Dilla Day 2/21/08

I think that I could end the blog with that picture, but I want to at least try to put into words what yesterday meant to me.

For as long as I can remember I have loved music. My earliest music memories are of me and my nephew. We would listen to the radio and sing along... and when we got tired of that, we'd make our own tapes of us playing radio. We'd announce and sing the songs... most of those tapes ended with someone snatching the microphone, a little bit of arguing... perhaps a scuffle, the stop button would be pushed, and we'd run off to do something else. From there I guess I got hooked on videos and more radio. My parents had records but I wasn't really allowed to play with them. I had my own stack of records but I had to have someone else put them on for me.

I remember when I got old enough to work the stereo on my own. How excited I would get everytime i would place a record on the turntable and marvel at the sounds that would come thru the speakers. As I got older I realized the effect that music had on my emotions... Over the years I fell in and out of love with many different artists and genres but my love for music remained constant.

That brings me to last night... kinda... in 2005, I took a trip to san fran... and dom insisted on playing this song over and over again. That's Dom's thing... He'll hammer a song into your head... The song was "The $$" by Dilla... a song that wouldn't be officially released until like 2 yrs later I think. Either way I was hooked and i quickly realized, like a bunch of others, that Dilla had produced like 200 other songs that I loved... ok *that* brings us to last night.

February 21, 2008, was "Dilla Day" at XM. It started out with a panel that consisted of Pete Rock, Talib Kweli, and Ms. Yancey (Dilla's mother). The three spoke on their experiences with him and how his music changed their lives. It was extremely interesting to hear his mother talk about him and to hear Pete speak and to just be so in awe of Dilla's talent. After the panel, a group of extremely talented artists took the stage and paid tribute by playing song after song from JD's extensive catalog.

The night was a huge success. There were plenty of times that I was almost moved to tears (yes, i know this is nothing new) but it reminded me again why i love music so much. I tried to explain it to a friend... It's like ppl get so caught up in chasing samples and trying to figure out what record a producer used on a record, that it seems like they lose sight of the fact that at some point someone actually played the song. Hearing a live band playing these songs brought the music back to life. It reminded me why i love music and what it means to me.

Music is truly my first love. I'm glad that I have people in my life that i can share that love with and that understand it's importance in my life... but enough about all that... here are some more pics. Enjoy.



Grap



Kev Brown



Flex Matthews



Cy Young



J Hill


See more here:

Dilla Day at XM 2/21/08

I am sick

like for real sick. Not, "I just need a day off from work" sick... not, "i have to finish this homework" sick... but fever, chills, coughing, aching, etc sick.

I guess this is what I get for talking shit about flu shots... but how was I supposed to know that so many people would be inconsiderate enough to come to work/school sick? Either way, these germs have picked me up and slammed me. I just hope that B isn't next. I wouldn't wish this shit on my worse enemy.

I should probably mention that tomorrow is Dilla Day at XM. Know what that means? It means that Pete Rock and Talib Kweli will be speaking at XM. Remember how I'm sick? :(

This is kinda like the ULTIMATE blower. I think I'm going to stay home from XM tomorrow and then head in for the Dilla party tomorrow night. I'm just tryna stay warm and as healthy as possible.

Wish me luck...

How I Spent My Weekend

So my bf decided that apparently I need culture. so... he took me to the Japan Culture + Hyper Culture exhibit at the Kennedy Center. There were toys and robots and art and just lots of cool stuff. We had so much fun that we left there to get some more "culture" at a graphic design event called "X" at Be Bar in NW, DC. I got a massage and that's about all i remembered... oooo the mojitos!!! Brown sugar mojitos!!! I was in HEAVEN.

Happy Black History Month?

I'm just... speechless. I mean I guess we should be "happy" that someone wants to help us do something positive but...

Arrghhh just go see/listen for yourself

Travesty

Rested

I finally feel like I'm back to normal. Alot of weights have been lifted and I think I'm ready to get back on track. I struggled with my first draft for my ALR comment, but I got it done and was told that it was a "good effort"... as opposed to the "what in the fuck is *this* crap" that I was expecting. Two more drafts and it's all over.

I also got elected to the 2008-2009 editorial board (ie the big thing that i didn't want to talk about). The note and comment editor position was my second choice, but I completely understand why I didn't get my first choice so i'm only moderately bitter :)
Either way that means that after this summer I have only 14 credit hours left to graduate. It's really almost over!

I also found out that the organization that I'm working for this summer has secured frequent flyer miles for me to get to and from San Francisco for the internship... this would mean, however, no driving cross country so i need to make a decision on that ASAP.

Friday night me, B, Sha and Jesse headed to NY for the DAF2 party. I got to see a lot of folks i hadn't seen in ages and had the chance to party my ass off. Though the inherent extraness of a couple of personalities irked me to no end, overall I had a blast and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. From Jesse's alcohol induced dancing to Phonte's superior hosting skills, to getting to say what up to Evil Dee face to face for the first time in years... there was just a lot going on. No recap could possibly do it justice. Just like in LA DJ Houseshoes killed it... I'm rambling but it was an amazing night.

I'm annoyed

If you know someone is waiting on your parking space, do you take your time?

If you know someone is having a conversation, do you interrupt them because you feel that what you have to say is more important?

If you know it's raining/sleeting/sweltering/snowing/hailing/etc outside, do you leave your boyfriend/girlfriend to fend for themselves in the elements while you sit at home eating oodles of noodles?

If you know your boyfriend/girlfriend is sitting at home waiting for you to bring them dinner, do you go 1.5+ hours without letting them know that you were delayed and the only way they find out is when they call because you made no attempts to let them know?

If you know that... I'm just gonna stop. I'm annoyed... and hungry... and this isn't helping. I think *i'm* about to have some oodles of noodles my damn self.

Baby Steps

So Mickey said that to help myself not feel overwhelmed, i need to start taking baby steps... that way I'm forced to do a little at a time and not end up crazed when I've managed to wait til the last minute. Yay Mickey!


In other news, I'm starting to get really anxious about the summer. I've been kind of putting it out of my mind because I remember how worked up i got about last summer and I'd really rather not deal with that again.... but i just looked at the calendar and I leave in like 107 days... not bad since i started counting at like 250 last year.

I saw the most beautiful sunrise this morning and it reminded me why I'm supposed to take my camera everywhere i go. I almost went back for it but i was already runnin late.

Just a few things

so... I'm stressed, overwhelmed and generally frustrated. But, I'm still here. I have a buncha stuff on my plate but i'm plodding along. For the most part though, things are good. I'm currently searching for a church to join. I'm kinda torn on the topic. I mean I consider myself very spiritual, but not particularly religious. My science mind tells me this is really all there is, but my heart (and several years of brainwa... er conditioning) tell me that there is a supreme being of some sort that watches over us. At any rate, i've been talking to that being... asking to be brought back to the church and interestingly enough I got my "calling". My best friend, mom of three of the most beautiful kids in the world, has asked me to be a Godmother, but in order to do that, I need to be a member of a church (gotcha, bitch!). So, yeah, I'm working on that. I'm also doing something else that's really important but i don't want to talk about for fear of jinxing myself. I'll know for sure on 2/9.

What else? Oh... Monie Love taped her first XM show yesterday. I wasn't there for the taping but i couldn't be happier. It's hard to believe that my annoyance/perserverance (and hers) has paid off.

It's also almost Lent and i've been trying my best to figure out what to give up. I'm not quite sure yet, but i've got a few hours to pick something.

I think that's about it.