Mos Def - Love

It sucks that when this gets imported to FB, the video doesn't come over and admittedly its a still with the song...but what a song ! The Beatles sang "All We Need Is ...Love" but take a listen to what the artist, lover, brother the Mighty Mos Def does with ...LOVE

If you know the song...then I know on the surface you like I recognize and honor that his metaphor here is Hip Hop music...but if you take just a minute and hear what is being said in and in between the lines you will know that in our short time on this planet we must locate the center of LOVE that brought us here and place that LOVE at the center of what we do...and if we are doing things for which LOVE is not the locus or centripetal force...then find or do something else...

I write...it makes me crazy, but besides my son there is nothing I LOVE more ...Rahsaan Patterson threw his two cents into my head just now..."I'm living for the day that everybody lives for LOVE!" until then... "I start to think, and then I sink Into the paper, like I was ink...When I'm writing I'm trapped in between the line I escape when I finish the rhyme ..." thank you Mos Def for channeling the greatest of all time...Rakim on this one !

"Love"

They say the goodness in life belongs to those who believe
So, I believe...YES!

[Chorus 2x]
I start to think, and then I sink
Into the paper, like I was ink
When I'm writing I'm trapped in between the line
I escape when I finish the rhyme (aiyyo)

My pops said he was in love when he made me
Thought about it for a second, wasn't hard to see
I could hear he was sincere, was a game of promotion
The entire affair's probably charged wit emotion
But love call your heart, I guess you got to persue
12-11-73 my life is testament
Praise the beneficent, element that rest
Devoid in the form that make love manifest
I spent my early years in Roosevelt Project
It was a bright valley wit some dark prospects
In '83, Venny C was the host wit the most
I listened to the Rap Attack and held the radio close
I listened to the Rap Attack and held the radio close
This is far before the days of high glamour and pose
Aiyyo power from the street light made the place dark
I know a few understand what I'm talkin about
It was love for the thing that made me wanna stay out
It was love for the thing that made me stay in the house
Spendin time, writin rhymes
Tryin to find words that describe the vibe
That's inside the space
When you close yo' eyes and screw yo' face
Is this the pain of too much tenderness
To make me nod my head in reverence
Should I visit this place and remember it?
To build landmarks here as evidence
Night time, spirit shook my temperment
To write rhymes that portray this sentiment
We live the now for the promise of the infinite
We live the now for the promise of the inifinite
And we believe in the promise (love, love [repeated])
Yes yes y'all and we don't stop because

[Chorus]

I got love, L-O-V-E and I be
Love, L-O-V-E to MC
Get love, L-O-V-E and I be
Love, L-O-V-E I MC
Get love, L-O-V-E and I be
Love, L-O-V-E to MC
Get love, L-O-V-E and I be
The M-O-S-D-E-F-initely

Check it out y'all, feel me out y'all
Feel me out y'all, hear my out y'all
Check me, out y'all
Feel me out y'all, check it out y'all
Now hear out (bounce) y'all
Check me out y'all, feel me out y'all
Check me out y'all, feel me out y'all
Feel me out y'all (hear me bounce y'all)
Check me out y'all, check it out y'all

My folks said they was in love when they had me
I take they love they made me wit to make rhymes and beats
(Can you feel?) The raw deal, it's all wheel-driven
Contemplate the essence of beats, rhymes and living
Speech in line wit the rhythm, designed wit the rhythm
Ears and eyes keepin good time wit the rhythm
I shine wit the rhythm, the Black Star Gallactica
Big number fleetin, we ancient like the Abbacca's
After us, I see most proceed to be trees
Sproutin leaves, given breeze to the we who believe
I MC, which means I Must Cultivate the earth
Back straight backs, hard beats and hard work
I be the funky drummer to soften the hard earth
(Amin) Pray Allah keep my soul and heart clean
(Amin) Pray the same thing again for all my team
This go out to Fort Greene and on out to Queens
Uptown to Boogie Down, yo just look around
AND SHOOK UP THE WORLD!, like Ali in 6-3 (right)
I'm reachin the height that you said cannot be
I'm bringin the light but you said we can't see
Saw the new day commin, and it look just like me
Some burst through the clouds, my photo ID
I bring light to your day and raise yo' degree
The Universal Magnetic, you must respect it
From end to beginning, ? true and livin
EVERY CHANGING, it was a state of magnificent
Building it now for the promise of the infinite
Building it now for the promise of the inifinite because

[Chorus]

I got love, L-O-V-E and I be
Love, L-O-V-E to MC
Get love, L-O-V-E and I be
Love, L-O-V-E to MC
Get love, L-O-V-E and I be
Love, L-O-V-E to MC
Get love, L-O-V-E and I be
The M-O-S-D-E-F-initely

N'dea Davenport - Placement 4 The Baby {1998}

This week as is everyday of life part of the journey...how we survive and thrive on the big planet and in our sanctified spaces and places is in direct correlation to faith in the wonder and the good that are to come, as well as, the fortitude we have to stand in that faith.

This truth is hard to remember, but as a woman or man thinketh so she or he is. I subscribe to the Western paradigm of "religion" firmly rooted in the Christianity taught in the New Testament, but understanding full well that without Moses, Abraham or the lineage of David there would be no Jesus.

So I am as much a Deuteronomy 31:6 girl "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you"; as I am Mark 11:23 girl "For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith."

Over the past few weeks in addition to God who is Love lifting me, the power of music has been as much my sustenance as food, water and my vitamins. I have listened to The Roots (How I Got Over), David Sanborn (As We Speak and Backstreet), Justin Timberlake (Justified (a mainstay)), Erykah Badu (Live) and a constant sprinkling of Kurt Elling's cover of "Steppin Out" for good measure...yesterday however I went for N'Dea Davenport and her self entitled solo album. It is for me her Magnum Opus.

"Placement for the Baby" was neither a released single nor was there a video. It is just an installment or what we affectionately called "an album cut" that makes the whole record sublime...ethereal even. This song is a lullaby for a child(ren) newly arrived and possibly yet to be born about finding their place in the world. It is part war song, "Ready or not go on and lead...dive on in there...(ad lib) 'Are you ready to go?' " N'Dea sticks the question repeatedly to us the listeners.

As we comfort the baby with this lullaby, I couldn't help but here my own (adult) call to action: "Are you ready to go...to the next phase of life?...Follow your heart...keep looking for the prize". She even sings to the baby, "I know you feel all alone and you want to scream and shout". I do...I am sure we all do...

I then remember...I have faith and I have fortitude and I have this song...so I gift it to you. You will at first be captivated by the voice very quickly healed by the lyrics, but most of all encouraged and commanded to

Go on...

God's Best to everybody and all who in love, light and words encourage me daily on the journey (shout out to my Starbucks crew (on both sides of the counter)...love and light to Pastor David Scott for always standing on the Word)

Kurt Elling - Steppin' Out (2011)

When I am supposed to be doing homework...I blog...I write this short one right now because twice this week my sister and I have had these interesting conversations about men...In a blog entitled "the makings of me" from 2 years ago I shared how I believed I was made ...beyond the obvious God, creation, womb birth piece that are the facts...we talked about fashion, clothing, self-esteem and making babies in particular the beautiful one I have now...he's 8. 

I shared in detail that growing up without mother and stepmother in and then kinda back out, my twin sister and I became "sophisticated ladies" through conversations on pay phones and fake calling cards about what we learned about fashion from her days matriculating at Xavier University there in New Orleans and me there at Skegee. For women (until we change it for our daughters) it starts with what's on the outside and then goes inside.

Friends, roommates and confiidantes can tell you we got it right sometimes and sometimes we got it wrong.  Through all of it my sister and I had each other and now with those 20+ years behind us we still confer and consult on the "makings of me".  Her "me" and my "me", the essence of who we are ...today.  What's funny is...it doesn't stop here today; it evolves, but it is what I call a "living evolution".  You have to grow, watch yourself grow and then somehow in real time be that "grown up". Crazy, right...I wish I could sit on the couch and watch that "fool" figure it out...oh yeah that fool is me :).

When it comes to the subject of men, my sister and I are possibly teaching (2%chance)...but for sure learning however like the scientist she is and the "reluctant" scientist I am we are designing experiments, observing, asserting hypothesis and drawing conclusions.  Accurate or inaccurate we go from one day to the next thinking as my friend Maronzio Vance, puts it "one day it will all make sense".  In the meantime to my sister I just say..."I got you babe".

As these experiences come and go with men, it becomes material that I FICTIONALIZE beyond recognition and then distill and sift again into my work as I know most writers do.  I use the term "come and go" because neither of us beautiful girls is married or with a final partner or a perceived "final" partner and as I look around and listen to girlfriends new and lasting...we are all in a very big boat together.  When they thought a Tsunami might make it to our West Coast shores, there were for me...for none of us big shoulders to lean on...I called my Dad asking him "why hadn't he called me?" (From Alabama he knows our crises before I know our crises)

At first I panicked and then I accepted this part of my journey as that "this part of my journey" the "living evolution" for which we can place great faith in the change that is always coming. Bear in mind ...we don't know what it looks like until actually gets here...be open and liberal (I am striving).

I post Kurt Elling because his voice...his presence in the world instigates and inspires me to write...anything and everything (blogs, homework and the stuff in between)...the power of music can never be underestimated nor should it ever be measured...the power of music to heal and make whole is beyond measure...

This blog is dedicated to one of my besties, Breuna Baine and the long conversation we wrapped just about 2 hours ago...it is also love letter to everyone in the boat with me...however one feels about the circumstance...thank God for the company...

Fonzworth Bentley - Everybody HD

I am writing for a school assignment and after talking to a classmate to shake some things down and ending up seeing some music videos on TV...my music spirit was lead to this song and video so just sharing. This video (3 year ago) was self funded by Fonzworth Bentley and his girlfriend, Faune Chambers (I pray it is safe to assume they are still together, but if not ce la vie)...its a great and fun music collaboration and such an original video...the players particularly Andre "Ben jammin" 3000, Kanye and of course Fonzworth give it their all...

Passionately and Musically yours
Danna "djdannak" Kiel

Conflict Minerals 101

I thought I posted this one here at blogger ...but I noticed I had not and it makes the information plain and the conversation SIMPLE....so

I am just spreading the word...I am a mom...I hate knowing other moms and children are hurting !!! I gotta get back to my schoolwork but I am attempting to use every tool in my box to get us all talking ...

Big LOVE
Lots of Hugs
Let's raise our voices together against WAR, RAPE, MURDER, DEVASTATION and DESTRUCTION

dk

The Voices of Conflict Minerals

BTW...I made this one last week

I am just spreading the word...I am a mom too...I hate knowing other moms and children are hurting !!! Admittedly I am doing THE MOST today...cause I gotta get back to schoolwork, laundry and mothering...but I have no peace when this type of DEATH, RAPE, DESTRUCTION and DEVASTATION goes unchecked...we are consuming the Congo by saying nothing

Let's Talk ABOUT IT and then Be About it

Big LOVE
LOTS of HUGS
dk

Life Should Be Free

I am just spreading the word...I am a mom too...I hate knowing other moms and children are hurting !!! Admittedly I am doing THE MOST today...cause I gotta get back to schoolwork, laundry and mothering...but I have no peace when this type of DEATH, RAPE, DESTRUCTION and DEVASTATION goes unchecked...we are consuming the Congo by saying nothing

Let's Talk ABOUT IT and then Be About it

Big LOVE
LOTS of HUGS
dk

Hollywood Moms Speak out for Congo

I am just spreading the word...I am a mom too...I hate knowing other moms and children are hurting !!! I gotta get back to my schoolwork but I am attempting to use every tool in my box to get us all talking ...

Big LOVE
Lots of Hugs
Let's raise our voices together against WAR, RAPE, MURDER, DEVASTATION and DESTRUCTION

dk

Stealin Quotes that give me ...well...pause

“Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board. For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight, never landing until the Watcher turns his eyes away in resignation, his dreams mocked to death by Time. That is the life of men.

Now, women forget all those things they don’t want to remember and remember everything they don’t want to forget. The dream is the truth. Then they act and do things accordingly.”
Zora Neale Hurston

I lead off with this grand theft larceny of book quotes because...when these words came up on a black screen before "She's Gotta Have It" Spike Lee's (my idol) inaugural theatrical release into the market place they were lyrical and beautiful....graceful even...but for me unclear.


I believe now 25 years (a quarter of a century later) It seems to be true...women live the truth of reality as a dream and the dream of reality as truth...men seem to assess that the true dream will never come true and as parents say to our children..."you get what you get and you don't get upset." I have also in that time read the novel and been blown away by how amazing,  prophetic, PROFOUND and lyric Zora's work was.

What I wonder now then is how are these world views ....well uhh compatible ?

As a writer we are inspired and challenged by the great and inimitable words of others.  I am writing (supposed to be anyway) on a few projects and working to get inside of this monkey business of man-woman stuff and its EXHAUSTING.  You can't help but flip through the pages of your own biography....and wonder...thanks Zora Neal...your rubric of measurement and reflection is a demanding one...