BY Michael Partis

Mary on her relationship with Oprah

“’Oprah was like, ‘I didn’t care for you, but it was when I got to know you that I realized who you were.’ Though Oprah is now a friend, Mary is not surprised at her opinion. ‘I understand somebody like her wouldn’t even feel me at all.’ Mary says. ‘I’m a nigga, you know what I’m sayin? So when she said that to me, I was like, ‘Thank you for that honesty.’”

Mary J. Blige
No Shame
VIBE February 2008

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Before you read any further…make sure you’ve taken a good look at the video right above from the Flo Rida concert from last week, courtesy WhatsPoppin.net….Alright, have you taken all that recklessness in. Let’s continue…

When I saw this wonderful piece of visual magnificence, I will be honest…I was moved to tears…just a little. I was emotionally overwhelmed by talent and tenacity young lady in the purple! Did you see the COMMITMENT!!! Even when she realized that there wasn’t a chance in hell of keeping her H&M dress down…she attacked the stage with fervor! And…and this is just the opinion of Bari the Beautiful…if you’re going to get your reckless self on the stage…just gimme the COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE! Completely embarrass yourself…and entertain the rest of us! Have NO shame! Pull up your skirt! Hit the floor! No draws on…that’s ok with us. Be all you can be! That’s what your parents would want!
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If you are a fan of the young lady I affectionately still call “Lil Penny”… you may call her Janet Damita Jo Jackson… I would suggest you start saving up more than the $9.99 you thought you were going to need to cop her new album “Discipline” next Tuesday. Oh she’s going to need you to buy a few copies…a minimum of 3-5 for you core Janet Jackson fans that have been complaining and crying that Janet’s been getting blackballed ever since she exposed her areola to millions of (white) people at the Superbowl!

It hurts me deep in my soul…in my loins…to have to say this, but Janet is on the fast track to catching herself a brick next week! I’m not talking about a “bad for Janet” brick…no those days are over! Not even a Ashanti…or a Amerie brick. I’m talking about….like a Blu Cantrell brick! A Kelly Rowland brick! Like an Oliva pre-GUnit brick! One of those bricks that will have Janet touring in a play with Malik Yoba.

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When The Empire Strikes Back, We Say YES WE CAN: The Boondocks, Hip-Hop, & Politics As Usual

By Michael Partis

“Excuse me. I have brief announcement. Jesus was black, Ronald Regan was the devil and the government is lying about 9/11. Thank you for you time and good night.” Huey Freeman- “The Boondocks”

“Don’t make sense for Obama to win/if Hilary still getting votes from ya mama and them”
Jadakiss-“Mornings was Hashbrowns” Freestyle

“I’m not sure America is ready for a Black President.” 50 Cent to Bill O’Reily- February 2008

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There are countless debates on whether Hip-Hop has died or not, what ‘true’ Hip-Hop is, etc.  Whether or not the music has failed us will be disputed until the end of time, or Hip-Hop, whichever comes first.  Some dream in color, I dream in Hip-Hop.  Everyday, the news gives you just enough across America to reel you back in after a sponsored break; how can we make sure that we are bouncing back after our own Hip-Hop nation’s commercial breaks?  What is the state of both our unions?  There are more similarities through the differences than initially meets the ear.  The focus, after all, is what happens after the commercial breaks …

Written by Nicole Camack  “K-Mack”

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By Michael Partis

Hip Hop heads are some of the smartest, most varied people you’ll ever meet. You got the 80’s old-school cats who cling to KRS-One, Rakim, or Public Enemy as the greatest MC’s of all time (period), and keep the Five Percenters tradition alive. You get the Phillies and Backwood smoking, Hennessy & Baileys drinking, D.I.T.C, Canibus, Purple Tape (a.k.a Raekwon’s 1^st album for those not up on history) lovers from early to mid-1990’s. There’s the people like myself who came up on Vanilla Dutches being the number one choice, Cassidy killing Freeway, G-Unit mixtapes had the biggest buzz on the streets, DMX and Eminem being the most marketed rappers on the planet (damn, can you remember a time when DMX was Def Jam’s biggest star), and Ruff Ryders and Dipset being the crews holding down “the streets.” And finally you got the new Hip-Hop heads; a mix between cats who love Jim Jones & Dipset for they “swagger,” the Lil Wayne obsessed, the True Religion jean wearers, and new “backpackers” (the Lupe, Little Brother, Saigon, Brother Ali faithful) always ready to say “the real hip-hop is right here.”

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“Until we recapture the minds of black youth, convince them that it’s not OK to “super man dat ho” and end any and every dispute by “cocking on your bitch,” nothing will change. Does a Soulja Boy want an education? The “keepin’ it real” mantra of hip hop is in direct defiance to evolution. There’s always someone ready to tell you you’re selling out if you move away from the immature and dangerous activities you used to do, you’re selling out if you speak proper English, embrace education, dress like a grown man, do anything mainstream.”

Full Article

This is an excerpt from a article written by FoxSports columnist, Jason Whitlock. In the article Whitlock ties hip-hop into the recent death of pro-football player Sean Taylor and compares black on black crime to the KKK, calling it the Black KKK. I’ve never been a fan of Whitlock and this article doesn’t suggest other wise.

Read the article and let’s discuss.