The VSB BBQ is the unicorn heard around the reading Black person’s world. While that might be a hyperbolic statement, one of the reasons that so many people venture here daily is that we’ve amassed a community of likeminded individuals with common interests and an unbridled belief in education. Yes, everybody here loves pr0n, Rick Ross, and street knowledge. But we also love Janelle Monae, volunteer work, and the Black community. It’s a dichotomy that only Bill Clinton and Tupac Shakur could fully understand and embrace.
And Puffy. He went to Howard for a few years. I hear that’s what they do at Howard.
Over the course of the past two years one of the common threads of our common threads – no Alexander McQueen – was this desire to find out where to meet other likeminded people in our respective cities. Admittedly it can be hard. We all judge books by their covers and how do you know somebody is like you unless you spend actual time talking to them and hanging. And let’s not even talk about how much women hate each other on site.
And awkward? Have you ever SEEN two men attempt to become friends. It’s like watching a piranha trying to play with a porcupine after a hurricane in August 2005 after the levees break. If that makes any sense to you, please put the weed down.
Anyway, I figured that perhaps its time to enlighten the masses on where exactly to find other people like ourselves. Sure that sounds pretentious, but that Bishop Eddie Long (still trying to decide if I want to write about that) story sounds like a straight up shakedown to me but that doesn’t stop CNN from running with it. I know my people. I am everyday people.
SPEECH.
1) Poetry slam
I went to a poetry slam this past evening and as I looked over the crowd of mostly 20 – to 30-something pseudo professionals and professional college students I realized that this crowd is the very one that would more than likely read. Without prodding. And books too. Poetry slams are rife with people who are full of contradictions since by definition the best poets are the ones who are self aware enough to be able to analyze themselves honestly and openly. Plus, after the joint, I handed out my card to this chick who said, “folks STAY sending me to this website.” Game.Set.Match.
2) Kanye West concerts/cover band shows/listening parties
Namely anywhere that Kanye West is present. You see, like him or not, Kanye is the representative for our generation, whatever generation it is. He says everything and nothing at all at the exact same time. He dresses like a 12 year old little girl who wants to be a little boy but makes good music. He’s the most relevant artist we have today and people think he reads books. Therefore, we listen to him too. There’s no rhyme or reason to Kanye West’s appeal to the young professional set, it just exists. He’s like a Herpes outbreak – lays latent until the heat shows up and then he’s everywhere. And for some reason, we can’t get enough.
3) Open mics
Like the poetry slam. open mics are full of passionate malcontents who’s lives are full of great decisions that we’re not happy with. But we’re living the good life and nothing can stop us now, we’re on the move. People who read go to open mics because that’s what people who read do. Or at least while the weather’s nice outside. You can find people just like the very folks who frequent this site at open mics. Not on the mic. But sitting in the crowd trying to listen and shushing you. Slow down sailor, holler after the show.
4) Neo-soul shows
I don’t know why the reading set loves Chrisette Michele and Bilal so much but they do. But the one place you can find any and everybody? A Maxwell show. Unfortunately Maxwell thinks he’s a martian so he only comes out on Tuesdays and off months.
5) VSB Happy Hours
Coming soon to a city near you. Or not. Either way we love the kids like Trick Daddy.
This is public service week here at VSB, for those of you who know the very people everybody else is looking to meet, where is the best place to find people who read?
Heal the world and make it a better place.
-VSB P aka THE ARSONIST aka TANGLE JIG P aka VITAMIN P aka 40 P aka GIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRL, HE A 3