Tuesday’s Topic: Turn Up the Music & Birthday Cake

Good Morning Toughtalkerz…Usually new music is released for public consumption on Tuesdays and I would like to comment on two songs (well their technically remixes but I digress).  The two songs are..Turn Up the Music and Birthday Cake.  Both songs I happened to enjoy…both different but catchy in their own right.  But that isn’t what makes these two songs unique…the artists who are appear on these two songs do.  Turn Up the Music is a Chris Brown song off of his Grammy award winning album F.A.M.E…and the remix features Rihanna.  So with that being said, the song Birthday Cake is a Rihanna song from her latest album Talk that Talk…featuring who else, but Chris Brown.  This collaboration has made quite the stir on social media sites, blogs, morning drive radio, and water cooler talk.  The reason the songs have caused such fervor is this is the first time the two talented artists have appeared together on a song since Mr. Brown was arrested for assaulting Rihanna after a Grammy Awards party in 2009.  He eventually plead guilty and was sentenced to 5 years probation and had to undergo anger management classes.  The couple reconciled briefly after the incident but then called an end to their relationship shortly after wards.  I believe the banter that is going on now is what i call …”We always know what’s best for everyone else but ourselves syndrome” (it’s long, i know).  We’re always so quick as a society to comment on what someone else should or shouldn’t be doing with their lives…but if you would ever check out your own then there would absolutely be no room for you to advise anyone!  If after three years of soul searching and reaching a point in her life that Rihanna has forgiven Mr. Brown for assaulting her then why are YOU still holding a grudge?  She was the assault victim…NOT YOU!!  I know this incident may have you reliving something that happened to you.  Maybe you were a victim of domestic assault and you took your assailant back…only to realize your mistake because their behavior continued…or as a child you witnessed abuse in your household and you wished your mother had left your dad.  I’m not sure which one or if any suits you, but all of those incidents are separate…and if these two have found a way to live with it and move on…then people you should do the same!!!

It’s Monday: No Speculations, Just Whitney

Good Morning Toughtalkerz, an American Icon passed away over the weekend.  And ever since the announcement was made there have been so many rumors and much speculation surronding the cause of her death…who is to blame?  who was there with her?  and countless others.  But I would like to focus on the woman and leave the speculation to others.  Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born on August 9, 1963 in Newark, New Jersey to gospel legend Cissy Houston and husband John Russell Houston, Jr.  Ms. Houston began singing at the church she attended (New Hope Baptist Church in Newark).  She began her professional career in 1983 when she was spotted performing in a New York City nightclub by music producer and label executive Clive Davis who signed Ms. Houston on the spot.  Ms. Houston released her self-titled debut album in February 1985…and ever since then her accomplishments have been unparralled by any other artist.  During her career Ms. Houston has sold 170 million albums worldwide and has received countless awards including 2 Emmys, 6 Grammys, and 22 American Music Awards.  Ms. Houston met and married her husband Bobby Brown.  The two were joined in 1992 and soon after were blessed with their only daughter between them Bobbi Kristina Brown.  Ms. Houston has had many highlights in her career, none more memorable then her rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” performed at Super Bowl XXV for a then record 79 million viewers when the country was at war in the Persian Gulf.  Ms. Houston was found at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles, California on February 11, 2012…and now the incomparable star can rest.  She can rest from everything and everyone.  Ms. Houston you left this world with so many memories and songs…and for that I would like to say…Thank You!!!

Tuesday’s Topic: Blue Ivy Carter

Congratulations are in order for Superstar Couple Shawn “Jay- Z” Carter and his wife Beyonce Knowles-Carter on the birth of their daughter.. Blue Ivy Carter.  The couple’s first child was born over the weekend…and with such a joyous occasion you would think even they naysayers would take a day off from their blogs and facebook banter about the couple to congratulate them…right?…WRONG!!  I have heard and read so many hateful comments being directed towards the proud parents and their child that it’s starting to  really make me think that we have some extremely jealous and envious individuals in this world.  You would really think from the venom of the comments being spewed towards these two that they must have personally attacked some of these people or wronged them at some time in their lives.   These sorts of comments can’t be the result of something so trivial as you didn’t like her song or he acts too arrogant in his video (PLEASE tell me…it has to be more!)  I have heard every rumor from Beyonce was never pregnant in the first place, she hired a surrogate to carry the baby for her…to the baby was born by c-section…to she was having the baby in a different state!  And all of these tales are sometimes uttered by the same blog sites/facebookers (which if you believe one, how are the others even possible?)  Now Mr. Carter has created an ode to his daughter (Glory – listen here) and some even have a problem with that!  I’ve heard he shared too much information in the song, or why didn’t we know about his wife miscarrying months ago, and even that wasn’t his daughter crying in the background.  I guess you can never please some people!!!  So to all of you who are sitting around trying to find ways to destroy someone else and trying to tarnish such a beautiful moment…Please get a life of your own!!  Stop trying to ruin someone’s blessing.  Because if you put so much negative energy out into the world…just know it will eventually come back your way!!!

What Were You Thinking Wednesdays: Mariah Yeater

Mariah Yeater……WHAT WERE YOU THINKING??  Who the heck is Mariah Yeater??  Well Ms. Yeater is the 20 year old California woman who recently filed a paternity suit against teenage pop sensation Justin Bieber.  And after weeks of mainstream media coverage and opinionated conversations on social networking sites, Ms. Yeater has dropped her paternity suit on Mr. Bieber.  Justin Bieber from the outset stated he had never met this woman, and volunteered to take a DNA test to prove that he was not the father of the child in question.  So the saga is now complete, but if I were advising Mr. Bieber, this wouldn’t be the last time that Ms. Yeater would see the inside of a court room.  I would file a defamation law suit or slander or whatever my attorneys could muster up that fits the criteria because people have to be stopped!  Our judicial system can not continually be made a mockery of by people in a quest to ascertain their 15 minutes of fame.  It’s not what the founders and forefathers of this country intended when they created our courts.  So we have to set a precedent and warn those that if you use our system in any way that’s not genuine, you will be punished by the full extent of the law.  Maybe that will deter others from using it in a less than admirable way!!  So Ms. Yeater you can now go on with your life, you have achieved what you wanted by having your 15 minutes of fame…and i hope it was worth it.  Because by chasing it you have wasted valuable time that could have been spent raising and nurturing your child and possibly finding the true identity of its father!!..So Sad!! …Ms. Mariah Yeater…..WHAT WERE YOU THINKING???!!!

Thoughts on Tuesdays: Is Michael Jackson Resting in Peace?

I have just one thing to ask this morning…CAN HE FINALLY REST IN PEACE?  The trial of Dr. Conrad Murray has reached a verdict and the outcome had already been pre-determined in my eyes.  Mr. Murray was found guilty of one count of manslaughter in the death of Michael Joseph Jackson.  Mr. Jackson died of cardiac and respiratory arrest following a propofol (anesthesia) overdose on June 25, 2009 in Holmby Hills, CA.  And every since that day Mr. Jackson has been going through in death what his life had become…a “MEDIA CIRCUS”.  There have been countless amounts of stories, books, songs, poems and everything else surrounding this man’s life and death…once again proving that Mr. Jackson was just a commodity to some.  Nothing more than a way to prosper and earn riches, and not a HUMAN BEING!!  The trial of Mr. Murray carried on for a few weeks and the jury only deliberated for 10 hours before reaching a verdict (quick if you ask me), enforcing my belief that the conclusion had already been pre-determined.  Someone had to be made responsible for millions of dollars being lost, and Mr. Murray was that person.  Now I’m not saying that Mr. Murray wasn’t negligent with his behavior and failed to honor his oath as a physician, but he wasn’t the only person who was negligent here!!!  Everyone in Mr. Jackson’s inner circle was well aware of Mr. Jackson’s dependency on prescription drugs, but where was the rehabilitation?  Where were the interventions??  Where was the help that this man needed?  You went along with whatever allowed Mr. Jackson to continue to earn money for you.  I have a question for you all: Did any of you really care about Michael Jackson??  If you proclaim that you did, then why turn your head and allow this incompetent, negligent behavior to continue?  Mr. Conrad Murray isn’t the only person who should have been on trial, there were numerous enablers and co-conspirators that should have had a seat at the defense table right next to him, in my opinion.  So when you guys are out having your celebratory dinners and drinks just take a moment to really ponder how your lack of concern for Mr. Jackson’s well being and not your bottom line contributed to the demise of such a gifted man…..R.I.P MICHAEL JOSEPH JACKSON. 

Tuesday’s Topic: Don’t Hate Kim Kardashian!

Good Morning Toughtalkers…The marriage between Kimberly Kardashian and Kris Humphries seems to be coming to an end after 72 days and my question to the world is…why such outrage towards this woman?  I have yet to understand why people have such hatred towards Ms. Kardashian?  This young lady has done nothing to you guys personally but she is vilified on morning talk radio, blogs, social media…and I’m still trying to understand why.  I have witnessed and heard this woman called every name in the book (too many to list)…why? Is it that you’re jealous of her success?  Do you envy that she has taken a bad situation and turned it into a positive?  Are you upset that you made a sex tape with your ex-boyfriend Tommy that works at Jiffy Lube and all you got out of it was a Free Oil Change and some new windshield wiper blades?  Now you’re upset because you can’t go there anymore because of the dirty looks and advances you receive from his friends and co-workers (they have obviously viewed the tape).  Is it that when you see this beautiful young lady it makes you feel inadequate about yourself and your own beauty?  Does your man constantly comment on Ms. Kardashians figure…then turns right around and calls you a name or hints that “WE” need to join a gym?  What is it??  You guys call her a whore because you say you have seen her date different men, but I have seen many people in the entertainment industry date many men (Halle Berry, Nia Long, Jennifer Lopez, etc)  and they are never attacked the way Ms. Kardashian is.  I’m quite sure if we visit some of your local taverns, bars, lounges, saloons or wherever you frequent there are more than a few guys there that may have some words about your dating habits. The way some of you attack this lady and with the venomous nature used should be to describe someone who actually wronged you or your family personally.  Not a woman who none of you know personally!  THE ATTACKS ON THIS WOMAN NEED TO CEASE!!  It’s becoming more than it should be and the anger needs to be directed to something that more directly affects your life such as the Occupy Wall Street movement or why Congress won’t pass the Jobs Bill or is the change in Medicare going to affect my parents long term health care options…something!!  So the next time you find yourself calling a radio station or using a social network to demean and call this woman names…ask yourself “why am I doing this?”  Why do I hate Kim Kardashian?  Am I jealous of her appearance or the fortune that she has accumulated?  Am I envious of her life?  Why??  Maybe the answer is you’re upset that she made something out of nothing and turned her life into a success…and all you got out of your tape were those lousy wiper blades!!!

DeAndre Cortez Way: What Were You Thinking??

DeAndre Cortez Way..WHAT WERE YOU THINKING??  Mr. Way was arrested this week and is now facing Felony Charges on gun and drug possession.  And for those of you asking yourself, “well who is DeAndre Cortez Way?”, he goes by the moniker Souljaboytellem.  The young man exploded onto the music scene in 2007 with the hit record and dance sensation that swept across America entitled “Crank-That” (Super-Man).  Mr. Way has lived a true rags to riches story.  He was the fresh-faced kid who was living with his father in Batesville, Mississippi with a passion for music.  That desire and his love for social networking turned this normal teenager into a Worldwide Celebrity!  But with most rags to riches stories, there are peaks and valleys.  I believe Mr. Way is in a valley and without the proper guidance and mentors, he may never get out of it.  DeAndre is already on probation from a February 2010 incident that occurred in Henry County, Georgia.  And with these new charges charges he is now facing it could be that the clock is about to strike 12 on this Cinderella Story.  If you compare a picture of Mr. Way from 2007 and a current picture of the young man, it would be difficult at best to recognize him.  His appearance has drastically changed over the past 4 years.  The once fresh-faced kid who even had grown folks trying to recreate the dance that he made famous along with his song  is now a tattoo-faced, pierced up “WANNABE THUG” whose last album release only sold a meager 15,000 copies in its first week.  That’s a mere fraction of his past releases.  Mr. Way has also been the topic of numerous allegations of severe drug use and addiction, and now with this latest run-in with the law, I’m not certain how if ever, Mr. Way could even possibly return to the success that once made him the Golden Child of the music industry.  But for now this has become a little more than just about record sales and videos.  A young man’s life is at stake and i hope there can be some type of intervention or something to aid DeAndre when he needs it most.  You’ve worked too hard to now just throw it all away…..WHAT WERE YOU THINKING???!!!

BET HIP HOP AWARDS: What Were You Thinking?

The 2011 BET Hip Hop Awards aired last night and my question to the Producers or Program Executives of the Channel is WHAT WERE YOU THINKING??  Black Entertainment Television has produced this show for a few years now and when the initial word leaked about them airing such a show, I was excited to hear, because this genre of music has been overlooked (dang near ignored!) on the mainstream award shows since its inception in the 1980’s.  But what this program has turned into is very disappointing to say the least.  I thought the entire reason for having this “AWARDS SHOW” was to honor the artists in hip hop that have had an exceptional year in music: with releasing their cd’s and videos, touring , endorsements, etc.  But when your award show only actually awards 3 honorees during your telecast, something has definitely went wrong here!  Has the plan has been aborted, or was this the plan the entire time??  Did Black Entertainment Television see the revenue these other stations were bringing in with their Award Shows, heard the clamor from a specific demographic of people, and seize the opportunity?  Did BET want to right a wrong or did they want to do what’s right for their bottom lines?  Did they want to honor the artists that have become so very under appreciated by mainstream music publications and media or were they doing this to fill programming?  And by exploiting such a popular genre of music they knew they could seek advertising dollars at a much higher rate than having nightly reruns of The Parkers or whatever 1990s show you have bought the rights to air for cheap. Whatever the answer maybe, I’m here to spark the thought and ask BET….WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?? 

What Were You Thinking?!?! – Sean “P. Diddy” Combs

It’s What Were You Thinking Wednesday…let’s get started!

Sean Combs: Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Music Mogul and Father.  What Were You Thinking??  The Millionaire Businessman was in Atlanta, GA this weekend to celebrate the BET Hip Hop Awards and was in attendance at an after party celebrating the Homecoming of friend Rapper/Actor Clifford “TI” Harris at Club Compound.  The night seemed as if it was going on without a hitch from what I was told and viewed via the Internet.  It sounds like it was a wonderful party, sponsored by Ciroc Vodka (a very popular vodka brand which Mr. Combs is an Executive and Director of Marketing & Promotions).  As the night proceeded  there was another table across from where Mr. Combs and his party were standing.  This party was drinking a rival brand’s vodka (Grey Goose).  Mr. Combs notices this and while he was on the microphone hosting, he made reference to the group and the vodka they were drinking.  When the group replied to Mr. Combs in a manner that he deemed inappropriate, he began a tirade of cursing and homophobic slurs towards the group and was about to start an ‘ole fashion bar room brawl!  Mr. Combs can be seen on camera (here) removing his jewelry and glasses as if he was about to get into a fight in the nightclub – over someone else drinking an adult beverage that they paid for with their own finances!  This isn’t Mr. Combs first melee in a nightclub.  It was in a New York City nightclub in 1999 that Mr. Combs and his entourage including then girlfriend Jennifer Lopez and protege’ Jamal “Shyne” Barrow was involved in another altercation that lead to their arrest and the ultimate trial of Mr. Combs for assault and other charges. Mr. Combs was eventually acquitted of all charges, but his protege’ Mr. Barrow was convicted of the assault and served 10 years in prison for the charge.  Mr. Combs is an inspiration to a entire generation of people who can view his rise to stardom as confirmation that with hard work and perseverance you can achieve the American Dream… but these types of slip ups can derail a career that has been nothing short of AMAZING!  We’re all human and we make mistakes but Mr. Combs you have come too far to allow these issues to continue to rear their ugly head……WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!?!