Music speaks to us. In author Felicia Pride’s case, the unique storytelling of hip-hop music has ushered in life lessons and articulated many of her personal experiences—from being broke while living in New York to understanding why friends (How many of us have them?) are hard to find. Join her as she chats about THE MESSAGE and how hip-hop songs have given her relationship advice, offered insight into politics and social issues, and propelled her to follow her passion. Jam to songs featured in THE MESSAGE and share what songs compile the soundtrack to your life. For more information visit www.feliciapride.com

VIBE magazine and Sister 2 Sister both think THE MESSAGE makes a great gift. Knock out all your holiday shopping! Purchase autographed copies of THE MESSAGE this Thursday and Friday.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2007
Brooklyn, NY
Listening Party, Book signing, and Discussion for THE MESSAGE: 100 LIFE LESSONS FROM HIP-HOP’S GREATEST SONGS
Brownstone Books | 7:00 pm
409 Lewis Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11233
A or C train to Utica Avenue
718-953-7328
Free!

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2007
Harlem, NY
Listening Party, Book signing, and Discussion for THE MESSAGE: 100 LIFE LESSONS FROM HIP-HOP’S GREATEST SONGS
Hue-Man Bookstore | 6-8 pm
2319 Frederick Douglass Blvd, New York, NY 10027
Between 124th and 125th Streets
Tel: 212-665-7400
Free!

On Friday June 22nd I was blessed to host a listening party with my favorite blogger and music critic extraordinaire, Jalylah Burrell.  The theme that Jalylah and I decided for the evening's discussion was "blue eyed soul."  This theme fit neatly with my meditations on Teena Marie in the chapter on "Portuguese Love," and Jalylah's recent work on the new crop of b.e.s. artists Justin Timberlake and chanteuse au current, Amy Winehouse. 

This listening party was held at Smooch Organic Cafe in fort greene brooklyn (yes, I do have events outside of brooklyn).  The discussion was very animated as we went from discussing Winehouse to the notable black women artists whose work she finds herself being compared to, most notably Lauryn Hill.  As music critic Oliver Wang noted in March: "she's a Jewish, British gal gifted with a voice that's part of the Billie Holiday/Erykah Badu/Lauryn Hill/Madeline Peryoux school of bourboned warmth and rasp, who was a jazz torch singer last album and has, for Back To Black, reinvented herself into a Stax/Motown era song slinger."

 Once we got to talking about Lauryn it was clear to see that people were beginning to open up.  From Lauryn we went on to Erykah Badu, to recollections of Patti Labelle, before making our way over the fellas, namely D'Angelo and the Voodoo that so many of us clamor for him to still do. 

Jalylah is such a generous facilitator and I hope to be able to return the favor when her book drops in the not too distant future.  She helped guide the conversation from the personal to the poltical, from immediate memories to the immediate present, and creating a space in which we can laugh, share openly and think critically.

On Sunday June 17th I had the pleasue of co-hosting a listening party with Beats, Rhymes and Life co-editor Kenji Jasper.  This was the first co-hosted listening party in Brooklyn and it went well.  Along with being the author of a number of novels and the memoir, The House of Childress Street, some of Kenji's work has also been published via Harlem Moon, the same imprint that published Songs in the Key of My Life. 

The party was held at Brooklyn's Grand275 bar and cafe and attracted an eclectic sample of fort green/clinton hil residents, along with a few friends who made the trek from as far as Providence and metaphorically far uptown NYC. 

 It was interesting shepherding this dialogue along with another person.  At times I found myself sitting back and playing the role of spectator and enjoying the dialogue from the outside looking in.  During these moments I was afforded moments of reflection and even introspection that are not as easily acquired at events where I am the sole facilitator.  This was also the first time that the conversation stretched beyond the contents of the books and into the seedy underbelly of the music industry.  Having never  been inside my contributions in this segment of the conversation were mostly speculatiive. 

Still, the dialogue did manage to draw out some of the recurring themes, finding oneself through music, the shifts in black identity caused by the emergence of hip hop, and what is becoming more apparent with each listening party a fond remembrance of days gone by, a revelation that surely points how my peers and I are growing older by the day.

F.L. 

Oh my.  It has been quite a while since I posted a journal entry.  Since my last entry I have ventured to New York, Chicago and back to New York. 

In Chicago I was warmly feted by Bernadette Atuahene and her "mighty, mighty, mighty" Chi-town crew. 

I had my first NY event on May 30th at Saje Lounge in Brooklyn.  For all those travelers from the Francophone Caribbean, Saje is a great spot to convene and chat it up with Pascale de Guadeloupe et Shakespeare d'Haiti.  Pictures from the event can be viewed here.  Thanks to Richard Louissaint for documenting the evening. 

 Two more radio interviews are available online. 

June 6th, I did an interview with WBAI's Deepa Fernandes on her wakeupcallradio program.
http://www.archive.wbai.org/files/mp3/070606_080001wuc.MP3 

June 14, KPFA's Weyland Southon did a feature on Hard Knock Radio
http://kpfa.org/archives/index.php?arch=20744 

The internet(s) are also putting Songs in the Key of My Life on blast.  It was chosen as the Book of the Week on AOL Black Voices More Than Words Blog
http://blackvoices.aol.com/blogs/2007/06/08/book-of-the-week-songs-in-the-key-of-my-life/ 

Songs...also received a warm shout on the blog cypher and syllable.  keep an eye out on that one as it develops
http://mparham.wordpress.com/2007/06/11/slow-going-cns/ 

Finally, if you check out the Book Tour page you will find some updated events.  There are slew coming up in the next few weeks in BK and DC that hopefully you will come out and support.  

Till we meet again

Be Well

FL