american black

Speaking Japanese (Or Is Gwen Stefani Racist and Hot Or Just Hot)

Girls as accessories? The song was released last year but some folks still seem to have a problem with Gwen Stefani's harajuku girls:

Here's the problem. Is a questionable action validated merely because members of the group to be offended are a party to the offending group? The Harijuku girls of Gwen Stefani, arguably, illicit wrongful stereotypes of Asian-American, or more specifically Japanese, females. The girls are displayed BECAUSE they are Japanese. Apparently, they aren't allowed to speak english, even though they can (one, apparently, is from the US, but under contract, is prohibited to speak English). The range of wrongful stereotype stemming from the Harijuku girls depends on the collective opinion of the masses. One thing is for sure, however: it doesn't promote diversity, and it certainly implies ethinic-function and positioning. (read more of this post)

Check out a live performance "Harjuku Girls" by Stefani [Sessions@AOL] or sample the song online [iTunes]. Or Look at some everyday images [Flickr] of Harajuku girls.

What Sharpton and Madonna Know That You Don't (Or How To Be As Popular As Angelina Jolie)

Is Rush Limbaugh back on the "pain medication"?

After delivering on-air remarks that he was considering allowing Rev. Al Sharpton to host his syndicated radio program for 30 minutes a day to "teach" Sharpton the ins and outs of the medium, Rush Limbaugh now seems to be backing off in the wake of Sharpton's quick acceptance.

I know we live in a virtual world but lets get real for a second. The best speaker on the National stage is Al Sharpton. If you heard his speech at the Democratic convention in 2000 you could not be anything but moved.(watch it here) I realize most white people hate his guts. That people see him as divisive. But if you have been listening to him for the past 3 years (when he finally understood he had a national audience) he has been making sense.

Here's my take on Al. Few people understand the power of a good soundbite like Sharpton. Few people know how to exploit the media's thirst for sensationalism like Al. He caught on to the same thing Madonna did. You polarize first. Get your core audience. Bring your message mainstream. And most important: Be entertaining.

Of course you'll be hated for a while (maybe forever to some unforgiving folks) but in the end you'll end up with everyone on your side.

This formula always works.

Look at Eminem. Or Public Enemy. Angelina Jolie. Or Madonna's first husband. Most politicians also live by the rules. Pick your enemies well. But they drop the ball with the entertainment factor. George Bush is President today because he was more entertaining than the other guy (Diebold was just backup).

I say all that to say this. Sharpton on the radio would literally kick-ass.  He'll change minds. And having Limbaugh's audience to kickstart his radio career would probably be the dumbest move a Republican ever made since invading Iraq.

Mark my words. It will not happen.

Janet Jackson Plays A Stripper

Don't call it a comeback....

Janet Jackson shot a cameo last week  playing a stripper in Jermaine Dupri’s new Video “Gotta Getcha”. From his new Album: Jermaine Dupri Presents: Young, Fly & Flashy Vol. 1. But a source tells me that you have to look at her really closely to see that it's her… Ms. Jackson.

As we all know Janet was never shy about showing off her body, and her boyfriend Jermaine was never shy about admitting that he actually enjoys visiting strip clubs. And Atlanta is the home of the strip club.

In the video, it’s Jermaine that visits a Strip Club peep show, he looks at each girl and the last one is Janet. And she is bumping and grinding and dancing like never before in a classroom-like setting.

She wears a very mini plaid mini-skirt with riding boots from John Der Dau. And her buttocks are barely covered by fishnets. "You're not supposed to really know it's her," the source says. "You're like, 'Is that Janet?'" The video should debut sometime in June. As for Jackson's equestrian style, I hear horseback riding is her new passion. She got riding lessons earlier in the month for her birthday.

AB Four (Prince, Babies, And A Solution To The Mississippi Problem)

We all know about Africa's precious resources are being exploited  by the West. What isn't widely known is the exploitation going on today. Not of national resources, but human resources. Black Looks explains it all.

Ashley Burwelll will graduate from Northern Vance High School today with honors. Next, she will head to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on a full scholarship. Unlike the typical college freshman, Burwell will have a little something extra with her in Chapel Hill - her 18-month-old son Traejon. Read her story.

Carve out a new state in the Delta region.  Call it New Africa, as a tribute to the Africans on whose backs the South was built.

Editorial writer and former music critic Eric Deggans wonders this: Could Prince get a recording contract in 2005?

R. Kelly, Langston Hughes and the closet

I'll be honest, R. Kelly baffles me. I've never been a big fan but is it me or has his songs gotten better since the sex video was released. Let's face it, for a man who wrote a song comparing women to his Jeep his new latest is practically Langston Hughes.

The 5-part operetta entitled "Trapped in the Closet" by R. Kelly (sans Mr. Big) has urban music lovers buzzing about the real life prevalence of bisexuality amongst African-American men.( A chick I dig used to tell me it was happening all the time. I didn't really beleive her. Now I don't know.)

In the second installment , Kelly comes face to face with the angry husband of an adulterous wife he has been creeping with and while hiding in the bedroom closet after a night of scandalous passion. In a strange turn of events, a la Jerry Springer, the husband seizes the opportunity to get something off his chest and reveals that he has a confession of his own. The ensuing conversation finds the listener in the middle of a torrid love triangle involving the pastor husband who appears to be cheating with another man, who also joins the fray.

"Trapped in the Closet (Chapter 1 of 5)" has jumped from 21 to 12 on the Billboard Urban charts; and just a half week after being released "Trapped in the Closet (Chapter 2 of 5)" has followed in its footsteps and has jumped from 19 to 10 on the Radio & Records charts. The complete dramatic operetta will only be available as a bonus DVD on his upcoming album TP.3 Reloaded

“F*ck rap, you can have it back.” (An Interview With Dr. Dre)

More than any other rapper, Dr. Dre was responsible for moving away from the avant-noise and political stance of Public Enemy and Boogie Down Productions as well as the party vibes of old-school rap. Instead, Dre pioneered gangsta rap and his own variation of the sound, G-funk. Scratch Magazine has an interview with him this month. Here's a taste of it:.

Do you think it’s hard for some people to push themselves to that level? Do they have different expectations?

I think some people that I’ve worked with expect to come in and for me to wave a magic wand and say, “Ding, hit record!” But it’s not like that. You have to come in and give some energy, and we have to put the same amount of work in on the record. It’s not just going to be me putting my hand in your back and moving you around like a puppet.

Have you ever considered producing a non-hip-hop album?
 
Definitely, I would love to do a rock album. I would love to do a Black rock album. Ghetto Metal. It’s just a matter of the right lead singer coming along. Once that happens I’m off and running. That’s all I need is a singer, we’ll put the band together later. If I get the right front man, I’m going to try that.
 
Is the music industry ready for a Black rock band?
 
They’ll be ready for anything that’s hot. If it’s hot and it’s different, and it’s working... Look at Lenny Kravitz. He’s hot as shit.
 

AB Celebrity Noise (Beyonce's Dad, Bobby Brown and P.Diddy edition)

Two members of singer Bobby Brown's entourage were hospitalized with knife wounds after an incident at a restaurant early Monday morning.

The stabbing happened around 1:30 a.m. at Justin's Restaurant and Bar in Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood, Atlanta police detective D.L. Dixon said.

Justin's Restaurant and Bar is owned by rapper and producer Sean "P. Diddy" Combs.

Sanctuary Group’s Chief Executive Officer Merck Mercuriadis, but not Mathew Knowles himself,  released a statement denying any trouble at the label.

      “Contrary to recent reports, Beyonce has not made a change in management. Her father Mathew Knowles continues to be her manager and he continues to be employed and have our support as the President of Sanctuary Urban.”

Bad Boy prez, Sean Combs just closed on a $5 million deal to purchase Simmons’ recently-vacated downtown New York penthouse at 114 Liberty. His clothing company also is facing a sexual harassment lawsuit.
 

 

 

What's the deal with Beyonce and Daddy?

Beyonce Knowles has given her manager/father Mathew Knowles  the boot, according to sources. Meanwhile, contacts close to his label Sanctuary Urban Records Group say Mathew has been AWOL from the office for about a month, leaving the imprint in complete disarray and its parent company Sanctuary in charge of day-to-day decisions.

Gossip maven Wendy Williams mentioned an affair between Mathew and the dancer on her WBLS radio show earlier this week. Sources have since confirmed to  EUR says that Beyonce fired Mathew as her manager upon learning of the allegations. This inferred adultery is the latest in a series of infidelity rumors that have been reported about the businessman for years.

But Mathew's representative Marcus Harris insists, "I'm still in my office. We're cool all over."

A friend of the singer tells the New York Daily News the pair "don't have the greatest relationship. But ... he's still working for her".

More Details Surrounding Gucci Mane Murder Charge

Rapper Radric "Gucci Mane" Davis may be released as early as tomorrow (May 23), after the upcoming rapper was hit with a murder charge last week. The 25-year-old's album, "Trap House" is expected to be released Tuesday.

Details are emerging in   the shooting which took place on May 10th in Decatur, Georgia and left one man   dead.

At a press conference last   week before surrendering to authorities, Davis’ lawyer Dennis Scheib said   Davis acted in self-defense, after he was allegedly set-up by a female acquaintance.

Scheib said Davis was in   the woman's apartment when five men burst into the house with guns threatening   to duct-tape the rapper and shoot him.

The AB Four (Live Aid and Drug-Dealer-Turned-Good Edition)

*With just $100 to her name and the simple dream of getting out of debt and bankruptcy, Lisa Price left her 9-5 job and founded her own cosmetics company entitled Carol’s Daughter, an all-natural line of bath and beauty products that would soon see profits of $2 million and make loyal customers out of Halle Berry, Jada Pinkett-Smith and David Sanborn, among others.

Remember "Live Aid"? Um...maybe it didn't work.

Question:  How confident are you that U.S. policies in Iraq will be successful?
May 2005
Confident:  25%
Not confident:  54%
Not sure:  20%

Mar. 2005
Confident:  30%
Not confident:  49%
Not sure:  21%

The rise of Hip Hop literature and the story of drug dealer turned publisher Vickie Stringer.