Chris Brown Apologizes

What you’ve all been wating for……….

WE PRESENT TO YOU THE CHRIS BROWN APOLOGY

 

The comments within the video are not of theblvdmag.com.

Our favorite segment of the apology is when he says “Hi, I’m Chris Brown” as if he’s  giving his own PSA.

News and Info.

Houston, what busy two weeks we’ve had. Steve McNair and his 20-year-old girlfriend, Sahel Kazemi passed away from gunshot wounds. The former Houston Oiler was only 36-years-old and was found sitting on a couch in his Tennessee apartment riddled with gunshots.

The Michael Jackson memorial will be held Tuesday July 7 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey and a host of other celebrities are expected to participate in the final farewell to the King of Pop. Television coverage will be dedicated to the celebration starting as early as 9 a.m.

Finally, Ron Artest is officially a Faker and Yao Ming’s career is reported to be over due to reinjury of the foot, a problem that has plagued him for years. Here’s to hoping that our sports teams get it together and stay healthy.

What the ?

The passing of Michael Jackson has left an irreplaceable hole in music. There will never be another King of pop. And yes, childhood has officially ended for many of us. We got it. What we don’t get is the rush to pass his crown to someone else. In an obvious attempt from the big media machine to drum up stories for the masses, one major storyline we should ALL not forget is who is the heir apparent to the pop throne?

The answer is easy. There is no heir, and anyone who is anticipating one should stop.  Instead of allowing the natural order of life to fall in place, the general public is running around looking for a ready made superstar to fill a musical tradition that shall rest in peace in that gold casket with Michael.

Despite any artists best intentions music is in critical condition and the only hope is some real creativity to infuse into the sound.

The truth of the matter is music needed this opportunity to reinvent itself much in the same way Mike did so many years. It needed to have a reason to change, and the artists of today will do one of two things. They will respond by getting back to the heart of music making or they will continue to rape the art for pennies on the dollar (which we see is also worthless).

Michael Jackson’s impact on pop culture, music specifically, should remain just that, and the future of music will determine itself. And what is our only contribution? To continue to support real artists making real music, and to procreate. We’re not kidding. The future of music lies within us.

So, instead of droning on about the state of music and Michael’s death we challenge any and all of the creatives to use the last part of this decade defining a sound that we can pass on to our children. Not one of us wants to remember the 2000s as a period of snap music and dudes dancing like idiots. The future is in your loins.

Houston We Will NOT: A Plea to Stop “The Kim Kardashian”

A cursory visit to YouTube left theblvdmag.com speechless. There is a competition for Houstonians and others to create a dance for the city’s first Dallas era tune, “The Kim Kardashian.” Lil’ Flip’s ode to her, Kim Kardashian is a result of a mixture of the need for “artists” to create a dance to some known chicks name so we can, well, dance. It’s the ugly cousin of Hurricane Chris’s ”Halle Berry” and some of that good ol’ Dallas dude music.

Make no mistake, theblvdmag.com has no issue with Kim Kardashian, and we kind of don’t have an issue with Lil’ Flip, but we do have an issue with said song and dance.

Houston, c’mon, we’re known for making classics. Classics that wannabe “artists” steal for their personal ambitions. June 27 ring a bell anyone? Remember Gangsta’s don’t dance, we boogie, and Boulevardiers don’t do none of that either. So how about you sign this petition and keep the Houston tradition alive.

View the madness below.

(video courtesy of Bossip.com)

…and apparently, these are the winners of the contest below

Editors Note: …We will not? Seems we did

Return of Renaissance

Yates High School has a troubled history in Houston. The school is seemingly constantly under attack from all sides, but Houston can’t let it go because of the students it produces. Take Jason “DJ Flash Gordon Parks” Woods for example. He is a product of the photography program at Yates, lead by Ray Carrington III, based on the community in which he grew up. Jason wasn’t fully committed to photography until he hit college, where he majored in photography at Sam Houston State University.

He now has a book of his work published and ready for sale. His book, “The Beautiful Side of Ugly,” takes you on a walk through the impoverished black experience in the ghettos of Houston’s third and fifth wards. In the next twenty years, with some photo re-touching, these images will sure to be placed in an African American museum of history. The gentrification of the Houston urban neighborhoods, like New Orleans, the people, the homes, and the spirit of Houston’s south side will make the historical context of the city non-existent.

As a highschooler, he naturally fit in with all the characters we all knew so well. If there was a Yates version of AC Slater, Zack Morrison, and Screech — Jason would have been the cool cat that fit, from top to bottom. But Yates was no after school special.

Whatever questionable encounters the southsider  experienced was through his  “alternative” love for music. In the 90s, alternative defined anything that was not “screwed” or produced with a southern twang, so his love for Wu Tang was rarely a topic for discussion at the lockers.

“The minute you mentioned Wu Tang, or some De La Soul, nigg*s gave you that strange look,” Woods says. “If you wasn’t bumpin screw, don’t even mention anything else.”

Thankfully 10 years later, his love for music has transcended to the club scene at chill spots in Houston.  Flash Gordon Parks, his DeeJay moniker, spins a  fusion of jazz, hip-hop and soul that surprises newcomers once they step into his magical world. Like his photography, Parks catches the moment through melodic sounds from HISD, which he’s a member of, to J. Davey, Esperanza Spalding, and Foreign Exchange. With headphones cocked to the side, and a glass of a non-alcoholic beverage on his table, the DJ is lost in the music. Tapping his foot and moving to the rhythm of an underground artist, Houstonians should be inspired to step up there discographies.

“I feel that once the word is put out there about this experience, more and more people will

come,” he says. “The Houston club scene is used to being told what’s cool and where to go, rarely do folks seek any newness.”

Why? “Because if that’s all you know, then why look for anything different?”

The crowd is medium in size but very pleased with their DJ. His mix of old school, underground, and radio jams are worth listening to, his skills are definitely a rarity.

A lover of art, film, and music, in cities like Philly, New York, DC, and LA, he would be considered a cool well-rounded cat, but in Houston’s urban world of cool, he’s dubbed The Renaissance Man.

Check out his podcasts for a taste of his musical choices on peaceuvmine.com. If you’re not feeling it, you probably don’t get this publication anyway.

Save the Music

MJ died and the networks have been playing his music videos over and over again. It’s a trip through childhood; a time when programming on television seemed to entertain as well as inform. Everything seemed to inspire and inform the possibilities of what could be; especially music videos. Although it’s no secret that music videos have sucked for quite some time, the proof is now undeniable. From the cinematography, to the choreography, to the models, cable videos takes the viewers on a mindless trip to nothingness . Blame can be placed on the lackluster quality of the music. We’ve been completely inundated with shitty ass music, and now we’re completely tuned out. When songs like the “Stanky Leg” or “Halle Berry” reach the top of the charts on the radio and on music video shows, there’s no wonder why notable music video directors of the past like Paul Hunter, Phillip Atwell, Francis Lawrence, Nzingah Stewart, Brian Barber, and Diane Martel are not on the scene anymore. Sure, Hunter directed Jeremih’s video for Birthday Sex, a song that is annoying at best on first listen, but because of Hunter’s involvement at least he makes the first 30 seconds tolerable.

Not so long ago music videos were something to anticipate. People would watch and talk about favorite segments the next day at school or work. Why? Because they were something to marvel. Choreography matched the plot – what a novel idea – of the video. Think about Michael Jackson’s video for Remember the Time — let along Thriller. Or, they were just captivating to watch, like Aaliyah’s video for Rock the Boat. They stretched boundaries and used innovation like Mark Romanek’s Fiona Apple work.

Now, all we get is a chick shaking her ass to the beat and dudes popping bottles of champagne on each other, which is an entirely different discussion. There is no doubt there is a void that needs to be filled quickly or the young ones who follow behind us will continue this lame trend of mediocrity. It’s almost as if this cycle of stupidity is beyond our control because they all go hand in hand. Look at the Drake video. Kanye directing the video doesn’t make it hot. The comedic value can only be appreciated by an eighth grade pubescent boy.

It’s time to return to a time of creativity in all of our art forms, including the art of the video. We don’t know about y’all, but we’re ready for a reason to be excited about music again, and is it too much to ask for some creative television. Our solution? Support quality artists who put out real music. Take out the time to encourage with not only your attendance, but your dollars.

Dear Farrah…A Hair Tribute to Farrah Fawcett

The Chocolate Bar

Attention chocolate lovers.  Willy Wonka has nothing on this establishment. Before I get into how ridiculously decadent everything was, let me say that this place has so much character and charm — the vibe was cool. One side of the shop actually does sort of resemble a bar. In fact, on Tuesday evenings, you can enjoy listening to a live band while indulging in your favorite chocolate treat. Speaking of chocolate, did I mention this was a chocolate lover’s paradise? How has this place been in existence for eight years and I not know about it?

They offer everything from truffles to chocolate-dipped fresh fruit, cheesecake, homemade ice cream and even chocolate novelties, which also make great gifts. You can also find unusual items covered in chocolate like Pringles, Twinkies and Lucky Charms cereal to name a few. But what really caught my eye were these massive four layer chocolate cakes on display. I felt like I gained five pounds just looking at them. That didn’t stop me though, I had to try a slice. I chose the cake oddly named Uncle Darryl’s; four layers of extremely moist dark chocolate cake with toffee and bittersweet chocolate bits between each layer. They top it off with a rich chocolate ganache. Seriously, every bite was pure unadulterated bliss. This slice of heaven will cost you around $10, not exactly cheap, but worth it. They’re also conscious of the diabetic population offering the best sugar free chocolate treats in town. The Chocolate Bar didn’t forget about the pooches in your life. They offer a variety of carob (not chocolate) and peanut butter covered treats for you pet lovers as well. Try them out, they even stay open until midnight on weekends. The Chocolate Bar, where every hour is happy hour.

The Chocolate Bar
1835 W. Alabama
Houston, TX 77098
713.520.8599

New Location – Rice Village
2521 University Boulevard
Houston, TX 77005
713.520.8888
www.theoriginalchocolatebar.com

photography cred: Jamie Lockard

HISD: Students of the Game

Houston’s best kept secret is finally ready for its shine. H.I.S.D, also known as the Hueston Independent Spit District, is an eight member collective consisting of four emcees, three producers and one photographer/DJ. Having been on the scene only since 2005, emcees Savvi, Ldavoice, Equality and Scottie Spitten along with producers King Midas, Soul One, E. Classic and photographer/DJ Jason “Flash Gordon Parks” Woods sat down with theblvdmag.com to discuss Houston’s lack of diversity on the airwaves and how they plan to make their mark in music history.

The team is from the hometown and joined creative forces to bring their full-length album The District to the world in 2007 under their independent label Peace Uv Mine Entertainment. Their most recent effort Summer Sessions, released in July 2008 has gained popularity by word of mouth and “is most popular probably because its free,” says Ldavoice.

It should come as no surprise that you may not have heard of this collective until now, especially with the same songs in heavy rotation on the local radio stations. Focusing on creating quality music is priority number one.

“We try to let the product speak for us instead of impose it on others,” says Savvi. “What makes this collective so unique is we genuinely would do this if we didn’t get praise from anyone else.”

The music is indeed speaking for itself creating a buzz on the Internet, which has brought them enough attention to be featured at the 2009 South by Southwest Music and Film Festival. “We have really been blessed in a sense that we really didn’t do any serious marketing for our album,” says Ldavoice. “It was purely off the music alone.”

The group rehearses in an area they call the Gold Room, known for housing dope rhymes and healthy debates.  At this particular rehearsal the topic of discussion was centered on whether Rakim wrote the lyrics to the DJ Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince classic, Summertime. The discussion then turned to who was best vocalist between Sade, or Anita Baker – a friendly argument that has yet to be settled.

“These conversations and debates we have, it’s inspiration for our music” says Ldavoice, “What always happens is that we end up going back and listening to that stuff because we wanna make sure our argument is valid, so we’re gonna go back and study it.”

By making themselves students of the game, they are distancing themselves from the predictable mode of Houston rap. The American public at large, and much of Houston, only knows DJ Screw, Mike Jones and Chamillionaire.

“We wanna make hip hop music for people that really don’t like hip hop music,” says Equality, although it’s quite obvious that they are influenced by hip hop groups like Little Brother, The Roots and the Wu Tang Clan. “That’s what makes us so special, that we are from this place making this type of music. You would never think it would come from here,” says Woods.

For those who may have doubted, Houstonians are capable of producing a different sound that both southerners and music lovers abroad can appreciate. The secret to their new found success is the way in which the group works together collaboratively. “Anything that comes out from us, eight people have to approve of it, so that’s like built in quality control and some stuff ain’t easy to get off the cutting board,” says Savvi. This system of checks and balances has worked thus far and therefore makes it hard for their efforts to go unnoticed. In fact, HISD has received nods from greats like ?uestLove of the Roots, Maceo of DeLa Soul and Phonte of Little Brother and Foreign Exchange.

Their music production is easy on the ears similar to the production of a Common album; and their lyrics are thought provoking unlike your typical southern rap referencing cars, bling, and bitches.  Don’t be fooled though, there’s no mistake where these guys are from when listening to their music. There are plenty of Houston references in their lyrics, from the Galleria, to the hot weather. Complaints of traffic lace the Houston slang they drop in their rhymes, and anyone can hear HISD represents our beloved city to the fullest.

Editor’s Pick>>> AFROpop

CYBER DESIGNER APPRECIATION:21st Century Maroon Colony, 21mc

The super duo Emeka Alams and Yego Moravia are the last of a dying breed of great urban street wear designers. Inspiration from African textiles dating back hundreds of years is what makes this label standout from all the others that say “I have a fashion line”. First generation Americans, by way of Haiti (Yego) and Nigeria (Emeka), the two dig deep into the legacy of African ancestry with their awe dropping creations of tees, ponchos, and of course, music.

LOCAL LOVE: Check out what some of Houston’s up and coming talent is doing. Cheers to all the upcoming Texas fashion designers: Aston Moze, Bukky Are’ of House of Versatile Style, Afrik Couture, and shopfashionablylate.net.

SHIT WE WISH WE COULD AFFORD RIGHT NOW:High end  clothing and accesories brand, Marni, continues to spark interest with their signature graphic prints on the market. Splurging $500 for pants (and that’s on sale) along with the handbag for $800 will definitely land you in the poor house, but at least you’ll be fly (right?). The somewhat gaudy but unforgettable Vuitton tribal sandal is an all time shoe favorite for shoe afficianados.  These will knock you down about $1200. You could easily get creative and deisgn a similar mask and attach it to a strap of a nice wedge.  Although many of these looks are almost out of season, try looking out for similar high end pieces at Neiman’s Last Call or Off 5th for the clearance price.

FUN EXTRAS: E. T. Mensah’s, High Life Giants of Africa, is a classic album for real jazz lovers. Mensah pioneered the development of the swing-jazz influenced highlife dance-bands that were so popular throughout West Africa in the 1950’s and 60’s. .

LOOK ALIKES: American Apparel has a small collection of tribal design t-shirts, harem pants, leggings, and bra tops. Stop by American Apparel off of Westheimer and Dunlavy. Tell em, THE BLVD sent you!

Editor’s Note: The Designer of

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