Monday, November 14, 2011

Bahamadia-Legend MC


   How come it took so long for me to come across the cunning crisp wordpoetress!?  This is what happens when you share music on a Sunday afternoon-you get the missing links to your music library.

  I'm inspired by her rhythmic flow and the platforms from which she expresses her wordplay. Manic Xsplosive Spontaneity.  Well explained, pure art form in lyrical soulfood.

 Her track, CommonWealth (Cheap Chicks) had me laughing, taking me back to my teenage years inside TJ Maxx.


   Play here:
 
   Bahamadia & Hezekiah: Gypsy Slang Track
Spontaneity cut

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Quite a White Ou - Ndingumlungu - Full Version - YouTube

Quite a White Ou - Ndingumlungu - Full Version - YouTube: 'via Blog this'  The Music Video Link.

 HayiBo!

I had a lot of fun helping style some uMlungu outfits with Quite a White Ou.  So cool to see how everything came together. Thanks to Ubuntu Bridge, I got also go to up my Xhosa speaking skills to a Level 2.  It was a lot of useful learning.

In this video, eMzantsi definitely shows her true style around the Cape Peninsula.


 “Learn the Lyrics” video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogoLeUj2Y2U)

Or the lyrics can be found below:
INTRO:  Mamelani eh eh mamelani eh eh  x 2  – Listen y’all!
 CHORUS:
Ndisafunda isiXhosa                                    (Im still learning Xhosa)
Ndithetha kancinci.                                      (I speak a little only)
So Khawuzekelele                                       (So Please talk slowly)
xa uthetha nami                                           (when you speak with me)  X 2

VERSE 1:
Ndithetha kancinci kuba ndingumlungu*
I talk a little xhosa because I’m a white ou.
Ngikhuluma kancane kuba ndingumlungu
I talk a little zulu because I’m a white ou.
Andikwazi ukujiva kuba ndingumlungu
I don’t know how to dance because I’m a white ou.
Andikwazi ukucula kuba ndingumlungu
I don’t know how to sing because I’m a white ou.

REPEAT CHORUS:

VERSE 2:
Andithathi iteksi x2 kuba ndingumlungu
I don’t take taxis because I’m a white ou.
Ndiqhuba Mercedes x2 kuba ndingumlungu
I drive a Mercedes because I’m a white ou.
Andikwazi ukushela kuba ndingumlungu
I don’t pick up girls because I’m a white ou.
Ndithanda ukukempa kuba ndingumlungu
I love to camp because I’m a white ou.
Ndinxiba ishortsi kuba ndingumlungu
I wear shorts because I’m a white ou.
REPEAT CHORUS:

VERSE 3:
[Andiqondi (I don’t understand), andikuva (I don’t get you) x3, eh, andiqondi]  x 2.

VERSE 4:
Cool and Nice                                    Hot and Spice
Like vanilla ice                                    like pap n rice
You know I’m down,                        Come get down
Umlungu waseCape town                with ingamla yaseCape Town
(White guy from Cape Town)        (with the Whitey from Cape Town)
Hayi bo!!                                                Hayi bo!!                                                X 2:





  

Sunday, August 28, 2011

The 10000m dash of the 13th IAAF World Championships and the spirit of community


  
This morning I watching the men’s 10,000 metre dash of the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea 2011.  We watched the athletes run with various paces and wondered about the strategy that goes through the runner’s minds on what lap to push yourself. What goes through your mind when you are on your last lap giving your all?  Great Britain runner, Mohammed Farah, was in the lead for the last two laps with the two Ethiopian competitors, Ibrahim Jeilan and Imane Merga, strides behind.  Then in the last lap, Ibrahim Jeilan, lengthened his strides and picked up his speed to win the race at 27:13:81. Click here for results.
   The two Ethiopian winners, 1st and 3rd, were celebrating together and ran with the proud red, yellow and green Ethiopian flag together around the track. The smiles and happiness in both men's eyes reminded me of the beautiful celebration as community, because of many, we are one.  If you had not watched the race you couldn't tell which of the Ethiopian athletes won 1st place, they shared extreme happiness as they were both winners.  There is pan-culture in the world that emphasizes the ‘me’ commonly found in Western countries that are focused on a capitalist-money dictating government that creates a culture surrounding those ideals.  But there are many people around the world, in and outside the ‘me’ capitalist systems that practice a culture of community.  The Ethiopian champions running a victory lap together was a beautiful physical representation of the culture of community support.  Instead of I am; We are.  We celebrate who we are because of each other!  I hope we continue to live in a world with these communal ideals.

  

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Restless City, a film with rich visual script

Was like watching visual magic realism. Many shots used reflections upon reflections, weaving an emotional tale that engaged intimately with the two main characters, Djbril and Trini.  My favorite part about this film besides the incredible costumes, were each frame allowed your eye to digest into the detail, opening your senses to the story unfolding before you.  It all made sense when director, Andrew Dosunmu,     explained he came from a photography background.  This is a beautifully styled film that displays how essential cinematography serves as a visual script.
   Check out more on the film here: http://www.restlesscityfilm.com/#stills
   or see it Friday, July 29th at 10pm, Musgrave Centre, at the Durban International Film Festival.
    This foto was jacked from The Restless City website.  Photo by Jenny Baptiste. Respect.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Messages on the wall: Public Street Art


Meeting Os Gemeos en Atenas in 2005 was a highlight-sharing my writing style with them, checking their sketches and the motivation behind the wall they were commissioned to paint lit my street art passion into a higher gear.  The wall they painted is the whole bus station that lines the...in Gazi.  It’s images of people riding bicycles in nature, using alternative methods of transportation than diesel-guzzling motors.  Like a photo, contrast is important.  
I wonder now if there is a bike lane on that road? :)
Now back in South Africa: 
 Fear is a prison.  Fear is in the woman dressed in pink.  She says, “Excuse me, do you have permission to paint on this wall?”
“Yes, we do” 
“No, you don’t!”
“Yes, we do.”
“I’m going to call the police and . . . . Blah blah blah.”  Fear is a prison, dear sister in pink. And thank you for wearing pink but your threats we do not fear. I may rather ask for what is threatening you?  Has anyone but yourself ever solved what it threatening you?  I assure you, police are just people like you and me, and so what is there to fear? Police, more art, silence, thought, there is nothing to fear.  Don’t make up threats unless do you believe you are not free? Oh so that is why you chose the prison and threaten others to join you? No thank, we do our best to stand free, come join us, you’ll like it.
“We’ve tried to uplift this area . . .” she later explained to a listening ear.
And so what is upliftment? 
To threaten your community members is not uplifting.
Use your anger to change something in yourself.
As we express ourselves freely, we uplift ourselves freely. And if we live in this community, that we can be brave and fearless in, we are uplifted because we are not threatened or threaten ourselves because we live in fear. Just like you dress in pink, you are expressing materially on your body canvas-go head! I’ll lend you my pink sweater next time I see you in the neighborhood. 
And if we live in this world, that free expressive vibration roots into each step-changing our geographical minds. And with each step, another one is taken and shared by another free individual that crosses our path, unthreatened.  And there, two souls, moving freely, uplifted by their own choices, their inspirations and individual motivations, transform, positively, the world we live in. Upliftment! 
So thank you for painting the wall red. The contrast is beautiful-uplifting-and for the next individual to say yes to the canvas, to spread their free public uplifting expression.
 And slowly, we will all move out of the prison.



Friday, July 15, 2011

Ancestors

I am going to Greece soon. I've just finished my olives I picked in the Constantia valley.  Here is a picture of my YiaYia Chrissy when my brother George was just a single digit. I want to say this is circe 1977.  The home she was born in is one of my favorite places on Earth.  I'm so happy to be able to sleep within those walls. The very same space she was born into.

My lovely Seastars

Donut. Happy Birthday. I love your style and bright smile under this pose.


Sunday, July 10, 2011

Zereshk

I love these little berries of sour goodness. Zereshk as I grew up knowing them always found themselves in Giti's blissful rice.  Was so happy when I was tagged in this photo.  I may need to plant my own Beriberis.

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Tehran Night Market

This picture is from my seastar's album when she visited home in July.  I want to go to Iran and smell and taste all the wonder she captured in her pictures. She says I would love it, and I know I would. I am sure I have been there before in some other lifetime.  Now's the time to retap into my Farsi-speaking skills.

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