6FootBombshell

I think the “tan” hairline going around Ciara’s entire face is self-explanatory!

Although she looks beautiful, it’s still and EPIC FAIL!

Who says you have to party at 12 midnight anymore?  The “day party” is a great concept.  I get it.  Sunset Lounge, a group of young forward thinking entrepreneurs, has brought a fairly new concept to the forefront of Atlanta’s “night life”, now “day life”.  Whether this group is the first to do it, that’s up for debate but regardless, they are doing it.

Hundreds of people come together at Shout Restaurant located in Midtown Atlanta for this day party for good food, good music and good times.  I’m not sure if I experienced that this time.  It could have been the fact that it was 1000 degrees outside and we’re sitting on a rooftop at high noon or that there were just way to many women there or I wonder if I’m just getting old?  Scratch that.  I’m not old.  But it was 1000 degrees out and there was way to much estrogen in the building.   I guess that works out for you men but I prefer to be around some testosterone…cute testosterone at that.   The music was descent but not great.  I’m not sure if they changed the DJ but I remember being very pleased about the music at the last one I attended.

If you read my first review of this event back in September ’09, I almost wrote this event off because of Shout.  I felt that Shout being understaffed for this groups event was a sign of disregard and disrespect and the manager on duty that time had a horrible attitude.  Unfortunately, I don’t have a positive review about Shout this time around and I’m not surprised.  I’m assuming that Sunset Lounge and Shout made arrangements for this event months in advance so why is the waitstaff unaware of ANYTHING?  No one had any clue if the event had any drink specials.  They weren’t aware of any food specials.  When we asked our waiter about it, he asked another waiter standing at another table and that waiter didn’t know.  So that waiter asked another waiter across the patio and that waiter didn’t know.  We arrived there when doors open to avoid the crowd and the wait for food and drinks.  We still had to wait a long period of time for our drinks.  Some of the food that was ordered came out room temperature.  But this is how Shout is on a regular day.  I’ve honestly never had a positive experience at this place.

At the end of the day, kudos for Sunset Lounge and their day party.  They have a huge following so expect a large turnout if you decide to go to their events.  They opened the doors right on time and didn’t play that “lets keep the line waiting” game that most of these promoters and venue participate in.  They had someone passing out free hand towels and t-shirts.  Sunset Lounge staff/affiliates were pleasant.  If they bring back the previous DJ, bring in more testosterone and LEAVE SHOUT RESTAURANT, then I’ll be back.  Until then, lights out for me on this day party.  Although I will not return if they continue to patronize Shout, I still recommend this event.  Experience the Day Party yourself.

Good music is a lost art form these days.  The artists that deserve constant airplay, platinum records sales and household name status just don’t get the recognition.  But that doesn’t deter me from supporting a good artist when they’re around.  Dwele is one of these artists.  I had the chance to see him live at Center Stage in Atlanta last night and I must say that that man is so delicious.  Yeah, yeah, yeah this is supposed to be a show review and I’m going to get to that but I can’t just overlook Dwele’s charisma and sex appeal on the stage.  The man can sing the panties off of someone, LITERALLY.  Someone handed him her panties in the audience.  And I totally understand why!  Whew! *shakes head*  Anywho, if you know good music then you’ve been supporting Dwele since his debut CD “Subject” in 2003.  Seeing him perform early in his career as an opening act for a larger artist to seeing him last night as the main act was a pleasant musical experience.  He gave us a glimpse of his new album “Wants World Women” and took us down memory lane of all our favorite Dwele songs connecting the dots from Donny Hathaway to Stevie Wonder.  He knows how to hook the crowd by being very intimate and personal with them.  At one point sitting on the edge of the stage giving all the ladies access to touch and hold him to taking a cell phone out the hand of a lady that was recording him perform, turning the camera towards him and singing into the phone.  His band and background singers were phenomenal.  He is our modern day Marvin, Donny, Stevie all wrapped up in one sexy, chocolate, piano playing, singing cutie.  I think I have a crush on Dwele.  Dwele might be my new Raheem DeVaughn.  And anybody who knows me knows how I feel about R.D.

As for his new album, what are you waiting for?  You should have made the purchase on Tuesday when it was released.  If you haven’t, go do it now.  It’s GREAT!   Check out Ticketmaster for more tour dates.  You don’t want to miss it.

As I limp into the house at 2:30 in the morning I realized that my feet are killing me.  My feet never hurt on any other occasion.  Then I thought hard about the last time, if ever, my feet felt like this and it was the last time I went to Old School Saturday, OSS as the public calls it.

If you’re new to Atlanta, visiting Atlanta or been here your entire life but never been to an Old School Saturday event, you need to make it your point to attend the next party.  I know the name may throw you off.  “Old school” sounds like a room full of Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes party goers but it’s the complete opposite.   I’m 33 and happy to have grown up in the greatest era of hip hop and the 2nd greatest era of soul and r & b (the first being the Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes era).

One Saturday a month at a different location throughout Atlanta, usually at the top hotels in the city, they play “The Soundtrack of Your Life” which is respectively their motto and it’s exactly how I feel with each and every song they play.  Think of every classic hit of the 80′s and 90′s from the different genres of music and this is what the night is made of.  Tonight they did a large tribute to Michael Jackson to commemorate the year anniversary of his untimely death.   Most of his greatest hits from the Jackson 5 to the Bad album brought me down memory lane and reminded me how I’m still upset that he’s gone.

As usual I had a great night…..to a degree.  The OSS staff and events are very organized and well thought out.  But the one issue that almost ruined the night for me was the Westin Hotel’s air system in the ballroom that the event was held in.  It was so hot in there it literally cut into my dance time.  At one point it was almost unbearable to stand in the room.  What concerns me about this is I’ve been to other non OSS events at this Westin in downtown Atlanta and have never experienced no air at the event.  I don’t know if that’s a practice of Westin but it’s definitely not a good look when this group brings approximately 2000-3000 people through their doors buying their hotel drinks the whole night.  OSS, you may need to look into that.

The next Old School Saturday is July 17, 2010 at the Hyatt.  Meet me there or beat me there.  Either way, I’ll be there!   This is going to be me:

LOL!  Sike.. I’m playing.

Finally!  Antoine Fuqua, the director of Training Day, has confirmed that he will do a Tupac biopic.   After a two-year legal battle between Tupac’s mother and a production company, Fuqua has been given the right to work his magic.

Last year many of you ran to the theaters to see Biggie Smalls biopic, Notorious.  I was running with you.  I LOVE Biggie much more than I enjoyed that film but it served its purpose.   It was entertaining.  Although I love Biggie to death and think his Ready to Die album is one of the greatest albums in hip hop, did he need a biopic?  No.  *ducks*  His body of work nor his life was biopic certified.  I’m sorry.  What should have been a movie is his death, the cover ups and the mishandling and corruption from the police. 

I feel a little differently about Tupac.  We have a son of former Black Panthers, his godfather is Geronimo Pratt, he spent most of his time in his mother’s womb behind bars, he studied jazz, ballet and poetry at a Baltimore school for arts, he’s in the  Guinness Book of World Records for the highest selling rap artist in history,  he was probably the most misunderstood rapper of our time, and his untimely unsolved murder.  People have testified that his I.Q. level was much higher than the average person.  Pac was brilliant.  Lets not forget his performance in “Juice”.  I remember getting chills watching specific scenes of that movie.  His double cd, “All Eyez On Me” was phenomenal.  That’s biopic worthy.

Fuqua begins this long overdue journey in September.  But do not expect an all-star cast.  He’s looking for fresh new talent to play Pac and the rest of the cast.  I CAN NOT WAIT!

Back in November, if you’re like me, you were estatic to hear Jay announce a BP3 North American Tour.  I think I’ve been to almost every tour he’s done or been apart of of.  I consider myself Jay’s unofficial hype-girl.  Yeah, you remember the good ole hype man from back in the days.  I’m just a cuter sexier version of that .  As his self proclaimed hype-girl and “Jay Z Rockette”, I was more than estatic to hear about this tour.  I was even more excited to see he would be performing on my birthday in my city of Atlanta! 

February 27, 2010, Jay-Z blew the roof off Phillips Arena in Atlanta, GA.  He was PHENOMENAL!  As I danced and rapped to every song that he performed, it made me think of the days of his earlier performances.  Not that much put into them.  Just him, a dj and a few members of his Roc La Familia.  What an evolution!  From his 10+ member band to virtually no guest appearances, this was by far one of his great performances. 

Song after song after song kept you on your feet.  He opened with his hits from Blueprint 3 and took us to this magical place of Jay-Z.  You don’t realize how extensive this man’s catalogue is.  I remember thinking after an hour of songs, he still wasn’t done.  I was trying to figure out when, if ever, was he going to get off the stage.  But he couldn’t get off the stage because I knew he still had an entire era of songs to perform.  Alot of his fans are just getting on the last few of his albums.  But not I.  When he announced: “Alot of you may not know this next set.  I understand you probably didn’t start with me during this time.  You heard “The Black Album” and got on.  But I’m not mad at you for that.  This is for people who started with me from the beginning.”

I. AL-MOST. FAINTED!

“Big Pimpin” dropped. The crowd went crazy.   He did, what it seemed like, every song from “Big Pimpin” to his very fist cd, “Reasonable Doubt”.  It was CRAY-ZEE!

My love affair for Jay has immensly heightened.  It’s now 6 days since the concert and I can’t stop thinking about how much fun I had and how great his music is.  Not to short change the other performers, Young Jeezy and Trey Songz, because they did a descent job.  I’ve been a fan of Trey Songz since his first cd when no one knew his name.  I almost forgot how many hot songs Young Jeezy has.  But it was all about Jay!  If you haven’t seen him yet and your lucky enough to find tickets, here are the remaining dates of his tour:

Feb 28: Greensboro, NC (Greensboro Coliseum Complex)
Mar 03: Washington, DC (Verizon Center)
Mar 07: Norfolk, VA (Scope Arena)
Mar 11: Boston, MA (TD Garden)
Mar 16: Pittsburgh, PA (Mellon Arena)
Mar 19: St. Louis, MO (Scottrade Center)
Mar 20: Indianapolis, IN    (Conseco Fieldhouse)
Mar 22:  Denver, CO (Pepsi Center)
Mar 24:  San Jose, CA (HP Pavilion)
Mar 26:  Los Angeles, CA (Staples Center)

All black everything!!

You have probably already heard or read John Mayer’s interview with Playboy.  If you didn’t, here is just an excerpt of what’s on the mind of Mr. Mayer.  I guess since it’s Black History Month he needed to do his part.  Read on…

PLAYBOY: If you didn’t know you, would you think you’re a douche bag?

MAYER: It depends on what I picked up. My two biggest hits are “Your Body Is a Wonderland” and “Daughters.” If you think those songs are pandering, then you’ll think I’m a douche bag. It’s like I come on very strong. I am a very…I’m just very. V-E-R-Y. And if you can’t handle very, then I’m a douche bag. But I think the world needs a little very. That’s why black people love me.

PLAYBOY: Because you’re very?

MAYER: Someone asked me the other day, “What does it feel like now to have a hood pass?” And by the way, it’s sort of a contradiction in terms, because if you really had a hood pass, you could call it a nigger pass. Why are you pulling a punch and calling it a hood pass if you really have a hood pass? But I said, “I can’t really have a hood pass. I’ve never walked into a restaurant, asked for a table and been told, ‘We’re full.’”

PLAYBOY: It is true; a lot of rappers love you. You recorded with Common and Kanye West, played live with Jay-Z.

MAYER: What is being black? It’s making the most of your life, not taking a single moment for granted. Taking something that’s seen as a struggle and making it work for you, or you’ll die inside. Not to say that my struggle is like the collective struggle of black America. But maybe my struggle is similar to one black dude’s.

PLAYBOY: Do black women throw themselves at you?

MAYER: I don’t think I open myself to it. My dick is sort of like a white supremacist. I’ve got a Benetton heart and a fuckin’ David Duke cock. I’m going to start dating separately from my dick.

PLAYBOY: Let’s put some names out there. Let’s get specific.

MAYER: I always thought Holly Robinson Peete was gorgeous. Every white dude loved Hilary from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. And Kerry Washington. She’s superhot, and she’s also white-girl crazy. Kerry Washington would break your heart like a white girl. Just all of a sudden she’d be like, “Yeah, I sucked his dick. Whatever.” And you’d be like, “What? We weren’t talking about that.” That’s what “Heartbreak Warfare” is all about, when a girl uses jealousy as a tactic.

I”m going to say this with love because that’s the only way I know how to do it, but John epitomizes the covert racism that sits in the bloodstream of most people in this country.   Covert, because up until today most of his fans probably never thought Mr. Mayer was a racist.  And that’s exactly what he is.  People typically say things they feel or believe in.  The fact that he was so at ease with expressing this to an outlet as large as Playboy Magazine really shows his true colors.  Imagine what he’s saying in the privacy of his four walls with his closest friends.

I”m not a racist so I don’t go around calling white people “crackers”.  I don’t go around giving silent “shout  outs” to Hitler.  I don’t go around making statements that inflict pain, induce inferiority and offend people of a certain race or ethnicity BECAUSE THAT’S NOT HOW I FEEL.   There was absolutely no reason or basis for his response which makes the comments even that much worse.  Honestly, he really could have just said “my preference is not black women” and I could have respected him.  But you couldn’t do that could you John?  Since your duets and performances with the likes of Common, Kanye and Jay-Z, you probably obtained a huge new black following.  The same black following that probably made purchases of your cd.  The same black following that you probably offended in some way with this interview.  So Mr. Mayer, you and that proverbial “hood pass” and your “David Duke dick” just lost a fan.  I thoroughly enjoyed your music and actually just made a purchase on iTunes the other week which I will try to return.  I also had 2 of your CD’s in my iTunes “Wish List” that I will remove.  I guess that’s your loss.*shrugs*