A Philosophical Message from Van Hunt

"The Announced Intellectual Renaissance" 

"I believe that at the essence of high-minded civilization lies the heart of the independent thinker. At no time has society needed so honest an offering as a free man's art and craft-as right now. I have committed myself to a way of life that is uncompromising-and includes nothing malicious, derogatory, frivolous or culturally digressive in the work that I present. 
But, In the past I have passively/ aggressively attempted to sell my music with the brand of 'ghetto music'...music born out of (and for) the underbelly of Negro society. While the story I painted of my experiences is certainly true, this attempt to paralell my talents with street life was one of desperation. It was a short-sighted and impulsive calculation.....to get my music heard. It was, simply, an insult to myself. the reality is that the origin of my talent remains a gift that comes from a place much older, deeper, richer and more alive than anything that an unfortunate byproduct of our times could ever hope to create. Proper credit to the development of my talent goes to my enablers, my mentors and my own self- determination...not to anything that belies intellect, is demeaning to what culture should aspire to or is lacking in integrity. I shall never again bow down-in any measure-to insecurity, corporate or peer pressure-to do anything other than my very best and most honest. 
I sincerely regret ever having associated myself with the ignorance people have perpetrated upon themselves in the name of survival. I will be the one to qualify what is survival and what is success for me. And, If I am to be one or both, it will be based on the merit of my work alone. 

--Van Hunt" 

Stylish Lexicon

From time to time I'll provide a new word so you can have all powerful diction. You'll be able to tell your friends, "While you're feeding your ego I'll be feeding my lexicon!"

Today's word is:

Beau Monde

(BO mond)

Noun

It means the world of fashion; high society; fashionable society.

Sentence:

In today's withering economy only the beau monde can afford the pretentious clothes from last week's Yves Saint Laurent fashion show. (not a lot of context here but you get the point!)

Now you try. Use it in as many sentences as possible.

What am I listening to this morning?

Erykah Badu-A.D. 2000

Because it's Informative....

Aside from my blog, the internet has tons of blogs you can read about myriad topics. 

Below are my top five blogs (in no particular order) that I think YOU should read.

1. www.claycane.net

-If you want brilliant stories that will make you laugh out loud and the latest movie reivew, celeb interview, or pop culture rolled up in a hilarious ball, Clay has you covered. 

2. rodonline.typepad.com/

-The journalist Rod McCullom provides the latest news on LGBT culture and headlines from around the world. 

3. www.thedailyvoice.com

-Black America's daily news source. A website that provides new articles everyday on every angle of black communities. 

4. ernesthardy.blogspot.com

-If you want to catch noteworthy Youtube videos, thought provoking art critiques, and fla-out "deep" post, the author, Ernest Hardy, of Bloodbeats Vol 1. & 2. will tantalize your mind.

5. chicagoist.com

- I like to know what's going on in my local community and so should you. Check out laist and newyorkist too.

Why should you read these? Like Jada Pinkett Smith said in A Low Down Dirty Shame "Because it's informative..." Check out the clip below, she says it at about 2:28

Good Mornings....(The Gone Butterfly)

(The above photo (now titled good morning) is by Mark Corece!)
Good Morning new day, good morning facebook, good morning extra bold starbucks coffee, good morning twitter, good morning yahoo horoscope, good morning 'do these skinny legs make me look too feminine?', good morning 'nah I'm just over-reacting', good morning CNN,  good morning 'damn I don't want to go to work.' Good morning....

A poem to start your day; by me

Remember butterflies?

The ideal ones.

The black and orange ones.

They flicker and flutter around hoping for a taste.
They crowd around one another trying to create a certain effect.

Sometimes butterflies disappear and they are only imagined.
Their being is forged only enough to suffice being.

But when they are present, they hover in one spot pounding, pounding.
Butterflies are mystical.
Butterflies are beautiful orange and black mysteries.

These days we can only, at least, hope for prototypes.
Don't fret, butterflies will get their day again.

The day will be ideal, filled with orange and black dreams.

You wont forget their mystique. 

Remember them?

The Core of A Soul: Mark Corece

I'd like to re-enter the blog sphere by telling you about the newness of me. 

I want to provide a space of uninhibited free expression (as free as the internet will allow me to be). I want to present true, honest, unabashed self. Gritty, morning breath, puffy-eyed, inconsistently half-ass me. 90's raised, politically driven, radically minded human me. 

The poetic photographer whose films write stories with acrylic film. The person who is in a relationship with being single and whose spirituality is rooted in love with innate goodness (goodness that gets better with growth). Moody, anti-fad (the antithesis of it) garment artist. An unhealthy vegetarian (who is a healthy carnivore) who eats fruit for snacks. 

The son of a 'Son's Mother' whom he loves dearly. Compassionate about those who crosses his path. A person who will give you a pallet on his floor when he only has one blanket. A person whose name has a dark past and it is truly part of his creative extract.

I am Art, 360.