More Fuckery : PoliTricks & Wiretaps

Eliot Spitzer, hit hard by allegations of patronizing a high-end prostitution ring, formally resigned as Governor of New York. The controversial story broke on Monday that Spitzer spent up to $80,000 over the past few years on prostitutes.

Interestingly, Spitzer was caught on a wiretap making arrangements to meet the prostitute. Apparently, the feds originally tapped Spitzer's phone calls and text messages thinking that Spitzer was tied to a blackmail scheme or to organized crime.

On a somewhat related note, The Wire wrapped up its fifth and final season on Sunday night. For those of you that have been keeping up, the overarching theme of this season was the relationship between the streets and the media. Series creator David Simon said that he wanted to show the sensationalism that runs deep in journalism and how the news media does not write about any of the stuff that actually matters.

While we're focused on the scandalous, what are we not talking about ... the plight of sex workers in this country, the special interest groups that benefit from Spitzer's removal from office (the Dow jumped a record high yesterday), attorney general Michael Mukasey's role in this case, Rudy Guiliani's potential play for New York governor.

I'm not saying that Eliot Spitzer should not be subject to criticism, $2500 for some head is just fucking stupid. But seriously people, do you give a rat's ass that the governor was spending money to get his jollies off?



If you love The Wire (like I do) check these two David Simon interviews, but only if you've watched the fifth season, there are some spoilers:

What's Alan Watching

Salon Interview

Arcade Fire Rocks for Barack

I spent Sunday afternoon making phone calls supporting Barack Obama and reminding people to get out and vote in Tuesday's potentially decisive primaries in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont.

The Arcade Fire spent their weekend in Ohio supporting Senator Obama's campaign as well, playing free shows supporting the Hopemonger (thanks Raheim Drinkwater) at Stuart's Opera House in Nelsonville last night and at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland tonight (March 3). Ahhhh ... celebrity gone right.

Vocalist, songwriter and overall bad mamma jamma Win Butler had this to say after watching Hillary's victory speech in New Hampshire:

I am watching Hillary Clinton in her victory speech in new Hampshire...they just threw a bunch of college kids behind her, and had her talk about student loans, and had her daughter come out for a long awkward hug...does anyone actually buy it? Surely young people are too media savvy to be fooled by this kind of shit.
do we live in a democracy so we can just keep electing the same families?
Barack is the first candidate in my lifetime to strip some of this bullshit away, and I just hope we don't blow this chance.
man if we miss this opportunity we don't deserve it...how bad does it have to get?

fuck!!!!!!!!!

Here's a live performance of "Wake Up" with David Bowie - probably my favorite Arcade Fire song and especially relevant today.

?uestlove Interprets Gnarls Barkley

I'm loving ?uestlove's unofficial video for "Who's Gonna Save My Soul Now," the second single off of Gnarls Barkley's upcoming album The Odd Couple. Stupid is what stupid does indeed:



In case you missed it, check the video for "75 Bars (Black's Reconstruction)" by The Roots and directed by Ric Cordero.



The Roots, Gnarls Barkley and Portishead (!!!) all set to release new albums this April. Good music doesn't die, it multiplies.

Remembering Malcolm X

I am not a racist. I am against every form of racism and segregation, every form of discrimination. I believe in human beings, and that all human beings should be respected as such, regardless of their color.

- Malcolm X (May 19, 1925 - February 21, 1945)

On this day 43 years ago, Malcolm X was assassinated as he was giving a speech in the Audobon Ballroom. Though his militant views are often seen as divisive, Malcolm's eloquence, charisma and fearlessness restored a sense of pride in being a minority in this country.

Check Mos Def reading an excerpt from one of Malcolm's speeches.



Download: Mos Def - Can U C The Pride In The Panther (J Dilla remix)

Radiohead Fix for Junkies

Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke stopped by NPR this week to guest host All Songs Considered. Yorke expressed admiration for the visceral beats of German electronic group Modeselektor and the mindfuckworthy lyrics of hip hop weirdos Madvillain. He went on to describe the songwriting process on both his solo album The Eraser as well as on the latest Radiohead opus In Rainbows.

Link: Thom Yorke on All Songs Considered

In other Radiohead news, the lawyers finally gave DJ Amplive a break and granted permission to release of Rainydayz Remixes earlier this week. The album gives an interesting and fresh perspective for those just that can't get enough of In Rainbows.

Tracklist:
1 Rainydayz
2 Video Tapez (Ft. Del The Funky Homosapien)
3 Nudez (Ft. Too $hort & MC Zumbi of Zion I)
4 Weird Fishez
5 All I Need
6 15 Stepz (Ft. Codany Holiday)
7 Reckonerz (Ft. Chali 2NA)
8 Faustz

Download Rainydayz Remixes for free here.

Murakami at Brooklyn Museum

The Murakami exhibit, recently displayed at the MOCA in Downtown LA, will be opening at the Brooklyn Museum this April (link to press release here)




Takashi Murakami, best known for founding Superflat style of contemporary art, masterfully deconstructs the Japanese notion of cute while raising questions about sexuality and the lack of masculinity in Japanese society today.

Rest In Power Jay Dee (Feb. 7, 1974 - Feb. 10, 2006)

Download: Janet Jackson (feat. Q-Tip) - Got Til It's Gone [Ummah Jay Dee's Revenge Mix]

Be Kind Rewind

The new Michel Gondry flick Be Kind Rewind, starring Jack Black and Mos Def, debuted at the Sundance Film Festival and is set to be released in the coming month. The movie's about two video clerks who accidentally erase all of the videos in their store and decide to remake each of the movies themselves. Gondry recently said that the movie was inspired by the inundation of remakes and sequels in movies today.

Check the trailer:





If you're around NYC, be sure to check out the Be Kind Rewind exhibit at Deitch Gallery open from February 16th - March 22nd.



Download: Jay Electronica - Act I: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge)