gettin' personal

j. has me contemplating whether I should get more personal here. I'm not quite as worried about who might stop by, as much as I have concerns about how much of my private life should be on public display. I mean, one or two of you have learned more about me on AIM, and another via email. And she learned a lot about me the day we met up for brunch. Of course since he's known me since back-in-the-day, he really knows more about me.

Just how personal do you get online? How much of your life do you reveal? Which names do you name? How in depth do you talk about your offline friends, or even what happens in your professional life? I still don't know.

BTW, brick has a new design and URL, and is now using MovableType. Check it out, it looks great. I'm still hand coding, but it is possible that I might be converted soon.

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ain't got nothing for ya'

All I got for ya' is .xml feeds and site testing at work. And then final papers, final tests, research documents, and a marketing plan to finish out this Media Management MBA. Oh yeah, Friday night I did get to have a mojito to toast my girl Mel for her birthday at this posh new hotel in SoHo called 60 Thompson. From the rooftop we had a fabulous view of the city. Sometimes all it takes is a spellbinding ambience to make me happy. And the mojito was damn good too. I'm even thinking about treating myself to a room there one day, just because. Saturday, went out dancing again with the date from the long weekend I had at the end of June. It was another fun and long night, or should I say morning. Sunday I was supposed to finally get my second tattoo, but dude had been away on vacation and somehow forgot to draw up my piece. So now I have to try and do that at some point this week. Also have to finish this art piece by Wednesday morning for this art show we have an opening for at school on Friday. And trust, I'm no artist. The fact that I can manipulate a few digital tools doesn't even help me in that department. Today hardcore and I had another one of those freestyle sessions on AIM, but we were both busy so I am not sure it was our best. He was away for awhile and it has taken me a little bit to recapture my natural rhyme flow abilities. I might try posting it tomorrow (I should say later today), after a few minor edits that is. To be quite honest though, I don't really know how I'll have time for anything like updating this diary. As you know, the countdown to August 10th is cutting closer and closer for me. See ya' around. Soon I hope.

Almost forgot, are you ready for Jaguar? I am. And you Macies know what I'm talking about. I think it's time I upgrade my machine at home. Jaguar would probably kill my poor little iMac (Ruby with a CD-ROM drive). I'm saying, how can I be in the now at work and not at home? I think it's time I start looking at those new iBooks with a combo drive. And I'm still eyeing a 5GB iPod, but now that they have 20GB ones I don't know what to do. *Bigger is not always better.*

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blogsofcolor

Finally, blogsofcolor blogring has returned.

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four little questions

These four questions come to mind today. Answer them if you have the time or see fit. They are just some things I was thinking about. I know it's a departure from my usual, but...

1. How many great loves do you think one person gets in a life time?
2. When people find or look for love, do you think they should be concerned with uniting with their intellectual and economic equals (or superiors)? Why or why not?
3. How do you define love?
4. And based on your definition of love what do you see as the difference between loving someone and being in love?

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weblog review...

There's a review of my site and diary on The Weblog Review by Ropejumper today. If you have the time, go check it out.

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dating the younger...

For personal reasons, this article by Sarah Bernard in New York Magazine caught my attention. "Where the Boys Are! Inspired by Hollywood, increasing numbers of New York women are aiming younger — and scoring higher."

"In the past, when people thought of older women with younger men, they usually pictured a widow of a certain age with a mother-obsessed gigolo, or a past-her-prime movie star with a muscle-bound stud of ambiguous sexuality and unambiguous greed. But the new dispensation isn't about Leona Helmsley or Mae West. It's about Madonna, 43, marrying Guy Ritchie, 33; or Sandra Bullock, 38, who's seeing Ryan Gosling, seventeen years younger. Daryl Hannah, 42, has been spotted around Paris and London with David Blaine, 29. And Janet Jackson, 36, made "Page Six" two weeks ago by canoodling with Justin Timberlake, 21."

From what's going on in New York and on the Hollywood scene (both in movies and real life), it appears the double standard is dead — that older men dating younger women is ok while older women dating younger men is taboo. Still some folks are skeptical about these unions, that is younger men dating older women.

"Most people assume it's just about sex, the classic theory being that when an older woman hooks up with a younger man, their sexual peaks are perfectly aligned, which leads to incendiary lovemaking. There may not be a solid scientific basis for the "sexual peak" concept, but there's some truth to the essential dynamic."

Has the game really changed? Is it ok for a woman to be with a man 13 years her senior? (And we're not talking R. Kelly illegal-type behavior here. This discussion deals with consenting adults.) Is it ok for a woman to be with a man 13 years her junior? Do the same age rules that apply to heterosexual relationships apply to homosexual ones? Are there any rules to begin with? Should age even be a factor when it comes to finding love?

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work it out

I am no fan of Destiny's Child. In fact, I often make fun of them. My boy afflicted, jokingly of course, once said he was going to make a T-shirt, which read, "Beyonce is Wise." I said I would proudly wear it, in jest. B/c after once hearing she and Nelly present on an awards show, I had decided that neither of them were too bright. Beyonce's riffing patterns also consistently and constantly work my nerves. She does that black church sanging thang, but just a little too much. So I began a crusade. I watched every time they were on TV. The making of each video. Learning the new songs with my niece. All of this so I could spoof, and say, "Beyonce is Wise, all hail Beyonce Knowles." And then...

OK, so she isn't so stoopid. I once heard her say that she was working hard now and putting out as much music as she can so she doesn't have to work when she gets old. That's right, she wants to collect the cheddar now and get out the game later, and then live happily ever after. And now, she is diversifying herself. She has one of those Loreal makeup contracts. She starred in that hip-hop version of Carmen Jones, and will play Foxxy Cleopatra, CIA agent, alongside Mike Meyers in Austin Powers: Goldmember.

I don't know whether you have heard her song for the movie or whether you've seen the video, but I have to say that I am really digging it. Ever since I first saw it last week, I can't stop thinking about it. And trust, it is a hard thing for me to admit. The Tina Turner thing she has working is hella' sexy, as is the newfound way she's rocking her tresses. To top it off, the song is really funkalicious. I ain't even mad at her for yelling out, "Break it down now." Actually that is my favorite part of the song. It is so realistic in terms of catching the flavor of 70s funk. Now it is not that she crafts the best lyrics in the industry, but somehow, be it daddy or her own vision, there is a perfect match between production and her voice.

"Work it Out" video snippet in Real or Windows Media.

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the incognegro speaks

Posts are going to be a little scarce from now until school ends. I just don't have the time to think about anything other than school right now, and getting this project off the ground at work. Things have been so hectic, I didn't even make it to Macworld on Friday as I had hoped I would. As for "A Day In A Life," I'll be around with little posts here and there, commenting on my life and things I read, watch, and hear.

For instance, ran across this new online community and e-zine that is dedicated to the underground. Some of my loyal readers, I know, will be very interested in it. It's called Get Underground. Here's a bit of what the site has to say about itself:

underground.net is a new sub-mainstream arts and culture community. A cooperative of upcoming writers and artists with the kind of technical and design support rarely found outside the bastion of traditional corporate rags. Unlike small e-zines, underground.net aims to be a very robust professional-level community in design, consistency and content. Unlike the corporate rags, we are seeking to create a community of contributors and editors who are consistently and directly involved in the content and vision of underground.net.

Our focus is on the personal and experimental. We are interested in writings and arts related more to personal impressions and experimental visions/techniques than to political or social reporting, commentary or art. Not that we think there's no place or purpose in these types of writings, it's just that we're more interested in the impact of the political and social on the individual then we are in the debate over public policy.

Also, DJ Spooky has up a test issue of his latest project, a magazine called 21c. He's hard at work on bringing it to the print arena. I haven't had the time to check it out like he asked, but maybe you will. MTV mentioned it in a news blurb on the 18th, reporting that Spooky says the magazine is a cross between WIRED and ARTFORUM. They both, Get Underground and 21c, sound like fascinating projects.

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gettin' my grind on

Sleep is a luxury at this point. Haven't laid the head to rest before 3 AM any night this week. To think, it'll probably be this way the next couple of weeks. Damn. I want to talk about yesterday a little bit though. It was one of those full days again. It began with work getting more interesting, that is in terms of the work that I'm supposed to be doing finally getting off the ground. Like I need a lot of work in the middle of finals. Anyway, at around 1 PM, the employer, VIBE/SPIN Ventures hosted a company picnic in Central Park. What does one do at a picnic on what was probably one of the hottest days of the year so far, especially when one doesn't play softball, football, or frisbee? If you're me, you get stuck with the company digital camera taking shots of all the activities and people. I did take my own camera, but of course (the forgetful woman I've become as of late) forgot my CompactFlash Memory Card. Since I can't post any of the photos that belong to the company, I can't share a pictorial overview of the event. Oh well. Actually though, it turned out to be a good day for me. Still new to the company, being camera woman gave me an opportunity to become more familiar with both magazines' teams. But it was really hot out there in the sun. And my melanated ass even got a little darker. Oh yes, sister can burn and peel, and she ain't even "light skinded."

Last night, I was on the guest list to see Zap Mamma DJ Project and Meshell Ndegeocello at SOBs. Well, I thought I was on the list. When I got there I found out that my contact at SOBs no longer worked there, and so her list was rendered null and void. As I was there and wanted to see the show anyway, I paid the $30 ticket price. Since I wasn't a VIP guest, I ended up being subjected to a search. And they almost didn't let me in b/c I had the digital camera with me. I had to promise not to use it. Again I find myself without photos to post. Had I known my boy Rich Medina was DJing for Zap Mamma, I would've asked him to get me on the list. I just seem to never take advantage of my relationships, or of being a writer/editor. Oh well.

It was a great night. But as you know, I am in the midst of finals and really have no time to get into detail about how anyone sang or played, or what they sang or played. I will add that Talib Kweli was there. If you don't know, he has spit gracious lyrics on both Zap Mamma and Meshell's latest projects. The track with Zap Mamma, "Yelling Away," appears on the Rawkus Records released Soundbombing 3. And with Meshell, he appears on "Hot Night," on Cookie the Anthropological Mix Tape.

From the Zap Mamma Web site, here is a description of their sound: "Unearthly harmonies born of Pygmy song, Moroccan chants and exhuberant scat made Zap Mama global a cappella queens. Now for the first time they meet the roots throb of bass and drums, shot through with equal parts highlife and hip-hop. Zap Mama is soul music for the diaspora. "If your ears are open," mama Zap Marie Daulne says, "you'll understand."

What I can say about Meshell is that it took her 45 minutes after Zap Mamma left the stage to perform. And oh, she had jokes. When she began the go-go influenced "Berry Farms," it went a little something like this: "She was about 17. Sound like R. Kelly." She went on to say, "It wasn't him. I didn't see the video, but it wasn't him." She also made a joke about how you could go down to 125th St. and get a special on the video and Best of Both Worlds. After a hearty chuckle, she said, "I love bootlegs." Somewhere else in the song, around the chorus, "She couldn't love me without shame/ She only wanted me for one thang/ But you should teach your boy to do that," she inserted the lyrics "My neck/ My back." Everyone of course got the reference to Khia's dirty song from the dirty south. (An aside: Speaking of that song, have you heard the remix with Memphis Bleek? That boy is nasty. And I mean that in the negative sense. He says something to the effect of, "skeet in her weave then tell her to leave.") Anyway, back to Meshell. It was mainly a slow music night. There were several instrumental interludes, and lots of musician solos. She was definitely on point. Wish I could say more, but the clock is ticking on me. I'm just glad I paid the money for entry.

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nelly is no fresh prince

First I ran across this:
"While he may have stolen Tupac's tattoo artist, he also adopted Will Smith's PR strategy, balancing thuggy style with a shit-eating grin and a thick layer of humility."
Missouri Loves Company, James Hannaham, The Village Voice

And then this:
"Boldly going where only Will Smith has gone before, Nelly has signed a deal to develop a sitcom vehicle for himself. According to the Hollywood Reporter, he's signing on with Paramount Network Television, which will put the ''Country Grammar'' rapper in the same shop as Kelsey Grammer."
Tellyville, Gary Susman, Entertainment Weekly

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news peruse

Scientists have found that semen can make you happy.The Sexiest Antidepressant, Liz Langley, AlterNet
"I'm a little skeptical, though, at the thought of it being an antidepressant. Nevertheless, New Scientist recently reported on a new study which suggests that women who are exposed to semen through sexual intercourse are happier than women who aren't."

Why is it that some old skool rappers just don't know when to quit?Heavy D Finishing 8th Album, Working With Sean John, Nolan Strong, AllHipHop.com
"Veteran rapper Heavy D is putting the final touches on his 8th album, "Hev." According to Heavy, the album unfinished features Faith Evans, Loon, P. Diddy, while Heavy D is locking down other guest appearances. The album will feature production by The Track Masters, Tony Dofat, P. Diddy, and Heavy D himself."

Bay Area Gay Hip-Hop artists break stereotypes.Gay Hip-Hop Innovators Refute Stereotypes, Davey D, The Mercury News
"Sadly, the fascination was fueled by prevalent gay stereotypes. Far too many people seem to think that being gay would somehow prevent a rapper from busting a mind-altering dance move or kicking a dope freestyle. But such notions are ridiculous. After all, there are gay policemen, accountants and doctors who are as good at their jobs or better than their straight colleagues. So why couldn't the Gay Rapper be a superstar?"

Will Lauryn Hill ever make a comeback?Hill Continues Her Lofty Course, Robert Hilburn, Los Angeles Times
"In even the weakest moments, however, there was indeed a sense of courage in Hill's approach. Few artists would have the strength to move away so boldly from an approach that had brought her such commercial success and acclaim. Where "Unplugged" was as messy as a car wreck creatively, Hill, who was scheduled to play the Hollywood Bowl on Sunday, seems to be back in control behind the wheel, even if she's still weaving a bit between lanes."

If only the rest of the world were like Andrews Air Force Base.Acceptance Amid the Diversity, Lisa Fraizer, The Washington Post
"But the couple say they have found at Andrews the kind of neighborhood where they want to raise their two children -- one where people of all races work together, live next door to each other and often become friends."

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in the CD changer

Since I only have time to work on my finals now, I'm listening to a lot of music. Here's a list of what's currently in the CD changer.

Jazzanova — In Between
King Britt — The Philadephia Experiment Remixed
Dublab Presents — Summer
N.O.R.E. — Grimey...God's Favorite
Verve — Remixed

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skitter skatter

I don't know about you, but ever since I became a Web junkie (and that's since the BBS days) I feel like I have some form of ADHD. Perhaps it is only today that I feel this way. Just so unable to focus or concentrate on one specific thing, or to complete a task. I have a whirlwind of thoughts colliding in my mind. I can't sit still. Maybe I just have the summer jitters. Maybe being in school FT on weekends right now is wearing me out. Especially since I haven't had to hold down a FT job while in school since I first began this MBA last year. And now that I've joined the FT working world again, I'm feeling kinda' burnt out. I just keep telling myself, "On August 10 school will be completed Lynne. The following weekend is your birthday, and you'll find yourself on some sunny beach somewhere—maxing." I just wish that time was now. It has been a completely taxing year.

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mj finds his blackness (?)

I was going to leave this one alone, but somehow find myself terribly unable to resist. Since when did MJ embrace his blackness? Other than when he released Dangerous and casted a slew of black folx in his videos, when did you even think he felt that he was black? I have begun to think of MJ as raceless and sexless. Sexless in terms of nonsexual, unless you count his forays into pedophilia. His latest ish smells like the biggest PR stunt he has ever thought up. Granted, the music industry is sort of operated like a plantation as it reaps profits off of black labor (work-for-hire) kicking back very little in return. It's the industrial economy applied to cultural capital. Think of how the Ford Motor company pushes out vehicles at rapid rates, only to retire this year's models next year. I'm thinking the pop icon just has to do what he must to protect his coveted Beatles' catalog. You be the judge.

Margaret Ramirez and Peter Bailey,
Newsday.com
Multi-platinum entertainer Michael Jackson yesterday attacked the music industry as a racist conspiracy and charged that Sony Music chairman Tommy Mottola referred to one artist using the N-word.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson, Pacific News Service
But in the more than three decades that Jackson has been in the music business, he has had ample opportunity to publicly speak out against the ripoff of Black artists by some record labels. He hasn't. Why would he? Jackson could hardly be called a down and out Black hard-luck case. The music industry has spent a fortune promoting and marketing his music, and has made him virtually a worldwide household name. Even though Sony ignited his wrath for its alleged shabby treatment of Invincible, it still spent about $25 million to make it. This is not exactly garbage change.

MTV News
Still, the pop star has since escalated his troubles with his album sales and record company into an artist rights' issue, one that garnered him the support of not only Sharpton but also Johnnie Cochran (see "Michael Jackson, Al Sharpton, Johnnie Cochran Take On Labels"). While Sharpton still supports Jackson's view on the record industry overall, Sharpton told the New York Post that he was unaware that the pop star would vilify Mottola, an action he said was unfair and unfounded.

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low tech scams = hijack plans

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, "The Sept. 11 hijackers were able to open 35 American bank accounts without having legitimate Social Security numbers and opened some of the accounts with fabricated Social Security numbers that were never checked or questioned by bank officials."

Wait it gets worse:
"The hijackers relied most heavily on 14 accounts at Atlanta-based SunTrust Banks, moving $325,000 through accounts opened in Florida and taken out in the names of many of the hijackers."

"A spokesman for SunTrust said on Tuesday that the bank had been cooperating with the FBI's investigation. The spokesman said it was possible for foreigners without Social Security numbers to open bank accounts in this country, but he could not provide details of what forms of identification the hijackers used to open the SunTrust accounts."

I guess they'll be changing their policies now, huh?

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back on the block blog

Monique is back and the site looks lovely in basic blue. Can't wait to read her on the daily again. Oh yeah, and the 7th was George's 31st. Better stop by and wish him something happy, that is if you haven't already. And don't forget to check out Donald's blog. He moved over to Movable Type. It's a nice complement to his anzidesign site. I'm still resisting MT and hand coding, but Donald believes I'll soon change my mind.

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it's gettin' hot in herre

Too hot to think. Too hot to blog. The trip to DC didn't happen for reasons beyond my control. But that was cool. It was time to catch some rest after all of last week's activities. It was also time to catch up on school work. My final semester, and it all ends on August 10. Can't wait.

Saw the fireworks from the Promenade in BK. Of course I forgot to take my camera. The ill ish was that I saw the wickety wack fireworks from NJ, but had a difficult time viewing the spectacular Macy's barrage. On Friday, I took my niece to see Like Mike. I guess it was a good movie if you're a pre-teen with a budding interest in boys, specifically boys like Bow Wow. Really, it was a cute story though. No need for analysis.

On the heat tip, it is stanking booty hot. Steaming. It is really getting to me. Reminds me of a poem I once wrote, a long, long, long time ago.

Untitled
tossed and turned
water droplets
streaming
d
o
w
n
my neck
to places
resurrected by
warm breezes
breathing thru'
my window
my chest
heaving, pushing
up
holding steady
to fall, and rise again
dark sky
semi-illuminated
by disk-like object
translucent, transfixed, daunting
the air, the glow
wake me from sleep
covering my body
entering my dreams
i was dreaming
dreaming of
distant places
i've not yet
been but have heard of
hoping one day to go
go there,
there where
hot air
rises
and compresses
like vapor becomes
liquid
c
o
o
l
i
n
g
yet, it's still hot
and sweat
cascades
d
o
w
n
my body
although no longer
sleeping
my breathing
becomes heavy
reaching
complexities
nostrils opened wide
half waking
no sleeping
half seeing
no dreaming
surrounded by heat
i gasp
this heat
not quite burning
yet calming
has
lucidated me
i lie nude
on
the beach
buttocks ingrained
in sand
awaiting high tide
to, to, to
connect with earth
rapidly travelling
and coming
coming for me
like bees for honey
coming
to swallow
me up
i quiver
buried in the rapture
awakened
i sigh,
damn,
this
would've been
a
good
night
2 fuck
copyright lynne d johnson 06.08.95

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backtrack

It was an almost typical Friday on June 28th. I went to work as usual, but was finally migrated over from a Windows NT PC environment to a Mac G4 OSX one. The machine is fully kitted with Adobe InDesign 2.0 and Macromedia Studio MX. I really love my new toys, especially the Mozilla Browser. They had to run some diagnostics on my new baby, so I ended up leaving work early.

Leaving work early turned out for the best, since the PC laptop I borrowed from a friend to run my Int'l Business Simulation software on was outfitted with a Windows 98 OS in Italian. It definitely took a moment for me to navigate my way through it. The software is for our Int'l Business course. My classmates and I are competing against one another in the beer industry (BTW, I found out Saturday that I am currently in second place. If I stay in the top two spots I get out of taking the final, so send all your positive energies my way.)

School was boring Friday night. I so wanted to not be there. Don't get me wrong, my classes can be somewhat enthralling, but after a long day who wants to be in school until 10 PM to return the next morning at08:30:00 AM? What made the night drone on was this Manufacturing Consent video we watched in our Media, Culture, and Society class. I love Noam Chomsky. He's up there with Marshall McLuhan and Neil Postman in my top cultural thinkers brain catalog. But listening to a man, who has no inflections in his voice and no tonal quality changes at that late hour can get kind of monotonous.

Saturday morning, school was much better. We met in Soho and visited with an artist who sells her work on the street. Later we went over to the studio of a commercial and art photographer who had some really interesting pieces. Then there was a long lunch break, since one of our classes had been cancelled for the day. I seized the opportunity and got myself involved in a little impulse shopping.

I added a new pair of kicks to the Lynne d United Sneakers Collection. They are gold suede Adidas Spezial's with burgandy stripes. I also picked up a black wife beater that has Brooklyn 718 emblazoned on the chest in gold lettering. Afterward, I went back to school, but all I could think about was meeting up with my friends at Paradise Garage 25th Anniversary Celebration in Central Park.

Needless to say, since I was in school until about 5 it was too late to get into SummerStage. I did get to hear Grace Jones perform from the periphery. According to my girl Mel, who gave me constant cell updates, Grace was in rare form. I so wished I was on the inside. Instead I waited with some folks who I haven't hung out with in quite some time, until Mel, her date, and my brother were done watching Grace and listening to the DJs spin.

I had to hustle back to Brooklyn because I was supposed to go out on what could be considered a date. Although I'm still not quite ready to get involved, I figure the summer is as good a time as any to meet new people. Besides it is time that I move on. I won't go into many details here about the date, since I never know who is reading this. All I can say is that I ended up committing a dating faux pas and went to a club. Hey, I like to dance. What can I say? I do know that I want to kick myself in the head for grooving to Nelly's "Hot in Herre." It turned out to be a very late and fun night.

I woke up way too late to make it to the Pride Parade, but I did catch the tail end of it all. The Village was more crowded than I have ever remembered. But I couldn't even catch any of the final festivities, as I was on to my next event for the evening.

Bilal was doing a jazz experiments and explorations show at Joe's Pub. You know how I feel about this man if you ever read my review of 1st Born Second on Sonicnet. It was obvious he was high, but I had no problems with that. The ensemble played some original material, to which it appeared Bilal was kicking some freestyle lyrics. He later performed a medley of jazz standards, which included "My Funny Valentine." At times he reminded me of Prince. The pitch and articulation of his falsetto are the reason for this. He often tranposed into this deep baritone voice that simply took my breath away. For the pure Bilal fans who were disappointed by this jazz performance, the show was closed out with "Sometimes." I think it's time Bilal does an Unplugged or at least a live CD. There are things he can accomplish in the live arena that I don't feel will ever be presented on a recording. The industry has stuck him in that R&B, hip-hop-ish ghetto, which really does nothing for the range of his vocal abilities.

High off of Bilal's performance, I ran over to Tower and copped the Verve/Remixed joint. I have George to thank for hipping me to this compilation. Originally, I felt that Nina, Sassy, Ella, Billie, et. al., would sound extremely coopted swimming in a sea of lush house grooves, africanisms, and breakbeats. Quite the contrary. This disc is a seamless blend of the best of the old and the new.

Monday came and I was feeling a magazine jones after reading George's post about the mags he had picked up on June 27th. I decided on TRACE, since it was their annual Black Girls Rule! issue. It features a fashion/portfolio section of the most beautiful black women working at the higher end of the fashion industry today. On the music tip, there are pieces on Blackalicious, Cee-Lo, and The Roots. Also featured are a host of articles on black women, including "Goddess: Why do black women fascinate people the world over?" "Skinny! A white girl's dream, a black girl's nightmare," and "The Aggressives: Venturing outside society's usual grasp of the feminine." I find the latter most interesting, as several years ago I wrote a piece for Oneworld about drag kings and baby dykes, who enter into competitions at balls for realness in terms of pulling off looking like men and boys. Due to some confusion at the mag at the time — the then editor, Toure was pulling out — my story got lost in the shuffle. So it was cool to see someone picking up on the topic now.

Monday evening found me at The Shadowbox Theater at Brooklyn's YWCA for a workshop performance by Coco Fusco. "The Incredible Disappearing Woman," is a play in which Fusco explores many borders, between North and South, men and women, art and life, and between life and death. Fusco was driven to create the piece when told the story about a performance that had taken place 25 years ago when an American man went to Mexico, rented a female corpse and had sex with her — as art. It was a compelling play, no doubt.

Speaking of Toure, he has a collection of short stories coming out entitled, The Portable Promised Land. My boy Nick and I went to check out the book release party at Joe's Pub last night. For those of you who don't know, Toure has followed the tradition of Nelson George and Greg Tate, writing about black popular culture, particularly music, in a host of publications including, The New York Times, Playboy, and Vibe. And he is currently the hip-hop resident at Rolling Stone. I enjoyed the format, which featured readings from his book by a variety of artisans, including DJs, spoken word artists, and actors like DJ Mark Ronson, Liza Jessie Peterson, Mums the Schemer, and Michael Wright among others. Nick and I had to wait on line to get in, and Nicole Moore of The Hotness was behind us. She wasn't very thrilled at the idea of waiting on line for a book party, especially when she was expected to write about either the party, Toure, or his book.

Inside, the place was packed with New York writers and editors, as well as many from the music, fashion, and arts industries. Nick and I made our way to the bar, and I ordered a Mojito. It is my new fav, since I am off of all the flavored Martinis and frozen Cosmos. I said my what's ups to Selwyn Hinds, formerly of 360hiphop and The Source, and Greg Tate. We listened to the reading, and now I know I have to read the book before I interview Toure for Mosaic. His writing is bursting with wit, hip-hop, and Brooklyn and New York references. I think it will be an enjoyable read. Toure also has a bit of the poet in him. Something I had not realized before when reading his articles. The night also gave me the opportunity to give daps to Raquel Cepeda, the new editor of Oneworld. Again thanks to George, I peeped Cepeda's interview with Rebecca Walker discussing sex and hip-hop. Funny thing was she said she knew I would like it because she had thought of me. I didn't bother to ask her what that meant. Nick and I made the rounds, as Mark spun luscious funk, soul, and hip-hop beats. I spoke to Toure about our upcoming meeting, and then I was out.

If everything works out, I'm off to DC late tonight. So perhaps I'll have another one of these ridiculously long posts when I return.

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when the weekend come, the weekend come

Jumping music, swift D.J.'s
Smoke machines and laser rays
Look out weekend cuz, here I come
Because weekends were, werrrre

That is the chorus of Black Eyed Peas' "Weekend," as sung by Esthero. Classic joint indeed. Kind of reminds me of the weekend I had. Something has been going haywire with my server, so I won't be saying much until the next post.

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