The Sinatraization of Hip-Hop: Halloween or Homage?
I love the part in the beginning of Ocean’s 13 where Reuben tells Bank (played by Al Pacino) that there was a code amongst “guys that shook Sinatra’s hand.” While that ritualistic sensibility might’ve originated with the “friends of mine/friends of ours” sets of old, is has somehow trickled down and made evident again through the likes of Diddy, Jigga, and most recently as part of a promotional campaign for this years VMAs, Drake.
I’m interested not by the reasoning behind the stark, overall gravitation towards Old Blue Eyes- we can all only wish that we embodied an ounce the eternal cool that he was portrayed as having- but more at the fact that hip-hop’s fetishistic transparent obsession with his persona is so recurring. Last week, I had an opportunity to view Drake’s TVC on MTV.com, and the first thing that came to mind (before I could mentally complement it, because it is a dope spot) was “wait, isn’t being Sinatra Jay’s thing?” It’s been less than a year since “Empire State of Mind” hit full swing and the critical mass and mainstream media were obsessed daily with his self-pronouncement of being the “new Sinatra”, creating a storm of rumors that “Empire” would now, or soon, replace “New York, New York” as the city’s consummate psalm.
“The Why In NYC”
Earlier this morning as I rode the L train, I was reading an article in the new Fader about Spoek Mathambo where a blockquote essentially screamed out at me as it met my eyes when I turned the page:
“How much do I want to play into the fact that my culture’s been so much of my life, and how much do I want to say f*ck it, I want to do something completely and utterly reactionary?”
I would agree to say that this sentiment is evident throughout the sensibilities of us native New Yorkers who have enjoyed years of being at the forefront of culture, but are now at the crossroads of nostalgia and progression; the recurring theme of “upholding culture” doesn’t always fit well with the implications of the “on to the next one” plight of today.
HOWEVER…
There are certain instances where they meet perfectly- basketball is definitely one of those examples. This summer, we, the once gatekeepers of the global epicenter- its MECCA-, have been engaged more than ever with the culture of basketball. Between The LeBromination, the World Basketball Festival (which hosted some of the fr-fr-freshest events I’ve attended this summer. Shouts to 94×50 & Nike for looking out..), and the myriad of tournaments that turn the playgrounds into the proverbial hollowed grounds, there are feelings of an imminent return to glory.
Rik Cordero’s attentive eye and the homie Lemon Andersen’s ultra-focused prose have essentially, in one clip, visualized this locally-focused, globally-minded “get down or lay down” sensibility in their self-described “ode to NYC” entitled “The Imperial”.
The Good Lord knows I’m as New York as they come, and this “25th Hour-esque” juxtaposed lens on our daily lives is remarkable, and is living proof that reports of our fall from grace have been greatly exaggerated.
I’m truly looking forward to their next two interpretations.
AN IDEA: What Exactly Is A Culture Creator?
Here’s my latest and greatest from AN Idea. Shouts to the whole team at AgencyNet…
Thanks to Pills Montano (Creative Media Group) for the opportunity to speak at this year’s Latin Mixx Conference. Big shouts to the panelists on the “Making Your Mark” discussion Manny Gonzalez (Hennessy), Tony Martinez (Kinetix), Tiffany Hardin (Translation), and Nelson Garcia (GlobalHue).
On Wednesday of last week, I moderated a panel entitled “Making Your Mark” at this year’s Latin Mixx Conference.
The conference, now in its 5th year, is half entertainment summit, half information session and attracts a pretty varied audience of DJs, artists, and industry folk. To kick off the panel, I delivered a presentation (available below) covering a few areas of interest including: personal branding, the marketing and publishing landscape, and the role that today’s public-facing entertainer must play to thrive in the modern information economy.
BMF = Biting Many (of your) Friends.
Love his rhymes lately. His brand?
Not so much.
A Discussion Around Artwork: Curren$y’s “Pilot Talk”
#decisionFAIL
I was going to put together a thorough analysis of my disappointment as a result of what happened this past Thursday, but the reality is that…
1) most sports writers perfectly captured my perplexity, letdown, and the implication of his self-inflicted de-coronation,
and..
2) there are some choice lines from “B.M.F.” that adequately reflect the events that transpired:
On The Eve of Decision, Some Rationality.
Regardless of what’s actually happening and saying, it’s looking good for US.
RESPECT BROOKLYN.
It’s about 1,000 degrees (no Craig Mack) in NYC right now, but who’s complaining?
Here’s a little kinetic typography to hold it down as we continue movin’ on this side… Respect to Cookin’ Soul for putting this together… Spotted at NahRight (peace to “The Originators” Dre & Eskay)…
More SUITS soon enough….
Dispelling Dispositions: ‘Souls of My Young Sisters’
One of the most pressing and unspoken issues when it comes to the plight of our community in today’s United States is the disparity of success. A study was released yesterday that illustrates how drastically the wealth gap in this country truly has widened between African-Americans and Caucasians. While the situation is alarming, to understand its true origin, one must look deeper than the numbers and into the mind state of its community’s individuals. Therein lies a sensibility wrought with years of conditioning to accept and not thrive, to “be good” without question- a very militant, “spoke when spoken to” disposition.
(In Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell discussed the real-world implications of this cultural hurdle in his anecdote of Colombian pilots’ apprehension to speak firmly to a Caucasian Air Traffic Control during a mid-air crisis- all passengers on board died as a result of the subsequent crash.)
The silver lining is that with every generation, the winds of change descend to create a more empowered disposition; a new zeitgeist that defines the culture. This is what’s described in Souls of My Young Sisters, a collection of experiences written and edited by Dawn Marie Daniels and Candace Sandy, intent on helping renew the identity and sense of purpose that has been diluted throughout history. With a foreword written by Mary J. Blige and contributions of 60 female authors, including the homie and extremely talented Dee Vazquez, the narrative attacks the problem of confronting authority and establishing one’s own truths and reality through the personal anecdotes of these young, progressive women.
I give much respect to Ms. Daniels and Ms. Sandy for bringing awareness and insight around an issue that’s so pervasive in our cultural landscape, in a time where “change” seems to define the times, and ultimately, the success of our people. The book is available… go cop.
For more information, visit Souls Of My Sisters
HYPERlocal: Spike Lee x Lemon Andersen x Absolut = ABSOLUT BROOKLYN.
ABSOLUT BROOKLYN is a Limited Edition flavored Vodka created in collaboration with Spike Lee.
It is a blend of Red Apple and Ginger that captures the vibrancy and uniqueness of Brooklyn and the creativity it inspires.
“Brooklyn wins again.” – Jean Grae (and damn near everyone I know from the borough…)
You KNOW I’m happy about this one.
Happier to find out that the 750ml 1L bottle (their 4th in the “American City” collection” is in collaboration with Spike Lee.
Enthused at the fact that the homie Lemon provided this prose that will be located in the recipe flyer:
Sitting on the tenement stoops
Brownsville steps
crown heights flights
funky medina repetoire
5 star borough
tree lined blocks
somewhere in the world
Brooklyn’s in the house
and you know we won’t stop
spreading love
cause that’s our way
From the small morsels of information that I’ve read, it’ll be released in 2 months. All the brand buzzword banter that I hear on a daily basis about the importance of “community” and “culture” can be accomplished simply by doing it and committing. Thank you, Pernod-Ricard USA for giving this humble Brooklynite more fodder for my geocentric rants.
Catch me at the launch party.
SUITS!
