It's Been a Long Time - I Shouldn't Have Left You...

It has been a minute, no take that back…. It has been MONTHS since I last made the time to get some thoughts out and post them on this blog. At times having a blog is like having pet fish; pet fish are cool to look at and tend to when you first get them. After awhile, you find yourself feeding them less, the water gets cloudy and then one day… you find them bloated and laying on their side. How long have they been there? A few hours? A couple of days? Or longer???

Well it’s time to get this little column off life support! When we last exchanged thoughts, I was in between jobs and a little ticked about the situation. Could you tell? Well I am working again which is where my attention has been for the past 5 months. I still haven’t landed that BIG JOB that everyone expects to after college but I am in a position where I am learning and I hope this will be a springboard for bigger things in the future. At my last job, which was my dream job, I was overworked and under paid. Underappreciated. And under estimated. Now I am still underpaid, even more so than before but I am less stressed!!! And as a result I am happier and healthier. Money isn’t everything. Unless of course, we are talking hundreds of thousands or millions. If I’m bringing in that type of dough, work me 50, 60, 70 hours per week. I work less hours now than I did before which is what I always desired, now the question is… What will I do with my free time???

I plan to use it to put more energy into my company TEAM ONE ENTERTAINMENT. In the long run this is how I plan to eat. But coming home from work, picking up the kids everyday, and just watching the idiot box is not getting me any closer to that much needed supplemental income. YES, I said kids!!! Since we last blogged we added another winner to the family, Alise. She was born in mid March and she makes me smile even when I feel down and out. She and Brandon give me the motivation I need to keep working toward my goal of having “means beyond my living.”

Well there is so much that has happened in the past several months. Where should I go with this? The war is still going on in Iraq and Afghanistan (surprise!) It’s still politics as usual in this country. Folks are still trying to nail Barry Bonds who is currently at 724 career home runs! That’s amazing. Jon Benet Ramsey’s suspected killer was just arrested in Thailand. Just think, it only took 10 years to catch him. Is he really the killer or is this something to throw us off of what’s really going on??? I smell another Lee Harvey Oswald here. Floyd Landis (raised as a Mennonite, damn near Amish) busted for ridin’ dirty in the Tour de France! This proves that how you were raised has nothing to do with how you will end up and religion doesn’t always equal character. The courts are finally getting around to telling the President and the NSA that it is illegal to wiretap people without a warrant. I thought the US Constitution already told us this? I had 1 political science class and I knew that! The Duke men’s lacrosse team rape case is still in motion… The trial is not expected to begin before next spring.

As I was about to turn in for the night BREAKING NEWS on ESPN!!! “Marion Jones failed a drug test after a recent race,” WTF??? Is everyone in sports/life taking something to get ahead?

The NFL Salary Cap and Socialism

The big news over the last couple weeks has been about the collective bargaining agreement in the NFL. My understanding of it is that the owners and the players union can't agree on a salary cap. The players want the cap to be higher, meaning that there will be more $$$ to spread around to the 53 man roster. Many owners want the cap to stay relatively low so that they can keep a larger potion of their revenue as profit. However, there is also another major point of dispute in the quest for a new collective bargaining agreement, it is revenue sharing.

The top revenue producing teams would have to share some of their revenue with the lower revenue producing teams. It is argued by the league that this will help keep the "playing field" level, allowing teams that bring in less money the same opportunity to succeed and thrive as the big market clubs. It will prevent the NFL from becoming 6 elite teams, 10 mid-level teams, and 16 low-income teams; Thus creating a better, more competitive league.

If this is easily understandable when pertaining to sports, why is it so hard to comprehend when it is suggested in the real world?

The "N" Word

Is it OK for anyone or everyone to use the word "nigga" to refer to another person? I must say that I am guilty of using it in conversations with my homeboys. It sometimes slips out in public places too.

Can other races use it? What about when they are listening to music that has the work in it... Do you really believe that the automatically mute themselves when that work comes up in a lyric?

Where is the line? What if it is crossed?

Click on this link to check out a story about a school teacher who thought it was ok to use the "N" word on one of his students.

A classic case of "When Keeping it Real Goes Wrong"

For Sale: Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is upon us once again. I must admit, I thought this "holiday" was cool at one time (when I was in the 6th grade!). I loved the little cards that came 30 to a box. Back then, the candy was ok but it was not as good as Easter goodies or Halloween treats. The little hearts that looked like Necco Wafers or better yet Tums with short and sweet messages on them like "Be Mine" "Hug Me" were better to eat than the school lunch.

But now Valentine's Day as an adult is just annoying. I'll admit that I'm more in love now than I have ever been but that still doesn't increase my admiration for this consumer's holiday. Many of us are just getting over Christmas bill paying and now it's time to get a card, boxes of chocolate, stuffed animals, flowers, romantic dinner, and for the ballers jewelry even.

Do your job 365 days a year, let your mate know how you feel on the regular and then on February 14th you don't have to make up for a year of not showing your feelings by trying to bring home everything the stores have for sale.

LADIES: Is it a major "turn off" if your man doesn't come to you bearing gifts on Valentine's Day?

FELLAS: Do you feel pressure to deliver the goods on February 14th?

The Grammy's are Coming!

Grammy's are coming! Tune in February 8th at 8pm... Who is gonna clean up this year? My money is on Mariah. She is nominated for Album of the Year along with Kanye "Jesus Walks But I'm Gonna Take The Bentley" West. Those two are also up for Record of the Year.

Ciara and John Legend are up for Best New Artist.

The other nominees and categories are:

~my choices are in yellow~

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
1 Thing - Amerie
Wishing On A Star - Beyonce from: Roll Bounce
We Belong Together - Mariah Carey
Free Yourself - Fantasia
Unbreakable - Alicia Keys


Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
Creepin' - Jamie Foxx from The Luther V.Tributee album
Ordinary People - John Legend [likely winner]
Let Me Love You - Mario [I gotta rep for Maryland]
Superstar - Usher from The Luther V.Tributee album
So What The Fuss - Stevie Wonder


Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group
So Amazing - Beyoncé & Stevie Wonder
Cater 2 U - Destiny's Child
If This World Were Mine - Alicia Keys
So High - John Legend Feat. Lauryn Hill
How Will I Know - Stevie Wonder


Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance
Mine Again - Mariah Carey
Summertime - Fantasia
A House Is Not A Home - Aretha Franklin
If I Was Your Woman - Alicia Keys
Stay With You - John Legend


Best Urban/Alternative Performance
SupaStar - Floetry
Dirty Harry - Gorillaz Featuring Bootie Brown
DustVan - Hunt
Welcome To Jamrock - Damian Marley [likely winner]
Ghetto Rock - Mos Def


Best R&B Album
Illumination - Earth, Wind And Fire
Free Yourself - Fantasia
Unplugged - Alicia Keys
Get Lifted - John Legend
A Time To Love - Stevie Wonder


Best Contemporary R&B Album
Touch - Amerie
The Emancipation Of Mimi - Mariah Carey
Destiny Fulfilled - Destiny's Child
Turning Point - Mario
O - Omarion

Best Rap Solo Performance
Testify - Common
Mockingbird - Eminem
Disco Inferno - 50 Cent
Number One Spot - Ludacris
U Don't Know Me - T.I.
Gold Digger - Kanye West [likely winner]


Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group
Don't Phunk With My Heart - The Black Eyed Peas
The Corner - Common Featuring The Last Poets
Encore - Eminem Featuring Dr. Dre & 50 Cent [don't even ask, you know why]
Hate It Or Love It - The Game Featuring 50 Cent
Wait (The Whisper Song) - Ying Yang Twins [this song was groundbreaking]


Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
1,2 Step - Ciara Featuring Missy Elliott
They Say - Common Featuring Kanye West & John Legend
Soldier - Destiny's Child Featuring T.I. & Lil Wayne
Numb/Encore - Jay-Z Featuring Linkin Park
Rich Girl - Gwen Stefani Featuring Eve


Best Rap Album
Be - Common
The Cookbook - Missy Elliott
Encore - Eminem
The Massacre - 50 Cent
Late Registration - Kanye West [if he doesn't win he will put a hex on all of us!!!]

Civil Rights Icon Dies

Coretta Scott-King passed away early this morning at the age of 78. Mrs. King suffered a serious stroke and heart attack last summer from which she never totally recovered. At the time of her death she was living in a holistic treatment facility in Mexico. Today after 4 decades, Coretta Scott-King was reunited with her husband.


At the close of 2005 several members of the King Family entered into negotiations with the Federal government to hand over control of the King Center in Atlanta. This has caused a rift within the King family. On one hand the family finds it difficult to keep up on the required maintenance of the deteriorating King Center while other family members feel that if the government takes over the center, changes will be made that the family does not approve.

Should the King Family relinquish control of the King Center to the Federal Government?

Slut for the Spotlight

Leave it to your favorite rapper's favorite rapper to stir up a new controversy every other month. I know Black America will toss this story around for days, weeks, maybe even a month (or until BIG media tells us what the next story of the moment is). Kanye, the same brother that made "gospel" music cool enough for the clubbin' crowd, has put on his crown of thorns to grace the cover of the latest issue of Rolling Stone magazine.

Personally I don't have a problem with the cover... maybe Kanye thinks his path in life is similar to that of Jesus? He is not the first artist to dress this way, I'm sure we all remember Nas and Puffy (that was his name back then right) in the "Hate Me Now" video.

Is this cover photo as offensive as that video was? Maybe that is the intention of doing the photo. Controversy sells! People who don't usually buy this magazine are likely to purchase this issue just to see what the "mainstream backpacker" has to say. Deep inside, many of us want Kanye to say something that makes people say WTF?!? Admit it you have laughed at the infamous Kanye and Mike Myers mini drama from the Katrina benefit! That was hilarious, I can't even tell you anyone else who was on the show other than those two and the befuddled Chris Tucker. Rush Hour 3 should start out with that video footage!!!

Kanye wants this attention whether it is negative or positive. "All press is good press."

Are you offended by the cover? Do you subscribe to Rolling Stone? Will you subscribe this month only [via the magazine aisle in the grocery store and stand there to read the article]? Will the Passion of the Christ and the Jesus Walks supporters draw the line here and stop applauding for Mr. West?

Put your 2 cent in...