So tomorrow will be the second time in my life, that I have attended an event at the historic Kennedy Center. The first time I went, it was to see a boring play entitled, "Sheer Madness", and I wouldn't even consider that in the Kennedy Center per se, because it was in a small wing of the building. Tomorrow, I am going to be sitting in a main hall while watching this event. Mr. Bill Cosby will be hosting a musical celebration of some of Spike Lee's greatest films, Mr. Terence Blanchard will be there along with a fine collection of musicians/.

Like most people, I have always had a love-hate relationship with Spike Lee's movies, and I have often felt like I was a little TOO hard on him. In the late 80s, early 90s, Spike was the ONLY black director making movies consistently, and I think lots of black folks unfairly placed all of their wishes and views on Spike's back and expected him to deliver what THEY wanted. Meanwhile, Spike was trying to get his vision in a medium that would allow the masses to see it as well. Now Spike didn't always help his case with his questionable portrayal of women, his occasional heavy-handedness(Michael Moorer wears that crown now), and his constant underdevelopment of main characters. But even now, when I look back on it, I feel like I'm nitpicking(or being a critic), because with directors, it takes a body of work to define them, and I like Spike's body of work, and judging by the movie, Inside Man, he really is improving.

But the one constant in all Spike's movies is the musical score, and its no coincidence that Terence Blanchard has scored most of his movies. Whenever I go see a Spike Lee movie, there is usually one point where you can unmistakably hear note or notes that say, Terence Blanchard was here", and I love that about Spike. It has become as much of a trademark as the characters who mysteriously slide across the sidewalk in his movies. One of my favorite movie scores is the one from Jungle Fever, when Terence Blanchard and Stevie Wonder basically split the music duties and it came out wonderful. So as you can tell, I am definitely pumped and stoked to attend this event tomorrow, and I do my best to write a detailed and thorough report upon my return.

Oh let me tell you a little story about racism. I have had my beard since October 2006, and I must say it looks smashing. Not too many people at my job have said anything about it, which is cool, i'm comfortable with my beardedness. Two days ago, one of my white co-workers began growing a Vincent Gallo type beard, and he's getting comments left and right, which pisses me off. Not only is my beard fuller and more shaped up than his is, but he weighs like 450 lbs..those comments are just out of sympathy man, who are they fooling. Why have they not given me my just due? Racism. Pure and simple. We must overcome.

Be Sure You're Sure - Stevie Wonder(from Jungle Fever)