Thursday, May 14, 2020

OUT 39--OUT ON THE TOWN

HEY OUTSTAGRS!

ITS THAT TIME!!


TIME TO GET TOWNED!!!




As we continue to gather ourselves on this Coronavirus pandemic  and public events  and entertainment and leisure establishments closing,  people are managing and trying to adjust  to quarantining themselves at home people are trying to find ways to keep themselves busy and unbored with family, relationships  and themselves. 





This week's topic is: BOOSTING THE IMMUNE SYSTEM



As we continue to remain vigilant during the pandemic, there have been pros and cons about the STAY AT HOME mandates that city and state governments across the country--even protests for the mandates to be lifted.

But those instances shouldnt deter us from the main issue--keeping healthy.
More specifically--immune health.

Just as it is when you try to keep from getting sick from a cold or flu, mainyaining a healthy immune system will help rid of those ailments.

And it can work for COVID.

Here are a few things that can be done to boost your immune system--naturally on the daily.

1.Excercise. Getting the muscles moving and running can help rejuvenate the immune system. Home workouts and backyard sprints are great ways for this and it induces endorphins from the brain to relax the body from stress.

2.Drinking water. Keeping the cells bathed in water will help lubricate and rid the body of inflammation which is the main reason for sickness. Alkaline water is the best but alternatives is drinking lemon tap water (lemons help rid the tap in the water.)

3.Lemon water. Lemons are a great antiviral fruit. its contents in hot water with organic or pure honey (another antiviral food) can keep the immune system elevated.

4.Garlic. The contents in garlic are great to rid the body of viruses. You can chop up a bulb in tiny pieces and scoop honey on a spoon and swallow. Its the best alternative of taking antibiotics from a doctor.  

5.Green Tea. Ginger Root Tea. Oregano Tea.  These herbal teas have great antivriral contents that can drunk cold or hot in a tea cup mixed with lemon and honey.

6.Rest. With all the time that we have these days, having a good day or nights rest for a few hours will help heal the body of any inflammatory problems while using the aforementioned.


'




Our company Maatology Productions will host a private Paint and Sip (PAINt STRIP OR DRAW)  that will be livestreamed on Patreon JUNE 13.  Male models will be posing in artistic nude form at their locations  to be sketched or painted nude by their supporters who will tune in to watch. It will cost $5 on our  Patreon page at www.patreon.com/outonstage . Parts of the proceeds will be donated to a COVID foundation or cause.


We are also seeking more Models who would like to participate. You must be comfortable being in undergear or nude with frontal hidden, have a well lit area to pose, a decent sound mechanism to play music and have a decent build. If thats you,  email to maat.atkins@gmail.com



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FASHIONEERZ

This  segment that highlight African American entertainers who were or are fashion icons who set the standards of fashion.



\This week we  spotlight Grammy Award winning rap artist/actor/entrepreneur, Nelly.


It was announced  that the next VERSUZ will be St Louis bred rap artist Nelly and ATL rap artist Ludacris this Saturday.  Thus, making us highlight one of the biggest selling rap artists in history. 

According to Billboard, Nelly is the fourth best selling ap artists in U.S. history with 21 million albums sold.  Coming onto the breakout scene in 2000 with his multiplatinum album, COUNTRY GRAMMAR, Nelly issued a brand of rap called Midwest Swing and an accentuation on extra "rrrrr's"  (eg. "Hot in Herre").  

He also put St Louis on the map as a city to be reckoned in the hip hop community. From his St Louis Cardinals jerseys in his debut video "Country Grammar (Hot Shit)", to his infamous band-aid under one eye, his exposed muscular upper body , sweat headbands and colorful sweat suits (Which was the name of one of his albums by the way )and his dapper suits when attenfing formal events (including his celebrity attended Black and White Balls that were held in St Louis), Nelly is not just only a rap icon but a fashion icon in hip-hop. 

STREAMERZ




Last Saturday streaming records were broken on IG when the VERZUZ battle between neo soul sistas  Erykah Badu and Jill Scott when over 750K people tuned in at one time to watch. Although the reviews  of the "battle" were mixed, the ladies made history setting  a new series viewership record, overtaking the nearly 525,000 who tuned in to see Babyface battle Teddy Riley on April 20. Their music sales on streaming services collectively pulled 6.7 million U.S. streams on last Saturday and Sunday for their total song catalogs, according to Nielsen y Music/MRC Data, compared with a 2.1 million haul  preceding the showdown.



This 




This weekend we lost three music legends from three generations.

Little Richard,  Betty Wright and Andre Harrell.



We did a random YOU TUBE search on them and came up with the following  videos as tribute to these icons of music. 


Little Richard, The Architect of Rock And Roll performed in a 1950s film with rock and roll dee-jay Alan Freed called DONT KNOCK THE ROCK.  Here is a clip of Little Richard from that movie, performing his hits, "Long Tall Sally"  and "Tutti Frutti." 

Just an FYI---Did you know that James Brown and Jimi Hendrix were discovered by Little Richard and played in his band before they got famous? Did you also know that The Beatles copied his signature Wooooh hollar on their early recordings (eg. "From Me to You, "She Loves You.")



Betty Wright. The Mother Wit of Soul was a singer and songwriter who had a No 1 hit with 'Clean Up Woman" in 1972 when she was 18.  Here is a live clip of her performing one of her hits,  "No Pain, No Gain."

Just an FYI--Did you know that she was the first African American female artist to sell over 500,000 copies of an album on an independent label? She did it with her 1988 album MOTHER WIT under her own record label, Ms. B. 



Andre Harrell.  The  rapper turned record label mogul became  the Berry Gordy of black music in the 1990s when he formed Uptown Records and signed soon to be legendary artists including Mary J Blige, Jodeci and Guy. He also mentored Sean Combs before he formed Bad Boy. The clip is Harrell introducing his Uptown Records All Stars. 

Just FYI,  he started his professional music career in the rap group Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde , became the last president of Motown Records (1995 to 1997)  and he produced the 1990s drama "New York Undercover."



Thursday, May 7, 2020

OUT 38--OUT ON THE TOWN

HEY OUTSTAGRS!

ITS THAT TIME!!


TIME TO GET TOWNED!!!




As we continue to gather ourselves on this Coronavirus pandemic  and public events  and entertainment and leisure establishments closing,  people are managing and trying to adjust  to quarantining themselves at home people are trying to find ways to keep themselves busy and unbored with family, relationships  and themselves. 





This week's topic is: BOOSTING THE IMMUNE SYSTEM



As we continue to remain vigilant during the pandemic, there have been pros and cons about the STAY AT HOME mandates that city and state governments across the country--even protests for the mandates to be lifted.

But those instances shouldnt deter us from the main issue--keeping healthy.
More specifically--immune health.

Just as it is when you try to keep from getting sick from a cold or flu, mainyaining a healthy immune system will help rid of those ailments.

And it can work for COVID.

Here are a few things that can be done to boost your immunes--naturally on the daily.

1.Excercise. Getting the muscles moving and running can help rejuvenate the immune system. Homewrokouts and backyard sprints ae great ways for this and it induces endorphins from the brain to relax teh body from stress.

2.Drinking water. Keeping the cells bathed in water will help lubricate and rid the body of infammation which is the main reason for sickness. Alkaline water is the best but alternatives is drinking lemon tap water (lemons help rid the tap in the water.)

3.Lemon water. Lemons are a great antiviral fruit. its contents in hot water with organic or pure honey (another antiviral food) can keep the immune system elevated.

4.Garlic. The contents in garlic are great to rid the body of viruses. You can chop up a bulb in tiny pieces and scoop honey on a spoon and swallow. Its the best alternative of taking antibiotics from a doctor.  

5.Green Tea. Ginger Root Tea. Oregano Tea.  These herbal teas have great antivriral contents that can drunk cold or hot in a tea cup mixed with lemon and honey.

6.Rest. With all the time that we have these days, having a good day or nights rest for a few hours will help heal the body of any inflammatory problems while using the aforementioned.


'




Our company Maatology Productions will host a private Paint and Sip (PAINt STRIP OR DRAW)  that will be livestreamed on Patreon JUNE 13.  Male models will be posing in artistic nude form at their locations  to be sketched or painted nude by their supporters who will tune in to watch. It will cost $5 on our  Patreon page at www.patreon.com/outonstage . Parts of the proceeds will be donated to a COVID foundation or cause.


We are also seeking more Models who would like to participate. You must be comfortable being nude, have a well lit area to pose, a decent sound mechanism to play music and have a decent build. If thats you,  email to maat.atkins@gmail.com


STREAMERZ

This past week, the new limited series HOLLYWOOD premiered on Netflix. Created by Ryan Murphy, HOLLYWOOD is a seven part series that reimagines how post World War II Hollywood could have been if people of color and women played a part in creating inclusion within an all white male caste system in front  and behind the camera. It also delves into how the seedy side of Hollywood operated with the casting couch forced onto white male actors who wanted to be stars.

But the main thrust of HOLLYWOOD shows how peopeleof color could have been portrayed if given achance to star in movies as well as write  them equal to their  white counterparts.

The series stars Jim Parsons (in an Emmy worthy performance), Patti Lapone  9another Emmy worthy performance) Dylan McDermott, Darren Criss and Queen Latifah who play variosu roles such as the slimey "casting couch"agent, the sexless movie studio owner wife, the washed up actor, the brash director and  portraying real life actors and actresses (Hattie McDaniel, Rock Hudson).

Overall, HOLLYWOOD is a good binge watch. Its a slow burn but when it's over it definitely makes you think on what could have been done if racism , homophobia and misogyny did not rear their heads. 



FASHIONEERZ

This  segment that highlight African American entertainers who were or are fashion icons who set the standards of fashion.

This 

This week we  spotlight Grammy Award winning singer/dee-jay/actress  Erykah Badu.


When it was announced by media putlets that Erykah Badu will be in the next major VERZUZ battle with "sistemporary" Jill Scott, it made us want to highlight Badu and her transformation in fashion.

When we were introduced to Badu in 1998  when her debut album Baduizm was released with the jazzy soul song "On and On." She wore a tall gelee on her head, wore ankhs as jewelry and  sundresses as everyday wear--her earth goddess look. From  her style and music  she was dubbed  the Queen of the Neo Soul Movement.

Since then, she has become a metamorphosis with her fashion choices--from Bantu bald look, long locs with top hats, bushy Afro with space suits and her infamous Group Thought nude walk. 

From her 20 years on the scene, Badu has definitely become a fashion icon for all sistas who are in tune with their artsy soul side.
While surfing YOUTUBE, I stumbled onto song stylist,Patti Austin. A protege of her godfather, Quincy Jones, Austin has been on the scene since her breakthrough album "Every Home Should Have One" in 1981. The clip I found was her performing the title song of this album on the 1980s music show SOLID GOLD. The song is very catchy and her vocals lies over this bouncy pop  groove like cool running water. 
YOU CAN CHECK IT OUT AT 


Thursday, April 23, 2020

OUT 37: OUT ON THE TOWN

HEY OUTSTAGRS!

ITS THAT TIME!!


TIME TO GET TOWNED!!!




As we continue to gather ourselves on this Coronavirus pandemic  and public events  and entertainment and leisure establishments closing,  people are managing and trying to adjust  to quarantining themselves at home people are trying to find ways to keep themselves busy and unbored with family, relationships  and themselves. 





This week's topic is: Using social media networks to create programming







As  we monitor the social media sites, the trend these days have been tuning into original programming on Instagram Live. 

In March, rapper/dee-jay DNice took the IG livestreams to a whirlwind of watchers with his daily CLUB QUARANTINE dee-jay spins in the afternoon and slow jams in the evening from his highrise apartment window view. After his monstrous number of watchers, many other dee-jays from across the country and the world followed suit with their own dee-jay programming.

Then, earlier this week, we got the titan of all IG lives with Timbaland and Swizz Beats series VERSUZ took off and reached its highest peak in watchers with the drama filled Babyface vs. Teddy Riley Battle. After two failed attempts (The first round with Babyface fallen ill from COVID and the second from the much memed fiasco with Teddy Rileys tech difficulties during the live stream.). The third time was the charm when the battle had finally taken place this past Monday with over 500 K people trying to log on and breaking the internet.

As we see, social media can be used when there is a captive and captivated audiences.

Meanwhile creative people have done interviews, podcasts and even private video calls as we eavesdrop of their conversations.  People are using ZOOM, Patreon, and other platforms to create communication and content. So what else can be done? Its up to your imagination to create while the COVID is focusing us to lockdown and get more in tune with creativity.
'





Speaking of social media, our company Maatology Productions will host a private Paint and Sip that will be livestreamed on Patreon sometime in May  (TIME TBD).  Male models will be posing to be sketched or painted nude by their supporters who will tune in to watch. It will cost $5 on our  Patreon page at www.patreon.com/outonstage . Parts of the proceeds will be donated to a COVID foundation or cause.


We are also seeking more Models who would like to participate. You must be comfortable being nude, have a well lit area to pose, a decent sound mechanism to play music and have a decent build. If thats you,  email to maat.atkins@gmail.com


STREAMING VIEWZ

While perusing through Amazon Plus and I ran into this indy black horroe film called The House  Invictus. Directed by Nigerian born Uche Aguh, Invictus tells the story of a selected group of ambitious young black men who are invited into Fraternal Society House that is haunted with dark secrets about the actual house. This film gave me a bit of GET OUT and US regarding the diffrent angle of horror. 

There is a plethora of religious symbolism within it mainly of Catholicism as well as homoeroticism that is rarely seen in Black film. Giving a disclaimer at the beginning of the film that the director displayed regarding its denouncing  the occult, the world of black fraternal hazing is definitely on display,. INVICTUS (which also gives homage to the famous poem by poet William Ernest Henley) will get you thinking regarding black life and culture as told from te heyes of an African director. The film  does a decent job in showing the comparisons and contrasts of black men and their history in this country and how America still views them as well amongst themselves. 

FASHIONEERZ


This week we feature a new segment that highlight African American entertainers who were or are fashion icons who set the standards of fashion.



This week we pay tribute to the fashion stylings of singer/songwriter/producer and instrumentalist Prince as we commend the fourth anniversary of his untimely passing from this Earth.


When Prince made his splash onto the music world in 1978 with his first release For You he was a 20 year old wunderkind with an Afro. 
But after that--his music genius got the world's attention as well as his fashions.

There were several iconic looks that defined Prince--the trenchcoat with black bikini underwear and boots (1979-1982), the purple coats and ruffles and  hair curls (1982-1985), and the cut out butt pants (1991).

His looks were androgynous, feminine, and outrageously daring during the pre-hip hop era. But just like his music, his fashions were bold and no holds barred.





This past Tuesday, CBS televised the Prince tribute LETS GO CRAZY. One of the highlights was when soul legend Mavis Staples sang "Purple Rain" with Prince's former band, The Revolution. I did a random search on Mavis singing live in her hey dey and found a live performance of her performing with the Staple Singers in 1975 of the classic spiritual soul song, "I'll Take You There."  It's  a video of the group when when they performed on Don Kirchner's Rock Concert.

A liitle tidbit, Mavis created the phrase SCHMONNE that Michael Jackson made famous on the song, "Bad."