Underrated Talent: Ojos de Brujo

Ojos de Brujo (The Wizard’s Eyes, in Spanish) is one of my favourite bands in the world! When I was studying in Spain, I kept hearing about this band everywhere I went. My roommates kept telling me to listen to their music. I went to FNAC (a book and music store in Europe) and decided listen to their cd, Techarí. It was like nothing I’d ever heard before. The album changed the way I looked at music in Spain.

Ojos de Brujo is a Flamenkillo (a mixture of flamenco, bhangra, hip hop and reggae) band from Barcelona, Spain. They are a conglomerate of street musicians, graffiti artists, break dancers, rappers, DJs and Flamenco cantantes and dancers. It makes for a most interesting and wonderful mix. Once again they are a very well established and popular band in Western Europe with little to no fan base in North America. In fact, they were the 2004 winners of the BBC Radio 3 World Music Award for Europe. I got so hooked on the band that I saw them in concert twice while I was living in Brussels. BTW, their lead singer Marina la Canilla raps, sings and dresses like no other. She’s off the hook!

Albums released to date:
Vengue, 1999
Barí, 2002
Techarí, 2006
Aocaná, 2009

My Favourite Songs:
Na en la Navera, Tahitá, Quien Engaña No Gana, Color, Sultanas de Merkaillo, Runalí, Bailaores, Feedback, Respira, Todos Mortales

My explanation of this band does not do it justice so just take a listen:

AMERICAN IDOL: An Overview

Anoop Desai: I really like this guy! And he has a good voice, but I’m not sure about this song. I didn’t really recognize the song at first. Some of the judges’ feedback was a little weird (um, no frat boy would ever dare their friend to sing Usher. T.I. maybe, but not Usher), but for the most part, they were right. He’ll probably be in the bottom three tomorrow, just because.

Megan Joy: This girl needs to go. Is she spastic? Is she Nelly Furtado or Corinne Bailey Rae? I don’t know, but she SUCKS! With a capital STINK! She’ll be in the bottom three tomorrow.

Danny Gokey: I really want Danny Gokey to be in the Top 3, but I really wasn’t feeling this song. The crowd seemed to love it, but I think he can do even better than that. He’s a church boy, which means, he can sang!

Allison Iraheta: I hated her outfit. Loved the first part of the song- the second part of the song was not as good. She’ll be safe tomorrow

Scott McIntyre: Really good performance. Still needs to go, but he’ll be safe.

Matt Giraud: Huh?! Matt what are you doing? I really liked you (you’re cute), so why are you singing weird grunge tunes? You’re sooo going home tomorrow.

Lil Rounds: Didn’t like the song and/or the dumb wig. The dress was meant for someone with a smaller bust. Might be in trouble tomorrow.

Adam Lambert: Adam looked like a cross between Corey Feldman, circa 1988 and Eddie Munster. He’s beginning to annoy me and as much as it pains me to say this, he’ll probably win the entire show.

Kris Allen: I don’t understand why this ‘dude’ is popular. I’m not sure why people think he’s cute. However, I’m impressed that he knows how to play the piano and his performance was really good. He’ll be safe tomorrow.

What do you all think?

Tyler Perry: Why I’m Ashamed of Him

Very little irks me more than racial stereotypes. Scratch that. Nothing irks me more than racial stereotypes portrayed in the media and/or film. I’ve sat through many conversations during school and/or work that have been somewhat offensive, but I’ve given many people the benefit of the doubt due to, what I’m assuming is their ignorance. But sometimes people in film, television and the media make things very difficult for me and other people of colour when they portray us as goofy, scandalous, dumb, dysfunctional, shiftless, loud, obnoxious and sometimes, bitter. For me, Tyler Perry is definitely one of those people.

Tyler Perry is the man behind the multi-million dollar Madea/House of Payne franchise or as I like to call it, the Shuck ‘n’ Jive franchise. Tyler Perry has done nothing to advance the image of Black people anywhere. I’ve had so many arguments…er- conversations with many of my friends about Mr. Perry’s films. The ones who disagree with me usually sight the fact that Tyler Perry’s films are the only wholesome films about Black people being produced as their reason for supporting his body of work. While this may be true, the fact that Mr. Perry’s films are wholesome isn't reason enough for me to support his projects.

I also think that Tyler Perry’s most egregious offence is the fact that he exploits African-American stereotypes and of course, he should know better. Have any of you watched any of his films? They’re a disgrace! The characters are two dimensional; the plots are implausible and silly and every film has the same tired, trifling characters with different names. It makes me cringe anytime a person of another race says they laughed their head off during one of his films. I usually want to curl up into the fetal position when they start imitating characters from his films or television thinking I'll laugh with them too.

I want to see a Black film maker make films about Blacks who are smart, upwardly mobile, professional, deep, moral and stable. I'm tired of seeing films that don't reflect the reality I'm living or that my friends are living. I don't doubt that Tyler Perry's original intentions were good. His own personal story is quite compelling. But I don't appreciate his cheapening and trivialization of the Black experience or his lack of interest in the many varieties of Black people that, I'm sure, surround him. He has such a major platform to breakdown barrier and stereotypes and yet he continues to squander it.

This is why I'm ashamed of Tyler Perry and the reason why I refuse to support any of his films.

Pet Peeve #1: Wearing Open-toe Shoes During Winter

Okay, so I got to work today and shared an elevator with two women discussing Canadians' favourite topic- the weather. Both of them looked like they were dressed appropriately for the crisp March air and appeared to be quite warm, until one of them complained that her feet were cold. I looked down at her feet and low and behold there they were... the open-toe pump! She saw the look written all over her friend’s face and proclaimed proudly, ‘I just couldn’t resist’. I nearly screamed! I have been itching for weeks to discuss this topic but I was too afraid of offending the offenders. Enough is enough! This has been a huge pet peeve of mine for many, many years. Open-toe pumps and/or sandals are summer footwear- no ifs, ands or buts!!! No matter how many times you wear these shoes summer will not, I repeat NOT, hasten its footsteps. Accept the unfortunate geographical location of your residence with pride and dignity and cover up those tender tootsies! If you fit within the following criteria, you should NOT wear the aforementioned pump:

1. You live north of the 42nd parallel between October 15th & April 30th
2. There is little to no visible flora or fauna anywhere for miles
3. It is less than 18˚C, 65˚F
4.You are forced to wear wool, wool/cashmere, goose down, fur or leather due to inclement weather
5. There is snow, slush, sleet or freezing rain either falling from the sky or resting on the ground

Ladies, and maybe even gents, it is not okay to wear open-toe shoes during the height of the winter season. Yes, the new spring collection at Nine West is cute but that doesn’t mean you have to wear your new purchase right now! Wait a few months and then break them out. Don’t suffer frostbite or future rheumatoid arthritis for the sake of fashion- it’s just not worth it.

Stephen Harper & Friends Embarass Canada... Again!

Yesterday I watched the interview with the infamous British MP George Galloway on The Hour on CBC. Mr. Galloway has been banned from speaking in Canada due to his alleged support of the Palestinian government represented by Hamas, a democratically elected political party that is seen as a terrorist organization by most Western countries. Some of you may be unfamiliar with Mr. Galloway's background and the reason for all the controversy, so I'll do my best to explain.

George Galloway is a British MP who has served in that capacity for 18 years. After being kicked out of the Labor Party (Tony Blair's party) for opposing the war in Afghanistan and the war in Iraq, Mr. Galloway formed his own party, Respect. Mr. Galloway has been an outspoken opponent of the Israeli occupation of Gaza and he has given more than $45,000 in humanitarian aid to the war-torn region. The problem? Hamas is recognized as a terrorist organization by the Canadian government. This is of course is the reason why the Canadian government has decided to ban Mr. Galloway from speaking in person publicly in Canada.

I guess it goes without saying that I am truly disgusted and angry with our government and most especially with our Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Canada has long been seen as a tolerant and peace loving nation, but Mr. Harper has managed to destroy this image in 3 short years. You know things are really bad when the United States appears to be more liberal than Canada. The PM's blind and inconprehensible support of Israel and its illegal occupation of Palestine is mind boggling to say the least. He refuses to entertain dissenting views and has proven time and time again that he has complete disregard for the right to free speech and the opinions of the people he was elected to represent. Sound familiar? Yeah, Harper is Bush. Even worse... Harper is Bush with intelligence.

But Harper's diplomatic tone-deafness is symptomatic of a much broader problem: the international community's apathy for the plight of the Palestinian people and the criminal behaviour of the Israeli government. The Israeli's continuous attacks on, and economic stifling of Palestinians is nothing short of 21st century apartheid. But this time, no one with any power is doing anything.


Alas, my words are sorely lacking. Listen to George Galloway's speech in the British House of Commons earlier this year explaining the West's double standards with regard to Israel vs. Palestine:




Do you think this guy is a terrorist?

Overrated Talent: Nickelback

I watched the Junos last night- on and off because I was bored stiff- and I have to say that it left me completely puzzled. Why on earth is Nickelback so popular? They won about 6 Junos for singing revamped arena rock? What the crack?!!!! It would be one thing if the Junos were awarded by fans (which Nickelback inexplicably has oodles and oodles of), but these are awards handed out by members of the recording industry based on artistic merit. So I ask again, HOW IN THE WORLD DID NICKELBACK GET 6 OF THESE AWARDS?!!! The Junos are on a very thin ice in terms of their credibility, but this has officially pushed the award over the edge.

I personally believe that Nickelback is the worst Canadian export since Celine Dion... but at least Celine Dion has talent. This band has done nothing to enhance the Canadian image, but it has done a lot to give credibility to mullet-wearers everywhere. Here are a few reasons why they do not deserve their fame:

1. Every song this band has ever released as a single sounds exactly the same.
2. They look like the kind of men who: a) you'd meet at a truck stop on the 401 on your way to Sarnia; b) smell; c)spend their weekends smoking, drinking beer and watching hockey games
3. They write crap.com lyrics like:

I am so high, I can hear heaven

I am so high, I can hear heaven

Whoa, but heaven, no, heaven don't hear me

Yeah, case closed.

Kim Jong-Il & the North Korean Missile Crisis: Real or CNN Fabrication?

CNN has had its shorts in knot for 4 days while raising the blood pressure of Americans with regard to the so-called, imminent nuclear rocket launch in North Korea. We've seen the pictures all over the news with the experts brought in to use the dumb magic board to demonstrate how vulnerable the US is to attack. You can tell Wolf Blitzer and Anderson Cooper are just itching to tell Americans to pack a lifetime supply of baked beans and head underground. This has been their best scoop since the economic crisis. Like, how many more gross poor people interviews could Anderson Cooper really stomach?

I've been a little suspicious of this story since it broke late last week. Number one, CNN was reporting the story on heavy rotation. This is always a clue into how inauthentic the story is. CNN is the most sensationalistic news network next to FOX News. Many of their high profile stories need to be taken with a huge grain of salt (especially if Ed Henry's reporting). Number two, all the other international networks were not giving the story the same amount of credence the US networks were. Number three, I discovered today that it was not a nuclear rocket that North Korea was planning to launch, but a satellite that they are planning to launch into orbit sometime next month. Whaaaaat?!!!

Now, I'm not trying to minimize the very real threat of nuclear weapons, but what I'm trying to point out is the inaccuracy of the mainstream American media- most especially CNN and FOX News. Kim Jong-Il (a.k.a. The Other 'Lil Kim), a real hot mess of a human being, is very dangerous, but is North America about to be obliterated by our pompadour-wearing foe? Not likely... well, at least not for now.

NATIONAL CRISIS ALERT: Prime Minister Stephen Harper Needs A New Haircut!

Folks, this has become a very real and serious problem. Our PM’s hair totally sucks and I’m not going to take it anymore! How does this country expect to be taken seriously when our Prime Minister looks like a member of both the Chess Club and the AV Squad? Now, I don’t like the guy at all, but that doesn’t mean I don’t feel some compassion for him. I mean, look at him! He’s in desperate need of a make-over!

He needs ideas, people. Maybe he’d look good in a footballer’s haircut à la David Beckham circa 2003. Or maybe one of those super cool goth cuts that Adam Lambert of American Idol sports on the show. He might even consider shaving off all his hair, like the Skinheads. Lord knows he wouldn’t have to change his attitude much.

The haircut is only the tip of the iceberg. What about Stephen’s wardrobe? Okay, okay, the fuzzy sweater thing didn’t really work all that well during the election. I, for one, would have preferred that he stuck to a lovely spring palette of pastels, a silk ascot and those beautiful velvet slippers... with the crests on top- but what’s the use crying over spilt milk? I say he go for the gusto- skinny jeans, a vintage Lacoste sweater vest and Nappa leather pointed dress shoes (of the Prada variety).

Our Prime Minister needs our help, my fellow Canadians! Please send in your ideas with pictures so we can start this revolution, already. Our country is depending on you!

Underrated Talent: Donnie

I first heard about this artist one day while walking through HMV about 6 years ago. In fact, I hadn’t actually heard Donnie so much as I’d seen him on the cover of his first album, The Colored Section. I found the cover of the album so interesting that I couldn’t resist buying it. As it turned out, The Colored Section was one of the best album purchases I’ve made in the last 10 years.

Donnie is an Atlanta-based neo-soul singer (emphasis on the ‘soul’ and less on the ‘neo’) who was originally discovered on the lounge circuit by India.Arie. He was signed to Motown, but left them sometime between his first and second album and joined the independent label Soul Thought Records.

Donnie’s music is nothing short of brilliant; his writing, his style and most importantly, his voice. He’s definitely the kind of full-bodied singer whose craft was honed in church- not the thin- voiced, barely in pitch, overproduced crooner that has become de rigueur over the airwaves today. His writing is on point- he discusses everything from love, race relations, politics, to societal hypocrisy, to sexual abuse on his records. This is probably the reason why he has not had the Billboard success of his soul/r & b counterparts, as most consumers would much rather listen to big beats over big topics. What I like most about Donnie is that he sings from a place of pure joy even when the topic up for discussion may be painful.

Anyway, I encourage all of you to take a listen to Donnie. You will not regret it!

Albums Released To Date:

The Colored Section, 2003

The Daily News, 2007

My favourite songs: Cloud 9, People Person, Turn Around, Rocketship, Impatient People, Over the Counter Culture, Atlanta Child Murders, If I Were You

Here's one of his music videos:

Her Supreme Highness of Eternal Whackness: Czarina Elizabeth Hasselbeck, Emeritus

Where does one begin with this woman?! Elizabeth Hasselbeck is so eternally whack that she deserves to have the word emeritus attached to her name every time it appears in print. I was going to crown her this week’s Empress of Whackness, but she’s whack every week so the original title just didn’t seem adequate.

Czarina Hasselbeck isn’t wiggidy-whack just because she’s a conservative. She’s whack because she’s an unapologetic idiot, plain and simple. How is she an idiot, you ask? Let’s count the ways! :

1. She regularly sights facts and stats that have been proven false on national television ('cuz, like, nobody reads or cares, so why not make stuff up?)
2. She’s an avid supporter of the Divine Ruler of All Fools, Sarah Palin, Emeritus ('cuz, like, she's hot and totally popular!)
3. She insulted then-presidential candidate, John Kerry for knowing how to speak French fluently ('cuz, like, only losers and commy elitists speak French! Real Americans speak Americanese)
4. She insulted Michelle Obama for advising her not to put her nosey behind in her and/or her children’s business ('cuz, like, who does she thinks she is- the First Lady?! Oh, right, oops.)

5. She's friends with fellow know-nothing View co-host, Sherri Shepherd. Really. (cuz, like, I need at least one Black friend)
6. She’s a former reality show contestant ('cuz like, everybody loves me- I'm totally hot and popular!!)

Need we say more? Of course we do! If those examples were not enough to convince you, let’s take a look at the entire 2008 election cycle. Hasselbeck’s maddening political commentary was enough to make most progressive thinking people walk around daily with a barf bag. Not to mention her palpable hostility toward Joy Behar’s liberal points of view made everyone think that there would be a sequel to the O’Donnell/Hasselbeck split screen beat-down from a few years back. Every time one thinks Hasselbeck will turn the corner on her vapid insufferability, she throws the North Americans a curve ball and brings her whackness to new heights.

All hail! Like, totally.

No Kids for Me- I'm Doing My Part to Save the Planet!

A few weeks ago I was talking with some colleagues at work. Somehow the topic of children came up and each of us put in our two cents about what we thought of child bearing and child rearing. Someone mentioned that they didn't want to have any kids because the world was already overpopulated. Huh?! I thought the response was a little weird, but I shrugged it off and quickly forgot about it.

Today, I was in conversation with somebody else who touted the same reason for their lack of desire to have children. Am I missing something here? Was I not forwarded the Memo? Since when did this become the reason du jour to NOT want to have kids. I really have zero interest in whether or not one chooses to have children, but this reasoning seems a bit goofy. I cannot, in all good faith, believe that people out there are so environmentally friendly that they would hold off on having children just to save the planet. Listen, IF YOU DON'T WANT KIDS, JUST SAY SO! No one will persecute you. No one will shun you. Why do people make up such ridiculous excuses?

Underrated Talent: Sara Tavares

Okay, okay, so Sara Tavares has been on the scene for a while now. I know for a fact that most you have not heard of her. I'd never heard of her until I happened upon a sample playlist of her music while perusing Amazon.com a couple of months back. But in the hopeless wilderness that is the current music industry, Ms. Tavares is tall glass of cool water. I mentioned her name to a Portuguese colleague of mine who told me that she is super popular in Portugual and Cape Verde. I have to say that I love, love, love her music. If I were to describe the genre of music she sings it would be a mish mash of pop, folk, soul & Afrobeat. She mostly sings in Portuguese- a language I don't completely understand, but her voice is beautiful and her music is so cheerful that even if you don't quite understand what she is singing, you'll want to learn Portuguese just to groove to it earnestly.

Her last studio album, Balancê, was released in 2006 and I believe she is currently working on new material. Ms. Tavares was born in Portugual to Cape Verdean parents in 1978. She rocketed to fame in her native country in the mid-nineties after winning the Portuguese equivalent to American Idol. Please pull out a lawn chair and pour yourself cold glass of lemonade, check her music out and let me know what you think. I guarantee her tunes will be on your heavy rotation lists!

My favourite songs: Balancê, Bom Feeling, One Love, Poka Terra

Watch her Balancê video:

THIS WEEK'S EMPEROR OF WHACKNESS: CNN's Ed Henry

Everyday on God's Green Earth there is someone who grossly offends humanity- and by humanity I mean... me. Though the twits of this world are as plentiful as the goose dung that dots a city beach, there is always a 'special' twit that shines through. This week the crown belongs to CNN's Senior White House Correspondent, Ed Henry.

Ed Henry is very deserving of this title. If anyone watched President Obama's press conference on Tuesday they'd know what I'm talking about. Ed has great difficulty hiding the fact that he is a hard line Republican (if you didn't notice this, just take a second look at his haircut). Emperor Ed took his moment in the sun on that fateful Tuesday night by asking the President a two-part question about the national debt and the AIG bonus scandal. The President proceeded to answer the first part of the question whilst ignoring Emperor Ed's questioning of his outrage reaction time on the bonus debacle. Eddy then goes on to press the President on his unanswered second question to which President Obama responds: "It took us two days because I like to know what I talk about before I speak".

Watch It Here:



Oooohhhh dis!

And I present to you This Week's Emperor of Whackness!

What do you think?

Rich People Buying Black Babies

I am so sick and tired of North American celebrities running over to Africa and/or Asia looking for poor, orphaned and disadvantaged children to take home with them. As if Africa didn't already have enough major crises on its hands (i.e. the theft its natural resources, wars and wide spread corruption and poverty), it has to contend this latest wave of 'benevolent' colonialism. Maybe I'm being really cynical about this, but I see this more as a Hollywood trend than an earnest way of help an ailing continent. They have the Christian Louboutin pumps and the latest Bentley Continental GT, why not top the look off with a chubby African baby. 'We've gotta take you out of this dump so we take you to a more civilized and rich culture, like ours! The Western way is the better way!' Why do I feel this way, you ask? Well, first of all, why aren't these celebrities adopting poor disadvantaged children in their own countries? Lord knows there are many. My suspicion is that a local adoption is less sexy or exotic than a foreign one. If my hunch is right, this makes the whole African adoption bonanza all the more disgusting.

Secondly, why don't these celebrities take their wealth, fame and limitless resources and pour it into investing in African infrastructure, the defence of human rights, capacity building, sustainable living initiatives and/or simply lobbying the government and speaking truth to power? To me, this would be a far more effective method of improving the lives of African children and their parents in the long run. People like Bono (although he's become more self-serving than helpful), George Clooney or Sir Bob Geldof didn't adopt any kids, but they are doing their best to speak truth to power. Oprah, although I am not a fan, had the right idea by creating and building a school that would cater to young girls in South Africa. Can you imagine if every celebrity and/or wealthy citizen for that matter, were to do the same? Africa would be on its way! Adoption on a broad scale is nothing more than a Band-Aid.

I guess what put me over the edge with this topic was the headline that Madonna is about to adopt yet another sucker/child from Malawi. She didn't get enough after bamboozling her last adoptive child's biological father into selling his own flesh and blood, so she's going back for more. Now, I'm not judging Madonna's lifestyle- she's a grown woman, but would she or Angelina Jolie while we're at it, ever have been able to adopt if they had the same lifestyle and were making $34,000 annually and working at a Ford plant? Puh-leez! Stop, freeze and put the black boy down!

Breaking News: Iggy Has A Twin!

Is it just me or does the newly minted leader of the Queen's Loyal Opposition bare a strong resemblance to the greatest comic book villain of all time? Yes, folks- I'm talking about The Joker! This is not a good sign for the Liberals and as much as I'd like them to succeed, having your leader look like a psychopathic, murdering cartoon character is... well... bad. Not quite as bad as having your leader deliver a pre-taped address to a national audience that looks as if it was filmed by a Parliamentary Page on his/her mobile phone... but bad.

MY INAUGURAL BLOG POSTING

Hey folks!

So let me start by welcoming you to my first EVER blog posting. I've been mulling over this whole blog deal for some time now and I've finally decided to take the plunge. I've grown tired of venting my daily frustrations on my Facebook status bar (not enough space- Mr. Zuckerberg will have to work on that!) so naturally, blogging became the next step. I'm still not quite sure how this whole thing works, so bare with me on this one! For the experienced blogger who may visit this fledgling blog, go easy on the criticisms, okay? Good!
I guess I should start with a little about me. I'm a young African-Canadian female who has a lot of things to say about the state of the world. I generally think many of the events and people that surround us are completely absurd and hilarious, hence a comedic approach is most appropriate.
Disclaimer: I'm super-opinionated and I make no apologies for it! Some of y'all may agree with my point of view on certain issues and some of you may not, and that's okay. I welcome vigorous debate, so BRING IT ON! Here are some of the categories to look out for on my new blog:

1. Politics
This has long been a favourite topic of mine. I'm a fierce and unapologetic liberal- which is probably not what you'd expect from a girl who grew up in a devoutly evangelical, West Indian household. That being said, I do think that the majority of the politicians and political practices around the globe are pure comedy gold. Making things even more gut-busting is the fact that politicians don't seem to realize how much of a hot mess they truly are.

2. Music & Film
I don't just love music... I LURVE music!!!! If it's good I listen to it, if it isn't I let everyone know it totally sucks. Unfortunately the music industry is in complete disaray. Very few artists- and I use the term very loosely- are worth listening to and the industry has put most of its emphasis on marketing. If you don't believe me listen to the Jonas Brothers body of work- if you can call it that.
I also love film. I love escaping for two hours into a really great story that has been brought to life through a great performance. On the other hand, a really bad movie can make you want to wretch your popcorn and wish someone would credit you with the time you just wasted (preferably with a spa voucher) . You'll be hearing about both types of movies from me.

3. Travel
Travel is an addiction for me. If I were a rich girl, lalalalalalala (sorry Gwen, I couldn't help it) I would spend my time exploring every corner of the globe- including the worn-torn parts! I fundamentally believe that everyone should invest in some travel at least once. It expands the mind and gives you a greater understanding of the people and cultures you interact with. Most of the racist hicks I've ever met in life are people who have never travelled. I can usually tell when a person has never travelled by the way they react to people who don't look or act like them.

4. People
My greatest joy in life is being surrounded by people of all types. I enjoy conversing with people, laughing with people and hanging out with people. But, let's be honest- most of us are complete, sizzling hot messes! I will be commenting on the random people I meet, as well as famous people... maybe even the people I know (they shall remain nameless, of course). LOL!

Of course I'll be writing about a bunch of other things, but I won't exhaust my potential readers by listing them all in my first posting. I hope you'll tune in regularly and I look forward to hearing from all of you!

Lates!
KB