Mia Michaels is SICK is such a beautiful way!

WEEK 6 - GROUP PERFORMANCE
Uploaded by HotSexyInCali

This is just one of the awesome routine's Mia Michaels has choreographed on SYTYCD.

Rock of Love and other garbage

Does anyone watch Rock of Love? I think it is comedy! Obviously, its the Rock version of FOL and I was happy to see other races embarrassing, degrading, and playing themselves on national TV, although there was one black chick on the show that was definitely not the most positive representation of our people. The sista in question went by the moniker Dallas and on the first episode, one of the contestants hollered "What up Nigga!" to her several times which seemed to bother her but she just ignored it and kept it movin. Part of me wanted her to whoop that trick, but the other part of me was glad that she remained calm and collected. So cut to last night's episode, some PETA chick was furious with Dallas because she proudly ate and wore animals. Indeed, the PETA chick was obnoxious and was trying to start something, but Dallas went off on her in the limo screaming and totally lost her cool. Once back in the house, the PETA chick continued to harass and "touch" Dallas, and Dallas repeatedly tried to walk away (although she was pushing her back and at one time almost threw her into a counter). Did anyone notice that they played the same (where is security b/c I am about to F%& that bitch up) clip on episode 1 and 3? That's not reality TV!

Anyway, the funniest moment of the night was when Rodeo decides she is going to stop the harassment and she YOKES the PETA chick up like she is straight up po-po and restrains her with ease. (see above photo) Ultimately, the confrontation gets out, the PETA chick blames everything on Dallas, and Dallas gets the boot! Dallas is so furious the PETA chick is chosen over her, that she leaves without a hug or goodbye, to which Brett (the Poison front man they are vying for) calls her classless. Its RACIAL! lol j/k This show has no socially redeeming value and is definitely trash, but that's why I love it!

Moving on, WHY WHY WHY are the top selling male R&B artists men who don't sing? Akon, doesn't even need to open his mouth, because his vocals come solely through his nose. Even worse, is T-Pain who sings through a voice box. Both of these men have hits, but anyone can have a hit, should they have top selling albums? I wont even get on how I hate the whole "Konvict" music thing and that they are promoting being in jail (most in the hip hop generation do). I can't believe Akon's non-singing a$$ has biters: Sean Kingston! You can't tell me he was signed for his talent, or for any other reason than the fact that he sounds like Akon. Have you heard any of his Ja-Fake-can tracks?

Speaking of garbage music:

Please, Check out a snippet of LoriAnn from Making the Band's new song:

http://concreteloop.com/2007/07/hot-or-not-laurie-ann-gibson-addictive

Mike and I hate it so much we CANT STOP PLAYING IT!!!!!!!!! Ohhhhh, I can not wait for the full version of the song. This has got to be one of the WORST songs EVER created, and that is really saying something with the trash on the airwaves today. More so than Paula and Mary Murphy, she is one ball of crazy I can not WAIT to laugh at! Bring on the show!

Finally, have y'all seen Deelishisus'?? video? I am without words. I actually liked her on the show and thought she carried herself with dignity (as much as one could while tonguing down Flava Flav). She said she really liked him, had no future ambitions in the industry, and berated Krazy for wanting to be a singer. So after dissing him, promoting her modeling career and booty shaking in rapper's videos, what does she do? Puts out one of the most dirty, trashy, classless videos of the year. Mike says he doesn't think it is that bad! Maybe he was mesmerized by the rump shakin! Check it out:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2mf9e_deelishis-rumpshaker_music

So You Think You Can Dance

Obviously, America doesn't know what it takes to be a professional dancer. I assure you it is not dancing on your head and faking the rest, or being able to waltz and fox trot and nothing more. As a dancer, I respect and appreciate the talent and "technique" needed to execute the above mentioned styles, yet the purpose of SYTYCD is to find the best all around dancer. To have a long lasting career in dance, one needs versatility and proper technique.

With that being said, why is Dominic still in the competition? Who voted for him? Is the large young, white, teeny-boper contingency voting for him in some convoluted attempt at being "down" with hip-hop? By performing the SAME damn solo as everyone else (which I actually loved by Wade), could the voting public not see how lacking in technique he was? And Pasha as well? Why am I getting so worked up when I already predicted all of the best dancers would slowly be voted off in lieu of some goofy tool who doesn't deserve to win (no offense Benji-you grew on me but Travis was still better)?

I'm glad that the judges (although I quite often disagree with them as well) were in control at the start so that the REAL talent got some exposure for their future careers. (Did anyone peep Blake from S1 on J-Lo's dancelife?) Does anyone watch any of these shows besides me?

How crazy is Mary Murphy? Mike said she and Paula need their own show--I agree. What was up with the whole Mia/marines coat emblem controversy? Who didn't expect there to be some backlash from "middle America" in regards to Wade's anti-war solo? How surprising was it that Nigel so eloquently responded with the logical rebuttal that "no one should support war--who wants people to die? that doesn't make one un-patriotic." ?

Moving to the subject of cheer leading (I'm sure I just lost whatever male readers I had at this point =P ), I coach a local Boys and Girl's Club cheer squad. Last year, I had very little support in trying to break them out of the cycle of what I call "hood" cheering. Am I wrong for that? The commissioner last year as well as this year's were supportive and encouraged me to teach them proper cheer technique (there goes that word again) and more than just "boom-chicka-boom" stuff. I was met with resistance from the kids, their parents and other coaches. I was told that the stunts I wanted them to do were too difficult and that I needed to make things simpler. I really began to doubt that I was doing the right thing and maybe the kids didn't need exposure to more than what they knew in that regard (it was supposed to be a fun pastime). However, when I saw the looks on their faces when they stuck their routine and won 1st place in a large cheer competition, I knew I was doing the right thing.

So this year, the commissioner wanted all of the age groups to be exposed to this type of cheer leading and brought in some college squad members from Catholic University to help coach. Once again, some coaches were resistant, and went as far as taking their girls out of the clinic and teaching them other things. Some parents complained that the new cheers were "too white" and encouraged the ebonics laden cheers. WHY? Why wouldn't you want your child to have the tools to make a competitive squad and possibly earn a college scholarship? Am I being blinded by my own lifestyle and opportunities and not seeing it from their perspective? Most parents and kids are on board, at this point though. I will just ignore those who are not.

I honor of this dance and cheer post, I have uploaded a picture of my college dance team: "Mahogany In Motion" Mike don't say anything about me living in the past! lol

Name That Child Star (or at least his role and show/movie)

Hint: "The human head weighs 8 pounds"

How alive is racism today?

A co-worker emailed me this story and I will reprint a summary of the article.

Last fall in Jena, Louisiana, the day after two Black high school students sat beneath the "white tree" on their campus, nooses were hung from the tree. When the superintendent dismissed the nooses as a "prank," more Black students sat under the tree in protest. The District Attorney then came to the school accompanied by the town's police and demanded that the students end their protest, telling them, "I can be your best friend or your worst enemy... I can take away your lives with a stroke of my pen."

The noose-hanging incident and the DA's visit to the school set the stage for everything that followed. Racial tension escalated over the next couple of months, and on November 30, the main academic building of Jena High School was burned down in an unsolved fire. Later the same weekend, a black student was beaten up by white students at a party. The next day, black students at a convenience store were threatened by a young white man with a shotgun. They
wrestled the gun from him and ran away. While no charges were filed against the white man, the students were arrested for the theft of the gun.

That Monday at school, a white student, who had been a vocal supporter of the students who hung the nooses, taunted the
black student who was beaten up at the off-campus party and allegedly called several black students "nigger." After lunch, he was knocked down, punched and kicked by black students. He was taken to the hospital but was released
and was well enough to go to a social event that evening.

Six Black Jena High students, Robert Bailey (17), Theo Shaw (17), Carwin Jones (18), Bryant Purvis (17), Mychal Bell (16)
and an unidentified minor, were expelled from school, arrested and charged with second-degree attempted murder. Bail was set so high -- between $70,000 and $138,000 -- that the boys were left in prison for months as families went deep into debt to release them. The first trial ended last month, and Mychal Bell, who has been in prison since December, was convicted of aggravated battery and conspiracy to commit aggravated battery (both felonies) by an all-white jury in a trial where his public defender called no witnesses. During his trial, Mychal's parents were ordered not to speak to the media and the court prohibited protests from taking place near the courtroom or where the judge could see them. Mychal is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31st, and could go to jail for 22 years. Theo Shaw's trial is next. He will finally make bail this week.

http://www.colorofchange.org/jena/?id=3D2472-73426

In the midst of the Genarlo Wilson case (http://wilsonappeal.com/), and in the wake of the Don Imus and Michael Richard's orations, I ask myself how much progress has been made? In no way am I suggesting that the work of countless civil rights activists and supporters was in vain, but I feel the struggle is no where near over. Legally, we are in the same position as our forefathers subsequent to the abolition of Jim Crow. We are all created equal, right? We're supposed to be entitled to the same rights as anyone else, yet we all know how the justice system can be manipulated to meet a specific goal. The intentions of sanctions, the appellate process, and checks and balances are to ensure that said manipulation doesn't happen, but somehow, it always does. Why, money and power? Since there are more wealthy blacks now than ever, shouldn't we be able to sway things back to center? One OJ acquittal does not an even playing field make. Do we as a people have power? In the entertainment field maybe, marginally in the political arena. Some blacks with power don't see the need to right wrongs, or more importantly, that certain issues are wrong to begin with.

So I'll get to the point. Why is it that some blacks feel that we as a people "dwell" on the past and blame whites for our problems? Why are there other blacks that feel whites are to blame for our problems and that we are still getting the short end of the stick? Does the truth lie somewhere in the middle? (I tend to lean towards the latter.) Sure, we all know that dude that won't go get a job, who dropped out of school, who complains because he is poor. And we also know those stories of those who have pulled themselves up from poverty into the upper echelons of society. Why can't we all do that? Why is affirmative action needed? Why do our people need more help than ever today? Its so much deeper than any one answer.

I will say this, we are the only people to have had everything stolen from us. From our names, to our culture, to our identity, to our families. We didn't have a chance to flee our lands and go somewhere else to start a better life. Our life was transplanted, laid out and regimented for us just like animals. What affect could that have on a black man's psyche, to be beaten, sold and to watch his wife and children raped? How would his children or their children or their children handle the situation? Yeah things are better, but how can you forget (even if it did happen to your great, great great...)? Furthermore, how can you ignore what is still happening today? If whites can casually call us nigger (not is the you're my dog kinda way), nappy headed hoes and Compton crack whores (Paris' rant was by far the most comedic), what do they think of us and what are they planning beyond closed doors?

What do they think of our democratic nominee?

I don't think all or even most whites are flat out racists. I believe many are and most may have some "tendencies" due to their upbringing and conditioning (a master's grandkids have to have some type of entitlement attitude right?)

I will stop typing now. Am I uber sensitive or on point in any way?

July 24, 2007

As much time as I spend on the net, I decided it was time that I too join the wonderful world of blogging. I hope you enjoy, but I will be forthcoming with the fact that I don't have much to say. I will, I'm sure, come up with something.

I'm currently at work, not working, and thinking about So You Think You Can Dance and why Neil (who is by far the most awesome) wont win. Its the same reason why Blake (who was by far the most awesome) didn't win last year. Why does America get it wrong every time? Why did the judges vote off Ricky and Jimmy as if to say PLEASE lets have a girl win this time? Why did Nigel think it was OK to say anything about Slauson and Chrenshaw? Who am I to judge? Nobody--but I still will add my two cents and then some.

So this weekend, some friends and I went to a Reggae Wine Festival. It was very fun and we partook in the festivities wholeheartedly. We sampled all there was to sample and danced our hearts out (for like 7 minutes/its hot out here). We also had a hilarious game of Scrabble (JIVER is a word) where I won, not that I am one to brag. What surprised me about the event was how few black people were there. Do we not like wine? Do we not like Reggae? Where were my people? We admittedly had a great time with our Caucasian and foreign brethren, but where my Ninjas at?

Did anyone see the preview of LoriAnn's, the Making the Band 2, 3, and 4 choreographer, new show on MTV? Making the Record? Are they serious? It is produced by Bad Boy Films. How is this possible if LoriAnn is attempting to sue Diddy and M Bivons for assault, battery, etc? Why did the episode last night not show us anything? Why was LoriAnn still talking ish as she walked out the door, if she was just held against her will and threatened with a chair moments earlier? IS THIS ALL JUST PUBLICITY TO PROMOTE HER UPCOMING SERIES?

So, some may think Who cares? Some people have sooo many other problems to be dealing with. I don't, my living is easy, for now.

Introducing Summer!

Hello world wide web surfers! The purpose of this blog is currently undecided. I will write about any and everything and include a lot of pictures while I'm at it (my mom would say its the japenese in me).

So here is some ABOUT ME stuff that isn't in the about me section:

I am in a wonderful relationship with my best friend and number one supporter, Mike Black.

I have a beautiful, caring,and sickeningly perfect family (excluding myself of course). My mother and father will soon celebrate their 30th year of marriage and couldn't be more in love. My brother and his wife have two of the cutest children ever created. I have a wonderful grandmother and a team of aunts, uncles, cousins, extended family members and neighbors to round out the bunch.

I have some very close girls, most of whom I have known at least half of my life and live in the Los Angeles area: Ebony, Timiesha, Aja, Viannda, and Brittany.

Be familiar with the aforementioned names because I am sure they will reoccur througout this blog in the future.