Every Child is Born a Poet: The Life and Work of Piri Thomas (Video)

For the record, before I begin, watching this made me want to add more value to my life, do and promote things with even more substance.

Piri Thomas (Born Juan Pedro Tomás) is a writer and poet born in New York City to a Puerto Rican mother and Cuban father. Piri's been there and done that, saw the mistakes he made in life, decided to write poems and short stories to help rehabilitate himself and later began to spread a message of positivity among youth in the states, Central and Latin America and Europe.

Piri is also known for penning the best-selling, autobiographical, "Down These Mean Streets," a look into the Spanish Harlem neighborhood that molded him. Good, bad and ugly, the book is embraced for its honest portrayal of the life of a young man who was smacked around by life and smacked back.

Honestly, the film started off a little bit slow for me. When I noticed the PBS logo at the bottom, left-hand corner and the playful tone of some the poetry I thought this was going to be, "Sesame-Street-meets-Def-Poetry." However, I'm really glad I stuck with it until the end. It's like a gum-filled lollipop, sandwich cookie or a FAMU football game; it doesn't really get good until the middle.

Identity issues facing Hispanics of all shades, violence, drug use and good old-fashioned Nuyoricanisms all combine to make this an interesting pot of habichuelas (beans).

I'd like to meet Mr. Thomas one day, and get some knowledge and maybe a good story or two over a plate of fricase de conejo or some mofongo and finish with un chispito de Barrilito.*

In hindsight, "Sesame-Street-meets-Def-Poetry," might not be so bad. ... Kids need teaching.

Respeto. Punto.



*Stewed rabbit, refried plantains and a little bit of Barrilito rum. Now you know.

Check Piri out here.

Jay-Z' BET Rehearsal Pictures

I got a chance to watch Jay rehearse his performance for tomorrow's BET Awards. I took a few pictures with my phone. As a photographer, I am a bit ashamed, but in my defense, it's all I had. I made them black and white. ... Because I'm artist, and I was bored. I also saw Bell Biv DeVoe, Guy, Jamie Foxx and Ne-Yo run through some songs yesterday but no pics. Sorry. I was talking to someone the whole time.

Michael Jackson's 911 Call

If you think you might be offended by this, just hit the back button. Thank you.

RIP MJ - Images From UCLA Medical

I decided to stop by UCLA Medical, where Michael Jackson felt his last breath (or was rushed to after it). Here are some images. I have a lot more, but here are some to give you an idea of what was going on. Rest in peace, sir.