REFLECTION & REASON

She's definitely talented. Beautiful. Interesting. Even if her music and image isn't your style or taste, you can't deny that she is undoubtedly a star. For the past 5 years she has been consecutively knocking out hits pon toppa hits , yet it wasn't until her fifth studio release "Loud" came out that I actually had the motivation to purchase one of her albums. I'm a strong believer in supporting the cause. If I want to see a movie, I'd rather go to the theatre than buy it bootleg. If I love an artist and feel like their album will inspire me, I'd rather own the entire album than beg a burn/download off someone else. I definitely prefer to buy a book than borrow one from the library. Call me old fashioned, but I believe in the art form, and I appreciate a tangible product received as it was intended. The overall experience is different for me when I know that I own the product. It gives it additional value, even if only in my head. Canadian communi...

What a phenomenal movie! At the risk of ruining the viewing experience for anyone who hasn't yet seen the film, I won't even get into the particulars of why I loved Tyler Perry's "For Colored Girls." But I will say this...I love Tyler Perry. I love his vision. I love his voice. I love him like I've loved Spike Lee, and John Singleton...and Terry McMillan, Sister Souljah, and Omar Tyree. I love when artists are able to take a story based on real-life emotion and circumstance, paired with social awareness, and old-fashioned entertainment...and create a masterpiece. I love that just a few days before the relase of his movie, Tyler Perry sat on Oprah Winfrey's couch and told millions of people about his experiences with abuse, and molestation. I love that a week later, Oprah filled her audience with 200 men who had been through similar experiences with betrayal and abuse. It's more than just entertainment, as far as I'm concerned. On the surface it...

OK, so the brother's a bit weird. Weird albeit fascinating, because he manages to possess qualities of ridiculous narcissism, along with extreme vulnerability, sometimes simultaneously. At at the risk of mentioning what's-her-face...yes, he is also occasionally a bit of a jerk. Yet somehow, I think he's so completely wrapped up in himself...that he's unaware of just how he comes across sometimes. That being said, I DO believe that Kanye West is kind of a musical phenomenon. Even if he believes it himself more than anyone...I can comfortably say that he's totally right. Kanye at 33, in my eyes, is one of the most important entertainers of our time. His short film, a 40-minute music video "Runaway" debuted on Saturday, October 23 at 8:00pm on a few music stations, including BET and MTV. It was directed by and starred Mr. West, was filmed in Prague, and written by Hype Williams. It was a work of art. I loved the way the images were coodinated with the mood an...

We've seen it portrayed in feature films numerous times: hard-edged teacher/principal saves under-priviledged students through tough love. On screen it's endearing, emotional, and succinct...in reality it's an ongoing battle that many dedicated teachers and school administrators face. Principal Ed Tom of the Bronx Center for Science and Mathematics (BCSM) is one of those real-life educators who has dedicated his time, sacrificed his family occasionally, and has committed whole-heartedly to the improvement and empowerment of his students. The journey of Ed Tom from his first day as principal at the BCSM to the last day of the first year of school were documented by director Christopher Wong in the documentary " Whatever it Takes. " It was featured at Toronto's Carlton Cinemas from September 24 through 26, 2010 and has won numerous accolades at film festivals, including the Asian American International Film Festival. In what the Globe and Mail called a "ca...

He's a Juno award winner, a Gemini award nominee, he's received countless other accolades, is an established actor, the Godfather of Canadian Hip Hop, and now also an author. Reading Wes "Maestro" Williams' new book Stick to Your Vision (co-written with his wife, Tamara) was powerful for me on many levels, but the main reason was summarized early in the second chapter when Williams said: "As we grow up...we need to feel that we are part of a community that reflects and reinforces our identity and experiences." In the late 80s, Maestro Fresh Wes was the Canadian hip hop/urban experience, and to this day in any venue across the city, if the DJ plays Let Your Backbone Slide it continues to hit us with the warmth of nostalgia and also the recognition of growth. Williams represents the story of building the black Canadian identity, so it is only fitting that he has shared his testament and experiences in print. Growing up as a black Canadian, you ...

After the madness of the G-20 summit, it was nice to see Toronto looking and feeling back to normal, and celebrating one of many cultures in the city at the 22nd anniversary edition of AfroFest at Queen's Park on July 10 and 11, 2010. Presented by Music Africa , a non-profit organization that supports and promotes African music and culture, AfroFest is the largest African music celebration in North America. The weekend features a marketplace for arts, crafts, jewelry, clothing, books, and other items, along with a variety of African and Caribbean cuisine, concerts, dancing, drumming, and rides and activities for children. Kya Publishing was there for the second year, featuring my book collection the "Urban Toronto Tales" (pictured below). There are so many African-Canadian writers, poets, and artists who also have stories to share, and voices to be heard; AfroFest provides a great platform for this type of networking. The beauty of the AfroFest is that small business own...

The Roots are fantasic. True musicians. Expert performers. On Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at Nathan Philips Square (Toronto), The Roots gave an amazing 2-hour performance as part of the Toronto Jazz Festival. To say they are legendary would be an understatement. There are so many hip hop artists and entertainers that come and go in the music industry--many are forgotten, many lack the ability to maintain a career that spans more than a few years, and many just simply don't have the genuine talent to keep their audiences engaged, and their fanbase active. The Roots are exceptional in all areas. Gathered under the tent at the festival's Toronto Star Stage, the crowd seemed to become increasingly electrified as the show went on. Original band members MC Black Thought and ?uestLove on drums, along with guitarist "Captain" Kirk Douglas , bass player Owen Biddle , keyboardist James "Kamal" Gray , percussionist Frank "Knuckles" Walker , and tuba player Damo...