Friday at Safari Steakhouse
Safari Steakhouse, 9430 Annapolis Road Lanham MD 20706

Doc was in the parking lot when I parked. I told him the PFunk documentary was showing tonight.

Donnell Jr. was there.

Khallisa (she recently celebrated her birthday at Takoma Station, which is where I met her for the first time.) and her friends said hello to me. The girl who danced with me at Tradewinds and messed with my hair was there. She said she would dance with me again.

The right speakers are now flush with the wall, so it is no as longer convenient to stand on the right side of the stage.


Halima played timbales.

Cookie came in. Doc said hello to her over the mic as she walked to the bar, but she didn't react.

Peg Leg, Yvette, Kiki and Cindy were there.
Mike wasn't present tonight.

Familiar Faces
First set
Halima and I went to wake up Stomp.

Donnell said, "I feel it baby, I feel it running through my veins."
1) Lock It in the Pocket - Donnell said, "Each and every Friday night. We do three sets. This is the happy hour set. Dwayne Lee is in a hurry tonight, he must have a hot date. Dwayne Lee is in a hurry.", there was a nice crank, Donnell and Dwayne had nice solos
June was there.
2) Instrumental - started with the horns
Netty was there.
Donnell said, "We're going to bring my baby Halima to the stage. One of performers for the Positive Black Men's Coalition’s Night of Elegance."
3) Halima-led Alicia Keys' Diary - Halima used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, Doc was on backup vocals, James came onstage and sang backup vocals, He took his hat off, Halima's singing was loud and powerful, Stomp and DP smiled, Halima sang, "Yeah"
4) Halima-led Fantasia's Free Yourself - Halima said, "This past week this song has started to have a new meaning to it. It's not just from a man to a woman. Sometimes you don't want anyone to talk to you. My Grandma (she may have said Grandmother) used to say 'If you have nothing to say, don't say nothing.' Anyone heard that?", Halima moved around and went on the dance floor, I filmed it since it was actually pretty well lit, Halima used a lot nonverbal arm & hand gestures and bounced
5) Halima-led Floetry's Say Yes - Halima said, Halima used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, Halima said, "Hey ladies. Someone say something. How you all doing", Halima laughed, Halima repeated, "Deep down, deep down inside", Halima returned to the stage / Lionel Richie's Hello (tease) - Halima repeated "A thousand times", and kissed the air
Donnell said, "Ten for ten, nine for nine, eight for break"
Donnell said, "My baby Halima is one of the performers for the Night of Elegance."

Keisha was there. I asked her about future filming for the documentary. She mentioned next Thanksgiving (I don't know if she meant 2005 or 2006).

Danielle (Wellfhed) and China were there.

Tiffany F. was there.

Danielle introduced me to That44dog.

I talked with Ebony and her friend Kandi, whom I had taken a picture of with James last week. Ebony said she looked a mess in her picture with Nita. I said all I saw was a beautiful woman. She said she wanted to lose weight, but I told her she doesn't need it.

Second Set
Donnell said that Darrell needs to get a girl (don't remember who) a drink. Donnell said, "Who else? I'm playing Chuck Woolery. Get all these ladies drunk tonight. We got a bus, a minivan. We can take a trip."
Donnell said, "They not back, n*ggers still on a milk carton".
Donnell did a birthday announcement to Shawn.
1) Instrumental - largely just a nice crank, Donnell said, "I think we could just get a pocket. We got some birthdays." Donnell said of Bony-T, who was celebrating her birthday, "You must have gotten that name from junior high, you're fully grown now.", Donnell said, "Just a little thing so we can get this warmed up", Donnell and Halima used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures
2) Donnell-led "If that's how you feel, you got to do what feel, you got to keep it for real" - Donnell said to some girl, "Please don't stand in front of me all night long, I don't think I can take it", Donnell inserted names, Doc and James both were on backup vocals, Donnell said, "Play some music y'all", Halima danced, Donnell said, "We're going to be real mature about this y'all", Donnell said, "A few seconds while we warm this up, let's start this off... Smoke", Donnell said, "Hey Stomp, did you tell him to stop?", Donnell said, "Say what"
3) Halima-led Jill Scott's Whatever - Donnell said, "Let's get this thing warmed up", James moved around, Halima used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, DP shouted, Donnell said, "Alright", Donnell said, "Uh huh", Donnell had a look on his face as if he made a mistake, Halima moved around, I noticed Stomp wasn't wearing headphones (as he normally does, including the first set tonight), it went dark, Donnell said, "One more verse mama", Donnell said, "Where you at Omarr?", DP shouted, "Come on"
4) John Legend's Used to Love U - instrumental intro / Donnell-led Ludacris' Number One Spot - James and Donnell bounced, Halima was on backup vocals, Donnell and Halima used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, Donnell said, "Bounce, bounce", they did, James, Halima, and Donnell danced, Jay Gotti went onstage and rapped, Donnell and Halima danced, Donnell bounced, Donnell said, "Hey Smoke", Halima clapped, Donnell said, "Hey Stomp, hey Smoke", DP bounced, Donnell said, "Hey Smoke", Doc was on backup vocals

Donnell, Jay Gotti, Packy (behind Jay Gotti), Jacques, Smoke (mainly arm visible)
5) Alternating Halima-led Gwen Stefani's Hollaback Girl - Donnell said, "What, what you say?", Donnell said, "Come on with it Halima", Donnell bounced, Halima let girls in the audience sing, "That's my sh*t", Donnell said, "Come on with it Halima", Donnell and Halima used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures / Donnell-led Rare Essence's Hook Me Upa - Donnell said, "That's what we're talking about", Donnell said, "Come on with it Halima"

DP, Packy, Jacques, Smoke, Shawn, Omarr, Tony
6) Donnell-led 50 Cent's In Da Club (tease) - Donnell used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures and moved around
Lisa of the World was there.
7) Donnell-led "Hey ay, Ho oh" - the crowd responded, Donnell said, "Every Friday, you know why"
8) Donnell-led It Is What It Is - Halima and Donnell used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, Donnell said, "Right there Smoke", there was a nice crank, Donnell said, "We're trying to get this thing warmed up"
9) Donnell-led "Brandywine, Friends of mine" chant / Jay Gotti rapped, Halima sang, Donnell said, "If you got a birthday put your hands in the air", Donnell said, "Come on with it Halima"
10) Halima-led Faith Evans' Mesmerized - DP shouted, "Yeah!", Halima bounced, moved around, and used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, DP shouted, "Yeah!" repeatedly, James moved around
11) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Marinda - Donnell said, "Look here y'all, we've been holding back too long", Donnell and Halima used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, James bounced, Halima danced and clapped, Donnell bounced, Smoke played timbales and Jacques played congas, Donnell said, "Hey Godfather", DP shouted, "Come on!" repeatedly, Donnell said, "Hey Godfather", Donnell said, "Let's get busy"

Stomp, Donnell, DP, Packy, Smoke, Jacques, Omarr, Shawn, Lisa of the World, June is the fan with his arms up and back to the camera
12) Donnell-led Trina Was Great - Jacques played timbales, Smoke played congas, Packy played the cowbell, Doc toweled off his head, Halima danced, James and Donnell moved around, James, Halima, and Donnell danced, Donnell said, "Let me know when you're ready baby", Donnell shouted, "Yeah!" repeatedly
Donnell said, "Ten for ten, nine for nine, eight for break".
Donnell said, "Lisa of the World, she still got it, like at the Howard Theatre, big bunch of jugs."

Teago and Tyrell were there.

Halima danced around by Tyrell.
I joked to Teago that Kato was Danielle's father.

Third Set
1) Halima-led Alicia Keys' Unbreakable - Donnell said, "Come on with it Halima", Donnell shouted, "Yeah!", DP shouted, "Yeah!", Donnell said, "Alright", Halima moved around, Donnell said, "Right there Halima", Donnell shouted, "Yeah!", Halima used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, Donnell said, "Right there Smoke", Halima danced
2) They started to perform the music to Bobby Valentino's Tell Me - Donnell said, "My man Michael Muse isn't here, were going to play it anyway" / James & Halima-led Bobby Valentino's Tell Me - DP shouted, "Yeah, come on", James and Halima danced, Donnell said, "Sweet Shawn, it's your birthday", Donnell shouted, "Yeah!" repeatedly, DP shouted, "Come on!", Donnell said, "Hey Godfather" repeatedly, Packy played the cowbell, Donnell said, "That's what we're talking about y'all"
3) Donnell & Halima-led Lil Kim's Lighters Up - Donnell held up a lit cell phone, fans held up lit cell phones and lighters, Donnell said, "Come on Halima", Halima rapped, Halima called out names and places, Donnell said, "Gimme the woo", James and Halima sang, "Woo", I danced with the same girl as at Tradewinds last week, Kiki and Khallisa, Donnell used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, Donnell chanted, "Wait a minute", Donnell said, "Right there Smoke", Halima rapped, Keisha danced onstage, Donnell said, "Gimme the Woo", James & Halima sang, "Woo"

Stomp, Donnell, Packy, DP, Keisha, Jacques, Omarr, Smoke, Shawn, Lisa of the World
All pictures taken by and Copyright - Jordan Rich
4) Alternating Donnell-ed Trillville's Some Cut - James sang backup, the frontline did the bowing dance during the dialtone, Donnell used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures / Notorious BIG's Warning - Donnell said, "Hey ladies" / "Wait a minute" echoes - Donnell & Halima used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, Donnell said, "Dwayne Lee" / Tupac's Hail Mary - the frontline danced
5) Alternating Halima-led Mariah Carey's It's Like That - Halima's singing was energetic, Donnell moved around, Halima used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, Donnell said, "I see you baby", Donnell said, "What", Halima bounced, Donnell said, "One more to baby", Halima bounced / Donnell-led "Tired yet, Ready to quit?" - the crowd responded
6) Donnell-led Rare Essence's What N*gga What? - Donnell used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, one of the birthday girls shouted, Halima mimed
7) Donnell-led Rare Essence's All Da Time - Smoke played the timbales and Jacques played the congas, Donnell used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, the house lights came on, Donnell said, "Uh huh, yes sir", Donnell said, "Yes, sir", Halima moved around, Halima sang something, a girl named Jackie talked with me about what I wrote, she said she's seen me at Takoma Station a number of times
RE Angie was there.
8) Donnell-led Sade's No Ordinary Love - the frontline danced
Keisha was kicked offstage by the security (almost certainly asked to leave the stage first). Donnell is now trying to give Halima room onstage by not having fans dance onstage.
Donnell said, "Tiffany doing the pebbles & bam bam."
Donnell said, "Be careful Jordan, you'll get your eggs scrambled."
Donnell said, "Shay, you still doing the Thelma from Good Times"
Packy said, "He's writing it down."
Donnell said, "They think they back, they think Jheri curls are back, they still wearing 8 ball jackets."
I told Donnell that Nephew wears an 8 ball jacket.
Nephew said, "I still look good."
Donnell said, "He's got a Benz, you got a Subaru (not true)".
I said, "He doesn't have a Benz". Packy said, "Yes, he does, the license plate says, 'Mrs. Floyd'".
Donnell said, "Nephew park your wide body next to his." He also said Googie has a wide body (car) too.

When I walked out, Tiffany F. joked, "Why you looking at me like you know me?" The cop who comes every Friday said, "He's about to." She smiled.