CubaCaribe festival-- "from katrina to port-au-prince"

This month is the 6th annual CubaCaribe Festival.

This weekend there are dance performances at at Dance Mission Theater by Alafia Dance Ensemble, Las Que Son Son, Liberation Dance Theater, Los Lupeños de San Jose, Paco Gomes Dancers, and Tata Kaya Art.

Tonight, April 22, there's a showing of Faubourg Tremé : The Untold Story of Black New Orleans, a film by Dawn Logsdon and Lolis Eric Elle, at the Museum of African Diaspora.

ngugi wa thiong'o-- benefit for revolution books

Last night, I went to see Ngugi Wa Thiong'o speak and read selections from his autobiography, Dreams in a Time of War. Last year, I read his theoretical book on language, identity and colonization Decolonizing the Mind, it changed the way I understand my relationship to language. I was moved by his voice, both powerful and delicate, whimsical and deep. I was inspired by his stories; they transported me to another time and place, while connecting strongly to my present situation.

This was a benefit for Revolution Books a fantastic resource for literature and non-fiction that is changing the world, located on 26th street between 6th and 7th ave.

kalae all day-- "AFROMATIKNEOHIPPIEROCK​*​SOLEMUZIK" [album]

This bad young woman is bouta take the hip hop world by storm...

I met Kalae All Day at one of her all-woman cyphers, the Fem'Fetale jam sessions, down in the east village. She regularly brings together New York's best underground women MCs and singers.

Her newly released AFROMATIKNEOHIPPIEROCK​*​SOLEMUZIK is just that, with extra soul and a wide and clever variety of sounds, moods and ideas, unified with Kalae's vibrant personality. She's got more swag, honesty and love than anyone out cheer right now.

Inside all her humor and sparkle, Kalae speaks a strong feminist message. Finally! A rapper who's unapologetic about her female reality, addressing a wide range of issues (consumerism, exploitation, female solidarity, sex, family, identity...) with passion, integrity, insight and charm.

listen (free) or download ($10) AFROMATIKNEOHIPPIEROCK​*​SOLEMUZIK here

kil ripkin-- "the balancing act" [leak]

Kil Ripkin, a leader and legend in the Brooklyn underground hip hop circuit, is coming out with a new album, The Balancing Act, produced by Mikal Evans (Deep Rooted) Raticus and Eric G. Kil Ripkin, called The General and The Ghetto Correspondant, is keeping alive hip hop's tradition of keeping it real, and mixing hot beats with heated political comentary. As Chuck D said almost 20 years ago, "Hip Hop is Black America's CNN" and Kil Ripkin puts this philosiphy into practice, speaking about issues we should see adressed on TV (but don't). His beats are fierce and his lyrics are on fire.

Check out the General's newest pre-release leak "Aftermath," off his upcoming album, The Balancing Act:

yo majesty-- "futuristically speaking... never be afraid" [album]

My new favorite group is Yo Majesty.
I picked up their album "Futuristically Speaking... Never Be Afraid" at a Sound Fix record shop in Williamsburg, just because the cover caught my full attention. "The end of captain misogyny" I mean really, how could I pass that up?

And this is truly a GREAT album. Rapper Shunda K and singer Jwl B put down lyrics that are tight, hilarious, deep and infinitely complex, over crazy-hot beats by the electro group HardFeelingsUK. Finally, an album I can play that makes people move, think and feel good all at once. Yo Majesty is breaking down the traditional barrier between good lyricism and dance-able production, and the barrier between "conscious," uplifting, positive messages and funny, sexy, wild beats. and its about time! Thank you, Yo Majesty, for giving a woman dj some great dance music she's actually proud to slap at a party... Keep it coming!

world funk at the shrine-- harlem [live]

The Shrine is one of New York's best live music spots, and a few weeks ago, they had the dopest world funk show. Loud Apt, a neo-funk band with all original songs and a diverse sound, coming straight from uptown Manhattan, rocked the house with special guests Angel Rodriguez (percussionist) and Garrison Hawk (reggae vocalist).
Later, Spanglish Fly killed it, with hot mambo-soul.

dj chela at "the rub" party-- brooklyn [live]

I went dancing with my friends at a monthly party called "The Rub." DJ Ayres and Cosmo Baker were cool, but DJ Chela rocked the house.



She killed it, had everybody dancing and screaming all night, exactly how I like it. She had her finger on the pulse of the room, and took us on a ride. Mixing classics with newer hits, crossing genres like they don't matter, she had me dancing til 4am. I mean, really, I couldn't sit down.

I met DJ Chela last year, at a CMJ Panel (which I snuck into) with KRS-ONE and Immortal Technique. She was the first DJ I had ever heard speak about women in hip hop. She inspired me to get my turntables, so to see her play was really inspiring, motivating. She didn't come extra fru-fru or fancy, just the best of really really good music, with smooth transitions and creative mixing, perfectly in tune with the bodies in the room. Yea girl!