SOUL FOOD

I was watching Tavis Smiley one day and his guest was the one and only Denzel Washington. Usually when Denzel makes his movie premiere talk show rounds he is donned in a NY fitted, jeans or an occasional collared shirt. When Washington sat down to chat with Tavis; he chilled in a dark tailored two piece that could make the most heterosexual man, mutter damn!! Smiley, not missing the obvious opportunity, asked: Man, why the suit? And, Denzel in an effortless manner that only he could script simply replied: “I wore this suit to show you how much I appreciate what you do.” Silence.


Well, as many of you know I am a HUGE music fan and in honor of this spectacular CD, this will be one of the few times where I check my dry-witted sarcasm at the door.

After a four-year lay-off singer/ songwriter extraordinaire, Donnie unleashes his second LP called The Daily News and (honestly) my simple review will never do it justice. In spite of that fact, here it goes. Wait, before I get started, there are a couple of things you have to absorb.

a) Don’t for a minute think that you are going to drop the top or swing your hips to this one--it is simply not that type of party. Donnie is much too complex for that. 9-1-1 will be the closest track to a toe-tapping single that you will get from Marvin Gaye’s nephew; and believe me, his legendary uncle will be extremely proud of this one. Add Donnie Hathaway to that (would-be) proud list, who Marvin’s nephew is named after.

b) You will also notice the inability to categorize this CD, hence the Independent distribution from SoulThought Records—I can only imagine the faces in the recording studio as these lyrics were being recited.

Not so ironically, The Daily News tackles subjects like sexism, racism, drug abuse, homophobia, child molestation, the Atlanta Child Murders, suicide and even the prescription drug companies. Yeah, it is hard to snap your finger to that one—although the brilliant TRUE gospel-like music arrangements actually attempts to do just that.

If you didn’t like the debut LP The Colored Section, don’t waste your time with this one. Just turn on your urban contemporary radio and watch your soul get washed down the sewer. Who knows, maybe one day it’ll make the daily news.

Bonus Tracks:

  Clips for The Daily News http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2bFsa-KFIc

The Colored Sections http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-330HiPgSw

1 love,
Ray Lewis

Ya Don't Say

“The only real controversy behind saying the word nigger is…, for the first time in America history, a black man told a white man that there is something he cannot do.”---Chris Rock

Okay, where were we? Ah, yes, Imus. He got fired for saying something stupid. Imagine that. Now here’s a little known Black History fact, Imus has been riding this short school bus skit for 30 years. Now the corporate suits concluded that he’s too over-the-top? Wow, white people are so strange. Personally, I don’t believe in censorship of any kind. For one, it goes against the very principal of a democracy. Secondly, it’ll open a pandora's box that America will never fairly or adequately “police.” Furthermore, how can anyone south of Jesus legislate morals?

Is Imus an ass? Certainly. But, last I checked that’s not against the law. If it was Charles Barkley would be doing life—plus ten. As far as the girls’ hoop team from Rutgers goes, it is important to remember it’s not what you are called; it’s what you answer to. So, if I had a vote [which I am positive most black people are elated that I don’t] I would’ve voted NOT to fire Imus. No one asked me, but I also would’ve never hired him—which I think is where the discussion should start.

My cube-mate asked me why is the good Reverend Sharpton and his podium pal Jesse involved in every racial situation in America? I rhetorically answered... maybe because someone disassembled the Klan? I thought that would’ve ended the conversation, but noooooo. So, once that awkward silence ended, I asked: Would you rather digest the racial opinions of Louis Farrakhan, Belafonte, or Hugo Chavez? I sure do. I told my naïve neighbor that media loves Jesse and Al because they inject a certain emotion (oddly within black and white people) every time their face hits the flat screen. And, the media is about steroid ratings, not substance—which is why Hugo will NEVER be invited to speak at the United Nations again. Jesse and Al may have a picnic there. You can now add my name to the list of Black people that my noisy neighbor would rather not hear from. I wonder if he realizes how mutual the feeling.

1 love,
Ray Lewis