Brilliant/Resilient Song of the Day: Amy Winehouse – You’re Wondering Now

[I prefer to remember her better days...]

[Amy Winehouse - You're Wondering Now (right-click & 'save-target-as' to DL)]

Cause + Effect = Karma,

C

p.s.

We cause most of our own suffering needlessly.
-Dalai Lama

stupid f*cking grad-school wordage im tired of saying/hearing/hearing myself say:

“the ways in which…”
“counterhegemonic”
“culturally relevant pedagogy”
“problematic”
“paradigm”
“framework”

*ahem*

The paradigms we use in ‘culturally relevant pedagogy’ are problematic due to the ways in which our frameworks claim to be counterhegemonic, but completely alienate many of those we are trying to love and serve. =T

OR…

We go into deep, ridiculous f*cking financial debt to learn how to talk exactly like the people we are trying to do battle with, and those who aren’t up on the hill with us are suffering when we can’t relay the 411 needed to maintain solidarity with them.
_______

A brilliant young person from Hunter’s Point reminded me of this fact, this morning at Downtown HS in Frisco. San Quinn’s “cultural capital” (the knowledge their life experience affords them) needs to be just as valued as that of J.D. Salinger’s (R.I.P.)

Tip-toeing on the tightrope,

C

Doin’ it Movin’: Davey D

[Hip-Hop historian, journalist, jack-of-all-trades, Davey D]

Q: Is Hip-Hop a “Movement” or a “Moment”?

A:

[Former Vice-Presidential Candidate, Rosa Clemente]

[Chuck D of Public Enemy]

I have been blessed enough to be TA-ing for Dr. Dawn-Elissa Fischer and Davey D in SFSU’s Hip-Hop, Globalization, & Identity Politics course this semester. It is truly an honor, a privilege, and a weekly whoomps upside my fat head with regards to challenging everything I thought I knew about everything. Appreciating every second of it.

Can’t stop; won’t stop,

C

The Couch Sessions Presents: A Tribute to Yukimi Nagano

[CLICK PIC 4 FREE Download. via The Couch Sessions]

Had to post it. Catch Little Dragon LIVE @ The Independent in SF on Tuesday, April 13 and/or Wednesday, April 14. Tracklisting after JUMP.

Tadashi Nakamura Behind the Scenes: Bambu – Slow Down

[Behind the scenes of Bambu & Geologic's "Slow Down" video shoot (Directed by Tadashi Nakamura)]

It’s been hella exciting to see APIA artists taking themselves seriously and doing their thing suuuper tough these days. Bambu, Geologic, DJ Phatrick, Sabzi, Kiwi, Eyeasage, Fatgums, Power Struggle, Beatrock, MassmovementTV, Eric Tandoc, Tad Nakamura and everyone they roll with seem to definitely be on the forefront of an artistic movement with regards to young adult APIA folks on the west coast. It’s like watching a 2010 Cali/Washington Voltron.

To me personally, it’s been a crazy inspiration to see the LA-bred Nikkei bretheren, Tadashi Nakamura really put his love of community, unarmed truth, and justice into his art. His documentation and promotion of APIA folks who are doing the hardass work to save the babies and change sh*t for poor and working people of color deserves our community’s attention, deep respect, and gratitude. And while I’m well that aware I’m quite capable of saying and doing some sillyass sh*t from time to time, if you’ve ever respected anything I’ve ever said or done, trust that Tad and his community down in SoulCal are doin’ it movin’.

Bambu’s new EP Paper Cuts promises to be fire and will be out and available for purchase at BEATROCK on February 23rd.

AND

Tad Nakamura has a DOPE website that you should visit right now this very second: tadashinakamura.com

Yoku Dekimashita!

Masashi

Brilliant/Resilient Song of the Day: Green Day – Last of the American Girls

[Green Day - Last of the American Girls (right-click & 'save-target-as' to DL)]

She puts her makeup on
Like graffiti on the walls of the heartland
She’s got her little book of conspiracies
Right in her hand
She is paranoid:
Endangered species headed into extinction
She is one of a kind
She’s the last of the American girls

She wears her overcoat
For the coming of the nuclear winter
She is riding her bike
Like a fugitive of critical mass
She’s on a hunger strike
For the ones who won’t make it for dinner
She makes enough to survive
For a holiday: working-class

She’s a runaway of the establishment incorporated.
She won’t cooperate
She’s the last of the American girls

She plays her vinyl records
Singing songs on the eve of destruction
She’s a sucker for
All the criminals breaking the laws
She will come in first
For the end of western civilization
She’s an endless war
She’s a hero for the lost cause
Like a hurricane
In the heart of the devastation
She’s a natural disaster
She’s the last of the American girls

She puts her makeup on
Like graffiti on the walls of the heartland
She’s got her little book of conspiracies
Right in her hand
She will come in first
For the end of western civilization
She’s a natural disaster
She’s the last of the American girls

Have fun in Sacramento, baby. You are so strong, so brilliant, so never alone and I will so never stop loving you.

Yours,

Masashi

Brilliant/Resilient Song of the Day: Blu & Exile – In Rememberance of Me

[Blu]

[Blu & Exile - In Rememberance of Me (right-click & 'save-target-as' to DL)]

I love posting Blu’s sh*t because I can just let the song speak for itself. Exile’s beats are beauty wrapped in boombap.

Rest in Power: Howard Zinn (1922-2010)

[Howard Zinn (August 24, 1922 - January 27, 2010)]

You gave us an amazing example of how to use one’s access to privilege, knowledge, and power, to redistribute resources despite our human flaws, imperfections and shortcomings. You were a true ally to those suffering unjustly and your efforts will never be forgotten.

[Howard Zinn - A People's History of American Empire]

Bless,
C

p.s.

Protest beyond the law is not a departure from democracy; it is absolutely essential to it.

-Howard Zinn

A Note to Obama

[Cornel West's "A Note to Obama"]

I agree with the RZA when he states, “believe in the message, not the messenger,” because everyone is capable of purveying truth and deception in some capacity, but damn. Dr. West gotta muthfuggin buttload of message, don’t he? I wish I could be as wise, loving, fearless, kind, and humble as this, but today just aint the day. I just watched the State of the Union Address and all I can say is “I heard it all befooooooore….” Joe Biden is a shiny-toothed freak and in the words of my baby bro Aki, “Nancy Pelosi looks like a robot attempting to have emotion…and failing.”

Wifey (and so many like her) needs to not be denied health-care because of a ‘pre-existing condition,’ Mr. President. I don’t envy your position but you campaigned for this job and it’s time to step your f*cking game up. Your speech was intellectual-political masturbation, and while puffing your chest out at the republicans in that chamber might have felt vindicating, your words were filled with doublespeak and are reproducing all the bullsh*t that lets millions of hurting people down. But then again, most of the people I love, respect, support and learn from everyday, told me from jump that your hokey hope and false optimism might only fuel our historical amnesia, American myopia, and moral decay. Despite your undeniable brilliance and charisma, your speeches always tend to leave me feeling hella salty and wanting to rant like an ass.

hella salty and ranting like an ass,

C

The American way of life is simply not sustainable because it doesn’t acknowledge that there is a world beyond America.

-Arundhati Roy

Brilliant/Resilient Song of the Day: Mac Dre – Life’s a B*tch

[Mac Dre (July 5, 1970 – November 1, 2004) R.I.P.]

[Mac Dre - Life's a B*tch (right-click & 'save-target-as' to DL)]

The truth hurts. Mac Dre was (and continues to be) a profound philosopher and purveyor of truth with regards to the morally bankrupt America, we who reside here, are privileged(?) enough to operate within. When he speaks of the “squares who don’t understand,” he is talking about me and everybody else who gets to make a decision as to whether we look at the conditions of injustice he, and those like him have had no choice but to face head-on. So for me, whenever I feel “too tired” to add another thing to my busy ‘grad-student/teacher’ schedule, I think of my childhood best friend/brother in Soledad Prsion, and throw on some Mac Dre, ‘Pac and/or many other purveyors of painful truth, to remind myself, not only of those who don’t get to decide when they feel discomfort, but to remind myself about the depths of strength and resilience existent in the human spirit when confronted with the catastrophic.