Holiday Cheer, Seasons Greetings

Going to head off to the Church for proper reminder of the real reason we celebrate this day. Then eat and drink because that seems the only way to be merry around this here family of mine. Haha. Kiddin. Grab a book to read try not to be too antisocial. Watch Christmas movie reruns on telly. What not. It'll be over in about 13 hours why not make the most of it. My gift to everybody. A little affection- a smile, a hug, a cheer. I should try and radiate some loving vibes for a change. After all - tip the season to be jolly. For some reason I'm just feeling really positive and good today. Fresh beginnings next week. So excited to just put this crumby year behind!

Black Female Celibacy...an Oxymoron?? Beg to Differ!

Reading this article from the 'New Black Magazine' brought to light and quantified in a concise format some thoughts I often have on the topic of why the stereotypical view of blacks maintains that we are sexually deviant, promiscuous and simply out-of-control in a kind of animalistic way. Also the sense of entitlement and claiming that seems to be made when it comes to women's bodies in general. If this were not the case why would sexual harassment in public be such a common place thing. I just wonder what gives a complete stranger the right to try and meddle with private parts of your body, in public for that matter so here comes a misogynistic aspect of this kind of behaviour - a need to humiliate a woman for no valid reason. It's a shame, a complete and utter shame yet when the complaints erupt, they are seldom taken seriously. In fact they are laughed upon, further perpetuation of the humiliation.

The treatment and portrayal of the female form in mainstream media seems to always boil down to this irrational notion that women do not have claim to their own bodies and what happens to them thereafter. That we see so many numerous cases of rape victims becoming the accused while their perpetrators are viewed with sympathy as the poor guy who got seduced by a women dressed raunchily who sought to use her sex to take a wealthy or powerful or publicly well-known figure down such as the case of Crystal Mangum. Now nobody seems to know what went down the night of the alleged incident but one cannot turn their eyes away from the fact that if she was raped, there is no way she would be able to have her attackers punished for their crimes. They bask in the glory of male privilege, the general public is completely favourable to sportsmen in most cases and as a figure that is commonly viewed in society as completely lascivious and sexually immoral, it is no wonder she is the one to take the blame for the assault.

Now perhaps one can understand why a complaint about the sexualization of the female form in mainstream media is not just a bunch of old tannies and oupas with overly traditionalist values and world-views frowning upon any kind of indecency or even perhaps overly religious members of the public who dismiss sexual immorality in fear of God's condemnation. Rather the problem lies in the fact that these images infiltrate the unconscious mind's of our young men and feed them with the notion that they are entitled to do as they will with women's bodies, that the female form exists to gratify the sexual hunger of the species and this in turn leads to an outward expression of these underlying beliefs: sexual harassments, rape and other sex-crimes.

Why Chauvinists Should Take Rape Seriously (will the poor things ever)

I could not have said it any better myself. The light-hearted way in which chauvinists treat the issue of rape. If I could write a constitution for the world it would entail a law that sends men who laugh at, mock or even blame rape victims to jail for a little experience of their own. See how they'll like that. Either way here's the post that struck my interest.

Tell me after reading this that women should just "sit back and enjoy the ride" when being forced to endure an event that will leave them emotional scarred for an immensely long time thereafter. It's not even about sex, it's about a heinous theft of power. But when "you're just a boy" how can you understand anything remotely close that level of insight and below-the-surface thinking.

A Pariah's High School Musical...

...Would be a miserable, melancholy song of miscomprehension, silly fights, medals for academic achievement, prize-giving night, dealing with foolish social epithets, suicidal thoughts (yes ashamed as I am to admit it) and all sorts. But ohhh my am I glad it's over. With two full years experience into the real world, I'm feeling a little retrospective and this article perfectly highlighted some of the qualms plenty of losers, nerds, freaks, pariahs and outcasts experienced in high school. That ridiculous little environment where you spend five years either conforming to the popular traditions of people pleasing or choose to join the minority of kids who actually study. Lessons learned and a lot of laughable memories. Whether we like to accept it or not our adolescent years do a deal of a job shaping what types of adults we choose to become in future.
Paul Graham's thesis on Why Nerds are Unpopular was a fun read and clarified for me what I have always pondered in secret as the reason for the constant dislike of nerds. Of course, it doesn't end at high school. There are anti-intellectual adults in the real world. I have claims on head-on experiences with a couple and it was nothing more than repulsive not to mention disapointing because you thought you really thought that the foolish game was over once you were handed your Matric-certificate. You still get a weird look for carrying a copy of the Mail and Guardian, for admitting that you'd rather chill home with a good book some weekends than go to a club and wear yourself out on the dance floor (not to say that that isn't good fun every now and then because it is but three times a week is just lame straight up and down. Then there are 30-somethings (how i detest thereof) who see you as "self-focused", "apathetic" and only concerned with matters of popularity and maintaining an incredible social life by a mere statement of age. Forget those oldies, what do they know anyway. But again how can you blame them when the majority of the youth are out there on some strong I mean STRONG anti-intellectual tip. Sounding statements that intellectual issues are boring, that there is something "wrong" with young people concerned with these issues and continuing to label us losers, nerds, geeks and freaks. If that's what it means to read extensively, have an immense thirst for knowledge, use big words because you can, refuse to subscribe to the mainstream musicians vacuous philosophies, stay home watching cult movies on a Friday night, quote Shakespeare maybe because he was just the epitome of literary dopeness, not conform, be an eccentric or become subject to endless demoralizing social epithets and straight-up disses all for the sake of choosing the path of the intellectual then yes, yes I am a nerd and I am heck proud of it!


The telling rewards of slogging through school and maybe even college (depending on where you attend) with a nerdy status.





Now he wouldn't go down as a quintessential nerd but he's reading that's a massive deviation from the unfortunate "black male norm" (not that I ever agreed with it, please don't get it twisted) so yes he qualifies!



Women can be nerds too but for some reason I can't really think of a prominent example of one. Why is that. Even when I refer to myself as a nerd, it's somewhat strange. Perhaps the defintion should not only apply to those that take interest in computers/technology but any individual who undertakes extensive intellectual reading in any topic for that matter. Music nerds, theatre nerds, wikipedia nerds, political nerds, physics nerds, geology nerds etc etc The list goes on.

Obama Magic

Ladies and gentlemen I think we could just have a replacement for our beloved Madiba because although we hail him as some sort of superhuman, he too will one day become captive to the natural human process of 'passing on'. But not to worry, we have a replacement. A man who has siezed the affection, admiration and utter respect of almost the entire world. The world's newly elected president. You've gotta see this. There is some sort of magic around this guy for real. He even had to make the remark himself, "I was not born in manger". Perhaps people should be careful not to view him as a type of Messaih because he is not and what a job the man has ahead of him. On top of that a pile of expectations from his country and the world beyond.

But what is it that has made a whole planet fall in love with him. For me, it's what his achievement represents - HOPE! That one can beat circumstance, beat the odds, stomp through all the obstacles that stood in your way and become something great. Make history. Considering the fact that most of this planet's inhabitants are people of colour living poorly, Obama's presidency represents a great deal for most of us who understand the sting of racial oppression, have ever dismissed a dream on the basis of economic position or ethnic background. We know we truly can't do that any longer after something this incredible has happened to one of our own. A man of colour becoming the most powerful man in the world. Nothing is impossible and I can truly 100% believe that this time round.

Analysis: influences on M.I.A.'s style

Her video graphics are deliberately low budget looking (reminds me of videos from DRC by Werrason, Fally Ipupa etc etc) which is very reflective of what she represents - her background and where she comes from. The 'birdflu' video looks as though it was shot in village situations somewhere in rural Pakistan. Then you have the 'boyz' video with its dancehall/ragga theme probably shot somewhere in Jamaica. This is what I appreciate most about her vids that she's bringing something from the 3rd World and that's unusual considering her mainstream appeal.

Jimmy with the Eastern/Bollywood vibe





Boyz taking it all the way down to Kingston



She's 33 which means she was a teen during the late eighties and early nineties so she probably remembers the time when hip hop was just gaining speed and music videos were colourful and looked similar to what she's bringing in the 'boyz' video. So retrospective. The early nineties was a great time for rap and hip hop. I was only a tot but I remember some of it.

L'introduction

This is certainly because I just love the girl's music and persona so much that I was only going to flood my usual blog with posts about her new music, videos, interviews, comments or antithesis' of critics reviews and what not so I decided to be wise and set aside an entire blog dedicated to the woman herself. Maya Arulpragasam.
Just caught a view of a new vid she's got with Blaqqstar. Great beat, dope lyrics. She couldn't miss the mark in my books. Not at all.





Way Down in the Hole is Tom Waits cover for the series The Wire. It's morbid and beastly with the black and white which suits the sound completely. Showing multiple windows of streaming is clever too, just reflects the times we're living in. The youtube generation mood shown nicely here.

MTV EMA 2008: Horrors and Humours

So I was really looking forward to watching the EMA's this year a) because I never have sat down to watch it in full ever and b) MTV hyped the whole thing up to a very large degree. So I sat down to watch two hours of the thing and felt alright about it. Wasn't great but wasn't bad either. But I need to remark about one or two or maybe three things I found ridiculous, silly or just plain shocking. Excuse the intense cynicism, I just don't have friends these days it's turning me a little icy!

So the show opens with the most annoying song of 2008, wide-eyed Katy Perry with her troop of tarty cheerleaders. Unfocussed singing and eyes like that of someone strung out on cocaine. Thank goodness the horrendous scene only lasted a minute. But guess what, the chic was hosting the damn show. Oh yeepie.

But there was more to laugh at at that. Beyonce comes out wearing a futuristic grey and black outfit with fabric mimicking the texture and appearance of corrugated iron. All this to match the hard, feminist mood she's obtained for her new album and persona "Sasha Fierce". There is nothing hardcore about, "If I Were a Boy" - murmurings of a finishing diva who married a big-lipped rapper for money and power and probably (this is purely speculative) cheated on her. What else would've inspired such lyrics. She must have been cheated on - shameless - Hova the adulterer.

Pink took the award for "Most Addictive Song" - another angry lady but at least she was strong enough to just bounce and then write a jolly song about it which is so catchy you could just sing along anytime of the day and so empowering, you just wanna sing it to all the hateful people in your life.

Britney Spears beating Colplay to "Album of the Year" is ridiculous, nuff said.

The Killers had a killer performance for lack of a better word. The pyrotechnics and lighting was just incredible in it, I was dumbfounded it looked so good.
Speaking of things that look good. Jared Leto mmm mm mm! Even Grace Jones was flirting with him at one point. Hell I would to, ahaha.

Kanye West's biggest err was deciding to sing "Love Lockdown" and using distortion techniques to mask the fact that he cannot sing to save his life. At one point you could hear him straining his voice trying to belt in the final parts of the song. I would've loved to see him cough on stage after the way he was hurting his vocal cords like that. What saved the performance was the stage of course, a crisp white lake of illuminated milk - visually stunning with projections of the two "alien" women from the video.
Then Ms Estelle came out wearing a royal blue sequinned dress shaped like a triangle or something it looked wierd that's all I'm going to say.
They both sounded bad but to a crowd of drunken, oversexed young Europeans anything will sound good so they cheered on.

Funny that both parties hosting the show win awards. Match-fixing maybe? Whatever. Who cares anyway?

Some tips on making music for European audiences, construct extremely basic sentences in English and repeat them numerously over a drum arrangement, some keyboard chords and what not like The Ting Tings. There you go, a hit song in Europe...oh they're so easy!

The show ended with Duffy singing "Mercy" so badly you would beg for mercy yourself to make her stop. Studios really make people sound talented. They're all getting lazy with their live performances. Telling you these singers of nowadays need some lectures from the greats on how to give live performances. I saw nothing impressive last night. Nothing, all the hype was for nothing. Perhaps we'll see better next year.

The Audacity of Hope Realised!! Yes We Can!

I watched in tears as the Obama Family alongside the Bidens walked the stage in Chicago, Illinois in front a cheering crowd of thousands of American civilians willing to embrace and welcome the change that the USA so desperately needed at such a time as this.

I love technology, news coverage happens at lightning speed!

USA Today Article on the Win.

Some ABC News Coverage on the Win.

At 5.50am this morning I shot myself out of bed and tuned into CNN for Election Night America to see a dream that many thought would never be realised so soon come to life. Barack Hussein Obama has been elected as the 44th President of the United States of America. A man born from a Kenyan father - Barack Obama I and a Jewish American mother - Ann Dunham, a BLACK MAN has become the president of the United States. Who would have thought, who would have ever thought.

Yes he was met with immense doubt at the begin of the campaign, immense doubt and opposition throughout the campaign, villifications and all sorts and he has conquered and opened the floodgates for opportunity for millions all over the world that have ever seen their social standing, their race, or their nationality as a setback or limitation in their ambition to have their goals attained.
Nothing is impossible and "Yes we can" regardless of circumstance! What an inspiration, I feel so proud to be alive at such a time to be alive to see this happen. It's amazing beyond words. Congratulations to this incredible human being. I have all the faith and belief that he will serve his sentence bearing in close mind the needs of his people, that he will govern with grace and continue to inspire the people of America and the world to be the change that they wish to see in the world.
Let the celebrations continue, what a day, what a day!

Also, let me just mention that Senator John McCain accepted his defeat with such eloquence and grace, his words and spirit were wonderful in stark contrast to the dissapointed Republican crowds jeering in Phoenix. In expressing his promise to support Obama in his future governance of the nation, he displayed much wisdom and strength. A graceful and sophisticated acceptance of loss. I take my hat off to him, he ran a good campaign despite his loss.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the 44th President of the United States of America.

Trip Hop making a Massive Attack on my playlists

This is shocking I know but I have only come full circle to discovering this beautiful genre of music this year!! I'd heard about it before - trip hop and I'd seen Tricky make a guest appearance on Girlfriends in 2005 as Lynn's philandering love interest who of course was a trip hop artist/producer helping Lynn make waves in her up and coming career as a singer. But that was it, didn't know much about the music itself until this year when I was scanning the DMX Audio channel bouqet on DSTV and came across a track on the "Subterranean" station called Black Steel by Tricky himself. I loved it instantly and found the root sample line that Phraroah Monche uses in The Book of Judges - "They wanna send to the army of whatever, picture me giving a damn I said Never". That line is so loaded with attitude man it's a classic in itself. So back to the topic of conversation. So got the song and been listening to it nonstop for the past week. Love it, last night I heard a track from Massive Attack called Protection and fell in love with it instantly. After checking all these artists on wikipedia and finding that they all have the same genre tag of trip hop attached to them, I'm starting to realise that this is a genre I definitely love in its wholeness. Just like neo-soul and alternative rock, it's a music I'm coming to love. New discoveries everyday. How great to mature this way!


Timeless tracks:

"If Obama Doesn't Win, It's Over"

A quote I heard on CNN from an African-American sounding lady that got me laughing a bit but just conveyed a lot of the same sentiments I'm sure a lot of young Americans, minorities and other Obama supporters may have at this time. Only four days before America rocks the vote and the anticipation is high as Everest. Just think of it. President Barack Obama. Gosh, it sounds so good. His stance and just his overall attitide during this election has been inspirational. With all the bashing and slandering and the Republican campaign - need I say more. He's kept his focus and now it's all about to be realised. But wait, let's not get too excited. The fat lady must sing first and anything could happen. It might even end up being a dissapointment for Democratic supporters. That's something we should be wary about, if Obama loses the masses might take it to the streets like somebody got assassinated. Haha. No, but I have a feeling it won't be or is that just me trying to remain as positive as possible??
Well.









Half-African for real for real. But above the fact of his ethnicity, he's just got this undeniable intelligence, this cool presidential swagger about him. C'mon you gotta see what I'm seeing here. There is not a man more worthy of the oval office.












These two just warm my heart, they're so in love. Wow, what a couple. I'm loving it.







The love he shows for his little girls. My heart is just bursting right now man I can't help it.

Twenty Years and Waiting

The diva is back. The wild, outrageous, abominable Grace Jones is back to sieze back her crown. She may never have sold millions to the mainstream market or even won a ton of Grammy's but she's still legendary nevertheless and her fierceness has spilled down right down to even our "little sweet" Rihanna who insists on black lipstick, making out with male mannequins, and distorting action in "Disturbia" - a lucid throwback to the one and only queen of abstract - Black Panther. Uh huh!

Grace Jones - Corporate Cannibal


A Really Entertaining Read Here! An Interview she had done in her present residing place in London. Sounds like a funny lady, well um go figure. You're not eaxctly mundane if you're posing for shoots like this at 60!!

Deepest Condolensces to the Hudson Family

This week I was terribly shocked by the news of Jennifer Hudson's family tragedy. My heart just bled for the whole situation and even more so for a woman who has had to deal with three deaths in one weekend, one of them being the sweet little life of a beautiful little boy. I cannot imagine the anguish she must be experiencing right now, it's some tough stuff. They remain in my prayers, for healing. And also for the proper persecution of this violent maniac. Let him get the sentence he so richly deserves!









Though I must say that it is good that events like this put issues of domestic violence under magnified scrutiny. It's easy to go through life and if you're a young woman, get on with dating and looking for the right mate without remembering how important it is to observe a man's character.

An abuser does not have a specific look, or face or body size or any way by which you could physically identify him. ANY man has potential to be a psycho. I trust my intuition i.e. The Holy Spirit to inform me in such a way that I don't end up getting blinded by looks or "charm" or any of that of what would masquerade the lunacy of a true psychopath. The most sexy, hot or good-looking guy could be just the one who will kill you out of rage one day and that's a scary thing. That tells me that I should have my head screwed on right at all times and be wise and aware and look beyond the surface of a man's behaviour towards me.

"The Gift of Fear" by Gavin de Becker gave an insightful list of PINS - pre-incident indicators. Man, how true those are. A very harmless but revealing interaction I had with a member of the species one day in a taxi revealed it all to me. Going through the PINS in my head. I noticed that he struck every single one with what he was saying, how he was saying it and what he was doing. For the record, nothing happened to me and I don't know for sure what his motives were but I got the hell away after the taxi came to a halt, I'm alright but it was for the most part a wonderful real-life indication of how a potential perpetrator will operate in order to coast in close enough to pounce. Awareness. Of course, if you're a member of the species reading this, you have no idea what the hell I am on about and probably will never know because that's just how little men understand the plight and day-today struggles of women in the world. I thank God for all the protection I have had that I have never fallen prey to any such madness but I bear in mind and keep close to my heart the experiences of women all over this world. The rape, the domestic violence, the sexual harrassment, the killing, the trafficking - how men with diseased minds continue to perpetuate terror in the lives of my sisters. Protests and Awareness months are not enough. This situation changes when women's attitudes begin to change. When women stop thinking in terms of docility, submissiveness and tolerance of male hegemony. As your tolerance weakens, your strength begins to proliferate. Whether it's strength to face your family with a "failed" marriage, strength to be single and walk alone, strength to rough it out on your own financially until things get better. Sisters have to get strong and stop tolerating the madness.

M.I.A. !!!

Rebellious, unique, creative, outspoken, feminist, politically conscious...so we'll be fine afterall. There is still hope for artistry in music.























This is something I need to listen to pronto. Only heard "Paper Planes" man, the tragedy of resource lack!





So here's someone to pay attention to, she's definitely caught my attention and truste me it's not just the colourful apparel. It's the boldness and that there's something, something to actually say that has meaning. I have fights with my sister about it all day. She doesn't get that this lovey-dovey shit is just too much sometimes (not to say that there's anything wrong with it). The other day I almost puked watching a new video by New Kids on the Block (making a comeback with Ne-Yo!). The song is not bad, it's just that there is so much more going on in the world to sing about.

Back to the topic of conversation, M.I.A. is my new favourite for real. Love the art, the sound everything. She's got it down.





Mad energy in this video. Lot of dancehall boys doing their thing. It's crazy nonsense and I LOVE IT!!! M.I.A. is the truth and the future!

Seriously, when did this happen??

I did not know these two went together. This is the price you pay for not having DSTV! Had to see this on E! a while ago and apparently they've been together for ages. See, this channel is bringing out the gossiper in me again.





Awkward couple. You know what they say, "in the eye of the beholder" not that neither of them is but...together? Another Jay-Z and Beyonce...mismatch!

Black Self-Hatred alias "You see me? hi hater, hi hater, hi hater.."

This is a topic that saturates alot of my blogging because aside from the fact that I am a member of this ethnic group which also means I have direct exposure to the different forms in which this motif manifests, it's something so baffling I can't seem to wrap my head around it enough to try and delve deep into what it's real root cause is.


In an M&G Article recently this issue was highlighted from the perspective of the financial workplace. It's all really silly. I've yet to read "Capitalist Nigger" by Chika Onyeani but I will get on to doing that. That is some essential literature. Still blaming the "WHITE MAN" for our own folly. Really.





Let's push things forward baby...
(trip down memory lane)

• The Streets
• New Music

But what I can ask is what the f*** is wrong with black people?? Why wreak havoc amongst each other? Why get mad when you see one of your own succeed instead of being happy that hey presto! it's not another white guy at the top as it always seems to be.
My sister seems so pissed off about the reality of Barack Obama becoming president, all she can say to counter all the positive press he's been receiving is "Aaah, he won't win, he won't win" - massive hate! It's not just Barack that receives her scorn, it's pretty much every successful black out there. She stands as an example to me of black-on-black racism. Black people really are each other's worst enemies. Sad but true.
But I'll say this, I'm glad Oprah is a billionaire, I love her to death and I'm not one of those many hateful people out there that express their dismay at her success by constantly dissing how she looks. No, she is not Tina Turner but she is talented and an enormous success nevertheless.

Maino - Hi Hater

By the way this song is dope and like T.I. says at the beginning of the remix, "Hating is a disease". Sure it is, perhaps some psychologists need to get together and pen a name for this pathology.

Props to Feminist Lyrics

Now, let me say this first - these two do not even pitch close when it comes to my top 50 list of favourite artists but lately they've caught my attention.
The latest from Ms Beyonce and Britney both having a nice little bash at men and their problems with them. I'd like to see more of this but for once, there's less sex and more addressing of feminist issues in Beyonce and Britney. Plus the men in the videos are very yummy I must say.

Beyonce - If I Were A Boy




Britney - Womanizer




Speaking of videos, I'm loving the new one from Kanye - "Love Lockdown". It is visually and artistically astounding not to mention original. She just excels above the boundaries of the norm and brings us something fresh everytime. It's good to see when you have the likes of Lil' Wayne and 50 with the same old redundant shit that just bores and bores and bores. Here it is.

Racism in the US Elections

At the playback of Sarah Palin's speech on Obama's involvement with terrorists, there was a lot of repulse and shock I went through initially. Just her tone and address were enough to make me feel compelled to pummel her down with a ceramic pot. I was disgusted. The Republicans have resorted (just as Hillary tried to during the Democratic Caucuses) to racism in bringing Obama's campaign down. How sleazy. Watching the debates, I've also noticed how McCain must re-inforce his credibility by showing Obama's lack of support for or involvement in a cause or plan of action he wishes to proliferate during his hypothetical future presidency. Sleaze. The death threat was just typical. But what was most outrageous was how she continued her delivery as though the comment had not been yelled. As if to say, racism is completely allowed here and yes we don't mind you making death threats to the running mate. Somehow it's not really all that surprising. We know what kind of individuals roll as Republicans. Not exactly the open-minded, unprejudiced, educated individuals who would cringe at the mere mention of anything racially bigoted.




Then there was a McCain supporter telling the black cameraman to "Sit down, boy!" Oh wow, where have we heard that one before.

Frankly, I just pray that the sleazy game the Republicans are playing will turn right back on them and lose them the election. Do crooks ever win in the end? Well, the verdict is soon to emerge. Let them reap what they continue to sow.

Colonized Mentalities: Skin Bleach and that...

Let me just say that the subject matter alone of skin bleach horrifies, repulses and enrages me. There is no better way to see right into the core of colonized mentality in the black female's mind than to observe this trend. Lighter is better huh? That is what the one's with their mind's on the white patriarchal savage's leash will say.
I have family members that have bleached and probably still bleach. One of them happens to be my very own mother who know that she has of course accumulated the wisdom of experience regrets ever having done so. There is something else too that she has accumulated...permanent black discoloration marks from years of high dosage hydroquinone. Marks that serve as a reminder not only to her but to me of how dangerous it becomes for a black female to carry the racist colonial mindset.




How do you begin to express the tragedy of skin bleaching. Like the woman in the above insert said, it begins with self-acceptance. Love yourself and the confidence will shine through. It is an attitude that begins in the mind and there is nothing more inhibited of self-love than the deep hurts and gashes of black inferiority which are almost inevitable considering the social structure of the mad world we live in.

So, conclusions...fuck the media again!

One Step at a Time

I remember getting a really saccharine e-mail from Gardner Rich last year after e-mailing them with fanmail for Mr Gardner himself. "Remember...baby steps" it said. After not making it for the Fall Quarter this year due to circumstance. I've come to realise the importance of good timing. Often times, this timing is not even our decision to make but rather that of the Higher Power. God. Even though I find this song a little cheesy melodically, the words apply to my predicament. Unlike I've done in the past, I shall value every moment this time and not waste it on unproductivity. No rush folks...one step at a time. Final months in the motherland. I cross over the threshold in the new year. Excited, without the nervousness this time somehow...interesting.

Just A Band...I don't think so...

New discovery. Some really smart guys from Kenya bringing some uniqueness to the African music front. Much needed. When all we have right now is recurring scenes on MTV Base of the same old wannabe American musicians hitting up cliched lyrics and played out video themes shot in video (due to low budgets) of Ghanaian, Botswanans Nigerian, Kenyan artists copying Americans. But you gotta say, the Congolese soukous/rumba scene has been the only reallly original thing to remain alive all these years in Africa. Viva Congo!




Hey and on the topic, just picked up a classic Saian Supa Crew - Angela ...used to see this back in the day when Channel O aired free on SABC 1 in 1998...aah, the good ole days!

JZ Interview with Frost

Plenty of whaffling, even some talk about BOB('s your Rhodesian Uncle).






JZ is far from being credibly articulate in terms of presidential leadership. I love the way he unconsciously flips a bird when shifting his spectacles up his nose bridge. Unconsciously?? This man could be far smarter and quirkier than we consider 'Umshinin Wami' and all his knowledge of how easy it is to gain favour with the anti-intellectual masses.

On the topic. The bravest man of the moment, Zapiro is being villified left, right and centre. Talks about his insensitivity to sexual violence against women and even that he himself is somehow violating the constitution. What ever happened to freedom of speech.
Then we have our trigger-happy idiot Malema threatening to kill our Zaphero. Are these the people that are going to lead our nation. No more than twenty years ago, the country was a white supremacist state run by violence. Now we're going right back to square one, only difference - another colour.

Oh my gosh - eighteen kids - he's a chronic babydaddy too.
"Love your kids" huh? Beginning to show a little love for country's constitutional principles and its justice system would be a good start.

Zapiro...my man!

Whilst this nation is slowly being sucked into a gravitational vortex of increased inflation, endless power cuts, stadiums that aren't going to be ready in time to host the world's biggest football event, there is even more to be anxious about. If all goes according to plan, this already ailing country is going to be served with a God-only-knows-how-long jail sentence which will be Zuma's term(s) in office. Tragedy! An alleged rapist, a man who advises civilians residing in a country with the highest HIV/AIDS infection rate on the planet to take a shower after having sex with a possible carrier in order to avoid personal infection, the bloody arm's deal man! On top of that we have idiot Malema proclaiming that his comrades and him will be more than zealous to kill for Zuma, already bad enough considering the never-ending 'Umshini Wami' chant we're forceably subjected to every night on the news.

Where is this country going? Sometimes it seems the best thing you can do for yourself is switch off to it all and try, I mean just try and act as though really it's all good back at base camp but that's a hard thing to do man because the governance of the nation will affect you in the long run anyway no matter how hard you try to alienate yourself from current affairs.

But all the praise to this iconic cartoonist we have come to know for his shameless way of sucking some humour out of the disturbing and difficult-to-digest truths about our tragic nation. Zapiro is the man (for lack of a better way of expressing the gratitude and admiration tantamount in many of those that get a read of the Sunday Times Canvas every week). This was nothing more than genius at work. Raping the justice system - his corrupt manipulation and disregard for the consitution of a country he wishes to lead in a year's time; then of course we have the commentary on what we saw as a absolute chauvinism in his approach during the rape trial in 2006. Now, chauvinism and patriarchy are undeniable traits of African tradition no doubt about that but what strikes me as even more tragic is the internalized chauvinism prevalent in the mindsets of Africa women. During the rape trial instead of witnessing outrage from the female majority at the fact that such a prominent leader in ANC politics would be involved in such a crude exploitation of women's rights (especially considering that the affected was an African female herself), we saw a support and oh my goodness, even a defense and sympathy for Zuma's judicial plight. Have these men got these women's brains manipulated so bad that they have gotten to the point of viewing the rapist (as many times is the case) as a victim of some woman's cruelty in dismissal. How truly sickening!

Then you have the camp of so-called feminists round here accusing Zapiro of being insensitive towards the many rape victims in the country by portraying a cartoon in which the theme of rape is manifest. This is silly logic and I'll say this with assertion because if anything, the cartoon's central focus was villifying Zuma's credibility as a political leader and not a form of portraying women in a chauvinistic light once more. Zuma is the misogynist not Zapiro. Zzz zzz. Haha. Know what, Zapiro is kind of suffering racism right now. Black people are now looking for a way of averting our scornful attention from the perpetrator of the moment. Let me tell ya, it sure aint Zapiro. If anything this man is doing good deed for us by exposing this sham of a leader we have been forced to embrace as the new ANC president and a very plausible future president for our country.

The Problem with being a Female Critic of Female Objectification and Misogyny

From the several individuals I've chatted with about these issues lately, I've received some negative feedback pertaining to common perceptions about women who counterattack topics of chauvinism, gender equality, misogyny and female objectification in mainstream media. It's often personal attacks about feminists especially from members of the species with understandably very little understanding of the seriousness of these issues owed to the fact that they not only benefit from this kind of exploitation of the female form but also revel in its advantages. It's simply not a problem for them so they fail to understand why feminists are feminists and lull themselves to the twisted logic of assuming that feminists are just a bunch of ugly women who can't hook up. (Sigh at the tragedy of anti-intellectualism)

I got this from my brother who assumed after admitting my disdain to the above concerns that I say this because I think I am unattractive. What do personal looks have to do with anything. I then realised how shallow and very "surfacey" my brother and furthermore any other members of the species who reduce themselves to this highly uninformed mindset are.

It's nothing personal. I now see that this is the problem with critiquing gender ideals when you are a woman. Your OBJECTIVE views will always be stripped down (if not by comforming ladies) by members of the species to a point where it is seen as an opinion influenced by personal experience and not the experience or the treatment of the collective female group on a universal scale.

Song Lyrics that Get me Through the Day

Coldplay: Everything's Not Lost

"When I counted up my demons
Saw there was one for every day
With the good ones on my shoulders
I drove the other ones away

So if you ever feel neglected
And if you think that all is lost
I'll be counting up my demons, yeah
Hoping everything's not lost

When you thought that it was over
You could feel it all around
And everybody's out to get you
Don't you let it drag you down"


Kirk Franklin: Hide Me

"I know You see us
I know you hear us
And You fill us when we pray
You understand us, See deep inside us
Translate tears and take them away
I'm a be honest, There are times
Your ways and method's, I don't understand
It seems so far, Tell me who You are
I know your touch, but can't see Your plan.
I'm lost in this thing called life,
Left to me now feels right
It's Your turn now, I wanna be where you are

Hide me
Let me live behind You
Cause I need
Shelter from the rain
Remind me
The only way my faith can grow
Is when You let Your winds blow
You're making me stronger now, so rain,
Don't go away
Don't go away

I'd admit
It'd be nice
To have some light shine down on me
Especially,
When, Lord I shall be, You don't always let me see
It ain't easy,
But I'm trying hard to get out of Your way
To believe
That what You say
That my change begins today.
The road includes some pain,
And to grow you need some rain
And when it falls, I wanna be where You are

Cause there's some much I see
Needs to grow inside of me
In the fire I realize
Before I live, I have to die
Please believe me when I say
I can't waste another day
It's so easy to complain
But complain don't make a change
Not the victim anymore
All the things God has in store
If I ain't ready don't let the rain
Go away
Don't go away

Hide me
Cause I need
Remind me
The only way my faith can grow
Is when You let Your winds blow
You're making me stronger now

You're making me stronger now [x7]
You made me stronger now [x4]"

Is Punk Rock Really Dead?

Last night when conversing with the fam, I was questioned about my icons. Those entertainers, singers, musicians and legends that made impressionable marks in the field of whatever it is they did in history. Who came to mind first Grace Jones ofcourse and Skin from Skunk Anansie.
Rarely paid much attention to them back in the day, in my less enlightened how easily moulded I was to choose a direction out of comfort and comformity. The path of least resistance almost always entails cutting yourself off from the majority. My sis asked, "What has Skin done for the world?" I replied by reinforcing that Skunk Anansie are considered legends in the world of British Punk Rock. My other sis then says, "Punk is dead anyways" Hmmmm. Would you even classify Skunk Anansie in this sub genre.





I'm not an avid follower of the punk movement but I wouldn't think this is the case at all. What does one actually mean when they say that punk is dead. That it's lost its original appeal, that it's no longer as exclusive as it used to be now with the abundance of Emo teenager boys and girls with black nailpolish, skinny jeans, canvas sneakers and torn shirts.

In the same manner some would exclaim that hip hop is dead because it's been made superficial and commercialised. Or that RnB is dead because the originality and depth in lyrical content it initially held has died down.

Well, it's all pretty debatable. Perhaps it comes down to a person's definition of the death of a genre. Some would argue the way hip hop has been commercialised is simply an evolution of the art form and the business / entreprenereal aspect of it is nothing more than a meagre addition to the culture of music as a whole. I don't agree. Money has certainly become a strong focus, so much so that it's distracted and misled artists from the crux of it.

By Mere Association Alone

So after watching The Showbiz Report tonight. Hip hop video director Little X answered this after being questioned about the level of female objectification in music videos. As a result of imperfect memory and a brain cluttered with all sorts of other stuff, I will have to paraphrase his sentiments. He mentioned that the whole thing often times has nothing to do with him. He is just the director and the artists are the ones who are responsible for the lyrical content and ideas propagated. So that is to say he is excusing himself from the whole stuff. Now this argument does not help much. Because by mere association he is showing that he does agree with this kind of mindset. If you are not okay with associating yourself with some kind of notion then there is no paycheck in the world that convince you to sell your soul and partner with the brutes. This is why one must be stubborne about what they stand for and avoid associating themselves with brutes. Whatever the cost. Be radical and leave the sheep be.

Typical Male Thinks With His Dick

I love this song...thank you Ms Jones. It seems members of the species (you know which one I'm talking about) and I HATE to generalise. To all the loving, sensitive, caring, intelligent men out there. Sorry that you are being misrepresented by a bunch of loonies but unfortunately the cookie seems to be crumbling this way. In mainstream culture and what is one to do to combat this all encompassing force. It's driving us all down into a vortex of debauchery and sheer stupidity. I am not a misandrist despite much motivation to become one, I refuse to see all badness and negativity in the species because I have a father who is such a sweetheart, he's like a gigantic teddy bear and a brother, who although smokes, has a beer belly and yells for no apparent reason sometimes is a kind person with a lot of potential to be a stable father. Then there's my other brother who might have some issues with his childhood and having a deadbeat dad is really down, sensitive and compassionate.

My brother and I had a little debate. All I said was the majority of perps and criminals out there who make life difficult for women and children are men. He started going off about how men themselves are victimised a lot more...obviously this member of the species doesn't have his head screwed on correctly. Minor adjustments must be made. One only has to look at statistics. Then he related this little anecdote about how some women went driving around in a gang raping men in KwaZulu Natal...wow, that makes such an impact when every six minutes a woman is raped in this country. These incidents are so isolated so much so that a story like this would probably be good for a laugh, although it really shouldn't. As far as I'm concerned double standards shouldn't exist at all.

Here are the song lyrics I was talking about, they are so true... double standards! When will the madness ever end...I guess to even think that there is a possible end to it would be wishful thinking. This may be a surly conclusion but the way I view it, there can never be harmony between the sexes. Rape is not a sex crime, its a political crime, it's a power trip...or perhaps a robber thereof, an expression of pure misogyny. How closely related violence and sex are I am coming to realise. The evil of a man's heart...ah, humans - truly a sick bunch!

THE LYRICS...Typical male,
Thinks with his dick,
D.I.C.K

The continuing saga, of male control and domination,
Psycho, sexual,and female manipulation in our society
Typical male thinks with his dick.
Thats how he rationalizes shallow sexual conquests
as a means of self expression and fulfillment in a world of alienation,
and emptiness under moraling (?) capitalism
The typical male considers a similarly promiscuous woman
a whore, a slut, or a sleaze.
However a women who seeks respect and commitment in a relationship,
will often face rejection
By the typical male.

Typical male,
Thinks with his dick.

Historically some of the characteristics of the typical male
are as follows:
There is the stereotypical, bruteful (?), insulting, barbaric male.

We also have what is known as the sensitive rapist
who wants a woman to feel that there is a mutual understanding
before he entraps the woman in a cycle of co-dependence and sexual service.

Then there is the pseudo-feminist.
He may be involved in the woman's movement
but still represses by imposing his own male agenda
on women's equality.
The typical male is an everyday ?? religion and cutthroat

Typical male,
Thinks with his dick,

Typical male listens to a woman from the position
of dominance or privilege.
What that means for the woman
is that the typical male does not listen!
The typical male convinces women to blame themselves for a failing relationship or male infidelity.
typical males have a reactionary and a conservative ??
a klansman standing on a ???
typical male is also a liberal
he support world force and why not
he impregnates women and cannot deal
with the consequences of her ?????
All men are the typical male.

In a society where incidents of rape and sexual assault are staggering
the typical male will still say
"If she don't want to get pregnant
she shouldn't spread her legs."
In the us alone where 4 women are killed a day by their male partners
Where 80 women are raped every hour
Where every 18 seconds a woman is battered
The typical male still defines sexism and misogyny a form of good
behavior.
In a potentially sexual situation,
The typical male still thinks
NO MEANS YES!"

TRUTH HAS BEEN SPOKEN!!!

"

The Olympics

So, the closing ceremony was two days ago. But what an amazing event it was this year. World records getting smashed left, right and center. How the Jamaicans dominated the track events. They did us proud. Yeah I am not Jamaican but so what, they black baby! You know how it is. It was incredible and awe-inspiring as the Olympics always are. Guess now it's back to plain-old television viewing. Guess that means it's right back to the books and on the odd occasion a DVD or something. But just keep me away from the depressive mundanity of soap operas...ah, SABC daytime TV...sigh

Transformation...2008

This week has left me blessed, anointed and transformed. I just have to say, God is doing a great work in me and around me. I feel myself going from strength to strength. Spiritually, I'm getting stronger and I love the fact that my relationship with God is growing. It feels like love you know. Just compelled to learn more about the Word, pray more, meditate more. I'm just thirsty and can't get enough of this timeless wisdom.

Illicit Frottage

Never cease to be amazed at how some courageous members of the opposite sex will grasp an opportunity during platonic bodily contact to briefly feel up on you. Why is it necessary...?
I just remembered a story a friend told me of an encounter she had in a London bus when some Eastern European guy felt it necessary to rub his elbow against her bosom hoping that she would mistake his actions as being a result of the bus's hefty motion. But no, it was clearly frottage because when the bus came to a halt in traffic, he didn't stop...! Now this is funny in a lighthearted way, I guess some members of the species really don't seem to be in the position to control their hormonal impulses. So, I guess it's funny but when it's taken too far of course the whole thing just loses its humour. It's just so childish. Guess when it does happen to you, you're so in shock you can't even make out what just happened. Like "Did you just...?" "Huh?" "What the hell...?" "Are you serious, man?"...then you just walk away and laugh it off thinking how lame is this really?
Someone asked me if I find this type of thing flattering. Was Norman Bates's behaviour in 'American Psycho' flattering or just straight up disturbing and in a wry manner really really funny?? Same thing. What could honestly be flattering? Here I go again with my high school jargon but GROSS!

Revolver??

Someone recommended I watch this after we had a little conversation about Salvador Dali's so-called "third person psychosis" and I when the credits rolled up at the end of the movie...or did they? My head was left in a rut, spinning, thinking huh? like I'd just been subjected to two hours of Waiting for Godot or something mind-bogglingly perplexing from the mind of Samuel Beckett. Well, despite the fact that for the most part I just struggled to stay afloat with the sweeping tide of the movie's plot, I think Guy Ritchie did a pretty good job from a straight up artistic view. I like the anime scenes they were amazing. Then there was a scene closer to the end that just reminded me of "Fight Club" where Ed Norton is beating the nonsense out of himself in the office. This "third person" stuff is bad. Should stop it! When I was watching an episode of Oprah this week about OCD patients seeking liberation from their conditions, it made me think how easily one can become a prisoner in their own bodies and of their own choosing. The mind is so potent, it is the central control tower, the governing body of almost everything that manifests in our personal lives. So, I saw the movie, and am totally confused. Some parts made complete sense and I guess the quotes were a wonderful guideline...but in its entirity...Lord, I'll need to watch it again.

Les Misogynes Imbeciles...Zut!

Why do we sit back and allow the misogyny that saturates almost every existing form of media we have to seep in and infiltrate our minds with bullshit theories about male hegemony and female objectification.

It's a topic that pisses me off so much, I lose the ability to express my sentiments in a truly coherent way so excuse the probable lack of eloquence here but the shit just pisses me the hell off!! I am totally sick of it and I am yearning to see a change in these attitudes.

Let's start with the rap music. Siting some insight from an article regarding misogyny in rap music (http://www.uga.edu/~womanist/rhym2.1.htm) - it got me thinking about this, I mean big time. What is it with mainstream and gangsta rappers anyway? Things may have toned down quite sufficiently since the days of NWA but man, it doesn't mean the war is over. The most overt versions of it come in the form of a video pitch, story line - opening sequence: rapper climbs out of Rolls Royce Phantom in slow motion, sequence two: rapper pops crystal, tosses money etc etc blah blah bullshit nevertheless. And in between all the exhibitionist bravado and "Look at me I'm rich" we've got the 'hoes' climbing all over the guy, pulling faces to the camera, scantily clad and dancing a little too suggestively.

I refuse to be apologetic in my stance and I remain objective. It seems necessary to perpetuate in this fashion of portraying women in an overtly sexualized manner, women are there to be used as instruments to convey a man's social ranking, objects upon which a man's pleasure princiople is projected and not subjects, humans with utilitarian intellects.
Now, I want to delve deeper. Is the portrayal of women in such a hypersexualized light a form of evoke forth some kind of suppressed male fantasy in which women submit to sexual servitude, admire and thus validate a very thirsty ego. Made dry by the notion of being born into the world a lesser member of society, a second class citizen, by default a member of an underclass. Could it be that all of this is simply a machismo attempt to fill the torn gaps in the black man's self image brought about by a half-life of deprivation poverty and uh...female rejection. Are these sad little boys just mad at the fact that there was a time that their broke asses couldn't get "play".

The roots of misogyny are mysterious nonetheless. But simply because it is a phenomenon that can not be easily understood because of its very complex psychological implications, I stand firm in my annoyance at the prominence it carries in the mainstream media.

I just wish these video chicks could go out and delve into some feminist literatue. Perhaps then they'll realise how foolish they are, how they're acquiescence is the reason misogyny 'aint going no fucking where, how men will continue use their presence to justify the notion that women are brainless hoes out to get your money, how women will continue to be underrepresented in politics and science because the next generation of females is being conditioned into these submissive roles, how women will continue to be seen as sexual objects and not what they really are.

I know this because women are often only categorized into two subdivisions according to whether or not they are ready to willingly submit sexually i.e. 'available' or 'unavailable' and the synonyms are numerous of course. If you happen to be streamlined into the latter division, guess what, you're a bitch. Ego-shutdown if I ever saw it. It all boils down to the ego honey!

Something else that gets me irate. Your skills are overlooked in the consideration of your credibility for a particular job because if your employer is a male, the ma'f***er is more than likely going to hire you by some subconscious or conscious evaluation of your looks.

Just evaluating the situation, referencing real life examples of it and trying to keep my perspective objective is maddening. I am DISGUSTED by the way the media takes light of such issues as violence against women, sexual assault when these incidents happen to be one of the biggest killers of my sisters all over the world. Sisters are dying yet movies, television and music will continue to defame our integrity, reduce us to nothing more than a degraded biological underclass. On the topic of death, there's the AIDS. Women that are unwillingly infected through cultural subjugation, rape and sexual assault. It's a tragedy. You know, Eazy E died of AIDS after all his boasting bout the women he'd been with - his life terminated with immense shame. That's when I get scared, that's when things really start to disturb me. How sick have we become. That we glorify the same attitudes that are unecessarily killing lives daily. We protest against violence against women but when a rapper talks bout pimpin' and beatin' the sh*t out of his hoes, we buy the record. Women still continue to be objectified from the most explicit to the most subtle of ways. Even simply aacknowldeging to the statement that women are the weaker sex is chauvinism. A state of euqality needs to be affirmed. Contrasts are poison. If enough people get up and take a stand, things can transform. But that's all just wishful thinking. Within a scoiety that is anti-intellectual and sometimes just so stubbornely traditional about gender roles that this whole shit about times are changing is crap, preaching this kind of message is just talking to a mass of unthinking zombies lulled into passivity by the beelzebub of mainstream media.

Lupe: The Coolest

Yes I have hopped onto the bandwagon a little late but hey I'll be honest. Unless it's really cheap, I won't waste my money on a CD 'specially if I could just get it from a friend. But looking back on it, I really could have taken the money I spent on Ciara (eish: bad buy to be honest) and new edition (you know when you're feeling a little reminiscent and haven't heard a track in a while..but still...EISH!) put it together and bought this: one of the best hip hop albums that have been dropped in a long time. I'm impressed. When he first came out, I wasn't interested, then Kick Push grew on me. Then a couple of months ago, an online friend prescribed I listen to 'the cool', again I wasn't really concerned about listening to it right away. Until lately, a human friend asked me to convert the album for me at home so that it would be playable on his phone in the correct format. Yes, of course I jacked it too and from the day I starting listening I've been HOOKED. It's different which is what I like. There are rappers out there that you can hear try to emulate ones that have come before but with Lupe...its sheer originality. And the kid is so clever. I love the way he plays with words, smart guy. He's just completely legitimised being a nerd which hits close to home, maaan you know sometimes I just feel so uncool. So "Dumb It Down" puts it all into perspective and all of a sudden, I'm on the outside looking in, objectively yes but not alienated in solitude. There's Lupe and all the nerds of the world that wonder why being smart is so uncool standing right there with me. I have company! And I love it, and I love Lupe. "Gold Watch" sound Pharrellian but after doing some research I was surprised to find an unknown producer...Soundtrakk, who? what? when? where?...but the nigga is good I must say. Also, what did "Gold Watch" sample. Sounds like I've heard something similar to that before. I hear some music buffs talking about a curtis mayfield loop...thats probably it but I'm not too familiar with the Chicago Jazz legend, better go out and familiarise myself. Love the beats, so idiosyncratic you know I just love it when people shamelessly express themselves, it just inspires me! Then there's "Little Weapon" which is somewhat bizarre, stern subject material and the beat just sounds so damn jolly...nice touch, a juxtaposition of conflicting brain patterns...hehe! clever again, the kid is smart. I hate 'superstar' it's overplayed. So I skip it pronto. "Paris, Tokyo" is beautiful. Nice old school sounding beat. It's got a mellow "tribe called quest", "arrested development" sound from mid 90's which I like. And the lyrics are so cute. Don't you just find young lovin' so cute??? (this could be sarcastic considering my solitary black ass!!)
It's Thursday afternoon, Prison Break is on tonight. Hopefully I can revise over for the Math test tomorrow in peace and have a good night's rest.
Time to embark on my solitary walk to Bree in my red and blue apes. If I can dodge the xenophobic stares, block my nose in time not to smell the urine...uggghhhhhh and look serious enough for no criminals to feel compelled to rob me or some gross ma'f***er to say something vomit-inducing like "heey sweetie"...uuuggghhhh, even worse than the urine smell. I tell ya, its a love/hate relationship with this city. Then there's Breedom, LORD! I better just go on over there and get everything done.
The Wits server just blocked ninjacloak.com so I can't watch videos on youtube here anymore. DAAAAMN it, must find another free cloaking service pronto. Youtube sustains life of a solitary female nerd in bathing apes! Ya diggg!

Viva Vogue Italia

All I can say is it's about time. Someone's finally been bold enough to stand up against the whole 'white is the right' mentality in the fashion industry. This is an excpetional moment in time, a milestone in not just fashion alone, or popular culture but in our collective quest to birthing a world perhaps not free entirely but a lot free-er of racial prejudice and inequality.
I'm black. Just like models I am a black person supposedly out of my rightful place in light of my chosen career path. The original standard was always white and it remained so until only four decades ago with the emergence of such legendary beauties as the beloved Bev Johson and Iman, Africa's Gem the later on with Naomi and Tyra and it just got better and better after that now it seems to have collapsed again.
You'll watch NY Fashion Week and count ONE black girl; the most prominent fashion mags Vogue, Elle mostly if not only feature whites...not even Asians get a chance and I know there are some stunning Asian mama's out there that can rock it like the best so what's the excuse. SALES! Bullshit, the latest issue of Italian Vogue, the Black Issue is selling like hot cakes. Perhaps designers and fashion editors have just been in fear of a fictive repurcussion spawned from their assumptions on what the public wants. It's been long assumed that black doesn't sell because it's not relatable enough to the masses with money well that myth has here forth been dispelled and I'm hoping it will mean from here on now I'm gonna see more sistah's of colour on the catwalk...or maybe that's just wishful thinking.
I say BIG UPS to Vogue Italia for not just featuring black models in their mag as a protest statement but also for not BAMBOOZLING the models in the magazine like some white photographers like to do. ALL the models in the issue look draw droppingly stunning. The themes chosen were clever, witty and just straight up amazing. It's real photographic art conveying the beauty of the black female form in a way that is classy and tasteful. Now on the topic of bamboozling, I'm referring to the business of making subtle mockery of African features in a way reminiscent of none other than Jim Crow. Red lips for instance which I have seen all too often on the Sudanese Goddess Alek Wek, I mean why they gotta do that sometimes. Is it playing on the stereotype of the black woman as a hypersexual, lascivious and loose creature from the deep jungles of Africa. Cause let's be honest, we all know that is what whites and the like think of us sisters. It's the kind of stereotype that is historically based. Anyway, I'm kind of running off topic now, but all in all, the issue is extraordinary. Loved it, gonna keep it as a memento. Maybe, just maybe my gran kids will look at it and wonder why such lengths had to be taken to make statements about racial injustice cause things will be so much more different for them.
That would just be wonderful!

Spike Lee never siezes to amaze!

I've been watching 'When the Levees Broke' by Spike Lee. If you by some divine chance happen to be reading this. My advice: go out and watch it! Find it, buy it I don't care what you do but if you've ever wanted to know the truth I mean really know the truth about America and the Bush administration but aside from that Hurricane Katrina itself. How it actually brought about the final devastation etc etc This is the thing to watch and it's so powerful. Done in a way only Spike Lee himself could deliver. Tough stufff to maul on but you'll be changed and enlightened once you've seen it.
Haven't been through it all. It is long but I've been educated just by what I have watched about the entire anatomy of the whole event. From the govt's slow response to the city's victims to the pain, anguish and heartache that these people endured. My eyes have been opened.
So often you get lulled into this passive state of living that you lose sight of the fact that there is so much out there. So much injustice, so much propaganda. Mass brainwashing systems perpetuated by the media. I guess it's just easier to continue life in this way not delving deep below the surface. Not questioning, not objectifying, not rationalizing.
I'm now drawn to a memory of Drama Class with Saffron Baggallay in 2005, we were in the process of studying the Epic Theatre of Bertold Brecht. A man at the time who was so dismayed and unsatisfied with the socio-political state of his country that he sought to do something startlingly different with his theatrical work. His main goal was to get the audience out of their comfort zones, to get them out of this state of simply being for being's sake so that they themselves could begin to question their surroundings, challenge what they'd believed for long and just get real about their lives. They lie to us, rob us of what should be ours and we take it, we allow it. The most we can do if anything is just complain about it.
Should I accept that this is just the way of the world and become nonchalant or should I stand for what I believe really needs to go down. That's a revolution!!

Intuitive Sense is the Key

This world is full of bogus people. It's hard to know what a person is really like from face value. Seems the only I can say I have left is the power of intuition. As I am typing this. The electricity just went out which plain sucks cause I'll have to cut this blog a little short.
My gut will be my guide. In every decision and for every choice I shall consult the inner voice. Always trust my intuition. It is the most powerful natural tool I've got to keep me from harm in this crazy world.

Time to Chill

Man, today is great. Time for a break. I've been waiting for this one for a while. The last five months have been a whir. Running from lecture to lecture. Sometimes bunking cause I just didn't feel like running. Then sitting in P115 and dozing my ass off through thermal physics I or worse. Ma'f***ing WAVES! Lord, I need to chill. Just wake up late everyday and not feel guilty about it. Cuz since the beginning of the semester I have felt guilty about every unwarranted nap I've taken during the day or any extra four hours I spent online writing blogs when I should have been studying or at least reading ahead for the next lecture (which I never do by the way). I think I'm really gonna grind the books now. Not the textbooks oh no! The novels and maybe some nonfiction here and there and movies...watch lots of them. I now realise how valuable time is. I was a fool last year. There was so much more I could have done with my time besides vegetating and other stuff I can't mention here. This month I'm gonna read as many books as I can and try not to gain weight and perhaps get around to more writing.

I'm feeling good right now! Really feeling great. Liberation, it's a wonderful feeling!

This Song Has Got Me Strong

It's quite an old tune but it's so touching and it's really plucking at my heart strings right now. When I get low and loose confidence I listen to it and it puts it all into perspective again and I feel so much tougher.

Then I remember women like Grace Jones, Whoopi Goldberg and Naomi Campbell, Alek Wek and being dark and strong and fierce becomes a power trip and I just hold my head up and walk with power!

Sell Outs...Boredom With Repitition

Okay I'll start with the selling out part. He's only a kid and he's probably just going along with what his record bosses are telling him to do but c'mon. When did Chris Brown start doing dance/techno music and have white girls featured in his videos as the stars of the show. I'm talking about the "Forever" track. I know whose behind this. That big-lipped money hungry man. Everyone is so concerned with making money they'll do anything I mean anything. I'm so bored with the music industry right now and I can't stand that song by Usher - "Love in the Club". Is the absolute worst thing that has happened to me this year. I will even start a hate group against that song!

As for Rihanna. Aka Beyonce part II. Who too has a break-up song. How obvious. The whold video setup is similar if not completely taken from the Irreplacable Video concept. Guy chased out. Girl is strong and has more money and is acting tough about the break up. Her hair keeps getting shorter and shorter. Guess she's trying to shed that sugary, sweet "music of the sun" image she started out with. But c'mon now is this girl's career going to last. Or is she just a flavour for the minute like Cindy Lauper was in the 80's. Time will tell. My guess is she's not gonna last.

All in all. I am so incredibly bored with the music these days (the mainstream that is) so I'll just keep on with my Nina Simone, Marvin Gaye, Michael J, Alanis, Coldplay, Jimi, Lauryn Hill, The Fuggees, Erykah, The Roots, Jill Scott all the real music from yesterday and the recent years because mainstream plain sucks!

Eros!

I chilled at the XClusive Books, Sandton the night before last night for a while. Great fun! I need to make my way to the bookstore more often to go and check out them books. Well I came across, "Eros" by Jeff Marano in the popular culture section and my oh my was I blown away.
Cover to cover endless shots of beautiful I mean beautiful bodies. Incredible bodies, and fine faces to match. I'm thinking I could just plaster these sexy things on my wall and just fantasize. Wow, there are some really beautiful men out there. I just wonder why I can't see these guys in real life. Where are they? Where are the hot men at and why can't I get a chance to feel up on some nice abs some time huh?

Okay, this is pure lusting but hey I can't help it. I have needs! I'll satisfy my visual hunger. It's the most I can do.