Click here to view the embedded video.

Above is Obama‘s State of the Union address, which I haven’t had a chance to watch yet because I’ve been too busy being addicted to Loopable.  However, the homie Senbei posted a fascinating address to Obama via Cornell West who, above all things, asks the president how deep his love actually is for the underrepresented and the oppressed.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Yes, we’ve come quite far in the past year.  The fact that we have a president who might actually take heed to what Dr. West has to say…who has even spoken to him in the first place, is a great thing.  But in light of all that is going on in the world, I too must cosign Dr. West in asking how deep Barry’s love is for the people.  The question brings me back to a simpler time, before the Bush Jr. regime.  When people of different cultures got together to fight the evils of the world.  I of course am talking about the late 90′s, Rush Hour, and Dru Hill.  I DARE you to not smile while watching this:

Click here to view the embedded video.

And for the record, yes that’s 3 Sisqo videos in so far.  And it’s only January.

As a nod to Dahlak’s new song and video “Black Genius,” we present the similarly titled new section of the iLL-Blog, where we show you some of the videos, interviews, and articles from the prominent black voices of yesterday, today, and tomorrow…mostly comprised of the type of stuff we geek out to during rehearsal breaks and in the hotel rooms on tour.

First is this incredible conversation between professor and activist Cornell West (author of Race Matters), and legendary writer Toni Morrison (Beloved, Song of Solomon, The Bluest Eye, Sula, Jazz…and hella other books that make us feel inadequate as writers).

Taking place on March 24, 2004, it’s interesting to see how far we’ve advanced, as well as how stagnant we’ve remained, since this period rounding the end of Bush’s first term.  A conversation that moves from war to queer rights to artistic inspiration, here’s 60 minutes of your life well spent.

Click here to watch via Free Speech TV.