Little Brother Splits Up

Sad, sad day in the Hip-Hop World. HipHopDX.com is reporting that 9th Wonder and Little Brother have parted ways. For those that don't know, Little Brother is a group that hails from Durham, NC and are considered, by many, the embodiment of real, unadulterated hip-hop.

9th Wonder, the producer of the group, has had personal success in crafting beats for mainstream acts such as Jay-Z, Destiny's Child, Memphis Bleek, Lloyd Banks and others.

As a group, little brother released two albums: 2003's The Listening and 2006's The Minstrel Show. Although their albums did not do well commercially, they were heralded by peers and critics alike.

The above video clip, Sincere, features Phonte of Little Brother.

They will be missed.

R.I.P...

Think & Grow RICH or Stay Poor

This post comes from guest contributor Mr. Smith. Please direct all thoughts and comments to him.

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“Emotions provoke your thinking; your thoughts will determine your actions; your actions determine your results.”
-The Chairman

Wealth and Poverty are both REALATIVE terms that exist among all races. Poverty can be broken into two catagories: Generational - 2 or more generations; and Situational - sudden death, divorce, etc.

Wealth and POVERTY can be traced back to one's thoughts, considering we generally learn how to think by the environment we grow up in. So it is true that the RICH get RICHer and the POOR get POORer. The chances of you doing drastically better than the tax bracket that you were raised in are highly unlikely.

INSANITY: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
“The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it's the same problem you had last year.” - John Foster Dulles

Growing up, my parents would always tell me that birds of a feather FLOCK together. As adults sometimes we forget that this rule still APPLIES. Take the time to think of your 5 closest friends and your ultimate income will be, on average, within 5% of each theirs.

If my parents or guardians were POOR, then go to a college where 90% of the professors are POOR; then I hang out with my neighbors or co-workers who are POOR… Chances are I'm going to be POOR too.

I believe that people can have and accomplish anything they want… But a wise man once told me that, “Blowing smoke in your own face will only make you cough.”

You can have anything you want, but you aren't going to get it with your CURRENT thought process. If you could get there with you current THOUGHT process then you would ALREADY be there. If you don't like where you are in life you can probably trace it back to your thoughts. This change will take time and might even be painful, but pain should be viewed as "weakness leaving the body.”

BELOW is a list of though-processes from Paine's book “A Framework for POVERTY.” The following describes the different thoughts of the different classes to the same situations. (P) - Poor; (M) - Middle Class; (W) - Wealthy.

Possessions
P: People
M: Things
W: One of a kind Objects, Legacy, Pedigree

Money
P: Used to be spent
M: Managed
W: Conserve, Invest

Personality
P: Entertainment, Sense of Humor
M: Stability, Achievement highly Valued
W: Connections: Social, Political, Financial

Social Emphasis
P: Social Inclusion he or she likes
M: Self-Governing, Self Sufficiency
W: Social Exclusion

Food
P: Quantity, Do you have enough?
M: Quality, Was it good?
W: Presentation

Clothing
P: Individual Style, Personality
M: Quality, Labels, Acceptance into the middle class
W: Designer, Artistic sense, Expression

Time
P: Present Thinking Only
M: Future
W: Traditions, History

Education
P: Not Really Important
M: Crucial for the climbing the ladder of success
W: Necessary tradition for making connections

Destiny
P: Fate
M: Choice, Can change the future with good choices
W: Nobleness Oblige

Language
P: Casual, Survival
M: Formal, Used to negotiate
W: Formal for Networking

Family Structure
P: Matriarchal, Women are the head of the house
M: Patriarchal, Father is head of the house
W: Whoever has the most money

Love & Acceptances
P: Conditional, Based on whether the individual likes them or not
M: Conditional, Based on Achievements
W: Conditional, Related to social standing

World Views
P: Local
M: National
W: International

Driving Forces
P: Survival, Entertainment, Relationships
M: Work, Achievements
W: Connections: Social, Political, Financial

Humor
P: People or Sexual
M: Situational
W: Social Faux Tas

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Can wealth be obtained by simply changing your way of thinking? Are there other factors that are more important? Does race and class play a significant role in this equation or are these obstacles that we create? What do you guys think?

One Hit Wonders...

Does anybody remember these guys? This group was from DC and came out with this one song in 1995 and then they disappeared. This was the JAM for a couple weeks.

There's TONS of good music from one hit wonders. What are some other One-Hit classic songs?

Bill O'Reilly Gets Bitched!

In this clip, Steven Colbert from Comedy Central's The Colbert Report puts a Ricky Bobby-styled "Shake...and Bake!" on Fox News' Ultra-Conservative Bill O'Reilly.

VERY funny! Standing Ovation!

Education: The Power of Knowledge, Discipline, and Submission

Check out this post from A beautiful Life's blog... Good stuff.

You Got Served, Sucka!!!... On The Yard!

Great Acting from the trailer of Sony Picture's "Stomp The Yard":

Main Character Guy: "What the Hell are they doing?"

Ne-Yo *with disgust and disbelief*: "THEY'RE STOMPING THE YARD!!! Where are YOU from?"

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I actually attempted to see Stomp The Yard with frat on the day that it came out. We got there 20 minutes before showtime thinking that we were early, but it had already sold out. But as I looked around, I realized that we were the only people over 20... Hell, we were the only people over 15! All I could hear was chatter about how "Chris Brown is so fine," and "I wonder if Ne-Yo is gonna sing in it!"

I suddenly started feeling old, and this reaffirmed my belief that I would probably think that the movie was wack. I still haven't seen it, and I still think it's going to be corny, but I STILL want to see it, if only out of curiosity.

My concern is that, since I'm an Alpha, I think that I am going to take offense to their portrayal of Greek life. Looking at the previews, I see more Crump Dancing than I do actual stepping. And on TOP of that, it seems like they're going to over-sensationalize the "dancing" and take away from the true meaning of what fraternaties and sororities are all about. Please note that I realize that stepping and throwing parties is what some chapters are all about (in all orgs), but will supporting this movie perpetuate stereotypes?

Alpha Phi Alpha and Alpha Kappa Alpha both released statements denouncing the film prior to its release, even though the movie was made by Alphas from FAMU. They argued that it made Greeks look like gangs, but I've argued with people who've compared black greek organizations to educated collegiate gangs WELL before this movie was conceived. They argue that there are strong parallels to street gangs complete with exclusiveness, feared initiation practices, heated rivalries between orgs, signs, secret hand shakes and calls (everything outside of murder).

Is there validity to those assumptions? Obviously I feel there is a HUGE difference and argued my case with all I could muster, but maybe those viewing this movie won't be able to make that distinction.

I know that it's just a movie and shouldn't be that serious, but for some people, this is the only portrayal of fraternities and sororities that they will ever see. I just don't want folks to walk away thinking that our traditions are a joke and that our usefulness is non-existent.

Am I overthinking this? Please don't feel that you have to be Greek to respond.

Ignorance: Here's the main character caught dipping in Britney Spears' Cookie Jar when he was one of her dancers. Apparently his pregnant wife divorced him after she found out they were messing around. Doesn't this cat look like T. Smith?

Break Up

We've all been in serious relationships at one point or another. And we've all been with somebody that we thought we were going to spend the rest of our lives with. Some of us made that thought a reality, and some of us did not get that far. Of course I'm speaking of mature relationships and not the puppy love of early years.

Why do people grow apart? What makes two people that seem perfect for each other wake up one morning and realize that they no longer have anything to offer one another?

I recently went through a major break up with a woman that I had been dating for years. We shared every emotion humanly possible with each other. I even thought that we were going to get married and have the house with the dog and white pickett fence. Even with all that we went through together over the years, we fell victim to growing apart.

Even now I still feel that she is the perfect woman in many respects and has most qualities that I will look for in a wife. But even still, I know that our break was for the best. The irony in that is both scary and intriguing to me. Will I look back on this in the future and regret it? Do I have commitment issues that will carry over into another relationship? Will I end up pursuing a woman that is NOT good for me like so many people are prone to do?

I must admit that it's weird to know that somebody that I spent years with may one day be a stranger to me. In any event, I've learned a lot about myself through her as we all do in relationships--and I hope that she can say the same.

Life is funny, sad, and beautiful all at once...

The West Coast Nas That Never Blew Up...

Most of you guys probably won't care about this post, but I used to think this guy was going to be the West Coast Nas when he came out in 1995. He was SUPER nice! I used to bump this every day that summer. I know... I'm a hip hop nerd.

Rell and KB had posts about slept on R&B songs. What were some slept on hip hop songs that we might not know about? School me...I'm all in!

Seduction...I Show You How To Do This Son!!!

The following post comes from guest contributor Mr. Smith. He's going to break down the art of getting that unattainable chick. Please direct all praise or disgust to Mr. Smith...

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Ladies and Gentlemen gather around…Like BIGGIE I've got a story to tell…A story we will call SEDUCTION. I'm sure the title has women mad at me…BUT now that I have you undivided ATTENTION, let's get into it… WOMEN if you apply these principles you too can have any MAN you want.


FIRST Lesson… this dance is not your classic romance movie, it's WAR, and this beautiful lady is a castle that has to be sieged as carefully as any army general. Every step has to be planned and executed with the utmost attention to detail and nuance.

First ACTION… approach the women with a bit of distance and air of nonchalance. Next time together confide in her as would a friend not a potential lover. THIS will throw her off the scent.

SECOND Lesson… Once the woman is confused make her jealous.

Second ACTION…At the next major function showe up with a beautiful lady. Beautiful women usually have equally beautiful friends. Wherever you are seen, be surrounded by BEAUTIFUL women. The young lady will not just be seething with jealously but will see you are someone that others desire. This gives you instant value and will make it that much more satisfying to snatch you from their clutches.

THIRD Lesson…Once she's jealous MESMERIZE her.

Third ACTION… Fail to show up at affairs where she is expected to see you. Then, suddenly, appear at places you have never frequented before, but where she will be in attendance. This will push HER to a state of emotional CONFUSION that is a prerequisite for successful seduction.

She will begin to laugh harder at your jokes and listen to your stories more closely. She will begin to ask others questions about you. THESE moves will take several weeks or even months, but the CASTLE walls will fall.

At some point during this SEDUCTION, you may be tempted but do NOT give into frivolous impulses to tell her that you LOVE her. This will ONLY break the spell. Wherever this encounter leads, she will love the ADVENTURE. If you play it right, and long enough, she will be yours.

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Is he on the money or do you have better insight into what it takes to get that person you're after? They say that dating is a game. Is it really? Is there a set of rules to follow or politics involved? Or is the trick in simply being yourself? What are your thoughts? Do share.

Chrisette Michele...

For anyone that knows me, you know that I am BIG into music. Recently, music has been garbage and good artists are few and far between.

Well this chick Chrisette Michele is really impressing me right now and is showing a lot of promise. I would describe her style as Jill Scott Meets Lauryn Hill Meets Billy Holiday. She's most recently been featured on Jay-Z's "Lost One" and Nas' "Can'tForget About You".

An absolutely amazing talent that is definately on my radar.

Check out an article on her here.

IF He Did It...

I was going to post some celebrity porn, but I figured y'all weren't ready for all that. Instead, we have an update on The Juice.

I was looking on MSNBC.com and ran across newly released excerpts from OJ's unreleased book. He describes in some detail about how it went down that night...

Before we get into it, does anybody feel guilty for supporting OJ for getting off with the crime? I mean I remember in high school how black folks went dumb when the verdict was released. I remember cats walking around with "Free OJ" shirts on and shit like he was paying their bills or something. Even though I didn't care either way, I had always thought it was kinda foolish for black folks to get hype over a black dude (who wasn't even a black dude) for getting away with a murder that he obviously committed. I mean I'm all for black people getting justice for centuries of past wrongs, but did OJ qualify to receive the outlandish support that he got from us?

I have stepped off the soap box... Here's a summary of the excerpt...

On June 12, 1994, Simpson attends his daughter Sydney's dance recital. He writes that he is in a foul mood after the performance, stewing over the behavior of his ex-wife. He is due to fly to Chicago late that night. But first he races to Nicole's Bundy Drive condominium in Brentwood. He parks in the dark alley behind her condo and dons the knit wool cap and gloves he keeps handy to ward off the chill on the golf course. He also has a knife in the Bronco, protection against L.A. "crazies." He intends to scare her. He enters through a broken back gate—he's told her a "million times" to get the buzzer and latch fixed—and encounters Goldman, who is returning the glasses of Nicole's mother, Juditha. She had left them at Mezzaluna, where the Brown family dined after Sydney's recital and where Goldman is a waiter. Simpson accuses Goldman of planning a sexual encounter with Nicole, which Goldman denies. Nicole tells Simpson to leave him alone. Goldman's fate is sealed when Kato, Nicole's Akita, emerges and gives him a friendly tail wag. "You've been here before," Simpson screams at Goldman.

At Simpson's criminal trial, to explain how one man could have killed two people, the Los Angeles County coroner theorized that Simpson knocked out Nicole, then quickly slit her throat before turning to Goldman. If the book's account is true, the coroner's hypothesis was correct—almost. Simpson writes that his ex-wife came at him like a "banshee." She loses her balance and falls hard, her head cracking against the ground. Goldman assumes a karate stance, further angering Simpson. He dares the younger man to fight. Then, in the book, Simpson pulls back. He writes, "Then something went horribly wrong, and I know what happened, but I can't tell you exactly how."

Simpson writes that when he regains control of himself, he realizes he is drenched in blood and holding a bloody knife. Both Nicole and Goldman are dead. Simpson heads back to the alley but before getting into the Bronco to flee, strips down to his socks. He rolls his bloody clothes and the knife into a small pile. (That's an important detail. The police never recovered those clothes or the murder weapon, but they did find Simpson's socks—with Nicole's blood on them—at the foot of his bed at his Rockingham estate.) As he nears his house, Simpson sees the limo that will take him to the airport for his Chicago trip. He steals onto his estate via a darkened, hidden path that takes him directly behind the guesthouse where Kato Kaelin is living. Simpson describes how he stumbles into an air conditioner for Kaelin's room, making a terrific racket—just as Kaelin told police he had heard.

Just For Old Times' Sake...

This is a real news story from Mobile, Alabama that somebody sent me a while ago. Hilarious!

Intelligence: Nothing seems more Irish than the leprechaun; yet hiding within the word leprechaun is a word from another language entirely. If we look back beyond Modern Irish Gaelic luprachán and Middle Irish luchrupán to Old Irish luchorpán, we can see the connection. Luchorpán is a compound of Old Irish lú, meaning "small," and the Old Irish word corp, "body." Corp is borrowed from Latin corpus (which we know from habeas corpus). Here is a piece of evidence attesting to the deep influence of Church Latin on the Irish language. Although the word is old in Irish it is fairly new in English, being first recorded in 1604...

...I hope this was sufficient in balancing out the ignorance.

Jason Kidd Says: "SHE CRAZY!"

I ran across this interesting story about Jason Kidd divorcing his wife. The funny part is that he's claiming that she physically abuses him. Yeah... He actually plead guilty to beating HER a few years ago. Drama.

Folks... this is what happens when you marry based on appearance and not compatibility...

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Claiming to be a battered husband, New Jersey Nets star Jason Kidd blindsided his spouse Joumana yesterday with a rim-shattering divorce petition.

Kidd insisted he was the victim of an "increasingly jealous and paranoid" woman who bugged his computer and car - and used their son to steal his cell phone from the Nets locker room.
And when it came to resolving marital disputes, Kidd - who was once busted for punching his wife in the mouth - insisted that she was the one who resorted to violence.

"Since the inception of marriage, defendant's [Joumana Kidd's] method of displaying anger, or dealing with frustration, has been to hit the plaintiff [Kidd], punch the plaintiff, kick the plaintiff, or throw nearby household objects at the plaintiff," he claimed in papers filed in Bergen County Family Court in Hackensack, N.J.

If Kidd complained, his wife threatened "to call 911 and file fictitious domestic violence reports," the papers state.

"Jason Kidd filed for divorce from his wife today on the grounds of extreme cruelty over a long period of time," said his lawyer, Madeline Marzano-Lesnevich. "As this is an extremely difficult personal matter, I ask that the privacy of the Kidd family be respected."

Kidd's sudden move to end his troubled, 10-year marriage caught Joumana Kidd and her lawyers by surprise.

"We were in conversation with Mr. Kidd's lawyers today and there was no mention of an intention to file," her lawyer, Gary Newman, said. "We haven't seen the complaint."

The lawyers were huddling a day after police - acting on temporary restraining order that Kidd had taken out against his wife - booted Joumana, a former model and occasional television personality, from their sumptuous Saddle River, N.J., home.

Joumana Kidd was allowed to return home last night while Kidd suited up for the Nets' game against Toronto. But she has been barred from Continental Arena and the team's practice facility, a Nets source said.

There was no immediate comment of the divorce papers from either of the warring spouses. Newman said Kidd, 33, has been living at "an unknown residence" for several weeks.

But earlier in the day, Kidd admitted he was in a "tough and difficult situation," giving no hint that he was about to drop a bomb on his 34-year-old wife.

"I think anything that I do there will be headlines, but again this is a family matter, and we're trying to work our family things out the right way," he said at the team's practice facility in East Rutherford, N.J.

Kidd, who is in the fourth year of a $99 million, six-year contract with the Nets, married Joumana in February 1997.

The first hint of trouble came three years later when Kidd was arrested for socking her during an argument over their son, Trey Jason, or T.J., who was 2 at the time. The couple also have 4-year-old twin girls, Miah and Jazelle.

Kidd pleaded guilty to spousal abuse, was fined $200 and ordered to take anger management classes. His record was later expunged. But he had to endure the taunts of opposing fans who chanted "wife beater" when he came to the free-throw line.

"These people would make a nun retaliate," Kidd said after he was heckled by Boston Celtics fans during a playoff game.

In the court papers, the 6-foot-4 point guard claimed he was on the receiving end of the physical abuse and said his 5-foot-5 wife "considers her behavior the normal course of marital discord."
Joumana Kidd also grew "increasingly controlling and manipulative" and took to dissing his "career in front of the children" and lying down in front of Kidd's car "to prevent him from attending professional obligations," the papers state.

Two days after Christmas, Kidd said she sent their son into the locker room to "rummage through the Plaintiff's belongings."

"After finding [Kidd's] cell phone ... [Joumana] left the locker room to investigate the names and numbers on the cell phone," the papers state.

Leaving the boy in the locker room, Joumana Kidd then "took a front-row seat in the arena and proceeded to shout personal insults at ... [her husband] throughout the game," the papers state.
Kidd also called his wife a spendthrift who "insisted upon excess household help, upon lavish gifts, and upon excessive high-end clothing."

But the court papers do not allege - as some newspapers have reported - that Joumana Kidd abused their kids. "There's no allegation on Jason's part that she did anything against the kids," said Walter Lesnevich, another of Kidd's lawyers.

Kidd is seeking joint custody of the three children.

The NBA star also has a 13-year-old son, Jason, from a one-night stand with a United Airlines clerk from San Francisco named Alexandria Brown.

Kidd does not have custody of Jason Jr.

Rumors that the Kidds' marriage was on the rocks had been circulating for several years. Kidd insisted repeatedly that his marriage was solid. And Joumana Kidd brought their kids to the open practice the Nets held at Ramapo College on Jan. 2.

Ignorance: Damn yo... look at this kid's head. Why do I have an insatiable urge to grow out a 1986 natural, put on a black leather kufi, travel to Nepal, and save the world from eternal Evil? I dunno...

What The Fcuk Is This?

If you didn't already know, Samuel L. Jackson recently surpassed Harrison Ford to become the highest-grossing actor of all time. That's great, but it's no secret that Sam Jackson has an uncanny knack for starring in shitty movies.

Sure he has Pulp Fiction, "The Gator Shake" and Star Wars, but he also has Formula 51, xXx, Deep Blue Sea and Freedomland.

Well let's add to the shit pile... I found out yesterday that he will be starring in a movie called Black Snake Moan as a self-righteous Mississippi farmer that finds a low self-esteemed whore one morning on his dirt road drive-way and decides to be Captain Save-A-Ho. In true EXTRA Sam Jackson fashion, he decides to save her from herself by chaining her to his house...

*blink blink...blink blink... slowly drops head...*

I mean is America ready to see Chicken George from Roots chain up a white woman? (Even if she is a crack whore?)

Check out the trailer here

What Does It Mean To Be Black?

What's good folks? The following thoughts come from guest contributor Mr. Smith... Enjoy!

What does it mean to be BLACK? This is a question I posed to a wise older gentleman. The question was asked after a close friend said that she hated me. Kinda taken back by her honesty I asked…why? She replied that I was an elitist and not really black. Not really sure how to respond I left it at OK! I asked my wise older, non-black, friend to explain her comments.

After a short pause that seemed to last forever…he dropped a simple yet complex nugget of knowledge on me. I had never heard it quite put like this, so I was inclined to post it here for your feedback.

He began with a rhetorical question…Where are BLACK people from? We are one of the few “races” that don’t have a home. Some will say we are from Africa, but we don’t know anything about the different tribes, nor can we trace our heritage to which country. Most Africans perception of BLACK AMERICA is that we are lazy and complain a lot.

Think about it, most races can say they come from this particular country. They have a spot on the globe they can say that people like me RUN shit there. BLACK AMERICA has no such place. This has given us a true MINORITY MINDSET. We never see “us” in power or wealth. Other minorities come to this country and do well…why? Just the fact that they are here they feel they are doing better than their people back home. They come over with a MAJORITY MINDSET, which simply put they feel they can do anything or have anything they want if they put their mind to it. To accomplish anything great you must have this mindset… the determination to not let your circumstance control you and focus on your goals.

When Blacks do reach a certain level of success and wealth they are not considered black. They are Uncle Toms that are acting white.

To take it a step further, he said, that’s why successful blacks date outside of their race…NOT because they are attracted to there physical beauty BUT their majority MINDSET. Regardless Latino, Asian or White they all have a country on the map to call home. So percentage wise they have more of their population that has a MAJORITY complex.

It seems that a few of us have broken out of that MINORITY MINDSET. Oprah Winfrey. Tiger Woods. Michael Jordan. Magic Johnson. Bill Cosby. Is aspiring to be a part of this elite group not being a part of Black America?

Sometimes You Just Gotta Let It Go...

I was reading Rell's blog (rellavent.blogspot.com) and he had a post about new albums coming out in '07. Welllll... he left one out. 2007 will see the return of the Undisputed King of Rap... none other than the great Father MC!

Calm down, calm down... I know you're as excited as I am. He's about to change the game!

Seriously though, the fact that he is still plotting to rap after one hit and 15 years isn't the sad part. I want you to pay extra close attention to his lady. At one point in time I thought she was the finest thing on two legs. Talk about self esteem... Life sucks...

Proof That Oprah Is Better Than The Rest Of Us

Oprah: "I'm standing here on my front lawn to..."

Whatever she said after that is irrelevant.

CEOs and Drug Dealers Share Same Inspiration?

I was listening to a radio show the other morning about a book called The 48 Laws of Power. On the show was a CEO of a major company and a reformed drug dealer that made over ½ billion in his time.

According to both of them many CEOs and Drug Dealers alike use these “48 Laws of Power” as a blueprint to building their empires. During the course of the discussion it was implied that inner city drug kingpins have CEO minds, and in many cases, are actually smarter than CEOs.

As absurd as that sounds the point was made that Drug Dealers have to do things that many CEOs have never done, and would not know how to do. For example, Dealers have to build an infrastructure from nothing, while top CEOs are often hired with an established organization already in place. And while CEOs of major corporations effortlessly attract good candidates based on the company’s corporate reputation, dealers have to recruit by creating a street reputation of fear and intimidation, while supplying a vision that will attract people that are, in most cases, tougher than the dealer himself. There were tons of comparisons that were thought provoking.

By no means do I condone drug dealing or illegal activity, but had these guys chosen a straighter path, could they have been effective CEOs in corporate America?

Here’s a link to the 48 Laws…

Obama Rode the White Horse???

I found the following article on the net:

Ill. Senator Barack Obama is keeping it real… and it may come back to haunt him as he ascends the political ladder.

In a memoir written before his political aspirations began, Obama admits to marijuana use and even labels himself a “junkie.”

"Junkie. Pothead. That's where I'd been headed: the final, fatal role of the young would-be black man. . . . I got high [to] push questions of who I was out of my mind," according to a report from The Post. Those words appear in Obama’s “Dreams From My Father”, a piece written in his 30’s.

Obama is now 45-years-old.

In another drug related news bit, Obama has also admitted, via another book to using cocaine at one time.

While many politicians have been hindered by telling too much of the truth, Obama believes that America is ready for a politician who is open and honest.

"I believe what the country is looking for is someone who is open, honest and candid about themselves rather than someone who seems endlessly driven by polls or focus groups," said Robert Gibbs, Obama's spokesman.

...Over before it ever started. Dammit!

Ignorance: Or this could be a clever ploy to pull a Clinton/Bush... They were both former fiends that got elected... hmmmmm.

First Bill, Now Oprah?

Bill Cosby caught a lot of heat a while back for his blanket condemnation of the Black community's educational priorities. Now add Oprah Winfrey to the list of Black philanthopists who are fed up with the American inner city youth. Oprah recently opened at $40 million dollar school for girls in South Africa. Asked why she chose to fund a school in Africa rather than one in the United States, Oprah replied:

"I became so frustrated with visiting inner-city schools that I just stopped going. The sense that you need to learn just isn't there. If you ask the kids what they want or need, they will say an iPod or some sneakers. In South Africa, they don't ask for money or toys. They ask for uniforms so they can go to school."

I'm not sure what to think about this one. There are bright, less fortunate, kids here that want to learn but are forced to be in classrooms with those that are disruptive and take that experience away from them. There are plenty of little girls here that will not reach their full potential because of their school environment and the pressures and distractions that come along with it. Cracked-out Cinnamon down at Club Ass could have very well been a VP at Price Waterhouse Coopers if given the right environment and grooming. Why not build a school here and set up the same interview process?

On the flip side tho, I can definately see her frustrations because a lot of low income kids here are rocking Jordan's and go home to the projects to play PlayStation 3 on their flat panel TVs, yet don't come to school with paper and pencils because they can't afford it. Our priorities are definately not always where they need to be.

I also realize that poor people in America are balling compared to impoverished nations. I dunno... At the end of the day, Oprah can spend her money as she damn well pleases.

Ignorance: Oprah need to holla at me... we can make this thang work.