This is a moving film by a friend of mine named Stacey Muhammad. She is an award winning independent filmmaker and activist committed to using the power of media to educate, enlighten and empower humanity. This film had it’s film festival premier at the New Orleans International Human Rights Film Festival.
I was blessed to attend the SPRITE STEPOFF in New York City on Jan 30th at Roseland Ballroom. (Thanks for the tix, Liz!) Greeks and non-Greeks gathered on a line around the corner for this sold out event. The show featured performances by Wale and Ludacris. I'm not a huge Wale fan but he did a pretty decent performance. It's always hard to keep the crowd hyped when you're a new artist. The opening DJ was awesome. His blends and mixes had all the little kids near us dancing and crumping (later on I joined in their little dance circle.)
Me and my Soror Kali (http://www.therhythmjunkie.com)
It was a great night to be a lady of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (SKEE-WEE) since we WON FIRST PLACE! Here's a snippet of the Alpha Chapter @ Howard University's winning step routine.
They were arguably the most intense sorority step team. I will say, the AKA ladies could have done without the diss to the other sororities though (the person who taped this left it out), which included a line on stepping on "kitties" with their pumps. No one else went there, but either way, their creativity (the insanity theme and the "There's an app for that" commercial), their ability to step and do flips in a business suit, heels, and pearls, and their great tribute to the fraternities of the Divine 9 (Iotas, Sigmas, Ques, Kappas, and the Alphas) made them the obvious winners for the night.
Before I tell you about my favorite fraternity step team, I forgot to mention the McDonald's DJ Battle, which was more like a "Who's iPod is Better" contest. The DJs set their turntables up on larger than life MickeyDee's sandwich boxes. They took turns playing hit songs to see who could get the crowd the hypest. This was nothing like a DJ battle. They just played songs, no scratching, no blending. I could've done that. Maybe next year I'll be DJ Nelle?
Watching this made me hungry
Now....the No Mercy Step Team a.k.a the Brothers of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc's Rutger University Chapter were amazing! I believe had they not gone on last and had the judges not already scored the Kappas so high, they would have been the first place winners. They blended difficult steps, held complex poses for what seemed like minutes, and threw a lil Kompa in tha mix! Honestly they SHOULD HAVE came in first instead of second place to the brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc from Temple University. That being said, check out a clip from their performance!
Ludacris closed the show, performing some of my favorite songs, especially his verse from "I'm So Hood Remix." (I swore I was the most gangsta AKA in the building singing along with him. lol.) Ludacris knows he's a vet as seen by how he left the audience singing various lines from "Move," "What's Your Fantasy," and other past bangers. Definitely a great end to a great night!
One cute tidbit: a woman approached me and my Sorors saying, "Are you ladies AKAs? Well, my daughter here said she wants to go to college and become one. She's too shy to ask you, but can you take a picture with her?" Her daughter was a pretty little girl around 13 years old. We loved it! While posing for the picture, we stood around her with our pinkies up (the 'unofficial' AKA hand sign), and she put hers up too. My Soror caught it and said, "No, no. Not yet," as she lovingly put her pinkie down. lol. I whispered to her, "You made a great choice, but make sure school comes first! Get good grades!" She smiled and nodded. How cute!
I rarely get to attend Greek events, but when I do, I always have a blast!
Am I the only one still writing "09" on my dates? It's 2010! Welcome to the new year. 2009 was a diffcult year for many, but I believe it provided us with prospective and lessons so that we all can grow into who we're supposed to be. I've spent the last few weeks prepping & planning, and I know blessings are on their way to all of us!
Last week was filled with a lot of fundraisers for the crisis in Haiti. I encourage you all to text "Yele" to 501 501 to donate to Wyclef's Yele Organization. I've been working a lot with Liz Whitney (a friend and Yele representative) and Wyclef has been doing some amazing things (regardless of what the media tried to say). Help if you can!
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NEW SONG!
Before I ask you to go anywhere, I'm giving you a special gift...A NEW SONG. Till Monday night, you can download my new song "More Than One of a Kind" for FREE from www.shanellegabriel.com/music. Just click on the box. Feel free to share it with anyone you think would enjoy it. And if you like it, let me know!
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NYC & BOSTON SHOWS
Tomorrow, Thursday, Jan 28th, I'll be featuring along with Talaam Acey, Lamar Hill, Ainsley Burrows, and Amun Miraj Bowery Poetry Club (308 Bowery, New York, New York 10012). 7:30pm. $10
This Friday, I'll be featuring along side Caits Meissner, Kelly Zen-Yie Tsai, and B. Yung at Mike Geffner’s Inspired Word Show. 21+ (MAKE SURE TO BRING ID) Le Poisson Rouge (158 Bleecker Street, New York, New York 10012). 7pm. $10
This Sunday in Boston! I'll be featuring for the first time at this dope venue. 21+ (MAKE SURE TO BRING ID) Lizard Lounge Poetry Jam (1667 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138) 8:30pm
I have upcoming shows in NYC and South Florida. Hope to see you soon. Stay Blessed!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 at 7:03PM
