Travelling and the world map!
I Miss the intensity of living in Thailand..
Hopefully (Inshallah) I will be back out soon
Without a doubt the most amazing place I visted during my time in Asia was Laos. Despite the harsh reality of America's secret war and the exploitation of indigenous people who still suffer today, the hospitality and warmth of the people amazed me.
Although Laos is the most bombed country in the world, its beauty was limitless. Especially the two days spent aboard a long tail, sailing down the most secluded parts of the Mekong river! Next on my list:
Vietnam, Malaysia and Borneo, The phillipines, Burma, Japan, Tibet, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Venuzuala (I love Chavez), Cuba (Gotta meet Fidel), Honduras and Belize. A re-visit to Laos is also needed.
Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him), Yassar Arafat, Hugo Chavez, Evo Molares, Fidel Castro, Mumia Abu- Jamal, Malcom X, Maya Angelou, Patrice Lumumba, Assata Shakur and Che Guvera.
John Pilger!! He is my all time favourite journalist!
But also Rageh Omar, Robert Fisk, Noam Chomsky and Ruhi Hamid.
Video of MY week: Hip hop saved my life
HIPHOP:
Talib Kweli, Mos def, Dead prez, Jean Grae, Immortal technique, Hi-tek, Nas, Jaylib, J Dilla, Madlib, The last emperor, Killah Priest, Hieroglyphics, Lupe Fiasco, A tribe called quest, The Roots, Common, Cunning Lynguists, DJ Premo, Jedi mind tricks, Braintax, Dubble edge, Terra ferma; Klashnekoff, Skriblah, Kraftsmen, Jehst, Harry Love, Black Twang, Taskforce, Logic&Lowkey, Liberation Army, Skinnyman, Dutty Diggers, Welfare Poets, Diabolic, Little Brother, Papoose, Wise intelligent, Lost Boyz, Black Thought, De la soul, Slum village, Zion I, Mf Doom, Zack de la Rocha, Jemini, Danger mouse, Gangstarr, Guru, Marley Marl, AZ, KRS-1, Poor righteous teachers, Jadakiss, StypesP, 2pac, Outlandish, Knaan, Channel live, Big L, Tragedy Khadafi, Bars&Hooks, (old)Mobbdeep, Jus Allah, Brother Ali, Pumpkinhead, Sunz of Man, Rass Kass, Apathy, Pharoahe Monch, Afu-Ra Wu-tang (Method man, Rza, Gza, Ghostface are my favs!) Dilated peoples, Paris (Sonic Jihad) Jurassic 5,
OTHER:
Goapele, Buena Vista Social Club, Les Nubians, Leela James, Erykah Badu, John Legend, D'angelo, Lauryn Hill, Floetry, Sade, Maxwell, The Marleys, Ameil Larriex, Bilal, Amy Winehouse, Dwele, Jill Scott, 1990's 'swing' and hip hop!!!..Aaliyah (RIP), H-Town, Jodeci, Total, SWV, Whitehead Bros, Silk, Xscape, Junior Mafia(all of them!), Kut Klose etc etc!!
I love world and independent cinema: Turtles can fly (the best film I have EVER seen..the first Iraqi film produced after the fall of sadaam..this is the deepest and most moving film around!)City of God, La Haine, Grave of the fireflies, John Pilger doumentaries; The War on Democracy, A Question of Palestine, Year Zero, The Betrayal, New rulers of the world, War by Other Means &many more! Motorcycle Diaries, Tsotsi, Beat the Drum, Blame it on Fidel, Kidulthood, Spirited away, The heart is deceitful above all things, Dirty Pretty Things, Water, Umrao Jaan, Salaam Bombay, Mountain Patrol, The constant gardener, Dead presidents, Memoirs of a Geisha, Jar Head, Hotel Rowanda, 7 years in Tibet, The war within, Kids, New Jack City, Boyz in the Hood, Menace to society (lol back when I was a yout!), 10 things to do in denver when you're dead, Belly, The message, Legends of the fall..haha Lilo and Stitch and The lion king...actually quite deep!
I try to watch as little T.V as possible, I don't want to be brainwashed. Reality tv is the worst!!!
But I do love Al-Jazeera, socio-politcal documentaries and yes...Sex and the city!
Ethnic Literature, Political revelations:
The Holy Quran.
John Pilger: New rulers of the world (oh and everything else he has ever written love www.johnpilger.com.
Anything by Noam Chmosky
Everything by Edward Said (RIP) including: Orientalism, Covering Islam, A question of Palestine.
Maya Angelou!: I know why the caged bird sings, Gather together in my name, The heart of a woman, Singin and swingin and gettin merry like Christmas, All God's children need traveling shoes
Toni Morrison: The Bluest eye, Sula, Tar baby, Song of Solomon, (and many more!!)
Chanrithy Him: When broken glass floats: Growing up under the Khmer Rouge
Khaled Hosseini: A thousand splendid suns & The kite runner
Khalil Gibran: The Prophet
Paulo Coelho: Veronica decides to die, The devil and Miss Prym, Manual of the warrior of light
Monica Ali: Brick Lane.
Richard Bach: Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Saul Williams: She
Sun Tzu: The art of war
The work of Lao Tzu and Fredich Nietzche
The work of Rumi & Hafiz, Robert Fisk. Stuart Hall, Ziauddin sardar, Kobena Mercer & Paul Gilroy
Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon him), Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Marcus Garvey (RBG!), Patrice Lumumba, Malcom X, Hugo Chavez, Mumia Abu-Jamal,(Free him now!), Assata Shakur, Che Guvera, Nelson Mendella & all those who have been/are faced with oppression in its various forms.