Method or just Madness

The cartoonist explains that his work is for "people who get it."

Trying to explain the method to his madness, McGruder said, "It's a show for people who look at the world and say, 'There's something seriously wrong here.'

"There are people who get satire, (people) with critical thinking skills. And then there are those who don't get it," said McGruder.

"This show was created for people who get it. Everyone else we're really not too concerned about."

Turning the comic strip into a cartoon, said McGruder, has allowed him "a wonderful amount of creative freedom" as well as access to a younger audience.

"It's an audience that "gets it" more than "your average newspaper reader (who) is a 50-year-old white man."

McGruder explains the shows heavy use of the "N" word on his show

I use the word "nigga" in this show to show not just black people but all sorts of other people how it has grown in it's use. Lots of black people tend to use that word in a sentence to replace "man" or it is just use to symbolize the presence of another person. The fact that it is used negatively against african americans, is what makes it an ignorant term for anyone to use and especially for a black person. This is to teach people that it is stupid to use the word. The Boondocks will be on DVD soon, so watch out! - McGruder

Both explanations sound good on the surface, but honestly how many African Americans, let alone youth have access to cable and are up late Sundays night watching his show, sounds more like his demographic would be primarily white.

As for his use of the "N" word, his logic is as sound as calling someone "fat" because you want them to lose weight

Hip Hop and Spirituality

by Min. Paul Scott

I always find it kind of funny when accepting an award for his hit "Kill em all; Till they Fall" ; MC Pullatrigga gets on the mic and says, "First of all, I would like to thank God…" Or during a magazine interview , Sexxx Thugstress, innocently, tells a reporter how her close relationship with her Savior gave her the strength to write "If the Escalade is Rockin' Don't be Knockin." As grandma would say, "Chile let me move 'cause I know that lightnin' is fixin' to strike…."

From as far back as history records, Afrikan people have had a reverence for the Supreme Being. From the African people who laid the foundation for modern
religion, to the old lady across the street who never misses a Sunday service, rain, sleet or snow, we have always had a strong spiritual connection with the Creator. Many of us have vivid memories of receiving our first whippin' for mocking Rev. Jones or Sis. Ruth Ann when she got in "the spirit" one Sunday morning.
We found out early that playin' with "tha lawd", was a definite, No, No!

Historically, music and Spirituality have walked hand in hand as music is more than just something to help us get our party on but is a divine expression of our respect for the gift of LIFE. It was our spirit filled song that helped us keep the FAITH, even when we were being beaten by the slave master and forced to work in the hot cotton fields from sun up to sun down and it will be our song that leads us to the LIBERATION of our people from mental slavery The Spirituality of Afrikan people has always been thorn in the side of the oppressor. Our FAITH has been like that trick birthday candle that no matter how hard you try, you just can't blow it out. We have been like a Spirit filled energizer bunny playin' an African drum, we
just keep going and going.

For many young brotha's and sista's who are disillusioned with organized religion, today Hip Hop has become the faith of choice. Maybe for some, the rules and regulations of the other religions were just too hard to follow so they turned to the cardinal rule of Hip Hop "if it feels good, do it" or more likely, they simply rejected the idea that they had to have the word of God interpreted by white Kings and other
European writers. So, instead they traded in the King James version of the Bible for the gospel according to the white owned media and entertainment industry who
at least had the foresight to put pictures of Black people on the covers of their magazines. So, the LAWS revealed to Moses were traded in for the 10 Crack
Commandments.

While many rappers reflect "the Life is Hell" philosophy in their lyrics, I doubt very seriously that any other religion outside of Holy Hip Hop considers eternal torment living in a 5 million dollar mansion with an Olympic sized swimming pool. However,
some rappers are helping to perpetuate the hell-ish conditions that Afrikan people are experiencing, globally by aiding our mental enslavement that keeps
us under the foot of the white supremacist system.

Sadly, many of the brotha's and sista's in Hip Hop are fully aware that they are leading Afrikan children down the path of destruction but have made a conscious
decision to sell the destiny of our people for 30 pieces of silver or a platinum chain.

The problem is that our Afrikan Spirituality makes it hard for us to believe that anyone could be so evil as to use our music and Spirituality as a genocidal
weapon. So many have underestimated the depths that white supremacists would sink to keep the masses of Afrikan people oppressed.

Some will argue that it is "only music", but as dude from the movie, "the Usual Suspects" said "the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing
the world he didn't exist." The oppressor knows that the only way to totally destroy a people is to separate them from their connection to the Creator. Once their Spiritual immune system is broken down, the people are left open to all the vices that plague the planet, drugs, disease, violence, etc.

When faced with this TRUTH, many young brotha's will defiantly shout, "Only God can judge me!!!!" However, there is such a thing as corporate responsibility and
the actions of one member of the Afrikan family, affect the whole, including future generations. So to answer the age old question, "I am my Brother's keeper."

Our African ancestors knew that it was not only the right, but the responsibility of the elders to give guidance to the younger generation because it was they who would determine the future of the tribe. But today even, our most learned elders seem to be intimidated by children just because they can quote rap lyrics like the old folks quote scripture. When the adults in the Afrikan familiy stop trying to win a popularity
contest with 14 year olds and stand up and speak TRUTH, then will the end of our oppression come.

Most religions have some sort of Judgement Day when TRUTH is revealed; when a persons deeds are weighed in the balance against the Universal principles of
Righteousness. A day when LIGHT (KNOWLEDGE) eventually overcomes DARKNESS (LIES). Even though some rappers think that they can defy the law of Reciprocity by raising hell all year long and giving out a free turkey at Thanksgiving.

Rappers Bone Thugs-n-Harmony once asked "What ya gonna do; when there ain't no place to hide, when judgement comes for you?" So Hip Hop, today is at the
Crossroads. We must make a decision as to which road we will take, the road to LIBERATION or the road to SLAVERY. The path that will insure a future for the
next generation or the path that will lead to its destruction.

To borrow from an old Public Enemy interlude; "Right vs. Wrong; Good vs. Evil; God vs. the Devil; what side you on?"

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott represents the Messianic
Afrikan Nation in Durham NC. He can br reached at
(919) 451-8283

Has Hip Hop Lost its SOUL ?...Hip Hop and Spirituality will be the next topic on Shairi's Radio. Friday night Novemeber 17th at 8:40 PM EST.
Listen live at http://www.wxdu.org Shairi's Radio is hosted by Monica Daye and Tim
Jackson every Friday Night 8PM-10PM EST with
commentary by TRUTH Minista Paul Scott (Hip Hop
Refugee in Exile)

Legends Dave Cockrum

Dave Cockrum, who co-created the new X-Men back in 1975 and worked on Uncanny for several years, died this morning at the age of 63. As the co-creator of characters like Colossus, Nightcrawler and Storm, he's one of the creators who undeniably left his mark on the series for decades to come, even though he's often been overlooked in favour of bigger names who came after. He's given us some classic characters, and his stories were the ones that finally helped the X-Men take flight as a major league comic.
It's
those mid-seventies issues that really laid the groundwork for the X-Men's success, and without Cockrum... well, we'd all be reading something very, very different right now.

"I got sick of the strip and sick of politics,"

This is the last week of the Boondocks comic strip, although I have issues with the television show, I thought the strip was genius taking on life, politics and the media with hip hop flair

"I got sick of the strip and sick of politics," McGruder said at an appearance Monday night for the University of South Florida lecture series. But instead of giving a speech, he took questions from a crowd of nearly 500.

"It was Bush, Bush, Bush. Okay, he's dumb, we get it," he said about the comic's relentless criticism of the president.

Of course he could have wrote about something other than Bush,

it was his strip

Hero's (Nathan McCall)

The time has come, God knows, for us to examine ourselves, but we can only do this if we are willing to free ourselves of the myth of America and try to find out what is really happening here.
-James Baldwin

Nathan McCall has made a significant contribution to the American Society, especially with the youth of America. He has dedicated his career to the problem of race in our country. (1) His first major impact on our society was with his first book, Makes Me Wanna Holler, which is a true story about his life and the hardships he endured growing up with racism and stereotypes. His book doesn't justify his actions by any means, but rather it shows why he did what he did. McCall takes the reader on a roller coaster ride through his life by showing the reader where the racism exists, and how some people perceive something not to be racist, when one side might see it as racist, which creates that everlasting tension. The book helps the reader to better understand why these black men are resorting to violence and drugs instead of being on a better path towards adulthood. His second book, What's Going On, is about race relations and issues in America. He uses personal essays to lead into some larger issues in the country that were not dealt with in his autobiography. (2)

McCall believes that the myth of America is one huge melting pot, but in actuality, it's the opposite. McCall says in one of his interviews, The myth of America is that it is this great melting pot, this wonderful quilt where people from diverse races and diverse cultures come together and blend together harmoniously, you know, to make for this beautiful, colorful quilt, or as in the case of a melting pot, this great taste, you know, very tasteful stew. That's the myth. The reality is most of us operate as separate entities, racewise and culturewise. (3) McCall's statement was just another point of showing that the world is definitely not what it seems, and many people have different perceptions.

McCall uses his two books to get his views across the nation. He teaches us to think about today and yesterday with no regrets and to focus on tomorrow without fear(4). His books have such a major impact on the readers that no reader goes away unemotional. As an author he focuses on so many of life's issues, that some people can really relate to him. He talks about fatherhood, Black women, jobs, racism, discrimination, plus many other issues. McCall points out that through being a black teenager and trying to earn respect, it eventually leads to more violence because it is such an un won struggle with whites. (5) His book isn't meant to give ideas away to struggling teenagers, but in fact it is to explain his philosophies. Makes Me Wanna Holler was not written to excuse his behavior, it was only written to show how these black teenagers are suffering with who they are. No matter if you are black or white, or Asian or Mexican, Nathan McCall will get a response out of his reader. He pushes his readers to follow along his path, either in his footsteps or not, just to rise to level of open mindness.

Some prejudice that still exists today that McCall was definitely trying to get across was the issue of racial profiling. Not just teenagers have to deal with this. McCall almost killed a black man when he shot fire to him, and got thirty days in jail and a fine. But when McCall robbed a white business, McDonalds, he got twelve years in jail. He is the voice for black males. (6) Even today black males are getting followed while shopping, or even get pulled over just for being in Atherton. Personally, I think racial profiling is getting worse and I don't think it was as bad as it is now.

McCall also treads upon class differences. McCall was obsessed with being different for most of his life and then he started to resent those differences because he realized it was those differences that landed him on the path he had taken. McCall even admits to saying that he hated himself. (7) Also, by black men taking their anger out on black women, it was harming the weakest of the weak. Society perceives women to be less inferior than men, and blacks to be less inferior to whites, so if you put two inferior substances together, you are going to get the bottom of the pit and definitely the most vulnerable. By these young angry black men hurting these young black females, the men were just trying to show their inferiority to everyone. (8)

McCall in some ways is kind of one-minded because he does consider all whites to be as racist as some of the ones he dealt with while growing up. He has just as many misconceptions about whites as some whites do about blacks. (9) But near the end of his biography, he realizes not all whites are out to get him. However though, I believe McCall has been through too much to think that whites didn't influence him to be what he is. Luckily though, for the sake of his audience, all the troubled times that endured that young man to do what he did influenced him to be the important person he is now.

Nathan McCall, former reporter for The Washington Post, teaches introductory news reporting and writing. He also teaches the elective course, "African American Images in the Media," in conjunction with the Program of African American Studies. He has also taught "Covering Race Relations," an elective course, as well as "South African Journalism and Culture," the preparatory course for Journalism's Summer Study Abroad Program (he directed the May/June 2000 trip) where students traveled to South Africa for six weeks to intern at Cape Town news media. McCall earned a bachelor's degree in journalism ('81) from Norfolk State University in Virginia. Before joining the Post in 1989, he was a reporter for The Virginian Pilot-Ledger and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. McCall has published two books: "Makes Me Wanna Holler: A Young Black Man in America" (Random House, 1994) and "What's Going On" (Random House, 1997). In 1995 "Makes Me Wanna Holler" became a New York Times bestseller and was named Blackboard Book of the Year.

Weeble Stuff

Weebl Stuff, Ya gonna luv this, so will your kids click here

Just Draw It!

I blog allot about comics but never the process of making them, but first let me blog about comics

The Studio Museum in Harlem presents, The first-ever exhibition of comic art from Africa
A new generation of African artists is expressing itself through a medium most Americans associate with superheroes and funny pages. Using comics, this talented group depicts the rage, desperation, hope, and humor of daily life in Africa. In partnership with Africa e Mediterraneo, a non-profit organization based in Bologna, Italy, The Studio Museum in Harlem is thrilled to present Africa Comics, the first-ever exhibition in the United States dedicated exclusively to comic art from across the continent. The work, which addresses issues as wide-ranging as corruption, human rights, immigration, and the plight of women, provides an unprecedented glimpse into modern Africa.
Africa Comics includes 32 artists or 2-person artists’ teams from all over the continent of Africa, including Angola, Benin, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Togo. click here for more information.

Art Lessons
Below are Links to websites that can aide any inspiring comic artis

Elfwood

GFX Artist

Fine Art Education

Media Academy of Art

Watch It Happen

Michael Richards & the Big Picture

My past 4 blogs have been on Bill Cosby push for self responsiblieyt and self reliance in the African American community. A concept I wholly support. However, that is not to say that I am not aware of the racist attitudes that exist in this world

Michael Richard tirade was one of the most venemous racial attacks, captured on video, its one thing to use the "N" word, (which he could have used out of anger) but the statement "Shut up! Fifty years ago we'd have you upside down with a f------ fork up your a--." sprung from a reservoir of bigotry, not anger Speaking of forks, I think he just put one in his career, because he's done.

Borat then there's the case of the two frat boys eschewing racist views on the movie B0rat,
who are now suing because they are not racist but are being portrayed as such, click here for lawsuit Apparently, not wanting to take responsiblity for ones action, knows no race.


World View
Racist views are not just in America, look at this commerical that looks harmless at first glance, then notice the color of the actor the long phallic instrument he climbs and the fact that he has on basketball attire, hard to believe they are trying to sell a product


Despite age, most folks know when they are in a racist enviornment and respond in kind.
And its a lot easier to blame the one thats acting out, than challenge the enviornment for change
The new chic thing is to say to African American's when they make an accusation of racism, that they are playing the "Race Card". They may be playing the card, but who controls the "Game?"

Venus Presents, Ladies Night

Venus is back!!!! and she brought some friends
click here and enjoy ladies night

Visit her Myspace here

Hey kids! its Venus!

The Red Coats are Coming!!!
Click here to hear her latest Pod Cast

Click here to visit Venus Myspace page

Puki the Swarm

Click here to Play
Flash first-person shooter. Sure, they look cute, but the first time one of the little blighters comes at you with fangs bared you'll lose all inhibitions of blowing
their heads off.

Bill is Still Right (part 1 of 3)

Many blacks want to know just who the hell Cosby thinks he is. Some believe he is a sellout, a proverbial Uncle Tom who has crawled through one of the few crevices open to a minority of blacks, and now he's arrogant and selfish enough to be hypocritically disdainful of those who didn't make it through.Cosby has criticized and tried to motivate black individuals and families, he's done so speaking as a citizen who has put his money where his mouth is. His philanthropy to black colleges and causes is wholly impressive and virtually unmatched

*Comedian/Actor/Philanthropist/Activist and of late, social commentator, Dr. Bill Cosby spoke to almost a thousand people on a Saturday a couple weeks on how we fix public education.

That's highly salient issue here in Los Angeles, as it is in almost every major city in America. So when two of the area black school board members (Saundra Davis of Culver City and Marquerite Lamotte of LAUSD) paired with Assistant Superintendent of Pasadena Unified School District and legendary educator extraordinaire, George McKenna to form an African American Educational Civil Rights Agenda, Cosby.in his own words, "wanted to ride on this bus."

Bill Cosby, "America's Dad" turned Black America's most vocal social critic, has pulled no punches on his frustration with the state of Black America. He's done everything one can do to try and change it. He's joked about it. He's role modeled it (in I Spy, the Cosby, Fat Albert, and Little Bill).

He and his wife, Camille, as philanthropists, have thrown millions at it. He's inspired thousand of college graduates to be the best they can be as one of the nation's leading commencement speaker, and lately, he's criticized us for not being the best we can be. If one has earned the right to criticize black America, Cosby has.

But lately, when Bill Cosby speaks, people do one of two things; they listen, or they cringe. Sometimes they do both. His most recent statement at the Maranatha Church in Los Angeles was no less controversial. Cosby said "They (BET-type programming) got you pinned on something called, Bullsh*t." People listened and laughed. People cringed. But this time, Cosby was right.

When Cosby made his famous (or infamous), "These people [lower economic people] are not holding up their end of the bargain (speaking about what many thought was a sweeping indictment of poor people)" speech, at an NAACP commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education in May, 2004, half of Black America screamed bloody murder, and the other half praised Cosby for his straight talk on what we all knew was true.

Critics, with Scholar Michael Eric Dyson leading the discussion, said the discussion should have been held "among family" and not out in public. Dyson took the debate public by writing a bestselling book, Is Bill Cosby Right? (Or Has The Black Middle Class Lost Its Mind?) but Bill Cosby was the lightening rod to make Black America re-evaluate its value system, particularly around education, and supporters challenged him to help address the problem. Cosby has accepted this challenge.

In this latest endeavor, communities are ready to examine this disinvestment in education that black community is experiencing, and Cosby just didn't want call out the problem-he also wants to be part of the solution. For the better part of two hours, Cosby spoke and engaged in a panel discussion with the audience around how we improve black achievement in education. Everything was "honky-dory" until a young lady asked how we can change the mindset of young people when "our culture" are constantly bombarded with programming (she specifically mentioned BET, though the problem is not exclusive to them) that promote negative images and glorify unhealthy lifestyles (sex, drugs, violence and false wealth [immediate gratification]). Cosby reached his hand, like he was waiting for the teacher (moderator LaMotte) to call a student-then he said it, "I'm troubled by this term 'culture.' BET is not our culture. Look, if you don't like what you see, why don't you just turn it off?" Then the rant began, at which Cosby made a very articulate point that what BET (and others promote) is not really our culture-that our culture promotes education and family and progress, but loud music, no father, no education is not part of our culture. Cosby's point was that we can't see it when "they got you pinned on something called 'bullsh*t." He concluded his point that it was time for our children to get with people who want to study (like Asians and other do), instead of engaging in the negative. Cosby was applauded for his analysis, but the local preacher got offended and engaged in a five minute diatribe on respecting "God's House." Cosby apologized, but emphasis he meant what he said. But the point was lost and another controversy about "what Cosby said, again" was all that was reported. It's not fair.

As an aside, we don't need to hold meetings anyplace where we can't have straight-talk among family. While I know this is not necessarily the policy for all churches, this church shouldn't have held the meeting if it couldn't be understood (inferred or stated) that our community is trying to purge ourselves of our sins, and if a curse word comes out, as part of exorcism-then that's part of the process. As much bullsh*t as goes on in half these churches out here, it wasn't the time for the pot to call the kettle, black. If Jesus, himself, came back today and sat in some of these churches on Sunday, he's say, probably after a half of a sermon, "This is some buulllsh*t!!!" And if he went back home and turned his TV on to BET, after about three videos-he would say, This is some buulllsh*t!!! So for Cosby to be admonished at the time, was a bullsh*t moment of all bullsh*t moments. It was a moment where you got to see Cosby's unrestrained passion for the condition of his people, and for a very important point to sink in. It should have been tolerated.

We can hold up Bob Johnson as a black billionaire, but we can't continue to ignore the vehicle he created to make all that money, has been a leading vehicle in the promotion of filth and degregation of a whole race of people. "Backwater culture" has been mainstreamed because of BET. Instead of advancing programming to counter the music piece, we've witnessed to "commoditization of the filth" (as Maulana Karenga once said), where now Viacom is the "pusher" and Bob Johnson is counting his billions. Black people want to see themselves on television and in high places of the dominant culture, but we can play more than the buffoon, the dancing fool, the jiggabo, the gansta, the pranksta, the bumpshaker, the babymaker, the pimp, the preacher (the false prophet, y'all) and the outcasts of society. It's time we get back to making doctors, lawyers, teachers, real preachers, business folk with principle, homeowners, fathers and mothers. The common link in all of the above is knowledge (education) and wisdom (an experienced life).

This is where Black America needs to go, and we need to have this conversation every chance we get, wherever we can have it. Naw, I don't give a sh*t what anybody says.

This time, Cosby is right.

Anthony Asadullah Samad is a national columnist, managing director of the Urban Issues Forum (www.urbanissuesforum.com) and author of 50 Years After Brown: The State of Black Equality In America. He can be reached at www.AnthonySamad.com

Online Cartoons

Catch 100's of Classic Cartoons online
Click here

Legends (Ed Bradley)

I use to hear, "there were no positive Black role models on television, or that every Black man depicted was demeaning or stereotypical." Those individuals were clearly away from their television's on Sundays at 7:00 p.m.

Ed Bradley, the veteran CBS News correspondent, died Thursday of leukemia at the age of 65, CBS reported.

Bradley, who was with the television network for 35 years, was best known for his long tenure as a correspondent for the CBS (nyse: CBS - news - people ) news magazine show 60 Minutes, which he joined in 1981.

In contrast to the confrontational style of his 60 Minutes colleague Mike Wallace, Bradley approached his interviews with sensitivity and empathy, which served him well whether he was speaking with Muhammad Ali, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak or Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, who granted Bradley his only TV interview.

A particularly memorable example of Bradley's deft touch was his 1981 interview with Lena Horne, during which the singer opened up about the pain she endured early in her career trying to succeed in a white-dominated entertainment industry.

The interview snared Bradley an Emmy Award, one of 19 he would eventually win. Bradley also garnered the George Foster Peabody Award, the George Polk Award and the Overseas Press Club Award during his career.

Bradley was a native of Philadelphia, where started his broadcasting career in 1963 as a reporter for WDAS Radio, a focal point for the local African-American community.

Last year, the National Association of Black Journalists honored Bradley with a Lifetime Achievement Award. In his acceptance speech, Bradley recalled how much things had changed for minority journalists during his career.

"It doesn’t seem like it was a lifetime ago when we held the first [NABJ] meetings in New York – just a small band of brothers and sisters new to this business of journalism,'' he said. "There weren’t many of us then but we knew we needed to be together…I look around this room tonight and I can see how much our profession has changed and our numbers have grown…All I have to do is turn on the TV and I can see the progress that has been made.”

People know Ed Bradley as a journalist in his 22nd season with the award-winning CBS television news magazine "60 Minutes," and now "60 Minutes II." You've watched him report on diverse subjects, his stories taking him around the country and around the globe. You've watched his salt-and-pepper hair and beard change more to salt over the years, but his distinctive tenor voice stays the same, as does his professionalism.

Some may not know that Bradley, was a longtime jazz fan. Before he embarked on a journalism career that has won him a Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award, the Paul White Award from the Radio and Television News Directors Association, as well as Emmys and a Peabody Award for his reports on "60 Minutes," he was a jazz disc jockey, back in the day, in Philadelphia, making $1.50 an hour spinning the records of John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Billie Holiday. That gig, he admits, was done out of joy for the music, while he earned his living by day as a teacher.

His whole life changed when he decided to go into journalism, but his passion for jazz remained, and he got back into radio about a decade ago through his association with Jazz at Lincoln Center, and back into a radio job hosting Jazz from Lincoln Center,

He will be missed








Play
A moment of silence

Our Lost & The First Part Last by Angela Johnson

We lost a Giant today Click for more

Bobby is a typical urban New York City teenager -- impulsive, eager, restless. For his sixteenth birthday he cuts school with his two best buddies, grabs a couple of slices at his favorite pizza joint, catches a flick at a nearby multiplex, and gets some news from his girlfriend, Nia, that changes his life forever: He's going to be a father. Suddenly things like school and house parties and fun times with friends are replaced by visits to Nia's pediatrician and countless social workers who all say that the only way for Nia and Bobby to lead a normal life is to put their baby up for adoption. Then tragedy strikes Nia, and Bobby finds himself in the role of single, teenage father. Because his child -- their child -- is all that remains of his lost love.

With powerful language and keen insight, Johnson tells the story of a young man's struggle to figure out what "the right thing" is and then to do it. The result is a gripping portrayal of a single teenage parenthood from the point of view of a young on the threshold of becoming a man.

Rarely do we see teen pregnancy from the father's perspective. Narrator Khalipa Oldjohn gives realistic insight into the consequences of unexpected parenthood on one teenaged father. Alternating between "then," when Nia told him on his sixteenth birthday that he was going to be a father, and "now," as he struggles to raise his daughter alone, we witness Bobby coming to grips with responsibility as he struggles to do the right thing. The back-and-forth between past and present requires close attention to the narration to understand why Bobby gave up the adoption option in favor of fatherhood. N.E.M. 2005 YALSA Selection click here to read a sample

Play

Linesuperfollow (its cool)

Click Here

We Did It!

Vote

Chill with Venus
Venus has a new play list for those of you bummed out by pre election stress

Click here to hear Venus then Relax







New Rule: Controlling Congress is for closers. Listen up, Democrats, it's as simple as A-B-C. "Always Be Closing." First prize: subpoena power in the new Congress. Second prize: set of steak knives. Third prize: you're fired. The election is four days away and I'm through dicking around with you.

Here are the leads. Here are your talking points.

One: when they say Democrats will raise taxes, you say, "We have to because someone spent all the money in the world cutting Paris Hilton's taxes and not killing Osama bin Laden."

In just six years, the national debt has doubled. You can't keep spending money you don't take in. That's not even elementary economics. That's just called, "Don't be Michael Jackson."

Two: When they say the terrorists want the Democrats to win, you say, "Are you insane? George Bush has been a terrorist's wet dream." He inflames radical hatred against America and then runs on offering to protect us from it. It's like a guy throwing shit on you and then selling you relief from the flies.

Three: When they say, "Cut and Run" or "Defeat-ocrat," you say, "Bush lost the war. Period." All this nonsense - this nonsense about "the violence is getting worse over there because they're trying to influence the election"; no, it's getting worse because you drew up the postwar plans on the back of a cocktail napkin at Applebee's.

And of course Democrats want to win. But that's impossible now that you've ethnically-cleansed the place by making it unlivable. Just like you did with New Orleans.

Four: When they say that actual combat veterans like John Kerry are denigrating the troops, you say, "You're completely full of shit." Remember when Al Gore caught all that flak for sighing and moaning during that debate? Yeah, don't do that. Just say, "You're full of shit." If I was a troop, the support I would want back home would mainly come in the form of people pressuring Washington to get me out of this pointless nightmare! That's how I would feel supported.

So when they say, "Democrats are obstructionists," you say, "You're welcome." Sometimes, good people have to intercede to prevent dire consequences. You wouldn't like to think of me as an obstructionist, but what if Roseanne had offered to sing?

So I would be happy to frame this debate as a fight between the obstructionists and the enablers. There's your talking point. Vote Republican, and you vote to enable George Bush to keep ruling as an emperor. A retarded, child emperor-but an emperor.

So, Democrats, you've got four days to get out there and close! And it's not about slogans this time. Although, when it comes to slogans, the only one I'm prepared to accept from the opposition is, "The Republican Party: We're Sorry."

Hip Hop In The Wrong Hands

Hip Hop is a powerful tool, and its list of positives far out weight its negative labels (What other artform has had the same cultural impact as hip hop in as much time?) That said placed in the wrong hands hip hop is a very distructive device used to exploit women, espouse hate and ignorance. Hip Hop can be used to help educate, but one really needs an education to understand if they are being entertained or manipulated (This is why its important that adults monitor and challenge the lyrical and musical content of 50% of the songs their children hear)

Case in point
Do your chain hang low Do it wobble to the flo Do it shine in the light ...
If ya hot, it make ya cold Do your chain hang low Is that your chain!? Do it
shine in the light Is it platinum, Is it gold Could you throw it over ya
shoulda If ya hot it make ya cold."

Do your chain hang low are some of the
lyrics to the rap song Chain Hang Low, the debut single by Jibbs from his
debut album Jibbs feat. Jibbs. The song has gone on to rack up more than
20,000 ringtone downloads in a span of 2 weeks. The video shows adolescents
doing the snap dance. Chain Hang Low has reached number 7 on Billboard Hot
100. However most don't realize it is the jingle of one of the oldest
blackface tunes in the American repertory.

KELEFA SANNEH writes for the New
York Times "In the 19th century it was a minstrel mainstay known, depending
on the lyrics, as "Zip Coon" or "Turkey in the Straw." More recently the
same tune has been appropriated for a children's song ("Do Your Ears Hang
Low?") and for the ice-cream-truck jingle that you may be hearing for a few
more weeks. And now, thanks to the St. Louis rapper Jibbs, the old song
provides the basis for a new hip-hop hit, "Chain Hang Low" (Geffen), which
should still be playing on the radio long after the ice cream trucks have
gone into hibernation.

He raps - brays really - the verses and a chorus of
children sings the refrain ("Do your chain hang low? Do it wobble to the
flo'?/Do it shine in the light? Is it platinum? Is it gold?"). Perhaps
without meaning to, Jibbs has updated one of the most popular melodies of
the blackface era, reprising a song that has been stuck in American heads
for a few centuries."

watch the video


ORIGINAL SONG



Zip Coon has a chain too...

Zip Coon
(Turkey in the Straw)

Words & music: ( ? )
(published by J. L. Hewitt & Co., N. Y., ca 1835)


1.
(3x) O ole Zip Coon he is a larned skoler,
Sings posum up a gum tree an conny in a holler.
(3x) Posum up a gum tree, coonny on a stump,
Den over dubble trubble, Zip coon will jump.

Chorus:
O Zip a duden duden duden zip a duden day.
O Zip a duden duden duden duden duden day.
O Zip a duden duden duden zip a duden day.
Zip a duden duden duden zip a duden day.

2.
O ist old Suky blue skin, she is in lub wid me
I went the udder arter noon to take a dish ob tea;
What do you tink now, Suky hab for supper,
Why chicken foot an posum heel, widout any butter.
Chorus:

3.
Did you eber see the wild goose, sailing on de ocean,
O de wild goose motion is a berry pretty notion;
Ebry time de wild goose, beckens to de swaller,
You hear him google google google google gollar.
Chorus:

4.
I went down to Sandy Hollar t other arternoon
And the first man I chanced to meet war ole Zip Coon;
Ole Zip Coon he is a natty scholar,
For he plays upon de Banjo "Cooney in de hollar".
Chorus:

5.
My old Missus she's mad wid me,
Kase I would'nt go wid her into Tennessee
Massa build him barn and put in de fodder
Twas dis ting and dat ting one ting or odder.
Chorus:

6.
I pose you heard ob de battle New Orleans,
Whar ole Gineral Jackson gib de British beans;
Dare de Yankee boys do de job so slick, creek.
For dey cotch old Packenham an rowed him up de first.
Chorus:

7.
I hab many tings to tork about, but dont know wich come
So here de toast to old Zip Coon before he gin to rust;
May he hab de pretty girls, like de King ob ole,
To sing dis song so many times, 'fore he turn to mole.
Chorus:

One has to wonder how the 15 year old St Louis rapper would gain access to such dated material.
But we now have a Young Urban Male spreading poison to other Urban Youth
which begs the question what will the response be when Youth that are not African American recite this song?

Ultimately, parents are going to have to understand that the Music Industry is out to destroy the minds of the very audience they claim to serve Parents will have to do their homework and home school their children on whats really Up

Parents need to understand that the Stations can pull inflamatory songs such as Jibbs and let the industry know that they will not promote poison
You say they can't do that?

They were able to take those actions toward a song that encourage Urban Dwellers to get out and vote click here

A year from now we may not even remember the name Jibbs but the song will have already done damage on our collective conscious

I recommend that parents that want to indoctrinate their children witht he right stuff start with the Soul of Black Folks by WEB Dubois click here to read a sample

I Choose To Stay

“I Choose to Stay is an intensely moving story of loyalty and courage and a deeply personal tribute to the great potential of our inner-city kids, so frequently dismissed and denigrated by American Society.”
—Jonathan Kozol,
Best-selling author of Savage Inequalities and Amazing Grace

Teacher Salome Thomas-EL first learned he had been promoted and transferred to another school in November of 1997. He had been a teacher at Roberts Vaux Middle School in Philadelphia’s inner city since 1989. The promotion came because he had not only helped to improve morale and discipline at his school, but he had taught children to play chess—they went on to win local and national competitions. Besides a $20,000 raise, he would have authority to make changes and greater opportunities to influence a larger number of students.

He turned down the promotion.

“I can’t leave my students,” he said. “What happens if they come in on Monday and I’m not here? They’ll say ‘He left because of the money,’ and I don’t want them to think that way. I’m the only male role model these kids have. I want them to know at least one black male who is committed to staying.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger was so impressed by Thomas-EL during a visit in 1999 that he “came bahhhk” in 2000. His foundation awarded the school a $20,000 grant.

Inspiring and warmly human, Salome Thomas-EL is a true hero. His lecture, “I Choose to Stay: A Teacher’s Fight for America’s Inner City Schools” is moving and full of hope, and proves beyond a doubt that a commitment to teaching in the public schools can result in excellence and success for children most of society has abandoned.

A doctoral student at Nova Southeastern University, Salome Thomas-EL is the author of a bestseller, I Choose to Stay, published by Kensington Publishing.

“This is a powerful story about what an inspirational teacher can do...”
-William H. Gray, III
President, United Negro College Fund


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