Twerk, Miley, Miley, Twerk!

Miley Cyrus created quite a buzz with her performance at the Video Music Awards.

Admittedly at first I was absolutely appalled by her performance but then I watched Fashion Police VMA special show and my perspective changed. What one of the host pointed out was Miley's outfits was reminisce of the outfits worn by the women in Robin Thicke's 'Blurred Lines' video. Immediately I had an aha moment, yes, it was except for the clear white plastic covering she was wearing the same outfit as the models in the video. So then I had to ask myself what was the big deal? Her bottom could have been a better fit and more flattering to her figure but other than that we've seen countless performers parade around in one piece leotards and other revealing outfits. 

So again, what's the big deal? Oh and to top it all off, a friend of mine saw a version of the 'Blurred Lines' video where the same women in the video are completely naked!!!!!! Considering Miley is young, wants to have fun and the outfit worn was during a performance eg a costume we shouldn't be too shocked or offended right? 

 Now as for her dance moves and obscene gestures during the performance, that's a different story but all in all why are we so upset about what Miley Cyrus was wearing? 

Things that make you go hmmm....

KENDRICK LAMAR "CONTROL"

Kendrick Lamar is causing quite a buzz with his verse on Big Seans "Control".  So much buzz that he was the #1 person/thing searched on the Internet today.  Why all the buzz? Well Kendrick is from Cali yet he called himself the King of New York after respectfully paying homage to Jay Z and Nas.  Kendrick also called a few rappers out as well.  

I can say rap/hip-hop has been less about bahz and more about beats/hooks/catchy rhymes so Kendrick's verse is refreshing but is it worth all the hype????

You be the judge.....

I'm Too Old For This

This weekend I had the pleasure of supporting a friend in their new business endeavor as the manager of a black owned sports bar.  I chose to attend the festivities on opening night.  I put on a casual jumpsuit and some cute heels, yes I know its a sports bar BUT...it was the Grand Opening none the less!

As I walked to the bar, there were a group of kids hanging outside, they commenting on how nice my friend and I looked, then a young lady asked for a hug.  I am ABSOLUTELY NOT the touchy feely type on top of the fact I didn't know her, I said NO!  Then a young gentleman asked as well, again um....NO! In my mind I was thinking, I'm too old for this!

So the young man proceeds to walk my friend and I to the club.  As we're walking he says, "you all aren't lit or high, how are you going to a party?" First of all I needed clarification of what lit meant, I'm too old for this!.  Then I immediately went into social worker/save a child/teen intervention mode.  The gentleman was 17.  My friend asked him was he old enough to get in the bar, he said NO but I can get in if I wanted to.

He then told us that his belt cost $600.  You are hanging outside on the street, walking on foot, wearing a $600 Gucci belt????? Sweetie, have you ever been to the Gucci store on Michigan Ave????? I'm going to go with NO but I could be completely wrong.  Nevertheless, I am too old for this as I would rather here about your bank account, investments, or how much money you have tucked away under your mattress!!!!!!

Now we enter the club/bar.  I ordered a Grey Goose and Cranberry.  The bartender proceeds to make Ciroc and cranberry.  When questioned she responds I gave you Ciroc because it's cheaper.  Again...I'm too old for this!!!! Sweetie, I ordered Grey Goose because I like Grey Goose, I'm not a Ciroc drinker, thank you for considering my pockets but I'm a grown woman, I would like Grey Goose and Cranberry, please and thank you!

After getting my proper beverage, I stood over to the side.  A gentleman has just left the dance floor, is all sweaty and walks up to my friend and proceeds to hug her and kiss her on the cheek, well attempt to.  She declines.  He then walks over to me and attempts to hug and kiss me.  Dude, please do not touch me, I don't like to be touched and I don't know you!!!!!  He asked my name, I gave him my fake one, Timika, he then tells me his and once again proceeds to try and hug me and kiss me on my cheek.  Dude, for the last time do not touch me, I don't know you!!!

Woosah.  He then has the audacity to speak to the people standing next to me and I believe he called me and my girl a B*tch, mentioning he was just trying to be friendly.

Nothing personal but, I don't like to be touched by people I know, I don't know you, you're sweaty and DUDE go that away.

Again, I am too old for this.  I then told my girl its time to take our talents to Rush Street or somewhere more appropriate with a grown and sexy style!

Lil Wayne Dropped by Pepsi...

PepsiCo has decided to drop Lil Wayne from his endorsement deal due to a controversial lyric in the rap song, Karate Chop, "Pop a lot of pain pills Bout to put rims on my skateboard wheels Beat that pussy up like Emmett Till Yeah...."

Before I continue, I must say I do not agree with Lil Wayne referencing Emmit Till in this manner, I 100% disagree.  I also disagree with PepsiCo dropping Lil Wayne over the lyrics.

I disagree because I don't feel the sincerity in the decision, I don't see the true concern and care.  Whom is PepsiCo trying to appease?  Whom are the bowing down to the pressure of?  Its ok for Lil Wayne to talk about popping pain pills BUT stop the press he referenced Emmit Till. Lil Wayne has a song Novacane where he raps about cocaine, his love for it, how he misses it and will do it again.  Lil Wayne has been hospitalized for seizures due to drug complications.  None of that signal a red flag before or after giving him an endorsement deal.  I'm sorry, I'm just not convinced PepsiCo cares about the Emmit Till reference.  They are more concerned with their bottom line profits, as they should be, I guess!

How many people truly care or know about Emmit Till and what happened to him?  Yes he was brutally murdered unjustly in a time where if a black man so much as looked at a white woman he could be lynched.  

What about the children who are popping pills, addicted to drugs, loving guns, and violence because of Lil Wayne's lyrics.  We are quick to uphold the legacy and memory of the dead, I believe it is time to focus on the living.

It is acceptable for the majority of the current rap culture to rap about degrading women, raping women, popping pills, getting drunk, high off illegal drugs, and abusing pain medicine....when they do these things they receive endorsements.

Where is the accountability on the part of the artist, the record label, DJs, radio stations and the Federal Communications Commission? 

This in and of itself as I type about it is a catch 22.  As artist are known for pushing the envelope and sparking change/revolution.  We also have freedom of speech here in the United States, so I'm not supporting censorship.  What I am a proponent for is accountability.  

Someone listened to and approved the song Karate Chop, it was released and was played on the airwaves, it was a top 40 song.  So, with all issues everything needs to be addressed at the root.  Even if the artist writes and records the lyrics must the record label release it?

Namaste! Peace! Love! Joy! Abundance! Wealth! Propserity!

THINK, FACT CHECK, USE YOUR BRAIN!

On Tuesday, April 23rd @AP sent a tweet that said bombs or something of the extent went off at the White House, immediately....hear me as I type this IMMEDIATELY the stock market went down.

Shortly thereafter, @AP sent out another tweet saying their account had been hacked and the tweet was untrue.

How? Why? What? would possess people to sell their stocks based on a tweet?  Most people that trade stocks have some sort of intelligence and ability for independent thought, as they are choosing stocks and trading on the market.  Better yet, they are alive and well daily making decisions that require the use of their brains.

Now the tweet could have very well been true or it may be false BUT did anyone take the time to think for themselves? Fact check, check other sources? Simply use their brain to be logical and not emotional? 

Are we that obsessed with social media and information that someone could send a tweet that could alter life as we know it?  This is mind boggling to us but what are your thoughts?

Namaste! Peace! Love! Joy! Abundance! Prosperity! Wealth! Knowledge! Wisdom! Understanding! 

EDUCATION VS. IMPRISONMENT

As of late I've read different posts and opinions, on Twitter and FaceBook, on the fact that our government spends more money to imprison than educate.  Now that we are aware of this injustice, what do we do now?

 

Prisoner = slave, slave = free labor.  Prisons are for profit institutions, they guarantee investors 80% occupancy....GUARANTEE!  Now we must ask ourselves how is this possible?  One of the greatest determining factors for the prison population is 3rd grade reading scores.  There is a strong chance if your child is not a great reader by the 3rd grade they may end up in jail.  Now, a large percentage of the prison population are from single parent households, over 70%.  There are many who believe the single mother is the cause of the prison population.  The thing is 70% of the prison population are from single parents.  Now if you told me 70% of children born to single parents were imprisoned then I could agree.

 

Many people in prison have children, this leaves their children to be raised by a single parent, guardian, extended family member or they could be in a foster home or orphanage.  This automatically puts many of those children at a disadvantage and the cycle unfortunately continues.

 

However, back to the question, how does a prison guarantee its investors 80% occupancy???  If anyone has the answer to this question I would love to know.

All problems should be attacked and addressed at the root.  Before we jump to injustice with college education let's start at the root of the issue with primary education.  Let's discuss reduced funding for head start programs, let's discuss some school districts charging for pre-K, let's discuss the fact that kindergarten is not mandatory, let's discuss the fact that you've never taken the time to read to your children, let's discuss the fact that they watch countless hours of senseless television programming that brainwashes and influences them negatively!

 

 Let's be real, if your child received a sub par primary education their chances of success in college are slim.  So, again we have to start from day 1 at birth, you can read to your child while they are in the womb.  You can also explore your options as a parent, your child doesn't have to attend the school in their neighborhood.  At least not in Chicago.  Visit your child's school, volunteer, if you can.  Develop a relationship with their teacher and have open dialogue.  

 

Realistically, I understand that all parents are not involved or have to work to provide that they cannot be involved as they would like to be.  That is where the old adage 'it takes a village to raise a child'.  How can we as a community collectively help each other out with our children etc.?  

 

Be concerned with injustice but understand true revolutionaries die, are falsely imprisoned, they're defamed, their names are dragged through the mud.  If you are about that life and ready for the fate that Malcolm, Martin, Tupac, Assata, Mumia, Mutulu, Pratt, Hampton, Newton, etc. had to face then rise up, revolt, do something!   A petition isn't going to change anything, a march isn't going to change anything, mobilization will change things.

 

It starts with ECONOMIC empowerment.  It starts with knowing what you start, you might not be able to finish just hope that someone else picks up where you left off and keeps it going until change truly comes.  It starts with being ready to die and/or go to jail.

Namaste! Peace! Love! Joy! Favor! Abundance! Prosperity! Light! Awareness!

TEMPTATION: CAN YOU SPOT A HARLEY?

If you plan on seeing Tyler Perry's new film 'Temptation' DO NOT READ THIS POST until AFTER seeing the movie!

 

While watching Temptation, the 1st conversation between Harley and Judith had my danger signals blaring, they were saying he's dangerous, don't trust him, he will lay hands on you!  Did yours?  There was one point where Judith asked Harley a question and part of his answer was the fact he could get crazy.  Few people say they get crazy, and those that do say such things usually mean CRAZY for real, real, CRAZY all capital CRAZY CRAY CRAY!!!!!

 

While Judith was obviously intrigued from her and Harley's 1st meeting and conversation, the private jet scene where Harley begins kissing Judith and she is saying stop but he doesn't, while a turn-on for Judith, it COMPLETELY turned me off.  Once again my danger signals began going off.  However, I could totally see a woman like Judith and many other falling for the Harley type.  Especially since her life seems mundane and predictable.  When she tried to spice it up a bit, her husband was taken a back and unprepared to just go with the flow.  This increased her curiosity for something "new and exciting".  At any point in time Judith could have spoken with her husband about her need for some spontaneity and excitement BUT like most people she harbored her feelings and allowed them to lead her to a path of self sabotage and destruction with defeated thoughts.

 

Before I go any further, there are great men out there, I love black men, I am the daughter of, mother to, and woman of a black man.....

 

Harley was 100% positively the too good to be true type.  When I was younger my mom said something that I completely understand now and is so fitting for the movie.  If a man has so many positive attributes and things going on for himself and he is single, no woman is trying to claim him, stalking him etc.  There is something wrong with him.  Harley was a man that possessed everything he could possibly imagine yet he had no love in his life.

 

I couldn't understand why Judith didn't pick up on the warning signs.  Especially since she knew his love profile, topped with the fact she was a marriage counselor yet, her emotions and thoughts that she was missing out on something led her to make bad choices.  She was open, vulnerable, and gullible leaving the door wide open for Harley to come in.  In their conversations about his love life, Harley always took on the victim role and made his ex out to be the "bad guy".  My thought was what woman in her right mind wouldn't want to ride around in Rolls Royce's, live lavishly, fly on private jets etc.  Not putting a price on love BUT something made his wife decide to marry him and something also drove her to leave all of that fabulousness behind.  Not putting 100% responsibility on the husband as it takes 2 to make a thing go right or wrong BUT his over emphasis on his wife being unappreciative was just a bit much.

 

I won't give the whole movie away but I can say when it ended the 1st thing that came to mind was "Don't go chasing waterfalls please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to!" 

 

The grass will always look greener on the other side BUT that lawn has to be maintained like any other one.  Just because its green now doesn't mean it will stay that way.  Relationships take work and should be built on a foundation of love, trust, respect, commitment, friendship, and communication. 

 

How many women would have fallen for Harley, married or single? 

 

Namaste! Peace! Love! Joy! Favor! Abundance! Prosperity!