Yesterday, despite gloomy skies and a lingering bout of exhaustion, my gal and I made the trek from Queens to Prospect Park to celebrate with a huge chunk of Brooklyn what would have been the 51st birthday of the late, great Michael Jackson. The birthday bash / tribute was organized by Spike Lee and featured DJ Spinna (a living legend in his own right) playing five hours of MJ tunes for the masses.

And a lot of masses it was. I don’t know what the numbers ended up being, but a shitload of people turned out. Click the image below to get a panoramic view of some of the crowd that turned out:

I got there dumb late (as usual), but was still able to catch the vibe and enjoy the party. Surprisingly, there were only a handful of MJ impersonators in the crowd, but this littled dude was my favorite with the ill MJ dance steps that had the crowd in an uproar:

I was too far back to sort out everybody on stage, but I know Tracy Morgan was def in the spot and Ed Lover was the master of ceremonies (no word on whether the Ed Lover Dance also made an appearance). Of course, Sir Spike took the mic a few times as well:

They even had a cake:

It was a festive mood all around, and the crowd was def there to get down. Here’s the crowd following Ed and Spinna‘s lead getting something started:

Folks brought their boogie foots and did it up right, getting down to Michael’s “Get On the Floor”:

They kept it up right into Spinna‘s sweet little “Beat It” blend:

It was a great time all around. Brooklyn showed up strong — another reminder why I love this damn city so much.

I know I haven’t been posting lately. I stayed off the grid a bit after a grueling month. My intent today was to come home and post a funny video that a friend sent me recently, but when I cut the laptop on, I found out that DJ AM died today here in New York.

I never saw him spin in person, but I’ve seen plenty of video clips, heard plenty of mixes, and read a lot of testimonials on behalf of his greatness not only as a DJ, but as a person. So, I’m really saddened by the news. I just finished reading this really moving (and — given the developments in the news of his death — depressing) piece in Glamour about the struggles he tried to overcome on his way to stardom.

Rest in peace, DJ AM. Condolences to all his fam and friends in the DJ community and beyond.

Whaaaaa? A 9mm handgun, 2 clips and a 6″ Subway sandwhich?! Ok, I lied about the sandwhich!

Sidenote: Houston ranks 6th on the nation’s fattest cities list.

HOUSTON — A nearly 600-pound man was able to hide a weapon for more than a day while he was in custody, police told KPRC Local 2 Wednesday.

“Obviously the system broke down,” former Harris County Detention Major Mark Kellar said. “The procedures didn’t work as they were designed to work.”

Houston police said George Vera, 25, was arrested Aug. 2 and taken to the city jail. He spent a day there before being transferred to the Harris County Jail. After being there for 14 hours, going through intake procedures, he was taken to the showers, the final step before going to his cell. There, Vera told police he had a 9mm handgun on him, along with 2 clips.

“If a person has a weapon, narcotics, anything of danger, it should have been found before he winds up in the county jail,” said Kellar.

Kellar said Vera should have been searched at least three times before getting to the jail.

Vera weighs nearly 600 pounds and the gun was allegedly hidden between fat layers.

Houston Police Officers Union President Gary Blankinship said cadets are trained how to search morbidly obese people.

“We teach officers to lift up and look under,” Blankinship said. “The officer may not have arrested anyone this big before.”

Blankenship said that system clearly does not always work.

“They can be so big, basically short of strip searching or searching cavities, they could miss something like this,” said Blankinship.

The Houston Police Department and Harris County Sheriff’s Office are doing internal investigations to figure out how this could have happened.

Blankinship said they should also change the way officers are trained to search morbidly obese inmates, maybe adding hand-held metal detectors.

Vera has been released from jail on bond.

Michael Jackson: August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009.
We’ll never get enough, trust.

Follow the latest developments here.

This kid has one of the best parents in the world!

From a regional Washington DC Craigslist posting:

Lil Wayne wanted (DC-MD-VA)
Reply to: gigs-w3a3t-1218083689@craigslist.org
Date: 2009-06-12, 12:27PM EDT

My son is turning 16 and really wanted Lil Wayne to perform for his birthday gala. Unfortunately his schedule will not permit him to make it. I need a Lil Wayne impersonator desperately.

Here is the kicker my son is blind so you do not need to look like the rapper just sound like him. I understand he grunts and mumbles a lot. I don’t care if you are 67 and Jewish if you can sing the songs you’re hired. Money is not an issue. Name your price. Interested individuals please let me know your rap experience, video of you performing as Lil Wayne would be better. If that is not feasible we can arrange for a live audition.

Serious inquiries only, this is very important to my family. Young Money Baby!

* Location: DC-MD-VA
* it’s NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
* Compensation: Negotiable

PostingID: 1218083689

Sometimes as Americans we forget about or neglect the humanity of non-Americans.

On June 4th, 1989, the Chinese government killed nearly 2700 demonstrators in Tiananmen Square and subsequently arrested and imprisoned thousands more in order to suppress dissident voices.

Without going into a history lesson, which I’m not at all qualified to do, let’s just remember their fight still lives on.

Daggering classic. It gets good at ~1:04.

Via App.com

Jamaica’s latest dance craze called “daggerin” may be responsible for hospitals treating a flood of young men with broken penises.

The subject of many recent songs in dance halls across the country, daggerin is sexual in nature and involves a man and a woman gyrating suggestively and aggressively in crotch-locked positions.

With the number of broken-penis cases having almost tripled in a year after the rise of daggerin, it appears the “dry-sex” dance moves have evolved to bizarre sexual practices among Jamaican youth, according to The Sun.

Doctors at Kingston Public Hospital report injuries occur during fast, rough intercourse and can result in permanent damage when the man fractures his member as it hits the woman’s pubic bone.

Some believe the practice of daggerin is threatening to undermine the manhood of the island nation.

Lil Tiger with the play-by-play at Battle of the Legends, the mega-soundclash between David Rodigan, Black Scorpio, Downbeat the Ruler and King Jammys at Club Amazura in Jamaica, Queens.

The night started off in Clinton Hill (Brooklyn) with the curious minds of the Music Nerd Club gathering together to indulge in beverages, pizzas, and discussions of the finer points of all things soundclash. After grubbing and chatter, we made our way 13-deep to Jamaica, ready to witness this historic event.

(Keep in mind, I am no expert in this music, nor in the overall culture of the clash. I am just a fan of reggae, and as a DJ, an admirer of soundclashes, which for me are one of the most important and inspirational aspects of DJ culture. Sounds are the backbone of the reggae culture, and I am a humble witness with reverence for these legends, whom I am fortunate to have seen in my lifetime …)

• 12:46 AM djliltiger – Finally made it to Amazura for the clash. It’s almost 1am and it feels dumb early. 1am is like noon for Caribbean people.
• 12:58 AM djliltiger – Damn. They’re actually starting on time. New Yorkers always be in a hurry.
• 1:00 AM djliltiger – Rodigan up first. Already killing it.
• 1:04 AM djliltiger – Smells good in here. Really good. Rodigan dropping a Horace Andy dub. Good Lord.
• 1:10 AM djliltiger – I want to grow up to be 1/8th as cool as Rodigan.



• 1:16 AM djliltiger – Black Scorpio bringing us back to Jamaica now. Things are starting to warm up.
• 1:18 AM djliltiger – Whoa. Dennis Brown dub. Revolution!
• 1:26 AM djliltiger – Strong start for Scorpio, but he’s losing the crowd a bit.
• 1:28 AM djliltiger – Nevermind.
• 1:32 AM djliltiger – Downbeat up. Already rousing up the home team.
• 1:40 AM djliltiger – Downbeat letting the vibe dip.
• 1:44 AM djliltiger – Damn. Truth and Rights dub getting no love. Downbeat is struggling.
• 1:49 AM djliltiger – Jammys starts with Johnny Osbourne. Instant murder.
• 2:00 AM djliltiger – Too much to learn.
• 2:02 AM djliltiger – First round done. This is def Rodigan and Scorpio’s show.
• 2:03 AM djliltiger – Scorpio wins the first round easily.
• 2:05 AM djliltiger – Rodigan starts round two throwing Bandolero at Jammys. Then jumps right into Bounty Killer. Serious business.
• 2:06 AM djliltiger – Oh shit. He just took off the jacket and dropped Sleng Teng.
• 2:22 AM djliltiger – Scorpio getting holy on us. Church Heathen dub a dud, tho.
• 2:23 AM djliltiger – He got balls dropping the Alison Hinds dub. Also not working. But damn. That’s bold.
• 2:37 AM djliltiger – Scorpio had his moments, but def not the same crowd connect as round one. Downbeat coming strong right now.
• 2:45 AM djliltiger – Wow. Downbeat on fire. “None of them have tune like me. Them have gimmicks.” Looking at Rodigan and Scorpio.
• 2:49 AM djliltiger – Closed with a whimper tho. Jammys up again.
• 2:53 AM djliltiger – Jammys not connecting at all. Not even Warlord dub helping him.
• 2:55 AM djliltiger – No love for Jr. Gong dub. Tough tough crowd. Legend getting zero love.
• 2:59 AM djliltiger – Painfull to watch. Still, I’m happy to say I’ve seen the man in person. Jammys legend still shine.
• 3:05 AM djliltiger – Boobirds for Jammys. Wow. Just wow. Downbeat wins round two. Tune for tune now.
• 3:09 AM djliltiger – Crowd getting tougher. Rodigan struggling.
• 3:13 AM djliltiger – Splashing Dashing def getting love. Back to back Garnett Silk. Good idea.
• 3:19 AM djliltiger – Scorpio only getting a little response from the Dawn Penn special. Harsh.
• 3:23 AM djliltiger – Gargamel not helping Scorpio. This is Downbeat’s competition to lose.
• 3:28 AM djliltiger – Yeah. Downbeat got this.


Tony Screw of Downbeat getting a massive forward. (Sorry for the crappy sound (and video), but my little digital camera is not equipped to deal with the low end of a real sound system)

• 3:32 AM djliltiger – Dennis Brown is carrying Downbeat to the promised land. This shit is over.
• 3:35 AM djliltiger – Mighty Diamonds to close it out. Jammys is in a rough spot to follow.
• 3:35 AM djliltiger – One Blood dub. One dud.
• 3:43 AM djliltiger – Jammys played some jams, but the crowd just wasn’t feeling him. Sad. But such is the life of the clash.
• 3:47 AM djliltiger – NOW it’s time for tune fi tune. My belly is starting to talk to me. I’m getting old.
• 3:55 AM djliltiger – One for Jammys. Yes!
• 3:58 AM djliltiger – Downbeat! A wah do dem!
• 3:59 AM djliltiger – JAMMYS! Clutch.
• 4:09 AM djliltiger – Four in a row for Jammys. Vindication. Loving it.
• 4:12 AM djliltiger – Jammys is on fire now. Five straight.
• 4:13 AM djliltiger – Rodigan done for the night. Good show, tho.
• 4:23 AM djliltiger – 7 for Jammys. Downbeat vs. Jammys for the championship.


Downbeat's Tony Screw on the mic going head to head with King Jammy.

• 4:26 AM djliltiger – The streak ends. The crowd starting to turn to Downbeat again.
• 4:38 AM djliltiger – Everybody tired now. Jammys takes the trophy after Downbeat flops his last tune. They rushed the end, but I’m happy for Jammys.


King Jammy getting a forward on his final tune of the night.



Chin giving King Jammy the trophy after Jammy's Sound defeated Downbeat.

• 4:41 AM djliltiger – It’s a wrap, folks. Money well spent. Shout to the MNC for bringing us all together for this.

RECAP: All in all, it was a great night. The rules were a bit suspect, but if the end result is that King Jammy gets a comeback win, I cannot be mad. It was hard watching him get booed in the early rounds, so it was nice to see the crowd give him plenty of love in the Tune Fi Tune segment of the competition. For me, that showed that the crowd was genuine, and not merely playing favorites. They rewarded the sounds when they played well, and denied them when they didn’t play well, regardless of where the sound came from and how much history backed the sound. It was honest on the crowd’s part.

If the structure had been different, Jammys wouldn’t have survived the early stage of the clash. But that is the doing of the promoters (and, in my opinion, not a malicious doing. I think it was merely poorly thought out, but not designed to play favorites). Overall, the theme of the night was to respect the legends and to hear great music in a vintage clash, and to that, it was for me a great success.

If I had my own say (which, honestly, I shouldn’t), I think from beginning to end, overall, Downbeat was the best sound of the night. Rodigan second. Scorpio third, and Jammys fourth. That’s overall. But like any competition, you play to win according to the rules that are laid out, and not according to what one weary Arubian in the crowd is thinking. And Jammys held his best for last, and played the right tunes at the right moment when those tunes counted the most. And THAT is how you win a clash.

I’m sure the more curious among you want the all important details of which tunes were played by which sounds (something I am not knowledgeable enough to offer, especially with the breadth and depth of tunes on display at this clash. I am but a young dude, and these men represent some of the richest knowledge of reggae history on the planet). So for that, I give you the accounting from someone far more informed than I, Puppah Cadbury from the DancehallReggae board:

Mark Cadbury here morning! ….

Ok here is my attempt at Journalism.. King Jammy’s won the clash in the tune fe tune segment. They did not I repeat did not win any other rounds besides tune fe tune there was no elimination until the tune fe tune segment had already began so Jammy’s saved most of their big tunes. This Proved to be great strategy. They actually during some of their juggling rounds got boos earlier.

Ok Clash started 1 am

Rodigan 1st
Scorpio 2nd
DownBeat 3rd
Jammy’s 4th

Rodigan’s 1st round

1st tune Peter Hunnigale-Thank you lord for blessing Rodigan
2nd tune Luciano “Give Rodign strength oh jah”
3rd tune Kaschief Lindo “Kill dem Rodigian”
4th Tune Wayne Wade
5th tune Horace Andy “you trying to conquer Papa Rodigan”
6th tune- Horace Andy and Freddie Mcgregor “Stop that train”
7th tune Carnell Campbell -Gorgon
8th tune Alton Ellis Cry eternally
9th tune- Alton Ellis Rock steady
10th Bitty Mcclean
11th tune Beres hammond- Serious
12th tune Shaggy (not to great of a forward)
13th tune Gregory Love Overdue

End of Rodi first round- Nice round pretty decent.

Next up Scorpio

Mr. Scorpio playd the Jamaica national Anthem then went into
Beres Hammond-Step Aside Black Scorpio come fe tek over”
then played Dennis Brown Revolution
John Holt’s Stealing and Pick up you sound and throw it away
Derrick Morgan- Blazing Fire
Culture- Jah Jah see dem ah come
Bunny Wailer -rule dancehall
2 Michael Prophet
Tristan Palmer
Bush Man pon Sleng Teng segment
Philip Frazier
Capelton
Bounty
Ended round with Bush Man “Fiya pon ah weak heart”

Scorpio was full of vibes opening round!

Next up DownBeat

Half Pint- Play by DownBeat alone
Hopeton lindo – territory
Half Pint – Greetings
Ken Booth- Move away
Gladiators – step right back
Dennis Brown- On trodding though the jungle with chalice riddim
Sluggy- lightnign and thunder
Pincher- enemies pon downbeat borderline
Far East segment featuring
Barrington Levy
Barry Brown
Gregory “I heard you said to me you wanna be the number”
Shabba
Johnny Osbourne- “Downbeat playing in the ghetto tonight
Malibu
Ended first round with Briggy on the Shenk I Shenk riddim
Also a nice round.

Next up King Jammy’s

Johnny Osbourne- Ooooh what a la la Jammy’s in yuh area
Nitty Gritty Good Morning soundboy
Nicodemus
Freddir Mcgregor= Push Come to Shove
Leroy Gibbons
Johnny Clarke
Pad Anthony- ah murder
2 Dennis Walks
Barrington Levy- Sound Killa
Morgan Heritage

Black Scorpio declared winner of 1st round

2nd round David Rodigan

Rodigan I call this round the Bounty Killer round for Rodi he started beating out the Bounty Killers on the sleng teng and also “Kill or Be kill” “Not another word” “Dead this time” then played anthems by Shine Head, Likkle Roy and Johnny Osborune’s “Reasons”. Played Dennis Brown’s “Rodigan gonna get himself together”. Ended the round with 2 Slim Smith that were “specials” but did not call “name”

Good round for Rodi

Black Scorpio 2nd round

Played a tune Hallelujah
then Shaggy’s Church Heathen
Then did something I thought was the turning point for his sound he played Allison Hinds “roll it gyal” in sound style of which DID NOT get a Forward.
Johnny Osbourne No Ice Cream sound
Gregory
Briggy on the Real Rock (nice forward for the tune but the Allison Hinds tune I think messed up his round in the middle)
Scorpio played- Demus Sound Killer
John Holt- Up Park Camp
Freddie Mcgregor- On the Up Park Camp
Buju- Sound fe dead
Bounty Killer – Up park Camp
2nd round for Scorpio was decent but not as strong as his 1 st round

next up DownBeat
DownBeat plays Junior Murvin
Counteracts Rodigan’s Bitty Mcclean
Proceeds to rinse Marcia Griffiths segment HUGE FORWARDS!
Ken Parker HUGE FORWARD!
Luciano-Onward Christians soldiers
ends round with Leroy Smart Ballistic affair

Big round for DownBeat

next up King Jammy’s

starts round off with 2 Garnetts
Admiral tibbett hich got no forward
Taurus Riley
Bounty Killer
Jr. Gong
Courtney Melody
Sanchez on the Vanity riddim
Cocoa t and Josey wales on the vanity
Jammy’s got BOOS!

Downbeat declared winner of 2nd round

3rd round in between rounds Skyjuice from Metro Media makes a cameo appearance and plays “Dem ah go tired fe see we face”..

Rodi 3rd round

Tanya Stevens “What a war”
Barrignton levy- Sound Killa (which he played back but nobody made a stink about
Barrignton Levy- What kind of world
Sanchez
Fred Mcgregor
Gregory Issaces and Louie Culture
Bob and Marcia
Errol Dunkley
Then Proceeds to play 2 Garnett Silk 45’s! Got a nice forward but annoyed some of the clash participates.
This round was kind of shakey for Rodigan

Next up Scorpio

Lloyd Parks “officially”
Dawn Penn “No No No”
Dobby Dobson- Nice forwards
Alton Ellis
Ends round with Buju

Scorpio gwan good this round

DownBeat 3rd round

Played a Dennis Brown Xclusive special but not calling the sound name
Played d Brown’s Revolution
Then went into the Pressure and Slide riddim segment with Johnny Osbourne, Sugar Minott which mashed up the place huge forwards.
played Roy Richards
Morgan Heritage
Keith and Tex – Tonight
d brown- Tonight
Sluggy
Buju
ended 3rd round with Mighty Diamonds “Tear off the roof”
BIG FORWARD!

Jammy’s 3rd round
Jr. Reid
Alton Ellis
Half Pint
Freddie mcgregor
2 robert Lee
Major Christie
Jr. Cat

JAMMY’S flopped this round.

3rd round declared to DownBeat

Tune fe tune ok sorry bout this guys but my phone battery died..

What I can tell you is that King Jammy’s took all 6 tunes in the first half of the tune fe tune they played Tenor saw’s, Nitty Gritty which eliminated Rodigan. Then as the tune fe tune progressed Jack Scorpio was eliminated. Then it came down to DownBeat and King Jammy’s. Jammy’s played a Burning Spear which Tony Screw said was a fake which I agree it sounded suspect to me also. Then played something that he said was a Burning Spear intro. Nevertheless King Jammy’s edged out DownBeat and took the trophy. It was a great night of music Jammy’s you used a good strategy to win this dance.

And this from Cadbury further down in the thread:

DownBeat actually won 2 rounds, Black Scorpio won the opening round officially, and King Jammy’s won the tune fe tune. If and I say “If” the format was before the tune fe tune one sound eliminate by all means Jammys would have been eliminated before any tune fe tune but so the rules set up. Jammys even said it himself he made a speech that the other sounds play out dem belly already an nah have nuttin fe tune fe tune.

There you go, folks. Thanks for reading along.

On Saturday, Ninja Man was charged with murder.

Yesterday Luciano was charged with harboring a fugitive.

Let’s hope everything works out for the best.