Trea-tease On the Death of Hip Hop

Notice that I called this a trea-tease (not a typo). I have a lot to say about this and will most likely break it into a series when I get done with the one that I am supposed to be working on. Why the teaser? It was inspired by this video:

Eat that watermelon, indeed. Some are asking if the video went too far. Instead, we should be asking if those who inspired the video have gone too far. Rappers (not MCs mind you) like Soulja Boy, who put both feet in their mouths every time they open them and make you wonder why such happily and blissfully ignorant fools are allowed to speak in public or at all. **Ignorance in and of itself is not so bad, we are all ignorant about something. However, speaking on and about things that we are ignorant about is my personal definition of stupidity. Furthermore, I would normally post a picture here but I wouldn't give this no-dancing, no-reading, couldn't-rap-if-he-tried idiot the pleasure of gracing my page. This concludes my interruption, now back on topic.** Of course, the video is narrated by my favorite rapper, Nas, who is pictured above. This is merely a snippet, so I won't get into the similarities between the minstrel show and the current state of hip hop at this moment, which were obviously addressed in the video. Similarities which were also addressed in rap group Little Brother's 2005 album, "The Minstrel Show." They shot a music video for the lead single, entitled "Lovin' It" off their album. BET refused to play this album because it was, and I quote, "too intelligent," according to an unnamed executive. Here's how I feel about BET, as addressed by Aaron McGruder.

Enough of that, just know that anyone who analyzes the images on television with and the words on the radio with their minds as they see/hear them already understands that artists are being "pimped." We'll say or do anything, without regards for the ramifications these things bring about for the entire community (and yes there are ramifications). It's the same thing with black actors. Wonder why they keep killing us at the beginning of these movies? Because there's always someone willing to take the job, that's why. Viewers protest, actors oblige. Same in hip hop. A few listeners protest, most rappers and fans oblige. We don't even realize that we're clowning ourselves for meager money while we make billions for corporate executives, many of whom would never allow their children - or anyone that they cared about - to exploit themselves in such a way. Why is hip hop dead? Ever seen the movie, "Ray?" The beauty of that movie is that it provides an in-depth look into the life of Ray Charles and the sources of inspiration for all of his music. Every song that he sings comes from a specific story from his childhood or his adult life. From his joys, pains, sorrows, and anguishes throughout his life - we got good music. Music that he sang because it was his truth, his experience. That gives it an authenticity that many of us in this generation have never known from music. Fans, listeners, and money came because people could relate to it and therefore supported it. Nowadays, it's backwards. We make music trying to come up with something catchy and simple (not to mention silly) that people will buy. Instead of telling our own stories and imparting the wisdom and lessons learned from our lives into inspirational and life-changing music, we desperately want to make a "hit." Every high school teenager you know is putting out (or has recently put out) a mixtape. Everybody thinks they can 'spit.' No one, however, is bringing anything new to the table. Instead, they make clone music that they hope will be a hit. Not because they've lived it, but because it sounds like something that went platinum and they're hoping to mimic the formula and the success. It's just like reality television. Very little of it is original, it is all derived from something else and adds merely a little twist. For instance, "Dancing With the Stars" begat the ill-fated "Skating With Celebrities." They don't even think enough of us to try and hide it anymore. That goes for both reality television and most of today's hip hop (so-called) music.

2. The stronghold that the mainstream media has on our culture, and our desires to be socially accepted at almost any cost

I know. It's been a long time coming. A really, really looooooooong time coming. In my first post, I said that I would do one of these everyday for a week until I had finished the 7 reasons I had cited (while acknowledging that there are more that exist) for the downward spiral that we are seeing in Generation Y and in our society as a whole. Things came up, stuff got pushed back. I apologize. Sorry. But I'm back on it now, so here we go.

The first reason was the absence of fatherhood. It ties directly into this one, because one part of the reason that we are "raised" by televisions is because parents aren't doing their jobs anymore. Many fathers aren't there in the first place, and many mothers work extra hard to provide for their children - who are left in front of the television all day. Mainstream media (TV, radio, internet, movies, etc.) directly affects us and how we think. Don't we all have people that we know who say things like "I know such and such is true, I saw it on TV!" People hear songs on the radio and think that the topics mainly discussed (money, cars, clothes, drugs, sex, and violence) are what hip-hop is all about (more on that at a later date). As the saying goes, "seeing is believing." I, for one, find it hard to believe what's on TV and what I see in actual life. Wonder why our culture is oversexed? What do they use to sell everything from records to clothes to phones to food products? Sex! Sex, sex, and more sex. It desensitizes us to the immoral and perverse. Plus, in the Black community, we see the same images of Blacks over and over again. Negative images that I believe send subliminal messages that carry sizable consequences. What do we see? We see the "hustler" (or "hustla" for the suffix protesters) that gets money by trafficking drugs to the community. This life is glamorized on all types of movies, songs (and the subsequent music videos), and television shows to the point that we have young men walking around who think they want to be this guy. The part normally left out is how the guy ends up living his life looking over his shoulder all the time, unable to trust anyone or actually enjoy the fruits of his "labor" (think Frank Lucas - his wife bought him a mink and he sat with the bigwigs to watch the Muhammad Ali fight which led to suspicions about his identity and next, his empire came crashing down and he was headed to do hard time). If not, they end up in prison for the rest of their lives. Worse yet, someone gets jealous of the money and popularity our dopeboy has received, and kills him. If either of the last two happens to anyone, that person is not living. Either you die, or you go to prison. Prison is no way to live. They sell these lies to us in such a smooth way, we've even started to believe them. Similarly, sex is promoted all over the media. Once again, they neglect to tell the whole story. Hot partner, sexy. Hot encounter, sexy. What's not sexy? How about syphillis, gonorrhea, herpes, chlamydia? Worse yet, what about HIV/AIDS? Teen pregnancy is not sexy, either. It's a really hard road - especially for someone who is still a child - to travel. No stable source of income, no education, and a young mouth to feed. Even more important, a child to raise without the benefit of life experience that provides the lessons and morals that we all should pass on to our children. Did I mention that it's not sexy? Ask any unmarried woman with a child who is trying to find a date. Not a booty call, mind you, but a date. Yeah. Thought so. You don't have to take my word for any of this. Ask Bristol Palin. Yes, the daughter of Sarah Palin who once said that she thought abstinence was 'unrealistic.' Now she's an advocate, speaker, and promoter, of abstinence. Having a baby is not fun because if you actually care about the life that you brought into the world, you have to put your life on hold. Very few friends stick by you during and after the pregnancy, either. Not fun. Not sexy. What of the fact that many women seem to be looking for "bad boys" these days that life is actually beginning to resemble the movies where the thug gets the girl? Criminals are glamorized and made to look incredibly "cool." Thugs, gangstas, drunks, weed-smokers - cool. Lack of discipline - cool. Lack of self-control - cool. Lack of integrity - cool. The negative effects of such images can be seen on the 10 o'clock news every night. Conversely, the smart and wholesome characters seen on mainstream media are usually shown to be uncool, unpopular, insecure, and lonely. It should soon begin to make sense that so many of us actually shun knowledge and learning - those girls never seem to get the guy or vice versa. Or if they do, it's because they "loosened up" and got drunk that night. Or they finally hit the blunt. Or some girl finally gave 'em some and now all of a sudden, their focus is completely on their social lives and any noble goals or focus goes out of the window. What do we expect from our generation, then? As is my custom, I have rap lyrics ready to prove my point. These particular lyrics are from Lupe Fiasco, on a song called "The Instrumental" which was featured on his first album, "Food and Liquor."

"He just sits, and listens to the people in the boxes
Everything he hears, he absorbs and adopts it
Anything not coming out the box, he blocks it
See he loves the box and hopes they never stop it
Anything the box tell him to do, he does it
Anything it tell him to get, he shops and he cops it..."

The point behind the title of this song is that those who control the images and messages transmitted in the "box" have taken away the voice of he who watches it, thus leaving only his instrumental. I've heard many Brothas from the Nation of Islam say about television, "They're telling lies to your vision." Farrakhan seems to have this one right, if you ask me. If acting and movies and music are all considered "art" and life is said to imitate art, then shouldn't producers, screenwriters, creators, actors, and others in the film and television industry as well as those in the music industry be more careful as to what they are willing to show? Better yet, who said that children should be raised by the media anyway? Isn't it time for parents to stand up and at least monitor and control what their kids can see? Here's the point. I wrote in an earlier post that the current trend of rap music that we hear on our radios relies on one constant: the continued oppression, stagnancy, and complacency of the Black community (the effects of which are beginning to spillover into society as a whole). If more women knew who they are, and that they aren't "hoes," they wouldn't dance to (or worse yet, buy and support) songs and artists that refer to them as such. If more young men really knew what it takes to empower and elevate one's self (knowledge, drive, education and integrity), less of us would fall privy to the dangers and allure of street life. More of us would be too busy investing, saving, or paying our bills to "make it rain". More of us would inhabit safe and prominent neighborhoods before, not after, driving a nice car. More of us would also father our children. Nearly everything that is depicted as cool or socially acceptable on television can and will lead to death and/or destruction. Crime, sex, greed, drugs, lack of intelligence/education, etc. They all lead to the prison yard or to the graveyard. Such is the point of the entire concept on which Lupe based his second album, "The Cool." The album follows Micheal Young History, a young guy who is seduced by The Streets and misled by The Game to be a drug dealer. He ends up poppin' tags and collars and whatnot, rides a nice whip, everybody knows who he is and he has a whole lot of money and women. Eventually, on a skit, a gunman runs up behind his driver's side window and shoots him while he is in his car. On the following song, "Put You On Game," Lupe embodies The Game, a personification of the allure of the glamorized lifestyles which in actuality lead to death or imprisonment, neither of which are glamorous.

"I am the safe haven for the rebel runaway and the resistor
The trusted mis-leader,
The number one defender,
And from a throne of their bones I rule,
These fools are my fuel
So I make them Cool
Baptize them in the water out of Scarface pool,
And feed 'em from the table that held Corleone's food,
If you die, tell them that you played my game
I hope your bullet holes become mouths that say my name,
'Cause I'm the... [gunshot]"

Can you see why I'm so excited that Lupe's gearing up to put out another album? If we ever plan to stand up and take our place as a respectable generation, we have to first reject what mainstream media tells us we should seek. We have to replace the destructive images with constructive ones. Replace ignorance, violence, drugs, alcohol, and sex with intelligence, peace, drive, discipline, and determination. Smart is the new gangsta. Articulate is the new sexy. I'll tell you what isn't sexy. That guy that wants to create children and not provide for them - not sexy. That girl who doesn't know her worth and flaunts her body as if she wishes to be passed around - not sexy. That guy or girl that does not realize who he/she is, what his/her talents are and what he/she wants to spend his/her life doing with them - not cool. The guy/girl that seeks validation from everyone and everywhere else except from within and above - not cool. We have to be the antithesis to what we see on television, to what we hear on the radio, and to much of what is seen on the internet. We cannot be living examples of it. In the Bible (John 10:10 to be exact), Satan's M.O. is described. "The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy," it says. It would seem that the Devil is using television to do it. Unfortunately for Jesus, people don't read anymore. Only one word describes the message of the mainstream media - propaganda. We have to dismiss and reject the propaganda and create our own stories, define ourselves, and create our own futures and destinies instead of taking our cues from those in posh corporate offices who are more concerned with ratings and profits than they are about the social effects and by-products of their programming (take notice of the word -a very fitting one). Don't be programmed. Be the resistance.

Guilty As Charged

My name is Christopher James and I have a problem: I have proven hypocritical (in more than just the usual ways) today. Let me tell the story from the beginning.

First of all, I criticize my generation a great deal. This is not because I think that I am better, but because I see the potential that we have, the advantages that we have been given, and the opportunities we waste on a daily basis. I often speak about this and about everyday occurrences that I think are indicative of some of the problems that we need to solve. One such occurrence is careless and inconsiderate driving (and the bigger issue of a lack of common courtesy), something that I think is indicative of the fact that we are only looking out for ourselves and our own interests - taking absolutely no interest whatsoever in what other people are doing, where they are going, or how we can make sure that we do not hinder or impede them. This is also clear on campus at USM when just walking around. Many students are trying to get to class and very few of them yield to anyone else. Many of us see people facing us, heading in our direction and walk straight toward them. Most seem to be thinking "the other person will move" or maybe, "the other person better move." Again, I think these things are indicative of bigger social issues. Many of us cannot see past our own motives and viewpoints to recognize that we are all similar people with similar goals - so we get in each other's way and refuse to move, making enemies out of those that we have enough in common with to make into friends. Don't think it's that serious? I'd argue that you're a part of the problem because it is that serious and we just don't realize it. Common courtesy and respect for others are essentials that we need in order to function properly because, as the saying goes, "no man is an island." Beyond that, the way that we treat each other when on our way to class or driving to our respective destinations translates into the way that we view each other in life. An example of that is murderous road rage - a mentality that says "I don't like the way you drive and think you are a nuisance, so I will kill you to rid myself of the irritation you cause" or, to put it simply, "you're in my way, so you have to die." So the way that we treat each other in certain situations is usually indicative of the way that we see each other in life.

What does that have to do with me?
Here goes:
I recently finished up working a dead-end summer job. Mind you, I do not refer to it as a dead end job because I am ungrateful for my employment. I simply recognize that there is no upward mobility at all, nor is there the potential for any. The work is simple and I make minimum wage working full-time, which is enough for me. Actually, I rather enjoy the job because it is a taste of exactly the kind of work I don't want to do for the rest of my life and provides an extra boost for this already driven young man to pursue his education, goals, and dreams with abandon.
I got my last paycheck today (yes, we have to actually pick them up, no direct deposit). I picked it up, and headed to the bank to deposit it. It was a pleasant drive, until I was almost at the bank. At that point, I came across a Mack truck carrying an oversized load right in front of me. It was going extra slow, and I was almost there. What did I do? You guessed it, I switched lanes, sped up, and cut the truck off to make my turn into the bank. The turn proved quite eventful being that I almost didn't give the truck enough time or room to stop, and actually had to coast down to the bank's second entrance to prevent being rear-ended by the monstrous vehicle behind me. The driver blew his horn, and in one instant it was over. I handled my business and came home, disappointed in my behavior. I talk about this all the time, yet I was the one guilty of it today. I was more concerned with what I had to do than with my fellow man (or the safety of either of us, for that matter). To make matters worse, I was almost at the bank when I saw the truck - which means all I had to do was proceed slowly behind the truck until I reached my destination, which only would've taken 10-20 seconds more. Instead, I put us both at risk. I know better. However, knowing without practicing doesn't do me nor anyone else any good. I have to do better as well. I could come up with all types of excuses for why I committed this ignorant and inconsiderate act.

• It had taken me a little longer to get my check, being that the lady that usually handles payroll was not in her office.
• I do not own a car of my own and drive sporadically, making me a little rusty in certain situations.
• IT'S FRIDAY AND I JUST GOT PAID AND NEED TO GET MY MONEY IN THE BANK!

None of these matter because any and everyone else on the road has a million reasons why they could choose to be inconsiderate and selfish. So does anyone walking to class on campus. We're all in a hurry. Anyone, and that includes ME, who chooses to act discourteously is saying that what they have to do - or the reasons that they are in a hurry - are more important than the next person's. Again, it's a rather selfish thing to do. I was selfish and inconsiderate and made up my mind that my destination was more important than that of the driver of the Mack truck. I do not know the driver and cannot apologize to him personally, but I can and do apologize here on this blog. I know better and pledge to do better from now on - whether walking, driving, or simply living.

**I know that someone may read this and say something to the effect of, "this dude is way too dramatic." It's not like I plan on grounding myself or resorting to some other drastic means of self-punishment. I'm simply acknowledging a bad, yet willful decision (not a mistake, we use that word too much for things that we choose to do despite better judgement) that I made. This type of decision is one that I criticize so many people for making because I believe, as written above, that it has certain social implications. We all make bad decisions from time to time and have to learn and move on. I'm doing both, and I'm certainly going to go on with my day. I simply chose to share the lesson with any and all who actually read the musings presented here.**

How Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Almost Became Radio Raheem

Yeah, you remember Radio Raheem.

Sad, sad story. The fact of the matter is that people are afraid of the anger of black men. Seriously afraid. Worse yet, many people like to act like there is no basis for such anger. I beg to differ. Anyway, when a Black man gets angry and the police are around, MANY police officers feel obligated to act with force. Being angry at a mistake (understatement) by the police force when being in your own home somehow merits your arrest? After presenting ID as a Harvard Professor and world-renown scholar? That's justifiable anger. Gates was arrested for that justifiable anger. He was well within his right to voice his objections in his home. Sgt. James Crowley conveniently moved him outside so that he could be charged with a public disturbance or disturbing the peace. Officials stepped in and said he had done what he was supposed to do. Why, then, were the charges dropped? Would they have been dropped without the media attention?

Here's Michael Eric Dyson and Kathleen Parker with their respective takes on the whole thing:

Here's mine. If the charges were dropped, it's most likely because there was no basis for them in the first place. Yet Crowley's bosses or colleagues don't seem to be willing to concede that fact despite the fact that Gates has been cleared. What else should I take that as instead of police officers sticking up for their own? I heard someone call into a radio station and say something to this effect: Many Black men are usually characterized as angry, immature, aggressive, and violent individuals by the media and many law enforcement officials (of any race) who have encountered them. What we do not hear about is the angry, immature, aggressive, and violent law enforcement officers who act out when they feel that their authority is challenged in any way. That's a lot of them. Not all of them, but a lot of them. I'm sorry. Remember Ryan Moats? The NFL Player that wanted to visit his sick and dying mother-in-law?


She died before he could get there because of his run-in with an insecure and slightly deranged police officer. Kinda reminds you of Abel Turner, Samuel L. Jackson's character from Lakeview Terrace, huh? So how do we fix the problem? I love the President. I also love the fact that he wants to bring Henry Gates and James Crowley together. I HATE beer. That's beside the point, which is that a one-on-one conversation will not fix the entire problem. Police officers, minority males, and the US Judical System are the only ones who can help bring about the kind of change needed in this highly tense relationship between Po-Pos and the Bros. Police have never really been punished for brutality. Amadou Diallou, Oscar Grant, Sean Bell, Rodney King, the list continues. They scarcely lose their jobs for this kind of crap - which means they need to offer an apology, and more importantly, a genuine and concerted effort to see all criminals as human beings no matter what color they are, how bad their English is, or how they are dressed. Let me stop right here. Gates is a Harvard professor. He speaks impeccable English and was dressed in a polo shirt and slacks. It is obvious that some people see Black and cannot see past it. Others see white in a uniform and can't see past that, either. I don't know if either of them saw past the racial implications of the situation.

Secondly, more minority men need to try not to escalate situations with police and let them do their jobs. Impeding them in any way only makes matters worse and leads to more charges. The police are in authority and have no problems reminding you by any means necessary.
Finally, if we had judges and jurors who would prosecute and punish law enforcement officials in accordance with their excessive force offenses and as a deterrent for others who may act in the same way, the problem may have been a lot smaller by now.
Why hasn't this happened already with the judges and jurors? Because of a simple truth probably most eloquently put in the movie/book, "A Time To Kill." Mississippi lawyer Jake Brigance, played by actor Matthew McConaughey, said "... the eyes of the law are human eyes - yours and mine - and until we can see each other as equals, justice is never going to be evenhanded."
It's a problem, ladies and gentlemen.

As far as the president saying that the officers acted stupidly? I certainly don't think he owed them any apology. I can't see too many white men being arrested in their own home after reports of a break-in that home and the presentation of valid ID. There were probably pictures of Gates on the walls, too. The President, being biracial (which in America = Black and should show how far we have to go in race relations, another story) knows all about racial profiling and prejudice and it seems that he spoke from a very personal knowledge or memory. Somebody needs to say it. Law enforcement officers spoke up for their own during the ordeal. Why shouldn't the President? The police organizations that responded with outrage at his comments need to do the same thing I say about my generation in response to criticism. Take it, change yourselves, and turn the legitimate criticism into a false statement as soon as possible. Instead, they are agitated at what he said instead of what they did. Be glad I'm not the president - yet. If anyone gets mad at me for calling them like I see them, I stand my ground, support my argument, and refuse to apologize as the title of this very blog might suggest. It's time for a national reconciliation. That can only come when both sides acknowledge wrongdoing from incidents in the past and pledge their efforts to correct the problem going forward.

My Reaction to CNN's Black In America 2

They should've featured a story about me on it. The second part was more about the solution to the problem.

*Side Note/Random Thought Did you see all the Brothas with waves in Black In America 2? Duke, S-Curl, Sportin' Waves and Wavebuilder should've done some advertising during the special - they would've come up.*

Anyway, I saw a lot more about education on there. I'm a fan of that, so it was really great to see. Especially at the beginning, when they talked about Malaak Compton-Rock's program - by the way, Chris Rock must be glad that he made the right spousal selection - in which she took several underprivileged, yet unlimited in potential, students to Africa for 2 weeks. The program is called Journey For Change and seems to be based in New York. I certainly wish that Oprah or Morgan Freeman or Jerry Rice or anyone else with loot like that could send some Mississippi kids somewhere to participate in such an experience. Location, location, location - but I digress.
The young lady made quite an improvement, the two guys they focused on did not. I bet there was a young Black male in that program whose grades actually dramatically improved. We wouldn't know from the broadcast, however. I'm not upset, I'm just saying that it could have been more balanced.



Then there was the school in Connecticut, a really inspiring and promising segment about a man by the name of Steve Perry, founder and principal of Capital Prep Magnet School. He was very focused and passionate about sending young Blacks to college and supporting them all the way there and beyond. He demands a lot from his students as well as himself, and could be seen driving kids to school and showing up at their extracurricular activities. He got angry at the lack of parental support and participation he saw and beyond that, made what I'm sure will be considered quite a controversial remark about teachers. His remark was that students don't need summers off. He said that no other job gets to take summers off and that students need all the help they can get and need teachers that are committed to educating them year-round instead of those who desperately look forward to summer vacation (I'm paraphrasing, of course). Sounds like greatness to me.

Much of the same in the Harlem's Children's Zone, except they expect greatness and achievement in every aspect, including the physical. Children and adolescents are expected to be active, get exercise, and compete for a prize while learning and reading everyday. What else do these two stories have in common besides their devoted, urgent, and strong Black patriarchal figures as well as their standards of success and excellence? They focused on young black women in both programs. Maybe this was to balance out the images of the successful men I described above who run both programs? That's fine, but it makes one wonder. In such environments, is it truly difficult to find positive, young male academic achievers? I would think not, but I could be wrong. I'm not saying that the young ladies should not have been featured, I'm just saying that they should have had male counterparts, and they didn't. Do we have a problem showing successful young Black men who might turn their caps to the side every once in a while and might wear baggy jeans, yet act and think in the direct opposite of the stereotypical manner? I'll give CNN credit, they did show a young Black man from an affluent home who attended the Tuxedo Ball - a social dance and networking event exclusively for young and affluent Blacks - and came from a long line of Black achievers. He does like to rock his fitted caps, too.

Other than that, inmate Chris Churn left prison seemingly rehabilitated and part of a program for inmates. It got real very quickly, however. He had mouths to feed, a baby on the way, rent to pay, and his part-time job just wasn't cutting it. The brotha committed armed robbery and went back to jail. Another negative image of a black man on this program.

Next, there was the doctor offering medical consultations and examinations in the barbershops. A really good idea from a smart Brotha who is trying to help more Black men live healthy lifestyles and make healthy eating choices. I liked it, although I thought it kinda seemed as if every brotha was a pork eating, overweight, sparsely educated individual. Maybe those were just the Brothas who were scheduled to get their ears lowered that day.

Finally, there was Tyler Perry. Survivor of abuse, the young church boy began writing plays and the rest was history. He went against Hollywood when Hollywood tried to dictate to him how Black life should be depicted. He also went against Hollywood's description and definition of the Black audience. He has multiple number one box office debuts under his belt. An ever-extending catalog of films and plays, and television shows. He even has his own production studio sitting on 30 acres of land (he needs 10 more and a mule, and I'll be satisfied). He also owns the rights to his actual films and therefore profits off of the movie and DVD sales. That's the way to do business, people. Own your work, be your own boss, and the author of your own horoscope. Now that's a positive Black man for you.
However, success does not come without its haters. Certain individuals have the nerve to say that his characters represent the lowest common denominator in Black life. Professional (or broke and unemployed) individuals with their noses stuck in the air for some reason or another who probably identify more with Mitt Romney than Barack Obama. Here's my tirade:
First of all, are we denying that people like some of the more stereotypical characters in his plays exist? Seriously? If anyone denies that, he denies his history and his family. No one should be ashamed of either of the two. We all have aunts, uncles, cousins, grandmas, or at least people that we know, grew up around, or go to church with that act just like some of Tyler Perry's most famous characters. Say you don't, and I say you're a liar. Period. That includes the black professor they interviewed, too. Get back at me whenever you're ready, Professor Snooty.
Secondly, what about all of the educated, wealthy and prominent characters in Tyler Perry's work? In "Diary of A Mad Black Woman," Charles (the abusive husband who ended up temporarily paralyzed) was a lawyer. The abusive fiance in "Madea's Family Reunion", played by Blair Underwood was a business executive. They were certainly flawed, but they were educated and upper-class members of society. What about the characters in "Why Did I Get Married?" We had a doctor, a lawyer, a business owner, an author - just to name a few. All of the characters in that story were upper or middle class? What's stereotypical or lowest common denominator about that? In "The Family That Preys," Sanaa Lathan played an accountant. In "Daddy's Little Girls," Gabrielle Union played a lawyer. What about Cicely Tyson's speech in 'Family Reunion?' Did that represent the stereotype? Was it 'lowest common denominator?' Imploring men to take their rightful places in the community, our young people to practice some morality and have some self-respect? I think not.
Finally, what about the messages of forgiveness, redemption, strength in adversity, and most importantly, the power of God that are clear, evident, and resonant throughout his work? There's nothing about these messages that says stereotypical or lowest common denominator. I didn't take time to get the Professor's name right. He's a nobody to me, and from what I can tell of his opinion, he's not important enough for me to know his name. Professor Snooty sounds about right for me. He can either put his own money up and create his own films, or kick rocks. Personally, I prefer the latter.

Overall, I thought Black In America 2 was good. It was mainly positive and I was proud as I watched it. I didn't, however, like the fact that there were no young Black men from working class families with their minds on education and making a drastic, history-altering, positive change in the world. Many of the adults and older men on the show whose work was being featured were positive. However, I would've liked to see more of a balance of coverage of young Black men and young Black women (of which several were shown) who are focused, driven, and determined to be successful. Not only do Brothas like that exist, but we are more numerous than television and certain people would have you to believe. I happen to know a brotha just like that. He goes by the name of - drumroll please -
Chris J The Genius!

Which brings me back to my original point. They should've featured a story about me on it. Tell Soledad O'Brien (with her fine self) I'm ready for my interview and close-up whenever she is. Until then...
Latino In America is coming, and I will certainly be looking forward to checking it out as well.

*By the way, when I say that Soledad O'Brien is fine, I'm observing - not coveting. That goes for the last post as well.*