Getting Schooled

Went to the Jeff Chang/Nelson George panel on Reagan-era repression and 80s hip-hop at CUNY Graduate Center last night. Those two are legends, so it was fascinating to hear their take on everything from back ‘n the day history (Jeff rebutting the progressive liberal myth that once hip-hop started, violence in the inner cities ended), to politics (Nelson: “If Giuliani was mayor back in the 70s, hip-hop never would have happened”), to current hip-hop (Nelson: “The drug dealer psychosis has become the dominant paradigm. And no, it’s not all good.”)

One thing: why is it that some academics are totally incapable of posing a simple question? The Q&A period got way out of hand, with various clueless audience members making sweeping generalizations, sharing irrelevant personal experiences (i.e. lamenting the volume of the hip-hop music that’s being bumped in public spaces), grandstanding endlessly, and basically hijacking the proceedings to make it all about them. I feel like people should show some respect. If hip-hop is not your area of expertise, just sit back and listen. Don’t rush the podium and ask erroneous questions just to hear the sound of your own voice.

Highlight: Baby boomer sings the praises of Marshall Mcluhan and encourages Nelson to read his work. Nelson nods politely and says he has. Dude insists that Nelson has likely only seen his mainstream material and pushes for him to check out the lesser known writings. Jay Smooth quips: “Yeah, ya’ll, stop messing with that commercial Mcluhan.”

Other than that, it’s been…green papaya salad and massaman curry with an old university friend at Land Thai (82nd & Amsterdam), long walks, and muchos plotting on how I can move to New York (it’s about time!). My upcoming global hip-hop research trips are all relatively short, and I would much rather be based in New York than go back to Canada every time. Will pray to the immigration gods.

Last night after the CUNY event, it was dinner with a visual artist and an ex-Vogue staffer at the Pink Pony on the lower east side. Great pommes frites, even better conversation. Then, back to APT with my friends-of-Tokyo-friends. The club was crazy, complete with a dance cipher. Dudes in Vancouver don’t really dance. Actually, nobody in Vancouver really dances, so it was exhilarating to be in a room full of people just letting loose. Some of the best dancing I’ve seen, period. Absolutely bananas. And not from kids either, from grown-ass men and women. Which is cool, cause in Vancouver there is no nightlife for folks over twenty-five. It’s all hammered nineteen year-olds grinding sloppily to Usher’s “Yeah.” Yawn.

Got schooled by a thirtysomething Rock Steady b-boy: “It’s all about abandon, about letting go. As soon as you get self-conscious, you’ve blown it.” Had to throw down my Shakira moves for a bit, but couldn’t muster the confidence to shake it on and on and on til the break of dawn. Will have to work up to that. Watched the sun rise on the Hudson River from a cab, after roaming Chelsea for Gray’s Papaya hot dogs with a friend of friends-of-Tokyo-friends. Did I mention I love New York?

Paint the Town

Went out last night with two New York friends of my friends in Tokyo. On the way to meet up, I accidentally stumbled on a group of fifteen year-old guys in the largest white tees I've ever seen playing paintball. Needless to say, I arrived with streaks of blue paint on my new jacket. Me: "Hey! You hit me." Dude #1: "Sorry" (sheepishly). Dude #2: "Yeah, sorry about your fat ass!" Spent a minute or two wondering, hmmmm...fat as in Ms. Fat Booty or fat as in too many New York City hot dogs?

The friends of friends took me to APT lounge to chill and hear Bobbito spin. It was a mellow night there (apparently everyone was at the Madlib show), but very relaxing. Good tunes and good company. Saw an enthusiastic Dutch girl doing The Robot, and a bunch of fellas working the "back in the day" hip-hop angle on her big time.

Can't get Common's "Go" out of my head.

Hotter Than a Tea Kettle

New York has been hot, hot, hot. Finally cooled a little today with the rain. Spent most of the weekend indoors at the Urban World Film Festival. Favorites included Bullet Boy, which is about the cycle of violence in a London neighborhood. Melancholy, it's true, but so well done. Also loved the southern pimp tale, Hustle & Flow. The show was an advance screening (the flick doesn't come out for another couple weeks) and the house was jam packed. It was loads of fun to see it in that setting. Not fun trying to get my phone back afterwards, though. Major mayhem at the cell-check table. (They are guarding this movie like crazy. Bootleggers beware.)

Had the pleasure of meeting the infamous Jay Smooth on Saturday night. Went down to the Underground Railroad at WBAI 99.5 FM to interview him for the New York chapter of my book. He surprised me by putting me on air to talk about my global hip-hop research. I've heard about his show for years (whispered in reverential tones by Canuck hip-hop aficionados), so it was very cool to be able to sit in. Especially dug DJ 3D's set.

New York State of Mind

OK, you all are probably sick of my gushing (don't worry, I'll bring back the snarky vibe soon enough), but I am seriously loving New York. On the food front, it's roast chicken at Flor de Mayo (83rd & Amsterdam) and sushi at Uki (92nd & Amsterdam). Went to the Green Market this morn for fresh fruit juices. It's amazing how much of a street life there is here. In Vancouver, almost nothing happens on the street. No outdoor food stalls, no magazine stands, no vendors, no people kicking it on the corner.

Hit the Leela James show the other night at SOBs. Real special performance. Her album, A Change is Gonna Come, has just dropped and apparently she's been on the industry hell-ride for years trying to get it out. She closed her set (which was long, good, and so funky) with the title track. At the end of the song, she started weeping. I've never seen anyone cry on stage before and I have to say that it was very moving. Coupled with the warm, friendly vibe in the room and the dope-ass music, I felt, well, honored to be there. (See? Gush, gush, gush.)

Afterward, went to Joe's Pub to see the RZA with all the Room Service folks. Finally got to meet Wes Jackson, whose blog I have been reading for a minute now.

We all got tired of standing around on the street next to the gigantic garbage heap and waiting, so we gave up on getting in and went out for greasy food instead. On the table for discussion...hipster chic (you know, the skinny dudes with shaggy hair that wear women's jeans), Brad Pitt (sexy or not sexy?), Canadian politics, and how dudes holler all over the world. I have a few things to say about that.

The fellas are gonna have to excuse me for a minute, cause I am going to get a little Carrie Bradshaw here. One of the things that I notice when I am in New York is that dudes talk to you a lot. In Canada, guys give you the once-over, but it's kind of a cold process. No grins, no conversation, no idea what the man is thinking (is there something on my butt? why is he staring at me anyway?). In Thailand, guys make eye contact and smile, but don't approach. In Japan, guys are very shy, but they grab your ass in the club on the sly. And in New York, guys step up and speak, which I much prefer. Obviously I'm not feeling the really pushy ones, but it's nice to have a chat here and there, and not have to try and decipher all the coded body language and figure out if someone is actually hollering.

I was joking with one of my girlfriends in Canada that I don't even need her here to tell me if my outfit looks OK. Cause NYC has what I call a built in Ma-Meter. If you look right, you get the "Hey Ma."

Alright, alright. Back to hip-hop.

Streets of New York

Right now it's... sun tanning on the terrace at my sublet, getting my nails done, and cruising NYC for good eats. Hot dogs at Gray's Papaya (72nd & Broadway), bagels and cream cheese at Zabar (81st & Broadway), fresh salad bar at Whole Foods (14th). Might even go to Brooklyn for cheesecake ala Making The Band. I am a big foodie and, luckily, I can afford to eat a bit right now. Lost a lot of weight in Thailand (food poisoning will do that) and I don't like to get too skinny. Also on the lookout for a good yoga studio so I can get my Russell Simmons on.

Bought Bakari Kitwana's new book today and the new XXL. Going to settle somewhere with coffee and read, read, read.

Starting tomorrow, will be checking out the Urban World Film Fest.

Brooklyn Hip-Hop Fest

Just got back from the B.K. Hip-Hop fest (flicks coming when I can find a web cafe that will let me upload). Had a blast. Shout out to Greg and all the folks at Room Service for doing such a great job with it all. I went, I ate hot dogs, I soaked up the tunes (esp. Little Brother...their set was b-a-n-a-n-a-s), and met a lot of good people. Perfection.

Except for the transportation fiasco on the way, that is. After waiting forever, I discovered that the L train was out at 14th Street, so I had to take a bus to Union Square. Only prob was I took it the wrong way. By the time I got turned around and finally on the L, I had wasted like two hours. But thanks to Jayme, Zack (from Indiana, I think) and Freddie (B.K.) for keeping me company on the trek.

Drinking tea in an internet cafe in Williamsburg. So happy to be here. Just walking the streets and taking the train is enough to make me happy right now. After pining for New York for months, I am finally back again. Wish I could give you this feeling.

Summer in the City

I have a hot date lined up with New York. OK, so I stole that line from Sex and The City, but it perfectly expresses my big-time love affair with Gotham. And while we are on the topic of Carrie Bradshaw, I wanna know: how do you film in NYC for that many years and manage not to acknowledge hip-hop at all, save dropping a track from French rapper MC Solar in the last freakin season? I'm just saying.

Gman & Rizk

While I'm hanging around my hometown, I want to send out props to some of the behind-the-scenes folks that keep Van City hip-hop going. Two guys that do not get enough credit for what they do are DJ/promoter/sneaker freaks Gman & Rizk (flick above; photo credit Chris Allen).

Rob Rizk got into hip-hop through b-boy culture (peep him in K-OS's vid for "B-Boy Stance," among others). After a motorcycle accident left him unable to breakdance for a while, he took up DJing. He's known for his eclectic style, spinning everything from hip-hop to soul to afro beat to house.

Gman (a.k.a. Garret Louie) got involved with hip-hop through the skateboarding scene. He went on to found a clothing distribution company, Timebomb Trading, and started throwing hip-hop parties to promote clothing lines. Gman and Rizk joined forces, and for the last fifteen years they have been hosting live shows, promoting hip-hop club nights, and generally helping to grow the scene. They recently opened a dope sneaker spot Livestock with partners Garry Bone and Kenta Kimura.

"Vancouver hip-hop is constantly growing and making new fans and supporters," Rizk says. "You have your underground heads and you have your mainstream heads. You have the old school and the new school. Some want to learn more about the culture of hip-hop and some don't want to, or even know that one exists."

"We need more people contributing to the culture of hip hop," he stresses. "We need more b-boys, artists, DJs, and MC's that are great storytellers and poets that know how to rhyme and are not scared to be different."

"We take a bit here and a bit there, and then create our own laid-back positive vibes," Gman says of the local scene. "It's a pretty mixed bag as far as races go, so people all party under one roof with not too much ego or violence. People love the BC bud so that adds some flavor for a lot of people visiting Vancouver. And aside from all the clubs, parties, clothing, style etc, you can't beat the city's pure natural beauty--the mountains, ocean, and scenery. Not many cities can beat us on that note."

Stressed Out

Up to my eyeballs in deadline madness. Did get to go and interview Canada's top pastry chef this morning, though, and he did feed me. Anyone who knows me can tell you about my gigantic sweet tooth, so you can bet I was in seventh heaven this morn. Love writing about food.

Speaking of bliss, guess where I'm going this weekend? Making a little pilgrimage to what my friend Mu in Thailand calls my spiritual home...New York City, baby. Will hit the BK Hip-Hop fest this Saturday. Going to spend three weeks not working too hard (will see how that goes; you know I'm addicted to my job) and going to shows and eating pizza and shopping and drinking coffee and catching up with old friends.

DJ Moves

Kudos to DJ Moves, who managed to get pretty much every underground emcee in Canada on the same mixtape, DJ Moves: Loaded Again (Low Pressure Records). Over fifty rappers from across the country spitting rhymes (too bad at least half of those dudes are wack). Still, a must listen for Canuck hip-hop fans. Check out hot verses from Smoxz (my Georgia Straight profile on him coming soon), Emotionz, and Big Rowd (my fam).

Media Watch

I get a kick out of reading Hashim's Media Chin-Check column at SOHH. In general, I feel like he's pretty on point. (Not really sure how Luda's "Pimping All Over the World" elevates the representation of black women in the media though.)

Obviously I'm not the only one reading Chin-Check. XXL's Editor-In-Chief Elliott Wilson responded directly to Hashim's last comments in this month's editorial.

I'm completely uninterested in the "has Wilson gone soft?" line of debate (particularly in relation to his marriage. c'mon, that shit is so cliche). But I do agree with Hashim that Wilson's editorial is the only one worth reading in the music industry. It's cause the dude it so damn witty. Read this month's. It's crazy! Really feeling all the Common references.

Common

Here's my two cents on Be. What really struck me about the album--and what hadn't been addressed in the scads of other reviews already out there--was Common's grown-man take on sex and love. Of course, in writing about that, I committed two of the cardinal sins for female hip-hop journalists (thou shall not talk about sex, thou shall not talk about sexism). So be it.

No Love in the City

Pouring rain in Vancouver. Thinking about the Game/50 beef. After Game's G-G-G-U-Not outburst at Summer Jam in New York, the world knows it's back on between them. The shake-hands-and-make-up press conference a couple months back was a sham; clearly the pair are not gonna take the high road (or the safe one). Kinda knew that already, since I interviewed Game in early April and he had things to say about Fifty even then. But was hoping it would all blow over.

Just finished reading Davey D on the situation and the role of the media (particularly corporate radio) on Jeff Chang's blog. Lots to think about there.

Hope this doesn't get out of control. Zero interest in seeing any more talented men (and fathers) die young.

Divine Brown

Went to see Toronto singer Divine Brown do an acoustic showcase at Ginger 62 last night (blurry flick above and below). Was feeling kinda agitated at the start of her set (the show was way late and my girlfriends wanted to get the funk out of there), but from the first notes of "Shook Me (All Night Long)," Divine had me. Good lord can that woman sing! Her voice is so striking and her stage presence is rock solid. By the time she dropped "Old Skool Love," the house was in fawning-fan mode. My friends too.

Just got back from interviewing Ms. Brown. I have to say that it's always a treat to interview female artists. No diss on the guys, but in my work life I am surrounded by men 99% of the time (male promoters, male label reps, male artists, male reporters, male tour managers...you get the drift), so sitting down with another woman is always a nice change. And Divine is no average woman. She has personality for miles. I feel like this is gonna be a big year for her. Her self-titled debut drops today.



After the show, I did what I always do after shows. Me and my friend Jacquie headed to this 24 hour vegetarian spot called The Naam. Part of why we go there is because everyone else goes to DV8 for post-show grub, and sometimes it's nice to not have to make small talk in the middle of the night.

During daytime hours you couldn't pay me to go to the Naam. It basically serves as Kitsilano's last vestige of funkiness for the free-love folks who once dominated the neighborhood. Home to all manner of smoked-out, barefoot bongo drummers, naturopathic healers/coffee-shop philosophers, and zen environmental activists/yogis. I grew up around all that (unfortunately), so I have a bit of an aversion to that whole scene. But after midnight, the crowd in the Naam is so bizarre that it manages to transcend even the normal bounds of hippie-dom. It's just strange enough to thoroughly entertain me and Jac. Plus, this fantastic guy named Michael works the night shift (flick below with Jac) and he gives us the scoop on the regulars. And you really cannot beat the Naam's sesame fries with miso gravy.

Taking Stock

Listening to Common's "The Corner" and getting things organized for my trip to New York. Have enjoyed the last week at home so much, but I'm getting bored again. Like the mighty Mos Def has said: "restlessness is my nemesis." As usual, before I go, I have to ruminate on all my experiences to date, and try to make sense (and maybe a story) of it all. Here's some lists:

Top 5 Best Things About Being Back in Vancouver

1. Food. There are so many good restaurants here. Plus, it's nice to eat without having to consider the gastric impact of each meal. Food in developing countries presents a complex game of Russian roulette, and losing that game is soooooo not cool.

2. Friends and Fam. Yeah, it's fun to make new friends from all over the world, but nothing compares to sitting with folks who know me inside out and breaking things down.

3. The scenery. Never thought I would be saying this, but my hometown is so freakin' beautiful. It's truly astounding. The mountains, the ocean, the clean air, the green vegetation everywhere. It's bliss, even if I can't get into the serene, sensitive-ponytail-man vibe of the city. (See? Back to snarky that damn fast.)

4. My CDs. I do not own an iPod and therefore had to cart a couple dozen CDs all across Asia, which I quickly got sick of. It's amazing to have hundreds to chose from again. Sprawled on the floor in my bedroom bumping Usher and Alicia's "My Boo" (still on a little ex factor drama, but almost over that) and then doing an about-face and blasting dead prez.

5. Familiarity. I know exactly where to go to get a good cup of coffee, yummy groceries, delicious take-out, new shoes, and fastidious drycleaning. No maps, no asking around, no getting lost. Also, I am guaranteed to run into at least half a dozen acquaintances that I have known for a good decade at any of these locations.

Top 5 Worst Things About Being Back in Vancouver

1. Where are all the people on the streets? After wading down packed streets in Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Bangkok, I am used to being surrounded by people 24/7. The first thing I noticed when I got home was that the streets are empty. My friend Ayesha compares this town to a wasteland, but I wouldn't go quite that far. Still, we are talking like only two or three joggers on an entire city block in the heart of Kitsilano. There's something kind of lonely about that.

2. Van City business owners need to clue in to the $10 manicure. In Asia, I got my hair and nails done every week cause it was so cheap. In Vancouver, getting your hair and nails done runs you up to $100, so women can't go regularly. If the salons here could just drop their prices a smidge, we would start going all the time, and everybody would be happy.

3. Transit. Would be cool of buses ran frequently and actually took you where you wanted to go. The whole inconvenient, wild goose chase, transfer here-and-there thing might account for why the buses are the sole domain of teens and seniors.

4. There is nothing to do. The nightlife here caters to overly drunk nineteen year-olds. No diss, but I've been there and done that already and I wouldn't mind kicking it with grown folks. But grown folks here have a very active, outdoorsy lifestyle and tend to go to bed at ten o'clock at night.

5. People are reserved. In Thailand, the custom is to smile at anyone who meets your gaze. It feels so good to walk around all day getting grinned at. I inadvertently continued the practice when I got home, but was met with cold stares. Good thing I didn't go to Gotham first. Don't think New Yorkers would be feeling that smiley thing!

Get Your Blog On

Been catching up on all my blog reading, and have just added the following links to my site: Nelson George (hip-hop critic extraordinaire), Notes From a Different Kitchen, Wes Jackson, D-Nice, We Eat So Many Shrimp, and Andrea Duncan-Mao. Check them out.

Also want to send a shout-out to Hattie C for her M.I.A. piece in VIBE. Nice one!

It's looking like New York is going to be my next stop and I can't tell you all how excited I am about that. Let's put it this way, when I was touring Asia I got homesick a lot, but not for Vancouver--for NYC. How does someone get homesick for a city they have never lived in? No idea. But that's me.