Tuesday, April 29, 2003

Check out a brand new exhibit in the Gallery.



Reputable Hip-hop artist/musician/producer Count Bass D is currently organizing a tour to promote his third critically acclaimed release, Dwight Spitz, and his forthcoming release, BEGBORROWSTEEL. Count Bass D is available for one-nighters, multiple-night engagements, festivals, conferences, national and international tours. To schedule bookings, promoters and agents should contact Oriana lee at 615-210-8408 or e-mail oriana@countbassd.com. Visit http://www.countbassd.com to learn more about Count Bass D.



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Monday, April 28, 2003

What a beautiful earth day it is indeed for a creature so undeserving as myself! Thank you mother for this birth day...thank you creator for the magnificent sunshine that fuels my energy. How blessed it is to live to celebrate the close of another year & the dawn of the next! Reach out: orianalee@writehanded.com





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Wednesday, April 23, 2003

KUSH EKUNDAYO, the original black man-child, is celebrating his 2nd birthday. He has the same birthday as the world renowned playright, Shakespeare. It's no wonder he is a genius...right? Send him lots of well wishes at kush@writehanded.com.



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Tuesday, April 22, 2003

Homegirl, KIMBERLY LOCKE has truly come into her own on American Idol. As one who has been in the business for a minute now, eye am usually not engrossed by these types of shows because they are SOOOO commercial. But since this particular show is based on the auditions that were held here in the Music City, eye've been paying a lot of attention. As a matter of fact, it is the only show that eye make any effort to watch (besides Seinfeld a couple nights a week). Between Reuben, Kimberly Locke & Clay eye can't stop the madness. But Kimberly is on my list for future collabos with Count. She's tight! Her range is wide-open. She's versatile & her personality is finally shining through. Personality is about the only thing that she has consistently lacked. Now Reuben, on the other hand, has been mad consistent, through & through. But she's the homegirl, so eye hope to see her as runner-up to the 205 rep. The straight wrap do...that's her look. Eye am so proud that she has found her place!



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Monday, April 21, 2003

NINA SIMONE, the high-priestess of soul, has made her transition back to the essence. Eye was never so blessed to see her in person, but through raspy emotion she made me know her spirit. My head-over-heels love for Nina Simone's music was born out of a Nikki Giovanni interview that eye read in the early mid-nineties. In the background, Giovanni had a poster of a woman that eye didn't recognize at the time. Considering my fanatic allegience to the poet, at that time, eye thought it best to find out who this was who so inspired her. Even now, memory recalls that photograph clearly. It must have been the power of her presence that reeled me in initially, but it was the magnetism in her vocal sway that made me a believer. "I'm Going Back Home" sends my limbs into a sanctified frenzy each listen. Today is no exception.



Sang Nina! Sing Eunice a deep, sweet lullaby. May she rest in peace! "Come ye"!



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Wednesday, April 16, 2003

Hiphop is finally being represented in every commercial medium. With my own two, eye sat beside my children this morning groving to Jay Z's classic Hard Knock Life---on Sesame Street. Yes. The Children's Television Network. No jive. Playing on the hook from the musical Annie, the producers put together a party scene where children danced to the sounds of a preschool-aged DJ. I didn't happen to notice whether or not he was rocking the Fisher Price record players that many of us enjoyed in the 70's or if they went all out with Technic 1200's. By the way...does anyone know if eBay sells the audio Viewmaster players?



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Monday, April 14, 2003

THEY [do not exist] : Lighten up, Oriana. You're always so heavy. So serious!



THEY [do not exist] who toss in two broken coppers: Smile. It cain't be that bad.



If not for my serious nature, I'm not sure that I would have such a distinct voice. If I didn't instinctly wear a weight of the world visor, I would very likely not have foreshadowed my career as both a writer & educator back in the 2nd grade. But make no mistake, homegirl loves to party! And party pumps my system when I revisit old school Hiphop jams that once screamed furiously from my boom box-- both before & during the Golden Era. Dual cassette, equalizer & high-speed dubbing...you know the deal. Cold-chillin on my grandmother's porch in the LL stance-- geared down in flea-market Cazels (Gazelle knock-offs), Member's Only windbreaker, gold nugget rings & hot pink fat laces that adorned my polished white Air Force Ones. I was Just 2 Much *my fly girl moniker. Back in the day, it meant everything to LIVE the culture, inside & out.



Back in the Days, a photograph book shot by Jamel Shabazz, is a top-notch representation of the memories that feed the nostalgic muse. Every single trend that Hiphop fpopularized in the 80's, from the cool pose to fashion, has been eloquently bound -- projecting the very funky fresh street charisma that now pervades mainstream. Introduction by Fab 5 Freddy. Essay by Ernie Paniciolli. One for the collection!



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Saturday, April 12, 2003

And who can doubt that it will lead to the worst disorders when minds created free by God are compelled to submit slavishly to an outside will? When we are told to deny our senses and subject them to the whim of others? When people devoid of whatsoever competence are made judges over experts and are granted authority to treat them as they please? These are the novelties which are apt to bring about the ruin of commonwealths and the subversion of the state. --Galileo



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Thursday, April 10, 2003

Thanks to you for your patience...thanks for your support. MP3's COMING SOON!



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Wednesday, April 9, 2003

Ever had the notion to loosen the reigns of this pseudo-Democracy leaving all tangibles behind & uproot to Neptune? It's certainly a thought that grows more & more pervasive ever since my daughter posed it in school yesterday:



woman-child: Momme, can we got to Neptune some day?"

oleE: "Who knows babe? But humans have never visited any other planet besides the simulated trips to Mars?"

woman-child: "Well...can we go to Mars again?"



And maybe that's just the move for those of us who are sick and tired of compromising the natural authority of our godly introspect just to feed the sick greedy monsters hiding in the Bush. Funny enough...just to scratch the surface triggers hidden allergens...more when I recover.



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Sunday, April 6, 2003

IN THE KNOW...IN THE KNOW...yes eye am, but moreso on a global scale these days.

Originally, eye had every intention of resuming the weekly IN THE KNOW newsletter

regiment in January...but all truth be told, once the brainstorm hit realizations too fell.



Reasons for publishing IN THE KNOW:



1. To create a general awareness among the local American Afrakan community about

events that pertain to American Afrakan culture.

2. To challenge American Afrakans in Nashville to support events that will further grow

the community through means of economic, mental, spiritual & cultural elevation.

3. To provide a free community service as a direct means of "giving back".



Since initially publishing IN THE KNOW, more than one or two local calendars have regularly

begun to arrive in my Inbox. More websites with sections devoted to current local events

have also since come into existence. With that considered, IN THE KNOW, as you

know it, has been permanently suspended. Thanks for all of your support in meeting

these goals in a relatively short period of time. Please stay tuned for more musings...



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Saturday, April 5, 2003

Where is she? What's going on with her website? Does she still write? IN THE KNOW?

All questions darted at me over the last 6 months. Still here in the ville...against my will...still writing...

more than ever actually. Which is why eyem invisible, but never transparent, so keep guessing.

Booker T. Washington ancestrally directed me to this post...it's his birthday, you must know

& though eye support black economics more than political gain, eye channel his legacy just the same.

Black is the point...you know?



Those of you who are curious to hear my stance on the jacking taking place in Iraq...next time.

Don't trip when you catch a glimpse of me on World Nightly News.



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