Coldplay - Viva La Vida What a Decade 2000-2010

What a Decade 2000-2010 Cheers!!!!!



Cheers!




Bottoms Up!


Ten years ago we began this new millennium in fear people thought the world was going to end. I even admit as a kid I was afraid it doesn't help when your grandparents and all the old people at your church are saying we are living in the last days. Lets see there were so many interesting moments in pop culture, music, politics, and social changes that happened within the last ten years. In 2000 we all thought Al Gore was our president only to find out the George Bush won jaw dropping, Kanye West outbursts, Beyonce' dominated the charts as a member of Destiny's Child and as a solo artist, Usher's 2004 Confessions album was and is the highest selling album of the decade. Gays are now able to serve openly in the military thanks to our nation's 1st African-American President Barack Obama also thanks to this man we now have Health Care Reform. Before we jump into 2011 I decided to recall the things I loved and hated about this decade.

My Favorite Artist of the Decade    

Beyonce'

Beyonce'                                   
Usher
Kanye West
Chris Brown
Trey Songz
Ryan Leslie
Steph Jones
Le Toya Luckkett
Fantasia
Maroon 5
T.I.
Ludacris
Coldplay
Robin Thicke
N.E.R.D
Drake
Gym Class Heroes
Van Hunt
Christina Aguerlia
Kelly Rowland

Bobby Ray aka BOB

My Favorite New Artist               
Bobby Ray aka B.O.B.
Bruno Mars
Asher Roth
Miguel Jontel

Chris Brown

My Favorite Songs of the Decade           
Thong Song Sisqo
Lose Yourself Eminem
Hate It or Love It The Game
Dreams The Game
BMF Rick Ross
I Love College Asher Roth
Live Your Life T.I.
Dead and Gone T.I.
Power Kanye West
Nothing on You BOB and Bruno Mars
Get Low Lil Jon and the Eastside Boyz
Cry Me a River Justin Timberlake
Until the End of Time Justin Timberlake
Incomplete Backstreet Boyz
I Wish Carl Thomas
After Party Koffee Brown
Love Musiq SouldChild
Who Knows Musiq Soulchild
Halfcrazy Musiq Soulchild
Let's Stay Home Tonight Joe
Put that Woman First Jahiem
Backtight Jahiem
Yeah Usher
Burn Usher
There Goes My Baby Usher
Love in this Club Part II Usher and Beyonce'
Daylight Kelly Rowland
Do You Ne-Yo
I Decided Solange
Regret LeToya Luckkett
Torn LeToya Luckkett
Say Ah Trey Songz
With You Chris Brown
Forever Chris Brown
Halo Beyonce'
Irreplaceable Beyonce'
Crazy in Love Beyonce'
Stole Kelly Rowland
Dilemma Nelly and Kelly Rowland
Viva La Vida Cold play
All the Girls N.E.R.D
Sooner or Later N.E.R.D.
No Hands Waka and Roscoe Dash
Up All Night Drake
Over Drake
Empire State of Mind Jay-Z
Unthinkable Alicia Keys

Cast of Girlfriends

My Favorite TV Shows         
Girlfriends
The Game
One On One
The Proud Family
One Tree Hill
Wild N Out
Jackass
Unsung
South Park
1st Amendent Stand Up
Family Guy
King of the Hill
The Boondocks
Robot Chicken

The Hangover

My Favorite Movies
Love and Basketball
Hardball
You Got Served
Stomp the Yard
The Best Man
Pride
Kingdom Come                              
Sweet Home Alabama
ATL
The Hangover
Avatar
Pineapple Express
Superbad
Jackass
Jackass 2
American Gangster
The Fast and The Furious Series
Kings of Comedy
Queens of Comedy
Barbershop
Dream Girls
The Princess and the Frog
First Sunday
Madea Goes to Jail
Miracle at St. Anna
Hustle and Flow
It's Complicated
Enough

My Favorite Moments of the Decade

President Barack Obama

Barack Obama's Election Victory and Health Care Reform            
Lebron James Leaving Cleveland
Kobe Winning Championships
Antoine Dodson
Yankees Winning Championships
Kanye Rants
Social Networking ( Facebook and Twitter)
Backstreet Boys Reunion
El Debarge Comeback

Earthquake Aftermath in Haiti

My Least Favorite Moments                   
The New Tea Party
Ending of Tyra Show
Ending of Oprah Show
Hurricane Katrina
Earthquake in Haiti
Soul Train Left the Station
The DC Sniper
Miley Cyrus Career
Justin Bieber Career
Chris Brown and Rihanna Altercation
9/11
Fantasia's Suffering
Eddie Long

The King of Pop aka Michael Jackson

The People We Lost                                 
James Brown
Aaliyah
Jam Master Jay
Lisa "Left Eye" Lopez
Static Major
Ray Charles
Rick James
Teena Marie
Michael Jackson
Tony Curtis
Brittany Murphy
Anna Nicole Smith
Farrah Fawcett
Patrick Swazi
So many others.....

The first ten years of this millennium was a roller coaster ride that has to end so what does 2011 have in store us. Who knows? Looks like we will have to see when the clock strikes midnight.

The Late Ivory Queen of Soul

The Ivory Queen of Soul






LADY T
That was one of the many names that the late Teena Marie was called. Her mentor was the one and only Rick James. I can recall discovering who she was when I was only about 8 or 9 years old. Her song "Square Biz" came on the radio while I was in the car with my mother and I loved her voice and her sound I have been a fan ever since. Originally born as  Mary Christine Brockert March 5, 1956 she was Santa Monica, California native that grew up in the historically African-American enclave of Oakwood, a neighborhood  of Venice the westside of Los Angeles. Marie was raised on Motown Music and singing Harry Belafonte songs.

Teena Marie and Rick James

Signed to Motown Records in 1976 and her career began very slowly she auditioned in her a group with her closest friends but Berry Gordy loved her energy and wanted to sign her as a solo act. She was spotted by  Funk and soul recording artist Rick James and guitarist Paul C Saenz which became her mentors. Her first top ten hit "I'm Just a Sucker For Your Love" reached (#8 Black Singles Chart) which was a duet with Rick James. Another song the two recorded that changed their lives forever which 1981's classic "Fire and Desire."

 Before Christina Aguilera came along Teena Marie was and is by far the baddest white girl to serenade soul music. Former boss and Motown Founder Berry Gordy said that 70% of her audience. While Motown co-founder, artist, and songwriter Smokey Robinson said "She just has so much soul and there is a Black girl stuck in her body even though she is white." Clearly Teena Marie never saw color but in a recent documentary called Unsung she expressed gratitude towards her parents taste in music. She loved the sounds of Frank Sinatra, her father loved Ella Fitzgerald, and Tina's all time favorite singer was Sarah Vaughn.

What made her so special was her drive and passion she rocked that guitar, wrote each lyric, and poured her heart and soul to staying true to what she loves while being an amazing mother and grandmother.

Donny Hathaway- This Christmas [Original]

Argyleculture Fall 2010 Campaign with Tyson Beckford - Behind The Scenes

First Male Supermodel

Recently on BET Centric there was a popular show called Model City the show focused on young black male models making it in the Fashion Industry receiving jobs that only white models or anyone else that did not have any color to their skin. A friend of mine thought the show was incredible I disagree in my personal opinion I was happy to see them gain great employment opportunities but I still found the show to be boring I am sure some other people would disagree.

One man that coined the phrase " Male Supermodel" was Tyson Beckford for the longest time when you hear the words Male Model this is the man that came to your mind. He was featured in an episode on Model City, America's Next Top Model due to his friendship with host Tyra Banks.

Tyson was discovered at the age of 20 and hasn't looked back since like many other Black models in the 90's he dominated the catwalks and was the leading man for the Ralph Lauren Line. I am so in love with this man he is Number 2 on my celebrity crush list. Tyson is 40 as of yesterday.

What Is He Known For? His eyes, shaved head,  his muscular body chocolate skin, tattoos, and his smile
What You Didn't Know: Played football and ran track in high school
Ethnic Background: Jamaican/Chinese/Panamanian
Won Male Model of the Year in 1995, also named by People Magazine one of the most beautiful people in the world, featured in videos for artists such as Toni Braxton "Unbreak My Heart", dated Chilli from TLC as well as rapper Foxy Brown. He is now semi-retired occasionally appears on catwalks and host Bravo's Make Me a Supermodel. He has a son named Jordan.

In 2005 Tyson was in a car crash that did some damage to his face and he almost lost his life. He had an intimate interview with Oprah after it happened and he went on to say the only person he wanted to see was his son. Since then Tyson has still been loved by the masses and is currently dating aspiring model Shaina Shaik.

Lost in Translation?

A couple of my friends  got into an argument and they exchanged many verbal insults but both of them got extremely defensive when they felt as though the name calling went to far. One of my friends is an ambitious and cynical female and my other friend is an openly gay man. He called her a bitch and she called him a faggot. It does not take a rocket scientists to realize that both of them were pissed off. I tried to mediate the situation because there was no need for them to argue anyway. But those words made me think about their origin and how people should really examine them. The three words that I am going define and explain to you are Faggot, Nigger, and the word Bitch.

FAGGOT
History & Origins
Late 13 c. " Bundle of twigs bound up," from O. Fr. fagot "bundle of sticks from it. The word was especially used for burning heretics ( a sense attested from 1550s), so that phrase fire and faggot was used to mean "punishment of a heretic." Heretics who recanted were required to wear an embodied figure of a faggot on their sleeve, as an emblem and reminder of what they deserved.

Now later in American history this word took on a whole other meaning. The word "faggot" became a reference to a male homosexual in 1914 and was shortened to the word "fag" which came from earlier contemptuous term for "woman" (1591), especially an old and unpleasant one, in reference awkward that has to be carried.


Who you calling a Bitch?
Those were the lyrics recited in Queen Latifah's 1994 hit "U.N.I.T.Y" a song that focused on female empowerment and urged black women demand respect not accept the status quo. I admit there was a time when I would get upset if someone called out of my name which was a "Bitch." Within the last few years I could care less if you call me a "Bitch" as long as you call me the baddest but I also call my friends and associates bitches.
The Meaning Behind the word "Bitch"
The word bitch refers to a female dog, fox, wolf, and occasionally other beasts. As a term of contempt applied to women, it dates from C. 1400; of a man, c. 1500, playfully, in the slang, its use with reference to a man is is sexually contemptuous, from the "woman" insult.
It is interesting that this word is extremely offensive in the English language this word provokes a woman more than the word whore.

According to the slang dictionary it is defined as the following 1. An unpleasant or irritating female. 2. To complain 3. A complaint 4. A difficult thing or person
I am a huge fan of the Soap Opera Y&R aka Young and the Restless and one character that I despise is Phyllis Summers Newman which is portrayed by actress Michelle Stafford each time she speaks or pops up on the screen I constantly call her a bitch. The image above as you can see is her.

NIGGER!
Now this last word is always creating controversy it can and never will be ignored. It is now used a term of endearment which I think is absolutely ludicrous. What do you think of when you hear this word? Do you become offended? Have you offended someone? Honestly this is a word that should not be used at all. Yet it is in music, movies, and heavily used in the Adult Swim  series The Boondocks which a show that  I love but I feel as though the word should not be used.

History Lesson
From the earliest usage it was "the term with it all the obloquy and contempt and rejection have inflicted on blacks." But as black inferiority was at one universal assumption in English speaking lands  the word could be used without deliberate insult.
Keep in mind that this word is extremely offensive
1. A Black person; a member of any dark-skinned people. 2. A person of any race or origin regarded as contemptible, inferior, ignorant, etc. 3. A victim of prejudice similar to that suffered by blacks; a person who is economically, politically or socially, disenfranchised.

Let me leave you with this we can't get upset about these words if we use them to classify ourselves, family, or friends. We need to take the time to be aware and learn the meaning behind these words.

104!

Disclaimer: I am not a member of any Black Greeks organization also known as the NPHC (National Pan-Hellenic Council) although I have family and friends that are members. This post is dedicated to the fraternity that started all of this and I respect them and what they stand for. The images you see are of the founders and prominent members of the organization.

On this day in 1906 seven African-American men formed a fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha at Cornell University. These seven men were Henry Arthur Callis, Charles Henry Chapman, Eugene Kinckle Jones, George Biddle Kelley, Nathaniel Allison Murray, Robert Harold Ogle,  and Vertner Woodson Tandy. This is the oldest organization in the "Divine 9" and is known as the Father of all Black Greek Organizations.



Paul Roberson




Thurgood Marshall



Jesse Owens

Given racial attitudes in 1906, their accomplishments were monumental. As founder Henry Arthur Callis euphemistically stated—because the half-dozen African American students at Cornell University during the school year 1904-05 did not return to campus the following year, the incoming students in 1905-06, in founding Alpha Phi Alpha, were determined to bind themselves together to ensure that each would survive in the racially hostile environment. In coming together with this simple act, they preceded by decades the emergence of such on-campus programs as Affirmative Action and Upward Bound. The students set outstanding examples of Scholarship, Leadership and Tenacity —preceding the efforts even of the NAACP and similar civil rights organizations.

W.E.B Du Bois



Martin Luther King Jr.





Eta Rho Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. at Western Kentucky University




 This past week the Eta Rho Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. celebrated their annual Founders Week I attended all the events this week which included the following A Vote less People is a Hopeless People and The Conversation discussion based on the Hill Harper book entitled "The Conversation."

I really want to take the time to express my gratitude to the men of this organization as well as all Black Greek organizations. From what I have observed just because some people saw Stomp the Yard which was written and produced by Alpha Men it does  not mean that is all these organizations are about. Stepping, dancing, parties, etc. they are scholars and leaders on  and off college campuses everywhere. I would like to say congratulations and never lose sight of what your founders stood and fought for.

Pick up a Dictionary



Prologue Wake Up, People. Wake Up!
Truth No.1 There is still a stigma attached to being black in America.


Truth No. 2 There is nothing that we can do about it. No matter now wealthy, how cultured, how educated, how well-spoken, you may be, if you're black, it doesn't matter you may still be treated like a nigger.

Truth No.3 So what to Truths 1 and 2.


It's time we focus on our lives and use the obstacles as stepping stones. It's time we tighten our collective game and make racism and prejudice irrelevant to us the way so many other groups have done, because the real truth is, we, as black people, spend far too much time trying to get white people (and others) to accept us. - Nannie Helen Burroughs

Karen Hunter

A few months ago I spoke to one of my peers about a book called Stop Being Niggardly And Nine Other Things Black People Need to Stop Doing. I admit at that when the young lady said the word to me I was surprised and clueless. She explained what it meant to me but as the author Karen Hunter says that if you are do not take the time to understand the meaning behind the word, then you do not have the right to get offended by it. So what does niggardly mean? 1. Stingy,miserly; not generous 2. Begrudging about spending or granting 3. Provided in a meanly limited supply.


I am almost finished with the book and I am so glad that I had the chance to read it Karen Hunter addresses many issues that have been on mind. It seems as though all the words that came to my mind she put them on paper. One of my favorite chapters in the book is when Hunter discusses the Civil Rights Movement and the people that were involved. I like she still takes the time to respect Dr. King's philosophies but makes a strong emphasis on how Malcolm X and people that had a militant attitude help bring forth change. She discusses how Black people help liquor companies, Korean owned hair care supply stores, and many other business make large profits from our consumption but somehow we never use things to our own advantage. I do not want to spoil all the details for anyone that might want to read the book but I advise you to purchase and learn how to apply her advice to your own life (especially if you are an African-American).