7.23 (sh*t you should...)
edition #25.5
all street journal
1.read 2.eat 3.see 4.hear 5.do 6.care
sh*t you should read
“leaving childish things behind” by reggie ugwu
for a long time, i desperately yearned for donald glover to bless the world with a follow up to because the internet and expand on the album’s cutting lyrics and experimental hip-hop energy. it never came, though. instead, he explored new genres and sounds, which were amazing, but different.
personally, i think it’s pretty wack when fans lament about missing a past version of an artist they don’t actually know, but i’ve definitely approached that territory with ‘bino, which is what us seasoned fans lovingly refer to him as.
but after reading this article and watching his hot ones interview, i can now say i’m at peace with never getting another rap album from childish gambino. i don’t say that in a shady way at all; i mean that earnestly.
donald glover is a forty year old father who seems to genuinely be happy with his life and, in line with that, childish gambino must come to a natural end. there’s nothing sadder than an aging rapper and it seems on bando stone and the new world, glover will be writing his own version of a happy ending for childish gambino.
read it here.
sh*t you should eat
harper’s bread house (271 grand st)
we never thought we’d be out here pushing a new radical diet as an art collective, until getting hooked on the neighborhood staple harper’s bread house.
what is this radical new diet, you might ask? well, it’s starving artist friendly, and carb only. told you it was radical! speaking from experience, you can survive for about a week at a time off of ~ $10 worth of their scrumptious egg tarts (okay, i lied, some protein is involved, too), our personal favorite, the red bean buns, and the rest of their breads and pastries.
my mouth is watering just writing this. if you’re cool, you’ll try their onigiri rice balls, and they also have the best iced coffee and teas for the people like us who can always use a little more caffeine.
in all seriousness, though, rarely a day goes by that someone on the all street team isn’t stopping by harper’s to grab some treats for the squad. they keep us going!
sh*t you should see
do the right thing (1989)
it’s hot. the streets stink. people are cranky. it’s summer in new york. every interaction feels like the precursor to a brawl or an affair. this sizzling energy that exists on a spectrum of extremes is difficult to capture, but in 1989 spike lee did just that with his bk summertime masterpiece, do the right thing.
as political tensions continue to peak with the increased temperatures, this film is more relevant than ever. it’s not necessarily an easy watch, but it’s an important one.
rather than beating you over the head with a singular message, lee weaves in the very essence of new york’s vibrancy into a tonal character that permeates throughout the entire film.
the last scene is heartbreaking and frustratingly prophetic. you will be shocked and disappointed in the little progress that our society has actually made in the 35 years since the film was released.
beat the heat, have fun, and have a deep think on thursday afternoon, as do the right thing will be playing in 35mm at metrograph (7 ludlow st).
sh*t you should hear
see the light by daniella faith
folks, a new two-song EP coming from beloved singer, producer, and songwriter daniella faith is out now!
it’s raw, it’s beautiful, and it’s a rare insight into the soul of a fully living human artist. we love daniella not only because she can sing the fish to land, but also because of the sincerity and integrity with which she approaches her craft.
the two songs have specific POVs from which daniella reflects, “‘ayeayeaye’ speaks to surrender, the surrendering of an individual, as an act of love. he first time you walk outside to encounter the sun after staying inside all day, is a raw experience. your eyes adjust and it takes a moment.”
“‘the morning song’ is a testament to the gentleness that leads us out of ‘imminent doom.’ when the greatest act of resistance against the noise and expectation is to put one foot in front of the other one. to get out of bed again and again.”
if you consume any music this week, we ask that you include see the light by daniella faith in your queue.
sh*t you should do
summerstage: vp records 45th anniversary (8.10.24)
for starters, it’s free, which for concerts nowadays is very rare. also, it’s in central park, which is obviously a beautiful venue. and the lineup features various talented artists that you’ve probably never heard of before.
so, don’t you want to flex on your friends with niche reggae and dancehall bops next time you grab the aux?
well, then this seems like a no-brainer. also super random tidbit to prove my impartiality, i actually worked for vp records for like two years till i got the can cause of covid layoffs, but hey, i don’t hold a grudge when good music’s involved and if i hadn’t lost that job, then this newsletter and all st likely wouldn’t have even happened.
so, in some ways, we owe them everything, but also i didn’t get paid for my last couple months of work, so let’s call it even.
sh*t you should care about
demolition has already started, so unless a miracle occurs, the world’s tallest jail will be built in new york city’s chinatown.
the jail will be 300 feet tall and house over a thousand inmates at any time. the jail is supposedly being built in order to close rikers, but not even the city believes that. besides, trusting the same government body to close one jail and open another doesn’t address any of the systemic issues plaguing our carceral system.
we’ll dive further into that soon, but right now we want to bring light to the worsening gentrification issue in chinatown and how projects like this further exasperate the issue, as a blockwide construction project greatly impacts foot traffic and thus hurts nearby local businesses.
since our city is failing to invest money into things like, i don’t know, affordable housing to help preserve the diversity of ny neighborhoods, maybe collectively we can help out a little:)
