DOUGH Donuts

Props: Emilio Sparks

I pride myself on being a fat kid at heart. In fact, if you follow me on Twitter (@EvWasLike) you know my almost addiction-like love for all things bacon. My other food weakness is definitely donuts, though, Krispy Kreme to be exact. Yet, they might have some competition on the horizon with DOUGH Donuts in Brooklyn cooking up hand-made confectionary sins fresh every day. In the above video, the head chef Fany Gerson describes the process for making their siganture Dulce de Leche donut topped with almonds, among other original donuts. If you have a love of foodgasms, then I highly suggest a stop here. Gerson works on her recipes for months, with even more testing, so you know they're good money. Honestly, watching this is making my stomach want to secede from the rest of my body. I'm about to go find me some grub. You guys enjoy the video...

Undercity

I know I'm not the only frequent NYC Subway rider who wonders exactly what the tracks, tunnels and rails look like outside of the train. These guys, street historian Steven Duncan and videographer Andrew Wonder, got to see just that in their expedition in the belly of the beast known as the Subway. Armed with a Canon 5d Mark II camera, an LED flashlight and a ridiculous knowledge of the inner workings of a rapid transit system, Duncan visits numerous train stations (abandoned and functioning), and runs amok in the tunnels, all while dodging trains, transit workers and cops, and the deadly third rail. Duncan sees everything from decade-old graffiti to a bunch of tunnel-dwelling citizens, some of whom had lived in the Subway tunnels since the 80s.

The most interesting part of the documentary is Duncan talking about some of the penalties for getting caught trespassing, and seeing him maneuver around the Subway tracks and restricted areas, even while people are in plain view. He even shows the viewer New York City's first sewer at Canal Street on the trip, going in a manhole. My question is, how in the world does one become an urban historian, or know about some of these places, without having nearly died a few times? I'm guessing he's done this before, as Duncan alludes to being in Paris and getting caught trying to climb the Cathedral at Notre Dame. Although, this really piques my interest, it's a bit too crazy for me, especially when you think about the smell. Either way, Duncan's journey is visually stunning for those of us curious about the workings of the city's underworld. Too bad he didn't catch any of the sewer dwelling alligators... or the mole people. I'd actually pay to see those...

PS: All you Brooklyn people are going to love the end.

Dear Vado (re: Slime Flu)

Download 'Slime Flu' HERE

So, I haven't had an letter-form album review in a while... Academia and personal issues were taken up in lieu of consistent blogging. Even so, I still found time to bump new music in between studying and having a regular job. One of those works is that of you, Harlem native, MOVADO (an anagram for Money Outta Violence And Drugs Only). Vado (the shortened version), I was first introduced to you, not through your music, but from the incessant chants of 'Stop it 5' and 'SLIIIIIME' being echoed throughout New York City and the twitterverse. Naturally, it became my mission to find the root of these new sayings. Scouring the internet for those queries quickly led me to your appearances on your mentor Cam'ron's 'Boss of All Bosses' series, which turned me into a fan from the track 'Intro'. Now that a year has passed, it seems only right for your debut to hit the streets...

Slime Flu doesn't waste time with random skits or instrumentals for the intro. Vado, you went right into what the fans wanted to hear: the rhymes. 'Council Music' is an ode to the people in your corner, claiming that 'Word to mother, no greed in wealth; Council rules: Treat my brother as a treat myself', over a silky smooth beat laced with triumphant horns and a relaxing string riff. As a listener, this is gold. Next up was the uptempo track dedicated to everyone's favorite brand, 'Polo'. Now, the remix with Young Dro would have been better, but I think you wanted the spotlight for yourself on your first release. You didn't disappoint me on this, Vado, shouting SLIIIIME to all of the horse-donners and rugby-rockers out there. The overall feel of this album is like nothing I've heard coming out of New York City recently. Unlike Fab, you don't have a sickening infatuation with death or repetitive punchlines, and it shows in your delivery. I think you've perfected the art of saying a lot without saying too much, Vado. On tracks like 'The Greatest', you flexed your lyrical muscle and recounted on your forays into drug dealing and the general Harlem goonery (yes, I just coined that phrase) that most rappers from your locale can't express.

My favorite track on the album had to be 'Beat Knockin', though, where you did venture into metaphorical territory over a Jahill Beats instrumental that does exactly what the title says: KNOCK. Quotables like 'It aint too many that could fool with me / that flu with me, mouth foamin like Blue Penny's / Thought he was Hakeem, the way we shoot semi's' just fly out as the bass turns my earphones into a seismic experience. Vado, you clearly have a penchant for riding a beat. It's a testament to your Harlem roots (and how much of Big L's influence is in you) how easily rhyming comes to you. Fast forward to another banger 'Celebration', a slowed down ballad over piano keys, and your talent shows even more. It's not enough to have bars or rhymes for you. 'Slime Flu' is chock full of songs, not random verses over e-mailed beats. That's not to say that the verses aren't hot. Only a true lyricist (and black movie buff would say 'I go hard as the concrete / Keep a day job on the dark street / Pops, I drop Cane like I'm a part of the Heartbeats / Make ya boy duck when I palm heat'. Clearly, you're not an amateur, and 'Slime Flu'

The next few tracks were lukewarm compared to the first five, though I must say, you had me rewinding all of them, Vado. I've said it before, and will say it again: It's hard as hell to put together a full ALBUM. Throughout the delays (Slime Flu has been pushed back since July) and the leaks, it's obvious that you payed great attention to putting the best 14 songs on this work. Another thing that stood out to me on the album was the lack of features on it. In today's hip-hop climate, that could either be because the artist can't do it by himself (coughcoughDiddycoughcough) or because the artist has a body of work that doesn't need complements to stand out. On 'The U.N.', you said 'Niggas wanna know 'What he got?', 'Is he fly?', 'When he drop?', 'Is he signed?', 'If he hot, can he shine?'/ Think about it. If I wasn't would I rhyme?', answering the numerous questions as to your positioning in two lines. 'Slime Flu' is as the title says: a flu, an infestation, an influx of a different, yet familiar feel in hip-hop. You don't immaturely talk about gunplay or drugs or whatever dirt is on your plate, yet know it intimately, much like the rappers you probably grew up listening to. If the album is anything, it's a warning shot to the rest of NYC: step your game up! Vado, this wasn't a masterpiece, and could definitely use more in the way of content, but as an attempt at what hip-hop nerds would call 'golden era', this is a valiant attempt. The slime flu is spreading and with good reason. Vado, you're here to stay...

Star Wars on the 6 Train

If you find yourself dozing off during your morning commute, I implore you to stay awake! Tom foolery tends to occur when we least expect it, and often in the most ridiculous ways. Improv Everywhere is a group of improv actors based in New York City that started off doing flash mobs (real flash mobs, not the BS they're calling rioting teenagers in Philly), and now has toned their act down for smaller settings, like the 6 train. In this video, they re-enact the scene in Star Wars with Princess Leia and Darth Vader's first meeting. The reactions from the other commuters are priceless, and the book Leia is reading is next on my reader's list. Just goes to show you that the Force can be used for good, evil and comedy. Check the video out...

The Madbury Club!

This is viral marketing at its best. Phillip Annand of The AwardTour has been tweeting on and off about an initiative called the Madbury Club lately, much to my confusion. Here's the first piece of media actually associated with it. Looking at the video, it's pretty much a who's who of really fresh NYC fashion personalities. Joe La Puma, Marcus Troy et. al. show their faces getting special invites for whatever the Madbury Club is offering. We'll probably get more word as to what the madness behind the Madbury Club is in the coming weeks. Maybe by then I'll have come up with enough explanations for what exactly it is. Check the video out...

Dear Homeland Security

See, had you guys not done a good job, this picture wouldn't be as hot...

via The New York Times:

An investigation into a failed car bombing in Times Square widened rapidly on two continents on Tuesday as Pakistani authorities arrested several people, just hours after a jet bound for Dubai was called back from the runway at Kennedy Airport and boarded by federal officers, who seized a Connecticut man accused of carrying out the attempted attack.

The man, Faisal Shahzad, was arrested just before midnight Monday aboard an Emirates flight. He was expected to face charges of terrorism and attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction in what Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. called a “terrorist plot aimed at murdering Americans.”

Speaking at a news conference in Washington, Mr. Holder said Mr. Shahzad had been talking to investigators and had provided “useful information.” Officials had previously said that Mr. Shahzad had implicated himself in statements after he was pulled off the plane. At the same time, President Obama said federal investigators were looking into whether Mr. Shahzad had any ties to terrorist organizations.

Mr. Shahzad, 30, a naturalized United States citizen from Pakistan, had apparently driven to the airport in a white Isuzu Trooper that was found in a parking lot with a loaded handgun inside, an official said. He told the authorities that he had acted alone, but hours after he was arrested, security officials in Pakistan said they had arrested seven or eight people in connection with the bombing attempt.

About 5 months ago, this wouldn't be the letter I would have been writing. In fact, the letter I wrote in December, ripping Airport Security a new *sshole is a far cry from how I feel today. Homeland Security, you guys have seriously upped your game since the last time there was a legitimate terror plot. This past weekend in New York City, Times Square was shut down by the presence of an unmanned and unmarked green SUV. When you and the NYC Police arrived, you found gasoline, propane, fireworks, fertilizer and an alarm clock in the car. Now, this isn't that serious. I mean, Times Square is probably the busiest place in NYC at any given moment. If you didn't find anything suspicious about a car parked there packed with explosives, then I'd probably move to Canada.

What transpired in the past 4 days though, is nothing short of a new plot for Jack Bauer to explore. I mean, seriously, Homeland Security... Did you guys go into a hyperbolic time chamber (all my DBZ fans stand up!!) and work on your investigative skills or something? It literally took you guys four days to identify the car, it's previous owner, the buyer, and then nab the man as he was boarding a plane to flee the country!! If that's not a drastic improvement from last year's TSA fumble in Chicago, I don't know what is. You guys went from letting a Nigerian terrorist onto a plane with a bomb strapped to him, to nabbing Faisal Shahzad in less than a week! Between the camera shots of the guy, tracking the car's sale through Craigslist, and scouring through plane tickets, this operation had the makings of a CSI episode. Maybe it was the technology, or how badly planned out his terror plot was, but the way you guys handled this situation was impeccable. I'm almost still waiting for there to be some screw up in this undertaking, but since Shahzad's been arrested, I guess you guys can chalk this one up. Let's just hope this wasn't just an NYC thing. I know we've got the blueprint on how to deal with a terrorist attack, but hopefully the rest of the country caught up. Kudos, National Security...

The Census: Nuyorican Mural = Ghetto???

My homie Sherine sent this to me in a Facebook message, and I had to take notice. If you happened to be in Times Square recently, you may have seen a mural emblazoned on the side of some awning-laced building. The mural depicts numerous Black and Hispanic women in various stages of undress, adorned with long nails and the Nuyorican style so prevalent in the Bronx (my hometown), and the rest of New York City. As beautiful as the work is, it's drawing stark criticism for it's portrayal of women as 'ghetto'...

Now, I, for one, take my etymology very seriously. By that virtue, I felt it necessary to look up and properly define the word 'ghetto'.

via Dictionary.com: ghetto - a section of a city, esp. a thickly populated slum area, inhabited predominantly by members of an ethnic or other minority group

That's a noun... A noun that's been transformed into an adjective describing anything negative or degenerate originating from the area defined above. That said, is the mural 'ghetto'? In fact, is the mural portraying something negative? Honestly, I'd say no. The Nuyorican culture in NYC is one that's oft referenced in hip-hop and poetry. While the portrayal may seem crude and sexist to an outsider (which most of the people in Times Square seeing the mural are), to the average New Yorker, the mural is synonymous with an aspect of New York culture. The person saying that the women should be carrying 'briefcases' seems to have a ridiculously limited scope of what constitutes a 'positive' portrayal of women. The placement may be misguided, but the art itself is beautiful. That's neither here nor there, though. Readers, what do you think about the mural?? Is it 'ghetto' or are the critics ignoring the rich Nuyorican culture and history? PLEASE, chime in in the comments section below, and let me know what you think. This is the new and improved Census...