And the Sims 2 Loose...By a Knock-out

Hah,
I knew that if I reached out about my problem, ok addiction to the game, I would get some much needed help. No really, after a few days of that, I had enough. My addiction totally lies with my M box and my new found interest in myspace.com. Wow, how cool to network with so many people. It is also however very addicting, I must pay attention here. I am coming along with my little ditties. It seems I am not a very technical kind of girl. So, working with this thing is becoming a major challenge. Trying to get down this bounce to disk thing. I keep getting it wrong. Well, I'll just have to keep working on it and something will turn out. Going to see some live soul music this week. It promises to be a very vibing week. Cool. That's all for now unless.......Well yeah that's all for now...............

Paris is Burning!!!!

Hello, folks what's the news? Well the news is that Paris is burning, or at least the media will have you believe that. It's amazing how the with the right images you can really make things look really bad. My friends and family have been calling me and asking me if I am alright and if I am safe. Well I'll tell you although it is true that there are cars, buses, houses, and streets burning, I haven't been directly affected. It seems to be the age old story, new government politicians decide to make a mark and show their power. So to begin they start to clean up the "bad" neiborhoods, putting more cops on the street in the "ghettos". Which of course makes it hard for any drug dealer to make his dough. Of course, they get real angry about it , but they continue to work. But, as the weeks pass more and more cops are stopping people in the metro searching bags, and checking identification and stuff.... Then one day two teens (running from the police, so they thought) jump a fence, which has a huge sign on it that says Electricity Danger, and die of electrocution. So, the people say,"Enough is Enough". Now I am no expert and I can only give my interpretation of what's happening. I think that there are too many problems here. People are trying to survive, but at the sametime they make life hard for others. Here, in France the government takes care of a lot of people with monthly checks and so forth. Even those who come from other countries. But the problem is some of them take that money and buy dope, cut it, and then sell it. All the while creating the Ghetto that they have come to hate so much. It's like any large American city. People are afraid to walk after dark. Here I am being thrilled with the idea of walking to the store at night without worrying about any major altercations, and some young punks go and spoil it. Well, I guess I was seeing the signs. You know gangster rap is huge here just like in the U.S. Although this is NOT the cause, it's a sign that I noticed. The kids look and dress like the kids from my old neiborhoods. Not only that they want to really "live" the image of drug dealing, badass. On top of that they are truly suffering from racism and can't get jobs easily, so why not sell drugs.... Well the problem is that there are some real criminals and then those who just don't see another way. Whose got the answers? I am just wondering. I come from the ghettos of Detroit. I lived in a nice little house with my sisters and brother. And I did join a gang for all of 3 days. And even with all that I didn't become so angry that I hated the Man. I never felt like I couldn't get out. I was always interested in what was happening somewhere else. I guess that's why I wanted to travel. I kept thinking it's better some where else. But it's funny "the world is a ghetto", really everywhere. We all suffer. We all got issues. We all have seen teenage pregnancy, drug dealing, Breaking and entering, etc happen in our cities. Well, maybe not all of us, but a lot of us.

So, now the hoodlums have decided to wage war against the police. Keeping them busy by burning everything in sight. I personally think that that is a dumb thing to do. I mean you might be burning your homeboy's grandmother's car that she needs to get her meds. Or burning down the gym where kids in the hood play basketball. Where they gonna go now? I mean why burn the place where you live? Where is the pride? Now these fires have spread as far north as Germany, and even in the south of France. Now the city of Paris is under the watchful eyes of about 1,00 more police. All with big guns and black military looking busses and the likes. I hope things will calm down. It is very French to revolt, I mean this is the lad of revolution. So this spirit is in the people. If they don't like something they fight!!!!! I am sad to hear though that a few people, who have nothing to do with this have died. I mean a man walking down the street, minding his own business was attacked and beat to death. He was 60 and not a cop and just walking. Okay now that I have ranted on, I feel a little better. Things will get back to normal, so I hope. In the meantime, it's a heyday for poets and slammers and songwriters......Maybe in about two months the artists will all have their opinions documented for the history of Paris....or at least for the people of Paris.... Talk to you soon. When I can think straight....LOL

Attack of Sims 2...Let the Shame begin....

Hello fellow Friends,
I am here to talk about a weird thing happening to me now. I have become totally addicted to Sims 2 Nightlife in the course of two days of play. The problem comes from sitting at my computer and learning how to record on my M box. I look up and there's an extension pack to the regular Sims 2 that I play from time to time. Well just when I thought that my head would explode with all these technical things like how to successfully "bounce" a song, I decided ok a little break from this. So I installed the extension pack (like 3 times because I am so not computer saavy), and finally it works. When I looked up two and a half hours had just passed. I was like oh man..... I gotta stop this.


So, I start working on my little project again, when I get bored again. Back to the game. This time I spent like 3 and a half hours on it. I can't believe it. I am like a kid in this game. Creating my dream house. Singing Karioke, dancing with vampires, making an empire of buildings. Disocvering that I got quite an eye for some decorations and absolutely no taste when it comes to their clothes and stuff. How funny. Anyway, I don't know how these gamers do it. Play for weeks. My shoulders and finger tendons hurt like a mug. They're all cramped up. It's cold now in the house so my toes are frozen seems like. Lol....


And then today, what did I do? Well I played again of course. I learned how to put my own music in the game so now all the sims are dancing to my songs. That's so great for the ego...lol. Anyway, I am feeling terribly guilty for playing this game. I thought if I confessed and got a few comments, it would help me to quit. One step at a time. Maybe I should play Quake III, that'll make me forget. A little violence, what are we coming to? I am ashamed because I wonder if someone over 25 should play video games? Isn't there a law against that? Well I will keep breaking this law. I feel like I am 10 years old and I love it!!!!! Hooray, for the EA Games guys, my heroes. Well I better get back to my M box, technical things take time to learn. Maybe now I can purge myself from the game.....Momentarily that is. What's your vice?

Zap Mama.... in Paris

So I am back in Paris and I am quite tired and lethargic. I don't know why, but I am feeling soooo lazy. I get that in spells sometimes. When I am like that, I schedule myself lots of appointments and I go places. Because in my experience, when I do nothing ....I really do nothing. So as a part of getting out I went to a club called Tryptique in Paris. It was cool. I was hanging out with a couple of friends. We were there of course, because Zap Mama had a concert in Paris and then had there after party at the Tryptique. It was cool. I had forgotten how stylish everyone can be in Paris. I left for two moths, and when I came back I realized. Oh yeah the old t-shirt and any old jeans outfit doesn't quite work as well as in Texas. It's amazing really.

So as we are waiting patiently for the Zap Mama crew to get in we people watch. And boy I really either gotta figure out how to become stylish overnight or make my non stylish way my style. Well, I was never so into it before Paris. Suddenly I am obsessed. God, everytime I have to go to some function in Paris I start sweating. Oh shucks, what am I gonna wear? I stress out like you wouldn't believe. My head starts hurting, my heart starts beating faster and well I start thinking "well I don't really want to go..." Now I am telling you this is a terrible terrible feeling. Anyway, as we are talking about the passersby and their neat sense of fashion, there comes a crowd of about 10 people all dressed very different from the rest of us. Ahhhhh, my beloved Zap Mama. Not the original members, except for Marie, but indeed the energy was great. #

They walked passed us and then into the main room. Where they mounted the stage and proceeded to sing. I was like OMG they really are gonna perform again. I was thrilled. They jammed out for about 20 minutes. And I just want to say THANX ladies. I missed the real concert and this jam session totally made up for it. And I can tell you these women can sang!!!

So when it was done. I waited next to the stage to try to pass a card to Marie for a friend of mine. I met one of the other singers, who then invited me backstage. I was like "what?" backstage are you kidding. So I went backstage and talked to their manager about my friend the designer. Her name is Bisrat Negassi . Her stuff is really great so I didn't have a hard time selling her. So I got the contact for my´girlfriend and ended my night. Hitched a ride home with another friend because the metro stops running about 12:45. I am soooo poor that I can't even afford to pay attention. lol No taxi for me. It was a good night. And I am happy for that. I seem to have had some sadness in my heart. It's good to move around and visit friends when you are feeling likethatt. So this night was good for that.

Well, that's all for today. Hollar at a later date Peace........Song

Supa Dupa.......

Greetings!!!


What's up ya'll? Here I am again months later with just a few thoughts. I hear music. This journey is just full of surprises. I've been globe trotting between Atlanta, Houston, New York and of course Paris. Lot's of new artist that I am digging like this new cat Lyfe wow. I have written a few more songs and I am closer to the end of this part of the voyage. As usual so many things have happened since we last spoke...lol.

I have begun to work with a couple new musicians like Morris Pleasure. Now he is class and style smooth and just plain funky-jazzy. He's played with a lot of people Earth,Wind and Fire notably, and now he's on his journey as label owner, producer,writer and my new friend. Shout out to Lori, his wife, thanx for the hospitality. I spent time at their home in Atlanta. We jammed out together and even wrote a song. It's really cool to spend time with musicians, you see that you're not the only one from planet strange. I also work with this cat named Leroy from D.C. This cat is just pure funk. He's got a group out of San Francisco and they tour a lot in France and Cali.

I am discovering that music is really really everywhere. Not that I want to be too floatie or anything, but in these last couple of months I have begun too "let love shine" (a song on the albulm). And I'm telling you when you accept to be good to yourself; then you can see the possibilities. It may take me a little longer than December to finish this cd. There are a couple of other artists on the label who are recording now. So, I am in the meantime writing and preproducing some cool songs with the cats I spoke about earlier.

Still doing some cool stuff with the cats from Filet of Soul. They got a new project that I have been invited to join in on. It was really fun the time we spent recording. Those guys are really easy to work with. They're like little kids, they want to try everything. It's so much fun.
I went home to Houston to visit with the family. It's strange that I always go home in hurricane season.

It was so terrible what happened n New Orleans. I love that town. There is so much energy and music and life there. I used to drive every other weekend or so from Houston with my friend Heidi and Adrianna. We used to drink too much and stay up too late. Hanging out in the French quarter listening to blues and zydeco. We used to go to the pier before the sun would rise. It smelled so awfully and there was always a fog, but we loved it. Now the people who lived there are struggling to put it all back together. I mean loosing everything like old photos and documents and snick snac gifts and things seem trivial but mean a lot. It makes you appreciate your friends and family. I heard so many bad things about what happened there like in Gretna. Racism is still alive and kicking. It makes me sick to my stomach really. A lot of the people came here to Houston. I met a lot of New Orlean musicians out and about. I think that the Houston music scene is really gonna change and be heavily influenced by our new neighbors. How cool is that?

When I got to Houston, I found myself bracing for our own hurricane. It was neat actually (not the destruction) because my whole immediate family got together and taped up the windows, filled up jugs, filled up tubs, bought board games ,candles ,water, flashlights, batteries and so forth. We all huddled up in one apartment for like four or five days. We lost electricity for a moment, but other than that our neighborhood wasn't touched. My friend however, lost her house and of course had no insurance. She's left town a bit heartbroken and overwhelmed. She has to start all over. I feel so bad for her and others like her, who have children and animals.

Honestly, we were not well enough prepared. I mean we were 12 heartbeats in the same space of about 120 square feet. We should have had like a gallon of water per person per day. We were so far from that. And well the food we had would have lasted about 4 days, but if we were in the dark for longer we would have been up the creek.

We were gonna evacuate when the gas prices shot up so high it was unbelievable. I heard in Atlanta it got up to $5.60per gallon for one day. Anyway in Houston, the lines were so long and it was so hot outside. Needless to say we decided to stay and thank God because 2.7 million people did leave their homes. All around the same time. It was quite a performance to see that on TV. It was ridiculous. Coming back was no easy trick either.

While I was down in Houston I met another kid who makes some really cool songs. His name is Kanvas because music for him is like painting adding layers of colors that can always be changed with the stroke of the brush. He's got some very soulful acid jazz like vibe to his songs. Even the hip hop ones. He's also got a touch of blues in his heart, it's kinda funny from a kid of 22 years old. Anyway, I dig his stuff a lot so I wrote a couple of songs with him too. ..........So now I am back in Paris and I'll be in the studio all this week. I can't wait to hear what new child will be born. Peace to all............................

Catching up.......

Hello fellow friends, family, strangers, and what not.... How are you? It's been a long time been a longtime Been a long time Lonely, lonely, lonely , lonely, lonely time...... Well I have been running around and standing still for a little while. I tell you this music thing is weird.... for lack of a better word. It certainly has it's ups and downs. Like I said before, just to catch up on things, I will not be recording my second CD with Bayswater Records. It was a difficult period for me because this is the group of people that I started to grow with..musically. They were always there for me. In my corner, if you will. Now, that things have changed, I took some time to think about the next move. Or what my direction should be now. Or if I should just Give it all up.... Well, the latter idea was only a three second flash in the pan, Thank God!!


I could never, never, never, neva, just throw it all away just because I am afraid. That's right afraid of the unknown. Of working with people that you gotta get to know again. Of having to "prove" all over again that you are a viable artist... and then one day it clicked..Man this is a bunch of hooey.. You think to much gul... Now just sing and do yo thang the rest will handle itself.

So, I continued to write down little melodies and lyrics while thinking about the possibilities. I was offered a deal by some french rappers, who have started their own label, but the style is more R&B pop than soul. Then later another independent label out of London was interested, but they were interested in more of the acid jazz kinda thing. That isn't bad though I actually like that kind of music, but just for a song or two....... So, then I met some people from Copenhagen who are interested in the same things that I am interested in so..... We are talking about it. Looks like we will start the recording in September (just one month from now), and finish around December. That would be great.....

In the meantime, I have done a few things like back in March with a group called Filet of Soul. I sang as a guest on one song called If You Wanna Know. It was a great experience because we wrote, practiced and then recorded the song in 8 hours. A first for me. At least now I know that it is possible. We had a little concert for the release party of the albulm in April I think.... To see and hear just a bit of this concert click here, just have a little patience because it's in french, so you'll have to wait like 40 seconds before it begins. And yes that's Manu Katche on the drums. The project is two horn players named Alex Tassel and Guillaume Naturel, who invited many different people to sit in on different songs. It's a cool project presented by DJ CAM.


I also went to see a french singer named Veronique Sanson play in a place called L'Olympia Hall. It's like playing at Madison Square Gardens if you will. Not the same size, but a strong history. The place was beautiful, and after the concert I got a tour of the hall. I even got to go onstage and look at the place empty, as if I were singing. What a great feeling. Right then at that very moment I made a wish to sing there very soon... And do you know 3 months after I was told that I will be opening for the legendary Isaac Hayes at the.....you guessed it!! L'Olympia Hall....
Now that is synchronicity if ever .......

Speaking of synchronicity, I met up with an old friend from Texas in the metro in Paris. That was funny.... She's here doing her art and just soaking up the art here in Paris. She's been museum hoppin' as well as jazz bar hoppin'.... Now that's how one should see Paris, if you ask me. LOL.

Had a funny story for Berlin, but I don't think I am ready to quite laugh yet. Suffice it to say that gig didn't turn out how I imagined it would. However, we did see some beautiful things and people there so.............. Pictures later .........

Anyway, it's getting late here in sunny old Paris............. Think I'll put on Shirley Horn and chill out...............Peace.

I Know I know I know

Hello fellow friends I am sure you are all a little pissed with me. I am indeed pissed with myself. I started this blog with the intention of an update every month and I haven't been keeping my end of the bargain. To top things off I wrote this long blog and somehow deleted it. I suppose that the universe thought I should regroup my thoughts and try again. Either way I can't go back. I'll try to save as I go this time. Anyway, I think the last time I left off I was on my way to Texas to begin the recording of my second CD. The real recording because up until now I was just writing ideas and stuff. I never knew that a passion could take over you mind and body with such force that you forget to do the things that you did before without thinking.

Well , nothing happened like I planned which is often the case, and I will not be making this CD with Bayswater records. We had a great run together and I have learned quite a bit because of it. So I must say to Bayswater/AMP Records .....THANK YOU!

So now begins the next chapter in my book of my so called life. It's really rather unnerving to be 'alone' in this project. I should not say alone because I have help from quite a few of my friends, but I am talking more along the lines of a label. Or at least I thought that it would be. In fact, it's bushiness as usual. Still making music because I love to make music. It just feels good to sing.

So now that the original game plan has been changed I find myself deeply involved with every process in this evolving project. It's really cool. I have been experimenting with equipment that I wouldn't dare touch before. It's like I am a kid again lost in a huge candy store. It's so amazing. It's not like I want to join a band as a lead guitarist or something, but wouldn't it be cool to talk to musicians about a song idea and just play it to them? Yeah I think so, So I am gonna have fun experimenting and stuff.

In the meantime, I have started recording in a studio just outside of Paris in Normandy. It's pretty cool too because it's on the countryside and all. All these old French cats walk by and see this black girl with dreads walking around, they have to take a double take. It's so funny sometimes. But, when we go to the bar to have a glass of wine after, it's like we are the stars of the village. Suddenly the people want to know "what you recordin down there in the studio?". The guy that I am working with's name is Leroy. He's from D.C. and, is your typical I don't feel like being bothered unless it's business kinda brotha. His whole family is sweet. They puttin' it down in Alencon, France.

I am grateful for what I have already experienced since my time in Paris. I haven't left yet, but I have been doing a lot of reflection and I have come to the conclusion that I am definitely growing. I have learned quite a bit about myself, as I have lots a time alone with myself ...Writing. Also, one of the groups that I am in here is doing a farewell party of sorts. They have put on a concert series for the last two years and now they want to make a CD. I am truly happy for them. If you want to see some pictures of us as we say goodbye to La Scene then go here...... www.rimshotcrew.com and click play. You will see some of the French and not so French artists that we have worked with. Well that's all .........

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On another more dark note, I would like to send my prayers out to those who have recently lost their lives and the lives of their families in tsunami's, earthquakes, genocides, war, famine and disease. It seems we have a lot of work ahead of us to make this a better place. For my part I try to remain optimistic and hope that one day we will all wake up and do something. I start with my art, but one day I hope to do much more. Peace to you all..................