So what is this month's theme?
The documentary by James Spooner called AFRO-PUNK (2003). 66 minutes long and you can watch the whole thing for free online right HERE. Check out the trailer below.
I've gotta say, this documentary was pretty interesting. It's about black people in the punk rock scene and how they struggle to maintain their identity. I didn't know very much about punk culture or punk music, so for me it was interesting to learn something different.
Although I've never been into punk (thought it was a bit too angry and I confess... "too white" little mind the fact black people invented rock) I can relate to a lot of the folks who were interviewed in the movie. Like them, I was usually the only black person in my class or maybe one out of the five or six in the entire school. I went through my own identity crisis as a teen. I shaved my head and became a vegetarian at 14, for example, lol.
I felt caught between two worlds. One which was what I thought "black" should be and the other that was "fitting in" to the white suburban kids around me. As a sophomore in high school I asked out a white boy for the first time and while relaying the experience back to my white friends one of them complained: "Why are you making this a big deal? You're not really black anyways, so who cares? I mean...it would just be like two white people going out because you don't act black." And when I just stared at him in shock he continued to tell me how otherwise we wouldn't be friends seeing how he "didn't like 'real' black people." A loaded statement to be sure, but this was coming from my FRIEND!
He didn't understand why I broke down in tears and locked myself in the bathroom for the next two hours sobbing my guts out, hahahaha, but any person of color reading this would get it and understand perfectly. And that's what Afro-Punk is about.
Afro-Punk introduced me to new music and now my newest crush, Tamar-Kali Brown. Not only is she fucking hot but she's a black rocker chick! How cool is that?!
I was at her WEBSITE last night... the girl can sing! I'm going to buy her CD because I lust her so much, lol! I love all her piercings and her hair! :D
So that's my media of the month. Hope you guys enjoyed it. If you ever get around to watching the movie or listening to Tamar-Kali Brown's music, leave a comment and tell me what you think!
Until next month...stay tuned!
5 comments:
Very cool! :)
I never got into punk either because it was too angry for me too. I was in Europe at the time it got big. Not for me. I was more of a Carly Simon, Carole King kind of gal. Yep, pretty boring.
:-)
Your experiences sound like they'd make for great stories, no? A memoir, maybe?
Great stories? Hahaha! Maybe. I've had a lot of "life" happen to me for just being 21 but I don't know if it's anything someone would want to read. It would be a bit of a downer, methinks, lol. Maybe in 20yrs I'll change my mind but you're not the first to suggest I write a memoir. :D Thanks for commenting!
Wow, I can relate to you.
First of all, I'm not into punk, never have been. I'm more into Heavy Metal, Classic Rock,Blues etc. I'm at work now, jamming out to the music on your Ipod. I love the collection of songs you have on there.
Anyway, So, I grew up in the 80's, and kind of had my own identity crisis. Yes, I listened to Salt N Peppa, jammed out to Run DMC, but didn't hide the fact that I loved Santana, Hendrix, Joplin, Judas Priest, & Slayer! Hell, my parents must have been hippies, because they had a ton of cool albums from the 60's & 70's, like Uriah Heep, Steppenwolf, Hendrix, Joplin, along with Temptations, Spinners, & Bootsie. So, you see where I get my tastes from. LOL
I wore the suede mocs with fringes, wore leather & suede fringe jackets, and sometimes cowboy boots, I was just being me.
Now, folks I hung out with then never said anything disturbing like "I wasn't really Black." Gawd, that would have made me cry too. Probably would have punched him. Anyway, the crowd I hung out with was pretty cool, and in "our" world, race was nothing. My friends were like, "wow, a Black girl who loves metal, and I think I was the only one in the school who did. LOL
Now, in my life, I've had some people not close to me say I'm a white girl trapped in a Black Girl's body. Uh, nooooo. I'm a Black woman who likes what the hell she likes. Gosh, don't know why some people can't get that through their skulls.
People, please understand, if a Black person is listening to Metal, or Rock, we aren't wannabe's, we just like what we like.
I just wish back then there were more "fellow black female rockers. You know, we're a pretty rare breed. LOL That's why I love Myspace, lovin it when another black woman/or girl adds me to their list of friends.
Hell, my sister & I used to have guitars in the 80s, swearing up & down we'd be the black female version of "Vixen." LOL I had a fluorescent green BC Rich & my sister had a Strat, I think. LOL
Today, I'm 39, and still the same, I listen to what I like, dress how I like (yes, always wearing some type of boot during winter months.) Some have studs on the heels, some don't) I dress in black, been my favorite color since I was a teen. No, not goth, just love wearing black. When I get a Harley, it will be black. LOL If I get a Ducati, it will be black, or maybe red. LOL
I blast my music (when kids aren't in the car, don't want to blow out their eardrums)
Anyway, loving your blog, just had to speak my peace. I probably went way out in left field, but that's what came to mind.
CK
Excellent comment, Charisma! Yep, I'm the same way. I think folks are so eager to put people in boxes instead of looking at people as individuals. Like a certain kind of music doesn't make you "this" or "that" it just makes you YOU! :D
And I'm glad you like my ipod mix, lol. I have random tastes, hee!
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