Debra Debs Whuman

I recently got my Debra Debs Whuman cd in the mail and I am happy to announce that it was NOT a disappointment. With the premature recent rise in people interested in becoming musicians and fashion clothing's and accessories designers, consumers like myself have become apprehensive in trying out the young and upcoming talents. This reluctance stems from the fact that most of these individuals either do not have the credentials ( did not go to arts school or have previous experience working in the industry) or have in the past presented very sloppy and incomplete products.

But this WHUMAN cd was definitely not the case. I loved all 4 tracks and have had it in the car on repeat everyday on my commute to work and back. Being a Ex-Sakereth ^_^, I am not surprised at how polish the album was. We have that reputation of excelling in all that we do.

A little bit on the artist from her website:

Cameroon-born, London-based soul singer song-writer Debra Debsrecently released an EP entitled "WHUMAN" in November 2011 which precedes a full-length album due for release in early 2012. 

With sounds firmly grounded in Neosoul and 90's Soulful RnB, and influences ranging from Jill Scott, Mary J Blige, Toni Braxton, Lauryn Hill, India Arie, Maxwell and Musiq Soulchild, "WHUMAN" issprinkled with socio-conscious, love vs pain, melodic story-telling drawn from the heart & soul and guaranteed to have listeners relating to it in every which way possible.

Speaking of Saker Girls, I had the pleasure of hanging out with an old friend who was in the US for the holidays. As a girl with 4 brothers and no sisters, my female friends relationships are very dear to me because they are the closest things i have to having a sister. We met up at Au Bon Pain in Cambridge to catch up on each other's life....much needed free therapy billed in blue berry scones and croissants currencies.Being a starbucks fanatic, I don't really frequent other cafe' establishments. This was my first time at the restaurant. The dessert menu was great but the coffee was slightly undesirable. Maybe its because am use to quality cafe' service and therefore held extra ordinary high standards. Nevertheless, I had a wonderful time catching up with a friend I had not seen in a year.

Nadia being the world traveler that she is also met up with me last January 2011 about this same time but in atlanta, Ga. I was going through a should i cut my hair shorter or twist it or let it be like the followers of jah "moment"

January 2011 with Nadia in Georgia

Later that same evening, my brother and I attended an open mic Sunday event at the Cambridge Commons.

My limited experience with open mic poetry slams is based on the events I attended while living in Atlanta, Ga. Most of these events where pregnant with racial motifs and elements of gross hyperbole to shock the audience. Needless to say; I wasn't impressed. So when my brother invited me to this Cambridge event, i was a little bit reluctant to attend. The space is located in the basement of Cambridge Commons and is designed with a very seductive and intimate atmosphere. I did not take any pictures because I felt like i will be violating the intimacy and privacy of the clientele. As for the poetry, I was BLOWN AWAY and left the night a fan vowing to come back for more brain worthy food. 

It was exactly what I was looking for in a poetry slam! Poems that made you think. You knew the poets had put some thought into their words. Any black person can get on a mic and cry out about racial segregation. Even the ones who grew up in middle class and upper class families. But to be able to articulate the downfall of our economic system by using an old abandoned house as the star of your poem was refreshing!This poetry slam was diverse not just in the range of topics covered but also the poets. Maybe that is what is lacking in the southern poetry slams I attended. Diversity.

 Or maybe its the Cambridge factors. There are a lot of excellent schools in Boston which attracts brilliant minds to the city and state. So maybe this and the many other wonderful academic qualities of the city is a reflection on the quality of education in that  community.