Tuesday, August 19, 2008

On Another Tangently Related Piece--Beyonce

Recently, I have been thinking about dying my hair and going a little lighter and redder. Sometimes it takes me a minute to decide on semi-permanent moves like this one. Just as I was about to make that appointment, I bump into a discussion at racialicious about Loreal's ad featuring a washed-out Beyonce. I have to say this made me rethink. Why Beyonce, her mother, her handlers or even the people at Loreal would go forward with this vampirish ad is incomprehensible to me. But, there is something about the psychology we all live with about appreciating only certain features. Makes me want to check myself. Am I buying in? Or is it really about the grey and wanting a change? I'm still thinking this one through.


Maybe I'll go darker. What do you think?

Never narrow minded,
Alegna

Jay Z and Oasis

I recently read an article on msn about Noel Gallengher of Oasis making the comment that hiphop, in particular Jay-Z, should not be included at Glastonbury. I wanted to respond not because I am a particular fan of Jay-Z but because I felt offended by the comments as a member of true hip hop culture. I guess it's not really shocking because rockers have had a history of overlooking and not fully respecting hip hop. I can remember all of the controversy over wanting to be paid for sampling. It's disappointing because I thought that at least in Europe, there was a bigger appreciation for the genius of true hip hop culture.

Honestly, I accidentally bumped into the article and didn't know much about Gallengher, Oasis or Glastonbury. Even more disappointing is that all of the (albeit 2 songs) that I have been introduced to through this controversy are great. Can I like music by artists who don't appreciate my culture?

Yeah.

Never narrow minded,
Alegna