I like black timbs and black hoodies.....

I sat all day in my kitchen listening to Hot 97. By the time Angie Martinez came on everyone in the world, it seemed like, knew that Biggie had been killed. A part of my generation had been taken. The soundtrack to my fundamental years (the ones following my graduation from HS) had been shot up. That was March 9th 1997. It is hard to believe that was 13 years ago. That my daughter was only 3 years old. That eventually she like her mama would know every line to every Biggie song ever recorded, that's some Elvis shit as far as I am concerned!

Every song on Ready To Die reminds me of someone or something. Juicy is my little brother Slim's theme song. Suicidal Thoughts was on repeat on my CD player during some pretty desperate times in my life. Gimme The Loot was a straight bass kicking, trunk shaking ride around with nowhere to go jam. One More Chance..... let's just say I think every baby mama loved this one. Ready To Die put how we felt about our fathers who had abandoned us into words. I can go on and on but you get the point.

I never imagined that I would end up in Bed Stuy. That everyday I would ride my bike up Fulton St always looking to the left then right trying to figure out which apartment Voletta Wallace raised Biggie in. I am now part of the neighborhood I heard so much about in his lyrics. It's just another reason to love Livin In The Stuy...... RIP Christopher Wallace.

A little help from my friends

My black history month lessons did not go as planned. I do however want to share this with you. It was shared with us by a lovely friend of ours.

http://www.ls.cc.al.us/blackhistory/blackhistory.html

Black cat is bad luck, bad guys where black, must of been....

The sad fact is that I am having trouble coming up with someone to write about.... Me and my friend Jay are going to spend some time paying homage to black history month this February. Being schooled in a white suburb in Fairfield County the only person we ever learned about was Rev. Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. When I entered High School I read Malcom X's biography and saw the movie and that then completed my education on black history. So today it has been 17 years since I graduated high school and 17 years since I have really thought about black history month.

My daughter and husband are both black and I wonder how they would feel about this.
My mother in-law is involved with the NAACP, her sister belongs to Jack and Jill and The Links and I can not name 5 black people who have contributed to the building of this country. I am saddened by my ignorance today and promise that by Monday I will have a lot to say.....

Rhymin' and Stealin'....

These days, I am feeling a bit unsafe in my home, in my hood, and on my walk from the train in Bed Stuy in general.

Being part of gentrifying a neighborhood can be amazing and brutal at the same time. Bed Stuy is in the middle of what I think is the most racially diverse swing in Brooklyn. Before I start, I am aware that I am "generalizing", but this is how I feel.

My take: Park Slope = white, Clinton Hill & Ft Green = blacks and whites with some money, Bed Stuy = blacks and newer whites with less money.

So here on our colorful block, crime is up this week. Cars have been getting broken into like it's Prospect Heights, people are getting jacked on the street supposedly at gunpoint early in the morning. The laundry mat got robbed 2 days ago and that's just what I heard or saw in the past few days.

Gentrification doesn't stop crime but it does lessen it, more police presence . But when a neighborhood like Bed Stuy is gentrifying for reasons not related to coffee shops and hipster bowling alleys what's gonna happen? White people who are not well off are moving here because the blocks are beautiful, it's close to the train and you can rent a huge 2 bedroom brownstone for like 1400-1500 a month. So is that even gentrification? Is it getting the best bang for your buck or is it an invasion?

I think it's an invasion and we are part of it. Sure it's a plus that the late great Frances White and Jigga are from Bed Stuy but, we moved here because it is what we could afford. Now I'm second guessing it. Our lease will come around in April and I am not sure if we will be putting in a third year in 11216. I know people are broke, unemployment is up and times are hard. I am just not fond of the idea of getting stuck up. I'm also not fond of the idea that we need to bring our light and dark brown asses to Park Slope or Carroll Gardens to feel safe.

Are you coming with me...

The Electric Slide, to me, is getting old. We went to two different surprise birthday party's for my oldest sister and my cousin this weekend. It amazes me that no matter the function (if there is music), at some point "that" annoying song will come on. I can't front either, I definitely know how to do the Electric Slide and I usually will participate for one full revolution and then I sit down and laugh.

The beauty of this time of the evening, is that almost every generation gets out onto the dance floor to participate. It's that early to late teen that did not join in on the fun. That would be my step-daughter (we just got married...shout out to Tasiya), my younger cousins, nieces and nephews all did not participate. It could be that they are at the age that dancing with older folks is corny, but I applaud them for not partaking in the nonsense.

What's crazy is that it is an annoyingly LONG song. Also, right after that song, the Cha Cha Slide comes on, and after that The Cupid Shuffle. I'm not even sure if it's a proper line dance or what. I do know that I was out of the loop when this song came on. This of course, makes the "Line Dancing Segment" at parties seem to drawn out.

Please, let's not forget about the Macarena, we don't dance to this song at "black functions" these days.

Anyways...I know there are more "line dances" that I don't know or can't think of. Let me know what songs/dances that I'm missing and whether or not you're a fan of such dances.

I VOTE...HATED IT (shout out to In Living Color)!

Those same teenagers that I was talking about, enjoyed watching a 36 year old man try to do "The Jerk" and the "Stanky Leg". Just to show them, I had to do the Wop, the Cabbage Patch, The Roger Rabbit, The Mike Tyson, The Running Man, and The Pee Wee Dance. This will be another topic for another day though.

If I Was a Rapper, My Favorite MC Would Be Me

Tasiya vs. Mom

Nicki Minaj, Trey Songz and Drake...

My daughter thinks they are the 3 greatest artist that have ever graced a mic. She is in 10th grade and her lot to pick from is small and meager...Just my opinion!

A Tribe Called Quest, Jodeci and Mary J. Blige...

These were my favorite artisits when I was in the 10th grade. My lot was big and inundated with cats. "Low End Theory", "Forever My Lady", and "What's the 411" are 3 albums that I can sing word for word and know the next cut on the album when I hear the song before it. Those were magical years for hip hop and R&B, (just ask Dan J). We were introduced to remixes by crews around this time and every R&B song had a hip hop remix to go along with it.

The only reference I have to Nicki Minaj is the cypher that she did during the BET awards. I thought/think she is whack, that it is evident Lil Wayne is writing her rhymes and directing her flow. I don't think she has much to say. Trey Songz and Drake are just doing their thing. They will just never be K Ci and Jojo but Jodeci didn't have the biggest staying power either, they were just dope at the time. I am un-clear if Drake is a rapper or an R&B singer (Ja Rule anyone). I don't have the same disdain for them, that I do for this Nicki Minaj trick. I do not approve of my daughter looking up to her, she is trashy!

So back to my high school/middle years...Come and Talk to Me, today we 30 somethings throw a party and that cut comes on and the reminiscing begins. The Buggin Out video? Hold up we got 2 videos in one. I am not sure if that has been duplicated, BET and MTV stopped playing videos, years ago. "What's The 411", in my humble (or not so) opinion, is on the top 5 albums of anyone that went to HS in the early-mid 90's. The only discussion is what track is better, You Remind Me or Love No Limit.

I have tried to share this music with Tasiya. She has some on her IPod but thinks it's for "grown people". I did hear her listening to ATCQ a couple of weeks ago. I did not comment and kept walking by her room. There is still hope for her :)!

A Message To The Messengers

Since we have gotten rid of our cable, we have been using Netflix ALOT more. I have watched some bad movies over the past few days, but there is one that stands out, it's called, "American Violets". This is one of those movies (being black and all), that never shocks me. However, it is another reminder that RACE is still a huge issue in our country and it probably always will be.

What irritates me is that I didn't know anything about this movie (truth be told, I'm not a huge movie buff), but this story needs to be discussed and told. This is one of those movies that probably didn't gross much, so I'm certain that it went away quietly.

I beg all of my "liberal" friends, black, white, yellow, red, and brown to watch this movie. I know, we voted for Obama and all. I ask, how often do you watch movies with a predominately black cast?

This is not a discussion about how people of color, usually from lower socio-economic backgrounds need to address OUR problems. We are not always innocent and we need to stop being victims.

I keep her hair braided, bought her a black barbie

Tasiya is about to turn 16 so I feel like Disney is a little late on the black princess debut for us.....

I was in the bike lane heading toward Flatbush on Bergen Street when I saw this, an illuminated bus stop ad for the new Disney movie, The Princess and the Frog. This is Disney's first black princess (really??). Did the powers that be no that this ad was going up in Brooklyn. In Brooklyn where 36% of the population is black and 19% is hispanic and another 4% is mixed race? Did they no how offended I would be, a Puerto-Rican mother with a 1/2 black daughter. Are they purposely being disrespectful? I am reminded daily of racism even more so since living in Brooklyn. I have been called a devil white bitch, funny cause i am not white, I have been accused of being in the wrong neighborhood by white cops, I have been harassed by a car full of black boys while riding my bike, I have been stared at by other woman when I am with my black fiancee..... I feel like my integrity as a light skinned minority has been called out over and over.....

What is funnier though is that I am from Fairfield county where I was looked at as a spic....

Where I was not questioned about my ethnicity, where everyone knew I was PR and I belonged right in the low income housing complex where I was born and lived for 30 years.

I feel like even though I am "accused" of being a white bitch her in Brooklyn the 32 years I spent in CT have given me the balance t know who I am and to stand up for what I believe is right. This ad is fucked up, It sets my daughter back another giant set of years. It instills in young black girls and boys the right to use the n word and refer to white people as the devil. It brings out hate and racism if even more ways. Disney owes an apology to me, you and our children.

And if you are lost the ad is minus said black princess!

My Philosophy...

This entry doesn't have too much to do with Bed Stuy, but it does represent what I think is one of the problems with my beloved Hip Hop.  I often find myself defending my love for Hip Hop, by telling people what I don't like about it.  I often have to say things like, "I don't like Hot 97" or "I used to listen to De La Soul when my friends would listen to (fill in any hip hop pop artist here)".

I'm checking out one of my daily sites, hiphopdx, and there are a few articles that got me thinking...again.  I read the article about Lupe Fiasco, and I'm happy to hear that a true lyricist is upset because he was left off of that bullshit list of MTV's "Hottest Rappers" of todays list.   I get what they are saying, but I don't like it.  I just don't understand how a Gucci Mane (no disrespect Combat Jack) can make any "greatest anything" on any hip hop list.  I really understand that if the "kids" like it, then Corporate America wants more of it.  However, this "old school" hip hop junkie, has a higher standard of greatness for an emcee.

So...what ultimately caused me to write this post is another article on hiphopdx.  Some knuckle heads that are down with Rick Ross, named Triple C's belittled KRS 1's legacy.  Please click this to read the article.  I am offended by the fact that these guys disrespect a legend in the game.  What kills me is that he never said anything about them directly, but they had to nerve to talk about him in a disrespecting way.  Blasphemous!!!

Anyways...I would like it if every Hip Hop record label made their artist listen to 25 albums that changed the game.  Before you could do any recording, you need to be able to quote and discuss each album on the list.  The 25 albums would, could, and should be debated.  These new cats should not be able to record a damn thing without knowing the music of OUR founding fathers.  They should be students of their craft.  

Good idea or what?

..you could see Bed-Stuy if you lookin in my draws...

What a wonderful weekend!

She told me to go home after work and get ready, because she wanted to take me out for dinner. Pretty unusual because it seems that "dinner plans" are usually made by me, but she got us invited to a newish spot.  She is a yelp fanatic.

We ended up at Sarah James Speakeasy and the food was delicious.  I loved the ambiance and the overall feel of the place.  I'm pretty sure that when it is all said and done, this place will be very successful.  She ate the pork chop (I don't dig on the swine) and we don't have it in our refrigerator.  I had the steak and everything was seasoned to perfection.  

Next up...Saturday.  Back up to Westchester so she could enjoy her Bridal Shower and I could meet up with some of my childhood friends.  

Sunday around noon, we went to Ms. Dahlia's Cafe.  The service was a bit slow, but that didn't bother me any because I wasn't in a rush.  She ordered the Cucumber Lemonade.  I have never tasted anything so amazingly refreshing in my life. 

I had a flat tire and my favorite bike shop wasn't open, so I ended up at Lit Fuse Cyclery.  I was definitely pleased with the service and even got a chance to speak with Damian.  It turns out that both of us being New Yorkers (him from Manhattan and me from Westchester) have knowledge of one person.  I'm sure if I stayed and talked longer that we could possibly know a few more people.  This bike shop makes a great back up shop for me.  After getting my flat fixed, I ended up at the Tiny Cup.  I sat outside and enjoyed my cup of coffee with a native Bed Stuy resident.  This place is truly a haven for the gentrifying population.  It was pretty amazing for me to witness what was going on here.  I spoke with this gentleman about the changes that the neighborhood is making and we both agree that the change is welcome for us.  The only problem is for me is that this place was not very diverse.  I was sitting in Bed Stuy and every patron beside myself and this guy were white hipsters.  Believe me, I do not have a problem with hipsters.  I have a bit of hipster in me, look at my bike.  This place to me resembles everything that is wrong with gentrification, a completely separate facility for the new comers.

JADAKISS,PAPOOSE,TALIB & HI TEK-WHERE IT ALL STARTED (NY)
by ZICARLOS

I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle...

These are the new bikes.

We purchased them about 2 months ago, but they were works in progress. They are complete now and it was time to post some pics of them. We mos def have "HIS & HERS" bikes. We got them from our great friends at Fulton Bikes (1580 Fulton St). These are the 4th & 5th bikes that we have purchased from this amazing bicycle shop.

Some of the accessories we had to buy online because we are not in the most "hipster" neighborhood in Brooklyn, So Lex's top tube pad was ordered from Dion at Ugly Pads and our NY U Lock holsters were ordered from Fabric Horse.

I can't front like we don't have a little hipster in us?

Once their website is up & running I...we are going to create other posts about them.

New Kicks...

Man do I love some kicks aka sneakers aka tennis shoes....

My friends at Alife are having a warehouse clearance sale and they rented out the old Nort/Recon space. To me this is so poetically ironic and clever as hell. We didn't purchase to much, because they only had their products, but I did buy a pair of construction Timberlands. I have not owned a pair of the "official hip hop boot" in a few years, but I decided that this would be the perfect time to purchase a pair. Hell, they were only $50.00 (that might have been an additional friends/family discount) and these are special.

I often get frustrated when I look for kicks. It seems the only pairs that I like these days are the "re-issues" of the kicks that came out when I was coming up. However, I have always noticed that the women have a crazy supply of dope and cheaper options. Sneakers always look better in smaller sizes too (my humble opinion), they just look extremely different when they are a size 12. It's a good thing she has tiny feet!

Here's To You Mrs. Robinson

I am living a life far beyond my wildest dreams. In a million years I could never imagine that my wedding day would be soon approaching..... We are walking down the isle in about 3 months and I am going to be Mrs. Robinson. I am thrilled, scared, excited, anxious, humbled, amazed and blessed. Our lives were never lived with the intensions of being someones spouse, especially not each others.

We have spent the past few years falling madly in love with each other. There have been many soundtracks to this romance. It started in the TLC No Scrubs and comeback by Sporty Thieves, No Pidgeons phase. We would drink and dance and act a fool in clubs like Two Eyes and 205 . Wu Tang dropped Forever around this time and I jacked his and bumped it in my Accord for a few years.......There was a big dancehall movement at that time also, Spragga Benz, Beenie and Buju (he is not a fan of dancehall at all- I love it). Then we parted for more than a few years...

When our Itunes became one it was scattered with all types of music. I being a die hard Jay Z lover since "Reasonable Doubt" and him a Nas, "It Ain't Hard To Tell" kinda guy, we had to mesh again..... By this time I had branched a bit more out of hip hop (that was made after like 95-96). He had been introduced to Fela Kuti and some beautiful world music. I was listening to alot of punk and independent shit he was just not gonna get down with...I did however fall in love with his 2 favorites Mos Def and Talib Kweli and that brought us to a very happy place. I feel like "Never Been In Love Before" has become the soundtrack to our life.

Music is a huge part of our life. It's the backdrop to our home. Raekwons new record "Only Built For Cuban Links II" has been his most played tracks of as of late and I have been splitting mine between Joell Ortiz and Jay's Blueprint 3. Don't get me wrong though Arctic Monkeys and Flogging Molly still get spins, just not when he is home!

This is the song, for my Warriors...

I haven't written here in awhile and it's a shame.

My man Nas did something that needs to be done more often by our black/latino superstars. The beauty of this is that when one of "our artist" has time to mature and grow into a man, his perspective should and usually does change. Imagine what the "warrior" Tupac Shakur would be writing about right now? It's so sad that any artist (Hip Hop) that tries to be the voice of and for the people, tend to get overlooked. Why is that? We can blame all of the record execs and the media outlets all we want to, but we have to assume some responsibility.

Please read the HipHopDX.com article and especially the letter.

Nas Pens Open Letter After Death Of Chicago Teen | Hip Hop News HipHopDX.com

F%@K The Police

Riding on a sweet new bike (Surly Steamroller's his and hers), is a whole new ride and I am trying to be safe. I usually wear a helmet but you will often see me flying down Fulton St and Atlantic Ave. The Surly is fast, I mean really fast and I am still getting used to it. I decided to ride in the bike lane for my first commute to work on my new bike. Ok, I'm in the bike lane on Bergen (clearly marked) riding towards Smith St., when bam...pow...oh snap there is a cop car double parked in the bike lane. What made this so troubling and annoying was that there were empty parking spots on both sides of the street along with the stripped lines on the outer part of the bike lane. I think that may be for double parking while still keeping the bike lane open. You all pretty much know how I feel about the NYPD and the amount of taxes we pay is so disproportionate to our income that I feel obliged to let the cops know how I feel. I first stopped and took a picture of the car and then I went to the window. I was definitely thinking NWA but I know what time it is. Two cops were sitting in the car, chillin'. I politely asked the white cop, (the passenger cop was Spanish) why he was parked smack in the middle of the bike lane? I pointed to all the empty spaces and the possibility of parking in the striped section just in case they really needed to be in the middle of the street. He was kind of baffled looked at his partner in crime and then apologized. It was pretty funny getting the apology, I wasn't sure what to expect. I have no problem going up against the "po po" especially when I deserve an explanation for blatant disrespect to the law. I wish I could have handed them a ticket like he got for riding on the sidewalk and be like" here now we're even!".

Untuck Your Nunchucks?

I see Fresh Daily out and about a lot and dude seems cool. I've never spoken to him but I'll introduce my self the next time that I see him somewhere. Anyways, since I'm at my moms house and my Grandmother is napping in the other room, I decided to play on the computer. I read some news, checked some friends blogs, and fell onto this Fresh Daily track. "Untucked Numchucks" (watch below), is a song where he is discussing being from Bed Stuy.

Just wanted to hear what you guys think of his music. It reminds me of this "New Age Hip Hop", and that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Smooth Criminal

I took Fulton from Throop to S.Portland this morning and it was just an array of madness.... A middle aged man was just berating the shit out of his woman in the middle of the sidewalk, screaming at her about disrespecting him (imagine that). How he can put her in, her place and so on. Directly across the street an old crack head lady grabbed some guys wallet and 2 plain clothes Jakes snuffed her! They had her in handcuffs in about 2 seconds. ( The dude may of been undercover). The amount of plain clothes cops with their guns in plain sight was maddening this morning. I must of seen 8 or 9 cops with their gats just chillin' . It is not comforting. It does not make me feel safe. I am unsure of anything the NYPD does. I feel like they are an under trained mass of 20 year olds from outside the 5 boroughs. Some shit was going down on Fulton this morning. Maybe for the better maybe for the worse but I have so little trust in the department that is supposed to protect and serve us I was just straight up nervous. Last week we went to the Michael Jackson Bday Party that Spike Lee threw in Prospect Park. Now I have never seen ANY violence surrounding an MJ event. ( I have seen plenty of violence at Woodstock 2 and events like that) but not for MJ.... The amount of cops at Prospect Park was plain criminal. Last Saturday was the day to rob a bank, do a giant heist or be just plain old rowdy in your hood and get away with it. Why? Cause every cop that was on duty in NY was at the park...... I felt sick and again unsafe. It is really sad that when ever I see a cop, a cop car or a gathering of our boys in blue I want to get as far away from them as I can. And we are not criminals or doing anything illegal, we are just residents of Bed Stuy.

It's Bigger Than Hip Hop

It's been a great August and neither of us has done any blogging.  We seem to write more on facebook these days, but I digress.

I've been to a few "Hip Hop" events and I have also read a few Hip Hop articles that are the inspiration for me writing this post. One of the articles was posted yesterday on www.hiphopdx.com.  The responses to this article made me think about where Hip Hop has been and where it is going.   I know this seems to be written about so often, but it is our passion for HIP HOP that makes this topic such an anomaly.

A few weeks ago Red Hook park had a free show with the legendary Hip Hop Producers, DJ Scratch and DJ Premier.  I mentioned to her that because of our age we are fortunate to have been around and actually enjoyed the Golden Era of Hip Hop.   You cannot claim to love Hip Hop if you do not know about either of these guys...PERIOD.  The two DJ's played songs from the Motown Era (before Hip Hop was born) thru the Golden Era.  It was amazing to me to be a part of and witness my generation going bananas when they went thru the "classics".  I often think of what songs will be played in the next 15-20 years, when these late teens/early 20 somethings will be my age.  That is another topic for another day.  It is hard for me to think of any songs that will touch anyone like T.R.O.Y or Dwyck (if you have ever been to a "Hip Hop" party, this song most likely was played and it is not a song that I particularly care for) or anything that Wu-Tangs came out with (Enter The 36 Chambers).  To watch this crowd go nuts is an understatement, they really took it there.

It is important for me to stress that I got sick and tired of the whole Mafiosa Hip Hop thing during the 90's, but I remember when it was 1st done.  In my humble opinion, not many people could do it like Raekwon, Ghostface, & Nas.  Just like everything in Hip Hop, everyone started copying the format and it got old and stale.

Again, it seems that todays lyrics and wordplay is just corny.  Maybe it's my age, but is there really any discussion about the lyrics that came out of NYC, especially emcees from New York area during the 80's & 90's? I appreciate the new "style" of rappers today.  Kid Cudi, Wale, Charles Hamilton, Skyzoo, & etc., but we have to remember that without my generations Hip Hop stars, none of this would be possible.  I'm all about evolution and growth in Hip Hop, but I can not and will not accept what my Beloved Hip Hop has become.

I remember when the Hip Hop radio played more than 15 different songs all day.  Hell I remember when there wasn't even a Hip Hop radio station.   Maybe we should go back to those days, and then the radio would be forced to play more artist (underground and popular) to fill up the time slot.

I've been saying for awhile now that Common needs to do an updated version of "I Used To Love Her".   It would be really interesting to hear about the many changes that Hip Hop has gone thru.

If I ruled the world, I'd love em' love em' baby

I like to imagine sometimes... On the short 3.2 mile ride to work this morning I was led to this abandon building that I love on Fulton Street. I refurbished it in my head, I gave it a name, I love it... It would be some kind of multi-cultural center. It would be called Do, Not Die. The old Bed Stuy aka Do or Die would be lost in the center. Love would be printed on the walls in graffiti, cursive, bubble letters and so on. Trust would be felt when you walked in the doors. Music would fill some rooms, computers, tutors, turntables, cooking classes, mentoring sessions, parenting workshops, alateen meetings and whatever else brings young people closer together with a peace of mind. This would be in the 4 walls that I would help create. I would let him have his say too... I dream of this and think, just a little bit that one day it will be possible. I could teach little kids Shell Silverstein poems. I can help teenagers recover from drug and alcohol filled homes with the help of a 12 step program especially for them. Mom's could come and learn how to cook healthy food for their children with chefs who donate their time. Teachers who began to teach to help kids would be able to do so without the politics of test scores and numbers. Computers would be available for everyone to use as a learning tool, not for watching youtube (I see young kids watching Dipset videos when I'm in the library). I want to be part of this community, I want to give back to help raise children as loving, kind, respectable and honest kids. I would love to have the means for this one day. In the meantime I will go volunteer somewhere. I will take suggestions on places and my search begins tomorrow... I owe something to Bed Stuy, I have found myself here. I have spent the last 18 months falling in love with myself and it has taken place on these streets.

Where I'm From

As she watches General Hospital on DVR (another story for another day), I tend to check work emails and play on the internet. One of my favorite things to do is to read blogs, look at stuff that I can't afford, and listen to music.

One of the blogs that I ended up on is "The Real Fort Greene" blog, and I read a post called "The Soundtrack of Fort Greene". I commented on what songs I thought should be in the soundtrack. She suggested that we do one for Bed Stuy.

Here's a list of songs that remind us of living in Bed Stuy:

Her:

De La Soul, "Saturday"

Him:

Roy Ayers, "We Live In Brooklyn Baby"

Her:

Mos Def, "Brooklyn"

Him:

Blackstar ft. Common, "Respiration"

Her:

Jay Z ft. Biggie, "Brooklyn's Finest"

Him:

Hi-Tek ft. Jadakiss, Papoose, Talib Kweli, Raekwon, "Where It All Started"

Her:

Jean Grae, "Don't Rush Me"

Him:

Stevie Wonder, "He's Mistra Know It All"

Any song by Mos Def reminds me of Brooklyn, I mean the dude mentions Brooklyn/Bed Stuy in just about every song that I've ever heard from him. I tried to find the original, but the only video that I could find is a remix. I also had my favorite Jay Z track before...well we all know.

I Won't Stop Rocking Till I Retire

It's been the best of Bed Stuy the past 2 days. Brunch at Peaches, dinner at Saraghina. A beautiful lotus flower tattoo from Brandy at Tuff Gurl. Walking with my daughter on SOLA where she reveled in the beauty of black americans like herself going about there daily business, eating in nice restaurants, shopping at black owned book stores, reading the newspaper and working on laptops outside of Bread Stuy. I wonder if I do enough to teach her black history, I being a non spanish speaking Puerto-Rican might not be the best qualified for this job. I bought her black barbies and kept her hair braided (like Talib rhymes about in Black Girl Pain). I bought her books like Black White Just Right!, about being mixed. I encouraged her to watch The Making Of Thriller DVD and MJ's other music videos instead of Disney movies. I don't think I did enough though, and i'm not sure how much you can do being the parent of a mixed kid (I don't like the word bi-racial). Being black has been the hot topic in our home this week. We watch alot of cable news and the Soledad O'Brien, Being Black In America has been on, the Professor at Harvard, Henry Louis Gates being arrested IN HIS HOME BY A WHITE COP, The Sotomayor hearing, the mess at Prospect Park, lots of fuel is being added to the already blazing fire that is racism and sexism in this country. I am just grateful that we live in Bed Stuy. That at any given time there are professionals, musicians, cyclist, moms, dads, students, skateboarders, volunteers, church people, all of color all handling there business together. Ohh and cars are still blaring MJ as they drive down these beautiful brownstone lined streets!

When Dove's Cry

It's been awhile since either of us has done a post and I am feeling like we are letting people down. I know...I know..we're the only people reading our own blog.

I was watching Tavis Smiley last night and he was airing a Prince interview from a few months ago (April 27, 2009). Last night I became even more of a Prince fan. It's ironic, well to me, that on the evening of Michael Jackson's death, I got into a discussion with a few younger kids (late teens and early 20's). They were adamant that Prince was a better artist than Michael Jackson and I took Michael Jackson's side, but I made it clear that Stevie Wonder was and is a better artist then the both of them. Truthfully, it really doesn't matter, they are all amazing and talented humans.

Towards the end of last nights segment, Prince mentioned Dick Gregory and urged everyone, to watch clips from the State of the Black Union. Needless to say, I was up late last night trying to and successfully finding Dick Gregory's comments. I'm not even sure if I saw this years State of the Black Union, but I know and I am always shocked that not everyone knows about this awesome yearly event that has been going on for 10 years. Prince mentioned that he likes to make his white friends watch footage when they go over to his house, and I completely understand where he is coming from.

I have to stress this, IN MY OPINION, one of the problems is that I don't have any non-black friends, lover, or colleague that has any interest in the State of the Black Union. It's a shame to me, because as blacks, browns, yellows, and reds we have always listened to, learned, and experienced the State of the Union (really white America). Remember as African Americans (I despise that phrase), we are the only group of AMERICANS that do not and cannot relate ourselves to any other country besides America or the continent of Africa. My Puerto Rican fiancee and best friend (neither of which speaks Spanish), or my Irish American co-worker or my childhood "Italian friends" always refer to their Great Grand Fathers birthplace. I mean my Great Grandfather is from North Carolina and I really cannot identify with being from there. More often than not, they do not know the language, they wave their flags, and swear because they know a few recipes that they can claim this other nation of theirs. I mean do you even have a relative that still lives there? When you get to "your country" and most have never been, what do they call you...AMERICAN I bet! I'm a proud American these days, I just wish that others would be too.

I'm not sure what this has to to do with Bed Stuy. I know that we need to stand up and recognize that we have a lot of work to do as a nation if everyone is going to have their civil and human rights.

I just chose this clip, but there is so much more.

Can it be that it was all so simple babe.....

I'm in the middle of a Wu Tang/ Mobb Deep battle in my head.  Mobb Deeps "Eye For An Eye" is blaring through my headphones while I've got that crazy hard head nod going.  I am surrounded by Ft Green types and wish I was in Bed Stuy so I could take out the headphones and start the fucking party at 2:49 on this hot ass Wednesday afternoon..... Hip Hop is a cure all sometimes.  I am now listening to the intro of Wu Tangs, "Can It All Be So Simple.... This was the summer before I became a mother, the year I graduated high school.  Shit was so much more simple back then.  No major decisions had to be made.  Was I going to drink a 22 oz Heine or a 40 of Private Stock?  Was I going to sleep all day or hang out on the rec steps smoking blunts?  Today is a far cry from those days.  I have covered myself in tattoos, (tried) to change the music I listen to, changed what I drank, I did everything to not remind myself of that person I was on those summer project afternoons.  Still I have ended up where I was supposed to be.   Five..5 years sober sitting in a coffee shop garden, (Big L now playing thru the headphones, still head nodding).  I have come at least half circle in life.  I have him, the person I will share the rest of my life with.  I have new friends, I have my crew I grew up with, my family and my daughter (who is in the middle of teenage angst).  I have to be grateful that this is where I ended up.  It could have ended tragically.  The things that I am sure I will always have in some capacity or another are as follows: Tasiya, him, hip hop and my tattoos!  Now I am going to end this listening to a classic Jay cut. Feeling it!

Wu Tang Clan - Can It Be All So Simple
by G-Mike

Busy end of the week...

She gets better with age...

Paper Thin

Uncle Ralph

We took the bike path over the bridge

On our way to the ferry

From the ferry looking at Governor's Island

Trying to be Mr. Liberty

Lady Liberty and the Staten island Ferry...truly amazing views!

Is she really smelling her armpits?

A piece in progress

It was a busy end to the week...

We went to see MC Lyte at Von King Park in Bed Stuy on Thursday. Little did we know that you need to get there early to see a performer with Lyte's resume. The place was packed and the seating was very limited. I wasn't able to get a good pic of her for our or your viewing pleasure. I was able to get a pic of Ralph McDaniels aka Uncle Ralph (Video Music Box). I remember before cable, watching his show on the U setting of TV's...always channel 31 though. Nowadays Uncle Ralph in involved with alot of NYC based Hip Hop events, in particular one of my favorite websites. I tend to check out some of my favorite oldies.

Friday night, I came straight home after work and she did the same. I cooked for us and we decided to stay in.

Saturday...well that was posted the other day, see below.

Sunday was a bike ride into Manhattan with some friends and a ferry ride to Governor's Island. We took a couple of laps, saw a serious bike race, had lunch and just relaxed. It was a pleasant day with some friends. We headed back to Brooklyn and stopped for some ice cream. Of course, we had to go to a church basement. Before we went to meet our friends, she wanted to stop by and view some graffiti that was on display in Park Slope.

MC Lyte - Paper Thin
by Dante35

Represent-Represent QB

I planned on staying in all day and maybe going to see a friend. However, like usual, I jumped on my bike...headed over the Williamsburg Bridge...rode up the East River and ended up at the Queensboro Bridge. It was my first time over the bridge and it was truly amazing. Once over the bridge, I saw the housing projects of one of my favorite MC's Nasir Jones aka Nas aka God's Son.

After getting an iced coffee in Long Island City, Queens...My boy Ivo called me. It has been over 4 years since I last saw him, but he heard through the grapevine that I was newly engaged. I got back into Manhattan with 2 hours to kill, so I went by Central Park Summerstage. After staying at Summerstage for about an hour, I rode through that park a bit. I met Ivo near Central Park West, and sat down and chatted for an hour and some change.

I had to keep it short, because it was my night to cook.

Once back in Bed Stuy, I went to the Food Town on Myrtle...Oh yeah, Michael Jackson is still playing in some cars.

She wanted me to add some Mobb Deep, they are from Queensbridge too, but when she takes the ride with me, she can add their videos.

Tis true...

I am an engaged man...We are an engaged couple!

It's weird because I'm getting used to referring to "her" as "my fiancee".

As soon as I get used to it, it becomes my wife and I'll

have to get used to that.

Either way I am just being silly and I am excited to be

engaged. I never thought that I would do something

like this, but I have a wonderful woman. We take care

of each other, we watch each other grow and we are

in love. We do not have a date and I'm sure that this

alone will cause more stress on our relationship, but

I am willing to compromise. That's what a healthy

relationship is...not that I have a ton of experience

with healthy relationships. This just feels right.

A little more love a little less hate

I am thinking of the Talib Kweli lyrics from More Or Less...... It's been some few days. Last night we heard helicopters for hours circling over our house with the spot lights blazing. Today we learned there was a triple shooting up the street and an innocent bystander was killed, they were all pretty young. Our neighbor has left in an ambulance twice in the past 3 days..... Problems. My daughter's friend Veronica (who she has grown up with her whole life) Mom passed away, way to young to die leaving behind 2 kids in High School. I spent the greater part of the day crying watching the MJ footage on CNN/Facebook. The sadness is numbing. His daughter pushed me over the edge with sorrow. All these deaths are painful and pretty senseless. I feel like there needs to be more love. We need to tell people we love that we love them and that our lives are better because of them. Praise your children, love your parents, be kind to your neighbors. Like Talib says let's give the devil less enjoyment..... Love Love Love. And so now is my time to go give him some more love. Goodnight and be loved.

He finally asked me.....

We got engaged yesterday!!!!!! This was was one of those perfect weekends. Balance, fun, love, ice cream, diamonds, the ocean, fireworks, the longest bike ride ever. Everything that makes us happy either together or apart. I never thought my life would end up in this place. Bed Stuy has brought me the most amazing year ever. We have meshed here, we have become a power of example to others (they tell us this), we have found our way. We have made new friends, some really good ones too! I choose to share my time with people I really like, life is too short to be unhappy with your surroundings. We each did our own thing on Saturday. I went to Ft Tilden with the ladies, he went on a coastal Brooklyn bike ride solo. That night we joined friends on a rooftop for fireworks and seltzer. But the real fun happened Sunday afternoon... After sleeping in we rose finally for a bike ride. I had no idea where we were going and I have learned not to ask many questions because he carefully maps out all bike trips on his own before we leave. I did know though that he was going to ask me to marry him at some given point in the day so I just followed along. We eventually, and I mean eventually landed at The Cloisters up in Washington Heights. It was an amazing ride. The bike lanes were packed so bobbin' and weavin' were critical. At Fort Tyron park he sat on the bench next to me and asked me if I wanted to be his wife..... YES, of course I want to be his wife!!!! He put the ring on my finger and I have not stopped smiling since. I love him more than there are stars in the sky.....

It came on my pandora today...

If you don't have Pandora make sure you get it. I've found some pretty dope songs on it.

I LOVE MY MOM!

My mom came into town to spoil her son and to spend some time with us. She came with her famous meatballs and sauce...YUMMY!

I picked her up at Grand Central Terminal (it was a nightmare) and we decided to walk over to the A train at Port Authority/42nd St and 8th Ave. We walked through Time Square and saw all of the bright lights. She was thrilled, and I was feeling like a tourist.

I wanted to take my mom over the Brooklyn Bridge so we took the train to Broadway/Nassau. Wouldn't you know it, we were right near the World Trade Center. Again, I had this feeling like I was being a tourist. It was her 1st time down there since "that day". I took it for granted because I worked in Jersey City last year and was down there everyday for at least 6 months.

Onto the Brooklyn Bridge...I must admit that it is much nicer being a pedestrian on the bridge and not being a bike rider. I will never...ever...ever ride my bike over the Brooklyn Bridge again.

We went to visit Lex at work and back to Bed Stuy. Glad to be back, and it is awesome that in Bed Stuy, Michael Jackson music is still playing. Long live the KING...