I know I'm mad late on this but Jennifer Holiday was recently on American Idol. I don't have television nor do I know that the show as still on. So I don't really know much about the other singer other than her being a contestant and her name being Jessica.

Anyway, they killed Holiday's classic and signature tune. Whoever this Jessica is, she definitely held her own with Ms. Holiday. But got-damn if this is not the funniest performance I've seen in a while. Besides the facial expressions and the wig (I can't even with that), there are more runs and riffs in this performance than on a Cephus and Reesie greatest hits' album. 

Oh, not familiar with Cephus and Reesie? Shame on you.

Not to be starting no stuff (but most certainly am starting stuff); can someone explain to me why Jay-z' Made In America two-day festival and Rock the Bells New Jersey, which is now a two-day festival, happening the same weekend (Labor Day weekend, September 1 & 2) and only a state apart?

Fail to see the significance other than two concerts being held on the same weekend? Oh well, I forgot to mention that Nas has long been rumored (I say rumored because I haven't found any concrete evidence online) to be lead investor in Guerilla Union Inc., the event planning company behind the annual Rock the Bells event.

And if that doesn't get your spidey senses tingling, Nas is also headlining RTB concert in New Jersey during Labor Day weekend, while Jay-Z will be headlining his first annual MIA festival here in Philly - on the same weekend. Ah, now it's becoming clear.

So is this purely a coincidence or is this some sort of continuation of a beef, which thought ended years ago? You know, to if the Black Republican can outdo in terms of crowd and ticket sales the Black militant? And if so, who would win?

Before you answer, check out the lineup for each concert:

Made In America (tickets go on sale on Wednesday May 23 and range from $99 and above):  Jay-Z, Pearl Jam, Rick Ross, Dirty Projectors, Janelle Monae, D’Angelo, Meek Mill, Santigold, Skrillex, Odd Future, electronic band Passion Pit, Wale, Calvin Harris, The Knocks, Rita Ora, Miike Snow and Prince Royce. More acts to be named soon.

Rock The Bells New Jersey (tickets on sale now and range from $125 to $250): Nas, Common, Bone Thugs & Harmony, Method Man & Redman, Dipset, Deltron 3030, EPMD, Keith Murray,Das EFX, K Solo, Immortal Technique, DJ Quik, Naughty by Nature, Big Daddy Kane, Salt N Pepa, Slick Rick, Prodigy, DJ Lance Rock & Friends, Schoolboy Q and Murs and Fashawn.

This week, Danny Simmons, Artist, poet, writer, producer, philanthropist and art advocate is making a couple of appearances in Philadelphia.

On Tuesday, May 22nd, Simmons will be at the Vivant Art Collection, located at 60 North Second St Philadelphia, where he will lead a conversation on “The Role of an Artist, Collector, and Institution in the Urban Art Community. And on Wednesday, May 23rd, He will make an appearance at The African American Museum in Philadelphia, where he will be doing a reading & signing of his new book, Deep in Your Best Reflection: Poems in 160 Characters.


Now I know what you are saying: Charing, where the hell have you been? After over a month of being absent from blogging, you have the audacity to come up in here, plugging an event of somebody I may or may not have heard of?

Yes that is true and quite possibly messed up. However, this is one event that I don't think you'll want to miss. So in an effort to persuade you act in your own best interest, here is a list of about seven reasons to see Danny Simmons:

7. He is the brother to super Hip Hop music Mogul Russell Simmons and Joseph "Run" Simmons, 1/3 of legendary hip hop group Run DMC. For all you star gazers and celebrity elbow rubbers, this will probably be the closest you will ever come to meeting an actual Simmons. Who knows, he might even let you take a picture with him.

6. Without Danny Simmons, there probably wouldn't have been Def Poetry Jam. That's right, while Russell is the face that we most recognize with the longest running poetry show on television, Danny, along with partners Bruce George and Deborah Pointer, was the creative brainchild and executive producer of the show. The series included historical legendary poets such as, The Last Poets, Nikki Giovanni, Amiri Baraka and Sonya Sanchez, who often shared the stage with new poets like Saul Williams, J. Ivy, Jessica Care-Moore and Lemon.

5. You can finally find out what abstract art is. Have you ever seen a picture of a bunch of swirly circles on a canvass and wondered what the heck is that? Well now here is your chance to pose that question to an actual abstract artist.  Simmons, an abstract expressionist painter, has had his work shown nationally and has pieces exhibited in Chase Manhattan Bank, the United Nations, and the Schomburg Center for Black Culture. He is also an avid collector of African art and comic books.

4. Did I mention that he collects comic books? Simmons is the proud owner of all the first edition Marvel comics including the first Spiderman, first Hulk, first Vengeance, first X-Men and first Fantastic Four.  He even published a graphic novel called 85

3. He is truly passionate about the arts. Seriously. Not only is he founder of the Corridor Gallery, Simmons also co-founded the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, a 501 (C) 3 organization dedicated to providing disadvantaged urban youth with significant arts exposure and access to the arts, and to offering exhibition opportunities for underrepresented artists and artists of color. He also has a personal collection of 1000 plus works of art from Africa and African-American artists spanning decades which includes Bokashi Mutu, Mickalene Thomas, Xenobia Bailey, Michael Paul Britto, Derrick Adams and a pair of Eldridge Cleaver Jeans that celebrate the male phallus. I shit you not.

2. Honestly what did you really have planned on Tuesday and Wednesday anyway?  Get some damn culture, why don't you. You are pretty boring. Nobody likes to talk to you because you don't have anything interesting to say beyond last night's episode of Basketball Wives. Plus I've been to events at the Vivant and they always have interesting people, wine, cheese and those little petite cake thingy.

1. So let's say that you do have plans on Tuesday, which I don't believe, or the event at Vivant is sold out, which is more likely the case (update: the event at Vivant is sold out) I know you are not doing anything on Wednesday. You know how I know? Because it's written all over your face. Go to the African American Museum, see the exhibits and listen to Simmons do a reading from his book. While your at it, make sure you buy a couple of the book and check out Philly Soul 215, who will also be performing that evening.

Danny Simmons will be in Philly on Tuesday, May 22, 2012, from 6-9 p.m. at the Vivant Art Collection, 60 North Second St Philadelphia, http://www.vivantartcollection.com/
and again on Wednesday, May 23, 2012, from 6-9 p.m. at the African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch St Philadelphia.  http://aampmuseum.org/
Both events are Free & Open to the Public however RSVP is required. Check out http://dannysimmonsphilly.eventbrite.com/ to register for the event and for more information.