Things to do in Duval Wednesday 9/29/10

It's Hump Day!  Two more days until the weekend! 

Interestingly, out of the 1 million event invites that I received on Facebook (I'm only slightly exaggerating, lol), I could find only one local music event, so enjoy!

Winedown Wednesdays-Cityhall Pub looks like the place to be tonight.  From 3-7, take advantage of their happy hour specials, including $5 appetizers, 2-4-1 Martinis, Long Islands, and Sex on the Beach, and $2.25 drafts.  At 6 p.m., settle in for some of the best jazz music that Jacksonville has to offer as Elisha "Atlas" Parris and A'JaZE take the stage.  I've heard them perform at a couple of venues in town, and they are awesome. Ladies get free wine from 7-9 and guys can take advantage of $5 Crown, Ciroc, and Hennessey from 7-10.  Come hungry so you can sample some of the 50 cent wings or the $7.50 fish baskets, and finish it off with a slice of key lime pie.  The kitchen is open all night and there is free parking.  Cityhall Pub is located at 234 A. Phillip Randolph Blvd.

Things to do in Duval Tuesday 9/28/10

If you’re reading this then that means that you survived Monday! Hooray! Pat yourself on the back.


Here’s the scoop on what to do in Jacksonville today:


Miller on Sports Live for Lunch-Every Monday and Tuesday, spend lunch hour at Cityhall Pub from 1-2 p.m. Watch Richard Miller broadcast his sports talk radio show live inside the restaurant while sampling the menu, which includes Mahi Mahi sandwiches, sweet potato fries, tropical salad, and key lime pie. Check out the news on Cityhall Pub’s 20’ HD TV’s. Cityhall Pub is located at 2134 A. Phillip Randolph Blvd. across from the baseball grounds, and they have free parking in the garage.


Tipsy Tuesdays “The Ultimate Happy Hour Experience”-Point Blank Entertainment presents a new Happy Hour spot in Jacksonville at Oasis Bar starting at 5 p.m. You must be 21 and up to enter and if you’re lucky enough to be on the VIP list, then you need to get there by 7:30 p.m. Enjoy specials including 3 for 1 wells, 2 for 1 premiums, 50 cent wings and oysters, and crab legs for $9.99 a pound. Oasis is located at 9551 Baymeadows Rd. Suite 14.


Ladies Night-If you’re looking for a great party atmosphere, then go bananas with Ced Famous at Banana’s Bar and Grille on the Northside. Every Tuesday features Happy Hour for mature folks starting at 5 p.m. There are plenty of food and drink specials onboard, including 50 cent wings, $11.99 Garlic Shrimp Boil, $8 shrimp baskets, $7 fish baskets, $5 Hennessey, Grey Goose, Crown, Ciroc, Tanqueray, and Malibu, $1 Moscatos, and 2 for 1 Margaritas, just to name a few. Ced Famous also offers free birthday parties every Tuesday. Bananas is located at 13141 City Station Drive in the River City Marketplace near the airport.


Take off Tuesdays-Calling all hip-hop heads! Brewster’s Pub is the place to be at 10 p.m. on Tuesdays to watch the best local artists do their thing on stage. While you’re hearing the best in underground hip-hop from artists like The Prolegend Movement, you can play pool, and enjoy drink specials, and vibe to DJ Nothin Nice on the 1’s and 2’s. Brewster’s Pub is located at 14003 Beach Blvd.


Enjoy your Tuesday, and remember that if you can’t be good, always be safe!

Things to do in Duval Monday 9/27/10

Who said there’s nothing to do/no talent in Duval? Many times, we just don’t hear about it. That’s the goal of 904 Underground-to promote local talent and events. You know what I always say: “Support Duval artists.”

Here’s a roundup of some of the things going on locally today 9/27/10:

Miller on Sports Live for Lunch-Every Monday and Tuesday, spend lunch hour at Cityhall Pub from 1-2 p.m. Watch Richard Miller broadcast his sports talk radio show live inside the restaurant while sampling the menu, which includes Mahi Mahi sandwiches, sweet potato fries, tropical salad, and key lime pie. Check out the news on Cityhall Pub’s 20’ HD TV’s. Cityhall Pub is located at 2134 A. Phillip Randolph Blvd. across from the baseball grounds, and they have free parking in the garage.

Monday Night Affair-If you’re really feeling Cityhall Pub, then you can head back down there after work and enjoy 2-4-1 drink specials and $5 appetizers while jamming to DJ Q45 as he spins on the 1’s and 2’s. Doors open at 5 p.m. and ladies and members of the service industry get in free until midnight.

Moscato Mondays at Soho’s/ ESPN Monday Night Football Party-Kick back and relax and check out some Monday Night Football from 7 p.m. until 2 a.m. Soho’s has 2-4-1 drinks during Happy Hour and $3 Moscatos all night long. Everyone is free until 9 p.m., and ladies are free until 10. Soho’s is located at 923 University Blvd. in the Town and Country Plaza (near Plush and Rain).

Metropolitan Monday’s at Aroma’s-Get free admission to Aroma’s Cigar and Wine Bar and enjoy a laidback, sophisticated atmosphere complete with $2 martinis’ and live music from The Experience Band from 7-10 p.m. Then, from 10-2 a.m. let DJ 151 work it out for you on the 1’s and 2’s and get 2-4-1 drinks while you’re at it. Guest artists featured once a month, including Keke Wyatt, Algebra Blessett, and Urban Mystic.

Monday Night Game on Mixer-If you love to talk trash, smack cards/dominoes on the table, and run Boston’s on folks, then head on down to AMG Uptown Salon starting at 7:30 p.m. Put your money where your mouth is and show everyone your skills in spades, pool, checkers, and several other games. Check out Monday Night Football on four big screen TV’s, and get a shot at winning the Monday Football Pool. Admission is $10 and includes wine. AMG Uptown Salon is located at 525 W. Bay St. downtown.

The Poetry Spot featuring Taalam Acey-Okay, all my fellow poets/spoken word artists: can I get a “whoot whoot”? Get down to Arielle’s in Arlington at 9 p.m. for open mic and poetry slam featuring some of Jacksonville’s best spoken word artists, including Moses, Seven, Odd Rodd, Cuban, and Shattered Thought. Featured artists are Taalam Acey and Jakqui Sol. CD’s, DVD’s, and books will be available for sale also. I hadn’t gotten information on the admission price at the time I wrote this, but usually spoken word events around here run about $10, but don’t quote me on that. Arielle’s is located at 7707 Arlington Expressway (if you’ve really been in Duval for awhile, then you remember that as Red Lobster’s!).

Happy Monday!

What to do in Duval this weekend 9/24-9/26

Friday 9/24/10

It's going down downtown at Poppy Love Smoke as Parriscope Entertainment presents Elisha Atlas Parris and A'Jaze with Avery Sunshine.  If urban soul and jazz is your thing, then this is the place to be.  The event starts at 10 p.m. so if you're reading this today, it's still not too late to get down there.  Admission is $10 all night.  Poppy Love Smoke is located at 112 E. Adams St. Jax., 32202.

If a live deejay and dancing are more your thing, then check out CED Famous Event's Famous Friday's at the Zodiac Grille down the street.  A lounge type event for the 25 and up crowd, Famous Friday's features Rush Hour Happy Hour starting at 5 p.m., live jazz from 7-9 p.m., and line dancing from 9-11 p.m. D.J. Al Pete is on the 1's and 2's from 9 p.m. until spinning old school, new school, neo soul, and R&B.  There are plenty of food and drink specials, too, so come with an appetite.  Dress is casual, but no white or black tees. Zodia Grille is inside the Schultz Building at 120 W. Adams St.

Ready to learn the latest steps?  Then step on down to Cityhall Pub for Final Fridays-"Get Your Step On".  With a live deejay inside and outside, and the chance to learn the latest steps out on the patio from 9-11 p.m., comfortable shoes are a must.  This is another event for the 25 and up crowd, and adult casual attire is enforced.  Food and drink specials are on deck, too.  Cityhall Pub is located at 234 A. Phillip Randolph Blvd. near the stadium.

Saturday 9/25/10

Ready to talk politics?  Then come out to Cuba Libre from 4-8 p.m. for the Down with Brown Campaign Mixer.  This is the opportunity to meet and talk to Alvin Brown, one of the candidates running for mayor of Jacksonville and to learn more about his platform. Cuba Libre is located at 2578 Atlantic Blvd. on Jacksonville's Southside.

After mixing it up with Alvin Brown, head on back to Cityhall Pub for Sexy Smooth Saturdays, with three parties in one, featuring DJ Plo, DJstylez, a reggae DJ on the roof, and special guest DJQ45.  Ladies get in free before 11 and drink specials for all include $5 Ciroc, Crown, and Hennessey, as well as 2-4-1 Sex on the Beach and Long Islands.  The dress code is strictly enforced, and the kitchen will be open all night.

If you want to watch college football in high-def, or rub elbows with the who's who in Jville, then check out Sho Nuff Saturdays at Oasis Bar and Grill.  Tailored to the 30 and up crowd, ladies get in free until 10 p.m. and everyone can enjoy 50 cent wings, shrimp, and oysters all night and 2-4-1 Hennessey and Grey Goose until midnight. Live DJ's and Southernlistic Radio will be in the building.  Oasis Bar and Grill is located at 9551 Baymeadows Rd.

As a Scorpio, maybe I shouldn't be reppin for Libras, but I'm going to give them a shout out anyway and tell you about the Libra Birthday Party at Fat Kats at 9 p.m.  Ladies get in free, drink specials will be flowing, and live deejays will be in the building.  Fat Kats is located at 1187 S. Edgewood Ave. between FSCJ Kent Campus and Jones College on the Westside.

Sunday 9/26/10

It's that time again.  Every 2nd and 4th Sunday, look out for Joy Dennis and Black Thought Sundays at Poppy Love Smoke.  The soulful, homegrown singer hosts this open mic/open stage event featuring a live band and plenty of opportunities for local singers, musicians, and spoken word artists to bless the mic with their talents.  Remember the two rules"  1)Crowd participation, and 2)Tell a friend, bring a friend.  If you come by, you may get to see yours truly bringing some spoken word to the mic.

After you get through cheering for the Jags as they take on Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles, swing on by Cityhall Pub for the after party, which will take place after every home game.A live DJ will be spinning and if you bring your ticket stub from the game you get a free drink.

Interested in checking out a fantasy hair competition?  Then stop by Endo Exo in San Marco where DLA Design Company presents The Hair Competition at 8:30 p.m. Cash prizes will be given for short, long, and fantasy hair competitions, and there will be fashion and entertainment as well.  There will also be a $100 cash prize given to the best dressed person in leopard.  Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door and if you have a ticket stub from Lenicola's Makeup Dinner party, then you get $5 off.  Endo Exo is located at 1224 King St.

Check out my blog every weekend for the latest on what to do around town, and look for a weekly version as well, starting on Monday.

Rightway Entertainment presents Vol. II Unplugged-The Daytime Edition

Hey, Duval! I’m baaack! (in my best T.I. voice). Sorry I’ve been neglecting the blog, but I’ve been dealing with life. Or should I say, life’s been dealing with me! But hey, it gets like that sometimes.


Well, the good news is, I came out of hibernation just in time to spread the word about my homeboy, Rod G. He’s doing it the Right Way again and this time he’s flippin the script and doing a daytime concert. That’s right, you read correctly. It’s time to say farewell to summer on September 18 at Endo Exo with Rightway Entertainment Unplugged Vol. II-The Daytime Edition. A mix of hip-hop and spoken word, the event features DJ Al Pete on the 1’s and 2’s, Seven and Moe as the MC’s, and performances by Odd Rod, Monica Monet, Lefty Gunz and Al Kida, and more- all topped off with a live band. I was at Rod’s Unplugged Vol. I at Café 331 a couple of months ago, so I know that this brother can put on a quality show. The place was full, the drink specials were flowin, and the vibe was just right. Expect more of the same with Vol. II and make sure you come in lookin extra fly as we used to say in the 90’s, because photographers will be onsite.

Tickets are $5 in advance and $10 at the door. Call 904-651-9832 or 904-233-6897 for more info. Endo Exo is located at 1224 King St. in San Marco.

Stay tuned to my blog.  Now that I'm back, I'm ready to go and I've got lots to write about.  I have a link to Thrill Da Playa's new album,  some real conscious hip-hop tracks from The Prolegend Movement, and I'm gonna talk about women in hip-hop.  The moment I've been waiting for since 1999 has arrived:  Lauryn Hill is back.  She's got a new single with Ron Isley that I'm really feelin, and I will have a link to the video up soon.  In the meantime, see you this Saturday at Endo Exo!  Peace.

Rightway Entertainment Unplugged Vol. 1

I couldn't call myself my a Ribault Trojan if I didn't give a shoutout to my fellow alum, Roderick Garner and his Rightway Entertainment Group.  Rod G specializes in event planning, mix cds, photography, videography and a lot more and his motto is, "You've tried it their way....now do it the Right way!"

He's doing it the Right way this Friday, August 13 at Cafe 331, where he's presenting Rightway Entertainment Unplugged Vol.1.  The concert features a live band and performances by some of Duval's best up and coming independent artists, including Jasmine Rhey, RnB Sanga, The Prolegend Movement, The IGive, and Ausmoses.  DJ Cheek and DJ De Mac will be spinning on the 1's and 2's.  Tickets are $5 in advance and $10 at the door.

If all of that entertainment isn't enough to convince you to come out, then the $5 Goose and $6 Hennessey should get some of you fired up! 

So come out and show love to Duval's independent artists.  If we don't support them, who will?

Doors open at 8 p.m. Cafe 331 is located at 332 Forsyth St., downtown Jacksonville.  For more information, call 904-651-9832 or 904-233-6897.

Random thoughts on hip-hop, education, and youth

Every one of the three high schools in predominantly Black neighborhoods in Jacksonville is failing. Less than a third of 10th graders in our community are reading on grade level. But when I look around, it seems like every other young person that I see wants to be a rapper...No wonder Soulja Boy's lyrics make no sense. These kids can't read.

When you listen to lyrics and watch videos filled with Maybachs, bling, and mansions, its easy to see the allure of the hip-hop industry. Hell, sometimes when I look at my light bill, I think about throwing a hat in the game and spittin some verses.

But is what we see real and attainable, or is it all just smoke and mirrors? Is the hip-hop industry the modern day slave trade, capturing youth with an illusion and enslaving them with draconian contracts that suck the life out of them financially and creatively?

We as consumers don't realize how much of the lyrics and content of today's songs are controlled by the record company executives and not the artists themselves. Ironic, when you think about someone in a high-rise office somewhere who has never set foot in the ghetto, pushing lyrics glorifying the hood and "keepin it real". Well, if the hood is all that great, why don't they live there? The truth is, for those of us who actually know, the ghetto isn't all its cracked up to be. That's why Jay-Z lives in TriBeCa and not Bed-Stuy. That's why you don't see any Jaguars players living in Cleveland Arms or Washington Heights. Why have mayonnaise sandwiches and Kool-Aid when you can afford filet mignon and Dom Perignon?

What's even more ironic to me, is the artists who make the money, and then still get themselves caught up in the game that they should have been able to avoid because of their finanical success. And then our young people, blindly following them and lacking positive guidance and role models in everyday life, try to imitate this negative pattern of behavior. And so we have a generation of kids who could sing all the lyrics to Kanye West's song "Through the Wire" without having any idea of who the Emmett Till was that he spoke of in the opening verses. We have a community of kids who talk about Ak-47's like they're Super Soakers, but can't spell this week's vocabulary words. That's if they even bothered to go to school in the first place.

We can't blame it all on the music, though. People say this all of the time, but it really does start at home. Parents, stop sending your kids to school in $200 Jordan's, but can't send them with paper and pencil. If your kid has brought home three report cards filled with D's and F's, don't wait until April to ask for a conference and then expect the teacher to change the grades or give extra credit. Worry about your kid's school clothes and less about your club outfits. Then maybe we'll see some changes.

But I'm not letting the record companies and artists off the hook. Record companies need to sell quality music again. Stop selling an album full of trash, and then wondering why kids would rather just download the stuff of the Internet. Artists, maybe its time to go back to being independent, if that means being able to produce better songs. While having a discussion about independent artists, Thomas "Murk" Kelsey said, "The artists need to step up on their craft and deliver regional if not local hits, besides songs they think are good in their ears, if not others." I personally think that the Internet might just be a great equalizer, allowing artists and consumers to take back some of their power from the executives.

And artists, you can try to channel Charles Barkley all day long and say that you're not a role model, but let's get real. You're putting yourself out in the spotlight-and pushing kids to beg their single parents who are already scraping to put food on the table, to buy mp3 players, cd's, and ringtones, so don't try to dodge the issue and act like these kids aren't going to look up to you.

When it comes to this issue, I feel like Brother Marley-"I got so much things to say". I have more to follow up with in a future post. But in the meantime, what do you think? Let's get this conversation going. Our community is desperate for it.