An Uptown Cultural Landmark Explores New Dimensions in Sound

It would seem that a sensory environment drenched in sampled blackness is once again rewiring the aesthetic sensibilities of the general populace. Even the spin-talk of government officials makes use of rhythm, rhyme and meter in ways directly borrowed from black vernacular as filtered through commercialized hip-hop music (small ‘h’ intentional). Catch phrases like ‘24/7’ now grace tv spots for Citibank. Diagonal lines mimic spray-can scrawl in animated advertisements for cartoons and clothing. If the Smithsonian Institution’s recent inauguration of its Hip-Hop collection and the past decade’s experience of Hip-Hop as a growth industry within academia offer any indication, perhaps it is this: the time has come to recognize Hip-Hop as a culture whose apex during our era has transformed nearly every arena of public discourse, just as black cultural developments have done in every epoch of our history. [Read more]

Now I’m sure that many in our circle of progressive relatively earthy children of the children of the civil rights era went out to see Dave’s return to the screen. This part documentary, part concert, part series of comedic narrations is a vivid glimpse into Dave’s private life and his working collaboration with the Okayplayer set (The Roots, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, Cody Chestnut, Martin Luther, etc.) Having all run in the same underground circles since the beginnings of their careers, this impromptu block party was in some ways a celebration of this crew and it’s ever-increasing audience in the face of mainstream hip hop’s identity crisis. The very fact that Dave could spread the word about a concert on a Bed-Stuy block in a matter of days and get the turnout, buzz and starpower it took to make it real is a testament to the kind of power he wielded nearly two years ago, long before his controversial bouncing.

But if you’re going to this film to laugh your ass off, you might be a little disappointed. While there’s plenty of comedy to go around, Chappelle’s team-up with director Michel Gondry is more about the comedian bridging the two worlds in which he lives, bringing the folks from the Ohio town where he resides (including the entire Central State University Marching Band) to collide with the African American enclave in Brooklyn where so many artists like himself were either born or have lived during the past decade. The end result is a documentary that is unique, often engaging (though I might’ve trimmed it down by 15 minutes of so) and meditative when it comes to the state of black music. Plus you get to see the Fugees performing for their first time together in almost a decade. [Read more]

FAHRENHEIT 911 – THE HOT TICKET

by RHEA L COMBS
Fuck Bush. Motherfuck Bush. That’s how I felt after coming home from watching Fahrenheit 9/11, the new documentary by Michael Moore. I had been looking forward to seeing the film for quite some time and fortunately got a ticket opening night.

Knowing the controversy behind the film, its director, and because this is the first documentary to ever win the coveted Palme d’Or award at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in France, I was anxious to see the movie. Looking around at the roughly 350 people in the sold out theater, I was among a bunch of baby boomers and activists of yesteryear. It was a great feeling. Before the film I overheard folks reminiscing about seeing Jimi Hendrix perform, their frustrations with the current government, and the importance of voting. One silver fox recalled taking her college graduation pictures donning an afro and with no underwear — much to the chagrin of her parents, of course — in solidarity with the women’s rights movement. For this woman, and I imagine for many others coming to watch this film, being active in the government’s political process is what they know.
For them, supporting Fahrenheit 9/11 was a continuation of their efforts to promote peace and protest the vained war in Iraq. Unfortunately, people in my age range (18-34) were present to a much lesser degree, which seems to also reflect the voting trends. The youth, generally speaking, are apathetic and apolitical. Meanwhile the elders recall Vietnam, rally for peace, and root for a better tomorrow. Unfortunately that might not be enough to get Bush’s ass out of the Oval office.
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