Hustle and Flow Wrap Party

Over the past few years, Memphis based film director Craig Brewer and his equally talented and beautiful wife Jodi have thrown a number of excellent parties at their Midtown home. Most often the parties are in celebration of Halloween, but this summer, Craig invited Sara and I to the Wrap party for his new movie with John Singleton, Hustle and Flow. I got to say hi to Mr. Singleton and totally forgot what movies he had directed - had I not been drunk and retarded, I would have told him how much I like Rosewood and Boyz N the Hood.

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Restroom Reflections
I made many trips to the bathroom downstairs. A line formed outside the door quite often. Once or twice, I stood there alone, and the next audio clip contains commentary on the party so far:

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Flavor In the Upper Chamber
After quite a bit of drinking and mingling with folks, I mossied upstairs to where the real action played out. A number of rising Memphis hip-hop artist (of the "hustling thug" variety) were in the room freestyling and rapping over tracks from previously released cuts. Enjoy the following audio clip, understanding I had quite a few drinks in me.

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Cock and Ball Story
Not recorded to my audio blog, but just as interesting was conversation between Sara, Craig and I about Prince Markie D (I believe I have his name correct...) - he is a DJ/owner of a strip club where $15 gets you as many lap dances as your inseam can handle.

Not only does Prince Markie D spin records, he also dances, swinging his snake around in nothing but a tightly fitted white leather sheath - at least that is how Craig tells it.

Apparently the ladies go crazy, and the guys slip away from the stage to enjoy the all-you-can-eat (figuratively speaking of course) lap dances. According to Craig, Markie D is pretty muscluar and he oils himself up - has rip-away pants and shirts and puts on quite a show.

How did we start talking about this? While I was upstairs soaking in the hot and wet power of Memphis black ghetto music*, Sara was hanging out and received a business card from Prince Markie D, advertising his services.

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Al Kapone
Al Kapone kicking out some flow

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Nerdy by Nature
In this audio party report I lament my own nerd-nature. Drunk and dorky, I talked a little bit to Ron Franklin. I reflect on that conversation just minutes after it happened - and I also make comments on some general interaction between Hollywood people and some Memphis hustlers. I also make mention of folks I know - like my downstairs neighbor Dan.

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John's Sidekick, Jodi and her visual arts and the Bar
After capturing the sounds of party, I check in about John Singleton's gadgets, Jodi and her awesome art, the Jewish bar tender and how he helps me feel good.

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Memphis Flava
More Memphis flavor.

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*(Warning: Soap Box Alert! Let's not fool ourselves, trailer parks can be the honkie ghetto - Memphis and the metro area is rich with poverty - with race creating a cultural divide - where each culture grows its own flavor of music and arts - unquestionably, black culture in America has CHANGED the world - and I think for the better, despite all the purtianical outcries about the errosion of high culture. What is actually being erroded is the value of aristocratic arts and manners. Beauty and "truth" are not owned by any culture - especially the remanants of Anglo-centric high-falutin arts,)