Y’all may remember last year Ayinde reported back on all the happenings at UrbanWorld. Well, he just sent this tidbit in over the 2009 wire. Check it out:

URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL 2009 is HERE!

Pimps, Crack Whores and Thugs Numbers 1,2 & 3 — Now Is Your Time to Shine!!!

I was at my local laundrymat on Fulton in the Notorious Bed Stuy (latte or chai…we lost our do or die status quite some time ago) and I’m watching some crime drama on TNT. Not quite sure which one, let’s just call it Cold Case. Anyways the show had to do with a killing of little black boys and the villain was this black actor with a very distinct look. Said actor had a few lines before offing himself.

Fast forward to today at the Urbanworld festival and I’m waiting for my homegirl’s short film to start and “In the Wind” comes on the screen, a two man short about two brothers — one just home from Iraq and the other (my guy from Cold Case) playing the brother who stayed home in Louisiana and survived Katrina. It moves like a two man play but does not lose you at all. I liked it and it made me think about how we black folks up north have not heard that many stories other than a few mentions in Lil Wayne songs. Hmmmm….

A few other really good short films played before the NY Premiere of “The Roe Effect”. This piece was captivating from the first shot, then quickly engulfing by the riveting performance by lead actress Nia Fairweather. This is fictional reality created with just one sound bite, a couple tracks from one my favorite poet/rappers and ex-pat Saul Williams’ Niggy Tardust Album. The writer/director Kiel Adrian Scott is one to watch, he is masterful at work — no surprise that they have already secured a spot on HBO. I highly recommend that you see the shorts program and “The Roe Effect” and all the pimps thugs and crack whores you see ever so briefly on Law & Order, CSI and Cold Case act there black asses off! Other notable films are Chris Rock’s “Good Hair” “Samo: the art and influence of Jean-Michel Basquiat”, and more. Check the website and support your local actor!

Ayinde

New music video for Ayinde Howell’s joint, “Young and Sexy”. Catch this cat spinning at Short Shorts as well as in some great films.

Posted by D7W

Stay true to your resolutions folks. 2009 is the time to realize your dreams. Watch out for Ayinde on Double 7 World and a plethora of other mediums where his acting will never fail to impress. And yes, we said “plethora”.

Posted by D7W

Yerkoff Jones is one of the last remaining stalwarts of the USSR. Communism may have fallen, but Yerkoff remains steeped in the world that made him. And he’s got some things to say about popular kulture.

Contributed by Ayinde Howell

I wrote the following on Tuesday Oct 28th. On Thursday Oct 30th 2008 my Grandmother passed away. “Granny” Pauline Scott 1917-2008 Rest in Peace.

The Cycle of Life

I went to Baltimore to visit my mother and 91 year old grandmother over the weekend, my mom was in town from Seattle and not trying to come to NY so being the Good son I hopped the Chinatown bus (I recommend eastern travel) to the wasteland that is West Baltimore, I’m sorry if ur from there or live there but the police cameras above the blue lights abandon houses and hood so hood that white people ain’t even thinking about gentrifying it! that’s bad. anywayz I kicked it with moms, Granny and my ex crackhead (if there is a such thing?!) uncle. Granny Watch’s CNN all day keeping up with Baraak and Michelle and I remember her telling how to this day she would not set foot in a Cadillac because when they first were made (yes she was around before caddie’s) Black people were not allowed to buy Cadillac’s, “so I don’t want nothing to do with one” she says.

Born in 1917 granny has seen quite a bit from segregation, to Dr. King, JFK, having babies at the house, (yep no hospitals just 3 women in a room some hot water and sterile scissors. Granny remembers before Women earned the right to vote, she still calls black folks niggas and white folks crackers. I began to think about all the other 80 plus people with the opposite experience, people who remember when black people were Niggers not allowed to ride in Cadillacs, and pal around with white people and I think how equally deep that imprint must be on them. Like Granny these people are still allowed to vote! All the things Granny who is a great great grandmother says to me behind her closed doors are the exact opposite of what her white counterparts say to there children, and theirs children’s children across town.

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Posted by Pete Chatmon

The homie Ayinde Howell has delivered his 4th and final blog as one of the New Wave Riders of the Month for September. Just ’cause the month is up though doesn’t mean we’re saying goodbye…be on the lookout for more from this talented actor and general cultural trendsetter. Thanks for rolling with us!

~ Pete Chatmon

*************** AYINDE’S BLOG #4 ******************

It’s Thursday about 4pm I have my overnight bag packed and just finishing up at the J-O and hop a cab to 85 east Broadway, yep the Chinatown bus stop! after stopping at 34th street which they did not tell me when I specifically asked when do u leave and she said 5 minute! An hour later we are on the road to Chocolate City baby! DC has become my new outta town spot over the late summer months: it’s close, the women are pretty, and they have a sweet southern way about them and are nicer than the ones in NY, he he. Anywayzzz it’s CBC (congressional Black Caucus) Weekend…

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Posted by Double 7 World

My man Ayinde keeps bringing y’all what’s next, new, and current on the NYC art’s scene. Peep the latest blog below.

~ Pete Chatmon

About A month ago a friend of mine said to me in casual actor conversation about the battle of “making it in NY as an actor. She said “ well u can make it in this town if ur willing to take ur pants off”… I was thinking about the old casting couch thing, and she continued to say “if ur a black man and willing to show ur penis on stage u will get recognized” and we debated, now is this because we just don’t see that much male shlong in general? because most theater reviewers are gay males? or does it have to do with some deep seeded fascination of the infamous black male genitalia…

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Posted by Double 7 World

MORE FROM AYINDE AT THE URBANWORLD FILM FESTIVAL
(and no, this pic is not from the fest)…

The thing I like about film festivals is the parties, I mean the films… no really it’s cool because it is an environment where u can see films by aspiring creative young writer directors who u know it’s only a matter of time before they are world renowned. u see films that seem to be competing for winner in the WTF?! category. U see big studio films that have not been promoted, reviewed or released yet with out all the critical hype or panning and I saw all three, wanna hear bout it? here it go…

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Posted by Pete Chatmon

Ayinde is one of our New Wave Riders of the Month for September. A talented actor, starring in White Lies, Black Sheep, smart dude, and general overall cat I can hang with.

Ayinde and I caught up for the opening night of the Urbanworld Film Festival. As New Wave Rider of the Month, I slid him an All Access pass, a ticket to the opening night film, Steve Harvey’s “Still Trippin’”, and entry into the afterparty. Below, check out Ayinde’s thoughts on the evening. I had a pleasure reading this and learning how his night turned out. Once the runs to the Grey Goose bar separated the crew, I could only imagine what a New Wave Rider could get in to. Now I know, and you can too! Enjoy the Double 7 experience…right…about…NOW!

================= AYINDE’S BLOG #1 ==================

As I rushed into the Magic Johnson theater of Harlem, New York all the fanfare had subsided, the red carpet rolled up, and left were a couple of slightly pimpled teenagers manning the ticket counter with matching visors and I am reminded how much I hate any job that requires me to look stupid… but I digress, after arriving an hour and a half late I did a little bit of haggling, name dropping and the ever useful txt message check and it worked. I walk in to theater 10 just as a 30ft bald head of Steve Harvey is launching into his “you should save your money and go to Africa” bit.

I nod in agreement “it’s like going home to a place u have never been”… I settle in as Harvey hi-jinks ensue, his being bitch slapped by a monkey, twirling his penis in a knot because that’s what he does when he’s nervous, etc…

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Posted by Double 7 World

Like we told you yesterday, the response for the SEPTEMBER NEW WAVE RIDER OF THE MONTH was tremendous and we decided to PICK TWO PEOPLE!!!

Meet AYINDE HOWELL, a talented NYC actor who went as far as making a YouTube video submission. This is how you promote yourself, folks. He can be seen in James Spooners, “White Lies, Black Sheep” and is definitely someone to keep your eye on.

Stay tuned during the month of September for Ayinde’s blogs & updates and be on the lookout for the call for October’s New Wave Rider of the Month…