The Frontline

We've Moved!

2011-09-26T19:14:00.001-07:00

The Frontline remains "open for business" at its new location: thefrontlinehiphop.tumblr.com Please check us out there.

A Sunday of Festivals April 17, 2011

2011-04-18T06:25:00.000-07:00

Between the Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival at the river end of Beale and the Africa in April at the other end, downtown Memphis was crowded Sunday. And the Grizzlies won their first playoff game ever!

Juke Joint Festival 2011/Africa In April 2011

2011-04-17T07:10:00.001-07:00

This weekend has been a busy one, with Clarksdale's Juke Joint Festival, and Africa In April, Hot Wing Festival and the Dub Car Show in Memphis. I couldn't figure out which ones I wanted to do, so I went to Clarksdale and then back to Memphis to catch the tail end of Africa in April's first day.

Mississippi Spring Break 2011

2011-04-17T07:08:00.001-07:00

The Mississippi Spring Break 2011 was off the chain this year, despite the heavy police presence. The weather was beautiful, and people came ready to party and enjoy themselves.

Shamrock instore weekend in Dallas March 25-27, 2011

2011-04-03T14:04:00.000-07:00

Photos of my trip to Little Rock and Dallas last weekend for the artist Shamrock's instore at Grapevine Mills Mall. I enjoyed touring the Yums clothing headquarters (which contains a skateboard course), buying vinyl at EntertainMart, hearing live jazz at Buttons in Addison, and several really good meals.

Little Rock's 4 X 4 Crew

2011-04-03T12:45:00.001-07:00

I picked up this mixtape somewhere in Little Rock last week, and I was so impressed I felt I should share it with the world, so follow the link below and check out rappers from the south with SKILLS.

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Provided by DatPiff.com

From Austin to Memphis March 20, 2011

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Last Day of SXSW March 19, 2011

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Third Day of SXSW March 18, 2011

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Second Day of SXSW March 17, 2011

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First day of SXSW March 16, 2011

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Breakfast at the Omlettery, registration, trade show, showcases- in all a busy day.

From Shreveport to Austin March 15, 2011

2011-03-30T10:01:00.000-07:00

Driving from Shreveport through Marshall, Longview and Dallas (dinner with regional rap legend Mr. Lucci) and on to Austin.

Photos from the week of SXSW, March 14, 2011

2011-03-30T09:50:00.000-07:00

I drove down from Memphis through Monroe, Louisiana to Shreveport, stopping at every record store and clothing store to give out promotional materials.

March 7, 2011-Hunter Promotions Industry Summit in Memphis

2011-03-07T20:32:00.001-08:00

One day after the Southern Entertainment Awards in Memphis, Ricardo Hunter of Hunter Promotions sponsored an Industry Summit at Zodiac Restaurant and Lounge in Hickory Hill, and the event was extremely well-attended. Janie Jennings, Bigga Rankin, DJ Drop, Bigg V, Joe Gotti, Criminal Manne, Don Tripp, Smurf, 2 Deep, Devin Steel and Care Bear were just some of the regional industry veterans who were present.

Southern Entertainment Awards Day 2 and Mid-South Radio & Records Conference March 6, 2011

2011-03-06T07:10:00.000-08:00

This weekend was a busy one for the music industry everywhere, with the CIAA basketball tournament in Charlotte, Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans, Ocean Springs, Mobile and a number of other coastal cities, and two urban music conferences in Memphis, the Southern Entertainment Awards and the Mid-South Radio and Records Conference.

The SEA's continued at the Cook Convention Center, with panels and the opening of the exhibit hall, and then at noon, the Mid-South Radio and Records Conference got under way a few blocks away at the Doubletree Hotel. The honored guest at this year's conference was Al Bell, former CEO of Stax Records, and current chairman of the board of the Memphis Music Foundation. Other notable guests included Ruby Wilson, James Alexander of the Bar-Kays, Toni Green, Skip Cheatham (former program director of Dallas' K-104), and Melvin "A-Cookin'" Jones.

Saturday night, despite the cold, rainy weather, SEA attendees enjoyed the Welcome 2 Memphis Kickoff Party at the Minglewood Hall, sponsored by Memphis promoter Ty Sanders.

The SEA Showcase, and the SEA Industry Mixer at Zodiac Restaurant & Lounge March 4, 2011

2011-03-06T07:02:00.001-08:00

The first day of the Southern Entertainment Awards kicked off in Memphis Friday with a performance showcase at the Cook Convention Center downtown, followed by a industry meet and greet at Zodiac Restaurant and Lounge in Hickory Hill.

D-Cinn The Promotion Vol. 2 Mixtape Link

2011-03-03T22:38:00.000-08:00

Here is the link to the D-Cinn mixtape I reviewed earlier:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=FCVSPD21

New Memphis Mixtape: D-Cinn-Tha Promotion Vol. 2

2011-03-03T21:31:00.000-08:00

Picked this cool new mixtape up at City Gear in the Wolfchase Galleria the other day, and it is really good. I had not heard of D-Cinn, but he is a young up-and-coming rapper from the Whitehaven neighborhood of Memphis. While some tracks like "Club Crunk" exude an atmosphere of traditional Memphis buck-jumping, others like "We Ain't Cool" show off D-Cinn's considerable lyrical skills. Incredibly, this mixtape is available for free at all local City Gear stores.

McCarty's Gardens in Merigold May 7, 2010

2010-06-14T22:10:00.000-07:00

Taking a day to drive through the Mississippi Delta, I stopped at McCarty's Pottery in Merigold and took some pictures of the formal gardens there.

Augusta to Memphis, May 2, 2010

2010-05-18T20:42:00.000-07:00

The drive back from Augusta to Memphis took awhile, and I stopped off in a historic little town called Madison, Georgia to enjoy a cappuccino at Perk Avenue, before heading on my way west into Alabama.

More Power Music Summit photos, May 1, 2010

2010-05-18T20:24:00.000-07:00

V-Tec, Mr. Hill & Cu-Cuz Entertainment Photo Shoot, Augusta, May 1, 2010

2010-05-18T20:03:00.000-07:00

While I was in Augusta for the Power Music Summit, I also interviewed V-Tec and Mr. Hill from Cu-Cuz Entertainment for a future issue of Murder Dog Magazine, and then we did a photo shoot with them at several landmarks in Augusta, including the James Brown statue downtown, and the legendary Barton Village neighborhood where Cu-Cuz Entertainment and Only With True Thugs was born.

Power Music Summit weekend, Augusta, 5-1-10

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Power Music Summit,Augusta, GA, May 1, 2010

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More pictures from the Power Music Summit weekend, Augusta, GA, April 30, 2010

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Augusta, GA Power Music Summit April 30, 2010

2010-05-09T23:25:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I drove to Augusta, Georgia to speak at the Power Music Summit at Fort Discovery, and to interview V-Tec and Mr. Hill of Cu-Cuz Entertainment/Only With True Thugs for Murder Dog Magazine. I had a lot of fun hanging out with the O-Dub family at their tire shop near downtown Augusta.

Yelawolf instore @ Sneak Peek, Memphis, April 24, 2010

2010-04-28T18:13:00.001-07:00

Alabama hip-hop artist Yelawolf stopped by Memphis hip-hop boutique Sneak Peek for a brief instore Saturday afternoon, before heading to the Cozy Corner for a Memphis-style rib dinner and then his performance at the Hi-Tone.

When Storms Arise, April 24, 2010

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Strange Fruit Vintage Clothing Launch, Memphis, April 17, 2010

2010-04-26T17:40:00.000-07:00

Scenes from the launch of the new Strange Fruit Vintage clothing line launch at MPACT Memphis on South Main in the Arts District.

Africa in April Part IV, April 17, 2010

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Africa in April Part III April 17, 2010

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Africa In April Part II, April 17, 2010

2010-04-21T11:36:00.001-07:00

Beale Street, Africa In April, April 17, 2010

2010-04-20T22:00:00.000-07:00

Africa in April has become a spring tradition in Memphis, and while it might not be exactly Freaknik, it's as close as we've ever gotten in Memphis, since it usually involves bright, sunny weather, street vendors, good food, live music and huge crowds of people. This year, Nigeria was the African country being honored, and the pretty weather brought out the people (and unfortunately, the politicians as well).

Student Art Show, Caritas Village, April 16, 2010

2010-04-18T21:04:00.000-07:00

Binghampton's Caritas Village is an amazing coffee bar, art space, community center, housing co-op and a lot more, and on Friday, they sponsored an art exhibit of works by students in some of Memphis' public schools. The noted Memphis artist Frank D had invited me, and I was really impressed with the quality of the works displayed.

Juke Joint Festival, Clarksdale, MS April 15, 2010

2010-04-18T17:37:00.000-07:00

I drove down to Clarksdale last Thursday to meet up with Justin Showah, the owner of Hill Country Records, who was playing the opening night of Juke Joint Festival with Jimbo Mathus' Mosquitoville touring show at the Delta Cinema. Once in Clarksdale, I met up with Robert Kimbrough, one of blues legend Junior Kimbrough's sons, and got caught up in the street performances and general festivities. I bought some vinyl records, saw some performances outdoors and at Ground Zero Blues Club, and ate dinner at the famous Abe's Bar-B-Q. I had always thought of Juke Joint Festival as a local festival, like most small Southern towns have, but it's really more of a South By Southwest of the blues. A lot of fun, and it really wouldn't get going good until Friday and Saturday!

Sandestin April 9, 2010

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Destin/Fort Walton Beach April 8, 2010

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Sandestin April 8, 2010

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Seaside April 8, 2010

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Red Eye Coffee Tallahassee, FL

2010-04-13T16:03:00.001-07:00

This really cool coffee bar, which I came upon by accident while driving from Gainesville to Sandestin, is basically non-profit. Signs inside explain that all profits after expenses are given to several named charities, including one in Tallahassee that helps the poor, and one working with struggling villagers in Guatemala. Really good coffee, and you can feel good about yourself after buying it, too!

Barley's, Fort Walton Beach

2010-04-13T07:14:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday, after the Gainesville Music Summit, I drove to Destin, and Florida J showed me a great time at Barley's, a hip-hop club in downtown Fort Walton Beach.

Gainesville and Gainesville Music Summit Photos

2010-04-13T06:33:00.000-07:00

Gainesville Music Summit April 7, 2010

2010-04-13T06:30:00.000-07:00

Last week I was a panelist at the Gainesville Music Summit in Florida, where I encountered a number of good artists, including 1900 Block, Iceburg Tony and too many others to name all of them. The pictures and videos will tell a lot more about what went on than my words, but I want to thank C. Wakeley and Big Amp, both for sponsoring this continuing event, and for making it possible for me to attend.

Saturday Morning April 3

2010-04-11T20:02:00.001-07:00

Just pictures of a morning stroll to the Arcade Restaurant on a beautiful Saturday.

An Open Letter to Henri Brooks, Member of the Shelby County Commission

2010-03-30T16:14:00.000-07:00

Dear Mrs. Brooks,
You were quoted in today's Commercial Appeal newspaper as saying that Shelby County is a place where "everything is about race." In the context of the issue that you were commenting on, race would never have been mentioned if you had not mentioned it. In regard to a piece of property at Lamar and Kyle which belongs to the county, a black man offered a proposal to buy the property and use the building on it to train men to fix home appliances. A white man asked the county to donate the land and building for use as a senior citizens' center. Both ideas were decent ideas that would help people. The first idea was probably better, since the taxpayers would receive payment for the land. But before any vote had been taken, you (unless you were misquoted) made hurtful racial comments about "white colonialism." Many of us who live in this county are sick of racism and racial arguments and comments. We want to build a community, and we can't do that if people are constantly mentioning race, and injecting it as an issue where it doesn't go. If you want to argue that the black man's proposal was better for the citizens of Shelby County, you had every opportunity to do so, by pointing out that job training is needed in Memphis and that his proposal would pay the county for use of the land and building. But instead, you chose to make the issue about race, as if you expected the vote to go in favor of the white man's proposal before a vote had even been taken. We must build a community beyond race if we hope to work our way off the "most miserable cities" list. I hope and pray that you will join with those of us of all races who want to quit jumping to racial conclusions when we disagree, for the good of our community and of our children. If you are not willing to do that, please resign from your post. Sincerely, John M. Shaw
Bartlett, TN
jshaw@selectohits.com

DJ Jubilee live at Where They At closing party, Birdland Gallery, Austin, TX, SXSW 3-20-10

2010-03-30T12:41:00.000-07:00

Ms. Tee at Where They At closing party (continued), 3-20-10

2010-03-30T06:19:00.000-07:00

Ms. Tee, Live at Where They At closing party, Birdland Gallery, Austin, TX, SXSW, 3-20-10

2010-03-30T06:17:00.000-07:00

Nappy Roots, Still Going, Live at SXSW, 3-18-10

2010-03-30T06:10:00.000-07:00

Nappy Roots, Continued, LIve at SXSW, 3-18-10

2010-03-30T06:08:00.000-07:00

Nappy Roots, Live at ND, SXSW, 3-18-10

2010-03-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Partners-N-Crime, Louisiana Music Stage, 3-18-10, SXSW

2010-03-30T05:58:00.000-07:00

DJ Jubilee (continued) at Louisiana Music Tent, SXSW, March 18, 2010

2010-03-29T20:24:00.000-07:00

DJ Jubilee @ Louisiana Music Stage, SXSW 3-18-10

2010-03-29T07:16:00.001-07:00

The Stooges Brass Band @ SXSW, Louisiana Music Stage, March 18, 2010

2010-03-25T07:01:00.000-07:00

SXSW Day 5 March 21, 2010

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SXSW Day 4 March 20, 2010

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SXSW Day 3 March 19, 2010

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SXSW Day 2 March 18, 2010

2010-03-25T06:05:00.000-07:00

SXSW Day 1, March 17, 2010

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SXSW: The View from Austin

2010-03-24T21:42:00.000-07:00

SXSW 2009 was one of the high points of my life, so I was thrilled to be asked to be a panel moderator at this year's SXSW. Based on the assumption that a picture's worth a thousand words, I'm going to just give a final overview of this year's event, and then post lots of pictures. HIGH POINTS-The Keeping It Real Hip-Hop Panel, the Where They At bounce music exhibit at the Birdland Gallery, the Louisiana Music tent performances, great food everywhere, but especially at the Omelettry, 24 Diner, Pappadeaux, Texas Land and Cattle, Kerbey Lane Cafe and the Hut Hamburgers, spending way too much money at Waterloo Records, getting to see Billy Bragg live at Prague, the Nappy Roots show at ND, the lakefront Texas NARAS reception, running into lots of friends, including Matt Sonzala, Michael "5000" Watts, Kazy D, Ms. Tee, DJ Jubilee, Big Sid, Quietus Khan, Pete Johnson from Select-O-Hits, Partners-N-Crime, Skipp Coon, Truth Universal and Cameron Mann from the Memphis Music Foundation, and the Austin Record Show in the convention center. LOW POINTS-The death of Alex Chilton (who was supposed to be the honoree at this year's SXSW), parking and congestion problems, particularly in East Austin, the lack of shuttles to SXSW events, the unexpected cold snap Saturday morning which also ruined the Sunday softball event for me, extremely crowded venues everywhere, many standing room only, and some where you could not see the performers on stage for the crowds, and losing my leather iPhone case while running underneath I-35 toward the Music Gym. I spent way too much money, and wore myself out, but I had a great time, conducted some business, hopefully educated some young artists and can't wait to go back next year, Lord willing.

The Gathering Storm: Youth Violence in Memphis

2010-03-14T12:37:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, on the first really warm Saturday of the year, I was driving back from the library down Tillman Street through Binghampton, through crowds of youths that were somewhere on the spectrum between a street carnival and something more ominous. The couple of hundred people or so were gathered around an incipient fight between two youths who were standing face to face. As I drove past, through the open window I heard someone yell "Hit that nigga!", and when I looked into the rear-view mirror, the young men had begun fighting in earnest. Yesterday, however, the violence of the nearby Binghampton neighborhood invaded the halls of the Memphis Public Library itself, when three youths' argument in the lobby turned into a full-scale brawl, frightening two older African-American women in the bookshop, who said to each other (and me) "What's wrong with these kids?" The security guards separated them with some difficulty, and the police were called. By the time I decided to leave the library, the police had made the young men sit down on the sidewalk in front of the library as they took names and addresses. I wanted to yell at them "Where is all this rage coming from? Don't you know how short life is? Don't you know the sacrifices your ancestors made so you could have the opportunities you're so casually throwing away?" But instead I walked past toward my car, overhearing one of the boys explaining to a police officer that one of the other youths had displayed a red "flag", a bandana used to symbolize the Bloods gang. Apparently, the police believed there could be further trouble, because as I left the library, I noticed that a police cruiser was posted up at East High School down the street, and another to the west at Tillman and Walnut Grove. When something like this happens, and it's big enough to make the news, the internet comments locally are full of blatant or implied racist comments, as if the young people's Blackness was an explanation for the violence. But today at the library, it was easy to see the bewilderment on the faces of many Black adults as well, police, security guards, library employees and passers-by. They are just as confused by the behavior of inner-city young people today as are suburban whites. It is clear that something has to be done before Memphis reaps a terrible harvest of violence. And blaming people because of their skin-color or race does nobody any good.

The Case For Keeping Bartlett Cops At Home

2010-03-12T08:31:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Bartlett police officers ventured into North Memphis to serve a drug warrant, and ended up killing 43-year-old Malcolm Shaw, who may or may not have been the person being served with the warrant. The killing immediately stirred up a firestorm of controversy, as well as a rebellious crowd of hundreds in the neighborhood. Most of the defense of the Bartlett police online has centered around the dead man being a criminal who pulled a gun on police and thus deserved to die (although I always thought warrants were served to bring people to court for trial, and that, until convicted, a suspect is not a criminal), and that the Bartlett police legally do have the right to serve warrants in Memphis under Tennessee law. However, as a resident and taxpayer of Bartlett, I am not concerned with whether it is legal for Bartlett police to serve warrants in Memphis, or whether they followed proper procedure. I believe it is in the best interests of Bartlett and its citizens to restrict Bartlett police to working within the city limits of Bartlett only. Here are my reasons:

#1. Safety of the citizens of Bartlett: No one can argue that there is no alternative to Bartlett police serving warrants on people in other jurisdictions. Memphis police or Shelby County sheriff's deputies are available and willing to do this for Bartlett. While Bartlett officers are out in another jurisdiction serving warrants, there are fewer officers inside of Bartlett keeping us safe. Our officers should stay here protecting Bartlett, which they are paid to do, and leave the serving of warrants to the duly-constituted law enforcement agencies of the jurisdiction where the suspect lives.

#2. Liability: The city of Bartlett (and thus its taxpayers) is legally responsible for the actions of its police officers. Thus, if someone is killed while the officers are outside the jurisdiction of Bartlett, and the officers' actions are found to be negligent, the taxpayers will be stuck with paying out a large settlement to the victim's survivors.

#3. Safety of the officers themselves: Defenders of the Bartlett policemen's actions yesterday keep pointing out that the incident could have ended the other way, with the suspect shooting and killing the officers. Although Bartlett police face this risk within the city of Bartlett also, they face a greater risk when taken into other jurisdictions where they have less familiarity with the surroundings and less experience. It cannot be argues that policing Bartlett and policing North Memphis are the same. Clearly, Memphis police would better know the neighborhood, and have a better chance of serving the warrant with everyone coming out alive.

#4. Avoiding negative publicity and controversy: The Memphis metropolitan area has a problem with racial conflict and racism. It annoys most of us, but there seems to be no easy way to solve it. For better or for worse, the Bartlett police (like other suburban districts) have developed a reputation for being racist. It ultimately does not matter whether that reputation is deserved or not, since it is the opinion of most Black Memphians that I know. If the Bartlett police go into Memphis and kill a suspect, the incident immediately takes on racial overtones that it would not if a sheriff's deputy or Memphis policeman had to kill a suspect, even if it happened while serving a warrant for Bartlett.

Given the above argument, I think that those of us who live in Bartlett should ask Mayor McDonald to order a change in the BPD's warrant policy. It will ultimately be in the best interests of everyone involved.

Who Protects Us From the Police?

2010-03-11T19:59:00.000-08:00

The tragic shooting death of Malcolm Shaw in North Memphis this morning might be Exhibit A in the case for consolidation of city and county government. Letting the poorly-trained, often racist, trigger-happy cowboys from suburbs like Collierville, Bartlett and Millington come into Memphis to serve warrants was asking for trouble, and now we all have it, bigtime. There are some rumors that the officers came to the wrong house, and that the unfortunate man may have been awakened by what he thought were robbers. Grabbing his gun, which would be understandable given the circumstances, got him killed. The issue is not whether Bartlett police had the legal right to come into Memphis and serve the warrant (which apparently they do, at least in certain circumstances), or whether they followed protocols and procedures, which they claim they did. The issue is, rather, why create the needless provocation of bringing police from the white-flight suburban towns into Memphis when MPD officers or Shelby County deputies could have just as easily served the warrant with perhaps a better outcome? And even if deadly force had proved to be unavoidable, at least the incident would not have been so fraught with racial overtones as it will be now. And I'll close by saying that usually I am annoyed at how everything that happens in Memphis turns into a racial issue, but in this case, I'm convinced that race is involved. It is observable that officers are far quicker to use deadly force when dealing with Black people, and it is useless for them to deny what everyone can see. At the very least, outside officers should be denied the right to serve warrants in Memphis. Mayor Wharton and Memphis Police Director Larry Godwin have the right to request this of all other jurisdictions. In the long run, a metropolitan police force should be established for all of Shelby County, and the small-town forces of Bartlett, Germantown, Collierville, Arlington and Millington should be dissolved. This will insure uniform training, eliminate jurisdictional disputes, reduce taxpayer costs and hopefully prevent a tragedy like the one this morning.

Dr. Herenton's Neo-Southern Politics

2010-02-08T19:54:00.000-08:00

Dr. W. W. Herenton, former mayor of Memphis, kicked off his campaign for the 9th Congressional District seat Saturday, complaining that all of the state's current representation in Congress is white. This approach is the usual for him, and probably the best strategy politically, since the incumbent Steve Cohen has not done a bad job, and appeals to race often work in Memphis. Of course, Herenton ignores the fact that the predominantly-Black constituency of the 9th District has refused three times to elect a Black representative of the district when they could have. Even arguing, as I'm sure Herentonistas will, that in the first primary, too many Black candidates diluted the Black vote, that still means that on two occasions when Cohen faced only one Black opponent, the majority-Black electorate chose Cohen. So whose right to Black representation has been abridged? But while Dr. Herenton's racial strategy may be ignorant,it is hardly new, especially in this part of the country. While it has historically been white candidates "waving the bloody shirt" against the threat of "Negro rule", when Herenton says voters should vote racially, he joins the ranks of Ben Tillman, Tom Watson, James K. Vardaman, Orville Faubus, Ross Barnett and George Wallace, all of whom found political success by appealing to the racism of their white constituents. Usually, they all chose that course of action for the same reasons- the lack of coherent argument as to why they should be awarded the office they sought, or an attempt to hide their failures. They continued to use these methods because they worked. That the South's politicians have resorted to racial argument to win elections is to their eternal shame. That these tactics have so often worked is to ours.

A Line in the Sand?: The Battle of Overton Square

2009-12-11T20:46:00.000-08:00

When I was young, Overton Square was the happening place in Memphis. The Christmas Parade was held down Madison through the area, and people flocked to places like Bombay Bicycle Club, TGI Friday's, Paulettes, Silky Sullivan's or the Public Eye. The years have not been kind to Overton Square, but nobody's quite sure why. Given the fact that most Midtown addresses are easy to lease (even if a little expensive), I've always felt that management must be less than stellar, rents probably a little exorbitant, maintenance delayed at best, so I was not surprised that the new developers that have been brought in want to tear down the entire area and start over. Since the whole point of their contention is that Memphis is an impoverished and blighted city, their idea is to tear down Overton Square and build a typical shopping center anchored by a low-price supermarket. It's hard to imagine a greater insult to the people of Midtown, or the whole city for that matter.
Of course, Memphis has not treated its entertainment districts very well. The original one, Beale Street of song and legend was acquired by the Memphis Housing Authority as an urban renewal project. Perhaps fortunately, it was eventually reconceived as a tourist attraction, but not before the garish, out-of-place MLGW headquarters was built in the block where Ruben Cherry's legendary Home of the Blues record store once stood, and the equally-awful R. Q. Vinson Towers elderly high-rise was erected at the other end of the street. And the rest of the street was cut off from Black Memphis by massive demolition to the south, then turned into a Disneyfied parody of itself that ironically has not always been so welcoming to Black Memphians, particularly the youth. In the early 1960's, a new entertainment district of hip jazz and folk clubs developed in the area of Walnut and East Streets and Westmoreland Avenue. Known as Car Barn Corners, the cognoscenti frequented The Sharecropper to hear Tommy Ferguson's progressive jazz, or the Hourglass nearby to enjoy a folk hootenanny. But the streets of this district no longer even meet, the whole area having been reconfigured by the construction of Shelby State Community College (now Southwest Tennessee Community College). Besides entertainment districts, developers have torn down the Convent of the Good Shepherd (for a supermarket), Owen College (for Vance Avenue Junior High), Siena College (for the Oak Court Mall), the Hill Mansion (for a fast food restaurant that I recall didn't stay open a year), the old South Side High School, Anderton's Restaurant, the Pig N Whistle, the Frostop Rootbeer on Getwell with its distinctive rooftop mug, Libertyland, Rainbow Lake, Clearpool, the original Leonard's Bar-B-Que on Bellevue, Tim McCarver Stadium, the Cumberland Presbyterian Church headquarters (for a Chick-Fil-A), Stax Records, Lakeland Amusement Park and Speedway, American Sound Studios (where Elvis once recorded, to build a Chief's Auto Parts which closed within a year), the bandbox at Riverside Park, Guthrie School, Isaac Hayes' Hot Buttered Soul studios, Messick High School, and I could go on for days. Enough is enough. The rootlessness engendered by rampant demolition contributed to suburban flight, higher crime, and even bitterness, anger and depression. There's hardly any of old Memphis left to see. We need to organize now against Sooner Development and others who are behind the plan for "redevelopment" of Overton Square, by which they mean demolition and the construction of a typical shopping center with parking lots in front, and a couple of restaurants at the streetside as a "concession to the neighborhood." Let's debunk the myths of Overton Square so that we can make a better decision about its future. MYTH #1-"Overton Square is vacant because of crime and a deterioration in Memphis economic situation" FACT-The nearby Cooper-Young area of Midtown is booming, and another nearby redevelopment area, the Broad Street Corridor in Binghampton is becoming an art haven. Nobody can recall the last serious crime in Overton Square. MYTH #2-"Business owners would have stayed in the area if they had been making money." FACT-Two of the businesses that recently left, Le Chardonnay and Bayou Bar and Grill were forced out, either by high rent, or simply a flat denial of a lease renewal. They moved directly across the street. The landowner seems to have decided to force the buildings to become vacant, then use their vacancy to justify demolition and replacement with something else. MYTH #3-"Nothing has ever been able to work in Overton Square." FACT-Many businesses have had successful runs in the area. Bosco's, Paulette's, the Bayou Bar and Grill, Le Chardonnay and Memphis Pizza Cafe are all examples of successful businesses in Overton Square, and there were many others prior to the opening of Beale Street. However, the biggest factor in the Square's recent decline has been problems with building owners and managers, including bankruptcies and, more recently, outrageously high rents. MYTH #4-"The Overton Square buildings are not historic." FACT-While the buidlings in Overton Square are not as old as historic buildings in other parts of the city, they are old, attractive and have historic value. The iconic Memphis rock band Big Star frequented the TGI Friday's and had one of their publicity photos taken there. 2166 Madison, at the corner of Madison and Cooper, was the site of the Bitter Lemon Coffeehouse, a legendary hang-out for young beatniks who helped rediscover Furry Lewis, Nathan Beauregard, Joe Callicott and others. MYTH #5-"Midtown needs another supermarket" FACT-Within Midtown proper are a Schnuck's and a Piggly Wiggly. Not far away are three Krogers (Summer, Poplar and Lamar). And even if Midtown could use another supermarket, it doesn't need a low-price discount chain store, more likely a food co-op, or a Fresh Market. And Overton Square doesn't have to be the site of it. It could easily be put further west on Madison where the South Central Bell building once stood. MYTH #6-"Memphis can't support more than one entertainment district." FACT-Memphis already supports two and a half entertainment districts-Beale Street, Cooper Young and the growing arts community on Broad Street in Binghampton. In Saint Louis, there are entertainment neighborhoods everywhere-Laclede's Landing, University City Loop, the West End, Lockwood Avenue in Webster Groves, Soulard Market,etc. The key is that each of these areas has a unique character. They don't all try to be the same thing. MYTH #7-"If we don't let the developers move forward, nothing will ever be done with the property and it will just sit there continuing to rot." FACT-This is the view the landowner and developers want you to embrace. But the facts are, the attractive sturdy buildings could easily be part of a real redevelopment effort. The only needs are for the buildings to come under the control of people who have the vision for reclaiming the district-perhaps an Overton Square Community Development Corporation. Then, once the buildings have been restored, they can be rented to appropriate businesses-at reasonable rents that allow the entrepreneurs to succeed. If you live in Memphis, talk to your city council member about blocking demolition and requiring that any reuse of the property reserve the existing buildings. Otherwise, it will just be another piece of Memphis history that we'll have to imagine in our minds.

Parade Day on South Main, Memphis

2009-12-11T20:33:00.000-08:00

Take a Peek at Hip Hop Fashion in Memphis

2009-12-11T20:23:00.001-08:00

When J2 on Highland closed some years ago, Memphis was effectively left without a hip-hop clothing emporium, so true headz should be thrilled to discover Sneak Peek, a hip, funky urban fashion boutique in Memphis' trendy South Main Arts District. Experimental and fashion conscious, this is not the place to find familiar commercial brands like Ecko or Akademics, which show up routinely at your average department store. The brands at Sneak Peek are less familiar, more creative, and, yes, rather expensive, but there are sales and discounts from time to time. Also, the store has a welcoming, cozy feel and of course great hip-hop music to provide the soundtrack for your shopping. Pay them a visit at 515 S Main in Memphis, just around the corner from the Civil Rights Museum.

Don Nix: A Memphis Music Legend's Photographs

2009-12-11T20:15:00.000-08:00

Most people probably know Don Nix as an important Memphis musician and producer, if they know him at all. But last week's opening at the Robinson Gallery on Huling Avenue revealed that Don Nix, the former Mar-Key and disciple of Furry Lewis and Mississippi Fred McDowell, is also a very talented photographer. His black-and-white images capture the early historic days of Stax, and reduce legends like Rufus Thomas and Booker T. & the MGs to ordinary human size in everyday settings. Cold weather didn't hold down the attendance, there was wine and cheese, and a rocking blues band on stage playing Nix compositions.

Cooper-Young graffiti

2009-11-28T22:53:00.001-08:00

Lot-A-Burger: Memphis Locations of A Forgotten Chain

2009-11-28T22:39:00.001-08:00

When I was younger, Memphis used to have Whataburger locations, one in Frayser and one in Whitehaven (both have since closed). But even before that, there was (and still is) Lot-A-Burger, a couple of walk-up burger stands, one on South Third and one on North Thomas near that historic corner where Elvis recorded at American Sound, and Bobby Foster and Bowlegs Miller recorded at Select-o-Sound on Chelsea. Perhaps they even ate a Lot-A-Burger! But it wasn't until I began doing research toward my history of Memphis during the mayoral term of William B. Ingram (1963-1967) that I discovered advertisements for Lot-A-Burger in Memphis, bearing the slogan "A Square Meal On A Round Bun." That led me to other interesting information online, namely that the Memphis Lot-A-Burgers were, at least at one time, franchises of a Tulsa, Oklahoma based Lot-A-Burger chain which began in 1951, long before McDonalds, or rock-and-roll for that matter. The Oklahoma locations still exist, and anyone interested can read about the chain at http://lotaburgernow.com. The Memphis locations that are still open do not appear on the company's location list, suggesting that somewhere back in the day they went their separate way. But this afternoon, I tried a Lot-A-Burger at the South Third location in Memphis. The Lot-A-Burger was an old-fashioned, thin, greasy good burger with cheese in a no-frills setting. You walk up and order, then eat it on the wooden benches out front or take it home. Not outstanding, but good and comforting, and an edible piece of Memphis history.

Coffee Returns To East Memphis

2009-11-28T22:13:00.000-08:00

Memphians will be glad to discover that the former High Point Coffee on Poplar Avenue at Perkins Extended has reopened under new ownership and management. The new coffee bar is called Poplar Perk'n, and features a full menu of espresso drinks as well as cheesecakes and cookies. It's definitely worth a visit.

An Open Letter to Governor Haley Barbour of Mississippi

2009-11-21T16:46:00.001-08:00

Dear Governor Barbour,
It was with profound regret that I read in the Commercial Appeal about your budget proposal that would result in the closing of three colleges, two of them historically African-American. I cannot say that I was surprised, but I was deeply saddened. You have stated that the state of Mississippi faces a formidable budget crisis. I am sure that all states do during this sad time in our nation's history. But a state with such a history of educational deprivation as Mississippi can hardly afford to find economy through the closing of school doors and the shutting off of opportunity. You have said that it is unfair to expect the taxpayers of Mississippi to support eight institutions of higher education. I would tend to agree, but the reason that so many institutions had to be established was also unfair. In case you have forgotten how we reached this point, let me review. The Reconstruction-era legislature of Mississippi voted not to admit Blacks to the University of Mississippi, and soon thereafter, Alcorn College (one of the schools you have proposed closing) was founded on the site of an old Presbyterian college. This decision guaranteed that separate education would be required for Black students. A number of Black institutions were founded at this time by Northern churches, but by the time of World War I, these were falling out of favor with white Southerners, who did not want Blacks to receive an academic curriculum, but rather one based in agriculture and vocational work, as suggested by Booker T. Washington at Tuskegee. From that point on, Southern states worked to bring the bulk of Black education under the control of state government. The Baptist-supported Jackson College was purchased by the state in 1940, and Mississippi Vocational College (now Mississippi Valley, another school marked for closing) was founded in 1950. State control over Black higher education wreaked havoc with struggling Black church schools-all but a few could not survive economically, so Natchez College, Prentiss Institute, Saints Junior College, Southern Christian Institute, Campbell College, Baptist Industrial College, Okolona Industrial College and Mississippi Industrial College all closed between the 1940's and today. Therefore, bad decisions of the past led to Blacks being required to be in separate colleges from whites, and that those colleges would not be private and church-related, but rather publicly funded. Now we have reached the point at which the majority of Black students no longer wish to abandon their institutions and attend historically-white colleges. Years of segregation and discrimination have convinced them that there is no point in continuing the folly of trying to make integration work with people who have no desire to see it work. As for my mother's alma mater, Mississippi State College for Women (Reneau University), which you have also proposed closing, it was founded for similar reasons as those above. The state's new land-grant college, Mississippi A & M, was founded in 1878 for men only. This unusual decision necessitated a nearby school for women be founded. While men and women should have been admitted to Mississippi A & M (now Mississippi State) from the beginning, they were not, and now women are proud of the fine legacy of their school and do not want to merge with Mississippi State.
If the concern is strictly one of budget, it is strange that you made no mention of, or decision regarding, the unusually-large number of junior colleges in the state of Mississippi. They undoubtedly cost the state a great deal of money, are often located close to each other, and are also often close to the four-year schools. Wouldn't it make sense to bring them under the control of the various four-year colleges to cut down on administrative costs? This would probably save far more money than what you are proposing.
And finally, even if consolidating some colleges were a sensible answer, I would have to take issue with the schools that are being consolidated. If we were going to merge Mississippi Valley State with another institution, why would we merge it with Jackson State, more than a hundred miles to the south, when it could be so easily merged with Delta State, no more than 50 miles away in Cleveland. Such a University of the Delta could be an economic boon to the area. But could it be that you, Governor Barbour, still would rather see Blacks go to school with Blacks and whites with whites?
I know that the decisions that you and the legislature have to make will be hard ones, but I have reviewed how we got to this point. For better or for worse, decisions were made to separate the races and genders in Mississippi higher education, and people have gotten used to that setup. It is unfair to force the victims of those bad decisions of the past to now be victimized again, with the loss of their schools, traditions and heritage.

Yours Truly,
John M. Shaw

Grambling Homecoming Scenes

2009-11-17T20:45:00.001-08:00

October 31, 2009 Grambling, LA; Monroe, LA

2009-11-17T20:23:00.000-08:00

I woke up later than I had intended to, and had to rush to get ready for the homecoming parade in Grambling. Although I was running late, I decided to eat breakfast at the IHOP in West Monroe, and then I drove the 30 miles into Ruston. I knew from previous years that there would be traffic gridlock from the Grambling exit on I-20, so I snuck around the back way through the Louisiana Tech campus onto Highway 80, and then up Stadium Drive into Grambling. I was later getting into Grambling than in previous years, so I had to pay for parking, but I was fortunate to find an inexpensive lot next to the Catholic church south of the campus. As I walked up Main Street toward the Student Union, I encountered a large crowd of onlookers waiting for the parade to come. The wind was chilly despite the bright blue sky and sunshine, and most of the parade-watchers had jackets on. There was another large group gathered on North Main in the Village, and further up the street, on the other side of the railroad tracks was the beginning of the parade. Ducking into Reali-Tees, I purchased a new Grambling shirt and immediately put it over the one I had on, but I was still chilly. While I waited for the parade to get under way, I noticed a number of new businesses in the Village- a chicken and waffles place which had taken over the old Tasty Foods, an internet radio station, Bud's Spuds and Spivey's Fried Chicken, to name a few. The world-famous Grambling Marching Tiger Band led the parade off, and soon things were underway, with kids scrambling out into the street to retrieve sweets thrown from the floats. Bands were there from Minden, Shreveport, Tallulah, Richwood and Ferriday, but this year's parade seemed smaller and shorter than in previous years. Afterwards, I was out of time on my video camera, so I had to run and get my laptop to offload footage, which I did while chilling in the Starbucks at the Student Union. When I heard the thunder of drums, I went outside to encounter the GSU Tiger Band on its way to the stadium, so, after making a run to my car, I headed over to Robinson Stadium for the game. Although the weather was sunny, and warm temperatures had been predicted, the wind was blowing and keeping things cool. Worse, the home side of the field was shaded, and got more so as the game progressed, but Grambling won easily over Mississippi Valley. When I walked out of the stadium, the informal car show was underway again this year. Cruising up and down RWE Jones Drive were candy-painted cars and trucks on rims, and some of them with trunks full of neon. Behind them came wreckers, apparently to tow those away who parked illegally, or perhaps who were pulled over with drugs, weapons or alcohol. Soon police cars with sirens screaming were racing down to the south end of the street, followed by an ambulance. I walked on back to the Student Union, where another large crowd, mostly students had gathered. Some of the cars that had been cruising Jones Drive were now headed down Main Street directly in front of the Union and dining hall. Eventually, the GSU band paraded down the street on their way back to Dunbar Hall, but when they got to the space in front of the Union, they broke into a performance for the crowd gathered there. Further up on the Quadrangle, they paraded into the band room, and the drumline, Chocolate Thunder did just the slightest breakdown routine before they too disappeared into the building. The homecoming concert was supposed to begin in a half hour or so, but I decided to go back to my car and head to Monroe for dinner. I headed to the Waterfront Grill on Bayou DeSiard, where I enjoyed a filet mignon dinner, and then I headed back over to Ruston to visit Dr. Reginald Owens, a former Grambling professor that now teaches at Tech. He and I spent some time catching up and talking, and then I headed back over to West Monroe, and, resisting the temptation to go to one of the club events, I returned to the hotel.

Monroe Scenes

2009-11-14T21:33:00.000-08:00

October 30, 2009 Monroe, LA

2009-11-14T21:11:00.000-08:00

I got a very late start heading out of town because my computer wouldn't sign on to the internet and I was on the phone with AT & T for an hour trying to get it working, only to discover that there was a neighborhood outage. I wasn't in a very good mood, and it was raining steadily, so when Boss King called and wanted me to meet him at Brother Juniper's for breakfast, I said "Why not?" and headed over there. That wasn't a bad way to cheer up, and soon I was on my way down I-55, but slow going since the rain wouldn't let up at all. Since I was running so far behind schedule, I decided not to stop in Jackson, and took the I-220 loop around to the westside and on to Vicksburg. At Tallulah, I stopped at the McDonald's for a cappuccino, and then headed on into West Monroe, with maybe about an hour to spare before the antique shops started closing. The rain had tapered off to just a drizzle, but rather ominous was the Ouachita River, which had risen so far above floodstage that it was currently just below the underside of the DeSiard and Louisville bridges. As I usually do anytime I'm in Monroe, I visited the antique stores in search of Grambling memorabilia, and this year I hit paydirt, finding Grambling annuals for 1959, 1960, 1963 and 1964 at the Cottonport Antique Mall. There was also one there from 1966, but I didn't buy it since I wasn't sure what else I would find at other shops. Down the street at the Ouachita River Trading Company, I found two more Grambling yearbooks, for 1991 and 1995, and then I headed over to Books-A-Million in Monroe to see if they had any new books about Monroe, Grambling or Shreveport, but I didn't find much there. The rain was starting to pick up again as I left the bookstore, but when I arrived at Portico Bar and Grill for dinner, it had stopped, and a beautiful rainbow had appeared in the east. For a moment it was a double rainbow, and then it became a single again, but an unusually perfect one, reaching the treeline at both ends. Inside, the restaurant was as cheery as ever, with a live band playing and waitresses and bartenders costumed for Halloween. Waiting for my filet mignon, I checked emails and noticed that Jimbo Mathus was supposed to be in Monroe tonight, playing at a bar called Coda, so I decided to go if I didn't end up over in Grambling. After dinner, I rolled past Carroll High and Wossman High looking for a high-school football game, but nothing seemed to be going on, except over in West Monroe. So I checked into my hotel room at the Jameson Inn in West Monroe, and then drove across the street to get a cappuccino at the Corner Coffeehouse. I had planned on calling my friend Dr. Reginald Owens who lived in Grambling, but I could not reach him, so I drove over to Coda, a new bar and grill in Monroe that had not been open last year, and got a table near the stage for the Jimbo Mathus show. Justin Showah, the owner of Hill Country Records came with Jimbo, and I got a chance to hang out with them briefly before the first set. Jimbo's typical rock/country/blues mix seemed to fit the crowd just right, the high point of the set (for me) being his trademark version of "Casey Jones." Thoroughly tired from a day of driving against the weather, I called it a day after the first set.

October 25, 2009 St. Louis, MO; Memphis, TN

2009-11-14T19:52:00.000-08:00

Since the Soda Fountain Square restaurant I had enjoyed so much last year was now closed, I ate breakfast at the Soulard Coffee Garden instead, and then hit the long road back to Memphis.

Scenes from St. Louis and the I Am Music Workshop

2009-11-14T19:50:00.001-08:00

October 24, 2009 St. Louis, MO; East St. Louis, IL

2009-11-14T19:36:00.000-08:00

All of a sudden, it was winter, and I didn't prepare for it. I hadn't brought any warm clothes to St. Louis because I had naively assumed that the weather wouldn't be that different than what we had been getting in Memphis for the last week. So much for assumptions, and now I was shivering as I drove out to Uncle Bill's Pancake House on South Grand for breakfast. It was a great choice, a classic late 50's style place with a classic neon sign thrown in for good measure, and, not surprisingly, great food. Despite the cold, the weather was bright and blue, so, after I finished breakfast I drove across the bridge to East St. Louis to look for the Gateway Geyser and see if I could get a good photograph of the St. Louis skyline and Gateway Arch. Finding the park that contained the geyser was not easy, as it was tucked behind the Casino Queen, but I did find it. The geyser was evidently not working, but there was a large overlook facing the arch, and I climbed to the top of it to snap a picture. If the weather was cold on the ground, it was absolutely frigid at the top of the observation deck, so I quickly came back down. Driving out of the park, I accidently ventured into a warren of old streets through overgrown woods with one abandoned house at an intersection, but I was soon able to get back to the interstate. Given the area's proximity to the casino and park, I couldn't help thinking that it would make a wonderful Beale-Street-type entertainment district for East St. Louis.
When I got back to the hotel, it was time for the I Am Music Workshop events to get underway, and the events took most of the afternoon. I was on the distribution panel, along with representatives from Fontana Distribution and Jive Records. Afterwards, those two decided to go with me to dinner, so I drove them up to a place called Pi on the Delmar Loop in University City where we ate gourmet pizza and talked about the music business. It was nearly midnight when we left, and I dropped them off at a trendy hip-hop club on Washington Avenue near the hotel. I was too tired for a hip-hop club, and it was too late for me to make it to the Trio Tres Bien performance at Robbie's, so I returned to the hotel and went to bed.