Girl, You Gotta Love Your Man.

I've been out of town for the last 4 days. I've never spent a birthday away from my fam/friends. I wasn't looking forward to it. I woke up yesterday and it was pouring rain. I got showered & dressed and went down to the hotel lobby. I didn't have anything else to do, so I went for an extended ride on the airport shuttle. Pouring rain and I'm listening to The Doors ("Riders On The Storm")....riding through the airport....for no apparent reason. Exciting. I know.


I'm now understanding what this birthday was: 


1. Sometimes, you just need to be happy you're alive. 


2. Whether I knew it or not, I was having my Sofia Coppola/'Lost In Translation' moment.


Thanks for the shout-outs. It's good to be here....


....and sometimes, it's okay to be Bill Murray.


Love, 

Zee

These Are The Breaks

David Israel is the showrunner for Nickelodeon's 'How To Rock'. The network recently announced that it would not be going forward on a second season. Rather than tear the network to shreds with a series of scathing blog posts/tweets, David Israel offers the following post.

The George Jefferson Museum: Open 24/7

February 1, 1938 – July 24, 2012

Dear Sherman Hemsley,

I wasn't supposed to be up, watching 'The Jeffersons'. My Dad told me to go to bed. I couldn't help it. "George Jefferson" was comic gold. I've seen EVERY episode. I laughed then and I still laugh now.

But you know what 'The Jeffersons' really did for me? It taught me screenwriting and it taught me timing. It showed me how modern sitcoms worked. More importantly, George Jefferson was an ideal. George opened a store; moved his family to a "deluxe apartment in the sky" and still remained who he was. He talked sh*t to everybody. He didn't care. He may crack on his fam but if YOU disrespected "Weezy" he'd fight you. He opened 9 Jefferson Cleaners....and wasn't afraid to tell you about it. He wasn't a begger. He had dreams. He was about a dollar but he never sold himself out. George Jefferson was a self-made man. And this was directly after the civil rights era. Portraying that type of character on TV, at that time, was a feat in itself. 

If the character accomplished one thing, it was this: George Jefferson was probably the most revolutionary African-American character on TV (ever). I'm sure there are "academics" who may disagree but you couldn't have Cliff Huxtable without George Jefferson. Mr. Jefferson was his own brand of ass-kicker....and at that time that's probably what we needed.

Goodnight, Mr. Hemsley....and Thank you, Mr. Jefferson.

Love,

Zee

p.s. I still think the George Jefferson Museum was a great idea.

Turn On The Damn Lights!

The following conversation happened between me and one of my brothers. I won't say who. (Ahem.) He is thoroughly convinced that his ex's mom tried to perform a "ritual" on him. NOTE: For the sake of anonymity, his identity has been changed to "Frisco".

Magically Delicious

I'm writing a TV show.....and the doubting bastards can't stop me.

I have to say things [like that] to myself. I have to put that kinda rap out into the universe. If I don't believe in this, I can't expect anyone else to come along for the ride. I'm not just a bike riding/wheelie-popping hoodlum. I'm a cosmic magic-dispenser. I make things go my way. It may take awhile.....but the rigamarole eventually works itself out.....and in my favor.

I didn't fully realize that until this year. I don't know what it was (that hipped me to this fact). There are several possibilities:

1. It could have been me, watching an ep of Entourage. Things always work out for those dudes. That's why modern alpha-males, like myself, love watching this show. The moral of that show? No matter how bad things get, in the end, you'll have friends, happiness and money. Sign me up.

2. It could have been a panel, with one of my favorite comic book writers, where they mentioned astronomy/time-shifting/spell casting. These guys make anything seem possible. [SEE: Moore/Morrison/Ellis] 

By the way, the other morning, my bagel floated up in the air. I wasn't high or drunk. Seriously. 

3. It could have been one of those nights where I ate too much Indian food and drank too much Simply Raspberry. Chick Pea Masala opens up doorways to Divine Wisdom. Things happen when I start to hallucinate. Magikal portals are opened.

4. It could have been one of those nights where I was sick, took meds and let my mind float somewhere else. Delirium has its benefits. Especially when the drugs kick in...at 2 a.m. Things happen when I start to hallucinate. Magikal portals are opened. 

5. It could have been that one night. I was zoning, drinking Ginger Beer*, listening to an Oregon album and writing some craziness. My brother walks in [around midnight]. Only my desk light is on. The music is deep and trance-like. Candles are flickering. The house smells like Sage. He takes a few steps into the front door, looks at me bewildered and says: "Damn. You'll be in here listening to some deep sh*t. You're like a scientist or something."

That's right. I'm a scientist. I'm concocting new formulas. I'm re-examining equations. I'm building bridges to new star systems and galaxies.

I'm the new James T. Kirk out this piece.

Boldly going where no dude has gone before.

Why did I say all of this?

I'm writing a TV show. The writing part is pretty easy. What I really want is for this thing to sell. It will. I have speak this out into the cosmos.  I have to believe this.....everyday.....every night. I'm going to have (at least) 10 minutes [of it] filmed. I'm going to shop it. Someone, somewhere, is going to recognize. Why? Because things always work out for me.....in some way or another. It's called "magic", Ladies & Gentlemen.

I'm going to write and produce a TV show. And guess what? 

None of the doubting bastards can stop me.

Hallelujah. Hollaback.

Ziti

*NOTE: The aforementioned Ginger Beer is a special blend, brewed by Rastafarian women in Harlem. This drink is soul-cleansing. No lie. I've made special trips (nocturnal and otherwise) just to get a batch. 

Come Get To This

"I can't see anything wrong with sex between consenting anybodies. I think we make far too much of it. After all, one's genitals are just one important part of the magnificent human body ... I contend that SEX IS SEX and LOVE IS LOVE. When combined, they work well together, if two people are of about the same mind. But they are really two discrete needs and should be treated as such. Time and space will not permit me to expound further, especially in the area of the psyche. I don't believe in overly moralistic philosophies. Have your sex, it can be exciting, if you're lucky. I hope the music that I present here makes you lucky."


- Marvin Gaye


 From the liner notes of the 'Let's Get It On' album.


Happy Birthday, MG.


Love, Ziti

Ginger Yellow Cupcakes

The Hi-Fi Gospel

For Puddy.

Happy Birthday.

Dilla Tribute Week: One Day Common Makes Sense

(from left; Dilla, Common, Karriem Riggins)

My feelings on Com, as an artist, are 50/50. He's done some things I like. He's done some things that I don't like. I copped the Can I Borrow a Dollar album. The singles, from that album, "Take It EZ" and "Soul By The Pound" (more so the remix) were dope. No question. The Resurrection album is a classic. That album probably catches Common at his most lyrical. So yeah...I've supported. Around the time he got to the Be album.....eh......meh.....I guess. Not that Be wasn't a good album, from his press rounds, I got the impression that he was trying to distance himself from Electric Circus (his experimental, yet dope album) in an effort to sell Be (the more mainstream, Kanye produced album). He talked down about the album (Circus). References were made to his dating Badu as the reasons for the album's eclectic sound and his wardrobe choices at the time. Crocheted sweater vest anyone?

The sad thing about the PR knocking of E.C.? Electric Circus is actually one of Com's best albums. It's spiritual. It's Hip-Hop. It's Rock and Roll. It's pretty f*cking brilliant. For real.

There were other things that raised question.

* Criticizing Diddy and others as being "commercial", but yet Common did a Gap commercial. The last time I checked he was actually ghost writing for the Puffster. [See: Diddy's Press Play album]

* Or what about those 2006 guest appearances on The Roots tour, where he just kinda sat on a barstool and did the GQ Man-Of-The-Year photo shoot poses?

* There was a serious effort to distance himself from Electric Circus but then he co-sign's Universal Mind Control. Wasn't that album "experimental" too?

Yeah, Com...I know. We all know. You don't burn the incense anymore. You don't make abstract albums that alienate people. You buy all of your clothes from Banana Republic. You're an actor on the come-up. You ghost-write for Sean John. The babes love you. Dude, I'm happy for you...honestly. Artists go through phases. I know that. C'mon son...I'm a Miles Davis fan. I think that says it all. 


I understand re-invention.

It's not that I don't appreciate your growth, It's just seems like you don't own the earlier phases that made you---you.

By the way, Universal Mind Control? Dope in theory. Not so much in execution. I think Chad and Pharrell are geniuses. For that to be your "dance album", it just lacked something. Let me go back and re-listen in 3 years. My mind grows every so often. I may need to listen with fresh ears. You know I love Bambaataa, Com. But it takes more than "Planet Rock" tributes/Kraftwerk to win me over.

But I digress.

I kinda cooled on Common. Somewhere, I just got off that boat. Really wasn't interested in anything he had to say...until today.

Dilla gave Common some heaters. No question. Outside of No I.D., Dilla and Com have probably had the best chemistry. In this clip from HardKnock TV, Com gives Dilla his due.

And for the record, Common is probably one of the illest emcee's alive. Hands down. When they make these Hip-Hop lists and DON'T include dudes like Com, Black Thought, GZA and Ras Kass, I shake my head with equal parts disgust and comedy. Lyrically, Common has proved countless times that his emcee skills are often without peer.

Damn, Com-ster. I may have to go back through your catalog and give it another listen.

Dilla Tribute Week. It makes everything okay again.

Props to HardKnock TV.

Meant For Something Bigger Than This

Artist: Yuna
Song: "Live Your Life"
Album: Yuna

I love this song. Laid-back music, designed for me to kick back and watch the digital fireplace on the HD.

By the way, there is a message in the music.

Happy New Year.

Love, Ziti