Shoutout♥

to the people who feed off drama. So much so, that if there is no real drama going on...they'll actually go so far as to make some/seek some out. Really? It'll never in life be that serious. 

to the white people who walk their kids in the mall...on leashes. RETRACTABLE leashes. Pink retractable leashes... I was flabbergasted when I saw that ish...little girl goes runnin. Leash freezes. Little girl falls FLAT on her pull-up padded ass. SMH.

to the people who are STILL FBing and talking about the BET awards. Yours truly did not watch them, and has no intention of doing so. Over it!

to B.ossip...try as I do, I just can't seem to stay away....

to Summertime Funk. And no, this isn't some new genre of music...I'm referring to those {particularly femmes} who don't realize that going without showers/baths, and the appropriate subsequent toiletries {deodorant, spray, perfume, etc} isn't EVER cool...but when it's 80+ degrees each day...the sh.t is just TOTALLY unacceptable. Fix it.

to the dude who approached me at the mall as I was shopping the other day. Reeking of liquor. At 6-ish in the evening. First of all, why are you wasted this early? Second, why are you wasting said wastedness on a trip to the mall lol? The guy had the nerve to be cute, too {not that it'd matter to me} but his err... condition...eliminated ALL possible cool points. SMH.

to the homeless man who's ass I wanted to kick the other day. Because of his pitiful little face, the sapp in front of me at a stoplight decided {at the last second} that she just HAD to get out of the car and put some money into the damn cup. Almost making me miss my light. 

to The-Dream...for sounding eXACTLY the same in every single song, remix, feature, etc.

to Adam Rodriguez...just because I was watching CSI:Miami earlier, and thought his gorgeousness was worth mentioning. 

x0x0 ♥

The Cookout.♥

My blog is usually all about me. I don't have a media-based blog, so I don't sit around regurgitating crap that I see on other blogs everyday...however, every once in awhile I'll read or hear about something that I can't help but to address. That being said, I'm sure we've all heard about the "Compton Cookout" fiasco in Cali. If not, crawl from under your rock and g00gle it. 
I talked to a group of friends and classmates about this, and we tried to have an open discussion, where everyone of every color could actually speak their truth regarding racism... I imagine there's some margin of error in there, because some people still don't like to say how they really feel about other races. Whatever. Shame, being non-confrontational, or whatever their reason...we're living in America in 2010. Everyone knows about racial stereotypes. The only difference among us is that there are those who live their lives believing the stereotypes and generalizing them to an entire race of people, there are those within those races who perpetuate the stereotypes, there are those who make it their business NOT to perpetuate the stereotype, and there are those who fall in between categories. 
That being said, I was upset with this story. Upset enough to shake my head about it and want to discuss it with peers. We all agreed that, offensive or not, these stereotypes are what many people think of when they see Black People. We live in a time when media basically runs the world. People believe what they see/hear. It's human nature. So if this is the 'Us' that people are constantly shown, why should we expect anything more from them? I'm not taking either side on the issue, and that's where some people get upset. I'm not going to stand up and say "Black people don't act like that!" because the fact of the matter is many of our people do! If you can't or won't do better, or are comfortable living the way you live, who are you to complain? Do I think it's stupid? Yes. Do I think it's fair that people think this represents Black people as a whole? No. But the fact of the matter is, we perpetuate these things and make fun of ourselves as well as other races ALL the time. Why are we surprised that non-Black people do the same? When we watch parodies such as Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinkin' Your Juice in the Hood, we sit and laugh our asses off. It's all in fun. You think Black people are the only ones who've watched the movie? Or music videos that we continue to support, when they all look like they're literally made from a checklist consisting of Bling, Alcohol, T&A, and Cars? We can say all day that people discriminate against Blacks in the media, but I've seen people I know who refuse to watch shows by/about educated, striving-for-excellence Black people. They call things like that "boring", or "lame". Back when BET aired their reality show Harlem Heights, many people didn't bother to support it. Reactions varied between "Ugh, they're so bougie" and "I love them! Finally someone is making us look good!" I personally loved the series. Simply seeing our people in a different light, and on something other than 106th & Park or COPS can make a world of difference...for ourselves as well as other races in the world. People can't accurately critique what they don't understand or know. A lot of people, especially White people, don't grow up around us. Blame that on our segregated country and economy. Many of them don't go to school with us everyday, or interact closely with us on the regular. I've met people in my predominantly White college who'd never met a Black person "in real life" until they arrived at college. What other prototype do they have to go on? I don't say all this to excuse racist acts, because pointing out one wrong thing in relation to another wrong thing doesn't make that original wrong thing justified. I'm just saying that our portrayal, in the media and otherwise, matters. So support things that represent the other aspects of us. We call one another "bougie" or "ghetto" in a heartbeat, and for some, there is no gray area. These two extremes are usually what TV portrays. If we can't agree on what is accepted within our race, how do we combat the discrimination against it? Are we more upset with the stereotypes, or with the fact that someone else is pointing them out?
I will agree with the fact that this entire incident was effed up. I've heard White students argue that "People have White Trash parties all the time, and no one gets offended". I don't know how yall feel about that statement, but as far as I'm concerned, the problem isn't only the outcome of things like this. It's the lack of diversity and sensitivity to ALL parts of the human race. Simply put, our society is desensitized to racism. Some schools have courses on diversity. I think all schools should. Not just colleges and universities, but ALL schools. Why? Because we live in a world filled with different groups of people. Children who aren't taught diversity grow up into adults who remain ignorant to diversity. Hate and racism are direct results of ignorance. We hate what we don't know or understand. Yes, history has shown us some ugly things, but instead of raising more and more generations of hate, why not fight for tolerance? I went to a Diversity Week event on my campus last school year. There was a whopping THIRTY people in attendance. Not to mention the fact that this week was designated to diversity. What about the other weeks of the year? I believe racism and intolerance are learned behaviors. When we start actually talking to one another and knowing the FACTS, and how they differ from STEREOTYPES, maybe our society will develop some type of hope.
x0x0♥

On the Road Again...♥

Today I went out with my best friend to set up her baby registries. She's having a little boy in March...It's still weird to me. This is the closest I've been to someone during pregnancy...I grew up in the 'hood and half the girls my age were pregnant while we were in middle school. As far as I was concerned, pregnancy was contagious and my mama wasn't raising nobody's babies! I didn't want any parts of that! So it's still kinda weird to me every time I see my bestie. I keep saying, "Oh my gosh, there's a human in there" lol.
On our way to one of the stores, we took the expressway but there must have been an accident or something up ahead because traffic was backed up. So my bestie (who was driving) decided to get off at the next exit. As we're getting off, a semi is behind us and he blows his horn at her. We're on the exit ramp, first of all, so who the F does he think he's rushing? Second of all, the traffic is literally moving between 0 and 5 mph. Again, who the F is he rushing?? So he blows again. What does my bestie do? She blows back. Over and over. And over. We got massive amounts of WTF stares. Lol. So by now we're pulling into a red light at the end of the exit ramp. Semi pulls up in the lane on our right, and clearly I flipped him off. Do you know this creep stopped his big ol' truck and hopped out (well not out, but hanging off that bar thing they hold on to to get into the truck) and points at us and yells "YOU GOT A PROBLEM????" 
....
.........
.............
My bestie and I simultaneously BUSTED out laughing at him, in his face. Loudly. Haha. You're mad, huh?
He got back in his lil' truck and rode off. All 5 feet of him. And his baggy overalls. Bwahahaha.


x0x0♥

Oh, No He Didn't!! ♥

So on Saturday nights, I go to this open mic thing called The Listening, and it's held in a lounge which is right next door to a tavern/bar/White people mecca. So as I'm leaving tonight, I walk past 3 White guys standing out front smoking, and I give a little polite smile since they were looking. All of a sudden I hear the one closest to me say, "She's a big girl"..
*Pause. Let me just state that, for the record, this statement did not piss me off. I'm a size 18, and I love me, and my man loves me, and plenty of other people (some who I don't even want to love me lol) and I'm one of those girls who honestly believes she's gorgeous, and no one can tell me anything to the contrary! Lol!*
Then another one responds, "Yeah, aren't they all?"....
Freeze. 
No, literally, I stopped in my tracks.
I turned around and, my Mama would come back to life and kill me if she knew I'd popped fly on a sidewalk full of half drunk White men on a Saturday night while walking alone but...I had to say something. I had to...
So I turn around and said, "Excuse you?" and they just looked at me with these stupid grins on their faces. So the one who called me a big girl takes a drag of nicotine and says, "Is there a problem?"... really?
So I told him, "Yeah, the problem is racist ass White people like you who need to learn how to keep your stereotypes to yourself, especially when I work in a store that sells clothes to more White women than a little bit, the majority of which are teetering on obesity while you're sitting here talking about Black women are all big!" and the guys were just looking at me all stupid. Then the guy threw his cigarette down and I just knew he was gonna try something but then he apologized. Yeah, he said "I'm sorry, ma'am, we were just f*cking around, we didn't mean anything by it"...and I was getting ready to walk away when the same racist a-hole who made the "Aren't they all?" comment decided to throw in another two cents. He asked me, "What the hell clothing store do you work in??" then he laughed. My response? "Go home and ask your fat ass mama, I'm sure she's one of our frequent shoppers."
Don't play me. I'm not the one. 
x0x0♥

The Blame Game.♥

I’m from Cleveland, Ohio and I’m sure many or most of you have read about the serial killer who is so disgusting that I don’t even want to type his name in this post. As we speak, I’m on FB chatting with a buddy about what a shame it is...but my question is where was the outcry when the women initially went missing? I mean, the bodies recovered from the house are decomposed…meaning these women had been missing for some time. I’m not criticizing or accusing but if this is your family that you love so much, keep up with them. I’ve read that all these murder victims were also victims of drug addiction. This does not, in any way, take away from the value placed on their lives. It shouldn't. No matter what race or class, we all have someone in our family who is or has struggled with drugs. Does this mean we just leave them out there at the hands of killers like this? Pay no attention to the fact that you haven’t heard from them in days, weeks, months, or years?? When they go missing, raise hell UNTIL a body (dead or alive) is recovered. Not just AFTER the body is found and identified as your relative. These women are someone’s daughter, someone’s sibling, someone’s cousin, aunt, and perhaps even someone’s mother. Where are the search parties? The news stories? The newspaper articles? The Facebook and Myspace groups? The fliers?


There's so much to this story that it's mind-boggling, but when it's all said and done, realize that there are usually warning signs. More often than not. This isn't a charming, clean-cut, Ted Bundy type of killer. This man served 15 years in prison for violent crime. He was a registered sex offender. What guidelines for sex offenders were in place? When a sex offender moves into a neighborhood, is he/she just left there to do what they please? Why aren't their homes inspected? According to another article, as a sex offender, the guy was required to check in with deputies every so often, but all they did is come to his doorstep to verify that he lived there! Questions: Why the HECK are you stopping at the doorstep?? His home should have been searched top to bottom each time a check was conducted. According to the sex offender law, they can't search the homes of registered sex offenders without cause. That's BS, if you ask me. I don't really give two craps about the privacy rights of a registered sex offender. They shouldn't have any. He could have had women bound and gagged inside the home when the deputies visited. How would they know? Also, if deputies checked the home every few months, and the stench of decomposition had been lingering for years, how did deputies not notice? Most people haven't experienced the stench of a decomposed body, but it's very distinct. Even if a civilian can mistake decomp as stench from the sausage shop on the corner, I doubt a law enforcement officer should be mistaking it. It seems to me that more could have been done a long time ago...


I’ve also heard a lot of comments about their being a racial issue involved. Everybody contends that “If it were another lil’ white girl missing, the media would be all over it”…
Here’s the thing: STOP placing blame everywhere else. First of all, it’s unnecessary. Second of all, step back and look at the situation for what it REALLY is. A lot of Black people let that “White missing girls get more media attention” mentality hinder the work they actually put in to find their loved ones! Don’t sit there and think the media is just going to KNOW your family member is missing! The media can’t KNOW the lil’ white girls are missing unless their families go to authorities and such, in efforts to locate them. Maybe it is a racial thing, because guess what? Perhaps more white people go to the media and MAKE people aware that there is a problem, and that someone is missing. The rest of you sit around criticizing the media and assuming they don’t care, but then don’t even try to approach them to get the word out. Media employees are not psychic. They get stories that are brought to them, or stories that people are making noise about. So for God’s sake, make some freakin’ noise!!!
x0x0♥

I'm Curious...

as to why, for the life of me, Lady GaGa never has on any clothes??? I don't want to see your little pale bones in a sack walking around! Ugh. It's like that Rock of Love chick Megan all over again, with a side of lace and fishnet. iCan't...

Happy Friday, y'all
x0x0♥

The Best Love Letter I've Ever Read...♥

The video below pretty much speaks for itself, but for those who just don’t get it, this artist, Jasiri X, is dedicating this piece to Debra Lee, the current CEO of Black Entertainment Television. Jasiri X is ON POINT, if you’re into the whole truth-speaking, consciously lyrical thing. If you aren’t, you need to wake up.
Listen to the track. Support the artist. He embodies what real hip-hop was and still is, no matter how miniscule the mainstream attention is. Here's his YouTube. Google him. Whatever you need to do... You won't regret checking him out!


We spend so much time listening to what we’re TOLD is “hot”, instead of listening to real music and deciding for ourselves. I touched on the issue of conscious hip-hop artists not selling in a previous post, and this is why. It’s hard to hear what’s real in a world run by white corporate men who make their living off of making Black people look like damn fools on a network that’s supposed to uplift us and celebrate our culture. White men who stick a few token Black faces on their payroll but still remain behind the scenes making all the decisions that affect what we see on TV everyday (if you choose to watch the foolishness). I mean honestly, have you ever thought about the limited images of us that are presented on television? We can argue all day long that there are images of white people on TV that are pretty disgusting, but does that correlate with the number of hot-mess images of black people on TV? No. Especially when you can count on one hand the networks that actually represent us as a whole... and the images we put out are the Frankies, Neffies, and such... I know those are supposed to be representative of "real" Black people, but gosh...We could do and be so much more… yet we’re limited to what puts the most money into the pockets of certain people. Unfortunately, modern day shucking and jiving are the cash cow these people are banking on, and even more unfortunate is the fact that we’ve been too brainwashed to even want to see it.  Even the Black faces who have the power to change things seem to be content with these representations of our people, and there you have the above video dedicated to the lovely Ms. Lee.
We’ve bred a whole new generation of kids who don’t see anything past the surface, because that’s all today’s media shows them. Champagne-sipping, booty-shaking, money-tossing niggas, bitches, and hoes.
So who’s to blame? The networks for airing it? The artists for making it? Or the viewers for not knowing any better?…
x0x0♥

We Need a Resolution...♥

I’m taking a History of Jazz course this semester, and my professor is actually a famous jazz musician, Professor Jon Hendricks. It’s so interesting to hear the events of this genre’s history from a first-hand source, rather than simply reading about it from a textbook…I think it's an honor, because it must be hard to attempt giving knowledge to the blissfully ignorant...
I’ve become increasingly disturbed and, quite frankly, disgusted by some of the behaviors of my classmates. I attend a predominantly White university, and the majority of my class is made up of White students. My professor is a Black man who served in the US Army during World War II, at a time when Blacks had never been treated as humans in America. That is, until they arrived overseas. This professor shares his personal memories and experiences with our class, and it makes me so angry that as soon as he begins touching the issue of the racism America carries to this very day, there are students who are so disrespectful that they’ll get up in the middle of Professor Hendricks’ lectures and leave the class. I mean, I thought maybe the first time it happened that there was a coincidence, that maybe they all had to get to another class for an exam or something…it’s college. Who knows. But when it happened again during a documentary on Professor Hendricks that our class was watching, then again today…well, let’s just say that’s a lot of coincidence.

The question the professor was responding to dealt with why so many European countries and cultures have respect and admiration for jazz music, but Americans don’t. Jazz is an American art form…something that southern African-Americans brought to this culture. Yet, because of the hatred and refusal to accept that something this beautiful could come from a bunch of n*ggers, America can’t even appreciate the art of jazz. It’s really sad. This is all my professor tried to explain, and we’ve got ignorant people who can’t even bear to listen to what the real deal is about this country. We’re a nation built on hate and discrimination. It’s part of history. Ignoring it, putting your fingers in your ear and singing “Lalalalalalala” isn’t going to make that fact go away! We’re the only nation that has virtually NO culture, and the little culture we do have gets rejected because the very people who were forcefully brought over here came up with a way to express themselves culturally… We’d rather imitate other cultures and try to assimilate them into our lives, than to acknowledge what was created on our own soil….SMH.
x0x0♥

Bitches & Sisters (continued)♥

Artists quickly defend criticism of hip-hop, stating that it’s strictly for entertainment, and I agree. When people discovered they could make money off of hip-hop, the commercialization changed a lot of aspects for the worst. Few “artists” really make music for the sake of expressing emotion and thoughts anymore. Even aspiring rappers interviewed in Byron Hurt’s documentary pointed out that the reason so few artists make what we call 'conscious hip-hop' music is because no one buys it. Of course, there are people who purchase the works of Common, Talib Kweli, and the like...but commercially promoted artists sell much more. All this speaks to the financial security that the Black man has been stripped of since arriving in America, and has been fighting to regain ever since.
The almighty dollar is the bait, and it’s being taken hook, line, and sinker due to the “by any means necessary” mentality that is running rampant in the industry. The crazy part is that you can’t even place blame for this phenomenon. Yes, artists make the music. Yes, higher-up businesspeople run the financial and commercial aspects. Yes, we as consumers purchase the music. No one particular group is to blame…and the problem is that everyone wants someone to blame.
For awhile now, White people have pointed the finger at hip-hop for some of the negative aspects of today’s world. As if violence, drugs, and misogyny only exist within the walls of hip-hop. What’s funny is that today, their (White) children are the main ones purchasing hip-hop music. The same music that Mommy and Daddy are criticizing is blasting through their children’s earbuds everyday…tsk tsk…
x0x0...because despite all the B.S., I Still Lover H.E.R.♥

If Loooving You is Wrong....♥

It honestly doesn't surprise me that in 2009 a judge would have the audacity to deny a couple  their marriage license all because they are of different racial backgrounds. I don't know what's a bigger shame, the fact that these things are still happening, or the fact that it's not surprising.
What disgusts me even more is the reasoning for the judge's supposed choice not to marry these couples (yes, there have been more than one. We're just now hearing about it!). He claims that he's not a racist, yet he "doesn't believe in mixing the races 'that way'", and that he's doing it for the sake of any children the couple may have..... can I get a collective, loud-ass "WTF"? Really? To me, this is about as racist as this situation could get without burning crosses and the inevitable N-bomb. SmH...I can't even take it.
Interracial couples do not bother me. I won't lie, I've caught myself doing a double take on occasion, but after that glance is over, I continue with the rest of my life. My air isn't contaminated. The world doesn't stop spinning...I don't understand the fascination with people trying to run others' lives...How is an interracial couple harming you? Are you going to start melting or hyperventilating if they reproduce? I mean, honestly, I think that people give this matter way more attention than it needs. If you're still ignant (yes, I said ignant. Not ignorant.) enough to be that disturbed by interracial dating in America (the home of people mixed with every damn thing) in the year 2009....I can't help you. When a Black man dates outside the race, the outcry of neck-popping, eye-rolling, sistah-isms are in full effect. That's another one of 'our' men that 'they've' taken. My issue is, half of you probably wouldn't want that man if he did approach you! You'd throw more shade than a little bit! So what are you mad for? I think that we need to let it GO. Just move on. You getting angry and popping that neck is only going to perpetuate the very stereotype that a lot of Black men are trying to get away from when they date women of other races! If a person finds love, no matter what package it's wrapped in, I'm happy for them. The world needs more love and ish.
I think our loyalty to the Black man is stronger than we'd like admit. Some Black women who have dated White men say that these men treat them like some exotic trophy, and cherish them the way they wish Black men would. Even after finding happiness with a man of another race, some women still hold on to that desire for a good Black man to come sweep them off their feet...
For those who are actually looking to stay within our race, it's hard to find happiness because we don't understand each other. We go into relationships with misconceptions of one another, baggage from past relationships, and stereotypical biases that may very well have been reinforced during our romantic lives thus far. You can't trust what you don't understand, and you can't love unconditionally without some level of trust. There's a big disconnect, and until we find it, Black love is going to go further and further down the drain. We need to learn to just talk to one another. Get to know each other, and stop putting up fronts according to what we think the other will like. Why do you think so many people say (upon breaking up) that "everything started off cool and then..."? You don't really know that person until a few encounters after the first date. That's when the REAL ish shows up lol...
x0x0♥

It's Not Funny Anymore!...♥

This is the Lindsey Lohan I've come to know and love... circa 'Mean Girls', which happens to be one of my favorite teen movies ♥ However Lindsey's life is clearly in shambles, and I just wanna know WHY are PEOPLE MAKING FUN of HER and SHAKING THEIR HEADS at the TABLOIDS instead of GETTING HER HELP!!???!!! For goodness sakes, the girl is almost as hot of a mess as Britney was, minus the gold-digging husband and adorable babies. Lindsey needs help. I know prescription drugs are no joke, but I'm not really buying the fact that pills are the only thing she's on, if you catch my drift...Where are her parents??? Smh. This joke stopped being funny a long time ago, and as a real fan (of Mean Girls, at least) I really hope Lindsey gets help before it's too late! ♥

x0x0...smh ♥

Fine and Mellow...♥

Music inspires me. Good music makes you sit/stand still, and just really listen....At that moment, nothing else is that important. All you have to do is shut up and just...listen. It's amazing. Music is one thing that has the power to make us feel. Music can calm you down, if you're riled up about something. Music can make you feel all sexxy and whatnot, on those days when you really don't (lol). Music can make you get pumped, for that party or club you're going to tonight. Music can get you mentally prepared, for that rough practice you're about to go to...Music has mad power. I love it!

There are so many dimensions to music, and the beauty is that there's Sooooo000000oooooo much to choose from! No one has to listen to the same thing, day in and day out. There are genres, sub-genres. Underground artists. Mainstream artists. Black, white, yellow artists....there's so much variety, and variety is the shit! At any given moment, I could turn my iTunes on and my shuffle will throw out some Jay-Z, some 3 Doors Down, some Billie Holiday, some Michael Jackson, some Miley Cyrus, some Common, some Juvenile (you know you loved you some Juve a few years ago), some Miri ben Ari (don't sleep!), some Talib Kweli, some Mary Mary (gotta get my gospel on sometimes)....the list goes on....

So why do some of us limit ourselves? Music has no limits. People give themselves limits, thinking that a certain type of music is "White people" music, or "Black people" music, or that's "played out" (even if the song is from like last month) lol...I like everything...and some people say that, but they really don't mean it lol. Some people don't ever really even listen to another genre of music until someone from their favorite genre does a mashup with someone. (i.e.: Linkin Park & Jay-Z's song Numb/Encore).
It's crazy, because I've heard that White kids are the main consumers of hip-hop music, yet getting a Black person to listen to something other than hip-hop is like pulling teeth lmao. I can't ride around bumping my Nickelback album the same way I bump my Nas album...well, actually I do... but can you imagine the looks I get lol? It's hilarious. I just think people should open their minds...Just let the music do it's job and take you where it wants to take you...it's a good thing. Embrace it! Just in the time it's taken me to type this post, I've gone from the soothing sound of Billie Holiday's "Fine and Mellow" to one of my new favorites, "Already Home" off Jay's Blueprint 3. And I think that's simply amazing....
x0x0♥