I watched a lot of the Olympics.  And honestly, I sat through most of it just to see the track & field.  More to the point, while I’m happy for and proud of Gabby Douglas, nothing made me happier than watching Tianna Madison, Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight, and Carmelita Jeter break a 32-year-old record by over 3/4 of a second.  That’s incredible given that sprint contests are decided on hundredths of seconds.  The old record dates back to 1980 when the East Germans dominated the sprints.  Some said it was through performance-enhancing drugs. We’ll never know.  The important thing to remember is that these four women did the damn thing and left us with some iconic images, such as Jeter (above) pointing at the clock.

photo credit: Michael Steele/Getty

photo credit: Frederic Haslin/Corbis

Additional links:

• ESPN coverage of the relay
• NY Times coverage

Some photos from around the Web of Gabrielle Christina Victoria “Gabby” Douglas, the first African American woman to win a Gold medal in the Olympics all-around gymnastics competition.  Congrats, Gabby, for making us all proud!

Additional links:

• Gabrielle Douglas on Wikipedia
• NY Times: Gabby Douglas’s Long Journey to Gymnastics Gold
• Gabrielle Douglas official

Wow. Soul Train creator Don Cornelius is dead, the apparent victim of suicide.  He was 75.

According to the LA Times:

Law enforcement sources said police arrived at Cornelius’ home around 4 a.m. He apparently died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the case was ongoing.

The sources said there was no sign of foul play, but the Los Angeles Police Department was investigating.

Soul Train was a groundbreaking show.  It not only provided a TV platform for black music artists at a time when such outlets were few or nonexistent, but it went on to become the longest running, first-run nationally syndicated music show in TV history.  Cornelius hosted the show from 1971-1993.  The show continued until 2006 when it ceased production.

Love, peace, and soul, brotha.  It’s true that you never know what people are going through.

I have to admit, when I think of hip hop these days, I often forget that one of the key elements of the culture is dance.  In that respect, it was such a pleasant surprise to see this video and discover twin brothers Laurent and Larry Bourgeois of Sarcelles, France, a suburb about 10 miles north of Paris.  I discovered these guys last night thanks to Reese’s Ear Candy, and spent an about an hour checking out other videos of them on YouTube.

This video is amazing to watch on a couple of levels. First, gotta love the first joint they dance to, a remix of MJ’s “Whatever Happens”. Secondly, I’m always amazed when I watch people physically do stuff I’ll never be able to.  Y’know, like play the drums. Or dance like this!  Not only do they have such incredible control over their bodies, but you can also see such joy in their movements.   So, yeah, I’m happy to just sit here, watch and go, “Wow.”

Anyway, here’s the video:

Additional links:

• Les Twins on YouTube
• Les Twins on Wikipedia

Congrats to Greg Tate and Latasha Diggs on the completion of their new, do fo’ self literary magazine.  It looks dope, but what’s one to expect when you have something that’s been birthed by these two aforementioned creative minds?  On one hand, the name is homage to jazz musician Julius Hemphill’s 1975 album Coon Bid’ness.

My man Michael Gonzales ran an interview with Tate and Diggs back in the fall.  Check this excerpt:

There are a few people who find the title Coon Bidness offensive. What is the meaning behind it?

Greg Tate: Coon Bidness (CB) is in the fine colored tradition of reversing racialized polarities, negatives to positives. Many in our vicious circle actually find the name quite delightful. Funny thing is, only Black Americans feel like they can say it out loud without risking a beatdown or being exposed as a closet racist.

But, CB was a well considered if knee-jerk artistic and political choice: LaTasha and I got disgusted over some younguns we know bickerin online about literary journals that published scant few-a-you people of de Negro persuasion. I went ballistic. I told Tasha, ‘Man that’s some coon bidness there; especially 160 years since self determined folk like Frederick Douglass, Martin Delany and David Walker were self-publishing anti-slavery when Dixie was king and a nickel could get shot just for showing off they literacy.’ Plus, we couldn’t call it Emerge, Upscale, Black Enterprise or Black Tail; all the other good Black Progressive names were taken.

CB is also our quiet homage to the late great jazz musician and conceptual dramatist, Julius Hemphill. He released a quite crackling avant-garde album by that name in the 70s. Whatever respectability CB has we’ve completely borrowed from the very refined and adventurous Mr. Hemphill.

However, CB is also our oblique response to the Obama era. Thanx to Brother President, his gorgeous sensuous ebony Glamazon of a wife Michelle, and those precious kids, Blackfolk have never moved about this land feeling so proud and respectable.

LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs: We did have a conversation about the name of this baby and came to an agreement that one, this was going to show out some folks while others would take the chance and support us with their work. I had folks – good friends – scold me about the name. They felt we (I in particular) was marginalizing/sabotaging myself especially since I am the youngster in this endeavor; that I do not have much suction anywhere and perhaps less resources that entities–be they those in some academic/publishing/programming power–don’t know who I am or choose not to know who I am. I am, to a certain degree, taking the greater risk. They hated it. Some choose their petitions to be silent: politely so. Some just told me, ‘Hey I just don’t see myself being associated with some thing called this.’ They did not get it nor did they want to engage.

With that said, it highlighted an argument that is spoken in public when it comes down to our positions as writers of a browner hue. There is a presumed limitations of publications that exists and a an outer worldly desire desire to be accepted by the very publications that have denied us moderate access. That with this desire, we often rather complain and petition these very publications than create something new. The tradition of magazines, journals and chapbook series has always included one or several voices that decided they wanted to establish something ELSE and in doing so, they created yet another platform to feature WHAT they believe in.

Sounds like it’s not only a celebration but, figuratively speaking, an opportunity to rustle the grass to startle the snakes. Bravo!

Maybe I’ll see you at the launch tonight.  In the meantime, read the rest of Mike’s interview at Blackadelic Pop.

@brcnewyork @edouglas528

Best thing about the night? Seeing all the generations in the house.  I mean, I can’t front: I’ve got to include myself in the category of “O.G.’s”, since I got started with the organization in 1992.  But there were a bunch of younger peeps there, also and that only bodes well for the organization.

Cool, too, to watch brothers Kairo and Chad Joseph aka HelixDown put their foot in our collective behinds. They’re definitely a group to look out for in 2011.  And it was great to meet Ajo (above, reaching for that note), formerly of Bang Language.  She’s a songwriter with a lot of potential.  And the my first IRL meetings with some of my twitter fam were pleasant surprises.  Shouts to Tahir Hemphill aka @tahero; Richardine Bartee of Grungecake Magazine aka @grungecake (congrats on the launch of the label!) and Bryan Vargas aka @bryanvargas!

And it’s always great to see Melvin Van Peebles, Sr. who, at damn near 80 years old, is still vibrant and vital.  Hope to 1) make it to his age and 2) still be creating.

Anyway, check out some of the pics from the event.

@brcnewyork

It’s on like a megaton! Yup, this Friday, January 21, the BRC massive convenes to celebrate 25 years of championing the full spectrum of black musical and creative expression.  Talk about impact: First of all, I wouldn’t be doing this blog if it weren’t for the BRC and my time as Director of PR.  More importantly, it was–and still is–an incredible community of likeminded folks who believe that not only were we bigger than the music industry’s narrow definitions of blackness but, knowing that, we all had a responsibility to reach out and reach back into the black community and share the possibilities with the bredren and sistren.

Where do you think I got the idea that black rock can save black culture? The BRC worldview informed my thinking heavily.  It wasn’t just about the music: There was always the understanding that music was linked to a progressive cultural and political vision, the goal of which was the betterment of black people.  Particularly during the 90s, when hip hop became big business and started reducing black people to caricatures of themselves, black rock was always that namaste to the community.

So, there’s time for politics and there’s time for parties.  This is the latter.  The deets:

The BRC’s Drop The Bomb 25th Anniversary Party

Friday, January 21

730pm – midnight

The Gibson Guitar Showroom

421 West 54th Street (bet 9/10th Avenues)

NYC

FREE!

Even better: Short sets by Helixdown, Ajo of Bang Language, Lachi, pillowTheory, Analogue Transit, McRad, King Aswad, Burnt Sugar, plus a VERY SPECIAL GUEST (yeah, I know who it is, but I can’t tell you: Just gotta show up, homie.)

As you all probably know, the great Abbey Lincoln passed away on Saturday.  I never saw her perform live, but certainly respected her for the work she did with Ivan Dixon in “Nothing But A Man”.  I the two albums of hers that I always played were You Gotta Pay The Band and A Turtle’s Dream.  Given her passing, I’m reminded of the powerful “When I’m Called Home” from Pay The Band.

Of course, outlets like The New York Times have done their obits on the legendary singer.  But it’s great to read more personal accounts from friends of what Abbey meant to them.  Thembisa Mshaka is one I liked.  I met Thembisa during my days in the PR game, when she was the editor of music industry publication The Gavin Report.  She’s done many things in the intervening years, the latest of which is her book Put Your Dreams First: Handle Your [Entertainment] Business, which is a guide for women wanting to have long-term careers in the entertainment industry.

Here’s a piece of what she wrote:

I met my Abbey Lincoln through my parents. Well, not literally. My father introduced me to her heady mix of soaring and sobering vocal style by playing “Bird Alone” for me many years ago. I’ve loved her voice ever since.

My mother introduced me to Abbey as an actress in the seminal film, Nothing But A Man, in which she starred as Josie. If you don’t know this film, Netflix it and IMDB it. It is a classic story of race and relationships. Abbey Lincoln delivers a tour-de-force performance.

But then, those are the only kind she’s ever delivered.

Read the rest of Thembisa’s thought’s on Abbey Lincoln here.

Did it really? The Talking Heads frontman thinks so, and makes an compelling case that our music changes to fit the physical context in which we’re listening to it.  Which explains the rise of a certain kind of hip hop that seems tailor-made for car stereos.

Also check out the discussion threads in the comments on the TED page.

Enjoy!

In this three (3) minute video, Derek Sivers (founder of CD Baby) dissects some important lessons on what it takes to start a movement.

More on Derek here.