November 19, 2010

Dwele


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So, I was speaking recently with a couple of folks who have been following the photo project. They all liked the project (or at least had a good enough understanding of social graces to feign affection for it while I was standing there). But they did find one curious deficiency in the demographics of the project subjects: an apparent dearth of young, male subjects.

Busted.



I created The People of Detroit as an excuse to take pictures of strange women. I have no interest in revising the marred image of the city. I only occasionally post a photograph of a well-dress old man or a child to throw the Bureau of Altruistic Deeds off my scent.

My real name is Noah BLOGgojevich.

Naw, but for real. The real reason why there aren't a lot of dudes in the people of Detroit is because a) men are ugly and b) its mad awkward to approach a dude on some "dog, can I can your picture?" shit.

Plus thanks to the uh, uh, uh, how you say, emasculating, uh, uh, genocidal proclivities of The White Man and whatnot, almost all of this city's young black men are either dead!, in jail!... or in Atlanta...

':-|

Naw, but for real. I'm completely open to featuring young men in The People of Detroit. It does make me feel weird to ask a grown man if I can take his picture, but I bet it made Harriett Tubman feel weird to walk 10,000 miles to freedom. But she did it for the greater good. And I do TPOD for you, America.

[insert Bill Clinton lip bite / thumb point]

Anytime I encounter a young brother whose appearance or reputation betrays a certain urbane, world-aware sensibility I am more than happy to make a portrait of them. The brother you see above is just one such person.

Dwele is a homegrown, internationally-known R&B musician who definitely fits that criterion. As a matter of fact, I first met Dwele at a Detroit-themed skate party in London hosted by another acclaimed Detroit musician by the name of Kenny Dixon Jr (aka Moodymann). He saw me with my camera, and we proceeded to talk shop about photography and dSLR filmmaking  (Dwele has used the 7D to make a couple of music videos as a matter of fact).

I saw him one time after that in the city and again today in a local sandwich shop.

Every time I've encounter Dwele, he's been nothing but gracious. No airs. No self-obsessed star shit. Just a cool, regular dude. That's why I'm more than happy to count him as one of The People of Detroit.

Plus the BAD was getting wise...

[View the ongoing project and meet more of: The People of Detroit ]

1 comment:

Zig said...

I suppose that is why I like his music as well... He seems like a regular guy, who also by-the-way sings and writes and what not.

My wife is a super fan, but feels the same way... just don't post that sandwich shop local, cause I can see her going everyday 'til she got to take her picture of him.

Stay up, Stay Awesome, Happy Merry ChristMaChanuKawzica