Children of Misery: 2020 Sounds & Visuals

 

Didn’t get around to doing the annual summer mixes until year’s end, so they’re fairly indicative of what I was listening to. Only did two this time (a road trippin’ theme never felt right for obvious reasons): bbq and cruisin' jams.

Lots of stuff from the cutting room floor was in constant rotation. Listened to a ton of Nikki Giovanni and Audre Lorde. Plenty of ha has from Jay Jurden Y’all, Who the Hell is Dwayne Kennedy? & Weakness is the Brand. Open Mike Eagle lived my (and I’m sure many others’) dream by interviewing Prince Paul for an entire season of podcast eps. Was also great to learn about Toshi Reagon’s love of Octavia. And I’m always a sucker for fresh Mike Davis content, so this trillbilly chat was a treat.

The best thing I saw—not just in 2020, but in a while—is a generation of youths have a collective lightbulb moment about our carceral culture. Fucked up, f’sure, but happy they have a better sense of how off-course the ship is and where they need to steer it towards.

Otherwise, I didn’t see much worth writing about. We didn’t have the pandemic experience of tucking in and learning new skills or some shit. The main things I ‘watched’ were listenable (and, quite often, tried & true) videos that I would turn on as comfort listening while doing chores. So, loads of Desus & Mero (only the occasional wormhole detour) and talking to myself あっきーさん. john powell & bell hooks came correct. Ocean Vuong is ridiculously talented—and he’s sharing a stage w/ Jacqueline Woodson. Sophia Leung ftw. Btw, I still think Problem Areas season 1 should be required viewing for anyone that comes with that Defund the Police = socialism shit. And thank the content gods for giving us druncle ‘Kiss on the ‘gram.

Screentime generally meant family time, so we had lots of アルプスの少女ハイジ, しまじろうのわお, Molly of Denali, Dr. スランプ, 忍者ハットリくん, ドラえもん, テラスハウス, Hilda, ハイキュー!!, SLAM DUNK, Harvey Girls Forever!, はたらく細胞, からかい上手の高木さん. We exported びじゅチューン！ clips (all of Inoue Ryo’s work is highly amusing) to our constant delight.

Here, My Dear

Keys open doors

sintalentos - lady's firsts (mp3)

Yo-Yo: The I.B.W.C. National Anthem
Queen Latifah: U.N.I.T.Y.
Salt-N-Pepa: Shoop
MC Lyte: Cha Cha Cha
Roxanne with UTFO: Roxanne, Roxanne
Roxanne Shante: Roxanne's Revenge
UTFO with Roxanne Shante: The Real Roxanne
Salt-N-Pepa: Tramp
Sequence: Funk You Up
Erykah Badu w/ Angie Stone: Love of My Life Worldwide
MC Lyte: Paper Thin
Lil' Kim: Queen Bitch
Jean Grae: Hater's Anthem
Rah Digga: What They Call Me
Queen Latifah: Wrath of My Madness (DJ Premier Remix)
Da Brat: Funkdafied
Bahamadia: Uknowhowwedu
Digable Planets: Nickel Bags
Missy Elliott (w/ Mary J. Blige): My Struggles
Lauryn Hill: Doo Wop (That Thing)
Mary J. Blige: Real Love (Hip Hop Mix)
Richy Pitch (f/ Apani B. Fly MC): Day to Day
Eve: Satisfaction
Queen Pen: Party Ain't a Party
Mary J. Blige: Family Affair
Lauryn Hill: Lost Ones
Nas (f/ Lauryn Hill): If I Ruled the World (Instrumental)
Jay-Z (f/ Foxy Brown): Ain't No Nigga
Foxy Brown (f/ Method Man): Ill Na Na
Lil' Kim: The Jump Off
Lady Sovereign: Random
Jacki-O: Sugar Walls
Timbaland (f/ M.I.A.): Come Around
M.I.A.: China Girl (Diplo Mix)
Missy Elliott (f/ Ciara & Fatman Scoop): Lose Control
DJ Ayres: Broke Ass Home
Monie Love: Monie in the Middle
Queen Latifah (f/ Monie Love): Ladies First
MC Lyte: Lyte As a Rock

Hip-hop got took to town(-hall) -- no surprise. Hip-hop replied thoughtfully -- again, no surprise. But let's talk about Zen (and Zirin; I didn't forget about you!) for a moment.

In Chang and Zirin's concise piece/response, they touch on a couple important points in light of the latest anti-hip-hop hysteria: the good, as well as the bad, of hip-hop; and the lack of intergenerational dialog amidst these debates.

The first seems exceedingly obvious as it balances the bad. However, it is also essential for providing a complete picture. So often criticism favors flash-points and treats culture in extremes, black or white, in spite of our so-called po-mo world. The recent Virginia Tech shootings have received a similar treatment; in spite of its gross perversity and sheer horror, it was immediately vilified as another case of the other, an aberration from the American matrix that confirmed our need for anxiety, as opposed to an arguably preventable crash with inadequate intervention.

That last word, intervention, or perhaps better articulated as conversation, is the key to open the next door. Media frequently transmits this as conflict, or a not-so-subtle crossfire, as opposed to a meaningful conversation with tangible affect (besides raising one's arms in the universal I-Win! gesture, or slouching one's head in the proverbial loser's pose). Admittedly, Oprah's townhall format took the appearance of intergenerational/interracial/inter-gender/inter-categorical conversation. Young women from Spelman College, whom we assume to be members of the hip-hop generation, speak about their disaffection, shortly after octogenarian Maya Angelou calls out Rush Rush. Common, that emcee who has bridged the Gap in every sense, admitted complicity. But the show was more show, a spectacular opportunity to point and scapegoat more than an actual consideration of shared complicity in creating culture. C'mon, Oprah of all people -- a Black woman who has struggled against immense odds to achieve the success she has attained -- should know the greater power of the check-signer over the check-recipient; and I know she's had a chat with Chris before. Pardon me, John, but perhaps the saying should have been, "Ask not just what your culture can do for you, but also ask what you can do for your..." But do you hear me 'doe?

Obviously, this is a much larger topic, so I'll be covering some aspects here, some aspects at Popmatters, and others elsewhere. In the meantime, here's a blend to stew on (pardon the roughness; this was a first take with almost no prep), especially for my ladies: here, my dear.

PS - Title explanation. First verses from songs by or featuring ladies. Not the first verse they wrote or recorded, just the first verse from the song itself... fudged on occasion, of course.

PPS - Dig my new old friend, Lily Kane (no relation to Danity, thankfully). By the way, I know I missed Women's History Month, but, really, I am looking into the sore lack of female representation on my blahg-roll...

Shame, Shame, Shame

Shame on the fools

Wu-Tang Clan - "Shame on a [BANNED IN NEW YORK]" (mp3)
(Purchase here)



Syl Johnson - "Different Strokes" (mp3)
(Purchase here)



Thelonious Monk - "Black & Tan Fantasy" (mp3)
(Purchase here)



Apparently, somebody felt the spirit of Black History Month 2007 and went Mr. Smith. Now, the NYC streets need to watch its mouth ~ lest the speech police wash it out?

Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, a "God" (or, a 22-year old with "high-functioning autism") scrawls a hate-filled screed and the world (well, the Asian one) delivers a prompt, "Ho, Sit Down!"

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to social discourse in the 21st century.

Most of my grief and disgust with the latter topic has already been expressed, principally in Oliver's terrific posts and Jeff's will-someone-hurry-up-and-please-can-this-entire-rag? observation. To wit, the kid is: a) a kid; b) a kid who can't write; c) a kid who evidently ignored his momma's lesson that first doesn't mean best, especially in the field of sci-fi writing; d) a kid with painfully obvious issues; and e) a kid being taken advantage of by the true culprits, the editors at Asian Week. I would try to use Eng's jibberjabber as a jump-off for a discussion on Afro-Asian relations, but a) Eng is talkin' jibberjabber; and b) Oli, again, already pointed the way to better ones.

As for the first topic, I suppose I feel grief and disgust, but in a different sense. The response is more out of frustration that this is how "the ball gets rolling" -- duct-taping a person into compliance, or sweeping a matter under the rug. "You can't propagate it because it's in the books!" But, as Chris Rock said to a Reuters reporter in response to the news, "Do judges say, '10 years, nigger!'" In both instances, I am saddened that racial discourse has been reduced to unstable outbursts and jerrymandered debates.

Which leads me to ask, what is wrong with disagreement or dischord in life? Family is the first group identity we form and we all know the fallouts and shitfits that can ensue therein. So, what the fuss when it happens outside of the family, as well? Different strokes, indeed. Takes a conquerer mentality to control every situation and bend others' will to your... oh, I see the parallel.

***

Once upon a time, a Duke and his royal party came upon an intersection of two roads, each signified by a different color. The party became confused, as no one knew which path would take them safely on their journey and which would lead them astray. The Duke, astute as he was, noticed the similar colors of each path: one dark, and the other a few drops lighter. Halting his party's chatter, he calmly shared his discovery. His party nodded their heads in understanding and approval and followed the mighty duke, as they carved a new path.