Pissed Or Passionate?

This is a screenshot from Kanye West's blog that has been makin' its round on the internet the past couple of days. Every.Last.One. of the blogs made it sound like Mr. West was just an emotional wreck, reeked with anger and hostility in their headlines and content. We all are too familiar with Kanye's antics over the past years and nothing seems to come as much of a surprise any more. He was supposedly shunned from appearing on the Help For Haiti telethon because of his past showboatin'/show-stealin' public antics and the Grammy's have basically black-balled him from thier 2010 awards show after being nominated countless times and winning awards in prior years for his previous works. PETA has recently been skinning and eating him and his girl alive over the fur that they've recently been photographed in. The President of the United States have even called him a "jackass" after the Taylor Swift fiasco at the MTV Video Awards. Although I feel like I am not Kanye, although we all have a little bit of Kanye in us, one thing that ironically stands out to me in the midst of all this is that it appears to me that bloggers, who ONCE was the outspoken, unapologetic voice that "politically correct" media outlets lacked, have fallen into the same matrix of conformity and "cookie-cutter" opinions.

Not to get it twisted because many blogs still rep for independent thought and looking beneath the surface, but others have clearly abandoned "what they came here fo'" and have been transformed into commercial entities in which opinions are clearly bought and regurgitated to the public.

Sad.

I empathize with Kanye' West.

The scrutiny that people spew on Kanye definitely comes with the territory. As an artist, I he is completely open to public opinion and everyone will DEFINITELY have something to say (that's kinda like a test for some artists to see if they're still relevant....if people actually CARE because they have an emotional attachment to your work, they'll always be some sort of response). Obviously, he's still relevant because of his talent and that's why he'll remain a fixture in music and blog headlines. His reputation (pride, ego) has been detrimental to him in many ways, but I wish people would realize that it's pure PASSION from where he speaks. Bloggers ONCE spoke with that same intensity, but now, it's moreso cats who've got a little bit of money behind crafting posts in line with the status quo and ran with it, as oppose to giving their real opinion on shyt.

Although I can't personally get behind the "808" disc, and clownish outfits (claimer: I ain't no fashion nigga), I totally respect a lot of what Kanye has to say and it's really just a matter of people seeing things in one-way (THEIR "right" WAY) when it's really three-dimensional (their way-the artist's way-and the middle ground).

Can we all just get along? And can bloggers express how they really feel as oppose to following the status quo????

Just Some Thoughts...

...after watching the State of the Union Address:

*Gang affiliation is obviously not exclusive to the youth.

*As a Black man, the hate and disgust on an old white man's old wrinkled up face is truly a precious sight that will always warm my inner soul.

*Out of all my friends on facebook who run 5+ miles a day and are doing the p90x, the democratic senators have gotten a more intense workout from the all the standing, sitting, and clapping and ass kissing that they're doing.

*Nancy Pelosi must've been a cheer captain in her younger days.

*Where's Nino Brown when you need him? I kept hoping he would pop in Kanye West-style and say "SIT YO' FIVE DOLLAR ASS DOWN BEFORE I MAKE 'CHANGE'...for real!!"

*War goes on :-( Well at least for another 1.5 years...they say.

*The "United" States is an oxymoron.

*"I don't accept second place for the United States of America!" - Barack Obama. Sounds like a motto for the Olympic games.

*Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi looks like they're counting every single follicle in Barack Obama's head.

*Biden = Purple tie. Pelosi = Purple suit jacket. Obama = Purple lips...at least they're all matching.

*Looking at a room full of majority white people in High Definition is similar to watching a zombie movie.

*President Obama signing autographs on the way out...Priceless.

*All this talk sounds good than a muafugga don't it??

Y'all remember this joint right here?

Rashad "Tell em what they wanna hear"

The Glenn Twins | MySpace Video

Educated Black Woman

Gee...

I wonder why educated Black women don't recognize that when the term "educated Black women" is used in the media, it's often done with a very condescending tone. In a way, it's like saying "you're pretty...for a dark-skinned girl" or "you're the cutest big girl I've ever met". With all that "education", why oh why can't "educated" Black women recognize that they (read: the media) are patronizing you? On some real shyt, when was the last time you've heard the phrase "educated WHITE woman" or "educated ASIAN woman"? Probably never.

Over the past month or so, I've read about Helena Andrews, whose story "Bitch Is The New Black" (very attractive, right?) is set to be published as a book and is optioned for a movie deal (before the book is even complete). Many of my peers have blogged and posted articles about the Washington Post story and how they feel about it. VerySmartBrothas, Keep It Trill, and Sister Toldja are a few that have very insightful outlooks on the situation and I encourage you to check them out. Personally, I know several women who fall into this category and although I sympathize with their situation, I realize that in stories like these, they are being used as pawns. While the "educated" or "successful" Black woman is made out to be the proverbial victim, I feel that one point is persistently missed. THIS IS MORESO A DIRECT ATTACK ON THE BLACK MAN!

***SIDENOTE: Are these women REALLY successful if they are unhappy in their REAL lives? Life is much more than a degree and a job if you ask me. END SIDENOTE***

My passion lies in the arts and multi-media and I guess game recognize game because I can see right pass what some stories the mass media is pumping through the veins of Black American culture. Take for example, the ABC story posted above. Check the reporter's tone throughout the whole joint. Check the statistics that are and have been regurgitated to us since forever. Check the convinient way decent and good Black men are excluded from the equation PERIOD.

Although stories like this are meant to be somewhat of a voice for women who fit into that "successful woman" category, it only throws Black men under the bus...and in essence, Black women also. Black women because they are only being used to perpetuate negative stereotypes and tearing apart the idea of the Black family.

For the sistas who fall into this category, I'm not all-knowing and I don't have all the answers in how to find you a good Black man (although I can co-sign most of VSB's points). My only wish is that you look at the big picture and don't allow yourself to be used by internalizing this to be all about you. Because you and I both know, the media don't give a fuck about you...unless you're buying movie tickets, books and magazines, or increasing their ratings.