This Just In: OUR BLACK TRUTH: New Black App for Black People is here!!

By Gloria DULAN-Wilson

Hello All:

I've some great news - and I absolutely have to share it with you or bust - Finally there is an APP for BLACK PEOPLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER!!!

It's called OUR BLACK TRUTH:

 

https://social.ourblacktruth.com/pages/no-permission?redirect_url=aHR0cDovL3NvY2lhbC5vdXJibGFja3RydXRoLmNvbS9ob21lL2luZGV4L3RhYjpmcmllbmQtcmVxdWVzdHM=

And you can actually log on to it from your iPhone or Android phone!!

As soon as my brother/friend Tony Regusters told me about it, I said YaY!!  Then checked it out on my iPhone - and, lo and behold!  THERE IT WAS/AND HERE IT IS!!

SEVERAL BROTHERS AND SISTERS ARE ALREADY AWARE OF IT BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO TALK ABOUT WE ARE AS A PEOPLE WITHOUT FB OR IG, OR SOME OF THE OTHER SPYWARE DISGUISED AS SOCIAL MEDIA JUDGING ME ABOUT MY COMMENTARIES ON THE CLEAR ASSAULTS ON BLACK THOUGHT, INTELLIGENCE, LIFESTYLE, EXPRESSION, CULTURE, VOTING, ANGER, CONCERNS, LOVE, EDUCATION, SEX, RELIGION OR ALL THE WONDERFUL, MYRIAD THINGS THAT GO TO MAKE UP WHO WE ARE.

Of course, as with the other social media genre, you can't use profanity, certain racial slurs, unnecessary dissing of each other either.  Not necessary, nor welcomed!

But, guess what, we get to educate each, create, and cross-pollinate with each other without the sense that some sinister caucasoid is trying to distort our information for the destruction or misdirection of our people.    I don't have some fool putting me in FB jail because I tried to communicate with my Oklahoma Homies about how to deal with an ignorant, nefarious, ersatz bogus wannabe President/in reality traitor.  Or some fool on IG (also owned by FB) telling me that they limit how many times I can post in a specified period of time. 

At least I hope I won't!

So when Tony told me about OUR BLACK TRUTH, the first thing I thought was:  "This is gonna be awesome!"  At least I think so. 

Of course we're not always going to agree with each other all the time.  We will be different ages, generations, belief systems - but we'll be BLACK - African, Caribbean, African/American, South American BLACK (or ECLECTICALLY BLACK, as I call it), with that all important requisite one tenth of of one per cent of BLACK BLOOD - that ties us all together. 

Sooo...

This is the link:

https://social.ourblacktruth.com/pages/no-permission?redirect_url=aHR0cDovL3NvY2lhbC5vdXJibGFja3RydXRoLmNvbS9ob21lL2luZGV4L3RhYjpmcmllbmQtcmVxdWVzdHM=

We've been asking for it! 

We've got it!

Let's give it a shot!  If we like it, let's migrate ourselves and our contacts over to OUR BLACK TRUTH!!!  At least the part that is integrally about us.

I'm tired of non-Black people trying to define us, deprive us, disgrace us for their own selfish gain.  Aren't you? 

This is the time to make it happen.  I'm not addicted to FB or IG.  And I do want to give ourselves a chance to do something for each other. 

It's worth a try - so let's make it happen.

NOW THAT YOU KNOW

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

Stay Blessed &

ECLECTICALLY BLACK  

Gloria DULAN-Wilson

GUEST POST: The HOBBLEDEHOY - British Writer Pens Description of T-rump - LOL

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Hello All:

You gotta read this - and then hold your sides together, because you'll be splitting them laughing, while rolling on the floor - or what ever is nearer.  My Lincoln University classmate, Vaughn Thomas, sent this to me yesterday - and I am still cracking up!!  

I don't have to add anything else - The post speaks for itself.

The HOBBLEDEHOY

I use the best, I use the rest

British Writer Pens The Best Description Of Trump I’ve Read

March 8, 2019 ~ Michael Stevenson

Someone on Quora asked “Why do some British people not like Donald Trump?” 

 

Nate White, an articulate and witty writer from England wrote the following response:

 

A few things spring to mind.

 

Trump lacks certain qualities which the British traditionally esteem.

For instance, he has no class, no charm, no coolness, no credibility, no compassion, no wit, no warmth, no wisdom, no subtlety, no sensitivity, no self-awareness, no humility, no honour and no grace – all qualities, funnily enough, with which his predecessor Mr. Obama was generously blessed.

So for us, the stark contrast does rather throw Trump’s limitations into embarrassingly sharp relief.

 

Plus, we like a laugh. And while Trump may be laughable, he has never once said anything wry, witty or even faintly amusing – not once, ever.

I don’t say that rhetorically, I mean it quite literally: not once, not ever. And that fact is particularly disturbing to the British sensibility – for us, to lack humour is almost inhuman.

 

But with Trump, it’s a fact. He doesn’t even seem to understand what a joke is – his idea of a joke is a crass comment, an illiterate insult, a casual act of cruelty.

 

Trump is a troll. And like all trolls, he is never funny and he never laughs; he only crows or jeers.

 

And scarily, he doesn’t just talk in crude, witless insults – he actually thinks in them. His mind is a simple bot-like algorithm of petty prejudices and knee-jerk nastiness.

 

There is never any under-layer of irony, complexity, nuance or depth. It’s all surface.

 

Some Americans might see this as refreshingly upfront.

Well, we don’t. We see it as having no inner world, no soul.

 

And in Britain we traditionally side with David, not Goliath. All our heroes are plucky underdogs: Robin Hood, Dick Whittington, Oliver Twist.

Trump is neither plucky, nor an underdog. He is the exact opposite of that.

He’s not even a spoiled rich-boy, or a greedy fat-cat.

 

He’s more a fat white slug. A Jabba the Hutt of privilege.

 

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This song about Donald Trump just won a BBC Folk Music Award as Best Song | Listen on The Hobbledehoy

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And worse, he is that most unforgivable of all things to the British: a bully.

That is, except when he is among bullies; then he suddenly transforms into a snivelling sidekick instead.

 

There are unspoken rules to this stuff – the Queensberry rules of basic decency – and he breaks them all. He punches downwards – which a gentleman should, would, could never do – and every blow he aims is below the belt. He particularly likes to kick the vulnerable or voiceless – and he kicks them when they are down.

 

So the fact that a significant minority – perhaps a third – of Americans look at what he does, listen to what he says, and then think ‘Yeah, he seems like my kind of guy’ is a matter of some confusion and no little distress to British people, given that:

• Americans are supposed to be nicer than us, and mostly are.

• You don’t need a particularly keen eye for detail to spot a few flaws in the man.

 

This last point is what especially confuses and dismays British people, and many other people too; his faults seem pretty bloody hard to miss.

After all, it’s impossible to read a single tweet, or hear him speak a sentence or two, without staring deep into the abyss. He turns being artless into an art form; he is a Picasso of pettiness; a Shakespeare of shit. His faults are fractal: even his flaws have flaws, and so on ad infinitum.

God knows there have always been stupid people in the world, and plenty of nasty people too. But rarely has stupidity been so nasty, or nastiness so stupid.

 

He makes Nixon look trustworthy and George W look smart.

In fact, if Frankenstein decided to make a monster assembled entirely from human flaws – he would make a Trump.

 

And a remorseful Doctor Frankenstein would clutch out big clumpfuls of hair and scream in anguish:

‘My God… what… have… I… created?

If being a twat was a TV show, Trump would be the boxed set.

 

Source: jobsanger: British Writer Pens The Best Description Of Trump I’ve Read

This was shared on FB by my brother/friend Tony Regusters 

Enough is enough! We're deep in 'Alice in Wonderland meets The Twilight Zone' territory now.

How much more of this deranged creature are we supposed to endure???

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JUNE IS BLACK MUSIC MONTH - SALUTE TO MANDRILL

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Hello All:

June is both Black Music Month and Caribbean Heritage Month - and in my family, there's a great deal to celebrate. My late husband/love of my life, Lou Wilson was a great musician/composer/vocalist/arranger - of Caribbean lineage - Jamaican on his Dad, Wilfred Wilson's side; and Barbados (Bajan) on his Mom, Doris Wilson's side.  

Lou Wilson of Mandrill

Born in Panama, October 25, 1941, he immigrated to the US with his father and brothers at the age of 12, and was raised in Brooklyn.  He, along with his brothers, attended and graduated from the legendary Boys High of Brooklyn.

The wonderful thing about Dad Wilson was that he insisted on all his sons - 4 of them, (the youngest coming along long after his older brothers had grown and left home) - cultivating their talents; so he made each one learn to play a musical instrument.  You might say he was the predecessor of Joe Jackson, because before they could not go out and hang with their friends, or participate in sports, they had to put in a considerable time practicing and mastering their instruments.  

And master it, they did.  Among they four of them, they played a total of nearly 50 instruments - including Trumpet, Trombone, Saxophone, Congas, bongos, timbales, flute, sticks, spoons,  kazoos, and the kitchen sink.  

The important thing about Lou's music - and Mandrill in general - is that the lyrics are to uplift, inform, teach - they were about love, peace, and unity.  There was never any profanity used in any of their lyrics; no overt sexuality or perversions - just good clean fun.  They enjoyed their music and performing together - and apart from the occasional sibling rivalry - they were a cohesive unified family.  They not only loved their music, but loved the music of so many other artists as well.  Lou was the consummate ethnomusicologist - and loved music of other cultures as well as the music we as Black people created.  

As a result, our home was a musical home.  We would wake up to the Mighty Sparrow or Lord Kitchener one morning, John Coltrain, or Miles Davis, the next; the Beatles the next, Stevie Wonder, Olatunji, Hugh Masakela, Miriam Makeba, Bob Marley, James Brown, the Four Tops, The Temptations, and so on.  If Lou wasn't listening to music, or making music, he was writing lyrics.  A peculiar sound could send him off on a tangent in how to incorporate it into an idea that was running in the back of his mind.  And soon, he was composing something new, wonderful and different.  Our Sun/Son RA has as much talent as his dad, and is constantly composing, acting, doing Spoken Word - it's in his DNA.  

Our Mandrill family was a true Diasporian Family - to the point that I coined a new description for us:  African/JamacaBajaManian-Americans.  The richness of the confluence of our cultures has been such a blessing to me and our family -  as well as my nieces, nephews, and all the Wilsons, who comprise the Mandrill Family. 


There has been so many issues and controversies about immigrantion;  but we have so many geniuses amongst us - from scientists, to doctors, to educators, to architects, to entertainers.  Had Lou's family not left Panama, and come to the US to seek better lives for their children, there would have been no Mandrill; similarly, there would be no Wyclef Jean, there would be no Rihanna, no Sheryl Lee Ralph, no Harry Belafonte, and so many others, who have blended their voices, talents, geniuses, creativity with their African American Brothers and Sisters here in the US.  We have all been blessed with the genetic codes of our African Ancestors which has informed our capacity to transform it into something wonderful and magical - a lifetime legacy.


Recently, a very good friend of mine, Tony Regusters, posted a tribute to Mandrill on FaceBook, which started me on binge-listening to their music -something I haven't done in quite some time - Lou made his sudden and unexpected transition to the realm of Ancestor/Angel on  January 7, 2013 - It's taken me this 6 years to sit and enjoy the music and the videos without tearing up, or feeling sad - just enjoying the memories.  So, I'm sharing them with you, as well:

"The Wilson brothers, founders of the awesome 1970's Latin Jazz/R&B/Funk fusion band MANDRILL, were born in Panama and grew up in the Bedford–Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn. With Carlos on trombone and vocals, Lou on trumpet and vocals, and Ric on saxophone and vocals, they formed the band to combine funk, soul, jazz, and Latin music. The band was named after the mandrill species of primate, which was known for its colorful features and family-oriented social structure. The other original members included keyboardist Claude "Coffee" Cave, guitarist Omar Mesa, bassist Bundie Cenas, and drummer Charlie Padro. 

They signed with Polydor Records and released their self-titled debut album in 1970. The album and its self-titled single "Mandrill" both reached the Billboard charts. Fudgie Kae Solomon replaced Cenas for their second album Mandrill Is, which also reached the Billboard soul and pop charts. 

Neftali Santiago then became Mandrill's new drummer. Their third album Composite Truth was released in 1972 and became their most successful release, with the single "Fencewalk" reaching number 19 on the Billboard singles chart. During this period, Mandrill gained critical notice as one of the most progressive and experimental funk bands of the 1970s, while their use of Latin elements drew comparisons to Santana and War. Funk historian Rickey Vincent noted Mandrill's multi-ethnic membership and "bizarre blend of African-based rhythms, scorching rock riffs, country fonk, bop jazz, and one-chord guitar rock operas." 

Guitarist Dougie Rodriguez, a former Santana sideman, joined in time for the second Mandrill album to be released in 1973, Just Outside of Town, which reached the top ten on the Billboard Soul Albums chart.
Here's a beautiful love song by Mandrill..."

youtube.com

Love Song - Mandrill

Del disco "Just outside of town" Mandrill una muy buena banda.YouTube

Gloria Dulan-Wilson Thanks so much Tony for the memories. Interestingly enough, our Sun/Son Ra and I were talking about Lou and the group earlier this afternoon. I think the only thing i would add is that 90% of all the songs and music were composed by Lou, and Carlos did most of the lead singing because - according to Lou - his voice was perfect for ballads. Our Sun/Son - Ra performs Spoken Word, and has very much the talent and creative DNA his father and uncles have. Stay Blessed & ECLECTICALLY BLACK - Glo W

Tony Reguster's post caused me to go on a MANDRILL BINGE.  I'm sharing some of the works here with you.  Hope you can play them, and enjoy them as much as they did performing them.

6:22

Mandrill "Hang Loose"

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Mix - MANDRILL GOES WILD IN TIMES SQUARE (2011)

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Mandrill "House Of Wood" New York

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Mandrill – Live at Montreux Jazz Festival (2002)

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Mandrill "Mandrill" 1971

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Peace And Love - MANDRILL

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Mandrill Live at West Oak Lane 2008

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Mandrill - Solid (1975) Album

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MANDRILL - wind on horseback - 1975

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Mandrill - Moroccan Nights

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Mandrill - House Of Wood

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Mandrill "Mango Meat" Montreux Jazz 2002

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Mandrill "Fencewalk" Live Montreux 2002

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STAY BLESSED

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