Featured
Video: Bay Area Bands on Soul Train
February 18th, 2012 | by Coolhand Luke | published in Featured, History, Music
In the wake of Don Cornelius’s passing, much has been said about the cucumber-cool Cornelius and his long-running and iconic show, Soul Train. I won’t wax poetic about the show’s societal impact and influence because it’s been done by many who can say [...]
Video: Shit Oakland A’s Fans Say
February 7th, 2012 | by Coolhand Luke | published in Featured, Sports
Everyone and their mama has made a “Shit _____ Says” video. I’m pretty sure the only variation that hasn’t been conceived and filmed is “Shit Mute Czechoslovakian Prostitutes Say To Deaf Elton John Groupies.” That said, there have been some pretty [...]
Concert: Estelle with Elle Varner, Stacy Barthe, and Luke James
February 7th, 2012 | by niema | published in Events, Featured, Music
What are you doing this Friday? Oh. you don’t know yet? Well, Estelle is hitting the stage at The New Parish as part of the BET Music Matters Tour. This London girl will be singing some of the tracks that got her U.S. buzz and promoting her new album [...]
Music Video: Krypto, Los Rakas & The Jacka: “Gyangsta”
February 7th, 2012 | by Coolhand Luke | published in Art, Featured, Music
Haters are as old as the earth is round. I bet you there were Neanderthals who made cave paintings to clown rival hunters with less prowess. 5 pence says that medieval chamber maids put the kings’ mistresses on blast at the market and that knights [...]
Event: Valentine’s Day with Martin Luther
February 4th, 2012 | by niema | published in Art, Events, Featured, Music
Have you made plans for February 14th? Did you remember to include a night at Museum of the African Diaspora with Martin Luther? If not, you still have time to grab your tickets for the unplugged session co-presented by the museum’s young professionals [...]
Happy 138th Birthday to Oakland’s Gertrude Stein!
February 3rd, 2012 | by Coolhand Luke | published in Art, Featured, History
Author and art collector Gertrude Stein holds an infamous place in Oakland lore. She is the source of the often un-contectualized and misused quote, “there is no there, there,” frequently used to down Oakland. Beyond that, not many Oaklanders are too familiar with her.
Event: Community Thrift at East Oakland Youth Development Center
February 3rd, 2012 | by niema | published in Art, Events, Featured
“Environmental and social degradation is the battle that I am trying to fight,” explains Dominique Drakeford, an Oakland native pursuing her masters in Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Fashion. “However, the war is really in changing attitudes. [...]
Too $hort Speaks on the Efficacy of the Hyphy Sound
February 2nd, 2012 | by Coolhand Luke | published in Featured, Music
Too $hort is the godfather of Bay Area rap and the independent hustle. His music may strike you as misogynistic and gross, but he’s a very smart man. If you’re an up-and-coming emcee, when he talks, you listen. The gospel $hort is preaching these [...]
Needed Perspective on Occupy Oakland from Kazu Haga
February 1st, 2012 | by Coolhand Luke | published in 38th Notables, Featured, History
In 1968 Armory Douglass wrote a book entitled, Oakland’s Not For Burning. Douglass himself was no real authority on Oakland or it’s social movements, as he was a Yale-educated Wall Street Lawyer who tried to ice out the Printers union on behalf of the [...]
Album Review: Daveed Diggs: Small Things To A Giant
January 26th, 2012 | by Coolhand Luke | published in Featured, Mixtape Reviews, Music
Daveed Diggs is a soft-spoken maniacal motherfucker. He’s a quiet fellow when you first meet him–no rapper braggadocio or traces of ‘too cool for school’ bravado to speak of. He does stand out though. Aesthetically, Diggs fuses hyphy fashion sensibilities [...]
Music Video: Symba: “Winning Pt. 2″
January 24th, 2012 | by Coolhand Luke | published in Featured, Music
Deer Valley hoop star cum Berkeley spitter is back with the video for “Winning Pt. 2.” In this Aquavis Warfield-directed video, he finds himself toe-to-toe with a rival emcee in a basement-lit battle scene. He prowls and attacks, starts and stops, something [...]
Video: Etta James Live In Oakland Backed By The Grateful Dead & Tower of Power
January 23rd, 2012 | by Coolhand Luke | published in Featured, History, Music
Etta James is famous for bridging a myriad of genres with her music, but this collaborative effort takes the cake. On New Years Eve of 1982 Etta James and Tower of Power’s famous horn section joined Jerry Garcia’s Grateful Dead on stage for a 30+ minute [...]
