At my dinner with Ms. Hicks earlier this week she told me about how she used to dance in music videos. She told me that she stopped dancing after she got invited to some Jodeci video that required her to bring a swimsuit. At some point in the 90's the videos started getting raunchier and required girls who would wear less and less clothes. She stopped dancing because of it. I couldn't find the Jodeci video she was talking about but I'm sure they were a big part of that switch in video culture.
That convo with got me thinking about some tasteful sexy videos from #the90s and I immediately thought of this one from En Vogue from the Set It Off soundtrack.
*Sidenote* Set It Off, the movie, could have its own place on Throwback Thursday.
Enjoy:
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
That Jordan Life
Snapped this picture after a long weekend a few weekends ago...
That Jordan Life...#Heat
Ode to ParentCorps
For the past 2 year I had been working at the NYU Child Study Center on ParentCorps. It was an excellent job because of the work we were doing but mostly because of the team we had. This video is a lil Odde to ParentCorps created by my boy Dave.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
I've Got Another Mother
I had a rough, parent-less childhood. There were times when it was pretty bad and I felt that I had no one who cared for me. There were also some high points, with some women who truly loved me and wanted the best for me, even wanting to be my mother. It didn't work out legally but I hold those women near and dear in my heart and consider them mothers. I have a few and I'm proud to say that I've added another mother to my group of moms:
Dawn Hicks Tafari.
Ms. Hicks (as I knew her) was my 6th grade teacher and she changed my life. She inspired me and told me that I would go to college. She was the first person who ever said that to me. She took me out to her Alma mater (Hofstra) for her homecoming and showed me what college was like. She took me under her wing, helped me with my academics, and started preparing me for something great. She loved me like a son, so much so that she inquired about adopting me (she recently told me about it). It didn't work out though.
Sadly though I lost contact with Ms. Hicks after she moved to Baltimore and I moved around Brooklyn. I've always thought of her throughout the years and wished to be reunited with her, to thank her for what she had done. Randomly one night I bumped into a classmate from 6th grade (@JayVelz) who proceeded to link me up with old classmates via Facebook (thanks Mark Zuckerburg lol). Guess who hit me? Ms. Hicks. I cried tears of joy (queue the Ross) because we were reunited (now the Peaches and Herb).
The reunion was fully completed yesterday when we met up for dinner (Spring Street Natural) as she was in NYC for her vacation. I knew she was cool back in 6th grade but now I know she is super cool. We talked about everything under the sun. Being Greeks (she is an AKA), education, career aspirations, relationships/marriage, partying, hip-hop, everything. She gave me some great advice and presented a theory on the current state of hip-hop that I hadn't heard or considered. She said that the "dance happy/party rap" that is popular now is reminiscent of the beginnings of hip-hop when the songs were all about dancing and partying and that maybe on this cycle the lyricism will come back stronger. She even told me about her former life as a hip-hop dancer in videos (I seen the footage lol).
Now she is a married mother of 2 (3), studying for her Ph.D in Curriculum Planning and Teaching at UNC-Greensboro while teaching at The College of Davidson and Davie Counties where she is training the next generation of great teachers, and actively teaching consulting for Tafari Educational Consulting, which she co-founded with her husband. Talk about awesome.
Perhaps the greatest part of our reunion was that she said that she considers me her son and part of her family and that I have two little sisters, another father and that I'm always welcome to their (my) home in Greensboro, NC.
I love you Ms. Hicks, or Dawn as you want me to call you now (its gonna take some getting used to). I'm happy you are back in my life.
Dawn Hicks Tafari.
Ms. Hicks (as I knew her) was my 6th grade teacher and she changed my life. She inspired me and told me that I would go to college. She was the first person who ever said that to me. She took me out to her Alma mater (Hofstra) for her homecoming and showed me what college was like. She took me under her wing, helped me with my academics, and started preparing me for something great. She loved me like a son, so much so that she inquired about adopting me (she recently told me about it). It didn't work out though.
Sadly though I lost contact with Ms. Hicks after she moved to Baltimore and I moved around Brooklyn. I've always thought of her throughout the years and wished to be reunited with her, to thank her for what she had done. Randomly one night I bumped into a classmate from 6th grade (@JayVelz) who proceeded to link me up with old classmates via Facebook (thanks Mark Zuckerburg lol). Guess who hit me? Ms. Hicks. I cried tears of joy (queue the Ross) because we were reunited (now the Peaches and Herb).
The reunion was fully completed yesterday when we met up for dinner (Spring Street Natural) as she was in NYC for her vacation. I knew she was cool back in 6th grade but now I know she is super cool. We talked about everything under the sun. Being Greeks (she is an AKA), education, career aspirations, relationships/marriage, partying, hip-hop, everything. She gave me some great advice and presented a theory on the current state of hip-hop that I hadn't heard or considered. She said that the "dance happy/party rap" that is popular now is reminiscent of the beginnings of hip-hop when the songs were all about dancing and partying and that maybe on this cycle the lyricism will come back stronger. She even told me about her former life as a hip-hop dancer in videos (I seen the footage lol).
Now she is a married mother of 2 (3), studying for her Ph.D in Curriculum Planning and Teaching at UNC-Greensboro while teaching at The College of Davidson and Davie Counties where she is training the next generation of great teachers, and actively teaching consulting for Tafari Educational Consulting, which she co-founded with her husband. Talk about awesome.
Perhaps the greatest part of our reunion was that she said that she considers me her son and part of her family and that I have two little sisters, another father and that I'm always welcome to their (my) home in Greensboro, NC.
I love you Ms. Hicks, or Dawn as you want me to call you now (its gonna take some getting used to). I'm happy you are back in my life.
 |
| Me? I'm dead center (of attention) in the back lol |
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Throwback Thursday: Crash Bandicoot
I went to the Sony Wonder Tech Lab today with my kiddies and saw a clip of this great game from my childhood:
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Throwback Thursday: GUTS
Another year on earth. As I get older I can't help but think about childhood and what I did for fun and wanted to do for fun.
Enter GUTS. This was easily the greatestkids game show ever. Mike O' Malley was a great host, Mo was a #snookup, and the (Super) Aggro Crag looked fun as hell. Damn I always wanted to be on this show. #The90s
GUTS
Global GUTS
Enter GUTS. This was easily the greatest
GUTS
Global GUTS
Ya boy turns 24 today....
 |
| Today I go from left to right |
Reason #1 I wore it in HS
Reason #2
 |
| 24 Carat Gold Standard |
 |
| Say Hey... |
 |
| ..to The Kid |
 |
| Just like this guy I'm the best in the League |
Oh Yea...
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Wambach, Solo, USA Women, 2011 World Cup. Ridiculous
If you don't like international soccer you need to re-evaluate your life. Its so dope. There is something so great about a team playing for their country, and soccer is so damn exciting. Remember the US Men's games last year? Yea.
Today the US Women provided the excitement and made me proud to be an American.
Down to 10Men Women because of some ridiculously bad refereeing the US held the tie to force overtime. Early in the first overtime period they went down 2-1 on a beautiful Marta goal.
*Sidenote* - Marta is a beast: 5 straight player of the Year awards.
The ladies fought hard despite being at the disadvantage, didn't give up and with literally 1 minute left until elimination this happened:
Abby Wambach! In the 122nd minute. Minute 2 out of 3 of the extra time that was added on after the second overtime period. I was so damn hype.
#Amazing #Respect #USA
US went on to close it out via Penalty Kicks 5-3 thanks to 5 great PKs and a Hope Solo (#snookup) save on a Brazilian PK. Check the highlights, Awesomeness.
Easily the best soccer game I've ever seen.
What's crazy is that it was the 12 year anniversary of the 1999 World Cup win via penalty kicks:
Gotta love it.
Today the US Women provided the excitement and made me proud to be an American.
Down to 10
*Sidenote* - Marta is a beast: 5 straight player of the Year awards.
The ladies fought hard despite being at the disadvantage, didn't give up and with literally 1 minute left until elimination this happened:
Abby Wambach! In the 122nd minute. Minute 2 out of 3 of the extra time that was added on after the second overtime period. I was so damn hype.
#Amazing #Respect #USA
US went on to close it out via Penalty Kicks 5-3 thanks to 5 great PKs and a Hope Solo (#snookup) save on a Brazilian PK. Check the highlights, Awesomeness.
Easily the best soccer game I've ever seen.
What's crazy is that it was the 12 year anniversary of the 1999 World Cup win via penalty kicks:
Gotta love it.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Throwback Thursday: "Always Be My Baby" - Mariah Carey
Mariah had nothing but hits in the 90s. She is one of the main reasons (along with R. Kelly) that I grew up loving R&B. There are so many Mariah songs I could pick for a Throwback Thursday. I could go with "Hero" because I sang with my class at a 3rd grade assembly. I could go with "Fantasy Remix" because it rocks, features ODB and was shot at a theme park that reminds me Coney Island.
Instead I'm gonna go with "Always Be My Baby" beacuse it brings up great summer camp and summer romance memories for ya boy. Once July rolled I went to summer camp. Being the young mac that I was I always had a "girlfriend" during summer camp. Explains why I love "The Notebook" and "Summer Love" and also this video by Mariah.
Enjoy:
Instead I'm gonna go with "Always Be My Baby" beacuse it brings up great summer camp and summer romance memories for ya boy. Once July rolled I went to summer camp. Being the young mac that I was I always had a "girlfriend" during summer camp. Explains why I love "The Notebook" and "Summer Love" and also this video by Mariah.
Enjoy:
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