Another Satisfied Reader

A two dollar tip isn't much, no. But it's the thought that counts, as goes the saying. And it does mean a lot to me when an anonymous reader thinks enough of one of my essays to dig into their "pocket" to send me a tip (it's an option on Vocal but not Medium, sadly). So, anonymous reader, in the immortal words of that old Bartles & James wine cooler commercial, "Thank you for your support." 🤓

I knew that Tiffany Haddish was a nerd...

Photo credit (stolen from): Marcus Williams @tuskegeeheirs

...but I didn't know that she was that much of a nerd. 🖤🖤

Janina Gavankar: The Way Back (Back, Forth & Forth)

My early-ish introduction to multi-hyphenate talent Janina Gavankar was her remarkable cover of Kanye's West's "Love Lockdown" back in 2010, which was promptly followed by the stunning music video shared below.

Today, Gavankar stars opposite Ben Affleck in the recently released film 'The Way Back' (2020).

Admittedly, though, it had been so long since I'd heard her name that I actually had to run a google search to make sure that the singer and the actress were one and the same. The subsequent confirmation made me love the previously posted quote of her comment to co-star Affleck (shared on Facebook) even more: 

"I’ve been marginalized for 15 years. There was no way I would get to act across from you in any of these years until now."

As is true for most of those whom we think of as an "overnight" celebrity, Gavankar's star turn didn't happen overnight. She was doing the work while the rest of the world slept. But also working twice as hard, as a brown girl, to earn one of those chances that are too frequently given to someone with half the ability.

Kissed the Girls and Made Them Cry

That moment when you discover – a bajillion years after the fact – that Eric Benet’s gorgeous duet with Faith Evans, “Georgy Porgy” (1999), was a cover. And not only that, but that rapper MC Lyte’s “Poor Georgie” (1991) sampled the song that Benet later covered–a soulful 1978 rock song by Toto. And you friggin' love Toto, but never knew about their OG version until stumbling across it on YouTube just now.
I mean, what the hell? What other musical mysteries are out there waitin' to bamboozle me? I've strived to know...well, pretty much everything. But now I'm feelin' like I don't know up from down! How do people live like this?!?! 😅😭🤣
Updated: While listening to the original version again (about an hour after posting this), it occurred to me that the sista singing the chorus sounded really familiar. Something about her voice and the way she sings made me think of R&B songstress Cheryl Lynn ("To Be Real," 1978). Sure enough, looking up the song credit's for "Georgy Porgy," Lynn's name is right there!
Ah, the balance is restored. 🤓

In Memory of Ja'Net Dubois (Aug 5, 1945 - Feb 18, 2020)

This special dedication is going out to the beautiful Ja'Net DuBois, star of TV's Good Times, film actress, songwriter, and singer of the beloved theme song from The Jeffersons.

Thank you, Queen. Rest in power.

Today Was A Good Day

"Today, I didn't even have to use my AK. I gotta say it was a good day." – Ice Cube

Diana’s Amazon Sister Nubia Featured On ‘1970s Variant’ Of Wonder Woman Issue #750!

"In recognition of what the good folks at DC Comics very likely find to be a surprising level of adoration for a character they’ve never done much at all with, Nubia has been given the shared spotlight with her sister Diana on one of the many special variant covers created for Wonder Woman #750."

To read all about it, click here.

The Size Of A Tiny Crater On The Moon [Hotlinked™]

Phase 2 photographed by MikaV

On December 13, 2019, I would read in the news that my hero, Phase 2 (born Michael Lawrence Marrow), had died from the quiet battle he was having with Lou Gehrig’s Disease. He was 64. 

The news left me drained. So much so that I couldn’t even write about his death. What should I say? For more than a month, my blog was silent on his passing. But then it dawned on me–finally–that everything I’d want to say was already covered in my unpublished interview questions. So I publish them here now, in fond memory of Phase 2.

[Press-N-Play™] “Respect Mine” by OBVIOUS is Wu-Tang Chillout/Shaolin Lounge Music

Che Guevara once wrote: “A man must harden himself, but without ever losing his tenderness.” I’m somehow reminded of that as I listen–on repeat–to the lo-fi hip-hop track “Respect Mine” by OBVIOUS, which strikes a strangely similar balance between both hardness and tenderness. It does it by way of a gritty-voiced sample from a Wu-Tang classic (C.R.E.A.M.) coupled with multiple layers of seductive synth chords, delicate piano licks, and faithful beats and bass lines. The hypnotic end result, I think, makes this track the perfect addition to YouTube playlists curated for long and solitary night drives through dreaming cityscapes. – YourKungFuSucks

[Press-N-Play®] DJibril vs Willis | I Love This Dance All Star Kids 2019 | La Cigale, Paris, France

#ILoveThisDance #AllStarKids2019

Circles of Influence

Back on August 12th, I very happily posted a screenshot from the Facebook feed of cartoonist, animator and painter Bill Wray (Mad Magazine, The Ren & Stimpy Show), who'd shared my article on Vaughn Bode. But what I didn't realize until sometime much, much later (after revisiting his page) was that the second comment down below was from Bob Camp–which had me geekin' out  all over again! 😅 

Bob Camp is a former Marvel Comics comic book artist and a giant in animation with credits on TV shows like ThunderCats, Silverhawks, The Ren & Stimpy Show and many, many others. Camp is also the guy who illustrated the artwork on the 12-inch single of Afrika Bambaataa and Soul Sonic Force's Renegades of Funk, a piece that was  a big influence on me as a young hip-hop kid. 

The aforementioned is a piece of record cover artwork that was also being included in a listicle that I was actually in the middle of outlining at the time!

Oh, artist Denys Cowan (Black Panther, The Question) had also liked the piece in Wray's feed, but we're actually Facebook friends, so it wasn't that much of a surprise. He's liked pieces that I've shared in my own feed, including this article when I first shared it there. 

In addition to that uber goodness, I realized that my article had also been shared on Facebook by Ron Turner, the founder of underground comics publisher Last Gasp. And the first person to comment there was cartoonist/tattoo artist Mark Bode–the son of Vaughn Bode. 

I'd always wanted Mark to see my piece, so it was super cool to get confirmation that he'd seen it–and read it. Even if he very clearly missed the point a little. 😇

Excelsior!

16 Times Comic Book Artists Absolutely Rocked Hip-Hop Album Cover Art [Hot Linked]

Image Credit: Def Jam, Marvel Comics

"Exhaustively curated here for your viewing pleasure is a senses-shattering listicle showing 16 times comic book artists rocked hip-hop music cover art."

[Press-N-Play®] Prince - Holly Rock (Official Music Video)

'Prince: Alter Ego' Comic Book

Prince: Alter Ego

Publisher: Piranha Press/DC Comics

Date: October 1991

Writer: Dwayne McDuffie

Artists: Denys Cowan and Kent Williams

Cover: Brian Bolland

Synopsis: "A fantasy story in which Prince is locked in mortal combat with a man from his past who can turn music into the greatest destructive force the world has ever seen."

And the Wu Tang Name Generator says...

"From this day forward you will also be known as...
ASSASSIN SINISTER."

[Evil grin]

Yo, QT...you have offended my family & you have offended a Shaolin Temple! (Ya best protect your neck!)

It's taken a couple weeks to get around to this, but I finally had some time to devote to a piece written in reponse to how filmmaker Quentin Tarantino got wayyyy outta pocket this summer with that controversial portrayal of Bruce Lee that he cooked up for Once Upon a Time In Hollywood. 

As you can imagine, a lifelong Bruce Lee fanboy like me ain't having none of it, Jack. That d–ck ridin' Sonny Chiba Stan needs to keep both Bruce Lee's and Muhammad Ali's name out his blasphemous mouth. Straight up. 😅

Anywho, you can check out my piece by clicking here. 

On This Day In History: The Birth of Marvel Comics

80 years ago today, on August 31, 1939, Marvel Comics #1 (cover date October 1939) hit the stands. The book featured stories written by Carl Burgos, Raymond Gill, Bill Everett, Arthur Pinajian, with art by Carl Burgos, Paul Gustavson, Bill Everett, Al Anders and Ben Thompson. Artist Frank Paul provided the cover art.

The rest, as they say, is history.

[Press-N-Play™] Inspectah Deck - Can't Stay Away

See! The Falcon's Dynamic New Wings!

Captain America issue 171 (March 1974)

They were made in Wakanda by the Black Panther, True Believers!

Happy birthday to my 'schoolboy crush' Halle Berry ❤

           Credit: Some lucky MF with a camera & press credentials

This post is a super quick celebratory shout-out to my constant crush Halle Maria Berry. 
(That's right, True Believers. We're using her middle name & everythang!)

And yo, real talk. While my posts on this woman could possibly-maybe border on makin' the kid look like a Halle Berry fiend, the crush of which I speak is a fairly recent development. 

It seems that after publishing a couple of pieces in 2018, including that one where yours truly makes the case for why Halle was the right choice to play Storm, I've somehow felt closer to her –but from a million completely anonymous miles away. 

It's prolly the kind of thing that naturally happens when you look at a gorgeous woman's photos too long. But I know it'll pass eventually. Uh, unless I happen to see Halle's fine caramel self in the flesh at San Diego Comicon or somewhere. 

Anywho, in addition to a very fond birthday wish, I'm also sending out a "special song dedication" to Halle B. on her birthday, b'cuz she and I are old school like dat. 

❤

Bonus track: Eric B. & Rakim - Microphone Fiend