In Memory of Sista Maya Angelou... (Rest in Paradise)

Words just cannot expressed the sadness that would enter into my body upon waking up this morning to the news of the passing of a giant, Maya Angelou. Every word that left her mouth was truly immortalized and will always be cherished forever. As I thought about writing a post, I contemplated how I could honor the legacy of this great human being. I figured her words have truly had an impact in so many ways, particularly within the pop culture realm.

And as someone who consumes many elements of popular culture both academically and socially, I had to creatively pay my respects to this legend. So what better way to pay tribute than to highlight some clips of her words that  have been featured in various films, songs, television shows, etc....

Poetic Justice (1993) "Alone" and "Phenomenal Woman"

Maya Angelou and Common have a talk...

Maya Angelou and her conversation with Tupac Shakur...

"On the Pulse of the Morning" (1993) (President Bill Clinton Inauguration)

A conversation with Maya Angelou and Dave Chappelle...

In addition, on today in honor of Angelou XXL Magazine would feature a cadre of hip hop songs that mention/include Maya Angelou in some sort of fashion...

1) Common feat. Maya Angelou "Dreamer"
"Once you find your shoulders dropping/And your speech gets slow and hazy/You better change your way of being/Before you found your brain got lazy/You can build a better future when you join the winning team/If you desire a bright tomorrow, you must build a brighter dream" —Maya Angelou

2) Wale "The Artistic Integrity"
"Maya Angelou spawn/ Abandoned and raised by Nas/ Raised by the sharks but I'm swimming with the prawns/ I found my own lane/ Meet Mr. Folarin"

3) Lupe Fiasco "I'm Beamin'"
"Mix Melissa Ford/With Maya Angelou/Become a top model/And Sojourner too"

4) Jean Grae feat. Pharoahe Monch "Killin' Em"
"Word evangelist/Diabolical vandalist/Infamous/Maya Angelou with Marlon Brando shit" —Jean Grae

5) The Roots "The Session (Longest Posse Cut in History)"
"So okey-dokey folks/Most provoke me I'll choke ya so hold your oats/Was rollin' 'cause I'm strollin' with the quotes/Like Shakespeare, Mark Twain, or Edgar Allan Poe/But since I'm a negro, I flows like Maya Angelou" 

6) Dilated Peoples feat. Defari
"I'm on that Richard Pryor, Bruce Lee, Muhammad Ali/Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, Salvador Dali/Now we rap Langston Hughes and Maya Angelous/Out the disco Xanadu/Hip-hop for the streets" —Rakaa Iriscience

7) Kanye West "Hey Mama"
 "Can't you see?/ You're like a book of poetry/ Maya Angelou, Nikki Giovanni/ Turn one page and there's my mommy"

8) Nas "The Makings of a Perfect B@%$#"
"Gimme Sade's mystique, she gotta know her way in the streets/ Like Billie Holiday in Harlem/Body from Ki Toy Johnson and Kenya Moore and Apple Bottoms/ Maya Angelou's brain and some groove from Terry McMillan"

9) Talib Kweli feat. Kanye West, Busta Rhymes, Mos Def, and Jay-Z "Get By (Remix)"
"It's something about that Nina Simone piano flow/ It's like a Michaelangelo painted a portrait of Maya Angelou/ And gave it to a sick poet for they antidote/ If music get's you choked up this is the tree and a rope" —Kanye West

10) Wale feat. Meek Mill, Pill, Rick Ross and Teedra Moses "Self-Made"
"Picture me rollin', young, handsome and focused/Got that vision of 'Pac although I'm branded as Oprah/Michelangelo portrait meet Maya Angelou notebook/Michael Jordan performance nigga I'm picturing all of it" —Wale

Amazing how much of an impact a few words can have on a society, community, and even the world! The ancestors await you Sista Angelou!

Good Hair...Good Food for the Soul

Let me start out by saying PLEASE GO SEE THIS MOVIE!! It is definitely worth every penny that is spent.

According to Chris Rock, he was prompted to make the movie after his 5-year old daughter, Lola, asked him, "Daddy, how come I don't have good hair?" During his quest for knowledge, Chris Rock delves into the $9 billion black hair industry, and visits such places as beauty salons, barbershops, conventions, scientific laboratories (to learn the science behind chemical relaxers that straighten hair), and India, where many of the hair weaves worn by African American women are from. Chris Rock explains that the movie retains a sense of seriousness, yet at the same time remains humorous. The movie features celebrities like Ice-T, Nia Long, Paul Mooney, Raven-Symone, Maya Angelou, KRS-One, Salt-n-Pepa, Eve, Reverend Al Sharpton, and Meagan Good as they talk about some of their own experiences with their hair, and how black hair is perceived in the black community.

This is definitely one of those movies that is perfect for the young and old and even those who are not African Americans. Good Hair could have easily when crashing down in flames, BUT it was able to inform, educate, and still be likable and funny all at the same time.

The one thing I like about this movie was that he used REAL people, not just speculation and internet facts. This gave the film more of an original feel. One is more likely to believe something if it comes "straight from the horses mouth". As a viewer, you get a chance to see and witness the good, the bad, and the ugly, but all at the same gain new insight. There are even moments where you want to reach out and really touch the folks because they are one-sided as to what "good hair" is in today's society. But one cannot be mad about that, it just becomes a teachable moment.

Chris Rock was able to venture into the world of "hair" particuarly African American hair and give us a window of opportunity. After watching this fillm you will have a greater knowledge of this $9 BILLION empire called HAIR!! He does more than just talk about "black hair" but he gives you a background, a history lesson, a microscopic view of the impact that it has internationally.

Trust me when I tell you will learn so much after leaving this movie!! Very Impressive!

Grade: B+