Party People,

Last year we had a murder that occured in our neighborhood on Halloween. Now this murder had nothing to do with the fact that it was Halloween it was just a matter of timing. However, we all know that it is echoing thru the ‘hood this year and concern is in the air.

Here’s what I propose we do…make the Clay Street Supper Club bigger than ever.

First things, at 630pm we assemble on the corner of Clay and West Washington and have our regularly scheduled potluck supper but, instead of bringing food to eat we bring food to giveaway to the trick or treaters.

Then…let me introduce “The Clay St Cyphers” a collection of artists from both in and out of the neighborhood. This will be hosted by Q’Wali from Clay. It will be a street corner rhyming and spoken word display. We will be going from 8 to 9pm on the corner of Clay and West Washington. Anyone who wishes to be part of the “Cypher” will be given a Kangol hat. We will be filming the excitement and will be creating a web commercial for Kangol.

Please join us tomorrow night starting at 630, dress warm. Thank you in advance for your involvement in this very special event.

Questions, suggestions? Give me a call at 443.857.8775 or knock on my door…51 Clay.

Peace,
Grins

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A friendly reminder from some old friends…

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As late John McCain is complaining about him being negatively treated by the media. I think this next bit of information will highlight that John boy is getting extremely favorable treatment. Imagine if the roles were reversed…take a read below, this is institutionalized racism ladies and gentlemen…

What if the Obamas had paraded five children across the stage, following the debate, including a three month-old infant and an unwed, pregnant teenage daughter?
What if John McCain was a former president of the Harvard Law Review?
What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his college graduating class?
What if McCain had only married once, and Obama was a divorcee?
What if Obama had met his second wife in a bar and had a long affair while he was still married?
What if Michelle Obama was the wife who not only became addicted to pain killers but also acquired them illegally through her charitable organization?
What if Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard?
What if Obama had been a member of the Keating Five? (The Keating Five were five United States Senators accused of corruption in 1989, igniting a major political scandal as part of the larger
Savings and Loan crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s.)
What if Obama couldn’t read from a teleprompter?
What if Obama was the one who had military experience that included discipline problems and a record of crashing seven planes?
What if Obama was the one who was known to publicly display a serious anger management problem?
What if Michelle Obama’s family had made their money from beer distribution?
You could easily add to this list. If these questions reflected a reality, if the tables were turned, do you really believe the election numbers would be as close as they are?

This is what racism does. It covers up, rationalizes and minimizes qualities in one candidate and emphasizes negative characteristics in another when there is a color difference.

And, think of this – the candidates’ educational backgrounds:

Barack Obama:
Columbia University – B.A. Political Science with a specialization in International Relations.
Harvard – Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude

Joseph Biden:
University of Delaware – B.A. in History and B.A. in Political Science.
Syracuse University College of Law – Juris Doctor (J.D.)

John McCain:
United States Naval Academy – Class rank: 894 of 899

Sarah Palin:
Hawaii Pacific University – 1 semester
North Idaho College – 2 semesters – general study
University of Idaho – 2 semesters – journalism
Matanuska-Susitna College – 1 semester
University of Idaho – 3 semesters – B.A. in Journalism

Education isn’t everything, but this is about the two highest offices in the land as well as our standing in the world.

You make the call

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You know I have oft wondered what would be the best course of action for that building that sits on the corner of Clay Street and West Washington Street. Ahh, in case you are just joining us, I mean 49 Clay Street. This building has been featured on this blog several times:

It first appeared here:
http://www.iliveonclaystreet.com/archives/16

Most recently the back of the building was featured here:
http://www.iliveonclaystreet.com/archives/278

Well this building which prior to its current incarnation as “the building on the corner of Clay and West Washington”, was called The Bramble Building, and the Annapolis Times building (yes that Annapolis Times). About 6 months or so ago that building was purchased by 1st Baptist Church. The parishoners at the behest of their Pastor Reverand Boston commingled their cash and made the buy. I believe the total cost was in the neighborhood of a half a million bucks. Word.

Well, not much has changed in the 6 months that they have owned the building. When it was first bought there was much cloudy speculation as to what would be developed. Currently, there is only one tenant, The Computer Learning Center run by Mark Thomas and Tim Boston. Phenomenal spot, about 8-10 computers packed every afternoon with kids from the neighborhood, all learning different programs and skills but, most importantly just using computers.

That opens up an amazing can of worms doesn’t it? Many of us take for granted using a computer, in fact I recently read a statistic in a high flying tech firm’s presentation about its company, that stated people are spending 9% of their time online. Many on Clay Street are not using it at all. That means we are at the obvious low end of the curve. In this respect Clay is not so good. I could get on a tirade here about all the money is not getting here and I could be met with pushback saying that its a free country kids could go to the library and use the computer or someplace to that effect. You and I would both really know though that its not the same.

But, getting back to my original thought…Clay Street Records.

“The building on the corner of Clay and West Washington” should be molded into a recording studio, a live recording practice area, and an artist development atmosphere should be created. I would borrow the idea from some homies of mine out in Buffalo, New York who I mentioned earlier this week, Deep Thinka Records. The front door should be all glass emblazoned with a cleverly created logo “Clay Street Records”, get rid of the old school wooden doors, the windows that surround the upstairs should be replaced with greener more insulated options. The flat openly exposed roof should be filled with solar panels. Now, my “green” knowledge is not as thorough as it should be but, the city is adopting a very “green” stance so that could easily be rectified with some professional guidance.

Walk with me a minute, so we go through the front doors and into Clay Street Records in the “Pearl Bailey Building”, you were wondering when I would get to that right? There needs to be some historical respect paid to those musicians that have graced this place before us and what better than naming one of the commercial crown jewels for a successful woman who spent time here?

Back to the walkthrough, so as we enter you will see an area dedicated to learning and working the craft of promoting your music, film, art, etc. This will be an open air “high-tech start up” type of space. To the back of the office spot will be the walled in completely digitized 21st century recording studio. Enough space to move around both in the booths and in the production room. Moving further still we would create a room where practice session could occur so artists could perfect their craft in a public forum. Rounding out the downstairs there would be video production room where aspiring filmmakers could be working on shooting, editing, and producing high quality video.

Upstairs there would be both office and living space so, we could entertain artists from out of town and to have a space for those artists to live that are advancing their craft to the point that would merit more focus.

There would be a hip hop spin on the building but, would not be dedicated only to hip hop. All forms of music and film would be welcome as it is important in this IPod shuffle world for all types of music to be welcome to your ears. This would also foster greater creativity. Imagine a folk singer crushing the hook to a new school rap track. “Sky’s the limit, keep on pressing on”

Ladies and Gentlemen, how have you ever been? We have a winner. I will begin reaching out to the people at 1st Baptist Church in short order. If you see Reverand Boston tell him Timmy Grins has an idea.

Mark your calendars in the tradition of Motown, Harlem, Chicago, Atlanta, Brooklyn, LA, Houston, Nashville…enter ANNAPOLIS.

Think a second, we have a significant history, one that has been swept under the rug…”THE REBIRTH OF COOL”.

Attention old school Annapolitans, this will not destroy the cherished boating heritage, it will augment it in a way you can not imagine. Take the last word of my last sentence, find it under SONGS in your IPod and play it, then check back with me.

Peace.
Grins

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Ladies and Gentlemen!!!

We Care and Friends in association with Flawless Fest present:
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If you want to help out with the event please contact Marcus Hayes at: Mdecimal@gmail.com or 443.454.2999

CLAY IS SO GOOD

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