What's So Special About April?

The month of April is special to some people. I'm one of them.

April is my birth month...Taurus stand up! I haven't quite figured out how I'm going to contribute to the universe, as a thank you for allowing me to see another year. But, I know it will involve some acts of charity, some self-reflection and a lot of sharing.

April is also National Poetry Month. Last year during this time, I was invited to do a public reading thanks to a story contribution I had in an anthology. It was my first public reading, so I devised an original poem:

Title: How I See It

She's staring at me
Now she's dressing like me
Talking like me
Emulate
Copy
Idolize
Match
Outdo
Is she better than me
A higher version of me
Irritate
Agonize
Frustrate
But her model was me
Her new statue is me
Her whole transformation was because of me
Sympathize
Understand
Accept
Grateful
Humble

Recently, I was invited to give a presentation to Polytech School for Black History Month. I quickly devised this particular poem (that seems to be my go to genre huh?) and I thought it would be perfect to share here:

Title: Who We Are

Who Am I?
Who Am I? Who Are You? Who Are We?
The concept of ourselves is built outside of ourselves
Who tells you what to wear, what to be, what to like?
Even if you think it's you, it's not.
You have to go to another person's store to buy your clothes
Another person's website to find your job
But organic, raw, original, fresh people rarely come from nothing
They are built on inspiration, on something
Something that already existed, already profound
So I am a part of history, you are a part of history
We are a carbon copy of what came before, with just a little tweaking,
A pinch here, a snip there, and here we are...
Somehow individuals.


Lastly, April is National Jazz Appreciation Month in honor of jazz as an original American art form. I wholeheartedly appreciate jazz music. How can I love hip hop without understanding this influence? I declare to spend at least 80% of the month, listening to this genre. And yes, Kendrick Lamar!

My Subconscious at work

The universe is a wonderful and mysterious thing. You put things in its ether without knowing, or sometimes on purpose, but when the reveal happens it's always amazing.

Kendrick Lamar released his latest album, To Pimp A Butterfly, on March 16th...only a few weeks ago. Yet, before I hit the "purchase" button, I caught wind of a single called "Alright". Immediately, I scowled my face and stopped what I was doing. This song was so incredible on simply the first listen. I searched it on YouTube and literally, no I mean literally, as in seriously for real not kidding, played this song at least 57 times a day.

I loved this song so much, I looked up the credits to see who in the world could produce such awesomeness. And of course, it is Pharrell.

Anyone who knows me or reads anything I place on social media can understand the love I have for Pharrell's work. His producing credits are the instrumental soundtrack to my life...all the way back to 1996.

Why I find this so fascinating is because this has happened to me many times. I don't know why I haven't expected it at this point. When Frank Ocean released Channel Orange, I couldn't stop listening to "Sweet Life" before I heard any other song. When Kendrick released Good Kid, Maad City, I couldn't stop listening to "Good Kid". Same goes for Mac Miller (Objects in the Mirror), T.I. (Hello), 2 Chains (Feds Watching). I couldn't get to these albums without burning a whole in these songs first...initially not knowing Pharrell was behind the music.

Now, if I could only concentrate my conscious on becoming a billionaire so my subconscious can kick in!

For the Greater Good

I have a new goody that I want to share. All of my "For the Greater Good" posts share products that I buy in support of literature.

James Baldwin:

An American novelist, essayist, playwright, poet and social critic.
He is best known for his first, semi-autobiographical novel, Go Tell it on the Mountain, Notes of a Native Son and Going To Meet the Man. He's also known for being good friends with Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Sidney Poitier, Maya Angelou and Toni Morrison. He marched in the Civil Rights Movement, was openly gay, and influenced a plethora of future writers.

As soon as I saw the opportunity to buy this tote, I jumped on it. I now carry it proudly, in honor of a writer who contributed so beautifully to the culture.

57th Grammy Awards

The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences presented Grammy Awards last night to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry. This particular award show has always been controversial, due to it socially being deemed as the highest award an artist can receive for their art.

Quoted from Wikipedia: Record companies and individuals may submit recordings to be nominated. Nominations are made online and a physical copy of the work is sent to the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Once a work is entered, reviewing sessions are held, by more than 150 experts from the recording industry, to determine whether the work is eligible and entered in the correct category for official nomination. Recording Academy members vote on the final ballots.

Here are the winners (not all named, just my favorites):

Record of the Year - Sam Smith
Song of the Year - Sam Smith
Best New Artist - Sam Smith
Best Pop Solo Performance - Pharrell
Best Pop Group Performance - A Great Big World
Best Rock Song - Paramore
Best Urban Contemporary Album - Pharrell
Best Rap Performance - Kendrick Lamar
Best Rap Song - Kendrick Lamar
Best Rap Album - Eminem
Producer of the Year - Max Martin
Best Music Video - Pharrell

And here is what I considered the highlight of the evening...

The Underdog...The Underrated...The Overlooked

In addition to my literature and music addiction, I love movies. I especially love cult classics. The movies that bombed at the box office and got horrible ratings, just to turn around and become the best things in your stash. I wanted to list some of my favorite cult classics (in no particular order) both movies and music. In sharing some of my beautiful nostalgia, I hope it encourages you to "let go" this new 2015 year and see where things take you. Sometimes your projects may not be well received at first, but if it was made from your heart, it will always find success somehow.

Movies:
The Fifth Element
Under the Cherry Moon
Robin Hood: Men in Tights
Galaxy Quest
Serial Mom
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Cool World



Boondock Saints
Flowers in the Attic
In the Mouth of Madness



Killer Klowns from Outer Space
Satan's Little Helper



Music:
Christion - Full of Smoke (that whole album really)
Omarion - Touch
Sia - Soon We'll Be Found



Chico DeBarge - Love Still Good
M.I.A. - Bad Girls
...and plenty more!