Disclaimer: I’m not offering any real answers to “Do E. Lynn, Hardy, McMillan and Perry create art?” It’s a topic on my mind this morning. Robin Givhan at The Washington Post has a review of novel In My Father’s House, written by E. Lynn Harris before he died in 2009. It’s pretty brutal:

Let’s get this basic fact out of the way: This is not a well-written novel. E. Lynn Harris, who completed “In My Father’s House” before his death in 2009, does not have a poetic voice or even a particularly eloquent one. This is not a work of detail-oriented craftsmanship.

And that’s just the beginning.

The review goes on to call out Harris’ shallow character description and clumsy plot development. Frankly, these are things we’ve known for years. Like fellow black, gay writer James Earl Hardy and outspoken Terry McMillan, E. Lynn Harris spoke to a very specific reader. While the writing in these novels don’t challenge literary circles, they do speak to black female and gay communities longing for written representation.

Which is not to say I’m giving these types of work a “pass”. I was an early fan of E. Lynn Harris and James Earl Hardy simply because nobody was publishing contemporary work about black gay life in the mid-90s. By each of their third novel, the novelty wore off for me. Maybe I’m crazy, but I like my artist to expand as they continue to create; and possibly help me to expand with them.

This point of view could be applied to Tyler Perry, as well. While his lack of skill seems blatantly obvious to me (and others), the demand for his work is staggering. However, when a 30-minute cartoon can lampoon and sum up Perry’s plot devices in 15 seconds, you have to question how hard Perry is even trying to elevate his craft. Perhaps one issue is how Perry tries to do everything: write, direct, produce, act, etc. We’ll see when he puts his spin on somebody else’s work; namely Ntozake Shange‘s classic For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf.

Yeah, I’m afraid.

However, I remember an interview with Questlove in which he said he doesn’t categorize music as good or bad anymore. The more important question is if the work is successful in meeting its intended goal/audience. I’ve started to allow that philosophy to inform my own prejudices (if only to save my sanity). This is why my second question “Do they have to?” is as relevant to me as my first.

Wayne Sutton examines how he and the fine folks at TriOut used social media tools to launch and manage location based services startup. #lbs

Steve Bruner showcases new aspects of customization available in the upcoming WordPress 3.0 release, including custom post types and the new menu management feature, using the new default Twenty Ten theme as an example. #blogging #video

The latest episode of the video podcast “Beer Diplomacy TV” attempts to solves the world’s problems (and decipher the season finale of Lost). Answers provided by Stuart Tracte, Baratunde, and Brian Brushwood, moderated by Owen JJ Stone, who I met at SXS10 via Twanna Hines and Adria Richards). #politics #video

Food Network’s new, 24-hour Cooking Channel, launches. But why isn’t it in HD? #food #tv

Thumbs Up

I have to give props to rapper Wale for turning around a PR fiasco. After news got out that the rapper was canceling his appearance at D.C’s. Black Gay Pride, the web was on fire with “homophobic” linked to his name.

Wale maintains he was unaware of the obligation (like most popular artists, he doesn’t book his own shows). After the dust settled, Wale made a special guest appearance at D.C. Black Pride Legacy Festival. For free. Now that’s gangsta. #black #hiphop #lgbt #video

Thumbs Down

Despite BP’s various cleanup attempts, the company and U.S. government warn that the oil could be leaking until August. Ugh. Houston Business Journal has continuous coverage. #news #environment #bitchlips

Looking back at the age of 80, Ms. Horne said:

“My identity is very clear to me now. I am a black woman. I’m free. I no longer have to be a ‘credit.’ I don’t have to be a symbol to anybody; I don’t have to be a first to anybody. I don’t have to be an imitation of a white woman that Hollywood sort of hoped I’d become. I’m me, and I’m like nobody else.”

via New York Times

photo by Nate Steiner

SXSW Interactive hosted a networking mixer last night at Cypress Street Pint and Plate. It was very well-attended, possibly due to SXSW’s increasing visibility outside of the music, film and tech communities.

As a result, there seemed to be a lot more people out last night who had never been to SXSW; or who can’t make it this year.

One of the more interesting conversations I had centered around how the black tech community doesn’t appear to be as supportive of each other as they should.

Even when blog posts or articles are positive, there are often negative or elitist comments that follow, especially around individual. This behavior was likened to the “crabs in a barrel” scenario.

I admit to being somewhat ignorant of this because I don’t read a lot of comments unless the post is about something technical. Comments, especially those that are anonymous or aren’t linked to the user’s website, have become mostly useless to me. I’ve seen too many well-meaning topics turn into personal bitchfests. Wrong time, wrong place.

This is one of the topics that will be discussed on the Black Blogging Rockstars panel at 2010′s SXSW Interactive. I’ll be moderating the panel and will offer some ideas. But my panelists: Maurice Cherry, Dede Sutton and Gina McCauley, have strong opinions about this. Trust.