It brings me great pleasure to applaud Brother Jeff Johnson on his new show on BET. Starting this Friday night Jeff Johnson will be hosting a news program geared discussing the news of the week, in depth coverage of the Presidential Elections while also addressing issues that are specific to the black community.

BET is often dubbed “the worst thing for black people”, Bamboozled Entertainment Television” and a host of other unflattering names. However, when shows like this are brought on the air they receive hardly any attention and viewership. Television is in the business of making money and if people are not watching news programming geared towards people of color then you can expect to not see those types of television shows on air. Support Brother Jeff Johnson as you supported Soledad O’Brien with CNN’s Black In America.

I have listen to Brother Jeff Johnson speak on numerous occasions and this is one intelligent man who has a knack for understanding issues and presenting them in a way that others can grasp them quickly as well. I look forward to this show and I applaud BET for attempting something like this. PLEASE SUPPORT!

Link

The following piece was given to us by Ma’at. When I first read this piece I was so in tune with it that all of the other noises in the background of my mind needed to be silenced. I truly hope that this piece engages us in a discourse about not only our current reality but the change which we wish to see within our reality. Peace and Grace be unto you!

THE AMERICAN NIGHTMARE

Rags to riches
Foreigner
Outsider to Inside
American Society
American Money
American Riches
The American Dream
Business Man
Drug Dealer
Hustler
Lawyer
Me…
See I
I too started off
Young
Hungry
Driven
Hustling
Toward the dream
My American Dream…… Esq.
So I did what anyone…everyone chasing the American Dream does
I hustled
Made those connects
Studied the greats…
The great hustlers….

Walked softly…. watched, listened, emulated
Worked my way through the system
The American system
Day in and Day out
Climbing the ladder
Shaking hands
Negotiating
Until
Until the party life…..got me
Addicted
Addicted to status
This little brown girl from Church Ave.. now regarded by society as a
member of an elite….
Better than you
Better than most
Damn that shit feels good
The high
The power..
It’s addictive
I’m penetrating you
Deeply, hard, long….
Now all you can do is say my name and hope you feel me tomorrow
How could I not fall in lust?
How could I not keep coming back?
Knowing it was starting to kill me…..

Yeah…the American Dream
My American Nightmare
Time moves….
PAUSE
I look around….I
Is this what success is all about
A bunch of bitches acting like bitches with big mouths
I’M LIVING THE AMERICAN DREAM
AND YOU KNOW WHAT,……. ITS FUCKED UP
I live a life where I am a part of a machine that rapes my people
Rapes my mind
Bleaches my spirit
Makes “America” Rich
How fitting?
How fitting that the dream in this country
A COUNTRY BUILT ON THE PRINCIPLES OF DESTROYING WHAT MUST BE DESTROYED
FOR PERSONAL GAIN
Would idealize a life that destroys those who live it for the gain of
those in power
The essence of a Hustler’s Spirit….

WAKE UP!!!!

Ok let’s talk about this! Who is paying this false prophet to spew this nonsense? The Bible said their would be false prophets and Pastor Manning is clearly one of them. I am wondering if someone is paying, I will not even call him Pastor anymore because that is a respected name.

Is someone paying Ignoramus Manning or is he making money off these youtube videos. People like this man are disgusting because they claim to be of Christ and their idiotic behaviors turn so many people off to the word of God. What a Jerk?

As far as his hate for Barack Obama, Jerkoff Manning Get a LIFE!

I was shocked that Soulja boy responded the way that he did. It shows a lack of respect for the older generation and leaders of Hip-Hop. I mean does Soulja Boy really think that he makes good music, like noone will remember this dude next year. And his response sounds like a immature little boy, BEAT IT!!!!

Here’s How The Whole Thing Started…

Here is Soulja boy’s response.

Soulja boy is fresh ass hell and is actually the true meaning of what hip hop is sposed to be. He came from the hood, made his own beats, made up a new saying, new sound and a new dance with one song. He had all of America rapping this summer. If that ain’t Hip Hop then what is? A bunch of wannabe keep it real rappers that ain’t even relevant, recycling samples trying to act like it’s 96 again and all they do is hate on new shit? Niggas always talk about the golden age but for a 13 year old kid, this is the golden age!!! That song was so dope cause everything he said had a hidden meaning… that’s Nas level shit… he just put it over some steel drums which is also some Nas shit if you had the 2nd album cassette with the bonus track “Silent Murder” on it. In closing… new niggas get ya money$$$$$$$$$$ Keep this shit fresh and original…. ain’t no fuckin’ rules to this shit and that’s what real hip hop is to me. - Kanye West

Now Kanye is rolling with Soulja Boy on this one. So basically if you spit on a record, loop it over a few times now you are Hip-Hop. Vanilla Ice is hip-Hop, hell if you come from the hood, make your own beats then you too can be hip hop. It doesn’t matter if you have any love for the culture, this genre of music. But clearly this is where the industry meets the culture, Soulja boy is what the industry has made. Times are changing so to say everything that is new is wack is proposterous. But for Kanye West to compare Soulja Boy to Nas is outrageous. Matter fact I am forgetting that Kanye goes on tirades and this was definitely one of them.

Mike Tyson put up $50,000 for a proposed “hit” on gang members suspected of killing his bodyguard in 2000, a government witness testified.

Tyson’s attorney was traveling Friday and could not immediately be reached for comment.

May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace. Numbers 6: 24-26

Good afternoon, thanks to all the people who emailed me asking about my wallet. I did not purposely leave the cliff hanger, I guess I just forgot to conclude the story. I have yet to receive my wallet which is so not cool because now every time I get on the train I have to tell the conductor’s my story so they will let me ride for free. I keep calling but they haven’t found my wallet yet. There was no money in it so I wish whoever has it would just return it. However there is no need to complain, things could be way worst so I am thankful for all the other blessings I receive. I have learned that it is better to acknowledge the good in your life rather than the bad. The bad tries to consume us and if we allow it, it will.

Now whenever I deal with something that is unfortunate I just look at it like a test, like ok I see you testing me! So today’s scripture is dedicated to us, our family and friends. May the Lord protect us and them. May he smile on us and be gracious to us, and even when we feel it’s raining know that his smile is the warmth that keeps us going. May he show us his favor and give us peace. Enjoy your day and smile, smile so that those around you can be blessed by the God within you. Peace and Grace be unto you!

Talking with one another is loving one another.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah Psalm 46: 1-3

Good afternoon, pardon the delay, I had a presentation to give so I was unable to sit at the computer. But I already knew what I wanted to write, I just needed to find the bible verse to go along with it. Low and behold I found it in the Great book of Psalms. God is our refuge, our strength, an ever present help in trouble. I could not agree more and i am thankful that I can find such truths within the bible. So where does all this come from you ask? Well yesterday while traveling home I reflected on my day. I decided to write a message and the contents I will share with you:

Today was just another day where the Lord showed me that I am blessed. Blessed to have such a father, blessed to have such a savior. A God who looks past my many flaws and even looks past the fact that at times I doubt that he hears me. No today the Lord managed to cement more in my head how much he loves me. He never ceases to amaze me, I think its time that I begin to pray for that unyielding faith, that faith where nothing affects me because if something does I know it is the Lord who is channeling his energy through me. I know it is him preparing me to be  the greatest good that I can be. Thank you Lord for your blessings, you are forever loved, appreciated. I pray that we only get closer, I think back to a year ago and where we were then and where we are now. How far you have brought me, what a noble, amazing God we serve. Simply amazing!

Shortly after I wrote this I lost my wallet on the train. My wallet only included my license, credit cards, school id, and my expensive LIRR monthly train pass. It may not sound like much but for like 5 minutes I was devastated. There lay my wallet under the seat and the conductors would not open the door for me and the train just coasted off. So here i am stranded at the train station 40 minutes away from my house with no money, no id no nothing. Well I did have my computer, if I didn’t have that i may have had to jump! But seriously in such a moment of trouble God reached down to help the Ced Meister out. The conductor of a different train went above and beyond to help me. Took me into the conductor’s booth and I literally watched him call any and everybody that could possibly help me. At that moment I knew God was helping me, that god was moving through this man and guiding me out of the situation. Right then I said even if I don’t find the wallet, I don’t care. I am just thankful that even when I am in a bad situation I know I can depend on the Lord. Peace and Grace be unto you!

This is really sad news, my heart truly goes out to this man’s family. Kirk Wright, a Harvard educated manager of a popular hedge fund killed himself this past Memorial Day weekend after being convicted of mail fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering in federal court.

Kirk Wright was the manager of the Marietta Hedge Fund. The bigger issue here to me is that a well educated, intelligent brother has taken his own life. A problem we often neglect in black communities and believe it or not white communities as well is how serious depression really is. It seems we have yet to find a productive way as a society to deal with how people emotionally handle times of crisis. Often these states of depression drive people right off the edge and they do drastic things like committing violent crimes even inflicting pain upon themselves. I send my deepest condolences to this brothers family and I pray that as a community we can start discussing the need to make mental health a core issue in our lives and finding beneficial remedies.

for more on this story check out:
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2008/05/26/wright_0527.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

Money will determine whether the accused goes to prison or walks out of the courtroom a free man. - Johnnie Cochran

There will be no free downloads of this album from my site, however I will let it be known that the album is on the money. Many rumors have been circling around the internet and the blogs that Usher was about to drop a dud.

Well if you’re a 5 year old and can not appreciate a man’s growth through his music then you will probably not like this. But if you are ready for a sincere to R&B, I mean that real rhythm and blues then I suggest you go out and purchase Usher’s new album when it drops on Tuesday, May 27th.

From the beginning to the end of the album Usher will bring you on a roller coaster journey of a man and his emotions battling love and facing his fears head on. “Moving Mountains” finds Usher more than comfortable while divulging his feelings about a love going down the wrong path. Those who have been there can relate to the metaphor with ease and are fighting for Ush to move the mountain, climbing and hoping for things to change. What can you do?

“Prayer for you” is just an interlude but you can see the growth in my man Usher singing a prayer for his little man. I remember back when Usher was a young dude singing “just call me a mack” and now he is showing the true evolution going from the ladies man to now becoming a family man.

A sure hit for the radio “Best Thing” finds Young Hov and Usher riding the beat getting the ladies ready for a hot summer!

“Appetite” will be a favorite of all these gossip sites looking to throw some salt or hate into dude’s new marriage. He’s hitting the fellas with a message though telling us not to feed our appetites or we’ll be trying to get into the crib but the key won’t fit no more.

All the Ladies looking to find that special dude will hope that when the time comes that he serenades them with the words to “Before I Met You”! A beautiful dedication to the special one in your life, like I said Usher is definitely showing growth on this one, not the same player from Confessions!

Everyone is going to attempt to compare this album to Usher’s last but that will be their first mistake. You can not compare the two; Usher released Confessions at 25 fresh out of break up. He is now 29 and a happily married man with a child, in those four years there has obviously been a lot of growth and it shows on Here I Am. Quality Product, I’ll be buying the retail copy as soon as it drops on the 27th!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tZAFCX2Rlk&hl=en]

1. Intro
2. Love In This Club featuring Young Jeezy
3. This Ain’t Sex
4. Trading Places
5. Moving Mountains
6. What’s Your Name featuring will.i.am
7. Prayer For You Interlude
8. Something Special
9. Love You Gently
10. Best Thing featuring Jay Z
11. Before I Met You
12. His Mistakes
13. Appetite
14. What’s A Man To Do
15. Lifetime
16. Love In This Club Part II featuring Beyoncé & Lil Wayne
17. Here I Stand
18. Will Work For Love