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Showing posts from November, 2011
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copyright: Marika N. Johnson 2011 Who am I? I was born the daughter of music, raised by hip hop. It was 1986, when I bought--well, when I asked my parents to buy my first tape... RUN DMC.  Monumental, one because I distinctly remember my Dad asking, "What the hell is this Raising Hell crap?" and my mother saying to him... "Charles, thats that new rap stuff." A pivotal moment that shaped the person I became. All connoisseurs of hip hop are-- (or rather, they should be) lovers of ALLLL types of music. Music is the universal language of the human race. A bond can be created over a simple beat. A smile emerges through a harmonic undulance and even tames the most savage of beasts. It was the best of times, new, groundbreaking--this thing called Hip Hop. The making of ME. This pic of Doug E. Fresh was taken front row at Club Merienda. I don't go out often but was honored to see an icon in such an intimate setting. I was invited by a wonderful friend and arti
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     ENCOURAGING STORIES SPONSORED BY HOMECOMING COFFEE AND GIFTS AND THE BIRMINGHAM CIVIL RIGHTS INSTITUTE AND MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A GRANT FROM BIRMINGHAM CULTURAL ALLIANCE/KRESGE ARTS  READ AND SEE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE SPOKEN WORD ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS IN THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE BY THE BIRMINGHAM NEWS .   Marika Johnson of Pleasant Grove with her daughters Maia Johnson (8) and Nadia Johnson (6) who became homeless after the April 27th tornado are shown with the artwork they have in the exhibit during the opening reception of "Encouraging Stories," an exhibition of wriitten and spoken word, music and visual art by members of Birmingham's homeless community at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011. The exhibit runs until January 22, 2011. (The Birmingham News/Jeff Roberts) What the images were about... I took a more light hearted side to the events that occurred. I have found that not all horrific events equal tragedy. It depends on what you t