..."Elvis, was a hero to most, but he never meant shit to me!!"
Well, I guess Elvis did have a little bit of blue-eyed soul going on, but he was still a poser. Now many would say that he opened up the door for Black artists, but hey shorty, who made the key! Blues, bop, boggie, rock, swing, rag, jazz, rap, country, fusion, and on an a on and on on and on, we be the damn locksmiths yo. So, getting past the word and just to get to the phrase - "Niggas is a beautiful thang!" Richness baby, richness.
Yeah, I remember him too. He disappeared from the DC scene sometime in the early to mid-90's.
Then there was "compliment" man in Adams Morgan. He'd offer a compliment to every one that walked by. "Nice shoes!" "I like your handbag".
Then later there was "ham & cheese" man that hung around 17th street. "Can I have a dollar to buy a ham & cheese sandwich?"
Then there was the blue-eye boxer guy who would box his reflection in the Citibank window at Conn. Ave. and K Street.
And then there was also the older gentleman with the gray beard who'd hangout across from Borders on 18th and M St. He was homeless, but he also had a savings account. At least that what he told me.
D.C. had some great street characters.
I lived in DC from '96 to '05 near 14th & U. Now I live in Newark NJ now. The street people here are lame, nothing like D.C.
Des, I hear ya, and I know that Elvis had a tid-bit of funk to him, but he couldn't hold the jock of 80% of the unknown brothers he was weaned on. If he'd had black or brown skin he would've been a nobody. It's not about rather or not Elvis was a racist, but it's the fact that he was just another white dude capitalizing off of what the brothers and sisters created, and thats the same old story. So, he may have given props to Black artists, and he may have made comments alluding to his racial tolerance, but I don't recollect him being anything but a non-factor when it came to standing up against the activities of folks like Bull Connor or Lester Maddox. Maybe Elvis had left the house when that shit was happening huh.
Des, the piece was good and I feel ya, we're both kinda aligned here.
In my book just hearing someone speak up against it and take an opposite position publically was significant to me. Hearing someone just do that much kinda made you feel that he/she was willing to loose fans/sales/status to take a sympathetic stance. You know, they were willing to lose a little something. In my book that was more than doing nothing. I remember folks like Joan Baez, Dylan, Brando, and even Heston, speaking out against the blatant racism that was happening them. Elvis was pretty quiet on the subject though, ...when it really counted, he was not in the house.
But look, on the real tip, I was a country-city-country ass-dude, from the VA farm to the ghetto back and forth. So I must say here and now - I did love me some Elvis. ...ain't that some wild shite, Fishes loved him some Elvis, ...go figure, go figure.
Is he FOR REAL?????
ReplyDeleteWhere do I start with this?
Nope. I got nothing. I'm gone keep my mouth shut! ;)
^ Oh, he's the real deal. I first heard about him 20 years ago.
ReplyDeleteId love to find out if there's a black Madonna (Bladonna?) and/or Barbra Streisand out there or something.
ReplyDelete..."Elvis, was a hero to most, but he never meant shit to me!!"
ReplyDeleteWell, I guess Elvis did have a little bit of blue-eyed soul going on, but he was still a poser. Now many would say that he opened up the door for Black artists, but hey shorty, who made the key! Blues, bop, boggie, rock, swing, rag, jazz, rap, country, fusion, and on an a on and on on and on, we be the damn locksmiths yo. So, getting past the word and just to get to the phrase - "Niggas is a beautiful thang!" Richness baby, richness.
Peace
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/11/opinion/11guralnick.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=elvis+racist&st=nyt&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
ReplyDeletedraw your own conclusions...
Yeah, I remember him too. He disappeared from the DC scene sometime in the early to mid-90's.
ReplyDeleteThen there was "compliment" man in Adams Morgan. He'd offer a compliment to every one that walked by. "Nice shoes!" "I like your handbag".
Then later there was "ham & cheese" man that hung around 17th street. "Can I have a dollar to buy a ham & cheese sandwich?"
Then there was the blue-eye boxer guy who would box his reflection in the Citibank window at Conn. Ave. and K Street.
And then there was also the older gentleman with the gray beard who'd hangout across from Borders on 18th and M St. He was homeless, but he also had a savings account. At least that what he told me.
D.C. had some great street characters.
I lived in DC from '96 to '05 near 14th & U. Now I live in Newark NJ now. The street people here are lame, nothing like D.C.
Thank goodness for YouTube!!!
ReplyDelete^ My mind gets blown daily, Tambay.
ReplyDeleteDes, I hear ya, and I know that Elvis had a tid-bit of funk to him, but he couldn't hold the jock of 80% of the unknown brothers he was weaned on. If he'd had black or brown skin he would've been a nobody. It's not about rather or not Elvis was a racist, but it's the fact that he was just another white dude capitalizing off of what the brothers and sisters created, and thats the same old story. So, he may have given props to Black artists, and he may have made comments alluding to his racial tolerance, but I don't recollect him being anything but a non-factor when it came to standing up against the activities of folks like Bull Connor or Lester Maddox. Maybe Elvis had left the house when that shit was happening huh.
ReplyDeletePeace
fishalot,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate you taking the time to read the piece....and I really can't disagree with your assessment.
But when you look back at that time.....What percentage of entertainers were a factor when it came time to stand up against those forces?
Des, the piece was good and I feel ya, we're both kinda aligned here.
ReplyDeleteIn my book just hearing someone speak up against it and take an opposite position publically was significant to me. Hearing someone just do that much kinda made you feel that he/she was willing to loose fans/sales/status to take a sympathetic stance. You know, they were willing to lose a little something. In my book that was more than doing nothing. I remember folks like Joan Baez, Dylan, Brando, and even Heston, speaking out against the blatant racism that was happening them. Elvis was pretty quiet on the subject though, ...when it really counted, he was not in the house.
But look, on the real tip, I was a country-city-country ass-dude, from the VA farm to the ghetto back and forth. So I must say here and now - I did love me some Elvis. ...ain't that some wild shite, Fishes loved him some Elvis, ...go figure, go figure.
Peace
Terrorist fist bump atcha fish.
ReplyDelete..word.
ReplyDelete