It's A Love Story For The New Age

As if I didn't love Lana Del Rey and A$AP Rocky enough separately, now they have come together as a dynamic duo in Del Rey's National Anthem music video. The video begins with LDR emulating Marilyn Monroe, when she sang Happy Birthday to President John F. Kennedy in 1962. LDR successfully takes on the role of the sex siren that was Marilyn Monroe, as well as the wholesome wife and mother that Jackie Kennedy represented to the public eye. The first scene in which LDR and Rocky are shown together, Rocky reaches his hand out to hold Lana's while in the backseat of their car. This readies the viewer for the next scene of them together, with their mixed children. It really is "a love story for the new age". 

In true Lana Del Rey fashion, the video has fast snippets of footage, this time it is all of her own original footage shot by director, Anthony Mandler. The video is framed with rounded edges, imitating that of slide film. Although National Anthem is a huge nod to the past, LDR incorporates elements that are obviously of the present day: her double-finger ring, her elaborate finger nail designs, hers, as well as A$AP Rocky's tattoos, his fitted hat, and the way in which they are dancing all up on each other (somebody scream JEALOUS!). 

Like DAMN, HELLO! Hot shit.

Now A$AP spoke about the video briefly, and was quoted as saying "It's some cool trippy shit, some real 2015 shit. People are gonna get it in like three years, and that's the whole purpose of it". Now I hate to say A$AP is wrong, because he's not, not really anyway. A lot of people are not going to like or appreciate this video for it's true worth. However, I think it is brilliant, and I 100% get what they were going for, I would go out on a limb and say I'm going for the exact same thing - except I do not want my husband to be assassinated at the age of 46. 

Throughout this whole video I could not help but smile as Lana and A$AP exemplify their (on camera) love for each other. As important as the visuals are to this video, Lana's spoken word at the tail end of the video is extremely significant too:

"And I remember when I met him it was so clear that he was the only one for me. We both knew it, right away. As the years went on things got more difficult - we were faced with more challenges. I begged him to stay, try to remember what we had in the beginning. He was charismatic, magnetic, electric, and everybody knew it. When he walked in, every woman's head turned. Everybody stood up to talk to him. He was like this hybrid, this mix, of a man who couldn't contain himself. I always got the sense that he became torn between being a good person and missing out on all of the opportunities that life could offer a man as magnificent as him. And in that way I understood him. And I loved him, I loved him, I loved him, I loved him. And I still love him. I love him"

At the end of it all, big ups to LDR for executing a video that visualizes the lyrics of National Anthem perfectly. Big ups to her bringing A$AP into the picture, along with those absolutely beautiful mixed children. Thank you, Lana. The visual is stunning. 

- Night Rider

Top 7 Video Boys 2.0

Due to popular demand, here is my second instalment of Top 7 Video Boys...better late than never, right?

seven.
Jennifer Hudson - Spotlight

One of my favourite things on a man is a good head...of dreadlocks. Jennifer Hudson's video boy (Ryan Gentles) has THE best head of hair most definitely. Clean, long, and tight locks, yep, I'm in love. 


Sidenote: J. Hud really should've taken full advantage of Mr. Gentles physical attributes, because his body is to die for. Go click on that link above, you'll be directed to his IMDb page, where you can view photos of him in all of his shirtless glory. 




six.
Monica and Brandy - It All Belongs To Me




Monica and Brandy have done it again. "It All Belongs To Me" is their second duet since "The Boy Is Mine", and the girls have brought double the trouble, and double the fun, with their video boys. I think you will agree with me when I say Monica's man is looking suave AF with his shirt and tie, diamond earring, and fade hair cut. Now, normally I like a good head of hair to run my hands through. But Brandy's bald guy still slays me. Anyway, I'm sure I could find somewhere else to run my hands.








five.

Morgan Page featuring Tegan and Sara - Body Work

I realize that you can barely see this guy's face in the music video. But I do not think it is necessary when he has such a banging body. The way he lifts up Tegan (or maybe that's Sara? It's really not relevant which sister it is) with his legs, the way he dances...please, just come here and dance all over me. 

four.

Monica - Everything To Me

I've got 5 words.

And 1 acronym.

DILF.

three.
Justin Bieber - Boyfriend

Let's be honest, there are a lot of good looking males in this video. Even Justin Bieber (being the skinny white boy he is) looks fly enough. However, one of JB's dancers caught my eye. I think he's the fairest swaggiest of them all.

two.

Janet Jackson - All For You

Janet Jackson's video boy in "All For You" has the sweetest face. Just look at him. I know you're melting. You'll soon be a pile of liquid on the floor. Done. Finished. End of Story.

one.

Kelis (featuring Too $hort) - Bossy

If you do not know who Lawrence Annunziata is, you are missing out. He is quite possibly most definitely one of the best looking men on the planet and Kelis has the pleasure of stepping all over him in this video.

Oh, and not to mention rolling around in the grass together. I am experiencing an immense amount of jealousy.

Annunziata was recently featured on the cover of South Africa's GQ Style magazine. Take a look at the title beside him. It is only fitting that he makes the top of this list. Or any list for that matter. He's gorgeous, stunning, deadly even.

- Night Rider

The Beauty and The Brilliance of Jean-Michel Basquiat

For a year or so I have known Jean-Michel Basquiat by name, and by a print-out of one of his painting's (see below). It hung on my best friend's wall in his Harlem apartment, and I never thought much about it, until...

Two weeks ago I was at my school's library, flipping through the DVD catalogue, when I came across Julian Schnabel's film, Basquiat, and decided to rent it. His 1996 biopic of Jean-Michel Basquiat was extremely captivating. It walked the viewer through his life, including clips from his childhood, his life on the streets of New York, becoming rich and famous, his relationship with Andy Warhol, his drug addiction, up until his premature death in 1988, at the age of 27. This film was so enthralling that I watched it twice within one day. Anyone that has anything to do with art, must see this movie. Watch the trailer, here. 

After watching Basquiat I felt the need to know more about him. I went back to my library and took out King For A Decade: Jean-Michel Basquiat and 30 Americans, which is a book of a current exhibition of masterpieces of contemporary African-American art by the Rubell Family Collection. Basquiat's work is featured along with some other favourites of mine, Glenn Ligon, Wangechi Mutu, Mickalene Thomas, Kehinde Wiley, among many other wonderful, and thought-provoking artists. The exhibit is on view in Norfolk, Virginia until July 15 at the Chrysler Museum of Art. 

One of the most interesting things about Basquiat was how badly he wanted to be famous; how he went from a point in his life where he looked for money on the floors of nightclubs, to having so much money that he did not know what to do with it. Richard Marshall stated "Jean-Michel Basquiat first became famous for his art. And then he became famous for being famous. And then he became famous for being infamous." Another factor as to why Basquiat is so brilliant is the way in which he situated himself into the white dominated art scene of New York in the 80s, how he did not want to be referred to as a "black artist", and the ways in which he subtly or not-so-subtly incorporated black historical subject matter into his paintings and drawings. 

Today I watched Tamra Davis' Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child, which was great because it was comprised of a hour + long interview with Basquiat alongside interviews of his friends and his art dealers. Watch the trailer, here. Tomorrow I am going to buy Phoebe Hoban's novel, Basquiat: A Quick Killing In Art, to learn more about the genius that was Jean-Michel Basquiat. Not only was his way of thinking and applying it onto a canvas brilliant, but his looks went along with it, he was truly stunning. I think it is safe to say, I'm in love with a dead man.

- Night Rider 

The Ultimate Night Rider: Iggy Azalea

Iggy Azalea is one of the trillest artists in the game right now. If you don't know who she is, you are definitely missing out. After downloading her mixtape Ignorant Art, perusing her YouTube channel, and reading Complex's article "Who Is Iggy Azalea?" I have decided she is phenomenally talented. Do not let her bombshell looks fool you. Her flow is to die for, lyrics are impeccable, and her references are relatable - for example, using Skittles' slogan "Taste The Rainbow" on her track "Pu$$y", or her reference to Tupac's death in "The Last Song", "true love died in '96". In addition to her musical and songwriting talents, she is beautiful, driven, and she is hanging off of A$AP Rocky's arm (another up and coming hip-hop artist you need to know - Download Live.Love.A$AP). Lucky girl. And he's a lucky guy. Can we talk about this girl's curves? DAMN. All females packing ass need to grab those American Apparel riding pants, they will get you a million head turns and compliments - some appropriate, and some absolutely uncalled for - depending on where you are when you wear them. 

I would go ahead and say Iggy and A$AP are a couple made in Hip-Hop Heaven (Side note: I really hope this place exists). Although Iggy is originally from Australia, she is currently living a West Coast lifestyle (only makes sense as she credits Tupac as one of her musical influences/obsessions). Her music video, "Pu$$y", filmed in Los Angeles, exemplifies that laid back West Coast living. Sitting on the porch with the sun beating down, laying back, slurping on an ice cream and chilling. A$AP, hailing from Harlem, reps his city in his "Peso" video. Go ahead and watch "Pu$$y" and "Peso" one after the other. Visually, these videos, and the artists behind them, are a match made in heaven. 

Iggy has to tackle being white in a majority rules black world. She also has to endure being a woman in the male dominated world of hip-hop. In her interview with Complex, Iggy states "Hip-hop is, one, black culture, and two it's very male-dominated. The reason that white male rappers can survive and are accepted [is] because they can relate to the masculinity of it all. And the reason that black female rappers can survive is because they can relate to being black. Where can a white female fit in that and relate to it?". Word. 

She goes on to say "I think that we are at a point where hip-hop has evolved. Now we are at a time where a white girl can put a song out and people will start to say, 'Oh, maybe this can work.'" Iggy explains that there are more white rappers today because "hip-hop used to be black culture, now it's so much more. Hip-hop evolved and so did the people that listened to it". She emphasizes the fact that we are in a different time in rap and hip-hop music. In 1964, Sam Cooke wrote the famous "A Change Is Gonna Come", covered by the likes of Otis Redding and Seal. Nearly 50 years later we are still changing and evolving as a society, surely "It's been a long time coming, But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will". Let's continue to break down barriers.

- Night Rider

The Promotion of Miscegenation

Hello Night Riders,


I have not posted in awhile, and I am happy to be back. It is important for me to blog but it is more important for me to write about significant topics, and things that are worthy of writing about. I have been slowly adding to this post for weeks, and finally it is ready. What better a day for this to be posted than on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. May his words and actions live on in the mouths and hands of today's people. 


Miscegenation is a term that combines the Latin words miscere ("to mix") and genus ("race") . Miscegenation is very important to me, as it brings us closer to racial ambiguity, and hopefully, to racial equality. 


In my life, I have not personally experienced harsh racism. When you're white, growing up in a predominantly white neighbourhood and going to school where the majority of people are white, there is no racism to be experienced when your skin is the same colour as the next person. However, the problem lies therein. It may foster an ignorant child to become a racist adult. There are various degrees of racism, and each and every form of racism is absolutely outlandish and offensive. After a recent discussion I had with a white male I was truly disgusted, outraged, embarrassed, ashamed and deeply offended by the way in which he spoke about the black race, and more so about my interactions and relations with black people. I do not want to make this personal, however this issue hits home for me. I have dated people of different races, and I know what my preference is (as I'm sure you do too). It is my belief that I will marry a black man, and have mixed children. I do not believe that I am closed minded as I have experienced what it is like to be with different races, cultures, and religions. Due to the fact that I have been half of an interracial couple in the past, and plan to be in the future, I am invested in the progression of acceptance to the mingling of races. To quote the great Martin Luther King Jr., "We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. [...] No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until 'justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream' ". It is my dream to see interracial couples, all over the world, not only be accepted, but not have judgment cast upon them. A person should be able to do what they want to do, and be with who they want to be with, so long as they are not hurting themselves or others in the process. 


People consistently ask me "When did you start liking black men?" or "Why do you like black men?". First of all, let's shut down the stereotype of "all black men have large penises". That is not the reason why people like black men, because it is a generalization. It is a generalization just as "all asian men have small penises" is. Some things, and some feelings, are unexplainable. Even as you begin to describe why something is, you may realize it cannot be encapsulated in the words that you can possibly say, and rather it is a feeling that just makes sense to you. I believe that people are often intrigued by those who are different from them. That is one of the reasons why I am attracted to black men. People have the power to teach others, and learn from others. How can I learn from someone who grew up the same way that I did? How can I be stimulated (mentally, emotionally, physically) by someone who is just like me? Most often, in friendships, and more so, relationships, people stay within their own racial, cultural, and religious groups, because that is what is easy for them, what is normal for them, what makes sense to them. What makes sense to me is soaking in differences, and seeing the beauty in what others have to offer. I am reading a book called Interracial Intimacies: Sex, Marriage, Identity, and Adoption by Randall Kennedy. In the introduction, he discusses people looking for companions in the personals of a newspaper, "A retired New York City police officer noted that he had restricted his search to white women because his going out with a black woman would have caused great stress between him and his "Archie Bunker neighbors." The police officer stated "I was looking to make life easier". This, for me, is not a good enough reason as to why I should be with someone who is like me.


In 1963, in his "I Have A Dream" speech, Martin Luther King Jr. said "the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination", and most unfortunately, nearly fifty years later we are still trying to progress forward and live in equality with our neighbours. I believe that interracial marriages, interracial relationships, and biracial/multiracial children are a beautiful thing - so long as it is for the right reasons. There could be a multitude of "right" reasons. Yet, at the end of the day, it ultimately should be the reason of unconditional love for the other person. In absolutely no way am I saying it is wrong to marry someone within your own race, culture and/or religion. However, I am saying that you should not do it because it is the easy way out. Do what works for you, do what you want to do, and not what society tells you is "right".


I will leave you with one of my favourite lines from Martin Luther King Jr., "Even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream".

- Night Rider