If I am ever posting anything about anything I’ve gone to, minuswell, midas whale, just as soon just assume I am or was late to the party… Try as I might, the only thing I’ve ever been early for was childbirth (my children were both 3 weeks early)…
But I show up though and usually have a pretty darn good time, despite the tardiness. Like a couple of weeks ago… When I attended the birthday party of Lawyer/Emcee/Dude with the interesting name and more interesting resume, Kevin De Liban .
Kevin, who is supporter and regular patron of the MempHop scene decided to have a partee (feel free to trill that r and over annunciate the e’s) heralding his birthday, return to Memphis, oh and this lil project he’s been working on with IMAKEMADBEATS over at Dirty Socks Studios… And awladat would’ve been enough, but when your friends are the crème de la crème of Hip Hop, Art, Activism, and Culture why stop there? Why not just make it an Art Show featuring said friends.
Drea L. Powell @http://www.rawartists.org/dreatheartist
Quinn McGowan @http://www.quinnproart.com/
Sir Walt @https://www.facebook.com/pages/MUDWORKZ/
Oh and unveil some iconic images of yourself captured by a remarkable photographer, Darius B. Williams? (Aquarius Creative Studio)
(Kevin and iconography, black and white photo by Darius B. Williams)
There is no reason not too… I mean who’s gonna stop you? Nobody, that’s who!
The fanciness of this sounds quite overwhelming as I read it back…
So let me add some subtext and say all of this took place over a Hip Hop Soundtrack with food catered by local soul-food restaurateur (Edna Banks-Hawkins, affectionately known as Miss Edna to many of the local Artist), lots of libations (and by that of course I mean dranks, the kinds with volumes and proofs… yes, alcohol)… Oh and lest I forget the centerpiece of any respectable shindig… A piñata!!! Yeah son!!!
And it was still fancy AF!!!
(Everybody Loves Miss Edna)
SO again… I was late but not really by normal partee standards (party invite was for 8p, I showed up at 9ish)… But apparently people had arrived en masse, at the time we were actually invited. No worries I came in a group, quickly found Kevin and gifted him with a bottle of 19 Crimes Red Wine…
(Tuh! He’s a lawyer, I’m Cleva!)
and began mingling with guests…
Of course I was checking for my fellow #AllStars so I could snap a few pics because I’m always on my Lois Lane as #thatguy calls it…
All Star: Terry Location: De Liban Diggs
Annnnd, in a moment of absolute kismet, the not hostess, beauty.full and fiery Cara from Kentucky offered me a drink (a my 1st Kentucky Mule! Made with real Ginger Beer!) and I peeped her #nonverse from @NoSweatApparel… We chatted about my affinity for purple hair (and pretty much all things purple), Converse sneakers, conversing with strangers and the best way to make a KY Mule (Copper Mugs awladaway!) and before the night was over we came up with the #ListOfNos for those upon who the great misfortune befell to not be where we were…
No Hip Hop! No Art Show! No Koi Pond! No Piñata! No KY Mules!
(koi pond and piñata)
I held court in the kitchen with people I met waaaaay back in college (where we held court in the Student Center at STCC Shelby State); pulled Kevin aside to tell him how awesome an experience I was having and how much I appreciated it…. Because I know truly not everybody gets to see the Memphis I do… And even ran into and old friend/co-worker and his husband (I missed that whole wedding errthang…And I’m sure it was the ultimate… because he’s kinda fancy).
the unveiling (CD Art) photography by Darius B. Williams (Aquarius Creative Design) lower left corner art by Sir Walt (MudWorkz)
I captured as much as I could on whatever the camera phone version of celluoid is… Including… Kevin’s impromptu performance, producers going in to Wu-Tang (ODB tribute)…
which you can find here ——-»> (http://youtu.be/JZkpg-B09EU)
And maybe one of the sweetest ciphers I’ve witnessed to date… As Brandon Tolson (Eso,1/2 of Artistik Approach)… Karen (she be sanging on all up in Dirty Socks Studio), Marco?, Rajoun Mwangi (Singer/Chef/Boxer/Big Brother), and the Branding Guru that is Dana James Mwangi (some people don’t eeem know she be sanging) sang us right on into the morEning and lovely scattered showers to tucked us into bed…
upper left-hand corner a birthday gift “Dread Headz” by Lance Andrade 2nd panel art by Quinn McGowan, 3rd panel (top) art by Sir Walt (MudWorkz), (bottom) art by Drea Powell (dreART)
I don’t know how YOUR friends party or when YOU know that YOU’ve arrived but I knew when I got the invite I knew I HAD ARRIVED and would show up… Late to the party… But how does the saying go…
“Better Late Than Never”
Purple Hair And Converse 