More zman Bouilliabaisse

1. Ron Weasley is a gangster

The kid who played Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter movies now plays a gangster in the TV show “Snatch.” It’s extremely loosely based on the movie “Snatch”—many grimy Britons, a little boxing, and lots of crime. It’s ultimately a comedy though, so all the capers go pear-shaped and the main characters are constantly scrambling to avoid getting nicked by the polis or turned over by bigger sharks. It’s a fun 47 minute diversion from reality. Sony’s American subsidiary produces the show so no one’s accent is so thick that you need subtitles to decipher what they’re saying. You can stream it for free on Crackle.



2. Go Ahead in the Rain

I’m trying to read more this year so I read “Go Ahead in the Rain” by Hanif Abdurraqib. It’s a short and well-written read about A Tribe Called Quest, their music and their impact on the author’s life. Sometimes it’s an album review, sometimes it’s a history lesson. Other times it’s an autobiography, cultural commentary on the meaning of everything. Perhaps most uniquely, in a few places it’s letters written directly to individual band members. It won’t change your life but I recommend it if you like Tribe, hiphop, music, or good writing.



3. Another playlist for Connell

Abdurraqib drops tons of 1990’s music references in his book, so much so that I became motivated to dig through the crates and put together another playlist for Connell. I told Connell I would do this last summer but I didn’t because I’m simultaneously lazy and overworked. But here it is, better late than never. Rather than go “bangin old school” I went “smoothed-out old school.” Enjoy.

Let’s Ride
Honeydips in Gotham
Who Got Da Props
Jive Talk
Fortified Live
After Hours
Passing Me By
Memory Lane
Straighten It Out
Just the Two of Us
Funky Lemonade
Buddy
Form of Intellect
Ya Know How it Goes
Where I’m From
40 Acres and My Props
The Truth