Monday, February 28, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
HOW DO YOU REPAY
Time lost, time spent, essentially time wasted. We all know there are two things in life that you cannot change: death, and time.
I can't even begin to imagine what it is like to have your time taken away from you unjustly- without fact or cause; More recently there have been stories of people whose convictions have been overturned due to loopholes and mistakes in the judicial system; the tragedy has even hit close to home.
As I read stories of people who has has decades of their lives interrupted all due to some sort of mis-hap, and I use that word lightly, hoping not to offend. In many instances monetary compensation is giving as an attempt at reparations, but I question if that will even suffice. You can never truly give back what they deserve.
Today's Metro decscribes a man, Fernando Bermudez who spent 18 years in prison as the result of prosecution coercing witnesses to testify that he was the man they saw commit murder; all 5 recanted a year after his conviction yet he had to suffer through 11 appeals to finally be vindicated- How does the state of New York say "I'm sorry"
I can't even begin to imagine what it is like to have your time taken away from you unjustly- without fact or cause; More recently there have been stories of people whose convictions have been overturned due to loopholes and mistakes in the judicial system; the tragedy has even hit close to home.
As I read stories of people who has has decades of their lives interrupted all due to some sort of mis-hap, and I use that word lightly, hoping not to offend. In many instances monetary compensation is giving as an attempt at reparations, but I question if that will even suffice. You can never truly give back what they deserve.
Today's Metro decscribes a man, Fernando Bermudez who spent 18 years in prison as the result of prosecution coercing witnesses to testify that he was the man they saw commit murder; all 5 recanted a year after his conviction yet he had to suffer through 11 appeals to finally be vindicated- How does the state of New York say "I'm sorry"
Makes no Sense
Is the only way I could have possibly titlted this post. Outrage is an understatement; you would have to add words such as insulted, offended,
Together to begin to conceive the public opinion resulting from this Soho Billboard. And to think Life Always, the group responsible for this billboard, had the nerve to try and justify with a statement that "the billboard is in honor of Black History Month and intended to save the lives of black babies"
If you ever wanted to come up with an example for those old cliches such as "The Nerve to", "the gaul", or "the audacity to" here's ur personification in a nut shell. Totally inappropriate and inflammatory.
If you don't agree, I would love to hear you substantiate that perspective
Are you a friend of LABOR
If so speak now or forever hold your peace; if you haven't heard the Republicans are on their grind, and remember there's a domino effect in everything regarding policy in this great country
Wisconsin has seen a proposal by Rep. Gov Scott Walker to strip collective bargaining rights from state workers and union reps
Protesters have gathered in the halls of their capitol and out front to make their opinion known. If you a forward-thinking person you might wanna get your picket line material together. Just a suggestion
Somebody, Anybody....
Help this young lady get to the royal wedding. Is it that serious you might ask? Well to Estibalis Chavez,19, it is. Little sis has took to a hunger strike demonstration outside of the British Embassy in Mexico City with hopes that Prince William and Kate Middleton will hear her pleas and invite her to be a part of the festivities. We love the kids, but this one here might have went too far- 13 days have passed since she's eaten. She has a plan tho, don't get it twisted- auctioning magazines and personal drawings of the royal family dating back to Lady Di; she is determined to get her 15 mins along wit the other 1899 supposed guests.
In an interview Estabilis says attending the wedding is a lifelong dream of hers, following in the footsteps of praise- led by her mother whom admired Lady Di's propensity for social service and charity
More power to you Estibalis.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
MAYBACH MUSIC GROUP/ WARNER BROS.
"No Def Jam went solo...."
The price wasn't low, and it aint solo anymore; Maybach Music is officially a Warner Bros entity. Ricky Rozay has gotten up with the BOSS for real Mr Lyor Cohen. If you do not know about him Google should be your friend. The deal is reported to include distribution, marketing and promotion for all artists signed to the Maybach Music imprint. Wale and Meek Mill are expected to be the first releases off of Maybach Music Group.
As a solo artist Ross is still signed to Def Jam so u scratch the once-thought realism in that line; his 5th album "God Forgives, I don't" is due late 2011
Wise words once spoken by the Commissioner
Executive, Deal-maker, tycoon, The Commissioner are all adjedctives for one Steve Stoute; today we will call him CONTROVERSIAL or PHILOSOPHICAL- which one do you think fits? Is the brother on to something?
If you aren't in the know, just be clear about this- Steve Stoute has had in hands in the glory of Jay Z's career, Puffy's and Gwen Stefani just to name a few. Is that enough credibility for you to heed?
The Commissioner took out a full page ad in the New York Times to share his sentiments regarding the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS)- people responsible for the Grammys. Stoute is charging the Grammy's losing touch with pop culture. You be the judge:
Over the course of my 20-year history as an executive in the music business and as the owner of a firm that specializes in in-culture advertising, I have come to the conclusion that the Grammy Awards have clearly lost touch with contemporary popular culture. My being a music fan has left me with an even greater and deeper sense of dismay—so much so that I feel compelled to write this letter. Where I think that the Grammys fail stems from two key sources: (1) over-zealousness to produce a popular show that is at odds with its own system of voting and (2) fundamental disrespect of cultural shifts as being viable and artistic.
As an institution that celebrates artistic works of musicians, singers, songwriters, producers and technical specialists, we have come to expect that the Grammys upholds all of the values that reflect the very best in music that is born from our culture. Unfortunately, the awards show has become a series of hypocrisies and contradictions, leaving me to question why any contemporary popular artist would even participate. How is it possible that in 2001 The Marshall Mathers LP—an album by Eminem that ushered in the Bob Dylan of our time—was beaten out by Steely Dan (no disrespect) for Album Of The Year? While we cannot solely utilize album sales as the barometer, this was certainly not the case. Not only is Eminem the best-selling artist of the last decade, but The Marshall Mathers LP was a critical and commercial success that sold over 10 million albums in the United States (19 million worldwide), while Steely Dan sold less than 10% of that amount and came and went as quietly as a church mouse. Or consider even that in 2008 at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards, after going into the night as the most-nominated artist, Kanye West’s Graduation was beaten out for Album Of The Year by Herbie Hancock’s River: The Joni Letters. (This was the first time in 43 years that a jazz album won this category.) While there is no doubt in my mind of the artistic talents of Steely Dan or Herbie Hancock, we must acknowledge the massive cultural impact of Eminem and Kanye West and how their music is shaping, influencing and defining the voice of a generation. It is this same cultural impact that acknowledged the commercial and critical success of Michael Jackson’s Thriller in 1984.
Just so that I’m not showing partiality to hip-hop artists (although it would be an entirely different letter as to how hip-hop music has been totally diminished as an art form by this organization), how is it that Justin Bieber, an artist that defines what it means to be a modern artist, did not win Best New Artist? Again, his cultural impact and success are even more quantifiable if you factor in his YouTube and Vevo viewership—the fact that he was a talent born entirely of the digital age whose story was crafted in the most humble method of being “discovered” purely for his singing ability (and it should be noted that Justin Bieber plays piano and guitar, as evidenced on his early viral videos).
So while these very artists that the public acknowledges as being worthy of their money and fandom are snubbed year after year at the Grammys, the awards show has absolutely no qualms in inviting these same artists to perform. At first I thought that you were not paying attention to the fact that the mental complexion of the world is becoming tanned, that multiculturalism and poly-ethnicity are driving new meaning as to what is culturally relevant. Interesting that the Grammys understands cultural relevance when it comes to using Eminem’s, Kanye West’s or Justin Bieber’s name in the billing to ensure viewership and to deliver the all-too-important ratings for its advertisers.
What truly inspired the writing of this letter was that this most recent show fed my suspicions. As the show was coming to a close and just prior to presenting the award for Album Of The Year, the band Arcade Fire performed “Month of May”—only to… surprise… win the category and, in a moment of sheer coincidence, happened to be prepared to perform “Ready to Start.”
Does the Grammys intentionally use artists for their celebrity, popularity and cultural appeal when they already know the winners and then program a show against this expectation? Meanwhile the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences hides behind the “peer” voting system to escape culpability for not even rethinking its approach.
And I imagine that next year there will be another televised super-close-up of an astonished front-runner as they come to the realization before a national audience… that he or she was used.
You are being called to task at this very moment, NARAS.
And to all of the artists that attend the Grammys: Stop accepting the invitation to be the upset of the year and demand that this body upholds its mission for advocacy and support of artistry as culture evolves.
Demand that they change this system and truly reflect and truly acknowledge your art.
[source:The Huffington Post]
And then there was....Two Kings
I guess Jay Z was able to get over himself at least for one day. If you remember, these two gentlemen had been at odds as Jay Z felt slighted by Bron Bron's move to South Beach without giving him a heads up knowing he had a stake in the Nets who were actively pursuing James. Thats the business, as if Jay Z has never chose a better contract over his personal bond? You think not- Yea Right! Thats the ropes Hov. Good to see these too get back to status quo if only for the lights of this one night. A star studded one I might add. Pics are worth a thousand words.
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