R we ready for a gay rapper?

On Sunday, Cazwell showed me why it's going to be a long time before an openly gay rapper goes mainstream.

Before his show at the Forum on Sunday, I watched a couple of his videos on YouTube, and I thought he had crossover potential. He looked and acted like a skinnier Eminem, with sarcastic lyrics, a dry delivery and a hip-hop look. In other words, other than the boys in the video and the fact that I knew he was gay, Cazwell didn't act like a queen. Furthermore, he rapped over house beats instead of hip-hop beats, which added freshness to his style.

In person, though, Cazwell discarded his rougher edge and stepped onstage shirtless (he needs to visit the gym) and wearing satin-y black pants. He looked like a queen. If you're going to be a rapper, it's tough to tiptoe between thuggish and tiara, especially if you don't have strong lyrics.

I love the idea of artists taking rap music and creating a sound that reflects their lifestyle, and if Cazwell's goal was to only appeal to a gay crowd, then he would be fine. During an interview, however, Cazwell said he wants to cross over into the mainstream and get radio airplay. He needs to seriously butch up, completely queen out or totally step up his rap game so his appearance won't matter.

Cazwell makes me wonder what will it take to get an openly gay rapper airplay on MTV and BET, and on Power 98 and 96.1 The Beat.

My guess is the person will spew "I'll kill you" lyrics like 50 Cent, or be a super-queen like RuPaul.

But my preference would be to see the emergence of an openly gay who's intellectual -- in the vein of Common, Talib Kweli or Mos Def -- or a pop rapper like Sean Combs. He cranks out hits that make it on the radio and MTV's TRL. In interviews, this gay rapper talks about his male lover, and at the Grammys, he's sitting next to his man.

What do you think? Will we ever see an openly gay rapper? Post your replies below. NO profanity.

Party Cancelled

Elevate's Kats for Kids event tonight at the Sunset Club has been cancelled because of some kind of contractual drama. It's not a weather related cancellation, so don't let that stop you from going out to the Turkey Trot at the Wachovia Atrium or barhopping elsewhere.

Shaken not stirred

In honor of the new James Bond movie Shud “movie” go here? , I went searching for a few places to have a good martini (besides the usual Cosmos, Therapy, Blue and Loft 1523). Although most establishments feature fruity, Kool-Aid-ish martinis, the classic – with TINK vodka (or gin),ENDTINK vermouth and an olive – is still one of the most popular. Here’s what I found:

Upstream
6902 Phillips Place, 704-556-7730
The deal: Martinis are served in a short glass instead of the typical long-stemmed, wide-mouth version.
Sampled: The Upstream (Blue Curaçao, champagne, vodka and pineapple juice).
Yum factor: 8 out of 10. Not nearly as sweet as I anticipated.
Providence Café
110 Perrin Place, 704-376-2008
The deal: A lot of places use blue cheese-stuffed olives, but Providence uses Gorgonzola.
Sampled: The Classic (vodka, vermouth and an olive).
Yum factor: 8 out of 10. Not too dry, not too dirty, and strong enough to put hair on your chest.
Carpe Diem
1535 Elizabeth Ave., 704-377-7976
The deal: Martinis are served with the olives attached to cute little giraffes that some customers collect.
Sampled: The Classic made with gin (the bartender loves gin) and the French martini made with vodka, pineapple juice and Chambord.

Yum factor: The Classic – 0 out of 10; either you are a gin drinker, or you’re not ¼ I’m not. The French martini – 5 out of 10; it was sweet, but not cavity-inducing.


What your favorite martini bar and your favorite martini? Post your replies below.

What's up with K-Ci?

When I walked up to Tempo nightclub at about 10 Thursday evening, I was surprised to see there wasn't a line for the free K-Ci (K-Ci & JoJo) show. The lack of people inside the club was even more of a surprise. In the past month, I've been to free Bobby Valentino and Ruben Studdard concerts at Tempo, and both were packed. The line for Valentino’s show stretched down the building. I assumed the same would happen for K-Ci.

After all, K-Ci can actually sing, and he, his brother JoJo Hailey and their group Jodeci are from the Charlotte area. They have a catalog of hits; some have been couples' wedding songs, others are directly responsible for countless babies.

After watching K-Ci climb on his bodyguard's shoulder and walk through the sparse crowd while singing the Bobby Womack classic "If You Think You're Lonely Now," I realized the people who didn't spend their Thursday night at Tempo were way smarter than I. Every time I see K-Ci or his brother perform, I hope the next show will be better than the last, but it never is. During the 25-minute set to promote his long-awaited solo debut "My Book," the rail-thin K-Ci took his shirt off as usual and screeched out the Womack tune, "Freakin' U" and other songs. His voice was ragged.

He sounded better a few hours earlier when I interviewed him after sound check. He was slightly more sober. During the interview, K-Ci talked excitedly about the tour, his solo project, and the even longer-awaited upcoming Jodeci album. He was personable and polite. When his cell phone rang, he answered it, turned it off and apologized profusely for being unprofessional.

A ringing cell phone is the least of K-Ci's worries. If he really wants to be professional, he'll dry out and put on a concert worthy of his talent.

Racism or reflection?

Once again the ghetto culture that black entertainers have glorified and so many young blacks have adopted is causing national controversy.
Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore is grappling with the aftermath of a Halloween party called "Halloween in the Hood."
Sigma Chi fraternity threw the party on Oct. 28. According to a Baltimore Sun article, the party invitation, posted on Facebook, encouraged attendees to wear “regional clothing from our locale’ such as “bling bling ice ice, grills” and “hoochie hoops.” The party included a skeleton pirate dangling from a rope noose.
Predictably, black students at the school were upset, and administrators quickly launched an investigation. Administrators suspended Sigma Chi. Black students are demanding more faculty of color and an African American studies department, among other things.
I’m glad the black students are demanding change, but suspending the fraternity was too harsh. They were reflecting a culture glamorized in entertainment and adopted by so many blacks.
The outcry over the party reminds me of one three years ago when an Asian American hip-hop fan created Ghettopoly. The objective was to go around the game board (or the ghetto), buying stolen property and making money. In the middle of the game board is a black man with exaggerated features holding a gun and a bottle of malt liquor. Game pieces include a marijuana leaf, a crack rock, a pimp and a ho’.
"Halloween in the Hood," like Ghettopoloy, reflect the ghetto culture that entertainers have romanticized through music, TV and movies for decades. Blacks who buy that music or dress ghetto fab reinforce those negative images.
Halloween in the Hood is no different than the Pimp & Ho’ parties I’ve attended at Charlotte nightclubs. (Yes, there are white pimps, but pimps depicted on television are typically black.)
Heck, the black-owned Faces nightclub off Freedom Drive had a grillz party and people were encouraged to wear their gold teeth. Plenty of black promoters have held Timbs and Stillettos parties. Yet, I don’t hear anyone protesting those events. We support the negative images of ourselves and then get angry when whites make it their own.
(BTW: Listen to the re-mix of “Walk It Out” featuring Andre 3000. He’s got a great line telling men their oversized white tees look like dresses, and they should do their mothers proud and get the shirts two sizes smaller.)
Think I’m tripping?
Let me remind you that one in three African Americans who watched television on Oct. 15 watched the season finale of “Flavor of Love.” That show is insulting, yet I know so many blacks how flocked to their televisions to watch it each week.
If BAR Charlotte had a grillz party or a Timbs and Stillettos party and white people showed up wearing gold teeth and long chains, would the NAACP demand blacks boycott the club? Would the city investigate?

What do you think? Post your replies below.

Pouring drinks again

Don't rush home after work tonight. Stop by Madison's on Fifth Street for Skirt Monday's. It's a charity event featuring guest bartenders whose tips, from 6-8 p.m., will be donated to charity. Tonight FOX Charlotte anchors Beth Troutman and Morgan Fogarty will be guest bartenders. Their tips will be donated to Girls on the Run.

I'm bartending with V101.9's Chirl Girl on Nov. 27. Tips from our night behind the bar will go to Dignity U Wear. Other featured charities are Room at the Inn (Nov. 13) and Second Harvest
Food Bank (Nov. 20). Along with being served by celeb bartenders, you can eat food from Coco Osteria and have a shot at getting a rub down. Zen Massage Center in
Dilworth will be raffling off two massages each week.

Hail to the Redskins!

Photo by: Non-Redskins fan Peter Weinberger.

Yeah baby, we beat Dallas so I dyed the hawk and I'm celebrating all week long. And if you think I'm being obnoxious now, wait until we play the Panthers. I'll be at that game at Fed Ex field. If you're going to the game let me know., I'll be tailgating with my brother and looking for some Charlotte folks to party with.

For those of you stuck in Charlotte that weekend, I'm looking for recommendations for good Redskins bars. I'm already familiar with Picasso's. Anymore out there that I can include in a box that will run in E&T on Friday Nov. 24? Post your suggestions below.

Black, white and fun all over

The Black and White Gala is my new favorite annual party.

It's a Make-A-Wish Foundation benefit organized by Young Affiliates of the Mint Museums. Last night's event was the first at CenterStage on North Davidson, and except for a slick floor, it was a good and spacious location.

I attended a Young Affiliates beer tasting a few years ago, and found the group to be a little stuffy. Last night, women kicked off their heels and par-tayed. Men and women dressed in tuxedos and ball gowns grooved -- and I mean grooved -- to the Maxx, an Atlanta-based cover band. Women in the audience jumped on stage and took over the microphone to sing Beyonce's "Crazy in Love" and Nelly's "Hot in Herre." They also freaked the band members, who rolled with it by inviting them to do the "Lean Back" dance. Less-crazy dancers stayed on the dance floor, twirling themselves and each other about. Women outnumbered guys 2 to 1. So fellas, next year, grab a tux or a fly suit, and make your way to the gala.

Along with current hits such as Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" and older hip-hop hits, the Maxx performed a disco set that included Donna Summers' "Bad Girls," and they took it way back to Martha & the Vandellas' "Heatwave." If you ever get a chance to see the Maxx, it's a band not to be missed.

The gala has to be the best deal in town. For $35 (advance tickets), you can get your eat and drink on with an open bar of beer, wine and malt beverages. Fresh oysters, pasta, mini-sandwiches, cupcakes and all kinds of dips were available to soak up all the alcohol partiers consumed.

I woke up this morning and sent text messages to friends telling them to put the Black and White Gala on their calendars for next year -- assuming the Maxx performs again. It's a dress-up event, with get-down flava.

Happy Halloween II

The minute Ricky Bobby, wearing a Dickies style jump suit, started singing "Hound Dog" at Cans restaurant and bar on Halloween night, I knew Elvis would come. As if summoned by an ancient ritual, Elvis, wearing a white outfit, dark glasses and a red scarf, sprinted to the stage. He looked at Ricky Bobby as if he were confused. What was a racecar driver doing singing his song -- his song? Elvis tried to take the mike from Bobby.

Bobby, who towered over Elvis, bent down good-naturedly and shared the mike with Elvis. The racecar driver and singer were two of the dozens of different costumes parading around Cans on Tuesday for a special of edition of Live (I mean Dead) Band Karaoke.

The main floor was crowded but not overwhelming and most people wore costume. Neel Jadeja of Sunny Ledford dressed as guitarist Dave Navarro and Whiskey (former 710 owner) wore boxers, wifebeater and a suit jacket. I, looking innocent in my Girl Scouts outfit, saw several female police officers who could arrest me any day. I also saw Superman, Spiderman, catwoman, and two guys dressed in '70s gear who I thought were supposed to be Flava Flav.

After hanging at Cans for an hour or so, me, L-Boogie and Kitch headed to the Men's Club for Fetish Fest, a party coordinated by Joffe and Single Cell Productions. Downstairs was more like a dance party with live stage fetish performances. During the performance we saw, a dominatrix bound two guys and poured hot wax on herself. I'm not sure why she tied the guys up to pour wax on herself, but I'm obviously not schooled in the world of fetish.

I walked upstairs to visit The House of Intrigue. On my way up the steps, a guy stopped me and asked who was I supposed to be? I held out my arms incredulous. I wore a green jumper, a matching white shirt and I had pins on my dress. (By the way, I haven't worn a dress since I was in college. I really don't understand how or why women wear them. They don't have pockets and it's hard to ride my motorcycle wearing one.) Obviously, I was a Girl Scout.

“The Mohawk threw me off,” he said.

I shook my head. Like Girl Scouts can’t have Mohawks. Upstairs, were two shackle racks in which people stood with their arms locked above their heads. On the right near the entrance, a man wearing leather pants and no shirt lay strapped to a table. A woman whipped him. My favorite attraction in the House of Intrigue was this electric shock gadget. Joffe touched some kind of electric prong. Anyone else he touched got an unpleasant, but not overly painful shock. Once he shocked you, however, you could shock him by touching him. Neat.

So, party people, who had the best Halloween party and what costumes did you see over the last few days that stood out the most to you? Post your replies below.

Happy Halloween

Duke lacrosse players, scary people from "Lord of the Rings," the Alternative Champs dressed as flowers and playing "Ghostbusters" and those are only the few of the happenings at Halloween parties on Saturday. I spent most of the night at the Carnevil party and despite the outdoor-only location, I had a great time.

Organizers put up a huge tent with loungy furniture and a cage. That area served as the main dancefloor where electronic music blasted. Behind that was an area called Morture, where I watched a ballerina get spanked. Outside that tent, a woman twirled sticks of fire. Inside a smaller tent, a woman read tarot cards and people danced to house music inside giant teepee. Around the corner, live bands performed on stage (the loading area of the warehouse where Carnevil is located.)

The Halloween festivities end tonight. There's a party at Boardwalk Billy's in the University area, Phil and Tony's at the Arboretum and Buckhead Saloon. For a complete list of tonight's parties www.charlotte.com/entertainment.

Shrooms anyone?

Every now and then I need a break from beer and chicken wings so I tried the much heralded Matsutake mushrooms. I only know about them because I recently read a gushy review of the Matsutake mushroom menu at Restaurant i. I figured any restaurant that devoted an entire menu to shrooms means I needed to try the mushrooms. Afterall, I've eat shitake mushrooms and portabella. I like a mushroom and swiss burger every now and then. On Saturday, my girl and I stopped by Restaurant i to see what all the fuss was about.

I'm still wondering.

Restaurant i's menu included grilled Matsutake, Matsutake mushrooms over Kobe steak and Matsutake soup. I wanted the full Matsutake effect, so we ordered grilled Matsutake. The waiter presented our shroom with flair. He removing the top covering our bowl with chop sticks.

I was more impressed by the presentation than the actual mushrooms. They tasted like mushrooms. They weren't any more tasty than portabella or the cheapo sliced ones I get at Food Lion. Considering that one Matsutake mushroom cost me $27 because they're so rare to say I was disappointed is only the tip of the iceberg. Plus, I was still hungry. The two sushi rolls we ordered were good, but not filling.

We thanked the staff, who tried to help us figure out something more hearty and headed to Fuel pizza. Guess what I got.
A slice of pizza and chicken wings! The wings were soo good. I ate them with my fingers out of paperbowl resting on a cheap plastic tray. They were cooked too perfecrtion, seasoned like my mom's and so saucy I thought I was going to make a mess on my shirt. The next time I'm in the mood for wings, you can best believe, I'll call the Fuel on South to make sure Helen is hooking up the wings and then I'll order a dozen. If I want good presentation and sushi, I'll head to Restaurant i.

I know I'm not the only one who bombed picking an exotic dish. What exotic food experience sent you searching for the nearest McDonalds? Post your replies below.

Arena's impact

In today's print edition of the Charlotte Observer, I wrote a story about the arena's impact on uptown nightlife. For the most part, bar and restaurant owners I interviewed said the arena hasn't been like fruit of the Gods for them, but it's been good for business.

Several people mentioned that the arena doesn't draw many customers to their establishments after events, and I'm wondering what's up with that? I remember after the Rolling Stones concert last year, everybody bounced and uptown felt like a ghost town.

I have a couple of questions. If you party uptown regularly, do you stay away from uptown when there are events at the arena? If so, why?

If you go to events at the arena do you typically hang out uptown? Why or why not? Post your replies below.

The Roots concert - whoa Part II

The vibe, the show, the people -- all off the chizain for the Roots.
I know I'm a little late getting this up. I had a crazy weekend, but here it is:

I haven't seen a bad Roots concert yet. When Black Thought started singing "Don't Say Nuthin" at 11:15 p.m. the 500 or so people at Grand Central surged toward the stage Thursday night. The band played a set similar to the one at the Forum earlier this year. I figured they would play more tunes off their new album "Game Theory." The hip-hop band did perform "Here I Come" and "Can't Stop This."

That was enough for the crowd which was much more excited about staples such a "You Got Me," "The Next Movement," and "The Seed." I've got pause for "The Seed" because instead of playing the song like the album, they started with "Black Betty" and then morphed into "The Seed" - blazing.

One of the highlights of a Roots show is their set-ending medley. In past years they've rocked out with heavy metal jamming, but more recently they've stuck with R&B and hip-hop. After giving us a smidgen of "Shake, Rattle & Roll," they went into "Gold Digger," "Get By," "It's Goin' Down" and several other songs. ?uestlove banged out "Smooth Criminal" on the drums and singing the high-pitched "woo! yeah!" a la Michael Jackson. It was hysterical.

Fans cheered and sang with all of it. The free hour-long show was part of Tanqueray gin's effort to expand its brand. They had their pitchman Tony Styles making the rounds posing for pictures with fans and being seen. Other notables in the house included Panther Kris Jenkins (he's such a teddy bear) and Drew Carter; along with singer Calvin Richardson, Power 98's Terri Avery, V101.9 Chirl Girl and most of the Power 98/V101.9 crew and the Dixie's Tavern crew. Before I forget, big thanks to Jean Herreria. He let me use his camera and e-mailed me the photos after my camera died on Thursday. I left my spare battery in the car and there was no way I was leaving the show to go get it. Thanks again Jean!

Did you go on Thursday night? What did you think? Post your replies below?

Stealing our civil liberties

If you haven’t heard, Mecklenburg County Commissioners voted unanimously on Tuesday to ask the state legislature for permission to consider a ban on smoking in restaurants, bars and workplaces.

I enjoy an occasional cigar, but I don’t smoke cigarettes. Going to the smoke-free Tempo nightclub is so refreshing. Peeling off smoky clothes -- like after the night at Dixie’s on Monday -- is just disgusting.

Still, I’m against an outright legislative ban on smoking in bars and restaurants.

Currently, 38 percent of the county’s restaurants voluntarily ban smoking. Restaurant and bar owners not politicians should decide if they want to be smoke-free.

If a customer doesn’t like going to a smoky establishment, then find someplace else to eat or party.

What do you think? Post your replies below. While I appreciate your passion for this topic please remember that this is family newspaper. Chill out with all the cursing on the reply posts.

What can I get you?

Oh yeah, I did it! I bartended at Dixie's Tavern on Monday, and didn't get kicked out for breaking all the bottles, spilling a drink on a customer or ringing that lovely bell a few too many times. Wahoo!

I've always said I want to be a bartender when I retire. The three hours behind the bar at Dixie's convinced me that it's a decision I won't regret. Customers, on the other hand, might have a different opinion!

After all, I did nearly poison some friends of mine. I made the absolute worst Blue Waterfall. It's a Red Bull and vodka bomb that I bombed. If I had a picture of my friends' faces when they drank my concoction, oh my goodness. They looked at me like I was crazy. Sorry guys, really. The whole time I was making their drinks this guy was sitting at the bar sipping a Miller Lite and watching me with a disgusted look. When I offered to get him something, he stuck with Miller Lite. He didn't trust my mixology skills. Neither did my friends. After my failed attempt, they stuck with Miller, too.

The funniest story of the night had to be when my friends Hot Asian Mama, Monie Love and T-Diddy did karaoke. They were on stage singing Donna Summer's "Last Dance" when Carolina Panther Vinny Ciurciu joined them -- uninvited. My friends, being the good sports that they are, let him sing along at first, but then Ciurciu tried to take the mike from Hot Asian Mama. She stiff armed him and kept singing. DeShaun Foster would have been proud of that stiff arm.

Ciurciu and Panther Drew Carter had been invited to Dixie's by fellow guest bartender Elevate's Larken Egleston, who had the bright idea to get me behind the bar. Mad thanks to the Dixie's crew who put up with me: Jules, Jason, and Seth. Although, I do think they were hazing me by putting the tip bucket so high up above the cash register that I had to get on my tippy toes. And thanks to Stefan and Russ, who gave me a little good-natured hazing as well when they stopped through Monday night.

Also, thanks to my boo, the brunch crew, my Observer posse and all of my other friends who came out to support me on Monday. You helped me raise $100 for the Latin American Coalition. I can't wait to do it again, and next time I'll have my own fancy-schmancy bottle-opener thingy like everyone else.

Tonya @ Dixie's / Roots update

Don't forget, tonight, tonight tonight, I'm doing it up at Dixie's Tavern. I'll be behind the bar mixing drinks and making a mess. Fall through and holla' @ yo' girl.


Also, from Mike Kitchen, The Roots is at capacity and no more RSVP e-mails are being accepted. It's 21 and private. If you didn't get your RSVP confirmation or don't make it into the show, be sure to check my blog on Friday, you know I'll give you the 411. Heck, if you do get in the show, check my blog anyway and tell me what you think.

Roots info

Alright Roots fans, you've been blowing up my e-mail so here's the dealy. They will perform a free show at Grand Central (1000 Central Ave.) at 9 p.m. Thursday. Oct. 19.

If you want to go, you must RSVP by Wednesday Oct. 18 to tonyslist@tanqueraystylesessions.com.
The RSVP doesn’t guarantee admittance, so arrive early. For more info: www.thesoulmovement.com.

Roots fans - I got you

I'll be posting the show info at 6 p.m.

Come drink with me

On Oct. 16, I’ll be a guest bartender at Dixie’s Tavern. This will be my first time behind a bar other than the one at my own house, but I'm up for the challenge. Come out and enjoy, but be warned I make my drinks strong and I like the crowd rowdy. Party starts at 10 p.m. It's free. (All tips - if I get any - will be donated to the Latin American Coalition.)

If it's free they will come

The line to get inside Tempo nightclub wrapped around the building on Tuesday night. Yeah, a Tuesday night. People came out to see a free performance by R&B singer Bobby Valentino.
What my friends and I all wondered was whether it would be a capacity crowd if the show wasn’t free. I mean really, Valentino is adorable. He’s energetic on stage and some of his songs are catchy -- but he can’t sing. He’s one of those artists whom I’d rather hear lip synch. Valentino was in town promoting his new CD "Special Occasion," which is due out on Nov. 14.
He played to his female fans. He handed out roses to women in the audience. He sang to a woman sitting in a chair on stage. Probably because he only has two CDs, he had his DJ play a medley of Top 40 songs during his 45-minute set to get the crowd dancing. He closed with his popular song "Slow Down."
Speaking of free shows, American Idol Season 2 winner Ruben Studdard will perform at Tempo on Oct. 18. Doors open at 8 p.m., but to get in you must win tickets from Power 98 or V101.9, or be a member of the Tempo.
And lastly, the Roots are coming back for a free show as well. They will perform at 9 p.m. Oct. 19. I can’t give you anymore details yet, but be sure to check my blog. I’ll post how to get tickets for the show as soon as I get the greenlight.