ted kennedy

"We know the future will outlast all of us, but I believe that all of us will live on in the future we make."
Edward 'Ted' Moore Kennedy
1932-2009

rest in peace

ted kennedy

remembering aaliyah

1971-2001

remembering aaliyah

afropolitana fashion: kua designs

rashida

have just stumbled upon KUA designs.


setusi

bintu

based in the US (atlanta and new york) and inspired by ghana, this collection of elegant clutches composed of both wax fabric and woven straw is truly stunning.

asanteewa

check them out, here.

afropolitana fashion: kua designs

k'naan and j.period: the messengers

continuing to "create medication out of [his] own tribulations," k'naan's latest effort pays tribute to three legendary fellow troubadours that have undoubtedly influenced his own music: fela kuti, bob marley, and bob dylan. a three-track digital EP has been released as a sample of the much-anticipated j.period-produced, the messengers, that effortlessly fuses k'naan's brilliant lyricism with re-imagined classic sounds of the three musical pioneers.

'let's start (tribute to fela kuti)' begins with the rakim's 'i came in the door/i said it before...' from 'erik b is president'--a particularly significant line as k'naan has recounted numerous times how it was through paid in full and other hip hop albums that he learned the english language. this track's combination of afrobeat and classic hip hop is an awesome nod to his genesis as "africa's rap bruce lee." on the bob marley tribute, 'them belly full', toronto is fully represented in a collaboration with kardinal offishal, as well as with fellow afropolitans, sierra leone's bajah and the dry eye crew and brooklyn's steele on a refreshingly revolutionary track that showcases how powerful hip hop can be when the music has a message. and, finally, 'relationship lay' hits hard with k'naan ruminating on the complexity of relationships over bob dylan's hauntingly beautiful refrain from 'lay, lady, lay,' 'i long to see you in the morning light...'.

i think both k'naan and j.period have outdone themselves with this one, and i cannot wait to hear the rest. the EP was released on august 18th and j.period and k'naan will pay tribute to each individual 'messenger' with a new release every tuesday in september. the tribute to fela kuti will be released on september 1st; the tribute to bob marley on september 8th, and the tribute to bob dylan on september 15th. the messengers entire compliation will be released on September 22nd.

download the EP, here.

k'naan and j.period: the messengers

well, damn!: maxwell's 'bad habits'

i'm just sayin'.

well, damn!: maxwell's 'bad habits'

naomi sims

on August 3 2009, the lovely and elegant Naomi Sims passed away from complications due to Cancer. she was 61.

she broke barriers with her appearances on magazine covers long before any other black model and has left behind iconic images only made possible by her determination to overcome the numerous boundaries she faced in life, both personally and professionally.

rest in peace, Ms. Sims. thank you for breaking ground.

Naomi Sims 1948-2009

naomi sims

soul food: iyaDede

out of monumental pain and darkness can arise true, exquisite beauty and light.

i've been meaning to write about fellow nomadic afropolitan, iyaDede, since i first discovered her a few months ago...and her voice is currently the soundtrack to these chronicles. it is a voice that is at once both delicate and powerful, her style uncategorizable, her talent unrefutable.

'love robot'

loVE RobOT (iyaDedE/Blessoill/Charlemagne graphix) from Iya Dede on Vimeo.

a survivor of Rwanda's 1994 Genocide, iyaDede has overcome pain, trauma and incredible loss and has emerged with an inspirational strength and spirit. after leaving Rwanda, she lived in Belgium [where she awesomely sang back-up for the incredible Zap Mama], and then ultimately in the US where she currently resides in Brooklyn. her passion and love for her home country and continent is evident in her words and i am so proud she is representing with such soul, beauty, grace, funk, and fire.

her forthcoming album is entitled 'talking to god' and is an eclectic mix of electronic pop funkadelic hotness. this woman's star is rising and i cannot wait to see what happens in the coming months. in the coming years.

here she performs her powerful 'in my darkest hour' at the Brooklyn Museum (spontenously accompanied by Rwandan dancers).

soul food: iyaDede

the black issue: vogue italia does it again

Vogue Italia is, once again, back with its Black Issue.

this time, it has produced a collector's supplement dedicated to the iconic Barbie doll.

"Barbie has been an icon for whole generations which is why I really wanted to give a strong sign in step with the times, and dedicate the anniversary issue to Black Barbie,"
Franca Sozzani, Editor

love the concept, love the execution.

the black issue: vogue italia does it again

StyleFREE

seven years to the date of his arrest, John Forté has released his new EP.

download it here.

tracks that have embedded themselves onto my soul: 'best that love could be' (ft. ben taylor), 'nervous' and 'more beautiful now'.

StyleFREE

john forte: play my cards for me

john forte's 'style free' EP will be out next week.

from the sounds of his latest single 'play my cards for me', it seems like he's picking up right where he left off seven years ago with 'i, john', a seriously slept-on album. loving the new direction.
new track available for download at http://www.johnforte.com/.

edit: the whole EP is now available for preview on www.myspace.com/johnforte.

john forte: play my cards for me

we had him

We Had Him--Maya Angelou

Beloveds, now we know that we know nothing, now that our bright and shining star can slip away from our fingertips like a puff of summer wind.

Without notice, our dear love can escape our doting embrace. Sing our songs among the stars and walk our dances across the face of the moon.

In the instant that Michael is gone, we know nothing. No clocks can tell time. No oceans can rush our tides with the abrupt absence of our treasure.

Though we are many, each of us is achingly alone, piercingly alone.

Only when we confess our confusion can we remember that he was a gift to us and we did have him.

He came to us from the creator, trailing creativity in abundance.

Despite the anguish, his life was sheathed in mother love, family love, and survived and did more than that.

He thrived with passion and compassion, humor and style. We had him whether we know who he was or did not know, he was ours and we were his.

We had him, beautiful, delighting our eyes.

His hat, aslant over his brow, and took a pose on his toes for all of us.

And we laughed and stomped our feet for him.

We were enchanted with his passion because he held nothing. He gave us all he had been given.

Today in Tokyo, beneath the Eiffel Tower, in Ghana's Black Star Square.

In Johannesburg and Pittsburgh, in Birmingham, Alabama, and Birmingham, England

We are missing Michael.

But we do know we had him, and we are the world.

we had him