I can’t help it. I love Alicia Keys. Her videos are thoughtfully created, and always tell a story. Cheers to the musicians who still contribute art and vision to the increasingly lame music video platform.

OoooWeeeeee!

This music feels so good. “Onwu Ama Dike” by St. Augustine & His Rovers Dance Band is the work-while-grinding-in-your-seat song of the day. This track was pulled from the compilation album, Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds, and Nigerian Blues 1970-6, and is just one of many joyous songs featured on this two-disk dance fest. 

Here’s some background info, and a writer’s take. If you don’t already have this album, hurry up and join the party.

Sometimes space is limited when illustrating stories on the site. You just have to pick the best images, do a little Photoshop action, and move on.

The solution? Set up a Flickr page! 

Now you can experience everything in greater detail here. Think of it as a reservoir of images, perfect for those stories that spill out beyond the simple slideshow. 

Check out the images uploaded today, and listen out for more updates. Summertime is approaching, which means there will so many more exciting people, places, and events to capture. Stay tuned…

Today the Rebel Diaz Arts Collective hosted a massive May Day Freedom Festival at Union Square in NYC, where hundreds rallied together in protest against the passage of SB1070 in Arizona. People of all ages and backgrounds came together to hear music, speak out, and march the streets.  

“The history of May Day is a date that commemorates the struggle of workers worldwide, and was brought to light by the Haymarket Affair martyrs in Chicago who fought and died for an 8 hr. day. In recent years it has been the date in which the Immigrant Rights movement has taken to the streets to fight for Immigrant and Workers Rights. It is especially important this year with the racist laws that were just passed in the state of Arizona. One of the laws passed, eliminated all ethnic studies programs at state and city colleges and the other one which gives regular cops the power of ICE officials. At RDAC BX we like to think that without Immigrants and Immigration, Hip Hop would not exist. From Kool Herc’s Jamaica influences in his booming sound system, to Greek grafitti artist Taki 183, to the Cuban and Puerto Rican bboys in Rocksteady Crew to Slick Rick from England. Therefore it is Hip Hop’s responsibility to defend Immigrant Rights. It is with this sentiment that we put on the show. This is not your everyday Hip Hop show. It is Hip Hop standing up and performing for a cause. To bring awareness to the struggle of day laborers, to those that pick our tomatoes and grapes, and those that clean the homes of the rich and raise their kids.”

              -Rebel Diaz Arts Collective

Stay tuned for video coverage of the rally and march. What are your thoughts on immigration laws? Has your city or town organized any events? Send in your pictures!

M.I.A.’s new single, “Born Free,” is the kind of song that rattles your core. It’s the kind of music that makes you wanna shave your head, throw some punches, and take to the streets to fight the system.

Check the video to see what I mean:

M.I.A, Born Free from ROMAIN-GAVRAS on Vimeo.

Winner of this year’s Academy Award for animated short, Logorama transforms the legendary logos and icons that we’ve all grown up with, into a funny and intriguing 16-minute film about an over-saturated Los Angeles in peril.

McDonalds, 7-Eleven, AOL, and MGM are among 3,000 logos and mascots weaved into the narrative that took six years to make. Ronald McDonald is on a deadly rampage, Mr. Clean has traded in his tough guy image, and Bic pen dudes roam the city as pedestrians. Everywhere you look–the trees, the zoo, the highway, the diner–the city has been morphed into an animated advertisement. You’ve probably never even realized the extent to which every aspect of our lives has been branded.

H5, the French animation collective that created the film wanted to bring this experience to life. ”Logorama presents us with an over-marketed world built only from logos and real trademarks that are destroyed by a series of natural disasters (beginning with a hurricane, cyclone, tidal wave). Logotypes are used to describe an alarming universe (similar to the one that we are living in) with all the graphic signs that accompany us everyday in our lives. This over-organized universe is violently transformed by the cataclysm becoming fantastic and absurd. It shows the victory of the creative against the rational, where nature and human fantasy triumph.”

Logorama from Marc Altshuler – Human Music on Vimeo.

You’ve probably heard the progressive sounds of Nneka by now. If not, consider yourself officially pulled from underneath your rock.

This Nigerian-German singer and lyricist has been taking over stages, iPods, and Best New Artist lists since her debut U.S. release, Concrete Jungle, hit the masses this month. Check out this review courtesy of Okayplayer and get the album now.

Jullien Gordon wants to help you realize your purpose. Not an easy task I know, but one that this motivational teacher has been mastering for years. 

At only 27 years old, Jullien has already tucked some incredible accomplishments under his belt, earning two masters degrees from Stanford University and launching the Department of Motivated Vehicles (DMV), a thriving business designed to help people dedicate their lives to developing their passions. As an extension of this movement, Jullien just published his first two books, The 8 Cylinders of Success and Good Excuse Goals, and is preparing to host the world’s largest goal-setting movement on January 2^nd, replacing the traditional New Year’s Resolution with the New Month’s Resolution. 

Whew.

And that’s not even half of the innovations this young entrepreneur has developed. I had the pleasure of catching up with Mr. Gordon to get his thoughts on following your passions, sidestepping procrastination, building your brand, and stepping out on your own.

Listen to our conversation…

image: kevinnottingham.com

After listening to the Asher Roth parody, “I Love Knowledge,” TheCoolAid officially loves A Cool Stick.

Live from Baltimore, this five-piece hip-hop band released their debut EP, ACOOLSTICK.com back in November, playing with words, instruments, and inspirations. Get the free album download here, and catch a live show next month if you’re in the Baltimore/DC area.

*Thanks to DJ Khalid, the music mole, for sending the link.

Enjoy the moment people. Whether you’re home alone, stuck in an airport, tanning on the beach, shoveling snow, or passing platters around the dinner table. Right now is the perfect time to be happy, because right now is the only time you’ve got.

Once you’re able to look past the frenzied greed and corporate-sponsored hype that this season inspires, you’ll find that this time of the year can be pretty damn exciting. Holidays force you to soften up, open up, and for god’s sake, smile for a change.

One full year of trials, mistakes, gold stars, and attempts are behind us. Our bags are packed tight with lessons learned, and now it’s time to move forward, always keeping ourselves open to the riches sitting right in front of us. Keep taking those steps. Believe me, the folks behind this website are taking them with you.

Be grateful. Stay woke.

TheCoolAid.com

P.S. Here’s some Christmas cheer fo’ that ass…