Soul Music First:
I figured out its best going out during the week (if you can)
I ws on list at Gemini Lounge, by some new media types/lawyers, but was walking by “Nightingale’s” where something caught my ear.
It was an open mic/poetry “Guerilla::words” hosted by Brian Buno.
Turns out I missed Reg E. Gaines (remember him in “Higher Learning”?)
QYORKS (queens if youre not up on the lingo) KNOWA LAZARUS. A filipino MC.
and DJ KUTTIN KANDI.:: www.kuttinkandi.com
She is pretty nice on the ones and twos. Check her site out.
Percee P, a well known “underground old skool” MC performed too.
I spoke to him afterwards and bought his CD “Then and Now”.
One of his tracks is being used in a film, and he hit me off with the directors info.
All in the name of collab, everythings bueno.
His CD is hot! I usually get mad skeptical when some artist came at me on the street and wants me to buy his ish.
The last time I did that some dude was in front of FatBeats, asked what I was listening to on my walkman. De La Soul:AOI:BIONIX.
He tells me he likes De LA too, assures me his tuff is on some underground coolness.
Goes by the name “Sdaerd”. I bought it for $5. Production was semi-tight.
Which means if you are reading this, or I see you on the street, you owe my $2 dollars on the real.
Anywho, the performances made my night and I went home.
Next night, Wednesday, Downtime.
I was blessed with a performance from Madame Isreal.
Some refreshing R&B Soul Funk. I want to work with them in some capacity.
They worked with Probe, who did some production on the Amy Douglas and The Industry Standard album, I did the site, it is linked under Fam/Affiliates.
From there SPA, “Soul Music First”. Qool Marv was spinniing in the white room.
I must have walked up to the DJ Booth 3 times and typed in my Blackberry what he was playing.
I know am downloading the ultimate Funk/Soul/Rare Groove joint.
I know my afro will be picked to spherical perfection while listening to this one.
“Smilin Billy Suite’ which was used on NAS “One Love”.
Free good entertainment during the week.
None of that syrupy wait in line and be cute ish the clubs be on the weekends.
I save the weekend for sipping wine, eating cheese and writing, reading, and creating.
I caught Russell Simmons on Neil Cavuto yesterday.
They were of course discussing the financial dominance of HipHop in the industry.
They also talked about the negative aspects too. (of course)
I can’t knock Russell though. I got my personal Russells story.
I first met him when George Jackson introduced us at UBO.
He showed up classic Russell, Phat Farm gear and shelltoe Adidas.
Andre Harrell was behing him on the phone.
I was in the ‘screening/encoding room” which we set up temporarily at the time.
George Jackson: …meet Jonn Nubian, he is heading all of our Streaming Media initiaves.
Russell Simmons: Whats up.
Me: Whats up.
George Jackson: In the up coming months we are going to be doing…
Russell: Interupting, yeah whatever, just show me the shit I came to see.
They went in the next room where George showed him the Flash stuff we were workiing on.
The proposed Bruce Lee series, the Heather Hunter BulletProof Diva Series,etc.
Then it clicked..why is George showing it to him????
The Buzz circulated around the office that HE was there.
Some people thought it was cool. Like when Muhammad ALi ws there, when Jennifer Lopez and Puffy was there,etc. It came to be pretty regular for me.
Except when Lynn Whitfield the actress, was looking over my shoulder one day.
Only it didnt click he was her.
She was so fine, I said to myself she looks like Lynn Whitfield only better.
She then said, Hello my name is Lynn Whitfield, I’m a friend of George’.
Duh on me that day.
Anywho, a week later the head animator (who worked on Beavis and Butthead) quit.
To work on what was soon to be 360HipHop started by Russell.
When it launched it knocked a lot of sites out the box, and had some edgy flash animation…hmmmm.
Months later, George died. Russell sells 360HIPHOp to BET for $10 Million.
Fast forward present day, December 2001. I buy Rusell’s book “Life and Def” on the street while uptown.
You think I bought that joint for $24.95. I learned the game in NYC.
NEVER BUY AT RETAIL COST. And I learned that the city itself makes the alternative very easy.
A little secret, you can get new books at Amazon.com prices in like the upper 70′s/Columbus circle area.
Go up past that like Harlem and they just sell Terry Mcmillan and Ice Berg slim novels.
Go below that like in midtown and they sell childrens coloring books.
So I breeze the the book in a day. I almost didnt get it since it had a foreword by Nelson George.
I got some unresolved semi-beef with him. I sent him an email. He boast on his site he has 2 email address..(whoa)
Hey Nelson, remember me? Sony Studios, screening room, advanced screening of
“Croutching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”. I was sipping on the comp wine and shrimp with my peeps.
Told you I admired your work. Your response: “yeah, ok” on some Bougie ish.
That’s right you read it:
JNU on some straight up 100% Grade A First Generation Hateration towards another.
(I don’t believe Mary J wrote that word in a song, it all bueno though, I actually incorporated it into my vocab)
Ok. So I read the book. Have the book in my bag and on the way to a meetiing see a flyer that he is doing book signing at Barnes/Noble.
I finish my meeting and go. He seemed like he was in the groove. Probably something on some Def Comedy Jam: “Thanks for coming, God Bless” like he ended his book with.
He asked me my name. I told him and I mentioned that George Jackson introduced.
It seemed to conjure some memory or inner guilt, whatever it was, he paused.
He asked me what I was up to. Nothing I said.
(In fact I am preparing a paradigm shift on the whole industry and to rid it of all the BS)
We shook hands. That was it.
He ended up signing my book: “It was a pleasure meeting you again-Russell”
We will see if he shows up in my film.
OK. I won’t end this joint with that.
Here is a gem:
“Always changing; everything for good, nothing for nothing.”?Flying Hawk, Sioux Chief
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[click pic for larger image]
