Ken Block on BBC’s Top Gear

Feb 28, 2010 |

I am by no stretch of the imagination an expert on or a great driver of cars. I can do what I need to do to survive, mostly. But, I, like many others, love the BBC's Top Gear with Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. They have found the formula for creating television around cars in a way that is damn near impossible to duplicate and has built a following world-wide. This morning, I caught part of an episode of Top Gear where James May (Captain Slow) was taken on an 'airfield rallying' experience with Ken Block, rallying and stunt-driving genius. From the driving to the way it is...

read more

Win a Sade Hamper

Feb 27, 2010 | ,

In honour of the release of Sade's first album - Soldier of Love - since the year 2000, I am giving away one Sade hamper. I posted my Layman Thoughts on the new album a couple of weeks ago and have been able to get my hands on some of the groups past CDs and DVDs. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post answering a very simple question: what was the name of Sade's last album? Only one entry allowed. Please note: Unfortunately, this competition is only open to residents of South Africa. Only if you have a South Africa address that the hamper can be delivered to. The...

read more

Mpho Skeef Update

Feb 26, 2010 |

A couple of months back, I did a mini-profile on Mpho Skeef, a UK artist with roots in South Africa, who has been plugging away in the music industry for many years now, as a singer and songwriter. At the time, it seemed like she was finally receiving the recognition and backing she deserves, after signing with Parlophone Records in the UK. After hearing her first single Box n Locks, I was looking forward to hearing the full album as well as, hopefully, seeing her in South Africa at some stage. I recently had a chat with her and there are new, less than positive, developments. It seems the...

read more

Nickelodeon Turns 30

Feb 22, 2010 |

With a toddler in my house, what is shown on television is extremely important. Over the last two and a half years, I’ve been figuring out how it all works, what the best channels are, programmes, etc. I have always been fascinated by the psychology that goes into creating children’s programming. In his book, the Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell gives us a peek into how Sesame Street was created and the amount of creativity, research and testing that went into producing Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Clues. It is not about merely finding something that is perceived to be funny or educational for...

read more

The Assassination of Malcolm X

Feb 21, 2010 |

Today, February 21st, is the 45th anniversary of the assassination of Malcolm X. He had an impact on my life in a way that is inexplicable but very real. When I was in university and Spike Lee created the film with Denzel Washington as Malcolm X, I had a wall of my res room covered with pictures. The hype around the film made it easier to collect everything Malcolm X. I was able to acquire books with all of his speeches, even the script for the film. I had medallions, t-shirts and even a duffel bag. Last year, I was asked by a magazine to write about a book that changed my life and what I...

read more

Special Kind Of Fool, An Album From TY

Feb 15, 2010 |

For too long, hip hop that originates from outside the US has existed in the shadows, despite the opinion (mine) that a lot of the music that is true to the spirit of hip hop is from everywhere else.  A couple of years ago, my brother-in-law started schooling me on UK hip hop and it resonated in a way that is different from what I continue to enjoy from the US. The first artist I got into was Roots Manuva and he continues to be one of my favourite, but I was also fortunate to randomly come across the work of Ben Chijioke, known to UK hip hop fans as Ty. In addition to the beauty of his...

read more