Tuesday, February 23, 2016

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised and Will Not Include A Performance From Beyonce

"You will not be able to stay at home, brother
You will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop out
You will not be able to lose yourself on skag and
Skip out for beer during commercials
Because the revolution will not be televised"

Gilbert "Gil" Scott-Heron was a great African-American soul, jazz, poet, and "bluesologist" singer who created the poem and song "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised". As he complimented these powerful words alongside the beat or congas and bongo drums this message originally was a slogan among the 1960's  Black Power movement. It's lyrics focused on several TV shows, advertising slogans and icons of the entertainment and news coverage as examples of what "the revolution will not" be. His music also influenced the Hip-Hop and the Neo-Soul genres with his ability to both sing and rap in his songs such as in his album Pieces of a Man and also Winter in America. Which leads me to ask, will you be too caught up in the latest car commercial or anticipating the latest album from your favorite artist to realize when the revolution will be?

I've learned as a student of Communications I've learned the nuances of the underlining tools that the media tends to use when wanting the public to not focus on the bigger issues at hand. It seems these days with the power of social media a simple tweet between celebrities can distract millions from some of the world's most important issues. Now you are at the line in which you ask "Well are the celebrities really responsible for making people more socially conscious?", well I believe that will always be a question where we would have to agree to disagree. I however don't feel they are obligated but more so to be more thoughtful of how this could the shoes could be on the other foot. However one can hope and pray. Now I am not saying be so socially conscious to where you have to make everything in life a conspiracy theory, however don't let the wool go down too far over your eyes. Let's take for example the following current events: you have Beyonce stupendous Superbowl performance followed the very great performance given by Kendrick Lamar (which both are now on the Grammy winning list). Both performances were filled with racially conscious messages which me personally was expected from Kendrick from the gate he has made what I would say "consciously sound" music, but out steps Bey? Beyonce has become one of the world's biggest entertainers of our time, her music has always been universal, so her stepping into what may say in her "Alabama/Louisiana/Houston" roots kinda took me aback. I mean you have little girls of all races wanting to be her and here she was featuring her daughter Blue in her video with what a little formation of the future Destiny's Child. Then having a lineup of dancers with their afros and their Black Panther meets Michael Jackson 2010 SuperBowl influenced uniforms to shut down the halftime show (despite the almost fall that no one really caught because Beyonce is always on beat), and some of us our sitting like "Where did this come from?". By some of us I mean about 12 black people and ALLLLL of White America. Personally after a discussion with a few of my colleagues we can all agree WE WERE ALL HERE FOR IT! Now were we necessarily here for the extended promo she did at the end nah, we has a race were on a high and then BOOM by the way here is my tour. Its feels like well dang Bey can you let me black and proud and breathe this moment of Black Excellence that just took place at the most watched and paid for event EVER before you go the pockets? Now we can all agree hats off and kudos to that FABULOUS PR team, talk about the best eff'n timing on earth, however as I was watching I just wanted the moment to just last a but longer before something else was to grab our attention, hence the "distraction" tactic often used in the media and is a definitely a tool used in promotions.

Now by all means I'm now Beyonce hater but neither am I apart of the Beyhive. I am also not yet another lost soul, or coon, or sell out, or a Raven Simone as I have seen on FaceBook and Twitter whenever you say anything at all negative about Beyonce. I am black woman that realizes that it takes more than a song to fix what has been going on for at least over 100 years now. How that we have so much work and construction within our own community before we can fight any other battle. We openly and blatantly destroy our own community on a daily, whether its our black on black crime for materialistic things. When we pass up our black owned businesses because they don't have the labels of mainstream media that we feel we need to have to be accepted into society. I honestly didn't realize that society had a dress code hence the fact that your have so many different fashion designers everywhere. Maybe just maybe would it hurt to employ a black lawn service, or go support that young brother or sister trying to make a name for themselves in the fashion world. Can we not let the few bad business dealings that you have had within our community change your entire outview because wouldn't that be categorizing, which is a stigma we have been trying for years to break. I admit you have those whose antics set us back a few centuries however that is not the representative for our community, but unfortunately you have more and more souls selling to the highest bidder but that's another blog. I would just prefer and again this is just my preference to let local African-American trend more often. Beyonce has set and broken so many records and have many accolades behind her name. However what about the local man operating after school buildings out of his pocket just to offer sheild the youth from the drug infested environment they have to live in. The teacher that comes in early and stays late to ensure that her students get the most information possible in a low funded school. This is just a vision that I would like to see Let these words reside with you in love and hope, and not fault and hate.

                         





Peace And Blessings
Swagg P

"Buzzworthy Cravings, Creatively Satisfied!"

Press Release: Pink Elephant Festival Artist Spotlight: Lady BSmoove



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 19, 2016 Austin, TX




For full press release click here: http://tinyurl.com/zw72y7z

Featured Artist: Lady BSmoove

Vocalist, Songwriter, Author and Activist Lady Bsmoove has done it again! She is fervently geared up to release her 2nd debut production, Live Love Dream; an album and book project filled with Truth, Universal-Love, Power and Courage, and a little bit of her soul.



With her first self-publishing project (2nd debut album) Lady Bsmoove gives her audience the opportunity to see life through her heart, determination and movement. Working with artists like Original Soul (musician and producer), Mario “Mr. Havic” Porter (producer), Donald Story (singer and producer) and Drin Elliot (keyboardist) offered her the creative space and development to artistically cross boundaries, raise expectations and progressively speak truth throughout the art of her poetry and music.

Laby Bsmoove’s musical and inspired journey began in 2006 while hosting and performing at The Kaffe Coffee House in Dallas, Texas, alongside several phenomenal artists from the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex area. Since then, her poems and lyrics have been published in Voices of Poetry, Volume 4 and 5 by Regent Publishing. Her works have also been nominated for a Legacy of Success Foundation Award for Best Literary Works and a UBE Ally Award.

Since her start in this creative arts world Laby Bsmoove have shared the stage with the likes of Malcom Jamal Warner, Audacious IAM, Michael Guinn, Kevin Dupree, and many more; while featuring on stages from The Black Academy of Arts and Letters (Dallas, Texas), Dallas LGBT Pride Monthly Kick Off at City Hall and Dallas Pride Celebration (Dallas, Texas – 2012, 2013), Muse Theater (Dallas, Texas), Fahari Arts Institute (Dallas, Texas), The HeArt Series (Houston, TX), The Boys and Girls Club of Memphis (Memphis, TN) and many more. In 2010 Lady Bsmoove joined forces with poet and spoken word artist Audacious IAM and went on tour, sharing her work throughout Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Georgia on The Southern Made Tour.




Not only is Lady Bsmoove a performance artist she was the Co-Owner and Event Coordinator of SmooveQ’s Entertainment and Catering Company in 2009 up until 2011. Throughout this journey she and her business partner produced (and collaborated) several events and productions throughout the DFW Metroplex. She also was co-host of the radio show, KEBNradio.com together with Kia D and Audacious IAM.

She released her 1st debut album, Thought You Knew (Independent Project) in October of 2008 and it was sold in stores throughout the DFW Metroplex and at shows/events from Dallas, Texas to Atlanta, Georgia.

In 2012 Lady BSmoove was seen as the best candidate to host to host the 3rd Annual South Dallas AIDS Walk in Dallas, Texas. Recently she was featured in the documentary film, Beneath My Skin (June 2014) while have written the title poem. She continues to be not only an artist, but an entrepreneur and activist who continue to fight; reminding us all to Live, Love and Dream –NO MATTER WHAT.

To review more facts and knowledge about Laby Smoove and her movement you may review the following published interviews with her; Dallas Lit Monthly Magazine, Dallas Voice.

Don’t forget to follow Lady Bsmoove on
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www.ladybsmoove.wix.com/ladybsmoovemusic
www.cdbaby.com/ladybsmoove
www.facebook.com/ladybsmoove
www.youtube.com/ladybsmoove




                                         


















































"Buzzworthy Cravings, Creatively Satisfied!"