Da Rules

This video right here relates a bit to my rant post that I uploaded about a month ago. I literally just watched this video but found it too epic and deep that I just had to share it everywhere! This is really the world outside your front door as I feel a lot of people have no idea the racism in society especially against black people. Eyes need to be opened and though there have been several movements in the past that we all are reminded about during black history month, racism still exists.

  Being black often feels like walking on eggshells, how we have to be so careful not to 'scare' people, how so many stereotypes (stupid and offensive) are always brought to us and how we have to be careful that our 'blackness' or lack of it doesn't offend people. Check out this poem recited by these three young African Americans - Marvin Hodges, Em Allison and Saidu Tejan Thomas. "Da Rules"

In other news, exam period is approaching so busy busy busy I am. I am still having an amazing time preparing for my South Korea trip and am in love with the new Mfbty album "wonderland". 

If you do not know who Mfbty (my fans better than yours) are, they are a project group built up of 3 of the best, most famous, crazy skilled hip hop artists based in South Korea. They created Feel Ghood Music and are Bizzy, Tiger JK and Yoon Mirae (Tasha). Their sound comes from a variety of places and they have lived all over the world (including New Zealand, USA and of course South Korea). Tiger JK and Yoon Mirae, who is half African American, are married and the group is just amazeballs. The song I really recommend is 사랑과 평화 (love & peace) featuring Jeon In Kwon - it has a smooth reggae Maxwell type beat and is the tale of pride in love causing loss, the pain that comes after and realising it is time to apologise.

Manu Chao

In class one day, in 6th form, I had to do a 'fill the gap' and translation task of a song. That song was Clandestino by Manu Chao. A song about the life of illegal immigrants and the law against them. It was a nice different kind of eye opener song.
I then came across the same song a few months later and decided to Youtube the song...leading to coming across a stream of the album 'Clandestino' leading to me becoming addicted to that album. Now I have started to listen to 'Próxima Estación - Esperanza'.

I really enjoy Chao's sound and have never heard anything like it. Chao is a French born musician of Spanish blood and sings in Spanish, French, Portuguese, English, Arabic, Galician and Wolof (yes he is multilingual) and he usually mixes languages in his songs.

His sound carries many genres from punk, rock and French chason to salsa, ska, reggae and Algerian raï.

Chao's lyrics talk about immigration, love, living in ghettos and drugs, and often carry a left-wing message. [1]

One day I will have a proper sit down and listen to his songs whilst reading lyrics before I am nodding along to some nonsense, however I understand quite a lot of the contact as I learn Spanish, French, can understand some Portuguese and obviously know English. I really do recommend listening to his obras. It is somewhat refreshing.

The song of the moment, for me, is 'Me gustas tu':

Me gustan los aviones, me gustas tu. [I like airplanes, I like you]
Me gusta viajar, me gustas tu. [I like to travel, I like you]
Me gusta la mañana, me gustas tu. [I like the morning, I like you]
Me gusta el viento, me gustas tu. [I like the wind, I like you]
Me gusta soñar, me gustas tu. [I like to dream, I like you]
Me gusta la mar, me gustas tu. [I like the sea, I like you]

Que voy a hacer, je ne sais pas. [What am I to do, I don't know]
Que voy a hacer, je ne sais plus. [What am I going to do, I don't know anymore]
Que voy a hacer, je suis perdu. [What I'm gonna do, I'm lost]
Que horas son, mi corazón. [What time is it, my heart]

As you must know, when learning languages music is a big help to become aware of vocabulary and phrases and modern terms and the language you are learning in general. 

Elements

These are my entries for a photo competition (all pictures my own of course) for my favourite singer for her new album. I do not know what I would win if I win but if I do I will make sure to mention it. Entries had to be an 'elements' related picture with a lyric from a song from the album 'Elements' by the lovely Kina Grannis. I hope you enjoy the pictures and even go search this lovely talented lady.

Also, how much do you know about North Korea? I took a quiz and got a disappointing 8/15 though some were obvious and guessable others were hard and random. You think you know North Korea?