History of the Mambo

I will probably start a Cuban/Haitian Revolution with this blog entry but so be it. On my last trip to Boston, MA I had a very interesting conversation with my older sister where I learned that what we have known to recognize as a Cuban dance and musical style, the Mambo (as well as the Gaga, Tumba Francesa etc.) was in fact introduced to the Cubans by Haitians in the early 1940’s!! Yeah I said it...lol.

The mambo is a dance which originated in the Haitian settlements of Cuba. The dance of the mambo is not found in Haiti, although Haitians brought the dance to Cuba. In Haiti, a voodoo priestess is referred to as the Mambo (meaning conversation with the gods); she is the village counselor, healer, exorcist, soothsayer, spiritual advisor, and organizer of public entertainment (Barendrecht).



But of course Perez Prado will continue to be recognized as the originator. Whatever!

Last nights AMA's...

we're ok...some of the performances deter me from bashing it all together....so it was cool.





Fergie opened up the show with Will.I.am and overall she was ok. I've seen her perform much better at other shows...I was pretty much over it mid-way through her performance.



Will was dope though until Nicole, whatever her last name is, stepped on the stage.


Before leaving the PCD's I felt that she could make it on her own but the more I see her perform the more I'm wishing for a reunion. She's nothing without her girls, I'm sorry. She sucks. I don't know if it's her writers or producers or what but whatever it is, I don't likey...booooo!!!

Avril Lavigne hit the stage with her latest single but I'm not a fan of her latest work. I kinda preferred when she was miserable. Sorry.

Maroon 5 was great! I absolutely love Adam Levine's voice, its so soothing...*sigh*...

Rihanna performed Umbrella and I Hate That I Love You with Ne-yo...it was cute...nothing too crazy or moving. She looked great as per usu...

Now...CHRIS BROWN yet again, rocked the house!!! His aesthetically pleasing and captivating performance was CRAZY!!! Loved it, Loved it!!!

Mary J. Blige did her thang as well!!! I adore her!! Prior to the award show, I heard clips of her latest single but never heard it in it's entirety but I'm glad I was able to hear her perform it live first. She looked fly & did the damn thing without any extraness.

Daughtry's acoustic performance of Home was nice...It's interesting how the American Idol "reject" is getting accolades and such while the winner Taylor Hicks is M.I.A.

And speaking of AI "rejects" why was Kelly Pickler invited?? Does she have an album out that I don't know about? Trick has a stylist, new coif and even presented an award and yet has contributed nothing to the music, f that, to the world period...ok.

Queen Latifah poured her heart out on stage as well. After all these years it still trips me out to see her in a dress and now singing!!??!!

She will forever be the, "Ladies First", "Who you calling a B*tch?? U.N.I.T.Y!!" Latifah in my book, but I respect what she's done and what she continues to do...







I don't even want to comment on Jennifer Nettles & Beyonce's performance of Irreplacable...whoever's idea it was to "countrify" that song should be fired!

And last but certainly not least, Ms. Alicia Keys hit the stage with an unforgettable performance. She started off singing No One then broke out into a throwback dancehall skit featuring the likes of Junior Reid, Beenie f'in Man, etc.!!! I almost lost it when Beenie hit the stage!! I love AKeys even more for gathering all the Jamaican artists that had a major influence on my appreciation of the genre...That was unreal!! And she looked great! Her style has stepped up 100 notches!! Kudos to her stylist :)

And for the winners:

Umm, how in the world did Akon win Soul/R&B Male over Ne-Yo???!!! WTF!!!! If you say so...

The most disturbing category of the night had to be the nominees for best RAP/Hip-Hop Duo...Pretty Ricky? Shop Boys?? lmao...They have got to be kidding me! Bone Thugs took that one home, rightfully so. *shaking my head*



Coming in at close second for most disturbing was R.Kelly's Double Up being nominated for Favorite Album...love him to pieces but c'mon now, favorite album??...stop the madness...


Beyonce took THE award of the night, International Artist of the Year. Congratulations to her!



I seriously wanted to cry when they showed flashbacks of the AMA's with Michael Jackson, Eddie Murphy, Whitney Houston etc....They make it so hard to let go of the past and embrace the present and future when this is what we're getting...It's a shame, it really is.

But overall the show was ok.







Who wore what?...



Well, let me start off with the shocker of the night. Beyonce FINALLY stepped outside of herself and wore something completely unexpected.....Sike.





Alicia Keys looked radiant from head to toe...amazed!




As for Rihanna...I'm not sure how I felt about this ensemble....I mean it fits the whole "Good girl gone bad" feel but I don't know... Hair and make-up is fly though...

Ms.Keys is BACK AT IT!!!

Alicia Keys...do I really need to say anything else?

I will say that this is by far her BEST album. If you haven't already, BUY (don't burn), this album!

Restore your faith....

...by way of The Juda Muzik Project!! This post is long overdue since the album was released on September 11, 2007 however, I finally got a chance to listen to the album in its entirety and it was definitely an experience. From the soul shaking vocals, the brilliant production and heart penetrating lyrics, I have to say that this album is truly a work of art blessed by God.

With tracks like It’s Not Over, The King, Royalty & Living God, Judacamp has proven to be a force that is taking gospel music to different heights helping the genre become more appealing to the masses.

This album comes highly recommended. Buy your copy today! :) Best Buy

Tyler Perry did it again!!

Last night I saw Tyler Perry’s “Why Did I Get Married?” and I walked out of there feeling restored & liberated. Mr. Perry has a way of bringing hope to the hopeless in all his movies and this one was no different. I’ll hold off on the spoilers but basically the movie was about the trials of marriage, what it means to truly love and be loved, how to overcome adversity and the strength that is needed to sustain a loving and healthy marriage; above all else the importance of keeping God first throughout it all.

As a young single black woman, there are times that I find myself fantasying about marriage and what it will be like but this movie provided a pragmatic example of the aspects of marriage that don’t make an appearance in my fantasies, which is a blessing because it was a reminder of how difficult and exhausting sustaining a marriage can be. It also forced me to reevaluate the way I handle matters concerning the men in my life right now and moving forward. I used to waste a lot of my time investing in men that don’t have the slightest clue about being selfless or putting their pride to the side for the ones they love. And anyone who has ever found themselves in a situation like that knows how frustrating that can be because after a while you find yourself having to tell a man how to treat you. There is a serious problem with that. When I think back on the efforts I’ve made over the years, I shake my head and laugh. I can understand providing guidance but when you find yourself pushing and shoving, with no positive, lasting results, it’s disconcerting. It also reminded me how important it is to choose wisely when deciding on who will be my lifelong partner. It is not a game. And I say this only because lately I've noticed that people toy with the seriousness of it, diminishing the value of what a marriage is supposed to be.

I’ve wasted a lot of time being resentful and bitter and yearning for something that I’m not even prepared for. Instead of being clouded by the man I don’t have, I plan to work on myself first and look forward to what God has in store for me. :)

This movie gets two thumbs up from me and I highly recommend everyone taking the time out to see it.

Congratulations to Tyler Perry for having the number one movie in the box office, grossing 21.5 million this weekend stomping out Michael Clayton starring George Clooney and Elizabeth: The Golden Age starring Cate Blanchett!

"I'm not a racist. I have black friends..."

...says the racist. Why is that line always the first to spew out of ones mouth when accused of being racist?? It must be the "get out of jail free" or "dodge a beatdown" card for all racists, for real. Anyway, so apparently the heartbreaking injustice that was imposed on the Jena 6 is perceived as comical for some.

A group of white Louisiana college students decided to get drunk and reenact the Jena 6 assault while a friend snapped photos and videotaped the offensive behavior. The images were later posted on Facebook.

Kristy Smith later apologized for the images. "We were just playing in the mud and it got out of hand. I promise I'm not racist. I have just as many black friends as I do white. And I love them to death."

She justifies it by saying that there was alcohol involved but my question is, if that was the case and this was in fact a bad joke done in a drunken stupor then why in the world would she go as far as to post that sh*t on her Facebook for the world to see?? Oh, I'm sorry, she must have been drunk then as well. And how did she think her (imaginary) black friends would feel once they saw this on her page? Oh, I'm sorry, she loves them to death!!

This is a huge, WE DON'T BELIEVE YOU!! And I'm officially disgusted!


Source

Thank You John Edwards

"We start with the President of the United States saying to America, ‘we cannot build enough prisons to solve this problem. And the idea that we can keep incarcerating and keep incarcerating — pretty soon we’re not going to have a young African-American male population in America. They’re all going to be in prison or dead. One of the two."

ummm, very interesting.

In case you have no idea who this man is, John Edwards is currently a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the 2008 Presidential election.

Support the Jena 6

It comes as no surprise that racism & injustice is still prevalent in this country. Somewhere down the line generations have convinced themselves that the struggle is over.
NEWSFLASH : THE STRUGGLE IS FAR FROM OVER!!!
The question is, what are you going to do about it?

Snooze Alert: Part Deux

Every year I look forward to this time of year, anticipating one of the biggest nights in music: the MTV Video Music Awards. Unfortunately, last night was a mockery and a complete waste of my time. Performances at the VMA’s were once revolutionary! How did we go from Madonna’s rendition of "Like a Virgin” back in ’84 to last nights bullsh*t?


In more recent years Green Day’s opening performance in ‘05 and even Britney performing “I’m a Slave” in ‘01, are just a few of the many acts that remain emblazoned in our minds, leaving lasting impressions. Now the award show overall is less than par and straight up embarrassing.

Everyone and their mama was looking forward to Britney’s potential comeback performance…what a JOKE?? B*tch didn’t even try; if she was giving her all than she’s in worse shape than I thought. She did a few bullsh*t twists and pumps, dragged herself across the stage and called it a night. Let’s not discuss her “out of synch” lip-synching…Tre embarrassing!! I was like WOW! No she didn’t??! She’s a wrap!

Actually she’s not because her single is a club banger and I hear that she has a few more hits under her belt so she’ll do her #’s but I wouldn’t pay a dime to watch her “perform” live. I’m soo good on that.

High Lights: Hands down the Chris Brown featuring Rihanna & Alicia Key’s performances. Chris Brown is unstoppable and I’m glad the Ms. Keys is back to ROAST that @$$! I’m super excited about her next album.

Now for the Winners:
I am sooo mad Fergie got Female Artist of the Year…Whaaat?? Who?? I can’t. She was in the category alongside, Beyonce, Amy Winehouse, Nelly Furtado and Rihanna. Wow. Although I love Gym Class Heroes, I was disappointed that Amy WInehouse didn’t get Best New Artist. When Rihanna got Video of the Year I knew Kanye would be in the corner somewhere crying…low and behold he was quoted saying: “That’s two years in a row, man … give a black man a chance. I’m trying hard man, I have the … number one record, man.” Ugh! Shut up already!! I have to admit, this time I felt that he deserved it because the “Stronger” video is FIRE! However, stop crying about the sh*t for real. And him trying to make this a race thing was straight up desperate especially since Rihanna took it home that night. HelloooO!!

Umm, there’s nothing left to be said about the awards. Overall it was a snooze. I would’ve much rather have been partying it up in one of the suites than watching it from home. MTV needs to bring the VMA’s back to NYC where it all began!!!

****************UPDATE 9/7/07********************

Well apparently Kanye's tantrum backstage had little to do with not winning Video of the Year. What you saw and heard was his reaction to finding out that Justin Timberlake was going to perform on the big stage and close the show. Hence comments like "give a black man a chance". For the first time I can see where Kanye is coming from and I feel him 100%. MTV pretty much threw him a bone and kept him in the dark about what was really going on. They had him thinking that having his own suite was ideal for any respectable performer, meanwhile Justin had the opportunity to have his suite and hit the big stage. I'd be mad too and I would voice my displeasures as well. Kanye has proven to be a strong entertainer and his music compliments that as well. We all know how extra Kanye is so it would've been nice to watch him perform Stronger or Can't Tell Me Nothing; the show would've been much better.

But at the same time, Kanye should just let it go because it seems as though he's seeking validation from these people and it's not necessary. He has, in my opinion, one of the hottest albums in stores right now. Graduation is truly a work of art and if you haven't been a victim of the marketing ploy already then I recommend buying his album.

If elected Barack Obama won't be the 1st Black U.S. President??!!

The moment Barack Obama announced he was running for President the media and a majority of fellow Americans have focused on his ethnicity rather than what this man had to offer this country, which didn’t come as a surprise. Questions like “Is this Country ready for a Black President?” echoed from coast to coast. Well, apparently we’ve been there and done that! According to this article I stumbled upon, if elected, Barack won’t be the first Black U.S. President (and no I’m not talking about Bill Clinton either). I learned about Warren Harding in college, so I was expecting to find a lengthy article about him. I was in disbelief when he was accompanied by 4 other U.S. Presidents who are said to all have black ancestry:







Thomas Jefferson, the third U.S. President, was the "son of a half-breed Indian squaw and a Virginia mulatto father."







Andrew Jackson, the seventh U.S. President, was "the son of an Irish woman who married a black man." (His older brother was reportedly sold into slavery.)







Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth U.S. President, had dark skin, course hair, and a heritage that included Melungeon or African ancestors. Hussein writes that "His heritage fueled so much controversy that Lincoln was nicknamed "Abraham Africanus the First" by his opponents."







Warren Harding, the twenty-ninth U.S. President, never denied his African heritage, and reportedly had black ancestors on both sides of his family; it is also said that Harding attended a school that was founded to educate fugitive slaves.






Calvin Coolidge, the thirteenth U.S. President, was found to have African and possibly Native American heritage as well.

Although if you saw, dare I say, these “brothas” (lol) on the street they’d be regarded as white men but at the end of the day they were white men with black blood running through their veins. But if you really want to take it there, who doesn't??? That's a whole different story, a whole different blog.


This information really makes no difference to me nor do I feel a sense of pride because none of these Presidents dared to acknowledge the fact or could identify with what it meant or how it felt to be a black man. So in my eyes, if Barack wins this election I will refer to him as the first Black President. But according to this article, he wouldn’t be the 1st but the 6th. There you have it.

"The radio is off now; it's time for some REAL music!"

I'm starting to get a tired of people saying "Hip-Hop is dead!" as if they're uttering something so profound that it needs to be felt. I understand where Nas was coming from because the Hip-Hop he was raised on and that he and his counterparts provided to the masses over the years was dwindling in front of his eyes. However the way I see it, what I know to be Hip-Hop, is not dead at all. In fact it is very much alive and imperishable! The problem is that over the years people have made the fatal mistake of associating a lot of the bullsh*t that spins 100 times a day on the radio or most of the tracks that bump in the clubs as Hip-Hop when it's not. It's border line blasphemous if you ask me. Much respect to the conforming artists out there doing what they feel they have to do to survive. I can’t knock their hustle, but let’s not get it twisted. This two step, Sambo bullsh*t is not Hip-Hop. We need to start coming up with an apt label to categorize this genre because it’s straight up offensive to be automatically deemed Hip-Hop just because there’s a hot beat attached to it and a catchy hook.




Anyway the point of this blog was to essentially promote Common’s latest album Finding Forever. If you haven’t already, I implore you to buy his album NOW! The moment I popped it in my soul shook and my faith was restored. Its artists like Common that proves that Hip-Hop is not dead!

A Preacher I am not...

...however as a Christian who is finally investing more time in strengthening her faith, it is my job to share what I'm receiving when I read the Word.

Recently I came across The Beatitudes in the Book of Matthew, which is basically a litany on how to achieve righteousness. And one of the topics that stood out to me the most was the act of forgiveness. In Matthew 6:14-15 it specifically states: "If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Also in Chapter 5 he discusses the need to settle matters with your adversary as quickly as possible.

So after reading that I thought about the growing list of people in my life that I have cut off and shunned over the years because they have done me wrong; from friends that have disrespected me, family that have shown me no love or care to acknowledge my existence, ex's that have shattered my heart, etc. And once upon a time I considered myself a very forgiving person but what I noticed that I was doing was that although I was forgiving people, it was unbeknownst to them. I would say to myself, "I forgive them and will even pray for them from time to time, but I won't go out of my way to reach out to them. If they come to me, I will be here."

After reading this I realize that isn't enough. I need to go out of my way and let these people know that all is forgiven and I'm ready to move forward whether they want to take this walk with me or not. So with that said the process begins. This is going to be tough for some and I know its going to take some time and inner strength in order for this to be achieved, but it needs to be done.

For those that have taken the time to read this I hope that you take a moment to think about the people in your lives that you haven't been able to make amends with for whatever reasons. However justified you feel, just know that what was done to you isn't worth sacrificing the rewards that you will reap for what is essentially a simple act. Don't block your blessings. As sinners we are so quick to drop down on our knees and ask God for forgiveness but we can't do the same for others?

Wipe your plate clean before you bring your sins to God.

The time is NOW!!

All day a part of me was feeling down because I supposed to be in Florida celebrating with my closest friends. However, so consumed with wasting time feeling bad for myself, it distracted me from appreciating the smaller but bigger moments that happened today.

It started off with an unexpected email from one of my best friends just expressing her faith in me and her taking a moment to make me see myself the way that she sees me. I don’t know what it was about that particular email because this is by far not the first time one of my friends have expressed their faith or offered their support but I was instantly touched and something within me turned on.

Of course with the constant distractions in the average day that feeling started to wane but suddenly that fleeting moment was brought back to life when I was visited by another friend of mine this evening. We had such an intriguing conversation and I walked away from it feeling so moved and liberated.

For far too long I have conjured up countless excuses as to why I am not actively pursuing what I feel I am here to do and today made me realize that the TIME IS NOW! I admit that I was a victim of allowing fear control aspects of my life and I know that living life in fear at the end of the day is not living life at all. And now is the time to live by what I claim to know. I know I have a lot to offer. I know that I am talented. I worked on my self confidence over the years so the problem has not been self doubt. It was the fear that what I have to offer won’t be appreciated and the last thing I wanted was to expose my inner self only for it to be done in vain. But I realize now that I have been foolish to think this way. And if in fact I’m able to affect at least one person, I have done my job. All is takes is one person. All it takes is one day. All is takes is one lucid moment. All is takes is faith.

I am so blessed to have the life I live and the friends and family that I have.

I end this post with my best friend’s and one of my favorite quotes by Nelson Mandela:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?" Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Give it your all to be your best self everyday. :)

And she dreams...

I had the most amazing dream last night. The beginning remains vague however I remember that there were a series of events going on and I was with this man; a man that apparently I loved and loved me in return. Suddenly I was on this lawn that stretched out for miles and I was surrounded by hundreds of people. It appeared as though I was at a family reunion although it wasn’t my family, it was his. So there I was in the center of all these beautiful, smiling faces, ranging from infants to Grandparents and the love penetrated to my soul. As soon as I was starting to take it all in, I hear a voice from a microphone saying “It is my honor to introduce you to the love of my life. Please welcome her into your hearts as she has taken her place in mine.” Tears of joy flowed immediately as I was approached by his family in small groups as they introduced themselves and gave me the warmest hugs.

I woke up of course to nothing of the sort however I look forward to one day thinking to myself: “this is exactly like my dream.” :)

Love at first sight.

I can't even begin to count the amount of times people have asked me if I believed in love at first sight. The more logical side of me figures that "love at first sight" is ridiculous and simply a figure of ones imagination. I mean, c'mon, how can someone be "in love" with someone just by looking at them, before investing the time to get to know them? What is your so-called love being based on? Looks? How the lights shines in his eyes?? Give me a break. But at the same time, the more romantic and eternal optimist side of me concludes that "anything can happen" although I had yet to have a personal experience with this notion...not until yesterday.

I was on the Internet and it was there I laid eyes on perfection! Feast your eyes on Fendi's Patent Spy Bag

Ahhh...Immediately my heart skipped a beat, maybe two, tickled with butterflies, smiling from ear to ear...completely overwhelmed with euphoria. Now this is what I call love at first sight! So I figure that if it's possible with an inanimate object than why not with a human being??

hehehe.... ;)

The 2007 Black Face

Apparently BET is running low on ideas to entertain the masses because now it seems as though they are desperate enough to compromise everything we fought so hard to eradicate, for a good laugh. To Hell with the fact that we’re still regarded by many as uncouth, worthless individuals, let us continue to play an active role in cementing these stereotypes into the minds of the masses! Huh?? I am so confused. I was under the impression that BET’s visions was to uplift, empower and educate the black community as well as prove to others that tune in that we’re not a product of the negative perceptions that we have been branded with. Now this show, "Hot Ghetto Mess, which in my opinion is the 2007 Black Face, (both playing a significant role in shaping the perceptions and prejudices about African-Americans) will be aired on July 25th and when that’s all said and done they will wonder why people feel the way that they do or say the things that they say. I don’t mean to come off as someone who doesn’t have a sense of humor or takes things too seriously but damn, when are we going to start taking responsibility? Conveniently AFTER the damage is done?? It’s ridiculous & offensive, straight up.

No pilot has been released so I’m not certain what direction this show is leaning towards but I’m hoping that it’s more towards a “what NOT to do…” as opposed to simply exposing this lifestyle and poking fun at it. *shaking my head in disgust*

A Perfect Love

America’s frantic search to find “perfect love” has grown uncontrollable over the years, and in this day and age the outlets that are available to us are endless. From Reality TV Shows, Internet Dating Services, etc., one has every reason to feel hopeful on their quest. However, the question is, does a “perfect love” exist?? Here we are practically killing ourselves and going for blood for something that may not be humanly possible to attain.

I suppose it depends on how one defines a perfect love. I think that we have the tendency to use the phrase loosely although in my opinion; the word “perfect” is very subjective.
One can regard a perfect love as a love that is unconditional, untainted and pure, a love that is unwavering and unflawed. But realists, like me, know that this dangerous way of thinking is a dream deferred and people who carry on with these standards are only seeking an inevitable disappointment. The truth is the beauty of a perfect love is one that is far from perfect and yet still able to grow and prevail.

However I have come up with a solution for those that feel that they can beat the odds. Those that truly believe the unattainable is in fact attainable! The catch is that there are a few things that you have to be willing to let go of in order for this to be achieved:

1. Chuck those Princess Wedding dreams out the window: If you want that type of perfect love you can’t get married.

2. The nature to care about what others say about you: My suggestion might have the nosey neighbors calling you outside of your name but you’ll get no where if you allow negative criticism deter you from your dream.

3. Clinginess: You can’t get attached to anyone. You have to know when it’s time to let go and move forward without looking back. EVER!

Take a moment to reflect on relationships in your past and think about the time you were happiest? Normally it’s the first 3 months of each relationship, right? It’s during that time that you have butterflies; your cheeks hurt so much from smiling all the time, you simply feel happy to be alive! It is also during this time the men normally go above and beyond to win your graces with their thoughtfulness and charm…basically it is during this time that you meet their representative and not the real man that you’re dating…lol.

Well, eventually the novelty wanes and what started off as perfect, isn’t so perfect after all. So with that said, for those that want a perfect love here’s what I suggest: during the span of each year, date a new man every 3 months (1 per season) that way, you can achieve what I consider to be “perfect love,” (according to the unrealistic standards). Don’t be so quick to dismiss this idea. If one can find complacency with never settling down with one person in order to enjoy perfect loves throughout their lifetime then why not?? Yeah you might break hearts along the way when you disappear, so to relieve yourself of the anguish of knowing that you hurt someone, make sure to send a thank you note as a small token of your appreciation. ;)

In case you didn’t notice this post is sarcastic. I’m just being silly

Roboho? Streetwalker chic?

Last week there was a lot of controversy regarding TMZ's comment describing Beyonce's outfit for her performance at the BET awards, as "roboho". TMZ posted the following comments:

"...From Beyonce's roboho performance getup to Eve's streetwalker chic, check out why it's time these artists hired new stylists and put the hip back into hip-hop!...

And since then blogger, Jasmyn Cannick has voiced her disapproval to anyone regarding women as "ho's" and I agree.

Although my ignorance tends to get the best of me at times, I honestly don't feel any woman should be called a “ho”, whether anyone feels justified or not. And with that said I'm going to work harder to stop using that word. But when you hear people getting referred as such when they have done nothing to deserve it, it gets me upset, White or Black. Obviously I'm going to be susceptible when it comes to black women being labeled as "ho’s” because this is just another demeaning attribute to add to the heaps that we have been subjected to and forced to endure.

I had this discussion with a best friend of mine and she felt that this particular situation wasn't worthy enough to raise hell over, as opposed to the Imus situation, only because TMZ is a gossip site and they can say what they want. It's convenient to look at this with a black and white perspective and just brush this off as a columnist doing what they do but we, specifically black women, can't always sit back and ignore the bigger picture. I feel that this should be addressed just as aggressively as the Imus situation only because I am looking at the long-term damages labeling has done to us over the years and there comes a point in time where we need to voice our displeasures and demand change. Why shouldn't this receive the same attention? The indemnities that it can cause are just the same, especially to their readers that are at a precarious age. They read this article and see two women that that they admire and making positive strides in the industry being referred to as "ho's" and "streetwalkers"...although TMZ referred to their attire as such, what does it say about the woman wearing it? The implications are there regardless...they may start to think that when they grow up to become respectable young women, it won't matter, they’ll still be “ho’s”, so why bother?

Just take a look at what an article like this elicited from its readers:

"Black people are idiots Black people can't dress A few of them are hot (ie. Rhianna) Most are not (ie. HIV-infected Bayonce) Black people: understand this: The more you complain about whites hating blacks, the less you will amount to in your lives. Can you honestly find ANY successful black people in the world? I can't. Why? They all complain. The Japanese were slaves too at once point. Want to know why they are some of the richest people in the world? They don't dwell on the past. So listen up you little oil rags: SHUT UP."---JEFF

"YOU "AFRICAN AMERICANS" CAN JUDGE WHITE PEOPLE BUT WE CANNOT EVEN SAY A WORD ABOUT YOU. YOUR REPRESENTING REVERSE RACISM AND THATS PATHETIC. DON'T TALK ABOUT THIS SLAVERY !@?#$ EITHER BECAUSE YOUR MOTHERLAND SOLD YOUR PEOPLE TO US. YOUR IN A FREE COUNTRY THAT WAS FOUNDED BY WHITE PEOPLE...YOUR LUCKY TO BE IN THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE YOU COULD BE LIVING BACK IN ETHIOPIA. NOT ONLY THAT BUT THE MAJORITY PEOPLE SUCKING THE WELFARE, MEDICAID AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS IN THIS COUNTRY SUCH AS FOOD STAMPS ARE AFRICAN AMERICANS!!! AT LEAST THE WET BACKS THAT COME FROM MEXICO KNOW HOW TO WORK THEIR ASS OF FOR THE FREEDOM THEY'RE STARVING FOR. ALL YOU PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO DO (FOR THE MOST PART) IS BITCH, WHINE, POP OUT KIDS AND SHOOT EACH OTHER. YEA....I PLAYED THE RACISM ROLE, BECAUSE YOUR DOING THE SAME F**KING THING. SO KISS MY WHITE #$!@?" ---WHITEGIRL

I'm not even going to comment on this ignorance but can you see what I'm saying? These are just examples of the damages an article such as this can (will) cause. And although TMZ does have a right to say what they want we have a right to react and disapprove.

And the best dressed goes to...

Beyonce-killin' em in the Dolce & Gabanna

Eva Pigford- loving this look!

Solange-this one was a shocker because normally she looks a hot mess. I am so proud.

Rihanna-it's still hard for me to believe that this is the same Pon De Replay Rihanna.

Amerie-Not surprised she usually comes correct.

50 Cent- I don't know what it is but he was looking extra sexxy that night. I almost died when he stepped on the stage with the wifebeater on

Chris Brown-looking oh soo funky fresh!! Lovin' this look...too cute.

***Close but not quite***

Kelly Rowland-I loved this dress until I saw what was going on at the bottom. I'm not a big fan of whatever that is...

Ciara-Cute dress, just not on her. Something is off, I'm sorry.

I don't know what it is but....

...something doesn't sit right with me when it comes to Jennifer Hudson. Don't get me wrong, vocally, I feel that she's phenomenal but every time she gets up on that podium and begins her acceptance speech, I get this urge to scream "WE DON'T BELIEVE YOU"!!!

I feel she tries to come off humble but it's so contrived.

I see right through it and I don't like it one bit!

Snooze Alert!!!

Sooo, last night was the 7th Annual BET Awards and it was incredibly disappointing to say the least.

***The Pre-show: I was completely bored. Next...***

The award show opens up with an amazing performance by Jennifer Hudson and the one and only Jennifer Holiday singing "And I'm Telling You, I'm Not Going." Although I probably wouldn't have chosen to open the show with a ballad but whatever, it was still hot and one of the best performances of the night.

Monique and her girls hit the stage doing the damn thing, proving, yet again, that big girls can move just like skinny b*tches...I'm not mad...lol. This time they performed to Beyonce's-Deja Vu and ripped the stage. I love the way Monique celebrates her beauty and the beauty of black women of all shapes and sizes.

After the first award was presented I should have known better to have high expectations after the winner was announced. The first award of the night was Video of the Year and Gnarls Barkley-Crazy, Beyonce-Irreplaceable, Ciara-Like a Boy & I believe Akon feat. Snoop Dogg-I Wanna Love You were the nominees. The Winner: Beyonce-Irreplacable.

I was soo pissed because there was nothing special or creative about that video. Yes, the song is Hot! but Video of the Year? C'mon. And of course if anyone has anything to say about Beyonce, you're automatically deemed a hater but let's get serious for a second. Gnarls Barkley or Ciara should've taken that one home.

After that nonsense I was completely turned off and THOUGHT that it couldn't get worse. Boy was I wrong...

Best Actress went to Jennifer Hudson but it should've went to Chandra Wilson who plays Miranda Bailey on Grey's Anatomy.

Best Collaboration went to Luda feat. Mary-Runaway Love. Ok I get it, it's actually a song with lyrical content however I felt that Beyonce feat. Jay-Z-Upgrade You should've won that one.

Now....here's when it flat-lined...Best NEW ARTIST: Jennifer Hudson???!!! WTF??? The chick doesn't even have an album, let alone a single..why the HELL was she nominated to begin with? I guess they figured since she was nominated and won the Academy for Best Supporting Actress when she was in fact the Leading Actress in Dreamgirls, they felt they could get away with it....boooo...Corinne Bailey Rae was completely robbed.

***onto the highlights***

The heartfelt tribute to the late great Gerald Levert is the main reason why I can't trash this entire award show. Miss Patti Labelle's introduction was emotional enough but I was in tears when I heard Eddie Levert start to sing the roasts of all roasts "Wind Beneath My Wings." Glady's Knight, Yolanda Adams and Patti Labelle joined him on stage and it was incredible!

I was disappointed to see that there were a few people in the audience sitting throughout the performance. The nerve!

Beyonce's performance was good of course but there was no element of surprise. She did what was expected of her and that's wack. I was disappointed with Kelly's performance. She should've came stronger than that. I'm not sure if it was her or whether her mic wasn't functioning properly because I could barely hear her and as a result she sounded nervous. I hope it was the latter because with all of those years of experience there is really no excuse.

Don Cheadle's acceptance speech was one to remember as well. He personifies humble in it's purest form and I respect that about him. I respect him period. In my opinion he's beginning to fill the BIG shoes of Sidney Poitier.

The Diana Ross Tribute was amazing as well. I was too happy to see Erkyah Badu on stage doing what she does best. I loved it.

And last but certainly not least, seeing Public Enemy on stage for their tribute to James Brown was a classic performance. There couldn't have been a better way to close the show. They had everyone in attendance as well as the viewers at home feeling Black & Proud. Loved it!

Someone shoot me PLEASE!!!

I love music! Anyone who knows me, knows this about me. So when I hear bullsh*t on the radio it really gets to me. It's been forever since I devoted much of my time to listening to the radio because I got tired of the poison that was ringing in my ears but on my way to work I tune into Elvis Duran & the zMorning Zoo because it's hilarious or the Steve Harvy Show on WBLS. I can't stand Miss Jones so I don't bother with Hot97.
Anyway so lately, z100 has been playing a lot of hot mess and I just have to put it out there.

The Top 5 wack tracks out right now:

1.Fergie-Big Girls Don't Cry
Having to type that just made me nauseous. Bestfriend swears that this song will grow on me the way Rihanna's-Umbrella did but I highly doubt it. It's been two months and my position only stands stronger, I'm sorry. And I enjoyed Fergalicious and Glamourous, so it's really nothing personal. I just feel that she should've stuck to that formula instead of trying to smooth it out with that lame excuse for a ballad. The lyrics are lacking, seriously. I think that one line "...I'm gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket..." and her struggle to hit those notes throughout the song, sealed the deal for me. ugh!

2. Kelly Clarkson-Never Again
This one was disappointing because I absolutely loved her last album, Breakaway, so when I heard that she had a new single out I was excited....only to free fall into a pool of disgust! Her futile attempt to create another hit like Since You've Been Gone, was embarrassing. I get that she wanted more creative freedom on this album but not on our expense, geez. She should've listened to Clive Davis's advice on this one.

3.Enrique Iglesias-Do you know? (The Ping Pong Song)
No comment

4.Elliot Yamin-Wait for you
Although vocally the song is good but it's just soooo cheesy!!!

5. Shakira & Beyonce-Beautiful Liar
Two artists that I love come together to make a track so I thought that it was safe to assume that it was going to be a hit...sike! I cannot stand this song. I personally feel that the video or the fact that its Beyonce & Shakira, is keeping this song in rotation but whatever. ugh! absolutely hate it!

After 43 years, justice is served!!

A jury on Thursday convicted reputed Klansman James Ford Seale of kidnapping and conspiracy in the 1964 deaths of two black teenagers in southwest Mississippi, grisly drownings that went unpunished before federal prosecutors re-examined the forgotten case.

Seale, 71, faces life in prison in the deaths of Charles Eddie Moore and Henry Hezekiah Dee. The 19-year-olds disappeared from Franklin County on May 2, 1964, and their bodies were found later in the Mississippi River.

Edwards testified that he and Seale belonged to the same Klan chapter, or "klavern," that was led by Seale's father. Seale has denied he belonged to the Klan.

Edwards testified that Dee and Moore were stuffed, alive, into the trunk of Seale's Volkswagen and driven to a farm. They were later tied up and driven across the Mississippi River into Louisiana, Edwards said, and Seale told him that Dee and Moore were attached to heavy weights and dumped alive into the river.

The killings of Moore and Dee are among several decades-old civil rights cases reopened by federal investigators. In February, federal officials announced they were reopening investigations into about a dozen such cases.-CNN

It's sad that it took so long for justice to be served for this appalling and reprehensible act of violence and hate. 43 years ago this poor excuse of a man was 28 years old. He had his freedom and had the opportunity to live a long, fruitful life and now at 71 he's finally being sent to jail for life...in other words judging by his appearance, life in prison will probably be 5 years. It's a shame. And what also remains unsettling is the fact that he was convicted of kidnapping and conspiracy but not murder?? Since they held Edwards testimony as truth then the fact that Seale attached the young boys to heavy weights and dumped them in the river should also be held at the same regard.

I'm not too mad though because I recognize that there is a Higher Power and justice in that aspect WILL be served! I'm also grateful that cases simliar to these are being reopened and if the sons of b*tches are still alive to be prosecuted, they will be.

A New Yorker at Heart, with an Island Soul

Allow me to take a moment to acknowledge my roots and celebrate the beauty of Haiti and those that represent it. For many years now, Haiti has become synonymous with the brutal violence and utter chaos that has swept the same island that was the first independent black republic and the only nation ever to form from a successful slave rebellion. Although I stand proud of the history, it’s heartbreaking to witness what’s going on today.

Thinking about it makes me too sad so let’s move on…

I received an email about a month ago about different people that have Haitian lineage and went on to do some research to see if it was true. I thought it would be nice to share since I am sure that many people aren’t aware of some of the contributions Haitians have made to the world. This by no means validates who I am or what I represent but I can’t deny that it feels good to simply know. Although the information that you find on the internet isn't 100% valid, I made sure to search on reliable websites...so if they're wrong then oh well...



My personal favorite, Sidney Poitier-Academy Award Winning Actor


According to Wikipedia Sidney's father was Bahamian of Haitian descent.

Gary Dourdan (real name Gary Durdin)-Actor (currently on CSI)

Garcelle Beauvais-Actress- best known for her supporting role on The Jaime Foxx Show



Jimmy Jean Louis-Actor-best known for his role on the show Heroes



Gabriel Casseus-Actor -appeared on Grey's Anatomy, CSI, Law & Order etc.



Vanessa A. Williams-Actress-best known for her role on the show Soul Food




W.E.B. Du Bois- civil rights activist, leader, Pan-Africanist, sociologist, educator, historian, writer, editor, poet, and scholar.

Michaëlle Jean-Governor General of Canada


(This one was a shocker)-Alexandre Dumas-world renowned French writer *ex. of his work include The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers, and The Man in the Iron Mask

According to Wikipedia his grandmother was Haitian.

Marie-Anna Murat-first journalist of Haitian origin to anchor a French language national newscast in Canada

Raoul Peck-Director/political activist- best known for directing the film Sometimes in April


Arnold Antonin-Director/Producer-Most heralded work are Courage of Women & The President has AIDS?

Marie Clotilde "Toto" Bissainthe-Singer/Actress/Songwriter-composer- as well as one of the founding members of the first African dramatic company in Paris.


Tyrone Edmond-model

Ben Quddus Philippe-MTV VJ


Yves Mondesir- better known as DJ Whoo Kid

Marvin Bernard-(better known as Tony Yayo)-Rapper/G-Unit member


Wyclef Jean-rapper/producer-member of The Fugees


Pras Michel--member of the Fugees


Usher Raymond-R&B singer/actor


Earl Simmons- better known as DMX-Rapper


Maurice Young-better known as Trick Daddy-Rapper


Samuel Dalembert-NBA Player

Joelle Jean-Fontaine-rising fashion designer-founder of Kreyol (boutique label)