The mission of The Department of Afro-American Research Arts and Culture to identify the global significance of the creative contributions pioneered by an international diaspora of Blackness
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Thursday, March 25, 2010

The Boondocks [Season 2] (2007)









Starring:

  • Regina King
  • John Witherspoon
  • Gary Anthony Williams
  • Cedric Yarbrough
  • Jill Talley
  • Gabby Soleil

IMDB.com
Having read and watched both the print and televised versions of the Boondocks I can honestly say, to me it was a diamond in the rough...until now. The antics and sometime semantics of the lead characters Huey, Riley and Grandpa are enough to keep ones funny bone in stitches while at the same time sending a message to the viewer loud and clear. The message is that no matter what color, no matter what creed or race....everyone is F'ed UP! I know the brothas and sistas will be jammin on how Huey is sticking it to the white man and so on, but that is only one side of the equation for the story often shows the illogic and humor of how African Americans view life. A stinging indictment on how the gov't seeks to obstruct and keep down the black man gives way to portrayals of black men stereotyping one another with colorful and racial epithets. The mocking vision of white males acting like black gansta rappers melts into the savage humor of hoes and pimps and black men and gun play. Its the long stretch and cleansing breath of the soul the racial landscape of America has needed for a long time. No one is perfect and this show is unafraid to show that no matter what color or ideology , that you have a bullseye on your back when Huey and Riley come around!

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

The Boondocks [Season 1] (2005)









Starring:

  • Regina King
  • John Witherspoon
  • Gary Anthony Williams
  • Cedric Yarbrough
  • Jill Talley
  • Gabby Soleil


IMDB.com
This is Adult Swim's most socially conscious and possibly most clever show. It's loaded with parallels to real world events. (A convenience store robbery works as a perfect metaphor for the early stages of Iraqi Freedom.) There are also heavy doses of Eastern influences, with references to Japanese cinema (Zatoichi, specifically) and action scenes comparable to what you'd normally only see in anime. The heavy dosage of quality hip hop is also refreshing. Aaron McGruder is man with good tastes, and they help to make his material so brilliant.

And yes, it is damn funny. John Witherspoon is incredible, and Regina King's voice grows on you after an episode. Also, frequent appearances by Samuel L. Jackson and Charlie Murphy as a couple of rich white boy gangstas lend an unequaled comic value to the show.

Now, onto the controversy factor.

Not to sound like a broken record, but this show is not racist. It does not lampoon black people, nor does it lampoon white people. This show specifically makes fun of just plain ignorant folks. Regardless of race. If you are a viewer who gets offended by the show, or thinks it's just an excuse for Adult Swim to prominently feature the "n-word," then you are exactly who this show is making fun of. (That's not to say that you have to like the show. If you are not offended but still do not like the show, that's your own prerogative.) I always thought that any show that always has to include a moral message must be a crappy family sitcom or kid's show. Not so in the case of Boondocks. Not to sound to preachy, but racial tensions still exist, even if the most common result is a white person being awkward and overly friendly when meeting a black person, saying things like "So, you hear the new Jay-Z?See the new Spike Lee?" This show is just what society needs.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Terence Blanchard - Malcolm X [Original Score] (1992)


Columbia CK 53190
Country: United States
Format: CD
Release Date: 1992

Tracklist:

1 Opening Credits Boys Choir Of Harlem 2:15
2 Young Malcolm Boys Choir Of Harlem 2:16
3 Cops and Robbers :45
4 Earl's Death :38
Performed by: Branford Marsalis, Orchestra
5 Flashback Blanchard, Orchestra 4:19
6 Numbers 1:12
Performed by: John Longo, Jerome Richardson, James Hynes
7 Fire 1:43
8 Back to Boston 1:00
Performed by: Jerome Richardson, Tarus Mateen, Blanchard
9 Malcolm Meets Baines 3:05
10 Black and White 3:56
Performed by: Jackson, Eugene Jr., Orchestra
11 Little Lamb Vision 3:47
12 Malcolm's Letter 1:40
13 Malcolm Meets Elijah 1:55
14 The Old Days 4:00
Performed by: Blanchard, Britt Woodman, Roland Hanna
15 Betty's Theme 1:03
Performed by: Branford Marsalis, Bruce Barth, Nedra Wheeler
16 Fruit of Islam 3:51
17 First Minister Boys Choir Of Harlem 2:28
18 Betty's Conflict 3:33
Performed by: Branford Marsalis, Orchestra
19 Malcolm Speaks to Secretaries 1:42
20 Malcolm Confronts Baines 2:16
21 Chickens Come Home 1:03
Performed by: Jim Saporito, Warren Smith, Gordon Gottlieb
22 Going to Mecca 1:51
Performed by: Simon Shaheen, Michael Baklook, Orchestra
23 Firebomb 2:51
Performed by: Orchestra, Branford Marsalis
24 Assassins Orchestra, Blanchard :48
25 Assassination Blair Tindall :46
26 Eulogy Boys Choir Of Harlem 3:51

AMG.com
Composer/conductor Terence Blanchard, better known as one of the Wynton Marsalis-era young jazz traditionalists and an outstanding trumpet player, turns in a score worthy of the scope of Spike Lee's biographical drama. He mixes jazz segments with effective orchestral mood pieces for a series of musical settings in keeping with the heroic sweep of the film.
by William Ruhlmann

Provided by kegorogers

Link to OST review
Various artists - Malcolm X OST (1992)

Link to movie review
Spike Lee - Malcolm X (1992)

Friday, March 5, 2010

Bill Lee feat. Branford Marsalis - Do The Right Thing Original Score (1989)




Tracks
A1 Mookie Goes Home
A2 We Love Roll Call Y-All
A3 Father To Son
A4 Da Mayor Drinks His Beer
A5 Delivery For Love Daddy
A6 Riot
A7 Magic, Eddie, Prince Ain´t Niggers
A8 Mookie (Septet)
A9 How Long ?
B1 Mookie (Orchestra)
B2 Da Mayor Loves Mother Sister
B3 Da Mayor Buys Roses
B4 Tawana
B5 Malcolm And Martin
B6 Wake Up Finale

Credits
Orchestra - Natural Spiritual Orchestra, The
Bass - Robert Hurst
Drums - Jeff "Tain" Watts
Piano - James Williams , Kenny Barron
Saxophone [Alto] - Donald Harrison
Saxophone [Tenor], Saxophone [Soprano] - Branford Marsalis
Trumpet - Marlon Jordan , Terence Blanchard
Producer, Mixed By, Composed By, Conductor - Bill Lee
Recorded By, Engineer - Patrick Smith
Engineer - James Nichols
Mastered By - Vlado Meller

Notes
A Spike Lee Joint
Recorded December 12-16, 1988, Mixed July 17-19, 1989 at RCA Studios, NY.
Bill Lee - Do The Right Thing Original Score
Label: CBS
Catalog#: 465960 1
Format: Vinyl, LP
Country: Netherlands
Released: 1989

In my own humble opinion this is a veritable who's who of crack New York talent at the time, blowin' it out to create the right atmosphere for this historical piece of cinema. While it's more famous for the HipHop music, perhaps it's unjustly so. Discover this and let Your socks glide across the floor once more! Thank You Bill and Lee.

Provided by Funkback

Link to OST review
Various Artists - Do The Right Thing (1989)

Link to movie review
Spike Lee - Do The Right Thing (1989)

Various Artists - Do The Right Thing (1989)


Tracks
1 Public Enemy - Fight The Power 5:29
Producer - Carl Ryder , Eric Sadler , Hank Shocklee
2 Teddy Riley Feat. Guy - My Fantasy 4:56
Producer - Gene Griffin , Teddy Riley
3 E.U. - Party Hearty 4:40
Producer - Ju Ju House , Kent Wood
4 Steel Pulse - Can't Stand It 5:03
Producer - David R. Hinds* , Sidney Mills
5 Keith John - Why Don't We Try 3:32
Producer - Raymond Jones
6 Perri - Feel So Good 5:38
Producer - Paul Laurence
7 Take 6 - Don't Shoot Me 4:06
Producer - Mervyn E. Warren*
8 Lori Perry And Gerald Alston - Hard To Say 3:20
Producer - Paul Laurence
9 Perri - Prove To Me 5:22
Producer - Raymond Jones , Sami McKinney
10 Al Jarreau - Never Explain Love 5:56
Producer - Raymond Jones
11 Ruben Blades - Tu Y Yo 5:12
Producer - Ruben Blades

Executive Producer - Spike Lee

AMG.com
The soundtrack for director Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing is a veritable window into the hip-hop/contemporary R&B scene circa 1989. Peppered with "new jack" era slabs of wax from the likes of Public Enemy (the iconic "Fight the Power"), summer party staples from E.U. ("Party Hearty") and Teddy Riley ("My Fantasy"), and deep slow jams from Perri and Al Jarreau, it's the perfect background for a hot night in the city, and like the film itself, it's both frivolous and foreboding. [Motown reissued Do the Right Thing with two remixes of Guy's "My Fantasy."].
by James Christopher Monger

Provided by Funkback

Link to moviescore review
Bill Lee arr/cond & The Natural Spiritual Orcherstra - Do The Right Thing (1989)

Link to movie review
Spike Lee - Do The Right Thing (1989)

Monday, March 1, 2010

Blaxploitation Fashion

This is too cool to not be on BP. I know some of you can relate to these fashions from the 70's. These ads are from old Ebony Magazines between 1970-'76. Please visit "Learning 2 Share" for more fashion from in the 70's.



Here are some more cool hair fashions from the 70's. If you notice Mr. Wone with the "Blow Up" from back in the day ;-) Just Kidding!!! Please visit "Meathaus" to see more Funky Fro's from Ebony Magazine.