Heavy Mentalist

If I’m not blogging here, then I’m blogging at Heavy Mentalist. I may not blog tonight, though I guess this counts as a blog entry, because I’m working on this.

So tonight I leave you with a clip from one of my favorite comics who’s been making a lot of noise lately for her performance in Precious – it’s ma gurl Mo’Nique!

Before she started acting Mo’Nique the comedian has been on the scene since at least the 80’s when she bust on to the comedy scene in shows like Def Comedy Jam and in her own comedy specials. Prior to Precious she was also known to a lot of people as “Mo’Nique from the Parkers”.

And if you think I curse a lot on this blog, well…Ms. Mo’Nique’s really tells you what’s on her mind, honey.

I love Mo’Nique and I hope fame never changes how raw and gosh this word is overused but…real…she is. I find that it’s always the people who have to struggle a bit to really make it in life who are always the most interesting to me.   Continue reading...

Some think it’s about the green. Or in this case, the purp.

Some think it’s about black women.Some even think it’s about a gang. But there are at least three different theories floating around about the lyrics of this reggae classic: Barrington Levy’s “Black Roses”.

The lyrics to this song have inspired a long running Youtube discussion, with theories ranging from the obvious, to this song being about Jamaica’s Black Roses Crew. You can see master Jamaican danceman Bogle (RIP) mention “black roses” in this video at 4:38.

When I hear it I know what I think about.

Everyday, when I’m up before the sun making sure my babies are dressed warmly and fed, and sending them off with faces washed, teeth brushed and hair did, I picture sistas across the world rising in the morning and doing the same thing.

I picture women working through the night, getting shit done…even things we might not like doing…to make sure a roof is always over your seeds head, going thru bad dad drama – whether it’s yours or your child’s – and dealing with the everyday ig’nance that makes you wanna Elin a bitch.  Continue reading...

Have you heard the story of the young activist father murdered in his bed by the Chicago police forty years ago on December 4th, 1969?

The same brilliant man who conceived the original “rainbow coalition“, and whose grassroots work with a club of like-minded people led to the free breakfast and lunch programs shared by all economically disadvantaged people across our lovely US of A?

If this story sounds familiar to you, then you probably already know whose story this is. It’s Fred Hampton’s, and today is the 40th anniversary of his death.

But if you don’t know this story then keep reading because cold hard facts about police murdering working class Americans are…for lack of a better word right now…awesome!


…because information is the strongest armor.

I would love to tell you the story myself, but fortunately I found something for you that saves me time researching the crime scene, conducting interviews with Chicagoans who knew Fred Hampton and…inventing a time machine through which I could go back to the ’60s and join the Black Panther Party.  Continue reading...

Yeah! What he said.

There are a lot of people openly asking should gays be allowed to serve in the military, and I definitely think yes, much for the same reasons Bill gives in the video.

Bill Hicks is one of the great under appreciated comics of the past twenty years.

Bill’s comedy, kinda like my writing, is not for everyone, but I’m sure some of you can appreciate his mix of ribald intelligence and balls to the wall humor.

I love Bill Hicks, and it’s amazing to me how eerily relevant his work remains, even though most of his material is at least sixteen years old. You might also hear a lot of comedians who came after Bill use similar material, and much of their work has been lifted straight from this man.

The world lost his great talent to pancreatic cancer in 1994. Help keep Bill’s legacy alive by donating to the Bill Hicks Foundation for Wildlife Rehabilitation.

If you’ve ever wondered to yourself about which countries allow gays in the military, check out this page on Sexual Orientation and Military Service.  Continue reading...

Because I don’t. The way this war is being talked about in the media, feels like the Obama administration doesn’t know if it’s coming or going. And it’s making me feel the same way. I don’t like this war. I don’t like any war, but this one seems especially smelly.

Here are some words from Michael Moore about this war. Words he wrote before Obama’s speech from West Point this past Tuesday night, but words I think are important none the less.

I will follow up tomorrow with a piece breaking down some aspects of the war in terms any dummy, even one like me can understand. Hey, is that a book? War for Dummies? Should be.

Here’s what Michael has to say to President Barack Obama about the war in Afghanistan.

—————–

Dear President Obama,

Do you really want to be the new “war president”? If you go to West Point tomorrow night (Tuesday, 8pm) and announce that you are increasing, rather than withdrawing, the troops in Afghanistan, you are the new war president. Pure and simple.  Continue reading...

Here’s a quickie post for you guys and gals tonight featuring some of my favorite African-American ol’ time country blues musicians.

How many of you knew modern African-American banjo pickers even existed?

Well you can butter my butt and call me a biscuit, because until I saw some videos of this group I was unaware that there were contemporary African-American musicians not only making this type of music – but making it popular.

I’ve known about the theory of the banjo originating in Africa for some time now, and about enslaved Africans playing the banjo on plantations across the South. I even publicized a gathering of black banjo pickers some years ago in an old issue of the North Carolina All City Times.

But to find out the recent African-American banjo revival is gaining momentum is so wonderful right now, at a time when most modern music seems so stale.

After you watch the videos let’s discuss! What do you think about the African-American banjo tradition? Are you feeling this group? Do you know about other groups like this I should check out?  Continue reading...

These new photos of Caster Semenya in You Magazine were taken after she won the gold in Berlin but were just starting to circulate in the US around the time she was waiting for the verdict on whether or not she could keep the medal she won there. And the gender test results say she can, yay!

I love Caster’s makeover but can’t help but think of how brawny much like an Amazon goddess she looks in these photos though.

Caster Semenya first caused an uproar when her fleet feet ran circles around the other runners at the 2009 World Championship Games in Berlin. Observers of the events were confused by why someone whose gender appears outwardly male was competing against females.

Very soon after the games, the sheltered little girl simply known as Caster to her friends and family was at the center of a worldwide debate discussing exactly what was in her green biker shorts.  Continue reading...