The Liberator Magazine | Blog

Counterfeit [shortfilm]

2011-11-30T10:01:00.000-05:00

Creative statement: "Can you live honestly in a dishonest world? Malik, a West African immigrant, has found his small corner of the American Dream hustling illegal knockoffs and turning small cons on unsuspecting tourists in New York's Chinatown. For him it's just business. Until a fellow emigré entreats him to sell a briefcase of real Rolexes in this sea of counterfeits."

The Feynman Series / A quantum physicist muses on beauty, honours and curiosity [shortfilms]

2011-10-13T12:01:00.000-04:00

Richard Feynman was a quantum physicist whose work I've slowly gotten acquainted with over the past few years. As much as I respect the weight of his intellectual existence, I have found most interest in his musings on life, art and meaning that are borne out of a curious and analytical mind. The Feynman Series is a companion project of The Sagan Series aimed at promoting scientific education and literacy. The series covers the topics of Beauty, Honours and Curiosity in three brief videos narrated by Feynman himself through archived video and audio interviews.

Beauty

Honours

Curiosity

"Nobody Can Predict The Moment Of Revolution" / "We The People Have Found Our Voice" [shortfilms]

2011-10-10T12:01:00.000-04:00

Unquestionably the most-asked question I've heard regarding the fledgling #occupywallstreet movement is, "what do they want?" Unquestionably the best answer I've heard from those participating in the ongoing protest comes from these short films below: "It's not a protest about being against something, it's a way to formulate something new." We can't say if this is the revolution, but it's certainly nice to see people displaying agency.

RELATED: "The Corporation" [film] / Capitalism: A Love Story [film]

Creative Statement: "We want to share insights into the formation of a new social movement as it is still taking shape in real time. The video was shot during the 5th and 6th day of the occupation. This idea to occupy the financial district in New York City was inspired by recent uprisings in Spain, Greece, Egypt, and Tunisia which most of us were following online. Despite of the corporate media's effort to silence the protests, and Yahoo's attempt to to censor it in e-mail communication, the occupation is growing in numbers and spreading to other cities in the US and abroad."

Creative Statement: "We the people have found our voice" (NYC General Assembly, September 27, 2011). "If it’s our sharing that makes us powerful, why return to normal? This life is more worth living than the one we left behind" (Leaflet, Solidarity March with Occupy Wall Street, October 5, 2011). "How do our voices of dissent encounter each other? Do we really want to merge our raging cacophony into a unified political agenda? What if the voice of the people is always in a mode of becoming? Welcome to the hidden track of Occupy Wall Street: We are discovering new ways in which our desires can resonate together. This space is our sonogram of potential."

Robots of Brixton / "The 1981 South London riots but through the eyes of robots some 70 years later" [short]

2011-07-27T12:01:00.002-04:00

This rich, conceptual animation from architectural student Kibwe Tavares reimagines the 1981 riots in the Brixton neighborhood of South London, but through the eyes of robots some 70 years later. The film reminded me of a documentary by the Black Audio Film Collective, Handsworth Songs, that also uses archival news footage from the riots to paint an image of struggle, memory and conflict in Britain in the 80s in Afro-Caribbean communities.

Creative Statement:
Brixton has degenerated into a disregarded area inhabited by London's new robot workforce - robots built and designed to carry out all of the tasks which humans are no longer inclined to do. The mechanical population of Brixton has rocketed, resulting in unplanned, cheap and quick additions to the skyline.

The film follows the trials and tribulations of young robots surviving at the sharp end of inner city life, living the predictable existence of a populous hemmed in by poverty, disillusionment and mass unemployment. When the Police invade the one space which the robots can call their own, the fierce and strained relationship between the two sides explodes into an outbreak of violence echoing that of 1981.

Qudus Onikeku / "Still Life" [short]

2011-07-13T12:01:00.002-04:00

A work in progress by Qudus Onikeku.

Creative Statement:
Our collective memory of an immemorial past imposes the division between the north and south, between me and "the other" between rationality and irrationality. Do we not recognize the trap? History is too full of failed Prometheans bathing their wounded spirit in the tragic stream. Summoning history to our aid? But more than history, kindred knowledge, kindred findings, kindred rebellions against the lure of terror; for rage is no longer enough to combat the temptation to subside into unproductive, will-sapping wisdoms.

There are levels of despair from which the human spirit cannot recover, some types of suffering are difficult to explain and difficult for others to understand, the trauma that comes with the memory of our proper amnesia comes with an incomprehensible terror. These persisting events that fabricates time and the other, has made violence "a way of thinking" and an instinct to survive.

Human advancement in the frame of the modern world, is debased by tragedy and violence in many layers. The modern man is very much conditioned by opportunism and greed, quest for power and ambition. Leading to a state of social dysfunction where there is no more society, but a bunch of individual people, poised between solitude and amnesia, making individual choices to promote their individual well being.

The contradictions and tragedy that exists in our collective histories, has made it impossible to represent the other with certitude. There is nothing of which we are more certain than the feeling of our selves, our mortality and ego, an ego that seems to maintain a clear and sharp lines of demarcation between the forces of good and bad, until it eats deeply inwards, without any sharp delimitation.

...but the duty of hope is to turn around and heal the world. The mystical significance of today however, is that it constantly provides us with blank pages, in which we shall inscribe our destiny in our own hand writings. The path towards the pure future is to find ways to reintegrate these pairs of contradictions, into an expanded vision of a social experience that is both the same and different, whole and complex.

"STILL/life" is almost paradoxical and against all odds, its non-literal translation into French of "nature morte" that rather places accent on death, seems to be saying the opposite. “STILL/life” is in motion, a tale of the rise and fall of a man, an attempt to conciliation and acceptance of our extremes, an invitation to shed tears with a spark of hope, that coming generations might eventually learn equity from poverty, love from woes and peace from calamities.

We begin this work with the utopia of simultaneously making visible the head and the tail of the same coin at the same time, show the rear of that which is presented in a frontal manner, above all, confront our self-contradictions and oppositions, reflecting on the schizophrenia of the world we live in, and using pure energy as fuel for this first stage of creation. (source)

The Bead Game by Ishu Patel / "Notions of a particular trajectory of instinct manifested in visual art"

2011-06-16T12:01:00.000-04:00

Evolutionary in thrust, "The Bead Game" is a 1977 animated short film by Ishu Patel, who arranged beads into the shapes of real and mythical creatures that absorb and devour one another. To a percussive bass-line, a succession of more complex (as in multi-cellular) animals form and are consumed by their successors (all formed from beads). Finally, we arrive at the human, who develops supposedly more sophisticated forms of war but learns nothing. I'm equally captivated by the intricacy of the stop-motion animation as I am to see notions of a particular trajectory of instinct manifested in visual art form. It makes the endgame, and thankfully the alternatives, clear as day. Ishu Patel, 1977, 5 min 35 seconds

"Portable Obstruction Device" / A film on social distance, by Stephanie Owens

2011-06-08T12:01:00.000-04:00

A short, light-hearted meditation on social distance by filmmaker Stephanie Owens.

Creative Statement: Instructional Video for the Portable Obstruction Device, is both an infomercial and instructional video for a crudely made apparatus that prevents its user from seeing or being seen from the side.

The Instructional Video is absurd and relatable. The formal presentation of an awkward object is ridiculous, however its suggested uses seem logical. The combination of the two is comical. Laughter becomes a defense mechanism used to reconcile the discomfort produced from recognizing the absurdity of such an object, and simultaneously acknowledging the desire to use one.

Advertising is fore-grounded as the voice presents a product to the viewer. However, its reference to early instructional video positions the P.O.D as a precursor to a contemporary object like the iPod or iPhone. Such technological devices function similarly to the P.O.D because they also limit physical interactions between people. In The Instructional Video, the distance between the narrator’s voice and action taking place directs the viewer’s attention to the difference between how these types of devices are presented and what they actually achieve.

In the darkened room of the gallery, people strategically place themselves in relation to the monitor and to other bodies. Why so much space? Even though the P.O.D does not exist, present day technology and American cultural customs generate the same effect. Distance.

Pharoahe Monch / "Clap" [short film]

2011-03-15T12:01:00.000-04:00

Creative statement: A 10-minute short film, Pharoahe Monch evokes raw emotions as he brings viewers on a journey of a police raid gone dramatically wrong. "Clap (one day)" is directed by Terence Nance. Original score by Lion's Share Music Group. Starring Gbenga Akinnagbe (The Wire), Kim Howard & Josiah Small.

An in-depth interview with Bilal [video]

2011-03-03T12:01:00.004-05:00

Fifteen-plus minutes of goodness here. Filmed in late '09, Bilal talks about how he came about song writing, the "Love for Sale" album, infamy, life, death and what happens when you know yourself, and, by extension, your folk ("Man, I knew these cats would like it"). It puts me in a place of building with one of my high school homeboys -- reflecting on all the years that have passed now that we've all grown up. We're older, wiser and have likely seen some things. You know their general story, but details add color. I love how Bilal is mellow until he's not; pensive, yet present. And when he matter-of-factly mentions that bootlegging saved his life -- I believe him.

Men in Love [trailer]

2011-01-27T12:01:00.002-05:00

Film synopsis: "Following a bitter break-up Leo hits the party scene one night to 'get over it'. But after a sexy and unexpected encounter he's forced to face what most men fear: They don't realize they're in love until it's too late."

Looks intriguing. I wonder when and where it will be released.

Maxwell Addae + Camus' L'Etranger = "Man in the Glass Case" [short film]

2011-01-19T12:01:00.011-05:00

"The Man in the Glass Case" is an absurdist film offering by Maxwell Addae, a young writer/director based in Los Angeles.

Addae's Synopsis: "My short is about a very diligent warehouse employee named James who has a unique perspective about life. James sees most things in life as absurd, or pointless and he really operates on a essential needs basis. Food, sleep, companionship, work, etc. He does this so naturally and honestly that when he commits a violent act against a co-worker, he truly has no concept of its significance. This causes trouble when he is confronted and challenged about his morality by his employer. Albert Camus’ beautifully told story The Stranger (L’Etranger) was the inspiration behind my film and helped set the film’s tone." Run time: 19:58

Julie Dash / Subway Stories: "Sax, Cantor, Riff" [short film]

2011-01-09T12:01:00.004-05:00

Back in 1997, HBO held a contest asking New Yorkers to submit true stories that happened on the subways. The result: Filmmakers adapted a collection of 10 vignettes showcasing an ensemble of familiar faces and dramatizing stories ranging from compassion and love; to reflections on violence and loss. "Sax, Cantor, Riff" was written and directed by Julie Dash ("Daughters of the Dust" 1991) -- one of the chosen segments for "Subway Stories: Tales From the Underground."

Imagined normalcy crumbles: Nikyatu Jusu / "Black Swan Theory" [trailer]

2010-12-30T12:01:00.000-05:00

{photo: Kameelah Rasheed}

From director Nikyatu Jusu (whom we featured here before), comes her newest short film: Black Swan Theory, which she made after winning the Shadow and Act $3,300 Filmmaker Challenge.

Film synopsis: "A psychiatric casualty of war recently returned to the US, Sonya’s imagined sense of normalcy crumbles around her; she must hunt or become the hunted."

I cannot wait for this project to debut. Jusu is an extremely talented director, and she's telling stories that mainstream Hollywood is only too happy to ignore.

Kahlil Joseph / "The Model" [short film]

2010-12-26T12:01:00.001-05:00

Kahlil Joseph's work is nice (See Shabazz Palaces: "Belhaven Meridian"). He serves up another winner with Brazilian music artist Seu Jorge's "The Model." The short, divided into two chapters -- “Marcello in Limbo” and "Oshun and The Dream" -- is a companion piece to the release of Jorge's latest album Seu Jorge and Almaz.

Khalil Joseph on creative influences, Oshun and Carl Jung:

Inspiration: “The biggest inspiration for this film was actually inspiration itself. I didn't know what I was going to do when Jorge and I met, so we just talked ourselves through the film until it was finished. The whole thing could almost be described as an exercise in improvisation on the part of the actor and the filmmaker.”

Oshun (The Model) who appears in Jorge’s character's dreams: “Using Oshun [played by model Jodie Smith] as the character of The Model was important to me because of her prominence in Brazilian culture and religion, and her attributes as the very embodiment of ‘beauty.’ But I also knew I wanted her character to operate on an archetypal level. Orishas [the set of deities worshipped in African-based religions, including the Yoruba tradition Joseph is referencing here] very often mystically reveal themselves to people in their dreams, something Carl Jung would consider incredibly important.”

Carl G. Jung: “Jung was a huge inspiration for this film—[specifically] a verse from The Red Book ("Soul and God," page 233)—in that the Swiss psychiatrist’s ideas can be found in every aspect of the piece: the journey and the confusion, the symbols, the children, the therapy dynamic… Probably not the sexiest music video reference, but then again, we were shooting a beautiful model and Seu Jorge, so I knew we'd be OK.” (Source)

"White girls dipped in chocolate" / The Colour of Beauty [short film]

2010-11-30T12:01:00.007-05:00

Synopsis: "Renee Thompson is trying to make it as a top fashion model in New York. She's got the looks, the walk and the drive. But she’s a black model in a world where white women represent the standard of beauty. Agencies rarely hire black models. And when they do, they want them to look “like white girls dipped in chocolate.”

{Director Elizabeth St. Philip}

"The Colour of Beauty is a shocking short documentary that examines racism in the fashion industry. Is a black model less attractive to designers, casting directors and consumers? What is the colour of beauty?"

Dark Side of the Lens [short film]

2010-11-12T12:01:00.000-05:00

Skin color "Shadeism" [short film]

2010-11-06T12:01:00.001-04:00

Producer's statement: "This short TV documentary is an introduction to the issue of shadeism, the discrimination that exists between the lighter-skinned and darker-skinned members of the same community. This documentary short looks specifically at how it affects young womyn within the African, Caribbean, and South Asian diasporas. Through the eyes and words of 5 young womyn and 1 little girl - all females of colour - the film takes us into the thoughts and experiences of each. Overall, 'Shadeism' explores where shadeism comes from, how it directly affects us as womyn of colour, and ultimately, begins to explore how we can move forward through dialogue and discussion."

{related: Skin Bleaching}

Runaway [film]

2010-10-24T12:01:00.008-04:00

Here's Kanye West's directorial debut -- a 40 minute short film titled "Runaway" based on his upcoming album (My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy). Folks will be spending many words on this piece in the coming days, but I only have two: Kanye's Thriller. How do you get the masses to listen to a concept album in 2010? Make it into a movie! Otherwise I'm leaving the comments for the comments.

G.Heron: New York Is Killing Me [video]

2010-10-03T12:01:00.005-04:00

Filmmaker, artist and producer Chris Cunningham presented this video he directed for Gil Scott Heron's "New York is Killing Me". Cunningham has shot videos for Bjork and Portishead in the past. The video premiered a MoMA in NYC last Sunday.

Facebook in real life [video]

2010-09-13T12:01:00.004-04:00

{via _Max-B}

I'm still cracking up over this sketch that took on Twitter. This is the Facebook version.

Hungu [animated short]

2010-06-25T15:40:00.004-04:00

Nicolas Brault's animated short uses 2D sand animation to tell a timeless tale of death and resurrection.

{via National Film Board of Canada}

"The Revival": Conversations with Roxanne Shante and Bahamadia on disillusion, family and re-emergence [short film]

2010-02-01T02:14:00.002-05:00

Life is a wonder. The human connection makes it wonderful. The American ~~music~~ entertainment industry has a proven, severely habitual history of riding talent until technology can enable sexual and violent appeal to overshadow it with either no profit decline or a profit increase. So it's no surprise that when complimented by Bahamadia on a performance a night before, Roxanne Shante responds:

/////"Y'all know how I feel about performing. You know I don't like to do it." She later continues, "I started to see that towards the end, I started to feel that I gave more than I would ever get... I didn't want to stop being me... I didn't want to let hip-hop or them change me so I had to walk away."/////

Check out the short (17 min) film where that conversation and more are captured. It's called The Revival and is directed by one of Detroit's upcoming emcees, Invincible.

Bahamadia later says, "that's what I thought hip-hop was, you supposed to be yourself, you know I'm a single mom, I ain't never lied about my age, none of that. So when that sexy thing came out it sorta overshadowed it, but I don't wanna say it overshadowed it, it just kinda gave me another course to take... I felt like I gave so much of my life to the game, it started taking so much out of me and I didn't have nobody to talk to. And we probably were always there and could have been there as females in the industry -- a support group or something. But it was always a divide. It was always a group of males in the background whispering in your ear keeping it separated."

Roxanne Shante even admits, "I find myself supportive of female emcees now, I'm not gonna sit here and say I always felt that way because I'm sure from my past history of records you can tell it wasn't always that situation... this has been an eye-opening and spiritual experience. Unlike what people would think, there is no quarreling, we actually have just bonded immediately as a family and we literally live as sisters do."

And by the end of the short film Bahamadia's giving testimony to her own revival thanks to experiencing witnesses communally testify to her the role she has played in their lives:

/////"I realized that I wasn't by myself, that everybody in the industry is not competitive like that, and there are some people that wish the very best for you. And there are some people that are true to their word. There are some people that get the picture that it's strength in numbers, and are willing to get on the same plane with you and pool they resources together so y'all all can break bread fairly and justly. When I saw that with Stacy [Epps] I really felt humbled, even though I'm older than y'all and been in the industry longer. At that point I felt that it was still some hope for me and it inspired me to continue on."/////

Tall Enough [short film]

2009-11-23T04:59:00.001-05:00

From writer-director Barry Jenkins (Medicine for Melancholy), comes Tall Enough, a beautiful short film about an interracial relationship in NYC and how we find love in unusual places and circumstances. It was made as a part of [BFLIX], a campaign from Bloomingdale's to support up and coming filmmakers.

I would be lying if I said I didn't feel uneasy whenever corporate interests and art intersect. However, it has always been difficult to raise money for artistic endeavors, long before the recession/Great Depression 2.0 hit. So, in the long run, it's better that a film like this was made with the help of Bloomingdale's, as opposed to not being made at all simply due to a lack of funds.

Right?

Nicholas Ryan Gant: "Before The Fall" [video]

2009-10-23T17:26:00.004-04:00

Live From Planet Earth Alumnus: "Before the Fall, co-written by Bilal Salaam, is the first single from the project "Border Breaker". Video directed by Matthew Henderson, after the break. Production by Slimkat78. The song deals with the struggle between spirit and the desires of the flesh. Before the fall there's a moment of clarity."

Shabazz Palaces: "Belhaven Meridian" [video]

2009-10-17T15:31:00.009-04:00

Description from Kahlil Joseph: An allegorical short film/music video for Shabazz Palaces shot in Watts, Los Angeles, directed by Kahlil Joseph, cinematography by Matt Lloyd. Featuring a cameo of Dante (Ernest Wadell) from "The Wire" in homage to Charles Burnett's 1977 classic film "Killer of Sheep". Video after the break.

Nyle: "Let The Beat Build" [video]

2009-09-02T18:34:00.003-04:00

WHY THIS MATTERS: The entire video was all "filmed in one take with audio being recorded simultaneously with the film." Directed by Chadd Harbold. Video after the break.

The Foreign Exchange: "House Of Cards" [video]

2009-08-26T14:01:00.001-04:00

Messiah: "In The AM" [video + mp3]

2009-08-05T16:35:00.016-04:00

In The AM

(rightclick+download)

WHY?: Ever since his [Live From Planet Earth Volume 1] contribution and those four Apollo Theatre victories in a row, we've been paying close attention to Messiah Ramkissoon (yes, that's his real name, not his ego). This video (produced + directed by LFPE partner Ron Brodie/DonoR Media) for his new track "In The AM" says much more than I can say. Messiah does a excellent job of blending his personal narrative and perspective with a bit of something that we all can feel. It's important to accept that, because once you do you'll see his gift to tell various stories in one, regardless if you personally relate to each story. And you'll really hear that the track, the chorus... are just magical.

Niles: "The One" f. Team 3 [video]

2009-08-05T16:35:00.002-04:00

WHY?: [LFPE alumnus], Niles holds down his verse on this track, shining above and beyond, and his accomplices hold him down very nicely. Emcees D-Nasty, Kween Kash, Niles, and Purple Haze, all winners from the 2nd Annual Rapathon form the group "Team 3". As winners of the popular NYC Hip Hop contest, their prize was to have their video directed by Ralph McDaniels and to have it debut on [Video Music Box] (channel 25 NYC).

KRS-One + Buckshot: "Robot" [video]

2009-07-15T16:32:00.002-04:00

WHY?: "I can't rap -- pass me the program. I can't sing -- pass me the program." I can't fly a helicopter -- pass me the program. Should we be letting this become an argument between musicians though about the aesthetic? Seems like we've been there too KRS? Or, should both sides be discussing how the game is tryna play everyone?

Lucinda Slim & The Lone Stars: "All This Time"

2009-07-15T08:36:00.002-04:00

WHY?: Ol girls' voice is so silky, I almost forgot it was 2009.

Cam'ron: "Cookies + Apple Juice" [video]

2009-07-14T01:34:00.001-04:00

WHY?: This song and video are definitely not safe for work. But it's low quality music video making (and obviously, purely entertainment quality music) at it's best. Gotta have a sense of humor though.

Like Liberator literature editor [Malcolm hinted at before]: "...I know that music is made to fit many moods. Yes, I can be very political and enjoy intellectual discussions about sociological constructs. But when I'm about to go out or when I'm driving to work in the "mourning" I'm not necessarily trying hear a discourse on social ills that clutter our world [all the time]. I grew up around all that, I don't necessarily want to envelop myself in that all the time... come on home to good hood music people. It's 2009. Way too late to be afraid of your [own] people."

Word. I'm a believer that if Cam'ron had $2 million to spend on a video, he just wouldn't. Dude gets away with hanging on to the aesthetic of his Harlem culture (pre-"BET Harlem Heights" lol), which I think is an under-discussed aspect in conversations regarding selling-out. To exist in extremes is bullshit. If we can't find a way to give Cam'ron props for what he IS doing right [finding a standard of contentedness with his budget, focusing on independence in business], while critiquing him on what he ISN'T doing right [adopting the Capitalist model, portraying imbalanced lifestyles] there's no reason at all why anyone in the world should even be talking to one another. We might as well all go live in our little holes of personal ideal. I see my relationship with Cam's music as an exercise in both diplomacy and balance... and reckless fun every once in a while. There, I said it. *Dave Chappelle voice*

One of the most important aspects I'm trying to meditate on regularly is that if we're to ever have diplomatic unity (cause any other notion of universal black unity is romantic, period) simply being present is going to be a requirement, versus tuning out. Yes, something and people do need to be tuned out. But some folks need to be tuned into and connected with. Diplomacy doesn't mean you have to accept what everyone in the community does wholeheartedly, but it does mean that you have the ability and will to understand and appreciate the diversity of our community, in context and despite judgments. Only then can you sit at the table with someone and negotiate change through education and dialog.

Izé: Soku Na Rosto [video]

2009-07-07T19:05:00.003-04:00

WHY?: Them french horns remind me of [Amelie]. And I love that film.

Kinski: "Badunk Gadunk" f. Diezz D [video]

2009-06-22T17:35:00.006-04:00

WHY?: The track is dope. The chorus is dope. And local Nigeran (not Nigerian) rapper Diezz D [link], who is featured on the song, is dope. The group Kinski, from Denmark, is okay... but hey, they are giving away a [free album] on their website! Nigeran legend [Idi Sarki] makes an appearance as well.

Espoir 2000: "Abidjan Farot" [video]

2009-06-22T17:10:00.003-04:00

WHY?: Ivory Coast is putting in work. If you can be yourself and party to this, you my kinda people. Lemme know if you want the mp3.

Magic System: "Meme Pas Fatigue" [video]

2009-06-22T16:55:00.003-04:00

WHY?: Been waiting for a video to this hit song. And don't it seem like they actually having fun? [previously mentioned]

Birdy Nam Nam: "The Parachute Ending" [video]

2009-06-07T09:04:00.002-04:00

[vimeo.com/stevescott]

Nneka: "Kangpe" [video]

2009-06-03T14:07:00.014-04:00

I prepared a speech about liberation art versus consumer art, but I'm becoming discouraged lately with the modern ear-plugging/defense-tactic of calling critique and comparative analysis "hating". So, since I apparently need to work on my "hate"/love balance, I'll simply say this: if you don't like Santi(o)gold, you will love Nneka. If you do like Santi(o)gold, you will love Nneka more -- cause she's 10 times better. And if you like Lauryn Hill for the reasons Lauryn would want you to like her for, Nneka will immediately prove to you that she is in tune. [myspace.com/nnekaworld]

[Thanks Safia]

Kanye: "Spaceship" [video]

2009-06-03T13:40:00.009-04:00

This song is one of the reasons many of us fell in love with Kanye West. Now that he actually has his spaceship it's kinda like he's left the rest of us behind. Everyone needs their ego time, I guess. On a sidenote: did he just moonwalk out the back of The Gap?! -- in a spacesuit?! lol. I love it.

I think it's worth exploring the idea that ego can be a healing tool for the oppressed in that it is empowering. The trick is moderation and knowing when to stop, lest the oppressed end up in a perpetual state of egocentric, reactionary, introverted "therapy" for life. For all our romanticism, it's equally probable that Pac and B.I.G. might have just become arrogant, egotistic, introverted assholes if they lived past 30. Certainly Biggie was on that path anyway. The unfair part is that everyone deserves the right to live long enough to alter their path.

Afterall, the whole point of "therapy" is suppossed to be to go inside, to eventually enable the patient to come back and function as a healthy, contributing member of a community outside of one's self. And if the patient is of an oppressed community, the point would be to heal thy self so that one can contribute to changing the very reality of oppression itself. The point is not to get stuck inside of one's self.

Let's just hope Yeezy comes back down to Earth. For all the Martian talk, it's good to be an Earthling, Earth just needs some tidying up, and we need as many healthy, grounded members on the team as we can get. I'm happy with the planet I got and my connection with it -- even if I need to ego trip every now and then to stay sane and confident. Keyphrase: "every now and then".

Regime Change + Negus World Order: "Connect"

2009-06-01T11:16:00.005-04:00

Ooooweeee. The global connect here is nuts. I'm riding with lo-tech right now as my new high-tech so anyone from Cam'ron to Regime Change who is making just straight gritty music without the glitz and glamor, I'm feelin.

This track is a collaboration between Regime Change (NYC/Haiti), Negus World Order (Haiti/France), Saba Saba (Uganda), Narcy (Iraq), and Dola (Tanzania).

Man, the United States might have jumped the shark.

Maga Bo: "Nqayi" f. Teba [video]

2009-05-29T21:16:00.004-04:00

Not to be confused with Megabone. lol.

Megabone: "Triknosis" [video]

2009-05-29T21:10:00.011-04:00

Hmm... all I could say when my homie sent this to me was, "wow". She says someone called it Dead Prez meets Luke... that's sorta accurate, but they definitely aren't as articulate as DP, and definitely are as wild and reckless as Luke.

A black art community in Oklahoma?

2009-05-19T17:01:00.007-04:00

From producer Nathan Lee, Inclusion in Art: "I wanted to submit information about an important film from an unlikely place. A new film has been shot focusing on the lives of five Black contemporary artists living and working in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma is not known for its creative/artistic community let alone its creative people of color but this is changing and this film is a very important step in changing the perception of the state. One of the sponsoring organizations, Inclusion in Art is dedicated to racial diversity in this growing arts community. The activism and dedication of this organization has given birth to Oklahoma's first legitimate Black Visual Arts Movement."

8thW1: "Drunken Saturday" [video]

2009-05-11T12:06:00.000-04:00

Cam'ron: "I Used To Get It In Ohio" [short film]

2009-05-10T12:47:00.003-04:00

Old Kanye: "Two Words" f. Mos + Freeway [video]

2009-05-08T05:30:00.002-04:00

Back when Kanye wasn't bored.

60 Seconds: Invincible is not a female Eminem

2009-05-07T01:16:00.004-04:00

Met her in Minneapolis at the Twin Cities Community forum a few years ago. Honestly, I like her activism in the midwest youth Hip-Hop/Spoken Word scene more then I do her music, but I respect her for both. The power of her music is definitely in her message (invincible's myspace).

But I have a battle in my head often though about the fact that, if I had to choose between a "consciously positive message" artist who is lacking a bit of bounce to their style, like her, and a "subconsciously keep it real" artist who has plenty of bravado and spirit to their art like a Young Jeezy, I'm takin Jeezy. Same problem Common had way early on in his career -- his voice sounds the same on every track (he overcame it a bit, but it's still there, Dilla's production just made you gloss over it).

Yes, on one hand, it's messed up since Jeezy ain't too much concerned about anything more than his own interests, but on the other hand, positivity don't make up for soul, and even though "negative" soul is worse than than "positive" soul, it's still better than no, or little, soul at all.

Ultimately, I find myself unable to do without both the Invincibles of Hip Hop and the Jeezys.

But that Invincible would be compared to Eminem is just lazy. I do think it's unfair to lump all white rappers into one box before listening. BUT, at the same time, I can understand the perspective of seeing her as a sort of metaphorical Eminem of the "conscious" crowd... and even though she might not like it, she really can't escape the fact that there is some truth to that. And that part of her appeal, even to the "conscious" or activist Hip Hop scene, is indeed her whiteness.

Asher Roth: "Be By Myself " f. Cee-Lo [video]

2009-05-02T15:35:00.004-04:00

No matter what I say about Asher Roth, these things will never change:

1) The one thing I like about Asher Roth is that he realizes the importance of being himself and isn't afraid to flaunt his white suburban identity.

2) I'm not interested in the white suburban identity, except for the fact that it needs to be destroyed or revolutionized, because its history and existence is based on the exploitation of the black urban identity (for examples, go all the way to the beginning of this Liberator conversation and see Liberator 1.1: The Minnesota Slave Trade).

The Dream: "Hater" [video]

2009-05-02T15:12:00.003-04:00

I ride with Dream cause in addition to being a vocalist, he's a producer and his sound is unique -- that's refreshing enough these days, I guess (and the reason why Kanye blew up).

But this video has me rollin. So you mad cause some dude who is poorer than you has a girl that you want. And you think the way to win her is by bribing her with expensive trips? Okay, so let's indulge this, even if it requires us to overlook the probability that she's with dude in the first place precisely because she don't care about the flashy sh** you tryna kick.

I mean that's cool, but if she betrays her man and rolls with you because you got bread, are you still going to even want her? How is that even a victory? I like the video concept tho. Nice and simple, get us back to focusing on the music. We just need a better song next time. Ah well, can't win em all. "Mr. Yeah" is still fresh tho.

Real life Twitter [lol]

2009-04-30T14:13:00.005-04:00

Cheril N. Clarke put it best in the comments right here on The Liberator Blog, in response to our question, "Why Do People Twitter?" (link):

"It depends on how you use it. I find Twitter useful particularly when I'm preparing for an event. For example, if I'm going to a conference or expo and am curious about who else might be there I will do a search in Twitter to see who else is talking about it. That will let me see who else is attending and what other people are expecting. It may prompt me to send a person a message before the event to introduce myself.

Another way that has recently come in handy is to follow the "trending topics." It was through that time-line that I found about about the Amazon.com fiasco w/LGBTQ books (#AmazonFail). There are other ways to use it so that it is not a self-centered waste of time.

I really don't care to know what people are doing every single minute of the day.

There are two types of people on Twitter, business minded people and those who want to tell you what they just ate, where they're located, how long the train is taking to come. It's up to the user to choose which group they'd like to be a part of."