Monday, October 11, 2010

RIP Roger Clayton of Uncle Jamms Army: LA Loses a Hip Hop Pioneer


RIP Roger Clayton
Just got word this morning that yesterday one of the key architects and pillars for West Coast Hip Hop passed away.. We’re talking about Roger Claytonaka Mr Prinze of the pioneering legendary crew Uncle Jamms Army. This is the 4th pioneering figure the West Coast has lost in the past few years. It was just last week folks buried Danny ‘Fut’ James who ran the influential Impact Record pool dating back to 1982.

We lost Michael Mixxing Moore and Skeeter Rabbit within a month of each other 2 years ago. We also lost Mixmaster Spade. Here in the Bay we just lost Mr Fantastic aka Melvin to a heart attack. It’s a shame that these important figures were never honored before their passing outside of LA.
Losing Clayton is major. It like losing one of NY’s main architects for this culture. It would be like NY losing Afrika Bambaataa.. Not only did Clayton and Uncle Jamms Army bring a unique West Coast sound and style to the game, because they were also party promoters who did those legendary dances at the LA Sports Arena, they were also responsible for turning LA folks onto the emerging rap from NY..They used to also bring out acts like Run DMC, Kurtis Blow and LL Cool J to name a few..
One of the things I think has never truly been appreciated and acknowledged about West Coast Hip Hop was the Mobile DJ Culture that was its cornerstone.. Many like to think that folks out here picked up the game from New York. Such is not the case. Cats were hustling and doing jams with massive sound systems all throughout the 70s.  From LA to the Bay it was not usual to see DJ crews with comic book cartoon like names. In the case of Uncle Jamms Army they were inspired by Parliament andGeorge Clinton.

Their roots were funk music and the crew included legendary folks like Bobcat, Egyptian Lover, DJ Pooh. Battle Cat, Joe Coooly, Chris the Glove, Alonzo Williams and the groups only female member Silky D. Before Uncle Jamms Army there was an earlier crew formed in 1978 called Unique Dreams Entertainmentwhich included Clayton and childhood friend Gid Martin.
These cats early one were known for rocking 4 turntables at a time and mixing records flawlessly while executing what eventually became known as LA’s fast scratch. Uncle Jamms army proceeded the Beat Junkies, KDAY Mixmasters and other better known West Coast DJ Crews.. These were the architects.
As Clayton’s partner Egyptian Lover once explained to me, they had been listening toPrince, Kraftwerk and Parliament and that’s what got them off and running.. Later on they came upon what was cracking in New York and naturally incorporated it and upheld it..The fact that Uncle Jamms Army was able to pull off these massive parties from all over a gang infested city and keep the peace needs to be celebrated the same way we look at the early Kool Herc and Bambaataa parties as being able to do the same thing..
The fact that Clayton and Fut died within a month of each other should not be lost of folks.. Fut with his record pool was main reason folks in LA introduced to music from all over.. Fut was the supplier, Clayton was the presenter.They will be missed..




Return to Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner

Why We Should All Reconsider Celebrating Columbus Day


Christopher Columbus the Killer
Tomorrow many folks throughout this country will take the day off to pay tribute to a man who set the stage for genocide and the slave trade here in the United States. Yes we’re talking about the man they call Christopher Columbus who is still being taught to us in schools as the guy who ‘discovered’ America. Folks need to seriously reconsider.
It’s interesting to note that while many far right tea Party types are hard at work rewriting text books and removing from its curriculum discussion about slavery and iconic figures like Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall and United Farm Worker leaders Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, they are hell-bent on keeping the myth of Columbus going. There’s no mention of any of heinous crimes or the fact that he was an inept explorer who got lost and wound up on this country he supposedly discovered..
The only thing worse then perpetuating the benign myth of Columbus is not talking about how our founding fathers were slave owners.. Thomas Jefferson’s mistress Sally Hemmings was a slave. When the Declaration of Independence was signed with the edicts ‘All men are Created Equal’ those who were enslaved were seen as 3/5th human. Yes we must reconsider Columbus Day.

Heidi Klum, Khloe Kardashian, Kate Rice, Focus Of The Gossip Queens Racism

Heidi Klum, Khloe Kardashian, Kate Rice, are all in relationships with black men: Seal, Lamar Odom, and Allan Rice and now Jamie Foxx for Kate Rice. OK. Fine. But not so fine with The Gossip Queens.

What's the The Gossip Queens?

It's a new show by Comedian and now Producer, Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios company. Touted as the "gay" version of The View, it has a set of pretty hot women including Loni Love, Bernadette Pauley, and Michelle Collins. Then Alec Mapa apparently fills the gay male slot. Another words, no straight black guys on the show produced by a straight black guy.

This blogger found the show as it's on KNTV TV Channel 11 in the San Francisco Bay Area. Since the last program watched was Football Night In America, the 49ers vs Eagles game, that channel was on when the TV set was activated.

Loni Love 

Blasting Black / White Relationships


What this blogger saw was Heidi Klum, Khloe Kardashian, and Kate Rice being made fun of because their men were NBA players or in Heidi's case, Seal. And all of this with eight minutes of the show. The one host, Loni Love was doing all the blasting, so much so she sounded more like The Angry Black Chic than a gossip commenter.

Loni Love said that if Seal and Heidi Klum could be married then anything was possible, leading one to wonder, what does she mean? She never completed her idea, but really Love didn't need to. We got it.

Then she went to remark how Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom were not really in love. And that was when it was obvious that Love herself is single - no wedding ring.

Then, came Kate Rice.  The former wife of Allan Rice is reportedly dating Jamie Foxx.  Love commented that she looks like a little girl, and then, no surprise here, observed that a photo of Kate and Allen looked like a "mini Khloe and Lamar."

Ok.  We get it girl.  You're a little salty about the whole interracial dating thing.  But you've got a great, pretty face and are talented; drop a few pounds and it will all come together for you.  

But don't hate on Heidi Klum, Khloe Kardashian, and Kate Rice because they've got what you want. You sound racist. Cheer them on!

Oh, and have Byron bring this single, straight black guy on the show to balance things out.

Brett Favre Scandal Update: Jenn Sterger To Cooperate With NFL

The latest update on the Brett Favre Scandal - what some are calling "wiener-gate" - is that NY Jets Sideline Reporter and Playboy Model Jenn Sterger (photo by Gossipopi.com), who was the alleged focus of Favre's "sexting" actions that were reported by the sports blog Deadspin, is going to cooperate with the National Football League.

What happened, if you don't know the story, is that two years ago, Brett Favre, now a quarterback with the Minnesota Vikings, was a QB for the same Jets he will face on Monday Night Football, tonight. During that time, he reportedly expressed interest in meeting Jenn Sterger, and so enlisted the help of someone in the Jets PR department (the person named, Jared Wiley says he didn't do it) to get her phone number.

Once Favre got the number, it's alleged that he called her to schedule a meetup and sent her photos of his penis. All of this was uncovered by Deadspin, which reportedly paid $60,000 for the photos, and then posted them without a care for decency.

Now, a person reported to be or have been a massage therapist for the Jets came forward to explain that she too had been contacted by Favre in the same way. But what's not clear in that case is how he got her number - that story seems fishy to me.

Now, according to Pro Football Talk, Jenn Sterger will Cooperate With NFL in its investigation. Moreover, Brett Favre said he's willing to meet with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Deadspin Attacked On Favre Story


Meanwhile, Deadspin has received major heat for its decision to post the photos of what's said to be Brett Favre's cock. What's bothersome here is that Brett has yet to categorically deny the story.

Stay tuned.

99ers: Obama seeking questions - Katie Couric launches "American Voices"

Have a Question for the President About the 2010 Elections?
President Obama will be delivering a special message for supporters via webcast during Tuesday's Commit to Vote House Parties. He'll be speaking about our work during this final stretch and how we’ll succeed in November.
The President will also take a few questions from supporters on our Vote 2010 campaign.
If you want to be heard by the president, submit your question via this link: http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/housepartyquestions?source=STW All 99ers and unemployed should flood this website with your questions about or demands for Tier 5 legislation.

Another way for the unemployed 99ers to be heard on this vital issue is through a new CBS Evening News feature called "American Voices," introduced last week by Katie Couric. American Voices will air regularly between now and the November 2 election, as a window into what Americans are feeling about what are the most important issues to the voters across the nation.
In last Thursday’s segment (see video below), Ms. Couric first played a clip of President Obama in a Cleveland stopover two days before the 2008 presidential vote, in which he said the time for change had come. Then, the CBS anchor settled in at Slyman’s Restaurant – whose reputation for corned beef and working-class customers also earned a visit from President Bush in 2007. Now, Couric chatted here with two men and two women about themselves, their vision of the country, and their feelings about the future.

“Heading into an election, I have always believed it’s incredibly important to get a sense of where Americans stand by talking to real people whose daily lives are being affected by the policy debates in Washington,” said Couric. “When talking to these voters, I was so impressed by their thoughtfulness and how reasonable they were, even when they had understandable cause not to be.”

Katie Couric anounces in the video below that one can contact CBS news with your contribution to the American Voices segment, by visiting their website http://www.cbsnews.com and clicking on the American Voices link. The San Diego Unemployment Examiner could not locate the American Voices link but did find the contact page:
http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/feedback/fb_news_form.shtml?tag=ftr

If Video is not working, please visit: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6937157n&tag=related;photovideo

Brett Favre Fans Attack Deadspin Blog Over Penis Photos

The Deadspin sports blog may have broke the story of Vikings Quarterback Brett Favre allegedly "sexting" New York Jets Sideline Reporter and Playboy Model Jenn Sterger, but it has paid a heavy price for doing so and not just monetarily.

Deadspin, and particularly it's Editor Al Daulerio, is being heavily criticized. So much so that Daulerio has taken the action of posting some of the emails received from irate Favre fans, and they are nasty to say the least.

Like this one:





"Hey AJ. It's funny that this happened over 2 years ago and the story is coming out now??????? What motive could there be, other than to discredit the guy, and bring turmoil to his wife, and 2 daughters.
Jen Sterger is a slut. While she tries to come across as someone with "big boobs who has morals," ANYONE who poses nude, has other woman grabbing her breast from behind, is nothing more than a whore, and YOU are a little weak, pathetic weasel, who probably doesn't have 1 fragment of athletic ability in him.
You and your degenerate website are disgraceful and you will answer to God one day for the turmoil you and the tramp Jen Sterger have created for his family. And please, tell the trollop to stop with the "I was afraid of losing my job" routine. I'm sure we would have kept it by some other means.
If you have any balls and want to write back, I'd be more than happy to respond...[J]ust think, you earn a living by ruining other people's lives. Your famliy must be very proud of you.
How much were you and the slut paid? 30 pieces of silver? There is a place for you, and it's called Hell. Why don't you just hang yourself?.........You are such a coward.
PVP"

The problem is the decision to post the penis photos.  The story was fine with the audio recording of messages said to be left by Brett.  But the photos were another issue.  Plus, the story's two years old, and with the exception of another woman who also claims to have been a Jets employee, but that's not confirmed, no one's talking.

Deadspin reportedly paid someone over $60,000 for the penis photos that may not even be of Brett Favre.   What doesn't make any sense is why wouldn't Brett send a photo of his face is to show it's really him?  That's the kicker.

Gives a new meaning to the name "Dickface."

Meanwhile, the NFL has started an investigation into the issue.

Stay tuned.

Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) OK After Bar Fight, Herve Leger Dress Stars

As Kim Kardashian knows, Being famous attracts strange, angry people. Last Thursday night, a drunk man at the New York City night club Juliet's Super Club at 539 West 21st Street, asked the star of Keeping Up With The Kardashians if he could take a picture with her.

Kim said yes to his request, but the man's reportedly drunk girlfriend took exception to the event and tossed her drink on Kim's form-fitting grey Herve Leger mini dress.

The result is one of the hottest photos of 2010 (photo by TMZ.com) and a new dress concept.

Kim Out With Sisters In NYC


Kim was out with her sisters Kortney and Khloe as well as Kortney's boyfriend Scott Disick when the drama happened.   After the drink toss, Scott reportedly went into what The Huffington Post called a "drunken rage."   Huff Po also reports that Disick has an interesting history with the Kardashians,  particularly in being a colorful person on their show Korney and Kim Take New York.    

On the show, he reportedly flashed his privates and punched a hole into a wall.  With that, the New York fracas was right up his alley.  Scott tried to spring to action, but according to The Daily Mail was restrained by night club staff.

 On her blog website, Kim reports:



Last night Kourtney, Scott, Khloe and I went out to a bar to have a fun night on Khloe’s last night in NYC. A drunk male fan came up to me and asked to take a picture, and I obliged, but his girlfriend, who was also drunk, got a little out of hand.

Luckily I had Scott and Khloe there to protect me. None of us were drinking… we just wanted a fun family night out, but when people see the cameras rolling, they try to get attention and I guess that’s what happened when the drunk girl saw that we were filming KKTNY. I always take the high road, so we all left straight after and didn’t feed into their drama.

Ok, moving on!


And moving on hotly. Kim should have Herve Leger make a "pre-doused" mini dress. But the dress should have black leather instead of water or alcohol where the spill pattern was. It would sell and cause Kim to make millions from someone's jealous fit of rage.

Wonder what kind of cocktail it was?

Meanwhile, who's the other beneficiary?  Juliet's Supper Club, known for hosting A-listers, now has an A-list story.

Brooks Conrad's Three Errors Cost Braves Against SF Giants

You know Sunday's NLDS Game 3 was hard on Atlanta Braves Second Baseman Brooks Conrad when KNTV Channel 11 Sports Reporter Laura Behnke, a Giants homer, or is supposed to be, getting on Conrad as if he played for the Giants and they wound up on the losing end of a 3 to 2 score. "He was brought up from the minor leagues and probably should not have been in the game," she said, or words to that effect.

Brooks Conrad has went from unknown to goat and a leading search trend, all because of a series of errors that led to the Braves dropping the game against the Giants on Sunday. He's the first player to commit three errors in one postseason game. The term "He's got to be the sickest man in America," can now apply to Brooks Conrad instead of Cowboys Tight End Jackie Smith. (Smith dropped a sure touchdown pass from Quarterback Roger Staubach in against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XIII.)

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, and the AP, Conrad was beside himself, saying "It's completely embarrassing. I feel absolutely terrible right now. I wish I could just dig a hole and go sleep in there." Conrad had eight errors in the past seven games.

Brooks Conrad, the Braves replacement for the injured Martin Predo, made three critical errors. The first one was in the 1st inning when Conrad failed to field a grounder by the Giants Jonathan Sanchez.  The second error happened when Conrad failed to catch a ball dropping from high in the air due to the Giants' Cody Ross - it bounced out of his glove and allowed Mike Fontenot to score making it 1-0 Giants. The third one was a when the ball hit by the Giants' Buster Posey when he let the ball pass between his legs and into the outfield in the ninth inning, allowing the Giants to get the go-ahead score.

Conrad's errors overshadowned Giants Pitcher Freddy Sanchez' 11 strikeout day.

The Giants can close out the series with a win Monday in Atlanta.