to get me on the hook. We took a rhyme from the song, “Jay-Z and Biggie Smalls, nigga, shit your drawers…,” and he was trying to get me to say it. I was like, “I’m not gonna do it.” I got Clark to do it.

Clark Kent: I just freshly came off of tour with Big. We were doing Junior M.A.F.I.A.’s [debut album], and he heard the beat and went crazy. He was like, “I want the beat.” I was like, “Nah, it’s Jay’s beat.” He’s like, “You’re always giving this guy everything.” He wanted that beat real bad. I’m leaving the studio to go to D&D to track it for Jay, and Big’s like, “Yo, I want to be on that record.” So I was like, “Yo, just come with me.” So I went upstairs, and I left him downstairs. I was like, “Big wants to be on that record. Why don’t you put Big on that record? He heard the beat. He likes it.” Jay was like, “I don’t really know him like that.” And Dame was like, “I ain’t paying him, neither.” I was just like, Ah, okay. So then I’m like, “If I get him to do it for free would you do it?” He was like, “Yeah, we’ll try it.” So I run downstairs. I go get Big, bring him upstairs, and they met each other the right way, properly. And everybody was like, “Well, if you’re going to do it for whatever…” Jay changed the verses around right there, and was like, “This is where you go, right there. You ready?” Big was like, “I can’t do this right now!”

Two months later, Big came back with his verses. Days later, I was mixing it, and there was no hook. We were supposed to do the hook when we were mixing it. And Jay says, “All right, you got to scratch something.” I’m trying to find things to scratch and nothing’s working. So I’m telling Jay, “Yo, y’all gotta come up with a hook.” Jay and Big are there. We’re at Giant Studios. Big goes, “I’ll be back, I’m going to the store.” And then an hour goes by, and he doesn’t go back. Then Jay goes, “I’ll be back.” They leave me there and never come back. So it’s like three in the morning, I decided to write a hook, and I performed the hook. That’s my voice.

To me, that’s the best collabo I’ve ever heard. You would never think that Jay’s verses were done so far in advance. It feels like they did it together. Big and Jay were that talented, they could pick up on that line and go from that line.

I’d made the beat before for one of Damon’s groups. He had a group called the Future Sound, and I remixed the record with the same beat. And Damon said, “Yo, that beat is hot, give it to Jay.” So he says he produced it because he said give it to Jay. How ridiculous is that? But whatever, it’s all good. And then the other day he told me I jerked him because I didn’t give him publishing.

4. “Dead Presidents II”

Produced by Ski

Ski: When I first found the sample and I threw the Nas thing in there, I liked the record a lot. But it wasn’t my favorite record. I really loved it after Jay got on it. That’s what made me a fan of “Dead Presi-dents.” It was an old jazz sample, Lonnie Liston Smith [“A Garden of Peace”]. And Nas [“The World Is Yours (Remix)”]. When Nas was hot a the time, Nas’ voice was crazy. And when Jay threw in the lyrics, the first verse, the way he came on was bananas.

Clark Kent: I heard the second version when I was on the road with Big. I was playing “Dead Presidents” over and over again. The first and the second one. I was like, “Big, my boy rap better than you.” And he was sick, ’cause I kept telling him. Everybody was mad at me. On the bus, I was like the alien for even trying it. But after Big heard that, this is before they met to do “Brooklyn’s Finest,” he was like, “Clark, that dude got it. He got it. He got it.” That let me know that I wasn’t crazy.

5. “Feelin’ It” (feat. Mecca)

Produced by Ski

Ski: It was me and Geechi Suede from Camp Lo, it was my hook and everything. Jay heard it and was like, “I want that record. I don’t care what you do, I want that record.” I didn’t want to give it to him, but I had to because I knew he was going to be the man at the time. So I said, “Fuck it, take the record.” It really was me and Suede from Camp Lo, the flow and everything, the way he was flowing on it. That’s the way we was flowing on it. So he just took the whole thing. But you know, he killed it in his own way.

KEEP READIN

My name is so special...

2008-04-02T18:46:00.006+02:00

I've known the meaning of my name, Keitumetse, forever (obviously). But it's definately fun to know that my nickname means something so special and meaningful for some people around the world...

The Tumi is a sacrificial ceremonial knife distinctly characterised by a semi-circular blade, made of either bronze, copper, gold-alloy, or silver alloy used by some Inca and pre-Inca cultures in the Peruvian Coastal Region. In Andean mythology, the Moche, Chimu and Incas were descendants of the Sun, and had to be worshipped annually with an extravagant celebration. The festival took place at the end of the potato and maize harvest in order to thank the Sun for the abundant crops or to ask for better crops during the next season. During this important religious ceremony, the High Priest would sacrifice a completely black or white llama. Using a tumi, he would open the animal's chest and with his hands pull out its throbbing heart, lungs and viscera, so that observing those elements he could foretell the future. Later, the animal and its parts were completely incinerated.

Other Andean cultures have used the tumi for the neurological procedure of skull trepanation. Many of these operations were carefully performed, suggesting that the surgery was done for the relief of some body disturbance other than that associated with injury, perhaps an organic or mental condition.

On November 26 '06 archaeologists announced that they had unearthed 22 graves in northern Peru containing pre-Inca artifacts. Among the artifacts were the first tumi ever discovered by archaeologists. All previous examples had been recovered from grave looters.

In Peru, to hang a tumi on a wall means good luck. The tumi is the national symbol of Peru and has become a symbol used in the Peruvian tourism publicity.

....OR YOU COULD GO WITH THE FASHIONISTA'S MEANING....

Tumi is a manufacturer of luggage for travel. The company was founded in 1975 and is named for a Peruvian ceremonial knife used for sacrifices. The products are known for their black-on-black ballistic nylon. The company is based in South Plainfield, New Jersey. Tumi is known among consumers for its exclusivity, and quality stylish products. Today, Tumi's award-winning products range from luggage, business cases and handbags to wallets, writing instruments and watches. Tumi is available at department stores and specialty stores as well as over 50 Tumi stores around the world.

Tumi was, at one time, made entirely in the US and offered a lifetime warranty. Since 2004, however, Tumi has moved production of items to China.

Tumi Website

FIRST WINTER PICKUP...!!!

2008-04-02T18:05:00.004+02:00

I hate being cold and I just saw these on SNKRFRKR and I have no idea where to get them- even Ebay express doesn't have them. I've searched and searched! Anywho, I'll find them and wear them with pride during this winter. This is a distress call...Anyone who knows where I can get it holla at your girl!!

IMAGE VIA SNEAKER FREAKER

Remy Ma is a dumb bitch and smh @ Papoose

2008-03-31T09:49:00.010+02:00

So Remy Ma- the bitch that walks around with a two-tone weave as if it's a good look was found guilty of shooting her girl in the stomach. If I were a gangsta bitch, I would make sure that whatever transgression I made against the law, I can eat that charge up so quick that no one would even remember it for a second. That's really gangsta. Being gangsta aint howling loud enuff for me to hear you all the way from Joburg, South Africa. Yeah, she cried like a little bitch when they told her she faces 25 yrs. Dumb Bitch. lol@ Papoose tryina make an honest woman out of her skank ass before she goes to jail - you gotta love this Ghetto Love Story. Why don't hood moms teach their daughters how to be ladies? I mean, I'm somewhat rough around the edges but if I need your ass shot up, I'll make a call and it'll be done. I don't need to do the damn shit myself. Real bosses have minions. I got mines...

In other ghetto ridiculous (in this case, ghetto fabulous more called for) news... Trina aka the one who said Tha Baby, has her album "Still The Baddest dropping this week. No doubt there'll be a song in there somewhere dedicated to Weezy F. Baby, Please Say the Baby- I wonder if she ever got rid of that Wayne tat that she got back in '06. Shouts out to YBF for the pic.

And now for the Ghetto Ridiculous...Scuse my French but...

WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH BEANIE SIGEL???? THIS DUDE CAN'T STAY OUT OF JAIL!

Hov is always going on about how Beans is his boy and blah, blah, blah and he's gonna free Sigel but how do you go about saving someone who clearly doesn't wanna be saved? He knows that he's got all that Jay money waiting for him so he's got the junkie brother/drunken uncle syndrome- he's got enuff money so he doesn't feel like he has to work too hard. He's gonna keep fuckin up til someone actually gets his mind right... Shouts out to the really ghetto mothafucka that keeps going back to jail...You can't blame this one on his environment, so now I'm just gonna put it down to a case of Natural Selection. All I have to say to Jay right now is that his boy is on a path of self destruction and instead of rapping about it, he should Free Sigel. They tried to make him go to rehab & he said no, no, NO! Drugs are bad, kids.

Read the story here.

I'm on my sneaker shit...Chuck Taylor All-Star Gold Zipper

2008-03-28T17:06:00.005+02:00

I have no words. Only available in Hong Kong or on ebay. Certainly not at your local South African Converse stockist. Watch me get em. Watch you sip on that haterade and hate, hate, hate!!

I'ma keep a cool head and stay out the news headlines...

2008-03-27T17:14:00.007+02:00

....that was T.I's M-O according to his track Bring Em Out on his Urban Legend album...guys can't stay outta jail man.
It's been reported that T.I will be pleading guilty to a weapons charge that dates back to his October October 2007 arrest and subsequent indictment. Ja ne... It's hard out here fo' a pimp.

Since today seems like Sneaker Day...

2008-03-26T14:11:00.009+02:00

Coming from S.A, the best Converse you’ll get are plain black/white/red
or corduroy or some other lame shit- and quiet simply: I'M FED UP! Through my travels and online surfing, I’ve seen some really interesting colours, shades and fabrics used on Chucks that go beyond the usual wack ass garbage that South African consumers are fed. I'd venture to say that the S.A market gives a sizeable chunk of revenue towards Converse, yet we still get all the usual and hella boring Chucks dumped into the market. Either Converse S.A needs to step up their game or employ some young people who are more in touch. (does Converse even really have an S.A office??? Those people don’t even have a real website.)

On another note, I’ve been seeing some nice Converse kicks released to mark the 100^th anniversary of Converse. Basically what they’ve done is commission 100 of the world’s creative designers, artists and musicians to design their unique Converse. 50 have apparently already been designed, expressing each individual artist’s commentary on HIV/AIDS. New releases can be seen on the Converse website. And no, it's not a local site. Pics below.

PUMA CLYDE - POISON PACK

2008-03-26T12:48:00.005+02:00

I saw these a few weeks ago and wasn't sure if I was feelin em. So I went back tot he site and checked em out and I've decided that I like em. My fav's = the strawberry frogs

THE STORY SO FAR:

Puma dreamt up three patterns and colourways based on unique and distinctive textures taken from different species of the Poison Dart frog from Central America. In reality, the bright colours repel predators, and indicates their toxicity. But of course, just as humans do with their feelings/emotions; some reptiles imitate poisonous colours to outsmart predators.

First pair is Dendrobates pumilio (or Strawberry frog)
Second pair (the green) is Dendrobates leucomelas (or Yellow-Banded frog)
Third is Dendrobates azureus (or Okipipi frog)

A Sneak Peek...

2008-03-26T11:48:00.008+02:00

Just a few of my babies...it's really hard to find hot kicks as a chick- esp in S.A. so I'm proud of my little collection. I have many more pairs of shoes and kicks but these are some of my fav's- plus I recently went on a binge; thanks to my brother's wedding. I have recently retired my tweed dunks (not pictured)-I think I need to hunt down another because they became such a staple of my look and now I'm ashamed of what they look like right now.

The Cool Kids- Gold and A Pager

2008-03-18T18:04:00.003+02:00

Straight out of Chicago, these boys hit the e-streets with their track "Black Mags". Think Lupe and skateboarding, except these retro rap boys ride BMX bikes. Mikey and Chuck bring 80's type bass-heavy beats reminiscent of Eric B and the like. Listen to/download the track here and let me know what you think of these boys. Shouts out to my brother Ruli for putting me onto this.

Hottie of the Month: March

2008-03-17T13:21:00.003+02:00

TERRENCE HOWARD

Although he acted in Dead Presidents and in Sunset Park ('95 & '95), I didn't much attention to Terrence Howard until he played the shit-causing friend Quentin in The Best Man. I fell in love, but I thought I would get over my crush...not so: it's almost 10 yrs later and I'm still in love with Terrence. I consider his role as Djay in Hustle & Flow to be his groundbreaking role: He made the most ignorant people turn around and take notice of the fine chocolate man with interesting eyes. I cringe when people mistake Cuba Gooding for him- they're so different and it's not fair. Not only is he sexy as hell but my oh my...what an amazing actor, and his awards and nominations are testimony to that talent.

imdb profile

D'banj on MTV Base Player

2008-03-11T17:07:00.003+02:00

For the show that I work on, I had to create short aspirational pieces on influential young Africans. 2008 EMA winner D'banj was one of the people I chose to profile. Let me know your thoughts :)

Video: Olu Mantain- Yahooze

2008-03-06T10:27:00.001+02:00

Big Naija flossin in this video lol It's a few months old but I dig this song.

I Need to put Superfly on Blast for this one!

2008-03-05T07:29:00.008+02:00

I don't know dude and if I did, I think I would deny him straight the fuck up! I found him on my way out of Zambezi (or Club 676- whatever that place is called)and he was only happy to oblige. Someone told him it's a good look. What say you?

Embrace the Ghetto in You

2008-02-29T11:56:00.004+02:00

I knew giving Flav a show would start something that just can't be right for the state of black people world wide! Well, Plies has a similar reality show coming up... you be the judge.

They Want to Dance on His Grave

2008-02-19T12:37:00.002+02:00

Castro is stepping down as leader of Cuba. The exiles in Miami can't wait to dance on his grave. I can see everyone at the White House rubbing their hands trying to get their grubby fingers in the pie!

Matthews Phosa is Bob Johnson-ing us... Pimp Pimp Hoe-ray!!

2008-02-18T15:58:00.014+02:00

I’m not a straight out feminist. I use all sorts of words pretty freely. Sometimes, I call women chicks, or bitches, or tricks. In the nicest way possible (it’s possible. Or is it?). I can’t be fully blamed for the language is use- I’m a product of my environment: MEDIA AND SOCIETY (both of which apparently inform one another).

For years, the US corporate world has been in the firing line for using hip hop to make money- from paying artists big money to endorse their products, to putting their money behind the most mediocre and self-destructive ideas and artists, and to some extent, fuelling misogynist lyrics in songs because “it aint gonna sell if it aint about bitches, hoes, pimpin, cash, money, cars and moving weight”. In a nutshell, corporate America has been in shit for PIMPING the culture of hip hop- effectively pimping BLACK PEOPLE. Surprise surprise.

Matthews Phosa- former Premier of Mpumalanga, South Africa turned business man strikes a deal with Nelly’s Pimp Juice brand. He’s got the distributing rights for the drink in South Africa. Before I go any further- a bit of Phosa’s history: Before he became Dr. Matthews Phosa, he was just Matthews Phosa- an ANC stalwart; leader of the youth movement and poet. So anyway, the ANC stalwart and former youth leader goes out and signs a distributing deal with Nelly’s Pimp Juice brand. Nelly thinks himself a pimp. ‘Member the Tipdrill video? Let me refresh your memory.

Anyway, so this guy Matthews Phosa then makes a deal with Umsobombvu Youth Fund (UYF) and they’re giving money and opportunities to the youth, whom they are calling PIMPS. Yes. Pimps. Phosa and the UYF say it means “positive intellectually motivated person”. Really? Ok, scuse my really bad education- I thought a pimp is someone who uses womens’ pussies to make money. Sorry, did I offend YOU? Damn, I thought I live in Africa. Oh sorry, South Africa is but a cheap duplication of American culture. I don’t know if you would find influential members of other African societies and their government-sponsored youth agencies calling young people pimps, and feeding them such poison. I have nothing against pop culture, which they say is reflective of the society from whence it comes. What I do have a problem with are those that are in power using it for their own good while destroying young people en route to making their bag of riches. Don't get me wrong- I want a piece of the pie too, but I cannot let my aims mess with a young and impressionable African child. I don’t want my niece thinking that a boy is only good enough for her if he’s reached “pimp” status (whatever that may be), and I certainly don’t want to see my younger boy cousins and brothers growing up thinking that they’re real cool men if they reach “pimp” status. This partnership is wrong to the core, and I’d like to thank Mr. Phosa and Umsobomvu Youth Fund for putting a product like this on the market, and I’d especially like to give them props (when you do something cool, young people commend you by giving you “props”. I guess you would know that, since you also knew that the word “pimp” is cool because it actually means “positive intellectually motivated person”) for taking one more step in turning young peoples’ brains into a mass of bubble gum.

Now, chew it and spit it out.

AFTER THOUGHT:

When bob johnson started BET a lot of people were happy, thinking that his channel would properly represent so much of what's been misrepresented by the white owners of the entertainment industry machine. Years down the line, the channel has been accused of being everything black/hip hop culture is NOT. Over the last few years, incidents have occured with BET refusing to play "intelligent" or "underground" hip hop

BONUS LINKS: Who is BOB JOHNSON?

HOUSE NIGGER?

BET SAYS LITTLE BROTHER IS "TOO INTELLIGENT" FOR THE MARKET- 2005

DE LA SOUL AND THE BEATNUTS REJECTED FROM BET PLAYLIST- 2004

VIDEO OF THE DAY: LITTLE BROTHER FT JOE SCUDDA- LOVIN' IT
FROM "THE MINSTREL SHOW" ALBUM.

When Amy Discovered Alcohol

2008-02-11T20:40:00.000+02:00

i found this hilarious. shouts out to amy for winning those grammies. i love amy.

TWMOP - 1 - When Amy Discovered Drink

Add to My Profile | More Videos

For Today...Katt Williams on Haters

2008-02-06T08:37:00.000+02:00

Shit I know I got haters lurking everywhere, it's cool though- Katt has the perfect advise. This is one of my favourite Katt moments.

Loving It...

2008-02-05T12:11:00.000+02:00

This man is too cool. I'm no photography fundi but I love him.

His name is Hiroshi Sugimoto and he's a Japanese photographer and in his opinion, "art is possible even without artistic intention". CLICK THE PITCHAS FOR MORE

I've been Warholized!!!

2008-02-04T20:05:00.001+02:00

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Now playing: M.I.A - Mango Pickle Down River (With The Wilcannia Mob)
via FoxyTunes

A Few Kilometers out of Jozi City

2008-02-04T15:30:00.000+02:00

My siblings and I set out together with my new sis in law to get measured for our outfits for the traditional wedding. Before I go on with the story, I need to quote my sister:

Anything out of Johannesburg is a whole different country

So yeah, we negotiated through the really tough streets of Sandton, through the ghetto of Randburg to make our way through to Roodepoort. It's like a fifteen minute drive from Joburg to that place but I swear it really is a whole different country!!! Anyway, I took pitchas of the little things on my adventure. Feel free to peruse :)

I rocked my satin Premium AF1's (hate on me hater) and Sam repped Paez.

JUST STATING THE OBVIOUS

ONLY THE FINEST IN SHWESHWE PRINTS

She's Camera Shy!!

Celebs Without Makeup!! Wowzers

2008-02-04T11:08:00.000+02:00

Ages ago, See Here Blog had a whole feature on this but I have to say I've seen pics of Beyonce she's a pretty girl; Halle is beautiful; and we always knew that Charlize was just witkak from Benoni (sorry, am I offending YOU?); and that Renee Zelwegger wasn't the hottest on the block. Don't hate on Scarlet (that doesn't even look like her) just cos she's early twenties and gets a few pimples here and there lol

Loves this Pitcha

2008-02-03T16:59:00.000+02:00

EVENT: WOODSTOCK 2004
Somewhere between Jozi and the North West, our asses landed at Woodstock- mostly because Michaela's mom was (and still is) convinced that I was a great influence on 'Caela and that my presence at Woodstock would mean that Michaela wouldn't get into too much trouble. Yeah right. At least we weren't the ones with our faces plastered onto the boulders, or the ones that got peed on by our friends. Back to the point; I think I remember this guy being hot but I took a pic of his tee because it said such pretty stuff on.

People have fallen in LOVE here
People have broken up here
People have laughed here
People have cried here
People have been thrown out of here
People have come back here
People have fought here
People have made up here
People have never been lost here
People have met their best friends here
People have made their enemies here
And then forgotten
Memories have been made here
This is where the real people are
Where are you?
You should be here.

"Burn"
Set the Night on Fire

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Now playing: Amel Larrieux - Trouble
via FoxyTunes

First post-I popped the cherry whuttttt?

2008-02-03T16:06:00.001+02:00

So I finally created a new blog and it feels like a whole new chapter. tears. G'bye Black n Whole. Shame on you if you don't know what that was. I can't really define what this blog is going to be about just yet. Think of it as a window to a part of Jozi life. Anything can happen, anything can be written and I may shut it down in two weeks→ just like those downtown Jozi here today, gone tomorrow joints. It could happen. Meanwhile, come back and read my scribbles, enjoy my cynism, sarcasm, emotion and most of all, TAKE PART IN THE MADNESS OF IT ALL.

Goodbye Street Stalker virginity, felt good to pop ya!