Thanks, Maze
Profunksticated has found he likes to do the electric slide — it’s the only line dance he knows — but only to certain songs. One of them was Joy and Pain by Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly.
Yup, Maze and Snoop Dogg were the headliners at the NBA Players Assocation Gala in New Orleans’ Ernest N. Morial Convention Center this past All Star weekend. There was something about doing the electric slide to Joy and Pain that felt like heaven on earth. For a few minutes there, just about all my problems and issues were light years away as we all moved in unison.
A friend and I later managed to snag spots in the front row prior to Snoop’s generally obscenity-laced performance, when Tyrese helped to warm up the already hot crowd. When Snoop finally took the stage, I took a few photos with a digital camera I had bought on Canal Street, as well as about 30 seconds of video. You’d have thought Snoop was the second coming of Jesus the way some of those folks carried on.
I’m no big fan of Mr. Dogg (aka Calvin Broadus), but I always did like the cut Gin and Juice. By the time he broke into that rap, my camera’s battery went dead. Damn!
There had to have been about 7,000 people in that cavernous convention hall. Many NBA ballers were there. I was able to make out guys like Shaquille O’Neal and Magic Johnson. I even spotted the former baseballer Dave Winfield sitting at the same table with Magic.
But I’m sure I missed a lot of those guys, since they’re younger, I’m older and I simply don’t recognize as many of them as I did a few years back. Let’s face it, I’m not the sports fan I once was. Life keeps getting in the way.
But for a few moments, life took a back seat as I “Slided” to the lovely beat of Joy and Pain. I was feeling a whole lot more joy.
Peace.
