JAMES BROWN // 1933-2006

THE GODFATHER IS DEAD...LONG LIVE THE GODFATHER!!!!

The greatest musician of the past 50 years passed away early this Christmas morning.

Although the mainstream press has often noted his genius and important contributions to music, it seems that the post-hiphop generation has forgotten who our daddy is. Since the sampling era passed, The Godfather's visibility to younger fans has decreased greatly. Today, it feels important to revisit some of his contributions...

Without James Brown, there would be no hip-hop music. In light of the immeasurable impact hip-hop has had over the past 28 years -- not just on popular music but on fashion, language, pop culture, race relations, and countless other realms -- it seems almost impossible to overstate the importance of James Brown on American and global society. When Brown decided to add heavy syncopation to the drum track on "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" in 1965, he changed the direction of dance music forever. All dance and pop music since 1965 shows evidence of the JB influence. Is there any other musician of the 20th century that

Without James Brown, the icon of the modern entertainer -- taken to astounding heights by the likes of Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, Prince, and countless others -- would look very different. For James Brown, it was not enough to simply sing. He sought to entertain, and in so doing created a new paradigm in pop culture. Known almost as much for his innovative dance steps and over-the-top stage presence (including his patented cape-removal by Maceo Parker) as his endless string of #1 records, James Brown created a new type of black musician -- one who was loud, proud, and unapologetic about his blackness. And that struck a nerve with his fans -- his "Live at the Apollo" album sold over 1 million records in 1962. That was a first for a black musician in the US.

There have been alotta artists and musicians....but there will only be one Godfather. On behalf of his millions of Godchildren, I offer a salute to the late, great James Brown. Teach di youth, people.....

A SIMPLE OBSERVATION...

The tragic death of James Kim last week in the snowy wilderness of Oregon was a tragedy -- and he is a man who should be remembered as a brave, resourceful and strong father and husband.

This is not about James Kim, but an observation about the US media and the subtle (and, sometimes, not so subtle) ways in which it constructs reality for the majority of US citizens.

The US media portrayed the struggle of the Kim family almost 24 hours a day, on local, national and even international TV. There was an outpouring of concern for the family -- and rightfully so.

Yet, mysteriously, the police murder of an unarmed African American male (who, it should be added, was the father of two children and was to be married to his fiancee the day he was murdered) was strangely underpublicized. Despite the shocking details of the murder (an unarmed man shot over 50 times, the day he was to be married), there was little mention of the shooting outside of New York City, where it ocurred. The police murder of Sean Bell, a 23-year old father from Queens, NY gained some publicity when outraged New Yorkers, primarily African American citizens who have grown tired of a long history of police violence against their communities, began to rally and protest for justice.

What can we read from this disparity in reporting? One thing that seems clear is that African American life -- no matter how tragically it is taken from this planet -- is not seen as of equal value to the lives of people of other races. National newscasts made no rush to condemn the act, even when Mayor Bloomberg of New York City (a Republican who has been criticized for his handling of many African American issues) condemned the 50 police shots as "unacceptable."

What is unacceptable is the media's refusal to treat the lives of African Americans with the same dignity and respect as they do others. Not only should there be outrage at the NYPD, there should be outrage at the manner in which the corporate media molds our emotions -- especially around this time of year -- and directs our gaze toward some things, and away from others....



SEAN BELL // REMEMBERANCE IS POWER!!!