The Punkin Patch

Old School Fridays: Too Hot for Radio

2009-01-23T15:19:00.005-05:00

I know I have been absent from blogging for a minute. Alot has happened on the personal and career front so I haven't had much time to blog. However, when I heard about this week's Old School Fridays theme, I figured now was a good as time as any to get back into the blogging thing. My picks for this week are:

2 Live Crew -- We Want Some... -- Now as a self-respecting woman, I should not like this song. But this came out when I was in 11th grade and it reminds me of house parties I use to go even though I told my mom I was at Showbiz pizza. LOL!

Lil Kim -- Big Momma Thing -- Not exactly a song about female-empowerment, but it was my jam. And I completely forgot Jay-Z was on this...BB (Before Beyonce).

Bo$$ -- I Don't Give a F**k -- I pumped Bo$$ "Born Ganstaz" cd the entire summer of 1993. This particular song was my favorite on the entire cd. I use to get hyped when I played this song. I wonder what happened to her.

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President Barack Hussein Obama

2009-01-20T13:16:00.002-05:00

"I Too Sing America" -- In Honor of President Barack Obama

2009-01-20T10:52:00.002-05:00

I felt this poem by the great Langston Hughes was appropriate for today. God Bless America!

"I Too Sing America" by Langston Hughes

I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I'll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me,
"Eat in the kitchen,"
Then.

Besides,
They'll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed--

I, too, am America.

Old School Friday -- Never Would of Made It

2008-11-07T10:56:00.003-05:00

This week's theme T.G.I.O (Thank God It's Over) in honor of this week's historic election of President Barack Obama! My pick is Marvin Sapp's "Never Would Have Made It". Though its not technically old school, I thought it was appropriate. We did it yall! We did it!

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The First Family

2008-11-05T08:39:00.006-05:00

God how I love this picture. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the The First Family!!

YES WE DID!!!!

2008-11-04T23:21:00.003-05:00

Barack Hussein Obama is the next President of the United States!!! Do you remember where you were when you heard the news?? I am so proud, overwhelmed, and in complete shock! I wish my grandparents were still alive to see this day. And to hear my mother (who knew 'Ol Jim Crow well) talk about how she thought she'd never see this day, brought me to tears. I must admit I was sweating it out earlier tonite, but now I'm watching John McCain give his concession speech. This has been one hell of an election. And all I know is that my family and I are planning our trip to Washington, DC for Inaguration Day on January 20, 2009.

I gotta post Will.I.Am's Yes We Can to honor this moment in history.

I Voted!

2008-11-04T13:51:00.008-05:00

I snapped a couple of pictures while waiting in line to vote this morning. I waited about 2 hours and had no problems. On my way to work I thought about my grandmother who passed away in September and didn't live to see this day. I would have loved to hear what she thought about it all.

I can't tell you how overwhelmed I am about being able to vote for a Black man for President. I don't think I've ever been this excited to vote since I became eligible waaaay back in 1987. Tonite my husband and I will be sitting nervously in front of the TV watching the news and waiting for the returns. It may be a long night.

YES WE CAN!!!

My Hubby The Early Voter

2008-10-28T10:28:00.004-04:00

In South Carolina, we don't have early voting. But you can turn in your absentee ballot now, if you won't be able to vote on November 4th. My wonderful husband who recently accepted a job in my hometown of Fayetteville, NC, turned in his absentee vote today!
As you can see he "Barack'ed" the vote. I can't wait til it's my turn next week. YES WE CAN!

The Black McCains

2008-10-22T12:53:00.004-04:00

"Yes, Virginia, Sen. John McCain does have black relatives in Mississippi."

I found this video over at Politico. It appears that Sen. McCain ancestors owned some slaves in Oxford, Mississippi about 150 years ago and many of there descendants still live in area. The video is very interesting. However, family ties doesn't mean Sen. McCain is getting their votes.

Obama vs McCain Round 3 -- I am not President Bush

2008-10-16T08:21:00.006-04:00

At last night's debate, Sen. John McCain thought he slammed Sen. Barack Obama when he said "I am not President Bush, if you wanted to run against President Bush you should have run four years ago". Ooooooh! You really told him Sen. McCain. Well leave it to Obama and his campaign to take said slam and throw it back in his face. Check out this video:

Love it! By the way CNN, FOX, and CBS all report viewers though Obama won. Less than 20 days to go. Let's get it! YES WE CAN!!!

Old School Friday: Gett Off!

2008-10-10T09:52:00.004-04:00

This week's theme is His Royal Badness, Prince Rogers Nelson. Now everyone knows lil man is really prickly about his videos being posted on the web. I found a performance from the 1991 MTV Awards where he's literally shows his behind performing "Gett Off". Hopefully, I won't get a visit from his legal dogs for posting this performance. But anyway, here it is.

For more OSF participants, click here.

Donna Brazile -- "I'm Not Going to the Back of the Bus!"

2008-10-08T17:04:00.003-04:00

Donna Brazile is one brilliant woman. I love watching her on CNN. Last weekend she gave an incredible speech about the election and race at The New Yorker festival. She hosted a panel called "If I We're Running This Campaign". Here's the video clip.

"That One"

2008-10-08T10:46:00.005-04:00

The 2008 version of "You People". Has it really come to this? Sen. John McCain couldn't even refer to Sen. Barack Obama as person, as a man, instead he's a 'That'. A thing, an object. Sen. McCain dislike (or is it disdain?) for Sen. Obama was more than obvious! Maybe I'm being overly
sensitive? But with ~~Tina Fey~~ Gov. Palin's borderline racist attacks against Sen. Obama, McCain/Palin surrogates oh so subtle reminders of Barack's middle name (Hussein) and supporters screaming 'terrorist' and 'kill him' at their campaign rallies, I think I am justified in believing the 'that one' comment was more than Sen. McCain just condescending and sarcarstic.

What's McCain gonna do at the last debate? Call him 'boy'? Too obvious? How bout 'uppity'. Its been used before by a McCain supporter. It is amazing to me just how nasty the McCain campaign has become. And just I love the coded language McCain and Palin have been using.

"I am just so fearful that this is not a man who sees America the way you and I see America." Palin has said.

In other words he's not like you and me --- you know, white. Keith Olbermann referred to this in his special comment Monday night saying,"it's a nifty trick to remind the white folk that (psst) Obama is black."

But it doesn't seem to be working. After last night's debate, the polls from the various networks -- NBC, CBS, CNN, and even FOX News (they didn't cook the numbers??? Truly a sign of the Apocalypse) -- the American people have said Sen. Obama won the debate in a format that was suppose to be in Sen. McCain's favor. Heck even some Republican's are calling it for Obama, including Bill "I'm a Gambler" Bennett.

"I confess I so much admire McCain, but I just don't think the campaign is equal to the story,' he said. "I just don't think it's equal to the man, it hasn't been. ... We needed a breakthrough, talking about the economy. I think he was a little better than last time, but he didn't break through enough, and he's behind. So it just wasn't good enough for McCain in terms of what it had to be."

Ouch.

So much for the race baiting Sen. McCain, it looks like 'that one' won the debate.

What Comes Around Goes Around

2008-10-07T08:08:00.005-04:00

Karma (From the American Heritage Dictionary) --

The total effect of a person's actions and conduct during the successive phases of the person's existence, regarded as determining the person's destiny.
Fate; destiny.

How's this for karma? Jerome Corsi, who wrote a smear-filled, a propagandist book attacking Barack Obama for the right (or reich) is being detained in Kenya because he doesn't have a work permit. According to the Associated Press:

Jerome Corsi, who wrote "The Obama Nation: Leftist Politics and the Cult of Personality," was being held at immigration headquarters in Nairobi after police picked him up from his hotel Tuesday, said Carlos Maluta, a senior immigration official in charge of investigations.

"We still haven't decided what to do with him," Maluta told The Associated Press.

A call to a Corsi aide in the U.S. rang unanswered Tuesday.

Maluta said Corsi did not have a temporary work permit needed to conduct business in Kenya. Corsi had been scheduled to launch his book Tuesday in Kenya, where the Democratic U.S. presidential candidate is wildly popular.....

Corsi's book claims the Illinois senator is a dangerous, radical candidate for president and includes innuendoes and false rumors — that he was raised a Muslim, attended a radical, black church and is secretly seething with "black rage."

Now, it is well known Sen. Obama's father is from Kenya and he still has a number of family members living over there including siblings, an uncle, and a grandmother. In fact, one uncle has said he was "unaware" of Corsi's dentention.

That's a great statement Uncle Obama, that should be the family party line. LOL! Seriously, not that I believe the Kenyan Obamas have anything to do with Corsi's detention, but I truly think it is hilarious that this man had the nerve to come to Sen. Obama's homeland and try to push that libelous book on Kenyans. I hope they keep his right-wing behind over there until after the election. My momma always said God don't like ugly.

Old School Friday: Road Trip Songs

2008-09-19T07:00:00.001-04:00

This week's OSF theme is road trip songs. My pick is "Award Tour" by A Tribe Called Quest. The Midnight Mauraders cd was in constant rotation in 1994. I was in graduate school in Maryland and use to drive six hours to go home every so often. It was Tribe's best CD in my opinion and I would listen to it repeatedly on those long road trips.

From the same CD "Electric Relaxation"

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I Blame T-Pain For This

2008-09-09T12:53:00.003-04:00

Kanye West 'singing' mostly through a vocoder at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Old School Friday --- It's Disco Baby!

2008-09-05T09:01:00.004-04:00

This week old school video theme is Disco! My pick is the late, great Andy Gibb! I had a major crush on him when I was in 4th grade. I thought he was dreamy. I even remember watching him on Solid Gold back in the day. I was so shocked when he died at 30!!! in 1988. Here is Andy in his hey day with "Shadow Dancing".

andy gibb - shadow dancing
Uploaded by kareem93

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You Know Its the Sign of the Apocalypse....

2008-09-04T09:07:00.008-04:00

When a pregnant 17-year-old girl and her baby daddy represent "Family Values" and are featured prominently at the Republican National Convention.

Aww...ain't they cute. Holding hands and all.

The Four Horsemen are coming. You better get right with the Lord....

Yet Another Reason Why Rappers and Politics Don't Mix

2008-09-02T11:13:00.006-04:00

I found this on the Huffington Post. The originator of the "Vote or Die" campaign of 2004, Diddy, expressing his views about John McCain's VP pick, Sarah Palin. There's a point in there somewhere...I think...

Maybe he should think about returning to Howard University and completing that degree.

We're Sexy, We're Great, We're the Class of 88!

2008-09-01T18:13:00.011-04:00

You know you are OLD, when you attend your 2oth high school reunion!! It's official, I am MIDDLE AGED!!! I cannot believe its been 20 years since I graduated high school. In 1988, it was all about Keith Sweat, Al B. Sure, high-top fades, and stone-washed jeans. In 1988, I saw the movie "School Daze" and couldn't wait to attend North Carolina Central University, a HBCU in Durham, NC. In 1988, I would vote in my first presidential election -- Walter Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro vs. George H.W. Bush and Dan Quayle. Who knew what a wacko Ms. Ferraro would turn out to be.

This weekend, I attended my 20th high school reunion. What a difference 20 years makes. Everyone in my class is now middle-aged. Gone are the high top fades, asymetrical hair cuts, and tight 18-year old bodies. Wide hips, pot bellies, gray hair, NO HAIR, and general middle-aged spread are the order of the day. Some people aged-well and some people.....not so much. The hell-raisers are now born-again Christians (one hell-raiser became a pastor) and many people are on their second, even third marriages. And unfortunately, we lost several classmates since the last reunion 10-years ago. The last reunion, I was single with no prospects. This time I a married mom of a two-year old.

High school reunion's are a funny animal. I remember my mother talking about her own 20-year reunion when I was a teen, and she mentioned how she'd forgotten the names of many of her classmates. At the time I thought she was ridiculous, I just knew I would never forget my classmates. And yet this weekend, there were several times when a classmate approached me, I looked at their name badge first because I could not for the life of me remember their name. And those who didn't wear a badge, I just smiled and laughed and acted like I knew who the hell they were.

In 1988, Kool Moe Dee had a hit with the "Wild, Wild West". That was our theme song, since our school was named Westover. So I dedicate this to the Westover Senior High School Class of 1988!

Kool Moe Dee - Wild Wild West
Uploaded by coolfunk

Old School Friday -- Politics

2008-08-15T09:20:00.003-04:00

Its Friday baby! Time for Old School Friday. This week's theme is political songs and how timely. My picks for the week are:

KRS-One "Sound of Da Police" -- Whoop! Whoop! One of my favorite jams off of the "Return of the Boom Bap" cd. "Sound of Da Police" and "Black Cop" were contstantly playing on my boom box back in the day. And with the recent Sean Bell murder and mockery of a trial, this song is still relevant today, unfortunately.

Tupac "Changes" -- RIP Tupac! Amazing how over a decade later lyrics like "there's war in the streets and war in the Middle East" are still relevant. However, I hope there is no truth to the lyric "we ain't ready to see a black president". I often wonder what role Pac would play in hip-hop today and in this Presidential election.

Marvin Gaye "Inner City Blues" -- Classic Marvin Gaye and again the words still resonate today.

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Isaac Hayes Dead at 65

2008-08-10T22:11:00.007-04:00

Unbelievable. Bernie Mac dies yesterday and now Isaac Hayes dies today. And what is even more eerie about their deaths is that they recently completed a movie together with Samuel L. Jackson called "Soul Men". According to the Associated Press, Hayes died this afternoon after collapsing by a treadmill in his home. From the AP:

"Steve Shular, a spokesman for the sheriff's office, said authorities received a 911 call after Hayes' wife and young son and his wife's cousin returned home from the grocery store and found him collapsed in a downstairs bedroom. A sheriff's deputy administered CPR until paramedics arrived."

It's common knowledge that Hayes wrote and composed the theme music for "Shaft", but he had so many other great hits like "Walk on By" and "I Stand Accused". He also wrote hits for Sam & Dave, like "Soul Man", "Hold On, I'm Coming", and "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby". And of course he was famous to the Gen-Y audience as the voice of Chef on "South Park". Personally, my first memories of Isaac Hayes was the "The Isaac Hayes Movement" album that my parents had. A bald black man in a coat with zebra stripes. But it was in the movie "I'm Gonna Get You Sucka" that I really became aware of him. Here are two songs that I loved hearing Hayes sing:

Walk On By (which was also used in the Larenz Tate movie "Dead Presidents")

Chocolate Salty Balls -- Sung as Chef from "South Park".

Another shocking loss of a great entertainer. Many condolences to the Hayes family.

TV One Throws After Party for DNC Convention: Michael Eric Dyson Dances!

2008-08-10T15:02:00.007-04:00

I was watching "Dirty Laundry" (an excellent movie by the way) on TV One last night when to my surprise and shock I see Michael Eric Dyson getting his dance on in a promo for TV One's "The DNC After Party". TV One is providing live coverage of the Democratic National Convention this month, and I guess this after party is some sort of lightweight show that occurs after all that heavy political stuff at the convention.

Also featured in the promo are Dyson's wife, Marcia Dyson, Jacquie Reid (formerly of BET News and now on the Tom Joyner Morning Show), Jamie Foster-Brown of Sister 2 Sister Magazine, and Paul Wharton who is some sort fashion expert. Here's the promo:

I'm a big admirer of Dr. Dyson, I was avid fan of his talk show, and I saw him speak when he came to the Black Expo this year in Charleston. But dancing in a promo for a political convention??? Really??? You are suppose to be a serious scholar and cultural critic and you dancing in some commercial like you're Usher? Well, maybe the Usher comparison is a bit much, but you know what I mean. And what must the faculty and staff at Georgetown University think of a fellow academian, getting his groove on in a commercial. And Dr. Dyson isn't the only one getting their dance on, Jacquie Reid who is suppose to be a serious journalist , and Dr. Dyson's wife, Marcia who is a REVEREND. The other two in the commerical--Jamie Foster-Brown and Paul Wharton are in the entertainment business so their participation isn't surprising.

And why is TV One having an "After Party" show for a political convention? I mean really, this is not the Grammys, its the Democratic National Convention! They are officially nominating the first black Presidential candidate. There has been hint of Hillary Clinton supporters trying start some mess and TV One is throwing an after party???? And why must negroes always dance in a commercial, tv show intro, etc. I bet you won't see Katie Couric or Brian Williams jigging it up to advertise their convention coverage. I'm really surprised by TV One, this seems more like something BET would do. I vote TRY AGAIN TV One.

Rest In Peace Bernie Mac

2008-08-10T14:52:00.002-04:00

Bernie's death was so shocking and sad. He was only 50 when he passed yesterday. Here is Bernie on Def Comedy Jam sometime in the 90s with his signature line "I ain't scared of you muthaf***as. God bless Bernie and his family.

Old School Friday: It's Only Rock-n-Roll But I Like It!

2008-08-08T11:51:00.004-04:00

This week's Old School Friday theme is Rock music! As much as I love me some hip-hop and R&B nothing beats a good kick ass rock song. So here are my picks:

Queen -- We Will Rock You. All hail the late, great Freddy Mercury. No one could belt out a straight up rock song or a ballad better, than Mr. Mercury. Here he is performing with the rest of Queen at Live Aid in 1985.

AC/DC -- Back In Black. The opening guitar riff and Brian Johnson's screeching vocals make this a headbanger anthem! Love it!

AC/DC - Back In Black
Uploaded by hushhush112

Living Colour -- Cult of Personality. Living Colour showed how hard brotha's could rock. While Bad Brains and Fishbone came before them, Living Colour were able to obtain mainstream success and sell lots of records.

Living Colour - Cult Of Personality
Uploaded by krematoria

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