Do holidays revolve around day-to-day life or does day-to-day life revolve around holidays? November is full of them—All Saints Day, Election Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving—all on the heels of Halloween. Halloween just takes over Harlem, with children of all ages, and adults, too, dressed in the greatest of costumes. Daylight saving time couldn’t have ended at a better time. After a night of trick or treating, the extra hour felt good. Hats off, as always, to the New York City marathoners, all of whom I find amazing. What a weekend!
Friends, friends and more friends gathered at Sofritos, located at 145th Street, Riverbank State Park, to celebrate Rep. Charles B. Rangel’s birthday and 50 years of service. Leading the program was former Gov. David Paterson, with his assistant Ted Lucus; former Mayor David N. Dinkins, still overwhelmed at having the Municipal Building named after him; Assemblyman Keith Wright, from whom we can expect great things in the near future; Councilwoman Inez Dickens; Ambassador Susan Johnson Cook; Jackie Rowe-Adams; Barbara North; Gail Burrows; Dr. Marcella Maxwell; Hazel Dukes; Kyndell Reid; Carol Moore; Barbara Boulden; Ken Knuckles, who continues to lead the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone with great foresight; Leslie Wyche; newly elected District Leader Earnestine Bell-Temple; and Daniel Patterson. Recollections and remarks were made by those who know Rangel best. The ambiance was festive, the food was delicious and a good time was had by all.
Another crowd came out to Cipriani Wall Street to support the Orphaned Starfish Foundation at their 11th annual New York Gala. Among those attending the event were Gary Su and David, Shari and Gina Belafonte; Dad couldn’t make it because of a scheduling conflict. Among the auction items that I kept my eye on were four tickets plus a parking pass to the Dec. 6 Giants versus Jets game. I let them pass, although I was tempted.
The gala benefits disadvantaged and impoverished children around the world, including 9,500 orphans across 23 countries in North American, Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and the South Pacific. Last year the benefit raised more than $1.2 million for the cause. This year they surely surpassed that amount because also in attendance were both Paulina Vega, Miss Universe, and Olivia Jordan, Miss USA. Founded in 2001, OSF partners with orphanages and homes for abused and impoverished children that provide refuges and safe havens for the children. OSF funds the construction and operation of vocational computer training facilities, including furnishings, equipment, trainer salaries and job placement services, within the homes themselves and commits for life to their operations. To learn more, check out their website at www.orphanedstarfish.org.
Happy birthday, Charles Leonard Mitchell, Esq., Derrick (“Fat Dickey”) Stevens, Herbert (91 years old) Moultire, Linda Robinson, Rose Marshall, Meckha Cherry and Robin Robinson.
With sadness and surprise I note the passing of Peter Dougherty, co-creator of “Yo! MTV Raps,” a very popular show that expanded rap music globally. Dougherty, along with his assistant, Ted Demme, also deceased, were on the edge of the underground club scene. They knew what was happening before it became a happening. MTV, from its inception to the mid-’80s, did not feature or even consider featuring Black artists. The extent to which MTV featured videos by Black artist included only those by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and even then, they were only shown once every 12 hours.
Needing a shot in the arm for their network, MTV honchos gave Demme and Dougherty a chance to put a show together featuring the top Black rappers. The two put their heads together and, seemingly overnight, got a very suave and debonaire Fab Five Freddy to host a show that introduced rap to the world. It was an instant love affair, first between rap and America, and then between rap and the world.
Fab Five refused to host the show from a cramped little box at the MTV studio and decided to take the cameras to the streets, where it all began. Rolling the cameras through the streets of Compton (where he had to wear a bulletproof vest because you could get shot just standing on the corner), to South Philly and to the 5th Ward of Houston, Fab Five met the rappers where they rapped, showed where they came from and aired it all on “Yo! MTV Raps.” It was the ’80s, the early days of the Fresh Prince (aka Will Smith) and Jazzy Jeff; Queen Latifah, who in those days did only rap; and Ice Cube, when he was with NWA and announced on-air that he was going solo. Ice Tea, Tupac, Biz Markie, Big Daddy Kane, Cool Moe D, Heavy D, every early known rapper you can think of, and those you can’t, were featured on “Yo! MTV Raps.” Ratings went through the roof.
After several years of hosting the show and ready to move on, Fab Five Freddy turned the reigns over to Dr. Dre and Ed Lover. Ed was a security guard at Andrew Jackson High School, but once he teamed up with Dr. Dre, a former DJ, they steamrolled over the air, reaching out to other young artists, such as Mary J. Blige and SWV.
MTV executives finally conceded and agreed to give a Best Rapper Award at the annual awards ceremony. The only problem was the winner would only be announced on air and forbidden to appear live on stage with the rest of the awardees. The rap world rebelled and boycotted the MTV Awards. They threw their own after-party. I don’t have to tell you that the party was dope. Even Malcolm Forbes attended and everyone clamored for an invitation. To learn so much more about a story you just have to know, check out the “Yo! MTV Raps” documentary on YouTube. You will be glad you did and so much more enlightened.
Until next week … kisses.