CRAFT WORK

On Monday eye embarked on an intensive study on the kings of the electronic sound, German collective Kraftwerk. If Mrs. Yancey considers J. Dilla an alien, then these guys are definitely extraterrestrial hierarchy. In all my study of the earliest Hiphop recordings, the influence that Trans Europe Express and particularly the track, "Numbers" from Computer World had on Africa Bambaataa was never disclosed to me as foundational information. What a humbling knock to one who considers myself a purist. What an intrepid ride this should be! Their website has me wide open...

Recognize today as the born day of renowned author, James Baldwin whose collection of essays, Notes of A Native Son examined issues of race and contributed to my earliest style of formal writing in high school. Baldwin's work was greatly influenced by Richard Wright, who also contoured the psychological perspective of my writing. So much so, that my senior literary project in college was examining his Native Son character Bigger Thomas in light of Maslow's Theory of Human Motivation.



Baldwin also penned essays that analyzed the psychological depth of Wright's work, but ultimately drove a wedge between he and his mentor because of his overly-critical interpretation and pejorative comparison of Native Son to Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. Because of style commonalities, among other things, Baldwin has always struck me as someone eye would have loved to have known.

"Any writer, I suppose, feels that the world into which he was born is nothing less than a conspiracy against the cultivation of his talent."
-James Baldwin, "Autobiographical Notes" from Notes of a Native Son, 1955


Basquiat, Native Son

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One of the most controversial social debates taking place in America, breastfeeding - has parents across the country spastic over the public display of a healthy bosom on the cover of a parenting magazine. While narrow to only view this vital organ as a sexual object when it was biologically created as a source of nourishment, those complaining are mothers themselves, which strikes me as disconcerting.

Perhaps innate guilt regarding their own alternative methods of nourishing their own eats at them. What female in her right mind would think that feeding her child could be nasty or pornographic? The signs of a horribly confused someone whose perspective has been thwarted by twenty-first century indoctrination as to what the female body was made for blink rapidly. The derogatory nature of rap videos have had a great influence of the minds of our young and breast fetishism rampid, but in general, the society (demographic:10-70) has become enthralled with sexual relations & affecting stimulants (remember Viagra?). Huh' bruh?

Having proudly nursed all four of our babes - on public display (covered) and for private consumption - it sickens to entertain the general (U.S.) public perception that the human body primarily be viewed as a sexual object. The primary function of the female breast is to produce milk through the mammary glands. While scientists believe that other external functions exist, nursing babies is number one role. Fo' sho'! Parents - dialogue with your youth. They know the difference between themselves and a baby. Well, maybe. Depends on how we teach them to act.

Talks of a video for "Netsanett Ahun" ensue this afternoon. So very exciting. Yet, so very real as to how Something To Cope has an agenda of her own. With Count's music, these pieces are so much more powerful as a catalyst for the message.

Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Dallas Austin apparently co-executive produced the movie ATL, starring T.I. After watching it last night, it became clear that the message coming from the "black mecca of the confederacy" shouts economic empowerment. Take notes, music business chums. Jot the details, mi compadre escritor. A model is officially in place and the paridigm now shifts.

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BACK IN EFFECT

The laptop doctors saw fit to return Maczine, my fifth limb, to me this morning. Ouwee! We are all estatic to have her home. No more fighting over the family PC, or at least one less computer junkie vying for position. Maczine only kicks it with me, so it's my job to give all of the love & attention she needs. Starting now...

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Podcasts have become my latest fascination. A long time coming, it seems that eye took to them almost overnight after receiving many over the past months. They just never caught my attention before.

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TUNNEL VISION

My blog mysteriously disappeared. Well, most of it anyway. The meat. But, anyway.

So the marketing team for stock car racing got me out to watch their presentation meant to lure our children to the sport. We initally set out to see Superman since we had ties to the soundtrack, but changed to Cars at the last minute. We realized that on a Friday night, it would not be wise to get trapped in a crowd of Steel-billies with a loud verbally repititious baby in tow and other children who look to the public restroom as a frequent fun-break from the movie. UMH, umh.

The movie was indeed good and family-oriented (PG). While heavy on the selling, it only attests that car racing has become commercial like basketball, football, baseball and hockey. What was once backwoods has become mainstream since the passing of racing martyr, Dale Earnhardt. Well, to win me over, someone on their marketing team needs to demand better representation. We walked right pass the theatre, all the way to the other end of the corridor because we didn't see the shoddy sign. Backwoods mentality?



Another Saturday at the Frist club and it is no insecure fantasy of my mind that the patrons always stare at me as if a part of the Ancient Egypt exhibit. A lady once approached me while exiting, grabbed me by the forearm and proceeded to show me off to her circle of sister-girl friends as if she had found a walking Egyptian treasure. Kana thought it was flattering, but it felt more embarrasing than complimenting. It's weird the emphasis that some put on physical appearance. Even though commonly regarded as modelesque, fashion and facial features hardly even occur to me anymore. Unless it's a deformity, of course, then it catches me off guard like anyone else.

Otherwise, this industry has made a believer out of me that packaging likely does not wholly represent the quality of the "complete work". Neither does it define.

What feels really fulfilling is being true to self - whatever that day entails. Nobody looks beautiful all of the time. It's how we feel that matters.

*Photos courtesy of CountBassD.com (c) 2006


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"SOMETHING TO COPE, IT'S DOPE"

Our children say so. You better believe it! Come September, all should have a chance to see for themselves. If Count finishes the music this weekend, then we go to manufactuting on Monday. Roughly seven weeks from then, we will have a real book to hold.

Please keep Mum Farrell in thought & prayer. She has been battling cancer for about a year now. We're arranging for a visit in the upcoming days. My husband needs to get there soon, we've been told.

For the past few weeks, the CD/DVD-R drive on my iBook has been freezing, so of course it has gotten bad enough to no longer procrastinate on getting it fixed. Five days they tell me. The technician almost saw me shed tears on the spot. We have been conditioned to make these machines our lifelines & to rely on them for what were once physical daily habits (e.g. communication, scheduling, writing). Parting sent me into an instant panic. But what's five days really on the scheme of things?

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EXTRA

Van hits Japan. Japan love Van. Jay love Japan. Roughly another 30 until The Shining. Not since On the Jungle Floor have eye so anticipated new sounds.

It still bugs me out sometimes that we are a part of it all. This business madness cannot be envisioned or imagined. It's like childbirth. You just have to do it to really understand.

One of the greatest blessings that has come to me by way of this music business is the direct inspiration that comes from knowing some of today's most talented artists. These are the luminaries folks. Experiencing so many of them makes me a better me. Something To Cope drew greatly from the inspiration that our friends, our colleagues bring to my world. They let me live.

Special love to the visual, conceptual & performance artists that inspire from the inside: Count, Kana, Tokio, Shiro, Jason, DOOM, Van, Dionne, Matthew Don & the Kid Capt. Nuff respect! RIDE OR DIE!

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