Garance Dore shoots...

Check out one of the dopest fashion photographers in world (to me), Garance Dore...in this clip, she is simply shooting a model, doing a little make-up and laughing. Good song choice too...beautiful art is simple sometimes. Peace+Love

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Rihanna

I'm kinda messing with this song....cause it has some rock, reggae, pop and R&B in it....and hip-hop.


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B.

I'd like to think of myself as someone that looks at things differently. Especially when it comes to culture during my lifetime. I certainly have a lot to learn about the past and cultures of the world...but when it comes to the present, I'd like to think I have a grasp and/or different/objective approach to describing what's going on artistically.
Which leads me to this video I am posting. This Thanksgiving, Beyonce Knowles will have a special in prime time. The show will consists of performances and behind the scene footage of her getting her shows together. But here's the thing...looking at this differently as I did Lil Wayne a while back...I'm not sure if people look at Beyonce in the way they should. I'm not saying you have to like her songs, I'm saying I like her songs really...I'm saying in culture, you have certain figures...and for whatever reason, some figures get more 'praise' than others. Now, Beyonce wins a lot of awards and she sells out shows....but B, if you think about it...she's something else...a different level...when you talk about performance...she's one of...no...I'm going to say it...she is the greatest female performer of my generation (L. Hill just stopped too soon). I honestly do not know of anyone with her voice strength in our generation. The point is...when it comes to performance we are witnessing something the world has never seen. You add her voice to her style to her influence on pop culture to her dancing..and there's really no comparison. And when it comes to performance...she may not have the pipes like Aretha or the original moves like Tina or the soul of Mary or the uniqueness of Lauryn Hill...but what separates her is that when she moves, performs, dances, jumps, shakes, etc....her voice actually becomes stronger in a way not accustomed to performers that actually 'move' on stage. For example, I think Jazmine Sullivan has one of the great new strong female voices...but if she danced around while singing? Not so sure how that would sound, feel me? But B., with each move, her voice actually emulates her bodies groove with an equally satisfying tone in her singing. It's what separates her in the realm of performers this world has seen. I look at all art, all music and try to step back and actually view what I see before me....I'm just saying...think about it.

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What I'm reading...

What am I reading?

The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo

Description: Brazilian storyteller Paulo Coehlo introduces Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who one night dreams of a distant treasure in the Egyptian pyramids. And so he's off: leaving Spain to literally follow his dream.

The More: The description above does not give you the most important aspect of this book. It's literally magic. As a writer I used to think the perfect book was one written that every single person could relate to and gain something from. However, now I believe the perfect book is one that changes a social setting. This book is maybe the closes thing I've read to my first 'perfect book' revelation. But beyond relating, this books speaks to everyone and anyone looking for that 'treasure' out of life, no matter what or who that treasure may be....pick it up. Oh and one more thing...as a person who grew up in a two-religion household, this book speaks to me even more because the beliefs of the characters are Christian and Islamic...and you sorta realize (if you analyze the book like I do all works) that we are all the same no matter what you call god or even if you don't call him/her at all.

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The return of Corrine Bailey Rae

OK...first let me say, Ms. Rae just shot up my list of fine Black women. Love the grown out hair look...so artsy...lil London accent. I'm shopping. Anyway, this album should be interesting because of the success of her first joint and the tragic death of her husband about a year ago. I actually think I'm going to go check her out in December up in NYC...DOLO. Peace+Love

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I love Hip-Hop

I am not even playing when I say this statement: 'God gave the world Hip-Hop for a reason, and that reason was not entertainment.' Peace+Love

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lauryn hill (a poem)

lauryn hill
by david stuckey

Most people now, well, they call you fu*king crazy.
Because you've done things the normal human would not do.
Or would not think of doing.
At one point in time you were the biggest star in the world.
Then you disappeared.
You reappeared with only a guitar, a Yankees cap, and a baby fro.
And I smiled.
Cause I love the Yankees.
And I dabble with the guitar.
And I once had a fro.
But I digress.
You could have been one of the biggest stars this world has ever seen.
But now, I feel that is not your course.
Because you were gone for so long darling.
And when you came back you were not the same.


And I've heard all the stories about your man and your kids and all that, but I ain't one to gossip so I'll just leave it as…
You left.
And came back different.
Once I went on a class fieldtrip to Philadelphia.
And our bus driver was really cool.
So I asked him to put on The Score.
That was you and Wyclef's and Pras's masterpiece.
The Bus driver.
He played that CD and we jammed and we laughed and we knew (even though we were mere kids) that you were special.
Killing Me Softy…that was everyone's sh*t.
And you and that CD and that song and that bus driver and Philadelphia all made that day so good.
But I digress.
Two things are funny about you - about your legacy.
Really three.
Well for starters, all the artists in the industry look at you as this musical and mythical figure.
When they talk to you, they talk as if you are dead, as if you bless them with your presence or their song.
Talib Kweli even wrote a song about you in which he poured his heart out.
Common puts you in his thanks you's, in the back of his cd, although you two haven't spoken in years.
When you came back at the block party…did you see the crowd.
There faces.
Blank.
Envious.
Happy.
Joyful.
Did you see how Wyclef and Pras talked about you…as if they knew they were so lucky to start that group with you back in the day.
But I digress.
Two: Women don't know what you did for them.
Yeah, I know you're smiling at that one.
Cause you see.
When Emcees talk about you….they don't lump you in with women Emcees.
They lump you in with Emcees.
Feel me.
Your womanhood is on the same level as their manhood…and they admit it.
You gave women equality in that sense….in that realm.
Plus, you brought brown sisters back.
Yes you did.
And the natural hair, and the funky individuality….yeah that was you.
You were the first to bring that back into the light.
The natural black woman's beauty.
Not Jill Scott, not Erykah Badu, not Angie Stone, not Floetry.
No. it was you.
And the third thing?

The third thing that's funny about you is…
You know you did these things.
You know how special you are.
And you are quick to tell people so.
Arrogant?
I don't know.
Was Muhammad Ali arrogant for standing up to the government?
Was Malcolm X arrogant for saying he was equal to "the white man?"
But I digress.
I remember the first time you performed Adam Lives in Theory.
It was at the Essence Awards about a year before your MTV Unplugged aired.
And I didn't catch the beginning but you were so good.
And the audience was in awe.
And I was too.
Because it was something so different.
Rhythmic but at the same time beat filled.
Brilliant.
And I remember when we first heard DooWop my first year at Clark.
And the first dude I knew there, Marcus, yeah - me and him went bananas.
Cause he knew how much I dug you and your music.
And so he was happy for me.
Something happened to Marcus our junior year...
And he was depressed…
And well…
It ended in him running down the street naked.
And a year later in psychology class I learned about what literally makes a person run down the street naked.
And I was like damn…I know someone that had that "syndrome".
But I digress.
We were talking about you.
But you see…
That was about you.
When you left all of us, Marcus went crazy.
And by the time you came back, Marcus had moved back to Jersey.
And I haven't seen Marcus since.
And when you left the world got worse.
And by the time you came back.
Wars had started.
And buildings had been ran into.
And Aaliyah was killed.
And Africans had been slaughtered.
And the police killed D Walker.
And El died.
And…
F*ck you for leaving ms hill.
No…
I didn’t mean that.
Well….
It just seems the world is following your life.
Cause when you were "having the best times of your life".
We were all having the best times of our life.
No terrorists.
The Sudan was in better shape.
My friends were alive.
Even our president was getting some trim.
But when you came back with that guitar and those interesting and depressing interludes…
Things changed.
You changed.
You changed things.
I remember sitting in a room with a girl named Michele who dug you just as much as I did.
And we both knew how special all of this was…
You and that guitar…and those three little chords you know.
And she asked me…"what do you think about that, her just using the same three chords over and over?"
Cause you see…she dabbled with the guitar too.
And I said your voice was the real instrument…what you were saying was the true instrument…
The guitar was really nothing but an illusion for the cameras and for the people that didn't see what we saw…what you had already seen.
But I digress.
See…
Most people now, well, they call you fu*king crazy.
Because you've done things the normal human would not do.
Or would not think of doing.
At one point in time you were the biggest star in the world.
Then you disappeared.
You reappeared with only a guitar, a Yankees cap, and a baby fro.
And I smiled.
Cause I love the Yankees.
And I dabble with the guitar.
And I once had a fro.
But I digress.
ms. hill.
Please don’t digress again.
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Subway Series

...I wanted to catch Melanie Fiona when she was here in DC but had to work the 9-5. Alone from the fact that she's pretty fine (lol), she's also very talented and soulful. A beautiful combination for a singer. Peace+Love

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The Gates of Tales

The collection from my Homecoming (Clark Atlanta University) is done, along with the story. If you are my facebook friend, go on over and catch the album with the words attached. Below are all the photos and some extras I didn't use in the album. Tell me what you think. Peace+Love

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Common - Make My Day

...this was my favorite joint on Common's last CD.

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Rza x Smiley

The Rza just drops knowledge for about 8 minutes. It feels like 8 seconds. Peace+Love

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the three things

the three things
by david stuckey


you have just three things.
three things that were given to you.
just three.
not four, not five, not two or one.
you have three.
some know their three.
some have never thought they had three.
just focused on one.
or thought they had ten.
but you have three.
three things that you do better than the average person.
and i know this because god told me mine.



as before, god came in a dream.
we sat upon my couch.
under a painting called Love.

you can't stop smiling upon god.
the beauty of seeing what made you is almost overwhelming.
the happiness.

and we talked of regular things.
god sat and i sat.
i went to put on some music.
god requested earth wind and fire.

god asked of my life.
as if god didn't know.
"how are you holding up?"
and i told god the truth.
things i had only told my journal.
poems had only written for my eyes.

god asked about the novel.
the progress.
and i told god my aches.
pains.
baby triumphs.
etc.
"been a road," god said.
i agreed.
"still got some street to go too," god said.

after a while god said this.
'well it's the last of your three."
"writing," i asked.
"yes...your story telling."
"my three?"
"yes...you know you have three things...that you are better than the average person. you always knew this...everyone knows...most just don't realize."
god is a poem.
"what are my three," i asked.
god looked at me.
with eyes that took me home.
"you tell me," god said.

see god doesn't give you answers.
god lets you figure out what you already know.
but what you have to find out for yourself.

"so..what was your first one," god asked.
and i thought and thought.
but god had told me i knew the answer.
but what i thought seemed so insignificant.
but around god you feel no embarrassment and so i said:
"i have always been able to handle a basketball pretty well but that's...."
"yes...see, that's your one," god said excitedly.
"i mean...i love basketball but that doesnt seem too significant."
god laughed.
"oh david."
god doesnt call me stuckey.
"everything you are good at doesnt have to be world changing...but the three things have brought a significant change in you if not anyone else."
"i guess...so my one...is being able to handle a basketball?"
i said this as if it were a little disappointing.
"oh chile..."
god speaks in a southern accent.
"you gotta think...you about 5 nothing, and when you were younger you couldn't shoot a lick...didn't have a rim at home...all you could do was dribble...and when you became good at that basketball you played in front of crowds and did well. lead people. the thing about sports...people are always right there...watching to see if you fail. and if you do...they can say they saw it with their own eyes. a lot of times when people fail, it's hearsay...but no...when you are in front of a crowd of people yelling and you fail...they've seen that ... seen you at your worst. and so that ball handling, that courage to fail in front of people...or to prove them wrong. that gave you that confidence you have now...that unparallel confidence. what does sean say: "check my swag i walk like a ball player.that all began with your one."
smile.
god is wise.


"and writing of course."
"of course," god said.
"thank you for that one."
"you know david. it's not that you are the best writer. it's not like your vocabulary is outstanding or your grammar is any good."
"thanks god?"
"it's not that you've even accomplished something yet in writing..."
"thanks god," i asked this time laughing.
"but you are unafraid to write. to write truth. you've said a lot of bull in your life. but not when you write. all truth. no matter how hard it is to type. no matter who may see you differently. no matter how hard it is for you. you still write...no matter. people that read your stuff....they probably read it and just like it, or not like it. or cast it to the side. or give you a thumbs up. not knowing that your soul is etched on each and every word that you've given them to view, honor or discard. that's a writer."
"thanks god."

i made god tea.
and me a coffee.
god doesnt like coffee.
"so my third."
god almost spits up the tea.
"Negro you know ur third."
god called me a negro.
"no seriously...i dont god."
"So you think I look like this...in this form because what?"
I looked at god who sat beside me.
in the form god had chose.
the most beautiful woman i had ever seen.
god doesnt come to you in one form.
god comes in the form that you find the most comfort.
not comfortable...
most comfort.
because in your comfort zone you are at your best.
if you are a dancer your comfort zone is the stage.
if you are a mathematician your comfort zone is in front of an equation.
comfort is being at the top of your game...on your toes...nervous and loving it at the same time.
guess that's why back in the day they always had Charlton Hesston playing jesus and the fans in church had those blue eyed prophets.
cause the people that made them there fans felt comfort in a blond, blue eyed messiah.

god stood.
she was beautiful.
"women?"
"boy don't ask me a question you know..."
i smiled.
"it's okay chile...it's your third...now writing about it may be a little difficult."
"i aint writing about this," i told god.
"boy you don't have no choice..that's what makes you, you."
god knows me.
"i mean it's not like you're the best looking guy."
stare.
"you're kinda on the thin side for most women."
really.
"you are not short but you are def not tall...not like the Idris or Tyson I made."
Foreal.
"Hair is gone."
OMG.
"And I mean in the grand scheme of the men I've made...."
"God! come on! help a brother out!"
Laughs.
"Oh david. you got your personality from your grandmother, your artistic range from your father, your strength from your mother, your style from your sister and your charm from your older cousin and uncle. Add that all up and you were bound to be pretty good. Look, any man can have any woman under the right circumstances and vice versa. Hell, man and woman were made for one another...I did all the work in the first place! So if one is good with the opposite sex, they aren't good with women or men...they are masters of circumstance."
god is dope.

and of course i turned my head to think of what was all said.
turned back.
and god was gone.
just like god had done before.

sitting there on my couch in dreamland with a million questions of my three.
why those three?
what ultimately would i gain from them?
would i be good at them forever?

then I woke up and started my day.
pushed back the covers and felt refreshed.
made a coffee and checked my email like a regular day.
as if I hadn't just hung out with who had granted me the morning in the first place.

***

you have just three things.
three things that were given to you.
just three.
not four, not five, not two or one.
some have never thought they had three.
just focused on one.
or thought they had ten.
but you have just three.
three things that you do better than the average person.

What are your three?

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NBA x Marketing x Inspiration

I saw this commercial last night and wanted to lace up the old sneakers. The NBA, to me, has the best commercials out of the 4 major sports. This one gets the athlete in me pumped! (Go Lakers)

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Inspiration on a Thursday...

This is such an inspirational profile about Lee Daniels in the Magazine. The story is written around the upcoming release of the film festival darling, 'Precious.' The way the writer tells the story goes perfectly with the wit of Daniels. I actually saw Daniels speak at the Black Film Festival in Miami about 5 years ago (has it been that long?). Anyway...this and a book I read by Gordon Parks has made my determination and fire to one day make a film that I write. a reality. Peace+Love

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Beautiful things in this world...

A fit First Lady. I love this fine, intelligent Black woman.

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