Blue Lines Blog – Reading Russell Simmons’ Memoir

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Barack Obama, Decoded, Drugs, Inauguration, Jay-Z, Life And Def, Life And Def: Sex, Money + God, More Than You Know, Nelson George, Rosalyn Story, Russell Simmons, Washington D.C.

I finished reading my second book in less than a month (previously Jay-Z Decoded), by Def Jam / Phat Farm / Baby Phat founder and business man, Russell Simmons’ (with Nelson George) 2001 memoir, Life And Def: Sex, Drugs, Money + God . Rather than critique, I would like to offer a summarized version of the “lessons” he offered at that stage of his life to that point to serve as a form of inspiration:
1. In any new business, someone has to have a vision. You may have investors. You may know the market exists. But you need a point of view on the business, a definite vision.
2. You are only as good as the people around you. You can have a powerful vision, but without a staff that can make it happen, its just a dream.
3. People aren’t good or bad – just smart or stupid. In other words, you must try to keep yourself open to people. Don’t be too judgmental. Don’t make snap judgments. Today’s asshole may be tomorrow’s innovator.
4. Don’t try to be all things to all people. Identify your core audience (community) and go from there.
5. Nothing happens the way it’s supposed to.

Next up to read is Rosalyn Story’s More Than You Know . A classical musician and writer that I was lucky enough to meet and actually share my 2009 Presidential Inauguration experience with, even our 10 mile walk.
The manuscript Blue Lines is the fictional coming of age narrative of a young California woman Key Yemaya Walker, and her 2 year growing journey through school, love, and life period piece, written by Kenneth Suffern, Jr., taking place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill between the years of 1997 – 1998. Loosely based on true events, and experiences during that time, told through the eyes and voice of the main female protagonist, a freshman first attending the school.

Blue Lines Blog – 2010 Music Year In Review

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...Featuring, Alice Smith, Andy Allo, Ansomnia, Big Boi, Black, Blue Lines, Bon Iver, Broken Bells, Cat Power, Citizen Cope, Corinne Bailey Rae, Decoded, Diddy, Diddy-Dirty Money, Drake, Feist, Foo Fighters, Gorillaz, Grizzly Bear, Herbie Hancock, Herbie Hancock feat. Norah Jones, Holly Conlon, Holly Miranda, House, How To Make It In America, iPhone, iPod, iTunes, Janelle Monae, Jay-Z, Jill Scott, Kanye West, La Roux, Last Train To Paris, Major Lazer, Massive Attack, N.E.R.D., Nora Jones, ONE MusicFest, OutKast, Pearl Jam, Peter Silberman, Sia, Swizz, The Antlers, The Black Keys, The Sea, The-Dream, Zaki Ibrahim

Album of The Year – Gorillaz – “Plastic Beach”

Best Live Album Of Year (full length) – (Tie) Feist – “Look At What The Light Did Now” / Kanye West – “VH1 Storytellers”

Sophomore Album Of The Year – Corinne Bailey Rae – “The Sea”

Best Mixtape Of Year – Major Lazer & La Roux – “Lazerproof”

Best Compilation Album – Nora Jones “…Featuring”

Single of The Year (Tie) – Massive Attack – “Paradise Circus” / Sia “My Love”

Artist Of the Year – Kanye West – G.O.O.D. Fridays / “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”

Put On Artist Of The Year – Andy Allo (although released in 2009, I have introduced here music to quite a few friends)

Lyric Of The Year – “Hard to be humble/When you stuntin’ on the Jumbotron” – “Devil In A New Dress”

Verse Of The Year – N-E-R-D – “Hypnotize U”

Soundtrack Appearance Of The Year – Zaki Ibrahim – “Ansomnia”
Zaki – Ansomnia by Ophiona

Discovery Artist Of The Year – Bon Iver

Karaoke Song Of Year – Pearl Jam – “Black”

Music Related Book Of Year – Jay-Z – “Decoded”

Discovery Album Of The Year – Broken Bells (Danger Mouse of Grey Album and Gnarls Barkley fame and James Mercer of the Shins) – “Broken Bells”

Favorite Artist I Slept On This Year (Twice) – Massive Attack “Heligoland” / “Heligoland Remix EP”

Starbucks / iTunes Free Download Of The Year – (Tie) Holly Miranda – “Waves” / Holly Conlon “ You Are Goodbye” (2008)

Artist Most Worthy Of Purchasing Physical Album – Andy Allo – “ Unfresh” (2009)

Top Played Songs of Year (2010 Releases) – Sia – “My Love” (307 iTunes/iPod plays),
Diddy-Dirty Money – “Yesterday” (205 iTunes/iPod plays),
Massive Attack – “Paradise Circus” (200 iTunes/iPod plays),
Feist/Grizzly Bear – “Service Bell” (119 iTunes/iPod plays),
Sia – “I’m In Here” (86 iTunes/iPod plays)
Kanye West feat Jay-Z/Swizz Beats – “Power remix” (85 iTunes/iPod plays),
Kanye West feat Bon Iver – Lost InThe World” (83 iTunes/iPod plays)
Kanye West feat Jay-Z/Bon Iver/etc. – “Monster” (82 iTunes/iPod plays)
Alicia Keys feat Drake – “Un-Thinkable remix” (73 iTunes/iPod plays)
Kanye West – “All Of The Lights” (60 iTunes/iPod plays)
Drake feat The-Dream – “Shut It Down (unreleased version)” (54 iTunes/iPod plays)
Major Lazer x La Roux – “Cover My Eyes (Costra Nostra Edit)” (45 iTunes/iPod plays)
Big Boi feat Janelle Monae – “Be Still” (44 iTunes/iPod plays)
Peter Silberman of the Antlers – “Waves (Holly Miranda cover” (42 iTunes/iPod plays)

Best Live Show Of The Year (Arena) – Jill Scott opening for Maxwell’s 2010 Tour. Maxwell was outshined by his performance in the 2009 version of the show.

Best Live Show Of The Year (Club/Bar/etc.) – Joi Gilliam (various times at Pal’s Lounge)

Best Festival Of Year – ONE Musicfest (De La Soul / Common / Joi Gilliam / Goapele / etc.)

Best Cover of Year (Studio) – Civil Twilight – “Teardrop (Massive Attack cover)”

Best Live Cover Of Year – Joi Gilliam covering Sade Adu’s “Cherish The Day”

Best Instrumental Of Year – Feist – “Intuition”

Best Artist I Was Put On To By Friend Of Year (MW) – Black Keys (I had heard of them, but never spent effort to listen to them other than their 2009 Blakroc project.) Now I have their entire catalogue less one album.

Missing Artist(s) Of Year – Esthero, Citizen Cope protégé Alice Smith,

Best TV Show Artist/Song Discovery – Phoenix – “Rome (Neighbours with Devendra Banhart remix)

Best “Commercial Ad Campaign” Artist/Song Discovery – Lincoln’s car campaign, Cat Power – “Space Oddity (cover),” Sia – “Under the Milky Way (cover),” Massive Attack – “Paradise Circus (Gui Boratto remix)”

Best Television Program(s) For New Music – House, How To Make It In America

The manuscript Blue Lines is the fictional coming of age narrative of a young California woman Key Yemaya Walker, and her 2 year growing journey through school, love, and life period piece, written by Kenneth Suffern, Jr., taking place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill between the years of 1997 – 1998. Loosely based on true events, and experiences during that time, told through the eyes and voice of the main female protagonist, a freshman first attending the school.

Hip-Hop Quotable Wednesdays – Jay-Z – “Public Service Announcement”

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Black Album, Decoded, Hip-Hop Quotable Wednesdays, Jay-Z, Public Service Announcement

This is a public service announcement
Sponsored by Just Blaze and the good folks at Roc-A-Fella Records

“Fellow Americans, it is with the utmost pride and sincerity
that I present this recording, as a living testiment and recollection
of history in the making during our generation.”

[Jay-Z]
Allow me to re-introduce myself
My name is Hov’, OH, H-to-the-O-V
I used to move snowflakes by the O-Z
I guess even back then you can call me
CEO of the R-O-C, Hov’!
Fresh out the fryin pan into the fire
I be the, music biz number one supplier
Flyer/flier than a piece of paper bearin my name
Got the hottest chick in the game wearin my chain, that’s right
Hov’, OH – not D.O.C.
But similar to them letters, “No One Can Do it Better”
I check cheddar like a food inspector
My homey Strict told me, “Dude finish your breakfast”
So that’s what I’ma do, take you back to the dude
with the Lexus, fast-forward the jewels and the necklace
Let me tell you dudes what I do to protect this