The BklynBandette Doctrine

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: Bahamadia.

2011-03-25T00:35:00.000-04:00

Bahamadia (Antonia Reed) is a Philadelphia-born hip hop artist born in 1970, and a DJ who later became an MC. As a member of Gang Starr Foundation, she released her critically-acclaimed debut album entitled Kollage in 1996. The album featured production by Guru and DJ Premier of Gang Starr. Kollage was followed in 2001 by BB Queen, an EP release.

Bahamadia is a respected lyricist in hip hop and is known for her silky, subdued monotone delivery. She has expressed a positive attitude toward globalism as an emerging trend in hip hop. For example, in a 2003 collaboration with little-known group the Sisters of the Underground on a track entitled “Global”, she performs lyrics in the chorus which acknowledge Canada, Sweden, Norway, and Thailand, among other countries, for fostering vibrant hip hop communities, and Japan in particular for the dedication of her Japanese fans. She has recorded a number of bootlegs exclusively released in Japan.
Her reputation in North America has been enhanced by a number of highly regarded guest appearances on tracks by artists including Talib Kweli, The Roots, Jedi Mind Tricks and Planet Asia, and through her association with the Philadelphia hip hop collective Army of the Pharaohs.

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WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: Nonchalant.

2011-03-24T23:50:00.000-04:00

Nonchalant- (born Tanya Pointer) was female MC, and songwriter from Washington, D.C., signed to MCA Records.
Nonchalant is best known for her hit single “5 O’clock”, which peaked at #24 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was eventually certified gold by the RIAA, for sales of over 500,000 copies. It peaked at #44 in the UK Singles Chart in June 1996. Her debut album, Until the Day was released on March 26, 1996, and while it received positive reviews, it failed to match the success of its lead single, reaching #94 on the US Billboard 200. After her album ran its course, Nonchalant appeared on the song “Keep on Pushin’” from the Dangerous Minds soundtrack alongside fellow female rappers MC Lyte Yo-Yo and Bahamadia. She released a single entitled “Take It There” in 1998, but after it failed to catch on, she was dropped from MCA. Her last appearance was on the Half Baked soundtrack on the song entitled “Flyin’”.

Spread Love ... Its The Bklyn Way.

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: Lady Of Rage.

2011-03-21T00:50:00.001-04:00

Robin Yvette Allen aka The Lady of Rage, is an American rapper and actress best known for collaborations with several Death Row records artists, including Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg on the seminal albums The Chronic and Doggystyle. She is considered "one of the most skillful female MCs" with a "mastery of flow" and "hard core lyrics".

In the summer of 1988, the Lady of Rage met Shahkim of the Original Outlaw Brothers, an upstart rap group from East Elmhurst/Corona Queens New York. From the moment Shahkim heard her rap he was convinced she was the best female rapper around and after convincing her he could get her a record deal, he brought her to his group. The members of the Outlaw Brothers made Rage a member of the group and they eventually were signed to a production deal with the L.A. Posse ( who went on to produce several big hits for LL Cool J). At the time, the LA Posses had several artist in the camp- MC Breeze, The Real Roxanne, and they also had several relationships with different labels. Rage, along with all the artists in the camp worked diligently out of Chung King Studios in lower Manhattan recording , writing and more recording. In 1991, Lady of Rage met with Chubb Rock, providing vocals for his track, "Bring Em Home Safe" on his The One album, which she recorded under the name of 'Rockin’ Robin'.
Dr. Dre then discovered her after the L.A.Posse were letting him listen to some of the tracks on their album and the vocals she recorded for the LA Posse's They Come in All Colors in 1991. She appeared on several tracks from Dr. Dre's 1992 classic The Chronic album, and on Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle in 1993.
In 1994, she had a hit single with "Afro Puffs" (from the soundtrack to Above The Rim) which reached #5 on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart. Her debut solo album, Necessary Roughness, was released in June 1997 and peaked at #7 on the Billboard R&B Album chart and 32 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart. Her solo album was originally called Eargasm and was continually pushed back - it was meant to have been the next album on Death Row Records after The Chronic, and then after Doggystyle, before finally being released in 1997.

After the release of her album and a guest-appearance with Gang Starr alongside Kurupt ("You Know My Steez (Three Men and a Lady Remix)") in 1998, Rage left Death Row Records and the music industry generally to focus on acting, appearing in an episode of Kenan & Kel. The Lady of Rage also went on to be featured in several television sitcoms, most notably as Coretta Cox in the very well received The Steve Harvey Show on The WB from 1996 to 2002 - she also had a small part in Next Friday as Baby D, little big sister of Day Day's ex girlfriend.
In 2000, she made another rapping appearance on Snoop Dogg's "Set It Off" on his album Tha Last Meal, a solo track "Unfucwitable" on Snoop Dogg Presents...Doggy Style Allstars Vol. 1 and "Batman & Robin", which appeared on Snoop Dogg's Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss album.
In 2007 she signed to Shante Broadus' label, Boss Lady Entertainment, and recorded a mixtape called From VA 2 LA. She also made appearances on Bigg Snoop Dogg Presents…Welcome to tha Chuuch: Da Album and Cali Iz Active.
She was part of the FEM (Females Earning Money) Movement along with fellow female rappers Babs, Lady Luck, and Amil. In 2008, she performed with MC Lyte, Yo-Yo, and Salt-N-Pepa at the BET Hip-Hop Awards. In the summer of 2010 she joined Snoop during his headlining set at the Rock The Bells festival concert series, along with Warren G, RBX and Tha Dogg Pound for a performance of the classic Doggystyle album in its entirety.

Lady of Rage describes much of her rapping technique in the book How to Rap - she notes the importance of having a strong vocabulary, writing poetry, having different styles of flow, using 'rests', researching lyrics, taking your time to write lyrics, working with producers, doing guide vocals, and her compound rhymes in the track 'Unfucwitable' are broken down.

Yeah ... Rock On Witcha Bad Self!

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WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: Heather B.

2011-03-18T00:22:00.000-04:00

Heather B. Gardner kept it HARDCORE from jump! From Jersey City, New Jersey, she is billed in all projects as Heather B., and is most well known for being a cast member on The Real World: New York, the first season of MTV's reality show The Real World. One of two African American roommates, Heather was portrayed as a friendly, intelligent young woman with aspirations to become a rap superstar. She forged an unlikely friendship with naïve Alabama girl Julie; a memorable early clip from the season has Julie asking Heather if she wears a beeper because she is a drug dealer. Y'all remember that?

Heather was affiliated with the rap group Boogie Down Productions, and was signed to Pendulum Records in 1995. In 1996 she released her first album, Takin' Mine. The single "All Glocks Down", an anti-gun violence anthem, received moderate radio play, as did the follow-up single "If Headz Only Knew."

In 1997, Heather signed with MCA Records, and in 1998 she released a two track single called "Do You".

Outside her music career, Heather has appeared in various projects and television specials related to The Real World. She also appeared in the film The Wedding Video directed by Real World alum Norman Korpi, and a 2005 television commercial for America Online anti-virus software.

Heather B is gearing up for her third album release entitled, "Open Bar" on GIWOM Entertainment. The album is Executive Produced by Legendary Producer and Gangstarr Member, DJ Premier. The first single is "The Game Don't Stop" produced by BDP Productions member, Kenny Parker. Additional production on the summer 2010 release is coming from Pete Rock and Large Professor.

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WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: Nikki D.

2011-03-17T12:00:00.000-04:00

Nikki D was the first female rapper signed by Def Jam Recordings. She signed with Def Jam in 1989 and released her debut single "A No No No" the same year. It was produced by Sam Sever. The single's video featured Flavor Flav, titled "Letting Off Steam". Later Nikki D released the more commercially acceptable song, "Daddy's Little Girl" some two years later, which reached No. 1 on Billboards Hot Rap Singles.

Prior to releasing "Daddy's Little Girl", Nikki D was on tour in Europe for a year with fellow R&B artist Alyson Williams. Nikki D has recorded songs with Moby, Queen Latifah on the Set It Off soundtrack, with Redman for his Muddy Waters album, EPMD, Naughty By Nature, Flavor Unit and Suzanne Vega.
In 1998 Nikki D became the vice president Of A&R at Flavor Unit Records, a position she held for two years. She was the marketing manager at "Phat Fashions", the apparel company that housed Phat Farm, Baby Phat, and Atman. Now she is Brand Manager for PrivacyWear, as well as running her entertainment company Strong Entertainment, with artist such as Shaun Pynne, and Problem Child.

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WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: Yo-Yo.

2011-03-15T21:48:00.001-04:00

Yo-Yo -born Yolanda Whittaker- is a Grammy-nominated female MC and Actress. Much of her music has advocated female empowerment, denouncing the frequent sexism & misogyny found in hip-hop music. She is the protege of veteran rapper Ice Cube. Yo-Yo dubbed her crew the IBWC, which stood for the Intelligent Black Woman’s Coalition.
Yo-Yo first appeared as a guest on Ice Cube’s AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted album in 1990, on the track “It’s a Man’s World.” Cube returned the favor by appearing on “You Can’t Play with My Yo-Yo,” which was on Yo-Yo’s 1991 debut album, Make Way for the Motherlode.

Her follow-up in 1992, Black Pearl was well-received by critics, partly because of its focus on positive messages and uplifting themes that contrasted the popular gangsta rap style. However, despite a plethora of renowned producers such as DJ Muggs, this did not translate into a hit with mainstream hip-hop audiences, and the album’s sales were considered a disappointment.

Less than a year later, released her follow-up You Better Ask Somebody. The final track on the album was her third recorded hip-hop duet with Ice Cube, “The Bonnie and Clyde Theme”.
Yo-Yo’s next album was 1996′s Total Control. In 1998, she finished her fifth album, Ebony, but it was not released.
In 2008, her single “Can’t Play With My Yo-Yo” was ranked number 92 on VH1′s 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs. Later that year, she performed with MC Lyte, the Lady of Rage, and Salt-n-Pepa at the BET Hip Hop Awards.
As of 2009, she has been at work on an EP, titled My Journey to Fearless: The Black Butterfly.
She appeared in the 1991 film Boyz n the Hood, 1993′s Menace II Society and other urban-oriented films; had a recurring role on the television show Martin as “Keylolo”, the sidekick of comedian Martin Lawrence‘s alter ego Sheneneh; and appeared on other TV shows, including the Fox network’s New York Undercover. She has also made many cameo appearances, including the music video for Missy Elliott‘s “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)”. She has also appeared in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, as a voice actor.

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WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: Monie Love.

2011-03-14T02:20:00.001-04:00

"Strong, Steppin', Struttin', Movin' On/ Rhymin', Cuttin', And Not 4Getting'/ We Are The Ones To Give Birth 2 The New Generation Of Prophets/ 'Cause It's Ladies First."- Monie Love.

Simone Wilson – aka Monie Love, is an English MC and former radio personality in the United States. She is a well-respected figure in British hip hop, and made an impact with American hip hop audiences as a protégé of female American MC Queen Latifah, as well as through her membership in the late 1980s/early 1990s Native Tongues. Also, Monie was one of the first BritHop artists to be signed and distributed worldwide by a major record label.
Monie began her hip hop/BritHop career as an emcee in the British Jus Bad crew, which featured DJ Pogo, Sparki, and MC Mell’O‘. The group released the single “Free Style/Proud” on the independent Tuff Groove record label in 1988.
Mo first gained critical and commercial notice in the United States in 1989 for her cameos in Queen Latifah‘s Grammy Award-winning and pro-woman single “Ladies First,” in the Jungle Brothers‘ well-received single “Doin’ Our Own Dang,” and in De La Soul’s hit single “Buddy.” The acclaim led her to a recording contract with Warner Brother’s Records, making Love one of the few British hip-hop efforts released by a major label. She also has a place in Hip-Hop history as a member of the Native Tongues, a positive-minded hip-hop collective that included Queen Latifah, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, the Jungle Brothers, and a number of other acts. Her versatility was demonstrated with her involvement in the emerging popularity of House music, with her own single Grandpa’s Party as well as providing rap for the The Dancin’ David D Remix of Adeva’s house hit Respect.

Monie’s debut album, Down To Earth, spawned two, Grammy-nominated hits, “Monie in the Middle” high school-set track dealing with a woman’s right to determine what she wants out of a relationship and “It’s a Shame (My Sister)” The Spinners’ “It’s a Shame” written for the band by Stevie Wonder and featured house-music vocalist and then-labelmate Ultra Naté. The album reached #26 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

Mo was featured on her brother Dave Angel‘s remix of Whitney Houston’s R&B hit “My Name Is Not Susan” in 1991, and appeared in the music video alongside Houston. Love’s 1992 single, “Full-Term Love,” from the Class Act movie soundtrack, reached #7 on the Hot Hip-Hop Singles chart.
Monie collaborated with Marley Marl on her second album, In a Word or 2 (1993), which featured the Prince-produced single “Born To B.R.E.E.D.” (which reached #1 on the Hot Dance Music chart and #7 on the Hot Rap Singles chart), as well as a re-release of “Full-Term Love.” The same year, Prince asked her to write lyrics for a few songs on a side-project, Carmen Electra‘s eponymous album, Carmen Electra.
Mo’s last musical release was the EP “Slice of Da Pie” in 2000.
From 2004 until the week of December 11, 2006, Monie was the morning drive host on Philadelphia’s WPHI-FM 100.3. The 22 of December 2006 edition of the Philadelphia Daily News confirmed that Mo left WPHI-FM on amicable terms after contract negotiations stalled. Monie’s departure from WPHI followed soon after her December 2006 interview with Young Jeezy, where the two argued over whether hip hop is dead.
Monie is also an Official MySpace.com DJ, according to her MySpace page. She currently resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is the single mother to four children. Currently, she has a radio show on called Ladies First Radio with Monie Love. It airs Thursdays 6PM ET and Sundays 8PM ET.

Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: Queen Latifah.

2011-03-11T02:14:00.002-05:00

"I Passed By A Girl's Wake, They Say She Died At 7/ Hit By A Stray But I Pray That There's A 'Hood In Heaven."- Queen Latifah.

Queen Latifah: musician; television and film actress; a label president; an author and entrepreneur. Blessed with style and substance, Queen Latifah has blossomed into a one-woman entertainment conglomerate. Heralded by the press and the industry as a force to be reckoned with, Latifah has quite simply done it all and shows no sign of slowing down.
Queen kicked off her career as an MC at the tender age of 17 years old. Her first single was "Wrath Of My Madness", which was released in 1987. She followed up with the debut album All Hail The Queen, and that was all she wrote. From that project came hit singles "Dance For Me", "Come Into my House", and the classic "Ladies First", a collabo with Monie Love, which resonates till this day.

Her sophomore effort- Nature Of A Sista- would include "Fly Girl", "Latifah's Had It Up To Here", & "How Do I Love Thee?"

1994 she'd return with her third project- Black Reign- which would include the hits "Black Hand Side", "U.N.I.T.Y", "Just Another Day", & "Weekend Love." And the list goes on.

In That same year she'd also star in her own sitcom Living Single, alongside Kim Fields, Erika Alexander, & Kim Coles. That show ran for six seasons. And in 1999, Queen kicked off "The Queen Latifah Show", making her the first person in Hip-Hop (Male/Female) to have their own daytime talk show.

Latifah has had amazing success in Hollywood in recent years, and became the first hip hop artist to be crowned with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 4, 2006. She received rave reviews, an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress, a Golden Globe nomination and a SAG Award nomination for her portrayal as Mama Morton in Miramax’s Chicago. Following Chicago, Latifah starred in Disney’s box office hit Bringing Down the House, on which she also acted as executive producer.
Her latest TV Movie, Life Support, in which she was both the star and executive producer, is a true-life drama, in which she plays a mother who overcomes an addiction to crack and becomes a positive role model and an AIDS activist in the black community. This aired on HBO on March 10th and Latifah received rave reviews as well as an Emmy nomination, a Golden Globe win and a SAG Award win. In July she starred in Neil Meron and Craig Zadan’s Hairspray playing Motormouth Maybelle and was recently seen in the film Mad Money starring alongside Diane Keaton and Katie Holmes.
In her latest film, Fox Searchlight’s The Secret Life of Bees, Latifah stars alongside Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys and Dakota Fannning. Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, The Secret Life of Bees won the Hollywood Film Award at the Hollywood Film Festival.
Latifah was seen in Wayne Wang’s The Last Holiday, and starred in MGM’s Beauty Shop (a spin-off of the hit Barbershop), which she also produced. She also appeared in Marc Forster’s Stranger Than Fiction, playing opposite Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman and was the voice of the Wooly Mammoth in Ice Age 2.
To most people releasing multiple movies would be enough, but Queen Latifah wasn’t satisfied. On September 25th, 2007 Latifah released her new album titled Trav’lin Light in which she was nominated for a Grammy. Co-produced by three time Grammy winner, Tommy LiPuma, this album is the long awaited follow up to Latifah’s highly received and Grammy nominated The Dana Owens Album. The platinum-selling album was a collection of timeless classics chosen and covered by the Queen herself. As Latifah demonstrated both in Living Out Loud (1998) and her Oscar-nominated performance in Chicago (2002), her vocal talent is as impressive as her acting.
Queen Latifah is also one of music’s most well respected rappers. From her ground breaking 1989 debut All Hail the Queen, which set the visual and contextual standard for female rappers, to her bold foray into R&B, Latifah continues to define what a woman in the music industry should be. She has earned four Grammy nominations as well as a Grammy Award for Best Solo Rap Performance in 1994. Latifah toured the U.S. as part of The Sugar Water Festival with fellow soul sisters, Erykah Badu and Jill Scott.
And then there’s Flavor Unit Entertainment, a production company owned and operated by Queen Latifah and her partner, Shakim Compere. The company, based in New Jersey, is quickly establishing itself as one of the most important production companies in the film industry. They began by executive producing the box office hit Bringing Down the House and then continued with Beauty Shop for MGM. They are also co-producing the action-comedy Bad Girls at Paramount with Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Overbrook. They have also produced The Cookout with Lion’s Gate.
Latifah is also not a stranger to the small screen. Her first television series, Living Single, was a huge success and is currently in syndication. From the small screen, Latifah made a leap to film and her acting skills have earned her the status of leading lady.
Since her screen debut in Spike Lee’s 1991 film Jungle Fever, her film career has taken off. She starred in Set it Off, which earned her a nomination for a Spirit Award in the Best Actress category and co-starred with Holly Hunter and Danny DeVito in the critically acclaimed Living Out Loud. In 1999, she was seen in Universal’s The Bone Collector directed by Philip Noyce starring Denzel Washington.
In addition to music, film and television, Queen Latifah has also written a book on self-esteem entitled Ladies First: Revelations of a Strong Woman.
Queen Latifah is diligent in her pursuit of excellence, as is evident by the awards she has received for her work in film and music. Her sincere concern for others is revealed by the generous amount of time and money that she donates to worthwhile charitable organizations. Every year, Queen Latifah serves as co-chairman for the Lancelot H. Owens Scholarship Foundation, Inc. Established by her mother, Rita Owens, to perpetuate the memory of a loving son and brother, the foundations provides scholarships to students who excel scholastically, but are limited in financial resources.

Currently, Queen is in ATL working on a new film project titled Joyful Noise.

Queen Latifah ... The GREATEST Female Rapper Of ALL Time!

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WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: MC Lyte.

2011-03-10T12:58:00.001-05:00

Born Lana Moorer , MC Lyte IS the GREATEST Female MC to have ever picked up a mic. Straight from the planet Brooklyn, Lyte began rhymin' at the age of 12, following in the footsteps of her big brothers Milk & Gizmo. They were known as Audio Two, who had huge street success with the banger "Top Billin'." But nothing would prepare us for what Lyte was about to bring. She recorded her first song "I Cram 2 Understand U" in 1986, which was about her man cheating on her with CRACK! Epic. Because after that joint we all became addicted to the drug that was Lyte. Her voice alone had a distinct tone, w/a boyish edge. Her rhymes were hard hitting, simple yet direct. We were in love.

Her first album, Lyte as a Rock, was released in September 1988 and was noted for the hit "Paper Thin" and the battle rap, "10% Dis", which was a response to then- Hurby Azor associate Antoinette. Both rappers released battle records against each other.

MC Lyte - Paper Thin (Official Music Video). Watch more top selected videos about: MC Lyte

Lyte followed her debut with 1989's Eyes on This, which spawned the hits "Cha Cha Cha" and "Cappucino". Both albums were notable for Lyte's uncensored lyrical matter.

Lyte sweetened up a little on 1991's Act Like You Know, noted for its new jack swing sound and the hit single, "Poor Georgie".

Lyte's fourth album, 1993's Ain't No Other, became her first to reach gold status and was notable for her first top 40 pop hit, "Ruffneck". Lyte became a featured artist on hits by Janet Jackson and Brandy in 1994.

Two years afterwards, Lyte's fifth album, Bad As I Wanna B , featured production from Jermaine Dupri and Sean Combs and featured the hits "Keep On Keepin' On" and "Cold Rock a Party", which featured then up-and-coming rapper, songwriter and producer Missy Elliott. This album was her first with East West Records and became successful after the aforementioned singles became big hits with "Keep On Keepin' On" peaking at the top ten and "Cold Rock a Party" peaking at number-eleven. It was her second gold album.

Her 1998 follow-up, Seven & Seven, however, wasn't as successful and she left East West by the end of the decade. Lyte released her latest studio release, the independently produced Da Undaground Heat, Vol. 1, in 2003, notable for the song, "Ride With Me".

Lyte has been featured on television as herself on such shows as MTV Unplugged, In Living Color, Moesha, New York Undercover, My Wife and Kids,and Sisters in the Name of Rap. She has also acted on TV as a character (not as "MC Lyte") in such shows as In the House, Get Real, Half & Half, For Your Love and The District.

Her first acting role in a film was in the 1993 movie titled Fly by Night, starring alongside Jeffrey Sams, Ron Brice, and Steve Gomer. Since then she has also starred other films, such as A Luv Tale (1999), Train Ride (2000), Civil Brand (2002) and Playa's Ball (2003).

In 2007 Lyte joined the cast of MTV's Celebrity Rap Superstar and coached Shar Jackson to a hip hop mc victory in a mere 8 weeks. During that same time Lyte hit the road in between shooting and joined The Roots for a nationwide VH1 House of Blues Tour.

In 1996 Lyte began what is now a very successful voice over career. She has completed campaigns with several corporate brands. Lyte is currently voicing a BET show called The BOOT and has just signed on to become a voice for the branding of the STARZ network.

She has also recently opened Shaitel, a Los Angeles boutique that specializes in accessories from belts to sunglasses. "We sell a mixture of new and vintage [items]," explains Lyte. "We also have a few signature pieces that are done just for the store. We boast to bring a little New York flavor out here to California."

In February 2006, her diary, as well as a turntable, records, and other assorted ephemera from the early days of hip hop, were donated to the Smithsonian Institution. This collection, entitled "Hip-Hop Won’t Stop: The Beat, The Rhymes, The Life" is a program to assemble objects of historical relevance to the hip hop genre from its inception.

In October 2006, MC Lyte was one of the honored hip hop artists on VH1's annual award show Hip Hop Honors. She was joined by fellow female MC's Da Brat, Remy Ma, and Lil' Kim as they performed some of her tracks, "Cha Cha Cha," "Lyte as a Rock," "Paper-Thin," and "Ruffneck." She previously took part in the MTV reality series Celebrity Rap Superstar as the mentor of Moesha actress Shar Jackson. She is also an honorary member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc.

In 2005, she released two songs produced by Richard "Wolfie" Wolf called "Can I Get It Now" & "Don't Walk Away" (with Meechie), both available at the iTunes store. In 2007, she released a song called "Mad at Me" available at the iTunes store. In 2008, she released two songs called "Juke Joint" (on both UK & US) & "Get Lyte" (exclusive to US) available at the iTunes store. In 2009, she released a song at the iTunes store called "Brooklyn."

In addition to all of that, Lyte finds time to commit herself to being a positive role model. She is a member & one of the National Board Of Directors of WEEN (Women In Entertainment Empowerment Network)- a coalition of diverse women & men who are committed to supporting, promoting & defending the balanced, positive portrayal of women in entertainment & society.

MC Lyte ... The Female G.O.A.T!!!

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: Antoinette.

2011-03-08T00:36:00.003-05:00

Hailing from Queens, NY, Antoinette was a female MC who released two albums, during the late 1980s and early 1990s. She made her first appearance on producer Hurby Azor's 1987 compilation album, Hurby's Machine, with her song "I Got An Attitude". She has been mentioned in the Vibe Hip-Hop Divas publication.

^{As time went on Antoinette was known for engaging in rap beef w/ MC Lyte, another Female MC from Brooklyn. After that Antoinette was never heard of again. Some say because of the "beef", others blame it on the negligence of Hurby, who was also responsible for guiding the careers of Salt-N-Pepa, Kid-N-Play, & Sweet Tee.}

^{Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!}

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: Sweet Tee.

2011-03-07T00:26:00.002-05:00

"Try If You Will, I'll Even Stand Still/ Rap Better Than Me? That Noise Please Kill!"- Sweet Tee.

Sweet Tee (born Toi Jackson) is an female rapper, who was signed to MCA Records in the 1980s. She too was under the production umbrella of Hurby Azor, who guided the careers of Salt-N-Pepa, Kid-N-Play, & Antoinette. She scored chart success with her debut album, It’s Tee Time, which peaked at #31 on the US Billboard chart. She scored four chart hit singles from her debut album. These included “I Got da Feelin’” (#48 US R&B, #31 UK Singles Chart), “On the Smooth Tip” (#36 US R&B) and “Why Did It Have to Be Me”. In the UK, “It’s Like That Y’All” peaked in the Top 40.
In 1995, Sweet Tee released the single “What’s Up Star?” under the moniker Suga. As of 2010, the artist’s Facebook page,once again using the name Sweet Tee, reported that she is back in the studio, and a sneak peak of “Queen of QNZ” can also be found online.
“I Got da Feelin’” formed the basis of a piano based house track by the UK based act Tin Tin Out, who sampled Sweet Tee’s lyrics in their track “The Feeling”, which reached #32 in the UK Singles Chart. The track was credited to Tin Tin Out featuring Sweet Tee.

BUT … going back to 1986, many don’t know that’s when Sweet Tee released her first single “It’s My Beat,” which she collaborated on with the legendary DJ Jazzy Joyce. And, not only did Jazzy Joyce do her thing on the 1 & 2′s, she also spit a few bars. Check it out:

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WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: Finesse & Synquis.

2011-03-05T23:26:00.000-05:00

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WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: Salt-N-Pepa.

2011-03-04T01:37:00.001-05:00

Originally calling themselves Super Nature (on their first single), Cheryl James and Sandy Denton debuted in 1985 with the single "The Showstopper", an answer record to Doug E. Fresh's hit single "The Show". "The Showstopper" was produced by Hurby Azor. The song utilized a melody from the 1984 film Revenge of the Nerds. The finished recording garnered some airplay on a rap radio program. The independent Pop Art Records gave it an official release, and "The Showstopper" became a modest R&B hit.
With the success of this song, the group's name was changed to Salt-N-Pepa (which they had called themselves in the first verse of the song) and they signed to the independent Next Plateau Records to record a full-length album. Dee Dee Roper then joined the group as the DJ, replacing DJ Latoya Hanson as Spinderella, and the group's first album was released afterwards in 1986. The album was produced by Hurby "Luv Bug" Azor, Salt's boyfriend at the time and also the group's manager. Years later, the women would have legal issues with Azor as they accused him of paying unfair royalties.

Hot, Cool & Vicious provided some moderate R&B hits with thesingles "My Mic Sound Nice", "Tramp", and "Chick On The Side". But when San Francisco DJ and producer Cameron Paul created a remix to "Push It", the B-side of the "Tramp" single, it gave the group their first major hit. "Push It" (US #19, UK #2) became a platinum single in the United States, and a hit in several other countries, and was added to subsequent pressings of Hot, Cool & Vicious. It was nominated for a Grammy Award, and the strength of that single catapulted the album to platinum sales in the US with one million sold, making Denton, James, and Roper the first female rap act (group or solo) to go gold or platinum. The album ultimately sold 1.3 million copies worldwide.

Salt-N-Pepa's next album release, 1988's A Salt With A Deadly Pepa, contained the Top Ten R&B hit and moderate pop hit "Shake Your Thang", featuring the go-go band E.U. A top 20 R&B hit and a minor pop hit were also seen in "Everybody Get Up" and "Twist and Shout" (UK #4), respectively; with "Twist and Shout" becoming a major hit in the UK on the UK singles charts, and several other European countries. The album sold about 800,000 copies worldwide with roughly 600,000 of those in the US, attaining gold status.

The group's third album Black Magic was released in March 1990, and was a personal album for the trio on many fronts. Pepa would become the first group member to become pregnant. The group's producer Azor would produce some songs on the album. But often late or a no show to recording sessions, as he was producing other acts, he agreed to let the artists work with different producers to finish the album. James and Roper took on producing assignments themselves and the trio also hired different producers such as Invincible's producer Dana Mozie. This was the first album to feature Roper on vocals as well as DJ'ing. The result was six singles released by Next Plateau Records, several of which became hits: "Expression" (US #26, UK #40 1990, UK #23 1992), a platinum single that had been certified gold before it even cracked the US Hot 100 as it had already been #1 on the R&B Chart for 8 weeks, and produced by Salt; "Independent"; "I Don't Know" (featuring KidNPlay); "Do You Want Me" (US #21, UK #5), certified gold; "Let's Talk About Sex" (US #13, UK #2), certified gold, and later re-recorded as "Let's Talk About Aids"; and "You Showed Me" (UK #15). The album ultimately sold 1.6 million copies worldwide with a million of those sold in the US.A greatest hits album called A Blitz of Salt-N-Pepa Hits, featuring some remixed versions of songs from the group's first three albums was subsequently released.

Salt-N-Pepa's fourth studio album Very Necessary was released in October 1993 on London Records/Polygram. The album featured songwriting and production by Salt, Pepa, Spinderella, and Azor. Buoyed by the hits "Shoop" (US #4, UK #13), co-produced by Pepa; "Whatta Man" (US #3, UK #7) (featuring En Vogue); and "None of Your Business", a Top 40 US hit and a Top 20 UK hit, the album eventually sold seven million worldwide, with five million of those in the US (5x platinum), making them the first female rap act (solo or group) to have a multi-platinum selling album. The group toured and Salt went on to co-star in the motion picture comedy Who's The Man? Pepa co-starred in the movie Joe's Apartment. Pepa had also been romantically involved with Treach of the rap group Naughty By Nature. The trio won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance in 1995 for the single "None Of Your Business", making them the first female rap Grammy winners. The album is the best selling album by a female rap act.

By the time of their next album release, Salt-N-Pepa had gone through the legal process of completely breaking away from Azor, whom they accused of unfair royalty payments. Salt had already stopped being romantically involved with him due to their many ups-and-downs, romantically and business-wise. Having now broken away from Azor, the trio signed with Red Ant Entertainment and undertook production duties once again, this time without Azor. Their fifth album, Brand New (1997) released on Red Ant (distributed by Island Black Music) hit stores a few months later. However, Red Ant filed for bancruptcy soon afterwards, halting promotion on all its releases, including Salt-N-Pepa's album. The group toured in support of the album, but without any promotion or marketing from the now-defunct label, they only scored minor hits such as "R U Ready" and "Gitty Up". The album sold 700,000 copies worldwide with 500,000 of those in the US, being certified gold. Although not as big a seller as its predecessor, Salt-N-Pepa kept intact an unbroken string of gold and platinum studio album releases.

In March 1999, Salt-N-Pepa embarked on a tour. Pepa married Treach of Naughty By Nature on July 27, 1999, earning them the unofficial title of hip-hop's number-one couple. Salt-N-Pepa's greatest-hits album, entitled Salt-N-Pepa: The Best Of, was released in Europe on January 25, 2000. Pepa and Treach would remain married for two years but their tumultuous marriage would end in divorce on July 31, 2001. With no albums contractually due at the time, Salt decided to quit the group, stating she had had enough with the music industry and no longer wanted to be involved in it. They officially disbanded in 2002.
However, that all seemed to change when she announced that she would be releasing her first solo album, but she subsequently did not release the product. She was featured on the remix version of the Salt City Six's "Shine", on the album Holy South: World Wide, a compilation of Christian rap and Christian R&P (Rhythm & Praise) songs. The album was executive produced by ex-Three Six Mafia member turned Christian rapper Mr. Del. Salt also revealed in later interviews that she had suffered from bulimia many years ago.
Pepa appeared on the fifth season of VH1's The Surreal Life. She released an autobiography entitled Let's Talk About Pep in August 2008. The book was co-written by author Karen Hunter and offers a glimpse behind the fame, family, failures, and successes of Pepa's life, as well as being a member of one of hip-hop's most successful acts. It features an introduction by Queen Latifah, and an epilogue by Missy Elliott. To accompany the book, she also launched her own social network for her fans at http://www.LetsTalkAboutPep.com. She also starred in the reality TV series Let's Talk About Pep on the VH-1 network.
Spinderella is a radio personality on KKBT 100.3 in Los Angeles, California. She hosted The Backspin (with DJ Mo'Dav), a nationally-syndicated weekly radio show featuring Old School Hip-Hop Music. She also periodically DJs at various club events.

Both Salt and Pepa appeared on VH-1's Hip Hop Honors in November 2004, as the trio were honorees. All three women reunited the following year for the next Hip Hop Honors program and performed "Whatta Man" with En Vogue. It was the trio's first performance in six years, and was their first performance of Whatta Man with En Vogue on stage ever.Salt-N-Pepa reformed in 2007. All three women now have children. Spinderella has a daughter with formerNBA player Kenny Anderson. Her daughter has appeared on MTV's My Super Sweet Sixteen in 2008. Pepa has a son and a daughter. Salt has a daughter and a son.
On October 14, 2007, The Salt-N-Pepa Show debuted on VH1. Pepa initially started the formation of the series as she had previously appeared on the network in The Surreal Life. The Salt-n-Pepa Show, MC Lyte, Yo-Yo and Lady Of Rage at the BET Hip-Hop Awards. chronicled events in the lives of Pepa and Salt as they work out past issues and return to the recording studio. Spinderella has been featured in several episodes. Later in 2008, the trio performed with
On May 9, 2009 Salt-N-Pepa performed a concert in Honolulu, Hawaii along with SWV and Lisa Lisa. The name of the show was 'Ladies of the 80s'. They performed at the Good Vibrations festival in Australia in February 2010, and the South West Four Festival, Clapham Common, London on August 29, 2010.
On October 12, 2010 Salt-N-Pepa received the I Am Hip Hop Award at the Bet Hip Hop Awards. It was presented to them by Monique
On February 4, 2011 Salt N Pepa kicked off a national tour entitled Salt N Pepa's Legends of Hip Hop Tour. (More info on www.Hiphoplegends.com) Other acts on the tour include: Whodini, Rob Base, Kurtis Blow, Dough E Fresh, Biz Markie, Naughty By Nature, MC Lyte, Big Daddy Kane, Kool Moe Dee, Slick Rick and Chubb Rock.

Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: The Real Roxanne.

2011-03-03T14:11:00.000-05:00

Like many other female rappers during 1984/85, Adelaide Martinez adopted the name Roxanne and set out to answer UTFO‘s hit “Roxanne,Roxanne.” At the top of that over saturated group of women, she is known as the Real Roxanne, with her biggest competitor being Roxanne Shante. She made a record called “Romeo” in 1985, which was an inversion of “Roxanne, Roxanne.” Later on, in 1988, she released an album produced by Jam Master Jay, Hitman Howie Tee & Full Force. And of that project, she released the single “Respect.”

Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way.

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: Roxanne Shante.

2011-03-02T01:49:00.000-05:00

"So, the UTFO Crew, you know what you can do/ let me tell you what's for me, and then I'll tell you what's for you."

Roxanne Shanté‘s career began at the age of fourteen when she entered the influential world of record producer Marley Marl, radio DJ Mr. Magic, and Tyrone Williams, who were talking about how UTFO had canceled its appearance at a show that it was promoting. Shanté offered to record an answer to UTFO’s recent hit “Roxanne, Roxanne,” which was about a woman who rejects the members of the group. The men agreed and the result was “Roxanne’s Revenge,” a confrontational and profane song in which Shanté assumed the role of Roxanne, dissing UTFO over a Marley Marl-produced instrumental (The official UTFO response to its own song was “The Real Roxanne,” with artist Adelaida Martinez assuming the role of Roxanne and eventually recording under the same stage name as the song title). Shanté’s version and the Real Roxanne’s version sparked the Roxanne Wars and made Shanté a hip-hop star in the process. The single would go on to sell over 250,000 copies in the New York area alone. One of the founding members of the Juice Crew, most of her tracks would be produced by Marley Marl, with the exception of several songs on Shanté’s last album, 1992′s .

As an MC, Shanté was renowned for her ability to freestyle (improvise) entire songs. “Roxanne’s Revenge” was an example, reportedly written as it was recorded—in one take. However, the original version of the song was rerecorded after UTFO sued over the usage of its original backing track; the new version featured slightly different music with less profanity. People are most familiar with this version, which appears on the original 12-inch single released in 1984, with the original on the reverse side.

In 1988, Shanté and Rick James had a hit with “Loosey’s Rap.”

By the age of 25, Shanté was largely retired from the recording industry. She continued to make occasional guest appearances and live performances, as well as mentor young female hip-hop artists. She did the latter by making a cameo appearance on VH1′s hip hop reality show Ms. Rap Supreme and gave rap-battle strategies to the finalists of that show. She also took part in a series of Sprite commercials during the late 1990s.

She returned to performing, and in 2008, her song “Roxanne’s Revenge” was ranked number 42 on VH1′s 100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs; she re-recorded the song the following year.

To the surprise of many, Roxanne Shanté underwent a 17 month battle with breast cancer. Now in remission, the New York bred former entertainer is out to share her story and urge women to take their health seriously, before it is too late.

Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!

CELEBRATING WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: Sha-Rock, 1st Female MC.

2011-03-01T20:27:00.000-05:00

In Her Own Words ...
"30 something years ago a multi-billion dollar business was created we call Hip Hop. And yes... Right hear right now... you are witnessing the writings of the 1st Female Pioneer Luminary MC on the mic ever.. SHA-ROCK YALL... I am going to keep this thang short. Young SHA-ROCK use to live in the Bronx, but then move to Harlem USA. And that is where it started for me. I was introduced to artist's such as James Brown, Nikki Giovanni and Sylvia to name a few.
Anyway I moved back to the Bronx. Back in the 70's i use to sneak out of the house to go to Kool Herc's parties who is the Father of Hip Hop. He had no Female MC's at that time. So there was no one to set standards for me. I became a b/girl. I waited just like the fellas did for that certain break beat of James Brown's Sex Machine to began to hit the floor. I then became the 1st Pioneer Female Luminary MC ever to set the standards for any other female that came after me.. 1st Pioneer Female MC to be apart of a all male Hip Hop group/The Funky Four Plus One More... 1st Pioneer Female MC from the streets of the Bronx to go full circle in a MC battle mode... 1st Female Pioneer MC to use the echo chamber behind her voice, and every one followed... 1st Female Pioneer MC to have a record deal world wide... 1st Female Pioneer MC to introduce Hip Hop to other cultures and nationalities besides the Bronx... 1st Female Pioneer MC to be on national TV/Saturday Night Live with Blondie/aka Deborah Harry "1981"... 1st Female to be apart of the 1st organized/synchronized group... The Funky Four Plus One who set the standards for what Hip Hop is today... Know Your History.... SHA-ROCK 1ST Female Pioneer Luminary MC."

Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!

MUSIC MONDAY: "Red Eye," By Cess Wonder.

2011-01-31T08:51:00.002-05:00

I LOVE supporting NEW talent, namely Lady MCs because their opportunities are SO limited. However, this young lady has been on my radar for a few years now & I’m proud to provide a platform for her talent & grind. Straight from the planet Brooklyn is Cess Wonder, HOT on the comeup w/ her NEW joint “Red Eye,” from her soon to be released debut Project Runway. MC & CEO, watch her make moves for RunWay Vision Entertainment & Block Exchange Entertainment.

Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!

MUSIC MONDAY: "You Be Killin' Em," By Fabolous. {Lil Kim's Featured Verse}

2011-01-17T23:43:00.000-05:00

Couldn't resist, had to add this to the mix! It's Lil Kim -aka- Kimmy Blanco, spittin' a nice lil verse on fellow Bklyn MC- Fabolous' joint "You Be Killin' Em." I Like It. Like it A LOT. Reminds me of the days when rappers made joints strictly to be bumped in the Tunnel. What y'all know 'bout that?

This is Kim's lane & I hope she stays there. Just deliver them bars reminiscent of back in the day & she'll regain everyone's confidence. Or, at least the confidence of those that matter.

Spread Love ... Its The Bklyn Way!

MUSIC MONDAY: "Take Your Clothes Off," By Timbaland ft. Missy Elliott.

2011-01-17T00:40:00.000-05:00

Spread Love ... Its The Bklyn Way!

Happy Birthday Aaliyah!

2011-01-16T01:19:00.002-05:00

Spread Love ... Its The Bklyn Way!

Happy Birthday Dr. King.

2011-01-15T21:42:00.001-05:00

Spread Love ... Its The Bklyn Way!

OWN, & The Question of "Diversity."

2011-01-13T03:09:00.004-05:00

Well it has been barely over a week since the momentous debut of OWN- The Oprah Winfrey Network. Yes, Ms. Oprah Winfrey runs & owns her own television network on cable, and almost immediately the daggers are flying. I, myself, have yet to take a look at the network. However, I’ve heard nothing but great things about the programming which has been featured thus far. But … where there is greatness there will always be criticism. Coming from none other than Sheila Johnson herself- co-founder of BET- she feels OWN is not “diverse” enough. In her own words she says, “The only advice that I say, let’s open up your circle a little bit more. You know, we love the Dr. Phils. We love the Suze Ormans. Let’s open up. There are other people. And there’s also African-American experts out there that I think she should start bringing on her show that can reach even a wider audience.” Ms. Winfrey’s response is, “We couldn’t ask for more – we built it and they came,” Winfrey told Multichannel News Thursday night during an OWN dinner party. “My dream is that they continue to come. It’s a long process – it’s not about this weekend it’s about sustainability long term, but I’m pleased with the start.” I hear that! I hear both the Sistas. But hear this: I have to keep it One-Hundred with y’all. And I’m willing to bet that OWN might in fact be … too diverse.

Again, let me remind you all that I’ve yet to check out the network. But, I am an avid reader of O magazine. I got a peek at the listing of scheduled programming, and I must say there were few faces of color. Am I surprised? No! And this is not to bash Ms. Winfrey- whom I admire, respect & love dearly. However, I’ve seen this trend among African-Americans since the beginning of time. Whether in positions of power, or living one pay check away from a homeless shelter, we tend to open doors, make a way & provide opportunities for others before our own. Why? Not sure. But I’d be lying if I denied that it irks me to no end. I’m not saying that we should not lend a helping hand to “others,” but just like “others” our loyalties should lay with one another. So, instead of telling Ms. Winfrey to make the network more “diverse,” I’d tell her to add more black to it. Yes, that’s what I said.

Back in the day we’d watch TV & not see enough folk who looked like us. We attributed it to the fact that the deficit of us working behind the scenes was reflective of us working in front of the scenes. But now- with a few more of us writing our own tickets in the executive departments- the focus has shifted from providing for our own, to opening the doors to create this “diverse”, “multicultural”, “all inclusive” utopia, which in turn leaves “us’ out, which places us right back where we started- broke, left-out & forgotten. Many of us- in 2011- still feel as though the coffee wont sell without any “cream.” I beg to differ. In 2005 when Tyler Perry’s Diary Of A Mad Black Woman hit theatres, white folks didn’t know what to make of it. They didn’t understand it, they criticized it, & dismissed it. But what they didn’t know was that he had a following from the days when his plays were on the “chitlin circuit,” & black folks were coming to support regardless. The film debuted at #1 raking in $21,905,089. All that green straight out of the pockets of blacks. Therefore, I do not subscribe to the theory that you cannot earn money appealing to your own. So you can run & tell that!

And this goes beyond TV, Entertainment, etc. On occasions when I have free time, I like to stroll through my borough of Brooklyn, & just check out how the other communities are getting along. And as diverse as “The Brook” is, I see neighborhoods divvied up by different cultures & ethnicities. And, not to imply that any of these groups of people are racist or prejudice, but they do cater to the needs of their own & their people. But the minute we open or create any kind of business, it becomes the “United Nations,” & its African origins are no longer identified. Am I mad at the other cultures for taking care of themselves? No! I’m mad that African-Americans don’t! When your people have been locked out, shut out & kept out for so long, you owe it to them to provide a level playing field once you're in a position to make a difference.

Now, I know many would say Ms. Johnson has nerve calling out Ms. Winfrey & OWN. BET has not always put its best foot forward in showing the best of what African-Americans have to offer. Some even joke & call the network Black Exploitation Television. And, although I’m not the biggest fan, I do credit BET for providing opportunity & visibility to those who may not have otherwise gotten it. But I want OWN to do the same. I overstand Ms. Winfrey’s audience is CRAZEE diverse, and she wants to stick to the winning formula that has kept her winning since the 80’s. But we all must remember that we stand upon someone’s shoulders. No one is where they are without the sacrifices of others. And, when we lose focus of the struggle- which provided the fuel that propelled us to our current positions of power- then all else is in vain.

Spread Love … It’s The Bklyn Way.

FRIDAY F*CKERY: Christmas In The 'Hood.

2011-01-07T13:53:00.000-05:00

Hey Kids! Merry belated Christmas & happy belated New Year! I pray 2011 found you at your best & will continue to provide many more blessings through out the year. I promised myself to blog more in the New Year, and in doing so I want to introduce you ALL to a new segment here at the BklynBandette Doctrine- Friday F*ckery & Saturday Shenanigans. Depending on what I may stumble across throughout my beloved borough of Brooklyn, I will snap pics & blog about it. I am trying to capture complete & utter NONSENSE. Just a little Shytz-N-Gygglez to add to the monotony of the lives of others.

And 2day- the first Friday of 2011- I present to you "Christmas In The 'Hood." A Christmas Tree adorn with beer bottles & soda cans, this pic was snapped right here at the local supermarket in my 'hood- Coney Island, Brooklyn. Check out the gifts under the tree.(smh)

Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!

NEW MUSIC: "Black Friday," by Lil Kim {Nicki Minaj Dis Track- FULL Length}

2010-11-26T23:57:00.002-05:00

Queen Bee Lil Kim Is BACK & Taking NO Prisoners. "Black Friday," Kim's answer back dis track to Nicki Minaj's "Roman's Revenge" is that Liquid Fiyah! Check it out, Holla Back!

Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!

Hammer Deads Beef With Jigga.

2010-11-11T12:22:00.002-05:00

According to my good buddies over at AllHipHop.com, MC Hammer has put an end to his beef with Jay-Z.
“As a responsible veteran of twenty something years of this [Hip-Hop]. I can't leave it out there with tensions. I am reading comments on both sides, it's not about that, I have seen all of that before. There is an opportunity to say at some point. We onto the next thing. You know, Jay took his shot and I answered. Now let's move on. 7 Days is enough. I'm Accepting Jay Z at his "Word" and moving on. I made my point. #KingHammer,” he tweeted.
Hammer then went on to further explain his few found peace keeping. He told AllHipHop.com that other matters were commanding his attention, those in his native Oakland.. The recent case surrounding Oscar Grant’s murder and the controversial two-year sentencing of the officer that killed him was one matter. Of the case Hammer tweeted "The Justice System failed again. Oscar Grant (RIP) was an unarmed victim slain by the court today."
Even more recently, another unarmed man named Derrick Jones, 37, was shot and killed by police in Oakland.
I'm not surprised. I remember being a teen seeing Hammer in a video with a host of other west coast rappers doing a joint called " We're All In The Same Gang." It was a song created to call an end to gang violence out on that end. Just as the NYC rapper released "Self-Destruction," a call to end street violence in general. And he's probably rethinking his position right about now, knowing that if/when the video resurfaces he'd appear dumb hypocritical right. Lives have been lost because of "rap beef." Yet & still, I do believe that if Jay would have responded in the way he wanted him to, Hammer would have been more than happy to keep this tomfoolery going. But, like my mom says, not even a fool likes to argue with himself.
I'm so glad Jay did the right thing.
Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!

Lil Kim Threatens To "Erase This B*tch's S.S.# ..."

2010-11-10T17:57:00.001-05:00

Li’l Kim, I LOVE you & I FEEL you, but … I NEED BARS & VERSES! I need you 2 get back in it like you used to do in the days. I need your mouth 2 be FULLY reckless like only a Brooklyn Broad can. Just open up your mouth & let the lawd use you. Come on Q.B. Do it for Brooklyn!

And when you do return to the borough, B.K. doesn’t want a “Movie,” We Want THEATRE!

Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!

Jay-Z's Response To MC Hammer.

2010-11-03T18:20:00.001-04:00

Brooklyn's own "Jigga Man" Jay-Z is taking the high road in ignoring that buffoonery posing itself as the MCHammer "Diss Record"- Better Run Run- and BullSh*t video to match. Let me take you back a bit on how things popped off: on a Kanye joint called "So Appalled," Jay-Z makes an appearance & spits as follows, "Hammer went broke so you know I'm more focused/ I lost 30 mil' so I spent another 30/ 'Cause unlike Hammer 30 million can't hurt me." Eventually, this fell into the ears of Hammer & he's NONE too happy. So, he did what any other outdated artist fiendin' for a comeback would do. Hammer got in the studio & recorded some stuff in retaliation of what he perceived to be beef. Jay- being the bigger & better dude- has decided to just let it rock. Here's what he says in an interview:

Jay-Z Reacts To MC Hammer Diss Record www.djsemtex.com by Roy Thomas

Proud of Jigga for not giving this any more credence. Hammer, not so much, here's why: Jay didn't say anything that has not been said by a multitude of folks. When discussing great financial woes of those who were once rich & powerful, MC Hammer's name always comes up like clock work. Why now would you want to stage this half cocked counter attack against one of the greatest of our time? And he didn't even get creative or inventive. he used the same ol' tired, pathetic, corny, illuminati references & took a few shots at Beyonce. Nice Hammer. I'm disappointed & disgusted, that as a man of the cloth you decided to use the "devil worship" innuendo for financial gain. You're not worried about either his soul or salvation, because if you were, you would have got at a brother when his lyrics were purely misogynistic & celebrated ghetto nonsense. Hypocrite.

Jay, I LOVE you for just letting this dude "live" a little bit. Sometimes, the best way to win is to not even play at all. Let these clowns keep running their mouth while you run your business.

Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!

"Roman's Revenge," By Nicki Minaj ft. Eminem.

2010-11-02T14:54:00.002-04:00

Just when I thought everything had died down, & each opponent retreated to their respective corners ….. We Have THIS!

Here on Nicki Minaj‘s joint “Roman’s Revenge,” ft. Eminem, Nicki appears to be “going In” on the Queen Bee herself Lil’ Kim, & Lady MCs in general. Now personally, I truly HATE conflict between two women. Especially in a game where the female population of players is severely under represented. AND, although I’d love for Kim to take the High Road & just address everything with a new album ….. I know Kim …. Like any True Blue Brooklynite, she is NOT gonna roll over & let that sh*t Rock. Kim will be back. Trust.

Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!

"Better Run Run," By MC Hammer.

2010-11-02T14:37:00.000-04:00

MC Hammer is dissin’ Jay-Z. (crickets)(crickets)(crickets)

Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!

Jasmine Man, "The MisEducation Of A Barbie Doll."

2010-11-02T14:19:00.001-04:00

You are being traded paper in exchange for you to be plastic

All Dolls will eventually mal-function

(I don’t even know why you girls bother at this point like give it up, it ‘s me I win you lose)

Nicki MInaj,

(It’s me)

I must admit

(Its, its me)

I have always been intrigued by your ass,

I guess that’s what the world looked like after falling from your shoulders.

(Like give it up)

You have the heartbeat of a suicide bomber

A baseline breathing out of your pulse

Your thighs play storage for the weight of the world

I dreamt that you used to back packed, the lost raps, of Female MCs who could not find their way out the cipher

(Its just like I single handedly annihilated like every rape bitch in the build)

Traded in your crown for unsharpened pencils and blank CDs

(Like give it up)

Do you ever feel a cord gripping on your neck, choke, spit?

Don’t let this industry fuck the Assata out of you

(Harijuku-Barbie)

Can and will never be code for queen

You are a Queen no matter how many times they try to shuffle you back in tape decks.

Bi Sex, straight, you’ve earned my respect

(You da Bestest)

But I know your spine binds and crooked lines

And you can’t seem to write a rhyme for your broken daughters

Slaughter, bent over back, ass cracked, bitch slapped, in videos

There is nothing pedal bike pretty about broken

Do you know what this media is trying to do to you?

They will porcelain

(Barbie)

Doll the shit out of you

Leave you noose necked hanging from Zion they will Lauryn Hill you

The mis-education of a Barbie doll coming soon

(I just had an epiphany)

Barbie, I think NYC is making you forget you come from Queens

Its scary when you have wack MCs trying to ghost write your obituary

(You should buy a 16 cuz I write it good)

Your existence is not recyclable to me

(Barbie)

Stop spitting me toy stories

Of Woodys and Buzzlight Years who only come alive when no body is watching

Fake breast

Once upon a time before puberty and tissue filled training bras all little girls wanted a toy chest

What do you treasure? *

You have turned your G-spot into a land-mind

Dirty, disgusting

We have been waiting centuries for a woman like you to carve your stiletto in history

This microphone is not a dildo so you are going to have to cum a little harder than that,

(I, win, I win, you lose)

Come a little harder for rap

Too many women before you have laid down tracks — UNIT…Y?

So you wouldn’t have to record your on your back

Spit some shit it for girls who kiss girls and got beat down to their backs

We will remember you for that

Lips sync your screams and remember your inflections and copyright your raps

MC

(Barbie)

For young money anyone can buy themselves their own ( I’m Nick Minaj, Nicki Lewinski, Nicki Barbie, the boss)

Crown, Vagina, Womanhood, and Talent,

All Sold separately

(Barbie)

You are being stabbed in the back

Inserted with a wind up string and a tag?

(R, R, R, Roger that)

Talk about “poetic justice,” Jasmine Man waged verbal war on Nicki Minaj & all the “Barbies” of the wall, who feel it’s better to be a manufactured product, as opposed to a real woman. Please don’t call her a “Hater.” We ALL need to take our cue from this Sista & speak when we see something going wrong within the culture. Early correction is our BEST protection.

Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!

"The League," By Adlib ft. UG, Godilla, Steele, & Ali Arms.

2010-11-02T13:54:00.001-04:00

From his debut Album on ILL Roc Record's The Brass Knuckle Hustle is Adlib's new video "The League" Featuring Steele, UG, Godilla and Ali Armz.

Support NEW Music.

-"The BklynBandette."

"RunAway," By Kanye West. [Full Length Film]

2010-10-25T00:22:00.000-04:00

Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!

Raz B. "BLOWS UP" Chris Stokes & Marques Houston.

2010-10-25T00:05:00.001-04:00

Former B2K member Raz B- in a phone conversation with Quinton Tarver , a singer who was also under Stokes- recalls episodes of molestation inflicted on him by Chris Stokes & singer Marques Houston. Raz is trying to get a guest spot on the Oprah Winfrey Show so that he can expose & purge himself of the guilt & shame that is often carried after one is molested.

Folks are trying to discredit him. And it’s no surprise since he recanted his story almost immediately after speaking out about it a few years back. However, I always say that when a male admits to being sexually violated by another male, BELIEVE HIM. There is a stigma that comes along with that which will NOT go away. So, who’d rock that label if they didn’t have to?

Y’all stay tuned. This is just about to heat up.

Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!

Monif C.- Celebrating 5 Years Of Style, Curves & Sex Appeal.

2010-09-28T13:45:00.001-04:00

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Last night a bevy of beautiful big bombshells flooded Bo Concept in NYC to celebrate “Girls with Curves.” Another Uber Sexy LuxeLife Media event- with PR extraordinaire Christina Rice at the helm- the occasion was the Monif C: 5Years Of Style, Curves, & Sex Appeal. Disgusted with the one dimensional image of beauty we are force fed by the fashion industry, big & beautiful Monif Clarke decided it was time to show the world that beauty & fashion goes beyond a size two. With her mom- Elaine Clarke- as her co-pilot, the two launched Monif C 5 years ago & haven’t looked back. Conceived to reaffirm every woman's desire for an inspired life, luxury, and unadulterated sex appeal, Monif C. is an unapologetic stand for high fashion style for plus size women.

Being a full-figured woman myself, it was refreshing to be in a room full of women with whom I can identify. The fashions were Blazing Hot, and the models were Gorgeous. Coming in various shapes, sizes, & colors, these Sistas were Super, X-Tra, Ultra, Uber FABULOUS! From the models to the designer to the supporters, everyone exhibited pride & elegance. These Sistas were BAD! And I, for one, am definitely inspired to do better & be better. Game stepped up!

Spread Love … It’s The Bklyn Way.

BKLYN BULLSH#T: ONLY In Coney Island.

2010-09-21T17:47:00.002-04:00

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

This “Kiddie Escalade” Was Parked Along My Street A Few Weeks Back. At First I Thought It Was A Joke. lol. But What I Found Out Was Some Kids Pulled It Out Of The Dumpster The Night B4 & Played w/It Till Curfew. When It Was Time 2 Head It, They Had To Figure Something Out. They Couldn’t Take It Home, So They Parked It On The Street For The Next Day! (LMAO)
Hood Kids; You Gotta Love’em!

Spread Love … It’s The Bklyn Way!

VIDEO PREMIERE: "Gone Already" By Faith Evans.

2010-09-20T14:08:00.004-04:00

It's been a little over 5 years since my girl Faith Evans released her last CD, First Lady. Here we are 2010, and she's bringing NEW heat for that ASS. Check out the video for her already Smash HIT "Gone Already," from her much anticipated Something About Faith, in stores & iTunes On October 5, 2010.

Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!

MRS. HUSTLE'S NEIGHBORHOOD.

2010-09-17T00:51:00.000-04:00

MRS. HUSTLE'S NEIGHBORHOOD.

These Are My Streetz.

And THIS Is Where I Live.

ME, Be Intimidated By WHO!!???

Not Never ...

Not An "Industry Trick," When I'm An "IN DA STREETZ BYTCH"

Proud? No. Embarrassed? No.

Just Chillin' In The Balance Recognizin' The REAL.

Real Niggas/Bitches Do REAL THINGZ!

Two- 3rd. Carey Gardens. Coney Island.

HOLLA!

FOR COLORED GIRLS: Theatrical Trailer.

2010-09-15T16:50:00.001-04:00

When Tyler Perry announced that he was tackling "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf," I Paused. Whoa! How would he do it? How would it translate? Author Ntozake Shange describes this moving piece of literature as what she calls a "choreopoem," made up of individual poems which form a single statement. Ooohhh. It is a powerful, gripping story that explores the lives of black women. And according to the trailer, I'd say Mr. Perry has a better grasp of things than I expected. Take a Look:

SPEECHLESS!

Ladies, Get Your GirlFriends, Boyfriends & Gay Friends 2Gether & Let's Support This One.

Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!

WARNING: Do NOT Try This @ Home ..... OR ANYWHERE ELSE!!!

2010-09-14T03:50:00.000-04:00

This is something I witnessed for myself. I didn’t get this pic off the Net or from anyone/anywhere else. I took it myself with my OWN BlackBerry. And I did so because … who in the world would believe me!!???
I was Down Town Brooklyn yesterday, when my eyes were assaulted by this monstrosity. I was walking along Flatbush Ave., about to cross Fulton St. when I saw THIS passing out flyers for a pediatrist ===>>>

I have NEVER ….. EVER ….. in ALL My Years ….. Seen Such FOO-LISH-NESS!!!!! This was one of the few times in my life when I was left SPEECHLESS! (SMDH) Just check dude out: he has on a Poon-Poon Skirt, Cowboy Boots, & Pink Sweater, Accentuated with a “Stuffed Bra.” But what got me was that he didn’t even both to try to put a wig on & kinda “confuse” somebody. Nah, this sucka rocked a lil’ Bernie Mac ‘Fro with this foolish costume on. I then thought that maybe, Maybe, this was his gimmick. You know, like if he can use SHOCK value to get your attention, he’ll be able to give out more flyers, bring in more clients, therefore generating a big commission. BUT … his eyebrows were SNATCHED! In other words, they were plucked & arched to perfection. And no one does that unless they are DEAD SERIOUS! ‘Bout It, ‘Bout It! Dude was a Cross Dresser.

A Broke Down One At That!

NOW y’all see why my camera stays Cocked & Loaded? And whatever I see, Y’all Gonna See it too!

Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!

Disrespect Kimora, Disrespect Us ALL!

2010-09-12T18:24:00.001-04:00

Celebrating ‘Fashion Night Out’ with Kimora Lee Simmons was a BLAST! The “Fabulosity Diva”MACY’s at Herald Square On SMASH & the crowd was loving her. She was so gracious, signing autographs, taking pics, whatever the fans wanted from her they got. Not only there to show love & appreciation, Kimora was also promoting her more recent clothing line Kouture by Kimora. Bittersweet, at the same time she was saying goodbye to ‘Baby Phat.’ Oh y’all ain’t know? Kimora Lee Simmons is NO LONGER employed by ‘Baby Phat.’ When I got the news a few weeks ago I clutched my pearls, gasped & swooned, & hit the floor. You’re probably thinking the same thing I was thinking that fateful day: “how could this be? A brand she created, built from the bottom up, cannot be taken away from her. Is there some sort of mistake?” All those unanswered questions flooded my brain that morning as I saw the little tidbits of info Kimora was sharing via twitter. Judging from her tone I just knew that she & Baby Phat didn’t part ways amicably. There was some dirty double dealing involved, it wasn’t all good, and … she had a story to tell. herself had

A week & a half later Kimora would take to ustream & somewhat explain her side of things. In a nutshell, she & Russell sold ‘Phat Farm/Baby Phat’ back in 2000 for $140 million to Kellwood Co. Everything was fine until some new folks took over Kellwood & started making changes. Those changes didn’t include her. Then she addressed the foolishness Page Six of the NY Post printed from some “unnamed source” as to why Kimora “let go.” They said that Kimora demanded that both she & her children were to be paid to appear in Baby Phat ads. In addition, they say that not only was it expensive to continue to pay her, but that it was even more costly to either airbrush, or find a body double to substitute for her now size 10 frame. WHAT!!!?????? Wow, whether true or false, do they overstand the message that sends? The average size woman in America is a size 12-16. By saying that she- an alleged size 10- needs to be airbrushed, that is also saying that anything in the double digits isn’t acceptable. Wrong move & a definite no no.

This whole “Baby Phat/Kimora Lee” thing strikes a chord with me. I’ve been donning Baby Phat for some years now. Not too many of her exaggerated pieces, but I LOVED the sexy low cut tops & her multipurpose jeans. The Jeans, YES, the jeans. Extremely important when you’re in a world who doesn’t recognize, acknowledge, or cater to your size. I don’t expect much from the mainstream designers, yet my urban folks should be on point with this. How is it that e’rybody claims to “rep the ‘hood”, yet they make clothing like they’ve never seen a Big Gal before? Have they done their marketing research? Big Gals are HUGE consumers where clothing is concerned. We have to spend money on our clothing regardless. Big money for no name & very little glamour. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE what Ashly Stewart does, yet, that’s about it. But if I can get Brand Name for the same amount of bucks I’m spending on No Name, that’s a straight no brainer. Big Gals always gotta be Fresh-2-Death when we step outta the house, because there’s always someone expecting us not to be. Coming around us, sniffin’ & sh#t like we’re some goddamn science projects. And you would think the urban brands, who claim to represent us, would capitalize on that. But they haven’t. They’ve tried, but most have failed. And the one’s who have tried to make clothing for Big Gals couldn’t get the size & fit right. Possibly the reason for that is that most of the urban designers are men, manufacturing clothes for the women they wanna bed, not who’ll give undying support. The only one who felt our plight & hooked it up just right is Kimora! She didn’t ignore the Big Gal market, she embraced it. And because of it, Big Gals all over the ‘Hood were eternally grateful.

Parting is such sweet sorrow. Most of us who came up with Kimora are now in our mid/late 30’s, too mature to rock the cat on your ass. So she & Baby Phat separating could be a blessing in disguise. It will free her up to focus on her lines Kouture by Kimora, & KLS, which is geared toward our age group. KLS will be Super, X-tra, Ultra, Uber Cool & youthfully exciting clothing, with a splash of Grown & Sexy. Personally, I’d been ready to make the transition with her a while ago. But after that disrespectful remark made on behalf of Kellwood, not only will I follow Kimora, but I will “unfollow” Baby Phat. For one Kimora IS Baby Phat. Her “over the top” personality is what made the Baby Phat brand. Like Diddy, she not only sold you clothes, but she sold you the illusion of her lifestyle, making you believe you too were Fabulous! Another reason to no longer support Baby Phat is because of that disrespectful “Size 10” statement. Good job B.P., you have now offended & disrespected half your loyal customers. And if you don’t respect me, you don’t respect my dollars, which I will keep tucked away in my new KLS purse.

Deuces!

Spread Love … It’s The Bklyn Way!

Michael Jackson: Free Indeed.

2010-06-26T01:56:00.006-04:00

"Cause we're the party people, night & day/ Living Crazy, that's the only way."- Off The Wall.

And I haven’t been sane since! Do you remember where you were when it happened? I do, like it all happened yesterday. I’m not talking about his passing or his debut of the moonwalk at the Motown 25 special. No, I’m talking about your recollection of hearing a Michael Jackson joint for the first time. We’d all heard the classics such as “I’ll be there,” or “ABC,” at one time or another. But I’m saying, what was the FIRST MJ joint you ever had the chance to absorb? What joint did you allow yourself to marinate all up in it? For me it happened December 1980. I was six years old & Michael Jackson deflowered my virginal ears, giving me the eargasm of a lifetime. It was Christmas & the whole family was gathered at my uncle’s house. Everyone was eating, laughing & having a good time. I was the only kid there & had no business “being up in grown folks conversation,” so I was left to my own devices. I wandered over to my uncle’s record collection and began to thumb through his albums. So many afros, bell bottoms & disco balls gracing the different covers I got dizzy. But one afro stood out among all others. I plucked this album out and was overcome by what my eyes were feasting on. A cocoa brown boy with the biggest, cutest afro, flashing pearly whites as white as his shirt, leaning up against a brick wall with a graffiti inscription which read “off the wall.” I held the album up and screamed out “who is this”? Everybody proclaimed “That’s Michael Jackson!” Shoot me for being ig’nent. I’d heard the name before, and the face was pretty vague, but this I wasn’t ready for. He was so handsome and appeared to be so sweet; I’d already picked him to be my future husband. He looked a little older than me, but I was gonna make it work. I continued to gaze at this album cover, not being able to take my eyes off him. My uncle’s brother- in- law gently took it out of my hand. It was his and I guess I wasn’t supposed to be playing with it. He then took the album outta the jacket, put it on the record player, and introduced me formally to the magic that was Michael Jackson.

I don’t remember the order of the songs, but I do remember the first song to rope me in- “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough.” The special blend of his voice and the instruments were driving me insane. I remembered my mom saying he sang with his brothers, and I assumed they were singing backup on this song. Nope. It was all Michael, singing lead & backup. “How is he switching his voice up like that?” I asked. “Because he IS Miguel,” was my uncle’s response. He was a HUGE Michael Jackson fan & that was his pet name for him. We spent the rest of the night listening to Michael Jackson’s music- past and present. But me, I just stayed fixated on Off The Wall. The next day as we were going home, my uncle’s brother in law handed me the album. He said he had two copies and I could have the extra. “Thanks Chris,” I yelled as I clutched the album and followed my mom out the door.

Fast forward a few years & MJ is smoking hot! The year is ’84, Thriller is out & there was no stopping him. And I still loved him. A few shades lighter, a bit thinner, & a jheri curl, Mike was STILL alright by me. We were all rocking red jackets, white gloves & penny loafers. We put on our mother’s old house shoes and practiced the moonwalk on her freshly polished floors. "STACIE, I’m only gonna tell you ONE MORE TIME!" The Thriller album is the highest grossing album of all time, & the video just added to the madness. I remember it aired on a Friday night, and we rushed home from church to catch the premiere. Almost 15 minutes long, it was a mini movie which thrilled us in the worst way. And I fell deeper in love with the man who was already my future husband in my head. The album, video, & everything else associated with Thriller went down in the history books, making MJ a living legend.

“But they told me, a man should be faithful/ and walk when not able/ and fight till the end, but I’m only human …”

Mike was always special, but something took a terrible turn not long after Thriller. An increasing change in his appearance (skin color, hair, eyes, nose, chin) got folks to talking. Then there were the allegations of inappropriate behavior with young boys, which sparked a witch hunt. And as the accusations swirled, most of us began to believe it. Not to mention Mike himself continued to entertain these kids, making them strange bedfellows. The media began to name him “Whacko Jacko,” among other things. Always the “King Of Pop,” he was becoming more notorious for his eccentric behavior. And unfortunately, we fell into the trap of making him the butt of our jokes as well. He was built up to be torn down. They crucified him & we stood around and watched.

Today, a year and a day after his death, we don’t remember. We don’t remember the foolishness, the scandals, the cosmetic surgeries, or anything else which caused us all to raise an eyebrow. Correction, we remember, but we’re not dwelling on it. All we have now is fond memories of Michael- the music, the dancing, the way he made us feel through his artistry. Mike’s death shocked us, but none were really surprised. We’d heard he had an addiction to prescription meds and that his health was not one hundred. Word on the street was that Mike just wasn’t taking care of himself. And at the rate he was going death was inevitable. But hindsight is 20/20. Not only was death inevitable, it was his salvation, his emancipation, his freedom. Mike was never gonna be appreciated or absolved from his “freakish” past as long as he remained on earth. Too good for this earth, Mike couldn’t stay. He completed his mission in this life & left when there was nothing else for him to do. He is now free, and so are we. Someone always has to die to pay the price for freedom. When Mike died, the pictures of the reconstructed being were all over the place. But when you saw pics of him from yester-decades the reality set in. You felt the pain, hurt, & loss of THAT Michael because it was HE we loved first. And because we loved HIM first, we went back in time and just reminisced in THAT catalogue. We enjoyed the music we’d heard so many times at the school dances, neighborhood block parties, family reunions, weddings, repasts, birthday parties, or just a get together with family & friends. We LOVED him again. Not caring who was watching, we danced in the streets and sang at the top of our lungs when Mike made transition. I myself cranked up the first song I’d heard which seduced me almost 30 years ago. Same song, but this time it translated differently to my ears. His introductory “WHOO!” used to kick off the song rang as a celebration of his new found freedom. Followed by the strings & horns, you’d swear they were coming straight from the throne of God, where he and Jesus both did a celebratory dance for his homecoming. I’m not mad at him. I’m HAPPY for Mike. And I’m happy for us as well. His death freed us to love him again unabashedly. The overwhelming feeling of love & joy his music provided conquered the grief & sorrow. There was no time for that. Because at that moment we realized he hadn’t really gone anywhere. Mike was still with us … just dancing in a NEW transfiguration.

“And when the groove is dead & gone (Horns, Horns, Horns)/ Yeah/ (Horns, Horns, Horns)/ You Know That LOVE SUR-VIVES/ So We Can ROCK Forever …”

Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!

"Happy Father's Day, Mom!" ... Not So Much.

2010-06-23T18:08:00.003-04:00

Day 3. The dust has settled & the smoke has cleared. All parties have retreated to their neutral corners. Thank you. Love U. 'Preciate It. If you missed it consider yourself blessed. If you witnessed it consider yourself stressed. BUT, if you were all up in it, wrapped up in the thick of it all, consider yourself a Mess. Negativity, hatred, & drama were the theme of the day. If you're still in the dark as to what I'm talking about, I'm referring to Father's Day. That's right F-A-T-H-E-R'-S D-A-Y!!!!

     The morn'ting started off beautifully with much love shown to the dads who get up & make it happen for their seeds everyday. Not just the biologicals, but the stepdads, granddads, god-dads, uncles, brothers, nephews, all who pitch in to provide strong, solid, stable 'Father figures' for those without. Cool. I have no problem with that. Then it took a turn: Happy Father's Day shout-outs to single moms. Okay, I've often seen this done before. I've done it, shouting out the Sistas pulling double duty. Heck, I've even said it to my mom, knowing full darn well I have a dad, alive & well. May not be the "ideal" dad, but ... he IS my dad. Sometimes we all just get caught up in the matrix of "monkey see/monkey do," without giving thought to what we're repeating. Anywho, the "Happy Father's Day, Girl" greetings became a bit too much on my Twitter timeline. It became a war of venomous tweets which made me log off for a bit. I then decided to go to Facebook & see what was poppin' over there. Gasp & swoon, it was much of the same if not WORSE! And the saga of the 'Battle of the Sexes' continues ...

     My Facebook network became something like a terrible car wreck. You know you shouldn't look, but you can't look away. And that is because you cannot believe what you're seeing. There were women who were not only shouting each other out, but also acknowledging the “deadbeats.” HUHHH!!??? And on the other end of the tug of war rope were the stand-up dads, who were angry at being ignored. They rationalized the women as bitter spinsters who are their OWN reasons for not having "a man." This back & forth bickering went on ALL DAY LONG. And all I could think to myself was "Who's taking care of the children?"

     By the end of the day I had a massive headache & I just had to Shut It DOWN. Before I logged off Facebook, I updated my status with a message that read as follows:

{Steppin' 2 Podium PISSED OFF; Adjustin' Mic; BLASTIN' OFF >>>} ATTN. LADIES: PLEAZE Stop Embarrassing Yourselves By "Shouting Out" A "Deadbeat", Who Isn't Thinking About You & Yours. God GOT You! And God Got HIM! Let The Chips Fall Where They May & Raise Your Child 2 Be A PRODUCTIVE Member Of Society. Be BETTER/Not Bitter! {Pops Collar; Exit Stage Left}

I logged off and shut down my laptop. My mind was spinning like a wheel in a hamster’s cage. I took a moment to just absorb it all & tried to figure out where everyone was coming from. This was a night for a double yoo-hoo on the rocks.

As the daughter of a deadbeat I know first hand the harm & effects of being raised without a strong male presence in my life. I also know that the hateful back & forth helps no one, & solves nothing. Not trying to take sides, but for the first time I was able to see why some Brothas call us bitter, angry, black women. Not all, but far too many Sistas are giving negative energy to an already dire situation. And just because you're the primary care-taker doesn't make you a great one. If you are still harboring anger & resentment, please don’t think it’s not being filtered out to the children. They grow up being bitter & angry and are more likely than not to repeat the same pattern. It’s a cycle of broken homes perpetuated in the black community because of this new embrace of ig’nance!

Giving shout-outs to “deadbeats” is as ignorant & pointless to me as giving shout-outs to “Haterz.” In doing so you give them attention & the power to continue to make your life a living hell. At the same time, you’re disregarding the efforts of the Brothas who have stepped up to the plate & taken their parental responsibilities seriously. Y’all need to be encouraging one another. Instead, you’re focused on who ain’t focused on you. Not to mention, carrying the bitterness from past relationships blocks blessings- for both you & your seed. It disallows new experiences into your lives. So why stay in the rut? And what’s the real reason for your “shout-outs”? Let’s keep it one-hundred: Are you sending “Happy Father’s Day, Girl” shout-outs because you truly believe y’all play both roles? Or, is that your way of taking a dig at the dude you thought would wife you? Be honest, because the one common thread amongst most of these Sistas is that they’re single. There are many other moms on my page whose children’s dad isn’t in their lives, yet & still I didn’t hear a peep from them. And their new mates ain’t worth diddley. They’ll be disgusted that the absent parent isn’t holding his end of the bargain, but not straight BITTER! So what’s the REAL issue here? Is there anger because the child is being neglected? Or, is the mom disgruntled because SHE’S neglected? So maybe she’s not as mad with “dad” as she is with herself. Sistas, if that is the case, then handle that. No one raped you. The father of your child was hand picked by YOU! Work out your issues, because at the end of the day, the only one who is truly hurt & devastated is the babies.

We need to be careful with words. Words will make or break us. Life & death is in the power of the tongues. And while we have put our business out on front street, you have big White owned/White operated corporations such as Hallmark who are capitalizing off the breakdown of the black family. They now sell cards & coffee mugs which recognize single moms on father's day. Sure they'll use their own in the advertisement, but its clear & present who the target market is. In addition, I think that when we celebrate “Mothers as Fathers” we’re playing on dangerous territory. It sends the message that the role can easily be filled, undermining the need for males to step into their manhood & take back their rightful place in our homes & communities. What message are we sending to our young boys? How is he learning to be a man, father & husband if we endorse the notion that men are obsolete from the family structure? Even the gay community recognizes the need to bring in the opposite sex where child rearing is concerned; therefore, bringing forth a more balanced, well rounded child. Why are WE not getting the picture? Because a lot of us repeat behaviors & ideas that have been passed down to us like ol’ wives’ tales. We often think it’s cool because it’s what mama said, auntie said, granny said, etc. Yet we never think about how their practices- good or bad- may have affected us as children. Sistas, I’m not beating up on you. I’m asking that you stand firm & hold our brothers accountable for being the fathers our children need. Whether you need that man or not, your children do. And when you make him think “I got it,” he thinks “you got it,” and will go on about his business. Negative. Stop letting them off the hook with our pride & foolish Super Woman stances, and get back to the business of raising families again- even if the man does not share your bed.

Brothers- Y’all know what’s up. The one thing I know about a Black man is that nothing stands in his way when he really wants to do something. Having said that, I do not buy it when y’all say a Sista’s attitude prohibits you from being a dad. Our sassy ways & salty mouth may have contributed to the demise of the romantic relationship, but it has nothing to do with your paternal obligation. MAN IT UP. I would imagine being a parent is stressful enough. Don’t add to it. She’s already dealing with the child, not to mention the child that is you. MAN IT UP. And if your child & baby mama count exceeds what your paycheck can afford, MAN IT UP & SNIP IT UP. Assorted kids with multiple baby mamas is SO yesteryear. Get somewhere & sit down.

I’m not a mom, but I have one who is the GREATEST in the world. Hands down, there is nothing she wouldn’t do for me. I know this. I knew it as a kid, as a teen, and I know it now! She clothed me, fed me, educated me, & housed me. It was she alone who instilled in me morals & values, plus a knowledge & love of God. She attended my school plays, band recitals & SOME of my MC battles (Side Bar: even though she ain’t know what the HELL was going on). I was her baby & that was all she needed to know. She is a nurse & a Pentecostal minister who raised me solo. With so much on her plate I never felt slighted, neglected, or unloved. Mom was there for me & the same holds true today. My dad … not so much. He wasn’t totally MIA, but he liked to do “drive by parenting.” Today I overstand that he was doing the best he could with what he was given. Not to make excuses, but it is what it is. And as great as my mom is, she’s not my dad. She went above & beyond the call of duty, but she could never be to me what my dad was supposed to be. And neither was he. I keep it one hundred. Daddy/daughter relationships are precious & I went without it. There was no fill- ins for me. That part of my life is null & void. And I believe that once we start kicking it to our Brothas with that level of truth & intensity, they may be forced to re-evaluate their position & step that game up. I still love my dad. He’s daddy. And I love my mom immensely. She’s mommy. Super Mom; the woman I aspire to be like when I grow up. She’s mom- not my dad- and in my eyes that’s as much as plenty.

Interracial Relationships: Are You In Bed With A Racist?

2010-02-26T05:35:00.001-05:00

The smoke from the John Mayer controversy seems to have cleared and we’re back to business as usual. In case you hadn’t heard singer/guitarist John Mayer made some pretty disturbing comments concerning African-Americans, especially women, in an interview he did earlier this month with Playboy magazine. In a nutshell he used the “N-Word”, and likened his penis to white supremacist David Duke when asked about sleeping with Black women. Sidebar: wouldn’t it have been easier to just say, “Sorry. I’ve never dated a black woman.” And to add insult to injury, he then went on to name the bevy of black beauties he would bed. Breathe. Crazy, right!? Before things could get crazier he gave a half-assed apology and was on his way. Half-assed in that he ONLY apologized for using the “N- Word”, NOT for what he said about the Sistas.

For fear of giving him too much shine I don’t wanna spend more time than necessary on John Mayer. But if you examine his comments closely, they’re as interesting as they are inflammatory. Many, including Russell Simmons, have argued that- in spite of his comments- John Mayer is not a racist. I disagree. What was said was not something that can be taken out of context. What was said was direct and succinct. Like it or not, he said it. His straight talk made for straight understanding. He clearly expressed racist views, yet would move forward in bedding a black woman. And he’s not alone. Many feel exactly as he does, and just won’t say it. Which leads me to the question of the blog: is it possible to be in an interracial relationship with a racist?

Allow me to get real and expose some ugly truths. What I’m asking is not a far fetched concept. Think about it: racists “dating” interracially can be traced back to the transatlantic slave trade. It was nothing for a slave master to carry on relationships with (not rape) a slave, father children, allow the offspring to be “house slaves/house n*ggers”, yet never feeling obligated to free any of them; nor treat them humanely. They were still regarded as property. And this was the cause of the great divide amongst people of color regarding color issues. The “house slave/negro/n*gger” may have been treated just a tad bit better. They slept in the “Big House”, dressed a little better, ate a little better, but … they were still slaves; property.

Fast forward to 2010; where interracial dating is as common as intra-racial dating. I have bi-racial cousins and friends, so this is nothing new to me. However, we are now living in what many believe to be “post racial” America. Whatever the hell that means. We’re in the “Obama Era” where everyone just wants to melt and blend all the races & colors together. But are the intentions genuine? Far be it for me to be an authority to dissect and decipher anyone’s relationship. But it doesn’t negate the fact that you do hear “talk.” And y’all know what I mean by “talk.” For instance: “Black women got too much attitude. I’m gonna get me a white chick.” “Black men ain’t sh*t! They ain’t never got no money. I’m getting’ me a white man.” “I want my babies to have ‘good hair’; I’m hookin’ up with a butter pecan Rican.” “Is it true what they say about Black Men?” “Black women can go all night!” If you’re honest with yourselves you’ve all heard those whispers, or maybe even uttered them yourselves. And that would make you all a bunch of idiot racists. Because when you adopt those ideas the union is no longer genuine. Instead it is about one group of people imposing their agenda on what is deemed as the “weaker group” because you can’t get your own folks to be submissive to your needs and wants.

Two people meeting and falling in love is the most beautiful thing in the world, no matter the race. But what happens when folks have agendas? What happens when folks wanna bed-hop across the reading rainbow because they’re self-hating? Or what happens when someone will bed you to get close enough to harm you? Let me reiterate this is NOT a far fetched idea. The daytime soap opera ‘One Life To Live‘ did a story plot a few years back where a Latina sista hooked up with a Caucasian dude- a white supremacist- who wanted to kill her friends & family, and the only way he could get close enough to do it was to date her. But that’s just TV right? Well check this out: I have a bi-racial childhood friend whose dad was actually a member of the Ku Klux Klan. It gets no more real than that. All those ideas and preconceived notions of hate don’t just evaporate. I’m willing to bet they were clear and present when he jumped the broom with her mom; which is why their home life was so turbulent. Imagine getting into bed every night with someone who hates you and your whole lineage. Scary isn’t it? Still, very likely.

But what do Y’ALL think? Holla @ Ya Gyrl!

Spread Love … It’s The Bklyn Way!

Did The Black Community Short Change Gabby?

2010-02-22T18:52:00.006-05:00

“Was I satisfied [about being included in a photo inside the magazine]? Yeah, well… I mean, I come from a world where I’m not on covers and I’m not in magazines at all. And so I was happy to be in the magazine. At first I thought, ‘Hmm, should I be there? Then I very quickly got over it. I think if I were a part of that shoot I would have felt a little left out anyway … I would have felt a little like… whether or not I should have been there.” – Gabourey Sidibe

Word on the street is that Gabourey Sidibe- the brilliant actress who starred in the Oscar nominated film ‘Precious’- was overlooked by Vanity Fair. Wait, let me correct myself. Yes, she was interviewed & a photo was taken. Yet the interview & photo were tucked safely away within the pages of Vanity Fair, while she was NOT included on the star studded cover with her industry peers Kristen Stewart, Carey Mulligan, & Amanda Seyfried. Gabby herself feels like she may not have even fit in if asked. Maybe. Maybe not. Still it would have been good to see an extra splash of color & weight.

As a full-figured African-American woman I know what it’s like to not see any images representative of you in the mainstream media. As a child the heavier darker people were happy, jolly, asexual buffoons. Not quite the type you’d admire. It wouldn’t be until I’d become a young adult where I’d discover & fall in love with Star Jones. Struggling with her own weight issues, she was still a brilliant, beautiful sista whose confidence & personality were larger than life. Ms. Jones was the only reason I’d watch The View at that time. But still, with your self-esteem & confidence levels through the roof, somebody ALWAYS got somethin’ to say. There were jokes about Ms. Jones just as I’m sure someone would joke about me too. But I’ve never seen the jokes get as nasty as they did when the world was introduced to Gabourey Sidibe. And what’s worse, the critics were from the black community.

When the film debuted in November ’09, I couldn’t go on Twitter without seeing a barrage of insults attached to Gabby’s name. Many said she’d never make it as a mainstream success, that ‘Precious’ was the end of the road for her. And that assessment was made on how huge & dark she is. Which was confusing to me because if you read the book you KNEW she wasn’t gonna look like Halle Berry or Beyonce. Not to mention she looks like a lot of girls I grew up with in the ‘hood, so I didn’t see what the big fuss was about. Nobody commented on how she was a first time actress, who wandered into the audition & beat out 400 hopefuls and landed the role. And her performance was EXCEPTIONAL. No, no one mentioned that. It was just people of color using the same color issues explored in the movie to keep another person of color down. Damn, it’s amazing how the tactics of Ol’ Massa are still perpetuated today.

Could it be possible that WE are the reason Gabby was slighted by Vanity Fair? Gabby is now Oscar nominated, defying the odds the Haterz thought they were speaking into her existence. People who think they are powerless thought they could diminish her power as well. Not so. And more sad is that we DO have the power to call shots & dictate what is seen as an alternative standard of beauty. Believe it or not, as folks of color WE ARE the trendsetters. The very features we naturally possess others are paying to get: Full lips, ample rear, coarser hair and darker skin. Others recognize and often times are threatened by our beauty. But we forfeit our power every time we openly, publicly & frequently insult one another. If we don’t hold our own on a pedestal no one else is going to. So what I’m asking is have we allowed our own self-hatred to be our worst enemy?

Holla @ Ya Gyrl …..

Spread Love … It’s The Bklyn Way!

Sins of the Father.

2009-12-09T05:00:00.007-05:00

“I blame you for nothing, yet forgive you of everything …..”- Mary J. Bilge

Ever since I was a little girl I’d hear my mom say “the Devil is a liar!” Well, because of it I thought the Devil was my daddy ‘cause he was a liar as well. Fantastic liar, oh em gee, the man is AMAZING! And that is largely because my dad actually believes his lies. Well, without putting all the family laundry out there- long story short- dear ol’ dad had a whole other life & family my mom didn’t know about till I turned six. And a year after that, it was discovered that there was someone else with whom he also had a child. Yeah. Dad covered his tracks well. And because my Mom was never one of those women who had to be up under him 24/7, it wasn’t hard to do. Plus, by then my Mom had completely given her life to the Lord which was another bone of contention for Dad. That fool thought HE WAS God. They had been strained for quite some time, so when my Mom found out the full truth it was easy for her to let go. My Mom respected herself enough to sever all ties with him, yet keeping the lines of communication opened for my sake.

As time went on it wouldn’t be long before dad’s lies would trickle down to me. “Hey Stace, I’m coming to get you next Saturday!” “Stace, I’m gonna come get you and we’re going to go shopping.” “Stace, I’m going to bring you to meet your other brothers and sisters.” “Stace, I’m going to come get you for your birthday & you can do whatever you like!” The long list of unfulfilled promises went on. Nothing ever came into fruition. Because I was the “outside” kid I was left out of the loop. Dad wasn’t at my band recitals, my school plays, open school night, or anything else that a parent would attend with pride. Child support checks were scarce, however, he’d always over compensate for Christmas. Under my tree were enough toys to open my own Toys R Us. Anything I’d ask for I had on Christmas morning- except him. He was never with me. I was never with him. I never got to be around him & the other children. There was no “holidays with the family” for me where he was concerned. Like Rudolph, he never let me join in any reindeer games.

I’d like to say I wasn’t affected by his shenanigans, but how could I not be? I’m his youngest daughter, but I’m definitely not a “daddy’s little girl”. Dad not being a part of my life was a collaborative effort on the part of him & mom. Mom protected me from him and his tomfoolery by any means necessary. She didn’t want me hurt and thought it was best to just keep me with her at all times. Not that he couldn’t come see me, but I was not going anywhere with him. That was fine by him seeing how he really didn’t want to be bothered anyway. He’ll never admit it, but actions speak louder than words. At times I’d feel less than. Not all the time, but … I’d definitely have my moments. What did I do? What did I not do? Why would you not want to be around me!? I was a great kid if I do say so myself. I was smart, cute, & lovable with chubby cheeks & a winning smile! I LOOK JUST LIKE HIM! I thought, “How could you turn your back on me? How could you not wanna raise me?”

Today, as a 30+ year old woman, I now know that my father’s problems were just that- His problems, not mine. Neither mom, nor I, did anything to cause any of his confusion. That’s something he came to the table with when they met in the 70’s and he has to work that out for himself; if and when he’s ready to be completely honest. So when I see Tiger Woods & all his drama, I think of Dad. Tiger is said to be up to mistress number 12 and a possible “love child” in the mix. Again, I think of dad. I think of two men who are so dissatisfied with themselves that they will forever be reaching for “satisfaction” in foolish pleasures. Only someone who is confused about who & what they are could distribute themselves out to so many others, & expect to return back whole. Negative. Their ego will inflate, right along with their penis; however, so will the disconnection between themselves and the ones who truly love & care about them.

People get caught up in what they want to do. And that’s fine until you start involving spouses and children. The shame & embarrassment that is inflicted upon them because of someone else’s infidelity is unacceptable. There is nothing cute about being sloppy and messy. An assortment of children with multiple baby mamas/baby daddies is a recipe for a self-destructive cocktail. And I don’t want to hear anyone else say, “it’s okay ‘cause I take care of all of them!” You’s a lie! Because there is no way in hell you’re going to be able to deal with all those kids needs, wants, feelings, emotions, & attitudes effectively without someone in the bunch feeling slighted. “Taking care of” is more than spending a little dough. Bottom line: nobody suffers like the kids. As much as Elin may be hurting right now, and I don’t mean to trivialize it in any way, time will heal all wounds. She, if she desires, could possibly find a new mate and start over new. But her kids are still stuck with the same ol’ idiot dad, and will always feel the effects of his “transgressions”- just like myself. Sins of the father.

I love my Dad. Please don’t get things twisted. I love him as much as any daughter in my shoes could love her dad. And like most folks, he’s not a bad person, but he has made bad choices. However, he did attend my HS graduation. Dad was there to give my sister away at her wedding six years ago. And he was there with me and my family to bury my uncle a few months ago. They were best friends. So, dad may not have been there when I wanted him, but he had a tendency to slide in at the stretch. He’s actually very handsome, good looking, funny & charming, and a whole lot of fun to be around. You know, he’s a lot like me! Well I’m not handsome, but … you get the idea. I can see the allure that would make the ladies gravitate to him. If only he’d use his powers for good. But he didn’t and there were consequences. As with everything, good or bad, you’ll reap what you sow. Everything done in the dark will come to the light. Which is why cheating makes NO SENSE to me! If I’m not getting or giving what is needed, and it can’t be repaired, we need to just end things. You go your way, and I’ll go my way. Not that there wont be anger, but at least you’ll be able to look into the eyes of your children with a clear conscious. Isn’t that worth enough to make you want to do the right thing?

Spread Love …It’s The Bklyn Way!

PRAISE is What I Do.

2009-11-05T21:04:00.005-05:00

“Though you slay me, yet will I trust in him …”- Job 13:15

On July 27, 2009 I lost my uncle to interstitial lung disease. ILD is when your lungs can no longer retain oxygen. My uncle had a breathing condition since he was a kid. Added to the fact that he was in the construction industry & a heavy smoker all my life certainly didn’t help matters. He’d often complain about having “a little breathing problem”, but never made a big fuss about it. So when he went into the hospital for a few days in May, it didn’t cause much alarm or concern. Uncle Luke was a colorful, comical character who would add dramatic effect to any situation; however, he would never let us worry about him. “I’ll be fine” is what he’d always tell us. He returned to the hospital again on June 1, still no real sign that his condition was terminal. Correction: the signs were there, we just didn’t recognize what we were looking at. More importantly, he wasn’t going to let us find anything anyway. You see, my uncle knew of his condition and what his fate would be. Unc just neglected to fill us in. He was taking truck loads of meds & had more asthma pumps than a little bit. But like me- a fellow Aquarian- my uncle never let anything get him down. He still laughed. He still joked. For the most part my uncle remained his usually jovial self until the end. Sure he had his good days & bad days, yet he never got depressed, which would have signaled to us something was wrong. Everyday I’d go on food runs for him: Big Mac, Two Apple Pies, Fried Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Oatmeal Cookies, & A 20oz. Pepsi. Don’t get me wrong, he wouldn’t eat ALL of that stuff everyday single day. However, his requests would come from that menu. He’d also have special blankets. Special blankets he’d prefer because hospitals are COLD. I’d take them back & forth from the laundry to the hospital, from the hospital to the laundry. Sometimes the hospital wouldn’t have his brand of meds, so I’d have to go from my end of Brooklyn to his in order to get it for him. It was a strain, it was a struggle, but he was my mother’s brother. I did it for them both. All the while my uncle would never complain about his extended stay in the hospital. Most people would be asking “what the hell is the problem? Can you fix me? And when am I going home?” Uncle Luke said none of the above. I am convinced that he was content staying in the hospital because he knew his true health status & didn’t want to risk dying in his home.

It is now mid-July and Unc’s health is declining. He’s on various breathing machines, but he’s alert, coherent, & can speak to us. I never dreamed the end result would be death. No, by now I suspected something was wrong but was in deep denial. They were talking about putting him in a respiratory rehabilitation center, but at this point his lungs were too weak & he wouldn’t have made it. A week before he passed my mom visited with him at the hospital. The doctor came into the room and asked my uncle if it was okay for him to discuss his condition with my mom: my uncle co-signed. And it was then that my mom would find out that my uncle’s condition was terminal & he didn’t have long to live. My mother- a praying woman- began to pray immediately. That was on a Wednesday. From that point on everything was done to make my uncle more comfortable. He was even given a tracheotomy in hopes that he would be able to breathe better. According to the monitors his oxygen levels were high, but he was sedated so we never got to hear it from him.

The following Monday morning we- the family- were scheduled to have a meeting with the doctors to discuss further care for my uncle. He had no wife or children, which made him solely reliant on us. Unc also hadn’t appointed a healthcare proxy; someone to make decisions for him when he couldn’t. It was at that meeting where they explained his condition & told us that he knew all along. WTF? I was hearing the doctor, then again I wasn’t. My mind kept weaving in and out trying to process how & why my uncle would keep this secret from us. No time to play the blame game, we had to make decisions. Standing firm on my Malcolm X soap box, I told them to keep my uncle alive by any means necessary. Partly because it’s what I thought he may have wanted my decision was based on pure selfishness. I didn’t want to let go. After the brief meeting, me & my mom went back to my uncle’s hospital room & sat with him for a while. We didn’t stay long because we wanted to let him rest. His oxygen levels were great, but I did notice his blood pressure was extremely low. My mom & I took him by his hands and prayed with him. We then kissed him goodbye & headed back home.

The hospital is no more than 10 minutes from where I live. And no sooner than I was unlocking my door to enter my apartment, the hospital was calling me to let me know my uncle’s heart stopped. A few moments later Uncle Luke had made transition. I didn’t cry. I was relieved. Relieved my uncle was no longer suffering and I was blessed to have spent his final moments with him. His quick departure let me know that he DIDN’T want to be kept alive “by any means necessary”. He knew that by me being at that hospital everyday I watched him die. Knowing that he inadvertently put us through enough he gave up the ghost. I am almost convinced he waited for us to leave the hospital before he’d pass.

A few days after my uncle’s funeral, my aunt was diagnosed with colon cancer. Are you serious? I couldn’t believe what my mother was telling me. How could this be? How could this have gone undetected for so long? My Aunt had a stroke when she was 37 years old, not much older than I am. But aunt Lulu would always bounce back. Like my uncle, she’d never let anything keep her down. She’d take a lickin’ & keep right on tickin’. So I remained extremely optimistic when I was told of her condition. Her children were taking great care of her & she’d speak with my mom often. I spoke with her exactly this time last week & she sounded so healthy & strong. My mom said the same as she spoke with her over the weekend. That would be the last time we’d both speak to her. Aunt Lulu made transition yesterday morning.

So why the long story? Simple: I have to show you where I’m at so you’ll see where I’m coming from. Losing two family members in a three month time frame could be devastating. Anybody else in my shoes might have caved already. Not I. I understand that when I prayed for the healing of my aunt & uncle God did just that. Not in the way that I’d hoped, but in the way that he saw fit. Their healing was not to get better for a while & stay on this corrupted earth with me. Better than that, their healing came in the form of the kingdom of the almighty God. I cannot be mad with that. Sure I’ll miss them, sure I’ll mourn them. But I had to realize that our prayers were keeping them here longer than they wanted to be. God ALWAYS answers prayers. We just have to learn when to accept the answer being NO! Either way it is well with my soul. And because of it I will continue to have both hands lifted up with my mouth full of praise. You have to have a thankful heart in order to fully appreciate his blessings when he bestows them. And when you can give thanks & praise in your darkest hour, all else is a cake walk. Having a praying mother has taught me how to be prayerful. And in being prayerful I CANNOT, no, I WILL NOT allow Satan & his tests to deter me from the path God has prepared for me. My life has been purchased with his blood & I owe him my all. Plus, I have so much to be thankful for. I have my life, health, & strength. I wake up everyday Loved & Desired: by my family, friends, associates & all else in between. I know who I am & I Love being that woman. Beautiful & strong, God’s hands are upon me & because of that I can conquer anything. Now what do I have to be sad about?

My aunt & uncle have gone home to be with the Lord. And I can’t deny that the separation from them hurts. My faith is being tested, but the “administrator” of these tests is about to be so disappointed. It is in these times I am often reminded of one of my mom’s favorite scriptures, ROMANS 8:35-39; “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, ‘For thy sake we are killed all the day long: we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!

Giving Him The Best That You've Got!

2009-10-18T17:04:00.005-04:00

“And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, and stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, ‘This man, if he were a Prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.’” -ST. Luke 7:37-39.

In these days it was common for folks to invite the Rabbi into their homes. There is nothing better than allowing your home to be a meeting place for the Rabbis. However, rather than rejoicing in the blessing of having Jesus as a visitor, the Pharisee became distracted by a certain young lady in their midst. She was known to be a “sinful” woman, yet in his home- uninvited. She stood behind the Lord & began to cry. Just then she knelt down and began to wash the dust off his feet with her tears. Then she dried them with her hair, kissed them & anointed them with the oil. Not only was the Pharisee disturbed by her actions, he was mad Jesus was allowing her to do it! He thought to himself if Jesus was keeping it one hundred he would not let it go down like this. What’s really good?

Whatever was going on with this woman, she knew that only Jesus could help her and she was going to get to him however. It didn’t matter she was uninvited. She was going to do what she had to do, to be where she needed to be. She came with an alabaster box filled with expensive scented oil & that was her presentation to the Lord. Only rich people could afford it in that day, which means she worked overtime to get it. But that was just an added bonus. What she truly gave to the Lord, with her tears & hair, was the purest expression of Praise & Worship. She gave herself. Priceless. When you’re not allowed to be yourself you put up a façade. And when everyone around you is judgmental it’s hard to be transparent. However, being in the presence of our Lord and Savior, tore down her emotional walls. The barrier had been broken by the power of Jesus. Her own tears cleansed her soul and released all she had going on inside. She experienced a sense of relief. Rather than dismiss her, Jesus embraced her. No need to front for this man.

Now, the term “PHARISEES” means “separated ones”. An elitist group, this Pharisee was HATING! He saw her actions as something more sensual, seductive, and erotic. And that’s the problem with a lot of these self-righteous, sanctimonious Christians existing today. They become so engulfed with the “do” & “don’ts” that they take something harmful & innocent & turn it suspect. It’s shameful that we’re fearful to be affectionate toward one another for fear how it may be taken or perceived. Not that serious. In his mind, he put a twist on things which questioned her motives & Jesus’ legitimacy. And although he kept his thoughts to himself, Jesus- being the divine creator manifested in the flesh- read him to his core. He started off by telling the Pharisee of a parable where two men owed money to a moneylender. One owed 500 silver coins, the other owed 150. The moneylender cancelled both their debts seeing how neither could pay. Question was: which one will love him more? The Pharisee thought it’d be the one who owed the most. He was right. Then Jesus let him have it. He straight told him, “Look, you see this woman? I came into your home, been walking in these sandals all day, my feet are dusty, but you didn’t offer to wash my feet. You didn’t even provide the water; she had to use her tears! You didn’t show any brotherly love when you saw me, but she hasn’t stopped kissing my feet since I been up in here. No olive oil for my head, but she’s covered my feet with this expensive sweet smelling perfume. Man listen, the great outpouring of love She has shown proves that her many sins have been forgiven. But whoever has been forgiven of a little shows only a little love & gratitude.” Then Jesus said to the woman, “your sins are forgiven. You’re Good! Your faith has saved you. Peace.” While others sitting at the table thought who is he to forgive sins?

Moral of the story: give the best that you have. Everyone likes to focus on the oil & the alabaster box. I’m focused on the tears. Can you imagine how hard she must’ve been crying to produce that many tears to be able to wash someone’s feet? What was she going through? Only she & Jesus knew. She recognized who Jesus really was & praised him to the point of losing herself. The Pharisee recognized as well & allowed himself to be a Hater! He was jealous of the interaction between her & Jesus. He knew right there- in that moment, in his house- Jesus was experiencing something with this woman that no man ever had. Like that oil, Jesus had her at her purest form. In her profession there is no emotion. No love, no affection, no nothing. Just provide the service, get your money & go. But to Jesus, she gave herself completely and shared an intimacy with him that no other man had ever known with her. And that’s what the Lord wants from each & every one of us. He wants us to strip down to our bare essence and put forth our Good & Perfect Praise. Her relationship with the Lord is the most intimate one can have. Loving, Adoring, and Worshipping a Man- Body & Soul- with no sexual exchange. Yeah, that’s hot! And both got what they came for: He got her praise, she got her blessing. Total indulgence zero guilt. It’s a relationship we should all strive to obtain. I know I do. And until I can sit at his feet, touch his hair, and call him Lord, I will continue to give him the best that I’ve got!

Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!

Morehouse Dress Code: Solution Or Problem?

2009-10-17T05:37:00.004-04:00

In an effort to "get back to the legacy" of Morehouse leaders, Morehouse College is now implementing a strict dress code. "We expect our young men to be renaissance men", said Dr. William Bynum, vice president of the Office Of Student Services.

The policy details 11 expectations of students, including:
* no caps, do-rags and/or hoods in classrooms, the cafeteria, or other indoor venues
* no sun glasses worn in class or at formal programs
* no jeans at major programs, as well as no sagging pants on campus
* no clothing with derogatory or lewd messages either in words or pictures
* no wearing of clothing usually worn by women (dresses, tops, tunics, purses, pumps, etc.) on the Morehouse campus or at college-sponsored events.
Students that violate the new rules risk academic suspension.

For the most part the students are on board with the new rules & regulations. Cameron Thomas-Shah, the student government co-chief of staff, is one of them. While working as a resident’s assistant (RA) he said he noticed freshmen dressed in a way that was unflattering to Morehouse. “The image of a strong black man needs to be upheld,” he said. “And if anyone sees this policy as something that is restrictive then maybe Morehouse is not the place for you.” Of course there will be resistance. Daniel Edwards, co-president of Safe Space, a gay straight alliance student campus organization said he has heard from students that are for and against the policy, but he believes it is discriminatory. It is the restriction to women’s clothing that has many students up in arms. “Some believe that this restriction is what the entire policy is correlated around,” added Edwards. “It is all an issue of perception and what manner of image you want to prescribe to.” But the new policy is not meant to be discriminatory, said Bynum. “This is necessary, this is needed according to the students,” he said. “We know the challenges that young African-American men face. We know that how a student dresses has nothing to do with what is in their head, but first impressions mean everything.”

A member of the Black Ivy League, Morehouse College is a private, all male, historically black college in Atlanta, Georgia. One of the two black colleges in the country to produce Rhode Scholars, Morehouse serves as the alma mater of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Spike Lee, Edwin Moses, & Maynard Jackson to name a few.

I am all for the dress code. In the age of President Obama I am embarrassed anyone has to tell Black folks how to dress. Gay or Straight, I want my Black Brothers back & I'm so tired of living in an era where they want to be anything but MEN. Over grown ass "boys" bobbin' around with twisted caps, saggin' pants, & over priced sneakers referring to themselves as "Li'l ____", or "Young ____". I know guys in their 40's who are still being called "Jr." And NOT by their parents. C'mon Son! It's as though a lot of my brethren have a fear of growing up, yet still want the title, respect & accolades of being a responsible adult. And this style of dress has nothing to do with true Hip-Hop Culture. This is prison culture which has crept in & is now passing itself off as authentic Black culture. If you do not wish to be profiled as a criminal you need not dress like one. Image is everything. And although the image is not an accurate depiction of the inward person, it Is an accurate depiction of what you want to project. Do better.

The cross dressers- Lord hold my mule. Unless you are working in the entertainment industry, leave your mama's dress, shoes, blouse, purse, wig, lipstick, eyeshadow, fake lashes, & lee press on nails at HOME! There is no place for it here. I don't begrudge anyone for feeling how they feel. If that is truly how you feel comfortable then so be it. But just know there is a time & place for everything. Every establishment- whether written or unwritten- has some sort of dress code. I wouldn't wear my Sunday's best to the "Boom Boom Room". And I certainly wouldn't wear my "Pop Lock & Drop It" outfit to the Parent Teacher Meeting. We all desire to be comfortable, but what image are you presenting? And are you willing to be treated as such? Don't put something out there you really aren't ready to wear. Just like folks will compliment when you look great, they will Dis when you don't. And when you start to look Full- Fledged Ridiculous, never mind ...

Personally speaking I've always been a B-Girl. When you're as heavily engrossed in Hip-Hop as I am you embrace every aspect of the culture, including the fashion. I've always been a "'round the way" girl; the type with extensions in her hair, bamboo earrings at least two pair. I went through the Multi Colored phase, the Afro-centric phase, the Gangsta Bitch phase, The "Bling Bling" phase, and NOW, it's Grown Gangstress. 30+ I had to switch it up. However, I stayed close to the culture, changing & growing with the times. Through it all I've always been ME. When going to church with mom every Sunday I'd tone it down. Still allowed to wear my Flava Flav clock medallion, I'd wear smaller earrings & bracelets. I still maintained my identity while being "Holy Ghost Appropriate". But even had mom stripped me naked my essence wouldn't have changed. In corporate attire, a nun's habit, or a bozo the clown outfit, I'd still be Hip-Hop! So I don't see the problem.

Bottom line: when are we gonna stop with this B.S. politically correct mess & start drawing some lines in the sand? When are we going to start having definitive guidelines as to what's right & what's wrong? Sure, no one is professional all the time. But if you know how to get your "fresh" together for the club, or just hanging out, certainly you know the proper dress for work & school. We're all free to be who we want to be on our own time. I can't wear a low cut blouse in the work place, my girls would be a huge distraction. Fair enough. Then guys should not be showing me their full derriere. And if I can't come to work with my big "Jinglin' Baby" earrings on and conducting myself like my name is "Jawakatema", my brothers from the other side of the struggle should not be twirling around like "Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert". In order to have better, we must DO better. Get It Right People.

What Do Y'all Think? Let Mother Know ...

Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!

The VAGINA DIALOGUES.

2009-09-11T01:10:00.002-04:00

Hey Kidz! I know it's been a minute since I've “Blogged”, but y'all ain't gonna beLIEVE the foolishness I've come across in the wee hours of the morn'ting. If you're familiar with twitter, you'd know there is such a thing as “trending topics”. Trending topics are the topics that are talked about the most at a particular time. And, a few hours ago, a few of the trending topics were #slimchicks, #thickchicks, & #bigchicks. We were having some good, light-hearted fun until a few guys suggested that #slimchicks had more sexual stamina than #thickchicks. (Crickets) (Crickets) (Crickets) Well, those were NOT the exact words, but I had to clean it up a bit. Basically, it was suggested that #slimchicks take a licking & keep on ticking. Yet, #thick&bigchicks take a hit & quickly quit. I didn't know what to make of it. If anything I'd often heard the opposite. However; since I'd never been intimate with a #slimchick, #thickchick, #bigchick, or #ANYCHICK for that matter, I was ill prepared to say yay or nay. These guys were adamant and swore by this like it was the God's Honest Gospel. Still a bit bewildered, a bunch of theories flooded my mind. I wondered if any of this had truth, merit, or basis. So, at 4am I am inviting y'all into my brain to examine a few possibilities that I'd conjured up.

The Fellas Say: #Slimchicks have a deeper vaginal canal than #ThickOrBigchicks.

Crickets. Crickets. And more DAMN Crickets! Now, I don't know if there is any scientific proof to this. However, this seems like a blanket statement that enforces a stereotype. Until you have been with EVERY #slimchick in the world, how would you know this? Just the same, I can't very well say that every large man has a Super, Extra, Ultra Small Penis. I don't have that kind of time to be holding auditions although .... never mind. My point is, are these ladies just random #slimchicks, or, have they been around the block a few times? At which point, by the time they link up with dudes, their bodies are so worn they can give birth in reverse? Just because someone is beating on your cervix like a kettle drum doesn't mean you'll reach an orgasm. And if that's what you need to do so, that says a lot about the ladies these guys are dealing with. I mean, at what point does an average sized penis no longer do it for you? I ain't saying you gotta get it poppin' with a crayon, but, if that's the case just get some salami and slide it up in your joint. Ladies, we need to calm down taking whatever, whenever, however! #Slimchick, #thickchick or #bigchick, too much of the wrong action can leave you needing vaginal rejuvenation surgery. Don't know what that is? Y'all gonna learn.

The Fellas Say: #Thickchicks/#Bigchicks squirm & complain when they go #HardBody!

But WURD!!??? For Real, Though- WURD!!!??? Come on now, even the Crickets are pissed! If your Bumpin', Grindin', & Poundin' ISN'T getting me where I need to go, you don't have to worry about me squirmin', cryin', or complaining. I'm just gonna straight Punch you in your DAMN FACE! What The HELL Wrong With You!!??? You don't have to manhandle me to be the “Champion Lover”. You gotta stroke the kitten if you want it to purr! But if you strangle a cat it's gonna scratch you back. Don't get me wrong, I think everyone enjoys some intensity. And PLEASE, Don't Get It Twisted, “Mother” TAKES as well as she GIVE.

Owwww, I Love It When He Calls Me BIG MA-MA!

Oops, Forgive Me. Sorry. I didn't mean to take y'all there. Anywho, what was I sayin'? Yeah, but when being intimate with someone leaves you feeling like you've just been mugged on “the Block”, you shouldn't rock with them anymore. Anytime someone has to dominate the next, you'd better examine that. I know it is the nature of a man to want to dominate & conquer, but these guys were wildin'. They were saying that they “needed” to pound the HELL out of a woman. Well, that could only mean one thing: they're not working with a whole lot in the penis department. Ladies, y'all know what I'm talking 'bout, don't be sitting up there acting like y'all don't know. You find a man who's a living, breathing, walking, talking tripod, and after two strokes you got a Hostage Situation! Sistas, don't act Brand New, y'all know what I'm talking about. In other words- like with anything- when you got it like that, you ain't gotta force it like that! A Woman knows you're there. You don't have to attempt to give her a homemade hysterectomy. So Unnecessary. Be considerate of your partner. If a #Slimchick/ #Thickchick/ #Bigchick is experiencing discomfort, switch it up and let Her control the situation. Let the Ladies do The Bumpin', Grindin', & Poundin' while the Fellas lay back & enjoy the ride. Hmmm, then they'll probably be the ones squirmin', cryin', & complaining.

SO BITCHASSNESS.

I Say: To Each His/Her Own!

At the risk of sounding like a HATER, I think I'd better wrap this up. And really, I’m NOT hatin’ on ANYBODY for feeling how they feel, or liking what they like. I just had questions. Inquiring minds wanna know. Some of the Brethren are special and do bizarre things. And for that reason I will NOT fall victim to the “divide & conquer” tactic of giving my coochie a complex. And some of The Sistren is special too. They have yet to tap into their Vagina Power, and are allowing these fools to bang them into oblivion. But my Sisters are my Sisters. And no matter what size we come in, as women we all face the same Adversity & Sexism. I'm A Big Girl- and WHAT!? A BIG Girl who has NEVER had self esteem issues about her weight. Which is why I don't appreciate someone trying to make Their issues My Issues. Negative. For whatever the reason, if you don't wanna date me it's fine. But PLEASE don't have me thinking it's because I'm experiencing Vaginal Malfunctions. The Vagina is a muscle that can stretch every which way to bring forth Life into this world. I'm not a mother, yet I know I can carry a baby to full term like any other woman. And if I can give Birth, certainly I can give Good Lovin'.

Spread Love ... It's The Bklyn Way!

Holla If Ya Hear Me ...