Saturday, June 28, 2008

Rahman


How about a nice little Graffiti to finish the week? I took this photo rue Saint Bruno, in the 18th arrondissement and I like it, because of the father and son passing by in the middle of the picture. Browsing the web I found out who Rahman is: he's a singer from the Ivory Coast and he is also a "slammer" (call me totally old fashioned but I'm not sure what it is exactly...). I'm glad my week is over, I'm going to relax this weekend and take tons of photos of course.

40 comments:

  1. Are you sure that you were still in Paris ?
    Looks so bright and exotic to me !!!

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  2. Beautiful photo! Love the colors. Have a great weekend, Eric.

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  3. you said you didn't like to take pictures of people but this one is a perfect one.

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  4. Wow! This is the earliest I've ever posted! I'll never be GF, but I'm close!

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  5. MK...keep trying! Way to go for GF Marylene. I was close but my thumbs kept getting in the way.

    Eric...don't know what a "slammer" is but I do know what "slam poetry" is since a number of my students are into it. Yo, yo, yo!!!

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  6. Cool grafitti!

    Rose, if you come to Rio you know what to do: me liga!!!

    Can you send me an email telling me when you´re coming? This is GREAT news!!!!!!!!

    Coltrane, to answer your question from 2 days ago, no I´m not on vacation. Quite the contray, I´m working too hard and I hardly have time to anything else. That´s why I´m can´t show up at PDP much lately.. :(

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  7. Phx? Lynn?? Michael?
    If you´re there I´d like to say Hi!! I miss you!!

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  8. A "slammer" is the french word to describes whoever practices the Slam Poetry... Very nice photo street photo Eric ! Bon weekend, Loic http://brohardphotography.blogspot.com

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  9. oh and Guille.. I´ll talk to you soon... I´m still laughing at the last news you told me...!

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  10. BTW Coltrane, by some of the comments from days ago I´ve been reading I guess it was your birthday.. yes? no? well, if so, happy belated b´day!!

    I know it was Guille´s b´day on the 23rd but I saluted her then. I wouldn´t miss it of course!

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  11. Eric, I like the father and son in the foreground, too. Nice, colorful street photo. Lovely light and shadows, too. Have a lovely weekend!
    -Kim
    Seattle Daily Photo

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  12. Monica...glad to see you back to PDP. Hope things slow down for you. Yes, I turned 524 years old on June 20th. Have a great weekend!

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  13. I can help! Look up Grand Corps Malade, the best slammer I know in France. It sounds a little like Rap but it isn't, it's Slam!

    In Grand Corps Malade's case, I'd say it's modern poetry. This guy should win a prize.

    Here is one my favorites: "Je connaissais pas Paris le matin"

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ1ne0U_K1o

    But also St. Denis, Les Voyages en Train, Ca peut chémar, Midi 20... en fait tout l'album est Midi 20 est excellent.

    http://www.grandcorpsmalade.com/

    click on "Ecoutez" to sample sound bites.

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  14. Voila, imagine ça sur fond jazz...


    J'ai pris mon réveil de vitesse et ça c'est assez rare
    Je me suis levé sans lui, sans stress, pourtant je m'étais couché tard
    J'ai mis Morphée à l'amende. En plus dehors y a un pur temps
    Pas question que la vie m'attende, j'ai un rendez-vous important
    Ce matin mon tout petit déj' n'a pas vraiment la même odeur
    Ce matin mon parking tout gris n'a pas vraiment la même couleur
    Je sors pour une occasion spéciale que je ne dois pas rater
    Ce matin j'ai un rencard avec un moment de liberté
    C'est qu'après pas mal d'études et quatre ans de taf à plein temps
    Je me suis permis le luxe de m'offrir un peu de bon temps
    Plus d'horaires à respecter, finies les semaines de quarante heures
    Finies les journées enfermé, adieu la gueule des directeurs
    J'ai rendez-vous avec personne, à aucun endroit précis
    Et c'est bien ça qui cartonne ! Écoute la suite de mon récit
    Aujourd'hui, j'ai rien à faire et pourtant je me suis levé tôt
    A mon ancienne vie d'affaires, j'ai posé un droit de véto

    C'est un parcours fait de virages, de mirages, j'ai pris de l'âge
    Je nage vers d'autres rivages, d'une vie tracée je serai pas un otage
    Un auteur de textes, après un point je tourne la page
    Pour apprécier demain et mettre les habitudes en cage

    Je sais pas où je vais aller je me laisse guider par mon instinct
    Fasciné par cette idée je kiffe tout seul c'est mon instant
    Le soleil me montre la direction, ne crois pas que j'enjolive
    C'est un moment plein d'émotion... attends, j'avale ma salive
    Je veux checker les éboueurs et aux pervenches rouler des pelles
    Y a du bon son dans la voiture quand j'arrive Porte de La Chapelle
    Alors je m'enfonce dans Paris comme si c'était la première fois
    Je découvre des paysages que j'ai pourtant vus cinq cent fois
    Je crois que mon lieu de rendez-vous sera cette table en terrasse
    Café-croissant-stylo-papier, ça y est tout est en place
    Je vois plein de gens autour de moi qui accélèrent le pas
    Ils sont pressés et je souris car moi, je ne le suis pas
    Je connaissais pas Paris le matin et son printemps sur les pavés
    Ma vie redémarre. Pourtant on peut pas dire que j'en ai bavé
    La route est sinueuse, je veux être l'acteur de ses tournants
    C'est mon moment de liberté, je laisserai pas passer mon tour, non

    C'est un parcours fait de virages, de mirages, j'ai pris de l'âge
    Je nage vers d'autres rivages, d'une vie tracée je serai pas un otage
    Un auteur de textes, après un point je tourne la page
    Pour apprécier demain et mettre les habitudes en cage

    Puis je vois passer une charmante dans un beau petit tailleur
    Elle me regarde comme on regarde un beau petit chômeur
    Quand je la vois elle esquive et fait celle qui ne m'a pas calculé
    Je réalise avec plaisir que socialement j'ai basculé
    Il est lundi dix heures et j'ai le droit de prendre mon temps
    Mon teint, mon ton sont du matin et y a personne qui m'attend
    Y a tellement de soleil qu'y a que le ciment qui fleurit pas
    Il est lundi onze heures et moi je traîne dans Ris-Pa
    Loin de moi l'envie de faire l'apologie de l'oisiveté
    Mais elle peut aider à se construire, laisse-moi cette naïveté
    Puis de toute façon j'ai mieux à faire que me balader dans Paname
    Dès demain je vois des enfants pour leur apprendre à faire du slam
    Je connaissais pas Paris le matin, voilà une chose de réparée
    Je sais pas trop ce qui m'attend, mais ce sera loin d'une vie carrée
    Moi j'ai choisi une voie chelou, on dirait presque une vie de bohème
    Mais je suis sûr que ça vaut le coup, moi j'ai choisi une vie de poèmes.


    Du grand art. J'allais oublier, "Mon coeur, ma tète et mes cou..lles " est une chanson sympa aussi.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsuCkV6dpuo

    Bon je me calme ;)

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  15. Sorry it's me again. I forgot to say I really like the colors in this picture.

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  16. Yes, Where is Michael?

    Tomate, that's cute -- Sorry it's me again. You are too sweet.

    Beautiful photo Eric -- everything about it says "COOL" :)

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  17. Eric les photos que tu fais des grafittis sont vraiment celles que je préfère. La manière dont tu as prise celle-ci par exemple est totalement inédite et je l'aime beaucoup. Comme le hasard fait bien les choses en ce qui concerne tes photos, tu as capturé ce père et son fils, probablement africains, devant un grafiti ivoirien et ça fait toute la photo.
    "De côte d'Ivoire jusqu'à Marx Dormoy"... I love it! It's my favorite picture of the month. We could be in Yamoussoukro! :)

    (About an older picture, take a look to this link: http://www.liberation.fr/culture/tentations/335169.FR.php

    You will discover what you missed!)

    Monica, luv ya! :p I made me laugh too you know. I'm still laughing, on the other side of my face. LOOOL.

    About Michael, I heard of him for my birthday (don't be jealous girls!) but he actually totally disappeared of PDP's life... :(

    Thanks Tomate for the Gd Cps Malade's link, I didn't know "Paris le matin", nice one!

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  18. Lots of color, (and I've never heard of slamming, either!), and a great composition, Eric! Thanks!

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  19. Eric -- you chose the exact perfect moment to take this photo! Bravo.

    Tomate -- Thanks for telling us about Grand Corps Malade. I'm thinking of when I was at school in Paris, trying to comprehend all of Villon's Ballade des Dames du Temps Jadis and writing papers romanticizing Baudelaire. I think if I was there now, instead of "Je suis comme le roi d'un pays pluvieux," je serais en train de dissequer "J'ai tout le temps loeil du tigre, et je dors sur mes deux oreilles."
    I believe "slamming" all started here in NYC, back in 1969 (when I was studying Villon!) at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, with Pedro Pietri, Miguel Pinero, and Miguel Algarin. (Did you see the movie Pinero?)

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  20. Eric, poetry slams are big here in Chicago. There are about 24 venues around the city that hold slams on a weekly basis or once a month. Many have featured performers but also offer an open mic.

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  21. A lot of slamming in LA, too.

    I love the photo, all that bright gold. And the father and son all dressed up and intent on going somewhere.

    It's late and I'm too tired to read all the French tonight. Usually I sit with my dictionnaire and learn something new. A demain.

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  22. Poetry Slams happen here in little old Mendocino county as well. Okay, so we're bigger than Delaware, but still, we're small.

    I love the photographic elements in this post as well. Excellent.

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  23. Tomate, merci pour nous avoir fait partager ces très belles lignes de Grand Corps Malade.
    Je n'avais jamais pris le temps de les écouter vraiment. Je crois que je vais remédier à ça.

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  24. The Rahman logo is obviously inspired by the Rahan comics from André Chéret... Looks cool on a wall though :)

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  25. Was not quite awake a couple of hours ago : was the first to comment this time !
    Thank to my friends who are as talkative as I am, came back home a little late at night and found this "Graf" so great I couldn't resist commenting.

    I've been told receently by my daughter that saying "tag" is totally OUT and even rude or offensive but you're supposed to say "graf", much more fulfiling.

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  26. I agree this photo is fabulous : as Guille said, the magical thing comes from the fact that you shoted the father and his son, maybe ivorians, in front of this this Rahman graffiti.

    Un père et son fils... today, ... like yesterday, René Maltête and his son Robin. Okay pure coïncidence, I guess!! Last thursday, I saw a so lovely 15 days new born. He was (like all babies at this age) extraordinary (means I could have spent hours to just observe him)!!

    Well, thanks for the Gd Corps malade lyrics Tomate, that is great to read and to listen to!

    Eric, I hope your conference (I know a little bit more about it now > and I can understand why you are feeling groovy > you are right ;)!!!) is going fine.

    I am breathing the ocean air for the week-end.

    Marylène, of course, you are a clear GF!! Congrats!! You have well deserved it!! Have a nice day all!

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  27. Good going Marylène!

    I just love the atmosphere. It is so, what would one say? Elegant tropical? Like the very first sentence written by Marylène above, "Are you sure that you were still in Paris ?"

    Through, what must be trees, the dappled sunlight that goes so well with the highlights on the lettering which is itself the color of sunlight. The bleached whites and velvet blacks: both painted and ambulatory.

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  28. This photo is quite exotic,and the father and son just makes it perfect, I really love it.

    Have a nice and well deserved weekend off, Eric.

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  29. Beautiful photo - it's important to also show the non-white Paris. Grand corps Malade for me epitomises slam. You must also listen to his 'Pères et Mères' song on you tube or daily motion. For those of you who understand French, the lyrics are fantastic.
    As good as the best Brassens of fifty years ago.

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  30. Guillemette, c'est toi la plus chouette !

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  31. We have amazing "slammers" in the States too. Check out Taylor Mali's "The the impotence of proofreading."

    Has this ever happened to you?
    You work very horde on a paper for English clash
    And then get a very glow raid (like a D or even a D=)
    and all because you are the word's liverwurst spoiler.
    Proofreading your peppers is a matter of the the utmost impotence.

    This is a problem that affects manly, manly students.
    I myself was such a bed spiller once upon a term
    that my English teacher in my sophomoric year,
    Mrs. Myth, said I would never get into a good colleague.
    And that's all I wanted, just to get into a good colleague.
    Not just anal community colleague,
    because I wouldn't be happy at anal community colleague.
    I needed a place that would offer me intellectual simulation,
    I really need to be challenged, challenged dentally.
    I know this makes me sound like a stereo,
    but I really wanted to go to an ivory legal colleague.
    So I needed to improvement
    or gone would be my dream of going to Harvard, Jail, or Prison (in Prison, New Jersey0.

    So I got myself a spell checker
    and figured I was on Sleazy Steet.

    But there are several missed aches
    that a spell chukker can't can't catch catch.
    For instant, if you accidentally leave a word
    your spell exchequer won't put it in you.
    And God for billing purposes only
    you should have serial problems with Tori Spelling
    your spell Chekhov might replace a word with one you had absolutely no detention of using.
    Because what do you want it to douch?
    It only does what you tell it to douche.
    You're the one with your hand on the mouth going clit, clit, clit.
    It just goes to show you how embargo
    one careless clit of the mouth can be.

    Which reminds me of this one time during my Junior Mint.
    The teacher read my entire paper on A Sale of two Titties
    out loud to all of my assmates.
    I'm not joking, I'm totally cereal.
    It was the most humidifying experience of my life,
    being laughed at pubically.
    So do yourself a flavor and follow these two Pisces of advice:
    One: There is no prostitute for careful editing.
    And three: When it comes to proofreading,
    the red penis your friend.

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  32. Now that you know what slam poetry is, Eric, check out Grand Corps Malade in your hometown (well, dans une "banlieue nord de Paname qu'on appelle Saint-Denis.")

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  33. Coltrane, that's a hoot!

    Luggi, soCal PDP fan get-together is happening 7/13. email me if you want to join up.

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  34. Coltrane, What are you doing? :s Don't you know, this is PG14.

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  35. Lois...I forgot this is a family show. [blushing now!]

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  36. Coltrane: I enjoyed Taylor Mali's poem. A lot.

    This is nice graffiti indeed.

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  37. Bojour:

    Coltane, dat ist jist funi!

    I could relate two it vry much!

    I am a bit late to the many previous posts. I don't know where when poetry slams began, but I am sure that one of the earliest, if not the birth was at the vintage "Greenmill" jazz joint at Broadway and Lawrence in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood. The club has been around since the good old 20's and 30's gangster period. It is one of only four or five real jazz joints in town. Google it and discover.

    As for the photo, I love the bold color and type face. Also the stride is nice and the hands are nice to examine.

    Steve in Chicago.

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  38. Thnkz Stevrino! [from a ex-Rockfjord man...Co Gubs!]

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  39. Nice? Graffiti is never nice.

    But again, good photo :)

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