Dizzee Rascal Goes Electric!

I remember back in 2003 when an 18 year old Dylan Kwabena Mills aka Dizzee Rascal took the Mercury Prize with his debut album Boy in da corner. I remember thinking props to him, doing so well at such a young age. What stuck me about Dizzee�s music was the eclectic mix of grime, hip hop, ragga and electronic which created an amazing mesh and unique sound. After his success Dizzee released two more albums, Showtime and Maths + English which did very well in the charts and received critical acclaim.  I particularly remember one track from Showtime called Happy Talk which was a funky version of the 80s hit by Captain Sensible. Apart from that I never really took a lot of notice of Dizzee � until November 2008 when he appeared on Newsnight to discuss Barack Obama�s presidential election victory. My reaction was KMT, what a chief! How can he behave like such an inarticulate twat after we have just witnessed the historical election of one of the most powerful orators in the world. Dizzee earned himself a big black mark in my book. However over the last year he was truly redeemed himself; he has cleaned up his act and is now repping himself properly. His interview on the Jonathon Ross Show earlier this year complete with a cream swish suit showed how far he has come. Then there is his music; his current album Tongue N� Cheek has totally smashed it  - with No 1 hits like Dance Wiv Me, Bonkers and Holiday. On Wednesday he took his career to new heights when he performed at the BBC Electric Proms with a live band. He dazzled the crowd at the Roundhouse for a full hour while he performed hit after hit. I watched a few clips and it was really mesmorising and I cannot wait to check out the full set on BBC iPlayer tonight. A patron for Tower Hamlets Summers University and also with his own record company, Dirtee Stank, Dizzee Rascal is really a true role model. I guess you can say he is pretty much untouchable.

Check out a clip from the Electric Proms. I love the bit at the end when he makes fun of himself by saying "Dizzee Rascal for Prime Minister yeah."

Grab a Cup of Cocoa Diaries

Entertainment editor by day, blogger by night and a devoted mum and partner, Keysha Davis is certainly juggling a lot of balls. Her blog, The Cocoa Diaries offers the perfect blend of entertainment and pop culture from a Black British perspective. Set up over a year ago, this delightful blog covers entertainment, fashion, beauty, community, film & music. Basically if it's hip and happening you will find it in The Cocoa Diaries.

What made you start blogging?

I was inspired by the work of others. I�ve been an avid reader of blogs for a few years now, and decided to take the plunge and start one of my own.

Describe the concept behind The Cocoa Diaries?

When I first started out there were tonnes of blogs dedicated to entertainment and popular culture, but very few focused specifically on Black British culture. So I decided that that would be my niche. The ethos of The Cocoa Diaries is a celebration of Black British people and culture. It just so happens to coincide with a time when Black artists in the UK are doing particularly well. New artists like VV Brown, Laura Izibor and Shingai from The Noisettes are rightfully receiving lots of plaudits and media attention. And then you have the likes of Dizzee Rascal, who has just secured the No.1 spot and has the fastest selling single this year. That�s a huge accomplishment. Particularly when you consider that he started off as an underground artist. I want to be there to capture all these moments.

How do you think bloggers have made an impact on the media?

Blogs have impacted the media immensely. The speed at which bloggers can get information out to the general public means they have one up on traditional media. Alongside blogging, I am also a magazine journalist and I often use blogs as a port of call, especially when writing entertainment type articles. I do believe the two can co-exist though. I love the honest, subjective nature of blogging, but I also couldn�t survive without well researched, objective journalism.

What do you do when you are not working on your blog?

Running around like a headless chicken, pretty much. I work full time and have a four year old son so I�m one busy, harried and tired lady (who drinks far too much Red Bull). Aside from work stuff, I like to spend time with my fianc� and child - we�re quite a football mad household so there�s often plenty of screaming and shouting at the TV when Arsenal are playing. I also like to read novels, although I really don�t get enough time to do so. And then there�s netball. I�m part of a team and we play in a league, so I spend a couple nights of the week training and competing in matches.

Describe a typical day.

By day I am the entertainment editor for Pride magazine. I spend my day editing pages, writing articles, conducting phone interviews, and fielding calls that range from disgruntled readers who haven�t received their subscription in the post, to young girls who want to become a model. We are a very small team so it�s a very fast paced environment that can get quite crazy and stressful. By night I switch into mummy mode. That means cooking, bathing and bed time story, before usually dozing off myself (laughs).

What are your favourite glossy magazines?

To be honest I don�t read glossies as much as I used to as I�m always on the Internet. I subscribe to Glamour and I buy Grazia and Look occasionally when I fancy a quick read on the train. I occasionally pick up Essence if I like the person on front of the cover, and that�s about it.

Name five blogs that you read religiously.

Madnews, Aliyasking, Harlem Loves, Waltzing Matilda and London Fashion Trends of course.

How do you see The Cocoa Diaries evolving over the next two years?

I�d like to see it evolve into a lifestyle online magazine . So essentially that means more frequent posts, interviews and features. My main issue is time, or lack thereof, so I am hoping to work with an editorial intern over the next few months to get more content out there. Ultimately I�d like to see The Cocoa Diaries recognised as a formidable brand. In my opinion traditional Black British media outlets still don�t fully recognise the benefits of online publishing, so it�s definitely something I�d like to fully explore.