Funny how history repeats itself… I was just watching the movie ATL, one of my personal favorites. The movie has an all-star cast of every rapper from Atlanta that is a prominent figure in the industry right now. For some reason, it made me think, which cities produce the most successful rappers. The answer came down to New York and Atlanta.

Rap originated in the 70’s in Bronx, NY. Anyone who is familiar with the genre will recognize how far it has come. New York and Atlanta are at two totally different spectrums of the rap industry. Rap music from Atlanta focuses on the beat, rhythm and flow of the song to relate to its crowd. New York rap music focuses more on the lyrics of each song. New York rappers tend to use more toned down beats to allow the audience to listen and center on the voice of the artist. No matter what you’re into, both cities provide music that fits your needs.

The two cities mean so much to black culture. Both cities have historical significance in the black community that influenced black pride, empowerment and self preservation. New York led the way with the Harlem Renaissance and its various connections to the Black Panther party. New York was the birthplace for the Apollo Theatre in 1914. It has been the showcase for some of the most influential and popular African-American performers. Atlanta gave birth to one of the black communities most prized leaders in Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the city was also the starting point for many civil rights movements that have paved the way for blacks in today’s society. Atlanta is also the host of the 70’s Soul Jam, which was a celebration of Soulful music that has been a part of the cultural history for blacks. As a result, both cities have a rich history in the art of black entertainment. Themes of black entertainment were positive and uplifting to blacks of that time, it related to their struggle in the early 1900’s… Music today has changed drastically.

The other day, I was listening to the radio and a song called BMF (Blowing Money Fast) by Rick Ross came on. One of the lyrics in the song says, “I think I’m big Meech, Larry Hoover…” Big Meech was the leader of BMF (Black Mafia Family), a drug trafficking organization that originated in Detroit. Larry Hoover was a convicted murderer and the alleged leader of the Gangster Disciples gang that originated in Chicago. These are two power black figures that have helped destroy their communities. The name of the song within itself has a negative connotation. Blowing money fast? A theme completely contrary to what today’s blacks need to learn. Blacks need to learn to save their money instead of investing in materials that have no value over time (Guns and Butter theory). As shown in the song, the lifestyle of drugs, money and gang banging is celebrated and glorified in the black community of today’s world. A world corrupted with negativity.

History has repeated itself in so many different ways and has shown us how much WE have changed. Endless talent in the music industry pours out of both cities. Unlike the talent of yesterday, today’s talent focuses on the more negative aspects of life. Today’s artist aren’t to blame, they are only doing what they’re told. The people want to hear about violence, sex and money. So, they provide that fantasy for the listeners. That is the main reason for the generation gap. Our grandfathers and their grandfathers shake their head in disgust at today’s music. Only because they can’t relate to what the new trending topics are. Today’s blacks have a lot more rights and privileges that used to be denied to Blacks. So, of course the tone and subject to the art of music would be different. But is it right?

Maybe today’s youth need to further educate themselves on the history of blacks in entertainment. New York and Atlanta is the starting point for many artists, maybe we all need to do our research into the rich history of these two cities and see how we can make a change. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that music has made its way back into the palms of these two cities. I think its histories way of getting you to travel to these cities in search of what all the hype is about… and on the way, learn where we all come from and how far Black music has come… It is funny how history repeats itself. Only to show us that change is only good when we can benefit from it.

This post is inspired by Montana Fishburne aka “Chippy D” (Laurence Fishburne’s daughter). She has recently made news headlines with her decision to be become a porn star. You can’t help but feel sorry for Laurence Fishburne. Can you imagine how you would feel if your 18 year old daughter was the talk of the nation for her “performance” in a porn movie? I’m sure many fathers are hanging their head in shame and disbelief.
The humiliation doesn’t stop there, she recently spoke out on her decision to do pornography. She told People Magazine, “It’s something I always wanted to do. I have always been comfortable in my body and with my sexuality.” She is only 18! So this comment confirms she has been practicing in the bedroom for quite some time now.
This whole ordeal has lead me, a father of a 3 year old girl, to worry if I’m raising my child the best way possible. What do I do to keep my child away from that life? Just like Chris Rock (comedian) said… “my job is to keep my daughter off the pole”
We all know the essentials, show your child love, attention and guidance. Those three components are easier said than done. I mean do we know that’s all it takes? Raising a lady in “modern society” is tougher than it’s ever been. It’s hard to teach your daughter to cover up and be “lady-like” when the latest fashions for girl clothing show off as much flesh as possible. There is a new way for women to get attention too. Media sources have made celebrities out of all kinds of classless women. I mean, how many sex-tapes have turned average girls into celebrities? How many times will we see these women become famous for being Tramps? Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian are the front-runners for that movement. Karrine Steffans has started another trend that has helped groupies become “stars.“ How? Through “kiss and tell”, sleeping with celebrities and then blogging on the internet about the details of your encounter. It’s the “Ho take-over!”
So, how do you keep your daughter off the pole? Harsher punishments and more strict rules? That’s not the answer because most kids who are sheltered grow up to become wild… so, what is the answer? No one has a real answer for that because every child is different. But, there are general guidelines that should help fathers raise their daughters correctly.
From what I have observed, it’s all up to us as parents. You can’t sit back and have the “They are going to do what they want regardless of what I say” approach. We must make sure that our children see, experience, and live with healthier influences. Whether we like it or not, children learn from what we do, not from what we say. It is important to teach your daughter to embrace imperfections, don’t be ashamed of what you see in the mirror. Being in a healthy, loving relationship yourself will help your daughter to expect the same when it’s her turn to select a partner. I think it’s also important for girls to have other women to look up to. Help her to find strong, successful women she admires (other than her mom, of course). Let them try different things. Let her participate in other activities. Don’t limit her to traditional “girly” toys and activities. If she wants to try boxing or football, let her go for it. As far as discipline goes, I’m a firm believer in “spare the rod, spoil the child.“   A lot of people abuse that method and use it for control. If It’s used improperly, the child will not understand the purpose of spankings and it only teaches them violence.
Let her be herself in any environment. With boys, it’s easy. You just keep them busy and enforce “wrap it up” and go to college. With girls, you need to be very, very delicate!
No matter what, make sure you spend solo time with your daughter. Bond with her on different levels. Let her know that you are more than just a “sperm donor” or “bank account.” Show her that she can come to your for advise even though you are her parent. It may help you get to know her better and recognize the things that make her unique.

I used to read my horoscope almost every day. Questioning how accurate they were in describing my attitude or disposition for that day. Sometimes, it seemed to be true and of course, other times they were false. After a while, I started to dig further. I would read books and articles online to give me a better explanation for how it works. I wanted to see what kind of person I am or could be. At times, I actually came to believe that someone’s birth chart, could teach you about that person’s temperament and how they see the world.

Through conversation, I found that some people get very involved in this belief. They truly believe that zodiac signs tell their fate and hold the key to their future. Often they lean on various sources to give them insight to what will happen next, to some it is guidance, and for others, it is just for fun and entertainment purposes. For me, it was more on the entertainment side of it. I did not even find it ingenuous. I think it is only true if you have faith that it will happen. The whole thing made me wonder… where and when did Zodiac signs get started?

According to Wikipedia, Zodiac denotes an annual cycle of twelve stations along the ecliptic, the apparent path of the sun across the heavens through the constellations that divide the ecliptic into twelve equal zones of celestial longitude… or whatever that means!

It is funny how history repeats itself because the ancient Greeks planned their lives around astrological influences too. If the sun and planets were positioned in a certain way, the Greeks believed they had an affect a person’s life and future events based on their location.

After a while, it became too much for me. I could not go any further because by giving it that much thought, I was on a path of idolatry. I felt like I was giving these beliefs too much attention. The simple fact that one could dig so deep into a belief that mapping out the stars could predict the occurrences in a day, seemed to be against my religious beliefs. I had to stay away because it became more than entertainment to me. It cannot inform you on how things should be. There was no way I could truly believe that “everything happens for a reason” and that “it’s in God’s hands” then at the same time, believe that I could predict my future. I look at it this way; I am an Aries, who was born in April. My life started at a different point then someone else who was born in April. With the changing seasons, different upbringing, and geographical differences, brings different moods, behaviors and lessons. Signs only explain similarities that each person born within that particular time period share. It does not explain other influences. The fact that your parents could have different signs and different traits can affect who you are and how you handle things. My parents are a Scorpio and a Virgo. While growing up, I might have adopted some of their characteristics that are contrary to an Aries.

Therefore, I do believe that they hold some truth but I am not going to govern my life based on my sign. People find ways to “judge a book by its cover” and this is a primary example. If you fall victim to these beliefs you will have already judged somebody you do not even know. “What did you say your sign is? Oh, you’re one of them!”… That is just not reasonable.

The Black church has been very influential in the history of the African American community. It served as a place of praise, worship and refuge to its members. Pastors were life and marriage counselors, providers and mentors. The Black Church was everything black people needed to help them get closer to GOD and eventually make something out of themselves during hard times. Blacks could meet and greet without trouble. Well, those days are long gone.

          Things have changed! With high divorce rates, increases in Black on Black crime and declining community involvement, it is obvious that even though many people still attend church, they are not benefiting from them as they used to. How did this happen? Somewhere along the way, it became more popular to do what feels good rather than to do what is right.  Sinful urges, are no longer suppressed. With the increase in teen pregnancy, the youth do not understand the concept of “following God’s word.” Is it the churches fault? When talking about the youth, some would say it falls in the parents hands but, the community as a whole struggles to live by the “word.”

          I must agree that it is hard to take Church seriously. Whether it is that commercial, your pastor was in where he/she promoted a new local restaurant or a simple observation of their lavish lifestyle. It is hard to trust their motives. The media does not help either. It seems like every year there is a big story on embezzlement or adultery going on in the church… It is to the point that the common joke about black preachers is their constant pleading for money. The phrase, “church is a business” has made a mockery of the church. Take a look our predominantly black films that feature the black church. Most of which are comedies. They always portray the pastor of the black church as a shady, money hungry, hustler type of character. No matter how you look at it, the church has a bad name. It is to the point you don’t know where your money is going. How often have you seen a church’s pastor live in better conditions than 90% of the members! Have you ever noticed your pastors fancy car and luxurious house and wonder how he/she is able to afford that? It is to the point, most people “love the Lord, but hate Offering” because of the pastors constant begging. Members get tired of offering baskets constantly being passed throughout the congregation. Even though all these things occur, it is not our place to criticize the church.

          My theory is that the decline in community morals does not have anything to do with the church. The pastor and its members should not be the reason you attend.  In retrospection, if you had expectations for the churches members before you got there, then you already failed. Never put your faith in man. You are there for one reason and one reason only, to praise God and get closer to the Lord. That is your mission. I personally pick my place of praise by how the “word” is taught, and how much knowledge I was able to gain after the sermon was over. No matter how times have changed, the “good book” always remains the same. Learn those principals and stick to them. Stand tall for what really matters. If you notice, almost every pastor that is caught for doing something wrong, will more than likely say something like, “I’m only human, and I make mistakes just like the rest of you…” There is a 100% chance he was right! Just because he holds a certain position, does not make him immune to temptation… It is not up to us to judge him, stick to the plan and focus on WE need to do to get closer to the Lord.

After viewing images from COMIC-CON (Comic convention) last week that took place in San Diego, Ca., I started to think. Marvel Comics and DC Comics are the two main competitors in world of comic book distribution. They have comic book characters that have become household names. Such as, Spider-man, Superman, Batman, The Hulk, Iron Man, Captain America, the X-Men, The Fantastic Four and so on… all of which are well written story lines about super heroes and their plight as they fight their archenemies.

          Each character has a biography that captivates their readers. Hollywood has decided to capitalize on this market with a string of movies that wrap around translating epic battles from the comics to the silver screen. These movies made these characters “main stream”. To the point, even if you’ve never picked up a comic book in your life, you know who Wolverine, Superman and Spider-man are. Just to name a few…

For me, there’s always that one question…Where are the black superheroes?

Believe it or not, they exist! They were ignored until the 60’s where they finally started to get their own headlining comic books. For those of you who don’t read comics, chances are that you never heard of them. There are characters like Luke Cage, The Falcon and Black Panther. These were some of the original characters that paved the way. Soon after, you have Storm of the X-Men, Spawn, Blade and so on… From there, you have the dozens of independent and underground black superhero comics. There are too many to count! But, why haven’t you heard of them?

          Spawn and Blade had their own movies and they were a hit! But, why didn’t they do as well as Spider-man or even the HULK? I mean, Blade is one interesting character. He’s half vampire, half human. He has all the elements of a Wolverine story in that he’s constantly uncovering different elements of his past… Spawn is another interesting story. It’s a classic story of Good vs. Evil with Spawn caught right in the middle of it. His character is torn and unpredictable! It has hilarious characters, everything that should make the series popular and continue to grow. So, why isn’t it popular? I mean, according to the latest ECLIPSE sales, people love Vampire movies… you get the point. So, where are the others?

          Is it the appeal? Do we need a character with a better storyline? A character with better powers and noticeable Super Villains. Or could it be that we aren’t ready for another major black super hero. One that could possible be presented on a grander scale… That might not be the case. But, we as culture, limit ourselves to certain genre’s. These comics have drawn the attention of some popular and more talented writers that can help these super heroes become that dominate character with an interesting plot. All it takes is SUPPORT. Believe it or not there aren’t too many black crime fighting super humans out there for our children to admire. A little support goes a long way! Whether it’s enough to get suppliers to create that new black action figure or even start that action packed cartoon that premiers on one of these anime filled cartoon channels. I would like to hear about a comic book super hero with a diverse twist that is coming to the silver screen other than  Aqua Man or boring Thor! You’d be surprised how interesting that can be!

There is no secret; the sport of boxing is struggling. The sport has been on a steady downward spiral. With limited headliners and a shrinking market, it almost faded away. It’s to the point, you would rather reflect on the fights of old than even mention some of the up and comers of today’s boxing world. The UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), has taken the box off by storm! Championship fights have sold out box offices, made millions on pay per view and has turned Champions into household names. You can almost say that it has taken place as the second most entertaining contact sport on American TV (football is in 1^st place).

Most of the top names in the UFC have risen to become marketable. Randy Couture has his own workout tape, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson starred in a movie, Brock Lesnar (wresting great) has joined the league as one of it’s top and most feared competitors and so on… Who does boxing have? Who is selling tickets in the boxing world besides Floyd Mayweather Jr. The answer is FEW. It has been on a steady decline. Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., two competitors at the peak of their careers, have yet to fight! This could be a fight of the century. However, in typical, modern day boxing style, they can’t seem to get in the ring because of the “business” aspect of it. Can you imagine that? The two prizefighters have been procrastinated fighting each other because of technicalities in the contract. It is hurting the sport.

The heavy weight division in boxing has vanished.  Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko (brothers) have dominated the division for too long! Simply because there is, no one left to fight. Lennox Lewis is retired and Holyfield and Tyson are washed-up. There are no more competitors left to fight for the title. That is terrible for a sport that, at one point in time, had endless talent in that division. It’s hard to watch a heavy weight fight and take it seriously now. Most of the contenders are “no-name”, out of shape, and lack the “it” factor it takes to draw anybodies attention. The average person does not even know who the heavy weight champion is. That is ridiculous considering the fact that in the past, whoever ruled over that division was on the front cover of every sports magazine, cereal box and sports drink commercial.

The UFC is on TV almost every week with a different group of up and comers just waiting to shine. With boxing, you’re only going to get two, maybe three good fights a YEAR! Not enough to keep it’s fan base satisfied.

You have to wonder does the style play a big part as well. How often do you get to see an opponent be hit while he’s down. A knockout isn’t a knockout unless the opponent is completely unconscious in the UFC. Fighters have taken bone crushing blow’s to the head and have battled back to victory. You can choke them out, break their arm, elbow them in them in the eye… almost anything goes! There is always the shock factor in each fight.

Although, boxing can still hold it’s own. The art of the sport is still legendary. The skill and precision it takes to out punch and score on your opponent takes uncanny guile. The footwork, hand speed, raw power, presence in the ring, slyness to avoid punches, cunning craftiness to counter-punch and unparalleled conditioning are what still makes the sport relevant. Can boxing stand a chance? Can their ratings rise and compete with the “ground n pound” nation… Yes.

The answer lies in the original headliners, the heavy weights. With a new batch of talent, the heavy weight division will strive in no time! People have been craving to see another classic grudge match with the big guy’s throwing down. The UFC is no joke, but it’s something about the competition in two men standing toe to toe and matching blow’s with one another in the traditional style. Using the art of the “bob and weave” to avoid punches and knocking another man out on his feet… The only question now is, are there any fighters out there who are still interested in Boxing and not going along with the popular vote and learning mixed-martial arts… Boxing still stands a chance!

One thing that can be said about black people, is that we loooooooooove to eat! That is a well known fact! Television ad’s take advantage of this, and rightfully so. It’s apart of our culture. We are known for over-using Sugar, salt, butter/margarine, and all kinds of fattening seasons and spices!

As a culture, we judge our experiences on how the food taste. As we travel from place to place, the one direction black people can point you in, is where the best food is located. “so and so is ok, but you really want to try this place! When you get there, try their ribs. mmmmm, that meat falls off the bone!” That’s an animated conversation, maybe kind of racist but you get the gist… If the food doesn’t taste good, it ruins our whole experience! We don’t even like visiting certain people according to the kind of food that is served!

It’s all in good fun, the same can be said about every culture… but with black people, our consumption of food is a PROBLEM!

Heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes, high Cholesterol, high blood pressure, Obesity… I can go on and on about the health issues that plague the black community. There are countless articles on it. There are so many health programs that cater to blacks that there is no excuse! The real question is, why don’t black people care about their health? I mean, it’s fair to say that the BMI (Body Mass Index) test aren’t fair because even though it gives an accurate measurement to what each person should way according to their height. It doesn’t take into account each persons genetics. Some people are just naturally heavier than others, whether it be their bone structure or their heavy, muscular build… It’s not as accurate as we want to believe! But at the same time, that can’t be used as an excuse. Just because your “stomach doesn’t stick out further than your breast”, you don’t have a “muffin top” and you don’t sweat that often doesn’t mean you are in the shape you need to be.

The answer to the question on why black people don’t live healthier is stubbornness. Ignorance, plays a part as well. How can you possibly be  obsessed over how you look on the outside and just not have any care about what your liver, heart, blood and kidney’s look like??? That’s just asinine!

You only want to live until your mid 40’s, maybe 50’s? What’s sense does that make?… Since when did we stop caring about living long enough to see our kids grow to full potential and actually being apart of our grand children’s lives…

You want to improve on self-esteem, you want to feel better about yourself… you want to feel good and look great! try getting in shape. Get the full experience of what it feels like to have your blood pumping, healthy lungs and slender stomach. That’s something to invest in.

Something that can help… is changing our meeting places. Where you socialize with friends is a big impact. We don’t get out and move! Try something different… The next time you and your friends get together, go skating, bowling, swimming… heck, even start a track club where you all meet at the track where you walk and talk (similar to long walks in the park). We need to learn how to find other entertaining meeting places to meet and greet other than functions like cruises, happy hours, boat rides and pot lucks. These places put emphasis on food.

Recently, there has been an overload of articles, which focus on the fall of relationships within the black community. Most of these articles focus on interracial dating, divorce rates and why professional black women and men cannot find a mate. Today’s black men and women have a hard time getting along. Every “relationship specialist” and “love doctor” in America thinks they have the solution. Everyone has his or her own issues. People fail to realize that even though many of these issues could be put in the same category, they still don’t relate to one another. For every cause, there is an effect.

In many situations, the person who claims that there aren’t any good men or women out here, never stops to think, “I wonder what it is about me that attracts these people”. Instead, you get the usual. You know the excuses, “n*gga’s aint sh*t”, “can’t turn a h* into a housewife”… so on and so on. Everybody wants to point the finger at somebody else. Could it be that we are looking in the wrong direction? Maybe it is everybody. Maybe we conditioned our environment to be this way. I mean, what did Chris Rock say, “there are n*ggas and then there are black people”. Maybe we are all behaving niggardly?

I mean TV is great example of how black people are, right? “ba doop ba ba baaa, I’m lovin it!” we all sing and dance for food right? I mean, our most popular figures on TV represent you and me. So, the lyrics you hear from these songs on popular black stations are how every black person thinks right. We all believe in “boyfriend #2”, all of our women “need a sponsor…”, all men have “sideline b*tches”… that’s how this new generation thinks. I guess, I mean according to the music of today that is what WE want to hear. We no longer want to hear, Teddy Pendergrass type music, “turn off the lights, and light a candle…” we don’t want to hear about LOVE. Hell no! Who wants to make “love” anymore? Adultery and having a “sideline boo” is cool now. We practice hating each other ALL DAY LONG. We must love fighting and gang banging because we love posting those knock out videos on YOUTUBE. I think there are more videos of females fighting then there of men fighting on the internet. When did females stop being ladies and start being self proclaimed b*tches? All of us aren’t negative, but we sure do like to put our business in the street.

According to our TV shows, black owned movies, and music, all we do is party, make babies and fight. We don’t even like each other. Black on Black crime is at a high. Race relations with each other are terrible. SO, if we don’t practice how to get along with our neighbors then how can we expect that same respect to be practiced within the house hold. TV has conditioned black people’s minds on how black people should interact with one another. It’s powerful. The youth see a bunch of “actors” wearing “skinny jeans”. Everyone starts to wear “skinny jeans”. A New York rapper uses the word “guap” to describe his money. Teenagers in Georgia start using that same term and they aren’t even from that area. Music and entertainment is universal, it moves us all. If all you see, are black people reacting in the same manner all the time. Eventually that catches on too. Rappers should never revere as role models. But, the media tries it’s best to praise and glamorize them to be the “prize possessions” of the black community. So if everything that they rap about has nothing to do with showing women respect, being faithful and taking care of home. Then what are the chances the kids will follow that way of living… Since when did what feels right become more important than what we know is right?

Recognize the source of the problem, look within, get yourself together and be happy. Then maybe, you will be ready and able to show someone else your self-worth. Stop being lazy and work at it. Maybe that’s what we need to keep this relationship working? Who knows? For every cause, there is an effect.

“Was that real?” I mean, did arguably the best player in the league just join forces with the “JUSTICE LEAGUE”? OOOOps, I meant the Miami Heat! I mean the last time I saw a starting line up like that is on a video game. Where I made some “fantasy” trades to get the “dream team” I wanted. Oh excuse me, that has been done before… the YANKEES, but that’s another story that is looooooong GONE!…This is one of those rare moments in history that you’ll ever see two of the top five players in the league play beside one another… Can you blame King James? We measure greatness by how many championships a player has. Not by how many times they came close! Just ask Donovan McNabb. Maybe Lebron had a talk with him before he made his decision. I can see it now, “Man do yourself a favor and leave now while you still have a chance. I was loyal. I did what I could with what they gave me. And look how they did me…”. After all, it is just business right? “Nothing personal”… But then again, Who else’s jersey is getting burned on camera? Farve? LOL, By the way, when is “two a day’s” over so he can show up with a “last minute decision” on why he is not retiring… What does this do to King James legacy? Can you still compare him to Jordan? the answer is NO. Now you could argue that Lebron was better than Jordan when comparing talent. There is no one on the planet at his size with that much GOD given ability to play basketball. Jordan did not have the ability to play every position on the court as effective as Lebron. But, there is one thing that makes Jordan untouchable to Lebron. You can never say MJ lost hope in the Bulls and went and joined forces with a team that is more likely to win. That’s like, if MJ went and played alongside Stockton and Malone. Where is the pride in that? He never took the easy route. That is his legacy; he built his own dynasty behind the mastermind of legendary coach Phil Jackson.
… From the fan’s Point of view, it sucks because that could have been a legendary rivalry. Who wouldn’t want to see James and Wade go head to head in a long, grueling series? Apparently, that’ll never happen again… My point is, no one would have cared as much about the Lakers winning 16 titles if Bird came to LA so he and Magic could play alongside each other.