The Story of Right Hand, Left Hand: An Ode to "Do the Right Thing"
WAAAAAAAAAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP, UP YOU WAKE UP YOU WAKE UP YOU WAKE!!!!!
20 Years later, our social woes remain just as timely as this classic film from Spike Lee. This project is my attempt to bring light and discourse to the same issues that were at the foreground and background of this film and how the parallels and foshadows of a generation of "Love & Hate" has systematically had us battling for our communities and for the future of our colorful youth. Characters that have never died in our community like Buggin Out, Radio Raheem, Mookie, Smiley, Da Mayor, and Señor Love Daddy are given a more social comprhension to their symbolic meaning to us today.
Join us on June 18th for my first solo art exhibit which is also the Launch of a new MVMT and the most anticipated line from 1SOUL. A Soulcial art project.
Was on the set of Blitz & The Embassy Ensemble's New Music Video for "Breathe". Was just hanging taking some behind the scenes flix, and I caught this light setup they had for the video off on the side, and just took advantage, grabbing people btwn takes and getting some dope portraits. Makes me wanna invest in my own lighting setup... soon.
So I guess this is the new video from Calle 13 which is filmed in La Perla, and for those of you who don't know La Perla, is the epicenter of HOOD in Puerto Rico. The Favela of PR. The funny thing is that its right next to the biggest tourist district in Puerto Rico, Viejo San Juan. This is where all the cruises dock, all the souvenir shops are, all the outlets, and its like the soho of Puerto Rico. I always found the dynamics of this area very interesting when growing up out there. My family would always fear mention of La Perla like it was some type of boogieman. I mean its kinda dangerous don't get me wrong, but its only dangerous when you act like your more valuable than the people who live there. Which quite essentially is like any hood in America. You see we people "of the slums" smell aristocracy like its the bad odor of spoiled milk, and we do what we can to push it away, always at the sacrifice of our human nature.
"...smell aristocracy like its the bad odor of spoiled milk.."
I remember going down there once in a car and there was like only one way to get down there in a car. You have to go thru this tunnel, and at the end of this tunnel there were all these hustlers with trays and trays of drugs and different marijuana. They just go up to your car and ask you what you want, cuz they dont know your car and they figure your only down there for one thing....drugs. It was a very interesting experience for me and I will never forget it. This sadness came over my heart cuz I couldn't comprehend how people can feel like they have no other choice. How have we as a society instilled this belief, like its a religion, on our youth and on our lower class.
So I was kinda glad to see this video and the way they show the bright side to La Perla, that people grow up here and and kids play in the streets and there is real community despite the bad "Public Relations" the area may have. Plus, Ruben Blades is in it and he is like the freaking man!
On May 29, 1984, the Unión Patriótica (Patriotic Union) was constituted as a political movement during the peace associations between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the government under the presidency of Belisario Betancourt. During the negotiations the two parts agreed to establish a new political party that would have all the same guarantees as other parties. From the beginning, the party grew in popularity and won many political offices. In the years that came, systematic killings eliminated more than five thousand five hundred of its members.
Hey folks writing to ya´ll from Cali, Colombia. I´m out here with Yoshi and Bounce from the TYS crew, and also the homie Pablo, who I am helping produce a series of mini docs on the political genocide of the Union Patrotica. Its a real dope project and I will fill you guys in on it a little more later . I´m real excited. Its my first time really editing a full series, so can´t wait to let ya´ll see it. Always wanted to get into production so i guess this is my chance, I will also be shooting some stuff next week. I´m helping them set up a website to distribute all this content from the doc series to the dope photography and murals. The Project is called Memoria Viva.
the weather is beautiful, the food is hella good, we are stayin at a dope pad by the river and around alot of nature.
Brand Architect of 1 Soul Designs, Co-Owner of Fresthetic, and Brand developer at Parallel MVMT, Michael Cordero has launched several successful arts and community based businesses. Michael’s motivation is based in facilitating economic and intellectual contributions to the youth and community around him. With a strong reputation for promoting social, political and cultural awareness in order to provoke change, Michael focuses primarily on using art and entrepreneurship to raise consciousness in the community. His work has impacted communities in NYC, San Francisco, Cuba, Vieques, Mexico and Guatemala.
"We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community... Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own." -Cesar Chavez
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