Plastic: Far from Fantastic Thanks for your reality check, Tamara Lush, in your April 24 Riptide article (“Mama’s Got a Brand New Bum”). I’m from Salt Lake, and our lovely town was just voted the vainest city in America. And, yes, that is just plain embarrassing. I am a regular…
How intriguing are the NBA playoffs this year? Every night, brand new drama unfolds. It’s more like a soap opera with athletes than anything and the latest clap-back diss song aimed at rapper Jay-Z proves that. If you’re late to the party…Washington Wizards star DeShawn Stevenson and LeBron James don’t…
Jose D. Duran Graffiti on the ultility pole at the corner of NW 23rd Street and NW 2nd Avenue. Just east of Edgewater – that’s the real name of the newly christened “Midtown” area – and Downtown Miami lies the creative ghetto better known as Wynwood. Between wholesale clothing operations…
Since it’s Throwback Tuesdays, I’m in the mood to take it wayyyy back to the Bridge Wars of the mid ’80s in the dawn of hip-hop’s golden years. This originally was a battle of the boroughs. Queens rappers MC Shan and Marley Marl came out with a track called “The…
Here’s an oldie but goody from Detroit R&B crooner Dwele. He’s been featured recently on Kanye’s “Flashing Lights” and Common’s “The People” singing hooks–which makes you think that Chicago MC’s have a soft spot for him. A lot of the love he gets from the hip-hop community has more to…
Washington Wizard forward DeShawn Stevenson is finding that out the hard way. In what seems like a feud that was on it’s way toward being a nonstory, Stevenson’s war of words with LeBron James just went to an unexpected level. Over the weekend, Jay-Z recorded a (rather funny) diss track…
Grabbing Eyeballs Is a Two-Way Street I, like most readers, was morally outraged by last week’s cover illustration (“Lambs to Slaughter,” April 17). Though it’s easy to call for the heads of everyone from the artist to the editor, I doubt that many of us even considered looking within, at…
Last Saturday night at Sweat Records in Little Haiti marked a couple of milestones. First, and most important, it was the store’s third birthday — a giant feat for a business that’s survived two relocations and even more hurricanes. And it was the local celebration of the first International Record…
The Smoking Gun recently reported in a long, investigative entry that R&B singer Akon, who has built a career on making a huge deal out of his alleged criminal past, is not as bad as he says he is. Since the release of Akon’s 2004 debut, Trouble, the singer has…
The folks in charge of new construction at Miami-Dade County Public Schools need a lesson in community involvement. Had Chief Facilities Officer Jaime Torrens and Design Officer Victor Alonso consulted neighborhood homeowner groups in conceptualizing the expansion planned for Coral Way K-8 Center’s seven-acre campus, the school district would have…
Coming out of left field, here’s an old school video from Parisian international super star Manu Chao. Around the world, Manu is the man, but he doesn’t gain nearly as much recognition here in the U.S. It’s not totally clear why that is, but the more that gringos travel abroad…
Drinking for Two Regarding “A Pregnant Pause” (by Elyse Wanshel, April 10): That is incredibly hilarious. I’m totally going to try wearing a pregnancy pad at clubs this weekend. Well, not really, but I do wish I had thought of it first. It’s interesting how men seemed more concerned about…
Today the Banana Republican is going to drop some knowledge about the way local government conducts business in south Florida. Tomorrow, April 16, the Miami Beach City Commission will decide whether or not to retain the company that has been operating the municipality’s public parking garages for the past nine…
So technically, it’s hard to call this track a “Throwback” since the album only came out in 2006. But the video itself is totally retro, and weird, and some shit that only Madlib and his Stones Throw affiliates could put together. You have to just watch it. Explaining all the…
Good Riddance, Che-meister! I’m a member of the Cuban punk band Guajiro, and after reading Chuck Strouse’s April 3 column, “Che Who?” I have a funny anecdote for you regarding Che in Miami. Last summer we did the Florida leg of the Warped Tour, which started in Jacksonville. At every…
“If it’s a boy, I’m going to name him Johnny Walker Black,” I said to my friend Lola as I patted my pregnant belly. We were leaning back on the large, wooden bar inside Barracuda Raw Bar & Grill (3035 Fuller St., Coconut Grove) so the crowd could see my…
The Crime Dog won’t be making any more appearances at Miami-Dade County Public Schools this year. That’s because the school board eliminated $114,000 from the schools police budget set aside for youth crime prevention programs. The move means junior won’t be learning about “Stranger Danger” or “Stop the Violence,” as…
British bands in the ’80’s had a strange sense of style. Of course, that’s a relative statement, but I was reminded of it when I came across the video from the Fine Young Cannibals and their international hit, “She Drives Me Crazy” from 1989. I don’t know what happened to…
It’s no secret that Khia, of the famous 2002 cunnilingus anthem “My Neck, My Back” is not the biggest fan of Miami’s top female rappers. Early on, there was the debacle involving Jacki-O over her status as the self-dubbed “Queen of the South.” Then there was her beef with Trina,…
The 23rd edition of Winter Music Conference took place in Miami Beach last week. An estimated 40,000 music fans and industry types attended events at more than 85 venues. Here’s a rundown of some of the highlights. Best day parties: The Beatport Pool Parties at the Remix Hotel, at the…
Stone serious, the dapper elderly gentleman in gray slacks, a black and white tie, and a neatly pressed green shirt firmly gripped my shoulder from behind: “You’ll have to leave.” “Why?” “You can’t sell things in the mall.” “What makes you think I’m selling? “The T-shirts on your arm.” “We’re…
Something Stinks Brandon K. Thorp’s “Sour Milk” (March 27) is a great article and a fantastic critique of Edge Theatre’s The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore. “Shatner biopic” is an understatement; rhythmically this thing sounded like a Ken Vandermark b-side. It’s really bad when you simply cannot tell whether…
