tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65018912011-12-29T00:19:08.723-05:00Avery Tooley Keeping It Real <em>and</em> Keeping It Right.averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comBlogger2641100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1094041241801496342004-09-01T07:19:00.000-05:002004-09-01T07:20:41.800-05:00

Yo, the party's up the block. averytooley.com. I'm goin' that way. Need a ride?

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1093957447796271192004-08-31T06:58:00.000-05:002004-08-31T08:04:07.796-05:00

Like Ambra, who breaks it down beautifully, I'm more of a pragmatic conservative than an ideological one. My politics is probably actually more like the way I play baseball: I field left but swing right. So when it comes to issues of race, I can almost always "feel" where the activist is coming from, to a certain degree. Somebody wants to argue for reparations or affirmative action or whatever

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1093953459847275862004-08-31T06:49:00.000-05:002004-08-31T06:57:39.846-05:00

Come On Down! (c) Johnny Olsen, Rod Roddy, & Flavor Flav This will be my last day of using the blogger platform. As I mentioned last week...or whenever that was....*shrugs* I'm moving to my own spot. Stereo will still be there, looking quite different, but there will also be some other goodies and treats. Still debating whether I'm gonna sneak some hidden features in there, just to test the

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1093865721627972342004-08-30T06:27:00.000-05:002004-08-30T06:35:21.626-05:00

Yeah...I miscounted last time AND screwed up my own made-up title. *shakes head* Anyway.... 'How To Be Rich, N**ga' Book Targeting Hip-Hop Entrepenuers Drops Today Gerard Spinks’ self-published book "How To Be Rich, N**ga," was released to stores today. Spinks, cousin of boxing champs Michael, Leon Spinks and Cory Spinks, said he made millions of dollars as the owner of a technology

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1093813804804809522004-08-29T17:21:00.000-05:002004-08-29T18:01:18.870-05:00

It takes a man to take a stand understand, it takes a woman to make a stronger man (as we both get strong) - Chuck and Flav Last time I talked a little bit about misogynistic lyrics in hip-hop. One thing I intended to do, and either was not clear on, or simply failed to accomplish, was to make some space between the use of the word "bitch" and misogyny. That is, using the same formula

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1093730712309991842004-08-28T16:59:00.000-05:002004-08-28T17:05:12.313-05:00

Car-prowl suspect caught while napping inside Jeep A car-prowl suspect in Redmond was caught while napping early yesterday morning. Police found the 23-year-old Kirkland man asleep in the passenger seat of a Jeep Cherokee outside an apartment complex at the 18100 block of Northeast 95th Street, said Redmond police spokeswoman Stacey Holland. The vehicle showed signs of forced entry, and

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1093623534784794712004-08-27T11:06:00.000-05:002004-08-27T11:18:54.786-05:00

Today's list is a bunch of songs that I think would make good background music for a good-looking woman to walk in the door. In some cases, it's based on the title and/or words in the song, i.e. it would be really ironic if she walked in while this song was playing. In other cases, it's all about how her walk would interact with the track. Heartbeat - Tanaa Gardner Freak of the Week -

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1093571492090738972004-08-26T20:48:00.000-05:002004-08-26T20:51:32.090-05:00

Put out some rough stuff today. To cool it off for the night time, I thought I'd take it down a notch. This is something I saw the first day I started blogging. I did a cut and paste and put it into Word, so I don't know where I got it. It's hot, though. Check it out. Kids will be kids. Pure, innocent, naive.. That's what makes them lovable. Enjoy. A group of professional people

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1093552065766114992004-08-26T15:14:00.000-05:002004-08-26T15:27:45.766-05:00

"They get mad when I put it in perspective but let's see if my knowledge is effective" - Ice Cube Misogyny is one of those words like "racism" that has a nebulous, broadly understood meaning, but is much more slippery when it comes time to actually grab it. There are lots of things we can agree are misogynistic, but are they really, or is it just some behavior that takes a misogynistic form

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1093546826687836682004-08-26T13:57:00.000-05:002004-08-26T14:00:26.686-05:00

Need more space, you should move. (c) Robin Harris A man who found his flat in the city of Metz too small, knocked it into his neighbour's flat and moved in. When the man's neighbour returned from work he found the 28-year-old cooking dinner in his kitchen. The owner tried to convince the intruder to return to his own apartment, but the man refused, and police were called. The man

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1093546124191657062004-08-26T13:36:00.000-05:002004-08-26T13:48:44.193-05:00

Okay. I'm tired of the incessant crapping on the USA Basketball team. I know I had some disparaging remarks before, but enough is enough. Since when is it American to root against Americans in the Olympics? Jason Whitlock has an answer. Keep this up, y'all gon' make me tell you why people really hate Allen Iverson. And trust me, I'm the last person you want to get started when it comes

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1093522508319043552004-08-26T06:20:00.000-05:002004-08-26T07:16:24.113-05:00

La Shawn had the hot conversation jumping yesterday when she wrote abou an artist's plan to lynch the confederate battle flag at the Republican National Convention. In the comments, there was a roiling discussion on whether the cbf is improperly associated with the Republican party, since most of the people flying it in its hateful heyday were hardcore Democrats. Now, that's historically

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1093456078440459762004-08-25T12:43:00.000-05:002004-08-25T13:55:32.303-05:00

Thinking about Miller's celebration of the 50th anniversary or rock 'n roll made me think of something: Rapper's Delight came out 25 years ago. Now it should go without saying that Rapper's Delight did not mark the beginning of hip-hop, but it was the first rap record to achieve major sales. As such, I don't think it's entirely out of line to say that it's the beginning of rap as a commercial

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1093394998813713672004-08-24T19:04:00.000-05:002004-08-24T19:49:58.813-05:00

Jared has a thought-provoking post on his reaction to seeing an argument between a man and a woman that had abusive overtones. He writes, What I saw this morning has been bugging me all day, really, which is why I'm writing about it. Makes me want to go beat the devil outta that guy...and hold the door open for his girl. I know, I know...violence begetting violence, etc. You know what, though?

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1093392049308971912004-08-24T18:56:00.000-05:002004-08-24T19:00:49.306-05:00

Somebody needs to break this down for me. August 24, 2004 -- LAURA Bush delivered a diss to Sean "P. Diddy" Combs by refusing to appear alongside the hip-hop heavyweight at last night's grand opening of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, sources said. Combs was supposed to join the first lady, actress Angela Bassett, U2 frontman Bono, Ohio Gov. Bob Taft, Sen.

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1093359086055156512004-08-24T09:32:00.000-05:002004-08-24T09:51:26.056-05:00

I'm not gonna get all deep on this situation with the Miller Brewing Company's lack of foresight in recognizing Black musicians in their 50th Anniversary of Rock & Roll campaign. For a minute, I was thinking I was gonna go to town on this whole thing, but I'ma pull back for a couple reasons. 1. I'm not mad that they're not putting a Black man's face on a beer can. The fact that there would

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1093352984723964412004-08-24T07:45:00.000-05:002004-08-24T08:14:00.926-05:00

I've probably said 100 times that I don't do politics. There are too many things in this world that I enjoy and too much that I really care about for me to hitch myself to a party. That doesn't mean I won't express political thoughts, but even then, my intent is to to frame issues as challenges to be worked on, not ideas to volleyed. Don't know if I always succeed, but that's my goal, at least.

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1093350200061756772004-08-24T06:37:00.000-05:002004-08-24T07:23:20.060-05:00

Hip-hop hating conservatives are gonna have to step to the rear because looking at recent statements and events, we got a chance. A couple months ago, I did a point-by-point breakdown the platform of Russell Simmons' Hip Hop Summit Action Network. I'm not wild on the polemics, so I just kinda pointed out some areas where the agenda could stand some refining from being a nebulous idea to an

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1093272073467014562004-08-23T09:32:00.000-05:002004-08-23T09:41:13.466-05:00

It was a divinely beautiful Sunday morning, and double-murder suspect Lyndell Swinson thought he'd go to church. Unfortunately for Swinson, he picked the Mount Airy Church of God in Christ, where one of the ministers is also a Philadelphia police lieutenant. After yesterday's 11 a.m. service, Swinson, 26, left his pew and walked out onto the church steps and into the arms of a waiting SWAT

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1093264374995964432004-08-23T07:27:00.000-05:002004-08-23T07:32:54.996-05:00

This is a short list, but I it's a work in progress. These are not songs by gospel artists. These are songs by secular artists that have an overtly gospel message. No euphemism and double-entendre, where the "you" could be God or some chick, it's out there plain. Save Their Souls - Hamilton Bohannon Help Is On The Way - The Whatnauts Is Anybody Gonna Be Saved - The Ohio Players Told

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1093260986337521772004-08-23T06:16:00.000-05:002004-08-23T06:36:26.336-05:00

On 1 September 2004, we will be heading over to averytooley.com. We'll try to have the blog nice and categorized for easy viewing, as well as a few more goodies like some creative writing, and whatnot. I'm in the process of putting together the new design right now.

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092933008392820322004-08-19T08:31:00.000-05:002004-08-19T16:34:24.010-05:00

I'm in a seminar for the next three days. May get to post, may not. So what we have for you today is some extra goodness. With all the talking about language that's been going on over the last couple days, I decided to sit down and have a chat with my "tag-team partner" in this endeavor, Ambra. here are the links to the "discussion" as it's taken place over the last week or so. me - 12

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092866465531309772004-08-18T16:45:00.000-05:002004-08-18T17:02:43.450-05:00

It's August, the days are getting shorter, and the semester is about to start. Summer will be over soon. Buck Whylin' by Terminator X came on the ole MP3 player and it reminded me that Valley of the Jeep Beets was my album in the summer of '91. I listened to some others, but I literally wore the writing clean off that tape before the summer was out. That got me thinking: how far could I go back?

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092859079336319302004-08-18T13:25:00.000-05:002004-08-18T14:57:59.336-05:00

Thanks to Alan Keyes, I've had the opportunity to sit down and think about reparations. Nothing too in-depth, still, because it's such a distant prospect that it doesn't warrant my immediate attention. That's like me worrying about what brand of shoe I'm gonna endorse when I'm running back kickoffs for the Eagles. Even before I stop to consider the likelihood of it happening (or the lack

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092835846283624112004-08-18T08:17:00.000-05:002004-08-18T08:30:46.283-05:00

6 People Beat Up Alleged Peeping Tom NORTH ROYALTON, Ohio -- An alleged peeping Tom is in the intensive care unit after reportedly being assaulted with a tree branch, NewsChannel5 reported. Officials said Mario Russo, 44, was attacked after he was spotted outside a bedroom window wearing his pants around his ankles and watching a 5-year-old girl who was sleeping outside the Bunkeridge

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092765203122344702004-08-17T12:50:00.000-05:002004-08-17T12:56:59.666-05:00

Pimp and Ho Halloween costumes for kids. What more can I say? (c)Shawn Carter. (but I am kinda glad the models ain't Black.)

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092763398467805982004-08-17T12:14:00.000-05:002004-08-17T12:23:18.466-05:00

The sneaker v. gym shoes v. tennis shoes situation developing in the Talking Black comments reminded me of a similar discussion up at Parablemania a couple months ago. He links the results of a dialect survey, showing a regional breakdown in different names for common items. I know it's the former English major in me, but this stuff is hot to death. Check it out.

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092757768426161812004-08-17T09:59:00.000-05:002004-08-17T10:49:28.426-05:00

I'm not big on politics and breaking down what the Democrats or Republicans are doing because I think that large-scale movements are necessary for overhauls in policy, but have very limited effect in the life of a given individual. Whether Bush or Kerry is elected in November, the kids I tutor will still need to shore up their basic skills (or get some in the first place), people that were

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092698068932910212004-08-16T16:28:00.000-05:002004-08-16T19:34:51.193-05:00

Unlike Ambra, I have never been accused of talking "white." Never. When I was 14, I called a rental car place and the agent thought I was a woman, but that was about all the vocal mistaking I've ever had to deal with. To my knowledge, nobody has ever heard me speak and then turned around and been surprised when they saw me. And in my case, it's by choice. Ambra does a good job of separating

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092682986036583422004-08-16T13:47:00.000-05:002004-08-16T14:05:09.340-05:00

What the devil? They lost to Puerto Rico?! This ain't fantasy basketball leagues, y'all. This hodgepodge all-star thing doesn't work, especially when the starriest of the stars stayed home. Come on, now. Seventy-two points? Are you kidding me? *shakes head in disgust and walks away flapping arms.*

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092674567931315472004-08-16T10:11:00.000-05:002004-08-16T11:42:47.933-05:00

La Shawn has an interesting post on watchdogs for political content in sermons. My initial take is that it's dicey business, at best. I can easily see a situation like that devolving into a witch hunt based on political affiliation and ideology. We don't need all that. What's more interesting to me is the question she asks about the definition of social justice. As always, I think

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092580850725493502004-08-15T14:40:00.000-05:002004-08-15T14:51:51.536-05:00

De La Soul Is Dead vs. Buhloone Mind State All told, De La Soul is probably my favorite hip-hop group. I think I am more in awe of Public Enemy and I intellectually understand that OutKast has put together a longer uninterrupted string of excellent albums, but De La is just my favorite. Period. One of the things that I believe makes Tupac the figure he is today is that his words resonated

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092501079581785962004-08-13T16:42:00.000-05:002004-08-14T11:31:50.203-05:00

Try A Little Tenderness - Otis Redding Hard Times - Baby Huey Four Women - Nina Simone The Truth - Beanie Sigel Midnight At The Oasis - Minnie Ripperton Everyone's A Little Bit Racist - Avenue Q Soundtrack Watch Out - De La Soul Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana Rock It - Herbie Hancock Ebonics - Big L Slippin' Into Darkness - War Soul Finger - The Bar-Kays Far East Mississppi -

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092432298674802892004-08-13T16:22:00.000-05:002004-08-13T16:24:58.676-05:00

Women kill rape suspect in court. Initial reports said about 14 women and several children forced their way into the courtroom and knifed the accused, Appu Yadav, to death.

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092415149310373522004-08-13T08:48:00.000-05:002004-08-13T13:52:42.710-05:00

I guess it's all a matter of perspective. The New York Times has an article describing some people's reaction to the Black characters in the new Grand Theft Auto game. Critics claim that it promotes stereotypes. I was one of the first people to jump on the GTA bandwagon, way back when the first edition came out. I promptly got off when I got into a minor fender-bender in real life and the

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092402504345200352004-08-13T08:01:00.000-05:002004-08-13T08:11:02.580-05:00

George Clinton got caught doing crack back in December. He has to do 200 hours of community service and 2 years' probation. I've been hip to this story from the start. I was saddened, but not surprised. I wasn't there, but I've heard about some of the things that have gone down at P-Funk concerts in the 70's. Still, that was a while ago. I guess I was hoping that he would've transitioned into

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092349420015337812004-08-12T17:57:00.000-05:002004-08-12T19:43:06.593-05:00

Ambra has an interesting post on the misleading nature of teen sex statistics. According to one survey, 84% of parents think their teen children are not sexually active. What? So all this sex is being had by just 16 kids? Come on. Self-reporting surveys are a mess. Particularly when there's some sense of status involved. Who's gonna admit to some stranger taking a survey that their

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092348569799021852004-08-12T17:06:00.000-05:002004-08-12T18:21:39.786-05:00

Governor James McGreevey resigned because he had a gay affair? (click the link for the text) Wow. Sometimes you just never know what's coming next. post script: That down-low stuff is catchin'!

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092340012134728752004-08-12T11:53:00.000-05:002004-08-12T14:46:52.133-05:00

Back in the early 90's, they started putting that parental advidory sticker on album covers. I remember getting upset about that act of "censorship." Of course, it really wasn't. At the time, we thought it was an attempt to kill hip-hop, but it really had no impact. If anything, it helped me know which records to buy. If an album didn't have the sticker, I knew to pass it by. Of course,

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092329135580580322004-08-12T10:29:00.000-05:002004-08-12T11:45:35.580-05:00

We'll have some fun now, with me and all the gang learning from each other, while we do our thing - Fat Albert Theme Song At first I was gonna act like nothing had happened, but I can't front: I'm geeked up about the National Review article that mentions the Conservative Brotherhood. Y'all be sure to check out Cobb, Uncle Sam's Cabin, Rambling's Journal, Crispus, and Blacks For Bush too.

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092265863766754972004-08-11T17:55:00.000-05:002004-08-11T18:11:03.766-05:00

Realizing that a good percentage of the people who stop by here probably have no real familiarity with hip-hop, and certainly no first-hand experience with quality hip-hop, I'm gonna recommend five songs. These aren't necessarily my 5 favorite songs...actually definitely aren't, but they represent what's right with it. In some cases, you might hafta look past a cuss word or two, but I doubt

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092150871368150062004-08-11T10:13:00.000-05:002004-08-11T13:25:35.486-05:00

What's a hypocrite? When I was little and my mom used to have me read a chapter from the Bible at night before I went to bed, that was one of my favorite words. Number one, it hat a 'Y', and number two, it sounded funny. Hypocrite. Take away the meanings and the sound alone is still amusing. What's not so funny is the way that the word is wielded as a weapon against people who try to

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092166314244645212004-08-10T14:14:00.000-05:002004-08-11T09:16:46.170-05:00

WARNING: Sexist and/or racist stuff to follow. Seriously. If you're looking for political stuff, check the archives or look under Delicious & Nutritious. This is NOT nutritious...this is a Honey Bun. Don't say I didn't warn you. I got ambushed. There I was, minding my own business when I got sidetracked by this article on white girls with butts. I've been trying and trying and trying to

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092150108351564062004-08-10T08:50:00.000-05:002004-08-10T10:01:48.353-05:00

The Hall of Fame Game, the inaugural contest in the 2005 NFL season, was last night. I didn't watch it. I don't have a televison. On purpose. August, 2004 represents the 3rd year in a row that I have lived free of an in-house idiot box. Not like I haven't seen any television in three years, but not at my house. There are some days when I miss it, like Sundays and Monday nights during the

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092086425475550312004-08-09T16:13:00.000-05:002004-08-09T16:20:25.476-05:00

I thought I had put Deep Gully by the Outlaw Blues Band on my playlist, but apparently I didn't. I sure meant to. Talk about a bass line... One of the things I do when I sit at my computer these days is try to see if I can pluck out the bass line of songs I like. Deep Gully...I'm not even gonna attempt until I can actually play. Not that I can't break it down, it's just out of pure respect.

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092077648832828342004-08-09T13:06:00.000-05:002004-08-09T13:54:08.833-05:00

I've been deliberately avoiding the whole Ricky Williams discussion. The main reason is that personally, I think too many people are acting like it actually has some bearing on their lives; like the fact that Dread decided to retire from football leaves them in a lurch. In most cases, that's just not the case, except for some fantasy football pool or something, and in cases where his departure

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1092059763072950092004-08-09T08:47:00.000-05:002004-08-09T08:56:03.073-05:00

Silly Billy - Ohio Players Hip Hug Her - Booker T & The MGs Different Strokes - Syl Johnson This House Is Smokin' - B.T. Express Gangster Boogie - Chicago Gangsters Gratitude - Earth, Wind & Fire Funky Bird - Galactic I'm Bad Like Jesse James - John Lee Hooker Glide - Pleasure Space - Galt MacDermott Magic Shoes - The Main Ingredient Let's Play House - Parliament The Root - D'Angelo

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091820172354776102004-08-06T18:13:00.000-05:002004-08-06T18:35:43.400-05:00

"You must be lookin' somewhere else like Biggie Smalls' lazy eye.." - Rass Kas A while ago, I fooled around with my ambivalence towards the use of the word "nigga". It's getting out of hand now, though. I don't care what the politics or who they think they speak for, white liberals ain't got NO business throwin' hat word around like they got some claim to it. Let Dick Cheyney use that phrase

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091823970012962262004-08-06T15:17:00.000-05:002004-08-06T15:26:10.013-05:00

I was born...city they call Buffalo Zero degrees BE-low...too damn cold and funky (pass the joint) R.I.P., Rick James A little history on me and that lyric...I first heard Below The Funk at my babysitter's grandson's house when I was 6. I remember listening to that record and seeing the album cover for Prince's Dirty Mind. After that summer, which was right before I started first

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091819192346080092004-08-06T13:26:00.000-05:002004-08-06T14:08:47.096-05:00

I quoted him earlier this week, and I mentioned him as the most underrated MC of all time last week, so I guess it's time for me to give some shine to the Kool Genius of Rap. G Rap is an MC's MC. Not a name that a casual rap fan would know, certainly not the average anti-hip-hop pundit would be able to call. MTV hip-hop fans wouldn't know him either. But ask somebody who knows hip-hop.

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091715695276815302004-08-05T09:20:00.000-05:002004-08-05T09:24:44.636-05:00

Black Oreo Barbie. What more can I say? (c) - Shawn Carter From blackfeminism.org

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091662476421464482004-08-04T16:46:00.000-05:002004-08-04T18:34:36.420-05:00

The Dallas News has an interesting article on the decline in overt political influence exerted by the Black church. In it, several factors, including the growing number of "prosperity ministries" and a general ambivalence towards politics are cited as causes for concern. Once, he noted, "the black church was needed for education, social justice and political activism, because segregation had

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091571560701697752004-08-03T17:02:00.000-05:002004-08-03T18:24:32.346-05:00

"Boy come on get with this cuz you can't dis this I'm burnin' yo ass like syphllis" - Kool G. Rap I got called out! Memer has some issues with Black conservatives regarding our disaffiliation with the Democratic party. To really get the full scope of his thoughts, you need to head up the block and check it out. This paragraph pretty much sums it up, though: [...]I don't see why it's

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091545437277167452004-08-03T10:00:00.000-05:002004-08-03T10:03:57.276-05:00

Quote of the day: "But I like hip-hop. I'm hopping all the time, man." - Bill O'Reilly. If you don't hear from me again, it's because I suffered laugh-induced asphyxiation. *wipes tears from eyes*

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091544377438869422004-08-03T09:43:00.000-05:002004-08-03T09:46:17.436-05:00

Fellow CB'er Cobb has a list of 68 questions from Earl Ofari Hutchinson. I definitely recommend checking them out. I'll probably have at one or two of them sometime soon.

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091542758463810112004-08-03T09:06:00.000-05:002004-08-03T09:19:18.463-05:00

I usually don't have any response to Jesse Jackson's column in the Chicago Sun Times. It's very partisan, which is boring to me, regardless of the position he takes. The fact that I tend to disagree with him only reinforces my non-reaction. Today's article got a rise out of me. I don't necessarily agree with it, but it's entertaining. And that's what counts. In There's No Shame In Being A

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091386418304941592004-08-02T19:30:00.000-05:002004-08-02T19:38:14.563-05:00

I Got A Thing, You Got A Thing - Funkadelic Far East Mississippi - Ohio Players Escape-ism - James Brown (the whole 19:06) Can't Get Next To You - Al Green (Everybody knows the Temptations version of this song, but Al took it down to Memphis and beat it with the down-south soul stick so bad, it's unrecognizable. He sermonizes this cut. If you haven't heard it yet, you need to get up on this

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091470738776834212004-08-02T12:19:00.000-05:002004-08-02T13:18:58.776-05:00

I don't go by African-American. I never did. I know that when people use that term I'm generally what they mean, but there are some problematic elements of that construction. Black (capital B) works sufficiently for me. A good discussion of the debate over the term African-American can be seen here. (Shout to Booker Rising). For now, though, I'm less concerned with the technical aspects

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091407483109547602004-08-01T19:18:00.000-05:002004-08-01T19:45:56.546-05:00

Watching Rocky IV again, I noticed something. Rocky and Adrian are suposed to have been married for about 9 years. That's true in real time, but in movie time that can't be right. When Apollo fights Drago, the announcer says that Apollo hasn't fought in 5 years. Rocky and Adrian got married right before Apollo did his in-ring retirement and sat down at the count of 9. Even Rocky Jr. is about

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091403824143286252004-08-01T18:27:00.000-05:002004-08-01T18:43:44.143-05:00

I really don't do baseball, but tomorrow is August 2, my late grandfather's birthday. To commemorate, I'm saddling up with his favorite team, the Cubs. I remember many a summer evening spent in the TV room spent watching the Ryne Sandberg-Leon Durham-Lee Smith Cubs. When they lost, he would always mutter, "Old sorry Cubs." Then in 1984, they won the NL East Pennant. I didn't know who was

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091395417052710852004-08-01T15:40:00.000-05:002004-08-01T16:23:37.053-05:00

Feeling nostalgic, I'm looking at some old footage of Tyson. While there aren't enough drugs and alcohol in the world to make me say Tyson was better than Ali, I will say that none of Ali's hits will have me up dancing in circles like Tyson's. He was a steamroller; a rhinocerous. He used to literally knock guys silly. One of his victims was laying on the canvas talking about, "Dude, where's

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091335716444144992004-07-31T22:16:00.000-05:002004-07-31T23:48:36.446-05:00

Do Black kids really think it's "acting white" to excel in academic/intellectual pursuits? Dr. Edward Rhymes says no. In his article, Acting White? African-American Students and Education, Dr. Rhymes seeks to discredit disingenuous and misled pundits and celebrities who claim that there is some anti-intellectual movement afoot. Citing his personal experience with youngsters, both in and

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091292718571096842004-07-31T13:51:00.000-05:002004-07-31T14:03:20.633-05:00

In order to properly evaluate albums, the first thing I have to do is create a rubric. (What a fun word). I'm thinking that the criteria for hip-hop albums will be slightly different than the one for gospel albums, but not entirely dissimilar. After all, I'll be comparing albums within genre by the same artist, so it'll be inherently fair. Anyway, to review, this is going to culminate in a

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091299579200905892004-07-31T13:23:00.000-05:002004-07-31T13:48:14.536-05:00

Okay, but before I get to all that, I just saw the Tyson knockout. That joint was pitiful. Mike actually hit the ropes, bounced back up, and got caught with another fist. It was like something out of Rocky. Michael King has a discusson about it. It's just sad to me. As if the world's not in enough flux, there's not even a dominant name in the heavyweight division. At least before,

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091292605531479012004-07-31T11:41:00.000-05:002004-07-31T11:50:05.530-05:00

This is the 200th post. It's Saturday. Generally, weekends are for cleaning up, but I'm an old comic booker, so multiples of 50 are special issues. Conflict of interests. Scattershot thoughts or double issue? To solve this, I think I'm gonna finally deal with some posts that have been lingering around for too long. By the end of the day, I will have completed that Love Alive vs. Love Alive

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091230518079574482004-07-30T18:23:00.000-05:002004-07-30T18:35:18.080-05:00

Does anybody remember the Space Giants? Goldar, Silvar, Zan, and Methuslem vs. the evil of Radak? That used to be my sure shot on weekday afternoons when I was in early grade school. I don't remember what channel it used to come on...maybe Chicago's channel 64 or something. One of those high numbers at the end of the UHF dial that I always got in trouble for turning too fast. Then

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091228110552228522004-07-30T17:34:00.000-05:002004-07-30T17:55:10.553-05:00

This is from an interview with Melle Mel. Kool Moe Dee rated him the greatest MC of all time in the book, There's A God On The Mic. At first I kind of disagreed, but then taking everything into consideration...I really can't argue with it. From my first post, I've been mentioning really breaking that stuff down, and as I approach # 200, I may honestly start some systematic breakdown. Or else,

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091212893787412492004-07-30T12:51:00.000-05:002004-07-30T15:25:11.600-05:00

At first this was going to be another in the occasional series on my dismay at the public adoration of Tupac. My contention is that Ice Cube was the MC that Tupac wanted to be. There are some strong parallels to their careers, and there would probably be a lot more had Tupac not died when he did. I'm not taking it in that directon right now, though. Instead of comparing him to his inferior, I'll

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091204556147430972004-07-30T11:20:00.000-05:002004-07-30T11:22:36.146-05:00

The Grind Date, the new De La Soul album, is coming out on September, 28. Check y'all at the store.

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091200136540379042004-07-30T10:04:00.000-05:002004-07-30T10:24:37.830-05:00

What's the point of any governmental regulation of sex? Seriously. Moral regulation, i.e. pontification from a religious institution is one thing. State regulation is something altogether different. Nobody stepped to me on prostitution...whatever. Except for the element of taxation, I don't see how the government has a stake in it one way or the other.  This goes even bigger than that,

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091139795272040972004-07-29T17:14:00.000-05:002004-07-29T17:23:15.273-05:00

In my first journalism class, the professor kicked that old cliche, "Man Bites Dog...That's news." But this...this is just sick. A suburban Chicago man is in court today facing charges he raped a female dog, facing up to nine years in prison and $75,000 in fines if convicted. Joyner faces one to three years in prison and fines up to $25,000 if convicted on each of three charges. The

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091105239766799832004-07-29T07:44:00.000-05:002004-07-29T07:47:19.766-05:00

This is the quote from Mayor Harold Washington's second inaugural address that basically sums up what I think the NAACP should be, substituting racial differences for political and ideological differences. If the NAACP can't be this, then maybe we should make something that can. Chicago in four years has brought together black and white, Asian and hispanic, male and female, the young, the old

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091058612616176252004-07-28T18:44:00.000-05:002004-07-28T18:50:12.616-05:00

It just occurred to me that there is a sickening irony in the fact that Ice Cube's The Product is based on a sample of Sly & The Family Stone's You Can Make It If You Try. Now, I'm thinking that if I had done it, the whole thing would have been intentional. Somehow, I'm thinking Cube & his producers probably weren't setting it up that way, but what a contrast. There's a sickening blog post in

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091047726334887922004-07-28T15:14:00.000-05:002004-07-28T15:48:46.333-05:00

Let me put this out here right now: I don't do politics. Some of my thoughts may tend to align more closely to one end of the political spectrum, but that's about as far as it goes. I claim neither the jackass nor the pachyderm. At the party level, it's all self-serving and fraudulent, as far as I'm concerned. Not saying that all politicians are crooked, but a politicans have the same job as

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1091031213554535202004-07-28T10:38:00.000-05:002004-07-28T11:13:33.556-05:00

This is from an interview with Q-Tip, formerly of A Tribe Called Quest. Q: You hear two things all the time on the internet. One is that, whenever a rapper is up for a role in a movie, people get up in arms about that casting. The other is when someone, like Jadakiss, speaks out, people say “Why should I listen to a rapper?” Hip hop has been around over twenty years. Why is it not getting the

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1090980311526459172004-07-27T20:24:00.000-05:002004-07-27T21:05:11.526-05:00

It was suggested to me that this weeks playlist be arranged around the concept of food. Not strictly things to eat, however. More in the sense of food as "something that gives nourishment where it's lacking." This is a mixed list; some songs are listed because of the titles, some because the message of the song is nourishing. Anyway, here goes. Sanctified Lady - Marvin Gaye Gotta Learn

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1090944162794315792004-07-27T11:01:00.000-05:002004-07-27T11:02:42.793-05:00

Told you Stanley Crouch ain't no joke. Crouch vs. Sharpton. Seriously.

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1090879286960050602004-07-26T20:50:00.000-05:002004-07-26T22:44:12.980-05:00

Where there is no vision the people perish - Pro. 29:18   Young girls are getting pregnant because they want to.  Not all of them, although any is too many.  According to this article, nearly 25% of the girls between 14 and 18 years of age who participated in a survey in Birmingham, AL expressed a interest in being or wished they were pregnant.  I have some problems with that. Now, I

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1090876082569589522004-07-26T15:59:00.000-05:002004-07-26T16:08:02.570-05:00

This is why Chuck D is Chuck D:  he says what I would'a said if I had thought of it: Anti-Lectualism and dumbassification in our society has leaked into the concept of having unstealable items in your crib. For example 30 years ago cats would rob your house and take a tv or stereo equipment and sell them on the street to get good money when the dollar was longer. 20 years ago DJ and stereo

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1090841857311087902004-07-26T06:30:00.000-05:002004-07-26T06:37:37.310-05:00

Now this is what I would regard as authentic gospel hip-hop.  Like I said before, the message and the music aren't necessarily incompatible, it's just that it needs to be handled by somebody who knows what they're doing.

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1090798960085510672004-07-25T18:39:00.000-05:002004-07-25T18:42:40.086-05:00

Grudge match:  Jesse Jackson vs. Jesse Peterson Main Event:  Al Sharpton vs. Stanley Crouch.  (I would pay big money to see this one.) Add on if you can think of any.

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1090677373095998462004-07-24T08:53:00.000-05:002004-07-24T08:56:13.096-05:00

            "The one thing I know, everyone respects a true person and everyone's not true themselves. All these people who are heroes, the ones who have been lily white and clean all their lives, if they went through what I went through, they would commit suicide.  They don't have the heart that I have.  I've lived in places they wouldn't defecate in." -Mike Tyson I don't know anything

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1090560308182868832004-07-23T00:24:00.000-05:002004-07-23T00:25:08.183-05:00

Now if we get Eddie George...

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1090542505878790802004-07-22T19:24:00.000-05:002004-07-22T19:28:25.876-05:00

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me." "Well I'll get some sticks and stones and break your bones, and the name that'll hurt you will be ESTHER!" –Exchange between Aunt Esther and Grady on Sanford & Son House Nigga. Poverty Pimp. Uncle Tom. Divisive Demagogue. I'm tired of Black politics and politicians.  Seriously.  There's not even an exchange of ideas

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1090500109222864042004-07-22T07:35:00.000-05:002004-07-22T07:41:49.223-05:00

For a young minute, I've been hearing that Halle Berry is going to play Janie Starks in a television adaptation of Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God.   Some people I know have serious beef with the whole project, from the fact that it's going to be a made-for-TV movie, to the fact that Oprah is supposed to be behind it, to the selection of Halle as the protagonist.  I don't really

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1090361846995393452004-07-20T17:06:00.000-05:002004-07-20T17:17:26.996-05:00

Last spring, I mentioned how much fun it is to watch men ogle at women.  Yesterday provided another stellar example.  Crossing the street in front of me was a veteran brick house.  She looked like she was in her late 30's, but could have been a young-looking fifty-something.  What wasn't in question was that at in her day, she was the truth like absolute veracity.  And the sun still had yet to

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1090250348453467582004-07-19T10:11:00.000-05:002004-07-19T10:19:08.453-05:00

This week, it's all about songs with hot onomatopoetic elements.  This does not include sound effects, strictly instruments played in a way to make them sound like some element of the song.   Jungle Boogie – Kool & The Gang (Listen to those elephants!) Car Wash – Rose Royce (the popping guitar is the foam as it bubbles onto the car) Little Red Rooster – Sam Cooke (the organist is a beast,

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1090249863749633102004-07-19T09:59:00.000-05:002004-07-19T10:11:03.750-05:00

Evangelical Outpost has a very interesting discussion highlighting some concerns about the use of the word "pimp" as verb or an adjective without negative connotations.  Later some potential alternatives are offered.   Child molester – n. slang term used to refer to an older person who attempts to pander to the tastes of children and teenagers in order to make a quick buck. "I have to give

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1090164409379405662004-07-18T10:06:00.000-05:002004-07-18T10:26:49.380-05:00

Looks like I'm gonna be joining the exodus to Movable Type.  I got averytooley.com registered, so at some point I'll be packing up and heading around the corner.  A big, fat shout to my good friend, Nyki for the inspiration.  In addition to the blog, there'll be some other goodies, so stay tuned.   ***   Also, it was suggestied to me by a friend that I put more biographical info on here. 

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1090080492457993352004-07-17T11:00:00.000-05:002004-07-17T11:08:12.456-05:00

James Brown has a new record coming out, a 35 year-old jazz recording Soul On Top.  Best believe that I will be copping it.  Anyway, in the article, James says something that I plan to give some major consideration to in the coming weeks:"When people talk about soul music, they only talk about gospel and R&B coming together. That's accurate about a lot of soul, but if you are going to talk about

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1090013441233580662004-07-16T15:46:00.000-05:002004-07-16T16:30:41.233-05:00

I'm tripping.  I just watched the episode of Good Times when Michael brought home the bully who had been taking his lunch money.  Now I just watched it, but I'm still not sure how Michael and Florida talked James into letting the bully, Eddie, stay for the weekend.  What I DO know is, Eddie said he wasn't gonna do any homework to James' face.  It was a case of the old quote, "Act like you want

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1089990478531475392004-07-16T09:40:00.000-05:002004-07-16T12:54:04.016-05:00

This paragraph here, from the article, The Rebirth of Psych  by Bethany Allen, pretty much crystalizes why I lean to the right.   I know that everyone would like to believe in the American dream, that if we work hard we can overcome our conditions, no matter how low on the totem pole we start out. But I've been at the bottom and I just want to go on record to say it's just not that easy. At

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1089985759423526062004-07-16T07:53:00.000-05:002004-07-16T11:05:11.683-05:00

I love Jesus and I love hip-hop, so it would seem that the hip-hop services described in the Chicago Tribune (subscription required) would be right up my alley.  For some reason, though, it just doesn't sit right with me.   I'm not exactly sure about the source of my discomfort.  I know everybody doesn't enjoy the same musical forms (and we can get into a debate on the musical legitimacy of

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1089852955217076552004-07-14T18:42:00.000-05:002004-07-14T19:55:55.216-05:00

I think I've figured it out. Not that I didn't know it before, but it has crystalized for me now. As it pertains to the Black church and institutions modeled after it (NOI), there are two directions people try to take it. Some people see it as a spiritual institution first. - Well, some people see the church as a spiritual institution only, but that's why I refer specifically to the Black

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1089821255188144742004-07-14T11:07:00.000-05:002004-07-14T11:12:02.790-05:00

Ain't No Half-Steppin - Heatwave With A Little Help From My Friends - Joe Cocker You're Right, Ray Charles - Joe Tex Love Your Life - Average White Band In The Heat Of The Night - Ray Charles Don't Want To Be A Fool - Luther Vandross One Monkey Don't Stop No Show - Joe Tex Get Out My Life, Woman - Joe Williams I Just Want To Celebrate - Rare Earth Yes We Can - Pointer Sisters Reign Of

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1089820119159730032004-07-14T10:28:00.000-05:002004-07-14T10:48:39.160-05:00

Some prominent Senators, athletes, and celebrities are banding together to get Jack Johnson a presidential pardon to overturn his convention based on the Mann Act. I've got ambivalent feelings about it. On the one hand, we all know he got railroaded. The Mann Act was intended to keep women from being transported across state lines for immoral purposes; a Chicago pimp taking his workers to

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1089761812577669912004-07-13T18:01:00.000-05:002004-07-13T18:45:12.903-05:00

Devish NAACP gettin' me all worked up. I almost forgot to run this week's album. Today's album, Masta Ace's Slaughtahouse, was one of the first hip-hop albums to cast a critical eye on that whole gangsta genre. What's more, this came out in 1993, when gangsta rap was really emerging as the dominant paradigm. In their year-end review of the albums of the year, The Source (back when it was

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1089759263730786872004-07-13T08:38:00.000-05:002004-07-13T17:57:44.223-05:00

"Preposterous like an androgynous misogynist" - Talib Kweli La Shawn, Samantha, and Michael have all written about Kweisi Mfume's comments regarding Black conservatives. Check them out for some solid rebuttals and logic questioning. Me? I'm just gonna make it plain: he's out of his wig. This is exactly what I was talking about yesterday. He's still in the Colored People mindset.

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1089659762530025842004-07-12T12:45:00.000-05:002004-07-12T14:16:02.530-05:00

La Shawn writes about the NAACP with passion and conviction, nicknaming it The Dinosaur. I think she's dead right. Even the name is an anachronism. Colored People? That was progressive for the Aughts, when Du Bois and his backers organized in the first place, but that term has been played out, the fact that my grandmother still asks if there are "any colored" on a game show before she'll let

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6501891.post-1089649517113256422004-07-12T11:23:00.000-05:002004-07-12T11:25:17.113-05:00

Exhibit 1: Girl killed over $100 braids. I hope these two don't even last until the trial.

averyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02099863991041602731noreply@blogger.com