UPDATE: Jay Park on StirFryTV

Ever since I read about Jay Park creating a buzz in the states, I went searching for the interview he did with StirFryTV.com but had no luck.  Then several days later after checking YouTube again lo and behold, his interview with StirFryTV ended up on my YouTube homepage.  Perfect timing. Check it out!

Jaebeom (Jay) Park To Work With Teddy Riley For His U.S. Debut Album

Holy shit!  NEWSFLASH for all of you readers out there.  This is big news because it encompasses so many positive elements.  We have an Asian-American MALE sex symbol and popstar icon who is breaking sound and racial barriers with this announcement.  He has already been gaining momentum by starring in a movie called Hype Nation scheduled to be filmed this year.

Former K-Pop 2PM member Jaebeom Park will be working with one of my favorite producers of all time!  For those of your who are too young to remember or even weren't born at the time, Teddy Riley is the founder of the late 80s-90s New Jack Swing and contemporary R&B sound.

YEP YEP!!

Teddy was also part of a R&B trio called Guy releasing many New Jack Swing and R&B classics such as "Groove Me", "My Fantasy", "Let's Chill", etc.  If you don't know about Teddy from his days with Guy then you definitely will know him as a BLACKStreet member producing hits such as "No Diggity" and exec. producer for Michael Jackson's, Dangerous album.

When it came to R&B producers, I always felt that Teddy Riley never got the kind of recognition and commendation from the mainstream as other artists-producers out there.  Hopefully, his collaboration with Jaebeom will reignite his flame as a producer and catapult both of their careers to a higher level popularity and notoriety.

I have a message for Jay Park.

Jay,


You are in good hands working with a musical genius like Teddy Riley. Hold it down and keep representin' for your Asian-American brethren. You have a solid fan base worldwide.  I'm 100% confident this project will be a success.


-Masir Jones

P.S.  I'm envious of you being able to work with Ted.

Hip Hop Legend Guru RIP

One of the pioneers of hip hop music has tragically passed away. I always thought Gang Starr was an underrated hip hop group that never received the kind of praise and accolades from the masses that they deserved. I guess because they never sold themselves just to have Mass Appeal.

Guru, may you rest in peace.

Yes, I am an Asian-American but not Chinese.

There's nothing worse than having some ignorant fool who tries to say something in an Asian language that you don't speak. Especially if he's a white guy.  Let me explain.

Yesterday some delivery guy from UPS came to drop something off at the office in D.C. and I ended up signing for it since the secretary was unavailable.  I gave him my last name which is not Chinese and he says to me, "Ahhh. Xie xie".  I was stunned like a deer caught in headlights because I hadn't heard someone say something so ignorant in such a long time.  After he left I was a little ticked off.  I started to wonder if he was being yet another racist white guy or was he just trying to be friendly.

The way he said it though sounded like he was trying to be funny, but its just sounded really tasteless and racist.  Is this how the rest of America outside of the westcoast and NYC still view Asians?  Would you be offended or give him the benefit of the doubt that he was making an earnest attempt to connect with you? Apparently, Dave Chappelle thinks Asians all look alike so I wouldn't be surprised if others do.



What do you think?

Asians in Washington D.C.

So just a brief update.

Sorry if I haven't been posting any new material lately. I recently moved out to the Bay Area in California and have been busy adjusting to life here and the new j-o-b. I have to head on out to D.C. for work and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for any cool Asian hang out spots, towns, clubs, bars, etc.

I know this might sound weird, but I have always found it fascinating to meet Asians from other parts of the world outside of Asia. Especially here in the states, because I'm always wondering how much of their demeanor, personality and attitude is shaped by their daily environment versus their cultural background and upbringing.  For instance, if you meet Koreans from LA K-town versus Koreans out here in the Bay Area, you're bound to notice a distinction in their swagger. Or take a trip to Alhambra or Montery Park where its practically nothing BUT Chinese people versus a Chinese person out in North Dakota (are there Chinese people in North Dakota?).

The point I'm trying to make is that its just really cool to see someone Asian out in another part of the world and even though you don't know them, you feel like you have an instant connection with them.  Now Sarah Palin must know how we feel when her ass went to Hawaii.

So once again, if any of you readers out there have any recommendations, let me know!  I'll check it out, take some photos and post them up when I return!!