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"1 person's perception is another person's reality" - Roland Martin

You have to be living under a rock if you hadn't heard about the present controversy involving Black Harvard professor and published Author Henry Louis Gates and a Cambridge police officer. If you haven't heard let me give you a brief synopsis as reported in the media:

Gates, on a return trip from China, upon approaching his house in a prestigous Cambridge residential area, realized he had misplaced his keys. So he and a colleague attempted to enter the house via "breaking in". A female neighbor witnessed the "break in" and contacted police, identifying 2 African American males with backpacks.

This is where the story starts to get interesting. The media reports that Mr Gates, after telling the officer that he was in his own home, was then asked to provide proof of residence. He then showed the cop his Driver's License as well as his Harvard ID, however, he was still arrested under charges of disorderly conduct, handcuffed (originally behind his back even though he is handicapped and uses a cain for walking) and taken to jail, where the charges have since been dropped.

In recent days, there has been back and forth bickering in regards to the situation. Gates demanded an apology. The officer basically said Hell No. Then when President Obama responded to the story, and replied with a justified summary of the history of police and minorities, claiming that the Cambridge police acted 'stupidly', he is now being attacked for disrespecting law enforcement and voicing a truth that i'm sure, even as a bi-racial black man, has ALSO been familiar to him at some point in his life.

Here's the problem. Once again, white America is showing how out of touch they as a society actually are. You know, what? Let me correct myself. Because white america isn't out of touch. They're just STILL in DENIAL. In 2009, white america still believes that they are innocent of all the injustices history has proven time and time again and that they bear no responsibility for the consequences of such actions. In 2009, white america believes that a Black president, while SIMPLY not knowing the specific circumstances of the event that took place, can't possibly know or understand what "Skip" Gates has just experienced. BULLSHIT!

Racial profiling is NOTHING new. Police all over our country have been getting away with it for decades. ALL THEY HAVE EVER BEEN IS GANGSTERS WITH BADGES & TOO MUCH AUTHORITY. Some have even been caught in the act only to be quickly forgiven and brushed under the table as if nothing ever happened, as if there was never a second side to the story involving an actual victim. And now they want an apology for calling THEM out? For what?! For doing the same shyt they been doing? Where are OUR apologIES?

But racial profiling doesn't just happen in law enforcement. Just yesterday on the news I was appalled to hear commentary on CNN from Lou Dobbs in particular, regarding a request that President Obama prove he is an American citizen by providing his birth certificate! I mean, seriously, the nerve of these people! Who the hell do they think they are to even consider asking something so ignorant with a straight face?! Since when does a president have to "prove he isn't illegal"? And although CNN/TVONE political analyst Roland Martin came to the defense of the president and the other side of the argument, the fact that these people can even turn their lips up to ask such a thing and see nothing wrong with it shows the Pathology of America that still exists, as does RACIAL PROFILING.

I thought long and hard about writing this blog. Mainly because when I state my views about black and white relations in 2009, I am often called a radical or a racist. In my opinion, I consider myself as a realist. Someone who actually knows and understands the racial politics of America and acknowledges that those issues do in fact still exist. And I thank God that I do, because those who don't will be forever lost. I cannot live my life in a haze. And you can not live in America as an African America without KNOWING AND UNDERSTANDING that no matter how sugar-coated racism appears in today's society, it does and will forever exist in ALL we do.

The Census shows that Caucasians in America will be a minority by 2050. If true, I pray to God that i'm not only around to witness that happen, but that i'm also around to witness the effects it has on them as a people. It seems that many live in this fairy tale land. And then, when the reality of it smacks them in the mouth, they don't like the taste. Like Roland Martin quoted on CNN, "One person's perception is another person's reality." It seems that they cannot grasp this concept. This is our reality.

Maybe one day, they will understand. Maybe one day they will actually TRY to understand instead of pointing the finger, re-directing responsibility for their own wrongs. But until then, we must continue to fight the good fight and not allow them or their authorities to continue to express not only their disdain FOR us, but also that our opinions, our experiences and our truths don't matter. That they are and always will be protected by the law, and we can do and say nothing about it.

Yes, I do believe Henry Gates, a black Harvard professor was racially profiled. I mean, why else would he still have been taken to jail upon providing proof of residency? The cop claimed it was because Gates was being belligerent. Gates denies that. Me, as an African American (female) who myself has also had slight run-ins with police, can say i'm sure all of Gates' professionalism flew out the window during this altercation. HOWEVER, that is NO grounds for arrest. And my opinion about MY presidents comment? Dead on!

I thought the reason we voted for Obama was because he was a people's president. He had the ability to SEEM to relate to us. How else could he have brought such a divided nation together for a moment in time? We ALL loved his truth and his understanding. Now though, when its a truth some wouldn't like to hear, there's a problem. SMH...come on people. Its still a truth nonetheless. So while i'm not surprised about the uproar concerning his comments, I hope and pray that he doesnt issue an apology or retract his statement.

Obama is stating things that we need to hear, not what we want to hear like so many other presidents in the past have done. I thought that was why we voted for him. Hopefully, this situation will continue to cause as much of an uproar as minority issues have in the past and become a tool in bridging minority and police relations. Because with a Black Commander in Chief (i love the sound of that), we as a country should be embarrassed of ourselves.

p.s. I DONT HATE WHITE PEOPLE LOL

A GOOD FOLLOW-UP ARTICLE BY ACTOR JEFFREY WRIGHT: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/07/24/wright.police.gates/index.html

I KNOW WHAT KILLED MICHAEL JACKSON AND IT WASN'T DRUGS!

Over the last two weeks, I promised myself and the spirit of MJ that out of the respect for his death, I would not disrespect him or his legacy by speaking out or accusing him and those around him like the media has been doing since his passing. However, I do now, have my own theory and would like to take a different approach....As a superstar, celebrities understand that with fame comes a lot of obstacles. With fame, there is no longer privacy. With fame, there is no longer trust. With fame, big fame, international fame like MJ had, there is lonliness. Some accept this as just coming with the territory, some bask in the glory, and others want no part of it. But, I'm always positive, that no human being in their right mind, could ever expect to grow to the heights of fame MJ grew to and live to tell about it. I mean what human being do you know that would come out of that situation "normal"?

For example, put yourself in Mike's shoes. Imagine if you will, having to live in complete seclusion because you have the most famous face in the WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD. This means all of the leisure activies we as normal people enjoy like going to the mall or the movies, or the gym, the grocery store or even simply walking down the street would all be taken away. You'd become a prisoner in your own home. Can you imagine? Now add to that the pressure of having to please this world, not to mention all the leeches or "friends" surrounding you. And of course we still haven't factored in the troubled past that left physical, psychological and mental

impressions on you throughout your life. And the media?! Ha! We'll get to that later, but Can you imagine?

When an audience first responds to a budding star, it is usually out of pure admiration. But that admiration in recent years, have since given way to obsession and it's sick! These last two weeks following Michael Jackson's death has showed me a lot about my country and the direction we're headed. America's pathological behavior has been portrayed across the globe for years since the birth of the television, and now the internet. But it wasn't up until now that I really felt the pressure of it all. Our culture is obssessed with celebrity, with fame, with

hollywood, with the glitz n the glamour and of course, with the money. But this obssession is tearing lives apart; Lives, who in any other circumstances would otherwise be normal....probably.

The problem I guess, is the fact that once a celebrity, you are thought of and PORTRAYED as something more than human. The more success you have, and the larger your fame grows, the more inhumane you, the celebrity, are perceived (because of this PORTRAYAL) and we, the audience become. In Michael Jackson's case, somewhere along the line, the world forgot he was human. The world forgot that he had a beating heart, and blood running through his veins that WOULD one day actually come to an end. I think that may be why his death has been and will remain since June 25th, a shocker. But who's fault was it?

Us as fans bear some of the responsibility. It was us as fans, that never allowed Michael to live close to a normal life...EVER. It was us, in all of our selfishness, that demanded constant touring, constant recording, and constant contact somehow with our beloved Michael, be it thru video, or tabloid mag. Now of course Michael could have said no, but he was a true entertainer, he loved what he did, and he loved to please those who loved him back. A constant theme in Michael's life that continues to pop up is LOVE. All Michael wanted all his life was to be Loved, and we, Loved him to DEATH.

Now, because Michael was a PR GENIUS, he has always been very misunderstood also making him a godsend for the entertainment industry. He outsmarted the media many times over, but it was ultimately the media who got the last laugh, and turned him and his "creations" into a circus act. The media attacked, bullied and butchered that man with no retribution. In my opinion, it was also the media that killed MICHAEL JACKSON.

Not surprisingly, the media is now portraying Michael Jackson as a drug addict who basically died from a drug overdose like MANY other BIG stars in American history (Coincidence?). They report him as having collapsed veins and track marks on his arms. They have minimized the GREATEST ENTERTAINER OF ALL TIME, to a damn Junkie :(

If Michael was using drugs, it is understandable to use them for pain. He was a performer, an athelete with many injuries over the years. Thus probably building a tolerance and an unfortunate but unintentional addiction. Now, if Michael was using drugs to cope with the life he was PERMITTED (I say 'permitted' for a reason), that was understandable as well. Because people know drugs are used as an escape or coping mechanism. And because Michael was never in control, has never been in control, and has basically been a PRISONER of fame all his life, drugs may have been his only escape. Remember, Michael was only HUMAN. But those are big "Ifs", and we don't know what happened. And that's what we must remember.

I say all of that to say this. As the audience, we have a lot of power. As long as we keep ourselves in check, and not feed into the gossip websites, gossip mags, and stay true to our celebrities as artists and as people, we can change things, and keep what happend to MJ from happening again. I mean, if you look at the current state of entertainment, preferably tv, it is run by reality shows. These shows take common people, and thrust them into the limelight, unprepared for all possible outcomes. How are they supposed to deal with that? It used to be that you had to have a talent to become a celebrity. Now, you just have to have 8 babies, want to lose weight or want to find love to be a celebrity, and us an audience still flock to these shows and these people, as if they are ACTUAL celebrities. In doing so, we continue to VICIOUSLY invade their lives, and Michael's end was evidence that there are very real repercussions. It needs to stop!

We should be embarrassed. We don't have to support this craziness. By not supporting, we are demanding what we want, and what we expect from not only our country, but our media outlets as well. Maybe they're should be some kind of legislation for the rights of privacy that the media would have to obey. (TAKE NOTE: There is no ACTUAL right of privacy in the US constitution) Because if we don't get it together and get it together soon, who knows who the next fallen victim will be? And I tell you what, if Michael Jackson can die at 50yrs old, I'm afraid to see who the next fallen victim will be, because seeing his tragic life end the way it did, i'm sure many wouldn't even want his fame nor would they wish his fame on their worst enemy....

BET MICHAEL JACKSON TRIBUTE DISAPPOINTS!

Quite frankly, if you saw the award show lastnight with your own eyes, you saw exactly what happened. However, Im angry at myself for expecting anything different. I've been boycotting BET for a while now. Since the Debra Lee takeover, BET has been a platform for the exploitation of black culture, with 106th & Park being its saving grace. And even that hasn't been the same since the ousting of Free & AJ. So filling the void, I've been tuning into TVONE lately (as it might be quite clear now, we ALL may need to make that move). The BET awards lastnight just reminded me why.

I'm actually upset with myself, that I allowed BET's PR machine to pull me into all the anticipation of a "supposed" tribute to the King of Pop. But BET failed miserably! Between the live airing of curse words, inappropriate performances (shoutout to Young Money), breathlessly random speeches (Don Cornelius), false advertising and a host of other problems with the show, BET tragically missed the mark. The only bright side of the show were the performances, although some were still a little questionable.

For example, New Edition broke my heart. I mean, WTF WAS THAT?! The singing was god-awful, Mics were too low, and I thought Bobby was gonna collapse LOL. The only good about their performance was the precision of their dance moves, somethin New Edition has always shined in. But shouldnt there been more dancing tribute to mike? I mean, where was USHER, CHRIS BROWN, OMARION, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE? And Personally, if BET wasn't gonna let DAY26 perform on the show, they could have at least let them replace New Edition. Day26 would have ripped it! Even 5 of today's top R&B solo male acts could have been J5 for a night, and that would have been better than what we saw (Usher, Ginuwine, Neyo, etc.).

In addition, I'm sure BET intended for Tevin Campbell to be their SHOCKING awards show surprise, something they go for every year. And maybe Tevin even decided this could be a great platform to stage a possible comeback (I've heard he's been in the studio) but I mean, Tevin Campbell?! Where did they even find him?! However, I, for one was very excited! Tevin played a HUGE role in my love for music during my early childhood. And I must say, the grown Tevin Campbell looked and sounded excellent! It was great to see him shine again. However! If you're going to bring Tevin Campbell back, after years in obscurity, during a Michael Jackson tribute show, wouldnt it make more sense to have Tevin do a MJ song rather than an OJay's song?? Especially with the Quincy Jones link and all? *sighs*

What I saw lastnite was simply SAD. I mean, seriously, WHY DIDNT GINUWINE PERFORM? WHY WASNT THERE A STRING OF ARTISTS SINGING A MEDLEY OF HIS SONGS? WHERE WAS THE ACTUAL MJ TRIBUTE? WHERE WAS THE COMMENTARY RETROSPECTIVE? A couple of shoutouts or references to MJ throughout the show was not my idea of a tribute. Dressing up like Mike or wearing MJ tees, is not my idea of a tribute. People been doin that for years. WHERE WERE HIS CELEBRITY FRIENDS? WHY DIDNT THE OJAY'S SHARE MORE PERSONAL EXPERIENCES ABOUT MJ? WHY DIDNT CHRIS TUCKER SHOW N SPEAK (STILL HAVENT HEARD ANYTHING FROM HIM REGARDING HIS FRIENDS DEATH)...And we're not even gonna discuss Jamie Foxx as the host...hillarious for the most part, but constantly promoting your concert during what was supposed to be MJ's moment was the last straw for me.

BET, yall seriously need 2 step your game up. You have become an embarrassment for what is supposed to be an outlet for Black expression. As Jamie said, Michael Jackson belonged to us! And it was only right that we celebrate his life the CORRECT way. That's what I THOUGHT I was going to see. I have no idea what you thought you were doing with that show lastnight, but you have failed at the biggest opportunity in the history of your network, to not only push BET to a level of prestige, but in showing the World how to send the BEST ENTERTAINER TO EVER BE BORN, A BLACK MAN to his eternal home. And it's sad that it had to happen on such a public stage :( If we couldn't have done it correctly, it shouldn't have been done at all.

PEOPLE, if I were you, I'd seriously switch to TVONE, and make sure to look forward to the VMA's where I'm sure (its sad but true) that MTV, the network that at first refused to play black faces will send him home in style.

You know what...I actually read anotha article on this very topic that I want to pass along to you. Because he said everything I want to say and more:

http://hiphopandpolitics.wordpress.com/2009/06/29/bet-missed-the-mark-last-night-w-their-michael-tribute/

THE DAY THE MUSIC STOPPED...

LONG LIVE THE KING

It is with deep regret that I am writing these words. As a matter of fact, my mind feels like it’s in some foggy tunnel searching for light; a light that symbolizes the resurrection of the Genius that was Michael Jackson….I apologize if this blog comes across as scrambled as my mind is. It's usually moments like this that I am speechless, and this time is no different, however, I felt it would be disrespectful if I DIDN'T pay my respects the only way I know how - through my writing.

They say deaths come in 3. The Old, The Sick, and the Unexpected. Well I can say within this past week, all 3 have come to past. Ed McMahon, the Old. Farrah Fawcet, the Sick…but who would have ever thought that Mike would be, The Unexpected?? It’s a funny thing about Life…..we live knowing that we all have to die sometime. But it is deaths like this that feel like an assault on the human race.

It is unfortunate that the only Michael Jackson performance I ever got to witness was via tv screen or cd/album. But while pregnant with me, my mom attended the Jackson reunion tour. She always reminds me that while there, I kicked the hell out of her belly as if I was trying to mimic Jackson’s own moves. That was obviously a precursor to the connection I and many others have always felt toward Mike. I can recall as a child, crying hysterically and reaching for the tv set every time a simple MJ video went off, or a performance was finished and he left the stage. I can remember singing my own rendition of “Billie Jean”: “Billie Jeanest not my lover…” lol…or singing “Man in the Mirror” at the top of my lungs. I remember watching “Moonwalker” in amazement, and screaming every time he did the Moonwalk. Whatever Mike did, I was their in spirit, both as a child and as an adult. Some of my best childhood memories involve Mike as if he was a friend of the family, and now he is just suddenly gone. With no hint or sign that sumthin this sudden, tragic and unexpected was about to go down. We definitely were not ready for this.

Michael Jackson was, is and always will be a legend. His success and achievements go unparallel to the careers of those that have come before and after him. His talents, in my opinion, are incomparable and have always surpassed the idiocracy of the insensitive media coverage that plagued his existence. He is the “King of Pop”, or as Trey Songz said and rightfully so, the “King of Music".” His contributions to the music world as a whole have transcended boundaries crossing generations, culture (becoming not only the 1st successful African American mainstream artist, but becoming the 1st African American to get video play on MTV, which has since changed MTV forever). Additionally, his influence has crossed musical boundaries unmatched and unheard of since. He literally, changed music. I often joke around and say, Video didn’t kill the radio star, Michael Jackson did, and you can see his influence in all genres across the board, particularly in hip-hop & r&b with the likes of Usher, R.Kelly, Trey Songz, Chris Brown, Ne-yo, Beyonce, and the list can go on.

There will never, EVER EVER be another Michael Jackson. He as well as his music was timeless and will live on forever. For 40years, we have watched him grow from a boy to a man. And my hope is that in death, although we should have done it a long time ago, we can give him the respect he so well deserved. There is no tribute anyone can do to even remotely come close to praising the influence Mike had on all our lives. He was an artist, a dancer, a singer, a songwriter, a humanitarian and most of all, he was a Man. An imperfect human being with flaws like all the rest of us. I will forever love and admire the man for his efforts, his talents, and the ability to withstand all of the media scrutiny for as long as he was able to. And now I pray that his soul is finally at Peace. We are truly blessed to have been able to witness such GREATness.

We Love you Mike forever and Always

REST IN PEACE

Aug 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009

"Gone Too Soon" - Michael Jackson

Like a comet

Blazing 'cross the evening sky

Gone too soon

Like a rainbow

Fading in the twinkling of an eye

Gone too soon

Shiny and sparkly

And splendidly bright

Here one day

Gone one night

Like the loss of sunlight

On a cloudy afternoon

Gone too soon

Like a castle

Built upon a sandy beach

Gone too soon

Like a perfect flower

That is just beyond your reach

Gone too soon

Born to amuse

To inspire to delight

Here one day

Gone one night

Like a sunset

Dying with the rising of the moon

Gone too soon

Gone too soon

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

WATCH

"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

Sorry 4 the delay, but I'M BACK! Finally!

Well wut to discuss?? Well first things first, for those on twitter, follow me at TWITTER.COM/MIZZBELL

Well, it's been a while. A long while. So I figured what better way to update than with something I hold so near and dear to my heart. Music, to me is necessary for life. Good music. The kind that penetrates the soul and touches the very essence of who you are as a person, a performer or whatever you might be; The kind that allows you to just fall....fall into the melody, fall into the groove.....That's what music does for me. It expresses everything I ever think and feel without me ever having to speak the words. The pain, the joy, the hurt....it's amazing, its effect....so amazing it brings tears to my eyes. It happened the first time I heard Jazmine Sullivan's album. I was proud that in such a wreckless music world that we live in, people still respect the craft enough to still make GOOD music, not jus to make money, because it just comes from their soul. Well, it’s happened again: No....you're eyes are not deceiving you. Many may not know, but as a genuine fan of R&B, Day26's first album was surprisingly (and vocally) impressive (for lack of a better word). It took a couple of listens, but soon I was a lifelong fan. At first listen, the 90's influence is evident. I would even go as far as to say, with the legacy established in the 90's, Bad Boy was the perfect label for them. Diddy is truly someone who recognizes talent. He isn't Diddy for nothing. So while their 1st album continued to burn a whole in my cd player, the release date of their second album was announced. I must say, I was ecstatic, curious to see if they could repeat the cohesiveness they had vocally accomplished with their debut.

When April 14, 2009 came, history in the music world was made. The words I write hear may not be relevant or recognized for years to come because of people's lack of respect and genuine passion for good music, but I guarantee, music listeners, real music lovers, and researchers, connoisuers of music, WILL recognize that "Forever In A Day" was that needle in the haystack of countless (seemingly effortless) releases within the last 10 years. It's not easy to live up to a legacy such as Bad Boy's and the past artists he's had on his roster. But! This album has to honestly be, one of the best of 2009, and it will be recognized as a classic for years to come. It is with this album that Day26 was able to achieve a feat many artists are unable to accomplish. Something people like to call the "sophomore album curse". The second album is what makes or breaks an artist. If you can release a quality second album, while feeding your audience what they want to hear, and keeping your image in tact, you succeed in securing a fan base and having longevity in the music industry. Well I'm here to give credit where credit is due. I confess, that it is with this album that Day26 stepped out of the shadow of being considered a "tv group" (and not a "real" group), and into a REAL Male R&B group, with longevity potential that I hope will somehow someday be recognized.

While it is evident that to remain relevant in this industry, you must serve a certain mainstream audience, R&B artists must always be careful of not falling victim to the current trends of, let's say hip-hop. So while songs like the lead album cut, "Just Getting Started", the T-Pain lended track "Shawty Was Up", and their lead hit single, "Imma Put It On Her" attract a new (club) audience, and offer possible radio potential, the TRUE essence of R&B is it's soul. It is a soul that is ever present in the vocals. This is what sets R&B apart from the rest and makes it special. So needless to say, as an R&B group the songs that shined the brightest were the ballads.

The thing about Day26 that makes them special is that, well first of all, all the members can sing. There is no lead singer. There is no member fighting for the spotlight. They all just fall so beautifully and gracefully into their parts on songs. Not to mention, their harmonies are literally music to my ears! Need evidence, just listen closely to "Your Heels", "Bi-Polar" and my favorite, the Neyo cover "Then there's You" (by the way, Brian completely murders the end of "Then There's You". His voice brings me right back to the days of Jodeci, Sisqo and so many other that lent their talents to the 90's. Stand up Houston!) Anyway, got side tracked lol....

The production on this album is excellent! There are some points when the vocal production was a little off, but not enough to mess up the album. With the only disappointment on the album coming from Jermaine Dupri's "Need That", everything on the album is a banger. Especially the B. Cox joints that we all love! I mean, this album is so good, it makes me want to hear the tracks that didn’t make the album. I also wanna give props to Day26 for writing a lot of the songs on the album. Writing to me is what shows true artistry.

Anyway, if you don’t have the album yet, please go get it. They deserve the record sales. Don’t download it, don’t burn it, go buy it, asap! Holla

"God put this here for ME and YOU! Take advantage man...take advantage" - Smokey (from FRIDAY)

So I said I wanted to comment on the current debate of whether or not marijuana should be legalized and if so, would it stimulate the economy? I watched a debate about the topic tonight on Larry King Live on CNN, and if I didnt know before then, my answer to both questions is and always will be YES! The following are my reasons:

1. Marijuana is NOT a gateway drug - For those who swear that it has been proven that marijuana use leads to other, much stronger drugs is BULLSHIT. How has it been proven? Please show me the documented proof. Because I could've sworn that the decision for one to use "drugs" (I don't consider marijuana a drug) was based solely on one's own preference or doing. At the end of the day, u eitha choose to do or you don't. Marijuana does not choose for you. Don't blame marijuana.

2. Marijuana is HARMLESS - When have you ever heard of someone over dosing on weed? Better yet, when have you ever heard of someone dying of cancer (i.e. cigarette smokers) from smoking weed? Even better, when have you ever heard of someone dying of liver and/or kidney failure (i.e. alcoholics) from smoking weed? NEVER! THERE ISN'T 1 DOCUMENTED CASE OF SOMEONE SUFFERING FROM OR DYING FROM A MARIJUANA OVERDOSE or complications from marijuana use! Marijuana is one of, if not thee most harmless drug in the existence of the world. Besides sum minor short term memory loss (lol), that is the only side effect. Now of course, you run the risk of breathing problems, but that has to do with the act of smoking, NOT the marijuana itself. So, why then is cigarettes and alcohol, 2 things responsible for a million deaths a year, legal? And why is America content on taxing both, but not marijuana?

3. Marijuana comes straight from God's green earth. If it wasn't meant to be here, it wouldn't be...naturally. And like Katt Williams said, it comes from the earth. And if you just so happen to set it on fire, there are some effects! lol

4. Amsterdam, best known for its decision to legalize marijuana and sell it in coffee shops etc, have reported one of the lowest crime rates...that in itself is self explanatory.

5. Legalizing marijuana would open doors for medicinal marijuana research and possibly offer some advances in the medical field. Granted, people will take advantage of it, but thats likely in everything you do, so that idea cannot be used as an excuse not to legalize it. The lives of sick people are in jeopardy because of the ignorance and stubborness of American legislation. On CNN, talk show host Montell Williams spoke about the American Government has distributed amounts of marijuana monthly to 25 people for the last 30yrs, for medicinal purposes. To date, the number of people being served has dropped to 5 people. If that is the case, the government must know that marijuana does have some kind of relevant medical purposes. So while serving these now 5 people, why is the government so hell bent on the rest of the millions of sick people wanting the same treatment? It makes no sense. Economic benefits? Of course, if marijuana is legalized, the government will tax it. Thus consumers would have to pay taxes, however, those taxes would be inherited by the government and its economy, thus not only boosting the economy, but also creating jobs in the process. Now America is known for being a money driven society so why it's running from the billions of dollars that could be made from an advancement such as this, I have no idea

6. The legalization of marijuana would lead to the decriminalization of marijuana law offenders - As result such as this 1 would be GREAT! Why? Well because with the overcrowding of our prison system, it is possible that all non-violent drug offenders would be released, providing more room for the real criminals. The rapists, murderers, child molesters, etc. The prison wouldn't be overcrowded, if there wasnt a million men and women locked up for bullshit such as possession or distribution of marijuana.

SO NOW, I'VE PRESENTED MY ARGUMENT....WHAT DO YOU THINK? I'D LIKE TO KNOW.....HOLLA!

There's Two Sides to Every Story: YRF Speaks Back

After the slight controversy this week bought on by my previous blog entry, I was happy to finally get a chance to speak to YRF, the group stuck in the middle of the whole situation. Anxious, they were ready to defend their honor, and determined to get me to understand what's at the root of the growing trend that is, YRF. It was my priviledge to speak with Neesin "Y.C." Williams, one half of the upcoming West Coast rap group.

As we began to chat, it was evident that YRF had been a little perturbed about my blog. When asked how they felt, Williams responded with, "I don't think you quite get us." I said, "Ok, well help me get you....what's going on?" Williams proceeded to explain, that what bothered him the most in my post, was the fact that I said YRF had no substance. To him, that meant YRF and the music they make has no purpose, no meaning. He strongly protested my claim, stating that YRF takes what they do very seriously. They idolize legendary artists like Prince, the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, and the Stylistics, among others, so to say they have no substance was a slap in the face. Especially because it's something he'd heard before. Unfortunately, he felt that sometimes people don't give them a chance, and base their judgments on a closed minded approach to the progression of hip hop. "The reason we do what we do, the reason YRF makes music is to make YOU feel good," he explained fanatically. "We really make music that we feel good about and that makes you feel good. I feel like sometimes, people take Hip Hop too seriously. It used to be about fun, and people forgot how to have fun. " But to what extent is that fun worth?

Yes, hip-hop was about having fun, to a certain extent. Emerging from the basement of house parties as a creative, uplifting response to urban surroundings, Hip hop started out as a vocal engine. It was a way of coping, creating a bright light at the end of a dark tunnel. Lyrically, you had to be on point because there was a message to be conveyed. Poetic and unforgiving, people began to recognize its monetary value resulting in its commercialization and exploitation. Soon the exciting, often deceptive fashion in which it was displayed seemed to lessen the importance of its original purpose. Thus birthing (in my opinion) what I consider to be the sub-genre of hip hop known as rap music. Rap, in my opinion is the business side of hip-hop; the commercialized, less politically sound version of hip hop. But at its foundation, Hip Hop has always been meant to serve a purpose. And even today, that purpose still holds true though overshadowed today more and more by green paper with dead presidents on it. So just having fun? Just having fun has presented a decline in the craftmanship of the art. Having fun keeps the bills rolling in for a short period of time, but respect and polished craftmanship keep the bills rolling in long after you're gone. Hip hop has been and always will be about more than just having fun.

Simply having fun doesn't contain passion, and passion and respect go hand in hand. While knowledgable of the hip-hop history that came before them, YRF feels people may need to just move on. Its 2009, 30 years after the birth of hip hop. And while I explain that in my opinion, this "popcorn rap" fad is a result of new generation rappers lacking the respect for their elders and the movement that came before them, Williams presented the question, 'does the quality of todays rap/hip hop stem from a lack of respect for the game and its history, or could it just be evidence of a change in generations (usually represented by a change in the course of present day music)? I must admit, he may have stumped me. It was very good, thought provoking question. But I want to present an even better one. Williams was quoted as saying earlier in the interview, "hip hop has always been the voice of the youth." My question to you is, "what exactly, is the youth trying to say?" While you still haven't sold me quite yet Neesin, I can still respect the hustle. Get ya grind on young brah's...

The Legends Meet the Future: YRF & De La Soul @ the Key Club

It's obvious that all the Souljah Boys, Bow Wows and the 50 cents (yeah I said it lol) of the rap game have brutally offended REAL hip hop. Yet, contrary to Nas' belief, hip hop still aint dead. Jay-Z, T.I., Jeezy, Weezy (and the list can go on) are evidence of that. But trust me, its sufferin from a broken rib, black eye and busted lip because of all the dance crazes, and lyrically challenged rappers with no creativity, no talent, and no respect for the art. So needless to say, I'm definitely not a huge fan of popcorn rap. I must admit though, that I was pleasantly surprised when I checked out upcoming West Coast rap group YRF's myspace page this morning(http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=329950847)

Upon first listen, the songs they have featured on their page were fun to listen to. I admit, I caught myself bobbing my head and bouncing to the music. But that's just it. It was fun. Fun is only temporary. Fun has no substance. As I continued to listen to both the production as well as the lyrical content, I realized that YRF's sound is very similar to the "mainstream rap" blazing airwaves and billboard charts today. While some may wonder why that's a bad thing, it's definitely not necessarily a good thing. There is no distinction between them and the millions of other industry hopefuls striving for that hit record. There's nothing that sets them apart that tells me I should be paying attention to them. On top of that, they have (like most today), also tried their hand at the ever tiring fad of autotune that T-pain now probably wishes he had never resurrected (not created...get that shyt straight yall). Lyrically, like most commercial/mainstrean rap acts, they need work. But hey, who listens to lyrics anymore ::rolls eyes:: . Now, I'm not saying they don't have potential. The potential is there, evident in the video performances from the Key Club featured on their page. For an independent group, the stage presence was great. They were very entertaining, and seemed to have the audience eating out the palm of their hand. And any independent artist will tell you, when you're unknown, getting a strong audience response is a difficult task. However, the creativity needs to match the stage presence in order to receive and maintain longevity.

Now, of course my assessments are only based on cloudy video images of the performance. Why? Well, I happened to be invited to the Key Club performance about 2 weeks ago. The show would feature YRF and the legendary De La Soul, so you can guess that I was excited at the invite. And even more so after I was asked to blog about the performance. Unfortunately, at the last minute I was informed that I wouldn't be able to go. The reason? Because I'm unknown. You can't google my name and come up with results. WTF? Now mind you, this was the explanation given by the person in charge of YRF's PR company (who shall remain nameless), and who is also very obviously, ::drum roll:: an UNKNOWN! Talk about an ego. Smh. In my opinion, that was a wreckless move. As a PR exec, you should know and understand that any PR is good PR, whether on a local, national or international level. So to rob your group of a PR opportunity is bad management in my book. Now that's my take from a business perspective. From a personal standpoint, I felt disrespected. If you don't know me, then get to know me. Isn't that your job? To invest time into finding out who your associates are and could be? ::sighs:: People never make it with attitudes like that, anytime pride can get in the way of a SMART business decision. You can never be sure of who one might know. And in a world where success is a result of taking chances, all anyone ever needs is 1 chance. In PR, it is your job to put your artist in the position for that 1 chance....What if that chance just passed them by? Well, I guess thats why I just heard from a little birdie that YRF has already inquired about finding better PR with more established Atlanta based PR company called Starlit PR (shoutout to Starlit). Now, don't quote me, but that's a good move. Because of the potential they do possess, YRF needs a PR company that has their best interest at heart. Not one who decides through personal agendas what is and is not best for the group. Cuz at the end of the day, that one decision can make or break an artist....i'm out :)

Making His Band?

So, yesterday, Diddy had the "Making His Band" auditions out in LA. They auditions were for him to form the band that will play behind him on his upcoming "Last Train To Paris" tour. They will also be featured on the upcoming show, "Making His Band", which I'm assuming is the next installment of his "Making THE Band" series. Now, we all know Diddy is the ultimate business man. And you can't knock the man's hustle. But i'm jus a little concerned with this upcoming project. Previous seasons of the show featured actual artists that Diddy was trying to promote. Therefore we had albums and tours to look forward to. We had money to go out and spend, thus keeping our attention geared toward the show and the artists being featured. Well, I'm curious to how many of us are actually interested in seeing Diddy's background band, have a show of their own. Now, I'm sure he's just using the show as a marketing tool to promote his "final" album. But the question still remains, are we even that interested? I love Diddy just as much as the next man, but I don't know if i'm willing to watch him make an album and go on tour. Anyway, I'll def watch the premiere tho, cuz it was sum interesting people that came out to audition. Diddy was auditioning for musicians and background singers. The LA audition had a nice turn out, and surprisingly, an interesting mixture of musicians. There were some rockers, some goths, and of course lots of us Black folks. What was probably the most interesting however was the fact that because Diddy is debuting a new sound he calls "Train Music", he provided a strict songlist of about 6 songs he wanted people to audition with. Those songs? "All This Love" - Debarge, "September" - Earth Wind and Fire, "Rehab" - Amy Winehouse, "American Boy" - Estelle, A Blink 182 song that I forgot the name of, a Police song that I forgot the name of, and of course, "Last Night" by Him and Keyshia Cole (You know he had to throw himself in the mix lol). Now while I have no idea what "train music" is, I kinda got an idea based on the song choices he made. Obviously, everyone cant sing those type of songs, so I'm a little curious as to how and if he will pull this off. But I have faith. He hasn't let me down so far....except for maybe some of the Danity Kane/Day26 situation...thas a whole nother post in itself tho. And if you're wondering if I auditioned? I didn't. Those songs are not my cup of tea, they dont compliment my voice, I knew none of the lyrics to none of the songs, and I did NOT wanna be on tv (singing that is) lol.....well anyway, this post has gone long enuf. I'll be baq later....I havent forgot about Chrihanna lol ;)

They jus dont get it :-\

WHEN DOES THIS SHYT STOP?

http://www.blackvoices.com/blogs/2009/02/26/a-white-house-watermelon-patch-how-the-hell-is-that-funny/

20 QUESTIONS!

I am such a fan of Vibe Magazine's 20 questions section, that I decided to do 1 of my own! Ready? Okay!

*21.(BONUS) After Scary Movie 1 & 2, Aren't you excited about the Wayans' Dance spoof movie comin out August 14th?

20. Can Lil Wayne really pull off a Rock album?

19. Given her 5 album deal, can Whitney Houston make a real comeback?

18. Why the hell was Diddy twittering during his tantra sex sesh?! lol smh

17. If something happens to the president, are you ready to react?

16. Aren't you anxious for this season of "Dancing with the Stars"? (Lil kim, David Alan Grier, etc)

15. Is it just me, or has American Idol run its last course?

14. Aren't you waiting for a "Martin" Reunion?

13. Now that Obama has challenged us and raised the standards, do you think kids will actually start going back to school and staying there?

12. Oh, and don't you just love how he goes to bball games, and other public events?

11. Who does Stevie Wonder's hair, and y do they still have a job?

10. After 3 #1 albums altogether, why are Danity Kane and Day26 STILL broke?!

9. Is Ray J really serious about this damn reality show?!

8. Aren't you ready for Beyonce to take a damn break and sit down somewhere?

7. Why are people begging Will Smith to release ANOTHER album on twitter? lol

6. Diddy, wtf is train music?!

5. Its a little early, but aren't you wondering if the Republicans will pick a black man to run against Obama in the next election?

4. What exactly constitutes cheating?

3. Mac or PC? lol

2. Is Rihanna and Chris Brown the new Bobby & Whitney?

1. Doesn't VH1's BLACK TO THE FUTURE: 90's futher confirm that the 90's were the shit?!

p.s. People are asking how I feel about this Chrihanna situation.....I promise thatll be my next blog update. Still waitin for the shyt to develop. It's somethin new everyday....I wish yall would subscribe to this blog tho instead of jus coming to read it. I want some comments! Ttyl

NY POST UPDATE!

Yaaaaay 4 John Legend! Well I guess Obama really has stirred somethin in us Americans anytime big name celebs are willing to express themselves on controversial issues lol....many are usually to worried about losing sponsors, losing fans or losing money, especially on something as testy as race relations. But while Spike Lee and Al Sharpton led a protest the other day in front of the NY Post, singer/songwriter John Legend has also written a letter to the NY Post expressing his concern about the controversial, arguably racist political cartoon featured in their papers just days ago....Go here to read the letter, and express your own opinions:

http://amygrindhouse.com/2009/02/john-legend-writes-open-letter-to-ny-post.html

I'm so proud of him! And proud of us! Proud that we challenged this. The NY Post did offer a half-assed apology, an though it may not be what we were looking for, it is an apology nonetheless. And now maybe the NY Post will think twice about what is published. You can't be printin stuff like that! Our president is black! Or haven't they heard :-P

ALBUM REVIEW: "THE REBIRTH"

As my first album review, I couldn't figure out what cd to start with. So I decided to go with what's been in my cd player recently.....It may come as a surprise to some, but for others, we already know, that Bobby Valentino is one of the most underrated R&B artists out right now. And he has yet to let me down. Known for his consistent solid efforts among music lovers (I looooooved his 1st album!), his recent release "Rebirth" has once again delivered a plethora of memorable contemporary R&B tracks. "The Rebirth" has that old Bobby feel, reminiscent of his first album, and the throwback 90's feel of R&B. Under new direction, it's lead single, "Beep," has been blazing airwaves and video countdowns alike. Much of the album is laced with production from the Dream, so needless to say, songs like "Hands on me" are mesmerizing and standout among others. With its recognizable Dream "sound", this song is destined to be a radio and club banger. "Just me and you," a refreshing semi-cover version of Tony Toni Tone's original hit, is complemented by a guitar solo from Tony Toni Tone's own original member Raphael Saadiq. Hearing the opening instrumental was so refreshing that it was enough to hint that maybe that old 90's feel (or a lil more soul) is what's missing from the struggling R&B genre today. Bobby, you may be on to something....Remakes anyone? lol....My absolute fav song on the album is "Give Me Your Heart". Not only is this, in my opinion, Bobby V's vocal breakthrough on the album, but he succeeds in captivating the strong emotional cries of a desperate man pleading for his woman's heart. Though it sounds like he borrowed from D'angelo's "How Does it Feel" and vocally, combined it with his obvious church upbringing, it made for yet another classic Bobby V ballad. Now of course, there are many other satisfactory songs on the album. But for those, you're jus gonna have buy the album. Overall though, I can play this album from start to finish (minus 2 or 3 songs), excellent for a R&b album these days, and especially one with 17 songs on it! So I jus wanna let Bobby know that while this release still may not shoot him to super stardom fame, he has a solid fan base, and a lifetime Bobby Valentino album buyer in me :) Keep doin what you're doin Bobby. 2 THUMBS WAY UP! Yaaay bobby!

p.s. Oh, and Bobby? You can stop with the sound effects now lol....that's enough "Beep, beep beeping," and whaling like sirens :)

:-0

DAMN CHRIS! SMH :-\

One mo gain'

See people, this is the shyt I'm talkn about! I don't know if you heard, but our president signed the stimulus package yesterday. And today? Well, the NY Post printed the above cartoon. When challenged by Al Sharpton, they claimed that the "chimp" in the picture represents the package, NOT Obama.........................::rolls eyes::.........::looking at the pic again::........ummmm, coulda fooled me. That's not wut I see. Seems to me, after shooting the chimp a.k.a. our FIRST BLACK president, someone will have to find another person to sign a stimulus......I mean, I could be being too sensitive, but this pic is a DISGRACE! The NY Post should not be able to get away with this, and they should be forced to print an apology to its readers, and an apology to Mr. Obama. This man (one of the first in a very long time, if ever) is trying to help the economy, trying to save peoples (minorities) lives and incomes and careers! Why are we allowing these people to attack him, in one of the most racially charged propaganda approaches?! A chimp?! Now of course overt racism has been under wraps in recent years, so this was bold. Black people, since they were forced to live in this country, have been held to nothing more than inhumane standards. We've been called all kinds of names, specifially "monkey" (which to me a "chimp" is the same thing, and a little close for comfort). So to so blatantly disrespect this man, and a group of people, my people, is not only inappropriate and uncalled for in this day an age, but is too serious to just blow over. Now while some of you may be surprised, I'm not. There's nothing that a white man in a position of power can do regarding black people, no matter how good or bad that can surprise me. What matters is our response. After 8 years....excuse me 400 years of a capitalistic "Democracy", it has taken the heart of this man, to challenge everything America claims to stand for. And I, as well as our ancestors as well as those who fought and died for him to be able to take that position, wouldn't hold kindly to this ignorant gesture. So I ask you, what are we going to do?

Singles Awareness Day A.K.A. Valentine's Day

Its Feb 14th, Valentine's Day.....and I'm still wondering what's so special about Valentine's Day? Now don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those VDay haters. I'm not one of those "OMG I don't have a man, so my valentine's day sux" kinda girls. Whether I have a valentine or not does not make me depressed. As a matter of fact, when I don't have one, I become my own valentine, and I treat my own self to as much love as I can give myself; something I try to do every day. So I just don't understand why Vday is such a big deal. I mean, I just can't get wit people who use this one day out of the year to show how much they love and care about someone. Shouldn't that be a daily thing? I mean, does chocolate and roses, and candlelit dinners make up for all the other fucked up things people do throughout the year? Am I just supposed to forget about those things just because somebody decided that Feb 14th should be a day that we splurge on the ones we love? I think not....so VDay to me, simply put, is bullshit. Let's try loving each other every day, to make this world a better place, and to get us out of the hellhole we've allowed ourselves to fall into. Don't just love your family members and spouses. Love your neighbors and your neighborhoods. And most importantly Love yourself. Don't let someone dictate how or when you should express that love....

Now, in other news, I worked the NAACP Image awards on Thursday, and what an experience that was! It was the 100th anniversary of the NAACP so I must say, I was honored to be a part of it, even tho I had to work. We had a lot of fun, and met a lot of celebs (including my man DIDDY! ::takes a deep breath to compose myself:: and oh, and that fine chocolate man Lance Gross from House of Payne, among many others...too many to name right now tho), but it was great. I was def pretty mad about some of the awards that were handed out (i.e. Jhud got anotha sympathy award :-\ ) but wuteva...and of course, once again, they did my girl Jazmine Sullivan shady....its iight tho, she gon show yall asses, and she's gonna get what she deserves. I went to her and Neyo's concert the otha night too, and OMG, if i wasn't already in love with her, im moreso now...she's amazing. Neyo of course was great too,

but Jazzy....man! As a matter of fact...see the video below, a snippet of her singing, "Lions and Tigers and Bears" (I apologize for the background noise and my singing, in case u can hear it in this video) lol:

And here's anotha of her tearin up the end of my song, "In Love With Another Man":

and thats all I have to say about that! ttyl :)

::sighs:: R THEY SERIOUS?!

Ummmmmm, so, the Grammy's lastnite sucked ass! Like seriously, who runs that shyt?! Man! 12,000 people vote on who will be nominated, and those same 12,000 vote on the winner, so I'm curious if those 12,000 people were on some kind of drugs during the voting process. Like, I honestly can't believe what I saw last night. For starters, I love whitney, and I want her to make a serious comeback, but wtf wuz she on last night? She seemed a little uncomfortable, and her voice sounded funny. Eitha she on that stuff again, or that crack fried her brain AND her vocal chords. Second of all, 5 nominations and not 1 win?! They did my girl Jazmine Sullivan SHAAAAAAAAAADY! Thats all I have to say about that. Third, I need for Chris Brown not to be beatin Rihanna's ass BEFORE the show! Come perform, make ya money, then you "slap a bitch" lmao j/k....seriously, Chris, that was def uncalled for, ur smarter than that! Fourth, MIA is a G! Not only did the girl perform looking 12 MONTHS PREGNANT, but she got 4 of the game's hottest rappers to sample her 1st US release, and got nominated for the shyt! She's a beast! And that "Swagger Like Us" performance, was the icing on the cake. That along with, the Four Tops tribute, Jhud's tear jerking comeback, and TI & J.Timberlake's collabo all did me proud. They wasn't givin us no love, so we had to show them what they were missin. Maybe we'll get some respect next year, but i'm not holding my breath. Another highlight of the night? Well of course, Kanye never ceases to amaze me. He always seems to find the most inappropriate time to say some of the most outrageous things. The reason it works for him though is because usually, whatever he's "whining" about, is the God's honest truth! Neitha him nor Estelle had ever been nominated for best new artist (when obviously they deserved the nom in their own respect), so why have them to present that award? So was he whining in his "usual egotistical manner?" (rolls eyes) Hell no! He's not a whiner....may be still a little off balance at times, but he's def not a whiner. Give that man his props, and he won't keep puttin yall on blast. Basically, I'm hoping that next year the Grammy's will upgrade. I understand they're conservative, but that does not excuse the fact that they ignored obvious winners. What a slap in the face, not only to those well deserving artists and musicians, but a slap in the face to authentic music lovers and industry hopefuls. I mean, this year, compared to last, the Grammy's fell flat. Even the rock performances were a dud. And Robert Plant and Allison Krauss winning album of the year? Who are these people?! ::sighs:: I don't know what else to say....smh.....

Startin' shyt lol

So of course, I had to start some shyt with my 1st entry lol....This is a piece I started a little before Obama's election, and finished it afterward....feel free to comment. Everyone's opinions are respected here:

The Great Black Hope

I hate to lay the responsibilities of a whole race, a whole culture in the hands of one man, but it seems that may be necessary for the rebirth of a nation. A black nation, who at a time, had more pride in themselves and their race than they were allowed to have. It is my prayer that this upcoming election will revive the pride that has, as of late, been so enthusiastically dormant in the lives of African Americans, children and men especially. It is an election of monumental proportions, a historical event that we have all been so blessed to witness.
Generations before us, are about to experience something they were told would and could never happen. The first black president! And now generations after us will live in a world where it seems the possibilities are limitless. Now, of course we are all excited, but what I hope will happen is that our pride will be resurrected in our communities and our children as they see the most feared image in America, a face that looks like theirs, the face of a Black man, in charge of the country in which they live, somewhat equivalent to the kingship he had acquired once before and has privately maintained for over 500 years.
But I must warn, don’t let the excitement fool you....

(cont’d 2/4/09)

What’s been bothering me the most as I have watched election and post inaugural coverage is the constant question that’s being raised. Has the American dream finally been fulfilled. It shocked and bothered me to see so many people, especially African Americans accepting that it has. In my opinion, the American dream has been recognized, but not fulfilled....not completely. And its dangerous for us to write it off so quickly that is has been. Why do I feel this way you ask? Well don’t get it twisted. Yes, America did elect a Black man as president. And yes, that is and was a very historically important event. Yes, it is a celebration of the advancement those before us fought and died for. No, they did not die in vain, because America did elect a Black president. They actually did it! But in my opinion they did it, out of desperation.
Under all the glitz and glamour of the initial shock, there is still a reality present. That reality? Well first off, look at his competition. There were only 2 options and while I’m not trying to take anything away from Obama, his presidency or his campaign, look at his competition. A deaf toad could have beaten that jackass of a running mate John McCain, not to mention his amusing sidekick Sarah Palin. Obama ran a near perfect campaign. McCain? Not so much. But the question we should be asking is, if Obama ran that same campaign 4yrs ago against Bush, or 12 yrs ago against Clinton, would he have won? Has America really changed that much?
Second, if Obama’s skin was a little darker, lets say like mine or maybe even of a Morris Chestnut, would he still have gotten elected, no matter how personable and articulate he is?
Finally, I see this election as of course, a huge step forward for Black folks, and it offers a huge opportunity to again prove and redeem ourselves to the nay-sayers. But why did it take the “Republicans” (a respectful term I’m using instead of the obvious), to run this country into the ground, and to start feeling the oppression and lack of economic stability that Black folks have grown accustomed to, to even consider ignoring a man’s race to place him in the most powerful position in the world, when they should have been doing it in the first place? Do you know what that means? That means that as the first Black President, not only does Obama have to pull a miracle out of his hat to save our land, but if he doesn’t do it, the spotlight will be on ALL of Black America!
So this time, more than any, is the time for us to come together, put all our differences aside, and make him OUR president. This is the time, for our men to start pulling up their pants, getting rid of the cornrows, getting on their grind the way they should be, and taking care of home. This is the time for our women to start raising their standards and demanding more respect than they’ve been given in recent years. Now of course we must understand that this man is not God. He is not OUR savior. He is a man, in charge of a country full of different kinds of men. He will work for everyone, not just us. But we have to have is back, through EVERYTHING.

Every night in my prayers, I pray for Obama, for his family, for his legacy and for this country. I pray for our future. I have as much faith in Obama as the next man. I want to see him succeed. I want to see him leave behind a legacy that is untouched by any president before or after him. I pray that this happens. And you have to pray too, and remain loyal because this man cannot do it on his own.
So, I’m just saying, in considering Obama, consider the Sankofa bird. It is expressed as a mythic bird whose face is always turned backwards (facing the past) that flies forward with an egg in its mouth (representing the future). Always remember your past. If not, you are destined to repeat it. Don’t let this event, make you forget that past. But allow it to take that past with us into an obviously promising future. Keep the faith ya’ll, cuz it’s that faith that got us here in the 1st place.

Welcome to my mind!

To everyone reading this:

This is my very 1st official blog! Yaaaaay! Im so excited! Those who kno me, know I've always been someone with a lot to say. They also know that I write it better than I can speak it. So in saying that, welcome to my blog! Expect articles, poems, short stories, essays, etc on everything from politics to music to my own personal ventures. Some of it may make sense. Some of it may not. Some of you may agree with it. Some of you may not. But all in all, I hope you @ least enjoy it because while this will be a stress reliever for me, it is strictly for entertainment purposes to others. So feel free to comment, and discuss. I will try to post on here as often as I can, but at least once a week. So check back often k? Thanks! and Much Love until we blog again :)