So in case you haven't heard...word on the street is that Janelle Monae's Suite I of IV: The Chase is sold out. Yup that's right. We have sold over 10,000 copies in 2 months yall or yowll as Miss Monae's Kansas City, Kansas accent sometimes dictates. It has taken alot of support from everyone invoved in the WAS/Janelle Monae movement to accomplish such a feat. Everyone in the blogosphere that read this blog or attend our performances have been the reason that it has happened. You have decided to purchase the album and support a magical art versus downloading the bootleg or at least you bought a copy after grabbing the bootleg (that's love). The next pressings will ship immediately. We want to ensure that everyone that wants a copy gets it.

I think that this achievement is another reflection of the music industry's changing business model. Innovative artists such Janelle Monae have been finding efficient and effective means of distributing their artistic energy to fans. And it is working. I can't wait for the industry to adjust to the new model so that the legions of artists such as Deep Cotton, Proton, Scar, Yelawolf and others can release their music in a fantastic way. For more on the business model adjustment check out this link. http://www.technewsworld.com/rsstory/60050.html

Its an exciting time and a challenging one. Those that keep their fans in their forethoughts will absolutely win the game. Thats what it always comes down to. You take care of those that take care of you and they will ensure your ascension. 10,000 units sold is evident of that. Janelle Monae & Wondaland Arts Society will see to that. We are you and you are us. So lets keep making this thing happen.


Homemade Chicken & Tomato Pizza
Cheese Pizza
Pepperoni Pizza
Butter Corn
Young Smoked Gouda Salad


Hawaiian Grilled Chicken
Rice
Broccoli
Biscuits

Happy Halloween, from me, Janelle Monáe! Just thought I'd show you what
I look like in my costume...

Sent from my iPhone.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN YOU CYBERGHOULS, MARSGOBLINS, VENUSFREAKS AND...MERCURYMONKEYS!!! This is our day and since I'm feeling WAY...lon Jennings better (no more sick sick) I'm gonna shove as much candy down my throat as my lil bam bam esophagus will allow and bounce off the walls for 24 straight.

I LLLOVE HALLOWEEN. It's not about the costumes...it's about the candy ya'll. ATL has thug motivation...I've got candy motivation...Let's Get IT!!! as a wee babe in NYC, I pioneered a vicious candy hustle on this hallowed day...change costumes 3 times and keep trick or treating round your apartment building all night long. i'm talkin garbage bags worth of sugar booty...months of red stained lips and chocolate crusted sleaves. my lil heart is beating faster and faster and faster and faster...

Better believe that by 1am I'll be quoting Ice Cube...Today Was A Good Day. But first I'll be sangin' Cameo... strawberry! raspberry! all those good thangs! violets and gumdrops...And Iggy Pop...candy candy candy I can't let you go!! Ok...so right about now my bro bro, kakes, is having a mini heart attack cause he knows about the severity of my candy addiction...and i'd been on the wagon for oh so long...gimme the loot gimme the loot!! I used to ask/plead/beg/force my brother to go the bodega on the corner in the middle of the night to get me twix. I was like 8 and he was 16. I wasn't allowed out of the house, but he was. GET ME TWIX!!!

ENOUGH! LET'S TALK BOUT SOME MUSIC:

Bam Bam was in bed bed for a week so I was mining the music on myspace like crazy crazy... talking on the phone, hearing about new bands, missing shows, hearing about shows i missed... Wanna share some of that goodness...

Kenna's got a new album and there are 2 trax i'm jammin out to in my mini hardcore...check out say goodbye to love and out of control while you're getting dressed and check the outfit you end up rocking!

Mark Ronson's Version album makes me so happy!! check out oh my god feat. lily allen and valerie (baby J remix) feat. amy winehouse. Horns by the Dap Kings, vocals by some bad asses.

If you got that MIA crush going on you need to check out Santogold. Listen to the Shove It Switch Remix. And MIA will be live in the ATL this evening but you can catch her up close and personal at her in-store at Criminal Records. 6:30pm ATL Standard Time. Get er done, Lightning and Mitchow!

My guilty pleasures of the moment (besides candy and pedialyte) are 7LEsoteric and Apathy. Wapppers out of the Masshole & CT that make me giggle and shake my arse. Check Typhoons in Japan and Daisycutta feat. Kool on 7L's page and You Look Like You Come From the 80's on Apathy's.

When I'm missing all the cute skinny indie better than emo-ness coming outta the BK I'm listening to Bishop Allen (Click) and Mates of State (Goods All in Your H...).

And when I'm wanting to rock pop rock pop rock pop I'm listening to my old fave Imperial Teen (Yoo Hoo).

And on the Yoo Hoo tip...It's candy time!!!

The sis of Kakes and Bam Bam dropped thru the Oakland show last weekend. She lurved Ms. Mayweather, Pete and Kakes and the Metropolis Symphony Orchestra. Her hubby even got his face painted by the Good-Knews Krew...smiling faces in photo says it all and damn JM can throw that pose can't she!?!

Oops...Almost forgot...We may have Janelle Monae Saddle Oxfords coming to a janellemonae.com/store near you real soon like ya' hear!?! Just got an email from a manufacturer that can make it happen. Whoopee!!!!

Post Script: since I referenced Waylon Jennings up top, you should sneak a peek at his boy Shooter Jennings. He's got a country album I can listen to over and over and over...

Labels: 7LEsoteric, apathy, bishop allen, Cameo, Iggy Pop, imperial teen, Janelle Monae, Kenna, marke ronson, mates of state, shooter jennings, Waylon Jennings

Been reading, writing, creating.

So much. Different disciplines.

Here's your apple for the day.




--c.lightning

Labels: Arithmetic For Playas

...get me through security!

Greetings all,

Well as you all know The Society was in California this past weekend and we had a blast! But first let me talk a little about Airport Security...or rather Airport Interrogation. So we're coming back from a great weekend in San Francisco and Kellindo and I are walking through the security check point. I make it through scott free but I look back and notice that Kellindo wasn't as fortunate. It seems as though security had mistaken Kellindo's guitar for a SCUD MISSILE! They empty out the gig bag, looking at wires, cables, guitar strings, and they even break out the wipey pad to make sure this guitar missile wouldn't make it through and end the world as we know it. What made all this intense security necessary you ask? A freakin' 9 volt battery...yup...a 9 volt battery. Apparently, a 9 volt battery raises a red flag in regards to bombs... On top of this, the security guard had a trainee next to her, so of course she had to do everything by the book which made the process that more intense. Just a thought for future reference...let's focus on real security threats..you know people with black trench coats on, nose and moustache disguises, etc. Just a thought for you lovely airport security personnel.

Now back to the weekend. JM performed at Stanford University on Friday and the response was amazing. It was a very diverse crowd and they were jammin' the whole time. The students swarmed to the merch table, JM signed CD's, it was great. Special thanks to Josh Constine for bringing us out.

Saturday we were in Oakland for the Massquerade. This was a very different and interesting atmosphere but it was great. Good to see people trying to do different things in the urban community. JM killed the show and the people were definitely touched. Special thanks to Chris Adams, Tef, and the whole Good-Knews team!

I am aware that my latest installment is a little past due...chalk that up to being in a hotel where internet costs $10 per day and me refusing to be hustled by ridiculous hotel prices.

Till next time...

Lord Rico

The show last night was a great success! The event was a well
organized one put together by some remarkable people.

Overall, the weekend's most inspiring moments were spent with new
friends and aquaintences from Stanford and most notably from the Good-
Knews folks. There is a movement out here in the bay area, and I'm
excited to watch and see where it goes. I'm also eager to see how we
at the W.A.S. can help contribute to the growth.

They are tech-heads, artists, innovators and most importantly,
thinkers dedicated to affecting positive change.

Sent from my iPhone.

Stanford was fantastic!!!

So we've just landed in San francisco for what promises to be another
wonderful weekend with Wondaland. Jane's particularly excited because
this will be her first performance on the west coast since the release
of suite I. (which I might add, is sold out!)

The first performance is at a private institution tonight 7:30
pacific, and the performance tomorrow is at a masquerade ball.

To those of you in the Oakland area, we hope to see you there!

Our prayers go out to all of the families affected by the fires in the
southern part of the state.

Pas,

N8

(this photo is a photo of jane during the landing of the plane -- bumpy)

High fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated soybean/olive/coconut oil (or any other oil that's hydrogenated for that matter) are two of the worst two things a human being could intake. Companies hydrogenate their products to to minimize the cost. Rather than use just plain oil they take the easy way out by using unnatural chemicals to expand the amount of oil that they are using. As a result the hydrogenation has been linked to the high rate of cancer in this country. Usually in the ingredients of a product you will find the term partially hydrogenated which is just as bad. Anytime you read partially anything it is a warning sign.

High fructose corn syrup is a cheap processed sugar. It's like crack sugar. They take regular corn syrup and chemically make it much sweeter so they can make mass amounts of sweetener at low costs. This process has been linked to the depletion of a human beings immune system. Lets put it this way, if you had a cold would you eat lots of sugar? Well imagine cracked out super sugar. This is totally unnecsaary. For example Hienz ketchup has high fructose corn syrup. Most bread companies use it as well. Bread! Wow!

The good news is we have a choice. In most quality grocery stores (Whole Foods) especially the ones in white or integrated neighborhoods you will find the organic/natural section. If you see these ingredients in the food that you buy simply walk to the natural section and you will find the same type of food without those deadly chemicals. It costs a little more but a doctor costs a lot more! And it tastes better without the chemicals.
Well, happy eating!

Oh yeah, I have to give Kellis KP Kellindo Kelli Kakes Parker a shout out for teching me the ropes of healthy food. I would not have my growing knowledge of food without his wisdom & care. And because of him I now have a healthy outlook on health & life.

Enjoy!

Bam Bam is sick sick…cough cough…oops stuff coming up up…run run…sleep sleep…read read…haze haze…fog fog…no insurance surance…so no doc doc…just agua agua…and positive attitude, dude…flu flu…eff you you…flu flu, eff you you.

That’s my song and I’m sticking to it.

Being sick is always wack, but being sick during Morehouse homecoming weekend is way way wacker, ya’ll. Reading Jane’s blog was like rubbing salt in my flu wound. So happy it was incredible…wish I could’ve been there. Just woke up for the first time in 24 hours…a day…a whole day gone by while I was in the dream state/waking life. Kids, definitely go to the doctor if you’ve got insurance. I don’t have it and not only do I have the flu I’m also missing the crucial ligament in my right knee…I kneed surgery. Gonna be tricky with no insurance fo sho. But I have FALIEF…that’s faith mixed with a healthy dose of belief.

If you don’t have insurance and you get the flu, Dr. Bam Bam recommends Pedialyte…the wonda drug…available at most family friendly drug stores (i.e. you can’t get this on the corner). What is it, you ask? Well, gather round the fire place while I tell you of “the #1 pediatrician recommended solution to prevent dehydration due to diarrhea or vomiting. Pedialyte is specially formulated for infants and children to quickly replace lost fluid.” DON’T WAIT- REHYDRATE!! Pedialyte is also good for dogs that cant hold down their food. I’m very very in touch with my inner child so I ignore that infant and kid thing. If it’s good enough for your baby, it’s good enough for me. Besides, I’m still my mama’s baby.

Aight…on that note…baby is going back to sleep…see you in the summer when the hibernation is over...and the snow melts on my already long winter (oh snap, will I ever see snow again if the Earth keeps heating up like a sauna)…and the salmon swim upstream (oh shoot, no streams on salmon farms, only overcrowded pools)…and the flowers bloom (oh crud, there’s a mysterious disease killing all the bees, so we may not have flowers next year)…and the leaves come back on the trees (luckily we don’t live in cali where every tree in the southern part of the state is on fire)…forget it…I’m better off asleep and focusing on replenishing my electrolytes…GET YO LIFE RIGHT WITH PEDIALYTE!!

Disclaimer: Although Toddler Bam Bam looks eerily similar to the lil kid in the Pedialyte ad...that kiddo is not related to Bam Bam...neither is the dog...no Pedialyte was hurt in the writing of this blog.

'Nuff said.


--c.lightning

Labels: How Rock Stars Survive When Folks Refuse to Buy Music

So, I am typing this while sitting in the doctor's office. I care about my health.

There are lots of people with no insurance and patience, just waiting. Imagine that.

My phone is gonna die, so...

Thank you Howard for being so kind and allowing me to come into your institution and expose you to me.
One of my best experiences ever. I give you love and you gave me more.

Thank you Morehouse and Spelman for deciding to theme your whole Coronation Ball after, "Metropolis". I was more than honored.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, thank you for stepping to "Many Moons" in the 10,000+ packed step show. Hot... Wigs and all.

A special Thanks goes wto the tailgaters who just didn't mind interrupting me while I tried to eat my hot dog. I genuinely enjoyed taking pictures with food in my hand.;)

Thank you to all the wasers for helping.

I have declared this week to be more than great. keep this in mind.


Went to church yesterday and heard something that stuck with me, "Trouble is always gonna come for you. You will never be able to escape this. You have to figure out how to react when it comes your way." That is the challenge for me.

Don't look for peace in others or places, find your peace, your inner peace, the peace right near your heart, and take it wherever you decide to go. This will never leave you or let you down.

I have heard these sayings before, but I needed to hear them again.

Sometimes, I need to go to church.

sent from my iPhone.


It's raining dear. I get to wear my Wellington's! How exciting.

Greetings all,

Well...as you all know we were DC this past Thursday for the Howard Homecoming Fashion Show. It wouldn't be right if there wasn't any drama...

Let's fast forward to sound check. We arrive and I am told that JM will be performing on the side of the stage...I knew the reason was going to be interesting. So I ask "why"? Come to find out, they thought it would be cool to have models walking the runway while JM was performing. Of course upon hearing that I knew the fun had begun! So guess who had to work it out...correct...Lord Disassembler. A couple of W.A.S. members almost blew their top off, but I wasn't concerned about it. I just wanted to know that it was a problem with everyone and it needed to be fixed...bottom line. So, I walk out to the director, advised her that models walking while JM is performing was NOT going to happen. Of course there was some discussion, but at the end of our talk, it was worked out.

This whole day was filled with things that got my mood all messed up for the entire night for reasons I can't share with the public...sorry ya'll! Maybe I'll right a book down the line and I will be sure to include this day...lol.

So we get to showtime for the 1st show at the Cramton Auditorium. JM is performing "Smile", when this ignorant male yells out "what are you talking about"? Kind of like a heckler almost. I had to restrain myself from running from backstage and stage diving towards this guy who was obviously a lost soul. But then I thought, why should I be upset. Hey, not everyone is going to like what we do. But the thing that bothered me was that it was done while she was singing. How IGNORANT can we be sometimes? Why in the urban community must we vocalize when we don't like something? That's the question I have for you all.

It ended up turning into a great night. Both performances were great, we sold out of cd's, and I think we definitely grabbed a lot of new supporters. After the 2nd show, the line downstairs was like a line for the newest roller coaster at an amusement park. People were skipping in line, yelling, all in hopes of purchasing a JM cd. That was definitely the highlight of my night. We ran out of Suite I, but gave the VSHH single away for free for the ones who didn't get one.

I would like to send a special thanks to the Howard staff that I dealt with and that worked out all of my concerns in a professional manner. You all know who you are.

This week we are off to California! So be here next Saturday, for the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

Till next time...

Lord Rico

Boy am I bummed! I was really looking forward to driving to D.C. for Janelle Monae's Howard Homecoming performance (she's slated to perform twice actually). But a last minute change of plans has now cancelled what was sure to be the highlight of my birthday week. Oh, yeah, that's right. Tuesday was my birthday and it was a grand time. It all started on Sunday though when my friends, the Southern Friends boys, Corey Dub, and Mash all surprised me by taking me paint balling. What a painfully fun time it was. I have the bruises to prove it. On Tuesday, the day started off with the 3rd Annual Delvin Stanklin Birthday Golf outing at the Wolf Creek golf club. That's where you see Chuck Lightning acting dang fool on the previous blog post. Shout out to Control Z for having the mind set to capture the moment. The day wrapped up with a fabolous dinner at Silk. I had the Kobe steak and lobster tail with lobster bisque. It was to die for. I also, finally, got an iPod. Getting the iPod was a blessing becuase I don't have the best of luck with them; the new one is 3rd one I 've had in as many years. I will do a better job of protecting and keeping up with it this time however.
After such a wonderful birthday you would be certain to think that someone wouldn't really ask for more. But there was the one little trip that I was looking forward to taking that would have really been the crescendo for my bday week. But as things do happen, I guess that won't be the case. I will just settle for wishing that my Wondafamily has a safe, enjoyable and productive trip and look forward to the fantastic stories that I am sure they will have to tell. You see, that's just how much JM means to us. So much, that even on your birthday with many well wishers, gifts & events, you can still look forward to the motivating and energizing force within the world that is Janelle Monae & the WAS.

All in all, I am very thankful for them. They make me smile. I will end this post by adding the new Mary J song that brings a little sunshine to my life.

Have you heard it yet? They’re rumbling…and maybe in 1907 it was a low rumble, but in 2007 it’s a deafening holler. A gang of folk are stomping their feet, ringing a bell, jumping up and down, shaking things, shaking thinking up. They’re calling…and they’re all shouting about the same story that’s been written in the stars for eons. Researchers, Art Historians, Physical Biologists, Clinical Psychologists, Spiritual Explorers, Philosophers, Aerospace Engineers, Mythologists, Physicians, Futurists, Computer Scientists, Filmmakers, Fulbright Scholars…like I said, a gang of folk…are focused on the year 2012.

How could I be on the Earth for 30 years (stop laughing at my age Stanklin and Happy Birthday again, old man) and not know what the hoo ha is supposed to be going down in only 5 years? Why did I only hear about 1999 from Prince and Y2K from the government? Mitchow saw a special on the History Channel about 2012, but other than that mainstream media has been pretty hush hush…so I don’t know a lot but here’s what I do know…there are signs all over the place that life as we know it will change dramatically that year: The Mayan Calendar (the most accurate calendar created by humans) ends on December 21, 2012, effectively predicting the end of an era on Earth. Okay. Those that believe in hidden codes within the Bible, say that the Bible predicts a meteor will hit Earth. Similarly, Nostradamus predicts a slew of natural disasters will befall Earth that year due to a comet crashing into our planet. Ummm. The popular book the Orion Prophecy, which cracked several ancient star codes created 10,000 years ago, predicts Earth’s magnetic field will reverse in 2012. Oh Boy. But this is what got me…All these theories are based on the Maya and Egyptians. They are descendants of the legendary Atlantis, which is currently buried under the South-Pole. The Atlanteans supposedly had highly evolved astronomical knowledge and were able to exactly predict the previous world-wide flood in 9792 BC. Yo, the ATLiens are behind this!?! Now I’m listening.

So that’s where I’m at now…listening, reading, sharing ideas with others and generally looking into it a whole heck of a lot more. Check Wikipedia, even the band Genesis, even the band Incubus make references to 2012. Writers from William Burroughs to J.R.R. Tolkien made reference to it. TV shows I actually like, Futurama and the X Files have shows dedicated to the year 2012. There’s a negative view: some say there will be a great catastrophe and the human race will end. There’s a positive view: some say there will be a great shift in consciousness in the human race and a new world order will emerge…no more war, no more poverty. I’m going with the positive view. That’s what we do at Wondaland.

Should all this 2012 stuff prove to be true we’ll be ready at Wondaland. We already on the new world order ish. We created it for ourselves and we live, breathe, work and dream under a governance separate from what’s going down in Washington, D.C. (e.g the Imagination Proclomation). That’s why Janelle Monae’s music sounds like electricity and not like neo-soul. That’s why Deep Cotton is up to no good and not just causing trouble. That’s why Mitchowski is the Lord of the Cybersoul Patrol and not the Product Manager. That’s why Rico Low Low is the Lord Disassembler and not the manager. That’s why Kellis Oh No is the Lord of the VooDoo Children and not guitar god. It’s a Wonda World Order. And the major labels hear us coming. So 2012 may come and go, like any other year, but Wondaland will experience a seismic shift in thinking anyhoo. We doo doo everyday (see what Madonna’s deal with Live Nation and Radiohead giving away free music did to Lightning and Undo Function in a Tux last week…gnarly!). We ready for 2012 in our own way at Wondaland. Bring it. And yes, NostraLightning, you can borrow my book The Mystery of 2012: Predictions, Prophecies and Possibilities and one day I’ll return your Love CD.

Bam Bam

MEETINGS AT WONDALAND TODAY: CREATIVE & YOUTH OUTREACH

and for some reason (MERCURY'S IN RETROGRADE!!) blogger is having trouble uploading pics today so here's a link for the pic I would've had at the top...http://www.graphics.com/modules/Gallery/albums/album258/Dec2012jpg.sized.jpg

"When nothing else subsists from the past, after the people are dead, after the things are broken and scattered· the smell and taste of things remain poised a long time, like souls bearing resiliently, on tiny and almost impalpable drops of their essence, the immense edifice of memory" -Marcel Proust "The Remembrance of Things Past"(1)

In his classic memoir "The Remembrance of Things Past," Marcel Proust exalts the human sense of smell as the most powerful conveyor of memory. According to Proust, smelling your grandma's biscuits or your ex-girlfriend's perfume is the most visceral way of reliving yesterday.

I'll admit: You get a whiff of your grandma's kitchen and suddenly it's Christmas morning again. You're eight, it's nine in the morning, and you've got a brand new stormtrooper in your hand. There's a plate in front of you with grits, smoked sausage, scrambled eggs and those magical biscuits. You can see the rest of the day as well: grandpa shuffling around the house looking for his paper, bickering at Uncle Ricky about messing the paper up and losing the sports section, and generally acting senile and starting an early morning ruckus because he hasn't yet read his Bible and had his first cup of coffee. I can hear Kim in the other room, refusing to leave her gifts for one second. And I can taste grandma's homemade apple jelly. All from a simple whiff, a few molecules taking me back in time.

But for me, music is just as powerful, if not more so. When I hear a song, I have so many emotions. And if I love a song, I have even more memories. Here's a small list of the memories that come roaring through me when I hear Led Zepplin's Stairway to Heaven:

• A summer day. The windows down. A soccer ball rolls across the seat. We're on a way to a party. And we know all the girls will have great big smiles.

• Brian Lindsay's drunken laugh, his right hand clutching a Camel cigarette, his left holding a Miller Genuine Draft. Someone calls out Brian's nickname--BEERMAN!!--and Brian bows before the drunken crowd, the King of All Things Drunk.

• There is an island in the Rock River. We go there with a small radio and a cassette of Led Zepplin IV. Build a fire. About 18 of us. Girls and guys. Having a good time. I don't care about anything. People smoke pot, tell stories around a bonfire. But I stay on the boat where it's quiet. As usual, I'm not drinking. I'm in the back holding Amy Tilly's hand. And that's heaven enough for me.

Another song, different memories. BBD's "When Will I See You Smile Again?"




And the movie behind my eyelids, the flickering rush of memories:

• The closing minutes in the basement. My house. A few couples are spinning, bumping, grinding and kissing. The song comes on. And it doesn't matter where you are. You grab a girl's hand and head for the floor.

• Prom senior year. The song is loud, wafting out the window of limo. Inside, drunk folks are kissing. Whisper, shout and sing. The car takes a turn. Someone spills a beer all over my tuxedo. My date, Lisa Elisenbach, laughs. Oh well.

• It's late night. I'm driving home. I've dropped Amy off. And I'm shaking my head because I can feel the feet of our breakup approaching...coming like a train, and it makes me cry...it's been a great, winding summer together...but we leave for college in two weeks...and everything will change...deep inside i know it will all be over soon...

So many songs, so many memories....

--c.lightning

(The date on this picture confirms that this show happened in the future, you are reading the past.)

Lost my red earring on the plane. Stupid airport people did not search throughly. It was right in my blanket!

Ate Chick-fil-A for lunch, but wanted a Rueban sandwich at Arby's. No sour crout.

Had an interview with the Hampton's weekly newspaper. My interviewer was so nervous and shy. He was really sweet. I talked too much too.

Our sound check turned into a performance. Students came out from their rooms to watch.

Did the university's radio station, 89.1fm. I got asked some really personal questions. She was a Redskins fan.

Found out Hampton and Howard are rivals. I must make them friends.

Ate more Chick-fil-A.

Went to hotel room to talk to lawyers about deals and such... AHHHH!

No rest.

During the real show, I almost missed my "I-I-I-I-I'm a" part because of the toilet paper falling in the wet toilet. I refused to have that experience touch me. Had to find dry paper... no more details.

Ran on stage without my cumberband on and jacket unbottoned. hilarious.

Kellis and Pete were laughing more on this show, pretty comforting.

Mitch, I am sad I couldn't read your imaginary post yesterday.;(

Stage dived for the first time and they actually caught me (pics will come later).

Hung out with and meet some of my uber-cool supporters. Someone was even dressed like Cindi Mayweather. (Check my Facebook page)

The majority of these intelligent creatures knew the words and sang them louder than the sound system.

The sound system, another story.

After the show, went out with two high school friends from Kansas. The whole time I was thinking, "Were not in Kansas anymore." (crowd laughs)

The clubs were a bit ancient. It was like a museum. The WAS was ready to jet after "Guess who's back, back again"-Eminem came on.

Went to a Ne-Yo party and talked to Debra Lee (BET). I wanted to really tell her how I felt, but she kept talking about my outfit. I guess we'll meet again?

Performed at Hampton University this weekend.

Ate at Waffle House and witnessed a ignorant black man in his element. Lots of yelling at the waitresses, calling people not cool for listening to "Hey Ya!" by Andre 3000, and calling someone Terrence Trent Darby. He is headed for danger. There is hope for a "walking dead" man I'm certain. A woman had her toddler in there.

I don't think I will ever go outside my hotel and Hampton University if I am ever back there. It was like being in the Twilight Zone and I only visit Metropolis.

Thanks Crystal Sessoms and all who made it possible for me to come and share my art. This was my first block party and I will never forget the energy from the crowd, the dancing in the cold, the mic stand coming apart, you and the police chasing me after the show, and so much other stuff that I am choosing to leave out.

Make sure you are there.

Was my job done? Well, I am never done working, but I am certain at least one person is really living now.

Sincerely Jane.

I am getting sick. Howard University is this week. Will I kick this little bug?

Off to listening to the tune N8 Wonder and I worked on last night. The chord changes he wrote made me cry. Suite II is gonna be a tough song picker.

Where is my nephew?

Greetings all,

First off...the week started off wrong for me. If you don't know, I'm the biggest NY Yankee fan that ever touched this green earth. And they thought it would be cool to lose in the first round of the playoffs to the CLEVELAND INDIANS...WHO? Incredible! But the baseball season is over (at least to me) so whatever!

As you all know we were at Hampton University yesterday for the Block Party. It was a lot of fun and the show was great. No need to say how JM did but...oh well...she killed it AGAIN! The craziness didn't start until after the show.

We were taken to a couple of clubs in the area and boy was I scared! Picture a club with good music, good lookin' people, pretty girls dancing on the bar, etc. Now, imagine the exact opposite...and you are there at the club where we were. Boy oh boy...upon entry I almost passed out when I saw Roseanne Barr dancing on the bar...not exactly, but mine as well have been. Then you see a group of guys dancing a little too close for comfort and Eminem comes over the speakers "Guess who's back...Shady's back..back again!" You have now entered the TWILIGHT ZONE! I've never exited a club that fast unless there was a fire or people shooting. Definitely a night to remember...or forget...you be the judge.

But all in all it was a fun time and gave us another opportunity to spread the word about JM and the whole Wondaland movement. Shout out to Crystal Sessoms for taking care of us and the whole Hampton staff that was involved.

Well all...till next week.

Lord Rico

Manoman has it been a very busy week here at the WAS. As I am sure you that you have begun to piece together, the WAS has really started the set design process. The project to really do more to enhance, magnify& propel the magic has injected an additional dose of energy into the already hectic world of Wondaland. We have made quite a few changes, major and minor, that are really having an "I can feel the difference instantly" moment. We have fertilized & cut the Wondagrass, recruited new flying goldfish that give you kisses when you ask for them and also added a few pieces of furniture that allow levitation with a simple thought. Yes, my friends, it is really shaping up.

There are,however, a few ideas that we are still trying to work out. For instance, there is a certain lava lamp that has offered us a few challenges. For a lava lamp, it is really cool. I like the fact that it is moving and has vibrant colors. But in real application it has become more challenging to make fit. We run into problems whenever we place it somewhere in Wondaland because it really takes a very determined position within the decor.Lord Disassembler has thrown out a few ideas but they don't give it quite the pop that it needs. So I guess that we will have to keep working on it. If you have any ideas please let me know.

I am really excited to see what the finished set will look like. I will definitely keep you posted on the any challenges that arise and our successes.

- Wolfmaster Stanklin

Lettuce Wedge Taco Salad
Spanish Rice
Refried Butter Beans
Dessert: Mitch's Birthday Cake


Herb Roasted Chicken
Aspargus with a Balsamic Glaze Drizzle
Rice
Spring Mix Salad
Dessert: Nate Wonder's Mom's Magnificent Pound Cake

Labels: Set Design

WE DREAM A WORLD

Today is a day…it’s a big day for me...and my mom and my brother…and my other brother and two beautiful sisters. My heart is wide open and it’s beating loud and shining hot and I’m thankful. I can feel everything today and I’ve gotta remember to stay present because today he speaks to me louder than any other…even though we know…we always know…that he is always here… in all ways.

It goes without saying that we miss you, Daddy. Learning to fill the hole to get back to whole has been a process for me and the other one’s you made. Today marks the 7^th year since the day you passed from this place to your next existence and I think you’d be proud to know that your kids are thriving. Everyone knows that I and my big lil bro, Kellis Jr., are building dreams at Wondaland. And you know that our lil big bro, Kai, is writing about music as it relates to society just like you did (remember Jazz: the Laws the Slaves Made?). One day soon Kai will scoot under Chuck Lightning’s wing and help us realize this blog as it is truly intended…and boy is it a whole lot bigger than what you see here (if Wondaland is gonna do a blog, we gonna do it! It’s coming soon). Lil big sis, Shilla, hasn’t found her place yet, but she’s twerking it out at Harvard doing her MBA and about to start her JD…yup, she’s gonna doo doo ‘em both at the same time (boy she crazy…crazy smart…just like you). And big big sis, Kimberly, is still the mother to us all…plus two more little ones that are just like you…and she remains the tie that binds.

I can hear you talking to me now…I hear you loud loud loud…you’re saying don’t settle down, rise up. You’re saying destiny is winking at you, so nod back… (Jane says, live your life). You’re saying dream a world, and the world is…you’re saying listen more, talk less…you’re saying see the ball, hit the ball…the Yankees will win the World Series in 2008 (You already know!). You’re saying God is Love, Daddy is Love and (don’t worry, Bam Bam) Love is Infinite. I hear you.

Daddy, you would love Wondaland. You had an imagination proclamation long before the Dalai Lightning let us see it. We always say that he reminds us of you. And can you believe Jane’s birthday is the same as Mother Novella’s (the angel that still walks on Earth)? There are no coincidences. Cakes and I wouldn’t be with Control Z, Stanklin, Yahyah, Jane, Mitchow, Lightning and Rico Lo Lo Lo Lo Low if it weren’t your way.

Wondalove. One Love. One. So today is big. And still it’s just another day. But, do you know how much we doo doo, dream dream, make make, grow grow in just one of these little days? Today is big…it’s big.

Next week we can talk about three new bands in Atlanta that are blowing my mind…if you want a preview check One Hand Loves the Other, Chopper, and the Long Shadows. Also want to talk about Locker Posters (coming to a school near you) and Metropolis candy (how sweet it is). But today my dreams look like this… I’ve got the world on a string sitting on a rainbow, got the string around my finger…what a world. Dreaming big big, thanks Daddy Kellis.

Labels: daddy, doo doo, dream, wondaland, wondalove

Every movement needs a manifesto. Attached below you will find the text of ours: THE IMAGINATION PROCLAMATION.

Like all things, it's a work in progress. In all honesty, this is a first draft, a grinning baby taking its first steps in the grass. The WAS met and talked about it, but it has yet to be formally adopted, printed, signed ceremoniously by all the members with a quill pen and then framed and hung on the wall. The plan is not just to use the document to beautify Wondaland, but to use it like Google uses its motto--"don't do evil"--as a way to announce to the world what we're about and inspire movements like ours around the world.

That being said, you can help us!

Read the text below. Then... send questions, comments, and concerns. Send nightmares and daydreams. Send anything that you find inspiring. And if you possess superpowers that you think might help us save the world, please keep us informed.

------

THE IMAGINATION PROCLAMATION

We have the right to our own imaginations.

We have the right to rent out houses there to sirens who type long letters to sailors they knew long ago.

We have the right to chase the songs of these sirens, and to traverse the seas chasing the leviathan, chasing the ends of the earth.

We have the right to make and use magic.

We have the right to use this magic to free cyborgs, build new cities and reveal the secret history of the future.

We have the right to live in these new cities where magic bears no monsters, children run the government, and men go back to school to learn how to become children again.

We have the right to technology.

We have the right to use this technology to build gardens that grow inside.

We have the right to build rabbitholes in these gardens:
havens for the world’s outcasts, misfits and dispossessed.

Lastly, we have the right to majesty.

We have the inalienable right to smile in this golden age: to thrive instead of survive, to live as kings, learn as wizards, as well as bear the responsibility of leadership.

And in all these things, we bear and accept the right to pursue happiness, liberty and equality to the ends of the earth—

And beyond from this life to the next.


--chuck lightning

p.s. And Happy Birthday Mitch Mitchums!!

Labels: The Imagination Proclamation

It's almost time for my small, well, big college "Homecoming Tour."

Over the next 4 weeks, I will be out of town non-stop (see L of D's post). I must admit, I am a bit overwhelmed, yet timid about meeting all these different faces from different places. What will they think of me? Gotta keep gum in my mouth, my personal space will be invaded. Will they just stare (which lets me know they are having a great time!)? Will they know any of the new tunes? Will they sing "Violet Stars Happy Hunting!", or better yet, "Many Moons" loud and obnoxious in the faces of their peers and professors, even the hearing impaired? That would be nice. ;) I hope someone in a white sheet screams for me to perform "Cybertronic P."

My dream would be for someone to fall in love with old images of me, when I wore my hair out, free and safe, and wasn't wearing high waisted pants. They booked this show like a year ago, signed the contract and agreed to pay me, but at the last minute look on www.youtube.com at one of my videos and ban me from coming to the institution for let's say, uhhh... dressing like a boy and shaking my hips like a raunchy girl (perfect combination). Then, while The W.A.S. is arguing with the conservative nit wits and I am brushing the sides of my hair in the mirror like James Dean, the student body and entire village began marching outside with pickets of my name and hair on them, demanding that I take the stage! There are some who just want to slap me on the left jaw for being there, but the majority are ready for a revolution! Some big boned girl with extremely long bangs wearing saddle oxfords would tie up the authorities with rope, push them in the closet, no, make them watch the performance with duck tape on their mouthes. The Omish and Mormon community will be in the front row rowdy and acting unorthodox. Ahh, what a dream. I want to have a James Brown, Elvis, or Johnny Depp in "Crybaby" moment. For some odd reason, I want to feel like those extraordinarily gifted class acts who performed for high schools in the segregation days. But, not with all their social issues. No water hoses. The police can leave the German shepards in the donut room too. I really want to be the "taboo" artist, for good reasons though. I want parents to be afraid a riot will happen in their conservative home. Instead of women burning their bras this time, I want them to put them back on again. I want the churches and strippers to call me possessed. Okay, I am carrying myself away. Gotta hurley!

Just another random thought. What's yours? What would be one of your revolutionary moments in history? In my dream, you would comment, but don't feel obligated to, fore it's only 2007.:)

GREAT post Mitch. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!


Jane.

Greetings all!

I can't believe it's been a week already. I guess time flies when your having fun...or busy as hell...or both. Some quick updates/news for ya...

JM will be performing at Hampton's Homecoming this Friday Oct 12th. Should be fun, college crowds always are. And it's another chance to spread the word about the best thing since the iPod...JM! All you HU students come out and support and see what everyone's been talking about.
JM and Wondaland will be at Howard University on Oct 18th for their Homecoming Fashion Show. We've done a gig in DC before, so hopefully some of those past attendees will come and tell a friend to tell a friend. Because when you see JM perform...it's like CRACK or KRISPY KREME'S...you need more and you need it fast. (I thought KK had crack in them?)

Hey...Howard and Hampton...who will be the LIVEST? People I tell are like..."Howard..oh that's gonna be sick!" The majority don't speak about Hampton. Now...Hampton...ya'll gonna let this ride like that? Or are you gonna show JM who her REAL supporters are? Just a little friendly competition! JM might have to do something special for the livest school...

Then JM is headed to California for Stanford University on 10/27. I'm excited about this because that is a BIG market that we haven't tapped.

Of course we are still promoting Suite I "The Chase". Thanks to all who have been asking about Suite II, that means you already have Suite I and know what the deal is. For those who are like "WHAT?"...you are late and need to get on the ball...seriously! You can go to www.janellemonae.com/store and get Suite I, a t-shirt, a poster and Krispy Kreme's...(not really). I'm guaranteeing your pleasure!

That is all for today cyberworld! See ya next week...

Lord Rico Rodriguez
Lord Disassembler
The W.A.S.

Time to move! The W.A.S. is headed to N.C. for the weekend and we're raiding the 'rents house for stuff.... AQUARIUMS, grass, grills and everything else that's wonderful and feels expensive.

Apologies to everyone for last week's blog by me. It was indeed, terrible. I was attempting to type it from my iPhone, and let's just say that the iPhone still has issues with large text input areas.

I upgraded my firmware to 1.1.1 after waiting since the beginning of september for the release, and I must say, I'm very impressed with the newest features (bricking aside). First thing i did was purchase "Sincerely Jane." and the rest of Metropolis Suite I.

I also purchased a song off of the new White Chalk album.

Then I listened to snippets of Souljaboytellem's album.

I heard Report Card.

Then I put my phone down.

I may update this post later if i'm not driving. I hope to start a riot based on the ideas espoused in Report Card.

Birds flying high, you know how I feel. Sun in the sky, you know how I feel. Breeze drifting on by, you know how I feel. Reeds driftin' on by, you know how I feel. It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me. And I'm feeling good- Michael Bublé I love Michael Bublé & this song. I am not ashamed to say it. That is, at least, until one day I was singing it around Bam Bam and she stated that she loved the Nina Simone version. So I decided to take a listen. Now, anyone that knows me, knows that I am a great Michael Bublé fan. I ride for my man in most of his musical endeavors but there is no way that he comes remotely close to what I heard when I listened to Nina. It was as if she was harnessing the power of her ancestors to bring forth this soulful & amazing sound. Mike you lose this one hands down.

Listening to the song had another fantastic affect on me. It reminded me that there is so much music out there that I have yet to listen to and experience. I haven't begun to touch all of Nina's work or a Stevie or a Nirvana for that matter. It also reminded me of how blessed I am to be a part of the creation of fantastic music such is being created by the likes of Janelle Monáe and Deep Cotton. The sound that is being developed with each project is just exquisite. The places it takes me and will take you is incredible. I can say that every time that I think of that fact I feel like I get a brighter perspective on life. I can look forward to tomorrow with an even greater sense of excitement, anticipation and purpose.


So anytime you feel yourself getting down, upset a bit or simply have a free moment. Pause, and think: "I have the first suite of Metropolis and there are still 3 more that will be released. And Deep Cotton has yet to release their album. Thanks God for music." Now isn't it a wondaful day. -Wolfmaster Stank

Labels: deep cotton, delvin franklin, Janelle Monae, michael buble, music, nina simone, wondaland, wondaland arts society

Janelle Monae, Nate Wonder and Chuck Lightning make the most insanely Wondaful music at Wondaland. Every night the W.A.S. production team plants fanciful delights that regularly grow up to be the happiest songs ever.

Case in point: There’s a song that you hope is on Suite II called Locked Inside that will make every cell in your body smile. I dare you to hear it and stay on the wall. If it’s on, you’ll be on the floor, doing you and grinning your face off.

Enough of that…You gotta wait til you hear it yo darn self…

Moving on…

We’re lucky cause there’s a lot of music in the A: snap music is big, Young Jeezy is bigger and Outkast is the biggest …but what bubbles beneath the surface may one day get us on the map again… Introducing 8 BIT MUSIC.

I’m gonna do it kind of different today…rather than jawing off about what I think is super, I’m gonna share a conversation I had with a guy that’s onto some other ish.

Meet DJ Uncean from The Nintendo Power Club. He’s a composer of 8 Bit Music which is, as he says, “a symphony that you can find if you listen very clear and stay quiet.” Our brief chat goes as follows:

Bam Bam: So what’s going on in this 8 Bit Music world?

DJ Uncean: 8 Bit Music is made on computers with old school keyboards, like Casio, Krog, Noord, etc. or people solder chips from Nintendo’s or Commodore 64’s…some people will add traditional instruments like live guitars and drums. In the end you get music that’s familiar cause it’s made from sounds from those gaming systems.

BB: What does it sound like?

DJU: It ‘s like if you take the music from a classic video game, like Super Mario Bros. or MegaMan, Castlevania, or Zelda…you know…but put it more into the congenial modern societal norm of arrangement and then take Midi music with higher Nintendo pitched skraggy notes and super low distorted bass… like how a Nintendo sounds from the heyday… then you‘d have a basic 8 Bit Sound.

BB: Huh?

DJU: Basically you’re gonna get whatever an 8 bit composer is influenced by in the music.

BB: So what is The Nintendo Power Club influenced by?

DJU: Nintendo Power Club is influenced by modern hardcore music and metal music mixed with music you dance to on dance floors and MegaMan and Ninja Gaiden.

BB: What the fuss does that mean?

DJU: OK..Pretty much I’m influenced by the breakdowns where it’s chuggy and very hard…

BB: …I need an example.

DJU: OK.. Think of bands like Throwdown, Hatebreed and Terror…

BB: I know those bands…what else are you influenced by?

DJU: Aphex Twin, Postal Service and Daft Punk …we’re like that with a more hardcore influence…we’re taking that kind of sound and making it prettier and very raw and pure…cause we’re taking the layers out and focusing on the foundations of the sound…or the song.

BB: Sick. Who should folks check for if they wanna know what’s happening in the 8 Bit Scene?

DJU: There’s a website called 8 Bit Peoples that has everything you need to know…and look for a bunch of different artists like Electronic Mess, Bit Shifter, MiniDestroy, Anamanaguchi and of course Nintendo Power Club.

BB: Is 8 Bit Music here to stay or is it a fad, like hip hop?

DJU: It’s been around since the late 80s, since Nintendo’s have been made. The people that composed the tracks that play behind your favorite video games are real composers. As long as there are computers, gaming systems, electronic geeks and music prodigies, 8 Bit Music will be around.

BB: Well, I may be an optimist, but I don’t see computers going anywhere so I guess you freaks are gonna be here for a minute.

I can only hope that more folks will take a sabbatical from the radio: digital hip hop; the people’s station; everything alternative; all the hits and/or the circle of friends to check on what the other half is creating. Once again…introducing…8 Bit Music!

8 Bit Musicians To Check: www.myspace.com/nintendopowerclub www.myspace.com/minidestroy www.myspace.com/anamanaguchi www.myspace.com/8bitpeoples www.myspace.com/electronicmess

www.myspace.com/bitshifter

It's funny: my favorite artists are releasing a can of whup ass on the music industry right now.

Prince is giving away albums for free in the daily newspaper: here's 14 new songs to chew on along with your morning crossaint.

And then there's my favorite band in the whole wide world: Radiohead.

First there came a note from our favorite imp on guitar: Johnny Greenwood.

Hello everyone.
Well, the new album is finished, and it's coming out in 10 days;
We've called it In Rainbows.
Love from us all.
Jonny

and according to pitchfork and the press release:

A new Radiohead album will arrive in cyberspace on October 10! It's called In Rainbows. And it appears that Radiohead have chosen to not sign with a record label and are releasing it themselves via their website, at least for now.

You can pre-order it from their website right now as a download or an $80 "discbox." What's a discbox? I'm so glad you asked, madam.

"THIS CONSISTS OF THE NEW ALBUM, IN RAINBOWS, ON CD AND ON 2 X 12 INCH HEAVYWEIGHT VINYL RECORDS.
A SECOND, ENHANCED CD CONTAINS MORE NEW SONGS, ALONG WITH DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHS AND ARTWORK.
THE DISCBOX ALSO INCLUDES ARTWORK AND LYRIC BOOKLETS.
ALL ARE ENCASED IN A HARDBACK BOOK AND SLIPCASE.
THE ALBUM DOWNLOAD AUTOMATICALLY COMES WITH THIS PACK."

In Rainbows will be out digitally on October 10th. And released in discbox format on December 3.

Sounds pretty, frickin cool, huh? Most of the guys here in Wondaland know my feelings on this: i wish my favorite artists would get into the concept of the infinite album: sell a VIP pass or membership online that entitles you to crazy goodies throughout the life cycle of an album or given project...

Imagine Prince bundling his 14 new album tracks, along with 2 concert tickets to the closest show near you, a few special merch items, along with demos, b-sides, remixes, and video streams of every concert on the tour...for something like $99. You could put in your password and watch his concerts with your girl on Friday nights! You would also be entitled to any "goodies" that popped up during the term. A Christmas song, or live tracks from his Super Bowl performance, etc. I would buy a VIP pass in a heartbeat, and so would you!

Anywhoo, back to Radiohead. So they've got the $80 discbox. And you're probably casing an old woman right now and getting ready to hit her upside the head to get the money--morals be damned!! But hold on!

There is some good news for those of us that are, ahem, financially challenged...If you order the download only, you can pay HOWEVER MUCH MONEY YOU WANT for it. Like, there's no set price. Like, yes yes, you heard me right: you set your own price. Like, you can pay zero dollars and get the best album of the year for free...

II.

About a month ago we met with Big Boi.

He's frustrated with the way Jive dropped the ball on the latest Outkast album. And he and Dre can't wait...one more album and they can do their thang anywhere they want....maybe they could even sneak out the back door of the label right now...hmmmmm...

Nate and I urged Big to think about all his options. It's simple: what we're witnessing is the Flight of the Superstars. Radiohead doesn't need EMI. Prince doesn't need Warner Bros, Universal or whatever corporate pimps he's chosen to distribute his product this month. And truly, Outkast doesn't need Jive, or Def Jam, or anyone else...

They could put their next album out themselves: a double disc with a website where you could remix the songs and get premium content. They could distribute the album for free with copies of the New York Times or USA Today. THEY COULD GO BACK ON TOUR. They could have an enhanced CD with videos for every song. They could have Target pay for the album and put it free in every store. And have a special order "discbox" for VIP members that would contain more music, and access to live concert streams.

I would pay at least $50. How about you?

p.s. it's funny, or perhaps not so funny...subconsciously i reduced the price point because i kept imagining that guy at the gas station charging you five dollars for that "new new 'kast"....

will black folks pay $50? Will rock geeks get behind a black/urban/yet pop sensation at $75 a pop? what's your thought?

And what would you like to see Outkast do with its newfound freedom? What kind of album configurations? In what mediums or media?

I'll share it with Big Boi. I'll tell him THE PEOPLE have spoken...

--chuck lightning

Labels: Entertainment Industry Bullsh*t, How Rock Stars Survive When Folks Refuse to Buy Music

I feel myself changing.

I feel myself turning into a different being.

I feel myself looking at the blues like it was purple.

I feel myself letting go of the "unchangeable ones" like they were Tommy Hilfiger or something.

I feel myself growing around and into my heart.

I feel cold when I get hot at them.

I feel myself searching for more answers than questions.

I feel like I am in a movie.

I understand the value of silence.

I worry.

I feel vulnerable.

I feel very anxious.

I feel like I am waiting for something that is not being fair right now.

I feel approachable.

I feel pieces of new powers.

I feel very special, but I am a safe with being normal.

My mind misunderstands me.

I am scared to move back there.

I miss that baby in Kansas so much.

I feel change.

I feel bad for the Muggles.

I feel very poetic and scared to press "publish post".

I gotta go to bed.

I feel alienated by the writer.

I understand cold showers.

I feel the hair pens bruising my scalp.

I feel bad for not smiling more.

I feel quirky alone.

I feel the ash around my mouth and ankles.

Sleep hates me.

I feel like I have to take control.

I feel shy when I am approached, even at home.

I feel safe.

I feel sad for theory.

I need new oxfords.

I feel my eyelashes touching the fat under my eyebrows.

I am really getting older inside.

I actually enjoy being wrong, it's funny.

I feel like something won't let me stop, even if I tried.

I feel like I am about to lose apart of me.

I feel completely out of control.

I am angry at her for editing this.

I feel my sweater slip into the palms of my hands.

I feel the wind knocking my hair out of order.

Time is cool.

I have a lot to say, but end up not saying it.

I feel politically incorrect.

I want to know the truth.

I feel like grandma did at Providence Medical Center.

I feel selfish and self-absorbed for all these "I"'s.
I smell fall.

F?