To pretend, I actually do the thing: I have therefore only pretended to pretend.

Listened to this while poring over Derrida quotes. Friggin gorgeous.

Boom chikka wow wow

Real life took over for a bit. Gotta make sure I graduate, and thus will be taking my sweet time with posts over the next 3 weeks or so. May 17th, this all comes to a close. Gotta make that final push and end strong. No choice.

Jamie Lidell is helping make the end of college a consistently fly experience. This man sounds like a whistling horizon, with icing on top. A paper on British soul is definitely in the works. Between him, Quadron, Adele, Duffy, Daniel Merriweather and others, I got more than enough figures to write the tough little book. Can't wait.

A pulchritudinous pastiche

Not sure why I like this song so much (esp. given recent events smh) but it's been on my heart as of late, and I figured I would share. Bruno Mars rips the hook, and I can't lie, B.O.B.'s flow is slowly but surely growing on me.

Beautiful day outside. About to go soak in the sun. I implore you all to do the same.

The first and last time a Britney Spears track is on this blog...maybe

Golly gee. I love me a good cover. Yael Naim mashes this joint. Not too familiar with her stuff, but will definitely keep my ear out for more tracks from this young lady after hearing this gem.

Will you remember me?

Words can't explain how much I love Theophilus London. Saw him perform live about a year ago. Hasn't lost a step since. Whatever song they're playing in the background is the best song I've ever heard in my life. Someone needs to find me this track before I explode. Also, him and this guy Dev Hynes remind me of myself and my ridiculous friends who dance all over the place for no apparent reason other than the orchestra in our chests (shout out to Alysia and Carv Daddy).

Sidenote: Va$htie is quite possibly the finest woman on Earth.

OK, back to studying for this math quiz.

Deuces!

Usually dont post stuff like this....

But I figured that the occasion called for a little celebration. Apparently, the ESPN film that I performed in over the summer has seen the light of day! The movie, entitled "One Night in Vegas" debuted at the South by Southwest Film festival in Austin, TX two days ago. Haven't seen any reviews of the film yet, but hopefully folks enjoy. After scouring YouTube for any mention of yours truly's first cinematic endeavor, I stumbled across the above trailer. Shout out to my man B. Yung for giving a great performance, as well as the director, Reggie Bythewood, for taking the risk of enlisting two young performers such as Yung and myself to help narrate his film through poetry.

According to my sources, the film drops on ESPN in September. God willing, all will work out, and this thing will take off. Thanks for the support, ya'll. Your energy helps keep me going.

I am building a castle of love. Just for two.

Another musical masterpiece from the most strikingly beautiful woman I have ever met in my life (apart, of course, from the big sis and mom dukes).

Be still my heart. This woman can saaannng. The bass-playing ain't too bad either (in case you were unaware, it's National Understatement Day).

Also, doesn't hurt that she's covering my favorite artist of all time. Not many people can do Stevie justice. Hats off to Esperanza for re-inventing a classic.

Garden State x Gully Creepa

At Princeton, having the time of my life. Faculty and grad students here are absolutely brilliant.

This video has nothing to do with Princeton. The little kid in the Michael Jackson gear goes in, though. Enjoy.

Lunch with Amiri

The fact that I sat on a panel with this man is yet another instance of the Lord doing things far above and beyond what I could have imagined in my wildest dreams. A rigorous scholar, incredible playwright, breathtaking poet, and unflinching activist, Amiri Baraka has been truly inspirational to me not only in his approach to the craft(s) of writing and performance, but also his unflinching dedication to creating art centrally focused on the liberation, sustenance, and empowerment of Black people the world over.

I'll admit, we got into a few arguments last night (about what "Blackness" actually is/means, and why it's useful in the contemporary moment as a mode of identity), but all were in good fun and born from a place of genuine curiosity and mutually shared respect. The love and kindness Mr. Baraka was truly heartwarming, and this post is the least I can do to show my gratitude. I wish him all the best in the near future, and can only pray that he continues to move and inspire all those he comes across. May God bless you, Amiri. Be encouraged.

In the midst of studying, I thought that this would be a nice gift

I know this is a tad different from the concise, upbeat stuff I usually post, but, this man is incredible.So, I don't care. Percival Everett is hands down on my list of the top 25 most talented writers all-time, and is right there with Junot Diaz and Colson Whitehead for my favorite scribe of the moment. Pick up "Erasure" or "I Am Not Sydney Poitier" when you get the chance. Incredible stuff. OK, back to Oceanography.

Swingin' in the monastery

Been working on this Thelonious Monk presentation, quite literally, for days. About to head to class in an hour or so and mash this jawn. Thoroughly boosted. To say this man was a genius is...reductive to say the least. Cat revolutionized the way we even think about how someone can potentially play the piano in their wildest dreams. Though Robin Kelley's Monk biography is painfully long, (clocking in at a little over 600 pages) I can't lie, reading this book has really influenced mt research on Black performers with disabilities. Both he and Nina Simone were diagonalized as bipolar, and I'm really curious about how present-day interlocutors of their work do, if at all, factor knowledge about their perceived difference into their listening/watching experience.
What is genius if not a deviation from how the mind "should" work? So many questions, so little time. See ya'll in a couple. Oceanogrpahy midterm on Wednesday. Not a joke, dude.