Public Enemy’s Chuck D spoke to a group of University of Puget Sound students earlier tonight at the school's Schneebeck Concert Hall.
ERNEST JASMIN

Public Enemy’s Chuck D just wrapped up his lecture on Rap, Race, Reality and Technology at the University of Puget Sound’s Schneebeck Concert Hall, a meandering talk that sometimes had the feel of a two-hour freestyle with all the tangents that the iconic rapper packed into it. During an informal, non sequitur filled two hours, he’d bounce from Barack Obama to the Notorious B.I.G.; from politics to the sad state of American hip-hop; the importance of world travel to a history of how saggy jeans went from prison yards to a mass marketed fashion trend.

The transitions may have been jarring at times, but the underlying message he delivered to a few a few hundred college students was pretty clear: Take advantage of educational opportunity, be true to yourself and don’t let your intellect be dulled by “weapons of mass distraction.” Click the "more" button to read a few quotes I managed to jot down for those who missed it.

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In December, I reported that Broadway Center had plans to host a local hip-hop gala in June. But those plans could be in jeopardy since the center is still looking for a partner to take on half the production cost.

Click the more button to read the letter that was sent out to event planners. If you've got some extra cash sitting around and always wanted to get into the rap promotion game, maybe you'll give ol' Luke a call.

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Early yesterday morning I posted something about the joint that's moving in to 1022 S. J St., the spot that housed the Monsoon Room before it shut down. And today owner Neil Harris told me he's shooting for a March 1 opening, assuming he can jump through all the necessary hoops for the liquor license by then.

Of course, things are moving faster than usual for a club/bar opening since he already had what was left when Monsoon Room owner Laura Malone vacated. Harris said to expect a similar vibe and decor but "a little simpler, a bit more understated."

Last fall, some of you heard Fergie mangle Heart’s “Barracuda” at the Puyallup Fair. But on Sept. 23, Heart fans will get to hear the real deal as Ann and Nancy Wilson bring their Seattle-bred classic rock band to the grandstand at the Puyallup Fair & Events Center. (That's Ann in the pic, and she sounded a hell of a lot better than her Fergaliciousness when Heart opened for Journey at Auburn's White River Amphitheatre last summer.) The show is set for a 7:30 p.m. start, fair organizers just announced. Tickets will go for $20 to $50, and Ticketmaster will have them beginning at 10 a.m. on Valentine's Day. Check the Puyallup Fair site for more info on this year’s concert series.
ERNEST JASMIN