Moving on the Wires: Taking a Break + Donations + Vampires + Studio Museum + The Beautyful Ones Exhibit

* Hey everyone! I decided that since my birthday is in a couple of weeks (August 7), and since I have been slowing down on the blog due to both things that I am personally doing that is taking up my time and the events of the world tiring me, I will take a few […]

Otherworldly Videos: A Seed of Hope – Baobab + Simphiwe Dana

I saw these two beautiful videos today, the French short film, Baobab, and South African singer Simphiwe Dana’s “Mayine.” While the videos may appear disheartening at first (and I do have questions about the former’s reason for the cutting down the tree, the depiction of violence in general, and the film’s meaning within a larger […]

The My-Stery: The Different American Realities We Have and Politics of Proof – RIP Trayvon Martin

I feel genuinely weakened and tired from the not guilty verdict given to the George Zimmerman case. I was not shocked by it, but it did feel like another painful smack in the face after you’ve already been beaten several times. During the whole trial, two quotations from Malcolm X came to mind: “If you […]

The My-Stery: Dance Apocalyptic By Shaking Your Groove Thing!

“The booty don’t lie” – Janelle Monae and Erykah Badu’s “Q.U.E.E.N.” “I’m wigglin’ my fanny, I’m raunchy dancing, I’m-a-doing it doing it” – Betty Davis’ “If I’m in Luck I Might Just Get Picked Up” “Free yaself gal, you got class and you got pride Come together cuz we strong and unified… Show it off […]

Modern Griots Reviews: Apeshit + The Creation of the Humanoids – The Politics of Obsolescence

This morning I heard that communication companies are attempting to rid us of phone landlines and replace them with wireless service only, and it reminded me of the two films I saw last night, Leah Gilliam‘s movie Apeshit and Wesley E. Barry‘s The Creation of the Humanoids. Gilliam spoke at the showings of the film […]

Modern Griots Reviews: Sekou Sundiata Tribute at Summerstage

Although we the audience were subjected to downpours on Wednesday night, the sun seemed to come and shine, even for a little bit, for the three songtresses, Toshi Reagon, Sandra St. Victor and Nona Hendryx, who hit the stage in honor of late poet Sekou Sundiata. The singers, along with their bands and special guests, […]

Modern Griots Reviews: Malik Manifesto

On their bandcamp page, duo Malik Manifesto has the phrase “real is ‘relative,’ truth is ‘absolute.’” The motto appears to be a fitting explanation to Malik Manifesto’s debut, self-titled album. Consisting of producer Dasman and MC Mike Lamont, aka “Sintex Era,” Malik Manifesto’s album begins with what Lamont calls “the king’s manifest,” a title for […]

Otherworldly Videos: Evolve: The Series + Room 9

Here are two web series, one set in New York, the other in South Africa: Written and directed by Kia T. Barbee, Evolve: The Series is about a young teenage girl, Donia Reyes, who on her 16th birthday is developing supernatural powers (including “super strength, forcefield, enhanced senses, super agility, telekinetic and telepathic powers“) and her […]