The First Contender for Hottest Party of ’08

12 Saturday Jan 2008

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by vivrant thang on party like a rockstar

I probably haven’t mentioned it but I’m a member of the First and Finest sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. We’re celebrating our centennial year (birthday is on Tuesday) so this past weekend the city has been rolling out the pink and green carpet for us. It will be nothing compared to what will go down in July when our national convention rolls into town.

Anywho, although I am fighting a nasty chest cold, which has my voice sounding like a cross between Kathleen Turner and Donald Duck, nothing but death was going to keep me from this:

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9th Wonder and DJ Cuzzin B on the wheels of steel! I knew it was going to be ridiculous…and how right I was!

From the moment, I stepped in the door, I was shaking what my Momma gave me. They played just about every new jack swing, hip hop, reggae and r&b song you can remember rocking to in the late 80s and 90s. You know, the songs you hear and can remember exactly what was going on in your life at that particular time. All I kept hearing was:

“Freshman year, Brown Hall, my roommate used to play this joint everyday!”

“1988 – junior year. That was my sonnnnggg!”

When a particular song would come on, we would look at each other like “I can’t believe he is playing this! I’m about to fall out!” Tired as we were towards the end, there were some joints we still had to get up on and at least two-step.

I can’t remember every song they played because I was too busy dropping it…in a dress and some hooker boots at that. I did manage to make note of a few of them to give you an idea.

Michele’le – Something In My Heart
Tony Toni Tone – Just Me and You
Janet Jackson – Anytime, Anyplace (took some of my sorors through some things when he played this one
Mint Condition – Pretty Brown Eyes
R Kelly –12 Play
Jodeci – Freakin U 

Mad Cobra– Flex
Sister Nancy – Bam Bam
Buju – Boom Bye Bye

Fugees–Ready or Not
Mary – Reminisce
Biggie – Big Poppa, Unbelievable
Arrested Development – Everyday People
LL – Jingling Baby, Around the Way Girl
MC Lyte – Cha Cha Cha
Tribe Called Quest – Bonita Applebaum
Nas – The World is Yours
Black Sheep –The Choice is Yours
Camp Lo – Luchini
Nice and Smooth –Hip Hop Junkie
Wu Tang – C.R.E.A.M, Ice Cream
Jay Z – Ain’t No N*gga
Lil Kim – Big Momma Thang ( I have to admit I still know all the words to her entire first album)

EU – Da Butt (it was on like School Daze!)
DJ Funk – There’s Some Hoes in This House 

Couple all this hot music with the old school candy sprinkled all over the tables (ring pops, blow pops, push up pops, laffy taffy) and the classics playing on the screen (House Party, Above The Rim, and Fat Albert) and you can imagine what a great time we had.

It was one of the times I was so glad to be in the 30-and-over crowd as you could look around and see the bored youngins who didn’t have a clue why we were acting a fool. It’s a shame that the only songs they felt were Kanye’s Flashing Lights and Good Life. Thankfully, that was the only radio programming we were subjected to. Those are two hot songs though so I didn’t mind.

As me and my aching knees recover today, I will definitely keep my eyes on The True School events page for the next “house party.” DC area grown folks, if you know like I know, so should you.

“Turn My TV On”: Look Mama! Black Folk On TV!!!

08 Tuesday Jan 2008

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by vivrant thang on the colored section

araisininthesun.jpg

In case you’ve been under a rock, like myself obviously, I wanted to share the link to the trailer for the upcoming television premiere of the Broadway production of “A Raisin in the Sun.”

Although they said Puffy…Diddy…Piddy…whatever was really good in this and took the part seriously, I just don’t buy him as “Walter.” If you read the original play, you could feel Walter’s desperation in Lorraine Hansberry’s words. If you watched the production with Sidney Portier, you were spent by the end. In my opinion, Diddy can’t pull off desperate. Watching the trailer doesn’t change my mind about that. He looked too crisp…too clean-cut to me. That’s just his swagger I suppose. He can’t take that off.  We’ll see if I change my mind about this.

I’ll certainly be tuned in on February 25th, as I always do when Black folk are on television not shaking their asses or otherwise cutting the fool.

View Trailer

Speak on it!

Let’s Rock : From Erro to Prince, I Gets Around!

07 Monday Jan 2008

Posted by in Feeding The Music Jones, Let's Rock: Concert Reviews

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by vivrant thang on feeding the music jones and let’s rock

As you can see from my concert calendar, the year has been off to a great start musically.

New Years Day Butta and I took our clown act on the road to rock with Eric Roberson up in Philly at one of my favorite venues, World Cafe Live. It was a seated show, which was a little different flavor for us. However, we rolled with it.

There was an opening act, but I’m not even going to waste my cyberbreath on that mess.  I’ll let you see it and weep.

I’ve already told you how Erro gets down. I was able to capture video of him performing some of his older music:

Couldn’t Hear Me Over The Music

Only For You

Curt is sick on that guitar, I tell you.

Part of what makes an Erro show so enjoyable is the fact that he must have been an actor in a former life. He’s not just a talented singer. He’s a true performer, an entertainer who truly connects with his audience. Basically, you can count on him to cut a fool at some point in the show. Check out his advice to the single brothers on how to “close the deal,” a bit a he usually does preceding what he calls, the “sexy part of the show.”

Although Erro was great and all, the highlight of the whole trip was seeing Jill Scott hanging out in the crowd after the show like she’s not the hottest selling ticket out there right now. She was rolling so low key that Butta didn’t immediately recognize her until she flashed that sunny Colgate smile. I would stan for her too but shiiit, like I told you she’s a hot ticket and until I get a sponsor, I’m not gonna be able to do it.

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There are other pics under the link, courtesy of Butta, but I love this one. Check out ole boy in the background. He got love all in his eyes for Jill. I feel ya, homie!

Anyhow, Erro and Curt came down the road a few days later for the rescheduled Tribute to Prince’s Sign O The Times and Parade.

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I was excited about this show and it did not disappoint, despite what some buffoons may say. I captured just about every performance over at the spot. Here are a few of the highlights.

The lovely Navasha Daya of Fertile Ground almost started a “Housequake” at the club!

Memo to Curt Chambers of Franklin Bridge : If I got knocked up after the show because of your orgasmic performance of “U Got The Look“, you better have five on the Similac!

Now, any Raheem Devaughn stans might to click the little x in the top right corner because I got a major bone to pick with him. You know I got love for Rah. I mean “Woman” rated pretty high on my Top 10 list. I had even forgiven him for his previous Patti Labelle-ish antics. However, he has put our love affair in SERIOUS jeopardy by not knowing the words to my favorite Prince song ever, “Adore. “

Let me give you a minute because I know you’re just as upset about this as I am.

There’s more.

He also didn’t know the words to “Kiss.”

Blasphemy.

Not to mention, how you gonna show up and do a tribute to an icon like His Purple Royalness and not know the words to two of his most famous songs? Even if he was a last minute addition, everyone should know the words to these two songs, particularly if you’re going to be performing them.

That’s all I can say about this one because I’m spent just reliving the whole thing. Here’s the video evidence of this travesty. If Prince should happen to grace a Grammy party with his presence and run into Raheem, I hope he bitch slaps him.

Adore

Kiss

Next up on the concert scene: Reports from Martin Luther’s acoustic set, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, and Teedra Moses.

Another Break From Our Regularly Scheduled Programming…

07 Monday Jan 2008

Posted by in Feeding The Music Jones

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by vivrant thang on all about me 

I’ve been tagged…again…this time by Skoolboi Krush. Since I hated on his Top 10 Songs of 2007 list, I feel obliged to go on and respond to it.

Two Names you go by:

1. Total Package

2. Vivrant Thang

Two Things You Are Wearing Right Now:

1. Some banging bronze-colored heels

2. A chocolate skirt suit

Two Things You Would Want (or have) in a Relationship:

1. Patience

2. Honest communication

Two of your favorite things to do:

1. Attend live music concerts

2. Grown folks business…you know that Crown Royal on Ice thang

Two things you want very badly at the moment:

1. To hear back on some potentially great news

2. A maid service to come to my home and clean from top to bottom

Two pets you had/have:

1. A parakeet named Pepe when I was a kid

2. Grandma’s goldfish that I used to help take care of

Two things you did last night:

1. Attended both of soul singer Martin Luther’s acoustic sets at Bohemian Caverns

2. JAMMED with other Bilal stans to the “lost” CD….”Love for Sale”

Two things you ate today:

1. Bacon

2. Eggs

Two people you last talked to:

1. Mother

2. Arnita


Two things you’re doing tomorrow:

1. Blogging

2. Uploading Martin Luther video

Two longest car rides:

1. From New Jersey to North Carolina

2. From New Jersey to South Carolina


Two favorite holidays:

1. Christmas

2. My birthday!

Favorite beverages:

1. I like to get loose off the [Grey] Goose and OJ

2. Caramel Apple martinis

Person no longer alive who you’d like to talk to:

1. My Daddy

2. My Grandma

Everything Happens [For A Reason]

04 Friday Jan 2008

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by vivrant thang on life

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Everything happens for a reason, they say
Everything happens for a reason, they say

Yesterday morning I received an upsetting e-mail from a friend whose situation I told you about in a previous post. Again, I won’t go into great detail, but it was an urgent prayer request for her unborn child. At exactly four months into her pregancy, her water broke and the doctors were telling her that a miscarriage was inevitable. She wrote that while she was accepting that God knows best, she also knew He has the final say. So came the mass prayer request.

I felt terrible for her and sent one up, even though I knew it would likely be to no avail. I did have a little hope though. Miracles happen everyday. Not in this case though. I got word later in the day that the baby was gone.

I had only shared the complete story of her pregnancy and all the drama surounding it with two other people – the only people that I share almost everything with. When I told both of them what happened, they both had the same response: It was probably for the best. Everything happens for a reason.

I was a little upset at that response since I had also grown to care about this baby already, seeing as how she had named it and shared sonogram pictures and all. Some time later, I did wonder if it was the truth. I think she would have been a wonderful mother, but I was also always worried what the father would do since he was strongly opposed to this child coming into the world. And there was reason to be worried. The dude had done a long stint in prison. He wasn’t there on some white collar crime, feel me? Not to mention, she has said some things that led me to believe that if he knocked, she might open the door, despite all the drama he has put her through *sigh* So what kind of lesson would that have taught the child?

Although I’m more spiritual than religious, I strongly believe God has a plan for my life and that the things that happen to me are all part of his master design. I may not understand certain things at the time and I may even try to fight what I know I must do. However, I eventually accept that there is a reason for everything and it will be revealed when the time is right. It always is. Hindsight is 20/20.

In most cases, it’s hard to conceive how the loss of a child would be part of God’s plan for anyone’s life. It just doesn’t sit right with me that the opposite could be true in my friend’s case.

Sorry to end the week on such a heavy note. Next week, I’ll have much lighter commetary and videos from the THREE concerts I have or will attend this week.

Meanwhile, visit Butta’s spot for the story (and pics) of how we encountered Jilly from Philly just chilling out like common folk at the New Years Day Eric Roberson concert! I think we’re still buzzing from that one!