Category Archives: Lifestyle
The A-Team
I went to see this with my son this weekend. I grew watching the A-Team tv series. My brother had the action figures. We ran around the house chanting “I pity the fool” the whole bit. The trailer for this movie looked great but this movie was not good. The storyline was silly. Jessica Biehl is a horrible actress in my opinion and was only here for the T&A factor. Rampage as Mr. T failed. He didn’t have the emotion or comic timing of the original Mr. T. I hate to say it but The Game may have been a better choice. Like my son said as we were leaving the theater “we should have gone to see Toy Story 3.” Grade:D
Shutter Island
I wanted to see this movie really bad when it was in the theater but missed it so I was excited to rent it the day it came out. I think Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the best actors working today and he seldom disappoints. I loved him in The Departed in which he also teamed with Scorsese. Shutter Island was beautifully shot and well directed. Leo did a great job as did Ben Kingsley but the story fell flat and the twist at the end left me disappointed instead of entertained. Grade:C-
Keith Sweat
Do you remember when this guy sat on top of the R & B charts?? He made the mid tempo and slow songs that everybody bumped in their car or put on those quiet storm mix tapes we used to make for whoever we were dating. And though everybody agreed he “couldn’t” sing. Well at least not in the traditional way, there was something about that nasally whining that worked. Keith made some good music that still sounds good today. Remember Make it Last Forever? Merry Go Round? Don’t Stop Your Love? or his work with LSG (which consisted of Eddie Levert, Keith and Johnny Gill)? One of my favorites is this collaboration with the group Kut Klose. Enjoy. Keith Sweat -Twisted featuring Kut Klose
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
I have been so excited about reading this book since I read an excerpt in Oprah magazine. The story is simply fascinating and even more fascinating that it is true and has been hidden in obscurity all of these years. I heart the writer Rebecca Skloot and thank her so much for bringing this story to the world. This book should be on the required reading list in schools across the world because we all in some form or fashion have benefited from HeLa’s cells. A must read for all:) All about Henrietta Lacks Rebecca Skloot website Order a Copy @Amazon.com
Vikter Duplaix
On the day I met my boyfriend, we spent the entire day together just walking and talking about who we were, what we had been through, where we were headed and what are our dreams were. That night we went back to his place and he played a song for me called Manhood (Remix) by Vikter Duplaix. It was so incredibly sexy and just ended the night on a high note. I left that night knowing I could fall in love with Jason and had definitely fallen in love with Vikter’s music. All of his CD’s have been solid: International Affairs Singles: Prelude To The Future (My favorite) Bold And Beautiful He will be dropping a new CD here really soon. I am so looking forward to it!!! Vikter\'s site Learn more about Vikter on Wikipedia
Prince Rogers Nelson
I remember when I first saw these album covers of Prince. I remember picking these up at my aunt Pat’s house and staring at it, wondering who the hell is this guy. I was pretty young but I remember thinking this guy is a little freaky:) He had his hair pressed out and was wearing g-strings. On the back of one of these albums he’s butt naked riding a unicorn or something. But I got past all of that and got into the music and realized this guy was pretty talented. Prince has gone on to have a long, interesting career and has fans of all backgrounds from all over the world. And though we may not “really” know much about him and make think him a little odd at times, no one can deny that he is a gifted musician and has given us lots of hits over the years. Some of my favorites: I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man, Erotic City, When Doves Cry, It, Hot Thang, Lady Cab Driver and the Purple Rain soundtrack from beginning to end. Since Prince is not down with YouTube here are some Prince inspired tunes from some of his protegees. UPDATE: Well scratch that, Prince has pretty much had anything associated with him removed from YouTube….shame on you Prince.
Simple Kind of Life
Gwen wrote this song years ago back when she was with No Doubt and dating bassist Tony. Now she is a 40 year old woman, married with two kids. I wonder how she feels when she hears it now?
And baby makes 3… but you can "Kiss my Placenta"
I read last week that Erykah Badu was pregnant with her third baby. She is the mother of 10 year old Seven from Andre Benjamin of Outkast and has a 4 year old daughter reportedly from rapper D.O.C. (those from the West Coast may be more familiar with him). The report was she is pregnant with baby #3 from daddy #3 ( I will refrain from calling them her “baby daddies”:) When I read the pregnancy rumors, my first thought was “Damn Erykah, what are you doing?” What are you thinking?” Not in condemnation but the way you would ask your younger sister or girlfriend who continued to have babies, unmarried and by multiple men. More hurt and confused than mad. I guess I also always had this notion that Erykah was on a higher level of consciousness or righteousness because of the content of her music. So when she had baby # 2 with a different man, unmarried, I began to question her authenticity. Thinking “man this chick is not walking the talk.” Her having babies from different men was not fitting into my idealized view of who she was supposed to be. It was not fit for a goddess. Let’s be clear that I am a fan of Erykah Badu and her music. I recently saw her at a show here in Atlanta. I think she is gifted and is one of the best artists out here. If you have ever seen her live, you would know this. Check out some of her performances on You Tube if you get a chance. Genius. I love her spirit, her energy. I have also always admired her colorful personality and her courage to be “different”. The hair, the clothes. Her ability to walk to the beat of her own drum. So her response to people critical of her pregnancy was surprising to me. The tone of her post was explanatory at times, angry at others (Kiss My Placenta!) and extremely hurt. I always thought she really didn’t give a damn what people said and thought. Obviously she does. I guess she is human like the rest of us. And Erykah is lashing out because as a human being, it hurts to be condemned or attacked when you are doing the best that you can. We are all trying to figure out this thing called Life and it is obvious that Erykah is also. Sorry E for judging you. My house is made of glass and I am putting down my stones. You have to do you whether the masses agree or not. And I know that you will. I believe your heart is in the right place even through the difficult choices. We all fall short. We all fall down and often make choices for ourselves that don’t fit into how others see us or how they think we should be living our lives. I will always be a fan and support you as an artist. I wish you the best with your pregnancy and on your journey through this thing called Life. Hold it down.
Dear George:
Dear George: I wanted to drop you a note and tell you how much I’ve missed you. I mean, I am glad that there haven’t been any more bathroom incidents or photos of you with the crazy eyes in any of the gossip rags. But I hope you are well and from the early concert reviews, it seems you are sounding as good as ever! I’ve loved you since the days of Young Guns and Wake me up before you Go Go (even when my uncle told me we would never get married because you were gay. Sorry but I was in denial. It was like trying to tell a seven year old there is no Santa Claus). I thought you were the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. I loved you with the frosted highlights and the unibrow and of course during the Faith years (even though I thought your *** was a little too flat to be shaking in the screen like that). I have always thought you were a phenomenal talent and still do. I remember sitting on the stairs back in the 80′s, crying with a friend because we didn’t get Wham concert tickets and you were playing just a couple of miles away at the Forum. My friends give me the side eye now when I tell this story now but I know they were fans too, even if they don’t like to admit it now. When my mother told me you were coming to town I jumped up and down on the bed and vowed I would not miss you this time and I’m not. I will be one of the few straight people in the crowd and just to let you know, I had to beg a few friends to go with me before I got one to agree and they had to be bribed but anyway…I’ll be there at Phillips Arena in a few weeks, not quite in the nosebleed seats but if you squint real hard you might see me. I’ll be jumping up and down, screaming your name…hell I might even faint. I will be wearing the old school Wham t-shirt, some tight jeans and screaming like it’s 1984. Love Always, Dn2erthgirl P.S. A couple of song requests Kissing a Fool, Praying for Time, A Different Corner