Love Lock Down

Another rainy day in Chicago. I'm waiting for my boyfriend to get back home so we can head to the opera (more on that tomorrow), but here's Kanye West's video for the first single off his "808 and Heartbreak" album "Love Lock Down." The radio DJs on 103.5 didn't "get" the video and said he was trying to be deeper than the song calls for. I disagree, but then again 1- I think Kanye can do no wrong and 2- appreciate any break from the hip-hop video narrative of bling, bills, and bitches. What do you think?

A Return to Good Political Satire

Last night's Saturday Night Live's Premiere opener

"I Just Want to Know!"

By this point, you've already heard about Sarah Palin. How this woman was just a hockey mom from Alaska before being thrust into the national spotlight with an ill-conceived ploy to grab angry Hilary Clinton supporters and social conservatives by being McCain's VP choice. How her 17-year old daughter is 5-months pregnant and plans to marry the father, making Democrats crow over how the abstinence-only sex education her mother supports could have saved her from teen pregnancy (despite the fact Palin does not support sex education, Alaska does offer sex ed in its schools). But this video of Cambell Brown sticking it to Republican strategist Tucker Bounds by asking him a simple question as to Palin's experience in the Alaskan National Guard gives me more reason to believe McCain's decision to make Palin his VP is the first tap on the nail in the McCain Presidency coffin.

Obviously on a Gnarls Barkley Kick

Why is it that I'm just now seeing the Gnarls Barkley video for "Going On" ? And why can't more music videos and music in general be this good? Ok. Last post of the day... I just really needed to share this video.

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Breaking Up Is Hard to Do

(Warning: Not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach)

Gnarls Barkley's newest music video for the haunting song, "Who's Going to Save My Soul?" from their latest studio album, The Odd Couple. Is it weird that I felt like I would cry at the end of the video? Maybe because I'm getting out of a similar place, or afraid of being in that place again...

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Not Only For the Saditty and Pretty

Musically, Andre 3000's verse is by far the only thing good about the song, but these men are all about presentation, which makes this video a-mazing.

"And You Make Me Smile By Really Getting Into the Swing"

I heard this song on Fred Flare's website and immediately downloaded it a few years ago. It's so peppy and automatically brings a smile to my face. This fourth of July, my boyfriend's cousin told me to go on YouTube and watch the video. Song and image have united perfectly in this music video.

(Kings of Convenience, I'd Rather Dance With You)

Hang Up Your Chick Habit

(for Derek)

Robert Rodrieguez and Quentin Tarentino's homage to 60's B-movies and the theaters that screened them, Grindhouse, had me squirming in my seat and hiding behind my hands. But this scene from Tarentino's half, "Death Proof," was by far my favorite part of the movie.



Just so you know, he definitely had it coming.

(The song playing during the credits is "Chick Habit" by April March.)

And Another One

According to black celebrity gossip website, The YBF, there are three versions of Kanye West's "Flashing Lights" video. Here's the second one.



And click here to view the controversial original.

Melancholy

It's a pretty dreary day here in Chicago. We're finally getting a spring—we usually just jump from winter to summer. This song and video by English singer Adele, sums up how I'm feeling in all avenues of my life and is a perfect background music for this chilly, gray day.

Adele - Chasing Pavements
by slzaza

Coke Habit

N.E.R.D.'s new video for their single, "Everyone Nose" was posted up on Kanye West's blog today. Cocaine references, cameos galore (I wonder why Lindsay Lohan appears...), and a shout out to Merlin Bronques party photography website Last Night's Party. Enjoy.

May Day

Today, hundreds of Chicago activists, Latinos, and supporters will march in protest of America's current stringent immigration laws. Last year, I was working on a documentary for my Documentary Video class that took us to Pilsen, a largely Latino neighborhood in Chicago fighting the tide of gentrification. My partner Roger and I skipped class to go to last year's May Day March and got some footage. This morning NPR says that many involved with this year's march doubt it will have the large numbers of previous years or garner support for reform in immigration laws.


Below is the documentary I worked on. I cringe every now and then—some shots are too long, I would've edited it different etc.—but if you're interested, it gives a very cursory introduction to Pilsen.



Random
New York Magazine has compiled an "electopedia", with blurbs on each presidential candidate under categories like "Mentors," "Worst Speech," and more.

"Fall In Love In Chi-ca-go..."

Lupe Fiasco's newest video for his single, "Paris, Tokyo." This was actually one of my least favorite songs on his album, The Cool, but I always appreciate Fiasco for taking his music above and beyond the current call of ring tone rappers.

Ring tone rapper (i.e. Souljah Boy): Can this song be a ring tone?
Music Exec: Does it have a lyrics of little value outside of dropping it like its hot and an annoyingly catchy chorus?
Ring tone rapper: Yeah...
Music Exec: Son, you got yourself a Verizon-worthy hit!

'Ye's Newest

HOMECOMING from kwest on Vimeo.

God... Kanye can do no wrong. I have a tendency to squeal when I see Chicago landmarks and the skyline, so you can imagine how excited I was during this video. For most, it thankfully returns to "normal" music video fare, involving less abstraction, confusion, violence, and inappropriate Playmate feminine jiggle than "Flashing Lights."

FIERCE

On April 1, Project Runway -- the hit Bravo reality TV program pitting aspiring fashion designers against each other under host Heidi Klum and mentor Tim Gunn's watchful gaze -- will be in Chicago casting for Season 5 at the W Hotel Lakeshore (644 N. Lake Shore Drive). If I weren't working that day, I would go down there and recruit designers to make me a frock out of their hopes and dreams as part of their audition.

If you want to volunteer for the day (there are two shifts, 9-1:30 pm and 1:30-6 pm), contact Chance Woodward of Gen Art at cwoodward@genart.org. Who knows? Maybe you'll have a brush with the next Christian Siriano (Season 4 winner).

Do People Still Use Beepers?

Who cares? (Though my boyfriend suspects it's the next wave in hipster irony - you heard it here first.)

Chicago's juke-house rapper Kid Sister has a new video out for her single "Beeper." Enjoy!


"Beeper" - The Count & Sinden ft Kid Sister from joseph monish on Vimeo.

And watch her "Pro Nails" video featuring Kanye West that brought her out of the sweat and furious dancing of Chicago clubs to the TVs and iPods of the masses.