Making A School
Recently I asked what realm Diddy will conquer next. Apparently, the next stop on the Diddy expansion express is school, Sean “Diddy” Combs plans to open a school in the Big Apple to teach aspiring entrepreneurs the secrets behind his success.
The mogul told CNN, “I want to have an academy that’s known for building leaders. I feel that’s one of the things I can have an impact on.”
If anyone can teach people how to turn an endeavor into an empire, it is Diddy. Besides being one of the most recognizable celebrities in the world, Diddy’s resume reads as the CEO of Bad Boy Records and Sean John Clothing, executive producer of MTV’s “Making The Band” and VH1’s “I Wanna Work For Diddy” and owner of Justin’s restaurant chain. Along with these achievements and a development deal with Ciroc vodka, Diddy has kept a firm grasp on the corporate and entertainment worlds since the ‘90s all while doing so with impeccable style and panache.
Nobody does it like Diddy; this new business school will no doubt reflect the “Diddy way” of doing things. I’m sure that “No Bitchassness” will be written in the Diddy Business School code of conduct. I also wonder about the selection process for applicants, if Diddy will teach any courses and if there will be campus housing, but I’m getting ahead of myself. I do have one suggestion; turn it into a television series. If “Making The Band” and “I Wanna Work For Diddy” has shown me anything, it is that the man knows how to make entertaining reality TV, I’m sure “Diddy U” will be no different.
Literary World Loses J.D. Salinger
My question is did we ever really have him? The facts are well documented; J.D. Salinger was born January 1, 1919 in New York City. He attended public schools on Manhattan’s West Side. In 1940, “The Young Folks”, a short story about several aimless youths, debuted in the March-April 1940 issue of Story magazine. In 1946, we were introduced to the character of Holden Caulfield when “Slight Rebellion Off Madison”, a Manhattan-based story about an embittered teenager with the pre-war willies, was published in The New Yorker.
In 1951, Holden Caulfield’s story was revealed to the world in “The Catcher in the Rye.” “The Catcher in the Rye” became a tremendous success. Currently it sells approximately 250,000 copies each year and has been translated into almost all of the world’s major languages. Along with the success of the novel, Holden Caulfield has become a symbol for teenage defiance. In 2005, Time Magazine listed “The Catcher in the Rye” as of the 100 best English-language novels written since 1923. Salinger went on to publish “Nine Stories”, “Franny and Zooey” and “Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction.”
Even more famous for his body of work, Salinger became known for retreating from the fame he once sought. He ordered his agent to burn any fan mail and in 1953 he abandoned Manhattan and the literary world and relocated to a 90-acre compound on a wooded hillside in Cornish, NH. Ironically, his defiant stance against his own success made him more intruiging. The idea of a tortured genius hiding from the world is story in itself and there were a few takers wanting to share their accounts with J.D. Salinger including his daughter Margaret, British literary critic Ian Hamilton, and former lover Joyce Maynard.
There have been few public figures that guarded their privacy as fiercely as J.D. Salinger. Perhaps the reason for this was not because of the success of The Catcher of the Rye, but because of the novel itself. Salinger once stated in an interview, “My boyhood was very much the same as that of the boy in the book … [I]t was a great relief telling people about it.” Writers often draw from personal experiences to create the alternate worlds that readers transport themselves to in novels and short stories. It is my belief that with the creation of Holden Caulfield, Mr. Salinger revealed too much about himself. Maybe J.D. Salinger originally wanted to write the great American novel that would truly make him the real catcher in the rye, saving all the disaffected youth of our society – catching them before the jaded tint of adulthood stains their souls forever. Maybe the idea of being a modern day Atlas carrying the teen world on his back became overwhelming. Maybe the only person he ever wanted to save was himself and during his journey to find his truth he left the world with a masterpiece that describes the awkward phase of being a teenager better than any book published in the 20th century, or maybe he just got tired of all the phonies with their meaningless conversations and empty adulation and went on a quest to find something real. Either way, with his passing J. D. Salinger will forever be a figure shrouded in mystery making him a character we will never forget.
Diddy Honored by BET
On Monday BET aired the third annual BET Honors, an award show taped on January 16 in Washington, D.C. recognizing individuals within the black community achieving excellence within their perspective fields as well as exemplifying the mantra “Giving back to give forward.” Actress Gabrielle Union hosted the event for the second time.
Harlem native Sean “Diddy” Combs received the Entrepreneur Award; an accolade befitting him because more than anyone in the entertainment industry, Diddy is an entrepreneur. Known for making a way out of no way, Diddy went from being a dancer to a mogul. His accomplishments are shining examples that affirm if one has a dream and is willing to grind hard to achieve that dream; it will one day become a reality. Bad Boy, Justin’s, Ciroc (yes the man has his own alcohol) and Sean John – from movies to music to the runway nothing is out of Diddy’s grasp. He is the true personification of the phrase “Veni, vidi, vici.” What realm Diddy will conquer next, one only knows. In his acceptance speech, Diddy got personal and thanked his mother Janice Combs. He told a poignant story of how she worked round the clock to provide for him and his sister after his father was murdered and mentioned that he wanted to make sure that she never had to work again. Well, he has certainly managed to attain that task and more. A famous quote of Diddy’s is “Sleep is forbidden,” this award shows that for him failure is also forbidden. Former boss and mentor Andre Harrell and Mary J. Blige celebrated him in song. Considering that Blige was discovered by Diddy and their work defined the genre of hip hop soul, it was a fitting tribute.
Two Jersey girls were also honored. The original queen of hip hop, Queen Latifah, and the iconic Whitney Houston were also two of the award recipients. Both hailing from East Orange, these living legends prove the New Jersey isn’t the “Garden State,” it is the Star State. Taraji P. Henson presented Queen Latifah with the Media Award as Latifah has placed her mark on every facet of the industry and has the awards to prove it. Another legend, Patti Labelle and future legend Jasmine Sullivan paid tribute to the Queen Latifah, who’s real name is Dana Owens, in song. Gracious as always Latifah thanked her mother and father and called people to take action in the effort to bring relief to Haiti. Pioneer, actress, singer, producer and author, Latifah has shown through tireless hard work why she was given the title of queen and on Friday she and Diddy along with Wyclef and other stars will participate in another telethon to help bring much needed aid to the survivors of the recent earthquake in Haiti.
There are very few that have or will achieve the levels of success that Whitney Houston has, but there were some that had written this legendary vocalist off. How sweet it is to prove haters wrong, and after being presented with the Entertainment Award by Neo, Whitney is glowing example of what a survivor really is. In her recent comeback to the spotlight, Whitney has shown the world that her voice was not the only gift she was blessed with. The other is a strength that I believe may have been unknown to her until it was truly tested. Whitney says that she stays “prayed up,” and needs nothing more that her God and her child. Thank God that we will have the pleasure to hear that wonderful voice for many years to come. Vocal powerhouses Jennifer Hudson and Kim Burrell tore the walls of the Warner Theatere down with songs befitting a tribute to one the best voices in the entertainment industry.
Other performers included the musical genius of Stevie Wonder, India Arie, Trey Songz, Maxwell and Take 6. Neurosurgeon Keith Black received the Public Service Award and educator Ruth Simmons received the Education Award.
Fame Mistress Opens 52nd Grammy Awards
The grand dame of music and fashion walked the red carpet looking like an extraterrestrial representative from the planet Diva. Lady Gaga did not disappoint fans or media with red carpet ensemble or other outfit changes, none of which were able to grace the Staple Center stage. Although Gaga did not receive the opportunity to speed through a speech before the music cuts into her “thank you “list, she did add Grammy winner to her list of accolades. Lady Gaga won Best Dance Recording for “Pokerface” and Best Electronic Dance Album for The Fame. She also opened 52nd Grammy Award ceremony and shared the stage with another piano tickling, fashion icon Elton John creating another memorable moment in Grammy history.
Speaking of memorable moments in Grammy history, the music industry’s consummate rebel Pink gave one the best performances of the evening. Her high flying, Cirque du Soleilsque rendition of “Glitter in the Air” proved to the audience in attendance and to those viewing at home that she is still a badass with a banging body to match.
Yonkers native Mary J. Blige provided inspiration duet with Andrea Bocelli. Introduced by Haiti’s native son Wyclef Jean, they sang “Bridge Over Troubled Waters” in support the impoverished island devastated by the recent earthquake.
Beyonce took fierce to another level with her hair swinging, military powered performance of “If I Were A Boy.” She also won Grammys for Song of the Year for “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)”, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for “Halo”, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)”, Best Traditional R&B Performance for “At Last”, Best R&B Song for “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)” and Best Contemporary R&B Album for I Am…Sasha Fierce. I don’t know if The Black Eyed Peas did, but I believe Mrs. Carter definitely had a good, good night. Mr. Carter added to the family’s night of Grammy wins. The ambassador of New York took home Grammys for Best Rap Solo Performance for “DOA (Death Of Auto-Tune), Best Rap/Sung Collaboration and Best Rap Song for “Run This Town.”
R&B crooner Maxwell cemented his comeback with Best R&B Album for Blacksummers’ Night and Best R&B Male Performance for “Pretty Wings”, which he performed during Sunday night’s telecast. He also performed a duet with the incomparable Roberta Flack, thank you Maxwell for truly bringing sexy back.
Punk superstars Green Day provided a glimpse into their new Broadway musical American Idiot. They sang “21st Century Breakdown”, which won the Best Rock Album Grammy, along with the show’s cast. American Idiot will hit the St. James Theater in March and officially open in April.
Photos courtesy of Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Behind the Curtain Unveiled
On the 14th, Raandesk Gallery unveiled its first exhibition for 2010 with Behind the Curtain, featuring artists Jason Bryant and Kevin Cyr. I was introduced to both these artists in 2009 while visiting separate exhibitions at different galleries; from my initial introduction these two men left an indelible impression. Although both artists showcase contrasting subjects, the realistic quality that exudes from their work makes them a match in art exhibition heaven. And indeed it was fate that brought these two men together having first met as assistants at Kehinde Wiley Studios where they first discussed the possible collaboration of an exhibit. Thanks to Jessica Porter and Raandesk Gallery, their idea came to fruition.
Jason Bryant’s portraits are inspired by pictures of models, actors and various ad campaigns, although at first sight, you would never know. Removed from the closely cropped images are the eyes, thus removing the souls, but like an individual stricken with sudden blindness whose senses compensate for their lack of sight, other features of the face are highlighted to reveal the essence of the portrait. A laugh line here, a wrinkle there, the positioning of the lips and check bones reveal a deeper story than the eyes ever could. The richness of color coupled with the superimposed skateboard graphics gives the portraits a 3-D aesthetic and the earnest quality of the portraits combined with the whimsical effect of the graphics provide each work with sublime balance.
What is more New York than delivery trucks parked on every corner? We curse them as we navigate through traffic and scramble to find parking. It is our traffic nightmares that provide Kevin Cyr’s inspiration. Kevin takes the dilapidated delivery trucks and other vehicles and places them on large panels of wood using striking palettes of color. Jason Bryant removes the eyes. Kevin Cyr removes the background scenery making the trucks and cars the single focus in his portraits. By placing the vehicles behind a solid colored background, the trucks become omnipresent – they could be anywhere. The vehicles’ details seem to be enhanced and give them a new found charm.
By featuring unconventional subjects, both Jason and Kevin challenge the audience to pay attention to the details – the various fragments within our society and even ourselves that tend to be dismissed. Each time you peer into their portraits a new layer is exposed, a new detail is revealed and your sense of awareness is heightened. The exhibit is designed to build on the color and themes of the portraits accomplishing a harmonious synergy against the white and bricked walls and provides a new meaning to the words “parallel universe.” Bravo to Jason Bryant, Kevin Cyr and Raandesk Gallery for pushing the concept of portraiture into a new, intriguing territory.
Behind the Curtain is currently on display at Raandesk Gallery at 16 W. 23rd Street, 4th Floor until March 12, 2010. You can also view more of Jason Bryant’s and Kevin Cyr’s work on www.raandeskgallery.com.
Photos courtesy of MyNameIsPhoto.com.
Behind The Curtain
Cielo Opens Its Doors To Help Haiti
As stated in my previous post Help for Haiti, I will report about events going on in the city that are helping raise much needed aid for the Haitian earthquake relief. Today one of the Meat Packing District’s hottest clubs is opening its doors for an event that is any dancer’s wet t-shirt dream. Club Cielo, located on 18 Little West 12th Street, is hosting Song, Dance & Love for Haiti.
This event is organized by Joann Jimenez, Jephté Guillaume and Antonio Ocasio and features some of the most legendary DJs and Producers of house music as well as some of NYC’s most talented underground DJs. Each hour the audience will move, shake, gyrate and produce its best baby powdered foot work to sets spinned by Jellybean Benetiz, Louie Vega, Danny Krivit, Joaquin “Joe” Claussell, Francois K, Josh Milan and Sabine Blazin.
The event is from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. with proceeds being donated to Doctors without Borders in Haiti, $20 is the suggested donation. The combination of Club Cielo and the line up of DJs signifies an event of epic proportions. Dance…dance…dance is the theme for this gloomy Sunday. Before manic Monday morning comes, I suggest all FAMERS get out the house and shake a tail feather for a good cause.
To learn more about Doctors without Borders please visit www.doctorswithoutborders.org.
Fond Farewell
Last year we said goodbye to icons, athletes and politicians. We also said goodbye to a landmark. On December 31st, Tavern on the Green opened its doors for the last time in Central Park. Over 1,000 people from across the U.S. came to take part in the closing of NYC history.
Tavern on the Green opened its doors in 1934 during the Great Depression; it is almost storybook that its saga should end during the Great Recession. It was known for its grand décor – a restaurant that presented a magical aesthetic for its patrons.
Like most New Yorkers, Tavern on the Green was not one of my favorite eateries. In recent years the cuisine developed a subpar reputation and the décor was not as splendid as it was in its heyday. It had become one of those places in the Big Apple that garnered a lot of attention from tourists and bridezillas, and was not necessarily considered a restaurant that a “real” New Yorker would go to.
In New York City restaurants come and go. A hot new eatery springs up and is all the rage one day and it is cold as day old Manhattan clam chowder the next. Still, when I learned that the iconic restaurant was closing its doors for good I experienced a sudden pang of nostalgia and regret. Tavern on the Green was as New York to me as Rockefeller Center, The Empire State Building, Saks Fifth Avenue or The Met. It was just as an important fixture in Central Park as Strawberry Fields or Wollman Rink. I developed my deep love for the landscape of the city through my father. When I was a child, we would go on day trips every Saturday, embarking on a new landmark each time. It was through my father and those day trips that I developed my affinity for music, arts, culture architecture and style. As an adult, I have left those landmarks to the tourist to gawk over taking them for granted. Tavern on the Green was one of those places.
After the loss of the World Trade Centers I swore that I appreciate the landmarks that make NYC so spectacular a little more, but I know realize that I haven’t really lived up to that promise. As much as New York City is a place of history and landmarks, it is also a metropolis for the latest and greatest. I had been so busy chasing what is new and hot, I had forgotten about the places and sites that make New York one of the most visited places in the world. With a New Year come new promises, one of mine is to revisit my childhood and make new memories by visiting more city landmarks before they too disappear and become pages on Wikipedia.
Central Park won’t seem the same without Tavern on the Green, sometimes you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. Sure, it may have become a little tattered and torn over the years and the food could’ve been better, depending on your taste buds, but nonetheless it was staple and part of New York history. Items from the famed restaurant have been liquidated and sold; it has been reported that Jennifer LeRoy, manager of Tavern on the Green, is fighting to retain its name so she can open a new restaurant at a new location. Only time will tell if Tavern on the Green will ever open its doors again, but for now I bid it adieu.
How Precious is Precious?
On Sunday Mo’Nique added Golden Globe award winner to her list of accolades after winning Best Supporting Actress, hairy legs and all. Since the release of Precious, I have debated whether or not to comment about this movie. The movie, based on the 1996 award-winning novel Push by Sapphire, is set in Harlem and was filmed on location. Its breakout star Gabourey Sidibe is a New Yorker and was raised in Harlem. A New York film about a New York girl played by a New York born actress made it perfect for F.A.M.E NYC. Still, I had trepidation when thinking of writing about this film.
Precious is set in Harlem during the ‘80s. Anyone living in the city during that time remembers how grimy the city was. While the film was shot on location, it doesn’t display much of the neighborhood. Instead the griminess is shown in the character driven story of Claireece “Precious” Jones, played by Sidibe and her mother Mary, played by Mo’Nique. The mental, sexual and verbal abuse Precious suffers from her mother, whose only obsession appears to be ensuring her welfare doesn’t get cut off, is mind boggling and spine curdling. To say that Mary is a horrible mother is a gross understatement. A stray animal has more of a motherly instinct than she. Instead of protecting Precious from the sexual abuse she receives from her father, she is jealous that Precious has been impregnated twice by her father. Her jealousy spawns a cyclone of cruelty that could shatter any soul beyond repair.
At the beginning of the film Precious is illiterate and being removed from school because she is pregnant with her second child and begins to attend an alternative school. It is through the help of teacher, played by Paula Patton, that she begins to learn how to read, how to open up and how to push through her current circumstances to improve her life for herself and her children.
Mo’Nique, known for being one of the queens of comedy, is frightengly convincing as Mary. The depth of true talent is exposed in this film; her Golden Globe win was more than deserved. She plays Mary with all the devilishness of a true villain yet she burrows so deep into Mary’s pain that you begin to have empathy for her, asking yourself “What did this woman experience that made her into the monster she became?”
Newcomer Gabourey Sidibe truly embodied the role of Precious. She gave a performance expected of a seasoned actor. The role seemed tailored for her and should no doubt have a great career ahead of her. Sidibe wore the pain of Precious in her expressions, her muffled speech and her walk and showed her transition from hopelessness to hopeful. No matter how dim the scene, Gabourey Sidibe was a ray of light.
Precious is a film that will stick to your subconscious like hot grits on skin. It will not go away easy and that is exactly the point. The film should inspire dialog about the myriad topics that are taboo in our society such as incest, abuse, illiteracy, poverty and AIDS – subjects that are especially forbidden in the black community.
After watching Mo’Nique give her acceptance speech, I realize why I contemplated commenting on this film. The story of a 16-year-old illiterate, obese, HIV positive girl and mother of two children by her father was an idea that was overwhelming. After the release of the film, many critics praised the movie as a must see. While I do agree that the movie is compelling and probably director Lee Daniel’s finest project to date, I am concerned about Hollywood’s propensity to grab from the worst of the black experience. Indeed, wasn’t the prerequisite of this film The Color Purple? While it is no secret that the entertainment industry as a whole profits off of the pain of the black experience, the lack of diversity in black cinema is troublesome to say the least. Are we only compelling if we are HIV positive, abused, illiterate, obese or on welfare? Isn’t the complexity of living day to day compelling enough without such extreme circumstances? Why aren’t there more multifarious projects being produced out of Hollywood and why only films like Precious receive critical recognition from the industry? What message does this send to black screenwriters and directors?
In 2008, Miracle at St. Anna was released. I found it to be one of the best modern war films I have seen, portraying World War II from the black perspective, a side that is rarely seen. The film received few critical acclaim and was virtually ignored the Motion Picture Association of America and the other powers that be, which I find to be a gross error in judgment.
So, with yet another downtrodden story about a black person on the big screen, is Precious truly precious? I say unequivocally yes. It is an exquisite film about a despicable set of topics; however it is my hope that with the success of Precious, more dramatic films will be released that covers the entire spectrum of the black experience.
Can A Sneakerhead Be A Fashionista?
To say that a fashionista follows fashion fervently would be an understatement; to inhale and exhale fashion is the purpose of any true fashionista. Style is the code in which she lives by. She can be spotted in the hottest labels. Keeping abreast of the latest trends, colors and accessories are a necessity. For a fashionista to sacrifice a meal or two to buy the new Dior bag is not a far stretch of the imagination. After all, that is what a paycheck is for. Combing department stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdales, and designer flagship stores to acquire the garments that feed her obsession is merely a form of exercise. Publications like W, InStlye and Vogue must be absorbed like holy texts. Events like Fashion Week are like pilgrimages to Mecca. Fashion isn’t just an industry, it is a religion and a fashionista is a willing apostle.
Generally, the term fashionista is associated with high fashion. Labels such as Christian Loubatian, Yves Saint Laurent, Zac Posen, BCBG, Herve Leger, Rock & Republic, and Diane von Furstenberg are frequent visitors to a fashionista’s closet. But can Puma, Nike, Adidas, and Supras sit in the same closet as Prada? Can a sneakerhead be considered as a fashionista too?
Sneakerheads are generally addicts of a male persuasion, but there are female sneakerheads. A sneakerhead is a person who is obsessed with the quest of owning multiple pairs of footwear. This passion does not only extend itself to fascination of collecting, but also extends to the religion of fashion. Sneakerheads are zealots. Like an archeologist searching the graves of ancient lands in search of priceless relics, the goal of a true sneakerhead is to collect as many rare, vintage and limited edition sneakers as possible. Sneakerheads accept the charge of a lifetime journey that can be costly; however the ends definitely justify the means.
Just as a fashionista creates a look that encompasses the right outfit, accessories, make-up and shoes; sneakerheads do the same. For a sneakerhead, the sneaker is the foundation of the outfit and maximizing the hotness of the sneaker with the proper garments is absolutely necessary. Also a sneakerhead needs to own a pair of sneakers that fits every occasion. A female sneakerhead must have a pair of sneakers to go with jeans, skirts, slacks, and even evening gowns. Don’t scoff, Cybill Shepherd once wore hi-tops to the Emmys and D. Woods of Danity Kane has worn hi-tops on the red carpet as well. So yes Virginia, a sneakerhead can also be considered a fashionista.
She has boxes of Dunks proudly stacked by boxes of Jimmy Choos. She has an outfit and accessories to go with her custom pair of Pumas as well as having the perfect outfit for taking her new Michael Kors bag out to play. She is an aficionado on Versace and an authority on kicks. She is a sneakernista.
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