One thing that never ceases to amaze me about my people is our unfailing ability to rally behind black celebrities when they’re in trouble. It doesn’t matter how much we dogged them in the past.
I look at the Cheerleaders for Star Jones and I cannot help but be a little mystified. I would never say she was reviled in the black community, but a fair share of us had some nasty things to say about her. Now she has been permanently removed from The View and suddenly she’s a martyr.
Sound familiar?
Back in the day, OJ Simpson didn’t rate very high as a figure black folks loved. We pretty much wrote him off as a Tom that was living a white life with his white wife and playing some white-ass golf. We thought he was a sell-out. Suddenly he got his “N***a Wake Up Call” when he became a prime suspect in wife’s murder. Black folk were back on his side once again, because he was only being investigated because he’s black right?
Same goes for one Michael Jackson. No one was more highly criticized within the black community than ol’ MJ. Then he got his “N***a Wake Up Call” when charges of molestation were levied against him. And we were down for Mike once again.
It’s an interesting pattern.
I’m not here posing a question or looking for answers. It’s just an observation. Feel free to discuss.
The N***a Wake Up Call
26
Actually it’s tomorrow, July 1, but I thought I’d give you ample time.
I’ll be in NY for my birtholiday. Drop some love.
I’ll holla.
My Complicated Melody
While looking over my Most Played Albums chart generated by last.fm, I realized I might be something I didn’t necessarily intend on being: a SoulHead. I know I pointed out the presence of a number of soul artists, but upon further inspection, I noticed that there were way more on there than I initially realized. The chart basically looks like guidelines for the interns over at VH1 Soul.
This is unsettling for a number of reasons.
I Cheated On Batman
A few things on Superman Returns, which I caught last night.
- The joint is long as hell. But if you take a five minute nap, do it in the beginning or you’ll be kicking yourself.
- Brandon Routh does an amazing imitation of Chris Reeve. I cannot tell if he has improved as an actor since One life to Live, but he did a pretty good job.
- This is a classic movie and classic Superman through and through. They didn’t try to update him or make him “cool”. He’s true to the Superman in the comics, in Smallville and in the first two Superman movies. Aside from that, this is a movie for people that enjoy well-rounded storytelling.
- People were applauding all through the movie and at the end. Which didn’t happen at X3.
- Furthermore, at the end, one of the cats that was making snarky comments during the movie said “That shit was way better than X-Men,” which goes to prove that cats from the hood still dig a traditional, iconic superhero.
Thumbs up!
Am I Not My Hair?
It’s fucking gel, man.
I genuinely enjoy India.Arie’s music, but unlike a lot if you, I’m a little done with the whole “I’m here, I’m natural, so deal with it” schtick. It’s like Mo’nique and her “beautiful big girl” shit. After a while, you’re kinda just like Is this all you got? Get some new material, lady.
That being said, I am fully capable of admitting what an important song “I Am Not My Hair” is. See, at first I wrote it off as another one of her Bohemian Power Anthems like “Video”, but this song really resonates, mainly because muhfuckas are afraid of black hair. And not in a “Oh Mr. Negro, your locks are so thick and scary” way. It’s more like a “If I allow you to express yourself in this manner, you’ll have way too much power.” This is clearly some Sampson and Delilah type shit.