tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27911997240115961682012-02-16T02:18:29.205-08:00Hip Hop | Politics | Race | ArtNativeStarnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1551100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-7608029604878139792012-01-18T22:12:00.000-08:002012-01-18T22:23:43.640-08:00

Saw the 1st video and strangely enough it made me think of the 2nd one. Civil Wars meets the South Side of Chicago....ain't that some shit?

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-50049704657576819892012-01-17T14:24:00.001-08:002012-01-17T15:17:25.218-08:00

This is "Shanghai Black Girl Lou Jing" who competed on a sort of Chinese American Idol back in 2009. Soon after the blogs in China apparently lit up with racist attacks regarding her background and skin color. Many of the comments were your standard run of the mill monkey/ape dark skin bullshit, mixed with attempts to shame her for her parents not being married.Lou Jing has never met her father.

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-26718698735875409612012-01-17T11:29:00.000-08:002012-01-17T14:20:38.653-08:00

We mustn't turn our martyred activists into saints. Better to remember their humanity and the qualities that made them 'just like us' and activate our own potential to be extraordinary. One who seeks to change the injustices in this world does NOT need to be perfect, only courageous.I love the body language in this picture. There's a palpable sense of surprise and excitement in the room. Add to

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-38537638610351277552012-01-17T11:12:00.000-08:002012-01-17T14:22:57.997-08:00

I was blown away when I came across this album cover for Duke Ellington's, The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse (A Suite in Eight Parts) which was released in 1971. I had no idea that Ellington was releasing music all the way into the 70's. And judging by the title and cover art, he had some very serious equations he was still working out in his mind. How futuristic funk anthropologist of him! As anyone

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-53009117999305987312012-01-09T15:02:00.000-08:002012-01-09T15:11:25.617-08:00

I first saw this video on Dream Hampton's Tumblr. Whenever you have 15-20 minutes of free time to yourself, watch it. Even if you're not into mathematics or it loses you in the beginning, press on. The conclusions drawn at the end are so worth your time. I sat quietly afterward in awe, both thankful for Ron Eglash's mind and the adventure it took him on, but even more I was left stunned by the

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-82586077828399890692012-01-02T13:06:00.000-08:002012-01-17T14:26:09.812-08:00

I originally saw this post on FB, and though I'm in no way up on all of the details about the community from which it originated, I wanted to share it anyway because:1. This woman's voice is really relaxing. I'm sure the implication is that she's channeling this info from an other/alien/spirit guide. I actually wish there was a button I could press to hear everyone speak with such peace; it

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-50964858014221272092011-12-19T13:17:00.000-08:002011-12-19T13:52:28.150-08:00

JB is the homie. And his Steeeeez is definitely 100% organic. #PartakeThe Jealous Guys have hella videos you can check for, but I really like the premise of this one. Plus the verses have some weight to them; nothing wrong with making the brain rewind to seek its reward.While the horns on the track take you there, DaVinci does his part to up folks on the cost of living that life.

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-84465743887489410882011-12-19T13:06:00.000-08:002011-12-21T16:00:25.805-08:00

Granted I was lit at the time, but this video felt like being made love to by God. My spirit got wet. You can take that however you're built to carry it.Earth | Time Lapse View from Space, Fly Over | NASA, ISS from Michael König on Vimeo.

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-54965389411867869132011-10-14T11:14:00.000-07:002011-10-14T11:48:26.642-07:00

"A lot of rappers I run into be damn near like borderline egotistical maniacs...All they think about is themselves and how to better themselves and not thinking about the people around them...I can't do good if everybody around me ain't doing good." ~ DaVinciHas Hip Hop lost its mathematics? 99 % is the magic WE number of late.  And yet, turn on the radio during a countdown hour and listen to any

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-66996547006927799562011-10-14T10:22:00.000-07:002011-10-14T10:29:48.859-07:00

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-77343405650816862922011-10-04T15:29:00.000-07:002011-10-04T23:39:55.416-07:00

I found the above video interesting for a number of reasons:1. The whole robot thing gives me nightmares. Seriously. I watched some program on PBS a couple of years ago about how there's an entire industry working full time to make robots part of our future society. I literally started crying at the end out of fear and frustration. I don't trust it. Why not work on solving racism and sexism

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-49920227783601317272011-09-22T20:48:00.000-07:002011-10-04T23:38:25.419-07:00

DaVinci: A Fillmore Story from WEREHAUS on Vimeo"The Fillmore District is a neighborhood in San Francisco, California which has a long history dating back to the 1800's. In the last 50 years and up until today, the redevelopment of the Fillmore District has displaced families and local businesses away from their own neighborhood. DaVinci and his family are the few remaining natives still residing

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-84288414355044903972011-07-31T20:05:00.000-07:002011-08-24T22:53:39.330-07:00

Till the 5 Percenters rolled up on a ngga and informed him'You either build or destroy. Where you come from?''The Magnolia projects in the 3rd ward slum.''Hmm...it's quite amazing that you rhyme like you do And that you shine like you grew up in a shrine in Peru.' --Jay Electronica Exhibit C (35:09)

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-14862548750961514132011-06-29T23:04:00.000-07:002011-06-30T16:22:02.590-07:00

The question of who, if anyone, should be casually using the word N*gga in 2011 continues to be a local topic of conversation in the Bay Area, touched off in part by the national attention given to Kreayshawn and White Girl Mob, specifically V-Nasty.I first noticed the shall we say free market usage of the word circa 2005, around the time of the Hyphy movement. Not only were Latinos, Asians,

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-61112072099674228442011-06-17T00:04:00.000-07:002011-10-18T15:02:48.852-07:00

On what would have been Tupac's 40th trip around the sun, I turn on MTV Jams and see that the jam of the week is Tupac Back by Rick Ross and his protegee Meek Mill, which you can watch for yourself below.I should point out now that I am in no way above the spell Rick Ross casts. It is something in the power of his beats that has caused me from the very beginning to nod my head along to his every

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-87640732724368987592011-06-16T23:30:00.000-07:002011-06-22T13:53:37.581-07:00

First, let me stress that I'm not coming from a place of hating on Kreayshawn. She reminds me of a cross between a Hip Hop Punky Brewster and Madonna in the movie Desperately Seeking Susan. While the video for Gucci Gucci may have been in her mind keeping it real, for myself it read as satire. I tried to imagine showing it to Emmett Till and the time warp bad LSD mind fuck it would produce in

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-81449159923284229382011-06-15T23:41:00.000-07:002011-06-17T00:59:42.824-07:00

It was probably close to a month ago that I first saw the Kreayshawn video Gucci Gucci. Immediately people began asking me what I thought. My first response was to ask a couple of questions:1. Is she even really from a hood in Oakland? (Contrary to what is portrayed in the media, Oakland is an extremely diverse city that spans a variety of socio-economic class sectors.) The answer came back--

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-34005953884027290712011-05-31T18:13:00.000-07:002011-05-31T18:20:21.392-07:00

Distortion 2 Static 05.30.11 from Distortion 2 Static on Vimeo.Distortion 2 Static is the voice of the streets; an innovative multimedia outlet highlighting style and influencing trends. Since 2001, D2S has raised the bar for Hip Hop consumers, enthusiasts, and scholars with exclusive exposure of the community’s voice through music and events. What began as a San Francisco public access

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-35055746828491699682011-05-27T15:08:00.000-07:002011-06-27T17:31:31.635-07:00

Every so often I come across a news story about a white miracle baby. The child in question usually is born to an interracial couple, or in even more miraculous fashion a Black (usually African) couple; and double bonus points if the babies in question are twins, where one came out black and one white. There are a number of questions that usually pop in my head after reading these types of

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-19834947669427386502011-05-18T14:16:00.000-07:002011-05-18T23:31:17.463-07:00

"It isn't said but, in every Mexican family there is a Black person. And do you know what the City folks say? They say: He was born Black, but we love him anyway."As I've mentioned in previous posts, between school, daycare and friends, the majority of my Monday-Friday life up until the age of 14 was spent primarily in the Mission District. And though there are cultural currents of El Salvador

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-23740111129896743452011-05-18T11:57:00.000-07:002011-05-31T18:31:50.878-07:00

Years ago I took a trip to Puerto Rico and had the good fortune to meet some locals who showed us a different perspective of the island and totally transformed our, up until that point, touristy experience. During informal tours of Old San Juan, Santurce and Loiza, the music playing in the car was always a live concert mixtape of Tego Calderon. I'd never heard of him before, and even though

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-89517941138230296592011-05-02T15:36:00.000-07:002011-05-08T20:10:55.170-07:00

Program: Black in Latin AmericaEpisode: Haiti & the Dominican Republic: An Island DividedIn the Dominican Republic, Professor Gates explores how race has been socially constructed, and how the country's troubled history with Haiti informs notions about racial classification. In Haiti, Professor Gates tells the story of the birth of the first-ever black republic, and finds out how the slaves hard

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-2184296432349746862011-05-02T11:43:00.000-07:002011-05-02T11:46:03.636-07:00

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-88568263875840503572011-05-02T10:46:00.000-07:002011-05-02T11:43:09.654-07:00

From street corners in the rain to refineries, I love Yak Films' whole aesthetic. Their videos are poetic. Black male bodies moving freely in public space has always been marked menacing, if not criminal, by society---Yak Films captures not only the indescribable beauty, but going one step further, shows the audience how something they've been trained to instinctively fear or scorn in the past,

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-62926724763207500282011-04-27T12:45:00.000-07:002011-04-27T18:04:05.254-07:00

                                                                       I've been trying my best to ignore Donald Trump.  It's taking all my willpower just to write this blog.  I don't want to waste my energy on the rants of someone who is clearly coming from a place of unchecked ego and privilege. I tell myself that it's better not to address it and give his buffoonery more attention, but then

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-3393048496245254162011-04-27T12:06:00.000-07:002011-04-27T12:10:40.283-07:00

Mark Anthony Neal, Professor of Black Popular Culture in the Department of African and African-American Studies at Duke University, shares his thoughts on Black Twitter and the interestingly complex relationship Black folks have always had with technology in this country. 

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-90508476461194773612011-03-23T15:28:00.000-07:002011-03-24T14:02:02.293-07:00

All across the internet today there have been posts about Paris Hilton due to some rather interesting quotes dug up from when she was 18 in a new book entitled, Everyone Loves You When You're Dead. One excerpt includes Paris' dislike for Black guys:HILTON: I went out with that guy last night.Which guy?HILTON (points to an actor in Saving Private Ryan): We were making out, but then we went

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-6054648276433017792011-03-23T11:11:00.000-07:002011-03-28T17:10:09.340-07:00

How would you pronounce this name: Le-A?Yesterday my husband tells me a story about how when a coworker went to pick up her child from school, she encountered a parent yelling at the teacher in frustration: I'm tired of people mispronouncing my daughter's name! It's LeDasha--the dash is not silent!!!While you let that soak in for a moment, let me say that my son's name is not at all conventional

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-29306117674597595892011-03-09T13:19:00.000-08:002011-03-09T14:56:47.264-08:00

"We just sittin' here tryin' to win, tryin' not to sin, high off weed and lots of gin. So much smoke, need oxygen, steadily countin' them Benjamins. Ngga, you should, too, if you knew what this game will do to you.Been in this shit since '92.Look at all the bullshit I've been through: so-called beef with you-know-who..."When I first heard this song back in 1997 my mind was BLOWN.  The beat was

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-5732692414045499662011-03-04T12:07:00.000-08:002011-03-04T12:31:09.431-08:00

Normally for the AGMH category I post paintings, but this time I'm including the photography of street artist, JR. His photos and their unexpected locations do get me high, and by high I mean elevated--momentarily suspended above the pattern of whatever came before the encounter. The hours, or sometimes days, that seemed like a true representation of reality, of life, until you cross paths with

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-21686502253875072062011-03-04T11:39:00.000-08:002011-03-04T12:37:02.450-08:00

This is one of those videos/songs that makes you wonder if we are all brainwashed and under a spell in modern day society. I speak in general as Americans, or Westerners, but also specifically as Black/Brown people; all that we have forgotten; all that was wiped away by design.Of course we know that we're brainwashed by ads and media in general, which in many ways we consent to, but I mean even

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-71865417904313554882011-03-04T11:28:00.000-08:002011-03-04T11:39:39.343-08:00

At a time when most artists are selling luxurious pipe dreams to an audience already chest-deep in debt themselves, Maluca is keeping it real with fans about the life she's living at this particular stage in her journey. Like most dream chasers she's struggling, yet manages to keep it "Fly On a Budget." Who can't relate to that? In the spirit of ODB, though sans the limo, Maluca brought a

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-86094500571644667402011-02-14T11:01:00.000-08:002011-02-19T12:25:31.109-08:00

After Halle Berry's interview with Ebony Magazine hit the net last week, it seemed every blog I visited had a variation of the title: "Halle Berry Says Daughter Nahla Is Black." The usual battle of mixed politics took hold in the comment sections and my eyes immediately began to roll for a number of reasons. But before even going there, I made sure to poke around for quotes of what actually

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-26977847812761989722011-02-14T10:43:00.000-08:002011-03-04T14:18:25.390-08:00

I came across this video a couple of years ago on a blog and was feeling her style, but I forgot the name and then could never find it again. A random article in a magazine reunited us and it feels so good. The artist's name is Natalie "Maluca" Yepez and the song from 2009 is called, "El Tigeraso." In the video, the Dominican Bronx native struts around the hood holding her own even with the

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-38142373121710848042011-01-25T11:49:00.000-08:002011-01-26T17:48:34.377-08:00

What instrument best captures the sound of your soul/spirit?Normally I would say the drum. The drum has always been a powerful presence in my life; they make me think of dance, Africa, resistance, heartbeats, trance, religious ceremony, bodies in perfect rhythm. But if I dig deeper, I'd have to say that drums capture the sound of my spirit in its most human state, meaning while it is tethered

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-80068983372872421882011-01-25T11:20:00.000-08:002011-01-25T13:12:37.909-08:00

I first came across one of these videos through Twitter when Dream Hampton tweeted that she was the voice of the therapist in Chapter 2 who Seu Jorge visits because he is unable to sleep. He is haunted by a woman. Could the imagery be any more lush, surreal, and beautiful? Maybe it's my native California girl mixed with my soul's lust for Brazil, but these videos captured a piece of my

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-79286933243716517682011-01-17T23:48:00.000-08:002011-01-18T00:18:52.466-08:00

“For years I labored with the idea of reforming the existing institutions of the society, a little change here, a little change there. Now I feel quite differently. I think you've got to have a reconstruction of the entire society, a revolution of values.” - M.L. KingWhat can be said about this man upon whose shoulders we stand, and still today in 2011 the waters are high enough to drown us.

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-65189708422997108442011-01-17T00:12:00.000-08:002011-01-17T00:55:33.985-08:00

*I'm excited to share a new site that I was asked to contribute to. The site is called Troubl and has been described as the place where the streets and education intersect on the web. I know that a lot of thought, heart, and dedication have gone into the creation of this site. I have no doubt that based on the intention that drives Troubl, there are only great things to come. Please read an

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-75290942702890531802011-01-09T14:11:00.000-08:002011-01-09T14:41:59.483-08:00

Dear Readers,First let me say a giant Thank You for visiting this page on a regular basis.  I know that I haven't blogged in a while, but when I saw that my last entry was in November I was a tad shamed. Not that a blog is really all that important in the world we live in, but I do consider it a conversation or at the very least a sharing of ideas so when I suddenly let the lights go out so to

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-72960277578718394532011-01-02T23:07:00.000-08:002011-01-13T16:10:27.991-08:00

[this post was written 1/2/11]Just finished an In N Out 10pm-er. Picked it up on my way home from the a little late, but always on time, Distortion2Static Christmas party.  The party was high on laughter, creative minds, consciousness, and good vibes, but low on food beyond the appetizer and desserts portion of a meal.  I left with a full spirit and half empty stomach.  So, In N Out it was.  And

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-74168536207411468982010-11-28T10:54:00.000-08:002010-11-29T11:25:21.495-08:00

My husband and I have this thing where we keep a fantasy team of celebrities we're attracted to. Every so often we check in to compare rosters, note if anyone has been traded or sent down to the minors, run down the order of our starting lineup etc.  We often bust each other's balls about those once on the list who we are now embarrassed to claim for whatever reason; it's amazing how time can

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-42168350116217187092010-10-22T13:01:00.000-07:002010-10-24T21:56:47.811-07:00

This is not the rapper who goes by the name DaVinci. This is my grandfather. A man who came to San Francisco as an immigrant, not from Mexico or El Salvador or China but from Texas, though back then the transition and general reception may have felt the same. He came as an immigrant in his own country to the Fillmore and found work, a thriving community, and a place to raise a family. Though

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-64362630250249664882010-10-21T13:26:00.000-07:002010-10-22T15:19:11.339-07:00

A while back the following article caught my attention in the San Francisco Bay View:On Sept. 27, 2010, activists and public housing residents gathered in front of the Los Angeles Housing Authority Commission to protest the agency’s 2011 plan to privatize 15 large public housing projects. In addition, they protested against the scheme by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-50162538345690967772010-10-21T12:41:00.000-07:002010-10-22T15:27:44.617-07:00

Can someone tell me how it is that in 2010 people still don't know that there are Latinos of African descent? Whenever I express my disgust that this is the case someone inevitably says something to the effect that you have to be in Florida or NYC to know the deal. Bullshit. Does anyone watch Major League Baseball? Pick a team anywhere and I guarantee that there's a brother on there with a

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-37664068820895996012010-10-18T12:21:00.000-07:002010-10-18T14:40:17.728-07:00

You ever start your day thinking about something and then notice that the world is reflecting your thought back to you? The reflection is random and yet consistent enough that your mind clearly picks up on the pattern of information. This happened to me this morning when I woke up with the thought that Black Hair feels Biblical. Now granted I'm mixed, but my hair clearly smacked all other

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-73447086615685291062010-10-03T14:29:00.000-07:002010-10-05T15:03:44.856-07:00

Being a native San Franciscan, almost everyone I know, be they Black, white, Filipino, whatever---all speak some level of Spanglish and all know the real deal about Mexican food.  SF folks don't f%ck around about our burritos.  Pssh, getting a hold of a shitty burrito will have me wanting to throw that shit on the floor and then cuss out the chef for having me get my mouth all ready only to be

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-33443489516079031602010-09-27T13:24:00.000-07:002010-09-28T23:05:48.997-07:00

My initial introduction to Yak Films was the post I did on their video for Los Rakas. Recently their work keeps popping into my mind as the election for California Governor charges through predictable territory. Meg Whitman, in her attacks against Jerry Brown, continues to refer to the legacy he left in Oakland as mayor. You'll notice that in all political doublespeak, 'Oakland' is code for

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-42912827711074704652010-09-19T02:43:00.000-07:002010-09-23T17:59:58.320-07:00

So I finally went to see Inception.  I can never bring myself to join the herd when something is on media fire.  I saw Avatar on dvd, if that tells you anything.  And even though I was definitely on #LatePass status the theater was still full for an 11pm show.  Like most folks who saw the movie, I came out feeling thoroughly mind-fucked in the best sense of the word.  The husband wasn't impressed

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-60674517144948635162010-09-14T16:21:00.000-07:002010-09-14T20:36:14.161-07:00

I don't follow 50 Cent on Twitter personally and yet his fuckery manages to make it into my timeline anyway. Yesterday he tweeted something to the effect that it was cheaper to pay to have a baby mama killed than it is to keep paying child support. Today he asked his followers to send him pics of their bodies taken on their phone, and they did, which he then retweeted with commentary. The

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-61670758581380054612010-09-01T12:48:00.000-07:002010-09-05T02:11:03.178-07:00

A couple of days before this documentary aired I was asked on Twitter, Who are your Top 5 female emcees? My answer was: MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, Salt N Pepa, Yo Yo, and Lauryn Hill, because they had the biggest impact on my young mind and vulnerable feminine self.They key to that answer is the because. Now if we're talking strictly skillz, slice 'em in half with a sharp ax where the minds grasps

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-74535453181009135292010-09-01T11:44:00.000-07:002010-09-01T12:48:20.459-07:00

This Friday marks the 9 year anniversary of Distortion 2 Static; 9 years of Hip Hop on TV. Have you ever dedicated 9 years of your heart, time, and energy to something that wasn't mandatory? Really think about it. What were you doing 9 years ago? The world has changed in ways I could never find words to explain to the person I was then. Apps? Timelines? Cellphones on microchip status.I

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-61945583946860620572010-08-26T12:32:00.000-07:002010-08-26T15:50:50.102-07:00

[La Bendita: Sylvia Ji][Red Quechquemitls: Syliva Ji]My first thought when I saw these works by Sylvia Ji, was that they perfectly capture how I feel when I'm on my period. And I don't mean that in some mocking the inconveniences of Mother Nature tampon commercial sort of way. I'm referring to the invisible, the sacred, the hunted by science magic that goes on within our hidden selves which tend

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-27622707621252309682010-08-24T00:34:00.000-07:002010-08-26T12:32:03.626-07:00

I'm always amazed by how many people arrive at my blog door as a result of googling singer Vanity (Denise Mathews). People from all over the world seem to still have this woman on their minds and she hasn't released any music or starred in a movie in decades. So it is in her honor that I decided to make German and Black my next MPF category; even though as a minister of the Lord who detests her

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-3284847558444047142010-08-22T01:46:00.000-07:002010-08-24T01:39:48.119-07:00

In the documentary Life And Debt (which I highly recommend) there is a scene that speaks to the habits of tourists who tend to seek a sip of native habitats in a way that 'zoos' the population because spectators are generally unconcerned with how their individual presence, and/or collective country, contribute to maintaining the 'cage' of poverty in which most natives reside. I remember lifting

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-84738251711909909012010-08-22T00:27:00.000-07:002010-08-24T17:50:27.670-07:00

[Photo: Mario Cravo Neto]I haven't been maintaining a very consistent blogging schedule lately, which is in keeping with the general fuck up of the majority of my New Year's resolutions. In general I've been feeling underwater. Melancholy. Not quite able to secure my footing in a way that feels meaningful. You ever just start to doubt your whole shit from top to bottom? Question the choices

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-65915284039033562592010-08-02T18:39:00.000-07:002010-08-04T12:30:21.704-07:00

Today, as the internet celebrated the birth of James Baldwin, I came across an open letter he wrote to Angela Davis in 1970. After reading it through a couple of times I had one of those moments where you can feel the top of your head begin to crank and creak like an old convertible getting ready to drop open and let the sky in. Imagine living a life in which one would receive such a letter, and

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-61239547223684049112010-06-25T11:36:00.000-07:002010-08-22T01:35:56.937-07:00

Where to begin? I've learned many share-worthy things while standing in circles of creative minds on Thursdays at Good Foot over the past few months.  You see Good Foot is all about the circle, be it a smoke circle, a capping circle, a dance circle, a freestyle circle--you get that right combination of hearts and minds in communion and it can change your life, even if you only feel the full power

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-58748193087240130722010-05-25T17:26:00.000-07:002010-05-26T11:39:43.163-07:00

Last night while watching the new Alicia Keys video I kept wondering why she chose to cast a white dude for her tale of interracial love. At this particular point in time wouldn't it have been far more interesting to cast a Mexican or Chinese dude? What about an Arab muslim? People of all colors have been here since the 50's where her video starts out. Why not expand on the rainbow of

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-92213213379903128132010-05-25T13:47:00.000-07:002010-05-25T23:27:20.394-07:00

(Photos by Amanda Lopez)Back in 2005, when my girl C and I were brand new to grad school and feeling like we could shake up the world with our writing, we went to a meeting over at the old Youth Speaks office to strategize a reading that James Kass was kind enough to set up for us. Standing in the upstairs office area was a young man whose energy was like chocolate sunshine with a smile to match

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-12821214854730231192010-05-24T17:08:00.000-07:002010-05-25T18:41:06.193-07:00

I’ve been trying to blog about the Black/Chinese dynamic currently going down in San Francisco for a minute, but I can’t seem to land on ground solid enough to put forth my thoughts comfortably. Then it dawned on me that feeling comfortable with what I have to say might not be that important. The topic is messy, rooted in multiple histories, uncomfortable and unavoidable.What can be said about

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-52939372013133103732010-05-24T13:20:00.000-07:002010-05-25T17:26:35.920-07:00

I’ve been trying to blog about the Black/Chinese dynamic currently going down in San Francisco, but I can’t seem to land on ground solid enough to put forth my thoughts comfortably. Then it dawned on me that feeling comfortable with what I have to say might not be that important. The topic is messy, rooted in multiple histories, uncomfortable and unavoidable.What can be said about brutality and

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-86917150459617084702010-05-13T19:08:00.000-07:002010-05-15T17:15:00.310-07:00

I often wonder if people mixed with Black and Jewish ancestry carry an extra strain of the blues in their DNA? This particular mix is an interesting equation of history and politics, oppression and privilege, all swimming around in one blood memory.On the one hand you could say that these two ethnic groups are fraternal twins. Both have gravitated toward the art of comedy to lighten the loads of

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-73897127505394170332010-04-16T21:44:00.000-07:002010-04-21T18:10:47.448-07:00

White supremacist rally at L.A. City Hall prompts large LAPD responseApril 16, 2010 | 8:02 amThe LAPD is planning a large deployment of officers for a planned white supremacist rally at Los Angeles City Hall on Saturday, which will be met by more than a hundred counter-protesters.The National Socialist Movement obtained a 1:30 p.m. permit for up to 150 of its supporters to attend a so-called “

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-37669997627335335412010-04-07T20:42:00.000-07:002012-01-09T14:39:30.079-08:00

When I was a kid I was OBSESSED with mixed people.  Mostly because I felt so invisible and odd.  Before the days of internet, it was hard to really find information about the topic.  I was always looking around, guessing, wondering, dreaming about who was what and what it all meant.  Nothing irritated me more as a child than when I could tell someone was 'Black', be they mixed or just 'light',

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-58361452660691844922010-04-06T18:52:00.000-07:002010-04-21T17:38:43.566-07:00

At a dinner party a couple of weeks ago, my friend K asked me what box I was going to check for race on the Census.  She explained that another mixed friend was making a point to check Black and white because she is both and that would be most accurate.  I told my friend I hadn't thought about it.  What do you usually check?  she asked.  Sometimes I check both.  Most of the time though if it had

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-48295690730127501852010-04-06T18:28:00.000-07:002010-04-06T18:48:25.005-07:00

Husband: You ever notice that people lose it if you tell them you have an AOL account.Wife: (smiles)  Yes!Husband: It's like, AOL?! AOL?! Did you just say AOL?  They don't know what to do with themselves.  Jesus! What's the big deal?Wife: Everyone has moved on, it's like you're not hip if you keep it.  Most people use gmail...there's different devices and applications or whatever.Husband: Google

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-40956566480677922562010-04-05T17:56:00.000-07:002011-07-31T20:05:04.985-07:00

I have to say that when I saw the first episode of How To Make It In America, I was a tad underwhelmed after reading that it was being produced by the same folks who made Entourage. While I watched Entourage on occasion, the hardcore pro Zionist boss talk spouted by the character Ari always left a bad taste in my mouth. Particularly when a largely Hip Hop soundtrack accompanied every episode.

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-13148728956154919732010-04-04T20:37:00.000-07:002010-04-21T17:40:21.604-07:00

Yesterday caught me in new waters, someplace between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, I went to my father's grave to mark the 1 year anniversary of his death.  Hadn't been there since the afternoon that we put him into ground, and by we I mean the men.  We women folk stood there crying in the wind under a Northern California late afternoon pineapple-strawberry missile-pop swirl of a sky.  We're

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-24962464086871679042010-03-25T16:17:00.000-07:002010-04-21T17:42:20.350-07:00

My D2S hermano, REL, presented his (heart) beats to the world last year with a mixtape of instrumentals entitled, Orchestration. I don't know how or why I didn't blog about it at the time, but just recently he's been getting a lot of attention for it from other BLOGS and having local artists hit him up for beats--I'm sitting here like, how the hell did I not get around to putting my 2 cents in?!

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-71865836772111133562010-03-25T15:13:00.000-07:002010-04-21T17:43:57.908-07:00

So we've been presenting our final work in this workshop I've been taking and one of my classmates, who always does really thought provoking stuff, used his half hour to have us all do a writing exercise.   The premise of said exercise was to explore the power of words and the power of writing in terms of the effect our work can have on others and ourselves.It had a really powerful impact on the

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-72534206328474291712010-03-21T14:12:00.000-07:002010-04-21T17:45:14.587-07:00

I'd meant to go see this movie back in 2008 when it made a quick stop in town as part of an independent film festival down at the Embarcadero. Never happened. So I was oh so pleased when I was able to throw it into my Netflix queue and have it delivered to my door.  In keeping with the film's theme that not all Black people think the same (duh!), my husband and I, despite both being San Francisco

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-51370029148306397022010-03-19T16:14:00.000-07:002010-04-21T17:46:19.974-07:00

“The Day The Turf Stood Still is the soundtrack for gentrification and urban renewal,” says DaVinci. “I want to capture the mental state of generations of minorities struggling to preserve and revitalize the last breath of culture we have.”I first heard about DaVinci from my girl Ms. Erika via her tweets regarding the big things she's doing over at Sweetbreads Creative Collective. Initially I

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-42235445881764178422010-02-23T13:26:00.000-08:002010-04-21T17:46:57.530-07:00

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-9639413985084730492010-02-22T17:02:00.000-08:002010-04-21T17:47:22.552-07:00

I haven't blogged in a while. Been trying to figure out what I want this blog to be about. Too often it feels like I'm just recycling news content, or standing at a chalkboard trying to teach something which for all I know, people may already be aware of. Ideally I'd like to share myself, my thoughts and ideas, but I'm unable to commit to a room in which to do so. If this blog were my house,

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-24477118751387784682010-01-23T14:42:00.000-08:002010-01-23T14:59:12.618-08:00

The little Haitian boy who greeted rescuers with a beaming grin as they freed him from a huge pile of rubble said yesterday, "I smiled because I was free -- I smiled because I was alive."[ Source]

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-71906272113652262002010-01-20T14:45:00.001-08:002010-04-21T17:48:51.189-07:00

So I mentioned in a post that I was super excited about an interview I did with Fred Hampton Jr. for the BEST HIP HOP SHOW ON THE PLANET---Distortion 2 Static. And now we're finally able to share it with the world.  This interview is part of an ongoing segment called Word on the Street, which had been on hiatus for a little while, but is now back and better than ever.Word on the Street was

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-28490784669130367492010-01-19T01:05:00.000-08:002010-04-21T17:50:20.230-07:00

Oofah! (as my godmother would say) Jay Z sure stepped in a big ol' pile of shit with his On To The Next One video.  He's had to address it both on the radio and magazine interviews. Even the director of the video, Sam Brown, came out to explain his intentions:"I’m aware of the stir the video has caused and what people are saying. I think when you’re dealing in abstract imagery people are going to

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-40168316625695157052010-01-17T14:54:00.000-08:002010-04-21T17:51:02.782-07:00

Haiti. What can be said? Suddenly this tiny country has arrived on the West’s collective doorstep like black Moses on an even blacker night. As though Haiti has not been there all along: punished, manipulated, slandered, suffering. Here in the U.S., there is no ‘blacker’ image conjured up than that of the word, Haiti or Haitian—'those' blacks, different somehow than ‘our’ blacks—if one goes

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-86396641076338606702010-01-10T14:01:00.001-08:002010-04-21T17:51:43.496-07:00

Dear President Obama,I am writing to you from the great city of San Francisco. I know you've visited here before. A friend taped your impressive motorcade zoom around downtown. I'd also like to state at this time that I too am mixed with a white mother (who worshipped and campaigned for you as though you were hers alone); I am also a firstborn, and as a side note, my husband and I were married at

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-48009814507259766242009-12-16T00:59:00.000-08:002010-04-21T17:52:15.983-07:00

    December 4th marked the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Fred Hampton.  How many high schools took the time to mark this occasion with a lecture or presentation? This sort of lesson plan, if we are serious about education, should be mandatory in the inner-city schools of Chicago and Oakland if nowhere else. Too often education in this country makes no real attempt to use history as a

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-47568567953772715792009-12-04T12:05:00.000-08:002010-04-21T17:53:01.573-07:00

Just last night my husband and I were discussing the fact that this whole Tiger Woods ordeal has managed to surpass the Bill Clinton sex scandal, and he's not even the President. This story has launched into space with rocket speed and there isn't much Tiger can do about it at this point. Many have raised the question as to whether this story would've gotten as much attention if Tiger were

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-91816392033079546832009-11-13T12:46:00.000-08:002010-04-21T17:55:41.542-07:00

I was pumped when I came across this video by the group Shabazz Palaces, which has been succinctly described as, " a Hip Hop collective from Seattle fronted by Ishmael Butler aka Butterfly from Digable Planets." Not only am I happy to see Ishmael Butler back around, with his fine self, but the bonus is that the man has always had flows with some actual depth.I'm loving the vibe of the song and

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-87422147889131265082009-11-11T12:33:00.000-08:002010-03-26T12:02:58.662-07:00

The Black Youth Project is a new website developed to serve as an online resource for the voices of Black youth to be heard in raw form; this segment of the population is constantly studied, demonized, and categorized yet is too often silenced in the process.  This new website seeks to right that wrong and offer a counterbalance to what for far to long has been a one-sided conversation.Per Press

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-59995821022456658402009-11-05T23:12:00.000-08:002010-04-21T17:56:28.237-07:00

If he could apply his self, he might be a better man/ That's kinda hard cuz it's a liquor store on every corner/ And you see 12 every moment trying to run up on ya Although most of the videos played on television give the impression that Southern Hip Hop is simple-minded and uninspired, I never fall for the hype. I'm too old to still believe that the more talented one is, the more likely they are

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-8787012919977276022009-11-04T15:37:00.000-08:002010-04-21T17:57:13.065-07:00

So much has changed since Shyne was unfairly imprisoned almost a decade ago. I can't imagine what it must be like for him to reenter a world in which the South dominates Hip Hop, cellphones now allow one to carry the world in their pocket, the Twin Towers are gone, the country is at war, and the President is Black.I sent letters to Shyne years ago, though I can't recall exactly what I wrote,

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-12346511755682544302009-10-30T12:18:00.000-07:002010-04-21T17:23:36.891-07:00

I can still remember the first time I saw Vanity on a poster in my older cousins' room. Her image literally struck my young consciousness upside the head. I wanted to be her; felt that I somehow was her. It's hard to explain now in the age of the internet what it felt like to be a mixed kid born in the 70's. It was next to impossible to find out whether someone was mixed, not that the

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-35534768713758382142009-10-29T19:11:00.000-07:002010-04-21T17:24:04.833-07:00

As I said in my previous post, I would update this topic should anything else develop. Well, according to HipHopWired.com Roxanne Shante released the following letter to thank fans for their support and address the controversy. Not sure if the letter really clears anything up in regard to her state of mind, but at least she got to have her say."I would like to thank my long time fans and

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-89391076717907828732009-10-27T17:52:00.000-07:002010-04-21T17:24:54.098-07:00

**From the video description**RIO DE JANEIRO — A police helicopter flying over a clash between drug gangs was hit by gunfire and crashed Saturday, police said. Two officers were killed.Bullets from the Morro dos Macacos slum in northern Rio de Janeiro hit the helicopter pilot in the leg, causing him to lose control and crash in a nearby football field, a police spokesman said....Violence also

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-52488850807504351492009-10-19T13:25:00.000-07:002010-04-21T17:25:51.054-07:00

While watching this video of the Obamas at a Latin heritage event, it occurred to me that his win would have been just as historic and ground breaking in a Latin American country, if not more so. From the legacy of slavery stamped onto Black skin in public space, to the light/dark color currency climb up the skin tone ladder toward social mobility--the trap is the same, whether the unwritten

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-71080123621023705712009-10-07T13:49:00.000-07:002009-10-07T13:57:05.674-07:00

Speaks for itself! I'd love to see this in brochure form; something to hand out at the club.

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-36704923023160572582009-10-07T12:04:00.000-07:002010-04-21T17:26:35.121-07:00

Let me first say that when I watched Diddy's new show Making His Band, I was lightweight cheering for Puff. The episode where he previewed his music for Dallas Austin was cringeworthy and something any type of artist can relate to. Like Erykah Badu said, we are 'sensitive about our shit.' I respected that Puffy was putting himself out there by trying something new, although I don't know how '

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-63022845493010512842009-10-06T11:47:00.000-07:002010-04-21T17:27:15.817-07:00

This type of madness is why I don't endorse watching television while high; things like this can really get one going down the paranoid road that the end of the world is near. Booty Pop. Can anything else be said after that phrase? I can understand why we're seen as the devil in some parts of the world. And aside from questionable marketing to make girls seem more fuckable to passersby---Is the

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-56489413887148200592009-10-03T15:47:00.000-07:002010-04-21T17:27:48.364-07:00

What struck me most about this piece was that race was NEVER brought up. Is this the new post-racial society where we all pretend that race is invisible?  The kid is clearly Black; when I first saw a photo from the article I thought it was another Africa-express aisle adoption.While the lady appears to be Mediterranean or Middle Eastern, she does not resemble the child in any shape or form. Did

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-70335509321864437432009-09-24T12:43:00.000-07:002010-04-21T17:58:38.433-07:00

Many of the issues in this film could easily be transferred onto someone from a working class Irish or Italian enclave in terms of putting one's family under the microscope, feeling shamed by ethnic markers of speech, the overall feeling that education brings alienation. How many times have we seen this theme in Hollywood movies on a strictly class level?However the Irish kid from Boston or

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-2796461955446107382009-09-23T16:11:00.000-07:002010-04-21T17:28:55.875-07:00

I found the following video and quote on Hip Hop Wired:"Hip-Hop has always been an art from used to convey the plight of the downtrodden, but in this new century of political uncertainty accentuated by spurts of debauchery, it has taken a new life that loosely resembles its humble beginnings.The Young Cons, a duo of Dartmouth graduates that decided to wield the mic in an attempt to further the

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-65147957490749393712009-09-23T14:17:00.000-07:002009-09-23T15:08:39.841-07:00

Why are you watching that? my husband asked in disgust. But how can I not watch? What is gained by pretending that these voices do not exist. After sitting through this footage I was overcome with a quiet sadness. The Right Wing conservative media is playing a dangerous game and what is most frustrating is that it's the same game that has always been played to control the masses. It's always

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-24011340640898624522009-09-18T17:42:00.000-07:002010-04-21T17:29:45.242-07:00

When I read that Kehinde Wiley was born in 1977 I wasn't surprised. His work seems to be on a remix tip, cutting and scratching the Masters in perfect rhythm to insert the Hip Hop generation into the pocket. The LA native has exhibited all over the world, from Brazil to NYC and back again. Per his bio, "Wiley's figurative paintings and sculptures quote historical sources and position young black

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-44420728078870400012009-09-17T11:44:00.000-07:002010-04-21T17:30:23.523-07:00

My first thought when I saw this shirt was, Ain't this about a bitch?! My second thought--This better not be somebody who ain't Black putting this crap out." Am I saying it's better for Black men to degrade Black women? Hell no. But to have this discussion with someone who doesn't look like me only adds insult to injury.When asked in the following interview what the meaning of FreshJive is,

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-52561239183522029102009-09-16T13:42:00.000-07:002010-04-21T17:30:47.423-07:00

Now in full disclosure I must say that I was never a fan of Common back when he first came out. I thought he was a arrogant jerk in his overall attitude toward women. Then he got with Erykah. That sentence alone conveys a transformation of the male ego beyond any few adjectives I can think to string along in a sentence. He put himself on full blast and left himself vulnerable to attack, all in

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2791199724011596168.post-45630387261385059502009-09-14T23:01:00.000-07:002010-04-21T17:31:25.777-07:00

Please read this great post on the response to the Kanye affair. It is sobering to say the least.Via:Harry Allen

NativeStarnoreply@blogger.com0