So you haven't heard... Where the f*** have you been? (lol) Clearly not roaming the galaxy with the rest of the the free thinkers and artistic minds! Nonetheless the universe is shifting and producing cosmic sounds that all ears must hear... The sound can most effortless be coined MUZIK.... yea gud muzik! "The Social Class" by G-Five Clive has been released and the buzz is massive. People up and down the east coast have been bumping G-Five in their Ipods since last week and trust me YOU wanna be down. I love to hear fresh music from fresh astist.... and G-Five is a breath of fresh air. (even in the thick pollution of the DMV) Hailing from Uptown DC, Clive has a sound all his own with other unique artist that are a breed all there own. Working with The Clientele as well as Arafat Yates, Cinima and Fundemental, G-Five has produced his 3rd mixtape to much success and he says he is very proud of the outcome. It came pretty naturally and was like a cipher when everyone came through. G-Five says his favorite songs are "My Black People" (My Fave TOO), "Adrian II" and "Bond, James". AND he is on his underground grind... the only kind of artistry that can be respected in this age of mechanical reproduction and inorganic stimulation. But enough talk... there is no need to talk about art. It should be enjoyed and invested in, engaged with. So here is the link, listen for yourself. Become a fan!

BTW, G-Five would like you to know that he is a Humanitarian... really, he is!!! Stay tuned for an interview with the man himself... It will be Phresh!!!
http://www.zshare.net/download/52480493be4233 26/
-The Hip Hop Mona Lisa

ThinkPoint for Yo MAMA!

Sooo, it's 3:47 am...and I was sitting on my bed-Indian style, rationalizing and combing out some of my thoughts- AKA- settling down for bedtime.(Sometimes the best reflection is interviewing yourself.) After several minutes of probing myself, my mind began to warm up...which probably isn't the most lulling thing...but whatever...we can never think TOO MUCH!

I often wonder what Today's thing is.
During the early 1800's we have Gothic Revival; during the 1800's America was influenced greatly by the advancements of the Victorian Era; after the end of the Civil War, there was a boom of Blacks baking up some poetry and composing serious musical literature-challenging preSet ideas of what quality Western art was, and there was also the Art Nouveau movement; during the 1920's we have the Harlem Renaissance along with the Art Deco movement...and you can fill in the gaps in between and beyond.

Maybe it's because we have textbooks, pictures, the History Channel,and Wikipedia to higlight and (skim over) the advances of the past. But I have trouble naming significant artistic movements of the last ten years.(besides the Neo soul thing, the hipster/Blipster craze, and the reworked/retouched talkbox/synthesized/70's-80's revival thing.)
I am making reference to original movements.
Yes, we have many phenomenal artists, but nothing I can say that has remained consistent across the board.

During the conversation with myself, I discussed the affects iPods, microwaves, cars, vertical cities, computers, and I realized that we don't have as much space as people had even 100 years ago.

If you look at any of the old pictures of Manhattan in 1901 or even 1929...shux even in the 60's...you will see that a lot of streets were larger, more open, and there were not nearly as many buildings...and the same goes for Detroit, Philadelphia, Baltimore etc...
People were probably inspired to concoct a lot more when they felt that they had not yet arrived at a state of stability or completion. There was so much space. The physical space, influenced their mental space.
They were able to see.

Today, I think we have trouble seeing beyond what we see. [hmmm...think about it]
Those of us that do pride ourselves in going as far left as we can, playing with different textures, tastes, and sounds- have to work hard to see beyond what we see.
Most people of today, probably feel trapped with all of the amenities available.
My God, it's a blessing to have so many luxuries...but it can surely destroy some good ole creativity.

I am not sure if my hypothesis is correct. But I think it is a provocative idea.
So think on it.
And in the mean time...try to create something.
K?


Your beloved,
Docteur Johnston Michaels

'Awkward' is the uLtimate catalyst...

A lot of people dislike confrontation.
The Peppermint advocates it. It is in those awkward moments that someone feels...someone decides to alter their reality...or maybe they turn to introspection.

Real art makes you feel. It makes you want to do something-as this installation should.


-Johnston Michaels

PUBLIC nigga MOMENT

I contemplated for a few moments about whether or not I really wanted to post this.
I dont really like exploiting our people, or making a mockery of them...I feel that is done enough.
However, I feel this is legitimate.
I dont believe in using one person as a representative for an entire demographic.
But this shows how much things have changed...YEA, I used the word-CHANGE[d].

Disrespect for our elders has risen. While respect of self has declined.

Huey {The Boondocks} made a prolific statement one day...'A private nigga moment shames just that person. A public nigga moment shames the entire race.'
---So true Huey;Thank you for that.

My God...this clip is disgusting!!!
Family,please watch how you speak to those who've experienced this earth a little longer than you.

Shalom-mubaraak*

You're delivery man,
Johnston Michaels

Why my bread & Milk cost so much...OR WHATEVA?

MORE COVERAGE ON THE INFLATION & INEQUAL DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH CRISIS...AKA, THE RECESSION!!!

There should be no surprise we find ourselves in this economic
meltdown a year or two after a few select CEOs make record
amounts of money. Corporations have afforded themselves the
luxury of not having to be a benefit to their consumers and
definitely not their employees. When the top 10% of the world
holds 90% of the wealth, there should be no surprise that the
top becomes too heavy to be supported by the suffering body.
As a result they are falling and they want to fall on us. CEO
salaries should be reduced, stocks should be sold, advertising
lowered before thousands of jobs go.

In Philadelphia,libraries and other community and educational centers were the
first to be shut down. When someone can create and sell a
$1,000,000 phone. When Victoria Secret can make and sell a
$15,000,000 bra. We are not in a recession. There's just a
poor distribution of wealth. Someone is taking too much and
giving too little.

One thing we have to do before we get angry is realize we're
apart of this puzzle as well. We allowed this to happen in
hopes we'd become that top 10%. We played into this system
even though its caused us much harm. We said no to universal
health care but when we see AIG filing for bankruptcy, we
begin to think twice. We gave up our SUVs for smaller cars,
and smaller cars for bikes when gas prices were rising. When
houses began to foreclose, banks started listening and now
they're making lame attempts to meet our needs. What were we
doing when things were going well? What were we doing when we
created the problem? Bottom line is we don't need them. We
need to become more self sufficient. We need to grow our own,
make our own, sell amongst each other. Support your local
business and street hustler before you support these
corporations. Make sure your neighbor still has somewhere to
live and food to eat. don't be afraid of their crumbling
system... create your own.


Miafere Olivia***

Nationalism > Patriosm?

A black woman was asked to perform The Star Spangled Banner, but opted to sing the lyrics to Lift Every Voice and Sing to the tune of The Star Spangled Banner.

She responds to the complaints of many White people stating that artists tend to be opportunists.
Please watch both of these clips.

Extreme Makeover: White House Edition

SO often The Peppermint exclaims about widespread apathy amongst our people.
My my, how people have been engaged these past weeks!!!

This election is/was sooo important to many of us,and we showed it in the poll booths,on our sweaters (adorned with Obama-Biden pins),in our blogs, facebook statuses, and anywhere else we could show our pride.

It still has not sunk in...ya know? The magnitude of this thing. Scratch that. Rephrase. It is the magnitude of this victory that keeps me from truly believing that my president has skin like mine.
This man...this man of rhetoric...with more charisma than Michael Jordan-has a VISION...a VISION that I can finally agree on. Barack Hussein Obama is a leader that sees in color, and I can follow that.

If any of you are still hungry to learn more about his agenda, please go to www.change.gov.


-Brother Johnston Michaels


I have one more thing to say. The name 'WHITE HOUSE' has definitely got to change now!

Don't take my word for it.

With all the excitement-keep in mind that LITERACY IS REAL.

THE more YOU Read, the better off we'll all be.

Don't take my word for it.
Go to your local library.

I'm telling you-if you get excited from the latest Kanye single....
OOOH OOOOH,
or some hot new business on one of the social scene blogs,

Imagine how excited your mind will be when it eats all that skull candy...that can only be found in a book.
yup.

The PepperMint advocates reading.
That's our piece peace piece for the day.


-Brother Johnston M.

new world order*

The other day I posted some text concerning the recent recession panic.
By no means am I apologizing for my words; rather, I am making it clear that I am not invalidating this ever rising inflation.
In fact, I am acknowledging it. This crisis is sooo real...and not coincidental in the least bit.
Look at your country's history (compare pre-Great Depression to the state we're in now), look at other countries' history ie: the Weimar Republic inflation (during the 1920's, I believe)...
the tactics of increased prices on merchandise & and services, and encouragement from the government to spend, is not new at all.
I was just so pissed off at people blaming their destituion on the recession. Yes, the economy has had us all in the hole. But I think it becomes a bit ridiculous when we say we cant buy a soda, or go to the movies because of the recession-when the same person just bought a new outfit from Urban Outfitters.We seem to cry "RECESSION! RECESSION! DECADENT ECONOMY!" when its convenient, or cool.

no more to say.
smh.

-Johnston Michaels

Recession...DEPRESSION...Chaos...O MY!

We've all been hearing so much about this decadent economy.
I was telling Sweet Georgia Brown just last night, how all the panic is blowing me!

Besides the fact that it's exactly what the government wants...it upsets me to think that some people think things were okay before this announcement.

Like many other people of color, I am not one of the privileged kids who was bred in an upper middle class home...or even a middle class home. I grew up on fried chicken, and spaghetti and 99 cent (yes, I used the singular form of cent...not cents) juice- Back to school shopping and my Black {aspiring to be White} Christmas' were moreso a miracle than a time of shallow anticipation.

The fact that people are so jarred by the current state of The U.S. banking system, credit systems, and stocks is rather bogus to me.
I agree with Georgia Brown when she stated that the 'recession, depression' are terms used to dress up "INFLATION". Your bread has gone up; My 50 cent cookies have gone up to 59 cent...along with my chips, and sugar...

I am not happy about this;It takes money out of our pockets. But in so many cases it reminds me of 'The handsome,charming,well mannered Colored kid that went to a private school all his life,but walks through the hood one day & hears some thugs say the "N-word*"...and he gets offended.BROTHER!!! ...
ugh....
no comment!
LMAO
Just note that the struggle is not new.

ON A BRIGHTER NOTE:
The PEPPErMINT Arts Collective's feature at Dr. Mother Covert & Jamila's Brooklyn Renaissance party, went rather well.
We danced until our legs numbed...The PEPPErMINT aired their dirty laundry...then opened the floor for discussion-a discussion that went on for several hours.

The evening did not end; it only transitioned into another state- of enlightenment.

Research the martyr-William Cooper
Reading for NOW:
Behold a Pale Horse

***Don't let conspiracy theory consume you.Understand where it fits in***

-Johnston Michaels

'O' has NEVER looked Sooo DAMN Cool!

We're all in such an interesting space right now.

Yesterday was very exciting for many in Philadelphia. Barack Obama spoke at 4 sites. Palin was staying in a local hotel right downtown on Broad Street. Hundreds of Obama supporters rallied outside of her hotel and shouted praise for their prospective hero. "OBAMA" has become more than just a last name- but it's flowered into a symbol,the title of a new lifestyle to subscribe, an indiscriminatory religion [OBAMAism] for dope dealers, yuppies, pop culture fiends, grey heads and hipsters alike.
In class one afternoon I realized that the marketing plan for Obama is wickedly ingenius. His stamp is everywhere---the 3 red stripes,overlaying the blue background, and white sphere. The motif of REAL CHANGE and a social GENESIS has been captured seemlessly inside of an 'O'.This man excites our senses. If his literary propaganda doesn't catch us...the multicolored images of his face will. All of the steps taken to solidify another vote are coupled so well with his charisma.

I have been foloowing the debates,magazine cover stories,& the countless interviews. However, I was against wearing an Obama pin for quite a while. And I refused to rock one of the many Obama shirts in Urban Outfitters.
I felt I would joining in with the mass commercialization of the season.

I had yet another epiphany in my class [I daydream a little too often] ; I came to the conclusion that I've not been as supportive of Barack Obama as I should be. Not that I'be been apathetic. But I was so focused on not trivializing the message, that I was not actively recognizing the various layers that make this time so beautiful.

Well folks, today I not only did I purchase 1 Obama pin but I snagged 3. I really support his vision.

Yesterday , I am touched by the children, old White women, horn honking cars, Jews, young Blacks, motorcyclists, dogs [and the list goes on] who cheered for this man and fashioned their trendy Obama gear and posters.

It's true... 'O' has never looked cooler.
And I still do not know what McCain's symbol is...if he even has one.

Lemme google it.
Shalom-muBARACK...

;-)


-Johnston Michaels

SEPTA Attack

I am a resident of Philadelphia...and it seems that in addition to global warming, a rising recession, and more canines being treated with as much care as the inspection of Jon Benet Ramsey's death-gruesome VIOLENCE has also risen.

There are so many theories: 'People in the North get less intense sun rays and less heat, therefore we smile less...and we operate in a manner that is more stoic than those of the South...and West'. We all know that Philadelphia [in contrast to the rest of Pennsylvania] has a lot of Colored Folk...which to some explains why brutal attacks occur here.

However, none of this explains why a middle aged Black man would get on the subway, give his son a kiss, direct him to a seat, then grab a hammer out of his bag, and attack a man;drag this man off the train and attempt to throw him on the tracks...
I watched the video...These two people did not make eye contact, nor did they exchange words. The victim was listening to his iPod, like many of us do while riding alone.

After the victim got his bloody head cleaned up,taken to Temple Hospital and received staples in his head; He stated that he did not know the man. He thought the man was trying to kill him.

Just like a majority of the people who have seen this story; I too wonder what the motive was...and why would he do this in front of this little kid.
There were about 10 people on the train as well, and none of them helped rescue the guy from being beaten so brutally. "Snitches get[ting] stitches", and minding one's own business has been taken far too seriously. These moved their seats, and sat some man was almost killed.The one thing worse than people always trying to be the SUPERHERO, is people's fear of being the SUPERHERO.

WOW.

Be careful people. Be mindful of your surroundings. Do not walk at night with iPods on. Most of all...PRAY! Pray for yourself...Pray for your family and friends. Pray for the people that may run into crazies like the man on the train did.

But do not walk in fear.

-Johnston Michaels

A.A.S.U.=More than bad Fashion Shows & Bake Sales!

[sighs]

No pussyfooting on the blog today.
No beatin' round the bush.
No being evasive.
No PHancy intro to say something so simple.
No convoluted banter to spin a larger web of propaganda.

OH NO! Not today!!!

I am going to get right to the point.
[LOL...I couldn't help myself]

Here it is FOLKS!
Join the African American Student Union at your school.
Maybe at your institution it's the People of Color Clan.
Or the Brown, Black and Tan Party...
whatever the hell it is! Join it.

This year my school has accepted more freshman into the music department. Thankfully, we have a lot more Peppers; but the amount of the SALTS has increased tremendously. That means the chocolate chip cookies are still ONLY being dipped in the big glass of milk!

I have never felt so lost. All my teachers are part of the pale party...and most of my classmates are too. Lately, I've been going to class terribly overwhelmed and uncomfortable. Even though my pigment interrupts the monotony of my class...I still have to speak louder and strategically plan my every move to make sure my $38,000/yr goes to good use.
I realized that the A.A.S.U's @ universities are so important...They are our hub; our haven; our voice; our campmeeting. We have to invest time in them, and take them more seriously than a lot of us do.

That's it.
I'm done.
No fancy conclusions.
No long endings.
No excessive sentences just to be cool...
;-)

Johnston Michaels

YOU GOT CHANGE FOR A 20?

My GOD!
We have not posted something in sooo long! Normally I would apologize on our behalf of ...but we don't feel sorry for swift transitions. hahaha. It's a good sign.
We just havent had time to BLOG BLOG BLOG it up. Everyone in the collective is feeling the pressure of Season Change [including but not limited to the weather; with some of us moving to new apartments (take notice of the BROOKLYN RENAISSANCE that is occuring), preparing to be counselors/advisors for incoming freshman at our colleges, job switching, and entrepeneurship, Peace has been a luxury.

However, in the midst of trying to follow plans, budgets,deadlines and schedules..."THE REAL" caught up with me.
A few afternoons ago, I was on break from Freshman orientation training. These 9 am mornings and 9pm nights are not for the feeble hearted.When lunch comes, I barely want to eat or bear witness to the -Itis...I just want to sleep...Moving on with my story...I was in the line at The Cantina [yes,my school has no real cafeteria].I had fruit snacks and a Nutri-Grain bar in hand. I went to pay for my sweet eats and the cashier told me the total was $1.55; The only cash I had was $21.
I dug and fiddled around my pocket, twirling my fingers in between the lint and keys... At that moment I was so pissed off that I didn't have coins.
I HATE breaking big bills because then the money seems to spend so much faster and be out of my control. So I huffed and puffed and basically had a "RESPONSIBLE ADULT TANTRUM" [I just made that term up]. With a calm voice and subtle smile, the cashier encouraged me not to fret. He then made a simple remark, "Change is part of life." And it caught me by surprise. I was so entangled by my mini financial crisis, words of reason were foreign.
I smiled and told that man I was going to quote him. Okay, so it may not be the newest phrase or even the most enchanting interpretation of this old idea;But for me it took new shape...it had new meaning!

I have been making some drastic changes in my life. Risks have been all up and down my alley. I don't even think I would recognize the old me if it sat right next to me. I have control over everything...yet I have control over nothing. And thats been frightening me lately...I've been saying a lot of "I just have to figure it all out." BUUUUUT I CANT!
So I write another epic long blog to say this simple bit----CHANGE IS PART OF LIFE!!! Love it. Don't just deal, EMBRACE IT. Be good stewarts over your time and your money and blessings will surely be in your cycle. Most of us accept that, for the BIG changes. But be sure to keep that thought in pocket when you only have a $20 and you want a Fruit Roll-Up. LOL.

Thank you cashier man.



Another Moment Brought to You by The Black WillyWonka,
Johnston Michaels

Either YOU have to SHUTUP...or I MUST STOP Listening!

Okay...so this post's title is rather long; but it abbreviates what I intend to tackle in this passage.

Often we are confronted with these 2 choices >>> Listening to our internal voice [the God within] vs. listening to the external parties that be...that BE...THAT BE inhibiting us, and prolongs our advancement.

We are all PHans of Kanye West; whether we envy... or pride ourselves in despising his shameless arrogance. But even he had to admit that being unteachable is not the way to go. Which he made clear in his pseudo satire/review of himself >>>>"CANT TELL ME NOTHING".

There IS a healthy place between total unreceptiveness and self doubt.
There is a confident space in which all HUEmens and artists alike, must reside.

If you are not keeping up with the actual Olympic games, you should at least stay abreast with the news concerning it. There are morals in these stories we can all learn from.

Rau'shee Warren, a flyweight boxer [on the American team] had a match against Korean opponent Lee Oksung last night. Now Brother Rau'shee lost the match.And not merely because he was not physically apt or resilient, but because he was positive he heard someone in the crowd yelling "MOVE! MOVE!".
You see, in the boxing realm- that cry means that he had the chance to win, and that all he needed to do was avoid getting punched. Much to his disappointment , those yells Rau'shee heard were NOT in his favor! The final score was 9-8. Oksung took home the gold medal. Our Black brother Rau'shee, had been anticipating the moment to take that medal home to his mother Paulette,for the past 4 years.However, he forfeited that opportunity when he took advice from THE CROWD [even though his coaches were yelling a different message].

When I was made aware of this news I was so deeply hurt. It's not just the fact that he lost. It's how he lost that leaves a deep scar. I usually do not preoccupy myself with the lastest sports updates.But I have learned that games in the rings...on the courts...the fields...WHEREVER... are reflections of how we perform in life. The manner in which people conduct themselves in physical competition is more than just an indicator of there brute strength, but shows the way they view there opponents [and what they represent] along with themselves in the context of the task.
The symbols & real world application of each sporting event can be further dissected psychologically.

With that said, I find it so interesting that Mr. Warren paid closer attention to what the audience was saying,rather than his coaches. Sometimes we forget that we may only have 2 real friends in this lifetime...very few individuals are really in our corner. Yet we remain so curious of the masses' opinions. I am not passing dissension. I am an artist; I am victim of the same thing. I second guess myself and ask a million people for their opinion on projects...when I know that my idea is GOLD...only to later realize that I should have proceeded with the concept-with no advice from anyone.

Along this path of confidence absence we have OUR IDEAS STOLEN. People model themselves after us. We are forced to reinvent ourselves.

It's an extremely rocky path. Sometimes we have to take chances and go with our gut. A wise woman once told me "There is only one chance in music." I dare to say that there is only one chance in all performance arenas. This encompasses performance art, public speaking...SPORTS!
God, I know it's hard. But let this note encourage you to trust yourself. Do not slight your footing in response to yells like "MOVE! MOVE!" from bystanders. Do not doubt yourself because spectators criticize. We must take chances. Safe living is not safe at all.
There were remarks made about rules discouraging vocalized spectator advice. But the crowd will always be the crowd...the key is that the performer in the ring not respond to such antics. We must develop a ring of focus. When we submerge ourselves into environments where people have the opportunity to speak...WE MUST provide ourselves with center.

YES...back to my ending...STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS IS REAL. lol.
Art can ONLY be art if we take a risk. But make sure that risk is worth it. Let's work wise...not hard!
Sooo I think I have supplied you with enough one liners for the day. C.O.I. [Chuckling On the Inside]

Carpe diem brethren.
Until next time...


Shalom-mubaraak*


Sir Johnston Michaels

Kinda overdue...but still GOOD!

Some of you may be familiar with the new Nike Commercial that features a song by SAUL WILLIAMS called "List of Demands".

Some of you may have & should have been down with him for a minute, since he is NOT a new artist at all. LOL.

Well, to those of you who are unfamiliar with this genius... GOOGLE HIM BABY [much like Teyauna Taylor instructs you to ]! Find his words. Youtube him. Take a break from the fashion blogs and ingest some quality work.

NIGGYTARDUST. that's all I'll say.

Do what you gotta do. But if you consider yourself a progressive artist in the least bit , he needs to be in your library at some level.


THE END.

-Johnston Michaels
(the black willywonka)

A Lovely Day

I would like to call upon the great words of Bill Withers

Sometimes I think it's just important to note how lovely life is.

I don't have much more to say beyond that...yet I have a lot more to say within that!
But life is good. The universe is sooo cylical.
Reading pretty much satiates me.
I know my Mother; I have a few good persons in my cycle that care.

I am blessed to be in school.
I am smiling.

I believe THAT is important enough to write a blog.

I'm done.

-Johnston Michaels

Don't Apologize!

As huemanity continues, it appears to me that people are becoming less HueMANe and way more politically correct. The politeness that our mothers taught us when we were young seem to kick in when we feel the most guilty or the need to address issues we don't really know how to handle.

Now my statement above may seem like mere speculation...but when I read the news [I'd like to thank CNN.com for my blog inspiration] and see that The House desires to apologize for the enslavement of millions of West Africans, AND THEN there are these privileged-insensitive albino mutant kids in South Africa that feel laden with superficial guilt for making a tape that mocked black housekeepers and serving them stew seemingly laced with urine...[which is nothing more than embarassment from public slandering] I realize that these apologies are utterly flat.

*(please excuse me if that was a run-on passage)

Now granted the representatives for Tennessee and the other states are not "slaveowners" themselves , but the damages to the African-American psyche and the American socio-political construct are irreparable. An apology without action is FUTILE, FLAT, SUPERFICIAL ...AND JUST PLAIN DUMB! The house states that they will stop "the occurrence of human rights violations in the future." But that peace word is not good enough for me or the members of my community.

We need the illegitimate & brutal law enforcers acquitted of their jobs. We need funding for our public school systems...especially the ones in Florida.
What about the fan fare that went on for Jena 6...then silence...or the injustice to Amadou Diallo...then silence...Mumia Abdul...Sean Bell...Rodney King 2.0...OH my Lord, the list goes on! It's the the quiet things that happen in "intimate" settings that go unaddressed.

So I am not pleased with an apology. Although it's awfully cute.

Native Americans have been apologized to,given the opportunity to run government regulation free casinos but direct financial/proper housing from the GOV. still hasnt come their way. So many of them continue to live on reservations that make 'hoods look like Beverly Hills. Come on now AMERICA!

I guess reparations just are not in the budget.

I don't know what you want to do with this bit of information. I just thought I'd add a little fire to the inherent angst existing within all of us.


-Johnston Michaels

The New New: Vinnet Bradshaw

This weekend I met a photographer by the name of Vinnet Bradshaw. This guy is as dope as fauxtographers get!!! With the charm of a southern gentlemen and the style of a west village hopster, Vinnet stole my heart! He, Myself, Du-Art-E, Bianca Balenciaga and her boy toy all had dinner at Spice in Chelsea. Then spent our night in the usual spot... Union Square! While there we ran into some interesting broke and bougee kidds... I must say they were PHUN... in every since of the word!!! They stopped us and asked if we had a dollar because they were broke. I told them we had no cash, yet we had some left over calamari and chicken pad tai and they could have that. They were stoked (yea my new new phrase)! Then the magnificent Vinnet asked them if he could take a few shots and those kidds went OFF... I mean I felt like i was at ghetto street photoshoot with porn stars ready to rock out with their cocks out!!!! CRAZYYYY!!!! Anyway Vinnet takes great photos and check him out at his website www.geniushatescompany.com

-Sweet Georgia Brown

U Betta Not Tell a Sole...

This is a secret... Im telling you because I trust you...

((Im currently listening to Alice Smith "Secrets"// vibe along))

I feel like some people have to use a microscope just to 

--find themselves--

But I didn't have to look hard cause everyday I

--see inside myself--

And since god lives in me

all I had to do was try

--myself--

Then rolling over

seeing your eyes

breathing in your divinity

I have proof ((love)) is ((real))

Because God=Love AND You=God AND

       ((It does not get more REAL than you))

Their is a truth to the tale

of the essense of the black male

Their is fact in the fact that he is

The Perfect Black

OSIRIS, reincarnated to eject knowledge and wisdom

giving birth to my understanding

Im trying to birth a nation, so u can put it on ur back

laugh father time in his face and tell him mother earth has won again.

That she has done it... again.

But this mockery is no sin.

Somtimes I don't even know where to begin,

so I guess I will start with the kiss...

Yet even that I barely can remember,

cause your touch was so much more clever

I got lost in the flick of ur lash

the height of ur cheek bones

the essense of ur smile

I caught myself ((lost))

in the moment of you

drifting off in the moment of you

how dare you catch me up in a web of you

hell I barely even know you...

Wat makes you think you think I wanna believe in you???

Then I feel asleep... you told me to wake up when I was ready...

Bet you didn't know I stay woke...

-The Hip Hop Mona Lisa

ADD Ferentz to your LIBRARY and your PLAYLIST!

Quite a few members of the arts collective are currently matriculating at the esteemed Eugene Lang College ,New School for liberal arts. [Du ART...e ,Georgia Brown...and Dr. Mother Covert to be exact].

My dear friend, Georgia Brown put me down with the writings of one of her professors,Ferentz Lafargue, who is the assistant professor of literature. She tells me to check out his book "Songs in the Key of my Life". So I do. I bring it home...and it rests on my table. I had every intention to read it eventually.
But, having a startling dream and waking at 5:30 am, I find it hard to drift back into any kind of slumber so I pick up the book.
Folks, I have just completed the first chapter and with sincere exclamation I must say " it moved me!" I believe that just like huemens energy and consciousness brings certain things into fruition along with people into our space...the effects are the same with books; we either attract the kinds of readings that our hearts need at a point, or we adapt a reading to couple our emotional demands.

I am shifting. I am shifting to another area of focus, and love devotion. I am also intensely concerned with honing my creative writing craft. Lafargue scrathches beyond the surface & excites the imagination with connections he makes between songs and experiences; between nostalgia, his heritage and the intitial impact of instrumentaion. Each chapter is titled by a song, which he seemlessly expounds upon and dissects in that section.

Not only for the lover, and once loved but this book also explores the power within music.

Please put this book on your "TO BUY" list.

Join me on this path!!! LET US SUPPORT OUR ARTISTIC BLACK BRETHREN! The book is $12.95 [for all you frugal consumers] and is only 173 pages for all you non reading people. LOL.

BUY IT! BUY IT! BUY IT!
...and over the course of your journey with this book, I suggest adding the songs he incorporates into his story- to your playlist. It will enhance your literary-musical experience.

Shalom-mubaraak*

-Brother Johnston Michaels

I'M NOT GONNA WRITE YOU A COOL SONG!

i look in the mirror
asking myself, "how do i write a story?".
a song is nothing but a story organized to have pulse & pitch, right?!
and as often as we read them
& dance to them,
& allow old white men to offer us childhood fables to be enchanted by
& sing the "abc's" to figga out what letta comes afta 'p'...
well,
Its STILL such a daunting task to create my own.
the tales of my [daily] darkening skin
and the reason i wipe sweat from my brow cannot be notated.
they cannot be marked with trills
or broken into measures.
i experience no long trains of thought-
sooo i guess it makes me "Crazy" like Cee-lo
and my COLDEST WINTER EVER was definitely "HOTTER THAN JULY"
but it doesn't mean I can write a stevie hit.
maybe i'll just mumble on paper...
all too often we feel pressured to share with the world cohesive thought
well,
i choose to give you my fickled-fumbled-5 yr old stream of consciousness

NOW YOUR TURN?!

-Johnston Michaels

BLACK GENOCIDE...the Keys are in the S.Y.M.B.O.L.S.

This is the work of one of our collective members: Olatunji Ojore,depicting the black man as a shooting target. This sculpture speaks volumes so my commentary is unecessary . However, as an artist of color I urge that you read "The Isis Papers :The Keys to the Colors" by Frances Cress Welsing [African-American psychiatrist]. It will challenge all that you've been groomed to trust, and affirm things you may've always speculated. It dissects the system of White Supremacy , Black genocide and the psychology behind it. It's a must read for all persons of color...not just those of African descent.

Beginning is G.O.O.D.

So I recently turned 20 years old, and with aging another year comes assessing self.
And FOLKS , I grew extremely depressed! Whether you want to call it "mid-MID LIFE Crisis" or just disappointment, I felt that for the last 365 days my strides to be an incredible artist had been futile.
I then took inventory of my accomplishments over the past year & noticed that I did a lot of STARTING; When I had a vision I brought it to fruition. My dreams came to life not only by my wise work but with support from PEOPLE.
I no longer felt like a failure. Visions just should not sit. I know that this is the season to carry them through. That's what separates the FLAKE from the ambitious creator.

I don't write this passage with a self centered spirit, but for utter encouragement. I know that as HUEmens we get awfully discouraged by our own dreams...and not because they are not brilliant; but because once we breathe life into them and feed them water of diligence and time-we still dont see the growth we would like. In order to be the moguls and trailblazers we all envision ourselves as...we must BEGIN.

I am here to let you know that you are not alone.
NO artist walks alone. There are a million of us out here birthing, weezing, lactating, and crying!!!
So flash your pearly whites and keep working wise!

shalom-mubaraak*

-Master Johnston Michaels

Just breathe...

i have been in homestead,florida the entire month of june.
not as johnston michaels or the black willy wonka...but as a human.

NOT on vaca' !
NOT on a retreat
NOT even on missionary duty
... just learning to humble myself before middle school kids from this local migrant community.

MY LORD,ive had several SELAH moments here!
some of these moments simply involved inhaling.
other moments were quite revelatory and introspective.

i mean...i call myself an advocate of communal/tribal living. but honestly,i dont breathe much anymore.up north i have gotten lost in the rubble of fast living, pollution, schedules & short term goals.

im slightly afraid to go back to philly because for the past 4 weeks i have been consumed by tides in a place where there's no space or time... concerning myself solely with the well being of my students and colleagues.embracing everyone with pure intentions. and morphing myself into a solar powered vehicle[ moving to move others]. how rephreshing.

and now more than ever, i realize that...

i just want to help people. i want to L.O.V.E.
& i desire that L.O.V.E. not be some acronym for a larger cause. but to just be love.

i dont want my humanity to exist only in UTOPIA.

folks,i have begun living.

breathing starts now...

Humbly yours,
Jonathan Wise

Summer Time, And the Living Ain't Easy...

It seems like everyone in the Mint is scrambling and searching for summer plans. A place to stay, a place to travel and...something to eat! IDK, the fact of the matter is that the summer used to be a time of rest/relaxation and no school work. But for us the werk is neva ova. (Sorry for the phun spelling but I could not help myself) As of now we are all dispersed across New Amerykah From Florida>>>Maryland>>>DC>>>>Pennslyvania>>>New York to Boston. But our connection to the universe is strong and unbreakable. Bonds are tight and not meant to be broken. Only through the strenght of our numbers will the movement remain strong. Love Revoultions will concur all. That leads me to my POETICS of the DAY.As I sit at this desk and remain vexed by the presence of the man I ponder on these words...



You are the gold in my sun

the silver in my moon

so why can't I be everything to you...



I knew I loved you too much when
I began to pray for you more than I prayed for myself.
And in the absence of knowing what my 3rd eye longed for,
I prayed for you.



You never even believed in God,
And I prayed for you.


For every time you were told you couldn’t do it.
And every time you believed it.
Cause not only does time make dreams deferred,
so does man.
And we all know what happens to a dream deferred.
And I needed for you to live.

So I could paint love poem portraits on sheets and
let wimpering bed pillows weep. Weep
bodies of water dead like the sea in Israel.
Stinging finger nail scratches on your back
that I left trying to latch on to…You
didn’t even notice.



In your silent slumber I tried to
Enter your dreams.
Hoping my daymares would
be your nightmares so
you too could know
what it felt like.

I need you to know what it feels like. This
young fresh love that was fostered in
a place where no roses grow from concrete.
And no daddy’s tucked her in at night, where
would she end at night when
the silence of your slumber keeps
me awake like the
Pitter patter of rain drops on the
Tin roof of my mind, Im
pressing rewind,
remembering the time,when I prayed for myself. And you offer no help.



Your silent slumber stalks me like
The shadows on my wall. And no
I may not know it all. But
I do know that love is a two way street, and
I’ve been walking it with two bare feet…alone.

Laying next to you I’m alone.
My biggest fear used to being alone.
But I cant sleep next to fear anymore because
Fear is the cousin of death.

And I been died 4 times, 3 times removed
from the Father, Son and Holy ghost…you are a ghost.
And I can feel you heavy like freedoms burden,
laying next to me, your
burdens laying next to me, your
a burden laying next to me.
And I prayed for you.

-Georgia Brown: A Southern Honey Bee

Ready to Start a Revolution...

I’m ready to start a Revolution
Got a mind like Toni Morrison’s “Guitar”
But 7 days is 24 hours
And my weapon of choice is power
Of the mind
Of mine
Divine
The divinity of the hand of God himself
So Im good

And I wont lie sometimes I get scared
Cause I might die
Shit I might fry
For the things I say outta my mouth
Without a doubt I want it
I want this REVOULUTION

Like
Like Bush wants Saddam
Like a cop wants a crime
Like a pimp wants a dime
Like Israel wants Palestine
Or vice versa

With a glock nine shooting bullets of truth
I headed to the steps of the white house and takin over
Yelling chants of life, liberty and the pursuit of the O’ mighty dollar
Cause hell that is happiness
The revolution I’m ready to start will be televised
And no you cant sensor me for FOX News cause
I got one finger on both hands
Aimed at anyone at anyone to shook to be down

If you can’t tell I aint on no
“we shall over come”
Im on that “I got my gun now Run”
Cause their’s a strange fruit growing in my garden of Eden
And no I ain’t no heathen
Just anti- pacifist, anti-racist and anti ant anti…
Everyone that ever oppressed my people
My life
My mind
My body
My spirit
Free

As a bird in the wind flying
Over head like a helicopter
In the hood searching searching searching
For a way out a way in
a way above above above
above my home
above the 9th ward
above the white house
the oppressive house
stand clear and make way
It’s OUR day and the REVOLUTION I’m ready to start is on the way

Adding fuel to a massive fire
That plans on burning down this United States of America
The Southern Poverty Law Center has ME on its list of Amerika’s Most Wanted
And Im proud cause I’m
Takin a torch to the white porch
And no it aint either “the ballot or the bullet”
Malcolm did that a long time ago
My weapon of choice is power
Of the mind, divine
Divinely sent from the hands of GOD so I’m good
Bet you wish you could repress
But don’t stress
Better yet do stress
Cause whomever wants beef is
Next!

I got a feelin
I got a feelin Lord
I got a feelin
My people wanna start a Revolution

-The Hip Hop Mona Lisa: A Neo-Healer

My First Love

sometimes it is in losing ourselves
that we find who we truly are.
rejecting the fabric we are made of;
fed new threads through chords and progressions.
trading identities and trading eighths,
only to find that our desires betray us
just as Peter's speech betrayed him.

we do turn into our parents.
i yearn the food mother craved for 9 months;
and instead of crying myself to sleep
i hum familiar tunes that have groomed me into a man.

wondering where the wonder years went,
i get by with a little help from my friends-
until getting by becomes the preferred flavor
where moving on up is the path only the privileged are privy to.

i ride high in my low rider
and consume thin air through my brown nostrils.
flipping sheets of dyed pulp,
while dreaming of time travel...
latching on to underground commodities
adopting and transposing
concocting and proposing...

step by step
treading water
back to a simple place.
using new threads as a platform
to come back...

to my first love

ARTIST**** Johnston Michaels

How About Those Commies?

I absolutely hate modern day capitalism right now if I didn't before. I got a plane ticket for the wrong date...to change it I had to pay a fee AND pay for a new ticket! Right now my car is still totaled simply because the insurance company doesn't want to pay the $7,700 it takes to get it fixed, even though I know I give them so much more money than that. I pay insurance for a cell phone that's only insured under certain instances.

How is this a consumer-driven economy when the consumer doesn't matter?

CEO's are making record numbers off dollars where customer service and job security is going out the window. I overdrafted my account buying gas to get home, while the Fat EXXON Man got a record number of money. We are getting SOOO PLAYED by this system and we love it. We love to buy more and more while we get less and less.

It's official...I'm dropping out of school and moving out of the country into a commune. All that will do is put me in a market yet to be reached. Maybe I can move to Cuba. I hope Castro doesn't die soon!

ARTIST*** Dr. Miafere Olivia

Vintage,Seasoned,Antiqued,Marinated and Familiar

allowing transit to further the foundation I thought I laid in///
opting to sit alone and backtrack instead of posting next to a stripped stranger///
backtracking reading my lines my pupils havent penetrated in a while///
watching each line polish the dullness i've worn like a badge///
throwing its remains back into a bin of other knick knacks,earrings, back pins, beads and buds///
rereading words and singing them out loud-even the lyrics forgotten is whats dope on my side of town///
knowing when to go back///
what references to check///
chasing pavements with pressed pupils to each ground rock, from cement to sentiment///
post-it notes, left in liner notes and highlighted paragraphs shift to the ashes of myrrg scented sticks and cones///
revisiting these materials reminded me that GOD is a BLACK woman
and humble pie hurts no matter how thick or thinly its sliced


ARTIST*** nyjia jones

blowin fresh breath in the people's face since 2007!!!

Many people get fickled when they see the stamp: "The PepperMint".


They don't know what to expect. Of course any normal person would first think of the candy [not the plant] ... as they continue to sift through web pages and [paper] pages [lol] .
they are either made moderately uncomfortable or are intensely intrigued by our boyish charm and gender ambiguous-sass!

AND ONLY GOD knows how many times we've been labeled as an OCCULT or compared to THE FACTORY. [much love edie sedgewick]
WELL, GET READY! because we are 'bout to make more noise than that old lady in your church unwrapping a piece-a-candy...

put your righteous minds @ rest. We are not a cult. [tho we do burn sage before meditation] We are not a candy company. [but please dont judge us if you see us dancing to an old 50 cent hit]

We are not endorsers or public advocates for the technicolor-david la chapelle shoot-hype williams video extra-zebra stripe and leggings-hipster movement...however, we might be caught rockin patent leather technicolor dreamcoats and rasberry berets!

[i digress] I say all this to say. That we like to consider ourselves messengers. A medium. we shy away from the missionary approach [when infecting subnations and subordinate cultures =) *

The PepperMint Arts Collective's vision is to create. To avail ourselves as an additional voice. volunteering a few more pairs of legs for the movement. and there are countless other analogies that could build upon what is still being built upon as we speak. but I think it's best that we leave this abbreviated vision statement like it is.


Soooo...be on the look out for more from THE "we're not candy. we're not a cult. we're an arts collective -PEPPERMINT ARTS COLLECTIVE"


shalom-mubaraak*

that means PEACE & BLESSINGs.

if ur an erykah badu PHan...u know that they manifest with ev'ry lesson learned*