A FOOTBALL REALITY - "4th & Long" on Spike TV

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"4TH & LONG W/MICHAEL IRVING"

MONDAY NIGHTS ON SPIKE TV!

Featuring
Steve "Speedy" Gonzalez

To the Graduating Class of 2009, Johnny Calls!

It's being called "The Season's Best Commencement Speech", and who would have expected such a strong message and delivery from an R&B star?

Well, since it's John Legend, I'm not surprised. Some of us may remember when Johnny wrote to the NY times in a POWERFUL rebuttal after they printed a racially controversial cartoon comparing Obama and his stimulus package to a monkey being shot down by "politicians". Now, he is challenging the American creed, and rightfully so.

It was today that John Legend delivered such a speech at his alma mater, The University of Pennsylvania, and as a recent college graduate myself, I must admit, i'm a little jealous I wasn't there to hear it. He has already been featured on CNN's Larry King live because of it, and has stirred conversation amongst those affected by his words, both online, on tv, and on video. What did he speak about? He spoke about truth and the lack there of in our country. He also spoke of the war, of the stuggling economy, and the fact that not only do we deserve the truth, but we should pursue it.

Now of course it goes deeper than anything I can explain, so you should just go watch it or read it for yourself. But I will say this...I hope sometime after his music career, he starts a writing career, because the man is fierce! All my writers kno exactly what i'm talking about.

So thanks again John for speaking up and speaking out. For being brave and mature enough to understand that as a public figure it is your responsibility to speak for the voiceless. Keep it up man...much respect :)

For more info on the speech, or to watch the video or read the transcript, visit:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/19/john-legend-commencement_n_205007.html

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG!

I made the change from a common thief

To up close and personal with Robin Leach

And I'm far from cheap,

I smoke skunk with my peeps all day

Spread love, it's the Brooklyn way

The Moet and Alize keep me pissy

Girls used to diss me

Now they write letters 'cause they miss me

I never thought it could happen,

this rappin' stuff

I was too used to packin' gats and stuff

Now honies play me close

like butter played toast

From the Mississippi down to the east coast

Condos in Queens,

indo for weeks

Sold out seats to hear Biggie Smalls speak

Livin' life without fear

Puttin' 5 karats in my baby girl's ears

Lunches, brunches, interviews by the pool

Considered a fool

'cause I dropped out of high school

Stereotypes of a black male misunderstood

And it's still all good

Uh...and if you don't know, now you know, nigga....

May 21, 1972 - March 9, 1997

R.I.P BIGGIE

When will this be considered GENOCIDE?

R.I.P DOLLA

I had the pleasure of meeting Dolla last year while working at the BET Awards. As a matter of fact, I was assigned to escort Dolla through the radio room, thus allowing me to spend practically the whole day with him.

Many may not know who Dolla is because he only briefly attained success at minor levels. However, the person I remember was a bright eyed hopeful artist, ready for the success he knew was awaiting him. At the time, I hadn't realized who he was. I had played "Who the f*** is that" ft. Akon many times, and had seen the video a handful of time. But by the end of the day, and all of his radio interviews, I was grateful to have been assigned to him. He was nowhere near allowing the current fame (at that time, "Who the f*** is that" was blowin up) to get his head. He met all of his elders (including radio deejays) as Ma'am and sir. And before he made his exit, he thanked me graciously, hugged me, and left. The whole day, I felt as if I was kickin it with a homeboy. He made my job easy.

The brief memories I have of Dolla will always remain with me because I was impressed by him. It is also because it was the last time I heard of him, until yesterday. Im sure many of you know by now that Dolla was violently gunned down in the Beverly Center yesterday. At the age of 21, he was shot 5 times, at least 1 of the shots pierced his skull and took his life.

The circumstance of his death angers me, as it should anger you. He was only 21. Two years ago, some friends of mine buried a friend who had been gunned down at the age of 22, also shot in the head. I'm only 23yrs old and I can't even imagine my life ending so suddenly. I can't imagine my future being so drastically altered. I can't imagine how the lives of those around me would be affected. And with so many mothers losing their sons, babies losing fathers, brothers and sisters losing cousins and siblings, uncles, at the hands of so many other black men, I want to know when the problem will become big enough for people to start caring. THIS IS GENOCIDE PEOPLE! And I for 1, am sick of it!

Whatever the beef was, I'm sure it wasn't worth taking a life. And I pray that Dolla's family, and the families of so many other slain black men somehow find retribution and a place in their heart to forgive. Rapper or not, no young man, in the prime of his life, deserves to be cut down like an animal they way he, Sean Bell and so many others have been. Not by the police, and DEFINITELY not by his own people. I love black men to much to not feel the hurt in my heart when things like this happen. Why do we have to constantly be the lead story on the 5 o'clock news? Where is the brotherhood? Where is the pride?

Rest In Peace Dolla

Rest In Peace Marquise

Rest In Peace Sean Bell

And Rest in Peace to all the rest of the fallen soldiers of the ghetto