Who better to speak on Black History, than some young Black entrepreneurs like that of The Brooklyn Circus and LateBoots? M&N recently linked up with Bev, Colin, and Sham to kick off our Black History Month Project. It was only right to start off with people doing so much to remain upwardly mobile. Check out the video below and take a look at the photos from that day on our art blog.

Click here to view the embedded video.

That’s what Kanye said, anyway. I personally agree with him though. It is Black History month, but as quick as it began, is as quick as it ends. Hence, this post. Black History is ongoing. Regardless of the fact that the month is coming to a close, we have to keep the history going within ourselves. Street Etiquette got the memo with their new “Sewn From the Soul” editorial. It is an amazing fusion of photo and video paying homage to some major figures in Black history from Gordon Parks to Miles Davis. The photos are meant to emulate the spirit and style of such individuals and in my opinion, they pulled it off wonderfully. I especially enjoy the “Next Generation” segment with the photos of young Jeremiah. Thank you Street Etiquette. You gentlemen are making Black History and I hope we can come together and take it to another level. The Brooklyn Circus is another team of great people making Black History. Through style and character, they have not only become one of the most respected establishments in Brooklyn, but they also bring something unique to the lives of their consumers; a refreshing experience. I have much respect for them as a whole entity and as individuals. Check out their Black History month post here. They emphasize that it is so much more than a month, which leads me to my main point. M&N are spotlighting folks like that of Street Etiquette and Brooklyn Circus through photographs and video. We are capturing people speaking about three major things; their feelings on Black History, the inspiration they get from it, and how they will contribute to it. You may be wondering why we chose to start this during the last week of the month, and that is simply because it will be something that doesn’t end on the 28th of February. It will go beyond that. If you or someone you know is interested in such a project, please point them in our direction. I had a very busy weekend gathering footage for this project and the posts will start this week. Don’t get confused though folks. We are NOT going to stop spotlighting other people who aren’t of African descent. The site will go on as usual. We are just paying homage. We are just trying to make Black History every day…We don’t need a month…

Click here to view the embedded video.

Santos Party House has the most fitting name of any night life entity I have ever come across…It is truly a PARTY HOUSE. And in this house, you can find some of the greatest and coolest musical talent to date. From live performances, to guest DJ’s, Santos is the place to be in NYC. A new addition to the Party House inhabitants is world renowned music producer Just Blaze. He’s got a lot more time on his hands now that Baseline Studios is closed so his Friday nights will be spent on the turntables at Santos Party House. I recently ran into him at 105 Rivington and he’s a pretty cool cat so you will catch me in the building. Be there! You might just get to hear the latest Just Blaze produced track “Exhibit C” by Jay Electronica.

Click here to view the embedded video.

]]> http://www.mn-eminent.com/2010/02/22/santos-party-house-x-just-blaze/feed/ 0 http://www.mn-eminent.com/2010/02/01/when-disaster-strikes/ http://www.mn-eminent.com/2010/02/01/when-disaster-strikes/#comments Mon, 01 Feb 2010 05:46:36 +0000 Nick http://www.mn-eminent.com/?p=2763

By now, you are well aware of the tragic events that have occurred in the country of Haiti. The earthquake that destroyed the homes and spirits of so many Haitians has been the cause of an unimaginable amount of pain and suffering. It has also been the cause of many good deeds done throughout the world. It seemed like there was almost an immediate response from the rest of the world when word of  the events that took place in Haiti got out. Not only was it a trending topic on Twitter, but #Haiti is also a trending topic on the news and within the hearts of millions of people. People have been coming together and giving so much towards the rebuilding of the shattered country. The Hope For Haiti telethon that aired world wide has been the biggest of the public efforts thus far. Organized by George Clooney, the two hour telethon featured everyone from Denzel Washington to Alicia Keys. The powerful performances and speeches given that night set the tone for everyone to do whatever they could to help out and they raised almost 60 million dollars for the cause. Despite much controversy, Haitian music mogul, Wyclef, has been very instrumental in restoring his country through his organization Yele and just by speaking on the subject like he did this years Grammy Awards. I couldn’t go a day without seeing his tweets telling me to “Text Yele to 501501 to donate $5.” If you didn’t know, $1 is the equivalent to about 40 Haitian Gourdes so your dollar can surely make a difference. It seems as if everyone is getting in on the action, including Walmart, the New York Yankees, and Bank of America. Ralph Lauren has created special polo shirts and is donating 100% of the proceeds to aiding Haiti. They are actually pretty stylish so you may want to consider getting one if you haven’t already given to the cause. The Restaurant Week Truck in NYC is also donating $1 of every $6 purchase. Big names aren’t the only ones helping Haiti. My good friend Overfab recently held an event in NYC and raised over $2000 and 70 bags of goods. I say all this to say, the world isn’t as bad as it seems. There is always a way. Give and you shall receive…Contribute to the hope for Haiti in anyway you can. Trust me…It’s worth it…Peep some amazing photos of Haiti by photographer Jeff Antebi…

]]> http://www.mn-eminent.com/2010/02/01/when-disaster-strikes/feed/ 0 http://www.mn-eminent.com/2010/01/08/while-its-hot-a-slice-of-brooklyn-pizza-tour/ http://www.mn-eminent.com/2010/01/08/while-its-hot-a-slice-of-brooklyn-pizza-tour/#comments Fri, 08 Jan 2010 21:23:12 +0000 Nick http://www.mn-eminent.com/?p=2739 Click here to view the embedded video.

There is always talk of where to get the best pizza in NYC. I personally don’t think there is a best. It’s all relative. Sometimes, the Papa Johns in Bedford Stuyvesant is the best place for me. Other times, it may be Ray’s Pizza in the village. I’m sure there are better pizza spots in NYC I’ve never even heard of. That’s why I try them all. In addition to being a growing boy, I’m also just curious. Hence why you may see me in Union Square one weekend with a group of strangers. Well I’m actually always in Union Square with a group of strangers. But now I have a reason. The Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour has begun! What is that you ask?! Well it’s a 4 hour tour of Brooklyn on which you will be stuffed with knowledge on Brooklyn monuments and celebrities. But you’ll also be stuffed with pizza from two of the best pizza shops known to man. Yea I said it. The tour starts in Union Square and proceeds to head over the Brooklyn Bridge to Grimaldi’s brick oven thin crust pizza shop. This place ALWAYS has a line a block long but the pizza makes it all worth it. I haven’t been there in a while but I will be going very soon. From there, the tour goes deep into Bensonhurst to  L&B Spumoni Gardens pizzeria where the specialty is the Sicilian slice. Check out the Slice of Brooklyn Pizza tour on Friday through Monday, starting today through the Spring. Dress comfortably because the tour begins at 11am and doesn’t end for at least 4 hrs. Click here for more info.

So I was recently on one of my Barnes & Noble expeditions the other day, which usually consist of me perusing through magazines and photography books for hours. This time around, I just went straight to the magazine section because I was seeking inspiration for a school project and didn’t have much time to find it. The first thing that grabbed my attention, other than Rihanna on GQ, was a dope black and white photo of Tupac. It was on the cover of a magazine called “Respect”. So I pick it up and wonder why I’ve never heard of it and then I see it’s the premiere issue. I immediately take it to the register, along with Rihanna on GQ’s cover, and purchase it so I can go sit on a quiet corner and pick it apart. This magazine is amazing. In a nutshell, it’s a quarterly photo journal of Hip-Hop culture. The Respect Magazine premiere issue features nine photographers with subjects ranging from The Beastie Boys to Jay-Z. Get to your nearest magazine carrier and get your piece of Hip-Hop history today!

It’s that time again. You know, the time when the trees are completely bare, the turkeys are cooking, and everyone is shopping as if their lives depended on it…It’s Holiday season!!! For many, this is a very hectic time of the year because it involves multitasking at its best. But there are ways to ease the stresses that anyone who steps foot out of their house and partakes in anything that has to do with the Holidays will encounter. Check out the list I’ve compiled of things that could probably help you out this holiday season.

1: Black Friday savings tend to lighten up the load a bit when it comes to holiday shopping. Stores open sinfully early to allow people to come in and bargain hunt. A lot of the stores that actually participate in the Black Friday sale are usually very packed so if you aren’t in the mood to fight over the last DJ Hero video game for your kids, try shopping online. According to an article on MSN Money, sites like Best Buy and Walmart will have some of the best deals you can possibly find on Friday. Check out the article here and be sure to click the link within it that direct you to money saving blogs and other sites that may come in handy. Also, you may want to head to your nearest outlet mall. They already offer amazing deals so you may be able to find some things for thrift shop prices on Black Friday!

2: With Thanksgiving being just a day away, and everyone being so swamped with work or just the procrastination bug, dinner is a big issue and usually very stressful when cooking for a family. So me being the nice guy that I am, decided to do a little research on quick, tasty recipes to cook up and have ready for tomorrow. In my research, I came across a great article on Yahoo that had a few great recipes in it that I may even try myself. The currant glaze for turkey and the fresh cranberry relish were my two favorites. Check out the article here. I cam across another via MSN that held the recipe to a great five-ingredient stuffing and a pear and apple crisp to end a meal the right way. You can view that article here. See how easy finding a recipe is? If you happen to be a vegetarian, here’s a link for those recipes too! Happy Turkey Day folks…

3: Restaurants tend to be closed on Thanksgiving which sucks because maybe you’d like your favorite dish cooked and served by someone else. Or maybe you’re not home for the Holidays and want to still have a happy Turkey Day. Well, there is an easy solution for that. A lot of restaurants actually DO stay open on Thanksgiving just so you don’t have to cook and a lot of them actually serve traditional Thanksgiving meals. You no longer have to miss out on mom’s stuffing or sweet potato pie. Restaurants like Atlantic Grill in NYC, Chicago’s Firehouse Restaurant, and Clyde’s in DC are serving up amazing dinners for people who aren’t celebrating at home. I, for one, will be home in DC so if you’re in the area drop by and get your grub on!

Midnight. Tonight. Get Your Tickets. Or Miss History

It’s always a beautiful thing when moguls unite, whether it’s social or for a greater cause. To see great minds mesh together is such an inspiration for me. The Jay-Z and Oprah collaboration has got to be one of the most powerful unions I’ve ever witnessed, especially for a young Black man like myself. Recently, Jay-Z invited Ms. Winfrey to “the hood” in which he was raised; Bedford Stuyvesant in Brooklyn. Oprah has also featured an interview with Jigga in her latest magazine. What I’m waiting for is the video interview to air! It’s no secret that Oprah pretty much shuns rappers from her show because of her views on the genre. But Hov is breaking down barriers!!! Check out a sneak peek of the interview and be on the lookout for Jay-Z on Oprah very soon!!!

Click here to view the embedded video.

]]> http://www.mn-eminent.com/2009/09/21/oprah-x-jay-z/feed/ 0 http://www.mn-eminent.com/2009/09/14/5-thoughts-on-the-vmas/ http://www.mn-eminent.com/2009/09/14/5-thoughts-on-the-vmas/#comments Mon, 14 Sep 2009 04:57:22 +0000 Matt http://www.mn-eminent.com/?p=2269

All of you should have watched MTV’s Video Music Awards that took place at Radio City Music Hall last night. If you didn’t we’ve got a recap of some of the bigger events of the evening…

1. The MJ tribute
I loved it. Madonnas opener was a bit of a tear jerker to say the least. The dancers dress in the MJ costumes from different eras was a dope touch as well as the spot on choreography. Janet of course took it to a whole other level. I guess we should’ve known she was gonna come out to the one song that they actually did together. It was nice to see that she still hast the same vigor. Her stage energy and intensity was through the roof and she gets crazy kudos for that, because we all know how hard she took her brothers death. I especially love the seriousness and RESPECT that was given. People that defend the joke that ended up being the BET Awards this year always want to address that they only had a ’short amount of time’. This was a great example that the ENTIRE show doesn’t have to be reworked to be an MJ tribute. A fitting piece of the show was all that was needed. The big blowout that became Janet’s performance of course took tons of prep, but the respectful undertone did not, it’s to be expected. Well done MTV.

2. Kanye’s Rant
We’re not even gonna spend to much time on this because this wasn’t a good part of the night to me. After the winner for best female video was announced, Taylor Swift, Kanye chose to go on stage and rant about how Beyonce should have won. Rants like these aren’t uncommon from him, however its rarely in defense of someone else. Taylor looked embarassed and sad, especially since it was her first VMA. I especially love the fact that Kanye and arm candy Amber Rose were promptly escorted out of Radio City, further proving, that MTV doesn’t like coonery, unless of course they’ve planned it into the agenda. Kanye taking it upon himself to glorify ignorance clearly doesn’t sit well with Viacom. “This is our show, not yours Kanye, we’ll let you know when it’s ok to make your people look bad.”

At least he apologized… posting this on his blog:

I’M SOOOOO SORRY TO TAYLOR SWIFT AND HER FANS AND HER MOM. I SPOKE TO HER MOTHER RIGHT AFTER AND SHE SAID THE SAME THING MY MOTHER WOULD’VE SAID. SHE IS VERY TALENTED! I LIKE THE LYRICS ABOUT BEING A CHEERLEADER AND SHE’S IN THE BLEACHERS! …………………… I’M IN THE WRONG FOR GOING ON STAGE AND TAKING AWAY FROM HER MOMENT!…………….. BEYONCE’S VIDEO WAS THE BEST OF THIS DECADE!!!! I’M SORRY TO MY FANS IF I LET YOU GUYS DOWN!!!! I’M SORRY TO MY FRIENDS AT MTV. I WILL APOLOGIZE TO TAYLOR 2MRW. WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD!!!! EVERYBODY WANNA BOOOOO ME BUT I’M A FAN OF REAL POP CULTURE!!! NO DISRESPECT BUT WE WATCHIN’ THE SHOW AT THE CRIB RIGHT NOW CAUSE … WELL YOU KNOW!!!! I’M STILL HAPPY FOR TAYLOR!!!! BOOOYAAAWWWW!!!! YOU ARE VERY VERY TALENTED!!! I GAVE MY AWARDS TO OUTKAST WHEN THEY DESERVED IT OVER ME… THAT’S WHAT IT IS!!!!!!! I’M NOT CRAZY YALL, I’M JUST REAL. SORRY FOR THAT!!! I REALLY FEEL BAD FOR TAYLOR AND I’M SINCERELY SORRY!!! MUCH RESPECT!!!!!

Doesn’t cut it for me. It was out of line, period. Something in me kept wishing it was staged.

3. Lady Gaga and Best New Artist
This women scares me. Her second and third outfit choices made her like kin to the devil. However her performance was well put together and original. She ended up winning Best New Artist which was cool, I can’t say I wanted anyone else to win… that’s right… Drake included, lol. I’m not even sure how mixtape superstars were in the running to begin with. Lets all keep in mind this man doesn’t have any signed studio releases, and one video that was garbage. Props to Lady Gaga for the performance and the win, although bloodshed and hanging from the cieling was a little O.D.

4. Beyonce let’s Taylor Shine
IF INDEED THIS WAS HER IDEA… much props to Beyonce. I guess she’s opening up. I’ve never seen her do anything this remotely human in such an impromptu fashion. We all know she’s a robot. Things like Food Drives and her meek and humble demeanor are scripted, but for her to call out Taylor so she can get her shine out of nowhere showed a nice side to Beyonce, one that she should let the world see more often.

5. Jay’s Performance
It was a good look. Empire State of Mind is one of my favorites off the album so him performing with Alicia Keys was just what I needed, especially since she was absent for his show at The Garden. However, he could’ve at least been at the show. I mean really Jay? Just stay home for the show and come for your performance? Not that he really missed much, except for his homie Kanye spazzing, and he could see Bey perform at home I suppose.