50 Cent sex video lawsuit

I've found that rappers, since 1992, are a sad bunch of minstrels. They parade around screaming how tough they are, how much they love the ghetto (that they got out of), and how many drugs they can take while screwing anything that can walk. The reality is just so far from that.

One of the bigger "artists" is minstrel entertainer Curtis Jackson. He is probably best known as 50 Cent, and less well as bullet magnet. His songs boast of a glamorous thug lifestyle. His videos show him endulging in copious amounts of alcohol, women and so on. His reputation is built upon the facts that he is a dropout and convicted drug dealer.

As impressive as all that may be, the thing that I find interesting is the latest legal battle he is facing. 50 Cent is so successful, so surrounded by throngs of women, that he is getting sued for a sex video on the internet.

Not a video of him having sex, which I'm sure some drug-addled fan might envision in a haze of ganja high. It's a video of someone else. All Jackson did was insert himself into the video with a wig, robe, and providing a narration. Then he put it on his website. Or so the lawsuit he faces alleges.

Now I doubt that Jackson is geek enough to know how to manipulate video as required. But the mere fact that he found the best use of his time was to have this video manipulated, seems telling. The fact that it's a sex video even moreso.

For all his money and fame (deserved or not) 50 Cent couldn't even produce his own sex video? Not unlike much of rap today, the best he could do was alter the work of someone else? Not only is this low class (if it is true) its lazy, stupid, and more than a bit creepy.

50 Cent may be one of the best minstrels of the current crop of sell-outs, but I tend to believe that you just can't get the ghetto out of those that want to wallow in the worst aspects of it.

Drugs and punishment

It's just truly amazing how much sympathy and adoration is felt in the nation for drug dealers and addicts. I'm being serious.

We have Secretary of State Clinton rushing out to foreign nations, declaring that their problems are caused by our actions. While this is in part true for the nations that supply the vast drug culture of the United States, it is not the only reason many of those nations are impoverished. The degree of culpability of the U.S. aside, the fact that Secretary Clinton is airing our national dirty laundry to the world is a bit stinging. Especially as the Government fails to act.

That of course says nothing of the way Secretary Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, rode on the humor and prestige of his declared failure to inhale. Sort of a just say no after you've already done it campaign. Very effective in getting the youth of America to stop taking drugs.

Add to this the prestige given to ex-convicts, most for drug-related crimes, as they perform their minstrel acts. America buy tens of millions of dollars worth of adulation on rappers and hip hop - as they directly promote various aspects of getting high. Just watch most rapper music videos, and absolutely any movie that has a rapper in it.

Suffice to say the Government likes drugs, legal or not. Both by its actions and inaction.

But the actions get to be even bigger in some states. The NAACP recently sent out an email, requesting support in getting NY Gov. Patterson to change the Rockerfeller drug laws. Because they are not nice, in essence.

Now I agree that an addict on the corner does not need to be locked up for life. There is a better way to deter new drug users than locking up a kid instead of focusing on the dealer and the supplier. But in America, the end-user has been the focus of attention. Except if you lived in an inner city during the 1980's crack epidemic. That was basically left alone to run amuck.

So yes I think the Rockerfeller laws can be changed for the better. But not in the way Gov. Patterson or the NAACP believe. No, I think there is a lesson that we can learn form a nation trying to school America on math right now. China.

Not very long ago, China has a debilitating problem with opium. Addiction and dealers were rampant in the nation. Something had to be done. Something dramatic.

They took addicts , and drug dealers, put them in a square on live television on every channel and shot them dead. It was a very clear message. They did this for a few years. Rounding up a few hundred addicts and dealers, and then publicly executing them. In less than a decade or so, and with the majority of dealers and addicts still alive, they curbed the problem. Not that it does not exist today, but it is negligible.

Personally, I like this plan for drug dealers. They are effectively mass murderers. They are the ones that kill innocents in their turf wars. They are the ones who seek out children for new clientelle. They offer our communities poison for nothing more than monetary profit. I consider them scum.

And for those that are the most visible, the most visible punishment makes sense. A rapper in a movie or music video extolling the fun and/or wealth generated by drugs - and is a known drug offender, possibly even still being arrested for drug related offenses - deserves to have all their wealth removed and donated to recovery programs. They deserve to be put in a box on Hollywood Blvd, and left alone. Because how many millions of kids will eventually see that movie, and the music videos, and the MTV programs, and the various Award shows, and equate the grandeur of that entertainer with drug use? Especially when that entertainer glorifies their past actions in the drug trade at every opportunity (ie. 50 cent or Snoop Dogg).

Now I know that the NAACP thinks that the effect of laws in the nation like the Rockerfeller law is biased against African Americans, Hispanics, and the poor. Which is true. But that does not divert from the fact that inner cities are focal points of drug activity. Given that there are far more Whites that go unpunished in any manner; the real point of attack is the dealer and supplier. And the punishment to both should be extreme.

Just saying no is not effective. Just attacking the addicts is not effective. Logically we need to move up the chain. And we need to act in a manner that actively causes every criminal involved to question the worth of pursuing such a lifestyle.

It's really just that easy. When I was growing up in the Bronx I could have shown the police half a dozen crack houses. Not that they needed to be shown, they knew of them. But instead they focused on the addicts, effectively just opening a new spot for the next addict to take.

Yet when I had to actively threaten to murder a crack house near where my family lived, because one of the addicts pulled a gun on me and thus proved a threat to my entire family, I got results. Where the police ignored the situation for almost 5 years, I had results in 5 minutes. Because the absolute guarantee of death cuts into profits and risk/reward evaluations for everyone.

If America, New York State, or anywhere wants to be effective in ending the drug problem, we need action. Take a drug dealer, which are easy to find in any city or town, and publicly flog them to within an inch of their life. I guarantee they will give up the suppliers. Get the suppliers and publicly hang them. After a few dozen are killed, I guarantee that there will be fewer drugs, and thus fewer addicts.

But this has to be done across the board. It doesn't matter if the dealer is White, Black, Hispanic, male or female, owns a big company or whatever. Delorean, back in the day, was caught with kilos of cocaine and got treated with kid gloves. What do you think that said to the next CEO that wanted a quick cash infusion to their company? Don't get caught.

Yet if Delorean was placed on national television, and shot in a firing squad, I guarantee cocaine sales would have dropped. And today there would be far fewer celebrities touting their involvement in drugs (like Amy Winehouse).

This is an epidemic problem. It requires an even-handed iron fist resolution. Anything less, in my opinion, is just wasting time and money.

Video Game Review: 50 Cent Blood on the Sand

In the world of video gaming there is the latest release from former crack dealer 50 cent. In yet another attempt to create an image beyond the sell-out corporate minstrel, 50 cent has put out 50 cent: Blood on the Sand. It is a self-serving glob of software, styled in a 3rd-person shooter format.

There is nothing that can really be said about this game that is new or innovative. The screen is cluttered, the levels repeatitive. And on top of the monotony is the distraction of soundtracks from 50 cent. So the game is uninspired, rehashed, and targeted to hip hop culture so it can make a quick buck for the name it sports.

Honestly I've seen better video games based on movies. We all know most of those are crap made just to line someone's pocket. But here is a snippet of a review from Gamespot.com

"It is then that you commence shooting anything that moves. 50 and his chosen G-Unit companion (Tony Yayo, Lloyd Banks, or DJ Whoo Kid) traverse a war-torn urban Middle Eastern landscape, slaying countless goons while pursuing one criminal figure after another. Though there are a few vehicle segments to vary things up, most of the locales kind of blur together in a blend of gunfire and earth tones."

This is from a review that garnered a 7.0 - hardly worthy of shelling out $60. Plus the rating of those poor souls that did buy the game so far is a depressing 6.4. If that doesn't say wait for the $5 bargin bin, if you must have this, I'm not sure what will.

Well maybe this can help. IGN reviewed it with these interesting statements

"Much of Blood on the Sand is utterly ridiculous -- explosions send bodies flying a hundred feet in the air and Fiddy waxes poetic with expletive-filled taunts while taking rocket-propelled grenades to the face...There's little if any challenge in slogging through the endless waves of enemies on your way to victory, but that's really not the point. After all, Fiddy is leading the charge, so victory is inevitable...If Gears of War 2's mantra was "Bigger, badder, more bad ass," then BOTS's should have been "Fiddy, Fiddier, more fiddier." Instead it's just one five-hour "Fiddy."

But the shock is really how the game came about to be in the first place. What might have been the inspiration you ask? Well according to 50 cent

"After performing for the soldiers, you look at the people there and you use your imagination to say, 'What are they actually feeling? What are they going through?'," he said. "It was an experience but the game itself, I brought some of those experiences I had in to it and that's why it looks the way it looks"

So the act of performing for soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, who are fighting a war against religous fanatics that would see women illiterate and the freedoms of the Constitution obliterated, inspired a game where a band of ex-convict corporate minstrels chase down a diamond encrusted skull, killing almost everything in sight. It sounds like a bad Scooby-Doo episode.

Somehow I believe our soldiers, or the enemy, are hardly running around shooting people to hoard gemstones. The feeling of greed, somehow seems less important than the preservation of life and love of your comrade in arms. Then again, 50 cent believes in the ghettofabulous life of thugs. So it's always about money, even if it means selling-out.

Perhaps there were a few too many mind-altering substances available to 50 cent while he was overseas. Then again, a poorly educated criminal is not someone I'd expect to see more than an opportunity of greed from. Which the game essentially is.

Now I also believe that this will make enough money that yet another 50 cent name touting game will be created. I cringe for the reviewers that must play these games. It has to be a painful way to earn a living.

The best, most popular, and different posts of 2008 on Black Entertainment USA

For my last post of 2008 I wanted to look back and see what were some of the most popular posts I had written, and what I consider some of favorites. I know I am highly critical of things that displease me, so I thought I'd turn that same critical eye towards myself for a change.

I must say that in looking over the hundreds of posts I wrote on Black Entertainment USA alone this year, some just don't belong here. Some of the comments are far more political than anything else. And I can't use the excuse I have no where else to have said these things - I do own a political blog as well.

And I admit to having a few posts where I was just far too tired. I should have gone to sleep. Or taken that vacation all my friends have heard me speak about over the last 15 years (I've had 2 vacations in my life, none exceeding a week or involving travel). But instead I must apologize because they were really sub-par, even for a bad day.

Still overall I will say that roughly 80% or more of my posts were relevant and interesting. Many are topical and focused on the events of the day. Looking back some are not as important as I first thought they were, and others far more than I would give credit. And several posts were popular that I would not have expected to be.

Some of the top Black Entertainment USA posts of 2008, as viewed and/or commented by you my readers were:

So there is a Black guy in an elevator...
Audi television commercial says we are all not the same
OJ Simpson convicted - kangaroo court closed
OJ Simpson trial - injustice unreported
The new 90210 - is it cancelled yet?
NASCAR, Mauricia Grant, and my opinion
Is Robert Downey Jr funny as an African American?
Duane ‘Dog’ Chapman to return to cable television
VH1’s Top 100 of rap music celebrates the positives of the genre

It's an interesting group of posts indeed. And I think that I got it right in those posts. Not that everyone agreed with my view, just that they felt something after reading it. And that ultimately is one of my goals.

But I looked over the entire year and I saw a couple of other posts that I thought were very important, and/or meant something to me directly. Not all of them were relevant, given, but they said something important. And I want to present them again. Again you may not agree with my view, but I hope my top 10 will motivate some reaction. [Oh since 3 of my top 10 are in the above list that you my readers have found of interest, I will substitute 3 others]

NJ considers apology for slavery (part 1, 2, 3, 4)
Tiger Woods comment impacts Dr. Martin Luther King birthday (part 1, 2)
President Bush and Darfur now - not the movie
R Kelly - next stop Neverland Ranch
Janet Jackson: Intelligence, success, and fame are not enough
Black Americans - commodity, criminals, or something much more
Do you know enough about the 2008 Presidential election?
1st Annual Memorial Pig Roast for Madden A. Cordero - please read and donate if you can
50 cent sells a new opiate to the masses
Movie Review Iron Man

I also found the time to champion a couple of other causes that aren't the most popular or widely held:
Boycott 33 variations - Hanoi Jane Fonda
Levi's 501 jeans - promoting HIV and AIDS?

Found a video on Youtube I really liked - Try This with an Xbox360 or PS3 - and one I though was an abysmal joke - Snoop Dogg in Country Music: a bad experiment

And I achieved a great step forward for my company as well:
M V Consulting, Inc and TV One Announce Collaboration - Press Release
Introducing the first 2009 model Ashley

And of course I found the time to pick a fight:
Viacom (and maybe Jon Stewart) doesn't like Black Entertainment USA. Maybe.

So I wasn't just speaking about entertainment this year. But considering all the things that were going on, all the changes, and the things I felt mattered, I think I covered a lot of what you wanted to read about.

In 2009 I will try to stay on point a bit more. But as always I will share with you my thoughts and views about the important topics affecting all our lives as well as our entertainment. And I always look forward to your comments [yes even the dissenting views that are thought out beyond just cursing me out] about what I present.

2008 has been a tough year, no matter what country race or whatever you may be. 2009 will be different, and I hope that all of my readers, and those that will become my readers, their families and friends will share in a prosperous and peaceful year.

Viacom (and maybe Jon Stewart) doesn't like Black Entertainment USA. Maybe.

So it would seem that Jon Stewart doesn't like what I had to say. Either that, or the lovely people at Viacom (the same joyous people responsible for BET, Flavor of Love, and numerous other insults to African Americans) finally got pissed off. I believe that it is a combination of both.

Now to be fair they have a valid reason for they have done. I had a video on youtube of a portion of the Jon Stewart Daily Show, where he interviewed Mike Huckabee. Those that visit my political website, VASS, likely read my post about their conversation already. I had the video to present the actual conversation, and then expanded on it with my views. There was no question that the video was of Comedy Central's show.

That said, I am unfamiliar with how often Viacom asks Youtube to pull a video. It wasn't something they found randomly. I can say that as there is no dearth of video clips of Stewart on his show on Youtube. Thus they specifically sought out my video for deletion. So I caught someone's attention.

Now I understand how they can claim this was copyright infringement. But I really would have enjoyed anyone from the Daily Show replying to my comments. I'm a big boy, I can take sarcasm and criticism. Even better I would have enjoyed an honest debate. Because this seems to validate my view that you can say anything to far-left liberals and their programs - as long as you agree with what they have to say.

And if it was the Viacom suits that came after me, I really would love to have them make comment. There is a wealth of issues I have with their programming.

Either organization is more than welcome to contact me, or leave comment, and have a discussion that I will provide verbatim to you my readers, if they have the balls. That isn't an insult, it's a challenge. And yes I will come to you if you prefer.

On the positive side though, it is nice to know that I am having an impact. I can't wait to see a response from 50 cent, Snoop Dogg, OJ Simpson, Caroline Kennedy, Senator Hillary Clinton, Representative Barney Frank, or any of the other celebrities, entertainers, politicians and people of note that I have discussed among my blogs and 1700 posts.

And I want to thank you my readers. You and your comments are what make my posts register on the radar of the powers that be. Now that we have their attention, let's see if we can get them to get some things improved.

Viewer comment about 50 Cent

Some of my long-time readers may recall that I recently commented on the MTV program featuring 50 Cent. I'm sure they would also recall my thoughts about this particular gangsta rapper.

"So Curtis Jackson will be getting a television show on MTV. Viacom must be drooling. The executives there must salivate inbetween laughter at the thought that a ex-convict, crack drug dealer, making them money legally. It’s such a dumb idea that it probably will work."

Well in that post I also had a Youtube video commentary.



Now that commentary received more than just a few vulgar comments. Few were in english and contained a full thought. But one did. And I present that well thought out, interesting comment.

"Dear VassMike:

In your youtube rant, you have brought up many good points, and others that are not so good, witch I intend to address in this letter.

First, you are right, the whole 50 cent show is laughable if not a bad idea. It probably promotes various bad influences, however, no more so then any other shows aiming for the same adolescent audience group. The same group that 50 targets to make his money. And it works, he is filthy rich.

As for your proposal that he does not know any business other then crack and rap, is mislead. He had many other business movements. Such as a clothing line, bottled vitamin water (which he sold to Coca-Cola for millions), and probably more. He is very skilled and knowledgeable in what he does.

The rap is an easy skill comment shows ignorance in the subject. Rap is not an easy skill, in-fact it is very hard. To create flow with rhyme, syncing with a beat, and remaining comprehendible is no easy feat. Hence, most rappers do not know how to do this.

50 Cent (not 50 Cents) chose his name because 50 Cent was urban talk for something, which I can not recall at this time. It is not based on dollar value. This is why its 50 Cent (singular).

Now, I am hesitant to mention this because I am not 100% sure on this, however, I will write it anyway. 50 Cent, I am pretty sure, had put lots of money into urban areas in an attempt to make "hood" life better, but kept it hush hush so that it would not tarnish his name. And by tarnish, I only mean in the sense to make him look soft and lose record sells.

As for the crack "poisoning" people comment, I would like to say, no more than Players or Demoria cigarettes. Tobacco and alcohol poison people. I seen parents buy cigarettes over food for there children. The very same thing you are smoking in your video. I understand it is a lesser evil, but an evil none the less.

Please do not take this letter as an attack. You seem to be a clean cut, self respecting, and political kind of guy. This I like about you. However, I just feel that your attacks should not be so much on 50 Cent, and more on the whole video game/movie/music industry that allows this "its cool to be a gangster" concept come into play.

I myself do enjoy such music/movie/video game violent concepts because it acts as an outlet for my aggression, its entertaining. But I do not act in such a manner in the real world. It is a shame though, for those who are influenced and act out as they do on TV. There just needs to be better parents.

Sincerely,
ShadowsAndGhosts "

My reply will appear as a comment below.

50 cent sell a new opiate to the masses

So Curtis Jackson will be getting a television show on MTV. Viacom must be drooling. The executives there must salivate inbetween laughter at the thought that a ex-convict, crack drug dealer, making them money legally. It’s such a dumb idea that it probably will work.

50 cent, will have a program on MTV where people will compete in a business oriented reality program. Now my initial thoughts are these



Expanding on that thought I wonder what the competitions on this program will be. Who can take the biggest drag on a crack pipe? Who can stand longer after being shot? Who can run from the police on foot the fastest?

Perhaps I’m being too harsh. This high school dropout might actually be smarter than the things he has done in the past. He might have taken time in prison to educate himself. But I doubt it.

I obviously have a problem with unrepentant drug dealers that are glorified and promoted by corporations that wish to profit off of the worst aspects of the Black community. I dislike the fact that this sell-out will get pennies on the dollar to showcase a program where other people (inevitably mostly Black I assume) will run around looking foolish to make even fewer pennies on the dollar – if they win – all for the amusement and benefit of Sumner Redstone, Viacom, and such.

Think about it. In the 1970’s it became impossible for these people to make money degrading Blacks publicly. In the 1990’s they saw and developed the ability to continue to disenfranchise and minimize Blacks via a medium that was already there, rap. They created and promoted gangsta rap, using the worst representation of the Black community – drug dealers. In effect they now have Black minstrels that go out and say words (especially the n-word) that they can’t say for fear of lawsuits, and rap in money while watching music videos that allow them to envision their greatest fetishes.

Am I against 50 cent having a show on MTV, BET, or any cable or television channel? Unless it’s a program where he is promoting people getting cleans and sober, or having drug dealers apologize for the death and pain they create, no I don’t. Because anything else is the blatant attempt to profit off of his infamy and usability.

In 5 years Curtis Jackson will likely be a fleeting thought. He will likely be relegated to some top 40 playlist when radio stations revisit the past hits. He’ll pop up on a VH1 remembering the 2000 program. But likely that will be it. Because he is not memorable. He is not unique. He is barely capable of being called an artist. And with his loss of fame will go his money, I’m sure.

But until his 15 minutes are up, after he has been milked for every dime he can squeeze out of young White teens in the suburbs and the Black community, he will be dropped as fast as every other rapper you can’t name from the past decade that was once the top.

If you see this program on MTV - 50 Cent: The Money and the Power – know that you are filling the coffers of men that collect money for the buffoonery of 50 cent. If you watch this know that you are spitting on the graves of crackheads that died so that Curtis Jackson could wear the latest trend in clothing at one point in his life. Because every dollar and dime that goes to anything with 50 cent is another dagger in the backs of people Curtis Jackson poisoned and never looked back on.

But if you disagree, if you have a reason I (or anyone) should see this show, please let me know. I’d love to hear that argument.

College students of color talk with Michael Vass - 2.28.2008.1

Do you know who Jeff Johnson is? Some may think of BET (Black Entertainment Television – no relation to this site) upon hearing the name. Others will have completely no idea whatsoever. To both I would say, you need to hear him in person.

On February 27th 2008 Jeff Johnson spoke at Ithaca College at Phillips Hall. This announced speech drew a mixed crowd of students that ranged from freshmen to seniors, male and female, and of all races. One commonality I noticed was the fact that they all were interested in becoming more involved in politics and active in issues important to them.

I had the chance, before Mr. Johnson spoke to talk with a few of these students. Initially I was speaking with 3 students, 2 guys and 1 woman with ages between 19 to almost 21. One of the most outspoken was Chinedum Nnodum, a 20 year old 1st generation son of Nigerian parents who grew up in the Bronx (not too far from where I grew up I later learned) and then in Connecticut.

Some of the questions I wanted to hear their opinions on are the same ones that are often spoken about at each Primary and Caucus that has occurred this year. When I asked how long they have all followed politics, and what interested them about this Presidential race I was told that they followed politics infrequently. That the big interest and draw was the fact that there was new blood in the candidates in the forms of Senator Clinton and Senator Obama.

When I asked if their preference was limited solely to Democrats and if so why I was told yes, partially because of the focus of the media and news feeds focused on them and the historic nature of their potential candidacy. Not to be left out was the fact that there is an ”emphasis on change.” Added to that was the fact that they felt the Democrats sounded more authentic in what they had to say.

Some of their concerns about this current Presidential race covered both political parties though. They all felt that there needs to be more of an emphasis on education. That this subject was being ignored due to the Iraq war and oil prices. For them it is a key issue, not only because it will affect the interest rates they will pay for their college loans but also – as one pointed out – what kind of opportunity will be provided to the younger brother of one of the students who is in middle school and will be coming to college as well soon.

They also felt that things were already changing, just by virtue of the fact that a woman and African American were potential nominees. Because of their involvement, and the fact that either way a minority potentially could be President, issues are being raised and addressed in a manner not seen before.

Considering the question about raising issues I then wanted to see how students in the Northeast, in college, felt about the emerging trend of school shootings like Virginia Tech and others. Their response was sober and immediate. The major media was not helping the situation.

“Tragedies do happen, but the timeframe seems to be promoted by media attention, making copycats.”

Because of the media attention, other disturbed individuals were gaining an impetus and validation for committing these heinous acts. It’s a view that I think has solid ground, and the major media should pay attention to. Suffice to say, it’s an issue that is prevalent in their minds, yet not preventing them from gaining the educations they have striven for.

Changing gears I wanted to ask about rap and hip hop, one of the issues Jeff Johnson was known for speaking about. In particular I wanted to know how they defined the difference between hip hop and rap. The answer was that the initial rap music, which I grew up listening to, was really hip hop. While there was a lot of entertainment in the initial songs, the overall theme of the industry also included culture and the people of the time.

Hip Hop today continues in that theme with artists like Gym Class Heroes (currently defined as an indie hip hop group). Their description of the band seemed like R.E.M. to me, back when they were just on college radio. They agreed in that groups like this have thought provoking songs like Cupids Chokehold which are not in the mainstream.

Modern day rap (which is what those in my age group would consider by the sub-genre title of gangsta rap) was simply about money. That artists like 50 cent was only in this for the money and had sold-out to get it. And that they felt this was reflected in the songs artists like this made.

While I spoke to just a small group of these students at the event, I can say that I was really pleased to learn of their interest in the future of America, their own educations, and the culture around them. They renewed my hope that, much to the chagrin of record company executives, many in the African American and minority communities are not buying into the images that are purported to represent them. And I have to believe that if even a small portion of students of color hold similar motivation and energy as the outspoken and determined Mr. Nnodum and the others I spoke with, the polispeak and much heralded change Presidential candidates are bandying about will be positive and real in the near term.

I would have asked further questions of these students in Ithaca College, but at that point, Jeff Johnson was about to be introduced. My thoughts on his speech will follow shortly.

Quick message from Michael Vass - 2.6.2008.1

I'm a little behind on the latest news here, particularly the way that the media has been treating recent events like the Sean Bell trial, coverage of the Wesley Snipes victory, comments by Snoop Dogg and 50 cent about their Presidential candidate picks and a few other items. Please bear with me.

The win by the Giants, which was sweet and should have been expected since historically Giants always have a good defense, resulted in a bit of a hangover that I'm sure many fans shared.

Add to that the launch of my I Love America That's Why I Vote! campaign, which you can find out more about by clicking the hyperlink above or visiting VASS and it was a busy start to the week.

Then all the activity from Super Tuesday (results of which, and my thoughts, can be seen at the aforementioned VASS) and you can imagine the backlog.

But never fear, I'm working hard and for your continued readership. In the meantime, if you would like to join the support for the That's Why I Vote! let me know, or visit my online store and see the dedicated clothing line showing your pride and Constitutional Right to vote, and/or you can make a donation to help me continue my efforts.

No matter what, thank you for visiting the site.

Vote! Your voice matters!

10 video games not to buy for kids

Some interesting news is out about a list of 2007 videogames that is unlike most lists you may have seen before. Unlike the usual top seller lists, or the Best of 2007 that you are going to see from various retailers and websites, this list details what not to buy.

It’s not a worst of the year list either. This is a list that focuses on the most violent and child-inappropriate games in the industry. I have to say that the list is accurate, though to be fair, the games on the list are all rated for mature gamers. These aren’t games intended for the Game Cube or Wii. In fact I would imagine that the titles alone are enough to make most parents realize that a young child should not get or play this game.

Without guessing I’m sure you can imagine the #1 game on the list of 10. Obviously it is the drug and violence promoting Grand Theft Auto. It doesn’t matter which iteration of the game you want to think of, they all are equal on this subject. Even worse if you consider the abysmal portrayals of African Americans and Latinos/Hispanics.

The rest of the list includes 3 movies conversions, 2 video game dynasties, a rapper and a few other popular games. The full list follows:

• 1. Grand Theft Auto
  
• 2. Manhunt
  
• 3. Scarface
  
• 4. 50 Cent Bulletproof
  
• 5. 300 The Videogame
  
• 6. The Godfather
  
• 7. Killer-7
  
• 8. Resident Evil 4
  
• 9. God of War
  
• 10. Hitman Blood Money
  

The things I can’t imagine are why any parent of a young kid would buy them these games. I mean Manhunt? Hitman? What do you want your kid to group up to be? Are they also looping The Professional and Reservoir Dogs for the kids as a bedtime story?

I will say this though, this is the first list that includes the bewilderingly insipidly named rapper that I think he deserves and I’m happy to know about. If for no other reason, if this prevents the sale of another product targeted directly to African Americans (and yet oddly enough bought mostly by White Americans) that depicts us as mindless criminals’ intent on nefarious activities, then I am pleased to blog on it.

I will also note one other thing. I love the Hitman and Resident Evil series. I think they are some of the best done games each time they come out with a new version. I equally feel that there is no way I would let a little kid play or watch any of them either.

Some things are just obvious.

3 parts of real success - 11.26.2007.1

Talent - a person who possesses unusual innate ability in some field or activity.

Work ethic - is a set of values based on the moral virtues of hard work and diligence. It is also a belief in moral benefit of work and its ability to enhance character.

Intelligence - the ability to comprehend; to understand and profit from experience.

Which of those 3 terms is the most important? Does it matter what they are being applied to that makes the difference?

Why might I ask that? Because as I finally took some time to rest over the holiday, I watched a bit of television and spoke to people around the country. I heard several people complain about their work/pay. I heard several tell me how they intend to be stars. I noticed how much attention is focused on individuals in the media. And I realized that almost everyone had no idea about the above 3 items.

Of the 3, I have noticed that most people work on talent. Especially African Americans and minorities. It’s the E-ticket that gets you on all the rides. It’s the get-out-of-the-ghetto card. It’s the single most important factor ever. And it’s a lie.

Talent is like hope in Pandora’s Box. Perhaps the worst thing to afflict people en masse. It’s a tool that far too many without it use to become rich.

When I mention talent, most think of Michael Jordan or Snoop Dogg. They imagine Beyonce or 50 cent. But you don’t hear people say that Oprah Winfrey has talent (not speaking about her acting, but her ability as CEO of Harpo) or John Thompson, Myrtle Potter, Stanley O'Neal, Kenneth Chenault. Why not?

What about intelligence? You never hear that mentioned. You never hear anyone ask Ja Rule, Dr. Dre, Kobe Bryant, or Tiger Woods if/where they went to college. Because they have talent right?

And work ethics are likely the least discussed item of all. It’s like a plague when it is mentioned.

But when you consider the real successes, the people that really are meaningful and at the top of their game you find, more often than not, that they got their with this combination:

• 1. Work ethic
  
• 2. Intelligence
  
• 3. Talent (if any)
  

Best in the NBA? Michael Jordan. Practiced constantly, played with a 103 fever, and gave 110% every game. Mr. Jordan is a college graduate, and a better businessman than sports entertainer. While he may have made roughly 15 million dollars a year as an athlete, Mr. Jordan makes roughly 2x that a year now, with a net worth well in excess of $200 million, without ever touching a basketball.

Much the same can be said of Spike Lee, Tiger Woods, Oprah Winfrey and most every CEO that the average public couldn’t name if you paid them $50 a name. Each of them worked hard, every day with a plan in their heads. Each of them had an advanced education. Allowing them to understand business, contracts, money management and more.

If you want to know the difference between real success and a fad, look at the work ethic and education. 50 cent will be lucky to be around in 5 years, odds are. Tiger, Oprah, Michael Jordan, Stanley O'Neal, Kenneth Chenault, and others will be making money years after they are dead by contrast. And more of it.

So if you want to know how to become successful, there you are. Make a plan, work at it every day and get an education. If you have a talent you will just help boost your odds. But if you think that you bounce a ball, hum a tune, or sashay better than anyone and that’s all you need, be prepared to be let down.

Only 1 in 10,000 make it to professional level sports, even worse odds to make it in music or acting (how many people get rejected in the first 3 qualifiers of American Idol every year?). A professional entertainer has a career of maybe 7 years, regardless of the realm. Why limit your chances? Why give someone else the upper hand?

The things you can get paid for

In the land of weird and dumb news I have found something that really blew past the mainstream. How odd is this? Well let’s just say that the secret to Warren Buffett’s may not be just his business ethic. It’s his name. The same reasoning may be why Britney Spears is the apparent mess that she is. Their names. Or more specifically their initials.

Oh yes. Someone convinced someone else to pay them to study the names and grades of 15,000 students over 15 years, and 93 years of professional baseball players. What they were looking for is what affect a person’s initials have on their grades and life choices. Seriously, someone did this. Just check the link if you don’t believe me.

I truly have picked the wrong career. Imagine that people get paid to figure out things like that. It’s insane. Can you imagine the amount of money they made off this study? As if anyone ever wondered this was important.

But what they found is that if your name starts with say a C or D you will be more likely to have lower grades than average, or someone with initials that have an A or B. If you are in baseball your chances of hitting that classic 9th inning winning homerun drop severely if you have a K initial. Basically it’s all because the initials represent good or bad things.

Now how this applies to real people is anyone’s guess. As I mentioned at the start there is the example of Mr. Warren Buffett. There is no question of his success. He is simply the best investor in the history of the stock market.

Other examples of success might be Bill Gates, Humphrey Bogart, Bill Blase, Brad Pitt, Bill Cosby, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bob Hope, Aristotle, Albert Einstein, and Archibald Anderson. Even the rise to success of Britney Spears could be claimed by this study.

Now on the converse side there are those who have done badly with bad initials. First on the list is Britney Spears. (The S could stand for stupid, sloppy, sluggish, slovenly, or slow) Then there is former President Gerald Ford (it’s debatable on how successful he his). Also Julius Caesar, John F Kennedy, the Confederacy, Diogenes of Sinope, OJ Simpson and Caracalla.

Seems like their findings make sense, until you just casually consider President Franklin D. Roosevelt (with 2 bad initials), Donnie Osmond, Napoleon Bonaparte, Adolph Hitler, Denzel Washington, Walt Disney, President William Clinton, Curtis Jackson (depending on your point of view), and George Clooney.

Like most loopy ideas this one has holes all over the place. Again I have to wonder, how much did they get paid to do this and who funded it? I just hope it’s not a federal grant. Can you imagine your tax dollars going to fund this “research”?

**This can also be found at All American Blog, where I am A contributing author.**

Discussing 50 cent interview on Fox News

It’s amazing what money will make some people do. Some have sex for it; others sell poison (drugs) to children. The prisons are filled with thieves and petty robbers, and sometimes there are those willing to prostitute themselves just for a buck. In this case I’m referring to 50 cent (Curtis Jackson) appearing on Fox News with Neil Cavuto at 4:50pm Monday, to market a new line of Pontiac cars that he was involved in creating (in other words he put his name on it).

Considering the broad net cast upon Fox News, and the general mood in the gangsta rap industry for the channel I found it amusing that Jackson would appear. But then again, trying to sell the new Pontiac on BET wouldn’t really be possible.

1. There is no news program for him to be on
2. Gangsta rap targets young poorer African Americans
3. The rating suck as few really watch the channel compared to most other cable network programs (though I think they exceed CNN)

So I find it interesting that Jackson went on the channel to pitch the new car essentially to a more conservative, generally White, predominantly Republican, basically older audience. But since he is getting paid (no doubt a licensing deal and or record company perks I imagine) he goes where he is told. But don’t confuse gangsta rappers with sell-outs! That’s just not fair or Black, so I’ve been told.

For those that missed the interview, it was no hatchet job. It was fair and generally stayed on point about this promotion. I found it interesting that for a guy ranking #2 on the Forbes list of top rapper incomes, he only has 3 cars (he never mentioned if any were the car he was pitching). The modesty seems far from the persona he markets on stage, video games and that movie flop.

Which lead to a question about his film coming out next year, April 12th. Sadly I will find something more interesting to do than see him in the film, like take a nap, but I was shocked to hear that Mr. Robert DeNiro and Mr. Al Pacino are in the film. How did he pull that? It’s not like he has talent, nor is he having sex with the director (I presume) so I don’t know what got him the role. I am going to guess it’s a very minor role that will be marketed and hyped as if he were the lead in a $100 million film. No matter what you think of the guy, the fact is he is no Will Smith, or even an Ice Cube.

While this was ongoing, Neil Cavuto referred to a conversation he had with Mr. Sean Combs. They showed a brief clip and the difference in the style between Mr. Combs and Jackson was stark. Mr. Combs looked professional, sharp, casual and wealthy in his suit. Jackson looked like he was just at the gym and paid too much for the quality he had on.

But I digress. Neil Cavuto asked a question of interest about how gangsta rappers are all trying to go mainstream, getting into movies and pretending to be actors. The question was, and I paraphrase both the question and answer,

“I notice that there seems to be a move away from the violence and more to the mainstream. Are you moving away from the violence?

[50 cent] It’s not a move away from aggressive content. Success removes us from the environment, we aren’t writing about those things as much. That doesn’t mean they aren’t there or that someone isn’t writing about it. We’re just not around it.”

Again, I am paraphrasing. If anyone can show me an official transcript I will gladly correct the wording, but the essence has not been changed. And “aggressive content” was exactly the term Jackson used. He was coached very well by his PR people. I was almost impressed by the ex-convict. The subtle change in terminology changing violence, which is what, is advocated and accurately describing the actions described in gangsta rap, to aggressive content implies that his lyrics are no worse than a game of touch football. Talk about spinning a scenario in your favor.

And it’s interesting to note that for the most successful rappers, the ones most in favor of the n-word, being ghetto fabulous, and living the thug-life, (in general) are the ones that have left the ghetto, and lead lives mostly without any connection to the actions they continue to promote. From what I interpreted from Jackson’s words, he believes that essentially the top and longest running rappers are fakes since they have no connection to the events they proclaim rap is meant to ‘keep real’.

[Why do people keep saying that? What does it mean? Keep it real. Like you can fake life. Like there is a choice in being alive. This isn’t the Matrix, when stuff happens it happens. The statement is ignorant, a result of minds refusing to stretch to find the words that actually convey the thought in their head.]

Now add to all this the fact that Jackson likes Senator Hillary Clinton, because he liked her husband. What President Clinton has to do with her holding the Presidency makes no sense to me. She did not gain experience in running the government by osmosis, nor did she have a real power or position when she was First Lady. And her policies, if you can figure out what they are, seem to not match his.

Of course, like most I’ve noticed in support of Senator Clinton, Jackson is strongly against President Bush. When you call the sitting President “without compassion” you clearly state your reasoning. This is not a good reason to pick the next President though. President Bush is not going to run again. He is not going to be elected again. The logic runs false.

And how dare he call any sitting President “without compassion”. I may not agree with all the actions of President Bush, but that is not the same thing as to insult the leader of our nation. I can respect that Jackson may want to bring the troops home, but I also realize that this ex-convict is hardly the most astute political thinker.

While President Bush may be slightly more articulate than 50 cent, he is advised by far greater minds, and has always acted in a manner that seems to be guided by a belief that his actions are in the best interest of the nation. Disagree if you wish, but there has not been a successful terrorist attack in this nation to date, several attempts have been made but all were thwarted. And the economy, while not perfect is good.

All in all I found the interview interesting. Curtis Jackson left me unimpressed, his efforts to sell whatever increases his personal wealth left me unfazed. I was amazed that he found himself in a film with quality actors, and learning his political beliefs just makes me hope he keeps them to himself in the future. But it was a fair and mild interview.

Conservatives vs Rap, maybe Part 2 - 9.7.2007.2

Continued from Conservatives vs Rap, maybe Part 1...

The post goes on to say that the use of four letter words could be the fuel to incite riots and rebellion against the status quo. How? Of every riot I have ever heard being created I have never heard that it was done through the use of four letter expletives. To be honest such words are far too crude and simplistic to incite much more than perhaps a fistfight. I would suggest that readers who believe this is possible go over the speeches of some of the greatest leaders the world has known. Whether they were completely evil, such as Hitler, or peaceful, like Mahatma Gandhi, or forces of good, such as John F. Kennedy or Martin Luther King, you will not find four letter expletives used.

But perhaps one of the most incredible things that I read was the comparison of the words of Malcolm X to 50 cent. As incredulous as that may seem it was proposed. I obviously have deep reservations and disagreement with this comment. I'll take a moment to debunk that now. The actual statement is:

They understand that the only difference between the radical militant Black Power leader of 1967 and the gangsta rapper of 2007, is content and misdirection of rage. In other words, the degrees of separation between Malcolm X and 50 Cent are not as much as one might think.

I believe that if you compare 50 cent with a man the caliber of Malcolm X is to insult the memory and actions of Malcolm X. I'll let the words of each proved this point. The following is an excerpt from one of the songs by 50 cent:

[Intro]Uh..Yeah..
I like the way you do that shorty (shorty)
Now can you do somethin' for me (uh)
I like the way you movin' girl
Show me how you do that girl
I like the way you do that shorty (uh)
Now can you do somethin' for me
[Chorus]I can't, stand here and watch her dance
She got me comin' outta my pants
And i dont wanna miss my chance, to jump on her
If i could, get her outta here i would
I never seen a girl move that good
And there's something tellin' me i should
Get Low!

The following is an excerpt of a speech by Malcolm X:

When I was in Africa in May, I noticed a tendency on the part of the Afro-Americans to, what I call lollygag. Everybody else who was over there had something on the ball, something they were doing, something constructive. For instance, in Ghana, just to take Ghana as an example. There would be many refugees in Ghana from South Africa. But those who were in Ghana were organized and were serving as pressure groups, some were training for military -- some were being trained in how to be soldiers, but others were involved as a pressure group or lobby group to let the people of Ghana never forget what's happening to the brother in South Africa. Also you'd have brothers there from Angola and Mozambique. But all of the Africans who were exiles from their particular country and would be in a place like Ghana or Tanganyika, now Tanzania, they would be training. Their every move would still be designed to offset what was happening to their people back home where they had left.

The only difference on the continent was the American Negro. Those who were over there weren't even thinking about these over here. This was the basic difference. The Africans, when they escaped from their respective countries that were still colonized, they didn't try and run away from the problem. But as soon as they got where they were going, they then began to organize into pressure groups to get governmental support at the international level against the injustices they were experiencing back home.

I think it's quite clear that the difference between the two is explicit. To try and justify a subgenre that promotes the very things that Malcolm X spent his life fighting against is unfathomable to me. To say that the difference between these two individuals is nearly misplaced rage and content is like saying the difference between oil and water is only the color of the liquids. I am angered and mystified how anyone could compare the civil rights leaders of the 60s (that actually lead the people) to the spoiled, materialistic, and predominantly convicted felons that comprise rap music today. I further believe that it doesn't take someone that has conservative or right-leaning political feelings to realize this conclusion.

Continued in part 3...

The news you haven't seen on news television - 8.10.2007.1

I find it interesting how much time was spent today on the various news media discussing the local vote to repeal a 40 year old ban on tattoo shops in Key West, Florida. Picking on Fox News, this story was on every hour today from roughly 11 til the writing of this post. Each time the story included a piece by a reporter on the scene, making it a total length of approximately 3 minutes. That may not sound like a lot, but for a 24/7 news channel it is substantial for such a fluff piece. Let just think of what might have been able to fill that time slot today.

There is the news that the Black Family Channel has been forced to leave cable television and will only be found online. Though the channel reached 16 million households, many cable and satellite providers refused to carry the channel. It seems they thought BET, and sometimes TV One as well, was more than enough African American programming. So much for the 500 channels of diversity that HD television was proclaimed to provide.

Looking at the Presidential race, a question posed to Senator Clinton that I would believe could catch anyone’s attention was

"Are you black enough?" asked Malveaux, echoing a question often asked of rival Democratic candidate Barack Obama, who is biracial. "What makes you a better candidate over a black man representing issues confronting African-Americans?"

Wouldn’t you have loved to hear that answer?

Well maybe those 2 stories are too serious. Maybe something less important to the nation. How about being able to have virtual sex on Second Life? For those unfamiliar Second Life is a MMO similar to the popular and famous The Sims.

"Eros LLC decided people would pay to equip their online selves — which start out with the smooth anatomy of a Barbie or Ken doll — with realistic genitalia and even more to add some sexy moves."

There’s a bit of sauce to start the weekend with.

Let’s get even less relevant. How about the fact that 50 cent has stated he will quit his solo rap career if his next album does not outsell artist Kayne West. Both have upcoming releases on the same day. [Just this once I'm hoping Kanye West does really well.]

Actually several of these stories could have each been presented in the time allotted to talking about the tattoo ban. Seriously. There are too many things that deserve more time. I particularly believe the first 2 deserve the national attention, but I have to believe even the bit about 50 cent (I really hate that name) is more of interest to the nation.

21 minutes is barely a lunch break in most lives, but in television it’s a hit prime time show, breaking news, a peace treaty or a war starting. It’s the time a family may gather; it’s where some gather their grasp of the world.

Maybe it’s me, but I’d still love to see Senator Clinton’s face as she tried to answer the above question. (oh, her response didn’t answer the question but rather deflected it to a totally different direction.)

This is what I think, what do you think?

Curtis James Jackson has a problem - 7.23.2007.2

Snoop Dogg (Calvin Broadus Jr.) – accused of rape and murder (not convicted), self-acknowledged gang member and pimp. Ja Rule (Jeff Atkins) – arrested for speeding and gun possession. Lil Wayne (Dwayne Carter) – arrested for drug possession and gun possession. 50 Cent [an insanely stupid name in an industry of dumb names] (Curtis James Jackson) – self-acknowledged crack dealer, convicted felon, survivor of a murder attempt and star of the video game bulletproof.

What might all these ‘upstanding’ African American entertainers have in common? Hip hop/gangsta rap, guns, and violence. Each of them thrives and derives their livelihoods from promoting those 3 items to varying degrees, and violence has followed each. Not that violence, drugs, and other base negative elements of life are an unusual event for the hip-hop rap community.

But of these individuals only one is apparently thin skinned. Funny enough it’s the one that survived being shot multiple times. You see, 50 cent is suing a company that he claims is using his image in another video game. Of course the purpose of the game is to shoot his image. I can’t see him being upset about that part. As a drug-dealing criminal I have no doubt he’s been shot at more than the one time he actually got hit. Yet Curtis Jackson is asking for $1 million in compensation and the end of this game. I would bet that it’s because his character is being shot, and not shooting. Basically they hurt his feelings. Boo Hoo.

I obviously have no pity. I hope he loses the case and the game takes off. Symbolically it sounds like (I have not seen or played the game) getting rid of gangsta rap. I’m sure that is not the intent, which is troubling in it’s own right, but that’s the image I want to have right now.


Something else I want to mention. I feel the name 50 cent is ignorant. I don’t like it. I realize that the gangsta rap sub-genre is filled with ill-spelled, self-aggrandizing, near English terms. The kind of names you might expect a 4 year old to write (which may be the inspiration of some of these names, who knows). That’s given, but this one just grates my nerves.

Why? It’s the meaning of the name. While I understand Curtis Jackson took the name from a robber from Brooklyn because

“I'm the same kind of person 50 Cent was. I provide for myself by any means.”

If by same the meaning is criminal, I can agree.

But what it means is something more. It is obvious that it instantly states that there is a lack of knowledge of the English language, since the s is missing. It infers a value (since it references money) of less than a whole. It signifies incompleteness. Half a dollar is not worth a whole dollar. A half dollar buy nothing thses days and is virtually worthless.

It could ber further understood to imply being half as worthy of manhood, or being half a man. If you take cent and substitute sense (similar in sound and depending on the vocalization, accent, and intelligence of the speaker similar in pronounciation) if can be infered to mean half a mind, or half intelligent.

I have no doubt that Curtis Jackson has no idea that any of this can be concluded from his stage name. I’m sure his thought began and ended with the fact he was copying the name of a tough criminal he was aware of. Perhaps most fans don’t realize this either. But words have meanings, and we learn and retain the meanings for life. So even on a subliminal level we all know that all the above is there in that name.

I have no love of gansta rap nor it’s performers. The lyrics are base, it’s music videos crass, and it’s dependance on drugs and violence sickening. Even so, I cannot stand by and fail to mention that of the ill-formed names available, there must be something better for Curtis Jackson to call himself. Traveling the world, more importantly his image and music do so, thus promoting an image of Black men as so ignorant as to not be able to speak their own native tounge better than the ability of a 4 yr old upsets me.

But those are my thoughts, what are yours?

Reply to comment about D L Hughley Part 3 - 6.21.2007.1

This is in response to a comment made by Eddie G. Griffin who commented on my post Why protest D L Hughley Part 3 - 6.19.2007.3.

I’m glad to see you share the passion that your associate g-e-m has. It’s commendable. But I must mention that I feel neither of you have read through the various posts found on this blog, and my other (www.mvass.com).

I say this because your first statement fails to recognize what I said previously, my post was about free speech. I was not commenting on the quality or morality of what Mr. Hughley stated. My clarification on that point can be seen in my comment and the post itself, I don’t believe I need to clarify that point further.

I am glad that you felt compelled to protest Mr. Hughley. You stood for your convictions and that is something most do not do. I will not take away from that.

As for what people in California, New York, Chicago or any other portion of America and the world think or do I cannot comment. I only speak for myself. It is my understanding that the norms of behavior and speech do not change in different areas of the nation to any great degree. I say that as I have lived in several states across the nation and visited perhaps a dozen more. This is my opinion; you may have had other experiences.

Given that, I point you to a couple of things I have said that it seems you have failed to read about. The secret anti-ganst rap movement - 4.30.2007.3, Another Blackplanet poll - 3.22.2007.1, Nick Cannon's Boost Mobile ads, NBA code, Harper Hill - success vs. dmx - airport arrest, Sean Bell - 11.29.2006.1, Mrs. Elizabeth Vargas, formerly of World News Tonight, Chuck Creekmur and Rap on Fox News - 3.7.2007.2. I think you get the point.

I provided these links because this may help you understand what you seemingly have not read. My views are all available for anyone to read. I have a couple hundred posts that speak clearly to my views on women, rap music, the current state of Black culture, education, justice, drugs, media, health, and dozens of other subjects. I would suggest you read some of them, you may find that my opinions are not based on who I am speaking about but what I want to speak about.

I don’t need to say I stand up for women, African Americans, Hispanics, politicians, this nation, children, education, health, or anything else. My posts do that for me. My backbone has been visible to the entire internet since 2005, and easily found in searches on most any search engine. Put Black Entertainment into a search engine and I’m confident you’ll find me on the first page out of millions of results.

Because of my convictions I try not to make personal attacks, implied or otherwise, against anyone. That doesn’t always happen, I’m human. But when I attack gansta rap I do, when I confront an individual rapper I do that. If I speak about free speech I mean that. And I provide information, when possible and I feel needed, to back up what I say. I don’t make it personal (beyond the fact that it is my opinion) as it weakens the argument I am making.

As for the community, I’m glad you are doing things you believe will help. I do as well, this being one of those items. If you disagree, fine. If you think I am incorrect, then provide me an example of what I said and correct me with proof that ANYONE can link to. I try to do my homework, if you want to say I’m wrong in front of the internet, I expect the same as a courtesy. I’m not above saying I’m wrong, but not just because someone says so.

I will say (since you mentioned it) that if you think that Mr. Hughley, a D-list entertainer as you called him on your blog, has enough influence on your kids to cause them to idolize and emulate him then either he is more successful than you think or you don’t understand the influences on your kids in my opinion. I will further state that if you think the influence of Mr. Hughley supersedes that of rappers such as Snoop Dogg and 50 cent, or the peers of your children then I again state you may be missing something.

Lastly, you made a personal attack on me. In defense of that I will respond, and only once. You don’t know me, or my character. You haven’t bothered to read what I have written. You seem incapable of understanding what you have read. I have come to understand from your writing that you are blinded by your passion and cannot see another view. Without the ability to see other views, or to learn from what is being said to you, you become stupid.

Let me define that, ignorance is the lack of knowledge on a thing – such as your comment on my character, but stupidity is the ability to learn a thing and the failure to do so – which would be reading my blog and understanding what I write about and why which it appears abundantly obvious you have not.

I do not care where in the world you live or are from. Your views are your own, I respect that. I respect honest, courteous disagreement. These things, among others, make me the man I am.

But based on your comments, your disregard for my initial reply, and your personal attack – that was unwarranted and small-minded in my opinion, I would surmise that the children you mention disrespecting their elders (male and female alike I imagine) are not emulating Mr. Hughley but perhaps yourself. I don’t believe that has anything to do with Texas, or being Black, or the sex you were born with. I think that applies just to you.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Robot Chicken does Star Wars - 6.18.2007.1

I’m sure many of the fanboys of Star Wars and Robot Chicken [a show on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim programming. Basically anime for adults.] were watching all night as a special episode, approved by Mr. George Lucas, dominated the channel.

This one night there was nothing but older episodes of Robot Chicken, which can have some very funny and dark skits, with the special episode repeating throughout the night. Of the dozen or so skits, several are old, but there was one I really liked. It resolve the question (if anyone was wondering) of what happened to that ridiculous, waste of space, Jar-Jar. Darth Vader does something every fan of the original 3 movies wanted to do. He chucks him out an airlock!

Sadly this is not without consequence. Still it’s worth it. When you see the skit you will get what I mean.

Other than that the ‘dancing in Bespin’ skit [my reference not the actual] and ‘Boba Fett gets personal’ are my personal favorites. Still I did expect a bit more as Mr. Lucas okayed the use of his characters, in addition to the use of his voice and that of Mr. Mark Hamill. I’m sure those who dislike President Bush will get a laugh out of the ‘Jedi Bush’ skit, which wasn’t too bad. Oh, I can't leave out 'Luke and Laura go Hotel New Hampshire'.

You can see all the skits over at the AdultSwim.com site. Now that you’ve seen my favorites in order, which was your favorite?

On a separate thought, did anyone else see the commercial for the flavored water that featured 50 cent. [I still hate his name] While all of the commercials from this company (who’s name I forget) features entertainers, mostly from sports, in events that are ridiculous this was way over the top.

The basketball player throwing a sheep, football players doing ping pong, and the NASCAR racer in the Himalayas were all ok. A rapper conducting a symphony just doesn’t work. Especially since he can’t even stick to Beethoven for more than 3 bars. It might have worked if he kept with the 5th Symphony, but the fact he doesn’t just brought up in my mind the question of if he has actually ever heard the piece. Kind of defeats the theme I thought.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Breaking the law entertainer-style

I am amazed at times by the actions of entertainers these days, and even moreso in cases by the reaction of law authorities in these cases. By example I mean Mr. Daniel Baldwin, who was not charged with a felony though he was arrested with drug possession and drug paraphernalia. Now perhaps Mr. Baldwin did not have enough cocaine to justify the felony charge, and perhaps he is not large enough of a star to merit the same kinds of leeway given to other big name entertainers, but somehow I doubt that. Were I, a Puerto Rican Black African American male with a clean record and prior service in the military, in the same circumstances I feel confident that the charge would be a felony. But as I said, perhaps I’m wrong.

Of course I’m not an entertainer. But were I, or a friend of mine who has gotten a drunk driving charge as a better example, it would be nice to be able to get the minor slap on the wrist that Ms. Michelle Rodriguez has received. While Ms. Rodrigues did serve 4 days in jail, her choice instead of 240 hours of community service, and a fine of $500 it does not compare to the suspended licence, $1000 fine, ~30 hours mandated drunk driver counseling that my friend received. My friend is a Black African American male. Perhaps the fact that this was in New York State that made the difference. Of course he wasn’t on a 3 year probation from a prior drunk driving charge either.

And there is my favorite entertainer a rapper. This time it happens to be Snoop Dogg, otherwise known as Calvin Broadus, and occurred internationally. What did snoop do you wonder? He and his associates assaulted police offices, resulting in 6 officers receiving minor wounds and cuts, and verbally abused employees of a duty-free shop and British Airways. Why would they do this? Because 3 of the associates did not have first-class tickets and were rightly denied access to the first-class lounge. Who do these guys think they are? If its such a big deal, why didn’t they just upgrade their tickets to first-class. And what gives them the right to abuse people for doing their jobs. And while throwing what I perceive as a tantrum the decide to pick a fight with the police. Now honestly does anyone who may read this think that a fight with officers over being denied entry where they shouldn’t be is worth it? Do you think that you would get out of the situation on a bail withing less than 24 hours? And for those of us that are Black African American, Hispanic or other minorities do you think that the cops wouldn’t have retaliated. I’m sure it would be explained as injuries due to resisting arrest or accidentally falling down some stairs, but I don’t doubt for a second that there would be repercussions. Hello Mr. Rodney King and Mr. Amadu Diallo.

I can see why some entertainers think they are better than average when these kinds of incidents, or others I have mentioned and the multiple others that I haven’t, occur and the reactions they receive. And some take it to an extreme I just don’t understand, like kanye west and his personal view of Jesus Christ (his picture portrayal on the cover of Rolling Stones I believe).

Of course some entertainers just think they deserve recognition because they are a big fish in their small pool. Like 50 cent [I still find that name annoying, 3rd grade english reminds us that it should be 1 cent or 3 cents but when have rappers needed english] who believes he is put upon due to Ms. Oprah Winfrey not inviting more rappers on her program. How the fact that Ms. Winfrey has not asked 50 cent to be on her show affects him or his career is sheer hubris to me. And how dare he, in effect, demand that Ms. Winfrey change how she does her work. If 50 cent does not realize it Ms. Winfrey makes over $50 million a year, is a media mogul and well respected. She does not need him, and picking on her viewers is just sour grapes to me.

The same can be said of Ludacris [another name I just won’t go into] who like many rappers, including the above mentioned 50 cent, believe they are actors on par with the likes of Mr. Denzel Washington or Ms. Halle Berry. In this case the statement was that Ms. Winfrey didn’t give enough time to ludacris, keeping it for herself (how dare she), and focusing to much on his main career of rapping. Perhaps when ludacris makes 10 million a picture and can be nominatied for an Emmy or an Oscar, Ms. Winfrey will focus on his acting, I think.

But I think all entertainers need to get off their high horses. Whether they get paid to play a game, sing a song, or play pretend they are being paid for work that is far less strenuous than working in a steel mill or a waitress in a diner. Their pay is also significantly greater. Considering that and the fact that far more often than not they receive slaps on the wrist when they deserve far harsher penalties for breaking laws, entertainers should stop acting like children. Or is it our fault for treating them like spoiled brats with a silver spoon?

This is what I think, what do you think?

50 cent and Anna Nicole Smith

[this post was moved from An award, ice, a role-model and strippers for search engine reasons. No other alteration to the post has occured.]

Continuing this theme of ‘Why do I need to know this’ I fall upon a recent statement by 50 Cent [Ok here is a pet peeve of mine. What happened to the s? The word is cents, not a difficult word. I presume that the rapper has had enough education to know the proper spelling of this word. I could be wrong. Even if the word is supposed to be 50% where is the per? It just annoys me the way the American English language is abused for profit, encouraging misuse by those who do not profit but believe that it must be ok since rich entertainers do it. See my thoughts on NBA about role models.] on Eminem. First, what change does this make in ANYONE’S life? Why is this considered news? Secondly, Eminem is hardly a gold standard to follow. Eminem failed 9th grade three times and dropped out of high school. He has made millions attacking his mother and then ex-wife on various recordings. He received 2 years probation on a concealed weapons charge [shall we say slap on the wrist], was sued for defamation, and is often noted for his apparent homophobia (performing on stage with a gay man is a marketing gimmick not a statement about personal thoughts) and misogyny as expressed by his music. The last 2 items, and possibly the legal charges, are of course positives when rappers are concerned. But to be considered a role model seems hardly credible. While I cannot deny that some of the work by Eminem shows talent few in this sector of the entertainment industry have, that is not very hard in my opinion. To have marginal competence does not make you Einstein because you are compared against large numbers of incompetents, as an example. If Eminem is the highlight of what rappers should be like, then in most every aspect I’d have to be very sad for the outlook of an already felon-glutted, low-talent entertainment. Obviously 50 cent and I have severely different outlooks.

Lastly, since we are considering a way to look at things, I’m reminded that Ms. Anna Nicole Smith will soon be able to present her case before the U.S. Supreme Court. While not the typical “rags-to-riches” scenario, I am sure some (referred to colloquially in the Black African American culture at least as golddiddgers) may find this inspiring. I am amazed at the greed that is on display. Without regard for the feelings that Ms. Smith and her late husband shared, the various legal battles for his estate are less than virtuous at least in appearance. The press coverage of this case will no doubt be a standout. The big question of course is what precedent will be set by this case. And how much wealth can be shared by those in an inheritance. Keep dad away from those strippers or else.