Sights & Sounds

Just look at him LOL. Ok now that I got that out of the way, let’s get to some other things about The Strongest & Sexiest Man in Radio – Herkules! He’s a local superstar and becoming more of a national celebrity day by day. Hear him in DC on 95.5 hosting The Coolout late nights and check his global swag on SiriusXM’s The Heat. It might be a bit hard to keep up with this hard-working brotha as he also runs a marketing company, a fitness company, he’s extremely active in the community and recently began flexing those camera-friendly genes of his. College students get inspired by Herk, as host of the BET College Tour. He also hosted the BET-TV  re-cap of the tour. And he’s just added video-star to his resume. He’s in a new video with Love & Hip-Hop star Olivia it’s called Walk Away.  Hey Liv, you got one with this girl. Herk, dude you are gonna be like velcro lol. Check it out everybody.

Ooh this guy – Frank Ocean! Yep they say that cool is perpetual and Mr. Ocean makes me believe it. I’ve been grooving to him on Pandora even tho sometimes the “similar-to-Frank” artists they throw in just throw me off lol. Just don’t get sucked into those conversations with folk that’ll tell you he’s simply a new Maxwell. Nope, Frank’s in a lane all his own. Hear his latest, Voodoo here. I really like this guy.

Ok so I’ve been on a roll with the Supper Club lately checking out dining spots in the area and I’ll be sharing some news and reviews and interviews soon. And I must publicly thank one of my trainers who works me out hard so that I don’t have to worry too much with the hearty appetite I have. Yep, I confess that I am a Taste Addict. Damian Bradshaw who is one of the personal trainers at LA Boxing not only keeps me fit, he gives me awesome art to look at. I only sketch, this man can really draw. He’s so talented. Check out his work.

Troy’s Take

The movie Red Tails hit theaters last weekend, and earned a #2 spot at the box office. You’ve heard the story…George Lucas finally makes the film he’s been trying to make for 23 years, and spends $100 million of his own money to make it happen.Yes, that’s the backstory. The movie is about the Tuskeege Airmen, but the subject of the movie is almost overshadowed by the story of how it got to the screen.

I had an opportunity to see a clip of the movie, along with a 2 hour documentary during CBC 2011. Cuba Gooding Jr., and Terrence Howard, gave remarks as well, talking about the importance of African-Americans supporting this film, and their own willingness to work on the project without getting paid, just to make sure it happened.I saw Red Tails and I enjoyed it, but there wasn’t enough history for me. There are many ways a story based on the Tuskeege Airmen could have been told other than the way it was in Red Tails. What about the training they went through to become Army Avaiators? Or, the discrimination they experienced at the hands of those wearing the same uniforms? Insight into their families who supported them, and the women and children they left behind to fight a war. Seeing on screen what it really took to be a Tuskeege Airman would have added much needed depth to the storyline.

But you won’t see any of that in today’s Hollywood…where style over substance is the order of the day, because there is money to be made. So we end up with stylized, highly researched, ‘marketing vehicles’ (otherwise known as movies) that will maximize the return on investment. This is problematic in the black community because we are still aching to see ourselves represented on screen, and tv. And we have bought all-in to the stylized, watered down version of us…just give it to us, we’ll watch it! Stories of substance are far outweiged by ghetto-fabulous, real, basketball houswifed clowns, and we’re perfectly fine with it.Do I want to see black people on screen? Hell yes! But you can keep the schuckin’ and jivin’. Entertain, AND enlighten me! I excercise my right to keep my cash in my pocket as a consumer, and you should too. Red Tails is prideful, and a good first step…the plane has taken flight.

Maybe Red Tails 2 will deliver the bomb. This is just Troy’s take.

Troy Johnson
President, Association of Black Media Workers – Baltimore

Host, The Hang Suite WHUR 96.3 – Washington, DC &

H.U.R Voices, Sirius XM 141

troy@troyjohnsonradio.com 

Message in the music

How could I not post our President Barack Obama‘s falsetto skills. Of course the song is “Let’s Stay Together.” It is election time right now and the President always has a message.

What’s Right Now – Radar Edition

Somebody’s been tracking you. Yep folk are watching the moves you make, noticing the steps you take and witnessing your wandering around. Don’t worry the lurkers are just taking notes on what they see and experience. And some are just sharing opinion and perspective so you can get a “Yelp-like” review before indulging.

So on this weeks What’s Right Now Radar – FLOTUS, Fast Food, New News and a quickie or two.

First Lady Of The United States, Michelle Obama exemplifies CHANGE. Just as we chanted that word that summed up the message of then incoming President Barack Obama back in 2008, Michelle Obama continues to show us that not much is immutable. She has at once altered our way of thinking and caused us to transform ourselves in order to transform our nation. Michelle Obama has us planning healthier meals, gotten us up and moving with our kids and she has some of you figuring out how to tweet. Yep she recently joined twitter @MichelleObama, go follow. Surely she heard more than a few born-day serenades on January, 17th which was her 48th (by the way, she and the President went to BLT in DC for dinner). Oh and don’t forget how much hipper it got to admit to shopping at Target once we saw that photo of FLOTUS pushing her big red cart around at a Northern Virginia location. Chelly-O is the Real Deal Right Now, always was and will be beyond.

Ok so what’s this about Burger King testing delivery in the DC area? Really LOL. Well I guess if you want it they’ll come around your way with a Whopper or two. And it’ll cost you an extra $2 bucks on top of your minimum $8 – $10 order. Oh and they’ve got this new technology in packaging so you’ve no worry about wilted lettuce or soggy buns. Right now both Subway and even Starbucks take a huge chuck of the market once owned by McDonald’s And with the public push to sit-down that big-headed strange-looking BK mascot and Chipotle chipping away too, well Burger King had to get us to notice them again. It seems they’re the only ones doing the fast food to your living room thing at the moment so it’s flame-broil or bust. We are keeping watch.

It’s time to turn up the messenger and check out another channel to listen. Don’t we like to know What’s Right Now all the time? And for a long time we’ve been getting our news and traffic on the eights on WTOP. But come Monday, January 23, 2012 a new daily checks in at 99.1 on the dial – WNEW. Can I say that I am curious. You know you are just as interested in hearing what it’s gonna sound like and who’s gonna be on. I’ll tell you I’ve missed hearing Lisa Baden. When she did traffic on WTOP, some were as full of love for Lisa as she was full of wit. Others felt a disdain for the drive-time-dame calling her delivery style over-the-top and laden with more fun than facts. But I cannot wait to hear Lisa Baden saying something like, “…Whoomp there it is, another accident on the bridge.” She’s so funny. How about this: Traffic on the nines gets you out of a jam all the time. Teehee.

Ok a couple of quickies Right Now. Do try Taylor Gourmet on 14th NW if you’re in the mood for semi-Philly style subs & sandwiches. They do have a whole wheat bread option Yes YUMMY!

Don’t bother trying the new Tortilla Coast on P NW if you’re in the mood for a Mexican meal. It was a reason that the place was virtually empty on both visits – Uhhh NO!

You’ve gotta see the re-positioning of Kobe. Seek & search Mr. Bryant for those new Kobe System spots. I think he’s also proving that it’s cool being smart or smart is so cool or it’s cool being Kobe. So go find the Kobe System Right Now.

And th-th-th-hat’s What’s Right Now.

Food, Blue & Football

Well The Brooklyn Boss and Queen B decided against all those hilarious names you came up with like: Jayonce and Beyhova. Thank Goodness LOL. Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter and his wife Beyonce Knowles-Carter had their first child, a girl on January 7, 2012. They named her Blue Ivy Carter. We’d all been on baby watch since B showed us her tummy on tv and as the world turns on it’s cyber-axis now, most of us found out the news via twitter. And nope no photo’s have surfaced those funny photoshopped flicks are all we have right now (wonder if The Carter’s laughed). Oh and for the baby who already likely has everything, they say daddy has already given the gift of song, it’s called Glory Look out ya’ll greatness has a new edition…And Jay-Z’s words to his daughter:

…Baby I’ll paint the sky blue, my greatest creation was you…
You’re my child with a child from child of Destiny’s Child
That’s a hell of a recipe…. Glory Glory Glory”

Hey it’s DC Restaurant Week! Yes time for meal deals. I am a bit excited to do some touring and tasting while getting a reduced rate for what often is priced way to high anyway – hooray for prix fixe. Starting right now,  January 9 – 15 from Penn Quarter to Potomac from Reston to Rockville and from Downtown to Old Town restaurants are dishing discounts. Prices begin at $20.12 and don’t go beyond $40 bucks a plate. There are about 200 participating spots so get googling and get eating DMV.

Make sure you get dessert too.

Oh and dare I talk about “that game?” It’s what we are talking about right now right?! Some of you are still stunned that Tebow’s team won. I guess he pulled that proverbial trigger huh lol. Hope there was only verbal brawling at the water cooler because folks were boiling about losing bets and others were shouting about seeing halo’s – really? Oh my, there isn’t a thing else to say but let’s just wait and see who will be going to the Big Game. WOW!

Just What’s Right Now

It is 2012 and there is so much before us. My muscles ache to work and my mind aches to create. I’m sure some great writer gets the credit for those words that ring true to me with the rise of every new day.

All around us we’ve seen those what’s in/what’s out lists. We’ve made resolutions and perhaps some are already bargaining and justifying breaking their deals. New keywords and top search engine tags have emerged and at this moment someone somewhere is on their balcony screaming, “I got next!”

How about just What’s Right Now. Here we go.

FOOD: Taylor Gourmet, that fancy schmancy sandwich shop is the go-to quick-eats spot right now. They’ve opened their newest DMV location at 1908 14th Street, NW. Twitter buzz is suggesting a YUM Factor of 5.

PEOPLE: Tray Chaney on the art of reinvention. He played a character named “Poot” on the Award Winning HBO drama The Wire. Most don’t know the truth about Tray is that he’s a hip-hop artist/positive rapper. He’s still doing his acting thing, however, his current focus is on his family and being a dad and making music. He has a new song called FATHERHOOD that should inspire other dads. The video is directed by Lamar Tyler of the Award Winning website BlackAndMarriedWithKids.com. It’s a good idea to check for both of these men right now. View Tray’s FATHERHOOD – 

TRAVEL/TV: Journey with Anthony Bourdain on his newest television venture The Layover. Although I’ve read more than a few not too kind reviews, I enjoy getting to see more of the bad-boy of The Food Network. The quick pace of the show to cram in Tony’s culinary dibbling and dabbling during layovers are visually intriguing. He seems looser, nicer even. I’m told he’s even quit smoking so this kinder gentler Tony is a nice surprise. Yeah of course you can still count on this master of words to work up your appetite with his lush and pillowy descriptions and coined phrases. Bourdain is STILL right now.

PLACES: The Fillmore Silver Spring. This is a LIVE Nation special event venue that’s just the right size. Not ginormous and not cramped either. Alright, facts: 1. It’s new 2. It has valet parking 3. It boasts big name acts (The Roots, John Legend, MJB, Wale) 4. You are always looking for someplace else to go. Check their calendar for what turns you on at The Fillmore right now.

Alrighty then. That’s it right now. I’ll bring you more later.

~Chel