Where there is smoke there is fire, right? I hope this principal applies to the job lead I got this morning.

 

Lauren told me about a friend who needs an assistant. The job involves some assistant camera work, digital retouching and cataloging of products. I get to learn more about photography, photoshop & illustrator? Sounds great!

 

I called her friend, got the scoop and gave a little info about myself. Next week I'll go in for an interview with the art directors so I hope they don't hire someone before then. That's out of my hands so I won't even think about it. Anyway that's looking hopeful Keep all fingers and toes crossed.

 

I talked to a good friend today & besides saying that he would be out here, also told me that I have too many pictures of me on the site! I respect is opinion a lot in a creative way also because he's a great illustrator and painter. Are there really too many pictures of me? Does this whole thing come across as self-indulging? Email me with your thoughts.

 

In other news, I got a return phone call from a focus group today. They called David & Lauren's number with a call back number. I guessed that it was a survey on dog owners that I applied for. To my surprise, it's actually for beer drinkers! If you don't know, I've never had a drink and so to pull this of I'm gonna rely on my 6 years of pre-college acting experience. The things we do for money.

 

Having DSL is like trading in your bicycle for a corvette. The bike got me this far, but the amount of photos,sound and webcam stuff I will be adding soon, required a major overall and this is step one. How bout a round of applause for Verizon for getting something right, this time in only 2 tries!!

 

Tonight I went out with Nerissa and we were bugging out about the fact that we are actually in New York at the same time! She's in the mist of final prepartions for the big wedding day in July!

 

One of the topics of conversation was how these clubs get away with extracting rap music from hiphop culture. Ya know all the 'no hat' no sneakers, b.s. I'm not even gonna start preaching cause I'll be at the B-Boy BBQ tomorrow in Philly and at the Hip Hop Political Convention, next week in Newark. A change gonna come......

- guest writer and photographer Karim Lateef

 

It is very difficult to express in words the feeling and overwhelming energy Joe and I felt before, during, and after the 2004 B-Boy Barbeque in Philly. This event will remain bookmarked in my memory as another day that Hip Hop has proven its immortality and ingenuity. The event was a signpost pointing in the direction of the future. It was a cultural equalizer of all groups of people-African Americans, Caucasians, Latinas, East Indians, West Indians, Eastern Europeans, Middle Eastern, Gays/Lesbians, Children, 9 to 5ers, Entrepenuers, Artists, Patrons, where the common denominator was a deep passion for the preservation and continuation of the true elements of Hip Hop culture.

 

The event was created and supported by people who understand the meaning of pain, hunger, no fear, uncompromising creativity, and irrepressible joy. Despite the uniformity in the consciousness of the attendees,there was still enough raw expression and individuality to give a photographer an artistic orgasm. When we arrived at the event, even before we walked in the park, we were submerged in grafitti art along the walls, stop signs, an abandoned van, and any available space. As we proceeded into the park, the first thing I noticed was the amount of kids playing, breaking, and participating in the cultural elements. Which is very important for the continuation of the culture. Some of the highlights were a performance by 84, Reef the Lost Cauze and Chief Kamachi, live grafitti exhibition by Shiro (dope graf artist from Japan), a freestyle session that included but was not limited to J-Live and Spade, DJ STATIK on the wheels, several b-girls breaking, and the continuous positive energy given and reciprocated by everyone. I recommend that if you are reading this recap, make EVERY effort to come to PHILLY next year to make Hip Hop newly emerged pilgrimage.

 

 

My brain is maxed out from all of the information gathered in Philly. I need more RAM so I'll probably delete some of my more embarassing childhood memories to make room for faster processing.

 

First off, thanks Karim for making the trek to Jersey to pick me up and also for writing on the site! Isn't he a great writer? Also, I want to say peace to HeadBang Theory Crew. Big things coming real soon.

 

Now, a busy week ahead. Got a job interview sometime this week, the Hip Hop Political Convention is taking place, my homeboy Martin is coming to town and Jerry's Lecture at the Donnel Library. Breathe.....ok now lay your head on the pillow and take it one day at a time. I'm seriously in need of rest once I start giving instructions in the 3rd person.

 

......to my Mommy and Daddy! They've been together for 29 years! Wait, I don't think you heard. They've been together for 29 years!!!

 

In this day and age when folks will leave you faster then Kobe bought his wife a million dollar ring, I am so in awe of this feat. I often imagine how I might be now if I hadn't had both of my parents together all my life. My parents married with their own set of kids from previous marriages, and those children( aka my older brothers and sister) had to deal with having step parents.

 

At times, I would feel sorry for them because they weren't living with the other person who brought them in the world. For one set of kids, their father lived over 2000 miles away and they would only see him once a year until he died about ten years ago because of alcohol abuse. The other set of kids mother died when they were young.

 

As my parents both advance in age, my love an appreciation for them grows exponentially. When you read this or if you think of me today, think also of the wonderful, loving people who brought me into this world.