Patreese Johnson

Recent Articles

• Of interest from January 28th through October 23rd

  October 23, 2009 in links

  Here is some reading for January 28th from 11:46 to 11:46

• Michael Jackson Dead at 50

  June 25, 2009 in history, michael jackson, race

  The LA Times reports that Michael Jackson died earlier today, June 25, 2009. Already we must wonder: what will, or should, this legacy look like?

• Of interest from January 25th through January 27th

  January 27, 2009 in links

  Here is some reading for January 25th through January 27th

• You know you want one

  January 25, 2009 in Obamas, dolls

  Whether you think that Obama might deliver us into the promised land, or you’re a tad suspicious that he might just be (gasp!) another president– you know you want an Obama action figure!
  Something to shake when Guantanamo isn’t closed in a year. Someone to eyeball when we are still in Iraq in 2011…
  Or, maybe, it [...]

• Sapphire’s Push awarded top prize at Sundance

  January 25, 2009 in Chris Rock, Mariah Carey, Push, Sapphire, beauty standards, good hair, identity

  Director Lee Daniels’ adaptation of Sapphire’s critically acclaimed novel, Push, has been awarded several awards at Sundance 2009, chiefly best drama. It has also won the Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic, and A Special Jury Prize for Acting.

• Shuōchàng: Hip-Hop in China

  January 24, 2009 in China, globalization, hip-hop, international, underground

  Jimmy Wang has a produced a nice little video over at The New York Times. It’s on the underground hip-hop movement in China. According to wikipedia, “The Chinese term for rap is shuōchàng (Simplified Chinese: 说唱; literally “narrative,” actually the name of a traditional genre of narrative singing.”
  I can’t post the video on $3.60, but click here to watch. 

• Speaking of the ‘bama baby boom…

  January 24, 2009 in Obamas, names, randomness

  Hat tip to Jack and Jill Politics.
  Please don’t front on Lashabama Barnes!

• ‘Bama Babies?

  January 23, 2009 in 2008, Obamas, inauguration, world-making

  Well, I must say– that tux, that song: talk about bringin’ sexy back to the white house!… Here is a video of the first dance, with his little intro and all, and Beyonce’s rendition of Etta James’ “At Last.”

• Victory without honor

  January 23, 2009 in girls, honor, randomness, responsibility, sports

  According to the AP, out of Dallas, Texas, a
  … high school girls basketball team on the winning end of a 100-0 game has a case of blowout remorse. Now officials from The Covenant School say they are trying to do the right thing by seeking a forfeit and apologizing for the margin of victory.
  Clearly ahead, it [...]

• Chris Rock’s Good Hair

  January 23, 2009 in Chris Rock, beauty standards, good hair, identity

  “When Chris Rock’s daughter, Lola, came up to him crying and asked, “Daddy, how come I don’t have good hair?” the bewildered comic committed himself to search the ends of the earth and the depths of black culture to find out who had put that question into his little girl’s head.”