R&B Divas on TV One

New Reality Show Alert!

Are you tired of how black women are being portrayed on VH1 reality shows? Well apparently the executives at TV One are.  R&B Divas is a new reality show starring Faith Evans, Nicci Gilbert, Syleena Johnson, Monifah and Keke Wyatt.  Promising to promote positivity, the show will focus on these women trying to continue their careers in the music business, as well as juggling motherhood, and the backlash from their shady pasts.  

It’s a reality show so of course I will be watching.  It seems that in the last few years TV is dominated by reality shows.  I’m particularly interested in this show because it’s an eight show series produced by TV One. TV One has not let us down so far.  With series like Unsung, Love That Girl, and Life After we know that R&B Divas will be informative, entertaining, as well as filled with quality.  I just hope that it’s worth the eight episodes. We shall see in the next month as more details (hopefully) unfold.

Catch R&B Divas on August 20^th at 10pm on TV One.

Rodney King's Death

Rodney King was pronounced dead early this morning in Rialito, CA.  Found floating in his swimming pool by his fiancée, she called the police and said King was unresponsive.  Details are still emerging surrounding his death however, his fiancée is telling police that King had been smoking weed and drinking hours prior to his death. He was 47. 

This is sad news for Father’s Day.

Rodney King is no stranger to trouble.  Since 1989, he has a several run-ins with the law. His most famous run-in though was the 1991 beating he suffered courtesy of the LAPD. And we all know how that ended…can we say The LA Riots!!! Yes, Rodney King was the victim in that case but it’s been well documented that King has always had problems with drinking and substance abuse. He had a couple of stints on Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. It’s ironic that Dr. Drew did tell King in 2008 that if he didn’t change his lifestyle that he would die from the effects of his alcohol intake. 

Still…Rodney King’s 1991 case shed light on police brutality and racial profiling that happened in the African American community.  If it was not for him, there would not be any progress in the case of Trayvon Martin.  

Rest In Peace Rodney.

It's About To Be A Bar Fight!!!

Ain’t no love in the Heart of the City.  That was the case Thursday morning in NYC at club WiP. A huge fight broke out in the VIP section involving Drake, Meek Mill, and Chris Brown. The pictures of the aftermath include smashed bottles everywhere, a couple of injured patrons, and Chris Brown with a minor (but ugly) scar on his chin.  There’s numerous reports circling around and all parties are claiming that they were not involved in the fight. Tweets have been deleted since the altercation; Chris Brown and Meek Mill have called a truce; but as for Chris Brown and Drake…they are still at odds. Rumor has it that all of this started because Drake was talking out the side of his neck to Chris Brown about Rihanna.

Wait a minute!

Nobody will admit it but all of this IS over Rihanna. Not misplaced features, record sales, or even money. It’s all over too much testosterone in one place, and three men being (at one time or another) involved with the same woman.  Young, wild, and free young men surrounded by their instigating entourages and things got out of control. No word if any of the three celebrities actually laid hands on each other, but it’s getting messy. Chris Brown and Drake have been cooperating with the police; we all know Chris Brown can’t afford any run-ins with the law because he is still on probation.  When will these guys stop trying to “be about that life?” 

Oh yeah and not to mention the price of fame: guarantee with the innocent people like Hollie C hurt, there will be lawsuits in the near future. 

Different Shades of Black

The recent death of Trayvon Martin has shed light on racism in America.  In just three weeks several boundaries have been created, but none more than black against white.  This is nothing new; the black community has always been shunned in America.  We walk to the beat of our own drum and we are always so enriched in our culture, our norms, and our history.  In turn, since the beginning of time black people have been misunderstood as well as stereotyped. 

At a glance, the Trayvon Martin case seems like a hate crime that was racially motivated.  To Zimmerman, Trayvon looked like a trouble maker or a “thug” because he was wearing a hoodie.  Somehow, over the years a hoodie has become associated with danger in the black community…who knew?  We (as in the black community) clearly see this for what it is, which is a stereotype.  Not all black people are the same. 

Here’s my problem:

Every day I read on Twitter, Facebook, the blogs, and the news different opinions of black people in our community.  We are so quick when there is a matter of race to talk about boycotting those “crackers,” “pigs,” and “whitey.”  Secondly, we are quick to shun the people of our own community who do not follow suit.  If you work for the “white man” you are considered a sellout.  If you work a 9 to 5 for the “white man” you are slaving.  If you are putting your money in the bank, you are letting the “white man” swindle you.  If you are compliant to authorities or even mildly respectful you lost your race card!  I am the last person to yell “Heil Hitler” or “White Power” but I see a consistent problem in our community.  We are so quick to divide ourselves within our own community.  We judge each other and are quick to outcast another person.  There are different shades of black.  Just because one did not grow up in the hood or struggling does not make them any less black than the next person.  Black people grow up differently.  Not all of us are raised to be in touch with mother earth and Africa.  All of us are not Muslims; some are Christian, some are Catholic etc.  Some of us like to work; working is the American way because living in America is not free!  Some of us want a better life and we want to be able to live comfortably.  But does that make me any less Black? 

We have come a long way.  There was a time where we could not vote, could not receive an education, we were denied knowledge.  Now we have Black doctors, Black lawyers, Black colleges and universities, and Black media personalities (shot out to myself!!!).  The sky is the limit for us because we now have the knowledge to create our own opportunities.  So why do we continue to judge one another, divide our race and put each other down?  Before we can solve the problem with racism in America, we have to solve the racism and classism in our own community.  (Follow me @eyediditmyway)