Friday, December 11, 2015
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Monday, November 23, 2015
Friday, November 20, 2015
Thursday, November 19, 2015
David Banner- Marry Me Ft. Rudy Currence
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Kaleidoscope Dope: D'Banj Confidential ft. Driis (Idris Elba) & Shadow Boxxer
Monday, November 16, 2015
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Yump Daniels- Feel Triiip (Mixtape)
The artis formally known as Mann drops an eerily bumping project, check it out.
Monday, November 9, 2015
Erykah Badu- Phone Down
Thursday, November 5, 2015
Talib Kweli & 9th Wonder presents.... Indie 500 EP (Album Stream)
I've been hype about this joint venture since it's inception. The promotion of this project has been crazy with videos for "Every Ghetto" with Rapsody and protest anthem "Which Side are you on" that features Tef Poe and single "Pay Ya Dues" with CA's born Problem and Bad Lucc. This classic will have heavywieghts such as, production from 9th Wonder, Nottz, Khrysis and more, the album additonally has features from Pharoahe Monch, Slug (of Atmostphere), Brother Ali, Rapsody, and many more.
Pick it up on iTunes on 11/6.
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Big K.R.I.T. Ft. Rapsody Guillotine Flow (Produced by 9th Wonder)
Talib Kweli Ft. Tef Poe & Kendra Ross- Which side are you on
Friday, October 23, 2015
Post Blackness By Touŕe
Who's afraid of post blackness? By Touŕe was something that I feel like I should have read in high school or even middle school, when I was dealing with my own racial identity issues ( not being black enough).
Touŕe brings light to the new movement of post Blackness and what it really means. His childhood along with the experiences of the people he interviewed tells the story of the post black movement. Answering questions like
- what it means to be black in all of its shades and facets?
- Light skin vs. Dark skin privilege.
- what's the most racist thing that's ever happened to you?
- What does it really mean to keep it real?
- What do we need to do to build more Baracks?
And that's just naming a few.
Touŕe's insight from his own experience and those he's interviewed made this a book that should be a standard in any black home.
He interviewed 105 prominent black luminaries all bringing their own views and ideas. It's a deep and honest conversation about race.
- Politicians like Harold Ford Jr, Sharon Pratt, and Benjamin Jealous
- Visual artist like Kara Walker, Glenn Ligon, Lorna Simpson, and Julie Mehretu
- Recording artist like Chuck D, Questlove, Talib Kweli, Lupe Fiasco
- Writers like Malcolm Gladwell, Greg Tate, Stanley Crouch, Kristal Brent
- Academics like Dr. Beverly Tatum, Dr. Connell West, Dr. Mar Lamont Hill
And that's just to name a few. The list is extensive as it is diverse.
Growing up in had been called an ores and told I wasn't black enough up until college. And not just by white people but by my fellow peers. I had constantly had my blackness challenged and was told that I wasn't doing it right. Touŕe and his luminaries address that there is not right or wrong way to be black. Racial identity should be understood as as fluid, complex, and self determined.
The stories shared by the 105 participants were of racism in the workplace, at school and even in churches showed that no matter what class your were or what status you had elevated your family to, if you are black you experience the same racism. He touched on the issues of black art ,the use of the word nigga and the concept of white gaze.
His dedication alone at the beginning of the book let me know that this was going to be something I needed to share. I encourage anyone who's not felt black enough to pick this up and be comforted inspired and informed. He emphasizes that to build more Barack's we have to work on ourselves and accept each other and stop saying, black people don't do that. Cause guess what? We do.
Monday, September 28, 2015
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Maneater Just too much fun
Maneater by Mary B Morrison was so much fun to read and I just couldn't put it down.
Seven (yes her name was seven like the number) is engaged to this hot millionaire but 9 weeks before the wedding he says if she doesn't lose 25 lbs the wedding is off. What an ass right?
Well Seven goes to lose the weight at a resort and to get a bit of revenge as well (this wasn’t your average resort)
Seven is a beautiful and smart woman but sometimes she falls victim to self doubt but in the end she comes out on top. Maneater has so many Sexy twists and turns it could barely keep up. Sometimes I'd put it down because I had gotten so HOT ( get out your fans ladies)
My favorite character is Seven's best friend Zena who is ride or die. No doubt about it. If you have a friend like Zena your set for life. She's a shit talking, take no prisoners and fuck the world kind of woman and I love it.
Morrison is an excellent writer and develops characters so fully that they feel like people you have known all your life. And the twists that Maneater took from the very beginning left me mouth wide open and eager for more.
For more reviews like this one check out Leticiajw.wordpress.com
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Belle: The slave daughter and the Lord Chief Justice.
Belle by Paula Byrne is the true story behind the movie with the same name. Now I hadn't seen the movie before I picked up the book but the premise was interesting. The slave daughter and the Lord Chief Justice. After reading this however, it should have been called Mansfield Lord Chief Justice because it mostly felt like it was telling about his rulings and his life. Which yes, included Dido (Belle) and there's no doubt in my mind that as his niece, he thought about her often when making rulings and putting in effect laws that affected slave trade in high society England in the 1700’s.
There was little concrete about Dido Belle except the circumstances around which she was painted in a portrait with her white cousin Elizabeth. The real controversy with this painting is that she is painted equal to her cousin in a time when the fashion featured black people subserviently in such portraits.
From what is gathered Dido’s (Belle) life was very different from other mulatto ( mixed race) children of her time and that was greatly in part because of her uncle.
Paula Byrne writes mainly about the slave culture at the time. And just a warning it can be very graphic at times. The book highlighted conditions of slave ships and the slave trade. Particularly, the objectification of African women as sexual objects who were also looked at as no more than property in the end. Paula paints such vivid imagery of the slave trade one almost can't believe that this was just some 300 years ago.
A case that caught my attention was the Zong Massacre. A horrific event where a slave ship captain was trying to file insurance for cargo lost while he was at sea. However this wasn’t any cargo, this wasn’t animals or goods or even furniture. This was a slave ship and his cargo was African slaves. The captain claims that it didn't have enough water to make the journey and so it was forced to jettison part of its cargo to save the rest. I had a difficult time reading through this case. Especially in light of recent news. Human life tossed aside so easily. The point the book points out is that this case wasn't tried for the murder of 132 humans but the insurance claim that the ship captain had on each life he tossed overboard.
Paula Bryne’s Belle was well written and informative, even if the facts about the main character were slim but hey records back then were not like Facebook today. The reader definitely feels drawn to Belle and realizes with every case ruling and every change in the laws that her uncle makes she was born into far better circumstances than other like her. And it was also the beginning of the abolitionist movement.
I did also watch the movie after reading the book and considering the artistic licences that had to be taken because the facts about belle were slim it was a good movie. It focuses largely on Belle and her making her way through high society England in the 1700’s and the laws that are taking place around her though her uncle. It highlights the Zong Massacre which was a defining case in the book but definitely one that would catch the Hollywood audience. It was a good story stand alone. And as always never compare you book to the movie ( you’ll be disappointed)
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