Talking About Nightlife on The Charlotte Podcast

I was the guest on this week's episode of The Charlotte Podcast with hosts John and Miller. The guys had me on to talk about Charlotte nightlife. And because I have a tendency to give backstories, a lot of our discussion focused on how far the city's nightlife scene has come during the decade I've lived here; plus, where I feel it's headed and what we need more of. They also had me recommend a bachelor party night out in Charlotte, which was a fun, on-the-spot question.

During our conversation, I pretty much gave a walk down memory lane on "nightlife" in Charlotte, to the lonely days before there was an EpiCentre or Music Factory in Uptown, or bars and breweries all over NoDa, South End, and Plaza Midwood. Back when the most there was to look forward to in the nightlife and social scene was Alive After Five. (Not knocking AA5, though, which returned for the season last week, and runs each Thursday through August; it's a rite of passage for newcomers, and is still a great social event to meet people.)

If you haven't lived in Charlotte very long and/or you feel the current nightlife scene leaves a lot to be desired, you should listen to this podcast discussion because it will: 1) Cause you to realize how good you have it here now compared to before; 2) Help you understand the positive momentum and growth the scene is continuing to experience, which bodes well for the future. And, it's just fun to talk about "going out" even if you don't do so often, but we all have FOMO from time to time.

I've gone to Red Clay Ciderworks a couple of times, which is an extension of Charlotte's craft brewery scene

I enjoyed talking to Miller and John, and I appreciate them for having me on. I first "met" Miller through Twitter (@MillerYoho), maybe a couple of years ago, and we've since gotten to know each other through our day jobs. And this was my first time meeting John in person, since I'd only previously known him through his Twitter alias (@TheTrolleyWalk).

Listen to the episode in the embed below or directly on Soundcloud or iTunes (episode 015).

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Charlotte Is One of America's Sexiest Cities

We're sexy and we know it, Charlotte.

According to Playboy.com's newly released (and safe for work) list of "America's Sexiest Cities 2015," Charlotte ranks No. 20. What makes a city sexy, you ask. Well that's what Playboy asked, too, and explains that it's "a combination of hot locals, cool nightlife, a great setting and an undercurrent of desire..."

Making the top 20 of any flattering national ranking is a good thing, I suppose. The top-five sexiest cities, Playboy's research and surveys show, are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, and San Francisco. No surprises there, but those are also some of the country's largest cities. Wonder if there's any correlation between sexy and size? (No pun intended.) If you're curious about the Queen City's "peers," Tampa and Atlanta are ranked 16th and 17th, respectively. And Orlando, at No. 21, gives the Southeast five of the top 25 cities.

This map, from Playboy.com, shows where the sexiest cities are located. 

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#GovJamCLT Is this Weekend - June 12-14

The Charlotte Shapers are giving you the opportunity to collaborate on solutions to problems and challenges facing the city. It’s a weekend-long event, dubbed #GovJamCLT (see hash on Twitter), with the goal of helping “Charlotte residents begin to make the increasingly important connections needed between government and those the public sector serves.”

You might be familiar with previous events and initiatives the Charlotte Shapers have done over the last couple of years, such as its annual business idea competition. Part of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community, the Charlotte group carries out the international organization’s mission of empowering young leaders (people in their 20s and 30s) to create solutions to problems around the world, essentially one community and city at a time. The Charlotte group’s primary focus is tackling youth unemployment, but they also address a wide range of issues, as you’ll see with #GovJamCLT.

#GovJamCLT Rundown

Date: June 12-14 | Friday, 5:45 - 9 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Admission: $15; covers all three days (each day that you attend, you get $5 back).
Location: The Junior League of Charlotte, 1332 Maryland Ave.

Part of the Global Gov Jam, when people around the world will come together for 48 hours, #GovJamCLT is open to everyone, and the theme of this “jam” will be announced at the start of the event (but you can presume it will be tied to local government). If you've never participated in an event like this before, all you need to do is come with an open mind and a desire to see positive change where you live.

Get complete details and register for #GovJamCLT at charlotteshapers.org/govjamclt.

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Geeking Out Over CLT Airport's Planned Expansions (Video)

I don't know when, but at some point in recent years I developed a fascination with how cities and neighborhoods grow and, essentially, how they're built (or rebuilt). I know it has a lot to do with me having lived in Charlotte for almost a decade now, and the sizable growth I've witnessed here during that time.

So I enjoy reading the many news articles of announcements and updates on new condos, apartment buildings, office towers, hotels, shopping centers (and in many cases a combination of these things, commonly known as "mixed use") being planned and built around the city, that I come across on The Charlotte Observer and Charlotte Business Journal's websites. And, of course, that growth is mirrored (or should be mirrored) in the improvements in infrastructure, such as the final leg of Interstate 485 finally opening, the next phase of the light rail running to University City, and the continued renovations and expansions of Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

And it's the CLT airport stuff that's caused me to geek out. Seriously, since the airport announced, a month ago, the next phase of its development master plan, I've been talking to friends and colleagues about it like it's the Apple Watch or something. The $2.5 billion investment will make the airport more modern, convenient, accessible, and keep up with its crazy growth. Consider this: the airport welcomed 25 million total passengers for the year in 2004; 10 years later, in 2014, the total was 44 million.

Renderings of the planned renovations and expansions at Charlotte's airport. Credit: CLT

You can read about the planned projects, including expanding the terminal and lobby and renovating the concourses. But you'll definitely want to watch the video below, which is what fascinated me. It uses computer generation to show how, most notably, the terminal curb and roadway will be expanded and elevated, with the addition of several new lanes for vehicles dropping off and picking up passengers. And keep in mind, all of this construction will take place while the airport is in full operation, with millions of passengers coming and going each month.

Fascinating. #BarbaraWaltersVoice.

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Volunteer with Youth this Summer -- It's Rewarding

Summertime is approaching, and although we aren't kids anymore (which means gone are the nearly three-month-long summer breaks), there are plenty of opportunities to support youth in our communities. I've found, over the years, this is when many youth programs and nonprofit organizations are in great need of volunteers and mentors. I encourage you to get involved, whether it's in a long-term capacity with one organization or you're supporting various events throughout the coming weeks and months.

On Saturday, I volunteered with the Thomas Davis Defending Dreams Foundation's annual football camp. The Carolina Panthers' star, Thomas Davis, puts on the free event for Charlotte youth and invites several of his teammates and other players and coaches from around the NFL to provide a day of fun, sports training, and motivation for the kids (fellow Panthers Luke Kuechly, Ryan Kalil, and Jonathan Stewart were among those in attendance; watch the Panthers.com video of Davis' camp). The camp is a part of TDDDF's annual charity weekend, which also included a fundraising party Friday night at the Harvey B. Gantt Center (also attended and supported by several NFL players).

As I helped with the camp registration Saturday morning, and the kids walked up one by one to check in, it reminded me why I love giving my time to serve youth. Just seeing the looks on their faces -- excitement, enthusiasm, and even shyness for some -- took me back to when I was their ages, and had the benefit of men in my community positively impacting my life (from my father to my Boy Scout troop leaders and recreation league coaches).  

A pleasure volunteering at @ThomasDavisSDTM @TDDDF's free youth football camp today in #CLT. #TDDDF pic.twitter.com/7u1Gc9KeLM

— Jarvis Holliday (@HollidayInk) May 16, 2015

Out here supporting the man of the year @td58 with his football Champ Charlotte #defendingdreams #keeppounding

A photo posted by Jonathan Stewart (@jonathanstewar1) on May 16, 2015 at 8:18am PDT

Below is a quick video I captured with my phone of the TDDDF camp kids shouting their excitement at the end of the day's activities.

I look forward to volunteering with youth throughout this summer, and I hope you will too! Follow me on Twitter @HollidayInk, where I often share details on volunteer and charitable opportunities in Charlotte.

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Dale Jr. and J. Cole Cover 'ESPN The Magazine's' Music Issue, Represent N.C.

Two of North Carolina's brightest stars and proudest natives have united -- and met for the first time -- for the new issue of ESPN The Magazine. In the sports mag's Music Issue (dated February 2, but hitting newsstands today), you'll find NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr., who reps Mooresville, and hip-hop star J. Cole, who's always shouting out his hometown of Fayetteville.

Junior and Cole are featured on one of two covers of ESPN The Magazine's Music Issue (the other features music star Katy Perry and NFL star J.J. Watt). Credit: ESPN

Says Junior on meeting Cole, which all started from a shoutout the rapper gave the racer in a song:

"You pull for a guy because of the local connection. Normally, on the rare chance that a celebrity comes to my property, I get real nervous. But I wasn't nervous with him, because I knew this looks just like his backyard. It's a connection, a North Carolina connection, and he reps North Carolina in his music, and he's proud of where he's from and bringing recognition to Fayetteville. I'm proud of North Carolina too."

It's a great interview with the N.C. duo, "Dale Earnhardt Jr. and J. Cole: The Perfect Strangers."

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Michael Jordan's Emotional Speech Makes Me Proud to Live in Charlotte

The G.O.A.T. and Charlotte Hornets team owner Michael Jordan delivered an emotional speech last evening when he accepted the Charlotte Business Journal Business Person of the Year award. In his nine-minute-long remarks, he spoke from the heart--wiping tears from his face--and made you feel proud to live in Charlotte and North Carolina, saying specifically that when he bought the team five years ago it gave him the chance to come home.

Photo credit: @DavidHeadCLT

We all know that M.J. was raised in North Carolina and went on to be a college star at UNC, but he admitted that many people will always associate him with Chicago, understandably, because it was his years and accomplishments with the Bulls that made him a household name. But he elaborated on his many ties to Charlotte, one of which was that his parents moved to the Charlotte area when he got drafted by the Bulls in 1984, and was something I didn't know.

Luckily, someone recorded Jordan's speech and has posted it to YouTube, which you can watch below.

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Enjoy Brunch, Honor Dr. King

My twin brother and I are co-hosting a brunch this Sunday, January 18, in Charlotte in honor of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The event begins at noon and takes place at Sydney's Martini and Wine Bar in Uptown. We're looking forward to presenting a culturally and socially enriching afternoon, which will include a live band and MLK-themed performances. Admission is free, but RSVP is required at mlk.hollidaysocial.com; the cost of the brunch buffet is $15.

Credit: The King Center

I hope you will join us on Sunday!

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It's Been A Long Time...

...I shouldn't have left you, without a strong [blog] to step to (ode to Rakim, in case you aren't so hip-hop-classic inclined). I've been absent from Grown People Talking for the last two months, the longest such break I've ever taken from this blog I started in 2008. But lemme explain.

At the end of October, I ended my six-and-a-half year run as a full-time freelancer, during which time I wrote, blog, edited, interviewed, strategized, and more for a number of media outlets--in print, digital, and broadcast--and others. I launched GPT in April 2008, a month after diving into my freelance career, and over the years it's provided me with a platform to opine on many things, usually deriving from the numerous people, places, and events I encountered as a freelancer in Charlotte.

Credit: LGA

My decision to go back to work on staff somewhere was in the making for a long time, and the opportunity I was looking for and the transition I desired all came together when I was hired mid-fall by one of Charlotte's--and the region's--leading creative firms. So over the last two and a half months, my new job has been my top priority, as I've focused on learning the ropes there, and, most impactful, adjusted to having a Monday through Friday office schedule again. I'm drinking more coffee than ever these days! LOL. But it's going great.

Now that I'm settled, I can start giving GPT a little TLC again, and I hope you will follow along. Thank you for reading the blog over the years, and I look forward to continuing to offer you my perspective, insight, and tidbits on these pages.

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Read About It: Understand Charlotte's Black Culture, And This Is a Story About More Than Race

In the current issue of Creative Loafing (Oct. 30-Nov. 5), is one of the most important and, in my opinion, most impactful stories I've ever written. It's the cover story and is titled, "Black-ish: An introspective look at why the African-American cultural scene struggles to thrive in Charlotte," and you can read it by clicking here. Since the story was published a few days ago, I've received (and observed) lots of feedback in person, via emails, in the web version's comments section, and mostly, of course, on social media--Facebook and Twitter to be specific.

I don't have much to add here other than to say that if you haven't read the story yet, I hope that you will. It's 3,500 words, so it's a long read, but I think you will find it to be engaging. I know that many people aren't comfortable talking about issues dealing with race--at least not in public--but if we don't have those discussions then we won't understand each other, and we certainly won't make progress as a society. I've been pleased with the enlightened conversations that have been going on so far from readers of the story.

And as I referenced in the guest column I wrote for Creative Loafing, which was published a week earlier and served as a bit of a preview to the feature story (click here to read the column; it offers a great narrative of Charlotte's Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard), I had been reluctant to write about race throughout my career as a journalist. But I realized that this was a story I needed to tell: how social segregation and lack of ownership are stifling Charlotte's African-American cultural scene--from young professionals to business owners--and the impacts that has on the city as a whole.

I believe you'll realize that this story is about much more than race. It's about how we relate to each other as human beings, and whether we are living up to the ideals we profess.

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Anthony Hamilton Releases Christmas Album, 'Home For The Holidays;' Prepares for Tour

Anthony Hamilton has released his first-ever Christmas album today. Titled Home For The Holidays, it's 14 songs that are a combination of the Grammy Award-winning singer covering holiday classics and performing original songs (six originals). He has guest appearances by Chaka Khan, Gavin DeGraw, and ZZ Ward, which reflect the many different sounds the album has, but it all comes together in a cohesive and soulful manner.

Home For The Holidays track listing:

1.  It’s Christmas
2.  Spend Christmas With You
3.  Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto
4.  Little Drummer Boy (Interlude)
5.  Little Drummer Boy
6.  Home For The Holidays feat. Gavin DeGraw
7.  ’Tis The Season
8.  What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas
9.  Coming Home
10. Away In A Manger (Interlude)
11. Away In A Manger feat. ZZ Ward
12. Please Come Home For Christmas
13. The Christmas Song feat. Chaka Khan
14. Spirit Of Love

I plan to buy the album by the Charlotte native, and so far this morning I've been streaming it on Spotify, which I've embedded below.

My first impressions of the album are that it's soulful, at times traditional and at times contemporary, with blends of R&B, blues, and gospel. My early favorites are track 9, "Coming Home," and track 14, "Spirit Of Love," which are both original songs. As for covers, my favorite so far is track 8, "What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas."

You can purchase the new album today on Amazon or iTunes for $9.99. I'm old-school when it comes to buying music--I still buy CDs--so I'll be copping it from Best Buy or Target (and then ripping it to MP3's later).

Also, the HamFam will be happy to know that Anthony is embarking on a 17-city Home For The Holidays Tour, beginning November 27 in Dallas and ending December 21 in Wallingford, Connecticut. The Carolinas dates are December 2 in Greenville, SC, December 3 in Durham, and December 12 in North Myrtle Beach.

For all things A.Ham, visit anthonyhamilton.com, Twitter @HamiltonAnthony, Facebook AnthonyHamiltonMusic, and Instagram @AnthonyHamiltonOfficial.

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Eating My Way Through Charlotte During a Busy Week

Charlotte has a lot of great restaurants. I do a pretty good job of keeping up with what's what, what's hot, what's new, and so on within the dining scene. But because there are so many great choices nowadays, it often takes a long time for me to make a return visit to a restaurant that is absolutely worthy of repeat visits.

This past week was a busy one for me, but fortunately, among other things, a few of the appointments on my calendar included dining spots.

On Tuesday, I met a friend for lunch at The Liberty. I love the burgers there, but prior to a few days ago, I don't think I'd eaten at The Liberty in more than a year. Well, it's about to get high again on my radar after the meal I had. I started with the fried pickles--the decision inspired by my radio show appearance the day before in which the topic of who has the best fried pickles in Charlotte came up. And my entree was The Carolina Pig Burger, made of Berkshire pork and black Angus beef with pepper jack, candied smoked bacon, chipotle aioli, and tomato jam.

Wednesday was highlighted by the second installment of the Dusk Till Dawn Social Series, which is Charlotte magazine's new monthly event. It took place at Eight Sushi and Asian Kitchen, a new restaurant and bar at NC Music Factory. We had a great time that evening, and even though I didn't eat, I enjoyed drinks there.

Thursday was another great day, kicked off with some exciting morning meetings. And after attending a private reception that evening for the new Microsoft store opening at SouthPark Mall, I had the pleasure of joining friends of a friend for dinner at Del Frisco's. I ordered the pan-roasted chicken breast, served with lemon rice and Provencal sauce. And the sides we had (prepared in sharing-size portions) were cabbage and chateau potatoes. I was in the presence of some esteemed guests, so I didn't take any pics of my food. You know, as Childish Gambino rapped, "We don't take pictures. When you're rich, you just see it again."

And last but not least, my lunch on Friday was amazing. I had the privilege of sampling several of the items on Nan and Byron's new fall menu. I had the "Cutting Board," which is an array of artisan cheeses and meats, the Burrata salad, Porcini mushroom ravioli, sushi grade tuna tartare, and braised pork belly.

I haven't gone into much detail about each of the menu items here, but just rest assure that everything was delish! Certainly worth writing home about (or blogging about). And frankly, I just wanted to take a little time to tip my cap to these great restaurants that I, coincidentally, ate at this past week. Trust me, my typical week of meals doesn't look like this.

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Talking Charlotte -- and the Many Things to Do Here -- on 'Charlotte Talks'

I was a guest on Charlotte Talks on WFAE 90.7 FM yesterday morning, alongside fellow writer/journalist (and friend) Sarah Crosland. The show's topic was Stuff All Charlotteans Should Do, and it was derived from Sarah's new book, 100 Things to Do in Charlotte Before You Die, and Charlotte magazine's August cover story, "50 Things Every Charlottean Should Do," of which I was one of the writers.

During the hour-long radio show, host Mike Collins asked us about many of the numerous activities, events, and places that made our respective publications' lists. He engaged us in conversations that shed insight into just how vibrant this city is--the many great places to eat, drink, play, explore, be entertained, and more. It was fun talking about things to do in Charlotte, which is something I often do both in my work and personal life.

You can listen to the podcast of the October 13 episode by clicking here (or here on iTunes).

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The Big 4-0 for No. 88 a.k.a. Dale Jr. a.k.a. Junior from Mooresville; and It's Been Reason for Me to Celebrate

I had the privilege of writing about Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s newest milestone for the October issue of Charlotte magazine. Titled "Junior Turns 40," it's about, well, Junior turning 40 years old. But if you've gotten the chance to read the eight-page feature (the print issue came out about three weeks ago, the story went online two weeks ago), then you know the story is about much more than a birthday. It's about how much Dale Jr. means to this area (he's got a bar at the EpiCentre, his dad's got a roller coaster at Carowinds, to put each of them mildly), how much this area means to him (he still resides in his hometown of Mooresville), and sprinkled in between are anecdotes about how he's worth $300 million, has his name attached to more brands than Disney, and has been the most popular driver for more years than you have fingers.

Photo by Logan Cyrus for Charlotte magazine.

But if you've paid close attention to the story, then you've also realized that it's both a reflection of how Junior has grown and evolved over the years, just as any of us hope we are as we reach our 30th, 40th, 50th birthdays, etc.; and how the Charlotte area, including Mooresville, has grown and evolved with him. And, as the story illustrates, he's such a down-to-earth, humble person, that he'll even stop outside of his favorite hometown pizza joint to help a lady whose car won't start.

Since the story came out, I've received some of the most flattering feedback I've ever gotten during my career as a writer. One of the best came in the form of a tweet from Dale Jr.'s sister, Kelley Earnhardt:

@Hendrick88Team @CharlotteMag @DaleJr honestly best article I've ever read

— Kelley Earnhardt (@EarnhardtKelley) September 24, 2014

And I've received several emails from readers, expressing how much they enjoyed the story. Here are a couple:

Great work on the Dale Jr. piece. I really liked the ending about the billboard. Among many great insights, this was the best: "For years, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was famous because of his father. But time does funny things, and now that he’s older, the shift is apparent: These youngsters standing in front of the car only know who Senior is because they know who Junior is." I'm fairly certain every NASCAR writer is going to write a "Dale Jr. is 40" piece and frankly they shouldn't bother after this one.

I wanted to take the time to say I thoroughly enjoyed the recent article you authored about Dale Earnhardt Jr. Given his iconic stature, there is no shortage of articles about Dale, but there is a shortage of well written or insightful articles. I found yours to be both. You touched upon so many facets and nuances that I believe others miss, or dismiss, in their attempts to grab headlines or create them with their words.

Okay, enough of my victory lap (pun intended).

Now, Junior's big day is upon us. His birthday is this Friday, October 10, the day before he competes in the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, his hometown track. My guess is that what he wants most for his birthday is to win the race Saturday night, to put himself in better contention to win the 2014 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup (the championship), which would be his first.

But he's probably been celebrating all week. According to a post on Whisky River's Facebook page, there was a surprise party for him Monday night:

Post by Whisky River CLT.

And even Dale Jr. shared a photo from the private party:

This is what a @mattgood @twentyonepilots combo will deliver. #Epic40th pic.twitter.com/jt9VNMK51I

— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) October 7, 2014

On Thursday, his girlfriend Amy Reimann is competing in the Better Half Dash, the annual fundraising competition in which the wives and girlfriends of several NASCAR drivers, crew chiefs, and team owners drive race cars. You can bet Dale Jr. will be there to cheer on his better half. And on Saturday afternoon, the speedway is throwing the Dale Jr. Birthday Pit Party.

And just imagine all of the celebrations we aren't privy to! Though, Dale Jr. has revealed some of his gifts on Twitter, @DaleJr.

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Your Chance to Own a Piece of 'Homeland'

Although it's a fictional television show, reality set in last night for many of us Homeland fans who live in Charlotte. The realization that now that the critically acclaimed, award-winning Showtime series has kicked off its fourth season, we will no longer have the pleasure of spotting the Queen City throughout the episodes. As most locals know, since Homeland's inception, the show has largely been filmed in Charlotte, which was used as a stand-in for Washington, D.C. (remember that time "I Sat at the Bar with Carrie and Brody"). We learned in the spring that the series would be moving production out of Charlotte and into Cape Town, South Africa for this season.

Well, after three years of calling Charlotte home, a television production as big as this one surely accumulates a lot of stuff. And now, you can own a piece of Homeland stuff.

A "Homeland Sale" is being held on October 10 and 11, beginning at 7:30 a.m. each day, taking place at a large warehouse located at 6935 Reames Road in Charlotte, which had been converted into a soundstage by Homeland's producers. According to the advertisement, thousands of items from the show's production are for sale, including furniture, housewares, electronics, office supplies, clothing, construction materials, tools, hardware, and more.

Back to the show, last night was a special two-episode premiere that revealed a lot of what we can expect (and the always unexpected) this season from Carrie, Saul, and the gang. And the Twitterverse was fixated on how much Carrie's baby from Brody actually looks like the fictional father.

Two Words: Spitting. Image. #Homeland #brodybaby pic.twitter.com/YjwMlldbjH

— Giana Mucci (@RatedGiana) October 6, 2014

Kudos to @SHO_Homeland for managing to cast a baby to play Brody's daughter who looks like his head photoshopped onto a 5 month old's body.

— Sarah Rowan (@sarah_r0wan) October 6, 2014

Did anyone notice the baby on Homeland looks just like dad Brody (red hair and all)? #Homeland pic.twitter.com/lYvRcl5LOL

— Susan Matthias (@sarpedon16) October 6, 2014

TV BABY POWER RANKING: 1. Holly, Breaking Bad 2. Michelle Tanner, Full House 3. Frannie aka Brody Clone,Homeland 100. Gracie the alien, FNL

— Jessica Goldstein (@jessicagolds) October 6, 2014

My theory for this season's #Homeland. Brody's baby is turned. Working for Abu Nazir.

— Joey (@joeynemati) October 6, 2014

Baby Brody is the best character of the show. The dad's hair and the moms cry. #homeland

— brooke haney (@theBrookeHaney) October 6, 2014

Brody was reincarnated as a baby...what a plot twist! #Homeland

— Beth B. (@bethblabs) October 6, 2014

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Rapper/Actor Common Inspired 'Greatness' at Gantt Symposium In Charlotte

Rapper, actor, poet, and author Common was the speaker at the second annual Gantt Symposium last night. The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture brought in the Chicago star who spoke to a sold-out audience at the Knight Theater across the street. The topic of his talk was "Greatness" and he both inspired it and exemplified it.

Many hip-hop fans have followed Common's work for two decades, from his iconic 1994 song "I Used to Love H.E.R." to his 2005 classic, multi-Grammy-nominated album Be to his recently released album Nobody's Smiling. And we know he's always been a "conscious" artist, one whose songs are filled with messages about struggles, love, and prevalent social issues. We've also witnessed his movie career take off, including roles in Smokin' Aces, Wanted, Just Wright, and several others (he also has a role in the upcoming Oprah Winfrey-produced Selma).

My camera phone had trouble adjusting to the theater's darkness, but you get the picture.

And after last night, Common proved he could have a successful career as a public speaker. His prominent message was that each person should: "Find your path, believe in your path, and live your path." And he illustrated it with stories from his life: when he was a ball boy for the Chicago Bulls at age 12; how a school lesson about the death of Emmett Till forever changed him; the role his mother, an educator, played in his life and when he told her he wanted to drop out of Florida A&M University to pursue a career as a rapper; being heartbroken after his breakup with Erykah Badu; the highs and lows of his music and acting careers; and so on.

Each of those anecdotes was compelling, he was extremely engaging, oftentimes funny, and came across like a common man despite his star power. One memorable line was when he said he realized that he needed to "stop dimming his light" for people. His message of greatness and how it's in all of us, was truly inspiring.

Also, being the quintessential lyricist he is, before he began his talk, he freestyled a rap. An actual freestyle, meaning he spoke lyrics off the top of his head. "To prove that this is a real freestyle, somebody give me a word to begin with," Common said. Someone yelled, "intrigue," and that's what he built his two-minute freestyle around, while also shouting out several Charlotte references (including Mert's, Beatties Ford Road, Wells Fargo, and Queen Charlotte). Luckily, @raej captured the video on her phone, which you can watch below.

After Common's 45-minute talk, he was joined on stage by Harvey Gantt for a Q&A, where the Charlotte icon and former mayor asked questions about the generational gap and the importance of education.

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Money Magazine Reveals What We Already Know: Charlotte Is the 'Best Big-City Bargain' In the Country

ICYMI, earlier this week, Money magazine published its annual package of stories and rankings comprising its "Best Places to Live in America." Among the 2014 lists is the "Best Big-City Bargains," and coming in at No. 1 is Charlotte, which you likely agree with if you live here. Nos. 2-5 are Phoenix, Fort Worth, Boston, and Chicago. The Time Inc.-owned publication describes its methodology for determining the list:

To create this list of best-value big-city neighborhoods, we ranked places with over 500,000 in population on housing affordability, economic strength, home price forecasts, and livability using data from NeighborhoodScout, OnBoard Informatics, and CoreLogic. Then we looked for promising, well-priced neighborhoods in our top 10 locales.

It highlights two thriving Charlotte neighborhoods in particular: Plaza Midwood, writing, "Just 10 minutes by car from the center of Charlotte, this artsy, bike-friendly neighborhood is an interesting mix of the gritty and the pretty;" and Mountain Island Lake, "Convenient to the soon-to-be-completed I-485 beltway, Mountain Island Lake features pretty, spacious homes." I live in the less glamorous section of the Mountain Island area, but about five minutes north of me is the community Money is referring to, which really is a hidden gem in Charlotte (and maybe in five years I'll be able to afford to live there).

In addition to Best Big-City Bargains, Money, in the October 2014 issue, also profiles the 50 Best Small Cities, Best Places to Be Rich and Single, Top Earning Towns, and Best Places to Find a New Job.

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Read About It: Former 'Bad Girls Club' Star Kendra James Is Turning to God

Kendra James, whom some of you might remember from the Bad Girls Club reality TV show (or you may have partied with her in clubs), is attempting to make some major changes in her life. She wants to shed her bad girl image for good and start making better decisions, and she feels that building a relationship with God and surrounding herself with positive people is how she'll get there. This Sunday, she's getting baptized at Elevation Church. She told me all about her emotional and spiritual journey, during my interview with her for Creative Loafing, which you can read about: "Kendra James: From ‘Bad Girl’ to baptism."

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I Survived Hurricane Hugo -- 25 Years Ago

This country has been devastated by several fatal and costly hurricanes over the years. Hurricane Katrina, which struck in 2005, is probably the storm that comes to mind first for most people nowadays. But if you take it back to when I was an elementary school kid in South Carolina, there was no bigger deal than Hurricane Hugo.

The category 4 hurricane touched down near Charleston just before midnight on September 21, 1989, and went on to terrorize the Carolinas on September 22, with maximum winds of 138 mph and the eye of the storm was 35 miles wide. Hugo hit South Carolina the hardest, ravishing most of the state. And as it reached Charlotte, it blew out windows from skyscrapers and toppled thousands of trees, among other damage.

This is now the 25th anniversary for what at the time was the costliest storm in the United States' history ($7 billion in damage in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, and another $3 billion in the Caribbean islands), and tragically it killed at least 41 people in this country, with more than half of the victims being in South Carolina.

Here are a few things I remember from Hurricane Hugo.

- I was nine years old, living in the small town of Rembert, SC (located in Sumter County and about 45 minutes east of Columbia). There were a lot of trees in our yard, and as my family prepared to buckle down for the storm, my mom decided to park her black Pontiac Grand Am in a different place than usual, away from most of the trees. There was only one tree in the area where she parked the car, and it was a really big tree. Surely it would sustain from the hurricane. Not! Hugo knocked that tree over smack on the middle of my mom's car, which she'd only had for about a year. It was a total loss.

- Since the hurricane hit overnight, it had pretty much passed through my town by daybreak. Walking outside in the morning and seeing the devastation was like a scene out of the movies. Debris was everywhere, countless trees uprooted, power lines laying on the ground, houses destroyed.

- Hugo knocked out our power for more than a week (I think). The first couple of days of the aftermath we stayed at home, but then as the power loss persisted, we moved to a hotel in Camden for a few days--I think power got restored there before it came back on in my rural town. Since there was no power in Rembert, there was also no water, and I remember plenty of people going to my Aunt Martha's house to get water because she had one of those old-timey wells with a manual pump.

- Schools were closed for several days. That was the fun part.

- People started selling--and wearing--"I Survived Hurricane Hugo" T-shirts.

Credit: Etsy

The Charlotte Observer and The State (Columbia) have each put together a package of news stories, photos, and accounts of people's memories from Hurricane Hugo, in honor of the 25th anniversary. Visit charlotteobserver.com/hugo and thestate.com/hurricane-hugo.

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Carolina Panthers Make Dream Come True for Kid with Cerebral Palsy

I'm a longtime fan and watcher of NBC's Today show, and I have the series set to record on DVR. I hadn't watched yesterday's show yet, and at some point throughout the day I saw on Twitter that Jhene Aiko had performed (I love her, and I saw her perform last weekend in Atlanta). So I watched a little bit of yesterday's episode this morning, primarily fast-forwarding to get to Jhene's performance. And in the process, I came across a great segment involving the Carolina Panthers and a kid who has cerebral palsy.

Credit: Today

In the video below, you'll see what the Panthers and quarterback Cam Newton did for 13-year-old Austin Smith, who enjoys playing football and doesn't let his physical limitations stop him, including giving him and his family tickets (great seats) to this Sunday's home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This further reiterates the influence NFL players--and most professional athletes for that matter--have on our society and on our youth in particular. Generally, these pro stars do a lot of good.

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