Ludacris gives away 30 cars via the Ludacris Foundation

There is no secret to the fact that I am not a fan of Ludacris. Nor almost any form of gangsta rap. And perhaps even less so of rappers as actors. But with that said, I do commend Ludacris with regard to his foundation The Ludacris Foundation.

Unlike most rappers Ludacris has done something to give back to the community and inspire the youth. While the amount of good this provides versus the lyrics in his songs is debatable, the efforts of his foundation are not. And that deserves attention.

Most recently the Ludacris Foundation gave 30 cars to people in need. The goal was to help these individuals with transportation as they strive to improve their lives. And that is something that I always commend.

The cars given did not include the title, registration and other costs involved with the car. Which I think is perfect as I disagree with feeding people fish, rather teaching them to fish is the best way. And this gift does that in part.

This gift of 30 cars is not the biggest thing that Ludacris could have done. Nor did he have to do more. But it does inspire, and hopefully it will inspire other rappers and entertainers to step above the low goal of attaining fame and wealth for no purpose beyond their own gratification.

Does this make me a fan of Ludacris or the commoditization of Black culture called hip hop these days? Not at all. But the fact that even from such mindless distraction some bit of good is sown is a glimmer of hope that it can all get better.

Now if Chris Bridges, Ludacris, can only get some acting lessons I might actually find him to be a decent entertainer.

Happy Birthday

Well September 11th is coming up once again, but this year I wanted to take a different approach to this day. Long before our nation suffered a massive wound this was just another day. And for many it was a day of celebration of life.

September 11th was the birth day of many people, famous and not. Celebrities who all share this day include:

Actor Earl Holliman is 81. Movie director Brian De Palma is 69. Singer Jack Ely of The Kingsmen is 66. Drummer Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead is 66. Guitarist Leo Kottke is 64. Actress Amy Madigan is 59. Guitarist Tommy Shaw of Styx is 56. Songwriter Diane Warren is 53. Drummer Jon Moss of Culture Club is 52. Actress Roxann Dawson ("Star Trek: Voyager") is 51. Actor Scott Patterson ("Gilmore Girls") is 51. Actress Virginia Madsen ("Sideways," "American Dreams") is 48. Actress Kristy McNichol is 47. Musician Moby is 44. Singer Harry Connick Jr. is 42. Actress Taraji P. Henson ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") is 39. Actress Laura Wright ("Guiding Light") is 39. Guitarist Jeremy Popoff of Lit is 38. Singer Brad Fischetti of LFO is 34. Rapper Mr. Black is 32. Guitarist Jon Buckland of Coldplay is 32. Rapper Ludacris is 32. Singer Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum is 28.

But for me someone far more important has her birthday on this day. That is my mother.

It is a shame that all these people share this day with a horrible memory for the nation. But the nation survived and it still is a day of celebration, as every day is.

So I just wanted to take a moment to wish all those that have September 11th as a birthday my best wishes, before all the sadness of the day weighs upon them.

Most importantly I want to wish my mother a very happy birthday. And for those that are wondering, my mother is 21. Don’t you dare question that, I don’t.

Movie Preview: Gamer

There is no question that video games are the wave of the future. The industry has steadily moved to become one of the leading forms of entertainment, and massively multiplayer online games have a firm grip in forging that path. But what will the future bring?

That is the question posed in the upcoming film Gamer. This is basically a revised mix of the Running Man and Death Race (or Death Race 2000 if you are younger and did not see the original).



From the trailer we are sure of a couple of things. First is the fact that there will be enough explosions for any action movie or video game fan. Based on the reaction to Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen that should be enough to garner $100 million in the box office.

Of course there is a lose plot to the movie. The lead is Kable (Gerard Butler) who is most likely a wrongly convicted criminal (aren’t they always) who is brought into the game – called Slayer – to draw attention. It is highly likely that Kable has a wife and child, is a former military hero of some distinction, and is never supposed to see freedom again.

Somehow the convicts are implanted with devices that allows a gameplayer to takeover the body of the convict and control how they act, with some input from the convict direct to the player. This is all televised as well. Does this sound familiar?

Inevitably Kable is helped along in the game by Freek (John Leguizamo – been a while since he was in a major movie), and in trying to escape the corrupt system by Ludacris (don’t know his character’s name – though he seems to be trying to evade his rap image by going under his real name in the credits). Ken Castle (Michael C. Hall of Dexter fame) is of course the corrupt mastermind of the game and intent on ensuring that no one ever reaches the 30 wins that will free them of the game and prison. [I know we have heard this all before]

Keith David and Kyra Sedgwick both have small roles in the film as well. Don’t expect to see much of them though.

I think you can figure out the whole movie, because we have seen it before. It may well be too much to ask for a surprise ending, or a reasonable plot twist. But that does not mean the film cannot be worth the money.

The director of the film is Mark Neveldine. The name may not be familiar to everyone, but if you liked Crank and/or Crank: High Voltage then you have seen his work. Thus in this film you can expect lots of explosions, plenty of fast moving cut scenes, more than a few fist fights, and 5 minutes of slow moving plot to tie up the big questions. Neveldine is also the writer of this film as well as the Crank movies, so the plot will be basically flowing.

This looks like a decent big budget popcorn film. No Oscars of course, but still engaging enough for the likely 90 minutes it will run. The big question to this film is can it do the story we all know, with enough new scenes and explosions to draw the 18 – 35 video gamers they are targeting? Another question I wonder about is will the use of a rapper drag down the film, as they normally do, or has Chris Bridges (Ludacris) taken enough acting lessons to have his bit role justify the time he will be on screen?

Ultimately the answers will come in September when this film is slated to open.

Ludacris is not Senator Obama - understand Sean Hannity?

Name one thing that is potentially deadly to the political ambition of Senator Barack Obama and involves the youth of America.

Ludacris.

Or at least that is what the news media would love you to believe. And when I say news media I mean at least Sean Hannity, that I am aware of right now. But I have no doubt that there will be more than just a few that will try to use rapper Ludacris as a weapon against Senator Obama.

The problem is that Ludacris has released a video where he is lauding Senator Obama, and disparages Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator John McCain, Rev. Jesse Jackson and President Bush – in a manner only rappers would believe to be decent.

Here is the video – WARNING – some individuals and parents may find this objectionable. (note there are several versions of this video on Youtube, I have selected the least visually insulting version)



I agree with most of the news media that Ludacris is a poor representative of Senator Obama. His use of foul language, the N-word, and implications of women as valueless sacks of meat meant for the base enjoyment of men are all things I denounce and disagree with. Were that the only implication in the news media I would have no problem with their assault.

But that is not the case. The words and images of Ludacris are being used to intimidate White Americans. As displayed on Hannity & Colmes the lyrics are matched with images that are obviously meant to imply ‘watch out for the crazy violent Black men’. That I do not agree with.

When Senator Obama first met with Ludacris in 2006 it was at YouthAIDS ''Kick Me'' campaign to raise HIV/AIDS awareness. If preventing AIDS is not a positive, what is? What is violent or crazy about keeping our kids alive and healthy? Nothing, and it’s why the national news media had little to say about their conversation.

After Senator Obama declared his intention to run for the Democratic nomination, months later, a Youtube video came out called Obama Girl. While it was whimsical I heard no comments about how negative this expression of pro-Obama support was beyond its less than serious nature. The media was not rooting out the backgrounds of the performers looking to show how dangerous Obama was at the time. Of course at that time in 2007 Senator Clinton was still expected to garner the nomination.

When Will.I.Am made his popular and catchy music video demonstrating his support of Senator Obama no one raised an eyebrow. Yet Will.I.Am is a member of a music group that has used lyrics that while not as explicit as those used by rappers, is no less suggestive. Of course Senator Obama was still expected to lose to one of the White candidates at the time.

But now that Senator Obama is the Democratic nominee, and another Black musician has voiced his support – well things are different.

But how?

This is just another entertainer that supports Obama. This is just another expression of that support. And it has nothing to do with Senator Obama or his policies. This does not reflect on Obama’s intention to get out of Iraq, or reduce energy prices, or implement a national healthcare system. It’s just a guy saying he likes Obama more than McCain in a bad way.

Yet according to pundits I have seen and read this is Obama’s problem. As if he was singing the song himself. And others have stated how this song does not reflect the social morality and family values of middle America.

But Obama isn’t singing the song. Ludacris has nothing to do with his campaign. And the most recent data states that more than 55% of all rap music sales are because of White youth throughout America. So obviously it must match up with hordes of family values throughout the nation’s White families.

The point is that I can understand debating the policy issues of Senator Obama. I can respect supporters and detractors that have substantive reasons. But to play on stereotypical fears of racial ignorance is insulting and unwarranted.

Yes Ludacris went way too far. Yes he should apologize for the attacks he made. It’s true the Obama campaign denounced the video. But what does any of this have to do with Senator Obama besides the fact that both men are Black?

Sean Hannity was wrong for the manner in which he presented this news item. He was wrong to imply the racial component as he did in his program on July 30th. He too should apologize for the over the top suggestive presentation that he provided. He is no less wrong than Ludacris. And the news media needs to stop trying to create Rev. Wright fiascos for their ratings and newspaper sales, just because a Black entertainer – or just a person in general – supports Senator Obama.

What interested be from the BET Awards - 6.27.2007.2

What can I say about the BET Awards? Well actually a couple of things. The first refers back to a post I made about Mr. Robin Thicke. Mr. Thicke did not win an award. Many were expecting that he wouldn’t. For me it wouldn’t matter if he had or not.

The question I posed still remains a question. Is there a bias to the BET Awards? IF there is, which there may not be, is that a bad thing? It’s hard to say, and I don’t have that answer. What do you think?

More important to me was the fact that Mr. Don Cheadle
was recognized for his humanitarian work. Few entertainers or celebrities, African American or otherwise, have done as much as he has. He has brought attention on the plight of millions, and I think he has helped to improve those lives.

If his award helps to bring conversation and attention to this matter, then it was a great thing. His work in film, a book, and his organization Not On Our Watch stands out. In this nation with so much, there is just so little said or done about Darfur. If Mr. Cheadle was not as good an actor as he is, those things alone would make him newsworth.

But I expect no less from a man proficient at GO [I do play and would love to get a game with him] and poker. I look forward to his next film Talk To Me and his future humanitarian work. Congratulations on the well deserved Award.

Lastly I am surprised by the apology made by TI to Ludacris. It’s wildly uncommon to hear of such a thing, to any degree, especially in public. It’s so much better than how these things usually get resolved; bullets, fists and jail time. Maybe some in gangsta rap are starting to grow up.

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?