Navani Knows Fez and The Fight Against A.I.D.S
Posted by: navaniknows on: June 4, 2009
While Wilmer Valderrama is best known for his role as “Fez” or his player ways, I recently learned there was another side to this Venezuelan cutie. I ran into him and a host of other Latino celebs while attanding the annual Cielo Latino AIDS fundraiser gala. That’s right, gala AKA I had to get all dressed up.
Cielo Latino is an annual event thrown by the Latino Commission on AIDS to raise money and awareness about AIDS as it affects our community. It’s the largest fundraiser event trageted specifically to us and it was an honor for me to attend and rub elbows with the likes of Rosie Perez, Wilmer Valderrama, Dayana Mendoza (Former Miss Universe), Lupe Ontiveros and MTV Tr3’s own Carlos Santos.
Ok, so I had a start struck moment with Wilmer AKA Fez. He’s so friggin cute in person (though a lil short for me). I harrassed his bodyguard relentlessy until he took a picture of us together. Then I realized the flash wasn’t working and I started all over again with someone else’s camera (pic coming soon). But long before those shenanigans, I did actually speak to Wilmer on his activism and his message for our youth regarding AIDS. Check out what he had to say under after the jump… Read the rest of this entry »
Navani Knows 31 Candles
Posted by: navaniknows on: May 11, 2009
I thought a lot about how birthdays would be after the anxiety of turning thirty lately. Would they be as exciting and anxiety filled? would it still feel like a “big” deal? I found out today when I turned thirty-one. The verdict is in everyone: it felt like any other day. Nothing special. I started going about my day just like any other too when suddenly the thought came into my head – where was I a year ago today?
I realized besides the obvious – I was on a beach in Punta cana last year at this time – so much has changed in one year. I don’t live in the same borough much less the same apt. I upgraded to a bigger place and somehow managed to pay less. I am not at the same job I was last year, I am actually doing what I love for a bigger and better company. And I am not in the same relationship as I was i.e. the same cycle of drama. I have a totally clean slate in the dating department (phew). Going down the list I happily realized this was no ordinary day afterall. This marked a new day and a new phase of my life.
This is the day I recognize how much I am still growing and learning new things about myself. I am still deciding what it is I want in life and choosing it, over and over. I have the power to choose and that makes all the difference. The best part of this process is learning to trust myself again and to enjoy the journey. I no longer feel the need to judge myself for not doing things a certain way or for the things I cannot control. I’ve learned there is no right or wrong, things just are. That has been the best gift I could ever give myself. With that understanding and newfound gentleness I find myself contently in “the flow” of life. And one step closer to being whole.
What a truly happy birthday, indeed.
Navani Knows: Culture Vault Radio
Posted by: navaniknows on: April 24, 2009
If you are like me you probably find yourself wondering “what happened to hip-hop?”
Tired of the radio. Tired of Mainstream hip-hop in general. Wondering where did it go? Especially if you live in NYC, the mecca of this genre. Well fear no more! Now there is an answer. There is still good hip-hop out there – you just have to find it. And that’s where I come in. Well not just me…I am just a teensy tiny part of
THE CULTURE VAULT RADIO PODCAST SHOW
(Phew, try saying that 10 times fast)
I had the honor of being invited to co-host a brand new podcast show along side Kinectic (The Arsonists) and Divine (Rise Up Radio). The main goal is to be a place for people to find good hip-hop that doesn’t make it on the radio. A place where everyone (that has talent) can get shine, whether you are a signed mc or just recorded something in your basement.
We are currently seeking fresh new talent for our bi-weekly radio show. If you have some tracks you want to expose or can suggest artists that are missing from our awareness, please send it over to me at Navanio@gmail.com.
And because I am representing the female voice, I especially look forward to hearing from the ladies.
Photo via Google
Navani Knows Sweet Movies: Sugar
Posted by: navaniknows on: March 30, 2009
I have only faint memories of speaking and thinking in Spanish. I spent most of the first two years of my life around my Spanish speaking grandmother, and subconsciously must have took it all in. Then I was ripped from her arms (literally) and moved upstate to a small suburb and said goodbye to any hope of continuing my Spanish lessons. I remember vaguely in Pre-k thinking in Spanish and having to stop my myself from ordering jugo and leche on the cafeteria line. But that was all lost quickly as my parents chose instead to make English my first language. – a choice I questioned and detested to this day. Until I saw the new movie Sugar recently.
Sugar tells the story of Miguel Santos, a.k.a Azucar, a Dominican pitcher from San Pedro de Macoris, who struggles to make it to the big leagues and pull himself and his family out of poverty. Playing professionally at the Kansas City Knights baseball academy, Miguel finally gets his break at age 19 when he advances to the United States’ minor league system. But he learns there that all that glitters isn’t gold. There are many challenges facing a young immigrant player. One being a huge language barrier and racism that comes with it. Secondly, the pressure of playing your best for fear that at any moment you can be replaced. Watching that fictional character live through that gave me a new respect for those who do it now in real life.
Watching Azucar order french toast unwillingly everyday because it is the only thing he knew how to say jabbed me softly in my heart. Seeing how Americans ridiculed him for trying hit me harder. I finally understood what my parents meant when they thought teaching me English was the best way for me to survive here. They were trying to protect me from the hardships and discrimination they faced growing up, and saw their parents face. I could finally appreciate the choice they made without my consent.
Whether you are a baseball lover or not, Sugar has something to offer everyone. For a first time actor, Algenis Perez Soto (Miguel) does a great job and I hope to see more from him in the future. Check out Sugar when it hits theaters this Friday, April 3rd.
Navani Knows Miami Movie Screenings
Posted by: navaniknows on: March 18, 2009
When I first heard that my job would be sending to Miami to cover the Pedro movie screening event at Florida International University, I was elated. Most likely, because this is was the first time I’ve ever traveled on the job’s dime, AND to glamorous Miami at that. Besides that was the fact that I would be staying at the Shore Club AND interviewing Residente of Calle 13 which was of course, the icing on the cake. Although I work for a Latin entertainment company, I rarely like a lot of the artists that come through our doors. This was one exception and I was thrilled!
The Shore Club did live up to it’s chic expections with every room and lobby space adorned in all white. When I saw a member of INXS checking in next to me and Floyd Mayweather chillin with his entourage in the cut, I knew I had arrived. But it wasn’t that aspect of my trip that would be most exciting. Nor was it dining at Nobu, or popping bottles with Venezuelan pop stars, or hanging out with the cast of the Pedro movie themselves (although everyone was totally cool don’t get me wrong).
No, I think as far as touching moments go there are two that are most memorable for me and are tied for first place.
First off, interviewing one of the few Latin rappers I actually LIKE, Residente of Calle 13. And not because he is super cute and Puerto Rican (well a lil bit), but because I got to see a different side of him when I asked how he has been affected by the AIDS epidemic. Always a fan of his socially conscious songs, I expected his interview to impress me. However, he earned a whole new respect from me when he candidly opened up about his family members living with and dying of AIDS. He spoke about the importance of safe sex as someone who actually meant it. And he showed me getting tested is so important he carries around his results in his wallet.
So I don’t know which moment wowed me more – that conversation OR hearing an audience full of students sniffle at the end of the Pedro movie. I was so touched to see that Pedro’s message and life still can inspire so many people after so many years – especially with his entire family sitting right there in the audience with them. SAdly, the AIDS epidemic is only growing but I think we’ve just recruited a new league of soldiers in the fight against it.
Check out what else Residente had to say in my interview on Blogamole. Catch Pedro when it airs on MTV Tr3s on April 1 at 8pm.
Navani Knows Latinos in Literature
Posted by: navaniknows on: March 9, 2009
I first realized I wanted to share myself via the written word when I picked up Maya Angelou’s I know why the Caged Bird Sings. It was 7th grade and I read like nobody’s business in an effort to escape my world. A world I wanted so desperately to pretend didn’t exist. I saw the same kind of anguish in Maya Angelou’s book and quickly identified with it. I put that book down and felt so empowered by it. If she could unleash herself freely like that and make me feel so much better, I wanted to do that too someday.
I first believed I could actually make this idea happen last week when I attended a “Latinos in Literature” reading event at Powerhouse books last week. There, Latino authors like Ivan Sanchez, Linda Nieves-Powell, Kim Osorio, Daniel Serrano and Joe Conzo gathered to read and discus their work. More importantly, they spoke about how and why they got published.
As I sat there and listened to them each read I got teary eyed, because they were telling a story that was part of mine. Ones I could relate to. These were people that looked and sounded like me and I could identify with, it is not often I have that opportunity. These are people I know on facebook and talk to regularly, that are from New York. To see my peers be able to live this dream reminded me that I could too.
Daniel Serrano stated that he wrote because when you discover you are a writer, its part of your identity, it’s who you are plain and simple. And you are frustrated as a person when you don’t write. I can attest to this sentiment.
Linda Nieves-Powell admitted getting her book deal with only 50 pages submitted.
And Joe Conzo exclaimed that your dreams can come true, no matter what they are. Just hold on tight to them.
I am so thankful for that simple reminder. And so thankful there are more Latinos gracing our bookstores now. Let’s make sure more of us will get the same chance by supporting them now.
Navani Knows: Tuesdays With Olivia
Posted by: navaniknows on: March 3, 2009
[For those of you new to me and my blog, Olivia is my cousin's five-year-old daughter/ love of my life. She continually enlightens me with her philosophies.]
It’s seems Obama’s election has had an effect on everyone, old and young. If you had a chance ot speak to President Obama, what would you say? Did you ever think about it? Last week, when he gave his first address to the nation as president Olivia did. She decided to strike up a conversation on politics in an effort to avoid getting put to bed. However, it wasn’t his economic reform or healthcare policies that caught her attention. It was instead, his fashion sense. To stall Olivia sat upright in the bed and blurted out
“Is that Obama?”
Yes it is.
“He is the president???”
Yup.
“I really like his tie. I sure wish I could tell him that.” she exclaimed
Hey, in Olivia’s defense, it did slightly resemble a candy cane with it’s red and white stripes (we all know how Olivia feels about anything related to Christmas). Not sure how long this lil strategy will work but it was a valiant attempt and putting off bedtime.
Besides being politically savvy, Olivia is also quite the geography maven. When she saw the Dora commercial announcing her live show she noticed there was no listing for Florida anywhere. Apalled, she immediately starting plotting another way to see her fave cartoon personality. There was a listing however, for NY she noticed. That’s all she needed.
” Mami, there is no show for Dora in Florida. So I am going to go to New York to see Avani and then go see Dora Live. Cause Avani lives in NY. ok?”
Well duh, why didn’t anyone else think of that, suchs a simple solution. I give ger kudos for being willing to travel across the country for a show. But before that happens I was given strict orders to ask Nickolodeon why they wouldn’t have a Dora show in Florida and report back lol.
Navani Knows: Dilla 101
Posted by: navaniknows on: February 3, 2009
I was having a conversation with my homie Dee Phunk the other day regarding my plans to attend the 3rd annual Dilla tribute party Rare Form is throwing when he paused and asked me, “Wait, do you know anything about Dilla?” Appalled, I scoffed back via IM, “ummm duh!”
I then proceeded to rattle off the lil bit of knowledge I had on the producer in question. I guess it was enough to get my hip-hop pass back because he replied approvingly, “Oh, ok.” But the exchange made think of how many people don’t know his work yet buy the shirts and rep for him now cause it has become trendy. It’s much like throwing on a Che Guevara shirt just because you see Jay-Z wearing one. So, it led me to ask him, “If you had to school someone about Dilla, what would you tell them?”
To answer me, Dee put together a lil blog that I will feature here (awww, my first guest blogger). So, before you iron your “I heart Dilla” t-shirt this weekend, check out his response:
Dilla 101 (From a Fan’s Perspective) – By Dee Phunk
Detroit native producer / sometimes-emcee James “J Dilla” Yancey left his physical state on February 10th, 2006 due to complications from lupus, a very rare and highly debilitating disease – a very sad story indeed. But what can be considered just as sad was that it happened when many feel that Dilla was on the cusp of breaking out and being that next big thing: the producer that claws his way out of obscurity and enjoys mainstream success.
Was Dilla driving towards that goal? Of course not, he was modest about his genius. He just really enjoyed making music. And that’s what separates the great people from the pack of monotony. Since his untimely passing, many people have taken his legacy into their own hands and helped spread his music to anyone willing to learn. I’m definitely one of those people. His discography is vast, leaving something for everyone. If I had to give someone a quick introduction to the man, I’d probably start slow and easy. Here are some jump off points…
1) Ever been at the club and danced to Q-Tip’s “Vivrant Thing?” Ever been in the shower and rapped / sung really badly along to “Passin’ Me By” by The Pharcyde? Ever broke up with someone and had Janet Jackson’s “Got ‘Til It’s Gone” on repeat? Congratulations. You already like Dilla. He produced all of those.
2) Wikipedia can be inaccurate at times depending on whatever foolios are updating. But Dilla’s page is pretty on the money as his true supporters make it their duty to keep every thing on point. Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J_Dilla to read up on how he got his start, the path his career took and more.
3) Chances are if you like artists such as A Tribe Called Quest, The Roots, Busta Rhymes, Common, De La Soul, The Pharcyde, Erykah Badu, and D’Angelo, you will probably enjoy the majority of Dilla’s music. If you own any CDs by any of these artists, read thru the liner notes and find his name. His style goes from smooth soul all the way to hardcore hip-hop. His range was almost limitless. Slum Village’s Fantastic Vol. 2, Q-Tip’s first solo effort Amplified and Common’s critically-acclaimed Like Water for Chocolate are great springboards. If you like those and are feeling dangerous, you might be able to move to more advanced things like Jaylib’s Champion Sound (a collaboration between him and LA-based beatsmith Madlib) and his final album, Donuts. Neck brace not included.
4) If your favorite hip-hop producer doesn’t list Dilla in their top 10 favorite producers of all time (sometimes I think it should be top 5, but whatever), they should be beaten unconscious. J Dilla mastered the art of sampling and probably had a lot more tricks up his sleeve. He had an uncanny knack for chopping up samples and re-stitching them back together seamlessly. Many folks are floored when they hear the original samples for some their favorite Dilla instrumentals.
5) If this story doesn’t make you a believer or at least pique your interest ever-so-slightly, then you should get your pulse checked. It’s a wonderful tale narrated by ?uestlove of The Roots about a music geek and a conundrum over a Roy Ayers sample: http://www.rappersiknow.com/2008/11/26/questlove-vs-jay-dee-the-little-brother-beat-story/
I’m not going to guarantee positive results. Not everyone likes Dilla. But I feel if you do like a certain style of music and can gradually open your mind to other artists, he can find a place in your iPod. Maybe even a permanent one. He’s already found a place within many peoples’ hearts.
For more of Dee Phunk’s music musings, check out his blog www.treesforbreakfast.com.
Navani Knows How To Be A Woman Among Boys
Posted by: navaniknows on: January 27, 2009
Yes the title of this blog could easily apply to me. I was always the girl hanging out with the guys. I befriended mostly boys by sharing my love and knowledge of hip hop, or just from tagging along with my cousin Iran. He had no problem taking me with him everywhere he goes, including to the studio with his boys or to ciphers. But this blog isn’t about me; it’s about the documentary I had the honor of seeing premiere last weekend.
A Woman Among Boys is a film commissioned by ESPN to chronicle a year in the life of Coach Lovelace, the first woman to coach The Boys and Girls high school boys varsity basketball team. A former student of Boys and Girls, she comes back out of the love for the game and the students. But it is not really about her personal struggle, as her basketball record garnered her respect on the court. It becomes the story of the players themselves. While at first it seems the film revolves around the championship game against Lincoln that will determine who is the best team in the city, it becomes something way more gratifying after they lose.
That’s when we get a glimpse of what Lovelace is really fighting for, for her team to make it beyond the walls of Boys and Girls high school and to college. In this battle she is triumphant – all her seniors get full athletic scholarships to attend college. This is the struggle I could most identify with, as these kids are the first to attend college in their families and to have a way out of the tough neighborhoods they grew up in.
Whether you are a basketball buff or not, I promise you will be touched by this documentary. Not only is coach Lovelace a winning coach, but she really loves and fights for her kids to succeed both on and off the court. The documentary shows her fight for these kids, not only to graduate high school (Boys and Girls only graduates about 1/3 of their students) but to get them to college and ultimately flourish in life. How can you not appreciate that? And, the boys themselves are charismatic. There is some unintentional comedy that at times can be hilarious.
Check out ESPN to see when A Woman Among Boys airs again. This film was made in part by resources at DCTV, an org that supports the independent filmmaking community. You may remember another lil amazing doc they made called Bullets in the Hood. Check out other great films they are screening @ www.dctvny.org.
Navani Knows: Termanology + J. Dilla = Heavenly Music
Posted by: navaniknows on: January 9, 2009
It takes a lot to get me to go out these days. First of all, I am old. Secondly, it’s friggin cold out! So my days of pounding the pavement have been put on hold lately. But when I heard Termanology was throwing a lil shindig in honor of his latest opus “If Heaven Was a Mile Away” I knew it would be worthwhile to go – and I was right.
I support Term any chance I can, not just because he is Puerto Rican (which is my reason for supporting J. Lo) but because he has a sick flow. So, I knew combining his flow over J. Dilla’s beats would equal musical magic.Therefore, I thought I’d take the time out to go support the event and get a listen to the whole mixtape. The album is amazing. And the party @ Sutra wasn’t too shabby either.
Statik Selektah was on the ones and two’s, previewing Term’s mixtape and then doing a hot old school set. A couple of industry folk came through to show love including Just Blaze, Lil Fame of M.O.P., Skyzoo and DJ Eclipse to name a few.
Oh, did I mention it was open bar?
I caught up with Term to ask him how the idea for the J. Dilla Tribute came about and he had this to say:
I always like J. Dilla a lot; I have been heavily influenced by his beats. But it came about almost on accident. Statik sold me his computer and he left all these J. Dilla beats on there. I was on tour at the time and I had nothing better to do but write, so I was like I am going to go through all these beats and find me some hot tracks write to them. There were like 400 beats on there! So I was bugging out, like which ones do I pick? I picked the ones I liked the best and put them on a cd and just wrote to them the whole time I was on tour. When we got back I went to the studio, locked myself in and layed it down in 72 hours. It was crazy.
Well, thank goodness for happy accidents. If you haven’t heard the mixtape you can grab it at www.termanologymusic.com.
Fave song: “Circulate (100 bars)”
Fave beat: “Only One Can Win”
Check out what else Term had to say regarding being Latino in this industry here on blogamole.com.
Photo by A. Garcia
