On Deck......... Did You Ever Notice?



1997



2010

 Usher Terry Raymond IV 
Known as : Usher 
Occupation : Entertainer
Years Active: 1993-Present
Discography: Usher, My Way, 8701, Confessions, Here I Stand, Raymond V. Raymond, Versus
Why We Love Him? His voice, stage presence, good looks, and those abs. Some say that he is the heir to Micheal's Jackson's throne.
Image and Career Change: In 2007 he married his girlfriend and Tameka Foster and broke the hearts of his female fans that same year his first son Usher Terry Raymond V aka Cinco was born . The following year he released his album which didn't do as well as Confessions because the theme was about the new chapter in his life also that year his second son Naviyd was born. Marriage and starting a family he was talking about domestic bliss. His mother didn't approve as well so that caused some tension. This gave Chris Brown a chance to become very successful very fast. Although  he has now become more of a pop artist and is still popular things are not the way they once were but its all good.







2007



2010

Christopher Maurice Brown
Known as : Chris Brown
Occupation: Entertainer
Years Active: 2005-Present
Discography : Chris Brown, Exclusive, Exclusive Forever Edition, Graffiti, and F.A.M.E. (Forgiving All My Enemies)
Why We Love Him? He is oh so cute gives amazing live performances and actually a very good actor. Like Usher he has sex appeal now that he's older anyway. Also said to be the heir of Micheal's Jackson's throne. Jackson and Usher are his main influences and has often  been compared to them.
Image and Career Change: In February 2009 just before he was slated  to performance on the Grammys Chris got into altercation with then girlfriend Rhianna. The ending result was she attacked by Chris and photos of her bruised face were leaked all over the Internet. Many people were upset with Chris and compared him to Ike Turner. His album Graffiti received mixed album reviews but he has been able bounce back because of his mix tapes and emotional performance at the 2010 BET Awards when he paid tribute to Micheal Jackson.







2005



2010

 Tremaine Aldon Neverson      
Known as: Trey Songz
Occupation: Songwriter and Singer
Years Active: 2004-Present
Discography: Gotta Make It, Trey Day, Ready, Passion, Pleasure and Pain
Why We Love Him? Well we all knew he could sing but he got into the industry by showcasing his songwriting skills. He puts me in the mind of a young R.Kelly although his  two albums didn't pull numbers he managed to drop some hot singles and bad ass mix tape. 2009-2010 has been the year of Trey Songz.
Image and Career Change: Getting his hair cut off and gaining muscle mass by hitting up the gym in his spare time.


My Point: All three of these guys are handsome and talented there no doubting that. I noticed that one man came up as the other man has a short coming. Basically the people became turned off by their choices its crazy people say that they are fans but never remain loyal. It's a damn shame Usher had to defend his relationship with Tameka it was no secret that he liked older women. Although recently according to a VIBE magazine he has said that he is dating younger women and is enjoying it. He was always said that he was lonely and wanted to start a family respect his wishes and shut the ish.

The Raymond Boys



Daddy's Home



Meanwhile I am not a fan of domestic violence and Chris shouldn't have put his hands on Rhianna. Keep in mind there are two sides to every story and I personally feel as though she is not all too innocent herself these kind of situations happen all the time. People want to speak on it when celebrities get involved.

Trey Songz is a talented artist and an incredible songwriter he has been the underdog. Although he is not a performer an entertainer when Chris Brown got in trouble he began to shine. Award shows, commercial endorsements, you name he has gotten it. Fans and the media are quick to move on to the next one your biggest accomplishment in the music world should not only be the Grammys, AMA's and BET Awards. It should be your legacy and using your influence to inspire others to live out their dreams fame may not last forever but one's legacy can.

Way Black When

I have been reading Ebony magazine since I was a little girl. As I turned the pages and analyzed the pictures and read the articles I was so proud of my fellow African-Americans doing so well. Entertainment, Pop Culture, Health, Politics, Ebony magazine has written coverage of the Civil Rights Movement, Miniseries Roots, and the most influential African-Americans such as Lena Horne, Muhammad Ali, James Brown,   Martin Luther King Jr., and Harry Belafonte.

65 Years

Ebony magazine is a monthly magazine for the African-American market, was founded by John J. Johnson  and has been published continuously since the Fall of 1945. While its digest-sized sister magazine, Jet is also published by Johnson Publishing. 

Ebony is celebrating 65 years by releasing tribute covers to our precious African-Americans of the past. Usher poses as Sammy Davis Jr.,  Lamman Rucker poses as Richard Roundtree, John Legend poses as Duke Ellington, Samuel Jackson poses as Martin Luther King Jr., Regina poses as Eartha Kitt, Mary J. Blige poses as Diana Ross, Nia Long poses as Dorothy Dandridge, Jurnee Smollett as Lena Horne, Omar Epps poses as Muhammad Ali, Blair Underwood poses as Sidney Poitier, Taranji P. Henson poses as Diahann Carroll, Gospel Singer Yolanda Adams poses as Mahalia Jackson.

If You Really Knew Me......... Moments of Truth

"Say I'm a college student, but I go home one day an get shot dead int the streets of Louisville, KY. Is this an unfortunate tragedy or was that the plan for my life all along?" Perception -Lawrence Tone Norfleet 



Tone

This young man is a dear friend of mine there are so many things to say about him.  Lawrence is a sophomore and News Editorial Journalism Major. He is very comical, outspoken, and motivated he is a member of BSA (Black Student Alliance) at Western Kentucky University.  A few nights ago the organization had forum inspired by the MTV show "If You Really Knew Me" which focuses on the lives of ordinary people and the challenges they face; although their peers may not be aware of it because they have already passed judgements and made unfair perceptions.



I admit that I was a little nervous to open up about my personal life with random strangers but it was well worth my time. I realized that I am not the only person facing financial struggles in college right now, I am not the only person that has had to watch their parents struggle to keep food and shelter, I am not the only young woman that seen many forms of abuse in her life, etc.

So far this school year the Black Student Alliance had some changes and they have been for the better. For example they forum with AFAM(African-American Studies) Professor Dr. Foster who discussed "The Myths of Black People" when it comes to success. This forum If You Really Knew Me allowed more students particularly African-Americans to get to know their peers and gain more common ground. Also this year the organization is doing a community service project with the Boys & Girls Club, Humane Society, and The Salvation Army. I feel as though much has progress has been made and that makes me have an enthusiastic attitude towards the organization. It is refreshing to know that my people are able to reach their full potential we don't always have to discuss sex, music, and the typical party life in college ultimately we are all here to achieve one goal and that is to become college graduates and receive a higher education.

What is BSA?
Founded in 1972 at Western Kentucky University. 
Black Student Alliance operates as a uniting tool  to increase black student involvement both inside and outside of campus life as well  as encourage discussion on college and life issues.




Mission Statement:
To unite the Black Student Community, by representing the Black student population to the university administration in regards to policy, direction, programs and concerns relative to the Black population, to identify and access needs of Black students, to gather and disseminate information as it may relate to Black student, to aid and encourage Black students in achieving academic excellence, to provide cultural and ethnic programs that will increase awareness of our African American heritage, to create a more conducive educational atmosphere for Black students, to assist in recruiting and retaining Black faculty, staff, and students at Western Kentucky University, and to seek the election of Black students to offices of the Student Government Association and other student organizations.

Expanding the Roc Nation???????

''My ambition is to continue to learn about the world and to eventually have a family. There are no dates, no times  it will happen when I am ready.'' Beyonce'

Well life is so unexpected it bring us both joy and pain but this time around for Beyonce' there is more joy coming her way. Another award nomination, movie role, what could it be no this announcement tops all of that. Word on the street is Beyonce' is pregnant in fact she is said to be in her first trimester of the pregnancy which is less than 14 weeks into the pregnancy. She was in the process of finishing her next album and completing another world tour before getting the news. Friends and family say that is she was surprised but happy.

Destiny's Child



Solange



Two years ago in an interview she said that she was afraid of child birth after seeing the birth of her nephew Julez. Her younger sister Solange who is Julez's mother says that her big sister has a beautiful heart and will be a great mom.

According to record executive Kevin Lyles a man has been in acquaintance with Jay-Z for years says, "Jay has been all about family since I met him, and he's always going to be. I wish them the best." Beyonce rose to fame in late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child and catapulted into solo super stardom in 2003 with her song Crazy in Love which featured Jay-Z. 

For those who don't know the back story of their relationship I will explain this to you. Jay-Z aka Shawn Carter and Beyonce' began dating in 2002 after working the hit song 03 Bonnie and Clyde they dated until 2008. In April of 2008 they married in a small private ceremony at his apartment in New York with family and friends. The two have remained very low key about their relationship and honestly that is something I admire about them. They are already under a microscope as it is so they have the right to keep their personal life private.

Words Can Hurt!!!!!!!

They were crying to the camera



Said he never fitted in


He wasn't welcomed


He showed up the parties


We was hanging in


Some guys puttin' him down


Bullying him round round


Now I wish I woulda talked to him


Gave him the time of day


Not turn away


If I woulda been the one to maybe go this far


He might have stayed at home


Playing angry chords on his guitar

These are the lyrics recited from Kelly Rowland's 2002 debut solo single "Stole" the song was incredible because it had deep message behind it and the video spoke volumes. It related to adolescents and teens because bullying and peer pressure is something they encounter everyday. Tyler Clementi, Asher Brown, Seth Walsh, Justin Aaberg, Raymond Chase, and Billy Lucas were all homosexual young men that have committed suicide after being tormented and ridiculed by their peers.

Bullying is a serious issue that has never been resolved and for some terrible reason the victims get punished or take their own lives. These young men maybe gone but will never be forgotten. My life motto is "Be happy who with you are." If something or someone is bothering you  please speak up and if you know someone is being mistreated do something about it this individual is still a human being a daughter, son, brother, friend, etc. Parents and administrators need to be more supportive and understanding towards children and teens especially in cases of bullying and facing insecurities.

Tyler

Tyler Clementi was an 18 year old freshmen at Rutgers University. He jumped to his death off the George Washington Bridge, after his roommate and another individual recorded him having sex and posted it on the Internet.
 
 
 

                                      
 
 
 
Asher Brown was 13 year old eighth grader at Hamilton Middle School in Houston, TX. He shot himself in the head after being "bullied to death." Asher was tormented for being small, his religious beliefs, for the way he dressed, and for being gay. His bullies acted out mock gay sex acts in phys ed class. His parents said they administrators at the Harris, Texas about how their son was taunted. It has been a year and a half and no action had been taken.

Asher

 
 

Seth Walsh was also a 13 year old that hung himself from a tree in his backyard after years of being bullied  died after nine days on life support.



Justin

Justin Aaberg was a 15 year old that hung himself he was bullied by his peers and had recently broke up with his boyfriend. Apparently these unfortunate events took a toll on him and he took his own life.







Raymond

 Raymond Chase was 19 year old sophomore a Culinary Arts major at Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island that hung himself in his dorm room.





Billy Lucas was a 15 year old was a freshmen at Greensburg High School in Indiana. A former classmate says that he was taunted by all and his former classmate also said that Billy made administrators aware of the LGBT bullying, and they did nothing about it. Unfortunately he hung himself in the barn after being called a "Fag" one too many times.

Billy

I feel as though these young men did not take their own lives but society stole their lives, society stole their peace of mind. How many more young men and women must die?  I admit that I was a bully before and later in middle school the tables turned. I  was bullied myself and once contemplated taking my own life but the support of family and friends steered me in a different direction. Most importantly I learned to love myself. I just want more young men and women to know that everyone is not going to be your friend and chances are this person or people that may be giving you a hard time is really envious of you.

Yupp!

Come kiss me

Come with me down the hall to my bedroom

Tonight we'll be makin love faces


Makin love faces


Shadows on the wall while the candles burnin


Messin up the bed while you sweatin out your perm and


Makin love faces


Makin love faces


My hands rubbin on your skin


Let's go hard don't hold it in

Last year he told us that he was "Ready" my question is what Ready for what? A Trey Songz takeover? Well I think Trey has finally got our attention his claim to fame came with songs such as Gotta Make It, Gotta Go, Wonder Woman, Last Time, and Last Time. He also made cameos on songs with Twista, Young Dro, and Jim Jones. Trey's first two albums Just Gotta Make It and Trey Day did not pull big numbers even though they spawned big singles.

You can't knock the hustle in the Summer of 2009 Trey dropped the Anticipation Mixtape but apparently he was just getting warmed up. In September 2009 Trey released his third album which at that point in my opinion was his best yet. The theme was great love, sex, and party jams. From Say Ah to Neigboors Know My Name you couldn't listen to the radio without a Trey Songz record being played. So finally on the SuperBowl  night of music  better known as the Grammy's Trey recieved an award and this  past summer he won Best Male R&B singer at the BET Awards.



Passion, Pain, and Pleasure is title of Trey's latest album which has already spawned four hit songs Bottoms Up with Nicki Manij, Already Taken, Can't Be Friends, and my personal  favorite Love Faces. He is no longer just another singer from small town Petersburg, VA!

Vanessa Fraction...FUNNY AS HELL

50/50

" Mother Goose and the Sly Fox,  "retold" by Chris Conover, a single mother (Mother Goose) of seven tiny goslings is pitted against ( and naturally outwits) the sly Fox. Fox, a neglectful and presumably unemployed single father, lives with his filthy hungry pups in a grimy hotel littered with the bones of their previous meals Mother Goose, a successful entrepreneur with a thriving lace business, still finds time to serve her goslings homemade soup in pretty porcelain cups." Armin A. Brott examined this as he read this story to his two year old daughter the point he is trying to make in Not All Men Are Sly Foxes is that men in these children books if they're shown at all still come down late after work and participate in the child rearing by bouncing baby around for five minutes before putting the child to bed.

Here is the thing women and men are taught certain things at an early age. Girls are taught by their mothers to be a homemaker while boys are taught to be tough and bring home the bacon. The issue some women sometimes believe their sole purpose it look a certain way and find a man to take care of them. Men are taught go out and work most of the time. Now things have changed because each generation makes a difference or sometimes history may repeat itself.



For example my grandfather has worked all of his life and believes women should depend on men. He has an issue with an independent woman he thinks the woman should remain at home with the children cook and clean. He and my grandmother made an agreement that my grandmother would be the home maker earlier in their marriage she worked but when the children were born that changed. These are my father's parents.  My parents made an agreement that my mother would work part-time when my brother and I were toddlers when we were old enough to go to school she went back to the workforce and later back to school.

There needs to be a balance one parent should not put in all the effort. I'm sure most single parents did not plan on being single parents although obstacles come about in some shape or form large or small people learn to roll with the punches. Only a man is able to teach a boy how to become a man. Only a woman can teach a girl how to be a woman. Both parents should have influence in the lives of their children. We need to stop shedding negative light on our fathers and putting all the pressure on mothers as well as fathers.
I do think some standard and expectations can be set as long as they are reasonable. If a man wants a woman that will cook and clean I think that is fair as long as he rotates with her. If  a woman wants to be a provider for his household that is natural as long as she brings something to the table such as an education and her own work experience.

50/50

" I belong to that classification of people known as wives. I am a Wife. And, not altogether incidentally, I am a mother." "I would like to go back to school so that I can become economically independent, support myself, and if need be, support those dependent upon me. I want a wife who will work and send me to school. And while I am going to school I want a wife to take care of my children. I want a wife to keep track of the children's doctor and dentist appointments."

"I want a wife who is sensitive to my sexual needs, a wife who makes love passionately and eagerly when I feel like it, a wife who makes sure that I am satisfied." These words from written by Judy Brady from her piece "I Want a Wife" Brady became one of the best-known manifestos in popular feminist writing. As you can see in the text she discusses all the task a woman performs as a mother and wife. I discovered this piece of writing in my English class although I think there is a message behind it. Both men and women needs to examine their roles in relationships. In our society it seems as though the mother is expected to be the primary care taker of the children while the father only tucks the kids in at night. This assumption brings about an unfair mentality that gives both men and women problems. What is wrong with our foundation? How can we come together? What are we teaching our children?

Welcome Back Part II

Alright ladies and gentlemen earlier this summer I informed about the television series "The Game." For months fans have eager to see Derwin "Pooch Hall" Davis, Tia "Girl Melanie aka Med School" Hardrict, Tasha "Wendel Raquel Robinson" Mack, Jason Coby "Jason Pitts" Bell, and last but certainly not least Malik El Debarge Wright aka Hosea Sanchez back on the field of love, life, and everything that involves living the lives of members of the San Diego Sabers organization.

Well the wait will finally be over on January 11, 2011 premiering on BET. The only thing that will be different and raise eyebrows is the fact that we won't  see much of Coby Bell aka Jason Pitts because he now has a role on the show Burn Notice. Also the censorship on BET since this is the network that is  showing The Game in syndication. Although each time the characters say "bitches" and "hoes" those words are edited out of the dialogue which kind of takes away from the humor.

On the bright side the show will be back on the air. All the original cast members are returning. I enjoyed the show because it was honest and  a great spin-off from Girlfriends. As it stands there are no longer any shows on television with an African-American cast most of these shows are in syndication. Shows like The Game,  The Cosby Show, Girlfriends, A Different World, just to name a few shed positive light on African-Americans.

Honestly I feel as though there has been an absence of shows like this because we now have an African-American President. I will go deeper into that thought in another post in the meantime stay tuned for new episodes of The Game.