I just fell in love with this new Erykah Badu song "Jump up in the Air (Stay There)!"  The cut is both smooth and wild.  My first reaction was muted, though.  Why did she feature Lil Wayne?  He is about to go to jail for one year.  But, I listened to the kick drum, her lyrics, and her melody and I almost broke my neck slapping this around town (Slap defined here).  I listened deeper to the song and  I understood the underlying tone of its theme and the Lil Wayne feature.   The video confirmed my hunch.  Just take a look at its creative usage of kaleidoscope (that thing that used to entertain folks before Nintendo) imagery.  

Check this video after the JUMP and leave a comment letting me know what you think!

By: King Anyi Howell

The following was broadcast on KQED-FM.  

Adapted from King Anyi Howell’s story about the Harambee Farmer’s Market on KQED’s The California Report

(download mp3) African Americans suffer higher rates of obesity, hypertension and heart disease than the rest of the nation. In the predominately black South Los Angeles of Crenshaw, however, one farmer’s market is hoping that they can break bad eating habits by offering fresh produce at affordable rates. The Harambee Farmer’s Market (open Saturdays from 10am-4pm) is located at the busy intersection of Crenshaw and Slauson between a bank and an auto paint shop. Harambee is a Swahili word, meaning “all pull together.”

The Harambee Farmer’s Market has one produce booth and two other booths that sell hand-crafted jewelry, lotions, oils, clothing and other items. Farmer Larry Williamson is from the Crenshaw neighborhood and supplies the market with produce from his farm in Merced, Ca and other black-owned California farms. Currently the booth sells strawberries, peanuts, oranges, tomatoes, potatoes, parsley, lettuce, cabbage, and beets. The booth also has other seasonal produce available at rates that compete with local grocery chains.

I was fortunate enough to discover this market a few months back. Unfortunately, the market is usually empty. But they have a loyal customer base and often offer free entertainment to attract new people. It is located in the parking lot of the African Firefighters and Benevolent Association community center. The AFIBA center wants to expand the market. I would love to see this place develop into its full potential. Imagine more booths of fresh produce and long lines of customers. Communities—like Crenshaw—need more places that promote healthy eating.

Does anybody know where the friendly skies went? The airline customer experience has been turbulent to say the least. Airlines are nickel-and-diming patrons. Then there is the extra security you have to deal with. I’m all for safety, but the rules are constantly changing. How do you know what to bring in your bag anymore? And now we have to deal with rules about weight and extra tickets. Larger customers, beware.

Former manager of Oakland rapper Too Short, Lionel Bea, and director, Kevin Smith (Jay and Silent Bob Strikes Back, Cop Out), have both had spats with Southwest Airlines because they were asked to purchase extra tickets in order to accommodate for their width. Bea sued Southwest. But, Kevin Smith decided to take his case to the public and humiliate the airline on Twitter. Smith’s posts about the incident were so popular that Southwest had to respond via Twitter and on a separate blog.

I endured a similar experience on an airline. I’m tall. So the guy in front of me wanted to recline directly on to my knees. Both he AND the attendant who responded to his complaint suggested I purchase a first class ticket. I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t buy the first class ticket, but I vlogged about (which the attendant told me was a security threat). Days later, I was offered an apology and some airline credit, but that was not enough to make me want fly that airline again.

But take heart fellow travelers. There are other ways to get to a destination. I discovered the value of road trips and Amtrak. You might find that the time saved on airplanes isn’t worth the headache. Still, you don’t get charged extra for that blanket and pillow.

The ultimate sign of humanity is giving to others regardless of your own condition. I understand why people are choosing to give to others less fortunate than them, even when we currently have less than we ever had before. What I can’t support is the exploitation of the Haitian earthquake disaster to drum up business.

In Toledo, Ohio, “Marilyn’s on Monroe,” a strip club, held a “Lap Dances for Haiti” event. Kenny Soprano, the manager of the club, said they were looking for ways to give back to the community. When I heard this, my heart sank. The adult entertainment industry is the last industry that needs to be holding fundraisers for such a tragedy. I don’t think lap dances should be a form of charity. What’s next? Pornography for Haiti?

In Los Angeles, I’ve seen after-hours parties (illegal nightclubs serving liquor after the 2am last call), and comedy shows advertise that the proceeds from their events will go to the people of Haiti. It just feels cheap to me. I understand some of the logic behind these events. People want to party and people want to help. But the people of Haiti need food, water, and a long-term investment in their future. What I haven’t seen was an event that allows entry with canned goods or bottled water. They don’t need their tragedy to be sensationalized or cheapened.
 

Do you remember way back when fame came to those with talent? Way back when you had to be an actor, an author, a philanthropist, an athlete, a politician? Then around the 90’s, cast members from MTV’s “The Real World” started slowly appearing in the mix with actual celebrities. Fast forward to today. Now we have a group of famous people who are known for basically hanging out on camera.

It upsets me that I can recognize Jon Gosselin, Kim Kardashian and “Snookie”. But I, personally, can’t identify their talents. It seems they are famous because of these things: Kim Kardashian is famous for filming her intimate moments with Ray-J. Snookie is known as the girl who got sucker punched at the bar. And besides his marital troubles, Jon Gosselin is famous for fathering eight children.

I had the opportunity to audition for a dating reality show. The production company was looking for single contestants who were willing to try dating—on air. When I arrived for the taped Q&A session, however, I realized how far we have come from and how far people are willing to go be famous. I was asked to lay out my entire life. For instance... “Tell us surprising things about yourself or your past that most people don’t know."  Or  “Tell us your unique life story in 50 words or less."  After my interview session, I started to have nightmares about being introduced to the world on such a medium. You have no control over how you are presented or how you are perceived. What if I get punched on TV, like Snookie?  I haven’t been called yet to appear for the show. But one thing’s for sure…I’m not waiting for the phone to ring.

I’m a people watcher. Always have, always will be. I like watching crowds, watching folks check out people. It's how I get a sense of a room, an office, a club. What excited me about last night's State of the Union address wasn’t just what President Obama said, but what others were doing – or not doing- when he said certain things. Clapping or not. 

For instance, I was excited when Mr. Obama mentioned that $30 billion dollars the banks repaid back to the the government from the bailout will go to community banks. Those smaller banks need to build and invest in their communities. They have more of an opportunity to help neighborhoods than the big banks. But I noticed, however, a section of faces weren’t clapping after that proposal. Their dissatisfaction doubled my satisfaction. This happened throughout the speech. President Obama acknowledged the government will save $20 billion by eliminating tax breaks to oil companies, investment fund managers, and citizens earning over $250k per year. It went right by me until I heard the thunderous applause.

Then there was a point in which Obama came down on the nature of Washington- how it does business. He said it has caused  a “deficit of trust” among Americans. His call for curbing lobbyists and disclosing earmarks garnered a loud response. Both sides of the aisle--both parties--were clapping. I’m sure some of the people on the left AND the right were clapping/gesturing for the cameras. Can you blame them?  

Politics is a stage.

After a full year of presidency, tonight is Barack Obama’s chance to address the issues that are keeping Americans up at night… besides Conan O’Brien reruns.

I’ll be tuning in from a local café, drinking something that has absolutely nothing to do with tea or tea parties, waiting for the President to drop some wisdom…something to ease my stress about the direction which out county is heading.

You remember a year ago when 52.9 percent of Americans felt that our county’s first black president was our white knight? People said that he brought the nation together. And those of us who attended the inauguration in DC last year, might remember being crammed together. We froze our collective buns off that morning because we believed Obama possessed that certain “something.” The ‘something’ that would lead millions of unemployed Americans to the light at the end of the tunnel, as opposed to leading us into the light of an oncoming “too big to fail” bailout locomotive.

But a year later, no one knows if the bottom of our great recession is in sight, we’re still fighting two wars abroad, and what the heck happened to health care for all Americans?

I’m uninsured because insurance costs too much. I think the country could benefit from universal coverage, but only if it’s well managed. If public health care is run as marvelously as some our other institutions, like public schools, I’ll take my chances with death!

I’m also part of the generation of young people who were instrumental in ushering the president into the presidency. Obama called us “too important to fail.” And tonight I’d like him to do something most presidents haven’t done, and actually speak to us. These times are the toughest my age group has ever seen, and we’d like to know exactly what he’s going to do about it, and how we can help.

And finally I want President Obama to address a different war on terror...the terror that’s inside each of us who struggle to pay the bills or care for our kids. Sure I want a plan for action, but he might have to do one better and "holla at us.” Mr. President, inspire me. 

Martin Luther King Day has come and gone. The sales are over.  Sometimes all the sale ads make me wonder if we’ve all forgotten about the legendary Civil Rights leader that the holiday was named after.   I’ve felt like Martin Luther King day was a joke (the DAY, not the MAN), but it was only until recently I was able to articulate some of my frustrations with the energy around the holiday.  At a monthly poetry event in Southern California,  I was able to share my thoughts in the form of comedy.  What's your take?  

If Bay Area rapper, D-Lo, wants you to know anything about him, he wants you to know that he doesn’t care about “no hoe.” Over a year ago, the rapper’s roughly mixed underground hit “I don’t give a” began to infect the minds and stereos of Bay Area rap followers. The video and song are too vulgar to post.

When I first heard it, I made the mistake of sharing my thoughts on how this young rapper had the lyrical ingenuity of a fifth grader. This resulted in my being branded with the scarlet letter “H” (for HATER) by the same folks who brought the song to my attention. I was disgusted by everything about the song from its poor sound quality (it sounds like it was recorded in a closet) to its remedial redundancy. But something happened. It got into my head.  

I moved from the Bay Area to Los Angeles and the song moved with me.  I began to hear it at a few house parties and clubs. I was so excited that people down here were energized by Bay Area rap music. It made me forget how much I disliked the song. So this is how guilty pleasures are born!

Then came the remixes. The Bay Area remix features E-40, Jacka and Beeda Weeda, gangsta/pimp rappers whose talents in the genre far outweigh those of D-Lo, also known as “Mr. No Hoe.” A video of the remix released only days ago has already received millions of hits.

The OTHER remix features Snoop Dogg and Daz, and uses the E-40 verse from the other remix to illustrate how the west coast supports Mr. NoHo’s movement. I really feel pity for D-Lo. His uncreative creation has inspired greater verses from other rappers who have out-shined him on his own project.

For D-Lo's next magic trick, however, he has released a more sensitive single to articulate his feelings of heartbreak, titled “You Played Me”.

Ford's fuel-efficient 2012 Fusion Hybrid won the big car award at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit (NAIAS).

But it was another Ford vehicle creating buzz. Hip Hop artist, Nelly, and Dub Magazine were welcoming the return of the Mustang 5.0-liter V-8 (which hasn't been an available option since the 90's)!

So, why would they use Nelly to promote a V-8 gas-guzzler to the hip-hop consumer base? Aren't we trying to change the way Americans drive? Cut gas. Become more fuel efficient? But this car gets better gas mileage than the 2010 Mustang (17 mpg city/ 25 mpg highway vs. 17 mpg city/ 23 mpg highway). Let's be honest. The Mustang can't compete with the Fusion Hybrid's 41 mpg mileage. Yet, the the Ford Mustang 5.0 has nostalgic appeal. But will the hop hop community buy the car?