Dawson's Ink

To say that Sam Cooke died at the height of his career would be a gross understatement. Gunned down at 33 inside the Hacienda Motel in Los Angeles on December 11, 1964, in what was determined to be a justifiable homicide, the man who once told Dick Clark that he transitioned from gospel to popular [...]

There’s an article that appeared in the February 25, 2006 edition of the Detroit Free Press, written by journalist Kelley Carter, that details the last days of James Yancey, better known as J Dilla, or Jay Dee. The wonderfully written article walks us through his pain as he battled an incurable disease that started with [...]

There’s a track on The Bleeding Edge, the album from The Revelations featuring Tre’ Williams–an album full of great music–that blows me away each time it plays. It’s been on repeat in my mp3 player for a week now, and i still can’t get enough. It’s #11, for those keeping score at home, the re-imagining [...]

What. A. Weekend. So much went on this past Grammy weekend, when a group of us from all over the States converged upon the Southland for what turned out to be an unforgettable weekend. From crashing the artist’s VIP section at KissNGrind, to giving Mos Def and his driver the ultimate side-eye, to late night [...]

There was always something about Sade’s music that made me place my face in my hands and let out a contented sigh. I’d close my eyes and just get caught up in the moments, in the beats. In the soothing strains of Helen’s voice. The sound is flawless. Otherworldly.
I’ll admit, though, when the lead single [...]

So, it’s 2010. And a gorgeous day in Los Angeles. So much going on this weekend. So much going on this year. And even with all of my sports teams winning titles in 2009 (Yankees, Lakers, Steelers), and August Will, Son being a tremendous success, I refuse to rest on my laurels. Nope. This year, [...]

Yesterday, on Twitter, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson’s name  became a trending topic soon after he made some controversial statements about President Barack Obama while appearing on MSNBC on the heels of Senator Harry Reid’s apologizing for mentioning President Obama’s “Negro dialect.” Dr. Dyson said that Obama runs from race issues” like a Black man runs [...]

So, I like to be creative. And to write. A few years ago, my friend Nia posted something called 50 Word Fiction. I was intrigued by the idea, since I’m always testing my limits with words. It’s a great exercise, and I thank her for putting me on to it. So, today being Friday, I’ve [...]