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