The Great Willie Bester

So perhaps there has been a bit of a misnomer. Using, "The New Americulture," as a title may be too strong of a statement.

The world is so much larger than America, isn't it? In my American foolishness, sometimes I forget.

Yesterday, I visited the Detroit Institute of Arts and I discovered a new favorite artist. It is a beautiful experience to walk into a room and be moved by the thoughts and expressions of people you have never met. To understand, misunderstand and not understand the creation and construction of artists.

What would the world be without great art? Without art -- perhaps it's greatness is implied and stating so would be redundant.

Welcome to the world of Willie Bester. Enjoy.

Please visit Willie Bester at http://www.williebester.co.za/.

Great Lyricists: Adam Falkner

At some point, everyone needs a push, a bit of encouragement. There are critics who ask, What good can poetry do? Or, what difference can poetry make?

Sometimes, even writers begin to question what difference any of their efforts make. Until later, you stumble upon the teacher-poets. These spoken-word artists, these writers are inspiration personified. And their works of honesty, transparency and truth makes you want to get off your ass and do something. Anything. Write. Speak. Yell. Scream. Teach. Learn.

Begin again.

If you follow a poet long enough, even from a distance you will witness the miracle of growth. Falkner, and many of the poets who he inspired and those he was inspired by, is the exhibit of growth and the possibility of change.











Please Visit: http://louderarts.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=248:adam-falkner&catid=37:poet

The Talent of Black Violin

There are artists in the world who are bridge builders. These artists bring together centuries of artwork, blending their own talent with what people love and yearn for. Those that can master the universal language, music, are able to speak across boundaries from the classical world into hip hop culture.

Black Violin consist of two emensely talented men. If you have the opportunity, you should definitely see them live. Whether through electric or traditional violins, their vibrato will slip beneath your skin and move you -- demanding your attention and respect.

There are those who say that the power of hip hop lies in it's ability to, "demand an instant affirmative." As soon as the beat drops, you begin to nod your head.

Black Violin makes the demand. Yes! When they begin to play, you immediately begin to bob your head to the hip hop rhythms. And after awhile you'll realize -- wait, this is classical.

It's both. It's a beautiful unison.













Please visit Black Violin at: http://blackviolin.net/

The Truth of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

There is a beautiful generation of writers publishing all over the globe, demanding the attention of people of all ages, backgrounds, desires and interests. Adichie is one of the writers whose fierce realism and poetry-embedded prose is leading a literary movement that redefines what beauty is and why it must be noticed, appreciated and preserved.

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http://blackbookshelf.blogspot.com/2009/08/31-thing-around-your-neck.html

http://blackbookshelf.blogspot.com/2007/12/beauty-of-sun.html

Please check out Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie at: http://www.halfofayellowsun.com/

Great Lyricists: Long Hairz Collective: Joe Reilly, Will Copeland & Brian Babb

There are artists, and there are activists. In divine order, there appears those who are destined to be both. These artivists are a beacon of light for each person who encounter them.

These artivists are the peace makers.

These artivists are the feminists.

These artivists are the dream.

Once I read, "I am the culmination of my ancestors dream." These words uttered and etched by Alice Walker are the embodiment of now. We all are the culmination of a dream once believed unseen.

The artivists are the ones who know it.

I am certain that I have found the greatest song ever written. "America 2001" is a classic. I believe it could be an anthem of a millennium. One would be hard pressed to find a song that describes America since the millennium.



What happened to holiness
Do you know how lonely life gets,
Trying to worship in a community of deceivers?
The unity of believers
like sustaining pain relievers
are hard to find, so
little children like myself
lie attending to kill themselves
as often as they kill time
You see
Prodigal sons and daughters are being born every day
But become lead astray
Learning to consume society's ways

--Brian Babb

This country, founded in violence,
Needs protection, not by missile defense
But from its own pretense, from our own presidents
How evil can you get?
Child, you ain't seen nothing yet
Pass legislation. But you can't erase
Imagination. What about emancipation?
What about incarceration?
What about exploitation
of Indigenous nations?
That colonization.
Not just equality, we choose ecology.

--Joe Reilly

See I'm not talking about chilling with politicians
I want shamans and wizards to be handling business
This black man is a man on a mission
Examine conditions
Cause, we don't got time to be
Standing and wishing
Sitting while our thumbs are twiddling
Crying and Bitching
I want teachers trying to teach
And children trying to listen
Now I ain't protesting no more
I'll just be buying the building
Cause it's the new school
This time we won't be lying to children
With proper History, Identity, and yes, Peace Studies

-- Will Copeland

The Great Ms. Walker

African America has a great, long matrilineal legacy of Walkers. Our first black millionaire was the renowned Madam C. J. Walker. Literature and Feminism alike were both radically changed by the poet novelist essayist scholar Alice Walker. Blackness was defined and redefined by the poet Margaret Walker.

Now, paving a new vision of what art is, what blackness is, what womanhood is, and what history is lies the work of Kara Walker. Art scholars, admirers and novices alike are amazed as Walker lives up to the powerful grace of her name.











Please visit: http://learn.walkerart.org/karawalker?n=Main.HomePage

The Vision of Tyree Guyton

There are some artists who remind you that beauty and possibility is everywhere. All it takes is a breath, a moment and a will to see beyond what is expected. An artist can transform desperation into hope. And from hope, all things can be built and rebuilt.

Tyree Guyton is an artist in Detroit, who has transformed a neighborhood riddled by scattered abandonment into a living work of art.



I admire visual artists, not only because the look more attentively at the world -- but because they create the beauty that was already there. Through awe and admiration we must give credit to the artists who remind us what it means to live with vision.

The Heidelberg Project located in Detroit, Michigan





Artwork located at Western Michigan University



Please visit: http://www.heidelberg.org/