Lagerfeld Confidential - About love

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Karl Lagerfeld is where it is. Step your fresh game up!
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After a recent concert my life as a music journalist made sense again. The unpredictability in the hustle. Sometimes there are nights that I am staring at the ceiling wondering why I moved to New York . Focus. Pitching ideas. All for the By: Maiya Norton lines that mean the world to me.
So when I got to go to the Common concert without having to write about it I was thrilled. Percee P opened the show. While the music blazed over most of the audience’s head, I was zoned out to his articulately paired euphemisms, sprinkled across igneous JDilla beats.
As usual, nostalgia flooded my music consciousness. I rarely listen to the radio. I rely heavily on my own ever-evolving collection for satisfaction. When I truck to Best Buy I am probably too busy buying some to the left music to tune in to the latest.
When I was in elementary school, my older brother, who is a well respected producer beat me in the head with Goodie Mob’s Soul Food and Tribe’s Midnight Marauders. We listened to stuff like Jungle Brothers. Heltah Skeltah. Nas. Davina. HOV. Everybody. So my tolerance for nonsense was obliterated before I hit middle school. Any anyone who flips through my IPOD or hollers at my extensive CD collection is floored by the diversity.

So when Q-Tip hit the stage I went into a trance. I never knew he had such a knack for showmanship. This dude proceeded to hit every solo joint and Tribe song imaginable. I started to feel dizzy watching every hand in the crowd move perfectly in synch, like we were plucked out of an MTV documentary, to “Electric Relaxation,” “Award Tour” and the shocking “Sucka Nigga.”DJ Scratch is beyond words. He and Tip did a little mixing exchange that is probably better fit for a photo to explain.
Then Tip announced, “I’ma get on my jazz shit” and proceeded to SCAT! Yes. Scat like on some Mos Def meets Jill Scott on codeine. I almost forgot that I came for Common. Q-Tip is strongly competing for one of the best performers I have ever seen.

Then Common blazes onto the stage with hits from Be, Finding Forever and Electric Circus strapped to his waist ready to explode. Despite seeing him at many Vh1 Hip-Hop Honors events, Lonnie Lynn was far from tired and ready to pan the camera to himself for his moment of glory in the very place Hip-Hop music was born. He was sensual and inviting. His presence commanded the attention of everybody in the Nokia theatre.
Hip-Hop is alive. Whether through the old –heads reinventing their sound, or the new generation carving their own niche off the block, there is good music to be made and heard. And I needed that night to remind me of the sessions in my brother’s room listening to GZA and critiquing music and trying to be reminded why I still care.
You all were on my mind like Hip-Hop and I wish you were there with me tonight to understand the gravity that surpasses these pictures. Until next time.


My love affair is back in full swing Jack!

And for some reason my camera did something funky here and it was like a double picture with Common's face (during "Testify") is glowing through that hand.