MM: Cracking Jay Z's DECODED

I love books. I looooove Jay Z. I love lyrics so much I named my daughter after them. So when Jay Z wrote a book about his lyrics it was like the heavens opened and rained down a trifecta of awesomeness on me. To say I've been waiting impatiently for Jay Z's Decoded book to be released would be a vast understatement. I craved it like morning's first cup of coffee. I sat in the car after picking up my copy, in the dark of the evening, as it rained and I just admired the golden embossed Rorschach design on its cover.

Yes I was pressed. And then I became impressed.

The writing is stellar (with the help of respected music journalist dream "lower case" hampton) and it parallels magically between the life of Shawn Carter and the birth and growth of hip hop. The two overarching themes criss cross and blend on every page. But this is only part memoir. It's also part education in the subtle nuances that make up the music genre and the generation that created it.

The focal point of the book are indeed Hov's lyrics. However, instead of dissecting them from beginning to end chronologically, he sections the book off by themes. Each theme is then explained in context by the act or lesson that inspired the work (songs) or the era of time that they were crafted in.  In the section titles "Cautionary Tales", Jay Z reflects:

Great rappers from the earliest days distinguished themselves by looking closely at the world around them and describing it in a clever, artful way. And then they went further than just describing it. They started commentating on it in a critical way. Rap's first great subjects were ego-tripping and partying, but before long it turned into a tool for social commentary.

From this perspective he takes us inside "This Life Forever" (Unreleased, Black Gangster, 1999), "Meet The Parents" (The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse, 2002) and "Where I'm From" (In My Lifetime, Vol 1 1997).

Truthfully for true Jigga fans this dissection of his lyrical content isn't the highlight. We've been there and debated each word before. In fact this fan almost hesitated to read the footnotes of some of those explained lyrics. I'd rather leave some things open for interpretation. However, what will keep true fans interested is his lyrical intent and this comes in the essay form within each section.

His insight at times is spot on even for someone who grew up a generation behind him. The narrative is all Jay Z. It's as if he stops you on the way to your local bodega and briefs you on all his knows. You also get a real sense on how his mind works. Mr. Carter has a very non-linear approach to a lot of his songs. His words sort of tumble and spiral down to the point. It's half due to the pop ups thoughts that make up his meaning and it half serves as to not beat you over the head. It's a very artful way of showing without telling. It's the exact method 1st year creative writing students are forced to demonstrate.

Not only do his songs display this technique, his prose does as well. Jay Z will zig zag from images of his Dad taking him though the neighborhood, having a one on one with Michael Jordon, or the burden of bootlegging. You'll wonder, where is he going with this, but you'll get the light bulb moment at the end.

And while this book is written from his ghetto point of view, you don't have to even be a Jay Z fan to enjoy it.

If you love music and the artist's intent this is a great read. 

If you grew up with hop hop this is a great read.

If you hustler baby, you'll relate to what Hov means with the constant use of winter as imagery.

But if you're looking for some undying expression of love for his wife Beyonce don't bother. She's only mentioned in passing and it was to debunk this line from "Big Pimpin" (Vol 3: Life and Times of Shawn Carter, 1999)  " I parts with nothing, y'all be frontin'. Me give my heart to a woman? Not for nothing, never happen. I be forever mackin'."

Yes, the Jigga Man eventually did give his heart to a woman. He grew up and in so many ways so has hip hop.

Are you planning to buy Decoded? If you've already read it what are your thoughts?

The Party Planner? & The Best Candy Bar Ever!

This past Saturday I had the pleasure of helping my good friend JB throw her son's 16th birthday. It was the most fun I've had with someone else's budget ever! LOL! It really was. But it also reminded me that besides the obnoxious, careless, clueless kids who make up MTV's show Sweet 16 there are a bunch of typical, well adjusted, really nice, well-behaved kids who largely go unnoticed and yet deserve the most praise.

This party exemplified just that.

It was strange having people call me the party planner. I kept shying away from it claiming to just be "happy to help." But somewhere in me lives a brilliant, creative Executor of All Occasions just dying to get out. My entire family calls on me when it's time to party. My parties have always been pretty awesome *pats self on back*. People still mention the cocktail party I threw with another good friend 7 years ago. Yes it was that much fun. I've done everything from bridal and baby showers to kid parties and everything in between. So I accepted my role and rolled with it.

The Birthday Boy had a great showing from his friends and family and there was tons of fun to be had.

My major contribution and birthday gift was a Candy Bar. No, not a bar of candy, I'm not that cheap or broke. It was the stuff of dentists' nightmares. Thinking about it gives me cavities. But you don't have to think. I have pictures of course.

The idea it simple. Lots of candies..chocolate, fruity, hard, chewy. Lots of containers...tall, big, short, varying shapes. The best part was since it was right after Halloween the candy was mostly all 50% off.

Oh & the other weird part. I had to force the kids to have at it. I actually watched a few kids glide over in ninja like precision sneaking a treat or two. I watched one girl ask her friend to go get her some candy. Perhaps there was an invisible force field. Or perhaps kids just don't know what to do when you put too much of a good thing in front of them. Maybe I should have placed the Candy Bar behind bullet proof glass and asked for ID. I told one kid to make a bag and he flat out told me no saying, "No, that's okay. I'll just take one." It was bizarre. It was as if they couldn't believe that it was all right there for the taking.

Then I realized that no one wanted to be the first one to make a bag. So I made a few girls go up and the candy dam broke.

So what sugary goodness made up the Candy Bar? Lemonheads, Twizzlers, Dum Dums, Candy Corn, Laffy Taffy, Starburst, Skittles, Twix, Jawbreakers, Snickers, Pixie Sticks, Sweet Tarts, M&Ms, and Tootsie Rolls.

Candy Bags

Yes, a good time had by all and yes I do love planning parties. I love taking an idea, a great menu, some decor and turning it into magic. Am I alone in this? What are you fav party ideas?

The floor is open.

MM: Black Girls Rock

 

Black Girls Rock! Inc. was founded by Beverly Bond in 2006. It was once just a powerful catch phrase on a tee shirt and has now morphed into an organization that serves to uplift the self-esteem and self-worth of young women of color.

Last night BGR! teamed up with BET for the worldwide broadcast of Black Girls Rock! a performance driven show aiming to highlight the positive contributions and accomplishments of women of color.

This is my fav performance from last night's Black Girls Rock! and it kicks off with Fantasia singing, "Brand New Day".

I have a special affinity to "I'm Every Woman". My Mommy used to sing it to me except it went a little like this, "I'm Dai-Dai's Mommy, it's all in meeeee...."

BET Videos

Fantasia, Ledisi, Marsha Ambrosius, Kelly Price & yes 'Tasia kicks her shoes off.

  
Click here for more info or to donate. Click here for more highlights of BET's Black Girls Rock! concert event.                  


If you saw the show what did you think of it? Should there be more shows and more often? What was your fav moment of the show?

The floor is open.

Rally For Work Sanity and/or Stress

Many moons ago my then boyfriend & I escaped to what was supposed to be a relaxing weekend. Totally his idea and a great one. I decided to further relax us by drawing a hot steamy bubble bath. I lit candles, allowed music to fill the space, and waited for him.

He took a phone call.  A kind of important phone call. The next moments includes a lot of loud talking, 4 letter words, and him pacing the room. It took letting him vent and me holding his face between my wet hands & the following speech: "We are away, the candles are lit, music is playing, I'm naked in a tub of bubbles, and you are bitching about stuff that we can't change. Now come relax."

That was again...many moons ago...many car repairs ago...many grocery trips ago.

B.M Before Mortgage.
B.D. Before Dood.

Two nights ago I was in another bubble filled tub. The candle was lit but this time my now yummy hubby was listening as I bitched and vented. He sat on the edge, wash cloth in his hands and repeated that familiar pattern of "mmm hmm", "that's messed up", "just try to relax", and "it'll be okay soon".

He fed me a delicious dinner of winter lasagna....white cheese sauce, turkey sausage, mushrooms, garlic, onions...it was tasty good. He tried later to relax me even further and all I could think of was the piles of stuff on my desk, the phone calls, the voice mails I avoided, the conference call that kept me later than I liked, and the next three weeks of torture that I'll face during my company's biggest time of the year.

Awww this time of the year. It used to be my fav. I used to love my Autumn Wonderland of apple picking and cider, pumpkin picking and pies, sweater weather, and shimmering golds and burnt sienna. And mums. The one flower that I can't kill. And family, and food. And giving thanks.

My job has ruined this for me. Soon as the summer heat breaks my face starts growing bumpy things. As soon as the first leaf falls I want to runaway.

I drove in yesterday and I didn't see my Operations Director's car. I breathed a quiet sigh of relief. He later called from his cell and joked, "I bet you cringe every time you see my number." Me (cringing), "No, why would you say that?"

By the time the call was over my entire right side of my face matched my red coffee cup. My head was pounding, and I swear I broke out in hives.

This has never happened to me before. I don't bring work stress home. I don't carry it around with me like this.

Yesterday I emailed my bestie:

 Any suggestions besides the obvious (quit, get fired, start chain smoking, drinking, doing meth...I hear meth is pretty popular...and cheap.

She replied:

Yes, meth is pretty popular especially in suburban (insert my town) where you live...but we won't go there.

She then prescribed a healthy dose of yoga. So in the middle of my office, with emails popping up, and people poking their heads in asking me dumb azz questions this was me.

And until I answered the next phone call I was okay. I went home and had dinner with my family. We were halfway through movie night when Dood broke down crying as we watched Toy Story 3. Note: If you haven't seen this movie yet...DON'T. It's mostly sad and stressful and sad and you'll cry too. 

Dood's little 4 year old heart couldn't bear the most stressful moment of all when the toys were about to be incinerated. Thinking there was no way out they just held hands and waited. It was the worst thing I've seen since Bambi's Mom got shot. We had to pause the movie and tell him over and over and over again that somehow someway Woody, Buzz and the toy gang will survive. They'll be okay.

I held on to Dat Dood and he was all hot on his right side and worried about what might happen. He was thinking the worst. He didn't want to watch anymore. I encouraged him to just get through to the end. It gets better. It had to. It's Disney.

Then Lyric came in and we all suffered pulled through together. We made it to the end and it was endearing and touching and I don't ever want to see that movie again.

So now I'm on Day 3 of the most trying time of my work year and I'm just trying to make it to the end. And I wonder what do you all do to get through rough patches at work? What works? What's a waste of time? How many gray hairs do you have as a result of your workplace? How many mofos does it take telling you that you look tired before you take a hint?

Note: Our Admin no longer does administrative duties for me. Her jobs now are to make sure I leave the building at least once a day (vitamin D) and to make sure I eat lunch. And by eat lunch I mean once it goes in the microwave I actually go back to get it and then eat it.

The floor is open.