on bent knee.

Plan B 'Prayin' - Director: Daniel Wolfe from Tom Lindsay on Vimeo.

Prayin'- Plan B

Director Daniel Wolfe nails it again, bringing yet another one of Plan B's songs to life. Pay close attention to the choreography. It's Shawshank Redemption meets So You Think You Can Dance.

when i say trip, you say hop.

They're back. Massively.

Badu. Be, do.

If awesomesauce was a drug, Erykah would be the Badu-est dealer in the 'hood. Thirty seconds into her newest, and utterly psychedelic video and I had heart palpitations and cotton-mouth. I was even able to forgive the Lil'Wayne cameo (there are a milli' reasons why I think he should here on out be known as 'ft. Lil' Wayne'), because while I love vintage Erykah, (two of my fave vids after the jump)the woman sure as hell knows how to make a comeback.

The new track is called 'Jump up in the air and stay there' (not actually from EB's much anticipated LP) and features the pair swirling, twirling and tripping through a kaleidoscope.*

You can peep the vid on her site!

Oldy, but goodys:

The Ode to Hip Hop-



Erykah Badu ft. Common - Love of My Life

The Ode to love-



The Roots ft: Erykah Badu- You Got Me

* Thanks to Pitchfork for the heads up.

blood is rushing.

A modern-day Neneh, with a Badu twist.

SadeSadeSade

I was handled by 'Smooth Operator'.
Magnificently waylaid by 'Kissing You'.
And sublimely humbled by 'By Your Side'

In 2010, I may forget my own name.

when great combos get upsized

From:



Bassment Jaxx feat Lisa Kekaula, 2004

To:



Bassment Jaxx feat Lisa Kekaula, 2009


While 'goodluck' will always have a place in my heart (and playlist) for being a great get-back-at-him-song, I've recently become taken with their newest combined effort 'Stay Close'. Her voice melts over the lyrics and Jaxx's subtle production wraps the song in a weird little bubble that I keep popping.

animated grime culture

A testament to the notion that
sometimes you don't have to look far for inspiration.


You can stand completely still for years.

a not-quite-movement that stuck. with me anyway.

it's carnivale.

We boarded the TTC rather lackadaisically, the events of the night before still lingering- with age comes consequences and hangovers that sips of caffeine may not cure. My camera burned a hole in my bag, the strap digging into my shoulder as a reminder that I had no room for excuses- I was to attend, capture, and roll out. Wham bam, thank you Ma'am, a first of firsts.

After the TTC there was a shuttle bus, express of course, to a different kind of promised land. Fighting motion sickness and the glare of Caribana themed pro-nails we killed the crawling minutes by counting weaves and louder-than-thou Americans.

We arrived and in a matter of moments realized that the $25 price tag was steep for half a parade and uncomfortable bleacher seats. Defeated, we chose to wander, following the sounds of socca floats, 'braapps' and a trail of fallen luminescent feathers. Finally, like Hansel and Gretel stumbling on the path to the candy house, we spotted a very illegal, very irresistible opening in a once impenetrable iron gate. Bodies surrounded and enfolded us- within moments we were carried through to a blocked off parking lot where the next option was to run. I still have bruises on my side where camera-laden purse smacked unyielding flesh. The crowd on the other side absorbed us, and like fugitives we tried to blend in. The smiles came out and so did my lens.

(Click for colour)










































Oh and the shoes! Of course, the shoes.

tighter than Dereon jeans.

Anyone for a Dundas Square reprise?

a legacy left.

When I was in middle school I wanted my sisters and I to create our own hip-hop group. Not for fame ourselves, but so we could one day open for TLC. I wanted nothing more than to get to meet the women who made enormous overalls and bulbous neon hats cool. I bought their third album with my allowance when it came out right before a trip to Africa and spent over two months with just FanMail in my Walkman. LeftEye was my favourite and I often tried to emulate her snappy rhymes and brim with her cheeky in-your-face attitude. After she passed, the remaining members decided to find a new addition to the group in the UPN produced lameness called R U the Girl? which resulted in the adoption of some little scrub who referred to herself as O'So Krispie (no jks). I'm glad nothing, or at least nothing I've witnessed, has become of the new trio.


In recent news, LeftEye's posthumous album Eye Legacy was finally released yesterday after being post-poned at least three times. I've heard a few tracks and Lisa's rapping style shines through even though in some instances the production doesn't seem to quite match. It's become fairly obvious that save some kind of time machine excursion to Honduras in '99, there's not much that can be done to recreate and help us relive those days.

Except maybe my top three TLC video montage:

3. Waterfalls.


2. Creep. (apologies, the YT jerks won't let me embed.)

1. What about your friends?