Maurice and Maurice

The selection of restaurants at the Taste of Downtown St. Louis may have been weak but the entertainment was pretty good. There was a father and son dance team, Maurice, Senior, and Maurice, Junior. The DJ was playing hip hop. That's not exactly my style - we just finished our 40th season as subscribers to Opera Theatre of St Louis - but the moves were great. My back and knees can't do this.        

Saint Louis Daily Photo In Detroit - Hip Hop Meets Diego Rivera

We had a little extra time on our last afternoon in Detroit and decided to go to the city's Institute of Art. By reputation, it is one of the best art museums in America. Frankly, we needed someplace calm for lunch, but we also really wanted to see Diego Rivera's renown murals about the city's auto industry and technology.   

On arrival, we found an improv hip hop competition for students, part of the Louder Than A Bomb poetry festival. These kids were good and the backdrop provided plenty of irony.  Ellie, though, as much as she loves music, was more drawn to the paintings. 

That's about it for posts from the Motor City. There are lots more images I want to edit and will post on Flickr here. But there's big stuff to shoot in The Lou today. After about three years of work, the museum of American westward expansion under the Arch reopens today. There is a special viewing for members of the Gateway Arch Foundation (of course I'm a member). And Mother's Day weekend brings one of our two major art fairs, this one at Laumeier Sculpture Park. Gonna burn up some batteries. 

Up/Down

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There were adults, teens and children performing hip-hop dance routines in the middle of Grand Boulevard at Dancing In The Streets. This group of kids started out writhing on the floor, like they were beginning a performance of The Rite of Spring. But no, the beat blew up into something very unlike Stravinsky as the dancers lept into the air. I like the top pic because the girl on the right looks like she has a tongue of fire over her head, as in some Catholic representations of Jesus and saints. Different philosophy at work here.

Big Cheezy

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As introduced on Monday, this is Big Cheezy, head man of Mo Chedda Records and the hip hop group Big Throwed Muzic. I caught them taping a video at the graffiti-ok part of the floodwall along the Mississippi.

Big Cheezy is an imposing man. I'd guess he is 6 feet, 7 or 8 inches tall (200-203 cm) and at least 300 pounds / 135 kg., maybe more He's got some gold-capped teeth with star-pattern cut-outs. The other people in the group obviously treated him with respect. Despite his size, the guy sure can move, like here when he came out from the group to do a solo.

TOMORROW: Thursday Arch Series.

Big Throwed Muzic

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Some times the photography gods are cruel and sometimes they shower us with gifts. I spent some time at the office yesterday and then decided to see what there was to shoot on a dreary late afternoon. I had no ideas. When that happens I sometimes just drive around the riverfront around the Arch. What luck yesterday.

There were a bunch of people hanging out in front of the graffiti-permitted part of the floodwall with video equipment and lights. Skreeech over to the curb, grab camera from trunk and walk over to say howdy. Turns out it's the local hip hop group Big Throwed Muzic, led by Big Cheezy of Mo Chedda Records. They were out shooting a video with producer Da Fly Lady. These guys had it down. Big Cheezy, in the white tee shirt, is an imposing presence. More about him soon.

Hip Hop, At A Distance

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This was shot at the same performance in Kiener Plaza as my August 15 post. I was sitting at the top of the little amphitheater facing the stage. The waterfall behind it invites people to splash on the steps, much like the shallow pool in Citygarden in yesterday's post. That's just so nice. Kansas City has way more fountains that St. Louis (or almost anywhere this side of Rome). It's one of the things that makes it a very pleasant place, but you can't play in them. Advantage, St. Louis.

Due to time pressure, brain freeze and, probably, the dog eating my homework, I haven't participated in theme day for a couple of months. The September theme day photo was bagged yesterday, with some help from props obtained at a fast food restaurant. So come have a look a week from tomorrow.

Home Grown Hip Hop

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After shooting at Tomatofest last weekend, I went downtown to see what looked good in the late afternoon sun. Walking by Kiener Plaza, I found that a local radio station was putting on a show with young local hip hop artists. They were just kids but they were full of energy and could really sing and dance. Now, I don't know hip hop from a block of wood (except that Nelly is from St. Louis), although I can sing a fair amount of Italian opera from memory (Che gelida manina! se la lasci riscaldar. Cercar che giova? al buio non si trova.). Nevertheless, I thought these guys were a lot of fun.