Why Can't More People Dress like Cee Lo Green?

Cee Lo Green's outfit for his performance of "Forget You" at the the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards. Also, props to Gwyneth Paltrow for rockin' a onesie.

Hipster Parent Win!

This man wins the prize for best hipster-parenting:


The Original:


It's always nice to see children show interest in their parents' favorite things and passions. (I've taken my Dad's love of sci fi tv shows and my Mom's love of contemporary fiction). It's even more special when that interest features an adorable girl and is broadcasted on YouTube for the whole world to see.

Qawwali-Flamenco

Qawwali- a form of Sufi devotional music that originated in South Asia. It is present in areas with a historically strong Muslim presence, such as Pakistan. It dates back more than 700 years.

Flamenco- a style of music which is native to southern Spain. It was heavily influenced by Byzantine, Sephardic,  Moorish, and New World elements. It dates back to the 15th Century.

The two are so different, yet fit together perfectly. Qawwali-Flamenco: the ultimate mashup?

Great Artists Steal

Recently a YouTube video has surfaced claiming Chris Brown stole music from Calvin Harris, a Scottish electro-pop singer/songwriter. Did Chris Brown steal from Calvin Harris? Watch the video and judge for yourself:

 
The  video made me think of a quote Picasso allegedly said: "Good Artists Borrow, Great Artists Steal."

There's a fine line between being inspired by something you've seen/heard, and stealing someone's original idea. Perhaps mainstream bands and artists (like Chris Brown) think they can get away with it. After all mainstream artists already have established credibility, along with label-sponsored legal teams.  Or maybe they're not aware of what they're doing. I'm certainly inspired by many things I see and hear everyday, and I can't always give credit to things that I produce. 


YouTube videos featuring "stolen" music are fairly common, and often very convincing.  I found two examples of fairly known cases: Vanilla Ice vs. Queen/David Bowie, and Coldplay vs. Joe Satriani. While both cases have (legally) drawn to a close (they both settled out of court), fans still comment speculate.

Cee-Lo's Redemption

Yesterday, I wrote about the awesomeness of "Fuck You" by Cee Lo Green.  This afternoon I was delighted to find that the staff at the Dallas Observer have mashed the song with worthy movie scenes. My favorite mash-up happens to be from the Shawshank Redemption :

Cee-Lo's Shawshank Redemption from Dallas Observer on Vimeo.

Other "worthy" movies include Say Anything and Dirty Dancing, but nothing embodies the spirit of "Fuck You" than the Shawshank mash-up.  Specifically, the mash-up features the scene where Andy sneaks into an office to play some music over the PA system for his fellow inmates. Those few moments of bliss are important, even though he knows he'll end up in solitary confinement for the incident. However, instead of the Marriage of Figaro, the inmates get "Fuck You," a song that perhaps is better equipped to highlight the feelings of life-with-out-parole inmates.

An Awesome Blossom Song

Every now and then an artist releases a song that is just awesome. "Fuck You" by Cee Lo Green (of Crazy and Closet Freak fame) is that song this summer. It's catchy and has great lyrics. Plus it's about something many of us can relate to: seeing your ex move on.
My favorite verse:
And although there's pain in my chest
I still wish you the best with a...
FUCK YOU!
Yeah I'm sorry, I can't afford a Ferrari,
but that don't mean I can't get you there.
I guess he's an Xbox, and I'm more Atari
but the way you play your game aint fair.