📄 Transcript [show]
¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ A beautiful woman by cheap yellow mustard.
Welcome to the Coon Round.
May the peace and blessings of the life-giving creative spirit be upon you and upon your family.
My name is Melvin Ishmael Johnson.
Coming at you live from Skid Row Studios.
And I'm in the studio with my co-host Earlene Anthony.
You can listen to us live or download our show and any past show by googling in Coon Round Report.
Our call in number is 800-850-7000.
893-9562.
Now this week on the Coon Round Report, we will hear some advice to the community, from the community, and also do some live performance with my in-studio guest, Ms. Michelle Autry.
And we also have in here, Ms. Mello is in here with the studio tonight.
Looking forward to Michelle hearing some of her new pieces tonight.
Great artist.
Now I would like to...
Start off our discussion with veteran stage and screen actor, David McKnight, giving advice to young actors trying to break into the business.
Well, understand the connectivity of each of those characters based on August Wilson's writing and a good director who, you know, directed us toward that idea.
And you had a powerful lead.
My late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late late to me, my son was about 12 years old.
My son wants to be an actor, you know.
I said, what can you tell him to do?
I said, first thing I told him, get a dictionary.
Okay?
Get a dictionary.
He said, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, get a dictionary.
I said, well, he got the computer.
I said, good, stay on that computer.
Because as an actor, this is one thing.
You get scripts, you get stories, and you get writers.
You, Melvin Ishmael Johnson, you're an excellent writer, okay?
And you know a lot of words.
I mean, because you studied, right?
And a lot of writers are brilliant, right?
They know a lot of different words.
We're not close to all those words, but we got to understand those words.
And that's one thing.
You cannot, as an actor, go in auditioning or doing a play and not understanding the meaning of those words.
I mean, thoroughly, completely.
You, that is your responsibility.
You got to know that.
So first thing I tell you, tell a young person, you know, starting off, of course, go to college, get as much education as you can, but get a dictionary, go to the computer, and understand that you got to know those words and break those words down.
I've done plays with actors that can't pronounce the words, don't know the definition of the words and can't pronounce the words.
That's a big, big, huge mistake.
You follow me?
Because, I mean, especially writers in Hollywood, a lot of these writers in Hollywood and the Writers Guild and so forth, these are very brilliant educators.
They're educated people.
They come up with some words I never could imagine I'd ever heard.
What the heck does that word mean?
So I got to give respect to that and go to that computer, go to that dictionary and get a good, clear understanding of the definition and pronunciation of that word.
So I can say to young people trying to make it in the business, you know, understand that you, you must educate yourself in all aspects of training that you can.
You can do dance, you can do it.
Everything you can learn to do, you can do it.
You can do what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for what you're really good for for a bicycle, riding a bicycle, roller skating, ice skating, swimming, everything you can do to enhance that instrument if your body is your instrument.
Learn how to use that instrument in many kind of ways.
Kung fu, karate, everything you can do, you know, poetry, all kinds of stuff, you know what I mean?
Don't be afraid to go venture out and learn things to enhance your instrument.
Okay, that's veteran screen and stage actor David McKnight, the advice he given to actors and artists out here trying to break into the business.
Let's talk about that for a little while.
Anybody want to pick up on that little comments on what he was talking about?
Well, he hit it on point when you have to know certain words in order to develop the character properly.
It's kind of a turnoff for a director when they, audition you and you stumble on these words, it kind of puts a block on what you can do further.
So you don't want to have that type of stigma on you, especially as African Americans and Latinos, we already have enough stigmas on us.
So to be educated enough to at least get through a script is the least you can do as an actor.
So he hit it right on point when he said to get a dictionary.
Okay.
Well, what I think is that as people of color, because of course, we so are emotionally, you know, identified.
I think that it's important also that we can match our emotion and our experience and our testimony and being an expressive as literate as possible, because then we gain credibility in this world, if you feel me, because, you know, we come with the Ebonics and, you know, we got the vibe, but then it's also important to have that recognition and to achieve like the Tyler Perry's and like the Cosby's.
And like, you know, the Richard Pryor's and the Paul Mooney's who were masters at literacy, the words, masters at the words.
So in bringing what we bring, whether it's poetry, whether it's performance art, whether it's rap, we have to master, of course, the literacy and the words are most important in expressing what we feel from the heart, honestly.
Now, I want to ask both you and Ms. Miller, what are your process for creating?
How do it come to you to get to the paper?
And in your case, to go into spoken word?
Well, I like to come in.
Is it written down first or you?
What's your process?
Well, you know, Melvin, it's really strange because I just, in drawing close to the most high, you know, I just asked to be a vessel and my words just come, my primary talent are words.
Then, you know, I love to dance and play the piano and then act and just give thanks because I just try to be a vessel.
Whatever the Lord implanted or invested in me, I have to do it.
Then turn that over in terms of talents, you know, and that's the value in shining the light because that blesses other people.
But it just come, words just come all the time.
Sometimes I'll have a feeling and then I'll get the words and I'll just be asleep.
I might be in the shower and I got to rush to write it down.
That's why I know it's coming.
Yeah, that's why I was going to ask you to have to get it.
I rush to write it down and I rush to write it down.
And then sometimes it's more words and sometimes it's an emotion that precedes the words, the energy or inspiration.
And then it's funny because I find like, at the end of two or three days, it's like almost a perfect work.
And that's when I know it's from the most high, not my mind.
Now, and then sometimes I have an idea that I want to write about.
That's me.
And then I'll be like, well, you know, I want to write about, you know, the brutality that's been perpetrated about women recently or yeah, you know, so we can stop that and bring men and women closer together or police brutality or love or my child.
And then that comes from me.
Okay.
Yeah.
Ms. Melner, what was your process as a playwright?
Do you work for a playwright?
Do you work for a playwright?
Do you work from an outline before you start writing dialogues?
What's your process?
Well, I'm more of a visual person.
So I picture what the scene would be like first and how it can grab the attention of the reader.
As a person who gets bored very quickly and many of us suffer from so-called ADD, so to speak, you really have to capture the reader in that first.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
you're ending when you're writing or you just because i know a lot of playwrights they they have different process now we start our creative writing workshop this coming wednesday at 5 30 over to vortex and i got i know you're one of the persons coming over it's about seven or eight people that's coming in that have scripts and we're going to be working on the first 10 pages and all of that and i know a lot of playwrights that start from the beginning and they have no idea of what the ending would be see and my process is i work from an outline even use it before i even start writing dialogues sometime when i work with an outline and then dialogue would come i would do like michelle make sure i get those little notes because you can hear your character uh talking and all that kind of stuff like that how about you early because you write also wow the process it's kind of like um i can hear like words in my head and also um it's the same thing with songs uh different songs come to me and i can hear the actual note and the words and the song and it's like now would be singing in the natural now i don't know if i can hit that note but i can hear it exactly i can really hear all of this going on okay now one thing i know is because you know i work with a lot of i like to write historical uh pieces and um i've written historical pieces and pieces that was just non-historical and what i try to do with historical pieces based on research uh for example the marcus garvey piece that i'm working on and i try to pull up as many of marcus garvey's speeches that you can find and just listen to that to get some kind of idea of when you're building the character what kind of speech pattern he had and all of that um but now do you look at a big difference in in terms because i know michelle you you you write a few little short scenes and plays and also in poetry like that do you have a different approach for each one well like i said it it's just uh sometimes i get an inspiration relative to what's happening uh politically culturally and then sometimes i start with a word or an experience it inspirations and my work and my writing come in in different mediums sometimes like i said sometimes it's something that happened many many years ago sometimes it's current like the recent police brutality i'm writing about that you know killing black men and beating these black women uh like and then sometimes i'll go back to you know when i had my child or you know it's or sometimes i'll write about someone i'm in love with or you know whatever i think might reach someone but it's it depends on i sometimes just wake up with ideas and the inspiration unless i choose to write about a specific historical cultural event and then i even hope that's inspired by the most high but then i don't know if it's my mind but at any rate it's it's a different mediums and forms sometimes it's a concept sometimes it's an experience but i'm right now under your tutelage you've been like michelle you know why don't you take one of your poems and make it into a one-woman play play so now i'm working on that level of you know creating a one-woman play which is more practical and in using the works that have already been completed so and i and i think that's one of the best uh art forms to use the um the one one person show i appreciate it some money now you were i know you're working on a lot of historical yes plays and stuff like that now how do you develop your dialogue you did from research yeah absolutely most of the um things that i've written were um historically close to as factual as possible i primarily want to focus on civil rights movement especially 1964 to 68 a lot of uh uh for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for for whole plethora of African Americans who gave most of their lives to give us some of the freedoms or so-called freedoms that we have today that we don't take advantage of.
So those are the plays that I want to focus on is primarily the history of not so-called slavery, so to speak, but really just the civil rights movement to today, how that in fact impacts us.
All right.
Let me mention one more thing about what David McKnight was talking about.
And the great comedian, which I consider to be the real king of comedy, his name was Bert Williams during the 20s.
And they asked him about his process.
And he used the term, he said, the aim and objective of art is to achieve naturalness.
And he pointing out that he called it eavesdropping art.
And he was talking about how he was going to create a play that was based on mother nature.
And what he would, it's the greatest tool for an actor and artist.
And what he would do, he would get on the bus and he would just observe.
He called it eavesdropping.
He would watch people and listen to them and all like that.
And he would bring these characters to the stage.
Now, what I want to do, I would like to play a clip by Tony Brown, executive director of OLA, giving the community advice about starting an after school program.
This is Tony Brown.
Now, how can we create, how can the city create more after school programs like OLA, especially in gang infested area, since we know OLA went into a gang infested area and was successful?
How can we use that as a model for a lot of the little areas in the city of Los Angeles?
Sure.
You know, I think one of the things to do is to start with someone who really, really cares about the And I think that's what we need to do.
And I think that's what we need to do.
My predecessor, our founder, probably ran in the same challenges when he was first starting out in Los Angeles.
But if you're going to be there on a Saturday, be there every Saturday.
Pick one day a week for a We start that way.
Don't try to say, oh, I'm going to start this nonprofit and I'm going to, you know, open the doors.
I'm going to be here every day and we're going to make this work and this is going to be incredible.
Do what you can do and do it consistently.
Because, you know, these kids rely upon a lot of hope.
You know, hope for an alternative.
Hope for a brighter future than the one in which they're living.
And we're talking about going into gang-infested neighborhoods.
You know, they've been let down many times in life.
And that's part of why they've joined the gang.
Because the gang has come in and said, hey, listen, I know this person's let you down.
I know that person's let you down, whether it's your parents, your school.
But don't worry, me and the homies, we're there with you.
You know, we won't let you down.
And so if you're going to create something, make sure you don't overcommit and do what you can do and do that consistently.
I think that will help you launch something that kids will want to come back to.
Because trust is a major issue.
That's what's been broken.
You know, I think, you know, our country.
Our country has this social contract that we're going to take care of our children.
You know, we're going to send them to schools that are safe.
We're going to, you know, create neighborhoods and parks that are safe for them to play in.
We're going to give them outlets to where they can be creative and express themselves without being bullied for it or without being, you know, jumped into a gang.
We're going to do all these great things.
Well, you know, if you're going to take this on and recognize that you have a responsibility then, right, to be consistent and to be someone that these kids can trust.
Okay.
Okay.
Let's comment on that.
Do you want to pick up on that, Ms. Miller, what he's talking about?
Yeah.
Advice on what it takes to put together a good after school program.
Yeah.
He's right on point.
Being consistent is so important because we have so many ideas and visions and sometimes we overwhelm our plate.
And if we could just pick that particular day of the week and say and dedicate it, it'll increase in due time.
But we have to start somewhere.
And that starting is what holds back a lot of us who do want to start nonprofits and just are not consistent.
There's so much work that needs to be done in these inner cities.
And primarily my work is dedicated to the incarcerated juvenile delinquents, inner cities like Compton, Watts, East L.A.
So my heart goes out to these children.
But it has to be a certain time where I can dedicate myself during the week specifically for them.
And primarily teaching them through performing arts is our mission as well.
So I totally agree with Ola's theme as far as working with the children.
But you've got to start small.
Because if you can touch one child's life out of a year, that's a big difference.
Because that child will be infectious and affect another child positively.
And a domino effect will occur.
Okay.
Michelle, you want to comment on that?
Okay.
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campaigns who are trying to elect Alex Johnson so we can create positive change but using my art to create you know positive change in the community creating and raising a consciousness so that our children know that they do not have to go to the prisons they do not have to get involved in the stereotypical standardized programmed behavior that is industrialized in this country that being the prison industrial complex and using art you know because I write poetry I write you know prose and rap to reach these children to replace a lot of the you know the garbage that they listen to which has no conscious raising potential so that they know you know about respecting themselves I have a piece of my life don't sag don't sag in your mind pull your pants up off of your mind lift your mind you know be the the self-respect love yourself and love people it's that consciousness that you know you can connect where the child is because the onus is upon us to create that change and I think we can use the art to create that okay that change in raising and conscious so the children will want to express themselves and develop themselves artistically intellectually and so that they can again avoid that program stereotypical image that a lot of them have already accepted.
Arlene you want to comment on what he was talking about after school program?
Tony Brown he's really dear to my heart because I used to work over there at OLA and I could see that he was consistent in what he was doing and he had a rapport with the kids and I work up at USC with a group of kids called peace kids and I realized that some of those kids that we call the bad kids or the one that's jumping and climbing and just having a you know a fit and we try to corral them those are probably the ones that I've seen the most.
Tony Brown I think that's a really good point and I think that's a really good point and I think that's going to be really outstanding kids because they just need someone to take a little bit more time with them and sit down and listen to what they have to say yeah and you'd be surprised how this work but a lot of times we don't have the time to just sit down and do one-on-one with kids but it really makes a difference when you sit down and just you know listen to the a child hear what they have to say.
I know it may not make any sense to us they want to talk to somebody.
Okay let's play another clip from Tony Brown he's going to talk about really working in these gang infesting areas and what to be aware of and how to develop your programs when you find yourself in that.
How do you craft after-school programs that deal with gang intervention?
We've talked about a little of it a little earlier.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Well you know first of all Heart of Los Angeles tries I think step one is to do the prevention side right I mean we want to prevent kids from joining them in the first place so we start with kids really young but we do meet kids along the way we're middle school and high school and there's there are times in which we have to try to intervene.
The answer to the question I think really is create alternatives that are relevant create opportunities alternatives that will help those kids to feel comfortable.
I think it's important to feel connected.
To what's happening in their neighborhood at their school in their life.
I think a lot of kids.
Well at least in our neighborhood.
The gangs tend to prey on those kids who are having problems with the language.
You know if they have a kid who.
Doesn't speak much when they're spoken to.
Very shy about language they become a target.
If they see kids who.
You know.
Are trying to push away from their parents.
And.
You know walk a few steps ahead walk a few steps behind don't necessarily want to be associated.
If they see kids who are starting to.
Try to emulate this pop American culture.
All of those things and kids don't realize this but all those things become.
Identifiers.
Pick me pick me.
You know for the gangs.
They say they'll come in and their psychology might be something like.
So you know.
I see that your parents don't you always have to walk.
These five blocks alone.
But your parents let me guess your parents are around they must work all the time.
Let me guess you.
They basically tell you to come straight home.
Turn on the television and don't go outside.
And my dad was the same way.
Oh you have a dad.
Yeah.
I don't have a dad either.
And they start to do all those things they try to.
Pull away any connection the child has.
To staying away from gangs.
They try to.
Drive those wedges in between what can and can't.
You know.
They try to.
Drive those wedges in between what connects kids to.
This culture here.
I bet you're doing really bad in school.
Yeah I get it.
They don't get you.
They don't get us.
Wow.
And they do that.
And so.
After school programs.
Should be the ones to come in and say hey listen.
We value who you are.
We have all the patients in the world.
We believe that if we give you a chance.
You can realize whatever dream you have.
You know it's not a silly dream.
You know and we support the kids in that way.
And we support the kids in that way.
And we let the kids be the kids.
And we let them feel important for who they are.
And who they'd like to be.
And even if they don't know who they'd like to be.
We still give them that confidence.
And try to empower them to feel good about who they are right now.
And it's okay not to necessarily know quite yet.
And then we start to expose them.
With the arts.
Music.
Athletics.
Dance.
Painting.
You know.
Graphic arts.
Film making.
Anything and everything.
Robotics.
And we try to.
You know.
We try to.
You know.
We try to.
You know.
We try to.
You know.
We try to.
You know.
We try to.
We try to.
Do anything and everything.
And to give them alternatives so that they have to then when they're faced with the alternative of getting involved in some sort of criminal activity, they can say, you know what, I don't need to do that over there because if I did all of that over there, I'd be giving up all of this over here.
Okay.
That's Tony Brown, executive director of Ola, talking about that.
A quick question and then I want to go over to Michelle, she's going to do a live piece before we go to our community calendar.
And Ms. Mello, I don't know if you perform live or anything like that also, if you brought any poems or anything to read.
But let me ask this question, and then I want to go to Michelle.
How would you handle a young lady that you see out here?
What kind of advice that you would give them that you would see them heading towards that gang life or that street life?
What would you tell them?
A little 15 or 16-year-old young lady.
Yeah, well, women nowadays do not work together as far as mothers and daughters giving them advice on how to behave, etiquette, how to become conscious and confident.
What we want to do is be relative to where that young girl has been growing up, in a neighborhood where it's riddled with gang, riddled with violence.
You don't have that connection of, yes, I am somebody.
You have their teachers telling them that you're stupid or something like that.
So we want to ask that young lady, what would you like to be?
What is your dream?
Simple question.
And from there, everybody's dream is different.
But if the girl does not know, then give her some ideas.
Help her reach that goal.
And that's why I say, performing arts is such an easy venue to rehabilitate because even if she doesn't know, she can be some type of an artist and get paid for it.
And that type of creativity level will not only build her the confidence as a young lady, but let her know that it's okay to wait.
It's okay to hold your head up high.
It's okay to write, to dance, and express your feelings of whatever you're harboring inside onto that piece of work.
That we can teach you what to do.
Okay.
Yeah.
All right.
Michelle, you ready to move into something?
Yes.
Or did you want to comment?
Yes.
I just also wanted to really support what Earlene had said about the children who are labeled the most difficult and the problem children.
They're usually the children with the highest aptitude and potential.
They have more energy, so therefore they need more time.
They need more time spent with them and more attention.
They don't need medication.
They need prayer.
They need love and people to walk and speak and read with them because they have the greatest potential for development, leadership qualities, which the system is discouraging, especially from black children.
Writing capabilities, artistic capabilities.
You never know in what area, but again, it's discouraged because they're different, because they have more energy.
They have more potential.
And so, we don't want to write.
We want to write them off as attention deficit disorder.
Okay.
Okay.
So, I have a poem that I wrote, but I don't think I'm going to read.
I wrote a new poem, but I don't think that's what I wrote.
Another poem about it's time about the community.
Okay.
So, I wrote that a while ago.
So, I'm thinking.
What's the name of it?
It's time.
Okay.
Here's Michelle Autry performing.
It's time.
You know that some people want to kill you because of the evil things they think that they see you do.
But God loves you.
And so do I.
So, please, please love yourself.
Love yourself.
Stop all the hate and the drive-bys.
Love yourself.
Respect yourself, who you are.
God created you.
You know you might be that bright and that next rising star.
It's time to stop the gang banging and the slaying.
It's time to organize and stop the drive-bys.
It's time to work together for peace and unity in the communities.
It's finally time for you up in the house to stop selling us out.
You know it ain't right.
It's time to take pride in your people.
Fight the good.
Fight the good fight.
It's time to stop hitting the crack pipe bottle horses.
It's just getting high unless it's on the Holy Ghost, that is.
Please stop the crack.
Don't let the enemy put you back like that.
It's time to stop pimping and prostituting.
Because to rape and to rob your sister is one of the worst kinds of sins.
You win and you find heaven, happiness, joy, prosperity, love, life within.
Stop the slaying and stop the pimping.
Do good.
And speak.
Say do and view that which is true.
Again, you're not going to let the enemy kill all of you.
Stop the sagging.
Pull your pants up.
Don't sag in your mind.
Put your pants up for God's sake.
Off of your behind.
That's the image for all of us that you represent.
Don't you know?
When we all sin in the communities, it's time to stop making excuses.
Time to stop making excuses.
Remove those nooses.
It's time to take the resources and put them to good use.
It's time to contribute and produce and not just to use and to consume.
Make, create, generate your own revenue.
It's time.
I'm always looking for handouts.
Get out and create your own venue.
You can, young lady, young man.
Find and eat and fill it.
Do what you do best and help others reach their goals.
That is the answer to this test.
It's time to educate our children.
It's time to stop the ill and the lies.
The most high seas, everything you do, that's both you and I.
It's time to judge you.
That's just what I hear.
It's time to stop being gay unless you just happy and being gay all the way unless you just happy and straight.
Looking for a true soulmate to love.
A real life.
A lifetime.
Love.
Don't be no ho, no mo, no homo, transsexual.
You know that ain't the way God wants you to go.
It's time to stop the hatin' and start to celebrate.
No more waitin', hesitatin', procrastinatin'.
It's just time to stop being fat.
Just not on food or feed but on the greed and hatred and jealousy that capitalism breeds and the evil lust of money that leads some to lie, steal, kill, and mislead incessantly.
I mean really, can you feel me?
It's time to stop all the violence everywhere now.
These are the last days of this age.
Stop all the killin'.
It's time to stop messin' with the children for they are innocent.
Love them, protect them.
They are our future.
And stop abusing and hurting the men and the women.
Protect and provide for them.
Stop the ritual sacrifice, experimental sacrificial right.
It's time to stop the littering in the street.
It's time.
This is our community.
Let's keep it clean.
It's time to be a vegetarian.
I said that.
Love the animals.
Don't eat the animals.
Animals are our few friends.
They are not our food.
Yeah, I'm a vegetarian.
I'm proud of that.
Animals are our friends, not our food.
Animals are our friends and not our foes.
So stop eating the meat.
Let's come together.
As I said, these are the last days of this age, brothers and sisters.
Let's overcome all this programmed craze.
We give thanks for another day as we stand on our knees and we thank the Lord most high God almighty for his grace and mercy for it does.
You continue to amaze me.
Give thanks.
Thank you again for an opportunity to share.
I'm going to have that titer next time.
That's wonderful.
Wonderful.
Beautiful.
Beautiful.
Beautiful.
What's the name of that again?
It's time.
We still working it out.
Yeah.
Waiting on your book of poetry.
Well, you know, unfortunately when I read, you know, you get new inspirations and that's why it sounds like that.
It's always a creative process, you know?
Beautiful.
I tell you what, let's take a break for our community calendar and then we're going to get Bobby Buck in here.
Bobby.
With his 15 minutes of fame, let's move to our community calendar.
This is the community calendar for upcoming events.
LA Cloud 9 has a project of Feed the Homeless, Feed the Soul, helping the homeless community and animals in need.
They're asking you to join in and feed the homeless, including the dogs and the cats.
This event is held every Thursday, Sunday.
My name is Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe Joe They're asking you if you can donate using PayPal.
Go to donate at lac9.org or call 323-812-9836.
You're asked to save the date Sunday, August 17, 2014 at 7 p.m.
Drum and Stage Kunran, Nassana Play Reading Series present Catch the Tiger in celebration of Marcus Garvey's birthday.
This is a play written by Melvin Ishmael Johnson and directed by Bill White.
Catch the Tiger traces the life of Marcus Garvey from his time in London to the downfall of Garvey and his organization, UNIA, and his deportation.
In 1927, the mission to bring down Garvey and his organization was spearheaded by J.
Edgar Hoover.
The location of this event is Chaos, K-A-O-S Network, 4321 Leimert Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, zip code 9008.
Suggested donation is $10.
For more information, please contact...
If you have a community event that you would like announced on our show, send the information to...
And the call-in number for our show is...
Now, back to our host.
Okay, thank you, Ms. Earlene Anthony.
We're back with our in-studio guest, Michelle Autry.
We got Ms. Mello over there.
We're getting ready to move into Bobby Buck's 15 Minutes of Fame.
And I see we got a convene over here.
And we got the great photographer, Michael Moore, in the house.
So glad to see him over here.
So I'm going to turn it over to Bobby Buck.
It's on you, Bobby.
Oh, it's on me?
All right, let's get it cracking then.
So hello, everybody.
This is Bobby Buck from bobbybuck.com.
And we got the 15 Minutes of Fame right here.
And tonight, my guest will be none other than Uncle Bing from Skid Row.
What's up?
Bless, bless, bless.
All right.
Now, also, we got Mr. Michael Moore, the photography man.
How much you charge?
Don't say nothing yet because we're making a way.
So what's going on, Uncle Bing?
I'm blessed taking it easy.
You know, it's working.
It's Thursday, you know.
Right.
At an event, you know what I'm saying?
It's Celebrate Life.
It's going to be downtown Skid Row, second and main five-star bar.
And that's what it's about, coming out and celebrating life.
You know what I'm saying?
Getting some good entertainment, some positive energy flowing.
You know?
Same way like we do right here at Skid Row Studios.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
You know what I mean?
Positive energy flowing.
That's the best way to do it, man.
So what time your festivities start this Thursday, man?
Oh, the door's open.
It's Thursday.
9 p.m.
9 p.m.?
Yeah, the show starts about 9.30.
Okay.
We're going to add some acts, you know what I'm saying?
Okay.
That's when people step up and show their skills and everything.
Okay, okay.
Showing love, you know what I mean?
Yeah.
It's about showing love.
That's what we're going to do.
Okay, all right.
All right, cool.
So I'm going to ask you this about when it comes to hip-hop, with the problems in the community and everybody blames hip-hop, what do you think about that right there when it comes to?
Oh, it goes deep.
It goes deep.
It goes deep.
It goes deep because it's really not about the music.
Right.
You know what I mean?
It's about the listener.
And who's allowing the listener to listen.
You see, when it comes down to it, programming, from the time we were born, we accept and adapt to our environment, what we're told, you know what I'm saying?
It really starts at home.
Yeah.
You know what I mean?
So regardless of what type of music you listen to, which could be a program, especially if you're listening to it, you know what I'm saying, in repetition, continuously, over and over and over and over.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
It's kind of like when your mama told you over and over and over, don't do this, you don't get a whooping.
Right.
You know what I mean?
After getting so many whoopings, you knew she was serious about it.
So you're programmed not to do specifically that.
Yeah.
You know?
Yeah.
But then when you have other influences and other programs going on inside the brain of yours, then that's when it becomes a problem because outside the household, especially when the child leaves the house, goes to school, you know what I mean, surround themselves with their peers, so-called peers, and then sometimes it's the teachers.
Yeah.
You know what I mean?
Because you got to keep in mind, everybody's a human being.
Everybody goes through the ups and downs.
Everybody has their bad days.
Right on.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
And at times, that child, really the kids, they experience the bad days from all the adults.
Mm-hmm.
Because they are not the parents.
They are not the adults.
So they have no control over the situations.
More so, they have to accept and adapt.
And so with hip-hop music, you know what I mean, it's music.
It's meant to be entertainment.
You know?
Yeah.
And with kids not listening to their parents, because their parents are not talking to them enough or communicating with them enough, then the only person that's talking, talking to them is, you know what I mean, Lil Wayne or, you know what I mean, Drake, you know what I mean?
Yeah.
Rihanna, this is who they're listening to the most.
Mm-hmm.
So what do they exercise and what do they practice?
What do they condition themselves in and what do they practice to be?
Right.
Yeah.
With their influence, though.
Yeah, but they don't even think about what they had to go through to get to where they are.
They don't think about where they're at.
Right.
And they just want to emulate that.
Mm-hmm.
It's kind of like...
Mm-hmm.
I was talking about education earlier.
You know what I mean?
And most of the artists that they're emulating and want to be like, they don't even know that they are educated.
Mm-hmm.
Yep.
Her Lil Wayne's called us educated.
That's what I'm saying.
Again, they had to, you know what I'm saying, study writing.
You know what I'm saying?
All types of writing.
Yeah.
You know?
Yeah.
They had to build their vocabulary.
Right.
They had to learn metaphors and similes and all.
All these different things, you know, to deliver.
Mm-hmm.
But at the same time, they don't hear that from the artists.
Right, right.
They don't even hear it from their parents majority of the time.
Mm-hmm.
You know?
Yeah.
They're not that driving force.
Like today, the parents, you know what I'm saying, even uncles, aunts, grandparents are not even a true driving force in kids' lives because society is basically the driving force in kids' lives.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I agree with you on that.
Yeah.
My kids know more about the police than they know about the ABCs.
I know.
Yeah?
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
So you think it's like just like a lot of just strictly miscommunication or no communication?
Well, it's a lot of psychological damage because even with the parents, a lot of parents psychologically have been damaged.
Right, right.
And you can say the music of their time played a part in it as well.
All the trends.
You got to keep in mind.
This is not something that was just started yesterday.
This is something that has been inherited, you know, passed down from generation to generation.
Right.
You know what I'm saying?
Yeah.
For real.
Kind of like, I think one of y'all mentioned it earlier, how they don't think about like slavery or any different stuff like that.
You got to realize it was a tremendous change that, you know what I'm saying, African Americans went through.
Right.
Yeah.
That's right.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
the trend and people go by the trend when they can't even afford it.
Yeah.
I see what you're saying on that, though.
What do you think about this is coming out of nowhere, about Mr. Michael Jordan.
I don't know if it's real or fake, but you know, he's investing in prisons in Chicago.
So, let's say he got people who rob and steal to get his shoes, then he take care of them and make money when they get locked up.
You can't really fault him because it's kind of like what I say.
I mean, as African Americans in America, we're born in debt.
Right.
Donald Sterling, the reason why so many people are mad at him because basically all he did was put out there that there's slave masters and there's slaves.
When you're born in debt, you're a slave to whoever owns that debt.
So, you know what I mean?
Regardless, you work every day for the bills, you got to pay your bills, this, that, and the other.
You sign all these contracts, you have all these obligations to the people who own those contracts.
So, basically, Michael Jordan is one man, you know what I'm saying, of African American descent who bought his freedom and now he's basically a slave master.
You know?
Yeah.
That's with everybody in the corporate world.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
Yeah.
I'm paying all my debts.
I owe nobody no money.
I pay for my birth certificate.
I pay for my social security card.
I even pay my hospital bills from the time I was born.
I'm out of debt.
But let me, you know what I'm saying, keep myself on this level and keep people in debt.
Right.
That's basically where everybody makes money, keeping everybody else from getting it.
Keep you in debt.
That's established.
That's the main reason why everybody's mad at Donald Sterling.
You wasn't supposed to tell them that he's a slave owner.
No.
He let the cat out the bag.
I bought eight houses.
I got contracts on all of them.
I own all of them.
You can cancel your contract.
I take everything you got.
Everything that I gave you, I can strip it right away from you.
Right.
I gave it to you.
That's the debtor's note.
That's the debt.
That's the debtor's note.
That's how they got it.
Okay, I'll tell you what.
We'll get back on a little bit of entertainment then.
You said you got a little something you might want to do for us in here.
We got a little time left.
Oh, you know what?
Yes, Uncle Bean in the house.
Yeah, man.
Come on.
They cheering for you.
I love you some Uncle Bean.
You don't hear me ready on land?
They cheering out there.
The most positive, positive rap I have ever heard.
Okay, three minutes.
Three minutes, three minutes, three minutes, three minutes.
You want to talk about what you got coming or do a little shout out?
Yeah, definitely.
I would like to big up everybody in the Skid Row community.
You know what I'm saying?
Definitely.
Everybody is right here at this table.
I got a new album coming out, Reality of Deceit.
You know, definitely I got a variety of different people featured on the album.
A friend of mine named Lloyd Hemmings.
Variety and variety of different people.
Boy I.B., Choco Productions.
Another producer named Matty.
My guys, The Wild Bunch.
The Wild Bunch is a band that backs a variety of different bands throughout Los Angeles.
They'll be backing me this Thursday night for a lot of my shows and everything.
I'm still working on getting to cast an agent and we're going to start casting for The Patron and the Parolee, which is a screenplay that I wrote.
I like that.
Oh, yeah.
That is amazing.
Patron and the Parolee.
Matter of fact, I'll get into that real quick.
Okay.
The film is basically showing both sides of the average.
A patriot individual who takes the initiative to provide for his family and go to the military.
And the obstacles that he faces are similar to the average street soldier, you know, that takes penitentiary chances to provide for his family.
Though they come from different walks of life, they are experiencing the same things throughout their trials and tribulations.
Right.
You know, he's serving a tour.
He's serving a sentence.
His wife is doing God knows what.
His wife is doing God knows what.
They're both waiting on the phone calls.
They're both waiting on the letters.
They both basically have their lives on the line based on the environment in which they're in.
Same circumstances, you know.
And then after the tour and after the term, they all end up coming together and find out that their lives weren't too much different.
Mm-hmm.
Okay.
All right.
Cool.
I sure appreciate your Uncle Bean coming on out tonight and everything.
So, start.
Next month, we're going to do some more talking, though.
Oh, yeah.
Absolutely.
It's all love and respect.
Anytime, anytime.
All right.
Appreciate it.
It's all love and respect always.
All right.
Thank you very much.
All right.
Take it back to you, Melvin.
Okay.
Yeah.
We back here.
And look, you got, I know we got five minutes to go, and I wanted Michelle to do a piece.
But, I mean, you got to have, you can't bring Michael Moore in here and not have him say anything.
You know.
A minute or something.
Come on, Michael Moore.
Hi.
How you doing, Michael?
Put that mic in front of you.
Just say hello.
Whatever.
Whatever.
Yes.
The great photographer down there, Michael.
Yeah, we've been trying to get Michael Moore up in here for a long time.
Come on, Michael.
Say something.
Yeah.
Tell them what you do down here in this downtown area.
Michael Moore.
Wow.
Well, I'm a photographic artist.
I create with light.
Great one, too.
Yeah, very.
Thank you.
Thank you.
You're really gifted.
This is new to me.
Yes.
You got a question for you.
Yeah.
What are some of your biggest inspirations?
God.
That's awesome.
That's the ultimate light right there.
Yeah, we're going to get Michael Moore in here.
I want to do a whole show on him, because I've seen his work.
I've followed his work for years, going all the way back down to the firehouse.
The firehouse.
Danny Taylor and all of that.
I was just thinking about that.
Yeah, yeah.
First time I saw him.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's the first time I met you, I think.
Yeah.
We need to do a whole show on you to project some of your great images and stuff that you got, because you got some great work.
Just some great artists here.
Yeah.
Amazing.
Okay.
We still got a few minutes going.
Michelle, can you give us a little short two-minute poem or something like that?
Something short?
So we can ...
I'd like to get a little quick comment on that.
I know that's difficult.
Yeah.
I can do that.
Actually, you know, I'm going to ...
Give us something.
I don't even know if I'm ready for this poem.
But this can be done.
This came a couple of days ago, so I'm going to just put it out there.
It came to me.
I hope it came, Lord, from the Most High.
We claim it is from the most high equinox because this is a pivotal time.
This is a pivotal time.
Like the crescent, we are sent.
We are called by thy holy name.
We must pray, and we must turn from our sins.
We are black.
We are white.
We are day.
We are night.
We are free.
No flesh shall rule over me.
We are male.
We are female.
Most high shall all hail.
We can never die.
6-9-6-9 is my name.
We will win.
Though we have crashed and burned like the phoenix, we rise.
We've learned to be first place.
Got to do what it takes.
Pay the cost to be the boss over your own flesh.
Don't be second best.
Make the complete maximum sacrifice.
Win the first prize.
We must.
We will.
Got the promise?
We got the promise.
We not fail.
Must be clean.
Must be clean.
And close to the most.
This is the time to fast and to pray.
Ain't no time to be out there and fornicate.
We must rule over sin like the sun over the moon.
That's what I'm talking about.
These are the last days of this age.
Be close to the most.
Okay?
Okay.
Thank you.
I'm still working on it.
That's awesome.
Thank you.
We're winding down.
Wow.
We just got a little minute.
And something to go.
And look, I'd like to extend a special thanks to Michelle Entry, Ms. Melody Zah, Uncle Bean over here, Michael Moore, Bobby Buck, and 15 Minutes of Fame, my co-host, Earlene Anthony.
Thank you for tuning in to the Coombrow reporting from your host, Melvin Ishmael Johnson.
May the peace and blessings of the life-giving creative spirit be upon you and upon your family.
And I leave you with a song that opened the show.
Joe, beautiful woman by Cheap Yellow Mustard. © transcript Emily Beynon © transcript Emily Beynon © transcript Emily Beynon © transcript Emily Beynon
