A few weeks ago, before the release of my novel GUESTLIST, I was having drinks with the lovely and amazing Emily Cavalier of Mouth of the Border and the conversation shifted to the topic of my novel.
Ms. Cavalier asked the question that everyone asks: “How much of it is autobiographical?”
“Twenty percent,” I said.
But you know, even that’s not true. GUESTLISTis most assuredly not autobiographical. The novel is not about me. And, despite what some will inevitably think, I am not any particular character in the story. In fact, the entire storyline is complete fiction.
With one exception.
And that exception, Dear Readers, is what inspired GUESTLIST.
On Saturday, January 28, Miami nightspot Eve plays host to the listening party for #FML, the latest project from hip-hop duo The Vagabonds. The event is hosted by the duo of Baysiqly and E.R. as well as Vice City Cypher.
There will be live performances by The Vagabonds, plus School Bus, Dashius Clay, Shottie (of IDEE4), Vurn, and Serum & Manifesto. The side stage will host an open mic competition, plus have additional performances by Rolls Royce, Yung Spec, Tay G, Lil Gunna, Roc Sol & DJ Cheo, Straight No Chase, and Blokaholics. DJ Twin will be holding it down on the 1s & 2s.
This actually dropped a couple of weeks ago but I wasn’t blogging at the time so I missed the opportunity to let y’all know about the latest collaboration between my buddy E.R. (of The Vagabonds) and Dominican MC Mago.
“Best of Both Worlds” showcases the rhyme skills of the two Miami-based lyricists, the concept being that Mago (who also produced the track) spits in Spanish while E.R. raps in English. The song has no hook—it’s just the two MCs going back and forth, tag team-style. “Although Latinos have been well represented in hip-hop in the past,” E.R. writes on the VMG blog, “it’s rare to see both sides of the spectrum being showcased alongside each other.”
Asesinato musical, masacre lirical en cualquier instrumental.
Translation: Musical murder, lyrical massacre on any instrumental.
That’s the M.O. of Dominican hip-hop artist (and Vagabonds associate) Mago. In the above clip, Mago goes hard over everyone’s current favorite beat, courtesy of Kanye West and Jay-Z.
I spent twelve years in Miami and in that time I grew to love reggae and dancehall music. It was a bit hard to get into in the beginning; prior to moving down there, the most exposure I’d ever had to these genres of music were the Shabba Ranks, Maxi Priest, and Mad Cobra videos in rotation on BET at the time. While I certainly liked and listened to “Slow & Sexy,” “Mr. Loverman” and “Flex” when they came on the radio, they weren’t necessarily the kinds of songs I’d bump of my own volition.
That all changed when I began college. My school’s brown-skinned population was overwhelmingly Caribbean and parties at the on-campus bar, The Rat, reflected that. DJs would spin all kinds of tunes that were seemingly familiar to everyone else but me. And these same tunes enticed the ladies to the dance floor—to wine, to grind, to sweat. I determined that if I was to have any type of fun, I had to get involved.
Thank God for Flea Market USA. Situated on NW 79th Street in the heart of Miami’s Liberty City neighborhood, Flea Market USA was home to many booths selling bootlegged albums and mixtapes. (And I’m taking actual cassette mixtapes, Dear Readers.) My favorite spot was Lion Records & Tapes. In the beginning I was only buying hip-hop mixes, the newest releases from DJ Clue or classic Jam Pony tapes. But slowly I began picking up dancehall tapes and familiarizing myself with names like Beenie Man, Buju Banton, Spragga Benz, Tanya Stephens, Capleton, Lady Saw, Red Rat, and Sean Paul.
Yes, that Sean Paul. This was long before “Gimme The Light.”
Title:The Drums Genre: Fiction/Short Story Status: Writing Summary: A socially awkward young woman meets the man of her dreams, but any hopes of happiness are threatened by the woman's domineering older sister.
Title:The Husband Genre: Comedy-Drama/Screenplay Status: Writing Summary: A married man tries to resist the charms of a sexy houseguest while his wife and daughter are on an overseas holiday.
