January 2012

Sri & Me: Episode 20

by dre of onustees.com on 27 January 2012

Me: You gotta get up for the downstroke… You know what I’m saying, chief?

Sri: Ahh, do yeah ya know yeah.

Me: WHAT!?!

Sri: Sorry chief, the bubble gum wouldn’t let me speak clearly.

Me: Oh…

Sri: It’s not the swagger.

Me: !!!!!!

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Song of the Day: Yusef Lateef “Love Theme From ‘Spartacus'”

by dre of onustees.com on 25 January 2012

…randomly played on my iPhone… just in time for the upcoming Spartacus: Vengeance season…

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhqQFs7huwU]

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Shit DC Says? Naaaah, joe.

by dre of onustees.com on 23 January 2012

Rule #1: You can’t say DC Shit and leave out the Godfather…

I’ve successfully managed to remain oblivious to the onslaught of the “Shit **** Says” videos… Only saw one in it’s entirety and strongly wanted my time fully refunded… So, I’m pretty much out of the loop of shit folks say… Long as I can understand what my folks say… I’m cool.

Speaking of which…

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuPwy77scvw]

“Aye young, you seen that video joint of dude tawmbout shit DC says?”

Yes and oddly enough, it mostly seemed foreign.

But why? I should be up on the latest when it comes to DC…

I mean…

I’m a native Washingtonian… Born in the now defunct Columbia Hospital… in the early 80’s when Rayful Edmond, III was governing the streets and Marion Barry could do no wrong… when the Redskins mattered and Jack Kent Cooke was a god… My pops was born and raised in DC… my stepmom, too… Most of my friends and family call the Diamond District home… I went to all DC public schools… Shout out to them Shepherd Mustangs, Jefferson Trojans and Banneker Bulldogs (or Achievers, if you got jokes…) Hell, I even walked across the street from Banneker and went to college at the Mecca, the one and only H.U.

So, certainly when a video of  “Shit DC Says” I should instantly connect and do the typically… “Right, riiiight… true dat.”

Hmm… it didn’t happen… and it’s scary.

It’s one thing to be amazed that they’re Caucasians roaming Sherman Ave at 2am not in cop uniforms…

It’s even neat to be outnumbered at a public venue on U St…

But when the language changes, the artifacts and institutions shifts and/or disappears…

It’s flat out frightening.

Watching the video…

I didn’t hear one “Aye young…” or “Naahhh, joe (or moe)”… Note: it’s “moe” if you a young cat.

No… “What up, champ?”

No… “Man, she lunchin’…”

Not a… “Stop wellin…'” or “swellin'” dependent on your quadrant…

I mean I was jive psyched (aka “jiii cised”) when I saw the email “SHIT DC SAYS”…

But all I could think was… “Oh, that’s how they wanna carry it?”

No New Balances… No Back, No Junk, No Chuck… Hell, wasn’t ANY mention of Go-Go… the SOUND of DC…

Ibiza??? Who does that… but “Aye, who at Tradewinds tonight, young? Cause you know I ain’t stand in line to cop these Jay’s for nothing.

No “salpepacatchup”…because true DC could give a damn about a big slice… just hand me 5 wings fried hard with Mumbo sauce… and put some “salpepacatchup” on the fries…

No love for the Southside… which to an UPT (see: NW DC) cat isn’t dangerous… You just better go over there with a purpose and stick to it… You step outta line and they WILL remind you that Benning Road is a lot closer than GA. Ave…

Also, DC fans don’t give up on the Skins… we’re delusional that way… it wouldn’t be a “Ugh! Fucking Redskins!” rather it would have been “Nah, we good… wait til the offseason… I know we 0-2 now… but just wait til the offseason.”

Plus… the other half of DC residents are Cowboys fans… Why? “I mess with them because they gave Blacks a chance…”

I wonder what happen to the hospital I was born in… “It’s a new condo, joe??? Aye, stop welling, young.”

And who the fuck is a Jose Andres? Oh, he set up shops all across the city…

Sounds like he’s the new Rayful, moe.

Sincerely,

dre’ of the formerly Chocolate City…

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUQuRDYg_ps]

Diamond District – Who I Be …”Tell em’ who the f#%k I be!”

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Daley Dose: Chasing Pavement

by Ordale J. Allen of MentalStorage.com on 23 January 2012

Well, Red Tails came out. Don’t everybody clap at once. I spent the better part of last week Karl Roving this movie. I tried my best to convince people to go see it, if not for the story then at least in support for one of the highest budgeted Black films in recent history. At the time of this writing the box office numbers aren’t in, but if the scant attendance at the theater I went to is any indication, the movie didn’t do too well.

To be perfectly honest, I think the movie sucked. The dialogue was poorly written, the characters were never developed, the only guy with an Oscar seemed to be phoning his performance in and the story telling was amateurish at best. The whole thing felt like a high school essay where, instead of cleverly crafting a solid piece of work, the student is simply including information in random order to prove that he read the material.

Throughout the film I found myself wondering if the movie was really a metaphor for Hollywood in general. You have a highly capable group that, despite being given second-hand equipment, low expectations, almost zero support and hardly any recognition, still accepts what comes its way in the name of making small strides. The whole time I kept wondering, “If this story needed to be told so badly then where is Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, Will Smith, Morgan Freeman, Chiwetel Ejiofor or anyone else who can fill theater seats and carry this movie?” I guess it didn’t need to be told that bad after all.

Then I had another revelation: “What if this movie does well? Are they gonna see this campy, whitewashed, shallow film as the new standard for Black film?” Shortly after Tyler Perry shattered expectations with his first two films, every Black movie became a made-for-after-church special. But we kept supporting him in hopes of sparking a Black Renaissance. Instead we got six Madea films (A seventh is due out this year). By supporting this, what will we get next?

Should I give up or should I just keep chasing pavement even if it leads nowhere?

– Ordale J. Allen

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Fly or Die: Red Tails & The Future of Blackbuster Films

19 January 2012

There’s only 2 outcomes: Soar High or Stay Grounded Much like the production and release of this film… this post has been debated, delayed… and now… released. Let me start off by being up front… I’m no movie critic… I’m no movie buff… or movie snob. There are only a handful of movies that I’ve […]

Song of the Day: James Brown “Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved (Parts 1 & 2)”

19 January 2012

…if this isn’t motivation to Do Better… then I don’t know what is. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEMyha47FzY] “Don’t do nobody else, jump back! Dig yaself! Are you doing ya thing? Is ya doing ya thing?“

Sri & Me: Episode 19

17 January 2012

*Sri left his headphones at home… decided to let his iPod rock over the computer speakers… and is chair jamming…* 1st song: Main Tera Dhadkan (off a Bollywood Soundtrack…) 2nd song: Harry Belafonte “Hava Nagila” 3rd song: Irene Cara “Flashdance… What A Feeling” Sri: Have you seen this movie? Me: What? Sri: Flashdance? Me: I […]

5 Things: Learned on National Flag Football Tourney Trip

17 January 2012

MLK Weekend @ Nationals… a place where brothers can chase the man in public… During MLK weekend the USFTL (United States Flag & Touch Football League) held their 41st Annual National Championships in Orlando, Florida… These are 5 Things… I learned while playing and traveling with my Men’s 8 on 8 team… The radio is […]

It’s Do Better Movement Time!

10 January 2012

Sometimes you just gotta Tebow. It’s been a long time… We shouldn’t have left you… Hopefully, we won’t anytime soon… After weeks of fiddling with the site… and debating how to return… The return became clear while watching #15 above surprise the football landscape with the win over the Steelers… Go for what you know… […]