Katie Tobin
@ Tattoo
Q:How do you keep your life clean?
A:"I don't own any cars and I do almost all my shopping from farmers markets."
WHITE RAPPERS SEEM to fall one of two ways. You can either gain major success in the underground scene but never fully break into the mainstream (Atmosphere, Sage Francis, Aesop Rock, El-P, Cage, Yak Ballz and practically every other rapper on the Definitive Jux label) or become overwhelmingly popular, sell millions of records and compromise your integrity (Eminem, basically).
There are exceptions here and there — elder statesmen the Beastie Boys, for example, are fighting becoming caricatures of themselves while also legitimately working for social causes (such as the Tibetan freedom movement), even if their current creative output will never be as good as "Paul's Boutique" was — but it's not an easy path to walk. Just ask Vanilla Ice.
So it's impressive, then, that Asher Roth's "Asleep in the Bread Aisle" (SRC) is actually not awful, considering that the young rapper's somewhat superficial college-loving shtick drives most of the album.
But the thoroughly non-threatening collection of self-aggrandizing tracks about getting wasted, getting laid and getting high — all with nods to "Mario Kart," hot moms, beer pong and $1 slices of pizza — never gets too repetitive, and thanks to catchy instrumentation, guest spots from the likes of Cee-Lo, Keri Hilson and Chester French and Roth's own happy-go-lucky wordplay, "Asleep in the Bread Aisle," isn't a horrible way to spend 55 minutes. There are no thematic concepts here that haven't already been covered by The Cool Kids, Eminem or Atmosphere, but that doesn't keep "Asleep in the Bread Aisle" from being an infectious, solid freshman effort.
Continue Reading "Slim, Not Shady: Asher Roth, 'Asleep in the Bread Aisle'" »
WHEN DELORES WILSON decided it was time to remove the late 1980s-era striped wallpaper from her powder room and coat the walls in a textured beige-green paint combo, the project was far more daunting and extensive than any other she had undertaken. But she wasn't worried. That's because she had a dedicated team of three other women to help her out, even as the project hit its low point, when all four were crammed inside the tiny bathroom, scraping at stubborn scraps of paper with putty knives.
"I would never have done it on my own," says Wilson, 46, of Bowie, a safety manager for the government and a member of the Do It Herself Meetup Group of Prince George's County. "It took me years to even get up the nerve [to start the project]. But once I was talking to the ladies, it was, like, power in numbers."
The Do It Herself group, which has about 13 members, gets together a few times per month to work on members' home improvement projects- everything from replacing a vinyl kitchen floor to installing an automatic light switch in a garage. And it seems they are on to something; an Associated Press story published in November noted that DIY clubs have recently begun to spring up across the country as homeowners try to save money amid the recession.
Continue Reading "They Know the Drill: An All Female D.I.Y Group" »
IF YOU'VE NEVER heard the Prince George's County power pop quintet the Dance Party, you should know they didn't pick their name to be ironic. They really do want people to dance and party, as evidenced by their wild shows and goofy song titles like "Sex Disco" and "New Wave Drugz." In other cities, such a hedonistic musical approach might seem passé, but in the earnest D.C. scene, their rowdiness has made them stand out.
"I think around here there's been a kind of idea that music is very serious," says lead singer Mick Coogan. "There's lots of post-punk going on and political-minded bands. We found that there are a lot of people that just want to come to a show, let their hair down, get loose and party backstage — and just go crazy."
TIRED FROM HOLIDAY shopping and festivities? Hop in the car and drive through Watkins Regional Park in Prince George's County to see an annual holiday display that features more than a million twinkling and animated lights.
Brightly lit displays of Christmas trees, dreidels, Santa and trains are sure to bring smiles. Don't forget your camera as well as some canned goods to donate to locate food banks; it'll make you feel extra jolly.
» Watkins Regional Park, 301 Watkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro; through Jan. 1, 5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m., $5 car or mini-van, $15 mini-bus; 301-699-2456
Written by Express' Hannah Kim
Photo courtesy Maryland National Capital Park & Planning Commission
REGGAE IS HARDLY a niche genre, but Jamaican performer Beenie Man took it one step further and became an international superstar by combining upbeat dancehall with R&B, and by working with hip-hop names.
Catch his worldly blend of genres when he performs at Crossroads Club in Bladensburg on Saturday night.
» Crossroads, 4103 Baltimore Ave., Bladensburg, Md.; Sat., 9 p.m.,$25.; 301-927-1056.
Photo by Jonathan Mannion
ONE SUMMER DAY last year, Prince George's County and City of Bowie police approached a townhouse on Piller Lane. The county sheriff SWAT team stared at the door, awaiting its signal.
Pvt. 1st Class Jamie Anderson was there. A week before, the city of Bowie police officer had made a routine traffic stop. "The driver bailed and ran," she says dryly, "and dropped a pound of marijuana."
The driver had run toward this house, and research linked the car's registration to this address. Anderson wrote up a search warrant, laying out probable cause for a raid and outlining public dangers of not investigating. Among them: "The house was 200 to 300 feet from a school and right in front of a playground."
Continue Reading "D.C.'s Finest, Apply Here: Becoming a Police Officer" »
IN CIRCUS SHOWS, it's usually the clowns making the funny and the acrobats bringing the oohs and aahs. But Cirque du Soleil is no typical circus, and with its new touring show, "Kooza," the roles have changed a little. Merging the two circus traditions, acrobatic performance and clowning, the show explores identity and power.
While David Shiner spent part of his youth in D.C. (no comment on whether he was class clown at Suitland Junior High School), he took his passion for humor global. With a resume that includes being a street mime in Paris, a clown with international renown, a movie and Broadway performer, Shiner tells us what inspired him to develop this show.
» EXPRESS: How is "Kooza" different from other Cirque du Soleil shows?
» SHINER: This is an art form of a one-ring circus that has elements, with great acrobatics and great comedy. It's simple in its form, but complex in its structure. We chose some of the best artistic acts in the world, and the skill level is just mind-boggling. It focuses on the connection with the audience.
» EXPRESS: Your career has spanned quite a spectrum. What do you consider your personal highlights?
» SHINER: I loved working with Cirque du Soleil in 1990. Also, when I worked with Bill Irwin on Broadway on the production "Fool Moon." Now I'm excited about "Kooza." I'm the first American director of Cirque du Soleil. This is all my own.
Continue Reading "Clown Confession: Cirque du Soleil's David Shiner" »
LIKE EVERY OTHER serious contender for "America's Next Top Model," Isis King knows her stuff when it comes to makeup.
"A little lip gloss helps freshen any look," the Prince George's County native says. But when she offers another nugget of wisdom — "I've learned concealer is your best friend" — it's hard not to recall that King, who was booted at the end of last week's episode, is not entirely like the other women on the show.
Although they all had to work it in a series of shoots, King faced the additional challenge of posing in skimpy outfits while obscuring from view signs that she's a pre-op transsexual. Not that the other contestants and panel of judges weren't clued in. From the first round of the competition, her fellow models gabbed catty comments to the cameras. And host Tyra Banks sent her packing with a speech telling her she was already an inspiration to the LGBT community.
DIABETES, WHICH AFFECTS ONE IN 13 D.C. residents, can't be cured with a wardrobe overhaul. A better makeover includes building self-confidence and healthier habits, which is why women are invited to attend Divabetic, a free education program that lures folks with massages and manicures, but sneaks in lessons on how to get healthier. This Saturday, it's paying a visit to Camelot by Martin's at 1 p.m. (13901 Central Ave., Upper Marlboro, Md.; pregister at Divabetic.org).
The event features six stations, focusing on topics such as nutrition and goal-setting. Movement takes center stage at the "Twist & Shout" stop, led by Rochelle Rice, author of "Real Fitness for Real Women." She relies on Pilates to help them find their alignment, yoga to better their breathing and resistance bands to start challenging their muscles — all with modifications for folks with bigger bodies.
So, triangle pose leads to reaching for the seat of a chair instead of the ground. Cans become makeshift barbells. And Rice addresses the details that can make or break an exercise resolution: "One of the problems we have is when women are told to exercise, they get secondary injuries, like chafing thighs and aching feet. So, before you start a walking program, we can talk about what to wear and stretches for the feet."
Her ultimate goal is to get women to shake their groove things. "They get dancing, and the heart just sings," she says. "If they danced one song a day, I'd be happy."
Photo by Ramin Talaie
FROM THE FIRST AIR JORDANS to a fresh pair of Vans, sneakers are more than practical street or sport footwear — they're art. With that concept in mind, Art Whino owner Shane Pomajambo teamed up with kicks company Tagur for "Inked Souls," an exhibit of customized sneakers opening on Saturday — and sticking around — at the eclectic gallery's waterfront space.
» EXPRESS: How did this show come about?
» POMAJAMBO: I own Art Whino, and I've always been interested in trying to bring this kind of art form from California and New York to the D.C. area. This area is not really known for having any scene for this kind of art, and my goal is to have amazing shows and have people think about us when they think about this type of art.
» EXPRESS: What type of art do you mean?
» POMAJAMBO: I call it lowbrow or pop-surrealism — stuff that's emerged in the last 10 years from skateboard culture in California, like the breakdancing that happened in the '80s in New York.
Addison Road