The Abstract Files

Recipe Of The Day: Creole Shrimp & Rice

2012-02-20T09:05:00.000-08:00

Some of you may know of my infinite love for food and cooking...and that at one point in my life I wanted to go to culinary school to become a chef and open my own restaurant. Well, that may not have happened (I suppose it still could), but that doesn't mean I don't get busy at home in my kitchen. So, each week, I'm going to share with you all a new recipe for you to try for yourselves. Some may be sweet and some may be savory. That's the beautiful thing about food...you really can have it all! In honor of Mardi Gras, the first one is going to be Creole Shrimp and Rice. A melting pot of traditions go into Creole dishes French, Spanish, African and Native American originating in the Louisiana Bayou...Enjoy!

Prep Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 29 mins

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
3 teaspoons Creole seasoning (such as McCormick)
2 large green peppers, seeded and chopped
Store Brand Peppers 10 for $10.00
Bell, Field Grown Red, Green, & Yellow
Red or Yellow
thru 2012-02-25
Save-A-Lot
Save Special
Store Brand Peppers $0.88
Bell, Greenhouse
Red, Yellow or Orange
thru 2012-02-22
Sprouts
Save Special
Store Brand Peppers $0.99
Bell, Field Grown Red, Green, & Yellow
Loyalty Card Required
thru 2012-02-21
Safeway
Save Special
Store Brand Peppers 3 for $1.00
Bell, Field Grown Red, Green, & Yellow
Green Only
thru 2012-02-22
Sprouts
Save Special
Store Brand Peppers $2.49
Organic Bell, (Green & Red)
Loyalty Card Required
thru 2012-02-21
King Sooper's
Save Special
Store Brand Peppers 2 for $3.00
Bell, Greenhouse
Loyalty Card Required, Red, Yellow or Orange
thru 2012-02-21
Smith's Food & Drug
Save Special

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1/2 large onion, chopped
Store Brand Onions $0.99
Yellow/Brown
Loyalty Card Required
thru 2012-02-21
Safeway
Save Special

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3 ribs celery, thinly sliced
Store Brand Celery 10 for $10.00
Bunch
Selected Varieties Only
thru 2012-02-25
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Save Special

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2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes
4-1/2 cups cooked white rice

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and season with 1 teaspoon of the Creole seasoning. Saute for 2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.

Add remaining tablespoon oil, the peppers, onion, celery and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Scrape up any browned bits in bottom of skillet. Add tomatoes and remaining 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning. Break up tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon. Simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.

Stir in shrimp and heat through. Serve with cooked rice.

Pharoahe Monch at The Double Door in Chicago Review

2012-02-11T21:49:00.000-08:00

I can think of very few ways I'd want to spend my birthday besides at a Pharoahe Monch concert. January 14, 2012, I was fortunate enough to attend his show at The Double Door in Chicago, IL and I will never forget it. This was my third time seeing Pharoahe Monch live and every single time I leave, I feel motivated, inspired and ready to conquer the world. This show left me feeling no different.

The opening act was Chicago's very own Mass Hysteria. The duo is made up of two emcees by the names of Gee and Treese. Lyrically they are very witty. This was my first time hearing them, so I wasn't familiar with their songs. I did notice that they incorporated current day affairs into their lyrics though, which could mean one of two things: One, they either wrote these songs quite recently or two, they replaced the older lines with newer ones. Either way, I enjoyed it. They also had a very talented guitar player joining them on stage. In addition, joining them for part of their set, was a talented artist by the name of GQ The Teacher. This man is an amazing beatboxer. If you don't believe me, watch the videos and listen for yourself.

After their set was over, there was a brief intermission with some music and then Pharoahe Monch's DJ, Boogie Blind from The X-Ecutioners hit the stage to get the crowd hyped up and to get things ready for Pharoahe's set. You may recognize him from Pharoahe Monch's "Clap" off of W.A.R.

Once he was all set, we were all ready for Pharoahe to bless the stage. If you have never witnessed this man live, whether you are a fan of his music or not...I highly suggest you go. It may just change your life. He always gives you 110% when he performs. He's energetic, engaging and knows how to rock a crowd. That particular night, he showered us with hits from Internal Affairs, Desire and W.A.R. Some of those songs were "Assassins" (minus Jean Grae and Royce the 5'9), "Desire", "Free", "Still Standing" (minus Jill Scott), "Oh No" and "Simon Says". A pleasant surprise for us all was a vocalist that we hear frequently on his albums. Her name is Mela Machinko...remember that name. You'll thank me later, I promise you. This woman will make you want to tell almost every female R&B singer to sit down and take some notes from her. Recently, she was on 9th Wonder's album, The Wonder Years on the track titled "Now I'm Being Cool". She filled in for Jill Scott on "Still Standing" and let me tell you, every person in that venue was captivated by her voice and she received a very well deserved standing ovation by us all. I overheard people in the crowd saying "Why wasn't SHE on the original version?". Not to fear folks, Ms. Machinko told me after the show that her solo album will be available for our listening pleasure sometime soon. Unfortunately, we do not have a date for that release. The last song of the night, was the classic hit "Simon Says". If you want to see hip hop fans lose their minds, watch them when that song is being done live. It is lively, chaotic, frightening and beautiful all at once. Pharoahe is known to shower the crowd with water during this song and frankly, I don't think anyone ever gives a damn about getting wet. If I could experience a Pharoahe Monch show everyday, I would. They are truly amazing and he plays everything you want to hear. Don't believe me? Check out the footage.

A huge thank you to the Double Door for hosting such an exceptional artist and being aware that true hip hop fans go out to shows and pay to support their favorite artists. I salute you for that. Also, a big thank you to all of the artists that put everything into their craft that blessed the stage that night. You are all an inspiration to me. Thank you to Pharoahe Monch and Mela machinko for taking the time out afterwards to speak to me and pose for a quick photo. I appreciate you both.

Action Bronson Show At Southpaw

2012-02-01T15:40:00.000-08:00

Let's send Brooklyn's Southpaw out with a BANG for one of their last shows!

First Saturdays At Brooklyn Museum

2012-02-01T15:21:00.000-08:00

A Day In The Life On Bodega Radio

2012-01-31T09:57:00.000-08:00

On a particular Friday this past January, I joined The Company Man, DJ Run P and Blaxlife on Bodega Radio, which airs every Friday from 1-4pm on PNC Radio (www.pncradio.fm). It's a wonderful show that highlights some of the best hip hop that we don't get to hear very often on commercial radio. There is even a segment called "Inbox Sessions", where artists can submit their music for airplay to The Company Man (see @TheCompanyMan on Twitter for the email address for submissions). The topics of discussion are always a barrel of laughs as well. They talk about EVERYTHING! From music, to sports, religion, politics, relationships...nothing is left untouched. The special guest for this show was the Da Beatminerz own, DJ Wayne Ski. He dropped knowledge about being a DJ, working at a record label and just the industry as a whole. A very intelligent man I must say. Check out the off air footage and prepare to laugh.

Ruck and Rock at Public Assembly in BK

2012-01-20T18:58:00.000-08:00

Missed Sean Price at Public Assembly this past summer? No need to worry, I was able to get some dope footage of P with his Heltah Skeltah partner Rock. Hosted by Poison Pen.

"Don't you ever disrespect the Ape, Sean P!"

Lauryn Hill doing "Lost Ones" at Rock The Bells 2011

2012-01-20T17:48:00.000-08:00

This past Labor Day weekend, I was fortunate to attend the Rock The Bells Festival in NYC at Governor's Island. Despite the hassle of getting there and having to prioritize which of the three stages to be at, it was a fun filled day of great hip hop. Some highlights for me were Random Axe, Black Star, Fashawn, Souls Of Mischief. Black Moon, Mobb Deep, Nas, Cypress Hill and Erykah Badu. I got some footage of Lauryn Hill doing "Lost Ones". There's been a lot of controversy over whether she's lost her touch or not. Check out the video and judge for yourself.

Random Axe Cd Release party

2012-01-17T10:24:00.000-08:00

Another oldie but goodie. Easily one of the best live shows I went to in 2011. Props to Black Milk, Guilty Simpson and Sean Price for coming together and making a stellar album. Hip hop fans everywhere thank you. I have to admit, I didn't get too much footage...I was having too much damn fun. Dallas Penn did a great job hosting the show as well!

Skyzoo performing "Speakers On Blast"

2012-01-17T09:55:00.000-08:00

This is an oldie but goodie... Skyzoo performed at The Random Axe CD Release party at Southpaw in Brooklyn and did one of his biggest hits...Enjoy

"Bubble Space" by Clear Soul Forces

2012-01-08T19:43:00.000-08:00

Hello world, it's your girl SB back at it again. Happy 2012 to all of you. For my first post of this year, I'm excited to bring to you some new music from an amazing group out of Detroit, MI. I had the privilege of seeing these guys rock the stage at the 2011 Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival Show & Prove Superbowl event at Brooklyn Bowl. Their energy on stage blew me away and their music spoke for itself. Afterwards, I got the chance to chop it up with them for a few and they were some of the nicest people I've ever met. They even offered to play tour guide for me when I go to Detroit! They've been hard at work, finishing up their first debut album Detroit Revolution(S) geared to drop 3/13/12 , but until then enjoy the #REVO leaks leading up to it's release. First up is "Bubble Space", produced by Dibia$e. Hope you enjoy!

http://www.mediafire.com/file/jabw912k3v7cfa4
Follow them on twitter: www.twitter.com/clearsoulforces
Add them on Face Book: www.facebook.com/clearsoulforces
~ From Detroit to the world with love~

Until next time...Peace, Love & Hip Hop
~ SB

How To Make The CBA Better

2011-12-16T20:44:00.000-08:00

1. Afford teams that draft superstars greater advantages in retaining them long-term: This is important if the league desires superstar distribution and the prevention of superteams. As explored previously, a soft franchise tag allowing teams to make significantly stronger offers to their own superstar free agents would improve the game. The originally drafting team should be able to offer two guaranteed contract years more than any other suitor and at least 10 percent more annually. This would make it substantially harder for these players to walk away. A sign-and-trade would not carry these added guaranteed years and dollars. This system is ideal because it does not force a player to stay but makes him leave significant additional guaranteed salary on the table if he chooses to walk.

2. Cap the amount of a contract that can be “amnestied”: Teams who have made the biggest mistakes may reap the biggest benefits of the current amnesty clause. However, in the event that the NBA allows teams to acquire and then “amnesty” a player, putting a ceiling on the “amnestiable” salary becomes slightly less important. A massive mistake will be made if teams are not allowed to acquire and then “amnesty” players if they have no amnesty-worthy players of their own.

3. Include some amount of revenue sharing based upon a combination of the measurable metrics of market size, franchise profitability, and prior winning percentage: Instead, the CBA seemingly allows the commissioner’s office unprecedented power (which says a lot) to use 50 percent of luxury tax receipts for ambiguous purposes. While I have faith in commissioner David Stern’s desire to ever-improve of the Association, the power to subjectively distribute half of what could be well over $100 million in luxury taxes could create great internal dissent.

4. Disburse tax rebates differently among non-tax paying teams in accordance with just how far under the tax threshold they are: Teams spending just under the tax threshold and teams spending at the league floor should not both receive the same tax rebates because the competitive advantage differential (using team salary as an imperfect metric) that taxpaying teams have over them is different. There is not a concern that team owners would habitually spend at the floor in order to reap greater tax rebates because doing so would in all likelihood lead to a non-competitive team which is bad for the owner’s reputation and his business.

5. Allow high school graduates to turn pro without first going to college: “One and done” is patronizing, as the NBA tells young men and their families that it knows what is best for them. A meaningful academic education is not attained in one basketball-heavy year on and off a college’s campus. This is a rule that clearly protects NBA veterans’ longevity at the expense of some young men who could better perform and who need the money far more. If the NBA is a superstar-driven league, then let the superstars show their skills and mature their game as soon as possible.

6. Increase the traded-player exception for non-tax teams to 150 percent of traded salary plus $500,000 (and do the same for taxpaying teams; i.e. 125 percent + $500,000): This would allow greater movement of draft picks and rookies who will be some of the most sought after players under the new agreement.

7. Provide some form of compensation to teams who lose originally drafted lottery picks to free agency who go on to sign deals of greater than $60 (or maybe $70?) million to play elsewhere: If an agreeable trade or sign-and-trade cannot be had, the team originally drafting the player should not wind up with nothing. It makes a mockery of the NBA’s stated intention of a league with greater parity.

8. Kill the rule that prevents teams from dealing first-round picks in back-to-back years: This rule may actually prevent teams from intelligently optimizing their strategies for success under the new CBA, one in which contributing players under their rookie contracts, while not paid the most, will be of particular value. This rule punishes the majority of sensible front offices because of the irresponsible, historical actions of a few. GMs getting paid handsomely and billionaire owners are sophisticated parties who should not be protected from themselves when dealing two first-rounders consecutively could be an apt strategy (i.e. if it helped the Knicks acquire Chris Paul). A better alternative would be to allow consecutive first-rounders to be dealt unless the commissioner’s office ruled that the trade was, more likely than not, perilous to the overall health of the franchise.

9. Disclose the specifics of the revenue sharing plan for public vetting: Revenue sharing should be negotiated between the NBPA and NBA because of how significantly it impacts the viability of threshold franchises and, thus, the viability of players’ jobs. Some fans see at least some form of local revenue sharing as a key to leveling the playing field between the haves and have-nots. The players have made significant sacrifices to lessen the burden on owners of struggling franchises. Owners of consistently profitable franchises should be required to make sacrifices as well, and revenue sharing through luxury taxation does not accomplish this goal. To illustrate, the Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago Bulls are in huge markets, but neither paid any luxury taxes under the prior CBA; they actually received tax rebates each year!

10. Make the mid-level exception for “Room Teams” at least as vigorous as that afforded to teams spending into the luxury tax: These provisions seem to run contrary to the purported goal of reigning in spending by those spending the most and encouraging spending among those spending less.

Happy Hour: Holiday Cheer

2011-12-16T19:25:00.000-08:00

.Soothing or spirited, these drinks offer festive ways to toast the season.

Swedish Punch - For centuries, Scandinavians have celebrated with glogg, a spicy, steaming red wine - the steaming originally accomplished with the thrust of a red hot poker. Aquavit Chef Marcus Jernmark doesn't go that far, but otherwise follows tradition, infusing his blend of wine, port and vodka with dried figs, orange peel and brown sugar, and serving it with nuts, raisins and gingersnaps. 65 E. 55th St., between Park and Madison Aves., 212-307-7311.

Vintage Vienna - Coffee-drinking is elevated to an art form in Viennese cafes. Cafe Sabarsky's Wiener Eiskaffee, chilled espresso mit schlag and ice cream, comes in a sundae glass. 1048 Fifth Ave., at 86th St., 212-288-0665.

The Old Noggin - Eggnog aficionados endlessly debate the best liquor for the creamy concoction: Bourbon? Rum? Brandy? Sam's Serious Eggnog, developed by Pete's Waterfront Ale House chef/owner, Sam Barbieri, sidesteps the issue by using all three, whipped up with fresh, locally sourced eggs and cream. 155 Atlantic Ave., between Henry & Clinton Streets, Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, 718-522-3794.

Rinkside Drink - This month, Bryant Park turns into a winter wonderland, with craft shops, a skating rink and Celsius, a glass-enclosed eatery. Among the pop-up place's cocktails: Frostbite, a sweet mix of Absolut Vanilla vodka, Kahlua Cinnamon Spice liqueur, cream and a dollop of whipped cream. Bryant Park, Fifth Ave. & 42 St., 212-792-9603.

Retro Revival - Dating back to the 1820s, the Tom & Jerry was once "so popular", Damon Runyon wrote, "that many people think Christmas (was) invented only to furnish an excuse for hot Tom & Jerry, although this is of course by no means true." The Strand Hotel's American Bistro concocts a version with eggs, brandy, rum, maple syrup, brown sugar and spices, topped off with foamy milk. 33 West 37th St., between Fifth and Sixth Aves., 212-584-4000.

An Apple A Day - In agrarian times, every American farmhouse kept a barrel of homemade hard cider on its porch. Locavore haven ABC Kitchen boasts a chilled Berkshire Cider cocktail: cider from nearby Union Square Greenmarket), bourbon and a dash of amaro for depth. 35 East 18th Street, between Park Ave. South & Broadway. 212-475-5829

Haute Cocoa - Made with water, French hot chocolate is thick enough to eat with a spoon. MarieBelle New York's Aztec version, 72% cacao, comes with a chili-pepper kick. 484 Broome St, between Broadway & Wooster St. 212-925-6999

2011 Hot Toy List For Christmas

2011-12-02T14:33:00.000-08:00

I know buying gifts for kids can be challenging. I too, have 3 nephews and a niece, all under the age of 8 to buy for. I'm going to make it easy for you and break it down by category.

Here is a list of the best toys for boys. From electronic boys toys, to nerf guns, to educational boys toys. There are a lot of hot items coming out this Christmas, from the new LeapPad Explorer, to Let’s Rock Elmo.

1. Nerf Vortex Nitron - Very Popular
2 .LEGO Ninjago - New from LEGO
3. Big Action Construction - Best Playset For Boys
4. Leap Frog Leap Pad - Best Educational Toy
5. Rock Star Mickey - MUST have Toy
6. BeyBlade Metal Fusion - Battle Tops
7. Dune Racer - New Power Wheels
8. Air Swimmers - Best RC Toy
9. Let's Rock Elmo - Hard To Find!
10. Nintendo 3DS - Most Popular!

Teens are HARD to shop for! They go from wanting everything, to very little. At this age, teens are looking for something fun, useful, and a lot of times, electronic. This year there are a lot of great gifts and toys for teens. Including new gadgets like the Kindle Fire, which is both a great electronic device for both games & video’s, but a great eReader as well.

1. 7 Wonders - Best Board Game
2. GoPro HD HERO2 - Helmet Camera
3. Hexbugs - Robotic Critters
4. NERF Vortex Nitron - Best Toy Gun
5. I Am T-Pain Mic - Quickest way to drive your family crazy (I had to)
6. Stomp Rocket - Best Science Toys
7. Syma R/C Helicopter - Best R/C Toy
8. KRE-o Transformers - Best Building Toys
9. Nikon Waterproof - Best Digital Camera
10. Kindle Fire - Must Have!

Here is a list of the best toys for girls. From the latest Monster High dolls, Squinkies, and other plush toys to the best educational toys to help your little girl grow. This is going to be a great year! There are a lot of unique, exciting toys being released. One of the most exciting is the new Nintendo 3DS system and Rock Star Mickey.

1. Lalaloopsy Dolls - Collect Them All
2. Let's Rock Elmo - Hard To Find!
3. Fijit Friends - Interactive Pet
4. Air Swimmers - Best RC Toy
5. Nintendo 3DS - Most Popular
6. Monster High Dolls - Most Popular
7. Dune Racer - New Power Wheels
8. Kid-Touch Camera - See Yourself Camera
9. LeapFrog LeapPad - Best Educational Toy
10. Rock Star Mickey - Must Have Toy

If you think baby toys are just for fun, then it’s time to think again. Many of the most beloved toys are actually very useful learning tools. Babies can improve their physical, mental, emotional and social well being through the use of the right toys.

1. Zoo Activity Center - All-Time Best Seller
2. Ann B. Dextrous - Bestseller
3. Push Around Buggy - Best Riding Toy
4. Sleep Sheep - Bedtime Bestseller
5. Learn & Groove Table - All-Time Bestseller
6. Laugh & Learn Farm - Most Popular
7. Move & Crawl Ball - Bestseller
8. Rock-A-Stack - Best Classic Toy
9. Mozart Magic Cube - Best Musical Toy
10. Tiny Love Gymini - All-Time Bestseller

There are so many exciting new toys this year, including the new Let’s Rock Elmo, and LeapFrog playsets. Childhood can be hard work; for toddlers, playing is the most important job. Through play, they build their muscles, develop essential skills, practice social interaction, create different worlds, and stretch their minds. Toddlers are renowned for being non-stop action machines – they can be destructive, rough, sweet, and gentle all in the same play session. Their toys need to be able to keep up with these dynamic little kids and their changing moods and needs. The best toddler toys are versatile, durable, and ready for action.

1. Let's Rock Elmo - Hard To Find!
2. Sit - To - Stand Walker - Most Popular
3. Sharing Picnic Basket - LeapFrog
4. Playskool Poppin Park - Elefun
5. Happy Nappers - Popular Plush Toys
6. Zoo Talkers - Little People Playset
7. Slide & Talk Phone - Kids Love Phones
8. 3-in-1 Trike - Little Tikes
9. Cars 2 Lil Lightning - Power Wheels
10. Rock Star Mickey - Must Have Toy

Here is a list of the top toys for preschoolers. Read about the best toys that will help shape them in every aspect of their lives. From building their mind with educational toys to active toys that will help them burn energy and make them stronger. Below is a listing of the best preschool toys, rated by quality, innovation,, educational value, and safety.

1. Mini Kick Scooter - Best Ride-on Toy
2. vTech V.Reader - Best Educational Toy
3. Melissa & Doug Easel - Very Popular
4. Playskool Alphie - Very Popular
5. Sing-A-Ma-Jigs - Very Popular
6. My Pillow Pets - Popular Plush Toy
7. Duplo - Best Building Toys
8. Baby Alive Babbies - Best Doll
9. BIGFOOT the Monster - Best Robotic Toy
10. Dance Star Mickey - Very Popular

I hope this guide was useful to you all. Happy shopping and I hope you all have a joyous, safe and blessed holiday season from SB to you and yours!

Rhymefest - Blue Collar Review

2011-12-01T23:43:00.000-08:00

"Blue Collar", was the highly anticipated debut album release from Chi-town native Rhymefest which stemmed from the attention surrounding Fest when it was made public knowledge that he had been working closely with Kanye West and had contributed greatly to Kanye's previous material. The single "Brand New", featuring Kanye, was the single and brought Fest very much into the public domain.

Known for his lyrical content, delivery in terms of story telling and most importantly rhyming ability, Fest does nothing to disappoint and delivers all three factors well. "Tell a Story" encapsulates the story telling skills he posesses as he takes you on a personal journey.

The album also features an array of talent in terms of collaborations. These include the renound Kanye West, the late ODB and also Q-Tip to name a few. Standout tracks include but are not limited to the single "Brand New", "Chicago Rillas" & "Dynomite". Kanye makes a further appearance on "More", another well balanced and well produced track.

On a similar level to Kanye's albums, the production on "Blue Collar" remains consistent and of a high standard throughout. The ODB collaboration is another attempt at an infectious hook and while it may not be the best track on the album, the lyrical delivery never slips and the album remains, on the whole, infectious and entertaining.

The overall vibe of the album would be highly energetic, high tempo and comparable, in many respects, to co-producer's first two releases - catchy hooks, fast paced and an entertaining listen, with very few 'skippable' tracks. It can be argued that "Blue Collar" is greater in term of delivery as Fest can certainly ride on any beat and holds enough content to compliment the production which parallels the album.

Rhymefest was surely heading in the right direction, and if he could have followed in Kanye's footsteps it would have been no travesty to the hip hop genre. I guess that statement could be debatable. Although a hard act to follow, Rhymefest solidifies himself in the game and stamps his own mark and presence in an impressive debut album.

MF Doom "MM...Food" Review

2011-12-01T23:25:00.000-08:00

"MM..Food" was originally dropped in 2004 off of Rhymesayers Entertainment but was out of print for quite a while and was a very rare CD. But it was finally re-released with a DVD included. If you don't know, DOOM wears a mask everywhere he goes in public, he is not photographed without it. He has many aliases that he releases LP's under as well such as King Geedorah, Viktor Vaughn, Zev Love X, and Metal Fingers. The mask idea comes from the Fantastic Four based on the character DR. Doom. Also, some of the beat samples come from the show as well.

DOOM is lyrically amazing no doubt. He lacks the chorus part in his songs, but he does make up for it. His songs on lots of his LP's include half instrumental songs, and half rapping. There are also some just plain old instrumentals, but they're real smooth, good beats. But besides his complex ideas and style, he is really talented and stands out from the rest. He provides a good message with amazing lyrics.

"MM..Food" proves exactly that. This CD is a dedication to the comparison of food and life metaphors. All but 3 tracks were produced by DOOM himself. The other 3 producers were Count Bass D, Madlib, and PNS. The guest rappers are Angelika, 4ize, and Mr. Fantastik. There are four instrumentals on the album, tracks number six, seven, eight, and nine, but it is a interesting listen the first few times. Every song DOOM raps on has some point of shine lyrically. All the beats are on par, or great, except one. That would be the song "One Beer." The standout songs include "Kon Karne," "Vomitspit," and "Kookies." But every song stands out one way or another.

Overall, this classic LP is absolutely a 5 star. You must pick up this re-issue right away if you're a DOOM fan or a hip hop fan. But whoever you are, the lyrics will intrigue you.

The NBA Lockout Ends: Winners and Losers

2011-11-29T09:27:00.000-08:00

Basketball will be back on Christmas Day, thanks to a new labor deal between the league's owners and players. Who benefits the most?

A Christmas miracle? Despite predictions that labor unrest would force the NBA to cancel several months of games, the 2011-12 basketball season has been saved. After a 149-day lockout that cost players and owners hundreds of millions in lost revenue, the two sides emerged from a secret 15-hour bargaining session this weekend to announce that a shortened 66-game NBA season will begin on Christmas Day. The new labor deal essentially gives the owners and players a 50-50 split of league revenue, while also placing tougher luxury taxes on teams with high payrolls, and mandating that players be signed to shorter contracts. Who wins and loses with this new deal? Here, a brief guide:

WINNERS

Fans
"Regular folks who look to pro basketball for entertainment... distraction, or inspiration will be back in business," says Steve Aschburner at NBA.com. These are the people who did not benefit one iota from the lockout, and can only breathe a sigh of relief now that it's over. Better yet, says Donald Wood at Bleacher Report, the shortened season — 66 games instead of the normal 82 — is sure to be "wild" and unpredictable.

David Stern
The NBA commissioner made out like a bandit, says Mitch Lawrence at the New York Daily News. He got the owners the lucrative revenue split they wanted — under the old deal, players got 57 percent — along with harder salary caps. To many observers, Stern comes off like a hero who saved the day, and "best of all, he doesn't lose an entire season, which would have killed his legacy."

Owners
The owners stand to make as much as an additional $2 billion over 10 years thanks to the new deal, says Ben Golliver at CBS Sports. And really, they got major concessions on nearly every important issue in the new agreement: More revenue, shorter contracts, and a tougher luxury tax system — which is meant to help even the playing field between big- and small-market teams.

The best players
Shorter contracts will actually help some players, says Aschburner. Stars who "continue to produce, stay healthy, lead, [and] create wins" will be on the market sooner and more often. That means more opportunities to "cash in."

LOSERS

All the other players
"There's no sense in sugar coating it," says Adam Laurdisen at the San Jose Mercury News. The new revenue split is a huge loss in raw dollars for the players. Furthermore, this new agreement proves that the players' last negotiation tactic — dissolving their union and filing an antitrust suit against the league — was essentially fruitless, as the final deal still benefits the owners. Sure, things could've been worse. But "any time you leave a negotiation thinking" that, says Golliver, "you lost that negotiation."

Star-studded teams
Teams with massive payrolls and rosters full of expensive stars will now have to pay even more in luxury taxes. Franchises like the Miami Heat, which has three major stars in LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, will now be tasked with convincing "two of those big three to take less money than they can get somewhere else," says Colin Stephenson at New Jersey's Star-Ledger. Some superstars might prefer to split town than take a pay cut.
Free agents
The higher luxury tax will hurt players who are free agents this season, says Wood, as many big-market teams who are suddenly paying millions more in luxury taxes may not be willing to fork over as much in salary money as they would have in the past.

Idle Warship show at Southpaw

2011-11-29T09:13:00.000-08:00

Come out and support good hip hop! You won't want to miss this show!

Torae's Album Release Party!

2011-11-29T08:52:00.000-08:00

Come out and celebrate with this extremely talented MC before he heads out for his European Tour!

How J Dilla Changed My Life

2011-11-21T22:26:00.001-08:00

Not many people can say that Dunkin' Donuts or Krispy Kreme changed their life, but this artists' "donuts" changed the lives of many. In case you're not familiar with whom I'm referring to, I'm speaking of the one and only...J Dilla. Almost 6 years after his death, J Dilla's musical genius is still unfolding. For many in the hip hop, soul and electronic music community, overstating the importance of the work he left behind is nearly impossible. If anyone lived to make beats, it was Dilla. I got inspired to write this piece after hearing so many people say "Dilla changed my life". The phrase has been used so much, it now appears on t-shirts worldwide. What also moved me to write this, was attending an Elzhi concert this year where I wore a J Dilla t-shirt. Fans at the show were coming up to me and saying, "Dope shirt! Who is that on it?". My reaction was, "Really? You DON'T know who this man on my shirt is? But...you're at an ELZHI SHOW!" It made me just realize that they were new Elzhi fans and hadn't done their history, so I felt the need to educate and hopefully, some of said fans at the show will read this. This was the t-shirt I had on:

      James Dewitt Yancey (2/7/74-2/10/06), better known as J Dilla and Jay Dee, was a producer who emerged from the mid-1990s hip hop scene in Detroit, Michigan. He was one of the music industry's most influential hip hop artists, working with acts such as A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Busta Rhymes, Janet Jackson, Slum Village and Common. to name a few. Renowned producer Pete Rock placed J Dilla on his list of the top five producers of all time. He also made the "Elite 8" in the search for The Greatest Hip Hop Producer of All Time by Vibe magazine. Also, The Source magazine placed him on its list of the 20 greatest producers in the magazine's twenty-four year history.

      Yancey's career began slowly. He has now become highly regarded, most notably for the production of critically acclaimed album's by Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Common, Busta Rhymes, A Tribe Called Quest, The Pharcyde, and Erykah Badu. He also produced Slum Village's debut album Fan-Tas-Tic (vol.1) and their follow up Fantastic (vol.2).

      In the early 2000s, Yancey's career as a solo artist began to improve; a solo album Welcome 2 Detroit was followed by a collaborative album with California producer Madlib, Champion Sound, which catalyzed the careers of both artists. Just as his music was becoming increasingly popular, Yancey died in 2006 of the blood disease TTP, while also battling Lupus.

      Following J Dilla's death, the hip hop community became centered upon his music and image. Many of the artists with whom Yancey worked with, performed or recorded tributes, and a large group of followers voiced their support for the late musician. Yancey's music experienced a rebirth as the producer gained many times more listeners than he had during his life, partly due to media exposure. Though several posthumous albums have been released and others are planned, the amount of unreleased recordings by the producer remain somewhat undetermined. His estate has also been controverted.

      James Yancey was the oldest of four children including a younger brother (Earl), a younger sister (Martha) and a younger brother, John, also a rapper/producer known as Illa J. The family lived off East 7 Mile in Detroit. He developed a vast musical knowledge from his parents. His mother, Maureen (Ma Dukes), is a former opera singer and his father was a jazz bassist. According to his mother, he could "match pitch perfect harmony" by 2 months old, to the amazement of musician friends and relatives. He began collecting vinyl at the age of two and would be allowed to spin records in the park, an activity he enjoyed tremendously as a child.

      Along with a wide range of musical genres, J Dilla developed a passion for hip hop music and formed a rap group called Slum Village with schoolmates T3 (R.L. Altman), and the late Baatin (Titus Glover) at Pershing High School. He also took up beat-making using a simple tapedeck as the center of his studio. During these teenage years he "stayed in the basement alone" with his ever growing collection of records, perfecting his craft. He later told Pete Rock when they met years later that "I was trying to be you."

      In 1992, he met experienced Detroit musician Amp Fiddler, who was impressed by what Jay Dee was able to accomplish with such limited tools. Amp Fiddler let Jay Dee use his MPC, which he learned quickly. In 1995, Jay Dee and MC Phat Kat formed 1st Down, and would be the first Detroit hip hop group to sign with a major label (Payday Records) - a deal that was ended after one single when the label folded. That same year he recorded 'Yesteryearz' with 5 Elements (a group consisting of the late Proof, Thyme and Mudd).

      By the mid 1990s Jay Dee was known as a major hip hop prospect, with a string of singles and remix projects, for Janet Jackson, The Pharcyde, De La Soul, Busta Rhymes, A Tribe Called Quest, Q-Tip's solo album and others. The majority of these productions were released without his name recognition, being credited to The Ummah, a production collective composed of Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest, and later Raphael Saadiq of Tony! Toni! Tone!. Under this umbrella, Jay Dee did some of his most big name R&B and hip hop work, churning out original songs and remixes for Janet Jackson, Busta Rhymes, Brand New Heavies, Something For The People, trip hop artists Crustation and many others. This all came off the heels of Jay Dee handling the majority of production on The Pharcyde's album Labcabincalifornia, released in the holiday season of 1995. Jay Dee's largest scale feat came in 1997 when he produced Janet Jackson's Grammy winning single "Got 'til It's Gone" from The Velvet Rope. The song-writing credit and subsequent Grammy were both given to Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

      2000 marked the major label debuts of Slum Village with Fantastic (vol.2), creating a new following for J Dilla as a producer and a MC. He was also a founding member of the production collective known as The Soulquarians (along with Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, D'Angelo and James Poyser, amongst others) which earned him more recognition and buzz. He subsequently worked with Erykah Badu, Talib Kweli, and Common - contributing heavily to the latter's critically acclaimed breakthrough album, Like Water For Chocolate.

      His debut as a solo artist came in 2001 with the single "Fuck The Police", followed by the album Welcome 2 Detroit, which kicked off United Kingdom Independent record label BBE's "Beat Generation" series. In 2001, Jay Dee, began using the name "J Dilla" (an attempt to differentiate himself from Jermaine Dupri who also goes by "JD"), and left Slum Village to pursue a major label solo career with MCA Records.

      2002 saw Dilla producing the entirety of Frank -N- Dank's 48 Hours, as well as a solo album, but neither record was ever released, although the former did eventually surface through bootlegging. When Dilla finished working with Frank -N- Dank on the 48 Hours album, MCA Records requested a record with a larger commercial appeal, and the artists re-recorded the majority of the tracks, this time using little to no samples. Despite this, neither versions of the album saw the light of day and Dilla expressed he was disappointed that the music never got out to the fans.

      Dilla was signed to a solo deal with MCA Records in 2002 and completed an album in 2003. Although Dilla was known as a producer rather than a MC, he chose to rap on the album and have the music produced by some of his favorite producers such as Madlib, Pete Rock, Hi-Tek, Supa Dave West, Kanye West, Nottz, Waajeed, Quebo Kuntry (J. Benjamin) and others. The album was shelved due to internal changes at the label and MCA folding into Geffen Records. In a 2007 video interview, Dilla's friend DJ HouseShoes alluded to the possibility of the MCA album finally seeing an official release through Stones Throw Records in the future. In April 2008, the album, called Pay Jay, began circulating. BBC Radio 1Xtra DJ Benji B played songs from it on his April 18th show, saying that the album is coming out, and people on the internet privately shared and discussed the album.

      While the record with MCA stalled, Dilla recorded the uncompromising Ruff Draft, released exclusively to vinyl by German label Groove Attack. Although the album was little known, it signaled a change in sound and attitude, and his work from this point on was increasingly released through independent record labels.

      L.A.-based producer and MC Madlib began collaborating with J Dilla, and the pair formed the group Jaylib in 2002, releasing an album called Champion Sound in 2003. J Dilla relocated from Detroit to L.A. in 2004 and appeared on tour with Jaylib in Spring 2004.

      J Dilla's illness and medication caused dramatic weight loss in 2003 onwards, forcing him to publicly confirm speculation ablout his health in 2004. Despite a slower output of major releases and production credits in 2004 and 2005, his cult status remained strong within his core audience, as evident by authorized circulation of his underground "beat tapes" (instrumental, and raw working materials), mostly through internet file sharing. Articles in publications URB (March 2004) and XXL (June 2005) confirmed rumors of ill health and hospitalization during this period, but these were downplayed by Jay himself. The seriousness of his condition became public in November 2005 when J Dilla toured Europe performing from a wheelchair. It was later revealed that he suffered from thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, a rare blood disease, and possibly lupus.

      J Dilla died on February 10, 2006, three days after his 32nd birthday and the release of his final album Donuts, at home in L.A. According to his mother, the cause was cardiac arrest. Upon his death, Dilla had several projects planned for future completion and release. The Shining, 75% completed when Dilla died, was completed posthumously by Karriem Riggins and released on August 8, 2006 on BBE Records. Jay Love Japan was announced in 2005 as his debut release on the Operation Unknown label. The official release remains shrouded in mystery, as various legitimate and illegitimate versions of this mini-album can be bought online and in stores. Ruff Draft was reissued as a double CD/LP set in March 2007 and is sometimes considered his third solo album. The reissue contains previously unreleased material from the Ruff Draft sessions and instrumentals. Most notably, it was also released in a cassette tape format, paying homage to Dilla's dirty, grimy sound (he was known for recording over two-tracked instrumentals). Champion Sound, J Dilla's and Madlib's collaborative album was reissued in June 2007 by Stones Throw Records as a 2 CD Deluxe Edition with instrumentals and b-sides. He also produced three tracks on the 2007 Stones Throw Records 2K Sports NBA 2K8 soundtrack, B-Ball Zombie War. Dillagence, a mixtape of previously unreleased tracks featuring Busta Rhymes over Dilla's production, was released in November 2007. Busta was one of Dilla's most passionate supporters; on the mixtape, Busta says that although Dilla's name is not listed in every Busta album, he did in fact contribute to every solo Busta album. The compilation was made free for downloads from www.mickboogie.com.

      "Modern Day Gangstaz" (also known as "The Ugliest" and "Dangerous MC's"), a song produced by Dilla featuring vocals from The Notorious B.I.G., Busta Rhymes, and Labba, which originally appeared in its original form on a mixtape in the late '90s, eventually surfaced in full length form in 2007. This version, however, is a cut and paste job using verses recorded for Biggie's posthumous Born Again album, for which a new beat was used from Nottz.

      In 2008, Q-Tip used one of Dilla's beats for his song "Move" off of The Renaissance. Yancey Boys, by J Dilla's younger brother John Yancey, was released in 2008 on Delicious Vinyl Records. It is produced entirely by J Dilla and features rapping by his brother, under the name Illa J. Stones Throw Records released a digital instrumental version of the album in 2009. An album titled Jay Stay Paid (aka J$P) was released in 2009. Despite well-known collaborators rapping over Dilla's music, the involvement of Pete Rock in mixing, and the endorsement of J Dilla's mother, this is the second posthumous J Dilla release whose legitimacy is not fully known. It does not appear in J Dilla's official discography.

      In 2009, Mos Def used one of Dilla's beats on his album The Ecstatic. The song, entitled "History", also featured Talib Kweli. Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon also used Dilla beats for his songs "House Of Flying Daggers", "Ason Jones", and "10 Bricks" which are all on his critically acclaimed album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II. In 2010, unreleased production and vocals from J Dilla are featured on Slum Village's sixth studio album Villa Manifesto, the first album with all five members.

      J Dilla leaves behind two daughters. In May 2006, J Dilla's mother announced the creation of "The J Dilla Foundation", which will work to cure people affected by lupus. Dilla's death has had a significant impact on the hip hop community. Besides countless tribute tracks and concerts, Dilla's death created a wealth of interest in his remaining catalog and, consequently, Dilla's influence on hip hop production became more apparent.

      Dave Chappelle gives a special dedication to J Dilla in his movie Dave Chappelle's Block Party, which includes the statement "This film is dedicated to the life and memory of Music Producer J Dilla, aka Jay Dee (James Yancey)." The film focuses mostly on members of The Soulquarians, a collective of hip hop musicians of which Yancey was also a member. His music has been used in various television programs. Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim, has played the songs "Waves", "Welcome To The Show", and "Mash" during the commercial bumpers in between shows. In May 2010, UK Mobile network used Jaylib's "The Red" instrumental in their 'Pool Party' ad. A recent BBC documentary inspired by the Olympic runner Usain Bolt, contained two J Dilla-produced songs - "So Far To Go" by Common and "Runnin" by The Pharcyde.

      In February 2007, a year after his death, J Dilla posthumously received the Plug Awards' Artist Of The Year as well as the award for Record Producer Of The Year. In Dilla's hometown of Detroit, House music veteran Carl Craig has fronted a movement to install a plaque in the honor of J Dilla in Conant Gardens (where the artist grew up and initiated his career). A resolution for the proposed plaque was passed by the Detroit Entertainment Commission in May 2010, and is currently awaiting approval by the Detroit City Council. J Dilla continues to be remembered as one of the most important figures of the hip hop generation. Outside of hip hop, Dilla has proven to be highly influential to the works of bands and producers within the United Kingdom. Jack Barnett of These New Puritans has been seen occasionally wearing a "J Dilla Changed My Life" t-shirt. The band subliminally honored Dilla by replicating the notable minimal driving drum pattern of "Jungle Love" from "The Shining", on "InfinityytinifnI" which is found on the album "Beat Pyramid". Southend - on-se Shoegaze - punk band The Horrors, London pop bands The XX, Golden Silvers and Mystery Jets alongside electronic producers Joy Orbison, Darkstar and Micachu & Kwes have all cited Dilla as a major musical influence.

      I had the pleasure to interview a few people that knew J Dilla personally and some who were just appreciators of his work. The first was Music Student, Melanie Forbes from Florida. She first heard Dilla on Slum Village's Fan-Tas-Tic (vol.1) and The Pharcyde's album Labcabincalifornia. She describes his beats as "crazy and soulful". What stood out to her was that he had a different sound and didn't sound like any other producers. She remembers saying, "Wow! Who is this dude?" . For her, Slum Village's way of rhyming was just different from anything else she had ever heard. When she witnesses others not knowing who he is, her reaction is "What! You don't know who Dilla is? Go dig, look him up! Google it!". She states "Think Twice" as one of her favorite Jay Dee tracks. The horns and bassline. He was the one singing and he was so laid back, just like her personality. If she could speak to him today, her words to him would be: "You really had an influence on me as a music student. You inspired me to study music. You were one of the reasons I decided to study music You've influenced people across the world. You were one of the greatest to ever do it." She'd be in awe and wouldn't know what to say, like a lot of us who are fans of his work.

      Next was Brooklyn, New York MC, Skyzoo. Dilla's death prompted him to pay tribute with the song "Sky's Last Donut". For those that don't know, Dilla referred to his beats as donuts. He credits J Dilla as his biggest inspiration and favorite producer. When I asked him about his reaction to Dilla's death and why he made the tribute song, he replied, "I was devastated. I didn't want it to happen. I didn't know how sick he was. I felt the need to do it." What appeals to Skyzoo about Dilla's beats is the swing in them. He can play in the pockets. Oh, and let's not forget...the drums. He had the chance to meet J Dilla in 2004 at B.B. King's in NYC at a Madvillain show. He had waited outside all night at the chance of possibly meeting the producer and giving him a cd he had made over his beats called "Dilla Is The Greatest". Around 3am, he came out of the building and Skyzoo was able to hand him that cd. The producer gave him his phone number and said "I want to send you some beats. We'll make it happen". The two spoke frequently up until his passing and he recalls that he would always pick up the phone when he called or call him back. Unfortunately, we never did get to hear Skyzoo rap circles over exclusive beats made just for him. Two of his favorite tracks from J Dilla are "Love It Here" by Elzhi and "Without You" by Lucy Pearl. His words to him would be: "Thank you. For your music, hip hop, beats. Your drive and talent made me want to be versatile. You are inspiring to everyone."

      The last person I interviewed for this, was Hexmurda. He's been known to manage artists such as Elzhi and Black Milk. A Detroit, Michigan native, he knew J Dilla personally and shared some of his fondest memories of him. This interview was so organic, I'm not even going to transcribe it. I'm just going to post it how it is, because it was that meaningful to me.

SB - When were you first introduced to Dilla? And what was your relationship with him like?

Hexmurda - I met Dilla at this meeting he had at this soul food restaurant to discuss Welcome to Detroit 2.
My relationship w/ Dilla was cool, he was cool w/ a lot of niggas. Big difference is he would actually answer the phone or call me back.

SB - What kind of effect did he have on you personally and musically?

Hex - I mean, niggas listened to SV (Slum Village) underground tapes & shit, & Black Milk was Dilla influenced. By the grace of God I worked closely with both of these acts. If there were no Dilla I'd be robbing banks or back in the penitentiary.

SB - How does it make you feel when you hear people compare Black Milk's beats to Dilla's?

Hex - I think Black Milk's beats stand alone. But there's definitely a Dilla influence to do what feels right, as opposed to the norm. However being compared to a legend isn't a bad thing.

SB - What do you think would be different about hip hop if he was still with us creating music?

Hex - He'd be spitting more bars. He would make it hard out here for cats rhyming. Like Phat Kat told me, Dilla had already mastered the dancing, the deejaying & of course the beats. Rhyming was next, & he already spit flames. It would have been ugly.

SB -  What is your favorite Dilla track? And why?

Hex - There are so many, Strapped, Jungle Love, Baby, etc. But I'm gonna say "Last Donut of the Night". That shit said it all. Rhyme wise I would have to say "Do Ya Thing". He murdered that shit.

SB - What kind of role, in your opinion did Dilla play in the Detroit hip hop scene?

Hex - Amongst producers he didn't raise the bar, he IS the bar. Niggas in every scene in Detroit respect Dilla's work. If Detroit had a HipHop Mt. Rushmore, Dilla, Proof & Baatin would definitely be on it.

SB - How tough is it for you now, to see all the recognition he is getting for music he made years ago because people were unaware of the different collectives that he was a part of?

Hex - Let me tell you, before Dilla passed, a couple of days before a Slum Village European Tour was going to start, me, DJ Dez & T3 were in my hotel room in London talking about how great Dilla was. Dez said, and I quote, "niggas will never understand how great Dilla is until after he's gone." End quote. About two days later at pre-show dinner in Fribourg, Switzerland Tim Maynor, SV & Dilla's manager called the tour mgr Howi & told him Dilla died. He deserves every bit of recognition he gets & more.

SB - What is your favorite Dilla memory/story that you love to share with people?

Hex - I'm the last nigga to put J.Dilla on a stage in America. At a SV show at the House of Blues in Hollywood, California. He DID NOT like to perform & I had to literally hold his elbow so he wouldnt sneak away. The nigga went out & did his verse on "RAISE IT UP" & killed it so it was worth it.

SB - Why do you think so many people say that he changed their lives?

Hex - Because he did. He let people live & breathe his music. Some get it, some don't. But those who get it, GET IT. Dilla's music affects & infects some people's souls. In a good way.

SB - What would you say to him now if he was still here?

Hex - I would tell him that he's a legend & he'll never die because his music is eternal. Niggas will be playing your shit in the year 2550. You did it. J.Dilla forever.

      I hope you all enjoyed reading this. It was really important to me to pay homage to my favorite producer and my hope was for you all to gain knowledge about him and more appreciation for him. Also, a very special thank you to Melanie, Skyzoo and Hexmurda for sharing your thoughts and memories with us. They were greatly appreciated. In closing, I have to say he did change my life. On how I listen to and critique music. He had such a passion for the music he made...and it was beautiful. J Dilla forever...

Worldwide Online Music Revenue From End-User Spending Is On Pace To Total $6.3 Billion In 2011

2011-11-14T10:40:00.000-08:00

Worldwide online music revenue from end-user spending is on pace to total $6.3 billion in 2011, up from $5.9 billion in 2010, according to Gartner, Inc. Online music revenue is forecast to reach $6.8 billion in 2012, and grow to $7.7 billion in 2015. By comparison, consumer spending on physical music (CDs and LPs) is expected to slide from approximately $15 billion in 2010 to about $10 billion in 2015.

"As consumers opt for connected devices — media tablets, smartphones and connected media players — across world regions, their desire for access to and consumption of music and content is growing as well," said Mike McGuire, research vice president at Gartner. "Music labels, artists, publishers and new distribution intermediaries are developing new business models to address consumers' changing behavior.

"The music industry was the first media sector to feel the full impact of two major forces — the Internet and technology-empowered consumers. It has staggered through the first decade of the 21st century, and entered the second bedraggled financially and facing a powerful set of intermediaries, which are creating borderless global ecosystems that defy the industry's previous notions of control and monetization. The primary stakeholders in the music industry are facing wrenching changes and a somewhat uncertain future. However, the next four to five years portend solid growth."

In the past 10 years, CD sales, the largest revenue stream for the industry, have eroded, while the online music revenue share is rapidly increasing. Digital downloads and streaming music services — referred to as subscription services — are the clear drivers in the online music industry for the coming years. Gartner estimates that subscription services will account for nearly one-third (29 percent) of end-user online music spending in 2015.

As the shift from physical to digital music content quickens across the world, different regions are at different stages. Online music in North America is maturing, so the double-digit growth rates will be harder to maintain, and analysts expect to see solid, but flat, growth over the next five years. Western Europe, Asia/Pacific and Japan will see similar growth, while the highest growth rates will be in regions such as Latin America and the Middle East and Africa, which have not historically been strong markets for paying for tracks or albums from online services or stores.

As online distribution revenue starts to overtake physical revenue, which will happen beyond Gartner's forecast to 2015, Gartner analysts said stakeholders in the music industry will continue to realign their businesses to maintain their places in the value chain. Consumers are likely to continue to take advantage of the applications, devices and services that provide them with multiple ways of discovering, consuming and communicating about music. As more music-related transactions, such as concert ticket sales and merchandise, have moved online, online music services, downloads or subscription services will have to find ways to make those related transactions available to their customers.

Mr. McGuire said the key issue that will affect the fortunes of many stakeholders in the music industry is how each sector addresses consumer data (specifically their behavior patterns), and how consumers find and share data about music and information. This issue will likely remain a point of contention among labels and artists and the online music services. Stakeholders will need to agree to broadly beneficial standards, such as extensions of OpenID, to minimize the number of times a consumer has to proffer an ID/password for multiple social media tools.

"For music labels, artists and publishers, challenges abound," Mr. McGuire said. "However, there remain real opportunities to reinvent the business based on consumers who are adopting connected devices and who are showing they will pay for content in multiple ways. These sorts of changes offer the potential for many new types of service and business models aimed at allowing music fans to manage and access their music libraries while also integrating social media and content payment options.

"In particular, communications service providers (CSPs) should focus business development investigations into the potential for providing managed services options — such as cloud storage — as part of their consumer-facing services. However, CSPs must balance these potential opportunities with a careful examination of how any deployment addresses consumer concerns over privacy and 'net neutrality' issues," said Stephanie Baghdassarian, research director at Gartner.

Additional information is available in the Gartner report "Media IAS Online Music Forecast, 2011-2015: Social Media, Subscriptions and the Cloud" at http://www.gartner.com/resId=1794215.

IMPALA Expects Sale Of EMI To Universal To Be Blocked Outright

2011-11-14T10:11:00.000-08:00

Following the announcement by Vivendi of the purchase of EMI recording by Universal, IMPALA confirmed it would oppose the sale before the regulators and expects them to move quickly to block the deal.

IMPALA takes the view that even if Universal proposes to increase the €500m divestments it is prepared to make, the deal will not be accepted. It points out that the last time the European Commission looked at Universal, it ordered the company to sell off assets to cut it down to an acceptable size. Since that decision, Universal has grown, which makes it even less likely that the regulators would accept any new acquisitions. In addition, IMPALA has already asked the European Commission to investigate Universal's tie-up with Live Nation.

Helen Smith, Executive Chair of IMPALA, commented: "Given that Brussels has taken a previous decision that Universal should not be any bigger, we would expect the sale to Universal to be blocked outright, even if it offers to increase the divestments it is prepared to make. The same would apply to Sony if it buys EMI publishing. IMPALA will be discussing this in detail at its next board meeting in ten days time."

The reason the EC forced divestments in its UniversalBMG decision was because it found that Universal controlled so much music it was bound to abuse its position, even with larger players such as Apple. Due to the multiplier effect market power has on players who are already dominant, even a very small increase would severely harm competition. IMPALA takes the view that this means even significant divestments are not an option. The same applies to Sony if the rumours that Sony is going to buy EMI publishing are true.

Arguments about the current state of the music market are unlikely to convince regulators they should change approach, in the opinion of IMPALA, since the impact of Universal is one of the causes of market decline. In addition, both the European Commission and the European Parliament have recently called for competition rules to be adapted to the specificities of the cultural sector, where the vast majority of innovation comes from smaller actors. In music, over 80 percent of all new releases are produced by the independents, or SMEs as they are referred to by policymakers. IMPALA is concerned that more time will be lost when the sector should be working together on other issues. IMPALA expresses regret that EMI will continue to languish and urges the regulators to act quickly to reduce the impact on EMI's artists.

Hip Hop's Laboratory of Language

2011-11-13T19:37:00.000-08:00

Adam Bradley and Andrew DuBois, editors of The Anthology of Rap supply a much needed injection of energy and enthusiasm into our analysis of hip-hop’s lyricism. Longtime rap fans are no doubt acquainted with the debate regarding the very term “rap music”. There’s been some question as to whether this thing we call “rap” can readily be termed “music” at all, let alone taken seriously as an art form.

Having moved, if only a little, away from such condescension, the discussion about rap (the art form) and hip-hop (the culture) narrows on issues like the generational divide among fans and critics, the dearth of mainstream female artists, promotional strategies in the increasingly post-album Internet market, and the troubling subject matter of bling, violence, and homophobia. All of this fuels questions of rap’s continued vitality and relevance. On this last point, Nas’s 2006 release Hip Hop Is Dead pushed the commentary on rap’s demise to the fore, perhaps unwittingly hailing a shift from rap’s dominance as a commercial force to its waning retail power.

Where editors Adam Bradley and Andrew DuBois may be deepening the discussion rests with rap’s power as a lyrical vehicle. The Anthology of Rap presents, for the first time, a hardcover 920-page historical chronology of selected lyrics from rap songs, with the mission of telling “the story of rap as lyric poetry.”

That’s right, y’all. Poetry.

The volume’s most obvious benefit is as a supplement to the scholarship taking place in academia. Certainly, there are high school and college classes that study poetry through rap, perhaps to dress conventional poetry analysis in contemporary designs. Similarly, some universities are including rap in literature, music, and ethnic studies courses. Even if hip-hop could be considered dead (it’s not), hip-hop scholarship has been alive and robust, as illustrated by books such as Adam Bradley’s Book of Rhymes: The Poetics of Hip Hop, Tricia Oaks’s The Hip-Hop Wars, and Jeff Chang’s Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation.

The Anthology of Rap, like many literature anthologies, sensibly divides its material into eras. Beginning with the “Old School” years of 1978-1984 (covering Afrika Bambaataa, Kurtis Blow, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, among others), the selections travel through the “Golden Age” of 1985-1992 (with special attention to Eric B. & Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, LL Cool J, and NWA). From there, it explores rap’s rise to mainstream prominence between 1993-1999 (thanks, in part, to The Fugees, Jay-Z, Tupac, The Notorious BIG, Nas, and The Wu-Tang Clan), as well as “New Millennium Rap” (featuring, like a posse track, Eminem, T.I., Mos Def, Kanye West, Jean Grae, and Lil Wayne). A chronological and thematic hodgepodge comprises the final section of “Lyrics for Further Study”. Despite a geographic focus on rap in the United States, the anthology provides a level playing field for each of rap’s regional centers. A hint of rap’s international flavor comes from Somali-born, Canada-based K’Naan, Kardinal Offishall (another Canadian), and the London-born, Sri Lankan M.I.A. Sorry, there are no lyrics by British rapper Dizzee Rascal. In the future, a volume highlighting rap at the international level would certainly be welcome.

Aside from the efficient exposition concerning the eras and the included artists, The Anthology of Rap focuses on the words of hip-hop’s wordsmiths. The selections are bookended by a Foreword from Henry Louis Gates, Jr., an Afterword by Chuck D of Public Enemy, and another one by Common. In his Foreword, Gates traces rap’s linguistic conventions to the cultural traditions of oral poetry and signifying, or “playing the dozens”. This cultural context sets the tone for the Introduction, which identifies the anthology’s threefold path of, first, contextualizing rap and its poetry within “African-American oral culture and the Western poetic heritage”; (2) framing rap’s cultural history in terms of its value as literature and art; and (3) giving readers the “tools with which to read rap lyrics with close attention.”

The anthology doesn’t reach these goals as a complete, self-sustained work, though. Fulfilling even one of these goals could occupy several volumes, and some of the rap lyrics themselves might have to be jettisoned in the interest of detail and thorough discussion. Instead, the anthology seems better suited to reaching these goals as a supplement, which is not an indication of its failure. What The Anthology of Rap lacks as a comprehensive treatise, assuming such a project could exist, it compensates for as a research tool.

The rap lyrics contained in this volume can be compared to, and contrasted with, what we’d call traditional poetry. Rap lyrics can also be compared and contrasted with each other, the synergy and friction of which illuminates the genre in ways that even the best music journalism is often ill-equipped to do. Here, the reader must interact with the material instead of looking at it from a distance, operating within what the text describes as a “laboratory of language for those interested in the principles of poetics.” A working knowledge of rhetorical devices can successfully be applied to rap lyrics, where similes and metaphors stay gainfully employed, but you’ll also find such techniques as alliteration, onomatopoeia, personification, paradox, understatement, hyperbole, and irony. Connections can be made, like when you hear KRS-One’s “MC’s Act Like They Don’t Know” and you realize he’s opening the song with his own take on Kurtis Blow’s “The Breaks”.

Sometimes, reading a rhyme, instead of listening to it, spotlights exactly how good it is. Readers will enjoy reading many of the rhymes in the anthology, but Mos Def’s “Hip Hop” and Pharoahe Monch’s “Desire” stood out to me. In “Desire”, Pharoahe’s clever line that “Monch is a monarch only minus the A&R” is better displayed on the page. Taking the “A” and the “R” out of “monarch” literally leaves “Monch”, which is why he also claims he can “still get it poppin’ without artist and repertoire”. On a fundamental level, there is intrinsic value in collecting rap lyrics, and illuminating the history of a movement in a single book. This undertaking matches the attention and intensity of any poetry anthology out there.

While the anthology explicitly resists the illusion that it identifies a canon, it is difficult to avoid this assumption when we are approaching rap via the lofty implications of poetry. The illusion, of course, is that the collection houses the best of the batch, a definitive body of standard bearing lyricism and a veritable treasure trove of rap at its finest. In some respects, that’s exactly what the anthology represents. No serious collection purporting to chronicle rap’s history could omit a song like Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five’s “The Message”. At the same time, the Introduction steadfastly advises against wholesale canonization, characterizing the anthology as a “starting point” for illuminating rap’s “lyrical history”, displaying “lyrical excellence” in written form, and accentuating the poetic growth of the individual artists.

Though naysayers might balk at the idea of rap claiming legitimacy as poetry—“doggerel”, I think they call it—rappers themselves are quick to dote on their microphone skills, touting their abilities with words as the reason why they set trends, attract lovers, and defeat competitors. Rappers compare these skills to those of boxers (Ghostface Killah’s “The Champ”), architects (Kool Moe Dee’s “I Got To Work”), scientists (Gang Starr’s “Check the Technique”), martial artists (pick from a discography of songs by the Wu-Tang Clan and its affiliates), and superheroes (K-Solo’s “Letterman”, Redman’s “Soopaman Luva” series), among other professions.

More to the point, the practice of equating rap to writing is a recurring theme. Special Ed, in “Think About It”, says, “I talk sense condensed into the form of a poem”. Not only did Nas reference his own writing bona fides in his raps (“My poetry’s deep, I never fail”), he has also alluded to his notebook and his “book of rhymes”. At other times, he demonstrates his writing prowess instead of just talking about it, as in “Rewind” when he rhymes an entire story backwards, from the end back to the beginning, as naturally as one would tell a story to a friend. Black Thought, in The Roots’s “The Next Movement” takes a similar stance, “Listen close to my poetry, I examine this / like an analyst, to see if you can handle this”. On the Skyzoo & Illmind’s ironically titled 2010 release, Live from the Tape Deck, Skyzoo performs on “Frisbees” in spiraling stanzas. Steadily through the first eight bars, and then periodically throughout, he begins each new line with the ending word, or a derivation thereof, from the previous line.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1D3qGHx-PU&feature=player_embedded

When they aren’t declaring themselves poets, they are equating their work writing in general. For example, Lauryn Hill, in “Final Hour”, compares her work to a thesis, “well-written topics broken down into pieces”. Kool Moe Dee boasts that his rhymes are dissertations in “I Go To Work”. LL Cool J titled one of his raps a “Murdergram”, and In “Nitro”, he contends that his recited rhymes are “spontaneous” and, I suppose, more wondrous and ambitious, compared to the “nursery rhymes”, or the labored but inferior work, of his competitors. Their rhymes are “miscellaneous”. In “Hip Hop”, Mos Def rhymes, “Scrutinize my literature from the large to the miniature”.

When they aren’t calling themselves poets or comparing their work to elite writing, rappers invite comparisons to authors. Q-Tip, in A Tribe Called Quest’s “Excursions”, refers to himself as the “Abstract Poet” who is “prominent like Shakespeare”. Chuck D, in Public Enemy’s “Welcome to the Terrordome”, compiles a litany of torture-related images, some with links to literature, including crucifixion (“Crucifixion ain’t no fiction”) and Edgar Allan Poe’s The Pit & the Pendulum. On Hip Hop Is Dead‘s “Blunted Ashes”, Nas wonders whether Langston Hughes and Alex Haley “got blazed before they told stories.” Talib Kweli’s work is filled with literary references, including some to poets like Langton Hughes, whether it’s a direct comparison (“I’m Langston Hughes, dream deferred, seen and heard in the flesh”) or merely an allusion to Hughes’s work (“Watch me take it there / life ain’t no crystal stair”). On the aforementioned Live from the Tape Deck, Skyzoo claims to rhyme as if he’s found the famous poet’s writing instrument in “Langston’s Pen”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGvZ9aXg5Xs&feature=player_embedded

In “The Rules of Rap”, Page Kennedy and Elzhi trade verses designed to teach aspiring rappers the tools of the trade. They give advice about beats, cadences, and rhyme patterns, as well as “tools of language” other than similes and metaphors: “Lesson five, you gotta strive not to forget imagery / If you see what I’m saying then it’d be more interesting”. Elzhi is known in rap circles for his work with the rap group Slum Village, and he has a knack for executing intriguing song concepts, whether he’s describing a vivid dream (“Talking in My Sleep”), toying with the connotations of various hues (“Colors”), or turning the ends of his rhyme schemes into trivia (“Guessing Game”). If you don’t know Page Kennedy for his rapping, then maybe you’ve seen him on television shows such as Weeds (he played the drug dealer “U-Turn”), My Name is Earl, or The Shield.

Gender As A Social Institution

2011-11-13T00:07:00.000-08:00

      When a new field of study emerges, it is usually based theoretically and in research practice on premises and problems current at the time. But as research brings in data that do not fit into accepted theory, the field begins to go through what Thomas Kuhn calls a scientific revolution. Eventually, if the field is to progress, it needs a new paradigm: new theories and new research questions.
      Judith Lorber offers a new paradigm of gender - gender as a social institution. Its focus is the analysis of gender as a social structure that has its origins in the development of human culture, not in biology or procreation. Like any social institution, gender exhibits both universal features and chronological and cross-cultural variations that affect individual lives and social interaction in major ways. As is true of other institutions, gender's history can be traced, its structure examined, and its changing effects researched.
      Lorber's conccept of gender differs from previous conceptualizations in that she does not locate it in the individual or the interpersonal relaations, although the construction and maintenance of gender manifest in personal identities and in social interaction. Rather, she ses gender as an institution that establishes patterns of expectations for individuals, orders the social processes of everyday life, is built into the major social organizations of society, such as the economy, ideology, the family, and politics, and is also an entity in and of itself.
      When studies of gender started, the field was called "sex roles". The perspective of sex roles is psychological and focused on individual attitudes and attributes. Sex-role theorists argue that what children learn from their families, teachers, picture books, and school books produces masculine and feminine attitudes, motivations, and personalities that will fit children into their adult roles. Although change can take place later in life, many sex-role characteristics, such as women's parenting abilities, seem to be fixed for life. Since the liberal feminists believed in progress and change, the field had a built in contradiction - where was change to take place? Reeducation and resocialization of adults? Or new, nonsexist patterns of socialization of children, which would require waiting a generation for change to take place? If parents and teachers enacted traditional sex roles, who was to institute the new, nonsexist patterns for the new generation? And what would be the content of future, androgynous roles? The concept of roles as the connection between individuals and society is useful for exploring how the consensus and contradictions of social structure play out in interpersonal relations, but the roles women and men play don't explain gender as a social institution any more than the jobs people have explain the economy as a social institution.
      Radical feminists like Catharine MacKinnon threw down a powerful challenge to liberal feminists, arguing that sex and gender are a worldwide system of domination of women by men through control of women's sexuality and procreative capacity. In the radical feminist view, the sex-gender system of women's oppression is deliberate, not accidental, and penetrates other social institutions - the family especially, and also the mass media and religion, which produce the justification for women's subordination. Radical feminists are particularly critical of such modern social-control agencies as law and the criminal-justice system because they allow men to rape, batter, prostitute, and sexually harass women with few legal restrictions.
      Marxist feminists like Heidi Hartmann and Michele Barrett also locate women's oppression in the structure of society. In contrast to the radical feminists' focus on sexuality. Marxist feminists focus on the gendered division of labor. They argue for the equal importance of gender and class oppression and analyze the ways in which two parallel institutions - the economy (capitalism) and the family (patriarchy) - structure women's lives. Marxist feminists argue that work in the marketplace and work in the home are inextricably intertwined structures and that both exploit women. Recent theories claim that patriarchy, the ideological dominance of women by men, is located both in the family and in the workplace.
      Psychoanalytical feminists, such as Nancy Chodorow, Luce Irigaray, Juliet Mitchell, and Gayle Rubin, building on the ideas of Freud, Lacan, and Levi-Strauss, have argued that gender is an idea of difference that emerges from family relationships, particularly mothering. In the feminists psychoanalytical perspective, gender is embedded in the unconscious and is manifest in sexuality, fantasies, language, and incest taboo. The focus is on sexuality as a powerful cultural and ideological force that oppresses women because it is inscribed in bodies and also in the unconscious.
      For radical, Marxist, and psychoanalytical feminists, patriarchy is a central concept, but each perspective conceptualizes it somewhat differently. For radical feminists, patriarchy is the central concept - the structure and process of men's misogynist domination of women through violent control of their sexuality and childbearing. For Marxist feminists, women's patriarchal domination by their husbands in the home goes hand in hand with their exploitation as workers in the capitalistic marketplace. For psychoanalytical feminists, patriarchy is the symbolic rule ofthe father through gendered sexuality and the unconscious.
      "Patriarchy" has been used so commonly by feminists of every perspective to stand for "what oppresses women" that it sometimes seems to be the theoretical equivalent of phlogiston - what causes fire to burn - before the discovery of oxygen. More than all men's individual actions, patriarchy is simultaneously the process, structure, and ideology of women's subordination. While different aspects of women's subordination are teased out and dissected, the connections among the parts are left to "patriarchy". More recently, some Marxist feminists have been developing a theory of women's subordination that connects psychological development, sexual dominance, production, procreation, child care, and ideology. They want to look at patriarchy in all aspects of society at once to see how each form of men's exploitation of women supports and reinforces the others.
      Lorber has chosen not to use the term "patriarchy" as an explanatory concept because of its overuse and slippery conceptualization, but she has quoted many passages that do discuss patriarchy as "what men do that subordinates or exploits women". Her focus is gender because this term badly needs precise definition and clearer conceptualization or it will go the way of patriarchy. Although she sees patriarchy, or men's subordination and exploitation of women, as the prominent feature of gender as a social institution in many societies, including late twentieth-century postindustrial countries, gender is not synonymous with patriarchy or men's domination of women. Gender is a more general term encompassing all social relations that separate people into differentiated gendered statuses. She argues that inequality of the statuses of women and men was a historical development and that, as feminist research from a racial ethnic perspective has shown, there are cross-cutting racial and class statuses within each gender status that bellie the universal pattern of men's domination and women's subordination implied by the concept of patriarchy.
      Feminists writing from a racial ethnic perspective, such as Patricia Hill Collins, have argued that it is incorrect to build research and feminist theory on a binary opposition of women and men when race and social class produce many categories of women and men that form hierarchal stratification system, race, class, and gender intersect to produce domination by upper-class white men and women and subordination of lower-class women and men of color.
      Such theorists in men's studies as R.W. Connell, using a concept of hegemonic masculinity - economically successful, racially superior, and visibly heterosexual - have similarly developed the idea of a multiplicity of masculinities. In particular, they have shown how the practices of power are layered and interwoven in a society and have argued that gender dominance and its ideological justification include men's subordination and denigration of other men as well as men's exploitation of women.
      Cultural feminists - Judith Butler, Donna Haraway, Jane Flax, and Marjorie Garber, for example - also challenge the concept of gender categories as dual and oppositional. Their theories are rooted in the French feminist critique of psychanalytic concepts of gendered sexuality and language. But where the French feminists' political stance has been to encourage women's sexuality and its evocation in literature, cultural feminists claim that sexuality and gender are shifting, fluid categories. By teasing out the interwined strands of the socially constructed body, self, desire, and symbolic representation, cultural feminists critique a feminist politics based solely on women as a subordinated status, presenting instead a more subversive view that undermines the solidity of a social order built on concepts of two sexes and two genders.
      The concept of gender as constructed was explored by American feminists in the 1970s, particularly Susan Kessler and Wendy McKenna. Building on Harold Garfinkel's ethnomethodological analysis of how "Agnes", a transsexual, constructed a conventional womanhood, Kessler and McKenna argued that gender and sex are socially constructed. Their important point, that there is neither an essential sex dichotomy nor an essential gender dichotomy, was absorbed into liberal feminism. But liberal feminism emphasized only the social construction of femininity and masculinity and their translation into family and work roles. The work on psychoanalysis and politics that the French feminists were doing in the 1970s was not translated into English until the 1980s. It is only now, in the 1990s, that a full-fledged analysis of gender as wholly constructed, symbolically loaded, and ideologically enforced is taking place in American feminism.
      Lorber uses theoretical ideas of all of these strands of feminism and draws on research on the social aspects of gender from anthropology, history, sociology, social psychology, sociolinguistics, men's studies, and culture studies. She has tried to fit these pieces together into a coherent picture of gender as a process of social construction, a system of social stratification, and an institution that structures every aspect of our lives because of its embeddedness in the family, the workplace, and the state, as well as in sexuality, language, and culture. Her intent, is not to valorize that institutionalization but to call its naturalness and inevitability into question. Her politics is that of feminist deconstructionism, and her aim is to challenge the validity, permanence, and necessity of gender. For that reason, she has not used the feminist "we", but refer to women in the third person. She agrees with Judith Butler that an inclusive, monolithic concept of "women" denies the multiplicity, complexity, and historical and geographical location of genders. The prime paradox of gender is that in order to dismantle the institution you must first make it very visible.

Hip Hop Music And Society

2011-11-12T21:38:00.000-08:00

      In 1992 the gang scene was out of control. 'Bangers confirm that the riots were more gang-related than anything. When the protesting of the verdict in the Rodney King beating, some 'bangers saw the looting on TV and in need of money, hurried to downtown's best stores before thieves stole everything.
      The right-wingers call it civil disobedience and attribute the looting to Black or Latino "criminals"; leftist magazines like The Source see it as political rebellion. Welcome to the life and reality of what hip hop music is based on.
      Now, most hip hop magazines tie artists to certain sets, and the gang and hip hop scene are married when the two should cancel each other out. Hip hop was partly created in the South Bronx. But gangs and hip hop become as tight as a wig and a bald head, and the hip hop industry, already changed by N.W.A.'s record breaking sales for Straight Outta Compton, 100 Miles and Running and Niggaz4life, lives under the oppressive shadow of a handful of gangsta rappers with meager skills, drug-addled worldviews and far reaching influence on American youth.
      Before N.W.A.'s Straight Outta Compton album, hip hop acts tried to steer youth in a more positive direction: Groups like Boogie Down Productions and Public Enemy told them to affect more natural hairstyles and to study their history; there were songs like "Stop The Violence", which urged kids to coexist in peace; and the hip hop party was a unifying event filled with real MCs and not "rappers". A real MC (mic controller) says what they feel from the heart; they don't exploit sex and violence: they'll deliver good punch lines, insults, similes and metaphors. A "rapper" is a jerk who sits and concocts bull that will hit the pop chart or radio and make them rich; a "rapper" is more concerned with creating a catchy hook instead of dropping true lyrics.
      Before N.W.A., we used to have more MCs and less rappers and all was right with the world. At these parties, white kids partied with Blacks and Latinos, straight partyers didn't bash gays, poor kids didn't rob their more affluent dance partners, urban youth didn't deride suburban, Jews didn't clash with Gentiles, and Korean grocers weren't demonized. Hip hop was seen as a form that would inspire political change; we all believed that hip hop performers breaking barriers on shows like American Bandstand and Soul Train, and hearing our music in commercials was merely the first step to running the old folks out of office and replacing them with our political representatives, the Chuck Ds, Rakims and KRS-Ones. Hip hop albums were selling in the millions, MTV was kissing the MCs' butts, a worldwide audience formed and the music was filled with nothing but hope. Hip hop would empower the inner-city; we didn't see its perversion into more "marketable" 'hood coming. We were going to be galvanized by art, not demonized.
      In our own way, we were as idealistic as the hippies of the sixties, and we truly believed that everything would be all right; we would listen to our music, learn our history and unite to become a political force to be reckoned with. And we were on our way to becoming that just as N.W.A. arrived to confirm the commercial viability of a strange new form of hip hop.
      For years everyone credited Ice-T or KRS-One of Boogie Down Productions (BDP) as the father of gangsta rap until KRS-One acceded that Schooly D's "P.S.K." single (about Philadelphia's Park Side Killers gang) hit the radio a second before BDP's Criminal Minded album.
      But, where Schooly D combined Run-DMC's prepackaged hardness with the explicitness of Slick Rick's "La-Di-Da-Di", KRS-One actually did produce the first true gangsta rap effort: instead of consciously fusing elements for effect, KRS-One's "9 MM Goes Bang" touched upon events that Kris Parker (KRS-One) actually grew up around, and it was a lot more chilling.
      From there, Ice-T abandoned his electropop roots and delivered his own Schooly D-like anthem, "6 In The Morning", which found an audience with those who were actually the victims of the LAPD's predawn drug raids. From there, Ice Cube wrote "Boyz -N- The Hood", another Schooly D-like work with Run-DMC influenced deliveries, that recontextualized the East Coast bad boy aesthetic for West Coast gangland. Cube couldn't convincingly write about attending jams in violent New York nightspots like the Latin Quarter or Union Square or about bombing the Bronx-bound 4 train with sharp boxcutters, so he touched upon his immediate environment, the gang-plagued neighborhoods, drug-related shoot-outs and oppressiveness of the LAPD. By addressing these themes, he made one of the most primitive and profane hip hop albums ever recorded stand as the perfect encapsulation of a period in L.A.'s troubled history. Most importantly they delivered a work that moved L.A. hip hop past its embarrassing embryonic phase. Before N.W.A., the West Coast hip hop scene was limited to exploitative Golan Globus films (Breakin' or Rappin'), "Planet Rock" knockoffs and bizarrely coiffed King Tut wannabes.
      New York had the hardest artists (LL Cool J, Run-DMC, BDP, Big Daddy Kane); the comedians (Biz Markie, UTFO, Slick Rick); the political theorists (Public Enemy and BDP); the lyrical virtuosos (Rakim, Kool G Rap, KRS-One, Kane and Chuck D); and the trend-setting producers (Marley Marl, DJ Mark, Scott La Rock and the Bomb Squad). But Straight Outta Compton changed that.
      By fusing the blue comedy of Redd Foxx, Dolemite and Richard Pryor to the urban grittiness of Iceberg Slim, then injected the social relevancy of Public Enemy and BDP, five bored Compton teenagers were able to go from attending concerts by visiting New York groups Run-DMC and LL Cool J, to realizing their dreams of hip hop stardom.
      N.W.A figured that injecting gang-related topics, slang and fashion into their act would guarantee a built in audience with the thousands of gang members infiltrating L.A., and they were right. But their album also struck a cord with white audiences bored with Run-DMC's tame heavy metal-styled anthems. With harder music and homicidal attitudes, as well as hard core fashion sense, which they later admitted to stealing from Run-DMC, N.W.A became the band to beat and promoted the gangbanger idealogy.
      Just as hip hop's more positive acts were trying to steer the audience into nationalism, unity and political awareness, N.W.A.'s nihilism was to set to more appealing music. The "positive" acts were viewed as anachronisms by a hyperprogressive audience and discarded while the one-dimensional gangstas signed six-figure album deals and dragged hip hop far away from its roots.
      Gun homicides had been the leading cause of death for black teens, and while the mere presence of gangsta rap was not the sole cause of increasing murder rates, the casual attitudes that gangsta rappers exhibited while discussing Black on Black murder somehow made homicide acceptable. The music equated guns with masculinity, depicted them as "problem solvers" and stressed that, since other kids probably owned guns of their own, shouldn't we all have them?
      Although firearm homicide is still the number one cause of death for Black males aged fifteen to thirty-four, and te number two cause of death for all fifteen to twenty-four year olds, a new handgun is still produced every twenty seconds. Those gun owners who religiously follow gangsta rap will have no problems about shooting. This is the only controversy surrounding gangsta rap - this, and whether these rappers deserve to have record deals; because rap can be a "Black CNN" and a "voice of the disenfranchised diaspora", but first and foremost, it's a form of entertainment. If gangsta rappers have to rely on this shock-value crap for attention, then maybe they don't have any talent and the status of their record deals should be reevaluated.
      Instead of urging listeners to "fight the power" or improve their community, as BDP and Public Enemy had done, gangsta rap told listeners to direct their anger against their own kind. And soon, as they had done when the nationalists topped the sales charts, the audience began to listen. Whereas Public Enemy and BDP helped wean youth off the addictive habits of gold jewelry, self-hate and straightened hair, gangsta rap influenced youth to buy guns and adopt a paranoid victim's worldview.
      While the mainstream media haggled over censorship issues surrounding the music, the gangsta rappers began translating their onwax fantasies into full-scale reality. Many were soon entangled in legal problems and shootouts, and their listeners grew further entranced. Soon, the listener-young, lacking role models or authority figures, and somewhat bored with life - would accept the gangsta rapper's lyrics as gospel.
      What's most shameful is the East Coast reaction to the string of platinum albums streaming from the West Coast. At first, certain East Coast artists denounced gangsta rap's regressive attitudes, and tried to counteract them with positive, socially conscious albums; but when these albums failed to match the million-plus sales of a Too $hort or a DJ Quick, they rethought their philanthropy and began injecting gangsta elements into their verse.
      Another extreme East Coast reaction came from artists like Tim Dog, who tried building careers around attacking West Coast rap with the same style and attitude. By substituting South Bronx housing projects for Compton 'hoods and describing the very same scenarios, artists like Tim hoped to ganner platinum sales. The apotheosis arrived when Kool G Rap, once known for lyrical intricacy, enlisted Ice Cube's producers and simplified his styhle, hoping to produce a platinum-selling worlk, and when the group Onyx fashioned their own gangsta rap persona and tried to popularize a new subgenre called "horror-core". Horror-core was to hip hop what death metal is to Brahms or Mozart. Now the East Coast hip hop scene is rife with death-obsessed groups like the Gravediggers and the Flatlinerz, with the drug culture chic of artists like the late Notorious B.I.G. and Fat Joe, with trigger-happy acts like Smiff -N- Wessun and M.O.P. and with Snoop Dogg impersonators of every shape and size.
      With New York groups incorporating gangsta elements, the West Coast continuing to generate million-dollar sales and the Midwest sounding like N.W.A. circa 1988, the formerly marginal strains of gangsta rap, now set to ParliaFunkadelicized grooves, have come to define hip hop as a whole. And it's fast on its way to casting its shadow - projecting the artists' drug abuse, misogyny and self-hate - over this generation.
      That gangsta rap has grown so large may explain why white kids now affect gangbanger fashions and attitudes in Little Rock, Arkansas; it may shed light on why murder figures are rising in low-income areas; antisociality is now the norm, and the gun, and not meditation, is the primary arbiter of social conflict.
      Some people say this is Generation X, and for some white folks subsisting on fast-food paychecks, it may be; but for the majority of Americans - of all colors, income brackets, races and creeds - this is the age of The Gangsta. Simply glance at the murders reported in your newspaper's local section and you'll see how the drive-bys and jackings mentioned by N.W.A. years ago have become a full-scale reality, to the point where these quaint slang terms have now been incorporated into the English language.
      Almost every state in the union has a Crip or Blood or Crip/Blood-styled gang wreaking havoc, and some of the gangs are white and Asian. Children have lost respect for authority figures; fatalism informs their minds and they express themselves through violent acts. So many kids - well-read and smarter than you'd imagine - have adopted the gangsta mentality as a rule for living: "Do or Die". Law enforcement agencies can buy more vests, build more prisons and rework the Constitution all they want, but no steel-versus-steel approach, gun-control law or "Three-time Loser" crime bill will change the opinions of this damaged generation.
      Until record companies realize that this music is directly impacting the quality of American life, and stop quoting "Constitutional free speech" bull simply to protect their financial concerns - and when they stop signing violent groups and promote positive acts - only then will gangsta rap, marketed from its inception as "street reality", release the stranglehold it has on the national psyche. Because it's not only this generation being affected. Once you see your dyslexic ten-year old nephew misspelling words and having trouble reading, but effortlessly quoting Snoop Dogg's verse from "Ain't Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang", you may come to have a better understanding of how gangsta rap is transforming the American character and culture.

Guy And Madeline On A Park Bench Review

2011-11-08T08:18:00.000-08:00

Directed by Damien Chazelle

In the middle of a conversation at a crowded party, a ponytailed hepcat suddenly bursts into song. Accompanied by a jazz band and cheered on by her friends, he tap-dances with an initially indifferent female partner until turning the floor over to a trumpet player in the enjoining room, the entire musical number covered in one long sinuous shot. This terrific sequence arrives toward the beginning of Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench, a first-time film from Damien Chazelle that sadly thereafter - in what feels like an interminable decline - belies the promise of its sole highlight's unexpected magic. Whereas there Chazelle perfectly weds the grainy, black -and- white look of bohemian cool with the topnotch choreography and infectious joy of an old Hollywood musical, the rest of G&M simply meanders. A wisp of a story involves the titular couple - the former (Jason Palmer) the aforementioned trumpeter and the latter (Desiree Garcia) a down -and- out waitress - who break up, pine for each other while with unsatisfying new mates, and then reunite at film's end. Their personalities are drab and their talents questionable: Palmer knocks out some fine jazz, actually, but Garcia's singing voice is reedy and weak, her negligible presence a huge liability throughout a series of agonizingly aimless encounters. Like so many low-low-budget mediocrities, G&M mistakes visual and narrative slackness for "authenticity", and combined with an ineptly contrived take on New Wave genre-play, that spells death. A musical in which characters express their feelings through song can't work if those characters are complete non-entities, and can't sing to boot.

The 50 Best Blocks in Brooklyn: So Much Borough, So Little Time

2011-11-08T07:50:00.000-08:00

1. Best Block For Groceries
Atlantic Ave. between Court and Clinton Streets, Cobble Hill. All world market Sahadi and wonderful bakery Damascus (nearly side by side) would already count for the win, but this block also has a Trader Joe's, a Key Food, and the Green Pea Grocery.

2. Best Block For Date Night
Water Street between Main and Old Dock Streets, DUMBO. Highbrow culture at St. Ann's Warehouse or Galapagos Art Space; drinks before dinner or after at Water Streeet Restaurant; and fancy ass dessert at Jacques Torres (closes at 9pm on weekends). Top off the night with a stroll through Brooklyn Bridge Park for that Woody Allen moment...

3. Best Block For Cheap Eats
Bedford Ave. between N. 7th and N. 8th Streets, Williamsburg. Drunk people need food, too: Bahn mi, pizza, Cajun, old-school delicatessen...L to Bedford, turn right.

4. Best Block For Drinking
Bedford Ave. between S. 2nd and S. 1st Streets, Williamsburg. Breakfast cocktails at Supercore or Dumont Burger, lunchtime craft beers at Lucky Dog, early bird happy hour at Thai joint Khao Sarn, booze specials at liquor store Bottle Shoppe and nightcap forties from the Espinal bodega. You really never have to leave the block.

5. Best Block For Dive Bars
Metropolitan Ave. between Union and Lorimer, Williamsburg. This one was tougher than you might think. Obviously, Brooklyn is filled with hundreds of wonderful dive bars, but not many of them are on the same block: except the Subway Bar and Jr. and Son - god love them both.

6. Best Block For Classy Bars
Does an intersection count as a block? Yes, it does. The three corners of Berry and North 9th Streets (Williamsburg) offer Hotel Delmano's borough topping cocktails, Cafe Colette's ease with the pastis, and unsung bistro Miranda's great wine list.

7. Best Block For Coffee
Berry Street between N. 5th and N. 6th Streets, Williamsburg. Yeah, Stumptown, I know...But Blue Bottle Coffee roasts its own, right there on the block. And it's really effing good.

8. Best Block For Old Media
N. 10th Street between Berry and Wythe, Williamsburg. Inventors of Williamsburg, VICE, came all the way from the Bifteck to hang out on the Northside. Good for them.

9. Best Block For Low Brow Entertainment
The Boardwalk between Stillwell and 10th Sttreets, Coney Island. Shoot the Freak, Ruby's and Cha Cha's, two amusement parks, and a handful of places to buy greasy fries and Budweiser. You're welcome.

10. Best Block For Vice
N. 4th Street between Bedford and Driggs Aves., Williamsburg. Ok, Williamsburg is clean and shiny now, but every now and then you can still spot a hooker at the corner of Driggs and N. 4th, where they used to work by the half dozen, waiting for truckers coming off the BQE heading down to the river to park. Oh, and there's also a tattoo parlor, two bars and cheese shop (gluttony!).

11. Best Block For Virtue
Fourth Ave between 80th and 81st Streets, Bay Ridge. Whether your God is a Christian God or Jewish God, he's watching you on this block...

12. Best Block For Stoop Life
Sterling Place, Prospect Heights. This could obviously have been a hundred other blocks, but in 2008, when cops tried to ticket Kimber VanRy for drinking a beer on his stoop, he just wasn't having it. And so this brave defense of stoop rights earns Sterling Place the title.

13. Best Block For Gardens
Vanderveer Place between Flatbush and 23rd Street, Flatbush. Not going to argue with the Brooklyn Botanical Garden people, here. Pretty block.

14. Best Secret Block
Colonial Court, off Harbor View Terrace, Bay Ridge. Colonial Court is a tiny dead end side street off a side street in Bay Ridge. The rich live there.

15. Best Block For Street Festivals
Smith Street between Bergen and Dean Streets, Cobble Hill. This might piss off borough traditionalists of the Italian persuasion, but the annual Bastille Day party (brought to you largely by Bar Tabac, at the corner of Dean) is the most fun had by French people anywhere, ever,

16. Best Block For Celebrity Sightings
Front Street between Jay Street and the Manhattan Bridge, DUMBO. Jason Schwartzman, Cynthia Nixon, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Spike Lee, Alexis Bledel, the entire cast of Gossip Girl, Paul Dano, Michael Pitt...These are just a few people that have been recently spotted.

17. Best Block For Historical Significance
Montague Terrace between Remsen and Pierrepont Streets, Brooklyn Heights. It was here, way back in 1776 at the "Battle" of Brooklyn, that George Washington staged the evacuation of his army to Manhattan, allowing it to survive for another day, insuring that we'd one day drive on the right side of the road.

18. Best Block For Iconic Brownstones
Garfield Place between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, Park Slope. Yeah, there's a dozen of these that could work, but only one with a fully pink brownstone...Oh Yeah.

19. Best Block For Ugly Condos
Fourth Ave between 4th and 5th Streets, Park Slope. This one was really tough, but seriously, the Novo (which takes up the whole block) is ugly enough on its own, but the other side of the street is even worse: storage, auto mechanic. cheap condo style Hotel Bleu...It looks like a service road south of Cancun.

20. Best Block For Vintage Shopping
Grand Street between Bedford and Driggs Aves, Williamsburg. Unlike Manhattan, vintage has yet to cluster on particular blocks, but for now, Fille de Joie and Life: Curated do a pretty good job (and just a block over you have Franny and Roey). Also, see below...

21. Best Block For High-end Fashion
Grand Street between Kent Ave and Havemeyer Street, Williamsburg. Ok, you caught me, I'm cheating this one time, but from the APC and Paul Smith outlets to great Brooklyn indie boutiques like Bird, Sodafine and Love Brigade, this is where you buy your clothes in Brooklyn.

22. Best Block For Gallery-Hopping
Washington Street between Water and Plymouth Streets, DUMBO. See large-scale projects by established artists and new works by emerging locals skipping between Smack Mellon's massive refurbished boiler house space, the Dumbo Arts Center's expansive loft and Rabbithole Studio's raw basement gallery.

23. Best Block For Wild Parties
Morgan Ave between Maujer and Scholes Streets. 3rd Ward, House of Yes, Rubulad: trapeze artists and homemade absinthe do, in fact, mix.

24. Best Block For People-watching
Fulton Street and Lafayette Avenues, Fort Greene. This triangle at Lafayette and Fulton is a cross section of Brooklyn's most diverse neighborhood - lifers, the creative class, brownstoner parents, roving packs of Brooklyn Tech and Pratt kids - thanks to the confluence of bars, restaurants, residences, retail and cultural institutions along Fort Greene's busiest strips.

25. Best Block For Sidewalk Sales
Lafayette Avenue between Vanderbilt and Clermont Aves, Fort Greene. Yeah, duh, the Brooklyn Flea on Saturdays is pretty much the best "sidewalk sale" in the country, plus the spillover stoop sales all around it.

26. Best Block For Street Art
Meserole Street between Waterbury and Bogart Streets, Bushwick. This whole rather desolate section of Bushwick sports walls filled with tags and graffiti, but what really sets this block apart is a series of murals by street art stars like Gaia, PaperGirl and Clown Soldier near the corner of Waterbury, all watched over by the ROBOTS crew's "Brooklyn Griffin" sculpture peering down from the roof of the building across the street.

27. Best Block For Wildlife
Shore Parkway between Bay 44th and Bay 56th Streets, Gravesend. This big-ass block is otherwise known as Calvert Vaux Park, a south Brooklyn shoreline destination for the borough's birders.

28. Best Block That's Not Actually in Brooklyn
The beach at Fort Tilden. Murray Hill is to Southampton as Bushwick is to Fort Tilden.

29. Best Block For Pretending it's the 1870s
Argyle Road between Beverley and Cortelyou Roads, Ditmas Park. Unless you can think of a more representative Ditmas Park block filled with pristine Victorian Homes...

30. Best Block For Pretending it's the 1930s
"Little" Street at the corner of Evans Street. Tucked between the outskirts of Vinegar Hill and the Navy Yard, behind wrought-iron gates, sits the Commandant's Mansion. The driveway is filled with vintage cars from the 30s and 40s and Don Corleone could walk out at any minute.

31. Best Block For Pretending it's the 1970s
Clinton Ave between Park and Flushing Aves, Brooklyn Navy Yard. Sandwiched between the still mostly inactive Brooklyn Navy Yard and the elevated portion of the BQE that separates this odd quasi-neighborhood from Clinton Hill, this strip features all your staples of derelict 70s New York streetscapes: overgrown dirt lots, a construction vehicle scrapyard, a cluster of auto-shops, a self-storage facility, and a big warehouse labeled "Bangkok Market".

32.Best Block For Books
Bedford Avenue between N. 6th and N. 7th Streets, Williamsburg. The first L stop has overtaken the NYU Library as the go-to spot for used-book vendors- and to fit in to the neighborhood, they've augmented the Penguin and Vintage paperback favorites with thumbed-through theory and weathered art books.

33. Best Block For Live Music
The City Block Encompassed by Kent, S. 1st and S. 2nd Streets, Williamsburg. Death By Audio on S. 2nd, Glasslands on Kent, Live at the Pyramids on S. 1st. Boom, all you need.

34. Best Block For Records
The City Block Encompassed By Manhattan, Green, Huron and Franklin, Greenpoint. On one side you got Permanent Records and on the other, The Thing. Worth the very short walk.

35. Best All-Purpose Block
North 6th between Berry and Wythe, Williamsburg. Pan-Asian, French or Polish food, live music, toys, records, underwear, American Apparel, furniture, computer help, one-stop grocery shopping...and bars to relax in.

36. Best Block For Home Furnishings
Wythe Ave between S. 1st and Grand Streets, Williamsburg. Williamsburg's furniture row: Cosmos, Two Jakes, and Jon Howell Antiques (Moonriver Chattel, Portmanteau and the Golden Calf are also just a block away).

37. Best Block for Halloween Decorations
Humboldt Street between Nassau and Driggs Aves, Greenpoint. Every year, like witchcraft, Greenpoint's most ghoulish Halloween display emerges from the earth in front of 648 Humboldt - Hannibal Lecter, Jason, Frankenstein, Uncle Fester and dozens more are currently on hand - infecting neighbors up and down the block with an uncontrollable thirst for similarly sinister installations.

38. Best Block For Trick -or- Treating
See above. So scary.

39. Best Block for New Media
Main Street between Water and Front Streets, DUMBO. Realtors recently re-dubbed DUMBO "Silicon Beach". Seriously. A sampling of new social networking locative buzzword emergent media companies operating in this block's behemoth office building: Digital Gravel, Fusia Communications, Red Herring Design, Lost Boys International, FreeAssociation, Domani Studios, Freeserver, Big Spaceship, The Joey Company, and so on. Also, The L, keeping it real for old media!

40. Best Block Currently Closed for Atlantic Yards Construction
Pacific Street between Fifth and Sixth Aves, Prospect Heights. It's been somewhat sparse for years, but the buildings dotting this AY-adjacent block are/were of an unusually high architectural pedigree, from the elegant brick Spalding Building at the corner of Sixth Avenue and the historical firehouse next door, to the ornate Atlantic Arts Building nearer to Fifth Avenue, all of which are coming down behind closed gates.

41. Best Block For Highbrow Entertainment
Lafayette between Rockland and Ashland Streets, Fort Greene. You want highbrow Brooklyn entertainment? BAM and Mark Morris. BAM!

42. Best Block to Make You Feel Like You're Strolling by a Parisian Cemetery
23rd Street between Sixth and Seventh Aves. If you squint your eyes you can see all the way to Jim Morrison's grave. Green-Wood, our underrated treasure.

43. Best Block to Make You Feel Like You're Entering Hell
Central Avenue between Moffat and Knollwood Cemetery, Bushwick. That underpass is scary as hell. Sorry, Hell.

44. Best Block for Righting History's Wrongs
Malcolm X Boulevard between Monroe and Madison Streets. See who got the boulevard? (Slaveowners only warrant streets in this town.)

45. Best Block for Urban Detrital Discoveries (by day), Lynchian Encounters with the Unheimlich (by evening), and Profound Malaise Bordering on Fear (by night)
Meserole between Bushwick Ave and Morgan Ave. This one wrote itself.

The last 5, are the Five Best Brooklyn Blocks to Live On

46. Verandah Place between Clinton and Henry Streets
Whenever I pass by the tiny Ted and Honey and see the happy people outside enjoying a drink or relaxing in the park or meandering down the lane-like Verandah Place, I wonder, "Who are they, and how did they get here?" And then I am jealous.

47. Oak Street between Guernsey and Calyer, Greenpoint.
This quiet little street does a cute little bend, and the house on that bend is totally amazing. I want to live there. (Also, it's just a block away from all the action on Franklin Street.)

48. Columbia Heights between Pierrepont and Clark, Brooklyn Heights
Hard to argue with the views from the western side of the heightiest of Brooklyn Heights streets. Seriously, how do these people get anything done?

49. Argyle Road between Church and Abermarle, Ditmas Park
I asked earlier if you could name a better example of Ditmas Park Victoriana, and this block might qualify. Doesn't hurt that it's so close to the park, does it?

50. Fillmore Place between Driggs and Roebling Aves, Williamsburg
All of Williamsburg at your doorstep, while living on a pretty, quiet, non-through street.

November Sample Sales in NYC

2011-11-08T06:17:00.000-08:00

Just in time to gear up for the holidays! Happy shopping!

What: Miha
Why: Up to 85 percent off holiday-ready beaded tops, fur vests, and lace and tulle dresses.
When: Today & Wed., 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Where: 330 W. 38th St., b/t Eighth & Ninth Aves., ste. 1202.

What: Shoshanna
Why: Up to 75 percent off ladylike dresses, swimwear, and separates.
When: Wed., 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; Thurs., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Where: 231 W. 39th St., b/t Seventh & Eighth Aves., ste. 422.

What: Tracy Reese, Plenty by Tracy Reese, and Frock
Why: Collection dresses ($150, reg. $388) and fitted jackets ($165, reg. $428) and Plenty by Tracy Reese party frocks ($99, reg. $398).
When: Wed. & Thurs., 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
Where: 260 W. 39th St., b/t Seventh & Eighth Aves., 11th flr.

What: Tibi
Why: Up to 70 percent off crepe jackets, lace frocks, and V-neck dresses.
When: Wed., noon-7 p.m.; Thurs., 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Fri., 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Where: 348 W. 36th St., b/t Eighth & Ninth Aves.

What: Stetson
Why: Cowboy boots, caps, and dress and felt Western hats at up to 75 percent off.
When: Thurs. & Fri., 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Where: 263 W. 38th St., b/t Seventh & Eighth Aves., 10th flr. Cash only.

What: Staff USA
Why: Dsquared2, MM6 Maison Martin Margiela, and Viktor & Rolf shirts, pants, and skirts for $100-$400. Jackets for $300-$1,000, and accessories and shoes for $100-$500.
When: Thurs., 1-7 p.m.; Fri., 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat., noon-5 p.m.
Where: Staff USA Showroom, 220 W. 19th St., b/t Seventh & Eighth Aves., 12th flr.

What: Giuseppe Zanotti
Why: Up to 80 percent off heels, flats, handbags, bridal shoes, and a limited selection of Giuseppe for Balmain.
When: Nov. 15 & 16. Tues. & Wed., 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
Where: 381 Fifth Ave., b/t 35th & 36th Sts., 2nd flr., ste. 3.

What: Max Mara
Why: Fall and winter coats, sportswear, and accessories at up to 70 percent off.
When: Nov. 15 & 16. Tues. & Wed., 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Where: 381 Fifth Ave., b/t 35th & 36th Sts., 2nd flr., ste. 2a.

What: Lauren Moffatt
Why: The indie darling’s fall goods are 70 percent off, with silk print skirts for $90, wool hooded coats for $160, and silk dresses for $120.
When: Nov. 15 & 16. Tues., 8 a.m.-7 p.m.; Wed., 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
Where: 214 W. 29th St., b/t Seventh & Eighth Aves., ste. 1503. Cash only for purchases under $250.

What: Thread Social
Why: Party and work dresses start at $50, plus skirts of all lengths, knit tops, and coat dresses at up to 70 percent off.
When: Nov. 15 & 16. Tues. & Wed., 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
Where: 26 W. 17th St., b/t Fifth & Sixth Aves., ste. 301.

What: White + Warren
Why: Cashmere wraps and basics for days at up to 65 percent off.
When: Nov. 15 & 16. Tues. & Wed., 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
Where: 80 W. 40th St., b/t Fifth & Sixth Aves., 3rd flr.

What: Inhabit
When: Women’s and men’s cashmere pieces start at $80; cotton basics at $50.
When: Nov. 16 & 17. Wed. & Thurs., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Where: 320 W. 37th St., b/t Eighth & Ninth Aves., 14th flr.

What: Vivienne Tam
Why: Original vintage samples and fall collection pieces are up to 75 percent off.
When: Nov. 16-18. Wed., 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Thurs., 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Fri., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Where: 260 W. 39th St., b/t Seventh & Eighth Aves., 11th flr.

What: Ali Ro
Why: Up to 65 percent off jackets and dresses for flirts.
When: Nov. 16-18. Wed., noon-5:30 p.m.; Thurs., 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Fri., 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Where: 530 Seventh Ave., b/t 38th & 39th Sts., 14th flr. Cash only.

What: Rebecca Minkoff
Why: Cross-body bags ($178, reg. $295), quilted satchels ($272, reg. $495), silk bustier dresses ($190, reg. $350), cutout wedges ($200, reg. $375), and cheetah-print pouches ($40, reg. $75).
When: Nov. 16-20. Wed.-Sat., 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: 14 W. 14th St., b/t Fifth & Sixth Aves.

What: M.Patmos and Leroy & Perry
Why: Up to 70 percent off cashmere, luxe knits, and accessories from M.Patmos. Leroy & Perry ecofriendly cardigans ($150, reg. $450), tops ($85, reg. $350), and ponchos ($65, reg. $300).
When: Nov. 17-19. Thurs. & Fri., 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Where: 425 W. 13th St., b/t Ninth Ave. & Washington St., ste. 406.

What: Steven Alan
Why: Sweaters ($99, reg. $248), dresses ($129, reg. $325), tops ($68, reg. $168), and men’s button-downs ($78, reg. $178).
When: Nov. 17-20. Thurs. & Fri., 8:30 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sat., 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: 87 Franklin St., b/t Broadway & Church St.

What: Frette
Why: Top-of-the-line bed and duvet sets ($399, reg. $1,995), hotel collection linens ($299, reg. $1,450), and bath goods starting at $15.
When: Nov. 27-Dec. 1. Sun.-Wed., 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; Thurs., 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: Soiffer Haskin, 317 W. 33rd St., b/t Eighth & Ninth Aves.

What: Be&D
Why: Current-season bags, shoes, and accessories are up to 80 percent off.
When: Nov. 29-Dec. 1. Tues.-Thurs., 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
Where: 260 W. 36th St., b/t Seventh & Eighth Aves., 8th flr.

Auster's Brooklyn: From Cobble Hill to Park Slopr to Sunset Park

2011-11-05T20:42:00.000-07:00

      Long associated with Brooklyn, Paul Auster named his latest novel after the neighborhood in which it's set, Sunset Park, which is just south of Park Slope, where Auster has lived for the last quarter-century. Among other things, the book concerns a group of twentysomething squatters struggling to get their lives together during the present Great Recession. I recently talked to Auster about his favorite New York church, how Brooklyn affects his prose, and why he prefers to live near the park rather than in Cobble Hill.
      I started off by asking him if he spent a lot of time in Sunset Park before he got the idea for the book, and his reply was that a lot of time would be an exaggeration, but he had been there a lot over the years. In fact, when he was directing a film back in the late 90s, Lulu on the Bridge, they shot in Sunset Park for quite a while. So he got familiar with the neighborhoods back then. He did his research for the story by walking around a lot, sniffing around. He has some friends that live there, who are mostly young that took him around, showing him the spots. He was fascinated by much of it. The enormous cathedral, called Our Lady of Perpetual Help, he says has one of the greatest names in the city. The Chinatown is extraordinary and doesn't think many people know about it. Of course he makes mention of Green-Wood Cemetary, which is one of the most beautiful spots in New York and very few people seem to know about it. What appeals to him about the cemetary, is its enormous size. When you think that there are 600,000 people buried there, it really does give you pause. It's immense; it's this gigantic necropolis, more than half the size of Central Park.

      Now that the book is finished, I asked him if he's gone back to Sunset Park at all. He went back there a few weeks ago, because he was doing an interview with NPR, and they like to go to the places they do the interviews, even though you can't see where you are. But he guesses they like the sounds. And one of the things they did was visit the street where he'd found the house he used as his model for where his characters were living. He knew in advance that it had been demolished some months ago, but going there and seeing that vacant lot was a shock for him, even though he was prepared. When he stumbled across the house, it was a boarded up place, exactly how he describes it in the book, a wooden shack looking like something tossed off the Midwestern prairie and plunked down in New York. He never got in, because it was boarded up. However, he did take some photographs of it and used them as he was writing the book.

      When I read the book, I got the idea he used Sunset Park as a symbol of the country as a whole, a country in transition but also a country in ruin. He told me that I was free to interpret that way. Auster doesn't know if Sunset Park is symbolic so much as one many places around the country, but it's the kind of neighborhood where it would be possible for young people to do what his characters were doing. If you were in a fancy neighborhood, it wouldn't be possible.

      He resides in Park Slope, and has lived there for a long, long time. When he first came to Brooklyn, more than 30 years ago, he lived in Carroll Gardens, which was all Italian then. After some years, he moved a little closer to Brooklyn Heights, into Cobble Hill. He was there for about five years, and then came to Park Slope, about twenty-five years ago. What brought him to Park Slope, was his wife and he were renting a place in cobble Hill, and they lost it because it was the top two floors of a brownstone, lived in by the owner, who occupied the bottom two floors. He had always told them from the very beginning that one day he wanted to take over the whole place. And so that day came and they had to leave, just at the moment his wife was pregnant with their daughter. So they had to scramble to find something, and they found an affordable apartment in Park Slope and moved over there. What makes them stay, is that it's a little more lively than Cobble Hill or Carroll Gardens. There is also the park, which is a great advantage. He's alsways felt that Park Slope was like a miniature Upper West Side, because it has that kind of bustle and density to it.

      When asked if living in Brooklyn affects his work, he replies "No, not at all. I've lived in so many places over the years, in all kinds of rooms, all kinds of apartments and houses." The work is really "the notebook", the world is in that. The notebook is open on your lap, it's open on a desk, it's all the same thing. He doesn't think where he works affects how he works at all. He mentions some of his favorite spots in Park Slope, which include two bookstores. That's all they have left. They used to have more. Right now, they have the Barnes and Noble that has been there for years, and the then the Community Bookstore, which is an essential part of the neighborhood. All he knows is that they're hanging on by the skin of their teeth. But they're still there and he doesn't think they're going to go out of business because he believes they have many loyal customers who prefer to shop there that know how important it is to keep an independent store there. He used to like to go to Snooky's, which is now gone. There were a lot of old people, the real old - time Park Slope drunks that used to hang out there. He always had a fondness for that place. For a number of years, there was this terrfic little restaurant called the Second Street Cafe. He used to go there for lunch often, and that too has closed down. So it's a bit sad that places are disappearing...

Phonte's "Charity Starts At Home" Review

2011-10-09T09:57:00.000-07:00

“Yes Phontigga spit, amazon flame watch 9th re-Kindle it, cause i-Pad verses with the wisdom of my innocence lost" -Phonte

That right there pretty much sums up the genius of Phonte’s bars and there is much more that Charity Starts At Home has to offer. When Phonte goes over a 9th Wonder beat, magical things happen. If you are a fan of Little Brother, you already know how this goes. Let’s talk about Phonte, the solo emcee, though and another one of the best albums of 2011!

“Dance in the Reign” sets off the vibe of the album right away. Phonte’s delivery is flawless. The beat...the beat. Right from the jump this album establishes that North Carolina feeling that we’ve come to know and love. Yep, not New York, not California...that NORTH CAROLINA feeling! “The Good Fight” continues the vibe. This is a song that’s relatable to a lot of people now. “How the f*ck you sell out, when ain’t nobody sellin’?” It’s a real song, dealing with real people problems and told as a witty story by Phonte, the great. “Everything is Falling Down” continues that vibe. I know when I have a hard day, this is going to be the album that I go too to get myself back together again.

“Not Here Anymore” is just a beautiful song where Phonte drops the line that I opened this review with. The hook is sung by Phonte, showing those that may not know, his versatile talent. I must admit, when I heard Phonte was dropping his solo project, I was worried I’d hear more singing than rapping. Especially since he does both extremely well. He gave me a very good balance with this album though and I’m pleased. Oh, and Elzhi is on the track. Can you really go wrong with that?

“Eternally” features Median and as far as features go, this is my favorite on the album. I love the back and forth flow between Phonte and Median on this track. This is the kind of stuff I was hoping Jay-Z and Kanye West were going to bring to Watch the Throne, but didn’t.

“Sendin My Love” is a song that I think will appeal to all the old lovers out there. It’s a true story. The married people’s jam. “Ni**a be strong!” I love the production on this one by Stro Elliot. Now, this track goes right into “Ball and Chain,” a stand out single off of this album. This one made me want to kick my dogs because it’s so good. I even got a spoiler before hearing it and it still knocked my socks off. When I talk about a perfect balance of singing and rapping, this song drives that point home. The perfect fusion of the two to make an incredible jam. This is my favorite track off the album.

“Too Be Yours” is a nice transition into “Gonna Be a Beautiful Night,” which is also another track that makes me say DAAAMMMMNNNNN. This album is definitely going to appeal to the female population. This track belongs on all slow jam playlists from here on out. Make sure it’s on there!

“We Go Off” brings us back to the raw hip hop. The production by Fatin makes my neck sore. Head bobbing in full effect. Pharoahe Monch is a nice addition to the song, too. This song makes me want to slap someone. It goes hard...“Macro-hard, never Micro-soft!” Next up “Life of Kings” produced by 9th Wonder and features two other emcees by the name of Evidence and Big K.R.I.T. I'm a big fan of Evidence and not so much of K.R.I.T., but all three of them together seems to work over 9th beat.

Every great album must come to an end. Phonte ends it with “Who Loves You More,” another head bobber for me. A great song to vibe yourself out of the album too. If that makes any sense.

My only complaint about this album...too short. I could have rocked to 20 tracks by Phonte, but at the end of the day, I am more than pleased with this project. Why didn’t I give it a 5? I’m just a rugged hip hop chic and I wanted more! Sorry 'Te, I'm greedy with your music. Don’t get me wrong, I'm still lovin' it! LB reference for those who missed it...

No NBA, No Problem

2011-10-07T16:56:00.000-07:00

As much as it pains me to write about not having a NBA Season this winter, economically it may not be so awful. It wouldn't be a disaster for local economies is all I'm saying. Let me explain...

After another fruitless round of talks between the players and owners, it looks like the start of the NBA season—if not the whole thing—will soon be wiped out. It's not only hoops fans who are anxious at the prospect of a lost season. By all accounts, cities with NBA franchises have also been cringing in terror. With the start of the season a month away, we've already seen predictions of a "devastating" impact on Charlotte, N.C., businesses, a $55 million loss to the city of Indianapolis, and certain disaster for sports bars in Portland, Ore.

This kind of reporting is a staple of sports work stoppages, and it's easy to see why. Idle turnstiles and shuttered souvenir stands are obvious indicators of lost economic activity, and an easy visual symbol of the impact of the sports world’s regular strikes and lockouts. The problem with these stories is that there’s no evidence to support any of their claims. The lost city revenues, the devastation for local businesses—none of it ever happens.

"There is no way the NBA lockout will have any significant economic consequences," says the University of Alberta’s Brad Humphreys, an economist who has studied the effects of sports work stoppages. Humphreys' most in-depth investigation came in 2001, when he and Dennis Coates of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County set out to determine the effects of the lockout that wiped out the first half of the 1998-99 NBA season. Since economic data weren't yet available for those years, Humphreys and Coates instead focused on five previous MLB and NFL work stoppages, starting with the mass holdout over baseball's pension plan that briefly disrupted spring training in 1969 and running through the strike that wiped out the last two months of the 1994 MLB season and that year's World Series.

The economists looked at per-capita income data from metropolitan areas that were home to striking (or locked out) sports teams. They found that even when ticket sales stopped, average income in a city didn't change. At all. "Work stoppages in baseball and football have never had significant impacts on local economies," they wrote. As icing on the cake, they looked at NBA cities that had lost their teams and found the same thing: bupkis. "The departure of a franchise in any sport, particularly in basketball, has never significantly lowered real per capita personal income in a metropolitan area,” Humphreys and Coates wrote.

Still, some critics objected. Humphreys and Coates, they noted, had looked for changes in year-long income data as a result of strikes that in some cases lasted only a couple of weeks—the equivalent of trying to hear a whisper at a My Bloody Valentine show.

So, five years later, Robert Baade, Robert Baumann, and Victor Matheson tried a different tack. That trio of economists zeroed in on the state of Florida, looking at how sales tax receipts changed during every MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL labor stoppage since 1982. Baade, a Lake Forest College professor who's spent the better part of three decades studying the impact of pro sports teams, explains that they picked Florida because it reports sales tax data on a monthly basis. "You're really looking for a needle in a haystack," he says of trying to divine economic effects on a whole city from a single sports team's absence. "But if you're looking at something like tax revenues, you're reducing the size of the haystack."

The new study delivered the same results as the earlier one: When leagues shut down, sales tax receipts keep chugging along. In Miami, the disappearance of the Heat during the 1998-99 NBA lockout showed an extremely weak 0.00987 correlation with sales tax figures; the 2004-05 lockout of the Florida Panthers has an even slighter effect, at 0.00739. And almost as often, the direction of the signs ran the opposite way: The 1994-95 NHL lockout had a negative correlation of 0.00353 with sales taxes—if anything, people in Miami appeared to be spending more as a result of the Panthers being on the shelf.

"If professional sports have a positive impact on a region’s economy, then one should expect a consistent pattern of increasing taxable sales following franchise expansions and the construction of new stadiums and a pattern of decreasing taxable sales ratios during periods of labor disruptions," the three economists reasoned. Instead, "no statistically significant effect on taxable sales is found from the sudden absence of professional sports due to strikes and lockouts."

It may seem counterintuitive—how can the shuttering of a major business not affect the local economy? But economists have an explanation, or rather two.

The first is a well-established phenomenon called the substitution effect. When people choose to spend money on one entertainment activity, that's also a decision not to spend that money elsewhere. Every basketball ticket you buy is a movie ticket not purchased, or a fancy dinner not eaten. If the NBA season doesn't start on time, Charlotte and Indianapolis and Portland will find something else to spend money on: college basketball, movies, restaurants.
In that sense, sports expenditures should be looked at less as new economic activity than as spending that’s cannibalized from elsewhere in the local economy. During the 1994 baseball strike, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation surveyed Toronto businesses on how the sudden disappearance of the then-World Series champion Blue Jays was affecting local businesses. It found that some of them were doing just fine, indeed, with video stores reporting a particular boom in rentals. As one Toronto comedy club owner quipped, "We really think it'd be in the best interest of the entertainment community in Toronto if the hockey players sat out the whole season, too."

In fact, there are some indications that losing games to a labor dispute could be good for a local economy. Humphreys and Coates found that per-capita income actually increased during sports work stoppages, albeit by a fraction of a percentage point: 0.38 percent for baseball strikes and 0.17 percent for football.
Though Humphreys cautions that the effect was below the threshold of statistical significance, he and Baade say the phenomenon of leakage could explain why local economies might benefit when sports leagues shut down. The magic of consumer spending is that it begets even more consumer spending: Buy a can of tuna from your local grocery store, and the store owner uses a share of the cash to pay his workers, who in turn spend it on more groceries, and so on. The cycle continues until somebody sinks the money into a bank account or spends it on something in another state or country, at which point it "leaks" out of the local economy.

At a sporting event, however, the cycle is cut short. That's because a disproportionate share of sports revenues goes to a handful of people—the team owner and the players typically soak up the majority of every dollar spent at a game. When a local grocery store owner goes out to dinner, he ends up putting money in the pockets of busboys who'll later visit his store to buy vegetables and milk. When LeBron James cashes one of his paychecks, by contrast, it's unlikely that he spends it all at the local Walgreens. Rather, your outlay on Heat season tickets will end up doing as much to boost the Bahamas as it does the economy in South Florida.

If you believe the leakage theory, then a lengthy NBA lockout could actually improve local economies. "People are still going to spend their money," says Baade, "but they're going to spend probably more of it on locally owned and operated entertainment activities." Baade does note that a handful of studies seem to show minor-league teams giving a small boost to local economic activity. If your city is small enough and has few other attractions, perhaps would-be visitors will steer clear unless there's a game on. That could indicate that smaller NBA cities like Oklahoma City or Sacramento would still be at risk from a lockout.

Yet those single-team cities actually have an advantage over their big-market brethren. In New York, a spurned Knicks fan might instead take in a Rangers game, giving his entertainment dollars to the same corporate owner and to a new set of players who spend their salaries out of town. In Sacramento, they're more likely to, say, go bowling. That means less leakage, countering any negative effects from out-of-towners who remain out of town.

The biggest impact is likely to be felt in cities whose new arenas are being paid off with dedicated arena-district taxes, as those municipalities could face short-term problems in paying off their bonds. (Sacramento, which is considering building a new arena for the Kings in part with ticket taxes and other game-related revenues, might want to take notice.) But ultimately, that's little more than a bookkeeping problem: If cities' general funds are flush with sales taxes collected from non-NBA spending, that should more than make up for any shortfall.

Despite this mostly sanguine news, a few businesses do still need to worry. "There is no doubt in my mind you can find a bar or a restaurant right next to the [Verizon Center] in D.C. where they're going to lose some business," says Humphreys.

If you run a nonsports bar across town, however, you should stock up on liquor. While a lockout may be bad for businesses in the shadows of NBA arenas, it could be boom times for anyone offering fans something else to do on cold winter nights. And if that doesn't cheer up despondent fans, consider this: Whatever's on Netflix has to be more entertaining than the Timberwolves

Vinylmania...The Film

2011-10-07T11:55:00.000-07:00

When Italian disc jockey Paolo Campana travels, it’s no surprise he listens to a lot of music. But how he does it turns the heads of other travelers he encounters. Unlike most of them, he doesn’t plug into an iPod with 40,000 songs ready for instant playback. Instead he fishes out a 12-inch vinyl record from a large case, drops it onto a battery-operated turntable, lifts the arm over the record and sets the needle down on a track.
This is all too much trouble for most music fans used to the ease of digital media players. But for Paolo the difference between the sound of vinyl and that of mp3’s is like the difference between eating a meal at a five-star restaurant versus fast food. “The sound is so much warmer and more satisfying,” he states with conviction. “It’s the ‘slow food’ of the music experience.”
Paolo is not alone. The Vinyl market has been one of the few bright spots in the music industry in recent years. From 2006 to 2010, vinyl record sales rose over 300% and are still rising. Surprisingly it is young people who have grown up with digital entertainment who are leading this trend.
Writer Owen McCafferty is at work on a book explaining why. “Our generation has grown up in an entirely digital atmosphere. Music for most young people was always so detached and intangible. Vinyl satisfies that void of being so disconnected physically,” Owen describes this as the “digital devolution.”
Paolo’s own obsession with vinyl records prompted his 75-minute film, Vinylmania: When Life Runs at 33 RPMs. Set in 11 different cities worldwide and filled with fascinating characters, the film documents a global road trip exploring the role of vinyl records in the 21st century. The film airs on European TV later this year, but Paolo has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to distribute the film to a broader audience on DVD.
“Devotion, ecstasy, infatuation, agony—all the feelings I experienced from childhood, come out through the characters in this film,” says Paolo. The film features some key “vinylmaniacs.” Among the more well known are Klaus Flouride, bassist for the Dead Kennedys, and Winston Smith, artist for some of the Greenday and Dead Kennedys albums.
Contact:
Edwin Stepp
626 818-0307
www.vinylmaniafilm.com

Retailers Stay Cautious Despite Strong Season in Milan

2011-10-07T11:31:00.000-07:00

Bottega Veneta

      Pleased with what they saw on the runways here, retailers are optimistic about spring - but the economy still has them hedging their bets. While noting the luxury business is still showing momentum, retailers said they are alert to economic and currency volatility, and prepaired to turn on a dime.
      "Like everyone, we are watching the market very closely", said Sarah Rutson, fashion director at Lane Crawford, Hong Kong. "I am sure there is not a retailer out there who is not mindful of what is happening and reviewing the runway buys to hold back on a portion of planned purchases in light of being prudent with these later deliveries."
      A strong selection of dresses - from Twenties flapper styles to hourglass Fifties silhouettes - anchored a confident Milan season. Other strong trends included bold colors and patterns; scarf prints and handkerchief hems; sporty blousons and bombers; and a return to the skirt, from pencil-slim to full and knife-pleated. Standout collections for buyers included Prada, Jil Sander. Marni, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana and Etro.
      "Milan has delivered a powerhouse of ideas, and despite the gloomy economic forecast, spring 2012 collections have been positive, upbeat and optimistic," said Barbara Atkin, vice president, fashion direction at Toronto-based Holt Renfrew. "it's hard to leave Italy without applauding its signature of world class craftsmanship and the modern evolution on heritage," said Linda Fargo, senior vice president, fashion office and store presentation at Bergdorf Goodman.
      Following are some retailers' reactions to the Milan collections:
Ken Downing, senior vice president and fashion director, Neiman Marcus:
Sound off: Nothing makes a retailer happier than runways full of appealing color, beautiful prints and lots of femininity. It's nice to see a continuation of the dressed-up spirit on the runways of Milan. I am excited to see that designers made superlative efforts to add special touches, details and craftsmanship to make beautiful clothes.
Trendspotting: Gymnasium and sporty ideas; pleats and fluidity; color, from pinks to oranges to beautiful shades of blue and even icy sorbet shades; black and white.
Favorite collections: Prada, Jil Sander, Bottega Veneta, Aquilano. Rimondi and Pucci.

Jil Sander

Colleen Sherin, senior fashion director, Saks Fifth Avenue:
Sound off: Overall, there was an emphasis on real clothes on the runways.
Trendspotting: The Twenties was the decade of choice, with flapper and graphic Art Deco references, followed closely by the Fifties, with a focus on ladylike dressing. I like the two contrasting dress silhouettes we"ve seen in Milan: straight and linear with a dropped waist, or with a nipped-in waist and fuller skirt. An icy pastel palette colored the catwalks, with pretty shades of pale blue, butter yellow, pink and mint green.
Favorite collections: Prada, Etro, Bottega Veneta, Jil Sander and Marni

Linda Fargo, senior vice president, fashion office and store presentation, Bergdorf Goodman, New York:
Sound off:We're flattered. Many of the Italian designers appeared to have a love affair with American iconography - from the Chrysler building to the Jazz Age, Hawaii and hot-rod culture - but filtered through luxe Italian style.
Trendspotting: We found Milan ripe with compelling product and a powerful mix of commercial and editorial ideas. Like New York and London, color and exciting prints were the most clear trends. We continue to buy the most special pieces here, as our clients respond to emotional product.
Favorite collections: Jil Sander, Prada, Etro, Pucci, Missoni, Marni and Aquilano.Rimondi.

Etro

Jennifer Wheeler, vice president of women's designer apparel, Nordstrom:
Sound off: While we are mindful of the economic challenges facing all of us, our business continues to be strong, and we have had no indication that it is slowing down. Our budgets will continue to reflect the positive momentum we are experiencing.
Trendspotting: Milan gave us strong color and beautiful prints, which are things the customer will love. All the great dresses and the new plisse and mixed-print skirts will be winners for sure. There was a thread of unity in the collections reflecting the Fifties and early Sixties, both in silhouettes and styling.
Favorite collections: Prada, Jil Sander, Marni and Roberto Cavalli

Stephanie Solomon, vice president of fashion direction, Bloomingdale's:
Sound off: At a time of economic doom and gloom, it's ironic to see so much optimism on the catwalks. I kind of want to sum up the whole week with the phrase: happy days. The weather was fantastic and so were the runway shows.
Trendspotting: Scarf prints are the essence of the season - from the standard status scarf to florals to artist-inspired to ethnic-inspired. I don't think I've ever seen a season filled with so many wonderful prints. This should boost accessories, too. If you're going to invest in a print, the first purchase you're going to make is a scarf.
Favorite collections: Marni, Prada, Etro, D&G, Giorgio Armani and Jil Sander. I also liked Bragia in the showroom.

Amanda Brooks, women's fashion director, Barney's New York:
Sound off: It's important for us to be conscioous of price points: If a woman won't buy five things but only two, what will they be? Great investment pieces, or pieces you just can't live without, like lustworthy items. Exclusivity is most important for us in this climate, not only exclusive brands, but also exclusive looks within a brand.
Trendspotting: There was definitely a return to femininity. The silhouette was closer to the body, and the shoes especially were more feminine, with the return to single soles. We are glad to see some shoes under $1500. There was also lots of embellishment, and more decoration than we are used to seeing.
Favorite collections: Jil Sander and Marni.

Marni

NYC's Finest Continued

2011-10-07T10:03:00.000-07:00

Here are the remainder of hot spots that I wanted to share with you all...

11. Haab - 202 Leonard St. (between Maujer and Grand), 718-388-4261. Home-style Mexican food, simple and tasty. Classic burritos, tacos, tortas, Mexican entrees. The carnitas al pastor marinated with pineapple is a crowd pleaser. Wash it down with a Mexican beer and enjoy the outdoor setting, inexpensive prices and fresh ingredients. www.haabrestaurant.com.

12. Don Pedro - 90 Manhattan Ave. (between Boerum and McKibbin), 347-689-3163. New kitchen, new soopah, cheap Happy Hour every day starting at 4pm. Enjoy $2 pints of Bud, Yuengling, Amberbock, Don Lager or PBR cans. All day $5 shot and beer special. Now serving classic bar fare including burgers, wings and pulled pork sliders. 24 beers to choose from featuring inexpensive choices as well as craft selections on Tap and in bottles or cans. Daily events and of course, much Rock 'n Roll on the weekends. Follow them on Facebook at facebook.com/donpedrobar and twitter.com/donpedrobar. L train to Montrose, J/M to Lorimer. G train to Broadway. www.donpedrobrooklyn.com.

13. Drop Off Service - East Village, 211 Ave. A (between 13th St. and 14th St.), 212-260-2914. For 5 years, they've been dishing the cleanest, freshest brews to their local beer lovers and surprising their new customers with the quality of service and product. This isn't a normal bar - they do it the right way, serving up over 26 varieties on tap with a great selection of international and domestic brews and Cask Conditioned ale, all served in British-style Imperial Pints - 20 ounce VS 16 ounce! Also serving seasonal drinks featuring house made ingredients and beer based cocktails. Happy Hour everyday till 8pm: $3 20 oz Pints and $2 off all drinks. Open until 4am 7 days a week!

14. Iona - 180 Grand St., Williamsburg, 718-384-5008. Irish/Scottish Bar in a 50's Candy Store. 22 beers on tap, 30 bottled beers, large selection of Whiskey, Bourbon, Tequila, Wines and Liqueurs. Wonderful beer garden with ping pong table and BBQ (see website for reservations and menus). Great Happy Hour specials. Showing all soccer games. DUB pies and paninis served until late. Open M-F 1pm-4am, Sat/Sun 12pm-4am (earlier for soccer). www.ionabrooklyn.com.

15. The Gibson - 108 Bedford Ave., Williamsburg, 718-387-6296. Stop by The Gibson to try one of their always changing 16 craft beers on tap. There is a spacious backyard where they BBQ burgers, fish tacos, and pulled pork sandwiches. They also offer over 50 bourbons, scotches, and ryes. Their cocktail list leans towards the classics, but there are always seasonal offerings such as Bourbon Sweet Tea or a Jamaican Rum and Ginger Beer Punch. The Gibson is a great place to meet up with friends, hang with a date, or catch a game on the big screen. www.thegibsonnyc.com.

16. Krolewskie Jadlo - 694 Manhattan Ave., Greenpoint, 718-383-8993. Greenpoint and Williamsburg are one of the fastest growing places in New York. Chef Krzysztof Drzewiecki, former Chef of Robert De Niro and Drew Nieporent's Restaurant Nobu, invites you to come taste the finest Polish cuisine these neighborhoods have to offer. New additions to the menu include a variety of game meat dishes and vegetarian options such as crepes stuffed with cheese, mushrooms and spinach, as well as soya and apple "meatballs" with thyme and dill sauce. And try their traditional dishes like pierogies, stuffed cabbage and potato pancakes. Get a free beer when you check in on foursquare! Free delivery in Williamsburg and Greenpoint. www.krolewskiejadlo.com.

17. Libation - 137 Ludlow St., Lower East Side, 212-529-2153. Libation wishes to congratulate all the members of the LGBT community! They would love to host your wedding reception at their venue. Please contact them at 212-529-2153 or check out the website at www.libationnyc.com.

18. LOBO - 218 Court St. (Cobble Hill), 188 5th Ave. (Park Slope), 718-636-8886. Opened in 2003 by a Texas born and Oklahoma raised Brooklyner, LOBO provides "The best and only authentic Tex-Mex in NYC" - NY Press. Both locations, designed with a comfy Texas Ranch feel, serve up delicious fajitas, enchiladas, quesadillas and other Tex-Mex fare accompanied by fresh juice margaritas and house infused tequilas. Delicious chili con queso and fresh quacamole can be enjoyed in the back garden at the Court St. locationand on the sidewalk cafe in Park Slope. Come by to sample one or more of the specialty cocktails and enjoy daily drink specials. LOBO also serves a delicious brunch daily 11am-3pm and 10am-3pm at the Court St. location. Private parties up to 50, but no reservations for parties under 6.

19. Mega Bites - 245 Dekalb Ave. (Clinton Hill), 718-398-8112. Located on Dekalb Avenue in the heart of Clinton Hill, Mega Bites is a small, classic diner. The menu offers a wide variety of crispy, cold salads and has become known in the neighborhood for its delicious 8 oz. burger. This recently renovated space is perfect for any time of day. With outdoor seating available and a selection of beer and wine, it's a great spot to visit after work. Or, come in for breakfast and try their amazing smoothies, which have been called 'better than a smoothie bar'. Open 7am-9pm Sunday-Thursday and 7am-11pm Friday and Saturday. Online ordering and free delivery available! www.mbdiner.com.

20. La Piazzetta - 442 Graham Ave., Williamsburg, 718-349-1627. A family owned Neapolitan oasis in the heart of Williamsburg. Rated 26 for food in Zagat.com 2010 guide. Features Northern and Southern Italian delicacies. Offers affordable pricing, a full bar with innovative wine selections and a laid back, hip yet romantic ambiance.

21. Michael & Ping's Modern Chinese Take-Out - 437 Third Ave., Gowanus, between 7th and 8th St., 718-788-0017. Michael & Ping's brings a unique twist on traditional Chinese take-out. They only use the freshest ingredients...quality is the name of the game. You will find your favorites like General Tso's chicken and you will discover sandwiches, salads, and slow cooked spare ribs that you won't find anywhere else. Boasting the Restaurant Association's coveted Certified Green Restaurant status, (first restaurant in Brooklyn to achieve this) clearly proves a commitment to the environment. The modeern, industrial space has 40 seats available and makes a great place to get out of the cold and relax with friends or host your next event. Beer and wine coming soon!

22. Mulholland's - 312 Grand St., Williamsburg, 718-486-3473. At Williamsburg's premiere sports bar, the Mulholland brothers have set out to create an atmosphere that is both versatile as well as functional. Whether you're looking for a comfy neighborhood local or a sports fans oasis, Mulholland's is the place for you! Boasting a 50 ft. mahogany bar with 22 different beers on tap. Mulholland's is reminiscent of an old Irish Pub. Meals at Mulholland's are not your average pub grub. Serving up the best wings in Brooklyn and a gigantic portion of nachos smothered in Mulholland's homemade chili and cheese, you're sure to be satisfied.

23. Lunetta - 116 Smith St., #1, Carroll Garden, 718-488-6269. Homemade ricotta, orecchiette with house-made fennel sausage, grill-charred grass-fed steak rubbed with porcini: The flavors of Italy and the Mediterranean abound on Chef Adam Shepard's market-driven menu at Lunetta. Choose a cozy banquette, watch the chefs work from the kitchen bar, or dine alfresco in Lunetta's lush garden. www.lunetta-ny.com.

24. Mopac, Singles, Cooking and More! - 47 Thames St., 718-417-0619. It's challenging to date in NYC...that's why they started MOPAC. An easy and fun way to Meet Other People And Cook. Not happy with the people you've met so far? MOPAC has brought together hundreds of NY singles together, all within a stress-free, relaxed environment. Not only will you meet attractive people in your area, you'll be learning how to cook healthy, delicious meals with other cooking enthusiasts. No one is ever left out, and in addition to cooking, there are activities to "break the ice" with the participants. One of their most famous events, is their 'Thai! Thai! Thai!' event, where you learn the secrets of making exotic Thai food. Free drinks are served all night long, and everyone receives a copy of the recipe and goes home happy. See for yourself at www.mopac.us/singles.html. It's the BEST place to meet people in Brooklyn!

25. R Bar - 451 Meeker Ave., Williamsburg at Graham Ave., 718-366-6311. Strategically located under the BQE, R Bar features an attentive staff, diverse clientele, 13 draughts and a recession-busting 2-for-1 Beer Happy Hour until 9pm every day, pool, video games, darts, board games and jukebox offered for your enjoyment! There's always something going on!

26. Mesa Azteca - 91 Wyckoff Ave., 347-378-2838. Great Mexican fare. Happy Hour every day from 4pm-7pm: Frozen margaritas $4, all Mexican beer $3. Outdoor seating and free wifi available. Try out Mexican brunch on Saturdays and Sundays at Mesa Azteca for a fiesta of good eating! www.mesaazteca.com.

27. Nita Nita - 146 Wythe Ave. at N. 8th St., Williamsburg, 718-388-5328. With 6 drafts, full bar including unique seasonal house infusions, wine/sake list, a beautiful garden and a full tapas menu, NitaNita is the perfect spot for a date or a drunken night out with friends. Mexabilly Mondays: $4 margaritas, TexMex menu specials. Every Tuesday featuress 1/2 price bottles of wine. Every Wednesday: Craft Can & Grilled Cheese Night. Happy Hour: M-F 5-8pm, $3 drafts, $4 well drinks. Brunch Saturday and Sunday 11am-4pm. Tapas served until 2am every night. Check out their website or become a friend of Nita Nitabk on facebook to keep updated on all their great events! www.nitanitabk.com.

28. Nurse Bettie - Lower East Side, 106 Norfolk St., take the F/J/M/Z to Delancey, 212-477-7515. Inspired by the notorious Bettie Page and pin-ups from the 1950's, Nurse Bettie is a local favorite bar nestled in the Lower East Side. With great specialty cocktails, fun music and a free burlesque show every Wednesday & Thursday night, Nurse Bettie has something for everyone. Nightly happy hour featuring $4 well cocktails/draughts all night on Sun/Mon, from 6-10pm Tues/Weds, and from 6-9pm Thurs-Sat. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter and foursquare for drink specials and event updates.

29. San Loco - Williamsburg & Lower East Side. San Loco answers all your Gringo-Mex fare prayers with a scrumptious menu that satisfies on the cheap. Not to mention freshly-infused Margaritas to wash it all down. With 4 locations and late delivery, San Loco is practically omnipresent. 124 2nd Ave., 212-260-7948. 151 Ave. A, 212-982-5653. 111 Stanton St., 212-253-7580. Williamsburg, 160 N. 4th St., 718-218-8479. Sun-Wed: 11am-4am, Thurs-Sat: 11am-5am. www.sanloco.com.

30. One Last Shag - 348 Franklin Ave., G train to Classon stop, 718-398-2472. Babes, boys, booze & the beach...in Bedstuy? Hey One Last Shag Hey: From steamy hot winter dance parties to bikini clad backyard beach blasts, this spot is becoming infamous for late night fun and summer afternoon antics. Drink from the yuk-yuk cocktail list or sweet selection of locally brewed draughts. Nights range from booty-bumpin' queer parties to live performances and secret (shhh) high-profile DJ sets. Jokingly coined 'straight friendly', there is a niche here for everyone. Early hours cater to family-style drink and chat, but late night inevitably ends in a sloppy dance pile! Happy Hour until 8pm, open everyday until 4am.

I'm thinking of making this a weekly column...what do y'all think? I'll even include other cities besides my beloved NYC...until next time...

NYC's Finest

2011-10-06T20:16:00.000-07:00

If you ever find yourself wandering around in NYC (please be safe) and not knowing what to do or where to go...here are some suggestions:

1. Black Swan - 1048 Bedford Ave., Clinton Hill/Bed Stuy (between Lafayette Ave. and Clifton Pl.), 718-783-4744. Located on the border of Clinton Hill and Bedstuy, The Black Swan is the go to place in this rapidly developing part of Brooklyn. Their New American cuisine, prepared with care and detail, is comfort food at it's finest. With 17 draught lines and a large selection of fine wines and micro batch spirits, they aim to constantly deliver the very best quality food, drink and service to match. Join them for their nightly specials, tastings and food pairings. Open daily for lunch, dinner and late night snacks. Great weekend brunch and happy hour every day until 8pm. Check out their website for monthly features and brewery nights. Great drink specials and giveaways all night. www.blackswannyc.com

2. Brouwerij Lane - 78 Greenpoint Ave. at Franklin St., G train to Greenpoint Ave., 347-529-6133. Greenpoint's fresh beer store and home of Raven Import Company. A rustic european space dedicated to providing an ever changing variety of ales and lagers. Offering a wide selection of over 150 new and unusual bottled beers from the world's best brewing countries, as well as rotating selection of 20 unique and hard to find tap beers. A fresh cask conditioned ale is tapped right on their counter every Friday afternoon. Brewery tasting events each month. Stop by for a half pint taster, a pint, or a 64 ounce groWwler bottle to go. Available for private parties. Open Monday - Thursday: 2-10pm, Friday - Sunday: 12-10pm. www.brouwerijlane.com.

3. Bubby's - 1 Main St., DUMBO, 718-222-0666. Nestled right on the river between the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges, the view from Bubby's is unrivaled. From an intimate dinner to a small gathering to a large party, Bubby's can accommodate any reason to celebrate. Open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

4. Cheryl's Global Soul - 236 Underhill Ave., Prospect Heights, 347-529-2855. At her neighborhood spot, chef Cheryl Smith (formerly a Food Network regular) has a dish for every craving and taste. Cheryl's cooking and menu features local seasonal ingredients with spices, blended, toasted and ground to create world fusion flavors. Her signature home-style items include Thai Coconut Mussels, Bulgogi (Korean style) Marinated Rib-Steak with Hand Cut Yukon Fries, Moroccan Vegetable Tagine, and Creole BBQ Shrimp. Cheryl's serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Brunch is a hit on the weekends with a unique take on classic favorites done just right. Signature cocktails, homemade Ginger beer, lemonade, Chai, coffee, and teas are served all day, along with freshly baked goods. www.cherylsglobalsoul.com.

5. The Counting Room - 44 Berry St. at N. 11th, L train to Bedford Ave., 718-599-1860. Set in an old Quinine factory with the raw elements of exposed brick, 16 foot ceilings and concrete beams. The Counting Room's two floors make it a perfect place for gatherings from 2 to 40 plus. Serving cocktails with a twist as well as all the classics, an old-world wine list of unique wines, and a craft and local beer selection that changes seasonally. Food is served everyday and join them on Saturdays for a live Bluegrass brunch at 1pm. A private event space is available for events and reservations are taken for groups of 10 or more. www.thecountingroombk.com.

6. CU 29 Copper - 232 N. 12th St., Williamsburg, 347-889-5531. Combining American, Mexican and Italian cuisine with a twist, CU29 Copper has something for everyone. The rustic wood burning brick oven serves up the best pizza in Williamsburg! Join them for Happy Hour Monday through Friday 2-7pm, choose from any of their 6 drafts and get a free pizza at the bar. Or stop in on the weekend and enjoy brunch on their sunny outdoor patio. With a variety of organic, vegetarian and vegan-friendly options, CU29 is perfect for any group. www.cu29bargrill.com.

7. Dean Street - 755 Dean Street, Prospect Heights, 718-783-3326. A corner joint in Prospect Heights - just one block east of Vanderbilt, Dean St. is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Dean St. serves its neighbors fresh baked goods with Stumptown Coffee, hot lunch with beer specials, as well as a late night bar menu. Dean St.'s menu is known for consistently great food with something for everyone. Dean St. features long happy hours, both early and late, and live music every Monday and Wednesday night. www.deanStbrooklyn.com/

8. Goodbye Blue Monday - 1087 Broadway, Bushwick, 718-453-6343. Goodbye Blue Monday features live music 7 nights a week! With an outdoor patio that is perfect for weekend brunch, their kitchen stays open late every night. Come try their crazy homemade ice cream! Take the J train to Myrtle. www.goodbye-blue-monday.com.

9. Do Hwa - 55 Carmine St. at Bedford St., West Village, 212-414-1224. Do Hwa, known as a "neighborhood favorite", serves "the best Korean cuisine any New York City restaurant can give." Do Hwa is operated by a mother and daughter team with its kitchen run by a staff of Korean mothers. Comfort food at its best, offerings include sizzling platters of Korean barbecue, delectable seafood pancakes, fresh salads and bibimbop with toppings such as spicy squid or sushi. And don't forget the tasty array of banchan (small side dishes) and homemade kimcji. To top off the meal, try the ginger martini, chilled vodka infused with their home brew of ginger syrup or the yuja martini, topped with champagne and sorbet. Even better, these cocktails are offered at half price during a lively happy hour (5-7:30pm M-F). www.dohwanyc.com.

10. Donia Cafe - Williamsburg, 85 Driggs Ave., 347-722-9222 and 718-383-3471. Get the taste of Turkey without having to buy a plane ticket! Serving delicious and affordable fusion of healthy Kurdish-Turkish cuisine and American classics, the staff makes sure each visit is one to remember. From the superb selection of beer and wine to the whiff of hookah, Donia's cozy, romantic atmosphere will transport you away to a Turkish paradise. If you'd like to experience genuine Turkish cuisine, come to Donia's. Free WiFi!

I hope you all enjoy my suggestions! Until next time...

No Need To Debate About Skyzoo

2011-09-25T15:01:00.000-07:00

L.A., Final Outlaw, Prem Rock, Jesse Abraham and Skyzoo brought their unique brand of East-Coast hip-hop to Brooklyn's South Paw on August 25th, 2011. The host of the night was Ill Spokinn of Spokinn Movement, who most had to do a triple take at when he first took the stage, because he said farewell to his trademarked dreads. He proved that he is a real emcee by freestyling in between sets. Here's my brief recap of the night's proceedings.

L.A. Will Make You Spit Out Blood

Brooklyn emcee., L.A. opened the show and graced the stage alongside her fellow DJ. She usually rocks with a hip hop violinist in tow, but he was absent this night. L.A. is her own hype man. She brings so much energy to her performance, that the crowd feeds off of her as opposed to her feeding off of the crowd's energy. The hip-hop goddess worked the stage and even went into the audience for her set with a slew of tracks from her catalog, including "Spitting Out Blood" off of her The L.A. Riots: Mental Fatality album. It can be downloaded here: http://www.mediafire.com/?b01f8rt9948r89c .

Next to the stage, was Final Outlaw. This was my first time seeing him rock the mic and I was not even slightly disappointed in his performance. He reminded me of a young Che Gueverra in hip hop form. If you're not familiar with this emcee, you're missing out on a lyricist who has a lot to say. Final Outlaw is a rising rapper seen on MTV, BET, NYDaily News, Time Out New York Mag, URB Mag, WorldStarHipHop.com. Two-time Amateur Night at the Apollo winner, & City Parks Foundation MC contest winner. 'Nuff said...the man has paid some dues and deserves some shine now. Check out the video from the show of him doing his track "War".

The show continued on a strong note with a performance from Prem Rock and Jesse Abraham. I should also note that they were responsible for putting this showcase together. I thank you for that! They were joined on stage, by their DJ Willie Green. Prem Rock is the epitome of "freshness". He's an emcee in every sense of the word. Coming from the suburbs, he ventured to NYC with just enough for 2 months rent, but the amount of ambition he had was limitless. His debut album "The Build" has emerged and when you hear it, you can hear all of the struggle, passion and hope that he has for this genre of music that we all love and respect so much. One of my favorite highlights of the night, was a back and forth freestyle he did with Jesse Abraham. Not sure if it was because of all the basketball punchlines thrown in, or if it was just THAT. WELL. PLAYED. I'll go with the later of the two personally, but I'll let you judge for yourself.

Jesse Abraham, is a two time UMA nominee and winner for for Best MC. He was born in Manhattan as the first child to two public school teachers. Growing up in the downtown neighborhood of Tribeca, raised on the city’s hip-hop culture and the eight-track tapes his parents introduced him to as a youngster, Jesse was writing by five and, by the time he was nine, recording demos on cassette tapes. The authenticity of his music now reflects his growing up in New York in the ‘80s, right alongside the groundbreaking hip-hop...

Special guests are always popping up at hip hop shows in NYC, and that night was no different. Blessing us with his presence, was battle veteran Soul Khan. Some of you may know him as a member of the group Brown Bag Allstars also. Soul Khan recently released the Acknowledgement EP in April 2011. This EP is the first of a four part series that will be released throughout the next few years. It used to be that thousands of new fans only discovered Soul Khan every day from his legendary MC battles. Now fans are discovering him by the music he continues to create. You can catch him this year at Atlanta's A3C Festival. Here's a peak at what you can expect.

The headliner of the night was Brooklyn's own Skyzoo. This was my third time seeing him live and I always am satisfied. Sharing the stage with his DJ and horn player, OJ, many fans moved towards the front of the stage as soon as they heard the intro from his latest release "The Great Debater". As Skyzoo’s set progressed, so did the response from the audience. During the latter half of his performance, he rapped his song “Frisbees,” which was dope! He also did some of my favorites, which are "Speakers On Blast", "Atypical", "Test Drive", "Written In The Drums" and "The Definitive Prayer". There were audience members mouthing every word to several of Skyzoo’s songs. He finished his performance strong and took the time to network with the audience after. As did all of the artists that performed that night.

The openness of the venue, combined with the wonderful chemistry of all the artists, topped off with the impeccable lyricism and wordplay of Skyzoo made it remarkable experience.

The Rap Guide To Evolution

2011-09-24T17:36:00.000-07:00

Darwin Got It Going On!

A novel species of theatre combining the wit, poetry and charisma of a great rapper with the accuracy and rigor of a scientific expert, Baba Brinkman’s The Rap Guide to Evolution uses hip-hop as a vehicle to communicate the facts of evolution while illuminating the origins and complexities of hip-hop culture with Darwin as the inspiration.

A smash hit at the Edinburgh Fringe and around the world, The Rap Guide is at once provocative, hilarious, intelligent and scientifically accurate. Brinkman performs his clever reworkings of popular rap singles as well as his own originals to illustrate Natural Selection, Sexual Selection, Evolutionary Psychology and much more.
Brinkman undertook the project at the suggestion of Dr. Mark Pallen, author of The Rough Guide to Evolution. After seeing Brinkman’s internationally acclaimed Rap Canterbury Tales, Dr. Pallen challenged the polymath rapper to “do for Darwin what he had done for Chaucer.” In order to ensure scientific and historical accuracy, Brinkman consulted Pallen throughout the creative process, making The Rap Guide to Evolution the first peer-reviewed hip-hop show. Pallen has described Brinkman as having “swallowed the idea and turned it into a work of genius.”
But, as The Scotsman’s review explains, “Where most people would be happy just to convey the gist of Darwin’s theories in rhyme, Brinkman adds a twist: this isn’t just a show about evolution delivered in a hip-hop style, it’s also a show about the evolution of hip-hop…Evolution, it transpires, has much to teach us about hip-hop, and vice versa: bling is a fitness display; the process of natural selection operates on iPod playlists and teenage pregnancy in the ghettos can be read as an evolutionary strategy designed to maximize the chances of genetic material being passed on in a high-risk environment.”
As Edinburgh’s Scotsman newspaper said, “you’ll never look at a hip-hop video in the same way again.”

Tickets
Location:
15 Vandam St (between Varick St and 6th Avenue).
Performance schedule:
Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 7pm
Sunday: 5pm
** NEW SCHEDULE FROM SEPTEMBER 27
Tuesday to Friday 8pm
Saturday and Sunday 7pm (except Saturday October 1 — 5pm not 7pm)
SATURDAY OCTOBER 8 – NO SHOW
Pricing:
Bargain tickets : $39
Regular tickets: $55
Premium tickets: $75
Two Easy Ways to Buy:
By phone: Call 212.352.3101 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 212.352.3101 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
In person: Visit Soho Playhouse Box Office at 15 Vandam St (between Varick St and 6th Avenue).

20 Must See Fall Arts Events

2011-09-24T17:23:00.000-07:00

ART:

1. Sanford Biggers; SculptureCenter And Brooklyn Museum, It's a busy fall for the L.A. born NY based sculptor, performance and video artist., with the 13 piece mini-retrospective Sanford Biggers: Sweet Funk-An Introspective at the Brooklyn Museum and the large scale installation of new work Cosmic Voodoo Circus at SculptureCenter. His postmodern explorations of racial identity evade fixity and are often eerily funny. Sept. 10-Nov. 28, Sept. 23- Jan. 8, respectively.

2.September 11; MOMA PS1, Many local museums will be opening 9/11 exhibitions on the tenth anniversary of the attacks , but none so thoughtful or disaster porn free as PS1 curator Peter Eleey's star-studded conceptual exploration of the ways in which those events and their repercussions have transformed our ways of seeing and thinking. Sept. 11- Jan. 9.

3.De Kooning: A Retrospective, MOMA, This will be the fall's biggest exhibition, both in terms of square footage - it will take up The Modern's entire sixth floor - and, I predict, attendance-wise. Because there will be something for everyone in this sweeping survey of the Dutch-born, New York -based expressionist, from canonical paintings to rarely seen prints, sculptures and a 1946 theatrical backdrop. Sept. 18- Jan. 9.

4. Bob Dylan: The Asia Series, Gagosian Gallery, Yes, you read that correctly: the most powerful gallery in the world will open its fall season with a show of Bob Dylan's latest travelogue-like impressionist acrylic compositions (this series focusing on journeys in Asia) at its Madison Ave. location. Sept. 20- Oct. 22.

5. Lisa Yuskavage: David Zwirner Gallery, "Natural landscapes as feminine physiognomy" is a familiar metaphor, but nobody literalizes it quite like Yuskavage, whose surreal oil paintings are inhabited by her trademark child-like nude giants, sexualized yet innocent, playful but somehow monstrous. Sept. 27- Nov. 5.

6. Real/ Surreal: Whitney Museum: While on one level fundamentally opposed, realism and surrealism remain inextricably linked; for proof of this just put an urban scene by George Tooker alongside one by Edward Hopper, as curator Carter Foster does here, and you'll see that American developments in these two genres during the 30s and 40s went hand in hand. Oct. 6- Feb. 12.

7. Stieglitz and His Artists: Matisse to O'Keeffe; Metropolitan Museum, Pioneering photographer Alfred Stieglitz also ran a string of galleries in New York during the first half of the 20th century that showed leaders of the period's American and European avant gardes. Accordingly, he amassed an impressive collection that the Met acquired in 1949 - including Picassos, Kandinskys, Brancusis, and of course O'Keeffes - but has never made the focus of an exhibition, until now. Oct. 13- Jan. 2.

8. Carsten Holler: Experience; New Museum, While the Belgian conceptual artist won't be installing one of his much-loved slides in NuMu, this first New York survey of his work will include other perception-altering pieces like the impossibly slow "Mirror Carousel" ride, a sensory-deprivation pool, and the massive "Light Room" installation that creates the impression that the room is spinning. Expect to sign a waiver upon entering. Oct. 26- Jan. 15.

9. Maurizio Cattelan: All; Guggenheim, The Italian hyperrealist's first major survey will fill the Gugg's rotunda with more than 130 of his cartoonishly absurd yet arrestingly lifelike sculptures ans installations from the 80s onward. As a centerpiece, Cattelan will create a new site-specific piece drawing on his entire oeuvre to date. Nov. 4- Jan. 22.

10. Hide/ Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture; Brooklyn Museum, This show caused quite a stir when, shortly after it opened at D.C.'s National Portrait Gallery last fall, the late David Wojnarowicz's short film "A Fire in My Belly" was removed at the request of congressmen under pressure from a right-wing Catholic group. His film will be included in the show's Brooklyn presentation, along with a stunning range of portraits portraying sexual difference in more or less overt terms by Alice Neel, Berenice Abbott, Jess Collins, Jasper Johns, Nan Goldin, Keith Haring and many more. Nov. 18- Feb. 12.

PERFORMANCE:

1. Dreams of Flying; Dreams of Falling, Atlantic Theater Company. This will be a decidedly more mature affair than Adam Rapp's current drug comedy, but the prolific playwright's latest piece promises to culminate in similarly surreal circumstances when a wealthy Connecticut couple celebrates its son's release from a high-end psychiatric hospital. Sept. 9-Oct. 23

2. STREB Rehearsals. SLAM. Elizabeth Streb's troupe of trapeze artists, stuntmen and tumblers are working towards their huge December show at the Park Avenue Armory, and you've invited to come watch their rehearsals at Williamsburg's STREB Lab for Action Mechanics (SLAM) most weekdays throughout the fall for free! Sept. 13- Nov. 30.

3. 2011 DUMBO Dance Festival, John Ryan Theater. Conveniently scheduled for the same weekend as the DUMBO Arts Festival, the 11th edition of this massive three-day dance festival organized by local troupe White Wave Dance brings over 100 companies and choreographers from all over the city and the world to perform short pieces in eclectic repertory programs, all of which are free. Sept. 23-25.

4. Pinocchio, Company XIV. The Gowanus-based baroque dance-theater company returns to its playfully adult roots in burlesque-infused fairy tales, this time with founder-choreographer-director Austin McCormick and breakdancer Jay Donn collaborating on a gothic retelling of the story about the boy made of pine. Sept. 23- Oct. 30.

5. Asuncion, Rattlestick Playwrights. In case The Social Network didn't provide enough jokes about priviledged college students to get you through school, the hot Off Broadway ticket of the season finds Jesse Eisenberg starring in his own play, a comedy about two over-educated liberals whose new roommate - the titular Filipina woman- seems to offer the perfect opportunity for them to prove their open-mindedness. Oct. 12- Nov. 27.

6. Burning; The New Group. Last time I reviewed a Thomas Bradshaw play, 2009's The Bereaved, I deemed him "a talented and original new voice," a pull quote-ready assessment that seems destined to be fulfilled as he moves up to Off Broadway with this ambitious new diptych about a contemporary black painter preparing an exhibition in Germany and a homeless actor arriving in New York in the 1980s. Oct. 19- Dec. 10.

7. The Infernal Comedy: Confessions of a Serial Killer, BAM. There's a lot to be excited about in this fall's Next Wave Festival at BAM - Robert Wilson's Threepenny Opera, epic Shackleton puppet docu-drama 69 degrees S. Nov. 2-5 - but I just can't resist the idea of John Malkovich as a soprano-strangling serial killer-turned-tell-all memoirist. Nov. 17-19.

8. New York Philharmonic, Avery Fisher Hall. I'm seriously upset that the orchestra canceled its free outdoor parks concerts this season. But, I begrudgingly admit, the pre-season programming they've planned instead does sound pretty great: a piece of Mahler to commemorate 9/11; an evening of Henry V with Christopher Plummer; and a performance of West Side Story alongside the film (orchestral kareoke?). Sept. 7-17.

9. Satyagraha, Metropolitan Opera House. The highlight of the Met's last season was its premiere of John Adams' Nixon in China, and I have a feeling that this encore engagement of Philip Glass's opera could be the Nixon of the fall. Nov. 4- Dec. 1.

10. Merce Cunningham: The Legacy Tour, BAM. In their third-to-last performance ever - before a short visit to Paris and their New Year's Eve finale at the Park Avenue Armory - the late choreographer's company brings its Legacy Tour to Brooklyn with a three-part program including pieces from the 60s through the aughts, and featuring music by John Cage, Brian Eno and Sigur Ros, and set and costume designs by Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. Dec. 7-10.

Blues Tomorrow

2011-08-28T23:09:00.000-07:00

Bleeding into the sound
of headless hunters splintering the spines
of mules carrying my face like an undue burden
split nuclear and factioned
i am dust to this decaying corpse of civilization
abandoned to set with dusk
west of blood
sucking ozone free carbon dioxide
smoked out lungs
wrestled to a burial with the moon
back streets in the belly of Bed-Stuy
swallow bullets
peace treaties branded in the milky flow
of moonlit blood

then what is blood to you?

if my abdomen is stretched inside out
seeping down the length of my tears
blowing in the speed of decapitated organs
edges of sun playing in the corners
of my mouth
if I could stop spinning
I swear I would
cement the cracks in my windowless smiles
taste blood sweating off the laughter
of thunder
screaming down the throat of
AK's
and be bulletproof
instead of shot to hell military style shit
instead of skin
the bottom line cranes toward jazz
my hunger is naked
and sleeping with revolution
I am the single drop and lava
wanting to arch my blues toward
the instinct of lonely
colored between silences thick with
Holiday or Smith
anger bled tears sing laughter with a soundtrack
and alive forever shaking this song screaming in my ears
and breathing deep the mountains of Martinique
and
oh god
I need to burn into somebody's
skin
be wild and with a different face for every moon
shit
I need to burn.

At The AIDS Clinic

2011-08-28T22:54:00.000-07:00

Men with long bones crossed legs
and bent hands like 1492 transatlantic
Here nobody knows the name of the land
They're going to
Everything could be the West Indies
Or at least the West Indies for awhile
Then the first flush of air
Like a pilgrimage
Across the great hall of dispair
Artwork holds the wall with dignity
You think
You're in Seattle but the nurse tells you Soweto
You ask the doctor your name and
He begs you for bread in Spanish
You try to tell him the time on your watch
Before your lips collapse
All he says
lo siento
lo siento
lo siento

A Few Of My Favorite NYC Things

2011-08-22T18:35:00.000-07:00

As New Yorkers, we have access to a plethora of different activities, stores, eateries, etc... Here are some of my favorites:

1. Swann Galleries, 104 East 25th St, NY, NY 10010 (212)254-4710 www.swanngalleries.com
Upcoming Auctions: 9/22/11 19th & 20th Century Prints & Drawings, Specialist: Todd Weyman
10/06/11 African-American Fine Art. Specialist: Nigel Freeman
10/18/11 Fine Photographs, Specialist: Daile Kaplan

2. Crossroads Trading Co.- A place where you can buy, sell and consign clothes, shoes, accessories. Current styles for women and men. Now open in Brooklyn! 135 N. 7th St (between Berry & Bedford) (347) 549-4005 www.crossroadstrading.com facebook.com/crossroadstrading

3. Dokebi - Korean BBQ. Great pork belly tacos! Bar and Grill, 199 Grand St (near the Bedford Ave L train), Brooklyn, NY 11211 (718) 782-1424 www.kimchee-Brooklyn.com

4. Keg And Lantern - 98 Nassau Ave., Greenpoint (Brooklyn). 32 beers on tap and 2 casks!
Sunday - Power hour from 7-8pm and 9-10pm $3 drafts
Monday - $0.50 wing night
Tuesday - 2pm-10pm $9 burger and a beer
Wednesday - Power hour 8-9pm $3 drafts
Thursday - Ladies' Night $3 well drinks
Friday - $4 Jager and Car Bombs, 2-4am Happy Hour
Saturday - 2-4am Happy Hour

Southern style brunch on Saturday and Sunday
MLB Package
Brewery Of The Month featuring $4 pints
Happy Hour 11am-7pm Monday-Friday
www.kegandlantern.com

5.Barcade - 388 Union Ave., Williamsburg, Brooklyn www.barcadebrooklyn.com

6. Bushwick Country Club - Bar and mini golf. 618 Grand St, Brooklyn, NY (718) 388-2114
Happy Hour 5-8pm everyday! Big backyard. Available for parties. www.bushwickcountryclub.com

7. San Loco Mexico - 4 locations! 111 Stanton St.(212)253-7580, 151 Avenue A (212)982-5653, 124 2nd Ave (212)260-7948, 160 N. 4th St., off Bedford Ave. (Williamsburg, BK) (718)218-8479 www.sanloco.com

8. T.B.D. Brooklyn - The Biggest Beer Garden in Brooklyn! Lounge, garden, grill. www.tbdbrooklyn.com (718)349-6727 224 Franklin St., Greenpoint

9. Cocoa Bar - Coffee, chocolate, wine! Lower East Side, 21 Clinton St. (212)677-7417. Park Slope (BK) 228 7th Ave. (718)499-4080. www.cocoabarnyc.com

10. The Gutter - Bowling. Williamsburg, Brooklyn. 200 N. 14th St. (718)387-3585 www.thegutterbrooklyn.com

Make sure to check these places out! We'd love to hear your feedback also. Stay tuned for for the next issue to see more of my favorite things!

-1Z 2N's

Curly Kids, Clueless Moms

2011-08-21T20:19:00.000-07:00

As the cultural mix of families shifts, an interesting beauty dilemma is emerging. Caucasian moms with multi-cultural kids are facing an array of unfamiliar hair textures. For example Madonna and David; Angelina and Zahara. As a result, many moms are turning to their stylists for advice! Ruh Webb of the Howard Kurtz salon in Sherman Oaks, CA, fields many such S.O.S. calls. That's because she services a broadly multi-cultural clientele, including members of her own family! Here are some of the tips she passes along to moms who aren't sure how to cope with their kids' curls:

1. Don't be intimidated by conditioner. People with fine hair sometimes don't understand how much conditioning curly hair requires. Shampoo less frequently - once or twice a week is plenty - and condition liberally. Redken's Real Control collection contains several formulas that are great for curly kids; styling oils like Moroccanoil and Macadamia Oil are also excellent.

2. For girls, learn how to braid or cornrow strands to control frizz. The best way to learn is to find a mom who is experienced with curly hair or a salon that does these techniques and will give you a tutorial.

3. Another great way to "set" curly girls' hair is to simply apply a gel or lotion created for curly textures, create sections, divide the sections in half, twist and go.

4. For boys, keep the hair short - it's easiest.

5. Forget relaxers - they're not suitable for kids and with all of the great products and techniques available, they're not necessary.

6. Curly hair is expensive hair, so when your daughter becomes a teen, tell her that it's time to get a job!

7. When it comes to products, you will have to experiment. Hair types vary widely, so expect to try a variety of formulas and combinations to come up with the best solutions for your kid's curls.