DistortedSoul.com - Culture, Politics and The FUNK

More than anything, the historic 2008 elections and Barack Obama’s election day victory were a testament to the power and the promise of democracy in the United States of America.  In the face of long lines, dirty politics, threatened voter suppression, and the legacy of racism, the will of the American people ruled the day and made history.

And what was the deciding factor?  Young people and African Americans - two groups that historically don’t exercise the right - discovered politics.

Young folks and black folks have always complained that voting doesn’t change America, and to a degree that’s correct.  Voting by itself has never changed anything. (more…)

The 1440 Collective Studio played host to some of Motown’s finest this week as Detroit Music Award winner Paul Miles assembled an all-star ensemble to record Detroit tribute song, “Motown Still Our Town”.

Musicians and vocalists included the Original Vandellas, Barbara Payton, Carolyn Striho, Michael on Fire, Terrie Lea, Tracy Kash Thomas, David Nefesh, Khary WAE Frazier, Nadir, Joe Spina and more.

The event was photographed by Don McGhee and documented on video by Drew Parfitt of Slickfire Productions and DetroitMusic.TV.

Check out Rachael May’s report in the Detroit Free Press HERE.

Though Canadians don’t much like the designation, Canada is sometimes called “The 51st State” of the United States. As the U.S.’s largest trading partner, our neighbors to the north have a lot riding on the 2008 presidential election.

A group of young people in Canada offer their perspective on U.S./Canadian relations and the upcoming election.

Originally Published at Think.MTV.com

Race has been a big topic in the election this year, and the racial divisions in the US are center stage.

But are we really having an honest discussion?

Nadir spoke with several young African American voters in Michigan and with Green Party presidential nominee Cynthia McKinney about how race is affecting the election debate.

Originally Published at Think.MTV.com

For young people in Michigan looking to engage their community and make a difference, there are some perfect home grown examples to follow.

Take John Sinclair for instance. As a young man in his twenties, John Sinclair changed the world as the state’s most outspoken leader of the 60s counter culture movement.

Nadir spoke with Sinclair recently about activism in the 21st Century.

Originally published at Think.MTV.com

The founders of the United States included freedom of the press in the first amendment because they understood that a people cannot truly be free if they don’t have accurate information about what’s going on in their world.

With no access to accurate news and information, 19^th Century African Americans in Galveston, Texas thought they were still slaves, though legally they had been freed. In the 21^st Century we have unprecedented access to tell our own stories, connect and learn from each other, and the ability to change the present and record history as it happens.

The 1^st Annual Juneteenth celebration at The Woodward restaurant on June 18 and the 10^th Annual Allied Media Conference on June 20-22 at Wayne State University, both in Detroit, illustrate the connection between history and the recording of “history in the making”.

Read More HERE

Originally published at Think.MTV.com

Just one day after the Detroit Pistons advanced to the NBA’s Eastern Conference finals for the sixth season in a row, another basketball playing Mid-Westerner executed a full-court press to defend against accusations that he can’t put his opponent away, and can’t win the big one. After suffering a 41 percentage point pounding by Hillary Clinton in the West Virginia primary, Barack Obama turned up the heat on his rival with a fast break to Michigan capped by a slam dunk both contenders had prized - the endorsement of former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards.

Read more HERE

Originally Posted at Think.MTV.Com

With a 25% graduation rate and a severe budget deficit, the last thing we should expect to find in our city dumpster is seven working computers with Property of Detroit Public Schools labels on them, but…

Originally Published at Think.MTV.Com

Two U.S. presidential candidates campaigned in Michigan this week. John McCain’s brief return to the state was greeted with great fanfare by an audience of several hundred people at a town hall meeting in suburban Detroit. By contrast, Cynthia McKinney spent a long weekend listening to the grievances of struggling Detroiters, engaging small crowds of local activists, courting independent media and raising money for her presidential campaign.

Cynthia who? In case you haven’t heard, former U.S. Congress member Cynthia McKinney is the front runner for the Green Party’s U.S. presidential nomination. Ms. McKinney would like you to consider the Greens as a viable option to win in 2008.

Read More HERE

Originally published at Think.MTV.com

Although there is still no plan to seat their delegates at the Democratic National Convention, Democrats across the state of Michigan convened on April 19 to elect their delegates. The uncertainty of their status created some dramatic moments at Michigan’s 14th Congressional District Convention in Detroit. Nadir was there to catch the action.