galang galang

yessahh , i've started to take care of my hair as dreadlocks as of one week now.

before i gwaan with that topic, i gotta mention that it's been raining in boston for the last 1 week now. non-stop rain has been going on for the last 4 days, and before and including that it's been all gray, foggy and wet. it is truly effecting how we've been spending our days here. there is nobody outside.. however, at the same time, thanks to gene's perspective at work i am able to look at this situation widda more positive slant than i'd usually would: at least i know that there is no way i can be outside, so i don't feel bad that i 'm sittin at home . this way, i 'm able to enjoy my weekend without having to make the decision to whether going outside or being inside. not bad.

so, i 've been inside most of the weekend and doing homely things. for instance, we watched a spectacular fim called "rize." here's what the director dave lachappelle's website has to say about it:

"Rize" reveals a groundbreaking dance phenomenon that’s exploding on the streets of South Central, Los Angeles. Taking advantage of unprecedented access, this documentary film brings to first light a revolutionary form of artistic expression borne from oppression. The aggressive and visually stunning dance modernizes moves indigenous to African tribal rituals and features mind-blowing, athletic movement sped up to impossible speeds. “Rize” tracks the fascinating evolution of the dance: we meet Tommy Johnson (Tommy the Clown), who first created the style as a response to the 1992 Rodney King riots and named it “Clowning”, as well as the kids who developed the movement into what they now call Krumping. The kids use dance as an alternative to gangs and hustling: they form their own troupes and paint their faces like warriors, meeting to outperform rival gangs of dancers or just to hone their skills. For the dancers, Krumping becomes a way of life – and, because it’s authentic expression (in complete opposition to the bling-bling hip-hop culture), the dance becomes a vital part of who they are.

Like “Paris is Burning” or “Style Wars” before it, “Rize” illuminates an entire community by focusing on an artform as a movement that the disenfranchised have created. But the true stars of the film are the dancers themselves: surrounded by drug addiction, gang activity, and impoverishment, they have managed to somehow rise above. The film offers an intimate, completely fresh portrayal of kids in South Central as they reveal their spirit and creativity. These kids have created art – and often family – where before there was none. illuminates an entire community by focusing on an artform as a movement that the disenfranchised have created. But the true stars of the film are the dancers themselves: surrounded by drug addiction, gang activity, and impoverishment, they have managed to somehow rise above. The film offers an intimate, completely fresh portrayal of kids in South Central as they reveal their spirit and creativity. These kids have created art – and often family – where before there was none.

RIZE is one of the best documentaries i've ever seen. i will make sure to use the 5-at-a-time dvd maker at work to ensure I and I have nuff copies to guarantee the long butterfly effect of this movie in the universe. big up clowns and krumpers! life over death!

let me list some aspects of the movie that tickled my fancy:

- the colors .. of course, since the director is a photographer, this is no coincidence. saturated, bright colors makes you feel the heat... hot hot hot!

- sincere portrayal of the characters and their living conditions .. living in south cenral LA is no joke, and LaChappelle is not ashamed to show it all. most of the "clowning" kids have had rouff childhoods, still suffering under tight babylon downpression, but instead of choosing what many of their counterparts choose like gangs and pretty cars, they choose to krump and that is their salvation! wise talented kids.

- the dances .. i don't even think the word "dance" is doing justice to what these kids are doing. well, they invented a new word for it "krumping."

and lastly .. i loved seeing that urban american youths have chosen their afrikan ancestry over what babylon wants them to be. the excellent edit between archival footage of tribal afrikan "krumpers" and the south central kids putting on their war paint and getting on the floor helped to put things in perspective historically.