OUT 30

Hola cyberpeople! This is Ma'at here about to give it to your eye-hole again. My travels since the last time you read up on here. So let's be like a jackrabbit and hop to it!

First off, I would like to give the Freeman Bosley Junior Show another shout out for giving me another shout out on their show last Sunday. They acknowledged that I gave them a shout out on my blog a few weeks back and much love to FBJS co-host Nicci Roach for giving me that shout out. They are just giving me so much love and I appreciate it wholeheartedly because it is hard to try something new here in the Lou especially something like blog. A lot of people have told me they have been reading it and for me to keep it going. That just gives me more motivation to do this. I love all you for reading! Oh, and I am ready for my segment on "Nic at Nine," too. LOL Okay, let's get to the news...

Last Thursday I decided to go to 609 in the Delmar Loop to get a drink or two with my buddy Kameron. I got there a little early and ran into singer Coco Soul. We did the air kisses and shared niceties (I congratulated her on the play "Caroline or Change" that is being held over another week this week. She plays the Washing Machine in that production at teh Balck Rep. Check it out when you get the chance!) and proceeded to walk up to the door wheer the bouncers were to pay and the guy said, Ladies--three dollars, man, five. I reacted like, "What?" When did they start charging diffriently for the genders? I remember when it was just 3 bones to get in, nowtheir creeping up on the fee to get in. True, it is a popular nite with DJ Nappy Needles spinning (akin to Niks Wine Bar and Churchills on Thursday nights a few years ago), but to charge an extra two bucks for the fellas (and there are more hard legs up in there anyway) just let you know they dont want as many guys up in there. I'm not mad at them, but this whole gender price stuff has becoem an issue to me. Now, is it me or has 609 become thuggish ruggish bone up in there? All kind sof thundercats were up in there and I was starting to keep that vibe that if someone stepped on someone's new sneaks, a fight would have ensued. It didnt used to be that thuggish, but I guess if you got University Police swirling around there after midnite around there, you know that they are waiting for something to kick off. I saw Cleveland Cav's Jahidi White up in there in a suit. He looked very out of place with all the thugged out fashionados up in there. I guess he was in town to visit his cousin Wendell B, the local R&B singer who, both own the ST. Louis based Cuzzo Music label ( BTW, I did a cover story on Cuzzo about two years ago in the now defunct Flipside Newzine). I also ran into St. Louis American's Melequicia Meadows who almost didnt see me, but I made it known that I was in her presence when I told her I was going to talk about her. LOL. (Keep up the good work at the American. ) I also saw poet and Pageant ticket seller Invisible Man (bka Maurice Minor) sneaking up in there (Did your boss Mr. Joe Edwards know you were up in there that late? LOL) . By the time Kam rolled up and I got a Absolut and cran up in there, it was swole up in there and people wree getting there club on. I looked at my watch and it was almost 2 in the morning and rolled out.

Last Friday, I checked out this experimental play called, Ipi Zombi (see my review of it at kdhx.org) at the Hoschner Theatre housed next to the Edison Theatre at Washington University. The play is about the urban myth of what happened to 12 of the 15 South African boys who were killed in a bus crash in South Africa. The myth is that they were kille dby 50 naked witches. The play is loosely based and spoofed on the actual bus crash that happened in South Africa in 1995. The play is a combo of Rocky Horror Picture Show meets Sarafina--and check it out, most of the cast was white! They were doing Xhosa dances, rituals, chants and all the like. It was something to get used to (they even broke out in a drag show with the main actor Chauncy Thomas, who is an African American Wash U student) that started lip synching off of "Shake Your Blues Away" an old Doris Day song!!), but it will definitely get you thinking. The show is up until Feb. 5. Be sure you get there early, cause the how lasts only an hour and theres no intermission. (My date got their late and they didnt let her in so she went to London and Sons instead.)

After that, I stopped into Cafe Eau in the Chase Park Plaza for a minute to see what was poppin. It wasn't. they had some cover band called Gargoyle Lounge up in there singing songs like Steve Millert Band's "The Joker" and Dobie Gray's/Uncle Kracker's "Drift Away."' They were okay, but it wanst the type of music to get you crunk. The tripped out part was I ran into this guy, I forget his name, but he is an actor here in the Lou and we spoke and all. I stayed for about 20 minutes and right before I was about to leave out, I got on my cell phone to make a call. The actor guy then had walked to the bar with his friends and saw me walking out, he then bursted out, "Who are you trying to call on your phone like you so important?" (picture Blaine and/or Antoine form "In Living Color' saying that ). I stopped turned around and said, "Why do you care?" I chuckeled (and so did his friends) and I walked off. Now, dont get me wrong, I'm sure he was just being himself, but when someone try to show off in front of their friends, then it's time for me strike back like Star Wars, okay, and still be cool with it. I'm sure he will think twice before he try to front Ma'at. LOL. Anyway, I then drove to Rallys on Lindell to get me the fries that who can put cheese and ranch dressing on. Mmmm, talk about good when you hungry (Rememeber that Eddie Murphy routine in his concert film. Raw,when he was talking about how good a Saltine cracker is when you hungry, yeah, that same feeling). I was in transit to the hot new spot in the Lou, The Jazz Loft on Olive. It was about 10:30 in the P.M and I drive through there and it was already packed! That is unheard of for a St. Louis club to be already packed and its not even 11 p.m.! So, I got me a parking space on a street going north of Olive and proceeded to walk tot the club. As I was walking across the street, a Hummer Truck almost hit me. It was stopped near the club to get valeted, but all of a sudden it was about to drive off. You talk aboyt someone whose heart jumped in my right foot. He stopped in time and I put my heart back into its right area. As I walked up to the club, I saw fashion and jewelry designer Angelique Gray-Joseph on the cell phone outside cursing like a sailor's wife to somebody. She was letting whomever have it on the cell phone. I couldnt get all what she was saying, but I wasnt trying to speak then. She had her fangs out and I didnt want to get caught up in her bite. So I went inside (5 bones to get in) and it was like the flick, "Pandora's Box" only with people's clothes on and no one was getting their freak on. People were extra friendly with everybody up in there, saying hello, meeting and greeting to the point where I thought I had a spotlight on me when I walked around up in there. It was overwhelming at first, but I got used to it. For a place that is now the place to be seen, it was all good. I met a former high schhol buddy up in there, Karando Harris, who used to be like a black Alex P. Keaton at East Side High --shirt, ties, slacks and a breifcase(and he's about 5'4" tall). he was in the Top 10 of my graduation class, most likely to succeed, and all that I thought for sure he was going to be a lawyer, but come to find out I think he told me was working at the telephone company or something like that. I said to him, where's the briefacse? He said, "Oh, I left it in high school." Oh well, like Whitney sang, "Didnt We Almost HAve it All." I also ran into PR sista Marla Galloway whose from East Boogie(Aren't all the GAlloways from East Boogie?LOL). I havent seen her in aminute but she said she was doing some PR in L.A. for a minute and was telling about some stuff she's doing in the Lou. I first worked with her on the Miles Davis Festival celebration at the CAsino Queen in 2000. It was good running back to her. Other VIPS up in therr were Spin City Recordz' Cliff "Q" Wade ( I didnt know you were Omega?), Dr. Pam Jackson (Sorry I missed your X-mas party :o ( , Freeman Bosley Jr. (I saw you trying to hide withthat cap. LOL), Eric Rhone, Shakia, Coco Soul, Model/fitness trainer Charles, Boxing manager Kevin Cunningham (what was up with that cigar, player?) and a sista who I will say her initials are "AP" who used to married to a STL photographer who, after she asked who I was to her friend after I hugged her, was telling me that she was up in there celebrating her birthday and her divorce. Now what's really going on there? Also interesting up in therr were some of the Club Seven crew who checked out their comepetition. Club Seven owner Fred Finley and bouncers Al Wade (props to ya for that feature story about you in Hipster. BTW, Al and I go back to the 7th grade at King Junior High in the boogie.LOL) and Johnny were up in there--in dress clothes! (I guess they had the night off. LOL) I stayed inside til about 1: 30 in the morning and then decided to chill outside the club to get the atmosphere (which was all about the skins of course). One brother said to his crew, "Somebody's daughter is about to get fucced." Mmm, can somebody say, Whoa?" sme of Club Dreams' street team were also in front getting people to go Club Dreams which stays open til 3 in teh morning and to pas out fliers on what is poppin there (like MAdd Mondays and Open Bar Happy Hour on Friday nite). Party/event organizer Mo Witherspoon was also theer peddling brochures about his Eye Candy contest at Formula the following night (or shall I say day, caus it wa safter 1 in the morning). We greeted each other and he was like, "Man, how come you don;t put me in your blog, man? The American gives me love." Okay, here we go. But, Mo is my boy, so it was all love. I was like, "You still my boy. I mean, you got to have something for me to go to for me to write you in my blog." Then he gave me some literature about Eye Candy. I told him I would go and support, cause Mo have been hustling and flowing for a minute, and I can relate to what he does (I will give you my report right after this round up). It was now going on 2 in the morning and I was about to jet back to the East Side to the crib.

That Saturday, I got up around 10ish and got ready to go to Ballys Gym (oh and much love to hollabackboi for hookingme up for three free months of gym time afetr he became a member). I stayed for about three hours and headed to the crib to rest up for the night's festivities. Later on, I called up Kam to let him know I would be checking out Formula and agreed to meet me there. Before I got to Formula, I checked out jazz singer Erin Bode at Jazz at the Bistro. I'm doing an upcoming story about the MAXJAZZ artist in West End Word (I'll let you know when it will be published). She reminds me of actress Sally Field back in the day. She has a soft and mellow voice,kinda like the late singer Karen Carpenter (Okay, I'm a fun, so shoot me). Not much of aperformer, but her voice is impeccable. She has a new Cd out called Over and Over and it is very good. She will be peforming at Finale later on this month (check out her website at erinbode.com).........Okay, lets fast forward to 10:30 p.m. after I left the Bistro. So, I parked my car near St. Charles, and started walking to Washington to Leman Park. When I got there, I got hunger pains. Oh, I was starving and I only had five dollars in my pocket (And 8 on my ATM card). therr was no way I was going to a club and starving. If I was on the East Side, I could have just ordered some chicken or something, but not on the STL side. So I got inside and went straight to the restuarant side of the establishment. I saw that the cheapest thing on their menu were ONION RINGS (that's why you see onion rings as a pic on my blog. LOL)So when I got a waitress from the bar to take my order, she was like, "Is that all you want?" And she said it again. I was like "yes." What else did she want me to order? I would also like a million dollars after Uncle Sam but I'm sure she wasnt going to be able to get me that. So, she got my order together, and the total of the rings was 4 bucks. So I paid her and theer I stood waiting and waiting. And my stomach was getting weaker and weaker. About 15 minutes later, she had my rings for me in a bag. She said that they didnt have regular napkins, but got bar napkins for me and another hostess brought platic forks and soem packets of ketchup. I would have tipped, but I only had one buck and I didnt want my wallet talking broke all nite in my backseat. So I walked off and oen fo teh guys who was near the entrance of the club who carded me asked, "What's in the bag?" I just said, "Onion rings." I could have said countelss other things, but I played it cool. I got into them rings that you thought I was on Fear Factor, okay. After I ate the rings, I called up Kam and asked how long he thought he woul dbe and he said a little after 11 p.m. I wanted to get ther around tahttime caus efrom teh filer Mo gave me it was going to start at 11p.m. (well, techincially, but you know whats up when it comes to us and time. LOL). Anyway, I waited up front at Leman for kam and he got there about 11:15 and he had on a somewhat similar brown courduroy suit jacket like myself. From that point on, I knew someobody was going to comment about it, didn't know who or when, but I knew it was going to happen (And it did. One guy in the club asked us if we were brothers.). So anyway, we walked up to the front and Mo's sister, Miranda Witherspoon (Didn't you do a So St. Louis segment in the Partyline section of the American a few weeks back? Email me and let me know) was at the door. I greeted her and she smiled and then she said, "I see that you are on the list, but not with a guest." But she was cool about it and told me that she checked out my blog (See I told you I would talk about you in my blog. LOL) So after getting frisked, we went in and the crowd was kind of light which was not surprisng. So, while in there, I walked around to see who was theer already (One sista in a fatigue pants outfit and black soldier hat (ala Destiny's Child)was doing the chicken head or nino on the dance floor all by her lonesome). I ran into photographer Carlston Edwards who was snapping for the American (still waiting on my snaps, dude.) Before the Eye Candy contest started I ran into comedian Jessie Taylor who I havent seen or talked to in three months(Congrats on the upcoming newborn and youve picked up a few LBS, too, dude. What's going on, man, you know I'm concerened about you.) . He said that his celly was down and that people were calling other people to give him messages. Too much playing. But if you know Jessie, you know that he is sincere with anything he does and saids, so it was easy to brush it off. I told him congrats on his new gig with the 100.3 The Beat Dee-Lee Morning Show and he was telling about how he eeeeeeased into that gig. Then, he told me that he recently was at the House of Blues in L.A. and a several celebs were in the crowd like Alicia Keys, Jaime Foxx(speaking of which, the ratings are in and aaccroding to zap it.com, his Unpredictible didn't do well in the ratings last Wednesday. Here is a snippet of what they had to say: American Idol" continued its string of massive audiences at 8 p.m. with an 18.1/28. CBS was a very distant second with "Still Standing," 5.1/8, and "Yes, Dear," 5.3/8. ABC averaged 4.2/6 with "George Lopez" and "Freddie," edging out the NBC special "Jamie Foxx: Unpredictable." The WB's "One Tree Hill" posted a 2.0/3 to place fifth, beating UPN's "South Beach.",) Keysha Cole and Jeezy and...Eddie Murphy and Johnny Gill. Well, I'm sure everyone has heard the rumors about Gill and Murphy and I guess they do not care about those rumors (There is a picture of them together that the papparazzi took of them coming out of a supposed posh gay nightclub in Hollywood that you can see at jasmynecannick.com). Anyway, Taylor was telling that there was a particular comedian who was performing (I cant recall who it was right now), but he saw Murphy and Gill sitting together and he said to Murphy, "Man, you left your wife for thsi nigga" (paraphrase). Taylor said Murphy gave him a one eyebrow up look and didn't say anything. Well, when Jaime Foxx gets up to teh stage, he blasted the comedian for calling Murphy out like that. I'm like this. If the rumors are true about Gill and Murphy, I'd say SO WHAT. I dont think their careers are going to plummet because of such rumors (And from the reaction that the STL sistas gave him at the Body and Soul concert a couple of weeks ago at the Fox, they didnt care either. They screamed and shouted his name throughout the concert). If Murphy left his wife for Gill, That's all on Murphy. He's made his millions and he has shown the world that he is HOLLYWOOD. And if Murphy came to the Lou for a concert, I'm sure there would be a line wrapped around St. Louis to try and get a ticket. Enough said. Back to Eye Candy. The contest was OK. Nothing spectacular. It began about 1 in the morn. I was expecting something like a beauty pageant where the contestants will be judged by a panel and the host (they had two hosts by the way 104.9's BJ the DJ and 100.3's Dee Lee who was getting the crowd hyped, walking around Formula, while the 1s and 2s were played--uh, I guess)would ask questions to the contestants. Not quite. Well, they had about 10 sistas who was in the contest and their talent was shaking it fast to the camera (City 10 covered this event and I'm sure it has aired on their channel and you probably saw me on there, too). It almost became Girls Gone Wild for real up in there. Before I could asked Mo, when will the judging start. The contest was already judged and thsi sista named Ashley Johnson, 21, won (you can see her pic on stlamerican.com posing with Dee-Lee in the Partyline Photos section). She is a pretty girl who looked the most tastefully and classy dressed of the sistas who entered (Some of them were mos def ready for a Luke video). She won 100 bones and her pic in this week's St. Louis American. I like the concept of Eye Candy, but I think it should be more of a beauty pageant and to have City 10 to come through to tape it, I would have made it like an event not to be missed. But it was all good. I got love for Mo Witherspoon for what he tried to do (I want to be a judge next year. LOL). Also In the house was 100.3 the Beat's Bishop V-Luv (Sorry for mistakening you for the rapper Bishop who got signed with rapper Chingy's label.)

TIDBITZ...The world is mourning the passing of Coretta Scott King this week. She died of a respiratory failure. The 78-year-old matriarch died Tuesday at an alternative medicine clinic in Mexico. She was in dire health. She a few months ago. She also was dealing with ovarian cancer. I had a chance to see her speak when I attended the National Black Arts festival in the ATL in 2002 when I traveled with the Eugene B. Redmond Writers' Club to perform. She was the first speaker at the Opening Ceremonies at the Studioplex right next to the MLK Center. She was telling people to quiet down because the program was about to start before she brought on the mayor fo the city. I was so entraced by her becasue she was so regal and elegant--and is a part of American/African/World History!. Its ironic that her last appearance was during an engagement for her late husband Dr. Martin Luther King. After her stroke, King missed the annual King celebration in Atlanta two weeks ago but appeared with her children at an awards dinner a few days earlier, smiling from her wheelchair but not speaking. The crowd gave her a standing ovation. Her funeral was this past Wednesday and four police cars escorted her body to the Willie A. Watkins Funeral Home in the ATL. Her ashes were buried in the Doddridge Chapel Cemetery in Indiana. Her legacy will definitely live on and as we celebrate Black Histoiry Month, she definitely should be one fo the pillars who did something for the world. She will be greatly missed...What was up with the Mapleoowd police doing a "Rodney King" on 33-year old St. Louis County brotha Edmon Burns this week? (the pic of the beating is on my blog). True, he drove away from teh cops at a Quick trip in the town because of supposed warrants and chiuld support debt, but when I saw teh live footage from teh FOx 2 camera guy who was filming it in his helicopter. I couldnt beileve what I was seeing . For starters, Burns was in a van driving recklessley during morning hour traffic on the streets of Maplewood, running stoplights, and when he finally stopped in St. Louis, he got out of the van, and was surrounded by several Maplewood cops (all white) and one ST. Louis cop (who was black). Burns was "jogging away" and they tackled him and proceeded to kick him and baton him (the black cop supposedly was hitting his ankels and legs). All I had to say when I saw it was, "Oh I know this will not be over." And I was right. As of this writing, the Maplewood cops are suspended with pay and the STL cop is on adminstrative duty. The FBI and NAACP are asking for an investigation and firing of the cops respectively. They are trying not to make this a black-white Rodney King thing cause one of the cops was black. Well, if that is the case, then the issue at hand is, "Was excessive force used to capture Burns?" My answer is yes. If Burns was white, would the cops would have beat him the way they did. Probably not. Should this be investigated. Absoluely. Luckily TV captured it because it would have been just another person getting beat by the cops ( He was treated at a hospital and released, and was jailed). I'm sure this will go on for sometime. It should be interesting how this plays out now that this case has gotten national coverage...What happened to the huge picture of the beautiful braided-up sista whose face was used to adverstise St. Louis Community college-Forest Park on its building?. When I drove through 64 West and saw there was no more sista, but the rest of the billboard was there/ What is up with that?...Congrats to Christiaan Coffield for landing the gig pn maximumexposure.com. He will be one of the models featured on tehr einteractive website starting this Spring...make sure to check out Kameron Hopson on UPN;s morning show, "Enterate", hosted by Gilberto Pinella at 10 am this Saturday. He will talk about message therapy...To my girl Ingrid Owens who is holding it down managing more than 200 H &R Blocks trying to get peoople's taxes right and tight...Hollabackboi wanted me to tell you folks with those crumbsnatchers to stop bringing them into the movie theater. He and his date were trying to enjoy the No. 1 flick "Big Mamma's House 2" at the Jamestwon Mall out in Florrisant last weekend and couldnt hear the movie cause of all them Bebe Kids crying and talking...

Well, I think that will cover it all. If you have anything for me to pub or address, feel free to give me a email at maatspear@yahoo.com.