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Regrets: Malcolm Shabazz

May 19, 2009

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October, 2007. Offices of GIANT magazine. I’m sitting across from editor-in-chief Smokey D. Fontaine. We’re going over stories I’ll be covering in the upcoming year. .

“Do you think you could find Malcolm X’s grandson?” he asked. “That would make an interesting story.”

I shrugged.

“I can find anybody. You know that. But should we find him?”

Smokey rubbed his hands together and his face lit up.

“Of course we should! This young man is a part of history. Malcolm X never had sons of his own. So this young man is the male heir. And then he was found responsible in the death of Betty Shabazz, his own grandmother, Malcolm’s widow. That story would be crazy!”

Before we continue, let me tell you a little bit about Smokey.
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Posted in The Guilty Admission | 39 Comments »

Tonight’s TweetChat: Life After Hip Hop Journalism

May 18, 2009

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Dear readers…

I had a great time last week during my first TweetChat and I’m urging you all to log on at 8 PM tonight for my weekly Q&A with my co-host, Chloe Hilliard.

Tonight’s topic: Life After Hip Hop Journalism and the Future of Urban Magazines. You all know that I have a lot to say on the topic. And I’m sure you all do too.

For those of you who are not yet on Twitter, get on board and stop playing!

Once you get your user id and password, log on to tweetchat.com. The name of the room you want to enter is #jsticks.

This is really the best way to enjoy the chat. Because you won’t see any other Twitter-traffic—just the Q&A. (You can also just log on to twitter.com and participate that way. But it’s a bit more confusing.)

It’s on from 8-9:3o PM.

Our guest Tweeter will be the one and only dream hampton.

Here’s a sample of what went down last week. Enjoy. And I hope to see you online tonight!

-A

Posted in Housekeeping, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Writing 101: Show Don’t Tell

May 15, 2009

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It’s one of the first things you learn in writing:  Show Don’t Tell.

But it’s still a hard one to master.

Our dear Michael Arceneaux has graciously allowed me to use the unedited essay that became this week’s first guest blogger post to illustrate the importance of show don’t tell.

[Spoiler alert: If you haven’t read his post yet, don’t read this one until you do…]

Michael handed in a decent first draft. But it definitely needed work.

Michael is a capable writer. But there needs to be some fine tuning in his show-don’t-tell department.

Here’s how Michael’s draft began…

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Posted in Writing 101 | 23 Comments »

In My ‘Hood: The Beauty Supply Store

May 14, 2009

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I chopped all my hair off last week. Love the new cut. But it takes upkeep. I don’t have a perm. I get it blown out. Which means if someone spits in my direction, I have an Afro. And it also means that in between appointments, I can’t rock a ponytail. I’ll have to curl it. With a curling iron. Ugh.

So off I go to a place I haven’t been in many years: the beauty supply store.

Do these places actually have real names? Or are they just called beauty supply store.

No one ever refers to them by name. Perhaps because they’re so plentiful and they all carry the exact same stuff.

Here’s what I see…

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Posted in In My 'Hood | 24 Comments »

Be My Guest: Michael Arceneaux

May 13, 2009

CD - Mary J Blige - My Life

This week, I introduce my dear readers to my very first dear blogger. His name is Michael Arceneaux and I discovered him right in the comments section of my blog. He makes me laugh out loud. Both on my blog and on his own blog, where he introduced me to the Stanky Leg and the Halle Berry dances. We’re also following each other on Twitter. A few weeks back, he mentioned on Twitter that Mary was his favorite singer. Not because her voice was perfect. But because of a special story. I asked him to share it with me. And he did. Then I asked him to share it with all of us. And he did.

I encourage you all to check it out. I’m very proud of Michael’s work. Both on this piece. And in his life.

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Posted in Be My Guest | 26 Comments »

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