Kid Dream

Animation rocks, and this video is the yummy icing on the animation cake. This innovative animation process is called lunimation, and involved a bazillion people creatively interpreting still video frames with tracing & doodles, individually. The traced frames are then pieced together to form the final video. Brilliant! I'm also loving this beautiful song, by Jessica Stuart Few. Check out the behind the scenes video here.

Kid Dream -The Jessica Stuart Few from Evan DeRushie on Vimeo.

Veronica V-Chip Hinds

In my previous post I mentioned my friend, Veronica Hinds - aka- Vee -aka- V-Chip. Vee is an incredibly talented filmmaker living & working in LA. She is the epitome of a creative artist - Deeply thinking, imaginative, highly skilled & dedicated to her craft, and best of all, a sweet & humble spirit who's energy is super cool & fun to work with. I first met Vee when she asked me to participate in a Jeniero Jarel (Dr. Who Dat) video she produced/directed. After that initial experience, I had the opportunity to work with Vee on the NIC*FISH original convertible jumpsuit commercial. As I've told her many times, its soooooooo refreshing to meet fellow creatives who "get it"... Thoroughly translating creative concepts with great ease. You can see Vee's work on the NIC*FISH convertible jumpsuit video to the right ---->

Here's one of my other favorite videos from Vee - J*Davey's "Get Together".

J*DaVeY "Get Together" from Veronica "V-Chip" Hinds on Vimeo.

KING

My homegirl, Vee, just hipped me to this new group, KING, and I looooooove everything about them!! The vibe, the music & lyrics, the video, and the EP cover art - all HOT!

In The Musicals

This is one of my favorite songs by Bjork - I love the lyrics.... It always makes me think of my grandfather (Ompa) who passed away in 2000, the same year that I first heard this song on the Dancer In The Dark soundtrack. <3

I'm beautiful because...

I wrote the following note today on the NIC*FISH facebook fan page.

Please feel free to share your thoughts on beauty & why YOU are beautiful. <3

Hi Ladies! It has been on my heart the past few days to begin a discussion with each of you about the concept of "BEAUTY". We are bombarded each day with faux standards of beauty. So often, we see images in media that are not aligned with our physical appearances, our lifestyles, our cultural traditions.... Subconsciously, these superficial messages create an internal battle because you are made to feel that you need to be a certain size, or have this product, or drive this car, or have this house, or this job, or this certain amount of money to be happy, which is an absolute farce... Beauty come from within, and feeling 100% about yourself has nothing to do with aquiring things, or being molded into an image that is untrue to who you really are, on the inside.

So my questions are: When you look in the mirror what do you see? How do you truly feel about yourself? How do you feel about your life? Why are you beautiful?

I would like to pose an "I'm Beautiful" challenge to all of you... The challenge is simple: You will look in the mirror every day, and take a few minutes to affirm everything you LOVE about yourself - on the inside & on the outside. Look yourself in the eyes when you express your affirmations, and take as much time as you need to get all of your POSITIVE thoughts out.

This exercise may seem really simple, and a bit silly to some, but trust me - it produces an immediate shift in consciousness, because the positive loving affirmations are replacing all of the downer thoughts & emotions that cloud your subconscious... many times unknowingly.

My hope is that over time, this exercise will help you to see yourselves for the Beautiful Queens that you are, inherently. Regardless of body shape, dress size, ethnicity, socio-economic background, education, relationship status, family status, etc - YOU are phenomenal.

This positive energy can also be transferred into your life overall, by continually affirming & claiming the things you wish to see in your most perfect vision of life. Affirmations create action, and the action ultimately creates the manifestation of the dream. Believe in yourselves ladies, and let your lights SHINE!

I'll start off this exercise, and hopefully you all will comment with messages - letting everyone know why YOU are radiantly beautiful!

Nicole Fisher: I'm beautiful because.... I am a humble spirit who is deeply thinking - I love my mind and how creative thoughts flow.... I am beautiful because I've been blessed with motherhood, and I've vowed to be absolutely amazing for my son - to share with him the great beauty of life - in education, art, culture, cuisine, and access to opportunities that surpass my own. I am beautiful because I love my family, and I love my life, in its awesome imperfection. I am beautiful because I love my curves, and I am thankful for the body I've been blessed with - its strong & long & able to carry me through the journey of life. I'm beautiful... just because I am.

How Philly Moves

JJ Tiziou has brought this dynamic project to Philly, exploring the art form of dance among the city's residents. I am a huge fan of JJ's work, and of dance, so please, if you dig it, support this project by donating on Kick Starter.

RUDOO

Are you ready to go to MUSICAL HEAVEN ~ My friend, Daru Jones (Rusic Records), uber-talented drummer & producer has just released this Rusic remix of D'Angelo's hits, available for FREE download. In one word ~ STELLAR. Check it out! I am also really loving this artwork! <3

Heavenly Dilla

My favorite Philly radio show, Eavesdrop Radio, recently released this Dilla Tribute Mix, and its incredible! It highlights Dilla's lengthy & diverse catalog of musical work.

Also, check out more from Junior & Lil' Dave, the team at Eavesdrop Radio, on their website, Record Breakin.

Exude Magazine - Designer Showcase

Kinya Harte, editor-in-chief of Exude Magazine, asked me if I wanted to be part of Exude's Designer Showcase. Naturally, I said yes! I am really proud of this magazine, as it is an example of creating tangible manifestations of goals & dreams - In this case, Kinya's desire to have a magazine exploring perspectives of beauty, fashion, entertainment, culture and socio-politics of urban young professionals. Kudos to Kinya! Check out the Designer Showcase interview HERE.

Bomba y Plena

Check out this colorful animation celebrating the Puerto Rican dance styles of Bomba y Plena - I really love these dances, and the call & response communication between dancer & drummer - That prompt interpretation of rhythm, translating movement into sound, is so fascinating to watch. I need to add bomba and plena to my list of dances to learn... I better get started soon, because the list is growing mighty long: So far we've got soukous, dancehall, samba, axe, all of the Orisha dances, rumba, cumbia ... You get the picture - lots of drumming & hip swaying! <3>

Black Magic Woman

I'm thrilled about new music from one of the most gifted musicians I know, Maimouna Yousef. You may remember her beautiful voice on Don't Feel Right by The Roots. Mouna has released her latest EP, Black Magic Woman, and its soulful, timeless, intelligent, introspective & simply divine! Listen & download here. I love the speaking parts between each song - an insightful glimpse into the brilliance that is Maimouna Yousef.

Sandra Andino

Photo Credit: Leeway

Taken from the Taller Puertorriqueño website:

Sandra Andino February 4th – April 30, 2011 “What it means to be Afro-Latino in Philadelphia: Stories from El Barrio” is a photo-documentary project that will explore the Afro-Latino concept, experience and artistic/cultural expression of Latinos in North Philadelphia based on the creation of a series of portraits of a selected group of participants. The project will represent in photos the presence of Afro-Latinos in Philadelphia and record their experiences and opinions about being Afro-Latinos in the urban Diaspora. The artist will engage in a series of conversations with the participants to dialogue about what it means to be Afro-Latino and how they are represented. Excerpts of these conversations will accompany the portraits of these individuals to provide a context and meaning to the pictures. The exhibition aims to create social awareness and a collective conscience about the connection of Latinos and Latinas to their African heritage. This project reinforces goals Taller has been active with, with its Annual Arturo Schomburg Symposium, which will celebrate 15 years in 2011 during which Ms. Andino will make a presentation on her project and show her photos. Artist Reception will be held on Friday February 11, 2011.

Taller Puertorriqueño
2721 North 5th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19133
Phone (215) 426-3311
Fax (215) 426-5682

I'm so excited about this project by Sandra Andino!! I've taken Afro-Cuban dance class with Sandra, and she is such a beautiful spirit. :)

Padrino Luis

This is dedicated to Luis Argudin. Rest in Peace Padrino. I imagine you dancing like this in heaven. <3