I'm back biyatches! Sure, I know that's soooo politically correct, and may even hurt job chances as employers google new employees these days. But I'm still angry, just don't have time or the inclination to blog about all the things that aggravate me. But Ice Cube has totally inspired me. Have you seen his new video?! It's on repeat on my laptop right now. "GANGSTA RAP MADE ME DO IT" I'm so feeling it. I have included the video for your viewing pleasure. Funny, wonder what Oprah has to say. I don't appreciate the bitches and hoes comments in a lot of rap, but I'm smart enough to know it's real. Shoot, all some of these fools know is hoes and bitches. I feel an urge to weep sometimes when I see my folks. Hence my burgeoning program to teach self esteem through natural hair care classes for elementary school Black girls. Please believe I'd cuss U out something proper if you call me or mine a bitch or hoe cuz we don't get down like that. However, some of us have only learned the Paris Hilton trade of womanhood, which is laden with hoetry and drugs. But Cube is saying, sure, blame it all on me. It's all my faultt; the demise of society is the fault of gangsta rap. Whatever dude. Tell it Ice Cube.
Never read Doris Lessings before, I only heard about her when she won the Nobel prize for Literature this year. I enjoyed her comments on winning, and could tell she was an old catankerous woman who says whatever she wants. I love that! I just read another article where she blasts 9/11, Bush and Blair. Damn, she's pretty on point too.
"I always hated Tony Blair, from the beginning," she said. "Many of us hated Tony Blair, I think he has been a disaster for Britain and we have suffered him for many years. I said it when he was elected, 'this man is a little showman who is going to cause us problems' and he did.
"As for Bush, he's a world calamity. Everyone is tired of this man. Either he is stupid or he is very clever, although you have to remember he is a member of a social class which has profited from wars."
It’s TIME! Yahoo!!! If you’ve already signed up, you know the deal. If you’re stopping by for the first time, you can see the sign-up post here or the origin story here. Here’s what happens next . . .
1) You agree to write from 750 to 1500 words a day (depending on your project needs) between October 15, 2007 and January 15, 2008 (93 total days - 70 challenge days = 23 free days). The goal is to finish with between 60K and 100K words, whether a single book, multiple novellas, etc. Whatever combination gets you there!
2) There will be check-in posts here every Wednesday and Sunday. Stop by and in the comments, let everyone know how you’re doing.
3) There will be additional posts here throughout the week. Stop by as your writing time allows, or add the blog’s feed to your reader.
4) If you have time and would like to meet your fellow writers, click on the blog of the sweating challenger who has commented above you on check-in days and offer some rah-rah go-go encouragement.
Now what are you doing here?!? Get to writing! But first, hop over to your sponsors’ blogs (you can use the links above) for some words to help launch this party!
Yes, i am starting extra late, but hey I didn't need those extra 8 days anyway. I like the idea of this because it gives you more time than Nano. Which I will be doing as well.
Sven is hot, is he not? In a devilish sort of way. Great inspiration for writing! That's why I will be writing my vamp story for this challenge. The wholesome family history book will be written during Nano.
MIKE CARON---THIS IS HOW THE "URBAN" COMMUNITY FEELS ABOUT YOU AND YOUR MARKETING TACTICS. YOU ARE DISGUSTING. "URBAN" BLOGGERS WILL BE DISSEMINATING THIS INFORMATION TO EVERYONE WE KNOW, INCLUDING RADIO STATIONS AND OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES. WE PRAY ATLANTIC WILL LET MS. PALMER OUT OF HER CONTRACT SO SHE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL ON AN INDEPENDENT BASIS. US "URBAN" INDIVIDUALS WILL BE SUPPORTING HER ALL THE WAY.
Tish Jackson
Atlantic Records Tries to Turn 14yr Actress Into Lil Kim
Keke Palmer, is the 14 year old girl who played Akeelah, in the movie, Akeelah and the Bee. She and her mother Sharon have a huge problem with the upcoming record deal they signed with Atlantic Records in March of 2006. The problem is that the record label wants to market the 14 year old as a sexpot but she does not want that image.
Keke admits "From the very beginning Atlantic's A&R representative tried to get me to record inappropriate music, and my parents and I resisted."
Soon Keke and her mom became tired of fighting the negative images that the label kept trying to force on her, and they started looking for a management company that could deal with the situation. They settled on DAS Entertainment, a management company out of New York.(John Legend label. One problem, the label has been blocking the efforts!
Atlantic kept telling them that "Keke is "urban", and should be singing urban music". Keke's mom Sharon got her in touch with Mr. Edmonds (Babyface) and he and Keke worked really well together and came up with a good commercial R&B song, but when it came time to pay for the song the label said no, he was "too expensive".
Paul Porter of www.Industryears.com says "Keke Palmer is the poster child for what's wrong with the music industry. Imagine being 12 year's old and Atlantic Records trying to mold Keke in the mold of Lil Kim or Foxy Brown."
The problem with the corporate hip hop machine is more than black and white. Unfortunately white America enjoys seeing and hearing about cultural misogyny, sex and violence. They honestly believe black America is the mix of lyrically challenged artist they promote.
The industry spin on Keke is nothing new. When you fail to promote or market a new artist they often fail. If Keke recorded a Jibb type "Chain Hang Low" or say a Plies "Shorty" BET and radio would be all over it. In my eyes Atlantic Records for now has simply passed on one of the most talented artist to come around in decades. Keke Palmer is no one hit wonder.
Who's behind this nonsense? Well the Senior A&R rep, Mike Caren, was the main antagonist, he kept on saying, " Keke is urban", so as long as they refused to record the raunchy tracks that he sent them, he refused to pay for the good clean music they brought him.At one point he even stopped Keke from recording by not paying for studio time.
Unfortunately, Das Entertainment the Management co was also ineffective in dealing with the label, they now began to codify the intent by repeating , " we will not promote her unless she records urban music". This statement confused Keke and her mom.They are unsure of what is really being said indirectly.
Just for the record Keke is from the south side of Chicago. She began singing in her church's choir at the age of five, and she auditioned for a stage production of The Lion King at the age of nine. She grew up listening to Brandy, Aaliyah and TLC, so it was not like she was recording rock music! She was recording good music, with great beats, with good positive lyrics, her music is what all kids want to hear no matter where they live. She was blessed to have worked with some of the top producers in the business, some even cut their price down so that the label would not have an excuse not to pay for the songs.
The only thing she and her parents could figure out was that the subject matters that she chose to sing about were not as, " urban " and they would have preferred.
She is only 14 years old, and when she signed the deal she was only 12 years old, "what did they think she would be singing about?" Anyway, they kept their word and did very little to promote her cd. They refused to provide marketing reports, even when Das management kept asking.Then on Sept 14th they received the report, 4 days before her cd release date of Sept 18th.
Needless to say, it was not a good report, there was absolutely no plans to pay for a national announcement to tell kids that her cd was even being released! They kept their word and did not promote Keke because she was too clean, she refused to go " urban", and sing words that disrespect her and other young girls.
Keke's parents tried to promote the release in Chicago(her hometown), they called the press on their own, and managed to get on some morning shows, but that was only in Chicago. Her debut cd that she worked so hard on sold 1,325 copies, the label supposedly shipped 69,000 copies. She was on a Disney Channel movie called, JUMP IN, that over 8 million households tuned in to watch it's debut, also the soundtrack to that movie debuted at 5 on Billboard. She was the only artist to have 2 songs on that soundtrack(she can sing). The Akeelah DVD sold 1.2 million copies and on that DVD she has a music video, so her audience, kids from 8-15 know who she is. She also sung the end title credit to the block-buster movie NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM, which grossed over 270 million, her voice is the first voice you hear coming out of the movie. Fox tried to get Atlantic to go half on a music video for Keke, but Atlantic declined stating,
"that song is NOT "Keke's image" so we will not pay, of course they regretted that after the movie grossed so much! This was way back in February, 2007, this was a forshadowing of events to come!
Last week Keke's mother, Sharon, received a call from an employee of Atlantic Records, a confidential call off the record. The caller told her mother that the president of the label is so disappointed with low sales that she may pull Keke's cd off the shelf. The caller was so upset by this statement that she wanted Keke's parents to know what was being said behind closed doors. She was disappointed that the label refused to promote Keke, and now they are blaming her for poor sales! Keke was informed that Congress was working to make the labels promote positive music, well her music is positive, but the label will not spend a dime to promote it because she refused to sing raunchy lyrics, and dares to call herself Pop/R&B and not urban / Hip-Hop.
Keke admits "I am only a kid, my parents would kill me if I sang stuff like that". Ask yourself would they want their daughters to sing negative music?
They knew her age when they signed her, they came to her after seeing Akeelah and the Bee, and begged her to sign, so why did they not think that she could really be like Akeelah, a good girl?
In closing, we are asking our audience, should Keke just let it go, accept the fact that this label will not promote this album. Or should they try to get the message out on their own?
Keke wants to try to get the message out because they worked extremely hard on this music and it is good, and the early reviews online are good.
I think the kids would like it if they knew that it was out. Her parents are so tired of fighting the label. They are not rich and to launch their own promotions would cost a lot of money , so her parents don't want to go broke trying to push a cd that the label should be pushing, they go broke to break the album, and the label just becomes richer.
Generations of a family were kept in slavery until 1961. Incredulous. Here is the story. I originally found it on Racialicious.com, and they got it from Nubian Waves. And they got it from blog Northstar. Who got it from People Magazine back in March. What I don't understand is how we haven't heard about this story sooner. The media, those folks who are always up in everybody else's business, haven't jumped on this story and run with it. Could the Gordon clan be connected to some rich and powerful people. Or are they just "rich and powerful" because they are white? And got away with something many white folks wish was still the norm?
What the hell people?
Okay I understand that the remaining Walls family members have joined the reparations lawsuit in Congress. Great, fine but what the fuck is going to happen to those Gordons down in Mississippi??? I don't want to have to wait for 50 years for justice like Emmett Till etc. I want some serious charges--Federal, Justice Department etc.--levied against that family and the surrounding white families. From the story, there were no other Black families in the rural town with no tv or radio or electricity. So those white neighbors KNEW that those folks were being held against their will. It was a Vidor, Texas type deal...keep'em down!!!! They all knew what was going on. Best believe they went by every now and again to get their share of free Black pussy. Those women were raped for generations. The daughter that is still living can never have children after her many rapes that started at age 5.
The worst part is Durwood Gordon, the nephew of the Gordon clan who kept the Walls prisoner. He acknowledges that he remembers the Black family working for his uncle as long as he can remember. However, he denies any knowledge of the rapes, saying he uncle would never rape anyone because he was a good Christian. It's a damn shame that folks constantly use religion to justify their dirty deeds. Jesus Christ would jump back on the crucifixion cross if he came down and saw all the lies and blood spilled in His name. Oh, and nevermind that he held them in bondage, that's apparently okay. But accusing good ol' Uncle Willy of rape?! Perish the thought! Durwood prolly went by and had him some too.
Mae found freedom in 1961 when she ran away at the age of 18 after refusing to do the chores. In People Magazine she stated, "I don't know what got into me. I remember thinking they're just going to have to kill me today, because I'm not doing this anymore." After she ran away her family was kicked off the land by the Gordon family. Mae found work in a restaurant and eventually got married at the age of 20 to Wallace Miller. It was also during this time that Mae found out she could not have kids. However, she and her husband adopted four children. Mae went uneducated until in her late thirties when she learned to read and write. The most amazing thing to me was that after all those years Mae and her family did not realize that their captivity was illegal until 2001. People Magazine claims she attended a church meeting about slave reparations, and it was during this time she realized that what happened to her and her family was totally illegal. According to People she stated, "I couldn't believe it. How could somebody do that to another person?"
Well, it has been awhile since I last posted anything here, but I am glad I'm still here. The fire that forces me to write still rages so doggone bright that I must get it out. This time, I have to tell you about the movie Bordertown.
Bordertown is a movie starring Jennifer Lopez and Antonio Banderas and it focuses on the murder of thousands--yes THOUSANDS of women in the border towns along the Mexican/US border. See, in case you hadn't heard, the area around Juarez and other border towns are plagued with horrible crime. But the crime that may infiltrate other cities has escalated to what some people believe indicate one or more serial killers operating with impunity.
"Femicide in Juarez and Chihuahua: For more than a decade, the cities of Chihuahua and Juarez, near the US-Mexico border, have been killing fields for young women, the site of over 400 unsolved femicides. Despite the horrific nature of these crimes, authorities at all levels exhibit indifference, and there is strong evidence that some officials may be involved. Impunity and corruption has permitted the criminals, whoever they are, to continue committing these acts, knowing there will be no consequences. A significant number of victims work in the maquiladora sector - sweatshops that produce for export, with 90% destined for the United States. The maquiladoras employ mainly young women, at poverty level wages. In combination with lax environmental regulations and low tariffs under the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the maquiladoras are amassing tremendous wealth. Yet despite the crime wave, they offer almost no protection for their workers. High profile government campaigns such as Ponte Vista (Be Aware), a self defense program, and supplying women with whistles have been ineffective and are carried out mainly for public relations purposes."
Jennifer Lopez as producer and Gregory Nava as director teamed up to make a movie documenting the many women who have been brutally murdered since the NAFTA agreement went into effect. Women are being found buried in the desert mutilated, raped, then stabbed or strangled. Or both. In the movie, Lopez plays a Mexican reporter from the US travling to Juarez to cover the murders. Antonio is the local reporter she used to date as a child. The two team up to try and expose the killer.
Now, this movie was originally supposed to be released in Feb 2007. I think it came out in Germany at the Berlin Int'l Film Festival. Lopez received an Amnesty Award, but apparently the film itself was a flop. Critics called it really bad: "According to media reports, the audience reacted with a mixture of "boos and muted applause" when the film finished screening".
Wow, pretty harsh. But guess what ya'll? I've seen the movie! Yep, I somehow caught ahold of a bootleg copy at a friend's house and I was RIVETED. I am not a fan of many JLo movies since Out of Sight, but I loved this one. She was good in it. I know I know, impossible I've heard! But I beg to differ. She put her heart and soul into playng this role and it showed.
I saw the movie in July and it has haunted me ever since. I have been scouring the internet and Blockbuster for copies of the movie but guess what? Nothing. Wanna know why? Because this movie criticizes the US & Mexican authroities (as it should), The whole freaking NAFTA agreement and the companies that do not protect it's workers. In short, the rich peole.
See, in the movie, the many victims are workers at the factories NAFTA made. The killer is not one person, but many. They use these poor women (who make these companies millions) as sexual playthings. However, one poor women does not die from the attack. She survives and threatens to testify against the killers. The drama ensues from there.
Now I read that the movie that I need my own copy of was supposed to come out on the 31st of August. But guess what again? It's September 4th and the powers that be are still holding the movie. It has been pushed back since 2006. And here's some interesting facts:
"Director Gregory Nava has said the production crew received threats against himself and the cast. Also, there was stolen equipment and intimidation of film crew members when they filmed in Mexico.
According to the Martinez-Jitner when they first filmed in Ciudad Juárez, the police began threatening locals who were helping the production and to began stalk the crew. Nava has said the production received threats against himself and the cast.
Bordertown places the blame for the murders to the Mexican government, the United States, and to the maquiladora assembly plants that were accelerated by the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Nava said, "[When] there are very powerful forces involved, you're going to be attacked. I expect the Mexican government to get very upset about it."
"I think that there are serial killers, I think that there are snuff films, I think that there's organ trafficking, I think there's gang initiation."--Gregory Nava
I have called and harassed Blockbuster and other video stores in case it goes straight to video. I have checked Amazon.com and Ebay but no dice. I've been told now that it may come to Eye on Video in the middle of September, but they dont have a specific date. I am just told to call back.
Hello hello hello, fellow thinkers--or should I say ranters! Ha, I love to rant, and here is one of my biggest topics: Immigration. Ya'll, I am just a normal person trying to make a living in this crazy world, but not at the expense of others. I just CANNOT get down with the hate. My personal point is that hate does not make things better. End of story. Sure, I can drop a lot of points to support that, but do I really have to? Shouldn't that be enough? To hate is wrong, esp. with no reason for that hate.
So. First, the current xenophobic trend against Mexicans -- which is what folks really mean when they say immigrants -- is pretty ridiculous. Esp in the west--fools, they used to live and own that land! The US stole that shit, like they stole every doggone thing else WE have. (Please don't believe I am a USA basher, I know I benefit from our founding father's thievery, AS WE ALL DO) It just doesn't seem feasible to hate on some folks that are just coming home.
Okay, maybe I'm an idealist. So, I'll go on to reality.
Mexican Immigrants (STOP CALLING THEM ILLEGALS! THEY ARE PEOPLE, NOT DRUGS!) are not stealing jobs from Black folks or anyone else. The jobs these immigrants work are jobs NO ONE ELSE including Black folks will work. I don't know any Black folks trying to pick fruit in the Salinas valley, or even up here in northern Michigan, where crops are dying and fields go fallow because there aren't enough pickers. I don't know any Black folks that WANT to work for pennies on the dollar (like$2) to cut YOUR freaking lawn or building YOUR freaking house...seriously! I don't mean to talk bad about some of my folks, but the truth is if you tried to give the average Black person hella work to do at $2 an hour, they'd laugh at you and walk away. And if they did accept it, in those rare cases of folks who just really need to work, trust those employers would get told on. How about those folks bringing over immigrant domestic help? Shoot, we just had a case in Michigan where ANOTHER MINORITY held a mexican immigrant hostage for several years, after promising minimum wage, but delivering sexual abuse and NO $ instead. Yeah, are those the jobs immigrants are taking from us?
Next: let's talk about Cubans and Haitians. All I want to say: Cubans flee to America in a boat and are rescued by Coast Guard and allowed to stay in the country. Haitians are arrested by Coast Guard, and immediately deported.
So. Is race an issue? Uh, duh YES! So what's the deal? Are they hating on the Mexicans because their Mexican? UH YEAH! DUH! The US is pissed that all their immigrants are colored. This country is starting to look like the world: Colored, not White. Their fear of no longer being lily is running this immigration fear. I just find it so sad that some Black folks are jumping on the bandwagon of xenophobia. How can people who have been persecuted all their lives, their ancestors lives, condone the persecution of another? How? Why?
People, I pray: look past your own issues and agenda and realize we are purposely being pitted against one another. They WANT us to hate one another, to fight and kill each other! Then they can continue to use us anyway they want. If we came together---no, WHEN we come together, the powers that be shake in their boots. That's why we have plans like welfare, and 3 strikes and all that other stuff to keep families and minorities divided.
And just in case you thought I was the only one ranting against racist immigration policies:
Amen. Amen to this article, for real. My favorite part:
"But the question remains: Why would anyone believe the same cabal that has actively worked against black interests suddenly is deeply concerned about protecting the interests of black workers?
Black people must take care not to be drawn into a war against poor, brown-skinned people, when what's at the heart of the immigration debate, it seems to me, is that low-wage workers, native-born or legal or undocumented immigrants, are often pitted against one another, with all being ruthlessly exploited. "
Tell it Bettye Baye! Tell it. That's the truth for real. If we were serious about stopping immigration like this, why are we still allowing employers to hire workers at such low wages? If the gov. would regulate (wow, I just read that--it's still scary to me to ask the gov. to regulate ANYTHING! lol) these wages, for picking crops and other such jobs that traditionally pay peanuts, then there wouldn't be a need to 'steal' jobs. The average person could pick lettuce with immigrants, making the same pay, working side by side...or at McLiars...or wherever.
Oh heck, I shouldn't have to tell folks this, it's common sense! This is a ploy, born of fear and race, to put brown folks in a place --like slavery folks. Have you heard about that crap of a bill they are trying to pass for immigration? Have you seen CSA: The Confederate States of America by Kevin Wilmott? With this bill, they will enslave the immigrants first. Then comes the other coloreds. Next thing you know, we're dancing to Darky Toothpaste--which they still make in China by the way. In case you were one of those folks who believe racism is over and everybody can just get along.
Based in San Jose, close to my hometown of Vallejo, Gumbo for the Soul is a literacy program dedicated to helping our children with their education. Each story in the first Gumbo anthology relates to our own experiences in school. Through the vision of Beverly Johnson, this book and it's stories came to fruition this year! Please take the time to support our children. A large amount of the proceeds will benefit the Gumbo Literacy Program.
My essay is entitled, "Mathematical Female" detailing my experience with numbers throughout school. Some say it's funny, but to me, the essay held an annoyed tone. Because once I realized the deal, I was annoyed--at the schools, who led me astray--and at myself, who allowed me to be led. (does that make sense?) But of course, it's definitely worth checking out! Run out and get your copy today, at www.barnesandnoble.com or straight from Ingram Book Company or Baker & Taylor.
Long time no write! Well, things have been happening, and I've been lazy and procrastinating as usual. But first, let me post this story on Kush. I've always been fascinated with history, especially extra old history like greek mythology, Egypt's history and the time of BC. Apparently, several years ago, archeologists found more evidence of the African empire Kush. Many of you have heard of Kush from a Nas song, but hopefully folks also know that Kush was one of the biggest civilizations in the world, which just happened to be in Africa. Before the so called greek/roman influence. Which just chaps the hide of many white scholars because for so long, history denoted that white civilizations gave birth to the rest. And when shown evidence otherwise, it is often pooh-poohed.
Well, it looks like the Kush site is now being excavated along the Nile river, thanks to a dam in the Sudan. I'd heard about how parts of the Nile (and Yangtze) river was drying up due to global warming, and this dam is supposed to create a 2 mile wide lake to keep folks hydrated in that region. Unfortunately, the creeping water is slowly covering the excavation sites, so scientists are hurriedly trying to find all the artifacts possible--to explain how Kush dominated the continent without writing skills and the like.
So funny. That's the major reason folks want to know about Kush...how'd these negroes run a continent? From the New York Times:
"Kush’s governing success would seem to have been anomalous, or else conventional ideas about statehood rest too narrowly on the experiences of early civilizations like Mesopotamia, Egypt and China. How could a fairly complex state society exist without a writing system, an extensive bureaucracy or major urban centers, none of which Kush evidently had?"
How? How ladies and gentlemen? HOW DID THEY DO IT!!! lol
Note also the comment on how the 1960 excavation of Nubia (in egypt--an area white folks made white a long time ago) was much more extensive than the present day:
"The scale of the salvage effort hardly compares to the response in the 1960s to the Aswan High Dam, which flooded a part of Nubia that then reached into what is southern Egypt. Imposing temples that the pharaohs erected at Abu Simbel and Philae were dismantled and restored on higher ground."
Well, that's because Egypt has always been seen as more important than Kush or other African civilizations--because they want egyptians to be white. (interestingly, many egyptians now see themselves as white--as do asians and hispanics. Reminds me of Paul Mooney kinda) I mean, if a civilization is supposed to be so important, hold so many unknown answers, why isn't there more publicity and more effort to hold off the encroaching dam waters?
"By this time next year, the dammed waters may be lapping at the old gold works, and archaeologists will be looking elsewhere for clues to the mystery of how remote Kush developed the statecraft to oversee a vast realm in antiquity. "
HOW? HOW? HOW? ARGH!
Why can't they just give Kush it's props??? Just say how intelligent the people must have been to accomplish such a goal. Why act like it's such an impossibility? Why couldn't an African empire create a series of states, rule for 500 hundred years, produce gold like a factory, WITHOUT BEING QUESTIONED? Sort of like praising Obama for being literate. Sure it's true, but it's not a freaking anomaly.
For those who don't know, I went to college in New Orleans. So all things Easy, I support and love for the most part. Even when wrong! Like my boy Mystikal and his assault charges. Just wrong! But I still pray that you will come back from the darkside, bruh! Cuz forcing a thieving chick to blow you and yo boy because she stole some of your checks is simply out of control.
ANYWAY! Sorry ya'll, I get sidetracked real easy! But. Curtis Jackson is not from the N.O. so I do not love him. Irregardless if he was from the Crest in Vallejo, California, I would not love this fool. He's a fool! Sorry. I started disliking him after Vivica. Yeah, she was doing way too much even dating him. But he did not have to shame and embarass her like he did. You don't do that to women and earn my respect--or my dollars!
But now, he's gotta hate on Master P?! Oh HELL NAW!
Master P recently decided that he won't curse and whatnot in his music. Great. Fiddy replies at a BET press conference that he doesn't care, because P doesn't even make music anymore. Now why? See, that's what's wrong with this generation. YOU DON'T ATTEMPT TO RIDICULE THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE YOU! First, P has made more music than Fiddy ever has. And he OWNS all his music, because he started his own record company. Fuck Fiddy. I hate when someone is trying to use common sense, and people that should be supporting him (or at the very least shouldn't care) comes out to hate on them instead. Just shut up Curtis. Shut that sh%! up for real. Because you've got enough negativity on the airwaves. I don't want to hear no more.
"I paid for Curtis's first rap tour through the south. He was such a humble guy at the time. Most artists' mission is to sell records. My mission is to help save and change lives."
Aww,Master P helped Fiddy get started! And this is his thank you!
"First of all, it's simply disappointing to see people that are in a position to help make a change just sit back and entertain the negativity. It's sad to see Steven Hill set all of these programming standards at BET, just to contradict himself for the sake of marketing dollars or artist performances in order to create the appearance of a successful award show. The record company with the biggest marketing check controls the music video stations so we need to go after the people who actually control these programming networks if we want real CHANGE."
Really Smart Talk! I'm glad he spoke on the trashy state of BET. We're all thinking it! And we know that it's really the Jimmy Iovine's that make all this craptacular music possible, so thanks P! See, P can say whatever he wants, cuz he doesn't depend on these fools for his money. As a matter of fact, maybe that's why Fiddy is talking smack right now! Because he is a pawn of the industry. They probably trot him out to spew some ignorance everytime something positive happens in the music industry or the Black community. Hmmm...Fiddy is a house negro???
Wow, those two weeks from my last post flew by! Can't believe it went so fast. It seems it was just yesterday that I was promising myself that I would post tomorrow. Well, tomorrow took two weeks!
But there is definitely a good reason to be back!
There is free college out there folks! Please check with the Black men you know that are seniors in college because:
"Do you know any Black Males (who are Seniors in high school) who want to go to college for FREE. The black colleges are looking for future Black Male Teachers and will send them to Universities/Colleges FOUR (4) YEARS FREE; THIS IS FOR MALES ONLY. "
1. Have parents fill out this application ( http://www.callmemister.clemson.edu/gettprog.htm) 2. Read the MissionStatement. There are Ten (10) different South CarolinaColleges or Universities including:
3. Send this to your family and friends also. The web link is below: http://www.callmemister.clemson.edu/index.htm Another interesting organization: --------------------------------------------------------------- The National Board of the ROCKS, Inc P.O. Box 471212 Forestville, MD20753 TEL: 301-669-9319 TOLL FREE: 1-888-ROCKS HQ (762-5747) FAX: 301-669-9407 therocks@aol.com www.rocksinc.org
And if you are NOT a Black man, here is another college that ALWAYS offers free tuition to EVERY student--regardless of gender, race, or degree:
"Every Berea student is awarded a 4-year, tuition scholarship. The amount of the scholarship will vary depending on financial need, and the presence of any additional outside scholarships. The important thing is that, together, these resources cover the entire cost of tuition, which totals $22,300. The actual cost to students and their families is $0."
So that's how Berea College gets down! Check the link and get your free degree today!!!!!
Just wanted to drop a quick post to detail some things I've experienced.
I met up with a good friend from high school (the power of Google, ahhh!) He's a great dude and I hope to get to Cali soon so we can kick it proper. Anyway, dude has mad talents in the music/networking area, so if you are networking, hit him up on his myspace page with the currently defunct blog. Rich, write something for us!
Rich doesn't really want to tell the world his life story, but as you can see, I have no problem with that! I have been a talker from way back, and it's very easy for me to pretend that I have an audience, listening for every word about my next adventure. My latest venture...
I've heard that the author who put me into his anthology didn't get good marks for communication! I guess when some folks submitted, they never received any word or response from said author (Brandon Massey). This makes writers feel pissy, as we require--no, crave--acknowledgement of our writing (or very existence, either or) so Massey got naughty marks for that. Like I said, I never even saw submission guidelines for this 3rd anthology, I just got lucky!
FYI: I am now putting pics of myself at the bottom of each post. Just for posterity, and my own narcissism.
First of all, the title alone is a freaking stereotype. You cannot say or imply all biracial couples do any damn thing whatsoever, except live and die! The study does not provide even the slightest details of how they went about their research. You know, sometimes, they'll say, "We interviewed so and so amount of people and found..." but this story only says "new research shows". Uh, I need to know about the research folks before I just go along with some study. I mean, what worries me is that this article totally fufills existing stereotypes. In the first paragraph, the writer relates asian & white parents with having more money. As a matter of fact, the whole beginning of the article only deals with the stereotypes of asians, whites and latinos. But when the writer gets down to Black interracial couples, the previous premise -- of investing more into children -- breaks down into the usual Black stereotype. We are the lone exception to the study. We actually invest less than others, according to them. To be fair, they say this only holds if compared to monoracial black and white couples. WTF??? Anyway, what's really hilarious is that they actually give a scientific reason for the 'exception'.
This could be because families in which one of the parents is black likely experience greater prejudice and disapproval from their extended families than do non-black interracial couples, Powell and Cheng wrote. Also, there seem to be greater social challenges faced by couples in which a non-white man is involved with a white woman, they wrote.
Oh my goodness, the stench of this bullshit is choking me! Argh!!!!
Cham has an album coming out soon, and has stated, “People are not even gonna know it. I guarantee if I don’t go out and say it in the media they’re not even gonna realize that." Mostly because, he says, he ususally doesn't curse in his songs. I'm not a big Chamillionaire fan, I've only heard that one song, but I can dig it. The article I linked to (Eurweb.com) stated he has a Christian mother and Muslim father (which is almost the norm these days, but that's another long post) and it intimated that as a reason for Cham's lack of dirty mouth syndrome. I have to say it made me look at Cham differently. Think about how unpopular his stance is. Yeah, he's kinda popular, but he's no Jay-Z and for him to limit himself and say what he won't do takes a strong man. A strong individual period, but it is obviously harder on a Black man in the rap game to make such a statement. However, gleaning from the list of contributors on his upcoming albums, it may still please the young ears without damaging them.
Kudos to Chamillionaire.
Others hooking it up? A Black owned media corporation out of St. Louis has decided it will no longer play music with demeaning or sexist lyrics. Now this is an R&B hip hop station saying this. Big step. The station will not bleep out objectionary words, but will ban the song altogether. HALLELUJAH! Now I don't have to hear the doggone Ying Yang twins on the radio--at least when I'm in St. Louis!
"St. Louis brothers Michael and Steven Roberts operate a multifaceted business that includes an aviation company, shopping centers, hotels, construction firms and residential developments. The broadcasting unit includes four television stations -- WRBU in St. Louis, WZRB in Columbia, S.C., WAZE in Evansville, Ind., and WRBJ in Jackson, Miss. The company also operates WRBJ-FM, a hip-hop station in Jackson.
"We take tremendous pride in being African-American and refuse to let anyone, white or black, strip us of that pride," said Steven Roberts, president and chief operating officer of the company."
I say go! Do it! And don't let me find a webstream to listen to! Here's the company info, if you wanted to send them a letter of thanks:
Roberts Broadcasting Co
Michael Roberts, CEO 1408 North Kingshighway Boulevard, Saint Louis, MO 63113 (314) 367-4600
Happy May day everyone. Another month, more bills. For me, it's actually the week before all the bills are due...however, I am supposed to be updating my family website for the month of May, and I also need to update my personal writing website too. I don't know if I've ever mentioned it before here, but I do write. (this may have just been my 'grievance' blog!) I write for our website, and am working on a book of our family's history. Without the family, I write erotica and horror. I have had a story accepted into an anothology coming out any day now (what's up Brandon Massey!) So it's my buckle down day.
And though that's just for today, I am trying to buckle down metaphorically as well. Working on my personal issues (penchant for drama and fighter of justice to the extreeeeeme) I think I may have to go back to school. I know, I know, that's something most over the hill (or approaching the hill) adults say when they realize their current level of education isn't working for them anymore. I originally wanted to attend law school, so I could use my special gift of tongue lashing in the courtroom to break offenders down to shriveling pieces of flotsam ground under my prosecutorial heel....but I'm thinking I may put that off for another 15 years and think about taking some writing classes. Ideally, an eventual MFA would be the ticket. However, right now I'm looking for some inexpensive community college class that would help me express myself better within the written word.
I feel sometimes that my current thinking process or vocabulary does not allow me to express myself fully. Sometimes I feel when I write, that my thoughts feel like a Master's, but my words on paper feel like high school. Then I'm frustrated! And take an extended hiatus. You know what? As I write this, that's it exactly! And I can even pinpoint the problem...in college, I was so good in English, I didn't apply myself (after all, I was in NEW ORLEANS pre katrina and enjoying the heck out of myself). I did the assignment and kept stepping. So I never challenged myself really, and here I am, stuck in a literary time warp. Hmm, gotta get out those brochures...
Maybe even an online class from the local college...I think they do that...
A major news outlet, MSNBC has an article about how many female bloggers are being harassed throughout cyberspace. I've been lucky, nobody has taken my rants mainstream, so I've never been bothered--lucky for the bullies. Bullying is not something I take kindly to. As a result of not being the popular kid in school, (as a matter of fact, my sister and I were the self-appointed defenders of kids being harassed by bullies) I enjoy every opportunity now to put the smack down on those not being nice! I was definitely irate when Blackademic and BFP were harassed a year or so ago...however they both had enough oomph to power on through the muckrakers then, but there are a lot of folks who quit blogging because of it. Here, the article mentions Kathy Sierra by name, the newest female blogger to be sent death threats and the like.
"Sierra, whose recent case has attracted international attention, has suspended blogging. Other women have censored themselves, turned to private forums or closed comments on blogs. Many use gender-neutral pseudonyms. Some just gut it out. But the effect of repeated harassment, bloggers and experts interviewed said, is to make women reluctant to participate online -- undercutting the promise of the Internet as an egalitarian forum."
The article is concerned that with the harassment of women bloggers, many of us will leave the blogosphere, making it hard to compete in a wireless world. However, it barely glances at my main concern: the harassment of females period.
Why is it okay to harass women? To drag them from their place of work and shoot them in the head in front of witnessess? Think I'm going too far linking the CNN shooting to this? I don't think so. It is clear that the anonymity of the internet allows men (or even other women) to voice the dark thoughts that they feel all the time. To use nooses and muzzles and death threats means something. Too many of us take those dark violent thoughts that used to only exist in a vacuum and turn them into a dangerous reality, and I don't blame Sierra for being frightened.
My gut response says FIGHT! Don't let these asshats remove you from something you love--blogging, writing, sharing, loving...Don't give them the power to take anything away from you! However, it's easy to say, harder to do. Who wouldn't be afraid for their safety, in the world we live in? When a dude shoots up his college campus for no apparent reason, pretty much anything is possible. And who am I to tell people to martyr or sacrifice themselves in order to combat fear? I can't. Because it's not me. But those weak cowards that have nothing better to do than malign someone they secretly feel is better than them better watch out. Because some of us are willing to go down Viola Luizzo style for the things we believe in. And unlike Viola, I plan to take attackers down with me. I'm done with the open season on Women. It's open season on Evil!
I am planning to make visual updates to this blog too! Though I still don't know what I'm doing, I will give it the old college try. However, one thing I won't be doing is adding Friends! Not that I don't love ya'll, I just think the whole concept is ... stupid. Like popularity contests in high school. For the record, I never won any popularity contests in school, so I won't be trying to relive that horrid time by doing the same as an adult online. Also, I hate Myspace. I tried to make a page there, and it likes like a 4 year old got a hold of my mouse. So yeah, expect new colors and motifs, but I'm hoping to skip the friends. Plus, if ya'll knew who my friends were, you'd be too alarmed to read my blatherings.
I'm back to blogging! And i must say, there have been some interesting happenings since I've been away. So I'm going to shoot my opinion out there real fast, in an attempt to catch up.
One of my favorite blogs, Blackademic, is no more. That sucks! But I wish Kortney all the best in Chi-town.
Women bloggers are being stalked, with their fears and concerns pooh-poohed. They are told to suck it up. That's Bullshit! Devious Diva is even a victim way over in Greece, proving that assholes come in all countries. Personally, I have so much anger to release, being stalked might be beneficial for me, giving me a chance to spread my angst all over these cowardly bastards like a freaking plague. Then again, maybe not...I may turn into a stalker stalking the stalker, and you never want to become what you despise!
The CNN shooting. Man mobs up into a freaking media center, people. He takes boldness to another level. Warns a potential Good Samaritan to stay out the way (pimpin) and dragged his girlfriend out her building to shoot her. WTF?! Another example of how women in this GLOBAL society are treated as throwaway accessories. Why is there no outrage over that fact that men are killing their significant others like freaking GANGBUSTERS?!
Virginia Tech? Same thing. Sad horrible tragedy. But you know why 32 people died instead of just the first two? Because school officials thought that first shooting was a domestic violence issue - you know, when couples attempt to harm each other - so no preventative steps were taking. 'Ah, it's just a boyfriend killing his girlfriend and a possible romantic rival--no need to call out the troops or attempt to protect the rest of the students from possible shootings.' I guarantee that was the thinking.
Nigger Bitch Imus Richards!!!!! Now all these situation are freaking hilarious to me. Just silly. Should Black people be surprised that Kramer would say the N word? When he's from a show that never had any Black people on it? Nope. Was he wrong? Hell Yeah! But so are a lot of other people talking shit! Imus is an idiot. But I have to say that Jimi Izrael told it perfectly: Imus was trying to imitate some Black shit he heard on the radio, or from a clip of Spike Lee's School Daze (a movie I KNOW that fool did not see in it's entirety) and got put on blast. See, the real problem here is that white folks have lost all their power over the darkies and are pissed. NOW they want to try and talk about equality--when we know--hell, THEY KNOW-- they don't want to be equal! They still want to be on top!) But no, since they can't say nigger anymore, they want Black people to stop saying it too. 'It's a doube standard! If they can say it to each other, why can't we say it?'
Bitch bitch, whine whine. I'm sick of that crap. So. Here it is, the truth for all you white folks.
IT IS A DOUBLE STANDARD! WE CAN SAY IT. YOU CAN'T! END OF FREAKING STORY!
Sorry, but the truth hurts. White people made that word up to demean and demoralize Black people. Now that you are pretending to be civilized* you can recognize the word is bad. But you can't unmake a word. And since you know it is bad, you can't say it. Ah, but those whose ancestors have been called that same word can. Because it has, for so long described them. And I'm not getting into whether Black people should say it or not, not my argument. Or, perhaps more honestly, I don't know if we should or shouldn't But I do know that if I am around a white person, and they throw it into conversation, they will immediately receive a tongue lashing that may get physical. So. There's the truth. And the possible consequences. So speak as you may, and recognize the rules.
Global Warming. Oh, man, we are fucked. Sorry mom and dad for cussing (as Weezy would say circa "The Best Rapper Alive", Tha Carter II) But seriously, the globe is about to explode, and the US (the biggest offender) won't even ratify Kyoto, and has been harassing the scientist authoring the newest reports to tune down the disaster. Even with the real story blunted, the news is simply shocking. The glaciers are melting--rapidly. This will cause the sea levels to rise, causing havoc to all coast or low-lying areas. The new coast of California will start in Sacramento. Countries suffering droughts and famine will have troubles compounded, species of animals will go extinct - it's very depressing. Got me recycling and storing food in the basement, ya'll. My sister and I are seriously thinking about creating a family compound in case of 'drama'. You know, the final attack from the US haters, a Bush bomb, radical white supremacists taking over the world--shoot, black supremacists taking over the world! She growing hte huge garden right now, and I'm handling the providing of meat that is hormone and steroid free.
(Speaking of, folks I bought half a cow this year. This older gentleman only feeds his cows grain, and never uses pesticides, steroids or hormones. Next, I will be getting some hormone free chickens. I'm done @$*!ing with the government and all this processed food. Well, except Checker's Southwest Chicken Sandwiches without the bacon! Anyway, I recommend finding a wholesale meat seller in your area and do the same. Beats having to worry about daughters getting their periods at 8 and boys nutting up sheets at 7. Seriously!)
Well, I've noticed how long this post has gotten, so I'll reconvene tomorrow. Guess I missed ya'll huh? Hey, a big mouth can only stay shut for so long.
Long time no write! I know, it's been crazy and I've been lazy--oops, I mean focused on other projects. Before I play catchup, I have to express my disappointment in the state of Michigan. Today, affirmative action has been repealed in this state. And I don't believe it was because it was a confusing proposition; we've all heard about how this wasn't even supposed to be on the ballot because of trickery. White folks and Ward Connerly's folks came out and decided though WHITE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN BENEFITTING FROM AFFIRMATIVE ACTION FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS (it's called the status quo), they don't want any other race to have opportunities.
One of the reasons I kinda stopped writing here is because it angers me that people are so mean and gullible and SELFISH! It felt like my writing was a big puff of air that did nothing, and I got tired of wasting my breath. I know there are lots of folks who agree with me, but there are many more who think my opinions are liberal drivel, that AfAct is discrimination against white people (which makes my hand itch to slap someone--fool the world is your afact!) or some other nonsense.
What brought me back is the realization that I HAVE to start expressing myself. The book on family history I'm writing has kind of stalled, and I need regular writing to start again. I am doing NANOWRIMO again, though I haven't uploaded anything yet. and I want to use this site for marketing my projects too in the future.
But I am constantly agitated by the state of our world, and I have no one to tell! Well, my mom and dad, but I feel bad because I'm constantly bombarding them with my anger, and I can't really curse the state of the world like I want to cuz my mom might pop me in the mouth...so, I'll be ranting and raving here regularly once again.
Actually, the REAL real reason I started writing again is because I was reading one of my favorite blogs On The Wrong Side of The Alligator and I noticed they still had my link up! And it still worked! I felt very humbled that this really great writer (a writer in real life, no less!) still represented my almost-defunct blog and here, I haven't written anything since the summer! That was last week, and the though of resurrection began churning through my brain. But the spark was seeing how Michigan fell for the okeydoke. Yeah, they kept Jennifer Granholm over Tricky Dick Devos but shoot, Granholm probably voted for prop 2 eliminating Af Act too!
Outils 
Keke Palmer, is the 14 year old girl who played Akeelah, in the movie, Akeelah and the Bee. She and her mother Sharon have a huge problem with the upcoming record deal they signed with Atlantic Records in March of 2006. The problem is that the record label wants to market the 14 year old as a sexpot but she does not want that image. 
The industry spin on Keke is nothing new. When you fail to promote or market a new artist they often fail. If Keke recorded a Jibb type "Chain Hang Low" or say a Plies "Shorty" BET and radio would be all over it. In my eyes Atlantic Records for now has simply passed on one of the most talented artist to come around in decades. Keke Palmer is no one hit wonder. 
"that song is NOT "Keke's image" so we will not pay, of course they regretted that after the movie grossed so much! This was way back in February, 2007, this was a forshadowing of events to come! 
