AJ Dance Legacy

Lucky I’m Black

Osunlade Gets His Flowers

“Happy birthday to you.” A chorus sings across the expanse of fluorescent and exchange.  Thereafter, an elder directs those gathered to belt the livelier soul-stirring rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday.”

“People always forget the lyrics to the second verse.” Everyone’s Favorite Photographer mentions over the growing serenade.”  The time reads 9:30 pm.  Wait!  The day party was advertised to conclude at 8 pm.  Oh well.  Here we are at 9:30.  Here we are.  (more…)

Rock The Park DC 

Rich Medina

Day 2 

Exit the McPherson Square Metro Station, at the corner of I and 14th Streets.  Watch out!  Carefully, look both ways before crossing the bustling intersection. Turn right onto the walkway.  That leads to the fountain, the epicenter of the greenspace named after a Founding Father.  Forward north is the performance stage.  A steel beam structure with canopy top protects the music equipment from torrential elements.  Rain?  Not today.  The sky appears as a glass ocean. Cloudless. Without celestial disturbance. However, the wind gusts at 30 miles per hour. Today, the temperature is chillier than twenty-four hours earlier at this exact location. The sun’s rays are challenged to warm the family of five picnicking on the grassy knoll.  Their jackets and hoods blow in the air as screaming children run to the play area.   (more…)

Rock The Park DC

Miguel Migs

Day 2

2000

“Oh, I did aight.” Kenny Dixon Jr jokes with you the following afternoon. He walks arm and arm showing off his lady around Franklin Park.  You marvel, he appears refreshed, his skin polished in the glowing sun.  

Later that evening, Hostess Reesa Renee reminds the people.  “Give it up for Moodymann last night,” with microphone in hand as if she is ready to spit bars. The Maryland born singer/songwriter proceeds to read the bio of the upcoming headliner who the people came to see.  (more…)

A National Treasure 

“THIS IS WHY I DON’T DO ART GALLERIES.”  You vent.  (more…)

The Sun. The Rain.  The Super Moon.

Kai Alcé

“Put em’ up.  Put em’ up.  Put em’ up.”  The host yells into the microphone.  There is not one but two of em yelling into microphones. Their mumblings about someone later giving hugs and then that someone giving two hugs after dark.  All the while the deejay appears perplexed.  Confused at the vocal back and forth between the two.  Against the soundtrack of snaps and hiss on Mary Mary’s “Walking.” (more…)

TRILOGY ACTS 5 & 6: NYC LOUIE VEGA, DEON COLE & KENNY DOPE

Enter

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1600

Music. Is the reason for this journey. An expedition meandering through space and time.  Arriving.  At the V.  Where 54th Street veers from Flushing Avenue. In Maspeth.  A working class community located somewhere in the borough of Queens.  That is New York City.  Where a brick and motor mammoth slumps with two erected smoke stacks.  That eyes you. Only if in your imagination.  That beckons you to enter its ingress. Crushing gravel beneath your soles. As your bag is checked. Electronic ticket is scanned. And your wrist is branded white with red dots. Enjoy! Security smiles. All before you kick more rocks. Past the food truck.  Across from the lonely picnic tables. There you eye the expanse.  A massive slab of concrete sloped downward towards a music stage. State of the art light rigs. Hanging sound gear. Fog machines.  Where twenty early birds dance in seventy-seven degree heat underneath scattered cirrus levitating across the oceanic azul.  

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Masters At Work 

2100

Darkness has crept up to slowly reveal its face. Black. Devoid of light. That traces around and about the atmosphere.  Invisible.  Upward, the stars keep watch over night.  Night’s all seeing eye, the moon is lucent, keeps watch over the people, the party, the property.    (more…)